url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-statement-on-fdic-chairman-mcwilliams-resignation/,Senator Scott Statement on FDIC Chairman McWilliams’ Resignation,2021-12-31,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released the following statement on Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Jelena McWilliams’ resignation after a politically-motivated attempt to undermine the independence of the agency. “I am thankful for Chairman McWilliams’ service as FDIC chairman,” said Senator Scott. “She played an instrumental role in the implementation of rules to alleviate regulatory burdens on community banks and helped guide the industry through pandemic-related economic uncertainty. Her strong and fair leadership will be greatly missed. “Over the course of her career, Chairman McWilliams has established an impressive reputation as a good faith negotiator and dealmaker, all while staying true to her core principles. Moreover, throughout her FDIC tenure, she has been a consummate consensus builder. The fact that Biden administration regulators have seemingly failed to conduct board business through the standard procedural channels in an open and honest manner with a regulator as well known for her integrity as Chairman McWilliams speaks volumes. I remain deeply concerned that the flagrant, politically-motivated efforts to appropriate the authorities granted by FDIC bylaws to the agency’s Senate-confirmed chairman represent a dangerous attempt to politicize the independent and historically apolitical practice of federal bank regulation.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-colleagues-call-on-president-biden-to-withdraw-nomination-of-dr-david-weil-for-wage-and-hour-administrator/,"Senator Scott, Colleagues Call on President Biden to Withdraw Nomination of Dr. David Weil for Wage & Hour Administrator",2021-12-29,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) in urging President Biden to formally withdraw the nomination of Dr. David Weil to be Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division. In a letter, the senators cited that the Senate’s HELP Committee was unable to report Dr. Weil’s nomination favorably when it was considered this year and listed concerns with actions Dr. Weil took while serving as Wage & Hour Administrator during the Obama administration, including implementing job-killing rules, arbitrarily constricting the standard for who is considered an independent contractor, and presiding over a 93% increase in litigation due to an expansion of the “joint employer” definition. “Small business entrepreneurs in this country deserve a Wage and Hour Division Administrator that will work constructively alongside them,” the senators wrote. “The Senate has spoken this year that Dr. Weil is not the right fit for this position. We appreciate your responsiveness to this request, and ask for prompt confirmation that the nomination of Dr. David Weil is formally withdrawn.” Click here to download or read the full text of the letter below: Dear Mr. President, We write to urge you to formally withdraw the nomination of Dr. David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor, vice Cheryl Marie Stanton. Dr. Weil’s track record is hostile to employers, unproductive to the employees served by such employers, and the actions he took at the federal level were mired in costly litigation. The United States Constitution divides the responsibility for populating top positions in the federal government between the President and the United States Senate. The appointments clause (Article II, Section 2) empowers the President to nominate “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate”. The role of the Senate to give advice and consent is an integral part of the process for populating top officials in our government. The Senate received Dr. Weil’s nomination on June 8, 2021. The Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) carefully considered the merits of his nomination, actions that included a full committee hearing. The HELP Committee was unable to favorably report Dr. Weil’s nomination to the full Senate during an August 3, 2021 business meeting, lacking the necessary votes to do so. In the nearly five months that followed this failed business meeting, no action was taken by the full Senate to discharge or otherwise consider his nomination. On December 21, 2021, this nomination was formally returned to the White House, as the Senate did not give consent to hold over Dr. Weil’s nomination. The lack of sufficient support for Dr. Weil’s nomination is not surprising considering the actions he took during the Obama administration as Wage & Hour Administrator. Chief among the concerns with his record: promulgation of a job-killing overtime rule in 2016 that overstepped and was therefore struck down by the U.S. District Court; an arbitrarily strict standard for classification of independent contractors in 2015; and a destructive expansion of “joint employer” definition in 2016 that led to a 93 percent increase in litigation. Additionally, both Dr. Weil and the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have refused to provide all the documents regarding Weil’s actions with the Labor Advisory Board in Massachusetts. Requests to both by the Ranking Member’s staff have been stonewalled and public records requests have been unnecessarily delayed. These are not the actions of an individual committed to transparency and accountability in government service. His nomination has raised sincere concerns on behalf of many of the constituencies we represent. Small business entrepreneurs in this country deserve a Wage and Hour Division Administrator that will work constructively alongside them. The Senate has spoken this year that Dr. Weil is not the right fit for this position. We appreciate your responsiveness to this request, and ask for prompt confirmation that the nomination of Dr. David Weil is formally withdrawn. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/-murkowski-wishes-alaskans-a-merry-christmas-and-happy-holidays,Murkowski Wishes Alaskans a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,2021-12-25,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) shared the following message with Alaskans: Click here for video of Senator Murkowski. “The holidays are a special opportunity to share traditions and enjoy time with those we hold close. As I take pause to think about the many blessings I have in my own life – my family, friends, and the opportunity to represent the great state of Alaska – I am reminded of all we have collectively to be thankful for. As Alaskans, we get live in a beautiful state, with incredible outdoor opportunities in our back yard. We have a unique home, rich with history and culture. We are surrounded by Alaska’s natural bounty. And we have each other – Alaskan neighbors, showing up for one another during the best and worst of times. That is the true spirit of our great state. “Regardless of how you choose to celebrate the season, I encourage us all to take time to reflect on the good things in our lives. And, as we transition into to the New Year, I hope each of us will commit to being the best neighbors to one another that we possibly can. 2022 will be better and brighter for us all if we do. “From my family to yours – Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/king-cove-murkowski-mark-eight-years-and-157-medevacs_since-rejection-of-life-saving-road,"King Cove, Murkowski Mark Eight Years and 157 Medevacs Since Rejection of Life-Saving Road",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today issued the following statement on the eight-year anniversary of the Department of the Interior’s rejection of a short, one-lane, gravel, life-saving road needed to connect King Cove, Alaska to the all-weather airport in nearby Cold Bay. The single-lane road is crucial to providing reliable emergency medical access for all who live in King Cove. Two days before Christmas in 2013, former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced she would not allow the simple road – approved by Congress on a bipartisan basis, but conditioned on a public interest determination – to be built to connect two existing roads on either side of the 315,000-acre Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Since then, King Cove has been forced to endure an additional 157 medevacs. Most occurred in dangerous weather conditions and many had to be carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard, risking the lives of crews and patients alike. “Sally Jewell made a horrible decision eight years ago, and it is the good people of King Cove who have paid the price ever since. A single medevac is too many, let alone 157. It is simply unconscionable that the federal government has failed to protect these Alaskans’ health and safety, especially in the midst of a global pandemic that has made emergency medical access all the more critical,” Murkowski said. Murkowski reiterated her request to current Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland – who has prioritized tribal consultation – to visit King Cove and finally address this decades-long environmental injustice. “I am calling on Secretary Haaland to visit King Cove to see the need to protect local residents’ health and safety as soon as possible. The federal government has a trust responsibility to the Tribes of King Cove, but it has been broken for decades. I also urge her to consider alternatives that could help us construct this road in an environmentally sound manner sooner than litigation will allow. As governments, Tribes must deliver a wide range of critical services, including healthcare, to their citizens. The Secretary must recognize this and act now, because King Cove needs this life-saving road more than ever,” Murkowski said. Numerous King Cove officials today expressed hope that Secretary Haaland would uphold the federal government’s trust responsibility and help them. The officials held a teleconference with Haaland in August and have asked her to visit their community to better understand the need for a life-saving road. “Secretary Haaland understands our deep-rooted connection to our ancestral land where we and our Aleut families have lived for thousands of years,” said King Cove (Native) Corporation Spokeswoman Della Trumble. “She recognizes the trust responsibility the federal government has to Native people.” “We’re hopeful U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will visit King Cove soon to talk with residents and see first-hand the daily challenges we face,” said King Cove Mayor Warren Wilson. “Many people in King Cove have either been medevaced themselves or have family members who experienced dangerous medevacs during harsh weather.” “We know that Secretary Haaland understands we love our families, and we want them to be out of harm’s way,” said Agdaagux Tribal President Etta Kuzakin Kuzakin. “We also love King Cove, which is our home.” Kuzakin was medevaced from King Cove by the Coast Guard in 2013 in stormy weather while in premature labor with her youngest daughter, Sunnie Rae. The mother and daughter would not have survived without the Coast Guard rescue, which only occurred because the Guard was nearby on another mission. “We’re hopeful the Secretary will support us,” said Aleutians East Borough Mayor Alvin Osterback. “This issue is an injustice the federal government needs to correct so King Cove residents can feel safe when they require access to a higher level of care.” Background: King Cove is located between two volcanic mountains near the end of the Alaska Peninsula, about 625 miles southwest of Anchorage. The small gravel airstrip in King Cove is typically closed by bad weather for more than 100 days each year. Nearly 40 percent of the flights not canceled are impacted or delayed by wind, turbulence, fog, rain, or snow squalls. By comparison, the all-weather airport in Cold Bay, which is less than 30 miles away from King Cove, is home to the fifth-longest runway in the state and closed an average of 10 days per year. Notable: In 2018, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signed a land exchange agreement to facilitate the construction of the life-saving road. It continues to be held up by litigation from environmental groups. In 2016, Murkowski chaired a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to press for the life-saving road, receiving compelling testimony from local residents and a retired Coast Guard commander who located a plane crash near King Cove that had resulted in multiple fatalities. In 2015, National Review published a longform article about King Cove entitled “Deadly Environmentalism,” which provides a comprehensive history of the issue and is well worth reading. In 2009, Murkowski secured passage of legislation facilitating a land exchange to provide for the life-saving road, but former Secretary Jewell stunningly determined that it was not in the public interest. Eight years later, 157 medevacs continue to show just how awful that decision was.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-announces-disbursement-of-cares-act-funding-to-alaskas-fisheries,Murkowski Announces Disbursement of CARES Act Funding to Alaska’s Fisheries,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"Alaska set to receive the highest possible allocation in fishery relief U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that $50 million in fishery assistance, secured through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security (CARES) Act, will be disbursed this week to Alaska’s commercial harvesters, sport fishing charters, and seafood processors. This funding comes as a result of the efforts of Senator Murkowski to make direct assistance available to subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants, processors, fishery-related businesses and fishery-dependent communities that have been negatively affected by the economic and other impacts of COVID-19. “Alaska’s fisheries and seafood sector are a critical driver of our State’s economy, employing more than 58,000 people and producing billions of dollars in economic output in our state each year. Unfortunately, I continue to hear from Alaska’s seafood industry about the numerous ongoing challenges they are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As I worked to help craft the CARES Act, I was adamant that robust funding was included for those who bring Alaskan halibut, salmon, and countless other seafood products to market. I recognize that the time between allocation and distribution has been frustrating and long, but I’m encouraged to know that those checks are officially hitting the mailboxes of hardworking Alaskans. The positive impacts this funding will have will be felt not only here at home, but across the nation as it boosts our economy and allows Alaska’s world class seafood to continue to be enjoyed around the globe,” said Senator Murkowski. “This CARES Act funding is serving as a vital source of support for fishermen. We appreciate that Congress recognized the need to support those in our seafood supply chain that are experiencing losses, through this and other support programs,” said Chris Barrows, President of Pacific Seafood Processors Association. “Alaskans from all fishing sectors owe a debt of gratitude to Lisa and Dan for directing so much relief to businesses based in our state. Many charter operators and guides were devastated by the loss of business due to COVID, and these funds are a welcome relief,” said Ben Mohr, executive director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association. “UFA is glad to hear that the initial $50 million of AK CARES Act Fisheries Relief funding is finally being distributed to Alaskans. We thank the Alaska Congressional Delegation for all the work that they did to secure this funding and applaud the delegation’s quick response to the economic harm caused by the pandemic, beginning back in 2020. The lengthy wait for the distribution of these funds, at a time when fishermen needed assistance the most, highlights the need for improvement of the distribution process for disaster relief funds for the fishing industry,” said Tracy Welch, Executive Director of United Fishermen of Alaska. Background: In May of 2020, as the pandemic was shutting down the U.S. economy, Senator Murkowski was able to help secure $300 million for fisheries assistance in the CARES Act, of which Alaska received $50 million. Congress approved a new authority through the CARES Act for the Secretary of Commerce to provide direct assistance to fishermen to address losses related to COVID. The State of Alaska worked with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PAC States) and National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a spend plan for the first and second rounds of funding. The Commission is currently drafting applications for round two, which are anticipated to be available in mid to late January of 2022. In order to apply for Round 2 funds, applicants will need to know their Round 1 relief amounts. Additional guidance will become available once applications have been finalized and approved by ADF&G staff. For more information, please contact the ADF&G. or monitor the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission’s website. Related Issues: Alaska's Fisheries",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/as-inflation-soars-scott-stands-up-for-farmers-and-ranchers/,"As Inflation Soars, Scott Stands Up For Farmers and Ranchers",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.), Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), and several of their colleagues in urging federal financial regulators to provide community banks, credit unions, and Farm Credit institutions with the regulatory flexibility they need to responsibly work with their agriculture clients as the profit margins of farmers and ranchers shrink from higher input costs. The senators are also requesting that federal financial regulators monitor how inflation and inflationary-related pressures are affecting the agriculture industry and, in turn, the community financial institutions that serve it. “The destructive impact of inflation has already affected individuals, families, and businesses across the nation, and no one is immune from these price increases,” the senators wrote. “Caused in large part by an unprecedented increase in federal government spending, in addition to supply chain bottlenecks, these higher prices are not just increasing grocery bills and home heating costs, but they are also raising costs on businesses, including on our nation’s farmers and ranchers.” The letter was also signed by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Senator Scott is committed to investigating and pushing back against any actions taken by the administration that contribute to inflation, which takes its greatest toll on low-income Americans. Read the full letter here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-scott-talks-dem-spending-2021-highlights-and-2022-agenda/,"ICYMI: Scott Talks Dem Spending, 2021 Highlights and 2022 Agenda",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Leyla Gulen on Fox24 Charleston. Sen. Scott slammed Democrats’ spending, talked legislative highlights of 2021, and laid out his agenda for 2022. Click to watch part one of the interview On Dem Spending … “Well, if you think about their plan, the Build Back Broker (BBB) as I prefer to call it, frankly that’s three trillion dollars of unpaid spending if those programs continue for all 10 years and the likelihood of that is good if they can get it passed. …I hope [what] we’ll see over the next several weeks is no passage of the BBB. That is good news for the American people.” “Leyla throughout South Carolina whether you’re in Charleston, Union, [or] McCormick South Carolina, the one thing you know is that gas prices have exploded — a 70 percent increase throughout our state. Utilities are up 25 percent if not even more. That is caused by reckless spending from Washington having a negative impact on every single household in the great Palmetto State. We can stop that from exploding again by not spending money we do not have, buying things we simply cannot afford.” Click to watch part two of the interview On 2021 Highlights … “Another really impressive issue this year frankly — is our bill that stopped the IRS from being able to peer into our financial accounts. That has been great news frankly — having all 50 Republicans get on that bill in less than 24 hours and then having Joe Manchin and a couple of other Democrats come out and say we can’t do that that’s just ridiculous.” On His Areas of Focus for 2022 … “I’m sticking with the less is better agenda. So, we’re going to continue to fight against certain provisions in the BBB — things like that childcare component that I talked about earlier. The average family cannot afford an 80 percent increase in the childcare cost. If we can defeat that provision specifically, we will have empowered parents to keep making the choice for their kids. Education opportunity — this is the closest thing to a civil rights issue we’ll see in our lifetime. Creating parity for poor parents and poor zip codes is job one for us as a nation on the domestic agenda and something that I’ll continue to fight for. Then, continuing to eliminate inflation as well as [preventing] the IRS [from having] more purview into your accounts. Then, if I had to put icing on the cake, I would simply say to take away the disadvantages in the Build Back Broker plan against states like South Carolina.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-wins-stand-off-with-white-house-over-ninth-circuit-nominees,Sullivan Wins Stand-off with White House Over Ninth Circuit Nominees,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Biden White House had been preventing Senator’s meetings with circuit court nominees ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) announced on Sunday that he had met via phone with several nominees to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, with jurisdiction over Alaska, ending a blockade by the Biden White House, which had been denying the senator the opportunity to meet with the judges prior to voting on their confirmation in the Senate. In his remarks on the Senate floor on December 13th, Sen. Sullivan argued that by withholding these meetings, the White House was subverting the “advice and consent” duties senators have under the Constitution. He also noted that this policy was a marked shift from the previous administration, which had facilitated meetings between senators and judicial nominees upon request. Sen. Sullivan delivered the news on Sunday Night in America on Fox News Channel, hosted by former Congressman Trey Gowdy. Transcript of the senator’s interview: GOWDY: Senator Sullivan joins us now. Thank you for joining us, Senator. I actually watched your conversation with Senator Whitehouse from Rhode Island on the Senate floor. It was cordial, as most Senate conversations are, but I do not understand the explanation for why you cannot meet with judicial nominees whose decisions impact your very state. SULLIVAN: Well, Trey, listen. I'm really glad you're raising this topic and, by the way, Merry Christmas. It’s great to be on the show. But here's the thing. This administration with some Democratic allies in the House and the Senate has been smashing key constitutional norms. As you know, they're trying to pack the Supreme Court. Look at what Elizabeth Warren just announced. They're trying to kill the filibuster. And then this one comes up—trying to undermine the advice and consent role that the U.S. Senate has with regard to nominees, especially, as you mentioned, judges who have life tenure. I've been fighting this and I'm actually glad to report right now that we finally have a victory on this one. We have stopped in its tracks this latest attack on the Constitution and constitutional norms. But I'll tell you, this was a breathtaking overreach—another one by the Biden White House. GOWDY: Well, good for you, Senator. How in the world—because I watched you and Senator Whitehouse. I think you had put a hold on something until they just simply let you meet. So how did you pull this off? SULLIVAN: I called the Biden White House and said, “What the heck is going on?” I meet with every Ninth Circuit judge, no matter what. As you mentioned in your piece already, the Ninth Circuit has enormous power over my constituents. They often get legal cases wrong. So I said, “Are you the one White House counsel that’s not letting me do my advice and consent role as a U.S. Senator?” It's hard to tell who's in charge over there in the White House. She actually said, “Well, we want to protect our judges.” I said, “Protect our judges? What the heck are you talking about? Protect them from what? Us doing our constitutional duty?” So I put holds on these judges and I got all of my [Republican] Senate colleagues to commit to voting against every Biden judicial nominee. And then I started talking to Democratic senators too. And, to be honest, I think I convinced some of them to say we're not going to do this. We're not going to undermine the Senate's advice and consent power. So we played hardball and finally I started getting some meetings with these judges who are up for life tenure appointments and will have enormous power over my state and the whole Ninth Circuit. Trey, you know, that's one out of five Americans. But this again is just another power grab and undermining of constitutional norms. We have to keep fighting. We had a victory on this one. But there's a lot more of the Constitution we have to protect. GOWDY: You know, senator, they do serve for life. They make incredibly challenging, difficult decisions. I've been lucky. Every federal judge I've appeared in front of you would have been proud of, whether you voted for them or nominated them, or not. They were wonderful. But the issue of temperament—will that road get heavy, will you change? How do you make that call if you've never met or talked to the person. SULLIVAN: You're exactly right, and here's what I did in these meetings when I finally was able to have them.Again, I've met with every Ninth Circuit judge, by the way, every D.C. Circuit judge, and every Supreme Court justice. Of course, it's a huge part of our job. It's Article 2, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The notion that the White House would say you can't do that under the Constitution because we want to “protect” judges is just crazy. But when it comes to the issues of temperament or their knowledge, what I do in the cases of Ninth Circuit judges, Trey, is I send them several U.S. Supreme Court cases that have an impact on Alaska. I ask them to read them so that they're up-to-speed on big issues in my state. And then I talk about issues, like the Second Amendment. Let me give an example. Nearly 70% of the households in Alaska are gun owners. The Second Amendment is hugely important to my constituents. So I raised the issues that matter to Alaska and, to be honest, these judges usually don't know anything about these issues, and it's a way to educate them. So when they're on the bench for life, they are doing things that represent everybody in the entire circuit, not just where they're from. And, unfortunately, in my case, California produces the vast majority of the Ninth Circuit judges. Alaska gets one judge out of 29. So you better believe I'm going to interview every single one of them. We finally fought back and won against this latest Biden attack on the Constitution. GOWDY: Well, senator, just to show you how much of a nerd I am, I was actually watching C-SPAN. So I listened to it and that's what piqued my interest. Congratulations to you for getting this resolved. You know, life is a long time. You have a job for six years minus sort of day to day or night-to-night, but life is a long time. So kudos to you for staying on it and getting it resolved. Merry Christmas to the entire Sullivan family and thank you for being with us tonight. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-wishes-hoosiers-a-merry-christmas/,Young Wishes Hoosiers a Merry Christmas,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) released a video message today to wish Hoosiers a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year this holiday season. Click here to watch Senator Young’s full remarks. Full transcript of the video: As we enter the Christmas season and 2021 draws to an end, it’s easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the season and forget how lucky we are to be here. We live in a beautiful country, where we have the freedom to choose how we celebrate this season and the opportunity to spend time with the people we love. I’m also thinking about those who cannot be in-person with their loved ones today. To the brave Hoosiers serving our country, thank you for your sacrifice this holiday season. I am sending my thoughts to you and your families during this time. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9C81807A-19D9-439F-9708-50C1DC32AABA,McConnell and Comer Help Secure Over $3.3 Million for Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Improvements,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Representative James Comer (KY-01) announced today the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will distribute $3,320,000 to the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority (PMCRA) to fund infrastructure improvements at the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport. DOT distributed these funds through their Port Infrastructure Development Program’s competitive grant process. Senator McConnell and Representative Comer wrote letters to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in support of PMCRA’s grant application. PMCRA will use the funds allocated through this grant to modernize the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport’s material handling equipment, repair damaged facilities, and upgrade site conditions at their bulk yard. These upgrades will ensure reliable throughput for agriculture and construction supply chains, bolstering economic development in the quad-state area. “The Paducah-McCracken County Riverport is one of the most important transportation hubs in all of Kentucky. Situated at the heart of America’s inland waterway system, the port forms a vital link in the supply chains that serve consumers and businesses across the Commonwealth. It is more important than ever to be able to move much-needed materials in and out of our state efficiently,” said Senator McConnell. “Today’s grant announcement is a major step forward in the modernization and improvement of Kentucky’s river infrastructure. I was proud to stand alongside Congressman Comer and the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority in advocating for this grant’s approval.” “The Paducah-McCracken County riverport is vital to safely transporting the commodities America’s economy relies on. Given its strategic location and key role in the shipment of goods, Paducah is the perfect recipient of this competitive grant to improve economic development and inland waterway transportation in the United States,” said Congressman James Comer. “I’m eager to see this quality investment in Kentucky’s waterways get off the ground, and was happy to join Senator McConnell in successfully pushing for this funding.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F00C6AD6-8591-47DD-B6E3-C53B74363344,McConnell: Democrats Have Little to Show for 11 Months Running Pandemic Response,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"LOUISVILLE, KY – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding the Biden Administration and COVID-19: “Every American is rooting for our country in the continued fight against COVID-19. But 11 months into the Biden Administration, we need an honest accounting. “In 2020, then-candidate Biden promised he would ‘shut down the virus.’ Now new cases in our major cities are breaking records. When the virus had killed 220,000 Americans, then-candidate Biden said ‘anyone who’s responsible for that many deaths should not remain as President of the United States.’ Now we have lost 800,000 and counting. “Last week, Vice President Harris said their Administration was surprised and caught off guard by new variants such as delta and omicron. But new variants were public knowledge before this Administration took office. “Democrats’ springtime ‘rescue plan’ spent just 9% on the health fight and 91% on other issues. The Biden Administration has also taken hundreds of millions of dollars from COVID testing and the Strategic National Stockpile and diverted it to their border crisis. “As a result, eleven months into this Administration, we are still woefully short on rapid and affordable testing. Americans seeking tests before the holidays are facing massive lines and empty shelves. “Eleven months in, we are still short on important treatments such as monoclonal antibodies. “Eleven months in, a promising new antiviral pill was only belatedly approved today by the FDA and the Biden Administration preordered too little, too late. “Eleven months in, with a predictable seasonal surge threatening hospitals, the Administration has inexplicably only just begun releasing funding that Congress set aside for health providers. “Months ago, Senate Republicans wrote the Biden Administration asking why they were limiting important treatments and if they had any plans to guard against future variants. They never responded. “Washington Democrats spent 2021 chasing unrelated far-left ambitions and largely sleepwalking through the pandemic. “A million Americans per day were getting vaccinated before President Biden took office. What new tools have Democrats added to the fantastic vaccines they inherited? Where is their sequel to Operation Warp Speed? What do they have to show for 11 months? “I continue to urge everyone to take advantage of the safe and effective vaccines which the Biden Administration inherited. They offer fantastic protection against hospitalization and death. “At the same time, it is clear that vaccines will not completely halt transmission or new variants. “This makes it even more unacceptable that the Biden Administration is only producing illegal mandates and angry, confrontational speeches about vaccines. This Administration’s careless and confusing rhetoric has stoked an avoidable culture war around these lifesaving tools which they inherited. “The coronavirus will not simply disappear. Angry speeches about vaccines are not a strategy. “Democrats must quit the distractions, get focused, and move toward a future where the coronavirus is not a perpetual crisis, but a fact of life that we manage and mitigate. More and cheaper tests. More and better treatments. More vaccinations, but with unity, not bitter rhetoric. No more lockdowns. And no more Big Labor veto over children’s in-person educations.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-2021-festivusreport-government-waste/,Dr. Rand Paul Releases 2021 ‘Festivus’Reporton Government Waste,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2021 Contact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight (ETSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), released his 2021 “Festivus” Report, totaling over $52,598,515,585 billion in government waste. This marks Dr. Paul’s and the subcommittee’s seventh edition of the Festivus Report as he continues working to alert the American people to how their federal government uses their hard-earned money. Sections are broken down into COVID-19 spending, Afghanistan, and Miscellaneous. You can find Dr. Paul’s 2021 Festivus Report HERE.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-finance-republicans-demand-treasury-analysis-of-oecd-agreement/,"Scott, Finance Republicans Demand Treasury Analysis of OECD Agreement",2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), along with Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and all other Senate Finance Committee Republicans, wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen renewing requests for information regarding international tax negotiations. To date, the Department of the Treasury (USDT) has been unwilling or unable to fully engage with Congress to provide details on the negotiations, which will have a significant impact on American workers, businesses and revenue. The senators raise concerns with how the negotiations may negatively impact U.S. competitiveness; the commitment from the United States to increase its global minimum tax before any other country; and suggestions that USDT could implement the agreement without the advice and consent of the Senate, bypassing the treaty process. “The Administration’s rush to reach a political agreement, tied to its domestic spending plans and pursuit of revenue, has come at the expense of thorough analysis and meaningful engagement with Congress and the business community, and may ultimately put U.S. businesses at risk. . . . Given this agreement’s potential to jeopardize U.S. competitiveness, we continue to have concerns with the lack of detail underlying the approach being proposed under Pillar One and its lack of foundation in any discernible tax principles,” the senators wrote. “Further troubling is Treasury’s continued insistence that the United States once again move first by significantly increasing the U.S. global minimum tax. . . . As Pillar Two does not require other countries to adopt a global minimum tax, we are not confident that our biggest foreign competitors, like China, will enact and implement a global minimum tax on the same terms or on the timeline agreed to at the OECD. … “Finally, suggestions that the United States could fully implement Pillar One without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate through the treaty process are highly problematic. . . . [A]ny suggestion that Pillar One can be implemented absent treaty ratification is a dramatic shift from past precedent and calls into question the binding nature of any such agreement, thereby threatening the very tax certainty that many of our companies, and this Administration, claim to seek under Pillar One.” The senators end the letter with a detailed list of questions regarding the proposals, reiterating that any opportunity for a bipartisan outcome will require greater transparency and engagement from USDT. Signing the letter along with Senator Scott and Ranking Member Crapo were all other Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee: Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Full text of the letter can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-joins-finance-republicans-to-demand-treasury-analysis-of-oecd-agreement/,Young Joins Finance Republicans to Demand Treasury Analysis of OECD Agreement,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Senate Finance Committee Republicans in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to renew requests for information regarding international tax negotiations. To date, Treasury has been unwilling or unable to fully engage with Congress to provide details on the negotiations, which will have a significant impact on American workers, businesses and revenue. The senators raise concerns with how the negotiations may negatively impact U.S. competitiveness; the commitment from the United States to increase its global minimum tax before any other country; and suggestions that Treasury could implement the agreement without the advice and consent of the Senate, bypassing the treaty process. From the letter: “The Administration’s rush to reach a political agreement, tied to its domestic spending plans and pursuit of revenue, has come at the expense of thorough analysis and meaningful engagement with Congress and the business community, and may ultimately put U.S. businesses at risk… Given this agreement’s potential to jeopardize U.S. competitiveness, we continue to have concerns with the lack of detail underlying the approach being proposed under Pillar One and its lack of foundation in any discernible tax principles. … Further troubling is Treasury’s continued insistence that the United States once again move first by significantly increasing the U.S. global minimum tax… As Pillar Two does not require other countries to adopt a global minimum tax, we are not confident that our biggest foreign competitors, like China, will enact and implement a global minimum tax on the same terms or on the timeline agreed to at the OECD. … Finally, suggestions that the United States could fully implement Pillar One without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate through the treaty process are highly problematic… [A]ny suggestion that Pillar One can be implemented absent treaty ratification is a dramatic shift from past precedent and calls into question the binding nature of any such agreement, thereby threatening the very tax certainty that many of our companies, and this Administration, claim to seek under Pillar One.” The senators end the letter with a detailed list of questions regarding the proposals, reiterating that any opportunity for a bipartisan outcome will require greater transparency and engagement from Treasury. In addition to Senator Young, the following Republican members of the Finance Committee signed the letter: Mike Crapo (R-Idaho, Ranking Member) Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) John Cornyn (R-Texas) John Thune (R-South Dakota) Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) Rob Portman (R-Ohio) Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) Steve Daines (R-Montana) Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) Full text of the letter can be read here or below. December 22, 2021 The Honorable Janet Yellen Secretary Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20220 Dear Secretary Yellen, We remain focused on ensuring the agreement reached at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/G20 regarding international taxation allows U.S. businesses and workers to remain globally competitive. Because this Administration has failed to provide us with the detail necessary to evaluate the agreement, we renew our request for this information. U.S. engagement in the OECD negotiations has historically received broad, bipartisan support given the key objective of eliminating discriminatory digital services taxes (DSTs). Rather than prioritizing this shared goal, this Administration’s focus shifted to its domestic agenda of increasing taxes on American businesses, including through a higher global minimum tax. The Administration’s rush to reach a political agreement, tied to its domestic spending plans and pursuit of revenue, has come at the expense of thorough analysis and meaningful engagement with Congress and the business community, and may ultimately put U.S. businesses at risk. Given this agreement’s potential to jeopardize U.S. competitiveness, we continue to have concerns with the lack of detail underlying the approach being proposed under Pillar One and its lack of foundation in any discernible tax principles. Although you have stated that Pillar One will be “largely revenue neutral” to the United States, you have refused to provide us with an analysis substantiating your claim. You have also undercut this assertion by acknowledging that open design features may “materially impact American companies and the fiscal position of the United States relative to other countries.” We are also concerned the Pillar One implementation timeline agreed to by this Administration is not realistic. The Administration’s recent agreements allow existing DSTs to remain in place, pause all U.S. retaliatory options, and require implementation by December 31, 2023 in order for DSTs to be removed. Given the number of open issues remaining and the need for all countries to achieve consensus, implementation by 2023 is likely unachievable. These agreements appear to eliminate any U.S. leverage, while attempting to manipulate Congress to act—potentially to the detriment of U.S. businesses and revenue—in order for DST relief to be achieved. Further troubling is Treasury’s continued insistence that the United States once again move first by significantly increasing the U.S. global minimum tax. The United States already acted first when the global intangible low-tax income (GILTI) minimum tax was enacted – four years ago. Yet the United States remains the only country that imposes a global minimum tax on its companies. As Pillar Two does not require other countries to adopt a global minimum tax, we are not confident that our biggest foreign competitors, like China, will enact and implement a global minimum tax on the same terms or on the timeline agreed to at the OECD. Finally, suggestions that the United States could fully implement Pillar One without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate through the treaty process are highly problematic. Beyond constitutional concerns, any suggestion of implementation through a congressional-executive agreement at this stage is entirely inappropriate: this Administration chose not to engage with Congress to establish a legislative procedure defining OECD negotiating objectives or providing a detailed oversight and consultation process. The Administration cannot now assert it has the authority to enter into such an agreement. Overall, any suggestion that Pillar One can be implemented absent treaty ratification is a dramatic shift from past precedent and calls into question the binding nature of any such agreement, thereby threatening the very tax certainty that many of our companies, and this Administration, claim to seek under Pillar One. Any opportunity for a bipartisan outcome will require greater transparency and engagement. We ask that you provide prompt answers to the following questions surrounding these proposals: Please provide your estimate of the number of U.S. companies that would be in scope under Pillar One. While we understand there are open design issues, Treasury has clearly performed an analysis and identified a range of possible outcomes. Please provide point estimates of the following, and describe the key design issues on which these estimates depend: a. The amount of profit that would be reallocated between the United States and foreign countries, including a breakdown of estimated amounts by country. b. The net revenue impact of Pillar One to the United States. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) has long been engaged with the OECD negotiations at the request of both Congressional tax-writing committees. If you are unwilling to share this information directly with our members, will you commit to provide JCT with this information so they may provide an independent and confidential analysis? Please provide a proposed plan for Pillar One implementation, including: a. Treasury’s proposed approach for implementation, including the expected treaty actions, domestic legislation, and changes to our competent authority agreements. b. Treasury’s proposed timeline for the United States to implement Pillar One. c. If it is Treasury’s position that treaty action will not be necessary to implement Pillar One, by what means and under what authority will the U.S. enter into a multilateral convention? Please provide a detailed analysis regarding how each of the United States’ bilateral tax treaties’ permanent establishment provisions will be modified through means other than the formal treaty approval process. d. If Pillar One is not implemented by December 31, 2023, will U.S. companies have any recourse for DSTs collected between now and that date? Will other countries be free to enact DSTs at that time? e. What are the OECD’s plans for public consultation with stakeholders, including Congress and the U.S. business community, before design and implementation plans are finalized? What efforts are the Treasury Department taking to ensure meaningful public consultation takes place? What, if any, commitments has China made regarding its timing for implementation of a 15 percent global minimum tax? Have any of the other 134 countries joining the agreement provided you with a commitment regarding implementation? We will continue to engage in good faith to evaluate the effects of this agreement on American workers, businesses, and revenue. However, this Administration’s current posture of stonewalling our requests for relevant, material information has made it impossible to make this determination. We appreciate your attention to these issues and look forward to your timely response to our questions. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-welcomes-additional-h-2b-visas,Alaska Delegation Welcomes Additional H-2B Visas,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"DHS, DOL Announcement Paves Way for Robust Seasonal Workforce U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, welcomed an announcement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) that a joint temporary final rule will soon be implemented to ensure an additional 20,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas will be made available nationwide for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. “This announcement recognizes the significance of H-2B visas for Alaska and is vitally important for our state’s seafood industry. Despite their dogged efforts to find local seasonal workers – which must always be the preference – Alaska employers, particularly in seafood processing, often struggle to find enough workers to keep their operations running. These additional visas, which will be issued in the first half of the Fiscal Year for the first time ever, will help our seafood industry ensure a robust labor pool as we head into the 2022 season,” said Senator Murkowski. “I made it a priority early on with this administration to elevate this issue—not only for a need to raise the cap, but for a long-term solution. I thank the administration for making this a priority and will push the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to issue needed visas in a timely manner.” ""A perpetually challenging issue for our seafood industry is ensuring sufficient seafood workers so that when our great Alaska fishermen harvest their world-class product they can get it to market. I appreciate the focus on this issue, and the commitment to solutions for Alaskan fishermen who are going out to sea early in the new year and rely on this program,” said Senator Sullivan. “It is vital that our state’s ongoing economic recovery is not further threatened by labor shortages. Access to sufficient nonimmigrant seasonal H-2B visas is essential for Alaska’s seafood processing industry. Filling these jobs with Alaskans continues to be my goal, but a lack of workers would have catastrophic impacts for fishermen, processors, and the fishing communities that rely on this sector being strong. The Alaskan seafood industry is a critical piece of our nation’s food supply and security. Over the last few months, I have been working on a solution to the seafood processing labor shortage, including working closely with Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to find a fix for this critical sector,” said Congressman Young. “Today, I am very pleased to share that DHS is making thousands more H-2B visas available, which will greatly benefit Alaska’s economy and employers in the coming year. This is a tremendous victory for our state, and our Delegation’s united front has once again produced an important win for Alaska. Our work will continue as we look to find a long-term solution for labor needs in the seafood processing sector. I want to sincerely thank Secretary Mayorkas for working with me and our Senators on behalf of our state’s businesses. As always, I will continue working with anyone, regardless of party, on policies that put Alaska first.” H-2B visas allow domestic employers to temporarily hire nonimmigrants to perform nonagricultural labor or services if American workers are not available, after completing a rigorous application and certification process. These visas are critical to the survival of seafood businesses, many of which are family-owned operations that go back multiple generations. The Alaska Delegation has been active on the H-2B issue, working hard each year to ensure that an adequate number of H-2B visas are made available, and that they are issued to Alaskan employers with sufficient advance for them to prepare for the season ahead. Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young have maintained direct contact with DHS Secretary Mayorkas, working collaboratively to find a solution.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=2374FC54-6733-4A44-9EBD-E9E2EB0294F1,McConnell Helps Secure Over $115 Million in Pandemic Relief Funding for Kentucky Healthcare Providers,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will distribute more than $115 million in pandemic relief funding to 897 Kentucky healthcare providers through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). These funds will be distributed as Phase 4 of the Provider Relief Fund, which was established through the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Senator McConnell secured a total of $178 billion for the Provider Relief Fund through several bipartisan COVID-19 relief packages he led to Senate passage last year. This September, the Senator also wrote a letter to the HHS Secretary advocating for Kentucky’s healthcare providers to receive these funds. Previously, this Administration had not released any of the allocated Provider Relief Fund despite its availability throughout 2021. Kentucky’s relief funding comes as part of a nationwide, $9 billion payment to more than 69,000 healthcare providers who have experienced revenue loss or expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The nationwide average payment is $58,000 for small providers, $289,000 for medium providers, and $1.7 million for large providers. “Nobody has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as acutely as our healthcare providers, who have been on the front lines of this crisis since day one. Now, as many of these same heroes mobilize to assist with Kentucky’s tornado recovery efforts, they are also dealing with extensive pandemic-related expenses and revenue loss. Today’s relief funding announcement will go a long way toward easing that financial distress,” said Senator McConnell. “I was proud to lead several bipartisan COVID-19 relief bills to passage last year and help our healthcare providers receive the relief funding they need to survive. Kentucky and America simply cannot allow our healthcare providers to flounder while we still work to defeat the pandemic.” “These funds will help cover the heavy losses that Baptist Health has faced in treating more than 21,000 COVID-19 patients due to the significant costs of the additional medical supplies, drugs and manpower needed for effective treatment. We thank Sen. McConnell for his role in facilitating these much-needed funds,” said Dr. Gerard Colman, CEO of Baptist Health. “Owensboro Health is extremely appreciative of Senator McConnell’s ongoing efforts to empower health systems like ours as we meet the challenges of COVID-19,” Mark Marsh, Owensboro Health President and CEO, said. “This relief comes as we see an uptick in hospitalizations and prepare for another wave of the virus and new variants in our predominately rural service area.” “We are extremely grateful for the additional Provider Relief Funds that have been released to providers to help cover the additional costs incurred from caring for patients with COVID. Patients with COVID require longer stays and more intense resources, many needing additional therapies, ICU care, or a ventilator. Extra supplies and Personal Protective Equipment are also required to prevent spread to associates and other patients. Meanwhile, supply costs and staffing costs have increased significantly during the pandemic due to shortages nationwide and capacity is being strained at St. Elizabeth and all hospitals requiring many to cancel elective surgeries and procedures at various points during the pandemic. The Provider Relief Fund established through Senator McConnell’s CARES Act have been critical in helping St. Elizabeth sustain high quality operations throughout the pandemic. Since we are experiencing another surge and cases are not declining, the newly released funds will help us to continue providing excellent care to our community,” said Garren Colvin, President and CEO St. Elizabeth Healthcare.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-joins-colleagues-in-filing-amicus-brief-in-pending-clean-air-act-supreme-court-case/,Scott Joins Colleagues in Filing Amicus Brief in Pending Clean Air Act Supreme Court Case,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) today joined 47 senators and 45 House members—including Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.)—in filing an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in the pending case West Virginia, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The members agree that the EPA acted outside its congressionally-authorized authority by issuing significantly overreaching rules—namely the Clean Power Plan—to attempt to transform the nation’s power sector through emissions regulations under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. “If Congress had intended to give the EPA such sweeping authority to transform an entire sector of our economy, Congress would have done so explicitly. An administrative agency like the EPA may decide issues of such vast economic and political significance only when the agency can point to ‘clear congressional authorization.’ “Decisions regarding greenhouse gas emissions and the power sector are major policy questions with vast economic and political significance. Only elected members of Congress, representing the will of the people, may decide these questions. The EPA’s attempt to issue expansive regulations cannot stand in the absence of clear congressional authorization. “Congress knows how to address greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, Congress has decided to pass transformative laws that incentivize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from a wide range of industries, including the electric power sector,” the brief states. Senate cosigners of the brief include Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). House cosigners of the brief include Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Steve Scalise (R-La.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Michael C. Burgess (R-Texas), Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), David B. McKinley (R-W.Va.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), Billy Long (R-Mo.), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Gary J. Palmer (R-Ala.), Neal P. Dunn (R-Fla.), John R. Curtis (R-Utah), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Greg Pence (R-Ind.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), John Joyce (R-Pa.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Troy Balderson (R-Ohio), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Garret Graves (R-La.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), and Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.). Read the full text of the amicus brief here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-commits-to-vawa-reauthorization-,Murkowski Commits to VAWA Reauthorization,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) yesterday spoke on the Senate floor about the need for a bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. This speech dovetails an announcement made by Senator Murkowski and her colleagues, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), that they have developed a bipartisan framework to modernize and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The framework agreement includes provisions that strengthen rape prevention and education efforts and services and protections for young survivors, closes the dating partner loophole, and includes an Alaska pilot program which will empower a limited number of Tribes to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes that occur in Alaska Native villages. Click here for video of Senator Murkowski Speech Excerpts: Murkowski speaks on a path forward to a bipartisan reauthorization of VAWA: “It has been years in the making. The last time we had a VAWA reauthorization was VAWA 2013, and so we are high past time to be addressing this very significant matter.” “No compromise is perfect, but what has been developed through this framework is a proposal that will really help to prevent violence, to support our survivors, to hold perpetrators accountable.” “We all want to get to that next step which is filing the legislation so that we can get it moving through this process. I look forward to doing that in the new year.” “There is an ongoing public safety crisis in rural Alaska and across Indian Country, but we have an opportunity in this Congress to work together, across the aisle, to find solutions and restore justice.” “We must let our women, children, and families who have been affected by devastating violence know – you are heard and we stand with you.” Murkowski speaks to the disproportionate victimization of Native people: “As a Senator for Alaska, this is an extraordinarily pressing issue in my home state. As the Vice Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, I can affirm that this is a very real issue in Native lands.” “By now, I would hope that every Senator understands the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, we refer to this as MMIW. That’s why we passed Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act, and I want to acknowledge my colleague who has been working this issue with us for so long—Senator Cortez Masto. I think we recognize we’ve made progress there, but to fully address the root causes of this crisis – the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, the violent crime in many Native communities we have– we have an awful lot more to do.” “The rates of violence experienced by Alaska Natives are particularly horrific and statistics should shock us all. I repeat them a lot and they still shock me. According to a report prepared by the Indian Law and Order Commission, Alaska Native women are overrepresented – by nearly 250 percent – among female domestic violence victims.” “Just to put it into context here, a couple of years ago, an investigation that was conducted by the Anchorage Daily News determined that one in three Native communities in rural Alaska have no local law enforcement physically present, leaving Native women and children at greater risk of violence. Think about that for just a minute, to live in a community where there’s no one to turn to, no law enforcement presence to turn to. Maybe you’re able to share your story with a local health aide there, but that’s as far as you can go. Beyond that, hardly any Alaska Tribes, have the tools they need to address violence in their communities.” Murkowski speaks to provisions included in the framework agreement: “I am proud to have authored text that will address the ongoing epidemic Alaska faces with violence, which has left long-lasting trauma for too many of our women, children, and families. We will not allow survivors and the needs of the most vulnerable to go unmet.” “Our tribal title closes loopholes, builds upon the success of the 2013 reauthorization, and includes specific solutions to protect Alaska Native people. The tribal title will further restore, and improve, the implementation of the special tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit violent crimes in Native communities. And it would do so by allowing Tribes who exercise this special jurisdiction to charge defendants with crimes that co-occur with domestic violence, such as violence against children or assault on law enforcement.” “The tribal title includes an Alaska pilot program which builds on previous legislation I have introduced and will empower a limited number of Alaska Tribes to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes that occur in villages in Alaska.” “This legislation will include a provision named in memory of an Alaskan, Breanna Moore. Bree’s Law drives education initiatives to enable youth, parents, and advocates, to recognize, prevent, and mitigate teen dating violence.” “Another provision addresses support services for victims. We know that it is difficult for victims to access the necessary medical forensic services in Alaska, so this provision will allow for evidence-collection and aid in a survivor’s journey to seeking justice. Although we have deeply, troubling, statistics on sexual assault and domestic violence – Alaskans have also been at the frontlines of innovation, offering solutions.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/sullivan-and-murkowski-introduce-alaska-salmon-research-task-force-act,SULLIVAN AND MURKOWSKI INTRODUCE ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE ACT,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) introduced the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation that would form a panel of Alaska’s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support salmon management. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding and managing salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska. “It is difficult to overstate the importance of salmon to Alaska, our communities, our economy and our traditional way of life. Over the past several years, Alaskans in some parts of the state have witnessed strong, historic runs of salmon, while Alaskans in other regions have seen shocking and unprecedented declines,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Our existing management system, with the state’s authority to manage Alaska’s salmon harvest and the federal government managing federal fishery salmon harvest and much of the at-sea research, has created a clear gap in research and research prioritization that urgently needs to be addressed. This crisis warrants the combined attention of our state and federal governments, and the expertise of our greatest scientific minds, as well as the indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. With this legislation, we would establish a body to expand our understanding, identify knowledge gaps, and ultimately drive us toward concrete policies and management decisions that we hope will bring increased abundance and stability to our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.” “It has been said that the summer season doesn’t arrive in Alaskan coastal and in-river communities until the salmon do. In some regions we are seeing not just a decline in salmon runs, but a crash that is damaging to not only the local economies but to the culture and spirit of the people in the region. It is clear we must further our understanding of salmon and their ecosystems in these times of rapid change. I am proud to join Senator Sullivan on the Alaska Salmon Research Taskforce Act as we seek to identify and bolster the necessary science to chart a path forward to ensure these critical species thrive,” said Sen. Murkowski. “I also continue to welcome feedback from affected community members and groups on how best to target research funding and craft policy to identify and mitigate the drivers of these declines and ensure the vitality of Alaska’s salmon fisheries for future generations.” The Research Task Force would be composed of between 13 and 19 members, with the secretary of commerce appointing a representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the U.S. section of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The secretary would also appoint between two and five representatives from Alaska covering the wide array of state fisheries stakeholders, including subsistence, and commercial or recreational users. Lastly, the secretary would appoint five academic experts in salmon biology, management, and ecology, or marine research. The governor of Alaska would appoint one representative of the state. The bill also directs the Research Task Force to establish a working group specifically focused on salmon returns in the AYK region of Western and Interior Alaska, where salmon return failures have had devastating impacts, and provides flexibility for the Research Task Force to establish other geographically-focused working groups. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-banking-republicans-call-on-president-biden-to-rebuke-fdic-coup-attempt/,"Senator Scott, Banking Republicans Call on President Biden to Rebuke FDIC Coup Attempt",2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and fellow Senate Banking Committee Republicans are calling on President Joe Biden to rebuke Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Director Marty Gruenberg for their illegitimate attempt to violate the FDIC’s 88-year tradition of working independent from partisan political influence. In a letter, the senators also urged President Biden to immediately replace Director Gruenberg—whose term expired three years ago and is serving in a temporary capacity—and nominate an individual to fill the vacant Republican seat on the FDIC board. “As a public servant who spent nearly four decades serving in the U.S. Senate, we believe you understand and hold deep respect for historical precedent, institutional norms, and courteous treatment of your colleagues—even in the face of political disagreement,”the senators wrote. “America’s independent financial regulators are respected the world over for their professionalism and integrity, and we fear the actions of Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg, if left unchecked have the potential to weaken faith in our financial institutions and markets.” On December 9, CFPB Director Chopra and FDIC Director Gruenberg published a joint statement to the CFPB’s website claiming the FDIC approved a request for information (RFI) on bank mergers. Shortly thereafter, the FDICclarifiedthat no such document had been approved by the FDIC and that there was no valid vote by the FDIC board. “Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg’s statement and actions make clear that they violated FDIC procedures with the apparent goal of usurping the powers of the chairman and inhibiting her ability to carry out her official duties and responsibilities,”the senators continued. “In addition to violating the FDIC bylaws and processes, their actions upended an 88-year tradition of the FDIC board working on a collegial basis with its chairman as well as working independent from partisan political influence.” As the senators point out, Director Gruenberg is going on nearly two decades as an FDIC board member, but is currently serving in a temporary role because his term expired three years ago. Despite the fact that his position requires Senate confirmation, he has continued to serve on the FDIC board long after the expiration of his term in order to undermine its Senate-confirmed leader. “We urge you to nominate promptly a candidate to replace Director Gruenberg, as well as a candidate to fill the vacant Vice-Chairman position on the FDIC board. These candidates should be well-qualified, mainstream individuals who will respect the institutional norms and practices that Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg have willfully chosen to ignore.” To read the senators’ full letter to President Biden, click here. BACKGROUND On Monday, Senator Scott separately urged Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg to cease and desist their efforts to supersede Chairman McWilliams’ powers and responsibilities as the Senate-confirmed leader of the FDIC. In his letter, Senator Scott emphasized that Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg’s unprecedented and illegitimate actions to politicize the independent and historically apolitical practice of federal bank regulation are in direct conflict with their job as Board members to uphold the FDIC’s mission of maintaining “stability and public confidence in the nation’s financial system.” To read Senator Scott’s full letter to CFPB Director Chopra and FDIC Director Gruenberg,click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senators-scott-and-hassan-introduce-bill-to-expand-educator-tax-deduction/,Senators Scott and Hassan Introduce Bill to Expand Educator Tax Deduction,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced a bill to extend the educator Expense Tax Deduction to K-12 athletic coaches and administrators. This bill will amend the tax code to allow K-12 coaches to be classified as “eligible educators” in order to be eligible for tax deductions for out-of-pocket expenses relating to instructional expenses. “Coaches and athletic administrators are often integral to the success of students both in and out of the classroom,” said Senator Tim Scott. “It is only right that we expand the tax code to ensure that they receive the same benefits as they continue to personally invest in the future of students across America.” “Athletic directors and coaches across New Hampshire play an important role in setting students up for success, including by fostering health and wellness and helping student-athletes get on the road to college,” Senator Hassan said. “It is nonsensical that coaches are left out of getting tax cuts to help cover out-of-pocket costs for supplies when all other teachers have that option. I am glad to introduce this bill with Senator Scott that would include athletic directors and coaches in the group of educators who can get certain out-of-pocket expenses covered, and I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation.“ Several organizations have expressed support for this bill including Nike, Inc, adidas America, Inc, Sports and Fitness Industry Association, and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). “We thank Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) for this bill that directly offers a positive benefit to interscholastic athletic administrators,” said NIAAA Executive Director Dr. Mike Blackburn. “Just as the original 1986 IRS code allows deductions for out-of-pocket educator costs, this bill offers the same financial option to those in the profession of high school and middle school athletic administration and coaching. We appreciate our supportive members of the U. S. Congress, as well as our advocates, and NIAAA Board of Directors.” “Interscholastic athletics is an integral component of the education system. First and foremost, we are thankful for the actions of Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) for recognizing interscholastic athletic administrators and interscholastic athletic coaches as educators. The financial options of the tax bill is a welcomed addition and is very much appreciated,”said NIAAA President Dr. Lisa L. Langston. BACKGROUND Under current law, only “eligible educators” are able to utilize the $250 tax credit for out-of-pocket related instructional expenses. “Eligible educator” means, with respect to any taxable year, an individual who is a kindergarten through grade 12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in a school for at least 900 hours during a school year. Athletic administrators and coaches can be considered eligible educators and receive these tax deductions as they also provide critical instruction to students and often pay for their expenses out of their own pockets. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-and-murkowski-introduce-alaska-salmon-research-task-force-act,Sullivan and Murkowski Introduce Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) introduced the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation that would form a panel of Alaska’s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support salmon management. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding and managing salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska. “It is difficult to overstate the importance of salmon to Alaska, our communities, our economy and our traditional way of life. Over the past several years, Alaskans in some parts of the state have witnessed strong, historic runs of salmon, while Alaskans in other regions have seen shocking and unprecedented declines,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Our existing management system, with the state’s authority to manage Alaska’s salmon harvest and the federal government managing federal fishery salmon harvest and much of the at-sea research, has created a clear gap in research and research prioritization that urgently needs to be addressed. This crisis warrants the combined attention of our state and federal governments, and the expertise of our greatest scientific minds, as well as the indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. With this legislation, we would establish a body to expand our understanding, identify knowledge gaps, and ultimately drive us toward concrete policies and management decisions that we hope will bring increased abundance and stability to our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.” “It has been said that the summer season doesn’t arrive in Alaskan coastal and in-river communities until the salmon do. In some regions we are seeing not just a decline in salmon runs, but a crash that is damaging to not only the local economies but to the culture and spirit of the people in the region. It is clear we must further our understanding of salmon and their ecosystems in these times of rapid change. I am proud to join Senator Sullivan on the Alaska Salmon Research Taskforce Act as we seek to identify and bolster the necessary science to chart a path forward to ensure these critical species thrive,” said Sen. Murkowski. “I also continue to welcome feedback from affected community members and groups on how best to target research funding and craft policy to identify and mitigate the drivers of these declines and ensure the vitality of Alaska’s salmon fisheries for future generations.” The Research Task Force would be composed of between 13 and 19 members, with the secretary of commerce appointing a representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the U.S. section of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The secretary would also appoint between two and five representatives from Alaska covering the wide array of state fisheries stakeholders, including subsistence, and commercial or recreational users. Lastly, the secretary would appoint five academic experts in salmon biology, management, and ecology, or marine research. The governor of Alaska would appoint one representative of the state. The bill also directs the Research Task Force to establish a working group specifically focused on salmon returns in the AYK region of Western and Interior Alaska, where salmon return failures have had devastating impacts, and provides flexibility for the Research Task Force to establish other geographically-focused working groups. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-honors-shari-daugherty-as-alaskan-of-the-week,Sullivan Honors Shari Daugherty as “Alaskan of the Week”,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—On the floor of the U.S. Senate yesterday, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) recognized Shari Daugherty, of Homer, who founded “Share the Spirit” back in 1992, a community-driven nonprofit that provides all of the ingredients of a proper Christmas celebration—including a full meal and presents—for less-fortunate families and children. Daugherty is retiring from the program and from her job as a medical biller at South Peninsula Hospital this year, but will be handing on the reins for “Share the Spirit” to a new generation of leaders. Daugherty was recognized as part of Sen. Sullivan’s series, “Alaskan of the Week.” Tribute to Shari Daugherty Mr. President, it is Thursday. The Senate is still very busy here. We have a lot of work to do, as we are all trying to get home for the holidays. And I thought it was still the appropriate time to come down and talk about somebody who is making our State such a great State, somebody who is contributing to the community, somebody who I refer to as our Alaskan of the Week. Now, we have been doing this for, gosh, going on almost 6 years, maybe 5 years. But it is always one of my favorite times of week, even when the speech is late. So I appreciate the majority leader and the Presiding Officer letting us stay open here for one more speech. And I know the pages--I mean, they love the Alaskan of the Week. So this is a little bit of a treat. But I always start this speech with a little bit of an update on what is going on in Alaska. So right now, Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow--that is Point Barrow. That is the northern most community in North America. They haven't seen the sun in nearly a month. The sun went down, and it is not rising again until January 23. So they get a lot of darkness. There are 66 days of darkness. Great people up there. Wonderful people up there. I love it up there. We have had some pretty significant cold spells already. That, for now, doesn't seem to be lifting. It was 40 below 0 in Fairbanks yesterday. In Anchorage, the high was 4 degrees above 0. Forty below is chilly. Tough people throughout the State. Four degrees above is pretty cold for Anchorage. But everybody is excited because Christmas is right around the corner, and it is, of course, a great time to be in Alaska. We do have a place--I was just talking with the Presiding Officer and the majority leader. We have a great community in Interior Alaska called North Pole, AK. Santa actually lives there. We have a city council member in North Pole named Santa Claus, and a reindeer there. And, of course, I am like everybody else here, looking forward to getting home, going to Midnight Mass, eating my special Alaska seafood Newburg, having friends over, and family, of course. And I think we all know we are very fortunate. I, certainly, believe I am a very blessed man. And we are blessed in Alaska because of people like Shari Daugherty, who is our Alaskan of the Week. And so I want to talk a little bit about Shari because what she has done is literally the definition of the Christmas spirit. For the last month, as she has done for the last 30 years, she has been working pretty much around the clock, volunteering her time for the nonprofit Share the Spirit. Share the Spirit--that is the nonprofit that Shari helped found in 1992--30 years. Share the Spirit's mission is to make sure that hundreds of less fortunate families in Homer, AK, her hometown, get all of the ingredients for a proper Christmas dinner and presents for the kids. Share the Spirit--it sounds pretty simple, but, as you can imagine, this is no easy task. And Shari would tell you that it involves so many others in Homer to make sure that the children in the community, who might not otherwise have anything under the tree, can experience the magic of Christmas that every child deserves. So who is Shari, this great volunteer who has been doing incredible work in Homer? Originally from Chico, CA, Shari and her parents moved to Homer when she was in the 10th grade. Her father was a fisherman. And for those of you who have been to Homer or want to come to Homer, I will tell you, it is one of the most stunningly beautiful places in all of America--really, in all of the world. It is known as the ``Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.'' But anyone who goes there falls in love with Homer. It is surrounded by the glistening waters of Kachemak Bay, jagged mountains, glaciers, snowcapped volcanoes, and a great tight-knit community. After college at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, Shari moved around a little. But in 1991, she came back home with her daughter. She did so because she had family there in Homer. And even if she didn't, as she put it, she had a whole town full of family in Homer. Now, volunteering was in her blood. She said her mom stressed the importance of giving back to the community since she was a young girl. So she almost immediately joined the Emblem Club. That is the unofficial auxiliary of the Elks. And during one of their first meetings, it was announced that a Christian minister's group that every year provided food and presents for people in the community was actually going to disband. A meeting was called. The talking lasted for a very long time--at such volunteer meetings, that can happen, of course--until Shari finally cut in and said: Hey, guys, we are really burning daylight here. Here is what needs to happen: We need to form a committee, form a plan, form a nonprofit, and get busy--get busy. And as such things go, she and another woman, Norma Foust, were put in charge. And boy, did they make a difference. That year, with Christmas only weeks away, a nonprofit was formed and a fundraiser to organize with the help of a strong community. They put together 57 baskets of food: turkey, stuffing, potato, sugar, salt, eggs, celery, pie crusts, cards with recipes on them--all the fixings for a nice Christmas dinner. And then there were the presents for more than 100 children. There were 220 gifts that first year, 30 years ago. And the program has grown ever since. Hundreds of families each year are referred to Shari's program by social agencies, including food banks and anywhere people go for help. The information is passed on to Shari and the whole Share the Spirit team. Each family is identified by their needs: a family of three, say, with a 4-year-old girl who needs boots and would like a princess costume. They are then assigned a number that goes onto a Christmas decoration and put on one of the numerous trees posted by local businesses in Homer. Homer residents pick up a decoration and buy the presents. It is pretty well organized. And Shari and the volunteers then get busy organizing a huge spaghetti feed to raise the funds, and then they go shopping for the food. A few days before Christmas, the group stages the location, normally at the high school. The presents and the food baskets are then disbursed. As I mentioned, Shari has done this for 30 years--30 years--and throughout the years, many stories and people stand out. This is Alaska. So, of course, this was the year of the huge blizzard. Nobody could drive. So they enlisted a club of snow machine riders to deliver the presents and the food throughout the area. There is the woman who now lives in Pennsylvania, who lived in Homer for a while, with a young child. That child, because of the group, was able to experience Christmas. And now, like clockwork, this woman sends a quarterly donation to Share the Spirit. You see how the spirit is literally being shared all over the country: Alaska, Homer, Pennsylvania. There are many people now adults, some with children of their own, who got help, who got presents because of Share the Spirit and are now regular volunteers. Shari knows of many people who got presents as children because of her group's efforts and decided to stay in Homer, have families of their own, and now help out at Share the Spirit. She said: They decided that this is where they were going to live. This is the town they are going to live in and to contribute to, because this is the place that took care of them when they were young and needed it. Shari is retiring this year from both the program and from her job as a medical biller at South Peninsula Hospital. She will be leaving Share the Spirit in good hands, though: Kelly Glidden, who began volunteering as a sixth grader in 1993; John Adams, who started when he was 8 years old volunteering; and Emmy Olsem Drye, who has been involved in Share the Spirit since she was 3, and who is also Shari's daughter. They will take on the mantle of this great volunteer effort, focused on the Christmas spirit, that Shari started. And there are those who have been there since the beginning: DeeDee Shoultz and Fran Van Sandt. And then there is the great community of Homer--a community that takes care of its own. So thank you, Shari, for all you have done throughout the years--three decades to keep the Christmas spirit alive. Thank you for making our State a much better place, a more generous place, a caring place for all, and touching the lives of so many, and especially for making sure that children in Homer and across Alaska--and really across America--experience the joy and the magic of Christmas. Congratulations, Shari, on being our Alaskan of the Week, and Merry Christmas. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-recognizes-50th-anniversary-of-alaska-native-claims-settlement-act,Sullivan Recognizes 50th Anniversary of Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) yesterday introduced S. Res. 482, a resolution recognizing the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and the lasting impact of this landmark law on Alaska and Alaska Native people. ANCSA, the largest land claims settlement in U.S. history, transferred 44 million acres of federal land to 12 newly formed Regional Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and more than 200 Village and Urban ANCs, fostering economic development through managing and developing the land for the benefit of their Alaska Native shareholders. “It is a story of self-determination and, in many ways, heroism, and it is a story for the ages,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I am honored to represent these wonderful people—many of the leaders who are still alive who made this happen fifty years ago—and their children and grandchildren. We have more work to do, but fifty years ago, on December 18, 1971, it was the start of a new, positive, innovative chapter in the history of Alaska.” Transcript of remarks Mr. President, today I introduced a resolution with Senator Murkowski celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act--ANCSA, as we call it back home in Alaska--which was an enormously consequential piece of legislation that, after years and years of debate right in this body, passed the House, then passed the U.S. Senate, and then was signed into law by President Nixon on December 18, 1971, almost exactly 50 years ago to this day. It was a great day for Alaska. I know Senator Murkowski was on the floor earlier talking about ANCSA and why it is so important and why in Alaska, right now, we have been celebrating 50 years of this important piece of legislation. I want to go back in time a little bit to help explain, because part of what Senator Murkowski and I do here is we are constantly talking about and educating our colleagues about this very unique legislation, which happened right here in the U.S. Senate. If you go back in time to 1867, that is when the United States purchased Alaska from Russia. Within the agreement, there was acknowledgement of the Alaska Native people and their lands, but, still, almost 100 years after the purchase from Russia, even following statehood for Alaska, the claims settlement that the Native people had to their own lands was still in limbo. It got a kick and a turbo charge when oil was discovered on Alaska's North Slope during a worldwide shortage, which created new urgency to develop Alaska for our resources but to do so by settling these land claims. There were allies in the Federal Government who were helpful, but it was truly the Alaska Native people and their determination to themselves and to future generations and their resiliency and brilliance which led to the passage of ANCSA 50 years ago, which became the largest and, certainly, most innovative indigenous land settlement, certainly, in U.S. history, and it is no exaggeration to say probably in the world--44 million acres of land going to the Native people of my State. It brought tremendous educational, social, political, economic, and cultural achievements for the Alaska Native people. It certainly wasn't perfect, but this body played a very important role. Now, there were obstacles, challenges. In fact, when you look back on the history over 50 years ago, it was kind of a classic David-and-Goliath story. Let me spend a few minutes going back in time to set the stage for what was happening in Alaska. In 1954, the U.S. Department of the Interior did a health survey on the Native people of Alaska. Here is a quote from that survey: ``The indigenous people of Native Alaska are the victims of sickness, crippling conditions and premature death to a degree exceeded in very few parts of the world. . . . health problems are nearly out of hand. If . . . Americans could see for themselves the large numbers of the tuberculosis, the cripple, the blind . . . the malnourished, the desperately ill among [this] relatively small [Native] population,'' it would have a profound impact on them. And it did. Even in the face of these crippling conditions, the Alaska Native people joined hands, joined hearts and said: This is our land. We need rights to it. They did this by coming together. In the mid-1960s, they formed the Alaska Federation of Natives--AFN, as we call it back home--an entity that is very important to our communities. Of course, the Native people in our State looked for potential allies. In the lower 48, they gave speeches. They wrote columns. They formed their own newspaper, The Tundra Times, edited by legendary Howard Rock, which was highly read throughout the State, celebrated throughout the globe, and had an enormous impact on bringing people together. A few years ago, my team and I combed through some of the hearings that led to ANCSA. It was many years in development. There were field hearings that took place in Alaska in 1968, 1969--3 years before the passage of ANCSA. Incredibly proud and determined first peoples from all over the State--Tlingit, Haida, Athabascan, Inupiat, Yupik, Aleut--travel to Anchorage, to Fairbanks to give their testimony in field hearings to U.S. Senators. Some of them had never even left their villages. Some of them didn't even speak English. Many were veterans--and I am going to talk briefly about that. Dozens and dozens of young men and women, old men and women, all of them testifying before U.S. Senators and Congressmen, telling their stories of how they lived off the land and the rights that they needed for thousands of years on the land. They told stories of strong and resilient people who had been able to thrive in some of the harshest conditions in the planet. But as I mentioned earlier, they also told stories of health challenges. The first AFN president, Emil Notti, who is still a great leader in Alaska, then only 36 years old, spoke with passion at these hearings and heartbreak about the conditions in rural Alaska. He said to a group of Senators in a hearing: The indigenous people of Native Alaska are the victims of sickness, crippling conditions and premature death to a degree exceeded in very few parts of the world. He told the committee then that life expectancy for the average Native Alaskan was 34 years old. This is in the late 1960s. The average life expectancy in the United States at that time was 69--34 years old to 69. Many spoke of how much they had sacrificed for their country. And this is an issue I never tire of talking about. Alaska Natives serve at higher rates in the U.S. military than any other ethnic group in the country. So they are fighting for their country in World War II and Korea and Vietnam, and they are coming home and they are being denied fundamental rights themselves. Here is what Jerome Trigg, a leader and a marine from Nome, had to tell U.S. Senators who were in Alaska. His testimony was said to have brought tears to the eyes of many. He looked at the U.S. Senators and said this: We have showed our patriotism as proudly as any Americans on Earth. We have answered the call of duty with pride in serving in our military. In World War II, we answered the call 100 percent. Every man--old and young--in every village volunteered with the Alaska National Guard. On Vietnam, which was raging at the time, he said: I have never heard of an Alaska Native burning their draft card or our Nation's flag. We love our land, and we will sacrifice and fight to protect it. He concluded with this thought, which I love: ``Sometimes I think the wrong people are running this hearing and taking our testimony,'' he said to the Senators. ``It seems that [maybe] we should be on the bench and you people should be . . . giving [us] the testimony.'' I love that--strong words from Marine Jerome Trigg, who had a very important point to make. So many in our communities testified in front of Congress. One happened to be a beautiful, young Alaska Native woman in her thirties from the village of Rampart named Mary Jane Fate, who not only worked on this but came to Washington, DC, to lobby U.S. Senators to pass ANCSA. I had the very great privilege of being the son-in-law of that great Native woman who, unfortunately, passed away recently. That was my mother-in-law, Mary Jane Fate, who came to this body and made sure Senators understood what was happening in Alaska and got them to vote for ANCSA 50 years ago. So here is what it did in a nutshell. As I mentioned, it was the largest indigenous land settlement in the history of the country: 44 million acres of land, almost a billion dollars from the State and Federal Government to transfer land in fee simple--not the reservation system like you have in the lower 48, which was a huge innovation at the time. They own this land. It is theirs. It is not held in trust by the United States like it is in the lower 48 on Indian reservations. Congress mandated the creation of for-profit Alaska Native corporations solely owned by Alaska Native shareholders. Twelve of these regional corporations and 200 village ANCs were created by the Congress. Sometimes people talk about ANCs as if they were some foreign entity. They were actually created right here 50 years ago. What did all of this do? It provided economic opportunity. These were not typical entities, but they were more than just corporations. They were kind of a combination: social, cultural, economic. They passed on the values to the different shareholders. One of the great things about ANCSA was that it required, actually, the sharing of revenues. Some of these regional corporations did very well; others didn't. There were provisions early on that said, if these corporations are doing great and these aren't, there is going to be some sharing. It was called the 7(i) provision. These provisions have been critical to the survival of ANCs, which regional ANCs at times, as I mentioned, were receiving more revenue than others. So that day 50 years ago--December 18, 1971--was really an important day for our State. How has it worked out? It has worked out well, but, of course, we always have more work to do. Over the last 50 years, the Alaska Native people have managed their lands to foster sustainable businesses, created employment opportunities for all people--Native and non-Native--in Alaska, across the country, and across the globe. They have become the heart and soul of our economy in Alaska, employing thousands of both Alaska Native and non-Native people. And they have prospered with their own initiative and with innovative approaches to fostering economic development through self-determination. And beyond the economic benefits, these ANCs, these groupings, these shareholders in these Alaska Native entities created right here on this floor, provided benefits in terms of culture, language revitalization, scholarships, burials, funeral assistance, and an enormous focus on education. Over 54,000 individual scholarships were given to younger Alaska Native people. And, importantly, this law, passed by this body, gave the Native people the opportunity to thrive; to continue to live on their land, practice their culture, create leaders throughout the State. In what was once one of the most impoverished places in the country are now, in many areas, strong, dynamic--health, education, housing, food security, and sanitation have all improved immensely. We have a long way to go. There is still a lot of misunderstanding. In Alaska, you have Tribes, Tribal members, you have ANCs, and shareholders. These are the Native people. You have crossover. And sometimes there is a misunderstanding. For example, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act specifically excluded tens of thousands of Alaska Natives because they were members of an organization that Congress created. My own view was that was outrageous. So that is why we need to keep educating our colleagues here. But overall, this was a story of success, of resilience, of what can happen when you allow people to take charge of their own destiny. It is a story of self-determination and, in many ways, heroism, and it is a story for the ages.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=EC68FBA6-2836-4DFB-92F8-FA79B970F99C,Graham Pushes For Senate Hearing On Rising Crime Rates,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Lindsey Graham,G000359,www.lgraham.senate.gov,graham,https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman to call for a hearing on the drastic rise in violent crime in the United States. The letter was signed by all Republican members of the committee. “As you know, reducing violent crime is a topic about which many members of the committee are deeply passionate,” wrote the senators. “Beginning in the summer of 2020, the country has experienced a sustained and unprecedented 30% increase in murders. This spike has correlated with a move toward depolicing, after the eruption of over 500 riots nationally.” While the Trump Administration took steps to combat violent crime, the senators noted that the Biden Administration’s plan is more focused on targeting lawful firearm owners. “In June of 2021, the Biden Administration unveiled its own strategy to reduce violent crime,” wrote the senators. “We were troubled to see how much of the President’s strategy focuses on lawful gun acquisition and lawful gun owners. For example, one of the tenets of the President’s plan is finding ways to sue legal gun manufacturers, an initiative that would do much to interfere with Americans’ access to guns but nothing to target murders or reduce crime…Legally owned firearms play an important role in allowing Americans to protect themselves during a violent crime surge. A 2013 CDC-commissioned study found that as many as millions of people a year defend themselves with a firearm.” The senators wrote to Chairman Durbin following a field hearing on reducing violent crime in Durbin’s hometown of Chicago that Judiciary Committee Republicans were blocked from participating in virtually. The senators noted that a spike in violent crime has impacted cities across the nation and a national focus on the issue is of great importance. “We therefore request that you hold a full committee hearing in Washington, D.C. on the spike in murders and the challenges that law enforcement is facing. Ineffective bail policies, cumbersome restraints on police officers, and the impact of the “progressive prosecutor” movement are exacerbating this surge,” wrote the senators. The full text of the letter is below. Dear Chairman Durbin: Yesterday you held a hearing entitled, “Combating Gun Trafficking and Reducing Violence in Chicago” at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago, Illinois. As you know, reducing violent crime is a topic about which many members of the committee are deeply passionate. Beginning in the summer of 2020, the country has experienced a sustained and unprecedented 30% increase in murders.[1] This spike has correlated with a move toward depolicing,[2] after the eruption of over 500 riots nationally.[3] Former Attorney General Bill Barr responded with Operation Legend, an initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies worked in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. By the end of 2020, the initiative had yielded 467 homicide arrests and seized thousands of firearms and kilos of drugs.[4] In June of 2021, the Biden Administration unveiled its own strategy to reduce violent crime.[5] We were troubled to see how much of the President’s strategy focuses on lawful gun acquisition and lawful gun owners. For example, one of the tenets of the President’s plan is finding ways to sue legal gun manufacturers, an initiative that would do much to interfere with Americans’ access to guns but nothing to target murders or reduce crime. A 2019 study by DOJ found that few firearms used in crime are acquired from firearm dealers, about 7%, compared to 56% who stole a firearm or bought it in a black market.[6] Legally owned firearms play an important role in allowing Americans to protect themselves during a violent crime surge. A 2013 CDC-commissioned study found that as many as millions of people a year defend themselves with a firearm.[7] We understand that the hearing included witnesses who could answer questions about the President’s plan and the challenges of countering this increase in crime. Although the hearing occurred in Chicago, the Chairman’s hometown, travel to Chicago would have been difficult for the other members of the committee during the last few weeks of the work period. Accordingly, we previously requested that you make virtual or telephone questioning available. That request was denied. We therefore request that you hold a full committee hearing in Washington, D.C. on the spike in murders and the challenges that law enforcement is facing. Ineffective bail policies, cumbersome restraints on police officers, and the impact of the “progressive prosecutor” movement are exacerbating this surge. While it would have been helpful to explore the effects of these factors on crime in Chicago, given the many other cities that are impacted by the crime surge, we believe it would be even more useful if we could explore these problems on a national scale with the full committee. Thank you for your attention to this request. #####",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4297A267-3E1E-4C68-BEC7-D2FFC98CE74A,McConnell Helps Secure $40 Million in Annual Funding for Kentucky Airports Over Five Years,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will distribute $40 million annually to fifty-one Kentucky airports over the next five years. These funds are made available through the Airport Infrastructure Grants program, which was established in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act earlier this year. Senator McConnell supported the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and helped it pass the Senate this year. In total, the bipartisan bill allocated $25 billion to our nation’s airports, more of which will be distributed to Kentucky in the coming months. The funding announced today was allocated through a formula described in the legislation. “Kentucky’s airports don’t just connect our citizens to the rest of the country and the world; they also form a critical part of America’s supply chain. It is more important than ever that our airports have the funds needed to operate effectively,” said Senator McConnell. “I supported the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act earlier this year because of programs like this, which will help overhaul Kentucky’s transportation systems and revive our decaying roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, and river ports. This is just the kind of program Kentucky needs to compete in the 21st-century global economy.” “We appreciate the support of Senator McConnell for the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport,” said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. “This funding will go a long way in supporting the continued improvements at SDF including our $400 million terminal modernization program and on-going sustainability initiatives such as our geothermal project to reduce our carbon footprint. These improvements allow us to provide a better, more accessible experience for the traveling public and support the needs of our airline partners while maintaining SDF as a crucial link in the nation’s aerospace system.” “I am grateful for the hard work of Leader McConnell and many in Washington over these last several months to get the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act across the finish line. CVG will put more than $13 million per year to good use to lead the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati region’s economy out of the pandemic, focusing on capital investments that will support good-paying jobs and improved passenger services,” said Candace McGraw, CEO of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=515E8CB4-DE74-4F36-ACFB-2235A323E76F,"Americans’ Christmas Wish: Stop the Reckless, Inflationary Far-Left Spending",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree: “Two in three Americans want the federal government to ‘cut back on spending and printing money.’ “But our Democratic colleagues spent the last several months trying as hard as possible to do the opposite. “Washington Democrats have spent months trying to borrow, print, and spend trillions more dollars, right into the teeth of the worst inflation in almost 40 years. “They’ve sought to turn their monthly welfare entitlement with no work requirements from a temporary COVID measure into a permanent policy. Cash welfare with no work requirements, forever. “76 percent of Americans say these handouts haven’t helped their families at all, yet Democrats want to dump in many billions more. “Just step back and look at all the ways their left-wing wish list could hurt a young family in middle America. “First, they’d need to cross their fingers that the private or employer-sponsored insurance they chose to meet their family’s specific needs isn’t shoved off a cliff in Democrats’ latest lurch toward more socialized medicine. “And they’ll have to hope their war on the medical innovation sector doesn’t prevent the development of lifesaving cures their family might have relied on some years down the road. “Say the family’s got one or two young kids. Maybe their ideal arrangement is church-based daycare. They’d need to say a prayer their faith-based center isn’t sued and chased out of business thanks to Washington Democrats’ toddler takeover. “Their plan would give nothing to full-time parents, grandparent caregivers, nanny-shares, or neighborhood co-ops. It would push faith-based providers out of the public square by design. And it could inflate daycare costs by about $12,000 or $13,000 per child per year. “If Democrats get their way, let’s hope neither parent is one of the many Americans who work in our domestic energy sector. Our colleagues’ bill has a huge pile of new red tape aimed at putting their industry out of business. But no matter where they work, they’ll face inflated prices to heat their homes and fill up at the gas pump. “For all these bad ideas and many more, our colleagues wanted to spend trillions upon trillions more dollars right into the teeth of runaway inflation they have already caused. “Yesterday, we got indications the far left’s slapdash sprint may be hitting the pause button. “That would be great news for the American people. “The best Christmas gift Washington could give working families would be putting this bad bill on ice.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E2180E9A-3CEC-442A-A810-1089BBD7D963,"Denied $4.9T Spending Spree, Democrats Call for Breaking the Senate and Packing the Court",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding governing institutions: “As cracks keep forming in the Democrats’ reckless taxing and spending spree, some of our colleagues seemed to channel their frustration into even more radical attempts to attack our governing institutions. “In the span of a few hours, one Senate Democrat had renewed calls to ‘nuke’ the Senate and break the rules, and another published a national op-ed arguing that Democrats should attack the rule of law and pack the Supreme Court. “Two frontal assaults on two branches of government, proposed in the space of about two hours! “Entire generations of statesmen would have seen either one of those unhinged proposals as Armageddon for our institutions. Apparently, today’s Democrats try both at once and just call it Wednesday! “We’ve heard false claims that the Senate obeying our rules to address the debt limit somehow paves the way for radicals to break the rules. “And Madam President, I’d ask consent that an additional statement on that subject appear at a different place in the record. “So, look — we have discussed over and over again why Democrats will not be allowed to federalize our elections and lord over all 50 states like a self-appointed board of elections on steroids. “My colleagues across the aisle have pushed absurd bills that would do things like neuter Voter I.D. laws… make every state legalize ballot harvesting… turn the Federal Election Commission into a biased, partisan body… and even send taxpayer money to political campaigns. “It isn’t about quote-unquote ‘voting rights.’ It’s a naked power grab. “Democrats have been pushing the same kinds of bills for years, even as their stated justifications have changed wildly. When Republicans win elections or start polling well, Democrats and the media say our democracy badly broken, on death’s door and needs a radical overhaul. The answers presented are these policies. “When Democrats win elections, Democrats and the media say our democracy is sterling, beyond reproach, and just needs some modest safeguards to protect the status quo. But again, the answers presented are these policies. “Lately, their pretext has been demagogic attacks on reasonable state voting laws and proposals. If any state scraps any of the temporary pandemic procedures that Democrat operatives favor, the radical left says the sky is falling. “But outside the liberal bubble, nobody buys this nonsense. The country is not buying the hysteria. On Election Day last month, even in deep blue New York, voters rejected liberal ballot measures that would have liberalized no-excuse absentee voting and loosened up the rules on voter registration. “Not even blue New York wants these policies to weaken their elections. But some Democrats want to break the Senate and trash its rules to force these sorts of things on all 50 states? “It’s beyond absurd. “I understand my colleagues are frustrated they may not get to spend $4.9 trillion on their way out the door for Christmas. But believe me, lashing out at our democracy, at the Supreme Court, and at the Senate itself is not going to solve anything.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F1A27B4D-CE25-4F0D-AA23-05BECBA22B13,McConnell Updates Senate on Kentucky Tornado Recovery,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the tornadoes in Western Kentucky: “Western Kentucky is still reeling from last weekend’s devastating storm. But support is rolling in from around the Commonwealth, our region, and the country. “Yesterday I spoke with the CEO of LifePoint Health. They operate ten hospitals in Kentucky including one in hard-hit Mayfield. “Miraculously, their Jackson Purchase Medical Center survived the tornado mostly intact. Now, it is offering much-needed medical services. “Nurses and doctors have worked day and night. “LifePoint Health shipped water tankers to their facility to bolster local supply. And the company has pledged $1 million to help Kentucky rebuild. “Across our region, individuals and companies are opening their hearts, homes, and wallets to help. “We’ve received important assistance from here in Washington as well. “Yesterday, the President announced the federal government will fund the entire cost of debris removal and emergency protective measures in the eight counties hardest hit by this storm for the next month. Local officials won’t need to worry about overstretched budgets. They can just focus on rebuilding. “My team and I are working hard to continue connecting Kentuckians with the resources they need. “I’ve set up a portal on my Senate office website to help my constituents access government assistance. It has a full list of services provided by our disaster response agencies. “Because of the federal government’s swift action in the past week, victims of these tornadoes can access housing assistance, legal aid, crisis counseling, and more. I recommend every impacted Kentuckian take advantage of these resources. My office is here to help you navigate. “I’ll travel back to Kentucky tomorrow to visit several of the communities that were hit hardest and meet with local leaders who are spearheading recovery efforts. “I’ll listen to their concerns and bring their stories back to Washington to ensure they get the help they need. “The scene on the ground in Western Kentucky is still devastating and discouraging. For far too many families, this Christmas will be tragically abnormal. “But we will continue to work together to provide Kentucky with the resources it needs to recover, bigger and better than before.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/act-for-als-act-unanimously-passes-senate-heads-to-president-biden-for-his-signature,"ACT for ALS Act Unanimously Passes Senate, Heads to President Biden for His Signature",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"Following passage in the House, the Senate unanimously passes landmark investigational therapy bill for ALS patients Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.). The bipartisan, bicameral bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The ACT for ALS Act would fund essential research into fast-progressing rare neurodegenerative and terminal diseases, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and early access to promising investigational therapies for patients suffering from them and would authorize $100 million annually to implement these priorities. ALS affects 1 in 300 people, often leaving patients with no more than three years to live following their diagnosis, and disproportionately impacts U.S. military service members. ACT for ALS authorizes new grants to support expanded access and research programs. This expansion will bring investigational treatments for rapidly progressing diseases beyond their ongoing clinical trials to patients with diseases for which effective therapies don’t already exist and allow for additional research into the effectiveness of those interventions. It also creates a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Rare Neurodegenerative Disease Grant Program to support other research and development on ALS and other life-threatening or severely debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. “Tonight, because of the tireless work of so many ALS advocates, the Senate unanimously passed the ACT for ALS Act and sent it to President Biden’s desk,” said Senator Coons. “Thanks to this legislation and the crucial research into ALS it will fund, countless Americans and their families who face down this cruel disease every day can go to sleep tonight with a renewed sense of hope. I am grateful to Senator Murkowski and Representatives Quigley and Fortenberry for their partnership on this landmark bill.” “This is all about hope. The ACT for ALS Act will make a meaningful difference for individuals and families across the country. Passage of this bill today is a hard-earned win for the ALS community and provides much-deserved hope to all who are affected by this disease,” said Senator Murkowski. “As someone whose family has been impacted by ALS, I know how terrible this disease is and how tirelessly the ALS community continues to fight for legislation to improve treatments and quality of life and search for a cure. This bill now heading to the President’s desk is huge step forward. It will offer new hope for those who are most in need, those who today—tragically—have very few options for treatment.” “I am thrilled that the Senate has passed ACT for ALS and officially cleared the way for this life-saving, transformative legislation to be signed into law. For too long, the diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease like ALS has been a death sentence that included the devastating hopelessness of no effective treatment options. ACT for ALS will finally help people living with this cruel disease access promising treatments and create the research infrastructure that could put a cure within reach,” said Representative Quigley. “I am deeply grateful for the hard work and dedication of the Senate co-leads Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Murkowski and of my House co-lead Congressman Fortenberry. But, above all, I am grateful for the tireless advocacy of an entire community who has made the dream of this accomplishment a reality.” “In a true Christmas miracle, tonight the U.S. Senate gave real hope to those suffering from the cruel, merciless disease of ALS. For over 50 years and over 50 clinical trials, ALS patients have submitted themselves to tests and trials, therapies and placebos, in accordance with the rules of the current health care policy framework. But progress has been uneven, even debatable, with serious impediments to promising new treatments. Many ALS patients have sacrificed their lives to science, as they gradually weakened and died. Tonight, this Congress advanced a new way,” said Representative Fortenberry. “ACT for ALS represents a monumental shift for those suffering from ALS and other neurodegenerative conditions. The bill does two main things: it transforms the paradigm of disease research and regulation and creates a new pathway to promising new treatments. It drives the hope. With this transformative piece of public policy, we can break through faster for those who have suffered so much. I am deeply grateful to Representative Quigley and Senators Coons and Murkowski for their partnership on this groundbreaking legislation.” “For one hundred and sixty years, there has been no hope for those diagnosed with ALS. That changed tonight. Tonight, as a result of tens of thousands of ALS advocates working nonstop to make their voices heard and demanding the chance to live, hope has finally come to people living with ALS,” said Brian Wallach, co-founder of I AM ALS. “Thanks to the relentless work of Senators Coons and Murkowski as well as Representatives Quigley and Fortenberry, ACT for ALS has now passed both the House and the Senate and is on its way to President Biden. This moment was supposed to be impossible. The ALS community, however, refused to give up. So today, we celebrate the impossible becoming real and a new chapter for the fight against ALS.” “ACT for ALS will directly impact the lives of people with ALS by providing expanded access to investigational drugs and funding new research at FDA to find treatments and cures that are urgently needed. Thank you to people with ALS and their families, ALS advocates, and to Congress for passing this historic bill,” said Calaneet Balas, President and CEO, The ALS Association. “The Muscular Dystrophy Association is incredibly grateful for our champions, Senators Coons and Murkowski as well as Congressmen Quigley and Fortenberry, for every Senator who prioritized the ALS and rare neurodegenerative disease communities by passing the ACT for ALS tonight, and for all patient advocates who spent countless hours pushing for this bill,” said Paul Melmeyer, Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at MDA. “With tonight’s vote, this legislation, which could substantially increase access to promising therapies and advance drug development in rare neurodegenerative diseases, needs only President Biden’s signature to make this a reality.” Related Issues: Health",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/feinstein-ernst-durbin-murkowski-agree-on-bipartisan-framework-to-modernize-reauthorize-violence-against-women-act,"Feinstein, Ernst, Durbin, Murkowski Agree on Bipartisan Framework to Modernize, Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today released the following joint statement after reaching an agreement on a bipartisan framework to modernize and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act: “After nearly three years of negotiations, we have reached an agreement on a bipartisan framework to strengthen, modernize and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. This important legislation will help prevent violence, support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable for their violent actions. “We are committed to introducing a bipartisan, modernized VAWA reauthorization next month. Every day that goes by without action puts lives at risk, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that this framework becomes law as soon as possible.” The framework includes the following provisions: Strengthens rape prevention and education efforts and services and protections for young survivors; Expands access to emergency housing support for survivors; Expands and authorizes programs to ensure that VAWA provides access to survivors in rural areas, survivors requiring culturally specific services, LGBT survivors and survivors who seek voluntary, community-based restorative practice services; Provides support for legal services funding and trauma-informed law enforcement responses; Aligns the current law with VAWA’s original intent by ensuring that individuals who are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a dating partner are prohibited from possessing or purchasing firearms or ammunition (the provision would apply only to protective orders and convictions issued after the VAWA reauthorization’s date of enactment); Improves the response to sexual violence, including through grants to promote the training of sexual assault forensic examiners; and Builds on the 2013 reauthorization to expand special criminal jurisdiction by tribal courts to cover non-Native perpetrators of sexual assault, child abuse co-occurring with domestic violence, stalking, sex trafficking and assaults on tribal law enforcement officers on tribal lands. It also includes an Alaska pilot program which will empower a limited number of Tribes to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes that occur in Alaska Native villages.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-congratulates-conocophillips-on-gmt2-production,Murkowski Congratulates ConocoPhillips On GMT2 Production,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"Supported Permits for Now-Producing NPR-A Project U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today applauded ConocoPhillips for achieving first oil production at its Greater Mooses Tooth #2 (GMT2) drill site, located in the northeast part of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). The project received final approval from federal officials in late 2018. “Congratulations to ConocoPhillips and their dedicated team for bringing more Alaska oil to market to help refill the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and create hundreds of well-paying jobs in our state. I greatly appreciate their continued commitment to, and investment in, Alaska,” Senator Murkowski said. “GMT2 again shows that Alaska has plenty of resources to responsibly develop, for the good of our nation and the world, even as we adhere to stringent environmental and labor standards. All we need is federal permission, and an administration that prefers Alaska over OPEC+.” At peak production GMT2 is estimated to yield approximately 30,000 barrels of oil per day. During the past three winter seasons, ConocoPhillips estimates the project created around 700 jobs, resulting in more than 600,000 direct construction manhours. Murkowski strongly supported approval of the GMT2 project beginning with ConocoPhillips’ application for permits to drill in 2015. She worked with former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and former Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Joe Balash to move the project forward. More information about GMT2’s approval in 2018 is available here and here. The NPR-A is administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management and covers more than 23 million acres on the western North Slope of Alaska—an area roughly the size of Indiana. The area is specifically designated for oil and gas development and production, which will hopefully soon include ConocoPhillips’ larger Willow project. Related Issues: Energy",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-defense-authorization-bill-will-bolster_alaska-national-security,"Murkowski: Defense Authorization Bill Will Bolster Alaska, National Security",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of S. 1605, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), helping it to pass the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 88-11. This year’s NDAA authorizes $768 billion for national defense, including $740 billion for the Department of Defense’s (DOD) annual budget to ensure the Pentagon can compete and thrive amid strategic competition. The bill prioritizes military members and their families, training and readiness, strengthening defense technology, addressing high rates of suicide among the military community, and more. As in previous years, Senator Murkowski was able to prioritize Arctic security provisions. “The NDAA is one of the most critical pieces of legislation that Congress passes each year, ensuring our troops have the training, equipment, and resources needed to carry out their missions. This year’s bill includes a well-deserved raise for our troops and prioritizes improving the lives of our servicemembers and their families. It will improve military healthcare, aid spouses’ access to meaningful employment, and provide much-needed reform for military justice. “We provide resources to maintain a strong and robust global presence—including for our force posture in the Indo-Pacific—improve and increase readiness, and bolster the capabilities of our allies, such as Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, to counter the growing aggression of Iran, Russia, and China. “I’m pleased this bill supports my efforts to build out America’s leadership as an Arctic nation. I thank Senator Sullivan and Congressman Young for their efforts to boost the defense budget and to help include provisions to create an Arctic Security Initiative, reduce suicides on rural, remote, and isolated installations, and authorize construction on a new National Guard Readiness Center,” said Senator Murkowski. Murkowski pointed out the many provisions that she and the Alaska congressional delegation added to the FY22 NDAA. “This bill specifically helps troops in Alaska. It directly addresses Alaska’s alarming suicide rate among servicemembers, authorizes funding for a new National Guard Readiness Center, and provides for upgraded cold weather clothing and equipment for our Arctic troops. In light of the recent announcement that Anchorage will be the home of the newly established Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, we are codifying important technical changes for the center – including its name, location, and establishment – into law.” Murkowski also spoke to the amendments she added to the bill, including several adopted during Senate floor debate. “I was able to secure amendments to help align America’s combat rescue aircraft acquisition strategy with our national defense strategy, taking into account the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions; ensure all veterans have access to their rightfully earned burial benefits in National Cemeteries; and create an emissions tracking pilot program at certain military installations. “The final NDAA also authorizes long overdue and well-deserved Congressional Gold Medals for all surviving WWII Merchant Marine veterans. And, to continue assisting our Afghan partners, we authorize DOD to transport Special Immigrant Visa holders and other threatened Afghan partners out of Afghanistan.” Summary of Alaska and Arctic Provisions Arctic Region Assessment: Requires the Department of Defense to conduct an independent assessment of the Arctic Region and permits the Secretary of Defense to create an Arctic Security Initiative—a bill led by Senator Sullivan and cosponsored by Senator Murkowski. Combat Rescue Aircraft: Includes an amendment authored by Senator Murkowski which requires the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a strategy to Congress for the acquisition of combat rescue aircraft, which meets the requirements laid out in the national defense strategy and the Air Force’s Arctic Strategy. Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies: Codifies the center – its name, location, and establishment – into law. Senators Murkowski and Sullivan sponsored the initiative to create the Stevens Center in the FY21 NDAA, and through Murkowski’s role as an appropriator, secured $10 million for the center in the FY21 appropriations package. Permafrost Research: Authorizes funding for completion of the Army Corps of Engineers Permafrost Tunnel, a facility vital to understanding a changing Arctic environment. Suicide Prevention: Authorizes funding for continued research on suicide prevention in rural, remote, and isolated areas such as Alaska in partnership with the Center for Alaska Native Health Research. Missile Defense: Authorizes the Missile Defense Agency to develop a highly reliable missile defense interceptor for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. Arctic equipment: Authorizes full funding for unfunded Army ($4.43 billion) and Air Force ($4.2 billion) requirements, which include Army Cold Weather Gear. Polar RADAR: Authorizes an increase of $25 million for development of the polar Over-the-Horizon radar capability for Far North detection. National Guard/Reserve Pay Parity: Requires parity in special and incentive pays for members of the reserve and active components helping the large demographic of National Guard and Reserve forces across Alaska. National Guard Facility: Authorizes the Alaska National Guard to plan and design a new Readiness Center on JBER. Summary of National Provisions Pay Raise: Ensures a 2.7 percent pay raise for both military servicemembers and the DOD civilian workforce. Basic Needs Allowance: Establishes a Basic Needs Allowance to ensure that all servicemembers can meet the basic needs of their families. Parental Leave: Increases parental leave to 12 weeks for all servicemembers for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Bereavement Leave: Creates a new category of bereavement leave for military personnel that would permit servicemembers to take up to two weeks of leave in connection with the death of a spouse of child. Healthcare: Makes much-needed improvements to military healthcare such as expanding the treatment of eating disorders and improving postpartum care; expands breast cancer research; and takes major steps to address the mental and behavioral health of our troops. Military Spouses: Prioritizes efforts to guarantee military spouses have access to meaningful employment and establishes a pilot program for direct hire authority to hire military spouses. Military Housing: Ensures military families have access to high-quality, affordable housing in all locations including OCONUS locations such as Alaska. Cybersecurity: Protects against persistent cyberattacks by assessing and strengthening both offensive and defensive capabilities. Military Construction: Provides the largest investment in military construction in a decade including for ongoing and future projects in Alaska. Nuclear Security: Enhances deterrence by recapitalizing and modernizing the U.S. nuclear triad and ensuring the safety, security and reliability of our nuclear stockpile, delivery systems, and infrastructure. Allies: Provides support for our allies and partners such as Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine, and Afghan civilians and translators who have supported U.S. counterterrorism efforts. China: Enhances the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative, hardens our defense industrial base and supply chains against threats posed by China, and requires the President to draft a grand strategy for China. Vietnam War Veterans: Includes an amendment from Senator Murkowski which retroactively authorizes the burial of any American citizen or lawfully admitted alien that served honorably with a special guerilla unit or irregular forces in Laos during the Vietnam War. Vaccines for Servicemembers: Provides for servicemembers who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine to receive an Honorable Discharge or a General Discharge under honorable conditions, thereby preserving more of their veterans’ benefits. Related Issues: Defense",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-representative-norman-lead-effort-to-protect-faith-based-child-welfare-providers/,"Senator Scott, Representative Norman Lead Effort to Protect Faith-Based Child Welfare Providers",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Representative Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) led a bicameral letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, condemning HHS’s recent reversal of protections for faith-based adoption and foster care agencies. “For decades, faith-based child welfare agencies have provided safe and loving homes for our nation’s children,” said Senator Scott. “Rather than celebrating that work, Secretary Becerra and President Biden’s recent steps will force many providers to choose between abandoning their religious beliefs or closing their doors. This is not only an attack on religious liberty—it’s also a disservice to the 400,000 children who depend on the work of these providers.” “Faith-based child welfare agencies are doing incredible work throughout our nation and here in South Carolina, and it is unconscionable that government bureaucrats would seek to roadblock their efforts. By withdrawing non-discrimination waivers and cutting out the Office for Civil Rights’ authority to review religious freedom complaints, this appears to be a deliberate attempt by this Administration to devalue religious liberties, making them a mere footstool to elevate their far-left agenda. On behalf of countless faith-based agencies and the families they serve, I want to know exactly how HHS and Secretary Becerra have reached these alarming decisions, and what the Secretary intends to do to reaffirm and protect religious freedoms,” said Representative Norman. “We find it disturbing that one day before it released its 2021 AFCARS report, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—with your express approval— announced the rescission of waivers that were previously granted to faith-based adoption and foster care agencies in Michigan, Texas, and South Carolina,” the members of Congress wrote in their letter. “As you know, rescinding the waivers puts providers in these states in the untenable position of choosing between serving children under the Title IV-E foster care program or operating in accordance with the tenets of their faith – the same faith that drives them to serve children in the first place. HHS should be welcoming child welfare providers, not excluding them. Children are too important to be pawns in political games.” BACKGROUND: On November 18, HHS announced it was rescinding waivers previously issued to faith-based adoption and foster care agencies in South Carolina, Michigan, and Texas that allowed them to qualify for HHS grants while operating in accordance with their deeply-held religious beliefs. Additionally, the HHS announced it was moving to strip the Office for Civil Rights of its authority to enforce the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act and the religion clauses of the First Amendment. Senator Scott and Representative Norman’s letter articulates that: Faith-based child welfare providers perform vital services for hundreds of thousands of children nationwide; Through its actions, the Biden administration is placing ideology over the interests of the law, children, and faith-based partners who only want to continue serving their communities; and HHS must explain how it reached the decision to rescind previously-granted waivers and strip the Office for Civil Rights of its existing authority. Cosigners on the letter are Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), James E. Risch (R-Idaho), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Todd Young (R-Ind.). Read the full letter here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-sullivan-van-hollen-foreign-service-families-act,Senate Passes Sullivan-Van Hollen “Foreign Service Families Act”,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), co-founders of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus, announced the passage of their Foreign Service Families Act yesterday as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation will help ensure that the Foreign Service is able to attract and retain a world-class diplomatic corps by providing expanded career options and services to eligible family members. For many of these family members, the process of finding employment isn’t easy—frequent moves, language barriers, and limited options pose significant challenges. The legislation will address those issues in order for the Foreign Service to continue to serve the best interests of Americans at home and abroad. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) are also original cosponsors of the Foreign Service Families Act. “Our country relies on Foreign Service officers to engage with governments, businesses and individuals around the world, all with the aim of promoting America’s interests, strengthening our national security, and assisting U.S. citizens,” said Sen.Sullivan. “Two ways we can better support our Foreign Service officers is to prioritize their access to State Department opportunities at the conclusion of their service, and also expand private sector employment opportunities for the family members of officers where they serve. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for moving us one step closer to providing that support and for recognizing the exemplary service of this crucial diplomatic corps.” “America’s Foreign Service is vital to maintaining and advancing American diplomacy around the world. But for Foreign Service families, overseas postings often come with hardships for family members that can take a lasting toll. That's why I’m proud that today – as part of the National Defense Authorization Act – the Senate passed our bipartisan Foreign Service Families Act, to help expand employment opportunities for Foreign Service spouses and ensure in-state tuition benefits for students to help these families succeed and strengthen our Foreign Service across the board. We provide these benefits to military families and this same support should be extended to Foreign Service families serving our country,” said Sen. Van Hollen. “Initiatives like the Foreign Service Families Act help attract and retain our nation’s top talent in the Foreign Service ranks,” said Ambassador Eric Rubin, president of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), upon introduction. “AFSA strongly supports this effort to ensure that our diplomats and their families are afforded all possible consideration, much like our military counterparts.” “AAFSW (Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide) whole-heartedly supports this bill,” said AAFSW President Lara Center upon introduction. “As an organization which has advocated for spouses since our creation in 1960, we believe this bill will contribute greatly to Foreign Service morale and effectiveness.” “The American Academy of Diplomacy supports the bill, noting that the legislation will help the State Department attract and retain the best personnel overseas where family well-being is critically important to the employees,” said the American Academy of Diplomacy upon introduction. The Foreign Service Families Act would provide authority to the State Department to offer the same services to Foreign Service family members that the Defense Department is permitted to provide to military families. This includes: Expanded hiring authority for qualified family members; Ensuring that Foreign Services family members receive notice of State Department vacancies and that those who apply receive consideration; and Making space available in State Department facilities for outside entities to provide career services. Additionally, the legislation: Provides in-state tuition rates to members of the Foreign Service, their spouses, and dependent children; Extends provisions of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to the Foreign Service, allowing members of the Foreign Service who are posted overseas to terminate residential and motor leases and telephone service contracts; Supports the expansion of telecommuting opportunities for Foreign Service family members, so that family members can continue to work federal civilian jobs while overseas; Ensures that family members in the Expanded Professional Associates Program, which offers career opportunities for family members with advanced education and professional experience, are not held to unfair hiring standards; and Ensures that the State Department has fully implemented the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps, a program intended to speed hiring and improve clearance portability for Foreign Service family members. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-whitehouse-provision-in-defense-bill-aimed-at-cracking-down-on-pirate-fishing,Sullivan-Whitehouse Provision in Defense Bill Aimed at Cracking Down on Pirate Fishing,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) today announced passage of their maritime security proposal as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has now cleared Congress and is expected to be signed into law by the President. The senators’ amendment requires the Secretary of the Navy to produce a report on maritime security measures related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. “As the largest producer of seafood in the nation—roughly sixty percent of American seafood comes from our waters—Alaska is undoubtedly the super power of seafood for our country,” said Sen. Sullivan, honorary co-chair of the Senate Oceans Caucus. “I intend to do all I can to keep it that way, including ensuring that we have an all-of-government effort to crack down on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. This provision will help protect America’s fishing fleet, as well as the seafood industry across the globe, against bad actors, particularly as China continues to use its fishing fleet to project power in the Indo-Pacific and, increasingly, around the world. I look forward to continue working with Senator Whitehouse on pirate fishing and on cleaning up our oceans. Our work together is a model for how two senators, from different sides of the aisle, can work together to get big things done for our nation.” “We need to protect Rhode Island’s hardworking fishing industry by rooting out unfair competition from illegal pirate fishing,” said Sen. Whitehouse, a co-founder of the Senate Oceans Caucus. “I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Sullivan and colleagues on both sides of the aisle to curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.” The amendment will require the U.S. Navy to share information about steps taken to support the dissemination of unclassified information and data to regional partners, best practices learned from public-private partnerships, and any new authorities or capabilities needed to support counter-IUU efforts in order to guide future legislative efforts. The legislation builds on maritime security provisions Whitehouse secured in last year’s NDAA. Whitehouse championed measures in the previous defense bill that required the Department of Defense to update Congress on previously enacted measured to combat illegal fishing, directed the Navy to work with the Coast Guard to assess solutions for tracking vessels engaged in unlawful activity at sea, and requested that the Office of Naval Intelligence provide an update on foreign governments using distant-water fishing fleets to undermine American interests. Each year, IUU fishing produces between 11 and 26 million tons of seafood, resulting in global economic losses valued between $10 billion and $23 billion. The bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus works to find common ground in protecting oceans and coasts. Thanks to the caucus’s leadership, Congress has taken steps to guard against IUU fishing, including ratifying a series of key IUU treaties with partner nations and passing implementing legislation to bring those treaties into effect. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7B26D4FE-4F29-4B6B-8AD5-199840F776FA,"Thune, McClain Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Protect Toddlers From Federal Mandates",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) today introduced the Preventing Mandates on Toddlers Act. This bicameral legislation would nullify an interim final rule (IFR) that was published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that requires universal masking for all individuals in a Head Start facility above the age of two, including all staff, volunteers, and contractors. The IFR also requires toddlers to wear masks while they are outside on the playground, and it mandates staff and volunteers to be vaccinated by January 31, 2022. “The long arm of the federal government should not extend to the kickball field at our kids’ and grandkids’ playground,” said Thune. “A toddler mask mandate highlights everything that’s wrong with Washington, which is why I introduced this common-sense bill that would prohibit the Biden administration from enforcing or implementing this intrusive, one-size-fits-all Washington rule. It would ensure these decisions can continue to be made by individual Head Start programs and families who know these kids best – as they have been doing since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.” “The science shows masking is detrimental to early child development. It’s time we start following the science, not the political science, and put policies into place that are beneficial to our toddlers and children,” said McClain. “This commonsense legislation ensures not a single dollar of taxpayer money will go to enforcing the HHS rule that is detrimental to our future generations.” “South Dakota Head Start programs have successfully implemented appropriate COVID-19 mitigation strategies, and the majority have been open and safely functioning since June 2020,” said Katie Sieverding, executive director of South Dakota Head Start Association. “We thank Senator Thune for his work to protect our children and families from blanket masking mandates and keep these important decisions at the local level where they are best made.” This legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. Reps. Rick Allen (R-Ga.) and Lance Gooden (R-Texas). The Head Start program is a federal government program that provides qualifying, low-income children with early education services. Program facilities are located throughout the nation and, up until this point, individual locations have been able to set and enforce their own COVID-19 protocols.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7D725F3A-9221-4ECB-B4C7-DC861CA961BE,"As Inflation Soars, Thune, Boozman Lead Colleagues in Standing up for Farmers and Ranchers",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and John Boozman (R-Ark.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, this week led several of their colleagues in urging federal financial regulators to provide community banks, credit unions, and Farm Credit institutions with the regulatory flexibility they need to responsibly work with their agriculture clients as the profit margins of farmers and ranchers shrink from higher input costs. The senators are also requesting that federal financial regulators monitor how inflation and inflationary-related pressures are affecting the agriculture industry and, in turn, the community financial institutions that serve it. “The destructive impact of inflation has already affected individuals, families, and businesses across the nation, and no one is immune from these price increases,” the senators wrote. “Caused in large part by an unprecedented increase in federal government spending, in addition to supply chain bottlenecks, these higher prices are not just increasing grocery bills and home heating costs, but they are also raising costs on businesses, including on our nation’s farmers and ranchers.” The letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Full letter below: The Honorable Jerome Powell The Honorable Jelena McWilliams Chairman Chairman Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 20th Street and Constitution Avenue Northwest 550 17th Street Northwest Washington, D.C. 20551 Washington, D.C. 20429 The Honorable Michael Hsu The Honorable Todd Harper Acting Comptroller of the Currency Chairman Office of the Comptroller of the Currency National Credit Union Administration 400 7th Street Southwest 1775 Duke Street Washington, D.C. 20219 Alexandria, VA 22314 The Honorable Glen Smith Chairman Farm Credit Administration 1501 Farm Credit Drive McLean, VA 22102 Dear Chairman Powell, Chairman McWilliams, Acting Comptroller Hsu, Chairman Harper, and Chairman Smith: We write to highlight the specific impact that inflation and higher input costs are having, and will continue to have, on our nation’s agriculture economy for the foreseeable future. As the cost of doing business continues to grow at a rate not seen in several years, we believe it is of utmost importance that you continue to provide community financial institutions with the regulatory flexibility they need to responsibly work with their agriculture clients as the profit margins of farmers and ranchers shrink. We also believe it would be helpful for you to specifically monitor how inflation and inflationary-related pressures are affecting the agriculture industry and, in turn, the community financial institutions that serve it. This information would be invaluable as Congress begins considering improvements to the producer safety net in the next farm bill. The destructive impact of inflation has already affected individuals, families, and businesses across the nation, and no one is immune from these price increases. Caused in large part by an unprecedented increase in federal government spending, in addition to supply chain bottlenecks, these higher prices are not just increasing grocery bills and home heating costs, but they are also raising costs on businesses, including on our nation’s farmers and ranchers. As you are aware, year-over-year inflation is currently at its highest level in nearly four decades. This problem has proven to be more than transitory, and estimates suggest that heightened inflation will remain well into next year. This directly affects the ability of individuals, families, and businesses to purchase goods and pay their bills. Specific to agriculture, inflation is hiking the cost of doing business on everything from fertilizer to fuel to machinery, among a number of other things needed to keep farm and ranch operations running. To name just a few examples, fertilizer prices have increased by 265 percent since May 2020, and farm diesel prices and used farm machinery prices are up year-over-year by over 50 percent and 34 percent respectively. And these rising input costs are one of the factors contributing to declining optimism among farmers, according to a recent study by Purdue University. Net cash farm incomes, a broad measure of U.S. farm profitability, have been boosted in recent years by higher commodity prices and federal government payments, and they are projected to be approximately 23 percent higher in 2021 than they were in 2020 according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. As a result, we believe farmers and ranchers are in a healthy financial position as they make strategic plans, in partnership with their lenders, going into the 2022 growing season. It is important to recognize, however, that in order for producers to weather the storm of higher input costs and lower profit margins, new regulatory burdens should not be imposed on financial institutions that service agriculture as farm and ranch customers experience increased credit needs. Therefore, as producers potentially seek greater amounts of credit, we urge you to not increase regulatory or examination burdens upon community financial institutions, which could interfere with their ability to extend credit to agriculture customers. We believe that community financial institutions have the necessary capital to help their farm and ranch borrowers keep up with rising input costs as profit margins tighten, while maintaining the proper safety and soundness considerations. As you and your examiners continue your work to supervise community financial institutions, we look forward to working with you as you monitor the impacts of inflation on the agriculture economy and as you ensure these lenders have the flexibility they need to serve the agriculture sector in this time of heightened inflation. Thank you for your attention to our concerns.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E36AC76F-CCC9-4A83-9207-1BCB700CF120,Thune: Reckless Tax-and-Spending Spree Highlights Democrats’ Big-Government Vision for the Future,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed how the radical proposals in the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending spree highlight the massive difference between the two parties when it comes to their vision for the future of America. Thune noted that preserving liberty is a fundamental purpose of government, and the Democrats’ policies would transfer some of Americans’ decision-making power over to politicians and Washington bureaucrats. Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery): “Mr. President, Democrats’ push to pass their tax-and-spending spree continues to throw into sharp relief the difference between Republicans’ and Democrats’ vision of government. “And it’s about a lot more than just the amount of money we want to spend. “Of course the amount of money we’re spending matters. “But it’s also about what that money represents. “In general, more money means more government. “And more government usually means less freedom. “And Republicans don’t oppose Democrats’ tax-and-spending spree just because it would cost a lot of money, or drive up our national debt. “It would do both of those things, of course, with negative consequences for our economy and the prosperity of American families. “And the negative economic consequences alone are sufficient reason to oppose Democrats’ Build Back Bankrupt plan. “But it’s about a lot more than the excessive spending. “With their Build Back Bankrupt plan, Democrats envision a society in which government is intimately involved in nearly every aspect of Americans’ life – from, to quote a New York Times article, ‘cradle to grave.’ “And that’s not a vision Republicans share. “Primarily because a government that is intimately involved in nearly every aspect of your life is a government that is going to exert control over your life. “More government inevitably means more government control. “Take Democrats’ child care plan in their Build Back Better legislation. “To hear Democrats talk about it, you might think this plan involves nothing more than cutting checks to American parents to help with their child care bills. “That’s not the case. “First, of course, Democrats take the opportunity to add a lot of new child care mandates and regulations. “According to one estimate, Democrats’ child care subsidy measure could drive up the cost of day care by somewhere around $13,000 per child. “Good luck working that into the family budget. “Democrats’ government subsidy program is set up to favor certain kinds of child care and child care providers. “It’s set up to favor institutional child care, rather than home care or other models like neighborhood co-ops. “And it’s set up to place religious providers at a disadvantage. “That’s right. “Despite the fact that a majority of working families who use center-based care opt for faith-based centers, Democrats’ program is set up to put these providers at a disadvantage. “It denies them facilities funding that is granted to secular providers. “And it could disqualify many providers with traditional religious beliefs – like those shared by millions upon millions of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim families around the country. “It could even disqualify a provider simply because the provider gave placement preference to families of its own faith! “So if you’re a Catholic church with a child care program and you give preference to families who attend your church, you could be accused of discrimination and disqualified from receiving government subsidies. “And if you’re a parent who can’t afford that program without those government subsidies – thanks to government mandates and regulations that have hiked up the child care bill – you’re out of luck. “If you need those government subsidies, you’ll have to send your child to one of the providers the government prefers. “Mr. President, the child care program in Democrats’ tax-and-spending spree provides a perfect example of what happens when government gets involved. “And it’s about a lot more than how much money the government is spending. “With government money comes government control. “The decision is no longer just in the individual’s hands. “And the more substantial the government involvement, the larger the government’s role in decision-making is likely to be – whether the issue is child care, health care, education, or anything else. “Mr. President, in his 1967 inaugural address as governor of California, Ronald Reagan said, and I quote, ‘Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.’ “Freedom is a fragile thing, Mr. President. “Here in the United States, we have enjoyed an unprecedented degree of individual liberty – a liberty that it is very easy for us to take for granted. “But that liberty is not guaranteed. “It is something that must be fought for and protected. “And that doesn’t involve simply safeguarding our liberty from external threats from foreign powers, it involves making sure that government doesn’t start to exceed its proper role. “The loss of freedom can come dramatically. “Or it can come quietly, through a steady increase of government encroachment. “And it’s important to remember that freedom can be eroded or taken away by the well-meaning – not just those actively hostile to it. “I believe that my Democrat colleagues likely do not see their ideas for dramatic government expansion as threatening Americans’ personal freedom. “The problem is that when you expand the reach of government, the diminishment of liberty is inevitable. “Expand the reach of government into Americans’ lives, and it’s inevitable that you’re going to transfer some of Americans’ decision-making power over to politicians and bureaucrats in Washington. “Mr. President, Democrats’ tax-and-spending spree – and its major expansion of government – is far from the only threat to Americans’ liberties that we’re seeing from the Democrat Party. “I am increasingly disturbed by Democrats’ tendency to play fast and loose with religious liberty and the First Amendment – whether that involves disadvantaging religious child care providers, threatening individuals’ right to live according to their conscience, questioning judges’ fitness for office based on their religious beliefs, or, as we learned recently from a courageous whistleblower FBI agent, even opening the door for the FBI to collect information on parents voicing their opposition to local school policies during school board meetings. “I’m also disturbed by Democrats’ clear belief that Americans should defer to government and Democrat-approved experts – as spectacularly evidenced in the Virginia governor’s race, which was unquestionably decided based partly on the Democrat candidate’s repeatedly expressed belief that parents shouldn’t be involved in the content of their children’s education. “I’m puzzled as to why Democrats are so convinced that Washington elites or Democrat-approved experts are better at making decisions than ordinary Americans. “As Ronald Reagan said in that same speech, “[I]t's hard to explain those among us who even today would question the people's capacity for self-government. I've often wondered if they will answer, those who subscribe to that philosophy: if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?” “I believe that the American people are capable of governing themselves – of making their own decisions – and that they’re actually generally going to be better at it than a bunch of bureaucrats in Washington. “And I strongly oppose efforts to substitute the judgments of Washington bureaucrats – or Democrat politicians – for the judgment of individual Americans. “Mr. President, it states in the Declaration of Independence that governments are instituted to preserve our unalienable rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. “Preserving liberty is a fundamental purpose of government, but of course before you can enjoy liberty, you have to enjoy the right to life. “And for a long time now the Democrat Party has consistently denied the right to life of a whole segment of the American population – unborn Americans. “And there’s no better example of their aggressive pro-abortion extremism than the so-called Women’s Health Protection Act that Democrats in the House passed in September. “This legislation – which would more accurately be termed the Abortion on Demand Act – would eliminate almost every democratically passed state abortion restriction, no matter how mild. “It would endanger the religious and conscience rights of doctors and nurses. “And of course it ignores the clear position of the American people, a strong majority of whom support restrictions on abortion. “Apparently Democrats are not content with joining repressive regimes like China and North Korea as one of a tiny handful of nations that allow elective abortion past 20 weeks of pregnancy. “No, they want to remove even the mildest and most widely supported restrictions on abortion. “It’s yet another example of Democrats’ tendency to think they know better than the American people. “Mr. President, the Republican vision – the conservative vision – the vision I share – is a vision that foregrounds liberty, not government. “That believes that individuals acting freely generally tend to do a better job of making decisions than a small handful of politicians and bureaucrats in Washington. “We believe in government as backstop, not Big Brother. “A system of permanent government dependence erodes individual liberty – to say nothing of the ways in which it undermines prosperity and robs individuals of the purpose and pride that come with work and achievement. “Government should create the conditions in which freedom, opportunity, and prosperity can flourish – not attempt to secure particular outcomes or dictate the paths Americans should take. “We are privileged to live in the freest country the world has ever known. “It’s not a privilege we can or should take for granted. “And it’s a privilege we can all too easily lose. “Our liberty is, as Ronald Reagan said, ever only one generation away from extinction. I will continue to make safeguarding that liberty we’ve been given one of my most cherished priorities – whether that involves fighting for the right to life of unborn Americans, opposing attempts to restrict religious liberty, or fighting against an expansion of government that would push out parents and put the government in the driver’s seat on too many issues.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/letter-young-braun-call-for-action-on-port-congestion-that-harms-hoosier-businesses/,"LETTER: Young, Braun Call for Action on Port Congestion that Harms Hoosier Businesses",2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.)sent a letter to the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force regarding the port congestion and shipping delays that are jeopardizing Midwest businesses struggling to receive timely access to inputs and inventory. “The businesses located in Indiana are particularly impacted by these supply chain barriers, most urgently at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Some have products stuck in container ships on the water, some have containers stacked in inaccessible environments, and some cannot find proper storage space or available methods for transport. “The combination of these factors has led to an incredibly strenuous environment for our constituents, one that they cannot withstand much longer. We must identify measures to increase productivity, unkink the chain, and finds ways to be efficient before even more businesses go under,” said Senators Young and Braun in the letter. The letter requests written responses from agency heads to ensure the public has full knowledge of current and ongoing efforts to take action at the ports. The Indiana Senators sent the letter after repeated outreach from struggling small and medium sized businesses in Indiana that are dependent on efficient supply chain processing at our nation’s coastal ports. Read the full letter here or below. December 14, 2021 Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Members of the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force: We write to you expressing deep urgency regarding the port congestion and shipping delays that are wreaking havoc on our constituents and jeopardizing businesses all across the Midwest. We have heard countless stories and fielded requests from small and medium sized businesses that have led us to inquire about your actions to minimize harm resulting from this crisis and your plans to address it with urgency. The businesses located in Indiana are particularly impacted by these supply chain barriers, most urgently at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Some have products stuck in container ships on the water, some have containers stacked in inaccessible environments, and some cannot find proper storage space or available methods for transport. The combination of these factors has led to an incredibly strenuous environment for our constituents, one that they cannot withstand much longer. We must identify measures to increase productivity, unkink the chain, and finds ways to be efficient before even more businesses go under. We appreciate the efforts undertaken to address supply chain challenges such as the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force (Task Force). Unfortunately, the Task Force has failed to deliver meaningful and immediate relief. While the installation of the Port Envoy could achieve beneficial changes, the initiative is too narrow and fails to address the entirety of port congestion, not just the concentration evident at Los Angeles and Long Beach. Further, warehouse space and chassis availability continue to represent a significant hurdle in in alleviating congestion. The recent announcement to open the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports for 24/7 operation addresses working hours, but not the fundamental issue of available chassis and escalating costs passed down to consumers and incurred by importers struggling to manage inventory and secure inputs. Our constituents are simply asking for action that leads to results, which so far has not occurred in a meaningful way. In that vein, we are requesting written responses to a series of questions below regarding tangible action and improvements to port congestion and supply chain disruptions. What does the Task Force identify as the root cause or causes for this current crisis at our nation’s ports? What actions has the Task Force taken to mitigate or eliminate supply chain issues that prevent transfer of products off container ships and on to trucks or rail cars? What are the Task Force and the Administration doing to encourage greater automation and efficiency at our nation’s major ports, which are noted to be some of the most inefficient in the world? Are there other parts of our supply chain that could be operating more efficiently, and what are the relevant agencies in the Task Force doing to promote such efficiency? Does the Task Force and their related agencies require additional authorities from Congress to address port congestion and shipping delays? If so, please detail these authorities. Are there any solutions or mitigating relief measures pertaining to the supply chain crisis that the agency members of the Task Force would like to implement but cannot because they are outside of their scope and authority? Has the Task Force or the Administration consulted with military logistics experts to identify creative solutions to solving port congestion and supply chain issues? Has the Task Force or the Administration consulted with private entities focused on business solutions to identify ways to solve port congestion and supply chain issues? Why does the American public not have access to timely updates on what the federal government is doing to improve the pressing port congestion issues? Would the American people benefit from increased transparency through systematic reporting on supply chain disruptions? What analysis has been conducted to determine the geographical implications to the Midwest caused by decisions made on coasts where the majority of the port-related disruption has taken place? Is the Task Force currently equipped to develop and implement a comprehensive set of solutions that will execute immediate results? If not, please identify what barriers exist in the Task Force’s mission. Is there a single point of authority and accountability within the federal government for dealing with the current supply chain crisis and, if so, who is it? Has the Task Force or the Administration considered the impact that the federal vaccine mandate policies and requirements on cross-border truck drivers may have on port congestion and shipping delays? We look forward to your thorough answers to these questions, which we will share with our constituents in need. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-braun-introduce-bill-to-curb-reliance-on-chinese-pharmaceuticals,"Cotton, Braun Introduce Bill to Curb Reliance on Chinese Pharmaceuticals",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AR,Tom Cotton,C001095,www.cotton.senate.gov,cotton,https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353 December 15, 2021 Cotton, Braun Introduce Bill to Curb Reliance on Chinese Pharmaceuticals Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Mike Braun (R-Indiana) today introduced the Anyone But China Safe Drugs Act, or the ABC Safe Drug Act, legislation to track active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), prohibit pharmaceutical purchases from China, and create transparency within the medical supply chain. Bill text may be found here. “Shortages in the medical supply chain are a matter of life and death, and we cannot rely on China for our citizens’ survival. Our bill will encourage pharmaceutical production in friendly countries and end dependency on the Chinese Communist Party,” said Cotton. “The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated why we cannot continue to rely so heavily on communist China for lifesaving medications. I am proud to join Senator Cotton on this legislation that will ban the use of federal funds for the purchase of drugs manufactured in China and add more much-needed transparency to our drug supply chain,” said Braun. The ABC Safe Drug Act would: Require the Food and Drug Administration to create a registry of all drugs and corresponding APIs that are produced outside the United States and are determined to be critical to the health and safety of Americans. Require that the Department of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and all other federally qualified health facilities purchase pharmaceutical products that have no APIs produced in China. This requirement will be phased in over two years. The FDA may issue waivers if the APIs are only available in China, however, no waivers may be issued after 2027. Require drug companies to list the APIs and their countries of origin on the labels of imported and domestically produced finished drug products.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-statement-on-passage-of-the-ndaa,Cotton Statement on Passage of the NDAA,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AR,Tom Cotton,C001095,www.cotton.senate.gov,cotton,https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353 December 15, 2021 Cotton Statement on Passage of the NDAA Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement on the National Defense Authorization Act: “Democrats tried to use this defense bill to draft America’s daughters and force their radical social ideologies onto our troops. Thankfully, they failed, and this year’s defense bill largely does what it should: support and strengthen our troops. By increasing our defense budget, fully funding our nuclear weapons, giving the troops a raise, and investing substantially in our Navy, this bill is an important step to providing our military with the resources it needs to protect the United States. But there’s more work to do, and I’ll stay dedicated to supporting our troops and not letting Democrats use the military for left-wing social engineering.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=521CBC38-BA20-4E47-A64B-0BFB69199433,Senate Passes McConnell’s NDAA Amendment to Support Democracy in Burma,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) led the U.S. Senate to include his bipartisan Burma amendment in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the Senate and will now be sent to the president for his signature. Senator McConnell secured important provisions in this bipartisan amendment, which requires senior Administration officials to present to Congress within sixty days a strategy to impose costs on the military junta, legitimize representative organizations like the National Unity Government, restore democratic governance, and foster national reconciliation. The amendment was cosponsored by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). “Earlier this year, Burma’s illegitimate, unelected military junta launched a coup against the country’s democratically-elected government. I strongly condemn these actions, as well as the indiscriminate violence they continue to commit against civilians and the show trials they have launched against their political opposition. To address this crisis, I led a bipartisan effort to reaffirm American support for democracy in Burma through the NDAA process. I’m proud my amendment was included in the final NDAA bill that passed the Senate earlier today,” said Senator McConnell. “Restoring Burma’s democratic development will require the United States to pursue a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to keep meaningful pressure on the junta and secure international recognition for Burma’s true, democratically-elected government. This amendment will ensure our Administration articulates and then advances a real strategy to hold the regime accountable and support democratic actors like the National Unity Government.” “Senator McConnell has listened closely to our community and stood alongside us every step of the way as we work to restore democracy in Burma. This amendment is just the latest among a long list of actions Senator McConnell has taken to help Burma’s people,” said Jimmy Nyunt, a pro-democracy advocate from Burma who lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky. “The people of Burma have no greater advocate in Washington than Senator McConnell.” This bipartisan amendment requires senior officials from the State Department, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Treasury Department, and Defense Department to personally appear before Congress to provide a briefing on specific U.S. policy and security objectives in Burma, including: • An assessment of the impact of existing U.S. and international sanctions on Burma, as well as possible additional sanctions. • Efforts to support Burma’s National Unity Government and other democratic actors such as the Civil Disobedience Movement, while denying legitimacy to the country’s military junta. • Key objectives, including the restoration of democracy in Burma, the establishment of an inclusive and representative civilian government, the creation of a reformed military reflecting the diversity of the country and under civilian control, and the enactment of constitutional, political, and economic reforms. • Accountability for atrocities and human rights violations in Burma, genuine national reconciliation among the country’s ethnic groups, and the release of political prisoners. • A review of China and Russia’s strategic interests in Burma and any actions taken by these countries to support the junta, promote ethnic conflict, or undermine Burma’s sovereignty. Senator McConnell has a long record of support for Burma’s democracy. Over several decades, he has led multiple efforts to sanction the country’s military junta and worked closely with Burma’s pro-democracy advocates, particularly Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to support the people of Burma. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=58A130D8-507D-419C-B690-0691648309AD,"Democrats’ Reckless Spree: Steep Costs, and Bad Policy, Too",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree: “I described yesterday how inflation is hurting families across the country. “Since then, yet another key economic indicator has set an unfortunate record: In the last year, wholesale prices grew at their fastest pace on record. “Anyone with a shred of sense knows this is the absolute wrong time to unleash a multi-trillion-dollar taxing and spending spree. Every single day brings new evidence our Democratic colleagues should give the country a break. “But the cost of Washington Democrats’ latest obsession isn’t the only problem. The content of what they want to pass is just as bad. “We’ve known since the start of the COVID pandemic that Democrats saw it as an opportunity to transform American society. They’ve said so in public. “And the reckless taxing and spending spree they’re writing behind closed doors is a Trojan horse to let the radical left dictate intimate details to American families. “There’s a long list of policies inspired by the authors of the Green New Deal. A whole slew of new programs and mandates aimed at fitting the entire country’s systems for producing and consuming energy into a California-shaped box. “Special subsidies for expensive lifestyle choices like electric vehicles and electric bicycles. “New red tape to strangle the most reliable and affordable sources of American energy. “Subsidies for supply chains that China dominates, so America borrows in order to Build Back Beijing. “And don’t forget the so-called ‘Civilian Climate Corps.’ Just what we need at a time of inflation and labor shortages — a Potemkin make-work program for liberal activists. “Of course, Washington Democrats intend to grab greater control over the development of America’s young people long before they’re eligible for made-up green jobs. “Their spree contains a massive ‘Toddler Takeover’ that insults the diversity of American families and their aspirations. It only throws money at a subset of secular childcare centers that woke bureaucrats favor. “Forget faith-based options. Forget flexible, part-time arrangements. Forget being remotely fair to families with a parent at home. Democrats want to bring their inflation into childcare and make daycare more expensive, more inflexible, and more unfair. “And then there’s the latest offensive in a long campaign to restrict more of Americans’ healthcare choices. Democrats’ plan would mean more one-size-fits-all programs, more government control, a wet blanket over the world-leading innovation pipeline that creates new cures, and a further gamble with seniors’ Medicare when the trust fund is already in danger of insolvency. *** “Then there are the massive tax hikes our colleagues want to use to cover the bill. “All those radical changes, all those Big Government intrusions into family life, come paired with crushing tax hikes that would hit our country like a ton of bricks. “There are new surcharges on individual taxpayers. There are tax hikes for pass-through businesses. There’s a brand-new radical scheme to make American industries less competitive that Senate Democrats scribbled down with no hearings or committee process. “President Biden promised he wouldn’t raise taxes one penny on anybody making less than $400,000. But experts agree that Democrats’ tax hikes would break that promise. People with far less income would be affected. “For goodness’ sake, in 2022, their bill would give a bigger percentage tax cut to people making more than $1 million every year than to families that pull in between $75,000 and $100,000. “That’s according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. The average person who makes upwards of a million dollars gets a bigger tax break from Democrats’ bill than the average household that makes just under six figures. “In large part, that’s because of an absurdly expensive tax giveaway that Democrats want to hand out to benefit high income earners in blue states. Their ‘SALT’ policy would make the federal government subsidize the property tax bills of people with mansions who choose to live in high-tax states. “It’s an insane proposition, and it’s struggling to even earn support from Democrats’ rank-and-file. But their leaders from New York and California are obsessed with it. Go figure. *** “But SALT is only just the beginning of the gravy train this bill steers toward Democrats’ pet projects and causes. “There’s also a tax-code tweak that would create a special deduction for union dues while letting one for charitable contributions expire. “Another special incentive – to the tune of $10 billion – would help liberal colleges and universities indoctrinate students in new ‘environmental justice’ programs. “Still others would pour $29 billion into funding a ‘National Green Bank’… $2.5 billion into increasing ‘tree equity’… $1.67 billion to bail out news outlets…and an extra billion on top for ‘improving climate resilience’ of Pacific salmon. “And then, of course, there are the extra special ways Democrats want to use this bill to fulfill more personal, hometown priorities. “Speaker Pelosi didn’t end up getting to earmark millions of federal dollars for redeveloping a park in her district. “But she did secure one Congressman’s vote by upping the funding for a defunct regional commission that largely benefits his district by 13,000%. “That’s old-school vote buying, Mr. President. A slap in the face to taxpayers. “Our own colleague, the Democratic Leader, has pledged to ‘use all of [his] power’ to personally steer tens of billions of dollars toward a hometown New York City housing authority with a long and storied reputation of corruption, mismanagement, and scandal. “It’s hard to wrap your head around, Mr. President. That is, unless you subscribe to Washington Democrats’ apparent core principle: when the American people are footing the bill, the menu is all-you-can-spend.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6636AA03-D7B8-40DD-8B7D-709528296721,Bipartisan Defense Legislation Will Bolster Kentucky and the Country,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the National Defense Authorization Act: “Today, the Senate will pass this year’s National Defense Authorization Act by a big, bipartisan margin. “I’ve talked for weeks about the importance of this legislation given the global threats and international challenges that face our nation — from China to Russia to the fight against terrorists in the Middle East. “But I will also be proud to vote for this bill because of the enormous impact it will have on my home state. “The proud servicemembers based in Kentucky play an outsized role in our national defense. “From deploying across the world, to fighting COVID-19 here at home, they do amazing work to keep America safe. In the past week, they have stepped up to provide critical support as Kentucky deals with the aftermath of devastating tornadoes. “Our Commonwealth’s heroes and their families deserve our full support and I am proud that this year’s National Defense Authorization Act delivers for them. “Nearly $1 billion for the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program that supports the chemical munitions destruction mission at the Blue Grass Army Depot. Robust funding to deter Russia in Europe, the mission of Fort Knox’s Fifth Corps Headquarters. “Continued investments in research and modernization that will guarantee our soldiers, including those at Fort Campbell, are prepared to counter emerging threats like China. “We’ve also built on our previous efforts to lift up Kentucky’s military families. The bill provides additional funding for modern, high-quality child care facilities, including $27 million for a new child care development center at Fort Knox. It authorizes an across-the-board 2.7% pay raise for our troops. “This bill is critically important to the servicemembers who make immense sacrifices to keep our nation safe. I am proud to support it and help cement the Commonwealth’s role as America’s most military-friendly state.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=90E740AC-8DFC-4BDC-B1D8-64D6D4ABA7E9,"Amid Devastation and Grief, Kentuckians Lighting Beacons of Hope",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the tornadoes in Western Kentucky: “In the aftermath of Western Kentucky’s devastating tornado outbreak, I’ve maintained close contact with state and local officials. My staff has been on the ground since the outset of this crisis, helping residents access federal resources and keeping me up-to-date with any developments. “Toward the end of the week, I will travel back to Kentucky to meet with my constituents and visit the areas affected. “The stories coming out of Kentucky are harrowing. But in recent days, we’ve also heard about the generosity, hard work, and hope that are helping our state recover. “Kentuckians desperately need help to rebuild. So our universities, normally bitter rivals on the court, are rallying together to raise money and gather supplies for relief efforts. “This Christmas is shaping up to be exceptionally difficult for children across Western Kentucky. So churches are organizing toy drives to help make the holidays a little bit brighter. “Western Kentucky community organizations are stretched to the limit. So businesses based in the Commonwealth, from distilleries, to car manufacturers, to insurance companies, have stepped up to donate millions. “Remarkable stories of survival and resiliency have trickled out of the disaster zone. “Last weekend’s storm destroyed much of First Christian Church in Mayfield, Kentucky. But the congregation discovered their communion table and altar cross fully intact while picking through the rubble. A symbol of hope and rebirth survived amid so much pain. “Across town, the Mayfield Health and Rehabilitation nursing home was physically devastated when it took a direct hit from the tornado on Friday night. But all seventy-four of the facility’s elderly residents survived with only minor injuries. As one staff member said, it was ‘truly a miracle.’ “And in Bremen, Kentucky, when a man visited the wreckage of his home on Saturday, he discovered his grand piano mostly undamaged despite the storm. Amid the surrounding devastation, he sat down to play and sing hymns. His songs, shared on social media, warmed the hearts of thousands. “These stories of hope have ricocheted across the Commonwealth, bringing smiles and strength to the communities that need them most. And they give me faith that Kentucky will recover from this crisis, stronger than ever.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-ndaa-including-rounds-south-dakota-priorities,"Senate Passes NDAA, Including Rounds’ South Dakota Priorities",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and ranking Republican member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, today issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. It now heads to the president’s desk for signature. “This year’s NDAA includes many wins for South Dakota – including victories for Ellsworth Air Force Base, Dakota State University and Raven Aerostar,” said Rounds. “Additionally, a lot of work has been done to remove radical pieces of legislation – like red flag laws and selective service requirements for women – that were included in the House version of this bill. Providing our troops with the tools they need to complete their missions fulfills one of our most fundamental duties: to provide for our national defense.” Earlier today on the Senate floor, Senate Armed Services Ranking Member Jim Inhofe noted Rounds expertise on cybersecurity. “We have…not just experts on the outside,” said Inhofe. “Senator Mike Rounds probably knows more about cybersecurity than any of the advisors that are out there.” South Dakota Wins Included: Authorizes the following construction at Ellsworth Air Force Base: - $41M for B-21 2-Bay Low Observable Restoration Facility. - $24M for B-21 Addition/Alteration to the Existing Flight Simulator. - $47M for B–21 Field Training Detachment Facility. - $70M for B–21 Formal Training Unit/Aircraft Maintenance Unit. - $36M for B–21 Mission Operations Planning Facility. - $65M for B–21 Wash Rack & Maintenance Hangar. $2.87 billion for continued B-21 development. Strengthened the university cyber consortium of academic institutions which are designated as Cyber Centers of Academic Excellence, including Dakota State University. Authorized $6.5 million for stratospheric balloon research. Directly impacts a successful manufacturer based in Sioux Falls, SD, Raven Aerostar which develops and deploys stratospheric balloon technology. Authorizes $9.8 million for Joe Foss Field F-16 Mission Training Center. Additional Rounds Provisions Included: Secured $300 million for National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence recommendations, including accelerating processes to apply artificial intelligence capabilities to military systems, processes and operations (pending coordination with the Appropriations Committee). Created an emerging technology education requirement for Department of Defense senior leaders. Directed creation of Artificial Intelligence performance objectives and metrics for incorporation of artificial intelligence and digital readiness across all DOD platforms, training and operations. Tightened up the Department of Defense’s Principal Cyber Advisor position to prevent dual-hatting with the Chief Information Officer. Modified a pilot program led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Defense and National Cyber Director to establish voluntary public-private partnerships with internet ecosystem companies Authorized full funding for U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) to include items on their unfunded requirements list. Maintained CYBERCOM’s budgetary controls. Requires the Department of Defense to assess how the department can protect the United States from ransomware. Restored the Close Combat Lethality Task Force as a cross-functional team and direct report to the Secretary of Defense after the Secretary moved it out of the Pentagon (to the Army) and several echelons below the Chief of Staff of the Army. Bill Highlights: Increases military basic pay for all service members by 2.7%. Bans dishonorable discharges for service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine. Creates a new National Defense Strategy Commission to review the upcoming Biden National Defense Strategy. Requires the Secretary of Defense to report on U.S. counterterrorism efforts and plans to evacuate U.S. citizens and allies from Afghanistan. Authorizes a Guam Integrated Air and Missile Defense System. Extends the prohibition against using funds to transfer or release GTMO prisoners to the United States and extends the prohibition on closing the base. Radical House Provisions Removed from Bill: Removed a provision that required women to register with the selective service. Successfully stripped red flag law provisions that violated the Second Amendment rights of our nation’s service members by allowing military judges and magistrates to issue military court orders to confiscate privately owned firearms. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-scott-talks-inflation-blasts-dems-spending-on-americas-newsroom/,"ICYMI: Scott Talks Inflation, Blasts Dems’ Spending on America’s Newsroom",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino on Fox News’s “America’s Newsroom.” Sen. Scott slammed the Democrats’ reckless spending, which has driven inflation to a record high, and he discussed how to combat America’s rising prices. Click to watch the full interview On record-level inflation … “There’s no doubt that, when you think about inflation—this bone-crushing, life-changing, hope-stealing, job-killing inflation—there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m thankful that it’s no longer considered transitory. Finally, Chairman Powell is speaking the truth, which is [that] this is unprecedented. The last time inflation was this high, I had an afro. That is a long time ago. That’s early 1980s. “The truth is that we have to find a way to forge forward by reducing spending from the federal government and allowing raises to increase in the private sector. That means that we have to pull back on this ‘Build Back Broker’ plan that the Democrats are still trying to weave together.” On inflation’s effect on service members … “[In South Carolina] we actually make marines at Parris Island; we train the army folks at Fort Jackson. So if you think about [a service member] who may even be eligible for public assistance because they get paid so little—[working] paycheck-to-paycheck—they drive up to the gas station and now gas is up almost 75 percent. … Can you imagine someone who’s serving our nation … and they simply cannot put gas in their cars while they defend our nation? On the path forward … “Median income in this country is around $35,000 a year. When you think about what this inflationary impact is on folks living paycheck-to-paycheck, it means that you have to choose between sometimes your health care, sometimes your energy, and sometimes the utilities in your house. … We can change that by [stopping reckless spending] in Washington and [allowing] the American people to catch up. That means putting more focus on an incentive-based economy where we let the private sector do what they do really well and getting the government out of the way.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-calls-out-democrats-destructive-child-care-proposals-at-press-conference/,Scott Calls Out Democrats’ Destructive Child Care Proposals at Press Conference,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) led their Republican colleagues at a press conference calling out the destructive child care proposals in the Democrats’ reckless spending bill. Click to watch the senator’s remarks Senator Scott’s remarks as delivered: Thank you, Senator Burr, for leading this important press conference on an issue that is not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue. It’s simply an American issue. Imagine, if you will, households across the country and specifically those households in South Carolina—[like the one] I grew up in when I was a kid. Single-parent [households are] waking up to the sense of desperation because your gas prices are up nearly 75 percent, so instead of spending less than $2 a gallon in 2020, you’re now spending over $3.30 a gallon in 2021. Imagine, if you will, turning your heat up or, likely, turning your heat down to conserve money because your utilities are up 25 percent. And then you wake up to the BBB—as I call it, the “Build Back Broker” plan—and you realize that the bone-crushing, life-changing, hope-stealing, job-killing aspects of the BBB include increasing your child care costs, as Senator Burr said, by $13,000. To understand the actual impact of the $13,000, you have to first understand that the current cost is over $15,000. So, said in a way that everybody in our nation can understand, with median income around $34,000, you take taxes out, [and] the cost of child care is now more than your take-home pay. Literally, providing child care for one kid is more than the take-home pay of the average income in our nation. And somehow, we are to celebrate this notion that the government is here to do something for you, when in fact, you know the government is taking something from you. And what are they taking? Your hope, your future, your plans. And so, while we may think of this as an exercise of political philosophy [or] one side versus the other … this is literally an attempt to fundamentally transform what it means to take care of your child in the place you want to send your child, by eliminating options, increasing the cost, and stealing the hope from far too many families who deserve better from their government. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-statement-on-passage-of-the-national-defense-authorization-act/,Senator Scott Statement on Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released the following statement on his vote to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “At a time of growing and evolving global threats, it is unthinkable that the Biden administration asked for tens of billions of dollars in cuts to our military,” said Senator Scott. “I am proud to vote for this bipartisan authorization to increase U.S. defense spending by $25 billion more than the Biden plan and give our troops a well-deserved pay raise. I remain committed to ensuring our men and women in uniform are fully equipped to keep our country safe and prosperous.” BACKGROUND The FY22 NDAA authorizes $777.7 billion to support U.S. national defense and includes a pay raise for armed forces for the third year in a row. The bill includes Senator Scott’s amendment to increase funding from the president’s original request of $31 million for the Department of Defense’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities program to $73 million in the final NDAA. The bill also contains multiple wins for South Carolina championed by Senator Scott, including: $59 million, Joint Base Charleston $55 million, Fort Jackson $130.3 million, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort $6 million, Marine Corps Reserve Depot Parris Island $18.8 million, McEntire Joint National Guard Base $1.7 billion, Savannah River Site ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/commerce-committee-advances-sullivans-visit-america-act-in-tourism-omnibus,Commerce Committee Advances Sullivan’s “Visit America Act” in Tourism Omnibus,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Bill would initiate a federal strategy for the struggling U.S. tourism & travel industry WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today thanked his committee colleagues for advancing his Visit America Act as part of the larger Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act of 2021. The bill would set a visitation goal of 116 million annual international travelers to the United States by 2028, formally authorize the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, and create a high-ranking position within the Department of Commerce focused on bolstering America’s travel and tourism industry and coordinating a strategy across multiple federal agencies. The Visit America Act would also require the development and implementation of a strategy to assist the travel and tourism industry to quickly recover from the COVID–19 pandemic. Original cosponsors of the Visit America Act include Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Maine), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). “Travel and tourism are critical engines of our national economy, supporting millions of jobs and generating billions of dollars for communities across the country, including in Alaska. Those jobs and revenues were absolutely decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many have still not returned,” said Sullivan. “In order to realize a full recovery from the pandemic, the tourism industry—like other major economic sectors—deserves an advocate at the highest levels of the federal government to coordinate a whole-of-government strategy. This is an idea my team and I came up with five years ago, and I appreciate Chairwoman Cantwell, Ranking Member Wicker, and my committee colleagues for incorporating the Visit America Act into the committee’s bipartisan ‘Tour Bus’ package. I am hopeful we can get this legislation to the President’s desk soon and support the hard-working small business owners in the travel and tourism economy.” The United States is the only member of the G20 international economic forum that does not have a high-ranking official focused on the tourism sector. Most G20 nations have a minister or secretary at the cabinet level. In addition to the Visit America Act, the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act includes: S.115, Protecting Tourism in the United States Act: This bill would require the Department of Commerce to lead a study of the pandemic’s effects on the travel and tourism industry and identification of policy recommendations to assist the hard-hit industry. S.343, Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act of 2021: This legislation requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canine units to detect the presence of COVID-19. H.R.4094, One-Stop Pilot Program Act of 2021: This legislation would establish a pilot program to allow international passengers from designated foreign airports to avoid rescreening in the U.S. for connecting flights. In collaboration with Customs and Border Protection, TSA would designate the foreign airports and ensure they have comparable security standards. S.82, Ensuring Health Safety in the Skies Act of 2021: This legislation would require the Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Health and Human Services to form a joint task force on air travel during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-senate-pass-defense-bill-that-takes-care-of-our-troops-and-makes-america-more-secure,"Sullivan, Senate Pass Defense Bill That Takes Care Of Our Troops and Makes America More Secure",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Bill includes Sullivan-Authored Arctic Security Initiative, Other Alaska Provisions WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), voted today to pass the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would raise the Department of Defense’s (DOD) budget by $25 billion beyond President Joe Biden’s defense budget proposal, a level consistent with the recommendations of the National Defense Strategy Commission, and includes numerous Arctic and Alaska priorities championed by Sullivan. The bill now goes to the President’s desk for his signature. “Republicans and Democrats in Congress today soundly rejected Joe Biden’s dangerous, dead-last prioritization of the U.S. military, passing an authorization that robustly invests in our nation’s defense and provides our troops with the resources they need to fulfill a wide array of critical missions,” said Sen. Sullivan. “We were also able to work on a bipartisan basis to remove provisions championed by far-left members of the House and the President that sought to conduct social engineering experiments in our military ranks and detract from the readiness and lethality of our fighting force. This NDAA also invests heavily in defense technologies and weapons that will help us keep pace with our adversaries, like Russia and China, as they continue to threaten democracies and upend the global rules-based order. “Additionally, this NDAA includes numerous provisions for Alaska, including approximately $155 million dollars for military construction, and a new Arctic Security Initiative I authored that will, at long last, ensure the Arctic is properly resourced and integrated into our larger defense strategy—where it belongs. The independent assessment this initiative requires will ultimately mean more focus, personnel, vessels, infrastructure, aircraft and investment being directed to America’s Arctic—to Alaska—in defense of our nation’s interests in this critically-important region. With my provision in last year’s NDAA to establish the Ted Stevens Center, which the DOD recently announced will be headquartered in Anchorage, and my Arctic Security Initiative in this year’s NDAA, Alaska has rightfully become the critical focal point for Arctic security endeavors for America and our allies throughout the world.” Congress has historically only authorized two region-specific security initiatives—the European Deterrence Initiative in 2014, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) in 2021, following China’s militarization of the South China Sea and other provocative actions in Asia. Sen. Sullivan was able to include a provision authorizing the secretary of defense to establish a third such initiative in the FY 2022 NDAA—the Arctic Security Initiative (ASI), which features a five-year plan to fully resource the DOD’s and individual service-specific strategies for the Arctic that have been released over the past several years. “Finally, after years of advocacy, this year’s NDAA includes legislation I’ve introduced to maximize interagency collaboration and capacity between the Defense Health and Veterans Health Agencies, authorizing the secretary of defense and the secretary of veterans affairs to enter into agreements for the planning, design, and construction of facilities to be operated as shared federal medical facilities,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This is critically important in states, like Alaska, where there is no full-service VA hospital and more than forty percent of residents are federal health care beneficiaries.” “As the senior Republican on the Subcommittee on Readiness, Sen. Sullivan has fought to make sure our military is prepared for any threat that comes our way—whether in the Indo-Pacific or the Arctic. That includes making sure the Department of Defense has the budget it needs to take care of our troops and defend the country and that those resources are going to the right places,” said SASC Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). “I’m proud to have worked with him to make this National Defense Authorization Act a strong, bipartisan bill that will make our country more secure.” In addition to authorizing the ASI, the FY 2022 NDAA: Increases funding for national defense by $25 billion beyond President Biden’s request, matching the National Defense Strategy Commission’s minimum recommendation of 3 percent real growth, bringing the total funding authorized for the DOD and nuclear weapons activities to a total of $777.9 billion; Provides America’s service members with a 2.7 percent pay raise, makes necessary improvements to military health care, continues efforts to guarantee military spouses have access to meaningful employment, provides service members with dedicated bereavement leave, and ensures military families have access to high-quality housing; Increases resources for the new Pacific Deterrence Initiative by $1 billion for the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) commander’s highest priorities; Hardens America’s defense industrial base and supply chain against threats posed by China; Focuses attention on U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation, including asymmetric military capabilities; Requires an assessment of current and emerging offensive capabilities of China and other adversaries and disclosures of any printed circuit boards sourced from China; Accelerates research and development of key modernization technologies at the heart of strategic competition with China; Adds more than $2.5 billion for shipbuilding, with funding for an additional destroyer; Provides the largest investment in military construction in a decade—$12.735 billion—nearly $2.9 billion more than the president requested; Emphasizes the importance of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD); Provides key support for America’s allies, including Taiwan, Ukraine, Israel, and Afghan civilians and translators who supported U.S. counterterrorism efforts; Continues to limit military cooperation between the U.S. and Russia, rejects Russian aggression, and authorizes an increase of $50 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative; Invests in defense technology to put America ahead of its global competitors, including microelectronics, artificial intelligence, 5G, hypersonic weapons, and directed energy; Fully funds the United States Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) and protects against persistent cyberattacks by assessing and strengthening America’s offensive and defensive capabilities; Authorizes the DOD to transport Afghan special immigrant visa (SIV) candidates and other at-risk Afghan partners outside of Afghanistan for visa processing; Requires military contractors to disclose any training related to critical race theory. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/speeches/speech-fy-2022-national-defense-authorization-act,SPEECH: FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Mr. President, I want to come down to the Senate floor and commend a number of Senators, but I want to particularly commend the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Reed, and the ranking member, Senator Inhofe, and their staff, and all the staff on the Armed Services Committee for the exceptional work they have done over the last several months to produce the strong National Defense Authorization Act that just passed in a very strong bipartisan vote here on the floor of the U.S. Senate. That vote was 88 to 11. I think it is a prime example of something that I mention a lot back home; and that is that there is a lot more bipartisan work that gets done here in the Senate that isn't often recognized, and there is nothing more important than having Senators from both sides of the aisle come together with regard to national defense and supporting our troops and their families. We have been doing that over 60 years in a row, where we have passed the National Defense Authorization Act--one of the most important bills that comes to the floor of the Senate and the House and the Congress. And, once again, we have passed it. And I think Chairman Reed and Senator Inhofe--Ranking Member Inhofe--deserve a lot of the credit. So I just want to touch on a couple of the key provisions here, a lot of what was in it, and then mention a few things. A lot of times it is important to recognize, actually, what is not in a bill because that can be just as important as what is in it. But I would start with the No. 1 issue here, and it is the top-line budget increase for the Department of Defense. I have been outspoken on the disappointment and damage that President Biden's budget, which he proposed, with regard to the Pentagon, supported, unfortunately, by many here--the majority leader, the budget chairman--that that was unacceptable--unacceptable. Why was it unacceptable? Because our Nation is facing many threats right now. Just read the paper every day--China, Russia, Iran. Yet that budget that was actually provided by the White House was a cut--a pretty dramatic cut--if you look at it as adjusted for inflation. The Armed Services Committees in the Senate and in the House thoroughly rejected the Biden budget to cut defense spending. We have in this bill a 3-percent real increase. That is a little over $25 billion. This amendment, which I cosponsored with Senator Inhofe and others, to increase our defense spending, when it came to a vote in the committee, every Senator on the Armed Services Committee voted for it, with the exception of one. That is about as bipartisan as it gets. There are many important things in this bill in terms of the significant increase to the top-line budget, but readiness, in my view, of our military is one of the most important things we do here as U.S. Senators, and now is certainly not the time to cut defense spending. I think today's vote was a strong bipartisan showing that this body does not agree with the Biden budget, and that was one really important aspect of today's NDAA. Second, I want to talk a little bit about the great State of Alaska and its role in our military and some of the provisions in this bill that relate to Arctic security. I like to say that Alaska constitutes three pillars of America's military might. We are the cornerstone of missile defense. Almost all the radar systems and all the ground-based missile interceptors protecting the whole country are located in Alaska. We are the hub of air combat power for the Arctic and Asia Pacific. By the end of this year, we will have over 100 fifth-generation fighters--combat-coded, fifth-gen fighters. That is F-35s, F-22s, stationed in Alaska--over 100. There is no place on the planet Earth that has over 100 fifth-generation fighters. Supersonic stealth can get anywhere--anywhere--very quickly: Russia, China, Taiwan. That is another area of Alaska's pillars of military might. And, finally, we are a platform for expeditionary forces, the 4-25, the only airborne brigade combat team in the entire Asia Pacific; the First Striker Brigade; and many others that can get to places all over the world, because of our strategic location, very quickly, and also because of our strategic airlift in Alaska. But this NDAA is going to add another element of Alaska's military might to our Nation, and that is the center of gravity for America's Arctic security operations. Last year in the NDAA, we were able to get the first and only and much needed Department of Defense Center for Arctic Security. The Department of Defense named it the Ted Stevens, after the great, late Senator. The Center for Arctic Security is going to be in Anchorage, AK. And now, in this year's NDAA, we have what is called the Arctic Security Initiative. I was honored to cosponsor that with my good friend Senator King from Maine. And this gets the Pentagon to focus on a 5-year strengthening of our national security in the Arctic region. As you know, that is becoming an area of great power competition, and America has very strong, strategic national security and economic security interests in the Arctic. And this NDAA will cement not just the Arctic as an important national security imperative of our country but Alaska as the focal point for Arctic security endeavors for the United States and our allies. The other element here in the NDAA which is so important, of course, is taking care of our troops and their families. This bill authorizes a pay raise of almost 3 percent for both military members and Department of Defense civilians. It has numerous initiatives relating to military health and housing leave policies. One that I was proud to get into this bill is an important provision that allows the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration to do facility sharing. What does that mean? It enables both the Pentagon and the VA to work on agreements to plan, design, and construct facilities to operate as VA and DOD shared medical facilities. That is going to help with readiness. That is going to help train our young Active-Duty medical forces. It is going to help with taking care of our veterans. And it is going to save money. These are the kinds of provisions that we need. They are win-win-win between the VA and our veterans and the Active-Duty and Reserve forces that also need healthcare. And we are looking forward to taking advantage of that in Alaska and in other places in the country. As I said at the outset, oftentimes what is not in a bill is as important as what is in a bill, and some of our Members--some of the far-left Members of the House--tried to plug into the NDAA--and they did so over in the House--a number of bills that really didn't have a lot to do with the military, but they were trying to move forward on a far-left agenda that they tried to attach in the NDAA. Ironically, many of these Members really have no intention of ever voting for a strong NDAA, but they tried to plug things in, in the House bill. They did that in the House bill, but we were able to get rid of pretty much all of those--again, things like red flag laws that would confiscate firearms without due process. There is another provision that I am really glad was not in there. There has been this narrative on the far left that somehow the men and women of our military--that our military institutions--are filled with a bunch of extremists. There are news reports that say this. None of it is based on data. None of it is based on data. And I have been pressing officials, saying: Give me data. You make these charges, which I dislike. I happen to know many, many members of the military. They are some of the finest people in the country. So we were able to get rid of some of the provisions in the House bill that--one was going to set up an office in the Pentagon on essentially trying to, in my view, do witch hunts on so-called extremists. It is an issue that the Pentagon needs to come up with data on and not make these false charges. So, overall, this is a good day for our troops, for their families, for the Senate. It is a very bipartisan bill, with people coming together--Democrats and Republicans--on, in my view, one of the most important issues, if not the most important issue, we deal with here in the Congress: the national security of our Nation; keeping a strong, lethal military. And when we do that, like we did today, that also sends a message to our adversaries: The United States, despite some challenges, still has the best, most lethal military force in the world, the most professional military force in the world. And this bill is going to help enhance that, and our adversaries need to take notice. I yield the floor.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=80DDCE38-5243-48CF-993D-1660E77CF464,"Thune Applauds Senate Passage of Annual Defense Bill, Ellsworth Funding",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today applauded the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2022. Thune noted that the bill contains numerous priorities that benefit South Dakota and the future B-21 bomber mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base. NDAA priorities for South Dakota include: $2.87 billion for B-21 development $47 million for a B-21 Field Training Detachment Facility $36 million for a B-21 Mission Operations Planning Facility $65 million for a B-21 Washrack and Maintenance Hangar $24 million for a B-21 additions to the flight simulator facility $70 million for a B-21 Formal Training Unit/Aircraft Maintenance Unit $41 million for a B-21 two-bay Low-Observable Restoration Facility $9.8 million for an F-16 Mission Training Center at Joe Foss Field $15 million for a South Dakota Guard Readiness Center in Sioux Falls Preservation of B-1 maintenance and operational squadrons through at least fiscal year 2023 or until their replacement by B-21 units Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery): “Mr. President, I am pleased that today we will finally move to a vote on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. “Thanks to Democrats’ focus on their reckless Build Back Better tax-and-spending spree, consideration of the NDAA – one of the most important bills we consider every year – was delayed for months. “And of course once we finally got onto the bill, Democrats rushed the process. “Senators of both parties filed a total of 1,000 amendments on this bill, but not one of those amendments received a vote on the Senate floor. “But at least we’re finally here, set to pass this critical legislation. “And I am pleased that Republicans were able to strengthen this bill in committee and in the so-called pre-conference negotiations. “This includes removing troublesome provisions like “red flag” laws that would summarily suspend the Second Amendment rights of our men and women in uniform. “Thanks in large part to Republican efforts, the final bill is $25 billion above President Biden’s inadequate budget request. “We’ve made a lot of progress over the past several years on rebuilding our military, which – after years of underfunding and budgetary uncertainty, combined with heavy operational demands – had been left under-equipped, under-manned, and under-prepared to meet the threats of the 21st century. “The situation had gotten so bad that in 2018 the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission released a report warning that our readiness had eroded to the point where we might struggle to win a war against a major power like Russia or China. “An especially chilling warning considering the mounting destabilization from both of these countries today. “And the commission noted that we would be especially vulnerable if we were ever called on to fight a war on two fronts. “But, as I said, over the past several years we’ve made a lot of progress on restoring military readiness. “Unfortunately, President Biden’s inadequate budget request threatened to undo some of that progress. “So I’m very pleased that thanks in large part to Republican efforts, Democrats and Republicans have agreed on a final number that will continue our reinvestment in our military so that our men and women in uniform will have the resources they need to address the threats of the 21st century. “With both China and Russia flexing their military power – and the growing danger of a further Russian invasion of Ukraine – it is critically important that we ensure that our nation is always prepared to defend itself and our vital national interests, whatever the threat. “And on the subject of Ukraine, I am very pleased that the final bill we’ll vote on today includes an additional $50 million in military assistance for Ukraine. “Ukraine has spent years dealing with a Russian invasion that threatens to push further into its sovereign territory, and we should be supporting the efforts of this free nation to defend itself from Russian aggression. “Mr. President, I am particularly proud to announce that this year’s NDAA contains the necessary funding to continue essential preparation for the B-21 mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. “We found out in June of this year that Ellsworth had officially been named Main Operating Base 1 for the future B-21 bomber – ‘Home of the Raider.’ “This designation not only means that Ellsworth will be the first base to host the B-21 Raider, but that it will also host the formal training unit and the first operational squadron. “The stealth B-21 bomber will eventually replace the Air Force’s B-1s, which have been a proven workhorse within Global Strike Command but must be divested to free up capacity and resources for an even more agile and capable bomber fleet. “Once operational, the B-21 Raider will be a critical part of our nation’s long-range strike capabilities and nuclear deterrent well into the future. “And I am incredibly proud that South Dakota and Ellsworth were chosen to serve as the first operating base for the B-21s. “When I first came to the Senate, the outlook for Ellsworth wasn’t so rosy. “I had barely arrived here in the Senate when Ellsworth was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, list. “It was an all-hands effort by the congressional delegation and Ellsworth and state and community leaders to make the case to the Bush administration and the BRAC Commission to remove Ellsworth from the closure list. “Many thought South Dakota might not have the clout to make this stand – that we didn’t wield enough influence. “We were only given about 12 percent odds of pulling through. “But we were determined that we weren’t going to lose Ellsworth. “And we stood our ground and won the day. “Ellsworth was removed from the BRAC list that August. “And we got right to work on building up the base so that we would never again find ourselves in the same position. “In 2007, we saw the Air Force Financial Services Center open at Ellsworth. “2011 saw the arrival of the 89th Attack Squadron, and its command and control stations for MQ-9 Reapers. “And in 2015 a decade-long mission paid off with the quadrupling of the training air space for the base. “The Powder River Training Complex is now the largest training air space in the continental United States and can be used for large-force exercises that draw combat aircraft from across the country. “It’s also well-suited for B-21 training – which is undoubtedly one of the reasons that Ellsworth was chosen as the first home of the Raider. “And I am committed to ensuring that Ellsworth has everything it needs for its new mission, so that it can continue to serve as one of our nation’s essential military assets for decades to come. “To that end, I worked to ensure that this year’s NDAA contained not only full funding for B-21 development, but full funding for the first of many equipment and support facilities that will be needed for the B-21 mission at Ellsworth, including a low-observable coating restoration facility, a wash rack and maintenance hangar, expanding the flight simulator facility, and more. “It's imperative that these and the follow-on military construction projects at Ellsworth stay on pace to ensure that the B-21, once fielded, can begin operations alongside the current B-1 mission at Ellsworth to enable a smooth transition from one mission to the next. “This NDAA also ensures adequate support for our B-1s in South Dakota, Texas, and deployed on Bomber Task Force missions so that they have the resources they need until they are replaced by the B-21. “I will continue to do everything I can here in Congress to support our B-1s at Ellsworth and advance the B-21 mission. “Mr. President, providing for our nation’s defense is one of our most serious responsibilities as members of Congress. “We have an obligation to ensure that our nation is prepared to meet any threat, whether the danger comes from terrorism, rogue states, or major powers. “And we have an obligation to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to confront the threats we ask them to face. “I am frustrated that it took us so long to move to consideration of this year’s NDAA. “But I am happy that we did at least manage to secure a solid piece of legislation. “And I look forward to voting for this bill later today.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-young-discusses-rising-cost-of-child-care-under-democrats-build-back-better-plan/,VIDEO: Young Discusses Rising Cost of Child Care under Democrats’ Build Back Better Plan,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined a press conference with his Senate GOP colleagues to discuss provisions in Democrats’ Build Back Better plan that would reduce child care options for parents, raise child care costs, and hinder child care providers’ ability to operate and retain workers. “In the great state of Indiana … child care costs actually exceed the cost of higher education. This issue has not received enough attention. “The worst thing we could do is to put out of business our existing child care providers, which is precisely what the Build Back Better plan would do,” said Senator Young during the press conference. According to a left-leaning think tank, the Build Back Better plan would increase child care costs by $13,000 per year per child. By increasing demand for child care without addressing the already limited supply of providers, Build Back Better will make it more difficult for parents to find and afford child care. Additionally, faith-based providers would have to meet extra requirements, likely putting some out of business.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-votes-to-pass-final-defense-authorization-to-prioritize-troops-strengthen-national-security/,"Young Votes to Pass Final Defense Authorization to Prioritize Troops, Strengthen National Security",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, after months of unnecessary delays, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) voted to approve the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill passed by a vote of 89-10 and included provisions that will benefit our military and make Americans safer and more secure. “While Democrats haggled over their reckless tax-and-spend proposal, this vital defense bill has been on the back burner receiving little attention. Though it’s later than it should have been, the version we passed today is far better than President Biden’s original plan. It gives our troops a pay raise and puts real resources behind countering the aggressive actions of Putin’s Russia and the Chinese Communist Party. “I’m proud to have secured several key provisions in this bill, including provisions to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation with Israel, invest in emerging technologies, and create a bipartisan commission to examine our two decades of war in Afghanistan. The bill also includes a plan I worked on with members of the Burmese community in Indiana to support the restoration of democracy in Burma,” said Senator Young. As passed, this NDAA gives our troops a 2.7 percent pay raise and provides a 3 percent increase over the previous year’s military budget. This increase is more for our military than President Biden’s proposal, which would have slashed defense spending. This increase is critical to keep pace with the Chinese Communist Party which has averaged ranged between 7.2 percent and 8.1 percent increases in year-over-year growth since 2016. Senator Young, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and Marine who serves on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, worked to ensure the bill would strengthen our military, while keeping Americans safe amidst threats from coronavirus, Russia, and the Chinese Communist Party. The NDAA was also a success for keeping liberal priorities out of the final bill. The compromise legislation rejected distractions that would have impacted the rights of Hoosier gun owners and would have required women to register for the draft. Four of Senator Young’s national security priorities were included in the legislation. Senator Young’s provisions in the NDAA: The Afghanistan War Commission Act to establish a 16-member nonpartisan commission to examine military, diplomatic and intelligence activities by the U.S. from late 1996 to the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in August. This is essential as we examine our two decades at war and our failed withdrawal from Afghanistan. U.S.-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement to establish a Department of Homeland Security grant program to facilitate closer U.S.-Israel cybersecurity cooperation. Pilot program on acquisition practices for emerging technologies to bring the themes of Senator Young’s Endless Frontier Act into the Department of Defense. This requires the Department to identify and award no less than four agreements for new projects to support high priority modernization activities that are consistent with the National Defense Strategy and creates an advisory group to bring private sector expertise into the process. Support Democracy in Burma, a bipartisan amendment that was drafted with the input of leaders from across the Burmese community in an effort to restore democracy and hold those responsible accountable following this year’s coup. This amendment requires the U.S. government to examine supporting the National Unity Government, denying legitimacy for the junta, and the role sanctions could play in accountability. Senator Young also secured the following provisions in support of Indiana projects: Anti-Submarine Warfare Equipment: As the United States engages in strategic competition, our Navy will be at the forefront of securing vital sea lanes, protecting commerce, and reducing threats to the homeland from the navies of China and Russia. Sonobuoys, like those manufactured by Ultra Electronics in Columbia City, Indiana, are a vital tool in detecting and tracking submarine threats from our peer competitors. Senator Young secured a 20% increase in funding to procure additional sonobuoys. Persistent Maritime Intelligence Gathering: Senator Young also secured funding support for two additional MQ-4C Triton drones, reversing the Biden Administration’s decision to not procure this aircraft. The Triton provides long-range intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting capabilities over vast oceans spaces. As the United States seeks to deter against China in the Pacific, this airborne capability will be invaluable in monitoring China’s deployments of ships and aircraft. Rolls-Royce produces the engines for the Triton in Indianapolis, Indianapolis. Vital Ground Combat Capabilities: With Vladimir Putin and Russia threatening the security of Europe and the NATO alliance, now is not the time to reduce the acquisition of the necessary armor capabilities to deter against Russian aggression. Senator Young secured important increases in the procurement and development of the newest version of the venerable Abrams tank, the transmission for which is produced by Allison Transmission in Indianapolis, Indiana. This funding will ensure that the U.S. Army is fully equipped to win on the battlefields of today and tomorrow.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8A2FB8CC-1343-406B-B01B-EC64790E25F5,"Graham, Shaheen Call For Humanitarian Assistance For Afghans",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Lindsey Graham,G000359,www.lgraham.senate.gov,graham,https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) today issued the following statement following a meeting with Angelina Jolie. “We had a very productive meeting with Angelina Jolie regarding the plight of Afghan women and religious minorities. “Our nation and the international community need to work together to avoid a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan. “We will be working with our colleagues and Administration officials to develop a coordinated U.S. response, hopefully in conjunction with the international community, to help the Afghan people through this winter and beyond. “We appreciate all the work Ms. Jolie has done and her dedication to help the long-suffering Afghan people.” #####",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=91F827D5-BBA9-4FCF-ADC3-9635CABE09E1,"Yuma, Arizona Forced To Declare State Of Emergency",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Lindsey Graham,G000359,www.lgraham.senate.gov,graham,https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today reacted to news that the mayor of Yuma, Arizona declared a State of Emergency in response to the surge of illegal immigration encountered in the region. Graham visited Yuma in October. He warned: “Yuma, Arizona is going to be the next Del Rio [Texas]. Word is out. They are sending people away from Del Rio and coming here. Most of the people who come here are not from Mexico or the Northern Triangle countries. Just about everybody we saw was from Venezuela, Brazil, and Cuba.” Senator Lindsey Graham – https://bit.ly/3EV3bRH Yuma, Arizona – October 12, 2021 Graham today made this statement on Yuma, Arizona declaring a State of Emergency: “I was disappointed to hear that the mayor of Yuma, Arizona was forced to declare a State of Emergency because of the dramatic increase in illegal immigration in the Yuma Sector. “I traveled to Yuma to meet with the mayor in October. I also met with Border Patrol officials and other community leaders. It was apparent then that the problems we were seeing in Texas would come to Arizona. It appears that time has now arrived. The latest report from the Yuma Sector states that since October 1 of this year, the flow of illegal immigration has already reached fifty percent (50%) of all of fiscal year 2021. “Whether in Texas or now in Arizona, it seems all too often local officials like the mayor of Yuma have to do the work and are stuck with confronting the problems of illegal immigration in order to protect their local communities. They are forced to sound the alarm and clean up the mess after the Biden Administration drops the ball. This is a nightmare for the people of Arizona. “I want to help these local communities suffering under the pressure of illegal immigration and help our Border Patrol who are working around the clock to manage the problems created by the Biden Administration. “Since taking office, the Biden Administration has been AWOL about unprecedented problems along our southern border. They refuse to get ahead of this problem and take corrective action. They have let this humanitarian and public health crisis spiral out of control. “Where is Vice President Harris? Where are the other Administration officials in charge? What are they doing to help states like Texas and Arizona who are forced to deal with the Biden Administration’s failures? Where are the international partners to help stem the flow? “Ultimately, it is up to the Biden Administration to lead on these issues. They need to up their game. Instead of focusing on these problems, they seem more intent on working toward legal settlements that will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to illegal immigrants who broke our laws. “In an Administration marked by multiple critical failures, which have left our nation weaker than before they took office, the Biden Administration’s border policies are among the worst. The citizens of Yuma, Arizona and the surrounding communities are the latest victims of their failures.” #####",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4DC9A980-7CE3-4DCB-8E21-077A44AF0314,"McConnell Continues to Work with Local, Federal Agencies to Provide Kentucky Tornado Relief",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the tornadoes in Western Kentucky: “Kentucky is working to recover from the deadly storms and tornadoes. Each day brings new challenges. “Tens of thousands are still dealing with water, gas, or power outages. Families are in shock and grief over the loss of loved ones. “Rebuilding the areas of Kentucky leveled by this storm will take months, if not years, to complete. “Amid this pain, though, bright lights of hope shine through. In the face of tragedy, Kentuckians are still as strong and as generous as we’ve always been. “Yesterday I spoke with the Taylor County Judge-Executive. He told me that seventy families in his county had lost their homes in the storm. Emergency responders made shelters available — but folks were quickly taken in by family, friends, or neighbors. “That’s just the kind of people we have in Kentucky. “In Mayfield, residents are already beginning to rebuild, only days after the storm leveled full city blocks. “Churches hosted Sunday services this past weekend. “Locals brought their chainsaws and cleared debris from city roads. People from nearby counties and states have flooded in to help. “One man, Jimmy Finch, has struck a chord with Americans’ heart across the country. He had no connections to Mayfield. He’s from Clarksville, Tennessee. But after the disaster, he borrowed a big meat smoker, got into his car, made the hour-and-a-half journey in the dead of night, and started serving up food the next morning. “On Sunday morning, for hours, he fed chicken, hot links, and burgers to hungry residents who had been without heat or power for days. “Western Kentucky’s radio and TV stations have kept operating throughout this crisis delivering vital information even amid roving power outages. State parks opened their doors to residents who lost their homes. Businesses, individuals, and charities have been generous with food, water, and shelter. “Kentucky’s first responders are working hand-in-hand with FEMA to provide coordinated relief. Doctors, nurses, firefighters, and law enforcement officers are working through the night. “Utility workers are making a herculean effort to restore power and water. Hundreds of Kentucky National Guardsmen have deployed to Western Kentucky to assist. “And at Fort Campbell, the federal government has provided a critical lifeline of support: sixty-one generators, 74,000 meals, 135,000 liters of water, thousands of cots and blankets. “I’m in close contact with Governor Beshear, our federal agencies, and local leaders. My staff and I have been in frequent touch with the White House. “Kentucky will come back from this bigger and better than ever before. I will make sure the Senate provides all the assistance we can to make that a reality.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=BFC3754C-5797-465F-A4EA-9CFE4E298C9E,Biden Administration’s Mistakes Raise the Stakes for 2021 Defense Bill,2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the National Defense Authorization Act: “For months, while our colleagues have been writing their reckless taxing and spending spree behind closed doors, the Democratic majority let the National Defense Authorization Act sit in limbo. “This week, four and a half months after it was cleared by the Armed Services Committee, the Senate should finally finish this legislation. “Unfortunately, those who mean America harm haven’t been waiting around for us to act. Threats to our national security are grave and getting graver. “Since the Biden Administration’s disastrous retreat from Afghanistan, according to our top commander in the region, the U.S. military has but a small fraction of the actionable intelligence they had before the coalition withdrew. “But the predictable, avoidable resurgence of terrorist networks has continued apace. “We also know that more Americans citizens and permanent residents remain stranded under Taliban rule than the Biden Administration admitted. “Meanwhile, the threat of further Russian aggression toward Ukraine is testing whether this White House and our allies in Europe will avoid misguided half-measures to deter and defend against grave and growing threats. “So, at the risk of stating the obvious: the United States needs to follow through with promises of urgent, substantive assistance to Ukraine and encourage other NATO allies to do the same. This should not be controversial. Only in the warped world of Kremlin propaganda is giving Ukraine the means to defend itself considered provocative. “These real threats to national security, and others too numerous to name, should serve as a reminder of the need for America to lead by example and commit to modernizing our own military capabilities. Which in turn means taking the NDAA seriously. “So I’m glad that the Senate is finally set to vote on this crucial legislation. While the process has been imperfect, I’m glad that bipartisan work has produced a bill that authorizes an increase in topline funding for our national defense. “After months of delays, our colleagues have an opportunity to begin showing that America is serious about keeping pace with adversaries like Russia, who have spent decades modernizing their militaries with a singular focus on countering our military advantage. “We have an opportunity to pay more than just lip service to competition with China. “We have an opportunity to lay a foundation that we ought to follow through with robust and full-year defense appropriations. “I encourage Senators to advance the legislation today.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E2AF432A-7D8E-4C60-BAE7-4302DD0B02A1,The Worst Inflation in Four Decades,2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree: “Washington Democrats’ printing, borrowing, and spending addiction is directly hurting American families. “Two thirds of the American people — a supermajority — are worried about inflation. “About half the middle class and 70 percent of low-income families say soaring prices have personally hurt their household. “And it isn’t getting better, like the Biden Administration promised it would. It’s getting worse. “Last Friday, the Labor Department released a jaw-dropping report: The Consumer Price Index has shot up 6.8% over the past year. Six point eight percent inflation. The worst inflation in almost 40 years. “Now, it’s true that the average American worker has gotten pay increase since 2020. But rising prices have more than wiped that out. “We have a remarkable situation where American workers are earning raises, but their bigger paychecks buy their families even less than what their smaller paychecks bought before the Democrats took power. “The net effect is a nearly 2% pay cut for the average American. “Our citizens know what’s happening. 67% of the country says Washington needs to ‘cut back on spending and printing money.’ “But here in Washington, leading Democrats want to plow ahead and double down on the reckless taxing and spending that got us here. “They want to respond to this stunning inflation report by printing, borrowing, and spending trillions upon trillions more on new entitlements and far-left programs. “And if that weren’t bad enough, on Friday, a new report showed their socialist shopping spree could cost the country trillions more than Democrats admit. “You see, as one of our Democratic colleagues explained last month, his party’s bill is packed full of ‘shell games’ and ‘budget gimmicks.’ “For example, their bill pretends that major new entitlements would simply expire after a few years. “Of course, that never happens. As a wise man once said, ‘nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.’ And Democrats aren’t even pretending they think the spending would stop. They’re boasting about a permanent transformation. “The fake expiration dates are just an accounting trick so the price tag looks artificially low. “And last Friday, the Congressional Budget Office announced that if we acknowledge the permanent entitlements would be permanent, their bill would actually cost $4.9 trillion in the first decade alone. “It would explode the deficit by $3 trillion in that time. “Democrats are trying to reassure their alarmed members that they’d find new ways to offset future extensions. “But think about it. “They’ve just spent months shoving every possible pay-for into this existing bill. They already burned through huge, permanent tax hikes just to partially offset the bill with the gimmicks! “Extending these programs further would either explode our national debt… or it would take even further trillions in even further gigantic tax hikes that Democrats will not specify. “So which is it? Historic deficits or trillions more in secret tax hikes? The right answer for the country is neither. “Later today, every Senate Democrat is going to vote on party lines to raise our nation’s debt limit by trillions of dollars. “If they jam through another reckless taxing and spending spree, this massive debt increase will just be the beginning. “More printing and borrowing. To set up more reckless spending. To cause more inflation. To hurt working families even more. The American people need a break.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-prevent-democrats-big-government-lending-scheme/,"Scott, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Prevent Democrats’ Big Government Lending Scheme",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and John Kennedy (R-La.), along with Republican colleagues, introduced the Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act. The bill is designed to prevent Democrats from turning the Small Business Administration (SBA) into a direct lender, as they are attempting to do in their tax-and-spend reconciliation bill. “Forcing community banks and local credit unions to compete with a massive government agency is inefficient and wrong,” said Senator Tim Scott.“Funneling tax dollars through the federal government in order to loan it back to small business owners with interest makes no sense. This is just another example of Democrats’ misguided plan for a big government takeover of virtually every aspect of American life and private institutions.” “Fraud and inefficiency characterize the Small Business Administration’s history in direct lending,” said Senator Kennedy. “The government shouldn’t encroach on a space where private lenders are already doing a good job getting funds to the small businesses that need them. I’m proud to partner with Sen. Scott to stop the SBA from replacing community and other private lenders with bureaucrats.” The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Steve Daines (R- Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). BACKGROUND In October, Senator Scott and several colleaguessent a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House and Senate Small Business Committee Chairs Ben Cardin and Nydia Velázquez warning against their plan to make the SBA a direct lender through the Democrats’ reckless tax and spending bill. The SBA Office of the Inspector General estimates that the federal government Economic Injury Disaster Loan program had 17 times the amount of potentially fraudulent loans than did Paycheck Protection Program loans run through financial institutions. The legislation is supported by American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, Bank Policy Institute, Credit Union National Association, National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions, and South Carolina Bankers Association. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senate-passes-scott-booker-resolution-raising-sickle-cell-awareness/,"Senate Passes Scott, Booker Resolution Raising Sickle Cell Awareness",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Cory Booker’s (D-N.J.) resolution designating September as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Awareness Month. “Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the U.S., affecting one in every 365 Black Americans,” said Senator Scott. “Yet despite the prevalence of SCD, research and treatments remain far too limited. With this resolution, we commit to raising awareness and seeking out legislation that will help our medical community fight—and one day, cure—this painful disease.” “Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in our country, and yet research, treatment, and awareness efforts for the disease still lag far behind other chronic illnesses,” said Senator Booker. “More work and research remains to be done, and we must continue to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and ensure that communities that are largely affected by this condition have equitable access to care and treatments that help improve their health. I am proud to lead the Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month resolution with Senator Scott and I will continue to champion federal initiatives to raise awareness, improve access to care, and help find a cure for this disease.” Senator Scott’s sickle cell legislation, the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act, was signed into law in 2018, and the senator continues to advocate for the sickle cell community today. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). Read the full resolution here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-questions-fda-nominee-on-the-future-of-mrna-and-crispr-technologies/,Senator Scott Questions FDA Nominee on the Future of mRNA and CRISPR Technologies,2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) questioned Dr. Robert Califf, President Biden’s nominee for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, on the future of mRNA and CRISPR technologies and their potential to treat and cure rare diseases like Sickle Cell Anemia. Click to watch the senator’s questions A full transcript is below. Senator Scott: Thank you, Dr. Califf, for spending some time with us today and talking about some really important issues that we could all spend a day talking about. I only have five minutes, [which is] good news for you. My first question is: You’re coming into a very important position in the midst of, really, headwinds in the public health space. And I appreciate the enormity of your responsibilities if you are confirmed to lead the FDA. How do you view the FDA’s role in granting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the new, as well as repurposed, products to address the COVID-19 pandemic? Should the FDA use a wider latitude to ensure multiple avenues—for instance drugs like budesonide, as well as COVID-19 testing kids—making sure that they’re available to combat the pandemic? Dr. Califf: Thanks senator, it’s good to be here with a fellow South Carolinian. … You’re well aware, and it was during my tenure that the EUA guidance was written that the potential benefits need to be weighed against the potential risks. That’s the authority the FDA is given. So there’s a lot of latitude on the types of things that you mentioned, yet I would still point out we need to have enough evidence that we can make a fair assessment of what the potential is, and we need a system in this country, as I’ve emphasized over and over, that produces the evidence more quickly because under that framework, it’s possible you could get it wrong. It’s different if you’ve actually measured the benefits and risks and then you’re confident about it. And so it’s finding that right balance that’s really in play for the FDA. Senator Scott: No doubt. I would suggest that, based on the severity of the challenge in the public space, that taking the appropriate calculated risk seems to be necessary nowadays more than it has been in the past, and I think we can do that in a way that involves coming to good decisions consistently. On the long view of public health, I am excited about the role that the mRNA played in bringing the vaccine to the forefront and saving millions of lives. What’s the future of that technology for future needs in the vaccine arena, number one? Number two, I think about the 7,000 rare blood diseases that have very few therapies, [or] treatments of any sort. And I focus a little bit more on CRISPR technologies for things like Sickle Cell Anemia and that path going forward. Do you see: A) more application for CRISPR in the rare blood disease space? And B) on the future forefront of the mRNAs and vaccines, is that future as bright as it appears it could be with the use of these technologies? Dr. Califf: This is one of the things, senator, where the excitement of being part of this is what keeps me going and coming back. I mean, I’m old enough to remember when the Human Genome Project was just being developed, and now we have the code for the genome, and what you’re describing are the downstream consequences of that with reading the code and producing proteins and other substances that determine whether we’re sick or healthy. And there are a whole array of technologies, you know, specifically for mRNA. I think, as a platform for vaccines, this is something that we’ve only dreamed about, but it’s a reality now. And you know, this took a collaboration of FDA scientists and, of course, academia and the private sector all working towards a common goal over decades. You also mentioned CRISPR, and the ability to change the fundamental genome is an amazing possibility but also has significant risks. And so, like everything else, we’ve got to come up with the ideas, try them out, and measure things and see what really works, but almost nothing could be more exciting than curing a rare genetic disease with a gene substitution, perhaps for life. And I think, for people with Sickle Cell Disease, I’ve done a lot of work … I think this is something that’s really needed, and it ties in. You know, chronic treatment for Sickle Cell Disease is not going so well in this country because many of the patients live off the beaten path of the big high-tech centers, and we’ve got to get treatments that are more effective. Senator Scott: I think we should at least take a second and thank Dr. Francis Collins for his work on the project that really has produced amazing results for our nation and, frankly, for the world. I know he’s retiring or just retired. His work has been amazing for all of mankind, number one. Number two, I would suggest that, as we look into that future, the ethical issues around the new technologies like CRISPR will continue to pop up around the world. I know that China has had some challenges already with the use of CRISPR, and so what becomes a solution also becomes a problem. That’s called reality, and hopefully we will wrestle with those ethical issues in the public forum sometime in the very near future. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1153CDC3-77C3-4C1F-A718-7843F7FF364C,Thune: Democrats Double Down on Failed Policies That Have Created Record-High Inflation,2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed how the Democrats’ plan to double down on their failed policies and pass their reckless tax-and-spending spree would worsen the already record-high inflation and continue to hurt families in South Dakota. Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery): “Mr. President, the latest inflation numbers came out on Friday, and the news was not good. “Inflation is currently at its highest level in nearly 40 years. “40 years. “The last time inflation was this bad, E.T. and Rocky III were in theaters, and the Packers were being coached by Bart Starr. “Mr. President, high inflation is taking a major toll on American families. “Gas prices are at a seven-year high. “The price of used cars and trucks is up 31 percent. “31 percent. “Propane, kerosene, and firewood are up 34 percent. “Food prices have increased significantly. “Ground beef is up 14 percent. “Apples are up 7.4 percent. “Pork is up 17 percent. “Eggs are up 8 percent. “Baby food is up 6.7 percent. “Bacon and related products are up 21 percent. “And the list continues. “Mr. President, rent prices are up. “Utility prices are up. “Furniture prices are up. “And on and on. “Inflation is so bad that despite wage growth this year, Americans have seen a de facto pay cut, with real average hourly earnings down 1.9 percent for the year. “Mr. President, inflation is what happens when you have too many dollars chasing too few goods and services. “And a big reason for our current inflation situation is Democrats’ decision to pour a lot of unnecessary government money into the economy earlier this year – despite being warned that their partisan $1.9 trillion ‘American Rescue Plan’ spending spree could stoke inflation. “And you don’t have to take my word for it. “Here’s what former Obama economic adviser Jason Furman had to say recently when discussing our inflation problem: ‘The original sin was an oversized American Rescue Plan. It contributed to both higher output but also higher prices.’ “That quote from Mr. Furman appeared in a New York Times article that also noted, and I quote, ‘But some economists, including veterans of previous Democratic administrations, say much of Mr. Biden’s inflation struggle is self-inflicted. Lawrence H. Summers is one of those who say the stimulus bill the president signed in March gave too much of a boost to consumer spending … Mr. Summers, who served in the Obama and Clinton administrations, says inflation now risks spiraling out of control and other Democratic economists agree there are risks.’ “Mr. President, inflation is spiraling out of control. “And Democrats are preparing to throw more fuel on the fire. “That’s right. “Democrats are preparing to double down on the strategy that helped get us in this mess in the first place and pass ANOTHER massive government spending bill. “I’m not sure whether Democrats simply don’t care about the inflation situation facing American families, or whether they’re operating under the delusion that they can somehow pass another major government spending bill without serious consequences for our economy. “Regardless, there’s no question that pouring another $1.75 trillion in government money into the economy would likely make our inflation crisis even worse. “Mr. President, I say $1.75 trillion, because that’s what Democrats have been selling as the price tag for their so-called Build Back Better plan. “But as we learned on Friday from the Congressional Budget Office’s latest analysis, Democrats’ spending spree would far exceed $1.75 trillion. “When you take away the shell games and budget gimmicks, Democrats’ spending spree would cost almost $5 trillion. “$5 TRILLION. “And of course the tax hikes in Democrats’ plan, as large as they are, would not even come close to funding that amount. “Democrats’ Build Back Better proposal – if implemented over 10 years as they plan – would add an eye-watering $3 trillion to our national debt. “It turns out that Build Back Better is more like Build Back Bankrupt. “Mr. President, Democrats have attempted to disguise the true cost of their Build Back Bankrupt plan by strategically sunsetting various provisions before the end of the bill’s 10-year budget window. “Of course Democrats have never had any intention of actually sunsetting these provisions. “But by claiming that they are going to sunset these measures, they have been able to – sort of – disguise the fact that their spending spree would actually cost nearly $5 trillion. “Now Democrats are implicitly admitting that they plan to extend these programs but are saying that people shouldn’t worry – that the cost of extensions will be offset. “I’d like to know how exactly they plan to do that. “With massive new tax hikes – on top of the tax hikes they’ve already included in their bill? “Just how many tax hikes do Democrats think our economy can handle? “And if Democrats had a plan for future offsets, why didn’t they include those offsets in their bill in the first place, along with an honest accounting of the length of their programs? “Is it because they thought the American people would balk if they knew the true cost of the bill? “That they might not be crazy about the idea of a bill that would cost them $5 trillion? “Mr. President, I am hard-pressed to think of anything more irresponsible than for Democrats to pass their Build Back Better – or Build Back Bankrupt – measure right now. “Inflation is soaring – and there’s no clear end in sight. “We’re emerging from a pandemic that required a lot of government expenditure – and a corresponding increase in our debt. “And we have no idea what government money might be needed down the road. “Passing a $5 trillion spending spree – that would add $3 trillion to our national debt – is the very last thing we should be doing. “I hope that at least some of my Democrat colleagues will think better of their spending plans before the American people are forced to discover just what building back bankrupt is like.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A24CCD99-391D-4F8F-8186-5270884D0593,"Thune, Smith, Rounds, Tester Introduce Legislation to Encourage Homeownership Across Indian Country",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today introduced the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act. This bipartisan legislation would create statutory timelines in which the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) would be required to process and approve mortgages involving property located on tribal trust land. Additionally, it would enhance the ability of certain federal agencies to operate their tribal housing programs and improve communication between the BIA and tribes, tribal members, and lenders through the establishment of a realty ombudsman within the BIA who can communicate with relevant parties. “Affordable housing opportunities on tribal trust land can be hard to come by in South Dakota and across the nation, due in part to the BIA’s challenging mortgage approval process, which can complicate lenders’ ability to provide financing and participate in federal tribal housing programs,” said Thune. “My bipartisan legislation would expedite this mortgage approval process and encourage more lenders to provide mortgages across Indian Country, which would, in turn, expand tribal members’ opportunities for homeownership.” “Without a safe, affordable place to live, nothing in your life works,” said Smith. “The Indian Home Loan Guarantee program is a key federal tool to help Native families buy a home, but for too long, the program has been plagued by bureaucratic delays that have left families waiting months to complete home purchases, especially on Tribal trust lands. Our bipartisan legislation seeks to cut through the red tape and help Native homebuyers acquire homes in a timely manner.” “As a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I strongly support this legislation that benefits home and business ownership opportunities for tribal members,” said Rounds. “This bill is a product of many discussions with tribal entities, lenders and the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition. The Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act will hold the BIA accountable to timely processing of mortgage packets and title status reports.” “Housing availability and affordability are serious issues in Indian Country, and the red tape around getting a mortgage on Tribal land is making it even worse,” said Tester. “This legislation will hold bureaucrats to timelines and help folks in Indian Country access financing quickly and efficiently. Expanding access and availability of housing is critically important for families to thrive and businesses to grow, and I’m going to keep fighting to make sure the federal government isn’t getting in the way.” “The South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition really appreciates Senator Thune’s and Rounds’ leadership in promoting Native homeownership opportunities,” said Juel Burnette, branch manager of 1st Tribal Lending and member of the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition’s executive committee. “This legislation will go a long way with putting sound processes in place so that more Native Americans can enjoy the benefits of homeownership on our reservations in South Dakota and across the nation.” “The Mortgage Bankers Association commends Senators Thune, Smith, Rounds, and Tester for taking action to improve and encourage access to quality affordable housing on trust land,” said Bill Killmer, senior vice president of legislation and political affairs at MBA. “Specifically, this legislation will reduce or eliminate BIA processing delays, thereby encouraging more lenders to participate in trust land mortgage lending.” Currently, mortgages involving property on tribal trust land must be reviewed and approved by the BIA in order for the mortgage to be finalized. This pertains to residential, commercial, and right-of-way mortgages, to name a few. The BIA Mortgage Handbook establishes timelines for BIA offices to process and approve these mortgages, to which the timelines are not always adhered. Placing these timelines into statute would improve the timeliness of mortgage approvals and ensure lenders are not disincentivized from providing homeownership opportunities on tribal trust land.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D63BBE7C-0452-4E29-82C3-B2CA9036F979,"Thune, Smith Bill to Provide Financial Stability to Federally Impacted School Districts Unanimously Passes Senate",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today issued the following statements after the Senate unanimously passed their Supplemental Impact Aid Flexibility Act last night. This bipartisan legislation would allow school districts that participate in the Impact Aid Program to use previously reported student headcounts on their Impact Aid applications for the 2022-2023 school year due to ongoing, yet temporary, enrollment fluctuations stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s critical for school districts in South Dakota that participate in the Impact Aid Program to have the funding stability and certainty they need,” said Thune. “I’m glad the Senate unanimously passed this important legislation to help ensure these schools have the necessary resources for next school year.” “As the pandemic continues to hit many Minnesota school districts hard, it’s important that districts receiving Impact Aid maintain reliable, stable funding so students can keep learning,” said Smith. “I’m glad we could once again deliver on this and ensure that while the pandemic continues to affect school operations, our Impact Aid districts won’t have to recalculate their student headcounts.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-young-highlights-democrats-efforts-to-supersize-the-irs/,VIDEO: Young Highlights Democrats’ Efforts to Supersize the IRS,2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined a press conference with his Senate GOP colleagues to discuss a provision in Democrats’ Build Back Better plan that would supersize the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). “The American people deserve to know: The Democrats propose spending eighty billion in their tax, borrow, spend, and regulate Build Back Better Plan. Eighty billion dollars towards the IRS. “… Even worse, we have been told by the President of the United States – he campaigned on a platform of ensuring taxes would not be increased … We know that most of this eighty billion will be used to enhance the ability of the IRS to target middle Americans. That promise will be broken. Yet another. Nearly six months since ProPublica leaked private, legally protected taxpayer information, at a time when there is a peak level of distrust of the Internal Revenue Service, Democrats want to increase the power of the IRS to insinuate themselves into the private lives of ordinary Americans. “Now look, this is the wrong idea at the wrong time. We are in the middle of a pandemic. We have supply chain problems. We’re experiencing cost inflation across a range of consumer goods. We’ve got so many challenges, and once again the Biden Administration and Democrats in the United States Senate are out of touch with the real challenges and experiences of everyday Americans,” said Senator Young during the press conference. Two weeks ago, Senator Young joined Republican colleagues on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in sending a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig to press the agency on its weak responses to the massive apparent leaks of private taxpayer information to ProPublica. To view the full letter, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-braun-romney-blackburn-hagerty-inhofe-introduce-legislation-to-empower-state-innovation-within-medicaid-program-2/,"Young, Braun, Romney, Blackburn, Hagerty, Inhofe Introduce Legislation to Empower State Innovation Within Medicaid Program",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced the Let States Innovate Under Medicaid Act. This legislation authorizes a framework to allow innovation under Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration project waivers. Specifically, it would include “work or community engagement requirements” as an acceptable practice that furthers the objectives of the Medicaid program, thereby prohibiting the CMS administrator from denying a 1115 waiver on the basis that work or community engagement requirements do not further the objectives of the Medicaid program. “Medicaid should ideally be available as a temporary option, with a goal of preparing individuals for a life of dignity in the workforce. Work and community engagement activities, such as those that Indiana previously had in place, are designed to improve quality of life over the long term and help individuals transition to full employment. CMS’s decision earlier this year to revoke Indiana’s ability to set these expectations for some Medicaid recipients treats work as a punishment and discourages efforts to transition to self-reliance. That’s why I joined my colleagues to introduce the Let States Innovate Under Medicaid Act to allow states the opportunity to innovate under the Medicaid program, with the objective of preparing individuals for a life of independence in the workforce,” said Senator Young. In February 2021, at the direction of the Biden Administration, CMS began efforts to withdraw work requirement waiver authorities in several states that had either been previously approved, or had a pending application, to implement work requirements. CMS is continuing to review some states’ work requirement waivers, but has already withdrawn waiver authorities in nine states— Indiana, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin. Additionally, other states have voluntarily withdrawn work requirements from their waiver applications or have postponed the implementation of work requirements because of the uncertainty concerning Medicaid work and community engagement programs. CMS based its decision to withdraw waiver authorities in the nine states on the basis that “work or community engagement requirements” do not further the objectives of the Medicaid program. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-braun-romney-blackburn-hagerty-inhofe-introduce-legislation-to-empower-state-innovation-within-medicaid-program/,"Young, Braun, Romney, Blackburn, Hagerty, Inhofe Introduce Legislation to Empower State Innovation Within Medicaid Program",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced the Let States Innovate Under Medicaid Act. This legislation authorizes a framework to allow innovation under Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration project waivers. Specifically, it would include “work or community engagement requirements” as an acceptable practice that furthers the objectives of the Medicaid program, thereby prohibiting the CMS administrator from denying a 1115 waiver on the basis that work or community engagement requirements do not further the objectives of the Medicaid program. “Medicaid should ideally be available as a temporary option, with a goal of preparing individuals for a life of dignity in the workforce. Work and community engagement activities, such as those that Indiana previously had in place, are designed to improve quality of life over the long term and help individuals transition to full employment. CMS’s decision earlier this year to revoke Indiana’s ability to set these expectations for some Medicaid recipients treats work as a punishment and discourages efforts to transition to self-reliance. That’s why I joined my colleagues to introduce the Let States Innovate Under Medicaid Act to allow states the opportunity to innovate under the Medicaid program, with the objective of preparing individuals for a life of independence in the workforce,” said Senator Young. In February 2021, at the direction of the Biden Administration, CMS began efforts to withdraw work requirement waiver authorities in several states that had either been previously approved, or had a pending application, to implement work requirements. CMS is continuing to review some states’ work requirement waivers, but has already withdrawn waiver authorities in nine states— Indiana, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin. Additionally, other states have voluntarily withdrawn work requirements from their waiver applications or have postponed the implementation of work requirements because of the uncertainty concerning Medicaid work and community engagement programs. CMS based its decision to withdraw waiver authorities in the nine states on the basis that “work or community engagement requirements” do not further the objectives of the Medicaid program. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-menendez-introduce-the-end-tuberculosis-now-act-of-2021/,"Young, Menendez Introduce the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2021",2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today introduced the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2021, comprehensive legislation to bolster U.S. efforts to combat the global TB pandemic. The bipartisan legislation, which for the first time addresses the major impact COVID-19 has had on global TB control efforts, directs the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost its bilateral tuberculosis programs and activities to account for new goals established by the international community. In 2018, the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) set a new target of successfully treating 40 million people with Tuberculosis by 2022, including 3.5 million children. TB is now ranked as the second worst infectious killer in the world after COVID-19, with the World Health Organization estimating 1.9 million tuberculosis deaths in 2020 alone, underscoring the need to take urgent action. “Tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable, treatable, and curable disease. More than 25 years after it was declared a public health emergency, TB still remains the second most deadly infectious health threat next to COVID-19, and goes undiagnosed in many countries,” said Senator Young. “We must demonstrate U.S. leadership by passing our End Tuberculosis Now Act to find and treat TB, reduce the stigma, and better target this curable disease.” “I am proud to introduce the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2021 to overhaul the United States’ response to the global tuberculosis pandemic to ensure this deadly and entirely preventable disease is placed at the forefront of our global health priorities,” said Senator Menendez. “As we begin to grasp the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic’s widening of gaps in global health equity, the spread of tuberculosis has intensified among vulnerable populations, with approximately one fourth of the world currently affected. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming months to secure passage of this critical legislation and to recommit the United States as a leader in the global fight to end the tuberculosis pandemic through improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.” “As we rally against the newest pandemic, we can’t afford to ignore the longstanding ones. TB is a centuries old pandemic that killed 1.5 million people last year; we have the tools to end this curable disease, but we still need the resources and political attention to match,” said Joanne Carter, Executive Director of RESULTS. “RESULTS is grateful for the leadership of Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) for introducing the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2021 to help reach the millions of people with TB that health systems are leaving behind. We urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill and to greatly increase funding to fight TB everywhere in their end of year spending bill.” “As someone who lives and was treated for tuberculosis in New Jersey, I am so grateful for Senator Menendez and Senator Young’s leadership on Global Health and their work to create a world without TB for families like mine,” said Kate O’Brien of We Are TB, current co-chair of the Tuberculosis Roundtable. “Tuberculosis is treatable and curable. That anyone dies of TB is a tragedy and an injustice. The End TB Now act will give tuberculosis programs across the globe the prioritization and oversight they require to ensure people are given the high-quality care they need and deserve. I am so thankful for this legislation and I hope these efforts to safeguard the health of millions of people is supported by others in Congress.” “Tuberculosis has long been one of the deadliest diseases in the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made our fight against TB more difficult and more urgent. We must act now to avert further unnecessary deaths and get us back on the path to ending TB once and for all. The End TB Now Act will bolster our efforts through a comprehensive approach to TB that allows more people to be diagnosed, improves access to the best available treatments, prevents future infections and disease, prioritizes the communities being placed at highest risk, builds partnerships for research and development, and so much more. We thank Sen. Menendez and Sen. Young for introducing this critically important legislation, and we look forward to a TB-free future that the End TB Now Act can help secure,” said Elizabeth Lovinger, Treatment Action Group, co-Chair of Tuberculosis Roundtable.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=3EA711E4-1F01-4491-97E8-40E7721F73E4,McConnell on Devastating Kentucky Tornado Damage,2021-12-13,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the tornadoes in Western Kentucky: “The tornadoes that hit Kentucky this past weekend were some of the most widespread, severe, and devastating in our state’s history. “It is still difficult to comprehend the vast scope of this storm. Nearly forty tornadoes touched down across six states. One tornado in Kentucky stayed on the ground for over 200 miles. This was potentially the longest continuous path of any tornado in U.S. history. “Towns have been reduced to rubble. Families are picking up pieces of their shattered lives. Most tragically, our Governor announced today that more than 60 Kentuckians are confirmed to have lost their lives. Many more remain unaccounted for. “This is the worst storm to hit Kentucky in my lifetime. The tornadoes caused considerable damage in fifteen counties across the Commonwealth. Thousands lost their homes. Tens of thousands are still without power. “This was, in the words of one meteorologist, ‘the worst-case scenario’ for destruction. And it came during the Christmas season. Families are supposed to be gathering soon for rest, relaxation, and reunion. Now so many Kentuckians are facing just the opposite. *** “The whole country is becoming acquainted with Mayfield, Kentucky, likely our hardest-hit city. “Mayfield is a town of ten thousand in the Jackson Purchase. It’s been known for the beautiful Greek-revival façade of the Mayfield First United Methodist Church. “Now First United is completely gone and the town is leveled to the ground. “Mayfield’s candle factory was operating in full swing this weekend to keep up with Christmas demand. It was once a mainstay of the community, employing hundreds. “On Friday night, the factory was turned into a scene of absolute horror. Many of the employees who were working that evening are feared dead. Rescue operations are ongoing. At least forty employees were rescued initially. One was saved after being trapped under five feet of rubble for hours. The devastation there is absolute. “The tornado was so powerful that it ripped twenty-seven train cars off their tracks in Earlington and scattered them across a field. “A family photograph that was picked up by the storm in Dawson Springs, Kentucky was carried nearly 130 miles by the wind and discovered in Indiana. “All across Western Kentucky, residents spent their Saturday and Sunday clearing debris and collecting clothes and possessions that had been scattered. Families were left to inspect the cinder blocks where their houses once stood. The cheery lights of Christmastime have been replaced by destruction. *** “Kentucky has been devastated. But we have not been defeated. “Kentuckians are resilient people. We will stay strong and unified through this crisis. “I am incredibly grateful to the first responders who have been on the ground since the outset of this crisis: Kentucky National Guard, Kentucky State Police, sheriff’s departments, city and local law enforcement, EMS responders, firefighters, doctors, and nurses. Quick thinking and selfless actions saved lives. “Hard-hit communities are receiving an outpouring of support from across the Commonwealth and the country. “Americans near and far are coming together to donate food, blood, resources, and shelter to those in need. “Businesses and individuals are helping fund relief efforts and donating to assist the storm’s victims. “Like many of my fellow Kentuckians, I was incredibly touched by the support offered by the University of Kentucky basketball team this weekend. “While visiting the University of Notre Dame, they led a deeply emotional moment of silence before their game on Saturday night. The team visited the school’s Grotto to light candles for storm victims and pray for recovery. “We were all praying alongside them. “Madam President, Kentucky’s state motto is ‘united we stand, divided we fall.’ In this time of crisis, Kentuckians are standing shoulder to shoulder. And we will not fall. “At every level of local, state, and federal government, across both parties, Kentucky’s leaders have come together to coordinate and provide aid. “Toward the end of the week, I will travel back to Kentucky to meet with my constituents and visit the areas affected by this storm. My team has been working non-stop to ensure Kentuckians receive the help they need. “I have worked closely with President Biden and Governor Beshear to ensure every federal resource possible is deployed to our state. “Kentucky’s congressional delegation has come together to send multiple letters to the President in support of disaster relief. In response, President Biden cut through red tape to approve our requests at an accelerated pace, providing the rapid support we need to recover. “I am especially grateful for the work of DHS Secretary Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Criswell, who visited Kentucky yesterday to survey damage and help relief efforts. “FEMA has already sent two incident management teams, an urban search and rescue team, and an Army Corp temporary power team. “They have turned Kentucky’s Fort Campbell into a staging ground for vital relief and supplies. “I could not be more thankful for their swift and decisive response to this crisis. “Even in the face of such tragedy, we can be confident that Kentucky will bounce back. “We are strong, and we are united. “We will come back bigger and better than ever before.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/klobuchar-murkowski-collins-sinema-legislation-to-honor-justices-ginsburg-and-oconnor-with-statues-in-the-capitol-passes-senate,"Klobuchar, Murkowski, Collins, Sinema Legislation to Honor Justices Ginsburg and O’Connor with Statues in the Capitol Passes Senate",2021-12-13,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"Capitol currently holds 252 male sculptures and 14 female sculptures Legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee, along with U.S. Senators Murkowski (R-AK), Collins (R-ME), and Sinema (D-AZ), to place statues of former Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor in the U.S. Capitol or on the U.S. Capitol grounds to honor their service and dedication to our country passed the Senate unanimously. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor were trailblazers long before reaching the Supreme Court, opening doors for women at a time when so many insisted on keeping them shut. The Capitol is our most recognizable symbol of Democracy, a place where people from across our country have their voices represented and heard. It is only fitting that we honor their remarkable lives and service to our country by creating statues in the Capitol,” Klobuchar said. “This legislation honors two women who have had a tremendous impact on our nation. Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in their own right each made a mark on American history. I am proud to ensure that their legacies live on by establishing monuments of these two matriarchs in our United States Capitol. From Justice O’Connor’s being the first female justice on the Supreme Court to Justice Ginsburg’s efforts on equal citizenship rights—their leadership has made a difference for women and families for generations to come. By passing this legislation, we honor the service of these two justices and give thanks to two women who transformed the legal profession,” Murkowski said. “Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg will always be known as dedicated public servants, fierce champions for equality, and accomplished Americans who broke countless barriers in the field of law. Statues in the nation’s capital honoring the first two women to serve on the highest court in the land will serve as fitting tributes to their invaluable contributions to our country,” Collins said. “Justice O’Connor and Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women in law and life. By permanently placing their statues in the U.S. Capitol, we’re honoring their legacy and reminding visitors to our nation’s Capitol that women can achieve their dreams with grit and determination,” Sinema said. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Angus King (I-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Tina Smith (D-MN) cosponsored the legislation. Members of the House of Representatives, led by Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Co-Chairs Congresswomen Lois Frankel (D-FL), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), and Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (D-TX), and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) and Bipartisan Women’s Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswomen Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) have introduced companion legislation. In honor of Justice Ginsburg’s and O’Connor’s trailblazing legacies, the legislation also asks the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library to consider selecting an artist from underrepresented demographic groups to create the statues.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/speeches/speech-ninth-circuit-nominees,SPEECH: Ninth Circuit Nominees,2021-12-13,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Madam President, this week, the Senate is going to take up three Ninth Circuit judges, three Federal judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. And in the process, the Biden administration is going to smash an institutional and constitutional norm between the executive and legislative branches, particularly the executive branch, the White House, and the U.S. Senate that every U.S. Senator--all 100 of us--should be concerned about. Let me explain. This is a really important issue. Article II, section 2, of the U.S. Constitution says the following: [The President] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States. Now, that includes Federal circuit court judges, Throughout this, article II, section 2, provision of the Constitution, it says: ``[W]ith the Advice and Consent of the Senate.'' We are ``of the Senate,'' right here. And this week, we will be voting on three U.S. court of appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Now, this provision in the Constitution, like so many which gives the U.S. Senate the exclusive right for the advice and consent power, was the result of compromise. If you look at the history in Federalist Nos. 75 and 76, Alexander Hamilton argued that this provision afforded a necessary means of checks and balances against the executive branch, against the President. The Constitution--according to the U.S. Senate history that I am quoting from--``also provides that the Senate shall have the power to accept or reject presidential appointees to the executive and judicial branches.'' This was born of compromise, as I mentioned: In debating the issue, the framers addressed concerns that entrusting the appointment power exclusively to the president would encourage monarchial tendencies. Additionally, as the Senate was to represent each state equally, its role--The advice and consent role in the Constitution--offered security to the small states, whose delegates feared they would be overwhelmed by appointees sympathetic to larger states. For these reasons, since I have been in the U.S. Senate, I have taken this advice and consent role very seriously for all nominees: during the Obama administration, when I was here for the last 2 years of that administration; all of the Trump administration; and now the Biden administration. And as you can imagine, whenever I have asked for a meeting of any nominee so I could meet with them under this constitutional provision for a Senate-confirmed position, every single administration I have dealt with--the three I just named--has said: Of course, Senator. That is your constitutional role. Of course you should meet with them. Why is that? Why has every White House said yes? Because, as I just mentioned, they know that that is literally our constitutional role, as I just mentioned. So every time I have asked for one of these meetings for a Senate-confirmed nominee of any administration, it has always been granted, until today--until today. As I said, the Senate's business--a lot of the business this week is actually going to be focused on the advice and consent constitutional role that we have, especially as it relates to judges. But I have been told by this White House, specifically the White House Counsel, I guess--to be honest, it is often difficult to figure out who is in charge over there--that I can't meet with any of these Ninth Circuit judges that we are going to vote on this week before the vote. This is a shocking breach of constitutional norms between the White House and the Senate that every Senator here--every Senator, regardless of party--should be concerned about. Why? As I mentioned, the advice and consent role is really important for every Senate-confirmed position, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, but it is particularly important for judges--judges who will get life tenure. By the end of this week, it is likely that these three Ninth Circuit judges will be on the bench for the rest of their lives, and right now I can't get a 1-hour meeting with them. They have enormous power over American citizens. And I am going to talk about the Ninth Circuit and the power it has over my citizens. So my experience as a Senator is that I meet with as many judges as possible, and whenever I have requested a meeting of any administration to meet with a judge, it has always been granted. But I always, always, always meet with the Ninth Circuit judges. As I mentioned, until now, I had interviewed every single Ninth Circuit judge that this body has voted on for the last 7 years--every single one--during my entire time in the Senate. Why is it so important to me? Why is it so important to everybody? Well, specifically, as it relates to the Ninth Circuit, if you can look at this map, as many Americans know, our Federal court systems are divided into what are called circuits. The Ninth Circuit, which is this dark brown, is the biggest Federal court of appeals in the country. It is huge. Look at all the States that are under the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit: California, Idaho, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii. It is enormous. Almost one in five Americans are under the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit. It has enormous power, especially over my constituents in the great State of Alaska. But here is the thing. If you look at the number of judges that each Circuit Court gets, another reason why the Ninth Circuit is so important and so powerful is that it gets an enormous number of judges. The Ninth Circuit is listed here on the far left. Out of 29 active judges, one judge comes from the great State of Alaska. One judge comes from the great State of Alaska. So, as you can imagine, discussing legal issues with any judge from the Ninth Circuit is very important to me and, more importantly, to the people I represent. Here is something else about the Ninth Circuit. On so many issues that matter to my constituents, the court gets the legal issues wrong. The court gets the legal issues wrong. Now, I have seen this firsthand. Almost 25 years ago, I had the honor of being a Ninth Circuit law clerk for the only Ninth Circuit judge we have in Alaska, Judge Andrew Kleinfeld, a phenomenal judge. I watched panel after panel in the Ninth Circuit get cases related to the great State of Alaska wrong. Now, look. In some ways it is not their fault. Yes, they had different views and a legal outlook. But if you are a judge and you grew up in LA and all you know is LA and California laws, and now you are a Ninth Circuit judge and you are supposed to rule on all these Alaska-specific Federal laws, you really don't know what you are doing. You don't really know what you are doing, and I saw that as a young lawyer. But don't take my word for it. In the last 4 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken up three specific Alaska cases, two of which were from the Ninth Circuit and one of which was from the DC Circuit. These big, important circuits all got them wrong. They are cases that would have changed the history and future of my State. So when I meet with nominees for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, it is usually always very cordial. I walk them through a lot of issues, legal issues of which they know very little about--again, not their fault--and to explain why these are so important to the people I represent. Again, if you are an LA lawyer or a lawyer from Phoenix, you don't know about Native Alaskan law. You don't know about the Alaskan National Interest Lands Conservation Act, called ANILCA--a Federal law, 1,000 pages--that the U.S. Supreme Court, in the last 3 years, twice smacked down the Ninth Circuit, 9 to 0--9 to 0--because the Ninth Circuit continually gets these Alaska-focused statutes wrong. So I walk them through these issues. That is all I do. It is not a big deal. It is actually trying to help the judges. I think every Ninth Circuit judge I have met with appreciates it. Let me give you a couple of examples of what I would do if I could meet with these judges. Like I said, ANILCA, or the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, is a hugely important Federal law that was passed in 1980. We didn't want it, by the way. It federalized almost 100 million acres of land in Alaska. Imagine that. Most States aren't even as big as 100 million acres. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9 to 0 in favor of a moose hunter who wanted access to Federal land. His name is John Sturgeon. He is a very famous Alaskan right now. It went back to the Ninth Circuit. They misinterpreted it. It went back up to the U.S. Supreme Court--9-zip--they smacked it down again. Justice Kagan, who wrote the second opinion, said: ``If [John] Sturgeon lived in any other State, his [law]suit would not have [had] a prayer of success. . . . Except that Sturgeon lives in Alaska. And as we [the U.S. Supreme Court] have said before, `Alaska is often the exception, not the rule,' '' when it comes to these kind of Federal laws in Federal parks. Do you think it would be good to have a Ninth Circuit judge getting ready to get on the court to understand the Sturgeon case? It would be. So that is what I do. I have the judges read Sturgeon. I have them read other cases. It is all advice and consent. It is our constitutional role. Until today, I have done it with every Ninth Circuit judge. Like I said, I was over at the White House on Friday, really kind of banging the table on the Biden administration's war on Alaska. Some of you may have seen a speech I gave last week. There are 20 Executive orders and Executive actions singularly focused on my great State--20--crushing working families. And I said: You know, one thing I would like to do is continue my record of meeting with every Ninth Circuit judge. I am available Sunday, Sunday night, all day Monday. Give me a call. I haven't heard anything back. Something else I do with these judges when they come before me is I talk about Indian law. Now a lot of lawyers think, ``Hey, I really know Indian law well.'' And my advice and counsel in the advice-and-consent process, when it comes to Indian law in Alaska, is ``If you think you are an expert, throw out everything you know about lower 48 Indian law when it comes to Alaskan Indian law. The Native Alaskan law, in Alaska--the Federal law--is 100 percent different than it is in the lower 48. This is just advice I give judges who are going on the Ninth Circuit. They don't know this. An LA lawyer doesn't know this. This week, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Congress's passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, what we call in Alaska ANCSA, the largest settlement of indigenous land claims, certainly, in America, and probably in the world. It is a really successful act, not perfect, very innovative. But it has been litigated like crazy. We had a case from the Ninth Circuit several years ago that essentially said: ANCSA created reservation land throughout the entire State of Alaska. That would have changed the history of Alaska forever. Of course, the Ninth Circuit got it wrong. That case went up to the Supreme Court. Nine-zip, the Supreme Court smacked down the Ninth Circuit. They said: ANCSA doesn't do that. That is not what Congress intended. Do you think it would be good for these judges this week, if I could sit down with them, to understand that? It would be really good, really important. It would help them for their job. Just this year, the DC Circuit on another ANCSA-related case, the Chehalis case, got ANCSA wrong again. And guess what. It went up to the U.S. Supreme Court again. They just ruled on it 4 months ago. It was a huge victory for my State, again. We wrote an amicus brief--Senator Murkowski, Congressman Young, and I. But it was enormously important. This wrong case of the DC Circuit would have changed the history of Alaska forever. The Supreme Court, 6 to 3, said: No, you are misinterpreting Alaska. Do you think these judges on the Ninth Circuit who we are debating to confirm this week would learn a little bit about that if I could meet with them? They would. Finally, the other thing I always do with circuit judges is I talk about the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment is really, really important to the people I represent. We use firearms for food, for self-defense in the wild. Well over 60 percent of all the homes in my State have firearms for these reasons. If you are an LA lawyer, you don't know this stuff. But, all of a sudden, you are going to be ruling on cases that deal with Alaska or Idaho or Montana. And here is the thing: They might not know these issues, these judges. I have looked at their background. I wanted to interview them. Remarkably, I can't get an interview with them. And here is the thing: As soon as they get confirmed, they are going to get these cases before them, in my State and other States, to rule on these kinds of issues. Do you think a meeting would help them? “Boy, I should really think about that. I remember Senator Sullivan talked about ANILCA and the Sturgeon case. I am really glad I read the Sturgeon case.” This is why these advice-and-consent constitutional meetings are so important. And, as I mentioned, I have been doing this my entire time in the Senate. I have never not had a meeting with a Ninth Circuit judge. It doesn't matter where they are from--Montana, Arizona, Washington State. They are going to rule on issues that relate to my State and my constituents. And these judges don't mind it. They actually, I think, enjoy it. They learn. But this White House says: You can't meet with them. This is absurd. Here is the question: What are they hiding? What are they worried about? Are they hiding something? Are the judges hiding something? Again, this is a precedent that Democrats and Republicans should all be against, because we know what goes around comes around in this body. And this just doesn't make sense. All three of these Ninth Circuit judges will have life tenure and enormous, enormous power over everybody in the Ninth Circuit. That is 20 percent of all Americans, and, certainly, enormous power over the people in Alaska, whom I am privileged to serve and represent. These judges are likely to know very little about these issues that I just talked about. Well, I believe I have a constitutional role to help them understand these issues better, and that is the way it has always been. Nobody has complained. Absurdly, the White House has said: Well, Senator Sullivan, you can meet with a Ninth Circuit judge if they are from Alaska. What? We have one judge, and she is not going to be retiring any time soon. That is it. Now, here is the thing. I just talked to the previous administration's White House counsel this morning, when I called the Biden administration's counsel this morning. I am still waiting for that phone call, by the way, because I said: Look, if the White House Counsel is saying no to a U.S. Senator to do his constitutional duty, I would like to hear it directly from her. So she hasn't called me back yet. But I talked to the previous administration's White House Counsel, and I asked: By the way, did you guys do this? I am just double-checking. I mean, I got to meet with all the Ninth Circuit judges President Trump put forward. But did you blackball Democrats? Did you do that? And they said: Absolutely not. I made a few phone calls to other people in the White House Counsel's office. They said: To the contrary, when any Senator wanted to meet with any circuit judge, we always made it happen. So this is a new precedent. And, again, it doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat. This is just a bad precedent. And the notion that ``Well, Senator, you get to meet with a Ninth Circuit judge from Alaska,'' when, by the way, California, I think, has close to 20 Ninth Circuit judges--but the notion that you can only meet with the one who is from your State is actually moronic. The people who need to be educated are the ones who aren't from your State, because they are all going to rule on issues from your State. So I am still waiting for the White House Counsel to call me back--or whoever is in charge in the White House. But I am going to conclude with this. I am going to go around them. I am going to go around them. Here is what I am going to do, and I hope someone is watching from the White House. But, more importantly, I hope someone is watching from the judge's chambers. So, Judge Koh, we are getting ready to vote on your nomination tonight. Judge Sung of Oregon, we are getting ready to vote on your nomination tomorrow. Judge Sanchez of California, the rumor is, the majority leader is going to file cloture on your nomination. Those are three Ninth Circuit judges. Judge Holly Thomas of California, you might get voted on this week too. Four. Here is my ask: Give me a call. Give me a call. Give my office a call. I will meet with you tonight. Let's do a phone call. Do you want to learn about ANILCA? Do you want to learn about the Sturgeon case? It will make you a better Ninth Circuit judge. Here is the number: (202) 224-1026. Give my office a call. I am ready to meet anytime. Here is the thing for the judges: It is 1 hour of your time. You are going to have lifetime tenure. It is 1 hour to talk to a U.S. Senator who is doing his constitutional duty for the people he represents. It shouldn't be that hard. As a matter of fact, this is probably your first test of judicial independence. A U.S. Senator of the Senate--of the Senate; read the Constitution--wants to undertake his advice and consent, his constitutional role, with you, OK? You guys have read the Constitution, those four judges I just mentioned, but an unelected bureaucrat in the White House--I guess the White House Counsel, but who the heck knows; it is hard to tell who is in charge over there--is blocking this. So, again, give my office a call at (202) 224-1026. I am ready to meet and talk to you anytime before the vote. Don't worry--I don't think President Biden is going to yank your nomination if you call me. Heck, he probably doesn't even know this is going on. But you know this is the right thing to do, Judges. You have read the Constitution. Heck, if our meeting goes well, I might even vote for you. But here is the thing: You will learn more about the issues that you are going to have to deal with very soon in your tenure that you probably don't know anything about--no offense to you. I have read your backgrounds. You don't know anything about Native Alaskan law. You don't know anything about ANILCA. You probably have very different views than I and my constituents do on the Second Amendment. But you need to hear these issues because you are going to be life-tenured on the Ninth Circuit, and you don't have time to talk to me, a U.S. Senator, who is a Senator representing a State from the Ninth Circuit? You know it is wrong. By the way, my colleagues in the Senate know it is wrong. So I hope my Democratic and Republican colleagues realize that this is not a good precedent. This is not a good precedent. It has never happened as long as I have been here. You know, from big things to small things, this administration has really focused in many ways on smashing political and institutional norms that have enjoyed strong bipartisan support. It is not good for this body, and it is not good for the government. The Wall Street Journal, today, had an article about Biden's Federal regulators staging a coup against the Director of the FDIC on bank mergers. One of these regulators doesn't even have the power over bank mergers, and now he is trying to be in charge. I serve on the U.S. Naval Academy's Board of Visitors. It is a huge honor. The President comes in, President Biden, and fires everybody on the service academies who was appointed by President Trump. Nobody has ever done that before--no President. Everybody on the Board of Visitors of the Naval Academy is furious--the Democrats, the Republicans. The No. 1 thing they are saying is, this President is the first one to politicize the service academies. Then, oh, by the way, he hasn't appointed anyone yet to replace the people he fired, so we didn't have a quorum for our meeting last week. He is just smashing institutional norms. Yet this institutional norm of advice and consent, when it comes to circuit court judges with life tenure, is something that we have all agreed upon. The previous administration certainly allowed for it. Yet, right now, I can't meet with Ninth Circuit judges who are going to have enormous power for their entire lives over my constituents. So, to my colleagues, we shouldn't allow this. You guys know it is wrong. To the judges--like I said, Judge Sanchez, Judge Koh, Judge Sung, Judge Thomas--give my office a call. Do the right thing. Your first test of judicial independence is before you of the Senate. The U.S. Senate--of the Senate, of which I am a part--wants to do our constitutional role. Give us a call so we can do it. Ignore the very bad advice you are getting from the White House Counsel or whoever is in charge over there. I yield the floor.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=3F834F2B-7FEB-4298-88FB-8B8C7442AC61,McConnell Statement on Tornadoes and Severe Weather in Kentucky,2021-12-11,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding the overnight tornadoes and severe weather in Kentucky: “I am praying for the lives lost and communities impacted by the tornado devastation throughout the Commonwealth. Thank you to the first responders and the National Guard for their brave efforts amid this tragedy. As I continue to get reports from my staff, local and state officials, we will work with the entire Kentucky federal delegation to support Governor Andy Beshear's request for federal assistance in order to aid these hard-hit communities with the funding and resources they need to rebuild.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=8AE017AF-B7E7-4CD1-9979-604736DBD1E9,Kentucky Congressional Delegation Supports Governor’s Request for Disaster Declaration,2021-12-11,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kentucky's federal delegation, including U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Rand Paul, and Representatives Hal Rogers (KY-05), John Yarmuth (KY-03), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Andy Barr (KY-06), Thomas Massie (KY-04), and James Comer (KY-01) sent a joint letter today to President Joe Biden expressing their support for Governor Andy Beshear's request for a disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky regarding the overnight tornadoes and severe weather. “We write to draw your attention to the December 11, 2021 letter from Governor Andy Beshear requesting a disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky due to the severe weather events…We strongly support this request and ask for your timely consideration,” the delegation stated in their letter to the President. “Unfortunately, at least 50 deaths have been reported across multiple counties in the Commonwealth as a result of these tornadoes. The Kentucky National Guard and Kentucky State Police have been mobilized to provide support to Kentuckians, but emergency response has also been hampered by the storm damage.” Initial reports indicate that this was the longest tornado touchdown in the Commonwealth’s history. The tornadoes have caused significant destruction of property, dangerous road conditions, significant vegetative debris, power outages for thousands of Kentuckians, and severe impacts to transportation and infrastructure. A federal disaster declaration would release funding and resources to aid Kentucky communities hardest-hit by the tornadoes and severe weather.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-latest-numbers-show-dangers-of-reconciliation-spending-spree,Murkowski: Latest Numbers Show Dangers of Reconciliation Spending Spree,2021-12-11,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released reports showing the harm being caused by the Biden administration’s energy and social spending policies. BLS reported that inflation is at a 39-year high, while CBO projected that the ‘Build Back Better’ agenda would add $3 trillion to the deficit over a single decade if made permanent. “These reports make it abundantly clear that President Biden is on the wrong track,” Murkowski said. “Instead of completely blowing the roof off of federal spending, the Biden administration should set aside this partisan social spending agenda and focus on allowing the energy industry to produce more here at home. That would help families and businesses by reducing inflation and bringing prices back to more reasonable levels. It’s time to stop pumping air into the balloon instead of seeing how much more it can take before it explodes.” BLS reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased by 0.8 percent in November 2021. The inflation index has risen by 6.8 percent over the past year – the largest annual increase since 1982 – and by an annualized rate of 8.9 percent over the past three months. Energy commodity prices have risen by 57.5 percent over the past 12 months, contributing significantly to economy-wide inflation, as the administration has refused to approve major projects and called for punitive policies that will further reduce domestic output. CBO reported that extending provisions within the Build Back Better Act – the partisan budget reconciliation package passed by the House and now pending in the Senate – would increase the deficit by $3.0 trillion over a decade if extended for that duration. Setting aside timing gimmicks within the current bill that hide its true costs, CBO found the package would cost a staggering $4.9 trillion over a 10-year period.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-statement-devastating-kentucky-storms-sends-letter-president-biden/,"Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on Devastating Kentucky Storms, Sends Letter to President Biden Requesting Assistance",2021-12-11,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 11, 2021 Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator and physician Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement following devastating storms and tornadoes across Kentucky: “Our hearts are broken for all those suffering from last night’s horrific storms. As daylight comes and we begin to fully understand the severity of the devastation, we mourn and we pray,” said Dr. Paul. “I and my team will do all we can to assist our local and state officials as they lead the immediate response, and we will aggressively help families, businesses, and officials access the federal recovery resources.” Dr. Paul also immediately sent a letter to President Biden requesting expeditious approval of the Governor’s requests for federal assistance. The letter is attached HERE, and you will find text of it below: Dear President Biden, Last night and early this morning devastating storms swept across multiple states, including Kentucky. A single tornado from that system may have been on the ground for over 200 miles, and a large swath of the Commonwealth has been severely hit. As the sun comes up this morning we will begin to understand the true scope of the devastation, but we already know of loss of life and severe property damage. The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed. I fully support those requests and ask that you move expeditiously to approve the appropriate resources for our state. Sincerely, Rand Paul, M.D. United States Senator If you are a Kentuckian and need assistance with lost or damaged documents such as Social Security cards, VA records, military medals and records, and tax paperwork, please contact our office by going to paul.senate.gov and by calling our Bowling Green office at (270) 782-8303.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-statement-on-bidens-crushing-inflation,Cotton Statement on Biden’s Crushing Inflation,2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AR,Tom Cotton,C001095,www.cotton.senate.gov,cotton,https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353 December 10, 2021 Cotton Statement on Biden’s Crushing Inflation Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement regarding the growing inflation rate in the United States: “President Biden promised never to raise taxes on middle class and working-class Americans—President Biden lied. He allowed the cruelest tax of all, inflation, to skyrocket. Today, we learned that inflation is at the highest level in more than a generation. This is a direct result of President Biden’s trillion dollar spending binges, his appointment of an inexperienced and absentee Transportation Secretary who mangled our supply chains, and his anti-energy policies that have driven up the price of gas. The President should immediately reverse course, apologize for his undeniable and unforced failures, and end his extreme agenda.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=550C23F3-D04E-4622-A0BF-D58D12C1473B,McConnell: Inflation Is Out of Control on the Democrats’ Watch,2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement regarding updated inflation numbers released this morning: “This morning’s numbers confirm what every American family already knows: Inflation is out of control on the Democrats’ watch. “6.8% inflation is the worst in almost 40 years. The costs of essentials have skyrocketed. Wages have not even come close to keeping pace, so the average American has gotten a pay cut. It is exactly what experts warned Democrats’ reckless spending would cause. “Now Washington Democrats are a broken record that’s gotten stuck on the worst possible response: More borrowing, more printing, more reckless spending. Trillions upon trillions more. They want to double down and attempt to inflate their way out of inflation. “The American people cannot take another reckless taxing and spending spree that hurts their families and helps China. It is unthinkable that Senate Democrats would try to respond to this inflation report by ramming through another massive socialist spending package in a matter of days.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=A42339C3-817E-4396-8CE0-027EDC5E1B66,"$4.9 Trillion: Without Budget Gimmicks, Cost of Democrats’ Reckless Taxing and Spending Spree Skyrockets",2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding the recent CBO report: “As a Democratic Senator explained last month, the reckless taxing and spending spree is full of ‘shell games’ and ‘budget gimmicks’ meant to mask the pain it would cause our country. “Democrats want permanent new entitlements. To create a fake lower price tag, their bill pretends much of the spending would stop in a few years. To be clear, Democrats do not claim this would actually happen. “The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office just announced that if you ignore this fake accounting and admit the spending would continue, Democrats’ reckless taxing and spending spree would actually cost a staggering $4.9 trillion in the first decade alone. It would balloon deficits by $3 trillion in just 10 years. “This red ink tsunami would be irresponsible at any time. During the worst inflation in almost 40 years, it would be insane. “The same Democrats who falsely promised this bill would cost $0 now say they would offset future extensions, so nobody should worry. It’s comical. Either this plan would explode our debt or Democrats intend to raise taxes by trillions and trillions more than they’re admitting, beyond the massive tax hikes in the bill. “It was clear yesterday and it’s even clearer today: Washington Democrats must not force through their gigantic, reckless taxing and spending spree.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/act-for-als-act-passes-house-cosponsored-by-majority-of-the-senate,"Act for ALS Act Passes House, Cosponsored by Majority of the Senate",2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"House passes landmark investigational therapy bill for ALS patients as Senate companion reaches critical threshold of support This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.). The passage of the bill in the House comes just as the companion bill reaches 55 cosponsors in the Senate, with Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) having been the 50th and 51st co-sponsors. This legislation would create the infrastructure necessary to fund early access to promising investigational therapies for patients suffering from fast-progressing rare neurodegenerative and terminal diseases, like ALS, and would authorize $100 million annually to implement these priorities. ALS affects 1 in 300 people, often leaving patients with no more than three years to live following their diagnosis. ACT for ALS authorizes new grants to support expanded access and research programs. ALS also disproportionately impacts U.S. military service members. This expansion will bring investigational treatments for rapidly progressing diseases beyond their ongoing clinical trials to patients with diseases for which effective therapies don’t already exist and allow for additional research into the effectiveness of those interventions. It also creates a new FDA Rare Neurodegenerative Disease Grant Program to support other research and development on ALS and other life-threatening or severely debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. “I’m excited to see our colleagues in the House pass this necessary legislation at the same time that we reach a critical milestone of support in the Senate,” said Senator Coons. “ACT for ALS will create critical new programs to improve coordination and collaboration on ALS, support additional research, and help more patients access promising investigational therapies.” “The bipartisan support from the majority of my colleagues in the Senate on the ACT for ALS is great news for the ALS community,” said Senator Murkowski. “This legislation will address barriers to treatments for those living with ALS and will accelerate research and development of therapies for ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. As someone whose family has been impacted by this disease, I’m proud to see this bipartisan and bicameral legislation garner large support that will bring positive impacts for Americans living with ALS.” “ALS is a devastating disease and unfortunately right now, far too few patients are able to access treatments to slow its progression. This bipartisan bill would help address that problem by bolstering research and development of new treatments. Let’s get this passed so we can help those suffering from ALS and eventually find a cure,” said Senator Fischer. “With more investments in ALS therapies and research, we can make much needed progress in the fight against this disease,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m proud to join Senator Coons and colleagues from both sides of the aisle to allocate the necessary funding for these services and provide adequate care for those affected by ALS.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-to-alaska-,Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants to Alaska,2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the senior Senator for Alaska, announced the following grants to organizations, Tribal entities, and communities in Alaska: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: $184,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create or expand programs to identify sources of lead in drinking water in tribally operated schools and childcare facilities. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: $199,991 from the National Science Foundation to collaborate with tribal health organizations to better understand vaccine decision-making in rural and remote communities in Northwest Alaska. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: $181,447 to the Ryan White Title III Outpatient Early Intervention Services Program from the Department of Health and Human Services. Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government: $485,152 from the Department of Education to promote American Indian resilience in education for Native communities during the pandemic. Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association: $755,743 to support the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association Head Start program. Anchorage: $1.43 million for Lake Hood Airport runway rehabilitation from the Department of Transportation. Anchorage: $700,000 to Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO, Inc. from the Native American Community Development Financial Institutional Program (NACA Program) to be used for lending, capital, loan loss reserves, capital reserves, financial services and, development services to achieve at least one of the following NACA Financial Assistance, objectives: Increase volume of products or services, provide new products or services, expand operations into new geographic areas, service new targeted populations.. Anchorage: $331,000 to Cook Inlet Lending Center, Inc. from the Native American Community Development Financial Institutional Program (NACA Program) to be used for lending, capital, loan loss reserves, capital reserves, financial services and, development services to achieve at least one of the following NACA Financial Assistance, objectives: Increase volume of products or services, provide new products or services, expand operations into new geographic areas, service new targeted populations.. Anchorage, Southcentral Foundation: $1.87 million to the Diabetes – Self Governance Program from the Department of Health and Human Services. Association of Village Council Presidents: $1.39 million to support the Association of Village Council Presidents Head Start program. Dena' Nena' Henash: $1.49 million for the Birth to Five program from the Department of Health and Human Services. Dena' Nena' Henash: $1,021,677 to the Diabetes – Self-Governance program from the Department of Health and Human Services. Douglas Indian Association: $499,904 from the Department of Education to promote American Indian resilience in education for Native communities during the pandemic. Fairbanks: $335,580 to Warbelow’s Air Carrier from the Department of Transportation to provide essential air service. Fairbanks: $301,000 to Wright Air from the Department of Transportation to provide essential air service. Homer: $551,837 to Cook Inletkeeper to support and promote vibrant and sustainable farmers markets throughout Alaska. Juneau, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium: $1.03 million to the Diabetes – Self Governance program from the Department of Health and Human Services. Kake: $200,000 for Dummy Social and Economic Development Strategies from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families/Administration for Native Americans. Kenaitze Indian Tribe: $372,436 from the Department of Education to connect Native youth with cultural, academic, and community support networks to remove barriers Native families face in accessing and utilizing school services. Ketchikan: $248,125 to the Ketchikan Agricultural Producers Association for a local food promotion program to create food security via a food hub. Kodiak Area Native Association: $100,000 for the Kodiak Area Native Association for a hazardous waste management project for the Koniag region. Kodiak Area Native Association: $1.88 million to the Kodiak Area Native Association Health Center Cluster Program from the Department of Health and Human Services. Matanuska-Susitna Borough: $91,000 to the Alaska Communities Development Corporation from the Department of Agriculture Rural Development Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance grant program. Native Village of Napakiak: $5.48 million for the restoration and protection of coastal wetlands in Napakiak from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 2021 National Coastal Resilience Fund. Sitka: $209,100 to Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association to increase food security and workforce development opportunities. Southeast: $824,973 to E.C. Phillips & Son Inc. for a local food promotion program to create a custom mariculture and seafood processing food hub in Southeast Alaska to build up local production, manufacturing, and consumption. Statewide: $506,679 to the Alaska Energy Authority to replace prime power diesel engines in rural Alaska. Statewide: $332,031 in Department of Health and Human Services American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services for the Home Visiting program to improve the health of at-risk children under the age of 5. Statewide: One hundred and fourteen Alaskan organizations will receive a total of $2.2 million from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Twenty-nine museums; 80 academic, public, school, and tribal libraries; three archives; and two related organizations will each receive funding to respond to community needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation: $1.87 million to the Diabetes – Self-Governance program from the Department of Health and Human Services.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-votes-to-overturn-vaccine-mandate-for-private-businesses,Murkowski Votes to Overturn Vaccine Mandate for Private Businesses,2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"Senate Passes Measure to End Rule for Private Employers U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) this week voted to overturn President Biden’s vaccine and testing mandate for private employers. After cosponsoring S.J.Res. 29, a resolution of disapproval against the vaccine mandate, she helped the Senate pass it on a bipartisan vote of 52-48. “The Senate voted to overturn the President’s mandate and I hope the House will follow suit. I question the constitutionality of this mandate and believe it sets a dangerous precedent. It is within a private employer’s right to require their employees to be vaccinated or regularly tested, but it is an overreach for the federal government to force them to do so,” Senator Murkowski said. “I strongly support vaccinations and recognize they are safe, effective, and the best available option to limit the spread of the virus and the harm it causes. I continue to urge Alaskans to get vaccinated, but a personal health decision must be a personal choice. My conversations with employers and employees across Alaska—many of whom are also pro-vaccine—only reinforced my concerns about the negative impacts this mandate would have on them, their workforce, and Alaska’s economy.” The Congressional Review Act (CRA) establishes a process through which Congress can nullify rules from the executive branch by passing of a joint resolution of disapproval. If such a resolution is approved by a majority in both chambers of Congress and signed by the President, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto, the rule in question is invalidated. S.J.Res.29 seeks to overturn the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which requires private-sector workers at companies with more than 100 employees to receive a vaccine or be frequently tested. Last month, Senator Murkowski joined Senator Mike Braun (R-IN), Ranking Member of the HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, and all of her Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the measure. This formal challenge to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for private businesses will now be sent to the House of Representatives for further action. Background: On September 8, President Joe Biden announced vaccine mandates that extend to 80 million private sector workers and additional mandates on millions of federal workers and contractors. On November 4, OSHA issued its ETS regulation, which mandates that private employers with at least 100 employees ensure those individuals are vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly. On November 17, Senator Murkowski joined her Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the resolution to formally challenge President Biden’s vaccine mandate for private business. OSHA has suspended enforcement of the ETS pending review by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/vice-chairman-murkowski-takes-action-to-address-violence-occurring-in-alaska-native-communities-,Vice Chairman Murkowski Takes Action To Address Violence Occurring in Alaska Native Communities,2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=40,scraper,"SCIA Leaders Release Discussion Draft of Tribal Title for VAWA This week, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) held an oversight hearing focused on “Restoring Justice: Addressing Violence in Native Communities through VAWA Title IX Special Jurisdiction.” Concurrent with the hearing, Vice Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Chairman Brian Schatz (D-HI) released a discussion draft of the tribal title for the upcoming Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization for public comment. During her opening remarks at this week’s hearing, Murkowski spoke about the importance of the tribal title in the 2013 VAWA and the jurisdictional challenges that Indian Tribes continue to experience in Alaska and across Indian Country. Federal and tribal witnesses, including Michelle Demmert of the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, testified on the need for more resources and protections to reduce the incidence of violence, particularly against Native women. Pictured: Senator Lisa Murkowski at SCIA Oversight Hearing on December 8, 2021 “While issues of tribal jurisdiction are confusing and esoteric, I want to emphasize that the impacts on the ground in Native communities, particularly in places like rural Alaska, are very real and very tragic. In 2019, we had the Attorney General come to a small Native village. He looked around, he talked to the people, he left and declared a law enforcement emergency. It was based on the fact that Alaska has the highest per capita crime rate in the country and we face a unique jurisdictional landscape. Jurisdictional complexity should not deny safety or justice, and that is what we are seeing,” said Vice Chairman Murkowski on the unique tribal jurisdiction in Alaska. “I believe we have a moral imperative here in Congress that we take action to further restore and improve the implementation of this special tribal criminal law jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit violent crimes in our Native communities. I firmly believe that by empowering tribal courts in this way we can help combat this major public safety issue affecting Native people and children,” said Vice Chairman Murkowski on improving and empowering tribal courts. “Most Native communities in rural Alaska have no local law enforcement physically present. One out of three Native communities in Alaska have no local law enforcement that is physically there,” said Vice Chairman Murkowski on the lack of law enforcement presence in rural Alaska and how a solution has been raised. “I am happy to report that we have an Alaska solution to this complex jurisdictional situation in our state. We are calling it the Alaska Public Safety Empowerment pilot project. We are rolling it out as part of the discussion draft text title for all to see. Give us your feedback on it. It builds on previous legislation that you have seen from me and the product of years of work with tribal advocates and smart lawyers. The pilot project will empower a limited number of Alaska Tribes to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes that occur in villages in Alaska.” Click here to watch Vice Chairman Murkowski’s full opening statement. Senator Murkowski invited Michelle Demmert of the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center to testify at the hearing. During the question-and-answer period, Murkowski asked Ms. Demmert about the jurisdictional landscape in Alaska and how a state-specific pilot project will bring much needed support and protections for Alaska Natives. Pictured: Michelle Demmert virtually testifying before SCIA on December 8, 2021 Click here to watch Vice Chairman Murkowski’s exchange with Michelle Demmert. Click here to watch the SCIA oversight hearing and find witness testimony. Click here to view the tribal discussion draft. Public comments on the discussion draft of the VAWA tribal title are due by December 22, 2021. Please send comments to: draft_title_comments@indian.senate.gov. Any comments will be shared with all members of the SCIA.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-statement-cfpb-director-chopras-attempted-political-power-grab/,Senator Scott Statement on CFPB Director Chopra’s Attempted Political Power Grab,2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released the following statement on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board Member Martin Gruenberg’s attempt to politicize the FDIC by circumventing Chairwoman Jelena McWilliams. “I am shocked and disappointed by the blatant disregard CFPB Director Chopra and FDIC Board Member Gruenberg have shown for the leadership of FDIC Chairman McWilliams,” said Senator Scott. “Their actions are an affront to the FDIC’s status as an independent financial regulator and deserve rebuke from Republicans and Democrats—including the Biden White House. The decision to hold this illegitimate vote has upended the FDIC’s decades-long commitment to respect and collegiality between board members, regardless of political affiliation, to instead pursue an egregious and possibly illegal political power grab.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-historic-inflation-increase-and-5-trillion-cbo-price-tag-for-build-back-better-should-kill-bidens-socialist-agenda-save-christmas,"Sullivan: Historic Inflation Increase & $5 Trillion CBO Price Tag for ‘Build Back Better’ Should Kill Biden’s Socialist Agenda, Save Christmas",2021-12-10,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Sullivan Says Inflation Spike is Biden’s ‘Lump of Coal’ for Every American WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) issued the following statement in response to the Labor Department’s announcement today that U.S. inflation hit a 39-year annualized high of 6.8% at the end of October, and the Congressional Budget Office’s assessment released today that President Joe Biden’s so-called “Build Back Better” legislation would cost $4.9 trillion and add $3 trillion to the national debt—rebutting the administration’s absurd claim that the bill will cost “zero.” Sen. Sullivan says the inflation increase is largely a result of the Biden administration’s far left policies and would only be further exacerbated by the $4.9 trillion reconciliation bill recently passed in the House and currently being considered in the Senate. “The inflation numbers announced today are a lump of coal in every American’s stocking this Christmas,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This shocking increase in inflation just makes more evident what we already know—this administration’s war on affordable energy, coupled with the out-of-control spending being pushed by President Biden and the radical far left in Congress, is inflicting real pain on America’s working families, who are paying much more for their holiday presents, and at the gas pump, grocery store, and to heat their homes this winter. Enough is enough. These inflation numbers should be the final nail in the coffin of the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending spree, which would pump trillions more in wasteful deficit spending to fund a liberal wish-list. Let’s be clear: Despite the Democrats’ incredible claim that their socialist tax-and-spending bill costs ‘zero’ dollars, the President’s plan will super-charge inflation even more and do real, lasting damage to our economy. Building back to the Jimmy Carter malaise of the 1970s is not what any American wants and is definitely not what our nation needs.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=033307FC-C707-4D24-9954-B5DA5ABF6571,Senator McConnell Statement on President Bendapudi,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding President Neeli Bendapudi’s tenure at the University of Louisville: “When President Neeli Bendapudi personally informed me of her decision to leave the University of Louisville, I was excited for her but saddened to hear the news. I remember meeting her in 2018 when she was named the 18th president of the university. I knew right away that she was the best person for the job - a premier academic and administrator with a passion for higher education. When she arrived, the university faced struggles in both its academic and athletic departments. She made it her top priority to turn these struggling programs around and make the school competitive once again. “I was greatly impressed by the energy, enthusiasm, and strong vision she had for UofL and enjoyed watching her become an expert in raising the “L.” Dr. Bendapudi deserves much credit for her many accomplishments during her tenure at UofL, and I want to thank her for her impressive leadership and work on behalf of the university and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I also appreciate her strong support of the McConnell Center scholarship program, as well as the McConnell Chao Archives. “I’m sure her decision to leave was a tough one, and I know that UofL will always have a special place in her heart. I join the university’s students, faculty, staff and fans – along with all my fellow proud Cardinal alums - in wishing her well. Elaine and I will greatly miss seeing her during our frequent visits to campus.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=1D0E79AB-C734-4F5A-9AB4-8657C8089EB0,"Democrats’ Toddler Takeover Cuts Choices, Raises Costs, & “Insults the Diversity of American Families”",2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree: “On Tuesday, I shined a spotlight on Washington Democrats’ proposed ‘toddler takeover.’ “They want to spend hundreds of billions of dollars in order to upend families’ arrangements… create massive inflation in daycare costs… and attack faith-based providers. “Democrats say their plan would not hurt faith-based providers because it wouldn’t explicitly block them upfront. “But that’s only a small part of the story. “The reckless taxing and spending spree might not ban faith-based providers on day one. But their scheme of mandates and subsidies would slowly and quietly push them out. “Democrats’ bill would deny religious providers an extra funding stream for upgrading their facilities which their secular competitors would get. “And their proposal would let woke bureaucrats persecute faith-based groups unless they leave their values at the door. “If a Jewish daycare wants to prioritize Jewish families, they could get thrown out of the Democrats’ scheme for discrimination! “A Catholic facility could be kicked out if families who are registered parishioners get first dibs! “If a faith-based provider decides not to hire somebody who fundamentally rejects their teachings, left-wing bureaucrats and lawyers could come after them. The woke mob that stalks cake-bakers and florists is now coming for church daycare. “Twenty-one organizations representing hundreds of thousands of faith-based daycares and preschools signed an open letter to the Senate. Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims all wrote this to Chairwoman Murray and Senator Burr. “‘The Build Back Better Act will suppress, if not exclude, the participation of many faith-based providers…’ “‘[P]rovisions in the bill text make it virtually impossible for many religious providers to participate.’ *** “Now, the far left says that if you don’t support this toddler takeover, you’re out of touch. “But they’re projecting. It’s their Big Government scheme that is out of touch with the diverse aspirations of different families. “Last year, a nonpartisan survey asked families what childcare arrangements they’d ideally like. “Apart from the pandemic, if finances were no obstacle, what would American parents want? “The share who said center-based childcare was 27%. This is the only route that Democrats want to subsidize. Just 27% of parents say it’s their ideal world. And of that 27%, a majority prefer the faith-based options that Democrats would push out. “A larger group, nearly 40%, said their ideal arrangement would involve full-time parenting in some form. Either one parent stays home, or the two trade off. “Another 9% said they’d ideally like an extended relative like a grandparent to be the caregiver. “Other families would ideally want a nanny-share or neighborhood co-op. “The Democrats’ daycare scheme would give all these people nothing. “A family that has sacrificed so that a mom or dad can stay home will not get one penny for books or supplies or to make up for lost wages. “A grandparent who leaves a part-time job to spend weekdays with their grandkids will not get a dime from the Democrats’ plan. “A neighborhood nanny-share gets zero help. “Forget about diversity. Forget about choice and fairness. Families would either enroll in the specific pathway that Big Labor and Big Government like best or they’d get nothing. “Meanwhile, even in the centers that Democrats do want to subsidize, parents would get a very mixed bag. “Analysts agree the new regulations would send costs skyrocketing. The District of Columbia’s local government estimates these sorts of policies would increase the cost of childcare by roughly $12,000 per child per year. “Their plan would supposedly use government subsidies to make up for this new inflation, but that assistance would be confusing and uneven. “So this bill manages to be wildly inflationary and wildly unfair at the same time. “It insults the diversity of American families and their aspirations. “It simply hands money and power to the same woke bureaucrats who are letting far-left propaganda into K-12 schools and then sending the Department of Justice after parents who speak up. “This bill would give HHS Secretary Becerra, a hard-core culture warrior, a giant slush fund to start shaping the care of babies and toddlers. “And facilities and families who make different choices would be left facing a massively inflated market with zero help. “This would be an awful proposal for American families even if it were free. But it isn’t. “Washington Democrats don’t just have to explain to parents why they want to make childcare more expensive, more inflexible, and more unfair. “They also get to explain why they want to print and borrow hundreds of billions of dollars to do it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=87B7072F-BB8B-4DF8-90E2-44ED10EFF2EE,McConnell Delivers Rotunda Tribute to Senator Bob Dole,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today paying tribute to Senator Bob Dole: “On April 14, 1969, Senator Bob Dole delivered his first floor speech. “He said, ‘the task ahead is monumental.’ “And this was before Bob knew he’d end up leading a conference of 53 Senators! “Years later, after he had become Leader, Bob described his Senate management challenges with his trademark wit. “‘If I’d known,’ he said, ‘we were going to win control of the Senate… we’d have run better candidates!’ “I swear, Bob could have made it as a stand-up comic. “But in that maiden speech, Bob was earnest. “He was already championing a signature cause: helping Americans with disabilities. “‘The task ahead is monumental,’ he said, ‘but I am confident that there are forces in America ready and willing to meet the challenge.’ “Bob Dole himself was certainly proof of that. *** “That maiden speech came 24 years to the day after he sustained his combat wounds in Italy. “Bob had already risen to a monumental task. He’d taken the fight to the Nazis. And he’d nearly paid for it with his life. “Through all his decades in public service, Bob Dole knew exactly where he came from. “A son of Dustbowl hardship — who was laser-focused on food security and rural issues. “A wounded warrior — who spent decades carrying fellow veterans and Americans with disabilities on his shoulders. “Bob was the last of the Greatest Generation to run for president. But he was never stuck in the past. “His roots ran deep… but he was always looking to new horizons. “From that first speech… through his years in leadership… “Through Bob’s incredibly active retirement-in-name-only… “He built brighter futures for millions. *** “Bob was blessed with long life to watch this legacy take effect. “But that was no accident! “Bob liked to joke that he planned for longevity by closely studying our most senior colleagues. “He had a whole comedy routine about how he’d tried to copy Strom Thurmond’s eating habits: “If Strom takes a shrimp, I take a shrimp. If he eats a banana, I eat a banana!” *** “But the real engine behind Bob’s 98 remarkable years was his love. “His love for Elizabeth and for Robin; for public service; for Kansas and for America. “Today we honor the amazing life that love created. “And we thank God, the source of all love… “Both for Bob’s incredible journey here in this life… “…and for the fact that he has entered his eternal reward in the next.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-republicans-musnt-enable-bidens-overspending-waiving-paygo/,Dr. Rand Paul: Republicans musn’t enable Biden’s overspending by waiving PAYGO,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 9, 2021 Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an op-ed for the Washington Examiner today, U.S. Senator and physician Rand Paul made clear his opposition to raising the debt limit and waiving PAYGO. “For months, Republicans gave President Joe Biden’s social spending bill the accurate label: “the Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree.” Republicans, in unison, opposed the $2 trillion spending spree Democrats passed this spring. But now, Republican leadership is pushing a bill to forgive all that spending,” stated Dr. Paul in the piece. “According to the law that governs Congress’s budget process, this spending has to be offset by equal cuts from somewhere else. The law is called PAYGO. But Republican leadership and Democrats are going to waive PAYGO, allowing Biden’s spending spree to become debt instead of being offset by spending cuts.” You can read Dr. Paul’s entire op-ed HERE or below. *** Republicans musn’t enable Biden’s overspending by waiving PAYGO By: Dr. Rand Paul December 9, 2021 https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/republicans-musnt-enable-bidens-overspending-by-waiving-paygo There’s a palpable chill in the air in Washington this week, and I’m not talking about the weather. I’m talking about the icy forecast of our country’s fiscal stability and the possibility that Republicans could be complicit in creating such treacherous conditions. For months, Republicans gave President Joe Biden’s social spending bill the accurate label: “the Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree.” Republicans, in unison, opposed the $2 trillion spending spree Democrats passed this spring. But now, Republican leadership is pushing a bill to forgive all that spending. According to the law that governs Congress’s budget process, this spending has to be offset by equal cuts from somewhere else. The law is called PAYGO. But Republican leadership and Democrats are going to waive PAYGO, allowing Biden’s spending spree to become debt instead of being offset by spending cuts. This monstrosity of a bill also allows the debt ceiling to go up with a simple majority vote. Republican leadership, which ostensibly guards the filibuster, is allowing this bill to neuter the filibuster with respect to the debt ceiling. The bill sets a precedent that the debt ceiling can be raised without requiring a supermajority — a big concession. Voters should be appalled that Republican leadership is basically giving Democrats their Christmas wish list on a silver platter. This horrible “deal” they concocted gives Democrats an easy path to raise the debt ceiling using expedited procedures and would enable even more reckless spending. The current debt limit is $28.9 trillion. That’s essentially the limit on America’s credit card. What happens when you don’t pay the balance of your credit card bill? You pay interest charges. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office now projects that interest costs on our debt will be $5.4 trillion over 10 years, and the projected deficit for this year is $1.1 trillion. We cannot afford to raise the debt limit without meaningful spending reform. Continued reckless spending is dangerous to the health of our country and our national security. Simply put, the bill provides reckless spenders with a blank check and sends the country further down a dangerous path that threatens a future of confiscatory tax rates, low employment prospects, and high inflation. I hate to say it, but I told you so. In March, I tried to force Congress to follow the rules it had set for itself and pay for new COVID spending by enforcing PAYGO rules. Speaking from the Senate floor, I noted that “big spenders like to say the federal government is different than a family budget and that we have the Federal Reserve who can print up money to buy our debt. But all that does is cause inflation.” And what do you know, just as I predicted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that inflation hit 6.2% — the highest level in a generation. Ready for the worst part of all this? If the Biden administration’s Build Back Better spending bill passes this year, it won’t be subject to the mandatory PAYGO cuts. Republicans would literally be facilitating Biden and the Democrats’ priorities. I’ve often said that both Republicans and Democrats are at fault for the spending crisis in Washington, and this case is no different. Republicans ought to stop assisting the Democrats in playing their reckless game of kick-the-can-down-the-road and resist this bizarre attempt to facilitate their agenda. I have tried to warn of the dire forecast for our nation if we continue with this fiscal insanity. And while I may not be a meteorologist, I can see when a storm is brewing. Congress ought to join me in keeping an eye on the horizon and act before it’s too late. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-announces-nominations-for-us-service-academies-for-2022-2023-school-year,Rounds Announces Nominations for U.S. Service Academies for 2022-2023 School Year,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has nominated three students for appointments to the nation’s service academies. Rounds nominated Luke Jegeris of Rapid City as his principal nominee to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; Aiden Kasten of Brandon as his principal nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis; and John Costello of Sioux Falls as his principal nominee to the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. “It’s a privilege to nominate our nation’s future military leaders to U.S. service academies,” said Rounds. “The U.S. service academies are among the most elite educational institutions in the world. After receiving a top-notch education, these South Dakotans will courageously serve our country as active-duty military members. We’re proud of Luke, Aiden and John for their desire to answer the call of duty to serve our nation.” “I am blessed to be receiving a principal nomination to the United States Military Academy from Senator Mike Rounds,” said Luke Jegeris. “It has always been my dream to have an occupation where I am in a position to serve others. Serving in the Army will grant me this opportunity, and will allow me to be part of a team that strives for perfection.” ""Receiving a nomination from Senator Rounds is a great honor to me and my family,” said Aiden Kasten. “My grandfather served our country during Vietnam and inspired me to pursue a military career path. Going to the United States Naval Academy and becoming a commissioned officer would truly make my country and grandpa proud."" “To me, serving in the armed forces is about contributing to a higher purpose in life,” said John Costello. “Defending our country through service in the Air Force is a part of my desire to put service before self."" Each year, Sen. Rounds nominates South Dakota students to the U.S. service academies. Each academy then gives full and fair consideration to these nominations when selecting applicants. Students interested in attending a service academy go through a rigorous application process. Because the academies are highly competitive, students must meet eligibility requirements in leadership, physical fitness, character and scholarship. The young people joining the military directly from the academies are among the highest caliber our country has to offer—a result of the challenging training and education they received at U.S. service academies. Students applying for service academies are required to receive a Congressional nomination as part of the application process. The students listed below have now fulfilled that requirement and their names have been submitted to the respective academies. Each service academy admission board will determine final appointments. Those appointed receive a scholarship and military appointment and are required to serve in the military for at least five years upon graduation. Principal nominees are guaranteed admission if they meet all of the requirements of the academy to which they are nominated. Luke Jegeris of Rapid City, S.D.—Principal Nominee, U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Luke is the son of Karl and Jill Jegeris of Rapid City, South Dakota. A senior at Stevens High School, Luke is a team captain in varsity football and catcher for Post 22 baseball. Luke is involved in Raiders Respect Club, National Honor Society and Economics Club. Luke frequently participates in volunteer service including mission trips to Tijuana, Mexico, regular snow removal at his church and holds a 4.14 GPA. Aiden Kasten of Brandon, S.D.—Principal Nominee, U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Aiden is the son of Travis and Amy Kasten of Brandon, South Dakota. A senior at Brandon Valley High School, Aiden participates in football, powerlifting and track & field. Aiden is involved in National Honor Society and Math National Honor Society. Aiden regularly volunteers with the Brandon Valley Elementary School Lunch Program, the Boy Scouts of America and holds a 3.95 GPA. John Costello of Sioux Falls, S.D.—Principal Nominee, U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) John is the son of Pat and Shawn Costello of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A senior at O’Gorman High School, John participates in basketball and ultimate Frisbee club. John is involved in National Honor Society, OGHS Student Ambassadors, and Future Business Leaders of America. John has obtained the rank of Eagle Scout as a member of the Boy Scouts of America, is a frequent volunteer at Saint Mary Church and holds a 4.0 GPA. In addition to the three principal nominees for the Class of 2026, Rounds is also nominating ten South Dakotans as competitive nominees to the service academies. Information on the other students Rounds nominated for academy appointments are below: U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Weston Mason of Dell Rapids– Competitive Nominee Grace Kaiser of Aberdeen - Competitive Nominee Daniel Colby of Sioux Falls– Competitive Nominee Jocelyn Prewett of Mitchell– Competitive Nominee Elijah Fraasch of Milbank – Competitive Nominee U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Halle Fjelland of Spearfish – Competitive Nominee Daniel Colby of Sioux Falls – Competitive Nominee* (*Applicant has received a letter of assurance from the U.S. Naval Academy) Elijah Fraasch of Milbank – Competitive Nominee Merci Arbach of Sioux Falls – Competitive Nominee Jocelyn Prewett of Mitchell – Competitive Nominee U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) Halle Fjelland of Spearfish – Competitive Nominee Gunnar Kvistad of Clark – Competitive Nominee Jocelyn Prewett of Mitchell – Competitive Nominee Anders Enga of Mitchell – Competitive Nominee Clare Dahlhoff of Vermillion – Competitive Nominee Daniel Colby of Sioux Falls – Competitive Nominee Elijah Fraasch of Milbank – Competitive Nominee Individuals interested in applying for a service academy nomination for academic year 2023-2024 (Class of 2027) should apply by October 2022. Questions about the academy nomination application process can be directed to Rounds’ Sioux Falls office by calling (605) 336-0486 or by emailing Academy_Nominations@rounds.senate.gov. Additional information on service academy nominations is available on our website here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-joins-colleagues-on-legislation-to-prevent-settlement-payments-for-illegal-immigrants/,Scott Joins Colleagues on Legislation to Prevent Settlement Payments for Illegal Immigrants,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and 28 Senate colleagues in sponsoring the Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act, to prevent settlement payments for individuals who crossed the U.S. border illegally. Despite the crisis consuming our southern border, President Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to give out payments of $450,000 per person to immigrants who broke our laws by coming here illegally—putting their lives and their children’s lives at risk. If successful, President Biden’s DOJ could pay out hundreds of millions of dollars to illegal immigrants while hardworking American taxpayers are struggling under Democrat’s reckless tax-and-spend policies. “With far more than a million illegal crossings this year alone, there is a clear humanitarian and national security disaster at our border,” said Senator Scott. “Yet—even as hardworking Americans struggle to buy gas and groceries in the face of roaring inflation—Democrats want to give nearly half-a-million dollars to individuals who broke our nation’s laws. This is wrong not only for Americans, but also for the migrants who don’t need another incentive to cross our border illegally and put their families in harm’s way.” “Our southern border is a disaster, and President Biden’s failed policies have continued to fuel this ongoing crisis,” said Senator Tillis. “We are seeing the most illegal immigration this year alone than ever recorded, and now President Biden wants to give illegal immigrants a payout, further rewarding lawlessness and chaos. These $450,000 settlements are an insult to all hardworking Americans who will subsequently be funding these large settlements with their hard-earned tax dollars. I am proud to work with my colleagues to make sure this doesn’t happen.” “While American families are struggling anxiously just to keep pace with President Biden’s inflation, the President now wants to make millionaires out of people who crossed the border illegally. It’s beyond parody,” said Leader McConnell. “Obviously, this would only exacerbate the Democrats’ border crisis and incentivize the riskiest and most dangerous kinds of illegal immigration.” Senators Scott and Tillis were joined by Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Josh Hawley (R- Mo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Steve Daines (R- Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-requests-ig-investigation-of-senior-biden-interior-officials-targeting-alaska,Sullivan Requests IG Investigation of Senior Biden Interior Officials Targeting Alaska,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Senator decries Biden administration’s “War on Alaska” with 20 executive actions WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, yesterday sent a letter to the inspector general (IG) of the Department of the Interior (DOI) requesting an investigation of four senior political appointees in the department who are allegedly working on matters directly related to and benefitting their previous clients and work. The officials mentioned by Sen. Sullivan are Nada Culver, deputy director of policy and programs at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Natalie Landreth, deputy solicitor for lands at DOI; Laura Daniel Davis, deputy assistant secretary for land and mineral management at DOI; and Robert Anderson, solicitor at DOI. In his letter, Sullivan alleges that the officials have clear conflicts of interest, violating federal ethics laws, having worked to halt certain resource development projects in Alaska in their prior positions with environmental advocacy groups, and subsequently working to halt those same projects as executive branch employees. The Alaska projects described include the Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska (NPR-A), the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) oil and gas leasing program, and the Ambler Road project—all projects that have been slowed or stopped by the Biden administration DOI. In addition to requesting the ethics investigation, Sen. Sullivan has requested a series of documents, within 30 days, from the DOI IG, including signed and dated ethics pledges for each official, recusals or ethics waivers issued by or to any of the officials, and any communications between the DOI officials and their former employers or clients since their appointments. Sen. Sullivan announced his letter in a speech on the Senate floor last night. In his remarks, Sullivan decried an ongoing “anti-Alaska agenda” and “war on Alaska working families” by the Biden administration through its issuance of 20 executive orders and actions specifically focused on the state since coming into office in January. Sullivan also criticized Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) for leading efforts among members of Congress to block investment and projects in Alaska, while New Mexico has received nearly half of all drilling permits approved nationwide on federal lands in the past year. Below is a full transcript of the senator’s floor speech: Madam President, today, I wanted to rise on the Senate floor and talk about a topic of utmost importance to my State, the great people I have the privilege of representing, and what the Biden administration is doing to good, hard?working American families in Alaska. It is what I call the “anti?Alaska agenda,” or the Biden administration's war on working families. I know that Americans all across the country have felt pain—economic pain, health pain, unfortunately, too many deaths as a result of the pandemic. Right now, we are seeing high energy prices and empty shelves. There has been a lot of suffering in America. We are a resilient people, however. My State, like many, has been hit very hard by the pandemic, particularly economically—our energy sector, our fishing sector, our tourism sector. And as we are coming out of this pandemic and everybody is trying to work together—we all want growth and opportunity in America—we have now been hit with this. This administration has issued, in its first 9 months in office, 20 Executive orders or Executive actions solely focused on Alaska. I came down to the floor 2 weeks ago to talk about this. It was 19 then. You wait a week or two with the Biden administration in Alaska, and it is up to 20. I am sure they have a lot more ready to go. Twenty. There is no State in America that is getting this kind of attention from the Biden administration, and we don't want it. What I am going to be continuing to ask my Senate colleagues to do—and I am going to start with the President of the United States, who was a U.S. Senator for many years, decades—put yourself in the shoes of the people I represent. Let's imagine that a Republican administration comes into office and issues 20 Executive orders or Executive actions focused on Delaware—tiny, little Delaware. The Senators from Delaware, including the former Senator, now?President, would be down on the floor of the U.S. Senate raising Cain, raising heck—I don't think I am allowed to swear here—because of this, because they want to stick up for the people they represent. Imagine that. These Executive orders and actions are not some kind of simple abstractions; they are 20 orders and actions that go to the heart of what Alaskans do in terms of our economy: work, keeping food on the table, keeping lights on in their homes, paying the mortgage, keeping their kids in college, keeping their cultures thriving, keeping our communities from crumbling, particularly in rural Alaska. Some of the poorest communities in America are where this administration is targeting the people I represent. Very few people in my State—Democrat, Republican, Native, non?Native—support this war against Alaska. This is not a partisan issue back home, and here is why: because real people, real families, real communities are being hurt—your fellow Americans. It has got to stop. I have demanded a meeting with the President and his team to just walk him through this. Mr. President, do you know what you are doing to one of your States that you are sworn to defend? These orders threaten the well?being of my entire State, but they particularly threaten the people who live in rural Alaska, who are dependent on the land and natural resources for so much of their economy, so much of their tax base. Here is the thing. I know what some of my colleagues or those who are watching are saying: Oh, it is just resource development issues in Alaska. Well, I will talk about that. It is some of that, but it is not just resource development issues that are happening here. Let me give you one that really burns me up. We had a bipartisan bill last year, last Congress, to provide what you will now call racial justice, racial equity, to Alaskan Native Vietnam veterans who served their country when most Americans were avoiding service and missed out, because they were overseas fighting for their nation, on the opportunity to apply for what is called a land allotment. There was a deadline that happened, a complete injustice. Native Vietnam veterans coming home, not treated well because they are Native, not treated well because they are Vietnam veterans, and then told: “Oh, by the way, the land you were supposed to get, you don't qualify.” So we got a bill passed to say that is an injustice. The previous administration signed it. They were implementing it. And when this administration came into office, the number one issue I asked Secretary Haaland to commit to was to finish getting the Executive order out on these land allotments, to implement this bipartisan bill, because these Native Vietnam veterans aren't living that long. The administration delayed it for 2 years. Why? It has nothing do to with oil and gas or mining. Why? These Vietnam vets, many aren't going to live for 2 more years. They did it anyway. That is one of 20. Let me give you another one. We have had, down in Southeast Alaska, the issue of the Tongass—that is the largest national forest in the country. Every elected official—Governor, Senator, Democrat, Republican—in Alaska, the last 30 years, has pressed with the Roadless Rule, an exemption to the Roadless Rule, so we can have an economy there; roads for Southeast communities. Every elected Governor or U.S. Senator, didn’t matter the party, that is how important this was. We were able to get an exemption in the last administration. I appreciate what President Trump did on that. This administration comes in, and they reverse it. One of the 20. Guess how we, the Alaska delegation, found out about that reversal. A front?page story in the Washington Post. The Secretary of Agriculture wanted to brief the Washington Post and all of the extreme environmental groups who wanted this before they let the people of Alaska or their representatives know. These are the examples. And, yes, the list also includes resource development projects. But here is the thing on that—I have a folder full of letters. These are letters from the elected leaders, Tribal leaders, borough leaders, Alaska Native Corp. leaders, Native leaders in my State—dozens of letters. Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation, Native village of Kaktovik—that is a Tribe, City of Utqiagvik, City of Atqasuk, City of Wainwright, Inupiaq Community of the Arctic Slope—that is another Tribe, the Voice of the Inupiat Arctic. These are all Alaskan Native leaders who live on the North Slope, some of whom live in the Arctic National Wildlife area. Every single one of these great leaders in my State, every one, was writing, even begging, this administration not to do this—not to do this. And they ignored them. This is a letter from Edward Rexford. He is the President of the Native Village of Kaktovik. He wrote to Secretary Deb Haaland after she suspended oil and gas leases in ANWR, which we passed. What the Secretary did, in my view, was clearly illegal. Edward Rexford wrote: “You have changed our future with one stroke of a pen without any explanation or consultation with us—the tribe that lives within the Coastal Plain.” His village, Kaktovik, is the only village within the coastal area of ANWR. That is it. There is no group of Americans who should have a greater voice in the development of this area than them. But they didn't even get a phone call—not a phone call, not a consultation, Tribal consultation, which is required by law—none of it. That is all part of the 20 Executive orders and actions that I said are hurting people, hurting communities, hurting families, hurting Native cultures. I will tell you this: The Biden administration loves to talk about how they are committed to environmental justice and racial equity, but it is with a caveat. Here is the reality: They want to help unserved minority populations around the country. And I think this is a good goal, but it comes with a caveat: unless, of course, they are indigenous people of Alaska. Then the Biden administration targets them. Look at this folder. These are communities of color in my State, and all they do is get targeted, not helped; targeted, their economic opportunity. And then the things that most Americans take for granted that don't exist in these communities—clinics, flushed toilets, gymnasiums—all of that comes with economic opportunity. And when you shut it down, you are really hurting indigenous people in some of the most impoverished communities in the country. But I guess they seem OK with that. I want all of my Senate colleagues to do just a quick thought experiment. Imagine what it would be like, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican—but just think about it: You are a Democrat and a Republican administration comes in or you are a Republican and a Democrat administration comes in and changes the future of your State with a stroke of a pen, as Edward Rexford said, for the people you represent. Imagine an administration coming in with 20 Executive orders in 8 months, shutting down your economy as you are trying to get out of a pandemic. Every Senator here would be mad. And the one thing I very much enjoy about serving in this body is we are a collegial body. We have our differences, but I certainly have friends on both sides of the aisle. I try to work with everybody, try to be respectful with everybody. The Presiding Officer and I chaired committees together, worked together on a lot of things. And here is the thing. If a Republican administration came into power and targeted one of my colleague's States with 20 Executive orders in 8 months and whoever it was came to me and said: ""Hey, Dan, you know this is unfair. My constituents are really being attacked, really being hurt. Could you reach out to the Republican administration and say: ‘Hey, come on. Tone it down. Geez, Louise, 20 Executive orders in one State?’"" I would help, and I think almost every Senator here would help. That is what we do here. And I want to say that some of my Democratic colleagues here, when I have talked about this, when I have told them about this, when I have spoken about this, a number of them have come to me and said: ""Hey, Dan, give me the list. Give me the list of 20. Maybe I can't help you on every one of them, all of them. Maybe there are some I actually like. But I do want to try and help."" That is what has happened. That is what makes this body a good place. To those Senators, I really want to thank you. And I am going to ask for your help because I would do it for you. And this is unacceptable. Tens of thousands of people I represent are being hurt by the federal government, by the President and his White House. So I appreciate that from my colleagues. And this is, in general, how this body works. It makes this a special place. But I will say this. Not all Senators have been so gracious and senatorial and collegial. To the contrary, a few of my colleagues are helping lead the charge in the war on Alaska's working families. They seem to be putting a ton of effort into it themselves. I am not sure why, but they spend a lot of their time and energy focused on doing this: shutting down the Alaska economy, hurting working families, and ridiculously and absurdly, acting as if they speak for the very people I am privileged to represent, as if they don't have enough to do in terms of helping their own constituents. So I am going to make an example and give an example of one. The leader of this small group is the senior Senator from New Mexico. Here is a sampling—three letters in the last year and a half he has written, signed, or led, focusing on shutting down Alaska's economy and hurting the great people I have the privilege of representing. Two of these letters deal with the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—controversial, no doubt. In 2017, we voted to provide the opportunity for development in that small area, what we call the 1002 Area. The President signed it. It came into law. Now, I know most of my colleagues on the Democratic side didn't agree with that. We have legislation we don't agree with. I accept that. I am still very good friends with so many. But, afterward, the senior Senator from New Mexico led letters to all of the top banks in America and all of the top insurance and financial institutions in America and didn't just say don't invest in ANWR but said ""don't invest in any oil and gas development project in the Arctic."" What is that, the Arctic of America? That is my State. So now you have, as opposed to collegiality, a small group, led by this Senator, writing the biggest banks in America, the biggest financial institutions in America, trying to muscle them, saying: Don't invest anything in Alaska. That is not what this body is all about. I would never do that to a colleague. I would never write all the banks of America and say: Don't invest in poor communities, Native communities in New Mexico or in the New Mexico oil and gas industry. I wouldn't do that. Who does that? Well, unfortunately, a few—not many, a few—Senators are doing that. Absurdly, this Senator had the audacity, in one of his letters, to try to speak for the people I represent. He put in the letter: The people dependent on the Arctic Refuge don't want you to invest there. That is patently absurd. Just read the letters from all of the people who actually live there, all of the people who live there, who overwhelmingly want opportunities for oil and gas development and for jobs and economic opportunity. You would think, with all of New Mexico's problems, this Senator would focus on his own constituents. So I reached out to him and the few others who wrote these letters. I have reached out. I wrote my own letter to them saying: “Hey, I was disappointed to see you do that. Why didn't you come talk to me? I wouldn't do that to you. And, by the way, what you are doing is really going to hurt my constituents.” This is a letter I wrote to this Senator and a few others: I would appreciate the courtesy of talking about this before you go do it. You clearly don't understand the indigenous communities that I represent. I even provided a Wall Street Journal op?ed from the mayor of the North Slope Borough, Harry Brower, the Inupiaq mayor, who had a lot to say to the banks who weren't going to invest in his community. But I got no response. To the contrary, just a few months ago, this same Senator led a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, asking her to shut down a very important energy development in Alaska called the Willow Project. This is that letter—just about 4 months ago. Let me talk about the Willow Project. The Willow Project is not in a controversial area; it is in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska, set aside by Congress decades ago for oil and gas development. Every Native group in Alaska supports this project, all the unions do. 2,000 direct jobs, billions in revenues for some of the poorest communities in America, and the lowest emissions of any major oil and gas development project in America. This is a huge win?win?win for everybody—not even controversial. Yet the senior Senator from New Mexico wrote Deb Haaland saying: “Shut down the Willow Project in Alaska.” Why is he doing this, literally trying to kill thousands of Alaska jobs and impoverish Alaska Native communities? Do the people in New Mexico know that their senior Senator spends so much time trying to give Alaska oil and gas workers pink slips and impoverish Native communities? I wonder. I wonder. I thought, for just a moment, maybe I should do something against New Mexico, but then I was like: “No. You know what, that is not my style. I wouldn't want to hurt New Mexico oil and gas workers or Native communities. They are all great Americans, I am sure. We are a great country. I wouldn't want to target them the way this Senator is targeting my State, trying to hurt thousands of Alaskan working families.” And it should be emphasized, and I want to emphasize, that is not how we work here. That is not what I have seen in my almost seven years in the U.S. Senate, Senators trying to attack other Senators' States, specifically focusing on hurting working families. The vast majority of the Senators I know wouldn't do that at all. That is not how business is conducted here in the U.S. Senate. To the contrary, most of us generally try to help each other. We don't always agree; that is for sure. But, particularly when States have unique challenges that could hurt their citizens, when my colleagues would come to me and say, ""Hey, Dan, can you help out on this,"" I usually try to help. But I certainly don't go on offense and try to hurt like this administration is doing and the senior Senator from New Mexico. But I thought the better course to fight back—because I am going to fight back, OK. I am going to fight back. These are my constituents who are hurting. The better course to fight back against these attacks on Alaskan working families was not to try to hurt New Mexicans, but just to show this, the rank hypocrisy of what the senior Senator is actually doing and saying. One of his main reasons, in this latest letter, to shut down Alaska, in trying to deny Federal permits for the Willow oil and gas project, is to ""achieve climate goals."" OK? That is in his letter to Deb Haaland. But if you do just a little digging, this Senator seems fine with trying to achieve these goals on the backs of Alaskan workers and Alaska Natives but not on his own constituents, not on the backs of his own constituents—to the contrary. Guess which State in America has gotten way more Federal oil and gas drilling permits than any other State in the country. Guess which one. It is certainly not Alaska. It happens to be New Mexico. It just so happens to be New Mexico. Guess where the Secretary of the Interior is from. New Mexico. Hmm. Is that a coincidence? I wonder, in their frequent phone calls, when they talk about concerns of climate and shutting down oil and gas in Alaska, if shutting down oil and gas in New Mexico ever comes up? I am pretty sure it doesn't. How do I know that? Because close to half of all oil and gas drilling permits issued by the Department of the Interior, by New Mexican Deb Haaland, in 2021 have gone to one State. What State is that? New Mexico—2,286 Federal oil and gas drilling permits; almost half of all of the permits in the country to one State. So here is the bottom line. Here is their view. Shut down Alaska, hurt working families in Alaska, supposedly, to help America's climate goals, but then quietly say ""drill, baby, drill"" in New Mexico, with more permits by far than any other State in the country—almost 2,300. If that is not rank hypocrisy, I don't know what is. So I am going to start asking questions about this and, by the way, so should the press. I sure hope our friends in the press think that, hmm, there is something a little strange going on here. Clearly, there is hypocrisy happening. But, you know, that happens here occasionally—or maybe more than occasionally. But is there anything else going on? And I hope the press in New Mexico ask their senior Senator why he is so darn focused on hurting the good people of Alaska—because I wouldn't do that to New Mexican oil and gas workers or New Mexican Native communities. And finally, I am going to ask questions in another area. The Biden administration is clearly trying to shut down my State. It is there for everybody to see. Everybody back home knows it. But here is the thing. They can't do it illegally, and they can't do it unethically. And right now there is strong evidence that they are doing just that. What do I mean? Today, I sent this letter, that I would like to be printed in the record, to the inspector general of the Department of the Interior. Here is what I am asking in this letter. There is very strong evidence that at least four senior political appointees at the Department of the Interior who have been involved in many of these 20 Executive orders and Executive actions shutting down my State were actually, in their previous jobs, working on the very same issues and advocating for the very same outcomes—meaning they are working with a special interest group to say shut down the Willow Project. And then when it came to the Interior, they are working on whether or not to shut down the Willow Project. Now, most of us know, if that is true, that is clearly illegal and clearly unethical. We have documented in this letter—four senior Department of the Interior officials, all of whom who are trying to shut down my State—and I think there is strong evidence that they are violating ethics laws and violating the law. So I have asked for a detailed investigation by the Department of the Interior inspector general into whether or not these individuals have violated federal ethics laws in their quest to hurt working families in my State. Let me conclude with this. I am a supporter of responsible resource development in America of all of the above: energy, wind, solar, oil, gas—in every part of our great country, in Alaska, of course, in New Mexico—all across our great land. And I am a supporter of the great men and women who do this in Alaska and New Mexico and Texas and North Dakota. What is happening in my State right now, this is just wrong, and I am going to fight it. And any other Senator who would be going through what my State is going through, with your constituents being harmed, you would be down on the floor fighting it, too. The vast majority of the U.S. Senators here—Democrats and Republicans—I think deep down in their hearts know that this is just wrong. You don't come in with a new administration and say, “Hey, let me target one State and beat the heck out of their working families.” It is just wrong. And I am hopeful that my colleagues here—and I am asking them because we need the help. I have great people I represent—proud, tough people, but you can't fight the whole damn federal government when they are focused on shutting you down. So I am hopeful that my colleagues—all of my colleagues—I will share the list of the 20—that you can help me get the Biden administration and some misguided hypocritical U.S. Senators to enact a cease?fire in their war on working families and Native communities in the great State of Alaska. I yield the floor. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0E345A0F-FC75-43A1-A9E9-E3B5F38FD057,"Thune, Luján Lead Fight For Cattle Producers, Demand Halt of Brazilian Fresh Beef Imports",2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today led a bipartisan group of senators in expressing support for the cattle industry’s recent requests for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately suspend fresh beef imports from Brazil. In 2017, Brazilian fresh beef imports were suspended due to food safety concerns, and USDA allowed these imports to resume in 2020. The senators are concerned with Brazil’s recent failure to quickly disclose two cases of atypical spongiform encephalopathy – a neurological disease of cattle – which could pose a significant threat to the health and safety of the U.S. cattle herd. “Cattle producers across the country work hard to produce the highest quality beef in the world,” the senators wrote. “This industry should not be jeopardized by Brazilian beef imports that may contaminate U.S. herds and our food supply. We support the requests to suspend Brazilian fresh beef imports until a thorough investigation can be made into Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply food safety review process.” In February 2020, Thune led a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter to USDA questioning the department’s decision to lift the U.S. ban on Brazilian beef imports. This letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). Full letter below: The Honorable Tom Vilsack Secretary U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C., 20250 Dear Secretary Vilsack: We write to express support for the cattle industry’s recent requests for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately suspend fresh beef imports from Brazil. As you know, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a significant concern for cattle producers and consumers, and the United States has gone to great lengths to put in place extensive interlocking safeguards to ensure our cattle producers and consumers are protected from this devastating disease. In 2017, Brazilian fresh beef imports were suspended due to food safety concerns, and unfortunately, USDA allowed these imports to resume in 2020. Due to a lengthy delay in the reporting of two recent atypical BSE cases, we have concerns that these events are evidence that Brazil may lack credible animal health and food safety systems. While health officials state these two atypical BSE cases arose spontaneously in the infected cattle, Brazil’s irresponsible behavior may pose a significant threat to the health and safety of the U.S. cattle herd. We believe these concerns warrant the immediate suspension of Brazil’s fresh beef imports until a thorough review can be performed by USDA and livestock producers can be assured that Brazilian beef does not place our herds or consumers at risk from BSE or other potentially devastating livestock diseases. Cattle producers across the country work hard to produce the highest quality beef in the world. This industry should not be jeopardized by Brazilian beef imports that may contaminate U.S. herds and our food supply. We support the requests to suspend Brazilian fresh beef imports until a thorough investigation can be made into Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply food safety review process. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B13808AF-6156-4553-86BD-0DF5ECB1F2BB,Thune Questions Industry Experts on Big Tech’s Use of Persuasive Technology and Secret Algorithms,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, today questioned industry experts on technology companies’ use of algorithms and artificial intelligence at a subcommittee hearing titled, “Disrupting Dangerous Algorithms: Addressing the Harms of Persuasive Technology.” Yesterday, Thune questioned Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, about the company’s use of secret algorithms that work to keep users on their platform for a longer period of time. Thune also pressed Instagram on giving consumers more options, and in response, Instagram announced it would provide users with the ability to select a feed displayed in chronological order on its platform. At both hearings, Thune expressed deep concern about social media platforms’ use of persuasive technology and their ability to manipulate users’ experience while online. Thune highlighted two bills he reintroduced earlier this year: the Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency (PACT) Act and the Filter Bubble Transparency Act, which would help increase transparency for consumers and accountability for big tech. Thune recently questioned representatives from TikTok, Snap Inc., and YouTube about social media platforms’ ability to manipulate users’ experience through algorithms. Thune also questioned Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen about the dangers of big tech’s use of algorithms. Thune’s opening remarks below (as submitted to the hearing record): “Thank you, Chairman Lujan. “In 2019, six months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I served as chairman of this subcommittee, and convened a hearing on the use of algorithms and persuasive technology on internet platforms. “During that hearing, I noted that former Google Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, once said modern technology platforms “are even more powerful than most people realize, and our future will be profoundly altered by their adoption and successfulness in societies everywhere.” “Now we are near the end of 2021, and it seems like 2019—only two years ago—was a different age. “Since that time, the pandemic has accelerated the use of technology platforms, and algorithms have become even more ubiquitous in every aspect of the technology we use each day, largely without us even realizing it. “Indeed, while the pandemic has damaged many sectors of the economy, 2021 has been a year for Big Tech’s record books, even more so than was 2020. “Already in June of this year, the Financial Times observed that Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Facebook were adding a combined $51 billion dollars of equity value a week. “The current stock market value of these five companies, at over $9 trillion dollars, is more than the value of the next 27 most valuable companies put together. “As Eric Schmidt predicted, these technology companies have grown exponentially more wealthy and powerful, especially over the course of the pandemic. “So Mr. Chairman, I appreciate you convening today’s hearing to continue the conversation on how these massively wealthy and powerful big tech platforms are using persuasive technology, and how they are profoundly altering our future. “There is no question that internet platforms, and especially social media platforms, have transformed the way we communicate and interact with friends, family, and the public. “So much of the content we see on social media is entertaining, educational, and can be beneficial to the public. “However, I, along with several of my colleagues, and the public, have become more and more concerned about the influence and power of big tech within our society and the potentially damaging effect these platforms can have on individuals. “We’ve heard testimony earlier this year about social media’s damaging effects on consumers. “Hearing after hearing demonstrated that users are not aware of how their data is being used by big tech to affect their behavior and influence certain outcomes. “We know that a major problem with social media platforms, as well as search engines, is their use of secret algorithms – artificial intelligence developed by Silicon Valley software engineers that’s designed to shape and manipulate users’ experiences. “The powerful AI behind these platforms serve as prediction engines, creating a unique universe of information for each user, a phenomenon that’s often referred to as the “filter bubble.” “The filter bubble contributes to political polarization and social isolation. “Perhaps the most important thing to understand is that most users don’t make a conscious decision to enter the filter bubble. “This can be particularly troubling for younger users. “For example, a recent Wall Street Journal investigation described in detail how TikTok’s algorithm serves up highly inappropriate videos to minors. “As a general matter, the economic incentives are aligned for big tech to keep the filter bubble in place, without users’ awareness, because platforms only make money by keeping eyeballs on their platforms as long as possible. “Without congressional intervention, platforms have very little incentive to be more transparent about the existence of the filter bubble. “The days are over when you logged into your favorite social media platform and consumed content that had been posted chronologically since your previous log-in. “Now platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – and other social media platforms, as well as search engines – use algorithms to shape your newsfeed and suggest additional, seemingly never-ending content, emphasizing posts the platforms think you’ll be interested in and deemphasizing the ones they want you to scroll past. “And looking to the future, at the cutting edge of the use of algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence on internet platforms, is the idea of the “embodied internet,” or “metaverse,” which Mark Zuckerberg described as “the next evolution of social connection” when he changed the name of his company to Meta this past October. “The aspect of algorithms amplifying or suppressing content leads to increasing dissatisfaction and suspicion about bias being built in to the algorithms. “Big tech platforms are certainly free to deploy algorithms that select content based on what will keep each user engaged. “But the platforms should not be free to keep their users unaware of the fact that an algorithm is controlling which content each consumer sees on the platform. “With some rare exceptions, people aren’t given a choice to easily opt out of a black-box algorithm that secretly selects the content they see. “We’re learning more and more about what the problem is, and I have offered several proposals aimed at giving the public more transparency into these systems, and more control and accountability for consumers. “I’ve introduced the bipartisan Filter Bubble Transparency Act, which would give consumers the privacy, choice, and transparency that has been absent on these platforms for too long. “Specifically, large-scale internet platforms would be required to notify users that their platform uses secret algorithms to select the content they see, what’s often described as the “filter bubble.” “In addition, users would be given the choice to switch to a different version of the platform that is filter bubble-free. “At the very least, users should have the option to engage on these platforms without being manipulated by secret algorithms. “There’s also a growing bipartisan consensus that we need to shed greater light on the secretive content moderation processes social media companies use. “That’s why I’ve introduced the bipartisan PACT Act, which, among other things, would require internet platforms to make biannual transparency reports outlining material they’ve removed from their sites or chosen to deemphasize available to the public — and not just in intentionally complicated, hard-to-understand legalese. Sites would also be required to provide consumers with more due process and explanation when content is removed or otherwise moderated. “It's time to make big tech more transparent and accountable, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get these proposals across the finish line. “Today, each of our witnesses has deep expertise regarding algorithms and artificial intelligence more broadly, as well as in the more narrow context of engagement, prediction, behavior modification, and persuasion, and brings valuable perspective about where we are today and what we can expect in the future on these matters. “Your participation in this important hearing is appreciated, particularly as this Committee works to enact meaningful legislation to hold big tech accountable.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E277E1BE-7E4C-4723-B394-191EDDDA3C09,"Thune: Democrats Move to Double the Size of the IRS, Jeopardize Taxpayers’ Privacy",2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the Democrats’ desire to double the size of the Internal Revenue Servicein order to pay for their reckless tax-and-spending spree. Thune noted that the agency’s poor reputation and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars would further jeopardize the privacy of South Dakotans’ personal information. Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery): “Mr. President, the one thing you can say for Democrats’ so-called Build Back Better plan is that it provides a never-ending supply of bad proposals to talk about. “And the bad Build Back Better measure I want to discuss today is Democrats’ plan to double the size of the IRS. “Yes. “Double the size of the IRS. “Mr. President, the IRS is not exactly the most popular government agency. “And with good reason. “The agency has gained for itself a reputation for poor taxpayer service and, most seriously, for mishandling the confidential taxpayer information it has access to. “In fact, the IRS was subject to a massive leak or hack of private taxpayer information mere months ago – information that somehow ended up in the hands of advocates at ProPublica. “And neither Treasury nor the IRS has provided meaningful follow-up about the data breach, much less any accountability. “For months, Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee have pressed the administration for details about the breach of private taxpayer information. “I would have hoped that my friends on the other side of the aisle would have shown similar concern for taxpayers’ privacy. “And who could forget the IRS scandal during the Obama administration, when the IRS targeted a number of organizations based on their political beliefs. “Mr. President, those are two notorious examples of IRS misconduct. “But there are plenty of others. “The Treasury inspector general for tax administration has repeatedly found instances of IRS agents violating taxpayer rights. “And then there’s the agency’s record of irresponsibility or incompetence – or both. “Losing track of laptops that may have contained sensitive taxpayer information. “Rehiring employees who had been fired for bad behavior. “Work delays due to a lack of simple printer maintenance. “Hanging up on taxpayers who call the IRS for information. “Customer service departments in general can be frustrating, but at least at many companies you can reach an actual person in a fairly reasonable amount of time. “If you call the IRS you have a one in 50 chance of reaching a human being. “One in 50. “Mr. President, I could go on. “Suffice it to say, there are good reasons why Americans tend not to be big fans of the IRS. “And why they think this agency already has too much power. “But Democrats would like to double the size of this agency. “Democrats’ bill would add 87,000 new IRS employees. “87,000. “That’s enough employees to fill an entire football stadium – with some left over. “87,000 is more than the population of Rapid City, South Dakota – the second-largest city in my state. “The Congressional Budget Office estimates that increasing the size of the agency in this way would result in significantly higher audit rates of American taxpayers. “Many of those audits would hit middle-income Americans and small businesses – in other words, individuals without easy access to an army of accountants to help them navigate the process and ensure that their rights are protected. “Mr. President, Democrats’ primary reason for this IRS expansion is to raise revenue to help pay for their partisan tax-and-spending spree. “They claim that hiring all these new IRS agents and employees will allow them to close or reduce the tax gap – the difference between taxes owed and taxes paid. “But there are a couple of problems with that. “In the first place, it’s extremely doubtful that they will be able to raise the money they claim they’ll be able to raise. “In fact, the Congressional Budget Office doesn’t even score hoped-for revenue from enforcement since it considers the acquisition of that revenue to be so uncertain. “And even if Democrats are able to raise a meaningful sum from increased enforcement, what exactly is it going to cost Americans for Democrats to recapture this money? “Increased scrutiny – and costly audits – of law-abiding taxpayers? “IRS intimidation and harassment? “And just in case anyone thinks I’m exaggerating about that intimidation, I would note that a provision in the House version of Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending spree would repeal a measure requiring written approval of a supervisor before an IRS agent can assess any penalties. “The provision was intended to prevent overreaching IRS agents from threatening Americans with unjustified penalties. “And it’s hard to imagine why Democrats are trying to repeal this measure if they’re not trying to pave the way for much more aggressive IRS pressure and enforcement. “And I haven’t even mentioned the provision that was in Democrats’ proposal for a long time and which some Democrats – including the president’s treasury secretary and other administration officials – would still like to see included: a provision that would empower the IRS to snoop on the details of Americans’ bank accounts. “Under one version of this provision, the IRS would be able to sift through the bank records of any American with just $600 in annual transactions. “$600. “In other words, the IRS would be able to look through the bank records of just about every American and find out just how much you spent on Starbucks or your last doctor’s bill or that new winter coat. “It’s staggering that Democrats could even contemplate giving that much power to an agency that has a track record of mishandling sensitive taxpayer information. “But that’s the kind of power the president’s treasury secretary, for one, would like this agency to have. “Mr. President, with their so-called Build Back Better plan, Democrats are proposing a massive expansion of government. “And we’re apparently just supposed to take it on faith that the government will be able to handle all these new responsibilities. “Well, I – and many other Americans – have my doubts. “And the IRS provides a perfect example of why. “The IRS can’t even properly handle the staff and responsibilities it already has. “And yet Democrats think it’s a good idea to double the size of this agency and give it new enforcement powers – and, if some have their way, expanded access to Americans’ personal information. “Mr. President, doubling the size of the IRS is a terrible idea. “And it’s one more reason why ‘Build Back Better’ is a bad deal for the American people.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-young-gives-nightmare-before-christmas-speech-on-us-senate-floor/,VIDEO: Young Gives ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Speech on U.S. Senate Floor,2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) gave a speech on the U.S. Senate Floor today highlighting some of the “gifts” included in the Democrats’ Build Back Better Act that could cost American families this Christmas season. “It seems that Democrats want our children and grandchildren to pay for this bundle of goodies through the lay-away plan. GDP is projected to fall because of Build Back Better. “Colleagues, the best present all of us can give the American people is to do whatever is in our power to stop the Build Back Better Act,” said Senator Young during his speech. Click here to view the Senator’s full speech. See Below for the Senator’s Full Remarks as Prepared for Delivery: In case anyone was wondering, there are 16 shopping days left before Christmas. I know I still have some shopping to do myself, but it seems as though President Biden and my Democratic colleagues here in Congress have already done most of their shopping. That’s good thinking. You can’t start too early with the supply chain as bad as it is. So let’s gather around the Christmas tree to see what gifts Democrats are prepared to pass out on Christmas morning thanks to their reckless tax-and-spend bill. To left-wing labor unions – Democrats are gifting billions of dollars in handouts to strengthen this core constituency of theirs. While they’re letting charitable tax deductions expire in Build Back Better, they have giftwrapped an above-the-line tax deduction for union dues. And as a special Christmas surprise, they’re putting under the tree a shiny new tax credit for electric vehicles – but only if those vehicles are made in a union shop. You see, if you are naughty and buy an electric vehicle from a non-union shop like those in my state of Indiana, you will miss out on the Democrats’ $4,500 holiday give-away in this bill. Apparently, during this Christmas season, the impact of EVs on climate change only matters if the workers’ contracts are collectively bargained. Which brings us to China, the tax hikes on businesses large and small in this bill will give China an unfair competitive advantage. Increasing taxes on American businesses by more than $800 billion when they’re already struggling with supply-chain issues and worker shortages will do very little to bring the jobs of the future here. Which is exactly why the communist leaders in China will love this gift. And the largest gift under Washington Democrats’ tree goes to none other than the rich. By dramatically increasing the cap on the State and Local Tax deduction or SALT for short. The once-proud “party of the working class” is giving a tax cut to two-thirds of people earning more than $1 million a year. The average size of that cut is almost $17,000 a year for millionaires. This is the now Democratic Party. Merry Christmas. This is the single most expensive tax expenditure in the Build Back Better Act and it’s the second biggest component of the whole bill. Evidently, Democrats believe it’s better to give than receive from millionaires so they have proposed a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans from the wealthiest cities, gift wrapped from the Democratic Party. But maybe there’s something under the tree for the rest of us? After the handouts, giveaways, entitlements, and earmarks, what’s left for regular, middle class working stiffs? We know that the really big gifts come in the smallest packages…a lump of coal. That lump of coal represents a massive $367 billion that will be added to the debt by the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spend bill according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Not to mention the ten years of tax increases included in the bill to pay for only a few years of policy changes. Of course, we all know that figure will be much higher in reality. If all the temporary provisions in this bill are made permanent – it will increase our budget deficit by nearly $3 trillion this decade. It seems that Democrats want our children and grandchildren to pay for this bundle of goodies through the lay-away plan. GDP is projected to fall because of Build Back Better. The cost of living is expected to rise even more than it already has over the last year because of BBB. And despite promises from President Biden & my Senate Democratic colleagues, if BBB were to become law, taxes would be raised on lower and middle class Americans who are just trying to get by. Ladies and gentlemen, this Christmas season, Democrats are not offering holiday jobs or good cheer. Instead, this feels more like the Nightmare Before Christmas. Colleagues, the best present all of us can give the American people is to do whatever is in our power to stop the Build Back Better Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-colleagues-urge-ssa-to-reopen-field-offices-to-the-public/,"Young, Colleagues Urge SSA to Reopen Field Offices to the Public",2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, in sending a letter urging Acting Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi to immediately reopen the SSA’s field offices to the public. Senator Young’s office has received numerous complaints from constituents unable to schedule in-person appointments in a timely manner and from Hoosiers – often elderly – who have had difficulty navigating the online options. “Social Security is a bedrock of our nation’s social safety net, especially for our nation’s seniors aged 62 or older who comprise more than four-fifths of all Social Security beneficiaries. … On March 17, 2020, the Social Security Administration (SSA) suspended in-person services because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This suspension created a disruption to the millions of new applicants and beneficiaries receiving Social Security benefits,” the senators wrote. “On behalf of the nearly 70 million Americans who receive benefits from SSA, we reiterate the need to reopen the field offices as quickly as possible. Our nation’s seniors and beneficiaries of SSA programs deserve no less.” Nearly 21 months ago, the SSA suspended in-person services because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the SSA reportedly submitted its reentry plan to the Office of Management and Budget in July of 2021, the SSA still has failed to fully reopen its offices to the public. This has resulted in disruptions to the millions of applicants and beneficiaries receiving Social Security benefits, including: Challenges for individuals, especially seniors in rural areas, who do not have reliable telephone or internet access; A reduction in Supplemental Security Income awards and disability benefit approvals; and Mail backlogs and delays in providing benefit payments.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=202EF3FA-1EE2-494D-A62A-219C6465C950,President Biden’s Illegal Vaccine Mandate is “Blatant Overreach”,2021-12-08,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the vaccine mandate: “For the last two years, as the country has battled COVID-19, I have been a strong and constant advocate of following the science and taking precautions. “That’s included strong support for the safe and effective vaccines that have helped millions of Americans substantially lower their risk of death or serious illness. “I took advantage of these modern medical miracles as soon as I could. I’ve received a booster. I’ve encouraged Kentuckians and all Americans to take full advantage as well. I have recorded public service announcements. “I’m a survivor of childhood polio. I’ve watched vaccines obliterate polio in our entire country in my lifetime. Trust me, there is no bigger proponent of vaccination. “But here’s the thing, Mr. President. The United States of America is a free country. The federal government, elites in Washington, cannot micromanage citizens’ personal choices without a legitimate basis in the law and the Constitution. And that goes double for Presidents going far beyond the bounds of their office and their authority. “President Biden’s absurd private-sector vaccine mandate is blatant overreach. It is illegal. The Administration has already lost in federal court and had it blocked. “Washington Democrats have lashed themselves to a mast that is very simple: Unvaccinated people should be fired. That’s what they want. They don’t trust individuals, families, doctors, employers, and customers to sort things out for themselves. They want every worker at a medium-sized business and up to either get this shot or get fired by President Biden. And buried in the illegal mandate is a call to explore whether it should expand to all businesses. “This is not how things work in America. Period. “Workers are not happy. Medium-sized businesses are not happy, especially not in the middle of this worker shortage. “And frankly nobody who understands our system of government is happy. “I’ve heard from so many Kentuckians who are affected by the Administration’s suite of several unwise vaccine mandates. “Quote: ‘My wife… was notified that if she doesn’t get fully vaccinated by January 4th then she would be terminated and lose her job without severance or unemployment… she has been [there] for 17 years and has nothing but exemplary reviews.’ “Quote: ‘I will lose my job at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. I very much enjoyed my work there and had every intention of retiring from the plant. However, due to Joe Biden’s forced vaccine mandate I will be terminated … Please let a man who wants to work, go to work.’ “Quote: ‘My firm [of] 103 employees will [either] lose about 25 to the mandate, or lay off 4 to get to 99. Which one should we do?’ “Remember, Mr. President, personally, I’d encourage each of these Kentuckians to get the vaccine. But for the purposes of this conversation that isn’t the point. “You better believe I am going to stand up and fight for their freedom. “I want to thank the junior Senator for Indiana for spearheading this resolution to overturn the Biden Administration’s illegal mandate. I am proud to cosponsor it, I’ll proudly vote for it, and I urge every Senator to do the same.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z