Monday, January 22, 2018

Comments on Reopening the Government -- Temporarily -- From the Senate



The Senate passed funding bill extends federal funding through February 8, 2018.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D - CT)
With Senator Christopher Murphy (D - CT)

“This stop-gap three-week patch shortchanges Connecticut’s needs and priorities. Kicking the can down the road – for the fourth time in as many months – hurts Connecticut in unique ways. A commitment to have an immigration debate next month is welcome, but we could not in good conscience support a bill that fails to adequately support our national defense, opioid treatment, disaster relief, or community health centers while leaving Dreamers without any certainty about their future. We will continue to fight for Connecticut’s priorities as negotiations continue during this short-term stopgap spending measure, including real investments in our national security, adequate resources to fight the opioid crisis, support for community health centers, full funding for disaster relief and a solution that protects our Dreamers.”

Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

President Trump manufactured a crisis when he ended DACA, throwing the lives of hundreds of thousands of dreamers into chaos and uncertainty. In addition, 113 days have passed since the Children’s Health Insurance Program lapsed, and Senate Republicans have been using uninsured low-income kids as political pawns. President Trump and Republicans, who control the White House, the Senate, and the House, have a duty to govern responsibly.

Pitting the most vulnerable in our country against one another is no way to govern. Neither is passing another short-term funding bill, a practice the Pentagon called “wasteful and destructive” just days ago.

The way to end the Trump Shutdown and solve issues that Republican leaders have been ignoring for months was to take up a bipartisan proposal on the table that Democrats, Republicans, most Americans, and the large majority of Congress supports. That wasn’t the plan voted on today.

I made a commitment a long time ago that I wouldn’t vote for yet another CR that didn’t include a solution for dreamers. My position hasn’t changed.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D - OH)

“We cannot continue limping along from one budget to the next – that’s no way to run our government. Over the weekend I talked to Republicans and Democrats, and I’m confident we are very close to reaching a long-term compromise to provide the certainty Ohio families deserve. That’s why I’m voting today to reopen the government. I applaud the six-year extension of CHIP, and now we must move forward on achieving bipartisan solutions to important issues like protecting the retirement workers have earned, combating the opioid epidemic and protecting undocumented children who’ve known no other home than America.

“In my conversations over the weekend, it was clear that Senators on both sides of the aisle want to work together to end the constant uncertainty coming from Washington, and I'm hopeful this will be the beginning of more cooperation and bipartisanship in the months ahead.”

Brown will donate the pay he received during the government shutdown to an Ohio diaper bank that will support struggling families.

Sendator Benjamin L.Cardin - (D - MD)

“Four months into the fiscal year, Republicans, who control the White House and both houses of Congress, finally understand that we cannot govern from continuing resolution to continuing resolution. It took extreme measures to get us to this point. Leader McConnell will be held to his word that we will have a spending bill that addresses both defense and non-defense priorities, along with a fair opportunity to pass immigration reform.

“Democrats never wanted to see the federal government shut down, even for a few days, but we needed to take a stand to keep this budget can from being kicked down the road again and again and again. For Marylanders who work for or support the federal government, including our military personnel, the frustration and hurt of a shutdown has hit especially hard. There is no such thing as a ‘good shutdown,’ as the president characterized it. I’m proud of the military and civilian workers in Maryland who support our federal government, and will do all I can to ensure they are made whole after this experience. These public servants represent the best of America and they deserve our respect and gratitude.”

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

“The shutdown never made sense. I’m glad after two days enough Senate Democrats agreed to end it. I think they realized taking health insurance away from nine million kids nationwide—122,000 of whom live in Louisiana—depriving the military of their funding, just because they weren’t getting their way on DACA, was not defensible. The bill we passed today reopens the government through February the 8th, it maintains the National Flood Insurance Program, it funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years. So, now we focus on passing a long term budget, securing our border. If Democrats are willing to support a more merit-based immigration system and real, permanent border security, I think we can come to an agreement that’s good for the DACA kids and good for the American people.”

Senator Susan M. Collins - (R - ME)

“Today, we saw the power of the center in the U.S. Senate. Joe and I worked very hard in leading the effort of the Common Sense Coalition—a group of 25 Republicans, Democrats, and Independent Angus King—which proposed the compromise to end the government shutdown.

“I founded the Common Sense Coalition nearly five years ago to end the 2013 government shutdown. Just as we did in 2013, we showed that a determined group of Senators working across the aisle can produce positive action.

“Senators representing both parties first began meeting for hours in my office on Friday, and we continued to discuss these issues in meetings on Saturday, Sunday, and today, supplemented by numerous phone calls. What we shared in common was the determination to reopen government and convince our leaders that there is a path forward that will accommodate those of us who are concerned about the fate of the “Dreamers” who live in this country, many of whom have known no other country as their home. They will be at risk of deportation starting in March if legislation is not passed. Our commitment to accomplishing these goals, as well as the size and bipartisan nature of our group, helped to break the impasse.

“In addition to reopening government, I am particularly happy that the continuing resolution reauthorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health care coverage to low-income children nationwide. I co-sponsored the legislation that created this program as a freshman Senator in 1997. The provision included in the stop-gap funding bill will extend CHIP for an additional six years, ensuring that the nine million children—including more than 22,000 in Maine—who rely on this program will continue to have access to health care.

“There are many other issues that we need to deal with, including budget caps and the urgent need for additional funding for national defense and the opioid crisis. The successful bipartisan effort that led to the reopening of the government today, however, is a significant and promising step forward.”

Senator John Cornyn- (R - TX)

“This was a strategy that lacked an endgame and was never going to work. The safety, health, and livelihoods of Americans across the country didn't deserve to be held hostage, and the American people have had enough of these kinds of games.”

“This calculated stunt that put funding for our government, military, and Children's Health Insurance Program at risk all because our colleagues wanted to accelerate consideration of the DACA issue, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, was a mistake.”

“I'm glad our colleagues decided to take this step to reopen the government while we resume our work to find a solution on this immigration issue. But we have a lot of other important issues.”

“We also need to deal with disaster relief.”

“While the House of Representatives has voted on a $81 billion disaster relief package, because of the holdup here -- again, because our Democratic colleagues in the Senate think that this DACA issue is more important than those victims of natural disasters, not to mention the wildfires out West -- that's been put on ice as well.”

“I especially remain committed to the 124,000 DACA recipients in my home state of Texas.”

“I have a personal interest in making sure we come up with a bipartisan solution for these young adults who face such uncertainty.”

“These are our neighbors, and they work alongside us in our community. They deserve a thoughtful and compassionate solution that I hope we deliver.”

“I've had a chance, like all of the members of the Senate and the House, to meet many of these young people and many of them are extraordinarily impressive.”

“So it’s a precarious position, I'm sure, to live every day not quite sure of what the future will mean.”

“I think we need to correspondingly assure the American people that we're actually serious about border security and enforcing our laws.”

“Being able to put in place the right mix of infrastructure, personnel, and technology will enable us to begin to regain the public's confidence on this issue.”

“We are all working, and have been for months, on a path forward on DACA, and we'll continue to do so now that the government has reopened.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein - (D - CA)

“This week’s government shutdown is regrettable and frustrating, particularly since it was entirely avoidable.

“For four months Republicans have promised a vote on the Dream Act. And for four months, they’ve kicked the can down the road. They even spent weeks passing a tax cut bill for the rich instead of working on a bill to keep the government open and help DACA recipients.

“Even Republican members of Congress are fed up. Senator Jeff Flake, a Republican, was promised a DACA fix by the end of last year, but he’s still waiting. That’s why both Republicans and Democrats said no to Mitch McConnell’s latest broken promise.

“Closing the government isn’t something I take lightly. But we’ve been debating the Dream Act for almost 20 years now, with constant opposition from Republicans. The solution is simple: allow a vote on the Dream Act as an amendment to a must-pass vehicle or lock in an iron-clad agreement that the Democratic caucus agrees with that would pass in the shortest time possible. Debating and voting on bills is what we were sent here to do, so let’s do it.

“Once we reach an agreement on the Dream Act, we can then turn to other priorities like providing disaster relief for wildfires and hurricanes, extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program, keeping community health centers open and battling the opioid crisis.

“Let me be clear: this government closure doesn’t shut down the military. It doesn’t end Social Security or Medicare benefits. VA hospitals will remain open. But the pinch for many other federal workers is real, and we need to get past this impasse as quickly as possible.

“I’ll continue working hard to come up with a solution that funds the government, protects DACA recipients and includes all the other key priorities that we need to support.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R - SC)
“Ending the government shutdown stops the losing for the country. But it’s not winning. Winning is solving the nation’s problems.

“Winning is ensuring we have the funding needed for our military to meet the tremendous challenges they face. Nothing means more to me than making sure we take care of our military’s needs as they fight a war we can’t afford to lose. Today, we took a giant step forward in that direction.

“Winning is ensuring we have a process in place to deal with expiration of DACA, as these young people know no other home than the United States.

“I believe the process we have created will allow us to get a result on these and other important issues. I enjoyed working with my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle – as we searched for breakthroughs that would not only keep the government running, but ultimately make it work for the American people.”

Senator Chuck Grassley (R - IA)

“It’s a shame it took three days and millions in wasted taxpayer dollars for common sense to prevail, but I’m glad it did. America’s men and women in uniform give so much in service to their country. They should never have to worry about their next paycheck. If it wasn’t political, it’s unclear why Democratic leaders voted against funding the government on Friday but voted for it on Monday. Thankfully, millions of families with kids who rely on the Children’s Health Insurance Program now know it will be extended for six years.

“There was no good reason to shut down the government for an unrelated issue everyone agrees will be addressed soon anyway. As was the case before the shutdown, I’ll continue to work with my colleagues on legislation to enact real border security, end chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program and provide DACA recipients with legal status.”

Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
With Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D - NH)

“We have worked with a group of more than twenty senators – both Republicans and Democrats – to reach a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government, continue the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and move forward on critical priorities including strengthening our military, stepping up efforts to combat the opioid crisis, providing funding for community health centers, and protecting Dreamers. Our negotiations, once again, affirmed that there is substantial common ground on every one of these issues, and while we still have more work to do, this agreement gives us time to hammer out the details. We are grateful to our Republican colleague Susan Collins of Maine for convening these bipartisan talks, and to all the members of this common sense caucus for working with us to find common ground.”

Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D - ND)
“The single most important thing the Senate can do is govern, and today, we reached an agreement to help make that possible,” said Heitkamp. “I’m proud to have been part of a bipartisan group of more than 20 senators who worked together during many meetings over the weekend to reach a deal to reopen the government. I wish everyone in the country could have been in those meetings. We talked to each other respectfully, had important debate and discussion, and were the deliberative body that the Senate is supposed to be.

“Our group first came together back in 2013 -- when the government shutdown for 16 days -- and created the Commonsense Coalition which negotiated a deal that paved the way to successfully reopen the government. Today, many of those same senators joined our meetings, as did many more. I’m hopeful this bipartisan progress foreshadows more work to come between Republicans and Democrats so the Senate can do its job for the American people.

“The Senate also voted to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years – an overdue long-term extension so that children and families across North Dakota can get the care they need. We need to keep pushing to permanently reauthorize this critical and lifesaving program that protects kids.

“As Congress works on a bipartisan agreement in the next few weeks, I’ll keep pushing to protect the pensions of thousands of retirees in the Central States Pension Fund and other pension funds, provide critical funds to help combat the opioid epidemic, and support community health centers across rural America. And we must hold Leader McConnell to his word that the Senate will vote in the next few weeks to strengthen border security while enabling young immigrants who came here as children to stay in the only country they know. We have the chance to reach an agreement on these issues that is truly bipartisan.”

Senator Dean Heller (R - NV)

“It’s about time that Democrats came to their senses and made the decision to end their political games that led to the Schumer Shutdown. Their filibuster of legislation that would open the government, pay our troops, and fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was reckless and an example of Washington dysfunction at its worst. Because of their political posturing, Democrats sacrificed our national security, paying our troops, and care for this country’s most vulnerable children. It was particularly disappointing that for days, Senate Democrats blocked a vote on a piece of legislation that not only would have avoided a government shutdown and pay our troops, but contained many priorities – like CHIP and delaying the Cadillac tax – that they actually support. In fact, the legislation passed today is the same bill that was initially proposed last week with the exception of moving up the next deadline by eight days.

The Democrats’ filibuster of our appropriations bills is exactly what led us to the position we’re in today; and that’s why I introduced my No Budget No Pay Act to force Congress to do its job or face the consequences. Moving forward, I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle prioritize their constituents over their party leaders so that we can make progress and do the jobs the American people sent us here to do."

Senator Johnny Isakson (R - GA)

“I am relieved that Senate Democrats have allowed us to reopen the government. Shutting down the government was a terrible idea – it always is – and it is the wrong way to govern. I’m also pleased that we have finally passed a six-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Thankfully, we can now focus on the work that lies ahead.”

Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA)
With Senator Mark R.Warner (D - VA)

“We voted against the House Republican Continuing Resolution on Friday night because it left unaddressed too many priorities important to Virginians. We remain deeply disappointed that our Republican colleagues refused to keep the government open this weekend while we finalized a long-term deal on these issues. President Trump and Republican leadership have hurt Virginia and our military by governing from crisis-to-crisis and being unwilling to compromise.

“However, we are heartened by our work with more than 20 Senators from both sides of the aisle this weekend to create a bipartisan path forward to give Virginians long-term certainty and protect Dreamers.

“As a result of those discussions, we now have a path forward to resolve many of the challenges that Congress has punted on for months, including a long-term solution to sequestration and full-year funding for our government and the military. Today we are reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that tens of thousands of Virginians rely on – after months of Republican obstruction – and giving servicemembers and federal employees peace of mind that their paychecks will arrive on time. We also have the opportunity to finally make investments here at home to fight the opioid crisis, provide relief for communities hit by natural disasters, allow those who rely on community health centers to get care, reform pensions, and much more.

“For more than three years, the Republican majority has blocked any viable effort to fix our broken immigration system. As recently as Friday night, Leader McConnell refused to commit to taking up the DREAM Act with any urgency. Today, Republican leadership has finally agreed to bring bipartisan legislation to protect Dreamers to the floor in the next three weeks, and both parties – as well as the American public – will hold them to it.”

Senator Angus S. King Jr. (I - ME)

“After a weekend spent trying to bring together Senators from across the political spectrum and to create a meaningful dialogue, we have arrived at a viable compromise that can move us forward. A three-week continuing resolution is longer than I’d like, but it appears this weekend’s negotiations have created a path forward which will allow the Senate to function as it should. As I have said, and continue to believe, this government cannot simply function one month at a time – we need to pass a budget. At the same time, we need to stay open. I hope that Senate leadership has gotten the message that we can no longer govern from CR to CR, and that this agreement ends the logjam on DACA and paves the path towards regular order.”

Senator James Lankford (R-OK)
“I’m pleased that Senate Democrats relented and finally agreed to reopen the government. Today, they voted for the exact offer we extended on Friday night before the shutdown. This all could have been avoided. Now is the time for this Senate to take up hard issues and begin debating and voting again. This is a unique opportunity to finally address some of our numerous immigration problems, including border security. I look forward to getting this important work done in the days ahead.”

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D - VT)

“I’m relieved there is an end in sight to this Trump Shutdown. But Republican leaders and President Trump have left too much undone – from a bipartisan budget deal, to disaster relief, to community health centers, to the opioid crisis, to DACA. There are many pressing and unfinished priorities, and I cannot give my support to yet another short-term, stopgap measure that, yet again, keeps budget priorities on autopilot, without the ability to adjust for changing priorities since these budget levels were frozen a year ago. We now are 114 days since the beginning of the fiscal year, when these appropriations bills should have been finished. The American people, our communities, our men and women serving in the military, our veterans, and all Americans need and deserve a long-term deal, and we need one now.”

Senator, Joe Manchin, III (D - WV)

“I worked all weekend and brought together more than 20 Republicans and Democrats to help both sides come to an agreement to end this government shutdown. While others were focused on placing political blame, I was focused on solving the problem, and I'm glad to say we got it done. I’m proud we were able to come together and pass our bipartisan compromise to reopen the government, pass long-term funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and give us 3 weeks to come up with a FY2018 budget that everyone can support.

“Now that the government will reopen, we have the next 3 weeks to ensure our military is equipped to protect our country, fight the opioid epidemic, keep our promise to coal miners so they don’t lose their hard-earned pensions, expand broadband access and pass a comprehensive infrastructure package.

“I never voted for or supported this shutdown. This was a result of the toxic dysfunction that this Congress is operating under. It was wrong to shut down the government and it was a waste of time that prevented us from working on issues that the American people and West Virginians care about. Now, we can get back to work.”

Senator Edward J.Markey (D - MA)

“I cannot support a budget deal that falls so far short of fulfilling our moral and Constitutional obligation to the American people, said Senator Markey. “Without guaranteed long-term funding for community health centers, the opioid crisis, disaster aid, and protections for our DREAMers, I cannot support this legislation.

“I remain deeply skeptical of any short-term budget agreement that relies on the good faith commitment of President Donald Trump. A budgetary vision without funding is a hallucination. The futures and families of DREAMers will not be assured by a promise from Republican leadership. We need a long-term budget proposal that includes real protections for our DREAMers and appropriately funds critical health priorities, not a short-term IOU.”

Senator Mitch McConnell (R - KY)

“After three days of an unnecessary lapse in funding, a bipartisan majority has brought the Democratic Leader’s extraordinary filibuster to an end and passed a bipartisan bill to reopen the federal government. As I’ve said repeatedly over the past week, shutting down the government is an irresponsible way to do business. It does not reflect the seriousness with which I know my colleagues on both sides would like to approach the people’s business here in the Senate.

“All our important work for the American people had to be put on hold while this manufactured crisis was dealt with. We made no substantive progress – not one inch – on the serious, bipartisan negotiations that it will take to resolve issues such as immigration and border security, health care, defense spending, and many other matters. So I am glad we can finally get back to work here.

“Amid the political gamesmanship, the past three days have highlighted many of my colleagues’ commitment to honest, bipartisan work. I would like to particularly thank Senator Graham, Senator Collins, Senator Flake, and several of our Democratic colleagues who worked tirelessly to bring this impasse to a conclusion. Soon, federal operations will be getting back to normal for the American people.

“We all know what comes next – challenging negotiations on a host of serious issues. The weeks ahead will require the best from all of us. I hope that we can remember some lessons from this regrettable incident. Brinksmanship and hostage taking do not work. They make bipartisan progress harder, not easier, to achieve. Senators must focus on the common good of the American people, not the warped priorities of extreme voices, no matter how loudly they shout at us to do otherwise.

“With the pointless, damaging, partisan theatrics of this government shutdown behind us, serious and bipartisan negotiations can resume. We have been talking for months about how to address military spending, disaster relief, healthcare, immigration and border security, and the rest of Congress’ unfinished business. Now those talks can get going again. Whether they bear fruit is up to all of us.”

Senator Robert Menendez (D - NJ)

“The Senate-passed Continuing Resolution is yet another short-term sham of a funding bill that abandons vital New Jersey priorities like funding for the opioid crisis, community health centers and critical reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program, all while short-changing our military, and ignoring the plight of millions of Americans in Puerto Rico, California, and other disaster-torn communities.

“Nothing in this legislation gives me any confidence that in three weeks Congress won’t end up exactly where we are today. Funding for the federal government lapsed back in September. The President announced the end of DACA back in September. Yet, instead of doing the hard work of governing, Republicans spent October, November and December asking for short-term extensions so they could binge on trillion-dollar tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest one percent.

“I would have much preferred a two-day, three-day or even week-long extension that forced Democrats and Republicans to stay in Washington and negotiate a long-term agreement that fully funds our military, invests in our domestic priorities, protects the 800,000 Dreamers from the imminent threat of deportation and provides them a path to citizenship.

“In three weeks, a dysfunctional White House and a dysfunctional Republican Congress will remain utterly incapable of passing a long-term budget unless and until they begin working with Democrats who know how to compromise, how to set priorities, and how to govern.”

Senator Jeff Merkley (D - OR)

“While spending the past year jamming through a legislative wish-list for the privileged and powerful, President Trump and his congressional allies have time and time again neglected the priorities of the American people. Funding for children’s health care and community health centers has lapsed; the opioid crisis has gone unaddressed; and hundreds of thousands of DREAMers have been left to live in limbo. This unwillingness to govern reached a peak on Friday, when Trump and Republicans brought us the Trump Shutdown rather than reach a deal on these critical, bipartisan priorities.

“I persistently argued that we should keep the government open while we negotiate, but that we need a shorter timeframe – one- to three-day increments – to hold Trump’s and McConnell’s feet to the fire. Unfortunately, the Senate Majority Leader struck down the continuing resolutions that would have accomplished this.

“My concern with the three-week extension adopted today is that the Republican leadership will fail to negotiate for 15 of the next 17 days. Furthermore, Leader McConnell’s track record of keeping his ‘commitments’ is thin at best. For that reason, I voted no today.

“I stand ready to work with all of my colleagues to make urgently-needed progress on these critical issues facing the American people. It’s past time that we governed ‘of, by and for the people,’ not just for the privileged and powerful.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)

“I have been actively working over the weekend, with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to help facilitate an agreement. I am pleased that we were able to put our differences aside to get the government back on track and do what’s right for our country. Together, we ended a government shutdown that has been disruptive to the thousands of Alaskans who are federal employees, contractors, and those who rely on the services provided by our federal agencies. This short-term solution allows time to finish our work on a full year funding bill and also address bigger picture issues.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us --- from securing full funding for our military to providing disaster relief to stabilizing the individual healthcare market. It is also crucial that we prioritize protections for DACA recipients and have the broader discussion on immigration. Now is the time to build on the bipartisan momentum we have built in the Senate, work together and resolve these issues for the American people.”

Senator Patty Murray (D - WA)

“I am very glad that President Trump and Republican leaders have stepped back from the precipice and have ended their government shutdown and committed to allowing Democrats and Republicans to work together on legislation to address the many challenges facing the families we represent. I know that there will be legitimate concerns and questions about the commitments that Republican leaders have made today. I share those concerns, and I am going to be watching Republican leaders’ actions over the coming weeks, not just their words—and I stand ready to hold this Republican Congress accountable for results.

I support this short-term agreement not because I blindly trust Republican leaders to deliver on their commitments, but because I believe this path offers us the best chance to reach a comprehensive deal to protect families and communities in this Republican Congress. Republican leaders clearly understand that a majority of Democrats and Republicans support bipartisan solutions to the challenges in front of us, and they now realize that they can’t keep the government shut down in an attempt to stop that work from being done. If Republican leaders renege on their commitment to work with us and to allow votes on the critical issues before us, they will shut down the government in just a few weeks and the pressure will be right back on them to work with us.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that we should increase investments in health care, education, veterans’ care, and other domestic and defense priorities—and now that Republicans have ended their shutdown, we need to work together to get that done.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that we should finally pass a long-term extension of the critical primary care programs that Republicans have allowed to expire months ago— and now that Republicans have ended their shutdown, we need to work together to get that done.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that since the Trump Administration abruptly ended the DACA program last fall, we should finally pass legislation to protect our DREAMers who have known no home but America and who live in constant fear for their futures— and now that Republicans have ended their shutdown, we need to work together to get that done. Republican leaders have made a commitment on this, and I am going to be holding their feet to the fire.

“There are bipartisan solutions to all of these challenges, and now that Republicans have stepped back from their completely unnecessary government shutdown and say they are ready to work with us on responsible solutions—we need to tackle them together, right now, without delay.”

Senator David Perdue (R-GA)

“It is ridiculous that we were ever in the Schumer Shutdown in the first place. I’m glad to see that Senate Democrats came to their senses and stopped this nonsense. It is frustrating that this is the same proposal that was offered to them days ago before they decided to shut down the government over immigration. Senate Democrats took their political stunt a step too far since a majority of Americans support funding the federal government over continuing the DACA program. Clearly, Congress’ budget process is a complete failure. It has only worked four times in the past 43 years, and given the current political dynamics it will never work. Tying important policy decisions to the funding process is the reason we end up in these damaging situations. It’s time Congress gets serious about reworking the way we fund the federal government. That way we can start tackling other big ticket items such as fixing our immigration system and beginning to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure.”

Senator Rob Portman (R - OH)

“I’m pleased that a sufficient number of my Democratic colleagues have joined Republicans to re-open the federal government. Shutdowns are unnecessary, counter-productive, and often end up costing more taxpayer dollars. The past three days are proof of that, and that’s why I introduced the End Government Shutdowns Act in 2012 to avoid these types of disruptions.

“One of the things the bill does is provide long-term funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). There are 219,000 children in Ohio and nine million children nationwide who receive health care through this program. This six-year CHIP extension is the longest since the program was enacted more than 20 years ago. I’ve fought to renew this important program for months, and I’m pleased we are on the verge of delivering the long-term stability and certainty the program needs.

“I’m glad we were finally able to come to an agreement that funds the government and provides quality health care for American children in need. We have more work ahead of us before the next deadline, on February 8, and I will continue working with my bipartisan colleagues on these issues. Government shutdowns ultimately hurt our economy, hurt families, and hurt our troops. I hope that in the future we can end shutdowns for good.”

Senator Bernard Sanders (I - VT)

"The reason I voted against today’s continuing resolution is simple: tens of millions of lives are at stake. We must act NOW, not kick the can down the road.

"We're talking about the fate of 800,000 Dreamers who have lived here almost all of their lives, but could soon be faced with deportation if we don't act now. We're talking about 27 million Americans who will find it harder and harder to get their health care through community health centers because that program has not yet been reauthorized. We 're talking about many thousands of people with disabilities who will die because they couldn't get their claims processed in a timely manner by an underfunded and understaffed Social Security Administration, and veterans who will not get the care they need at the VA because that agency now has 30,000 vacancies. We're talking about the need to provide adequate disaster relief for the people of Texas, Florida, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico – an island where hundreds of thousands are still without electricity.

"Enough is enough. We cannot continue to run a $4 trillion government on a month to month basis. We need an annual budget. The Republican Party controls the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate and the White House. They are the governing party. They have got to govern, not ignore the major crises facing this country."

Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Ak)

“Today, an overwhelming majority in the Senate voted to end the government shutdown and to continue the broader negotiations on a long-term spending measure. This shutdown was entirely avoidable – something made clearer by the fact that what we passed today was basically the same agreement that had been proposed since Friday. Regardless, I’m pleased to see both sides of the aisle come together to reach an agreement to ensure our military and federal workers continue to get paid, critical functions of government continue, and thousands of children across Alaska and the country get the healthcare they need through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – which will be extended for six years.

“As we move forward, I will be closely working with my colleagues on issues related to immigration reform, including DACA and stronger border security. More broadly, I will continue to work with a bipartisan group to reform what for too long has been a broken budgetary process, which has consisted of short-term funding measures (continuing resolutions) and massive end of year omnibus packages. The American people deserve better.”

Senator Patrick J.Toomey (R - PA)

"I am encouraged that an interim, bipartisan agreement was reached to reopen our government, fund our military, and provide health care to nine million American children. We found ourselves in this dysfunctional mess because my colleagues across the aisle recklessly refused to govern and held the government hostage on a single issue impacting a select group of illegal immigrants. This is not how decisions about the government's budget should be made."

"It is well past time for the Senate to return to regular order. Instead of the obstruction of recent years, going forward, Democrats should allow the Senate to debate, amend and pass each of the 12 annual funding bills well before the end of the fiscal year. This would preclude the risk of distracting, disruptive manufactured crises such as the one our Democratic colleagues just caused."

Senator Tom Udall (D - NM)

“Today’s agreement between Senate Democratic and Republican leadership to re-open the government and fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program buys Congress 17 more days to try to reach a bipartisan compromise for DREAMers. While it definitely isn’t a perfect deal, we must work together to make progress. The American people don’t support President Trump’s platform of hate and division – and Democrats will not accept a ‘take it or leave it’ offer on immigration that will further tear this country apart.

“Additionally, while this agreement opens up a path forward for the DREAMers, I am still fighting to ensure we reach a responsible bipartisan budget agreement that funds our military and our domestic priorities for longer than a few weeks. As a Department of Defense spokeswoman stated last week, lurching from one short-term agreement to another is a disaster for the military. The 45,000 federal employees and contractors in New Mexico – who are working hard to keep our nation safe, be good stewards of our public land and water, and meet the needs of our citizens – deserve long-term certainty. Budgeting is Congress’ most basic job, and I will be working as hard as I can to get our government back on track.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D - RI)

“The shutdown has ended. In spite of a President sending confused and conflicting messages, Republican and Democratic Senators negotiated in good faith to arrive at an agreement to end the impasse. We will fund the children’s health insurance program and we will vote on a solution for the Dreamers. It will be the first Floor vote for Democrats since the election (outside the sham budget process), and we hope that is a breakthrough. We have accelerated the negotiations on a funding bill, and we still must vote on the debt limit. This is what progress looks like.”

Senator Todd Young (R - IN)

“I’m glad Democratic leadership decided to end this shutdown and vote for a bill that should have passed three days ago. This bill addresses some of the most pressing issues before us today, including extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program for more than 104,000 Hoosier children, funding our military, and lifting the burden of the job-killing medical device tax. Over the coming weeks, I will continue working toward a long-term solution to fund the government and address border security and the DACA immigration issue.”

Related News:

Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations (Government Shutdown)


[VIDEO] Sen. Coons: “If the President is not going to be constructive, we need him to stay out of this”

Friday, January 19, 2018

Temporary Government Funding -- Again



Washington, D.C. - January 18, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The House passed H.R. 195, the Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, to fund the government until February 16, 2018 and extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for 6 years.

The bill doesn’t include disaster assistance for the Puerto Rico and other areas, funding for community health centers, money for the opioid crisis, or a legislative fix for 800,00 Dreamers and their families.

The funding bill was passed, 230-197.

The bill will now move to the Senate, where it will await a vote. Should a Continuing Resolution not be signed into law by midnight, January 19, 2018, the government will go into a partial shutdown.

Below are some reactions to the vote:

Adam Kinzinger (R-IL, 16th)

“Today, I voted in favor of this continuing resolution because it extends funding for programs that are critical to the American people, reauthorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years – and preserving those future savings for the Medicaid Improvement Fund – and provides funding for government operations that we need to keep our country safe. Funding the government is a core responsibility of this legislative body, and today we passed an important measure. I look forward to working with my colleagues here in Congress as we work towards a long-term budget proposal for FY2018.”

Doug LaMalfa (R-CA, 1st)

“Tonight, my colleagues and I in the House managed to get this done and voted to keep the government funded in the short term while also fully funding the critically important CHIP program for another six years. I hope the Senate follows suit and quickly passes this important legislation.”

Leonard Lance (R-NJ, 7th)

“With government funding set to run out on Friday, the U.S. House has acted appropriately and passed bipartisan legislation this evening to keep government open, keep our troops and veterans funded and keep our children healthy. It is now time for the Senate to follow suit and act responsibly to avert a government shutdown.”

David Loebsack (D-IA, 2nd)

“With government funding set to run out on Friday, the U.S. House has acted appropriately and passed bipartisan legislation this evening to keep government open, keep our troops and veterans funded and keep our children healthy. It is now time for the Senate to follow suit and act responsibly to avert a government shutdown.”

Ben R. Lujan (D-NM, 3rd)

“Short-term funding bills slowly grind government to a halt by damaging our national security and creating instability in our economy. Contractors can’t get paid, universities and non-profits can’t receive grants, and our state’s national laboratories and military bases can’t make the investments they need to keep Americans safe. With the passage of this bill, we will be using last year’s budget almost halfway through this fiscal year with no end in sight. A bipartisan budget deal would have enabled us to cut wasteful and ineffective spending while investing in critical priorities that grow our economy and create jobs.

“Operating the government in this way has been business as usual for far too long and it has to end, especially while life-threatening issues go unaddressed. Republican leadership has ignored the opioid crisis, reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program, supporting our community health centers, and enacting a permanent fix for 800,000 Dreamers for a year while they pushed their massive tax bill for the richest Americans through Congress in seven weeks. My focus is with my Republican colleagues who are committed to finding consensus on funding the government, with Americans struggling with drug addiction, with families who can’t access health care services, and with Dreamers who fear detention and deportation.”

Tom MacArthur (R-NJ, 3rd)

I am categorically opposed to shutting down the government and urge leaders in both parties to stop the political brinksmanship. The American people elected us to confront and solve tough problems, not retreat to our respective corners and point fingers at each other. I will vote for the Continuing Resolution, but let's not confuse this for success. Funding the government of the greatest nation on earth one month at a time is no way to govern. That being said, I'm grateful we will use this opportunity to achieve a much-needed, long-term reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), fund our military, and fight against addiction. Now, both the House and Senate must compromise on a permanent budget to fund these key priorities.

Carolyn Maloney (D-NY, 12th)

“I could not vote for a bill that fails to secure a future for Dreamers, that fails to fully extend and reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and that utterly fails to provide the desperately needed emergency disaster relief funding for Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and all those impacted by wildfires. I could not vote for a bill that fails to do all of that and hands out even more corporate tax cuts, on top of the windfall Republicans handed out in their tax plan.

“I do not believe in shutting down our government but I cannot support kicking the can down the road when we should be doing our jobs now. This country deserves a far better deal – one that addresses the urgent priorities of our country and provides for the people who need our help the most.”

Betty McCollum (D-MN, 4th)

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation, which ignores the urgent needs of the American people. The federal government’s fiscal year started October 1st of last year. But instead of fulfilling their responsibility to fund our government, President Trump and Republicans spent months working to pass their tax scam. Now, because they didn’t do their jobs, Republicans are asking us to vote to kick the can down the road again. That is no way to run a government.

“The American people deserve immediate action on critical issues that matter to our country. We need a budget agreement that keeps our government open, protects our national security, and meets our commitments to hardworking families. We need to protect workers’ pensions by enacting responsible reform that will save struggling pension plans. We need to provide disaster relief to our fellow Americans who were hit hard by hurricanes and wildfires last year. We need to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program, which funds treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans. And, yes, we need to pass the DREAM Act, which protects children from President Trump’s cruel termination of DACA.

“Americans overwhelmingly support action on these priorities. But you won’t find them in this bill. Instead, Republicans have turned this CR into a tax bill for provisions that didn’t make the cut in their tax scam. And while this legislation finally reauthorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program — which Republicans spent months blocking — it abandons our Community Health Centers, where many children receive their care. Make no mistake: this bill will cause layoffs at clinics and means that fewer people in my district and throughout Minnesota will get the care they need.

“Mr. Speaker, the Republican Party has total control in Washington. But instead of working for the American people, President Trump and his allies in Congress are ignoring them. Minnesotans and Americans deserve A Better Deal than we are getting from this Republican Congress. It is time for President Trump and the Republicans to end the chaos and work across the aisle to responsibly fund the government and address our national priorities.”

Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC, 10th)

“The continuing resolution approved tonight provides a full six years of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program used by countless American families. It delays Obamacare’s costly medical device and healthcare insurance taxes providing even more tax relief to the American people. Most importantly, it ensures our troops get paid. I’m hopeful the Senate will not allow partisan political games to get in the way of helping the vast majority of Americans.”

Mark Meadows (R-NC, 11th)

“At the end of the day, what chiefly matters is that Congress come together to implement the agenda the American people voted for. Tonight, we secured important commitments to provide support to make sure our nation’s tremendous military men and women are paid. Furthermore, this continuing resolution provided long-term funding for the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for at-risk children and families, marking the third time Republicans supported this funding. Finally, while I’ve made my position clear on Congress’ bad habit of governing by crisis, I believe the agreement we reached tonight will help put us on a path toward accomplishing the rest of the agenda given to us by the American people.

Now comes the real work. It’s time for us to get serious about following through on our promises—not in a year, not in a few months, but now. The American people didn’t elect us to continue kicking the can down the road on major policy decisions. We need to get our record spending levels under control. We need to pass a long-term, responsible funding bill that gives our troops the financial security they need and puts our country on a path toward an improving economy and higher paying jobs. And we need to address our broken immigration system, focusing on the fundamental priorities that President Trump campaigned on—securing our southern border, ending chain migration, ending the diversity visa lottery program, and others.

Time for us to put aside the excuses and deliver the results. We can get this done.”

Stephanie Murphy (D-FL, 7th)

“I came to Congress to help change our broken system, not to be complicit in it. We are four months into the fiscal year and still operating without a full-year budget. Since September, I have voted for three short-term CR’s because I was hopeful that Congressional Republicans would be willing to make the tough decisions to govern responsibly, and the last CR was their third strike. I will not vote for a fourth CR in the absence of good-faith bipartisan negotiations to get our nation back on track and back to fiscal sanity.

“Republican leadership seems content to kick the can down the road rather than to work in a bipartisan way to fund our government, provide emergency relief to hurricane-affected areas, pass the DREAM Act, and protect health care for millions of children. This reckless budgeting would be no way to run a business, and is certainly no way to run the government of the greatest nation in the world.

“I am especially outraged that this bill does not contain disaster relief for families in Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, and other areas—six months after Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused massive devastation. A vote for this bill, in my view, would be a vote against Florida.

“Moreover, our military leaders have warned Congress that lurching from CR to CR is detrimental to our troops and dangerous for our national security. Our armed forces depend on predictable budgeting to make reliable investments in technology and training that empower our men and women in uniform to combat growing threats around the globe. In fact, these CR’s cost our military billions; the U.S. Navy alone was forced to waste $4 billion since 2011 because Congress keeps passing short-term CR’s instead of doing its most basic job and passing a budget.”

Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ, 1st)

“It is troubling that the White House and Congressional leaders from both parties are continuing to allow partisan gridlock to get in the way of funding our government and preventing a shutdown,” said Rep. O’Halleran. “The American people expect their elected officials to do the job they are being paid to do, so if we cannot reach a bipartisan consensus on a funding bill before the end of the week, I will forgo my pay during the resulting government shutdown.”

If Congress fails to pass a Continuing Resolution before January 20, the federal government will shut down and federal agencies will cease operations. A shutdown will cost our economy billions of dollars and cause a disruption in crucial services for millions of Americans. According to Stand and Poor’s Ratings Service, the 2013 government shutdown cost our economy an estimated $24 billion.

“Congress has continued to kick the can down the road for too long, and it is having a serious impact on the readiness of our military and compromises the health and wellbeing of our veterans, seniors, and hardworking families,” continued O’Halleran. “We must have a bipartisan process that allows us to pass a budget that invests in our country and moves us forward.”

Congressman O’Halleran introduced the No Ongoing Perks Enrichment (NOPE) Act that would implement a No Budget, No Pay policy for members of Congress and freeze Congressional salaries at their current rate. Recently, O’Halleran cosponsored the SHIELD Act to prevent a government shutdown from impacting the pay of the men and women of our Armed Forces and first responders.

Jimmy Panetta (D-CA, 20th)

“Tonight, the Majority brought a stop gap spending measure to the House floor for a vote for the fourth time since I was sworn into Congress. I voted against this bill because such short-term spending deals are a failure by Congress to do its job of funding the government. The bill does not allow us to meet our nation’s long-term funding obligations or adjust our spending to current needs. Budgetary dysfunction aside, the package also failed to address a number of legislative priorities, including protecting DREAMers, funding community health centers, and providing aid to Californians recovering from natural disasters. Congress must come together to negotiate a bipartisan, common sense spending plan that adequately funds the priorities of our communities on the central coast of California and throughout our country.”

Steve Pearce (R-NM, 2nd)

“Congress has a responsibility to fund the government. Continuing to pass patchwork spending bills does little to provide certainty that our nation’s defense, government agencies, and businesses need, however, this bill is crucial to continuing the progress we’ve made on strengthening our economy. Right now, 2,000,000 people and counting are seeing benefits from tax reform, and the unemployment rate is reaching the lowest levels that we’ve seen in over a decade. Furthermore, it includes a vital six-year funding extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program that nearly 15,000 children in New Mexico rely on. CHIP and other public health priorities are vital for highly rural and low-income communities around the nation, which is why I could not in good conscience support to defund these programs.

Throughout my time in Congress, I have not seen us come this close to a bipartisan deal on immigration. We are right on the cusp of a solution, and I’m tired of no action being taken. It is irresponsible for Democrats to vote to shut the government down in order to get a vote on full amnesty. This type of immigration solution was not supported when the Democrats held the majority in the House, a filibuster proof Senate, and an Obama White House. It is downright reckless to hold government funding hostage while tearing down all the progress we’ve made on immigration thus far.

As a veteran, I understand the importance of providing certainty for our nation’s military. Over the coming weeks, I will strongly urge my colleagues in the House to deliver funding to support ongoing military missions not only in New Mexico, but around the nation, that are vital to our global strength.”

Bruce Poliquin (R-MN, 2nd)

“A government shutdown is simply unacceptable, which is why I voted to keep the government open and am urging my colleagues in the Senate from both sides of the aisle to do the same,” said Congressman Poliquin.

“As Maine continues to experience winter weather, it is especially critical that LIHEAP function at full capacity. Any loss of LIHEAP support is unacceptable. It would be a failure of leadership if the U.S. government were to shut down and potentially threaten Mainers in need of heating during our coldest winter months.”

Mike Quigley (D-IL, 5th)

“I do not want a shutdown,but if Republicans in Congress and President Trump allow that to happen, my opposition to a CR that fails to address critical long-term issues, like DACA protections for DREAMers and funding for disaster relief, will not be the reason why. Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House, and if they cannot pass a CR with their own votes, they must negotiate with Democrats in good faith to address these key issues.”

Related News:

Perlmutter Joins 170 House Democrats in Letter to Trump: Keep Government Open, Include Bipartisan Priorities

Saturday, January 13, 2018

If You Want to Keep Your Medicaid, You Have to Have a Job

The President has done it again. He's offended people who would rather sit on their behinds and have babies and live on welfare, taking from, not contributing to, our society. It's evident in the reactions about the Medicaid work requirement.



Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT, 3rd)

“President Trump’s latest action continues his campaign to shame and stigmatize our most vulnerable citizens. Work requirements do nothing to create jobs or raise wages for hard-working Americans. Instead, they put at risk the essential health care benefits millions of children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities have access to every day. In fact, patients receiving life-saving therapies could have their access to those services removed if they do not work enough hours to remain eligible for Medicaid.”

“Requiring Medicaid recipients to work will do nothing to tackle poverty—it will only serve to cut off a lifeline for millions of Americans who depend on this program each year. We must do everything we can to ensure that we are lifting people out of poverty, not pushing them deeper into it. I fear that President Trump’s actions today will do just that. Our social safety net programs are a reflection of our nation’s values, and we cannot allow them to be unraveled. President Trump must immediately end his cruel assault on our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”

Seriously? You mean, if they go to work, they won't get out of poverty? So, it doesn't help? I'm confused. I thought the reason they were impoverished was because they wouldn't work. I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. 

Matt Gaetz (R-FL, 1st)

“I am glad that the Trump administration is encouraging states to implement work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults who receive Medicaid. This common-sense policy, supported by a majority of Americans, will lift people out of poverty and dependence into the dignity and fulfillment of work. With millions of jobs unfilled in our country, and a booming economy that is creating new jobs daily, America needs workers.

In states that require able-bodied, childless adults to work, volunteer, or take classes in order to qualify for Medicaid, employment has grown and spending has plummeted. With America more than twenty trillion dollars in debt, it is irresponsible to borrow from China to pay for people who simply don’t want to work. Throughout my time in Congress, I have fought for work requirements for welfare, and was successful in my efforts to have this policy included in the House FY18 Budget.

Former President Obama prevented states from imposing work requirements; this misguided policy stole power from state governments, slowed an already-struggling economy, and discouraged Americans from finding gainful employment. I am glad to see that we are taking a new approach under President Trump, and following through on the promise of bold, conservative reform that Americans supported when they elected a Republican House, Senate, and President.”

I am glad to see someone agrees. People won't work if they don't have to. If I could get by with not working to pay my bills, you'd better bet I'd jump on that gravy train!

Gene Green (D-TX, 29th)

“Work requirements for Medicaid recipients are a cruel and counterproductive policy. The Trump Administration needs to work with Congress to keep Americans healthy and able to work, instead of making it harder for Americans to obtain and keep their health insurance. Terminating Medicaid coverage for someone who does not meet a work requirement will simply make it harder, not easier, to get or keep a job.”

“The lives of more than a million Texans who are enrolled in Medicaid would be impacted by a work requirement. I would also argue that the guidance is a misuse of the 1115 waiver allowed under federal law. 1115 waivers are intended to promote the objectives of the program. A work requirement would clearly be contradictory to that claim.”

What is cruel is taking my hard-earned money in order to pay for services for people who are perfectly capable of working as hard as I do for what I get.

Colleen Hanabusa, (D-HI, 1st)

“President Donald Trump and his Republican Party continue to fulfill their campaign promise of limiting access to affordable, quality healthcare for Americans struggling to pay for coverage. More than 344,000 people in Hawaii, including about 107,000 low-income children, benefit from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Most of the 70 million Americans enrolled in Medicaid work hard to support their families. Telling states that the federal government will approve waivers that impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients only serves to target the neediest and most vulnerable among us, including a disproportionate number of women, minorities, and individuals dealing with chronic and debilitating illnesses. Healthcare is a right, not a political position, and I sincerely hope President Trump and his party recognize the need to help every American, not just those who can afford to pay.”

Andy Harris (R-MD, 1st)

“I applaud the Trump Administration’s decision to accept state proposals for Medicaid work and community engagement requirements for able-bodied, working age recipients. Entitlement programs like Medicaid were designed to provide temporary assistance, but have become laden with waste, fraud, and abuse. Work and community engagement requirements will encourage Medicaid recipients to continue pursuing new opportunities for success - so they can get the hand-up that they need.”

Updated: Reactions to the Presidents Choice of Words about Haiti

Apparently, the President has said some words about where our immigrants are coming from that offended people -- again.

The Ponder would like to know, When did the term "s***hole" become racist terminology? When did asking a valid question (regardless of the wording) become racist ideology? The President, in our opinion, has every right to question our policies of allowing people who are most likely coming here to live off the taxpayer dime rather than make a contribution for the betterment of our country. We want immigrants who are eager to live the American Dream, not suck the life out of it by burdening us with more taxes. That's not being racist, that's being prudent.

Leave it up to the Democrats (and a few RINOs) to play the race card, though.



Below are a list of reactions from the newsmakers:

Dwight Evans (D PA, 2nd)

“President Trump's continued hateful rhetoric is vile, reprehensible, and racist. Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection. We, like most Americans, have our problems, but we work to make them better and that’s what has historically made our nation the envy of the world. If we want to be our brother’s and sister’s keeper we must strive to lift each other up, not tear each other down. The President’s destructive and divisive language continues to show his lack of understanding and appreciation for what makes our nation great--our diversity. And let me be clear, Haitians and Africans are real Americans too and any notion to the contrary is unjustified. America's rich history of diversity is something to be celebrated not attacked. Although I am not in any way surprised by the President’s comments, I am again disappointed to see his actions and tone run counter to the society we want to and have worked hard to live in.”

Lois Frankel (D-FL, 22nd)

“Our country has been built by the toil of immigrants. Donald Trump's reported bigoted remarks are disgraceful and embarrassing. He should apologize immediately and work with Republicans and Democrats to fix the DACA crisis that threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent DREAMers that call America their home.”

Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ, 11th)

“The President’s remarks about Haiti and other nations are deplorable and deserve universal condemnation.

“The ‘Dreamers’ are young people who were brought to our country through no fault of their own, often as young children, by their parents. For many, this is the only country they have ever known.

“I look forward to supporting legislation that provides a comprehensive solution to their plight, ensuring that those who have done nothing wrong can remain a part of this great country.”

Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI, 2nd)

“Growing up in HawaiÊ»i, we learn about and believe in the aloha spirit—showing respect to others no matter their race or religion, what country they come from, how much money or education they have, or anything else. President Trump’s comments fly directly in the face of that aloha spirit and the values our country stands on. The very people that President Trump seeks to exclude are those who have contributed so greatly to making our country the strong nation that it is.”

John Garamendi (D-CA, 3rd)

“In 1783, George Washington wrote that the bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions. A century later, Emma Lazarus wrote the words that welcomed the wretched refuse of teeming shores—words now inscribed on America’s most iconic beacon of hope and freedom. President Trump’s language is obviously coarse and corrosive. But his values fly in the face of the principles that have guided our country since the days of George Washington. Trump’s behavior and attitudes shame our nation on a daily basis.”

Raul Grijalva (D-AZ, 3rd)

“Disgusting remarks like these have become all too commonplace for this disgraceful president. With xenophobic, racist rhetoric spewing from the White House at regular intervals, Trump continues to poison national discourse on some of the most important issues facing our nation. Comments like these imperil our ability to reach any agreement on DACA, TPS, and common-sense immigration reform—but this is nothing new for Donald Trump.

“It should come as no surprise that a man who opened his campaign referring to Mexican immigrants as rapists and murderers or stating that African immigrants from Nigeria should ‘go back to their huts’ would not carry himself with the dignity that behooves the presidency.

“The individuals from the countries that Trump singled out in his despicable remarks are just as worthy of being included in our nation as those from any other country. No matter the bigoted character of his attitudes, statements, and actions, we will never hesitate to stand up for our values and defend the dignity of others.

“Republicans are at an important political crossroads, and they must make a decision on whether that will enable this abhorrent rhetoric, or stand up for basic human decency. Anyone—regardless of party affiliation—seeking to represent their constituents in Congress should condemn these remarks and reaffirm their commitment to serving all Americans, regardless of their national origin.”

Luis Gutierrez (D-IL, 4th)

As an American, I am ashamed of the President. His comments are disappointing, unbelievable, but not surprising. We always knew that President Trump doesn’t like people from certain countries or people or certain colors. We can now we say with 100% confidence that the President is a racist who does not share the values enshrined in our Constitution or Declaration of Independence.

He has embraced racists, white nationalists and neo-Nazis and makes excuses for them. He launched his campaign saying Mexicans are rapists and murderers. He has refused to address the crisis facing the American citizens of Puerto Rico. He has tried several times to bar people of certain religions or nationalities from legal entry to the U.S. He attacks professional sports stars to entertain his base and has boasted about his habit of groping women inappropriately. Now he has spent most of the last six months undocumenting immigrants who have work permits and deep roots in the U.S. by killing DACA and TPS.

This is the real Donald Trump and my biggest fear is that his voters will applaud him.

What you should be ashamed of is the Democrat policies about immigration that drove his voters to elect him in the first place.

Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL, 20th)

“President Donald John Trump’s comments about Haiti and African countries were offensive and below the dignity of the office of the President. The President has demonstrated time and time again that he lacks morality or compassion. His ignorant, misguided view of the world was on full display tonight.

“The President is constantly degrading the presidency, thereby degrading America’s image. We all know extraordinary people from Haiti, Africa, and Latin American countries. Fortunately, Donald John Trump doesn’t represent the views of all Americans.

“In the run up to the celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, I commend one of his comments: ‘Every person must decide whether he or she will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.’

“Trump’s comments are the manifestation of destructive selfishness. He must apologize!”

Maybe Trump should apologize for using the term "s***hole". However, he should not apologize for asking the question. Perhaps he should have been more specific in what he was saying, using multiple words that mean the same thing, such as: "Why are we letting people from underdeveloped countries come here for the sole purpose of living off the taxpayer dime? What can they contribute? Why are we letting them in?" It is not racist to ask the question.

Randy Hultgren (R-IL, 14th)

“I strongly disagree with President Trump’s reported choice of words. Words like these diminish and undermine our standing in the world as a trusted partner and beacon of hope.

“The difficult humanitarian, economic and political situations in certain countries following natural disasters is exactly why I support a program for Temporary Protected Status which provides safe harbor following these unavoidable calamities. We must set good policy for our country while remaining a refuge to displaced peoples facing humanitarian crisis. I support the desire of TPS recipients living in the United States to return to the home they love where they can thrive. However, until their countries can adequately reintegrate their citizens, which U.S. law requires, we should extend protections for these individuals and families living here in the United States.”

Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX, 30th)

“The president’s most recent comments about the immigrants from Haiti and Africa are beyond disgraceful. The president’s ongoing war against immigrants appears to be solely directed toward those immigrants of color. America is America because of the slaves who were bought, purchased and shipped here unwillingly from Africa and Haiti to build the infrastructure that makes this country what it is today. And if the president needs a reminder the home where he resides, The White House was built by slaves—immigrants.

“No person’s merits or character should ever be attacked based on where they are from. I have been a strong advocate in protecting DREAMers, children who were unknowingly brought into this country by their parents, and those who benefit from Temporary Protection Status (TPS) who have fled civil unrest or natural disasters in search of a better life. My hope and continuous fight is that we will have the opportunity to fix our immigration system so it continues to be diverse and inclusive of those immigrants who are often overlooked from parts of the world such as Africa. May the president’s ignorance not impact the growth of ideas, innovation and development from immigrants who are willing to contribute to building a better union.”

Brenda Lawrence (D-MI, 14th)

As an American, I am ashamed of the comments made by the President. This nation – along with Michigan’s 14th district – was built by immigrants of all races, nationalities, and religions. These hardworking individuals should be welcomed and celebrated, not insulted with ignorant remarks. The President’s comments do not reflect the values of the American people and deserve the strongest condemnation from all sides.

While these comments are racist and shameful, they are unfortunately not surprising. These recent remarks are part of a larger anti-immigrant agenda. It is clear that President Trump would rather do away with the idea of the American dream than provide relief to hard working immigrants who want nothing more than to contribute to this country. The President must take responsibility and apologize for these reprehensible comments and work towards meaningful solutions for DACA and TPS recipients.

Sander Levin (D-MI, 9th)

“President Trump is sinking into lower and lower depths. We must not let him take our beloved nation with him. We must together repudiate his unquestionably intolerant remarks. Together we cannot tolerate his intolerance.

We cannot let anyone excuse the inexcusable. We must speak out against the unspeakable. Silence is not an option”

Pat Meehan (R-PA, 7th)

"If accurate as reported, the President’s words were offensive, divisive, unproductive and unbecoming of the office. They come at a time when important negotiations on immigration issues are at a critical point. It’s possible to fight for principles without resorting to hurtful rhetoric."

Jerrold Nadler (D-NY, 10th)

“Donald Trump’s history of divisive, bigoted, and racist remarks is nothing new – goes back a long way, from his discrimination towards minority tenants in New York City in the early 1970s, to his racist comments in a full page ad against the innocent Central Park 5 in the late 1980s.

“What makes this more dangerous now is that as President, Trump’s views and comments guide U.S. policy, and we MUST step up and speak out to prevent Trump’s racism and despicable rhetoric from defining who we are as a country, the way we deal with each other, and how we interact with the world.

“He knowingly and willingly associates and plays to extremist and divisive figures and rhetoric – seen throughout the campaign at his rallies, and in his appointment of people like Steve Bannon, Sebastian Gorka, and Stephen Miller, who help him appease the nationalist, alt-Right elements in his base and in our society.

“After Charlottesville and Trump’s comments failing to condemn the white supremacist neo-Nazi rally, blaming “both sides” for the violence, I introduced the first resolution of censure with House Judiciary Member Pramila Jayapal and CBC Member Bonnie Watson Coleman. Congressman Meeks and I moved to censure Trump in November after the President re-tweeted a British ultra-nationalist propaganda video encouraging anti-immigrant hatred. And now, after Trump’s latest remarks regarding American immigration policy towards Haiti, El Salvador, and African countries, Congress again is compelled to formally censure Donald Trump for his comments and to make clear that this is not the sanctioned policy or official position of the United States government.

“We need to be clear on what President Trump is doing here. He uses remarks like this to stir up peoples’ emotions; to play to his minority base of extremist supporters (i.e. Anne Coulter) who don’t want any solution for Dreamers and support the most nationalist, xenophobic and bigoted policies; and he wants to turn the subject away from other issues that show he is losing control as investigators close in, his influence diminishes, and his popularity continues to plummet.

“We are here today to fulfill Congress’s duty to officially condemn and separate itself and the U.S. government from President Trump’s racist remarks, and I am proud to be standing here with Chairman Richmond, the Congressional Black Caucus, every single Democratic Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and more than 130 of my colleagues to show that we will not stand quietly by and let this Administration continue to unravel our values and divide this country.”

Mark Pocan (D-WI, 2nd)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In bizarre Washington news of the last week, the raging controversy is whether the President of the United States referred to other countries and a continent as s---holes or s---houses.

As if either word means a drop of difference, especially when you insult other nations in the world as our President did.

Equally worrisome is that the leadership of this branch of government, the U.S. House of Representatives – a co-equal branch of government – has been complicit or silent about how to respond to the comments made by our President.

In fact, Speaker Paul Ryan took 19 hours and 53 minutes to respond – and with all that time – enough time to have driven from Washington to Dallas, Texas, or to watch the movie Jaws nine times – what was his stinging and necessary rebuke after that much time and thought?

“Unfortunate.”

The Speaker said the president’s comments were “unfortunate” and “unhelpful.” Look, it’s unfortunate when you walk outside and step in a puddle of water. This was more like walking into a global sized pile of s---.

We are not on the staff of the White House. We are a co-equal branch of government. And it’s about time we acted like it.

Saying nothing or basically nothing is unacceptable. We need to put our country before our political party.

Calling other countries, and even a continent, names like s---holes or s---houses puts our service members and our Americans overseas at greater risk. And weak words or silence makes Congress complicit with the President’s racist rhetoric.

And by the way, people outside of the beltway just think Congress is full of s---. Everyone else had the proper response to the President’s comments. That they were just pure “BS.”

I yield back.

Talk about undermining the President!:

READOUT OF ENGEL CALL WITH HAITI'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES

I happen to agree with the Vice President:


Related News:

Trump derides protections for immigrants from ‘shithole’ countries

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Cosponsors Resolution to Censure President Trump for Racist Remarks Against African Countries, Haiti and El Salvador

Click here for a pdf of the resolution.


Friday, January 12, 2018

Boyle Introduces STABLE GENIUS Act Requiring Presidential Candidates Undergo and Disclose Medical Examination

By Brendan Boyle (D-PA, 13th)

Seriously?

Washington, D.C. - January 12, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-13) introduced the Standardizing Testing and Accountability Before Large Elections Giving Electors Necessary Information for Unobstructed Selection (STABLE GENIUS) Act to require that all presidential candidates undergo a standardized medical examination and publicly disclose its results before the election. Specifically, Boyle’s legislation would require candidates whom have won the presidential nomination of a political party to file a report with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), as such candidates must do for a host of other campaign-related requirements, certifying that he or she has undergone medical examination by the medical office under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Navy and containing the results of the examination. All FEC filings are publically available online.

“The President believes he is a ‘stable genius.’ I do not,” said Congressman Boyle. “President Trump’s reckless, erratic behavior has exposed a critical flaw in our existing election process. Before voting for the highest office in the land, Americans have a right to know whether an individual has the physical and mental fitness to serve as President of the United States. While it is necessary to take the current President’s concerning behavior seriously and I support legislation to address these ongoing concerns, I believe we must also be proactive and do all we can to ensure a situation like this does not arise again.”
Boyle concluded, “My legislation provides a much needed safeguard to ensure that future presidential candidates meet the basic standards of a proper, uniform medical examination, and that this information is available to the American public before voting for the Office of the Presidency. While President Trump apparently considers himself a ‘stable genius,’ the American people deserve a thorough, standardized procedure to allow a medical professional to determine this.”

Congressman Boyle remains an outspoken defender of our democratic norms and leadership abroad, and holding the Trump Administration accountable to the American people. Boyle cosponsors H.Res.456, objecting to President Trump’s conduct in office, as well as legislation to require the president to disclose his taxes, disclose communications with the Russian government, and refrain from influencing U.S. policy toward Russia until the FBI’s investigation concludes. Additionally, Boyle cosponsors H.J.Res.120, legislation to prevent any president from pardoning himself or any member of his family, administration, or campaign staff. As co-chair of the Blue Collar Caucus, Congressman Boyle is fighting for economic opportunity for the middle class, and holding the President accountable for his promises to blue collar workers on labor protections, job security, outsourcing, trade, and manufacturing.

Reaction to FISA Vote

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act program was initially enacted with the focus of gathering intelligence on foreign actors but was expanded by the USA Patriot Act in 2001 to include surveillance of U.S. citizens.


Note from the editor:

I remember when the Patriot Act was first signed into law. I was one of the few who railed against it because of everything that is being railed against it today. I was attacked from all sides because it was shortly after 9-11 and people would rather give up freedom than security.

Benjamin Franklin once said "He who would give up essential liberty in order to gain a little temporary security deserves neither."

I have not changed my stance on this.


Rod Blum (R-IA, 1st)

“I respect the work of our intelligence community and law enforcement agencies to protect U.S. citizens from harm within the country and overseas, but I cannot support flagrant violations of the Fourth Amendment. I co-sponsored Congressman Amash’s proposed Amendment because I continue to be concerned about unauthorized government intrusion in private communications between U.S. citizens, and I believe this amendment would have addressed these underlying issues such as ensuring proper warrants are in place before obtaining information on U.S. citizens. Unfortunately, this amendment was not included in the final bill, and that is why I voted NO on continuing these unconstitutional surveillance practices.”

Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR, 1st)

“We all want the nation to be secure, but Americans’ privacy rights must not be sacrificed while protecting national security,” said Bonamici. “Our intelligence gathering infrastructure and the laws governing it need to strike a careful balance between national security and an individual’s right to privacy. This bill does not properly achieve that balance. It raises serious concerns about the potential for abusive warrantless searches that would undermine Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights. I’m disappointed that the House did not agree to bipartisan reforms to address those concerns.

“In an increasingly connected world, it is critical that the American government respect the privacy rights of Americans while protecting national security. I cannot support reauthorization without stronger safeguards to prevent the unconstitutional collection and use of our private communications.”

Judy Chu (D-CA, 27th)

“FISA includes flaws that were written for a different time. That is why, for years, we have been calling for a fix that would protect our citizens from FISA abuses. The bill that passed the House today is not that fix. While this bill does add new warrant requirements for law enforcement, those requirements are for display only. In fact, the FBI acknowledges that they will almost never be forced to use a warrant under this law to access e-mail or phone calls. This creates a real risk that the private information of American citizens could be handed over to other agencies without having to follow due process. Further, the warrant provision is further weakened by an undefined ‘national security’ exemption so ambiguous that I worry the government will use it to allow a number of purely domestic searches. We must protect the rights and privacy of American citizens.” 

Tom Cole (R-OK, 4th)

“I am extremely pleased that the legislation extending section 702 authority, which is critical to our national security, has been adopted by the House and passed, with my support,” said Cole. “S. 139 allows the federal government to track foreign terrorists on foreign soil. These surveillance activities are crucial to protecting American citizens and our troops stationed abroad.”
 
“I am also satisfied that there are sufficient measures included in the legislation to protect the privacy of American citizens. We have not seen any abuse of section 702 authority by intelligence agencies and law enforcement in the past, and I am confident that they will continue to perform with the highest professional standards in the future.”
 
“The debate over the section 702 authority has been good and healthy. I believe Congress has struck the right balance between protecting civil liberties and protecting our nation’s safety and security in this year’s FISA reauthorization.”

Suzan Delbene (D-WA, 1st)

Our first priority must always be keeping Americans safe and I believe we can find a balance between respecting the Fourth Amendment and protecting our national security. This legislation fails to make the critical reforms needed to address the privacy concerns of Americans, which is why I oppose it.

Keith Ellison (D-MN, 5th)

“In the last several years, we’ve seen Americans' civil rights and civil liberties rolled back, and religious minorities, immigrants and communities of color targeted most acutely. By codifying a warrantless surveillance program into law, and giving the U.S. government access to millions of Americans’ private emails, text messages and phone calls, S. 139 further jeopardizes the privacy rights for those communities, including many within my own district.

We must stand our ground against this continued erosion of our constitutional rights. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting to replace this bill with the USA RIGHTS Act, which reinstates essential Fourth Amendment protections."

Blake Farenthold (R-TX, 27th) 

“There are a lot of constitutional and ethical problems with this legislation. It is troubling that despite having a warrant requirement, the exceptions are so broad they eviscerate the rule,” said Congressman Farenthold. “Part of protecting the American people includes protecting their constitutional rights.”

John Faso (R-NY, 19th)

“Failure to extend the FISA Act would put our nation at risk, impacting our ability to investigate terrorist threats – even those which might be an immediate threat. In addition, FISA intelligence is frequently utilized to protect U.S. military forces and diplomatic missions from hostile action by terrorist networks. We cannot let our nation go unprotected against hostile terrorist entities. We must keep this authority, and I was proud to support this legislation today,” 

Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ, 4th)

"My first year in Congress was the first time I was faced with the decision to reauthorize sections of the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act (FISA). This law, enacted in 1978, nominally allowed for the collection of foreign intelligence on foreign agents suspected of terroristic activities or espionage. That all sounds legitimate. In concept, this law was intended to allow surveillance and spying on non-citizens who posed a terrorist threat to our country.

"In practice, the law has been repeatedly abused to spy on American citizens. Notable abuses date back to 2002, and most recently, it was used as a political weapon against Donald Trump and his campaign. The reason it can be abused so easily is that the President can authorize spying without a court order. There is a process to get a warrant from a secret tribunal, or FISA court, but this process is merely a rubber stamp.  Out of 22,990 applications for permission to spy between 1979 and 2006, only five were denied. That is the definition of a rubber stamp.  That is not an independent check and balance.

"In 2015, I voted against the USA Freedom Act, which I initially supported as it would have forced the FISA court to be more transparent and curbed the abuses that are still occurring. However, as is often the case, after the House passed a strong bill, the Senate weakened it substantially and I therefore was forced to withdraw my support. The fact that the abuses increased after passage of this law demonstrates my concerns were valid. As I said at the time: 

'The original Freedom Act, of which I’m proud to have been an original cosponsor, would have prevented the federal government from unconstitutionally spying on innocent Americans, ended the bulk collection of private information and required the FISA court, which operates in secrecy, to become more transparent and operate like a real judicial court. These are necessary reforms demanded by Americans and our Constitution. Unfortunately, however, this legislation was changed at the last minute. Key reforms in the original bill were stripped or weakened to such an extent that I could not in good faith continue to support it. I am disappointed that the House accepted this watered down piece of trash, which was endorsed and pushed by the Obama administration and fails to remedy serious government abuses.'

"I am not happy to say I told you so."

"In 2011, I was told I should vote for FISA reauthorization because the government agents had learned their lesson and would never abuse their power again. And they said it again in 2012. And 2013, 2014 and on and on. You get the point. Nothing has changed. Indeed, under Obama (after the so-called reforms), the abuse of this law reached criminal proportions where FISA was weaponized as a political tool to harass, spy and undermine our election process and to (unsuccessfully) help the party in power remain in power through the election of Hillary Clinton. Such spying on U.S. citizens under color of law is illegal and can result in five years in jail. 

"I am not holding my breath for the Trump Department of Justice to convene a grand jury and start the indictment process against the Obama officials who violated the law and the civil rights of Donald Trump and his campaign staff. I can only do what is in my power to do, which is to say enough. 

"I, along with more than 40 of my colleagues, led by Michigan Representative Justin Amash, have championed practical, constitutionally-sound reforms to the FISA program that would allow our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to effectively carry out their mission to keep our country safe while also upholding the bedrock constitutional protections American citizens have been guaranteed since the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791. Unfortunately these reforms were not incorporated into the most recent reauthorization bill.

"When I was sworn in as the Representative for Fourth Congressional District of Arizona, I took an oath to defend the Constitution. Allowing warrantless spying on American citizens is a violation of the Constitution. This is why I voted against FISA 702 Reauthorization."

Joseph P. Kennedy, 3rd (D-MA, 4th)

“Balancing the delicate scales of privacy and security for the American people is Congress’s most solemn responsibility. Reauthorizing this surveillance program provided an overdue opportunity to ensure that our intelligence community maintained the tools necessary to keep us safe, while guaranteeing the civil liberties of our citizens. Instead, the bill approved today only slightly improved the status quo and failed to make the meaningful reforms this program required.”

Related news:

FISA, Davidson's Push to Uphold Constitutional Rights

Thursday, January 11, 2018

ADVANCE ACT SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT

By Pete Aguilar (D-CA, 31st)



Washington, D.C. - January 11, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- House Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA, 31st) announced that the ADVANCE Act, his bipartisan bill to help connect military service members with high-demand jobs in the Inland Empire, has been signed into law by President Trump. The bill was included in a larger package of legislation, known as the Jobs for Our Heroes Act, and signed into law by the president on January 8, 2018.

“Members of our military dedicate their lives to the service of our nation, and we need to make sure that their service is rewarded with opportunities to succeed when they finish their military careers,” said Rep. Aguilar. He continued, “These men and women represent the best among us, and integrating them into the civilian workforce will benefit communities like the Inland Empire. This new law will ensure that happens.”

The ADVANCE Act changes requirements to make it easier for active duty military personnel, reservists and National Guardsmen to obtain commercial driver’s licenses, allowing them to transition more easily into the civilian workforce. The Jobs for Our Heroes Act was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives in December, 2017.


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