Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced new, bipartisan legislation to help ensure Great Lakes ports can receive a fair share of federal funding available for port infrastructure upgrades and repairs. The Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) is a competitive federal grant program administered by the Maritime Administration that provides funding to improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of our nation’s ports – including investments to reconstruct docks, improve access to key transportation routes, expand storage capacity, and more. From 2019 to 2024, Great Lakes ports received as little as two percent of all available PIDP awards. Meanwhile, ports along the East and West Coasts of the United States were awarded almost 70 percent of PIDP funding available. Peters’ Securing Smart Investments in Our Ports Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN) – would help address this imbalance by directing the Maritime Administration to consider equitable regional distribution of Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) funds when awarding grants.
“Michigan’s ports along the Great Lakes play a vital role in both our state and national economy, supporting key shipping and manufacturing industries, creating jobs, and helping to transport goods that American families and businesses rely on every day. Yet, these ports are being overlooked when it comes to receiving federal support to help keep them safe and efficient,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. “It’s past time to ensure Great Lakes ports have equitable access to the resources they need to upgrade their infrastructure and compete on a level playing field with larger coastal ports.”
“Senator Peters has been the ‘Port Champion’ for the State of Michigan and an unrelenting advocate for the entire Great Lakes Region,” said Captain Paul C. LaMarre III, President of the American Great Lakes Ports Association and Port Director in Monroe, Michigan. “On behalf of all ports on the Great Lakes, we especially appreciate Senator Peters’ efforts to ensure the Great Lakes region receives its fair share of federal funding for critical port infrastructure projects. As a Port Director, mariner, fellow Navy veteran, and friend, I know firsthand that Senator Peters fights each and every day to deliver sustainable economic growth to our nation’s manufacturing heartland. His desire for equitable federal investment is only rivaled by his advocacy for the irreplaceable jobs of the people who continue to breathe life into our industry.”
To read more about the PIDP, click here.
During his time in the Senate, Peters has prioritized strengthening Michigan’s shipping ports. Peters has helped secure over $42 million in funding for Michigan ports from the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), including investments to expand cargo capacity, purchase new crane equipment and upgrade cargo screening infrastructure. During Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s confirmation hearing in January 2025, Peters underscored the importance of Great Lakes shipping and secured Secretary Duffy’s commitment to take the necessary steps to promote equitable distribution of PIDP funding. In 2021, Peters helped Congress pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the bipartisan infrastructure law, which provided robust funding for transportation and port infrastructure projects across the country. The historic law invested more than $17 billion in U.S. port infrastructure to make needed repairs and upgrades, reduce congestion to strengthen our supply chains and expedite commerce, and lower harmful emissions near ports to reduce environmental impacts on local communities.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)
Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led a group of 33 House Democrats in pressing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers after the sudden shutdown of five regional Head Start Offices. The closures come on the heels of a major agency reorganization and reduction in force that led to 10,000 layoffs on Monday. In the letter, the lawmakers raise concerns about the lack of warning or transition plan and the potential impact on children and families who rely on the program. “The abrupt closures—without a clearly communicated transition plan—puts services and education for our nation’s most vulnerable children and families at risk,” the lawmakers wrote. Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood education, health care, and family services at no cost to low-income children across the country. The letter stresses the essential role regional offices play in helping local Head Start centers access federal support and navigate complex regulations and that the closures will jeopardize vital services. “Removing these support structures without an alternative plan or clear communication on the impact jeopardizes the reliability and quality of services that so many families depend on,” the lawmakers continued. The group is asking Secretary Kennedy to respond by April 7 with answers to the following:
What criteria were used to decide which regional offices to close?
When were staff informed that their offices would be shutting down?
What is the Department’s plan to support Head Start providers in the wake of these closures, and how will that be communicated to states and local communities?
“All children deserve quality education and services to support their early development during the most crucial years of childhood,” the lawmakers wrote. “An investment in Head Start and the regional offices that support them should remain a top priority.” For a full copy of the letter, clickhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)
NEW YORK–Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) sent a letter calling on city agencies to work together to develop a coordinated response to illegal street racing and large-scale car meetups in Ozone Park.
“These gatherings have grown in scale and intensity, posing risks to pedestrians, residents, and first responders alike,” Velázquez wrote. “It is critical that we take steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities.”
In the letter, Velázquez requests that the New York City Police Department and the Department of Transportation work together to identify proactive strategies to address the issue before it escalates and take into the unique needs of the impacted neighborhoods into account.
The letter calls for a strategy that includes targeted enforcement, improved traffic management, and community engagement.
Velázquez also pointed to federal resources through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that may assist in making long-term street safety improvements in New York City.
“The BIL awarded New York State over $29 billion including federal funds for transportation and roadway safety projects,” wrote Velázquez. “It is essential for the city to pursue this funding to execute these lifesaving improvements.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)
Bacon and Cuellar Introduce Bipartisan Law Enforcement Officers Safety Reform Act (LEOSA)
Offers Real Solutions to Terrorism and Mass Shootings
Washington – Recently, Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) introduced H.R.2243, The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Reform Act (LEOSA). The bipartisan LEOSA Reform Act will improve public safety by allowing qualified law enforcement officers who have committed themselves to our communities the opportunity to continue doing so by extending their concealed carry privileges. The legislation removes existing prohibitions and will allow trained professionals to respond quickly to emergencies, should they happen to be in public places such as shopping malls, school zones, mass transit, etc. During the 118th Congress, the LEOSA Reform Act was passed by the House of Representatives in a 221-185 vote.
“The bipartisan LEOSA Reform Act offers real solutions to address threats such as terrorism and mass shootings by ensuring that our retired and off-duty law enforcement officers can exercise their right to concealed carry – no matter where they live or visit,” said Rep. Bacon. “These measured changes will make existing law stronger and more workable for those who seek its benefits while maintaining the rigorous standards that currently apply. I want to thank Rep. Henry Cuellar for his support of this important legislation.”
“Many of our retired law enforcement officers are ready to continue serving our community but are unable to due to current law,” said Rep. Cuellar. “This bipartisan legislation will fix the issues that our nation’s off-duty officers and retired cops face while concealed carrying. I remain steadfast in my support for the men and woman who put their lives on the line every day to protect our homes, neighborhoods, businesses and communities.”
Locally, the sheriffs of the three counties for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District and other law enforcement agencies support the legislation: Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson, Sarpy County Sheriff Greg London, Saunders County Sheriff Chris Lichtenberg, Omaha Police Association President Patrick Dempsey, and Nebraska State FOP President Anthony Connor.
The bill also was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), The Air Marshal Association, the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA), International Union of Police Associations, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Narcotics Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, and Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Smith (8th District of Missouri)
WASHINGTON – House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (Mo.) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order directing the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to implement and enforce President Trump’s health care price transparency regulations:
“Over the last four years, soaring health care costs driven by out-of-control inflation have put a heavy strain on American families. President Trump understands that one of the ways we can bring down costs is by strengthening the right of patients to know the actual price they will pay before they step foot in a doctor’s office, fill a prescription, or schedule a procedure. Last Congress, the Ways and Means Committee held hearings to examine the ways price transparency can lower costs and enhance care quality for patients. Unfortunately, the Biden administration failed to hold hospitals and health insurers accountable, forcing Congress to take matters into our own hands and advance legislation to improve health care transparency for patients. This executive order is a welcome step to building on President Trump’s price transparency rule from his first term and House Republican efforts from last Congress. By increasing transparency and accountability, we can drive down costs and put patients back in control of their health care.”
New data highlights that while the Government’s commitment to health targets continues to stabilise the health system, increased service delivery is required to get on top of waitlists, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Ensuring all Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government. I am encouraged by Health New Zealand’s release of second quarter 2024/25 results today, which show improvements in three of the five health targets,” Mr Brown says.“Wait times in emergency departments continue to reduce, with 72.1 per cent of patients being admitted or discharged within six hours, an improvement from 67.4 per cent in the previous quarter.“Access to faster cancer care continues to improve, with 85.9 per cent of patients receiving treatment within 31 days – just 0.1 per cent away from the yearly milestone. “And more children are now fully immunised, with 77 per cent of two-year-olds being immunised in the second quarter of this year, up from 75.7 per cent in the previous quarter.”The data also confirms that more work is needed to get on top of waitlists for those waiting over four months for elective treatment and first specialist assessments, which grew by 2,500 per cent and 6,400 per cent respectively under the previous government.“While performance declined for the elective treatment and first specialist assessment targets, more was delivered by Health New Zealand in 2024, with more Kiwis having their elective surgeries and first specialist assessments than previous years.
2021 2022 2023 2024
Total first specialist assessments delivered* 608,384 567,901 608,027 624,202
Total elective care delivered 320,328 305,310 338,692 341,276
“However, more people are being added to waitlists than who are receiving treatment or assessments, which means there is still significant work required to improve the pace at which elective treatment and first specialist assessments are being delivered.“Delivering more at a faster rate than patients are added to waitlists is key to reducing waitlists and wait times.“That’s why I recently announced the elective boost, partnering with private hospitals to maximise operating capacity and expand procedures. This initiative will deliver 10,579 additional procedures by mid-year, with 2,000 already completed, including cataracts, hip, and knee replacements.“We are reducing specialist assessment delays by improving waitlist management, expanding service models, and implementing initiatives like AI diabetes retinal screening and Kaitaia’s complete cataract care pathway to free up waitlists.“To further ease pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, our Government is taking action to ensure New Zealanders have increased access to more doctors and nurses and expanding primary healthcare options.“The Government is investing more than ever into our health system – a record $30 billion each year – and we expect it to deliver more for patients as a result.“By measuring what matters and holding the system accountable, we are putting patients first and supporting our frontline healthcare workers to deliver the healthcare New Zealanders need in a timely and quality manner,” Mr Brown says.
* First specialist assessment data for 2024 excludes the Auckland district.
Sadly, a woman in her 80s has died after a single-vehicle crash at Devonport. Police and emergency services were called to the Bass Highway about 6.30am Thursday after reports a vehicle had rolled. A woman – who was a passenger in the vehicle – sadly died at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the North West Regional Hospital for treatment. Investigations into the crash are ongoing, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner. Our thoughts are with the woman’s family and loved ones at this difficult time. Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of a Business Recovery Assessment Center (BRAC) in Mitchell County to assist businesses, nonprofits and residents affected by Hurricane Helene.
Beginning Wednesday, April 2, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the BRAC to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.
The BRAC’s hours of operation is listed below.
Business Recovery Assessment Center (BRAC)
Mitchell County
Maryland Community College Small Business Center
67 Hotel Place
Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Opening: Wednesday, April 2, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed: Saturday & Sunday
“SBA’s Business Recovery Assessment Centers have consistently proven their value to business owners following a disaster,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “Business owners can visit these centers to meet face-to-face with specialists who will guide them through the disaster loan application process and connect them with resources to support their recovery.”
The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, regrading landscaping for better drainage, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.250% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 27, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Though the new semester may feel like it just started, midterm season is right around the corner. Students are busier than ever, juggling demanding schedules filled with assignments, assessments and exam preparation. Supporting this busy period is the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, a tablet designed to make studying smarter and more efficient.
Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ features an expansive display, powerful AI capabilities and exceptional portability — emerging as a versatile learning companion for students of all levels, from middle and high school to university. Combining high performance with affordability, the device delivers outstanding value and positions itself as an essential tool for academic success.
Samsung Newsroom explored how students can make the most of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ and Samsung’s Intelligent Features this semester.
▲ Galaxy Tab S10 FE+
A Larger Display Built for Learning
With online lectures and remote classes now a regular part of student life, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ creates an ideal learning environment. The expansive 13.1-inch display1 — the largest ever in the Galaxy Tab S FE series — paired with a slim 8.1-mm bezel takes focus and engagement to the next level. Even small text in online course materials is easy to see at a glance.
Thanks to a brightness of up to 800 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM), the display stays clearly visible even in bright outdoor conditions. Whether seated by a sunny window or studying on the go, students can comfortably follow online lessons anytime, anywhere.
Beyond the classroom, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+’s large display enhances entertainment too. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures smooth screen transitions, making video streaming and gaming more fluid and immersive — perfect for study breaks.
▲ The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ boasts a 13.1-inch display.
Boosting Efficiency With Powerful Multitasking
The Multi Window2 feature on the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ elevates productivity, allowing students to split the screen into as many as three sections to attend online lectures, take notes and research unfamiliar concepts simultaneously. With up to 12GB of high-capacity memory, the device supports smooth, efficient multitasking and runs multiple apps seamlessly — making it a reliable resource, especially during stressful exam periods.
▲ Multi Window
Streamlining Notes With S Pen
Included with the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, the S Pen offers a precise and natural writing experience that makes handwriting feel smooth and satisfying. A variety of AI-powered features can also be unlocked.
▲ The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ and the S Pen
Concerns about messy handwriting or uneven lines are easily addressed with Handwriting help by activating a Smart guideline that helps maintain clean, straight lines. Additional features such as Align letters and Fix the shape of letters can automatically refine handwriting in real time to create polished, well-organized notes.
▲ Align letters in Handwriting help
Moreover, handwritten notes can be turned into text for reviewing and sharing with friends. The Convert to text feature is useful for subjects like math and science, as it can transform handwritten equations and formulas into editable digital text to streamline studying.
▲ Convert to text
While taking notes in Samsung Notes, students can record audio with their handwritten notes automatically synchronized. During playback, tapping any part of the notes jumps directly to the corresponding moment in the recording — enabling a more targeted review without the need to manually search through audio files.
▲ Real-time synchronization of audio and notes in Samsung Notes
Smarter Study Support Through Intelligent AI Features
When studying alone, the AI-powered features on the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ help students effortlessly find answers. Using Circle to Search with Google, they can instantly look up complex concepts or solve difficult math problems with step-by-step explanations by circling the relevant text or image on the screen. This intuitive tool also translates on-screen text, making foreign language learning more accessible and efficient.
▲ Circle to Search with Google
The Solve Math feature3 in Samsung Notes also provides quick and accurate solutions to complex mathematical equations. By writing a formula followed by an equal sign (=), the answer appears automatically. The tool supports both handwritten and typed expressions in real time — handling everything from basic arithmetic to advanced, scientific calculator-level computations and unit conversions for measurements including area, length and temperature. Notably, the feature retains the student’s original handwriting style and preserves the selected pen type, text size and thickness for a consistent note-taking experience.
▲ Solve Math in Samsung Notes
To support active recall and track mistakes, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ helps students create a personal review notebook. By tapping the pen-shaped icon on the right side of the screen with the S Pen, they can activate Air Command. Using AI Select, incorrectly answered questions can be identified and moved to a new note or existing note — helping compile and organize materials for review.
▲ AI Select
For extensive writing tasks such as essays or reports, the Book Cover Keyboard transforms the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ into a laptop. Pressing the dedicated Galaxy AI Key instantly launches AI assistants, allowing students to quickly search for information and enhance their learning experience.
▲ (From left) The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ paired with the Book Cover Keyboard and the Galaxy AI Key
From Classrooms to Cafés: A Stylish Companion for Any Setting
Despite featuring the largest display ever in the Galaxy Tab S FE series, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is designed with portability in mind. The lightweight build and slim 6.0-mm profile help reduce the burden on students carrying backpacks filled with textbooks and notebooks. Additionally, IP68-rated water and dust resistance ensures durability and peace of mind in various environments — from classrooms and libraries to cafés.
▲ The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is exceptionally portable.
For students who value both aesthetics and performance, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ draws from the refined design legacy of the Galaxy Tab S series. Available in three elegant colors — Blue, Gray and Silver — the subtle tones add a touch of sophistication that complements any setting.
Combining Samsung’s Intelligent Features with an accessible price point, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ stands out as the ultimate learning companion — supporting smarter exam preparation, more efficient time management and a stylish, functional experience for students everywhere.
1 Measured diagonally, the screen size is 13.1 inches in the full rectangle and 13.0 inches when accounting for the rounded corners. The actual viewable area is smaller due to the rounded corners.2 Certain applications may not support Multi Window.3 Solve Math runs on-device and does not require an internet connection but requires a Samsung Account login. Incorrect handwriting recognition may lead to inaccurate calculations.
US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries.
In a long speech in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said: “Australia bans – and they’re wonderful people and wonderful everything – but they ban American beef.
“Yet we imported US$3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone.
“They won’t take any of our beef. They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers and you know, I don’t blame them but we’re doing the same thing right now starting at midnight tonight, I would say.”
Australia bans US fresh beef imports because of biosecurity concerns. The US just-released Foreign Trade Barriers report says, “the United States continues to seek full market access for fresh US beef and beef products”.
Trump announced a “minimum baseline tariff” of 10%, which would apply to Australia as well as to all other countries.
Initially, given Trump’s language, there was confusion about what will happen with beef but later it was clarified it would face the basic 10% general tariff, and nothing more.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the new US trade regime and said Australia would continue to try to get exemptions for Australia.
The trade decision was “not unexpected” but had “no basis in logic” and “was not the act of a friend”.
Albanese announced a response package, but flagged the government did not want to take the US to the World Trade Organisation. The package includes:
strenghening anti-dumping provisions
providing A$50 million to affected sectors to secure and pursue new markets
sending five missions abroad to develop other markets
setting up a new resilience program, involving $1 billion in loans to capitalise on new investment opportunities
putting Australian businesses at “the front of the queue” in a “buy Australian” policy in government procurement
setting up a strategic reserve for Australian critical minerals.
Albanese re-emphasised Australia would make no changes to the country’s biosecurity rules.
Under Trump’s announcement, varying “reciprocal” rates are being imposed on individual countries according to the barriers they impose on American items.
The president described this as “one of the most important days in American history”, saying it represented a “declaration of economic independence”.
China will face a 34% tariff, while there will be a 25% global tariff on cars imported into the US. Imports from the European Union will have a 20% tariff imposed.
There will be 25% on imports from South Korea, as well as 24% on imports from Japan and 32% on those from Taiwan.
Trump’s message to countries seeking special treatment could not have been blunter.
“To all of the foreign presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, ambassadors, and everyone else, who will soon be calling to ask for exemptions from these tariffs, I say, terminate your own tariffs, drop your barriers, don’t manipulate here your currencies – they manipulate their currencies, like, nobody can even believe, when it’s a bad, bad thing, and very devastating to us.
“And start buying tens of billions of dollars of American goods.
“Tariffs give us protection against those looking to do us economic harm.”
He said the new US trade regime would raise trillions of dollars that would reduce American taxes and pay down its debt.
Opposition campaign spokesman James Paterson described the announcement as “disappointing”, He said Australia should work “calmly and directly” with the US administration to get a better deal.
Nationals leader David Littleproud said action against beef would mean the price of Big Mac burgers would go up for American consumers. Australian beef exported to the US is especially for burgers.
Michelle Grattan 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.
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Seth Magaziner (RI-02) and Kat Cammack (FL-03) introduced theAlleviating the Barriers for Caregivers Act (ABC) Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill aimed at reducing bureaucratic hurdles for family caregivers. A companionbillhas also been introduced in the Senate by Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), underscoring the broad, bipartisan commitment to making life easier for America’s caregivers.
The legislation directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to review existing policies, forms, and procedures that impact family caregivers. The goal is to identify ways to streamline processes, reduce paperwork, and make it easier for caregivers to access essential services. Within two years, both agencies must report back to Congress with updates on their findings and any challenges they encounter.
“Every day, family caregivers provide essential support for their older parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents, and loved ones so they can live independently,” said Representative Magaziner. “That is why I am introducing the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act, a bicameral, bipartisan bill that will reduce stressful paperwork and make it easier for caregivers to navigate resources and benefits that are available to them.”
“America’s family caregivers work around-the-clock to provide essential care for their loved ones, and over half act as advocates on behalf of their family members. The last thing these caregivers need is more red tape that distracts from their support for those in their care,” said Representative Cammack. “I’m honored to introduce this bipartisan and bicameral ABC Act with my colleagues to lower the burden around the important medical decisions caregivers must make every day. Together we can support the 48 million caregivers that make up a critical part of our health care landscape in the U.S.”
“Caregivers, like my father was, serve on the frontlines of our nation’s health care system by giving our families and friends the care and support they need to remain in their homes and communities with their loved ones,” said Senator Markey. “But caregivers are struggling needlessly to navigate complex, burdensome, and stressful processes each and every day while also still managing day-to-day family and professional responsibilities. The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act will help lift the weight off caregivers by clearing the red tape that so often gets in their way. I thank Senator Capito and Representatives Magaziner and Cammack for their partnership on this critical legislation.”
“More than 1 in 4 Americans over 50 are now caregivers. I was one of these caregivers for my parents during their struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and know personally how hard it can be to balance all of the responsibilities put on individuals caring for their loved ones,” Senator Capito said. “One of the most common frustrations I hear from caregivers in West Virginia is how difficult it is to navigate federal processes and procedures. The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act would attempt to ease this often-stressful time by requiring federal agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Social Security Administration, to review their processes, procedures, forms, and communications to reduce the administrative burden on family caregivers.”
With nearly 50 million family caregivers across the U.S. providing an estimated $600 billion in unpaid care annually, the need for reform is urgent. More than half of these caregivers serve as advocates for their loved ones, navigating complex healthcare systems and government agencies. However, one in four say they struggle with paperwork and eligibility requirements for vital services.
The bill is endorsed by The AARP, ALS Association, Alzheimer’s Association, American Heart Association, Autism Speaks, the Family Caregiver Alliance, the Home Care Association of America, and the National Alliance for Caregiving, and others.
The full text of the legislation can be foundhere.
Source: The White House
class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. Many shippers based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) hide illicit substances and conceal the true contents of shipments sent to the United States through deceptive shipping practices. These shippers often avoid detection due to administration of the de minimis exemption under section 321(a)(2)(C) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C)).
As noted in Executive Order 14195 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties to Address the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China), as amended by Executive Order 14228 of March 3, 2025 (Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China), these exports play a significant role in the synthetic opioid crisis in the United States. In Executive Order 14200 of February 5, 2025 (Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China), I suspended the elimination of duty-free de minimis treatment on articles described in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195. The Secretary of Commerce has notified me that adequate systems are now in place to process and collect tariff revenue for covered goods from the PRC otherwise eligible for duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C). Accordingly, duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall no longer be available for products of the PRC (which include products of Hong Kong) described in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195, as amended by Executive Order 14228, including international postal packages sent to the United States through the international postal network from the PRC or Hong Kong, that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025. Additional duties for such imported merchandise shall be collected at the rates described in this order.
Sec. 2. Assessment of Duties on Low-Value Products of the PRC. (a) Other than articles sent to the United States through the international postal network (for which a duty is separately provided as described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section), all shipments of articles described in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195, as amended by Executive Order 14228, that are products of the PRC or Hong Kong; that are sent to the United States; that are valued at or under 800 dollars and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption authorized in 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C); and that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025, shall be entered by a party qualified to make entry under another appropriate entry type in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security, with all applicable duties, including those imposed by section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195, as amended by Executive Order 14228, and paid in accordance with the applicable entry and payment procedures. Executive departments and agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, through CBP, shall take all necessary actions to effectuate the objectives of this order, consistent with applicable law, including through temporary suspension or amendment of regulations or notices in the Federal Register. The United States International Trade Commission shall continue to act ministerially by modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), as needed, to reflect the actions set out in this order.
(b) Imposition of Duty.
(i) All postal items containing goods described in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195 and sent to the United States through the international postal network from the PRC or Hong Kong and transported by carriers that are valued at or under 800 dollars and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption authorized in 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall be subject to the duties described in subsection (c) of this section. In order to address the threat of the PRC’s failure to act to blunt the sustained influx of synthetic opioids into the United States, while allowing for the orderly flow of legitimate international mail, the duties imposed in subsection (c) of this section, except as required by applicable law, are imposed in lieu of any other duties that the shipments would otherwise be subject to, including the 20 percent ad valorem duty established in Executive Order 14195, as amended by Executive Order 14228; most-favored nation rates embodied in the HTSUS; and duties imposed pursuant to section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
(ii) CBP is authorized to require the carrier transporting the international postal package into the United States to remit payment of the duty described in subsection (c) of this section to CBP monthly or on such other periodic time frame as CBP determines appropriate, and CBP may issue regulations and guidance as necessary or appropriate to implement and enforce this requirement.
(iii) All carriers that transport international postal packages from the PRC or Hong Kong to the United States as part of or on behalf of the international postal network must report to CBP the total number of postal items containing goods and, if electing the duty rate specified in subsection (c)(i) of this section, the value of each postal item containing goods, transported per conveyance, in a timeframe and manner prescribed by CBP. CBP may require submission of documentation and information from the carrier to verify the total number and value of individual postal items containing goods to be electronically transmitted through the ACE.
(c) Duty Rates. Transportation carriers delivering shipments to the United States from the PRC or Hong Kong sent through the international postal network must collect and remit duties to CBP under the approach outlined in either subsection (c)(i) or subsection (c)(ii) of this section. Transportation carriers must apply the same duty collection methodology to all shipments; however, transportation carriers may change their collection methodology once a month or on such other periodic timeframe as CBP determines appropriate, upon providing 24-hour notice to CBP.
(i) Ad Valorem Duty. 30 percent of the value of the postal item containing goods for merchandise entered for consumption on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025.
(ii) Specific Duty. 25 dollars per postal item containing goods for merchandise entered for consumption on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025, and before 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025, and 50 dollars per postal item containing goods for merchandise entered for consumption on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025.
(d) Bond Requirement. Any carrier that transports international postal items containing goods from the PRC or Hong Kong to the United States, by any mode of transportation, must have an international carrier bond to ensure payment of the duty described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. CBP is authorized to ensure that the international carrier bonds required by this subsection are sufficient to account for the duty described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
(e) Discretion to Require Formal Entry. CBP may require formal entry, in accordance with existing regulations, for any international postal package that may otherwise be subject to the duty described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. An international postal package for which CBP requires formal entry will not be subject to the duty described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, and instead will be subject to all applicable duties, taxes, and fees in accordance with all applicable laws.
Sec. 3. Implementation of Duty. The Secretary of Homeland Security is directed to take all necessary actions to implement this order. Consistent with section 4 of Executive Order 14195, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Commerce, is authorized to take such actions, including adopting rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to implement this order.
Sec. 4. Homeland Security Authorities. Nothing in this order limits the ability of the Department of Homeland Security to use any available legal authorities granted to ensure compliance with the provisions of this order.
Sec. 5. Monitoring. Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall submit a report to the President regarding the impact of this order on American industries, consumers, and supply chains and making recommendations for further action as he deems necessary, including a recommendation on whether extending de minimis ineligibility to packages from Macau is necessary to prevent circumvention of this order.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE, April 2, 2025.
NOTE: The following is a statement from Premier Tim Houston.
In the past few months, we’ve seen Canada’s relationship with the United States drastically evolve.
We’ve lived on pins and needles wondering if the U.S. would honour its trade agreements and respect our long-standing relationship as friends and allies.
But we didn’t sit idly by and wait. We came together as a country and province like never before.
We’ve seen entire industries raise their hands and offer to accept retaliatory tariffs, impacting them at their great expense, because they felt it right to put the country before self.
That is who we are as Canadians, and it will never change.
Today, some Canadians are taking a breath.
While it appears that Canada may not have been hit with the worst-case scenario in terms of tariffs, thousands of Nova Scotians will be impacted.
I also want to recognize the impact that the buildup to this moment has had on businesses and people. This entire experience has been a huge drain on the mental health of Canadians, and thousands of Nova Scotians are exhausted from the stress of dealing with this uncertainty and instability.
But please know that we are here for you.
We will do whatever it takes to protect you.
You did nothing wrong.
Moving forward, there will still be impacts from the trade direction of the U.S. administration. Our work to diversify markets will not change. In fact, it will ramp up. And, of course, we will work with those who remain impacted on both an individual basis and larger-scale programming basis, as needed.
This could mean loans, grants, support for diversification or whatever. We will work with you to find the best support for your circumstance.
During this period of uncertainty, the initial non-tariff retaliatory measures we put in place will remain.
This means we will continue to look for ways to put Nova Scotia and Canadian companies first as we review and cancel non-essential contracts with U.S. suppliers.
The increased tolls at the Cobequid Pass for commercial vehicles from the U.S. will remain.
American alcohol will remain off the shelves of the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. stores.
The message from this experience remains and we have heard it loud and clear – putting too many eggs in one basket is never a good idea. This is why we will work hard to ensure that Nova Scotia becomes more and more self-reliant.
We will do this through developing our natural resources. We have tremendous resource wealth. By capitalizing on our natural resources, we can and must secure our province’s energy and economic security.
We will continue to lead the country on removing interprovincial trade barriers. We passed a first-of-its-kind law to help remove internal trade barriers and improve labour mobility. I expect you will see other provinces signing on over the coming weeks.
Finally, I want to thank Prime Minister Carney for his leadership. This is not an easy time for our country or our people. Canadians are patient people, but the “governor” references and “51st state” jokes grew old and angered Canadians. Your approach seems to be working as we have collectively noticed these derogatory messages have stopped. Thank you.
I remain committed to Team Canada and to the people of Nova Scotia. We will be ready no matter how this relationship evolves. But I believe that the strength of our longtime friendship with the U.S. will ultimately prevail. It has survived wars, recessions and pandemics, and it will survive this administration.
We are stronger as a nation when we stand together.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today led all House Democrats from New Jersey in sending a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging him to reverse the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind $11.4 billion in federal public health funding—including $350 million allocated to New Jersey. Pallone’s letter was signed by NJ Representatives Menendez, Watson Coleman, Sherrill, Conaway, Pou, McIver, Gottheimer, and Norcross.
The lawmakers warned that the cuts would severely weaken New Jersey’s public health infrastructure, including efforts to prevent disease outbreaks, expand access to addiction and mental health treatment, and support a stable health care workforce. The funding, originally authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic, has become a critical lifeline for state and local health departments.
“If these cuts are allowed to proceed, the consequences will be severe and immediate. Health programs will be dismantled, services will be terminated midstream, and the burden of these cuts will fall disproportionately on low-income communities, seniors, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition, closing regional HHS offices and laying off thousands of public health professionals will weaken the federal government’s ability to respond to future health crises,” the delegation wrote.
New Jersey is already seeing the consequences of eroded public health protections. On March 28, the state Department of Health issued a warning that a person infected with measles may have exposed others at a Mercer County emergency room—one of hundreds of new cases reported nationwide this year. Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S., is now back, fueled by anti-vaccine misinformation and public distrust sown by Donald Trump and Secretary Kennedy himself.
Pallone is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal public health programs.
A full copy of Pallone’s letter is availablehereand below:
We write to express our deep concern and strong opposition to the recent decision to revoke $11.4 billion in federal funding for health programs across the United States, including $350 million in critical public health funding for New Jersey.[1]These cuts will have severe consequences for addiction treatment, mental health services, and infectious disease prevention in our state. We urge the Administration to reverse this decision and restore the funding to ensure the health and well-being of our communities.
These federal funds have been instrumental in strengthening our public health infrastructure, which was critically under-resourced before the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]Contrary to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) assertion that these funds were exclusively for pandemic-related responses, they are used for a wide range of essential health programs in New Jersey, including:
Infectious Disease Monitoring and Prevention: These funds have enabled state and local health departments to track and respond to outbreaks of flu, RSV, measles, tuberculosis, and bird flu. The sudden elimination of this funding will severely weaken our ability to monitor and contain infectious diseases, placing vulnerable populations at significant risk.
Mental Health and Addiction Treatment: At a time when opioid overdoses remain a leading cause of preventable death, New Jersey has used these funds to expand access to counseling, treatment, and harm reduction services. These efforts have contributed to a decrease in overdose deaths from 3,171 in 2022 to 2,816 in 2023[3]. Cutting these funds threatens to reverse this progress and exacerbate the opioid crisis.
Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure: The loss of $350 million in funding will likely lead to job losses within the New Jersey Department of Health, Department of Human Services, local health departments, and contracted health service providers. These cuts will not only impact employment but will also reduce the capacity of health professionals to respond to ongoing and emerging health threats.
These cuts are occurring alongside anticipated reductions in Medicaid funding and medical research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), further compounding the strain on New Jersey’s health care system. Medicaid provides critical health care access to low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.[4]Any reduction in funding will place an additional financial burden on hospitals and health care providers, forcing them to cut services or shift costs to state and local governments.
The Department of Health and Human Services has justified these cuts by stating that ”the COVID-19 pandemic is over.”[5]However, this funding has long since evolved and has been approved beyond pandemic response and become a cornerstone of public health programs that protect the most vulnerable and ensure public safety. The reality is that infectious disease outbreaks, mental health crises, and addiction epidemics are ongoing public health emergencies that require sustained investment.
If these cuts are allowed to proceed, the consequences will be severe and immediate. Health programs will be dismantled, services will be terminated midstream, and the burden of these cuts will fall disproportionately on low-income communities, seniors, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition, closing regional HHS offices and laying off thousands of public health professionals will weaken the federal government’s ability to respond to future health crises.[6]
We strongly urge you to reconsider this decision and reinstate this funding in full. Public health should not be a partisan issue—investments in health infrastructure save lives, reduce long-term health care costs, and ensure that states have the resources necessary to address ongoing and emerging health threats. New Jersey, like many other states, cannot afford to bear the consequences of these ill-advised cuts.
We hope you will recognize the critical need for this funding and take immediate action to reverse this decision. We stand ready to work together to ensure that all Americans have access to the health care services they need and deserve.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today slammed the Trump Administration’s decision to rip away $11 billion in public health funding — including $350 million already promised to New Jersey — calling it a “political stunt” that will endanger lives and destabilize the state’s health system.
“Trump is stealing $350 million in approved funding from New Jersey without warning at the height of a measles outbreak and devasting fentanyl overdoses,” Pallone said. “This isn’t just a political stunt. It’s lawless. These funds were already budgeted and, in many cases, spent by local health departments to keep vaccination clinics running, respond to outbreaks, and support addiction and mental health services. Stripping that money now means doctors go unpaid and critical care stops in its tracks. It’s a dangerous preview of what public health looks like under another Trump term — gutted on a whim, with no regard for the people who will suffer.”
The funding was originally authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic, but states like New Jersey had received federal approval to use the funds for other urgent public health needs. The Trump Administration’s abrupt move to claw the funding back blindsided state officials and puts essential health services at risk just as New Jersey confronts new disease threats and ongoing overdose spikes.
Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he’s working closely with Governor Phil Murphy and congressional leaders to pursue all available options to block the clawback and restore the funds.
“This fight is not over,” Pallone said. “We’re going to do everything we can to stop Trump from sabotaging New Jersey’s public health system.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) signed onto a letter, led by Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy condemning the cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that include terminating 10,000 employees and dismantling or consolidating several health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The HHS is integral to protecting the health of Americans and providing critical services and resources, including Medicare and Medicaid, food and drug safety, and medical.
“My constituents are calling my offices every day outraged by the ridiculous firings under the Trump administration, including from those unfairly dismissed after years of dedicated public service,” Rep. Meeks said. “It is clear that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Secretary Kennedy are indifferent to the harmful impact these funding cuts will have on Americans. The Department of Health and Human Services was created to protect public welfare—not to undermine access to quality health care.”
The 10,000 HHS workers being fired include the removal of 3,500 full-time employees from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 employees from the CDC, 1,200 employees from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 300 employees from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Congressman Meeks calls for the reversal of these firings and dismantling of the existing agencies within HHS.
The members wrote in the letter:
“Make no mistake, we have no faith that these drastic cuts will benefit the American people. We are concerned that this will ultimately lead to slowdowns in service, approvals, and research, and impacts to public health response capabilities.”
“Millions of Americans rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare services and funding provided by HHS and its affiliates. Any delay in these services and funding would have drastic consequences for our most marginalized communities. Despite claims that FDA layoffs will not impact inspectors or drug, medical device, or food reviewers, prior layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the FDA are reported to already have caused staff to struggle to meet deadlines.”
“As Black and brown communities continue to face severe healthcare disparities, it is crucial that access to affordable healthcare is not reduced in any way, but rather prioritized and improved, and research is undertaken to develop tailored solutions to these problems Moreover, in light of pervasive attempts to restrict access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women, LGBTQ+ communities, and people of color, and increasing racial gaps in maternal health outcomes, your efforts to further deprioritize these offices is likely to further deprive our constituents of healthcare targeted to their needs, including HIV/AIDS care, maternal healthcare, minority healthcare, and women’s healthcare.”
“Given the Trump Administration’s broad intentions to eviscerate civil rights protections to harm Black and brown communities, as well as proposals to slash funding for social safety net programs, we have no faith that this restructure will result in improved protections for our constituents’ civil rights or their hard-earned and critically needed medical coverage.”
The letter was signed by the following members: Rep. Donald Beyer (VA-8), Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9), Rep. Danny Davis (IL-7), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Rep. Henry Johnson (GA-4), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-7), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-at large), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4), Rep. James McGovern (MA-2), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Eleanor Norton (DC-at large), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-7), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-2), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-3), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2), and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-7).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, delivered the following testimony today before the National Security and Department of State Appropriations Subcommittee “Member Day” hearing. Ranking Member Meeks argued in favor of maintaining and strengthening the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Congressional appropriations, and raised alarm over the unprecedented flouting of the law and of congressional prerogatives by the Trump administration:
“Chairman Diaz-Balart, Ranking Member Frankel, thank you for the opportunity to testify at today’s Member Day hearing. I appreciate this annual opportunity to share my priorities for the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill.
“If this were any other year, I would focus my testimony on the specific programs we have worked together to support. But this is no ordinary year. We are dealing with an administration that has shown an unprecedented and reckless disregard for Congress’s constitutional power. This includes our power of the purse and the clear guardrails we establish through appropriations law, as well as other directions of congressional intent and authorizations of Executive Branch agencies and programs.
“Within this subcommittee’s jurisdiction, the most damaging example of the Trump-Musk onslaught against our federal government—and Congress’ role—is the dismantling of USAID. The President’s sudden freeze of foreign assistance caused utter chaos. Food assistance Congress appropriated sat rotting on shelves. Clinics we funded sat closed and unable to distribute their stocks of lifesaving medicines, leading to unnecessary deaths and babies born with HIV. And now, despite court orders challenging the legality of their actions, the administration boasts that 83% of foreign assistance programs are already shuttered, and what remains of USAID is now being folded into the State Department.
“Similarly, President Trump disregarded existing statutes and terminated by decree the U.S. Agency for Global Media, resulting in grant terminations to its subsidiaries, including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia. These broadcasters delivered trusted information to audiences in heavily censored countries starved of independent media and flooded with propaganda from our adversaries.
“And the most recent egregious flouting of the law was DOGE’s hostile takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which Congress created as a nonpartisan, independent nonprofit organization. USIP has had broad bipartisan support, working successfully under seven administrations to prevent violent conflicts and broker peace around the world.
“The Trump administration has done all this outside of the law, without consulting Congress and in stark contradiction of the appropriations law and other bills we have passed that are now the law of the land.
“Regardless of whether we are Democrats or Republicans, we must, as Members, stand up for our prerogatives as the legislative body of this democracy and a co-equal branch of government.
“Because this is ultimately about our ability to stand up for our constituents. And the programs this subcommittee funds are critical to our national security; they help ensure the United States can successfully achieve our foreign policy goals, compete with our rivals, and prevent regional crises from escalating into armed conflict. These programs allow us to respond to humanitarian emergencies and the development needs of our partners, preventing diseases from becoming pandemics that reach our shores. All these objectives and more are achieved through a well-resourced State Department and related agencies and programs, with the support from Congress that they need to effectively wield our soft power. The world is far too small and interconnected for us to hide behind our borders, pull back our tools, and hope the next conflict or epidemic won’t impact us here at home.
“This subcommittee has recognized the value of all these efforts, as evidenced by the strong, bipartisan support for its work over many years. Of course, each administration has the right to review policy. And our job is not to defend the status quo over modernization. But President Trump and Elon Musk do not have the right to unilaterally eliminate programs that Congress has deemed essential. The legislative branch after debate and deliberation—and in consideration of the executive’s position – creates the body of the law the Executive must indeed execute. That is the right way to ensure improvements and reforms.
“It is critically important that the next National Security Appropriations bill maintain and strengthen the investments that safeguard our national security at no less than the FY24 level. But whatever Congress decides, it is even more essential that we ensure that the FY26 law is implemented by the administration—because in America, we believe in the rule of law, not of kings.”
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Palmer man was sentenced today to three years’ probation and is required to pay a $10,000 fine for operating an aircraft without a license and operating an unregistered aircraft.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, for roughly 30 years, William Marsan, 57, held an Airman Certificate as an Airline Transport Pilot issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He operated an aviation business out of Palmer, Alaska, transporting services, goods and people across Alaska on his Piper Cherokee aircraft.
In June 2023, the FAA received a report that Marsan, as the pilot in command of the Piper Cherokee aircraft, failed to radio his intention to take off from Warren “Bud” Woods Palmer Municipal Airport and operated the aircraft against the flow of landing traffic, resulting in a near mid-air collision with another aircraft attempting to land.
Law enforcement investigated the June 2023 incident and discovered that Marsan was operating an aircraft without a valid license or valid registration. The investigation revealed that in June 2022, Marsan sent a letter to the FAA revoking the registration of his aircraft. Investigators also discovered that Marsan allowed his medical certificate to lapse in 2020 and 2021, which was required to keep his pilot’s license.
When FAA inspectors contacted him in July 2023 as part of the investigation, Marsan refused to provide his airman certificate, aircraft registration and airworthiness certificates, all of which are requirements through the FAA, and claimed he was not required to have any of those documents. As a result of the investigation, the FAA issued an Emergency Order of Revocation of Marsan’s pilot’s license in January 2024, which required the immediate surrender of his pilot’s license or the filing of an appeal of the decision within 10 days. Marsan failed to file an appeal or surrender his license but continued to fly his aircraft until his initial arrest in July 2024.
Marsan was released pending trial. He failed to appear for multiple court hearings prior to his trial and he was rearrested in September 2024. On Dec. 4, 2024, Marsan was convicted of one count of operating an aircraft without a license and one count of operating an unregistered aircraft.
“Alaska’s aviation industry is a vital part of our infrastructure, safely connecting people and goods across the state. Mr. Marsan’s actions—operating an unregistered aircraft without a license and nearly causing a mid-air collision—put lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “To prevent further violations and protect communities, Mr. Marsan will serve a significant term of probation under the relevant statutes and pay a fine for the money he made at the risk of others.”
“Marsan’s flagrant disregard for aviation regulations put countless lives at risk and undermined the integrity of Alaska’s airspace,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Such reckless, criminal behavior will not be tolerated by the FBI and aviation authorities.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FAA, Alaska Region investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Mac Caille Petursson prosecuted the case.
Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents.
The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and undetected fetal abnormalities, according to the reports.
So why do some women choose additional ultrasounds? And how can you tell if you should trust the person providing your ultrasound?
What are reassurance scans?
Reassurance scans are a type of non-medical elective or “entertainment” ultrasound some women seek in addition to their routine first- and second-trimester scans.
Reassurance scans are marketed as a way to “give you peace of mind” about your baby’s development, or to assure you “everything is progressing as it should” if you’re not due for a routine scan.
They’re also called souvenir, boutique or keepsake ultrasounds, because these business typically sell memento packages. These often include so-called 4D images: renderings combined with the fourth dimension of time to show movement.
Some businesses offer gender identification information, sometimes with “gender-reveal” party accessories, as well as audio recordings of the fetal heartbeat.
Why do women get them?
Detailed interview studies have explored why ultrasound images beyond the routine scans are so popular.
Many expecting parents want to learn the fetal sex as early as possible, seek reassurance, see the facial features of their future child and acquire keepsake images.
Rather than trivialising the “entertainment” value of these services, some argue obstetricians could learn from the service, thus improving patient satisfaction during obstetric imaging.
Professional organisations have denounced these businesses for misleading consumers with false reassurances. As these scans aren’t checked by a clinician, these operators cannot give reliable assurances.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates the supply of medical devices. It registers them, classifies them according to their risk and sometimes attaches conditions to their use.
Last year, the TGA de-registered several handheld devices used to detect fetal heartbeats during pregnancy without health practitioner supervision.
The decision followed a post-market review that found expectant parents had been falsely reassured by the devices themselves or by untrained people using them in home settings.
However, no such review has been conducted for portable ultrasound devices.
While removing devices from the register in this manner may limit consumer access, it is not a “product recall” and would not prevent the continued sale of second-hand devices.
These days it’s normal to share ultrasound images on social media. fizkes/Shutterstock
Who can perform ultrasounds?
While some specialist health practitioners may perform ultrasounds (such as obstetricians holding a relevant certificate), most diagnostic imaging specialists are sonographers.
But there is no sonography registration board to receive complaints about sonographers or take disciplinary action against them. This sets sonographers apart from registered health practitioners such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
This could make sonographers more clearly identifiable through title protections, ensure poorly performing sonographers are disciplined and allow for consistent national standards.
However, it would not stop unregistered people from providing non-medical ultrasounds.
So how can you tell if your provider is a sonographer?
One clear signal that a provider is offering a non-diagnostic ultrasound is that no Medicare subsidy is on offer.
Australian providers conducting imaging without accreditation must inform consumers of their non-accreditedstatus and confirm no Medicare benefit is payable.
You can make complaints to state-based health complaints bodies. The Health Care Complaints Commission in New South Wales, for example, can investigate complaints about sonographers as non-registered health practitioners and consider the relevant code of conduct.
When a sonographer is found to have acted improperly, or to pose a health or safety risk, these complaints bodies may issue orders prohibiting the sonographer from providing any health services for a specified period.
Australian consumer law is another way authorities may crack down on unscrupulous providers. In 2015, a person was prosecuted in Western Australia after selling identical images to six women who received non-medical ultrasounds in their homes.
Her offences involved making false or misleading claims and accepting money for services not provided.
If non-medical imaging providers make misleading claims, including about the level of clinical reassurance a non-diagnostic scan can provide, you can report them to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission.
The author was employed as a research officer at the Medical Council of New South Wales in 2018.
US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries.
In a long speech in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said: “Australia bans – and they’re wonderful people and wonderful everything – but they ban American beef.
“Yet we imported US$3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone.
“They won’t take any of our beef. They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers and you know, I don’t blame them but we’re doing the same thing right now starting at midnight tonight, I would say.”
Australia bans US fresh beef imports because of biosecurity concerns. The US just-released Foreign Trade Barriers report says, “the United States continues to seek full market access for fresh US beef and beef products”.
Trump announced a “minimum baseline tariff” of 10%, which would apply to Australia as well as to all other countries.
Initially, given Trump’s language, there was confusion about what will happen with beef but later it was clarified it would face the basic 10% general tariff, and nothing more.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the new US trade regime and said Australia would continue to try to get exemptions for Australia.
The trade decision was “not unexpected” but had “no basis in logic” and “was not the act of a friend”.
Albanese announced a response package, but flagged the government did not want to take the US to the World Trade Organisation. The package includes:
strenghening anti-dumping provisions
providing A$50 million to affected sectors to secure and pursue new markets
sending five missions abroad to develop other markets
setting up a new resilience program, involving $1 billion in loans to capitalise on new investment opportunities
putting Australian businesses at “the front of the queue” in a “buy Australian” policy in government procurement
setting up a strategic reserve for Australian critical minerals.
Albanese re-emphasised Australia would make no changes to the country’s biosecurity rules.
Under Trump’s announcement, varying “reciprocal” rates are being imposed on individual countries according to the barriers they impose on American items.
The president described this as “one of the most important days in American history”, saying it represented a “declaration of economic independence”.
China will face a 34% tariff, while there will be a 25% global tariff on cars imported into the US. Imports from the European Union will have a 20% tariff imposed.
There will be 25% on imports from South Korea, as well as 24% on imports from Japan and 32% on those from Taiwan.
Trump’s message to countries seeking special treatment could not have been blunter.
“To all of the foreign presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, ambassadors, and everyone else, who will soon be calling to ask for exemptions from these tariffs, I say, terminate your own tariffs, drop your barriers, don’t manipulate here your currencies – they manipulate their currencies, like, nobody can even believe, when it’s a bad, bad thing, and very devastating to us.
“And start buying tens of billions of dollars of American goods.
“Tariffs give us protection against those looking to do us economic harm.”
He said the new US trade regime would raise trillions of dollars that would reduce American taxes and pay down its debt.
Opposition campaign spokesman James Paterson described the announcement as “disappointing”, He said Australia should work “calmly and directly” with the US administration to get a better deal.
Nationals leader David Littleproud said action against beef would mean the price of Big Mac burgers would go up for American consumers. Australian beef exported to the US is especially for burgers.
Michelle Grattan 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: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GUIYANG, April 2 — A new international cargo air route connecting Guiyang, the capital of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, with Bangkok, capital of Thailand, was launched on Wednesday.
According to Guizhou Civil Aviation Industry Group Co., Ltd, operator of Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, this route will be operated by Tianjin Air Cargo, using Boeing 737-800 all-cargo aircraft.
Three weekly flights are scheduled, featuring a one-way cargo capacity of 18 tonnes. The inaugural flight primarily carried Thai durians — and the entire process of harvest, air transportation, customs clearance and final delivery, was completed within 48 hours.
The Guiyang-Bangkok air route marks Guizhou’s second direct international cargo corridor to Southeast Asia. In February this year, Guiyang also launched an international cargo route connecting the city with Yangon in Myanmar.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DAR ES SALAAM, April 2 — China and Tanzania held a wreath-laying ceremony on Wednesday at the Gongo la Mboto cemetery on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, honoring 70 Chinese experts who sacrificed their lives while constructing the Tanzania-Zambia Railway in the 1970s.
The commemoration coincided with the Qingming Festival, a traditional Chinese occasion for paying tribute to the deceased and remembering ancestors. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, the Tanzanian government, various sectors of society, and the Chinese community attended the event.
Under a drizzling sky, the participants in dark suits solemnly reflected on the sacrifices by the Chinese experts and their lasting contributions to the economic and social development of Tanzania and Zambia.
“The governments of Tanzania and Zambia will forever remember the utmost sacrifice that the Chinese people gave during the construction of this railway line,” said Tanzanian Deputy Minister for Transport David Kihenzile, noting that the project was fraught with challenges and dangers, requiring heroism and ingenuity from both Chinese and local Tanzanian and Zambian workers.
Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) Managing Director Bruno Ching’andu lauded the dedication of the Chinese experts, saying that their commitment made the railway’s construction possible. “Their spirit endures in every train that runs. Their spirit endures in every ton of cargo moved,” said Ching’andu.
Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the Chinese embassy in Tanzania Wang Yong described the fallen experts as heroes whose legacy continues to symbolize China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendship. They will live forever in the hearts of the Chinese and Tanzanian people, just as the TAZARA railway stands as a testament to their efforts, he said.
Wang emphasized that the TAZARA spirit embodies the essence of China-Africa relation and the common aspiration of the Chinese and African people, serving as a driving force for deepening China-Africa cooperation.
The TAZARA railway, known as the “Uhuru Railway” or “Independent Railway,” was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China. Commercial operations started in July 1976, covering 1,860 km from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Washington, DC – Yesterday, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to stand up for everyday Americans and push back against Republican efforts to break Social Security in order to give tax breaks to Elon Musk and their billionaire donors.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Joining us now is House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. Thank you very much for joining us tonight. There is so much to talk about. Let’s begin as we wait for a victory speech in Wisconsin with what you’re seeing in those special elections in Florida for two House seats?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening, Lawrence. Great to be with you. It was an incredible overperformance by the two Democratic candidates in two ruby-red districts, Florida-1, which Donald Trump won by 37 points and Florida-6, where Joshua Weil ran a great campaign in a district that Donald Trump had just won by 30 points. And what we’re seeing, of course, is something that we’ve seen all across the country since the early special elections that began in late January, and that is Democratic energy and overperformance, coupled with Independent swing voters and even moderate Republicans breaking for the Democratic candidate and rejecting the extremism, the outrageous behavior of this administration and their effort to harm everyday Americans.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: As you look at the Wisconsin result, this was something I did not expect to be discussing with you during this hour tonight. We expected this to be a closer race. We expected the call to come much later in the evening. We saw Elon Musk personally go out there. We saw him hand million dollar checks to voters trying to literally buy the election right there in Wisconsin. What does it tell Republican Members of the House of Representatives who were counting on Elon Musk to get them re-elected?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s time for them to walk away from this unelected, unpopular, unhinged and un-American billionaire puppet master. Elon Musk was just rejected decisively by the voters of Wisconsin. He tried to spend his unlimited resources to buy a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin, and it failed spectacularly. The voters rejected Donald Trump. They rejected Elon Musk, and they rejected the rapidly deteriorating Republican brand. We have to continue as Democrats to make it clear to everyday Americans that we are fighting to build an affordable economy and to drive down the high cost of living, while at the same time pushing back against Republican extremism and their efforts to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid and undermine our democracy and the American way of life. Clearly, the American people are with us as it relates to what they are seeing in Washington, D.C., and we’ve now seen this in special elections in January, in February, in March, just recently in Pennsylvania and now, of course, decisively in April in Wisconsin.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I want to ask you about what feels like a related event, especially at this hour, a related event to what voters are saying in these elections tonight. And that is what happened in the United States Senate today. And I worked in the Senate for many years, seven or eight years. And I can say that the Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, never once set foot in the Senate chamber when I was there. All House Members, of course, as we know, have Floor privileges in the Senate. They can come in whenever they want to. It was extremely rare to see a House Member there. You were there today. Why did you decide to go there today? And what did it feel like to witness what turned out to be the history that Senator Cory Booker made in the Senate chamber today?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It was a very powerful experience. I had the opportunity to visit the Senate chamber twice, initially earlier in the day, just to express my support and solidarity for Cory, who I’ve known a long time, we got started in politics around the same period of time, him in Newark, New Jersey, and myself across the river in Brooklyn, New York. We were in law school around the same time. And I’ve long admired him. But today was really Senator Cory Booker taking it to the next level on behalf of the American people. And indeed, I would argue, Lawrence, the free world. And so it was powerful to be on the Senate Floor with him earlier today. But then when it became clear that he had a chance to break Strom Thurmond’s record, I decided to change my schedule so I could be back on the Senate Floor to witness that history. Because here you have this incredible juxtaposition of Strom Thurmond having previously delivered the longest speech in Senate history in defense of Jim Crow and racial oppression, and Cory Booker, an African American man, defending democracy and the American way of life in the face of Trump’s extremism. Breaking that record was just powerful to witness. And, you know, Senator Booker’s speech was strong. It was substantive. But perhaps what was most touching about it was that it was soulful. It was authentic. It came from his heart. Of course, the brilliance of his mind. But it came from his heart.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Yeah. It was the most fully authentic Cory Booker that I’ve ever seen. And I think there’s something about that 25 hours that wears as a person down and he was standing out there with no defenses that you might bring to other sort of public speaking events. And it was really an astonishing thing to watch. One of the things he was concentrating on, and one of the things that he was getting and all the emails that are being sent to him from around the country, was fear of what Elon Musk and Donald Trump are going to do to Social Security, and that is a fear that is as powerful as a voter could have in terms of an attachment to an important public program, the most popular public program in American governing history. I gotta think, even when you get to judicial elections in Wisconsin, if people are afraid of what’s going to happen to Social Security. They’re not going to be voting for the side that’s trying to knock it down.
LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely correct. And this is an area where there’s a clear distinction between what Democrats are all about and Republicans. We want to protect and strengthen Social Security. It’s an earned benefit. The American people have paid into Social Security throughout their entire working life. And the nerve of these Republicans, led by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who want to take a chainsaw to Social Security, the most important anti-poverty program for older Americans ever invented, which also happens to be this earned benefit. And why they want to decimate Social Security? Because they want to actually give massive tax cuts to their billionaire donors, people like Elon Musk. And so I thought what Senator Booker did today was incredibly powerful in speaking to this issue. And as you know, Lawrence, in the House, we had a Democratic-led hearing on Social Security, the threats that it is under and our commitment as Democrats to protect it.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: And you did—I watched some of that hearing. And you did something at that hearing—I know you were present at the hearing—that Republicans would never do. You actually listened to Social Security recipients and people whose lives could not work without their Social Security check. There was a woman who testified. I saw her testifying that her Social Security check is $1,500 a month, $1,500 a month. And without that, she would be homeless and the stakes identified by the actual beneficiaries in that hearing were as clear and as powerful as you could ask for.
LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely right. It’s one thing to say, and it is in fact true that there are a little over 70 million people who rely on Social Security as a major source of income, half of whom live by themselves here in the United States of America. But when you actually hear from people whose very life will be impacted and short-changed, possibly just cut short, in terms of their ability to live with the dignity and respect that every American deserves is very powerful. Republicans have no interest in these Americans telling their stories, which is why, as House Democrats, we will continue week after week to hold hearings. This is the third in a series of hearings that we’ve held. Initially it was on Medicaid. Last week we had a hearing on nutritional assistance and the fact that Republicans are literally trying to rip food out of the mouths of babies and children in this country. Today, Social Security and we’re going to continue to stay on this case.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I mean, on the subject of Social Security. I would have to think that it was a factor in the results we’re seeing in those congressional races, those House races in Florida tonight.
LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s no doubt about it. You know, Elon Musk was also very involved in these Florida races. And notwithstanding the fact that these are safe Republican districts, the results that we have seen can be interpreted, we believe, as a rejection of him and his extremism as well. This is somebody who has said he wants to take a chainsaw to Social Security, and he’s called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. It’s not a Ponzi scheme, Elon. He’s a living, breathing Ponzi scheme. Project 2025 is a Ponzi scheme. And that’s what the voters clearly believe increasingly all across the country. One point, Lawrence, that should have my Republican colleagues quaking in their boots—in the Florida-6 race, which was a Trump plus 30 district where margin was cut in half and we’ll see where it ultimately lands. But we know at minimum, it was cut in half to around 15 or 16 points. There are 60 Republicans in the House of Representatives who currently represent districts where Trump did worse than 15 or 16 points, and every single one of those districts, there’s now a target on the backs of those House Republicans.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for joining us on this important night, I really appreciate it.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Washington, DC – Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press availability with Senate Democratic Leader Schumer and House and Senate Democratic leaders where they made clear that Democrats are united in pushing back against the reckless Republican tax scheme.
Leader Jeffries: We just completed a very good meeting between House Democratic leadership and Senate Democratic leadership. We are standing together in defense of the American people. House Democrats and Senate Democrats are fighting hard to build an affordable economy that works for everyday Americans and drives down the high cost of living in this country. At the same period of time, Donald Trump and House Republicans promised to lower the high cost of living. But costs aren’t going down, they are going up. Inflation is going up under the Republicans here in the Congress and the Trump administration, while at the same time the stock market is collapsing, eroding the retirement security of the American people.
Democrats are focused on driving down the high cost of living. Republicans are crashing the economy in real time and driving us toward a recession. House and Senate Democrats are united in defending Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits and nutritional assistance for our children and our families, while Republicans are trying to take these things away, stealing taxpayer dollars so they can jam a massive tax break for Elon Musk and their billionaire donors down the throats of the American people. We are standing together in opposition to the GOP tax scam and in defense of the American people.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that House Democrats will continue to push back against far-right extremism, including Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs which will increase costs on the American people.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning everyone. From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are fighting hard to build an affordable economy that drives down the high cost of living for everyday Americans because the cost of living in America is too high. Housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, childcare costs are too high, utility costs are too high and insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. Donald Trump and House Republicans aren’t doing anything about the affordability crisis in the United States of America.
We were told that grocery costs were going to go down on day one of the Trump presidency. Costs aren’t going down in America, they’re going up. And the Trump tariffs are going to make things more costly in the United States of America. House Republicans, Senate Republicans and Donald Trump haven’t done a single thing to lower the cost of living in this country. Not a single bill. Not a single executive order. Not a single administrative action has been done by Donald Trump, House Republicans or Senate Republicans to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. In fact, Republicans are crashing the American economy in real time and driving us to a recession. This is not Liberation Day. It’s Recession Day in the United States of America. That’s what the Trump tariffs are going to do—crash the economy, which has been happening since January 20 of this year. And the American people are taking note of it in community after community after the community.
But it gets worse. Not only have Republicans failed to do anything to drive down the high cost of living in the United States of America, they are trying to take healthcare away from the American people and end Social Security as we know it. Our response to that Republican effort: not on our watch. We’re working hard to save Medicaid and strengthen and protect Social Security from Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the extreme MAGA Republicans who are on the run. They’re on the run on the economy. They’re on the run legislatively. Yesterday, they got out of town before sundown cause they have no agenda to make life better for the American people. And they’re on the run politically, which as Democrats we’ve been saying since January and now apparently other people are starting to catch up.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Dingell Condemns Trump Attack on Federal Workers’ Right to Collective Bargaining
Washington, March 28, 2025
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus, today released the following statement condemning Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending the collective bargaining rights of hundreds of thousands of federal employees.
“This is a blatant attack on workers’ rights and organized labor everywhere. Federal employees work as firefighters, nurses, doctors, law enforcement and public safety officials and more, and this president clearly does not care about their service. This administration cannot intimidate us into giving up the protections so many have fought for decades to secure. We will stand in solidarity and fight against every effort to roll back workers’ rights.”
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
April 02, 2025
Ranking Members of Senate Finance, Banking, and Aging committees say a new report is needed for “a stronger understanding of why assisted living facilities were so rarely held accountable for neglecting the safety of their residents”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today demanded a new investigation into the quality of care provided at assisted living facilities to establish whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and state Medicaid agencies have improved their ability to protect hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities in assisted living facilities that participate in Medicaid.
“A new GAO report could provide legislators and the American public with a stronger understanding of why assisted living facilities were so rarely held accountable for neglecting the safety of their residents,” the senators wrote the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
In 2018, GAO reported on this issue, revealing that the majority of state Medicaid agencies did not track serious health and safety issues at assisted living facilities participating in Medicaid. The report also found state agencies defined critical incidents in different ways, limiting the collection of information. GAO concluded that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may be unaware of widespread problems affecting Medicaid beneficiaries at assisted living facilities due to a lack of clear federal guidance on reporting issues.
Since this initial report, The Washington Post revealed that since 2018, thousands of assisted living residents have “wandered away…or been left unattended for hours outside,” leading to nearly 100 documented deaths and even more residents unaccounted for as a result of “failures by administrators and front-line caregivers” to prevent these incidents.
“Given GAO’s previous findings on the need for improved oversight of assisted living facilities, and new findings about residents’ health and safety, we request that GAO provide an update on this issue,” concluded the senators.
The lawmakers asked for details into the GAO’s investigation, highlighting how oversight of the facilities has changed since the 2018 report, what deficiencies and critical incidents have been identified at the facilities in recent years, how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is implementing the updated monitoring and reporting requirements for state Medicaid programs, and what additional oversight in these facilities is necessary.
Wyden is the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. Warren is the Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee. Gillibrand is the Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee.
Full text of the letter is here.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement after the White House announced sweeping new tariffs, and the Senate voted on a resolution dissolving the national emergency at the northern border imposing tariffs placed on Canada in February. The bill passed the Senate in a 51-48 vote:
“Today, the White House announced sweeping new tariffs that will upend our economy, increase the cost of consumer goods, and isolate the United States on the global stage. The announcement comes on the same day as the Senate voted in a bipartisan manner to undo a demonstrably false national emergency on the northern border which the President used to impose tariffs on our northern neighbor.
“Canada is not only our neighbor, but it is also our ally and strategic economic partner. As Maine people, we have family, friends and business associates across the border that we work and socialize with in our daily lives.
“The partnership between our two nations supports countless industries, creates millions of jobs and helps ensure our shared economic successes. In fact, annually, Maine exports more than $1.8 billion in goods to Canada and provides $233 million in services to our close neighbors. That is a significant part of our state’s economy.
“The Senate vote today underlines the lack of any basis for asserting a national emergency on our northern border. The claim that these tariffs are a retaliation against drug trafficking doesn’t pass the straight face test – fentanyl seizures at the United States-Canada border make up a tenth of a percent of Customs and Border Protection seizures of this dangerous drug. To make things worse, a tariff hike based on a false narrative would have drastic costs for American households, especially those closest to the border. Launching a trade war with Canada will harm Maine families and many key industries our state relies upon like the lobster fishery and agriculture.
“As co-chair of the bicameral, bipartisan American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, I will always vote to protect our economy and partnership with Canada. But I’m also committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect Maine people and Americans from harmful policies that threaten existing relationships with our strongest allies.”
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement in response to President Trump imposing 10 percent tariffs on all imported goods, with far higher taxes on many more countries:
“President Trump’s extreme, sweeping tariffs amount to a national sales tax—which may be the largest tax increase during peacetime in U.S. history—that will indeed punish Granite State families, consumers and small businesses the most. Instead of focusing on how to lower costs for families who are struggling to make ends meet, the President is insistent on starting an unnecessary trade war.
“Make no mistake: hardworking Americans—not foreign nations—will be forced to pick up the tab. And in the President’s own words, he ‘couldn’t care less’ if prices go up.
“If the impact here at home wasn’t enough, the President’s reckless tariffs will harm our global standing – weakening our national security and fueling China’s growth. To punish families with higher prices while driving our trading partners towards one of our top adversaries is simply putting America Last.
“Families will foot the bill so that the administration can pay for tax cuts for billionaires. The President must immediately reverse course before he isolates America further and runs our economy into the ground.”
Economists and business leaders alike have said broad tariffs could stoke further inflation, worsen the risk of a recession and raise prices on consumers.
In recent weeks, Senator Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to hear from multiple small business owners—including C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple and American Calan Inc.—about how President Trump’s threat of sweeping tariffs has already harmed their ability to maintain current operations, let alone grow and compete.
Last month, Shaheen invited Rebecca Hamilton, the co-owner and co-CEO of Badger in Gilsum, New Hampshire, to be her guest for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. Badger is one of many New Hampshire small businesses that will be badly hit by today’s tariffs. A day prior, Shaheen took to the Senate floor to call for unanimous consent to pass her legislation—the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act. If Republicans had not blocked passage, Shaheen’s bill would have shielded American consumers and businesses from rising prices and higher taxes caused by President Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the widespread tariffs announced by Donald Trump today:
“These tariffs are nothing more than an enormous tax hike on American consumers, who will soon be left footing the bill as they pay more for groceries, electronics, clothes, and cars. Tariffs should be targeted wisely, not applied to practically all goods in a way that eliminates jobs, alienates our closest partners, and evaporates the retirement savings of hardworking Americans. I look forward to a vote tonight on our Senate resolution to remove misguided tariffs against Canada and take a strong first step towards reasserting Congressional authority over trade policy.”