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Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

Letter Follows Decision by Department of Commerce to Investigate Solar Circumvention Petition, Threatening Thousands of U.S. Clean Energy Jobs and Higher Costs for Consumers

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), led a bipartisan group of 19 colleagues in a letter urging President Joe Biden to expedite and bring to a swift conclusion the Administration’s investigation into solar panels and cells imported from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia and requesting a meeting to discuss this issue. This investigation could expand harmful, job-killing tariffs on solar imports, raising costs for consumers, and has already caused widespread cancellations and delays in the U.S. solar industry.

Bloomberg: Senators Plead With Biden for Quick End to Solar-Trade Probe

By Jennifer A Dlouhy

Key Points:

• The investigation into whether Chinese companies are circumventing decade-old tariffs by assembling solar cells and modules in Southeast Asia “will severely harm” American businesses and workers “as long as it continues,” the 22 senators said in a letter to Biden. 
• The group, led by Democrats Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, asked the Biden administration to quickly make a preliminary determination on the matter, rather than waiting until an Aug. 30 deadline to issue its initial findings.
• New tariffs could mean “massive price hikes for U.S. utility customers,” delays in deploying clean energy and halted projects, the senators said.

The Washington Post: More than 20 senators urge Biden administration to expedite solar tariff probe

By Maxine Joselow

Key Points:

• A bipartisan group of 22 senators on Monday sent a letter to President Biden urging him to swiftly advance a probe from the Commerce Department into solar modules from four Southeast Asian nations, saying the investigation is having adverse effects on business. 
• “Initiation of this investigation is already causing massive disruption in the solar industry, and it will severely harm American solar businesses and workers and increase costs for American families as long as it continues,” the senators wrote.

The Hill: Senators urge Biden to wrap up solar power probe

By Zack Budryk

Key Points:

• In a letter released Monday, led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), senators note projections by the solar industry that the investigation could cost jobs as well as reduce U.S. solar capacity. 
• “We strongly urge your administration to swiftly review the case and make an expedited preliminary determination. Such a determination should carefully consider the significant policy ramifications and reject the petitioner’s request for retroactivity,”…the Monday letter states. 
• Rosen and other senators have repeatedly raised concerns about the probe’s economic impact, as well as its potential detriment to the Biden administration’s own renewable energy targets.

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Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement following reports that the U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to strike down Roe v Wade.

“If reports that the Supreme Court is moving to overturn Roe v Wade are true, this would have dire consequences for women’s health and reproductive freedoms across our country,” said Senator Rosen. “These unprecedented, rigid, and harmful attacks on women’s rights cannot go unanswered. Now more than ever, I will continue fighting to ensure the right to choose is protected, including by codifying Roe into law.”

Senator Rosen has been a leader in fighting for women’s reproductive rights. She helped introduce and voted in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to protect the Constitutional right to access reproductive health care and provide a safeguard against dangerous state-level abortion bans and restrictions. Last year, Senator Rosen signed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold Roe v. Wade.

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Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

 The outbreak has impacted 69 sites across Minnesota, affecting 2.8 million birds

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, led their colleagues in a bipartisan push for more funding to help address the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak. As of Friday, the HPAI outbreak has impacted around 69 sites across Minnesota, with a flock inventory of approximately 2.8 million birds, mostly turkeys. 

“HPAI has been detected in 32 states across the country and has killed over 36 million birds. Although the virus poses minimal risk to human health, it has serious implications for U.S. poultry producers, rural communities, and our agricultural economy,” the senators wrote to Senate Appropriations Committee leaders. “Given the recent outbreak, the ongoing increase in confirmed HPAI cases, and the likelihood of further spread, we urge the Subcommittee to make funding for the APHIS avian health program a high priority. These funds are critical to continue HPAI response measures.”

In addition to Klobuchar and Grassley, the letter was also signed by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Dick Durbin (D-IL). 

Klobuchar has long worked to provide Minnesota farmers with the resources to weather livestock diseases and economic disruptions. Last month, she, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) received a briefing from state and federal agriculture officials on the status of the HPAI outbreak in Minnesota. In April, she urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Minnesota farmers respond to the influenza outbreak.

During the 2015 outbreak, Klobuchar led bipartisan efforts to ensure USDA had the resources necessary to fight the outbreak and compensate farmers for lost birds. In 2018, she successfully pushed to include a provision within the Farm Bill that created an animal disease and disaster response grant program to help fund projects to address risks to animal health, livestock export markets, and industry economic stability.

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Chairman Baldwin and Ranking Member Hoeven:

As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2023 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we request robust funding to address the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak. 

Since it was first confirmed in February 2022 in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana, HPAI has been detected in 32 states across the country and has killed over 36 million birds. Although the virus poses minimal risk to human health, it has serious implications for U.S. poultry producers, rural communities, and our agricultural economy.

These are the first positive HPAI cases since the 2015 outbreak that killed more than 50 million birds, accounting for 12 percent of the egg laying hen population and 8 percent of the turkey inventory. The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in partnership with state and local agencies, has responded quickly and applied the experience gained from the 2015 outbreak to better inform on-the-ground, rapid response efforts. 

The APHIS avian health program is responsible for avian influenza surveillance, reporting, and control efforts, as well as distributing indemnity payments to affected poultry producers. As the number of confirmed HPAI cases has increased, APHIS has ramped up its action in response, using significant resources to do so. 

The President’s budget request for the APHIS avian health program was $65 million for FY 2023, which reflects a small increase from the enacted level of $63 million in FY2021 and 2022. Given the recent outbreak, the ongoing increase in confirmed HPAI cases, and the likelihood of further spread, we urge the Subcommittee to make funding for the APHIS avian health program a high priority. These funds are critical to continue HPAI response measures. 

Thank you for your consideration of our request. 

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Source: United States Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss)

MISS. DELEGATION REQUESTS FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION FOR MARCH STORMS

Tornadoes, Severe Storms Destroyed or Damaged More Than 150 Homes across State

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), along with U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), and Michael Guest (R-Miss.) today requested that President Joe Biden approve Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves’ request for federal major disaster declarations to recover from severe storms across the state in March 2022.

The damage from March storms has strained emergency response resources and capabilities, as more than 150 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and more than $2 million in property damage has been reported.  If approved, the disaster declaration would unlock additional federal resources to supplement state recovery efforts.

“Currently available resources from state and local governments and volunteer organizations are inadequate to meet the state’s recovery needs,” the congressional delegation wrote.  “Significant federal assistance and cooperation are needed for Mississippi to rebuild.”

Read the letter here or below:

Dear President Biden,

In the wake of recent extreme weather that brought dozens of tornadoes to the State of Mississippi, we request your full consideration of Governor Tate Reeves’s recent requests for a Major Disaster Declaration under the Stafford Act.

We appreciate the continued efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and anticipate expeditious support from the agency in assisting state and local officials in Mississippi as they continue assessing the severity of damages.  Mississippi experienced 27 tornadoes across four counties on March 22, 2022, and then 30 tornadoes across eight counties on March 30, 2022.  Winds topped 100 miles per hour and damaged or destroyed over 150 homes.

As Governor Reeves indicated in his request, the Joint Public Assistance damage assessments conducted by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), FEMA, and other agencies indicated that on March 22, 2022, 68 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage, with more than $1 million in estimated property damage. These tornadoes also injured three people.  Regarding the second disaster declaration for March 30, 2022, additional assessments showed 85 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage, with more than $1 million in estimated property damage and three people injured.

Currently available resources from state and local governments and volunteer organizations are inadequate to meet the state’s recovery needs.  Significant federal assistance and cooperation are needed for Mississippi to rebuild.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.  Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need further assistance in this effort.

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Source: United States Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss)

HYDE-SMITH ASKS HOMELAND SEC. WHEN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BECOMES A THREAT, RECEIVES NO ANSWER

Appropriations Subcommittee Challenges DHS Secretary Mayorkas in FY2023 Budget Review

VIDEO:  Senator Hyde-Smith Presses Homeland Secretary to Determine when Migrant Influx Constitutes a National Threat.
PHOTO:  Senator Hyde-Smith and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the outlook for the ongoing border crisis projected to get worse in coming weeks, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today pressured Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to define the level at which the record-breaking influx of illegal immigrants becomes a homeland security threat.

During a Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FY2023 budget request for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Hyde-Smith challenging Mayorkas’ assertions that the Biden administration’s border security and immigration policies are working.

“It’s remarkable to me that the Secretary of Homeland Security can’t, or won’t, articulate the point at which the alarming and growing influx of illegal immigrants at the border represents a threat to homeland security,” Hyde-Smith said following the hearing.  “That inability is at the core of the border crisis we’re experiencing today, and it’s only going to get worse.”

In an extended exchange, Mayorkas would not respond specifically to Hyde-Smith’s repeated question:  “At what point, in your judgement, does the growing number of encounters become a threat to homeland security?”

“Like many of my colleagues, I have traveled to the southwest border and seen the admirable work that the Border Patrol agents do on a daily basis.  An unbelievable task,” Hyde-Smith said.  “We’ve heard statistics of border security operations under your leadership versus previous DHS secretaries.  During the month of March, there were 220,000 encounters at the southwest border—220,000.  As Secretary of Homeland Security, would you consider the 220,000 migrant encounters in March a threat to the homeland security?”

Mayorkas instead repeatedly pointed to a six-pillar plan to confront an unprecedented immigration surge when the Title 42 public health rule is lifted on May 23.  Many subcommittee members believe the plan is designed to process migrants into the country more quickly rather than to secure the border.

The overall $97.3 billion DHS budget request includes a request for $375 million to expedite processing of asylum claims and $389 million to reduce asylum petition backlogs.

Related to aircraft manufacturing in Mississippi, Hyde-Smith also asked Mayorkas whether a $20.5 million request for the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Light Enforcement Platform aircraft procurement will focus on rotary wing aircraft.  Congress last year appropriated an additional $8.8 million for more light enforcement helicopters.

“Equipping our Border Patrol with the workforce, tools, and technology needed to secure our borders is vital to meet the growing crisis that we face at our southwest border.  As I’m sure you are aware, CBP’s Light Enforcement Helicopter fleet is critical to providing surveillance and supporting Border Patrol agents on the ground disrupting unlawful activity,” Hyde-Smith told Mayorkas.

Also as part of his testimony, Mayorkas attempted to defend his agency’s Disinformation Governance Board, which he downplayed as a “working group.”  Hyde-Smith this week cosponsored legislation to defund and terminate this board.

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