Senator Tommy Tuberville cosponsors bill to cut funding to UN relief agency
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) and nineteen other colleagues in cosponsoring the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Accountability and Transparency Act which would cut United Nation’s funding over allegations of antisemitism. The legislation comes in the wake of the attacks on the people of Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. The Trump Administration previously pulled U.S. funding from the controversial agency in 2018 over its institutional antisemitism that has included the indoctrination of Palestinian children against Israel and the U.S. and to embrace terrorism, but the Biden State Department restored the funds. “President (Donald) Trump defunded UNRWA because of its ties to antisemites and terrorists,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Joe Biden came in and cut UNRWA a big check for nearly a billion dollars. The contrast couldn’t be clearer. Now our closest ally, Israel, is under attack by Hamas terrorists. It’s time we do what President Trump did and restrict the flow of American tax dollars to UNRWA.” This legislation would cease U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, a successor entity, or to the U.N. regular budget for the support of UNRWA unless the Secretary of State certifies every 180 days to Congress that UNRWA meets strict accountability and transparency criteria. The Senators assert that the UNRWA has a history of employing individuals affiliated with Hamas, an Iranian-backed, U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Additionally, UNRWA schools have been used to store Hamas weapons and promote anti-Semitic education in their textbooks. The Biden Administration restarted funding and has thus far provided more than $682 million to UNRWA. The UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act would: · Ensure that UNRWA refugees are true refugees and do not have citizenship in other countries · Require that the U.S. withholds UNRWA contributions unless the Secretary of State certifies every 180 days that the following conditions are met: · No UNRWA employee, consultant, contractor, etc., has ties to a foreign terrorist organization, including Hamas engaged in terrorist activity propagated or disseminated anti-American, anti-Israel, or anti-Semitic material express support for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) · No UNRWA facility has been used by a foreign terrorist organization or as a tunnel for terrorist activities · UNRWA is subject to a comprehensive audit by an independent third party agreed to by the PA and Israel · No UNRWA facility uses textbooks or other educational material that is anti-American, anti-Israel or anti-Semitic · No recipient of UNRWA funds or loans is a member of a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) or engaged in terrorist activities · UNRWA holds no accounts or other affiliation with financial institutions that the US considers to be complicit in money laundering or terrorist financing · Does not allow the US to contribute more money to UNRWA than the highest amount contributed by a member of the League of Arab States or more than the proportion that the US contributes to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) · Requires a report by the Secretary of State on progress made Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) has gone much further, calling for the U.S. to get out of the United Nations altogether and has introduced legislation the that effect. “The UN has repeatedly proven itself to be an utterly useless organization & the WHO lost all credibility when they chose to put public health second to the Chinese Communist Party,” Rogers said. “My legislation would withdraw the U.S. from the UN & WHO.” Tuberville serves as a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees. He was elected to the Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt opposes rescheduling of marijuana
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) was one of 14 Republican members of Congress to join in a letter to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram expressing their opposition to federal rescheduling of marijuana. While the State of Alabama is in the process of issuing licenses to farmers to grow marijuana and for doctors to recommend it to their patients, it remains a Schedule 1 narcotic with no medicinal value, according to the federal government. There is momentum to change that. The Biden Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services has released a letter urging that marijuana be federally rescheduled, a move that Aderholt opposes. Aderholt said that he opposes the move even if it is politically popular. “I am proud to join @PeteSessions and @SenatorLankford in a letter to Administrator Milgram. As Chairman of the Approps Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, I share the concern that our nation’s drug policies should not be set based on popular opinion.” Eight Republican U.S. Senators and six Republican members of the House of Representatives declared the Department of Health and Human Services’ August 29 recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act part of an “irresponsible” “pro-pot agenda.” They urged that marijuana remain listed among the most dangerous drugs. The letter was sent to Milgram because the decision is now up to her and federal attorneys to consider relevant questions of law and policy in a review of the recommendation by Health and Human Services (HSS). Chey Garrigan is the founder and CEO of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association. Garrigan said that marijuana does have documented health benefits and maintains that there are Alabamians who would benefit from medical marijuana. “Congressman Robert Aderholt can have an opinion,” Garrigan said. “Where is the data that backs up why he is against it?” “Any effort to reschedule marijuana should be based on proven facts and science – not popular opinion, changes in state laws, or the preferred policy of an administration,” the Republicans, led by Republican Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) and Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas) wrote in the September 11 letter to the DEA. “Current research, science, and trends support the case that marijuana should remain a Schedule 1 drug.” Lankford, Aderholt, and Sessions were joined by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), Sen. M. Michael Rounds (R-South Dakota), Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-Georgia), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Rep. Chuck Edwards (North Carolina), and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Kentucky). Even though Oklahoma has over 7,000 marijuana farms and businesses, Lankford argued in a recent column that marijuana has not befitted Oklahomans. “Drug cartels—from not just south of the border, but also Asia—are now deeply ingrained across Oklahoma, operating grow facilities that ship marijuana across the country,” Lankford wrote. “Oklahomans often now wake up to read the news about the latest execution-style murder, human trafficking, or prostitution at a grow facility in rural Oklahoma. In January 2023, the Tulsa World reported that about 2,000 licenses for medical marijuana were being investigated because they were suspected of having been either obtained unlawfully or were covering up an operation to sell on the black market. Oklahoma is now the top source for black market marijuana in the nation. So much for the argument that widening legal access to a drug gets rid of the illicit market.” President Joe Biden launched the first federal administrative review of marijuana’s legal status last October, calling current federal policy a “failed approach.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville and GOP Colleagues urge Joe Biden to negotiate on debt limit
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined U.S. Senator Mike Lee and dozens of Republican colleagues in calling for fiscal responsibility and spending control measures in debt ceiling negotiations. Tuberville joined a GOP letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declaring broad Republican opposition to any debt ceiling legislation that lacks significant spending control measures. “It is now clear that Senate Republicans aren’t going to bail out Biden and Schumer. They have to negotiate,” said Sen. Lee. “I thank my colleagues for joining my effort to emphasize this point in the clearest possible terms.” “The Senate Republican conference is united behind the House Republican conference in support of spending cuts and structural budget reform as a starting point for negotiations on the debt ceiling,” wrote the senators. “This trajectory must be addressed with fiscal reforms.” The letter emphasizes the GOP senators’ united front with the House Republican conference, advocating for spending cuts and structural budget reforms as prerequisites for any negotiation on raising the debt ceiling. “Dear Leader Schumer, The Senate Republican Conference is united behind the House Republican Conference in support of spending cuts and structural budget reform as a starting point for negotiations on the debt ceiling. Our economy is in free fall due to unsustainable fiscal policies. This trajectory must be addressed with fiscal reforms. Moreover, recent Treasury projections have reinforced the urgency of addressing the debt ceiling. The House has taken a responsible first step in coming to the table with their proposals. It is imperative that the president now do the same. As such, we will not be voting for cloture on any bill that raises the debt ceiling without substantive spending and budget reforms,” the Senators wrote. Senators Tuberville, Britt, and Lee, current signatories include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Ted Cruz, Mike Crapo, Ted Budd, Mike Braun, James Lankford, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, M.D., Ron Johnson, James Risch, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott, John Cornyn, Kevin Cramer, Markwayne Mullin, Roger Wicker, Steve Daines, Lindsey Graham, John Barrasso, Deb Fischer, Tim Scott, John Hoeven, Thom Tillis, and J.D. Vance. The debt limit — commonly called the ‘debt ceiling’ — is the highest amount the government can borrow under federal law. The federal government hit the debt limit in January 2023. Since then, the U.S. Treasury has employed ‘extraordinary measures’ to continue making payments on debt and new expenses. According to the U.S. Treasury, the United States is on track to exhaust those measures and run out of financial liquidity in a matter of weeks, meaning the federal government would no longer be able to make all of its payments. The debt is continuing to rise. The debt ceiling will have to be increased in the coming weeks. Democrats have advocated for an increase in the amount of money the federal government is allowed to borrow without any reduction in federal spending. Republicans say they will not support any debt ceiling increase without significant reductions in spending. President Biden has repeatedly refused to negotiate a debt ceiling deal with Republicans even though the GOP controls the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 — a debt ceiling increase paired with spending cuts — on April 26, 2023. In Fiscal Year 2022, federal tax revenue hit a record high of $4.9 trillion. However, in the same year, the federal government had a deficit of more than $1.38 trillion even though the country is not at war and the economy is at full employment. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senators call on Mexico, China to do more to stop illicit fentanyl trafficking
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee wants Mexico and countries that supply the precursor chemicals for making cheap and potent fentanyl to be held accountable and do more to stop illicit trafficking as deaths from the drug continue to surge in the United States. Chairman U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said more needs to be done both within the U.S. and abroad. “I’m urging the Biden administration to take additional steps to confront the fentanyl epidemic,” he said. ” … It’s time for the United States to build a multi-lateral coalition to hold China accountable for failure to meet its international obligation to stop illicit drug trafficking.” Menendez said China needs to immediately implement Know-Your-Customer standards to protect against fraud, corruption, and money laundering or face sanctions. At home, he said the U.S. needs more high-tech screening at the borders to disrupt open fentanyl sales on social media and to improve access to treatment for those with substance use disorders. U.S. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, said more than 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021. He said fentanyl was responsible for nearly 70% of those deaths. Addressing the issue will require “very effective international cooperation,” he said. “Another way to stem this crisis is to identify and cut off the pipelines,” he said. Those pipelines include precursor chemicals from China that Mexican cartels use to make fentanyl, which is then smuggled into the U.S., Risch said. “The same cartels are profiting from and prolonging the illegal migration crisis caused by the Biden administration’s weak enforcement of border security and immigration controls,” he said. More than 46 million Americans have substance use disorders, said Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. “America is facing the worst drug crisis we’ve ever seen,” he said. “It is tearing the very fabric of our nation. It presents a direct and surging threat to public health.” Anne Milgram, administrator for the Drug Enforcement Administration, said the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are responsible for the majority of the illicit fentanyl that enters the United States. She said the two cartels buy precursor chemicals from China, which they use to make fentanyl powder. That powder is then pressed into fake prescription pills, Milgram said. “It is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced,” she said. The Mexican Army this week announced that it seized a fentanyl pill manufacturing center and the laboratory with the largest methamphetamine production capacity in Culiacán, Sinaloa. The army found about 282 pounds of possible granulated fentanyl, 629,138 pills of probable fentanyl, 220 pounds of possible methamphetamine, other chemicals, and 28 organic synthesis reactors. “Due to the number of reactors, the laboratory is the one with the largest synthetic drug production capacity that has been recorded historically and during the present administration,” Mexico’s Secretary of National Defense said in a news release. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Tommy Tuberville and colleagues introduce legislation to strengthen military readiness
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville continued his drive to strengthen the armed forces and prevent COVID-19 vaccination requirements from impeding military readiness by adding his support to two pieces of legislation, the Preserving the Readiness of Our Armed Forces Act and the Stop Firing Our Servicemembers Act. “America’s military recruitment is at an all-time low, putting us further behind adversaries like China,” said Sen. Tuberville. “We should not be jeopardizing our national security by putting more restrictions on members of our military who wish to serve. I am proud to support legislation to bolster military readiness and support our men and women in uniform.” The Preserving the Readiness of Our Armed Forces Act would prohibit the involuntary dismissal of a service member for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine until each military service achieves its authorized end strength. The legislation would also require that members of the National Guard and reserves have access to pay and benefits while requests for religious or health accommodation are pending. Sen. Tuberville was joined in introducing this legislation by U.S. Sens Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). “Every year, we come into this chamber and fight as hard as we can to make our military the most lethal fighting force in the world,” Blackburn said. “We authorize billions of dollars for aircraft and equipment and advanced weaponry. The NDAA represents an incredible investment in the future of this country. But it also represents the trust the American people put in this Congress to keep them safe and to keep the enemy at bay. So it is beyond me that Joe Biden and the Democrats would undermine their own military by gutting the ranks—just to make a point.” The Stop Firing Our Servicemembers Act would prohibit federal funds from being used to require a member of the National Guard to receive a COVID-19 vaccination and prohibit the Department of Defense from taking any adverse action against the member for refusing vaccination. Tuberville was joined in introducing this legislation by Sens. Blackburn, Crapo, Braun, and Cotton, as well as James Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), and Steve Daines (R-Montana). “While servicemembers now have to wonder if they’ll be able to continue serving our country, America’s adversaries are looking to exploit this new vulnerability of fewer troops able to deploy and fight,” Blackburn said. Tuberville has staunchly opposed the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for service members and defense contractors, repeatedly warning that COVID-19 vaccine mandates pose a risk to military readiness. Tuberville spoke about the unconstitutional mandates on the floor of the U.S. Senate and in letters to top administration officials. Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees. He is in his first term as a U.S. Senator. Tuberville defeated incumbent Sen. Doug Jones (D-Alabama) in the 2020 general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville and colleagues introduce legislation to simplify federal grant process
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and eight other Republican Senators introduced new legislation to ease the burdensome federal grant application process. Sen. Tuberville and his colleagues introduced the Simplifying Grants Act (S. 4799) to help local governments more easily navigate the federal grant process. “Congress should look for ways to cut red tape and make the government more efficient for the American people,” Tuberville said in a statement. “The Simplifying Grants Act will do just that, giving valuable time and resources back to public servants in smaller towns across the country. In a state like Alabama, where nearly 60 percent of counties would benefit from the changes in this bill, that time will be well spent on projects in those communities. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort to make it easier for small towns to access the tools they deserve.” Tuberville was joined by Sens Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Florida), and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) in sponsoring the legislation. Sen. Rubio was the sponsor of the legislation. “Local governments use federal dollars to invest in infrastructure, public safety, law enforcement, and our children’s education, among other important priorities,” Rubio said. “Regretfully, our current grant process leaves small local governments and their residents behind. This bill would provide a simplified process, so small local governments are able to apply for and receive the funds they need.” The Simplifying Grants Act seeks to make it easier for smaller local governments to apply for federal grants by directing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and executive agencies to both simplify grant applications for local governments located in nonurbanized areas (populations of less than 50,000) and make checklists available that list each requirement of each step of the grant process for grants for which such local governments are eligible. The legislation would also fulfill certain reporting requirements. Smaller cities, counties, and local governments often face difficulties in applying for and receiving federal grant dollars because they don’t know they qualify for a program in order to know that they can apply or don’t know how to apply, so often have to seek outside assistance from grant writers. “While larger communities can navigate a complex federal grants process, Idaho’s small, rural communities are often overlooked and left behind, said Sen. Risch. “It is only fair that taxpayer dollars reach even the smallest corners of our state. Simplifying grants for our local governments will level the playing field and ensure that federal taxpayer dollars come back to their own communities.” In the 1980s, the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) found evidence showing that “federal aid programs have never consistently transferred income to the poorest jurisdictions or individuals” and that “unlike… other major federal systems, the United States lacks a systematic method for equalizing the fiscal resources of its states.” Since the ACIR’s landmark report, the total number of federal grants to state and local governments has grown by more than 135 percent, and the total amount of federal grant-in-aid to state and local governments increased by approximately 690 percent since ACIR’s finding. The unequal distribution of federal dollars can be explained by numerous factors, including the complexity of the application process. It is easier for larger local governments to hire dedicated grant writers and coordinators, so they can submit better applications and be more equipped to effectively utilize federally awarded funds. This gives larger local governments an advantage over less populated counties that typically have fewer staff and smaller budgets. With the Senate evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats and Democrats controlling the U.S. House of Representatives and the presidency, Rubio and Tuberville will need support from Democratic Senators to pass S. 4799. Tommy Tuberville is in his first term representing Alabama in the U.S. Senate. Tuberville unseated incumbent Sen. Doug Jones in the 2020 election. Prior to his Senate service, Tuberville was a career college football coach, including Auburn University. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville, colleagues stand up for agriculture producers
On Monday, Sen. Tommy Tuberville joined 31 colleagues in sending a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to push back against overreach that would place climate disclosure regulations on farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers. The senators are concerned about the proposed rule on “Enhanced and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors.” The proposed rule would require publicly-traded companies to include certain climate-related disclosures in their registration statements and periodic reports. The group believes this will impose burdensome greenhouse gas reporting requirements on all entities within a company’s value chain, including farmers and ranchers who fall outside of the SEC’s congressionally-provided authority. “The SEC’s congressionally-mandated mission is to protect investors; foster fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation,” the senators wrote. “However, this proposed rule moves well beyond the SEC’s traditional regulatory authority by mandating climate change reporting requirements that will not only regulate publicly traded companies, but will impact every company in the value chain. Should the SEC move forward with this rule, it would be granted unprecedented jurisdiction over America’s farms and ranches, creating an impractical regulatory burden for thousands of businesses outside of the scope of the SEC’s purview, including our nation’s farmers and ranchers,” they continued. Other signers include U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Tim Scott (R-SC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), James Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard Burr (R-NC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Barrasso (R-WY), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rick Scott (R-FL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Kennedy (R-LA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Braun (R-IN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), James Lankford (R-OK), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lindsay Graham (R-SC), John Thune (R-SD), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Boozman (R-AR) and Josh Hawley (R-MO).
Sen. Richard Burr steps aside as Senate intelligence chair amid FBI probe
His decision to leave the chairman position surprised fellow committee members.
Stay awake: Senators struggle to stay focused on impeachment
Some Senators appeared to struggle to maintain attention as the hours wore on.
Congress passes $1.3 trillion budget, averting another shutdown
Congress gave final approval Friday to a giant $1.3 trillion spending bill that ends the budget battles for now, but only after late obstacles skirted close to another shutdown as conservatives objected to big outlays on Democratic priorities at a time when Republicans control the House, Senate and White House. Senate passage shortly after midnight averted a third federal shutdown this year, an outcome both parties wanted to avoid. But in crafting a sweeping deal that busts budget caps, they’ve stirred conservative opposition and set the contours for the next funding fight ahead of the midterm elections. The House easily approved the measure Thursday, 256-167, a bipartisan tally that underscored the popularity of the compromise, which funds the government through September. It beefs up military and domestic programs, delivering federal funds to every corner of the country. But action stalled in the Senate, as conservatives ran the clock in protest. Then, an unusual glitch arose when Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, wanted to remove a provision to rename a forest in his home state after the late Cecil Andrus, a four-term Democratic governor. At one point, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., stepped forward to declare the entire late-night scene “ridiculous. It’s juvenile.” Once the opponents relented, the Senate began voting, clearing the package by a 65-32 vote a full day before Friday’s midnight deadline to fund the government. “Shame, shame. A pox on both Houses – and parties,” tweeted Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who spent the afternoon tweeting details found in the 2,200-page bill that was released the night before. “No one has read it. Congress is broken.” Paul said later he knew he could only delay, but not stop, the outcome and had made his point. The omnibus spending bill was supposed to be an antidote to the stopgap measures Congress has been forced to pass — five in this fiscal year alone — to keep government temporarily running amid partisan fiscal disputes. Leaders delivered on President Donald Trump’s top priorities of boosting Pentagon coffers and starting work his promised border wall, while compromising with Democrats on funds for road building, child care development, fighting the opioid crisis and more. But the result has been unimaginable to many Republicans after campaigning on spending restraints and balanced budgets. Along with the recent GOP tax cuts law, the bill that stood a foot tall at some lawmakers’ desks ushers in the return of $1 trillion deficits. Trump only reluctantly backed the bill he would have to sign, according to Republican lawmakers and aides, who acknowledged the deal involved necessary trade-offs for the Democratic votes that were needed for passage despite their majority lock on Congress. “Obviously he doesn’t like this process — it’s dangerous to put it up to the 11th hour like this,” said Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who opposes the bill and speaks regularly to Trump. “The president, and our leadership, and the leadership in the House got together and said, Look, we don’t like what the Democrats are doing, we got to fund the government.” White House legislative director Marc Short framed it as a compromise. “I can’t sit here and tell you and your viewers that we love everything in the bill,” he said on Fox. “But we think that we got many of our priorities funded.” Trying to smooth over differences, Republican leaders focused on military increases that were once core to the party’s brand as guardians of national security. “Vote yes for our military. Vote yes for the safety and the security of this country,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., ahead of voting. But even that remained a hard sell. In all, 90 House Republicans, including many from the conservative House Freedom Caucus, voted against the bill, as did two dozen Republicans in the Senate. It was a sign of the entrenched GOP divisions that have made leadership’s job controlling the majority difficult. They will likely repeat on the next budget battle in fall. Democrats faced their own divisions, particularly after failing to resolve the stalemate over shielding young Dreamer immigrants from deportation as Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has left it for the courts to decide. Instead, Trump won $1.6 billion to begin building and replacing segments of the wall along the border with Mexico. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus opposed the bill. Also missing from the package was a renewal of federal insurance subsidies to curb premium costs on the Affordable Care Act exchanges. Trump ended some of those payments as part of his effort to scuttle President Barack Obama’s health care law, but Republicans have joined Democrats in trying to revive them. Bipartisan efforts to restore the subsidies, and provide additional help for insurance carriers, foundered over disagreements on how tight abortion restrictions should be on using the money for private insurance plans. Senate Republicans made a last-ditch effort to tuck the insurance provisions into the bill, but Democrats refused to yield on abortion restrictions. Still, Democrats were beyond pleased with the outcome. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., chronicled the party’s many gains, and noted they could have just have easily withheld votes Republicans needed to avert another shutdown. “We chose to use our leverage to help this bill pass,” Pelosi said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said as the minority party in Congress, “We feel good.” He added, “We produced a darn good bill.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
