Employment, Television, Paris Climate Agreement, Obamacare, Drug Sentencing, Impeachment, Small Business

News from our Elected Officials

Coons, Isakson, Kaine, Portman introduce bill to help unemployed Americans find good jobs, call for swift Senate passage
Source: Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)
November 14, 2019
U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced legislation to help more unemployed Americans reenter the workforce. The Building on Reemployment Improvements to Deliver Good Employment (BRIDGE) for Workers Act would give states more flexibility in administering existing unemployment benefits to help more Americans find good-paying jobs.

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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Urges VH1 To Cancel Television Series Glorifying Work Of Drug Cartels
Source: Senator John Kennedy (R-LA)
November 14, 2019
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) asked VH1 to cancel Cartel Crew, which glorifies the lives of people with ties to the worst drug lords in history. The latest cast addition is Emma Coronel Aispuro, who is married to the now imprisoned leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.

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King Continues to Stress Need for U.S. to Reenter Paris Climate Agreement
Source: Senator Angus S. King Jr. (I-ME)
November 14, 2019
U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) advocated for the United States to reassert its global leadership on climate issues and rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. Senator King’s comments came during a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee featuring testimony from current Acting Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, nominee to be the Secretary of Energy.

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Senator Lankford Reintroduces Bill to Remove Obamacare Ban on Physician-Owned Hospitals to Provide Greater Access to Patients
Source: Senator James Lankford (R-OK)
November 14, 2019
Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today reintroduced the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, which removes the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) ban on the creation and expansion of new physician-owned hospitals (POHs) and allows POHs to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Lifting this ban will increase competition among hospitals, lower costs, and expand access to quality care for more Americans, especially those with Medicare and Medicaid.

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Sens. Lee, Durbin Introduce Smarter Sentencing Act
Source: Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)
November 14, 2019
“Our current federal sentencing laws are out of date and often counterproductive,” said Sen. Lee. “The Smarter Sentencing Act is a commonsense solution that will greatly reduce the financial and, more importantly, the human cost imposed on society by the broken status quo. The SSA will give judges the flexibility and discretion they need to impose stiff sentences on the most serious drug lords and cartel bosses, while enabling nonviolent offenders to return more quickly to their families and communities.”

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Democrats Focus on Impeachment Instead of Defense Funding
Source: Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
November 14, 2019
“We want to pass the USMCA and the 176,000 new American jobs it would create. But Speaker Pelosi continues to block it. The far left objects to their passing anything the president likes.”

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McSally Introduces Bills to Help Small Businesses Contract with the Federal Government
Source: Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ)
November 14, 2019
“With small businesses comprising over 99 percent of our country’s businesses, our economy depends on their success,” McSally said. “When Arizona small business owners told me they were being forced to shoulder the cost of federal work for up to a month, I knew Congress had to act. Small businesses rely on quick, reliable payments so they can in turn pay their staff and fund new ventures. My bill speeds up payment processing times so that small businesses can continue to serve as the backbone of our economy.”

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Who Wants to Impeach the President?

Today's News about People Who are Talking about Impeachment

The Ponder does not support impeachment.

DeGette: The president’s actions constitute a prima facie case to merit an impeachment investigation
Source: Diana Degette (D-CO, 1st)
April 23, 2019
The Mueller report details many instances in which President Trump actively attempted to interfere with the investigation into his campaign’s potentially treasonous ties with Russia. The president's actions are clearly beneath the high personal, ethical and legal standards our founders envisioned in the executive branch, and, as such, constitute a prima facie case to trigger an impeachment investigation.

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About Impeachment Vote

Below are some statements from Newsmakers:

Michael E. Capuano (D-MA, 7th)

“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 isn’t realistic at this moment in our history. But sometimes, it’s 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. It’s time to have an open, honest debate on President Trump and his fitness for office."

Judy Chu (D-CA, 27th)

“Donald Trump has exhibited alarming behaviors that raise questions about his fitness to serve since before he was sworn in, from his myriad lies, to accusations of sexual assault, violations of the emoluments clause, or possible collusion with Russia. That’s why there are currently three investigations into the President’s actions. There is a process that has begun, and so far, it has resulted in Michael Flynn pleading guilty to lying. I believe we owe it to our institutions to continue the process to determine the truth about the Trump administration, and that any impeachment vote should take place after the investigations have concluded. I look forward to reviewing the findings from Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate and House committees so that we can make a fully informed decision about the President’s future.”

Congressman Al Green's Statement on Impeachment

Source: Al Green (D-TX, 9th)

Washington, D.C. - October 16, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- On Wednesday, October 11, 2017, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) released a statement on impeachment:

“I love my Country, I salute my Flag. I say the Pledge of Allegiance and I believe in liberty and justice for all as declared in the pledge.

“I also believe that to acquire liberty and justice for all, some must stand alone.

“Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I believe that the “truest measure of a person is not where you stand in times of comfort and convenience,” when the world is with you, but rather, where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy, when you may stand alone.

“Today, I rise to use the constitutionally prescribed political process of impeachment to speak truth to the most powerful man on earth, the President of the United States of America.

“I do so knowing that the public has been led to believe that a President must commit a crime to be impeached, which is not true. If any President persisted with the lie that “Hitler was right,” he would be, and should be, impeached not for a crime, but for betraying his trust as President.

“I do so knowing that many, of my contemporaries will criticize my actions. Some will castigate me, others may desire to do something more dastardly with hopes of suppressing all embers of courage that might inflame others to speak truth to power or the powerful.

“Ultimately, to again quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I will do that which is “neither safe, nor politic, nor popular.” I will do that which is right and let others do what they may and allow history to judge us all.”

Impeachment, Paris Accord, Detention Centers, Missing Children, Immigrants, Military, BPA, Healthcare

Congressman Al Green Thanks Supporters and Colleagues After Trump Impeachment Statement
Al Green (D-TX, 9th)
May 24, 2017
“I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the many people who have approached me, called and left positive messages with my office, as well as supportive sentiments on social media. While many of these communications were received from Americans who do not support the impeachment of the President, they also do not support threatening anyone with lynching.
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Congressman Gene Green Responds to the Withdrawal of the United States in Paris Climate Agreement
Gene Green (D-TX, 29th)
June 1, 2017
“The fight against climate change is an international priority supported by 195 countries,” said Green. “Until today, the United States has been leading the international community to reduce carbon emissions and protecting our planet for future generations. Thanks to innovation, investment, and smart policies, our nation’s carbon emissions have already declined by 11 percent since 2005. President Trump’s announcement to withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, regretfully, will hand international leadership on climate change to China and other nations who do not share our priorities."
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Griffith Statement on US Withdrawal from Paris Accord
Morgan Griffith (R-VA, 9th)
June 1, 2017
“The Paris Climate Accord is a bad deal for Americans, as I’ve been saying since the deal was announced. The United States can be the world leader in energy innovation; this symbolic, expensive, and poorly negotiated deal doesn’t change that. The United States is ALREADY a clean energy and fossil fuel energy leader; we can reduce our emissions and continue to produce American energy without the Paris Accord. America has already reduced its carbon-dioxide emissions dramatically, beginning before the Accord.”
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REPRESENTATIVE HANABUSA CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD

The Paris Accord is a Bad Deal for the American People

Hastings’ Statement on President Trump’s Intention to Pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement

Congressman Denny Heck reacts to announcement that United States will abandon Paris Climate Agreement

Himes statement on Trump abandoning Paris Climate Agreement

Grijalva Responds to Failed Texas Bill That Designated Private Prisons as "Child Care Facilities"
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ, 3rd)
June 02, 2017
Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) released the following statement after a Texas bill that would have permitted state officials to license family detention centers as “child care facilities” failed to pass the Texas Legislature. The law would have subjected private detention centers to weaker regulations and allowed them to increase their profit margins by holding women and children, whom they receive higher per diem rates for, in detention for longer periods of time. The bill’s defeat comes after hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent in lobbying efforts by the private prison industry.
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House Unanimously Passes Guthrie Bill to Protect Missing and Exploited Children
Brett S. Guthrie (R-KY, 2nd)
May 23, 2017
“As a father, I cannot imagine the horror moms and dads in this country experience when they discover one of their children has been taken, abused, or exploited,” said Guthrie. “Sadly, that’s a nightmare hundreds of thousands of parents in this country face. Last year alone, there were more than 465,000 reports of missing children — and those were just the cases that were reported. I was proud to introduce the Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act to ensure that we take care of these children. I look forward to seeing this important piece of legislation signed into law.”
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AGRICULTURAL WORKER PROGRAM ACT (H.R. 2690) INTRODUCED IN HOUSE WITH STRONG SUPPORT
Luis Gutierrez (D-IL, 4th)
May 25, 2017
Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) and 29 of his House Democratic colleagues introduced the Agricultural Worker Program Act (AWPA, H.R. 2690), a bill to legalize the immigration status of farm workers working in American agriculture. The bill would create a program that would allow agricultural workers and their families to apply for a “Blue Card” that gives them legal status and work authorization if they show consistent employment in U.S. agriculture over the past two years, pay a fine, and pass a thorough background check. A 3- to 5- year path to citizenship is provided to those who continue to work in agriculture for the requisite amount of time. The bill is the House companion to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bill, S. 1034, introduced earlier this month, which currently has seven Senate co-sponsors.
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Hartzler Sees Progress in White House Decision to Delegate Force Management Levels to Secretary Mattis
Vicky Hartzler (R-MO, 4th)
May 26, 2017
“President Trump’s decision to provide Secretary Mattis authority over troop caps in both Iraq and Syria signals a desire to reform the process and represents a new approach to improving military readiness,” said Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, Chairwoman of the House Armed Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. “It is my hope that Secretary Mattis will address the misguided practices of using troop caps as a political tool. This allows commanders to build a coherent strategy and request forces to support that strategy—instead of the other way around,” added Hartzler.
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U.S. Rep. Herrera Beutler Opposes President’s Proposal to Sell BPA’s Assets
Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA, 3rd)
May 24, 2017
“The President’s proposal to sell off the Bonneville Power Administration’s assets in his budget released today is a non-starter for residents and employers throughout the entire Northwest. For decades, ratepayers have made financial investments in and had say over hydropower infrastructure that provides our region with the cleanest, most affordable and most reliable energy in the nation. That opportunity has been afforded by the unique and sustainable model made possible by the BPA. If this were sold off to a private bidder, residents would most certainly face higher monthly energy bills and the needs of rural communities would likely be overlooked. Rather than selling off this self-financed asset for a one-time ‘credit card’ payment to the U.S. Treasury, I would encourage this Administration to emulate the BPA’s model in other regions of the country.
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Higgins: Enough Talk About Dismantling Health Care in America, Let’s Get to Work Providing the Health Care Americans Deserve
Brian Higgins (D-NY, 26th)
Jun 2, 2017
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) says it is time for the conversation about healthcare in American to shift, from one that tears down healthcare to one that builds it up. Higgins, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means which has jurisdiction over healthcare legislation, outlined ways Western New York is leading the way in innovative delivery and said expanding on policies that work, including Medicare, could be the future of healthcare.
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Higgins Introduces Bills to Reauthorize U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services
Clay Higgins (R-LA, 3rd)
May 30, 2017
“ICE and USCIS perform critical missions with the Department of Homeland Security, to secure America’s borders and protect our homeland,” said Rep. Higgins. “The threats facing American families are rapidly evolving. It’s common sense that we should provide these DHS agencies with the necessary guidance and structure to adapt their mission and use resources more efficiently as they work to keep Americans safe.”
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Impeachment, Iran, American Contractors Abroad, Ramadan, Property Rights

Oklahoma lawmakers have officially called for impeaching President Obama. I guess this was their answer to Obama's LGBT Pride Month (June) celebration. Go Oklahoma!

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Following a letter from Congressman Robert Pittenger urging stiffer penalties against Chinese state-affiliated companies which violate Iran sanctions laws, the Commerce Department has issued a subpoena to Huawei Technologies. According to The New York Times, Commerce is seeking documents related to Huawei’s alleged role in selling embargoed technology to the Iranian government. Huawei is closely affiliated with the Chinese government.

In April, Congressman Pittenger wrote the Commerce Department, co-signed by 22 Members of Congress, expressing concern over questionable enforcement of embargoes intended to prevent Iran from acquiring technology which could be used to oppress human rights.

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Congressman David Price (D-N.C.) and Congressman Darell Issa (R-Calif.) introduced a bill to provide accountability for American contractors and government employees working abroad. The Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (CEJA) builds on efforts in previous Congresses to close a gap in current law to ensure that government employees and contractors working overseas are not immune from prosecution for criminal acts.

The number of private contractors employed by the U.S. government overseas has increased dramatically in recent years, even surpassing the number of U.S. military and civilian personnel in some locations, particularly as the U.S. reduces its military footprint in Iraq and Afghanistan. While contractors are increasingly performing functions once reserved for government personnel, they are held to a different legal standard than uniformed personnel because the laws governing their activities remain unclear and outdated.

The Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act will allow the U.S. Justice Department to prosecute government contractors and employees for certain crimes committed overseas. Tragedies like the 2007 killing of unarmed civilians in Baghdad by private security contractors with Blackwater underscore the need for clear jurisdiction and trained investigative and prosecutorial task forces able to hold wrongdoers accountable.

The bill will complement the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which provides similar criminal jurisdiction over Department of Defense employees and contractors but does not clearly apply to U.S. contractors working overseas for other federal agencies, such as the Department of State. The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act was originally enacted in 2000, with additional improvements to the law secured in 2004. As the United States military withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, leaving behind thousands of civilian government employees and contractors, the broader jurisdictional scope of CEJA will become a critical accountability tool.

The Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act will:

Expand criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes committed by United States employees and contractors overseas;

Direct the Justice Department to create new investigative task forces to investigate, arrest and prosecute contractors and employees who commit serious crimes overseas;

Require the Attorney General to report annually to Congress about the offenses prosecuted under the statute and the use of new investigative resources.

Allow the Justice Department to prosecute government contractors and employees for certain existing serious crimes without impacting the conduct of U.S. intelligence agencies abroad.

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Charles B. Rangel (D-NY, 13th) wished Islam a great Ramadan.

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A recent unanimous Supreme Court ruling in Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. Inc. allows private property owners to appeal how their land is classified by the Corps, and therefore the types of regulations land is subject to, in Federal court.