Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today voted against congressional Republicans’ Continuing Resolution (CR), which would give the Trump Administration authority to strip funding without oversight by Congress and cut billions from previously bipartisan programs and initiatives. Senator Welch released the following expanded statement on the CR:
“Instead of funding the government, this bill makes drastic cuts to critical programs Vermonters rely on and gives unprecedented power to President Trump and Elon Musk to continue their reckless, illegal rampage. I could not vote for a bill that makes radical cuts—totaling billions of dollars—to funding for law enforcement, infrastructure re-development, disaster response and mitigation, cancer research, and more. I could not vote for a bill that gives a blank check to President Trump to inflict more punitive tariffs on American businesses, farmers, and families. I could not vote for a bill that allows Trump and Musk to cut federal funding at their whim and defund programs entirely without congressional approval or oversight,” said Senator Welch.
“It’s wrong for congressional Republicans to jeopardize Vermonters’ health, safety, and financial wellbeing so they can play games with the budget process. Republicans walked away from bipartisan negotiations on a budget because President Trump told them to. They are, yet again, ceding Congress’s constitutional authority to Donald Trump and hurting Americans in the process,” concluded Welch.
The Republicans’ CR makes drastic cuts to funding, and would result in fewer jobs, higher prices, and more chaos:
The bill cuts more than $247 million from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, which funds community safety and policing grants to local, state, and tribal governments.
The bill cuts congressionally directed medical research programs at the Department of Defense by more than half, totaling $859 million.
The bill gives an $8 million blank check to the Trump Administration to use for mass deportations.
The bill underfunds rental assistance by $500 million, which could result in fewer housing vouchers for Vermonters who need safe, affordable housing.
The bill only provides an additional $2.2 billion for FEMA’s disaster recovery, at a time when FEMA is estimated to require an additional $17 billion, in addition to the current funding levels, to respond to future natural disasters.
The bill will cut $1.4 billion in funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, eliminating all funds from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which Congress passed in 2021. This could put flood recovery projects supported by the Army Corps in Vermont at risk.
The bill will cut the budget of the Federal Public Defender program, which would prevent them from filling vacant positions and require delayed payments to private panel attorneys.
The bill will cut $280 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), opening a pathway for Secretary Kennedy to remove spending from:
Infectious diseases
Alzheimer’s
Lyme Disease
The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program
Maternal Health Innovation Program
Nurse Faculty Loan Repayment Program
Cancer Prevention Programs
Medication assisted treatment programs
First Responders grants
Child Abuse Prevention Program
Runaway and Homeless Youth Program; and
Elder Abuse Prevention and Adult Protective Services
The bill will cut $1.2 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and related agencies, and potentially strip funding from health care efforts including:
Homelessness prevention programs
Rural health
Suicide prevention
The bill will cut more than $1 billion from Washington D.C.’s budget, impacting education, law enforcement, housing and more.
Senator Welch announced he would vote against the bill on Wednesday.
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on his “NO” vote against the HALT Fentanyl Act.
“As a pastor, I’ve sat with families as they’ve struggled with the anguish of a loved one suffering from addiction. I’ve seen how that anguish is even worse when that loved one is swept up in the legal system and denied the treatment they desperately need.
“I’ve fought for aggressive action to combat the fentanyl crisis including pushing for detection efforts to prevent fentanyl from entering our country in the first place. However, I’m voting “NO” on this legislation because we cannot jail our way out of this crisis.
“To me, this legislation repeats the mistakes of the failed War on Drugs, which turned the United States into the mass incarceration capital of the world without addressing the underlying causes of addiction or getting drugs out of our communities. The U.S. prison population increased from under 250,000 in 1975 to 1.3 million today, and nearly 2 million people after you include jails. I’ve pastored for decades in communities hollowed out by the War on Drugs; my “NO” vote today is informed by my years of counseling children who have an incarcerated parent and serving communities that will never fully recover.
“I’m deeply committed to fighting the opioid epidemic but an incarceration-only approach will only cause more harm. We must invest in law enforcement, healthcare, and treatment to truly grapple with the root causes of this crisis. I cannot vote for ineffective and harmful policy.”
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Senator Reverend Warnock Unveils Legislative Package to Address Housing Affordability and Availability Crisis
The transformative housing package addresses rising rental costs and downpayment fees, private equity’s domination of Atlanta’s housing market, and the overall lack of available housing units
This week, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, the Rent Relief Act, and the Stop Predatory Investing Act
Senator Reverend Warnock also introduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, legislation that would build nearly three million new housing units
During aWednesday Senate Banking Hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted his newly introduced housing legislation and how Georgians and Americans would benefit from the legislative package
Senator Reverend Warnock, a longtime advocate of affordable housing, has tirelessly fought to broaden the path to homeownership for hardworking Americans
Senator Reverend Warnock during the hearing: “These are important bills that address the affordability issue and the accessibility issue around housing”
Watch Senator Reverend Warnock at Wednesday’s Senate Banking Committee hearingHERE
Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced a comprehensive legislative package of housing bills to address the ongoing housing affordability and availability crisis in the United States.
The Downpayment Toward Equity Act, the Rent Relief Act, the Stop Predatory Investing Act, and the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which Senator Warnock co-led with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), are a direct response to what Senator Warnock has heard from constituents about their inability to afford a home, and a solution to the housing crisis that millions more Americans are facing across the country.
“We have a housing affordability and availability crisis in this country and I’m especially concerned about young Americans and their ability to pay rent or buy their first home,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during a Senate Banking Committee hearing. “Last year, we actually saw the largest increase in rental costs in a decade, while the share of first-time homebuyers reached an all-time low. Tough pickings whether you’re a renter, or looking to buy. Georgia has the lowest homeownership rate in the entire Southeast.”
The bills introduced in the package address each of the largest hurdles for most young people trying to buy their first home.
The Rent Relief Act would provide much needed relief to low- and middle-class Americans by subsidizing a percentage of their rents that exceed cost burden thresholds (more than 30% of their income). It would address the rising rental costs seen around the country, allowing people to save more income that could be put toward realizing the dream of homeownership.
The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would provide funds toward downpayment and other financial assistance for first-generation homebuyers to purchase their first home, helping alleviate what is considered the chief obstacle for young people in trying to buy their first home.
“Ms. Willis, what are the consequences of high rental costs and lack of affordable housing on upward mobility on the broader economy?” Senator Warnock asked Renee M. Willis, who was an expert witness for Wednesday’s Banking Committee hearing.
“I think on an individual level when people with low incomes can’t afford housing, they’re forced to make impossible trade-offs. So, we’re talking about trade-offs between paying rent and buying groceries, or medications, or investing in their children’s education,” responded Renee M. Willis, Interim President & CEO of National Low Income Housing Coalition. “But more broadly, I’d say that researchers have found housing constraints have lowered GDP growth.”
“For first-time home buyers, what do they cite most often as the biggest barriers?” Senator Warnock asked.
“Two words. Downpayment costs,” responded Willis.
The Stop Predatory Investing Act, previously led by another champion of housing, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), would remove tax advantages enjoyed by private equity investors to disincentivize ownership of more than 50 single-family rental properties.
These bills together, coupled with Senators Warnock and Warren’s American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would invest in building nearly three million new housing units, would address some of the most longstanding issues in the American housing market today.
“These are important bills that address the affordability issue and the accessibility issue around housing,” said Senator Warnock at the hearing.
During the hearing, Senator Warnock also questioned Dr. Edward Glaeser, a Professor of Economics at Harvard University, about the impact of the housing crisis on the American GDP.
“Are you concerned about what you are seeing in the economic data about young Americans and homeownership?” Senator Warnock asked.
“Senator, I certainly am,” said Dr. Edward Glaeser. “[One of my concerns] is a transfer of housing wealth, from the young to the old.
“Massive transfers of wealth, and the inability to pass wealth from one generation to the next, it’s moving in the wrong direction, which has implications for all of us regardless of our generation,” continued Senator Warnock.
Since coming to the Senate, Senator Warnock has worked to increase affordable housing and illuminate a path to homeownership, a cornerstone of the American Dream. As one of twelve brothers and sisters growing up in public housing in Savannah, Senator Warnock deeply understands the importance of having a place to call home and homeownership. In the past few years, Senator Warnock voted for government funding legislation that increased America’s housing supply, strengthened housing affordability, and addressed the homelessness crisis, including by: increasing the supply of affordable housing nationwide with funding to build 10,000 new rental and homebuyer units; extending funding for the Yes In My Backyard (“YIMBY”) grant program to support efforts to increase our nation’s housing supply and lower housing costs through state and local zoning changes; and delivering $275 million in new funding for Homeless Assistance Grants to help address homelessness in communities across the country and providing new resources to better connect people experiencing homelessness with health care services. Senator Warnock has also secured nearly $80 million in housing investments to provide affordable housing options for Georgians at all income levels and repair hazardous housing conditions in low-income housing units.
“The predatory practices of institutional investors who buy out single-family homes is a rapidly developing issue in affordable housing policy, and one that must be addressed head-on to protect the rights of tenants and help preserve the nation’s supply of affordable housing,” said NLIHC Interim President and CEO Renee Willis. “I applaud Senator Warnock for his leadership in introducing the ‘Stop Predatory Investing Act’, which will help ensure investors do not buy up available properties only to raise rents and displace tenants.”
In addition to Senator Warnock, the Downpayment Toward Equity Act is cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act is cosponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Andy Kim (D-NJ), the Stop Predatory Investing Act is co-led by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and cosponsored by Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Watch video of Senator Reverend Warnock’s questioning at Wednesday’s Senate Banking Committee hearingHERE.
Read the legislative package summaryHERE.
Bill text for the Downpayment Toward Equity Act can be foundHERE.
Bill text for the Stop Predatory Investing Act can be foundHERE.
Bill text for the Rent Relief Act can be foundHERE.
Bill text for the American Housing Economic Mobility Act can be foundHERE.
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Puts Dr. Oz on Record Supporting Medicaid Access for Georgians Caught in Health Care Gap During Nomination Hearing to Oversee Medicare and Medicaid
At Friday’s Senate Finance committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Dr. Oz, President Trump’s nominee to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Senator Reverend Warnock put Dr. Oz on record as supporting Medicaid access for Georgians caught in the health care gap as the state readies to apply for an extension
The state’s renewal application comes at a moment when the Trump Administration and Hill Republicans are threatening major slashes in funding for health care programs that largely support low-income families and children
Senator Reverend Warnock: “You’ll never get any pushback from me about the value of a work ethic and the purpose that work provides, which is why I think people ought to have health care so they can get back to work. Very often they can’t get back to work in Georgia because they can’t get the health care”
Watch Senator Reverend Warnock at Friday’s CMS nominee hearing HERE
Washington, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Finance committee hearing on the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) put Dr. Oz on the record as supporting Medicaid access for Georgians caught in the health care gap. As CMS Administrator, Dr. Oz will be responsible for approving the Georgia Pathways waiver, which is due to be extended.
“You’ll never get any pushback from me about the value of a work ethic and the purpose that work provides, which is why I think people ought to have health care so they can get back to work. Very often they can’t get back to work in Georgia because they can’t get the health care,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“Let me give you an example. There is a woman in Dalton, Georgia that I got to know a while ago, her name is Heather Payne. […] She was among those folks who were in the gap. She couldn’t afford private insurance, but she wasn’t poor enough to get conventional Medicaid. So her health challenges and the unpredictable nature of her work as a traveling nurse made it impossible for her to meet George’s onerous work verification requirements to get Medicaid. She found out she had had a series of strokes. She had to save the money to see a neurologist, and then she found out she’d had a series of strokes. Took a long time to be able to afford to go and now she’s in the gap, and she can’t meet Georgia’s onerous work requirements. Do you think Heather Payne, a traveling nurse who spent her career providing health care to others, do you think she deserves Medicaid or not?”
Dr. Oz replied, “Yes.”
“I agree with you. And since we agree, I think that the Medicaid waiver that you will be responsible for reviewing, in fact, I know it, it says that Heather does not deserve Medicaid,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
The state has already started the process of applying for an extension and comes at a moment when the Trump Administration and Hill Republicans are threatening major slashes in funding for health care programs that largely support low-income families and children.
“Georgia’s Pathways to coverage is a roadblock to care. They’ve gotten, I don’t know, 6,000 people, I think the last time I checked. And we got over 500,000 people in the gap. So I’m gonna give you a softball if you are confirmed, will you work with me and will you keep Amanda and Heather in mind as you consider whether or not to renew Georgia’s waiver–which I think is filled with unnecessary and onerous work requirements, paperwork, filling out paperwork every single month–will you keep these two people in mind?”Senator Reverend Warnock asked.
“Heather and Amanda should be in all of our minds and many others like them. I look forward to working with you,”Dr. Oz replied.
If confirmed, Oz would take over the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which provides health coverage to more than 100 million people through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace, and manages a budget of $1.5 trillion.About a quarter of all federal spending runs through CMS, and Oz would take over the institution at a moment when Washington Republicans are threatening major slashes in funding for health care.
Watch the Senator’s full remarks HERE.
See below a transcript of key exchanges between Senator Warnock and CMS nominee Mehmet Oz (remarks have been lightly edited for clarity):
Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “My home state of Georgia is not only one of only ten states in the country that has still not expanded Medicaid, it also has the dubious distinction of being the only state in the country where the limited number of families who do qualify for Medicaid are required to regularly complete bureaucratic paperwork to prove they’re still working the minimum number of hours to get health care. State officials call it ‘Georgia Pathways to Coverage’. I call it ‘Georgia Pathways to Nowhere.’ The program is allowed under the state’s Medicaid waiver, which is up for renewal this year. And if confirmed as head of CMS, you would be responsible for approving or denying the state’s application to renew these onerous paperwork requirements. Dr. Oz, I’m not going to ask you to prejudge the state’s renewal application; that wouldn’t be fair, you need to see it. But since you’d oversee Medicaid if confirmed, yes or no, do you believe families should have to complete government paperwork every single month to prove they are working just to get health care when they’re sick?”
Mehmet Oz (MO): “I am in favor of work requirements.”
SRW: “Do you think a family should have to fill out paperwork every month just to get health care?”
MO: “I don’t think you need to use paperwork to prove work requirements, and I don’t think that should be used as an obstacle, disingenuous effort to block people from getting on Medicaid. However, I believe we would both probably agree that there’s value in work, and it doesn’t have to be going to a job. It could be getting an education, it should be showing that you want to contribute to society. You could volunteer at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where I did a show with you once, that would, for me, fulfill the requirement.”
SRW: “You’ll never get any pushback from me about the value of a work ethic and the purpose that work provides, which is why I think people ought to have health care so they can get back to work. Very often they can’t get back to work in Georgia because they can’t get the health care. Let me give you an example. There is a woman in Dalton, Georgia that I got to know a while ago, her name is Heather Payne. She’s a traveling nurse. And you know, as a traveling nurse, some jobs were better than others. Sometimes she had health care, sometimes she didn’t. She was among those folks who were in the gap. She couldn’t afford private insurance, but she wasn’t poor enough to get conventional Medicaid. So her health challenges and the unpredictable nature of her work as a traveling nurse made it impossible for her to meet George’s onerous work verification requirements to get Medicaid. She found out she had had a series of strokes. She had to save the money to see a neurologist, and then she found out she’d had a series of strokes. Took a long time to be able to afford to go and now she’s in the gap, and she can’t meet Georgia’s onerous work requirements. Do you think Heather Payne, a traveling nurse who spent her career providing health care to others, do you think she deserves Medicaid or not?”
MO: “Yes.”
SRW: “Thank you. I agree with you. And since we agree, I think that the Medicaid waiver that you will be responsible for reviewing, in fact, I know it, it says that Heather does not deserve Medicaid.”
[…]
SRW: “Let me tell you about another Georgian. Amanda left her two jobs in New York and moved to Warner Robins to become a full-time caregiver for her 84-year-old father, Thomas. Taking care of her father has become a full-time responsibility for Amanda. He’s 84 years old. She’s taking care of him, which means he is not in a nursing home. She’s taken on that responsibility. But with all of this, she does not have time to hold a full-time job that meets the state’s strict work requirements, and she has no income to cover her own health costs should she get sick. Dr. Oz, do you think Amanda deserves Medicaid?”
MO: “From what you are describing, yes. These are the opportunities we have to make the system better. If we both agree that people should be trying to get off Medicaid, if they can, we should be able to create a system where we can track that, because there’s the twin paradox, which I think we touched on in the office. Two brothers are at home, one’s working every day, flipping burgers, making minimum wage. Maybe he’s cobbling together 16, $17,000, puts them right above the poverty level. And the other brother doesn’t bother working because he’ll have the exact same coverage if he doesn’t work. We want to make both of them want to move up the ladder, like every small businessman. What’s their goal? To become a big businessman.”
SRW: “You and I have the basis for meaningful conversation. Georgia’s Pathways to coverage is a roadblock to care. They’ve gotten, I don’t know, 6,000 people, I think the last time I checked. And we got over 500,000 people in the gap. So I’m gonna give you a softball if you are confirmed, will you work with me and will you keep Amanda and Heather in mind as you consider whether or not to renew Georgia’s waiver–which I think is filled with unnecessary and onerous work requirements, paperwork, filling out paperwork every single month–will you keep these two people in mind?”
MO: “Heather and Amanda should be in all of our minds and many others like them. I look forward to working with you.”
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WATCH: Senator Padilla on his vote against partisan funding bill
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) issued the following statement ahead of his vote against cloture and final passage of Republicans’ partisan bill to fund the government through September:
“Republicans are trying to jam through a strictly partisan bill that would cut critical services that so many families rely on, while empowering Donald Trump and Elon Musk in their efforts to keep dismantling the federal government. To make matters worse, this measure completely leaves out disaster aid that’s so necessary for Southern California to rebuild after the fires. For me, that’s an absolute non-starter.
“I’m going to be a ‘no’ vote, both on cloture and on final passage of this bill, which is nothing but a Republican power grab. I’ll continue to stand up for California and fight against this Trump-Musk billionaire agenda.”
You can watch Senator Padilla speaking out against the bill here.
Footage of his remarks can be downloaded here.
Earlier this week, Senator Padilla blasted the continuing resolution when it narrowly passed the House of Representatives, emphasizing that it did not include the disaster relief funding California needs. Padilla has fought relentlessly to secure and protect Southern Californians’ access to desperately needed disaster relief aid. In the immediate aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, Padilla and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led 47 bipartisan members of the California Congressional delegation in successfully urging President Biden to grant Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a major disaster declaration to expedite timely relief to Los Angeles County residents impacted by these disasters. Last week, Padilla, Schiff, and Representatives Ken Calvert (R-Calif.-41) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18) led the entire bipartisan California Congressional delegation in urging Senior Congressional leadership to provide additional disaster relief funding and resources to help Los Angeles County communities rebuild.
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
March 14, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) issued the following statement after voting for a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government through the end of the Fiscal Year.
“This Continuing Resolution prevents a costly government shutdown. It enables President Trump and DOGE to continue identifying wasteful spending. It also gives Congress time to return to a more regular appropriations process.”
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
March 14, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) praised Senate passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which will permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I under the Controlled Services Act. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. Ricketts said the following:
“Americans elected President Trump and Senate Republicans to secure the border and stop the flow of fentanyl. This bipartisan bill will permanently classify fentanyl and its analogues as Schedule I substances. It will lead to harsher sentences for fentanyl traffickers. This bill shows we are keeping our promises.”
Ricketts is a co-sponsor of the legislation.
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, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Background. Global law firms have for years played an outsized role in undermining the judicial process and in the destruction of bedrock American principles. Many have engaged in activities that make our communities less safe, increase burdens on local businesses, limit constitutional freedoms, and degrade the quality of American elections. Additionally, they have sometimes done so on behalf of clients, pro bono, or ostensibly “for the public good” — potentially depriving those who cannot otherwise afford the benefit of top legal talent the access to justice deserved by all. My Administration will no longer support taxpayer funds sponsoring such harm. My Administration has already taken action to address some of the significant risks and egregious conduct associated with law firms, and I have determined that similar action is necessary to end Government sponsorship of harmful activity by an additional law firm: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Paul Weiss). In 2021, a Paul Weiss partner and former leading prosecutor in the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought a pro bono suit against individuals alleged to have participated in the events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, on behalf of the District of Columbia Attorney General.In 2022, Paul Weiss hired unethical attorney Mark Pomerantz, who had previously left Paul Weiss to join the Manhattan District Attorney’s office solely to manufacture a prosecution against me and who, according to his co-workers, unethically led witnesses in ways designed to implicate me. After being unable to convince even Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg that a fraud case was feasible, Pomerantz engaged in a media campaign to gin up support for this unwarranted prosecution.Additionally, Paul Weiss discriminates against its own employees on the basis of race and other categories prohibited by civil rights laws. Paul Weiss, along with nearly every other large, influential, or industry leading law firm, makes decisions around “targets” based on race and sex. My Administration is committed to ending such unlawful discrimination perpetrated in the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies and ensuring that Federal benefits support the laws and policies of the United States, including those laws and policies promoting our national security and respecting the democratic process. Those who engage in blatant discrimination and other activities inconsistent with the interests of the United States should not have access to our Nation’s secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds.
Sec. 2. Security Clearance Review. (a) The Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take steps consistent with applicable law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at Paul Weiss and Mark Pomerantz, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.(b) The Office of Management and Budget shall identify all Government goods, property, material, and services, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, provided for the benefit of Paul Weiss. The heads of all agencies providing such material or services shall, to the extent permitted by law, expeditiously cease such provision.
Sec. 3. Contracting. (a) To prevent the transfer of taxpayer dollars to Federal contractors whose earnings subsidize, among other things, activities that are not aligned with American interests, including racial discrimination, Government contracting agencies shall, to the extent permissible by law, require Government contractors to disclose any business they do with Paul Weiss and whether that business is related to the subject of the Government contract.(b) The heads of all agencies shall review all contracts with Paul Weiss or with entities that disclose doing business with Paul Weiss under subsection (a) of this section. To the extent permitted by law, the heads of agencies shall:(i) take appropriate steps to terminate any contract, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation, for which Paul Weiss has been hired to perform any service;(ii) otherwise align their agency funding decisions with the interests of the citizens of the United States; with the goals and priorities of my Administration as expressed in executive actions, especially Executive Order 14147 of January 20, 2025 (Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government); and as heads of agencies deem appropriate. Within 30 days of the date of this order, all agencies shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget an assessment of contracts with Paul Weiss or with entities that do business with Paul Weiss effective as of the date of this order and any actions taken with respect to those contracts in accordance with this order.
Sec. 4. Racial Discrimination. Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit the action authorized by section 4 of Executive Order 14230 of March 6, 2025 (Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP).
Sec. 5. Personnel. (a) The heads of all agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide guidance limiting official access from Federal Government buildings to employees of Paul Weiss when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States. In addition, the heads of all agencies shall provide guidance limiting Government employees acting in their official capacity from engaging with Paul Weiss employees to ensure consistency with the national security and other interests of the United States. (b) Agency officials shall, to the extent permitted by law, refrain from hiring employees of Paul Weiss, absent a waiver from the head of the agency, made in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, that such hire will not threaten the national security of the United States.
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 or 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, March 14, 2025.
Source: The White House
ELIMINATING WASTE AND REDUCING GOVERNMENT OVERREACH: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order continuing the reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.
This Executive Order eliminates non-statutory functions and reduces statutory functions of unnecessary governmental entities to what is required by law.
Affected entities include the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, United States Agency for Global Media, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Institute of Museum and Library Services, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, Minority Business Development Agency, and Arctic Research Commission.
This action builds on an Executive Order President Trump previously signed to reduce unnecessary governmental entities and Federal advisory committees.
REDUCING GOVERNMENT OVERREACH: With this Executive Order, President Trump is further decreasing the size of the Federal Government to enhance accountability, reduce waste, and promote innovation.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already identified billions in waste, fraud, and abuse.
Cutting these governmental entities will save taxpayer dollars, reduce unnecessary government spending, and streamline government priorities.
By reducing the Federal footprint, President Trump is returning power to local communities and state governments.
REFORMING THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY: The American people elected President Trump to drain the swamp and end ineffective government programs that empower government without achieving measurable results.
The government wastes billions of dollars each year on duplicative programs and frivolous expenditures that fail to align with American values or address the needs of the American people.
President Trump eliminated the Federal Executive Institute, a government program purportedly designed to provide bureaucratic leadership training.
President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the Federal Government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
Through these actions, President Trump is keeping his promise to restore
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, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. This order continues the reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary.
Sec. 2. Reducing the Scope of the Federal Bureaucracy.(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law:(i) the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service;(ii) the United States Agency for Global Media;(iii) the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution;(iv) the Institute of Museum and Library Services;(v) the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness;(vi) the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund; and(vii) the Minority Business Development Agency.(b) Within 7 days of the date of this order, the head of each governmental entity listed in subsection (a) of this section shall submit a report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget confirming full compliance with this order and explaining which components or functions of the governmental entity, if any, are statutorily required and to what extent.(c) In reviewing budget requests submitted by the governmental entities listed in subsection (a) of this section, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget or the head of any executive department or agency charged with reviewing grant requests by such entities shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law and except insofar as necessary to effectuate an expected termination, reject funding requests for such governmental entities to the extent they are inconsistent with this order.
Sec. 3. 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.
THE WHITE HOUSE,March 14, 2025.
Source: The White House
SUSPENDING SECURITY CLEARENCES TO PROTECT THE NATIONAL INTEREST: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to suspend security clearances held by individuals at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Paul Weiss) pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.
Security clearances held by Paul Weiss employees and Mark Pomerantz will be immediately suspended, pending a review of whether their access to sensitive information is consistent with the national interest.
The Federal Government will halt all material and services, including sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) access provided to Paul Weiss and restrict its employees’ access to government buildings.
Federal Agencies will also refrain from hiring Paul Weiss employees unless specifically authorized.
To ensure taxpayer dollars no longer go to contractors whose earnings subsidize activities not aligned with American interests, the Federal Government will terminate contracts that involve Paul Weiss.
The practices of Paul Weiss will be reviewed under Title VII to ensure compliance with civil rights laws against racial bias.
SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER FUNDS: The Trump Administration will no longer support taxpayer funds from sponsoring activities that make our communities less safe, increase burdens on local businesses, limit constitutional freedoms, and degrade the quality of American elections.
Paul Weiss hired unethical attorney Mark Pomerantz, who had previously left the firm to join the Manhattan District Attorney’s office solely to manufacture a prosecution against President Trump.
According to his coworkers, Pomerantz had unethically led witnesses in ways designed to implicate President Trump.
After being unable to convince Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg that a fraud case was feasible, Pomerantz engaged in a media campaign to gin up support for this unwarranted prosecution.
Paul Weiss has been accused of discriminating against its own employees on the basis of race and other categories prohibited by civil rights laws.
ENDING THE WEAPONIZATION OF GOVERNMENT: President Trump is delivering on his promise to end the weaponization of government and protect the nation from partisan actors who exploit their influence.
President Trump is refocusing government operations to their core mission—serving the citizens of the United States.
President Trump signed an Executive Order to end the weaponization of the Federal Government on his first day in office after promising to “end forever the weaponization of government and the abuse of law enforcement against political opponents.”
President Trump revoked security clearances held by dozens of intelligence officials who falsely claimed in a 2020 letter, during the height of the U.S. presidential election season, that Hunter Biden’s laptop was tantamount to Russian disinformation.
Source: The White House
RESTORING COMMON SENSE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order rescinding a second round of harmful executive actions issued by the prior administration, continuing his efforts to reverse damaging policies and restore effective government.
This Executive Order rescinds 19 executive actions signed by President Biden.
This is in addition to the nearly 80 executive actions President Trump rescinded on Day One.
In just two months, President Trump has rescinded more executive actions than the total number of executive orders President Biden signed in his entire first year.
These rescissions are necessary to end radical ideology, eliminate wasteful regulations, and prioritize the interests of American citizens.
President Trump is committed to continuing the review and repeal of harmful Biden administration policies to usher in a new golden age for America.
REVERSING BIDEN’S FAILED POLICIES: President Trump’s latest action targets some of Biden’s most damaging executive orders and policies, including:
Rescinding Biden’s executive action that elevated radical gender ideology in U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid.
Eliminating Biden’s use of the Defense Production Act to push his Green New Scam, including mandates for electric heat pumps and solar panels.
Terminating proclamations declaring nearly a million acres constitute new national monuments that lock up vast amounts of land from economic development and energy production.
Repealing Biden’s executive order forcing radical labor policies and apprenticeship mandates onto American businesses and government agencies.
Removing Biden’s directive to prioritize union-driven policies that imposed unnecessary regulations on industries.
Revoking Biden executive order that funneled Federal resources into radical biotech and biomanufacturing initiatives under the guise of environmental policy.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DELIVERING ON HIS PROMISES: With today’s Executive Order, President Trump continues delivering on his promise to reverse the disastrous policies of the previous administration and put America back on a path to prosperity, security, and strength.
President Trump: “I can undo almost everything Biden did, he through executive order. And on day one, much of that will be undone.”
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, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. In Executive Order 14148 of January 20, 2025 (Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions), I rescinded 78 Presidential orders and memoranda issued by then-President Biden. I also directed the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs to compile lists of additional orders, memoranda, and proclamations issued by the prior administration that should be rescinded. I have determined that the following additional rescissions are necessary to advance the policy of the United States to restore common sense to the Federal Government and unleash the potential of American citizens.
Sec. 2. Revocation of Orders and Actions. The following executive actions are hereby revoked:(a) Executive Order 13994 of January 21, 2021 (Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats).(b) National Security Memorandum 3 of February 4, 2021 (Revitalizing America’s Foreign Policy and National Security Workforce, Institutions, and Partnerships).(c) Presidential Memorandum of February 4, 2021 (Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons Around the World).(d) Executive Order 14026 of April 27, 2021 (Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors).(e) Presidential Memorandum of March 31, 2022 (Finding of a Severe Energy Supply Interruption).(f) Presidential Determination 2022-13 of May 18, 2022 (Delegating Authority Under the Defense Production Act to Ensure an Adequate Supply of Infant Formula).(g) Presidential Determination 2022-15 of June 6, 2022 (Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, on Solar Photovoltaic Modules and Module Components).(h) Presidential Determination 2022-16 of June 6, 2022 (Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, on Insulation).(i) Presidential Determination 2022-17 of June 6, 2022 (Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, on Electrolyzers, Fuel Cells, and Platinum Group Metals).(j) Presidential Determination 2022-18 of June 6, 2022 (Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, on Electric Heat Pumps).(k) Executive Order 14081 of September 12, 2022 (Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy).(l) Presidential Memorandum of January 17, 2023 (Delegation of Authority Under Section 6501(b)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022).(m) National Security Memorandum 18 of February 23, 2023 (United States Conventional Arms Transfer Policy).(n) Presidential Memorandum of February 27, 2023 (Presidential Waiver of Statutory Requirements Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, on Department of Defense Supply Chains Resilience).(o) Presidential Memorandum of November 16, 2023 (Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally).(p) Executive Order 14112 of December 6, 2023 (Reforming Federal Funding and Support for Tribal Nations to Better Embrace Our Trust Responsibilities and Promote the Next Era of Tribal Self-Determination).(q) Executive Order 14119 of March 6, 2024 (Scaling and Expanding the Use of Registered Apprenticeships in Industries and the Federal Government and Promoting Labor-Management Forums).(r) Executive Order 14126 of September 6, 2024 (Investing in America and Investing in American Workers).
Sec. 3. 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 or 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, March 14, 2025.
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
VIDEO
WASHINGTON — At a hearing this week, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, discussed the need for legislation to bring public land mining into the 21st century and re-shore the critical minerals supply chain.
VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, delivers opening remarks at a hearing on March 12, 2025.
At the hearing, Heinrich underscored how the Mining Law that governs metal mining on most public lands in the West was written more than 150 years ago.
Heinrich stated, “Our hardrock mining law remains stuck in the 19th Century, right when we need to build the energy infrastructure of the 21st Century. Updating the 1872 Mining Law could bring public land mining into the 21st century and provide the minerals we need for the energy technologies of today.”
Additionally, Heinrich pointed out the urgent need to re-shore our nation’s supply chain away from dependence on foreign adversaries by investing in the entire lifecycle of minerals.
“This includes increasing our domestic mineral processing capacity, continuing the onshoring of manufacturing through the CHIPS and Science Act, and investing in recycling technologies so that we can reuse the minerals we already have,” Heinrich said.
Heinrich continued, “The fact that we export copper and rare earth minerals to China in the form of electronic waste is one of the more infuriating realities of our current system. We should be capturing and reusing the minerals present within our borders in devices, vehicles, batteries and machinery rather than paying to ship them overseas.”
Heinrich also emphasized the importance of securing minerals critical for new energy technologies while also protecting our water, air, and public lands.
“I believe it’s possible to open new mines while giving local communities a say in whether a particular location on public land is an appropriate place for a mine, just like we do with oil and gas. And I am confident we can find a way to finally fund the cleanup of legacy mine pollution that contaminates streams and rivers across the West,” Heinrich said.
Heinrich’s full opening remarks are below:
I’m glad we’re holding this hearing today on a set of issues that are critically important to people and communities across the nation, but especially in the West.
However, before turning to the topic of today’s hearing, it’s impossible to talk about any natural resource issue today without talking about the incredible damage being done to the workforce that manages those lands and resources for the American people.
The illegal firings of probationary staff—rumored to be just the beginning of staffing reductions—is already reducing access to public lands, with locked gates and closed visitor centers at parks across the country.
What’s more, as we’re considering legislation intended to increase mineral production on public lands, this administration is cutting staff and the land agencies that process those same permits.
With a voluntary resignation offer that encouraged some of the most experienced, highest performing staff at these agencies to leave public service, along with illegal firings of staff who were recently promoted because of their high performance, this administration is crippling the very public land agencies that evaluate plans for new mines.
Anyone one who was hoping for “government efficiency” out of this administration can see what we’re getting is government dysfunction instead.
Now to today’s hearing.
Modern technologies involve a lot of raw materials—and as our scientists and engineers find new and cheaper ways to generate and store energy, the types and quantities of minerals used in energy technologies will only continue to grow.
Responsible domestic mining and processing can be part of the solution—but we can’t get there with outdated laws that don’t reflect the nation’s needs and priorities today.
The law that governs metal mining on most public lands in the West was written in 1872—more than 150 years ago.
Yellowstone had been a national park for barely two months when the Mining Law was signed, and New Mexico would still be a territory for another 40 years.
We’ve learned a lot since 1872:
How to manage public land for public benefit;
How to conserve habitat for sustainable fish and wildlife populations;
How to protect our drinking and irrigation water from heavy metals pollution; and
How to ensure a fair return for the commercial development of resources that belong to the American people.
And yet our hardrock mining law remains stuck in the 19th Century, right when we need to build the energy infrastructure of the 21st Century.
Updating the 1872 Mining Law could bring public land mining into the 21st century and provide the minerals we need for the energy technologies of today.
But we’re here today to talk about more than mining, because mining alone won’t solve our supply chain dependence on adversaries unless we also invest in the entire lifecycle of minerals.
This includes increasing our domestic mineral processing capacity, continuing the onshoring of manufacturing through the CHIPS and Science Act, and investing in recycling technologies so that we can reuse the minerals we already have.
The fact that we export copper and rare earth minerals to China in the form of electronic waste is one of the more infuriating realities of our current system.
We should be capturing and reusing the minerals present within our borders in devices, vehicles, batteries and machinery rather than paying to ship them overseas.
I firmly believe we can find ways to secure the minerals we need for new energy technologies while also protecting our water, air, and public lands.
I believe it’s possible to open new mines while giving local communities a say in whether a particular location on public land is an appropriate place for a mine, just like we do with oil and gas.
And I am confident we can find a way to finally fund the cleanup of legacy mine pollution that contaminates streams and rivers across the West.
I hope that today’s hearing can be a step toward those goals.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
March 13, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—founding co-chairs of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus—issued the following statement after the Trump Administration moved to close all the environmental justice offices within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and slash over 30 EPA regulations that have helped protect our nation’s public health and the environment for decades:
“The Trump Administration seems determined to undermine protections aimed at helping every American—no matter their zip code—breathe safe air, drink clean water and live, work and play on uncontaminated land. By planning to shut down EPA’s environmental justice offices and throw out decades of proven regulations, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are needlessly endangering the health of millions of Americans—all so they can carve out tax cuts for billionaires and let the biggest polluters poison our environment. It’s a whole new level of cruel.
“Underserved communities in rural, urban and tribal areas already shoulder the brunt of the climate crisis and environmental injustice. These cuts and reversals will make it even harder for these communities to address some of our nation’s toughest challenges, including removing lead pipes, cleaning up dangerous toxins, addressing legacy pollution that has led to higher cancer, asthma and death rates and tackling the climate crisis that threatens our health and collective planetary future. After years of leading the charge to advance environmental justice in the Senate, we’re outraged that Trump and Musk would slash EPA’s workforce and redirect the agency’s mission away from protecting Americans in need.
“With so much at stake, we urge them to immediately reverse course and prioritize public health before billionaires’ wealth. Making it harder for Americans to breathe safe air and drink clean water is not making America great or healthy again.”
As co-chairs and co-founders of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth and Booker have long pushed to strengthen and defend environmental justice efforts across the country. Last month, Duckworth and Booker—along with U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)—urged EPA Administrator Zeldin to reopen the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which Duckworth and Booker led the charge to create.
The Senators also recently helped introduce legislation that would permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in response to Attorney General Bondi’s order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the DOJ.
For years, Duckworth and Booker have led the charge pushing for their A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act—the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in history—which would help achieve health equity and climate justice for all, particularly in underserved communities and communities of color that have long been disproportionately harmed by environmental injustices and toxic pollutants.
Duckworth and Booker both worked to help pass the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA)—the most significant federal investment in water infrastructure in history that includes $15 billion for national lead pipe replacement. DWWIA, which focuses on disadvantaged communities, is helping rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure and enable communities to repair and modernize their failing wastewater systems, with many of the provisions to help low-income communities designed specifically for communities like Chicago, Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis.
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Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON – As part of her mission to unleash small businesses and usher in a Golden Age of American innovation, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) recently unveiled her Investing in National Next-Generation Opportunities for Venture Acceleration and Technological Excellence (INNOVATE) Act to reauthorize and reform the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs that fuel innovation and supply cutting-edge technology to the defense industrial base.
During a hearing last week, Ernst highlighted how the bill will slash red tape to make way for new applicants, scale the best battle-ready technologies for the warfighter, end corporate welfare for SBIR mills, and strengthen protections against China’s attempts to steal taxpayer-funded intellectual property. Since its introduction, the INNOVATE Act has garnered widespread praise.
What They Are Saying about the INNOVATE Act:
Technology Association of Iowa
“Iowa’s tech-driven small businesses play an essential role in advancing innovation, creating high-quality jobs, and driving economic growth across the state,” said Brian Waller, President. “However, many of these companies face significant barriers when seeking federal funding for research and development. Current SBIR-STTR application processes are complex and time-consuming, limiting participation from new and emerging startups that lack the resources to navigate the challenging process. The INNOVATE Act directly addresses these challenges by introducing a streamlined Phase 1A application process, making it easier for first-time applicants to access funding and contribute to the nation’s technological advancement.”
Iowa Economic Development Authority
“I appreciate that the INNOVATE Act makes fundamental changes to encourage more participation, including appropriate standards for the size of participating companies and Phase II awards for entrepreneurs transitioning into the workforce from academia,” said Debi Durham, Director. “Also, the proposal to create Phase 1A awards with a shorter, streamlined application will attract thousands of new small business owners and entrepreneurs, both urban and rural, who may have been discouraged previously by bureaucratic red tape.”
America First Policy Institute
“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a history of abusing government programs that provide startup capital and investment to American small businesses,” said Adam Savit, China Policy Initiative Director. “The Innovate Act reforms this process and would safeguard taxpayer-funded programs at the Small Business Administration (SBA) from exploitation by requiring vetting of international affiliations of business applicants and board members for ties to foreign regimes like the CCP. It adds a uniform evaluation baseline for all agencies participating in these programs. Also, it strengthens the ability to claw back investment money if the agency later discovers adversarial or malign influence. These commonsense reforms meet the rising threat of foreign state actors who only want to wreck our economy. These sensible reforms would protect programs like the SBA’s SBIR, STTR, and others from CCP exploitation if passed.”
New American Industrial Alliance
“The INNOVATE Act ensures that SBIR and STTR will remain critical components of America’s innovation infrastructure,”said Julius Krein, Chair of the Board of Directors. “The reforms and improvements included in this bill will keep these programs focused on advancing the most promising technologies while addressing efficiency concerns and national security risks.”
Foundation for American Innovation
“The INNOVATE Act would improve government efficiency by reforming the SBIR and STTR programs to reduce waste and ensure that more American tax dollars are invested in the most promising technologies to advance American innovation,” said Dan Lips, Senior Fellow. “Importantly, the bill also tightens safeguards in these programs to address fraud and national security risks that government watchdogs have documented.”
Alliance for Commercial Technology in Government
“The Alliance for Commercial Technology in Government is delighted to provide our enthusiastic endorsement of, and support for the INNOVATE Act, released March 5th by the Senate Small Business Committee,” said Warren Katz, Chairman. “The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, known as America’s Seed Fund, is a highly effective research program with commercialization of government funded research by small business its main goal. It should be reauthorized with much-needed reforms included in INNOVATE.”
Software in Defense Coalition
“SBIR and STTR programs are an essential part of enabling innovative high-tech companies to advance national security technologies. We strongly urge adoption of these crucial reforms to foster a more competitive and innovative ecosystem in the federal enterprise, protected from adversarial influence. These changes will ensure SBIR and STTR programs continue to drive innovation for the benefit of our nation’s defense and technological leadership.”
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is building on her work to boost small business involvement and provide greater opportunity in the federal marketplace by identifying the challenges they face in doing business with the government.
Ernst is rolling out a survey to examine the relationship between prime contractors and small subcontractors, and how red tape and hurdles prevent small contractors from competing.
“Small businesses have been getting squeezed out of the federal marketplace for the last fifteen years,” said Ernst. “I am continuing my work to reverse this troubling trend and expand opportunities. This survey will provide critical data to identify obstacles and red tape that are standing in the way of small contractors.”
Background:
Ernst hosts an annual expo in Iowa for small businesses to hear from speakers, join breakout sessions with federal agencies, network with agency officials, and learn about getting involved in federal contracting and innovation programs.
Last year, Ernst released a report detailing the troubling trend of a nearly 50% decrease since 2008 in small business vendors in the federal marketplace.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
03.14.25
Cantwell to Dr. Oz: “Are You Going to Cut Medicaid?”
Dr. Mehmet Oz nominated by Trump to serve in key post overseeing Medicare and Medicaid spending; GOP spending bill would necessitate slashing Medicaid; Cantwell snapshot report shows rural central and eastern WA health care would be devastated by Medicaid cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, pressed Dr. Mehmet Oz – Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – on how he plans to defend Medicaid as Republicans in Congress move to cut billions of dollars from the program.
During Dr. Oz’s Finance Committee confirmation hearing, Sen. Cantwell asked him: “Do you believe in the Medicaid expansion that was done under the Affordable Care Act?”
Dr. Oz: “For some states, it made sense. For some it didn’t. I think that’s a good example of how states should pick a path to take care of their most vulnerable. But they have to have a plan.”
Sen. Cantwell: “Well, wait, but the states that didn’t don’t have a plan. What plan did they have?”
Dr. Oz: “As we discussed in your office, with the Affordable Care Act, they have an opportunity to expand Medicaid, or they could use other tactics. As you know, 10 states haven’t expanded—”
Sen. Cantwell: “I know, but you’re saying that’s okay?”
Dr. Oz: “As long as they have a plan to address their challenges of dealing with the underserved populations.”
Sen. Cantwell: “What plan?”
Sen. Cantwell concluded her questioning by calling Dr. Oz out for not saying which elements of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act he plans to defend from cuts under a Trump administration. She reminded him that in 2009, he told the Seattle Times: “It should be mandatory that everybody in America have health-care coverage. If you can’t afford it, we have to give it to you.”
“Look — you’re coming with the ability to be an advocate here. So we want to know what you’re going to be an advocate for. And all my colleagues are going to want to know, are you going to cut Medicaid?” Sen. Cantwell asked. “We don’t believe in cutting Medicaid.”
“The number of people in my state who are getting maternal care from this is exorbitant. The number of kids getting care from this is high — 47% of kids in my state receive insurance from Medicaid. And we have population centers of our entire state that are well above 50% Medicaid, Medicare populations,” she continued. “If you don’t like some aspects of the Affordable Care Act, you should say which ones you don’t like.”
Last month, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that slashing Medicaid to fund tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy would have on Washington state’s health care system — especially in Central and Eastern Washington.
READ MORE:
The Spokesman Review: Medicaid could be on chopping block after Northwest Republicans help pass House budget measure
The Tri-City Herald: Newhouse backs House GOP budget plan that could lead to cuts for Tri-Cities Medicaid users
The Seattle Times: Cuts to Medicaid would hurt WA’s children, poor
Medicaid is the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Washington state’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, ensures that eligible Washingtonians can afford to seek health care and see providers when they need to. The program also ensures that hospitals — which are required to treat everyone, regardless of their ability to pay — receive reimbursements for the significant number of low-income people they serve. Over 1.9 million Washingtonians are enrolled in Apple Health.
Late last month, the House of Representatives passed a funding bill that would necessitate $880 billion in cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid. Supporters of the bill claim that the text includes no mention of Medicaid — however, the extent of the cuts required by the legislation would mean that the committee has essentially no other options other than to hack away at Medicaid.
Moreover, this week – after President Trump told Congress that Elon Musk is leading his efforts to cut the government – Musk said the vital Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs are “the big one to eliminate.”
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s exchange with Dr. Oz is available HERE, audio HERE, and a full transcript is HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is pressing President Donald Trump on his plan to protect Social Security as he and Elon Musk slash its workforce. The Trump Administration’s plans to terminate Social Security employees threaten millions of Americans’ ability to access their earned benefits.
“As one of the nation’s most popular and effective programs, Social Security provides a foundation of income on which workers can build for their retirement, as well as valuable insurance protection against unexpected hardship,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek. “By slashing staff and eliminating field offices, fewer Americans will be able to seek assistance during pivotal life events and risk causing further hardship to those in dire circumstances.”
In-person services are critical for people who lack reliable internet access and cannot navigate Social Security’s website. On average, 120,000 Americans visit and 233,000 call SSA field offices every day. The Trump Administration’s plans to cut staff and eliminate field offices will threaten Americans’ access to their earned benefits when they need them most.
In their letter, the senators called on Dudek to cease activities that threaten Americans’ Social Security benefits. The senators also requested that Dudek provide information on the number of SSA employees that have left or been terminated, how terminating staff with over 20 years of experience would improve customer service, and how SSA will determine which field and regional offices are shut down.
“Despite your stated commitment to transparency, the agency’s decision to strip down SSA while keeping Members of Congress, community leaders, advocates, and the public in the dark undermine the agency’s own stated policy and best practices. As you know, even subtle changes to SSA’s service delivery can cause significant disruptions to its customers. SSA must take care to ensure that community leaders and stakeholders are consulted so service to the public continues in the most effective, efficient, and caring way possible,” concluded the senators.
In addition to Senator Baldwin, the letter was led by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and co-signed by 43 of their Senate colleagues.
A full version of this letter is available here and below.
Acting Commissioner Dudek:
We write to express our strong concern over the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) reckless actions to shutter offices, slash SSA’s workforce, and close field offices across the country. These draconian cuts to SSA will have a devastating toll on Americans’ ability to access their earned benefits. Additionally, they seem to have been made with no consideration for their impact on the agency’s ability to achieve its mission.
Nearly every American interacts with SSA at certain points in our lives, particularly during significant moments like a birth and adoption; marriage and divorce; onset of a life-altering disability; retirement from work; or the death of a spouse. SSA employees help seniors enroll into Medicare, help Americans determine when to retire and file for Social Security benefits, and help Americans file for disability benefits. Access to in-person services is especially important for people who have difficulty speaking by phone, who do not have reliable internet access, and people who have difficulty understanding program rules. Every day, over 120,000 people visit and 233,000 call SSA’s field offices, on average. In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, SSA processed over 8 million Social Security benefit claims, 1.4 million Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims, and received over 57 million calls to their field offices and nearly 80 million calls through SSA’s 1-800 Number.
As one of the nation’s most popular and effective programs, Social Security provides a foundation of income on which workers can build for their retirement, as well as valuable insurance protection against unexpected hardship. By slashing staff and eliminating field offices, fewer Americans will be able to seek assistance during pivotal life events and risk causing further hardship to those in dire circumstances.
The agency’s brash decision defies the President’s pledge to not touch Social Security and the Administration’s policies. In the Office on Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management joint memo about slashing the federal workforce, there are references to ensuring that any workforce reductions at Social Security will have a positive effect on the delivery of services. Based on the rash actions to date, we have serious concerns that the administration takes this assurance and commitment seriously. Empirical evidence and basic common sense shows that further reducing staff and field offices will have a substantial adverse impact on Americans’ ability to access Social Security benefits. A 2017 academic study found field office closures lead to “large and persistent reductions” in the number of applications and receipt of disability benefits, which are more acutely felt among those with severe physical and mental disabilities, low income, and those without a college degree. Similarly, a 2020 Social Security Advisory Board report found that a two-year long hiring freeze and reduction in field office operating hours resulted in higher congestion in the field offices, with the number of visitors waiting over an hour increased by 78 percent and the average wait time increased 37 percent to 24.9 minutes. Simply put, making it more cumbersome to access Social Security does not make the program more efficient nor does it improve customer service. The administration hasn’t even provided estimates of what the changes it has already taken credit for will mean for customer services and key workloads.
Your characterization of its recent reorganizations and staffing reductions as “duplicative,” “redundant” or “non-mission critical” is an utter farce and insulting to the thousands of Americans who dedicated their career in service of the agency’s mission. These public servants worked on critical projects focusing on improving customer service for all its customers, reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, and ensuring that all Americans, particularly those with disabilities, can access SSA offices and their earned benefits. Moreover, eliminating those staff does not eliminate their work. Driving staff out of the agency and forcing the remaining staff to complete more work is a recipe for burnout, low morale, and worse productivity.
Despite your stated commitment to transparency, the agency’s decision to strip down SSA while keeping Members of Congress, community leaders, advocates, and the public in the dark undermine the agency’s own stated policy and best practices. As you know, even subtle changes to SSA’s service delivery can cause significant disruptions to its customers. SSA must take care to ensure that community leaders and stakeholders are consulted so service to the public continues in the most effective, efficient, and caring way possible. The only explanation that can justify SSA’s actions is to appease the President and Elon Musk in their crusade to dismantle the federal government. Musk made his views towards Social Security clear when he called the program “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”
We urge you to cease any activities that threaten Americans’ Social Security benefits. To understand the agency’s recent actions, please detail the steps SSA took to ensure customer service remains uninterrupted for the millions of Americans no later than March 12, 2025. This should include:
Any and all qualitative and quantitative analyses conducted to evaluate the impact of these changes on SSA’s ability to administer the programs and on SSA’s customers since January 20, 2025;
A report detailing how:
Reduced staff in the regional offices would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in field offices would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in state disability determination services would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in hearings offices would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in appeals councils would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in Social Security Card Centers would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in teleservice centers would improve customer service;
Reduced staff in program centers would improve customer service;
A report explaining how driving out experienced SSA employees with at least 20 years of experience would improve customer service;
For the decision to consolidate ten regional offices into four, please also provide:
The number of SSA employees working when the regional office closed and their responsibilities;
The percentage of SSA employees in the regional office who were terminated, resigned, or retired;
The number of claims or post-entitlement actions that were pending in the regional office at the time of closure, and how SSA will ensure those pending cases are timely addressed;
The list of evaluating factors or criteria SSA considered in determining to close the regional office.
A list of all community outreach meetings SSA conducted with key community leaders (e.g., mayor, city council, etc.), unique institutions (e.g., schools for the blind, hospitals, prisons, etc.), advocacy groups, community-based organizations that represent SSA clients, employees and labor groups about the proposed closure, consolidation, or relocation of the affected office since January 20, 2025;
Whether you or other senior SSA officials conducted any outreach with Members of Congress and U.S. Senators and/or their staff who represent the affected regional office about the proposed closure prior to your February 28 announcement.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware) introduced the Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act.
This legislation amends the Small Business Act to add a requirement for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) to educate small businesses on identifying career opportunities for graduates of career and technical education (CTE) programs. It also requires SBDCs and WBCs to educate graduates of CTE programs on how to start a small business of their own.
“By addressing the shortage of skilled trade workers, we can secure Kansas’ long-term economic prosperity,” said Senator Marshall. “The Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act helps close the gap by connecting CTE graduates with employers, strengthening our workforce, supporting small businesses, and driving economic growth. I urge the Senate to quickly pass this commonsense legislation.”
“Graduates of career and technical education programs are ready to succeed in the valued jobs that small businesses in Delaware and across the country urgently need to fill,” said Senator Coons. “The Supporting Small Business Career and Technical Education Act can help bridge the gap between capable CTE graduates and small businesses in high-growth industries like health care and education, science and technology, food and agriculture, and manufacturing and logistics. I’m thrilled to reintroduce this bipartisan bill alongside Senator Marshall to empower workers and support small businesses nationwide.”
U.S. Representative Roger Williams (R-Texas-25), Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“We thank Senator Marshall for his leadership on the Connecting Small Businesses with Career Technical Education Graduates Act,” said Chairman Roger Williams. “This important legislation will create greater opportunities for small businesses to employ high-quality technical graduates and support hard-working Americans seeking to improve their lives through technical education.”
The bill is supported by Skills USA, Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), and Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area.
BACKGROUND:
America is facing a worker shortage crisis. In Kansas, there are only 51 available workers for every 100 open jobs.
The job market is experiencing a high demand for skilled workers, particularly in fields like technology, healthcare, and construction.
This legislation is a step in addressing the worker shortage crisis facing our country and empowering career and technical education graduates with the resources and connections they need to enter the workforce and thrive.
Click HERE to read the full bill text.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), introduced bipartisan legislation to reduce the risk of veteran suicide. The Saving Our Veterans’ Lives Act would authorize a program through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide free firearm lockboxes to veterans to put time and space between at-risk individuals and lethal means, such as firearms.
Firearms are the most common means used by veterans who die by suicide. Approximately 75% of male veteran suicide deaths and 45% of female veteran suicide deaths are with firearms, rates that greatly exceed those of non-veterans. The high-risk phase of many suicidal crises arise quickly. Studies have found that nearly half of suicide attempts are done within 10 minutes after the decision to end one’s life. Limiting the ease by which at-risk individuals can access firearms — such as with lockboxes — has been shown to prevent suicide deaths.
“Our veterans represent the very best of Maine and our nation — making countless sacrifices to protect and defend our country,” said Senator King. “We have an obligation to provide our veterans with as many resources as possible to keep them safe during some of their most vulnerable moments. The Saving Our Veterans’ Lives Act would provide free firearm lockboxes to every veteran who requests one; studies have shown that the extra space between a veteran in crisis and their firearm could mean the difference between life and death. This commonsense bill makes a critical investment in protecting America’s best asset — its people.”
“As a combat veteran, who is married to a combat veteran, I know firsthand how critical it is for us to provide those who have served our country with the support they need in good times and bad,” said Senator Sheehy. “I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation that supports our mission to combat veteran suicide and fight to ensure veterans have the resources they need to achieve the same American Dream they fought to defend.”
Since 2012, the VA’s Suicide Prevention Program has distributed free firearm cable locks to any veteran who requests one. However, veterans and other firearm owners overwhelmingly favor lockboxes and safes to secure their guns. Currently, there is a program that offers free lockboxes to veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who are at elevated risks for suicide or self-harm.
The Saving Our Veterans’ Lives Act would build upon this program by:
Offering lockboxes to veterans with or without identified risks, and with or without VHA-enrollment;
Allocating sufficient funding for lockboxes;
Distributing lockboxes both through the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Services (PSAS) and firearm retailers;
Promoting public education campaigns.
Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Greg Landsman (D-OH) and John James (R-MI).
The Saving Our Veterans’ Lives Act is endorsed by the following organizations: Disabled American Veterans (DAV), GIFFORDS, Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NAMI-Maine, American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Psychological Association (APA), and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs such as the PACT Act, the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act, and the John Scott Hannon Act. In February, in a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, Senator King joined his colleagues in urging for immediate action to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), a measure that would protect millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families. Recently, Senator King introduced bipartisan legislation alongside SVAC Chairman Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) to improve care coordination for veterans who rely on both VA health care and Medicare. Senator King was recently honored by the Disabled American Veterans as its 2025 Legislator of the Year. Last year, he was recognized by the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2024 Legislator of the Year for his “outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans.” In a recent SVAC hearing, Senator King stressed the importance of supporting servicemembers shifting to civilian status; the first few months after leaving active duty are often the most fragile for veterans and put them at an increased risk for self-harm and suicide.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) releases a statement ahead of the Senate’s upcoming vote on the continuing resolution to fund the government.
“Republicans are doing our job right now to keep the government open. While I don’t typically support continuing resolutions, Democrats’ inaction last year led to repeated short-term packages—an irresponsible approach to allocating hard-earned taxpayer dollars. It’s time to end this charade. If the government shuts down, it will be because Democrats chose inaction over responsibility. The American people have delivered a clear mandate to Republicans to turn our country around, and we cannot afford to let gridlock stop the Trump administration’s momentum.
“North Carolina is home to the fourth largest active-duty military population in the country and one of the largest state veteran populations. These men and women have sacrificed to defend our freedoms. This continuing resolution is a big step forward for our military—it fully funds veterans’ healthcare services and benefits while also delivering the largest pay raise for junior enlisted troops in over forty years. Do Democrats really want to deny our servicemembers the pay and support they have earned? I won’t stand for that, and neither should the American people,” said Senator Budd.
Background
Today, the United States Senate is scheduled to vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government through September 30, 2025. The outcome of this vote will determine whether the government remains funded and operational.
While serving as Majority Leader in the 118th Congress, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) refused to bring Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills to the floor through regular order, despite the Senate Appropriations Committee passing eleven bipartisan bills out of committee. This has directly led to the situation we are in today, where government funding lapses at midnight without further action.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) slammed Republicans’ disastrous Continuing Resolution (CR), which would make significant cuts to vital programs and services Vermonters rely on. In his remarks, Senator Welch criticized Republicans for relinquishing Congress’ constitutional responsibilities in favor of fealty to President Trump and criticized the Trump Trade War, which will raise costs for Vermont farmers, families, and homeowners through punitive tariffs.
“These tariffs…they’re a disaster for Vermont. They make no sense. Any economist you talk to says they’re bizarre. Bizarre because of the way they’re being implemented—on-and-off again. And that’s causing real suffering to Vermont farmers, to Vermont families, to Vermont homeowners who are going to be paying higher electricity bills, higher home heating bills, higher gasoline prices—and for what? For the whim of a President,” said Senator Welch.
“We have these punitive tariffs that make no sense, that are hurting everyone that we represent. And we pass a law saying that we have to close our eyes, block our ears, and not do anything? I vote no. This charade has to end!”
Watch Senator Welch’s remarks below:
Read Senator Welch’s remarks:
“There is a reality that we’re trying to deny but is inescapable: we have a cabinet of one. His name is Elon Musk. We have cabinet officials who come before us with distinguished records and probably everything in their bones wants them to serve well. But they are under the thumb of a President who demands fealty as opposed to service to this country.
“The best example of that is what’s happened with this so-called ‘Continuing Resolution.’ Congress is abdicating its Article I authority. The so-called CR is not on the level. What this CR does is not maintain current spending on the numbers and on the directions of how it will be spent. What it does is make significant cuts, but more importantly, it delegates to the President of the United States flexibility to move money around as he sees fit. That is a total surrender of our responsibility. It’s a disgrace!
“Now, on these tariffs that my colleague spoke about—they’re a disaster for Vermont. They make no sense. Any economist you talk to says they’re bizarre. Bizarre because of the way they’re being implemented—on again, off again. And that’s causing real suffering to Vermont farmers, to Vermont families, to Vermont homeowners who are going to be paying higher electricity bills, higher home heating bills, higher gasoline prices—and for what? For the whim of a President.
“And every single one of these cabinet officers who comes in here takes the pledge: ‘Mr. President, I know it makes no sense, but you’re the President, and I adore you Mr. President, we’ll do it.’
“And, in the CR that we’re going to be voting on, there is a provision that says the United States Congress—in whom the responsibility and authority for imposing tariffs rests— cannot change the tariffs that President Trump is imposing. That is so disgraceful. It’s a total surrender of our responsibility.
“We have these punitive tariffs that make no sense, that are hurting everyone that we represent. And we pass a law saying that we have to close our eyes, block our ears, and not do anything? I vote no. This charade has to end.”
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, highlighted how a strong alliance between the United States and Japan can deter Communist China and promote economic prosperity, including in Nebraska.
“For more than 80 years, the U.S.-Japan alliance has acted as the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” said Ricketts. “With Communist China, Russia, the Korean Peninsula, and the Taiwan Strait all within 200 miles of Japanese soil, our forward deployed presence in Japan is fundamental to deter aggression in the region. This is especially pertinent given Beijing’s dramatic military buildup and increasingly provocative actions, grey-zone activity tactics, saber rattling – all to force our allies and partners to bend to its will. Additionally, the alliance forms the foundation of vital multilateral cooperation, from the Quad to trilaterals to South Korea, Australia and the Philippines. I was pleased to see President Trump and Prime Minister Ishiba commit to ‘pursue a new golden age’ for U.S.-Japan relations when they met in February.”
Ricketts also praised President Trump for deepening the economic ties between Japan and Nebraska.
“Thanks in part to President Trump’s trade deals with Japan during his first term, Japan is one of our largest export markets, and certainly the largest for pork and eggs, our second largest for beef, our third largest for corn and overall ag exports,” said Ricketts. “Japan is also a promising market for grain-based fuels. I was encouraged by Japan’s recent announcement that it intends to blend 10% ethanol in gasoline by 2030, and 20% by 2040. And of course, Japan is positioned to become one of the largest export markets for Sustainable Aviation Fuel that rely on grain-based ethanol as feedstock.”
Watch the videoHERE
Ricketts made the comments in a hearing of the Foreign Relations Committee. The hearing considered the nominations of George Glass to be the Ambassador to Japan, Pete Hoekstra to be the Ambassador to Canada, and Ron Johnson to be the Ambassador to Mexico.
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Value-Based Program Act, bipartisan legislation that would modernize Medicare reimbursement for radiation therapy, safeguarding access to high-quality cancer care and improving outcomes.
“The ROCR Act modernizes Medicare’s payment system to ensure cancer patients receive the best care possible,” said Senator Tillis. “Current reimbursement policies reward quantity over quality, making it harder for physicians to provide the tailored, high-quality care cancer patients deserve. This bipartisan bill fixes this by shifting to a fair, bundled payment model that removes incentives for longer treatments, supports innovation, and ensures continued access to world-class care.”
“Radiation oncology is a highly effective tool for fighting certain cancers, but outdated Medicare reimbursement policies prevent many Americans from being able to utilize this treatment,” said Senator Peters. “I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan bill that would reduce barriers to this essential care for cancer patients and ensure oncologists can prescribe the best treatment available for their patients.”
“In place of repeated Medicare payment cuts and outdated policies, ROCR offers a stable, sustainable payment framework that ensures Americans can access high quality, lifesaving cancer treatments in their communities,” said Dr. Howard M. Sandler, Chair of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Board of Directors. “ASTRO applauds Sen. Tillis, Sen. Peters, Rep. Fitzpatrick, Rep. Panetta, Rep. Joyce and Rep. Tonko for their bipartisan leadership in prioritizing patient needs and quality for our nation’s cancer care infrastructure.”
More than 80 organizations have endorsed the ROCR Act, representing a diverse group of radiation oncology stakeholders, patient advocates, medical professionals, independent clinics, hospital systems, and technology companies. This includes Advocate Health, American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO), American College of Radiology, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Boston Scientific, University of North Carolina, US Oncology Network, and more.
Background:
ROCR is designed to reverse more than a decade of declining Medicare payments for radiation therapy, a lifesaving treatment relied upon by over a million cancer patients annually. Despite its critical role in patient care and cost-effectiveness for the Medicare system, radiation oncology has suffered more than a 20% cut in Medicare Physician Fee Schedule reimbursements over the past decade—one of the largest reductions of any medical specialty. These cuts threaten patient access to essential cancer treatments, particularly in community and rural settings.
By building on the framework of the indefinitely delayed Medicare-proposed Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model, ROCR retains the advantages of episode-based payments while fixing major flaws, including excessive payment cuts and burdensome quality reporting. By ensuring fair and sustainable reimbursement, ROCR safeguards patient access to high-quality, evidence-based radiation therapy, helping to close treatment gaps and strengthen the nation’s cancer care system.
The ROCR Act:
Implements a patient-centric, episode-based payment system that aligns financial incentives with clinical care guidelines.
Promotes the use of evidence-based, shorter treatment course when clinically appropriate, reducing physical and financial strain on patients.
Enhances quality and safety standards by incentivizing practice accreditation and timely adoption of new technologies for improved care.
Provides targeted assistance to address transportation barriers that prevent patients in rural and underserved areas from accessing or completing treatment.
Standardizes technical payments across hospital-based and free-standing practice settings.
Full text of the bill is available HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
March 14, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement announcing she will vote no on Republicans’ extremely harmful continuing resolution:
“I refuse to vote for Republicans’ highly-partisan slush fund bill that grants Donald Trump and co-President Elon Musk permission to continue rigging our government and our economy against the middle class. After weeks of an unelected billionaire taking a chainsaw to programs and services that millions depend on, Republicans are ramming through a bill that would greenlight more of the same chaos—and further cut programs for middle-class Americans, seniors and Veterans in order to carve out tax cuts for billionaires. Hell no, I cannot support that.
“Americans deserve so much better. Before the clock runs out, it’s time for Republicans to come back to the negotiating table that they walked away from and strike a bipartisan deal to keep our government open, invest in families and protect our national security. If they don’t, then make no mistake: Republicans own whatever outcome tomorrow may bring.”
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Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement on the passing of former Wyoming Senator Al Simpson.
“Today, our state and country mourn the passing of our dear Senator Alan Kooi Simpson,” Lummis said. “Al was larger than life and spent his entire life working on behalf of the state and people he loved. For 18 years in the U.S. Senate, 12 years in the Wyoming House of Representatives, and 28 years as an elder statesman – he worked to make Wyoming a better place for our citizens and an even greater place to work and raise a family. There was no stronger advocate for the needs, industries, and interests of Wyoming. During his Senate tenure, he was repeatedly elected by his colleagues to serve in leadership as the Republican Whip and was a close friend of both President Reagan and President Bush.
“Known for his famous humor and wit, Al was loved both in Wyoming and far outside our borders. Those who met Al knew that he never forgot a face or interaction. In addition to his service in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Senate, Al repeatedly stepped forward as a private citizen to work on important issues like the Iraq Study Group and the Simpson-Bowles Fiscal Responsibility Commission. In a deserving tribute commemorating his lifetime of service, Al was honored in 2022 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“A proud son of Cody, Wyoming, Al came from an early pioneer family dedicated to public service. Wyoming and our nation have benefited greatly from Al Simpson’s many decades of work and leadership. At every gathering Al Simpson attended, people flocked to Al for a moment with a man each considered one of their closest friends. That’s the incredible effect he had on the people he served. I extend my deepest thoughts and prayers to his wife of more than 70 years, Ann, his children Colin, William, and Susan, and his grandchildren during this difficult time.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Senator Murray Statement on Mass Layoffs Beginning at NOAA
WA state NOAA employee fired for no reason by Trump & Elon: “I’m here because I care. I care about the people and communities that are impacted by reduced or closed fisheries that my work supported. I care about the devastating effects a diminished NOAA may have on Washingtonians and Americans across our country… I care because I am a grandpa and a fisherman, and I want to ensure these resources are perpetuated for the generations following me.”
***WATCH HERE, DOWNLOAD VIDEO HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad, and former NOAA employees in Washington state who were recently fired through no fault of their own and with zero justification as part of Trump and Elon Musk’s unprecedented assault on the federal workforce. About 650 NOAA employees have already been dismissed for no reason by Trump and Elon, with another round of job cuts targeting more than 1,000 additional employees expected.
Joining Senator Murray for today’s press conference were: former NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad, Dr. Rebecca Howard, former Research Fish Biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle; Dennis Jaszka, former NOAA Investigative Support Technician for Office of Law Enforcement for the Alaska Division based in Seattle; and Mark Baltzell of Olympia, a former Fisheries Management Specialist at the Sustainable Fisheries Division in the Anadromous Harvest Management Branch at NOAA.
“NOAA scientists play a crucial role protecting our waters, oceans, and our fisheries. The Puget Sound, the Columbia River, they all rely on NOAA. In Washington state, salmon are not just a pillar of our economy—and of the seafood industry that is so prominent in our state—it is also a way of life for our communities, for our tribes, and it’s part of our state identity, So NOAA’s work could not be more important when it comes to that. I think we all know that we can take the weather for granted, we can take our fish and water for granted. But this work is make or break—not just for Washington state, but for our entire country. So, it is beyond alarming to me that right now, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are choosing ‘break’ and taking a wrecking ball to NOAA offices. They are firing public servants they’re firing our experts, they’re closing buildings, like at Port Angeles, and they’re throwing a lot of critical work into jeopardy,” Senator Murray said on today’s press call. “About half of the National Weather Service offices were already understaffed, and then came this hiring freeze and then came the mass firings—and that was just round one. Musk and Trump have already fired 650 NOAA workers—including dozens of people right here in Washington state—with no rhyme or reason, with no clue or concern how it will seriously harm our economy and our communities. And now we are hearing that NOAA intends to lay off another 10 percent of its workforce—that is more than a thousand critical jobs Trump and Elon are putting on the chopping block.”
NOAA has a major footprint in Washington state, employing over 700 people—and communities across Washington state rely on the agency’s work, from providing storm warnings and weather forecasts to protecting and restoring marine resources that are essential to our state’s economy and culture. Senator Murray has been outspoken in calling attention to how Trump and Elon’s indiscriminate mass layoffs are hurting people across the country and will undermine services Americans everywhere rely on.
“The firings, facilities closures, and program terminations currently ongoing by this Administration are misguided, ill-informed, often illegal, and just plain stupid actions. They will also cause great harm. In short, this is ‘All cost, no benefit,’” said Dr. Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA Administrator, who abruptly lost his job because of the Trump administration’s mass firings.
“Our branch is small but mighty. Our work is responsible for regulatory oversight of salmon and steelhead fisheries occurring in the EEZ off the West Coast, the Columbia River, and Puget Sound. An additional significant portion of our work involves implementing the relevant chapters Pacific Salmon Treaty. The work that my branch conducts enables hundreds of millions in economic activity around salmon fisheries coast-wide,” said Mark Baltzell from Olympia, who worked as a Fisheries Management Specialist at the Sustainable Fisheries Division in the Anadromous Harvest Management Branch, before he was abruptly fired for no reason by Trump and Elon on February 27th and given only 68 minutes to pack his office and leave. “I’m here because I care. I care about the people and communities that are impacted by reduced or closed fisheries that my work supported. I care about the devastating effects a diminished NOAA may have on Washingtonians and Americans across our country. I care about the tens of millions of dollars in Federal Money that is funneled through NOAA for salmon recovery, monitoring, hatchery improvements, and supporting fisheries that is in danger of going away. I care because I was in an Agency loaded with people who care and were devoted because they believed in the science and the mission. I care because I am a grandpa and a fisherman, and I want to ensure these resources are perpetuated for the generations following me. Gutting NOAA and the federal government puts all those things that I care about at risk.”
“At the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, I was part of the groundfish bottom trawl survey team. This meant I was involved in the work needed to assess Alaska’s populations of shellfish and groundfish, which are fish that live near the seafloor like pollock, cod, and flatfish. These fish make up not only some of the largest and most valuable fisheries in the country, but also the world. The team I was part of was in the midst of preparing for the two bottom trawl surveys that are expected to happen this summer, as they have for the last four decades. We were busy staffing surveys, preparing scientific equipment and software, setting up staff and volunteer trainings, and making sure we have necessary supplies. This requires an immense amount of time and effort, and is done by a team that was very understaffed and stretched thin even before I was fired. Several NOAA employees who were supposed to participate in the survey were fired, including myself, making it even more challenging to find the necessary staff,” said Dr. Rebecca Howard, former Research Fish Biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, who was fired from her dream job with NOAA for no reason by Trump and Elon on February 27. “If more employees from the bottom trawl teams retire or are fired in upcoming reductions in force, the surveys will be extremely difficult to pull off, if not impossible. And, we have recent examples of how important these kinds of data are. In 2020, the Bering Sea bottom trawl survey did not happen due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This led to a missing year of data and critically, missing information on the snow crab population. As many of you know, the snow crab fishery collapsed in 2021 and consequently, we don’t have a good idea of what their population looked like in 2020. We need these types of data to know how many fish and crabs we can catch each year, where those populations are going as the oceans changes, and to keep track of environmental trends. Firing people like me will make it incredibly hard for NOAA Fisheries to fulfill its mission and provide the best available science.”
“The work I did was essential to Office of Law Enforcement’s efforts to ensure the safety of fisheries observers. While the Alaska Division is spread throughout coastal Alaska, the observer operations staff is mostly located in Seattle. Therefore, one of my main roles was to be the point of contact for enforcement officers. Having an enforcement representative in Seattle is essential to connect people and ensure fisheries observers are familiar with the enforcement arm of NMFS,” said Dennis Jaszka, former NOAA Investigative Support Technician for Office of Law Enforcement for the Alaska Division based in Seattle, who was with NOAA for 26 years before being abruptly fired by Trump and Elon as part of their massive indiscriminate staffing cuts. “The rapport between Alaska Division, the North Pacific Observers, and the Observer support staff is lauded every year as being the gold standard of partnerships between an enforcement division and a scientific division. It was an honor to play such a role in this partnership. But practically speaking, having someone in that position who is familiar with both observer and enforcement operations, is simply the most efficient way to do things. Without a person to represent and connect law enforcement to the observers in Seattle, NMFS loses an opportunity to continue building rapport with observers. Support staff will have no contact with an individual who can answer compliance-related questions. This will result in an excess of complaints being filed. Additionally, the task of reviewing, vetting, and sending documents falls on others who already have a high workload. The whole point of my job was to streamline and educate people in a very proactive way.”
Senator Murray’s full remarks from today’s press conference are below and video is HERE:
“Thank you all for joining me to talk about something people actually rely on every day, they take for granted, and they may not even know the name of—and that is NOAA. NOAA does work that is crucial to our safety, to our economy, and to our everyday lives.
“People all across the state of Washington count on the National Weather Service, which is at NOAA, when you watch the weather forecast on the news and decide whether it’s a great week for hiking or you check the weather app on your phone and grab your umbrella in Seattle—you are relying on NOAA.
“Farmers in Yakima Valley rely on NOAA for seasonal outlooks for crop advice—which means our groceries actually rely on it too. When pilots take off from Sea-Tac airport, or boats head out from our ports, they are consulting NOAA data to prepare for a safe journey.
“When there is a dangerous storm coming, a blizzard, or flooding, or a tsunami, or high winds, local officials and disaster experts use NOAA’s data to help issue public safety guidance, to protect property, and most importantly—to save lives.
“NOAA is also tracking data that is crucial to understanding climate change and showing us how serious this threat is. When we warn that 2024 was the hottest year on record—it’s NOAA that tracks that data so you can know that and people can raise the alarm.
“NOAA scientists also play a crucial role protecting our waters, oceans, and our fisheries. The Puget Sound, the Columbia River, they all rely on NOAA. In Washington state, salmon are not just a pillar of our economy—and of the seafood industry that is so prominent in our state—it is also a way of life for our communities, for our tribes, and it’s part of our state identity—so NOAA’s work could not be more important when it comes to that.
“I think we all know that we can take the weather for granted, we can take our fish and water for granted. But this work is make or break—not just for Washington state, but for our entire country. So, it is beyond alarming to me that right now, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are choosing ‘break’ and taking a wrecking ball to NOAA offices.
“They are firing public servants they’re firing our experts, they’re closing buildings, like at Port Angeles, and they’re throwing a lot of critical work into jeopardy.
“About half of the National Weather Service offices were already understaffed, and then came this hiring freeze and then came the mass firings—and that was just round one.
“Musk and Trump have already fired 650 NOAA workers—including dozens of people right here in Washington state—with no rhyme or reason, with no clue or concern how it will seriously harm our economy and our communities.
“And now we are hearing that NOAA intends to lay off another 10 percent of its workforce—that is more than a thousand critical jobs Trump and Elon are putting on the chopping block.
“Meanwhile—the problems this has already caused are already mounting. NOAA has already had to stop releasing weather balloons due to some staff shortages.
“Here in Washington state, I have heard from fired NOAA employees who worked to support Tribal fish and infrastructure projects, another was an engineering technician who worked to make sure that our radar locations and our forecast offices could produce the data that we all need. Others were fired that worked to educate the public about our coast at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in Port Angeles—gone.
“A NOAA employee of the year—someone who helped divert orcas from an oil spill off San Juan Island a few years ago—was fired as a result of the fact that she had been promoted in the last year.
“And that is just the tip of the iceberg Trump and Musk are steering us into, as you will hear from the people on this call, who did really important work for our country only to have the rug pulled out from under them by a couple of billionaires without a clue.
“So, I want to again say personally thank you to each one of you. I am really grateful to your years of public service, what you have done for all of us, and I so appreciate you coming here today.
“I know you’re all dealing with personal things as well as a result of being laid off—but I appreciate you coming here today to send one more forecast. And that is a forecast that warns a dark cloud is coming if Trump and Musk don’t reverse this course and reverse the unthinkable damage they are doing to NOAA.”
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Senator Reverend Warnock Announces “NO” Vote on Dangerous Government Funding Legislation
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on his intention to vote “NO” on the immensely harmful Continuing Resolution. This vote comes after Washington Republicans halted bipartisan negotiations and left two terrible options, both of which would cause pain for the people of Georgia.
“This whole conversation is Washington at its worst. Instead of working together to actually improve people’s lives, craven politicians shut the door on bipartisan conversation and reemerged with an ultimatum: vote for a partisan government funding package or let the government shut down. Make no mistake, this government funding bill is bad policy: it would spike grocery prices, cut investments in education and health care, and defund care for servicemembers exposed to burn pits. More troubling, this legislation would give the President additional unchecked power to stifle Georgia’s economy.”
“I do not want to see a government shut down, but passing this legislation would cause pain to millions of Georgians. I will be voting “NO” on the Continuing Resolution.”
This continuing resolution would:
Defund the PACT Act, which provides critical care for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.
Cut $27 million from health inspectors working to address the avian flu outbreak, which would continue to spike the price of eggs.
Omit standard Congressional directives outlining how agencies should spend tax payer dollars, giving the President unchecked spending power to hurt Georgians.
With this new power, the President could cut renewable energy investments, devastating Georgia’s advanced manufacturing economy or the President could choose which Army Corps of Engineers projects to fund, potentially halting the expansion of the Port of Savannah.
Eliminate $130 million in funding, agreed to on a bipartisan basis in the draft Senate funding bill, for projects in every corner of Georgia, including construction of new housing in LaGrange and Savannah, clean drinking water improvements in Dade County and Wrens, a new generator for a rural hospital in Appling County, improvements to Abraham Baldwin College’s nursing program, and much more.
Cut nearly $1 billion from medical research on health conditions impacting service members and their families.
Disrupts hurricane recovery efforts for South Georgians, who are still reeling from Hurricane Helene.
Shuts off rental assistance for rural Georgians.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: What is “Be The One” campaign all about?
A: This grassroots effort raises public awareness about veteran suicide and facilitates training and prevention strategies using one-on-one connections with at-risk veterans in local communities across the country. The nationwide outreach is coordinated by the American Legion, the patriotic veterans organization with a membership of more than 1.6 million individuals and local posts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Latin America and the Philippines. The nonprofit organization will observe its 106th birthday on March 15, celebrating the first caucus of the American Legion held in Paris, France after World War I. The 66th Congress issued a national charter for the veterans-led group on September 16, 1919. Throughout its history, the member-based veterans organization seeks to help fellow veterans reintegrate to civilian life and serves as a resource for community-based services for those seeking employment, education, health care, housing, disaster assistance and more. Since its founding, improving access to education, disability benefits and mental health services have helped marshal legislative victories and improve the quality of life for veterans. A tenet of its founding charter is to “cement the ties and comradeship born of service.” That mission is manifested in the Be The One campaign currently underway to stop veteran suicide. Through its grassroots system of Buddy Checks and efforts to train members for its Be The One QPR (question, persuade and refer) Teams, the American Legion of Iowa is working to expand its suicide prevention services at the post level and raise public awareness in local communities.
In February, I met with Iowa leaders representing the American Legion, and I was impressed to learn more about this community outreach program. Making personal connections can mean the difference between life and death for veterans suffering from loneliness, despair or depression. Raising public awareness will help alert neighbors to be mindful of warning signs to strengthen suicide prevention for hometown heroes in our veterans communities. I appreciate the advocacy of our veterans organizations and will continue working with them on behalf of those who answered the call to serve in uniform and those currently serving in the Armed Forces.
Q: What efforts have you pushed in Congress to lower veterans suicide?
A: Tragically, this issue hits close to home for too many Iowa families. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), suicide death rates among Iowa veterans is significantly higher than the rates among the nation’s general population. As Iowa’s U.S. Senator, I’ve worked for decades to raise public awareness, conduct rigorous oversight to root out shortcomings at the VA and implement comprehensive suicide prevention reforms to improve mental health services for our nation’s veterans. Years ago, alongside former Sen. Tom Harkin, we steered bipartisan legislation into law named after a young Iowan named Josh Omvig from Grundy Center who died by suicide after returning home from duty in Iraq. Our bill developed a peer support program tapping veterans as volunteer peer counselors. Building on that legislative victory on behalf of veterans, I also supported the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act and co-sponsored legislation to help reduce backlog appeals to the Veterans Benefits Administration and introduced legislation to address the increase in suicide among female veterans. I’ve worked to expand services for veterans experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders and who sustained Traumatic Brain Injuries in the line of duty and teamed up with Sen. Amy Klobuchar to give veterans health facilities better tools to recruit well-trained health professionals, particularly for mental health care. Sen. Joni Ernst and I have pushed the VA to address wait times for mental health appointments, as well. In addition, I co-sponsored legislation that improved the responsiveness and performance of the Veterans Crisis Line. In his first term, President Trump signed into law the three-digit number to simplify access to this confidential, 24/7, lifesaving tool for Americans experiencing a mental health emergency. I encourage veterans and their families to dial 9-8-8 in times of crisis for immediate access to lifesaving support from trained professionals.