Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) released the following statement after President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress:
“The American people voted to take our country in a different direction last November, and the Trump administration and Republican Congress are working to deliver just that – real border security and immigration enforcement, economic policies that lower taxes and incentivize domestic investment, unleashing American energy, and more. The president continues to make a passionate case for his policies to make our nation more prosperous, peaceful and free. Championing our rural communities and the farmers, ranchers and foresters who sustain them remains my top priority as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and I look forward to working together closely to support their needs and pass a farm bill.”
Australia’s economy expanded at the fastest pace in two years in the December quarter, boosted by an improvement in household spending and stronger exports.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ national accounts report today said the economy grew by 0.6% in the quarter. It attributed this to “modest growth […] broadly across the economy […] supported by an increase in exports”.
Annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the year to December 2024 was 1.3%. That’s not especially high in historical terms, but as good as we have seen since late 2022. The long-term average growth for the Australian economy is closer to 2.7%.
It is one of the last pieces of major economic data before the next federal election, and will provide some comfort to the Labor government.
The per capita recession is over
A further encouraging sign is that GDP per head of population is no longer shrinking. It is tiny, rising a mere 0.1%, but at least is positive.
This follows seven consecutive quarters where the per capita measure declined. Today’s report ends what some call a “per capita recession”: when the economy grows slower than population, so in terms of production per person we actually go backwards.
Households spent more – on furniture, appliances, clothing, hotels, cafes and restaurants, health care and electricity. Consumption grew by 0.4% – which added to economic growth.
Households also saved more – the saving to income ratio grew from 3.6% to 3.8%, the highest in nine quarters. How were households able to save, even while they spent more? The answer is wages are growing even more strongly.
Employee compensation increased by 2% across the board, in both the public and private sectors. The compensation figure also reflects a 0.7% increase in hours worked.
Other contributors to positive economic growth in the quarter were government spending and exports of goods and services. Agriculture was a strong performer (up 7.3%) due to meat exports to the United States and increased grains production following favourable weather conditions.
What GDP doesn’t measure
Nevertheless, GDP does not capture important dimensions of wellbeing.
It omits things we value such as unpaid work, and the natural environment. Spending on recovery from a disaster improves GDP; if disaster never happens the numbers are unaffected.
Australian statistician David Gruen outlined the limitations of GDP in a speech he gave in 2010, while still at Treasury. Economists and statisticians alike recognise those limitations.
Still, the alternative to GDP growth is a recession: people lose jobs and income, businesses go broke. So overall, this latest release is a positive set of numbers for Australia.
Improving outlook
The trajectory for economic growth is looking good.
The December quarter was an improvement on the September quarter’s result of 0.3%, and 0.2% in the June quarter. That September quarter result turned out, as predicted,
to be a turning point.
We now seem to be on a pathway for continuing growth. The December quarter, remember, came before the Reserve Bank cut interest rates in February. Falling interest rates will benefit not only mortgage holders but also business borrowers.
Inflation has fallen to a level that gives optimism on possible future interest rate cuts.
Nevertheless, although the rate of inflation is falling, this does not mean prices are coming down. They are merely rising more slowly than before. The inflation number is also an average. Some goods or services have higher than average price rises, others lower. People tend to pay attention to the prices that rise, not those that stay the same or decline.
In short, these numbers may not make too much of a difference to the government’s election prospects. People will still be worried about the cost of living.
International events beyond our control
If voters pay attention to international politics, they also know our current economic sunshine might not last.
US President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, and doubled the tariff on Chinese imports from 10% to 20%. The affected countries are talking about retaliation.
Even if the US does not impose tariffs on Australian products (which remains a possibility, but Australian diplomats are lobbying hard to head it off), there is an impact from the US tariffs on China.
We rely on China as our major trading partner. If its economy slows, so will ours. China has responded to the threat of tariffs today with a fresh stimulus package.
Even more worrying is if the trade wars spread to other countries. Protectionism and insularity harms economies. Spread widely it can lead to a global recession.
Even though the December quarter national accounts show good signs of economic recovery and bode well for the future, international events beyond Australia’s control might yet derail our positive prospects.
Stephen Bartos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The full-length film “Buratino”, which was filmed at the Moskino cinema park, will be released on January 1, 2026, 50 years after the premiere of the famous Soviet musical film. The new film was filmed from September to November 2024. The music for it was written by composer Alexey Rybnikov.
The People’s Artist of Russia created unique arrangements, inspired by the characters’ personalities. The film retains the classic compositions from the Soviet adaptation, and also adds new musical elements.
“In most of the film we left the compositions from the Soviet film, and, for example, for the scene where Papa Carlo makes a doll, I wrote new lyrics to the music from the first film. All the other songs remained with the classic words, but one of them will sound unusual, it will be a surprise for all viewers,” shared Alexey Rybnikov.
For the project, the Moskino cinema park built a set called “Provincial Towns of Europe” with an area of over 11 thousand square meters. The composer noted that they were made so naturally and realistically that it created the feeling of filming in a real Italian city. These are several streets with realistic buildings – a church, Giuseppe’s house, a school, a theater and others.
Numerous streets and squares, small artistic details, fountains, niches, inscriptions – everything is worked out to the smallest detail. Alexey Rybnikov emphasized that the creation of such a site within the boundaries of Moscow is a great help and success for filmmakers.
The site offers comfortable conditions for work, and each decoration is unique and interesting in its own way. The composer called the idea of creating a world-class cinema park in the capital fantastic.
“The sets in the film ‟Buratino‟ are an amazing achievement of the set designers and producers who decided to do everything exactly like this. It creates the feeling that you are not in Moscow, but on the streets of Italy, where the action takes place. In general, for the film ‟Buratino‟ there were not many scenes in the pavilion, basically everything happened on the natural set, which is quite unusual. When you shoot in the pavilion, you really feel it, and here everything is natural and great. Therefore, I think that more than one project will definitely be created in the set design,” added Alexey Rybnikov.
The fairy tale plot of the film will tell viewers how one day Papa Carlo, who dreams of becoming a father, gets a magic key. His dream comes true when a simple log turns into a smart and cheerful wooden boy Buratino. The father dotes on his creation, but Buratino feels that he is not like other children, and sets off on a journey to get to know himself better.
The film takes much from the traditional interpretation of the fairy tale “Pinocchio”, but Buratino himself will appear before the audience in the form of a wooden three-dimensional doll, brought to life thanks to new computer technologies.
The project’s director is Igor Voloshin, the producers are Alexander Andryushchenko, Fyodor Bondarchuk and Denis Baglai. The main roles were played by Lev Zulkarnayev, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Mark Eidelshtein, Stepan Belozerov, Anastasia Talyzina, Victoria Isakova, Alexander Petrov and other actors.
The Moskino cinema park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s “Moscow – City of Cinema” project and an object of the Moscow cinema cluster, which is being developed by the capital Department of Culture. The first stage of development has already been completed here: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built. Among them are the sets “Center of Moscow”, “Moscow in the 1940s”, “Vitebsk Station”, “Yurovo Airport”, “Cathedral Square of Moscow”, “Deaf Village”, “Partisan Village”, “County Town”, “Cowboy Town”, “St. Petersburg Bar” and other sites.
The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino film park, the Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proyezd), the Moskino film factory, the Moskino cinema chain, the film commission and the Moskino film platform.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) released the following video previewing President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress tonight.
Senator Marshall anticipates President Trump sharing the remarkable accomplishments his Administration has achieved within his first few months serving in the White House.
You may click HERE to watch Senator Marshall’s video.
To download the video, you may click HERE.
Transcript of Senator Marshall’s remarks:
“Hi everybody, Senator Roger Marshall here. Big buzz in Washington, DC tonight. At 8 p.m. Kansas time, President Trump will be giving his address to a joint session of Congress.”
“I expect President Trump to describe promises made, promises kept in his America First agenda. I think President Trump will highlight what he’s already accomplished, that he’s actually secured the border.”
“As you may know, illegal crossings are down some 94%, and then President Trump will outline what we’re going to do in the future to continue to secure that border and get fentanyl out of our cities, as well as get rid of all the criminals that have come across the borders illegally.”
“Then I expect President Trump to talk a little bit about the economy, about jobs and inflation and how we’re going to get interest rates down, and he’s going to talk about doing this through balancing a federal budget, by setting American energy free and rolling back regulations.”
“I expect President Trump to maybe spend a moment or two talking about DOGE, how he’s trying to make our government more efficient to get rid of fraud, waste, and abuse. And then lastly, maybe he’ll talk a little bit about making America healthy again, what we can do through nutrition, and decreasing the toxins we’re exposed to to make all Americans healthy.”
“And then maybe… we’ll get some discussion about agriculture – that we’re going to put the ‘Farm’ back in the Farm Bill.”
“So, looking forward to tonight again, 8 p.m. Kansas time, President Trump from Capitol Hill.”
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and other congressional colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) urging them to oppose any Democrat demands that would undermine President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to reduce wasteful federal spending. President Trump is making good on his promise to change the broken status quo in Washington that led the nation to a $36 trillion debt crisis and Republicans must work together to ensure the President can continue to deliver on his mandate and Make America Great Again.
“We stand ready to work with you to ensure that the government remains open in a way that preserves President Trump’s options to root out wasteful government spending and fully continues DOGE’s important work. However, we will not support a government funding package that would be weaponized against President Trump at the very moment he is seeking to make good on the promises he made to the American people. Any attempt to use government funding legislation to dilute the President’s constitutional authority to save taxpayer dollars must be rejected outright,” said the members of Congress.
Senators Tuberville and Scott were joined by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in sending the letter.
U.S. Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD-01) led the effort in the House of Representatives.
Read full text of the letter here.
“Dear Majority Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson:
President Trump campaigned on a promise to the American people to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, and his resounding victory last November confirms he has been given a mandate by our constituents to make good on that promise. His clear message that taxpayers deserve to know not only how their money is being spent, but also that it is being spent responsibly, resonated with voters. The President has wasted no time in delivering on that promise, working through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to identify and freeze wasteful government spending that is contrary to the best interests of the American people. As Republicans, the task before us is to work with the White House to protect and advance this important work.
With the March 14th government funding deadline rapidly approaching, we are deeply concerned about recent reports of Democrats’ demands for a government funding agreement that would perpetuate the unsustainable status quo of wasteful spending. Rather than negotiating in good faith to find a solution that keeps the government open, we understand that Democrats are insisting that any government funding deal include policy provisions that would tie the hands of the President and prohibit DOGE from continuing their efforts to promote transparency and accountability in government spending. It has become clear that many Congressional Democrats would prefer a government shutdown rather than even attempt to rein in bloated federal bureaucracies.
We stand ready to work with you to ensure that the government remains open in a way that preserves President Trump’s options to root out wasteful government spending and fully continues DOGE’s important work. However, we will not support a government funding package that would be weaponized against President Trump at the very moment he is seeking to make good on the promises he made to the American people. Any attempt to use government funding legislation to dilute the President’s constitutional authority to save taxpayer dollars must be rejected outright.
A bloated federal bureaucracy and unsupervised, unaccountable federal spending have contributed to the existential fiscal threat our country faces, with a $36 trillion national debt growing because of perennial budget deficits. Our country cannot afford to allow Democrats to frustrate President Trump’s work to rein in government spending and bring needed and long-overdue accountability to Washington. We look forward to working with you to resist these attempts, and ensure that the President can continue to deliver on his mandate.
Sincerely,”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to speak with President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby. During the hearing, Senator Tuberville and Mr. Colby discussed the Trump administration’s plan to counter our foreign adversaries and the importance of selecting locations of military installations based on merit and not politics.
Read the transcript below or watch the full interaction on YouTube or Rumble.
ON COUNTERING CHINESE AGGRESSION IN PANAMA CANAL:
TUBERVILLE: “Good to see you and your family and thank you for wanting to take on this job. It’s going to be very difficult, but we think you can handle it. Mr. Colby, you advocate for a strategy of denial in military and geopolitical context. How does this concept translate to Central and South American places like Panama and the troubling amount of influence that China is starting to have and has had in that area? And by the way, they just announced that one of our major corporations is purchasing both ports at the Panama Canal, which is very good news.”
MR. COLBY: “Well, thanks very much, Senator. And I think the President’s early initiatives on our hemisphere in places like Panama are very encouraging. I think this is part of an overall strategy, both to secure our own interests directly, secure the territorial integrity of our homeland from unchecked migration and lethal fentanyl flows that are killing hundreds of thousands of Americans. But also, as you said, Senator, to ensure that China does not gain a foothold or beyond a dominant position in critical areas of Latin America, which I think was happening. I think that’s a big part of the strategy now. I think part of that is up to the military, but a lot of it’s part of the other agencies of government, the State Department. I know former ambassador in Mexico, Chris Landau, Ambassador Chris Landau, is going through his hearing downstairs. I believe he’s up for the Deputy Secretary of State. You know, I think that’s a kind of relationship between DOD and State Department where you have a clear picture that we’ve got to have a handle on our hemisphere. We’re pursuing our own strategies and we’re also empowering countries in the hemisphere and in the region to contribute more, you know, through development, through better governance themselves, through alignment with the kind of common-sense approaches that I think that we’re following here. That can result in better outcomes for all of us.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, I think you’ll find the new administration in Panama is very receptive […] once you get in your position, you’ll find that out. Been down there several times, and they need help as we need more access to the canal. So, thank you for that.”
ON IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING SPACECOM TO BEST LOCATION:
TUBERVILLE: “In 2023, President Biden overrode President Trump, the Department of Air Force, and the findings of multiple studies, including an inspector general review and directed that the headquarters of Space Command remain in Colorado instead of moving to its selected location at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. My State. Mr. Colby, if confirmed, you will be the senior DOD official in charge of space policy, […] as well as strategy plans and capabilities for the entire department. Do you agree with me that, as a matter of policy, it is in our nation’s best interest to make basing decisions on merit and not on political agendas?”
MR. COLBY: “I do, Senator.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Mr. Colby, much of your work is about prioritizing our defense policy towards deterring aggression with China our pacing challenge. What do you make of the progress made over past few years by our adversaries toward integrating with their militaries. I’m talking about since Ukraine, Russia have had their conflict, all the people in the east basically that are running to China. What’s your thought on that?”
MR. COLBY: “Well, I think it’s really, really disturbing Senator. I think there has been this kind of, think of it as like a counter coalition. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea. China’s kind of the cornerstone of that coalition. It’s by far the largest economy. Their support has made the Russian war effort in Ukraine sustainable. They’re helping the Iranians. The Iranians are helping them. The Russians are helping the North Koreans. So, I think there’s a couple of things to be done about that.
On the defense side, I think it’s important for us to work with our allies to kind of plug the gaps in our perimeter. A lot of that is getting our forces in a better state of readiness, putting them in the right place, getting our defense industrial base back in a good shape, robust defense funding, and then getting our allies to step up. I think a big part of this is we have some allies—Israel, I’ve mentioned, India, South Korea, Poland— they’re really pulling their weight. You could add Finland up there, is doing a pretty good job. But a lot of the biggest economies in our alliance network really aren’t pulling their weight. They’re starting now. So, I think there’s a real opportunity to capitalize on that because together, we are much wealthier than this counter coalition, but we’ve got to turn that into real military capability.”
ON BRICS:
TUBERVILLE: “Your quick thoughts on BRICS.”
MR. COLBY: “I think, you know, BRICS are sort of a representation of the changing world dynamic. I think Secretary Rubio put it very well. We’re no longer in Charles Krauthammer’s unipolar world. We’re in a world—United States is still, I think, the strongest country out there, but China is the biggest, most powerful rival we face in probably a hundred and fifty years, and other countries are making their decisions. Obviously, the Indians who I think our relationship there is golden going forward, and we should really deepen that. And if confirmed, I would make a big priority of that. They’re part of it, so it’s complicated. But people are going to be moving around talking to, you know, the Saudis are talking to Russians and they’re talking to us. That’s very common. That’s how the world’s going to be. That’s the reality of the world system as it is now, I think.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed in Newsweek previewing President Donald J. Trump’s Joint Address to Congress tonight. In the piece, Sen. Tuberville celebrates the Trump administration’s accomplishments since returning to the White House, including securing the border, negotiating America First trade deals, cutting wasteful government spending, and facilitating peace around the world.
Read excerpts from the piece below or here.
“Tonight, President Donald Trump will give his first joint address to Congress since his triumphant return to the White House. For the past four years, Americans endured a national nightmare under the Biden administration. Democrats opened our borders—allowing criminals, terrorists, drug dealers, and murderers to flood into our country unchecked. They canceled American energy production and forced us to rely on our foreign adversaries for energy. They wrote a blank check to Ukraine—while doing nothing to actually stop the bloodshed. They even went as far as to support men competing in women’s sports. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris brought this country to the brink of destruction.
The last four years were a dumpster fire—a total disaster. ‘Sleepy Joe’ was worn slap out as soon as he got up in the morning. Thinking back on it now, I really don’t know how our country survived. It’s a miracle that we made it through those dark days. One thing is for sure: President Trump’s address will be nothing like the clown show we endured the last four years.
But today, America is ready to usher in its golden age under President Donald J. Trump. We’re only a month and a half in, and President Trump is well on his way to renewing the American dream by reversing some of the Democrats’ most destructive policies. Most importantly, President Trump is keeping his promises to the 77 million Americans who voted for him and his ‘America First’ agenda. A recent poll showed 70 percent of Americans believe President Trump is doing what he said he would do.
We’ve already seen a whole lot of winning. Illegal border crossings have plummeted under the Trump administration, reaching their lowest levels in decades. Democrats’ ‘catch and release’ program has been replaced with detaining and deporting illegal immigrants. Since master-dealmaker President Trump first threatened tariffs, Canada and Mexico have been pulling their weight to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and deadly fentanyl into the U.S. It’s about time they pony up and contribute to this so-called ‘alliance.’
Two weeks ago, the administration officially designated eight different cartel groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Did Border Czar Kamala Harris recommend any of these policies? I don’t think so. She was too busy trying to keep the Left’s radical agenda alive. Border security is national security, and President Trump is making the safety of U.S. citizens his top priority.
President Trump is also hard at work restoring common-sense policies. For example, his administration announced that schools that still enforce COVID vaccine mandates will no longer receive federal funding. President Trump also signed an executive order defining gender as male and female, along with one banning men from competing in women’s sports.
[…]
I was particularly thrilled when President Trump signed an executive order to protect Title IX and keep men out of women’s sports. But unfortunately, executive orders can be reversed. My bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, finally got a vote last night in the Senate. Every Democrat voted against it. Last week, my wife Suzanne and I welcomed our first granddaughter, Rosie Grace. Now that I’m a grandfather, I’m more motivated than ever to continue fighting to permanently keep men out of women’s sports.
President Trump is doing something rare in D.C.: delivering on his campaign promises. From cutting wasteful spending with DOGE to renaming the beautiful Gulf of America, President Trump is renewing the American dream. And he’s not slowing down. Trump has brought unbelievable energy to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He won’t rest until American families, businesses, farmers, and manufacturers are winning again.
We have a long way to go if we’re going to get our country back on track and truly make America great again. But we’re well on our way. I look forward to hearing his address tonight and am committed to helping advance his agenda from the Senate.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
“My Democrat colleagues either hate Donald Trump so bad or they just think that they know better than everybody else.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Senate Republican Leadership’s weekly press conference to discuss last night’s vote on his bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. During his remarks, Sen. Tuberville called out Democrats for failing to vote to protect women and girls.
Read excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or watch here.
“I sat up last night trying to think of a word to describe what happened yesterday to girls and women across this country. I still haven’t come up with it. It’s amazing to me that anybody would be against [protecting] girls’ and women’s sports—but that’s what happened yesterday for the third time since I’ve been here for going on five years.
I spent all my life in coaching and the best thing that’s ever happened to women and women’s sports is Title IX. Folks, it’s being attacked, and attacked daily by the Democrats. There’s no reason why that should not have been a 100-0 vote. It makes no sense. It really doesn’t. And I want you to look at this. Women’s sports [are] being attacked. Men in women’s sports—the Democrats say ‘There’s only a few.’ But it doesn’t take but one to injure somebody. Again, I’ve spent my entire life watching competition. And this is a no-nonsense vote of voting for girls and women. […]
So, let’s go ahead and run women’s sports into the ground and do away with it. Let’s go ahead and cancel it right now because that’s what they’re saying.
Here’s another deal—NIL money going to athletes, which I’m fine with because athletes work hard—but the problem is none of the money is going to women’s sports. So, what’s going to happen is we’re going to have transgenders in women’s sports. And now we’re taking all of the women’s sports and saying ‘We do not have funding for you because the money has to go to NIL.’
Folks, we are ruining women’s athletics. It will be over with in a very short period of time. Only because my Democrat colleagues either hate Donald Trump so bad or they just think that they know better than everybody else and they want to change to one gender or 60 genders. It makes no sense to me.
So, today I’m challenging my Democrat colleagues: think about it, sleep on it, understand it. Because you’re going to have to own every bit of this because every Republican voted for it, every Democrat voted against it. It will come [up] again in the next few years and we’re going to try to get it passed. Thanks to President Trump for doing an Executive Order, but as we all know that doesn’t last. We’re going to get this done one way or another. And I think the American people will speak next time when they see in their state what Senator voted against women’s sports—and they should. And they should be run out of town. Because it is absolutely not political, it’s common sense.”
BACKGROUND:
Under Joe Biden, more than 900 women lost medals to men competing in women’s sports. The issue of men in girls’ and women’s sports proved to be one of the top concerns of voters during the 2024 Presidential Election. A recent New York Times (NYT) poll found 79% of respondents said men should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. This number is a 10% increase from a 2023 survey where 69% of respondents agreed that men do not belong in women’s sports. This is a bipartisan issue—the same recent NYT poll found that 67% of Democrats agree that male athletes shouldn’t be allowed in women’s sports.
In February, President Trump signed a historic Executive Order banning men from competing in women’s sports. President Trump has spoken about the need to keep men out of women’s sports on multiple occasions.
Unfortunately, Executive Orders can be reversed. That’s why last night the Senate voted on Senator Tuberville’s bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would make President Trump’s Executive Order permanent. 45 Democrats voted to block the bill from proceeding.
Earlier this year, Senator Tuberville also introduced a bill to ban men from competing in women’s U.S. Olympic sports, following USA Boxing’s announcement that it would allow men to box against women.
IN THE NEWS:
Not One Democrat Senator Voted to Protect Women’s Sports From Males
White House Backs Tuberville’s Women’s Sports Legislation Ahead Of Senate Vote
After This Vote, the Dems Show They Really Haven’t Learned Anything From Their 2024 Loss
Democrats Stall Senate Bill To Protect Women’s Sports
Bill to Ban Biological Males From Women’s Sports Blocked by Democrats
Senate Dems face backlash after bill to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports fails to break filibuster
Senate Dems Kill Legislative Effort to Protect Women’s Sports
Senate Democrats block GOP bill to keep male-born athletes out of female sports
Senate bid to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports get stuck on filibuster
Fight To Protect Women’s Sports Could Stall In Senate
Will Democrats stand up for women or let men destroy girls’ sports?
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Increased production and higher export prices mean that New Zealand dairy farmers will play a big role in New Zealand’s economic recovery Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said in a speech at an Environmental Diary Leaders conference in Wellington today.
“Dairy exports are forecast to grow by around $4.5 billion this year meaning more money in the pockets of Kiwi farmers and more jobs in rural New Zealand,” Mr McClay says.
“The strong performance of our dairy farmers is welcome news for the economy as the government continues to lower inflation through careful spending meaning reducing interest rates and by delivering fewer and less costly regulations.
Milk production for the last season was up 4 per cent on the previous year, marking the highest level in a decade. December alone saw the strongest output in four years, meaning consumers around the world can enjoy more of the world’s highest quality and safest environmentally friendly grass fed dairy.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy with food and fibre exports bringing in over $10,600 for every Kiwi, with dairy exports alone contributed $4,700 per person. The dairy industry also employs over 54,000 people,” Mr McClay says.
“The Government is committed to meeting our environmental and climate change obligations, but we will do this without closing down farms or sending jobs and production overseas.
“The primary sector is fundamental to achieving our ambitious goal of doubling exports by value in ten years and the coalition government is backing farmers to be world best.
“With strong production already in the vat, feed crops coming in, and consumers eager for our products, the sector is well positioned to turbo charge the economy and deliver for every New Zealander,” Mr McClay says.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Summary
Company Announcement Date: March 04, 2025 FDA Publish Date: March 04, 2025 Product Type: Food & BeveragesAllergens Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description Undeclared sulfites
Company Name: U.S. Trading Company Brand Name:
Brand Name(s) Joy Luck
Product Description:
Product Description Dried Lily Flowers
Company Announcement (March 3, 2025) U.S. Trading Company of Hayward, CA is recalling Joy Luck Brand Lily Flowers because it may contain undeclared SULFITES. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious allergic reaction if they consume these products. The lily flowers were distributed to retailers Nationwide. The lily flowers are individually packed in plastic packaging. Below is the product being recalled:
Brand
Product Name
Size
UPC
Joy Luck
Dried Lily Flowers
2.5oz
721557511008
The recall was initiated after Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services collected a sample of the lily flowers. It was discovered that lily flowers containing sulfites were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of sulfites No illnesses have been reported to date. This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Customers with a sulfite allergy or sensitivity who have purchased the affected product are urged not to consume the product and dispose of it or return it to their place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact U.S. Trading Company at 510-781-1818 Monday thru Friday between 8:00am – 4:30pm PST.
It could be as little as roughly A$100. That was how much ABC News Verify recently spent to clone federal senator Jacqui Lambie’s voice – with her permission – using an easily accessible online platform.
This example highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) apps which create a synthetic replica of a person’s image and/or voice in the form of deepfakes or voice cloning are becoming cheaper and easier to use.
This poses a serious threat not only to the functioning of democracy (especially around elections), but also to a person’s identity.
Current copyright laws in Australia are inadequate when it comes to protecting people if their image or voice is digitally cloned without their permission. Establishing “personality rights” could help.
In theory copyright law can also protect a person’s image and voice. However, its application is more nuanced.
First, a person whose likeness has been cloned by an AI platform often does not own the source material. This material could be an image, video or voice recording which has been copied and uploaded. Even if your image and voice is depicted, if you are not the owner of the source material, you cannot sue for infringement.
Using Senator Lambie as an example, the ABC only needed 90 seconds of original voice recording to create the AI clone. Senator Lambie’s voice itself is not able to be copyright-protected. That’s because copyright can only attach to a tangible expression, say in written or recorded form. It cannot attach to speech or unexpressed ideas.
As the ABC arranged, recorded and produced the original 90-second recording, the broadcaster could hold copyright in it as a sound recording. It is a fixed, tangible expression of Senator Lambie’s voice. However, unless the senator and the ABC made an agreement, Senator Lambie would have no economic rights, such as the right to reproduction, to the original voice recording. Nor would she have any rights to the clone of her voice.
In fact, the AI-generated clone itself is unlikely to be protected by copyright, as it is considered authorless under Australian copyright law. Many AI-generated creations are currently unable to be protected under Australian copyright, due to a lack of original, identifiable human authorship.
Moral rights – including the right of attribution (to be credited as the performer), the right against false attribution and the right of integrity – are also limited in scope. They could apply to the original audio clip, but not to a deepfake.
What are ‘personality rights’?
In most jurisdictions in the United States, there exist what are commonly known as “personality rights”. These rights include the right of publicity, which acknowledges that an individual’s name, likeness, voice and other attributes are commercially valuable.
Celebrities such as Bette Midler and Johnny Carson have successfully exercised this right to prevent companies using elements of their identity for commercial purposes without permission.
One of the challenges is overlap with pre-existing laws, such as Australian consumer law and tort law. Policymakers might be hesitant to introduce a new right, as these other areas of the law may provide partial protection. Another challenge is how to enforce these rights if an AI-generated deepfake is created overseas.
Australia could also consider introducing a similar law to the “No Fakes Bill” currently being debated in the US. If passed, this bill would allow people to protect their image and voice through intellectual property rights. This should be given serious consideration in Australia too.
Deepfakes are becoming more and more common, and are now widespread during elections. Because of this, it’s important that Australians remain vigilant to them in the lead up to this year’s federal election.
And let’s hope that whoever wins that election takes urgent steps to better protect everyone’s image and voice.
Wellett Potter does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Comes as the Trump Administration implemented sweeping 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association, today joined Senate Democrats for a press conference on Capitol Hill with Americans from across the country who are being hurt by Trump Administration policies—from businesses hit by tariffs to veterans who were laid off by Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to cancer researchers.
Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association spoke about how Trump’s Trade War will hurt Vermont’s maple industry:
“Vermont makes about 50-51% of the U.S. production of pure maple syrup, and we have Canadian partners across the border. In the past 20 years, Vermont’s production rates have grown 500% and a 25% Canadian tariff on maple equipment—most of which comes across the border, because that’s where most maple syrup is made—on the Canadian imports that come into Vermont will have a staggering effect on Vermont’s producers, who not only are agricultural farmers, but they are foresters, and so they keep a large swath of Vermont forested.
“I think that our Canadian counterparts are a huge part of our trade. The U.S. can’t supply all ofthe maple syrup for retail in the United States, and so we bring into Vermont —and other areas of the U.S.—Canadian bulk syrup. When that price goes up, it affects the shelf price at retail, and those larger contracts for blended Vermont, U.S., and Canadian maple syrup—those contracts change for cents on the dollar. And so, the end result of that will be a potential stagnation of production in Vermont and also a loss of potential shelf space at a time when it’s really hard and really expensive to get it back,” Hope said.
After the event, Senator Welch emphasized the importance of making sure the Trump Administration hears directly from those who are impacted by Trump’s misguided trade policies:
“These tariffs are really going to hurt our economy in Vermont, and the impacts will be far-reaching. President Trump is singlehandedly raising costs for Vermonters—from the food on our table, to our energy bills, to the materials our home construction companies and manufacturers need. It’s important that the Trump Administration and my colleagues across the aisle hear directly from those who are impacted and that they drop this misguided plan.”
Watch a livestream of the press conference below:
Vermont’s maple industry—as well as farms and businesses across Vermont—are bracing for the economic fallout of Trump’s 25% tariff on Canada, which went into effect today. Sugar makers expect the cost of Canadian-made sugaring equipment to dramatically increase. Bulk maple sales to major retailers like Costco, Target, and Whole Foods rely on both U.S. and Canadian producers and most of the equipment needed to produce syrup is manufactured in Canada.
Last week, Senator Welch expressed opposition to the Trump Tariffs after voting against the nominationof Jamieson Greer for United States Trade Representative. He also joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act, which would shield American businesses and consumers from rising prices imposed by tariffs on imported goods into the United States. The bill would keep costs down for imported goods by limiting the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—which allows a President to immediately place unlimited tariffs after declaring a national emergency—while preserving IEEPA’s use for sanctions and other tools.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
03.04.25
Trump Tells Farmers ‘Have Fun’ As He Kicks Off Pointless Trade Wars. Cantwell Tells the Truth: ‘It’s Not Going to Be Fun, It’s Going to Be A Nightmare’
Ahead of Presidential address, Cantwell calls on Congress to reclaim its Constitutional authority over tariffs; Cantwell also calls out arbitrary and wasteful layoffs at NOAA, NIH, NSF, USDA: “These kinds of ideas sound great, but they’re not well thought out. It’s literally throwing tax dollars away.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered a Senate floor speech raising concerns about the economic fallout of Trump’s newly announced tariffs, hours before the President is set to deliver remarks before a Joint Session of Congress.
“Trump said to our farmers yesterday on Truth Social, quote, ‘tariffs will go on external products on April 2. Have fun.’ End quote,” Sen. Cantwell said. “’Have fun?’ ‘Have fun?’ When retaliatory tariffs strike our farmers — just as they did in the first Trump administration — it’s not going to be fun, it’s going to be a nightmare for our farmers. And many of the farmers in my state worry [whether] they will be able to farm at all.”
“I hope my colleagues will slow down on this tariff tirade. Under Article One, Section Eight of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to set duties and regulate foreign commerce. However, Congress has spent the last 80 years delegating its tariff authority to presidents,” she continued. “This president, I believe, is abusing this authority. He calls it an emergency. He’s using the trade wars to supposedly force countries to do things like changing their border policies. I believe it’s time for Congress to start taking back some of that power and considering how we’re going to protect the family farm.”
Over the past 24 hours, as President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, stock prices in the United States have plummeted. The Dow fell more than 700 points this morning. Today, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board criticized his decision: “Trump takes the dumbest tariff plunge.”.
Sen. Cantwell also showed the following graph with the alarming new forecast by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which recently began predicting negative real GDP growth for the first quarter of 2025, a rapid reversal of its prior forecast for growth. “Just last week, when people want to talk about GDP and where this is going, it’s amazing that the Atlanta Fed was forecasting GDP growth over two percent for the first quarter of 2025…. but we can see when we got to February, we fell off a cliff… this drop is the representation of a cliff that President Trump is pushing the American economy over.”
“We know this — that in my state, families are paying more for groceries. They’re paying more at the gas pump. They’re paying more at electricity bills. And they are seeing the stock market plummet because as businesses grapple with Trump’s unnecessary trade war, businesses are concerned about the long-term impacts of the supply chain and the cost of those tariffs,” Sen. Cantwell said.
In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information on how President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE. Nationwide:
A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would add an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.
Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could increase U.S. car prices by as much as $12,000.
According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s proposed tariffs would result in the highest U.S. effective tariff rate in more than 80 years, and depending on the level of retaliation by other trading partners, will result in increased costs of between $1,600 and $2,000 per household. According to their analysis, electronics, clothing, cars, and food will all see above-average price increases.
Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023. In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
In her speech today, Sen. Cantwell also railed against the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) push to indiscriminately slash federal workers from the payroll, compromising the vital ongoing work at federal agencies.
“The cuts that these agencies have been facing are really the cuts to some of the most technical jobs the United States government has. Whether you’re talking about NOAA, or the National Weather Service, or the National Institutes of Health, or the National Science Foundation, or the US Department of Agriculture — they’ve all been targeted for reductions. These agencies are critical to our economic growth and to our security. And at a time when we are seeing more extreme weather events, or more floods or more wildfires, why shouldn’t we be investing more in weather forecasting, not less?
“And when you look at NOAA workers who support our commercial, and recreation, and tribal fisheries, they employ 1.7 million people, including thousands in the State of Washington. Why would you cut specialized workforce that are helping support the growth of GDP?” Sen. Cantwell said.
“DOGE wants to cap the overhead expenses of research. University of Washington medicine tells me that this would leave them with shortfalls and that they might have to stop clinical trials that are underway. You can’t just stop medical research like it’s a faucet! Once halted, the research, the data, the clinical trials, the patients, the laboratories, the equipment — all that led to innovation will be lost. You think you just turn that back on? You know, these kinds of ideas sound great, but they’re not well thought out. It’s literally throwing tax dollars away.”
Since DOGE announced its intent to hack away at federal agencies and programs, Sen. Cantwell has been sounding the alarm and coming to the defense of workers at NOAA, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the National Park Service, and more.
A video of her speech on the Senate floor today can be viewed HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Murray has been a leading voice calling out the Trump administration for illegally freezing hundreds of billions of dollars owed to communities across the country, including hundreds of millions of dollars for Washington state
***WATCH VIDEO HERE; DOWNLOAD HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with businesses and organizations across Washington state—from Bremerton, to Skagit County, to Vancouver, to Okanogan—who are being harmed by Trump’s ongoing illegal freezes on vast swaths of federal funding owed to Washington state and communities across the country, putting critical projects, jobs, and entire businesses at risk. Senator Murray has been raising the alarm nonstop and working to get out information on what Trump’s illegal funding freezes mean for people across the country since his Day One Executive Orders went into effect—these illegal Executive Orders are right now blocking hundreds of billions of dollars in funding from going out the door.
Joining Senator Murray for the press conference today were: Michael Frazier, Executive Director of Viva Farms in Skagit County; Rena Shawver, Executive Director of Okanogan County Community Action Council in Okanogan; Richard Schwarz, the CEO of Safe Boats in Bremerton; and Greg Franks, President of Manor Management Services, the management agency for Smith Tower in Vancouver. All four speakers represent businesses and organizations that have had federal funding they are owed frozen, cut off, or thrown into uncertainty because of the illegal actions of this administration.
Ahead of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress, Senator Murray is lifting up the stories of real people in Washington state who are being hurt by Donald Trump’s reckless and illegal moves—from his indiscriminate mass firings across the federal workforce that will undermine services we all rely on and put lives at risk, to his illegal funding freezes that are seriously harming businesses and organizations across Washington state and putting them in financial jeopardy. Senator Murray’s statement on why she won’t be attending the Joint Address tonight is HERE.
“Despite what we may hear later tonight—the true state of our union is that Musk and Trump have ground it to a halt, by blocking important funding in total disregard of the law and total lack of concern over how their actions put American jobs at risk,” Senator Murray said on the press call today. “You won’t hear that from Trump tonight. But I can tell you—we are hearing it at my office, where the phones are still ringing off the hook with calls from business owners, farmers, workers, cities, Tribes, nonprofits, and so many other people who are seeing what this funding freeze means for the work they do, for the people they serve, and are desperate to raise the alarm. Trump and Musk may not want to hear about the damage they are causing—but I am not going to let them ignore it.”
“Viva Farms is a Skagit and King County based nonprofit farm-business training organization and incubator farm with a 15-year history of success growing the next generation of farmers. Our main focus is economic development: supporting farmers on their path to viability while supporting the larger food and agricultural economy. And, as a training program, we are concerned with the next generation of farmers; who will grow our food for the future? Including Viva’s Team, dozens of farm owners and their employees, over 100 people earn their livelihoods directly through our work, and all of this is at risk because of the current funding freeze,” said Michael Frazier, Executive Director of Viva Farms, based in Skagit County. Right now, because of Trump’s Executive Orders and subsequent actions to recall contracted federal funding, Viva Farms’ future is uncertain—they are unable to access a total of about $5 million awarded, multi-year federal grants, $1 million of which was to be spent this year. The loss of these funds could be catastrophic to the future of Viva Farms and many of the farmers they serve.
“Rural safety net programs for disaster relief, emergency assistance for basic needs, and job support are essential to the economic health of our entire community. The kind of programming that will run out of these facilities provide a safety net for working families and people in crisis. We hope to see the funding for these resiliency hubs come through soon,” said Rena Shawver, Executive Director of Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) in Okanogan, which supports working families and low-income residents with lifeline emergency services that help them get back on their feet. Right now, Trump’s Day One Executive Orders are blocking a $20 million Community Change Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for OCCAC from moving forward—this funding will create a Food Hub to store the county’s food for assistance programs, and a multipurpose Community Center in Omak that would house job-training, daycare, energy assistance, and other programs to help the community become more resilient to the effects of poverty and disasters. The award was announced in December 2024 and the facility has been in design and development for over a decade. EPA was working on the contract with OCCAC for the funds when the freeze occurred; OCCAC now has not heard from the EPA since January 24th.
“We design and manufacture aluminum boats for coast guards, militaries, first responders. We’re a 100 percent employee-owned small business… Following the Executive Order that paused foreign assistance programs, we received stop work orders for all of our foreign military and security cooperation contracts that were issued through the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). The majority of those boats were already in production and partially completed. Then we received additional stop work orders for the Mark VI patrol boats that we’re currently building for Ukraine, as well as for all the weapons systems for the Island-class Coast Guard cutters that are being refurbished for Ukraine by another shipyard. The Ukraine contract was stopped even though we have four boats completely done, two more in production, and have ordered most of the long lead materials for the remaining two. And now we’re being asked questions that lead us to at least fear that it’s possible that that contract could be cancelled in its entirety… In total, about 90 employees out of our total of 300 have been affected by these stop work orders. And then probably the most serious immediate concern is that late last month, we were also notified that we were not going to be paid for the work that we had completed on these programs—our invoices were issued after the Executive Order, but prior to the stop work orders on these contracts. That policy affects several millions of dollars worth of invoices and is clearly contrary to the terms of our contracts,” said Richard Schwarz, CEO of Bremerton-based Safe Boats International. SAFE Boats’ operations have been significantly disrupted since Trump took office—the company was told to stop building ships for partnered countries and wait for a 90-day review before it can restore the manufacturing or before contracts are canceled. Six SAFE Boats contracts awarded by the Navy, State Department, and Coast Guard have been placed on hold.
“After nearly 60 years of local organized labor leaders coming together and providing 170 affordable rental homes in Vancouver, Washington, to low- and extremely-low-income seniors, Smith Tower is in need of improvements to preserve the affordability and the structure for the next 60 years or more. Our government must ensure the predictable and timely delivery of funding commitments already made by HUD and EPA in order to avoid additional costs which could derail the project entirely and put at risk the stability and safety of these seniors’ homes and hundreds of jobs,” said Greg Franks, President of Manor Management Services, the management agency for Smith Tower in Vancouver, Washington. Smith Tower was awarded a $10 million loan through HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program in 2024, as well as an $11.5 million loan from EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund—this funding, although already awarded, is currently frozen by the Trump administration and at risk.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered on today’s press call, are below and video is HERE:
“Thank you so much for coming on today and sharing your stories; it is so important that people hear what is happening to all of you.
“As we all know, President Trump is coming to Congress tonight to give what is called the State of the Union, but I don’t think it’s right to call it a State of the Union because he’s going to be really ignoring the state of emergency that he and Elon have created through a very reckless and illegal funding freeze, and massive cuts.
“We have seen Trump put on this show before, and he is going to blow by the facts and reality of the harm that’s been caused, regardless of what’s actually happening—regardless of what’s actually happening, he’ll probably say that the state of the union is strong.
“Maybe for billionaires like him and Elon Musk—but I will tell you, for families across the country, for our small businesses, for our farms and people in Washington state who are just trying to get by, he has made life harder and made things a lot worse.
“He gave the richest man in the world the keys to the kingdom. And now, they’re cutting off funding that Congress, all of us, passed—and they’re doing it left and right.
“This is not making us safer. It is not making us stronger. It’s causing chaos, and it is costing us jobs.
“The illegal funding freeze is choking off funding for infrastructure and energy projects, investments to lower people’s electric bills.
“It is grinding cancer research to a halt, as researchers now are being cut off from the funds that they need to do things like replenish their basic lab supplies.
“It is putting our family farms and businesses in jeopardy, as farmers who took steps like installing solar panels, or upgrading their greenhouses—helping them save money while counting on federal assistance they were promised—they’re suddenly being stiffed by the billionaires who are now running the government.
“The freeze is hurting our forests and our parks. It is endangering our families, as groups like the Northwest Youth Corp have to suspend their crews and interns because their funds have been frozen—even funds for work they had already completed!
“It is hurting organizations like Safe Boats, which you will hear from in a minute. And they do the work that is critical to our national security—they will tell you about that—and now the Trump administration is really putting them in financial straits.
“Not to mention Tribes across our state who are still waiting on funding they were owed.
“Or in Waitsburg, Washington, where the frozen funding is risking their water main bursting—they can’t now get access a grant for a project to protect drinking water from flooding and earthquakes, wildfires and more. It is frozen; they can’t get to it.
“So, despite what we are going to hear tonight here, the true state of our nation is that Musk and Trump have ground it to a halt because they are blocking important funding—in total disregard of the law, by the way—and total lack of concern over how their actions put Americans and American jobs at risk.
“Probably won’t hear that from Trump tonight—but I can tell you, we are hearing it in my office. The phones are still ringing off the hook with calls from business owners, farmers, workers, cities, Tribes, nonprofits, so many people who are seeing what this funding freeze means for the work they are doing, for the people that they serve, and they are desperate to raise the alarm.
“You know, this is not like turning a light switch on and off, no harm is done. This is like fighting a fire, one President Trump himself set—and as long as they ignore this problem, or worse, keep fanning the flames—the worse it is going to get.
“Now, we have seen the impact we can have by speaking out. When everybody raising their voices and saying ‘we don’t want our country to be behaving like this.’ We have seen that if we raise the alarm, and raise our voices, and bring enough shame down on their heads—it is possible to get this administration to reverse the course.
“But we also know, we’ve got to be loud. We’ve got to be clear about what is at stake.
“They may not want to hear about the damage they are causing—but I am not going to let them ignore it.
“That is why tonight I am holding this call, so we can lift up the stories of people who actually are on the receiving end of Trump and Musk’s devastating freeze and who can say a bit, tell us about what is at stake for them, their communities, our country, if we don’t get things back on track.
“So I really appreciate all of you in coming on this today and sharing your stories so people understand what’s at stake and what’s happening to you.”
SEATTLE — Utah-based jewelry company Paparazzi will pay $1.9 million and reform its business practices in Washington state following an Attorney General’s Office investigation into the company’s pyramid scheme. Attorney General Nick Brown will send 7,100 Washingtonians who sold jewelry for the company checks of an average of $180 in the near future.
“Our investigation showed Washingtonians were clearly harmed by Paparazzi,” Brown said. “Advertising too-good-to-be-true returns on investments is one of the ways companies and individuals try to deceive Washingtonians.”
The payment is part of a resolution Paparazzi signed to avoid a lawsuit over violations of the state Consumer Protection Act and Antipyramid Promotional Scheme Act. Washingtonians who sold Paparazzi’s products can return to the company any unsold merchandise that they purchased after January 2017 for a full refund.
The binding resolution also requires the company to be more transparent if it wants to keep operating in Washington state. It creates a nationwide claims process for refunds for anyone who bought Paparazzi jewelry that contains the heavy metals lead and nickel. Paparazzi advertised certain products — including those marketed toward children and youth — as free from both heavy metals. Paparazzi’s own testing revealed that some of its products contained lead and nickel.
The resolution also reforms how Paparazzi can advertise its sales program, to include fully disclosing the income sales consultants would likely receive from its sales programs.
The Consumer Protection Division is largely funded through money recovered from businesses who have violated Washington’s Consumer Protection Act and similar laws, not by taxpayers. Specifically, a portion of Consumer Protection recoveries go into the Attorney General’s Civil Justice Operating Fund, which supports the Consumer Protection, Antitrust, Wing Luke Civil Rights, and Environmental Protection divisions. It also funds Medicaid Fraud Control and the Complex Litigation divisions.
Here are some recent key consumer protection victories:
$1.3 billion in recoveries dedicated to combating the opioid epidemic at the state and local level.
Blocking the Kroger and Albertson’s anticompetitive grocery store merger.
Up to $40.6 million will be distributed to Washingtonians who overpaid for chicken and tuna products that were part of a price-fixing conspiracy.
A nationwide agreement requiring Dollar Tree to monitor its testing labs to ensure they follow appropriate testing methods for lead and cadmium that are audited and verified through independent experts.
Over $43 million in direct refunds and debt forgiveness to student loan borrowers.
More than $158 million in debt relief to patients who Washington hospitals failed to screen for charity care.
Our Consumer Protection Division has successfully challenged consumer “non-disclosure” agreements to make sure online reviews are honest and returned funds to consumers who signed illegal contracts.
The Manufactured Housing Unit, recoups millions of dollars for tenants subjected to illegal rent hikes and other misconduct under the Manufactured Housing Landlord Tenant Act.
The Wing Luke Civil Rights Division addresses discrimination in housing, employment, insurance, credit, and in government services and businesses open to the public. Recent wins illustrating the breadth of that work include wins against Allianz ($1.5 million, insurance discrimination), Greenridge Farming ($470,000, farmworker sexual harassment and retaliation) and Operation Veterans Assistance & Humanitarian Aid (more than $2.15 million, sexual harassment and retaliation at a chain of thrift stores).
Our Consumer Resource Center, which answers between 25,000-30,000 calls annually, returns over $10 million to consumers every year via its informal dispute resolution efforts. Assistant attorneys general also take calls and complaints throughout the year that result in additional consumer protection actions.
Assistant Attorneys General Ben Brysacz, Joe Kanada; Paralegals Joseph Drouin, Luis Oida and Heather Zamudio handled the case for Washington. Former Assistant Attorneys General Susana Croke, Kevin Eggers and Camille McDorman also handled the case before leaving the Attorney General’s Office.
-30-
Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.govto learn more.
Media Contact:
Email: press@atg.wa.gov
Phone: (360) 753-2727
General contacts: Click here
Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ
Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture
05 March 2025
Who does this notice affect?
All clients of the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON) website.
Information
Restored time:
As of 19:30 Tuesday 04 March 2025 (AEDT).
Detail:
Between 09:30 and 19:30 on Tuesday 04 March 2025 (AEDT), the BICON website was experiencing an unplanned service disruption. As a result, users may have experienced service degradation (e.g. slowness) and/or an inability to…
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) in introducing the Local Radio Freedom Act.
This bipartisan resolution states Congress should not impose new taxes or fees on locally owned radio stations and highlights their vital role for families, small businesses, and communities.
“Local radio keeps every corner of the Cowboy State informed, entertained, and safe,” said Lummis. “If broadcasters are forced to pay additional taxes and fees, vital programs get put on the chopping block. I am proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for rural Americans who rely on local programming.”
“People across Wyoming depend on local radio stations for timely information, news, and programming that impact their daily lives,” said Barrasso. “For decades, radio stations and the recording industry have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship: free airplay for free promotion. If forced to pay a performance royalty, broadcasters will have to make cuts to important programming to make ends meet. I’m proud to join Senator Hassan in introducing our bipartisan resolution to block any new performance tax on broadcasters in Wyoming and across the country.”
“Granite Staters regularly tune in to their local radio station to catch up on the news around the state, listen to music and stories, and get weather and emergency alerts,” said Hassan. “I am glad to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in supporting listeners and broadcasters alike. We will keep working to ensure that our local radio stations are able to continue providing vital information and entertainment to communities across our country.”
Co-sponsors of this legislation include U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Angus King (I-Maine), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jim Justice (W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.).
This legislation is supported by the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters, the National Association of Broadcasters and iHeartMedia.
“We are grateful for the support of our Wyoming Delegation and to Senator Barrasso for taking the lead on this important resolution that helps protect our local broadcasters from being imposed an additional fee to record labels and artists when they play their music.” – Laura Grott, President of Wyoming Association of Broadcasters
“For over a century, local radio stations have provided communities with trusted news, critical emergency information and the music and entertainment audiences rely on every day, free of charge. NAB thanks Sens. Barrasso and Hassan, and the over 140 members of the Congress who have already signed onto this resolution for recognizing the vital role of local radio across the country. Their support will help ensure that local radio stations can continue serving our communities for years to come.” – Curtis LeGeyt, NAB President and CEO
Full text of the resolution can be found here.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement in advance of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress this evening:
“President Trump’s second term is off to a chaotic and cruel start. The past 43 days have delivered an incredible disruption to Vermont families and communities—the complete opposite of the economic relief and stability people need. We’ve entered a painful trade war sparked entirely by the President’s whims. He’s illegally frozen congressionally-appropriated funds, fired thousands of government workers at the direction of Elon Musk, and is creating a constitutional crisis.
“I am thankful to be joined tonight by Allison Hope of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association. Allison and Vermont’s best-in-the-nation sugar makers know all too well the impact of Trump’s Trade War, which took a dangerous turn today. The maple industry, like so many industries in Vermont, will be hit by the new tariffs on Canada. The President’s tariffs are a reckless tax hike for America’s farmers, businesses and families. The honest and simple truth is that nobody wins a trade war.
“I hope to hear tonight about how President Trump plans to lower grocery and health care costs for families, create jobs, and support working families—plans that he forgot to include in his inaugural address. I want to remind my colleagues across the aisle that all of us were elected to serve the best interests of our constituents and not to be enablers of policies that hurt them. Congress has an obligation to act as a check on the executive branch, especially when the president exceeds his constitutional authority. It’s not too late for Republicans in Congress to stand up to Donald Trump, stand up for democracy, and uphold Congress’s role as a separate and equal branch of government.”
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging JAMES DINNIGAN, a/k/a “Charlie Ward,” and MARTIN MAUGHAN, a/k/a “Lawrence Rogers,” with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their participation in a multi-year, multi-state organized construction fraud scheme that targeted at least 24 victims, including numerous elderly and vulnerable victims. MAUGHAN was transferred from state custody to federal custody this afternoon and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Robyn Tarnofsky. DINNIGAN is in federal immigration custody and will be transferred to the Southern District of New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, these defendants and their co-conspirators carried out a brazen scheme to defraud vulnerable members of our community by posing as legitimate home repair contractors and tricking homeowners into paying for thousands of dollars in unnecessary and unwanted home repairs. Today’s charges should serve as a reminder that this Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who seek to enrich themselves by victimizing vulnerable members of our community.”
Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies said: “James Dinnigan and Martin Maughan allegedly enticed prospective consumers with illegitimate home improvement advertisements before intentionally destroying their property to extort unanticipated additional costs. These illegal foreign nationals allegedly laid the foundation to prey upon a vulnerable population across the northeast, ultimately stealing a significant sum from elderly victims. The FBI remains committed to protecting our citizens from any fraudulent company attempting to cement false promises to garner illicit profits.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between at least in or around October 2023 through at least in or about February 2025, DINNIGAN and MAUGHAN participated in a construction fraud scheme involving dozens of victims in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and several other states. Participants in the scheme were usually foreign nationals from Ireland and the United Kingdom who were illegally in the U.S. and falsely posed as legitimate home repair contractors.
The scheme generally proceeded as follows: To get hired by the victims, members of the scheme made false statements to victims about their operation of legitimate home repair businesses, their occupation as contractors or engineers, and about home improvement and construction projects the victims needed to obtain. After being hired, members of the scheme tricked victims into paying for additional unwanted or unnecessary home repairs and other construction, including by purposefully damaging or destroying the victims’ property. The perpetrators of the scheme then forced victims, including through threats, into paying them tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
DINNIGAN, MAUGHAN, and other perpetrators of the scheme communicated with victims using cellphones and email. The victims frequently wrote checks and transferred money to bank accounts controlled by members of the scheme, including into an account at a particular financial institution in Manhattan, New York. The perpetrators of the scheme also operated websites in the names of at least two purported construction companies: Local Masonry and Construction and Pine Valley Home Improvements, Inc. Below are screenshots from websites that the perpetrators used to lure victims into the scheme:
The FBI has identified more than two dozen victims—many who are elderly individuals—who have lost at least $1 million as a result of this scheme.
DINNIGAN entered the U.S. on or about April 4, 2023, using a tourist visa. A review of relevant records has revealed no known documentation showing that DINNIGAN departed the U.S. as required, or that DINNIGAN applied for and received authorization to legally remain in the U.S. On or about February 25, 2025, DINNIGAN was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) in Champlain, New York.
On or about August 9, 2023, MAUGHAN was encountered by CBP officers in the vicinity of Laredo, Texas. MAUGHAN was subsequently ordered removed from the U.S. to the United Kingdom on or about October 30, 2023. According to MAUGHAN’s order of removal, he was prohibited from reentering or attempting to reenter the U.S. for a period of five years. On or about February 7, 2025, MAUGHAN was found inside the U.S. when he was arrested at the Boston Logan International Airport moments before departing on a flight to Dublin, Ireland.
If you believe that you have additional information about this scheme or if you believe you have been a victim of the defendants or their co-conspirators, please contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov, and reference this case.
* * *
DINNIGAN, 27, of Ireland, and MAUGHAN, 31, of the United Kingdom, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York and Philadelphia field offices. Mr. Podolsky also thanked CBP; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Lower Merion Police Department; Cheltenham Police Department; Bernards Township Police Department; and Lambertville Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialist William A. Coleman IV.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact descried therein should be treated as an allegation.
The U.S. officially imposed new 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 4, 2025, following through on a long-delayed pledge from President Donald Trump. American consumers and businesses are now bracing for higher costs and potential supply disruptions.
Although tariffs, or taxes on imports, are a pillar of Trump’s economic policy, the move still surprised many observers, since Mexico and Canada are among the U.S.’s traditional allies and top trading partners. The administration further rattled global supply chains by doubling existing tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%.
As an economist who studies global trade, I wanted to know how the 25% import duties on Canada and Mexico would affect different parts of the country. So I conducted a state-by-state impact analysis.
What I found is alarming: The U.S. economy could face an annual loss of US$109.23 billion. This shortfall would mean rising costs of everyday goods for American families and would disproportionately affect certain states. My analysis focused exclusively on the effects of U.S. tariffs, so it didn’t take retaliation from Canadaor Mexico into account. If it did, the losses would be even greater.
Unequal burdens for states, higher prices for families
Imagine your grocery bill surging by 17.5% to 25%, car parts costing hundreds of dollars more, and your favorite local restaurant raising prices as imported ingredients become unaffordable. Because tariffs drive up consumer prices, these scenarios, or others like them, will soon become reality across the U.S.
But not all Americans will be affected equally, I found. States that are deeply connected to North American supply chains will suffer the biggest economic blows. Texas, with its strong trade ties to Mexico and key role in energy, would lose $15.3 billion. California’s diverse economy would take a $10.2 billion hit. Michigan, heavily reliant on auto manufacturing, would face a $6.2 billion blow – over 1% of its gross domestic product.
The biggest losers from the policy on a per-capita basis would be smaller, trade-dependent states that lack the flexibility to absorb such a shock. New Mexico, Kentucky and Indiana would be among the hardest hit, with projected GDP losses ranging from 1.12% to 1.48%. These states rely heavily on manufacturing and specialized industries, making them particularly vulnerable to rising costs and supply chain disruptions.
Take New Mexico. While it may not experience the largest total economic loss, it would bear the highest per-person burden. That $1.73 billion hit to its economy would translate to $822 for every resident – a devastating blow in a state where incomes are already below the national average.
Indeed, the likely effects of tariffs will be felt especially hard by American families. For example, a family of four in New Mexico would see an estimated $3,288 additional annual costs, equivalent to three months of grocery bills or an entire year’s utility expenses. Families in Kentucky and Indiana would also bear heavy financial burdens, paying an extra $3,120 and $2,836, respectively. Even in wealthier states such as Texas, the added annual costs would reach over $2,000 per household.
For middle- and lower-income families, these aren’t trivial costs. They represent difficult trade-offs, forcing households to cut back on essentials, delay major purchases or dip into savings to make ends meet.
A truck crosses the Ambassador Bridge, a border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Detroit, Mich., on March 1, 2025. Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images
Where industry will face a tough hit
Perhaps no industry would suffer more than the auto sector, particularly in states such as Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. These regions rely on a highly integrated North American supply chain, where components cross borders multiple times before a final product reaches consumers. Tariffs would disrupt this delicate balance, leading to price increases, reduced production and job losses.
My conservative estimate shows that such disruptions could cost the industry approximately $28.2 billion, putting around 680,000 jobs at risk across manufacturing, parts production and sales operations. And the ripple effects would extend beyond automakers to suppliers, dealerships and local economies.
But the pain wouldn’t stop there. Manufacturing, which plays a critical role in 17 of the top 20 states most affected by tariffs, would also face rising costs and shrinking profit margins. The agricultural sector – vital in at least 10 states – would endure higher input costs and potential retaliatory tariffs from Mexico and Canada. Past trade disputes have shown that American farmers often bear the brunt of such policies, with lost export markets and declining revenues.
During the U.S.-China trade war of 2018-2019, for example, American farmers suffered over $27 billion in losses, with soybean exports dropping by 71% and states such as Iowa, Illinois and Kansas losing billions in GDP. The federal government paid affected farmers more than $23 billion to offset these losses. Similar – and possibly worse – challenges loom now.
Retaliation from Mexico and Canada could deal a heavy blow to agricultural exports – including corn, beef and dairy – that anchor local economies, especially in Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Both countries have threatened countermeasures targeting key U.S. exports, raising concerns among farmers and agribusinesses. Retaliatory tariffs could shrink profit margins, further disrupt supply chains, and create uncertainty for producers relying on these markets.
Looking at the bigger picture
The new Trump tariff regime represents a fundamental shift in how the U.S. engages with its closest economic partners. While ostensibly meant to strengthen American industry, the tariffs on offer have serious side effects that will likely cause widespread disruptions for businesses, consumers and entire state economies.
Trade isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about real people, real businesses and the intricate economic fabric that connects the nation. Changes to this system can come at a high price. Safeguarding American jobs and ensuring economic stability entails recognizing the realities of global trade and considering the trade-offs of instituting new policies.
While tariffs are one method of disrupting the status quo, they are far from the only way. Indeed, reform is also possible through targeted policies – including negotiated trade agreements, investment incentives and workforce development programs – that address trade concerns without altering deeply integrated supply chains.
Bedassa Tadesse does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The UNSpecial Envoy for Syriaon Tuesday condemned ongoing Israeli attacks inside Syrian territory and continuing violations in and around the demilitarised zone created as part of a 1974 ceasefire agreement.
Geir Pedersen said in a statement that “such actions are unacceptable and risk further destabilising an already fragile situation, heightening regional tension and undermining efforts toward de-escalation and a sustainable political transition.”
The condemnation follows a recent wave of airstrikes and ground raids targeting southern Syria which the Israeli Government says are necessary for national security and to keep weapons out of the hands of armed groups hostile to Israel.
Airstrikes, incursions
The latest Israeli raid occurred on Monday night targeting a weapons storage facility near the coastal city of Latakia. Several hours later Israeli forces conducted operations in two towns in southern Syria blowing up warehouses, before withdrawing, according to news reports.
A week ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the “complete demilitarisation” of swathes of southern Syria of the “forces of the new regime”, which ousted former dictator Bashar Assad in December.
In response, Syria’s transitional leader Ahmad al-Sharaa reportedly said at the meeting of Arab States in Cairo on Tuesday focused on Gaza reconstruction that Syria is committed to the ceasefire deal of 1974, accusing Israel of violating Syrians’ rights for decades.
Special envoy Pedersen called on Israel to “cease violations, uphold its international obligations and refrain from unilateral measures that exacerbate conflict.”
He called for all parties to conflict across the region to respect Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.
“Constructive dialogue and strict adherence to international agreements and international law are essential for security,” he added.
Aid trucks
Meanwhile, UN aid coordination office, OCHA, has welcomed the extension by the caretaker authorities for the UN to continue to deliver humanitarian assistance through the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee crossing for an additional six months,
Bab Al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee provide direct routes to Aleppo, where some four million people need assistance, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday.
Since the start of the year, more than 520 trucks carrying UN aid – including food, health and other critical supplies – have crossed from Türkiye through these two border points, as well as through Bab al-Hawa – a substantial increase compared to the same period last year.
“This afternoon, nearly two dozen trucks carrying 300 metric tons of WFP food – enough for 174,000 people – as well as agricultural supplies from the Food and Agriculture Organization, crossed from Türkiye to Syria through Bab Al-Hawa,” Mr. Dujarric said.
Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture
5 March 2025
Who does this notice affect?
All internal and external stakeholders who may require Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulatory services across southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.
What has changed?
The department is preparing for the forecasted severe weather event anticipated across southern Queensland and northern New South Wales coastal on Thursday 6and Friday 7 March 2025, associated with Tropical Cyclone…
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Schiff, Colleagues to Trump: Fire Elon Musk, Reinstate Agency Leaders and Federal Watchdogs
Democratic lawmakers demand Trump reinstate fired Senate-confirmed officials and address Musk’s conflicts of interest, cite officials’ investigations and prosecutions of Musk’s companies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) joined 40 of their Congressional Democratic colleagues in raising concerns about President Donald Trump’s unlawful firings of dozens of independent agency heads and Inspectors General (IGs), and calling attention to how many of these firings appear to benefit Elon Musk. The lawmakers also urged Trump to immediately reinstate the illegally fired individuals and remove Musk from his government role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), on which there are still very few details, unless he addresses his conflicts of interest.
Musk and his companies have been the subject of at least 20 recent government investigations or prosecutions, including for possible violations of federal safety and labor laws. President Trump and Elon Musk’s removals of agency heads and career civil servants have affected at least 11 federal agencies that are conducting over 32 ongoing investigations, complaints, or enforcement actions against Musk’s companies.
The lawmakers warned that failing to hold Musk accountable hurts American citizens and threatens the democratic system of checks and balances.
“Nearly all of your decisions you made about who to fire appear to benefit Mr. Musk, and many target individuals and agencies that are currently investigating or prosecuting Mr. Musk or his companies for unlawful behavior,” wrote the lawmakers. “Many of these individuals have legal protections dictating why and how they can be removed from office. … Altogether, these firings either directly benefit Mr. Musk and his companies or remove guardrails that would hold them accountable to the rule of law.”
“These firings have removed the exact individuals in our government who would hold Mr. Musk and his companies accountable for following the law and protect everyday Americans from threats to their health, welfare, safety, and economic well-being,” continued the lawmakers.
The lawmakers’ letter lists several agency heads and watchdogs who were improperly fired while involved in oversight surrounding Musk, including but not limited to: National Labor Relations Board Chair Gwynne Wilcox, Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Commissioners Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrow, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong.
Several of Trump’s orders contradict legal protections for the relevant officials. For example, federal law requires the president to notify Congress before removing an inspector general, but Trump did not do so before firing over a dozen IGs. Shortly after the terminations, Senators Padilla and Schiff joined a letter to President Trump demanding that the IGs be reinstated. President Trump has violated federal law with respect to numerous other agency officials, including the Office of the Special Counsel, the head of the Merit Service Protection Board, and a member of the National Labor Relations Board. Federal courts have already intervened against many of these presidential actions.
The letter was led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.-11) and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08). In addition to Padilla and Schiff, the letter is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), as well as Representatives Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.-09), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.-09), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Summer Lee (D-Pa.-12), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.-02), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.-01), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai’i-02), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.-20), and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43).
Senators Padilla and Schiff have fought against the Trump Administration’s federal workforce cuts and Inspectors General firings. Last month, Padilla, Schiff, and all other Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats demanded answers from Trump Administration nominees and acting officials on the removal or reassignment of career law enforcement officials across the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Padilla condemned Trump’s attempt to unlawfully fire more than a dozen Inspectors General during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. He previously sounded the alarm on concerning reports that DOGE will make wide-ranging, harmful cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) workforce and programs, hampering HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities and combat the housing and homelessness crises. As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Padilla also denounced the illegal firing of FEC Chair Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind this decision.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear President Trump:
We are concerned that you have engaged in an unlawful firing spree that includes dozens of Senate-confirmed government officials. Many of the individuals you have targeted lead federal agencies and offices that are investigating or prosecuting companies belonging to Elon Musk, one of your top advisors, for violations of a wide swath of federal safety, labor, intelligence, and other rules and laws. The firings of these officials threaten our democratic system of checks and balances and fail to hold Mr. Musk accountable for actions that may have hurt workers, endangered national security and citizens’ and small businesses’ data, ripped off taxpayers, damaged the environment, and broken federal election rules.
You have fired scores of Senate-confirmed government officials over the past three weeks, including many individuals who have legal protections dictating why and how they can be removed from office. For example, federal law requires the president to notify Congress before removing an inspector general (IG) from office, but you did not do so before firing over a dozen IGs during your first week in office. You also failed to set forth the specific and substantive rationale for each IG’s firing. Members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) can be removed “for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause,” and you removed an NLRB member with no justification. These and other firings are illegal.
Nearly all of your decisions you made about who to fire appear to benefit Mr. Musk, and many target individuals and agencies that are currently investigating or prosecuting Mr. Musk or his companies for unlawful behavior. The fired individuals directly involved in pending or previous actions related to Mr. Musk and businesses include:
NLRB Chair Gwynne Wilcox. In January 2024, the NLRB charged Mr. Musk’s astronautics company SpaceX with engaging in unfair labor practices; the NLRB also currently has at least a dozen unfair labor practices cases open against Mr. Musk’s automotive company Tesla;
FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub. In 2024, the FEC adjudicated cases that alleged Mr. Musk may have violated campaign finance laws;
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioners Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrows. In September 2023, the EEOC sued Tesla for racial harassment and retaliation;
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) IG Phyllis Fong. In December 2022, the USDA IG investigated potential animal welfare violations at Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink; and
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) IG Paul Martin. The USAID IG was inspecting the use of Starlink terminals to support Ukraine.
You also fired three other IGs from agencies that were investigating or had punished Mr. Musk’s companies.
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) IG Eric Soskin. In January 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency under the DOT, opened an investigation into Tesla over safety concerns in its remote and self-driving vehicles, and in September 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration, which is also part of DOT, proposed fining SpaceX $630,000 for failing to follow license requirements during rocket launches;
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) IG Robert Storch. In December 2024, the DoD IG reportedly opened an investigation into repeated failures by Musk and SpaceX to disclose their meetings with foreign leaders; and
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) IG Larry Turner. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, part of the DOL, “has opened probes into and fined SpaceX, Tesla and Boring Company for worker injuries or unsafe working conditions.”
You have also fired numerous other agency leaders and IGs who would have provided a check on potential wrongdoing by Musk and his companies. These federal watchdogs could have held Musk and his associates accountable for future violations of the law. These individuals include:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) IG Sean O’Donnell. In 2019 and 2022, the EPA settled lawsuits with Tesla over Clean Air Act and hazardous waste law violations;
U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) IG Mark Greenblatt. DOI had reviewed Musk’s rocket launch facility Starbase;
U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Director David Huitema. OGE is an independent agency responsive for preventing conflicts of interest among federal officers and employees;
U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Member Cathy Harris. MSPB is an independent agency that protects civil servants against partisan political and other prohibited practices;
Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) Chair Susan Tsui Grundmann. FLRA is an independent agency that oversees labor-management relations for federal employees; and
U.S. Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger. OSC is an independent agency that protects whistleblowers and enforces restrictions on partisan political activity by government employees.
Altogether, these firings either directly benefit Mr. Musk and his companies or remove guardrails that would hold them accountable to the rule of law. The firings also hurt everyday Americans. The individuals you have fired served important watchdog roles in our government. IGs “protect taxpayer money by rooting out corruption, fraud, waste and mismanagement.” Minority commissioners on multi-member commissions of independent agencies provide dissenting opinions to the majority and allow for balanced decision-making over significant issues. In addition to removing agency leadership, you and Mr. Musk are removing career civil servants who would conduct investigations and enforcement actions against lawbreakers. The impacts are vast: in total, your removals of agency heads and career civil servants have affected at least eleven federal agencies with more than thirty-two ongoing investigations, complaints, or enforcement actions on Mr. Musk’s companies.
Mr. Musk has failed to address conflicts of interest related to his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency while serving as CEO of multiple companies that have significant interests before the federal government. Musk is required to comply with federal conflict of interest prohibitions (18 U.S.C. § 208) that prohibit him “from personally and substantially participating in any particular matter that would have a direct and predictable effect on his financial interests,” but the White House has stated that he will be in charge of policing his own compliance with the law, and he has provided no indication of whether he is doing so. Now, these firings have removed the exact individuals in our government who would hold Mr. Musk and his companies accountable for following the law and protect everyday Americans from threats to their health, welfare, safety, and economic well-being. We urge you to immediately reinstate the illegally fired individuals and remove Mr. Musk from his government role unless he addresses his massive and glaring conflicts of interest as required by law.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) and six other Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker, urging the organization to clarify its stance on the participation of biological males in female sports. For the past four years, Democrats have waged a war against female athletes – allowing over 900 men to compete in women’s sports, share their locker rooms, and earn scholarships designed for women. In February, President Trump signed a historic Executive Order banning men from competing in women’s sports. Following the President’s Executive Order, the NCAA updated its policy to prevent men from competing in women’s sports. However, aside from competition, it is unclear what biological males have access to under the NCAA’s new policy.
“In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports. We commend the NCAA’s quick action to comply with President Trump’s order and write to encourage the NCAA to take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.
There is an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes–such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces— which the President’s order made clear should be protected,” they added. “We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports,” wrote the Senators.
Joining Senators Tuberville and Justice are U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID, and Jim Banks (R-IN) in sending the letter.
Read full text of the letter below or here.
“Dear President Baker,
On February 5, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order-Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports- to strengthen Title IX and protect opportunities for biological female athletes to compete in safe and fair sports. After the Biden-Harris administration’s assault on Title IX in its efforts to allow biologically male athletes who identify as female to compete in women’s sports, this order came as a sigh of relief to millions of female athletes across the country who desire equal opportunity to engage in competitive athletics.
In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports. We commend the NCAA’s quick action to comply with President Trump’s order and write to encourage the NCAA to take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.
The NCAA’s new policy makes clear that biological male student-athletes may not compete on a women’s team. We could not be more supportive of this essential policy change. The NCAA’s policy guarantees that biological male athletes who practice with female athletes will “receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes who are otherwise eligible for practice.” There is an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes–such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces— which the President’s order made clear should be protected. We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports.
We also applaud the NCAA’s policy defining “sex assigned at birth” as the male or female designation that doctors assign to infants at birth, which is marked on their birth records—e.g. birth certificate. Publicly, the NCAA has affirmed that biological male athletes may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or by other documentary means. The NCAA’s public stance on this issue is commendable, and its policy could go a step further and explicitly state that amended birth certificates are prohibited.
We stand in support of President Trump’s unparallel actions to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes across the country. The NCAA’s efforts are likewise respectable, and we look forward to working with you to ensure women and girls have equal opportunity in athletics.
Sincerely,”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in re-introducing the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act, which will help eliminate trade barriers that harm American farmers, producers, and businesses, leading to higher prices for consumers. This legislation aims to protect U.S. agriculture while ensuring that the food which appears on U.S. store shelves meets U.S. health standards.
“America’s ag industry can out-compete anyone in the world—as long as the rules are fair,” said Senator Tuberville. “But right now, our farmers, producers, and fishermen are suffering because of foreign countries violating their trade obligations. We must level the playing field to bolster our domestic ag industry. We must eliminate barriers to our agriculture exports. I will continue to keep working to remove red tape for those in our ag industry.”
Joining Senators Tuberville and Cassidy in re-introducing this legislation are U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress as well.
BACKGROUND:
The Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act establishes a joint task force on agricultural trade enforcement led by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The task force will more proactively monitor upcoming Indian and Chinese industrial subsidies, rather than waiting to react after subsidies are in place. The bill will also require the task force to report recommendations to Congress to deal with unfair subsidies they identify, like India dumping shrimp on the U.S. market, driving down income for American fisherman.
Establishing a USDA-USTR task force urges USTR to hold bad actors, like India, accountable for agricultural WTO violations and requires regular reporting to Congress and industry on those efforts.
Since 2005, the U.S. has imposed antidumping duties and conducted reviews of those duties on shrimp. These antidumping duties were placed on foreign shrimp suppliers as a result of unfair trade practices. These practices flooded the U.S. shrimp market with foreign frozen warmwater shrimp, deteriorating the per-pound price from $6.50 in 1980 to under $1.00 today. The decline in shrimp prices has driven domestic harvesters out of business and allowed foreign entities to control this U.S. market. India is the world’s top shrimp exporter, accounting for roughly 40 percent of U.S. shrimp imports, largely due to massive subsidies from the Indian government.
Alabama shrimp farmers produce approximately 200,000 to 300,000 pounds of farm-raised shrimp annually. In 2022, commercial wild-shrimp landings totaled approximately 24.3 million pounds, with over $52 million in value, in Alabama.
As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Ag Committee, Senator Tuberville has taken rigorous action to bolster and safeguard our own domestic agriculture industry, including recently reintroducing the Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act and Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act.
MORE:
Tuberville Honors National Agriculture Week, Continues to Stand Up for Farmers
Tuberville Continues Fighting Foreign Influence in American Agriculture
Tuberville Gets the Gavel for Key Agriculture Subcommittee
Tuberville Continues Push to Combat Chinese Influence in U.S. Agriculture
Tuberville, Colleagues Stand up for Agriculture Producers
Tuberville Introduces Bill to Combat Foreign Influence in U.S. Agriculture Industry
Tuberville Announces Agriculture Subcommittee Assignments
Tuberville Statement on Tom Vilsack Confirmation as Secretary of Agriculture
Tuberville Advocates for Farmers During Senate AG Hearing
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) in introducing the Supporting All Healthy Options When Purchasing Produce (SHOPP) Act, which would expand access to frozen fruits and vegetables through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“SNAP participants deserve access to healthy alternatives,” said Sen. Tuberville.“RFK Jr. has exposed the scary truth behind much of America’s processed food. Expanding access to frozen fruits and vegetables is a step in the right direction of Making America Healthy Again. It is important we continue to increase options and encourage Americans to make healthy choices.”
“Access to whole, nutrient dense foods are essential to making America healthy again,” said Sen. Cornyn. “The SHOPP Act will help meet this need for Texas families and communities across the country by ensuring SNAP participants are able to put well-balanced meals full of fruits and vegetables on their dinner tables.”
“I am proud to reintroduce the bipartisan SHOPP Act to expand access to fruits and vegetables for families across the country,” said Sen. Luján. “This legislation helps strengthen food security and supports healthier communities in New Mexico and nationwide, especially in rural and Tribal communities where access to fresh produce can be limited. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to move it forward.”
U.S. Congressmen Mark Alford (R-MO-04) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
BACKGROUND:
The Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) are designed to help low-income families and individuals access the healthy food options they need. However, the GusNIP program currently only include funding for fresh produce, not frozen. The SHOPP Act would give local GusNIP providers the ability to provide frozen fruits and vegetables, which work better for SNAP participants who may live in rural or urban food deserts. Increased access to frozen produce makes eating a variety of fruits and vegetables possible for these families and individuals, and it is also easier to transport to areas that are on the last mile of a delivery route. This comes as March is National Nutrition Month and National Frozen Food Month, which raise awareness of the importance of developing healthy eating habits.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
“At least 900 medals that belonged to women went to men instead over the past few years.”
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate took a procedural vote on U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, his legislation to require federally-funded institutions to keep men out of women’s sports, locker rooms, and other spaces designated only for females. The bill did not receive the 60 votes needed to proceed. All 45 Democrats refused to stand up for female athletes and voted to block the bill.
Prior to the vote, Senator Tuberville called on his colleagues to pass this commonsense piece of legislation and preserve Title IX to keep a level playing field for current and future female athletes.
Excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, or on YouTube or Rumble.
“Over the past four years, women’s sports and women’s protections, at all levels, have been under attack. Since the beginning of time, people have agreed that sex is assigned at birth and determined by God. But under [the] Biden administration, you had people claiming that men can get pregnant. Pure, absolute insanity. But it didn’t stop there. They weren’t content just to erase gender norms that have been accepted for thousands of years. No, they wanted to allow transgender men to participate in women’s and girls’ sports. This has been happening at schools all across our country. […] Young women have been forced to compete against men and even to share locker rooms and shower time. And on top of that, your taxpayer dollars are paying for it. Thankfully, President Trump signed an Executive Order—he said, ‘no more, no more federal money to any state that allows this to happen.’ But you have to understand, this only lasts as long as President Trump is in office. We need this vote, which is going to happen in around an hour, to pass so we can make this into law. This Executive Order that he signed can be reversed.
[…]
Congress needs to act on this to protect women’s sports to ensure Title IX protections are preserved. My bill that we are voting on today in about an hour, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, would make sure women’s rights to equal competition, equal scholarships, safe locker rooms, and that they all are protected. This legislation has already passed the House just about a month ago – with two Democrats actually supporting it. I appreciate the support of all my Republican colleagues on this. You all have joined me in championing this important cause for the past three years. I especially want to thank Leader Thune for […] bringing my bill to the floor here in the United States Senate. This will be the third time. It is hard to get a bill on this floor, but it is important to understand that. I also want to thank my friend and former Democrat colleague Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia who was the only Democrat in the last few years to support this when he was in the Senate. But unfortunately, my Democratic colleagues have been radio silent on this very issue despite the fact that a recent poll shows 67% [of] Democrats do not want men in women’s sports. 67%.
[…]
One of the most frequent talking points I’ve heard from the other side on this is that it isn’t a big deal and isn’t impacting that many women. That’s not true. At least 900 medals that belonged to women have gone to men just over the past few years of men competing against women. In Pennsylvania alone, 66 female athletes have lost placements to male competitors since 2020. How sad is that. For each woman, the medals that went to men, there are potentially hundreds of women who lost out on that opportunity. Not to mention the hundreds of girls who perhaps did not make a team at all because they didn’t have a spot [on the roster]—you can only have so many on a team. Or the many young women who missed out on a scholarship because a man, or biological boy, took that scholarship. It’s not fair. [So] no, this is [not] a minor issue impacting a few Americans. […] I took the liberty of looking up how many women and girls participate in women’s sports in some of my Democrat colleagues’ home states. More than 77,000 girls participate in high school [athletics] in the state of Georgia. In Michigan, 114,000. In Virginia, 164,000. In New Hampshire, 17,000. Pennsylvania [has] almost 150,000. New Mexico [has] almost 20,000. Minnesota [has] 98,000. Arizona [has] 120,633. And don’t tell me it’s not going to affect these states when, today, my Democrat colleagues come on this floor that represent these states and vote against this bill. It will affect [women], and it will affect them for years. So, as you can see, men competing in women’s sports has a negative impact on a lot of different girls across this country. But you know, it’s not just trophies. It’s about playing time, it’s about learning and being on a team, learning how to win and learning how to lose.
[…]
Last week, my wife Suzanne and I were proud to welcome our first granddaughter, Rosie Grace. She’s about five or six days old. We want her to have the same opportunities that all the other girls have had over the years. She deserves [the same rights] to fair competition, scholarships, trophies. I already bought her first pair of golf clubs—at age five days old. But if Democrats have their way today, she may one day be forced to compete against a man. Let me tell you something, if she has to share a locker room with a boy, you’re looking at a grandfather that will raise hell. If they shower in the same showers, we’re going to have problems. So, what we’re creating here is more and more problems that our country doesn’t need. I heard a story the other day about a 6th grade girl in Minnesota who was changing in a college locker room after swim practice when a biological man who identified as a female walked in and came within 5-6 feet of her to grab something. Let me tell you something, her dad became unglued. You would have too. Anybody would. This isn’t even about politics. This is about right and wrong. 79% of Americans agree on this: allowing men to compete against women is just plain wrong. 79% of the entire country. And like I said earlier, 67% of my Democratic colleagues and their constituents say, ‘no way, Jose.’ It’s not going to happen. So, to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, you may want to check with your constituents before you make this vote today in about an hour.
[…]
Because if polling is even close to correct, 8 out of 10 of your constituents do not want men competing against women. And if that doesn’t strike a chord with you, let me ask you this: Do you have daughters? Do you have granddaughters? Do you have nieces? How would you feel if they trained for years – waking up early every morning, staying after school late practicing. Putting in those long hours when nobody else is watching. Missing spring breaks, family vacations, birthday parties, and holidays, making tremendous physical and financial sacrifices. All so they could one day have the opportunity either to win a trophy or win a scholarship. But then only to have that opportunity ripped away by a bigger, better, stronger, faster male athlete because they want to participate against women.
[…]
Thanks to President Trump’s Executive Order, the NCAA recently announced men will no longer be allowed to compete against women on the college level. While this is a step in the right direction, the NCAA’s rules still allow, to this day, the NCAA to change the rules but they still allow men—biological boys or men—to enjoy in all the other benefits of being on a women’s team—practicing, dressing in the locker room, showering. But they just can’t compete in a game. That makes no sense. The NCAA needs to stand up for young women across this country and say, ‘no way.’ It just makes no sense, when [President Trump] made that [Executive Order]. To fully protect women, Congress needs to pass legislation on this, as I said earlier. We have got to pass it. It’s the only way it’s going to stop. Because the people out there that have lost their minds are going to continue to force this to happen. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would prevent a school from receiving federal funding if it lets boys compete in women. It’s the only way we can stop it. It also defines gender as male and female. What an idea, right?
[…]
I hope we can put politics aside and in about, and hour [or] 45 minutes, do the right thing and protect women and girls in sports.”
BACKGROUND:
The issue of biological males in girls’ and women’s sports proved to be a winning message during the 2024 Presidential Election. Support continues to grow for keeping biological males out of women’s sports—a recent NYT poll found 79% of respondents said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. This number is a 10% increase from a 2023 survey where 69% of respondents agreed that biological males do not belong in women’s sports.
This growing increase in support for keeping biological males out of girls and women’s sports isn’t a partisan issue. In the NYT poll, of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% agreed that biological male athletes shouldn’t be allowed in women’s sports.
The Trump administration has taken historic action to establish where it stands on the issue, including an Executive Order from President Trump himself recognizing two genders and the Department of Education’s announcement that it will revoke the disastrous Biden-era Title IX policies. President Trump has spoken about the need to keep biological males out of women’s sports on multiple occasions.
However, there is still a need to make the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act permanent law. Now, Senator Tuberville faces another different challenge—getting Republican leadership to bring the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (or S.9 for Title IX) before the Senate for a vote after leadership previously signaled support. The legislation is simple: 1) it bans federal funds from going to ANY institution that allows biological males in spaces designated for girls and women, and 2) ensures that Title IX provisions only recognize a person’s biological gender—or gender at birth.
The U.S. House of Representatives quickly moved to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act on January 14, 2025, a week after the bill’s reintroduction. Two Democrats—Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzales—joined Republicans in voting for its passage, bringing the vote to 218-206. Another Democrat congressman—Rep. Ron. Davis—voted “present.” The bill had no Democrat support when it passed the House in 2023, signaling that some Democrats are beginning to wake up to the fact that Americans do not want biological males competing against female athletes.
One of Tuberville’s first acts after taking office in 2021 was offering an amendment to protect female athletes. Though the amendment had broad support, Senate Democrats blocked it from even being considered by a vote of 49-50.
Senator Tuberville has continued to be the leader on preserving Title IX, introducing legislation such as the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, and forcing Democrats to show the American people exactly where they stand on the issue of protecting female athletes.
On June 23, 2022—the 50th anniversary of Title IX becoming law—the Biden Department of Education announced its proposed changes to Title IX that would allow biological males to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. Senator Tuberville led 21 of his Republican colleagues in submitting a “public comment” to then-ED Secretary Miguel Cardona that warned of the dangers of his proposal, should it be carried out.
In April 2023, Senator Tuberville reintroduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to strip away funding from schools that allow biological males to participate in female sporting events. The U.S. House of Representatives passed this legislation, but Senate Democrats blocked it when Senator Tuberville brought it up for a vote on the Senate floor.
In March 2024, Senator Tuberville once again forced the Democrats’ hand during a critical election year, when offering the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act as an amendment. ALL 51 Democrats at the time voted against allowing the bill to proceed.
In March 2024, Senator Tuberville ALSO introduced a bill to ban men from competing in women’s U.S. Olympic sports, following USA Boxing’s announcement that it would allow men to box against women.
IN THE NEWS:
Not One Democrat Senator Voted to Protect Women’s Sports From Males
White House Backs Tuberville’s Women’s Sports Legislation Ahead Of Senate Vote
After This Vote, the Dems Show They Really Haven’t Learned Anything From Their 2024 Loss
Democrats Stall Senate Bill To Protect Women’s Sports
Bill to Ban Biological Males From Women’s Sports Blocked by Democrats
Senate Dems face backlash after bill to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports fails to break filibuster
Senate Dems Kill Legislative Effort to Protect Women’s Sports
Senate Democrats block GOP bill to keep male-born athletes out of female sports
Senate bid to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports get stuck on filibuster
Fight To Protect Women’s Sports Could Stall In Senate
Will Democrats stand up for women or let men destroy girls’ sports?
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
LONDON, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex Limited” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: DGNX), an impact technology company specializing in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, announced today that it will ring the Nasdaq Closing Bell on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, marking a key milestone following its successful listing in January 2025.
Diginex Limited’s Chairman and Founder, Miles Pelham, will lead the ceremony, joined by members of the board of directors, executive leadership, business partners, key advisors, and other stakeholders who have been instrumental in the Company’s success.
“Ringing the Nasdaq Closing Bell is a momentous occasion for Diginex Limited as we continue expanding our presence in the sustainability focused RegTech space,” said Miles Pelham, Chairman and Founder of Diginex Limited. “This milestone reflects the dedication of our team, the support of our stakeholders, and our unwavering commitment to driving long-term value. We look forward to accelerating our mission of empowering businesses to operate more sustainably.”
The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Nasdaq website at https://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/bell-ringing-ceremony, with live footage and event highlights starting at 3:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Event photos and videos will be available shortly after the ceremony on Diginex Limited’s corporate website and social media channels.
About Diginex Limited
Diginex Limited is a Cayman Islands exempted company, with subsidiaries located in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Diginex Limited conducts operations through its wholly owned subsidiary Diginex Solutions (HK) Limited, a Hong Kong corporation (“DSL”) and DSL is the sole owner of (i) Diginex Services Limited, a corporation formed in the United Kingdom and (ii) Diginex USA LLC, a limited liability company formed in the State of Delaware. DSL commenced operations in 2020, and is a software company that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. DSL is an impact technology business that helps organizations address the some of the most pressing ESG, climate and sustainability issues, utilizing blockchain, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate social responsibility and climate action.
Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.diginex.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
Diginex Investor Relations Email:ir@diginex.com
IR Contact Europe Anna Höffken Phone: +49.40.609186.0 Email: diginex@kirchhoff.de
IR Contact US Jackson Lin Lambert by LLYC Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593 Email: jian.lin@llyc.global
Question for written answer E-000784/2025/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 144 Galato Alexandraki (ECR)
Greek farmers are in despair as production costs have soared. Fuel, fertiliser and animal feed prices have increased by up to 100 % while the prices of their own products remain frozen. Meanwhile, uncontrolled imports of cheap agricultural products from non-EU countries, which do not meet European quality and health standards, exacerbate unfair competition, putting an economic stranglehold on many small and medium-sized holdings.
Faced with this situation and given the indifference shown to their demands, farmers are mobilising and are planning to take to the streets with their tractors to demand solutions. They are also speaking out against delays in the payment of compensation for damage caused by natural disasters and against the lack of transparency in the distribution of EU aid, which means funds never reach those producers who have actually been affected.
In view of the above, can the Commission answer the following:
1.What immediate measures will be taken to reduce unsustainable production costs, especially as regards fuel, energy and agricultural supplies?
2.How is it checking that EU funds are being distributed in a transparent manner and that they promptly reach farmers in real need?
Headline: With Fewer than 20 Days Left, Claimants Urged to Submit Notice of Loss by March 14
With Fewer than 20 Days Left, Claimants Urged to Submit Notice of Loss by March 14
SANTA FE, N.M. — The FEMA Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office reminds individuals, businesses, and nonprofits affected by the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire and subsequent flooding that there are fewer than 20 days left to submit a Notice of Loss (NOL). Congress has extended the deadline to March 14, 2025. This is the last day to begin the claims process. Submitting an NOL is quick and simple. It takes less than 20 minutes and ensures that we can begin review of your claim. Claimants do not have to provide supporting documentation when submitting an NOL. Claims will continue to be processed and paid out after March 14.“If you were impacted by the fire or flooding and haven’t yet started your claim, it’s crucial that you do so as soon as possible,” said Jay Mitchell, Director of Operations for the New Mexico Joint Recovery Office. “If you have questions, concerns, or if you are hesitating, please reach out to our office or attend one of our in-person events, which you can find on our website News and Events | FEMA.gov, before the March 14 deadline.”Additionally, impacted landowners can request a conservation restoration plan through the U.S. Agriculture Department’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Conservation restoration plans address natural resources losses, such as erosion control, debris removal, fencing, and riparian (river) restoration. These plans, developed by certified planners, provide the costs estimated to repair or replace damaged resources and ensure claimants receive fair and transparent compensation for eligible losses. To receive compensation based on an NRCS plan, both an NOL and NRCS plan request must be submitted by the March 14 deadline. For more information on restoration plans, please visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/hermits-peak or one of the following two NRCS Field Office locations: Las Vegas NRCS Field OfficeMora NRCS Field Office1927 A 7th St. Las Vegas, NM 87701 505-425-3594 Ext. 3523 NM Highway 518Mora, NM 87732505-387-2424 Ext. 3The Claims Office is also offering flood insurance coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Coverage for eligible homeowners, business owners and home renters, extends for up to five years. Navigators can help claimants apply for NFIP coverage before the March 14 deadline.Our Advocate’s Office continues to host events to help claimants complete and submit NOLs, upload documentation, and receive one-on-one assistance. Upcoming events include:Tuesday March 4Friday, March 7Saturday, March 8Probate Workshop2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Highlands University Student Union, Room 322800 National Ave. Las Vegas NM, 87701 Mobile Connects10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Rainsville Fire Department103 County Road AO29Rainsville NM, 87736Mobile Connects10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tri-County Farmers Market510 University Ave. Las Vegas, NM 87701Wednesday, March 12Friday, March 21Mobile Connects10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Rociada Volunteer Fire Station278 N.M. 105 Rociada, NM 87742 Mobile Connects10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Abe Montoya Rec. Center1751 N. Grand Ave. Las Vegas, NM 87701 NOLs can be submitted in person at a Claims Office, by email, or by mail. NOLs can be downloaded from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon website or can be picked up at a Claims Office. Locations and hours can be found at https://www.fema.gov/hermits-peak/contact-us. If you have questions, call the Claims Office Helpline at (505) 995-7133. Representatives are available Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. MT. Outside these hours, you can leave a voicemail, and your call will be returned.Don’t wait—submit your NOL today to begin your recovery journey. The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act provides that the value of compensation is not considered income or resources for taxation purposes. Please consult a tax professional if you have questions regarding your tax obligations for compensation received. The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office is committed to meeting the needs of people impacted by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire and subsequent flooding by providing full compensation available under the law as expeditiously as possible. At the time of publication, the FEMA Claims Office has paid $1.89 billion to claimants.For information and updates regarding the Claims Office, please visit the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office website at fema.gov/hermits-peak. You can also follow our Facebook page and turn notifications on to stay up to date about the claims process, upcoming deadlines and other program announcements at facebook.com/HermitsPeakCalfCanyonClaimsOffice.Para información en español, visite fema.gov/es/hermits-peak. erika.suzuki Tue, 03/04/2025 – 17:23