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.
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.
Katie Britt condemns Biden Administration decision to allow Iranian President to visit the U.S.
On Monday, the Biden Administration announced that it will allow Iranian President Ebrahim Raisa to enter the United States for the United Nations General Assembly meeting. U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) released a statement critical of the decision. “This disgraceful decision is the latest in a long line of dangerous appeasement by the Biden Administration,” Sen. Britt said. “Just two days ago, Iran reportedly expelled several senior International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from the country. Now, President [Joe] Biden is sending a clear message to the world that the United States of America tolerates terrorism. On the very same day that the Biden Administration hands $6 billion to the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, the President chooses to allow the unapologetic leader of this ruthless regime into our country. This weakness endangers our national security, insults the Americans and allies struck by Iranian-backed terrorism across the globe, and abandons oppressed people in Iran who hunger for liberty, peace, and safety. We achieve peace through strength, not placation. The safety and security of all Americans is gravely imperiled by President Biden’s continued blunders on the global stage,” said Senator Britt. Five Americans who were freed by Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal arrived in Qatar on Monday. The five American dual citizens were falsely convicted and imprisoned in Iran. They are now on their way home. The deal cost $6 billion in seized oil sales and the release of five Iranians convicted of nonviolent crimes. Sen. Britt opposed that deal on the grounds that paying out funds for hostages simply encourages bad actors to take more hostages. Britt said that the deals with Iran are appeasement. Last week, Senator Britt joined a group of four Republican colleagues in sending a letter reproaching President Raisi’s visit last month to the home of Asadollah Assadi. Assadi was sentenced to twenty years in prison by Belgium for his role in a bomb plot. The letter expressed concern over President Raisi’s record of publicly tolerating terrorism and continued threats against American officials and urged the Biden Administration to deny visas to President Raisi and his staff at UNGA. Joining Senator Britt in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Ted Budd (R-North Carolina). To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville and colleagues introduce the Secure the Border Act of 2023
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) on Friday joined U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and fifteen other U.S. Senate colleagues in introducing the Secure the Border Act of 2023 to combat the border crisis. This bill is the Senate companion to legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year, commonly known as H.R. 2, which would resume construction on the wall at our southern border, tighten asylum standards, criminalize visa overstays, increase the number of Border Patrol Agents, defund non-government organizations receiving tax dollars to help traffic illegal immigrants throughout the country and prohibit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using its app to assist illegal immigrants. “The crisis at our southern border gets worse with each passing day under Joe Biden’s watch,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Americans are tired of sending taxpayer dollars to help other countries secure their borders while leaving the floodgates open at ours. We are losing people every day to fentanyl and other deadly drugs that are pouring across the border. This madness must stop. I’m proud to join my Senate colleagues to introduce this legislation, and hope those on the other side of the aisle will help us address this severe national security issue.” “We have to acknowledge the problem before we can solve it, but President Biden hasn’t even been willing to do that,” Sen. Britt said. “With a record number of Americans dying from fentanyl poisoning, record deaths among migrants attempting to cross the border, record profits by the cartels, and a record amount of people on the terrorism watchlist apprehended at the border, there is no doubt that this is a crisis unlike which we have ever seen.” “Under Joe Biden, we have a wide-open southern border,” Sen. Cruz said. “The Biden Border Crisis has created the largest illegal immigration crisis in our nation’s history. Biden’s open borders are an invitation for the cartels to brutalize children, to assault women, to overrun our communities with illegal aliens, and to flood this country with narcotics and fentanyl that kill over 100,000 people per year. This bill would stop the Biden Border Crisis dead in its tracks by building the wall, ratcheting up asylum standards, increasing the number of Border Patrol Agents, and implementing effective border security policies.” Joining Senators Tuberville, Britt, and Cruz in the legislation are Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Kentucky), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), and U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), JD Vance (R-Ohio), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), John Hoeven, (R-North Dakota), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Steve Daines (R-Montana), and Presidential candidate Tim Scott (R-South Carolina). The Secure the Border Act enacts effective border security solutions, including: · Requiring the Department of Homeland Security to resume border wall construction. · Increasing the number of Border Patrol Agents. · Tightening asylum standards by restricting asylum to only aliens who present at ports of entry and by requiring aliens to prove they are “more likely than not” to qualify for their asylum claim. · Narrowing DHS’s power to unilaterally grant parole to illegal aliens. · Criminalizing visa overstays by making the first offense a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and the second offense a felony punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and up to two years imprisonment. · Stopping NGOs from using tax dollars to transport or lodge illegal aliens and provide illegal aliens with lawyers. · Restricting DHS from using its CBP One app to welcome illegal aliens into the country. · Requiring employers to use E-Verify. · Ensuring CBP has access to the criminal history databases of all countries of origin and transit so that CBP is aware of the criminal history of illegal aliens encountered at the southern border. Sen. Tuberville supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security, like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy. With Democrats controlling the Senate, it is unlikely that they will allow this legislation to go to the floor, and if it did pass Congress, it is unlikely that President Biden will sign it. 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.
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.
Tommy Tuberville joins Republicans urging Defense Department to halt sales of border wall materials
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and all the Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a letter to the Department of Defense to halt the sale of border wall construction materials. The letter, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, was in response to reports that the Defense Department was moving quickly to dispose of the unused border wall materials before the provisions of Wicker’s FINISH It Act could be implemented. “We are deeply disappointed to learn that rather than using construction materials that were purchased to secure the southwest border for that purpose, the Department of Defense has begun auctioning these materials off for other purposes,” the senators wrote. “These auctions represent a brazen attempt to circumvent the FINISH IT Act, which was included in both the House and Senate FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act.” As ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Wicker worked with Republicans to insert the legislation, which would force the administration to allow the materials to be used to complete sections of the southern border wall, in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA passed the Senate with a broad bipartisan majority and the provisions of the FINISH It Act were also included in the House-passed version of the NDAA. However, Congress has not passed the final conference committee version of the NDAA. The Senators believe Austin and the Defense Department are taking the opportunity to auction all the unused border wall materials for scrap metal while Congress is still on its August recess. The Senators are calling to halt further auctions of border wall materials and requesting detailed information on the current sales. The letter calls for the administration to direct the Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Melissa Dalton for her failure to provide Congress with accurate and timely information about the use of these border wall construction materials. The Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans have pledged to never consent to a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy until the senators’ concerns are addressed. The DOD’s combat support branch, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), confirmed to reporters with Power Corridor last week that the Pentagon is now moving ahead with the sale of the leftover materials, many of which have been sitting for years in piles on government and private land out West. The items up for auction this week are “excess border wall materials that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers turned over to the DLA for disposition and are now for sale,” a DLA spokesperson said. Leading the liquidation is Gov Planet, an online auction marketplace run by publicly traded Canadian company Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. This week, Gov Planet began posting photos on its website and social media of large sections of the unbuilt wall, understood to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Sens. Tuberville and Wicker were joined by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri). Tuberville stated that he supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security, like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy. Senator Tuberville has spoken about his concerns on the floor of the U.S. Senate and called on the Biden administration to act. Tuberville has made multiple visits to the southern border to bring attention to the border situation. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt opposes paying $6 billion ransom to Iran
According to multiple media reports, the Biden Administration has negotiated a deal with Iran to swap five “unjustly detained” Americans in exchange for several jailed Iranians and access to approximately $6 billion in sanctioned oil revenue that’s being held in South Korea. When the news broke last week, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) expressed her concerns that the $6 billion being paid to Iran was “ransom” paid to Iran in exchange for the five captive Americans: “While I will always join my fellow Americans in welcoming home our citizens held hostage around the world, I’m deeply troubled by the naive ‘deal’ the Biden Administration reportedly struck,” Sen. Britt said in a statement. “Handing $6 billion to the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism is a reckless and dangerous decision that threatens the lives of Americans and our allies across the globe. This appeasement will only embolden our adversaries and invite hostile actors to take more American hostages in the future, as they know doing so could score them massive payouts from this Administration. As we near the anniversary of his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, President [Joe] Biden has once again shown the world that his failed foreign policy is built on a foundation of weakness. It’s time to get back to achieving peace through strength.” The agreement comes after at least two years of negotiations, according to CNN and the New York Times, which first reported various elements of the negotiations. The five Americans all are dual citizens of Iran. They have reportedly been transferred from Iran’s notoriously harsh Evin Prison to a hotel in Tehran, where they will be held for a few weeks under house arrest before being allowed to leave the country. National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said that the detained individuals are: · Siamak Namazi · Emad Sharghi · Morad Tahbaz · and two Americans whose families don’t want their identities made public. The ongoing negotiations are considered very dynamic and far from a done deal. The U.S. maintains that these U.S. citizens should have never been detained in the first place. The Iranian regime has a 43-year history of using hostage-taking to advance its foreign policy. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) also opposed the deal. “While we always welcome the release of American hostages − if they are in fact released after President Biden pays Iran $6 billion in ransom − this craven act of appeasement will only embolden the ayatollahs to take more hostages and use these ill-gotten gains to attack our troops, fund terrorism and arm Russia,” said Sen. Cotton. “This cycle will continue until President Biden stops dancing to Iran’s tune and starts responding firmly and decisively to their aggression.” Some conservatives have questioned whether these negotiations with Iran are part of a broader effort to revive the failed Iran nuclear deal negotiated during the Obama administration. 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.
Katie Britt and colleagues pass legislation preventing adversarial nations from buying American farmland
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) recently joined her colleagues in passing the bipartisan, bicameral Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act. This legislation aims to prevent China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from investing in, purchasing, leasing, or otherwise acquiring U.S. farmland. The bill was introduced by Senator Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and is cosponsored by Senator Britt and nine of her Senate colleagues. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-New York). The PASS Act would add the Secretary of Agriculture as a standing member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to consider agricultural needs when making national security determinations. Additionally, it would require a CFIUS review of agricultural land and business transactions by foreign individuals or entities and would also direct the President to prohibit any agricultural land transaction in the U.S. made by a foreign adversary. “I believe that one acre of American farmland owned by our adversaries is one acre too many,” said Senator Britt. “I’m proud to cosponsor this legislation and grateful for Senator Rounds’ leadership on this critical issue. Food security is national security, and we must prevent threats to the U.S. agricultural community that feeds and clothes our state, nation, and world. I’ll always fight to defend hardworking Americans while protecting our homeland.” “China and Russia are our near-peer adversaries, and North Korea and Iran are no friends of the United States,” said Sen. Rounds. “These four adversaries view America as their top competitor and only wish to gain advantage and opportunities to surveil our nation’s capabilities and resources. This commonsense provision will make our homeland more secure. I am pleased this amendment was included in this year’s NDAA, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this legislation across the finish line.” Earlier this year, Senator Britt participated in a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing where she questioned Clay Lowery, the former chairman of CFIUS, who affirmed that the Secretary of Agriculture should likely be involved in CFIUS in “a systematic way.” This legislation is similar to the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act, which was introduced by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama). Britt also cosponsored the FARM Act. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen an alarming increase in foreign purchases of farmland and food companies, particularly by China,” said Sen. Tuberville. “These foreign investments are now reaching every piece of the very large puzzle that makes up our agriculture industry, from farming and processing, to packaging and shipping. That’s why America’s agriculture community needs to have a permanent seat at the table when our government vets foreign investment in our country. Adding all parts of the agricultural supply chain to the list of transactions reviewed by CFIUS is the first step toward ensuring America’s agricultural suppliers can keep food on tables across the country.” Additionally, Britt introduced the Not One More Inch or Acre Act with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas). That legislation would prevent any Chinese national or entity from owning American land. The PASS Act was passed as part of the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Katie Britt is the ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. She was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Sen. Katie Britt concerned about growing mental health crisis in America
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt said there is a growing mental health crisis in America. Britt’s comments were made during a recent hearing of the Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. In the hearing, Sen. Britt questioned the top leadership from the National Institute of Health (NIH) about the staggering, rising rates of depression and suicide among America’s teenagers. “When you look at what is happening, it is clear that NIH has also identified this crisis as being one that is plaguing communities across this great nation,” Britt said. “The White House in 2023, the Mental Health Research Priorities, those even showed they speak to digital platforms in terms of their effectiveness to treat mental and behavioral health outcomes. However, there are plenty of NIH studies that show how social media and screen time likely have a negative effect on mental health, particularly youth mental health.” “Now let me tell you something, as a Mama of a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old, this is something that is particularly important to me,” Britt said. “I look at how young people are having to grow up. I know, as someone who went through middle school and high school as a young woman, that it’s tough. I can’t even imagine the additional pressures that they feel, given having a screen at their fingertips all of the time. “ “I think the reports are shocking, and I don’t think the numbers lie,” Britt said. “Last year, 1 in 3 high school girls said that they seriously considered suicide. And actually, one in nine, or almost nine percent – one in ten high school students reported actually attempting suicide in the last twelve months. Folks, I ran for the Senate as a mama on a mission. I said that my children and other people’s children and grandchildren should be able to achieve the American dream. If we do not take hold of what is happening right now with social media and our youth, it is going to be so far gone that we can’t get it back. My question to you is: what is the NIH doing to address the damage of social media and what it is having on our children and our children’s mental health?” Between 2011 and 2019, the rate of depression more than doubled for American teenagers as social media use increased. Dr. Joshua Gordon, M.D., is the Director of the National Institutes of Mental Health. “Not just depression, but suicide deaths have been dramatically increasing in children and children that are younger than those who used to typically die,” said Dr. Gordon. “So, we’re seeing dramatic increases in the rates for pre-teens, which is incredibly disturbing.” On April 26, Sen. Britt introduced the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act alongside Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) to help empower families and protect children from the harmful impacts of social media. “It is bipartisan,” Britt stated. “It prohibits children from under the age of 13 from using social media, which is consistent with what social media companies say that they already do. It requires a parent or guardian’s permission for children ages 13 to 17 to create an account, so very simple, and the last thing is it requires social media companies to verify that quickly. It also does not allow them to utilize algorithms against our children. So between 13 and 17, when they are on social media, they would not be able to be targeted by algorithms to push them into what we know are so many deep, dark holes. I am hopeful that this body will actually do something to put parents back in the driver’s seat and to protect our children. I will tell you they are counting on us.” May is Mental Health Awareness Month. People or families struggling or in crisis can call or text 988 or go to the website 988lifeline.org for help. Katie Britt was elected in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt cosponsors legislation to protect Supreme Court Justices
On Monday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt joined Senator Marsha Blackburn and a group of nine additional Republican senators in introducing the Protect Our Supreme Court Justices Act, a bill to further protect Supreme Court Justices from intimidation and threats of violence. The legislation is partially in response to threats and intimidation that the Justices received following the leaking of the Dobbs versus Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning the controversial Roe versus Wade decision. “Protesters attempting to influence judicial decisions through harassment, intimidation, or violence outside the homes of Justices and judges need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Sen. Britt stated. “The rule of law cannot be replaced with mob rule in the United States. The integrity and effectiveness of our judicial system hinges on the ability of judges to impartially interpret the law and rule on the legal merits of cases without fearing retribution to themselves or their families. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act to ensure we have a strong deterrent that can keep our Justices, judges, and their families safe while safeguarding the rule of law.” “As we saw last summer, the woke liberal mob will go to great lengths to target those they disagree with – even illegally intimidating Supreme Court Justices at their private residences,” said Sen. Blackburn. “It’s extremely concerning that none of these protesters have been arrested for breaking the law, and the DOJ has not issued any guidance on enforcing this statute. The Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act will deter intimidation of our Justices and send a message that the Biden administration has refused to send: Justices must be allowed to do their jobs without fearing for the safety of themselves or their families.” The legislation will raise the maximum term of imprisonment for individuals who attempt to unlawfully influence the decision-making of a federal judge from one year to five years, creating a stronger deterrent amid increased threats against the Court. Senators Britt and Blackburn were joined by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) in introducing the bill. “Conservative Supreme Court justices are facing increasing protests from far-left extremists trying to intimidate or punish the justices for their decisions,” said Sen. Cotton. “This legislation will help protect all Supreme Court justices from threats of violence so they can do their jobs as impartial interpreters of the law.” “Justices must be able to rule without fear of retribution or intimidation, and the politicization of our judicial branch is unacceptable and downright dangerous,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By increasing the maximum term of imprisonment for those attempting to influence judicial decision making, we can ensure Supreme Court justices can operate with impartiality and uphold the Constitution without worrying about their safety or that of their family.” “I’ve been a passionate proponent of protecting our Supreme Court justices and their families from the coordinated campaign of harassment and intimidation following the Dobbs decision last year,” said Sen. Cruz. “Not a single one of those protestors have been prosecuted because President Biden’s attorney general disagrees with the Dobbs decision. I’m proud to join Sen. Blackburn and my colleagues in working to expand the consequences of breaking the law and trying to intimidate Supreme Court justices.” “Protesting at the homes of Supreme Court justices and their families is an unlawful and dangerous intimidation tactic, as we’ve witnessed over the last year,” said Sen. Hagerty. “I’m pleased to join Senator Blackburn in working to stop this indefensible conduct.” “The Biden administration has weaponized the judicial system for two years already,” said Sen. Hawley. “Making matters worse, when Republican-appointed Justices are under attack, this Department of Justice won’t defend them. It’s time for Congress to step into the breach.” “Last summer, in an attempt to intimidate U.S. Supreme Court Justices from doing their job, progressive activists protested outside of their homes,” said Sen. Rubio. “We must ensure that Justices are able to carry out their duties without fear for their safety or that of their families. The Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act is a necessary step to deter intimidation and ensure that those who seek to influence the decision-making process of our Justices face the full force of the law.” “There is no other way to view the threats and protests we’ve witnessed recently against Supreme Court justices and other federal jurists as anything other than attempts to influence their decisions through fear and intimidation,” said Sen. Hyde-Smith. “This legislation should not be needed to protect the judiciary, but it is. Enacting this bill will make it crystal clear to everyone that these threatening activities are illegal and will be punished.” “Supreme Court justices should be able to carry out their duties without fear of intimidation,” said Sen. Wicker. “This legislation would help ensure their safety and protect our highest court.” “Intimidating members of the judicial branch into ruling a certain way goes against everything our justice system and democracy were founded on,” said Sen. Boozman. “We cannot continue to let this behavior go unchecked or tolerate further targeted acts of violence and harassment. Our legislation prioritizes the safety of Supreme Court justices and their families and ensures accountability for those responsible for adopting such disturbing, lawless tactics.” Federal law already explicitly prohibits protesting at the residence of a judge with the intent of influencing the decision-making process of a judge in a case. The protestors against the Dobbs decision outside of the Justices’ homes could have all been arrested and prosecuted, facing criminal monetary penalties or a maximum of one year of imprisonment, or both. But since they were political allies, the Biden administration ignored the law. The U.S. Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland, has refused to arrest, charge, or prosecute any individuals who illegally protested outside of the homes of Supreme Court Justices in 2022. The Protecting Our Supreme
