Category: US Senate

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Chairman Carper’s Opening Statement: Field Hearing on Coastal Protection

Source: United States Senator for Delaware – Tom Carper

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Tom Carper, (D-Del.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing to highlight the need to restore and protect our nation’s coasts from the impacts of climate change.

Below is Chairman Carper’s opening statement, as prepared for delivery:

“We’re here today to discuss two immensely important and related topics — climate change and coastal restoration. Having this discussion in the communities that directly feel the impacts of climate change brings new perspectives and a greater sense of urgency to our work.

“So, to everyone who has traveled to Bethany Beach, Delaware to join us today, thank you.

“The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is a principal steward of our nation’s water infrastructure. The Corps plays a critical role in the construction and maintenance of much of the infrastructure we see around us in Delaware, such as our port and our wetlands, marshes, and beaches.

“The Corps is also responsible for operating America’s water highway, a 12,000 mile-long system of inland waterways that are vital to domestic and international commerce. Each year, this expansive system moves more than 500 million tons of commodities. This includes 60 percent of the nation’s agricultural exports. The Corps’ action to operate and maintain this system results in an economic benefit of nearly $14 billion each year.

“The Corps is also tasked with protecting our communities and infrastructure from floods and coastal storms. In 2020 alone, these efforts amounted to more than $250 billion in damage prevention and reduction.   

“And that’s not all. As we’ve seen in Delaware — and across our nation — when these ecosystems are protected by the Corps, communities are protected and important wildlife habitat is conserved.

“These restoration activities also drive tourism and ecotourism economies. For example, people travel from all over to enjoy Delaware’s beaches and observe our beloved horseshoe crabs and migratory birds.

“In the United States, more than 128 million people live in coastal counties, which represents more than 40 percent of our nation’s population. If coastal counties were their own nation, they would rank third in the world in gross domestic product — beaten only by China and the U.S. as a whole.

“Unfortunately, these population centers — these engines of our economy — are under constant threat from climate change and many times do not compete well for federal assistance due to antiquated budgeting procedures.

“Since 1901, global sea levels have risen by nearly ten inches. However, many coastal states have witnessed sea level rise greater than eight inches since 1960.

“A recent report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects that this trend will accelerate in the next 30 years unless we intervene. The report explains that the United States will experience a profound increase in the frequency of coastal flooding, even in the absence of storms or heavy rainfall.

“The signs are clear — we must make our infrastructure both more resilient and more nature-based to withstand our changing climate.

“In Delaware, we have demonstrated that we can protect communities and the environment while also growing our economy. But the continued threats from climate change are threatening this balancing act.  

“The same can be said for Louisiana. On average, Louisiana loses a football field of wetlands to the sea every 100 minutes. An area roughly the size of Delaware has been lost since 1930.

“Think about that — an area roughly the size of Delaware has washed away along the coast of Louisiana in less than 100 years. And this will only speed up if we fail to take the proper action.

“We must attack this crisis on all fronts, addressing both the root causes of climate change while also repairing the damage that we have already experienced. The latter is where the Corps plays a vital role.

“Despite the Corps’ historical effectiveness at managing flood and coastal storm damages, the worsening threat of climate change demands that the agency adapt to better protect our coasts. To help the agency do so, Congress needs to give the Corps the proper budget and necessary authorities.

“Last year, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. This law, combined with expected annual appropriations and supplemental spending, will give the Corps an estimated $100 billion to spend over the next five years. This historic investment will allow the Corps to clear its deck of backlogged projects across the country and free up additional funds that must be used to address key initiatives in our battle against climate change.

“To refocus the Corps’ mission around climate change, I, along with my dear friend, Congresswoman Blunt Rochester, as well as Senator Cassidy and Congressman Graves from Louisiana, have introduced the Shoreline Health Oversight, Restoration, Resilience, and Enhancement Act, or “SHORRE” Act.

“The SHORRE Act will empower the Corps to protect our nation’s coasts from the effects of climate change. Our bill does this by elevating coastal restoration to a primary mission of the agency and promoting the development of sustainable, nature-based resilience projects. It also facilitates the Corps’ work with state and local partners on climate mitigation and ecosystem restoration projects.

“We look forward to discussing the SHORRE Act with our colleagues in Congress and working to include it as part of our bi-annual water infrastructure legislation. Still, there is more we must do to ensure that the Corps has the tools it needs to properly protect our coasts against the growing threat of climate change.

“This leads us to today’s hearing. We will soon hear from a diverse panel of witnesses, including two coastal governors, senior Army Corps officials, and stakeholders who are deeply invested in the health and resiliency of our nation’s coasts. I am eager to hear from each of you as we discuss the critical intersection of climate change, our coasts, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” 

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Hickenlooper, Bennet Oppose Renewable Water Resources Proposal That Would Transfer Water From the San Luis Valley

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

Hickenlooper, Bennet Oppose Renewable Water Resources Proposal That Would Transfer Water From the San Luis Valley

Proposal to transfer groundwater from beneath the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and Closed Basin Project could exacerbate the region’s drought conditions

Denver, Colorado  – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to voice their opposition to the Renewable Water Resources proposal that would export water from the San Luis Valley. The proposal would transfer groundwater out of the basin from the confined aquifer beneath the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and Closed Basin Project at a time when the San Luis Valley is already experiencing unprecedented drought. 

“After hearing concerns from our San Luis Valley constituents about this proposal for months, the District’s letter from yesterday, and considering Colorado’s current exceptional drought, we both oppose this proposal,” wrote Hickenlooper and Bennet.

In addition to local opposition to the proposal, Hickenlooper and Bennet also highlight Public Law 102-575, also called the ‘Wirth Amendment’. Named for former Colorado Senator Tim Wirth who was instrumental in getting it passed, the Amendment provides a legal framework and elevated standard of environmental review for any transfer of groundwater out of the basin that may adversely affect public resources, such as the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Closed Basin Project, Baca National Wildlife Refuge. 

“Valley residents, including farmers, ranchers, and business owners, rely heavily on groundwater aquifers to support their economy and way of life,” wrote Hickenlooper and Bennet. “Since 2005, in response to this drought, local farmers have undertaken an ambitious, collaborative effort to reduce their own pumping with the goal of achieving sustainability. This export proposal continues to seek funding to move forward despite the fact it would exacerbate local water challenges, even with conservation efforts. In addition to concerns from the District, five San Luis Valley counties are opposed to this proposal.”

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretaries Haaland and Vilsack:

We write today to bring to your attention a matter in Colorado’s San Luis Valley where your agencies play an important and unique oversight role under Public Law 102-575. Through the attached letter from the Rio Grande Water Conservation District (the District), we have been alerted to a proposal called Renewable Water Resources which would transfer groundwater out of the basin from the confined aquifer beneath the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and Closed Basin Project. After hearing concerns from our San Luis Valley constituents about this proposal for months, the District’s letter from yesterday, and considering Colorado’s current exceptional drought, we both oppose this proposal. Further, we ask for your attention under the Wirth Amendment, if an opportunity for review comes before your agencies.

The San Luis Valley is experiencing unprecedented drought that has placed a severe demand on local water resources. Valley residents, including farmers, ranchers, and business owners, rely heavily on groundwater aquifers to support their economy and way of life. Since 2005, in response to this drought, local farmers have undertaken an ambitious, collaborative effort to reduce their own pumping with the goal of achieving sustainability. This export proposal continues to seek funding to move forward despite the fact it would exacerbate local water challenges, even with conservation efforts. In addition to concerns from the District, five San Luis Valley counties are opposed to this proposal.

Public Law 102-575, also called the “Wirth Amendment”, was passed in 1992 and provides a legal framework and elevated standard of environmental review for any transfer of groundwater out of the basin that may adversely affect these public resources. We highlight this law because of its relevance to the San Luis Valley and an elevated standard of review for any project that might adversely affect Great Sand Dunes National Park, Closed Basin Project, Baca National Wildlife Refuge. For your convenience, we have pulled out the relevant language on page 64 of P.L. 102-575 (Title XV, Section 1501-1504):

SEC 1501: PERMIT ISSUANCE PROHIBITED

(a) No agency or instrument of the United States shall issue any permit, license, right-of way, grant, loan or other authorization or assistance for any project or feature of any project to withdraw water from the San Luis Valley, Colorado, for export to another basin in Colorado or export to any portion of another State, unless the Secretary of the Interior determines, after due consideration of all findings provided by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, that the project will not:

(1) increase the costs or negatively affect operation of the Closed Basin Project;

(2) adversely affect the purposes of any national wildlife refuge or Federal wildlife habitat area withdrawal located in the San Luis Valley, Colorado; or

(3) adversely affect the purposes of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado.

(b) Nothing in this title shall be construed to alter, amend, or limit any provision of Federal or State law that applies to any project or feature of a project to withdraw water from the San Luis Valley, Colorado, for export to another basin in Colorado or another State. Nothing in this title shall be construed to limit any agency’s authority or responsibility to reject, limit, or condition any such project on any basis independent of the requirements of this title.

The Colorado delegation previously raised similar concerns with your agencies. In 2014, Senator Bennet led a letter with Senator Udall, Congressmen Tipton and Gardner elevating these same responsibilities to your attention in the face of a similar groundwater export proposal.

On behalf of our San Luis Valley constituents and the water resources so critical to their economic future, we must oppose the Renewable Water Resources proposal. We thank you for your assistance when your agencies are presented with the opportunity to review this matter.

Sincerely,

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Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Crack Down on Insurance Companies That Illegally Deny Women Access to Birth Control

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Crack Down on Insurance Companies That Illegally Deny Women Access to Birth Control

With reproductive freedom under attack, letter calls for enforcement of law that requires birth control to be covered under the Affordable Care Act 

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet  joined Senator Maggie Hassan and a group of their colleagues in calling on the Biden administration to improve enforcement of the federal law that guarantees complete coverage of birth control for women who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

Despite existing law, certain health insurers continue to deny women coverage for birth control and fail to provide coverage for alternative birth control methods when they’re deemed medically necessary.  

“Women across the country are watching as politicians and judges roll back reproductive health protections, compromising women’s ability to make their own health care decisions and control their own destiny,” wrote Hickenlooper, Bennet, and their colleagues. “At the federal level, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) guaranteed women access to birth control with no out-of-pocket costs. The evidence for the public health benefits of this requirement is clear. Yet since the ACA’s passage, certain insurers have not complied with this provision.” 

Hickenlooper and Bennet have been longtime advocates for reproductive health and justice, pushing to pass legislation such as the Women’s Health Protection Act that guarantees access to comprehensive reproductive health care for all who need it. 

The Senators’ efforts are supported by the National Women’s Law Center, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, National Partnership for Women and Families, Center for Reproductive Rights, Power to Decide, National Health Law Program, ACOG, Coalition to Expand Contraception Access, Families USA, Ibis Reproductive Health, Upstream USA, and Black Mamas Matter Alliance.

The full letter is available here or below: 

Dear Secretary Becerra, Secretary Walsh, and Secretary Yellen, 

People across the country are watching as politicians and judges roll back reproductive health protections, compromising their ability to make their own health care decisions and control their destinies. At the federal level, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) guarantees individuals access to birth control with no out-of-pocket costs. The evidence for the public health benefits of this requirement is clear. Yet since the ACA’s passage, certain insurers have not complied with this provision.

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently released FAQs acknowledging the reports that some plans continue to deny coverage for birth control and fail to maintain an exceptions policy that allows patients to access the best birth control method for their individual health needs. [1] This notice was a good start. We are writing to request that the DOL, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Department of Treasury (Treasury) issue specific updated guidance and take the proposed enforcement measures necessary to ensure that plans fully comply with birth control coverage requirements.

Under the ACA, health insurers must ensure that people have access to the full range of birth control approved by the Food and Drug Administration without co-payments, deductibles, or coinsurance. Under the current requirements, insurers may use limited reasonable medical management techniques to determine coverage. However, they must maintain an exceptions policy so that an enrollee can obtain a medically necessary form of birth control at no cost, even if the plan does not normally cover it. We appreciate that the Departments reiterated that this exceptions policy must be “easily accessible, transparent, and sufficiently expedient,” and it “must defer to the determination of the attending provider.”[2]

As noted in the recent DOL FAQs, some health insurers reportedly engage in practices that violate the ACA’s protections for birth control access.[3] According to these reports, these insurance companies overrule provider recommendations without explanation, incorrectly state that no exceptions policy exists, and fail to provide an exceptions policy entirely. Ultimately, these actions make it harder for people to access medically necessary birth control and force them to pay out-of-pocket for services that they are legally entitled to receive cost-free.

We were heartened to see DOL acknowledge its responsibility to examine the reports of coverage denials. We encourage DOL, HHS, and Treasury to take steps to oversee plan compliance, including engaging in enforcement action against non-compliant plans. We also urge the Departments to issue additional guidance or rules compelling plans to establish a clear exceptions policy, including a standard form for medical providers to request a coverage exception. This guidance could also direct plans to include information on their exceptions policy in enrollee materials, such as plan documents, formularies, and websites. Additionally, to ensure that plans comply with the ACA’s birth control coverage requirement, the administration can evaluate plans for the presence and execution of their exceptions policies. 

DOL’s recent action was an essential first move. We look forward to seeing more from HHS, DOL, and Treasury as they respond to these reported violations and hold non-compliant insurers accountable, ensuring that exceptions policies are put in place. We ask that you respond to this letter by March 30 with a plan and timeline for issuing new guidance and developing enforcement procedures.

At this critical moment for reproductive freedom, we look forward to working with the administration to ensure that everyone can access to the reproductive rights they have been promised.

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Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse Urge FEMA to Cover Costs of Removing Home Foundations Damaged by the Marshall Fire

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse Urge FEMA to Cover Costs of Removing Home Foundations Damaged by the Marshall Fire

Washington D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and Representative Joe Neguse wrote to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell requesting that the costs of removing damaged home foundations be covered by FEMA through the Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) program. Eligible under the Public Assistance program for this disaster, the PPDR was recently approved for victims of the Marshall Fire.  

The destructive nature of the Marshall Fire rendered thousands of structures throughout Louisville, Superior, and Boulder County unserviceable. The foundations left behind are now posing a health and safety threat to the communities and blocking rebuilding efforts. If included in the PPDR, the county would be reimbursed for the costs of removing the damaged home foundations. 

“The removal of these fire-damaged foundations is a significant cost to homeowners, in a community where many homeowners are already finding themselves to be underinsured and with insufficient resources,” wrote Hickenlooper, Bennet, and Neguse. “As the State, County, and the community work to recover and rebuild after this disaster, approving the request to include the costs of removing home foundations in PPDR reimbursement is an important step to ensuring that homeowners and the community can quickly continue the rebuilding process.” 

The Marshall Fire, now Colorado’s most destructive fire in history, destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses on December 30, 2021. At Hickenlooper and Bennet’s request, President Biden quickly approved a Major Disaster Declaration to expedite federal assistance with housing and other immediate needs. On January 7, 2022, Hickenlooper and his colleagues joined President Biden to tour the fire damage. 

Hickenlooper, Bennet, and Neguse also secured a passport fee waiver for replacement passports damaged in the fire and urged the Biden Administration to grant Colorado’s forthcoming Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) requests in the wake of the Marshall Fire. Hickenlooper, Bennet, and Neguse continue to work with the Biden Administration to ensure Colorado communities have the resources they need to recover and move forward. Marshall Fire survivors who need help replacing government documents such as passports, vaccine cards, or social security cards can reach out to Hickenlooper’s office at casework@hickenlooper.senate.gov or 303-244-1628. 

Read the full letter here and below:  

February 18, 2022 

The Honorable Deanne Criswell Administrator

Federal Emergency Management Agency

500 C Street S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20472

Dear Administrator Criswell,

Thank you for supporting the State of Colorado’s (the State) requests in the wake of the Marshall Fire, including your recent approval of the request for Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) to be eligible under the Public Assistance program for this disaster. We write to request expeditious approval of the State’s request to include the costs of removing damaged home foundations in PPDR, and urge you to include this coverage upon receipt of the supplemental materials from the State and Boulder County (the County). 

The heat and intensity of the Marshall Fire damaged the concrete foundations of many homes and businesses so severely that they are now considered unusable. State and local officials determined that the debris from these homes pose a threat to public health and safety and to the economic recovery of the community. 

The removal of these fire-damaged foundations is a significant cost to homeowners, in a community where many homeowners are already finding themselves to be underinsured and with insufficient resources. As you know the Marshall Fire destroyed 1,084 homes outright, and damaged or destroyed dozens of other homes, businesses, and public facilities. As the State, County, and the community work to recover and rebuild after this disaster, approving the request to include the costs of removing home foundations in PPDR reimbursement is an important step to ensuring that homeowners and the community can quickly continue the rebuilding process. 

We urge you to quickly approve the State’s request to include the removal of home foundations and support the community in their economic recovery. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

Sincerely,

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Hickenlooper, Secretary Haaland, Colorado Delegation Announce Investment in New USGS Building on School of Mines Campus

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

Hickenlooper, Secretary Haaland, Colorado Delegation Announce Investment in New USGS Building on School of Mines Campus

Funding is allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill for USGS energy and mineral research

Golden, Colorado – Today U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, the Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter, and Colorado School of Mines President Paul Johnson announced the authorization and initial funding for the construction of a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) building to support energy and mineral research on the School of Mines campus. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill allocated $167 million in funding and authorities needed to replace aging office and lab facilities. 

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill delivers yet again for Colorado,” said Hickenlooper. “Colorado School of Mines will use this funding to perform cutting-edge energy research and train the next generation of scientists.”

“Science is at the heart of Interior’s mission, and we are committed to empowering the agency’s scientific and technical experts to use the best available technology to guide our work. This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help maintain and enhance the necessary infrastructure to provide unique research and operational capabilities in critical minerals research, energy resource evaluation and other essential energy and mineral program priorities for the USGS,” said Secretary Haaland. 

“During our visit with Secretary Haaland today, I was pleased to join Congressman Perlmutter and Senator Hickenlooper to welcome this funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law for the Colorado School of Mines,” said Bennet. “This is a significant down payment for the construction of a new U.S. Geological Survey building to replace aging office and lab facilities for more than 150 USGS scientists in Colorado. I’m incredibly grateful for Congressman Perlmutter’s leadership on this issue.”  

“This new state-of-the-art facility will be a tremendous asset for both Mines and USGS, and support the important work of researchers, scientists, and students in Colorado. This is one of the many examples of the important benefits the bipartisan infrastructure bill will provide for our community,” said Perlmutter.

“We are excited to be expanding the U.S. Geological Survey presence on the Colorado School of Mines campus. The combined expertise of our two organizations will make Golden, Colorado, the epicenter of knowledge, research and education related to earth, energy and the environment. The soon-to-be-built world-class energy and minerals research facility will be the central hub for Mines-USGS collaborations on the critical mineral and energy challenges of our day, and it will also provide an unparalleled educational opportunity for our students to work and learn at the cutting edge of research and technology development with both Mines and USGS experts,” said Colorado School of Mines President Paul C. Johnson. “We look forward to welcoming our USGS colleagues to campus, and thank Rep. Perlmutter and our Colorado congressional delegation for their efforts to make this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity a reality.”

This new facility will be located at the CO School of Mines and will house both students and faculty along with about 150 USGS staff and lab facilities. While this funding does not cover the full cost of the project, today’s announcement of the selection of the CO School of Mines site is a key step enabling the project to move forward in earnest. 

The USGS and the Colorado School of Mines first announced their long-term partnership in 2018 but the relationship between Mines and USGS goes back more than 40 years, with both the USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center and its National Earthquake Information Center located on the Mines campus.

Hickenlooper was part of a bipartisan group of 22 senators who negotiated and wrote the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill is the largest public investment in infrastructure in a century and the largest climate change bill to date.

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Duckworth, Cramer, Casey Lead Bipartisan Call For Diaper Banks Funding In Final FY2022 Appropriations Package

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

February 22, 2022

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan group of Senators in urging U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy and Vice Chairman Richard Shelby to include funding for our nation’s diaper banks in the final fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations package to help better support working families.

“As you work towards a final agreement for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations bill, we urge you to include funding for our Nation’s diaper banks,” said the Senators. “Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, one in three families struggled to afford enough diapers to keep their children clean, dry and healthy. The economic fall-out from the pandemic has exacerbated families’ already strained budgets and greatly increased diaper need across the country.”

Similar to a request the Senators sent last year, the letter asks for $200 million in funding through the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) to build a national grant program focused on distributing diapers to millions of families in need. The request was included in last year’s appropriations legislation passed by the House of Representatives.

Last year, Duckworth successfully secured provisions in the American Rescue Plan that mirrored her bipartisan End Diaper Need Act which is helping provide low-income families with diapers and diapering supplies. Earlier this month, Duckworth, Cramer and Casey also joined U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) in introducing the bipartisan Diaper Inclusion in Accounts for Parental Expense Reduction (DIAPER) Act to allow diapers to be reimbursable by health spending accounts and become more accessible for families who need them. 

Along with Duckworth, Cramer and Casey, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Chairman Leahy and Vice Chairman Shelby,

As you work towards a final agreement for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations bill, we urge you to include funding for our Nation’s diaper banks. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, one in three families struggled to afford enough diapers to keep their children clean, dry and healthy. The economic fall-out from the pandemic has exacerbated families’ already strained budgets and greatly increased diaper need across the country. Affording material basic necessities, such as diapers, remains a barrier to the health and economic well-being of millions of Americans.

We must act now to end diaper need and provide economic security through an expanded partnership of non-profit organizations, businesses and the Federal government. Without enough diapers each day, infants and toddlers, as well as older adults and people with disabilities, are at risk of skin infections, open sores, urinary tract infections and other conditions that may require medical attention. Healthcare systems across the country are already strained due to COVID-19, and Americans should do all we can to avoid unnecessary hospital and emergency room visits.

Further, due to the pandemic, diapers have become even more expensive, while working parents and caregivers have lost income. That is why, last year, a bipartisan group of Senators wrote to Chair Murray and Ranking Member Blunt of Labor-HHS-Ed Subcommittee, requesting $200 million through the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) to build a national grant program focused on distributing diapers to millions of families in need. This program would leverage an existing network of over 225 diaper banks and their more than 5,000 partner agencies across all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The funding would enable organizations and agencies to address a substantial backlog of unmet need, cover regional service gaps and yield a massive return on investment for children, families and communities across the country. This request was included in FY 2022 appropriations legislation passed by the House of Representatives last year.

Diaper banks across the country have seen drastic increases in distributed diapers, reflecting a level of need that has remained constant since the early days of the pandemic. While we understand that the FY 2022 appropriations package is not yet finalized, and tough decisions must be made, the requested funding would provide much-needed support for caregivers and allow them to focus on succeeding at work and keeping their families healthy. Thank you for your consideration of this request, and we look forward to continuing to work with you in ensuring the American people—including the next generation—are set up for success.

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Delegation Condemns Biden Administration Filing Against Alaska’s Ambler Road

Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

02.22.22

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, today released the following statements in response to the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) court filing to reopen the Record of Decision for the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Road project (Ambler Road). This project—which began permitting during the Obama administration—received final federal approval in July of 2020, but now faces months of supplemental environmental analysis.

“America’s lack of mineral security should be one of the Biden administration’s highest priorities, but its incoherent policies are making the problem worse. It’s stunning: on the very same day the President attempted to tout ‘progress’ on mineral development, his administration backtracked and set back this crucial project, which will enable Alaska to responsibly produce a range of needed minerals,” Sen. Murkowski said. “This decision will harm Alaska, including the Alaska Natives who support and will benefit from this project. Nor could it come at a worse time: how can the Biden administration possibly watch Russia leverage Europe on natural gas, and then decide to put the United States in the exact same position on minerals? We will hold the administration to an aggressive timeline for the completion of this analysis and expect them to allow as much work on the project as possible to continue, even as that occurs.”

“This filing is a continuation of the Biden administration’s self-destructive policies that target Alaska families and American workers while seriously undermining our national security,” Sen. Sullivan said. “As has been the case with many of this administration’s executive actions, the only winners are the far-left radical environmental groups that want to shut down all Alaska economic opportunities, and aggressive dictators like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, both of whom can hardly believe their luck that the leader of the free world—their biggest adversary—continues to unilaterally disarm America in some of our nation’s most important areas of strength: energy, natural resources and critical minerals.”

“Today’s move by the Department of the Interior could not have come at a worse time. We are in the midst of a continued global supply chain crisis that has seriously constrained the availability of critical minerals. Frankly, we can and should be responsibly developing critical minerals here in Alaska instead of continuing to be reliant on adversarial nations and the whims of geopolitical faceoffs,” Congressman Young said. “At this very moment, Vladimir Putin and his cronies appear to have their sights set on invading Ukraine. Why, then, would President Biden reward Putin by hamstringing our economy and Alaskan mining operations by burying the proposed Ambler Road project under mountains of paperwork and bureaucracy? This is not just bad policy but also an affront to our national security. The Ambler project represents a tremendous opportunity for our state, and it has successfully undergone legally required environmental reviews, including an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). To require another EIS is a significant waste of both taxpayer dollars and employee resources.

“The Trump Administration was clear-eyed about our reliance on foreign adversaries for critical minerals, and I welcomed then-President Trump’s September 2020 Executive Order declaring a national emergency on mineral sourcing. This emergency is more serious than ever, and I could only imagine the outrage that Democrats would have, and deservedly so, if the Trump Administration took steps to weaken our economy and diminish our national security only to the benefit of nations that wish us ill. Instead, we hear silence. Secretary Haaland and I have a history of working together, and she pledged to keep an open mind about the unique issues facing our state. Her disappointing decision on Ambler Road represents more of the same tired attacks on Alaska that the Biden Administration has been carrying out for over a year. This move by President Biden and Secretary Haaland is dead wrong, harming not just Alaska, but the United States as a whole. I call on the Administration to stop emboldening our adversaries abroad by shutting down economic activity here at home.”

The Ambler Road would provide the access needed to responsibly develop a number of high-grade mineral deposits—including copper, cobalt, zinc, silver, gold, and other metals—in northwest Alaska. A right-of-way across federal land is guaranteed by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). These critical minerals are crucial to all aspects of modern technology and national security. The Ambler project is expected to provide more than 3,000 total jobs during construction and an estimated 1,800 total jobs during operation of the road and associated mines.

In addition to the Ambler Road filing, in just the last few days, the Democratic members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted to make it much more difficult and onerous to build much-needed natural gas pipelines. Their action will make it more expensive to heat the homes of hundreds of millions of Americans, make America’s energy grid less reliable, and further empower America’s adversaries, like Vladimir Putin, who are rapidly building natural gas export pipelines to increase their leverage over countries in Asia and Europe.

On Monday, it was reported that DOI has decided to pause new federal oil and gas leases and permits on all federal lands—further undermining American energy independence. Worse still, DOI today announced an interagency working group focused on mining law reform, which threatens to make mineral development on federal lands even more costly and difficult, while doing nothing to address the core problem: our nation’s deep and growing foreign mineral dependence.

Related Issues: Energy

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Van Hollen Statement on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Source: United States Senator for Maryland Chris Van Hollen

February 22, 2022

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“Putin’s invasion of Ukrainian territory represents a gross violation of its sovereignty and the rights of its people. I support President Biden’s decision to take swift action and impose a first round of sanctions on two Russian banking entities, Russian elites close to Putin, and Russia’s sovereign debt – as well as Germany’s decision to halt the Nord Stream 2 project. These tough sanctions – taken in lockstep with our allies – not only send a clear signal to Putin but will also impose immediate costs on the Russian regime. I agree wholeheartedly with President Biden’s commitment to imposing further waves of punishing sanctions should Putin continue to reject diplomacy and further escalate this conflict. As my colleagues and I discussed with our allies at this weekend’s Munich Security Conference, we must continue working in concert with our NATO and other partners to ensure Russia pays a steep price for its hostile and destabilizing actions.”

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Sen. Cramer Discusses Ukraine-Russia Situation on GMA3

Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined T.J. Holmes on Good Morning America 3: What You Need to Know to discuss the developing situation in Ukraine amidst Russian aggression. Excerpts and the full video are below. 

On Diplomacy

“I heard a pretty desperate Vladimir Putin. I thought up until yesterday there was still a fairly good shot at an off-ramp. But he blew up the off-ramp to be honest. His airing of grievances about history and everything going back even to the Budapest Memorandum, and the obligations of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia to recognize the borders of Ukraine as established in that memorandum. He just aired all those grievances and then, of course, obviously recognized the independence of those two separatist regions of Ukraine which was a violation of international law. Now I’m an eternal optimist, but it seems to me this looks pretty bleak.”

On Russia’s Further Invasion of Ukraine

“Well, it’s a violation of international law for sure. I think it looks like an invasion. This is why several weeks ago when President Biden used the [phrase] ‘minor incursion’ that choice of words is coming back to haunt us a little bit right now. I think we have to have a big discussion about what an invasion is these days given the incredible damage that can be done with cyberattacks, for example, and we know he’s engaged in a lot of those.”

On Putin’s Motivations

“This has been an ambition that he’s harbored for a long time. He’s not been bashful about it. The airing of all of those grievances yesterday certainly looks like a man wanting to re-establish the Soviet Union.”

On the American Response

“Well, there’s certainly more we could be doing for sure and I’m not advocating the use of American troops. But I do think we could have been stronger. I think we should have had some pre-emptive sanctions that recognize the fact that [Putin] is already in violation of international law. The fact is he has engaged in pretty significant cyberattacks on Ukraine. If you look at where we are today now with Germany, shutting down Nord Stream 2 or ending the prospect of certifying it at least anytime soon, had that been done earlier Vladimir Putin may have taken us all a little more seriously.”


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Whitehouse Condemns Unprovoked Russian Attack on Ukraine

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Sheldon Whitehouse

02.22.22

Washington, DC – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on the unprovoked attack by Russian military forces on the nation of Ukraine:

“Without provocation, Putin has attacked a peaceful, democratic nation to expand his corrupt power. Russia’s warrantless aggression demands a swift and forceful response from the NATO alliance, with each member doing their part to hold Putin accountable. It is an enormous test of our resolve – but one I expect we will pass.

“I was pleased to lead a bipartisan delegation from Congress to the Munich Security Conference this past weekend. Together, members of both parties and both chambers of Congress pledged to work toward emergency congressional action to support our NATO allies and the people of Ukraine. Russia’s corrupt dictator will pay an enormous price for this aggression, as will his oligarchs and other enablers in Russia and throughout the globe.”

From Thursday through Sunday, Whitehouse and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) led the delegation of more than two dozen members of Congress to the Munich Security Conference, the world’s major global forum for the discussion of security policy. Whitehouse has served as the Democratic lead for the congressional delegation to the Conference since 2013, originally at the invitation of the late Senator John McCain. Whitehouse is also a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission).