MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Pocan (2nd District of Wisconsin)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), co-chair and co-founder of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, released the following statement after voting against House passage of the $892.6 billion FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill’s topline does not reflect the additional $150 billion added to the Pentagon’s budget through the Big Ugly Law this past July, pushing total military spending over $1 trillion for the first time. Rep. Pocan has never voted in favor of an NDAA since being elected to Congress in 2012.

“Congress continues to prioritize lining the pockets of defense contractors while millions of Americans struggle with the cost of housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, and other basic needs. The Pentagon remains the only federal agency that has never passed an audit. Yet Congress keeps giving more and more taxpayer dollars every year to an agency that literally cannot account for where that money is going. If the Department of Education or Housing and Urban Development failed even one audit, Republican lawmakers would be calling for heads to roll. But when it comes to the Pentagon budget, accountability is nonexistent.

“Until Congress puts people over the Pentagon, I will continue to oppose these bloated, unaccountable defense bills.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

Congressman Baird Statement on Charlie Kirk

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the FY26 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:

 

Click here to watch a full video of his full remarks.

“Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. First, I rise and thank Mr. Rogers for his leadership on this committee for a very long period of time. His picture is right over that door, representing the fact that he was the Chairman of this committee and the leader of this committee for many, many years. I believe Mr. Rogers is one of the leaders of this committee who cares deeply about this committee, about its role, and about its independence, and its positioning under the Constitution of the United States and its obligations to the people of the United States. It is unfortunate that not only his subcommittee, my subcommittee on which I’m the Ranking Member, but many other subcommittees – and we heard it yesterday from Mr. Aderholt – saying we had limited resources. We do have limited resources. We need to be cognizant of our fiscal challenges that confront us. We need to bring down the debt. I’m one of those that has long felt that we need to be more fiscally disciplined. But in that context, we also need to understand that we need to invest in competing with the rest of the world, not to be competing to win [with] the rest of the world, but competing so that our people have the kind of economy and growth and quality of life that we want them to have, and that our national security is kept intact both abroad and here at home with our law enforcement personnel. All of that – many of these come under the purview of Mr. Rogers’ committee.

“So, I rise, reluctantly, as I think all of Democrats will be, that ultimately, I will not support this bill. I’m hopeful that at the end, after we have a conference with the Senate or however that is going to work out, that I’ll be able to support this. And I thank him, however, for his consistency in protecting this committee’s integrity, and using a judgment of this committee, not simply of an Administration, whatever Administration it might be. Though I oppose this bill, I do believe that the Chairman has done what he could, within the context of the 302b allocation he was given.

“There are many, many, however, deficiencies, many cuts under Fiscal Year ‘25. One of those I’m concerned about, as the gentleman knows, is Goddard Space Flight Center. I have an article here written by a gentleman named Stephen Greenblatt, who’s a physics – I believe it’s physics – professor at Harvard University, and he talks about Sputnik. Now, Sputnik – most of you don’t know what Sputnik was. I happened to be – I remember the exact other day I was driving in 1957; I just graduated from high school when Sputnik, in 1957, went around the globe. And in effect, it took America by the coattails and shook it because we were astounded that the Soviet Union had surpassed us in an objective that we had. And then John Kennedy became president, and John Kennedy said we’re going to compete. Republicans said we’re going to compete. Democrats said we’re going to compete, and America competed.

“The professor points out that at that point in time  – some 70 plus years ago  – America, having had this shock, decided we would compete. How do we do it? We invested. We didn’t disinvest. We invested. We invested in science, we invested in engineering, we invested in STEM, we invested in people going to college. Unfortunately, we are doing exactly the opposite now, while we talk about competing with China. At that time – at that point in time, of the top ten universities, China had one in the top ten universities. Now, eight out of ten [universities] are from China. Number one is China, [the] University of Science and Technology of China, in producing, as the gentleman in Georgia said, scientists, engineers, people who are going to make a difference ten years from now, 20 years from now, in the competition between China and ourselves critically important economically and critically important from a national security standpoint. So, when we see that, we see – Germany, by the way, in the United States are the other two. Harvard is the only college in the United States who’s in the top ten of those who are contributing to major science journals.

“I don’t have enough time, so I’ll conclude by saying, we need to do better. I think Mr. Rogers would agree with that. I don’t ask him to say it today, but we can do better, and we must do better. We must do better if America is going to be what we want it to be for our children, for our grandchildren, and in my case, for my great grandchildren. And I look forward to working with the Chairman to achieve those objectives as we continue through this process.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

Washington—Reps. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) and Don Beyer (VA-08), members of the House Ways and Means Committee, have introduced the Claiming Age Clarity Act to help seniors better understand how the timing of their decision to claim Social Security affects their monthly benefit. 

The legislation would modernize the Social Security Administration’s terminology, so it more clearly explains how retirement age affects monthly benefits. 

“Older Americans approaching retirement age should make informed decisions when deciding to claim the Social Security benefits they have earned. This straightforward legislation aims to simplify bureaucratic jargon which may mislead Americans into making poor financial decisions. I thank Rep. Beyer for joining me in introducing this legislation and will work across the aisle to advance this commonsense measure,” said Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11). 

“Our bill would be an important first step toward helping older Americans make clearer, more informed decisions about when to claim their retirement benefits. By better reflecting the design of Social Security’s claiming options, individuals can choose the claiming age that best fits their individual financial needs,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “With Americans living longer, ensuring they have the tools to navigate their financial future and plan effectively for retirement is more important than ever.”

Smucker and Beyer’s legislation would make the following changes to terminology used by the Social Security Administration to provide greater clarity to seniors: 

• “Early Eligibility Age” would become “Minimum Benefit Age” – This is age 62, the earliest age at which someone can begin receiving retirement benefits. However, doing so comes with a permanent reduction—up to 30% less than the standard benefit.
• “Full Retirement Age” would become “Standard Benefit Age” – This is age 66-67 depending on an individual’s birth year.
• “Delayed Retirement Age” would become “Maximum Benefit Age” – This is age 70, the latest age at which someone can begin receiving retirement benefits. Doing so comes with an 8% increase in benefits per year—up to 24% more than the standard benefit. 

The legislation is supported by Bipartisan Policy Center Action, AARP, and AMAC Action. 

“Hard-working Americans deserve simple, straightforward information when planning for retirement, especially when it comes to claiming Social Security,” said Michele Stockwell, president of BPC Action. “This effort from Reps. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) does just that by updating claiming age terms to better reflect their corresponding benefits. We know that the age at which one first claims Social Security benefits drastically impacts the total income they receive over time, and this bill will ensure that retirees are better informed in their long-term planning and decisions.” 

In a letter to Reps. Smucker and Beyer, AARP endorsed the legislation, writing: “AARP, which advocates for the more than 100 million Americans aged 50 and over, is pleased to endorse the Claiming Age Clarity Act, which would improve the terminology the Social Security Administration uses in relation to retirement benefit claiming ages. Your bipartisan bill will provide American workers with better and more understandable information about the impact claiming age has on their earned benefits, helping them make more informed choices about when to start collecting Social Security.” 

“On behalf of AMAC Action, the advocacy affiliate of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), with over 2 million members nationwide, we thank Congressman Smucker for his commitment to America’s retirees and proudly endorse the Claiming Age Clarity Act. For too long, the terminology used by the Social Security Administration has misled millions of Americans into making suboptimal choices about when to claim their hard-earned benefits. This commonsense legislation is vital to ensuring older Americans make informed decisions that directly impact their financial security in retirement,” said Andy Mangione, Senior Vice PresidentAMAC Action 

In the Senate, Sens. Bill Cassidy, Christopher Coons, Susan Collins, and Tim Kaine have introduced companion legislation.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

Rep. Pete Aguilar recently visited the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District All-Risk Training Center, where he spoke with local firefighters and joined them in training exercises to learn more about the work they do every day to keep the Inland Empire safe. 
“Here in Southern California, we know that fire season is becoming an all-year-round reality, and it’s seemingly getting worse every single year,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “I was proud to join some of the brave men and women from the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District to learn more about the hard work they do, putting their lives on the line to protect our community. At a time when the Trump Administration is gutting FEMA and playing politics with federal aid for natural disasters, the work our firefighters do is more important than ever. I’ll keep fighting in Congress to support our first responders and ensure our communities receive the disaster assistance they need, as soon as they need it.”

Rep. Aguilar serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter, Harshbarger Introduce Legislation to Ensure Access and Transparency in 340B Drug Pricing Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) today introduced the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-Net Act (340B ACCESS Act). This legislation establishes critical oversight and transparency of the 340B program while providing clear, practical, and achievable solutions to help ensure the 340B program can be a force for good in the nation’s health care safety net.

The introduction of the 340B ACCESS Act comes amidst mounting evidence of the program’s need for reform, including one day after the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report finding that the 340B program is costing taxpayers and that there is no evidence patients are benefitting. 

“340B was intended to give low-income and vulnerable patients access to affordable medicines. The program has rapidly expanded, and a lack of transparency has allowed some entities to pocket the savings without passing them on to patients. Congress must act to restore the integrity of the program to better protect vulnerable patients served by safety-net providers. The 340B ACCESS Act will save lives and improve outcomes by ensuring patient access to affordable, quality health care. I want to thank Rep. Harshbarger for joining me to fix the 340B drug pricing program for Georgians and all Americans,” said Rep. Carter.

“340B is a lifeline for safety-net providers serving low-income and vulnerable patients, but gaps in the program have let these discounts be misused and diverted from the goal of better access and lower costs for patients most in need. As a pharmacist, I know how critical it is to keep medicines and care affordable. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Congressman Carter on the 340B ACCESS Act that would implement commonsense reforms to inject much needed transparency and oversight into the 340B program and protect and strengthen it for rural and safety-net providers in Tennessee and across the country,” said Rep. Harshbarger.

BACKGROUND

The 340B drug pricing program, which was originally created in 1992, is an important tool that helps hospitals and other covered entities meet the health care needs of low-income and uninsured patients. The program allows 340B covered entities to purchase drugs for patients in their facilities at substantial discounts. However, over the past decade, the program has grown substantially and has operated with little transparency or oversight and with little evidence that patients are benefitting. 

The 340B ACCESS Act seeks to capture the following policy principles, which will guide efforts to realign the 340B program in the interest of true safety-net providers and the communities they serve:

• Make 340B a true safety-net program for patients.
• Ensure 340B prescriptions are offered to patients at a discount.
• Update the 340B patient definition with strong safeguards. 
• Establish clear criteria for 340B contract pharmacy arrangements to improve access.
• Prevent middlemen and for-profit entities from profiting off the 340B program.
• Update and strengthen 340B hospital eligibility requirements.
• Address standards for 340B child sites and subgrantee eligibility. 
• Create a neutral 340B claims data clearinghouse.
• Facilitate public reporting on 340B program data.
• Establish enforceable rules and enhance federal administration and oversight of the 340B program.

In order to ensure 340B is reaching and helping vulnerable patients, the 340B ACCESS Act will:

Establish Patient Affordability Requirements 

New requirements would ensure that qualifying low-income and uninsured patients benefit directly from 340B through reduced out-of-pocket costs for their medicines, whether they receive their medicine from a covered entity, child site, or contract pharmacy. Currently, the 340B program has no such patient affordability requirements for medicines, and evidence suggests that only a small share of 340B hospitals use some of their 340B margin to help patients afford their medicines.

Codify Patient Definition

The 340B statute expressly prohibits purchasing 340B drugs for individuals who are not patients of a covered entity, but the statute does not provide a detailed definition of a covered entity patient. In 1996, HRSA issued a definition of a 340B patient in guidance. That definition is overly broad and subject to abuse. For example, the guidance allows use of 340B drugs in cases when a provider “provides health care under contractual or other arrangements (e.g., referral for consultation)” but does not specify what constitutes a “referral” or “other arrangements.” Additionally, HRSA’s guidance has not specified a time period for which an individual remains a “patient” of a covered entity after first receiving care at the entity. The legislative text would codify a patient definition in statute. The elements of this definition would clarify which drugs could qualify for 340B discounts.

Recognize Contract Pharmacies 

Contract pharmacies would be recognized in statute and subject to rules aimed at ensuring covered entities use these arrangements consistent with the intent of the program as specified in the legislation. The legislation would add new requirements for manufacturers, who currently do not have a statutory requirement to ship or facilitate delivery of 340B drugs to contract pharmacies. 

Impose Hospital Eligibility

This legislation would establish eligibility requirements for hospitals, with specific requirements varying by hospital type. These requirements are intended to ensure that the program serves true safety net hospitals.

Establish Child Site Eligibility

The legislation establishes statutory standards for child site eligibility and requires covered entities to demonstrate to the HHS Secretary that each child site satisfies the new standards prior to participating in 340B. Covered entities would be required to de-register the child site from 340B and self-disclose any improper discounts if a child site fails to meet these new eligibility standards. Hospitals would be subject to civil monetary penalties if they fail to de-register the child site and self-disclose non-compliance with these standards. Currently, child sites have no eligibility requirements related to treating low-income and otherwise vulnerable patients or providing charity care.

Restrict PBMs and For-Profit Entities

Restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), contract pharmacies, and third-party administrators are included in the legislation to guard against for-profit, 340B supply chain middlemen making excessive profits from a safety-net program. These new PBM non-discrimination rules are modeled after those in H.R. 2534, the Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through (PROTECT) 340B Act of 2023.

Bolster Transparency

The 340B ACCESS Act includes a transparency section that is based on a bill from 2023, H.R. 3290 (as amended), that brings much-needed transparency to the 340B program.

The legislation adds a requirement that grantees report how they are using the 340B margin using standardized rules established by HHS that are consistent with reporting requirements that federally qualified health centers use for Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting.

Read full bill text here.        

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

Congresswoman Dina Titus introduced bipartisan legislation today to protect farm animals from disease and inhumane treatment when they are transported over long distances in the United States.

“For far too long, federal regulations requiring humane treatment of transported farm animals have not been enforced,” Congresswoman Titus said. “The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act would stop this lax regulation that has resulted in many animals being injured or succumbing to disease during transport.”

The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a mechanism to monitor compliance with the Twenty-Eight Hour Law, which requires animals to be offloaded for food, water, and rest if they have travelled for 28 hours or more. While U.S. regulations on international animal exports guarantee livestock are healthy and fit to travel, interstate transportation lacks similar requirements. Without these guidelines, sickly and newborn animals are permitted to be transported over long distances, contributing to the spread of pathogens like the recent Bird Flu outbreak. To remedy this, the bill would also prohibit the interstate transport of livestock deemed unfit for travel due to sickness, injury, or other conditions.  

“The worst abuses in farmed animal transport occur when animals are hauled extremely long distances or when they are ill, disabled, or otherwise in such poor condition that they can’t withstand the journey,” said Adrienne Craig, senior policy associate and staff attorney for the Animal Welfare Institute’s Farmed Animal Program. “The millions of animals carried on our roads every year should be entitled to protection under our nation’s oldest animal welfare law—the Twenty-Eight Hour Law—but that’s not possible without a clear mechanism for enforcement and cooperation among agencies. We applaud Congresswoman Titus for introducing the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act to prohibit interstate transport of livestock considered unfit for travel (in accordance with internationally recognized fitness standards), and to develop a process for enforcement of violations.”

“Although the federal ‘Twenty-Eight Hour Law’ was original passed in 1873, it has not been meaningfully updated for over three decades, while nearly every aspect of agriculture, animal care, and interstate commerce has evolved during this time,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane World Action Fund. “Outdated transportation practices not only cause unnecessary stress to animals but also heighten the risk of spreading disease when sick and young animals are moved across state lines over long periods of time confined with the most minimal of care. Modernizing this law is a simple way to protect animals, strengthen safety standards, and protect public health.” 

The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act has been endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Humane World Action Fund, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF).

Representatives King-Hinds, Holmes Norton, Cohen, and Tlaib also signed onto the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act as original cosponsors.

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

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), a union electrician and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12) introduced the Empowering Striking Workers Act to allow workers who exercise their right to collectively bargain to be eligible for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits after 14 days of striking. New Jersey and New York are currently the only two states where striking workers can apply for UI benefits following a 14-day waiting period. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) joined the members in introducing the legislation in the Senate. 

This bill is designed to support workers during labor disputes, ensuring they don’t have to choose between fighting for their rights at work and supporting their families financially. The Empowering Striking Workers Act also guarantees that workers on strike will not be required to seek other employment to receive their unemployment insurance.   

“Any union worker knows that going on strike is always the last resort,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “Workers don’t want to be on the picket line – they want to get back to work, reach a fair agreement, and provide for their families. The Empowering Striking Workers Act will make sure no worker is forced to choose between standing up for their rights and putting food on the table.” 

“The right to strike is a fundamental organizing tool for workers. It was striking workers who organized and won a minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, and the weekend. But because a majority of states do not allow workers to collect unemployment benefits while on strike, many low-income and hourly workers are forced to agree to poor terms just to keep food on the table,” said Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “The Empowering Striking Workers Act would provide an even playing field for workers and employers by ensuring striking workers can continue to collect unemployment benefits while negotiating with their employer.” 

“I’m incredibly proud to stand alongside Senator Schiff and Representatives Norcross and Ocasio-Cortez in introducing this legislation to ensure striking workers have access to unemployment insurance,” said Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. “From the longshore workers of West Oakland to front line workers across the East Bay, no worker in my district or across the U.S. should ever have to choose between exercising their right to fair bargaining and putting food on the table for their family. That’s not a level playing field, it’s exploitation. This bill restores balance, strengthens workers’ voices, and empowers them to fight for better wages and conditions, and negotiate in good faith without the fear of financial hardship hanging over them.”  

“Workers must be able to meaningfully exercise their right to protest for better wages and benefits and cannot do so if their families are going hungry. The Empowering Striking Workers Act ensures striking workers can receive the financial support they need while on the picket lines — to help level the playing field with the corporate executives sitting across the table from them who continue to draw a paycheck,” said Senator Schiff. 

The bill is endorsed by National Employment Law Project (NELP), American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) 

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Association of Flight Attendants—CWA, United Auto Workers (UAW), Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), National Nurses Union (NNU), Communications Workers of America (CWA), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Steelworkers (USW), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), United Farm Workers (UFW), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU). 

“When working people collectively bargain for a better deal at work, they lift standards and job security across entire industries, benefiting all of us. When employers refuse a fair deal for their employees, precipitating a strike, those workers give up paychecks to fight for all of us. A fair economy depends upon the outcome of that fight, and the unemployment system should provide support for those on the picket lines. They’re out of work, so that good jobs will proliferate. This is a common sense use for unemployment insurance,” said American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Director of Advocacy Jody Calemine. 

“Given the ongoing attacks on workers, it’s never been more important that workers be able to stand up for our basic rights. The Empowering Striking Workers Act is a timely, necessary step to protect workers’ right to fundamental rights on the job and make sure that employers can’t starve workers back to work under dangerous, inhumane conditions. This bill provides a basic safeguard for working families and reaffirms that our labor laws must protect people, not profits,” said Communications Workers of America (CWA) Director of Government Affairs Dan Mauer. 

“Collective bargaining is an essential tool for workers to balance the scales with their employers and win fair wages and safe working conditions. And while no worker wants to be locked out of their job or forced out on strike, there are times when a labor dispute serves as a critical last resort to bring an employer to the table to bargain in good faith. Our union commends Sen. Schiff and Rep. Norcross for their common-sense legislation that would allow striking workers to access unemployment benefits, maintain a level playing field with their employer and continue putting food on the table while they exercise their rights,” said United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall. 

“Farm workers have long been excluded from federal labor protections, despite being the workers who feed every corner of our country,” said United Farm Workers (UFW) President Teresa Romero. “The UFW is proud to support Senator Schiff’s legislation, which would ensure that every worker—including in the agricultural industry—has access to unemployment insurance benefits when striking for the wages, working conditions, and union contracts they deserve.”  

“American workers are the engine of our country, and unions bring them together to stand and fight against corporate abuse. When workers are forced to join together and strike, they deserve the same protection they would have for wage losses for any other reason. Supporting this bill is one way every American can stand up for workers when it matters most,” said Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

“In 2023, writers struck for 148 days as the studios delayed negotiating in the hopes of avoiding a fair deal by pushing writers to the brink of economic desperation. Unemployment insurance allows striking workers to fight for fair deals while staying afloat and keeping local economies healthy. The Writers Guild of America West strongly supports the Empowering Striking Workers Act to help workers stand up for their rights,” said Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) President Meredith Stiehm.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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