BRUNSWICK, Maine, March 13 -- Bowdoin College issued the following news: Civil rights lawyer Myrna Perez made the case, in a Thursday night talk for Bowdoin, that the protection and enhancement of voting rights must be the bedrock for all other political projects. With a large portion of her audience in mind, Perez made several appeals to students to get involved in bolstering our democracy by ensuring every vote is counted and everyone has equal and unhindered access to the polls. "If your j  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice issued the following news release on March 16, 2021: After years of obstruction that have left the Senate unable to pass legislation that can protect the vulnerable and respond to the needs of our people, the Catholic Sisters and activists of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice have called for the elimination of the Senate filibuster. This Jim Crow-era relic has blocked democracy reform, civil rights protections, and health  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), today took to the Senate Floor to discuss the publication of a report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) which confirmed the Russian Federation favored Donald Trump's re-election and sought to influence the outcome of the 2020 election by amplifying att  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Democratic Governors Association issued the following statement on March 15, 2021: * * * Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he has formed a recall committee to fight back against the Republican Party's latest scheme to disrupt COVID-19 recovery efforts and rile up the Trump base. Democratic Governors Association Executive Director Noam Lee released the following statement on the California recall: "Rather than allowing Californians to focus on fight  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- The Democratic Governors Association issued the following news on March 16, 2021: Following Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement forming a committee to oppose Republicans' recall campaign in California, Democrats across the country announced their support for Gov. Newsom. Instead of focusing on fighting COVID-19, Republicans are wasting taxpayer money, time, and energy on a partisan recall in the middle of a national crisis. The Republican recall is being led by  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Democratic Governors Association issued the following news: As Sabato's Crystal Ball and other publications report he is considering a gubernatorial run next year, Maryland Rep. Andy Harris is trying to rewrite his failed record on COVID-19, softening his tone on the pandemic. But mere months ago, Harris was encouraging vaccine hesitancy at a town hall, calling COVID-19 the "Wuhan virus," and protesting GOP Gov. Larry Hogan's COVID safety measures. Harris also recen  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 (TNSRes) -- Freedom for All Americans issued the following news release on March 17, 2021: The Senate Judiciary Committee held its first-ever hearing on S. 383, the Equality Act, which would update federal civil rights law to ensure explicit and comprehensive protections for LGBTQ people from discrimination in virtually every area of life. The legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a bipartisan victory last month. "Today's Equality Act hearing in the Senat  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, March 20 -- The Georgia Republican Party issued the following statement: * * * Members of the State Executive Committee of the Georgia Republican Party have unanimously adopted the following resolution: WHEREAS, it has been reported that the chief investigator for the Secretary of State secretly recorded a telephone conversation with President Donald J. Trump and further reported Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs mischaracterized the contents of that conversation in a s  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 17 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following news release on March 16, 2021: The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today celebrated the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus's (IBLC) success in the full passage of House Bill 1006, a criminal justice bill which will enforce de-escalation training for officers, defines chokeholds as deadly force, criminally penalizes officers who turn off body c  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 17 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following statement on March 16, 2021 by Chairman John Zody: * * * The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today issued the following statement after Governor Eric Holcomb announced his appointment of State Representative Holli Sullivan to be the next Secretary of State for the State of Indiana: "If Holli Sullivan's record is an indication of how she'll  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 16 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following news release on March 15, 2021: The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today celebrated a weekend where Hoosiers across Indiana learned about how the American Rescue Plan would directly benefit struggling Indiana families during the pandemic. This COVID-19 relief package was approved by an overwhelming 76-percent public majority, including a maj  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 20 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following news release on March 19, 2021: The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today slammed the Indiana Republican Party's congressional delegation for failing to protect survivors of domestic violence and preventing undocumented Hoosiers from having a pathway for attaining U.S. Citizenship. Both votes by Indiana Republicans once again prove they are a  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 19 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following news release on March 18, 2021: The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today slammed U.S. Senator Mike Braun for deploying misinformation about the transgender community in order to stoke fear among Indiana Republican Party voters. In an op-ed published yesterday (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/why-i-oppose-the-radical-equali  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 19 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following news release on March 18, 2021: The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today condemned U.S. Senator Todd Young for his predictable, rhetorical about-face about accountability within the Indiana Republican Party. It was reported this week that Todd Young had put in an endorsement request with former President Donald Trump for his reelection campa  more

LANSING, Michigan, March 19 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release: Despite being the focus of media attention, Congress is not always where the most outlandish Republicans are spewing their vitriol, according to a new report from Mother Jones. In particular, the report notes that Michigan Republicans are a prime example of how these radical viewpoints legitimizing extreme conspiracy theories and embracing white supremacy are incubating in Republican-led state legis  more

LANSING, Michigan, March 18 -- The Michigan Republican Party issued the following news: Attorney General Dana Nessel is putting cronyism ahead of leadership by refusing to launch an investigation into the decision-making process, and subsequent impact, of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's nursing home orders. Eight state senators in Michigan, led by State Sen. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake), asked Nessel to launch an investigation into whether the governor's policies may have exacerbated deaths from COVID-  more

LANSING, Michigan, March 20 -- The Michigan Republican Party issued the following news: Under the leadership of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel locked up a small business owner Friday morning after she kept her Holland-Michigan pizzeria open to the public. Marlena Hackney, who escaped communist rule in Poland as a teenager, was arrested Friday morning for, continuing to, "willfully violate the state's food laws." Nessel and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Developme  more

LANSING, Michigan, March 18 -- The Michigan Republican Party issued the following news: MIGOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock responds to news that Elizabeth Hertel-appointed Deputy Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, David Knezek, is double dipping off the taxpayer's dime, according to the Detroit Free Press. Knezek, a member of the Wayne County Commission where he makes $62,592 per year, was brought on to serve as one of three chief deputy directors of DHHS under Hertel. Servin  more

LANSING, Michigan, March 19 -- The Michigan Republican Party issued the following news: Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was forced to waive the confidentiality portion of a secret deal made with Robert Gordon, the former director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), after the Michigan Republican Party exposed the secret deal and called for it to be nullified. "We are pleased that our efforts forced the governor to waive this confidentiality agreement, but very serious  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, March 18 -- The New Hampshire Republican Party issued the following news on March 17, 2021: New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Stephen Stepanek released the following statement regarding Dr. Jill Biden's visit to New Hampshire today promoting the Democrats' $1.9 Trillion spending spree: "The so-called "American Rescue Plan" is a proverbial Pot-of-Gold at the end of the rainbow that Granite Staters will never reach and burdens our children and grandchildre  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, March 16 -- The New Hampshire Republican Party issued the following news: New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Stephen Stepanek released the following statement regarding the growing border crisis: "President Joe Biden is more concerned about opening the border than he is about opening our schools," said NHGOP Chairman Stephen Stepanek. "When we look at our New Hampshire Federal delegation of Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan, Congressmen Pappas, and Congres  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, March 19 -- The New Hampshire Republican Party issued the following news on March 18, 2021: New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Stephen Stepanek released the following statement after State Senate Republicans advanced SB 130-FN, relative to education freedom accounts: "Today marks a big win for expanding education opportunities here in New Hampshire," said NHGOP Chairman Stephen Stepanek. "Granite State Students and their families should join me in applaud  more

CLAREMONT, California, March 17 -- Pomona College issued the following Q&A: Right-wing extremists attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Images from the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, four years ago are reminders that white supremacy is still a violent force in America. And around the globe, far-right terrorist attacks have increased by 320% over the past five years, according to the Global Terrorism Database, the gold standard index of terrorist events. Pomona College Sociology Professor  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Delaware, issued the following news release: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) voted in favor of H.J.Res. 17 which would remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. "Last year, I was honored to preside over the House of Representatives during the historic vote on the Equal Rights Amendment," said Rep. Blunt Rochester. "Today, I was proud to once again vote to remove the arb  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following floor statement on March 18, 2021: * * * Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor former New York State Senator and former U.S. Ambassador H. Douglas "Doug" Barclay for his lifetime achievements in both the private sector and public service. A New Yorker through and through, Doug dedicated his entire life to the people of New York State. While he was born in New York City in 1932, his parents quickly returned to Pulaski  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Massachusetts, issued the following floor statement: * * * Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), the mother of two young girls, took to the House floor to call for passage of H.J.Res. 17, legislation she cosponsored to remove an arbitrary time limit for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The full clip of Trahan's remarks on the House floor in support of H.J.Res. 17 can be accessed by Clicking here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0R_L  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Ripon Society issued the following news: With a new Congress beginning earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) took over as the new Republican Leader of the Energy & Commerce Committee. First elected to Congress in 2004, she has served in House leadership as the Republican Conference Chair in the past and is a veteran member of the panel. She appeared Wednesday afternoon before a virtual meeting of The Ripon Society and began her remarks by touchi  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Ripon Society issued the following news: The Ripon Forum kicks off its 55th year of publication with an edition that focuses not only on the road ahead for the Republican Party, but some of the solutions GOP leaders are putting forward to meet the challenges Americans will face in 2021. Leading the Forum's coverage of the GOP's future are three Republicans who have become leading voices on the subject in the weeks since the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capit  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- The Ripon Society issued the following news on March 16, 2021: The Ripon Society hosted a virtual meeting this past Thursday with U.S. Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina and the newest member of the Palmetto State delegation, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace. The two members discussed not only the agenda in Congress, but the road ahead for Republicans this year. "My whole focus in Congress is on American competitiveness," Rice stated, kicking off the discussion. "Just a year ago, we h  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Ripon Society issued the following news: The Ripon Society hosted a virtual discussion on Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who spoke about what his priorities look like this year on Capitol Hill. According to Scott, creating opportunities for Americans across the country remains a primary focus. "I think of the GOP as the 'Great Opportunity Party,'" Scott stated. "And one of the things that we have to do is continue to be hopeful. In these challenging times   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following floor statement on March 17, 2021: * * * U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), today took to the Senate Floor to discuss the publication of a report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) which confirmed the Russian Federation favored Donald Trump's re-election and sought to influence the outcome of the 2020 election by amplifying attacks on Joe Biden and hi  more

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following transcript of her weekly news conference on March 19, 2021: * * * Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below are the Speaker's remarks: Speaker Pelosi. Good morning, everyone. As we deliver the benefits of the American Rescue Plan, we're hard at work to lower health care costs and expand access to care, which we have seen a great need for during the spr  more

AMHERST, Massachusetts, March 16 (TNSRes) -- The University of Massachusetts-Amherst issued the following news on March 15, 2021: As Gov. Charlie Baker mulls running for a possible third term, approval for the Republican government has eroded during the COVID pandemic, according to a new University of Massachusetts Amherst / WCVB poll released today. Soaring high in August 2020 with a 78% approval rating, Baker now has 52% approving of the job he's done in the State House, while those disappro  more

MADISON, Wisconsin, March 19 -- The Wisconsin Republican Party issued the following news: The Evers administration severely undercounted COVID-19 deaths in long-term care facilities, making their response to COVID-19 appear much better than it was, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed on Thursday. The unreported deaths drove up the percentage of COVID-19 deaths that occurred in long-term care facilities from between 26 and 30 percent to nearly 50 percent. The earlier reported percentages we  more