Continued from Page 2
On Tuesday, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that begins the process of repealing the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, environmental protections aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants.
John Delaney (D-MD, 6th)
“The seeds of climate change catastrophe are planted on days like this, when the President and his allies roll back some of the few carbon pollution measures we have.
“Like pulling out of the Paris Agreement, this is a massive mistake that really hurts the country. In addition to undermining our environment, this is going to hurt our public health, hurt our ability to create new jobs in the industries of the future and hurt our economic leadership in alternative energy. Like so much of what the Trump Administration is doing, this is handing our global competitors a golden opportunity.
“Instead of working in a bipartisan manner to combat climate change, the Trump Administration is doing everything they can to leave us with a dirtier and more impoverished future. It is incumbent upon members to work together on this issue. I’m proud to author carbon tax legislation that uses market forces to reduce carbon emissions and provides impacted coal industry workers with substantial benefits.”
Ted Deutch (D-FL, 21st)
Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), founding co-chairs of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, led a bipartisan Caucus letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, affirming their "support for the Clean Power Plan regulations on the building of new power plants" and urging the Administration to maintain the regulations and "work to achieve solutions that will provide good jobs, economic growth, and a safe climate for us and future Americans."
"Reasonable people can disagree about how to respond to the risks of climate change," the Members of Congress state in the letter. "But there should be little disagreement that something must be done. We must work towards addressing the challenges posed by a changing climate."
The Members of Congress recognize that "Climate change is already a threat to life and property, as it drives rising temperatures, sea levels, and worsening impacts from severe weather events."
The Clean Power Plan was estimated to "result in a 32 percent reduction in carbon emission by 2030. Such a reduction in carbon emissions is critical to addressing the growing threat posed by climate change to our states and communities."
Reps. Deutch and Curbelo were joined by fellow members of the Climate Solutions Caucus: Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Congressman John Delaney (D-MD), Congresswoman Anna Eshoo(D-CA), Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT), Congressman Charlie Crist (D-FL), Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA), Congresswoman Ann Kuster (D-NH), Congressman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Congressman John Larson (D-CT), Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA), Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy(D-FL), Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA), and Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY).
On Monday, the EPA will insert the Clean Power Plan repeal proposal in the Federal Register.
Dear Administrator Pruitt,
We affirm our support for the Clean Power Plan regulations on the building of new power plants, also known as the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). The Plan recognizes that states can regulate the construction of new power plants to significantly reduce the emission of carbon and support a favorable environment for a clean energy economy.
The Plan will ensure that the construction of new power plants incorporates technology that will result in a significant reduction of carbon emissions. Upon being finalized, it was estimated that the Plan could result in a 32 percent reduction in carbon emission by 2030. Such a reduction in carbon emissions is critical to addressing the growing threat posed by climate change to our states and communities. Climate change is already a threat to life and property, as it drives rising temperatures, sea levels, and worsening impacts from severe weather events.
Reasonable people can disagree about how to respond to the risks of climate change. But there should be little disagreement that something must be done. We must work towards addressing the challenges posed by a changing climate.
The Climate Solutions Caucus, of which we are all members, seeks effective market-based solutions to address this serious issue. Given the reductions we’ve already seen, our government and private sector are positioned to make the United States the leader in the fight against climate change. We urge you to consider how you can put your own agency to work to achieve solutions that will provide good jobs, economic growth, and a safe climate for us and future Americans.
Given its importance, your Agency should maintain the Clean Power Plan standards for the building of new power plants. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Tom Emmer (R-MN, 6th)
“The Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan - which was estimated to cost more than $30 billion dollars - was promulgated without Congressional approval, making it the perfect example of federal overreach. It has been proven time and time again that a one-size-fits-all policy does not work for our state and I am pleased the Trump Administration has taken this step. I am proud that Minnesota companies and elected officials have taken it upon themselves to work to reduce carbon emissions without the heavy hand of the federal government demanding so. In fact, even without the constraints of the Paris Accords or the Clean Power Plan, Minnesota is still on track to meet previous reduction goals, proving that Minnesotans are capable of implementing policies that work for Minnesotans and are in the best interest of the future of this nation.
“I applaud the Trump Administration’s decision to roll back the overreaching Clean Power Plan, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the Trump Administration towards an all-of-the-above energy plan so that we can maintain a prosperous economy and healthy environment that generations to come can enjoy.”
Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA, 18th)
“The Trump Administration’s decision to begin the formal repeal of the Clean Power Plan is a monumental attack on the health of the American people. It will increase the output of carbon pollution in the air and do nothing to help the coal miners the President vowed to defend. The Clean Power Plan is a job creation plan, an economic policy and a climate policy. It represents a critical step to protecting our planet for our children and grandchildren, and without it, the U.S. cannot reach the goals established by the Paris Accords.
“Even without the plan fully in effect, states like my home state of California are already moving ahead of the targets established by the Clean Power Plan, but federal help is crucial. These are not tangled senseless regulations. They are safety measures to protect the health of our people, our country and the planet.”
Continue Reading on Page 4
The Unpopular Truth
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Trump signs executive order on Healthcare (page 2)
This page is continued from "Trump signs executive order on Healthcare"
House Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH, 8th)
“As a manufacturer and job creator a little over one year ago, I can appreciate that this order expands the ability of small businesses and their employees to participate in new types of health insurance arrangements which is why I supported a similar measure that passed the House earlier this year. While this order makes many positive strides concerning healthcare affordability, Congress must act to make these and other reforms permanent. More importantly, Congress cannot simply give up on our promise and accept failure on Obamacare repeal. Republicans in Congress, and particularly in the Senate, need to pick up the torch and repeal Obamacare so families in Ohio and across the country can finally have the relief they were promised.”
Diana Degette (D-CO, 1st)
“This latest act of sabotage by the failing Trump presidency against the ACA will cause a million people to lose insurance in just the first year, drive up premiums and out-of-pocket payments for the rest and cause damaging instability in the insurance markets,” DeGette said. “President Trump is trying to achieve via edict what he couldn’t do through legislation: Dismantle the ACA and replace it with a cruel system that punishes the most vulnerable. This is Trumpcare by a thousand cuts.
“Congress needs to act immediately to provide funding for the cost-sharing reductions,” DeGette noted. “And we must work together in a bipartisan fashion to improve health care coverage in this country, rather than ripping it to bits.”
John Delaney (D-MD, 6th)
“Once again, President Trump is taking a completely backwards approach on health care: instead of trying to solve problems, he is deliberately creating them and instead of trying to expand access to coverage, he is deliberately trying to take it away.
“There’s no attempt at good policy here, no attempt at serving the people, just a blind and frenzied effort to secure some kind of political ‘win’ at any cost, all with nary a voice in his own party willing to speak out. We truly need thoughtful and responsible Republicans to stand up and put country before party, because we can’t let our great country be governed by tweets and empty slogans anymore. Decisions like this have a direct impact on people’s lives. There are bipartisan solutions in front of us that could fix the individual marketplaces – let’s put petty politics aside and actually do what’s right.”
Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA, 11th)
“This is yet another attack by President Trump to undermine the success and stability of the ACA. This irresponsible decision will make it easier for insurance companies to discriminate against Americans with pre-existing conditions and take advantage of those most in need of affordable, comprehensive health coverage. It is appalling that this Administration, despite public opposition, is prioritizing reckless campaign promises over working on behalf of the American people to improve our health care system.”
Debbie Dingell (D-MI, 12th)
“This spiteful decision by President Trump will have devastating consequences for the health care that families, seniors and children rely upon. The President’s action does nothing to improve care or bring down costs for the American people, which should be a shared goal of the President and every Member of Congress. Instead, this decision will directly result in higher costs for working families, create instability in the marketplace, and result in millions being uninsured in 2018.
“This is absolutely unacceptable. The American people have rejected Trumpcare time and again. Since the President was unsuccessful in ramming his awful repeal bill through Congress, he has taken it upon himself to dismantle health care for the American people. This is shameful. President Trump is directly responsible for the negative impacts this will have on families across the country. Congressional Republicans should work with Democrats to reinstate these critical payments and improve, not undermine, the health care Americans depend upon.”
Scott DesJarlais (R-TN, 4th)
“Since its inception, Obamacare has failed America’s middle class, bearing the brunt of increased health care costs, fewer insurance options and a decline in the quality of medical care, as doctors and facilities disappear, particularly in rural districts like mine. Because of excessive taxes and regulations, employers are dropping coverage. At the same time, insurers have fled state exchanges, and millions remain uninsured.
“More federal interference, such as single-payer, is the wrong answer. Giving workers, families and small businesses more choice and flexibility is the right one. The President’s order should help Tennesseans negotiate better prices, find inexpensive, short-term insurance, if necessary, and take advantage of tax-free accounts to purchase better health care. But ultimately, Congress must pass free-market reforms Republicans have advocated for years. The Senate must act.”
Eliot Engel (D-NY, 16th)
“The President’s decision to cut off cost-sharing reduction payments is his most outrageous act of sabotage against our health care system yet.
“These payments enable insurers to keep consumers’ out-of-pocket costs down. Per the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), ending them will cause premiums to rise and spur insurers to leave markets, in turn leaving Americans with fewer choices – the exact opposite of what the President has promised for months.
“If the President truly believed that action was needed on Congress’s part, he would have called on Congress to act. I have cosponsored the Marketplace Certainty Act, along with dozens of my colleagues, to appropriate funding for the cost-sharing reduction payments and remove any ambiguity on this issue. But, instead, the President chose to put millions of Americans’ health care at risk.
“Just yesterday, the President signed an Executive Order that could bring back the junk insurance policies that, before the ACA, offered little value for your money and punished sick people for their health status. Now, he’s doubled-down with a move that will hike up premiums and limit consumer choice. All of this amounts to the same ‘pay more, get less’ plan that the American people rejected in Trumpcare.
“Make no mistake: any instability in our health care system going forward will be a direct consequence of the President’s actions over the past two days. There is no reason for the President to make this move other than to hurt Americans. I am deeply saddened that in his desperation to see the ACA fail, he has made this egregious decision.”
Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT, 3rd)
“President Trump’s unilateral latest decision to stop making cost-sharing reduction payments will increase premiums for millions of Americans and will destabilize the marketplaces. The President is dead wrong when he calls these payments ‘bailouts.’ The truth is that they help people with modest means reduce their out-of-pocket healthcare costs. This action hurts the working and middle class Americans that President Trump promised to advocate for. He has now turned his back on them and is using them as a bargaining chip.”
“Congressional Republicans must immediately come to the table and work with Democrats to ensure these vital payments are continued and to make healthcare more affordable.”
House Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH, 8th)
“As a manufacturer and job creator a little over one year ago, I can appreciate that this order expands the ability of small businesses and their employees to participate in new types of health insurance arrangements which is why I supported a similar measure that passed the House earlier this year. While this order makes many positive strides concerning healthcare affordability, Congress must act to make these and other reforms permanent. More importantly, Congress cannot simply give up on our promise and accept failure on Obamacare repeal. Republicans in Congress, and particularly in the Senate, need to pick up the torch and repeal Obamacare so families in Ohio and across the country can finally have the relief they were promised.”
Diana Degette (D-CO, 1st)
“This latest act of sabotage by the failing Trump presidency against the ACA will cause a million people to lose insurance in just the first year, drive up premiums and out-of-pocket payments for the rest and cause damaging instability in the insurance markets,” DeGette said. “President Trump is trying to achieve via edict what he couldn’t do through legislation: Dismantle the ACA and replace it with a cruel system that punishes the most vulnerable. This is Trumpcare by a thousand cuts.
“Congress needs to act immediately to provide funding for the cost-sharing reductions,” DeGette noted. “And we must work together in a bipartisan fashion to improve health care coverage in this country, rather than ripping it to bits.”
John Delaney (D-MD, 6th)
“Once again, President Trump is taking a completely backwards approach on health care: instead of trying to solve problems, he is deliberately creating them and instead of trying to expand access to coverage, he is deliberately trying to take it away.
“There’s no attempt at good policy here, no attempt at serving the people, just a blind and frenzied effort to secure some kind of political ‘win’ at any cost, all with nary a voice in his own party willing to speak out. We truly need thoughtful and responsible Republicans to stand up and put country before party, because we can’t let our great country be governed by tweets and empty slogans anymore. Decisions like this have a direct impact on people’s lives. There are bipartisan solutions in front of us that could fix the individual marketplaces – let’s put petty politics aside and actually do what’s right.”
Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA, 11th)
“This is yet another attack by President Trump to undermine the success and stability of the ACA. This irresponsible decision will make it easier for insurance companies to discriminate against Americans with pre-existing conditions and take advantage of those most in need of affordable, comprehensive health coverage. It is appalling that this Administration, despite public opposition, is prioritizing reckless campaign promises over working on behalf of the American people to improve our health care system.”
Debbie Dingell (D-MI, 12th)
“This spiteful decision by President Trump will have devastating consequences for the health care that families, seniors and children rely upon. The President’s action does nothing to improve care or bring down costs for the American people, which should be a shared goal of the President and every Member of Congress. Instead, this decision will directly result in higher costs for working families, create instability in the marketplace, and result in millions being uninsured in 2018.
“This is absolutely unacceptable. The American people have rejected Trumpcare time and again. Since the President was unsuccessful in ramming his awful repeal bill through Congress, he has taken it upon himself to dismantle health care for the American people. This is shameful. President Trump is directly responsible for the negative impacts this will have on families across the country. Congressional Republicans should work with Democrats to reinstate these critical payments and improve, not undermine, the health care Americans depend upon.”
Scott DesJarlais (R-TN, 4th)
“Since its inception, Obamacare has failed America’s middle class, bearing the brunt of increased health care costs, fewer insurance options and a decline in the quality of medical care, as doctors and facilities disappear, particularly in rural districts like mine. Because of excessive taxes and regulations, employers are dropping coverage. At the same time, insurers have fled state exchanges, and millions remain uninsured.
“More federal interference, such as single-payer, is the wrong answer. Giving workers, families and small businesses more choice and flexibility is the right one. The President’s order should help Tennesseans negotiate better prices, find inexpensive, short-term insurance, if necessary, and take advantage of tax-free accounts to purchase better health care. But ultimately, Congress must pass free-market reforms Republicans have advocated for years. The Senate must act.”
Eliot Engel (D-NY, 16th)
“The President’s decision to cut off cost-sharing reduction payments is his most outrageous act of sabotage against our health care system yet.
“These payments enable insurers to keep consumers’ out-of-pocket costs down. Per the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), ending them will cause premiums to rise and spur insurers to leave markets, in turn leaving Americans with fewer choices – the exact opposite of what the President has promised for months.
“If the President truly believed that action was needed on Congress’s part, he would have called on Congress to act. I have cosponsored the Marketplace Certainty Act, along with dozens of my colleagues, to appropriate funding for the cost-sharing reduction payments and remove any ambiguity on this issue. But, instead, the President chose to put millions of Americans’ health care at risk.
“Just yesterday, the President signed an Executive Order that could bring back the junk insurance policies that, before the ACA, offered little value for your money and punished sick people for their health status. Now, he’s doubled-down with a move that will hike up premiums and limit consumer choice. All of this amounts to the same ‘pay more, get less’ plan that the American people rejected in Trumpcare.
“Make no mistake: any instability in our health care system going forward will be a direct consequence of the President’s actions over the past two days. There is no reason for the President to make this move other than to hurt Americans. I am deeply saddened that in his desperation to see the ACA fail, he has made this egregious decision.”
Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT, 3rd)
“President Trump’s unilateral latest decision to stop making cost-sharing reduction payments will increase premiums for millions of Americans and will destabilize the marketplaces. The President is dead wrong when he calls these payments ‘bailouts.’ The truth is that they help people with modest means reduce their out-of-pocket healthcare costs. This action hurts the working and middle class Americans that President Trump promised to advocate for. He has now turned his back on them and is using them as a bargaining chip.”
“Congressional Republicans must immediately come to the table and work with Democrats to ensure these vital payments are continued and to make healthcare more affordable.”
National Flood Insurance Program Passes House
Source: Warren Davidson (R-OH, 8th)
Washington, D.C. - October 14, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Rep Warren Davidson released the following statement concerning his “NO” vote on the $36.5 billion Disaster Relief Supplemental, which included a $16 billion dollar bailout provision for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a program already roughly $25 billion in debt.
“I fully support the families of Puerto Rico, California, and all those affected by the destructive force of these recent hurricanes and wildfires, but lumping a bailout provision to disaster relief efforts is different. I can't support a bailout for an unreformed program that wildly spends America down a path to bankruptcy. In its current state, the NFIP is an example of a Washington, D.C., band-aid fix to a gaping financial problem which saddles Ohioans and others with billions in debt. We should wholeheartedly respond to help families affected by these natural disasters, but we need to do so responsibly and with a free market approach and make hard choices when we have to.”
The bill, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, which passed the House 353-69 under suspension of the House rules spends five times more than was initially requested for efforts that fall outside disaster relief and included provisions like bailing out the NFIP.
The House Financial Services Committee that Rep. Warren Davidson is a member of included provisions to reform the NFIP, but were not included in the disaster relief and NFIP bailout bill. These reforms included provisions such as spending caps, debt reduction planning, and allowing private companies to compete alongside government run flood insurance.
Read more about this:
House Passes Storm Aid With Puerto Rico, Flood Coverage Lifeline
Washington, D.C. - October 14, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Rep Warren Davidson released the following statement concerning his “NO” vote on the $36.5 billion Disaster Relief Supplemental, which included a $16 billion dollar bailout provision for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a program already roughly $25 billion in debt.
“I fully support the families of Puerto Rico, California, and all those affected by the destructive force of these recent hurricanes and wildfires, but lumping a bailout provision to disaster relief efforts is different. I can't support a bailout for an unreformed program that wildly spends America down a path to bankruptcy. In its current state, the NFIP is an example of a Washington, D.C., band-aid fix to a gaping financial problem which saddles Ohioans and others with billions in debt. We should wholeheartedly respond to help families affected by these natural disasters, but we need to do so responsibly and with a free market approach and make hard choices when we have to.”
The bill, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, which passed the House 353-69 under suspension of the House rules spends five times more than was initially requested for efforts that fall outside disaster relief and included provisions like bailing out the NFIP.
The House Financial Services Committee that Rep. Warren Davidson is a member of included provisions to reform the NFIP, but were not included in the disaster relief and NFIP bailout bill. These reforms included provisions such as spending caps, debt reduction planning, and allowing private companies to compete alongside government run flood insurance.
Read more about this:
House Passes Storm Aid With Puerto Rico, Flood Coverage Lifeline
Friday, October 13, 2017
Whistleblower Protections Passed in the House
Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 passed the House by a bipartisan vote. The legislation is named after former Veterans Affairs Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick who took his own life after being disciplined by the VA after he suggested that other members of the VA were overmedicating their patients. The discipline led to Dr. Kirkpatrick’s mental health declining and he was ultimately let go by the VA and then he took his own life. An investigation by the VA into the death of a veteran due to “mixed drug toxicity” confirmed Dr. Kirkpatrick’s initial concerns of overmedication.
The bill provides enhanced protections and expedites investigations of instances in which probationary federal employees are fired for whistleblowing; enacts reforms to ensure that managers who retaliate against whistleblowers are held accountable; provides the Office of Special Counsel with adequate access to information from federal agencies to allow for complete investigations and better protect whistleblowers; ensures that all federal employees are informed of their rights as whistleblowers and provides training to managers on protections; and establishes measures to hold VA employees that improperly access the medical records of their fellow VA employees accountable.
Blow or statements from House Representatives on the subject:
Barbara Comstock (R-VA, 10th)
“The case of VA Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick is heartbreaking and should have never happened. Our dedicated federal employees need enhanced whistleblower protections and the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act will give those necessary protections by holding those who take action against whistleblowers accountable. Since I was a staffer of Congressman Frank Wolf, I have worked with government whistleblowers and strongly believe that if someone in our federal workforce sees wrongdoing they should have the necessary protections and feel comfortable reporting it.”
Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota)
“Retaliation against government employees like Dr. Kirkpatrick who are doing the right thing by exposing the mistreatment of our veterans and other abuses of government power is unacceptable and demands a response by Congress,” said Cramer. This bill adds necessary protections for whistleblowers and ensures stronger accountability in the VA system and among all federal agencies. Government employees should be able to report bad behavior in their workplaces without the fear of losing their job.”
Reps. Cohen and Jones Introduce the Bipartisan Horse Transportation Safety Act
Source: Steve Cohen (D-TN, 9th)
Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) today introduced the Horse Transportation Safety Act. This bipartisan legislation would prohibit interstate transportation of horses in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. It would also create civil penalties of at least $100 for each horse involved.
“When we allow animals to be mistreated or disrespected, we also devalue our own humanity,” said Congressman Cohen. “Horses cannot be safely or humanely transported in double-deck trailers that are built for much smaller animals, and our laws should reflect that. I am proud to sponsor the Horse Transportation Safety Act, which will ensure that these beautiful creatures are treated humanely.”
“As a longtime owner of horses, I know the importance of safe and secure transportation for these precious animals. Double-deck trailers and similar motor vehicles are not it,” said Congressman Jones. “Horses are incredible creatures that deserve the most humane treatment. Thank you Congressman Cohen for introducing legislation to ensure just that.”
On November 7, 2007, the United States Department of Agriculture issued a statement recognizing the inhumane practice stating that, “double-deck trailers do not provide adequate headroom for equines, with the possible exception of foals and yearlings. We do not believe that trailers that have two or more permanent levels that are not collapsible can be adequately altered to accommodate adult equines, especially tall equines.”
The Horse Transportation Safety Act would close a regulatory loophole whereby drivers have an incentive to inhumanely transport horses to assembly points then reload them into single level trailers just outside their final destination.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has approved the National Agriculture Safety Database’s research calling for at least 7’-8’ ceiling clearance for horses when traveling. The average horse stands 7’ (15 hands) high and when traveling should at least have adequate headroom to stand with normal posture.
Original cosponsors of the legislation include: Reps. Joyce Beatty, Donald S. Beyer, Earl Blumenauer, Mike Capuano, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Katherine Clark, Gerald Connolly, Elijah Cummings, Susan Davis, Mark DeSaulnier, Ted Deutch, Elizabeth Esty, Raul Grijalva, Andy Harris, Alcee Hastings, Walter Jones, Bill Keating, Derek Kilmer, Peter King, Barbara Lee, Ted Lieu, Zoe Lofgren, Alan Lowenthal, Nita Lowey, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Jim McGovern, Jerry McNerney, Martha McSally, Jerrold Nadler, Grace Napolitano, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mark Pocan, Jared Polis, David Price, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Adam Schiff, Carol Shea-Porter, Albio Sires, Louise Slaughter, Adam Smith, Jackie Speier, Dina Titus, Nikki Tsongas, Nydia Velazquez, Peter Welch
The Horse Transportation Safety Act has been endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society of the United States, the National Black Farmers Association, and Return to Freedom, Wild Horse Conservation.
Ranking Member Cohen Condemns President Trump’s Statements Attacking the Freedom of the Press
Source: Steve Cohen (D-TN, 9th)
Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today condemned President Trump’s recent tweets challenging the license of NBC and other news networks and his comments attacking the freedom of the press during his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office. During the meeting with the Prime Minister, President Trump said, “It is frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write.”
“President’s Trump’s recent statements and tweets attacking the freedom of the press and NBC News are a direct attack on the First Amendment and continue a dangerous pattern of the President undermining the Constitution,” said Congressman Cohen. “James Madison said the ‘freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.’ Yet this President has continued to make statements and act in a way to disrespect and delegitimize the press. He has referred to numerous media outlets as ‘fake news,’ he has called the New York Times the ‘failing New York Times,’ and has called the Washington Post the ‘Amazon Washington Post.’ President Trump retweeted a GIF of himself wrestling the CNN logo and has taken to twitter to attack media personalities such as Mika Brzezinski, Joe Scarborough and Megyn Kelly. He excluded American journalists from covering his meeting with the Russian Ambassador and Foreign Minister and has limited video and audio access to White House press briefings. President Trump even went as far as to call the press ‘the enemy of the American people.’ President Trump’s reckless, authoritarian-like attacks on the legitimacy and accuracy of the press are alarming. Attacks on the press, along with attacks on the courts, are the first signs of fascism. Keeping the citizenry informed with accurate information about government actions is vital for the effective functioning of democratic government and for ensuring the ultimate sovereignty of the people over their leaders.”
Coffman, Gallego, Bacon & Panetta Introduce New Authorization for Use of Military Force Bill
Source: Mike Coffman (R-CO, 6th)
Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Representatives Mike Coffman (R-CO), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Don Bacon (R-NE) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), in a strong bipartisan effort, have introduced H. J.Res. 118, a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), to provide clear Congressional authorization guidelines for the use of military force.
“The threats we face today are far different than those we faced over a decade ago, and this legislation reflects Congress’s Constitutional role in authorizing the use of military force against terrorist organizations,” said Coffman.
The purpose of an AUMF is to update and clearly define the authority the President has to pursue military action against hostile actors. The last AUMFs were enacted against the backdrop of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the events preceding the Iraq War 16 years ago. The updated AUMF would authorize the use of the U.S. Armed Forces for five years against al-Qaeda, the Taliban, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and any persons associated with these groups, but would specifically prohibit use of military force against nations without additional authorization from Congress.
“For too long, Congress has allowed our armed forces to be used with ever more tenuous links to a vague and obsolete Authorization of Military Force. This bill would refocus our efforts against terrorism and prevent the unauthorized use of our military against other countries or people,” said Gallego.
Specifically, this AUMF also requires the President to submit a set of regular reports to Congress on the progress of ongoing conflicts, contains a 5-year sunset clause, and provides for a full replacement of the previous AUMF. The new AUMF also makes clear the use of force against other persons, entities, or nations will require a further act of Congress.
“Article One of the Constitution bestows on Congress the authority to declare war and Congress needs to do its job,” said Bacon. “Our military must know it has the support of the American citizens we represent and that support is reflected by Congress debating and voting on the use of lethal military force.”
In an October 3, 2017, House Armed Services Committee Hearing, the sitting Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, stated the following in support of a new AUMF, “And as far as the AUMF goes, my point is that we need the unity of the American government and with the Congress involved that brings the unity of the American people to this fight… I think there has got to be -- the U.S. Congress has got to embrace this as our fight. We're all in this…”
“Both the 2001 authorization for use of military force following the 9/11 attacks and the 2002 authorization for use of military force against Iraq are outdated and need to be replaced. In order to best meet the current national security interests of our country, Congress must pass a new and narrow authorization focused on the threat posed by al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS,” said Panetta. “With this bipartisan legislation, we can meet our obligation to provide our service members with clear guidance as they fight to keep us safe. We can also provide our constituents the assurance that, no matter who our commander-in-chief is, Congress will assert its constitutional authority to define the use of our military force around the world.”
H.J. Res. 118, the “Authorization for use of Military Force against Al-Qaeda, The Taliban, and ISIS” will now be referred to the appropriate committee for legislative consideration.
Rep. Chu Reintroduces Legislation to Connect High-Need Schools with Quality Teachers
Source: Judy Chu (D-CA, 27th)
Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) reintroduced the Equal Access to Quality Education Act. This bill works to close the education inequality gap by helping high-need schools attract, train, and retain the best teachers. Rep. Chu released the following statement
“Ensuring our children receive quality education is one of our greatest responsibilities. And a good education begins with a good teacher. Yet high-need communities are also the ones that have the hardest time attracting and retaining profession-ready educators. The Department of Education found that schools with mostly African-American students are twice as likely to have teachers with only one or two years of experience, compared to predominately white schools in the very same district. Inexperienced teachers lead to lower academic achievement scores, and this maintains cycles of poverty that disproportionately affect people of color. It is unconscionable to allow these race- and class-based disparities to continue.
“That is why I am re-introducing the Equal Access to Quality Education Act. This bill creates a partnership between high-need schools and schools with teacher training programs to provide support for new teachers while decreasing future turnover. Together, the programs in this bill will ensure that all students, regardless of income or race, have access to teachers who are fully prepared to help them succeed.”
Original cosponsors of the Equal Access to Quality Education Act include Reps. Mark Takano (CA-41), Dina Titus (NV-1), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), and Madeleine Bordallo (GU).
Disaster Aid Passes House
Source: Joaquin Castro (D-TX, 20th)
Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) issued the following statement after voting in favor of S. 585, legislation providing $36.5 billion of emergency disaster aid that passed the House of Representatives:
“From the hurricanes that ravaged Texas, Puerto Rico, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to the wildfires that continue to blaze across California and other Western states, recent natural disasters have violently upended the lives of millions of Americans. In the wake of this widespread devastation, I’m relieved Congress approved supplemental aid for the ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts. Affected regions will need continued federal support in the months and years ahead, and we must not hesitate to provide those additional resources moving forward.”
Trump signs executive order on Healthcare
Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order directing his Administration to craft new policies increasing competition, choice, and affordability for health care across the American workforce.
According to the White House, the order:
1. directs the Secretary of Labor to consider expanding access to Association Health Plans, which could potentially allow American employers to form groups across State Lines;
2. directs the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services to consider expanding coverage through low cost shorter-term limited duration insurance; and
3. directs the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to consider changes to Health Reimbursement Arrangements so employers can make better use of them for their employees.
Below are statements from House Representatives about the executive order:
Buddy Carter (R-GA, 1st)
"Thanks to dysfunction in the Senate, Congress has not been able to deliver on our promise to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a patient-centered system." said Carter. "While I would have preferred these moves come from Congress, I am grateful President Trump acted today to deliver relief to Americans suffering under Obamacare. This Executive Order works to deliver choice and control back to patients and is a good step towards lowering health care costs. I look forward to continued work with President Trump to finally repeal Obamacare and lower health care costs for all Americans."
Judy Chu (D-CA, 27th)
“Donald Trump will do anything to avoid working with Democrats to improve the healthcare of Americans – including intentionally sabotaging our country's healthcare system. That is what he is doing with this executive order. It is a craven attempt by the President to justify his party’s attacks on the ACA, which has been successful at increasing coverage for millions. That is why Republicans have been unable to pass a repeal of the law. But refusing to accept his failure, Trump is trying to double down with this plan to peel healthy individuals away from the ACA marketplaces and make costs rise for consumers. By offering cheap plans with poor coverage, he is ensuring that only healthy people will buy them – leaving the sick and elderly with more expensive options. This signals a return to the segmented healthcare system we had before the ACA, where being sick could mean bankruptcy or worse. And it is the most vulnerable Americans who will pay this price to salve Trump’s ego.”
“The American people are hurting. And President Trump continues to fail them. This executive order will sabotage the health care market and drive up costs for working people. The President should be working with Democrats to make the Affordable Care Act even stronger. Instead, he’s creating chaos and undermining access.”
Katherine Clark (D-MA, 5th)
“Make no mistake: Trump and Republicans will risk the lives of our most vulnerable to fulfill a dangerous political promise to their base. Trump is using the highest office in the nation to sabotage our healthcare system and ignore the will of the majority of Americans who rejected Trumpcare. Republicans are bent on dragging us back to the days when insurance companies decided who lived or died, and I will fight this every step of the way.”
Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO, 5th)
“Instead of working with Congress to determine what’s best for Americans and their health care, the President has decided to force his political agenda on the American people. There is a reason why the GOP effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has failed time and time again. The President wants to blame Democrats but the truth is, the proposed health care changes will hurt millions, regardless of their party affiliation. These changes are designed to allow loopholes around ACA core requirements, such as the coverage of essential health benefits.
Associations that band together to buy insurance will be exempt from having to cover certain prescription drug benefits, maternity care, or mental health services. The executive order will allow insurance companies to offer skimpy, short-term plans that don’t actually provide good coverage. This will attract the young and healthy customers at the expense of older or sicker individuals and their families, and will destabilize the insurance markets. The American people have spoken – more than once – and they want Congress to work together to find ways to improve upon the ACA, not continue to roll back patient protections.”
Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly (D-VA, 11th)
"The Trumpcare executive order is the latest act of sabotage on the Affordable Care Act that will threaten coverage of pre-existing conditions and increase costs. Americans have repeatedly rejected Trumpcare. Let’s improve the Affordable Care Act, not leave millions of people more vulnerable."
Jim Cooper (D-TN, 5th)
“Today’s announcement is one of many steps this administration has taken to undermine the Affordable Care Act. It creates an exclusive market for the healthy at the expense of the sick, and is opposed by all kinds of health care experts,” Rep. Cooper said. “In the end, Washington lobbyists stand to benefit the most. This executive order will only hurt Americans, not help them.”
Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota)
“Given the Senate’s unwillingness to repeal and replace Obamacare, I greatly appreciate President Trump’s decisive actions. While an executive order can never take the place of passing meaningful health care reform legislation, it’s the least we can do until another U.S. Senator decides to put the interests of the American people first by voting to fix our collapsing health care system.”
Kathy Castor (D-FL, 14th)
“I am especially concerned that President Trump supports erosion of coverage for pre-existing conditions and other essential health benefits. This will prove costly to American families. After the American people fought off Republican attempts to gut the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, President Trump takes another tack to purposely sabotage affordable health care for hardworking families. He is unwilling to engage in the difficult work to fix and improve affordable health insurance so instead chooses to raise premiums significantly and price people with pre-existing conditions out of the market. These measures will hurt my neighbors over the long run as affordable coverage options shrink every year, all so the President can settle a political score. I am calling on President Trump and his administration to stand on the side of hardworking Americans and stop their cruel sabotage of our health care.”
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