A leading Middle East analyst has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s dismissal of the conclusion of his own national intelligence chief, who said in April that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, said in an interview that Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence, who issued the determination on Iran, “does not speak for herself” or her team alone.
“She speaks for all the intelligence agencies combined,” Bishara said.
“This intelligence is supposed to be sound. This is not just one person or one team saying something. It’s the entire intelligence community in the United States. He [Trump] would dismiss them? For what?
“For a lie by a rogue element called Benjamin Netanyahu, who has lied all his life, a con artist who is indicted for his crimes in Gaza? It’s just astounding.”
US senators slam Netanyahu Two US senators have also condemned Netanyahu while Israel continues to bomb and starve Gaza
Chris Van Hollen and Elizabeth Warren, two Democrats in the US Senate, have urged the world to pay attention to what Israel continues to do in Gaza amid its conflict with Iran.
“Don’t look away,” Van Hollen wrote on X. “Since the start of the Israel-Iran war 7 days ago, over 400 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, many shot while seeking food.
“It’s unconscionable that Netanyahu has not allowed international orgs to resume food delivery.”
Warren said the Israeli prime minister “may think no one will notice what he’s doing in Gaza while he bombs Iran”.
“People face starvation. 55,000 killed. Aid workers and doctors turned away at the border. Shooting at innocent people desperate for food. The world sees you, Benjamin Netanyahu,” she wrote.
Israel’s Prime Minister may think no one will notice what he’s doing in Gaza while he bombs Iran.
People face starvation. 55,000 killed. Aid workers and doctors turned away at the border. Shooting at innocent people desperate for food.
‘A trust gap’ The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, appealed for an end to the fighting between Israel and Iran, saying that Teheran had repeatedly stated that it was not seeking nuclear weapons.
“Let’s recognise there is a trust gap,” he said.
“The only way to bridge that gap is through diplomacy to establish a credible, comprehensive and verifiable solution — including full access to inspectors of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency], as the United Nations technical agency in this field.
“For all of that to be possible, I appeal for an end to the fighting and the return to serious negotiations.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres . . . “I appeal for an end to the fighting and the return to serious negotiations.” Image: UNweb screenshot APR
Meanwhile, in New Zealand hope for freedom for Palestinians remained high among a group of trauma-struck activists in Cairo.
In spite of extensive planning, the Global March To Gaza (GMTG) delegation of about 4000 international aid volunteers was thwarted in its mission to walk from Cairo to Gaza to lend support.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, June 20 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict in the Middle East but it will be difficult to ask Israel to stop airstrikes on Iran.
According to local media, the head of the White House told journalists about this in New Jersey, where he attended a fundraising event on his golf course.
D. Trump also dismissed the EU’s attempts to establish diplomatic interaction with Iran. “They have not helped… Iran does not want to talk to Europe. They want to talk to us. Europe is unlikely to be able to help in this matter,” the president noted.
Earlier, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said she “cannot speculate” on whether the Trump administration would push for a ceasefire between Iran and Israel to advance nuclear talks with Tehran. “I’m not going to describe what’s happening now or the president’s or secretary’s reactions to how those talks might go,” she said at a briefing on Friday. –0–
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 21, 2025.
Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark blames Cook Islands for crisis By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/producer Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark believes the Cook Islands, a realm of New Zealand, caused a crisis for itself by not consulting Wellington before signing a deal with China. The New Zealand government has paused more than $18 million in development assistance to the Cook Islands after
View from The Hill: Albanese decides against pursuing Donald Trump to NATO Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese, just back from the G7 and his cancelled meeting with Donald Trump, has abandoned the idea of going to next week’s NATO meeting in pursuit of face time with the elusive president. The word was that the prime
Britain’s support for AUKUS is unwavering – but its capacity to deliver is another matter Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Howe, PhD candidate in International Relations, Monash University A recently announced Pentagon review of the AUKUS pact has sparked a renewed bout of debate in Australia. Led by the “AUKUS-agnostic” US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, the review raises serious questions over whether Australia will receive
‘I was in a semi-breaking-down sort of place’: new study sheds light on the emotional toll for emergency volunteers Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Roche, PhD Candidate, Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors, La Trobe University Sergey Dolgikh/Getty Images In Australia, there are around 235,000 emergency service volunteers who help communities respond and recover after natural disasters and other traumatic events. These include volunteers with metropolitan and rural fire services
Australia wants more foreign investment. That’s why a $29 billion bid for Santos puts the Treasurer in a tricky position Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shumi Akhtar, Associate Professor, University of Sydney Marlon Trottmann/Shutterstock The Australian origins of Santos have made an indelible mark on the company’s very name. The energy giant was first incorporated in 1954 under the acronym for “South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search”. It was publicly listed on
15 months after ‘flour massacre’ shock, Israel commits daily Gaza food aid killings BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied Bethlehem Kia ora koutou, I’m a Kiwi journo in occupied Bethlehem, here’s a brief summary of today’s events across the Palestinian and Israeli territories from on the ground. At least 16 killed by Israeli airstrike on al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. 92 killed across Gaza in total,
Iran and Israel exchanged fresh attacks early on Saturday, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear programme while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. in Israel (2330 GMT on Friday), the Israeli military warned of an incoming missile barrage from Iran, triggering air raid sirens across parts of central Israel, including Tel Aviv, as well as in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Interceptions were visible in the sky over Tel Aviv, with explosions echoing across the metropolitan area as Israel’s air defence systems responded.
At the same time, Israel launched a new wave of attacks against missile storage and launch infrastructure sites in Iran, the Israeli military said.
Sirens also sounded in southern Israel, said Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service. An Israeli military official said Iran had fired five ballistic missiles and that there were no immediate indications of any missile impacts.
There were no initial reports of casualties.
The emergency service released images showing a fire on the roof of a multi-storey residential building in central Israel. Local media reported that the fire was caused by debris from an intercepted missile. Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel.
Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons. It neither confirms nor denies this.
Its air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based human rights organisation that tracks Iran. The dead include the military’s top echelon and nuclear scientists.
In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities.
TALKS SHOW LITTLE PROGRESS
Iran has repeatedly targeted Tel Aviv, a metropolitan area of around 4 million people and the country’s business and economic hub, where some critical military assets are also located.
Israel said it had struck dozens of military targets on Friday, including missile production sites, a research body it said was involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran and military facilities in western and central Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said there was no room for negotiations with the U.S. “until Israeli aggression stops”. But he arrived in Geneva on Friday for talks with European foreign ministers at which Europe hopes to establish a path back to diplomacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated that he would take as long as two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel’s side, enough time “to see whether or not people come to their senses”, he said.
Trump said he was unlikely to press Israel to scale back its airstrikes to allow negotiations to continue.
“I think it’s very hard to make that request right now. If somebody is winning, it’s a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing, but we’re ready, willing and able, and we’ve been speaking to Iran, and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
The Geneva talks produced little signs of progress, and Trump said he doubted negotiators would be able to secure a ceasefire.
“Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us.
Europe is not going to be able to help in this one,” Trump said.
Hundreds of U.S. citizens have fled Iran since the air war began, according to a U.S. State Department cable seen by Reuters.
Israel’s envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told the Security Council on Friday his country would not stop its attacks “until Iran’s nuclear threat is dismantled”. Iran’s U.N. envoy Amir Saeid Iravani called for Security Council action and said Tehran was alarmed by reports that the U.S. might join the war.
Russia and China demanded immediate de-escalation.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran was ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment but that it would reject any proposal that barred it from enriching uranium completely, “especially now under Israel’s strikes”.
Iran and Israel exchanged fresh attacks early on Saturday, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear programme while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. in Israel (2330 GMT on Friday), the Israeli military warned of an incoming missile barrage from Iran, triggering air raid sirens across parts of central Israel, including Tel Aviv, as well as in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Interceptions were visible in the sky over Tel Aviv, with explosions echoing across the metropolitan area as Israel’s air defence systems responded.
At the same time, Israel launched a new wave of attacks against missile storage and launch infrastructure sites in Iran, the Israeli military said.
Sirens also sounded in southern Israel, said Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service. An Israeli military official said Iran had fired five ballistic missiles and that there were no immediate indications of any missile impacts.
There were no initial reports of casualties.
The emergency service released images showing a fire on the roof of a multi-storey residential building in central Israel. Local media reported that the fire was caused by debris from an intercepted missile. Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel.
Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons. It neither confirms nor denies this.
Its air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based human rights organisation that tracks Iran. The dead include the military’s top echelon and nuclear scientists.
In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities.
TALKS SHOW LITTLE PROGRESS
Iran has repeatedly targeted Tel Aviv, a metropolitan area of around 4 million people and the country’s business and economic hub, where some critical military assets are also located.
Israel said it had struck dozens of military targets on Friday, including missile production sites, a research body it said was involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran and military facilities in western and central Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said there was no room for negotiations with the U.S. “until Israeli aggression stops”. But he arrived in Geneva on Friday for talks with European foreign ministers at which Europe hopes to establish a path back to diplomacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated that he would take as long as two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel’s side, enough time “to see whether or not people come to their senses”, he said.
Trump said he was unlikely to press Israel to scale back its airstrikes to allow negotiations to continue.
“I think it’s very hard to make that request right now. If somebody is winning, it’s a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing, but we’re ready, willing and able, and we’ve been speaking to Iran, and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
The Geneva talks produced little signs of progress, and Trump said he doubted negotiators would be able to secure a ceasefire.
“Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us.
Europe is not going to be able to help in this one,” Trump said.
Hundreds of U.S. citizens have fled Iran since the air war began, according to a U.S. State Department cable seen by Reuters.
Israel’s envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told the Security Council on Friday his country would not stop its attacks “until Iran’s nuclear threat is dismantled”. Iran’s U.N. envoy Amir Saeid Iravani called for Security Council action and said Tehran was alarmed by reports that the U.S. might join the war.
Russia and China demanded immediate de-escalation.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran was ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment but that it would reject any proposal that barred it from enriching uranium completely, “especially now under Israel’s strikes”.
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
Manchester, NH – Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, introduced the Veterans Full-Service Care and Access Act, legislation that would require VA to operate, at minimum, one full-service Veterans Health Administration hospital within each state in the contiguous 48 states. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is leading companion legislation in the Senate. U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and former intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve, are cosponsors of the legislation in their respective houses of Congress.
“Our veterans have each put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, and they ought to receive the care and benefits they have earned after their service. Unfortunately, New Hampshire veterans are not on an equal footing with those in other states. New Hampshire still lacks a full-service VA hospital, meaning our veterans may not have access to, or may need to travel long distances for, essential care. My legislation would finally right this wrong,” said Congressman Pappas. “I have fought to prevent the closure of Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, reduce the backlog of cases at VA, and ensure that toxic-exposed veterans are finally receiving the help they need. I will continue my work to strengthen veterans’ health care by pushing for a full-service hospital for New Hampshire veterans who deserve the highest quality care and services.”
“Every freedom and right we enjoy today was paid for with the sacrifices of the men and women who have served in the military—the least we can do is ensure veterans can access first rate health care no matter where they live,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our bill would help more Granite State veterans access the health care they deserve by helping establish a full service VA hospital in New Hampshire—the only state in the continental U.S. without one.”
“America’s best deserve our best, which is why it’s past time that New Hampshire veterans have a full-service VA facility in our state,” said Senator Hassan. “I have a record of advocating for a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire and I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to support this bill and help us uphold our commitment to our veterans.”
“We have a sacred obligation to the tens of thousands of women and men across New Hampshire who served our country in uniform. They put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and it’s my mission in Congress to ensure these brave American heroes have access to the full range of healthcare they need,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “This bill is an important step in this mission.”
“The New Hampshire Veterans of Foreign Wars fully supports the Veterans Full-Service Care and Access Act. We believe the Act will enhance veterans’ access to quality care and offer greater flexibility in choosing providers, ensuring veterans can access care whether at a VA facility or through community providers,” said AJ Corrow, NH VFW Legislative Chairman.
Background:
New Hampshire is the only state in the contiguous 48 states to not have a dedicated, full-service VA hospital.
An Executive Order issued by President Trump on May 9th instructed VA to begin a feasibility study on expanding services to support a full-service medical center in New Hampshire within 30 days and submit an action plan to the President within 180 days.
Following the issuance of the Executive Order, Pappas led the New Hampshire delegation in a letter calling on VA Secretary Doug Collins to seriously and fully follow through on the feasibility study and action plan, with the goal of establishing a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire. He also secured a commitment from VA Secretary Collins at a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing to engage with New Hampshire veterans and stakeholders as the Department conducts the study and develops its action plan.
As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Shaheen has worked tirelessly to make health care more accessible for New Hampshire veterans and has long worked to secure federal funding for VA health care sites throughout New Hampshire. The first piece of legislation she introduced in Congress was the Veterans Health Equity Act in 2009, which would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that every state has a full-service veterans’ hospital or that comparable services are provided by contracting with in-state hospitals.
Senator Hassan is working to get New Hampshire veterans the care and benefits that they have earned and deserve. Senator Hassan raised the importance of building a full-service veterans hospital during the confirmation hearing for VA Secretary Doug Collins. Additionally, Senator Hassan has been pushing the VA for answers about its plans to fire 80,000 VA employees and the ways in which that would harm care and benefits for veterans. Senator Hassan also helped develop and pass into law the PACT Act, which fundamentally reforms and improves the ways in which veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA. To date, more than two million PACT Act-related claims have been filed and over 200,000 veterans have enrolled for VA health care under the PACT Act.
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
WINDHAM – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan participated in an event today hosted by the Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce where she answered questions from small business leaders and workers. Granite State small business leaders asked about strengthening the local economy, reducing the deficit, and other priorities.
“I appreciated hearing directly from New Hampshire’s small business leaders and workers about the challenges that they are facing, which have been made worse by the Trump Administration’s reckless and chaotic actions,” said Senator Hassan. “Small businesses are the backbone of New Hampshire’s economy, and I will continue to work to get small businesses the support that they need, including relief from President Trump’s recklessly broad tariffs.”
Senator Hassan has a record of supporting small businesses. Senator Hassan recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation to cut taxes for small businesses with fewer than 10 employees that create retirement accounts for their employees. She has stood up to the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs that are raising costs on Granite State families and small businesses – which are also making it difficult for businesses to plan for the future. Senator Hassan has also been a leader in advocating for the full restoration of the research & development tax deduction so that businesses in the United States can continue to outcompete China.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Severe storms resulted in extensive damage to critical infrastructure, parks, cultural sites, schools, public buildings, and more, resulting in over $34 million dollars in damages across six counties
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the Trump administration’s denial of Washington state’s appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration to unlock Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for recovery from the devastating windstorms, heavy rainfall, flooding, and mudslides caused by a bomb cyclone that struck Washington state in November 2024.
Last month, Senator Murray led Washington state’s entire bipartisan Congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to reconsider the denial of Washington state’s initial, January request to President Trump for a Major Disaster Declaration in response to the November bomb cyclone. Senator Murray also led Washington state’s entire Congressional delegation in a previous letter urging President Biden to grant the state’s request.
“It is outrageous that President Trump is denying Washington state’s request for a federal disaster declaration, supported by our entire bipartisan Congressional delegation, for one of the most destructive storms in our state’s recent history. This is exactly the kind of catastrophic event federal disaster aid was designed for. County governments cannot be reasonably expected to shoulder $34 million dollars in damages from the bomb cyclone that caused tremendous damage to public infrastructure and left hundreds of thousands of people without power.
“Make no mistake, what we are seeing under Trump is an unprecedented and dangerous politicization of disaster assistance that cannot continue. Storms and disasters don’t discriminate between red and blue communities and neither should our President. There is simply no justification for this betrayal that leaves local communities and residents of Washington state shouldering painful disaster recovery costs when the federal government was supposed to have their backs.
“Every Member of Congress should be extraordinarily alarmed by this administration’s insistence on playing politics with disaster aid, no matter the consequences for our constituents. Do Republicans want a future Democratic President denying their constituents disaster aid over politics?”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
“Today’s judicial ruling that Mahmoud Khalil had to be released from ICE detention is a critical step on the road to justice. Mahmoud Khalil will finally be reunited with his wife and newborn baby, whose birth he missed while unjustly detained by the Trump Administration for more than three months.
“His detention has been a stain on our immigration and justice system in this country: an attack on the constitutional free speech protections guaranteed to every single person in our country, utilizing the immigration system to prevent him from engaging in this constitutionally protected political speech.
“In this case, as in several others, we see the Trump Administration is continuing to simply target people of all legal statuses, including legal permanent residents and even U.S. citizens, simply for disagreeing with their administration in any way. That is not American and is a gross violation of all of our fundamental rights. Every single person in America should understand that if this Administration can do this to Mr. Khalil, they can do the same thing to you.
“Today, I celebrate with Mahmoud Khalil and his family. There is more work to do to bring full justice to this situation, and to stop the attacks on so many across this country.”
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today signed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) joint resolution of disapproval under Congressional Review Act (CRA) procedures to block an Office of Comptroller (OCC) rule that hurts community banks by adding unnecessary red tape to the bank merger approval process.
“When the Biden administration imposed crippling red tape on the bank merger process, they delivered a devastating blow to small community banks nationwide, strangling their ability to serve their customers. I’m deeply thankful to my House and Senate colleagues for passing this vital legislation and to President Trump for signing my resolution to dismantle this oppressive regulation,” said Kennedy.
The Biden administration’s rule, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, amended the Bank Merger Act of 1960 to make it harder for the OCC to approve healthy bank mergers quickly. Kennedy’s resolution would reverse the Biden administration’s misguided rule so that banks can stay in business and serve hardworking Americans.
Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) cosponsored the Senate resolution.
“The Biden-era rule restricting bank mergers disproportionately harmed small and midsized banks and would have reduced access to credit and financial services. I’m grateful to President Trump for signing Senator Kennedy’s resolution to overturn the rule, which will ensure the free market can decide how financial institutions can best serve their customers,”said Scott, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Chairman of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee on the House Financial Services Committee, introduced the companion resolution.
“Bank mergers create competition and efficiency in the banking system. By eliminating this rule, we will remove unnecessary guardrails on the bank merger process that make smaller and medium-sized banks less competitive. This is another win for President Trump, who is making our economy stronger by cutting government red-tape and unleashing the free market,” said Barr.
Background:
Historically, the OCC assumed that a potential merger passed muster if the agency did not take action on a merger application within 15 days. The burden of showing that a merger would harm businesses and consumers fell on the OCC and bank regulators.
The Biden administration’s rule shifted the burden of proof to individual banks, making it harder for banks – particularly community banks – to fulfill their obligations by making smart, strategic mergers.
In February 2025, Kennedy introduced his resolution to undo the Biden administration’s rule.
On May 8, 2025, the Senate passed Kennedy’s resolution.
On May 20, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the resolution.
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today signed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) joint resolution of disapproval under Congressional Review Act (CRA) procedures to block an Office of Comptroller (OCC) rule that hurts community banks by adding unnecessary red tape to the bank merger approval process.
“When the Biden administration imposed crippling red tape on the bank merger process, they delivered a devastating blow to small community banks nationwide, strangling their ability to serve their customers. I’m deeply thankful to my House and Senate colleagues for passing this vital legislation and to President Trump for signing my resolution to dismantle this oppressive regulation,” said Kennedy.
The Biden administration’s rule, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, amended the Bank Merger Act of 1960 to make it harder for the OCC to approve healthy bank mergers quickly. Kennedy’s resolution would reverse the Biden administration’s misguided rule so that banks can stay in business and serve hardworking Americans.
Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) cosponsored the Senate resolution.
“The Biden-era rule restricting bank mergers disproportionately harmed small and midsized banks and would have reduced access to credit and financial services. I’m grateful to President Trump for signing Senator Kennedy’s resolution to overturn the rule, which will ensure the free market can decide how financial institutions can best serve their customers,”said Scott, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Chairman of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee on the House Financial Services Committee, introduced the companion resolution.
“Bank mergers create competition and efficiency in the banking system. By eliminating this rule, we will remove unnecessary guardrails on the bank merger process that make smaller and medium-sized banks less competitive. This is another win for President Trump, who is making our economy stronger by cutting government red-tape and unleashing the free market,” said Barr.
Background:
Historically, the OCC assumed that a potential merger passed muster if the agency did not take action on a merger application within 15 days. The burden of showing that a merger would harm businesses and consumers fell on the OCC and bank regulators.
The Biden administration’s rule shifted the burden of proof to individual banks, making it harder for banks – particularly community banks – to fulfill their obligations by making smart, strategic mergers.
In February 2025, Kennedy introduced his resolution to undo the Biden administration’s rule.
On May 8, 2025, the Senate passed Kennedy’s resolution.
On May 20, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the resolution.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)
Washington, D.C. – This afternoon, the West Virginia congressional delegation urged President Trump to approve the state’s request for a major disaster declaration following the weekend floods in Ohio and Marion Counties.
The delegation’s letter follows Governor Patrick Morrisey’s formal request to the White House for a major disaster declaration earlier today.
Congressman Moore issued the following statement:
“My heart breaks for our neighbors who are left picking up the pieces after last weekend’s unprecedented floods. I’ve never seen anything like the devastation I saw in Triadelphia and Fairmont.
“Even during these trying times, West Virginians are pulling together to rebuild our communities. But, we can’t do it alone. I urge President Trump to consider the unprecedented nature of this flood and quickly approve West Virginia’s Major Disaster Declaration request to ensure our people have access to the federal resources they need to recover and rebuild.”
Earlier this week, Congressman Moore spent time in Triadelphia and Fairmont to review the damage and speak with state and local officials on the ground.
NEW YORK – Union workers employed by the Trevor Project are condemning a decision by the Department of Health and Human Services to end funding for specialized suicide hotline services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults.
When LGBTQ+ young people in crisis call or text 988, they are connected to counselors who are trained to address their unique needs. Workers at the Trevor Project, represented by Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1180, handle nearly half of those contacts.
While the Trevor Project will continue to operate a helpline for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, the 988 Lifeline has greater public awareness. Over the past three years, the 988 LGBTQ+ program has assisted over 1.3 million young people.
“As a collective, we are devastated by Trump cutting the LGBTQ+ youth line,” said Jack Hanson, a 988 Lifeline Crisis Counselor. “This executive action serves as a death sentence to many in this demographic. We want to emphasize that LGBTQ+ youth deserve to be affirmed in who they are and that they deserve to live meaningful lives. We also wish to say this includes all categories of this community, including trans and queer youth, who the Trump Administration had ignorantly excluded from its initial announcement. Despite the line closure, we will always be dedicated to protecting this population in spite of the hatred, hostility, and cruelty of the Trump administration. We urge supporters to contact their members of Congress and Senators to urge them to restore funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services.”
“The decision to shut down LGTBQ+ crisis services in the middle of the fiscal year – announced during Pride month – is a deliberate provocation and a despicable attack on LGBTQ+ workers and the community,” said Gloria Middleton, president of CWA Local 1180. “CWA members provide vital, live-saving services for kids who need our help. Our union stands united behind the Trevor Project workers and the LGTBQ+ community that they serve.”
“The attacks on the LGBTQ+ community are one front in this Administration’s larger war on working people,” said Dennis Trainor, Vice President of CWA District 1.“America is a country built by and for the working class, with all types of people coming together to work for a brighter future for our children. LGBTQ+ workers and families are part of the rich tapestry of American life. At CWA they provide crisis services for at-risk youth, connect households and small businesses to high-speed internet services, and drive American innovation forward while working on NIH-funded grants. They will not be erased, and the labor movement stands with our LGBTQ+ siblings.”
Union workers at the Trevor Project are protected by a union contract that includes guaranteed severance pay in the event of layoffs.
The national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in 2022, and has provided specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth who are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. The suicide prevention line has bipartisan support, created through an act of Congress as the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, and signed into law by President Donald Trump in October, 2020.
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – On the campaign trail, Donald Trump pledged to cut energy costs in half. As president, his policies are causing home energy prices to increase, with consumer electricity prices set to climb by hundreds of dollars under Trump and Republicans’ supposedly ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ which is a big ugly betrayal of working families.
Electricity prices have already risen 4.5 percent in the last year, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor, and are estimated to surge this summer. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) projects home electricity bills are expected to reach their highest average rate in 12 years, at $784 for the summer period.
In Rhode Island, researchers at Energy Innovation found that the House-passed big Trump bill, which repeals clean energy tax breaks and investments, “would increase annual energy bills by $55 million across Rhode Island households annually in 2030, swelling to more than $83 million in higher energy costs by 2035, for a total of $315 million during the budget window of 2025 to 2034.” It also found the bill “would cost Rhode Island’s workforce 2,000 jobs in 2030 and nearly 1,500 jobs in 2035 as new investment in domestic energy and manufacturing falters.”
“President Trump and Republicans’ outdated 20th century energy policies will raise families’ energy costs, kill jobs, and increase pollution. Lowering energy prices and “future-proofing” our energy systems is an economic and security imperative. But President Trump and Congressional Republicans are doing the opposite: increasing people’s and businesses’ electricity bills all over the country and undercutting sustainable investments in America’s energy grid. The Republican-induced surge in energy prices will burn working-class living standards and line the pockets of special interests,” said Senator Reed.
On average, Rhode Island residents spend about $285 per month on electricity, or $3,420 per year for the average household according to energysage.com. But if Trump’s ‘Big Ugly’ reconciliation bill becomes law, those costs would increase significantly due to repeal of the vast majority of tax credits for low-carbon sources of electricity like wind, solar, batteries and geothermal power included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The New York Times reports: “Repealing those credits could increase the average family’s energy bill by as much as $400 per year within a decade, according to several studies published this year.”
Senator Reed says Trump’s outmoded policies and dysfunctional administration are increasing energy prices; failing to invest in the energy infrastructure America needs now and in the future; making America less energy secure; and costing the country good-paying, union jobs.
With summer heat approaching, Senator Reed notes that those most impacted by higher utility bills are lower-income households, including seniors on fixed incomes, who often lack the resources to cover increased monthly payments.
“Not only are President Trump and Republicans doubling down on failed policies from the past, they are rescinding investments in forward looking renewable energy projects that are supporting good jobs and ready to come on line and lower prices. And let’s be clear, they are doing this at the behest of highly profitable fossil fuel companies and conglomerates that are polluting the environment and squeezing consumers,” said Senator Reed.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division today announced it is suspending enforcement of the Biden Administration’s burdensome 2024 farmworker rule. The decision provides much-needed clarity for American farmers navigating the H-2A program, while also aligning with President Trump’s ongoing commitment to strictly enforcing U.S. immigration laws.
As multiple federal court injunctions have created significant legal uncertainty, inconsistency, and operational challenges for farmers lawfully employing H-2A workers, this field assistance bulletin clarifies that the department will not be enforcing the 2024 final rule effective immediately – providing critical predictability for agricultural employers as litigation continues and as the department considers further regulatory action.
The rule’s implementation had already been suspended by the department because of federal injunctions. This guidance does not change existing regulations or limit the Wage and Hour Division’s authority to enforce H-2A requirements put in place prior to the 2024 final rule. It supersedes any contrary or conflicting guidance to field staff but does not create legally enforceable obligations or alter any statutory or regulatory requirements, ensuring full enforcement of U.S. immigration laws.
For additional guidance beyond the field assistance bulletin, workers and employers can contact the Wage and Hour Division at its toll-free helpline, 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)
WASHINGTON—This week, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) hosted a roundtable discussion with members of the First Coast Manufacturers Association to discuss the impact of expiring tax cuts, industry challenges, and how the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) will provide real tax relief and drive economic growth in Northeast Florida.
After the roundtable, Congressman Bean said, “Northeast Florida manufacturers cannot afford the burden of higher taxes that would cripple growth and threaten jobs. Roundtable participants confirmed the success of the Trump tax cuts and their critical importance to their daily operations. During the roundtable, I heard directly from manufacturers about the challenges of finding workers, being competitive, accessing products, and the need for immediate relief. As the fight continues to preserve the Trump tax cuts, I’m taking their stories back to D.C. and will continue to advocate for policies that help our manufacturers expand, hire, and drive our economy forward.”
BACKGROUND:
The House has passed the One Big Beautiful Bill by a 215-214 vote, and now all eyes are on the Senate as President Trump urges swift approval before July 4th to deliver historic tax relief and economic growth for hardworking Americans.
For an overview of the One Big Beautiful Bill, click here.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: How will the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill impact Iowans?
A: Based on my county meetings, emails and phone calls, Iowans are paying close attention to the One Big Beautiful Bill moving through Congress. After passing the House of Representatives, the committees of jurisdiction in the Senate are now hammering out policy details on agriculture, taxes, immigration, health care and more. The bill is advancing in the Senate under the expedited reconciliation process that doesn’t require a 60-vote threshold and can’t include non-budgetary matters in the bill. As a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I’ve had my sleeves rolled up at the policymaking table advocating on behalf of Iowans, including agriculture, energy, taxes, health care and more. This package is a generational opportunity to prevent the largest tax increase in U.S. history and restore fiscal sanity. Americans sent a strong message in the last election and delivered a mandate to President Trump and the Republican Majority in Congress. That mandate includes cutting government bloat, reining in wasteful spending and stopping the biggest tax increase in the history of the country.
Let’s start with health care, in particular Medicaid. That’s the federal-state program that provides free or low-cost health care to individuals based on their income and family size, serving Americans with disabilities, seniors, kids, pregnant moms and others. A sizable majority of Americans supports efforts to stop wasteful spending that drains resources for people who truly need this safety net and puts an unfair burden on taxpayers. I’ve been a long-time champion for protecting the Medicaid program for the most vulnerable Iowans. This includes my work to pass the Family Opportunity Act and Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act, and my continued work on supporting kids with complex medical needs and improving maternal and child health. The Senate bill includes measures to strengthen the integrity of the Medicaid program, delay costly Biden-era regulations, stop Obamacare subsidies from going to illegal immigrants and enacting work requirements for able-bodied adults with reasonable exemptions, such as parents with young kids.
Contrary to misinformation campaigns seeking to stop these common-sense reforms from getting to the president’s desk, the Senate bill does not take away Medicaid from those who genuinely need it. In fact, our bill seeks to strengthen the program so that it can continue to serve vulnerable populations it was designed to serve. For example, it would stop people from taking advantage of Medicaid coverage in multiple states; remove safe harbor protections for those who make erroneous excess payments; and, ban Medicaid managed care PBM spread pricing, among many other common-sense program integrity provisions. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the middlemen who negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, employer benefit plans, pharmacies and the consumer. PBMs can raise prices consumers pay for their medications, and instead of passing that revenue along to the pharmacy, they pocket the difference, known as “spread pricing.” I’ve long worked to reduce prescription drug prices and I’m pleased to get this specific reform in the Senate bill.
Q: What’s so critical about the tax provisions in the bill?
A: Our bill makes the 2017 tax law permanent. If Congress does nothing, the U.S. economy will get strangled by a $4 trillion tax hike on American workers, small businesses, farmers and families. The last thing American households and small businesses need – after recovering from supply chain setbacks during the pandemic and record-setting inflation under the Biden administration – is a higher tax bill from the federal government. Letting the 2017 tax law expire would cut the child tax credit and standard deduction in half. Iowa families would see on average a $1,400 tax increase. It also would slap a massive tax increase on small businesses, slamming the brakes on hiring, investing and expanding in local communities across the country. Iowa would stand to lose 57,000 jobs and more than $5 billion in employee wages across the state.
Instead, the Senate bill would provide additional tax relief to working families, making permanent across-the-board tax rates; expanding the child tax credit; strengthening employer-provided childcare credit; enhancing the standard deduction; and, making permanent the small business deduction. It adds new tax relief for tipped workers and hourly workers who earn overtime pay, repeals burdensome reporting requirements for gig workers (rolls back the proposed $600 threshold for online payment platforms) and reduces paperwork burdens for small businesses by increasing the 1099-MISC threshold. The Senate-backed pro-growth tax policies would fuel investment with full expensing for domestic research and development, new capital improvements (including machinery and equipment) and new factories and factory improvements. These measures would provide much-needed certainty for small businesses and factories across our state, concerns I hear about regularly during my county meetings.
Public media is an essential resource — especially for rural communities in emergency situations
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined 23 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief supporting NPR (National Public Radio) and PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) in their challenge to the Trump Administration directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to withhold federal funding from NPR and PBS. California public broadcasting companies received over $57 million in grants and allocations from CPB last year, much of which is distributed through NPR and PBS. In the brief, the attorneys general highlight the important role of public media in providing millions of Americans — especially rural, remote, and Tribal communities — with essential state and nationwide news and emergency notifications. Especially as the state experiences an increase in wildfires, Californians rely on public radio to receive vital information including evacuation orders.
“Public media serves all Americans, regardless of their ability to pay. In many rural communities, public radio stations are often the main or only source for local news and regularly partner with federal, state, and local authorities to provide lifesaving emergency communications, including early earthquake warnings and fire evacuation orders,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Without federal funding, rural areas of the country would lose this critical communication lifeline. Particularly amid an increase in natural disasters, leaving a whole swath of Americans without access to timely information is dangerous and unacceptable.”
Public radio and television station alerts and reporting on emergency situations are often a lifeline for audiences throughout the country. Public broadcasters transmit emergency alerts to areas where there is little or no reliable internet or cellular service or when this service is disrupted. Public radio and television stations often have hardened and resilient infrastructure that allows them to continue broadcasting during emergency situations that may knock out power or other communications resources. Loss of federal funding to NPR and PBS would result in impacts to state and local authorities who frequently partner with public broadcasters; authorities would lose access to infrastructure they rely on to communicate immediate and life-saving emergency alerts to the public. Because this infrastructure cannot be quickly, easily, or inexpensively replaced, Americans nationwide — and particularly those in rural and remote areas — would experience real harm.
Public media is particularly critical in rural and Tribal areas where news, educational programming, and emergency alerts are significantly more limited. Rural areas are more vulnerable to the catastrophic effects of weather disasters and tend to not have the same access to reliable, high-speed internet as their urban counterparts.
In California, federal funding cuts to public media will disproportionately affect small and rural media stations, which are primarily funded by CPB. Approximately 40% of CPB grantees are considered rural — and in recent years CPB has prioritized resources to remote stations, which face unique challenges and higher costs than urban stations to reach remote sparsely populated areas. Whereas most urban stations have other funding sources, CPB funds can account for up to 60% of a rural station’s funding, meaning that reduction or elimination of funding from CPB would have the most negative impact on stations serving these communities.
In submitting the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
WASHINGTON— U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright today announced the release of the fourth loan disbursement to Holtec to help fund the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant. Today’s action disburses $100,451,904 of the up to $1.52 billion loan guarantee to Holtec for the Palisades Nuclear Plant, which will be America’s first restart of a commercial nuclear reactor that ceased operations, subject to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approvals.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is taking a leading role in unleashing the American nuclear renaissance,” said Secretary Chris Wright. “The Palisades Nuclear Plant will help to reinvigorate our nuclear industrial base and will reestablish the United States as the world’s nuclear energy leader.”
This disbursement marks Holtec’s fourth disbursement of funds from the Loan Programs Office (LPO) since the September 2024 announcement of the loan’s financial close. To date, $251,878,038 of DOE guaranteed loan funds have been disbursed to Holtec to help fund the reopening as it continues to make important milestones toward plant restart, including the NRC’s issuance of the final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact.
Today’s announcement highlights the Energy Department’s leading role in advancing President Trump’s Executive Order 14302, Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base, through funding the restart of nuclear plants. DOE remains committed to fulfill this mission in order to maximize the speed and scale of nuclear capacity in the United States, ensuring American’s have access to reliable, abundant, and affordable energy.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) joined conservation advocates, local leaders, and community members at the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (OMDP) to rally against renewed efforts to sell off federal public lands. The event featured a press conference and community hike, highlighting the cultural, economic, and environmental importance of public lands to southern New Mexico.
The event comes amidst a revived push by Senate Republicans to advance one of the most extreme public land sell-off proposals in recent history of over 3.3 million acres. While these provisions were blocked in the House thanks to Rep. Vasquez’s leadership in the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, they have resurfaced in the Senate’s version of the budget reconciliation bill, reigniting concern across the West.
WATCH: REP. VASQUEZ DELIVERS REMARKS AT PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS PRESS CONFERENCE
“Standing here at Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks, I’m reminded that what’s at stake isn’t just this monument—it’s the future of millions of acres of public lands across New Mexico and the West that could be sold off because of Republican proposals in Congress,” said Vasquez. “These lands are part of our identity. They support local jobs, protect sacred Tribal sites, and give our kids a chance to connect with the outdoors. Our public lands are not for sale. Period.”
“There are a number of reasons why keeping OMDP intact and untouched is so important. Not only are conservation and preservation instrumental in this argument, but in Las Cruces, our community has embraced this monument because of the hiking and camping, the outdoor recreation opportunities, and so much more,” said Carrie Hamblen, CEO and President of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce and New Mexico State Senator. “Our local businesses rely on the tourism that brings visitors into our stores and restaurants and creates a memorable experience for all to enjoy. Our monument isn’t for sale, and our community has proven to this administration that it should be left alone.”
“Our community in Southern New Mexico understands that our landscape brings us together. These lands hold so much more than what can be extracted or profited from them. They hold our stories, they are homes to essential wildlife, they improve the health of our communities,” said Patrick Nolan, Executive Director of Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. “The value of our lands cannot be summed up by what can be extracted from them. We hope Congress, with the help of Representative Vasquez, understands that the value of our lands cannot be summed up by what can be extracted from them. That these lands hold value as they are protected and conserved for generations to come.”
“New Mexico Wild and our thousands of members object in the strongest possible terms to any attempts to shrink, eliminate, or remove protections for Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks or any other national monument. These monuments were created as a result of local communities working for years to protect these one of a kind places,” said Mark Allison, Executive Director of New Mexico Wild. “Nearly 90% of New Mexicans — people of all political persuasions — support keeping our monuments intact. They are not merely lines on a map but critical ecological havens, sacred cultural sites, and irreplaceable natural treasures that help define our identity. Public lands are the backdrop to our state’s outdoor heritage and way of life. Plans to sell off our children’s inheritance to benefit connected billionaires is a theft of historic proportions and should make all Americans ashamed and outraged.”
“To New Mexicans public lands aren’t some line item on a budget spreadsheet. Public lands are our lifeblood. Wild, public places and the wild things that inhabit those places are integral to the culture, traditions and lifestyle of countless people across the West,” said Jesse Duebel, Executive Director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “Public lands are not just about outdoor recreation and all the health and economic benefits associated with that. These places house our identity. It’s where we go to obtain our food, the firewood to heat our homes, and the solace we need to overcome the challenges of modern society. Public lands are our gym, our church and our grocery store. In short, our public lands are not for sale, they are in our DNA.”
“The broad scheme to sell off our public lands, national heritage, and outdoor access to the wealthy and well-connected will block access to regular Americans for hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. It also willfully ignores or disrespects the Indigenous, Hispano, and local communities who rely on these lands for cultural, spiritual, economic, and recreational reasons, said Romir Lahiri, Associate Program Director for Conservation Lands Foundation. “These lands are part of what makes New Mexico so special. New Mexico’s national monuments, including Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks and Río Grande del Norte, exist because the people demanded it. From local business owners and family campers to mountain guides and outdoor adventurers, the majority—regardless of political affiliation—want these treasured natural places protected and accessible for generations to come.”
“Our public lands are living landscapes. Any effort to weaken their protections threaten the health, heritage, and well-being of their connected communities and stand in direct opposition to the voices of New Mexicans. Despite overwhelming support for our public lands, the Trump Administration is systematically degrading the laws and agencies that manage these irreplaceable places and jeopardizing the legal duty to engage meaningfully with Tribal leadership,” said Maude Dinan, New Mexico Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association.“Prioritizing oil and gas drilling or mining, erasing national monuments, or transferring public lands to states is short-sighted and will cause irrevocable harm to our landscapes and people.”
Earlier this year, Vasquez launched the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus alongside Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) to bring together lawmakers from both parties who support the protection of public lands. The caucus has quickly become a driving force behind efforts to conserve our public lands and fight for the outdoor recreation economy.
In addition to fighting against this latest effort to sell public lands in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, Vasquez alsojoined a letterearlier this year to the administration urging the Department of Interior to leave OMDP intact, highlighting its significant landscapes, cultural resources and economic impact.
As the reconciliation package and other efforts to sell off public lands move forward, Vasquez pledged to continue building bipartisan support for protecting public lands for future generations.
class=”has-text-align-left”>By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America (the “President”), I hereby grant permission, subject to the conditions set forth herein, to the City of Eagle Pass, Texas (the “permittee”), to expand and continue to maintain and operate a vehicular and pedestrian crossing at the Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry located on the United States border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, as described in the “Camino Real International Bridge Expansion Presidential Permit Application” dated November 26, 2024, by the permittee to the Secretary of State and made complete with additional information provided by the permittee on March 9, 2025 (collectively, the “Application”), in accordance with 33 U.S.C. 535d and associated procedures.
The term “Border facilities” as used in this permit consists of the bridge over the Rio Grande, including six vehicle lanes in a second span adjacent to the existing Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry, its approaches, and any land, structures, installations, or equipment appurtenant thereto located approximately half a mile south of the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Bridge and immediately north of the Eagle Pass Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge on the United States side of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico.
This permit is subject to the following conditions:
Article1. The Border facilities herein described, and all aspects of their operation are subject to all the conditions, provisions, and requirements of this permit and any subsequent Presidential amendment to it. The construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities shall be in all material respects as described in the Application.
Article2. The standards for and the manner of construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities are subject to inspection by the representatives of appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies. The permittee shall grant officers and employees of such agencies that are duly authorized and performing their official duties free and unrestricted access to said Border facilities.
Article3. The permittee shall comply with all applicable Federal laws and regulations regarding the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities.
Article4. (1) The permittee shall take or cause to be taken all appropriate measures to mitigate adverse impacts on or disruption of the human environment in connection with the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities. Mitigation measures are those that avoid, minimize, or compensate for adverse impacts.
(2) The permittee shall hold harmless and indemnify the United States for any claimed or adjudged liability arising out of construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities, including environmental contamination from the release, threatened release, or discharge of hazardous substances or hazardous waste.
(3) The permittee is responsible for obtaining any required Federal, State, and local permits, approvals, and authorizations prior to commencing construction activities. The permittee shall implement the mitigation identified in any environmental decision documents prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Federal permits, including stormwater permits and permits issued in accordance with section 402 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1342). The permittee shall comply with applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws.
Article5. The permittee shall immediately notify the President or his designee of any decision to transfer custody and control of the Border facilities or any part thereof to any executive department or agency (agency) of the United States Government. Said notice shall identify the transferee agency and seek the approval of the President for the transfer of the permit. In the event of approval by the President of such transfer, this permit shall remain in force and effect, and the Border facilities shall be subject to all the conditions, permissions, and requirements of this permit and any amendments thereof. The permittee may transfer ownership or control of the Border facilities to a non-Federal entity or individual only upon the prior express approval of such transfer by the President, which approval may include such conditions, permissions, and requirements that the President, in the President’s discretion, determines are appropriate and necessary for inclusion in the permit, to be effective on the date of transfer.
Article6. The permittee is responsible for acquiring and maintaining any right-of-way grants or easements, permits, and other authorizations as may become necessary or appropriate. To ensure the safe operation of the Border facilities, the permittee shall maintain them and every part of them in a condition of good repair and in compliance with applicable law and use of best management practices.
Article7. To the extent authorized by law, and consistent with any Donation Acceptance Agreements (DAAs) already executed with the permittee under the Donation Acceptance Authority found in 6 U.S.C. 301a and section 559 of title V of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76), as amended, as continued by 6 U.S.C. 301b, the permittee shall provide to the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Commissioner) of the Department of Homeland Security and the heads of any other relevant agencies, at no cost to the United States, suitable inspection facilities, infrastructure improvements, equipment, and maintenance, as set forth in the DAAs. Nothing in this permit obligates such agencies to provide a particular level of services or staffing for such inspection facilities or for any other aspect of the port of entry associated with the Border facilities.
Article8. Before beginning design activities, the permittee shall provide a Donation Acceptance Proposal for the approval of the Commissioner, the Administrator of General Services, and the Secretary of Transportation detailing the permittee’s plans for the construction and staffing of suitable inspection facilitates, infrastructure improvements, equipment, and maintenance at no cost to the United States upon commencement of operations utilizing the construction expansion and thereafter. Relevant agencies will coordinate with the permittee to further refine the above conditions, as necessary, within 1 year of permit issuance.
Article9. Before initiating construction, the permittee shall obtain the concurrence of the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico.
Article10. The permittee shall not initiate construction until the Department of State has provided notification to the permittee that the Department of State has completed its exchange of diplomatic notes with the Government of Mexico regarding authorization. The permittee shall provide written notification to the President or his designee at the time that the construction authorized by this permit begins, at the time as such construction is completed, interrupted, or discontinued, and at other times as may be requested by the President.
Article11. Upon request, the permittee shall provide appropriate information to the President or his designee with regard to the Border facilities. Such requests could include requests for information concerning current conditions, environmental compliance, mitigation, or anticipated changes in ownership or control, construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of the Border facilities.
Article12. The permittee shall file any applicable statements and reports required by applicable Federal law in connection with the Border facilities.
Article13. The permittee shall make no substantial change inconsistent with the Application to the Border facilities, in the location of the Border facilities, or in the operation authorized by this permit, unless such changes have been approved by the President. The President may terminate, revoke, or amend this permit at any time at his sole discretion. The permittee’s obligation to implement any amendment to this permit is subject to the availability of funds. If the permittee permanently closes the Camino Real International Bridge and it is no longer used as an international crossing, then this permit shall terminate, and the permittee may manage, utilize, or dispose of the Border facilities in accordance with applicable authorities. This permit shall continue in full force and effect for only so long as the permittee continues the operations hereby authorized.
Article14. This permit shall expire 5 years from the date of its issuance if the permittee has not commenced construction of the Border facilities by that date.
Article15. This permit is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–Eight interns joined U.S. Senator Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) offices in Washington, D.C., and Boise for the Summer 2025 term.
“These young individuals joining my office for the summer will directly experience the inner workings of the U.S. Senate during President Trump’s historic second term,” said Crapo. “They will actively engage with Idaho’s constituents, expand their knowledge of the federal policymaking process and grow hard and soft skills important for their next career step. I am delighted to have them on board for this summer and look forward to their success.”
Five interns are serving in the Washington, D.C., Office:
Erika Amaral-Pelayo is a native of Kuna, Idaho, entering her junior year at the University of Idaho. She is majoring in political science with minors in Spanish and business economics.
Jaden Tilley is a native of Orofino, Idaho, and a student at Brigham Young University. He is majoring in political science.
Ethan Gilpin is a native of Montana and is currently attending Montana State University. He is studying economics and finance.
Kylie Keysor is a native of north California and is enrolled at Brigham Young University. She is majoring in business.
Catherine Lucia is a native of Virginia with family in Preston, Idaho. She is a junior at Brigham Young University, studying communication disorders with a political science minor.
Three interns are serving in the Boise Office:
Lucy Ford is a native of Hailey, Idaho, starting her junior year at Boise State University. She is studying government with aspirations of attending graduate school.
Michael McCurry is a native of Boise, Idaho, and a U.S. Army veteran, entering his senior year at Boise State University. He is majoring in political science.
Ryan Collins is a native of Kuna, Idaho, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He earned his B.S. in political science from Arizona State University and is interested in attending law school.
Crapo hosts interns in his Washington, D.C., office as well as in the various regional offices throughout Idaho. The applications for the spring 2026 term close on October 15, 2025. Students interested in positions for the spring, summer or fall semesters can find more information about the application process, internship expectations and deadlines for applying on the Senator’s official website at: https://www.crapo.senate.gov/services/for-students/internships.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
Neither Congress, the Administration, nor the public at large has fully acknowledged the depth of the fiscal hole we have dug, or what it will take to dig ourselves out of it. This is why I am releasing my report “FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation: Facts, Figures, and Analysis.”
My report provides an analysis of different scenarios using various growth rates and spending levels to prove that, without returning to a much lower pre-pandemic spending level, there is virtually no hope of achieving a balanced budget. Republican leaders have repeatedly stated, “We don’t have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem.” It’s time to find out if they’re willing to fix it.
Republicans must ask themselves whether they’re willing to address this spending problem. I hope the answer is yes — and I will continue doing everything I can to ensure it is.
Access the entire 30-page report: The primary purpose of this report is to graphically show what so many Republican leaders have repeatedly stated, including President Trump in his November 2, 2011 tweet, “Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.”
As outlined in this report, the House bill will not reduce the deficit — the numbers simply don’t support that claim. This is our once in a lifetime opportunity to balance the federal budget and reset spending. We have to clean up the enormous mess that Biden and the Democrats left for us.
We are all committedto helping the President and America succeed. My higher loyalty is to my children and grandchildren. We are immorally mortgaging their future. It’s time to take a businesslike approach and work seriously to reduce spending and deficits.
READ: Washington Examiner —> Ron Johnson ramps up “Big, Beautiful Bill” opposition with release of deficit report
READ: The Daily Signal —> Sen. Ron Johnson Proposes Alternative to “Big, Beautiful Bill”
WATCH: Clay & Buck —> Senator Ron Johnson Brings His Charts to the D.C. Studio to Talk Cutting the Budget
WATCH: Fox Business interview clip —> “We have to clean up the enormous mess that Biden and the Democrats left for us.”
READ: Badger Institute —> At center of America’s essential debate, Johnson says resist spending frenzy
I’ve been holding regular telephone town halls this month. The next one is Monday, June 23 at 2pm CT.
I hope all subscribers to my newsletter have signed up, but if not, here is the form.
You can always listen to the telephone town halls live online or on X and Facebook.
I appreciate everyone who takes the time to listen and ask thoughtful questions, even if we disagree. We have thousands of people on these calls and try to answer questions on a wide array of topics.
Here are the time codes and topics covered during the June 16 telephone town hall.
8:55 Telephone Town Hall #122 begins 10:30 Thoughts on Sen. Alex Padilla at DHS Sec. Noem press conference 11:20 Will Trump’s bill get passed by July 4? 12:15 Are you concerned Republicans are on the wrong track? 14:30 How will you vote on funding for public television and radio? 15:35 Will Trump’s cuts hurt constituents? 19:30 Taxes on Social Security 22:13 Abortion 23:50 Affordable Care Act vs. Obamacare 25:58 VA care and government run health care 29:30 Why democrats are protesting 32:40 Illegal immigrants 35:20 National debt 38:11 China owning farmland near military bases 40:00 Federal budget and how to limit spending 42:35 Spending for Veterans 45:05 Israel/Iran war 47:50 Holding people accountable for illegal immigration 51:28 Army parade 53:20 Taxing the rich 56:25 Social Security and taxes 58:55 Revenue from tariffs 1:02:43 Closing remarks
Congratulations to Matt Pronovost from Homestead High School in Mequon for earning a spot in the U.S. Senate Page Program this summer.
Pages play an important role in the daily operation of the Senate. They live in Washington, D.C. and attend Page School while working in the U.S. Senate. Pages deliver correspondence and legislative material within the Capitol and Senate office buildings, prepare the Chamber for Senate sessions, and work on the Senate floor.
Contact my office and the Senate Page Coordinator for more information on the program for 16 or 17-year-olds in their junior year of high school. We are now taking applications for Spring 2026.
It was great to meet five homeschool families from the Richfield area who were touring Washington, D.C. this week.
Our office can help you book several different tours for your upcoming trip to make it truly special. From the Capitol to the White House to the FBI, check out my Visiting DCwebpage for more information.
Our staff presented a Certificate of Special Senatorial Recognition to the Executive Director of Community Action for the organization’s 60th anniversary. The group fights poverty in Rock and Walworth counties.
The Spirit Cultural Exchange visits Madison each year with J-1 visa participants (also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa) to tour the State Capitol.
My staff met with these students from around the world to talk about United States government at the state and federal level.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer today celebrated 100 days since she was sworn in as the 30th Labor Secretary, marking a key milestone in her efforts to advance President Trump’s America First agenda by quickly delivering on her mission to empower U.S. workers and employers.
Since taking office, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer has hit the ground running to support the President’s bold, pro-growth policies that have spurred job creation, cut red tape, and ushered in a new Golden Age of economic opportunity for the American workforce.
“From day one, I promised to put American workers first and deliver on President Trump’s commitment to revitalize our workforce,” said Secretary Chavez-DeRemer. “Since then, we’ve jumpstarted a new Golden Age for American workers by creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, cutting burdensome regulations, saving taxpayer dollars, and investing in the skills and training that power our economy. I remain committed to building a strong, resilient labor force where workers and businesses can continue to grow and succeed.”
Launching the ‘America at Work’ listening tour
In April, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer embarked on her America at Work listening tour to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing hardworking Americans. Throughout her tour, the Secretary has met with manufacturers, union leaders, tradesmen, construction workers, longshoremen, and various stakeholders to ensure real-world experiences help shape and modernize federal labor policies and practices.
From Oregon to Pennsylvania, she has engaged directly with American workers to learn more about how the federal government can assist in developing a skilled workforce and expanding opportunities for workers to achieve the American Dream.
For example, the Secretary joined Anheuser-Busch in Ohio to announce a $300 million manufacturing investment through its “Brewing Futures” initiative, which includes building a new regional Technical Excellence Center in Columbus.
She also joined McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the company’s Archways to Opportunity educational program, which has created opportunities over the past decade for over 90,000 restaurant crew members by providing over $240 million in tuition assistance.
Supporting job creation
Since President Trump took office, the U.S. economy has added over 508,000 jobs, surpassing expectations for three consecutive months. Notably, native-born workers have accounted for all job gains, and trillions in private investments have fueled rapid job creation in critical sectors across the economy, including construction.
Expanding apprenticeships
In April, President Trump signed an executive order calling on the Department of Labor to modernize workforce development programs and invest in opportunities to upskill workers to meet current labor market demands. The department has begun a full review of federal workforce programs to:
Expand pathways beyond four-year degrees.
Reach one million new active apprentices nationwide.
Increase transparency and accountability in workforce development programs by collecting relevant data.
Since January 20, 2025, over 117,000 new apprentices have registered, and there are currently over 677,000 active apprentices nationwide.
On April 30, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer celebrated National Apprenticeship Day by welcoming the International Association of Fire Fighters to the Department of Labor. The signing ceremony recognized IAFF’s new National Apprenticeship Guidelines Standards and honored the union’s commitment to training their firefighters and emergency personnel through the Registered Apprenticeship model, marking a significant step toward achieving the Administration’s goal of one million new active apprentices.
Returning billions in COVID-era funds
Under Secretary Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership, the Department of Labor has returned over $4.4 billion in unspent and unusable COVID-era funding to American taxpayers, ensuring the department is delivering on its commitment to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and to be responsible stewards of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.
Protecting unemployment benefits for American citizens
In April, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer issued a warning to governors that states extending unemployment benefits to illegal immigrants would result in a loss of federal funding. The move reinforced the department’s commitment to uphold immigration law and prioritize benefits for American workers.
Purging discriminatory DEI policies
One of the first responsibilities Secretary Chavez-DeRemer fulfilled was carrying out President Trump’s executive order to eliminate unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and policies, including by overhauling the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs that focused primarily on DEI enforcement.
Restoring retirement plan flexibility
In May, the Department of Labor rescinded a 2022 compliance bulletin that discouraged fiduciaries from including cryptocurrency options in 401(k) retirement plans. By rolling back this overreach, the Secretary ensured investment decisions were placed back in the hands of fiduciaries instead of D.C. bureaucrats.
Launching opinion letter program to expand compliance assistance
In June, the Department of Labor launched an opinion letter program to expand the its longstanding commitment to providing meaningful compliance assistance. This action represented a step forward in the Secretary’s mission to help workers, employers, and other stakeholders understand how federal labor laws apply in specific workplace situations.
The first months of any administration are often dedicated to setting the tone of what constituents can expect for the next four years. For Trump’s second term, that message is clear: let it all burn.
Drastic agency cuts, reckless executive orders, and blatant industry giveaways promise devastating immediate and long-term consequences for our oceans, our climate, and our communities.
Dismantling climate defense
NOAA, the nation’s premier science agency for understanding, monitoring, and protecting our oceans, atmosphere, and climate, plays an essential role in safeguarding ecosystems and communities. Its data, forecasts, scientific expertise, and stewardship also support major sectors like tourism, transportation, food, and retail that rely on NOAA’s services to operate safely, efficiently, and sustainably.
Yet the Trump Administration has moved aggressively to gut NOAA’s capacity–firing scientists, defunding critical research, and shutting down its extreme weather database, a vital tool that has tracked the financial toll of climate disasters since the 1980s. These cuts come as extreme weather events are becoming more intense and frequent. In 2024 alone, Americans faced at least $182.7 billion in damages from 27 weather and climate disasters. Undermining NOAA’s ability to forecast threats, inform the American and global public, and support disaster response endangers lives while ensuring greater loss and damage, higher costs, and deep suffering as the climate crisis accelerates.
Among NOAA Fisheries’ vital programs is the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), the nation’s primary line of defense against seafood linked to fraud,forced labor, and environmental harm. With more than 80% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. imported and the global seafood supply chain riddled with these problems, SIMP plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of what ends up on American plates. Cuts to NOAA directly harm domestic fisheries as well, which rely on the agency to provide weather and pollution alerts.
These efforts have been further supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), whose programs help combat child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking around the world.
So while Americans have made it clear that they want to know where their food comes from and to trust that it is safe, ethical, and sustainable, the Trump administration is undermining the very systems that deliver these safeguards. By weakening SIMP and cancelling $500 million in ILAB grants, it is putting seafood workers at greater risk of abuse and exploitation, and exposing Americans to products tainted by these harms.
Endangering ocean futures
While more countries move towards a ban, moratorium, or pause on deep sea mining, the Trump Administration is charging in the opposite direction– reviving a cold war-era law, the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, to launch an unnecessary industry that threatens irreversible harm to fragile ecosystems we are only beginning to understand.
Trump’s executive order “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” directs federal agencies to fast-track permits for seabed mining in both U.S. and international waters. Widely condemned as environmentally reckless and politically explosive, the move is a direct attempt to sidestep the International Seabed Authority (ISA)—the UN body charged with protecting the deep ocean as the “common heritage of humankind.” In doing so, it threatens to unravel global cooperation, weaken environmental oversight, and set a dangerous precedent for the exploitation of one of Earth’s last untouched frontiers. The order, while lining up another ‘get richer scheme’ for the billionaire broligarchy, also ignores calls from over 35 countries for a moratorium, disregards the voices of Pacific Island communities, and pushes forward despite overwhelming ecological, legal, and moral objections.
The push is further reinforced by a pair of sweeping executive orders that aim to bulldoze environmental safeguards in the name of “energy dominance.” One declares a so-called “national energy emergency,” suspending key regulatory safeguards under bedrock environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act.
Together, these orders will not just fast-tack deep sea mining but also accelerate offshore drilling, fracking infrastructure, and fossil fuel exports. This isn’t just deregulation—it’s a declaration of open season on the ocean.
All this comes as cobalt and nickel prices are plummeting, further undermining the already shaky economic case for mining the seafloor. Meanwhile, safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective alternatives, such as mineral recycling and domestic refining efforts, many of which are backed by the U.S. Department of Defense, are gaining momentum. But instead of investing in these sustainable solutions, the White House is reaching into the past to gamble with the future of our oceans and our planet.
‘Unleashing’ America’s fishing industry into collapse
At the same time, the earlier-mentioned cuts to NOAA will also hurt domestic fishing by leaving fishers without vital scientific insight needed for planning and responding to changing ocean conditions. This approach paves the way for overfishing and fishery collapse–again, directly contradicting the Trump Administration’s stated goal of supporting American fishing communities.
Scientists agree that protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is essential to help marine ecosystems recover and thrive. When fish populations collapse, so do fishing jobs and fishing communities. Yet with these actions, the Trump Administration is again steering the US in the wrong direction—sidelining science, sustainability, and long-term economic resilience by jeopardizing the entire industry and the coastal communities it supports.
At the same time, the Administration issued yet another executive order, accompanied by a 36-page report, aimed at “bringing America back” to plastic straws. So, while more Americans struggle to make ends meet, they can be sure of one thing: there will be plenty of microplastics to go around.
Plastics are not just a pollution problem; they are a public health crisis. Over 3,200 chemicals in plastics have been linked to a host of serious health conditions, including cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive problems, metabolic changes, obesity, premature births, neurological disorders, and learning disabilities. Toxic chemicals in plastic already cost Americans nearly $250 billion in healthcare expenses each year.
And that burden is not shared equally. BIPOC and low-income communities face disproportionate exposure to pollution from plastic production, disposal, and incineration infrastructure, which are often located in or near their communities. These facilities poison the air, the water, and their bodies. While oil and gas companies rake in record profits and their billionaire CEO’s grow richer, these communities and working families across America are left paying the price.
Voters across the political spectrum – Democrats and Republicans alike– support strong action to reduce plastic pollution and protect public health. Yet, without pause at the staggering irony, the Trump Administration is slashing Medicaid, gutting personnel and budget from the Department of Health and Human Services, and increasing our exposure to toxic plastic— all while touting a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. But even in an era of “alternative facts” and the attempted erasure of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the truth is impossible to ignore. There is nothing left to sacrifice.
Time to resist
While the pace and scale of recent changes can seem overwhelming, it is worth remembering that part of this administration’s strategy is to flood the zone and try to get ahead of legal challenges and other obstacles to their agenda. The Trump Administration, like the “tech bros” who fell in line behind the President, is moving fast and breaking things. But there is growing resistance to their actions. In the last few weeks, especially, the number of new and successful legal challenges has been growing, with some law firms and academic institutions pushing back against the administration’s demands. This includes EarthJustice, Greenpeace, and allies in a joint litigation against Trump’s attempt to continue offshore drilling.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans—across generations, faiths, races, genders, and political ideologies—have been hitting the streets to defend their human rights, their environment, and their democracy. These peaceful protests have made one thing clear: We will not be silenced. We won’t back down. We won’t stop defending our communities in the face of government corruption and corporate greed.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Jack Reed (D-RI) led a bipartisan group of Appropriations Committee members in sending a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the DOL to reverse its decision to begin the closure of Job Corps Centers nationwide.
Joining Senators Collins and Reed in signing the letter were Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Boozman (R-AR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).
“The sudden announcement that the Department of Labor began the process of closing all Job Corps Centers on May 29, 2025, will harm students and local economies in every state across the nation,” the Senators wrote. “We urge you to retract this announcement and to faithfully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, which President Trump signed into law and which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps.”
“Job Corps has helped millions of young people, ages 16 to 24, many of whom face significant economic and social challenges, develop the skills and resilience they need to succeed in work and in life through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting since its creation in 1964,” they continued. “The sudden closure of Job Corps Centers not only puts young people’s lives at risk, but local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the Centers and will lose their livelihoods.”
“Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps Centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and will undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. While we would be pleased to work with you to improve the Job Corps program to do even more to serve our young people and address growing workforce needs, it is essential that you faithfully implement the program in accordance with the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution and reopen all Job Corps Centers,” the Senators concluded.
The complete text of the letter can be read here.
In April, Senator Collins sent a letter to Secretary Chavez-DeRemer urging the DOL to lift the halt on enrollment at Loring and Penobscot Job Corps Centers in Maine. Last month, Senators Collins and Reed sent a separate letter to Secretary Chavez-DeRemer requesting that the DOL provide information on the Job Corps’ contracts, background check processing, and evaluation plan.
Also last month, at a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the DOL, Senator Collins urged Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to reverse the Department’s halt of new enrollment at Maine’s two Job Corps centers and the proposed elimination of the Job Corps program altogether. During the hearing, Senator Collins spoke about Adais Viruet-Torres, a graduate of the Loring Job Corps Center and later Husson University who overcame homelessness and now works as a nurse practitioner.
A long time champion of Job Corps, Senator Reed questioned U.S. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer at a May 22 hearing about the Trump Administration’s efforts to terminate Job Corps. Senator Reed helped launch Exeter Job Corps Center in Rhode Island, which has a capacity for 185 students, with rolling admissions throughout the year. Exeter Job Corps Center employs a staff of about 85 and offers vocational training in 6 trades, a GED program, and two high school diploma programs. Reed recently led a rally to help save Job Corps.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 20, 2025
Letter follows reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is considering giving GHF $500 million despite concerns about its funding sources, neutrality, basic competence in providing aid, and more
“It is critical that the United States stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. But that must be done through funding professional humanitarian organizations.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. — In a new letter to the Secretary of State and the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised her concerns about the Department of State’s reported plan to give $500 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
“Reports of deadly violence against starving Palestinians connected with the GHF’s aid network are deeply troubling, as are reports of the organization’s ties to the Israeli government, and the lack of financial transparency regarding its donors, and its new connections – via its executive director – to the Trump administration and campaign,” said Senator Warren.
In May 2025, the World Health Organization and its partners determined that “Nineteen months into the conflict, the Gaza Strip is still confronted with a critical risk of Famine,” with over 2 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity. This includes 71,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children and 17,000 pregnant women who will “need treatment for acute malnutrition.”
Before the blockade in March 2025, food aid was distributed in Gaza at 400 locations through experienced humanitarian organizations, many of whom worked in the region for decades. After the blockade was partially lifted in May, the Israeli government only allowed aid to resume under a distribution network managed by the newly-created GHF.
From the beginning, GHF limited distribution of aid to four hubs in southern Gaza, under the watch of private security contractors. Additionally, it agreed to let the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to take position up to 1000 feet of GHF distribution sites, where it attacks Gazans who step out of the zone designated for waiting for aid collection. In its first three weeks of operation, more than 200 people seeking aid were killed and thousands wounded near GHF distribution sites.
Senator Warren also raised concerns about the GHF’s funding and ownership. Humanitarian groups typically report clear expenditure reports and disclosure requirements surrounding all aid distribution. GHF has, to date, refused to disclose its funding sources or its total budget. Israeli media recently reported that around $200 million was quietly reapportioned from the Israeli government’s budget towards the aid effort in Gaza and another $100 million came from an anonymous “Western European nation”.
“This raises questions around the lack of impartiality, and neutrality, of GHF’s operations in Gaza,” said Senator Warren.
GHF’s leadership has also been marked by turmoil. The founder and first executive director of the GHF, Jake Wood, quit hours before the organization was supposed to start distributing aid on May 26th, claiming “it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.” He was replaced by Reverend Johnnie Moore, who served as co-chair for President Trump’s presidential campaign’s evangelical advisory board.
Just three months after the launch of the organization, the GHF’s Swiss affiliate was shut down by Switzerland’s government for “not fulfilling various legal obligations.”
“It is critical that the United States stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. But that must be done through funding professional humanitarian organizations,” wrote Senator Warren.
“The questions surrounding GHF – its funding sources and connection to the Trump Administration, its use of private contractors, its ability to serve and be seen as a neutral entity, its abandonment by its founders, and its basic competence in providing aid – must be answered before the State Department commits any funding to the organization,” concludedSenator Warren.
Senator Warren asked the State Department and USAID to provide clarity on its potential plans to use GHF, how the agencies plan to measure success for the distribution of aid, and their plans to ensure contractors follow U.S. law when distributing aid by July 2, 2025.
Trump Increases Federal Cost Share for West Virginia
President Donald J
Trump Increases Federal Cost Share for West Virginia
WASHINGTON — Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, David Richardson, announced that President Donald J
Trump made additional disaster assistance available to the state of West Virginia to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides from Feb
15-18, 2025
The President authorized the federal cost-share to be increased from 75% to 90% for applicable categories of public assistance
The major disaster declaration approved on February 26, 2025, made federal funding available for public assistance, hazard mitigation and other needs assistance for total eligible costs
Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee
President Donald J
Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee
WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Tennessee to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding from April 2-24, 2025
The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster
Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding in Cheatham, Davidson, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Stewart and Tipton counties
Darryl L
Dragoo has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas
Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance by registering online at www
DisasterAssistance
gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App
If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service
In response to measures being adopted by states across the Americas that violate the human rights of people seeking safety, Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, said the following:
“On World Refugee Day, we are witnessing a devasting erosion of the rights of people seeking safety and asylum protections across the Americas. The Trump administration has issued a barrage of executive actions which have halted the US Refugee Admissions Program and make it nearly impossible to seek asylum in the United States, placing countless lives at risk. These policies have already resulted in thousands of people being forcibly returned to places where their lives or safety are at risk. Currently, there is no longer any way for people to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border. This is not only unlawful but inhumane and cruel.
The Trump administration has issued a barrage of executive actions which have halted the US Refugee Admissions Program and make it nearly impossible to seek asylum in the United States, placing countless lives at risk…This is not only unlawful but inhumane and cruel.
Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.
The Trump administration has also dismantled other critical protections for people seeking safety, including stripping Temporary Protected Status from individuals of certain nationalities and revoking humanitarian parole granted to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, which contradicts the narrative that these very same countries are experiencing the most dire human rights crises in the region. At the same time, the United States has escalated mass immigration raids, is detaining and separating families, is unlawfully removing individuals from the US with no due process guarantees, and is criminally prosecuting individuals for the way in which they entered the country – treating people in need of international protection as criminals.
These harmful policies have rippled across the region. Costa Rica and Panama have accepted deportation flights of third-country nationals from the United States – many with ongoing asylum claims – leaving them stranded with limited access to humanitarian assistance and international protection. El Salvador is complicit in the enforced disappearance of hundreds of Venezuelans illegally expelled from the US under the guise of the Alien Enemies Act in the notorious CECOT prison, who were in the midst of ongoing court processes, were arrested while complying with their immigration obligations, were already granted protections in the United States including under the Convention Against Torture, and were labeled as gang members for their tattoos or connection to the Venezuelan state of Aragua with no other evidence.
The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) between Canada and the United States bars most people crossing into Canada via the United States from seeking refugee protection in Canada, and vice versa. The agreement has forced individuals to attempt dangerous border crossings and has pushed people underground in order to seek safety, and resulted in people and families detained in the US. As the United States becomes increasingly unsafe for asylum seekers, the Canadian government must withdraw from the agreement immediately.
The Dominican Republic has been implementing a series of racist migration policies, without even recognizing the right to seek asylum for those fleeing violence from Haiti, and targeting people of Haitian origin. Haitians are being collectively expelled from the Dominican Republic despite the worsening humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti, placing those forcibly returned at grave risk and undermining the principle of non-refoulement.
People from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and across the region and beyond are fleeing widespread human rights crises. Instead of finding refuge and protection, they are being met with hostility, militarized borders and criminalization. The immigration and asylum policies being implemented by countries across the Americas are fueled by racist and xenophobic rhetoric that dehumanizes people seeking safety.
The immigration and asylum policies being implemented by countries across the Americas are fueled by racist and xenophobic rhetoric that dehumanizes people seeking safety.
Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.
The situation is further exacerbated by the US government’s severe cuts to foreign assistance, which have weakened shelters and frontline organizations that provide life-saving support to people seeking safety and internally displaced people. From Costa Rica to Mexico to the Haiti-Dominican Republic border, organizations have been forced to scale back or close food, shelter and legal and psychosocial programs for people seeking safety, just as need grows.
On World Refugee Day, Amnesty International urgently calls on states in the Americas to protect, not punish, people seeking safety. States must immediately restore access to asylum, reverse discriminatory policies and uphold their obligations under international law. We stand in solidarity with people across the region who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety and dignity. Seeking safety is a human right. It’s time for governments to act like it.”