Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As first reported by Punchbowl News, today, Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02) and Young Kim (R-CA-40), Republican co-chairs of the SALT Caucus, issued a statement following reporting of a $25,000 cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions in budget reconciliation:
“A $25,000 SALT cap does not get close to bringing relief to families unfairly burdened by the current cap. We remain committed to working with our colleagues to fulfill President Trump’s promise to address this pressing issue, and we look forward to a serious discussion.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California
Walnut Creek, CA – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced today that he will host an Immigration Town Hall & Resource Fair in Danville to discuss the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional immigration actions and its threats to open an ICE detention facility in Dublin on Wednesday, April 16th. The resource fair will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT wherelocal agencies and organizations will share resources related to immigrant rights. The town hall will run from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. PT.
Immigration Town Hall & Resource Fair Wednesday, April 16th Resource Fair: Starting at 5:30 p.m. PT Town Hall: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. PT Check-in for town hall begins at 5:30 p.m. PT Danville, CA RSVP for Location
The event is RSVP only and capacity is limited. To reserve your spot or request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660.
This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 229th town hall and mobile district office hours since coming to Congress in January 2015.
Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) – “Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa are Pacific countries at risk of experiencing the worst consequences of internal and external debt. The Caritas Internationalis Jubilee campaign, ‘Transform Debt into Hope,’ should convince everyone to be vigilant about what political elites could do to avoid the dire circumstances of debt growth,” writes Father Giorgio Licini, missionary of PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) and Caritas collaborator of the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, in a letter sent to Fides. “About fifty civil society and religious organizations around the world support the ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ petition and campaign. However, there are none from Oceania,” Father Licini points out, referring to the specific situation in Papua New Guinea, the country where he lives.”Papua New Guinea,” he points out, “owes creditors approximately 50 billion kina (approximately 11 billion euros, ed.), as the country prepares to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its independence in September. The country’s solid financial position in the first two decades after independence from Australia, when the national currency was essentially equal to or more than the US dollar, is now a distant memory.” “The country,” he explains, “is classified as rich in resources but has poor human development indicators. About 75 percent of the population lives in poverty or has only the bare necessities of life, often in remote and inaccessible areas lacking basic services. The debt accumulated in recent years is more or less evenly distributed between domestic and foreign debt.”Corruption is a social challenge: “The perception that the country is at least partially determined by corruption and mismanagement is strong. Gaining government positions and jobs is widely perceived as an opportunity for personal enrichment, with family, clan, and allies benefiting in every way possible,” the missionary reports. “Yet,” he continues, “with clear political will, Papua New Guinea can curb corruption, keep its debt under control, and avoid the worst results seen in other developing countries, which are now unable even to pay the interest on their debts.”In light of this global concern, Caritas Internationalis has launched a campaign in the 2025 Jubilee Year entitled “Turn Debt into Hope,” which puts into practice the call for debt relief suggested by Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year.There are concrete figures on the current “debt crisis,” which affects more than 100 countries: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank estimate that 60 percent of low-income countries are in “debt distress” or are on the verge of defaulting on their repayment obligations. “As many as 48 developing countries,” says Father Licini, “spend more on debt interest payments than on health and education, further perpetuating inequality and poverty. More than 3.3 billion people live in these countries.”And while rich countries hold the majority of the debt, “the cost of borrowing for developing countries is two to twelve times higher, trapping many of them in a cycle of rising debt,” Father Licini notes. “In 2023, countries in the Global South spent 12.5 times more on debt repayment than on combating climate change, making them vulnerable to its devastating impacts. What we urgently need, then, is a bold commitment from governments and financial institutions to stop the debt crisis now: the cancellation of unjust and unsustainable debts to prevent debt crises from recurring by addressing their root causes.” They also call for “a reform of the global financial system to prioritize people and the planet” so that the same crisis cannot repeat itself cyclically.A particular goal of the Caritas Internationalis campaign, according to the missionary, “is the cancellation of ‘unsustainable debt,’ i.e., debt that cannot truly be repaid.” At the international level, the petition will be presented wherever world leaders gather to discuss politics and economics, for example at the G7 summit in Canada in June, the G20 summit in South Africa in November, and the COP30 summit in Brazil. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 5/4/2025)
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)
This week, Representative Sharice Davids urgedthe U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to listen to widespread Tribal opposition to their proposed school voucher program and fully fund Tribal education and BIE programs. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) and Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) also led the effort.
“We urge the Department of the Interior and Department of Education to heed the call of dozens of Tribal Nations who continue to voice their opposition to the proposed efforts by the Administration to restructure tribal education and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) programs into school voucher programs,” the Members wrote. “As you heard during the March 14, 2025 tribal meeting held via Zoom, many Tribal Nations across the country oppose the proposition. The proposal would effectively defund BIE schools, threaten Tribal self-determination, and violate multiple federal statutes, including the federal trust and treaty responsibilities.”
“The proposed voucher system would weaken BIE schools in profound ways … Over 90% of BIE-funded schools are located in remote locations with no alternative schools. Destabilizing and closing schools would be traumatic for the students and families in these communities,” the Members wrote. “BIE-funded schools are the schools of choice for Tribes and students because they reflect the cultures, languages, traditional belief systems, and priorities of the communities that other educational options cannot provide. These schools often provide critical support services for the most vulnerable in their community, such as housing, meals, and internet access.”
This week’s letter follows up on a February 11, 2025 letterfrom Reps. Davids, Stansbury, and Leger Fernández to Secretary Burgum, where they raised concerns about an executive orderthat could enable families with students eligible to attend BIE schools to use federal funding for other educational options — including private, faith-based, or public charter schools — as soon as the 2025–2026 school year.
The full letter is hereor below:
Dear Secretary Burgum and Secretary McMahon:
We urge the Department of the Interior and Department of Education to heed the call of dozens of Tribal Nations who continue to voice their opposition to the proposed efforts by the Administration to restructure tribal education and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) programs into school voucher programs. As you heard during the March 14, 2025 tribal meeting held via Zoom, many Tribal Nations across the country oppose the proposition. The proposal would effectively defund BIE schools, threaten Tribal self-determination, and violate multiple federal statutes, including the federal trust and treaty responsibilities.
On February 11, 2025, we sent a letter to Secretary Burgum about our concerns regarding Executive Order 14191 on “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families,” which directs the Secretary of the Interior to “review any available mechanisms under which families of students eligible to attend BIE schools may use their Federal funding for educational options of their choice, including private, faith-based, or public charter schools, and submit a plan to the President describing such mechanisms and steps that would be necessary to implement them for the 2025-2026 school year.” It is clear that implementing Section 7 of Executive Order 14191, as discussed above would violate multiple federal statutes, and impact the fundamental education programs that serve tens of thousands of tribal students. It is also our understanding that the overwhelming consensus on the March 14th call was that Tribes are not supportive of this proposal or any proposal that would weaken or defund the BIE and tribal education systems, including moving to a lump-sum voucher system. Many tribal communities schools are distinctive in that they are often the only educational institution serving students within a 45+ mile radius.
Therefore, the proposed voucher system would weaken BIE schools in profound ways. By redirecting federal funds away from BIE schools, it would create funding instability that will almost certainly lead to school closures. Over 90% of BIE-funded schools are located in remote areas with no alternative schools. For example, Seba Dalkai Community School in Arizona requires students and parents to travel over an hour round trip for services. Destabilizing and closing schools would be traumatic for the students and families in these communities. Redirecting federal funds would also bypass Tribal governance and oversight, particularly in the case of the nearly 70% of BIE-funded schools that are Tribally-Controlled Schools.
As you know, the U.S. government has both trust and treaty responsibilities to provide Tribal education services. The BIE administers funding for hundreds of schools and programs that are vital to meeting the Federal government’s obligations to Tribes—obligations that in many cases predate both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education. Congress has laid out a detailed system for funding this trust and treaty responsibility in P.L. 95-561 and P.L. 100-297. The proposed lump-sum voucher system stands in direct violation of these statutes.
Congress has also already worked with Tribes to place school choice into the hands of Tribal communities through the Tribally Controlled Schools Act (P.L. 100-297), which President Reagan signed into law in 1988. We again urge you to review sections (a) through (d) of the Act, which clearly state that “Congress declares that a national goal of the United States is to provide the resources, processes, and structure that will enable tribes and local communities to obtain the quantity and quality of educational services and opportunities that will permit Indian children— (1) to compete and excel in areas of their choice; and (2) to achieve the measure of self-determination essential to their social and economic well-being.” In the words of the National Indian Education Association’s January 30, 2025, letter to you: “These schools are our schools of choice.”
BIE-funded schools are the schools of choice for Tribes and students because they reflect the cultures, languages, traditional belief systems, and priorities of the communities that other educational options cannot provide. These schools often provide critical support services for the most vulnerable in their community, such as housing, meals, and internet access. And they serve as community centers for sporting and cultural events in rural areas where there are few other options. That is why, time and time again, Tribal leaders, educators, parents, and students have affirmed the importance of BIE programs and the need to increase—not decrease—funding for them.
The proposed educational restructuring of the BIE and tribal school programs into a voucher system was not requested by Tribes, is not supported by Tribal nations pursuant to your consultation, and is a clear violation of federal law. We again urge you to abandon efforts to implement the voucher system and ensure that tribal education and BIE programs are fully funded, as appropriated by Congress. Further, we welcome your team to visit many of these BIE schools and learn more on their position on why this proposal is not fitting for the demographics being served.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Note: The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports. SEL4
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Tornado Watch Number 124 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 145 PM CDT Sat Apr 5 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of Northwest Alabama Southern Kentucky Western and Middle Tennessee
* Effective this Saturday afternoon and evening from 145 PM until 900 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include… A few tornadoes and a couple intense tornadoes possible Widespread damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts to 75 mph possible Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible
SUMMARY…A well-organized bow echo will continue east-northeastward this afternoon, while other semi-discrete supercells may develop ahead of it, and southward into the warm sector.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 80 statute miles north and south of a line from 65 miles north northwest of Muscle Shoals AL to 55 miles east of Nashville TN. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 122…WW 123…
AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector 23040.
…Guyer
SEL4
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Tornado Watch Number 124 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 145 PM CDT Sat Apr 5 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of Northwest Alabama Southern Kentucky Western and Middle Tennessee
* Effective this Saturday afternoon and evening from 145 PM until 900 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include… A few tornadoes and a couple intense tornadoes possible Widespread damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts to 75 mph possible Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible
SUMMARY…A well-organized bow echo will continue east-northeastward this afternoon, while other semi-discrete supercells may develop ahead of it, and southward into the warm sector.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 80 statute miles north and south of a line from 65 miles north northwest of Muscle Shoals AL to 55 miles east of Nashville TN. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 122…WW 123…
AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector 23040.
…Guyer
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas. SAW4 WW 124 TORNADO AL KY TN 051845Z – 060200Z AXIS..80 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE.. 65NNW MSL/MUSCLE SHOALS AL/ – 55E BNA/NASHVILLE TN/ ..AVIATION COORDS.. 70NM N/S /62NNW MSL – 48E BNA/ HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..65 KNOTS. MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 23040.
LAT…LON 36788806 37288569 34978569 34468806
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS FOR WOU4.
Watch 124 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Mod (50%)
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Mod (40%)
Wind
Probability of 10 or more severe wind events
High (80%)
Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots
Mod (50%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
Mod (30%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Low (20%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (>95%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement after voting against a Republican proposal that allows for massive cuts to Medicaid funding — taking health care coverage away from Granite Staters — in order to pay for tax giveaways for billionaires and for corporate special interests:
“In the middle of the night and over bipartisan opposition, Senate Republicans advanced their effort to take Medicaid health coverage away from millions of people in order to pay for tax cuts for corporate special interests and billionaires. I put forward a number of amendments to chart a different path forward, one where we would work together on a bipartisan basis to lower costs for Americans and protect Medicaid, Medicare, and the Social Security benefits that hardworking Americans have paid into and deserve, but Republicans once again doubled down. At a time when American families are struggling to keep up with high costs, I can imagine few ideas more ill-advised, outrageous, and devastating than to rip lifesaving health care away from millions of our fellow Americans, and therefore I voted against this budget resolution.”
Senator Hassan proposed over a dozen amendments to urge Congressional Republicans to reverse course and instead work on a bipartisan basis to help lower costs for Granite Staters, stand up for the rule of law, and protect individual freedoms. Senator Hassan’s proposed amendments included those to:
Stop unelected billionaires from advancing their own financial interests at the expense of American taxpayers
Prevent any efforts to cut Medicare or Medicaid benefits for seniors, children, and families
Prevent any efforts to cut Social Security benefits for seniors, increase wait times for Social Security benefits, or close Social Security offices
Overturn broad-based tariffs on allies like Canada that raise costs for American families
Promote childhood vaccinations against measles
Provide tax cuts for middle-class workers and small businesses
Lower the cost of housing, groceries, and prescription drugs
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to set the stage for their massive tax cuts for big corporations and the wealthiest Americans at the direct expense of healthcare Wisconsin families rely on, including Medicaid. Overnight, Republicans rejected Senator Baldwin’s amendment that would have prevented cuts to Medicaid that will lead to rural hospital closures and protected rural health care from being decimated in the wake of their deep cuts to Medicaid.
“Over the last two months, I’ve heard from Wisconsinites in every corner of our state who are terrified about what cuts to Medicaid, or BadgerCare, will mean for their families’ future, health, and finances. I’ve heard from Wisconsinites with cancer literally fighting for their lives, seniors in nursing homes, dairy farmers struggling to make ends meet, and rural hospitals working on tight margins – all of whom have begged me to protect Medicaid,” said Senator Baldwin. “But instead of listening to the 4 in 5 Americans who want to protect Medicaid, Republicans voted for a plan that puts this essential lifeline for families on the chopping block so they can make room in the budget for tax giveaways to Wall Street investors and big corporations.”
Overnight, Republicans rejected Senator Baldwin’s amendment to their legislation that would have protected rural health care services from these devastating cuts. Rural hospitals, already closing at a more rapid pace than in suburban and urban places, depend on Medicaid for financial viability. Deep cuts to Medicaid as outlined in the Republican’s budget could force more hospitals in rural areas to shutter.
Watch Senator Baldwin’s remarks on why Medicaid is so essential to rural hospitals here.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
April 05, 2025
During Senate Vote-a-rama, Republicans voted no on amendments to reverse cuts to Social Security Administration; prevent DOGE from closing field offices, cutting phone services
Senate Democrats launched Social Security War Room earlier this week
Washington, D.C. – While President Donald Trump and Elon Musk launch a wholesale attack on Social Security, Senate Republicans voted to block multiple amendments that would protect Americans’ Social Security benefits and services.
Senate Republicans voted against:
An amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) to reverse cuts to the Social Security Administration ordered by Elon Musk.
An amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) to prevent Elon Musk’s DOGE from closing Social Security field and regional offices and preserving access to benefits for seniors and people with disabilities.
An amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) to prevent DOGE from cutting Americans’ access to vital phone services.
“We need to honor our sacred promises under Social Security, and we need to tell billionaires and billionaire corporations they can pay their fair share to make this country work. That’s the fight between Republicans and Democrats right now in Washington. I know which side I stand on, and I see which side the Republicans stand on,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who led Senate Democrats in launching their new Social Security War Room this week.
President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE have gutted the Social Security Administration in recent weeks, creating chaos and threatening Americans’ benefits. Last month, the Social Security Administration announced plans to cut about 7,000 employees, or about 12% of its workforce. 78% of these employees were working in field offices, directly serving Social Security recipients. SSA is reportedly planning to enact even deeper cuts to the agency’s workforce, crippling Americans’ ability to access their benefits.
DOGE has also tried to significantly limit Americans’ access to services by shutting down regional offices and requiring new and existing beneficiaries to go in-person or online for a variety of services, including applying for benefits and changing direct deposit and other banking information—posing a challenge to many seniors who rely on benefits.
Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch Votes No on GOP’s Destructive Budget Senate Republicans rejected Welch-led amendment to help hardworking Vermonters
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance and Judiciary Committees and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, voted against the Senate Republicans’ budget plan early this morning:
“Since taking office, President Trump has made it crystal clear that he’s willing to bulldoze programs hardworking Americans rely on to line the pockets of billionaires. It’s truly outrageous that Republicans agreed to this cruel budget, which will have disastrous long-term consequences for Americans across the country—from farmers and seniors in Vermont to Social Security beneficiaries and small businesses in Texas. I voted no on the GOP’s budget,” said Senator Welch.
Senator Welch filed 61 amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget plan. The Senator’s amendments aim to help working families through the affordability crisis, defend vital government services and disaster aid from Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), and combat President Trump’s reckless, illegal agenda. Senate Republicans rejected Senator Welch’s amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families.
Senate Republicans’ budget, unveiled Wednesday, attacks Medicaid, Medicare, and the health care of seniors, children, people with disabilities, and rural patients; threatens Social Security for millions; raises costs for working families and enables President Trump’s trade war; jeopardizes support and health care for veterans; and gives DOGE a greenlight to destroy the federal government—all in the service of paying for Trump’s tax cut to billionaires.
Senator Welch offered amendments to the Republican budget resolution aimed to:
Address the Affordability Crisis:
An amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families.
Amendments to support federal dairy programs, organic farmers, and young and beginning farmers.
An amendment to address the impacts of disasters in rural communities.
An amendment to promote innovation, domestic job creation and U.S. competitiveness. This amendment would support Vermont’s growing semiconductor industry and America’s Tech Hubs.
Amendments to block the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations until all federal services are provided.
Defend Federal Programs and Disaster Aid from Elon Musk:
Amendments to prohibit cuts to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and to improve rural access to nutrition programs.
Amendments to protect and defend rural broadband deployment and promote internet affordability.
An amendment to prohibit the elimination of over-to-phone identity verification for Social Security beneficiaries.
Amendments to prohibit the reduction or elimination of funding for rural care providers, health centers, and critical access hospitals.
Amendments to limit affiliates of the Department of Government Efficiency’s ability to access federal payment systems and personally identifiable information of Social Security beneficiaries.
An amendment to protect disaster survivors’ data privacy during any interaction with Department of Government Efficiency personnel.
An amendment prohibiting any reduction in disaster response and recovery programs for States and local communities.
Combat Trump’s Reckless and Illegal Agenda:
Amendments to preserve relations between the United States and Canada, and to prohibit Canadian energy tariffs that raise energy costs domestically.
An amendment to block legislation that enables U.S. troops to operate in Gaza to assist in the displacement or removal of Palestinians from Gaza.
An amendment to prevent enforcement of the Alien Enemies Act, unless there is a declared war between the United States and any foreign government, or an invasion of predatory incursion is perpetrated.
An amendment to prevent the arrest, detainment and deportation of college students and faculty on the grounds they have expressed views the sitting administration objects to.
An amendment that would block legislation banning the Associated Press from the White House.
An amendment that would preserve United States-Denmark relations.
An amendment to address global hunger including hiring aid workers and facilitating the dispersal of aid into Gaza
In addition, Senator Welch cosponsored 31 amendments.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement after voting against Republicans’ reconciliation budget bill that puts billionaire interests over the interests of hardworking Californians:
“Once again, the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are showing Americans where their priorities lie — with the billionaire class at the expense of the working class. A vote for this budget is a vote to cut programs like Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and public education for millions of Californians so that Republicans can fund their tax cuts for billionaires. It’s that simple.
“I will not turn my back on hardworking families in California and across the country. They deserve better than this disastrous plan that will raise prices and cut the services and programs they rely on.”
Senator Padilla spoke on the Senate floor against this budget resolution, and voted against advancing the budget bill in the Senate in February.
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
“Companies will have to move their production back into the United States…most importantly it will restore our national security so that we will not be dependent on anyone else to survive and thrive as a nation… the most important economic event of our lifetime.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, it was reported that Dr. John Howard, Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), was dismissed as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) efforts to reorganize and optimize the department. Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02), along with many of his colleagues, immediately contacted the White House to urge a reversal of this decision. Rep. Garbarino met with the White House on Wednesday to discuss the impact on the program and the critical importance of Dr. Howard’s leadership.
On April 5, 2025, HHS reversed its decision, in consultation with the White House, restoring Dr. Howard as Administrator of the WTCHP. Rep. Garbarino, along with Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), who were instrumental in this effort, released a joint statement applauding the decision:
“We appreciate the Trump Administration’s shared commitment to caring for our 9/11 responders and survivors. The firing of Dr. Howard and the subsequent impact on the World Trade Center Health Program was an unfortunate mistake, and we are deeply grateful for HHS’ swift action to reinstate him as Administrator of this critical program. The Administration’s continued support of the program is encouraging, and we look forward to working together to address any remaining issues.”
Earlier this year, the WTCHP faced cuts to staffing and critical grants, which were also reversed following outreach to the White House by the Members.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)
April 02, 2025
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) sent a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins sounding the alarm over reports that Elon Musk seeks to privatize the majority of federal agencies and their services. This comes on the heels of plans by VA to fire up to 83,000 workers, many of whom are veterans themselves, in order to dramatically reduce VA services and its workforce.
Additionally, VA plans to fire thousands of workers at call centers across the country that help veterans schedule appointments, access health care, and more. This would lead to the automation of call centers, a downgrade in services, and the inability of elderly and disabled veterans to get the help they need. Rep. Levin is concerned that the firings of VA workers and gutting of call centers will lead to automation and privatization that will only benefit corporations seeking to turn a profit on the backs of veterans.
In the letter, Rep. Levin demands Secretary Collins to safeguard call centers and prevent the privatization of VA.
Click here or read the full letter below:
Dear Secretary Collins,
I write to express my deep concern about reporting that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is considering laying off employees at call centers and moving to automation.
Veterans are already facing long wait times and hold times, and these cuts will only further impede access to care. My office receives calls from elderly veterans who are confused about how to schedule an appointment, navigate VA websites, and reach out to their primary care providers. Elderly veterans rely on call center employees to book appointments. An automated answering system would inevitably lead to mistakes and poor service that could be resolved by ensuring there is a person on the other end of the line.
Two weeks ago, I held a community roundtable in my district to discuss the devastating impact of your proposal to fire over 80,000 employees across VA.[1] I heard from veterans and service providers about how devastating these cuts would be for veterans’ access to health care, disability benefits, and mental health resources. I am deeply disturbed by the lack of transparency regarding which VA employees serving our veterans have so far been fired, the reasons for their firing, and which job classifications will be targeted in your proposed future firings. If reporting is correct and call center employees are on that list, I urge you to reverse course now to help ensure that every veteran is treated with care and receives the help they need.
It appears to me that mass firings across VA are a first step towards privatization of care and services. I will use my position on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to fight against any attempts to privatize VA and gut the workforce that provides essential care, benefits, and support to our nation’s heroes.
I understand that these staffing plans are still under consideration, and I strongly urge you to reverse course and maintain adequate staffing levels at VA call centers.
(April 5, 2025) Bernardsville, NJ – Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) issued the following statement after the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved New Jersey’s disaster declaration request, making Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses impacted by the I-80 sinkhole-related closures. The Congressman also highlights the upcoming opening of the SBA’s Business Recovery Center in Wharton, NJ, which will provide direct support to affected businesses.
“The SBA’s rapid approval of Economic Injury Disaster Loans for small businesses economically impacted by the I-80 closure will provide meaningful relief for businesses in Morris County, as well as the adjacent counties,” said Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. “Securing these federal resources took swift, coordinated action across federal, state, and local governments. I also want to call attention to the SBA’s Business Recovery Center opening in Wharton on April 8, which will offer real-time and on-the-ground support for local businesses.”
“President Trump and Administrator Loeffler have made getting our small businesses back up and running after a disaster the SBA’s highest priority. SBA personnel are on the ground in New Jersey and opening our Business Recovery Center in Wharton on April 8. We are ready to assist those businesses and organizations economically impacted by the I-80 sinkholes,” said SBA Atlantic Regional Administrator Matt Coleman, who oversees the federal agency’s operations in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“SBA is strongly committed to providing assistance to not just those small businesses & private non-profit organizations economically impacted by the sinkholes along I-80 in Morris County, but to those that have been impacted in adjacent counties of Essex, Hunterdon, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren too,” Coleman added.
Background:
On March 28th, Congressman Kean sent a letter to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urging him to submit an official disaster declaration request to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to the I-80 sinkhole-related road closures.
After subsequent submission, the SBA granted this request within one day, unlocking federal assistance opportunities for qualifying small businesses that have suffered substantial economic loss during the I-80 closure. Small businesses in Morris County, as well as in adjacent counties of Essex, Hunterdon, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren can apply HERE for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
From April 8 through April 22, SBA will operate a Business Recovery Center at the Wharton Municipal Building to assist businesses impacted by the I-80 sinkholes. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm, and on Saturdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm. For additional information on disaster assistance, please contact the SBA Customer Service Center Line at (800) 659-2955.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)
Members express outrage with Sec. Kennedy’s decision: “We find it appalling that your Department appears willing to disregard California’s duly- and fairly-awarded pilot, ignore the statute of a bipartisanly authorized program…and ultimately rip away a lifesaving safety net from our constituents, all in the name of funding Republicans’ tax cuts for the wealthy.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Leading 27 of her Democratic California House colleagues, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) sent a lettertoday to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing scathing opposition to the Trump Administration’s recent cancellation of California’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) pilot award and alarm that this action clears the way for devastating cuts to TANF to pay for Congressional Republicans’ tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy in impending legislation.
The TANF pilot program, authorized by the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, is intended to address longstanding limitations in TANF by testing ways to better promote work and improve family outcomes. The state of California was selected in November 2024 as one of five pilot states after a thorough, objective process. However, in early March 2025, HHS abruptly cancelled California and the four other states’ pilot awards and announced it would issue an entirely new solicitation for pilot proposals that better reflect the Trump administration’s goals and priorities.
In the letter addressed to Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Members note that this decision has no statutory or policy justification: “Your March 7th cancellation letter to California claims that it is possible to change course because the state is only in its first half of the first year of the pilot—however, there is nothing in the FRA statute that allows a pilot to be revoked simply because it is in the first year. Additionally, your letter states that the projects selected, particularly related to “views on work, performance measures, and indicators of family stability and wellbeing,” do not reflect your administration’s goals and priorities. However, you fail to describe what specifically you find objectionable, so we can only infer that you disagree that indicators like job security, health insurance coverage, and stable housing are good benchmarks for family well-being—a position we find deeply troubling. Regardless, as the FRA statute requires pilot states and HHS to negotiate performance benchmarks for work and family outcomes, there is no statutory or policy justification for your administration to cancel the pilot awards altogether rather than negotiating such benchmarks in good faith.”
As such, the Members note that revoking California’s pilot award appears to be a political maneuver to clear the way for Congressional Republicans to make massive cuts to TANF in their upcoming tax giveaway for the ultra-wealthy.
“Included in the House Republicans’ so-called “menu” of revenue raising policies for budget reconciliation is a proposal to make cuts to TANF over the next ten years by adjusting its work requirements,” the Members explain. “We note that the only way to guarantee savings related to TANF work requirements would be to alter the WPR such that states are virtually guaranteed to fail, thereby triggering financial penalties. As California receives among the largest of TANF block grants, it’s clear that California would need to remain subject to the WPR for the Republicans’ plan to work. Of course, if it were still a pilot state, California would have been exempt from the WPR over the next six years as it tested alternative performance measures. If this is indeed your motivation, it represents an utterly shameful scheme to take money directly out of the pockets of among the most vulnerable families in California and hand it to the ultra-wealthy.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)
Members express outrage at Trump administration claims that Title X is frozen because it is DEI, stating “A federal program’s ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic Women’s Caucus Reproductive Health Care Task Force Chair & Liaison Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Reproductive Freedom Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette (CO-01) & Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Reproductive Freedom Caucus Vice Chair & Whip Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), author of theExpanding Access to Family Planning ActRep. Sharice Davids (KS-03), and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chief Whip Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05) sent alettersigned by 155 other House Members urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and coordinate an urgent meeting on the matter. The Trump administration’s attack on Title X is yet another attack on women and reproductive health care.
Title X, the nation’s only federal program dedicated to family planning, allows low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals to receive critical health care from a diverse network of providers. Title X health centers served 2.8 million people in FY 2023, administering high-quality family planning and sexual health care, including cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services and supplies, pregnancy testing, and other essential health care services. In the letter, the Members ask Sec. Kennedy to immediately unfreeze funds for federal programs:
“We urge you to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and instead invest fully in the program which has helped people access essential health care for almost 50 years. On behalf of our 2.8 million constituents and women across the country who depend on Title X’s services, we also request a prompt reply to coordinate a meeting on this matter. We look forward to introducing you to the providers, community leaders, and patients from our districts who understand better than anyone else the importance of this program. We hope your agency will not be so reckless as to upend nearly half a century of bipartisan achievement and place Title X on the DOGE chopping block without hearing firsthand the consequences of that action.”
The Members also expressed their outrage at reports that the funding is frozen due to claims that it might support “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The Members explained:
“This is another way of saying that this program is used to help people of color access care. Nearly half of the people served each year by Title X are people of color, the vast majority are people with low-incomes and most Title X users are women. A federal program’s ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal. To suggest otherwise implies that HHS would determine who is worthy of taxpayer dollars based on the color of their skin. Congress created Title X to address the needs of underserved populations across our country, regardless of background, and it has demonstrated success in doing so for 50 years.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weekend where he emphasized that Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs will raise costs on hardworking American taxpayers.
MICHAEL STEELE: Joining us now to discuss is Democratic Leader and friend of the show, Hakeem Jeffries. Welcome, sir.
ALICIA MENENDEZ: Leader Jeffries, while we were on air, you had the President saying this on Truth Social. ‘This is an economic revolution, and we will win. Hang tough. It won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic.’ Do you think he means historic good or historic bad?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the results will definitively be historically bad. These Trump tariffs represent the largest tax increase on the American people since at least 1968. What we’re seeing is that he is crashing the economy in real time. Costs are going up. The Trump tariffs are likely to result in thousands of dollars in additional costs on the American people in terms of groceries and gas and goods. And at the same time, we’re seeing the retirement savings of the American people plummeting as well. This guy is driving us toward a recession. And this is not what the American people voted for or expected.
MICHAEL STEELE: Leader, I mentioned in the last hour conversations I’ve been having over the last few weeks with a buddy of mine who is a blue collar worker, been able, over the last 30 years, to save money in his retirement, his 401K. And he has lost about $32,000 in the last three weeks from his retirement savings for him and his wife. Talk to him. What would you say to him? What is the message he needs to hear from you as Leader of the Democratic Party in this hour as he’s watching, they’re now having to recalculate how he’s going to retire because Donald Trump has taken $32,000 out of his life savings.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s very painful. And as I travel the country, these are stories that I am hearing over and over and over again. And that is one of the reasons why we are going to continue to aggressively show up, stand up and speak up against these Trump tariffs, which are doing real damage to everyday Americans. And we’re calling upon both House and Senate Republicans to join us. In the House, all we need on any given bill is basically three House Republicans to stand up for their constituents and act like they actually work for the American people, as opposed to bending the knee consistently for Donald Trump or Elon Musk, even when these two out of control individuals are doing real damage to their constituents. This is one of the reasons why, as we travel the country, Democrats we’re going to continue to engage the American people, have town hall meetings in our districts and in Republican districts in blue states and red states and in purple states, so that we can raise awareness of what’s happening and make sure that these Republicans in Congress are being held accountable for their complicity and failure to act in the best interests of the people they were sent to Washington to represent.
SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: You know, Leader Jeffries, Congress could do something about this today if they wanted to. Have you, I know that House Democrats are ready to stand up for the American people. And you would vote, is it correct to say, that you would vote in support of taking back the power of deciding tariffs with Congress? You would, that’s something you would support.
LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely something that I would support. And we have legislative efforts that will intensify this week in response to these reckless Trump tariffs. I know that at least one Republican House Member, Congressman Don Bacon, has also introduced legislation or is planning to to address this. So we’re going to be in conversation with a handful of our Republican colleagues, because Congress can stop this carnage from happening. And one of the things that hopefully will cause some people to change their perspectives. You know, Donald Trump, the biggest lie that this guy ever told was that he cared about you, the American people. He does not. He cares about himself and his billionaire donors like Elon Musk. And as if we didn’t need any additional proof, but at the same time that the retirement savings is crashing, the stock market is crashing, the economy is crashing, Donald Trump is on the golf course? This is what he chooses to do? And so we have to continue to press our case aggressively on the economy, on health care, on social security. And we’ll continue to do just that.
ALICIA MENENDEZ: He’s on the golf course to the tune of $26 million, Symone. Taxpayer dollars.
SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: A lot of I mean, truly like bleeding the American people dry while their 401ks and pensions are plummeting. I just have to have to ask then. So Don Bacon, my Congressman, I’m from Nebraska. He represents district two. He is a very vulnerable Republican that could lose his seat next November. What about the Speaker? Has he indicated a willingness, because it’s about the people like Michael talked about. I’m also thinking about the small business owners, the taxes on food and beverage, the restaurants. I mean, I went out last night and I had to order some champagne because I didn’t know if I’d be able to get it three months from now given what Donald Trump is doing to this economy.
MICHAEL STEELE: Oh you would normally order champagne.
SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Here you go.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It does. I think one of the challenges that we’ll continue to have is that Republican leadership has shown no willingness to stand up to Donald Trump and his administration. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find rank and file Republicans to do it, joining us with a unified Democratic opposition, particularly as the pressure continues to intensify on them. They’ve already taken so many different reckless votes as it relates to the budget resolution that initially passed in the House. That’s the largest Medicaid cut in American history. Now they’re trying to dismantle Social Security, undermining veterans benefits, literally trying to take food out of the mouths of babies by cutting nutritional assistance. And what is this all being done for? To enact a massive tax break for billionaire donors like Elon Musk? The whole thing is a Ponzi scheme. That’s the Ponzi scheme that is being visited upon the American people right now.
ALICIA MENENDEZ: Just to put a finer point on what you have just said. There seems to be disagreement among Republicans in the two chambers about how to proceed on this question of the budget. Let me read you this from The Hill: ‘The budget debate revealed the biggest looming fight between Senate and House Republicans is over Medicaid. House Republicans have slated the program for tens of billions of dollars in cuts, something that several Republican senators have warned they would oppose in any final reconciliation bill.’ Where is this headed, Leader Jeffries?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to stand up for the health care of the American people and point out that what House Republicans have already voted to do, and have not walked away from, is a potential Medicaid cut of up to $880 billion. Here’s what this means. Children will be devastated. Women will be devastated. Older Americans will be devastated. Everyday Americans with disabilities are going to be devastated. Hospitals and nursing homes and community health clinics are going to close. That affects people who are on Medicaid, almost 90 million Americans, but also people who get their health insurance in other forms, because if the hospital closes, it doesn’t matter whether you’re on Medicaid or not, you are going to be hurt. And so we will continue to be very clear that these Medicaid cuts are completely and totally unacceptable. I think the Senate Democrats have done exactly the same thing as this process unfolds. And we’re going to work as hard as we can to find just a handful of Republicans who are now on the run on this Medicaid issue to do the right thing by their constituents.
MICHAEL STEELE: Congressman, we have been talking about voting in the last hour or so minutes and the the reality of it is, we saw how Republicans, under Elon’s leadership and the president’s backing, dropped $26 million dollars into a race to try to convince voters to go with a MAGA candidate. They rejected it. We saw Democrats close the gap in Florida in two congressional districts, which are are R +30. Democrats took 14 points to 17 points off, respectively, closing that gap. So there’s momentum there, but there’s something even a little bit more close to the ground relative to your chamber. You’ve now threatened a lawsuit in the state of Texas over a delayed Texas special election, noting the Houston area district, Texas 18, which is a predominantly Hispanic and Black population, has now had its previous two members die in office, could go as long as seven months without representation in this Congress, unless the governor calls an emergency election. Talk to us about what’s happening there in terms of those two seats and why you think there’s an effort to stall this to get passed this Congress.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you, Michael, for that question. The Honorable Sylvester Turner, who was a great public servant, former Mayor of Houston, sworn into Congress this year on January 3rd, unexpectedly and tragically passed on March 5th, exactly one month ago. He was funeralized during his homegoing service on March 15th. Yet weeks have passed, and the governor of Texas is conspiring with House Republicans to keep the seat vacant. Why? Because they are on the run legislatively, and they know their margins are tight, and they’re trying to do everything they can to rig the system in order to jam their GOP tax scam down the throats of the American people and in the process, take away health care from everyday Americans and do a bunch of damage. This is what this is all about. There’s no reason that the governor of Texas has not called a special election over the last few weeks. It’s a fraudulent scheme, and it’s connected to what we’re seeing taking place all over the country, including in North Carolina right now. By the way, North Carolina is a particularly bad actor because the three seats that Republicans took away from Democrats in North Carolina, they were extreme partisan gerrymandering in the middle of the decade, after redistricting had already taken place, and it was sanctioned by this right-wing Supreme Court. Those three seats actually make the difference between Democrats being in the majority right now and the House Republicans. And so that’s a bad lesson that they’ve learned and they’re not going to walk away from it which is why we have to continue to raise the alarm, mobilize the American people and then hold them responsible, accountable for their anti-democratic actions.
ALICIA MENENDEZ: Very quickly sir then, are you concerned that Republicans across the board in key districts across the country will attempt to deny Democrats and frankly, you the Speakership, if you are successful in November. If the numbers from Florida hold, I mean, dropping a +30 district and a Republican only winning it by 15, 14, 17 points. That to me feels dangerous. So are you concerned that they might try to steal the election? And are you all prepared?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes. We have to be incredibly vigilant across the board to call out their schemes well in advance, which will help stop them. From the standpoint of public sentiment, from engaging in it, this is one of the reasons why the Wisconsin State Supreme Court race was so critical, because that’s a battleground state for next November, let alone in 2028. At least two competitive congressional seats in Wisconsin. And we got to make sure that we are protecting the integrity of the courts all across the country and in many of the battleground states where this next election will be decided, you do have enlightened State Supreme Courts. So that’s the good news. We’re also suing Donald Trump, I’m suing him personally, along with Leader Schumer, House Democrats, Senate Democrats, the Democratic Governors Association and the Democratic National Committee, all of us together to make sure that we can get his executive order, which is all about voter suppression, declared unlawful and unconstitutional. And I believe we’ll be successful in doing just that.
MICHAEL STEELE: All right. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you, sir, for your time. Really appreciate it.
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Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Republicans’ national budget will increase prices for Coloradans, gut critical services,increase the deficit, and give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy
Republicans voted down Hickenlooper-led amendments to protect funding for Medicaid, Social Security
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after he voted against Republicans’ Senate Budget Resolution:
“The Republicans’ budget is a nightmare for working Americans. We’re game to make government more cost-effective and lower taxes for working families – this does the opposite,” said Hickenlooper. “Higher costs from the grocery store to the gas tank. Cuts to Americans’ health care. Increasing the national debt. All so Republicans can hand out tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.”
Hickenlooper voted “No” on the budget resolution after Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments to lower the cost of living and prevent cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits.
Hickenlooper led a group of Western senators to introduce an amendment to protect public lands from being sold to pay for Republicans’ tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Watch his full remarks about his amendment HERE.
“Their tax handouts for the wealthy are so large – and so important – that some are willing to plunder our public lands,” said Hickenlooper. “So let’s be clear: Our public lands are not for sale.”
Hickenlooper also spoke on the floor yesterday about the Trump administration’s tariffs and Republican-led proposals that would harm small businesses and raise prices for working Americans. Watch his full remarks HERE.
“The bottom line is that these tariff taxes will lead to higher costs, they’re going to hurt small businesses, and I think ultimately they’re going to increase unemployment,” said Hickenlooper. “I don’t think that I could find anyone in Colorado [who] would say that this is what they were voting for in the last election.”
In total, Hickenlooper introduced and joined 17 amendments to the 2025 Senate Budget Resolution to oppose Republican provisions that would harm Coloradans, including:
Lowering Costs for Americans
Lower the Cost of Energy: Safeguards the low cost of energy by preventing the administration from repealing energy tax credits, imposing energy tariffs, or blocking congressionally appropriated funding for new clean energy generation and energy infrastructure investments.
Prevent Tariff Price Increases: Ensures the budget doesn’t increase the cost of food, medical equipment, building materials, automobiles, or other essential products for Americans as a result of the Trump administration’s tariffs.
Protecting Critical Health Care
Prevent Cuts to Medicaid: Opposes cuts to Medicaid which would lead to benefit cuts, coverage loss, and slashed provider payments.
Medicaid in Nursing Homes: Ensures the budget resolution does not reduce funding for Medicaid, which provides coverage for more than 60% of residents in nursing homes.
Safeguard Healthcare for Veterans: Reverses Trump administration workforce cuts and fills frontline vacancies at the Veterans Health Administration, particularly personnel who provide health care to veterans in rural communities.
Protecting Safety Net Programs
Protect Social Security Benefits in Rural Areas: Provides funding to protect senior citizen’s access to Social Security benefits by keeping Social Security Administration field offices open and sufficiently staffed to provide customer service.
Protect Social Security: Establishes a deficit neutral fund to both expand Social Security benefits and promote the long-term solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund.
Prevent Cuts to Safety Net Services: Opposes any legislation that cuts the Social Services Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) which provide essential services for children, families, and seniors including Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and other child care assistance.
Protecting Public Lands
SupportPublic Lands Workforce: Requires the federal government to maintain a sufficient workforce to support recreational access and land management on Department of the Interior lands, including for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Protect Against Wildfire and Drought: Establishes a deficit-neutral reserve fund for sufficient resources to address western drought, including for water supply availability and wildfire risk.
Supporting Unions
Protect Collective Bargaining: Establishes a deficit-neutral reserve fund to help stop future attempts to undermine or attack federal employees’ collective bargaining agreements or their ability to unionize.
Budget resolutions guide federal spending and revenue policies for the year. This is the second budget resolution the Senate has voted on during the reconciliation process. Hickenlooper voted against the first package in February. The Senate and the House must pass identical versions of the budget for the reconciliation bill to become law.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig reintroduced theHalt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Actto clean up Washington and prevent Members of Congress from profiting off their service.
Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4) also co-sponsored this bill.
TheHUMBLE Actwould ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress and eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members.
Rep. Craig’s legislation also includes a new provision to eliminate automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.
“Members of Congress are elected to serve their constituents, not profit off of their positions, and Minnesotans want their elected officials to work for them, not special interests,” said Rep. Craig. “That’s why I’m reintroducing myHUMBLE Actto clean up Washington and make sure our tax dollars are spent on lowering costs, improving critical infrastructure and maintaining the essential services we all rely on.”
Rep. Craig’s legislation, one of the most expansive government reform proposals on either side of the aisle, is endorsed by multiple good government groups.
“Washington isn’t responding to the needs of working families because too many members of Congress have forgotten that public office is a responsibility, not a pathway to personal enrichment,” said End Citizens United Action Fund President Tiffany Muller. “While families struggle to make ends meet, lawmakers are cashing in on their positions of power––trading stocks using insider information, lining up their next jobs, and pushing policies that benefit the wealthy donors who keep them in power. Congresswoman Craig’s HUMBLE Act is a long-overdue and necessary step to restore integrity and root out corruption in Congress. We’re grateful for her continued leadership in fighting for these commonsense reforms.”
“Members of Congress, as elected representatives to pursue the public interest, should live by the strictest ethics rules to prevent using public office for personal gain. Rep. Craig’sHUMBLE Actwould impose many sorely-needed ethics rules on Congress, from slamming close revolving door abuses to cashing-in on the stock market using insider knowledge gleaned from their positions in Congress. The HUMBLE Act offers a great leap forward,” said Craig Holman, Ph.D., Public Citizen.
“American government is mired in a crisis of public confidence that threatens to undermine democracy. Congress must take bold action to stop this erosion of institutional legitimacy,” said Noah Bookbinder, President of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “Rep. Craig’s HUMBLE Act, which would, among many things, prohibit members of Congress from owning or trading stocks, would help fight back against the forces arrayed against democracy. CREW encourages Congress to expeditiously debate, discuss, and pass the HUMBLE Act.”
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Senator Reverend Warnock Fights to Amend GOP Tax Bill to Prevent Cuts to Medicaid Benefits; Moral Effort Voted Down by Senate GOP
Senator Reverend Warnock offered a bipartisan amendment to the Senate GOP budget resolution that would prevent cuts to Medicaid if it hurt benefits or services
The Senate GOP budget resolution would cut $880 billion from Medicaid
President Trump claimed he would not sign any GOP tax bill that would cut Medicaid benefits, echoing the sentiments of Washington Republicans
However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found GOP plans to cut Medicaid could not be achieved without “major cuts to Medicaid”
The amendment failed 48-51
WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock fights to amend GOP tax bill
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) fought to amend the Senate GOP budget resolution to guarantee that cuts to Medicaid would not impact benefits or services, decrease coverage, or slash provider payments. Although Washington Republicans claimed the proposed $880 billion Medicaid cuts would target waste, fraud, and abuse rather than benefits, GOP Senators failed to back up their words with any action. By voting down the Senator’s amendment, Washington Republicans are leaving the health care of Medicaid recipients, including 1.3 million Georgia children, on the chopping block.
“My colleagues have claimed their proposal to cut up to $880 billion from Medicaid is just cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. So, here’s their chance to back up their words with action,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“If they are so confident that they can cut $880 billion from Medicaid without children, without seniors, or the severely disabled losing benefits or coverage, then they should vote for my amendment. But if my amendment is voted down, it is a sad admission that my colleagues value the financial health of the richest of the rich over the physical health of millions of children and seniors.”
Senator Reverend Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. In addition to pushing for solutions to close the coverage gap, the Senator is committed to preserving and protecting access to health care for millions of Georgians.
Full remarks can be watched HERE and found below:
Mr. President, I know we assert this a lot around here, but I really rise to offer a very simple amendment: no cuts in Medicaid benefits, no cuts in Medicaid coverage.
My colleagues have claimed their proposal to cut up to $880 billion from Medicaid is just cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. So, here’s their chance to back up their words with action.
If they are so confident that they can cut $880 billion from Medicaid without children, without seniors, or the severely disabled losing benefits or coverage, then they should vote for my amendment.
But if my amendment is voted down, it is a sad admission that my colleagues value the financial health of the richest of the rich over the physical health of millions of children and seniors.
I urge my colleagues to support my amendment with Senator Kelly and others.
….
I notice that my colleague from Idaho did not say that they will not cut coverage, if the Senator believes they can do this without kicking a single person off Medicaid, you should vote for my amendment.
Governor Tim Walz today released his revised budget for the next biennium. The revised budget includes just under $250 million in additional ongoing reductions in FY 28-29, paired with small, primarily one-time investments in critical work, including funding to respond to Avian Influenza and law enforcement training.
Governor Tim Walz today announced an update to the telework policy for state employees, requiring most state agency employees to work in-person for at least 50% of scheduled workdays beginning June 1. Around 60% of state employees already work in-person and did so throughout the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, the Commission on Judicial Selection announced the extension of the application period for the upcoming vacancy in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District. The new application deadline is 4:00 pm on April 14. The commission expects to hold interviews in early May.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio delivers remarks to the press in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4, 2025.
Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-press-2/
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The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)
WASHINGTON –U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Dr. Arthur Herman, a senior fellow and director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative at Hudson Institute, penned anop-ed in National Review highlighting how AUKUS — the security pact between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia — provides a strategic advantage against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), both at sea and in the high-tech realm.
National Review
The U.S. Has a Game Changer in the Struggle for High-Tech Supremacy
Congressman Michael McCaul and Dr. Arthur Herman
April 3, 2025
In the great-power competition with the United States’ adversaries, none is more formidable than the Chinese Communist Party.
Emboldened by four years of appeasement policies, the CCP is on the march — escalating its military activities, conducting aggressive drills around Taiwan, and increasing its belligerence in the South China Sea.
The tension in the Indo-Pacific is nearing a breaking point. Given China’s unholy alliance with Russia, Iran, and North Korea — and America’s friendship with Taiwan and defense treaty with the Philippines — any surge of CCP aggression in the region could catapult the world into a snowballing conflict.
There is one key to avoiding this World War III scenario: deterrence. And as the future of warfare rapidly develops, high-tech supremacy will be the decisive key. That’s why — as President Trump has said — China’s recent DeepSeek challenge to American AI leadership serves as a wake-up call. We must commit greater focus and resources to high-tech supremacy — not only in AI, but in a range of technologies that will define military deterrence in peacetime and determine victory in a time of war.
[…]
Instead of peace through strength, the Biden presidency brought instability and conflict through weakness. But in the midst of its abysmal foreign policy record was one bright spot: a security pact established in 2021 between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, to work together on a cluster of advanced technologies.
AUKUS will change the game when it comes to countering the generational threat posed by China.
[…]
To ensure the program’s success, Congress passed an initiative, led by one of us (Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee), to exempt Australia and the U.K. from lengthy and burdensome licensing requirements. These requirements, while meant to protect our sensitive technology from falling into the wrong hands, also prohibited our trusted allies from using U.S. tech for our collective defense goals.
Congress was explicit: The administration “shall provide” defense articles and technology to these allies, whose export control regimes are similar to our own. But when the Biden administration removed the licensing requirements, it quickly nullified that action by releasing a list of excluded technologies. The list was so lengthy that it swallowed up the exemption. In other words, the Biden administration undermined congressional intent and re-created lengthy burdens for technology sharing with our allies, inexplicably undercutting its one true foreign policy success in the process.
The excluded-technologies list must be immediately trimmed if we want to keep up with China in the technology race that will determine the future balance of power.
[…]
In our brave new age of great-power competition, our high-tech posture will be as important as our military force posture; in fact, one will determine the other. Just as in World War II the integration of mass production by commercial companies was the key to victory, so too will integration of advanced technologies like AI, quantum, and autonomous systems be key to deterrence — and to victory if war breaks out.
Except this time, we won’t have to rely on American industry alone for needed breakthroughs and deployments. Instead, we can work with key allies to achieve our most important national security goals — including supremacy at sea — and prevent the next world war from breaking out.
As Ronald Reagan told us, “We know only too well that conflict comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak.” For too long, the forces of freedom have been weak in the face of CCP aggression. AUKUS can change that.
Click here to read the full op-ed in National Review.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Homeland Security Committee — released the following statement on March’s record-low border crossings under the Trump administration.
“Month after month, the Trump administration continues to prove that deterrence works. I’ve dealt with the border for more than 25 years, and I’ve never seen border crossings this low. These numbers are a testament to the dedication of our brave border patrol agents and to President Trump’s strong immigration policies, which are restoring order to the chaos caused by Biden’s reckless open border.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)
The Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act directs the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and designate a restored segment of the Kissimmee River as a Recreational River
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) introduced the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Actto direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and designate a restored segment of the Kissimmee River as a Recreational River. During the 117th Congress, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (page #1141) included parts of the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act to direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to complete a study of the Kissimmee River within three years to make it part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This legislation will keep up the pressure to ensure timely designation.
“It is critical for us to preserve the historic Kissimmee River as it is home to many of Florida’s endangered species, key for recreation, and protects the Everglades from harmful nutrients,” said Congressman Soto. “As we continue working on initiatives to protect our environment for future generations, we must ensure that this natural treasure can sustain the growth around it. We saw parts of our bill to complete a study passed in FY23, and it will soon be time to designate the Kissimmee River as Recreational River under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.”
In 1968, Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to “preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” If passed, the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act will ensure that restored segments of the river are preserved for future generations to enjoy.
The Kissimmee River Restoration Project was a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District to help wildlife species return to the river after efforts to prevent flooding destroyed habitats. The project was completed in 2021 and restored more than 40 square miles of the river floodplain ecosystem, 20,000 acres of wetlands, and 44 miles of the historic river channel. It was the largest river restoration in the world and cost nearly $1 billion to complete.
For the full text of the bill, please click here.
For a video of Rep. Soto explaining the bill, click here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led 16 of their colleagues in introducing the Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act, which will provide $1 billion over four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants to address the significant backlog of facility needs at federally impacted schools. In addition to Representative Garamendi, the bill was co-sponsored by Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23). This legislation was first introduced in the Senate by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
The federal Impact Aid program offers federal support for public school districts where federal activity has reduced the available tax base. This is because federally impacted school districts have significantly less tax revenue and bonding capacity to meet their needs. Currently, Impact Aid supports over 1,100 school districts, totaling more than 10 million students.
“This bill addresses long-overdue repair needs to ensure equitable access to quality education and safe learning environments for students across the country,” said Rep. Garamendi. “I am grateful to Senator Hirono for introducing this legislation in the Senate and for fighting for safe environments for teachers and students,” said Garamendi. “Every child should have the opportunity to learn and excel in a safe environment. This legislation brings us closer to realizing that goal.”
“Every child deserves to receive a quality education in a safe, suitable learning environment,” said Senator Hirono. “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would provide critical funding for over 1,000 school districts across the country to address their significant backlogs of construction, repair, and maintenance needs. Impact Aid is one of many critical programs administered by the Department of Education and this bill would strengthen this program to help ensure that federally impacted school districts have the funding they need to support millions of students as they learn and grow in our public schools.”
“In California’s 23rd District, many of our schools serve military families and are located near federal lands that do not pay local tax and therefore reduce local tax revenues,” said Rep. Obernolte. “These schools face serious infrastructure challenges—from outdated buildings to limited capacity for critical upgrades. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a vital step forward. It provides the resources and federal-local collaboration our schools need to modernize their facilities and create safe, effective learning environments for every student. I’m proud to help lead this legislation because it delivers real support to our communities and honors our commitment to military families and rural schools alike.”
“The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a crucial investment in the future of federally impacted school districts,” said Nicole Russell, Executive Director, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). “Too many schools serving military-connected children, Native American students, and others affected by federal property face deteriorating facilities that undermine student achievement and make it difficult to recruit and retain teachers–and they lack the tax base to overcome these challenges due to the presence of nontaxable federal property. By addressing the extensive backlog of infrastructure needs, this legislation is an important step in leveling the playing field and ensuring every student has access to a safe, modern learning environment that supports their success.”
“2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the Impact Aid law, which recognized the Federal Government’s obligation to replace lost tax revenue in school districts with a federal presence by providing operational and minimal construction funding,” said Brent Gish, Executive Director, National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA). “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would provide crucial funding to districts serving students residing on Indian land and those in military and federal property areas. These districts have very limited and sometimes no bonding capacity to construct new or renovate existing facilities and teacher housing. The growing backlog of need now exceeds $4 billion. It is our strong belief that in America, all children deserve a high-quality education in a safe and modern facility that supports innovative, culturally rich teaching. Quality facilities coupled with research-based instruction yields positive learning outcomes!”
“Schools around the country that receive Federal Impact Aid have a distinct disadvantage when it comes to raising funds for school construction,” said Kyle Fairbairn, Executive Director, Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA). “In a majority of states, the only way to build a school or do an extensive remodel is by passing a local bond issue supported by property taxes. In Impact Aid districts, these funds become the responsibility of local taxpayers because the federal government does not pay taxes on land it owns. This makes passing a bond issue very difficult, as it places a tremendous burden on taxpayers who do pay property taxes. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a way to have the federal government help fund local schools, benefiting all taxpayers within an LEA.”
The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would ensure that federally impacted school districts have the resources needed to provide every student with a quality education and safe learning environment by authorizing $250 million annually for four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants. Of this funding, 25% would be allocated through formula funding to all eligible school districts. The Department of Education would distribute the remaining 75% as competitive grants, prioritizing school districts with urgent facility needs.
The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is endorsed by National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS); National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA); Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA); and Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC).
In the Senate, this legislation was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Tina Smith (D-MN).
In the House, it was cosponsored by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Don Davis (D-NC-1), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), and Emily Randall (D-WA-06).
The full text of the legislation is available here.