Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID 1)
Fulcher Announces Next Telephone Town Hall | Press Releases | Congressman Russ Fulcher
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) and Congressman Max Miller (OH-07) led a bipartisan letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee endorsing the nomination of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
The bipartisan letter recognizes the Hostage and Missing Families Forum’s unwavering advocacy for hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. It also highlights the Forum’s extraordinary humanitarian leadership, including efforts to maintain international focus on hostages’ fates, providing essential support to affected families, and advocating accountability for these barbaric crimes. The letter was signed by an additional 13 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.
“In the wake of Hamas’ barbaric attacks, the families of those taken hostage or missing channeled their grief into action—mobilizing a remarkable global movement to keep their loved ones at the forefront of diplomatic negotiations, demanding accountability, and advocating for all those suffering the devastations of war,” said Rep. Schneider. “By honoring the Hostages and Missing Families Forum with a Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee would reaffirm the fundamental truth that every life is sacred and that the world cannot look away.”
“I wholeheartedly support this initiative to recognize the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for their unwavering advocacy and leadership,” said Rep. Miller. “Their courage in the face of immense hardship is a beacon of hope and a powerful reminder that no life should be forgotten. Honoring their efforts with the Nobel Peace Prize would be a testament to the strength of those who fight for justice, dignity, and the return of their loved ones.”
Congressman Schneider formally nominated the Forum in January. The bipartisan letter was endorsed by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action, Hadassah – The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, J Street, Jewish Federations of North America, National Council of Jewish Women, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Additional members of Congress who signed onto the letter include Reps. Don Bacon, Wesley Bell, Donald Davis, Rosa DeLauro, Daniel Goldman, Josh Gottheimer, Thomas Kean, Greg Landsman, Brad Sherman, Greg Stanton, Thomas Suozzi, Juan Vargas and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee
Henrik Ibsens gate 51
0255 Oslo, Norway
Dear Members of the Nobel Committee:
Every year, the Nobel Peace Prize honors those whose actions illuminate the path toward justice and human dignity. This year, there is no group more deserving of this recognition than the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Through unfathomable anguish and heartbreak, these families have become the conscience of the world, steadfastly reminding the world that their loved ones are not bargaining chips or statistics, but human beings—each with names, stories, and families waiting to embrace them. Undaunted by the horrors of their loved ones’ captivity and the dashed hopes of promised rescue agreements always just over the horizon, the members of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum have not only shown extraordinary grace and humanity, they have helped the world see the humanity of all those suffering the devastation of war. As Jon Polin, the father of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg Polin so eloquently said, “in a competition of pain, there are no winners.”
The world must forever remember October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise invasion into Israel, barbarically torturing, raping and mutilating innocent civilians—ultimately murdering more than 1,000 people and abducting more than 250 others, including children, the elderly, and entire families. The atrocities committed that day and the suffering endured since defy comprehension. The families of the hostages could have understandably succumbed to despair. Instead, they built a movement. Within 24 hours, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum emerged as a rallying cry for all humanity.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has heroically demanded action from governments, international organizations, and civil society, ensuring that the hostages are not forgotten amid the broader geopolitical calculus. They have organized rallies, briefed world leaders and driven a global effort that has kept the hostages’ fate at the forefront of diplomatic negotiations. Through sheer will and perseverance, they have cast a hopeful light in a time of unbearable darkness.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum’s work goes beyond advocacy. They have provided essential psychological and medical support to families shattered by loss and uncertainty. They have fought to hold Hamas accountable in courts of law and public opinion. Their efforts to define these heinous crimes as violations of international law and to seek justice for the hostages are crucial for building international solidarity. In a world where terror thrives in the shadows, they have forced daylight upon it.
The Nobel Peace Prize has long honored those who elevate humanity’s highest ideals in the face of oppression. In honoring the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the Committee would reaffirm a fundamental truth: that every life is sacred, that no act of terror can erase our shared humanity, and that the pursuit of justice must never waver. Their nomination is not just about the hostages. It is about the essential principle that the world cannot look away.
We, the undersigned Members of the United States Congress, urge you to honor those who have refused to let the world forget. The families of the hostages did not choose this fight, but they have carried it with grace, determination, and an unwavering belief that justice must prevail. There can be no more fitting recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), will hold a second telephone town hall on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Please see below for key details.
Important Details:
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Listen In: 833-380-0671
Stream Live: Live | Congressman Andy Harris
Questions about the event can be directed to Congressman Harris’ DC office at (202) 225-5311. Constituents who wish to be removed from the call list should contact Congressman Harris’s DC office.
For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced available supplemental H-2B visas for the second half of Fiscal Year 2025.
The H-2B program allows foreign workers to temporarily work in the United States, provided that employers have proven that there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available to perform the temporary work. In addition, employers must certify that employing H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.
Statement From Chairman Harris:
“Thank you to President Trump and his administration for recognizing that the H-2B program is a workforce, not an immigration program, by supporting the release of additional H-2B visas for seasonal employers. This announcement is welcome news for the many businesses and seasonal employers in my district who rely on these H-2B visas to avoid cancelled contracts and lost jobs. Thank you, President Trump!”
For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon(PA-5)
“This order is a blatant power grab intended to exert control over our electorate and limit who has a political voice.”
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the following statement in response to a sweeping executive action signed by President Trump on Tuesday to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.
“This week, President Trump launched another attack on American democracy and faith in free and fair elections, issuing an unconstitutional executive order that would disenfranchise millions of American citizens, making it more difficult for many to vote, and needlessly disrupting state election systems.
“The White House measure would put the federal government in charge of Pennsylvania’s elections — something the Constitution forbids. It targets mail-in voting and imposes politically driven directives on what is supposed to be the bipartisan, independent Election Assistance Commission. The executive order would set new rules for voting equipment and give Elon Musk the ability to access state voter rolls, another shocking violation of Americans’ privacy. States that refuse to comply with the illegal order would lose significant funding designed to improve election security.
“The President and his right-wing allies are using a propaganda smokescreen to sow distrust about the integrity of our elections and justify this extreme measure. In reality, our elections are very secure, and Pennsylvania is vigilant in enforcing its election laws and auditing elections. This order is a blatant power grab intended to exert control over our electorate and limit who has a political voice. The proponents of these alleged reforms want to ensure a government that’s not for all the people but for only some people. It’s the absolute antithesis of the promise of America.
“This executive order and Congressional Republican efforts like the SAVE Act won’t prevent noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections – because they don’t. Every reliable study ever done on noncitizen voting has determined it’s vanishingly rare. But by imposing extra registration requirements, which have been proven to exclude eligible voters, this order and the SAVE Act will stop American citizens from voting, and that’s unacceptable. Married women, students, seniors, and low-income voters will all find it more difficult to vote, and may be denied their right to vote.
“Our history – our quest for a more perfect union – has always been about expanding opportunity and civic participation. In doing so, we’ve sought to make our country more representative, more fair – more perfect. As a government, we should always protect people’s freedom to vote, not rip it away. The American people deserve better than being lectured on the sanctity of our elections by a man who refused to accept his loss in the 2020 election and incited a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol – and our Constitution.”
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)
Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) has introduced the Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act, legislation that permanently reinstates the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, which allows businesses to quickly resolve wage discrepancies for workers. Initially launched under the Trump Administration in 2018, the PAID program returned four times the amount of back wages to employees, when compared to traditional investigations.
This bill is supported by the National Retail Federation, HR Policy Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, International Franchise Association, and Institute for the American Worker.
“Our priority must be to ensure American workers quickly and fairly receive the wages they rightfully earned,” said Grothman. “The PAID program was an objective success and returned money to workers much faster than traditional methods, benefiting both employees and businesses. By permanently restoring this program, we provide employers with an efficient way to fix mistakes and ensure workers receive their rightful wages without unnecessary litigation or penalties. This is especially helpful for small businesses, who can’t afford litigation because many are already operating on razor thin margins. I am proud to introduce this commonsense legislation to safeguard American workers and businesses alike.”
“Even the best-intentioned employer can run afoul of the countless federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations. Codification of the PAID program would allow employers to rectify such mistakes quickly, so that employees can justly get their back wages without the involvement of the laborious federal court system process. NRF is proud to support this legislation,” said Edwin Egee, Vice President, Government Affairs and Workforce Development, National Retail Federation.
“HR Policy Association supports the Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act, a practical and balanced solution that benefits both workers and employers by reinstating the PAID program. This program allowed employers to proactively correct inadvertent overtime and minimum wage violations under the FLSA, ensuring employees received back wages promptly while reducing costly and time-consuming litigation. By promoting accountability, efficiency, and fairness, this legislation offers a common-sense approach to resolving wage issues, and we strongly urge lawmakers to reintroduce and support this critical measure,” said Chatrane Birbal, Vice President, Policy and Government Relations, HR Policy Association.
“Small businesses overwhelmingly support the PAID program,” said Dylan Rosnick, NFIB Principal of Federal Government Relations. “Unlike larger businesses, many small businesses do not have dedicated compliance officers or human resources departments, leaving the business owner responsible for handling payroll in-house. The PAID program was successful in helping small business owners correct unintended errors before incurring costly penalties. As Congress looks to deliver pro-growth economic and regulatory policies, reinstating the PAID program would help honest small business owners correct minor violations and comply with the law.”
Background Information
During President Trump’s first term, the Department of Labor implemented the PAID pilot program, which allowed employers to self-audit, report their findings, and resolve unintentional overtime and minimum wage violations swiftly. This well-received program was terminated by the Biden Administration in 2021, leaving employees and employers with limited options to settle wage and hour discrepancies, often facing costly lawsuits and lengthy investigations.
The Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act will permanently restore the PAID program, thereby simplifying the process for employers to address wage discrepancies and efficiently return wages owed to their employees. Restoring this program not only protects workers by ensuring they promptly receive their correct wages, but it also assists businesses in mitigating unnecessary expenses and compliance costs, allowing them to focus resources on creating jobs and contributing to a thriving economy.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Compared to traditional investigations, compliance actions under PAID find more back wages for workers in less time. Through the end of fiscal year 2019, PAID actions found, on average, more than four times the back wages of traditional full investigations and more than 10 times the back wages per [Wage and Hour Division] staff hour invested.”
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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) serves the people of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) yesterday addressed Trump’s upcoming tariffs during a hearing of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee before engaging witnesses with questions. Since Beyer’s remarks, Trump has reportedly planned the imposition of additional auto tariffs.
Video of his remarks is available here, and text follows below.
We are having this hearing a week before what President Trump has taken to calling “liberation day” and frankly that adds a bit of absurdity to this exercise.
We’re discussing new notional trade agreements while the President is busy tearing up the last one he negotiated. I’m very interested in the possibilities of an agreement with the United Kingdom or with Switzerland. But it’s hard to imagine an FTA in the present context.
On April 2nd, the President has promised to levy tariffs in some form and some amount, based upon some invented but yet-to-be-revealed metrics, on an unknown list of countries, relying on dubious authority.
We are told that these tariffs will remedy all manner of slights real or imagined.
Countries around the world and businesses around the country are scrambling to understand the MAGA astrology that these supposedly “reciprocal” tariffs will be based.
Investment is on pause; your 401k is down, and uncertainty is up.
This opacity might be less dangerous if the President wasn’t simultaneously promoting his crypto token– a historic platform for industrialized bribery.
And depending on what you want to buy, your paycheck won’t stretch as far because Howard Lutnick has felt disrespected by some Prime Minister somewhere. Your life will become more expensive to protect the President’s feelings.
Does that feel like liberation to you?
The past two months of on and off trade war against Canada have given us the perfect distillation of the emptiness and absurdity of the Administration’s trade policy. The Wall Street Journal called it the dumbest trade war in history. When they’re right they’re right.
We’ve heard 17 different pretexts for the necessity of aggressive tariffs that will raise costs, destroy integrated supply chains and turn friends into enemies.
The only one the President will stick to is his desire to turn a proud and friendly nation of 40 million people who can’t stand him into the 51st state. You won’t hear a lot of that from my Republican friends because they know how utterly stupid that sounds.
You won’t sound any smarter explaining to your constituents that the price of their medicines just went up because Denmark refused to sell us Greenland for Trumpcoins.
Are there irritants in the US-Canada trade relationship? Sure. But this is blowing off your toe to cure a hangnail. It’s burning our manufacturing base in order to save it.
And this has been so successful the President now wants to do a world tour, with American consumers footing the bill.
This committee should be leading the charge to reassert congressional trade authority. We should be working together to protect the economy from an ideological and emotional tariff program that will make us poorer and kill more jobs than it saves.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) today sought clarification on the authority behind the unlawful and unprecedented executive overreach targeting the United Institute of Peace (USIP), an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit. In a letter to Loren J. Sciurba, the senior official in the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Representatives demanded an explanation on actions taken by the Trump administration, including the White House decision to fire USIP President George E. Moose and all but three of its board members without cause, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) forcible entry into USIP headquarters, and the implications of those actions for the more than 232,000 other 501(c)(3) non-profits across the country.
Full text of the letter follows below, and a signed copy is available here.
–
Dear Deputy Inspector General Sciurba:
I write to seek clarity on the brazen executive overreach applied to the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a 501(c)(3) organization.
Founded by Ronald Reagan in 1984 through Public Law 98-525, USIP was chartered as an “independent nonprofit corporation,” and the legal entity that holds USIP’s funds is therefore organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under federal tax law. Despite receiving federal funding from Congress for its essential work, USIP was specifically created as a private organization. Like the other more than 232,000 501(c)(3) organizations in the U.S., it is not a federal agency despite its work in the service of the American public – part of the broader nonprofit sector that accounts for nearly 13 million American jobs.
That private status is essential to not only USIP, but also to other nonprofits, who, like the American people and American businesses, are not subject to management by Presidential fiat. U.S. law (22 U.S. Code § 4603) lays out very limited authorities that the Executive and Congress may employ in engaging with USIP. Those authorities have not been followed.
Reporting indicates that on March 15, special government employees in the Executive Office of the President operating under the “Department of Government Efficiency” (“DOGE”) attempted to access the USIP headquarters with the help of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, but were appropriately turned away by the Institute’s counsel. Reporting also indicated that the White House fired the Institute’s president and all but three of its board members without cause. DOGE members returned and again demanded entry, which they eventually secured – allegedly “by force,” according to a USIP attorney. Those reported actions taken by this Administration are unlawful and a dangerous erosion of the privacy of a private organization.
Given the serious implications of DOGE’s recent actions in attempting to gain physical access to USIP property, please provide answers to the following questions:
Additionally, given the similarly serious implications of the Administration attempting to exert direct management over a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, please provide answers to the following questions:
Sincerely,
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON — Today, on the anniversary of the SpeechNow.org v. FEC D.C. Circuit Court decision, Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12), Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17), Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), and Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03), introduced the Abolish Super PACs Act, legislation that seeks to put an end to super PACs in federal elections. The bill would place a $5,000 per calendar year limit on contributions to super PACs, effectively abolishing them.
At a press conference earlier today, Reps. Lee and Khanna unveiled the bill and were joined by John Bonifaz, President of Free Speech For People, Lawrence Lessig, Founder of EqualCitizens.US and Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School, Aquib Yacoob, Chief of Staff of Women’s March, and Lauren Maunus, Advocacy Director of IfNotNow Movement.
Billionaires, corporations, and other wealthy interests are currently able to make unlimited contributions to “super PACs” that are not controlled by candidates or political parties, even when they spend money to support or oppose specific candidates. These unlimited contributions to super PACs in federal elections often rise to the level of millions of dollars, presenting the threat of corruption in the political process and staggering influence by the ultra-wealthy.
“Campaign finance reform is long overdue. We’re seeing the effects of money in politics destroy our democracy at this very moment because billionaires have been allowed to buy their way into our politics and influence the outcome of our elections. This must end,” said Rep. Summer Lee. “The Abolish Super PACs Act is one step towards putting the power back in the hands of the people and dismantling the oligarchy our country is careening to. Campaign finance reform starts with Congress passing this legislation, and I am grateful to my colleagues and our advocates in the movement for their support of this critical bill.”
“The American people are sick of the corruption and influence of money in politics. Our democracy shouldn’t be for sale. That’s why I don’t take a dime of PAC money. Abolishing Super PACs is a step toward giving everyone a voice — not just the ultra-wealthy. I’m proud to join Rep. Summer Lee to introduce this legislation to ban Super PACs. I’m grateful for Larry Lessig’s scholarship and voice on this issue,” said Rep. Ro Khanna.
“A lack of limits on contributions to Super PACs allows corruption and dark money to run rampant in U.S. elections. It makes us more vulnerable to foreign interference. And it contributes to billionaire nepo baby Elon Musk being able to buy his way into our government and make a mockery of it. The time is now to stop the undue influence of dark money and special interests in our elections,” said Rep. James P. McGovern. “Our elected leaders should be chosen by the people with the strongest voices, not the billionaires with the deepest pockets. We can’t let the people who want to destroy our democracy keep getting away with this. The Abolish Super PACs Act would stop the out of control flow of unlimited money into our elections and return the power back to the people.”
“Our democracy should be of the people, by the people, and for the people – not for sale to the highest bidder,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal. “In every cycle since the disastrous Citizens United and SpeechNow.org decisions, we have seen more and more special interest dark money poured into campaigns across the country – this year, with a billionaire paying millions to buy a seat as Shadow President. I’m proud to co-lead Rep. Lee’s Abolish Super PACs Act to cap contribution limits and ensure that our government isn’t beholden to donors.”
“Our system is corrupt. Super PACs spent a record-breaking $1 billion in dark money this past election cycle. When billionaires and special interest groups continue buying our elections, including seats in Congress, politicians will continue to be accountable to the needs of the rich and powerful instead of the people,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib. “This is not democracy. It’s oligarchy. We need to pass the Abolish Super PACs Act and overturn Citizens United.”
The Supreme Court has long held that limits on contributions impose only a “marginal restriction” on free speech, and that states have a right to limit contributions to prevent the risk of quid pro quo corruption and the appearance of corruption. However, a wrongly decided 2010 DC Circuit Court of Appeals decision in SpeechNow v. FEC struck down contribution limits to political action committees engaged in making independent expenditures.
The appeals court said that because the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. FEC that independent expenditures did not pose a risk of corruption, unlimited contributions to independent expenditure PACs could not pose a risk of corruption either. But the decision overlooked (1) the Supreme Court’s longstanding practice of distinguishing between contributions and expenditures and holding expenditures to a heightened level of scrutiny; and (2) the fact that even if anti-coordination laws prevent candidates and super PACs from reaching quid pro quo agreements, those same laws do not stop candidates and super PAC contributors from agreeing to a quid pro quo arrangement that involve funneling bribes through super PACs.
This federal bill would be in line with the Supreme Court’s precedent upholding contribution limits, rather than the dubious SpeechNow decision of the federal appeals court.
The Abolish Super PACs Act is endorsed by Common Defense, Court Accountability, Dream Defenders, End Citizens United, Equal Citizens, Free Speech For People, Gen-Z for Change, Grassroots Global Justice Action Fund, IfNotNow Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Justice is Global Action, Move to Amend, MPower Change Action Fund, National Iranian American Council Action, Our Revolution, Peace Action, RepresentUs, RootsAction, Rural Organizing, Sunrise Movement, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, and Women’s March.
“We applaud Congresswoman Lee for championing this critical legislation to abolish super PACs,” said John Bonifaz, a constitutional attorney and the president of Free Speech For People. “In the fifteen years since the SpeechNow ruling created super PACs, we have witnessed the way in which billionaires and other wealthy interests use super PACs to corrupt the political process. This legislation would prevent that rampant corruption and would help protect our democracy. We strongly support this bill.”
“The broligarchs that own the Trump administration – and bankroll extremist politicians across the country – have used super PACs to buy elections and drown out the voices of everyday people for far too long,” said Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Executive Director of Women’s March. “This administration and its billionaire backers have made unilateral decisions that affect the health and safety of all Americans, and have attacked our rights, freedoms, and Constitution in the process. The Abolish Super PACs Act is a crucial step toward reclaiming our democracy and dismantling systems that allow billionaires and corporations to control our elections. Our government should serve the people, not the highest bidder.”
“Super PACs are one of the most corrosive and corrupting forces in our democracy,” said End Citizens United Action Fund President Tiffany Muller. “They have become tools for billionaires and corporate special interests to buy elections and shape policy to serve their interests. It’s why more and more Americans don’t believe they have a voice in Washington and that the government doesn’t work in their interest. The Abolish Super PACs Act is a commonsense step toward rooting out corruption and restoring trust in government. We’re grateful for Representatives Lee and Khanna’s continued leadership and advocacy to ensure our government works for everyone––not just the wealthy.”
“Corrupt billionaires like Elon Musk should never have been allowed to buy our government,” said Alex Aronson, Executive Director of Court Accountability. “But in the wake of the Roberts Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision, that’s exactly what the system of big-money super PACs has produced. It doesn’t have to be this way. The American people deserve a government that works for them, not for whichever oligarch cuts the biggest checks. We applaud Rep. Lee and her colleagues for introducing this crucial legislation to fight for a democracy that belongs to all of us, not to the highest bidder.”
“For 15 years, most lawyers have assumed that Madison’s First Amendment requires SuperPACs. It does not, and our urgent need now is to end this perversion of American democracy, and secure a democracy ‘dependent,’ as Madison promised, ‘on the people alone.’” – Lawrence Lessig, Founder of EqualCitizens.US; Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law School
“The corruption and incompetence of the Musk-Trump administration will destroy rural communities, and it is the direct result of Super PACs. The introduction of this legislation to limit the influence of Super PACs is a bold and inspiring step, and is essential to rebuilding rural America. This is about returning power to the people and reaffirming that our democracy belongs to all of us, not just the wealthiest few. RuralOrganizing.org is proud to endorse this effort and we are calling on Congress to join Representatives Lee and Khanna in defending the voice of working class Americans by supporting this legislation.” – Dom Holmes, RuralOrganizing.org
“Corporate Super PACs are a key tool of billionaires and oligarchs to buy and influence elections and to take power out of the hands of voters,” said Jewish Voice for Peace Action Political Director Beth Miller. “Super PACs like AIPAC’s United Democracy Project spent eye-popping sums of money during the last cycle to oust progressives as punishment for reflecting popular and widespread voter sentiment in support of Palestinian rights. If we want to build a truly representative democracy that supports our communities and values justice and human rights, we must get rid of these inherently anti-democratic institutions.”
“The 2010 federal appeals court ruling in SpeechNow.org v. FEC effectively legalized corruption in our electoral processes. As a collective of Gen-Z organizers, we demand a future in which our representatives prioritize the needs of their constituents over the desires of power-hungry corporations and wealthy elites. The introduction of the Abolish SuperPACs Act is an excellent first step in restoring accountability and faith in our democracy.” – Gen-Z for Change
“Allowing Super PACs is like handing billionaires and special interests a private broadcast tower to drown out democracy’s signal. At a time when rapidly spreading authoritarianism threatens the foundations of our republic, letting big money hijack the electoral airwaves becomes even more dangerous. The Abolish Super PACs Act is a chance to pull the plug and tune back into the voice of the people.” -Jon Rainwater, Executive Director at Peace Action
“For far too long, elected officials have prioritized billionaires’ profit over the people. We’ve watched firsthand as Corporate Super PACs have corrupted our political system, sidelining the issues that matter most. As just one example, AIPAC has bullied elected officials into violating human rights over and over, despite increasing public support for the Palestinian people’s struggle. This bill allows us to finally place limitations on these Corporate Super PACs and force electeds to represent the people.” -Ahmad Abuznaid, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR Action) Executive Director
“It is past time to abolish Super PACs and end their corrosive influence on our wounded democracy,” said Sam Rosenthal, Political Director of RootsAction. “Super PACs have backed working people in the U.S. into a corner. We are subjected to rule by increasingly unpopular politicians whose candidacies are propped up by a handful of ultrawealthy donors and their dark money. RootsAction is proud to support this brave effort by Representatives Lee and Khanna to end this stain on our political process once and for all.”
“The Abolish Super PACs Act is a vital strike against the corrosive flood of unchecked money in our elections. By capping contributions and dismantling the super PAC machine unleashed by SpeechNow.org, Rep. Summer Lee’s bill confronts the reality that unlimited spending drowns out everyday voters and hands our democracy to the highest bidders. It’s a bold step toward a government of, by, and for the people—not the wealthiest few.” – Naveed Shah, Political Director at Common Defense
“We need billionaires and corporate interests out of our politics. Big Oil, AIPAC, and the crypto lobby should not be able to pour millions of dollars into elections to override the will of the people,” said IfNotNow Movement political director Lauren Maunus. “We demand that Members of Congress take the power away from Super PACs and return it to the people.”
“For far too long, corporate super PACs and billionaires have trampled over the rights of voters and working families in attempts to influence and buy our elections,” said MPower Change Action Fund Legislative and Political Director Yasmine Taeb. “Super PACs such as AIPAC’s United Democracy Project spent millions of dollars against progressive working class Members of Congress who have been advocating for Palestinian rights. As the largest Muslim digital organization in the U.S. with more than half a million members nationwide, we applaud Congresswoman Summer Lee and Congressman Ro Khanna’s leadership in introducing The Abolish Super PACs Act and urge Congress to pass it without delay.”
“Whether it’s raising the minimum wage, providing quality healthcare to all, or stopping the climate crisis — billionaires and their lobbyists have weaponized dark money SuperPACs to stop critical policies,” said Sunrise Movement Executive Director Aru Shiney-Ajay. “They’ve rigged the game so they can veto any policy that would hurt their bottom line. We must end this corrupting influence so we have a democracy that is truly by and for the people.”
A copy of the bill text can be found here, and a one-pager can be found here.
Footage from the press conference can be found here, and photos can be found here.
Issues: Government Reform & Ethics
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement in response to the cancellation of a NAACP Juneteenth celebration in Edison, New Jersey—an annual event scrapped due to fear of violating a Trump-era executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion:
“Who could blame organizations that depend on federal funding for trying to avoid the wrath of a spiteful Trump administration that sees diversity and inclusion not as cornerstones of our democracy, but as threats to be eliminated?” Pallone said. “This is the same administration that tried to erase Jackie Robinson’s triumphs and downplay the heroism of the Navajo Code Talkers. Trump and his cronies have proven themselves to be small, fragile people—unwilling to embrace the full story of America, including the emancipation of enslaved people that we honor on Juneteenth.”
“Let’s be clear: ignoring history doesn’t heal this country—it weakens it,” Pallone continued. “The public deserves to know exactly what’s happening here—a coordinated national effort by Donald Trump and his cronies to erase truth, suppress inclusion, and rewrite American history.”
“We at the NAACP are being forced to relocate our Annual Juneteenth Festival from federal grounds simply because it could be seen as a DEI initiative and risk retaliation under the Trump Administration’s agenda. That’s not just unacceptable—it’s dangerous,” said Reggie Johnson, President of the Metuchen Edison Piscataway Area Branch of the NAACP.
Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States, became a federal holiday with bipartisan support in Congress in 2021.