Letters from Capitol Hill that Members of Congress have written and signed on to lately.
Hill Letters | Valentine’s Edition
13 Feb. 2025 | No Love for Loopholes
Republican Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany asked Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem to end a loophole that allows Chinese nationals to visit the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a US territory, without a visa, in a letter.
Specifically, Tiffany requested that Noem take steps to end the January 2024 rule called the “Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Visa Waiver Program Automation and Electronic Travel Authorization; Creation of CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP).”
The Biden-era rule continues an Obama program which allowed “‘categorical’ parole” to Chinese nationals to travel to CNMI, according to Tiffany.
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13 Feb. 2025 | Congress In It for the Long Haul
U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Finance Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), members of the Senate Finance Committee, today sent a letter to President Donald Trump vowing to oppose any tax package that fails to make pro-growth and pro-family tax provisions in the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” permanent.
“You were elected with a mandate to do big things. One of those big things is to provide lasting tax relief for small businesses and families across the country. As members of the Senate Finance Committee, we write to express our support for your position that the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act must be permanent and not sunset. After passage of your tax cuts in 2017, we had a booming economy with soaring investment, higher wages, increased productivity, and zero corporate inversions. Without action, at the end of this year, taxes will increase for Americans in every income group and nearly six million jobs are at risk. A temporary extension of these pro-growth and pro-family policies is a missed opportunity. Businesses need certainty while investing in their companies and taxpayers should not fear tax hikes due to Congressional inaction. Congressional Republicans have an historic opportunity to enact this lasting tax relief. Failure to act boldly does a disservice to the American people who entrusted us to deliver in November. Thus, we will not support a tax package that only provides temporary relief from tax hikes,” wrote the Senators.
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13 Feb. 2025 | To Tulsi, With Love
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Representative Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., today urged Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to protect U.S. communications from demands by the United Kingdom that will leave all Americans less secure and more vulnerable to spying by China, Russia, and other adversaries.
Wyden and Biggs wrote in response to reports that the U.K. ordered Apple to build a backdoor into encrypted iCloud backups to enable government surveillance of messages, photos and other files. Apple is barred from even disclosing the U.K. order to the public, or members of Congress, according to the Washington Post.
“If the U.K. does not immediately reverse this dangerous effort, we urge you to reevaluate U.S.-U.K. cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as U.S. intelligence sharing with the U.K.,” Wyden and Biggs wrote. “The bilateral U.S.-U.K. relationship must be built on trust. If the U.K. is secretly undermining one of the foundations of U.S. cybersecurity, that trust has been profoundly breached.”
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13 Feb. 2025 | Roses are Red, Antisemites Make Congress Blue
Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) sent a letter to Columbia University administrators requesting disciplinary records for numerous antisemitic incidents, including the January 21 disruption of a History of Israel class, at which flyers inciting the murder of Jews were distributed.
In the letter, Chairman Walberg writes: “For more than a year, [Columbia] leaders have made public and private promises to Jewish students, faculty and Members of Congress that the university would take the steps necessary to combat the rampant antisemitism on Columbia’s campus. Yet…Columbia has failed to uphold its commitments, both because the disciplinary process has failed and because the campus administration has refused to enforce its pre-existing rules. Columbia’s continued failure to address the pervasive antisemitism that persists on campus is untenable, particularly given that the university receives billions in federal funding.”
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13 Feb. 2025 | Violent Slashers
U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) today joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and their Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing serious alarm over the Trump Administration’s decision to cut NIH funding – a move that threatens to undermine America’s biomedical research infrastructure and set us back generations. These illegal cuts would create a serious funding shortfall for research institutions nationwide, undermining progress on lifesaving scientific advancements, and potentially costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars and threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers.
“As the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, NIH plays a critical role in sustaining the research infrastructure necessary for scientific breakthroughs in cancer treatment, infectious disease prevention, and medical technology innovation, among many others. President Trump has wreaked havoc on the nation’s biomedical research system in recent weeks. In his first several days in office, President Trump imposed a hiring freeze, communications freeze, ban on travel, and cancellation of grant review and advisory panels that are necessary to advance research. While some of these efforts have been reversed, they continue to cause confusion and miscommunication among researchers and recipients of NIH funds,” wrote the senators.
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13 Feb. 2025 | Broken Hearted Dems
Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), joined 143 House Democrats in urging President Donald Trump to retract his statements that the civilian Palestinian population of the Gaza strip should be permanently relocated and the United States should take control of the region.
“Now more than ever, the United States must play a constructive role in the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the lawmakers wrote. “That is why we are alarmed that an American president would advocate for the forcible removal and permanent displacement of two million people. Such an act would not only be morally indefensible, but it would also violate the Geneva Convention, jeopardize US interests and troops, and undermine our global standing.”
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13 Feb. 2025 | Wrap Yourself in Paper, Dab Yourself in Glue
U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and U.S. Representative Jefferson Shreve (R-IN-6), along with the entire Indiana delegation, sent a letter to the United States Postal Service (USPS) to address the ongoing delivery delays at the USPS distribution hub in Indianapolis.
“These delays have had real consequences for individuals and businesses alike. Constituents have reported late deliveries of medications, critical financial documents, and essential business shipments. This is primarily reflected in the issues found with the USPS Regional Processing Center on the east side of Indianapolis,” the delegation wrote in the letter.
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13 Feb. 2025 | Breakup (Letter) Text for Bozeman
U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Senator Tim Sheehy, Congressman Ryan Zinke and Congressman Troy Downing today sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy requesting immediate action be taken to resolve major ongoing mail service disruptions in Montana, particularly Bozeman and Belgrade. The issues include misdelivered packages, difficulties in tracking shipments and other issues related to persistent staffing deficiencies.
“As strong supporters of the USPS, we respectfully request immediate action to resolve interruptions in Bozeman and Belgrade. While we recognize the importance of streamlining operations and maintaining cost efficiency, Montanans are facing serious challenges that require urgent attention. We look forward to working together to find creative solutions to ensure the Postal Service can effectively fulfill its mission in our state,” they wrote.
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13 Feb. 2025 | Burnt Down, but Not Out
Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) and Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, urging USPS to end the agency’s unacceptable delay and finally commit to a location for a permanent location for a new post office in Chimayó. The Chimayó Post Office was destroyed by a fire on February 14, 2023.
“Two years without a post office is too long,” the members wrote. “The post office was the heart of this small, rural, and vibrant community. The continued failure to rebuild or relocate the Chimayó Post Office shows a complete lack of leadership and responsibility. Since Chimayó community members do not hear from USPS, they do not believe USPS. They often raise feeling ignored and disrespected.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | An Open (Radio Wave) Relationship
Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington regarding recent actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes.
In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “We write to express our serious concern about the recent actions taken by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under Chairman Carr to open or reopen investigations into broadcasting companies without any evidence of wrongdoing in what appears to be an attempt to intimidate broadcasters for political purposes. Specifically, we are concerned by both of your recent assertions that broadcast stations could be investigated over their editorial decision-making, which raises concerns under the First Amendment. Additionally, we are deeply concerned that in just the first two weeks under Chairman Carr, the Commission has reinstated three previously closed complaints against ABC, CBS, and NBC — absent any new evidence — without also reinstating a similar complaint against a Fox broadcasting station. Finally, we are troubled by your announced investigation into PBS and National Public Radio (NPR) member stations without any evidence that these news sources have departed from decades-long practices for sponsorship disclosures. Taken together, these efforts appear politically motivated and designed to punish, censor or intimidate members of the free press based on political disagreement with editorial choices. This weaponization of the FCC is unacceptable. We urge you to immediately cease such conduct and respect the First Amendment.
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12 Feb. 2025 | Congress Hearts USMA Cadets
Congressman Derek Tran, with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, led a coalition of 14 Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) in a letter to Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (USMA), concerning the abrupt disbanding of twelve select Directorate of Cadet Activities (DCA) sanctioned clubs.
The letter details specific concerns that these actions will damage morale and professional development of future military leaders in addition to depressing opportunities for military readiness and recruitment. Additionally, members note that organizations serving minority groups were disproportionately impacted by the order.
“I am deeply concerned that the United States Military Academy (USMA) implemented President Trump’s haphazard and misguided order without fully understanding the implications of these actions. As the son of Vietnamese refugees, my background strengthened my commitment to my duty as a soldier - this order treats my heritage, and that of so many others, as a distraction or, worse, an impediment,” said Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45). “I look forward to working with the USMA to take steps that will actually improve cadet training and unit cohesion instead of distracting our cadets with political stunts.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | Dems Don’t Miss a Beat
Rep. Gregory Meeks, of New York, the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s top Democrat, wrote to Rubio, urging him to restore USAID operations, reinstate its personnel and “engage in a serious consultation process prior to making any changes at USAID.” Rubio, as a senator, was a “strong supporter” of USAID, he said.
“This process has been anything but thoughtful and serious — and instead, a wholesale destruction of USAID is apparently being spearheaded by an unelected billionaire who lacks your stature as a Cabinet official, or your experience in U.S. national security and foreign policy,” Meeks wrote. “There is time to right the ship you helm at State and USAID, and I look forward to working with you to do so.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | Not-so-Wonderful-Wizard Dr. Oz
U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) pressed Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Trump’s nominee for the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on his hostile anti-abortion record as his nomination process begins. As CMS Administrator, Dr. Oz would be in charge of Medicare, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage, exercising broad authority over reproductive health care access.
“Given the role CMS plays in shaping reproductive health care access, the CMS Administrator will cause grave damage if they do not stand firmly in defense of women’s reproductive rights. Yet throughout your career, you have staunchly opposed abortion, which makes it difficult to believe you would take women’s sexual and reproductive health seriously,” wrote the lawmakers.
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12 Feb. 2025 | V Day Demands
Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary, demanded President Trump reverse his unlawful firing of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member Gwynne Wilcox and that he produce documents and communications showing who was involved in this decision to violate federal law.
Without Member Wilcox, the NLRB lacks a quorum to continue its vital work protecting American workers from harassment and coercion by union-busting companies. Member Wilcox’s firing effectively prevents the NLRB from acting on pending cases, including ongoing workplace rights litigation involving a corporation run by the world’s richest man and “DOGE” ringleader, Elon Musk.
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12 Feb. 2025 | No Besos for Bexar County DA
Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) sent a letter to Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales on Wednesday about his office’s bail reform policies that could have prevented the release of a dangerous criminal with a history of violence who shot and injured 7 San Antonio police officers on January 22.
Rep Roy Writes: "I write today with serious concerns regarding the recent incident in which an individual – with a lengthy criminal history who was released on bail – fired upon law enforcement, injuring seven San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) officers. This incident appears to be another example where lax criminal justice policies, including bail reform, have threatened the safety of Bexar County residents and our law enforcement officers."
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12 Feb. 2025 | Xs and Oh Nos
Today, a bicameral group of lawmakers led by Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) called upon Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately resume processing passport applications without regard to sex, including for individuals requesting an X marker and by allowing individuals to select a gender marker in accordance with their identity and expression.
“We believe this policy change also unconstitutionally and irrationally targets transgender, intersex, and non-binary Americans, without any apparent connection to a legitimate state interest, let alone an important state interest as required to justify discrimination on the basis of sex,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “Having an ID that does not accurately reflect a person’s gender identity can lead to harassment, discrimination, and even violence. These possibilities will make traveling abroad simply too risky for countless Americans.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | Can’t DOGE Love
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Don Beyer (VA-08), Senate and House members of the congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, wrote to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright regarding their concerns that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been granted access to DOE, which oversees the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the nation’s most sensitive nuclear weapons secrets.
In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “According to media reports, a 23-year-old former SpaceX intern, who does not have the appropriate security clearances needed to access DOE’s IT system, received access over the objections of members of its general counsel and chief information officers. This incursion into some of the nation’s most sensitive files is the latest in a series of Trump administration moves to plant unqualified Musk and DOGE staffers throughout the federal government, some of whom have records of leaking sensitive information and potentially wreaking havoc with vital information systems.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | Love Letters Unsent
Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE) led Nebraska congressional delegation colleagues Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE) and Mike Flood (R-NE) in sending a letter to President Donald Trump expressing concern over United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery to rural Americans and encouraging the president to fill current vacancies on the USPS Board of Governors with individuals ready to advance solutions to fulfill USPS's duty to serve every American.
In the letter, the members stated:
“As you know, the USPS has a legal obligation to provide Americans with universal service. However, under the leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the USPS has seen astronomical budget deficits year after year while on-time mail delivery performance sharply declined.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | Galentine’s Day
U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to express their support for Nashville’s bid to expand the WNBA and host a franchise in Tennessee. The team would be named the “Tennessee Summitt” in honor of the late Lady Vols women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt.
As a Top Global Travel Destination, Nashville Would Be an Ideal Choice for WNBA Franchise
“We write to you in support of Nashville’s bid to expand the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and host a franchise in our great state. Nashville is a cultural Mecca: from music to food to sports, Tennessee’s capital has it all. People want to visit Nashville—evidenced by the record 16.4 million visitors in 2023… In fact, Nashville has been named a top global travel destination by major travel outlets for more than a decade, in part because of the state of Tennessee’s investment in our unique culture and industries. The investment in our sports teams is evident, and Tennessee’s sports fans are unmatched. Tennessee’s fanbases extend across cities—everyone roots for the Predators, the Titans, Nashville Soccer Club, and the Memphis Grizzlies. In the good times and the bad, that support would be extended to the Tennessee Summitt.”
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12 Feb. 2025 | GAO ILY
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to the Comptroller General requesting an independent review of the federal processes for licensing commercial launch and reentry activities. The Committee is particularly concerned with the implementation of Part 450 regulations by the Department of Transportation and whether it is being carried out effectively and efficiently.
Over the past several years, the Committee has stressed the need for a practical and streamlined licensing system for our nation’s rapidly growing commercial space sector. This is critical to our economic and national interests and essential to upholding our commitment to the highest safety standards.
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12 Feb. 2025 | Dems Get Handsy on HELP
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today wrote to President Donald Trump demanding the Trump administration, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) make no cuts to Medicare and Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. This follows reports of Elon Musk and DOGE officials gained access to key payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS). CMS administers Medicare and Medicaid. In 2024, 68 million seniors and people with disabilities seniors relied on Medicare coverage for essential health care, including hospital visits, screenings for cancer, diabetes, and depression, and prescription drugs. Nearly 80 million Americans relied on Medicaid, making it the largest public health insurance program in the United States.
In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “We write to say no to Elon Musk and DOGE, and demand hands off Medicare or Medicaid. We strongly oppose any efforts by Musk – or anyone else in your administration – cutting or damaging these vital programs. Medicare and Medicaid must not be raided to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Every cut risks Americans paying more, waiting longer, and wading through more insurance red tape for care. Every cut risks hospitals and community health centers struggling harder to keep their doors open and forcing health providers and workers out of their jobs.
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11 Feb. 2025 | Can’t by Congress’ Love
Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. sent a letter to NYU Langone CEO, Dr. Robert Grossman, questioning the non-profit hospitals' costly Super Bowl ad in relation to federal funding and subsidies the healthcare system receives.
"NYU Langone receives several sources of federal funding and enjoys a tax-exempt status as a non-profit organization, yet it spent at least $8 million on a 30-second Super Bowl ad," said Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. "This concerning use of scarce health care dollars, in addition to loopholes the entity has used to game the system and receive higher Medicare payments, raises many questions about upholding the non-profit mission. Health care costs have skyrocketed in America at the expense of patients. Non-profits should not behave like publicly traded companies but rather be good stewards of taxpayer dollars."
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11 Feb. 2025 | Colorado River Love Boat
Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego urged Interior Department Secretary Douglass Burgum and Bureau of Reclamation Acting Commissioner David Plumbo to reverse a funding freeze that could endanger the Colorado River. The Senators have heard from Arizonans that funds are frozen for infrastructure projects and for agreements put in place to keep water in Lake Mead and protect the Colorado River we all depend on.
“The Colorado River is in the midst of a historic drought, and our constituents are working on solutions to keep the river flowing. This winter snowpack accumulation is below average, so we need to do everything we can to improve conservation. This means making sure projects receive support and funding,” the Senators expressed.
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11 Feb. 2025 | Passion for Tribes
Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), andRepresentative Sharice Davids (KS-03) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, opposing President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14191 on “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families.”
“As you know, the U.S. government has both trust and treaty responsibilities to provide Tribal education services, led by the Bureau of Indian Education under the Department of the Interior,” the lawmakers wrote. “We are gravely concerned that the administration’s recent Executive actions may lead to the dismantling of BIE and violate or undermine Tribal sovereignty, existing federal law, and the federal-Tribal government-to-government relationship.”
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11 Feb. 2025 | Stone Hearts on Federal Funding Stonewall
U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, joined Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and her Democratic colleagues in demanding answers from Secretary of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy about the abrupt cutoff of funds for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. The NEVI program, included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides funding directly to states for installing public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which, if implemented, will lower fuel costs for families, reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels, and create construction jobs nationwide. In a memo to state departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration announced states will no longer have access to $3 billion in previously approved federal funds for future construction projects.
“We write in strong opposition to your cutoff of funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. This action shows blatant disrespect for the law and for constitutional order,” wrote Senators Blunt Rochester, Whitehouse, Sanders, Merkley, Markey, Kelly, Padilla, Schiff, and Alsobrooks in a letter to Secretary Duffy. “Established in the bipartisan infrastructure law, the NEVI program provides funding for every state in the nation.”
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11 Feb. 2025 | Connecticut Hearts Community Health
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) sent a letter urging the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Dorothy Fink, to address disruptions in Community Health Center funding caused by the White House’s recent Executive Orders. With over 440,000 Connecticut residents relying on these centers for essential care, health center leaders warn that ongoing payment and communication issues have caused panic among staff and patients, jeopardizing critical services like cancer detection and children’s medicine.
“In Connecticut and across the country, health centers are a lifeline for vulnerable populations,” the members wrote. “1 in 8 Connecticut residents rely on health centers. These are often people with nowhere else to turn. 60% of health center patients in Connecticut are on Medicaid, while 16% are uninsured and 68% of these patients are below the federal poverty level. A threat to health center funding and operations is a threat to the health of our most vulnerable patients in Connecticut.”
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10 Feb. 2025 | Cold Hearts in Cold Blood
Representatives Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sent a letter to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), calling on the agencies to declassify all records related to the murders of Carlos Muñiz Varela and Santiago “Chagui” Mari Pesquera, two leaders of the Puerto Rican independence movement who were gunned down in the 1970s.
“Resolving cases like those of Carlos and Santiago is essential for the United States to confront and close a damaging chapter in its history,” wrote the lawmakers. “Your agencies must actively support the collection of evidence that helps identify and prosecute those responsible for these crimes. Only this course of action will bring truth and justice to the families of these young individuals whose lives were tragically stolen for political reasons.”
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10 Feb. 2025 | Forest Hearts on Fire
Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and 10 of their Senate colleagues from Western states sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Department of Agriculture Acting Secretary Gary Washington to raise the alarm about threats to wildfire risk reduction projects that remove hazardous fuels on Bureau of Land Management lands and to express concerns about the potential for a future freeze at the U.S. Forest Service.
“Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority,” wrote the senators. “These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis – and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels.
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21 Jan. 2025 | Boeber’s Love Letter to the Elizabeth School Board
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04) made the following statement regarding the Elizabeth School Board in Colorado and their efforts to protect young children from inappropriate books while coming under attack from a radical national organization:
"I commend and fully support the Elizabeth School Board for their courage in standing up for our children and taking action to make sure their libraries have age-appropriate materials that provide educational value. After receiving considerable feedback from parents and the community, the School Board took the reasonable step of removing just 0.05% of books in their libraries that carried graphic material. Because of these efforts, the Elizabeth School Board has now been sued by the ACLU, whose latest mission is to bully parents and school board members across the country who stand up for children and protect parental rights.
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