Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, along with U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN), introduced the bicameral Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials (RESTORE) Act, legislation that would repeal the lifetime ban on individuals convicted of a drug felony from accessing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The federal SNAP ban, enacted in 1996 as part of the ‘war on drugs,’ is a failed policy that has only increased barriers to reentry for people who have served their time and are returning to their communities. Hunger and poverty are significant challenges for formerly incarcerated individuals that increase risk of recidivism. Restoring SNAP eligibility will reduce recidivism by ensuring that individuals who have already repaid their debt to society do not face food insecurity as an additional obstacle to reentry.

Further, those with prior drug convictions often have struggled with substance abuse disorders. Hunger and poverty disrupt the processes of treatment and make it more difficult to achieve remission from addiction. SNAP is an important safety net to address food insecurity and help individuals achieve long term recovery.

The RESTORE Act would repeal the SNAP ban on individuals with drug felonies, recognizing the important role that food security plays in successful reentry and in reducing recidivism.

“Denying individuals food assistance based on past drug convictions serves no public safety purpose and only perpetuates cycles of hunger, poverty, addiction, and recidivism,” said Senator Booker. “We know that when people receive SNAP assistance, they are better able to successfully reenter their communities after incarceration and not return to the criminal justice system. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the RESTORE Act, which would repeal this harmful SNAP ban and reduce recidivism.”

“There is no excuse for denying returning citizens basic food security,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “These Americans have paid their debt to society, so we should be helping them get back on the right track, not putting obstacles in their path. I’m proud to partner with my friends Senator Cory Booker and Representative Cohen on this crucial legislation.” 

“Thousands of people released from state and federal prisons each year re-enter society and find significant challenges, including lifetime bans on receiving food assistance,” said Representative Cohen. “The RESTORE Act would repeal the 1996 ban on people with drug felony convictions receiving SNAP, and it would allow them to apply for the program before their release so that they can meet their basic needs on day one, reducing the likelihood of recidivism and increasing the quality of life for people hoping to reintegrate into their communities. I am pleased to be working with Senators Booker and Warnock on this needed reform.”

“Many people face poverty and food insecurity following release from incarceration.  By denying help with food, the lifetime SNAP ban is counterproductive to successful reentry and efforts to reduce recidivism. It also disproportionately harms women and people of color, who are statistically more likely to be convicted of a felony drug violation,” said Grant Smith, Deputy Director of Federal Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance. “Congress has worked in recent years on a bipartisan basis to repeal counterproductive lifetime consequences of a conviction, such as this, that undermine successful reentry. We urge Congress to once again take action to repeal the lifetime SNAP drug felony ban by including the RESTORE Act in this year’s Farm Bill.”

The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

Over 150 organizations have endorsed the RESTORE Act, including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Alliance To End Hunger, and the American Public Health Association.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) introduced the SCORE for Small Business Act today to reauthorize and improve the SCORE program and invest in the in-person mentoring, online training, and local workshops that SCORE provides to small businesses. This bill was previously introduced in December 2022 in the 117th Congress.

“Delaware’s small businesses are the backbone of the First State’s economy, and SCORE has long provided invaluable support, advice, and guidance to help businesses grow and create good-paying jobs,” said Senator Coons. “Through SCORE, volunteer mentors with real-world experience help Delaware entrepreneurs meet the challenges of running a business. This bill would reauthorize this crucial program with more funding and make improvements so it continues to support small businesses across the country.”

“The SCORE program has not received the place in statute that it deserves. This bill is essential to improving the way we serve our entrepreneurs in Maryland and across the country who rely on SCORE for a fair shot at growing their small business,” said Senate Small Business Committee Chair Ben Cardin. “The modernizations and improvements included in this bill ensure that the program remains a vital part of the Small Business Administration’s entrepreneurial counseling and training ecosystem. We will work hand in hand with my friend and fellow committee member, Senator Coons, to gather bipartisan support for the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2023.”

In addition to Senators Coons and Cardin, the bill was cosponsored by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

“On behalf of SCORE’s 10,000 volunteer mentors, we greatly appreciate the Small Business Committee’s support in reauthorizing the SCORE program at an $18 million appropriation. This reauthorization provides enthusiastic recognition of the significant positive impact SCORE has had on American small businesses, and serves as a testament to SCORE’s strong culture of compliance and good stewardship of the federal dollar,” said Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE.

The SBA currently provides funds to SCORE to provide in-person mentoring, online training, and nearly 9,000 local training workshops annually for small businesses. SCORE’s more than 230 chapters are located throughout the entire United States and Puerto Rico. SCORE partners with more than 10,000 volunteer counselors, who are working or retired business owners, executives, and corporate leaders, to provide training assistance to small businesses at no charge or low cost.

The SCORE for Small Business Act would reauthorize the SCORE program and officially change the name from the Service Corps of Retired Executives to the SCORE program. This bill would also expand SCORE’s online counseling services to further support entrepreneurs. The bill establishes accounting standards for SCORE, requires a documented compensation policy for SCORE employees, institutes whistleblower protections, and mandates that SCORE provides three annual policy reports to Congress for oversight.

This month, Senator Coons introduced the bipartisan Research Advancing to Market Production (RAMP) for Innovators Act to help small businesses access competitive federal funding and help commercialize and scale up production of their technologies. In February, Senator Coons hosted a roundtable discussion on how the First State is doing in supporting its Black-owned small businesses, and where and how Delaware can improve.

Senator Cardin is Chair, and Senator Coons is a member, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

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Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act today to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from levying fines and penalties on American hostages and wrongful detainees for late tax payments while they are held abroad. This bill was previously introduced in December 2022 in the 117th Congress.

“Coming home after being held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, only to find that your own government is penalizing you for being unable to pay your taxes while imprisoned, sounds beyond belief – but it’s a reality for many returning Americans. As soon as I heard of this issue, I became determined to address it through bipartisan, commonsense legislation,” said Senator Coons. “The Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act updates our tax code to ensure that wrongfully detained Americans, American hostages, and their families face one less obstacle as they return home. I will continue my efforts to bring every last wrongfully detained American and American hostage home, and I hope my colleagues will join me in fixing this shameful flaw in the tax code.”  

“The IRS continues to prove itself as a bureaucratic agency,” said Senator Rounds. “No U.S. citizen who is wrongfully or unlawfully detained overseas should be subject to penalties levied by the IRS on late federal income tax payments from when they were detained. I am pleased to work with Senator Coons on this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to protect Americans from unnecessary red tape when they return home.”

Americans who are held abroad as hostages or wrongful detainees are fined and charged interest by the IRS in the event of non-payment of taxes while in prison or captivity abroad, as though they had simply chosen not to pay taxes. Senator Coons was alerted to this issue by Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter who was wrongfully detained by the Iranian government for more than a year. Rezaian came home to find that he owed a large sum to the IRS due to non-payment of taxes.

“When I returned home after being held hostage in Iran for 544 days, I faced many unexpected challenges,” said Jason Rezaian. “The one that proved the most difficult to navigate and ultimately the costliest was the massive bill from the IRS that included tens of thousands of dollars in penalties, late fees, and interest that piled up while I was wrongfully detained. The IRS told me, ‘we don’t have a code for removing these charges.’ Well, now they will, thanks to Senator Coons and Senator Rounds.”

“The Bring Our Families Home Campaign supports any action by Congress that prioritizes our Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, be it related to utilizing all tools necessary to facilitate their release or for the support of their families as they bravely fight for their loved one’s freedom,” said Neda Sharghi, Chief of Steering Committee for the Bring Our Families Home Campaign. “Our campaign commends Senator Coons and Senator Rounds for their Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act and sees this bill as yet another important step in elevating the cases of our American hostages and wrongful detainees.”

“On behalf of all U.S. nationals returning from captivity abroad and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, I sincerely commend Senator Coons and Senator Rounds’ leadership and their staff for this bill prohibiting tax penalties for hostages and wrongful detainees, an essential step forward,” said Diane Foley, Founder and President of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.

Senator Coons has led legislation supporting hostages and their families, raising awareness about Americans unjustly held abroad, and increasing the urgency to bring home every wrongfully detained American. In March 2023, he introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish March 9 as the annual National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and create an official Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag.

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Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

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Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

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Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee helped introduce a resolution to designate May 14 through May 20, 2023 as National Police Week. The Senate unanimously adopted the resolution.

“I wanted to take a few minutes to thank our law enforcement officers in Louisiana. They’ve got a difficult job, and they do not get the appreciation that they deserve. Some people think police officers are a bigger problem than criminals, but the people who think that are wrong. All of us know—most fair-minded people know—our officers save lives and our police officers serve their communities honorably, and we’re thankful for them,” said Kennedy.

The resolution:

• Designates the week of May 14 through May 20, 2023, as “National Police Week.”

• Expresses unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the U.S. in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities.

• Recognizes the need to ensure that law enforcement officers have the equipment, training and resources that are necessary in order to protect the health and safety of the officers while they protect the public.

• Recognizes the law enforcement community for unseen acts of sacrifice and heroism.

• Acknowledges that police officers and other law enforcement personnel, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, should be remembered and honored.

• Expresses condolences and solemn appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

• Encourages the people of the U.S. to observe National Police Week by honoring law enforcement personnel and promoting awareness of the essential mission that law enforcement personnel undertake in service to their communities and the U.S.

Background: 

• Kennedy introduced the Back the Blue Act to increase penalties for criminals who target law enforcement officers and provide new tools for officers to protect themselves.

The full resolution is available here.

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

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Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Bill Text (PDF)

Washington (May 18, 2023) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, and Representatives Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Yvette Clarke (NY-09) today announced the reintroduction of the Block All New (BAN) Fossil Fuel Exports Act, legislation that would amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and ban the export of American crude oil and natural gas abroad to protect frontline communities from dangerous export infrastructure, prioritize U.S. consumers against fossil fuel profiteering, and help ensure the United States meets its climate and clean energy commitments on the world stage. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are cosponsors.

In 2015, President Obama signed into law legislation that lifted the 40-year old ban restricting exports of U.S. oil overseas. Since the ban was lifted, historic amounts of U.S. oil and natural gas have been exported to countries abroad. Last year, exports of U.S. crude oil rose by 22 percent from 2021 to reach a record of 3.6 million barrels per day. Earlier this year, the Energy Information Administration stated that increased U.S. liquid natural gas (LNG) exports caused natural gas prices to rise for domestic customers.  

“Oil and gas companies continue to pad their pockets at the expense of American consumers and frontline communities – all while fueling our global climate crisis,” said Senator Markey. “Our country is due for an oil change. A ban on oil and natural gas exports overseas is a win for environmental justice, for our economy, and for our planet.”

“The BAN Fossil Fuel Exports Act is a much-needed step to prioritize American consumers and to reaffirm the U.S.’s commitment to addressing climate change on a global scale,” said Representative Espaillat. “As our national economy continues its recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure hard-working Americans are not shouldered with the burdens of high energy costs and the real-world effects of global heating. This bill would make real progress towards preserving our planet while supporting American families by bringing down domestic costs.” 

“If our nation is to overcome the climate crisis, we cannot offload the burden of beating it onto the American people. The threat posed by devastating climate impacts and rising energy costs is far too great not to pursue legislative solutions that keep their best interests in mind I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to reintroduce the BAN Fossil Fuel Exports Act – a bill that prioritizes climate action while refusing to neglect the American people and their communities,” said Representative Clarke.

A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

The BAN Fossil Fuel Exports Act is endorsed by 70 grassroots organizations, including Earthworks, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Public Citizen, Friends of the Earth, Food and Water Watch, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Oil Change International, Climate Law Institute, and Center for Oil and Gas Organizing.

“While we are making impressive progress in building new clean energy sources, those gains mean little unless we stop the oil and gas drilling that fuels climate chaos and pollutes the air and water in environmental justice communities across the country,” said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch. “The Ban Fossil Fuel Exports Act is a bold step in the right direction: It can put a stop to the damage and destruction that is delivered by greedy fossil fuel corporations.”

In March, Senator Markey and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) reintroduced the Fossil Free Finance Act, legislation that would direct the Federal Reserve to require major banks and other Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs) to stop financing projects and activities linked to increased greenhouse gas emissions and submit a plan on how they would meet these requirements. Last October, Senator Markey reintroduced the OPEC Accountability Act, legislation to require the U.S. President to initiate consultations with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some non-OPEC countries to reduce crude oil production.

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Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey