MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) are teaming up to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) more easily access care and benefits—as well as boost MST claims processing. 

The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act would expand the evidentiary standard for survivors applying for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), ensuring MST survivors are provided equal access to the benefits and care they have earned. Given how many instances of MST go unreported during service, the bill would require VA to consider non-Department of Defense evidence sources when reviewing MST claims, and would expand this standard to all mental health conditions related to MST. The bill would also ensure all National Guardsmen, Reservists, and service academy students can receive MST-related care and counseling from VA. 

“Survivors of military sexual trauma have endured unimaginable pain and deserve the highest quality care and services,” said Ranking Member Blumenthal. “They should have clear access to every tool needed to heal from their trauma. Our bipartisan bill will afford survivors a stronger voice in filing claims and expand VA treatment.”

“I’ve heard from countless veterans whose profound harm is compounded by a system that repeatedly fails them. Their stories reveal a dual injustice—first from experiencing devastating abuse, and then again when navigating a claims process ill-equipped to support survivors. This goes far beyond administrative shortcomings at the VA; it’s a fundamental breach of our moral and constitutional duty to those who served,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “Our bipartisan, bicameral Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act directly confronts these systemic failures. It modernizes outdated evidentiary standards to recognize all trauma responses, expands critical access to MST-related health care regardless of discharge status, and establishes rigorous oversight to ensure genuine accountability. When our institutions fail and re-traumatize those who sacrificed in service to our country, we violate a sacred commitment. Veterans deserve better, and it’s our responsibility to deliver.”

Staunch advocates for strengthening benefits and care for MST survivors, the lawmakers introduced the Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act in the 118th, 117th, 116th, and 115th Congresses. Building on the Ruth Moore Act from previous Congresses, the legislation addresses issues uncovered by the VA Office of Inspector General in 2021 by requiring VA to process all MST claims via specially trained teams, conduct annual accuracy reviews for MST claims processing, and study the quality of Veterans Benefits Administration training on MST claims processing.

The lawmakers’ efforts to improve MST survivors’ care and benefits has strong backing from the nation’s leading Veterans Service Organizations.

“MOAA is grateful to Senators Blumenthal and Murkowski for reintroducing the Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support (SAVES) Act,” said Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret), “This important legislation aims to strengthen the coordination of benefits and health care services, benefiting not only those impacted by military sexual trauma (MST) but all veterans seeking VA support. MOAA remains committed to working with Congress and the VA to ensure passage and effective implementation of this bill.”

“The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act makes critical and overdue changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability compensation and claims process for survivors of military sexual trauma, a cause Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) has championed for years. By broadening access for military sexual trauma survivors in the veterans’ healthcare system, this act acknowledges and addresses that MST survivors often feel vulnerable and forgotten; it is our nation’s responsibility to support these victims and provide the highest level of care during and after their service to our country. Service Women’s Action Network wholeheartedly endorses this legislation.” – Elisa Cardnell, Chief Executive Officer, Service Women’s Action Network

“VA offers benefits and health care to veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST), but survivors often encounter barriers in accessing these necessary services. The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support (SAVES) Act would improve the claims process, codify evidentiary support, and increase access to mental health care for MST survivors. PVA strongly supports the SAVES Act and thanks Senator Blumenthal and Senator Murkowski for reintroducing this legislation.” – Heather Ansley, Chief Policy Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America 

“The VFW supports the Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025, that would assess gaps in health care and compensation eligibility related to military sexual trauma (MST). The adverse effects of MST can remain with service members well after their time in service. This comprehensive bill would ensure they receive dignified care and appropriate compensation as they rejoin the civilian world. We thank Senators Blumenthal and Murkowski for their bipartisan leadership on this issue and look forward to the passage of this bill into law.” – Nancy Springer, Associate Director, National Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

“The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act is about doing right by the men and women who’ve sacrificed for this country,” said Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) CEO Allison Jaslow. “For too long, survivors of military sexual trauma have faced a VA system that fails them—after the military has already failed them. IAVA is grateful for the leadership of Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) and Senator Murkowski (R-AK) in standing up for these veterans. Now, it’s time for Congress to step up, do the right thing, and pass this bill—because our veterans have waited long enough.”

“For too long, military sexual trauma (MST) survivors have faced significant hurdles in accessing the VA care and benefits they have rightfully earned. The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025 offers a pathway to justice by ensuring their claims are handled with the care, sensitivity and expertise required to address this issue accurately and appropriately. DAV proudly supports this crucial legislation and the dignity it restores to those who have served, and we appreciate Sens. Blumenthal and Murkowski for incorporating the voices of MST survivors in crafting this important legislation.” – Joy Ilem, National Legislative Service Director, Disabled American Veterans

“Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is an experience that can have a complex and long-lasting impact on a veteran’s life,” said Wounded Warrior Project Chief Program Officer Jennifer Silva. “As our community continues to find ways to support MST survivors, the Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act recognizes that more can be done to expand access to care, improve the benefits claims process, and ultimately make the system work better for them. Wounded Warrior Project is proud to support this effort and we are grateful to Senators Blumenthal (D-CT) and Murkowski (R-AK) for their leadership on this issue.”

The legislation is also supported by the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Protect Our Defenders, and Vietnam Veterans of America.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), renewed calls for the Social Security Administration Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek to resign today, releasing the following statement in light of new reporting from The Washington Post: 

“Since Governor Mills courageously stood against the President’s egregious overreach with her now-iconic ‘See you in court’ declaration, the Trump Administration has unleashed an unprecedented barrage of bureaucratic terror against our state. Acting Social Security Commissioner Dudek’s own internal emails reveal not merely incompetence but calculated malice—a federal official explicitly ordering the sabotage of essential services to punish a state for daring to uphold its own democratically enacted laws. 

When warned by his own leadership team that terminating Maine’s data contracts would increase fraud nationwide, Dudek’s chilling response laid bare the constitutional perversion at work. He explicitly acknowledged that ‘improper payments will go up,’ yet proceeded anyway, declaring that punishing our governor—who he contemptuously dismissed as a ‘petulant child’—took precedence over his sworn duty to protect the integrity of America’s critical social safety net for millions of vulnerable citizens.

If a federal agency can be turned into a political hit squad at the whim of an acting appointee, what checks remain on executive power? Commissioner Dudek’s vindictive actions against Maine represent a fundamental betrayal of public trust that disqualifies him from public service. He should not only resign or be removed from office; he should be investigated for his flagrant abuse of power. 

The Constitution demands better. Maine citizens deserve better. And Acting Commissioner Dudek must go—immediately and disgracefully.”

Pingree first demanded Dudek’s resignation on March 19, 2025. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand financial support for fishing communities in Maine and across the country. The Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act wouldallow businesses that provide direct assistance to fishing operations—like gear producers or cold storage—to access loans from the Farm Credit System (FCS) that are already offered to service providers for farmers, ranchers and loggers. The FCS is a network of lending institutions that provides credit to the agriculture industry

Joining King and Pingree in leading the introduction are Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA). 

“Maine’s fishing industry is more than just the hardworking folks who catch and harvest our delicious seafood, it is also hundreds of small family businesses that make gear, build and maintain fish freezers, and distribute the state’s iconic produce,” said Senator King. “The Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act would allow fishing-support businesses to access the loans of the Farm Credit System like similar small businesses working with livestock and crop farmers. These reliable loans unlock rural economies, and help businesses invest in new expansions. Opening this program to the men and women who put fish on grocery shelves and kitchen plates is a smart way to help them hire more workers, and modernize operations to meet the demands of the 21^st century economy.”

“Fisheries are not only the backbone of Maine’s coastal communities and economy, they are a living, breathing ecosystem of interconnected businesses and generational knowledge—one that too often falls through the cracks of traditional credit systems,” said Congresswoman Pingree, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. “Our coastal communities need strategic, pragmatic policy solutions that acknowledge their economic realities. This bill does precisely that: creating a fair lending environment that mirrors the support we’ve long provided to agricultural sectors. It’s about economic resilience and honoring the profound maritime heritage that defines regions like coastal Maine.”  

“Our fishermen share the same mission as the American agriculture industry: to strengthen national food security with locally sourced, high-quality foods while building our economies,“ said Senator Murkowski. “Whether it’s the Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act or amending the Farm Bill, I am actively working to ensure that Alaska’s fishermen and the businesses they rely on can access the same resources available to American farmers and ranchers.” 

“Louisiana is home to a strong generational seafood industry, and our fishermen deserve a level playing field,” said Congressman Higgins. “Our legislation provides greater parity for America’s seafood producers and the supporting industries. We are working to provide the same financial opportunities and loan access that other agricultural commodities are entitled to.”  

“The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) supports legislation that would allow Farm Credit institutions to lend to fishing-related businesses in the same way they lend to farm-related businesses. This change will increase the options for and availability of credit to businesses supporting the fishing industry in Maine and other coastal states,” said Patrice McCarron, Executive Director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “The economies of Maine’s coastal communities center around commercial fishing and the businesses that support the fishing industry in the same way that many rural communities revolve around farming and businesses supporting farming. Fishing-related businesses deserve the same access to competitive financing.”

“Representatives Pingree and Higgins are strong advocates for U.S. fishermen, and we appreciate their leadership in introducing the Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act. Supporting rural communities is a vital piece of Farm Credit’s mission, and this bill will provide more financing options for our rural coastal communities,” said Farm Credit Council President and CEO Christy Seyfert. “Businesses providing services directly to the commercial fishing operators are impacted by same the pressures as the U.S. fishing industry. These businesses need access to competitive financing to maintain service to the U.S. fishing industry. We look forward to working with Reps. Higgins and Pingree include this commonsense legislation in the upcoming Farm Bill.” 

The FCS was founded in Congress in 1916 to help farmers who historically struggled to access reliable credit and has since provided almost a million loans totaling more than $373 billion to farmers, ranchers, fishermen, aquatic producers, and more. Borrowers must meet eligibility and creditworthiness requirements. It currently provides more than one-third of the credit used by those who live and work in rural America.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

 Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the top Democrats on the subcommittees that oversee funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are sounding the alarm over the EPA’s illegal plans to dismantle the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and fire hundreds of scientists nationwide. In a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin today, the Ranking Members of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittees stressed the dangers of the EPA’s so-called reduction in force (RIF) plan, which would gut the agency’s main scientific arm that protects human health and our environment.

“Reports detail EPA’s intent to dismantle ORD and terminate more than 1,000 critical positions including chemists, toxicologists, and biologists. This ‘reduction in force’ follows a pattern of politically motivated purges, where public servants reinstated by court order remain sidelined while allegiance to the president and his fossil fuel benefactors, not expertise, determines who stays and who goes,” wrote Ranking Members Merkley and Pingree. “To state the obvious, EPA is required to conduct research and develop the best available knowledge to support implementation of its regulatory authority.”

Their letter follows the EPA’s reported plans to slash the ORD by potentially eliminating 50 to 75 percent of the office’s 1,540 positions and severely impacting scientific research into dangers such as PFAS, support for natural disaster responses, and environmental monitoring at the agency and at academic and non-profit research institutions, hospitals, state and local governments, and Tribal organizations.

The senior Appropriators stressed, “Your actions will have devastating consequences. They will weaken scientific oversight, eliminate critical regulatory safeguards, and give polluting industries unchecked influence over environmental policy and ultimately human health. Stripping EPA of its independent research capacity would transform the agency into a rubber stamp for corporate interests rather than a protector of public health and the environment.  Eliminating ORD does not create jobs, does not promote economic growth, and does not serve the American people—it endangers public health and the environment.”

They also denounced the illegality of the EPA’s actions to direct funds without Congressional approval. Merkley and Pingree concluded, “We strongly urge you to immediately reverse course and abandon this dangerous plan. The integrity of the EPA’s scientific research must be preserved to ensure sound policymaking and the continued protection of public health and the environment. The American people will not stand by while their air, water, and communities are sacrificed for the profits of a few.”

Full text of the letter is available online here and copied below.

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Dear Administrator Zeldin:

We write to express alarm regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to eliminate its Office of Research and Development (ORD)—a blatant assault on science, public health, and the agency’s core mission. This reckless decision would erode the agency’s scientific foundation to the benefit of polluting industries at the expense of working-class communities and exacerbate climate change. It is a betrayal of EPA’s obligation to the American people to understand and use the best available science and a violation of the law.

For decades, ORD has been the backbone of independent, science-based policymaking at EPA. Its groundbreaking research has helped curb air and water pollution, regulate toxic chemicals, and protect communities from industrial waste. By dismantling ORD, you would gut the agency’s ability to conduct independent research and hand over environmental policy to industry insiders. This proposal is not about efficiency or improvement—it is a deliberate effort to strip away regulatory safeguards that protect ordinary Americans while boosting profits for the wealthiest polluters.

Reports detail EPA’s intent to dismantle ORD and terminate more than 1,000 critical positions including chemists, toxicologists, and biologists. This “reduction in force” follows a pattern of politically motivated purges, where public servants reinstated by court order remain sidelined while allegiance to the president and his fossil fuel benefactors, not expertise, determines who stays and who goes. To state the obvious, EPA is required to conduct research and develop the best available knowledge to support implementation of its regulatory authority.

Your actions will have devastating consequences. They will weaken scientific oversight, eliminate critical regulatory safeguards, and give polluting industries unchecked influence over environmental policy and ultimately human health. Stripping EPA of its independent research capacity would transform the agency into a rubber stamp for corporate interests rather than a protector of public health and the environment.  Eliminating ORD does not create jobs, does not promote economic growth, and does not serve the American people—it endangers public health and the environment.

Over just the past decade alone, EPA researchers have produced ground-breaking research on cancer-causing chemicals (such as Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and Glyphosate), diesel engine exhaust that exacerbates asthma and is linked to lung-disease, Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) forever chemicals in our drinking water, and in-utero exposure to phthalates. ORD also provides critical support in response to disasters. For example, ORD developed tools for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater to assess community infection rates, assessed damage to human and marine health after the April 2010 explosion and collapse of the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, and studied the conditions of coastal waters and drinking water infrastructure following Hurricane Katrina.

Moreover, if implemented, this proposal would violate federal law. ORD is recognized as EPA’s research organization in law throughout the United States Code (see 7 U.S.C. 4921, 15 U.S.C. 8962, 42 U.S.C. 4361c, among other examples). Further, the fiscal year 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act appropriates $758.1 million for the EPA’s research initiatives through the Science and Technology Account. Unilaterally dismantling ORD and impounding funds appropriated for science and technology contravenes the statute and appropriations and undermines Congress’s constitutional authority over federal expenditures.

We strongly urge you to immediately reverse course and abandon this dangerous plan. The integrity of the EPA’s scientific research must be preserved to ensure sound policymaking and the continued protection of public health and the environment. The American people will not stand by while their air, water, and communities are sacrificed for the profits of a few.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

In a statement on Friday, Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree condemned President Trump’s Executive Order to strip collective bargaining rights from workers across the federal government, calling the move explicit union busting that threatens the livelihoods of thousands of Maine workers:

President Trump’s Executive Order eliminating collective bargaining rights is a direct attack on the hardworking federal employees who keep our country functioning every single day. This move threatens thousands of workers in Maine, including employees at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Togus VA Medical Center, and countless other federal workplaces across our state that depend on collective bargaining to secure fair pay, safe working conditions, and a meaningful voice on the job. 

By dismantling these rights, President Trump is engaging in explicit union busting, threatening the livelihoods of families, weakening our communities, and trampling on generations of hard-fought labor progress.

I call on everyone who claims to stand for working people to join me in unequivocally condemning this egregious overreach and to stand together in reversing this shameful attack on the labor movement. Maine’s federal workers—and all workers—deserve nothing less than our steadfast solidarity and support.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

Bergman Urges President Trump to Visit Michigan Following Devastating Ice Storm

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

WASHINGTON, DC –  Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06) and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) released the following statement after the Trump White House conceded to deporting Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland immigrant, in ‘error,’ sending him to a Salvadoran prison where he remains:

“Yesterday, the Trump Administration admitted that it abducted and unlawfully deported Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Marylander, the husband of a U.S. citizen, and the father of a U.S. citizen child with disabilities. He had just picked up his son, who has autism, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him. The Trump Administration sent him to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador without a hearing or any semblance of due process. The Administration has produced no viable evidence that he was a member of any gang and admitted his detention and removal were an ‘error.’

“He was given no chance to see what he was accused of or to plead his case—just snatched, shackled, and shipped off to a Salvadoran prison with the very gang members whose persecution he had fled and had been given protection from.

“As the Trump Administration stated in a filing in this case: ‘On March 15, although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error.’ This extraordinary statement is not a claim from a plaintiff’s attorney or an ‘activist judge,’ it is a frank admission by the Trump Administration itself.

“This is not immigration enforcement. This is plainly a miscarriage of justice that must be remedied. The Trump Administration admitted in open court that it made an ‘error.’ It must remedy this error by bringing Mr. Abrego Garcia back to America immediately.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC –  Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today regarding President Donald Trump’s mass dismissal of thousands of federal employees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

“Donald Trump’s mass purge of staff at the Department of Health and Human Services today is outrageous, inhumane, and obscene. It is not an improvement to government efficiency; it is the wholesale destruction of government. Neither Elon Musk nor his minions have any idea of the consequences of their actions because they do not give them any forethought. In this case, those consequences will be measured in American lives lost.

“The patriots who work at HHS devote their careers to keeping the American people healthy. They are inspectors who ensure our food and medicine is safe to consume; scientists and researchers who track, treat, and cure dangerous diseases; health care professionals who help Americans access Medicare and Medicaid; mental health and addiction specialists; and so much more. This administration has deemed them all ‘villains’ – to quote Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.

“We ought to attract the best and brightest to protect the health of the American people. These mass layoffs are wiping out a generation of top talent, however. Many of these employees are on the brink of breakthroughs on various diseases and treatments. Firing them – and rescinding vital funds for these programs – puts an abrupt stop to this work. Every day that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advances his extreme anti-science agenda further undermines the current and future health and economic prosperity of our nation.

“These actions are almost certainly illegal. I believe our courts will arrive at that same conclusion, as they have so many times with this administration’s actions over the past few months. The Congress owes it to the Constitution, to the Founders, and to the American people to exercise the power of the People’s House. We make the law, not the president. The Trump Administration’s disregard for the separation of powers and our system of checks and balances threatens to destroy our democracy.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05) joined Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and 14 of their congressional colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon demanding answers about the Trump Administration’s decision to illegally shutter the Philadelphia Regional Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and six other OCR Regional Offices.

OCR is charged with enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws so that every student has access to an equal education, regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. Until March 11, the employees at the Philadelphia OCR served students in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Delaware.

“We believe that the 50 million elementary and secondary school students and 20 million college students in America today deserve to attend their classes without fear of discrimination, regardless of which state they call home,” the lawmakers wrote.

“While the Department appears to be self-selecting cases that fit the current Administration’s political narrative, tens of thousands of actual pending complaints—spanning allegations of racial and sex-based discrimination, antisemitism, denial of services, and more—from parents and students remain in limbo,” the lawmakers continued.

The letter requests detailed account of OCR’s work during the Trump Administration, its staffing levels and how ED plans to protect students’ federal civil rights after closing seven of its 12 regional offices.

Every Democratic Representative serving the states previously overseen by the Philadelphia OCR Regional Office joined Representative Raskin’s letter, including: Reps. Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06),Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), Sarah McBride (Del.-AL), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05).

Rep. Raskin’s letter was also endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, All4Ed, Education Reform Now, EdTrust, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and the National Education Association.

“As of January 15, 2025, the state of Maryland had 140 disability discrimination related cases currently pending at the U.S. Department of Education, in addition to thousands of others across the country. There is no doubt that the Trump Administration’s recent reckless actions will hinder the Department’s ability to investigate disability discrimination swiftly and effectively. We commend Rep. Raskin for leading this letter detailing the impacts of the staff layoffs and seeking answers about how this Administration will uphold students’ civil rights,” said Nicole Fuller, Policy Manager at the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

“Regional OCR offices are the frontline defenders of students’ civil rights. Their closure will leave families with nowhere to turn and further delay justice for tens of thousands of unresolved complaints. EdTrust applauds Congressman Raskin’s leadership in demanding a reversal of these harmful actions and urging the Department to do its job: protect students,” said Augustus Mays, Vice President for Partnerships and Engagement at EdTrust.

Read the full letter here.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks at a press conference hosted by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) to oppose Trump’s retaliatory attempt to outlaw federal unions. Below is a full transcript of his remarks:

Click here for a full video of his remarks

“I want to thank Jamie Raskin, I want to thank the leaders of federal [labor movement], I thank Liz Shuler, President Saunders, and others who represent a broader spectrum, because as President Kelley said, this is not simply about federal employees, this is not simply about public employees, this is about whether Americans are going to have the right to organize [and bargain collectively], which is an inherent right in almost every democracy of the world, as a matter of fact every democracy of the world. I can remember when Lech Wałęsa was arguing for freedom from Soviet domination, from communist oppression, and he talked about organizing, talked about solidarity. He talked about organizing and bargaining, because we know, as individuals, you cannot bargain with great enterprise. So, you need to be organized, collectively, so you represent the interest of many, not the few.

“I was at the Supreme Court yesterday. It says we are a nation of laws; we are not a nation of Executive Orders. And what we have seen over the last two plus months, almost three months now, is a president who believes he can organize and govern by fiat. That is called dictatorship, not democracy. Donald Trump’s Executive Order terminating union rights for hundreds of thousands of federal workers is destructive, very disturbing, and perhaps and probably, not perhaps, probably illegal.

“Now let me tell you what he’s doing now. Homan, who heads up the immigration authority, said he doesn’t care what the courts say. Ladies and gentlemen of America, my fellow citizens, if we don’t care what the courts say, our government of laws is defunct. It’s not surprising, however, it’s part of Trump and his administration’s unrelenting effort to fire, traumatize, and vilify the patriots who make our government function for the people.

“OMB Director Russell Vought made their strategy clear when he said, ‘we want bureaucrats to be traumatically effected.’ Every day of this administration they have been traumatizing public employees. Now let me tell you they say they want to have an efficient government. What is the worst thing to do to have efficiency in any enterprise? It is to undermine the confidence, morale, and focus of the employees you’re asking to carry out the responsibilities of the government. He went on to say, ‘when they wake up in the morning,’ now this is a federal employee on whom America relies, on who we rely, ‘we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as villains.’ The nurse from the VA hospital, the villain? The inspector in a food processing plant that makes sure that food is safe to eat, villains? Villains? The air traffic controllers that you pointed out, who make sure that this airspace is safe for us to fly in, because when they fail, we know there is death and tragedy that follows. Vought, who is OMB Director, and one of the right-hand people of Donald Trump, said, ‘we want their funding to be shut down,’ not reduced, shut down. They sent two million letters to say, ‘you can resign.’ Think of every air traffic controller walking off the job. You are stuck wherever you are. If you have a loved one who dies in California, you can’t get there. 

“Congress has passed multiple laws enshrining and expanding the right to organize and bargain collectively. That is the law. This president, however, thinks he can go on governing through Executive Orders as if he makes the law. I’m hopeful that our courts will deem this latest Executive Order illegal, yes, I think it is illegal, as they have from so many of Trump administration’s actions these past few months. Now, Trump said in the election, ‘I’m going to be your retribution.’ Now guess who’s filing some of these suits that the courts have said were right? [points to Labor leaders] Labor organizations this is the retaliation, this is the revenge, this is the shut them up effort. Trump administration’s actions are consistent, however, with the Republican Party’s longstanding hostility to the rights of working men and women to organize and bargain collectively. This action reflects this administration’s agenda to serve the interests of the richest individuals, and the most powerful and wealthy corporations in our country. They don’t need to organize. They have a lot of money, and one of them has $450 billion or thereabouts. This administration does not have concern for the law, for common sense, or for the welfare of our federal employees and the American people they serve, but by God all of us do in standing here, and I hope all of you standing in front of me do, because we want America to continue to be America, that recognizes the rights of individuals to come together and to express to the Congress, to the president, their grievances, and be able to bargain for their rights. That, my friends, is America. And I yield to my dear friend, one of the senior members of the Congress of the United States, who spoke so eloquently yesterday as we sat here arguing for the same objective: fairness and justice. Don Beyer.”