Rep. Terri Sewell calls new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson a MAGA extremist
After 22 days of internal GOP battles over which faction got to pick the Speaker and little House business getting done, the U.S. House of Representatives finally agreed upon a Speaker of the House Wednesday. Republicans chose Congressman Mike Johnson as the 56th Speaker of the House. Johnson represents his native Shreveport and the state’s fourth district. On Wednesday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) released a statement regarding the election of Rep. Johnson as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sewell expressed her concerns about Johnson and called him a “MAGA extremist.” “While I am grateful that House Republicans have finally ended their stalemate and selected a new House Speaker, I am gravely disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle have rejected our calls for bipartisanship and empowered yet another MAGA extremist,” said Sewell. “I have very serious concerns about Mike Johnson’s record, namely his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, his hostility toward our hard-fought rights and freedoms, and his work to slash Social Security and Medicare,” Sewell said. “I will work with Speaker Johnson where we can agree but make no mistake; when it comes to protecting our democracy, our freedoms, and the programs that Americans rely on, I will not back down.” Since President Donald Trump’s (R) election in 2016, new Republican candidates elected to Congress have tended to become more in line with his “Make America Great Again” agenda. Meanwhile, many moderate Republicans in swing districts and blue states lost or retired from Congress when House Republicans lost the majority in 2018. The GOP regained the majority in 2022, but those new Republicans and the old GOP leadership who had served for decades under multiple presidents had a clash of agendas and personalities. The Speaker’s battle effectively repudiated the entire Republican leadership team. MAGA Republicans, many of them in the Freedom Caucus, ousted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and then respectively rejected both the House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota). Moderates and more mainstream conservatives formed a block to reject Freedom Caucus Founding Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), but it was clear to everyone after the rejection of Emmer on Tuesday that the House Republican Conference was ready to move in a new, more rightward direction. Johnson is an attorney, a former state legislator, a college professor, a former conservative talk radio host, and a spokesman for groups advocating for religious liberty. In January 2021, Johnson was elected Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. Johnson also serves as a Deputy Whip for the 118th Congress. Johnson was elected to Congress while Trump was in office but has quickly risen through the GOP ranks. In 2021, Johnson was elected Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. In 2022, he was also selected as a Deputy Whip. Now, he is the 56th Speaker of the House, with far fewer years of congressional tenure than McCarthy, Scalise, Jordan, or Emmer, and the second most powerful person in the U.S. government. Johnson had the support of all six Republican members of the Alabama Congressional delegation. Sewell is in her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Reps. Mike Rogers, Barry Moore, and Gary Palmer praise election of Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives finally ended weeks of chaos by electing a new Speaker of the House. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was the fourth choice of the House Republican Conference. Johnson is the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in American history. Congressmen Mike Rogers (R-AL03), Barry Moore (R-AL02), and Gary Palmer (R-AL06) released statements praising the choice. Rogers is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Johnson is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “The election of Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House sends a strong message to our adversaries,” Rogers said in a statement. “As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, he has a deep knowledge of the threats facing our nation and has a proven track record in working to counter those threats, particularly from China. Every member of this committee understands how critical the National Defense Authorization Act is for our national security, Mike is no different. The NDAA boosts our national defense, provides for our servicemembers, and deters our adversaries. I look forward to working with Speaker Johnson to advance the National Defense Authorization Act later this year.” Moore served with him on the House Judiciary Committee. “Congratulations to my good friend, Mike Johnson, on becoming the 56th Speaker of the House,” said Moore. “Speaker Johnson is a man of faith and conviction, and it has been a pleasure serving with him on the House Judiciary Committee. I was proud to support him on the House floor. I look forward to working with him as Speaker to secure our border, push back against the Biden administration and the Democrats’ radical agenda, and restore fiscal sanity to Washington.” Rep. Palmer had been a candidate himself but withdrew on Tuesday morning, pledging to support whoever won the Speaker’s gavel. “This is an important day for the country,” said Rep. Palmer. “House Republicans are united behind a principled, unwavering conservative in Speaker Mike Johnson. Mike is a good friend I have worked closely with, and I know he will live out his faith in God by leading the House with honor as we serve the American people. Mike is committed to a plan of action to get our fiscal house in order, address the rampant illegal immigration at our southern border, and fill the void of leadership President Biden has left on the world stage.” Johnson was nominated by the Caucus on Tuesday night after House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) withdrew from the race after former President Donald Trump denounced Emmer as a “Globalist Rino” on Truth Social. Emmer had been chosen Tuesday from a field of nine candidates that had included Palmer and Johnson. After Emmer withdrew, the House Republican Conference went back into closed session, determined to find a candidate that all House GOP factions could support. The previous nominees, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), both had previously failed to unite the House members. This crisis began when Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) was ousted. Palmer added, “Speaker Johnson and the House Republicans are ready to work for the American people.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mike Johnson elected speaker of the House after three weeks of infighting
By Casey Harper | The Center Square The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to elect Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., as speaker of the House, ending more than three weeks without a speaker and a string of chaotic meetings and votes on Capitol Hill. Johnson received multiple standing ovations from his colleagues Wednesday before securing the speakership. The final vote was 220-209, with Democrats supporting Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Today is the day that House Republicans will humbly look in our hearts and elect Mike Johnson as speaker of the people’s House,” Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said in a speech from the House floor ahead of the vote, calling Johnson “a man of deep faith,” and “a deeply respected Constitutional lawyer.” “Mike is strong, tough, and fair, and above all, Mike is kind,” Stefanik added. Stefanik announced on Sunday nine candidates that were making a bid to be speaker, but that number was slowly whittled down as lawmakers dropped out. “Today is the day we get this done,” Stefanik said in her Wednesday speech. U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., gave a speech from the floor to nominate Jeffries for speaker and attack Republicans. Jeffries blasted Republicans for “all of the infighting, all of the disarray just to end up where we were three weeks ago.” Johnson pitched Republicans on an aggressive legislative agenda over the next few weeks. Under his leadership, the House will face a looming partial government shutdown deadline in the middle of November as well as ongoing calls to fund Ukraine and Israel in their respective wars. “We must govern well and expand our majority next year,” Johnson said in a letter to his fellow Republicans over the weekend, asking for support in the speakership race. President Joe Biden called on Congress last week for more than $100 billion to that end, as well as funding for Taiwan, the immigration issue, and other priorities. That proposal was met with immediate pushback from Republicans in the House and Senate. Some funding for Israel, though, is likely to pass. More funding for Ukraine has become a divisive issue for Republicans, and it remains unclear how many more billions lawmakers will be willing to send to Ukraine. Notably, U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, was running for speaker but later dropped out and told reporters he was supporting Johnson. The chaotic three-week battle for a speaker began when U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., filed a motion to vacate former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. At that point, Majority Leader Steve Scalise won the nomination but quickly backed out after being unable to secure the needed votes. After that, House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, won the nomination but lost it days later after three failed votes on the House floor, with 25 Republicans ultimately voting against him. Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., was next to secure the nomination but almost immediately withdrew after failing to gain support. Notably, former President Donald Trump campaigned against Emmer. Before the vote Wednesday, Johnson posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, a picture of the American flag in the House Chamber, which has inscribed above it, “In God We Trust.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Mike Johnson is GOP’s fourth choice to be Speaker of the House
House Republicans have nominated Congressman Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) for Speaker of the House on Tuesday night after Tuesday morning’s nominee crashed and burned. Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) told Alabama Today on Saturday that he really liked Johnson. Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) announced his support for Johnson on the social media site X. “Since day 1 I have called for our party to unite around a conservative speaker,” Strong said. “I am proud to announce that the conference has selected Mike Johnson from Louisiana and I look forward to supporting him on the floor.” On Tuesday morning, the GOP started with nine candidates, including Alabama’s own Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06). Palmer dropped out of the race, pledging to support whoever became the Speaker of the House. The House Republican Conference then chose House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) after five rounds of voting. The ousted Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy (R-California), endorsed Emmer. Former President Donald Trump was not an Emmer fan and denounced Emmer as a “Globalist RINO” on Truth Social. More than two dozen Republican House members were refusing to support Emmer. Trump’s rebuke made it apparent that the moderate from a blue state had no chance, so he dropped out. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) explained in a post on X, formerly Twitter, why she didn’t back Emmer: his voting record. “Today I voted against Tom Emmer on all rounds of voting including the spoken roll call vote because he has a voting record I can’t support,” Green said. “He voted for Democrat gay marriage bill, voted with Democrats to overturn President Trump’s transgender military ban, voted for every penny of Ukraine funding, at one time supported the Soros national popular vote scheme, and voted to certify Biden’s 2020 election. We need a Republican Speaker that reflects the values of Republican voters that can lead our conference.” Johnson was chosen by Republicans in a conference vote on Tuesday night. He follows Emmer, Jim Jordan, and Steve Scalise as the party’s nominee. Johnson represents Louisiana’s Fourth District. He represents the nearly 760,000 residents of 16 parishes in the northwest and western regions of the state. He was first elected in 2016. In January 2021, Johnson was elected Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. Johnson also serves as a Deputy Whip for the 118th Congress. Johnson is an attorney with two decades of previous experience in Constitutional law. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and is the chairman of its Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. He also serves on the Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government and the House Armed Services Committee. Johnson is a husband and father of four. In his legal career, he was a leading defender of the right to life, religious liberty, free speech, the Second Amendment, and free market principles. He served in the Louisiana Legislature from February 2015 to January 2017, where he was appointed Vice Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Leadership. He is the eldest son of a Shreveport firefighter who was critically burned and disabled in the line of duty. Johnson has also been a college professor, conservative talk radio host and columnist, a media spokesman for America’s largest religious liberty organizations, a constitutional law seminar instructor, and a board member for national organizations and numerous community groups and ministries. Johnson has a law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. He earned his undergraduate degree from LSU. A vote could occur as soon as Wednesday morning. Johnson needs 217 votes to win. The biggest thing Johnson has going for him is the whole absurdity of this situation. Republican House members realize that this situation does not make them look good, and they have to move on to regular business, including budgets and the President’s request for military aid for Ukraine and Israel. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) said on X, “We have got to find consensus on a Speaker. Time is of the essence. Democrats are the only ones who benefit from this impasse.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tom Emmer drops bid to be Speaker: House Republicans back to square one
On Tuesday, the House Republican Conference met to decide who would be their next nominee to be the Speaker of the House. They chose House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota). Emmer had the endorsement of ousted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California). It was the safe choice. Emmer had waited his turn behind McCarthy and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), and he was respected on Capitol Hill. It was also a doomed choice. Emmer won a narrow victory and excited no one in the conservative base that appears to want unprecedented influence on how the GOP actually governs and who it elects to the Speakership. Former President Donald Trump (R) criticized the selection, as did a number of conservative influences. Within a few hours of being elected as the nominee, Emmer admitted his cause was hopeless and withdrew from the race. Emmer was criticized by conservatives for voting for the Respect for Marriage Act, voting to certify the 2020 election results, and for being the number three person on the leadership team that some conservatives felt had not represented them. Alabama Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) withdrew from the Speaker’s race the morning before the Conference even voted. “If withdrawing my name can help expedite that process even a little, then I will gladly step aside,” Palmer said in a statement. “The candidate forum and individual conversations have given me great hope for the future of the 118th Congress.” In the vote of the Conference, Emmer narrowly beat Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) for the nomination. Hearn is back in the running for the spot to be the fourth nominee, as well as Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). Scalise had been the Conference’s first choice, but he could not get the support of the ultra-right Freedom Caucus members, so he withdrew without a floor vote. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was the next nominee. Jordan had the support of Trump, but it was not enough. Despite bringing his case to the floor three separate times, Jordan could not win over GOP moderates who were angry at conservatives for having failed to support Scalise. Conservatives have now rejected Emmer as being too much of a moderate. The Republicans control the chamber by a 221 to 212 margin. Democrats continue to vote for their candidate, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York). The House Republican Conference is expected to meet on Wednesday to seek a new nominee. Election as Speaker requires a minimum of 217, so only a small faction of 5 or more Republicans is sufficient to sabotage any Republican nominee for the post. Long gone are the days when Republican Congressmen would carry out the will of the majority of their Conference and show no public divisions. This Caucus appears to be bitterly divided and is unashamed to make those divisions all too public. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Republicans announce nine new speaker candidates
By Casey Harper | The Center Square Nine new Republican lawmakers have thrown their hat in the ring to become the next speaker of the U.S. House. Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik released the list of candidates, who had until noon Sunday to announce their candidacy. The list, which Stefanik posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, is as follows: The new list of candidates comes after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the role when Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., filed a motion to vacate. Then, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was the party’s choice to become speaker, but he withdrew when he was unable to get the support he needed. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was next in line and worked for several days to get the needed 217 votes to become speaker. However, at least 20 Republicans voted against him across his three floor-vote attempts, and on Friday, his nomination was revoked. Some of the candidates have more support than others. Donalds’ announcement drew more attention than some others. Emmer has been a rumored pick for speaker as well. However, conservative Republicans have expressed frustration with moderate Republicans for rejecting Jordan, who had significant support with the Republican base but was seen as a hardline conservative who questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election. “The most popular Republican in Congress was just knifed in an anonymous vote in a secret closed-door meeting in the basement of the Capitol,” Gaetz wrote on X Friday. “This is the Swamp at work.” Meanwhile, some more moderate Republicans have expressed frustration with Gaetz and do not want to reward his ousting of McCarthy with an aggressive conservative pick. As The Center Square previously reported, Jordan sparked pushback from his own party on Thursday after reports surfaced that he said behind closed doors he would back the speaker pro Tempore, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., for a limited temporary speakership role so the government could be funded and other key legislative goals hit. The federal government faces a partial shutdown in November, and there is increasing pressure to send more funds for the Ukraine and Israel wars. President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass a spending package of $105 billion for those wars as well as some border funding and money for Taiwan, which national security experts say China could invade at any time. Jordan later addressed reporters, announcing he would drop that plan and instead hold another vote. That plan still has potential to take effect. While many Republicans have expressed opposition to the idea, Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has seemed open to the idea when talking with reporters. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan announce bids to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House
By Casey Harper | The Center Square House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, both announced Wednesday their bid to replace Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as Speaker of the House. A vote for a new Speaker is reportedly not expected until Oct. 11, giving lawmakers about a week to plan their next move. McCarthy, who was pushed out after striking a deal with Democrats to keep the government open, said he does not plan to run again for the position. “I think Matt has planned this all along,” McCarthy told reporters. “It didn’t matter what transpired. He would’ve done it if we were in shutdown or not.” Scalise’s and Jordan’s announcement comes after a handful of House Republicans joined Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his role as Speaker of the House, the first time Congress has ever done so. Now, the House has until mid-November to elect a new Speaker and pass some kind of spending measure or face a government shutdown. Scalise sent a letter to House Republicans asking for their support. “Our strength as a Conference comes from our unity, and we have seen when we unite as a Conference, we can deliver wins for the American people,” the letter said. “Now we need to take those unified positions and work to extract conservative wins from the Democrat Senate and White House by leveraging upcoming deadlines. While we need to be realistic about what can be achieved, if we stay united, we can preserve leverage for the House to secure tangible wins in our impending policy fights.” Jordan sent a similar letter to his fellow Republicans asking for their support. “We must address rising crime in major cities and reject soft-on-crime, pro-criminal policies,” the letter said. “We must get our fiscal house in order and reduce spending so that we can leave more to the next generation than a crushing deficit. We must do our constitutional oversight of the federal bureaucracy to ensure they work for the American people not the other way around. And we must continue working to secure the border and protect our national security. “I respectfully ask for your support for Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the letter added. Jordan’s move was welcomed by some Republicans like Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who filed the motion to oust McCarthy. “We should get to electing a new, more conservative and more trustworthy Speaker immediately,” Gaetz wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I’m calling on [Patrick McHenry] who is currently the Speaker Pro Tem, to reconsider the decision that he just made to send everyone in Congress home for a week. This is not the time to go home for a week. We should stay and elect a new Speaker.” Other potential frontrunners to replace McCarthy include Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla, who suggested he might run. Some lawmakers spoke out to make clear they are not running. “While I appreciate the confidence of some colleagues and their request that I step into the Speaker race, my team and I have been doing important work on the Homeland Security Committee – and we still have much more to do to hold President [Joe] Biden and Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas for one of the worst national security failures in the history of the country,” Rep. Mark Green, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, wrote on X. “Therefore, I am not throwing my name into the race,” he added. With the existing divide in the party, it may be impossible for any Speaker to be successful. “The most important issue facing the next House speaker is soaring federal debt pushing the nation to the brink of fiscal disaster,” Chris Edwards, an expert at the Cato Institute, told The Center Square. “Interest rates on 10-year government bonds have shot up far above projections to 4.8 percent and rising, which will raise the burden of accumulated debt to crushing levels. “America needs a new House speaker – and presidential candidates – who put spending restraint and debt reduction as top national priorities,” he added. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
House passes resolution to overturn new federal gun regulation; Joe Biden vows veto
House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening federal regulations on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade. The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach,” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support, and two Republicans voted against it. The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s. The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. A stabilizing brace was also used in a shooting in Dayton, Ohio, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee. Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when he announced the rule. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly. Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee or remove the brace from their weapons. Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons. “This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans’ Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.” Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration. House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives. “How many more mass shootings need to happen? How many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn. Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he and Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP’s chief vote-counter, had been working intensely to ensure enough support to pass the legislation in the narrowly divided House. “We’ve been moving people every week on this bill,” Scalise said. “It has not been easy.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Katie Britt and colleagues introduce bill to allow consumers improve their credit ratings
U.S. Senator Katie Britt joined Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) in introducing the Credit Access and Inclusion Act to responsibly expand credit access for millions of Americans with limited or non-existent credit histories. The sponsors said that this bipartisan legislation would permit property owners and utility and telecom providers to report payment data to credit reporting agencies, allowing consumers with an established track record of paying their bills on time the additional opportunity to develop a positive credit history. “Hardworking Alabamians and Americans who have demonstrated financial responsibility deserve a pathway to establish and build their credit,” said Sen. Britt. “This bill takes into consideration the varying circumstances and experiences of individuals who hope to achieve their American Dream. Credit reporting is a crucial component in our nation’s economy to establish financial stability for the individual and the lender – this legislation simply incorporates a complete history of on-time payments, like rent and utilities, to reflect an accurate credit score.” “If you pay your bills on time, your credit score should reflect it,” stated Scott. “Americans shouldn’t be held back from purchasing a home, financing their education, or pursuing their dreams simply because their on-time payments don’t happen to count towards their credit scores. This bill will remove needless barriers and help hardworking Americans gain access to credit.” Sens. Britt and Ranking Member Scott in cosponsoring the bill are Senators Joe Manchin (D- West Virginia), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). U.S. Congressman French Hill (R-Arkansas) introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives last week, along with Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota), David Schweikert (R-Arizona), Michelle Steel (R-California), Young Kim (R-California), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida), and Byron Donalds (R-Florida). According to information provided by Sens. Britt and Scott, approximately 26 million Americans are “credit invisible,” meaning they lack credit records or a history of traditional payments, such as student loans, car loans, or mortgage payments. Having no credit or thin credit makes economic mobility difficult and hampers an individual’s ability to purchase a home, take out student loans, buy a car, or even get a job. The Credit Access and Inclusion Act allows credit bureaus to collect payment data for services not traditionally factored into credit reporting, such as rent, internet, phone, electricity, and utility payments. Factoring these payments into credit reporting would expand credit histories and generate credit scores for consumers who were previously “unscorable.” Many Americans who don’t have credit cards, mortgages, car payments, etc., don’t have enough open accounts to generate a credit score. Some people, however, are just starting out in life, while some people with no credit accounts may have significant actual wealth. 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.
Joe Guzzardi: Tech workers brace for possible Omnibus job-killer
Like the proverbial bad penny that keeps reappearing, lousy immigration bills are hard to kill off. Consider the EAGLE Act of 2022, also known as Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment, formally recognized as H.R. 3648. The newest proposed legislation is another iteration of the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. Although it passed the House by a 365-65 vote, eventually, it stalled in Congress. Introduced by immigration lawyer, amnesty advocate, enforcement foe and expansionist champion Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the new and the old versions of her proposed legislation both share the same ruinous-to-U.S. tech workers’ feature: the legislation would rob thousands of U.S. tech workers of access to well-paid, white-collar, high-skilled jobs in the science, technology, engineering and math fields, STEM jobs for which they are fully qualified. Along with her like-minded congressional allies that include Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), who was just elected as House Majority Whip for the 118th Congress and thus became the third highest ranking Republican in the House, Lofgren has scheduled a vote on the EAGLE Act, which has bipartisan support, when Congress returns from its Thanksgiving recess. Briefly explained, the EAGLE Act would dramatically revise portions of the Immigration Act of 1990. Almost any alien who has been on the visa waiting list for at least two years with an approved petition for an employment-based green card could apply for adjustment of his status, which then wouldn’t count against existing numerical caps. Stated another way, employers can sponsor a temporary foreign-born worker for an H-1B nonimmigrant visa and convert that worker to permanent by merely sponsoring him for a green card. Aliens go from temporarily present to permanent residents. With the stroke of a pen, job searches become more challenging for U.S. tech workers – Congress’ twisted idea of sound legislation. The bill also eliminates the per-country caps for employment-based visas, which means that within about a decade, Indian and Chinese nationals will receive virtually all such visas, especially the H-1B; other countries’ nationals would have an uphill climb to obtain a visa. Under current law, no country’s nationals can comprise more than 7 percent of any visa category. This provision ensures that skilled workers from around the globe have an opportunity to come to America. The EAGLE Act, however, seeks to entirely remove all caps from employment-based visas and more than double the existing family-preference visa from 7 percent to 15 percent, a hike that would, because of family reunification, ensure significant population surges. The proposed visa cap elimination is ironic because Lofgren and the EAGLE Act’s cosponsors claim to embrace diversity, but the bill heavily favors Chinese and Indian citizens to the exclusion of most others. Moreover, dependent children of the aliens granted the new status would be allowed to retain their legal standing, a form of amnesty, as dependents of their parents for the duration of the green card application process; they would be protected from aging out while their parents move up in the backlog. An estimated 190,000 minors would be protected. Time was when Democrats purported to care about America’s minority workers. But their empathy toward U.S. workers is long gone and is now redirected to foreign nationals, particularly Chinese and Indians. Blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities aspire to IT jobs, too. But they’ve had little luck in obtaining those coveted STEM jobs. Pew Research found that black workers make up 9 percent of the STEM workforce, while Hispanics also comprise about 9 percent. The low STEM representation among blacks and Hispanics is largely unchanged from 2016. For rational thinkers, few and far between in Congress, a push for liberalized immigration laws and amnesty in light of the border surge and its 2 million-plus encounters in 2022 is beyond the pale. But those sound-of-mind types don’t understand the congressional mindset; nothing stops its amnesty drive. And if the EAGLE Act doesn’t get Senate approval, Lofgren always has the option to attach it to a must-pass Omnibus bill. With the 118th House about to transfer into GOP hands, EAGLE Act supporters view December as their last chance to subvert U.S. tech workers. Joe Guzzardi is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist who writes about immigration and related social issues. Joe joined Progressives for Immigration Reform in 2018 as an analyst after a ten-year career directing media relations for Californians for Population Stabilization, where he also was a Senior Writing Fellow. A native Californian, Joe now lives in Pennsylvania. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
Congresswoman Katie Hill resigns amid ethics investigation
Freshman Rep. Katie Hill, a rising Democratic star in the House, announced her resignation amid an ethics probe, saying explicit private photos of her with a campaign staffer had been “weaponized” by her husband and political operatives. The California Democrat, 32, had been hand-picked for a coveted leadership seat. But in recent days, compromising photos of Hill and purported text messages from her to a campaign staffer surfaced online in a right-wing publication and a British tabloid. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Hill had acknowledged “errors in judgment” that Pelosi said made her continued service in Congress “untenable.” The House ethics committee had launched an investigation into whether Hill had an inappropriate relationship with an aide in her congressional office, which is prohibited under House rules. Hill, one of the few openly bisexual women in Congress, has denied that and vowed to fight a “smear” campaign waged by a husband she called abusive. But her relationship with the campaign aide became a concern for House Democrats who have made equality in the workplace a particular priority. On Sunday, after apologizing for the relationship with a subordinate, Hill announced she was stepping aside. “It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress,” she wrote in a statement released Sunday. “Having private photos of personal moments weaponized against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy. It’s also illegal, and we are currently pursuing all of our available legal options,” she added. “However, I know that as long as I am in Congress, we’ll live fearful of what might come next and how much it will hurt.” Hill’s statement provided no details on that or when she would step down. Hill’s office and campaign provided no additional public comment. Pelosi, Democrat-California, praised Hill in a statement Sunday for bringing “a powerful commitment to her community and a bright vision for the future” to the House but added: “She has acknowledged errors in judgment that made her continued service as a Member untenable. We must ensure a climate of integrity and dignity in the Congress, and in all workplaces.” Pelosi picked Hill for a coveted leadership seat. Hill had also been named vice chair of the powerful House Oversight Committee. Hill’s abrupt fall came after a blazing rise in which she won the last Republican-held House seat anchored in Los Angeles County, part of a rout that saw GOP House members driven out of their seats in Southern California. She was elected by 9 percentage points last year, ousting two-term Republican Rep. Stephen Knight and capturing the district for her party for the first time since 1990. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton carried the district in 2016 by 7 points.Hill’s campaign had raised a healthy $2.2 million so far this year, putting her on track for a strong reelection bid. Citing the more than 4-in-10 district voters from minority groups, Rep. Cheri Bustos, Democrat-Illnois, who heads House Democrats’ campaign committee, said there was “no doubt” her party would hold the district next year. But Rep. Tom Emmer, Republican-Minnesota, chairman of the House GOP campaign arm, said Republicans “look forward to winning back this seat.” In recent days, Hill’s Los Angeles-area constituents were wrestling with questions about who might have been wronged, how much it matters and whether any punishment was warranted. Hill, celebrated as a face of millennial change in Congress, said in her statement that she had no choice but to step down. “This is what needs to happen so that the good people who supported me will no longer be subjected to the pain inflicted by my abusive husband and the brutality of hateful political operatives who seem to happily provide a platform to a monster who is driving a smear campaign built around cyber exploitation,” Hill said. “I can no longer allow my community, family, friends, staff, supporters, and especially the children who look up to me as a role model, to suffer this unprecedented brand of cruelty.” She apologized to “people who have been hurt.” She’s asked U.S. Capitol Police to investigate potential legal violations for posting and distributing the photos online without her consent. Hill is divorcing her husband, Kenneth Heslep, and says he is abusive. While not providing any evidence of abuse, Hill says she turned elsewhere for companionship because of their turbulent relationship and lamented that “the deeply personal matter of my divorce has been brought into public view.” In court papers, Heslep sketches a different story, one in which he was rejected by an ambitious wife after agreeing to her request that he play the role of house-husband, while she pursued her career aspirations. He said she left him soon after being elected to Congress. “Our agreement was that I would stay at home and take care of all the domestic duties and responsibilities while (Hill) worked,” Heslep said in documents filed in July in Los Angeles Superior Court. He did not allege any extramarital affairs by his wife. By Laurie Kellman Associated Press. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
