WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement today announced a leadership realignment to support its increasing operational tempo as the agency achieved its highest number of arrests in its history this week.
Organizational realignments will help ICE achieve President Trump and the American people’s mandate of arresting and deporting criminal illegal aliens and making American communities safe.
After 33 years of service to the agency and the American people, ICE’s Acting Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations Ken Genalo has decided to retire and will continue to serve the public as a special government employee to ICE. The decision, which places him in a valuable advising role for field leadership, will allow him to spend more time with his family after being away from them since early January.
“Ken Genalo, who’s dedicated more than three decades to ICE and the American people, served as a field office director in New York City before selflessly agreeing to come to ICE Headquarters at the beginning of the Trump administration,” said ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons. “Genalo has served in this acting capacity to help meet the mandate set forth by the American people — his contributions were integral in the successes we’re seeing today. He’s now going to serve as a special government employee working with field office directors within ICE. I can’t thank him enough.”
Homeland Security Investigations Acting Executive Associate Director Robert Hammer, who has spent the past two decades with HSI and has a wealth of operational knowledge, will transition to another critical leadership position within the agency’s headquarters that requires his unique expertise.
In addition, the following changes were implemented:
Marcos Charles will become the Acting Executive Associate Director of ERO, and Mellissa Harper will serve as his Acting Deputy.
Derek Gordon will step into the role of Acting Executive Associate Director of HSI. William “Bill” Walker will serve as Gordon’s Deputy.
Garrett Ripa will resume his duties as Field Office Director for ERO Miami, FL.
Tatum King will serve as HSI Acting Assistant Director of Domestic Operations.
Denesha Helland will serve as Acting Assistant Director of ERO’s Non-Detained Management Division.
Tom Giles will serve as the Acting Director for ERO Field Operations.
Charles Wall will head the agency’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.
Susan Cullen Dunbar will become the Executive Associate Director of the agency’s Management and Administration Directorate.
CHANDLER, Ariz., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Microchip Technology Incorporated, a leading provider of smart, connected, and secure embedded control solutions, today updated the range of its prior guidance for net Sales and GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per share for its fiscal first quarter of 2026 ending June 30, 2025. Microchip now expects consolidated net sales for the June quarter to be between $1.045 billion and $1.070 billion. Microchip previously provided guidance on May 8, 2025 of consolidated net sales to be between $1.025 billion and $1.070 billion. GAAP loss per share is now expected to be between $(0.11) and $(0.07), and non-GAAP earnings per share is now expected to be between $0.22 and $0.26. The original guidance for the GAAP loss per share was $(0.15) and $(0.07), and the original guidance for non-GAAP earnings per share was between $0.18 and $0.26.
Steve Sanghi, Microchip’s CEO and President, commented, “With almost two months of the quarter behind us, our business is performing better than we expected at the time of our May 8, 2025 earnings conference call. Our bookings activity for the month of May is tracking to be higher than any month in the last two years. We are gaining confidence in the recovery of our business as we execute on our strategic initiatives, reduce inventory levels and make progress towards our long-term business model.”
There will be no conference call associated with this press release. Microchip is attending the Stifel 2025 Cross Border 1×1 Conference and the B of A Securities Global Technology Conference on Wednesday June 3, 2025. A live webcast and replays from the B of A Conference will be available at www.microchip.com
Cautionary Statement:
The statements in this release relating to expecting consolidated net sales for the June quarter to be between $1.045 billion and $1.070 billion, GAAP loss per share to be between $(0.11) and $(0.07), non GAAP earnings per share to be between $0.22 and $0.26, that our business is performing better than we expected, that our bookings activity for the month of May is tracking to be higher than any month in the last two years, that we are gaining confidence in the recovery of our business as we execute on our strategic initiatives, reduce inventory levels and make progress towards our long-term business model are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: any continued uncertainty, fluctuations or weakness in the U.S. and world economies (including China and Europe) due to changes in the scope and level of tariffs, interest rates or high inflation, actions taken or which may be taken by the Trump administration or the U.S. Congress (including budget and tax legislation), monetary policy, political, geopolitical, trade or other issues in the U.S. or internationally (including the military conflicts in Ukraine-Russia and the Middle East), further changes in demand or market acceptance of our products and the products of our customers and our ability to respond to any increases or decreases in market demand or customer requests to reschedule or cancel orders; the mix of inventory we hold, our ability to satisfy any short-term orders from our inventory and our ability to effectively manage our inventory levels; foreign currency effects on our business; changes in utilization of our manufacturing capacity and our ability to effectively manage our production levels to meet any increases or decreases in market demand or any customer requests to reschedule or cancel orders; the impact of inflation on our business; competitive developments including pricing pressures; the level of orders that are received and can be shipped in a quarter; our ability to realize the expected benefits of our long-term supply assurance program; changes or fluctuations in customer order patterns and seasonality; our ability to effectively manage our supply of wafers from third party wafer foundries to meet any decreases or increases in our needs and the cost of such wafers, our ability to obtain additional capacity from our suppliers to increase production to meet any future increases in market demand; our ability to successfully integrate the operations and employees, retain key employees and customers and otherwise realize the expected synergies and benefits of our acquisitions; the impact of any future significant acquisitions or strategic transactions we may make; the costs and outcome of any current or future litigation or other matters involving our acquisitions (including the acquired business, intellectual property, customers, or other issues); the costs and outcome of any current or future tax audit or investigation regarding our business or our acquired businesses; the impact that the CHIPS Act will have on increasing manufacturing capacity in our industry by providing incentives for us, our competitors and foundries to build new wafer manufacturing facilities or expand existing facilities; the amount and timing of any incentives we may receive under the CHIPS Act, the impact of current and future changes in U.S. corporate tax laws (including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017); fluctuations in our stock price and trading volume which could impact the number of shares we acquire under our share repurchase program and the timing of such repurchases; disruptions in our business or the businesses of our customers or suppliers due to natural disasters (including any floods in Thailand), terrorist activity, armed conflict, war, worldwide oil prices and supply, public health concerns or disruptions in the transportation system; and general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally.
For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to Microchip’s filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q. You can obtain copies of Forms 10-K and 10-Q and other relevant documents for free at Microchip’s website (www.microchip.com) or the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) or from commercial document retrieval services.
Stockholders of Microchip are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. Microchip does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after this May 8, 2025 press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
About Microchip:
Microchip Technology Incorporated is a leading provider of smart, connected and secure embedded control solutions. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs, which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. Our solutions serve approximately 109,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.
Note: The Microchip name and logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.
INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: Sajid Daudi — Head of Investor Relations….. (480) 792-7385
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
RUTLAND, VT – Last night in Rutland, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) hosted a community conversation where he discussed challenges facing Vermont and ways he is working to make Vermont’s communities more affordable, businesses more successful, and families healthier and safer. The town hall event was attended by hundreds of Vermonters.
“We have an affordability crisis, and Vermonters are worried about how Trump’s policies will impact their daily lives. In Rutland, I heard directly from folks who will be hurt by the Republicans’ budget—it will make feeding their families and accessing the health care they need more difficult,” said Senator Welch. “In true Rutland fashion, folks are united in trying to find a way to make things better, and I’m proud to join them in that effort. I’ll bring Vermonters’ concerns and priorities back to D.C. and continue to push back against Trump’s reckless agenda, which is already raising costs for hardworking families.”
Watch a video of the town hall here.
Support continues to grow for President Donald J. Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill — a generational opportunity to secure historic tax cuts, deficit reduction, border security, and more.
READ: The National Fraternal Order of Police endorses the One, Big, Beautiful Bill
In recent days:
The National Fraternal Order of Police — the nation’s largest organization of law enforcement —announcedtheir support, highlighting the bill’s strong pro-labor provisions: “The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ is more than legislation—it is a promise kept to the public safety officers across the country and a bold step toward an economy that respects, rewards, and uplifts the people who keep it safe … We appreciate that President Trump is always fighting for our nation’s law enforcement officers.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffyurgedthe Senate to quickly pass the bill and fund the long overdue modernization of America’s air traffic control systems: “We have an antiquated and old air traffic control system, anywhere from 25 to 35, 40 years old in some places. It is in desperate need of a brand-new build. We need Congress to act.”
National Federation of Independent Business SVP Jeff Brabantpraisedthe legislation’s commitment to economic prosperity: “This is one of the more pro-small business pieces of legislation, in my opinion, in recent history. Hopefully this thing becomes law.”
Scores of other organizations have declared their support for the One, Big, Beautiful Bill:
Association of Equipment Manufacturers SVP of Government and Industry Relations Kip Eideberg: “Equipment manufacturers applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will supercharge job creation and investment in domestic manufacturing. The bill’s critical tax proposals – including protecting the corporate tax rate, reinstating immediate R&D expensing, and increasing the pass-through deduction – will strengthen the U.S. equipment manufacturing industry and bolster our global competitiveness. We urge the Senate to keep these pro-manufacturing provisions and act swiftly to pass this historic legislation.”
National Restaurant Association President and CEO Michelle Korsmo: “This legislation is a major victory for restaurant owners, employees, and the communities they serve. It incorporates key tax provisions vital for industry growth, such as the 199A qualified business income deduction, full expensing of capital investments, and the reinstatement of depreciation and amortization in calculating business interest expenses. These measures are crucial for helping businesses have the working capital they need to cover payroll, manage rising supply costs, and stay competitive. The inclusion of the No Tax on Tips and No Tax on Overtime provisions recognizes the value of our dedicated workforce. More than two million tipped servers and bartenders stand to benefit, while the overtime measure rewards the commitment of over 13 million hourly team members across the sector. Tax policy can determine the survival of small businesses, especially restaurants, where pre-tax margins are often just 3–5%. The inclusion of so many supportive policies was made possible by the unified efforts of our National and State Association members, including the restaurant owners, industry advocates, and employees who shared compelling stories with House members about the positive effect these changes will have on businesses and local economies. We’re grateful for the strong policy provisions and look forward to collaborating with the Senate as the process moves forward.”
International Foodservice Distributors Association SVP of Government and Public Affairs Mala Parker: “IFDA applauds House passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes tax policy essential for the foodservice distribution industry, almost 90 percent of which are family-owned businesses. Increasing and making permanent the 199A pass-through deduction and estate tax exemption will provide certainty and encourage growth for the industry that makes meals away from home possible. We urge the Senate to maintain these provisions as the bill works its way through the legislative process.”
Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America SVP Nathan Riedel: “The House took a very big and positive step to bring economic certainty to thousands of small business owners and the consumers they represent. We urge the Senate to do its work to move this legislation forward.”
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Farm Bureau applauds the House passage of H.R.1, which modernizes farm bill programs and extends and improves critical tax provisions that benefit America’s small farmers and ranchers. Updated reference prices will provide more certainty for farmers struggling through tough economic times. Making business tax deductions permanent and continuing current estate tax exemptions will ensure thousands of families will be able to pass their farms to the next generation. We urge the Senate to work together and swiftly pass legislation to deliver much-needed relief to America’s farm and ranch families.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Neil Bradley: “The House sent a clear message today—American workers and businesses want and need permanent tax relief. A competitive, pro-growth tax code doesn’t just grow the overall U.S. economy, it raises wages for workers and improves the lives of Americans. The legislation passed out of the House this morning contains critical measures that support main street businesses, enhance America’s global competitiveness, and bolster sustained economic growth. The Chamber commends Speaker Johnson for his leadership and commitment to ensuring the permanence of President Trump’s pro-growth tax reforms, and applauds the lawmakers involved in driving this effort forward. We encourage the Senate to continue to move the legislative process forward to deliver lasting benefits for American workers and businesses.”
Airlines for America: “A4A commends the House for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which includes a critical investment of $12.5 billion for modernizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic facilities, systems and infrastructure. ATC staffing shortages and antiquated equipment, such as copper wires, floppy disks and paper strips, have been a serious concern for years—we are past time to make meaningful change and ensure that the United States has a world-class aviation system. This funding is a vital down payment on updating the system that guides 27,000 flights, 2.7 million passengers and 61,000 tons of cargo every day. The legislation also makes smart, strategic investments in Customs and Border Protection personnel and training for the aviation workforce of tomorrow while supporting American energy dominance in aviation fuel production. We encourage the Senate to move swiftly to pass this bill and send it to the President.”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein: “Cattle farmers and ranchers need Congress to invest in cattle health, strengthen our resources against foreign animal disease, support producers recovering from disasters or depredation, and pass tax relief that protects family farms and ranches for future generations. Thankfully, this reconciliation bill includes all these key priorities. NCBA was proud to help pass this bill in the House and we will continue pushing for these key policies until the bill is signed into law.”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi: “Big news from DC—the House just passed President Trump’s tax bill, bringing No Tax On Tips one step closer to the finish line. While it still needs to clear the Senate, this is a big win for hardworking @Uber drivers and couriers across the country 👏”
Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz: “Congratulations to President Trump and Speaker Johnson for passing their reconciliation bill in the House. This bill offers historic tax cuts for small businesses and ordinary Americans. By making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and expanding key provisions, such as the small business tax deduction, which Job Creators Network was the loudest voice for, this bill offers significant tax relief for decades to come. It will allow small businesses, the backbone of the American economy, to expand, hire, raise wages, and reinvest in their communities, ushering in a new economic Golden Age. On behalf of all small businesses, JCN thanks President Trump and Speaker Johnson for their leadership in passing this bill, which the media said couldn’t be done on this aggressive timeline. Now it’s time for the Senate to follow suit and pass similar legislation, which includes the House’s key small business tax cuts, as soon as possible.”
National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons: “Today’s House passage of this historic legislation marks a major victory for manufacturers across America. This pro-growth legislation preserves crucial tax policies that will enable manufacturers to create jobs, invest in their communities, grow here at home and compete globally. In short, this is a manufacturers’ bill … This is a pivotal moment. It’s time to double down on policies that encourage manufacturers to invest and create jobs in America and keep our industry strong and our nation competitive on the world stage—because when manufacturing wins, America wins.”
Business Roundtable President and COO Kristen Silverberg: “Under Speaker Johnson’s leadership, the House has achieved a major milestone toward extending and strengthening President Trump’s historic tax reform. Business Roundtable commends the House on taking a giant step forward to protect and boost the economic benefits that tax reform delivered for American businesses, workers and families. By maintaining a competitive corporate tax rate and enhancing essential domestic and international tax provisions, the House budget reconciliation bill will help fuel U.S. investment, innovation and economic growth. As the Senate prepares to act, we stand ready to continue working with Congress and the Administration to pass the most competitive, pro-growth tax package possible.”
American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers: “We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to help restore American energy dominance. By preserving competitive tax policies, beginning to reverse the ‘methane fee,’ opening lease sales and advancing important progress on permitting, this historic legislation is a win for our nation’s energy future. We look forward to working with the Senate to strengthen pro-investment provisions and keep America at the forefront of energy innovation.”
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors CEO Eric Hoplin: “We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and extend our sincere thanks to Speaker Mike Johnson, Chairman Jason Smith, the Ways and Means Committee, and House leadership for championing this pro-business, pro-worker legislation. This is a win for the people who roll up their sleeves every day to power our economy, entrepreneurs who build businesses from the ground up, and the workers who keep them running. We urge the Senate to act swiftly and send this bill to the President’s desk so America’s job creators and workers can keep driving our economy forward. The bill makes the 199A deduction permanent and expands it to 23%, helping millions of small businesses, including most wholesaler-distributors. It raises the death tax exemption, protecting family-owned businesses, and restores vital incentives that encourage investment, innovation, and long-term economic growth.”
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council President and CEO Karen Kerrigan: “H.R. 1 delivers a big, beautiful boost to U.S. entrepreneurship and small businesses. SBE Council applauds U.S. House passage of this critically important legislation. In addition to permanent tax relief and incentives that will help entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their firms, level up their businesses, and support their employees, various measures in the legislation correctly right-fit various federal programs and functions that have gone awry and consequently have undermined fiscal accountability and the private sector. Time is of the essence in getting the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk, and we urge the U.S. Senate to move post haste on the work that must be done to deliver the big benefits of the package to small business owners, all taxpayers, and the U.S. economy.”
National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen: “We commend the House for recognizing the importance of improving ATC infrastructure and strengthening the controller workforce to enhance safety and efficiency in the National Airspace System. Business aviation’s ability to serve citizens, companies and communities is only possible because the U.S. leads the world in aviation … As the House reconciliation bill moves to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance these forward-looking provisions that bolster an essential industry, support countless workers and promote American competitiveness.”
America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Jim Nussle: “Thank you to the U.S. House of Representatives for securing credit unions’ not-for-profit tax status as part of H.R. 1 and recognizing the industry’s importance to strong Main Streets across the country. More than 142 million Americans trust and rely on credit unions to achieve their American Dream, and this bill allows them to continue on their path of financial freedom. We will continue to advocate for policies that create more opportunities for credit unions to bolster our nation’s economic prosperity. We call on the U.S. Senate to continue to protect the credit union tax status as they consider this legislation.”
National Taxpayers Union Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold: “The bill passed by the House contains growth-focused tax relief and some important first steps toward long-needed spending restraint. The Senate now has a strong package that it can build upon and further improve.”
National Association of REALTORS Executive Vice President Shannon McGahn: “We appreciate House leaders for taking this important step with this tax reform bill, which supports hardworking families and strengthens the real estate economy. With lower tax rates, SALT relief, and new incentives for small businesses and community development, this proposal brings real benefits to everyday Americans.”
National Electrical Contractors Association CEO David Long: “These provisions recognize the real-world needs of the electrical construction industry. Whether it’s power generation, grid modernization, cutting-edge data center projects, or clean energy installations, electrical contractors are at the forefront of America’s infrastructure evolution. This legislation gives our contractors the certainty they need to plan, invest, and grow.”
American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Rosanna Maietta: “This is a win for Main Street businesses. We commend lawmakers for including critical tax provisions in the budget reconciliation bill that will prevent a tax increase on American workers and the small businesses that are the backbone of America’s hotel and lodging industry. This is a critical step to stave off the expiration of important tax provisions that will provide our members, the majority of whom are small business owners, the level of certainty they need to effectively operate their businesses. We urge the U.S. Senate to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to President Trump’s desk.”
National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler: “America’s pork producers are one step closer to more certainty with the House’s reconciliation bill passage, which includes necessary legislation to keep farms afloat during uncertain times.”
Associated Equipment Distributors President and CEO Brian P. McGuire: “AED commends House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team for securing House passage of the budget reconciliation bill. This legislation delivers pro-growth tax policies, streamlines energy project approvals and strengthens surface transportation infrastructure investments. We look forward to working with the Senate to ensure final passage of this comprehensive package.”
American Federation for Children CEO Tommy Schultz: “We are grateful for the efforts of Speaker Johnson and Congressional leaders in both chambers who have stood up so far to ensure that President Trump’s goal of school choice for every family in every state becomes a reality. American parents deserve nothing less, and we will continue working to get school choice across the finish line as the Senate can deliver on a historic national school choice tax credit. Bringing school choice to every state will be a legacy item for the lawmakers who stand boldly behind parents. We will continue to stand with them to achieve this goal.”
National Federation of Independent Business SVP for Advocacy Adam Temple: “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes the most important thing Congress can do to help small businesses and their workers – increasing and making the Small Business Deduction permanent. The bill also provides a tax cut for small business owners through lower individual rates, encourages new capital investments, and helps small business owners provide greater health care benefits to their employees. Members of Congress have a historic opportunity to provide over 33 million small business owners with permanent tax relief and NFIB strongly encourages them to do so.”
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor: “We’re grateful to our champions on Capitol Hill who have worked hard to preserve and extend rural priorities, like the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit. This budget reconciliation package would give farmers and ethanol producers the freedom and flexibility to deliver for the American people. It ultimately delivers on the President’s agenda—it’s good for rural communities, good for innovation, good for investment, and good for American energy dominance.”
Americans for Prosperity Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardner: “On behalf of our network of grassroots activists and small business owners nationwide, AFP congratulates Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer, and all the committee chairs for shepherding this legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives. Thanks to the efforts of policy champions across the House GOP conference, we are one step closer to giving Americans the pro-growth tax policy they voted for in November. Beyond cementing the foundation for a post-Biden economic recovery, we are poised to embrace an all-of-the-above approach to U.S. energy production, and finally secure our southern border.”
National Foreign Trade Council Vice President for International Tax Policy Anne Gordon: “We would like to once again thank Chairman Smith and the Ways & Means Committee and staff for their tireless work on this bill and Speaker Johnson and the leadership team for their efforts to bring critical U.S. tax legislation one step closer to becoming a reality. We congratulate the House on passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill and urge the Senate to take up work on it as quickly as possible.”
American Land Title Association CEO Diane Tomb: “We commend the House for passing legislation that recognizes the needs of American small businesses, including the thousands of title and settlement companies ALTA represents. The expanded deduction under Section 199A is a welcome step that supports the long-term health of our small business members and the communities they serve. ALTA is especially pleased to see the preservation of Section 1031 like-kind exchanges, which play a vital role in fueling real estate investment, promoting property improvements and driving local economic growth. Provisions supporting homeownership, including those related to mortgage interest and capital gains exclusions, help provide certainty for buyers, sellers and lenders alike—strengthening the entire housing ecosystem. We urge the Senate to build on this momentum and protect the real estate and housing incentives that help Americans build wealth, promote generational stability and drive our economy forward.”
NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director John Commerford: “This morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which includes the complete removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA). This represents a monumental victory for Second Amendment rights, eliminating burdensome regulations on the purchase of critical hearing protection devices. The NRA thanks the House members who supported this bill and urges its swift passage in the U.S. Senate.”
RATE Coalition Executive Director Dan Combs: “Today’s vote is an historic step toward securing a tax code that rewards investment, supports job growth, and puts American workers first. This legislation builds on the success of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preserving the policies that have helped drive wages up, unemployment down, and investment back into the U.S. economy. The House has done its part to move this forward. Now it’s time to keep that momentum going and get this across the finish line.”
Independent Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity Director Patrice Onwuka: “BOOM. Tax cuts, welfare reforms, green spending cuts, and border strengthening. Major credit is due to @SpeakerJohnson for getting @potus @realDonaldTrump #OneBigBeautifulBill through the House. He has proven to be a quiet force for conservatives. Now onto the Senate.”
Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins: “Our organization remains firmly committed to bringing the next generation home to rural Missouri. The legislation as passed contains top-tier Missouri Farm Bureau priorities to do just that, including making permanent several critical tax provisions such as an increased estate tax exemption, increasing access to Section 179 expensing, and ensuring continued use of key tools such as cash accounting, business interest deductions, and expensing for farms and small businesses. Additionally, the bill contains critical updates to the current farm safety net, including a reference price increase under farm bill programs and updates to dairy margin coverage. We are pleased to see several provisions related to promoting affordable, reliable and domestically produced energy and biofuels contained in the legislation. All of these things together, we believe, will help build a stronger and more resilient rural economy for our children and grandchildren to call home.”
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler J. Harper: “President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is a much-needed win for Georgia Farmers and American Agriculture after four years of failure under President Biden. I am grateful to every Georgia member who voted in favor, and I urge Senators Ossoff and Warnock to put partisan politics aside and support this critical legislation.”
Congressman Fry Leads Push for State-Led Management of South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) led a letter from Republican members of the South Carolina delegation to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, urging the Department of Commerce to adopt a new state-led framework for managing the snapper-grouper fishery in the South Atlantic. The letter calls for putting a stop to heavy-handed federal restrictions and letting states like South Carolina take the lead in managing and tracking their own fisheries.
Earlier this month, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a similar bill giving more control of the red snapper industry to the state.
The South Carolina lawmakers expressed strong concerns over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) reliance on flawed Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data, which has driven severe restrictions, including extremely short recreational red snapper seasons and expansive bottomfishing closures.
South Carolina’s recreational fishing and boating economy generates over $6.5 billion annually and supports more than 27,000 jobs. Local anglers and business owners—from Murrells Inlet to Hilton Head—depend on fair and effective fisheries management to sustain their way of life.
In their letter, the lawmakers urged the Department of Commerce to:
Pause implementation of Amendment 59 and similar federal closures
Support a cooperative, state-led fisheries management approach modeled after the successful Gulf red snapper program
Empower states to collect better data and deliver more balanced, accountable management
“For too long, federal mismanagement has hurt our coastal communities and undermined trust in the system,” said Congressman Fry. “South Carolina anglers deserve better than critical decisions based on bad data. It’s time to follow the successful model we’ve seen in the Gulf of America and let states lead the way, just like we did under the first Trump administration in the Gulf.”
This letter was signed by South Carolina Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, as well as South Carolina Representatives Sherri Biggs, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, William Timmons, and Joe Wilson.
Read the full letter here.
Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) highlighted the harm of President Trump’s ongoing tariff chaos at the Port of Seattle with Washington workers, businesses, and health care providers.
Tariffs are a tax on imported goods paid by American businesses and often passed along to American consumers. Since taking office, Trump has put sweeping tariffs in place against some of our closest allies and trading partners with no clear plan. In other instances, he has threatened to do so and pulled back at the last minute. This instability is extremely harmful to businesses and their customers as they cannot adequately plan for the future. This leads to more expensive business inputs, supply chain disruptions, and fewer markets available to sell goods into.
Tariffs hit Washington especially hard because the state is trade-dependent: 4-in-10 Washington jobs are tied to trade. Slowdowns at the Port of Seattle and other ports of entry can mean less work for longshoremen, truckers, and other shipping jobs, and fewer goods on shelves.
“Washington is a very trade-dependent state, and the president’s tariff chaos is hurting businesses, threatening jobs, and raising prices on families. Trump has no clear plan for his trade war, and damage is being done. As a former businesswoman, I know firsthand that businesses need stability to plan and grow,” said DelBene. “Congress must reassert its constitutional authority over trade by making clear any president must get a vote before putting in place sweeping tariffs.”
At the event, DelBene was joined by representatives from the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Port of Seattle, International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Washington Hospital Association, Overlake Medical Center, and SOGDA, a Washington-based seafood wholesaler.
“International trade and supply chains rely on predictable, consistent policy. We remain concerned about the market disruptions, cargo fluctuations, and lost business caused by the initial tariff implantation as well as the continued lack of clarity. We are deeply grateful to have Congresswoman DelBene advocating for trade policy that helps Washington businesses grow and prosper,” said Northwest Seaport Alliance and Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho.
“At the Northwest Seaport Alliance, we take pride in being a top export gateway for American agricultural goods and manufacturers. Trade wars often hit our exporters hardest, and we are closely tracking the impacts to Northwest producers. We hope our policymakers can continue working towards an outcome that lowers trade barriers and unnecessary tariffs. We thank Congresswoman DelBene for her steadfast commitment to these issues,” said Northwest Seaport Alliance and Port of Tacoma Commissioner Deanna Keller.
“We have seen a slowdown in cargo operations in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. We longshoremen need stability in long-term decisions from Washington, DC. These are 20- and 30-year decisions for international shipping companies that are being disrupted by daily changes currently. We look forward to jobs for longshoremen, trucking companies, warehouse workers, and farmers,” said ILWU President Mark Elverston.
DelBene has introduced several pieces of legislation that would ensure any president must come to Congress for a vote before any sweeping tariffs could be put in place. Republicans in Congress have hidden from votes on repealing Trump’s tariffs and voted against DelBene offering them as amendments to legislation. Two federal courts have now ruled that Trump’s tariffs are illegal but the administration has vowed to appeal.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2025 Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Congresswoman Barragán Highlights Community Need for Food Assistance as She Continues to Oppose Largest SNAP Cuts in History
Paramount, CA — Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) visited Mother’s Nutritional Center (MNC) in Paramount to highlight the need for SNAP food assistance benefits as House Republicans and Donald Trump push the largest proposed cuts to SNAP in U.S. history. She pointed out that House Republicans voted to cut billions in food assistance for millions of Americans just last week, as they raced to pass Donald Trump’s billionaires’ tax cut bill. These cuts would be devastating for children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who receive this assistance.
The Congresswoman was joined by the Mayor of Paramount, Peggy Lemons, the Senior Outreach Manager of MNC, and a SNAP recipient who talked about the food assistance she has received from Mother’s and how it has helped to put nutritious food on the table for her family.
“No one in this country should go hungry,” said Rep. Barragán. “Yet House Republicans want to force millions of Americans to go without enough food on their table — our families, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and even our veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. Republicans passed cuts to SNAP and food assistance in the dark of night to hide their actions from the American people and to give tax breaks to billionaires. Today, in broad daylight, we wanted to let the hardworking people of LA County know what they did and why these programs are so vitally important to so many. House Democrats will continue our fight to protect SNAP benefits and work so that families and individuals in our communities and throughout the country don’t go hungry.”
“In Paramount, we believe that no child should go hungry — especially during the summer months when school meals are no longer available. That’s why we partner with the Paramount Unified School District to offer programs like the Summer Nutrition and Activity Program which ran for several years. And through our current HEY — Healthy Eating for Youth — initiative, we provide free meals and daily recreation to all children 18 and under throughout the summer. For many families, this program fills a critical gap in both nutrition and enrichment,” said Mayor Lemons.
“SNAP helps support programs that keep our most vulnerable residents healthy and fed. In Paramount, we’ve seen firsthand the power of community partnerships in meeting basic needs. These efforts are made possible because of the support we receive from federal nutrition programs.
Negative impacts to SNAP would devastate school districts, students, and our children — not just in our city, but across the country.
As Mayor, I urge Congress to protect and invest in the vital safety net programs like SNAP that uplift our communities. The health and dignity of our neighbors depend on it.”
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla Joins Entire California Democratic Delegation in Urging Trump Administration to Protect Head Start Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined the entire California Democratic Congressional Delegation in urging President Donald Trump and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to safeguard federal funding for the Head Start program. The letter comes in response to alarming reports that the Trump Administration has considered eliminating Head Start funding during recent federal budget discussions.
California’s Head Start program is the largest in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, Head Start and Early Head Start programs served more than 94,000 children across the state. These programs offer critical support to children by integrating early education with health, nutrition, and family services, providing targeted support to those facing poverty, housing insecurity, and systemic inequities.
“From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability,” wrote the lawmakers. “These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.”
“The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic,” continued the lawmakers. “In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children — disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities. Thousands of parents would also lose their ability to go to work or school, and otherwise participate in the economy.”
Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has served over 40 million children and families nationwide. Decades of research confirm that the program improves school readiness, boosts long-term academic and employment outcomes, and helps break the cycle of poverty.
“Head Start is not optional — it is a national commitment that must be honored,” concluded the lawmakers. “For these reasons, we urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.”
U.S. Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) led the letter. In addition to Senator Padilla, the letter was also co-signed by Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), and Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-33), Ami Bera (D-Calif.-06), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Lou Correa (D-Calif.-46), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Adam Gray (D-Calif.-13), Josh Harder (D-Calif.-09), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), Mark Takano (D-Calif.-39), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04), Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43), and George Whitesides (D-Calif.-27).
Senator Padilla has been a leading advocate in condemning the Trump Administration’s attacks on Head Start and child care. Last month, Padilla and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led 25 Senators in slamming the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC) and demanding Secretary Kennedy immediately reinstate these employees. Padilla also joined 41 Senators in another letter blasting the Trump Administration’s direct attacks on the Head Start program.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
President Trump and Secretary Kennedy:
We write today to express serious concern over reports that your Administration considered proposals to eliminate federal funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start program in recent budget discussions. While we are relieved that the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Fiscal Year 2026 proposal did not include this cut, that such an action was even contemplated underscores the vulnerability of this vital program under your Administration. As members of the California Congressional Delegation, we urge you to safeguard this critical program, which plays an irreplaceable role in supporting California’s children and families, especially those facing economic hardship and systemic barriers.
California is home to one of the largest populations of Head Start children in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, more than 94,000 children and pregnant women in California were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs. These services are not just beneficial—they are essential. From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability. These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.
Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has supported more than 40 million children and their families nationwide—and millions in California alone. Research continues to confirm what educators and parents have long known: Head Start works. It boosts school readiness, improves long-term academic outcomes, increases high school graduation and employment rates, and helps break cycles of generational poverty.
The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic. In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children—disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities. Thousands of parents would also lose their ability to go to work or school, and otherwise participate in the economy.
Head Start is not optional—it is a national commitment that must be honored. For these reasons, we urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Warren, Waters Lead Fight to Continue Funding for Emergency Housing Voucher Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, along with Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, led nearly 100 lawmakers in urging Congressional Appropriations leadership to include robust funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program as part of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding legislation. Tens of thousands of Americans depend on this vital program for safe, stable, and affordable housing. The letter comes as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced in March that the program will soon run out of money due largely to rents rising at the fastest pace in decades.
“[Public Housing Agencies] in every state have benefited from the improved voucher issuance and utilization that the EHV program provides, as have the people and communities they serve,” wrote the lawmakers. “Congress must provide sufficient and robust funding to ensure that the families who rely on EHVs don’t lose their housing.”
“The EHV program provides rental assistance to help end and prevent homelessness,” continued the lawmakers. “At a time when housing costs and homelessness continue to rise, we respectfully request that you provide adequate funding in the FY26 THUD Appropriations bill to renew all EHVs to ensure that those who have been served by the program do not lose their housing support and to ensure landlords continue receiving the rental payments they depend on to maintain their properties.”
As of April, this critical program supports 107,000 individuals who are mostly children under five years old, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and domestic violence survivors. California received 15,417 of the 70,000 emergency housing vouchers authorized by Congress, but the program is now at risk. Support for the program is especially important as the Trump Administration cuts vital HUD funding and support staff.
The EHV program was established in 2021 through the American Rescue Plan. Congress originally authorized $5 billion in funding for 70,000 vouchers through September 2030, with increased flexibilities for public housing authorities that made the program more successful than typical housing vouchers.
Several leading national housing groups — including the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA), National Association of Housing Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the Moving-to-Work (MTW) Collaborative, and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) — wrote a separate letter to Congressional appropriations leadership pushing for adequate funding and flexibilities for the EHV program.
“Funding the EHV program was, and remains, the right thing to do, and is a smart use of federal dollars. It would be more expensive to rehouse or provide services for these individuals after becoming homeless again than it would to keep them housed with additional EHV funding,” the letter from the housing advocates reads. “Without these critical provisions and continued investment, PHAs will face major funding shortfalls in 2027, putting thousands of households at risk of losing their homes. Families who were previously at risk of homelessness and found stability through the EHV program could once again face housing insecurity.”
In addition to Padilla, Warren, and Waters, the bicameral letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), as well as Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.-03), Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-03), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.-02), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.-05), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), André Carson (D-Ind.-07), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.-05), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.-09), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.-03), Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.-07), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37), Cleo Fields (D-La.-06), Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.-04), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas-29), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.-02), Al Green (D-Texas-09), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05), James Himes (D-Conn.-04), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04), Val Hoyle (D-Ore.-04), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.-01), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio-01), John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.-03), James McGovern (D-Mass.-02), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.-05), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.-04), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.-14), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.-07), Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.-AL), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.-13), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.-05), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.-24).
Senator Padilla believes everyone deserves access to affordable and safe housing and recognizes the need to drastically increase the affordable housing stock to address the homelessness crisis facing California and the country, including through his Housing for All Act. Padilla has fought against the Trump Administration’s proposals to cut HUD staff and field offices who help provide crucial housing services. Padilla and U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II recently led more than 100 Democrats in the Senate and House in condemning staffing cuts and potential closures of HUD field offices across the country. Earlier this year, Senator Padilla sounded the alarm that these wide-ranging cuts would hamper HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities and address the housing and homelessness crises. He also helped secure a Government Accountability Office investigation into how these cuts will impact the federal government’s ability to enforce the Fair Housing Act.
Full text of the bicameral letter requesting robust funding in the FY 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Related Agencies Appropriations bill is available here and below:
Dear Chair Hyde-Smith, Ranking Member Gillibrand, Chair Womack, and Ranking Member Clyburn:
As you develop the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we respectfully request that you include funding to ensure that the nearly 60,000 households who are currently being served by the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program do not fall into homelessness.
During the pandemic, Congress appropriated $5 billion in mandatory funding for the EHV program to help people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking, access safe, stable and affordable housing during a moment of crisis.
Since 2021, the success of the EHV program and its design, which includes critical administrative flexibilities that are responsive to a tumultuous housing market, cannot be overstated. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that EHVs are leasing at a rate faster than any previous housing voucher program within HUD and drove unprecedented collaboration among public housing agencies (PHAs), homeless services organizations, and victim services organizations to provide rapid and effective housing assistance to vulnerable populations. PHAs in every state have benefited from the improved voucher issuance and utilization that the EHV program provides, as have the people and communities they serve. Congress must provide sufficient and robust funding to ensure that the families who rely on EHVs don’t lose their housing.
We understand that the Subcommittee must make difficult decisions. However, the EHV program provides rental assistance to help end and prevent homelessness. At a time when housing costs and homelessness continue to rise, we respectfully request that you provide adequate funding in the FY26 THUD Appropriations bill to renew all EHVs to ensure that those who have been served by the program do not lose their housing support and to ensure landlords continue receiving the rental payments they depend on to maintain their properties. Thank you for your consideration of this request and your continued support for the most vulnerable Americans.
In the past few days, discussion around whether Israel is committing acts of genocide in Gaza has intensified. On May 28 The Guardian reported that “380 writers and groups” had signed an open letter calling Israel’s military campaign in Gaza “genocide”. The letter reads, in part:
The use of the words ‘genocide’ or ‘acts of genocide’ to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organizations.
This followed news of a letter to the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, signed by more than 800 lawyers, including former supreme court justices, calling on the prime minister to impose sanctions on the Israeli government.
“There is mounting evidence of genocide, which is either being perpetrated or at a minimum at serious risk of occurring,” the letter stated, adding that a recent statement from Israel’s finance minister Belazel Smotrich that the Israel Defense Forces would “wipe out” what remains of Palestinian Gaza was an indication of genocidal intent.
One of the signatories was Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, a senior research fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, who has a track record of expertise in international humanitarian law. The Conversation spoke with him to discuss the issue. He said:
There is no doubt in my mind that war crimes have been committed and although genocide is basically an extreme form of war crime, it can be notoriously difficult to establish intent to destroy a people, in part or in whole.
The task of proving genocide is hard enough, but [in this case] the evidence can be gathered from the facts on the ground – they speak for themselves. And intent can be inferred from what politicians and officials actually say, especially when it is not denied or qualified.
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But he said he had “reservations about whether, at an inter-state level, a charge of genocide would be levelled against Israel by more than a few states. And if it succeeded, the legal and political consequences.”
But individual prosecutions for war crimes and genocide are “always a distinct possibility,” he added.
In fact, the crime of genocide has only been recognised on a handful of occasions since it was first established in 1948. James Sweeney, an expert in international law from Lancaster University has written a brief history of genocide.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank city of Jenin, IDF forces sparked international outrage when they fired “warning shots” closer to a group of 25 diplomats on a fact-finding visit in the wake of an Israeli military offensive there.
Andrew Forde, an expert in international humanitarian law at Dublin City University, considers that this act “crossed the Rubicon”, which is the convention, universally accepted over millennia, of the inviolability of diplomats and their staff. It’s a clear breach, he writes of article 29 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, to which Israel is a signatory, which states that the host state “shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on [their] person, freedom or dignity”.
Israel responded by offering an apology, but claimed that the diplomats in question had “deviated from the approved route” by entering a restricted area”.
The incident forced the group of diplomats to scramble for cover and hindered their work in Jenin, Forde writes. As such it is a flagrant breach of Israel’s duty of care. And it sets a dangerous precedent: “Diplomatic protections work effectively when they are reciprocal. Without trust, the system quickly unravels.”
Israel’s campaign in Gaza is a factor in a hugely complex situation being played out at present in the Middle East, which is straining the relationship between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump. The US president is talking up the idea of signing a new nuclear deal with Iran to replace the one he withdrew from in 2018. The Israeli prime minister is bitterly opposed to an US-Iran deal and has proposed launching strikes against Iran’s nuclear installations. The pair reportedly clashed over the issue in a phone call this week.
But Trump recently returned from a trip to the Gulf States, none of which want the sort of regional conflagration that Israeli strikes on Iran could cause. And, as Scott Lucas of University College Dublin writes, he is also very keen to burnish his credentials as a dealmaker, especially in light of his failure to bring the Ukraine war to a close within 24 hours and the failure of the ceasefire in Gaza for which he has claimed much of the credit.
As Lucas writes, “even as Trump does what he wants over Iran to Netanyahu’s chagrin, the Israeli prime minister is finding that Trump is not restricting what he does closer to home in Gaza”.
Volodymr Zelensky flew to Berlin this week where he met the German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Germany would work with Ukraine to develop long-range missiles to attack targets inside Russia. It’s part of an overall plan to expand Germany’s military into the “strongest conventional army in Europe”.
Stefan Wolff believes Germany’s decision to step up both its military capabilities and its support for Ukraine is highly significant when considered in the context of Donald Trump’s recent threats to abandon his efforts to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
Wolff, an expert in international security from the University of Birmingham, who has written regularly for The Conversation about the war in Ukraine, says here that “Berlin has the financial muscle and the technological and industrial potential to make Europe more of a peer to the US when it comes to defence spending and burden sharing.” Given the US decision to downscale its security presence in Europe, this could be of enormous consequence for Nato, he writes.
This is also an important development coming, as it does, just a few weeks before Nato’s summit in The Hague on June 24-25. As Amelia Hadfield writes, most of Nato’s members will be only too aware of Trump’s disparagement of Nato and many of its members in recent times and will be considering the potential for a future without US leadership.
Hadfield, the head of the department of politics at the University of Surrey, notes the irony of Washington calling on the European Nato members to pay more for their own defence. Over much of the lifetime of the alliance, she writes, the US has actively discouraged European defence autonomy. Now, she says, the focus of Nato’s 31 other members must be to prepare for the likelihood that the US plans to at least significantly reduce its support for the alliance in Europe. “A clear mandate is needed, to ensure that being US-less does not render Nato itself useless,” she writes.
This is already starting to happen, as countries join the “coalition of the willing” spearheaded by Britain and France. But Hadfield believes that boosting European capabilities within Nato is the most sensible way forward and should be the focus of next month’s summit.
Donald Trump’s on again off-again relationship with Vladimir Putin is confusing enough for casual followers of world affairs. It must present a considerable headache for the foreign ministers and other diplomats tasked with calibrating their policies around the US stance on Russian aggression.
But history suggests that the US president’s apparent willingness to allow Russia to grab Ukrainian territory in direct contravention of international law is storing up trouble for the future, writes Tim Luckhurst.
Luckhurst is the principal of South College, Durham University, and has made a study of the way some governments were happy to allow Hitler to get away with naked aggression in the run-up to the second world war. He sees direct parallels with the way Trump and his senior officials have proposed allowing Putin to have his way with the Crimea and the four provinces of Ukraine which Russia already occupies.
“Chamberlain’s version of appeasement failed to prevent Adolf Hitler’s aggression in the 20th century,” he writes. “Trump’s version appears equally incapable of deterring Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambitions in the 21st.”
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Congress, the executive branch, all lower federal courts, and every state supreme court have ethics guardrails and a mechanism for enforcing ethics rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA-04) in reintroducing the bicameral Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act, legislation to require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding code of conduct and create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws. The SCERT Act would improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, end the practice of justices ruling on their own conflicts of interests, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.
“Vermonters I talk with don’t understand why Supreme Court justices are allowed to accept lavish private airplane travel and yacht vacations from billionaires. It’s no surprise that these ethical problems have shattered public trust in our nation’s most powerful court,” said Senator Welch. “This ethics legislation is unfortunately necessary, because the Supreme Court will not do what it has the responsibility to do. This is a long-overdue step, and one my Republican colleagues should support.”
“Supreme Court justices have repeatedly gotten caught red-handed receiving extravagant gifts from politically active billionaires and refusing to report the gifts as required by law. It’s not even clear proper taxes were paid. Despite these ethical problems, the Court does not allow basic fact-finding regarding the justices’ behavior, or any neutral process to resolve ethics questions,” said Senator Whitehouse. “This Court has repeatedly proven that it cannot police itself, so it’s time for fair and transparent guardrails, with clear procedures for receiving, investigating, and resolving ethics complaints. With Trump’s persistent improper pressure on the judiciary, it’s now urgent to get this right.”
“A judiciary whose members are accountable for their conduct, that is transparent to its citizens, and that is free from bias or partiality is truly independent,” said Representative Johnson. “Americans need to feel confident that when serious concerns arise, the judiciary can diligently investigate and correct judicial misconduct, no matter who might be implicated. That is a judiciary whose judgements will be accepted, observed, and respected. An independent judiciary is crucial to our democracy now more than ever.”
In the last two years, reporting from ProPublica and the New York Times has exposed Justice Clarence Thomas’s long record of accepting undisclosed gifts from politically active right-wing billionaires. Further reporting from ProPublica found that Justice Samuel Alito accepted private jet travel to an all-expenses-paid vacation from a hedge fund billionaire who had contributed over $80 million to Republican political organizations and had business before the Court. Justice Alito’s luxury vacation was organized by Leonard Leo, the engineer of the current right-wing Supreme Court supermajority at the behest of a cadre of right-wing billionaires and special interests.
The SCERT Act would address these ethical shortfalls and help restore Americans’ faith in the judicial branch. The bill would:
Develop a Process for Enforcement of a Code of Conduct
Require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct within 180 days;
Require the Supreme Court to publish its code of conduct and any other rules or procedures related to ethics, financial disclosure, and judicial misconduct;
Require the Supreme Court to create a transparent process for the public to submit ethics complaints against the justices, and for a random panel of chief judges from the lower courts to investigate and make recommendations based on those complaints;
Require safeguards modeled on the lower courts’ complaints process to deter and punish frivolous ethics complaints.
Improve Gift Rules and Transparency
Require the Supreme Court to adopt rules requiring disclosure of gifts, travel, and income received by justices and law clerks that are at least as rigorous as the House and Senate disclosure rules;
Require the rules for what gifts justices can accept to be as restrictive as Congress’s;
Require greater disclosure of amicus curiae funding;
Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any recent gifts, travel, or reimbursements they’ve given to a justice;
Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any lobbying or money they spent promoting a justice’s confirmation to the Court.
Strengthen Recusal Requirements
Create new recusal requirements governing gifts, income, or reimbursements given to judges;
Create new recusal requirements governing a party’s lobbying or spending money to campaign for a judge’s confirmation;
Ensure that requests for a judge to recuse are reviewed by a panel of randomly selected, impartial judges, or by the rest of the justices at the Supreme Court;
Require written notification and explanations of recusal decisions;
Require the judiciary to develop rules explaining when a judge’s connection to an amicus curiae brief might require recusal; and
Require the Federal Judicial Center to study and report to Congress every two years on the extent to which the judiciary is complying with recusal requirements.
Late last year, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts released a report that found every state supreme court (or equivalent high court) subjects its judges or justices to ethics reviews—similar to the processes that apply to all federal judges except the Supreme Court under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act. The SCERT Act would eliminate this loophole by establishing an ethics review process for the Supreme Court.
In addition to Senators Welch and Whitehouse, the legislation is cosponsored by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act is endorsed by Accountable.US/Accountable.NOW, Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Citizens United/Let America Vote, Demand Justice, Fix the Court, New York City Bar Association, People’s Parity Project, League of Conservation Voters, Court Accountability Action, Free Law Project, American Governance Institute, Lawyers for Good Government, Public Citizen, and Stand Up America.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Welch continues to push for transparency and ethics reform at the U.S. Supreme Court. Last year, Senator Welch led his colleagues in introducing the High Court Gift Ban Act, bicameral legislation that would ban Supreme Court Justices from receiving gifts valued at over $50 and help strengthen ethical standards of the Supreme Court. In October 2011, Senator Welch joined 45 of his then-House colleagues in sending a letter to the House Judiciary Committee urging the investigation of outstanding ethical questions surrounding the court.
Read and download the full text of the SCERT Act.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led 14 of his colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to swiftly reinstate terminated employees at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ahead of the upcoming hurricane season. In their letter, the Senators emphasized that staff reductions at both agencies pose a threat to public safety and emergency preparedness by undercutting essential forecasting and weather monitoring systems. The Senators requested information on how the administration plans to address staffing at both agencies.
NWS maintains 122 weather forecast offices across the United States which are responsible for providing 24/7 weather monitoring and forecasts. The NWS Forecast Office in Burlington, Vermont, is vital to providing Vermonters with information on how to prepare for and protect their families from flooding and extreme weather events. The Department of Commerce is reportedly planning to eliminate an additional 1,000 staff from NOAA, including at NWS, in the coming weeks. These cuts, combined with current staffing constraints, could reduce the NWS workforce by 15% just months into 2025.
“NWS would be unable to provide accurate and timely forecasts without sufficient staffing levels at weather forecast offices nationwide. In addition to daily forecasting operations, weather forecast offices are responsible for issuing emergency weather warnings ahead of events such as major floods, wildfire hazards, hurricanes, and blizzard conditions,” wrote the Senators. “As the frequency and severity of such disasters increase, maintaining NWS’s real-time forecasting operations is essential to saving lives and reducing the cost of recovery for disaster-affected communities.”
The Senators continued: “NWS employees and the programs they support are essential to the safety of the millions of Americans impacted by storms and disasters each year. On February 27, 2025, 108 probationary NWS employees were terminated, adding to the 170 staff who accepted the Administration’s ‘deferred resignation’ plan earlier that month. These staffing cuts are already impacting NWS services, forcing NWS to halt weather balloon launches in New York, Maine, and Alaska that provide daily weather data to meteorologists at weather forecast offices across the country.”
“As we head into hurricane season, 30 weather forecast offices are without a meteorologist-in-charge, one is completely without any managers at all, and nearly a dozen are preparing to shut down 24/7 services without immediate action to address shortages,” wrote the Senators. “We urge you to reassess the staffing needs at NOAA and NWS and reinstate terminated probationary employees swiftly.”
The Senators requested answers to the following questions:
How many of the NWS regional weather forecast offices were impacted by terminations or deferred resignations since January 20, 2025? Please provide a list of affected offices, including how many staff departed and how many remain.
With reports of at least one weather forecast office in Goodland, Kansas stopping 24/7 operations due to staffing shortages, how do the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to maintain continued 24/7 operation of forecasting offices without requiring excessive overtime hours from staff?
With a requested budget cut of $1.311 billion for NOAA’s overall budget, and a $209 million cut for NWS procurement of weather satellites and infrastructure9, how does the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to ensure adequate staffing and preparedness in the midst of worsening storm seasons, increasing heat waves, and changing weather patterns?
As NWS employees are critical to public safety, especially heading into hurricane season, will the Department of Commerce grant an exemption to the hiring freeze to fill these crucial positions?
In addition to Senator Welch, the letter was cosigned by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
Read the full text of the letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Acting Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Laura Grimm.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Last Week, The House GOP Rushed To Pass Trump’s Tax Giveaway To Billionaires, That Guts Food Assistance And Medicaid, AND Also Kills The Fed Clean Energy Investments NY Companies Are Using To Lower Energy Costs, Create Good-Paying Union Jobs & Bring Manufacturing Back From China
Since The Inflation Reduction Act Passed Three Years Ago, NY Companies Have Announced Over $5 BILLION In Clean Manufacturing Investments Creating Thousands Of Good-Paying Jobs From Long Island To Buffalo; Senator Warns What Will Happen If GOP Doesn’t Back Off Plan To Kill Clean Energy And Manufacturing
Schumer: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Is An Ugly Mess That Means Bigger Electric Bills & Big Job Losses For New York
Just a week after House Republicans passed Trump’s devastating bill to kill clean energy incentives so they could give tax breaks to billionaires, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed how tax hikes on clean energy tucked in the bill would be a gut punch to New York’s economy.
Schumer said new data studies from NERA Economic Consulting shows that repealing the clean energy tax credits could cause New York to lose up to 20,300 jobs as clean energy projects are cancelled or scaled back due to lack of incentive, with a whopping nearly $3.5 billion hit to the state’s GDP and New Yorkers paying up to $650 in higher energy costs each year by 2032 if these devastating cuts become law.
“Higher energy bills and many thousands fewer jobs, that’s what New York gets under Trump’s reckless tax bill, which is a giveaway to billionaires and corporations. Already, thousands of New Yorkers were making improvements to their homes to lower their electric bills and make their homes warmer in the harsh winters, now they lose all that support. Thousands of new jobs building clean energy projects in every corner of the state and bringing manufacturing back from China will all be vaporized by the GOP’s ugly budget bill. It is a gut punch to New York and a gift to China, which wants to dominate clean energy manufacturing,” said Senator Schumer. “Losing these clean energy projects means losing cheaper electricity for families and businesses. We need more energy production from many sources including wind and solar and water; we need America to be energy independent and to manufacture clean energy technology here, not overseas, and eliminating these tax credits radically and irresponsibly rolls back all the progress we have made in recent years. It turns America’s clean energy boom into a bust.”
Schumer explained that the bill which passed the Republican House last week would kill clean energy incentives created in the Inflation Reduction Act, these tax credits are already benefiting hundreds of New York businesses with ongoing projects and families who are using them to help improve their homes and lower their electric bills. These cuts are broad and deep to New York’s clean energy sector, Schumer specifically highlighted how the bill would:
Eliminates the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit, which provides families in New York up to $3,200 to help weatherize their homes for better protection in the harsh winters and make improvements to make their homes more energy efficient to lower their electric bills with qualifying items like doors, windows, better insulation and heat pumps.
Eliminates the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which gives New York families a 30% discount on home energy improvements, like solar panels, heat pumps, or energy storage, that help lower energy bills and keep the lights on during power outages.
Eliminates the Clean Electricity Investment & Production Credits that support more cheap, clean electricity. With natural gas turbines on a five-year delay, the IRA’s clean electricity tax credits have ensured a robust buildout of wind and solar power while helping keep electricity prices from increasing and spurring demand for American-made energy products.
Sabotages the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit that has generated a more than five-fold increase in investment in manufacturing in the solar and EV supply chains, creating thousands of jobs and shifting these industries out of China to the U.S.
Eliminates the IRA’s Electric Vehicle Tax Credits that make it cheaper to buy new and used electric and plug-in hybrid cars, and has led to a massive onshoring of EV and battery supply chain manufacturing, undercutting China and bolstering American companies.
Eliminates the New Energy-Efficient Home Credit that makes it cheaper to build new, highly efficient and affordable homes, expanding the housing supply while reducing energy costs.
Eliminates the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit that supports American-made clean hydrogen, led by New York companies like Plug Power and Air Products, to be used for clean manufacturing and agriculture.
Schumer said that clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act have created the biggest clean energy boom in American history, but now with many of these core provisions being clawed back or eliminated it risks all the progress that has been made in New York and across the country. The senator said if NY energy projects are forced to stop or scale back, energy costs would increase for families and businesses across the country. With electricity demand surging in New York and across the country, clean energy sources like wind and many other sources of clean power are often the most efficient sources of new electricity, much cheaper than traditional alternatives like natural gas and oil. NERA Economic Consulting estimates costs for New York families could increase by $650 a year, as the Republican plan to gut the clean electricity production and investment tax credits makes it more expensive to provide more electricity, while simultaneously killing the Residential Clean Energy and Energy Efficient Home Improvement tax credits makes it more costly for families to make their homes more efficient and reduce their energy bills.
Schumer added, “Democrats are united in opposing this cruel and counterproductive bill, and these ill-conceived elimination of energy tax credits so they can put more money in the pockets of billionaires. We need the GOP to block these cuts, otherwise it will be American families and our manufacturing future paying the price.”
The Clean Economy Tracker estimates the Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives have spurred over $5 billion worth of investments in clean manufacturing in New York, creating over 7,200 jobs. Schumer said if this House Republican plan goes through, many of the clean energy projects spurred by the IRA could be forced to scale back or even stop and the workers building the future of American energy would be laid off, and projects that otherwise would have come online will never come to fruition. That would impact both major NY employers and manufacturers in the clean energy, manufacturing, electric vehicle, battery, research sector and our small businesses. One example is Geothermal Works in the Hudson Valley, a small Westchester based family business with that helps homes get updated with heat pumps and geothermal systems to lower their electric costs, who said that if the current clean energy cuts go through in the GOP bill it would shutter their business and force them into early retirement.
Below are just some examples of projects spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act in New York State that show why eliminating these provisions could be so harmful:
Off Long Island, Equinor invested $5 billion in building a massive offshore wind farm project, Empire Wind, that will provide power for hundreds of thousands of homes in New York State, and is supported by tax credits for offshore wind projects created by the Inflation Reduction Act .
In the Capital Region, Plug Power invested $125 million in a new green hydrogen fuel cell factory in 2023, creating new good paying jobs to boost production of clean hydrogen fuel cells with support from the Fuel Cell Production Tax Credit. Additionally, the company is poised to harness the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act, to spur further growth both in the Capital Region and at Plug’s Henrietta, NY Gigafactory in the Finger Lakes that manufactures Electrolyzers. GE Vernova invested $50 million in a new manufacturing line for its onshore wind business in 2023, hiring 200 new workers with support from a production tax credit for U.S. wind turbine manufacturing created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
In Western New York, Viridi Parente a fast growing company on Buffalo’s East Side has added hundreds of good-paying jobs growing the domestic battery manufacturing industry with support from clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Production tax credit. Solar Liberty Energy Systems and PanelClaw are installing thousands of solar panels at homes and businesses. Solar Liberty Energy Systems is helping customers navigate available federal clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the burden of installation costs while PanelClaw is producing racking systems with help from the American Domestic Manufacturing Bonus tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
Since Trump was elected, approximately $14 billion worth of manufacturing projects have been outright cancelled, representing more than 13,000 jobs lost. If the GOP plan to raise taxes on energy goes through, those cancellations could balloon to threaten more than $800 billion in private investment in domestic clean energy made in the past three years across the country, according to the Clean Investment Monitor. NERA Economic Consulting estimates that New York could lose an estimated 20,300 jobs if these tax breaks are killed. Schumer said the House Republican bill would repeal the very parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that have helped companies grow in New York and spurred millions of investments, many of which are in Republican districts.
Repealing the clean energy tax incentives would also be a disaster for America and Schumer said that would cede energy manufacturing leadership to China, which already produces a significant amount of the world’s clean technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. If companies can no longer support clean energy manufacturing in the United States, they will bring these projects to America’s competitors, and jobs that would’ve otherwise been created in America will be created in countries like China. This will destabilize American supply chains and make American families and businesses reliant on China for cheap energy.
“No matter which way you slice it, the House Republican bill is bad news for New Yorkers. Shutting down projects, killing jobs, and increasing electricity bills would be devastating for our state, which is why we need Republicans to stand up to this bill to save investments in homegrown American energy,” concluded Schumer.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced postponing full closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway, between Blowing Rock and Beacon Heights, until 2026 to accommodate for community recovery efforts in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
“Communities in Western North Carolina were hit hard by Hurricane Helene, and as we begin to rebuild, closing the Blue Ridge Parkway at this juncture would only set us back. The Parkway serves as a lifeline to small businesses and recreation access across the Appalachian Region — bringing tourists, supporting local businesses, and keeping our economy moving. I’m grateful the Trump administration recognized our state’s needs following a letter I sent last month. This is the right decision to prioritize the near-term recovery of our region while still ensuring the resurfacing project is completed in the future,” said Senator Budd.
Read the full text of the letter from the Trump administration HERE.
Background
In April 2025, Senator Budd was joined by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, requesting DOI to consider options to delay the resurfacing of the Blue Ridge Parkway until after the peak 2025 recreation season. Read the full text of the letter HERE.
Report reveals 1 in 6 survivors were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing
WASHINGTON – A new report about the aftermath of the August 2023 Lahaina, Hawaii, fires reveals FEMA’s horrific neglect and mismanagement under the Biden Administration.
According to the report, issued by Filipino Hawaiian advocacy group Tagnawa, conditions for survivors in the aftermath of the fire were both appalling and inhumane. 1 in 6 survivors were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing and some women had to sleep in cars because they felt unsafe in FEMA-coordinated shelters.
“1 in 6 survivors of the Lahaina Fires were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing. These women — our fellow American citizens — were so desperate for food that they had to resort to such extreme measures just to feed themselves in our own country. That’s unacceptable. That is unAmerican,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “While American citizens from Hawaii to North Carolina suffered, Biden and Mayorkas used FEMA as a piggy bank, spending hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars to housing illegal aliens, including at the Roosevelt Hotel that served as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to shelter Laken Riley’s killer.”
This is yet another outrageous example of the gross mismanagement and poor treatment of Americans under the prior administration.
This will never happen again under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem.
In the face of global instability, the first session of the 43rd parliament focused on growing a stronger, more self-sufficient economy that supports good-paying jobs and protecting the services British Columbians rely on.
“In this time of rapid change and disruption, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here in British Columbia,” said Premier David Eby. “We have everything we need to build lasting prosperity, including the abundant natural resources, clean energy and critical minerals and metals the world needs. That’s why we are taking action to leverage our strengths. B.C. will emerge from this global transition as Canada’s economic engine.”
Key actions during the spring session include:
Standing strong for B.C. and Canada: Standing up to the Trump administration by passing a new law to respond quickly to tariff threats, including by removing interprovincial trade barriers, pulling American liquor from store shelves and directing government to cancel contracts with U.S. companies and support suppliers from Canada and trusted trading partners.
Growing the economy and creating good jobs: Expediting major natural-resource and renewable-energy projects in partnership with First Nations equity owners, while passing new laws to get vital public infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, built faster and create good jobs throughout the province. Government also outlined a new vision for mining development in the northwest focused on generating tens of billions of dollars in investment and creating thousands of family-supporting jobs.
Helping people with costs: Eliminating the consumer carbon tax, while ensuring big polluters pay their fair share. Delivering a fifth ICBC rebate to drivers, while maintaining basic car insurance rates through to 2026, marking six years in a row with no increases. Seniors with low incomes are also receiving more financial help to pay their rent.
Strengthening health care: Recruiting more doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals from the United States by fast-tracking credential recognition for nurses and launching a targeted marketing campaign, while introducing legislation to prohibit employers from requiring employees who are sick to provide a doctor’s note, freeing doctors to spend more time treating patients.
This session, the B.C. government also launched the Clean Power Action Plan to harness B.C.’s clean-electricity advantage through a second call for power to power 500,000 homes, building on the first call for power that attracted $6 billion in private-sector investment. In addition, government has openedhundreds of new homes for families, delivered a relief package to tree-fruit growers and made heat pumps more affordable for low- and moderate-income households.
The legislature has passed 13 pieces of legislation this session, including two members’ bills. The Supply Bill will be introduced and passed on Thursday, May 29, 2025, bringing the total to 14 pieces of legislation. Three other bills will be considered in the fall session.
“The challenges our province and country faces are best met with a united front,” said Mike Farnworth, government house leader and Minister of Transportation and Transit. “This past session, our government has worked closely with the Green Party caucus to put B.C. first and work together on our shared priorities. We’re removing barriers to interprovincial trade, reducing everyday costs for British Columbians and addressing the shift in the global economy by leveraging our province’s many advantages.”
Learn More:
To learn more about the legislation introduced this spring, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/legislation
To learn more about the government’s new vision for mining development in the northwest, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PREM0059-000496
To learn more about the government’s efforts to recruit health-care workers from the U.S., visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025HLTH0020-000443
To learn more about the Clean Power Action Plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025ECS0018-000412
Headline: DHS Secretary Noem Doubles Down and Escalates Action Against Harvard for their Continued Antisemitic Behavior, Fostering Violence, and CCP Coordination
lass=”text-align-center”>The Trump Administration will be relentless in its efforts to end Harvard’s abuse of the American taxpayer and national security interests The United States Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem continued to hold Harvard University accountable for failing to comply with Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) regulations, for encouraging and allowing antisemitic and anti-American violence to rage on its campus, and for coordinating with Chinese Communist Party officials on training that undermined American national security
Following a letter from Harvard officials indicating an “intent” to now comply with SEVP, Secretary Noem held firm and reminded the once respected institution, which has disgraced American values, it still has a long way to comply with requirements of the program and be trusted with U
S
taxpayer dollars “Harvard’s refusal to comply with SEVP oversight was the latest evidence that it disdains the American people and takes for granted U
S
taxpayer benefits,” said Secretary Kristi Noem
“Following our letter to Harvard, the school attempted to claim it now wishes to comply with SEVP standards
We continue to reject Harvard’s repeated pattern of endangering its students and spreading American hate—it must change its ways in order to participate in American programs
” The Department will continue to engage in good faith with Harvard and looks forward to the University’s full compliance with its requests
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. French Hill (R-AR), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, today introduced the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, which would establish a regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States.
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI), House Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Chairman Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), and Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) are all original co-sponsors.
Chairman Hillsaid, “I am proud to introduce the bipartisan CLARITY Act with my colleagues. Our bill brings long-overdue clarity to the digital asset ecosystem, prioritizes consumer protection and American innovation, and builds off our work in the 118th Congress. I look forward to delivering our bill to President Trump’s desk and securing America’s position as the global leader in digital assets.”
Chairman Thompsonadded, “I’m proud to join Chairman Hill, and bipartisan leaders from both our committees in introducing Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act. Today’s introduction of CLARITY is an exciting step towards delivering the certainty and clarity digital asset entrepreneurs and markets need. This landmark legislation will protect consumers, unleash entrepreneurship, and ensure the United States sets the global standard for the future of innovation.”
House Majority Whip Emmerstated, “This is an important moment for the United States. This bill is a bold step to ensuring that the next iteration of the internet is developed by Americans and driven by our values. I am grateful to my colleagues for all of their work to craft this thoughtful, globally competitive framework, and look forward to working with them to ensure this commonsense legislation is signed into law.”
Subcommittee Chairman Steil said, “The golden age of digital assets is here. America won’t just participate in the Web3 revolution; we will win it. The CLARITY Act ensures that financial innovation and development of digital assets occurs here in the United States. Our bill secures American dominance, democratizes digital assets, unleashes innovation, and protects consumers from fraud. Thank you, Chairman Hill and Chairman Thompson, for leading this effort.”
Subcommittee Chairman Johnson added, “America should be the global leader in the digital assets marketplace – but we can’t do that without establishing a clear regulatory framework. This legislation gives our markets the clarity they need to thrive, protect consumers, and foster innovation. I’m grateful for the partnership of Chairmen Thompson, Hill, Steil, and Majority Whip Emmer thus far and I’m looking forward to working together to get this landmark legislation across the finish line.”
Rep. Davidson said, “The CLARITY Act creates a clear and effective regulatory framework for digital assets. It protects the right to self-custody and the freedom to transact. These principles are essential for innovation, economic growth, and individual liberty. Since 2018, I’ve worked to bring legal clarity to digital assets. The CLARITY Act delivers on that goal. I applaud Chairman Hill for his leadership in solidifying the United States’ position as a global leader in digital assets.”
Ranking Member Craig said, “Digital assets, including crypto currencies, are moving from a unique, novel financial product to becoming more and more integrated with our current financial architecture. I believe it is critical that Congress establish clear protections for consumers and retail investors as well as rules of the road for businesses dealing in digital assets. The bipartisan CLARITY Act will ensure oversight and regulation of digital assets in our financial system so that business owners, innovators and consumers can engage with in these markets knowing what is expected of them.”
Rep. Torres said, “For too long, regulatory uncertainty has held back the full potential of digital innovation in the United States. The CLARITY Act will deliver clear rules of the road that entrepreneurs, investors, and consumers deserve. By protecting consumers, promoting transparency, and closing regulatory gaps, this legislation will ensure that America remains the global leader in digital asset innovation.”
Rep. Davis said, “Families, entrepreneurs, and small businesses across our country, including rural areas in eastern North Carolina, seek ways to engage in the modern economy. Digital assets present a chance for a more inclusive financial future, but we need clear rules and fair oversight for innovation to thrive. Congress must ensure that America shapes digital finance, creates opportunities, protects consumers, and supports overlooked communities.”
Click here for the text of Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act.
Click here for a section-by-section.
Click here for a one-pager.
Further Background on the Committee’s work on digital asset market structure legislation:
On May 22, 2024, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act passed the House of Representatives 279-136 with 71 Democrats supporting the bill in the 118th Congress.
On April 4, 2025, Chairman Hill and Chairman Thompson published an op-ed in CoinDesk outlining their vision for digital asset market structure legislation for the 119th Congress.
On April 9, 2025, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence held its first digital asset market structure hearing of this Congress.
On May 5, 2025, Chairman Hill, Chairman Thompson, Subcommittee Chairman Steil, and Subcommittee Chairman Johnson released a digital asset market structure discussion draft to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States.
On May 6, 2025, the House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees held a public joint roundtable discussion on key concepts and principles for digital asset market structure legislation.
Under 287(g), for example, local police officers can interview people to determine their immigration status. They can also issue immigration detainers to jail people until agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement take custody.
“Illegal immigration has wide-ranging consequences, including a troubling surge of dangerous drugs into our state,” T.K. Waters, sheriff of Jacksonville, Florida, said in a February 2025 statement to explain his office’s participation in 287(g). “We remain committed to partnering with President Trump’s administration and our federal counterparts to secure our borders, protect Floridians, and establish a framework for the rest of the nation to follow.”
As a criminal justice scholar, I believe the surge of 287(g) agreements sets a dangerous precedent for local policing, where forging relationships and building the trust of immigrants is a proven and effective tactic in combating crime. In my view, the expansion of 287(g) will erode that trust and makes entire communities – not just immigrants – less safe.
Past federal-local cooperation
There is a long history of federal authorities collaborating with local police to enforce immigration laws.
In the early 1930s, local police participated in immigration raids in California and other states. As author Adam Goodman details in his book “The Deportation Machine,” state and local government agencies, including social workers, welfare agencies and police, acted as “de facto immigration agents.”
As author Natalia Molina notes in her book “How Race is Made in America,” local police often served as “immigration cops” in Eisenhower’s program because the federal government “did not have enough agents to cover such a large territory” as the U.S.
Other large police departments followed. In places such as Chicago and San Francisco, they shifted focus from helping federal immigration officials to prioritizing community relationships.
William Bratton, who led six police departments, including in Boston, Los Angeles and New York, criticized 287(g) in a 2009 op-ed. He said that deputizing local officers to enforce immigration laws immediately “undermines their core public safety mission.”
Conservative police scholar George Kelling, co-author of the broken windows theory, which presumes that visible signs of disorder can lead to crime, also expressed support for local police agencies prioritizing their community relationships.
In a 1999 study, Kelling highlighted a San Diego police memo announcing its refusal to enforce federal immigration laws. The San Diego Police Department, he wrote, “thought through its values, mission, and functions and elaborated a policy that put public safety and harmony above aggressive attempts to ferret out undocumented aliens.”
During Trump’s first administration, some police chiefs echoed Bratton and Kelling. They warned that employing local officers to enforce immigration measures could spark fear and damage public safety.
He added, “It is our opinion, our strongly held belief that our responsibility is to protect the residents of our city. To protect them, they must trust us, they must be willing to report crimes, they must be willing to be witnesses.”
Although the Trump administration is expanding the use of local police in immigration enforcement, research casts doubt on using mass deportation as a crime reduction strategy.
And a 2014 study on the Secure Communities Program, which calls for local police agencies to share arrestee information with federal immigration officials, found that this program has “no discernible impact” on crime in medium and large municipalities.
The Trump administration’s expansion of 287(g) ignores the shift that some big city police departments have made away from immigration enforcement in favor of community policing. And I believe it threatens to undermine the relationship between local police and the increasingly diverse communities they serve.
W. Carsten Andresen was employed in the past (2000-2003) at The Police Institute, a Rutger’s University Think Tank run by George L. Kelling.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Adam Smith (WA-09), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Emily Randall (WA-06), and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, and IRS Acting Commissioner Michael Faulkender to express deep concern over the recent immigration enforcement raid in Kent, Washington and to demand immediate answers regarding the nature of the raid and individuals detained.
The letter is copied in full below.
Dear Secretary Noem, Acting Director Lyons, and Acting Commissioner Faulkender,
We write to express our deep concern over the recent immigration enforcement raid in Kent, Washington and demand immediate answers regarding the nature of the raid and individuals detained.
On May 20, officials from four federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division, arrested 17 people at Eagle Beverage and Accessories Products in Kent. Notably, this appears to be one of the first immigration raids involving IRS personnel.
The Trump administration has repeatedly sought to portray its immigration enforcement efforts as focused on deporting violent criminals. Yet federal authorities have not noted any sort of violent criminal connection serving as a motivating factor behind the raid. Raids like this which arbitrarily target hardworking community members only serve to tear families apart, stoke fear, and undermine trust in local law enforcement. These actions inevitably have ripple effects throughout our country, causing people to avoid going to work or school out of fear and crippling our local economies.
We request that you immediately provide answers to the following questions:
How many individuals were arrested as part of the May 20 raid in Kent? Please provide details on their gender, age, nationality, immigration status, and reason for their arrest.
Were there any collateral arrests?
Had any of the arrested individuals previously received a form of prosecutorial discretion?
Did any of the arrested individuals have a pending asylum claim?
Are the arrested individuals now in custody at Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC)? If not, where are they currently being held?
Have the arrested individuals been given the opportunity to contact attorneys and family members?
Have the arrested individuals been scheduled for a court date?
Did ICE collaborate with state or local law enforcement agencies?
What role did IRS personnel play in the raid?
What training did IRS personnel receive to participate in the raid?
Did the IRS share the taxpayer data of any of the individuals arrested with DHS prior to the arrests?
How is the IRS’s participation in immigration raids impacting the agency’s ability to carry out its mission of investigating criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code?
We thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to receiving your response.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
Resolution Designates “Disability Reproductive Equity Day” in May, Calls for Disability and Reproductive Justice Amid Trump’s Attacks on Healthcare
This Month, Pressley Delivered Keynote at Center for American Progress’ Reproductive Equity Summit
Resolution Text
WASHINGTON – Today, as Republicans advance deep cuts to Medicaid and continued attacks on reproductive healthcare, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), in partnership with disability justice and reproductive justice advocates, reintroduced a resolution demanding equitable access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for people with disabilities, and designating a day in May as “Disability Reproductive Equity Day.”
With Donald Trump and Republicans attempting to rip away healthcare for millions through cuts to Medicaid – which would be devastating for people with disabilities – the Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution presents an affirmative vision for healthcare equity and demands increased access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for those with disabilities.
The resolution enumerates the unique, discriminatory barriers that people with disabilities face in accessing critical reproductive and sexual healthcare, and calls for equitable access to healthcare and the right to reproductive and sexual health, autonomy, and freedom.
“Bodily autonomy should be a fundamental right. The paths to true reproductive justice and disability justice are inextricably linked, and together we are pressing for the reproductive and sexual healthcare needs of people with disabilities,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley. “While Donald Trump and Republicans push their Big, Ugly Bill that would strip healthcare from people with disabilities and those seeking reproductive healthcare, we are fighting back and recommitting ourselves to disability justice, to healthcare equity, and to reproductive freedom. I am proud to reintroduce the Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution with disability justice and reproductive justice partners to demand a more just America.”
The Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution is endorsed by: National Partnership for Women & Families, Disability Culture Lab, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), New Disabled South, U.S. Gender and Disability Justice Alliance, The Reproductive Justice Collective at the Center for Racial and Disability Justice (CRDJ), Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network, Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Women’s Law Center, and the National Health Law Program.
“Self-determination and bodily autonomy are core values of both the reproductive rights and disability rights movements, yet for too long, the discrimination and systemic barriers disabled people face when seeking sexual and reproductive health care have been ignored. People with disabilities have continually been denied the right of deciding if, when and how to start their families,” said Rolonda Donelson, Huber Reproductive Health Equity Legal Fellow for the National Partnership for Women & Families.
“The National Partnership for Women & Families is proud to endorse the resolution to support the second-ever Disability Reproductive Equity Day, and we’re grateful to Rep. Ayanna Pressley for continuing the fight for the reproductive health care and rights of disabled people.”
“Disability reproductive equity isn’t a niche issue; it’s a fundamental matter of human rights and public health. Disabled folks must be able to make informed choices about our bodies,” said Keidra Chaney, Program Director at Disability Culture Lab. “We need access to comprehensive reproductive health care without barriers, and to be able to parent without fear of discrimination or state interference. The current rise in eugenic laws that make even these basic rights impossible are an attack on disabled lives and reproductive rights. Disability justice and reproductive justice are one fight: we demand policies that prioritize our lives, freedom, access, and bodily autonomy.”
“For disabled people, as for all people, access to comprehensive and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare is essential for their autonomy, their health and well-being, and their capacity for self-determination. No lawmaker or politician should be able to substitute their personal opinion for medical facts or treatments,” said the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). “AAPD thanks Rep. Pressley for her leadership and joins her in calling on Congress to recognize Disability Reproductive Equity Day and to work to ensure that all people have the right to make the decisions that are best for them and their families.”
“New Disabled South and New Disabled South Rising endorse the reintroduction of the resolution designating a day in May as Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Disabled people deserve reproductive health equity just like nondisabled people. Disability justice includes reproductive justice and reproductive justice must include disabled people along with all of their reproductive and sexual health needs. Disabled people should have full bodily autonomy and access to equitable reproductive healthcare. We call upon lawmakers to not only acknowledge the historic reproductive wrongs committed against disabled people in the name of eugenics, but to ensure that disabled people have access to the full range of reproductive healthcare services.”
“The US Gender & Disability Justice Alliance strongly supports the designation of Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Disabled people are whole people, with the right and the capacity to live full, self-determined lives that include love, family, pleasure, and parenting. Our bodies and choices have long been targeted by policies rooted in ableism, eugenics, and control. We call on Congress to recognize that disability is not a limitation of worth, but a powerful part of human diversity, and to honor our right to access reproductive and sexual health care with dignity and respect.”
“The Reproductive Justice Collective at the Center for Racial and Disability Justice (CRDJ) recognizes the critical importance of affirming reproductive autonomy, equity, and justice for disabled individuals, particularly in the context of historic and ongoing reproductive oppressions rooted in ableism, racism, and structural inequality. Our research, policy briefs, and Reproductive Justice Toolkit emphasize the urgent need to dismantle systemic barriers to reproductive health, which disproportionately impact disabled people of color, including: coerced sterilization, restricted parental rights, inaccessible reproductive health care, inadequate sexual education, increased surveillance and criminalization. The national designation of Disability Reproductive Equity Day is an essential step towards acknowledging and addressing these inequities, and it aligns deeply with our commitment to intersectional, community-led strategies that uplift dignity, autonomy, and justice for all disabled people.”
“The Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network applauds the introduction of Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Autistic children become autistic adults and deserve the same rights to bodily, sexual, and reproductive freedom as anyone else. We urge lawmakers to recognize and honor our ability to make decisions for ourselves–especially these most personal and private decisions. Autistic people and all people with disabilities deserve the dignity and respect to make our own decisions, especially regarding sexual and reproductive health.”
“Reproductive equity cannot exist without disability justice. Disabled people—especially those who are multiply marginalized—have long been excluded from conversations about reproductive health, rights, and autonomy. We applaud Representative Pressley’s leadership in recognizing that the reproductive freedom of disabled people is essential to a just and equitable future,” said Dr. Monika Mitra, Director, Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Brandeis University.
“People living with disabilities deserve inclusive, respectful, accessible care, including sexual and reproductive health care, but right now House Republicans are trying to gut Medicaid, threatening access to life-saving care. People with disabilities — especially those who are Black, Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, or have low incomes — already face significant barriers to reproductive care, which are exacerbated by abortion and gender-affirming care bans and other restrictions. In the face of these attacks, we thank Rep. Ayanna Pressley for reintroducing the vital Disability Reproductive Equity Act. Reproductive rights and disability rights are inextricably linked. Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies, lives, and futures,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
“We proudly support the resolution recognizing Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Today, disabled people are facing urgent threats to our access to sexual and reproductive health care, from a reconciliation bill that could kick millions of disabled people off of Medicaid to this administration’s ongoing attacks on reproductive rights. That makes it even more critical than ever that we reaffirm our vision: a future where disabled people are empowered to make decisions about our reproductive rights and care and live with dignity and self-determination,” said Ma’ayan Anafi, senior counsel for health equity and justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “This resolution celebrates disabled people and uplifts their leadership in the movement towards reproductive freedom. We thank Rep. Pressley for her continued commitment to advancing equity and justice for all.”
“For too long, the United States has denied people with disabilities equitable access to affordable and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, subjecting us to coverage gaps, discrimination, coercion, and violence. Proposed Medicaid cuts such as work requirements in the reconciliation bill, as well as ongoing attacks on the Affordable Care Act’s preventive services mandate and health care nondiscrimination protections, threaten to intensify structural barriers. The National Health Law Program is grateful to Representative Pressley for her commitment to safeguarding current rights and forging a future in which all people with disabilities have access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health care.”
A copy of the resolution text can be found here.
Earlier this month, at the Center for American Progress’ Disability Reproductive Equity Summit, Rep. Pressley spoke of the importance of intersectional policymaking and affirming disability rights and reproductive rights as the human rights that they are.
Rep. Pressley has been a longtime advocate the disability community and has championed policies that promote disability justice. In addition to being an original co-lead of the Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution, Rep. Pressley is a co-lead of the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation that would eliminate barriers and strengthen access to reproductive health care for people with disabilities.
Rep. Pressley has also been an outspoken critic of Republican’s harmful budget reconciliation bill, which would make harmful cuts to Medicaid and threaten the reproductive healthcare access for millions in America, including those with disabilities.
On May 6, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress in kicking off their Disability Reproductive Equity Summit to develop an agenda for disability reproductive justice.
On August 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding Biden-Harris Administration for finalizing its proposed rule to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. The DOJ’s final rule followed an April letter by Rep. Pressley and 11 of her colleagues urging it to strengthen and finalize its proposed rule, and underscoring the need for health care facilities to have functional and accessible MDE for people with disabilities.
On May 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley held a press conference alongside colleagues and reproductive justice and disability justice advocates to unveil the Disability Reproductive Equity Day Resolution.
On May 2, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) finalized rule that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.
On April 4, Rep. Pressley led her colleagues in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to strengthen and quickly finalize its proposed rule to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities.
On December 12, 2023, Rep. Pressley wrote to the Biden-Harris Administration seeking data on the housing needs for aging adults, people with disabilities, and Medicaid beneficiaries.
On September 29, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Cori Bush introduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation that would eliminate barriers and strengthen access to reproductive health care for people with disabilities.
On June 25, 2022, Rep. Pressley applauded the passage of H.R. 2543, which included several key amendments championed by Rep. Pressley to advance disability and economic justice.
On May 24, 2022, in a House Financial Services subcommittee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed the crisis of Long COVID as a disability justice issue and outlined how the status quo has relegated disabled Americans—including those with Long COVID—to a second-class standard of living.
On April 14, 2020, Rep. Pressley urged Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to rescind the Crisis of Care standards that have disproportionately harmed communities of color and the disability community in Massachusetts.
On March 29, 2022, in a historic committee hearing on Medicare for All, Rep. Pressley highlighted Medicare For All as a disability justice issue and questioned Ady Barkan, founder of Be A Hero and leading advocate for Medicare for All, about how tying health coverage to employment perpetuates deep inequities for people with disabilities.
On February 25, 2021, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Katie Porter, and their colleagues introduced the Mental Health Justice Act to reduce violence against individuals with mental illness and disabilities.
On March 30, 2021, she led her colleagues on a letter with 107 of their colleagues to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris calling for an historic investment of $450 billion in home- and community-based services (HCBS) in the Build Back Better infrastructure package.
On September 18, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Dr. Subini Ancy Annamma, and Villissa Thompson published an op-ed in Teen Vogue in which they called for an end to the policies and systemic injustice that result in the overcriminalization of Black girls with disabilities in schools.
On July 29, 2020, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren unveiled the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act to end the over-policing of K-12 schools and stop the criminalization of students, including those with disabilities.
In early 2020, she worked with advocates to challenge Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s crisis standards of care and release updated guidelines with input from the disability community.
On October 11, 2019, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues introduced the Improving Access to Higher Education Act to help improve college access and completion for students with disabilities.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)
May 29, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today introduced the Make Autorail Great Again Act to block all federal funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until it officially changes its name to the “Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access” (WMAGA) and renames the Metrorail the “Trump Train.” “WMATA has received billions in federal assistance over the years and continues to face operational, safety, and fiscal challenges,” said Rep. Steube. “In the spirit of DOGE, this bill demands accountability by conditioning federal funding on reforms that signal a cultural shift away from bureaucratic stagnation toward public-facing excellence and patriotism.” Rebranding WMATA as WMAGA and the rail system as the Trump Train represents more than a name change; it is a mandate for performance and transformation. “Like any struggling institution, WMATA needs a fresh identity that aligns with efficiency, service quality, and renewed public trust. These new names serve as a bold rallying point for much-needed reform,” Steube added. “With Washington, D.C. preparing to host major global events such as the FIFA World Cup and the 2027 NFL Draft, our capital’s transit system must meet the highest standards,” Steube emphasized. “The American people expect modern, reliable, and well-managed public services in their nation’s capital. This bill leverages federal funding to ensure the transit system earns the right to represent the nation on the world stage.” Background:The Make Autorail Great Again Act prohibits federal funds from being provided to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact (approved by Congress under Public Law 89-774) is amended to officially change WMATA’s name to the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA) and rebrand the Metrorail as the Trump Train. Until these changes are enacted, WMATA will be ineligible for approximately $150 million in annual federal funding it currently receives through federal formula matching programs. Congress has long used its power of the purse to incentivize state and local reforms. This act applies those same principles to public transit, using funding conditions to demand governance reform, modernization, and improved service delivery.Read the full bill text here.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Irene Gammel, Professor & Director, Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre and Gallery, Toronto Metropolitan University
U.S. Army soldiers march along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. during U.S. President Donald Trump’s Inaugural Parade in January 2017.(Kalie Jones)
Born on June 14, 1946, United States President Donald Trump turns 79 in 2025 — the same day that the U.S. Army, founded in 1775, marks its 250th anniversary. To mark the anniversary, Trump proclaimed that “we’re gonna have a big, big celebration.”
Dismissed by many as a costly vanity project by some, the parade invites a deeper question: what kind of political work does a birthday celebration like this actually do?
Far from trivial or benign, Trump’s spectacle draws on a long history of authoritarian leaders who use ritualized celebrations to bind personal power to national identity. The most notorious example, Adolf Hitler, turned his birthdays into massive national events with military parades, mass rallies and highly estheticized scenes of domestic cheer.
These displays blurred dominance and intimacy, fatherliness and force — an approach revived today in the digital era, where curated imagery and social media entangle leadership with affective spectacle.
Fascist birthday culture
I was born and raised in Germany. I’m acutely aware that Hitler’s birthday still casts a shadow and that such dates continue to carry political weight, with the rituals involved doing long-term political work.
During the Third Reich, the Führer’s birthday — modeLled on the Kaiser’s — became a mass propaganda event, blending public spectacle with personal attachment.
As German philosopher Theodor Adorno noted, fascist rituals portrayed the authoritarian leader as both a “superman” and an ordinary, flawed “average person.” This duality encouraged intimate identification and awe, much like the dynamic between a patriarchal father and child.
Trump echoes this dynamic through a mix of paternal posturing, hypermasculine bluster and expansive nationalism. Whereas Hitler relied on the latest photograph and film technology, today’s spectacles are amplified by digital media’s participatory culture.
German leader Adolf Hitler reviewing a military parade held in celebration of his 47th birthday on April 20, 1936. (German Federal Archives), CC BY
Neo-Nazi groups across North America and Europe still mark Hitler’s birthday with cakes, cookies, memes and tweets; often disarmingly “cute” images overlaid with disturbing swastikas and jokes. In his 2017 paper, sociologist Christian Fuchs shows that the most retweeted neo-Nazi post in his study was “Wake and bake #HitlersBirthday #420,” blending cannabis culture with fascist nostalgia to deflect horror through humour.
The blurred boundaries between the national and the personal feed meme culture, where, as communications scholar Limor Shifman writes, “small units of culture” spread through imitation, often cloaked in play.
Amid mounting pressure on various institutions in the U.S. — universities, courts and public discourse — the military/birthday parade is an extravaganza that fuses esthetics and propaganda to cement authority, suppress dissent and consolidate power.
Power aesthetics of military pageantry
By combining a military display with a personal celebration, Trump’s birthday parade stages a grand spectacle of power. Key here is the presence of thousands of soldiers in military uniform, which creates a “persona and a powerful collective presence,” as fashion scholar Jennifer Craik writes.
Uniforms signal discipline and belonging, but also intimidate and threaten. Fashion writer Colin McDowell calls the uniform a “spectacle” steeped in associations with power and eroticism, a garment long linked to theatricality and role-playing.
Nowhere was this more explicit than under European fascism and colonialism. Uniforms were engineered to seduce, often fetishized: streamlined silhouettes, tight jackets and black leather boots. As Craik notes, such imagery was not incidental; it was the visual grammar of domination. As sociologist Klaus Theweleit observes, fascist power had to be seen, desired and even fantasized.
Trump’s parade is a show of force. Its sheer scale — bands, vehicles, helicopters — performs strength and legitimacy, marking who belongs and who does not. But the birthday celebration also turns attention back to the man himself, reminding us that authoritarianism is not only about intimidation but also about the persona of the autocrat.
My father, just 10 years old, was part of that spectacle at one of these parades on a mandatory school trip, lined up along the street. Yet as the motorcade neared, he was shoved aside in the crush. What stayed with him wasn’t Hitler — he never saw him — but the fanatical woman who pushed him to get closer.
The point was the crowd itself, kept at a fever pitch with ever-new spectacles like Hitler’s 50th birthday on April 20, 1939, declared a national holiday. German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels staged it as what historian Ian Kershaw called “an astonishing extravaganza of the Führer cult;” a visual and military spectacle widely broadcast.
One gift, a model of the FW 200 Condor, later became Hitler’s official plane. Trump’s new luxury Air Force One, “a gift” from Qatar, is also part of his visual narrative. The symbolism is eerie: once again, the personal cloaks itself in national power.
The cult of MAGA
In the end, Trump’s militarized birthday parade solicits not just admiration but political allegiance. Like past authoritarian rituals, it manipulates affect through military pageantry to elevate the leader as both a symbol and supreme commander.
The spectacle demands emotional submission with the goal being identification with the leader. It exchanges democratic freedom for a vision of unity under a single figure. However wrapped in humour or patriotic kitsch, Trump’s parade rehearses an authoritarian script with disturbingly familiar cues.
What appears as celebration is, in fact, a rehearsal. It signals a dangerous shift toward personal glorification and a political culture where pageantry replaces participation and adoration displaces dissent.
As history warns, that is when democracy begins to give way.
Irene Gammel receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Larsen Makes Statement on Trump Revoking Visas for Chinese Students
Washington, D.C., May 29, 2025
Today, Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement:
“The Trump administration’s plan to revoke visas for Chinese students is xenophobic and weakens U.S. national security. This policy will force promising young people to study elsewhere, diminishing American global leadership and causing long-term economic harm. If this Administration is serious about competing with China, American higher education needs to attract the world’s best students, not turn them away because of where they were born.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D, WA-09), Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10) wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, and IRS Acting Commissioner Michael Faulkender to express deep concern over the recent immigration enforcement raid in Kent, Washington and to demand immediate answers regarding the nature of the raid and individuals detained.
The letter is copied in full below.
Dear Secretary Noem, Acting Director Lyons, and Acting Commissioner Faulkender,
We write to express our deep concern over the recent immigration enforcement raid in Kent, Washington and demand immediate answers regarding the nature of the raid and individuals detained.
On May 20, officials from four federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division, arrested 17 people at Eagle Beverage and Accessories Products in Kent. Notably, this appears to be one of the first immigration raids involving IRS personnel.
The Trump administration has repeatedly sought to portray its immigration enforcement efforts as focused on deporting violent criminals. Yet federal authorities have not noted any sort of violent criminal connection serving as a motivating factor behind the raid. Raids like this which arbitrarily target hardworking community members only serve to tear families apart, stoke fear, and undermine trust in local law enforcement. These actions inevitably have ripple effects throughout our country, causing people to avoid going to work or school out of fear and crippling our local economies.
We request that you immediately provide answers to the following questions:
How many individuals were arrested as part of the May 20 raid in Kent? Please provide details on their gender, age, nationality, immigration status, and reason for their arrest.
Were there any collateral arrests?
Had any of the arrested individuals previously received a form of prosecutorial discretion?
Did any of the arrested individuals have a pending asylum claim?
Are the arrested individuals now in custody at Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC)? If not, where are they currently being held?
Have the arrested individuals been given the opportunity to contact attorneys and family members?
Have the arrested individuals been scheduled for a court date?
Did ICE collaborate with state or local law enforcement agencies?
What role did IRS personnel play in the raid?
What training did IRS personnel receive to participate in the raid?
Did the IRS share the taxpayer data of any of the individuals arrested with DHS prior to the arrests?
How is the IRS’s participation in immigration raids impacting the agency’s ability to carry out its mission of investigating criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code?
We thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to receiving your response.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dave Taylor (OH-02) and Representative Harriet Hageman (WY-AL) today announced the introduction ofConnor’s Law, which will codify President Trump’s Executive Order requiring CDL drivers to maintain a basic proficiency in English in order to be licensed to drive on American roads. This bill includes an out-of-service provision, which will revoke CDL licensure from any current license holders who fail to adhere to language requirements. Representatives Mike Collins (GA-10), Paul Gosar (AZ-08), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), and Brad Finstad (MN-01) joined Congressman Taylor in the introduction of this bill.
In 2017, an 18-year-old named Connor Dzion was killed in an automobile accident in Northern Florida by a distracted truck driver who was found unable to speak English or read signs warning of upcoming traffic. Although English standards were initially included in the qualification process for commercial drivers, previous Democratic administrations removed violations of English Language Proficiency (ELP) from the out-of-service criteria. This action made CDL requirements more lax and increased the risk of accidents on the road, like the one that resulted in Connor’s death. Due to this, Congressional action is needed to restore proper CDL requirements and ensure safety on American roads.
“It’s Ohio common sense that if you want to drive trucks on our Nation’s roads, you should be able to read the road signs,” said Congressman Taylor. “Tragic deaths like Connor’s are absolutely preventable, and it starts with ensuring drivers operating large and heavy commercial vehicles are capable of being alerted to hazards and updates on the road. President Trump demonstrated leadership through his executive order requiring CDL drivers to speak English, which paved the way for driver safety, and I’m proud to introduce this bill to codify it and do the same.”
“Requiring truck drivers to be proficient in reading and speaking the English language is just common sense,” said Rep. Harriet Hageman. “Driving some of the biggest rigs on our highway systems, often in inclement weather, creates risk enough, but this liability is exacerbated when truck drivers can neither read our highway signs nor clearly communicate with others on the road, thereby putting everyone in danger. I’ve heard from our trucking community and law enforcement officers alike emphasizing the need for this legislation, so today I am proud to join Congressman Taylor in its introduction.”
“Families are being torn apart, the trucking industry is suffering, and the American people are less safe with non-English speakers behind the wheel. The motoring public deserves to know that the folks they share the road with can comprehend English and understand our rules,” said Rep. Mike Collins. “As a trucker, I applaud Rep. Taylor for his work to reverse this terrible Obama-era rule and make our roads safer.”
“The ability to read road signs, understand the rules of the road, and communicate with law enforcement officials is vital to ensuring the safety of all motorists. That’s why English proficiency is a requirement for operating a commercial motor vehicle,” said Henry Hanscom, Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the American Trucking Association. “ATA has raised concerns that conflicting guidance and uneven enforcement have sparked confusion over this law that has been in place since the 1930s. We welcomed President Trump’s recent executive order that provides much-needed clarity, and we commend Reps. Taylor and Hageman’s effort to codify an objective, consistent, and effective standard.”
“OOIDA and the 150,000 truckers we proudly represent strongly support the enforcement of English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers because it saves lives,” said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer. “Basic English skills are essential for reading critical road signs, understanding emergency instructions, and interacting with law enforcement. Road signs are effective—but only when they’re understood. We thank Representative Taylor for his leadership on this issue because English proficiency is not optional—it’s crucial for keeping America’s roads safe for the entire traveling public.”
If enacted, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, part of the Department of Transportation, will establish guidelines and enforcement mechanisms for the English proficiency of CDL drivers.
Initially enacted in 1937 with the establishment of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), 49 CFR §391.11(b)(2) created general qualifications for commercial motor vehicle drivers. Among these qualifications was a requirement stating that drivers must be able to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.”
However, in 2016, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released guidance titled “English Language Proficiency Testing and Enforcement Policy MC-ECE-2016-006,” which removed the requirement to place drivers out of service for ELP violations.
Specifically,Connor’s Lawwould:
Codify ELP into law as a requirement for individuals issued a commercial driver’s license, and;
Put CDL drivers violating the ELP requirement out of service.
The American Trucking Association (ATA), Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) are supporting organizations of this bill.
Congressman Taylor serves on the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Cabinet has welcomed the reset of strategic relationships between South Africa (SA) and the United States (US) during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s working visit to the United States of America.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the SA and US teams will finalise the details of the trade deal between the two countries.
“It is safe to emphasise that the objectives that SA had set for the trip have been met. Cabinet looks forward to the continued participation of the US administration in the G20, including the possible attendance of President Trump to the G20 Leaders’ Summit,” the Minister said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa concluded a working visit to Washington DC in the United States last week Wednesday. The meeting at the Oval House was attended by senior US and South African officials.
The South African delegation consisted of several Cabinet Ministers, notable business figures, and prominent South Africans.
President Ramaphosa was flanked by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister Ntshavheni, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, and Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen.
In addition, the President was accompanied by Johann Rupert, the Founder of Richemont and Chairman of Remgro. Vice President of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Adrian Gore and President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Zingiswa Losi also formed part of the delegation.
South African pro golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen were also in attendance.
President Trump was flanked by several key officials including Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Special Government Employee Elon Musk, and Dr Massad Boulos, who serves as a Senior Advisor for Africa as well as on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs.
South Africa – France Relations
Cabinet has also welcomed the working visit by Deputy President Paul Mashatile aimed at strengthening relations between South Africa and France.
The Deputy President and the SA delegation also attended the SA-France Investment Conference with a view to improving investments by French Companies into South Africa and vice versa and also establishing partnerships between South African and French companies in joint investments through the African Continental Free Trade Area. – SAnews.gov.za
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that since January 2025, around 1,080 Indians have been deported from the United States, with approximately 62 per cent returning on commercial flights.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues, on the deportation of Indian nationals who are either in illegal status there or who travel illegally. We take them back once we receive details about them.”
He added, “The update on the numbers is that since January 2025, around 1,080 Indians have returned or been deported from the United States. Of these, about 62 per cent have come on commercial flights.”
Jaiswal also addressed reports about updated US government guidance on Student and Exchange Visitor visa applicants. The MEA said the welfare of Indian students abroad remains a top priority and that India will continue to monitor developments closely.
“While the issuance of visas is a sovereign function, we hope Indian students’ applications will be considered on merit and they will be able to join their academic programmes on time,” he said.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consulates to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants. This move is part of the Trump administration’s plan to enforce stricter vetting, including reviewing applicants’ social media profiles, according to a report by Politico.
The directive, detailed in a cable obtained by Politico, will expand social media screening requirements for foreign student and exchange visitor visa applicants.
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days”, the cable states. (“Septel” refers to a separate telegram in State Department terminology.)
While the cable does not specify the type of social media activity under review, it cites executive orders targeting counterterrorism and antisemitism, the report added.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the FSGG hearing on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.
“Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Carr, for being with us. We had a good conversation in my office. This probably won’t be as cordial as we were, but I’m very concerned. When Donald Trump spoke before the Congress in March, he said this: ‘I’ve stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America – it’s back,’ he said. Now, he also said during the campaign, to his supporters, ‘I am your retribution.’ You may remember that quote. That rang in my ears and gave me great concern.
“The FCC’s actions the past few months make it clear just how relevant those comments were. What was once an independent, impartial agency – not always – devoted to keeping Americans connected has become, in my view, to some degree ‘the speech police,’ another cudgel in the President’s culture war. Since Trump took office, the FCC has gone after private corporations over their DEI practices. Very frankly, in my view is, that may be a practice that he can impose on the federal government, but it is not a practice that he can impose, nor should he impose on the private sector whatever the views we may hold. The agency, in my opinion, has also targeted NPR, PBS, NBC, ABC, and CBS, and other networks, apparently, who are perceived unfavorably to the President and to his policies.
“The First Amendment, of course, is not intended to protect the president from the press. It is intended to protect the president – excuse me – the press against the government. Nor was the FCC established to act in the president’s interest, but rather in the public’s interest. Now more than ever, the American people are counting on the FCC to focus on its mission under law. Something we discussed in my office, however, was when he removed FTC commissioners, he did it because, quoting – or trying to quote – that the actions of those commissioners were incompatible with the priorities of the administration. Communications technologies that fall under the FCC’s purview are fundamental to everything in modern life. They shape our commerce, our education, our national security, our health care, and our elections.
“In an increasingly digital world, the FCC needs to ensure that we don’t leave that behind. That means expanding – [referring to dais microphone] oh this is inconvenient – that means expanding affordable, reliable access to the internet and other crucial technology in both rural and urban areas. I represent urban and rural areas. We made a lot of progress toward closing the digital divide when the Affordable Connectivity Program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – legislation I was proud to put on the Floor as Majority Leader. I heard directly from my constituents, Republicans and Democrats and Republican officials. I live in a county with five Republican county commissioners. They all urged me to continue that [program] because of the very positive impact it had on my district and in that rural county in which I live. Regrettably, my colleagues across the aisle allowed that program to expire last year, raising interest costs for the 23 million households that enrolled. I still haven’t seen any plan on how we fill that void. Worse, I’ve heard rumors that the FCC spectrum policy involves auctioning off or reducing bands, including the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, which could make it even harder for Americans to get connected.
“The FCC has a responsibility not only to help Americans access these opportunities, but also to protect them from potential perils. Every day, Americans experience robocalls and internet scam attempts that become more and more sophisticated. Their personal data falls prey to hackers and scammers. Americans need strong and savvy cops on the beat committed to cybersecurity and privacy. In my view, that is the role of the FCC.
“Chairman Carr, I thank you for coming in today, as I’ve said, but I want to be clear that I’m worried that the FCC, and so many other elements of government that ought to be independent, are, in the President’s words – not referring to anything that I’ve referred to – but weaponizing government. The FCC’s attacks on the press and the First Amendment are troubling. So, I look forward to hearing your testimony. I will honor the Chairman’s gavel, but it requires a lot of time to make sure the FCC is doing what the American people expect it to do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the passing of U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (VA-11):
“A principled institutionalist, fierce advocate for Virginians, and my dear friend from across the Potomac, Rep. Gerry Connolly was taken from us far too early. I am praying for his family as they grieve this terrible loss – America’s loss.
“It was an honor to serve alongside Gerry in the Congress the past 16 years. He and I worked together closely to stand up for our region and our people, including our many federal workers. Never has that work been more important than the past few months amid the Trump Administration’s unprecedented purge of the federal civil service. Gerry met the moment.
“Many politicians today say they want to make government function more efficiently, transparently, and effectively. Gerry actually did it – from championing the historic Federal Information Technology Reform Act to holding Democratic and Republican administrations alike accountable as an influential leader on the House Oversight Committee.
“Gerry’s legacy as a pragmatic, intelligent, and honest leader and legislator is interwoven with our region but extends far beyond. Drawing on his past experience as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he was an important voice on foreign affairs and a staunch advocate for human rights, foreign aid, and America’s alliances with democracies around the world. As President of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly, he reaffirmed America’s commitment to the alliance and to our mutual security obligations under Article V. In the face of Vladimir Putin’s criminal, unprovoked invasion, Gerry helped ensure that NATO moved in lockstep to support Ukraine in its fight against fascism.
“Gerry lived a remarkable life of service. That it was cut short after his courageous battle with cancer ought to sadden every American. I grieve for him, as will so many others across the country and around the world. I wish strength to his wife, Smitty, and the rest of their family. May they take comfort in knowing that Gerry lives on in all that he accomplished to improve the lives of our people.”
