Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Title 42 and border security:

“It’s been five days since the Biden Administration ended the Title 42 emergency border enforcement authorities.

“By all accounts, the situation at our southern border is absolutely catastrophic – for the brave men and women of Customs and Border Protection and for countless communities across south Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

“As Title 42 expired on Thursday, officials in Del Rio, Texas, reported a one-day increase in border apprehensions of 75%.

“In El Paso, one area of downtown is rapidly being overrun by tents and garbage.

“One Border Patrol officer reports that every CBP enforcement sector along the southern border is now near 150% capacity.

“Sadly, what the country is witnessing right now is a slow-moving car crash.

“Republicans have spent years urging President Biden and his party to get serious about securing our southern border. And the American people have known for quite some time that Democrats’ approach helped create this humanitarian and security crisis.

“On President Biden’s watch, just last fiscal year, Customs and Border Protection recorded an all-time high for migrant apprehensions – 2.7 million.

“By the agency’s own estimates, another 1.2 million ‘got-aways’ have successfully snuck across the southern border since the President took office.

“And the Biden Administration has made no effort to hide how little it cares about cleaning up the mess.

“Remember, for months on end, the White House press secretary assiduously avoided calling the situation at the southern border what it was – a crisis.

“Vice President Harris, the Administration’s official ‘border czar’, has been to the border just once in two-and-a-half years.

“And when Congress asked the head of the Department of Homeland Security to account for the chaos unfolding on his watch, Secretary Mayorkas characterized functionally open borders as ‘executing on the plan.’

“Apparently, Mr. President, Republicans are the only ones interested in getting the southern border crisis under control.

“Later this week, the Senate will vote on a resolution from Senator Marshall to remove a major pillar of the Biden Administration’s open-borders approach.

“Our colleague’s measure takes aim at a rule the Administration implemented late last year to severely limit what immigration officials are allowed to consider when determining whether a potential immigrant is likely to become a ‘public charge’ and rely on taxpayer-funded services.

“In other words, facing record flows of illegal migration, President Biden’s response was to greet people at the border with food stamps and housing vouchers!

“Sadly, that’s exactly what some would-be immigrants arriving at the border have come to expect from Washington Democrats. One Venezuelan man who made it to El Paso, Texas said he was told, ‘they will feed you, clothe you, help you with your studies, and get a job.’

“It’s alarming that Washington Democrats must be forced to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The Biden Administration should not need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to do right by the hardworking citizens of this country.

“So I’m grateful to the junior Senator from Kansas for calling the Senate’s attention once again to the Biden Administration’s shameful failure at the southern border.

“And I would urge each of our colleagues to join me in supporting his resolution later this week.”

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the debt limit:

“Later today, I will attend a second discussion between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy on the nation’s debt limit.

“The Speaker presented his case to the President in February. House Republicans passed legislation to raise the debt ceiling in April. But as of mid-May, the President of the United States has found just two more occasions to sit down and discuss an agreement to preserve the nation’s full faith and credit.

“The Biden Administration took three months to reach a conclusion that just about everyone else recognized from the beginning: that the only way forward is spending negotiations between the President and the Speaker.

“That’s how seven of the last ten debt limit increases have been secured. It’s how a Republican President and a Democratic Speaker avoided crisis four years ago. And it’s how a Democratic President and a Republican Speaker will avoid it this time around.

“Speaker McCarthy is right: The Senate Democrat majority hasn’t passed a bill to responsibly raise the debt ceiling. The House Republican majority has.

“So that’s where the solution to this looming crisis will be found.

“Last fall, the American people sent a divided government to Washington. They chose to require that President Biden work with House Republicans on the most consequential issues. Now, the President has to make a choice of his own:

“Pretend the last election didn’t happen, or sit down with the Speaker and deal responsibly with our nation’s debt.

“Time is of the essence. So for the second time, I will be glad to sit in at the White House, to support Speaker McCarthy, and to urge President Biden to start operating in reality.”

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

Click here or the image above to watch Ranking Member Capito’s opening remarks from the committee hearing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing titled, “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget.”

Below is the opening statement of Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

“Thank you, Chairman Carper. And thank you, Director Williams for being here. And thank you for the open door of communication, and the visit to West Virginia, certainly appreciate that.

“We have discussed in previous hearings the frustrations that I’ve had with the delays that consultation under the Endangered Species Act has added to projects in West Virginia and elsewhere.

“Our state Department of Transportation has faced delays in road and bridge projects.

“Our Department of Environmental Protection has dealt with delays in consultation on not only active mining permits, but also on projects to remediate our abandoned mine sites through the AML program.

“Local government officials have come to me to express frustration with delays to water and sewer projects.

“And private industry has faced delays due to a backlog of ESA consultation requests.

“So you heard many of these concerns from when you came to West Virginia, and when we talked on the phone most recently, and I appreciate the fact that you do listen and try to make those things better.

“I do want to acknowledge and thank the Elkins Field Office for its work on the biological opinions on two key projects in West Virginia: the Mountain Valley Pipeline and Nucor’s steel sheet mill.

“I also want to acknowledge the additional resources that you have allotted to reviewing projects in West Virginia through creating three new full-time positions in the Elkins Field Office, and by detailing staff from elsewhere in the Service to help address the backlog of project reviews in our state.

“However, more work is needed and the Service must better utilize its resources to ensure the projects are reviewed in a timely manner.

“Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act are the poster child for project delays and bureaucratic roadblocks in the federal environmental review and permitting process.

“Fairly or not, other federal agencies often cite the slow Section 7 consultations as the justification for not advancing their own permitting processes.

“This administration continues to blame these delays solely on a lack of funding and staffing.

“Currently, West Virginia state agencies, the private sector, and even other federal agencies are funding positions at the Service’s Field Office in Elkins.

“This feels like West Virginians are kind of getting taxed twice to do the same work that the Service does.

“We even experience delays with getting the very paperwork in place that establishes cooperative agreements for my state’s agencies to even use the taxpayer dollars to fund staff for the Field Office.

“West Virginia Department of Highways has been funding a position at the Field Office for more than 10 years.  

“Let me say that again, 10 years.

“Even so, the West Virginia DOH is willing to fund a second position at the Field Office to move consultations for roads and bridges through the process. There’s a lot of money flowing on these roads and bridges projects.

“But unfortunately, the West Virginia DOH has been locked in back-and-forth negotiations with the Field Office for months over how to do just that.

“I do not believe that adding a second position with the same duties should take months to negotiate after 10 years of experience of working the same kind of agreement.

“Additionally, the Process Agreement between West Virginia DOH, the Federal Highways, and the Service, which we discussed during your visit last August, still has not been finalized nine months later.

“The backlog of biological assessments and consultations seems to never end, and the recent species listings and rulemaking by the Service don’t seem to be helpingthe problem.

“The Service admits that Northern Long-Eared Bat populations are declining due to effects separate and apart from infrastructure projects or economic development activities.

“One of the delayed projects is very important in my state, the Coalfields Expressway, which recently received a rural grant through the IIJA.

“There are similar stories all across the country, and they demonstrate that there is a failure of the federal government’s incoherent policies and implementation.

“Just in the past two weeks, the Senate has passed three [resolutions] of disapproval on Fish and Wildlife regulatory actions that have significant consequences on landowners and project developers.

“On the one hand, we have President Biden trumpeting the IIJA, and at the same time, the administration is throwing wrench after wrench into the planning and construction process for key infrastructure projects.

“The Biden administration’s alleged statements of support for key infrastructure projects do not match the actions, and so that historic investment, the good it can do, and the jobs and tax revenues it would support, is withering on the vine.

“The Service must start striking a balance between recovering species and protecting American livelihoods.

“With that, Mr. Chairman, I turn it back to you.”

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Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $6,710,000 in federal funding for three Virginia airports. The funding was awarded through the Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration’s Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Airport Improvement Program (AIP).  

“Virginia’s airports serve thousands of flyers every day and we thrilled to deliver funding that will make travel through Virginia safer, more convenient, and more accessible for all,” the Senators said. “This funding will allow our Commonwealth’s airports to start important maintenance and planning projects that will help meet their communities’ needs for years to come.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $5,000,000 for Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport in Arlington, VA for the construction of a taxiway.
• $1,350,000 for Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Newport News, VA for to fund an update to the Airport Master Plan.
• $360,000 for Winchester Regional Airport in Winchester, VA for the construction of a taxiway.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have championed continued investment in Virginia’s airports in order to make travel easier across the Commonwealth. Last month, the Senators announced over $1 million in funding for Luray Caverns Airport in Luray, Virginia courtesy of the AIP. Earlier this year, Sens. Warner and Kaine announced over $29 million in federal funding for improvements to three Virginia airports, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Norfolk International Airport (ORF), and Richmond International Airport (RIC). Additionally, the Senators have announced nearly $400 million in funding for various Virginia airports secured through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act.

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Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

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Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

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Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

May 16, 2023

**Bill follows Shaheen’s March letter to Pentagon leadership in support of DOD health care policy to provide leave for U.S. military personnel for reproductive care.**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, unveiled new legislation today – the Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act – that would codify the Department of Defense’s (DOD) February 16, 2023 policy to ensure service members and their families can access non-covered reproductive health care, including abortion services, regardless of the state in which they are stationed.

Shaheen’s legislation follows her letter, signed by 37 Senate Democrats, to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in March reaffirming support for the reproductive health care policies issued by DOD earlier this year and the right of service members and their family members to access reproductive health services without penalty or additional cost due to their service.  An estimated 40 percent of active-duty servicewomen, who are stationed based on the needs of the nation and not personal preference, now serve in states that have banned, restricted or worked to curtail access to abortion since the overturn of Roe v. Wade last year. Shaheen’s bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Hirono (D-HI), Blumenthal (D-CT), Fetterman (D-PA), Gillibrand (D-NY), King (I-ME), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Cardin (D-MD), Warren (D-MA), Baldwin (D-WI), Duckworth (D-IL), Welch (D-VT), Wyden (D-OR), Sanders (I-VT), Carper (D-DE), Murray (D-WA), Booker (D-NJ), Bennet (D-CO), Kelly (D-AZ), Klobuchar (D-MN), Feinstein (D-CA), Brown (D-OH), Rosen (D-NV), Markey (D-MA) and Durbin (D-IL).

The Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act is endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Women’s Law Center, VoteVets, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Service Women’s Action Network, Vet Voice Foundation, Power to Decide, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the National Partnership for Women and Families.

“The onslaught of anti-women laws enacted across our country since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade have imperiled women’s access to comprehensive health care services, including abortion. Among those most vulnerable to these dangerous laws are servicewomen and military families, who have no choice over where they are stationed and what state laws may govern women’s bodies. That’s why it is paramount that Congress act to enshrine current Department of Defense policy to protect servicewomen and military families and provide them necessary leave for reproductive health care services,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s shameful that Republicans have pushed Congress to this point – that we need to safeguard paid leave so military personnel and their loved ones can seek out the health care they need. The attacks on women waged by Republicans are putting women’s lives at risk, and in this case, also compromising military readiness. Servicewomen should not be put in this position in the first place. I’ll do everything I can to mitigate the impact they may feel from these extreme policies and ensure their health and safety comes first.”

“Everyone should have the freedom to control their own bodies, lives, and futures. The Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act helps make that a reality for service members and their loved ones, by making permanent a Department of Defense policy that expands access to abortion and fertility care. This is especially important as anti-abortion extremists decimate abortion access across this country, forcing those seeking abortion care to face increasingly insurmountable barriers,” said Jackii Wang, Senior Legislative Analyst for Reproductive Rights & Health at the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC). “We thank Senator Shaheen for introducing this important legislation.”

“Anyone who needs an abortion should be able to take paid time off from work and have the resources to travel to receive the care they need,” said Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “This is particularly true for service members and their families, many of whom faithfully serve our country in states with extreme abortion bans with devastating effects on the availability of comprehensive reproductive health care. We are grateful to Senator Shaheen for working to ensure that service members who give so much on behalf of our country can secure meaningful access to abortion care.”

“Since the Supreme Court took away a woman’s guaranteed right to choose, the patchwork of laws across the country have led to nothing but confusion and frustration for those who need abortion services the most. The military has done what it can to help alleviate those issues, and help make it easier for women service members access reproductive care when they need it. This is a national security issue, plain and simple. It affects retention of our best service members. It affects readiness and cohesion. It affects recruiting. We applaud Senator Shaheen for drafting legislation that protects those who put on the uniform to protect us,” said Janessa Goldbeck, CEO, Vet Voice Foundation.

“At a time when restrictions on reproductive health care advance in numerous states, Senator Shaheen’s proposal enshrining protections for women service members in the law is more important than ever. We simply cannot allow fringe anti-choice politicians to impose their radical social agenda on our military, which would hurt our readiness, stymie our recruiting, and make us less safe. Any Senator who cares about keeping our military and nation strong should support this bill,” said Mary Kaszynski, Director of Government Relations, VoteVets.

“Our service members and their families routinely sacrifice for this country. It is past time that we codify their access to travel for comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion services. This bill would ensure that our service members and their families have access to protective leave and privacy to use the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare including fertility care. Service members and their families do not control where they are stationed, and their access to care shouldn’t be limited by the whims of lawmakers in the state where they serve. Everyone who put their lives on the line for this nation deserve unfettered access to reproductive healthcare. The absolute least that we can do as a country is to support their family-building travel needs. I applaud Senator Shaheen for her leadership and dedication to our service members,” said Dr. Michael Thomas, President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Specifically, Shaheen’s bill would:

• Allow service members to access non-covered reproductive health care through an administrative absence, to prevent loss of accrued leave and with full pay;
• Allow a service member to accompany a spouse or dependent who receives non-covered reproductive health care through an administrative absence;
• Provide a service member, or their dependent, access to travel and transportation allowances to receive non-covered reproductive health care (this does not include payment for the reproductive care services); and
• Ensure the protection of the privacy of the service member requesting administrative absence in order to access or accompany a spouse or dependent accessing non-covered reproductive health care.

Shaheen’s new bill follows her renewed bipartisan push last week on her legislation to bring health care provided by the military in line with current law for civilian populations by ensuring that those who receive health care through the military have access to all forms of contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with no health insurance co-pay. The legislation would also guarantee access to emergency contraception for survivors of sexual assault upon their request and require the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive family planning education program. Though Shaheen has historically led the legislation in previous years, this renewed bipartisan effort is more important than ever amid the unprecedented reversal of Roe v. Wade and numerous anti-reproductive health laws that have been enacted across the nation.

Senator Shaheen is an unrelenting advocate for women’s reproductive rights. A senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in 2013, Shaheen included an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which expanded access to abortion care for servicewomen to bring the Department of Defense to parity with other federal agencies. Last year, Shaheen offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 NDAA that would have enshrined the right for service members to access protected leave for abortion care and services. Since the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, 19 states have enacted total or partial abortion bans, limiting access to essential reproductive care for thousands of active-duty service women stationed in the continental United States. 

Bill text of the legislation is available here.

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