Katie Britt claims ‘Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are the putting American people last’ with border policies
Last week, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a group of Republican colleagues to reiterate the need for strong policy changes at the U.S. southern border. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) organized the press conference. “Senator Graham, thank you for hosting this, thank you for continuing to bring attention to this,” Sen. Britt said, “And thank you for all of the gentlemen behind me who continue to work diligently to actually secure our border. That’s what the American people deserve, but unfortunately, Joe Biden refuses to give that to them. You know, when we look at this emergency supplemental, when we look at this national security supplemental, when we look at what Joe Biden sent us, he put money for the border in there. But do you know what that was? It was stuff that continues to facilitate the mass migration that we see across our border. It was yet more of a magnet to draw more and more people here.” Britt accused the mainstream media of not covering the story about human rights abuses taking place on the border. “We have both a national security and a humanitarian crisis on our border,” Sen. Britt continued. “The liberal media has decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that women are being raped on our border. That children are being recycled on our border. That we have laws that allow that to happen, and actually, that’s what some of these children are going through.” Britt said that Senate Democrats are doing nothing to address Biden’s border crisis. “Guys, when are you going to actually call it like it is and not like the liberal left wants you to? The reality is these policies are inhumane,” Britt asked. “You look at the national security threat of this. Y’all, we’ve gone through a week where we’ve had 10,000 come over the border, 10,000 come over the border, 12,000 – an all-time high – and to what Senator Thune said, Secretary Jeh Johnson under President Obama said 1,000 a day would be a crisis. We’re hitting 12 (12,000).” Britt urged Congress to address this situation finally. “We must secure our border for the safety and security of the American people,” Britt said. “I don’t want to sit across from another momma who lost their child to fentanyl poisoning. I don’t want to look out and see the travesty that occurs as a result of this. And at the end of the day, when we’re putting policies in place to ensure that we have national security, the first among all of these must be the border.” Conditions have worsened at the border, and now criminals and terrorists can slip in, disguised in the flood of people crossing the border. Britt continued, “Senator Graham asked the questions yesterday. He asked Director (Chris) Wray about this. This is the response. He said, ‘I’ve never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated all at exactly the same time.’ He followed up with, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.’ He said a heightened threat environment from foreign terrorist organizations for a whole host of reasons and obviously their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our southwest border.” “Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are putting the American people last,” Britt concluded. “We need to make sure we create deterrents. We need to make sure we create safety, and we must do more for the people here at home. They deserve it, and that is exactly what we are going to continue to fight for.” The press conference was led by Senator Graham and included Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-North Dakota), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina). Katie Britt has made the southern border a point of emphasis since she joined the Senate eleven months ago. Since President Biden took office, there have been more than 8 million illegal crossings at the southern border, including more than 1.7 million known “gotaways.” Known border crossings totaled more than 242,000 last month, another record-setting high for November. Britt is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt leads legislation to limit federal oversight into state-regulated insurance industry
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) led 16 of her Senate colleagues in introducing the Insurance Data Protection Act. This legislation would overrule a recent effort by the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) to step into the state-regulated insurance industry, including its proposed “Climate-Related Financial Risk Data Collection.” Britt said that the bill would eliminate the FIO Director’s subpoena authority. For over a century, the insurance industry was regulated by the states. That changed somewhat when the FIO was created in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. That Obama-era legislation does include an explicit provision stating that the Office does not have general supervisory or regulatory authority over the insurance business, which is supervised and regulated on a state-by-state basis across the United States. Senator Britt’s legislation clarifies that FIO does not need subpoena power since it is intended to function as an informational body. The bill would also require that the FIO coordinate any data collection efforts with state insurance regulators and assess all publicly available data and sources regarding the data being sought. These provisions would limit unnecessary data inquiries and prevent duplicative efforts across the state and federal landscapes. The bill would also set forth confidentiality procedures and requirements governing how data can be used by financial regulators if collected from insurers. This would ensure consumers’ information remains secure. “Our state insurance regulators have more than proven their ability to effectively and responsibly supervise the American insurance industry for over a century,” said Senator Britt. “FIO should work with, not around, state insurance officials. Not only is FIO overstepping its lawful authority and trampling on Congressional intent, but the office is also utilizing private insurance data to advance the Biden Administration’s leftwing Green New Deal agenda. This commonsense legislation would ensure the state-regulated insurance market remains strong, prevent redundant and unnecessary data reporting that would needlessly cost millions of dollars, and protect consumers’ sensitive information.” This legislation has been cosponsored by Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-South Carolina). “As a former insurance agent, I know firsthand the importance of our state-based insurance regulation regime that has resulted in highly competitive and fair markets across the country – addressing local issues with local solutions,” said Sen. Scott. “That’s why I’ve been alarmed by the Federal Insurance Office’s (FIO) efforts to overstep its authority and push the Biden administration’s radical climate agenda. This important bill will reign in the administration’s climate activists, ensure greater coordination between FIO and state insurance regulators, and protect both consumers’ and insurers’ data.” Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) have all signed on to cosponsor the legislation. The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), Association for Independent Agents (Big I), and Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) have endorsed this legislation. FIO is an office within the Treasury Department created by Dodd-Frank to monitor the insurance sector and help provide information to policymakers and state regulators, as needed, without regulatory authority. The climate risk assessments the FIO is collecting were requested in the President’s climate executive order and would require over 200 private insurance companies (over 70% of the homeowners’ insurance market) to provide to FIO highly-detailed data (broken down by zip code) regarding the effect of climate-related catastrophes on insurance availability and affordability for Americans. On November 1st, the Treasury announced its intention to move ahead with this data call. “Americans are facing growing challenges from extreme weather events caused by climate change,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement about the FIO collection project. “The resulting data and analyses will help policymakers inform potential approaches to improving insurance availability and affordability for consumers.” While federal officials continue pushing for more detailed climate data from insurers, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) emphasizes climate concerns during its annual fall meeting. The Climate and Resiliency Task Force is expected to adopt a National Climate Resilience Strategy for Insurance to stabilize the insurance market. “It’s part of our overarching mission to manage risks, ensure the availability and reliability of insurance products, promote insurer solvency, and close protection gaps,” the strategy reads. “Our work to identify, assess, and communicate risk and risk reduction solutions, as well as to improve oversight of the insurance sector, has positioned state insurance regulators to implement a climate resilience strategy.” Katie Britt is a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville demands State Department rescind pronouns mandate
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and nine of their colleagues sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding that he rescind the State Department’s latest guidance which threatens termination if an employee refuses to use another employee’s chosen gender pronoun instead of the one that biology correctly assigned to them at birth. In the letter, the Senators highlight that the State Department guidance is potentially illegal because it “infringes upon the First Amendment rights of State Department employees, as recognized by the Supreme Court, to speak openly on matters of public concern.” The letter details how the guidance violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) “by forcing employees to choose between facing disciplinary action and complying.” The letter was also signed by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), JD Vance (R-Ohio), and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas). Budd, Tuberville, and the other Senators wrote, “We write to demand that you rescind the recent State Department guidance for employees titled “Updated Department Guidance Regarding Transgender Employees in the Workplace” (“Guidance”). We understand that you personally approved and signed the Guidance and authorized its electronic transmission via the attached, unclassified cable on your behalf to all State Department employees.” “The Guidance forces every State Department employee—without exception—to comply with any demand by another employee to use that employee’s choice of name, pronouns, or honorific. According to the Guidance, failure to comply may “contribute to a hostile work environment allegation, and constitute misconduct subject to disciplinary action, up to and including separation or removal.” This is potentially illegal for multiple reasons.” The letter continues, “First, Congress never authorized the State Department to impose such restrictions on employee speech. But even if Congress did so, this Guidance would be arguably unconstitutional. Specifically, this Guidance infringes upon the First Amendment rights of State Department employees, as recognized by the Supreme Court, to speak openly on matters of public concern and to be free from government-compelled speech, including government-compelled affirmation of contested political, social, and religious ideas. Accordingly, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently recognized that “the use of gender-specific titles and pronouns” constitutes such a matter of public concern; thus, government employees have the right to speak openly on this subject, or not to speak at all.“ “Moreover, this Guidance creates a hostile work environment for dissenting employees, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for failing to provide a religious accommodation for dissenters. Several State Department employees have voiced their concerns with this Guidance to Senators, stating that they cannot comply with this Guidance without violating their religious beliefs. Indeed, by forcing employees to choose between facing disciplinary action and complying with this Guidance, the Guidance violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which was enacted “to provide very broad protection for religious liberty.” It may even constitute a violation of the “No Religious Test Clause” of the Constitution by discriminating against those with certain religious views from holding a position within the State Department. Lastly, we understand that the State Department adopted this major policy change behind closed doors, thus preventing it from receiving any scrutiny by the press or the broader public. Such a major policy change, which threatens severe consequences against State Department employees for noncompliance, deserves rigorous, public scrutiny.” “Secretary Blinken, you have declared that “[dissent] should be and it will be welcomed” at the State Department. You have also warned that “[w]hen religious liberty is at risk” then “other freedoms are jeopardized as well.” Therefore, we call on you to adhere to your oath to uphold the Constitution and federal law, and to live up to your own public commitments, by formally and publicly rescinding this Guidance immediately.” The Senators ask for Blinken to answer a number of questions about this policy, including identifying the specific legal authority relied upon to issue this guidance. Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senators Katie Britt, Marco Rubio, and colleagues demand answers on Iran’s nuclear program violations following attacks on Israel
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and 13 colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting an update on U.S. action to hold Iran accountable for multiple violations of nuclear program restrictions. The letter comes after this weekend’s multi-pronged attacks on the people of Israel by Hamas fighters that killed over 1300 Israelis and wounded 3,200 more. According to Secretary Blinken, at least 25 Americans are among the dead. Hamas has taken well over 100 hostages, and the White House believes that Americans are among the hostages. Republicans believe that the government of Iran financed and likely helped plan those attacks. “We respectfully request that the U.S. Department of State provide information regarding the status of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) investigation into Iran following the recent IAEA’s Board of Governors meeting,” the Senators wrote. “The Iranian regime is intent on fomenting terror across the region, as evidenced by its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah’s, brutal attacks this weekend on our ally, Israel. Now more than ever, you must ensure that you hold the regime accountable for its failure to comply with obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Further, we were disappointed that the administration did not call for a formal censure of Tehran given its continued non-compliance with the IAEA.” “The Biden Administration has failed to press for concrete action against Iran in Vienna,” the Senators continued. “We are especially disturbed by reports that the United States led efforts to oppose a censure of Iran. As Iran violates its commitments and refuses to comply with the IAEA, your business-as-usual approach to resolving the situation is tantamount to an endorsement of the Iranian regime’s activities.” “It is regrettable that the September 11-15, 2023, IAEA Board of Governors meeting achieved no progress in resolving key questions related to the Iranian regime’s nuclear program,” the Senators wrote. “Once again, Iran was able to escape any shred of accountability. As you know, since 2018, the IAEA has been investigating Iran’s undeclared nuclear material and activities related to a secret 2003 effort to produce atomic weapons called the Amad Plan. Despite the IAEA’s repeated requests to access several Iranian sites, it has not been able to determine whether Tehran retains covert nuclear weapons activities, nor has it investigated all sites, personnel, and documentation related to the Amad Plan and its successor entities, such as Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND).” Joining Senators Britt and Rubio in signing the letter were Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), and Susan Collins (R-Maine). In 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed by the Obama Administration. Iran and other countries agreed to place restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. One condition included the JCPOA tasking the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure the regime in Tehran adheres to nuclear restrictions. The Senators claim that even with the signed agreement, Iran has remained non-compliant and continues its nuclear programs. Senator Britt has been an outspoken critic of the Biden Administration’s controversial decision to free up $6 billion of seized illicit oil sales revenue to Iran to facilitate a prisoner exchange with Iran. The five Iranian-Americans appear to have been wrongfully jailed solely because they were American citizens. Britt warned at the time that the ransom payments would only result in more Americans being taken hostage. When the Administration formally notified Congress of the deal on September 11th, Britt warned, “This irresponsible, weak appeasement sends a terrible message across the globe and only incentivizes further hostage taking in the future.” Today, countless Israeli hostages have been taken into Gaza by Hamas. Senator Britt this week joined a letter led by Senator Blackburn (R-Tennessee) calling on the Biden Administration to re-freeze the $6 billion. Sen. Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville says Biden Administration is ignoring Supreme Court ruling on student loan cancellation
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) blasted the Biden administration as the U.S. Department of Education moves forward with debt cancellation negotiations despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the plan is illegal and unconstitutional. Tuberville joined four of his colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, reminding him of the plan’s unconstitutionality and of the monetary burden the plan would place on millions of taxpayers who did not receive four-year degrees or who paid for their own education. “Your choice to conveniently exclude the interests of taxpayers who paid their loans, did not take student loans, or did not attend college removes any pretenses of fairness from this panel,” Tuberville and the other senators wrote. “The 87 percent of Americans with no student loan debt have no input, instead they are left with the $400 billion projected price tag of the program—or over four times the Department of Education’s fiscal year 2023 budget.” “We are gravely concerned that the Department is undertaking a blatant political process with a predetermined outcome to achieve one of the President’s campaign promises at all costs,” the Senators wrote. Joining Senators Tommy Tuberville and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in introducing the letter are U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and presidential candidate Tim Scott (R-South Carolina). “At the rate this administration is burning through taxpayer cash and borrowing money, Americans will be paying off Biden-era economic decisions for generations,” Sen. Grassley said. “The president must shift gears and start cutting costs.” According to information provided by Grassley’s office, the 2023 deficit of $1.7 trillion is 76 percent greater than the CBO had projected when President Joe Biden took office. Absent an accounting anomaly stemming from the Biden administration’s failed attempt to ram through its unconstitutional student debt transfer plan, the recorded deficit would have been over $2 trillion. The Senators assert that using the regulatory process this way “not only makes a mockery of negotiated rulemaking under the [Higher Education Act] but also of the separation of powers.” In August 2022, President Biden announced he would use his executive emergency powers to forgive billions of dollars in student loans by adding the debt to the national debt, requiring taxpayers to pay for other people’s student loans over the coming decades. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the President has no authority to make such an appropriation without being first passed as an act by Congress. Thus, the President’s plan was unconstitutional. Following the Supreme Court’s decision that the President did not have that authority, the U.S. Department of Education announced its intention to pursue an “alternative path to debt relief.” The department later announced it would be holding discussions to find a workaround to the SCOTUS ruling. As part of this process, the Department of Education assembled a 14-person panel to negotiate a new proposed rule to force taxpayers to pay for other people’s student loans. The agency’s selections excluded the 87 percent of taxpayers who have either already paid off their loans, did not take out loans, or chose not to attend college. If the Biden administration finalizes its latest student debt transfer plan, individuals belonging to those groups will incur the estimated $ 400 billion cost for other people’s student loans. Tuberville has repeatedly warned of the dangerous impacts of the Biden administration’s student loan plan, which could cost taxpayers as much as $559 billion over the next ten years. A non-partisan student loan expert has warned the plan could cost $1 trillion. “Left-wing activists have fundamentally shifted higher education to become a vehicle to further their political agenda — and now they’re set on [forcing]American taxpayers to pay for the overpriced indoctrination and taking athletic opportunities away from those who have worked so hard to compete,” said Tuberville. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt and Pete Ricketts want Senate to remain in session until all appropriations bills are passed
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) announced that she has joined Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) and 15 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) to keep the U.S. Senate in session until all 12 of the appropriations bills have been debated on the floor and passed. To this point, Schumer has resisted bringing the appropriations bills to the floor even though they have all passed out of the Appropriations Committee. The federal government narrowly averted a shutdown at the end of the fiscal year last weekend with a 45-day continuing resolution (CR) that will run through November 17. “We urge you to modify the Senate calendar so that we remain in session Monday through Friday every week until all 12 fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills are passed in the Senate and House and signed into law by President Biden,” the Senators wrote. “The House of Representatives has already taken the step to forgo their October recess, and the Senate must follow suit. While valuable work is done while Senators are back in their home states, it is imperative that we remain in D.C. until our appropriations work can be completed. That is what the American people expect and deserve of us.” “The continuing resolution extended government funding until November 17,” the Senators continued. “That allows seven weeks for the Senate to consider the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills. The past nine weeks make it clear that we cannot afford to take a weekday off, much less a weeklong recess, with so much work to be completed in such a condensed time.” “My colleagues and I have worked hard this year to advance all 12 individual appropriations bills out of committee through regular order,” the Senators continued. “However, in order to enact judicious, strategic, transparent, and accountable spending measures that benefit the American people, it’s incumbent on Senator Schumer to utilize a novel concept – actually making the Senate work,” said Senator Britt. “Alabamians know this is simply common sense, but that is unfortunately uncommon in Washington, D.C.” Joining Senators Britt and Ricketts in sending the letter were Senators Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi). The 2023 fiscal year ended on September 30, and Congress still has not passed the 2024 budget. If the current 45-day CR runs out without Congress having passed a budget or another CR, then the federal government will have to shut down non-essential services. Majority Leader Schumer has scheduled the Senate to be in recess until October 16. The Senate was also not in session the entire month of August, even though budgets had not been passed. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Senators Katie Britt and Pete Ricketts introduce bill to strengthen oversight of U.S.-China science and technology agreements
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) recently joined Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) and 14 colleagues in introducing the Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act. The bill would strengthen oversight of science and technology agreements (STAs) between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by requiring the Secretary of State to provide comprehensive details to Congress about any new, renewed, or extended agreement and establishing a minimum 30-day Congressional review period. This transparency and accountability provision would include thorough national security risk assessments, human rights considerations, and consistent monitoring mechanisms. “It is simply common sense that proper Congressional oversight be conducted over any science and technology agreement the United States makes with the Chinese Communist Party,” said Sen. Britt. “The CCP is our greatest geopolitical and national security threat, and everything they do is as our adversary. The FBI has said that they open a new counterintelligence case against China about twice per day. From stealing our intellectual property and spying on our children through TikTok, to buying up American farmland and engaging in unfair trade practices that undercut Alabama steelmakers and shrimpers, we must hold the CCP accountable. We accomplish this through strength, not continued weakness.” “The Biden administration has failed to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party time and time again,” Sen. Ricketts said. “There is no daylight between the Communist regime and the private sector in the People’s Republic of China. The CCP will manipulate or disregard rules to gain technological and military advantages that put our national security at risk. Congressional oversight is necessary before we enter into science and technology agreements with our chief adversary. As the administration attempts to negotiate a stronger agreement, it should have to show its work. This bill would make sure that happens.” Joining Senators Britt and Ricketts in co-sponsoring this legislation were Ranking Member of the Committee on Senate Foreign Relations Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Senators Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah). The bill prohibits the Secretary of State from renewing or extending the STA until he has provided Congress with at least 30 days to review the full text of the agreement as well as a detailed justification for the STA, including an explanation as to why such agreement is in the national security interests of the United States. The Secretary of State would also have to provide Congress with an assessment of the risks and potential effects of such an agreement, including any potential for the transfer under such agreement of technology or intellectual property capable of harming the national security interests of the United States. In addition, the bill requires that the Secretary provide a detailed justification for how the Secretary intends to address human rights concerns in any scientific and technology collaboration proposed to be conducted under such agreement, as well as an assessment of the extent to which the Secretary will be able to continuously monitor the commitments made by the PRC under such agreement. If this legislation is actually passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, once enacted, it would require the Secretary to provide Congress with the necessary reporting requirements listed above within 60 days of enactment, or any existing STA with the PRC will be revoked. U.S. Representative Andy Barr (R-Kentucky) has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Since the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement was originally signed in 1979, China has progressed technologically at a rapid pace and has achieved parity with the United States in many areas. The agreement has been renewed about every five years since then. It serves as the framework that facilitates research cooperation between the governments of the United States and PRC and academic institutions in both countries. The STA was last renewed in 2018 and was set to expire last month. However, the Biden administration recently extended the STA for another six months. There are ongoing concerns that research partnerships organized under the STA have strengthened the PRC’s military-industrial complex and potentially could be used to develop technologies that could later be used against the U.S. In one glaring example, in 2018, under the STA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) organized a project with China’s Meteorological Administration to launch weather balloons to study the atmosphere. Just a few months ago, similar balloon technology was used to surveil U.S. military sites on U.S. territory. A U.S. fighter aircraft had to shoot the balloons down – likely after the balloons had passed on valuable intelligence about U.S. military bases, including ICBM sites. Katie Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mitch McConnell tries to reassure colleagues about his health, vows to serve out term as Senate GOP leader
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declared again Wednesday that he plans to finish his term as leader despite freezing up at two news conferences over the summer, brushing off questions about his health as he sought to reassure colleagues he’s still up to the job. At a weekly, closed-door lunch with fellow GOP senators on Wednesday, McConnell pointed to the statement released a day earlier by attending physician Brian P. Monahan about his health. He said he was ready to move forward with the Senate’s busy fall agenda. Monahan’s statement, released by McConnell’s office, said there was no evidence that the 81-year-old McConnell had a stroke or was suffering from a seizure disorder after he froze up and appeared unable to speak for 20-30 seconds at two different news conferences. The episodes came after the GOP leader fell and suffered from a concussion earlier this year. “I’m going to finish my term as leader, and I’m going to finish my Senate term,” McConnell told reporters, dismissing questions and requests for more detail about his medical condition. “I have nothing to add” to Monahan’s statement, he said. McConnell’s words to the press and his colleagues were his latest efforts to assuage growing concerns about his health and silence questions about whether he can continue to lead his party in the Senate. The famously private Kentucky senator has faced some criticism from colleagues for remaining quiet about the incidents and his health, which has visibly declined since the concussion. Behind closed doors, McConnell told other Republicans that his health issues are linked to his concussion. He believes that is a “plausible answer” to the questions, Texas Sen. John Cornyn said. Cornyn said McConnell “hasn’t missed a step” in terms of his cognitive abilities or ability to lead. But “physically, it’s been tougher.” “He was more transparent, which I’m glad he did,” Cornyn said of McConnell’s comments at the private lunch. “This is not his style. But I don’t think keeping things close to the vest serves his interests, and it created a lot of speculation. So I think this is a positive development.” Other Republican senators also said they were satisfied with McConnell’s explanation for the two incidents, the first in Washington in July just before the August recess and the second in Kentucky last week. “I feel really good; I’m behind Mitch, and let’s move forward,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said McConnell has ”broad support, and I think that’s known by the majority of the conference.” North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, who had called for more transparency from McConnell, said the leader’s remarks were “a strong message. It was confident on his part. It was very direct.” Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville said that as part of his remarks to the GOP conference, McConnell touted that he’d raised $49 million for Republican Senate candidates in August. “He convinced me” of his ability to lead, Tuberville said. Still, Tuberville said the circumstances could change. “I don’t think there will be anything else said about it unless there’s another incident,” Tuberville said. “And that’s what we’re hoping.” The letter from Monahan that McConnell released Tuesday said there is “no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease.” TIA is an acronym for a transient ischemic attack, a brief stroke. But there was no elaboration as to what did cause McConnell’s episodes. The doctor said the assessments entailed several medical evaluations including a brain MRI scan and “consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment.” “There are no changes recommended in treatment protocols as you continue recovery from your March 2023 fall,” Monahan said. Even though the majority of GOP senators have supported McConnell, some have raised questions. Republican Sen. Rand Paul, a doctor, and McConnell’s Kentucky colleague, has questioned whether the episodes were really caused by dehydration, as McConnell’s aides and the Capitol doctor have implied. After attending the lunch, Paul said he had no comment. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said he’s concerned about the leader’s health, adding that his health issues could undermine Republican arguments that President Joe Biden, 80, is too old for another term in office. “I mean, if you’re concerned about the president’s ability to do his job, and I am, and a lot of Republicans say they are, then you’ve got to be concerned when it’s somebody from your own party,” Hawley said. The top potential successors to McConnell as leader — Cornyn, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso — have stood by him. “He was very strong, sharp in the lunch today,” said Thune, the No. 2 Republican leader. “He talked a lot about not just (his health) but the other issues we’re dealing with here in the Senate. I think everybody left feeling very good about where he’s at.” First elected to the Senate in 1984 and as leader in 2007, McConnell became the longest-serving Senate party leader in January. He would have to run again for leader after next year’s elections, and his next reelection to the Senate would be in 2026. McConnell will be a central figure as Congress returns from an extended summer break to a flurry of activity, most notably the need to approve funding to prevent any interruption in federal operations by Sept. 30, which is the end of the fiscal year. Some House Republicans are willing to shut down the government at the end of the month if they are unable to enact steep spending restrictions that go beyond the agreement Biden reached with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy earlier this summer. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Katie Britt and colleagues demand answers after Biden Administration hands over $6 billion to Iran
On Monday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a letter by Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and 24 of her Republican colleagues in demanding answers from the Biden Administration about the approximately $6 billion reportedly paid to Iran in exchange for Americans wrongfully being held as political hostages by the Iranian regime. “Handing $6 billion to the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism is a reckless and disastrous decision that threatens the lives of Americans and our allies across the globe,” said Senator Britt. “Once again, the Biden Administration has chosen to appease our adversaries and set a dangerous precedent. President [Joe] Biden’s weakness will only embolden hostile actors to engage in further aggression around the world. We must achieve peace through strength, and I will always fight to hold this Administration accountable for putting American families at risk.” In a letter to Secretaries Antony Blinken and Janet Yellen, the senators wrote, “When the Obama administration released $400 million in liquidated assets to Iran in 2016, we warned that this dangerous precedent would put a price on American lives. Seven years later, the current administration is providing a ransom payment worth at least fifteen times that amount to the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, in yet another violation of the United States’ long-standing ‘no concessions’ policy. In the release of Executive Order 14078 on July 19, 2022, the White House admitted that ‘terrorist organizations, criminal groups, and other malicious actors who take hostages for financial, political, or other gain—as well as foreign states that engage in the practice of wrongful detention, including for political leverage or to seek concessions from the United States—threaten the integrity of the international political system and the safety of United States nationals and other persons abroad.’ The release of such a significant sum to the Iranian regime runs entirely counter to that claim and will only serve to encourage additional hostage-taking for financial or political gain.” Joining Senators Britt and Scott on the letter were Senators Jim Risch (R-Wisconsin), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) After more than two years of quiet negotiations, Iran has released five Iranian American dual citizens into house arrest, according to original reporting by the New York Times – quoting officials at the State Department and the National Security Council. “This is just the beginning of a process that I hope and expect will lead to their return home to the United States,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday. “There’s more work to be done to actually bring them home. My belief is that this is the beginning of the end of their nightmare.” The prisoners are Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi, and Morad Tahbaz, who had all been jailed on unsubstantiated charges of spying, as well as two others whose families have withheld their names. One of the unnamed Americans is a scientist, and the other is a businessman, according to sources. In addition to releasing the $6 billion in seized oil funds, the U.S. has agreed to hand over imprisoned Iranians as part of the prisoner swap. Britt and her colleagues had objected to paying the ransom before the deal had been finalized. Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt and Roger Wicker introduce resolution to designate August as National Catfish Month
U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville recently joined Senator Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and 10 colleagues in introducing a resolution to designate August 2023 as National Catfish Month. This resolution recognizes the importance of the U.S. catfish to our economy and praises catfish farmers and industry workers for their contributions. “Nearly 33% of all catfish produced in the United States comes from right here in sweet home Alabama,” said Sen. Britt. “Catfish is a vital part of our state’s economy, and I will always support our hardworking farmers and processors. I’m proud to join my colleagues in bringing forward this resolution to recognize the catfish industry’s contributions to our state and country.” “Mississippi is recognized across the country for our farm-raised catfish production, which helps provide American families with a fresh, local, and delicious source of fish,” Wicker said. “Designating the month of August as National Catfish Month would recognize catfish producers for their work to support this industry that contributes almost $2 billion to our national economy.” Sens. Britt, Tuberville, and Wicker were joined on the resolution by Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi). The full text of the resolution states: “Whereas the Catfish Institute recognizes August to be National Catfish Month; Whereas the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas recognize August to be National Catfish Month; Whereas the States of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee embody the Channel Catfish as their State Fish; Whereas the farm-raised catfish industry in the United States employs over 9,000 people and contributes almost $2,000,000,000 to the economy of the United States; Whereas the United States has 55,855 surface water acres used for catfish production in 2023, and catfish growers in the United States had $447,039,000 in sales during 2022; Whereas the average catfish farmer produces 6,800 pounds of catfish per acre; Whereas 99 percent of all United States farm-raised catfish are grown in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas; Whereas catfish is the largest farm-raised seafood product, by weight, in the United States, representing more than 50 percent of the food fish produced by the United States aquaculture industry; Whereas United States farm-raised catfish are consistently high quality and, unlike ocean-caught fish, are available all year long; Whereas United States farm-raised catfish are a sustainable and environmentally friendly seafood product; Whereas catfish is a lean fish and an excellent source of protein; and Whereas catfish is a versatile fish in cuisine of the United States, with a myriad of regional and national recipes to be enjoyed by all people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) designates August 2023 as ‘‘National Catfish Month’’; (2) recognizes the contributions of all workers, past and present, that produce, process, and provide catfish for the people of the United States; and (3) recognizes that purchasing United States farm-raised catfish supports farmers, jobs, and the economy of the United States.” Over the last 25 years, American catfish farmers have faced increasing pressures from foreign competitors as imports of foreign catfish and catfish-like products have increased exponentially in the U.S. Katie Britt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sen. Katie Britt joins colleagues in introducing bicameral bill to protect American businesses from SEC overreach
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and eight of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing legislation to only allow the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to impose future disclosure requirements on publicly traded companies if the information is important for investors’ decisions. “If this Administration continues to try and enforce its radical Green New Deal policies on every corner of America, this reckless, partisan overreach is going to result in fewer American jobs, higher inflation, and more competitive advantages for foreign competitors in the marketplace,” said Sen. Britt. “American companies should not be held hostage by unelected bureaucrats. I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation that would uphold fiscal sanity and free-market values in our economy.” “The heavy hand of government is hampering the growth of our businesses and economy,” said Sen. Rounds. “This legislation would seek to depoliticize the SEC by preventing the agency from requiring reporting of unnecessary information and instead focus on protecting investors, maintaining fair and efficient markets and facilitating capital formation.” In March 2022, the SEC issued a rule requiring any public company to disclose its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, including reporting by downstream suppliers like farmers and ranchers, even if that information is not relevant to investors. This rule would potentially limit access to capital, discourage new companies from going public and result in onerous reporting requirements that will be borne by farmers and small businesses. The Mandatory Materiality Requirement Act would refocus future SEC disclosure requirements on what is important: the information investors need to make smart investment decisions. Specifically, it would amend both the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by inserting statutory language directly into both acts saying an “issuer is only required to disclose information in response to disclosure obligation adopted by the Commission to the extent the issuer has determined that such information is important with respect to a voting or investment decision regarding such issuer.” Sens. Britt and Rounds were joined by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) in introducing this legislation. SEC chair Gary Gensler advanced the SEC rule. Gensler has advocated for the SEC to consider climate-related and social issues in its regulatory policy since he took office in 2021. Gensler said climate reporting rules are a concern for investors and fit in with a tradition of disclosure requirements dating back to the Great Depression. Katie Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senators take action to assist the nation’s 12 million military spouses
U.S. military spouses, one of the highest unemployed demographics, could receive new support to start and operate small businesses under legislation pending in the Senate. U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., recently introduced the Military Spouse Entrepreneurship Act of 2023 to develop a training program at the Small Business Administration to help military spouses launch small businesses. Tillis is in his second term serving North Carolina, home to nine military installations, including the nation’s largest at Fort Liberty. The Old North State has the fourth-highest number of active-duty military members among states at nearly 100,000, according to a 2021 Department of Defense demographics report released in December. Data from the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce says there are more than 12 million military spouses nationally – about 1 million with active duty and 11.2 million veteran spouses – with an unemployment rate “statistically unchanged from 2012-2019 at rates of 22-24% before the pandemic with estimates as high as 38% during COVID-19.” A survey of 4,118 military spouses conducted last year on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found 88% of respondents agree or strongly agree that the military lifestyle impacts their ability to find jobs at their experience or education level, while 90% agree military service negatively impacted their careers. “I have always been a strong advocate for increasing employment opportunities for military spouses who serve our country by supporting their husband or wife, including those who hope to start their own small business,” Tillis said. “I am proud to co-introduce this legislation to create a training program to expand career opportunities wherever military families are stationed.” The Military Spouse Entrepreneurship Act would build on resources currently available to military spouses through the Small Business Administration that include free counseling, training, and education, as well as a variety of loan programs and online services. The bill, which follows other efforts by the House and Biden administration to address the high rate of unemployment among military spouses, is backed by the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs, the Center for American Entrepreneurship, Instant Teams, VetsinTech, and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. “We applaud the leadership of Senator Klobuchar and Senator Tillis for acting to provide critically needed resources to military spouses to better enable them to start companies and become entrepreneurs,” said Erica McMannes, co-founder of Instant Teams, a North Carolina-based employment agency for military spouses. “As trailblazers and industry leaders in connecting military spouses with opportunity we know first-hand about the many challenges confronting military spouses who wish to start businesses and begin careers,” McMannes said. “This legislation will provide real support to our military families and in so doing will not only strengthen our military but also our national economy.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
