LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE TO DEMAND TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE INTRODUCED

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by: Adrianno Espaillat (D-NY, 13th)

Washington, D.C. - April 3, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Representative Adrianno Espaillat (D-NY, 13th) introduced a series of legislation to specifically address impropriety of the Trump administration and to demand transparency and accountability from the White House as new policy proposals are introduced.

“Donald Trump’s ascent to the presidency has been marred by impropriety, an abandonment of decency, and endless propagation of falsehoods,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “Whether it is the constant distortion of news and ongoing efforts to undermine a free press, or the proliferation of blatant conflicts of interest by the president and high-level appointees, the Trump administration has continuously endangered the public’s trust in our government and undermined the general ethical standards to which government officials are held.

“Given these alarming truths, I am reintroducing a legislative package of three bills that aim to reestablish morality and civility in our government by making our government safe, opposing alternative facts, and draining the swamp of the Trump administration’s corruption.”

Make Our Government Safe Act: would amend the National Security Act of 1947 to prevent someone who has threatened to destroy the U.S. government from participating in or attending National Security Council meetings.

Opposing Fake news and Alternative Facts resolution: a measure that calls on President Trump to immediately acknowledge his support of the First Amendment and express his support for U.S. democracy. The White House spokespersons who offer “alternative” or inaccurate facts should retract their statements immediately.

Drain the Swamp and the President’s Assets Act: amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to prohibit the president from holding any asset that would be considered a disqualifying financial interest under applicable criminal code provisions. The president may place any such asset into a blind trust. The trustee or other entity who is involved in the management or control of the blind trust shall divest the blind trust of such asset. Finally, the bill makes clear that a violation of its provisions constitutes an impeachable offense.

Bill to Safeguard DREAMers’ Private Information from Use for Deportation Introduced

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by: Veronica Escobar (D-TX, 16th)

Washington, D.C. - April 3, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Representatives Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Norma J. Torres (D-CA) introduced the Protect DREAMers Confidentiality Act of 2019 to protect DREAMers’ private information, such as addresses and phone numbers, from being used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for deportation purposes. The Trump administration ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, effectively stripping recipients of their protective status, in September 2017. Judicial rulings have forced the administration to reinstate the program, but they could be overturned at any time, putting DREAMers in limbo.

“Dreamers are part of the rich and beautiful fabric of our nation. Congress has a duty to protect them against the Trump administration, and take real steps to ensure the confidential information they provided about themselves and their families is never used against them,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “That is why I’m proud to join Congresswoman Torres to introduce the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act and help thousands of Dreamers across the country, including the almost 9,000 from El Paso.”

“When we look at the Homeland Security Department’s actions throughout the Trump administration, it’s clear that Secretary Nielsen can’t be trusted to protect DREAMers’ personal information. These young people are teachers, doctors, and small businessowners—valuable members of our communities who pose no national security threat to our nation,” said Congresswoman Torres. “We should be affording them the same protections for their personal data as we would for any American citizen. I’m proud to join with Congresswoman Escobar to help provide DREAMers with the peace of mind that they won’t be uprooted from the only country they’ve known as home.”

Specifically, the bill would safeguard the confidentiality of information submitted in requests for the DACA program from disclosure to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection for any purpose other than implementing the DACA program, unless there are national security concerns or other limited exceptions.

The Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act of 2019 was first introduced by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) in January. The bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).