Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Laurel Lee – Florida (15th District)
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) and Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced theCutting LNG Bunkering Red Tape Act, a bill that codifies a Trump-era Department of Energy (DOE) order clarifying that ship-to-ship transfers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) used as marine fuel—commonly known as LNG bunkering—are not considered exports under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act unless conducted in foreign waters. The bill is referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
“The Biden Administration’s harmful energy policies have created unnecessary regulatory burdens that stall innovation and weaken American energy leadership,”said Rep. Lee.“Liquefied natural gas is a more efficient, cleaner, and cost-effective energy source. My bill ensures that LNG bunkering is not hindered by red tape, so that ports in Florida and across the nation can continue to expand, drive job creation, and compete globally.”
“LNG exports unequivocally benefit our economy, domestic prices, national security, and partners and allies around the world that want our product. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration spent four years imposing one regulation after another on these exports, stifling the energy industry,”said Rep. Pfluger.“This legislation permanently reverses one of these misguided policies to ensure American LNG can compete on the global stage by removing regulatory uncertainty and streamlining the use of it as a cleaner, more efficient fuel source for maritime transportation. I am proud to lead this legislation with my good friend from Florida, Representative Laurel Lee.”
Background:
During the Biden Administration, DOE issued an order treating certain domestic LNG ship-to-ship transfers as exports, subjecting them to extensive federal regulation and public interest review. In contrast, President Trump reversed this position, rightly determining that LNG bunkering within U.S. waters should not be treated as an export. Rep. Lee’s legislation would cement this clarification in federal law.
Florida is a major hub for marine transportation, including cruise ships and other vessels, increasingly turning to LNG as a clean and modern fuel source. JAX LNG, based in Jacksonville, has been a national leader in LNG bunkering, but has faced unnecessary regulatory hurdles due to shifting federal interpretations
During his campaign, President Donald J. Trump repeatedlypledged to end the irreversible chemical and surgical mutilation of our children: “We are not going to allow child sexual mutilation.”
For years, politicians have promised to end the barbaric, pseudoscientific practice — but President Trump is the only one who has actually delivered.
This week, Yale New Haven Health and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center announced they are ending their so-called “gender-affirming care services.” They join a growing list of health systems across the country following President Trump’s executive action.
Phoenix Children’s Hospital stopped providing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to minors.
Stanford Medicine ended sex-change surgeries for minors.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles closed its “Center for Transyouth Health and Development and Gender-Affirming Care.”
Denver Health suspended sex change surgeries for patients under 19.
UCHealth ended so-called “gender-affirming services” for patients under 19.
Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago stopped sex-change surgeries for patients under 19.
UChicago suspended so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital stopped sex-change surgeries for minors.
Rush Medical Center halted gender-affirming care for new patients under 18.
In New York City, Mount Sinai and New York-Presbyterian both curbed so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors.
The Hospital of Richmond at VCU Health halted so-called “gender-affirming care” for new patients under 19.
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters suspended hormone therapy and puberty blockers for gender-affirming care in children under 19.
Seattle Children’s Hospital stopped providing so-called “gender-affirming surgery” to patients under 19.
In Washington, D.C., Children’s National Hospital “paused” prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapies for minors, while Northwest Washington Hospital did the same.
Kaiser Permanente paused sex-change surgeries for patients under 19 across all its hospitals and surgical centers.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Bicameral First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act would help make homeownership a reality for young Americans amidst skyrocketing housing costs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and 10 Democratic Senators in reintroducing the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, legislation that aims to support middle-class Americans purchasing their first home. The Senators’ legislation would establish a refundable tax credit worth up to 10% of a home’s purchase price—up to a maximum of $15,000—for first-time homebuyers.
“Everyone should have a fair chance to experience the joy of buying their first home–it’s a pillar of the American Dream. But skyrocketing housing prices have pushed that dream out of reach for folks in red and blue states alike,” said Senator Welch. “Our legislation will provide a financial boost to first-time homeowners to give more hardworking Americans a fair shot at buying their first home.”
“Owning a home is at the core of the American dream, but too many young families have been priced out of homeownership in recent years because of the housing supply crunch. And Trump’s chaotic tariff regime has increased homebuilding costs, forcing developers to pause construction on much-needed new units,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Our tax credit for first-time homebuyers would help make the American dream a reality for more of the young Americans left behind in Trump’s billionaire-first economy.”
“Buying your first home is more than just owning property: It’s a source of pride, stability, and hope for the future. Unfortunately, buying a home is out of reach for many families right now. We’re changing that with my First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m proud to reintroduce this bill to ease the financial burden on aspiring homeowners and give every working family an equal opportunity to realize the American dream of owning a home.”
In 2022, the median sale price for a home in the U.S. was 5.6 times higher than the median income, a higher ratio than during the years immediately before the 2007 mortgage crisis, and the highest disparity on record. An NBC News analysis earlier this month found that the cost of building a single-family home could soon rise by more than $4,000 thanks to President Trump’s tariff agenda, which is expected to increase the costs of many of the materials used to build houses.
In Vermont, which faces a housing shortage and has the fourth-highest rate of homelessness in the country, an estimated 7,000 new homes will need to be built each year for the next 25 years to help alleviate the crisis. Nationwide, the shortage of affordable housing opportunities costs the American economy an estimated $2 trillion each year. High housing costs reduce disposable income and economic mobility, stifling economic opportunities for those who can no longer afford housing in their communities.
Housing unaffordability is especially harmful to younger Americans, who are struggling to reach the same milestones their parents did at their age. In 2024, the typical age of a first-time homebuyer reached a record high of 38, up from 29 in 1981. And first-time homebuyers, as a percentage of all homebuyers nationwide, fell from 38% to 24% over that same period, the lowest percentage ever recorded.
Under the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, taxpayers would have the option of receiving the credit at the time of purchase by working with their mortgage issuer. Alternatively, taxpayers could elect to treat the purchase of their home as occurring in the prior taxable year to receive the credit before tax season if they are unable to qualify for the credit at point of sale.
The credit phases out for those making above 150% of area median income and for those buying a house with a purchase price above 110% of the area median purchase price. Additionally, the credit is limited to home purchases financed through federally backed mortgages.
The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.). U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) and Mike Thompson (D-CA-04) led the reintroduction of the legislation in the House of Representatives.
The legislation is endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS (NAR), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Cooperative Credit Union Association, Mortgage Bankers Association, Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing, Rhode Island Association of REALTORS, RIHousing, Housing Network of Rhode Island, HousingWorksRI, Rhode Island Builders Association, Rhode Island Mortgage Bankers Association, Santa Clara County REALTORS, Santa Cruz County REALTORS, and Monterey County REALTORS.
Read and download the full text of the bill.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida House Democrats sent a letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier urging them to join the 25 states that have filed the lawsuit State of California v. McMahon, challenging the Trump Administration and the Department of Education’s illegal freeze of more than $5.5 billion in Congressionally-approved education funding. On June 30, the Department of Education notified states that it was holding over $6 billion in grants that were due to be disbursed on July 1. The Department claims to be holding the funds for a “review” geared toward “ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities.” While the Department recently released a small portion of the frozen funds, it is still withholding over $5.5 billion nationally, including $325 million from Florida schools for teacher training, academic support for students, professional development programs, and more.
“For Florida, this freeze is not theoretical—it’s real money being held hostage, with tangible harm to our school districts, working families, and children,” the Members wrote. “Programs are being delayed or dismantled. School districts have had to freeze hiring and may soon have to start laying off staff. Local leaders are left in limbo. While other states are taking action, Florida is conspicuously absent.”
Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars at stake for Florida, Governor DeSantis and Attorney General Uthmeier have yet to join the lawsuit.
“Florida’s children should not pay the price for adult politics,” the Members continued. “The Trump Administration’s action is a clear violation of the Impoundment Control Act, which prohibits the executive branch from withholding Congressionally-appropriated funds. It also threatens the Constitutional balance of powers and undermines public trust.”
“We implore you to put Florida’s interests first by joining State of California v. McMahon and demanding the release of the federal education dollars our communities were promised.”
Over the past several months, I have spoken with a variety of audiences about the recent and ongoing work of the Congressional Budget Office.
The conversations have allowed me to share insights about CBO’s role in the legislative process—including the reconciliation process—while reiterating the agency’s commitment to providing objective, nonpartisan, and transparent analysis.
From March through July 2025, I participated in the following events:
March 3: Discussed the U.S. macroeconomic and fiscal outlook during the 41st Annual Economic Policy Conference of the National Association for Business Economics.
March 5: Spoke at the Milken Institute’s 2025 Finance Forum about the state of the U.S. budget and economy.
March 27: Took part in a “fireside chat” at the ERISA Industry Committee’s (ERIC’s) Spring Policy Conference, where I discussed CBO’s role and ongoing work.
April 8: Met virtually with a class at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School to talk about the outlook for the U.S. budget.
April 16: Joined the Hoover Institution’s Jon Hartley for a podcast in which we discussed, among other things, CBO’s role and the value that the agency places on accuracy and transparency.
April 22: Participated in a discussion about the fiscal impact of the Trump Administration’s policies during a J.P. Morgan investor seminar.
May 5: Engaged in a panel discussion at the Milken Institute’s 2025 Global Conference in Los Angeles about the federal budget and national debt.
June 11: Delivered remarks and answered questions during the Committee for Economic Development’s Biannual Trustee Policy Summit.
July 15: Participated in a discussion about the fiscal implications of the 2025 reconciliation act (Public Law 119-21) during a J.P. Morgan investor roundtable.
July 15: Delivered remarks and participated in a Q&A session at the 22nd Annual Economic Measurement Seminar of the National Association for Business Economics.
I have also discussed CBO’s role in the legislative process more generally and emphasized our commitment to transparency and analytical rigor in recent interviews. (Those interviews appeared in the Wall Street Journal, on Bloomberg’s Big Take podcast, and on Bloomberg TV’s Wall Street Week.) As part of those discussions, I outlined the distinctions between CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation, explaining how the two agencies differ and how we often work collaboratively to support the Congress.
I look forward to engaging with other audiences and topics in the months ahead.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Ivey – Maryland (4th District)
WASHINGTON – Congressman Glenn Ivey joined U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, and U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume,Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth,Johnny Olszewski and April McClain Delaney (all D-Md.), to release the following statement on the future of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center:
“The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is the foundation of our country’s excellence in agricultural research, with its scientists working for more than 100 years on the front lines of protecting public health and supporting farmers and farming across the country. Shuttering BARC and uprooting its workforce will undercut its critical mission, endanger public safety, and unnecessarily waste taxpayer dollars. Clearly, the Trump Administration has not thought through the costs or consequences of this misguided decision. Congress and the courts must act swiftly to block this illegal and harmful reorganization and ensure BARC remains intact. The law demands it, and our farmers depend on it.”
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement:
“Trump and Senate Republicans have betrayed the American people by ramming through another damaging bill that harms our national security, undermines our ability to keep Americans safe, slashes vital programs to support working people – all so they can fund their tax cuts for the wealthiest few. These are reckless cuts.
“Republicans and Democrats had come together to allocate these tax dollars for programs that are in the country’s best interest, and it’s a disgrace that Republicans have once again ceded their responsibilities in order to rubber stamp Donald Trump’s unpopular agenda. There are plenty of ways to cut down on wasteful spending, but what this Administration is doing is fiscal malpractice, not fiscal responsibility.”
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sat down with Semafor’s Burgess Everett to discuss leading the Democratic Strategic Communications Committee and his mission to get Senate Democrats out of their cable news comfort zone and into the digital age, one viral video at a time.
See for yourself:
Semafor
How Cory Booker convinced his party to get extremely online
By Burgess Everett
…
When Chris Coons stepped into his party’s meeting room after listening to President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress in March, Cory Booker had a surprise waiting: a room of social media influencers ready to interview him.
“I’m looking at him. And he goes, ‘I know you’ve never met these people. I know you’ve never heard of what they’re on,’” Coons recalled to Semafor.
Booker listed the follower counts of social media personalities in the room, Coons added, and then told him: “Just go with it.”
The Delaware senator took Booker’s advice — as have many of his Democratic colleagues this year. Booker is on an active mission to tone the party’s weak media muscles, an atrophy that many now believe cost Democrats in 2024.
It’s part of Booker’s new role in the caucus: modernizing a party that he believes relies too much on traditional print and TV outlets to get its message out.
…
“Our caucus was not understanding that we put so much energy into going on MSNBC, but more people are on these devices,” Booker said in an interview this week about his social media work.
“We’ve got to start shifting our strategy towards having a digital and media strategy that could break through, that could capture attention.”
…
According to data Booker presented during a Senate Democratic caucus meeting this month, his approach is working to help Democrats catch up on multiple platforms. He says he’s quadrupled online engagement in the caucus, from roughly 400,000 engagements a day to 2 million. Senate Democrats have added 15 million new followers across platforms, outpacing Republicans significantly.
…
You can see the Booker-inflected changes if you bop around the party’s social media accounts: more direct-to-camera riffs, fewer press releases and canned quotes, and more shareable content, like Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., explaining what a rescission is.
Will it all have an impact on the 2026 election? Who knows. But it is notable that Democrats, for perhaps the first time, have someone in their ranks thinking deeply about this.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Governor Tony Evers, and Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) and Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) released the following statement after the University of Wisconsin (UW) announced they were forced to lay off 91 staff members who implement a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) initiative because of Congressional Republicans’ budget bill:
“Sadly, we are watching vital resources that Wisconsin families rely on to stay healthy and help put food on the table being stripped away – all so Republicans in Congress and President Trump could give out tax breaks for the wealthy. FoodWIse, and the dedicated staff behind it, have proven to be a good investment that helps tens of thousands of Wisconsinites stay well fed and live a healthy life. But today’s news means their work will be practically wiped out, and families will be left out to dry. While we hope Wisconsin’s Congressional Republicans who voted for this are prepared to answer to impacted families, we will continue to fight every way we can to make sure Wisconsinites have the food and tools they need to stay healthy.”
UW today announced that due to the elimination of SNAP-Ed funding in Republicans’ budget bill, UW-Madison’s Division of Extension laid off 91 employees who run FoodWIse, which implements important nutrition education programming across Wisconsin. FoodWIse supports direct education for over 35,000 participants annually, as well as broader community initiatives that reach more than 98,000 people across the state. Other affected Wisconsin grantees include: FoodRight, Inc., Hunger Task Force, Inc., Ho-Chunk Nation Health Center – ITO, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) – ITO, and Wisconsin Fit Families.
class=”has-text-align-center”>By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
This Captive Nations Week, I offer my heartfelt support to every person living under a totalitarian regime and I reaffirm my commitment to advancing a new era of peace where freedom is cherished, sovereignty is respected, and every nation can live without fear of tyranny or oppression.
In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower first proclaimed Captive Nations Week to counter the emerging threat of communism and declare America’s resolve to defend the fundamental rights of free speech, religious liberty, and self-government. As President, I continue that work today, as far too often, oppressive regimes still silence dissent and persecute their own citizens for practicing their faith.
The Religious Liberty Commission, the White House Faith Office, and the Department of State’s Office of International Religious Freedom are working together to expand and strengthen America’s efforts to defend religious freedom around the world. In the United States, we will always uphold the simple truth that our rights do not come from Government, but from God in Heaven. We believe that legitimate governments derive their power from the consent of the governed and that freedom of religion forms the foundation of free Government.
Guided by these truths, my Administration continues to work for a more stable and peaceful world. We remain fiercely committed to working with our allies and adversaries alike to pursue strong diplomacy, resolve conflicts, and forge lasting peace everywhere.
America stands with all people who resist tyranny, defend their faith, and fight for the God-given rights of every human being. We will continue to lead with strength, speak truth in the face of oppression, and advance the cause of peace, liberty, and human dignity across the globe.
The Congress, by Joint Resolution approved July 17, 1959 (73 Stat. 212), has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the third week of July of each year as “Captive Nations Week.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 20 through July 26, 2025, as Captive Nations Week. I call upon all Americans to reaffirm our commitment to supporting those around the world striving for liberty, justice, and the rule of law with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.
class=”has-text-align-center”>By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Since the earliest days of our history, our Nation’s future has been forged by skilled American hands and proud American hearts. From the settlers at Jamestown to the titans of industrialization and manufacturing, America has understood that, in order to be a great Nation, we must be a Nation that builds, creates, innovates, and fights for the needs of our own workers, families, and industries first. This Made in America Week, my Administration recommits to furthering this legacy — and we pledge to embolden our workers, reenergize our industries, and bring back those beautiful words: “Made in the U.S.A.”
Though the United States has long been a hub of manufacturing and an epicenter of ingenuity, over the decades, a globalist ruling class closed our factories, shipped away our jobs, and stripped our families and our communities of their homes, fortunes, and dreams. They hollowed out America as they built up China, and American citizens suffered as a result.
Every day, my Administration is once again reclaiming American sovereignty by modernizing and improving existing trade agreements, negotiating new deals based on the principles of fairness and reciprocity, and taking strong enforcement actions against trading partners that break the rules. We are putting our Nation’s interests first.
In March, I proudly signed an Executive Order to create the United States Investment Accelerator, establishing an office within the Department of Commerce tasked with facilitating investments higher than $1 billion in America. I also signed a Presidential Memorandum to bolster foreign investment while defending our national security interests. To further unleash domestic production, with the enactment of the historic One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this month, we delivered interest deduction for loans on new American-made vehicles, as well as 100 percent expensing for new factories, equipment, and machinery. These pro-worker, pro-family policies are leveling the playing field for American businesses and boosting production on American shores.
I have also directed the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on sellers who falsely claim their products are “Made in the U.S.A.” Americans want to support their fellow citizens rather than send their money overseas in exchange for poor-quality goods. The “Made in the U.S.A.” label is not just a slogan, but a sign that a product truly connects us with the ingenuity, quality craftmanship, and livelihood of our Nation.
As a result of my Administration’s leadership and America First vision, companies are lining up to do business with the United States. Already, we have attracted trillions of dollars’ worth of foreign and domestic investments — and our work is only just beginning. These historic investments are drastically increasing our domestic manufacturing capabilities, reinvigorating struggling industries, and unleashing a new wave of American innovation. Thanks to my Administration’s commonsense policies, for 4 months in a row, job numbers have beat market expectations, with American-born workers accounting for all of the job gains since I took office.
Together, we are rebuilding our Nation with American heart, hands, and grit. We are bringing back a culture of boldness and creativity that will empower the next generation of innovators, unleash the full strength of the American spirit, and ensure our economy, our culture, and our way of life remain the envy of the world. Above all, under my leadership, we are proudly building, inventing, and creating in the United States of America once again.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim this week, July 20 through July 26, 2025, as Made in America Week. I call upon all Americans to pay special tribute to the builders, the ranchers, the crafters, the entrepreneurs, and all those who work with their hands every day to make America great.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)
WATCH:Sorensen remarks on Rock Island Arsenal during House Armed Services Committee
Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) is proud to announce major victories for the Rock Island Arsenal and communities across Illinois’ 17th Congressional District in this year’s national defense legislation, theNational Defense Authorization Act(NDAA). These wins will protect local jobs, expand benefits for servicemembers, and invest in key infrastructure and research in Central and Northwestern Illinois.
“These investments reflect our values—supporting those who serve, building strong communities, and creating opportunities right here at home,” said Congressman Eric Sorensen. “We’re strengthening the Rock Island Arsenal, supporting our National Guard and military families, and ensuring our local institutions like Bradley University continue to lead in innovation.”
Key wins for IL-17 and the Rock Island Arsenal include:
Congressman Sorensen’s Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act, which incentivizes private industry to partner with arsenals by giving preference to public-private partnerships in Army contracting, creating a more predictable, sustained workload to protect and create jobs.
The bill bans the Army’s funding to restructure the Rock Island Arsenal’s Army Sustainment Command (ASC) and Joint Munitions Command (JMC),until they provide a plan that includes a timeline and information about any job cuts and the impact to our readiness.
The Army will be required to provide more information about upcoming changes tied to its Army Transformation Initiative—ensuring communities like those around the Rock Island Arsenal are informed and prepared.
The bill authorizes funding for ongoing projects at Rock Island Arsenal and Bradley University, modernizing this vital defense facility and supporting research opportunities.
It blocks funding from being used to enforce President Trump’s ban on collective bargaining for DOD workers, directly supporting the rights of our union workers at the Rock Island Arsenal.
The Department of Defense is directed to explore public-private partnerships at arsenals and other key military industrial sites, opening the door to local innovation and economic growth.
The bill ensures the Air Force maintains at least 271 C-130 aircraft, preserving critical operations tied to the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria.
Big wins that benefit our servicemembers and communities include:
3.8% pay raises for all military personnel
Authorizes funding for new and improved barracks, dormitories, child development centers, and family housing
All National Guard members will have fees and copays waived under the TRICARE Dental Program—making it easier and more affordable for them to get the care they need.
Stronger alliances and partnerships to keep our country safe and promote peace
Congressman Sorensen also introduced an amendment to codify the current exemptions to the hiring freeze to ensure the Rock Island Arsenal can hire new workers, but it was blocked by Republicans.
The House Armed Services Committee approved the bill with a vote of 55-2. The bill now heads to the House floor where it will be considered in the coming weeks.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)
Last week, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) continued to lead Democrats in sounding the alarm over cuts in funding to the National Weather Service in the wake of the deadly Texas floods. On Friday, heleda letter with Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) demanding answers from President Trump on why hundreds of Americans were unprepared to evacuate from the flash floods.
MSNBC: All in with Chris Hayes:Congressman Sorensen calls for a NTSB for weather in aftermath of deadly flash flooding in Texas
Congressman Sorensen: “We need a NTSB just for weather. We need to understand how the meteorology was disseminated to the people. Were they able to react to it? Where they able to get to a higher ground? We have to understand all of the facets here so that we make better decisions in the future. Because we know these storms have had huge floods on the Guadalupe River in the 1970s, in 2002, and now in 2025.”
NBC News NOW: Meet the Press NOW:Need to ‘invest’ in NWS so Texas disaster is ‘a thing of the past’: Congressman & fmr. meteorologist
Congressman Sorensen: “We have to invest in the National Weather Service. We have to get President Trump to understand that investing in the National Weather Service – making sure we have more accurate weather models – could maybe make these types of disasters a thing of the past.”
Congressman Sorensen: “Also going forward, we need to make sure there is a commitment from the Administration that the National Weather Service is just that – it is a service. We take it for granted that our phones are going to off in the middle of the night when the tornado warning or the flash flood warning is issued. But we need to know when that happens that there is going to be a way for us to escape.”
Center Square:Illinois congressman pushes for NWS funding as Trump’s budget faces scrutiny
Illinois U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Rockford, a former meteorologist, said he and others are pushing bipartisan legislation to strengthen NWS operations and staffing, warning that shortfalls may be putting lives at risk.
Sorensen stressed the need for stronger communication tools, warning systems and a long-term investment in the agency’s capabilities.
NBC News:Bipartisan support picks up for a natural disaster review board
In an email to NBC News, Congress’ only meteorologist, Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., said he was working with colleagues to create an NTSB-styled program to investigate deadly storms.
“It would be amazing if meteorologists could have access to investigative reports that help us to figure out what — if anything — went wrong and what we can do in the future to be better,” Sorensen said, adding that “clearly the tragic floods in Texas would benefit from such a report.”
The Hill:House Democrats call for ‘urgent review’ of deadly Texas flooding
Three House Democrats sent a letter to President Trump and two officials involved in weather infrastructure Friday expressing concerns about the government’s preparedness for future flood disasters and extreme weather events.
“This tragedy echoes a troubling national pattern of accelerating flash flood disasters that have claimed lives: 46 lives in the greater New York City area in September 2021, 345 lives in Kentucky in July 2022, 20 lives in Tennessee in August 2021, and 250 lives across the Southeast in September 2024,” Democratic Reps. Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio) and Eric Sorensen (Ill.) wrote.
The lawmakers expressed concern about whether the Department of Government Efficiency-driven staff reductions at the National Weather Service delayed warnings about the Texas floods, which have claimed at least 120 lives. The New York Times reported the vacancies may have complicated efforts to coordinate with local officials and that some of the unfilled positions predate the Trump administration.
As the only meteorologist in Congress, Congressman Sorensen has been a fierce advocate for protecting and strengthening NOAA and the NWS from cuts. Starting last year, he has been warning about the impact of Project 2025’s plans to dismantle and privatize NOAA and the NWS. As the Department of Government Efficiency began making cuts to the agencies, Congressman Sorensen has beenspeaking out,introducing legislation, andcalling onthe Administration to bring a stop to the disastrous cuts. He recently introduced theWeather Workforce Improvement Actto help the NWS fully staff critical positions at their offices and theRural Weather Monitoring Systems Actto help strengthen weather forecasting in rural America.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Ranking Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ranking State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriator Brian Schatz (D-HI) released the following statement urging the Trump Administration to press Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately change course in its war in Gaza:
“Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are appalling and unconscionable. This week, more than 100 NGOs—including Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam—warned of mass starvation spreading across Gaza. Following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s nearly 3-month blockade of humanitarian assistance, three-quarters of the population is facing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.
“The handful of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are wholly inadequate to meet the needs of this starving population. Widespread problems have made GHF aid delivery chaotic and dangerous, leading to the deaths of an estimated 700 people. Yet the Trump Administration recently approved $30 million for GHF, overriding established procedures and waiving consultation with Congress.
“While some established humanitarian organizations have been allowed to resume very limited operations, a number of restrictions and security challenges prevent them from fully functioning. To make matters worse, this week’s expansion of Israel’s military operation into central Gaza for the first time in the conflict has put at risk these few remaining operations. Moreover, the UN estimates that nearly 88 percent of Gaza is no longer accessible to civilians, leaving approximately two million people confined to a troublingly small remaining area.
“Meanwhile, hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, including American citizens, and three out of four Israelis are calling for an end to this war. Last September, the IDF assessed that Hamas had been largely defeated militarily from its peak strength when it heinously attacked Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 and is now effectively a “guerilla terror group.” As we know from our own experience following the attacks of September 11, 2001, there is no solely military solution to defeating a terrorist group. Continuing this war with no discernable end is not in Israel’s national security interest, and the lack of a viable “day after” plan has been a glaring mistake.
“We call on the Trump Administration to use its considerable leverage to press Prime Minister Netanyahu to:
Reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that releases the hostages as soon as possible.
Support a surge in humanitarian assistance that provides both a sufficient amount of humanitarian aid and credible mechanisms for effective distribution, including the verification and monitoring of assistance to ensure equitable distribution and to prevent Hamas from diverting assistance. Established humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme have the experience and ability to renew their delivery of assistance without civil unrest. We must allow them to do their jobs.
Dramatically reform or shut down the Gaza Humanitarian Fund and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms in Gaza with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need.
Establish a “day after” plan for Gaza where Hamas does not retain power, Israel disavows annexation of the West Bank and further integrates into the region, a reformed Palestinian Authority is fostered and empowered, and regional partners are included in rebuilding.
Create a framework for a viable path back to a two-state solution that will allow the Israeli and Palestinian people to live side by side in security, dignity, and prosperity.”
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in introducing the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act, which would create a new federal offense for an illegal alien or deportable alien who commits murder in the United States.
“Under the Biden administration’s reckless open border policies, far too many innocent Americans tragically lost their lives at the hands of violent criminals who should not have been in the country. Now that President Trump has secured our border, I am committed to putting ironclad policies in place to hold illegal aliens accountable for heinous crimes committed on U.S. soil. I am proud to join Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to bring justice to victims by making an act of murder committed by an illegal or deportable alien a federal offense,”said Senator Budd.
“Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants to come into this country and brutally murder innocent Americans. I’m proud to join with my GOP colleagues to deliver justice for the victims who were tragically ripped from their families at the hands of the criminal aliens by holding these perpetrators accountable for their heinous actions and subjecting them to the death penalty,”said Senator Cornyn.
U.S. Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also co-sponsored the legislation.
U.S. Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas-08) is leading this legislation in the House of Representatives.
Read the full bill text HERE.
BACKGROUND
The Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act would:
Allow the federal government to prosecute illegal aliens who commit murder in the United States, and if convicted of first-degree murder under this statute, offenders could face the death penalty or life in prison;
Close a dangerous loophole by enabling the federal government to step in and vigorously prosecute an illegal alien murder in certain jurisdictions where a prosecutor may fail to seek an adequate penalty due to a lack of resources or partisan views;
And ensure those who are unlawfully in the U.S. and commit these heinous crimes do not slip through the cracks of the legal system due to jurisdictional challenges.
Senator says commitment he sought from Flock will protect Oregonians from abusive queries of data by out-of-state law enforcement agencies of data collected from cameras in Oregon
Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced that Flock, a license plate surveillance technology company, has agreed to his request that it protect Oregonians’ data from abusive access by out-of-state law enforcement agencies as part of their states’ anti-abortion investigations, and to assist federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Oregonians should never be driving in fear that automatic license plate reader cameras installed by police departments could be abused by anti-abortion forces in other states, or by Donald Trump’s authoritarian deployment of immigration agents,” Wyden said. “When I learned that Flock had adopted stronger privacy protections for other states, I demanded that Oregonians get the same protections too. I’ll keep watchdogging this company’s commitment to make sure it’s carried out throughout our state.”
Wyden said he contacted Flock after confirming with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Oregon State Police that there is no statewide policy on license plate reader technology nor a statewide policy requiring Oregon police departments contracting with Flock to lock down their sharing settings so as to prevent out-of-state abuses covered by this new policy.
The senator’s staff then asked Flock officials to implement in Oregon similar privacy filters that the company has already adopted in Illinois to prevent out-of-state police searches related to abortion or immigration. The company agreed to his request, and confirmed that Oregonians’ license plate data will be protected from such abusive queries as of July 25, 2025.
Police departments in other states will still be able to search license plate data that Oregon police departments have chosen to share for other legitimate law enforcement purposes. The new policy by Flock will not affect searches conducted by police departments in Oregon.
“I want to thank Senator Wyden for his work to get these additional privacy protections in place for Oregonians,” Rayfield said. “This change helps ensure that data collected here can’t be used to target people for things that are legal in Oregon, like accessing reproductive health care or simply living here without fear. It’s a meaningful step in the right direction, and as we continue looking at how to strengthen Oregon’s own data privacy laws, this gives us a stronger foundation to build on.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)
“I am outraged that two Planned Parenthood clinics in my district have been forced to close due to President Trump and Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid. Their Big Ugly Bill cuts Medicaid reimbursements to health care organizations like Planned Parenthood. Now, we’re witnessing the real-world ramifications of the shameful extremism embodied by the Republican House majority.
The San Mateo and South San Francisco Planned Parenthood clinics have long served as a lifeline for thousands of patients in our community, many of whom are low-income, uninsured, or unable to access quality health care elsewhere. Without these clinics, vulnerable populations are left without access to critical health care, such as cancer screenings, contraception, and general health services.
These closures represent a coordinated effort to erode the right to reproductive health care in every state, red or blue. All to bankroll tax cuts for billionaires, who are the primary beneficiaries of these inhumane health care cuts.
This is a dark day for our district and the country. I demand that Republican leadership bring the Restoring Essential Health Care Act to the House floor immediately, which would repeal these devastating cuts. I stand with Planned Parenthood, today and always, and I will continue to fight to protect reproductive health care despite these despicable attacks from the far-right. “
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) probed three Tennessee universities –the University of Tennessee,Vanderbilt, andBelmont University–after staff members were caught on camera admitting to rebranding and concealing their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs to skirt the Trump administration’s executive actions to end these divisive, woke programs. A staffer at Belmont University also admitted to hiding illegal aliens on campus.
Click hereto download video of Senator Blackburn’s remarks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about DEI.
Below are excerpts from Senator Blackburn’s letters urging these Tennessee universities to comply with President Trump’s executive action.
UTK Employee Says University is Still “Fully Committed to the Work of DEI”
“Leaked footage shows UTK employees discussing how the University is concealing woke DEI programs by renaming them while continuing to push the harmful content. In one video, a UTK employee said that the DEI programs had not been abandoned and, ‘[They have] been fully committed to the work of DEI.’ He goes on to say, ‘these committees and task forces were built back in 2020 and they’re still up and running… it’s just in terms of some of these bills… they know how to navigate the language within the bills to ensure that DEI is protected.’”
Vanderbilt Employee Says DEI “Naming” Changed Because Different Universities Were Under Investigation
“Leaked video footage shows Vanderbilt employees discussing how the University is concealing woke DEI programs by renaming them while continuing to push this harmful content. In the video, a Vanderbilt employee can be heard saying, ‘different universities were under investigation for their DEI practices… so that’s why I think the naming has changed… we have things that clue people in and let people know.’ Later in the video, when asked if they are engaged in DEI initiatives, she responded affirmatively. And, in another video, one employee exhibited blatant political bias, which raises questions about the extent to which such bias is forced onto the student body by certain activist employees.”
Belmont Employee Admits University Is Concealing Both Illegal Aliens and DEI Programs
“Earlier this month, leaked video footage shows a Belmont official explaining how your institution has schemed to reframe its DEI initiatives under different names in violation of President Trump’s executive order. In the video, In the video, the Belmont official can be heard saying, ‘we always try to just adapt to what’s happening around us, but that does not mean, like, what we’re focusing on completely stops, we definitely have to navigate very carefully and just cautiously.’ Later in the video, the Belmont official can be heard referencing enforcement operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities, stating, ‘we do have undocumented students here,’ and ‘we don’t communicate to anybody externally who is undocumented.’ This administration has been very clear: postsecondary education programs funded by the federal government should benefit American citizens—not illegal aliens.”
Click here to read the full letter to the University of Tennessee.
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a new episode of ‘Unmuted with Marsha’ with American economist and author, Dr. Arthur Laffer, where they discussed the roaring economy under President Trump and how the One Big Beautiful Bill supports working-class Americans.
Click here to watch this episode of ‘Unmuted with Marsha.’
“Sometimes you will hear the Democrats say, ‘Oh, this is just a bill for the rich.’ But it’s blue-collar wages, hardworking American workers, their wages that are going to benefit the most. I know the Council of Economic Advisers had expected as much as $10,000 more in take-home pay,” said Senator Blackburn.
“Within this Big Beautiful Bill, there’s a lot of good spending cuts and good spending programs involved so we’re moving towards the North Star on spending… I have never been more optimistic in my life as I am right now about the prospects for the U.S. economy,” saidDr. Laffer.
Built by generations of hard work and innovation, Nebraska’s ranchers are known worldwide for raising the highest quality, most nutritious, safest, and best tasting protein in the world.
Blessed by God to be home of the most productive farms and ranches in history thanks to our people, land, and water – our calling is to feed the world. It’s a big job, but we love answering the call. Frankly, it’s part of what makes Nebraska the best place to live and raise a family.
That’s a good life, and it’s worth defending.
Government doesn’t have many answers, but it can do the important work of protecting consumers by prohibiting unproven, blatantly dishonest products that are marketed as something they aren’t. That’s why I am proud we signed LB 246 into law, which bans ‘bioreactor,’ lab-grown fake meat from being made here in Nebraska or put on our grocery shelves. Recently, we celebrated the victory during a ceremonial bill signing at Shamrock Locker in O’Neill.
Other than not sounding appetizing, what is lab-grown meat? It’s a product created in a lab to mimic the attributes of real meat. We’re talking about companies taking cells from an animal, nourishing them with a “cocktail” of nutrients, and “coaxing” them into growing into a product that resembles protein.
That’s not meat. That’s a science experiment. It’s unproven, dishonestly labeled, and it won’t be for sale here in Nebraska.
I’m grateful to have partnered with Senator Barry DeKay, a farmer and rancher from north-central Nebraska, to get this legislation across the finish line. This is a big, big win for Nebraska producers – and a common sense, straightforward action that is good for our state.
Having spent my career raising pigs – and as the first Nebraska Governor to come from agriculture in over 100 years – this stuff hits close to my heart. We aren’t going to let the people of our state be duped into putting this junk meat onto our plates or into our stores. As one of the first states to lead this charge, we’re also showing the rest of the country what can be done to help protect consumers and our farming and ranching families.
This isn’t about limiting choices or sticking it to vegans. In fact, we aren’t at all talking about alternatives like patties made out of black beans or other plants. And we aren’t talking about products like almond ‘milk.’ While we know that these products aren’t the real deal, at least we know where they come from and how they’re made.
Simply, the age of ‘Making America Healthy Again’ doesn’t start with fake meat – it’s getting back to basics and starts by incorporating a balanced diet mainly of protein, fruits, and vegetables.
We can’t let our kids – in any part of the state – starve in the midst of plenty. Data show how important a healthy diet is for our youth to boost immunity, support brain development, and promote overall well-being.
On her visit to Nebraska, President Trump’s Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins approved a first-in-the-nation Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) waiver to remove pop and energy drinks from government-funded food programs. This is common sense stuff.
Research and technology have both changed a lot about how we eat and the way agriculture operates. That’s good news. But we must be proactive – and careful – about new products, especially foods, that haven’t stood the test of time.
Our agriculture industry supports countless families, jobs, and communities – both rural and urban. By signing LB 246 into law, we took a step to help defend our way of life here in Nebraska and are making sure we keep playing to our strengths.
We aren’t going to let lab work and misleading marketing undermine the legacy or the future of our state. We have been battling fringe ideas and groups that want a vegan society and claim all Nebraska agriculture is destroying our future. Truth is, we’re doing the exact opposite.
We feed the world – and save the planet. It’s time we stand up, defend our work, and keep buying the best meat that Nebraska – and the world – has to offer.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Matveeva, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, King’s Russia Institute, King’s College London
At a time when Vladimir Putin needs friends in his neighbourhood, he appears instead to be losing them in the South Caucasus. After two centuries of Russian involvement in the region, balancing the historical rivalry and at times acting as mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there is growing speculation that the two countries are preparing a major reset in relations.
When Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, met the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, in Abu Dhabi on July 10, they reportedly came close to agreeing a peace treaty. The big question is whether, if these two countries can iron out mistrust and violence born of the territorial conflict, there will still be a role for Russia in the South Caucasus.
To understand the complex geopolitics of the region, you need to go back to the early 19th century, when Azerbaijan and what is now the Republic of Armenia) were ceded to Russia following the Russo-Persian wars. After the Russian revolution, the two countries achieved brief independence between 1918 and 1920 (though not in their present borders) before being incorporated into the Soviet Union.
During the Soviet era, the union republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan both felt that Moscow favoured the other. Armenia was unhappy that the Soviet leadership allocated Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority-Armenian exclave surrounded by Azeri-populated lands, to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was dissatisfied that its borders denied it a land connection to its population in Nakhchivan, an exclave of ethnic Azeris that could only be reached via southern Armenia.
In the final years of the Soviet Union, as Armenian nationalism began to assert itself during the period of perestroika (restructuring), Nagorno-Karabakh’s legislature passed a law declaring its intention to join Armenia. This move eventually led to armed clashes in the region.
The first Karabakh war, which raged between 1988 and 1994, began before the Soviet break-up but continued after the two countries gained their independence. In 1994, after more than 30,000 casualties, Russia brokered a ceasefire. The settlement favoured Armenia, leaving it in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and another six surrounding Azerbaijani districts.
Things began to change when Putin took power in Russia in 2000. Russia’s relations with Azerbaijan improved, partly due to his personal rapport with the then-president, Heydar Aliyev, and his son Ilham, who would succeed him in 2003. After 9/11, when combating international terrorism became a global priority, Azerbaijan put measures in place to prevent transfer of fighters and weapons through its territory to the war in Chechnya, which further improved relations with Moscow.
At this stage, Azerbaijan was pursuing what it described as a “multi-vector” foreign policy. This allowed it to develop ties with a variety of countries, including the US, Russia and others to whom it sold oil. While remaining in the Commonwealth of Independent States, it did not sign up to the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia, by contrast, was a fully participating member of the CSTO. Having signed an Eternal Friendship Treaty with Russia in 1997, this was a clear strategic choice for Armenia – partly motivated by historical ties.
Russia had traditionally been seen as a defender of Christianity in the days of the Ottomon empire. Many people had fled massacres in Western Armenia (modern-day Turkey) in 1915 to come under the protection of the Russian Tsar. But Armenia also saw Moscow as a vital security guarantor against an increasingly militarised Azerbaijan, which was determined to recover control of Nagorno-Karabakh and other areas occupied by Armenia.
Map showing the concept of the ‘Zanzegur corridor’, which would cut across southernmost Armenia to connect Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan. Mapeh/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC
Indeed, it was Nagorno-Karabakh which really soured relations between Armenia and Moscow. In 2020, when – aided by Turkey – Azerbaijan launched its offensive to retake the territory, Russia failed to come to the aid of its CSTO ally. This was expected, given that relations had begun to deteriorate in 2018 when Pashinyan came to power in Armenia.
In hindsight, most commentators believe Russia had become tired of Armenia’s intransigence over the plan, agreed in Madrid in 2007, for it to cede back the six districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan.
Instead, Moscow brokered a ceasefire agreement and deployed 2,000 peacekeepers along the Lachin corridor, a strip of land connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. But these troops also failed to intervene when an Azeri offensive retook the whole of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, forcing the population of about 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee.
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, meanwhile, have gone downhill rapidly. In December 2024, an Azeri civilian airliner was shot down in Russian airspace. Putin apologised, but Azerbaijan insisted on Moscow disclosing the results of the investigation and paying compensation to the victims.
Things got worse at the end of June, when Russian authorities arrested a group of ethnic Azerbaijanis as part of a decades-old murder case. Two of the men died while being detained. Azerbaijan retaliated by raiding the Baku offices of Russia’s Sputnik news agency and detaining the staff as well as a group of Russian IT workers. When they appeared in court, some of the men appeared to have been beaten in custody.
Azerbaijan also denounced Russia in state media and Russia House, the state-funded Russian cultural agency in Baku, was closed down, with several cultural events cancelled. Security agencies began to enforce documentation checks on all Russian nationals in the country.
At the same time, Azerbaijan and Armenia were already talking about concluding a peace treaty independently, without intermediaries. All this has prompted speculation of a serious loss of influence in the region for Moscow.
However, a complete shutout of Russia in the South Caucasus is unlikely. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan depend on remittance income from their nationals in Russia. Both countries also remain close trading partners with Russia. While Armenia suspended its membership in CSTO, it has not quit the organisation altogether.
Far more likely is that the two countries, mindful of the growing influence of Turkey in the region and the shifts created by Donald Trump in world affairs, are manoeuvring while weighing their options. Geography matters, as Georgia’s example demonstrates – efforts to cut ties with Russia by its former president, Mikheil Saakashvili, have been partially reversed by the current government, which increasingly leans towards Moscow.
In the cases of Armenia and Azerbaijan, economic ties, transport links and human connections still favour a relationship with Russia. So, a temporary breakdown in political relations can be mended – if all three leaders demonstrate enough statesmanship to sail through the troubled waters.
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Anna Matveeva does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Cuba doesn’t have any beggars, according to the country’s minister of labour, Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera. In a speech to the national assembly on July 15, she denied the existence of destitution in the communist country, claiming the problem was actually people “disguised as beggars”.
Her words were greeted by public outcry on social media. They also prompted a swift rebuke from her peers and the president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, who said leadership could not “act with condescension”. The next day, the Cuban government published an official note saying Feitó Cabrera had resigned.
The political vulnerability of the Cuban government explains the urgent need to respond to missteps such as Feitó Cabrera’s. The country is enduring an acute economic crisis, which has seen living standards plummet and over 1 million Cubans leave the country since 2020.
Cubans are leaving en masse:
A severe economic crisis in Cuba has prompted a mass exodus from the island. Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas e Información
The recession has severely strained the system of social protection that the government points to as one of its main achievements since taking power more than 60 years ago. Despite food subsidies and the efforts of welfare services, a growing number of people are now going hungry.
Public confidence in the government has been severely weakened as a result, particularly among young Cubans. The risk of escalating popular protest is magnified by the proliferation of social media channels, emanating from inside and outside the country.
These channels air the many complaints about daily frustrations in Cuba and highlight any failings or signs of hypocrisy on the part of officials. So when Feitó Cabrera’s speech went viral, it was met with inevitable public outrage.
Díaz-Canel’s reaction can be seen as urgent damage limitation. But it is also consistent with his broader approach to managing the crisis facing his country. He has worked tirelessly to try and defuse anger through engagement, touring Cuba for local meetings to search for solutions.
In his comments after Feitó Cabrera’s speech, he insisted that officials should acknowledge the scale of hardship being suffered, and “help, support and show solidarity” with the disadvantaged and most vulnerable.
This need to reach out was all the more important given the grim tone of the national assembly meeting where Feitó Cabrera made her remarks. Ministers appeared one after the other to present dismal reports on the state of almost all sectors of the Cuban economy.
The electricity system remains plagued by breakdowns caused by chronic underinvestment as well as difficulties in obtaining fuel and spare parts. The resulting daily power outages ensure that the sense of crisis is ever-present and frustrate all efforts to boost production.
Doubting official data
While full official national income data for 2024 has not yet been released, Cuba’s economy ministry estimates that real national income contracted by 1.1% in 2024. This leaves it more than 10% below its pre-pandemic level, and 2025 is not expected to show much improvement.
The decline in real disposable income for Cuban households since 2021 has, in reality, been far greater. The official inflation rate indicates that consumer prices have risen fourfold over the past five years. At this rate, living costs would have increased broadly in line with salaries.
Consumer prices have risen fourfold since 2020:
Official inflation data for Cuba. The spike in early 2021 was the result of a monetary reform, which involved a big jump in wages in December 2020 followed by a currency reform in January 2021. Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas e Información
But official figures systematically understate the actual increase in prices faced by Cuban households, due to the weightings used. In 2021, for example, research estimated the inflation rate to be between 174% and 700% – well above the government’s estimate (77.3%).
The rising market prices have put many essential goods beyond the reach of most people who depend on state incomes. This has forced many households to depend on remittances or the informal economy to survive.
Thanks to tight fiscal restraint, the official annual rate of inflation eased to 15% in June. But the wide gap between the increase in the actual cost of living and official inflation index continues to compound distrust of the government and the perception that the country’s leaders are out of touch.
A lack of transparency and long delays in the publication of economic data, together with restrictions on the scope for private enterprise, are widely attributed to the government’s incompetence and reluctance to enact liberalising reforms.
Recovery blocked by US sanctions
For these reasons, the government’s insistence that US sanctions are to blame for limiting the possibilities for economic recovery is increasingly regarded with scepticism. However, the constraint on economic growth imposed by US measures is real and severe.
It is also the deliberate aim of US policy. The unilateral sanctions not only block trade, as well as financial and international travel between the US and Cuba. They also severely hamper all kinds of transactions between Cuba and the rest of the world.
Every branch of the Cuban economy has been affected, including the health service, social safety nets, agriculture and industry. And the lack of hard currency has, in turn, limited the scope for the investments and reforms needed for economic recovery.
The easing inflation rate, together with some new investments in renewable energy, an improved fiscal balance and a recent small increase in pensions, may signal that the end of the economic downturn may be approaching. But neither the government nor the population have any confidence that the crisis will come to an end this year.
No one is expecting US sanctions to be lifted while Donald Trump is president. Before Trump first stood for the presidency he hadn’t given Cuba his attention, but as president he has aligned himself firmly with hardliners.
In his first term, Trump reversed the opening with Cuba initiated by Barack Obama. And his current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is one of the architects and leading proponents of economic sanctions against Cuba. Trade and investment will thus remain depressed, while shortages, power cuts, a lack of transport and crumbling public services will persist.
But by demanding the resignation of the minister of labour, perhaps Díaz-Canel hopes to demonstrate that his government understands what that the economic asphyxiation means for a majority of Cubans struggling to survive.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
Emily Morris does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Matveeva, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, King’s Russia Institute, King’s College London
At a time when Vladimir Putin needs friends in his neighbourhood, he appears instead to be losing them in the South Caucasus. After two centuries of Russian involvement in the region, balancing the historical rivalry and at times acting as mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there is growing speculation that the two countries are preparing a major reset in relations.
When Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, met the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, in Abu Dhabi on July 10, they reportedly came close to agreeing a peace treaty. The big question is whether, if these two countries can iron out mistrust and violence born of the territorial conflict, there will still be a role for Russia in the South Caucasus.
To understand the complex geopolitics of the region, you need to go back to the early 19th century, when Azerbaijan and what is now the Republic of Armenia) were ceded to Russia following the Russo-Persian wars. After the Russian revolution, the two countries achieved brief independence between 1918 and 1920 (though not in their present borders) before being incorporated into the Soviet Union.
During the Soviet era, the union republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan both felt that Moscow favoured the other. Armenia was unhappy that the Soviet leadership allocated Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority-Armenian exclave surrounded by Azeri-populated lands, to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was dissatisfied that its borders denied it a land connection to its population in Nakhchivan, an exclave of ethnic Azeris that could only be reached via southern Armenia.
In the final years of the Soviet Union, as Armenian nationalism began to assert itself during the period of perestroika (restructuring), Nagorno-Karabakh’s legislature passed a law declaring its intention to join Armenia. This move eventually led to armed clashes in the region.
The first Karabakh war, which raged between 1988 and 1994, began before the Soviet break-up but continued after the two countries gained their independence. In 1994, after more than 30,000 casualties, Russia brokered a ceasefire. The settlement favoured Armenia, leaving it in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and another six surrounding Azerbaijani districts.
Things began to change when Putin took power in Russia in 2000. Russia’s relations with Azerbaijan improved, partly due to his personal rapport with the then-president, Heydar Aliyev, and his son Ilham, who would succeed him in 2003. After 9/11, when combating international terrorism became a global priority, Azerbaijan put measures in place to prevent transfer of fighters and weapons through its territory to the war in Chechnya, which further improved relations with Moscow.
At this stage, Azerbaijan was pursuing what it described as a “multi-vector” foreign policy. This allowed it to develop ties with a variety of countries, including the US, Russia and others to whom it sold oil. While remaining in the Commonwealth of Independent States, it did not sign up to the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia, by contrast, was a fully participating member of the CSTO. Having signed an Eternal Friendship Treaty with Russia in 1997, this was a clear strategic choice for Armenia – partly motivated by historical ties.
Russia had traditionally been seen as a defender of Christianity in the days of the Ottomon empire. Many people had fled massacres in Western Armenia (modern-day Turkey) in 1915 to come under the protection of the Russian Tsar. But Armenia also saw Moscow as a vital security guarantor against an increasingly militarised Azerbaijan, which was determined to recover control of Nagorno-Karabakh and other areas occupied by Armenia.
Map showing the concept of the ‘Zanzegur corridor’, which would cut across southernmost Armenia to connect Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan. Mapeh/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC
Indeed, it was Nagorno-Karabakh which really soured relations between Armenia and Moscow. In 2020, when – aided by Turkey – Azerbaijan launched its offensive to retake the territory, Russia failed to come to the aid of its CSTO ally. This was expected, given that relations had begun to deteriorate in 2018 when Pashinyan came to power in Armenia.
In hindsight, most commentators believe Russia had become tired of Armenia’s intransigence over the plan, agreed in Madrid in 2007, for it to cede back the six districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan.
Instead, Moscow brokered a ceasefire agreement and deployed 2,000 peacekeepers along the Lachin corridor, a strip of land connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. But these troops also failed to intervene when an Azeri offensive retook the whole of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, forcing the population of about 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee.
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, meanwhile, have gone downhill rapidly. In December 2024, an Azeri civilian airliner was shot down in Russian airspace. Putin apologised, but Azerbaijan insisted on Moscow disclosing the results of the investigation and paying compensation to the victims.
Things got worse at the end of June, when Russian authorities arrested a group of ethnic Azerbaijanis as part of a decades-old murder case. Two of the men died while being detained. Azerbaijan retaliated by raiding the Baku offices of Russia’s Sputnik news agency and detaining the staff as well as a group of Russian IT workers. When they appeared in court, some of the men appeared to have been beaten in custody.
Azerbaijan also denounced Russia in state media and Russia House, the state-funded Russian cultural agency in Baku, was closed down, with several cultural events cancelled. Security agencies began to enforce documentation checks on all Russian nationals in the country.
At the same time, Azerbaijan and Armenia were already talking about concluding a peace treaty independently, without intermediaries. All this has prompted speculation of a serious loss of influence in the region for Moscow.
However, a complete shutout of Russia in the South Caucasus is unlikely. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan depend on remittance income from their nationals in Russia. Both countries also remain close trading partners with Russia. While Armenia suspended its membership in CSTO, it has not quit the organisation altogether.
Far more likely is that the two countries, mindful of the growing influence of Turkey in the region and the shifts created by Donald Trump in world affairs, are manoeuvring while weighing their options. Geography matters, as Georgia’s example demonstrates – efforts to cut ties with Russia by its former president, Mikheil Saakashvili, have been partially reversed by the current government, which increasingly leans towards Moscow.
In the cases of Armenia and Azerbaijan, economic ties, transport links and human connections still favour a relationship with Russia. So, a temporary breakdown in political relations can be mended – if all three leaders demonstrate enough statesmanship to sail through the troubled waters.
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Anna Matveeva does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Cuba doesn’t have any beggars, according to the country’s minister of labour, Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera. In a speech to the national assembly on July 15, she denied the existence of destitution in the communist country, claiming the problem was actually people “disguised as beggars”.
Her words were greeted by public outcry on social media. They also prompted a swift rebuke from her peers and the president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, who said leadership could not “act with condescension”. The next day, the Cuban government published an official note saying Feitó Cabrera had resigned.
The political vulnerability of the Cuban government explains the urgent need to respond to missteps such as Feitó Cabrera’s. The country is enduring an acute economic crisis, which has seen living standards plummet and over 1 million Cubans leave the country since 2020.
Cubans are leaving en masse:
A severe economic crisis in Cuba has prompted a mass exodus from the island. Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas e Información
The recession has severely strained the system of social protection that the government points to as one of its main achievements since taking power more than 60 years ago. Despite food subsidies and the efforts of welfare services, a growing number of people are now going hungry.
Public confidence in the government has been severely weakened as a result, particularly among young Cubans. The risk of escalating popular protest is magnified by the proliferation of social media channels, emanating from inside and outside the country.
These channels air the many complaints about daily frustrations in Cuba and highlight any failings or signs of hypocrisy on the part of officials. So when Feitó Cabrera’s speech went viral, it was met with inevitable public outrage.
Díaz-Canel’s reaction can be seen as urgent damage limitation. But it is also consistent with his broader approach to managing the crisis facing his country. He has worked tirelessly to try and defuse anger through engagement, touring Cuba for local meetings to search for solutions.
In his comments after Feitó Cabrera’s speech, he insisted that officials should acknowledge the scale of hardship being suffered, and “help, support and show solidarity” with the disadvantaged and most vulnerable.
This need to reach out was all the more important given the grim tone of the national assembly meeting where Feitó Cabrera made her remarks. Ministers appeared one after the other to present dismal reports on the state of almost all sectors of the Cuban economy.
The electricity system remains plagued by breakdowns caused by chronic underinvestment as well as difficulties in obtaining fuel and spare parts. The resulting daily power outages ensure that the sense of crisis is ever-present and frustrate all efforts to boost production.
Doubting official data
While full official national income data for 2024 has not yet been released, Cuba’s economy ministry estimates that real national income contracted by 1.1% in 2024. This leaves it more than 10% below its pre-pandemic level, and 2025 is not expected to show much improvement.
The decline in real disposable income for Cuban households since 2021 has, in reality, been far greater. The official inflation rate indicates that consumer prices have risen fourfold over the past five years. At this rate, living costs would have increased broadly in line with salaries.
Consumer prices have risen fourfold since 2020:
Official inflation data for Cuba. The spike in early 2021 was the result of a monetary reform, which involved a big jump in wages in December 2020 followed by a currency reform in January 2021. Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas e Información
But official figures systematically understate the actual increase in prices faced by Cuban households, due to the weightings used. In 2021, for example, research estimated the inflation rate to be between 174% and 700% – well above the government’s estimate (77.3%).
The rising market prices have put many essential goods beyond the reach of most people who depend on state incomes. This has forced many households to depend on remittances or the informal economy to survive.
Thanks to tight fiscal restraint, the official annual rate of inflation eased to 15% in June. But the wide gap between the increase in the actual cost of living and official inflation index continues to compound distrust of the government and the perception that the country’s leaders are out of touch.
A lack of transparency and long delays in the publication of economic data, together with restrictions on the scope for private enterprise, are widely attributed to the government’s incompetence and reluctance to enact liberalising reforms.
Recovery blocked by US sanctions
For these reasons, the government’s insistence that US sanctions are to blame for limiting the possibilities for economic recovery is increasingly regarded with scepticism. However, the constraint on economic growth imposed by US measures is real and severe.
It is also the deliberate aim of US policy. The unilateral sanctions not only block trade, as well as financial and international travel between the US and Cuba. They also severely hamper all kinds of transactions between Cuba and the rest of the world.
Every branch of the Cuban economy has been affected, including the health service, social safety nets, agriculture and industry. And the lack of hard currency has, in turn, limited the scope for the investments and reforms needed for economic recovery.
The easing inflation rate, together with some new investments in renewable energy, an improved fiscal balance and a recent small increase in pensions, may signal that the end of the economic downturn may be approaching. But neither the government nor the population have any confidence that the crisis will come to an end this year.
No one is expecting US sanctions to be lifted while Donald Trump is president. Before Trump first stood for the presidency he hadn’t given Cuba his attention, but as president he has aligned himself firmly with hardliners.
In his first term, Trump reversed the opening with Cuba initiated by Barack Obama. And his current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is one of the architects and leading proponents of economic sanctions against Cuba. Trade and investment will thus remain depressed, while shortages, power cuts, a lack of transport and crumbling public services will persist.
But by demanding the resignation of the minister of labour, perhaps Díaz-Canel hopes to demonstrate that his government understands what that the economic asphyxiation means for a majority of Cubans struggling to survive.
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Emily Morris does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
BURLINGTON, Vt., July 25 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) reintroduced the End Polluter Welfare Act, legislation to eliminate President Trump’s enormous new handouts to the fossil fuel industry contained in the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” along with existing polluter welfare for the fossil fuel industry. First introduced by Sanders in 2012, the bill eliminates more than $190 billion in tax loopholes and federal subsidies for the fossil fuel industry over the next 10 years. That total includes approximately $20 billion in new subsidies for coal, oil drilling, methane emissions, pipelines and other false climate solutions. The bill would also prevent the Trump administration from handing out hundreds of millions of acres of public lands and waters for drilling.
In addition to Sanders and Omar, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with 20 members of the House of Representatives, have cosponsored the bill. More than 170 organizations have endorsed the legislation.
“Donald Trump has sold out the young people of America and future generations,” Sanders said. “Big Oil spent $450 million to elected Donald Trump and Republicans during the last election cycle. In return, the president has directed the full regulatory, legal and financial weight of the federal government toward helping his fossil fuel executive friends get rich at the expense of a healthy and habitable planet for our kids and grandkids. The fossil fuel industry, with the support of Trump, is more concerned about their short-term profits than the wellbeing of the planet. No more polluter welfare for an industry that is making billions every year destroying the planet.”
“We are done letting fossil fuel executives write the rules while our communities pay the price,” Omar said. “For decades, Big Oil has raked in billions in taxpayer handouts while destabilizing our climate. The End Polluter Welfare Act will finally hold polluters accountable and eliminate these harmful subsidies once and for all. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation with Senator Sanders because our planet can’t wait, and neither can we.”
Just four private fossil fuel corporations — ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron and Shell — have accounted for about 10% of global fossil fuel emissions since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Over the past three decades, these four companies have made more than $2 trillion in profit off the backs of people all around the world have borne the brunt of climate disasters. Last year alone, these companies made $84 billion in profit, and their CEOs made more than $95 million.
As if these obscene profits weren’t enough, the Republican reconciliation bill passed earlier this month by a single vote in the Senate includes enormous new subsidies to the fossil fuel industry:
More than $1.48 billion in tax cuts for metallurgical coal;
More than $14 billion in tax cuts for carbon capture and enhanced oil recovery;
Up to $3 billion in tax cuts for owners of power plants and pipelines that transport carbon and dirty hydrogen;
Up to $447 million in tax cuts that help oil and gas drillers avoid the 15 percent corporate minimum tax;
$1.5 billion in tax cuts for fossil fuel producers who emit methane, a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide;
A “pay-to-play” scheme that will allow polluters to buy environmental reviews; and
Opening up hundreds of millions of acres of our public lands and waters for drilling.
Instead of handing out new taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil, Congress must take on the greed of the tremendously profitable fossil fuel industry by passing the End Polluter Welfare Act, which would:
Eliminate all giveaways, tax preferences and loopholes to the fossil fuel industry;
Prohibit taxpayer-funded fossil fuel research and development;
Update below-market royalty rates for oil and gas production on federal lands;
Recoup royalties from offshore drilling in public waters;
Ensure competitive bidding and leasing practices for coal developments on federal lands; and
End support for international oil, gas and coal projects to help the international community move away from dirty fossil fuels to clean sources of power.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently asked: “If an energy source needs subsidies to stay afloat, how truly reliable, or affordable is it?” The secretary is right: The American people can no longer afford to rely on the most subsidized form of energy in American history. Failure to address the climate crisis by taking on the fossil fuel industry puts the planet and future generations at risk.
Read the bill text here.
Read a summary here.
Read the section-by-section here.
Read a letter of support from endorsing organizations here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)
“The Tijuana River sewage crisis has not only plagued our region for generations, it has also proved resistant to reform and grown worse over time.
“Now a breakthrough has occurred. The Trump Administration and its Environmental Protection Agency took immediate steps upon taking office and worked with my office and regional partners to launch reform initiatives and engage the Mexican government. Most of all, they refused to accept the failed status quo and have turned decades of inaction into a durable solution that is built to last.
“I congratulate my friend and longtime colleague Administrator Zeldin and his team for insisting this could be done and delivering lasting change in record time.”
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
July 25, 2025
At Sen. Warren’s request, Bisignano agreed to independent audit of data collection, reporting during recent meeting
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. — After U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) secured a commitment from Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano to fully cooperate with an Inspector General audit in their recent meeting, Senator Warren sent a letter formally requesting the SSA’s Inspector General investigate wait times for Social Security services, specifically whether those wait times have worsened in the last six months, how caller wait time data is collected, and whether the Trump administration is providing the public with accurate information about those wait times.
Since President Trump took office, his administration and Commissioner Bisignano have eliminated thousands of workers at the agency, closed regional offices, made the agency’s website less reliable, and implemented burdensome new requirements to access services.
As a result of these changes, phone wait times have skyrocketed. A June investigation conducted by Senator Warren’s office found that wait times averaged nearly an hour and 45 minutes, with maximum wait times exceeding three hours. The Joint Economic Committee Minority Staff’s review found a similar increase in busy rates on the SSA phone hotline. Nonetheless, Commissioner Bisignano’s SSA reported that wait times had dropped dramatically to under 20 minutes — a number fully incompatible with SSA’s own public data, the results of Senator Warren’s investigation, and other independent reporting.
“The challenges facing Social Security recipients are compounded by the evidently misleading information that SSA reports about wait times for basic services or the lack of any information at all,” wrote Senator Warren.
During Senator Warren’s July 23rd meeting with Commissioner Bisignano, he agreed that an independent Inspector General investigation was necessary, and committed to fully cooperate with the audit.
“Because of the critical importance of Social Security benefits for millions of Americans, I ask that you conduct this review and make your findings public as rapidly as possible,” concluded Senator Warren.
Senator Warren requested the investigation cover: the change in wait times since January 20, 2025; an explanation of how the agency calculates key metrics; and how staffing decisions, including reassigning and cutting staff, at the agency have impacted its ability to deliver services; and any other factors that may be impacting the agency’s ability to deliver services.
Senate Dems’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
July 25, 2025
Admiral Caudle on right to repair: “It is so ridiculous that sailors cannot actually enter a piece of equipment because of a contractual reason, a warranty violation…It is not sustainable, it’s dangerous.”
Admiral Caudle: “There should be nothing on board a ship that a sailor cannot repair…That’s how we make sure we are ready to fight.”
Video of Exchange (YouTube)
Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, nominee for Chief of Naval Operations, about the importance of the military’s right to repair its own equipment. Senator Warren also raised concerns about the removal of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was removed without explanation, which led to the nomination of Admiral Caudle to the post.
Admiral Caudle explained that contractor repair restrictions, even in peacetime, are “not sustainable” and “dangerous” because service members do not get the opportunity to familiarize themselves with equipment or learn how it works.
“It is so ridiculous that sailors cannot actually enter a piece of equipment because of a contractual reason, a warranty violation. It goes right to the heart of what we call self-sufficiency,” said Admiral Caudle.
Asked by Senator Warren about the impact of the Navy not having the right to repair its equipment, Admiral Caudle said, “It is dangerous even where we operate now, even in peace…we’re actually acting as a deterrent [to conflict]…So, when a piece of equipment is down and our readiness is not 100 percent and it’s because I can’t repair it, then that’s unacceptable in my mind.”
Admiral Caudle also expressed support for legislation to guarantee the right to repair for all of the services, saying “the idea of what you’re describing I’m fully committed to, Senator.”
“In peace time, [repair restrictions are] expensive and inconvenient. In the middle of a conflict, that actually puts our security at risk…[Right to repair] makes us more resilient, enhances competition, grows the industrial base, helps with the training of our people,” said Senator Warren.
During a hearing of the Armed Services Committee last month, Navy Secretary John Phelan shared his experiences with repair restrictions, saying sailors on the Gerald R. Ford carrier were not allowed to fix ovens or elevators themselves because defense contractors limited repair information.
This month, Senator Warren introduced the bipartisan Warrior Right to Repair Act with Senator Tim Sheehy to guarantee all branches of the military the right to repair their equipment and require contractors to provide any information needed to repair the equipment. Both the House and Senate versions of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act advance the military’s right to repair.
Senator Warren also shared her concerns with the removal of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, which led to the vacancy Admiral Caudle was nominated to fill. Admiral Franchetti was removed by President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth without explanation.
“[W]e need the best and brightest in this country to serve in the military, and we aren’t going to be able to compete with China or anyone else if women know that their talents and hard work are going to be tossed aside,” said Senator Warren. “Everyone in this room needs to take a hard look at what is happening at the Pentagon right now. Firing good people who do their jobs does not make us safer.”
Transcript: Hearing to consider the nomination of Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, USN for reappointment to the grade of admiral and to be Chief of Naval OperationsSenate Armed Services CommitteeJuly 24, 2025
Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and congratulations, Admiral Caudle, on your nomination.
So, for years, defense contractors have slipped fine print into contracts that limit the Department of Defense’s ability to fix its own ships and fighter jets, MRI machines, radar systems. Last month, Secretary Phelan told this committee he saw firsthand that sailors on the Gerald R. Ford carrier couldn’t fix ovens or elevators themselves because they had to wait for contractors to come and do it.
Now, the Government Accountability Office estimated that repair restrictions are costing the Navy billions of dollars – and also costing the Navy opportunities to train sailors to repair their own equipment in the field. In peace time, this is expensive and inconvenient. In the middle of a conflict, that actually puts our security at risk.
So, Admiral Caudle, you have commanded sailors in the Pacific. If their equipment breaks in a warzone, is it a problem if contractors are not able or not willing to come to the front lines to be able to fix it?
Admiral Daryl L. Caudle, nominee for Chief of Naval Operations: Senator Warren, let me say thank you for championing this right to repair initiative. It is so vital. It is so ridiculous that sailors cannot actually enter a piece of equipment because of a contractual reason, a warranty violation. It goes right to the heart of what we call self-sufficiency. So, I don’t like it in peacetime, and I certainly do not want it in war time. It is not sustainable, it’s dangerous. So, I’m 100% committed to understanding and more fully — I guess the language of the right to repair piece, but the idea of what you’re describing I’m fully committed to, Senator.
Senator Warren: That’s right. And you know, I really do want to hit the point as well: that if sailors aren’t getting a chance to repair this equipment in peace time, you can’t just say, “Okay, if war comes, you go ahead and repair it now, because they don’t get the opportunities to learn it and know how all the pieces work. Is that a fair statement?
Admiral Caudle: Senator, it’s 100 percent fair. It ties to how we build our schoolhouses. So the curriculum will change when I have the right to repair equipment that I’m not currently repairing. So it has these second and third order effects as well.
Senator Warren: Well, I really appreciate your enthusiasm for making a change in this area. The Army has said that it will require contractors to provide the technical data and diagnostic tools necessary for the Army to be able to maintain weapon systems itself. It makes us more resilient, enhances competition, grows the industrial base, helps with the training of our people.
I worked with Senator Sheehy and the members of this committee to secure a provision in the NDAA that you just referred to that will provide a right to repair for all of the services, and the House bill now includes similar language. Why are we still talking about this? Well, because the lobbyists for the defense industry are now pushing back. They like being able to get restrictions on your ability to repair because it means that they can not only charge you the initial price to sell you the piece of equipment, but they also can charge pretty much whatever they want if they have a monopoly on this to charge you for all the repairs and maintenance down the line.
So, Admiral Caudle, as a Commander, what difference will it make to the war fighter for the Navy to have broad authority to secure the rights necessary to keep our fighter jets flying and our ships sailing wherever we need to keep Americans safe?
Admiral Caudle: Well, Senator, it’s vital. There should be nothing on board a ship that a sailor cannot repair. That’s to say that simply. That’s how we make sure we are ready to fight. Things break all the time on our ships to keep them going sustained. That’s why this is not just a wartime — we need this equipment — it is dangerous even where we operate now, even in peace. They are not there just sailing
around, we’re actually acting as a deterrent. We’re a vital part of that at the ready. So, when a piece of equipment is down and our readiness is not 100 percent and it’s because I can’t repair it, then that’s unacceptable in my mind.
Senator Warren: Well, I very much appreciate that. Thank you and appreciate your statements here and look forward to working with you on this.
I also want to say, I appreciate the qualifications you bring to this role, but we have to acknowledge the circumstances surrounding your nomination. Admiral Franchetti, the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations was removed by the President without any explanation. That’s not on you. But we need the best and brightest in this country to serve in the military, and we aren’t going to be able to compete with China or anyone else if women know that their talents and hard work are going to be tossed aside.
Everyone in this room needs to take a hard look at what is happening at the Pentagon right now. Firing good people who do their jobs does not make us safer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
July 24, 2025
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is asking the Social Security Administration’s inspector general to audit the agency’s customer service amid concerns that the Trump administration-spurred reorganization has hurt the agency’s ability to assist the public.
Warren wants to know whether telephone and in-person wait times and other key metrics have worsened and how Commissioner Frank Bisignano is calculating the data, according to a letter the Democratic senator sent to the inspector general today and obtained exclusively by CNN. Also, Warren is asking whether the agency is providing accurate information to the public about its customer service metrics.
The request from Warren, who met with Bisignano yesterday, comes at a time when the agency has shed roughly 7,000 employees and implemented a new AI tool on its national 800 number.
Bisignano has promised to quickly improve customer service. However, he has greatly reduced the performance metrics that were previously posted online. A survey conducted by Warren’s staff last month found that telephone wait times averaged nearly an hour and 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, the agency has touted its customer service achievements.
Social Security handled nearly 70% more calls on its 800 number last week than the same period a year ago, while cutting its average speed of answer to six minutes, from 30 minutes last year, according to a press release posted yesterday.
Warren has requested detailed data about customers’ ability to access phone services and have their issues resolved. She has also asked how staffing decisions have affected phone and in-person services.
By: Tami LuhbySource: CNN
Previous Article
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
Ukraine continues to show its commitment to peace. But President Putin prefers war: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
Colleagues, the world has rallied around President Trump’s call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine has agreed. And we echo that call once again today.
Yet week after week, night after night, we see the number of Russian assaults grow.
June was the deadliest month yet, and July is on track to be even deadlier.
This makes a mockery of the diplomacy that Russia claims to support.
And the consequences are ever more devastating for the people of Ukraine.
Across five nights from the 18 to 23 July, Russia launched over 940 drones and 59 missiles at Ukrainian cities, killing 20 civilians and injuring a further 216.
Just days before, a record-breaking 728 long-range drones were launched on Ukraine in a single day.
Since the start of the invasion, over 13,500 civilians have been killed and more than 34,000 injured. This includes more than 200 children killed or injured since March alone.
We cannot allow ourselves to become desensitised to these figures. Behind each Russian strike there is a person, a family, a community whose lives have been torn apart by Russia’s brutal military invasion.
The Shygyds are one such family. On 5 June, as a Ukrainian firefighter arrived at the scene of a Russian attack on Chernihiv, he discovered that his wife, his daughter, and his grandson had all been killed.
His grandson was only a year old. Three generations lost to cold-blooded Russian brutality in just one night.
This is not an isolated incident. Families like The Shygyds are being torn apart across Ukraine and have been since February 2022.
Russia has a clear and unqualified obligation to uphold the UN Charter.
Russia also has an obligation to respect the Geneva Conventions and to the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law. There is simply no justification for brutal aggression like this.
The reality is clear: Ukraine, a country illegally invaded by Russia, continues to show its commitment to peace. But President Putin prefers war.
He is shunning diplomatic efforts made in good faith to bring an end to this horror, a horror of his own making.
There is no ambiguity about what needs to come next.
It is time for Russia to stop prevaricating and agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as the first step towards a just and lasting peace.
