Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for South Dakota Mike Rounds

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Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act of 2023, legislation to address the high number of “smash-and-grab” thefts targeted at federally licensed gun dealers by enhancing penalties for criminals who steal firearms from authorized firearms and ammunition merchants.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reported that from 2017 to 2021, 5,395 FFL theft incidents were reported. During these incidents, a total of 34,339 firearms were stolen from FFLs. Theft from FFLs account for three percent of all firearms stolen in the United States, and many of these firearms end up being used in other crimes. 

“Criminals who target licensed firearms dealers need to be held accountable and face strong penalties. I’m proud to support this legislation so we can safeguard our communities and prevent the possession of illegal firearms,” Boozman said.

“I am proud to reintroduce this important legislation to make ‘smash-and-grabs’ more costly for criminals, especially when crime is rising under the Biden administration. I believe in responsible gun ownership – not criminals stealing firearms,” Graham said.

Boozman and Graham were joined by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jim Risch (R-ID), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mike Braun (R-IN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ted Budd (R-NC).

The FFL Protection Act of 2023:

• Increases the statutory maximum penalty for knowingly stealing any firearm in an FFL’s business inventory from 10 to 20 years.
• Imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years for burglary from an FFL and 5 years for robbery from an FFL.
• Criminalizes the attempted theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector.

The legislation is supported by the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF).

Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

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Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both-D-N.J.) announced a combined total of $441,926.56 from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) to support and improve the operations and safety of firefighters in 5 New Jersey cities across the state.

“Local fire departments strive tirelessly to protect their residents, keep them safe from harm, and instruct them on how best to keep themselves safe. One of the most fundamental services a government can provide is the safety of its people which is why I am proud to advocate for New Jersey fire departments to receive AFG grants at every opportunity,” said Sen. Menendez. “This funding will help these local fire departments support our brave firefighters so they can continue to do the lifesaving work they so selflessly perform.” 

“Every day, our brave firefighters selflessly put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” said Sen. Booker. “These grants will enable fire departments to respond swiftly to emergencies and keep New Jerseyans safe.”

The following departments have received Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) awards from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support their operations and safety trainings as well as equipment for technical trainings for structural and wildland firefighting:

• $40,909.09    –          The City of Perth Amboy
• $22,380          –          Atlantic City
• $47,124.49    –          The City of Hoboken
• $162,727.27  –          West Deptford Township
• $168,785.71  –           Alpha (Volunteer Fire Co.)

In April, Sen. Menendez joined with Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.-09) and Rob Menendez (D-N.J.-08), as well as local and national fire leaders at the North Hudson Regional Fire Rescue in West New York to discuss various congressional initiatives to support and protect fire professionals, including the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S.870 passed the Senate in April) that would reauthorize FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, and the U.S. Fire Administration.

In September 2022, Sens. Menendez and Booker announced $2 million in federal Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) funding to improve safety and operations in 17 different local fire departments across New Jersey. The AFG program was created in 2000 by the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act led by Rep. Pascrell.

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Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

06.09.23

Cantwell, Stabenow Call For Expanded Access to Behavioral Health Treatment

“We know that [Certified] Community Behavioral Health Clinics work, we just need to add more capacity,” says Cantwell

SEATTLE, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) joined elected officials and health care providers at Sound Capitol Hill, a health clinic in Seattle, to discuss the need to expand access to behavioral health care in the State of Washington and nationwide.

The senators focused on the success of Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs), which help ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care. CCBHCs treat anyone – regardless of their ability to pay – and focus on Medicaid patients. In Washington state, 17 individual local health centers are active CCBHCs.

“We have some facilities, but they are gate-kept by the number of providers they have and the number of services,” said Sen. Cantwell. “By us at the federal level layering on additional resources, they can expand capacity and see more people.”

“Nationwide, these [Certified] Community Behavioral Health Clinics have served over 2.1 million people,” Sen. Cantwell added. “Among those patients, studies have shown these results: A 74% reduction in hospitalization, a 68% reduction in emergency room visits, and a 33% decrease in homelessness. So we know that [Certified] Community Behavioral Health Clinics work, we just need to add more capacity.”

Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Stabenow helped create the CCBHC program, and worked to secure $8.6 billion in funding for CCBHCs over the next 10 years through 2022’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

“We want clinics and individual providers across the State of Washington to apply for these grants to help build capacity in our state,” Sen. Cantwell said.

“We’ve got hard work to do. And this is where your Senator is the champion,” said Sen. Stabenow. “Seventeen clinics, great! There’s more to be done.”

Also speaking at the press conference were King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, Sound President & CEO Katrina Egner, and Comprehensive Life Resources CEO Kim Zacher.

Out of all 50 states, Washington has the sixth highest prevalence of mental illness. However, some Washington counties have no practicing psychiatrists and for those that do, wait times for appointments can last for months. Just 16.2% of mental health care needs are currently met in Washington. To adequately meet needs, the state would need to hire over 150 additional psychiatrists.

Sen. Stabenow and Sen. Cantwell were key Congressional champions of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act, which passed as part of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act, and created the CCBHC initiative in 2014. The initiative allows qualified and eligible clinics to attain a CCBHC designation in return for enhanced Medicaid payments. Under the program, both states and individual local health centers or organizations may apply for grants.

As of October 2022, more than 500 CCBHCs served 2.1 million patients nationwide. As the former chairwoman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, Sen. Stabenow played a pivotal role in establishing the program. Since Congress created the grant program for CCBHCs, Sen. Cantwell has worked with her colleagues to ensure clinics in Washington state are eligible for funding and has worked with clinics throughout the state to help them procure funding through the program.

Video of the event is available HERE, audio of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is available HERE, audio of Sen. Stabenow’s remarks is available HERE, and a transcript of both Senators’ remarks is available HERE.

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Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

06.09.23

Cantwell, Senate Ag Committee Chair Stabenow, WA Agricultural Stakeholders Preview Weekend Forum

Cantwell sets the stakes for upcoming Farm Bill negotiations: “One of the most important things that gets done for agriculture every 5 years.”

SEATTLE, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, joined two Washington state agriculture leaders for a virtual press conference ahead of a larger forum with the Senators and agricultural industry stakeholders in Wenatchee on Saturday.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Sen. Stabenow is leading the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, a package of legislation that must be passed every five years. The bill establishes policy and funding levels for agriculture, food assistance programs, natural resources, and other aspects of food and agriculture under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

During the press conference, Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Stabenow shared what they plan to discuss with the region’s growers at tomorrow’s forum.

“The Farm Bill is one of the most important things that gets done for agriculture every five years. With a big agricultural economy that employs thousands of Washingtonians, and is worth billions of dollars of revenue, we thank Senator Stabenow for being here,” Sen. Cantwell said. “I’m confident that our growers know that this is the right investment, but what we have to do is now communicate to our colleagues all across the country and across the aisle that these priorities are well worth making.”

“We grow similar things with fruits and vegetables — you guys may be No. 1 in apples, we’re No. 1 in tart cherries … we have a lot of similarities in interests in terms of the Farm Bill,” Sen. Stabenow said. “I know Maria agrees with me that we don’t have an economy unless somebody makes something or somebody grows something. And so you are seeing the chair of the Agriculture Committee and the chair of the Commerce Committee, and those really do come together.”

Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, and Kate Tynan, Senior Vice President of the Northwest Horticultural Council, also spoke about their goals for the forum and the main issues they plan to address.

“We’re really looking forward to tomorrow, and I know my growers are really excited about it,” Chris Voigt said. “What a lot of people don’t recognize is that 44% of the value of farm sales are specialty crops, and specialty crops only receive 3.5% of the Farm Bill … and so the special provisions within the Farm Bill dedicated to specialty crops are critically important.”

“We represent the growers, packers, and shippers of apples, pears, and sweet cherries in the Pacific Northwest,” Kate Tynan said. “Tomorrow is an opportunity for growers to share their concerns and priorities firsthand with Senator Stabenow, who is an author of the next Farm Bill – really, it’s invaluable. This Farm Bill reauthorization process comes at a time when our tree fruit growers are really struggling to remain competitive.”

The current Farm Bill expires September 30, 2023. As chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell is a leading advocate of growers in Washington state and has also focused on finding ways to ensure Washington state agricultural products can be exported and remain competitive in a global marketplace.

Video of today’s virtual press conference is available HERE and audio HERE.

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Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

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Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

June 09, 2023

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, wrote a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, requesting a 60-day extension of the public comment period for the agency’s rule regulating CO2 emissions from fossil-fueled power plants. In the letter, Senator Manchin also called for the EPA to hold at least one public hearing in West Virginia.

“As the state with the largest percentage of coal-fired power and the second-largest producer of coal, EPA’s proposal will disproportionately harm West Virginia’s energy security and economy,” Senator Manchin wrote. “Over the last decade, EPA regulations have contributed towards nearly 4 GW of generator retirements in West Virginia. Residents and businesses in our state deserve an opportunity to speak face-to-face with EPA about the impacts of this proposed rule and other recently-announced EPA regulations. 

“Government should work for the people, not the other way around. At the very least, the EPA owes the American people a fair and transparent process to ensure they understand the scope and scale of a new major federal regulation before it is thrust upon them,” Senator Manchin continued. “An extended comment period and a public hearing in West Virginia are two exceedingly reasonable requests for a proposal as ambitious and unprecedented as this, and I hope we are able to work together to make them happen.”

The EPA only allowed for a 60-day comment period for the power plant CO₂ rule, which is far shorter than the comment period for similar rules and not sufficient enough time to evaluate the economic and operational implications on the power plant sector. The Biden Administration’s missteps could force coal- and gas-fired power plants to shut down prematurely, endangering electric reliability and energy security. 

The full letter is available below or here.

Dear Administrator Regan:

Despite neither the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law nor the Inflation Reduction Act providing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with any new rulemaking authority, the EPA continues to advance a radical climate agenda, much of it with insufficient opportunities for public comment and review. Specifically, on May 23, 2023, the EPA published a proposed rule to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing fossil fuel-fired electric generating units which comprise about 60% of total U.S. generating capacity, without an adequate plan to replace the lost dispatchable generation.[1] At the bare minimum, the EPA has a responsibility to extend the comment period an additional 60 days to September 20, 2023 and commit to holding at least one public hearing in West Virginia.

America will not remain the superpower of the world without energy security. Since EPA published its rule, my office has heard from constituents in West Virginia, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), grid operators, power plant operators, electric cooperatives, and other interested parties who have uniformly expressed growing apprehension that this rule could negatively impact the reliability of our nation’s power grid. Just last month, before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, every Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner agreed that we cannot eliminate coal today or in the near future if we want to have a reliable electric grid. We know for a fact that the U.S. grid would have been absolutely decimated during winter storms Uri and Elliott if our coal fleet was retired prematurely. This EPA proposal is a direct threat to our nation’s energy security. 

In order for stakeholders to comprehensively understand and comment on EPA’s proposal and provide meaningful input to the rulemaking process, they must be given the time to adequately review the substantial amount of material that EPA released alongside its proposed rule. This includes the 181-page proposed rule itself, a 359-page regulatory impact analysis, as well as several technical supporting documents that are cumulatively hundreds of pages long. Furthermore, the EPA has actively solicited feedback and comments on various topics within the proposed rule’s preamble, all of which raise significant concerns about energy generation and reliability that demand comprehensive analysis.

When compared to other, similar rule proposals, this comment period is much shorter than the historic norm. In 2014, when EPA first proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for fossil fuel-fired electric generating units, it allowed for a 120-day comment period and subsequently extended for another 60 days. Similarly, when the EPA proposed emissions guidelines for existing sources later that year, the agency initially provided a 120-day comment period, which was later extended by an additional 45 days. It is important to note that these comment periods did not overlap, as the NSPS comment period concluded over a month before the comment period for the proposed emissions guidelines began. Considering the historical context, it is evident that the current proposed rule, encompassing five actions in one, necessitates a more substantial comment period than the one that EPA has provided.

For generations, West Virginia has done the heavy lifting to power our nation to greatness, and it remains a key source of dispatchable generation that provides essential reliability services that keep energy reliable, affordable, and accessible for millions of Americans. As the state with the largest percentage of coal-fired power and the second-largest producer of coal, EPA’s proposal will disproportionately harm West Virginia’s energy security and economy. Over the last decade, EPA regulations have contributed towards nearly 4 GW of generator retirements in West Virginia. Residents and businesses in our state deserve an opportunity to speak face-to-face with EPA about the impacts of this proposed rule and other recently-announced EPA regulations. 

Government should work for the people, not the other way around. At the very least, the EPA owes the American people a fair and transparent process to ensure they understand the scope and scale of a new major federal regulation before it is thrust upon them. An extended comment period and a public hearing in West Virginia are two exceedingly reasonable requests for a proposal as ambitious and unprecedented as this, and I hope we are able to work together to make them happen. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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