Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday asked U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the efficacy of continuing the Trump-era sanctions on Iran, and the importance of funding the Global Engagement Center (GEC) in countering propaganda and misinformation from abroad as the Secretary justified the president’s FY2022 foreign affairs budget request before Congress.

On assessing the efficacy of Trump-era sanctions on Iran, Murphy said: “[I]n assessing the efficacy of the maximum pressure campaign, I think we have to have a reckoning with what we got. The Trump administration put on the table 12 demands—from what I can tell, none of them were met.”

Murphy continued: ‘…[I]n fact, isn’t there evidence that Iran’s behavior in many respects got worse, not better, during that time?…They broke out of the nuclear program, they start shooting at our troops again in Iraq, they upped their support for many of their proxies in the region, and they refused to come back to the table. It doesn’t seem like we got a lot for the sanctions that were re-imposed, and the new sanctions that were imposed during the Trump administration, which calls into question what we would get by keeping them in place for another four years.”

Blinken agreed with Murphy that Iran’s behavior has gotten worse—not better—under the sanctions regime imposed under former President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign.

Murphy then went on to ask Blinken about the GEC’s role to counter Russian, Chinese and other propaganda around the world: “I know you’ve requested in your budget essentially flat funding for the Global Engagement Center, but my read is that there are more potential partners that the Global Engagement Center could work with around the world than there is funding. The Global Engagement Center is not really doing sort of direct counter propaganda work. They’re going out and you know, making sure that independent journalists and truth tellers, and folks who are rooting out propaganda have the support to do so…What role do you envision GEC playing in our efforts to counteract Russian propaganda, but also non-state actor propaganda, Chinese propaganda around the world?”

On Tuesday, Murphy applauded the inclusion of his provision that more than doubles funding authorization for the GEC in order to counter propaganda and misinformation from countries like China and Russia in the Senate’s passage of the United States Innovation and Competition Act. Murphy along with U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, which was signed into law in December 2016. The law enhanced the United States government’s capabilities for combating malign influence from America’s adversaries by establishing the GEC, which is charged with leading the U.S. government’s efforts to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation.

In March, Murphy along with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), U.S. Representative David Cicilline (RI-01), and U.S. Representative Ami Bera (CA-07) proposed a $12 billion increase to the international affairs budget for Fiscal Year 2022 to better address America’s national security challenges. Investing in 21^st Century Diplomacy called for the increased funding to be directed towards three specific challenges: (1) competing with China; (2) preparing for the next pandemic in a post COVID-19-era; and (3) fighting climate change.

You can read Murphy’s full exchange with Blinken below:

MURPHY: “…I wanted to just come back to the Iran nuclear deal for a moment. I think you answered this question, in part, in response to some comments from the Chair and the Ranking Member.

“But in assessing the efficacy of the maximum pressure campaign, I think we have to have a reckoning with what we got. The Trump administration put on the table 12 demands—from what I can tell, none of them were met. The country that I pay the closest attention to, Yemen, saw an increased amount of activity from Iran with respect to their proxy forces there. Our forces in Iraq started getting shot at again by Iran, Iran’s proxies there.

“I guess I sort of come to the conclusion as we’re sort of weighing whether to continue forward with the Trump era sanctions or waive or release them in exchange for a new commitment from Iran on its nuclear program, I think it’s important for us to ask what we got for those sanctions. And in fact, isn’t there evidence that Iran’s behavior in many respects got worse, not better, during that time? Am I wrong about my assessment here?

“They broke out of the nuclear program, they start shooting at our troops again in Iraq, they upped their support for many of their proxies in the region, and they refused to come back to the table. It doesn’t seem like we got a lot for the sanctions that were re-imposed, and the new sanctions that were imposed during the Trump administration, which calls into question what we would get by keeping them in place for another four years.”

BLINKEN: “Yeah, I share that assessment. I think that’s right, and it’s unfortunately borne out by the facts.”

MURPHY: “The second topic, and I’m surprised Senator Portman didn’t bring it up because he normally does, we were together as part of this delegation in Ukraine. He and I, as you know, spent a lot of time working on standing up the capacity inside the State Department to combat misinformation.

“I know you’ve requested in your budget essentially flat funding for the Global Engagement Center, but my read is that there are more potential partners that the Global Engagement Center could work with around the world than there is funding. The Global Engagement Center is not really doing sort of direct counter propaganda work. They’re going out and you know, making sure that independent journalists and truth tellers, and folks who are rooting out propaganda have the support to do so.

“I know we’re still looking for someone to head up that capacity at the State Department. What role do you envision GEC playing in our efforts to counteract Russian propaganda, but also non-state actor propaganda, Chinese propaganda around the world?”

BLINKEN: “Senator, I think it’s got a vital role to play and one that we want to see strengthened even further. It’s as you know very well engaged in campaigns to educate, to expose, to mitigate disinformation and misinformation. And it is already as it stands really the premier platform for information sharing.

“I think there are about 400 partners across 29 or so countries at this point that the take advantage of it. It’s worked very effectively, for example, to expose Russian websites that were removed from social media for propagating misinformation, disinformation from the PRC as well, in third country elections. It exposed that and put a light on that. And it’s done very good I think open source mapping of some of the PRC’s use of surveillance and data collection, for example, in Xinjiang. So we’re seeing it effective across the board.

“I think that the request that we made is appropriate and will enable it not only to sustain but to actually grow its mission. Having said that, I’d welcome you know working with you to make sure that it is properly resourced and operating as effectively as possible. And yes, we are working on bringing a new leader to the enterprise.”

MURPHY: “Well, I know your personal commitment to this mission. I thank you for it. And I’d also commend to both the committee and to you, making sure that we have the right integration between the counter propaganda mission at State and through the GEC and the counter propaganda mission at Department of Defense. In the prior administration, I don’t know that they were coordinating at the level that they could, something that we can do better on. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.”

BLINKEN: “Thanks, Senator.”

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Source: United States Senator for Delaware – Tom Carper

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing on how PFAS contamination is affecting communities across the country.

Below is the opening statement of Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), as prepared for delivery:

“Recognizing the critical importance of the matter before us today, I am pleased to call this hearing to order.

“And, I am particularly pleased to welcome a panel of witnesses uniquely prepared to help us understand better the impacts of PFAS in our lives, our communities, and our states. A warm welcome to Joanne Stanton, Jim Kenney, Scott Mandirola, and Tracy Mehan. Thank you all for your willingness to share your experiences and perspectives with us.

“As you all may know, I am privileged to represent Delaware, one of the smallest states in our Union, albeit a state that oftentimes punches above its weight. Despite the fact that our population numbers just under a million people, every one of our three Delaware counties has been plagued by the presence of PFAS chemicals in drinking water.

“In fact, while I hate to say it, there is not one of the states represented by the Senators sitting around this dais—or in the entire Senate—that is not struggling to address this problem for their citizens and communities.

“If this were merely a question of some pesky pollutant that occasionally finds its way into our groundwater and water wells on a very localized level, that would be one thing. 

“That is not the situation we all face today. 

“What we’re dealing with here is an almost universal, persistent toxin whose presence in our water—at levels measured in parts per trillion—creates a very real risk of adverse developmental effects to fetuses and breastfed infants, testicular and kidney cancer, liver tissue damage, as well as harmful changes to the thyroid and the immune system. 

“This is not just a public health concern. The presence of PFAS in our communities and our drinking water is having a major impact on livelihoods, as well. People in affected communities are worried about falling property values, and farmers with contaminated lands and dairy herds are—well—out of business in a number of cases.

“According to Bloomberg News, Stoneridge Farms—a 100-year-old family business near Arundel, Maine—was forced to shutter in 2019 due to PFAS contamination from sludge that was spread on the farm as fertilizer. As we’ll hear shortly in testimony here, the farm in Maine is far from the only farm adversely affected by PFAS contaminated sludge.

“We will also hear that states across America are scrambling to protect citizens and restore contaminated lands and waters in the absence of needed federal action on PFAS. 

“In early May, Attorneys General from 18 states and the District of Columbia commented on the challenges posed by EPA inaction in their comments to EPA on its proposed rule to required public water systems to test for 29 PFAS compounds. In those comments, these AGs said, and I quote:

‘Millions of people across the United States are exposed to PFAS-contaminated drinking water and widespread releases of PFAS into the environment. Many of the states have limited resources to comprehensively assess and address PFAS. Therefore, it is crucial for EPA to broadly regulate PFAS . . . to protect public health and the environment.’

“Another outcome of varied state approaches to regulating PFAS is the familiar challenge of a patchwork of regulatory requirements, which could hamper an effective and efficient national effort to manage a nationwide public health threat. It will not be long before we all hear from our business communities about the challenge of meeting disparate requirements amongst the states.

“The bottom line is this: PFAS is a sinister and pervasive threat to our families’ health, a drag on local, state, and national economies, and a problem that will not go away on its own. We need strategic national policies, programs, and investments to help us determine where PFAS contamination is, the health threats that these chemicals can pose, the best methods to rid our water and lands of this so-called ‘forever’ chemical, and a host of other issues that are related with this class of chemicals.

“What we lack—and I suspect all our witnesses here today will agree—is a sense of urgency to address these and other questions and to provide the relief that many affected communities and families need, particularly those with vulnerable infants and children.”

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Source: United States Senator for Delaware – Tom Carper

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness and Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today hailed the Senate’s passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which included several top trade priorities championed by Carper. The bill adds environmental criteria to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program for the first time, restarts and reforms the section 301 tariff exclusions process and includes the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB), greatly benefiting Delaware.

“For too long, consumers, small business owners, retailers, manufacturers and farmers have felt the all too real consequences of China’s manipulation of the global trading markets. This bipartisan bill will increase transparency in U.S. trade actions, help boost U.S. competitiveness and take important steps to combat China’s unfair trade practices,” Carper said. “I’m especially proud that trade measures I’ve long championed were included in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which taken together will give American businesses relief by restarting and reforming the Section 301 tariff exclusion process, ensure environmental protections are included in our trade relationships with developing nations, and reduce import tariffs paid by American businesses by more than $1.5 billion – saving Delaware businesses at least $87 million alone over the next three years. I want to thank Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo for their tenacious work and leadership to ensure these crucial trade priorities made it through the Senate.”

More information on trade measures championed by Carper in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, added onto an amendment authored by Sen. Mike Crapo:

Section 301 tariff exclusion process: In April, Senator Carper and Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) led a letter with 38 of their colleagues to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai asking her to restart the exclusion process for imports from China subject to tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act restarts and reforms that process, and includes robust, enhanced oversight. 

Addition of environmental criteria to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade program: The bill adds new environmental criteria to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade program, taking a long overdue and important step forward in incentivizing developing countries around the world to improve their environmental standards.

Miscellaneous Tariff Bill: The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act also includes the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, or MTB, which would reduce import tariffs by more than $1.5 billion over three years, bolstering manufacturers and other businesses in the United States, especially small and medium-sized manufacturers. Specifically, the MTB would support the competitiveness of manufacturers in Delaware by reducing the import tariffs they pay by at least $87 million over the next three years, benefitting a number of companies operating throughout the First State.

View full text of the amendment language here.

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Source: United States Senator for Delaware – Tom Carper

Legislation would safeguard against anti-abortion laws like Mississippi’s 15-week ban to be argued in front of Supreme Court next year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, along with U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.), joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and U.S. Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Lois Frankel (D-Fl.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), bicameral legislation guaranteeing equal access to abortion throughout the United States. The bill’s introduction follows the Supreme Court’s decision to hear arguments in a case that directly threatens 50 years of precedent protecting access to abortion, and comes as states like Texas continue to pass anti-choice laws.

Introduced with historic support, WHPA has 48 total co-sponsors in the Senate and 176 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

WHPA would create a federal statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions that single out abortion and impede access. 

From Roe v. Wade in 1973 to Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt in 2016, the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized abortion as a constitutional right. However, anti-abortion advocates have worked for years at the state-level to pass laws meant to undermine or eliminate access to abortion care. In the last decade, state lawmakers have pushed through nearly 500 restrictive laws that make abortion difficult and, sometimes, impossible to access. Just this year, four states have passed bans on abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, before many women even know they’re pregnant. Lawmakers in Arkansas and Oklahoma attempted to ban abortion completely.

WHPA would stop these attacks and ensure that abortion access first guaranteed under Roe is a reality for everyone, everywhere.

“In courts and state capitol buildings, the Constitutional rights of women are under attack like never before,” Carper said. “This critical bill would ensure women can make their own health care decisions – no matter their zip code. I’m proud to support this legislation, and thank Senator Blumenthal and Representative Chu for their leadership.”

“Since 1973, the Supreme Court has recognized the right to choose as deeply rooted in the Constitution,” Coons said. “With new attacks on Roe v. Wade across the country, this bill affirms that right, and guarantees that every person in America, no matter their background, income level, or zip code, has access to safe, affordable, and legal reproductive care. I’m proud to join Senator Carper, Congresswoman Blunt Rochester, and a number of our colleagues in fighting back against repeated attacks on women’s rights.”

“At a time when the Constitutional rights, personal health care choices of women, and abortion rights are under attack like never before, I’m proud to be a cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act,” Blunt Rochester said. “Roe v. Wade is the law of the land, has long been settled precedent, and should be protected. This critical piece of legislation will ensure that women, in consultation with their doctors can make the health choices that are best for them and will protect abortion rights for women across the country.”

The text of the Senate bill – including the full list of cosponsors – is available here. The text of the House bill – including the full list of cosponsors – is available here.

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