WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNStalk) -- The Center for Economic and Policy Research issued the following agency statement on May 31, 2023: * * * The Republicans' use of the debt ceiling to threaten a forced default and non-payment of other current, approved, and legal obligations - including salaries and benefits owed - is a form of extortion that should not be allowed in a democracy. It had nothing to do with reducing the public debt. The total reduction of the public debt from the Republican House   more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- House Democratic Caucus issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: House Democratic Leadership held a press conference on the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, which avoids a devastating default while protecting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other vital programs for everyday Americans. LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning, everyone. We just completed a Caucus meeting with the White House negotiators and presenters, and it was a very thoughtful, comprehensive, clear-  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-California, issued the following news release statement on May 31, 2023: * * * Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) issued the following statement on his vote on H.R. 3746, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 314-to-117. "While defaulting on our debt is not an option, I voted against this bill because I refuse to reward the political extortion of the extreme faction of the Republican Party," said Congressman DeSaulnier. "In  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Georgia, issued the following statement on June 1, 2023: * * * Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) issued the following statement after voting no on the GOP's Debt Ceiling Bill: "In Congress, I always center those most marginalized in my decision making process, communities that far too often get overlooked and left behind. These communities look to me to protect lifelines that put food on the table or programs that make up for generations of in  more

WASHINGTON, May 30 (TNStalk) -- Earthjustice issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * House Republicans and the White House announced a deal to raise the debt ceiling and avert an economic crisis. The deal cuts spending for programs critical to environmental protections and our social safety net. In addition, the deal includes hastily negotiated changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, and provisions that bypass judicial review to mandate approval of the Mountain Valley P  more

WASHINGTON, May 29 -- The House Oversight and Accountability Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-36) on the House Homeland Security Committee's authorization and oversight plans for the 118th Congress. The report was advanced by Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, on April 17, 2023. (Continued from Part 8 of 18) * * * COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY 118TH CONGRESS AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY Clause 2(d)(1), rule X of the Rules of the House of Represent  more

HIGH POINT, North Carolina, May 26 (TNSres) -- High Point University issued the following news release: In a new High Point University Poll, a majority of North Carolinians (67%) say they would want a compromise to solve the U.S. debt ceiling problem. Only 21% say it is more important for the president and members of Congress in Washington, D.C., to stick with their principles even if it results in a default on the debt. About two out of five (43%) North Carolinians say they have heard a lot a  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, May 22 -- The Indiana Democratic Party issued the following news release and letter: Indiana Congressman and 2024 Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim Banks is standing in the way of women receiving reproductive healthcare at their local pharmacy. His blatant political move would ban women from receiving mifepristone, a drug that is safer than Tylenol. In a recent letter signed by Banks to the CEOs of Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreens from Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter, 36 House   more

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 2 (TNSrpt) -- Louisiana State University issued the following news release: Researchers from the Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication have released the third report of the 2023 Louisiana Survey. Findings show most residents support legal abortion when the mother's life is in serious danger and in cases of rape, but opinion divides on other cases. The 2023 Louisiana Survey includes two distinct efforts to sample re  more

WASHINGTON, May 30 (TNStalk) -- Oil Change International issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * Congress and the Biden Administration recently released the complete text of legislation that would increase the debt ceiling while also advancing a wide array of the Republican Party and fossil fuel industry's priorities. * * * In response, Collin Rees, United States Program Manager at Oil Change International, released the following statement: "President Biden's capitulation to  more

WASHINGTON, May 30 (TNSrep) -- Protect Our Care issued a 9-page white paper in March 2023 entitled "Medical Abortion Case in Texas Endangers Health of Millions of Women and Threatens Entire U.S. Drug Approval Process: Opens the Door to Banning Critical Life-Saving Drugs Relied on by Millions." * * * Anti-abortion advocates, represented by a far-right legal organization, have filed a lawsuit before a federal judge in Texas with the sweeping aim of a nationwide ban of mifepristone, which is used  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Delaware, issued the following statement on May 31, 2023: * * * Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, avoiding a catastrophic default on our debt. "Let me be clear - we should never have been in this position in the first place. Republicans decided to play political games with the U.S. economy and risked the full faith and credit o  more

WASHINGTON, May 28 -- Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wisconsin, issued the following statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on May 25, 2023: * * * END RACIAL PREFERENCE POLICIES Madam Speaker, most of the discussion in this building over the last 2 weeks has been on the debt limit, and I guess I should lead off by addressing it a little bit. A lot of the American public is thinking, why are people fighting on this bill? What difference does it really make? Let us get it behind us  more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-California, issued the following statement on May 31, 2023: * * * Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition, today voted to avert a historic default despite serious concerns about the expanded work requirements and cuts to the social safety net. * * * Congresswoman Sara Jacobs said: "After serious consideration, I voted yes on the Bipartisan Budget Agreement to prevent the firs  more

WASHINGTON, May 29 -- The Senate Budget Committee issued the following testimony by Bruce R. Bartlett, ex-deputy assistant secretary of Treasury for economic policy, involving a hearing on May 17, 2023, entitled "The Rich Get Richer, Deficits Get Bigger: How Tax Cuts for the Wealthy and Corporations Drive the National Debt": * * * Bruce Bartlett was formerly a prominent Republican economist deeply involved in tax policy; he is now an independent. For some years he has thought that Republicans   more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release on June 1, 2023: U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor on the debt limit legislation being considered by the Senate today after House passage on Wednesday night. "The funding decisions we make right here in this chamber are not just numbers on a page," began Senator Murray. "They are investments in people, in families, in our communities,   more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on June 1, 2023: U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor on the debt limit legislation being considered by the Senate today after House passage on Wednesday night. "The funding decisions we make right here in this chamber are not just numbers on a page," began Senator Murray. "They are inves  more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, issued the following statement on May 31, 2023: * * * Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) released the following statement after voting to oppose the debt limit deal: "I made a promise to my residents when they sent me to Congress that I would never sell them out. I cannot vote for a bill that guts key environmental protections and greenlights dirty fossil fuel projects for corporate polluters who are poisoning our communities, pushes our   more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) voted in favor of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement that will prevent a default on the nation's debt, which would have had catastrophic impacts on families across Massachusetts. "A default on our debt would be disastrous for working families here in Massachusetts and across our nation. For months, House Republicans have held the livelihoods of families, veterans, and seni  more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-New York, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15) tonight released the following statement about his vote on H.R. 3746 - the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023: "I represent one of the poorest Congressional districts in America. The fraudulent Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which was forced upon President Joe Biden by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, would have a disproportionately destructive impact on the   more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following news release: House Republicans--under the leadership of Speaker Kevin McCarthy--will vote on a bipartisan agreement to get America's fiscal house in order, while raising the debt limit. For the first time in a debt ceiling negotiation, House Republicans secured historic spending cuts, the largest funding rescissions in history, and pro-growth regulatory refo  more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Massachusetts, issued the following remarks: Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA-33), and Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu (CA-36) for a press conference ahead of tonight's House vote on the Bipartisan Budget Agreement. Below is a transcript of her remarks: "Let me start off with what we know. It's been nearly three months since President Biden release  more