Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
Legislation Now Moves To Full Senate For Consideration
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act. The bipartisan bill, authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper and certain species of tuna imported into the United States. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) co-leads the bill.
“Seafood that’s caught illegally or intentionally mislabeled rips off consumers and makes it harder for law-abiding U.S. fishermen to compete. Our bill will help fight against anyone who tries to pass off cheap foreign tuna for high-quality ahi from local Hawai‘i fishermen,” said Senator Schatz.
“The Hawai‘i fishing and seafood industries support Senator Schatz and the Commerce Committee’s legislation to prevent IUU products from entering US seafood markets. US fisheries, including the Hawai‘i Longline fishery, are among the most regulated in the world and we appreciate Congress taking steps to protect domestic fishermen and our markets. Hawai‘i-landed tuna is known for its sustainability and quality and the ability to detect tuna origin to deter seafood fraud is important and we are very appreciative of this effort,” said Mike Goto, Director of the United Fishing Agency.
Technology exists to chemically test and find the geographic origin of many foods, but not for tuna and red snapper. The legislation aims to develop a field test kit that can be used to accurately ascertain whether fish were caught in U.S. or foreign waters, thus allowing federal and state law enforcement officers to identify the origin of the fish and intercept illegally caught or falsely labelled red snapper and tuna before it enters the U.S. market.
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, led by Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), advanced the nomination of the Honorable Kelly Loeffler to serve as the Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator by a vote of 12-7.
“For the last four years, small businesses were failed by an ever-growing and burdensome bureaucracy,” said Chair Ernst. “As a successful business leader, Kelly Loeffler is the perfect person to increase transparency and accountability at the SBA and prioritize the needs of small businesses. She will unshackle and unleash Main Street!”
Last week, Ernst discussed fixing the broken SBA with Loeffler and refocusing the agency on its mission to empower entrepreneurs and unleash the small business economy.
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously passed the bipartisan Hotel Fees Transparency Act by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), co-chairs of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus and members of the Senate Commerce Committee. This legislation will lower costs and improve transparency by requiring anyone advertising a hotel room or short-term rental to clearly show the final price a customer will pay to book lodging, including any fees.
“Traveling is expensive, and hidden fees make it difficult to compare prices and understand the true cost of a reservation,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan bill will lower costs for hotel rooms and short-term rentals by increasing transparency and banning hidden fees.”
“High prices are forcing Kansans to account for all their expenses, and many cannot afford to pay hidden fees at hotels or short-term lodging,” said Moran. “This commonsense legislation requires hotels to be straightforward about all their fees so consumers aren’t burdened with unexpected costs on their check.”
The Hotel Fees Transparency Act is co-sponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). It is endorsed by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Consumer Reports, the National Consumers League, and the Travel Technology Association.
Klobuchar has long led efforts to protect consumers and support the travel and tourism industry. In May 2024, a number of Klobuchar-backed provisions passed the Senate and were signed into law as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act, including the Families Fly Together Act, a bill with Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to require airlines to allow children to sit together with their family members on flights at no additional charge.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day by participating in several events and interviews to promote his bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. Sen. Tuberville reintroduced his hallmark Title IX legislation—which is cosponsored by 37 of his colleagues—in the Senate last month. Companion legislation passed the House on a bipartisan basis in January.
Sen. Tuberville also praised President Trump for his leadership in signing an Executive Order today to protect women’s sports and restore Title IX protections for women and girls everywhere. While Senator Tuberville is grateful for President Trump’s commonsense leadership, he insists Congress has to pass his bill to ensure Title IX protections are made permanent. Sen. Tuberville discussed this earlier this week on “The Megyn Kelly Show” when he said, “A lot of people don’t realize that an Executive Order […] only lasts as long as that president’s there. So, we got some work to do. […] As you said—we’ve got to get it to the floor. John Thune told me he’s going to get it to the floor. […] If it’s not going to pass, we’ll do it again, but we’ve got to get people on the record because this is something that’s very dear to the heart of all parents across the country—and it’s dead wrong.”
When White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about this earlier today, she said, “It’s incredibly important that Congress immediately act on this priority. I think the President is really setting the tone—making this an immediate priority for this administration, just as he promised to do on the campaign trail.”
Sen. Tuberville also commemorated National Girls and Women in Sports Day by reintroducing the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to prohibit any governing body recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) from allowing men to participate in any women’s Olympic athletic events.
Tuberville Joins “The Faulkner Focus”
Sen. Tuberville joined Harris Faulkner on “The Faulkner Focus” to discuss the latest with the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, as well as his efforts to protect women’s Olympic sports.
Read an excerpt from the interview below or watch here.
FAULKNER: “This Executive Order that Trump is getting ready to put in play comes as today we recognize National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Also on this day, Senator, you are reintroducing that bill called the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. This is an effort to ensure that Trump’s protections are permanent. Tell us about it, Senator.”
TUBERVILLE: “Exactly, and you know I started coaching 40 years ago—right when Title IX started. And, Harris, let me tell you something. This is the best thing that this place has ever done. It gave young girls and women a different opportunity to build on leadership and have a future. And, so, this past four years—gender has been under attack. Parents have been under attack. Education has been under attack, and it all goes back to trying to not define what a woman is, and they can’t even define that. They’re telling us right now that men can have babies. So, at the end of the day, I’m giving a speech on the floor today. Leader Thune has promised he’s gonna put this bill on the floor sooner or later. This is my third time that I’ve had this up for a vote. The Democrats don’t want anything to do with it, but I gotta feeling a lot of them are gonna change their mind. And then at three o’clock, President Trump’s going to sign the Executive Order. But as you said, if when he goes out of office, if we don’t get a Republican back in there, this will change back into the gender nonsense that these Democrats have been pushing for the last four years. We have to protect women and girls in sports. And we also have to protect women and girls in Olympic sports because we have the Olympics coming here soon. And if we don’t do that, we’re gonna see men boxing against women like we did this past summer.”
Tuberville Speaks on Senate Floor
Senator Tuberville also delivered a floor speech where he called out Democrats’ out-of-touch, woke ideology that says men can get pregnant and boys should compete in women’s sports.
Read excerpts from the speech below or watch the full speech here.
“I’m here to call for a vote on my legislation, S.9, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, that would save Title IX and save women’s sports. Today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day—that’s today. To celebrate, President Trump will sign an Executive Order this afternoon in the White House ending Democrats’ intentional destruction of Title IX and saving women’s sports.
I’m very thankful for his leadership on this. President Trump’s Executive Order will make sure women’s sports are protected for at least the next four years. But unfortunately, Executive Orders can be reversed. Congress needs to act on this to make sure the next Democrat administration, whenever it is, can’t take the same steps to destroy Title IX that the Biden administration took. For the past four years, the Biden administration waged an all-out assault on gender. 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. Here on this floor, I heard that. Pure insanity.
But it didn’t stop there. They weren’t content to just erase gender norms that have been accepted for thousands and thousands of years. No. They wanted to allow transgender men to participate against women and girls in sports. This has been happening at schools all across the country. Young women have been forced to compete against men and even share locker rooms and showers. And on top of that, your taxpayer dollars are paying for this nonsense. Over the past several years under the Joe Biden administration, 900 women’s medals have gone to men. 900. That is absolutely wrong.
This one is personal for me. My first coaching job was in women’s basketball—years ago. Title IX was just starting to be implemented when I took that first job. I saw firsthand the immediate difference it made. Before Title IX, at a lot of schools, college women’s athletics didn’t really exist. Back then, there were more than 10x as many male athletes in college as female athletes. After Title IX, that quickly changed. For the first time, the young women I coached had equal access to facilities, resources, and competition. I saw these hardworking young women go on to earn college scholarships, start careers, and become leaders of our country. I still keep in touch with many of these young women today, and I’m deeply proud of them.
Looking back on it now, I wonder if they would have had the same opportunities without Title IX. Would they have had the same successes if they had had to compete against males 40 years ago? This really shouldn’t be controversial. It’s just common sense. A recent poll from the New York Times of all publications showed 79% of all Americans believe men should not compete in women’s sports. 79%.
President Trump campaigned largely on this issue. If you remember, his campaign spent nearly $20 million dollars on TV ads about the importance of keeping men out of women’s sports. So, on November 5, 2024 the American people didn’t just elect President Trump. They also decisively rejected this ridiculous notion that men can get pregnant and boys should compete against women in sports. Ridiculous. And they definitely didn’t want their tax dollars funding schools that allow boys to share locker rooms with girls.
My bill would prevent a school from receiving any federal funding if they let boys compete in women’s sports. It also defines gender [as] male and female for this purpose. I was glad to see President Trump sign an Executive Order defining gender during his first few days in office. The President also made it clear in the Executive Order that he wants Congress to take action on this as well because he understands it can go away with the sign [of] an ink pen.
That’s why today I’m also reintroducing a bill to prohibit men from competing in women’s Olympic sports because men competing against women at any level is dangerous. We are all deeply disturbed—all of us were deeply disturbed this past summer to see videos of boys and men boxing against women. You know, when I was growing up, we were taught never to hit a girl, but I guess that’s over now because of the Democrats. One study found out that males can punch up to 162% harder than females. Somebody is going to get killed or seriously injured if we don’t stop this absolute nonsense. It’s unsafe, it’s unfair, and it’s just plain wrong.
The Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act will make sure men aren’t allowed to compete against women in any sport, but especially not in a violent sport like boxing. This bill will restore fairness for the American women who train their whole lives to represent our country on the world stage. Their entire lives, they train. I know we’re all looking forward to the United States hosting the Summer Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles. I hope our bill [has] been passed and signed in law long before that so we can all enjoy some healthy, safe women-against-women or men-against-men competition during those Olympics.
But this huge issue goes way beyond politics. I’ve heard from parents, student, teachers, and coaches all over the country about this. These are people who have personally seen the benefits of Title IX and are very concerned about Democrats’ attempts to take these opportunities away from women and girls.
There are countless stories of girls who have benefited from Title IX in my state of Alabama.
This includes athletes like Rachel Argent of Thorsby High School in Chilton County, Alabama. Rachel’s athletic ability and good grades drew the attention of college coaches across Alabama. […] Because of her talent and work ethic, Rachel received basketball scholarships to Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette, Alabama. After [getting] her degree, she got a softball scholarship at Samford University. That scholarship […] put her on the right direction. […] She didn’t have to worry about landing a full-time job while she went to school and participated in sports. […]
After college, Rachel returned to Thorsby High School as a teacher and a coach. She wanted to give back to the school what she had gotten from Title IX. She taught Health and Physical Education for grades kindergarten to twelve. She coached girls’ softball, basketball, track, and volleyball. She made an impact on hundreds of girls across our state of Alabama. It was all made possible again by Title IX.
Rachel’s daughter, Addie, played softball, tennis, golf, and basketball at Chilton County High School. She got a gold scholarship to the University of Mobile where she graduated with a degree in Nursing. Her athletics scholarship was part of her getting a degree and becoming a nurse. There are countless other young women like Addie and Rachel across Alabama and every other state across the country. More than 50,000 young women in Alabama alone competed in high school sports this past year, 50,000. Every single one of them deserves the full benefit of fair competition.
And I’m grateful that every member of the Senate Republican leadership is a cosponsor of my Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. They’ve been very supportive. Leader Thune is a proud cosponsor of my bill, and I’m glad to have his support. Leader Thune is committed to scheduling a vote on this bill and putting every Democrat on the record on whether or not they support men competing in women’s sports. We brought this bill to the floor for a vote during the last Congress. Really, we brought it twice, and every single Democrat always voted against it. What does that tell you?
Leader Thune has not rescheduled it for a vote yet this congress. Right now, we’ve obviously got a lot of things to do with [confirming] President Trump’s cabinet. Then we get started on the reconciliation process and getting the American economy jumpstarted again. We have a lot to accomplish in the first 100 days of the Trump administration, and I hope this bill is part of that 100 days.
President Trump will sign an Executive Order again today banning men from competing in women’s sports. Let’s lock that commitment in. Let’s lock it in for young girls and women all across this country. Let’s bring this bill to the floor for a vote very soon so the Senate can send it to the President’s desk and make this permanent.
To my Senate colleagues who are on the fence about this, I would ask—do you have daughters? Do you have granddaughters? Do you have nieces? Would you want them competing against men in sports? Would you feel comfortable with them sharing a locker room with a biological male?
I’m excited to welcome my first granddaughter in a couple weeks, Rosie Grace. I would raise hell if she was forced to compete, dress, or use the same showers as men. And American taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for any schools that are allowing this to happen. The days of woke, swamp politicians running our government are over. Common sense has been restored to the White House, and Congress needs to get back to work and let President Trump work on this bill.
This isn’t about politics. This is about right and wrong. The American people have delivered a verdict. They want men out of women’s sports and women’s locker rooms.
President Trump is 100% with us on this. The time to act is now. It’s time to restore Title IX protections and save women’s sports.”
Tuberville Attends White House Executive Order Signing
Sen. Tuberville went to the White House for President Trump’s signing of an Executive Order restoring Title IX protections for women and girls everywhere. During his speech, President Trump shouted out Sen. Tuberville for all of the work he has done to champion women’s sports in Congress and throughout his coaching career.
The President also shouted out 3x Superbowl Champion Patrick Mahomes, whom Coach Tuberville recruited when he was at Texas Tech University.
“And Tommy Tuberville [is here], a great coach,” said President Trump. “You know, his quarterback was named ‘Mahomes.’ He was a great college coach and I said ‘How good was he?’ and he said, ‘You don’t wanna know how good—he made me into a great coach.’”
Tuberville Joins Kudlow from White House
Following the Executive Order signing, Sen. Tuberville joined “Kudlow” on Fox Business live from Pebble Beach at the White House.
Read excerpts from the interview below or watch here.
KUDLOW: “No more biological men in women’s sports. Wow. Big signing today by President Trump. Joining us now to talk about it is Alabama Senator, Tommy Tuberville. Senator Tuberville, good to see you, sir. Tell us about the signing. Tell us what was in the signing, if you would.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, it’s been too long happening, Larry. It’s just unfortunate—for the last four years we’ve had to put up with this nonsense of biological boys and men participating in women’s sports. Not just in sports here, but also in the Olympics. It was a great day. Had a lot of people there [for the] Executive Order putting a stop to it, but we’ve gotta permanently do it. I’ve got a bill that’s the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act that we’ve got. Hopefully, we get it on the floor soon where we can make it permanent. There’s no reason in the world why men and boys should be able to participate in women’s [sports]. It’s just wrong, it’s dangerous. And, you know, it’s just a great day that we finally got this done.”
KUDLOW: “Senator Tuberville, you mentioned the Olympics. So, good question—how will the Olympic Committee look at this resolution? Will they abide by it? Will they fight it? What do you anticipate, sir?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, you got to remember, Larry. This is gonna be in L.A. the next time they have it. President Trump mentioned that. The Olympic Committee, two years ago, decided to let each sport decide what they wanted to do and how they wanted to handle it. Unfortunately, boxing let men participate against the women and it was terrible—it really was. Somebody’s gonna get hurt. And so, hopefully, they come to their senses. President Trump will probably get involved in this—with the Olympic Committee, knowing him. And hopefully, we can get all men and boys banned from any kind of [women’s] sports in the Olympics. It’s just not fair.”
KUDLOW: “You know, it’s so ironic to me, Senator, politically. For all these years, going back to, I’m gonna say, Gloria Steinem in the 1970s—over 50 years. The Democratic Party said it was the party to defend women. Okay? But in recent years, as you well know, with the trans movement and so forth and biological men now being allowed to play in women’s sports, etcetera, etcetera. All of a sudden, the Democrats are in favor of that and are wrecking women’s sports and treating women athletes, female athletes incredibly unjustly? I mean, how do you figure that? Do they see the stupidity of this whole story or not?”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. They see it. They just won’t admit it. The problem they have, Larry, is they’ve lost the middle class. They have no support anymore. […] They’ve lost their base. They’re not going back. They’ve really gotten so far out there, Larry. You know, even the Democrats [think men shouldn’t compete in women’s sports]. A lot of Democrats voted for President Trump because of this one issue that the Democrats kept pushing.”
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 Illinois Dick Durbin
February 05, 2025
Durbin releases new report that highlights the health harms from federal freeze of the MMWR, a critical scientific update which has been released by the CDC every week since 1961 until now
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released a staff report that examines the impact of the Trump Administration’s federal communications freeze on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The report reveals new findings about information that has been stifled by the cessation of the MMWR, including timely bird flu updates, and provides important assessments from public health leaders about the consequences of the Trump Administration’s freeze.
Since January 13, 1961, CDC has—without fail—published weekly issues of the MMWR, the agency’s routine update to doctors, health departments, researchers, and the public about infectious disease outbreaks, emerging health findings, and urgent new health care updates. Information from the MMWR provides timely research and analyses of public health threats, including the latest reports from the CDC’s disease detectives. For decades, the weekly report published every Thursday, and provided unbiased, science-based information to identify critical new information for the health care community.
On the report’s release, Durbin released the following statement:
“Viruses do not take a break because the President slaps a gag order on our public health agencies. Outbreaks are not contained because scientists are ordered to stop talking about them. Doctors, health care providers, and the public all benefit from the release of critical and timely health information. Without it, we will see preventable suffering and death,” said Durbin. “The Trump Administration must immediately resume the timely, objective, and scientific publication of the CDC’s MMWR reports, without any political meddling, by releasing the next MMWR issue tomorrow.”
Key findings and takeaways from Durbin’s report include:
Critical quotes and testimonials from public health practitioners in local communities who were co-authors on two separate studies that had been slated to be published in the January 23, 2025, issue of the MMWR before it was blocked;
Analyses from former CDC officials, leading epidemiologists, and disease prevention experts about the impact of the MMWR moratorium, including impacts for the historic ongoing tuberculosis outbreak underway in Kansas, the avian influenza, and fentanyl crisis.
Halting the publication of MMWRs has occurred in tandem with an unprecedented purge of public health data from the CDC’s website, which occurred within the last week and removed extensive collections of datasets used by researchers and public health officials to address vaccinations, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, suicide, tobacco use, violence, and other health threats. The tampering of this data was ostensibly to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order to remove mentions of gender, accessibility, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. These actions could have profound consequences for public health interventions.
On February 4, 2025, a federal lawsuit was filed by a group of physicians seeking to restore the websites and data removed from the CDC’s website, among other sources, arguing that the purge creates a “dangerous gap” in information available to track diseases and diagnose their patients.
For a PDF copy of Durbin’s report, click here.
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Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
February 05, 2025
Durbin: Placing Mr. Vought in charge of OMB would be irresponsible
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senate Democrats in speaking out against President Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Russell Vought. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin outlined why Mr. Vought is unfit for the job, including his actions as Director of OMB during the first Trump administration and his part in crafting Project 2025— a policy proposal written by a conservative think tank outlining a sweeping, extreme vision forAmerica.
“Mr. Vought has been nominated by President Trump to run this agency… its job is to oversee federal agencies and administer the federal budget. Most of the time, when we are called on to evaluate nominations, we do our best to take a look and review the nominee’s qualifications and experience,” Durbin said. “But for Mr. Vought, there is no need for imagination. He already has served as Director of OMB during the last half of President Trump’s first term in office, and I believe he proved who he was in that period of time.”
Durbin continued, “When he served as Director of OMB during President Trump’s first term, Mr. Vought illegally refused to release hundreds of millions of dollars in security assistance to Ukraine and delayed $20 billion in disaster aid for Puerto Rico… And when he left that role, Mr. Vought went on to become a key architect of ‘Project 2025’—a policy proposal written by a conservative a think tank outlining a sweeping, extreme vision for America’s future. Project 2025 included policies to consolidate power in the executive branch and undermine critical services that the federal government provides to the American families.”
During his speech, Durbin also slammed the Trump Administration for their decision to issue an OMB memo last week to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement” of trillions of dollars of Federal financial assistance, which caused mass confusion about the funding and operations of hundreds of government-funded programs ranging from Medicaid, to Head Start, to Violence Against Women Act grants.
Shortly before the federal funding freeze was set to begin, U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. Alikhan, who was confirmed under Durbin’s tenure as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, temporarily blocked the move by the Trump Administration. Another judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking President Trump’s measure. The Trump Administration rescinded the memo but claimed that the federal funding freeze would still take place.
“This latest attempt to put a sweeping freeze on federal funds is far from the first time Mr. Vought has broken the law and undermined Congress’s power of the purse that is set forth in the Constitution. It is clear from Mr. Vought’s comments and actions that he has contempt for Congress as a co-equal branch of government,” Durbin said. “It is appalling that so many of my Republican Senate friends voted to advance his nomination as he actively attempts to strip Congress of our Congressional authorities.”
Durbin continued, “We [Democrats] are not opposing Mr. Vought solely because he poses a threat to our ability to do our jobs in Congress. Mr. Vought has made it clear that he is targeting working families across the country. Both in his previous tenure as OMB Director and in policy proposals, Mr. Vought has proposed budget cuts that slash the social safety net for resources for tax cuts for the wealthy.”
Durbin concluded, “To my Republican colleagues—for the sake of the institution in which we work, the constituents we were elected to serve, and the constitutional foundations of our nation, please don’t vote for Mr. Vought. Maya Angelou once said: ‘When someone shows you who they are…believe them the first time.’ Well, from his tenure running OMB to his authorship of Project 2025, Mr. Vought has shown us exactly who he is and what he believes. He is a man with little respect for the Constitution and limited understanding of the plight of real working Americans. Giving Mr. Vought the reins of OMB is an invitation to a policy battle at the expense of our Constitution.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
Air taxis, “autonomous autos” and reusable rockets are just some of the future transport solutions that inventors all over the world are striving to make a reality, while patents for combustion engines are “flatlining”, the UN intellectual property agency (WIPO) said on Thursday.
Latest information gleaned from patent filings featuring in WIPO’s Technology Trends report on the Future of Transportation, offers a tempting glimpse of a not-so distant and enticing future where there’s less traffic pollution, fewer snarl-ups and air travel to the other side of the world – made possible in just a few hours.
“Analysis of patents shows that inventors are working hard to ensure that how we get around tomorrow is cleaner and better than today,” maintained WIPO, which said that patent filings for future transportation solutions have grown by 700 per cent over the last two decades, from 15,000 inventions in 2003 to 120,000 in 2023.
“Autonomous ships and smart ports are revolutionizing transportation at sea; electric vehicles, high-speed trains and smart traffic management systems are driving change on land,” WIPO insisted.
“Vertical take-off and landing aircraft are offering new ways to travel by air, while reusable rockets and satellite technology are pushing what is possible beyond the earth’s atmosphere.”
Driving this trend is the recognition that transportation accounts for more than one-third of CO2 emissions globally, which has encouraged the development of sustainable technologies that reduce the environmental impact of transportation.
These include the adoption of electrified propulsion, the shift to renewable energy sources and the promotion of public and shared transport options.
Digitalization is also revolutionizing the transportation sector, WIPO insists, pointing to the rise of autonomous driving, “which is projected to generate from $300 billion to $400 billion in revenue by 2035”.
Patently true
According to the Geneva-based UN agency, intellectual property supports this kind of groundbreaking innovation – such as wireless charging for electric vehicles – by encouraging investment in research and development.
Competition is fierce as firms jostle for access to rare earth minerals, while AI is also taking centre stage, WIPO says.
“The report also shows flatlining growth in patenting activity for legacy products like the internal combustion engine and other fossil fuel-based systems” such as catalytic converters, the UN agency noted.
Its data indicated that more than 1.1 million inventions have reshaped transportation since 2000, introducing the prospect of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-based systems such as renewable energy cells, air taxis and self-piloting cargo ships.
In the driver’s seat of this travel transformation are China, Japan, the US, South Korea and Germany, which represent the world’s top inventors. Land transportation patents dominate global filings, at 3.5 times more than for air, sea and space combined. The US, meanwhile, has filed the most international patents.
The largest area of growth in patenting is related to sustainable propulsion – such as batteries for electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel cells – which represent efforts to ensure that people and goods are moved around in a “cleaner, more climate-friendly fashion”.
Experts with an eye on imaginative transport solutions for the future say that AI is also poised to play a key role. They point to the rise of autonomous driving, although infrastructure has not adapted swiftly enough for such vehicles to take over, the WIPO report notes.
Drone dilemma
The scarcity of minerals, meanwhile, will determine whether the world can massively adopt electric cars – vehicles that report co-author Christopher Harrison says may not be miracle solutions for private owners.
“Having these rare and limited raw earth minerals in an electric vehicle for personal use that’s been utilized only a few per cent of the day is not an effective use of those tools,” he told journalists.
In the air sector, drones will continue their sky-high ascension.
“I would not like to look up at a sky full of drones delivering pizzas or a pair of gloves to my house and causing visual and noise pollution,” said Robert Garbett, the founder of Drone Major Group, cited in the WIPO report.
“If a delivery is to a remote location that is really hard to get to, people will be more likely to accept it as a beneficial solution,” he added, citing emergency medicine as an example.
According to WIPO, transport patent growth in China has been strong given its recent dominance of the electric vehicle market. But other countries have also contributed with strong patent filings activity including Sweden, Italy, India and Canada.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, alongside Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Focus on Learning Act, legislation that would require the Surgeon General to complete a study on the effects of cellphone use in K-12 classrooms on students’ mental health, educational outcomes, and academic performance.
The senators first introduced the legislation in 2023. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order for cellphone-free education in Virginia, which went into effect on January 1, 2025.
“We need to do more to ensure students can excel in the classroom, and part of this means digging into how cellphone use in schools is impacting students’ mental health and their ability to learn and form relationships with their peers. I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation to provide us with more information on cellphone use, so schools and parents can make the best decisions to set kids up for success. I’m also glad that our work on this issue has already generated interest at the state and local level around the nation,” said Kaine.
The Focus on Learning Act would authorize $5 million annually to fund a pilot program over the next five years. Schools participating in the pilot program would be required to have a communication system in place that allows teachers, administrators, and staff to communicate with local emergency responders. The legislation would require a report on the findings of the pilot program to be submitted to Congress and made publicly available. The legislation would allow exceptions for students who have a disability, need mobile devices to monitor or treat health conditions, or are learning English as second language for translation purposes.
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:
On February 5, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a call with Panamanian President José Raul Mulino. They agreed on the strong relationship and many security interests that the United States and Panama share, to include safeguarding the Panama Canal. Secretary Hegseth and President Mulino also agreed to expand cooperation between the U.S. military and Panama’s security forces. They also highlighted the extensive and expanding cooperation between the United States, including the Department of Defense, and the Panama Canal Authority. President Mulino welcomed a future visit by Secretary Hegseth to Panama that will serve to advance our countries’ close ties and ensure our joint defense of the Canal against external threats.
The agreement commits nations to provide a new pledge, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) every five years. But it also requires each pledge to be a “progression beyond” the previous one.
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand would commit to reducing emissions by 51-55% below 2005 levels by 2035, which is only 1-5% above the current NDC of a 50% cut by 2030.
Technically, the new NDC represents a progression, albeit the smallest possible one. It was criticised as underwhelming and unambitious to combat climate change, raising the question whether the coalition government has done enough to comply with its international obligations.
The commitments of each member nation should align with the Paris Agreement’s purpose to hold global average temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to keep it at 1.5°C.
But the agreement also requires that each country’s NDC reflects its “highest possible ambition, reflecting its common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances”.
Does the government’s announcement to step up emissions cuts by as little as 1% really represent New Zealand’s highest possible ambition in present circumstances?
In October last year, looking specifically at New Zealand’s potential domestic contribution to the new NDC, the Climate Change Commission advised that emissions cuts of 66% could be achieved without shrinking the economy.
This excludes potential additional cuts achieved through offshore mitigation – paying for overseas carbon credits or funding other countries to reduce their greenhouse emissions.
Clearly, deeper cuts are possible and there is room for significantly greater ambition.
The goal of the Paris Agreement is to limit climate change impacts by holding temperature rise well below 2°C. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images
Bare minimum commitment
Even if the new NDC meets a minimal requirement for compliance, it is difficult to see how it adheres to the purpose of the Paris Agreement and the level of ambition required.
New Zealand’s NDC falls short of the commitments offered by other comparable countries and even some developing nations, including the oil and gas producer Brazil, which pledged to cut its emissions by 59-67% by 2035.
International law has long been guided by the principle of pacta sunt servanda, which translates to “agreements must be kept”. The principle reminds parties to any agreement or convention that all international obligations should be fulfilled in good faith.
Viewing New Zealand’s new NDC in the context of other recent decisions, it seems the coalition government may be pursuing policies that could undermine climate action while pledging the bare minimum internationally. This would be difficult to characterise as a party acting in good faith.
Immediately following the new NDC announcement, Resources Minister Shane Jones unveiled New Zealand’s national minerals strategy, along with a list of critical minerals.
These documents support the government’s goal to double exports from the mineral sector by 2035.
Despite reassurance in the strategy that minerals production will not come at the expense of our environment, it includes plans to scale up exports of metallurgical coal. But mining more of this coal, then burning it (usually in the process of steelmaking), will add to greenhouse gas emissions.
Even recent measures to allow increased road speed limits have been criticised for increasing greenhouse gas emissions as well as worsening air quality and reducing road safety.
Despite Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s claim to be “all about yes” even on climate change, such decisions are difficult to square with a responsible party to the Paris Agreement acting in good faith.
The Paris Agreement is clear that emissions pledges are not imposed but are to be determined nationally. The agreement itself lacks an enforcement mechanism, but recently agreed trade deals with the European Union and with the United Kingdom both contain binding and enforceable commitments to the agreement.
This is a reminder that trading partners are already monitoring New Zealand’s climate actions. Consumer attitudes and trade obligations might become a more powerful lever for climate action in the future. No government should ignore this.
As the US administration begins to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, now more than ever is the time for other countries to stay focused on its purpose and to match national commitments accordingly.
Without an NDC in line with the Paris goal, New Zealand’s government is not sending the right message to New Zealanders or to our trading partners and neighbours. It is failing to show international and regional leadership at a time when many Pacific nations are on the frontline of climate-related risk and damage.
Nathan Cooper 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 for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unanimously passed the Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025, legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields program, and the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act, legislation to improve our nation’s recycling and composting systems.
The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025 wasintroduced by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the EPW Committee, and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), andthe STEWARD Act was introduced by Chairman Capito, and U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, and John Boozman (R-Ark.).
The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025:
“Rural and underserved communities lack the resources needed to compete with larger entities, putting them in an unfair position. Our bill streamlines the application process to level the playing field. The legislation also modernizes the program’s grant amounts to match current construction costs and project sizes, aligning them with the reality of doing business today,” Chairman Capito said.
“Cleaning up brownfield sites can be costly and burden our local communities,”Senator Blunt Rochester said. “The Brownfield Reauthorization Act will help us reduce environmental hazards, spur economic development, and support the health and safety of our people. I’m proud to lead this bill alongside Chair Capito, and I’m also honored to carry on the work previously championed by my predecessor, former Senator Carper. Delaware will benefit from this legislation, and I hope to see it signed into law.”
A one-pager of the legislation is available here.
The STEWARD Act:
“For too many Americans, recycling remains out of reach – either because facilities don’t exist in their communities or because the infrastructure to make recycling economically viable is not in place. The STEWARD Act aims to close these gaps by ensuring that recycling services are accessible to all communities. The bill also recognizes that, to solve a problem, you need to measure and understand it first. The data provisions in the STEWARD Act will empower decision-makers to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions that will drive real change in our nation’s recycling systems,” Chairman Capito said.
“We are living through a plastic pollution crisis: it’s accumulating in our food, in our water, and in our bodies, and it’s threatening people’s health,” Ranking Member Whitehouse said. “I’m proud to join Chairman Capito and Senator Boozman to lead the STEWARD Act, which is an essential preliminary step in reducing the amount of plastics seeping into our bodies and environment. Recycling is a stopgap in the rising flood of plastic waste, and I look forward to working with my colleagues—on both sides of the aisle—to tackle this issue on all fronts.”
“Strengthening our commitment to recycling in order to preserve the resources we are blessed with, as well as spur economic growth and encourage industry innovation, benefits all Americans,” Senator Boozman said. “I am proud to see the STEWARD Act advance with bipartisan support as we continue our efforts to encourage sustainable recycling infrastructure systems and practices.”
A one-pager of the legislation is available here.
BACKGROUND:
The Brownfields Reauthorization Act unanimously passed the EPW Committee last Congress in September 2023. The STEWARD Act is the combination of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 and the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act, which both unanimously passed the EPW Committee last Congress in April 2023 and passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent in March 2024.
Pentagon Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Singapore Minister of Defense Ng Eng Hen held an introductory call today to discuss key initiatives across the extensive bilateral defense partnership.
The leaders exchanged views on the strategic environment in the region and reaffirmed the importance of working together to ensure a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The Secretary conveyed his appreciation for Singapore’s support for U.S. presence in the region and reaffirmed U.S. commitment for Singapore’s continued military training in the United States.
Pentagon Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. held an introductory call today to discuss defense cooperation in the U.S.-Philippines Alliance. The leaders discussed the importance of reestablishing deterrence in the South China Sea, including by working with allies and partners. They also discussed enhancing the capability and capacity of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Secretary reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and its importance for maintaining a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. He pledged to remain in close coordination with Secretary Teodoro.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: Well, Mr. Prime Minister, it’s great to see you. It was a pleasure to see you last night in the White House as well, and it is the truth that we have no greater ally than the state of Israel. We are honored to stand alongside you, stare down many of the same threats that you do. And under President Trump’s leadership, just like you, we are totally committed to achieving peace through strength through standing with Israel on our side, putting America first and never backing down from anything. That it has been and will continue to be an unbreakable bond between our countries.
As you know, I’ve had a chance to visit Israel eight or nine times. Spent time with you at the Western Wall. Watched the IDF in action, visited terror tunnels. Understand the proximity, whether it’s the Golan Heights or Hezbollah or the Gaza Strip, the threat that Israeli citizens have been under. And it always struck me, the sense of purpose that permeates the state of Israel living under an existential threat. And have always had a great deal of respect for the response that country has had.
And now destroying Hamas’s capabilities in Gaza, Hezbollah’s capabilities in the north, damaging the Houthi infrastructure in Yemen and things that are of great importance to America. Those are all of great importance to us, but in September of 2024, killing the man responsible for the 1983 bombing of the Marine Corps compound in Beirut, killing 241 Americans. You have a long memory. We have a long memory and may our relationship continue to endure.
We’re going to continue to grow our defense industrial base. We’ve supplied munitions that were previously not supplied that are useful in eradicating radical enemies. And we are committed to continuing to do so. So, I hope you’ve noticed here at the Defense Department under President Trump, we are laser focused on reviving the warrior ethos, on rebuilding America’s military, and reestablishing deterrence, which is something you, Prime Minister, have done in your neighborhood in impressive, aggressive and important ways.
So, it’s an honor to welcome you to the Pentagon on behalf of the Department of Defense. Thank you for spending the afternoon with us, sir.
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Well, thank you, Mr. Secretary. Pete, you’ve been a great and stalwart friend of Israel, and we see President Trump and the team that he’s put together is extraordinary friends, extraordinary patriots of America and therefore also champions of the American-Israel Alliance. I truly believe Israel obviously has no greater friend than the United States. And I think the United States has no better friend than Israel.
It’s an ally that perhaps is different from any of your allies because we have no compunction about fighting our enemies by ourselves. We’re willing to shoulder the burden of our defense. But by confronting the forces of radicalism and terror and the forces that are anti-American at their core, they call you the Great Satan and they call us the small Satan. We just stand in their way, but you are their great enemy.
By confronting these various enemies, we are not only defeating those who wish to attack us, but those who wish to attack you as well. And therefore, our victory is your victory, and we are well ahead and well advanced in the pursuit of our war goals that will give security and peace. And that’s the only way you get it in our region and perhaps in many other regions. The only way you get peace and an enduring peace is by being very, very strong.
And with our alliance with your support, including the decision you just mentioned of supplying Israel the much-needed tools for our defense, we are a lot stronger than we’ve ever been. I thank you for this warm reception. It’s good to see you again and I look forward to our discussions away from the cameras.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Good to see you, sir. Welcome to the Pentagon.
Q: Secretary Hegseth [crosstalk].
Q: How do you feel about American involvement in Gaza considering your views and worldview?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: I would just say to the question of Gaza; the definition of insanity is attempting to do the same thing over and over and over again. And as the president and prime minister pointed out last night, the president is willing to think outside the box, look for new and unique dynamic ways to solve problems that have felt like they’re intractable.
So, we look forward to more conversations about that, creative solutions to that. And as the man tasked with leading the Defense Department here, we’re prepared to look at all options as we’ve said.
Q: Including directly with [crosstalk]?
Q: [Crosstalk] to Gaza, Mr. Secretary? Do you have a plan to send troops to Gaza?
Q: Are you working on options for the president right now that would involve US troops in Gaza?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: The president is involved in very complex and high-level negotiations of great consequence to both the United States and the state of Israel. And we look forward to working with our allies, our counterparts, both diplomatically and militarily
to look at all options. But we certainly would not get ahead of the president or provide any details about what we may or may not do. That’s just bad military planning.
President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. should “take over” Gaza, displace its current population and turn the enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East” is unsettling – in both a literal and, to Palestinians, a very personal sense.
The remarks, which followed earlier comments in which the president expressed a desire to “clean out” Gaza, have been taken by some Middle East experts as a call to “ethnically cleanse” the strip of its 2.2 million Palestinian inhabitants. They worry that such talk will bolster the hopes of Israel’s far-right settlers and their supporters in government, who want to remove Palestinians from Gaza and build Jewish-only settlements on the enclave’s beachfront property.
Following Trump’s remarks, Riyad Mansour, Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, stated: “Our homeland is our homeland.” He added, “I think that leaders and people should respect the wishes of the Palestinian people.”
As a scholar of modern Palestinian history, I know that calls to remove the Palestinians from Gaza are not new – but neither is Palestinians’ determination to remain in their homeland. For almost 80 years, Palestinians in Gaza have resisted various proposals to displace them from the enclave. In fact, those plans have often spurred resistance to occupation and removal.
A people already uprooted
Most people in Gaza are the product of displacement in the first place.
In 1948, over 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes when the state of Israel was established and a war between the new country and its Arab neighbors erupted.
These Palestinians became nationless refugees, placed under the care of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency. In the Gaza Strip, the agency set up eight refugee camps to care for over 200,000 Palestinians who had been forced out of over 190 towns and villages.
In December 1948, the U.N. General Assembly adopted Resolution 194 stipulating that “the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date.”
While Israeli leaders initially expressed a willingness to allow some refugees back, they rejected the refugees’ wholesale return. They argued that doing so would undermine Israel’s security and dilute its character as a “Jewish state.”
As such, Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, looked for ways to “motivate the refugees to move eastward” toward Jordan. He hoped that by moving refugees further away from Israel, they would be less likely to return.
At first, the United States called upon Israel to repatriate a substantial number of refugees. But with Israel consistently refusing to do so, leaders in Washington started turning to the idea of resettlement. They hoped that the promise of economic prosperity could induce large numbers of refugees to move to other Arab countries – and give up on the idea of returning home. For example, in 1953, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles drew up plans to resettle Palestinian refugees in Syria as part of a large water management project there.
Likewise in 1961, the recently formed U.S. Agency for International Development began funding an irrigation project in Jordan, bringing in Palestinian refugees to work as farmers. U.S. officials hoped that the refugees would start to identify as Jordanians, rather than as Palestinians, and agree to permanently resettle in Jordan.
But it did not work. A survey taken five years later found that the refugees still identified as Palestinians and wished to return to their homeland.
Rejecting resettlement
A further war between Israel and neighboring countries in 1967 resulted in Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which had been under Jordanian rule, as well as the Gaza Strip, which had been previously administered by Egypt.
It also sparked a renewed sense of Palestinian national identity, especially among younger generations who increasingly took up guerrilla-style tactics in a bid to force Israel, and the international community, to recognize their right to return.
In response, Israel looked to resettlement as a way to reduce the Palestinian population in territories it now occupied. In 1969, the Israeli government drew up secret plans to permanently transfer up to 60,000 Palestinians from Gaza to Paraguay. The scheme came to an abrupt halt when two Palestinians confronted the Israeli ambassador in Asunción about being brought to Paraguay under false pretenses.
Meanwhile, between 1967 and 1979, far-right Israeli Jewish settlers established seven settlements in Gaza. They hoped to see Palestinians removed from the strip so the land could be incorporated into their vision of a “greater Israel.”
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Israeli officials proposed various plans to remove refugees from the camps and resettle them elsewhere. This included a 1983 plan to dismantle refugee camps in the occupied Palestinian territories and resettle their inhabitants in better housing in towns and cities.
But Palestinian refugees firmly rejected the offer because it would have required them to give up their refugee status and relinquish their right of return.
The Oslo negotiations of the 1990s rejected the notion of removing Palestinians from Gaza. In fact, keeping the refugees in Gaza was central to the premise of a two-state solution. At the same time, questions over the right of refugees to return to their original homelands in what is now Israel were shelved.
No money can ‘replace your homeland’
But with hopes of a two-state solution long since faded, resettlement plans have reemerged.
Shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas gunmen in Israel that sparked the widespread bombing and siege of Gaza, the Biden administration asked Congress to fund “the potential needs of Gazans fleeing to neighboring countries.” The news outraged many Palestinians, who saw it as giving Israel a green light to carry out what many viewed as an attempt to ethnically cleanse Gaza.
In October 2024, far-right Jewish settlers gathered on the border of Gaza and called for the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza that had been dismantled in 2005. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called upon Israel to “encourage emigration” of Palestinians from Gaza. He proposed telling the Palestinians there: “We’re giving you the option, leave to other countries, the Land of Israel is ours.”
Palestinians have responded with their feet. As soon the ceasefire went into effect on Jan. 19, 2025, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had been displaced to southern Gaza walked for hours to reach their homes in northern Gaza. Hundreds posted videos of cleaning out their damaged homes so they can live there once again.
The road to recovery in Gaza will be long. The U.N. estimates that rebuilding Gaza will cost US$50 billion and take at least 10 years.
I believe Palestinians want help rebuilding, not resettlement. Many of them have already vehemently rejected Trump’s call to move out. As one Palestinian told The Guardian newspaper: “We would rather die here than leave this land.” He insisted, “No amount of money in the world can replace your homeland.”
Resettlement schemes have a long history, yet Palestinians have thwarted them at every turn. There is no reason to think that this time will be any different.
Maha Nassar is affiliated with the Foundation for Middle East Peace.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
02.05.25
Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing Trump’s Pick to Lead Commerce Department
Lutnick supports Trump’s tariffs & waffled on his commitment to allocate chips funding & preserve NOAA; In WA state, every 2 in 5 jobs are tied to trade
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 Finance Committee, voted against advancing Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, to the full Senate for consideration.
In a committee markup today, Sen. Cantwell expressed her concerns with Lutnick’s support for President Trump’s proposed tariffs. She also pointed to Lutnick’s failure to commit to fully allocating the funds approved by Congress under the Cantwell-led CHIPS & Science Act, as well as his waffling on whether he’d protect NOAA – including NOAA’s crucial missions and functions, and the workforce delivering those services to the American people.
Sen. Cantwell had previously questioned Lutnick on these topics in a committee hearing last week – video of that hearing is HERE.
ON TRADE & TARIFFS
“Tariffs and trade wars are a major problem for my state, where two out of every five jobs are tied to trade-related industries,” Sen. Cantwell said in today’s committee meeting. “The Commerce [nominee] has said he’s advocating for the president’s policy [that] would cost my constituents $5 billion or more. We need a secretary that understands that these products and these issues need coalition building, not throwing down gauntlets that will lose jobs for my farmers.”
Yesterday, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for the United States to repudiate the trade philosophy of Trump — whose proposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariff on goods from China would spark a trade war, drive up costs for American consumers, harm domestic businesses across hundreds of industries, and compromise the United States’ global leadership in the free trade ecosystem. A video of that speech is HERE; a transcript is HERE.
In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and related industries. In 2023, the state imported $19.9 billion of goods from Canada – primarily oil, gas, lumber, and electrical power — making our northern neighbors Washington state’s largest trade partner. Also in 2023, the state imported $1.7 billion in goods from Mexico, including motor vehicles, vehicle parts, and household appliances. More information about how President Trump’s proposed tariffs will impact businesses and consumers in the State of Washington is HERE.
ON CHIPS & SCIENCE FUNDING
“Over the last four years, there has been much investment in infrastructure [for] manufacturing that this committee has supported. Semiconductor expansion — $450 billion right here in the United States, thanks to the CHIPS & Science Act — and Mr. Lutnick, in various answers to various members of the committee, did not give a full commitment to making sure this money continues to go out the door,” Sen. Cantwell said in today’s committee meeting.
Sen. Cantwell was the main architect and key negotiator of the CHIPS & Science Act. In her position as Commerce chair, she was instrumental in securing the science R&D funding authorizations in the 11th hour of negotiations. A key component of the legislation is the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program that was authored by Sen. Cantwell to strengthen U.S. economic and national security with investments in regions across the country. Earlier this month, the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center (AAMMC) in Spokane was awarded $48 million from the program to establish the first-of-its-kind testbed facility in the United States focused on developing advanced thermoplastic materials – new types of lightweight, heat-moldable, and recyclable materials that can replace metal in aircraft parts. The AAMMC will serve as the nation’s hub for creating and testing these innovative materials that are essential for more rapidly building fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft.
ON DISMANTLING NOAA
“[NOAA] makes up more than 60% of the Commerce budget. When asked for the record if NOAA should be dismantled, as called for in [Project 2025], Mr. Lutnick would only say, if confirmed, he would figure it out. Given how central NOAA is for providing accurate weather forecasting, managing our fisheries, protecting our fishermen from Russian and Chinese illegal fishing, I was looking for a stronger commitment,” Sen. Cantwell said today.
Project 2025 calls for NOAA to be “dismantled and many of its functions eliminated,” calling it part of the “climate change alarm industry.” NOAA provides critical services to the Nation including weather forecasts, extreme storm tracking and monitoring, tools to enable communities to adapt to sea level rise and climate change, supporting fisheries management, and conserving marine mammals and other protected species.
Sen. Cantwell is a champion of NOAA and helped secure $3.3 billion in NOAA investments in the Inflation Reduction Act to help communities prepare for and adapt to climate change, boost science needed to understand changing weather and climate patterns, and invest in advanced computer technologies that are critical for extreme weather prediction and emergency response. Her Fire Ready Nation Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen NOAA’s ability to help forecast, prevent, and fight wildfires, passed the Commerce committee unanimously today and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks on her Lutnick vote is HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
02.05.25
Cantwell Calls For Immediate Hearings on DOGE Treasury Access
Joins letter from 19 Senators to Republican leaders of Senate Finance, Senate Banking committees
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Finance and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined fellow members of the Senate Committee on Finance and of the Senate Banking Committee in sending a letter to Finance Chair Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Banking Chair Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), requesting immediate hearings about reports that officials associated with Elon Musk gained access to sensitive U.S. Treasury payment systems.
“The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s payment systems control the flow of more than $6 trillion in annual payments to households, businesses and other entities nationwide,” the lawmakers write. “Putting this system in the hands of unaccountable political actors raises significant economic and national security risks.”
“We ask that the Finance Committee and Banking Committee swiftly schedule hearings to allow Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to answer critical questions about the risks posed by Musk and DOGE’s access to the Bureau of Fiscal Service’s payment systems,” the lawmakers conclude.
On Sunday, Sen. Cantwell released a statement regarding reports that Musk and his DOGE team had accessed these systems: “This threatens the privacy and funds owed to every American taxpayer and Social Security recipient. Congressional Republicans cannot continue to turn a blind eye as to how their own constituents’ private financial records are handled,” she said.
The full text of the letter is HERE and below:
Dear Chairman Crapo and Chairman Scott:
We write requesting that the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs immediately hold hearings to examine reports that officials associated with Elon Musk and the so-called U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) have gained access to systems that control payments to millions of American citizens, including Social Security, Medicare, tax refunds, and payments to small businesses.1 It is critical that the Senate understands this threat to the stability of a payment system that millions of Americans rely upon and that is critical to America’s global financial standing.
The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s payment systems control the flow of more than $6 trillion in annual payments to households, businesses and other entities nationwide. These payment systems cover 87% of all federal payments and process more than a billion payments annually and are responsible for the distribution of Social Security and Medicare benefits, tax refunds, payments to federal employees and contractors, including competitors of Musk-owned companies, and thousands of other functions.
Putting this system in the hands of unaccountable political actors raises significant economic and national security risks. Information in these systems is critical to the Department’s management of the national debt. The takeover by Mr. Musk and his associates was achieved by engineering the ouster of a key official responsible for managing the extraordinary measures the Department has been taking to avoid a default. A misstep with these payment systems could lead to a technical default with a wide range of devastating consequences, from seniors missing Social Security payments to a global financial meltdown that costs trillions of dollars and millions of jobs.
Furthermore, granting access to Mr. Musk and his team – who may not have appropriate security clearances – access to this system risks exposing the sensitive tax and financial information of nearly every American. The Treasury payment system “includes sensitive personal information about the millions of Americans who receive Social Security checks, tax refunds and other payments from the federal government.” It is not clear why these individuals were granted unfettered access to such data, what they could do with it once inside the system, and what protections are in place to ensure the Department has been complying with its legal obligations under the Privacy Act, 26 U.S.C. 6103, as well as other statutes and Treasury regulations and policies that protect such sensitive information about millions of Americans.
Finally, we are deeply concerned that following the federal grant and loan freeze earlier this week, as well as Musk’s own comments on social media, officials associated with Musk may have intended to access these payment systems to illegally withhold payments authorized by law, and to circumvent the court orders prohibiting that freeze from going into effect. We ask that the Finance Committee and Banking Committee swiftly schedule hearings to allow Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to answer critical questions about the risks posed by Musk and DOGE’s access to the Bureau of Fiscal Service’s payment systems.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Resolution Text (PDF)
Washington (February 5, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senate co-chair of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today introduced a resolution to recommit the United States to arms control agreements to prevent a new nuclear arms race, one year before the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the United States and Russia will expire. Unless a new agreement is in place by early 2026, there will be no legal limits on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear forces, reversing decades of work to reduce the risk of nuclear war. Representatives Bill Foster (IL-11), John Garamendi (CA-08), and Don Beyer (VA-08) are leading the resolution in the House. Reps. Garamendi and Beyer are the House co-chairs of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group.
“The Trump administration has an historic opportunity to initiate high-level talks for a new pact and prevent a dangerous and costly nuclear arms race,” said Senator Markey. “I urge President Trump to work with Russia to replace New START and to talk with China about arms control. We are just one year away from losing New START and with it, all legal limits on Russian nuclear forces. There is no time to wait.”
“As a physicist, preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons has always been one of my top priorities,” said Representative Foster. “Russia’s suspension of the New START Treaty and Putin’s rhetoric about the potential use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine should have the entire international community on high alert and should serve as the impetus for us to pursue substantive nuclear arms control dialogue. American leadership is desperately needed to prevent escalation and avoid an unrestrained nuclear arms race.”
“For far too long, nuclear weapons have threatened our country. Our leadership has long recognized that arms control is the most effective way to ensure American security. In today’s environment, it’s more important than ever that we begin to treat arms control with the same dedication we give our nuclear modernization and begin a constructive dialogue for a New START Treaty. We must strive for a more peaceful future, one without the existential threat of nuclear weapons,” said Representative Garamendi.
“Now more than ever, it is absolutely critical that we redouble our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation,” said Representative Beyer. “The New START treaty is our last major nuclear arms control agreement, and with rising instability overseas the ingredients are there for a runaway nuclear arms race that endangers us all. This resolution demonstrates broad bicameral support for a renewal of New START and further arms control talks with other nuclear arms states that will help avert the potential global catastrophe that is a nuclear exchange.”
On May 17, 2024, the Working Group co-chairs led their colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden urging support for commonsense limits on the world’s two largest nuclear stockpiles, and to continue renewed efforts to restart arms control talks with the Russian Federation and other nuclear states.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Bill Text (PDF) | Watch: Senator Markey’s Remarks
Washington (February 5, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee’s Subcommittee on Primary Health & Retirement Security, along with Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), today reintroduced the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would create a statutory right to obtain and use contraceptives and ensure health care providers have a right to provide contraceptives, contraception, and share information about this essential care. The legislation is led by Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) in the House.
In July 2022, the Right to Contraception Act passed the House (220-195). That same month, Republicans blocked an attempt in the U.S. Senate to pass the bill by unanimous consent. They did the same in June 2023. In June 2024, Republicans blocked Senate Democrats’ attempt to pass the bill on the floor.
“The right to contraception is essential for people’s freedom to make decisions about their lives and their health without politicians getting in the way,” said Senator Markey. “Contraception is essential not only for sexual and reproductive health, but also to treat a wide array of medical conditions and decrease the risk of certain cancers. The Right to Contraception Act will protect the right for people to get contraception and for providers to give it in the face of President Trump and Republicans’ relentless attacks on reproductive justice.”
“I am proud to introduce the Right to Contraception Act in the 119th Congress in response to the real threats to accessing birth control in Texas and across our country,” said Congresswoman Fletcher. “With 200 original co-sponsors in the House, the Right to Contraception Act reflects the position of the vast majority of Americans who rely on contraception of all kinds to plan their families and their lives. Efforts to restrict access to birth control are not about reflecting the will of the people, they are about taking away the freedom, dignity, and autonomy of all Americans. As a representative from a state intent on taking our reproductive rights away, I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and do everything I can to protect and restore the health, privacy, dignity, and autonomy of women and families across our country. We will not give up.”
“Contraception is essential health care that millions of people across the country rely on,” said Senator Hirono. “The Right to Contraception Act simply protects patients’ right to access contraception, as well as providers’ right to provide it. I’m proud to join Senator Markey and Representative Fletcher in reintroducing this important bill. The right to control your own body, free from government interference, is as fundamental as it gets, and we’ll continue doing everything we can to protect the reproductive rights of all Americans.”
“Ever since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen extreme MAGA Republicans across the country work to roll back health care and tear reproductive freedom away from Americans—which has cruelly threatened birth control, plan B, IUDs and other forms of contraception,” said Senator Duckworth. “I refuse to let my daughters grow up in a world with fewer rights than I had. As MAGA Republicans continue their anti-choice, anti-science crusade, it is as important as ever that the Senate acts to codify the right to contraception into law so that every American in every state—regardless of their skin color, zip code or income—has equal access to basic, necessary health care. I’m proud to join Senators Markey and Hirono in reintroducing our Right to Contraception Act to do just that.”
“Nobody wants Donald Trump rifling through their medicine cabinet,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05). “Democrats’ Right to Contraception Act is as clear-cut as it gets. This is about the health, freedom, and dignity. Republicans once again have a chance to show us where they stand: on the side of health care bans or on the side of the American people.”
“Affordable, accessible contraception is one of the building blocks for people to be able to make ends meet and get what they want out of life. And now that the Supreme Court has eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, Republicans at every level of government are targeting contraception access – including by threatening to gut Medicaid, the country’s biggest payer of reproductive health care coverage like contraception. We will keep fighting to pass the Right to Contraception Act to keep the government out of our business and out of our exam rooms,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51).
“It feels like every day we wake up to someone trying to take away another fundamental right. We have an extremist president, a submissive Republican Congress, and a radical Supreme Court that wants to undo decades of progress. That means it is up to us to protect the rights we once believed were secure—including access to contraception,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05). “I am co-leading the Right to Contraception Act to protect the millions of people who use contraception every day to safeguard their health, the health of others, or manage medical conditions. We must continue to protect the freedom to make personal healthcare decisions.”
“Access to birth control should be a given, but with extreme Republicans chipping away at women’s reproductive rights by the day, we have no choice but to enshrine this protection into law,” said Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02). “I will always stand up for our fundamental rights and freedoms, and that’s why I’m proud to be co-leading the Right to Contraception Act.”
“Everyone, no matter their ZIP code, should be able to get the birth control they need, when they need it. At a time when reproductive freedom is under attack across the country, this bill will help people make their own health care decisions and get birth control without government interference. We’re grateful to Sens. Markey, Hirono, and Duckworth and Reps. Fletcher, Jacobs, Craig, and Williams for reintroducing the Right to Contraception Act and for their continued leadership in the fight to make sexual and reproductive health care more accessible. Now is the time to safeguard birth control for our freedom and well-being,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
“Republicans promised on the campaign trail that they wanted to protect contraception, but there isn’t a single Congressional Republican who has signed on to the Right to Contraception Act. Actions speak louder than words and refusing to back this commonsense bill is a refusal to listen to what voters overwhelmingly support across party lines. No matter what they say, Republicans never had any intention of protecting the fundamental right to contraception. Thank you to Senators Markey, Duckworth, and Hirono and Representatives Fletcher, Craig, Williams, and Jacobs for introducing this essential legislation, and to all of our champions in Congress for reaffirming their commitment to protecting reproductive freedom,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All.
“The Right to Contraception Act is a vital safeguard for the fundamental freedom to make personal health decisions. As a physician, I see daily how contraception empowers patients to protect their health, plan their families, and shape their futures. Rep. Fletcher’s leadership in advancing this legislation is critical to securing this essential right for all Americans,” said Dr. Dara Kass, Emergency Medicine Physician and Board Member for Americans for Contraception.
“As an OB-GYN, I’ve seen firsthand that the right to birth control is essential for the well-being of my patients, their families and their communities. For nearly six decades, birth control has allowed millions of people to manage health conditions, plan if and when to have children and achieve their career and educational aspirations. Not surprisingly, birth control is incredibly popular and those who attack it are spreading misinformation and disinformation in order to justify their attacks. If policymakers truly mean what they say regarding support for contraception, there is no clearer way to meaningfully demonstrate that support than by co-sponsoring and passing the Right to Contraception Act,” said Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, MD, MPH, CEO of Power to Decide.
“Threats to contraceptive access are on the rise—misinformation, distortion of science, funding cuts, restrictions on young peoples’ access, and more. Plus, the network of family planning providers who deliver reproductive health care to thousands is facing unprecedented attacks. Contraception helps people who want to have a baby have well-timed, healthier pregnancies, and more agency in their relationships, education, work life, and finances. That’s why Americans overwhelmingly support contraceptive access. Congress must meet the moment and enshrine the right to contraception into law,” said Clare Coleman, President and CEO of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association.
“The Right to Contraception Act is needed now more than ever as an essential safeguard to protect birth control rights and access. President Trump and extremist members of Congress, state legislators, and judges have all made it clear — they are intent on going after contraception. In just the last two weeks, President Trump unraveled efforts to expand access to birth control, and critical guidance on prescribing contraception has vanished from federal websites. And we are seeing more targeted efforts against birth control in state legislatures, the courts, and on social media. This legislation is critical to push back against these attacks and ensure everyone maintains the right to access the birth control they need, when they need it,” said Gretchen Borchelt, Vice President for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC).
The Right to Contraception Act is endorsed by Power to Decide, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), Population Connection Action Fund, Americans for Contraception, Advocates for Youth, National Partnership for Women & Families, American Public Health Association, American Humanist Association, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health , Center for Biological Diversity, Ibis Reproductive Health, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Upstream USA, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Health Law Program, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Reproductive Health Access Project, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Upstream USA, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Center for American Progress, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, All* Above All, and Center for Reproductive Rights.
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
February 5, 2025
Washington D.C. – Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement today celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Senator Lummis joined President Donald J. Trump and others at the White House for the signing of the Executive Order: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports
“The far left’s attack on female athletes is the women’s rights issue of our time,” said Lummis. “Wyoming is home to a long list of trailblazers who have paved the way for women’s rights. On National Girls and Women in Sports Day, I celebrate our fearless female athletes and will continue to work to reverse the woke policies that threaten the safety of women and girls on the playing field.”
Read Senator Lummis’ recent op-ed with Riley Gaines in Fox News discussing the importance of protecting women’s sports.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), joined his committee colleagues to sound the alarm on the new national security risks that present themselves with the current operations of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the Senators write about the risks to national security by allowing unvetted DOGE staff and representatives to access classified and sensitive government materials.
The Committee members demanded that the administration provide details to Congress about how DOGE staff and representatives are being vetted, which systems, records and information are being shared, and what steps the administration is taking to safeguard them from misuse or disclosure.
“According to press reports, DOGE inspectors already have gained access to classified materials, including intelligence reports, at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), sensitive government payment systems, including for Social Security and Medicare, at the Treasury Department, and federal personnel data from the Office of Personnel Management. Further, as of today the scope of DOGE’s access only seems to be expanding, as reports indicate DOGE has now entered the Department of Labor and other agencies,” the Senators wrote. “No information has been provided to Congress or the public as to who has been formally hired under DOGE, under what authority or regulations DOGE is operating, or how DOGE is vetting and monitoring its staff and representatives before providing them seemingly unfettered access to classified materials and Americans’ personal information.”
The Senators added, “As you know, information is classified to protect the national security interests of the United States. Government employees and contractors only receive access to such information after they have undergone a rigorous background investigation and demonstrated a ‘need to know.’ Circumventing these requirements creates enormous counterintelligence and security risks. For example, improper access to facilities and systems containing security clearance files of Intelligence Community personnel puts at risk the safety of the men and women who serve this country. In addition, unauthorized access to classified information risks exposure of our operations and potentially compromises not only our own sources and methods, but also those of our allies and partners. If our sources, allies, and partners stop sharing intelligence because they cannot trust us to protect it, we will all be less safe.”
“Unclassified government systems also contain sensitive data, the unintended disclosure of which could result in significant harm to individuals or organizations, including financial loss, identity theft, and exposure of medical and other private personal information. The U.S. Treasury payment systems, in particular, are used to disburse trillions of dollars each year, and contain everyday Americans’ personal information, such as Social Security numbers, home addresses, and bank accounts. Allowing DOGE access to this information raises unprecedented risks to Americans’ private personal and financial information,” the Senators continued.
They concluded, “Such unregulated practices with our government’s most sensitive networks render Americans’ personal and financial information, and our classified national secrets, vulnerable to ransomware and cyber-attacks by criminals and foreign adversaries. The recent unprecedented Salt Typhoon and Change Healthcare attacks that affected tens of millions of Americans further underscore the importance of rigorously fortifying our government systems.”
Joining King on the letter are Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
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Dear Ms. Wiles,
We write to express our grave concern with the illegal actions currently being undertaken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which risk exposure of classified and other sensitive information that jeopardizes national security and violates Americans’ privacy. The January 20 Executive Order establishes DOGE under the Executive Office of the President with DOGE Teams established by Agency Heads within their respective agencies, and requires the Administrator of DOGE to report to the White House Chief of Staff. According to press reports, DOGE inspectors already have gained access to classified materials, including intelligence reports, at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), sensitive government payment systems, including for Social Security and Medicare, at the Treasury Department, and federal personnel data from the Office of Personnel Management. Further, as of today the scope of DOGE’s access only seems to be expanding, as reports indicate DOGE has now entered the Department of Labor and other agencies.
No information has been provided to Congress or the public as to who has been formally hired under DOGE, under what authority or regulations DOGE is operating, or how DOGE is vetting and monitoring its staff and representatives before providing them seemingly unfettered access to classified materials and Americans’ personal information.
As you know, information is classified to protect the national security interests of the United States. Government employees and contractors only receive access to such information after they have undergone a rigorous background investigation and demonstrated a “need to know.” Circumventing these requirements creates enormous counterintelligence and security risks. For example, improper access to facilities and systems containing security clearance files of Intelligence Community personnel puts at risk the safety of the men and women who serve this country. In addition, unauthorized access to classified information risks exposure of our operations and potentially compromises not only our own sources and methods, but also those of our allies and partners.If our sources, allies, and partners stop sharing intelligence because they cannot trust us to protect it, we will all be less safe.
Unclassified government systems also contain sensitive data, the unintended disclosure of which could result in significant harm to individuals or organizations, including financial loss, identity theft, and exposure of medical and other private personal information. The U.S. Treasury payment systems, in particular, are used to disburse trillions of dollars each year, and contain everyday Americans’ personal information, such as Social Security numbers, home addresses, and bank accounts. Allowing DOGE access to this information raises unprecedented risks to Americans’ private personal and financial information.
Moreover, there are strict cybersecurity controls for accessing federal networks, which DOGE does not seem to be following, including by reportedly connecting personal devices to sensitive government systems. Such unregulated practices with our government’s most sensitive networks render Americans’ personal and financial information, and our classified national secrets, vulnerable to ransomware and cyber-attacks by criminals and foreign adversaries. The recent unprecedented Salt Typhoon and Change Healthcare attacks that affected tens of millions of Americans further underscore the importance of rigorously fortifying our government systems.
The Executive Branch cannot operate without regard to rules, regulations, or Congressional oversight. The American people, and our intelligence officials, deserve to know that their information is being appropriately safeguarded. We therefore respectfully request written responses to the following questions by February 14, 2025:
Provide a list of personnel operating under DOGE, their position or role, and their duties.
Pursuant to the Executive Order, DOGE teams are to be established by Agency Heads within their respective agencies. Provide a list of each agency that has established a DOGE team, and the agency personnel overseeing such team.
Under what authorities is DOGE conducting its operations?
Who is overseeing DOGE’s operations?
Provide a list of each agency DOGE has requested information from.
Provide a list of all unclassified systems, records, or other information DOGE has requested and/or gained access to.
Provide a list of all classified systems, records, or other information DOGE has requested and/or gained access to.
Do DOGE staff or representatives have access to any Intelligence Community systems, networks, or other information? If so, please specify the extent of such access.
Under what authority is DOGE requesting and/or gaining access to classified information?
What security clearances have been provided to DOGE staff or representatives, and who has authorized such clearances?
What processes have been followed prior to granting security clearances to DOGE staff or representatives?
What vetting for potential conflicts of interest has been conducted prior to granting clearances or access to government systems, records, or other information to DOGE staff or representatives?
Provide a list of each DOGE staff or representative who has requested and/or gained access to classified information, what clearance each such individual holds, and who authorized each security clearance.
Who is supervising and/or monitoring DOGE employee access to classified information?
What processes have been followed prior to granting DOGE staff or representatives access to sensitive government systems and networks, and who has authorized such access?
Who is supervising and/or monitoring DOGE employee access to sensitive government systems and networks?
Has DOGE briefed you, the White House Chief of Staff, on the counterintelligence and other risks of DOGE staff or representatives accessing classified and other sensitive information? If so, please specify the date of the briefing and those in attendance.
Has DOGE briefed you, the White House Chief of Staff, on the counterintelligence and other risks of DOGE staff or representatives accessing government networks and systems? If so, please specify the date of the briefing and those in attendance.
Has the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and/or the Central Intelligence Agency been briefed on the counterintelligence and other risks of DOGE staff or representatives accessing Treasury’s payment systems? If so, please specify the date of the briefing and those in attendance.
Has the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and/or the Central Intelligence Agency been briefed on the counterintelligence and other risks of DOGE staff or representatives accessing USAID’s classified and other sensitive information, including security clearance files? If so, please specify the date of the briefing and those in attendance.
What actions if any has the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and/or the Central Intelligence Agency taken to ensure DOGE employee access does not create counterintelligence risks?
What actions if any has the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and/or the Central Intelligence Agency taken to ensure DOGE employee access does not compromise classified or other sensitive intelligence and/or personal information of intelligence community officials?
To underscore, DOGE seems to have unimpeded access to some of our nation’s most sensitive information, including classified materials and the private personal and financial information of everyday Americans. In light of such unprecedented risks to our national and economic security, we expect your immediate attention and prompt response.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and 13 of her colleagues in introducing the Access to Counsel Act to ensure that U.S. citizens, green card holders, and other individuals with legal status can consult with an attorney, relative, or other relevant party to seek assistance if they are detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for more than an hour at a port of entry, including an airport. The bill was introduced in conjunction with the NO BAN Act, legislation to prevent another Muslim Ban.
“During the first Trump administration, we saw hundreds of travelers with valid visas and legal documents be detained without any way to contact family members or their lawyers,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This legislation would ensure that citizens, students, green card holders, and other lawful immigrants aren’t denied their right to an attorney.”
The previous Muslim Ban in Trump’s first term unleashed chaos at airports and ports of entry across the country. People from Muslim-majority countries, with lawful permission to enter, were detained for hours without food or water before being deported. These individuals were often pressured to sign documents that amounted to them giving up their legal status. In many cases, these individuals had no opportunity to see an attorney or call anyone for legal guidance. Since then, there have been numerous instances of individual lawfully entering the U.S. being denied access to legal counsel despite having valid visas.
Specifically, the Access to Counsel Act would require the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that people with valid travel documents who present themselves at the border, airports, or other points of interaction can communicate with counsel and other interested parties if they are subjected to prolonged inspection by CBP.
The first and only Latina senator, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada, calling onboth administrations to protect TPS holders and other immigrants, as well as leading commonsense legislation to fix our broken immigration system. She has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a path to citizenshipfor Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers, and she’s pushed legislation to allow Dreamers and TPS holders to work in Congress.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***VIDEO HERE***
Murray: “Why on earth would any one of us confirm someone whose entire game plan is to break the law and dare the world to stop him?”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, helped lead Senate Democrats in holding the Senate floor for a full 30 hours ahead of a final confirmation vote on Russell Vought to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Senator Murray delivered an hour-long floor speech and her remarks below touch specifically on Vought’s long history of extremism and advocacy for illegally blocking enacted funds due to go out to communities across the country. She warned her colleagues that as OMB Director, Vought would not implement the laws they pass, and that it will be much harder to work in a bipartisan way if Senators cannot trust OMB to respect enacted law and get duly passed funds to states and to programs families rely on.
Senator Murray has repeatedly warned of Vought’s extremism and the threat he poses. At a recent Senate Budget Committee hearing, she grilled him on his views and whether he would, as OMB Director, simply follow the law and ensure funding Congress passed makes it to the families and communities it intended. Vought repeatedly refused to commit to following the law despite admitting that no court in the land has ever found the Impoundment Control Act to be unconstitutional.
“The Senate should not vote to confirm as the head of OMB—or to any important role for that matter—someone who does not respect the constitutional authority of the Senate and, thus, the people we represent.
“We should not entrust someone to implement our laws who has made clear, time and again through his past actions in this same role during President Trump’s first term, through his work as head architect of Project 2025, and through his own words in hearings and meetings that he will not follow the laws—that he will not send our communities the funding that we all worked together to pass.”
“We know if Russ Vought gets his way, and gets his hands on the nation’s funding again, he won’t just draw blood, he will cut programs families rely on to the bone: SNAP cuts that leave families hungry, policies to cut people off from their health care, cuts to disability benefits that veterans have earned through their service, thousands of public servants forced out of roles serving the American people—all while he works with Trump to dole out more tax breaks to billionaires and the biggest corporations.”
Senator Murray concluded her hour long remarks by emphasizing, once again, that Vought would be a dangerous, lawless OMB Director.
“Before us, right now, is a nominee who has made clear he will not respect the authority of Congress and the people who voted us in—nominated by a President who is not respecting the authority of Congress and the people who voted us in.
“We have to say we will not stand for it. We have to say the law is the law. And one simple way we can send that message is by rejecting Russ Vought’s nomination outright. And so, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in doing just that.”
The full text of Senator Murray’s remarks on Vought during her speech can be found below, and video can be found HERE.
“M. President, I rise to urge all of my colleagues to vote against Russ Vought’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget.
“The Senate should not vote to confirm as the head of OMB—or to any important role for that matter—someone who does not respect the constitutional authority of the Senate and, thus, the people we represent.
“We should not entrust someone to implement our laws who has made clear, time and again through his past actions in this same role during President Trump’s first term, through his work as head architect of Project 2025, and through his own words in hearings and meetings that he will not follow the laws—that he will not send our communities the funding we pass!
“Why on earth would any one of us confirm someone whose entire game plan is to break the law and dare the world to stop him?
“That’s it—that is how Russ Vought plans to run the OMB. It is not a secret, it is a very public fact—he has put this on the record time and again.
“Just look at what happened last time Russ Vought served as Director of the OMB. He tried to break the law to give President Trump unilateral authority he does not possess to hold up security assistance to Ukraine and override the spending decisions of Congress. And he has not given up on that idea! He has written about it many, many times in the years since.
“As a chief architect of Project 2025, Vought doubled down on lawlessness and charted a blatantly unconstitutional plan for the President to ignore the will of Congress—which led him to being named in the first Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump.
“He mapped out a lawless path that—as I will detail shortly—President Trump is already barreling down at full speed.
“But if you still weren’t convinced that Russ Vought will trample all over the separation of powers, will ignore the authority of Congress, will hurt the American people by holding back funds they rely on—well, you’re in luck, because, at our hearing with him, I asked Vought directly, point blank: ‘Will you follow the law?’
“That should not be a hard question. Even if you disagree with a law, you don’t ignore it. Maybe you don’t like the 25 mile-an-hour speed limit in a school zone, but unless it’s changed, or struck down, you still have to follow it. It’s true for speed limits—and it is certainly true for the Constitution.
“That is something almost every single American understands—except, apparently, Russ Vought and Donald Trump. Because, today the Impoundment Control Act is the law of the land. Despite Vought’s own wishes and feelings—it has not been changed and it has not been struck down in court.
“Despite what Vought pretends is true, the reality is the Constitution gives Congress—not the President—the power of the purse. And yet, Russ Vought will not say he will follow the law.
“And look, Vought is not just lawless—he is extreme. Let me just drive this home for a second. Let’s take abortion for example. Project 2025 already calls for ripping away birth control, allowing states to deny women life-saving emergency care, and effectively banning all abortion nationwide.
“That is already a dangerous Republican fever dream—far out of line, by the way, with the American people. But Vought wants to go further! On abortion, he is for, quote: ‘abolition.’ You know what that means?
“It means a national abortion ban without any exemptions or exceptions—even in cases of rape or when a woman’s life is at risk. That is as far right as it gets!
“And abortion is not the only issue where Vought has made statements that are deeply alarming. He has stated he believes the 2020 election was, quote: ‘rigged.’ That is not just out of touch with America—that is dangerously out of touch with reality.
“He has said he wants to ‘traumatize’ our federal workers—that means all the people who work really hard to help in our communities inspecting food, reviewing the safety of drugs, or keeping travel safe, or strengthening our infrastructure, or fostering innovation and small business, or getting care to veterans, or supporting to tribes, and so much more.
“Vought has even said we live in a, quote, ‘post-constitutional’ time. M. President, it really doesn’t get any clearer than that. A post-constitutional time. That’s what he believes we are in. Do my colleagues agree? Do they think it’s time to shred the Constitution? That’s what is at stake with this confirmation vote.
“Because Vought has made all too clear that as OMB director, he will put everything on the chopping block—from programs people rely on to the checks and balances our democracy is founded on. Again, he has put it down on paper—in black and white.
“We know he wants to cut Medicare, and in particular, Medicaid, by hundreds of billions of dollars.
“We know he wants to find ‘significant savings’ from eligibility changes to veterans’ health care and disability benefits. We don’t even need Project 2025 to see that! He laid some of that out in his budgets from Trump’s first term!
“Vought’s goals are not secret, nor are they subtle—we do not have to decipher anything here. There is no mystery. We know he is planning for cuts beyond anything this country has ever seen.
“And we know if Russ Vought gets his way, and gets his hands on the nation’s funding again, he will not just draw blood, he will cut programs families rely on to the bone—SNAP cuts that leave families hungry, policies to cut people off from their health care, cuts to disability benefits that veterans have earned through their service to America, thousands of public servants forced out of roles serving the American people—all while he works with Trump to dole out more tax breaks to billionaires and the biggest corporations.
“And here’s another thing—we don’t have to imagine just how painful and chaotic Vought’s lawless ideas would be in practice because Vought is actually already putting his agenda in place, which frankly raises another question: why should the Senate vote to confirm someone who is already secretly doing the job behind our backs?
“Because guess what—those Executive Orders that Trump still has in effect? Those orders which are, right now, illegally blocking money our communities need? That is right out of the Project 2025 playbook.
“Or the effort now to get rid of thousands of federal workers through illegal firings and now scam buyout offers that have no basis in law to carry out, or trying to illegally abolish entire agencies with the stroke of a pen? That has Project 2025 written all over it.
“And it’s not just a parallel in ideas here—when OMB issued its blatantly illegal guidance and attempted to block trillions in federal dollars Congress, all of us, passed, there were digital fingerprints all over that document linking right back to Project 2025. And in the chaos that followed—do you know who reportedly met with OMB staffers about how to respond? Russ Vought. So, let’s not pretend we have no idea just how lawless this guy is. Let’s not pretend we have no idea what sort of damage he will cause if he is put back in power.”
[…]
“Now, Mr. President, before I conclude, I just want to hit once more on what is at stake with Mr. Vought’s nomination—we are talking about hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending that Congress, us, passed, that our communities are counting on, and that Mr. Vought has made painfully clear he will not think twice about illegally blocking.
“Giving this man the power to enact his illegal schemes will do real harm to folks back home. It will cut people off from help getting groceries and making rent. It will cut families off from child care and health care. It will cut veterans and their survivors off from disability and education benefits they earned through their service to our country. It will cut off breakthrough medical research, and help for people struggling with opioid addiction. It will cut off communities working to build bridges, improve roads, and strengthen their energy infrastructure.
“That will have serious consequences we cannot overlook—we are here to fight for our families. But there is also another serious consequence here—one that cuts to the heart of what makes this Senate work, and that makes our democracy work.
“Confirming Russ Vought to OMB makes it that much harder to negotiate our spending bills. It is much harder to reach a bipartisan deal with my colleagues, whom I respect and trust and have worked with for years, if that deal is going to be implemented by someone in whom I have zero trust—someone who has made clear that despite our laws, he is going to block any funding we pass.
“And why should any Senator vote to confirm someone who has made it perfectly clear—he would undermine their authority to help their constituents.
“M. President, as I’ve said, our system of checks and balances does not work on its own—we have to actually do our part here in Congress to be the check on Presidential abuse of power. And we have an opportunity—no, actually it’s an obligation—right now, to do just that.
“Before us, right now, is a nominee who has made it very clear he will not respect the authority of Congress, of all of us, and all the people who voted us in—nominated by a President who is not respecting the authority of Congress and the people who voted us in.
“We have to say we will not stand for it. We have to say the law is the law. And one simple way we can send that message is by rejecting Russ Vought’s nomination outright. And so, M. President, I am here today to strongly urge my colleagues to join me in doing just that.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Murray shared many WA stories and concerns she heard following President Trump’s blanket funding freeze
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is helping lead Senate Democrats in holding the Senate floor for a full 30 hours ahead of a final confirmation vote on Russell Vought to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Senator Murray delivered an hour-long floor speech and her remarks below touch specifically on last week’s Monday night OMB budget memo that froze virtually all federal grants and how communities and organizations across America still cannot access funds that are meant to be unfrozen and fully accessible by now.
“The calls just keep coming—even now that OMB reversed course. The chaos has not died down—the questions, the uncertainty, the fear from families and communities that Trump will pull the rug out from under them is still there.
“Because even though—after the intense outcry from the American people—Trump has now admitted this was a colossal mistake by rescinding the guidance, the threat, the chaos, the panic cannot just be wiped away. Especially while some funds are still being blocked!
“No one feels any sense of calm after this. People aren’t feeling lasting relief—they are still wondering ‘how could something like this happen’ and ‘what in the world is going to happen next?’
“The Trump administration—through a combination of sheer incompetence, cruel intentions, and a willful disregard for the law—caused, and is still causing, real harm and chaos for millions of people over the span of just a mere 48 hours.
“But we did learn something extremely important: when the American people speak out with one voice, when regular people stand up, it makes a real difference. That victory belonged to everyone who raised their voice. But make no mistake, the fight is far from over.
“As I said before, we still have a lot of work to do right now, to make sure all the funding actually does get moving again—this is not like turning on a light switch.
“We just saw through the chaotic roll out—this is complicated stuff. So, I will be watching closely to make sure funds get where they belong ASAP. I already know that in many cases this has not been what is happening at all—so this is a serious concern.”
The full text of Senator Murray’s remarks on the chaos because of Trump’s blanket funding freeze can be found below, and video can be found HERE.
“The chaos Vought and Trump caused last week alone was unlike anything I can recall. M. President, never in my time in the Senate have I seen a President cause as much chaos, panic, and damage in 48 short hours—chaos, panic, and damage which continues even now!
“President Trump inflicted serious harm when he implemented Vought’s reckless vision to brazenly and illegally freeze federal grants across the government and across the country.
“My phone has been ringing off the hook—because unlike billionaires like Trump and Musk, unlike hyper partisans like Vought, the American people actually have a painfully clear sense of how this will hurt our communities. After all, they are the ones who would actually suffer the consequences of a reckless policy like this.
“And, let’s remember, the Trump administration’s first half-hearted attempt to clean up the massive mess they made with a new guidance, essentially boiled down to: ‘We’ll let some funding go, but we’re still going to hold up everything else.’
“And while later, they finally admitted they were disastrously wrong and revoked the entire guidance, they are now, still today, illegally holding up other funds—which I will say more about later.
“And the chaos alone they caused, with their cruelty and incompetence is utterly unacceptable. The explanations the Trump Administration offered throughout that saga—freezing seemingly trillions of dollars that families rely on—created no clarity or certainty for so many panicked families, businesses, nonprofits, towns, and states. And nothing they said changes the basic fact that Trump was—and is still—holding up funding our communities need, funding that is the law.
“But let’s talk about the effect—let’s talk about the chaos and alarm they caused, the damage done to communities and families that all of us represent, and the collision course we were on before Americans spoke out and forced Trump to retreat.
“Because, in terms of chaos, the Trump Administration was trying to say a lot of programs were not affected even when we had firsthand accounts making clear that was not what organizations across the country were experiencing.
“I’ll give you one example: Head Start providers were locked out of their reimbursement portal, meaning folks taking care of our youngest kids were suddenly not sure how they were going to keep their doors open or pay their teachers and staff. And some providers in my state are still locked out, not getting the funding.
“Let’s talk about rental assistance! The payment system for housing providers was down for over a day—with rents that were due at the end of the week!
“Seniors who count on Meals on Wheels were left wondering whether they’d have dinner last week.
“Grant programs to combat the fentanyl crisis, to get families health care, and so much more were—in an instant— put at risk of evaporating into thin air.
“I mean, M. President, the panic and confusion were absolutely widespread. Because there was a long, long, list of programs President Trump tried to put on the chopping block here—programs that, by the way, help red states and blue states alike.
“Funding to address the opioid use epidemic could have been paused. This is a long-standing bipartisan priority and Trump wanted funding frozen for an indefinite period—that would absolutely upend prevention efforts and cut people off from treatment that is helping them beat addiction.
“Or COPS hiring grants which help our states and communities hire career law enforcement officers—Trump was freezing those, too. These investments increase community policing capacity and they prevent crime. Without this money, our streets and neighborhoods would be less safe.
“And let’s not forget about other crucial DOJ grants—funding for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, for Amber Alerts, and for safe havens that support victims of human trafficking.
“Or, in my state, there are 25 child advocacy centers that were trying to figure out how they would be affected by the freeze. Think about that.
“And funding for firefighters—you know what doesn’t stop when federal funding stops? Fires! And speaking of fires—Trump’s move also threw funding for recovery and relief efforts into uncertainty. In Eastern Washington, my state, $44 million was announced weeks ago to help Spokane County rebuild from wildfires—we were left with big questions about the future of that badly needed funding last week.
“And while it was just two weeks ago that Trump visited communities in both North Carolina and California still reeling from disaster, the very next week, he sent them reeling himself—throwing funds they were counting on into limbo with his initial OMB guidance. Because, for a while there, the system that all of our states use to get disaster relief funding was shut down!
“And let’s not forget grants from the Violence Against Women Act—I heard from organizations in Washington state that support survivors of violence, they were trying to figure out what to do because their federal payments site went down. Without that vital funding, survivors would be left with no way to access the legal aid and services they deserve. Like so many other organizations, they were ringing the alarm bells—because they were not going to be able to pay staff or pay their bills. This illegal freeze left domestic violence centers wondering how long they could keep their doors open and pay their staff.
“And our Tribes were thrown into chaos as well. The Puyallup Tribe was told they couldn’t move forward with a critical road project. And our Tribes in general were all concerned that housing, health care, education, and so much else were getting caught up in this funding freeze. One told me they were left trying to determine if they were going to have to lay off 400 people because of this. Causing layoffs with an illegal funding freeze would be a profound breach of the federal trust responsibility to our Tribes.
“Or here’s another alarming one: one of Trump’s executive orders was set to cut funding used to help detain nearly 10,000 ISIS militants in Syria. That funding was about to be cut off altogether—potentially leading to prison guards leaving the job and risking ISIS militants getting out of jail—until this administration was alerted to how reckless that would be and carved out that funding.
“But trust me when I say: there are many other funding streams that help keep us safe that are still at risk—especially because of the illegal executive orders that are, today, still blocking foreign assistance, and the absolutely lawless effort to dismantle USAID, which does lifesaving relief work around the world.
“I will have a lot more to say on that later. And, by the why, how does undermining health, which will mean diseases run rampant—particularly at a time when Bird Flu is on the uptick and impacting many producers, workers and states—how does that make any sense?
“Because when it comes to health care—this attempted freeze posed a huge threat to our families. Set aside the fact the Medicaid payment portal went down in my state and every state—something that we were told was a coincidence—that doesn’t change the fact all federal health care grant reimbursements stopped.
“It doesn’t change the fact that community health centers were blocked from getting the funds they need to pay staff and continue providing care in our communities—including rural areas where they are often the only option for miles.
“It doesn’t change the fact that Title X providers—who support care like family planning services, cancer screenings, and more—couldn’t draw down their funds.
“I also heard from HopeSparks, a health care provider in my state. They warned that without federal support, kids in the South Puget Sound would lose access to mental health care and crisis services.
“And, biomedical researchers were suddenly left dealing with questions—not about how to save lives, but about grant freezes, and how these vague, broad actions might stop research programs and clinical trials across the country.
“Chaos alone presents a huge risk of derailing crucial studies. Scientists at the University of Washington and Washington State University have told my office they were deeply alarmed—a freeze like Trump ordered would have meant research projects collapsing and staff being furloughed or laid off!
“The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center moved to bridge the gap to keep research from being derailed—but not getting this fixed would have meant putting them in the hole, to the tune of over $1 million a day. That sort of unexpected burden would have had a huge impact on lifesaving cancer research.
“And agricultural research was faced with uncertainty as well! WSU is a national leader in this important work—research to help our farmers grow more crops, grow more resilient crops, and fight challenges like pests, and plant diseases. WSU was deeply concerned funding for that research could be cut off, undermining important work supporting our nation’s farmers.
“And the threats didn’t stop there for those in food and agriculture. One organization, which works alongside local growers, told me losing funding would mean a reduced capacity to grow and distribute fresh, local food to communities. That would hurt both farmers and the families who rely on these programs to help put food on the table!
“Meanwhile, a group in Washington addressing youth homelessness warned it would have to kick kids out if the funding issue was not resolved. Let me repeat that: a homeless youth group was pushed to the brink of having to kick kids onto the streets because of President Trump’s illegal freeze.
“I was also deeply concerned about how the freeze might halt the diaper pilot program. As well as the reports I got from multiple housing providers in my state worried that tens of thousands of people would be at risk of homelessness thanks to this illegal freeze.
“And don’t get me started on infrastructure! These are projects that take years to plan, build, and complete, and do a whole lot of good for our communities. In my state alone, there were big questions about what was going to happen to electrical grid upgrades happening in Okanogan and Pierce County, improvements planned at the Ports of Seattle, Everett, and Whitman County, or SeaTac Airport’s plans to deploy new trucks.
“And some of these questions still remain! Because—as I will detail in a minute—there are still many other ways programs are being put at risk by Trump illegally blocking funds with his executive orders. I will continue fighting for the federal funding Congress already provided to keep all of these projects on track—but that can only get us so far if President Trump illegally blocks it all and our Republican colleagues help let it happen.
“I mean the list goes on, and on, and on. The calls just keep coming—even now that OMB reversed course. The chaos has not died down—the questions, the uncertainty, the fear from families and communities that Trump will pull the rug out from under them is still there.
“Because even though—after the intense outcry from the American people—Trump has now admitted this was a colossal mistake by rescinding the guidance, the threat, the chaos, the panic cannot just be wiped away. Especially while some funds are still being blocked!
“No one feels any sense of calm after this. People aren’t feeling lasting relief—they are still wondering ‘how could something like this happen’ and “what in the world is going to happen next?’
“The Trump administration—through a combination of sheer incompetence, cruel intentions, and a willful disregard for the law—caused, and is still causing, real harm and chaos for millions of people over the span of just a mere 48 hours.
“But we did learn something extremely important: when the American people speak out with one voice, when regular people stand up, it makes a real difference. That victory belonged to everyone who raised their voice. But make no mistake, the fight is far from over.
“As I said before, we still have a lot of work to do right now, to make sure all the funding actually does get moving again—this is not like turning on a light switch.
“We just saw through the chaotic roll out—this is complicated stuff. So, I want you to know, I will be watching closely to make sure funds get where they belong ASAP. I already know that in many cases this has not been what is happening at all—so this is a serious concern.
“I actually spoke with a constituent last week, Mike from Edmonds–he runs a nonprofit supporting military families and helping servicemembers transition back to civilian life. And even days after the OMB guidance was reversed, they still couldn’t access federal funding. He’s using a personal line of credit to pay staff in the meantime. And if this doesn’t get fixed—his organization won’t be able to help military families or pay its employees.
“The homeless shelter I mentioned at the top—short $5.1 million dollars because of Trump—also still has its funds frozen. It is still looking at reducing beds and facing layoffs.
“And as I mentioned earlier, some Head Start programs are still not able to access their grant funding—so the chaos of this OMB saga is far, far from over.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***VIDEO HERE***
Trump Administration is still blocking hundreds of billions of dollars passed by Congress
ICYMI: Murray Hold Press Call With WA State Orgs About Jobs at Risk Due to Funding Freeze
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is helping lead Senate Democrats in holding the Senate floor for a full 30 hours ahead of a final confirmation vote on Russell Vought to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Senator Murray delivered an hour-long floor speech and her remarks below touch specifically on how the Trump Administration is still blocking hundreds of billions of dollars of approved funding under Trump’s executive orders, and what sort of pain this illegal funding freeze could mean for Washington state and the country:
On infrastructure:
“All of these projects, and many more have been thrown into complete uncertainty because of President Trump’s Executive Orders. It is just completely unclear when, or if these projects are going to get the funds they are counting on and owed—from the bills Congress passed.
“And that is not just causing chaos, it is not just causing delays, it is causing harm and alarm—because it could mean construction grinds to a halt, and workers lose jobs. It could mean the work will go un-started—or perhaps in some cases—unfinished.
“Plus, it will mean increasing costs for cities, counties, states, and Tribes for those projects that somehow make it through this. And while there are many more infrastructure projects in my state I still haven’t even touched on, not to mention the other projects across the country. There are so many other projects, organizations, and people who are being harmed right now by President Trump’s reckless funding freeze. “
On foreign assistance:
“When people are starving, you cannot just feed them money—you need to have already made the investments to grow food. When democracies are in crisis, you can’t just cut them a check—you need to have helped them build strong institutions. When a deadly disease outbreak strikes—you are going to learn very quickly that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
“Freezing foreign assistance is not putting America first—it is guaranteeing America comes in last. Because every funding gap we leave is an opportunity for our adversaries to step in, fill the gap, and play the hero while casting us as the villain.”
[…]
“And let’s be clear—it is not just U.S. leadership on the line here. There are U.S. jobs at stake here. That reality is hitting home hard this week. Back in Washington state, there are some world class organizations that I know may have to lay people off this week—hundreds of people—all because of President Trump’s funding freeze.
“International aid organizations may make a difference around the world—but they support American jobs too. People who have a paycheck and family. People who work incredibly hard—and who are incredibly proud of the work they do to make the world a better place and reaffirm U.S. global leadership…
“But they are being sent packing—not because they’ve done anything wrong, not because this work isn’t important. But because President Trump and Elon Musk are listening to whacko conspiracists and ultra-isolationists—while ignoring the experts, ignoring the obvious realities, and again ignoring the law. We should all stand against this”
The full text of Senator Murray’s remarks on the funding still being frozen by President Trump can be found below, and video can be found HERE.
“And let me make one thing perfectly clear—even before this latest whirl of chaos, President Trump was already illegally blocking billions of dollars. And even after the OMB guidance was reversed, he is still holding back all of those funds through his illegal executive orders.
“You don’t have to take it from me. You can take it directly from the White House Press Secretary, quote: ‘This is not a rescission of the federal funding freeze… The President’s [Executive Orders] on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented’
“So, now that was the chaos of last week, I want to talk about the chaos that remains—what we are still seeing this week, and what it means for folks back home, and across the country. Because there is still significant confusion, and the remaining freezes are still causing significant pain.
“For example, I’ve heard from cities in my state, and from the Washington State Department of Transportation. Now, it is still hard to get a clear picture, given the chaotic roll out, roll back, and more. But they are telling me they are concerned about infrastructure projects all over my state that are already getting delayed now—and could get derailed entirely because President Trump is still illegally blocking funding we passed with his executive orders.
“If this illegal freeze continues, people will lose jobs and communities will lose out on projects that have been in the works for years.
“Trump is blocking money to repair electric chargers, to install heavy duty chargers for trucks, to make critical repairs to bridges in order to protect the safety of millions of drivers, and to install new chargers along major roads in my state like I-90, US-97, US-2, US-195, and US-395. Stopping these projects is just pointlessly hurting commuters and businesses, it is costing construction workers, it is killing jobs.
“Trump is holding up road projects that make streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers, like a safer streets project in Richland, Washington, and critical safety barriers in Spokane—not to mention the Liberty Park Land Bridge in Spokane, which would reconnect communities, and provide more green space for families to enjoy.
“Or funds for the city of Lakewood’s plans to revitalize its downtown and bring in more retail space, and restaurants, and health care services, and financial services, make upgrades to roads, and provide a new festival area, park areas, and more.
“Trump’s freeze is also a concern for the Samish Indian Nation as it works to improve safety and access to their land at the Campbell Lake Road intersection—which has seen growing traffic in recent years—and for a project led by the Tulalip Tribe to improve the interchanges along I-5 exits. The congestion on these ramps can get so bad it backs up to the main highway!
“We want to get these projects done, we want to get them done—and the last thing we need is uncertainty about these stalled funds.
“There’s also a project underway to upgrade the technology at our border with Canada—replacing and improving the outdated wait time system to improve accuracy and help our inspection and transportation agencies. This will help travelers headed to Canada avoid long wait times at the border and help fans from around the world, by the way, who are travelling between Seattle and Vancouver for next year’s World Cup move quickly—but not if Trump’s executive orders stop all of this funding!
“Same for the efforts to update our state-wide planning with a new electronic system that would make the process for planning, and specifications, and estimates more efficient.
“And, of course, in Washington state—we can never forget about fish, which are crucial to our culture, and our economy, in many ways. Trump’s ongoing funding freeze is putting projects to improve fish habitats on ice—replacing the culvert at Thornton Creek, replacing the failing culvert at Wapato Creek, which is right underneath the Pierce County Terminal at the Port of Tacoma, or removing the fish barrier culverts at Johnson Creek which will open up nearly 3,000 meters of upstream habitat.
“Not to mention other wildlife preservation work, like an undercrossing structure and wildlife barriers east of Winthrop. And work on our waterways. Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is still not restored today for some projects on the Lower Columbia River, projects like stormwater infrastructure that will help keep toxins out of water and restore wetlands and protect the ecosystems.
“Our ports, our ports—so critical for not only Washington state’s economy, but for the whole country—are caught up in this too. There are port projects now on hold across my state, including for electrical infrastructure and shore power for vessels. These impacts are being felt from Anacortes to Port Angeles to Vancouver. Frozen funding is hurting working families in Washington and across the country, and it is making our economy less competitive.
“And, we cannot forget our ferries—which are so crucial to many commuters in my state. Washington state ferries are looking to improve their data with a better system for collecting, analyzing, and reporting wait times at all of our terminals. This would give them useful information to improve efficiency and make life better for the people they serve. Losing that funding means more people will miss ferries and long waits in line for Washington state commuters crossing the water to work, to school, to medical appointments.
“We also have absolutely essential electric transmission and distribution projects that are on hold now and in jeopardy. These are projects that are necessary, helping reduce our wildfire risks, ensure grid reliability, improve resilience to natural disasters, and lower costs for ratepayers across my state of Washington.
“And these are funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—that is a law that Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass–it’s a program that Republicans thought was important enough to provide $10.5 billion. After what we have seen in recent months and years, I don’t know how you can say with a straight face that modernizing our grid isn’t absolutely vital to the future of our country. You don’t have to listen to me—Secretary Burgum and Secretary Wright said as much in their confirmation hearings.
“But this project—all of these projects, and many more have been thrown into complete uncertainty because of President Trump’s Executive Orders. It is completely unclear when, or if these projects are going to get the funds they were counting on and they were owed—from bills Congress passed and were signed into law.
“And that is not just causing chaos, it is not just causing delays, it is causing harm and alarm—because it could mean construction grinds to a halt, and workers lose jobs. It means the work will go un-started—or perhaps in some cases—unfinished.
“Plus, it will mean increasing costs for cities, counties, states, and Tribes for those projects that somehow make it through all of this. And while there are many more infrastructure projects in my state I still haven’t even touched on, not to mention the other projects across the country. There are so many other projects, and organizations, and people who are being harmed right now by President Trump’s reckless funding freeze.
“I know there are medical researchers, still worried their work will be considered ‘woke’ when in reality, it is actually pretty darn important we understand the roots of health disparities—things like why the maternal death rate is so much higher for Black or Native American women.
“Yet, researchers are being told that their research is at risk of being defunded if they are examining issues of ‘equity,’ or ‘barriers to care,’ or even if they are specifically studying ‘females.’
“And, there are hospitals in my state, and across the country, worried that some of these programs—which are appropriately focused on someone’s gender or race—are in jeopardy.
“For example, we know pulse oximeters are less accurate for people with darker skin tones—making sure these clinical measurements are accurate will save lives, and can have life and death consequences for patients. And we know women have much higher rates of autoimmune disorders than men—we need to take a look at why that is.
“We also need to invest in training the next generation of scientists, including from diverse backgrounds. Studies show that diversity in the scientific workforce leads to greater innovation and productivity. But there is a serious concern that lifesaving work is going to get caught up in President Trump’s sweeping illegal executive orders.
“Another impact of Trump’s actions? The National Park Service has rescinded all of its employment offers for summer seasonal staff. Now that doesn’t just mean people will be facing longer wait lines and dirtier bathrooms—though they will. It could mean park closures throughout this entire summer, and it will mean delayed responses to emergencies—making people less safe.
“And outside our national parks, Trump is also freezing regional clean up efforts. Things like stopping illegal dumping and improving air quality in our communities.
“And M. President, let’s talk about foreign assistance, because, for decades now—there has been widespread, bipartisan understanding that promoting stability abroad, promoting democracy, improving health, strengthening trade, and building partnerships is crucial to US leadership.
“But Trump’s executive orders put all of that at risk by illegally freezing funds. I have heard from organizations that operate all over the world about how they were unable to deliver the life-saving aid that millions of people rely on due to these stop-work orders. That meant millions of doses of lifesaving drugs sat un-used on shelves. Time-sensitive prevention methods against diseases like malaria were not carried out, putting millions at risk. Training for more than 64,000 health care workers were put on hold. Hundreds of millions of metric tons of U.S.-grown commodities sitting—and at the risk of spoiling—in transport, instead of reaching their final destinations across the world to feed people in need.
“And despite a so-called ‘waiver’ from the U.S. State Department to resume work, much of this life-saving aid is still today on hold. Without a start-work order, those organizations fear they are taking on significant risk in continuing operations. Put simply: this was already unacceptable.
“And now, over the weekend—President Trump and Elon Musk have decided against all reason, against all evidence, and against the law, mind you, to completely dismantle USAID. And that is on top of the illegal funding freeze that has already been pushing U.S. businesses, nonprofits, and international aid groups to make tough choices, for truly pointless reasons.
“It should be obvious that these cuts will hurt people across the world. These cuts will mean people starve. These cuts will mean people don’t get clean water. These cuts will mean more disease outbreaks with higher death counts. These cuts will mean less help for victims of violence, and higher death rates for pregnant women.
“And anyone with an ounce of humanity can see this freeze will get devastating, fast. And—it is important to note—it will get devastating in ways you cannot just make up for with more money later once the damage is done. That is just not how it works.
“When people are starving, you cannot just feed them money—you need to have already made the investments to grow food.
“When democracies are in crisis, you can’t just cut them a check—you need to have helped them build strong institutions.
“When a deadly disease outbreak strikes—you are going to learn very quickly that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
“These are not lessons we need to learn the hard way—by letting people die. We know it all, painfully well, right now. And so, to freeze this funding, is asking for disaster—and not just for other countries across the world, but for us, for the U.S. and for our families here at home.
“Freezing foreign assistance is not putting America first—it is guaranteeing America comes in last.
“Because every funding gap we leave is an opportunity for our adversaries to step in, fill that gap, and play the hero while casting us as the villain. How are we supposed to lead the world if we are unwilling to invest in it?
“I will tell you right now—China is not holding back. They are investing constantly—because they know they aren’t just building infrastructure across the world, they are building stronger partnerships. And we just counted ourselves out of that competition.
“You want to end U.S. global dominance? You want to tell the world the U.S. is done being a leader? You want to tell other countries—we cannot be trusted to keep our word?
“Because that is exactly what we are doing if we let Trump get away with illegally cutting off global aid—with the stroke of a pen—and letting the richest man in the world cut off help for some of the poorest people in the world.
“And let’s be clear—it is not just U.S. leadership on the line here. There are U.S. jobs at stake here. That reality is hitting home hard this week. Back in Washington state, there are some world class organizations that I know may have to lay people off this week—hundreds of people—all because of President Trump’s funding freeze.
“It is a scene that is not isolated to Washington state—I know it is playing out across the country as well, with thousands of layoffs across 38 states and counting. And I know, so long as President Trump’s lawless war on foreign aid continues—so will these layoffs. We will see hundreds, if not thousands more every week.
“International aid organizations may make a difference around the world—but they support American jobs, too. People who have a paycheck and family. People who work incredibly hard—and who are incredibly proud of the work they do to make the world a better place and reaffirm U.S. global leadership.
“But they are being sent packing—not because they have done anything wrong, not because this work is not important. But because President Trump and Elon Musk are listening to whacko conspiracists and ultra isolationists—while ignoring the experts, ignoring the obvious realities, and again ignoring the law. We should all stand against this.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***VIDEO HERE***
Murray:“The richest man in the world is taking over the Treasury in the name of fighting corruption? The irony is almost as rich as Musk himself.”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is helping lead Senate Democrats in holding the Senate floor for a full 30 hours ahead of a final confirmation vote on Russell Vought to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
As Senator Murray delivered an hour-long floor speech on the Senate floor, she also specifically discussed how Elon Musk, like Vought, is working to illegal block funds and cut programs families rely on—including by gaining alarming access to sensitive financial systems:
“This is not Silicon Valley—where you can just ‘move fast and break things.’ When you break things here—people don’t get health care, people don’t get Social Security checks, people don’t get crucial warnings and lifesaving information.
“And anyone who thinks—’well, that surely won’t happen’—has not been paying attention. Because just this week, Elon Musk and Donald Trump put Americans in danger.
“We have citizens in dangerous corners of the world who were suddenly locked out of their emails and cut off from an app that is meant to help address threats like kidnapping—so no one should be shrugging this off and just saying ‘well what’s the worst that could happen.’ Because this can get really, really bad really, really fast.
“And if anyone is thinking ‘well it’s okay, we have guardrails, we have laws’—make no mistake, even though Trump and Musk have absolutely zero legal authority to hold up any federal payments that are law, that has not stopped them so far.
“As we’ve seen—they are already halting other funds illegally, they are already firing government watchdogs and officials left and right, regardless of our laws. They are already putting forward blatantly unconstitutional executive orders.
“The fact of the matter is—Trump and Musk have yet to find a law they think applies to them. They think because they are rich and powerful, they get to call all the shots—regardless of the courts and Congress. But that’s just not how things work in this country. Billionaires are not above the law. Neither are Presidents.”
The full text of Senator Murray’s remarks on Elon Musk can be found below, and video can be found HERE.
“And, M. President, I know we are discussing the Vought nomination now, but I want to talk about someone who has not been nominated to anything, he’s not been elected to anything, and yet he is serving as de facto Co-President—Elon Musk. Arguably he is more important and more influential than the elected sitting President. And he has proven himself in lock-step with Russ Vought, who we are voting on tomorrow, when it comes to slashing programs that matter to American families and ignoring the laws of our nation.
“In recent days, Musk has been busy illegally shuttering USAID and cutting off foreign assistance programs—which, as I’ve said, will lose jobs for Americans, lose lives in countries around the world, and lose leadership as adversaries like China fill the gap.
“Shockingly, Musk has even had people fired for denying his lackeys classified resources that they had no authority to access. And last weekend, we all learned Elon Musk essentially commandeered access to the Treasury Department’s most sensitive payment system handling six trillion dollars every year and managing nearly all of our federal disbursements.
“It’s a system that contains extremely sensitive personal and commercial information and I’ve been hearing from people across my state who are truly alarmed about what Musk and his associates having access to this system could mean for their data—and for funding that they count on.
“Let’s not mince words here: an unelected, unaccountable billionaire—with expansive conflicts of interest, deep ties to China, and an indiscreet axe to grind against perceived enemies—is hijacking our nation’s most sensitive financial data system and its checkbook. So that he can illegally block funds to our constituents based on the slightest whim or wildest conspiracy. Funds—mind you—that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, passed.
“Some Republicans are trying to suggest that Musk only has ‘viewing access’ to Treasury’s highly sensitive payment system as if that’s acceptable either! But why on earth should we believe that? Particularly when Musk himself is saying the exact opposite loudly and repeatedly for everyone to hear.
“What funds will Elon target next—life saving medical research? Homelessness assistance? Food banks? We already know he is falsely attacking faith-based organizations that help folks—and promising to cut off funds based on conspiracy theories. In other words: the world’s richest man has vowed to cut off funding that helps the least among us. Think about that.
“And next—think about how many dollars he himself makes from government contracts. I mean, seriously: the richest man in the world, with countless government contracts, and ties to our adversaries is taking over the Treasury in the name of fighting corruption? The irony is almost as rich as Musk himself.
“And let me underscore, M. President, just how dangerous this is—because now that Trump has handed over Treasury’s checkbook—what if Elon decides he doesn’t like how Rivian is getting federal funds to build an EV manufacturing facility, so what next?
“All Elon has to do is say they’re ‘woke,’ and he can convince Trump to illegally cut off those funds? Is that how this works now?
“Maybe Elon will decide he doesn’t like that Blue Origin—and not SpaceX—gets a contract, so he wants to gum up the works on their payments. Is that how this works?
“Maybe Elon decides he wants to get into electronic health systems—and maybe he wants to punish hospital systems that don’t take him up on whatever he’s selling. Private corporations and competitors need to take note—the potential for abuse and corruption by Elon, especially considering his track record, is pretty much limitless.
“And it is not just Treasury—Musk and his henchman are launching a full-scale invasion of sensitive data systems across government. We are talking about the Small Business Administration. We are talking about NOAA. We are talking about Medicare. The reporting is now clear they are not just looking either—they are directly making changes to some of those critical systems.
“This is not Silicon Valley—where you can just ‘move fast and break things.’ When you break things here—people don’t get their health care, they don’t get their Social Security checks, they don’t get crucial warnings and lifesaving information.
“And anyone who thinks—’well, that surely won’t happen’—has not been paying attention. Because just this week, Elon Musk and Donald Trump put Americans in danger.
“We have citizens in dangerous corners of the world who were suddenly locked out of their emails and they were cut off from an app that is meant to help address threats like kidnapping—so no one should be shrugging this off and just saying ‘well what’s the worst that could happen.’ Because this can get really, really bad really, really fast.
“And if anyone is thinking ‘well it’s okay, we have guardrails, we have laws’—make no mistake, even though Trump and Musk have absolutely zero legal authority to hold up any federal payments that are law, this has not stopped them so far.
“As we’ve seen—they are already halting other funds illegally, they are already firing government watchdogs and officials left and right, regardless of our laws. They are already putting forward blatantly unconstitutional executive orders.
“The fact of the matter is—Trump and Musk have yet to find a law they think applies to them. They think because they are rich and powerful, they get to call all the shots—regardless of the courts, regardless of Congress. That is just not how things work in this country.
“Billionaires are not above the law. Neither are Presidents. We do not have a monarchy, where a President is king. We do not have an oligarchy, where the richest people get the largest say. We, in this country, have a democracy—if we can keep it—where each citizen has a vote. We have checks and balances—where the President is accountable to the Congress and to the people, where he has to follow the laws we pass.
“But some of my colleagues across the aisle seem to be forgetting that our democracy does not work by magic. We have to do our part, our part here to hold Presidents accountable. Our job is not to say ‘yes’ to everything the President does—no matter how lawless or harmful. Our job is not to shrug our shoulders or cover our eyes. It is to fight for the people who sent us here—and to defend the Constitution.
“So Democrats will be pushing back with the tools we have—we will speak out, we will press this administration, we will open investigations, and we will demand accountability—but one tool we do not have is a majority in Congress. So that means, M. President, our Republican colleagues have to say ‘enough.’ We need them to join us. We need them to stand up to the corruption and lawlessness and stand up for the people they represent.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***VIDEO HERE***
ICYMI: Murray sends newsletter on Trump Administration’s “fork in the road” email
ICYMI: Murray, Colleagues send letter to OPM demanding answers on Trump’s deceptive, legally dubious “Deferred Resignation” scheme
Murray:“You all deserve so much better than to have a billionaire with no real understanding of what you do, come in, belittle your work, suggest he can do it better, and try to push you out the door.”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is helping lead Senate Democrats in holding the Senate floor for a full 30 hours ahead of a final confirmation vote on Russell Vought to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
As Senator Murray delivered an hour-long floor speech on the Senate floor, she also specifically discussed the Trump Administration’s, “fork in the road” email to federal workers, and shared the stories she was hearing from Hanford workers back in Washington state, who are at threat of being laid off for no good reason:
“So here’s what is important for everyone to know: first, there is no guarantee workers who accept this offer will get paid through September 30 as promised. Not only is there no funding for that time frame right now, but I personally am deeply skeptical of any offer from a President like Donald Trump, who has so consistently shown he will try to stiff workers at every opportunity.
“Being given only nine days to decide something like this should already be setting off alarm bells. That is a short amount of time to consider all of the financial impacts of potentially accepting the offer—including if and where you’d be able to find a new job, how this would impact benefits like health insurance and retirement, and more—and we know scammers often pressure people to act immediately. “
“Additionally, the information being provided continues to change, and includes a lot of caveats. It claims you can rescind your resignation if you change your mind but that your job may no longer exist. If that happens, then tough luck. It claims that you aren’t expected to work if you accept the offer—expect in cases determined by each individual agency. It claims that you can stay in your current role—however there’s no guarantee your position will be needed.
“The lack of clear information and resources about exactly what will be allowed is rightfully creating confusion for the more than 56,000 federal workers across Washington state. To me, this leaves far too many questions unanswered.
[…]
“Here is my message to our federal workers. You do so much for our communities. And you all deserve so much better—than to have a billionaire with no real understanding of what you do come in, belittle your work, suggest he can do it better, and try to push you out the door. So, I hope you all will keep up the good work for the American people—and I will keep fighting for all of you as well.”
The full text of Senator Murray’s remarks on the Trump administration’s offer to push folks out can be found below, and video can be found HERE.
“And M. President, while I’m on the subject—I want to talk a bit about another scheme Elon Musk has cooked up. We are approaching the deadline set in the Trump Administration’s ‘Fork in the Road’ message, which claims—and I have to emphasize it merely claims—to give federal workers the option of a ‘deferred resignation’ that would allegedly allow workers to ‘retain all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload and be exempted from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30.’
“I want to speak directly to all of our federal workers about this right now—because they deserve better than to be pushed out the door with a nine-day pressure tactic that comes with no clarity, no details, and a lot of questions left unanswered.
“So here’s what is important for everyone to know: first, there is no guarantee workers who accept this offer will get paid through September 30 as promised. Not only is there no funding for that time frame right now, but I personally am deeply skeptical of any offer from a President like Donald Trump, who has so consistently shown he will try to stiff workers at every opportunity.
“Being given only nine days to decide something like this should already be setting off alarm bells. That is a short amount of time to consider all of the financial impacts of potentially accepting the offer—including if and where you’d be able to find a new job, how this would impact benefits like health insurance and retirement, and a lot more—and we all know scammers often pressure people to act immediately.
“Additionally, the information being provided continues to change, and includes, by the way, a lot of caveats. It claims you can rescind your resignation if you change your mind but that your job may no longer exist. If that happens, then tough luck.
“It claims that you aren’t expected to work if you accept the offer—except in cases determined by each individual agency.
“It claims that you can stay in your current role—however there is no guarantee your position will be needed.
“The lack of clear information and resources about exactly what will be allowed is rightfully creating confusion for the more than 56,000 federal workers in my state alone. To me, this leaves far too many questions unanswered.
“Finally, I want to express a real gratitude for the federal workers who power so many essential services provided by our government. The American government is not Twitter—people rely on our federal workers and sometimes their work can be the difference between life and death.
“Federal workers help inspect meat processing facilities, they make sure baby formula is safe, they approve lifesaving drugs and treatments, they manage our air traffic, help ensure clean drinking water, and there is so much more.
“Where this administration continues to show outright hostility toward many of our federal workers, I want you to know, I will continue to fight for federal workers—everyone from Hanford workers, and the scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to the people who are making sure you get your Social Security check.
“M. President—I got a letter this week from a Hanford worker. They started last year—hoping it would be a stable job that would let them provide for their family while making a difference in their community.
“This employee has already been recognized several times for hard work—and then Elon Musk tried to push them out the door with his scammy buy out, and now they are on the list of employees who are at threat of being terminated for no good reason.
“That is an utter betrayal—it is a betrayal of a hard-working parent, who did nothing wrong, and a betrayal of my Hanford community where Trump is undermining important environmental cleanup work.
“Because at Hanford alone—which is already understaffed—there are nearly 30 people now on the chopping block: they are nuclear safety engineers, they are facility safety representatives, they are procurement and contracting personnel, they are attorneys, they are labor relations staff, and they are accountants.
“How is firing nuclear safety engineers supposed to make anyone safer? Or better off? M. President, there are so many more stories like this already happening—or just around the corner.
“I have heard Musk and Trump plan to cut workers at the Department of Energy by half. These are federal employees who put in long hours to support their families and to strengthen our country.
“And for all their years of service, for all their sacrifice—Elon Musk is showing them the door and saying ‘don’t let it hit you on the way out.’ It’s wrong. It is ungrateful.
“And for god’s sake—we’re talking about nuclear security here. Why on earth would anyone think it’s a good idea to cut corners!?
“So here is my message to our federal workers. You do so much for our communities. And you all deserve so much better—than to have a billionaire with no real understanding of what you do come in, belittle your work, suggest he can do it better, and push you out the door. So, I hope you all will keep up the good work for the American people—and I want you to know, we will keep fighting for you as well.”
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today joined Fox News’ “America Reports” to discuss eliminating political weaponization at the FBI, expectations for Pam Bondi in her role as U.S. Attorney General and Kash Patel’s road to confirmation as FBI Director.
Audio and excerpts of Grassley’s remarks follow.
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VIDEO
On the Justice Department’s recent memo to FBI employees:
“People that are at [a] lower level, not at the supervisory level, have to take orders from their bosses, and if they were told to work on a case, even if they disagreed with the case, they [had] to work on it. And I think that there ought to be some consideration to that.
“…I’m not going to write to the White House now to get information, I’m going to wait until we get [Kash] Patel in place as head of the FBI and ask him the very same questions that we’re talking about here, because those that use the FBI for political weaponization…that’s not the role of the FBI.
“…I’ve made very clear that the FBI shouldn’t be used for political weaponization. Their job is law enforcement, and anything beyond that has to be cleaned up. And I think Kash Patel is a person that can do that.”
On the Grassley-Johnson release of FBI “Arctic Frost” emails:
“My emails show – and also the regulations of the FBI show – that [FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge] Thibault was not in a position to [open the investigation into Trump]…
“But see…the culture on the seventh floor of the FBI building is that it’s okay for FBI agents to promote challenges and positions against a former President of the United States because he’s a political threat. Well, the voters of Iowa [and] the voters of the United States on November the fifth did away with that and proved that [Trump] was wrongly condemned. The voters didn’t buy it.”
On Attorney General Pam Bondi:
“[Bondi] is totally a prosecutor by profession and she’s going to be the chief prosecutor of our government. She made very clear that she’s going to follow the Constitution and follow the laws and follow the evidence…
“…[O]n the second day of [her] hearing…we had people in who knew her and worked for her, and we even had somebody that has never voted for Trump testify in favor of her, that she was a person who left politics out of the prosecution.”
On Kash Patel’s road to confirmation:
“I’ve got the votes to get him out of Committee, and I think that there’s going to be the votes to get him approved in the United States Senate, but I’m going to take it a step at a time.
“A week from tomorrow, [the Judiciary Committee] will have that vote, and he’ll be on the floor of the United States Senate.”
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Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is probing a Biden-era decision to shut down Project Thor, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led program, that identified and dismantled Mexican cartel arms trafficking networks.
“The government must be fully transparent to the American people about why it eliminated Project Thor, even though, based on the records obtained to-date, the program protected U.S. national security interests and helped to disrupt and dismantle criminal cartel networks’ access to firearms,” Grassley wrote.
In his letter, Grassley highlights new internal government records provided by legally protected whistleblower disclosures detailing Project Thor’s “Operation Nordic Giant.” These records reveal the first Trump administration successfully used Project Thor’s unique capabilities to disrupt and dismantle cartel arms trafficking networks operating in the U.S.
“In this case, Andrew Scott Pierson, an American fugitive hiding in Mexico, was identified and prosecuted for operating a sophisticated, firearms trafficking network for years for the Cartel del Noreste (CDN) cartel,” Grassley continued. “The information gathered, analyzed and disseminated through Project Thor, as well as its efforts to coordinate several investigations across multiple law enforcement agencies, played a critical role in dismantling Pierson’s trafficking network and substantially reducing the CDN’s ability to obtain firearms.”
Grassley sent letters and enclosed records to ATF, the Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection.
Background:
ATF’s Project Thor brought together over 16 executive branch agencies in a whole-of-government effort to stem the flow of firearms between the U.S. and cartels in Mexico. The operation received public and private accolades for its accomplishments, before being defunded by the Biden administration in 2022.
Grassley is continuing his extensive oversight of U.S. efforts to combat Mexican cartels on both sides of the border. Last Congress, he demanded the Biden administration’s ATF provide a full account of Project Thor’s work and the reasons for defunding the operation. He also pressed the previous administration on its lackluster policies to address the proliferation of cartel arms trafficking networks operating in the U.S.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in introducing the Stopping Home Office Work’s Unproductive Problems (SHOW UP) Act to return federal employees to in-person work.
The legislation would require government agencies to reinstate their pre-COVID-19 telework policies and direct agency heads to submit to Congress a report on the adverse impacts of agencies’ expansion of telework policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It would also prevent federal agencies from permanently expanding telework without submitting to Congress details on how its proposed remote work policies would bolster agency mission performance.
“Iowans show up for work every day, and federal agency staff need to be doing the same. The pandemic has passed, and now it’s high time to dismantle unacceptable post-COVID-19 telework policies that have led to insufficient service for the American people. We need to get the rest of the government back in the office and back to work now,” Grassley said.
Additional cosponsors are Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).
Read the bill text HERE.
Download video of Grassley discussing the legislation HERE.
Background:
In 2022, Grassley joined Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) to introduce the Return Employees To Understaffed Worksites to Reopen Now (RETURN) Act. The bill directs federal agencies to submit a comprehensive plan to resume in-person operations and address constituents’ concerns about federal government services.
In a letter to heads of the office of Personnel Management (OPM), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the senators demanded answers regarding plans to bring federal workers back to the office.
At a Senate Finance Committee hearing last May, Grassley pressed Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O’Malley on how SSA’s persistent telework policies were impacting the agency’s ability to provide services for seniors.