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.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2125,"Springfield Republican: US Sens. Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren look to block GOP tax plan's Arctic drilling language",2017-12-30,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, pushed back Thursday against language added to the Senate Republican tax plan that could open up Alaska's Arctic Refuge to oil drilling. Markey accused Senate Republicans of trying to ""ram through"" the controversial provision as a rider to the GOP tax bill, noting that several lawmakers oppose drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Warren, who joined her Massachusetts Senate colleague in opposing the provision, urged Americans to help Democrats fight back against the proposal. Read more on the Springfield Republican website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-decries-new-trump-administration-speed-over-safety-offshore-drilling-rules,Senator Markey Decries New Trump Administration “Speed Over Safety” Offshore Drilling Rules,2017-12-29,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Decries New Trump Administration Speed Over Safety Offshore Drilling Rules Friday, December 29, 2017 Markey was leading Congressional investigator into BP oil spill Washington (December 29, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Trump administration published its proposal today to roll back rules meant to prevent offshore drilling disasters. Senator Markey was the leading Congressional investigator into the BP oil spill, and the first to post the Spillcam online of the underwater spill. It hasnt even been ten years since the Deepwater Horizon disaster dumped millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, yet the Trump administration wants to return to the speed-over-safety mentality that led to the BP spill in the first place, said Senator Markey. At the behest of its oil company cronies, the Trump administration wants to roll back rules meant to prevent offshore drilling disasters at the same time that they want to expand offshore drilling to new areas like the East Coast and put our coastlines, residents and wildlife at risk. This proposal targets rules meant to ensure that safety devices are functioning properly. Instead of making sure the oil and gas industrys last-resort protections work, the Trump administration resorts to putting protection last. Congress has yet to enact a single new significant law to improve the safety of offshore drilling, concluded Senator Markey. We owe it to the residents of the Gulf and to all those living along coastline where the Trump administration hopes to drill with abandon to ensure environmental tragedies like Deepwater never happen again. Congress must still act, and I will continue to fight in the Senate to ensure that we enact the strongest protections for our environment and workers in offshore drilling. In April, Senators Markey and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) led a group of 27 senators in calling on the Trump administration to protect the coastlines of the United States from offshore oil drilling. The senators sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke urging him not to revise the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Five-Year Plan) to eliminate protections for the East and West Coasts, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and for the sensitive marine ecosystems in the Arctic Ocean. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-issues-statement-pre-payments-property-taxes-following-consultation,Neal Issues Statement on Pre-Payments of Property Taxes...,2017-12-28,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"SPRINGFIELD, MA Ranking Member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Richard E. Neal, issued the following statement after receiving an explanation from the IRS regarding pre-payments of property taxes under the new limitations on the state and local tax deductions. ""Last week, I sent a letter to the IRS asking for clarification on pre-payments of property taxes as it relates to the new limitations on the state and local tax deduction under federal law, said Ranking Member Neal. Due to constituent interest, I asked the IRS how they would apply the new law to taxpayers who are considering pre-paying their 2018 property taxes before the end of 2017. Acting Commissioner David J. Kautter responded to my inquiry today and the IRS issued an advisory with guidance. The advisory generally provides that pre-paid real property taxes may be deductible in 2017 if assessed and paid in 2017. As there is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty around this issue, individual taxpayers should consider visiting IRS.gov so they are aware of what options are available to them."" A copy of the Neal letter can be found here. A copy of the Kautter letter can be found here. A link to the IRS advisory is here. ##",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mcgovern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397162,McGovern Statement on Honduran Elections,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Jim McGovern,M000312,mcgovern.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) a strong voice in support of human rights, ending corruption, and advancing the rule of law in Honduras issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the U.S. Department of State congratulating Juan Orlando Hernandez on his successful reelection as President of Honduras:I am angry and deeply disturbed by the State Departments announcement today congratulating Juan Orlando Hernandez on his successful re-election as President of Honduras. The recent elections in Honduras were deeply flawed, chaotic and marred by numerous irregularities. These failings are detailed in reports issued by observer missions from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union (EU). When tens of thousands of Hondurans took to the streets in peaceful protests against potential electoral fraud, they were met by excessive force from Honduran security forces, leading to the deaths of as many as two dozen civilians. The lack of integrity in the electoral process led the OAS Secretary General to call for new elections. I believe supporting the call of the OAS Secretary General and holding new elections under international auspices would be the better course of action. Right now, very few Hondurans have confidence in the results and the country remains deeply polarized. For the U.S. government to pretend otherwise is the height of blind folly and it will surely harm our influence and undermine our priorities throughout the region in the days and weeks to come. If we fail today to support democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Honduras, then we will not be able to find lasting solutions to the plagues of drug trafficking, criminality, violence, and corrupt institutions, politicians and political parties all of which are factors driving waves of refugees and migrants to abandon their homes and seek safety and a better life for their families elsewhere. Such solutions require a credible, legitimate government that has the support of its people and which is genuinely committed to the respect of basic human rights and the rule of law. Congress approved aid to Honduras to help address the violence, lack of opportunity, and institutional weakness that have been driving migration. It tied that aid to evidence that Honduras is making progress on human rights, the rule of law, and ending corruption. I do not see signs of progress in Honduras right now, and I and many of my colleagues in Congress will be hard-pressed to approve the release of funds to President Hernandezs government. I will continue to raise my voice in support of human rights and the rule of law, and I strongly urge the Administration to do much more in pursuit of democracy and ending corruption in Honduras than it has thus far. Regrettably, I believe todays announcement by the State Department is an error and a significant set-back. McGovern recently joined several of his colleagues on two letters (which may be read hereand here) to the State Department asking that it support the call for new, fair elections in Honduras. As Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the U.S. House of Representatives, he has closely monitored the human rights situation in Honduras for a number of years.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tsongas.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2155,INTERDICT Act heads to President's desk for signature,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Niki Tsongas,T000465,tsongas.house.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Markey, Rubio, Brown, and Capito Celebrate Senate Passage of Anti-Fentanyl Legislation; Bill Now Heads to Presidents Desk Legislation would provide Customs and Protection the latest in chemical screening devices and scientific support to detect and intercept fentanyl and other synthetic opioids at the border New CDC Data shows nearly half of opioid overdose deaths in 2016 linked to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl Washington (December 22, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), author of the INTERDICT Act, and Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) hailed Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation that would help to stop the flow of the illicit opioid fentanyl across the U.S. border. The lifesaving bill will help equip Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with scanning devices and other technologies to detect synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Mexico is the primary source for illicit fentanyl trafficked into the United States, while distributors in China are the principal source of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture the drug, as well as a source for finished-product illicit fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, which are often shipped to the United States through the mail and express consignment carriers. Companion legislation introduced by Representatives Niki Tsongas (MA-03) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 412 to 3 in October. In data released this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 42,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose in 2016, with nearly half being directly attributed to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Fentanyl is presenting as the deadliest illicit opioid drug Massachusetts is facing, said Senator Markey. It is an immediate and grave threat to the American people, and we need to staunch its flow through our borders now. Customs and Border Protection is a critical line of defense in the battle to stop fentanyl from flooding our communities, and the INTERDICT Act will help provide it with the latest technological tools to detect and intercept this deadly drug. I thank Senators Rubio, Brown and Capito for their partnership on this legislation and call on President Trump to sign the bill immediately. Fentanyl is a leading contributor to the opioid crisis that is destroying families and taking lives in Florida and across the country said Senator Rubio. I urge the president to quickly sign this bill into law so that we can further the progress in stopping fentanyl from entering our country from abroad, and ultimately curb the opioid epidemic. Ohioans are dying from overdoses at the second highest rate in the country. Families are being torn apart. Children are losing parents. Parents are losing sons and daughters. And we know fentanyl is one of the main culprits, said Senator Brown. I urge President Trump to sign our bipartisan bill into law immediately, so we can give law enforcement the tools they need to keep this drug out of Ohio and off our streets. Just this week, we learned that West Virginia continues to lead the country in overdose deaths, but we are not the only state that is being forced to deal with the tragic consequences of the growing opioid epidemic. Given the scope and the impact of this national crisis, its going to take a comprehensive, all-hands-on-deck approach to fight it, and enforcement is a big part of that strategy,said Senator Capito. I was proud to introduce the INTERDICT Act with Senator Markey and will continue working to make sure our law enforcement professionals have the tools and resources they need to keep illicit substances out of our country and off of our streets. Specifically, the INTERDICT Act: Ensures that CBP will have additional portable chemical screening devices available at ports of entry and mail and express consignment facilities, and additional fixed chemical screening devices available in CBP laboratories Provides CBP with sufficient resources, personnel, and facilities including scientists available during all operational hours to interpret screening test results from the field Authorizes based on CBP guidance the appropriation of $15 million for hundreds of new screening devices, laboratory equipment, facilities, and personnel for support during all operational hours Whenever I meet with local public safety officials, they explain the urgent need for resources and support to combat drugs like fentanyl, said Rep. Tsongas. The INTERDICT Act responds to the needs of these first responders and recognizes that the 21st century threat of synthetic opioids requires the latest tools to stop them. Providing CBP with more modern equipment and resources will improve their ability to keep these harmful substances out of our country. This bill will be a cutting-edge tool for eliminating synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, from the equation. I thank my House and Senate colleagues for their dedicated partnership. This was truly a bipartisan effort and I look forward to seeing this important bill signed into law. As communities across my district and across our nation continue to deal with the crisis of opioid abuse and addiction its hard to imagine a synthetic drug up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, said Rep. Fitzpatrick. The INTERDICT Act is bipartisan legislation that provides U.S. Customs and Border Protection access to the latest in chemical screening devices and scientific support to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they can cause more harm. I am pleased that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, first in the House and now the Senate, have voted to advance this important measure. I urge the president to quickly sign the INTERDICT Act into law so we can keep this poison off our streets. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-un-security-council-sanctions-on-north-korea,Senator Markey Statement on UN Security Council Sanctions on North Korea,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Statement on UN Security Council Sanctions on North Korea Friday, December 22, 2017 Washington (December 22, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to enact another round of sanctions on the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday, December 22. Senator Markey has been the leading Congressional voice calling for increased sanctions to help pressure North Korea back to the negotiating table. Todays UN vote is a step in the right direction. These are the kind of measures I have been calling for to bring North Korea to the negotiating table. However, we still have a long way to go, said Senator Markey. Our diplomats are working hard to find a solution to the North Korean threat, and I commend their efforts. However, this United Nations Security Council Resolution still allows China and others to send up to four million barrels of crude oil a year to North Korea. If we want to drive Kim Jong Uns regime to the negotiating table, we must clamp down on that oil flow the lifeblood of both the North Korean elites and their illicit and destabilizing military programs. Furthermore, we must find ways to help ensure countries enforce these sanctions, since the UN has no enforcement mechanism of its own and certain countries have not upheld their obligations in the past. The North Korean threat has only increased since President Trump took office and his administration needs to find a way to get China to cut off the crude oil flowing into North Korea. While I applaud this step toward our goal, only the combination of economic pressure and diplomatic engagement will peacefully resolve this crisis. In August, Senator Markey led a Congressional delegation to Seoul, Tokyo, and the North Korea-China border, where it was the first foreign group to receive a briefing from Chinese customs officials who enforce sanctions at the border. Senators Markey and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) have introduced legislation to impose economic sanctions on North Korea and its enablers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-rubio-brown-and-capito-celebrate-senate-passage-of-anti-fentanyl-legislation-bill-now-heads-to-presidents-desk,"Senators Markey, Rubio, Brown, and Capito Celebrate Senate Passage of Anti-Fentanyl Legislation; Bill Now Heads to President’s Desk",2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Markey, Rubio, Brown, and Capito Celebrate Senate Passage of Anti-Fentanyl Legislation; Bill Now Heads to Presidents Desk Friday, December 22, 2017 Markey legislation would provide Customs and Protection the latest in chemical screening devices and scientific support to detect and intercept fentanyl and other synthetic opioids at the border New CDC Data shows nearly half of opioid overdose deaths in 2016 linked to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl Washington (December 22, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), author of the INTERDICT Act, and Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) hailed Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation that would help to stop the flow of the illicit opioid fentanyl across the U.S. border. The lifesaving bill will help equip Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with scanning devices and other technologies to detect synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Mexico is the primary source for illicit fentanyl trafficked into the United States, while distributors in China are the principal source of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture the drug, as well as a source for finished-product illicit fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, which are often shipped to the United States through the mail and express consignment carriers. Companion legislation introduced by Representatives Niki Tsongas (MA-03) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 412 to 3 in October. In data released this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 42,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose in 2016, with nearly half being directly attributed to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Fentanyl is presenting as the deadliest illicit opioid drug Massachusetts is facing, said Senator Markey. It is an immediate and grave threat to the American people, and we need to staunch its flow through our borders now. Customs and Border Protection is a critical line of defense in the battle to stop fentanyl from flooding our communities, and the INTERDICT Act will help provide it with the latest technological tools to detect and intercept this deadly drug. I thank Senators Rubio, Brown and Capito for their partnership on this legislation and call on President Trump to sign the bill immediately. Fentanyl is a leading contributor to the opioid crisis that is destroying families and taking lives in Florida and across the country said Senator Rubio. I urge the president to quickly sign this bill into law so that we can further the progress in stopping fentanyl from entering our country from abroad, and ultimately curb the opioid epidemic. Ohioans are dying from overdoses at the second highest rate in the country. Families are being torn apart. Children are losing parents. Parents are losing sons and daughters. And we know fentanyl is one of the main culprits, said Senator Brown. I urge President Trump to sign our bipartisan bill into law immediately, so we can give law enforcement the tools they need to keep this drug out of Ohio and off our streets. Just this week, we learned that West Virginia continues to lead the country in overdose deaths, but we are not the only state that is being forced to deal with the tragic consequences of the growing opioid epidemic. Given the scope and the impact of this national crisis, its going to take a comprehensive, all-hands-on-deck approach to fight it, and enforcement is a big part of that strategy, said Senator Capito. I was proud to introduce the INTERDICT Act with Senator Markey and will continue working to make sure our law enforcement professionals have the tools and resources they need to keep illicit substances out of our country and off of our streets. Specifically, the INTERDICT Act: Ensures that CBP will have additional portable chemical screening devices available at ports of entry and mail and express consignment facilities, and additional fixed chemical screening devices available in CBP laboratories Provides CBP with sufficient resources, personnel, and facilities including scientists available during all operational hours to interpret screening test results from the field Authorizes based on CBP guidance the appropriation of $15 million for hundreds of new screening devices, laboratory equipment, facilities, and personnel for support during all operational hours Whenever I meet with local public safety officials, they explain the urgent need for resources and support to combat drugs like fentanyl, said Rep. Tsongas. The INTERDICT Act responds to the needs of these first responders and recognizes that the 21st century threat of synthetic opioids requires the latest tools to stop them. Providing CBP with more modern equipment and resources will improve their ability to keep these harmful substances out of our country. This bill will be a cutting-edge tool for eliminating synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, from the equation. I thank my House and Senate colleagues for their dedicated partnership. This was truly a bipartisan effort and I look forward to seeing this important bill signed into law. As communities across my district and across our nation continue to deal with the crisis of opioid abuse and addiction its hard to imagine a synthetic drug up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, said Rep. Fitzpatrick. The INTERDICT Act is bipartisan legislation that provides U.S. Customs and Border Protection access to the latest in chemical screening devices and scientific support to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they can cause more harm. I am pleased that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, first in the House and now the Senate, have voted to advance this important measure. I urge the president to quickly sign the INTERDICT Act into law so we can keep this poison off our streets. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2197,Revere Journal: Sen Elizabeth Warren Urges Congress to Restore Funding to Community Health Centers like EBNHC,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In an Op-Ed that appeared in Stat News on Monday, Dec. 18, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called House Republicans onto the carpet for halting federal funding to the nation's Community Health Centers, like East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (EBNHC), while working on cutting taxes for the ""wealthy."" ""I love community health centers,"" Warren wrote. ""They do wonderful work and enjoy widespread support. But I'm worried because Republican leaders in Congress have held these centers hostage by halting federal funding while they focus on passing tax cuts for the wealthy. It's past time to step up the fight for community health centers in my state of Massachusetts and across the country."" Warren argued that community health centers, like EBNHC, are a big part of what's working well in health care today - more coverage at lower cost. ""They are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic,"" she wrote. ""They provide preventive services and chronic disease management. They are taking the stigma out of mental health treatment. And they save money by promoting disease prevention, providing care coordination, and reducing the use of hospital emergency rooms."" Read more on the Revere Journal website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2188,"Warren, Cassidy, Colleagues Call for HELP Committee Hearings on Hurricanes' Impact on Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands",2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Text of the letter available here (PDF) Washington, DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), along with 7 of their colleagues on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter to HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to request that the Committee hold hearings to assess the challenges facing the health and educational systems of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Noting the extensive damage caused by the hurricanes to the islands' education and public health infrastructures, the senators urged Chairman Alexander to hold hearings to address these issues and to evaluate the relief provided by the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education, both of which fall under the HELP Committee's jurisdiction. ""Given the extent of the damage inflicted upon both territories, as well as the important roles of the departments under this committee's jurisdiction in ongoing hurricane relief efforts, we believe such hearings would be an important part of the Committee's oversight related to hurricane recovery,"" the senators wrote. ""Hearings could help ensure that the Senate has a detailed understanding of the health and education challenges facing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as an understanding of how Departments under the Committee's purview have provided relief, and how they can improve relief efforts."" The HELP Committee has not yet held any hearings on how the two territories have been affected by the storms. Senators Warren and Cassidy were joined by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in sending the letter. In the months since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Senator Warren has: Called for an investigation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) decision to award over $30 million in contracts to Bronze Star LLC for temporary roofing materials in Puerto Rico that were never delivered. Introduced a comprehensive plan, along with Senator Sanders and colleagues,to address the immediate humanitarian needs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and ensure that the islands not only recover, but are able to rebuild in a way that empowers them to thrive. Led five of her Senate colleagues in writing to the Department of Defense to request information on the Department's efforts to provide medical care in the aftermath of Hurricanes Maria, and to request information on the role of the USNS Comfort in the Department's Puerto Rico response efforts. Joined colleagues in urging Senate appropriators to include in a third disaster supplemental bill additional funding to help schools impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Urged Puerto Rico's Financial Oversight and Management Board to request that the Court overseeing Puerto Rico's debt restructuring completely write off the Island's debt obligations. Led a group of 12 senators asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information about water- and vector-borne diseases in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Written to the Trump Administration outlining what ought to be included in a third disaster supplemental appropriations bill to address the damage caused by hurricanes and wildfires across the country. Joined colleagues in demanding federal agencies expedite power restoration efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Joined in leading a group of 7 senators in pushing the Trump administration to increase efforts on Vieques and Culebra, especially securing the Vieques Superfund site. Urged the Department of Education to use its discretion to help college students and student loan borrowers displaced or otherwise unable to continue their education in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Led a group of senators urging DHS to take steps to ensure the accuracy of the official fatality count in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Called for Puerto Rico's debt relief during a Capitol Hill rally in coordination with the #JustRecovery march. Participated in a FEMA briefing on the status of recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Led a coalition of senators in a letter to President Trump, urging him to step up disaster recovery efforts on the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra. Held community meetings in Massachusetts to discuss the economic and humanitarian crises on the islands. Pressed President Trump to take eight immediate, specific actions in response to the crisis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Urged HHS to provide additional resources and better coordinate efforts to combat the growing public health crisis on the ground. Called on the President to use his authority under the Defense Production Act to more swiftly respond to the disaster. Written to Republican leadership requesting that Congress be allowed to promptly take up legislation to provide the necessary aid to the U.S. citizens living on the islands. Asked President Trump to waive the local cost-sharing requirement for the hurricane response in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and for the federal government to fully cover recovery expenses. Joined Senator Markey in calling for a resolution to the Univision-Verizon retransmission dispute, to hasten the restoration of Spanish-language news programming in the wake of the hurricanes. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2182,Elizabeth Warren & Bernie Sanders: Democratic Priorities in our Budget,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Originally published December 6th, 2017.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2186,Senator Elizabeth Warren Speaks on Dreamers: Reina Guevara's Story,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2187,Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin: Betsy DeVos needs to stand up for defrauded students,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://tsongas.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2150,Several Third District communities to receive over $5 million in federal funding,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Niki Tsongas,T000465,tsongas.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC December 21, 2017 Congresswoman Niki Tsongas announced that Third District communities Fitchburg, Haverhill, Lawrence and Lowell will receive federal Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to support housing rehabilitation, public service projects and local infrastructure. Community Development Block Grants are some of the most valuable tools cities have to promote economic development, modernize infrastructure, and respond flexibly to local challenges, said Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. Since coming to Congress, I have strongly supported funding the CDBG program at the level necessary to meet community needs, joining a coalition of my colleagues in urging Congressional support for the program. CDBG is one of the federal governments most cost effective programs, enabling communities in my district, in Massachusetts and across America to leverage their resources to quickly respond to emerging needs. Theyre an excellent investment in our communities and provide benefits well into the future. Fitchburg will receive$896,048 Haverhill will receive$850,044 Lawrence will receive$1,523,791 Lowell will receive$1,830,762 An additional $29,757,361 will be distributed by the Commonwealths Department of Housing and Community Development to other eligible communities. Fitchburg Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale said: The CDBG funding received by the City of Fitchburg enables us to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for Fitchburg residents. For example, this year $240,391.00 of CDBG funding will contribute to the demolition of thirteen (13) abandoned and blighted buildings, making way for further development. Mayor DiNatale also cited the many youth-focused programs supported by CDBG, including YMCA Spartacus and the Boys & Girls Club afterschool transportation program, stating that, youth oriented activities are vitally important and we are fortunate to be able to provide some assistance to these programs through CDBG funding. DiNatale stressed the importance of HUD keeping CDBG funding to entitlement cities like Fitchburg intact: The loss of CDBG funding would be a devastating loss to the City of Fitchburg. Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini said: ""CDBG has long been an important source of funding for the City of Haverhill. These HUD funds allow us to continue to upgrade our urban housing stock, make critical investments in low-income neighborhoods, and stimulate economic activity in historically disinvested neighborhoods. We are using CDBG to increase homeownership in Mount Washington and the Lower Acre, get parents quality day care so they can work full-time, and enforce health and safety codes for better, cleaner streets in our urban core. It would be difficult for the City to do these things otherwise."" Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said: Lawrence is so thankful for the hard work of Congresswomen Tsongas securing this CDBG award. Just a year ago we didnt even know the future of this program. Thanks to the hard work of our congresswoman, all of the programs that go to fund community based solutions and support for English Language for new immigrants and youth employment will happen this year. Lowell City Manager Kevin Murphy said: With the support of CDBG funds Lowell is poised to provide critical services and infrastructure to our residents. We are thankful for Congresswoman Tsongas support for this program that is critical to supporting Lowells needs. Congresswoman Tsongas has long supported federal funding for local economic development projects and organizations, including Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), and she has advocated for and helped secure numerous such grants across the Third District. ####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-year-end-government-spending-package,Senator Markey Statement on Year-End Government Spending Package,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Statement on Year-End Government Spending Package Thursday, December 21, 2017 Washington (December 21, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement after voting against the year-end government spending package. Instead of devoting their energy to providing certainty for the Childrens Health Insurance Program, protecting our DREAMers, and ensuring that we have funding to address the opioid crisis and for our invaluable community health centers, Republicans jammed through a holiday tax package for their donors and the top one percent, said Senator Markey. Republicans care more about corporate welfare than childrens health care. Theyve also added a provision to this continuing resolution that would extend controversial authorities in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but should make much needed reforms to address serious concerns about the extent to which the government conducts surveillance over its own citizens. This year-end spending package is disgraceful, and is entirely insufficient to address the worries of millions of American families hoping for security and dignity this holiday season. In the new year, I pledge to fight for full funding and long-term stability for childrens health insurance and community health centers, without raiding funds of other valuable health program, and to ensure that we give full protection to the young people whove known no other home than the United States. We simply cannot wait to do the right thing. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-and-lee-query-dept-of-homeland-security-on-expansion-of-facial-recognition-scanning-program-at-us-airports,Senators Markey and Lee Query Dept. of Homeland Security on Expansion of Facial Recognition Scanning Program at U.S. Airports,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Markey and Lee Query Dept. of Homeland Security on Expansion of Facial Recognition Scanning Program at U.S. Airports Thursday, December 21, 2017 Lawmakers ask for more information since Congress has never authorized biometric exit scanning for U.S. citizens Washington (December 21, 2017) Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), members of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to answer important questions about its biometric exit program, which is currently operating at nine U.S. international airports. Currently, DHS requires travelers, including U.S. citizens, departing on select international flights to submit to a face scan so that their faces can be compared to a DHS biometric database for identity verification purposes. In their letter, Senator Markey and Lee query DHS about the accuracy, efficacy and transparency of the program. The senators highlight that under DHSs true accept rate goal, there would still be a false denial for one in 25 travelers. That means thousands of travelers could be wrongfully denied boarding each day. We are concerned that the use of the program on U.S. citizens remains facially unauthorized, write Senators Markey and Lee to DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielson. We request that DHS stop the expansion of this program and provide Congress with its explicit statutory authority to use and expand a biometric exit program on U.S. citizens. A copy of the letter can be found HERE. Specifically, the Senators request more information from DHS on accuracy concerns and potential flaws in the scanning technology, how the program will not unduly burden travelers, including certain races or gender, how the program is improving visa overstay travel fraud, and the authority of DHS to expand the program when Congress has intentionally not authorized biometric exit scanning for U.S. citizens. Today, the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University Law Center issued a report that revealed that while Congress has on nine separate occasions called on DHS to establish a biometric exit program to verify the identities of foreign nationals as they leave the country, Congress has not authorized face scans of American citizens. DHS also has not established rules governing the program. DHS also does not know whether it wrongly rejects people at higher rates as a result of their race or gender. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/warren-markey-capuano-applaud-release-of-100m-in-federal-funding-for-green-line-extension,"Warren, Markey, Capuano Applaud Release of $100M in Federal Funding for Green Line Extension",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Warren, Markey, Capuano Applaud Release of $100M in Federal Funding for Green Line Extension Thursday, December 21, 2017 Washington, DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Congressman Michael E. Capuano (D-Mass.) today applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to release $100 million in federal funding for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's (MassDOT) and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Green Line Extension (GLX). Senators Warren, Markey and Congressman Capuano fought hard to secure this funding in the Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations bill. ""I am glad to hear that the Department of Transportation will be releasing this critical funding for the Green Line Extension project,"" said Senator Warren. ""This key infrastructure investment will go a long way towards bringing better transit options, jobs, and economic growth to Somerville, Medford, and all of Greater Boston. Securing federal funding for the Green Line Extension has been a top priority of mine since I first came to Washington and I am pleased to see the project move forward."" ""This funding will help to fulfill a promise made to the people of Massachusetts to expand the Greenline and improve this vital transportation artery for residents, visitors, commuters, and workers,"" Senator Markey said. ""Federal infrastructure investments like this give a green light to communities of opportunity across the Commonwealth. I thank Senator Warren and Congressman Capuano for their continued advocacy for these important funds."" ""I am very pleased that the FTA has formally approved the Green Line Extension's updated project financing plan, which makes the $1 billion in previously secured federal funds available to the state. With today's announcement, the environmental, economic and transit benefits of the GLX are much closer to being realized,"" stated Rep. Mike Capuano. The GLX Project will extend the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line from a relocated Lechmere Station in East Cambridge, Massachusetts to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford. Bringing MBTA light rail service to this corridor will greatly improve local and regional mobility, address longstanding transportation inequities, result in fewer automobiles on local roads, and help to combat greenhouse gas emissions and other components of air pollution. The GLX Project will also support municipal plans for sustainable growth and urban redevelopment and provide community residents with faster rides to jobs and other destinations. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2195,Boston.com: Elizabeth Warren blasts Congress for lack of DACA fix before holidays: 'What are you waiting for?',2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Elizabeth Warren is decrying the decision by Republican leaders in Congress to head home for the holidays while the future of so-called Dreamers hangs in the balance. ""It's been one broken promise after another,"" Warren said in a speech Thursday on the Senate floor. ""One of those promises was to protect 800,000 Dreamers who were brought to the United States as kids. [President Donald] Trump broke this promise when he ended DACA."" As a result, the Massechusetts Democrat said it was ""up to Congress,"" which is controlled in both chambers by Republicans, to pass the 2017 Dream Act to provide legal status for those young undocumented immigrants, who were brought to the country as children. However, the spending bill passed Thursday night in both the House and Senate included no such fix. Warren voted no on the bill. Read more on the Boston.com website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2196,The Hill: Warren blasts DeVos on reducing loan forgiveness,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) ripped Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's decision to reduce loan forgiveness for some defrauded students, calling the move ""a stingy & ridiculous scheme."" ""After almost a year of inaction - and over 100k defrauded students waiting for answers - @BetsyDeVosED has a stingy & ridiculous scheme for making many of them pay the fed govt money they don't owe. It's shameful,"" Warren said in a tweet on Thursday. Read more on The Hill's website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2173,"Warren, Markey, Capuano Applaud Release of $100M in Federal Funding for Green Line Extension",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Congressman Michael E. Capuano (D-Mass.) today applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to release $100 million in federal funding for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's (MassDOT) and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Green Line Extension (GLX). Senators Warren, Markey and Congressman Capuano fought hard to secure this funding in the Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations bill. ""I am glad to hear that the Department of Transportation will be releasing this critical funding for the Green Line Extension project,"" said Senator Warren. ""This key infrastructure investment will go a long way towards bringing better transit options, jobs, and economic growth to Somerville, Medford, and all of Greater Boston. Securing federal funding for the Green Line Extension has been a top priority of mine since I first came to Washington and I am pleased to see the project move forward."" ""This funding will help to fulfill a promise made to the people of Massachusetts to expand the Greenline and improve this vital transportation artery for residents, visitors, commuters, and workers,"" Senator Markey said. ""Federal infrastructure investments like this give a green light to communities of opportunity across the Commonwealth. I thank Senator Warren and Congressman Capuano for their continued advocacy for these important funds."" ""I am very pleased that the FTA has formally approved the Green Line Extension's updated project financing plan, which makes the $1 billion in previously secured federal funds available to the state. With today's announcement, the environmental, economic and transit benefits of the GLX are much closer to being realized,"" stated Rep. Mike Capuano. The GLX Project will extend the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line from a relocated Lechmere Station in East Cambridge, Massachusetts to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford. Bringing MBTA light rail service to this corridor will greatly improve local and regional mobility, address longstanding transportation inequities, result in fewer automobiles on local roads, and help to combat greenhouse gas emissions and other components of air pollution. The GLX Project will also support municipal plans for sustainable growth and urban redevelopment and provide community residents with faster rides to jobs and other destinations. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2174,"Warren, Murray, Colleagues Call on Trump Administration to Rescind Rule Denying Women Access to Birth Control Coverage",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, DC - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and 16 of their colleagues sent a letter to Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Eric Hargan, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin highlighting the hundreds of thousands of comments in opposition to the Trump Administration's interim final rules (IFR) significantly weakening the birth control requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The senators called on the Administration to rescind the rules, and requested answers on how the Administration will address the impact that undermining birth control coverage will have on women's health and economic freedoms. One commenter wrote, ""My husband and I would not be able to handle a child today or in the near future while I pursue my career, and birth control keeps me as a productive member of society...Taking away birth control protections is a huge mistake for someone who claims to want a better economy."" According to another, ""Birth control is necessary for millions of women for many many reasons, and no politician ... (has) the right to take that away from us."" The senators' letter includes more personal anecdotes from commenters, demonstrating the vital role that birth control plays in Americans' lives. ""Promoting access to birth control is about giving women the freedom and ability to plan their futures. Women use contraception to prevent pregnancy, to avoid sexually transmitted infections, and to control debilitating health conditions,"" said Senator Warren. ""This Trump administration rule shrinks the economic futures of millions of women across the country. It should be overturned."" Because of the ACA requirement that insurers cover birth control, millions of women have now gained access to contraceptive coverage. But the new IFRs issued by the Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury departments ""permit employers and universities to claim broad religious or moral exemptions to covering birth control. They also make the religious accommodation process voluntary-placing the birth control coverage of over 62.4 million American women at risk,"" wrote the senators. Over 500,000 commenters have expressed their opposition to the Administration's birth control IFRs to the Department of Health and Human Services alone, with thousands more writing in to the Departments of Labor and Treasury. A federal court has halted their enforcement. In addition to rescinding the rule, the senators called on the Departments to provide answers on how they will address the threat posed by the IFRs to the economic and health benefits of birth control coverage no later than January 5, 2018. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Al Franken (D-Minn.) also signed the letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2176,"Warren, Capito, Colleagues Urge DEA to Swiftly Issue Regulations and Guidance on Partial Fill Law to Better Address Nation's Opioid Crisis",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, DC Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) sent a letter today urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to update regulations and guidance related to the partial filling of Schedule II controlled substances. Doing so would give prescribers and pharmacists additional clarity about the new provisions of federal law and other steps that can be taken to better address the nations opioid crisis. The senators were joined by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over the DEA. Reps. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) also signed the letter. More than 33,000 Americans died from opioid-related drug overdoses in 2015, and prescription painkillers continue to be a major contributor to the epidemic. Senators Warren and Capito, and Representatives Clark and Stivers introduced bipartisan legislationthat was incorporated in theComprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act(CARA)to enable patients or physicians to request a partial fill of any Schedule II medication, including prescription opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin. Outdated DEA regulations, which include a different definition of partial filling from the definition provided in CARA, have led to significant confusion on the part of pharmacists and prescribers,wrote the Members of Congress. These health care providers are critical partners in the fight against the opioid epidemic but are reluctant to move forward with implementation of the law or to proactively implement programs to partially fill initial opioid prescriptions until the DEA updates its regulations. In response to recent letters from Senators Warren and Capito inquiring about their implementation of partial fill authorities, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) indicated that many of their members have expressed significant confusion regarding outdated DEA regulations. Medical member organizations are ready and willing to inform their members about partial fill policies, but the DEA needs to issue clear federal guidance so they can disseminate additional information. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, over 70 percent of people who misuse prescription painkillers got them from a friend, relative, or doctor.Encouraging prescribers and pharmacists to embrace partial fill policies for their patients would help reduce the number of opioids that are misused in homes and communities across the country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2177,Senator Warren Delivers Floor Speech on the Dream Act,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Watch the Video Here. Senator Warren's Remarks Start at Minute Six. Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor in support of a clean Dream Act. The full text of her remarks, as delivered, is available below. On Tuesday, Senator Warren met with a group of Dreamers from Massachusetts. Watch their meeting here. Remarks by Senator Elizabeth WarrenDecember 21, 2017 Just yesterday, the Republican-controlled Congress passed a massive tax giveaway that will shovel truckloads of money into the pockets of giant corporations and the super-rich, while it leaves working families behind. And that's just the latest in a laundry list of presents that have been doled out to the folks at the top. For everyone else, it's been one broken promise after another. One of those promises was to protect 800,000 Dreamers who were brought to the United States as kids. Trump broke this promise when he ended DACA, the program that allows Dreamers to live, work, and study in the United States without fear of being deported to countries they barely know. Because Trump broke his promise, it's up to Congress to stand up and protect Dreamers by passing a clean Dream Act-a bill that gives legal status and a path to citizenship to those young people. I want to introduce you to one of those Dreamers, Elias Rosenfeld. Elias was six years old when his parents brought him and his sister to the United States. Now, he doesn't have many memories of his life in Venezuela, but he did hear stories from his parents and his grandfather about the everyday risks that they faced. One day while his mother was driving, she pulled up to a stoplight and a man pulled a gun on her. Another day, his grandfather withdrew money from an ATM and then was robbed at gunpoint. So when Elias's mother, who was an executive at a multimedia company, had an opportunity to transfer to an office in Miami, Florida, she jumped at it. Elias's family came to the United States legally. They applied for-and they received-a visa that allows executives and managers from other countries to work in the United States and eventually apply for permanent resident status. Under that visa, the entire family would become permanent residents and would never have to worry about losing their status in the United States. Permanent. That's the key word here. Well, at least that had been their plan. Only things didn't go the way they had been planned. When Elias was 11, his mother died of cancer. He didn't know it at the time, but the day his mother died, Elias and his family lost their path to permanent resident status and became undocumented. After his mother died, Elias clung to the belief that an education was his ticket to a better life. He challenged himself academically, taking 13 Advanced Placement courses and earning As in almost every class. He also juggled a number of extracurricular activities, including speech and debate, student government, volunteering with children and the homeless, and starting his school's first traveling Model United Nations. His excellence earned him a place on the Dean's List as well as a long list of awards, including the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust Change Maker Award. Now, Elias so impressed the school staff that his high school activities director called Elias a hero and said, quote: ""I've been teaching for 20 years and I have never seen a student like this young man."" Scholarship committees also recognized Elias's accomplishments, and he won a coveted Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program Scholarship, which provided him a full-ride to Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He is now a sophomore at Brandeis, where he continues to make his mark. Before DACA came along, Elias lived in constant fear that ICE would break down his door and deport him and his sister. DACA changed his life. The fear subsided. He knew that ICE agents wouldn't break down his door or seize him on his way to school. Elias told me that DACA has been a ""source of optimism and a light of protection."" America is the only country that Elias knows. It's the only country that many Dreamers know. This is their home. Dreamers like Elias have had the courage to step forward. They have come out of the shadows to tell their stories. Now, Congress could show some courage and protect Dreamers by passing a clean Dream Act. We have waited too long already. Every day that we delay, more than 100 Dreamers lose protected status. They must return to the shadows. They must think about ICE agents breaking down their doors or seizing them if they go to school or to work. The time for Congress to act is now. Right now-today. We should not leave here so that we can celebrate the holidays with our families while nearly 800,000 Dreamers fear being ripped apart from their brothers, their sisters, their mothers, their fathers and deported to a country they barely know. If we held a vote today on the Dream Act, it would pass. So my question to Senator McConnell is this: what are you waiting for? Let us vote. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2185,Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks on Dreamers: Elias Rosenfeld's Story,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Floor speech. December 21, 2017.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mcgovern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397161,McGovern Applauds Announcement of New Russia Magnitsky Sanctions,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Jim McGovern,M000312,mcgovern.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC - Today the U.S. Department of Treasury announced that five people have been added to the list of those sanctioned under the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act. Three of the individuals in question are linked to the Magnitsky case, while the other two are Chechen officials sanctioned for gross human rights violations. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), senior House Democrat and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, praised the decision by the State Department. As the author of the original Magnitsky sanctions bill, Congressman McGovern has been a leading voice in this effort and welcomed todays action. I celebrate todays announcement that the U.S. government has imposed new sanctions on five more Russians under the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act three for their involvement in the brazen fraud that led to Sergeis brutal death, and two for gross human rights abuses in Chechnya. Its been eight years since Sergei Magnitsky was beaten and died in prison for trying to do the right thing. No one has been held accountable in Russia for what happened to him. I am very pleased that the U.S. government continues to do its part to ensure some level of punishment. The addition of Andrei Pavlov and his former wife Yulia Mayorova is particularly significant because they were at the center of the $230 million fraud against Hermitage Capital that Magnitsky uncovered and was killed over. Theyve been important targets for a long time and Im pleased theyve finally been designated. I also cannot overstate the importance of sanctioning Ayub Kataev for the abduction, detention and torture of over 100 men due to their actual or suspected sexual orientation. The Congress called for action like this when it passed House Resolution 351 last June. Frankly, the best news today may be that the State and Treasury Departments have done their jobs by properly enforcing the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act. It is the Magnitsky sanctions that the Russian government has tried to block by reaching out first to the Trump campaign, then to the transition team, and then to the president and his staff. But in spite of Russias insidious efforts, the agencies of the U.S. government acted with honor. The sanction against Ramzan Kadyrov, a high-level figure useful to Putin, for overseeing an administration involved in disappearances and extrajudicial killings, is especially notable. Even as I welcome this news, I recognize that there are many more individuals in Russia who could and should be sanctioned for their involvement in human rights abuses and corruption. I will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the Magnitsky law, as I have done since 2012, and to encourage the administration to pursue more investigations. A constructive U.S. relationship with Russia is important, but it cannot be built on a shaky foundation of corruption and condoning human rights violations. Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer hired by William Browder, the founder of Hermitage Capital Management, to investigate after the company was raided and transferred to Russian state control. Mr. Magnitsky helped file a number of criminal complaints and testified against officials involved in the raids, until he was arrested himself in retaliation. He was held in custody for 358 days, tortured, denied medical care and eventually beaten to death in 2009. After his death, a Russian court convicted Magnitsky of tax evasion. The trial was widely condemned internationally for setting a dangerous and chilling precedent. Congressman McGovern helped lead the passage of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act in 2012, securing a bipartisan vote of 363-45 (PL 112-208). The law imposes visa bans and blocks the U.S. assets of certain Russian officials involved in Magnitskys death, and of other gross violators of human rights in Russia. The list of these individuals now comprises 49 names. Persons on this list are ineligible for visas and to be admitted to the United States. These individuals have also been added to the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Controls List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List). As a result, all assets of these individuals that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction or in the control of U.S. persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://moulton.house.gov/6th-district/recent-developments/moulton-announces-michael-nesson-appointed-community-action-inc-s-board-directors/,"Moulton Announces Michael Nesson to be Appointed to Community Action, Inc.s Board of Directors",2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Moulton Announces Michael Nesson to be Appointed to Community Action, Inc.s Board of Directors December 20th, 2017 Moulton: CAIs work is crucial to the individuals, families, and communities they serve in our District Salem, MA Today the Office of Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) announced the appointment of Michael Nesson to Community Action, Inc.s Board of Directors. CAI is the largest anti-poverty organization in the Lower Merrimack Valley, serving eleven cities and towns. CAI provides resources and opportunities for individuals, families, and communities to overcome poverty. CAIs work is crucial to the individuals, families, and communities they serve in our District, said Moulton. Michaels commitment to service and background in public education will make him an excellent board member. I am confident that Michael will help CAI excel in helping to meet the needs of low income individuals. Michael Nesson works in public education as both an educator and consultant, providing social and emotional supports to student. I am very excited to be appointed by Congressman Moulton as a public representative on CAIs Board, supporting the needs of low income individuals in CAIs region, said Nesson. CAIs clients are historically underrepresented and living in the shadows struggling with economic social and other challenges. The advocacy of the Congressmans office will help to further the work and goals of CAI. CAI is a Community Services Block Grant eligible, private, non-profit organization. As such, a minimum of one-third of CAIs tripartite Board must be democratically selected from representatives of low-income individuals and families who reside in the geographic area being served by the Agency and one third of the seats are public, representing elected officials, including Congressman Moulton. Community Action is thrilled to have Michael Nesson appointed to our Board of Directors, said President and CEO John Cuneo. Many of our programs are funded with Federal grants; a link to Congressman Seth Moulton is critical. To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, or Medium. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-commends-fda-for-expanding-triclosan-ban-to-include-health-care-antiseptic-products,Markey Commends FDA for Expanding Triclosan Ban to Include Health Care Antiseptic Products,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Markey Commends FDA for Expanding Triclosan Ban to Include Health Care Antiseptic Products Wednesday, December 20, 2017 Senator has long called for banning triclosan due to public health risks Washington (December 20, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule that over-the-counter health care antiseptic products such as patient skin preparations, surgical hand scrubs and health care personnel hand washes containing triclosan, along with 23 other chemicals, can no longer be sold. In September 2016, the FDA banned the use of triclosan in consumer hand and body washes, and today finalized a rule banning the use of this chemical in other over the counter antiseptic products intended for health care settings. The FDA is giving manufacturers one year to reformulate or remove these products from the market and after then will require any products containing triclosan, or the other banned ingredients, to receive a new drug approval by the FDA. For decades, triclosan has been marketed and sold as a miracle ingredient to prevent everything from disease transmission to preventing dirty socks from smelling, said Senator Markey. Todays announcement from the FDA brings us one step closer to closing the regulatory black hole where triclosan has been hiding. I am pleased that the FDA has taken the action to ban triclosan from health care antiseptic products. Now we must extend this ban to all over-the-counter antiseptic rubs and products intended for use by or on children. Washing with plain soap and water remains one of the most important steps consumers can take to avoid getting sick. We do not need triclosan in our everyday personal care products to prevent the spreading of germs to others. We must do everything we can to restrict the use of this ineffective and potentially dangerous chemical that continues to pollute our bodies. Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical linked to endocrine disruption found in a wide range of products, including clothes, toys, food packaging and soap. Both the Environmental Protection Agency and FDA have acknowledged the potential for triclosan to interfere with the bodys thyroid hormone, which is important for brain development and function, particularly in children. Other studies have linked triclosan exposure to bacterial resistance to antibiotics, a growing public health concern. In light of mounting scientific evidence that has shown triclosan has the ability to damage the human endocrine system, in the House of Representatives Senator Markey wrote the FDA in 2010 and 2012 calling on the agency to finalize its three decades-overdue regulations to curb the use of the chemical in consumer products. In 2010, Senator Markey wrote to major manufacturers urging them to a voluntarily stop using the chemical, which was estimated to be in approximately 75 percent of all antibacterial consumer soaps as well as a wide variety of other consumer products, including some marketed specifically for children. In response to these letters, some companies, including Acme United and Reckitt Benckiser, announced that they were discontinuing the use of triclosan in certain consumer products, such as knives, scissors, pencil sharpeners, and face washes. Other companies including Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble followed in removing triclosan from personal care and cleaning products. These letters were sent one week after the FDA issued a consumer advisory about the use of the chemical, stating that triclosan added to soaps and body washes provide no more health benefits than plain soap and water. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-rep-blackburns-net-neutrality-legislation,Senator Markey Statement on Rep. Blackburn’s Net Neutrality Legislation,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Statement on Rep. Blackburns Net Neutrality Legislation Wednesday, December 20, 2017 Senator Markey has announced intent to introduce Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to reverse FCC decision on net neutrality rules; CRA now has 26 co-sponsors Washington (December 20, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee released the following statement in reaction to the introduction of net neutrality legislation by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (TN-07). Last week, after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to roll-back its 2015 Open Internet Order, Senator Markey announced his intention to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to reverse the FCCs partisan action. Senator Markeys CRA now has 26 co-sponsors. When Chairmen Thune and Upton released their draft net neutrality bill in 2015, I called it a legislative wolf in sheeps clothing, offering select few safeguards while taking away the FCCs future authority over broadband, said Senator Markey. Congresswoman Blackburns bill is even worse. This legislation doesnt just rip authority away from the FCC to protect consumers, it goes further to undermine the very spirit of net neutrality by allowing broadband providers to establish internet fast and slow lanes. Rather than legislation that would permanently undermine the free and open internet, Congress should pass my Congressional Review Act resolution and restore the Open Internet Order. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/kennedy-statement-on-gop-tax-bill,KENNEDY STATEMENT ON GOP TAX BILL,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Joseph Kennedy,K000379,kennedy.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Joe Kennedy III today released the following statement following the passage of the GOP tax bill. The strength and success of our nation should be judged by the strength and success of all Americans, not just the privileged few. Investing in the working Americans who build our economy should have been the absolute priority of any true tax reform. Instead, the GOP tax bill systemically raises their taxes, attacks their health care, and erodes their economic dignity. Then it turns around and asks them to bear the burden of this unfunded corporate tax cut by sacrificing their hard-earned Medicare and Social Security. ### For Immediate Release: December 19, 2017 Contact: Emily Kaufman (617) 332-3333 Dan Black (202) 225-5931 Follow Congressman Kennedy onInstagram,Facebook,andTwitter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kennedy.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/kennedy-statement-on-gop-tax-bill,KENNEDY STATEMENT ON GOP TAX BILL,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Joseph Kennedy,K000379,kennedy.house.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mcgovern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397160,McGovern Statement on Republican Tax Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Jim McGovern,M000312,mcgovern.house.gov,,,legacy,"McGovern Statement on Republican Tax Bill f t # e Washington, December 19, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Jim McGovern released the following statement after Republicans passed their tax bill through the House of Representatives:President Trump, his family, and their wealthy friends got an early Christmas gift this year. This Republican tax bill will line their pockets and the pockets of their donors giving the vast majority of tax breaks to those at the top and corporations shipping American jobs overseas, all the while exploding the deficit and raising taxes on hardworking Massachusetts families. 86% of the tax cuts contained in this bill go to the wealthiest 1%Even worse, Speaker Paul Ryan jammed this tax bill through the House with zero hearings, zero input from Democrats, and almost no time for anyone to review the bill before we voted on it.The American people will remember this as the moment that their economic future was auctioned off to the highest bidder. We need real, bipartisan tax reform that focuses on the middle class and those struggling in poverty. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://moulton.house.gov/legislative-center/jobs-and-the-economy/darkest-days-congressional-history/,Moulton: One of the darkest days in Congressional history,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Moulton: One of the darkest days in Congressional history December 19th, 2017 Washington, D.C. Today,Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) offered his response to House passage of the Republican Tax Plan thatgives a tax break to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. A decade from now, Americans will look back on this day as one of the darkest days in Congressional history. Republicans are jamming a tax bill down all our throats without a single hearing, zero bipartisan input, and without listening at all to the American families and small businesses it will ruin. This partisan bill gives a permanent tax cut to the largest corporations and richest GOP donors, paid for by the middle class. Over the next few years, while the wealthiest see more money in their pockets, the majority of American families will see their taxes increase, paychecks go down, and healthcare costs go up. Thats why the American people oppose the bill 2:1. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House, so if they were proud of their bill, they would have let it stand up to public scrutiny through the normal Congressional process of hearings and debatesomething Speaker Paul Ryan promised the Congress and the American people when he was sworn in. Instead, the only voices who had real input were the biggest GOP donors. This tax bill is a threat to the economy and our national security. The way it is being passed is a threat to our democratic government. All of this reinforces why I am working to bring a new generation of leaders to Congress. When Democrats take back Congress, we must pass tax reform that will invest in the middle class, not assault it; that will grow the new businesses that are driving our economy, not corporate monopolies; and that will invest in American working families, not lobbyists and political donors. If this tax bill passes, lets take it as a call to action to bring a new generation of Democratic leadership to Congress that will have the courage to stand up to the lobbyist and donor class and give power back to the American people. To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visithttps://moulton.house.govor connect with him onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram, orMedium. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-statement-house-passage-republican-tax-bill-conference-report,Neal Statement on House Passage of Republican Tax Bill...,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Republican tax bill conference report: ""Today, Republicans passed legislation that will raise taxes on 86 million middle class families, add $2.3 trillion to the federal debt, worsen economic inequality, and take health insurance away from 13 million Americans while raising premiums by 10 percent for everyone else. Our children and grandchildren will be forced to foot the bill for tax cuts given to those at the very top and big corporations. This legislation will have long-term, wide-ranging negative impacts on Americans economic security. With this harmful bill, Republicans are just getting started. Speaker Ryan plans to fund these regressive cuts by slashing benefits like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security that Americans have earned through years of hard work. Democrats will fight to protect these programs, and well do everything we can to lower families premiums in the face of President Trumps attacks on healthcare. This tax legislation was a missed opportunity to achieve meaningful, positive change for middle class families. But despite this setback, Democrats will continue to put the middle class first and work to create a more secure and prosperous future for generations to come. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-markey-booker-warren-blumenthal-demand-answers-on-banned-words-at-cdc,"SCHATZ, MARKEY, BOOKER, WARREN, BLUMENTHAL DEMAND ANSWERS ON BANNED WORDS AT CDC",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"SCHATZ, MARKEY, BOOKER, WARREN, BLUMENTHAL DEMAND ANSWERS ON BANNED WORDS AT CDC Tuesday, December 19, 2017 WASHINGTON Following reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and potentially other agencies were directed to avoid using certain words or phrases in official budget documents, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are demanding answers from the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). We write regarding concerning reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and potentially the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are discouraging the use of specific words or phrases in official FY19 budget documents, the senators wrote. Such an agenda, especially if motivated by political factors, threatens to undermine the tremendous scientific progress at the CDC and the publics faith in government, more broadly. If true, this guidance is not just a mere change to vocabulary, it is a fundamental shift of direction and a reflection of flawed ideology. While Director Fitzgerald has recently denied the existence of such a ban, we request clarity on your policies via specific answers to the questions below. According to reports, words to avoid in official budget documents at the CDC include vulnerable, entitlement, diversity, transgender, fetus, evidence-based and science-based. In their letter to the CDC, HHS, and OMB, the senators ask about the development and dissemination of any discouraged words, the legality and enforcement of such a policy, and the policies in place to ensure the scientific integrity of the health agencies. We must ensure that the actions of our federal agenciesparticularly those so important for maintaining the health and safety of our citizensadhere to the highest standards of research and scientific integrity, the senators wrote. Given that the Trump administration has already shown a propensity to defund, silence, and eliminate agencies and programs that serve medically vulnerable communities and promote research rooted in science, we are particularly alarmed by even the possibility that the administration would direct a federal scientific agency to avoid the use of medically accurate language. For a copy of the senators letter, click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-senator-markey-blasts-gop-tax-plan-as-a-con-job,VIDEO: Senator Markey Blasts GOP Tax Plan As “A Con Job”,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"VIDEO: Senator Markey Blasts GOP Tax Plan As A Con Job Tuesday, December 19, 2017 VIDEO: http://bit.ly/2AZvXQj Washington (December 19, 2017) As Senate Republicans prepare to jam through their tax bill during the late hours of the night, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) took to the U.S. Senate floor to speak out in opposition to the plan. Calling it a con job and a Trojan Horse full of giveaways to the wealthy, Senator Markey vowed to vote no on the tax bill and to fight future Republican efforts to attack Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Excerpts from Senator Markeys floor remarks on the Senate floor tonight: The American people are waking up to the fact that they have been sold a bill of goods. They are seeing that this plan is simply a Trojan horse full of giveaways to the wealthy, corporations, and Republican political donors. By 2027, this bill will raise taxes on over 53 percent of American households. And at the same time, a full 83 percent of the tax cuts will flow to the top 1 percent of Americans. So, the more the American people see what is in this bill, the more they realize they will have to foot the bill. According to the polls, the only thing more unpopular than this tax plan is President Trump. Because when these tax giveaways pass, the deficit will explode by over two trillion dollars. Republicans want nothing more than an excuse to want to slash Medicare and make it harder for Grandma to buy her medicine. They want the ability to gut Medicaid because in their opinion healthcare is only a right for the wealthy. And they want cover to steal Social Security benefits from every American who has paid into that system. And they are doing this because the modern Republican Party has a sacred obligation to their donors, to the Koch Brothers, to the massive corporations that help fund their campaigns. They promised them tax breaks, and it will be average working families who end up footing the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/view/sen-markey-speaks-out-against-republican-tax-bill,Sen. Markey Speaks Out Against Republican Tax Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Fall River, MA 222 Milliken Boulevard, Suite 312 Fall River, MA 02721 Phone: 508-677-0523",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2193,Vox: Wells Fargo cheated millions of customers. The Republican tax bill is about to hand it a big win.,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Wells Fargo in 2016 was fined $185 million for issuing millions of fake credit card accounts. In 2017, it was caught overcharging clients on currency trades and improperly charging homebuyers to lock into low mortgage rates. And in 2018, it could be about to get the best tax deal of all the big banks. ... ""Rather than holding Wells Fargo responsible for cheating its customers, Republicans are looting the Treasury to funnel billions of dollars to the bank,"" Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said in an emailed statement to me, reacting to Wells Fargo's steep benefits from the tax bill. ""For the Republican Party, there is no accountability for the rich and powerful - only more handouts."" Read the full article on the Vox website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2194,The Hill: Warren slams GOP tax bill: 'It's government for sale',2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) ripped the GOP tax bill in a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday night, calling it ""government for sale."" ""As one of my Republican colleagues said in a moment of honesty, if they don't pass this tax giveaway bill, financial contributions will stop. And a Republican House member said big donors told him to pass the tax bill - or don't ever call them again,"" Warren said. ""Let's call this out for what it is - it's government for sale."" ""And that's how you end up with a $1.5 trillion tax giveaway to corporations at a time of record corporate profit."" Read more on The Hill's website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2168,Warren and Brown Statement on Anti-Worker NLRB Rulings,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) today issued a statement on the recent harmful, anti-worker National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rulings that advance corporate special interests at the expense of America's workers: ""President Trump's effort to stack the NLRB with two anti-worker attorneys supported by large corporations paid off last week. Like clockwork and without any public input, the Board checked several items off those corporations' wish list by repealing several policies that would keep employers from undermining workers' rights,"" said Senators Warren and Brown. ""Between handing control of the NLRB over to big corporations and frantically trying to lower their own taxes, President Trump and Congressional Republicans have shown time and time again that when they make the rules, they're made for corporate donors, not working families."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2170,Senator Warren's Remarks about Tonight's Vote on the Republican Tax Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor in advance of tonight's vote on the Republican tax bill. The full text of her remarks, as prepared for delivery, is available below. Remarks by Senator Elizabeth Warren *As prepared for delivery*December 19, 2017 Today is a terrible day. It's a terrible day for the millions of working families in this country who just want Congress to work for them. A terrible day for millions of people who just want to get on with their lives and not have Congress cost them even more money. A terrible day for millions of hard working people, but it's a great day for giant multinational corporations and billionaires who fund Republican campaigns across the country. Today is their day. Every fundraiser, every fat check from a billionaire, and every champagne and caviar party has been about getting to this day - the day when the politicians they put in charge of Washington would pay them back with a $1.5 trillion giveaway. Supporters of this bill call it tax reform. It's not tax reform. It's a heist. A heist that steals from millions of middle class families and hands that money over to the wealthy. A heist that will hurt Medicare and Social Security and reduce health care coverage by thirteen million people in order to hand money over to giant corporations already rolling in profits. A heist that will hurt our economy and blow a hole in our national debt. The American people have seen through this scam. They see through every lie: They know this bill doesn't provide ""middle-class tax relief"" - it ultimately raises taxes on more than 60% of working families in this country. They know this bill doesn't ""promote economic growth"" - non-partisan projections have shown it will have a negligible impact. Even former Republican officials admit it. They know this bill won't ""raise wages for working people"" - corporate CEOs have already said so. Those CEOs have told everyone who would listen that when they get their truckloads of money from the GOP tax bill, they will turn right around and funnel that money to their wealthy shareholders. They know this bill isn't even to help Americans. A third of those shareholders who will get truckloads of money from the GOP bill don't even live in the United States. Over the last month and a half, we've all watched as one Republican Senator after another has cast aside every single one of their supposed principles to get behind this monstrosity of a bill. Real relief for the middle class? Gone. Concern about the national debt? Gone. Concern about economic growth? Gone. Now, there's only one principle left - reward billionaire campaign donors. This is not a conspiracy theory. It's not a partisan attack. It's what Republicans in Congress are saying, in public, to reporters. As one of my Republicans colleagues said in a moment of honesty, if they don't pass this tax giveaway bill, ""financial contributions will stop."" A Republican House member said big donors told him to pass the tax bill or ""don't ever call them again."" Let's call that out for what it is: Government for sale. That's how you end up with a $1.5 trillion tax giveaway to corporations at a time of record corporate profits. It's not supposed to be this way. Congress is elected by the people. It's supposed to represent their interests, not those of the people and companies rich enough to fund campaigns. And boy is there a lot of work for us to do. Over the last thirty years, corporate profits have skyrocketed while wages for working people have been flat. But even though corporations - not families - have been getting richer and richer, Congress has forced families to pick up more and more of the cost of our military, our roads and bridges, and our schools. Corporations used to pay about 30% of the cost of running the government - now it's under 10%. But today, the politicians who run Congress will slash corporate taxes even more and shift more of the burden onto working families. Working people pay more so that giant corporations can pay less. There's no better example of this than this bill's treatment of Wells Fargo. Last year, we found out that Wells Fargo had opened millions of fake accounts so that executives could goose their sales numbers, drive up stock prices, and rake in bigger bonuses. And it turns out Wells Fargo has also charged half a million customers for auto insurance they didn't need, which meant a lot of people, including soldiers and sailors and Marines, got their cars repossessed. Pretty sleazy, huh? But instead of holding them accountable for cheating their customers, this Congress is on the verge of passing a tax bill that will shower more free money on Wells Fargo than any other bank in the country. That's right. When this bill passes, the ""punishment"" for Wells Fargo cheating millions of Americans will be a big, gift-wrapped present worth billions of dollars in tax giveaways. This tax bill is shameful - and it's the result of a shameful process. No hearings on a bill that overhauls the tax code and shifts around trillions of dollars. No input from a single Democrat. No time for vetting by actual tax experts. Big-time donors are happy-very happy-with this outrageous tax heist. But the American people are angry. And they are right to be angry. Over and over, again and again, they watch this Congress ignore their pressing problems - ignore children's health insurance, ignore flat wages, ignore an opioid crisis, ignore hurricanes and wildfires, ignore working families that are ripped apart by greedy policies built right here in Washington. Over and over, again and again, they watch instead as Washington jumps to do more favors for billionaires, for giant companies, and for campaign donors. Today is just one more terrible day for hard working Americans. Just one more terrible day in Washington where government works great for those at the top and won't lift a finger to help anyone else. People's anger is understandable. I share it. Sooner or later, a reckoning is coming. And I will promise you this. When it does - when the politicians who lead this Congress and vote for this tax heist are held accountable for turning their backs on the American people who sent us here - then we will be the kind of country we want to be. Then we will be the kind of country we were meant to be: a democracy where everyone, even the richest and most powerful, pay a fair share-and where we all work to build a future for all our kids. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2178,Fighting against the #GOPTaxScam,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2179,Senator Elizabeth Warren on the Republican tax bill passing Congress,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate floor speech. December 19, 2017.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2180,Elizabeth Warren speaks at a rally with Dreamers,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://moulton.house.gov/legislative-center/foreign-policy/nstf-statement-president-national-security-strategy/,National Security Task Force Statement on President TrumpsNational Security Strategy,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"National Security Task Force Statement on President TrumpsNational Security Strategy December 18th, 2017 House Democratic Caucus National Security Task Force Statement on President TrumpsNational Security Strategy Washington, D.C.The co-chairs of the Democratic Caucus National Security Task Force Congressman Seth Moulton (MA) Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (FL), and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA) issued a response to President Trumps long awaited National Security Strategy. The Trump administrationhas finally released its legally-requiredNational Security Strategydocument, as wecalled forin June. As we have witnessed over the past 11 months, the administrations actions have not aligned with the language of this document. There is a fundamental disconnect between what the administration says, and what it is actually doing. For example, the Task Force has urged the administration to use all elements of our nationalpower, pairing a robust military posture with a forceful diplomatic presence. The document pays lip service to this notion, stating that diplomacy is indispensable. These words ring hollow in light of the fact that the administration has clearly sought to hollow out the State Department and marginalize diplomacy as a national security tool. Likewise, the Task Force has encouraged the administration to strengthen, not subvert, alliances. Thedocument states that our allies and partners are a great strength of the United States. Yet, as a result of the Presidents actions and rhetoric, our most important partners in Europe and Asia have cause to question the U.S. commitment to our shared security. It is no surprise that confidence in U.S. leadership hasfallen sharplyamong our closest allies. In addition, the document says the U.S. will offer encouragement to those struggling for human dignity in their societies. This restates a core American principle, promoted under both Republican and Democratic administrations. However, this statement rings hollow, given the Presidents praise for Russian President Vladmir Putin, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and other authoritarian leaders. More generally, the Task Force has expressed our dismay that the administration has yet to name or nominate personnel for numerous critical positions at the Departments of Defense and State. A strategy documenteven if soundis merely words on paper unless the administration has the men and women in place to execute that strategy around the globe. The credibility and importance of the National Security Strategy rely entirely on the actions of the administration and alignment of these actions with the documents stated goals. To date, these actions have not reflected the goals in the strategy and represent a turn towards an undemocratic, inward-looking approach that stands as a poor excuse for American leadership. TheDemocratic Caucus National Security Task Forcewas established in June 2017 by the House Democratic Caucus to support the creation, execution, and public messaging of national security policies that are smart, strategic, and strong. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://moulton.house.gov/legislative-center/jobs-and-the-economy/moulton-kelly-small-business-broadband-emerging-technology-act/,"Moulton, Kelly Introduce Small Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Act",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Moulton, Kelly Introduce Small Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Act December 18th, 2017 Moulton: Broadband internet access should be a right, not a privilege Washington, DC Today, Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Congressman Trent Kelly (R-MS) announced introduction of theSmall Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Act. This bill addresses the bipartisan push for nationwide broadband in a way that specifically targets small businesses needs and potential.This bipartisan bill has been endorsed byACT | The App Association, Engine, The Internet Association, NTCA The Rural Broadband Association, and Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM). Broadband internet access should be a right, not a privilege, said Moulton. No matter where you live, you should be able to get the same online service, compete for the same online jobs, and communicate freely with family and friends. I am proud to be part of this bipartisan effort to achieve the goal of nationwide broadband. I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort to help small businesses and hardworking American families to be a part of the modern economy. It is vital that our nations small businesses have the tools they need to be successful, said Kelly. Better access to broadband technology especially in rural areas, will help them to improve business practices, grow their client base, and create more jobs. Specifically, the Small Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Act aims to: Provide training at the SBA to assist small businesses on how to maximize investment and external reach through broadband, while advising businesses lacking access on locating Wi-Fi access points and financing for broadband purchase. These resources would be disseminated to SBA district offices, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), and other entrepreneurship resource partners. Appoint an existing SBA senior staff member to coordinate training and programs relating to broadband and other new technologies. This coordinator position would also serve as the SBA liaison to the Broadband Opportunity Council, which was created to increase broadband investment and address existing barriers to deployment, affordability, and adoption. Require the SBA to regularly report to the House and Senate Small Business Committees on the coordinators activities related to broadband and emerging technologies. Require the SBA Office of Advocacy to collect data for a report on small business usage and ability to adopt broadband technology, in light of pricing and availability concerns. To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram,or Medium. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-on-trumps-national-security-strategy-contradictory-and-incoherent,Senator Markey on Trump’s National Security Strategy: Contradictory and Incoherent,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey on Trumps National Security Strategy: Contradictory and Incoherent Monday, December 18, 2017 Washington (December 18, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement today after the release of President Donald Trumps National Security Strategy. The divergence between the words of President Trumps written National Security Strategy, and the actions of his administration reflects deep policy incoherence, said Senator Markey. Rather than reflecting American leadership, the Trump administration continues to undermine its own ability to execute a coherent foreign policy that tackles global challenges. The National Security Strategy confirms that we need to lower nuclear risk, yet the Trump administration wants to fund destabilizing nuclear cruise missiles, focusing more on nuclear war-fighting than nuclear non-proliferation. The strategy also states that we must address a growing threat from a nuclear North Korea, yet President Trump ratchets up the likelihood of war with reckless tweets and rhetoric. While the Administration is right to identify Russias violations of a nuclear treaty, its efforts to destabilize Ukraine, and Chinas actions to undermine the liberal international order, the Trump administration fails to articulate a strategy of engaging in these great power relationships in a way that best promotes our interests and avoids confrontation. Todays strategy outlines that we must improve disaster response, but it ignores that climate change makes natural disasters more frequent and severe here at home and across the globe. The nations preeminent military leaders agree that climate change is a threat multiplier and advocate for action to mitigate and respond to its impacts. But President Trump denies the science, disregards his own military advisers, and has abdicated global leadership on solutions for this generational challenge. The Trump administration says that diplomacy is indispensable and that it intends to upgrade our diplomatic capabilities, yet this administration is systematically gutting the State Department by denying it funding and failing to fill critical positions. The Trump administrations National Security Strategy is not a vision for the future of Americas security, but rather a document rife with contradictions that will do little to address the very real threats facing our country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=blog&id=2167,STAT Op-Ed: Congress needs to fund community health centers right away,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"I love community health centers. They do wonderful work and enjoy widespread support. But I'm worried because Republican leaders in Congress have held these centers hostage by halting federal funding while they focus on passing tax cuts for the wealthy. It's past time to step up the fight for community health centers in my state of Massachusetts and across the country. Community health centers are a big part of what's working well in health care today - more coverage at lower cost. They are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic. They provide preventive services and chronic disease management. They are taking the stigma out of mental health treatment. And they save money by promoting disease prevention, providing care coordination, and reducing the use of hospital emergency rooms. Across the country, community health centers care for more than 25 million people. Part of why I love visiting these centers is because each one is unique. Every community has distinct needs, and their health centers adapt and respond to these distinctions. But their goal is always the same - to provide the best possible care to anyone who walks through their doors. One of the best parts of my job is traveling around the state to see the innovative work these centers do to keep people healthy. I hear from hardworking staff about the beneficial impact that opening a vision or dental clinic has on the community. I hear from patients about how having an on-site pharmacy where they can pick up their medications right away, or having immediate access to health care navigators who can answer insurance enrollment questions, has made it so much easier for them to get the care and the coverage they need. The community health center in Brockton, Mass., partners with a local, family-owned Cape Verdean supermarket to teach residents about healthy cooking and active lifestyles. In East Boston, which is geographically isolated from the rest of the city, the community health center operates an emergency room that is open around the clock. The community health center in Lynn is the only site in the country using a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to focus on eradicating tuberculosis by seeking out and treating latent TB. It's much the same in other states. In Michigan, 10 community health centers are working to increase access to routine and early screenings for breast and cervical cancer. In rural communities in Vermont, a community health center might be the only health care provider close by when residents need care. Across the country, these centers are fighting to improve and expand access to high-quality health care. People who work in community health centers know that health care is a basic human right. The dedicated doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals at these sites take incredible care of families from every background. And they're always looking for ways they can better serve their patients and their community. But community health centers can't do this much-needed work if the federal government doesn't keep its promises. On Sept. 30, Congress blew past a major funding deadline for community health centers - a reauthorization of the Community Health Center Fund. This program provides more than 70 percent of all federal funding for health centers. Reauthorizing this program should be a no-brainer, and many of my Republican colleagues agree with that. But Republican leadership has been so focused on stripping health care coverage from many of the people who walk through the doors of community health centers that they ran right past this deadline - and they've just kept on running. Not knowing when - or if - this funding will come, community health centers are feeling the impact. They are holding back on hiring new staff or deferring opportunities to make vital improvements to their programs. If they don't get this funding soon, they'll have to make even tougher decisions, like laying off staff members, cutting services, or reducing hours. Community health centers aren't the only ones facing impossible choices. Funding for a number of other important health care programs also ran out on Sept. 30. Right now, funding is in limbo for programs that support primary care health care workers, like the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program and the National Health Service Corps. Funding also ran out on Sept. 30 for other health programs that help children and their families, including the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care coverage for almost 186,000 children in Massachusetts and 9 million nationally. Funding ran out for programs that keep new babies healthy and safe, like the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and programs that help seniors and people with disabilities, like the State Health Insurance Assistance programs. It also ran out for programs that help people with diabetes, like the Special Diabetes Program. What has been so important that, even after blowing through the deadline to reauthorize these important programs, Republican leadership has continued to avoid taking action? A so-called ""tax reform"" plan that will hit working families hard, including raising their health insurance premiums and leaving millions of people without coverage. Tax cuts for billionaires shouldn't come ahead of making sure that children, pregnant women, people in need of addiction treatment, veterans, and other vulnerable populations have access to health care. I'll keep fighting for community health centers and for all of these health care programs that have improved the lives of people in my state and every other state. I believe everyone deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care. Community health centers excel at providing that care - and they deserve our support. Read the op-ed on the STAT News website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2172,The Young Turks: Warren Blasts FedEx and UPS as Evidence GOP Tax Bill Won't Create Jobs,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Several congressional Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), are pointing to findings by TYT in a series of reports on the employment policies of FedEx and UPS as evidence that the Republican tax bill will not create jobs. TYT reported that the two companies-among America's largest employers-already have billions of dollars in cash on hand and are investing hundreds of millions in initiatives that stand to reduce their employment levels. TYT discovered patent applications, for instance, for package-handling automation, delivery drones, and driverless-trucking systems. The two companies are also investing in measures that would transform full-time driving jobs into Uber-style delivery work. Both FedEx and UPS already receive millions in local tax subsidies in states including Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. But the track record of job growth resulting from those tax benefits has been mixed, as previously reported by TYT. ""Giant corporations like UPS and FedEx have billions of dollars in cash on hand that they could already be using to increase wages or hire more workers,"" Warren said in a statement to TYT. ""If they aren't using this money to improve the lives of Americans now, there is no reason to believe they'll do otherwise with the windfall they'll get if Republicans pass this reckless tax bill."" Read more on The Young Turks' website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=blog&id=2165,New York Times Op-Ed: Warren and Sanders: Who Is Congress Really Serving?,2017-12-17,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Over the past year, Republicans have made their priorities clear. Their effort to repeal Obamacare would have left tens of millions of people without health insurance. Now Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, wants to ram through an enormous tax giveaway to the wealthy before seating Doug Jones, Alabama's newly elected Democratic senator. The Republican agenda on health care and taxes may be popular with wealthy campaign donors, but it is widely disliked by the American people. It's no wonder why. Despite a booming stock market and record corporate profits, workers in this country are being squeezed by flat wages, soaring household expenses and declining savings. They want Washington to start working for them and to spend tax dollars investing in our future - not bankrupting it. With a government funding deadline looming on Friday, congressional Republicans face a choice. Will they spend this week just trying to deliver partisan tax breaks for the rich? Or will they work with Democrats to pass a budget that supports working people? Right now Congress's to-do list is long. Before we even get to the budget, we must take care of several urgent, overdue responsibilities that Republicans have ignored. We must fulfill our promise to 800,000 Dreamers - aspiring young Americans who will lose their legal immigration status if we don't act. We also need to renew expired funding for community health centers and the Children's Health Insurance Program so that tens of millions of families and nine million children don't lose access to affordable health care. These are basic responsibilities and they cannot wait. But our vision is bigger. We must look beyond the bare minimum, to stop lurching from crisis to crisis trying desperately to keep the lights on. This is the moment to focus on our core values and to carefully choose what we will invest in. Continue reading the main story At a time when the American economy is rigged in favor of the rich and giant corporations, the coming federal funding bill is a chance to show that our country still respects hard work. We recognize that we cannot do everything we'd like to do before the end of the year, but there is room in the budget to take real, immediate steps in this direction - by easing household costs for working parents and students, by protecting workers' pensions and Social Security, and by improving access to health care for veterans and for people who need mental health services. Over the past generation, the costs of child care have jumped nearly 1,000 percent. That puts a lot of financial pressure on working parents, and it forces many to make difficult compromises on the quality of care they can afford. If Congress doubles federal support for child care in this year's spending bill, we could guarantee high-quality care for nearly a quarter of a million more children. Student loan debt is another major burden for many people, including those in lower-paying public service jobs, like teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, social workers and military personnel. Ten years ago, Congress created a program to help wipe out student loan debt for these public servants, hoping it would encourage more people to give back to their communities. But because of failures in student loan servicing and a lot of bureaucratic nonsense, many might not get the forgiveness they've earned. Congress can easily fix this in the funding bill and help tens of thousands of people. To strengthen Americans' economic security, it's not enough to reduce basic expenses. We must also protect retirement - and that means pensions and Social Security. It was Wall Street greed that made our economy crash in 2008, not America's truckers, warehouse workers, retirees and widows. But as a consequence of that crash, the pension funds of many workers are now on the brink of failure. Congress can use this funding bill to shore up these retirement plans and make sure nearly 1.5 million American workers aren't left holding the bag for Wall Street's mistakes. For millions of others, Social Security is a lifeline in retirement. But many older people and Americans with disabilities are now struggling to get their benefits because budget cuts have forced the agency running Social Security to cut thousands of jobs and close 64 field offices since 2010. Congress should restore funding to the agency and help fill the gaps in service so that people can get the benefits they have earned. This year's debate over Obamacare was a powerful reminder about the enormous economic burden posed by health care in America. We must keep working to protect the availability of critical, affordable health care for families. This is a huge task, but there are a couple of specific, obvious ways we can make a difference right now in the federal budget. Mental health care is one. Half of all Americans will experience addiction or a mental health problem in their lifetime. These problems can devastate families emotionally and financially, especially without treatment. The federal government has several programs that support mental health services, but we're just not doing enough to ensure people get the care they need. More mental health care is also critical to fighting the opioid epidemic, which is raging across the country without regard to politics - devastating workers and families in our home states of Massachusetts and Vermont, but also in Senator McConnell's Kentucky. If Congress doubled its funding for key mental health priorities, an extra billion dollars would go to programs that now help support treatment for more than seven million people. We can also protect and improve health care for America's veterans. Our service members risked their lives to defend us all - and there is no excuse for nickel-and-diming their health and long-term care. Congress should protect the ability of the Veterans Affairs department to employ thousands of doctors and nurses and to build and maintain extended-care centers for our veterans. The task in front of Congress over the coming week boils down to a basic question: Does Washington work for all of us or just for those at the top? Congress has a chance, right now, to take steps that will make life a bit better for millions of working people immediately and in the years to come. We should seize it. Read the op-ed on the New York Times' website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-statement-tax-bill-conference-report,Neal Statement on Tax Bill Conference Report,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) today released the following statement on the Republican tax legislations conference report: ""Today, behind closed doors, Republicans approved an agreement for a tax plan that until now they have refused to share with the American public. One can only assume they were being this secretive because the bill raises taxes on millions of middle-class families while cutting corporations taxes, explodes the deficit by roughly $2 trillion, strips health insurance from millions of Americans, and prompts billions of dollars of cuts to Medicare. The GOP have seemed to accomplish the impossible. They developed tax cut legislation that has been rejected by two-thirds of the American people because the public sees this for what it is a giveaway to the well-off and well-connected that the middle class will be forced to foot the bill for down the road. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/democratic-leader-schumer-joins-markeys-congressional-review-act-resolution-to-undo-fcc-repeal-of-net-neutrality-rules,Democratic Leader Schumer Joins Markey’s Congressional Review Act Resolution to Undo FCC Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Democratic Leader Schumer Joins Markeys Congressional Review Act Resolution to Undo FCC Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules Friday, December 15, 2017 CRA now has 20 co-sponsors, would overturn FCC decision with majority vote by Congress Boston (December 15, 2017) Today, Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and 19 Senators in a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules. Yesterday, in a partisan 3-2 vote, the FCC approved an item that repeals the 2015 Open Internet Order, which the D.C. Circuit Court upheld in 2016. The Open Internet Order prohibits internet service providers from blocking or discriminating against content online. Repealing these rules could lead to higher prices for consumers, slower internet traffic, and even blocked websites. A recent poll concluded that 83 percent of Americans do not approve of the FCC proposal to repeal net neutrality rules. Several stakeholders have pledged to file lawsuits challenging the FCC action, including several state attorneys general, including Massachusetts and New York. To the millions of Americans who are outraged by the FCCs decision to end net neutrality, your voices are being heard, said Senator Markey, a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Support for the Congressional Review Act to restore the Open Internet Order is growing in Congress. I am proud to have Leader Schumer by my side in this fight, and I look forward to bringing this issue to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Our Republicans colleagues have a choice - be on the right side of history and stand with the American people who support net neutrality, or hold hands with big corporations who only want to increase their profits at the expense of consumers and our economy. Senators co-sponsoring the CRA resolution include: Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii.), Richard Blumenthal (DConn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-secretary-tillersons-remarks-at-the-un-security-council-ministerial-meeting-on-dprk,Senator Markey Statement on Secretary Tillerson’s Remarks at the UN Security Council Ministerial Meeting on DPRK,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Statement on Secretary Tillersons Remarks at the UN Security Council Ministerial Meeting on DPRK Friday, December 15, 2017 Boston (December 15, 2017) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after Secretary of State Rex Tillersons remarks at the December 15 United Nations Security Council Ministerial Meeting on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). On Tuesday, December 12, Secretary Tillerson offered unconditional talks with North Korea. On Friday, December 15, before the UN Security Council, Secretary Tillerson reversed course and said, North Korea must earn its way back to the table. Senator Markey has been the leading Congressional voice calling on President Trump to engage in direct negotiations with Pyongyang, backed by increased sanctions pressure from China and regional military deterrence. The Trump administration needs to stop moving the diplomatic goal posts with North Korea, said Senator Markey. The North Korean threat has only increased since President Trump took office and the mixed messages this administration is sending regarding the willingness of the United States to talk does nothing to bring North Korea to the table to find a diplomatic solution. The Trump administration needs to find a way to get China to cut off the oil flowing into North Korea, as well as Russia to end the use of North Korean slave labor. Only the combination of economic pressure and diplomatic engagement will peacefully resolve this crisis. In August, Senator Markey led a Congressional delegation to Seoul, Tokyo, and the North Korea-China border, where it was the first foreign group to receive a briefing from Chinese customs officials who enforce sanctions at the border. Senators Markey and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) have introduced legislation to impose economic sanctions on North Korea and its enablers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2162,"Warren, Brown, Colleagues Call on EEOC to Address Rampant Sexual Harassment of Tipped Workers",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, DC - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and 17 of their colleagues sent a letter to Acting Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Victoria Lipnic requesting information on the commission's efforts to address sexual harassment in the food and hospitality industries, which have high numbers of tipped workers. The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal workplace anti-discrimination laws and investigating discrimination charges that employees file with the commission. In fiscal year 2016 alone, the EEOC received close to 13,000 complaints involving sexual harassment. ""Women are coming forward to tell stories of the sexual harassment they have endured in jobs in Hollywood, in Congress, and in the news industry. But there are millions more women who work in jobs outside the limelight who fear coming forward because they can't afford to lose their jobs, "" said Senator Warren. ""The EEOC was created to protect workers, and we want to know what it is doing to make sure that workers all across this country are safe from sexual harassment. We want the EEOC to do its job."" ""Sexual harassment is pervasive throughout the United States, and it does not discriminate by industry. Yet EEOC data shows that the accommodation and food services' industry-including restaurants and the hospitality industry-is particularly rife with harassment,"" wrote the senators. ""Sexual harassment remains a persistent problem for American workers-particularly women and people of color."" From fiscal years 2005 to 2015, complaints from accommodation and food services workers accounted for 14.2% of all sexual harassment allegations filed with the EEOC. Over 60% of workers who rely on tips are women, and 40% are people of color. Data show that tipped workers are particularly susceptible to sexual harassment. Some evidence also suggests that tipped workers who are paid less than the minimum wage experience higher rates of sexual harassment than tipped workers paid the standard minimum wage. To better understand the EEOC's ongoing efforts to address sexual harassment, the senators asked the EEOC to provide thorough answers on what the EEOC has done to identify, investigate, and limit sexual harassment in the workplace no later than January 5, 2018. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Corey Booker (D-N.J.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) also signed the letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2163,The GOP Tax Scam Threatens Families Like Ady Barkan's,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Republican tax bill is not just about numbers. It's about people like Ady, his wife Rachael, and their son Carl. Ady was recently diagnosed with ALS - and the Republican tax bill threatens the Medicare program Ady relies on, all so that billionaires and giant corporations can get massive tax breaks they don't need. What does that say about our values? I'll be fighting this tax scam to the bitter end - and need you to join me. December 15, 2017.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/kennedy-statement-on-fcc-net-neutrality-ruling,KENNEDY STATEMENT ON FCC NET NEUTRALITY RULING,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Joseph Kennedy,K000379,kennedy.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congressman Joe Kennedy III today released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission voted to overturn net neutrality protections. After the partisan FCC vote, Kennedy joined Democratic colleagues to announce their intention to introduce a resolution that would reverse the decision.   ""Locking the Internet with keys owned by major corporations will restrict economic equity and crush free speech. If President Trump and Chairman Pai refuse to protect consumers from unfair and unjust limitations to an open and free Internet, Congress must respond to the public outcry and uphold net neutrality.”   ###   For Immediate Release: December 14, 2017   Contact: Emily Kaufman (617) 332-3333 Dan Black (202) 225-5931 Follow Congressman Kennedy on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kennedy.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/kennedy-statement-on-fcc-net-neutrality-ruling,KENNEDY STATEMENT ON FCC NET NEUTRALITY RULING,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Joseph Kennedy,K000379,kennedy.house.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mcgovern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397159,U.S. Rep. McGovern Renews Call to Target Human Rights Abuses and Corruption on 5th Anniversary of Magnitsky Act,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Jim McGovern,M000312,mcgovern.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and a leading voice for human rights in the U.S. Congress, commemorated the five-year anniversary of the signing into law of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-208). Congressman McGovern is the House author of the law, which established visa restrictions and froze property transactions for individuals complicit in the November 2009 murder in prison of Russian tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky or other grave human rights abuses.Magnitsky had uncovered a $230 million theft by corrupt Russian officials and brought it to the attention of the authorities. Instead of pursuing the corrupt officials, the Russian state retaliated against Magnitsky by arresting and imprisoning him, where he died after months of torture and mistreatment. “Today marks five years since the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act was signed into law and the United States took a powerful step to crack down on Russian corruption and attacks on human rights,” Congressman McGovern said. “I am proud to have introduced the very first version of this bill in the House April 2011 and to have led the effort on final passage. “In the last five years, 44 individuals have been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for their involvement in Sergei’s murder and other human rights abuses. That means these corrupt and abusive figures have been outed publicly and internationally and can no longer benefit from traveling to the United States and accessing their assets here. “Last December, the Congress passed the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a bill I also co-authored, that uses a similar model of visa and financial sanctions to crack down on corruption and human rights abuses around the world. Yet the Trump administration has still not released the first list of individuals sanctioned under that law. “President Trump has repeatedly failed to stand up to Vladimir Putin despite the mountain of evidence which shows Russia interfered in our presidential election. And in all his meetings with world leaders, President Trump has not said one word about human rights. With a commander-in-chief who refuses to lead, there has never been a more important time for Congress to be strong in our defense of human rights and efforts to combat anti-democratic regimes around the world. “Visa and financial sanctions imposed by the U.S. government are not a substitute for strengthening rule of law in countries where human rights abuses occur. They are not a substitute for investigating and prosecuting officials who attack their own people. But as we wait for accountability for those officials, we know they will not benefit from coming to our country and doing business here. This is the least we can do in memory of victims like Sergei, and to help prevent others from suffering a similar fate.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://moulton.house.gov/legislative-center/jobs-and-the-economy/free-open-internet-standard-not-something-fight/,"A free and open internet should be the standard, not something we have to fight for",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"A free and open internet should be the standard, not something we have to fight for December 14th, 2017 Washington, D.C. – Today, in response to the FCC voting to repeal Obama-era net neutrality protections, Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) released the following statement: “A free and open internet should be the standard, not something we have to fight for. This ruling sends us down a dangerous path, where a few large corporations can control access to something Americans and small business owners rely on every single day. It takes power out of the hands of consumers and helps big businesses. We lost the battle today, but we didn’t give up without a fight. And, the fight goes on tomorrow. If we can’t convince President Trump’s FCC that a free and open internet is a right, not a privilege, then we need to take back the Congress and pass a law to make it so.” To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Medium. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-statement-net-neutrality-ruling,Neal Statement on Net Neutrality Ruling,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Richard E. Neal issued the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission voted to dismantle the landmark net neutrality protections:    “I am deeply disappointed by the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality. This move undermines and reverses consumer protective regulations already in place that allow for a level playing field in the e-commerce marketplace. I have heard from constituents across the First Congressional District of Massachusetts and the overwhelming majority of them are worried about what this will do to the guarantee of an open, free Internet.  Today’s dangerous rules have potential to drown consumers with higher costs and less choice. This is detrimental to our entrepreneurs and small businesses who are trying to succeed. I fully intend to support Representative Mike Doyle’s resolution to overturn today’s decision using the authority in the Congressional Review Act.” ##",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-cheers-withdrawal-of-dourson-nomination-for-epa-chemical-safety-head,Senator Markey Cheers Withdrawal of Dourson Nomination for EPA Chemical Safety Head,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Cheers Withdrawal of Dourson Nomination for EPA Chemical Safety Head Thursday, December 14, 2017 Washington (December 14, 2017) – Micheal Dourson, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention has withdrawn his nomination. The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention’s mission is to protect the public and environment from potential risks from pesticides and toxic chemicals and is responsible for implementing the Toxic Substances Control Act, which was reauthorized on a bipartisan basis in 2016. In 2014 and 2017, Dourson led two industry-funded studies that defended a safe level of exposure to the carcinogen dioxane that is 1,000 times greater than EPA’s health based safety level. Dioxane is an industrial chemical found in a wide range of products and known to frequently contaminate water systems. Mr. Dourson also led a study in 2016 funded by the American Chemistry Counsel that proposed a safety range for the toxic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) that is 1.5 to 15 times less protective than the EPA’s own drinking water standard. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement: “Michael Dourson has never met a chemical he did not like, and he was the wrong choice to lead an office with a mission to protect the public and environment from toxic chemicals. Mr. Dourson has spent decades of his career protecting the chemical industry and advocating for the safety of their products over that of public health. His positions on chemical safety are so out of the realm of scientific norms that they are not just outliers, they are outrageous. The nominee to lead the office responsible for implementing the Toxic Substances Control Act cannot be a partisan industry agent, but must be an individual who can respect and uphold the historic bipartisan negotiations that produced this updated law. “While I am pleased that Mr. Dourson has withdrawn his nomination, he is still exerting his influence as he continues to serve in the position of special advisor to the Administrator at EPA in the very office that he was nominated to head. I call on Mr. Dourson to immediately remove himself from all of his duties at the EPA and allow Congress and the administration to fulfill their obligation to the American people by nominating and vetting a qualified candidate to lead this office.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-leads-resolution-to-restore-fccs-net-neutrality-rules,Senator Markey Leads Resolution to Restore FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey Leads Resolution to Restore FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules Thursday, December 14, 2017 CRA resolution would reinstate robust net neutrality protections and the Open Internet Order   Washington (December 14, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and 15 other Senators today announced their plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo today’s action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules. Today, the FCC approved an item that guts the 2015 Open Internet Order, which the D.C. Circuit Court upheld in 2016. The Open Internet Order prohibited internet service providers from setting up internet fast and slow lanes and ensured they could not block or slow down internet traffic.   “Donald Trump’s FCC made an historic mistake today by overturning its net neutrality rules, and we cannot let it stand,” said Senator Markey. “Without strong net neutrality rules, entrepreneurs, inventors, small businesses, activists and all those who rely on a free and open internet will be at the mercy of big broadband companies that can block websites, slow down traffic and charge websites fees in order to increase their profits.   “We will fight the FCC’s decisions in the courts, and we will fight it in the halls of Congress,” continued Senator Markey. “With this CRA, Congress can correct the Commission’s misguided and partisan decision and keep the internet in the hands of the people, not big corporations. Our Republicans colleagues have a choice - be on the right side of history and stand with the American people who support net neutrality, or hold hands with the big cable and broadband companies who only want to supercharge their profits at the expense of consumers and our economy.”   A copy of the CRA can be found HERE.   Senator Markey’s resolution of disapproval would rescind FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s item and fully restore the Open Internet Order. CRA resolutions allow Congress to overturn regulatory actions at federal agencies with a simple majority vote in both chambers.  In accordance with the Congressional Review Act, the Senators will formally introduce the resolution once the rule is submitted to both houses of Congress and published in the federal register. Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Penn.) plans to introduce a CRA resolution in the House of Representatives.     Other Senators co-sponsoring the CRA resolution include Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii.), Richard Blumenthal (D–Conn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-to-trump-administration-just-say-no-to-ill-conceived-drug-abuse-ad-campaigns,Senator Markey to Trump Administration: “Just Say No” to Ill-Conceived Drug Abuse Ad Campaigns,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Markey to Trump Administration: “Just Say No” to Ill-Conceived Drug Abuse Ad Campaigns Thursday, December 14, 2017 Massachusetts-wide #ResistTheRisk media campaign criticized by public health, medical professionals for utilizing harmful scare tactics Washington (December 14, 2017) – Today, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice expressing concerns about recently announced media campaigns that could be harmful or even counterproductive to the goal of combatting the opioid epidemic. In particular, the Massachusetts-wide #ResistTheRisk campaign has received withering criticisms from the public health and medical communities for images and rhetoric that have proven ineffective in changing behaviors or preventing young people from beginning to use drugs. Between 1998 and 2004, the U.S. government spent close to $1 billion on a national campaign designed to discourage young people from using illegal drugs. Studies on the effectiveness of this national campaign found that, not only was it unsuccessful at positively affecting youth behavior, it may have unintentionally prompted some of its targets to experiment with drugs.   “After years of working to bring opioid use disorders out of the shadows, it is imperative that any media campaigns refrain from using language or imagery that would further stigmatize these diseases,” writes Senator Markey in his letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “As the Trump administration begins a nationwide campaign to fulfill the President’s goal of preventing substance abuse, it is imperative that we not repeat the mistakes of the past.”   A copy of Senator Markey’s letter can be found HERE.   In his letter, Senator Markey asks the Department of Justice to respond to questions that include: What role did the DOJ have in designing, funding, or supporting the #ResistTheRisk campaign in Massachusetts? Is this campaign related to the President’s public health emergency declaration and/or his nationwide campaign goal? How will the DOJ work to ensure that input from public health professionals is incorporated into any state-based or national campaign with which it is involved? In these efforts, will the DOJ consult with local public health professionals who understand the language and demographics of communities the campaigns target?   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/view/sen-markey-speaks-out-against-repeal-of-net-neutrality-on-the-eve-of-fcc-vote,Sen. Markey Speaks Out Against Repeal of Net Neutrality on the Eve of FCC Vote,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Fall River, MA 222 Milliken Boulevard, Suite 312 Fall River, MA 02721 Phone: 508-677-0523",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2171,Sen. Warren asks about U.S. policy and strategy in the Middle East,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2181,Sen. Warren advocates for more research on traumatic brain injury in servicemembers,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-delay-tax-bill-until-jones-sworn,Neal: Delay Tax Bill Until Jones is Sworn In,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) today released the following statement calling for consideration of the tax bill to be delayed until Senator-elect Doug Jones (D-AL) is seated: “Last night the people of Alabama spoke out against the Republican agenda. They chose policies that support working families, grow the economy, strengthen our healthcare system and lift up those aspiring to reach the middle-class over policies that reward the well-off and well-connected and further rig the system against American families. Alabamans deserve to have the representative they chose, not a political appointee, in place to vote on their behalf, particularly on a matter as critical as a tax bill that will affect every family, small business and worker in this country.    “This situation is not unprecedented. In 2010, during debate on the Affordable Care Act, my home state of Massachusetts elected Scott Brown in a special election to succeed Sen Ted Kennedy. Following that election, Democrats delayed final action on the ACA until Senator Brown could be seated. Quite simply, we did the right thing even when it wasn't in our best political interests. And, let us not forget the sham of an argument that was made by Senator McConnell when he, for more than a year, left a seat on the United States Supreme Court empty, stating simply that we should wait on the outcome of the presidential election to ensure that we were respecting the will of the American people. Senator McConnell doesn’t get to have it both ways. Just as Senator McConnell wanted to respect the will of voters in  Massachusetts in 2010 and the will of the American people in 2016, he must now respect the will of the voters in Alabama and stop consideration of the Republican tax bill until Senator-elect Jones is seated.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-opening-statement-tax-legislation-conference-committee-meeting,Neal Opening Statement at Tax Legislation Conference...,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"(As prepared for delivery)   Mr. Chairman, in light of last night’s election, I do not believe we should be holding today’s meeting. In fact, I believe it is imperative that we respect the will of the people of Alabama and delay any further action on this tax bill until Senator-elect Jones can be seated.    This situation is not unprecedented. As recently as 2010, during debate on the ACA, my state of Massachusetts elected Scott Brown in a special election to succeed Sen Ted Kennedy. Following that election, we heard strong words from then Minority Leader McConnell.    He stated emphatically, ""I think the message of the moment is that the American people, all across the country, are asking us, even in the most liberal state, Massachusetts, to stop this healthcare bill.""     What did Democrats do? We waited and respected the will of the people of Massachusetts. Quite simply, even when it was hard and against our own politics, Democrats did the right thing and allowed Senator Brown to cast a vote on final passage of the ACA. I would hope that the Republicans would do the same today.    Turning the tax bill, the Ryan-McConnell tax package is a bad deal. This legislation raises taxes on millions of middle-class families, increases the national debt by more than $2.3 trillion dollars, and eliminates deductions that help Americans afford to go to college, buy a home, and pay for medical expenses.   From kids with disabilities, to students pursuing a higher education, to seniors with Alzheimer’s, this bill punishes Americans at every stage of life. And as the New York Times reported this weekend, given the Republicans shift in how they’ll tax income, the Tax Code will for the first time substantially punish the wage earner while providing massive benefit to corporations, shareholders, and partners.   We can do better. Democrats’ focus in tax reform is providing ALL middle-class Americans with a tax cut – unlike the Republicans’ bill, which does the opposite and actually increases taxes on the middle class.    The Republicans also claim that their bill helps small businesses but I’m hearing from business owners back home in Springfield who are excluded from any tax relief.   We also must take into account the unique circumstances for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. They just suffered terrible devastation and are still in the process of rebuilding and putting the pieces of their lives back together after Hurricane Maria. The last thing they need is to get hit again.   Finally, the Republicans have shown their cards – they’re going after Social Security, Medicare and Welfare next. They argue we can no longer afford those programs. I’d argue that we can’t afford this $2.3 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and corporations.   The Ryan-McConnell tax legislation does not put the middle class first. American businesses and middle-class families deserve better.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-opening-statement-ways-and-means-democrats-tax-legislation-forum,Neal Opening Statement at Ways and Means Democrats Tax...,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"Thank you for joining us today. Today’s hearing is the first – and likely the only – hearing on HR 1, the Ryan-McConnell tax legislation. And so I thank our witnesses for being here today.   Let me start by providing some historical perspective. In January 2001, when President Bush took over from President Clinton, CBO estimated the total budget surplus for 2002 to 2011 would be $5.6 trillion. But what actually happened during that period? The federal government ran deficits that totaled $6.1 trillion.   What happened when President Clinton left office?  In 2001, Republicans cut taxes by $1.3 trillion; in 2003, by $1 trillion; and in 2005, there was the repatriation tax holiday. Each time, like today, the Republicans promised job growth. However, they took us to the casino each time without a win.   So here we go again.  The Treasury Department issued a one page analysis of the Republicans’ tax bill on Monday citing 2.9 percent growth.  That’s not in line with what we’re hearing from any main stream economists – and fortunately for us, we have two of them with us today.    The reality is tax cuts do not pay for themselves.  Even taking into account growth, JCT’s macroeconomic analysis finds that the Republican tax bill will still cost over $1 trillion. And frankly, even the Treasury Department’s one pager also concludes that tax cuts don’t pay for themselves.   I should also note that the 1981 Reagan tax cuts did not pay for themselves either.  Like today, they were assuming future spending cuts, which as we know never occurred. We should learn from these past experiences.   We have a million new veterans who we need to care for – and we’re lucky to have a veteran with us today – and our military is committed around the world. We also have thousands of Baby Boomers retiring every day who will begin receiving Social Security and Medicare benefits. We can’t afford another gamble with the Republicans’ tax plans.   Let me conclude by saying that the bottom line is the Ryan-McConnell tax package is a bad deal. It’s a bad deal for the 36 million middle class families who will see their taxes go up; it’s a bad deal for the 13 million Americans who will no longer have healthcare coverage; and it will be an even worse deal for our children and grandchildren who the Republicans have decided will foot the bill for this irresponsible proposal.  We can do better.    I would now like to yield to gentle lady from California, our distinguished Democratic Leader, Ms. Pelosi, for her opening statement.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tsongas.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2149,Tsongas and Turner Hold Hearing on DoD Sexual Assault Conviction Reporting,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Niki Tsongas,T000465,tsongas.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Co-Chairs Niki Tsongas (MA-3) and Mike Turner (OH-10) of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus held a briefing yesterday on the Department of Defense’s (DoD) reporting of sexual assault convictions. Afterwards, they released the following joint statement: “After the shooting in Sutherland Springs, we learned that the Air Force failed to report a military conviction that could have prevented the shooter from obtaining the firearms he used to kill 26 people. This tragic incident led those of us in Congress to question the DoD’s processes for reporting military convictions to civilian authorities in a variety of contexts; for the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, it meant we should take a deeper look at whether other gaps in DoD’s reporting processes exist, specifically as they relate to sexual offense reporting. Yesterday, we heard that roughly half of military justice cases across the services are related to sexual assault, which makes it all the more important that military sex offense convictions be properly reported to outside authorities. We are concerned over the lack of an integrated DoD-wide data system for tracking and maintaining accountability over such cases. We will continue to work with DoD to find a legislative solution to close any gaps in communication and reporting in order to prevent future tragedies like the one in Texas.”   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blumenthal-and-markey-call-for-federal-investigation-of-dietary-supplement-manufacturers-exploiting-the-opioid-epidemic,BLUMENTHAL & MARKEY CALL FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENT MANUFACTURERS EXPLOITING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"BLUMENTHAL & MARKEY CALL FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENT MANUFACTURERS EXPLOITING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC Wednesday, December 13, 2017 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, wrote the heads of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today to call for stricter oversight of dietary supplements advertised as treatments for substance use disorder or withdrawal symptoms associated with opioids. With nearly 100 Americans dying from opioid overdoses every day, some dietary supplement manufacturers are exploiting those seeking treatment, propagating false and misleading marketing claims about non-FDA approved supplements.   Last week, the New York Times reported the Center for Science in the Public Interest has identified eight dietary supplement retailers who have marketed products purporting to “ease withdrawal symptoms” and expedite recovery – claims that are not based on any conclusive scientific evidence, and may even conceal dangerous side effects.    “Given the size and scope of this epidemic and the resulting demand for treatment options, it is unconscionable that many Americans seeking relief for themselves or for their struggling loved ones have been targeted by insidious scammers looking to profit from their recovery efforts by marketing fraudulent dietary supplements to them,” wrote the Senators. “We strongly urge the FTC and FDA to swiftly use their full authority to hold such scammers accountable for their egregious actions that prey on already vulnerable consumers.”   The Senators’ letter to the FTC and FDA is available for download here, and copied below.   Dear Acting Chairman Ohlhausen and Commissioner Gottlieb:   As individuals and families across the country continue to battle the national opioid epidemic and seek remedies to address the symptoms and underlying disease of a substance use disorder, we urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to immediately investigate deceptive, illegal marketing practices by dietary supplement manufacturers, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take strong enforcement action against dietary supplements that target those with substance use disorders by claiming, without adequate evidence, that their products ease withdrawal symptoms or otherwise treat substance use disorders.   Addiction is one of the greatest public health crises of our time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans aged 25 to 64. Only 10 percent of Americans who need specialty treatment for a substance use disorder receive it and nearly 100 Americans die as a result of opioid overdose every day. The voracity of this indiscriminate and rapidly spreading epidemic has translated into desperation for many individuals and families, who are seeking help to free themselves or their loved ones from the grips of addiction.   Given the size and scope of this epidemic and the resulting demand for treatment options, it is unconscionable that many Americans seeking relief for themselves or for their struggling loved ones have been targeted by insidious scammers looking to profit from their recovery efforts by marketing fraudulent dietary supplements to them.   Last week, the New York Times reported that the Center for Science in the Public Interest has identified eight dietary supplement retailers purporting to “ease withdrawal symptoms” and “shorten detox length, improve emotional well-being, [and] provide nutritional support to the brain during detox.” These claims are unfounded and not based on any conclusive, scientific evidence.  Moreover, as an FDA spokesperson said, “Health fraud scams like these can pose serious health risks, and the FDA cautions the public to instead seek out medication-assisted treatments that have met the scientific rigor of FDA approval.” As one can imagine delaying critical treatment by turning to unverified dietary supplements could prove deadly for many Americans with opioid use disorders.   Currently, dietary supplements are not subject to premarket review by the FDA, or to the rigorous manufacturing practices required of prescription drugs. As these opioid treatment products illustrate, it is evident that far from enough is being done to protect consumers from misleading, dangerous dietary supplements. Given this glaring regulatory gap, the FTC has previously brought enforcement actions against dietary supplement marketers who are claiming to treat substance use disorders. Most recently, in September 2017, the FTC settled with Sunrise Nutraceuticals, LLC, the creator of the “opioid withdrawal” powdered drink supplement Elimidrol, and issued refund checks to over 5,000 consumers who purchased this fraudulent product.   We strongly urge the FTC and FDA to swiftly use their full authority to hold such scammers accountable for their egregious actions that prey on already vulnerable consumers. The FTC should investigate and file charges against those making unfounded claims, and obtain refund checks for affected consumers. The FDA must take action against these products because they are making medical claims and should thus be subject to premarket approval as drugs. We encourage the FTC and FDA to coordinate efforts to ensure that these predatory products are removed from the market and that fraudsters are held accountable. These dangerous, unsubstantiated supplements have no place on store shelves, online websites, or in Americans’ homes. We stand ready and willing to work with both agencies to ensure that Americans battling the opioid epidemic are protected from predators.   That you for your attention to this critical matter. We respectfully request a response outlining what concrete actions you intend to take to address this issue by January 13, 2017.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/citing-unknown-and-potentially-damaging-impacts-on-students-and-schools-senators-demand-delay-of-net-neutrality-decision,"Citing Unknown and Potentially Damaging Impacts on Students and Schools, Senators Demand Delay of Net Neutrality Decision",2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Citing Unknown and Potentially Damaging Impacts on Students and Schools, Senators Demand Delay of Net Neutrality Decision Wednesday, December 13, 2017 FCC Chairman Pai is proposing to roll back net neutrality rules without any apparent consideration of impact on our nation’s students   Schools in low-income and rural areas relying on high-speed internet to help kids learn could be hit especially hard by FCC decision   Senators are concerned rolling back net neutrality could exacerbate educational inequities and increase digital divide   Senators: “From early childhood education through higher education and workforce training, students need access to high-speed internet in order to learn and make the most of their educational experience”   (Washington, D.C.) – Led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, 21 U.S. Senators sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging him to consider how a free, fair, and open internet provides our nation’s students in P-12 and higher education with opportunities to learn and succeed. Senators requested Chairman Pai delay the proposed vote to dismantle existing net neutrality rules until he specifically addresses the impacts on students and schools—specifically those in rural or low-income communities, as well as how the decision it will impact education equities and the digital divide.   “By overturning the Commission’s current rules that preserve net neutrality and prevent internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking, throttling, or otherwise privileging lawful content, we fear that the Draft Order could harm our nation’s students and schools—especially those in rural and low-income communities,” wrote senators. “We urge you to delay this monumental decision to dismantle net neutrality until you have fully examined the Draft Order’s impact on our nation’s students and their ability to learn.”   Allowing internet service providers to limit access and increase costs could increase the digital divide for students in rural and low-income areas, where their only access to the internet may be at a resource-constrained school or a public library. This decision could also hinder teachers’ and students’ ability to access educational materials from around the globe and make it more difficult for students with disabilities and English learners to receive a high-quality education. On December 14, the Commission is expected to vote along party lines in favor of Chairman Pai’s proposal, which will roll back the FCC’s current prohibitions against blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization, and will give more power to internet service providers (ISPs).   In addition to Senator Murray, the letter was signed by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).     Full text of letter below and PDF HERE.   December 12, 2017   The Honorable Ajit Pai Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street Southwest Washington, DC 20554   Dear Chairman Pai:   We write today regarding your draft order—the Restoring Internet Freedom Order (“the Draft Order”) —and its potential impacts on students, schools, and institutions of higher education. By overturning the Commission’s current rules that preserve net neutrality and prevent internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking, throttling, or otherwise privileging lawful content, we fear that the Draft Order could harm our nation’s students and schools—especially those in rural and low-income communities. We urge you to delay this monumental decision to dismantle net neutrality until you have fully examined the Draft Order’s impact on our nation’s students and their ability to learn.   In the past four years, P-12 schools have made enormous strides in improving access to high-speed connectivity for all students. In 2013, 40 million students were in schools not meeting the 100 kbps per student threshold. By 2017, only 6.5 million students were in schools not meeting this goal—narrowing this gap by 84 percent.[1] From early childhood education through higher education and workforce training, students need access to high-speed internet in order to learn and make the most of their educational experience.   The Draft Order runs counter to our national goal of affordable, high-speed internet for all students. By rolling back the FCC’s current prohibitions against blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization, the Draft Order could lead to a tiered and compartmentalized internet, and whose characteristic openness is limited to those students, schools, and institutions who can afford it. Beyond that, the Draft Order threatens to impede innovation that has taken place within the educational sphere, including when it comes to access to high-quality online coursework.   Our nation’s P-12 education system increasingly relies on an open internet to improve equity and access to high-quality content and instruction. Teachers depend on the internet to collaborate with colleagues and to access educational materials from around the globe. Entrepreneurs and educators alike have been able to develop high-quality educational technologies that support state standards and equip schools and teachers to personalize instruction. These technologies, which include educational apps and online coursework, help students learn valuable research and internet safety skills, and expand access to a high-quality education for students with disabilities and English learners. By allowing ISPs to limit access and increase costs, the Draft Order could threaten educational equity and exacerbate the digital divide.    Rural schools could be particularly harmed by the potential effects of the Draft Order. One recent analysis shows that the 77 percent of the schools that lack high-speed fiber connections are in rural communities.[2] Despite the Draft Order’s claim that the Commission’s current rules have stifled investment in internet infrastructure and rural communities, independent studies have found that such investments by ISPs have largely remained stable[3] and in some cases have increased in underserved areas.[4] The Draft Order would neither protect fiscally-strapped schools and school districts from aggressive ISP pricing practices, nor would it guarantee any additional investment in underserved areas.   Institutions of higher education rely on an open internet to carry out both their educational and research missions. For instance, online coursework has grown significantly over the past decade: as of the fall of 2015, more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course, representing about 30 percent of enrollments, compared to less than 10 percent in the fall of 2002.[5] Should the Draft Order be adopted, video lectures and online learning resources that are essential to institutions of higher education may be rendered unavailable by ISPs that decide to block them or otherwise privilege a competing resource. Additionally, basic research, which today more than ever relies upon frequent exchange of massive data sets online, could be severely impacted by a tiered and tolled internet. The Association of Research Libraries has stated that “if our institutions had to pay a fee in order to access these connections or download these digital files, it wouldn't happen.”[6] Resource-constrained public institutions of higher education, the biggest users of online coursework, which remain funded nearly $9 billion below their per-student levels before the Great Recession, would particularly feel these constraints.[7]   The Draft Order may also disproportionately impact students whose only adequate connection to the internet is the one inside their classroom. Even in 2017, far too many students lack access to a reliable, high-speed internet connection outside their classrooms—at home or off-campus. According to a 2015 Pew Research Center analysis, approximately 5 million households with school-age children did not have high-speed internet at home.[8] This analysis found that households with annual incomes under $50,000 were more than three times as likely to lack a high-speed connection than those with incomes over $50,000; nearly 40 percent of households with annual incomes under $25,000—165 percent of full-time federal minimum wage[9]—did not have a high-speed connection.[10] Coupled with the Commission’s recent modifications to the Lifeline program and proposed changes to the critical Universal Service Fund’s Schools and Libraries Program (“E-Rate”) program, implementation of the Draft Order could further deepen the “digital divide,” effectively limiting or outright denying internet access to the students who need it most.   In summary, we are deeply concerned about the Draft Order’s impact on our nation’s education system. Subsequently, we ask that you delay your planned vote to roll back net neutrality and forever change the landscape of the internet until you can satisfactorily answer the following questions:   The Draft Order fails to make a single mention of ‘student’ or ‘students’ in its 210 pages; to what extent did the Commission contemplate the Draft Order’s impact on students and the programs, schools, and institutions of higher education that they attend?   What tangible and enforceable guarantees does the Draft Order provide for schools and institutions of higher education in rural areas, which face substantial barriers to accessing a high-speed internet connection? What evidence does the Commission have that the Draft Order will provide superior connectivity over the regulatory regime currently in place?   How will the Draft Order affect the E-Rate program, including the progress made in such program since the 2014 modernization order?   Paragraph 256 of the Draft Order “reject[s] the contrary argument ISPs will engage in ‘virtual redlining’ because, as discussed, paid prioritization is likely to lead to increased network investment and lower costs to end users, particularly benefitting those on the wrong side of the digital divide.”[11] What steps will the Commission take to ensure that ISPs do not engage in such behavior and that issues associated with the “digital divide” and the “homework gap” are not being actively exacerbated by the regulatory framework envisioned by the Draft Order?   We thank you for your consideration of these pressing issues. We look forward to your swift and detailed response.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/view/sen-markey-queries-nuclear-regulatory-committee-members,Sen. Markey Queries Nuclear Regulatory Committee Members,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Fall River, MA 222 Milliken Boulevard, Suite 312 Fall River, MA 02721 Phone: 508-677-0523",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2164,Senator Warren Calls For An Additional $1 Billion in Mental Health Funding To Be Included In The Year-End Budget Deal,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Video available here (YouTube) Washington, DC - At a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on Wednesday, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) highlighted the importance of mental health funding at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Senator Warren called for an additional $1 billion in mental health funding which would roughly double SAMHSA's two biggest mental health grant programs, the Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) and the Programs of Regional and National Significance (PRNS). Doubling the funding for these mental health programs would save lives and provide millions of Americans, including many struggling with opioid addiction, with the services they need. ""There is such a very high rate of co-occurring mental disorders with substance use disorders and the genesis of these mental disorders often predate the substance use disorder itself,"" said Dr. McCance-Katz. MHBG and PRNS provide funds to all fifty states, and support the work of state mental health agencies, local governments, and nonprofits. But due to funding limitations, nearly 12 million Americans have unmet needs for mental health services, according to Dr. McCance-Katz. Senator Warren noted that while MHBG and PRNS currently receive less than $1 billion a year, a recent report by the White House Council of Economic Advisors estimated the cost of combatting the opioid crisis to be roughly $500 billion. ""The cost to this country for the opioid crisis is more than half a trillion dollars - in 2015 alone - that's where we have the most recent data. And we are investing only one fifth of one percent of that amount in helping SAMHSA tackle the mental health piece of this problem. I think we need to do more,"" said Senator Warren. ""That's why I've called for an additional billion dollars of funding in next year's budget that would...let (SAMHSA) double what they put into the two largest mental health programs."" During the hearing, Senator Warren cited letters she has received from the National Council for Behavioral Health and the Association for Behavioral Healthcare expressing strong support for the senator's call for additional investments in mental health programs. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2150,Sen. Elizabeth Warren Pushing for Adoption of Her Free Credit Freeze Bill,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak. Click the link above for Massachusetts-specific information about the coronavirus outbreak, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2154,Senator Elizabeth Warren's Floor Speech on the Republican Tax Bill,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate floor speech: November 29, 2017",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kennedy.house.gov/media/in-the-news/kennedy-gop-tax-bill-not-written-for-local-towns,Kennedy: GOP tax bill not written for local towns,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Joseph Kennedy,K000379,kennedy.house.gov,,,legacy,"Christopher Gavin, Milford Daily News",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/kennedy-bill-protecting-religious-institutions-passes-house,KENNEDY BILL PROTECTING RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS PASSES HOUSE,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Joseph Kennedy,K000379,kennedy.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – As hate crimes motivated by religion continue to rise in the United States, Congressman Joe Kennedy III today applauded the bipartisan passage of the Combating Anti-Semitism Act of 2017. Led by Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) and Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA), the legislation was introduced in response to more than 100 bomb threats and other threats of violence that had been made against 81 Jewish Community Centers earlier this year.    “A nation free of bigotry and hatred must celebrate our diversity and fiercely defend worshipers against targeted threats intended to instill fear and doubt,” said Kennedy. “With the passage of this legislation today, my colleagues from every corner of the country have sent a clear message that anti-Semitism and religious intolerance have no place in our United States.""   According to a recently released FBI report, Massachusetts had the highest rate of reported hate crimes in the country in 2016. The Combating Anti-Semitism Act of 2017 would increase the federal penalty for bomb threats and other credible threats of violence against community religious centers and ensure these acts can be prosecuted as a hate crime.    # # # For Immediate Release: December 12, 2017   Contact: Emily Kaufman (617) 332-3333 Dan Black (202) 225-5931 Follow Congressman Kennedy on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-young-markey-delaney-and-olson-introduce-bill-to-further-understand-and-promote-development-of-artificial-intelligence-drive-economic-opportunity,"Cantwell, Young, Markey, Delaney & Olson Introduce Bill to Further Understand and Promote Development of Artificial Intelligence, Drive Economic Opportunity",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Cantwell, Young, Markey, Delaney & Olson Introduce Bill to Further Understand and Promote Development of Artificial Intelligence, Drive Economic Opportunity Tuesday, December 12, 2017 Legislation creates federal advisory committee to examine and develop recommendations on: investment, workforce, privacy, and ethics, among others   Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Ed Markey (D-MA), along with Representatives John K. Delaney (D-MD) and Pete Olson (R-TX), introduced first-of-its-kind legislation that would promote an enabling environment for the continued development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The forward-looking bill, known as the Fundamentally Understanding the Usability and Realistic Evolution of Artificial Intelligence Act of 2017 – or FUTURE of AI Act – establishes a federal advisory committee to examine and wrestle with the economic opportunities and impacts emerging AI technologies will have in many aspects of American life.   AI technologies are evolving in capability and application at a rapid clip. Yet, the United States currently has no federal policy towards AI and no part of the federal government has ownership of the advancement of this technology.   “We expect that artificial intelligence will be an incredibly transformative force for growth and productivity.  We need to be ready for it,” said Senator Cantwell.   “Artificial Intelligence has the ability to drastically boost our economy,” said Senator Young. “As Americans continue to interact with this technology every day, and as its capabilities expand, it’s important that we study and prepare for AI’s continued use in our society.”   “While artificial intelligence holds the promise of providing goods and services more efficiently and effectively, increased automation has potentially broad negative impacts on our workforce and our privacy,” said Senator Edward J. Markey. “This bill serves as an important step in bringing together all stakeholders to better understand how this new technology will impact our lives. I thank Senators Cantwell and Young, as well as Representatives Delaney and Olson, for their partnership on this important bipartisan issue.”    “It’s time to get proactive on artificial intelligence,” said Congressman Delaney, co-chair of the House AI Caucus. “AI is going to reshape our economy the way the steam engine, the transistor or the personal computer did and as a former entrepreneur, I believe the impact will be positive overall. Big disruptions also create new policy needs and we should start working now so that AI is harnessed in a way that society benefits, that businesses benefit and that workers benefit. This bill starts the process, by bringing together experts and policymakers. As co-chairs of the AI Caucus, Rep. Olson and I are shining a spotlight on these issues and this bipartisan bill makes sure that both Congress and the Executive Branch get engaged on this topic. I thank Senator Cantwell, Senator Young and Senator Markey for their leadership in the Senate.”   Rep. Pete Olson said, “Artificial Intelligence has the power to truly transform our society, and as policymakers, we must be forward thinking about its applications. The AI Advisory committee will help ensure that the federal government enables growth and advancement in this exciting field, while empowering Congress to address potential AI issues going forward. I thank my AI Caucus Co-Chair John Delaney and our Senate colleagues for this collaborative effort and look forward to moving this bill forward.”   The FUTURE of AI Act names the Department of Commerce responsible for leading government policy on artificial intelligence and directs the Department to create an advisory committee tasked with submitting recommendations within 18 months on how the government and business can work together to address concerns in four key areas:   Potential growth, restructuring, and other changes for the U.S. workforce that result from adoption of AI, including potential actions to train and skill workers for an AI workplace Protecting the privacy rights of individuals as AI continues to grow Promoting a climate of innovation to ensure global competitiveness for American companies developing AI technologies Supporting the development and application of unbiased AI   The AI advisory committee will pull from a wide array of sectors and perspectives. The committee will be comprised of civil liberties groups, labor groups, research institutions and universities, technology companies, the manufacturing sector, data scientists, and federal agency officials, among others.   ""This is a very thoughtful and timely bill. Gaining the expertise to make wise and inclusive policy around artificial intelligence is absolutely critical. I applaud Senator Cantwell and her co-sponsors for their leadership,” said Ryan Calo, an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Law and the faculty co-director of the University of Washington Tech Policy Lab.   The section-by-section of the bill can be found HERE.   The full text of the bill can be found HERE.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-to-tax-budget-conferees-remove-harmful-renewable-energy-provisions-protect-clean-energy-blue-collar-jobs,"Senators to Tax Budget Conferees: Remove Harmful Renewable Energy Provisions, Protect Clean Energy Blue-Collar Jobs",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators to Tax Budget Conferees: Remove Harmful Renewable Energy Provisions, Protect Clean Energy Blue-Collar Jobs Tuesday, December 12, 2017 Three provisions in Senate and House bills would harm ability to claim essential federal tax credits, reduce tax credits specifically for wind industry, eliminate tax credit for electric vehicles   VIDEO: http://bit.ly/2iVXivd   Washington (December 12, 2017) – As Republicans on the congressional tax scam conference committee try to finalize their partisan plan this week, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are demanding removal of renewable energy provisions from the final conference report that would devastate clean energy deployment and job growth. Wind and solar energy currently have more than 360,000 workers in their industries, the majority of them blue-collar jobs such as roofers, electricians and steelworkers. These clean energy industries are projected to support 500,000 American workers in just three years.   “The potential of these industries and this job creation is imperiled by provisions in the legislation that has been passed by the House and Senate,” write the Senators in the letter. “Wind and solar here in the United States are creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying, blue-collar jobs and more sustainable economic growth. The increasing deployment of electric vehicles will help reduce our consumption of foreign oil and enhance our national security.”   A copy of the letter can be found HERE.   A first provision included in the Senate bill called the “base-erosion anti-abuse tax” (BEAT) would harm the ability of renewable energy projects to make full use of essential federal tax credits. A second provision included in the House bill would significantly reduce tax credits for the wind industry, which could eliminate over half of all new wind production planned in the United States. A different provision included in the House bill would eliminate the tax credit for electric vehicles, jeopardizing the market just as automakers are increasingly ramping up their commitments to producing these vehicles.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-markey-and-cruz-introduce-the-national-timing-resilience-and-security-act-of-2017,Sens. Markey & Cruz Introduce the National Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2017,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sens. Markey & Cruz Introduce the National Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2017 Tuesday, December 12, 2017 Legislation provides backup to GPS timing systems Washington (December 14, 2017) – U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today introduced the National Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2017. This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to work in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and Commandant of the Coast Guard, to provide for the establishment, sustainment, and operation of a land-based, resilient, and reliable alternative timing system to Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.   Further, the bill would ensure the availability of uncorrupted and non-degraded timing signals for military and civilian users in the event that GPS signals are corrupted, degraded, unreliable, or otherwise unavailable.   “Ensuring we have an alternative GPS timing system is critically important to both national and economic security,” Sen. Cruz said. “Currently, there is no active, domestic back up system to GPS which makes it a single point of failure and poses a vulnerability that our adversaries could exploit. The GPS timing signal is essential to the functioning of cellular networks, the power grid, financial markets, military systems, the internet and even medical devices. Without a timing signal, you cannot use an ATM or a credit card to buy gas. Should GPS be disrupted for even just a few hours, critical infrastructure could shut down and pose an immediate threat to life and the economy in the US. I’m grateful for Sen. Markey’s leadership on this important issue, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the National Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2017 is signed into law.”   “Our nation’s banking, communications, electricity, and transportation sectors rely on the precise timing provided by America’s GPS,” Sen. Markey said. “In the Internet of Things era, we cannot allow natural phenomenon like solar flares or coordinated attacks like jamming to threaten these vital functions. This legislation will help improve the resilience of our national timing source and improve the reliability of this critical infrastructure. I thank Senator Cruz for his partnership on this issue, and plan to seek inclusion of this bipartisan legislation in the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act.”   The full text of the bill may be viewed HERE.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2160,"Springfield Republican: Treasury Department backs GOP tax plan in 1-page analysis, Elizabeth Warren calls report 'bogus'",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"A U.S. Department of Treasury analysis of Senate Republicans' tax overhaul bill released this week suggested that the $1.5 trillion legislation could pay for itself if the economy grows at as faster pace than has been projected -- findings that drew pushback from at least one Massachusetts Democrat. ... U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called the report ""pathetic"" and argued that it shows Mnuchin ""has no basis for claiming that the tax plan 'will pay for itself with growth.'"" ""In this bogus report, (the Treasury) was supposed to use its economic models to project how the GOP tax plan would affect economic growth. It didn't do that. It just made up the numbers,"" she tweeted Monday. Pointing to the analysis' projected 2.9 percent GDP growth rate, Warren argued that the report fails to show how such a growth rate would be achieved. Read more on the Springfield Republican's website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2143,Warren Calls on Mnuchin to Explain Treasury's Sham 'Analysis' of Republican Tax Plan,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Text of the letter (PDF) Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin requesting more information about the dubious claims made in the Treasury Department's ""analysis"" of the Senate Republican tax plan. Warren also urged Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to cooperate fully with the pending Inspector General investigation she requested last month. ""After repeatedly promising to release a robust Treasury analysis showing that the Republican tax bill would pay for itself, you released a one-page report that provided no meaningful economic analysis of the tax bill and admitted that the bill would not, in fact, pay for itself,"" wrote Senator Warren. The one-page ""analysis"" released yesterday by the Treasury Department latched onto the Trump Administration's earlier unsubstantiated assertion that its policies would increase annual GDP growth from 2.2% to 2.9%, and asserted, without providing any underlying economic analysis, that ""Treasury expects approximately half of this 0.7% increase in growth to come from changes to corporate taxation.'"" Senator Warren pressed Secretary Mnuchin on whether the growth projections used in the ""analysis"" came from the Treasury Department's political appointees rather than its economic experts at the Office of Tax Policy (OTP). She also urged Secretary Mnuchin to cooperate fully with the Office of Inspector General's pending review of the Treasury Department's use of taxpayer dollars to conduct economic analysis of the tax plan, so it can release the results before Congress votes on final passage of the tax bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2144,"NDAA Signed Into Law, Includes Key Warren Provisions",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, applauded the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018, which President Trump signed into law earlier today.   ""In my first year on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I've focused on supporting servicemembers and their families, and on strengthening our national security.  While I do not support everything in this defense bill, on balance I believe it will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of our men and women in uniform, and that it will do a lot of good for Massachusetts and for our nation,"" Senator Warren said. The NDAA, which passed both the House and the Senate last month, contains numerous provisions that Senator Warren successfully fought for to benefit Massachusetts military priorities, improve the lives of servicemembers and their families, and further U.S. national security interests.  The final bill: Increases funding above the President's Budget request for critical science and technology programs with national security applications, including an additional $21 million for the Army, $52 million for the Navy, $59 million for the Air Force, and $16 million for the defense-wide accounts. Requires the Department of Defense to prioritize civilian victims of terror, making it easier for individuals who suffer traumatic injuries and require specialized treatment to receive care at military medical facilities. This provision reflects the intent of the Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes Act, which was introduced by Senators Warren and Susan Collins (R-Maine) in response to the Boston Marathon bombing. Holds the Trump Administration accountable for actions overseas by requiring an annual report detailing civilian casualties caused as a result of U.S. military operations. This reporting provision is also reflected in Senator Warren's Preventing Civilian Casualties in Military Operations Act, and follows a 2014 speech she delivered on the negative consequences of civilian deaths for U.S. national security.  Requires DOD to include in its annual report on Russia's destabilizing influence an assessment of actions to counter the Russian government's efforts to target our military service members with disinformation and propaganda through social media. This provision reflects the intent of Senator Warren's Countering Foreign Interference with our Armed Forces Act.  Limits inappropriate debt collector actions against servicemembers by requiring DOD to review and update its policies regarding harassment of and contact with servicemembers by debt collectors. This proposal, which is reflected in Senator Warren's Servicemember Debt Collection Reform Act, derives from a report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about debt collectors taking advantage of servicemembers in a variety of ways, including contacting commanding officers inappropriately, and alleging that servicemembers owe disputed or imaginary debts. Requires the GAO to conduct a study on how the Pentagon tracks and responds to workplace safety violations committed by defense contractors. This language was included after Senator Warren fought to require DOD contracting officers to consider workplace safety and health violations when evaluating prospective contracts, a proposal she first advanced in her Contractor Accountability and Workplace Safety Act.  Makes it an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to share private images of another individual without their consent. This change is similar to the Protecting Servicemembers Online Act, a bipartisan bill previously introduced by Senators Warren and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) to provide military prosecutors with more tools to combat sexual harassment online. Fully funds family housing, safety upgrades, and other critical military construction at Massachusetts military installations including $12 million to construct a reinforced gate at Hanscom Air Force Base, $21 million to improve family housing at U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, and $10 million to build an indoor small arms range at Westover Air Reserve Base.  Includes a longitudinal medical study on the impact of exposure to blast pressure, which will require DOD to review safety precautions surrounding heavy weapons training to account for emerging research on blast exposure.  Updates a reporting requirement to require an assessment of the cybersecurity threats to the electric grid, including the impact on military installations.  Requires that an unclassified version of the Nuclear Posture Review be made available to the public when completed, and expresses the sense of Congress that the ongoing Nuclear Posture Review should take into account U.S. treaty obligations and consider input and views from all relevant U.S. government stakeholders. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2161,The Hill: Warren shreds Treasury analysis of GOP tax plan: They 'made up the numbers',2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) targeted the Treasury Department's analysis of the GOP tax plan in a series of tweets Monday, saying officials ""made up the numbers"" to fit their claims. Warren bashed the one-page analysis released earlier Monday, in which the department said that economic policies passed under President Trump would raise enough revenue to cover the tax cuts in the GOP bill, which directly contradicts several independent analyses, including one from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) Monday evening. The senator, who has been a fierce critic of the tax measure, claimed that the figures used in the analysis didn't make sense. Read more on The Hill's website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2142,Statement from Senator Warren on New Report on Student Borrower Defense,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today issued the following statement in response to the release of a new report from the Department of Education's Office of Inspector General on the federal student loan borrower defense loan discharge process: ""In today's report, the Education Department's nonpartisan, independent watchdog recommends that the Department resume processing loan relief applications for defrauded students - and confirms that Secretary DeVos' Department has harmed tens of thousands of these students by freezing their loan relief with no justification. Now Secretary DeVos has absolutely no excuse - it's time to cancel these fraudulent loans."" Last month, Senator Warren released a report with Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) detailing how the Department of Education and Secretary DeVos have failed tens of thousands of Americans by refusing to cancel the loans of students who were defrauded by predatory colleges. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://moulton.house.gov/legislative-center/moulton-statement-motion-table-resolution-impeach-president-trump/,Moulton Statement on the Motion to Table the Resolution to Impeach President Trump,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Moulton Statement on the Motion to Table the Resolution to Impeach President Trump December 8th, 2017 Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-6) voted against the Motion to Table H.Res. 646, which calls for the initiation of impeachment proceedings for President Trump. Following the vote, Congressman Moulton released this statement: “I voted against tabling the impeachment resolution because I believe the charges are legitimate and deserve a hearing. The timing of this resolution is poor; the legal argument could be stronger; and politically, advancing this now is inopportune. But when we vote, we should first and foremost consider the substance of the legislation, and here I agree with it.” To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, or Medium. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blumenthal-markey-warren-statement-on-dot-decision-to-abandon-proposal-to-protect-airline-passengers-from-sky-high-fees-,"Blumenthal, Markey, Warren Statement on DOT Decision to Abandon Proposal to Protect Airline Passengers From Sky-High Fees",2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal, Markey, Warren Statement on DOT Decision to Abandon Proposal to Protect Airline Passengers From Sky-High Fees Friday, December 8, 2017 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation withdrew a key rulemaking process that would provide greater transparency of the airline ticketing process. The proposed rulemaking was part of the Obama Administration’s effort to protect consumers and travelers from egregious airline practices, like exorbitant fees.   “The Trump Administration thinks transparency is a bad word, but it's airline passengers who will curse when they get hit with hidden fees after making holiday travel plans. In a year when airline passengers’ frustration with the modern flying experience is sky-high, the Trump Administration has gone a step further, pulling the plug on efforts to ensure airlines are open and honest about the price of bag fees and other add-on charges. Today’s action allows airlines to continue to confuse consumers and stick them with ridiculous fees from take-off to touchdown. This might be a great day for the airlines’ bottom line, but it is a sad one for travelers who deserve transparency when buying an airline ticket,” said the Senators. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2157,Associated Press: Sen. Warren critical of Trump decision on Jerusalem,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"BOSTON - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she worries that President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital will make it harder to achieve peace in the Middle East. The Massachusetts Democrat spoke to several thousand attendees Friday at The Union For Reform Judaism convention in Boston. Warren says she believes a two-state solution is the best hope for peace. She says Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and diplomacy between Israelis and Palestinians should determine the final status of Jerusalem. Read more on the Washington Post website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=news&id=2158,International Business Times: Elizabeth Warren And Sherrod Brown Slam Mulvaney For Conflicts Of Interest,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (MA) and Sherrod Brown (OH) on Friday slammed President Donald Trump's top financial regulator Mick Mulvaney after evidence surfaced that as a Congressman he raked in campaign contributions from payday lenders just days before he pressured government officials to back off predatory lending regulations. ... ""Mr. Mulvaney spent his years in Congress trying to gut consumer protections and undermine the CFPB - and he racked up big donations from payday lenders and banks for his efforts,"" Warren told IBT in an emailed statement. ""His illegal appointment to lead the consumer agency is a slap in the face for working families who've been cheated."" Read more on the International Business Times website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2139,"Following Exchange with NIH Director, Warren, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Funding for Biomedical Research",2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"HELP Hearing Video (YouTube) Text of the bill (PDF) Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today introduced the National Biomedical Research Act, following an exchange with National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins during a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The legislation would increase funding for targeted biomedical research initiatives through a new, reliable funding stream supporting the NIH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The purchasing power of the NIH has been cut by Congress for more than a decade. This funding boost would help restore the NIH budget roughly to its 2006 levels, adjusted for biomedical inflation. During the hearing, Director Collins confirmed that currently, NIH only funds about 19 percent of the grant applications submitted by research scientists, including many high-quality applications that would advance biomedical science. ""If we look back in history, say back around 2000, 2001, we were funding about 30 percent, maybe even 35 percent because funds were more available,"" said Director Collins.   ""If we doubled, for example, the number of grants that we were able to fund, you think there's still a lot of good science to be had out there?,"" asked Senator Warren. ""I think there'd be fantastic science,"" responded Director Collins.   ""Families across this country are waiting for medical breakthroughs, and researchers are waiting for money to fund their work so they can make those breakthroughs,"" said Senator Warren.  ""It's time for us to step up and put more money into NIH."" The National Biomedical Research Act would create the Biomedical Innovation Fund, a new fund designed specifically to provide predictable investments in life-saving biomedical research conducted by leading scientists at the nation's top research institutions. The funding would provide $5 billion annually in supplemental funding for grants for young emerging scientist, and breakthrough research that will help accelerate the development and approval of new medicines, improve prevention, and increase understanding of life-threatening diseases. Right now, NIH rejects nearly nine of eleven grant proposals, one of the highest rejection rates in history and far below the 1/3 success rate called for by agency leaders, because of a lack of resources. Predictability of funding for biomedical research will create stability for researchers and accelerate the pace of scientific advancements. The legislation has received support from more than two dozen patient and research advocacy groups‎. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) are original cosponsors of the legislation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://moulton.house.gov/6th-district/recent-developments/historic-beverly-awarded-national-endowment-humanities-grant/,Moulton Announces Historic Beverly Awarded National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grant,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Seth Moulton,M001196,moulton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Moulton Announces Historic Beverly Awarded National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grant December 7th, 2017 Moulton: “Historic Beverly plays a crucial role in protecting and celebrating our rich history “ Salem, MA – Today, the Office of Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) announced that Historic Beverly has been awarded a $6,000 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Preservation Assistance Grant. NEH grants are highly competitive and involve a rigorous peer-review and selection process to ensure that the projects represent the highest level of humanities quality and public engagement. “I am proud to announce that Historic Beverly has received a Preservation Assistance Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities,” said Moulton. “Historic Beverly plays a crucial role in protecting and celebrating our rich history, and connecting our community to that history through their work. I am glad the NEH recognizes the important role Historic Beverly plays in our community.”    “Historic Beverly is honored to receive a Preservation Assistance Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities,” said Susan Goganian, Director of Historic Beverly. “This funding will help us to improve public access to our collections, and provide better storage conditions for the irreplaceable objects and documents that illustrate Beverly’s history. Our goal is to connect our history to our community, and to protect our collections for future generations. Thanks to the NEH, we’ve taken another step forward towards those goals.” To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, or Medium. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://neal.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-joins-house-leaders-highlight-detrimental-impact-gop-tax-bill-would,Neal Joins House Leaders to Highlight Detrimental Impact...,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Richard Neal,N000015,neal.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard E. Neal joined House Democrats, teachers, and healthcare workers Thursday for a press conference highlighting the negative effects the GOP tax bill would have on the island of Puerto Rico. The GOP tax bills would place a 20 percent excise tax on goods and services that flow between American businesses with operations in Puerto Rico and the United States, resulting in tens of thousands of individuals out of work at a time when the island is trying to rebuild. “Many times now, I’ve called this legislation a missed opportunity,” said Representative Neal. “It’s a missed opportunity in that the tax bill was a chance for Congress to help Puerto Rico get on solid economic footing. Instead, it’s clear that very little attention was paid to the unique circumstances U.S. territories face. Puerto Rico has just suffered terrible devastation – folks there are still in the process of rebuilding and putting the pieces of their lives back together after Hurricane Maria. The last thing they need is to get hit again. The pain that Republicans’ tax bill will cause the people of Puerto Rico – who have already endured so much – is yet another reason why Congress should reject this legislation.” Neal is a lead democratic negotiator on the GOP Tax Bill Conference Committee.  The full press conference can be watched here.   ##",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-collins-van-hollen-capito-introduce-legislation-to-extend-availability-of-new-alzheimers-semipostal-stamp,"Markey, Collins, Van Hollen, Capito Introduce Legislation to Extend Availability of New Alzheimer’s Semipostal Stamp",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Markey, Collins, Van Hollen, Capito Introduce Legislation to Extend Availability of New Alzheimer’s Semipostal Stamp Thursday, December 7, 2017 United States Postal Service recently unveiled new 60 cent Alzheimer’s research postal stamp with revenue from sales going to National Institutes of Health   Washington (December 7, 2017) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced legislation with Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to authorize the recently-released United States Postal Service Alzheimer’s research stamp for an additional six years, providing more time to raise additional Alzheimer’s research funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Senators made the announcement alongside U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings (MD-07) and Maxine Waters (CA-43), who introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives earlier this year, at a press conference with Alzheimer’s researchers and advocates. The group spoke about the importance of research funding to help end Alzheimer’s, a progressive, neurological disease that affects more than five million Americans.   “While we’ve made significant progress in our fight against Alzheimer’s, we need continued research investments through the National Institutes of Health to help us end this disease,” said Senator Markey. “This stamp will help us achieve that, but we need more than two years that the Postal Service has dedicated to build upon the momentum that this stamp will create. The issuance of this stamp gives me a renewed hope that, as the stamp art depicts, we will continue to bring Alzheimer’s out of the darkness and into the light. And together, we will find a cure.”   “Alzheimer’s is an irreversible disease that slowly robs people of their memories, their identities, and their ability to care for themselves,” said Rep. Cummings. “That’s why this stamp is so important—it will enable Americans everywhere who are touched by Alzheimer’s to make a contribution to help us win the fight against it. The Breast Cancer stamp issued nearly 20 years ago has raised more than $86 million to fight that disease, and I am confident that the Alzheimer’s stamp can be just as effective in supporting Alzheimer’s research.”    “In addition to the human suffering it causes, Alzheimer’s is our nation’s costliest disease.  As the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s, I strongly advocated for the $1.8 billion for Alzheimer’s research that was included in the proposed funding bill for the upcoming fiscal year,” said Senator Collins. “By allowing Americans to continue to purchase Alzheimer’s research stamps, our legislation will promote additional funding for the NIH to help combat this devastating disease.”   “The new stamp recently released by the U.S. Postal Service will be another source of funding for critically important Alzheimer’s research. By making that stamp available for an even longer period of time, we can further strengthen our efforts to fight Alzheimer’s,” said Senator Capito. “We have a long way to go in a fight that means so much to so many, and this bipartisan legislation is another step forward in finding a cure to this devastating disease.”   “Alzheimer’s causes immeasurable heartache to families across Maryland and our country, and over the years I’ve fought to increase funding for critical research,” said Senator Van Hollen. “I’m proud to join Senator Markey and Maryland advocate Kathy Siggins today in announcing legislation to direct the Postal Service to continue the stamp beyond the current planned two years. Whether it’s sending holiday packages or mailing a letter to a friend, every dollar we put towards Alzheimer’s research can help make a difference.”   “I am so proud that the Postal Service has heeded our call and established an Alzheimer’s stamp.  I am also proud that my Senate colleagues are introducing a Senate companion to my bill, in order to make this stamp available for six years instead of two,” said Congresswoman Waters.   A copy of the legislation can he found HERE.   Today at the press conference, Dr. John Lazo and Dr. Beth Sharlow, Alzheimer’s researchers at the University of Virginia, highlighted the importance of building upon recent developments in Alzheimer’s research. Advocates Kathy Siggins of Maryland, Caitlin Moran of Washington, D.C., and Tom Misciagna of Virginia shared their personal experience with Alzheimer’s disease and why the new Alzheimer’s stamp is important to raise awareness about the disease and help enhance research funding.   Senator Markey first introduced legislation to authorize the Alzheimer’s research stamp in 2005 and has worked with Senate and House members every year to reintroduce this legislation.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-and-blumenthal-query-facebook-on-privacy-security-for-new-childrens-app-messenger-kids,"Senators Markey and Blumenthal Query Facebook on Privacy, Security for New Children’s App “Messenger Kids”",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Markey and Blumenthal Query Facebook on Privacy, Security for New Children’s App “Messenger Kids” Thursday, December 7, 2017 App designed specifically for kids 12 and under   Washington (December 7, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), members of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today sent a letter to Facebook about the company’s recent release of “Messenger Kids”, an app designed specifically for children 12 and under. Facebook Messenger, both limited in scope and ability, allows parents to set up profiles with their kids, and connect them with friends or relatives through text and video chat. Given the sensitive nature of children’s personal information, the Senators are concerned that Messenger Kids must take responsible steps to protect their privacy and comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).  COPPA protects children’s privacy by providing parents with tools to control the information collected online about their children ages 12 and under. Senator Markey is the House author of COPPA.   “We remain concerned about where sensitive information collected through this app could end up and for what purpose it could be used,” write the Senators to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in their letter. “Facebook must take heightened care in ensuring the company creates a safe and controlled environment for its young users, complete with parental consent.”   A copy of the letter can be found HERE.     In the letter to Facebook, Senators Markey and Blumenthal ask questions that include: Will Facebook commit to keeping all of its applications and services for children 12 and under advertisement free? What information is shared with Facebook’s family of companies or its vendors and service providers? What cybersecurity is built into Messenger Kids? Will any of the information collected from Messenger Kids be used once a child turns 13 and signs up for her own Facebook account? In what ways did Facebook work with child development experts to design the app?   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/view/tom-misciagna-shares-his-story-at-alzheimers-postal-stamp-press-conference,Tom Misciagna Shares His Story at Alzheimer's Postal Stamp Press Conference,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Fall River, MA 222 Milliken Boulevard, Suite 312 Fall River, MA 02721 Phone: 508-677-0523",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2140,Statement from Senator Warren on Ginnie Mae Steps to Crack Down on Predatory Lenders,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today issued the following statement after Ginnie Mae, the government corporation responsible for approving lenders to securitize VA-backed mortgages, announced it would take additional steps to prevent loan churning by predatory lenders:  ""I'm glad Ginnie Mae Acting President Michael Bright has responded so quickly and aggressively to the concerns I raised in September about veterans getting exploited by predatory lenders.  There is more to be done, but this is a good first step to cracking down on unscrupulous lenders who are lining their pockets at the expense of both veterans and taxpayers.""   Earlier this year, Senator Warren urged Ginnie Mae to combat the aggressive and misleading marketing of mortgage refinancing by some lenders.  Following her inquiry, Ginnie Mae publicly pledged to work with Senator Warren and other key federal agencies to hold lenders accountable, and created a joint task force with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address the issue.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warren.senate.gov?p=video&id=2146,Senator Warren asks NIH Director about Increasing Funding for Biomedical Research,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Elizabeth Warren,W000817,www.warren.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Following an exchange with National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced legislation to increase funding for biomedical research, the National Biomedical Research Act. December 7, 2017.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://capuano.house.gov/news/2017/st120617.shtml,Rep. Capuano on Impeachment Vote,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Michael Capuano,C001037,capuano.house.gov,,,legacy,"Home > News and Multimedia > Press Items [Arrange by Date | Arrange by Topic] Print Version in New Window 12,456subscribers Print Version-Rep. Capuano Statement on Impeachment Vote STATEMENT Rep. Capuano Statement on Impeachment Vote December 6, 2017 As a lawyer I have approached impeachment deliberately and thoughtfully. Taking steps to impeach a President is a gravely serious matter. Practically and politically, I think most of us can agree that passing articles of impeachment in this House isnt realistic at this moment in our history. But sometimes, its more important to follow your heart than do the practical or political calculation. Today, I followed my heart and cast a vote to begin a debate on whether this President has committed impeachable acts. Its time to have an open, honest debate on President Trump and his fitness for office."" 12,456subscribers",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lynch.house.gov/congressman-lynchs-lunch-bucket-bulletin-1252017,Congressman Lynch's Lunch Bucket Bulletin - 12/5/2017,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Stephen Lynch,L000562,lynch.house.gov,,,legacy,"Link to Congressman Lynch's Lunch Bucket Bulletin - 12/5/2017 December 5, 2017 Thank you for signing up for our e-newsletter, where I will be sharing updates on what Congress is considering on the House floor, legislation I’ve introduced or cosponsored, as well as reports on issues and events of importance to the families of the 8th Congressional District. Last week, the Senate passed a Republican tax plan that would give massive tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy at the expense of the middle class, working families, and senior citizens. The House passed similar legislation three weeks ago, and the next step for Republicans is to meet and reconcile any details that differ between the two bills. We know one thing: the Republican plan will hurt the middle class and those who need help most. Massachusetts residents would be especially hard hit by this plan, which would eliminate the federal tax deduction for paying state and local taxes (SALT). Among residents of the 8th District, more than 130,000 tax returns claim the SALT deduction for an average of around $15,000. Another major fault in the proposal is the limitation on the mortgage interest deduction. Under the House bill, only the interest attributable to the first $500,000 of mortgage debt will be deductible. Due to the high cost of housing in Massachusetts, many local families will see their tax exposure rise significantly. The Republican tax plan is also harmful to senior citizens. The plan would cut $25 billion from Medicare in 2018, hurting seniors and individuals with disabilities across the United States. The House plan would also eliminate the medical expense deduction for those who spend more than 10 percent of their income on medical expenses. This is a nightmare for seniors, who on average spend nearly 20 percent of their income on health care expenses. We should be working together in Congress to come up with a tax plan that benefits the middle class and hard-working families. Instead, Republicans are helping corporations and the wealthy by trying to jam this destructive plan through Congress. I promise to do everything in my power to stop this plan from becoming law and will continue to fight for the hard-working families in my district and across the country. Over the last two months, we have learned about allegations of misconduct by powerful men in almost every industry, including in Congress. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable and it must have career-ending, life-altering consequences for the perpetrators. The system for handling these allegations in Congress is arcane and does little, if anything, to support the brave victims who come forward. We also recently learned that more than $17 million in taxpayer funds have been used to settle complaints related to workplace discrimination, including sexual harassment, since 1997. Congress is taking steps to change this system, beginning with passing a resolution last week that mandates sexual harassment training for all members of Congress and employees. This is a small but important first step as we begin overhauling the current system. We must be able to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions, empower victims to tell their stories, and, hopefully, prevent these incidents altogether. We also face an ongoing opioid addiction crisis, particularly here in Massachusetts. A recent 60 Minutes investigative report detailed how a law passed in 2016 has hindered the Drug Enforcement Agency’s ability to crack down on suspicious narcotic shipments and keep drugs off our streets. The law – the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act – made it harder for the DEA to deny, revoke, or suspend the registration of a controlled substance distributor in order to prevent imminent danger to public health and safety. To make things worse, Congressional leadership pushed the law through by sleight of hand, relying on procedures typically used for noncontroversial matters like the naming of a post office. At a time when Americans are dying by the thousands from this devastating disease, there is no excuse for passing laws that make it easier for narcotics to land on our streets. In October, I introduced a bill that would repeal the 2016 law and restore the DEA’s ability to freeze suspicious narcotic shipments. I recently discussed the importance of this repeal with WBZ's Jon Keller. While recent statistics show our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic are making an impact, we cannot be satisfied with only slowing down rates of death. We must instead double down on the effective and proven initiatives that are saving lives. I have also been taking steps to address concerns from residents across the 8th Congressional District who have experienced increased airplane noise since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented new flight plans in and out of Logan Airport. MASSPORT received more than 30,000 airplane noise-related complaints in the first half of 2017, which was nearly double the number of complaints received during the same period in 2016. Complaints came in from 78 communities across Massachusetts, including many towns and cities in the 8th District, such as Hull, Hingham, Milton, and Boston. In October, I introduced the Air Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act of 2017, which would require the FAA to sponsor an Expert Consensus Report on the health effects of airplanes flying over residential areas. With the results of this report, we hope to have the data we need to compel changes in current flight paths so residents can regain the quality of life they once had in their homes and neighborhoods. In November, in response to constituent concerns about the safety and environmental impacts of the Weymouth Compressor Station, I introduced the Natural Gas Pipeline Public Health Protection Act. This bill would suspend construction and expansion of natural gas facilities in communities with unsafe air pollutant levels. Back in July, I met with Dr. Curtis Nordgaard to conduct a site visit near the Weymouth Compressor Station, where his certified independent testing showed that the area surrounding the site tested at unsafe levels of hazardous pollutants, such as benzene and formaldehyde. There are similar communities across the country that are already exposed to unsafe levels of air pollutants and will be at increased risk of exposure once nearby natural gas facilities are built or expanded. The Natural Gas Pipeline Public Health Protection Act would suspend construction and expansion of natural gas facilities in communities where certified independent air quality testing has revealed violations of the Clean Air Act. This is not complicated: if the air quality in a community already violates federal standards, we should not be adding toxins to the air. I also continue to monitor situations in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and North Korea. While ongoing rhetoric is causing tense foreign relations with many countries around the world, I promise to do everything in my power as a U.S. Representative to improve these relations and bring a thoughtful and informed opinion to all foreign policy decisions. Thank you for keeping in touch with our office and for keeping me informed about the issues that are important to you and your family. Happy Holidays, God bless you, and God bless these United States of America. Thank you,   Congressman Stephen F. Lynch",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/joining-hundreds-of-thousands-of-advocates-and-patients-senate-democrats-demand-trump-administration-reinstate-birth-control-coverage-for-millions-of-women,"Joining Hundreds of Thousands of Advocates and Patients, Senate Democrats Demand Trump Administration Reinstate Birth Control Coverage for Millions of Women",2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Joining Hundreds of Thousands of Advocates and Patients, Senate Democrats Demand Trump Administration Reinstate Birth Control Coverage for Millions of Women Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Back in October, President Trump rolled back birth control mandate under the ACA undermining preventive care for millions of women nationwide—LINK  In new letter, 37 Senate Democrats call on Administration to rescind President Trump’s action allowing employers to roll back health care coverage for women  Senate Democrats: “Instead of reversing this significant progress for women – which it did without appropriate input from the public – the Trump Administration should reinstate the protections that allow women to control their own health care and economic security.” (Washington, D.C.) – Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 36 senators called on Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Eric Hargan to rescind President Trump’s interim final rules (IFRs) issued on October 13, 2017 enabling employers and universities to interfere with their employees’ and students’ access to preventive health care by allowing them to choose not to cover birth control for religious or moral reasons. In the letter, senators highlighted the enormous economic benefit of requiring health plans to cover preventive services, including birth control for women, without out-of-pocket costs. “This requirement has helped 62.4 million women have coverage for birth control. As a result, they have been able to make decisions about their reproductive health care that strengthen their economic standing and allow them to decide if and when to start families,” wrote the senators. “These IFRs also allow employers and insurance companies to once again discriminate against women by requiring them to pay more for the health care they need compared to their male counterparts.”  The senators also noted that repealing the birth control mandate goes against the original intentions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which created explicit provisions to guarantee women access to preventive services.  “Congress specifically included the Women’s Health Amendment in the ACA to ensure that the legislation would end the “punitive practices of insurances companies that charge women more and give [them] less in a benefit” by guaranteeing women access to preventive services,” said senators. “The IFRs fail to recognize this clear congressional intent to place medical experts’ recommendations over political ideology.” In addition to Senator Murray, the letter was signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Al Franken (D-MN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT), Jeff A. Merkley (D-OR), and Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-PA).  Full text of letter can be found HERE:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-whitehouse-and-harris-lead-call-to-protect-strong-fuel-economy-standards,"Markey, Whitehouse and Harris Lead Call to Protect Strong Fuel Economy Standards",2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,MA,Edward Markey,M000133,www.markey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Markey, Whitehouse and Harris Lead Call to Protect Strong Fuel Economy Standards Wednesday, December 6, 2017 In letter to EPA, Senators highlight benefits that save consumers money at the pump, reduce climate pollution and ensure energy security Washington (December 6, 2017) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), members of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today led a group of 24 Senators in calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to not weaken light-duty vehicle emissions standards for model 2022 through 2025 and strenuously object to revisiting emissions standards for model year 2021, which were never supposed to be part of the EPA’s midterm evaluation. Since reaching an historic agreement with the Obama administration and state leaders, the auto industry has gone from the brink of economic disaster to record auto sales in 2015 and 2016, including adding 700,000 U.S. jobs. The average fuel efficiency of vehicles has already gone up five miles per gallon, saving drivers nearly $35 billion. The EPA has found that the net benefits of the fuel economy standards are nearly $100 billion and would reduce oil consumption by 1.2 billion barrels. “We urge you not to weaken these vehicle emissions standards, and allow the auto industry to ensure its continued success and further its innovation while maintaining a standard that brings clear public health, climate, and consumer benefits,” write the Senators in their letter to the EPA. “As you move to reevaluate the sound technical conclusions your agency reached last year in the mid-term evaluation, we expect you will consider the facts, the science, and the law, which all lead to the single conclusion that the standards are achievable.”  A copy of the letter can be found HERE. Other Senators signing the letter include Chris Van Hollen (D-Md,), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash,), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z