MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) released a statement on the House Republican government funding package vote. 

“House Republicans just voted to target Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, cutting the programs Americans across the country rely on. Taking care of our seniors and veterans is not wasteful, it is our duty.  

“This vote is only the beginning. Now, House Republicans are turning their full attention to gutting Social Security, the very program seniors rely on. For our seniors, Social Security is a hard-earned benefit.  

“While housing, groceries, and healthcare costs are increasing, this vote makes it clear that House Republicans are focused on taking programs away that help our veterans and seniors. That’s why today I stood up for the people of South Jersey and voted no on this legislation.” 

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, DC—On Friday, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) met with Emine Emanet and her family after she was released on a $7,500 bond from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.   

“It was great to see Emine reunited with her family,” said Congressman Norcross. “The Emanet family’s story is a clear example of why we need real immigration reform that will make a legal pathway to citizenship. While their legal battle is far from over, my office will continue to work with the family throughout the process.” 

Emine and Celal Emanet, local restaurant owners and constituents of Congressman Norcross, were detained by ICE last month. While Celal Emanet was released from custody with an ankle monitor shortly after he was detained, his wife wasn’t released until Wednesday.   

Many community members have reached out to Congressman Norcross’ office to share stories about how the family and business have positively impacted the community. The family is known for giving away food for free to those in need.  

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Ranking Member of the Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee are leading 103 Members of Congress in demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Department of State Secretary Marco Rubio regarding the detention of Mahmoud Khalil and the stripping of his Green Card.

Khalil, a lawful permanent resident of the United States, was arrested and detained, and the administration has attempted to revoke his Green Card under an obscure statute in the Immigration and Nationality Act. 

“The Administration does not allege that Mr. Khalil has committed any crime nor that he has ever been charged with a crime,” wrote the Members. “And the Administration has failed to provide any explanation of what deleterious foreign policy consequences Mr. Khalil has caused by exercising his free speech rights. […] This maneuver evokes the Alien and Sedition Acts and McCarthyism. It is the playbook of authoritarians, not of elected officials in a democratic society who claim to be champions of free speech.”

This arrest comes as Trump has said Khalil’s attempted removal would be “first of many,” with dozens of universities and colleges across the country having received threats from the Department of Education if they protect non-citizen students who have engaged in protest.

“While there may be disagreement with Mr. Khalil’s speech, it is his Constitutional right in our democracy to express his political views. That is why every American should be outraged by this brazen attempt to use the power of the United States government to silence and punish people who do not agree with the sitting President,” continued the Members. 

Judge Jesse Furman issued an order temporarily preventing the government from removing Mr. Khalil while he considers the legality of the arrest and detention. 

The Members are requesting a response from Noem and Rubio by March 27th, 2025.

The letter was signed by Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-06), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Gerald Connolly (VA-11), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL) (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX) (TX-29), Al Green (TX-09), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jim Himes (CT-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), William Keating (MA-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), John Larson (CT-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Stacey Plaskett (VI), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Mark Takano (CA-39), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

The letter was endorsed by 18 Million Rising; A New Policy; Action Corps; Adalah Justice Project; Alliance of Baptists; America’s Voice; American Civil Liberties Union; American Friends of Combatants for Peace; American Friends Service Committee; American Humanist Association; American Immigration Council; American Immigration Lawyers Association; American Muslims for Palestine (AMP); Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action); Amnesty International USA; Arab American Institute (AAI); Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote); Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; CASA; Center for Constitutional Rights; Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Center for Jewish Nonviolence; Center for Victims of Torture; Christians for a Free Palestine; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); CODEPINK; Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP); Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim; Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); DAWN; Defending Rights & Dissent; Detention Watch Network; Emgage Action; Franciscan Action Network ; Freedom Forward; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA); Hindus for Human Rights; Human Rights First; IfNotNow Movement; IMEU Policy Project; Immigrant Defense Project; Immigrant Justice Network ; Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC); Immigration Equality; Indivisible; International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN); International Refugee Assistance Project; J Street; Jewish Voice for Peace Action; Justice Democrats; MADRE; MoveOn; MPower Change Action Fund; Muslim Advocates; Muslim Legal Fund of America; Muslims for Just Futures; National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum; National Immigrant Justice Center; National Immigration Law Center; National Immigration Project; National Iranian American Council; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; New Israel Fund; New Jewish Narrative; Nonviolent Peaceforce; P Street; Partners for Progressive Israel; Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus; Peace Action; Prayers for Peace Alliance; Presente.org; Project South; Rabbis for Ceasefire; ReThinking Foreign Policy; Right to the City Alliance; Rising Majority; RootsAction.org; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Sunrise Movement; T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; The Nexus Project; The Southern Poverty Law Center; Unitarian Universalist Association; United Church of Christ; United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR); United We Dream Network; US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action; USAHello; Win Without War; Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation ; Arlington For Palestine; Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago; Borderlands for Equity; CAIR- Philadelphia; CAIR-WA; Dignidad/The Right to Immigration Institute; Elmahaba Center; Estrella del Paso; Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef); Jews For Racial & Economic Justice; Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition; Mennonite Action Philadelphia; Miami Valley Immigration Coalition; New York Immigration Coalition; North Carolina Muslim Bar Association; OneAmerica; Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans – PANA; Pax Christi New Jersey ; Peace Action Montgomery; Prayers for Peace Alliance; Saratoga Black Lives Matter; Showing Up For Racial Justice Bay Area; SURJ Northern Virginia; West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship; Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center; Woori Juntos.

The full letter can be read here.

Issues: Civil Rights, Immigration

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, will be introducing the No Round Up Act, legislation to repeal the long-dormant immigration law that allowed for Japanese internment during World War II (WWII) as the Trump administration prepares to use it as a means of mass deportation. 

“This policy is associated with some of the most shameful stains on our country’s history, including the reactionary and xenophobic internment of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent in concentration camps across the United States during WWII, as well as racist and xenophobic profiling in the wake of September 11th,” said Jayapal. “Now, the Trump administration is aiming to use this policy as a tool to force immigrants to register and subject themselves to a mass deportation scheme.”

In addition to Japanese internment, previous attempts to use this registration system have also included the post-September 11th National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS). This action put 13,000 people, largely from Muslim-majority, Arab, African, and South Asian countries, into deportation proceedings but resulted in zero terrorism convictions and was later determined by the Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General to be inefficient and a waste of resources. 

The Trump Administration’s proposed use of this policy would put a target on the backs of immigrants, many of whom are undocumented and have lived in this country for upwards of 16 years as contributing members of our economy and communities.

Individuals who do not register could face fines, jail time, and removal from the country. However, if passed, Jayapal’s legislation would repeal sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act, removing provisions that allow for such a registry.

The bill is sponsored by Judy Chu (CA-28), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07).

It is also endorsed by 18 Million Rising; Acacia Center for Justice; ACLU; African Communities Together (ACT); America’s Voice; American Families United; American Immigration Lawyers Association; Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; Arab American Institute; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP); Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; Borderlands Resource Initiative; Care in Action; Caring Across Generations; CASA; Center for Constitutional Rights; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Church World Service; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Defending Rights & Dissent; Doctors for Camp Closure; End SIJS Backlog Coalition; Equal Rights Advocates; Family Equality; First Focus Campaign for Children; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Global Exchange; Grassroots Asians Rising; Haitian Bridge Alliance; HIAS; Human Rights First; Immigrant Defense Project; Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC); Immigration Equality Action Fund; Immigration Hub; ImmSchools; International Mayan League; International Refugee Assistance Project; Japanese American Citizens League ; Just Detention International; Justice for Migrant Women; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; Latin America Working Group (LAWG); Lawyers for Good Government; Make the Road NY; Make the Road States; Marianist Social Justice Immigration Team; MomsRising; Muslim Advocates; Muslims for Just Futures; National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum; National Center for Youth Law; National Council of Jewish Women; National Domestic Workers Alliance; National Education Association; National Employment Law Project; National Immigrant Justice Center; National Immigration Law Center; National Immigration Project; National Korean American Service and Education Consortium; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice ; National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR); National Organization for Women; National Partnership for New Americans; National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; Popular Democracy; Project South; Quixote Center; Refugee Council USA; Refugees International ; Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign; Shriver Center on Poverty Law; Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF); Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Western Province Leadership; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, and Pax Christi; T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; Tahirih Justice Center; The Advocates for Human Rights; The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United); The Sikh Coalition; Union for Reform Judaism; Unitarian Universalist Association; Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice; United SIKHS; United We Dream Network; USAHello; Vera Institute of Justice; Witness at the Border; Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights; Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice; African Advocacy Network; Ahri Center; Al Otro Lado; Aldea – The People’s Justice Center; Angry Tias and Abuelas ; Arkansas United; ASATA Power; Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL); Asian Law Alliance ; Asian Pacific American Legal Resorce Center; Asylum Program of Ariy; Ayuda; Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center Inc.; Borderlands for Equity; CAIR-Washington; California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice; Central American Resource Center of Northern California  – CARECEN SF; Coalición de Derechos Humanos; Colorado Asylum Center; Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition; Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Washington DC; East Bay Sanctuary Covenant; El Vínculo Hispano; Estrella del Paso; Faith in New Jersey; FEA Foundation Ministries; First Friends of NJ & NY ; Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project; Florida Health Justice Project; Florida Immigrant Coalition; GALEO Impact Fund; Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Hispanic Services Council, Inc.; Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health (H.O.M.E.); Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef); Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project; Immigration Center for Women and Children; Immmigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA); Indivisible Howard County, Maryland; Inwood Indivisible; Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice; La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc.; La Raza Community Resource Center (San Francisco); Latino Action Network Foundation; Levine Center To End Hate- Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester NY; Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA); Make the Road Nevada; Make The Road New Jersey; Mariposa Legal, Inc.; Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition ; Miami Valley Immigration Coalition; Midwest Immigration Bond Fund; Mobile Pathways; National Lawyers Guild – St. Louis Chapter; New York Immigration Coalition; Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; Oasis Legal Services; OC Action; OneAmerica; OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership; Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition; Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network; Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN); South Asian Network; Sur Legal Collaborative; The Black & Brown Coalition of North Carolina; The Center for Growing Justice; The Sidewalk School ; Unidos MN; Voices for Progress; Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center; Women Watch Afrika.

Issues: Civil Rights, Immigration

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding more information on reports that federal prisons are being used to detain immigrants during civil immigration proceedings.

“The detention of noncitizens in criminal prison facilities contradicts the civil nature of immigration law, risks further criminalizing immigration enforcement, and diverts critical resources away from the intended purpose of the federal prison system,” wrote Jayapal.

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), immigration detention “is non-punitive.” It is not intended for punishment but rather to ensure that individuals comply with immigration proceedings. Recent reports indicate that ICE is detaining individuals in multiple Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities under disturbing conditions that are unfit for any person, regardless of whether it is for civil or criminal purposes, including in one that was slated for closure due to widespread sexual abuse.

This letter requests detailed information on the scope of this practice, including which facilities are being used, the criteria for selecting these facilities, the conditions of detention, reports of mistreatment or abuse, and whether detained individuals are subject to the same restrictions as those convicted of federal crimes.

Jayapal has been a staunch advocate for detained immigrants, having, on multiple occasions, called to end the use of private, for-profit prisons, which are often rife with abuse, and to move toward humane, community-based alternatives to detention for immigrants who pose no public safety risk. She is also the lead sponsor of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, legislation that would end the use of private, for-profit detention centers, improve detention conditions, and protect the civil and human rights of immigrants.

The letter was also signed by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Summer Lee (PA-12), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18),  James P. McGovern (MA-02), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07).

The full text of the letter can be read here.

Issues: Immigration

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, led Democratic immigration leaders in challenging the constitutional basis of President Trump’s sham “invasion” proclamation, which the President has argued would allow his Administration to circumvent domestic immigration law.

In a letter to the President, the legislators begin by putting this proclamation in context of Trump’s broader, radical immigration initiatives, writing: “Since you came into office, you have attempted to expand the scope of presidential power beyond that which is permitted by the United States Constitution and applicable federal laws. This Proclamation is no different.”

The legislators continue by characterizing the President’s desperate attempts to use emergency authorities as a pretext to avoid complying with immigration laws passed by Congress, writing: “These statements, and your Proclamation, appear to be a part of a larger attempt to invoke any available authority—including extraordinary wartime, public health, and counterterrorism authorities—to circumvent domestic immigration laws and the U.S. Constitution, without factual or legal basis. For example, experts have found no connection between increased migration and crime, and studies have shown that for the past 150 years, immigrants have been convicted of crimes at a far lower rate than U.S.-born citizens. Prior attempts by your previous Administration to apply Title 42 authorities to migrants had no basis in public health. Similarly, there is no factual basis for the statements in your Proclamation.”

The legislators then analyze the President’s incorrect interpretation of the term “invasion,” which is contradicted by long precedent from previous executives involving Presidents Roosevelt, Polk, and Lincoln, writing: “As a legal matter, migration is not an invasion.’ As courts have consistently held, an ‘invasion’ under the Constitution requires ‘armed hostility from another political entity, such as another state or foreign country that is intending to overthrow the [] government.’ Courts’ requirement of an armed attack is consistent with how the term ‘invasion’ is used throughout the Constitution, alongside language like ‘insurrection’ and ‘rebellion.’ Proclaiming a rhetorical ‘invasion’ would degrade protections throughout the Constitution—lowering the bar for suspending the writ of habeas corpus and even expanding the circumstances in which states may ‘engage in War’ without the approval of the federal government. Under our constitutional design, these exceptional powers are reserved for times of armed conflict; they are not available to respond to migration or other non-military matters.”

The legislators then refute the President’s incorrect statement that he can suspend or disregard the laws Congress passed, writing: “[T]he idea that the president has broad inherent power over immigration that allows him to override duly-enacted laws is unfounded and damaging. Congress, not the president, has the authority to make laws, including our immigration laws. And as the courts have long recognized, Congress has created a ‘comprehensive scheme governing all aspects of immigration and naturalization.’ The president has no authority to abandon or rewrite this comprehensive scheme; to the contrary, the president’s constitutional role is to take care that our immigration laws are faithfully executed.”

The legislators conclude with a call to rescind his sham proclamation and instead work toward bipartisan immigration reform in Congress, writing: “The United States is not being invaded, it is not at war with migrants, and you must uphold our duly-enacted immigration laws. We have full faith that the courts will stand firm in the face of your attacks on the separation of powers. We call on you to rescind your Proclamation and work with Congress to pass much-needed, overdue bipartisan immigration reform that respects immigrants’ dignity and the rule of law.”

Click here for a PDF copy of the letter to President Trump.

Issues: Immigration

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Congresswomen Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Debbie Dingell (MI-06) introduced the Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act to allow states to make unemployment benefits available to unpaid federal workers and servicemembers who, despite a government shutdown, are required to show up to work without receiving a paycheck.  

The government runs out of funding on March 14, 2025. Currently, federal workers, which include over a million servicemembers, who are deemed essential and continue to report to work are prohibited from collecting unemployment benefits. The Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act permanently allows unpaid federal workers to become eligible for unemployment benefits, bringing them into parity with furloughed workers.

“During a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal employees are required to work without a paycheck. This includes service members, law enforcement, and public safety officers. Bills still need to be paid and groceries still need to be put on the table no matter how long a shutdown lasts. These essential public servants shouldn’t pay the price for Congress’ inability to do its job. This legislation will make sure that federal workers and service members aren’t used as political pawns,” said DelBene.

“Public servants and servicemembers are working tirelessly to keep us safe, and they shouldn’t be treated as political pawns,” said Dingell. “For many of these essential federal workers, even one missed paycheck can be financially catastrophic. Food, gas, childcare, healthcare, and mortgage payments don’t stop when the government is shut down, and asking our federal workforce to bear the brunt of these costs while they aren’t getting paychecks is simply not right. In the event the government shuts down, we must extend unemployment benefits to the hard-working men and women who keep our lives running smoothly and our country safe.”  

The Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act is cosponsored by Representatives Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Terri Sewell (AL-07).  

Text of the bill may be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

DelBene, Beyer Blast Republicans’ Hidden Tariff Provision

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04) reintroduced the National Landslide Preparedness Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan legislation will help save lives, protect communities and property, and improve natural disaster emergency preparedness by targeting key gaps in science and mapping critical landslide hazards. 

Following the 2014 Oso tragedy, DelBene shepherded the passage of the National Landslide Preparedness Act which funded critical programs that protect lives and communities from landslide risks. Reauthorizing this funding would help communities plan for and respond to natural hazards, update the nation’s topographical maps, and better inform public safety, national security, infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, and natural resources management through 2028.

“Washington knows too well the devastating effects of landslides and communities across the country also see the severe impacts of natural disasters. We must provide safeguards to prevent future tragedies and mitigate risks when possible. This legislation will help ensure our communities are better prepared and able to employ the best science and technology to prevent, plan, and respond to natural disasters,” said DelBene.

“Our communities felt the devastating impact of landslides firsthand when the SR 530 Landslide claimed 43 lives, making it the deadliest in U.S. history,” said Schrier. “This bill will make crucial investments to further our understanding of landslides, improve our preparation for these natural disasters, and ultimately safeguard our communities.” 

“Landslides are dangerous and damaging, so we need the tools to protect life, property, and our local economies. Recently, Southwest Washington experienced several landslides which affect local small businesses, transportation, and recreation and require significant resources to overcome,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “Our bipartisan legislation will extend commonsense, proactive measures to keep our communities prepared and identify landslide-prone areas before it’s too late.”

“Washington state is no stranger to landslides and the devastation they bring. To better prepare for these natural disasters, we need the best science and technology that ensures our communities are able to prevent and respond when the time comes. This legislation is a step in the right direction towards saving lives and protecting our local communities from the unpredictable threats of landslides,” said Newhouse.

The bill would reauthorize key pieces of the National Landslide Preparedness Act:

• Expanded early warning systems. The law expanded existing early warning systems for post-wildfire landslides in recently burned areas across the United States. It also required procedures to be developed for federal monitoring of stormwater drainage in areas with a high risk of landslides, in coordination with state, local, and tribal governments.
• Federal program focused specifically on landslide hazards. The law established a National Landslides Hazard Reduction program through the U.S. Geological Survey, which is identifying risks and hazards from landslides to protect at-risk communities and improve communication and emergency preparedness.
• New maps to help communities prepare for landslide risk. The law directed the USGS to implement a 3D Elevation Program to increase data collection and landslide threat identification across the country. Enhanced elevation data, such as LIDAR, is critical for numerous reasons—to help communities plan for and respond to natural hazards; to update the nation’s topographical maps; and to inform a myriad of uses including public safety, national security, planning, infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, and natural resource management.
• Landslide-related grant programs. The law authorized new programs to provide funding to state, territorial, local, and tribal governments for landslide research, mapping, assessment, and data collection.
• Committees that focus on landslide risks. The law established an advisory committee on landslides and creates an interagency committee to coordinate better landslide responses from the multiple government agencies with jurisdiction.

The National Landslide Preparedness Reauthorization Act is cosponsored by Representatives Adam Smith (WA-09), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Emily Randall (WA-06), and Rick Larsen (WA-02).

A copy of the bill can be found here.