Featured Stories
Protect Our Care Statement: Trump Administration Lies to Missourians After Gutting Rural Health Care
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news:
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STATEMENT: Trump Administration Lies to Missourians After Gutting Rural Health Care
September 22, 2026
Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Trump administration announced misleading "rural health investments" in Missouri, conveniently leaving out any mention of the catastrophic health care cuts Donald Trump and Republicans made that have ravaged Missouri's health care system and left rural communities in the dust. Last year, Donald Trump and Republicans rammed through $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news:
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STATEMENT: Trump Administration Lies to Missourians After Gutting Rural Health Care
September 22, 2026
Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Trump administration announced misleading "rural health investments" in Missouri, conveniently leaving out any mention of the catastrophic health care cuts Donald Trump and Republicans made that have ravaged Missouri's health care system and left rural communities in the dust. Last year, Donald Trump and Republicans rammed through $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax breaks forbillionaires and big corporations. Missouri alone will lose more than $14.3 billion from those Medicaid cuts -- making the $45 million CMS announced a pittance by comparison. Also in Missouri, 36 hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes have already been forced to shut down, cut services, or are at risk of doing so after the GOP's cuts. Nationwide, rural hospitals that were already operating on razor-thin margins are struggling to stay afloat.
Rural health care leaders themselves have warned that these funds won't come close to undoing the damage of $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, which were part of the "big ugly bill" Trump and Republicans rammed through last year. Jed Hansen, the executive director of the Nebraska Rural Health Association, said, "[The] Rural Health Transformation will not save a single hospital in our state. I don't think it will save a single hospital nationally."
Protect Our Care President Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
"Republicans are trying to put a band-aid on a bullet hole after they were the ones to pull the trigger. These are the same people who gutted rural health care funding to give tax breaks for the likes of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. They didn't care about rural health then, and they can't pretend to care about it now. This is another publicity stunt meant to distract working families from the health care crisis Trump and Republicans in Congress knowingly created. This so-called 'investment' is a drop in the bucket compared to the over $14.3 billion Missourians are expected to lose in Medicaid funding over the next decade. And that doesn't even include the funds that clinics and nursing homes are expected to lose. They brought our health care system to the breaking point to line the pockets of their billionaire buddies, and no amount of lying can detract from that."
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Original text here: https://www.protectourcare.org/statement-trump-administration-lies-to-missourians-after-gutting-rural-health-care/
[Category: Health Care]
Food and Water Watch: Gov. Mikie Sherrill Must Take an Active Stance Against Data Centers
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release:
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Gov. Mikie Sherrill Must Take an Active Stance Against Data Centers
The governor is responsible for protecting New Jersey communities from corporate greed
Sep 22, 2026
Trenton, NJ -- Governor Mikie Sherrill kicked off climate week with a hands-off message to towns fighting data centers. While environmental organizers and allies have been fighting for a statewide moratorium on new data centers, Sherrill's latest comments suggest each town is responsible for their own decisions on data centers. The governor
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release:
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Gov. Mikie Sherrill Must Take an Active Stance Against Data Centers
The governor is responsible for protecting New Jersey communities from corporate greed
Sep 22, 2026
Trenton, NJ -- Governor Mikie Sherrill kicked off climate week with a hands-off message to towns fighting data centers. While environmental organizers and allies have been fighting for a statewide moratorium on new data centers, Sherrill's latest comments suggest each town is responsible for their own decisions on data centers. The governormakes it clear that she is not willing to protect communities with a blanket moratorium across the state.
Sherrill's inability to act urgently on a statewide data center moratorium comes just months after neighboring New York Governor Kathy Hochul became the first to enforce a moratorium on large scale data centers across New York State.
Sherrill's proposed community benefits agreements places the onus of stopping data center sprawl on New Jersey residents, rather than on the big tech companies responsible.
"It's past time for Sherrill to act to protect New Jersey communities from the interests of corporations. The governor must hold billionaires accountable, pass the Polluters Pay Act, and enforce a statewide moratorium on data centers," said Matt Smith, New Jersey State Director at Food & Water Watch.
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Original text here: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2026/09/22/gov-mikie-sherrill-must-take-an-active-stance-against-data-centers/
[Category: Science]
FFRF Action Fund Invests in Abortion Rights Ballot Measures in Virginia and Nevada
MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 23 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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FFRF Action Fund invests in abortion rights ballot measures in Virginia and Nevada
September 22, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund announced today a strong investment with Virginians for Reproductive Freedom and Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom.
These organizations are working to pass constitutional amendments protecting reproductive
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MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 23 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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FFRF Action Fund invests in abortion rights ballot measures in Virginia and Nevada
September 22, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund announced today a strong investment with Virginians for Reproductive Freedom and Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom.
These organizations are working to pass constitutional amendments protecting reproductivefreedom in this year's midterm elections in their states. The organized opposition in both states comes from Christian conservative or fundamentalist religious groups. In Virginia, the entities campaigning against the ballot measure include the Virginia Catholic Conference and the Family Foundation. In Nevada, the opposition includes Protect Our Girls and Students for Life Action Ballot PAC and national faith-based groups such as Americans United for Life and Priests for Life.
"Religious doctrine has no place in our civil statutes, and nowhere is that more urgent than in laws impacting women's bodies and autonomy," comments Annie Laurie Gaylor, president of the FFRF Action Fund.
"The biggest organized opposition to reproductive rights is religious in nature, even though the bible says nothing whatsoever about abortion," she adds. "Atheists are the group by religious identification that is most supportive of abortion rights, and freethinkers have been fighting for abortion rights for generations. FFRF Action Fund members are proud to stand with Virginians for Reproductive Freedom and Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom to keep theocrats out of our lives."
"People, not politicians, should make their own personal health care decisions, and that is what Virginians will be voting on this November," says Han Jones, campaign manager for Virginians for Reproductive Freedom. "Our coalition is supported by Virginia families, doctors, nurses and advocates, and we are excited to be able to count FFRF Action Fund amongst our supporters. Support like this puts us in more communities, having more conversations about prenatal care, childbirth, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management and fertility care, and about protecting patients and their doctors and nurses from punishment."
"This November, Nevada's voters can permanently enshrine reproductive freedom in the Nevada Constitution," says Krystal Ortiz, campaign manager for Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom. "We know that anti-abortion radicals are not giving up, and we won't take anything for granted. Our coalition of more than two dozen organizations is running a robust campaign to reach voters at their doors and on their phones -- and FFRF Action Fund's investment is making that happen."
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FFRF Action Fund is the 501(c)(4) affiliate of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom was created to help enshrine reproductive freedom in the Nevada Constitution. It is a coalition of progressive organizations and citizens who believe that in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Nevadans must take the final step of cementing the right to abortion into the state's Constitution.
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Virginians for Reproductive Freedom is a coalition of Virginia families, doctors, nurses, and advocacy organizations who believe that all Virginians should be able to make decisions regarding their own reproductive health care, including abortion care, without government interference, and no one should be faced with criminal punishment for making these decisions or providing health care.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/ffrf-action-fund-invests-in-abortion-rights-ballot-measures-in-virginia-and-nevada/
[Category: Sociological]
El Nino Threatens Children's Nutrition and Learning: World Vision Zambia Calls for Increased School Feeding Investment in the 2027 Budget
MONROVIA, California, Sept. 23 -- World Vision International issued the following news release:
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El Nino Threatens Children's Nutrition and Learning: World Vision Zambia Calls for Increased School Feeding Investment in the 2027 Budget
Lusaka, Zambia - Tuesday, September 22, 2026: World Vision Zambia calls on the Government to significantly increase and protect the Home-Grown School Meals Programme allocation in the 2027 National Budget, as Zambia prepares for an El Nino-influenced 2026/27 rainy season, with below-normal rainfall, delayed onset and prolonged dry spells expected particularly
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MONROVIA, California, Sept. 23 -- World Vision International issued the following news release:
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El Nino Threatens Children's Nutrition and Learning: World Vision Zambia Calls for Increased School Feeding Investment in the 2027 Budget
Lusaka, Zambia - Tuesday, September 22, 2026: World Vision Zambia calls on the Government to significantly increase and protect the Home-Grown School Meals Programme allocation in the 2027 National Budget, as Zambia prepares for an El Nino-influenced 2026/27 rainy season, with below-normal rainfall, delayed onset and prolonged dry spells expected particularlyacross southern parts of the country,
Launching the national seasonal rainfall forecast on 11 September, the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Patrick Kangwa, warned that the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis projects around 1.2 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity between October 2026 and March 2027, a 72% increase on the April to September figure of 698,000, and urged the nation to "stop waiting for disasters and prepare early instead." This projection does not yet fully account for the potential impact of the 2026/27 El Nino season, meaning food insecurity could worsen further if the forecast conditions materialise.
"We welcome Government's call for early preparedness, and school feeding is one of the most practical ways to act on it," says Marc Nosbach, National Director, World Vision Zambia. "A reliable school meal guarantees children at least one nutritious meal on every school day, even when drought, crop losses and rising prices hit their families."
World Vision Zambia urges the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the Ministry of Education to raise the 2027 school feeding allocation from K542.9 million in the 2026 budget to K2 Billion. This represents a 268% budgetary increase to the school feeding programme, to adequately finance the government target of reaching 6.6 million learners countrywide so that procurement and delivery systems are ready before food insecurity deepens.
Lessons from the 2023/24 drought
The 2023/24 El Nino drought, Zambia's worst in decades, affected an estimated 9.8 million people across 84 districts and cut maize production by more than half (DMMU; OCHA; ACAPS, 2024). Of the 111,964 children screened, 316 were enrolled for severe acute malnutrition and 821 for moderate, (UNICEF Zambia, 2024).
World Vision's response reached 500,000 children with food, cash and water, sanitation and hygiene support across 22 districts. Our teams saw children surviving on one meal a day, missing school, and in some cases leaving it altogether for work, care duties or early marriage. For many, the school meal was the only reliable meal of the day.
"Humanitarian funding came late and fell well short of need," says Mr Nosbach. "School feeding is already in place, reaches children where they are, and can be scaled before the lean season rather than after it."
Why increased investment is urgent
* Climate shocks become nutrition shocks. Zambia's reliance on rain-fed agriculture ties children's nutrition to rainfall. With an estimated 32% of children under five already stunted (Zambia Demographic and Health Survey, 2024), a fresh shock risks deepening this burden.
* A ready-made safety net. An established national platform lets the Government reach large numbers of children quickly, while easing the daily cost of feeding them for struggling households.
* Protection for education. School meals keep children attending, concentrating and learning, and reduce the risk of dropout.
* Early investment beats crisis response. Raising the allocation now allows procurement and delivery to be in place before the hungriest months.
"Government has the platform and has rightly called for early action," says Mr Nosbach. "Protecting and increasing the school feeding budget in 2027 is one of the most practical steps it can take to keep children fed, healthy and learning. World Vision stands ready to support that effort."
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Original text here: https://www.wvi.org/newsroom/el-nino-threatens-childrens-nutrition-and-learning-world-vision-zambia-calls-increased
[Category: Sociological]
Diverse Coalition of Nearly 90 Groups Demand Emergency Hearings on the Chaotic State of the Student Loan System
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release:
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Diverse Coalition of Nearly 90 Groups Demand Emergency Hearings on the Chaotic State of the Student Loan System
Urgent Call to Conduct Oversight Comes as Borrowers Face Massive Payment Spikes and System Chaos Amidst Worsening Affordability Crisis
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September 22, 2026 | WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A broad and diverse coalition of 89 national and state labor unions, civil rights organizations, consumer protection groups, and student and borrower advocates sent an urgent letter
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release:
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Diverse Coalition of Nearly 90 Groups Demand Emergency Hearings on the Chaotic State of the Student Loan System
Urgent Call to Conduct Oversight Comes as Borrowers Face Massive Payment Spikes and System Chaos Amidst Worsening Affordability Crisis
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September 22, 2026 | WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A broad and diverse coalition of 89 national and state labor unions, civil rights organizations, consumer protection groups, and student and borrower advocates sent an urgent letterto committee leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives with jurisdiction over federal student loans and student loan servicers, demanding an emergency hearing. The letter urges the committees to examine the chaos and confusion borrowers have faced over the last year, especially as the Trump Administration implements unprecedented cuts to financial aid and student loan repayment programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Advocates included an addendum to their letter with borrower stories from the campaign, which can also be found here (https://protectborrowers.org/resource/emergency-hearing-coalition-letter/).
The letter comes as the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has backed away from critical oversight of its student loan servicers and reduced its own staffing in key offices responsible for supporting borrowers facing challenges. At the same time, the Trump Administration has continued its quest to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and deprioritized supervision and oversight of the student loan industry more broadly. The letter details a long series of unacceptable servicing failures and errors that borrowers have been forced to navigate on their own, making it harder for them to budget and plan financially.
From the letter:
"All of these changes are happening at the same time as millions of Americans--including those with student loan debt--navigate a worsening affordability crisis. As a result, student loan distress is hitting record levels as borrowers attempt to budget for spiking payments and traverse a new and chaotic system. This dynamic threatens to further compound an unprecedented default crisis. A startling 25 percent of student loan borrowers are now behind on a student loan with more than 9 million--or 1 in 5--borrowers now in default. Delinquency rates are even higher for Black and Native American borrowers, reaching nearly 50 percent for these groups and are particularly high for borrowers who had previously received a Pell Grant."
"Making matters even worse, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) also announced that it would formally terminate the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan and force over 7 million Americans into alternative repayment plans earlier than required by Congress. Estimates show that a typical borrower enrolled in the SAVE plan could be forced to pay over $4,000 more per year on their student loans under the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) created under the new OBBBA. Borrowers forced out of the SAVE plan have already begun to report payment spikes of over $500 per month and challenges with keeping up with these skyrocketing payments. If borrowers forced to exit the SAVE plan enter default at the same rate as other borrowers, the total number of student loan borrowers in distress could reach 17 million or more. This unprecedented level of borrower distress is already taking a toll on the finances of millions of families. Over the previous year, borrowers with delinquent student loans have already seen their credit scores decrease by 57 points on average--plunging them into deep subprime territory which will make it harder for them to access affordable credit and even secure employment or housing."
Earlier this summer, in response to the onslaught of changes, chaos, and confusion among borrowers, advocates launched the "One Big Bill" campaign to elevate the stories of Americans with student loan debt, documenting their spiking student loan bills and other devastating financial consequences from the OBBBA. In the months following, the campaign has collected hundreds of stories from borrowers worried about how they will afford their new student loan bills and their struggles with trying to get help to avoid falling behind.
Further Reading
Read more about the One Big Bill Campaign: "One Big Bill" Story Gathering Campaign Launches to Document the Financial Harm of OBBBA on Working Families With Student Loan Debt (https://protectborrowers.org/one-big-bill-story-gathering-campaign-launch/)
Read Protect Borrowers' analysis of how OBBBA will burden student loan borrowers with additional taxes: Tax Breaks for Billionaires, Tax Bombs for Borrowers: The "One Big Beautiful Bill" Slams Americans Who Earn Student Debt Cancellation with Thousands of Dollars in Additional Taxes Starting 2026 (https://protectborrowers.org/tax-breaks-for-billionaires-tax-bombs-for-borrowers-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-slams-americans-who-earn-student-debt-cancellation-with-thousands-of-dollars-in-additional-taxes-sta/)
Read our blog on OBBBA: What Students and Borrowers Need to Know Now that President Trump's "One Big Terrible Bill" is Law (https://protectborrowers.org/what-borrowers-need-to-know-now-that-trumps-big-terrible-bill-is-law/)
Read our Deep Dive on OBBBA: Deep Dive: The OBBBA Law Makes Paying for College More Expensive and Risky (https://protectborrowers.org/resource/deep-dive-the-obbba-law-makes-paying-for-college-more-expensive-and-risky/)
Read our report on the broken student loan servicing companies in charge of OBBBA changes: New Report Shows Trump's Deadline Will Thrust Millions of Student Loan Borrowers into Broken and Corrupt Servicing System (https://protectborrowers.org/new-report-shows-trumps-deadline-will-thrust-millions-of-student-loan-borrowers-into-corrupt-system/)
Read our blog on student loan companies: The Student Loan Companies Driving the System Today (https://protectborrowers.org/the-student-loan-companies-driving-the-system-today/)
Read our blog on SAVE ending: So Much for Saving on a Valuable Education: What Borrowers Need to Know Now That SAVE Is No Longer An Option (https://protectborrowers.org/so-much-for-saving-on-a-valuable-education-what-borrowers-need-to-know-now/)
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Original text here: https://protectborrowers.org/nearly-90-groups-demand-emergency-hearings-on-chaotic-state-of-student-loan-system/
[Category: Financial Services]
Council on American-Islamic Relations Issues Letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSletter) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following letter to Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire:
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Here is the text of the letter:
September 16, 2026
The Honorable James E. Risch
Chair
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
483 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
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The Honorable Jeanne Shaheen
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
506 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
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RE: CAIR Request to
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSletter) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following letter to Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire:
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Here is the text of the letter:
September 16, 2026
The Honorable James E. Risch
Chair
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
483 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
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The Honorable Jeanne Shaheen
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
506 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
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RE: CAIR Request toWithhold Approval of the Wesley Hunt Nomination Over AntiSaudi, Anti-Muslim, Anti-Islam Statements
Dear Chair Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen, and Members of the Committee:
On behalf of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, I urge the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to withhold approval of the Representative Wesley Hunt's nomination to serve as United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which President Donald Trump transmitted to the Senate on September 14, 2026, until he addresses his history of racist and bigoted remarks about that nation and its majority religion.1
Before any favorable action, your committee should ask Mr. Hunt to publicly recant and apologize for his inaccurate and hateful statements about Saudi Arabian culture, Islam, and Muslims, withdraw from the anti-Muslim hate group known as the Sharia-Free America Caucus, and publicly repudiate its bigoted agenda.
America's ambassador to Saudi Arabia should not have a history of disparaging his time in that country, its people, or Islam. The ambassador must lead a mission that serves all Americans and engages respectfully with the host country. That includes protecting the interests of American Muslims who live, work, study, visit family, or travel there, including for Hajj and Umrah. The State Department provides guidance and emergency consular assistance for these pilgrims. They must be able to seek help without wondering whether the ambassador regards their faith as a threat or their religious practice as evidence of disloyalty.2
We ask the Committee to examine the following record when assessing Mr. Hunt's fitness for this assignment.
Disparaging statements about Saudi Arabia and Muslim culture: Rep. Hunt's multiple statements critical of the Saudi government's policies does not justify his even more sweeping claims that hostility and a lack of forgiveness are culturally ingrained in Saudi and Muslim populations. The Committee should require Mr. Hunt to address the following anti-Saudi, anti-Muslim claims that he has made over the past two years: In a December 8, 2025 video, Mr. Hunt drew on his service in Saudi Arabia to warn against admitting people he associated with the country's religious culture:
"I was actually stationed in Saudi Arabia when that happened [the U.S. killing Osama Bin Laden]. Bin Laden was actually born in Riyadh. While I was station there when we killed him, did you know that I actually didn't go to work when I was a diplomatic liaison officer for two weeks after we killed Bin Laden for fear of Bin Laden sympathizers in Saudi Arabia and in Riyadh that, that, that could have possibly been targeting American coalition forces.
"Put that in perspective, these are our allies that we are working with every single day and we were actually fearful of our lives. Now imagine letting people with that mindset come to our country and you wonder why we are waking up to having dead national guardsmen. You wonder why you're seeing these frivolous attacks. Because let me let tell you something, the mentality of these people never ended - it never stops - the jihad never ends. We are the infidel. And so, if you don't understand this is ingrained in them culturally for generations, get over it. Because at the end of the day, we sing kumbaya, we are the culture that believes in Christ. We are the ones that believe in forgiveness. That is not inherently the culture of Sharia law."3
Participation in the Sharia-Free America Caucus. A June 29 announcement by caucus co-chair Representative Keith Self identifies Mr. Hunt as a member and includes his own statement rejecting sharia, the rules Muslims follow, as incompatible with the Constitution.4 CAIR has designated the caucus an anti-Muslim hate group. Our 2026 civil rights report, "The Right to be Different," documents its role in the broader campaign to portray Muslim religious identity as grounds for exclusion from American civic life.5
On June 8, 2026, 119 Members of the House and Senate signed a letter condemning the caucus and associated legislation, including the Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act, the No Shari'a Act, and the Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act. They wrote that these proposals "address no identifiable gap in U.S. law and raise serious constitutional concerns" and explained that Sharia provides personal religious guidance without superseding U.S. law.6
Portraying Islam as a project of infiltration. Rep. Hunt has made it clear in his remarks that he personally attributes a hostile mission to the religion of Islam itself and portrays Muslims as a threat. They are incompatible with the respect for religious freedom and equal citizenship expected of an American ambassador.
During a January 16, 2026, interview, Rep. Hunt was asked, "On the Islamic front in Texas and across America, how concerned should we be?" He replied:
"Oh, we should be extremely concerned. Because this is actually the mandate that's been given to Islam is to basically go to other countries and infiltrate them. Have a heavy population and then eventually take them over. This is what's happened, for generations. And so what we have to do is protect our culture here in the United States."
Later in the same interview, Rep. Hunt stated: "I am unapologetic about this because I have seen other countries that live under these rules. It is not compatible with the United States. End of discussion and we have got to ban it."7
Turning Muslim faith and religious outreach into campaign targets. On October 14, 2025, Rep. Hunt posted on his personal X.com in response to anti-Muslim activist Laura Loomer: "Sharia Law is completely incompatible with the founding principles of the United States of America... If Biden's FBI can infiltrate Christian churches, then the least our law enforcement can do is monitor jihadist threats before they strike. Yes, Sharia Law should be banned in America. Any ideology or belief system that stands against our Constitution, our freedoms, or the God-given equality of men and women has no place in Texas, or anywhere in this country."8
On October 27., 2025, Rep. Hunt's campaign released an advertisement attacking Senator John Cornyn for issuing Ramadan greetings to Muslim Texans and using the phrase "Inshallah" ("God willing"), labeling him "Sharia John." Treating ordinary outreach to Muslims as a political liability raises doubts about Rep. Hunt's willingness to engage with Islamic countries and Muslim communities as a diplomat.9
On January 6, 2026, when announcing his Temporary Protected Status proposal, Rep. Hunt explicitly invoked the affected countries' Muslim-majority status: "This bill ensures that the abuses and extensions made to Muslim-majority countries like Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon are terminated."10
Conditioning acceptance on cultural assimilation. At a January 19, 2026, campaign event in Amarillo, TX, Rep. Hunt said: "I spent three years of my life in the Middle East, in countries run by Sharia law. So when I see it threatening my great state, as someone who has lived in those regions, I can tell you it is not compatible with our way of life in this state or in this country."11
In a February 11 interview with The Dallas Express, Rep. Hunt said: "And as somebody that lived in Saudi Arabia and spent time in Iraq and spent time in countries that lived under Sharia law, I'm here to tell you that's not going to coincide with the values of America. We have our own constitution. We have our own set of laws. You don't get to come here and live under your own set of rules."
"In fact, if you think you're going to do that, you need to go back to your country of origin..."
He added: "And as somebody again that has lived in The Middle East and was awakened that every single day by the perpetual call to prayer, you can do that in your own house, on your own time, serving your own God, but that doesn't mean that that's going to be the loss of this land."12
The Committee should require Rep. Hunt to reconcile how can he serve credibly in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest sites, if he regards the faith's public practice with hostility. Islam is reflected throughout Saudi public life, culture, and national traditions. Respectful engagement with that society is central to this assignment.
Targeting Islamic religious materials in schools. At the May 13, House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government hearing titled "Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam and Sharia Law are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution: Part II," chaired by Representative Chip Roy, who is the founding co-chair of the anti-Muslim Sharia-Free America Caucus, Rep. Hunt called America a "Christian Nation" and warned that "importing belief systems and cultural values" he deemed "fundamentally incompatible" with its founding principles causes its "social fabric" to "fray." He asserted that "sharia law has no place to usurp our Constitution" and contrasted American law with "religious extremism or parallel legal systems," linking Sharia with extremism and constitutional subversion.
During the hearing, Rep. Hunt also praised a supposed American Muslim friend for being "an American first" who had "fully embraced our culture and what it means to be an American," adding, "That's good. That's what we want." These remarks again portray Muslim identity and religious expression as suspect unless they conform to his cultural expectations.13
CAIR's Recommendations to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: If Mr. Hunt retains the hostility toward Saudi Arabia, Islam, and Muslims reflected in this record, he is unsuitable for the post. He finished third in the Texas Republican Senate primary after a campaign that repeatedly used anti-Muslim appeals. An ambassadorship to the country that is home to Islam's holiest city should not become a consolation prize for a losing campaign that trafficked in such anti-Islam animosity.
Before any favorable committee vote, we urge members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to require Rep. Hunt to:
1. Publicly recant his sweeping claims that Islam directs its followers to infiltrate and take over countries and his disparaging generalizations about Saudi Arabia, Islam, and Muslims.
2. Issue a specific, unequivocal public apology to American Muslims, the Saudi people, and the broader Muslim community for these inappropriate and unacceptable statements.
3. Publicly withdraw from the Sharia-Free America Caucus and repudiate its hateful agenda, including efforts to stigmatize Muslim religious practice and exclude people because of their faith.
4. Explain under oath how he will protect all Americans, provide equal treatment to American Muslim residents and travelers, and ensure fair treatment of Muslim personnel. He must make concrete commitments on consular assistance, outreach to American Muslim communities, and rebuilding trust with Saudi counterparts.
We ask the Committee to enter the cited statements into the nomination record, question Rep. Hunt directly, and withhold approval unless and until he takes these corrective steps.
Thank you for your consideration. Please contact me at rmccaw@cair.com or 202-742-6448 to discuss these concerns.
Sincerely,
Robert S. McCaw, Government Affairs Department Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations
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Original text and footnotes here: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CAIR-Letter-Re-Rep-Hunts-Nomination-9-16-26.pdf
News Release here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-urges-senate-foreign-relations-committee-to-withhold-approval-of-wesley-hunt-nomination-over-anti-muslim-anti-islam-statements/
[Category: Sociological]
ALG Hosts Discussion At GOP Midterm Convention On Sept. 10 On Lawfare, Dark Money And Foreign Influence
FAIRFAX, Virginia, Sept. 23 [Category: Government/Public Administration] -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following news release:
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ALG Hosts Discussion At GOP Midterm Convention On Sept. 10 On Lawfare, Dark Money And Foreign Influence
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Sept. 3, 2026, Fairfax, Va.-Americans for Limited Government today announced a discussion on lawfare, dark money and foreign influence targeting U.S. economic infrastructure critical to national security at the Dallas, Texas GOP Midterm Convention on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m.:
GOP MIDTERM CONVENTION
LAWFARE * DARK MONEY * FOREIGN INFLUENCE * POLITICAL
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FAIRFAX, Virginia, Sept. 23 [Category: Government/Public Administration] -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following news release:
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ALG Hosts Discussion At GOP Midterm Convention On Sept. 10 On Lawfare, Dark Money And Foreign Influence
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Sept. 3, 2026, Fairfax, Va.-Americans for Limited Government today announced a discussion on lawfare, dark money and foreign influence targeting U.S. economic infrastructure critical to national security at the Dallas, Texas GOP Midterm Convention on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m.:
GOP MIDTERM CONVENTION
LAWFARE * DARK MONEY * FOREIGN INFLUENCE * POLITICALABUSE
Join Americans for Limited Government for a timely discussion on the growing use of lawfare, dark money, and politically motivated abuses by foreign adversaries like China, progressive politicians and activist organizations to target critical infrastructure, data centers, manufacturing, power plants, rare earth minerals and energy development including oil, shale and natural gas.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, this event will examine how foreign actors, political opponents and other well-funded outside groups are using the legal system, nonprofit organizations, litigation, and dark-money networks to influence elections, target political adversaries, and advance progressive political agendas that are targeting critical aspects of the U.S. economy vital to national security as President Trump engages in reindustrialization.
The Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act, H.R. 2675, would prohibit or require disclosure of certain foreign-backed litigation funding arrangements. The Litigation Transparency Act, H.R. 1109, would require parties in federal civil cases to disclose when outside financiers have a financial stake in litigation. In addition, President Donald Trump could issue an executive order under the Corporate Transparency Act for the Treasury Department to designate litigation funders as entities required to report their beneficial owners and also under the Bank Secrecy Act to trigger additional reporting requirements -rooting out foreign influence in American courts.
KEY TOPICS
* Lawfare and politically motivated litigation
* Dark-money networks and progressive funding
* Abuses of government and political power
* The role of foreign actors, activist NGOs and outside organizations targeting economy and endangering national security
* What these tactics mean for the 2026 midterm elections
* Strategies for greater transparency and accountability as Congress and the President consider action
EVENT DETAILS
Hosted by:
Americans for Limited Government
Location:
The Henry Dallas
2301 N Akard St.
Dallas, TX 75201
Time:
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
GOP MIDTERM CONVENTION
Join fellow conservative leaders, activists, policymakers, and concerned citizens for an important conversation about protecting political freedom, economic and national security, transparency and the rule of law. Breakfast will be served.
RSVP: robert@getliberty.org
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Original text here: https://getliberty.org/2026/09/alg-hosts-discussion-at-gop-midterm-convention-on-sept-10-on-lawfare-dark-money-and-foreign-influence/
(TNSmrp)
