EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a coalition of 17 other attorneys general in supporting the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) lawsuit challenging the federal government’s use of unlawful immigration enforcement tactics in Los Angeles, California. In an amicus brief filed today in Perdomo v. Noem, Attorney General James and the coalition urge the court to grant a temporary restraining order halting the raids, which have upended the community, harmed local economies, and undermined public trust in law enforcement.
“In Los Angeles and nationwide, we are seeing immigration enforcement officers deploy dystopian tactics that are deeply harmful,” said Attorney General James. “No one should fear being questioned, detained, or deported by unidentified masked agents while taking their child to school, going to work, or attending church. These mass raids are tearing families apart, threatening public safety, and turning once-lively neighborhoods into ghost towns. Federal agents are sowing fear in entire communities, which is why we are urging the court to intervene and stop these unconstitutional raids at once.”
In the brief, Attorney General James and the coalition detail how the federal government’s current immigration enforcement efforts have “shattered the rhythms of everyday life” in Los Angeles. In recent months, masked agents conducting unannounced and unmarked operations in neighborhoods, churches, schools, and local businesses have left people afraid to leave their homes. Residents, including U.S. citizens, have been unlawfully detained, questioned, and harassed, often without any reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing. Local businesses have closed and farmers markets have shut down due to fear of enforcement. Hospitals and health clinics report soaring appointment cancellation rates, which presents alarming concerns for public health. Students are skipping school and graduation ceremonies, days that are supposed to be among the most joyous of their lives. Houses of worship have also seen a dramatic decline in attendance.
The attorneys general highlight the long history of discriminatory and militarized immigration enforcement campaigns in California, including “Operation Wetback,” a 1954 mass deportation campaign that took its name from an ethnic slur, as well as the La Placita raids during the Great Depression. The attorneys general note that at the time, Mexican farmworkers were indiscriminately blamed for job shortages and shrinking public benefits, and ultimately, the campaign resulted in the deportation of nearly two million Mexican Americans, more than half of whom were U.S. citizens, without due process. Families were separated, and many children never again saw their parents. Historians and scholars have widely condemned these discriminatory raids as inhumane terror campaigns.
Attorney General James and the coalition draw parallels between those shameful chapters of American history and the current actions under the Trump administration, which seemingly prioritize maximizing the quantity of arrests over the right to due process. They highlight the president’s past remarks, in which he praised “Operation Wetback” as an enforcement model and hailed the Eisenhower administration for setting the record for deportations, a record he said his administration would break. The attorneys general emphasize that the administration’s recent immigration raids, including in Los Angeles, appear to bear many of the same hallmarks as the earlier mass deportation efforts that are now shameful chapters of American history.
The attorneys general argue that the federal government’s conduct creates confusion and fear that also directly impedes local law enforcement. Numerous incidents have been reported in which plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents driving unmarked vehicles were mistaken for criminals, leading to false reports of kidnappings and assaults. This, too, erodes the culture of trust between immigrant communities and the police. ICE’s secretive approach has even led to a rise in copycat crimes in which masked perpetrators imitate ICE agents in order to abduct or harass others.
In their filing, Attorney General James and the coalition emphasize that while the ACLU’s lawsuit is specifically focused on ICE enforcement tactics in Los Angeles, the federal government has been engaging in widespread raids in cities throughout the country, including New York. Arrests at immigration courts in Manhattan and on farms upstate have contributed to a culture of fear for many immigrant New Yorkers. The attorneys general are asking the court to immediately intervene and stop the unlawful immigration enforcement tactics in Los Angeles, arguing that the culture of fear that these raids have created permeates well beyond city and state borders and has had an overwhelming chilling effect on communities nationwide.
The attorneys general are supporting the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order, in which they argue ICE is not stopping people based on any reasonable, individualized suspicion, and instead is engaging in racial profiling.
Joining Attorney General James in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
It should come as no surprise that United States President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have renewed interest in building pipelines that don’t rely on access to the American market. Almost four million barrels of crude oil cross the Canada-U.S. border each day, generating revenue of more than $100 billion per year — a quarter of Alberta’s GDP.
A February survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that half of Canadians believe the federal government isn’t doing enough to expand pipeline capacity. Meanwhile, two-thirds said they would back reviving the Energy East project — a cancelled pipeline that would have transported oil from western Canada to New Brunswick and Québec.
But would new pipelines truly insulate Canada from the threat of U.S. tariffs? And how much new pipeline capacity is necessary? Despite the apparent urgency of approving new infrastructure projects, these questions remain surprisingly unexplored.
In a recent paper I co-authored with researcher Jotham Peters, which is currently under revision, we applied formal economic modelling techniques to parse through the costs and benefits of new pipelines, and in particular to understand the role of American tariffs in shaping these costs and benefits.
How tariffs could hit Canadian oil producers
In a worst-case scenario where the U.S. follows through on its threat of a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian oil exports, Canadian producers could lose as much as $14 billion in annual revenue — roughly a 10 per cent decrease.
Simply put, Canada’s existing pipeline network severely limits access to markets other than the U.S., and as a consequence oil producers bear the full brunt of American tariffs.
But what if Northern Gateway and Energy East — two previously cancelled pipelines that would have brought Canadian oil to tidewater — had been built?
If Northern Gateway and Energy East were operational in 2025, Canada would be more resilient, but not completely immune, to U.S. tariffs. Instead of a $14 billion loss, tariffs would reduce annual revenue by $9 billion.
Ultimately, the combined capacity of Northern Gateway and Energy East, which would be 1.625 million barrels per day, pales in comparison to the four million barrels per day of existing pipeline capacity connecting Canadian producers with American refineries.
Closing this gap would require an expansion of east-west pipeline capacity far beyond the cancelled pipelines of the last decade.
The economic case for pipelines
So have the recent shifts in U.S. trade policy fundamentally altered the economic case in favour of new east-west pipelines? As with most economic analyses, the answer is complicated.
On the one hand, any progress that mitigates the significant cost of U.S. tariffs are likely dollars well spent. Building new pipelines strengthens the bargaining power of Canadian producers, which carries an additional benefit of potentially increasing the return on each barrel sold to our southern neighbour.
There’s also a long-term capacity issue. Existing pipelines may reach their limit by 2035. In the absence of new pipelines, any new production after 2035 would either need to be transported by rail at a higher cost, or left in the ground.
On the other hand, if the U.S. never follows through on tariffs on energy exports — or if future administrations do not share Trump’s affinity for chaotic trade policy — Canada could end up right back where it started when these projects were cancelled.
All pipelines carry some economic benefit, but such benefits were not enough in 2016 and 2017 to warrant the construction of the Northern Gateway and Energy East pipelines.
Inflated construction costs threaten benefits
The elephant in the room is whether a significant expansion in pipeline capacity could realistically be achieved at reasonable cost. Recent evidence suggests it could be a challenge.
While some of these costs were circumstantial — a major flood affected Trans Mountain, for example — increased efficiency in pipeline construction is necessary for the economic benefits of new pipelines to be realized, regardless of U.S. trade policy.
Beyond economics costs
While our research explores the economic impact of new pipelines in the face of U.S. tariffs, we acknowledge there are other issues that need to be considered.
Chief among them is ensuring Canada meets its constitutional obligation to consult First Nations on decisions, like natural resources projects, that affect their communities and territories. Although this lies beyond our area of expertise, it will inevitably be an important element of consideration for any new pipeline developments.
The environmental impacts of new pipelines are another key concern. These impacts range from local exposure to oil spills to upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with oil production. While these varying and complex impacts are also beyond the scope of our current work, future research should focus on quantifying the potential environmental impacts of new pipelines.
Our research cannot say whether any new pipeline project is good, bad or in Canada’s national interest. But we can help Canadians reach an informed decision about how changes in U.S. trade policy may or may not alter the economic case for new pipelines in this country.
While Canada would undoubtedly be in a stronger position to respond to U.S. tariffs were Northern Gateway and Energy East operational in 2025, it would still find itself significantly exposed to Trump’s tariff threats.
Fully removing this exposure would require not one but seven pipelines equivalent to Northern Gateway. Whether that’s a goal worth pursuing is a broader question — one we hope our research can help Canadians and policymakers reach on their own.
Torsten Jaccard receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today extended a commitment to collaboration in water power research and development with Norway’s Royal Ministry of Energy. The extension of this previously established Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which facilitates planning and coordination activities between the two countries, will further the Trump Administration’s efforts to reduce energy costs, strengthen grid reliability and security, and unleash American energy innovation as called for in President Trump’s Executive Orders on energy and Secretary Wright’s memorandum.
“Strong partnerships drive innovation, and innovation strengthens America’s energy future,” said Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “Hydropower is a tremendous resource— one that supports reliable, affordable power across the country and holds vast potential to bolster America’s grid. By signing this Memorandum of Understanding with Norway, we are building upon our two nations’ shared expertise and advanced marine energy technologies to support President Trump’s pro-growth energy agenda for the American people.”
“Hydropower and marine energy have potential to reduce energy costs and improve the resilience of our electric grid,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Lou Hrkman. “Our collaboration with Norway—another country that is rich in water power resources—will help us expand our generation capacity, upgrade existing facilities, and cultivate the technical expertise we need to make the most of these opportunities.”
In 2020, DOE and Norway’s Royal Ministry of Energy signed a five-year MOU Annex that brought together DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office and the Norwegian Research Centre for Hydropower Technology to collaborate on hydropower research and development. The latest MOU Annex expands the scope of this collaboration to include marine energy, which has the potential to provide locally sourced energy to millions of Americans in the most densely populated regions of the country. Under the extended MOU, the two parties will share foundational information, tools, and technologies that reduce barriers to the development, testing, and advancement of both marine energy and new hydropower technologies.
President Donald Trump said on Monday the U.S. would impose a 25% tariff on imports from Japan and South Korea beginning Aug. 1 as he unveiled the first two of an expected 12 letters to trading partners outlining the new levies they face.
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” Trump said in letters to the leaders of the two Asian countries, which he posted on his Truth Social platform.
Later, Trump also announced the U.S. will impose 25% tariffs on Malaysia and Kazakhstan, 30% on South Africa and 40% on Laos and Myanmar.
The rate for South Korea is the same as Trump initially announced on April 2, while the rate for Japan is 1 point higher than first announced. A week later, he capped all of the so-called reciprocal tariffs at 10% until July 9 to allow for negotiations. Only two agreements have so far been reached, with Britain and Vietnam.
There was no immediate response from the Japanese or South Korean embassies on the announcement.
About12 countries will receive letters from Trump, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing without identifying them. She said Trump would sign an executive order on Monday formally delaying the July 9 deadline to August 1.
“There will be additional letters in the coming days,” Leavitt said, adding that “we are close” on some deals.
The European Union will not be receiving a letter setting out higher tariffs, EU sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday.
U.S. stocks fell in response, the latest market ruction since Trump unleashed a global trade war on his return to office in January. His moves have repeatedly whipsawed financial markets and sent policymakers scrambling to protect their economies.
U.S. stocks were driven to near bear-market territory by his cascade of tariff announcements through the early spring but quickly rebounded to record highs in the weeks after he put the stiffest levies on hold on April 9.
The S&P 500 on Monday was down nearly 1%, its biggest drop in three weeks. U.S.-listed shares of Japanese automotive companies fell, with Toyota Motor down 4.1% at mid-afternoon trading and Honda Motor off by 3.8%. The dollar surged against both the Japanese yen and the South Korean won.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier on Monday he expected several trade announcements to be made in the next 48 hours, adding that his inbox was full of last-ditch offers from countries to clinch a tariff deal by the deadline.
Bessent did not say which countries could get deals and what they might contain. Trump has kept much of the world guessing on the outcome of months of talks with countries hoping to avoid the hefty tariff hikes he has threatened.
Countries have scrambled to hammer out deals before the Wednesday deadline. South Korea and Indonesia dispatched representatives to Washington, while Thailand submitted a new trade proposal offering zero tariffs on many U.S. goods.
“We’ve had a lot of people change their tune in terms of negotiations. So my mailbox was full last night with a lot of new offers, a lot of new proposals,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC. “So it’s going to be a busy couple of days.”
BRICS THREAT
For its part, the European Union still aims to reach a trade deal by July 9 after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump had a “good exchange,” a Commission spokesperson said.
It was not clear, however, whether there had been a meaningful breakthrough in talks to stave off tariff hikes on the United States’ largest trading partner.
Adding to the pressure, Trump threatened to impose a 17% tariff on EU food and agriculture exports, it emerged last week.
Trump had said on Sunday the U.S. was close to finalizing several trade pacts and would notify other countries by July 9 of higher tariff rates. He said they would not take effect until Aug. 1, a three-week reprieve.
He also put members of the developing nations’ BRICS group in his sights as its leaders met in Brazil, threatening an additional 10% tariff on any BRICS countries aligning themselves with “anti-American” policies.
The new 10% tariff will be imposed on individual countries if they take anti-American policy actions, a source familiar with the matter said.
The BRICS group comprises Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa along with recent joiners Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump’s comments hit the South African rand.
EU SEEKS EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO TRUMP
The EU has been torn over whether to push for a quick and light trade deal or back its own economic clout in trying to negotiate a better outcome. It had already dropped hopes for a comprehensive trade agreement before the July deadline.
“We want to reach a deal with the U.S. We want to avoid tariffs,” the spokesperson said at a daily briefing.
Without a preliminary agreement, broad U.S. tariffs on most imports would rise from their current 10% to the rates set out by Trump on April 2. In the EU’s case, that would be 20%.
Von der Leyen also held talks with the leaders of Germany, France and Italy at the weekend, Germany said. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has repeatedly stressed the need for a quick deal to protect industries vulnerable to tariffs ranging from cars to pharmaceuticals.
The German spokesperson said the parties should allow themselves “another 24 or 48 hours to come to a decision.”
Germany’s Mercedes-Benz MBGn.DEsaid on Monday its second-quarter unit sales of cars and vans had fallen 9%, blaming tariffs.
Russia said BRICS was “a group of countries that share common approaches and a common world view on how to cooperate, based on their own interests.”
“And this cooperation within BRICS has never been and will never be directed against any third countries,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined The Will Cain Show to discuss the urgent need for the Senate to pass President Trump’s tax cuts.
Read excerpts from the interview below or watch here.
CAIN: “Senator, thanks for being with us here today. I believe you have already called for the firing of the Parliamentarian?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, first of all, Will, thanks for me on and also, keep winning. President Trump’s winning right and left. We’re gonna win on this bill no matter what the Parliamentarian does. Two-thirds of it is the tax cuts, as President Trump said, and the $150 billion for the border. So that being said, yes, we’re playing a home game here, but we’ve got the officials from the other team, which is the Parliamentarian. That’s how I look at it. The Parliamentarian is hired by the majority. We’re the majority, but we left Harry Reid’s Parliamentarian in place—been there for 12 years. I don’t like some of the things she did to this bill. She took out the provision that we blocked illegals from being on Medicaid, blocked illegals from getting student loans, blocked taxpayers from having to pay for these mutilated transition surgeries for minors, you can’t do that. I mean, but at the end of the day, you know, these are big things, but they’re really minor when it comes to saving the taxpayers money in this Big Beautiful Bill. We will pass it in the Senate this weekend sometime, but again, the House has to pass it.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) in introducing the Equal Representation Act which would ensure only legal citizens are factored into the count for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections. The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation is dangerous as it incentivizes illegal immigration.
Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this bill in the 118th Congress.
“Illegal aliens have no right to congressional representation in this country, and they have no right to determine who our elected leaders are,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The balance of power shouldn’t be weighed down by people who aren’t citizens of this country. Counting illegals in the Electoral College and congressional districts can completely alter the outcome of our elections. Thankfully, President Trump and his administration are deporting illegals in droves. I’m proud to join Senator Hagerty in reintroducing the Equal Representation Act so that ONLY Americans determine our elected leaders.”
“It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map for the presidency, which also heavily skews the seat count in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Sen. Hagerty. “While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities, desperate Democrats have back-filled the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress or their electoral votes, hence artificially boosting their political power and in turn diluting the power of other Americans’ votes. I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and will ensure that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting.”
Sens. Tuberville and Hagerty are joined by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) in cosponsoring this legislation.
Read full text of the legislation here.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, illegal immigrants are counted for congressional district apportionment and, therefore, Electoral College votes. For example, in a state like California, millions of illegal alien residents result in California taking several more congressional seats and Electoral College votes than the states’ population of citizens would justify. In other words, being a magnet for illegal immigration increases the power of a Californian’s vote relative to an individual in another state with less population boost from illegal immigration. This creates a perverse incentive encouraging illegal immigration and resettlement to increase political power.
Specifically, the Equal Representation Act would:
Require that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question on any future census to provide a greater understanding of the U.S. population and delineate between citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes;
Prohibit non-citizens from being counted for purposes of congressional district and Electoral College apportionment; and
Require that the Census Bureau publicly report on certain demographic data.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released the following statement following his “yes” vote on President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
“The road to Making America Great Again runs through the One Big Beautiful Bill. President Trump campaigned on popular policies like No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security — and this bill turns those policies into law.
We’re cutting taxes for everyone — doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, urban or rural, a CEO or a lineworker. We’re supporting farmers who have been crushed by Joe Biden’s inflation. We’re finishing the wall, hiring more ICE officers, and closing dangerous loopholes that allowed 20 million criminals, murderers, terrorists, and gang members to invade this country under Joe Biden. This bill also includes a down payment on the Golden Dome, which will allow Alabama to continue leading the way in building cutting-edge technologies that keep Americans safe.
I’m especially proud it includes my GOAL Act, which is the first time Congress will put a reasonable cap on graduate student loans. We are more than $37 trillion in debt, and we have to start standing up for American taxpayers.
This bill codifies every part of President Trump’s agenda that 77 million Americans wholeheartedly voted for. President Trump promised, and Senate Republicans delivered.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
AUSTIN – Today on Sunday Morning Futures, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Jason Chaffetz to discuss this weekend’s devastating flooding in Texas and ongoing rescue efforts, warn Texans to be on alert for continued flooding across Central Texas, and convey Texans’ ongoing prayers for the rescue and recovery of those still missing. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
On the devastating flooding in Texas:
“This was a 100-year flood event in an area that had been known to flood, but nothing like this.”
“A terrible tragedy, but thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, the federal disaster relief has been provided at the request of Governor Abbott.”
“Governor Abbott has called today a Day of Prayer, and we are still saying our prayers here in Texas for those who are grieving and those who are still unaccounted for.”
“Texans are tough, and they’re resilient.”
“We are a family.”
On the ongoing severe weather:
“We’ve had an extended period of drought this summer, which is not unusual in the heat of the Texas summer, but of course, all this rain during a short period of time is causing flooding and unfortunately, there have been loss of lives in other parts of the state beyond Kerrville where the Camp Mystic was located.”
“People need to pay attention to the weather reports and the cautionary messages of local and state officials and to be safe, because the danger is not completely over.”
On Texas’ rescue efforts:
“Governor Abbott said that we are going to be relentless in the rescue efforts, and still as I said, 27 young girls unaccounted for.”
“We’re still hopeful and prayerful that they will be recovered.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
KERRVILLE – After receiving a briefing from state, local, and federal officials, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) gave the following remarks at a press conference in Kerrville, Texas, with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, U.S. Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21), Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, and Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring on yesterday’s devastating flooding and Texas’ ongoing rescue efforts. Video of his remarks can be found here starting at 40:37.
“I remain incredibly impressed with Governor Abbott’s leadership and the incredible work that the Texas Department of Emergency Management under the leadership of Nim Kidd do.”
“My thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem for responding so quickly to Governor Abbott’s request for a federal disaster declaration.”
“We are praying for those who have lost loved ones and are grieving. We are celebrating with those who have been reacquainted with and rejoined with their family members.”
“Up in [the city of] West, Texas, after a terrible disaster, a county commissioner there said something to me that I think is appropriate at a time like this. He said, ‘Being from Texas is not just about where you’re from, it’s who your family is,’ and so when things like this happen, we come together as a family, as Texans, in a way that I’m very proud of.”
“[Governor Abbott] and his team will be relentless in supporting all of the efforts at the local and the federal level until every last person is accounted for and those families are reunited with their loved ones.”
Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
NASHVILLE, TN—Yesterday, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations, Banking, and Foreign Relations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined The Big Weekend Show on Fox News to discuss the wins within the budget reconciliation package, along with President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade negotiations.
*Click the photo above or here to watch*
Partial Transcript
Hagerty on the benefits of the budget reconciliation package: “Well, before I say anything, I just wanted to say my heart goes out to the people in Texas that are still looking for their loved ones. One of my good friends had two daughters at Camp Mystic. Thankfully, they’re safe and alive, but my heart goes out to everybody. Thank you for covering this. And with respect to the American public and their perspective on the bill, the Democrats and their partisan allies in the media have been attacking this bill nonstop, even though they had not seen the final product yet. It has been under attack for weeks, if not months. Finally, we’ve got a bill put together that I think is going to do great things for the American public. Now it’s our job to get out and message properly, but when you think about it, the American public overwhelmingly support the fact that we’re going to be rebuilding our military, our defense. We’re going to be rebuilding our energy independence and onshoring energy here in America, making us dominant. Again, if you think about it from the perspective of the working man and woman, they’re looking at about a $10,000 increase in take-home pay every year, thanks to the tax cuts that we impose. No tax on tips. The benefits that people are going to see at the working-class level are going to be enormous, and we’re going to stimulate more capital investments, which will, again, beget more economic growth and more job opportunities for people here in America. Cutting out waste, fraud, and abuse — everybody’s for that, as well. It’s interesting, the Democrats used to be for work requirements, until the Republicans actually implemented them.”
Hagerty on James Carville’s claim that the budget reconciliation will hurt Republicans long-term: “From the same man that promised John Kerry would be president of the United States. Carville just keeps getting it wrong. And I think what we’re going to see is the exact opposite. Again, when people see the benefits of this bill, when they see their take-home pay rising, when they see the economy moving again at the pace it was when we initially did this back in 2017, we’re going to see American people enjoying winning again. Carville can’t take that. They’re going to continue to message down this path. The Democrats are disheveled; I can say that. But again, I think Carville is going to wind up with egg on his face yet again.”
Hagerty on the programs that will benefit working class Americans: “The interesting thing is all of these programs are aimed at improving the life of American citizens. If you think about what the Democrats passed, the reconciliation that generated so much inflation that every American was crushed by lower real wages, they don’t seem to be apologizing for that. They missed the mark completely, subsidizing their pals in the green energy environment. But here we are actually doing things for American people that will help people in the middle-class and the working-class, and the Democrats are calling it peanuts. Again, it just shows how detached they are from reality. And that detachment has led, I think, to this complete disheveled that we’re seeing among the Democrats. And again, they just continue to promote these falsehoods. The media, of course, has been supporting them, but I think as the American public realizes the truth of this, we’re going to see a great year in 2026.”
Hagerty on the tariff deadlines for other countries to make trade deals: “I’ve actually been alongside President Trump. When I was Ambassador to Japan, we negotiated two trade deals with Japan at a time that nobody thought they could get done. President Trump has proven himself as someone that understands this. He knows that America has been getting ripped off for years. It goes all the way back to World War II. We put in place very low tariff barriers. We did this to induce countries to trade with us, but we should have time limit on it. We should have put some sort of GDP-per-capita limit because now these countries have just taken advantage of America. It’s gone on for too long. It’s time for them to shape up. It’s time for them to step up. We’ve already seen [the United Kingdom]. We’ve seen Vietnam. We’ve already seen parts of what’s going on with China. I think we’re going to see a number of deals come through here in the very near future. And for those that get the letters that are coming out very soon, they’ve got until the 1st of August to step up. But I can tell you President Trump means business on this. And I think what we’ll see is a much better and more improved trade environment, much more fair for American companies, as a result.”
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch held a Listening Session in Barre with flood-impacted Vermonters
BARRE, VT — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) met with flood-impacted Vermonters and community leaders in Barre and Montpelier and discussed the need to pass legislation to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Last week, Senator Welch visited Killington, Ludlow, and Weston; he will visit Hardwick, Lyndon, Barton, and Burke in the coming weeks.
Senator Welch recently unveiled the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act. He will file the new legislation this week, coinciding with the anniversary of the July 2023 and July 2024 floods.
“The dangers of climate change are real and urgent, as so many Vermonters experienced firsthand. Vermont was hit with catastrophic flooding in July of 2023 and again in July of 2024—and communities and states across America have been hit by devastating disasters, most recently the tragic floods in Texas and North Carolina. FEMA does lifesaving and critical work after a disaster, and it is important the agency is fully supported. But FEMA also needs commonsense reforms, which is something I heard in Barre, Montpelier, and across Vermont. I will keep fighting to strengthen FEMA for disaster-impacted communities across America,” said Senator Welch.
The Disaster AID Act will cut red tape and empower state and local governments, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide assistance to small towns and communities impacted by natural disasters, and block the White House from withholding funding for disaster recovery.
Barre: Senator Welch started the day with a Listening Session at the Barre Social Club, where he was joined by Mayor Thom Lauzon and Michele Braun of the Friends of the Winooski River. Senator Welch spoke with flood-impacted Vermonters and community members about Barre’s recovery from July 2023 floods and the importance of reforming and protecting FEMA.
Photo Caption: Senator Welch speaks with Vermonters at his Listening Session in Barre.
In Barre, Senator Welch also celebrated the opening of the Vermont Innovation, Efficiency, Weatherization (VIEW) Center, a new weatherization training center funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. Senator Welch championed weatherization funding and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act as a member of the House of Representatives. Vermont’s weatherization assistance program helps eligible Vermont households with energy audits, heating system check-ups, energy efficient lighting and appliance upgrades, and weatherization renovation services.
Photo Caption: Senator Welch celebrates the opening of the VIEW training center
Montpelier: Senator Welch met with community leaders, city officials, businesses, and the Montpelier Commission on Recovery and Resilience. Attendees discussed red tape in FEMA’s Public Assistance program, and ways we can improve long-term flood recovery for Montpelier and communities across Vermont.
Photo Caption: Senator Welch meets with the Montpelier Commission on Recovery and Resilience
Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his op-ed, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working with the President on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process.
In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he believes Iran can resolve its differences with the United States through dialogue, but trust would be an issue after U.S. and Israeli attacks on his country, according to an interview released on Monday.
“I am of the belief that we could very much easily resolve our differences and conflicts with the United States through dialogue and talks,” Pezeshkian told conservative U.S. podcaster Tucker Carlson in an interview conducted on Saturday.
The Iranian leader urged U.S. President Donald Trump not to be drawn into war with Iran by Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Washington on Monday for talks at the White House.
“The United States’ president, Mr. Trump, he is capable enough to guide the region towards the peace and a brighter future and put Israel in its place. Or get into a pit, an endless pit, or a swamp,” Pezeshkian said. “So it is up to the United States president to choose which path.”
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said she was not sure if Trump had seen the Iranian president’s comments, but agreed he was the right man to move the region towards peace.
Pezeshkian blamed Israel, Iran’s arch-enemy, for the collapse of talks that were in place when Israel began its strikes on Iran on June 13, starting a 12-day air war with Israel in which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed.
“How are we going to trust the United States again?” Pezeshkian said. “How can we know for sure that in the middle of the talks the Israeli regime will not be given the permission again to attack us?”
Pezeshkian also said that Israel tried to assassinate him.
“They did try, yes,” he said. “They acted accordingly, but they failed.”
Israel did not immediately respond to the allegation. A senior Israeli military official said last month that Israel killed more than 30 senior security officials and 11 senior nuclear scientists in its attack on to Iran’s nuclear sites.
Trump said he expected to discuss Iran and its nuclear ambitions with Netanyahu, praising the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as a tremendous success. On Friday, he told reporters that he believed Tehran’s nuclear program had been set back permanently, although Iran could restart efforts elsewhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
SEATTLE, WA — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Hondurans and Nicaraguans:
“The purpose of the TPS program is to offer legal status to people whose home countries are too dangerous to return to. The revocation of TPS is out of touch with the reality of conditions in Honduras and Nicaragua — and even the State Department’s own analyses of these countries. These are legal designations that have existed under Presidents of both parties – this is just another attack on our legal system that will affect thousands of lives.
“ The people whose legal status will be terminated are not the ‘worst of the worst’ as Trump promised he would focus on. They are people who have been in the United States for decades — working, raising families, and contributing to our economy and communities.
“Forcing these people to leave the lives they’ve built to return to dangerous conditions is outrageous. And let me be clear — TPS is legal immigration. We must work to protect this program and other means of legal immigration from Trump’s continued attacks on our legal system.”
TPS is a designation that temporarily allows foreign nationals who are already in the United States to remain lawfully during periods that would prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely. Since coming to office, Trump has moved to end TPS status for Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday July 4th, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) released the following statement after attending the signing ceremony for President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill.”
“It was an honor to be watch President Trump sign into law the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill.’ This legislation is the largest tax cut for Iowa families, farmers, workers, seniors, and small businesses in history. It will grow our economy, keep our border secure, unleash American energy production, and invest in our military. I thank President Trump for his leadership and mission making the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ the law of the land.”
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, July 7 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media on Monday that import duties of 25 percent will be imposed on goods from Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) starting Aug. 1.
In letters addressed to the President of the Republic of Korea and the Prime Minister of Japan, published on the social network Truth Social, D. Trump noted that the new tariff will be separate from all other industry duties.
In nearly identical letters, the American leader wrote: “Please understand that a rate of 25 percent is significantly less than what is required to eliminate the trade deficit we have with your country.”
D. Trump warned that if the two countries respond by raising their tariffs, the United States will also increase its own proportionally.
“As you know, there will be no tariffs if Korea or companies in your country decide to build or manufacture products in the United States. In fact, we will do everything we can to get approvals quickly, professionally, and efficiently — in other words, within weeks,” Trump wrote in one of the letters.
The US president had previously indicated that he would send similar letters to about a dozen countries on Monday. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released a statement following new reporting on the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for tens of thousands of immigrants from Nicaragua and Honduras—putting them at risk of deportation and tearing families apart.
“TPS recipients from Nicaragua and Honduras fled devastation more than 20 years ago, and they have since built their lives in the U.S. — raising children, working and contributing to our economy, and enriching our communities,” said Senator Rosen. “Ending protections for law-abiding TPS recipients without comprehensive immigration reform that gives them a pathway to citizenship is cruel and reckless. This unconscionable action shows the lengths Donald Trump will go to push his extreme anti-immigrant agenda and rip families apart. It’s more important than ever before that Congress passes the SECURE Act, so we can permanently protect TPS recipients and their families”
Senator Rosen has been a strong advocate for protecting TPS recipients and fighting back against Trump’s attacks on immigrant communities. She recently helped introduce the SECURE Act to provide permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for TPS recipients. After the Supreme Court allowed Trump to revoke TPS for Venezuelans, Senator Rosen condemned the decision for putting families back into harm’s way. She has also urged the executive branch to act, joining colleagues in 2021 in calling on the Biden administration to expand and utilize TPS to protect vulnerable populations facing unsafe conditions in their home countries. Senator Rosen continues working to ensure immigrant families in Nevada and across the country are treated with dignity, compassion, and fairness under the law.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
July 01, 2025
In an 11th-hour blitz of letters to top tech CEOs last night, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is demanding they disclose how much their companies stand to benefit if a key tax break is restored as part of Trump’s megabill.
Tech emerged as a massive winner from Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, and Warren warned it could walk away with a windfall again. She accused Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Apple’s Tim Cook, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and even Tesla’s Elon Musk of extensive lobbying to restore a lucrative benefit that lets the industry write off R&D expenses right away.
“You have spent millions cozying up to President Trump and Congressional Republicans, and they now appear ready to return the favor by handing you billions of dollars in tax breaks – with American families footing the bill,” she wrote.
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Read the full story here.
By: Anthony AdragnaSource: Politico Pro
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
July 03, 2025
More than 175 Democratic members of Congress are filing an amicus brief on Thursday opposing the Trump administration’s overhaul of the U.S. Department of Education.
“The law couldn’t be clearer: the president does not have the authority to unilaterally abolish the Department of Education,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote in a statement first obtained by ABC News, adding, “Donald Trump is not a king, and he cannot single-handedly cut off access to education for students across this country.”
Warren and ranking committee members Jamie Raskin on Judiciary, Bobby Scott on Education, and Rosa DeLauro on Appropriations lead the 15-page legal document. They’re joined by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, more than 20 Senate Democrats, and more than 150 other members of the House Democratic caucus.
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Read the full story here.
By: Arthur Jones IISource: ABC News
Previous Article
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today led a multistate coalition in submitting an amicus brief in Vasquez Perdomo et al. v Noem et al., supporting plaintiffs seeking a temporary restraining order to enjoin the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from engaging in unconstitutional and unlawful stops of Los Angeles residents during immigration sweeps. The lawsuit comes amid the Trump Administration conducting aggressive, militaristic immigration raids in Los Angeles that have terrified immigrant and non-immigrant residents alike, chilled community members’ participation in civic society, and impeded law enforcement and public safety.
“The actions of ICE and CBP during the raids in Los Angeles are part of a cruel and familiar pattern of attacks on our immigrant communities by an administration that thrives on fear and division,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Let me be crystal clear: These raids are not about safety or justice. They are about meeting enforcement quotas and striking fear in our communities. We won’t be silent. We won’t back down. We will continue to hold the federal government accountable when it violates the Constitution and federal law.”
“The Fourth Amendment protects every person from unreasonable searches and seizures,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Instead of targeting dangerous criminals, federal agents are detaining U.S. citizens, ripping families apart, and vanishing people to meet indiscriminate arrest quotas without regard to due process and constitutional rights that protect all of us from cruelty and injustice. Their actions imperil the fabric of our democracy, society, and economy. This isn’t law and order — it’s cruelty and chaos. We stand solidly in support of progress, of the law, and the foundation upon which our founding fathers built this great nation.”
During his presidential campaign, President Donald Trump promised an aggressive and militarized crackdown on undocumented immigration, praising a 1954 enforcement initiative under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, offensively named “Operation Wetback,” that involved the mass arrest and deportation of 300,000 people, including U.S. citizens. Unfortunately, history is repeating itself. Masked immigration agents are conducting unannounced enforcement actions throughout California communities and, in all too many instances, stopping residents without so much as a reasonable suspicion of unlawful conduct, leaving people afraid to leave their homes. The dragnet has resulted in U.S. citizens being wrongfully detained and has created a culture of fear and COVID-style ghost towns.
In their motion for a temporary restraining order, plaintiffs allege that ICE and CBP have a policy and practice of engaging in unconstitutional stops that are not based on a reasonable, individualized suspicion of unlawful presence, but are instead based on racial profiling.
In today’s amicus brief, the attorneys general support the plaintiffs, arguing that preliminary injunctive relief is in the public interest because:
CBP and ICE engaging in unlawful stops of Californians without a reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity has harmed local economies, public health, and several other core facets of daily life.
Federal law enforcement’s tactics in conducting these stops, which include wearing masks and concealing the law enforcement entity they work for, have impeded local law enforcement and threatened public safety.
This amicus brief comes after Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration challenging the President’s order to federalize the California National Guard and redirect hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles.
In submitting the brief, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
A copy of the amicus brief, which is subject to court approval, can be found here.
. Pillen Praises Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill
LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the ‘One, Big, Beautiful’ reconciliation bill.
“The vast majority of Nebraskans support President Trump’s vision for his America First Agenda. This legislation is foundational to extending tax cuts for families, boosting our military, securing our borders, and growing agriculture. Despite attempts by Democrats to run the clock on this bill, Republicans – especially Nebraska’s Congressional delegation – deserve a lot of credit for working day and night to deliver policy that puts our state and country on a trajectory of great growth.”
Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East Khaled Khiari said more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed since mid-June alone, many of them while seeking aid.
Citing figures from the Gazan health authorities, he reported that the total number of Palestinian fatalities since 7 October 2023 had surpassed 56,500.
“The level of suffering and brutality in Gaza is unbearable,” Mr. Khiari said. “The continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people is unjustifiable.”
Killed trying to access aid
Mr. Khiari cited multiple incidents involving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) opening fire near food distribution points.
On 17 June, at least 50 people were killed and 200 injured in Khan Younis when an IDF tank opened fire on a crowd waiting for UN World Food Programme (WFP) aid trucks.
Once again a week later, IDF troops reportedly opened fire near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, this time killing 49 Palestinians and injuring 197 others.
“We strongly condemn the loss of lives and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza,” Mr. Khiari said. “We call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.”
He emphasised that the UN “will not participate in any aid delivery modality that does not comply with the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence, and neutrality,” a sentiment which other UN officials have repeatedly said as well.
Strong condemnation
Mr. Khiari reiterated the UN’s strong condemnation of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for their attacks in Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and led to more than 250 being taken hostage. Fifty hostages, including one woman, remain in captivity.
“Nothing can justify these acts of terror. We remain appalled that hostages may be subjected to ongoing ill-treatment and that the bodies of hostages continue to be withheld,” he said.
At the same time, he also condemned “the widespread killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, including children and women, and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals and mosques.”
Rising violence in the West Bank
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli raids and settler violence have escalated.
Mr. Khiari reported that a 15-year-old boy and an elderly woman were killed in separate incidents on 25 June. Armed settlers also killed several Palestinians during attacks in Surif and Kafr Malik.
“The escalating violence in the occupied West Bank is alarming,” Khiari said, warning that military operations and settler expansion are leading to fatalities, displacement and destruction.
Iran-Israel ceasefire brings hope to the region
Mr. Khiari concluded his briefing with comments on the wider Middle East region, particularly the recent flare-up between Israel and Iran.
He welcomed the 24 June ceasefire agreement between the two countries, announced by US President Donald Trump, and credited US and Qatari mediation.
“We hope that this ceasefire can be replicated in the other conflicts in the region – nowhere is this more needed than in Gaza,” he said.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – Ranking Senate Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Senate Armed Services Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) released the following statement in response to reports that the Pentagon had cancelled already-promised weapons shipments to Ukraine:
“The Pentagon’s reported cancellation of already-promised weapons shipments to Ukraine risks the lives of the brave Ukrainian men and women on the front lines of freedom, and rewards President Putin and his Russian forces. This assistance – including vital air defense interceptors and artillery munitions – was provided by Congress and designated to be delivered months ago. Ukraine continues to enjoy strong, bipartisan support across Congress, and we call on Secretary Hegseth to immediately restart the steady supply of these munitions.
“This is the latest and most dramatic blow to our support for Ukraine. It comes at a perilous time, just after Russia conducted the biggest missile strike of the three-year war on civilian targets in densely populated Ukrainian cities, and on the heels of North Korea’s announcement that it would send tens of thousands more troops to aid in Russia’s brutal invasion.
“Putin continues to be the foremost obstacle to peace. Unable to meet his goals on the battlefield, he has long hoped he could simply outlast the West. If Secretary Hegseth does not reverse this damaging step, we risk proving Putin right. President Zelenskyy has agreed to an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. In contrast, Putin has rejected this deal time and again.
“Despite that stark reality, the administration has decided not to enforce our existing sanctions against Russia, declined to join our European allies in levying additional sanctions, and now, we are walking away from supplying Ukraine with American weapons they need to defend their sovereignty, and protect their hospitals, churches, schools, and apartments from relentless Russian attacks. This is not theoretical for the Ukrainians. They are not preparing stocks for some potential future fight. Their fight is now, their people are in the crosshairs.
“We agree with the president’s stated objective of bringing about a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. President Trump has a critical opportunity to actually achieve peace through strength: improve Ukraine’s leverage and force Putin to negotiate. The United States must stand with the people of Ukraine. The world is watching. Our adversaries are watching.”
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement after the President signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law:
“Today, as we celebrate the creation of our extraordinary country and the independence on which it was formed, we have cause for additional celebration: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act being signed into law.
“This landmark legislation fulfills President Trump and Congress’s promises to the American people. It makes permanent the successful 2017 Trump tax cuts and delivers additional tax relief to hardworking Idahoans while investing in our border, modernizing our military and restoring American energy dominance.
“It also takes significant steps to get our fiscal house in order, reducing federal spending by over $1.5 trillion and delivering over $400 billion in deficit reduction. When taking the pro-growth economic effects of Trump’s agenda into account, which the Council of Economic Advisers estimates will increase federal revenues by more than $4 trillion, we are achieving nearly $4.5 trillion in deficit reduction.
“This bill also improves and strengthens programs like Medicaid by targeting waste, fraud and abuse, ensuring it remains financially viable for those it was designed to help. It also delivers significant new tax relief to low- and middle-class families and workers through policies like a boosted standard deduction, increased tax benefits for child care, no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime and tax relief for seniors.
“These are the policies the American people voted for, and they will make our country safer, stronger and more prosperous. On this and every Fourth of July, may God continue to bless America and our enduring exceptionalism.”
As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal tax and federal health care policy, Crapo is one of the chief architects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For more information on the provisions within the Finance Committee’s jurisdiction, click HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement on House passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:
“We worked closely with our House colleagues throughout this process to deliver on a shared goal of making our country stronger, safer and more prosperous. With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we are extending pro-growth tax policy, ensuring Americans can keep more of their hard-earned money, providing additional tax relief to those who need it most, and taking long-overdue action toward getting our fiscal house in order.
“This legislation achieves the most significant spending reductions in history. According to nonpartisan scorekeepers, by targeting waste, fraud and abuse in our federal spending programs, it reduces federal spending by over $1.5 trillion and will reduce the deficit by more than $500 billion over ten years. That is before taking into account the dynamic pro-growth elements of the bill, which the Council of Economic Advisers estimates will increase federal revenues by more than $4 trillion when combined with other elements of President Trump’s economic agenda. That’s nearly $4.5 trillion in deficit reduction.
“Despite false narratives about ‘tax cuts for billionaires and corporations,’ the reality is this legislation not only prevents massive across-the-board tax hikes, but also provides new tax relief that overwhelmingly benefits low- and middle-class familiesand workers. Through policies like a standard deduction boost, tax benefits for child care affordability, and delivering on the President’s agenda on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime and tax relief for seniors, low- and middle-income Americans are the biggest winners under this bill.
“Today is a good day for the American people, and I applaud my colleagues and thank them for their partnership in this historic effort that will restore economic prosperity and opportunity for all Americans.”
As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, Crapo is one of the chief architects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For more information on the provisions within the Finance Committee’s jurisdiction, click HERE.
Headline: With Improved Conditions, DHS Ends TPS for Honduras
ASHINGTON – After finding improved country conditions in Honduras, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status, as required by the statute
The termination will be effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice
Honduras was designated for TPS in 1999 after the impact of Hurricane Mitch in 1998
The Government of Honduras has made tremendous strides over the years to recover from the hurricane and, as a result of those efforts, it is safe for their nationals to return home
“Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” said Secretary Kristi Noem
“It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago
Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return
Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people
We look forward to continuing our work with them
” After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Honduras no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements
The Secretary’s decision was based on a U
S
Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Honduras and in consultation with the Department of State
The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Hondurans can return home in safety
Additionally, under President Castro, Honduras has taken steps to welcome home their citizens, providing access to economic and food assistance programs, as well as labor integration and job training
Honduran nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use the U
S
Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a safe, secure way to leave the United States with a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus to help them resettle in Honduras, and preserve future opportunities for legal immigration
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) released the following statement after the Trump administration reversed former President Joe Biden’s attempt to overturn section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act:
“We applaud the Trump administration’s decision to reverse Joe Biden’s disastrous attempt to end 14(c). All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program and organizations like MARVA and Abilities Unlimited provide many individuals with disabilities with a sense of accomplishment and community, and provide their families and caretakers with much needed support.”
Background
Boozman and Cotton opposed the Biden administration’s efforts to end the 14(c) certificate program, which provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. The lawmakers wrote to the Department of Labor and the Office of Management and Budget during the Biden administration expressing their support for the 14(c) program and maintained their belief that any attempt to change it would require congressional authorization.
The Biden administration submitted its rule in December despite the Arkansas senators’ warnings, but the Trump administration submitted a notice to withdraw the proposal and discontinue the rulemaking process, restoring states’ ability to participate in the 14(c) program.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
New York, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC’s The View where he highlighted the devastating impacts of Donald Trump and House Republicans’ One Big Ugly Bill that was signed into law last week.
SARA HAINES: Well, when you first started speaking, people thought that you would delay the vote by an hour. And instead, you spoke on the Senate floor for eight hours and 44 minutes. This is becoming a trend for you. What was behind the decision to keep going?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I thought first of all, that this kind of bill, which is going to have such a dramatic impact on people all across the country. I mean, literally millions of everyday Americans are going to be hurt. And it’s all being done to reward billionaires—Unacceptable, right, unconscionable, un-American—that it needed to be debated in the light of day, not passed in the middle of the night, which was the original intention. This debate started at 3:28 a.m. And so, you know, this is such an unprecedented assault on healthcare, on the economy, on nutritional assistance, on higher education, on everything, that we just wanted to be able to do everything that we could to fully air the challenges with the bill, but also see if we can persuade just a handful of Republicans to do the right thing by the American people.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Well, you persuaded two and one person as I understand was absent from the vote, which could’ve changed it. But you’re calling this the One Big Ugly Bill. And not only is it projected by the Congressional Budget Office to add $3.4 trillion to our national debt, it extends tax cuts for the rich, as you mentioned. It also includes though, big cuts to healthcare programs, such as Medicaid, cuts to SNAP benefits for the poor. My understanding is in New York, about 1 million people will be affected by this. Can you talk about the implications for healthcare and how it affects people who don’t even use these programs?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, first of all, like, in America, healthcare shouldn’t simply be a privilege, it should be a right to every single American. Presidents throughout the years, whether that’s, you know, Roosevelt or Truman, you know, President Johnson, President Clinton, President Obama, President Biden, have all worked to expand access to healthcare. But what’s so extraordinary about this bill is that more than 17 million people will lose healthcare as a result of the, you know, cuts to Medicaid, the attack on Medicare, the attack on the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Planned Parenthood.
ANA NAVARRO: And by the way, MAGA kept saying that it was illegal aliens that were going to be kicked out. Explain to folks that there’s not 17 million illegal aliens that are receiving free Medicaid.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Actually federal law, to your point, Ana, explicitly prohibits federal dollars from being used to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants. And so, that was always a lie. But we’re dealing with some folks where facts don’t matter, hypocrisy is not a constraint to their behavior and people actually have concluded that shamelessness is a superpower. And so, our view is we just have to aggressively push back with righteous intensity, continue to press on, as I indicated, as John Lewis would always inspire us to do, speak up, show up, stand up so we can get the type of America that this country deserves.
SUNNY HOSTIN: But don’t you then also—I think that’s right—shouldn’t you and other Democrats be screaming from the mountaintops and tether the Republicans to this bill, tether because there’s going to be true human loss here, right? People are going to really feel it.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, real pain and suffering. I mean, the attack on healthcare is not just going to result on millions of people losing access, but hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down, community-based health clinics won’t be able to provide assistance.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Rural hospitals.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Rural hospitals in particular are at great risk. And in fact, people who have private insurance, once you attack the healthcare ecosystem, premiums, co-pays and deductibles for tens of millions of others are going to go up. And so it’s a big problem. It’s an immoral thing that just took place on the floor of the House of Representatives. An immoral thing.
ANA NAVARRO: And at the same time that this bill—by the way, I think instead of calling it the Big Ugly Bill, you should call it BUL—Big Ugly Law. But at the same time that it cuts SNAP benefits and it cuts healthcare for the neediest amongst us, it sets aside 170 billion for ICE mass deportation efforts, a bigger budget than the FBI and federal prison system combined. And last week, we saw the administration opened a new migrant detention center in my home state of Florida. They’re calling it Alligator Alcatraz. And we’ve also seen military style ICE raids throughout cities in this country. People are being imprisoned and deported and disappeared and taken away by masked men without any due process. And the worst part is, you know, my community in particular, Latinos, are being racially profiled and targeted. Communities and families are being torn apart. But for me, the saddest part is that people feel helpless and hopeless, that there is nothing they can do. They feel there’s nothing you can do, as a minority in the House. What’s your message to these people that feel such lack of hope and such fear?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, we are seeing sort of an unprecedented flood of extremism being unleashed on the American people. And it’s happened from the very beginning, January 20, months and months and months, you know, of chaos, of cruelty, of corruption. But I think we can never lose hope in the resilience of the American people to face turbulence—and this is an incredibly turbulent moment—but to power our way through it and to come out stronger on the other side. It’s not to say it’s going to be easy. It will be challenging. But I think I still believe in the fundamental goodness of the American people. A recognition—one of the reasons why this bill is so deeply unpopular and it is, is because they recognize that this is not what America should be all about in terms of the deportation situation. One, we have to, of course, secure the border. We have a broken immigration system. We need to fix it. We should fix it in a bipartisan and comprehensive way. But we should also never abandon the fact that, yes, we are a nation anchored in the rule of law. We are also a nation of immigrants. E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. It’s one of the great strengths of the United States of America. We should not abandon it. And so, as House Democrats, our view is that while we, you know, work on making sure the border can remain secure, while we work to fix our broken immigration system, we also are going to stand up for Dreamers, for farmworkers and for law-abiding immigrant families at all times, at all times.
[…]
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: So Leader Jeffries, you wear many hats, and one of your jobs is to try to win back the House for Democrats. I mean, we were talking about immigration before we went to break. Now, some Democrats, amid the criticisms of ICE right now to do these ICE raids, have started calling for defunding ICE. Do you think that’s effective going into the midterms, and do you support those calls?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I definitely think that we need aggressive oversight as it relates to the overly aggressive behavior that we’ve seen, you know, from ICE, from the Department of Homeland Security. It’s not what the American people actually, in my view, voted for. Donald Trump and Republicans promised to go after violent felons. But instead, they’re going after law-abiding immigrant families, and in fact, in some cases, deporting American citizens and children, some with cancer. And America is better than this, and that’s the reality. In terms of what House Democrats stand for, we believe that in this country, you work hard and you play by the rules, you should be able to experience the American dream. You should able to afford to live the good life. And we believe that that’s, you know, that’s a good paying job, good healthcare, good housing, good education for your children and a good retirement. And a good retirement, by the way, means keep your hands off of Social Security and Medicare, now and at all times. That’s the good life.
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: I also want to ask you, because I could argue you’re the most important Democrat in New York right now, and Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary, is poised to become the next mayor of New York City. Now, he ran as an avowed socialist. He called for defunding the police in 2020. That would mean the New York Police Department. You have yet to endorse him. Will you be endorsing him, and do you have any concerns about some of his past positions?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, he’s actually said that he plans to keep the police fully funded. I’m scheduled to meet with him next week, and we’ll have a conversation about his vision. He did run a campaign that was actually focused largely on affordability, and that was the right issue to focus on because New York City’s too expensive. America right now is too expensive.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Ain’t nobody got any money because money is all dissipated.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a very—you’re right—it’s a very challenging situation in terms of affordability that we have to lean in on. In fact, Donald Trump promised that he would lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down, they’re going up in America. And now we have to deal with the consequences of this One Big Ugly Bill, which is now One Big Ugly Law, Ana, as you pointed out. So, we’ll sit down, we’ll talk. I also want to talk to him about the importance of Democrats taking back control of the United States House of Representatives next year so we can have some balance in the country, which is what the founders envisioned.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Can’t you also roll back this Big Ugly Bill some, because it doesn’t take effect until after the midterms, correct?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It has several provisions in the legislation that will not take effect until after the 2026 midterm elections.
ANA NAVARRO: Before you go, I want to ask you—I want you to say something about Texas, because the entire country is in mourning and people have questions about why this happened, and could it have been avoided? Is there something that you can do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, it’s an unspeakable and horrific tragedy. And, you know, our thoughts and prayers go out to every single family that has experienced a loss. And we know, you know, I mean, no parent should ever have to bury their child. And dozens will now have to bury their children. And so, with extreme weather events and the climate crisis and these natural disasters, we should never play politics, ever. Not play politics with the wildfires, not play politics with these floods and get the American people the relief that they need and deserve. That’s my commitment.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Our thanks to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 01, 2025
The Department of Justice—under Principal Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove’s leadership, a Trump judicial nominee—allegedly misled the courts and evaded court orders to advance Trump’s illegal mass deportation scheme
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in further investigatingwhistleblower accusations made by Mr. Erez Reuveni, formerly the Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Department of Justice (DOJ), against Principal Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove and senior DOJ leadership.
In a letter to Attorney General Bondi, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem, and Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Hegseth, the Senators write: “We write concerning grave allegations that senior Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership misled the courts and evaded court orders. These credible accusations are included in the protected whistleblower disclosure of Erez Reuveni, former Acting Deputy Director for the DOJ Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL). This disclosure, which was lawfully transmitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee under the Whistleblower Protection Act, describes multiple instances where senior DOJ officials advocated for ignoring court orders, delayed compliance with court orders, presented baseless legal arguments, misrepresented facts or made false statements in court, and directed Mr. Reuveni to misrepresent facts in court.”
The Senators then cite multiple allegations raising alarm regarding Mr. Bove’s conduct, including suggestions that DOJ should consider telling a court “f— you” and ignore a court order and that DHS should violate an order, writing: “DOJ leadership provided instructions to agency clients to facilitate removals to El Salvador in violation of the existing injunction, and ‘report[ed] “down the chain” that the government was not going to answer the court’s questions about anything that happened before 7:26 p.m. on March 15, and so not to provide information about when the flights took off.’ Mr. Reuveni’s superiors indicated that Mr. Bove was unhappy with his efforts to prevent the violation of a court order by providing consistent instructions to agency clients, including DHS and DOD.”
The Senators then cited concerning attempts at retaliation against the whistleblower, writing: “In addition to the legal and ethical concerns with DOJ’s attempts to mislead the courts and evade court orders, the disclosure details multiple instances where senior DOJ officials attempted to prevent Mr. Reuveni from creating records that could subject this misconduct to outside scrutiny. It also details apparent retaliation against Mr. Reuveni for following his professional ethical obligations as a member of the bar by placing him on administrative leave and ultimately terminating him.”
The Senators concluded with requests for any communications or records concerning these events, as well as transcribed interviews with senior DOJ leadership, writing: “The gravity of these allegations and the preexisting public record that corroborates the disclosure necessitate an immediate investigation by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Additionally, given Mr. Bove’s prominent alleged role in this disclosure and the Committee’s current consideration of his nomination to a lifetime appointment as a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, we ask that you provide the following information and materials no later than July 14, 2025.”
In addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
For a PDF of the letter, click here.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) released the following statement regarding the final passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act out of the House of Representatives:
“The House of Representatives just sent the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act to President Trump’s desk with my support. This legislation delivers historic tax relief for workers, middle-class families, farmers, and small businesses.
OBBBA stops the threat of a 24% tax increase on the average taxpayer in Georgia, while ending Democrats’ radical green handouts. The legislation doubles small business expensing which will help our local businesses hire more workers and grow operations. It also provides major relief for the American farmer with the first reference price increases since 2014.
I am pleased that we were able to work quickly to ensure that Congress and President Trump can get much needed relief to America’s farmers, veterans, and taxpayers,” said Rep. Scott.
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The reduction – achieved through normal attrition, early retirements, deferred resignations and the federal hiring freeze – eliminates need for a large-scale reduction in force
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced it’s on pace to reduce total VA staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025, eliminating the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force.
While VA had been considering a department-wide RIF to reduce staff levels by up to 15%, employee reductions through the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements and normal attrition have eliminated the need for that RIF. The numbers break down as follows:
VA had roughly 484,000 employees on Jan. 1, 2025, and 467,000 employees as of June 1, 2025 — a reduction of nearly 17,000.
Between now and Sept. 30, the department expects nearly 12,000 additional VA employees to exit through normal attrition, voluntary early retirement authority ) or the deferred resignation program.
VA has multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact Veteran care or benefits. All VA mission-critical positions are exempt from the DRP and VERA, and more than 350,000 positions are exempt from the federal hiring freeze.
Meanwhile, VA performance continues to improve. Under President Trump and Secretary Collins:
VA’s disability claims backlog is already down nearly 30%, after it increased 24% during the Biden Administration.
VA is processing record numbers of disability claims, reaching 1 million claims processed for FY25 on Feb. 20 and reaching 2 million claims by June — both achievements were done in record time.
VA has implemented major reforms to make it easier for survivors to get benefits, after serious problems during the Biden Administration.
VA is accelerating the deployment of its integrated electronic health record system, after the program was nearly dormant for almost two years under the Biden Administration.
VA is phasing out treatment for gender dysphoria. Frankly, this commonsense reform should have been done years ago, but only President Trump and Secretary Collins had the courage to do it.
VA ended DEI at the department, reversing the divisive Biden-era policies and stopping more than $14 million in DEI spending.
VA has brought more than 60,000 VA employees back to the office, where we can work better as a team to serve Veterans.
“Since March, we’ve been conducting a holistic review of the department centered on reducing bureaucracy and improving services to Veterans,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “As a result of our efforts, VA is headed in the right direction — both in terms of staff levels and customer service. A department-wide RIF is off the table, but that doesn’t mean we’re done improving VA. Our review has resulted in a host of new ideas for better serving Veterans that we will continue to pursue.”
VA is currently exploring a number of additional reforms to improve operational efficiency and service to Veterans, including:
Today, the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration all run duplicative and costly administrative functions that can be centralized or restructured so they can each focus on their core missions of health care, benefits and burial services, respectively.
To that end, VA is reviewing the centralization of support functions to streamline operations and improve support to Veterans, including areas such as police, procurement, construction, IT, budgeting and others.
VA operates 274 separate call centers that are not connected to one another. A centralized call center with modernized systems would lead to quicker and better service for Veterans and could be run with fewer staff members.
VA has a proven payroll system that processes paychecks for more than 200,000 VA employees, but some 50 VAMCs still process their own payroll. VA is already working to consolidate payroll for all employees under the VA Time and Attendance System, which will save time, money and resources.
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
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