Letters from Capitol Hill that Members of Congress have written and signed on to lately.
The Groundhog saw its shadow in Punxsutawney, Penn., this weekend, meaning six more weeks of winter by weird American rodent weather prediction tradition, and, by the Bill Murray classic tradition, history is certainly repeating itself with the President’s declaration of tariff deadlines for this Tuesday.
Trump isn’t the first American President to run and win on a promise of a country restored, rife with manufacturing and producing jobs to sustain a shrinking middle class - one that wouldn’t say they are victimized, but wouldn’t disagree they are forgotten - using the notion and action of tariffs.
Labeled under a cause- pretext or otherwise - of a failure to crack down on fentanyl and people crossing U.S. borders, as well as supporting made in the USA initiatives, Trump is poised to enact a 25 percent tariff on compulsory neighbors Canada and Mexico, as well as a 10 percent tariff on the U.S.’ best frenemy China. This is a staunch reversal of virtually duty-free North American trade that’s existed for several years.
Trump’s tariff Cheshire guide is often-forgotten American President William McKinley, who flung the U.S. from an isolationist nation to a global empire by winning a war largely founded in conspiracy to defeat the Spanish and acquire the territories of Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
International agreements cannot superseded the supremacy of the U.S. constitution, but the President is permitted to enter into international agreements with foreign sovereign counterparts, with 2/3rds of the senate requiring ratification.
An executive weapon of choice for Trump; for the limited need of Congress to get involved, as well as how sanctions are proving more harmful than effective to capture American influence, import tariffs may incentivize domestic production, and, should it fail, a falling value of the U.S. dollar creates an almost better outcome than could be designed.
The new tariffs are set to take effect at 12:01 am New York time on Tuesday percolating a potential global trade war.
Trump's tariffs are already roiling markets and boiling geopolitical temperatures, with the effects being more trickle down than short term gain. Despite the uncertainty, supporters' loyalty and the will of Congress to weather the economic storm will be what pulls Trump through or forces him to fold.
Next tariff target: Europe.
Signaling so far suggests supporters will stick it out, already standing by their Trump man through the turmoil caused by vague executive orders. The reason for the acceptance likely comes down to the orders' intentions of truncating the bleed of federal funds, taking stock, and implementing a new order to refresh the sloshing status quo - cradle conservatives, raised to believe Republican and nothing else is right because it's what they've been told, can get behind an outsider coming to drain the swamp and running the government like a business.
No, they don't need to see his business record, either. They've seen and loved The Apprentice.
As part of Trump’s promised golden age for America - a rebirth of a nation - under which a showing of a racist movie hidden under a guise of progressive commentary on the White House lawn would be more on brand than not, oil drilling and production will not be limited, and it seems as though oil imports will be exempt from at least the most impending tranche of tariffs.
The anti-immigration, racist-seeming, pro-America positions being drummed up by Trump are all the hallmark of powerful populism most remembered in history, but perhaps it is the purpose of humanity to walk the fine line of fervor, driving and motivating an innovative and resilient economy, and the demise of reality as we know it, evolving – or abandoning - humanity in favor of this progress.
For some context on the identity of President Trump and the people of his new conservative party – a vast majority of these Americans would claim they are not racist. Colloquially, it is likely an even larger majority of this population has said a racial slur, and, even larger still, is the likely many believe themselves absolved of these past missteps for a lack of malintent.
The greater number of them are religious or at least belong to a church or community dedicated to good, moral, God-loving values. It’s just a better headline to focus on the few who have confused generational indoctrination and tying them to storied atrocities taught in school curriculum and paint the entire Republican clan in this white. The common thread of the two groups is that both do not care if you believe them to be racist or not.
However, coming out from a slowdown of oil drilling and U.S. production under Biden, not to mention a lack of skilled labor needed to achieve the gap that will be created by ceasing import of Canadian crude, the U.S.’ largest supplier, American drillers and refiners may face challenges stepping into a new reality Trump insists the U.S. is not only ready for, but is entitled to. .
Slightly ironic, needed to achieve this energy dominance is steel, aluminum, and power pieces and particles to support the required expanded infrastructure, like pipelines that would pump this prospective surplus of U.S. oil and gas consumers, all of which are primarily supplied from Canada and Mexico.
There’s been a lot of talk of actions on and responses to tariffs being founded in rights, but these entitlements are only as valid as another country acknowledges them to be. How the U.S. is capitalizing on responses to the threats and enactments is shaping an early foreign policy legacy for Trump’s return to office.
Of course, it, too, can be the stick that drives unlikely parties to friends, and countries seeking to capitalize on interests of their own, like China in Latin and South America, stand little to lose in passing on leveraged cooperation.
China’s self proclaimed rights are far reaching as they say they are founded in millenniums of history, including the precious South China Sea, where they have gone as far as building islands to declare their presence and stake its legitimacy despite objection from the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan, to name a few of the Asian nations with much to lose by the threat of ceding even a small amount of control to China.
Similar to the aggressive direction from China in this critical waterway, the U.S. is staking claim in the Panama Canal by citing terms of an agreement from nearly 130 years ago.
You build it, you own it, even if you cede it with a plan for preserving neutrality for its operation in perpetuity, says Trump, and, for the trend of unilateral sovereign advancement around the world, such as Russia looking to claim - or reclaim - what it says belongs to it and its rights to fortify a buffer zone of its very flat, infiltrable geography by advancing in Crimea and across Ukraine - why shouldn’t the U.S. respond in kind?
Two wrongs don’t always make a right, but it is refreshing to see the U.S. finally grasping how a growing presence of China has been anything but subtle, and it’s not just the presence of Hong Kong at neighboring ports to the Panama Canal: Chinese-owned COSCO Shipping (no relation to U.S. favorite Costco) is a majority owner at the Port of Piraeus - a critical access point to the Aegean, the DoD, and NATO moving along access points to the eastern flank.
And China’s critical infrastructure ownership portfolio isn’t limited to just ports.
Washington was warned about the sleeping dragon that is China, but, in classic D.C. fashion, leaders are responding rather than shaping solutions to the competition and cultural problems of the day.
Congress and big tech corporate in the U.S. says China, in PRC prime form, stole, tricked, and deceived their way to the top of besting American innovation and idealism. However, the U.S. did nothing proactive or in time to craft an effective offense, and, if China is being truthful in reporting advances of its tech - PRC proprietary or otherwise - American defense was what incentivized the rapid advancement in AI.
One way Congress and the country’s corporate tech bros say China cheats is by circumventing export controls of precious semiconductors and chips used in AI computing through use of shadow and shell companies.
In a demonstration of manufacturing strength and American good will, as well as impeccable timing with President Trump’s tariff plan proving to be more than posturing, Japan announced its own restrictions on exports and chip controls.
Back on the Homefront, newly confirmed Dept. of Homeland Secretary Kristi isn’t just sitting around like some garden Noem. In fact, she’s overseeing immigration crises around the country, working hand in hand with new Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure countries accept return of their citizens visiting the United States unauthorized.
The President's camp said there were plans for country-wide immigration raids following his Inauguration, only suspended after information on the initiative leaked to the press and public, causing pervasive outcry and concern.
Another thing Trump walked back since taking office for the second time was the divestiture deadline for TikTok to remove itself from under its Beijing-linked parent company ByteDance.
While the extension came at the behest of more than 170 million TikTokers in the U.S., including the President himself who ran part of his campaign oriented to the up-and-coming voter class of tomorrow on the platform, users unaligned with Trump’s partisan policies are using TikTok against him, alerting those avoiding immigration and customs enforcement officials of sightings and reported plans.
Ignoring the congressionally passed and statutorily codified law requiring sale of TikTok out from under ByteDance enacted last Session, Trump appears to be deliberately violating laws in his executive decision-making to see if the Supreme Court will side with his efforts to control the executive branch through challenges to his declarations.
Under a Republican majority in the House and Senate, congressional checks against the White House seem unlikely; of course the current SCOTUS bench is 6-3 with Republican appointees, leaving room only for minority opinions on objections from the Court.
A popular move with conservatives is to pick and choose which laws and rulings are legitimate and which are not. And why shouldn’t this be an attractive premise to run a party? Democratic bellowing about upholding the law and regular order got them voted out of office at the polls last November.
The genesis of the common era Republican party evolves from a championed Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, who, like Trump, enacted a massive economic package much by executive strong-arming, amplified after its enactment by an underlying world war and clear personified enemy that the public could comprehend to be the problem that their government needed to urgently and without regard for some fundamental liberties defeat by any means necessary.
President W. Bush did the same with his First Buddy, who was actually Vice President, Dick Cheney – passed a PATRIOT Act, expanded warrantless searches, defined a whole special secret court system to deal with these warrantless searches that the U.S. has based a good chunk of its intelligence sector around, all certified by the American public still reeling from the images of 9/11, but with a focused enemy in the Middle East
A continuation of the Bush conversation will be held in Tower 7 at a date TBA.
Trump, more interested in tariffs than a grand economic plan of his FDR presidential counterpart, is drawing inspiration from 25th American President William McKinley, who wrestled American dominance on a 1800s world stage by a flurry of tariffs of his own.
FDR’s policies that eventually founded the corporate behemoths defining American economic output through the 20th century are not so dissimilar from Donald’s efforts, launching again at a pinnacle time in U.S. history.
Critics of FDR say his policies were imperfect for how they ultimately created unfathomable wealth for a few and did less-than-expected to support a wider, diversified economy than intended; however, these policies and practices were not contemplated to enrich a suckling elite to turn them into the appetizing pigs they are that so many want to eat.
Rather, their preference for a minimized government interfering in their pursuit to capitalize wealth and ambition did what it was designed for and allowed them to excel without undue interference.
The definition of what is undue changes from administration to administration, and, while many saw the presence of the tech bro giants alongside the First Family at Inauguration as problematically populist, the Silicon siblings do not see themselves as unjustly rich, but at the pinnacle of achieving greatness that is at the core of the indoctrination of American identity in school, churches, communities, states, and across the country.
Filling the gap in this powerful projection of what you, too, could be and the reality of access to even seeing the door to the plane of this existence is perhaps where Democrats could more tangibly tie their brand to resonate with American voters.
But who would want to be limited when they themselves inevitably reach the top that they are certain they will do through the inspired hope of their entitlement to a pursuit of happiness?
Pushing the limits of his presidential power through the premise of the agency state and creation of DOGE – a quasi-governmental agency taking shape with recognized authority of traditional agency authority, the Department of Government Efficiency is operating under the un-confirmed cabinet member First Buddy Elon Musk, who is already deep in it, rummaging around in federal computer root servers.
Musk is also hosted a press conference under the cover of midnight this evening to update the nation on DOGE's first few days in special-agency action.
By presidential declaration of a national emergency - albeit a technicality - DOGE will need congressional approval to remain in business beyond the technicalities term limit threshold - a date TBD.
In the meantime, what Musk can and can't do with his DOGE camp is unclear for better or worse.
Like his boss’ electorate, many of whom admire Musk, Elon says DOGE is operating with no malintent, focused only on reducing government waste, but his unfettered access to these computers and accounts paints the picture of a bigger problem for how little concept exists of what it means to be a technologically advanced society, boldly and unknowingly headed into a future where a digitized extension of ourselves matters more than the physical.
For how humanity is still at the frontier of this digital world, tech powerhouses like Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, and OpenAI leader Sam Altman, are the founding fathers.
Bound to the narratives of repeating history, Musk and Altman are public adversaries, with Musk taking any chance he can get to come for the enemy of his enemy, both of whom should be friends, including decrying OpenAI’s public commitments to endow the American sovereign-backed Stargate aimed at rivaling alleged achievements in AI and data center processing, particularly focused on China.
A future version of Hamilton where Musk and Altman are the Thomas Jefferson and John Adams of the show would articulate and resonate this period of precarious time with audiences better than those of us who are not Lin Manuel Miranda ever could.
There’s little evidence of the reason behind this palpable colonial tension, but Jefferson and Adams were often at each other’s throats, even depicted in a Capitol Rotunda painting where Jefferson is literally standing on Adams’ foot over debate of America’s founding documents.
The Constitution and country striving to return to the days of these ideas may be better for their spat, with deliberation an inherent part of the legislative process today, particularly in the Senate, which is known – or supposed to be – the deliberative body.
This designation that occurred by the procedurally assigned numbers of Senators per state has deludedly devolved into superiority more than a preserved responsibility: legitimacy of this set up slides further from impactful when majority parties of the Upper Chamber are aligned with the White House, without little authority, ability, or political will to challenge a dramatically expanding executive.
The optics of the public believing authority thereby lies with one person, rather than the 535 others they elected to send to Congress, are also not great.
Enemy number one since 9/11, when a shocking majority of Americans first learned Iran and Iraq were two different nations, over the weekend, the Commander in Chief ordered one of his first big military strikes in Somalia, targeting members of the Islamic State terror group fortifying in Africa alongside various sects of extremists.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. military had carried out air strikes on suspected terrorists in the East African country.
Trump didn’t name the members of the Islamic State terror group he said were killed, nor the number killed, but he did share the following on social media:
“This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies.”
Tariffs or air strikes, take your pick.
On the Floor
Lawmakers will vote Monday night whether to advance President Donald Trump’s Agriculture Secretary pick Brooke Rollins for consideration by the full Senate chamber.
Rollins is expected to sail through the Republican-majority Senate Agriculture Committee after a collegial hearing and having gained the support of at least one Democrat on the panel, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). The panel vote scheduled for 5:45p.m. was announced Friday by chair John Boozman (R-AR) and ranking member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
Rollins, who is the former head of the America First Policy Institute think tank, pledged to reform agricultural labor programs and help protect farmers from the potentially devastating financial consequences of trade disputes during her Jan. 23 confirmation hearing. She is known as a close Trump adviser and held several senior positions during his first administration, including as acting director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council.
In the House
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD
On Monday, the House is not in session.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.
Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
H.R. 42 – Alaska Native Settlement Trust Eligibility Act (Sponsored by Rep. Begich / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 43 – Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025 (Sponsored by Rep. Begich / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 226 – Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act (Sponsored by Rep. Fleischmann / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 235 – National Museum of Play Recognition Act (Sponsored by Rep. Morelle / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 776 – Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Sponsored by Rep. Harder / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 835 – 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act (Sponsored by Rep. LaLota / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 836 – Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act of 2025 (Sponsored by Rep. Valadao / Natural Resources Committee)
H.R. 837 – To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona. (Sponsored by Rep. Crane / Natural Resources Committee)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.
Legislation Considered Pursuant to a Rule:
H.R. 27 – HALT Fentanyl Act (Sponsored by Rep. Griffith / Energy and Commerce Committee)
H.R. 26 – Protecting American Energy Production Act (Sponsored by Rep. Pfluger / Natural Resources Committee)
Feb. 01 | Raskin Writes Constituents
“I took an oath of my own in January to uphold and defend the Constitution as I represent the people of Maryland’s Eighth District. I am completely committed to defending you and your family against any and all lawless action along with rising authoritarianism and corruption.
The anti-authoritarian forces in our country have tremendous constitutional, legal, political, ethical and moral resources at our disposal to defend American democracy and freedom, and we will continue to mobilize them and deploy them strategically and nimbly in the days ahead.”
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Feb. 01 | Costa Calls on Army Corps
Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee is seeking answers from U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ordered unplanned water releases from Terminus Dam and Success Lake in Tulare County.
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Feb. 01 | Ties to Taliban Won’t Stand
US. Congressman Tim Burchett has called for the deportation of Afghan YouTuber Emran Rahimi, citing alleged ties to Taliban intelligence and concerns over potential security threats to the United States.
Burchett stated that Rahimi has "potential connections" with the Taliban’s intelligence agency and should be expelled to safeguard national security and uphold American values.
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Jan. 31 | Tired of Woke Spending
From Rep. Hageman.
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Jan. 31 | Leaving WHO
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) led a letter with 42 Congressional colleagues today asking President Trump to reconsider his potentially calamitous decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). Citing the many benefits the U.S. receives through participation in WHO programs and cooperative agreements, the members argue that the organization is essential to global public health and the U.S. economy. They also contend that the U.S. pays dues based on a well-reasoned formula in line with its GDP and population but notes that much more U.S. funding for WHO programs – more than 84 percent -- comes from voluntary contributions from foundations and non-governmental organizations. It also notes that 67 million visitors from other countries entered the U.S. in 2023 while there were 98.5 million American departures from the U.S., indicating the influence of international travel on potential public health concerns. The letter also notes that, historically, the WHO has been instrumental in eradicating infectious diseases, like smallpox, and controlling contagion.
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Jan. 31 | USAID a Necessity
U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, and Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs, sent a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Jason Gray expressing concern about the Trump Administration’s decisions to gut the Agency's staffing, discontinue ongoing programs, and freeze foreign assistance, which puts lives at risk around the world and makes Americans less safe.
“It is imperative that we maintain an independent development voice and capability within the U.S. government. USAID is, by statute, an independent establishment outside of the State Department,” continued the lawmakers. “Any proposal to modify that structure would require an Act of Congress.”
“We welcome the Administration's subsequent decision to allow for waivers for lifesaving humanitarian and health assistance, but the majority of foreign assistance remains frozen, including programs critical to our national security,” continued the lawmakers. “The pause in energy assistance for Ukraine is weakening their defense as Russia is advancing on the battlefield and Afghan allies—who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan—are stranded on U.S. government platforms. Freezing these programs makes Americans less safe and puts at risk our ability to compete with adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran.”
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Jan. 31 | It’s a Watch for Me, Dog
Senate Democrats are pushing to reinstate agency watchdogs after President Donald Trump dismissed more than a dozen inspectors general a week ago.
Trump’s decision “does not comply with current law and could do lasting harm to IG independence,” Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ranking member Gary Peters and 37 colleagues said in a letter first reported by Bloomberg Government.
The letter is notable for the absence of any Republican signatures, despite broad GOP support for insulating inspectors general from politics and some members’ stated concerns about Trump dismissing them without notifying Congress.
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Jan. 31 | Warren on Musk
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Elon Musk, Administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), regarding his role in the resignation of the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Michael Whitaker, in the wake of the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C.
“This resignation—which you called for after the FAA fined your company for safety issues —has left this critical agency without leadership while facing significant challenges, including the tragic midair crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 individuals—including at least six from Massachusetts —on the approach to Washington Reagan National Airport,” wrote Senator Warren.
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Jan. 31 | Gimenez Crickets
Congressman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the current situation of Venezuelan exiles in the United States. Congressman Gimenez is urging Secretary Noem to provide a case-by-case solution to Venezuelan exiles fleeing the communist regime in Venezuela.
Congressman Carlos Gimenez represents South Florida, home of the largest Venezuelan exile community in the United States and has been a long-time champion of the Venezuelan community.
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Jan. 31 | Dingell to O’Donnell
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Acting Commissioner Douglas O’Donnell requesting answers regarding the slow pace of authorizing, processing, and disbursing the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC). The letter comes in response to concerns from local businesses who are depending on the program to retain employees.
“As a pandemic-era relief program, eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations could claim ERCs to assist with retaining employees,” Dingell wrote. “It is the end of January of 2025, marking nearly 5 years after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which implemented this tax incentive program.”
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Jan. 31 | Biden Bargaining CBAs
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) are probing the outgoing Biden Administration’s overuse of collective bargaining agreements to entrench telework and cement policies that hinder the Trump Administration’s agenda. Ahead of President Trump’s inauguration, the Biden Administration agreed to numerous collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the largest federal employee union, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). Chairman Comer and Subcommittee Chairwoman Greene wrote to AFGE today to request information about how these CBAs were negotiated, and whether the agreements serve American interests.
“The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating the use—and abuse—of the federal collective bargaining process outlined in 5 U.S.C. Ch. 71. This process was used extensively toward the end of the Biden-Harris Administration to negotiate collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) intended primarily, not to manage the workforce under its own watch, but to constrain the ability of President Donald Trump to do so. The Biden-Harris Administration’s CBAs unduly infringe on President Trump’s ability to exercise his broad authority to oversee the federal workforce and ensure the laws of the land are faithfully executed,” wrote Chairman Comer and Subcommittee Chairwoman Greene.
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Jan. 31 | New Hampshire Delegation Say to Halt Tariffs
The New Hampshire delegation is sending a letter to President Donald Trump urging him not to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada, the Granite State’s largest trading partner, and Mexico. Sweeping tariffs would dramatically increase costs for families in New Hampshire and around the nation. Home heating oil is New Hampshire’s largest import from Canada, and these tariffs are estimated to drive up energy prices for families in the middle of winter. It would also increase costs for essential items like groceries, housing, cars, and more.
In part, the delegation wrote: “During your campaign, you promised to ‘bring down the price of everything.’ Despite that promise, sweeping tariffs would be a tax on Americans that raises the cost of everything from cars and gas to housing and groceries. Tariff costs would be passed on to our consumers and businesses through higher costs for goods and services.”
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Jan. 31 | Zealous on Zeldin
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led all Democratic members of the Committee in demanding answers from newly-confirmed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin about the agency’s freezing of Congressionally appropriated funds, including those that have already been obligated. According to public reporting, the EPA sent letters to grant recipients explaining it was pausing “all funding actions related to” the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Not only are these funding cuts already having devastating effects on communities, with reports of jobs in jeopardy and essential infrastructure projects on the chopping block, but failing to allow grant recipients to access funds that have already been obligated violates federal law.
“We write concerning troubling reports that the Environmental Protection Agency is attempting to claw back funds that have already been obligated to grant recipients. We believe that this is contrary to federal law,” wrote Senators Whitehouse, Sanders, Merkley, Markey, Kelly, Padilla, Schiff, Blunt Rochester, and Alsobrooks. “Many of us have also been contacted by grantees in our states reporting that they no longer have access to the grant money that has been obligated to them.”
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Jan. 31 | Spectacular South Dakota
U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) invited the President Trump and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to host a fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore for Independence Day. The last celebration with fireworks at Mount Rushmore was in 2020, during President Trump’s first administration.
“Celebrating our nation’s independence at the foot of Mount Rushmore is quintessentially American,” said Johnson. “Whether it’s fireworks, drones, lasers, or something else, a show brings another level of energy to the patriotic celebration. I hope President Trump and Secretary Burgum can join the festivities at our historic national landmark.”
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Jan. 31 | Secret Rx
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today sent a letter to the President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) urging them to embrace their bipartisan legislation, the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, to empower patients and providers and commit to voluntarily disclosing list prices in DTC advertisements.
The Senators wrote, “The United States is one of only two developed countries in the world that permits such pharmaceutical commercials. President Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary has expressed interest in outright banning this practice. It would be wise for drug companies to adopt commonsense solutions to address the concerns that have been raised about DTC prescription drug advertising. As you are aware, the United States Senate previously voted unanimously to pass our measure to require that pharmaceutical companies disclose their list prices in DTC ads, and it is our hope that this policy will become law this Congress. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that when patients are bombarded with information about the newest wonder drug, the price is not kept secret. President Trump previously has issued regulations to advance this policy.”
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Jan. 31 | Secret’s Safe With Us. We Swear.
Open AI released ChatGPT Gov, a version of ChatGPT tailored for U.S.
government agencies to access OpenAI’s frontier models while utilizing internal safety
protocols.
The rapid uptake of artificial intelligence across the economy has already shown
massive increases in productivity. According to an analysis by Goldman Sachs, some
firms utilizing AI are seeing a 25 percent increase in productivity on average.
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Jan. 30 | Congress on College
Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) sent a letter to University of Connecticut (UConn) President Maric expressing his strong support for expanding both academic offerings and student housing at the Avery Point campus.
“UConn Avery Point is uniquely positioned to not only benefit but also to contribute to the economic boom that we are experiencing in the region,” Courtney wrote.
Southeastern Connecticut’s economic boom is fueled by Electric Boat’s record hiring that will continue into the late 2030s, as well as the trilateral AUKUS security agreement that has put all eyes on the region.
“UConn’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Adelaide in Australia will build mutually beneficial academic and scientific capabilities, and this collaboration will result in increased visits and exchanges between our research institutions. Furthermore, the U.S. State Department has already recognized the potential for this type of cooperation with UConn’s award to develop Navy STEM partnerships to support AUKUS,” said Courtney. “Expanding the engineering, business, and other four-year degrees offered at Avery Point will enable more young people in our region to fill these critically important job positions.”
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Jan. 30 | Blackburn Singing in the Dead of Night
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to sound the alarm on the exploitative practice of radio stations and networks offering an artist more airtime in exchange for performing a free show. By doing so, these radio stations and networks often reap the financial benefits of these shows through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other income while artists and record labels absorb the expenses.
Blackburn Calls Attention to Radio Stations Sidestepping Federal Regulations
“I am writing to bring attention to an issue critically impacting Tennessee’s content creators, particularly its songwriters and music community. Federal law prohibits radio stations from accepting payment for airtime without disclosing the transaction—a practice commonly known as ‘payola.’ As you know, the FCC considers payola a violation of the Sponsorship Identification Rules. From what we have learned, it appears that to sidestep these restrictions, radio stations and networks have adopted a troubling new tactic. Instead of demanding cash or lavish perks from record labels in exchange for airplay, they now pressure artists to perform ‘free radio shows’ —also referred to as ‘listener appreciation shows’ or ‘charitable concert events.’”
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Jan. 30 | Fund Around, Find Out
Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) sent a letter to the Trump Administration after President Trump and the United States Office of Management and Budget directed a pause on United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) communications, grants, and hiring. The vaguely worded memorandum from Trump’s Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Vaeth does not clarify which projects, programs, and activities are frozen. The letter urges the Trump Administration to reverse this order and clarify if the Administration anticipates any future interruptions of HHS funding.
“Research institutions require reliability and certainty in their funding so they can plan their research efforts accordingly, and, at the very least, they deserve clarity if the Trump Administration anticipates any future interruptions of critical HHS and NIH funding,” the Congresswoman wrote. “Everyone, regardless of party affiliation, benefits from HHS and NIH-funded scientific and medical research. Furthermore, everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer and pausing the funding of this vital research puts a pause on their heroic efforts to save lives.”
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Jan. 30 | This is Your SFC. This is Your SFC on Drugs.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and all 12 Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee sent a letter to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressing him to answer nearly a dozen questions regarding his views on Medicare drug price negotiation and confirm he will not pause negotiations, as CEOs representing the largest pharmaceutical companies have requested.
“As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed without a single Republican vote, Medicare drug price negotiation is a powerful tool available right now to President Trump to make good on his long-standing promise to stand up to Big Pharma,” the senators wrote. “On behalf of the tens of millions of Americans who count on Medicare, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee want to know whether the Trump Administration will follow through on negotiating with Big Pharma to deliver the lower costs promised to the American people.”
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Jan. 30 | A Short Letter to King
Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) sent a letter to Acting Social Security Administrator Michelle King calling for clarity on the Administration’s policy on in-person appointments. His office received multiple complaints from constituents seeking in-person appointments at Social Security field offices; they reported unmanned phones, confusing guidance on walk-in policies, and a requirement to book appointments online. Congressman Deluzio wrote this letter to Acting Administrator King to seek clarity for his constituents and make sure they can get the help they need from the Social Security Administration. More than 180,000 of his Western Pennsylvania constituents receive Social Security payments monthly, including more than 139,000 retirees.
The Congressman writes in his letter, “My staff and I have heard from seniors in my district detailing their confusion in how they can make appointments at certain Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices. Some claim their offices are appointment-only, but they are unable to get anyone to answer the phone at the field office make an appointment. Others are told they must try to navigate the website to do this or to even receive benefit statements despite their expressed inability to use a computer to do so. All of these messages are worrisome, and I request your assistance in clarifying the situation and getting answers for my constituents.”
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Jan. 29 | International Leaders on Ivanishvili
In a joint letter published on January 30, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, and British MP James MacCleary called on British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to swiftly impose sanctions on the patron and honorary chairman of GD party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and to formally suspend the UK’s strategic partnership with Georgia.
The transatlantic initiative “from opposite sides” of the political spectrum follows the United States’ decision to sanction Ivanishvili in December 2024. The lawmakers emphasized that UK sanctions “could have a decisive impact” given that Ivanishvili and his associates reportedly hold “substantial assets through UK-based companies.”
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Jan. 28 | Judiciary for Generals
Bipartisan leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to President Trump on Tuesday demanding an explanation for the president’s reported firing of 18 Federal agency inspectors general (IGs) on Jan. 24.
In total, 22 members of the committee – including chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and ranking member Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., asked Trump to provide a “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for the firing of each agency IG.
According to the Inspector General Act passed in 1978, IGs are responsible for detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, and waste in agency programs, and promoting efficiency and effectiveness.
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Jan. 27 | Latimer on Local Funding
Congressman George Latimer joined 153 House Democrats in sending a letter to the Trump Administration after President Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office that could pause all disbursements of Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding immediately. Neither the vaguely worded executive order nor a follow-up memorandum from Trump's Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Matthew Vaeth and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett clarify which projects, programs, and activities are frozen. The letter urges the Trump Administration to disclose a full list of these frozen initiatives.
"This executive order is a source of great anxiety for communities and businesses across the 16thCongressional District and throughout the country. This funding is used to build new roads, fix bridges, replace lead pipes, improve mass transit, strengthen infrastructure against natural disasters, and much more," Congressman Latimer wrote in the letter.
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Jan. 24 | Military for Moving Migrants
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), sent a letter to Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses, Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Caleb Vitello, and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Benjamine Huffman, to address concerns raised by the use of military personnel and assets for removal and deportation purposes.
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Jan. 23 | JFK X-Files
Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-9), David Schweikert (AZ-1), and Tim Burchett (TN-2) today wrote to President Trump urging him to act on a campaign promise to release the remaining records associated with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) in 1963. Hours later, President Trump took a large step forward in that process, issuing an executive order that directs the government to develop a plan to release the remaining JFK assassination-related records as well as records regarding the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., both of which occurred in 1968.
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Jan. 22
U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle in a bipartisan letter urging Speaker Mike Johnson to authorize a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony to commemorate the Women’s Army Corps unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. In 2022, Senator Rosen helped introduce and pass into law a bipartisan bill to award this Battalion, composed of Black women serving during World War II, with the Congressional Gold Medal.
“The Six Triple Eight was the only all-Black, all-female unit of the United States Army serving overseas during World War II,” wrote the Senators. “Their momentous task was to clear out a three-year, 17-million-piece backlog of mail sent to American servicemembers on the battlefield. Their motto, ‘no mail, low morale,’ encouraged them as they faced these insurmountable odds.”
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Jan. 22 | Congressional Coins
Two Massachusetts Democrats sent a letter to various regulators asking them to open an investigation into President Trump’s and first lady Melania Trump’s recently launched meme coins.
The letter, signed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), was sent to the Office of Government Ethics, the Department of the Treasury, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
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