Category: US Senate

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Risch, Crapo on Final Passage of China Legislation

Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released the following statements on the Senate’s final passage of the United States Innovation and Competition Act (S.1260): 

“As I have said for years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) presents a grave threat to U.S. values and interests, and its malign influence across the globe puts our own freedoms at risk here at home,” said Risch. “Last month, 21 members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted in favor of my bipartisan Strategic Competition Act that provides a comprehensive approach so the United States can begin to compete with China for decades to come. I am happy to say a large number of the provisions I authored in that bill were included in the final package that passed the Senate today. However, I am disappointed that Leader Schumer directly blocked important national security provisions that our country desperately needs. I will continue my work to combat malign CCP influence in the United States and abroad.”

“This bipartisan, Senate-wide effort ensures the United States is positioned to compete on a fair playing field globally, especially with China,” said Crapo. “As Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, I secured inclusion of the Trade Act of 2021, a comprehensive trade bill to combat China’s manufacturing imbalances, threats to free and fair trade, and illicit activity which undermine America’s leadership in innovation. This bill and the broader U.S. Innovation and Competition Act will help stand up our efforts in pushing back against China and helping Idaho’s hardworking farmers, manufacturers, fishers, high tech microchip innovators, and families compete globally.”

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Update to Emergency Grazing & Haying Policies

Source: United States Senator for South Dakota Mike Rounds

06.08.21

WASHINGTON – Historically, emergency Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grazing and haying requests could only be considered after state and national emergency declarations. However, the emergency CRP practice has been modified since South Dakota last experienced severe drought conditions.

Today, counties are authorized to approve CRP emergency haying and grazing applications outside of the Primary Nesting Season (PNS) of May 1 – August 1 on all practices when any part of the county is in a D2 condition based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. The current draught monitor for counties in South Dakota can be found HERE.

Emergency grazing during the PNS is allowed only when all of the following are met:

• payments are authorized for the county under LFP (D2 for 8 weeks, D3, or D4)

• less than 50 percent of the normal carrying capacity is maintained

• the participants conservation plan is modified to incorporate the 50 percent of normal carrying capacity, and approved prior to grazing.

In these instances, producers in the declared/affected counties and contiguous counties may file a modified conservation plan from the Natural Resources Conservation Services with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Office to request emergency grazing or haying.

Furthermore, FSA may have resources to assist with inadequate water supply for grazing locations.

For more information, contact your FSA County office or read additional materials on FSA’s website HERE.

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Cortez Masto Secures Nevada Priorities in Senate Passed Bill to Strengthen U.S. International Leadership and Counter Chinese Government

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

June 08, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) issued the following statement after the Senate passed bipartisan legislation she helped shape to bolster the United States’ international standing in the face of rising competitive pressure from the Chinese government and other foreign governments. The bill would provide over $100 billion in new funding for technology and research and development, and provide robust support to American entrepreneurs, small businesses, and manufacturing workers.

Senator Cortez Masto secured several important provisions in the legislation, including measures to help safeguard cutting-edge American research from foreign adversaries and improve U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

“Nevada’s technology industry provides thousands of good-paying jobs and will help position our state for a bright future, but we have to make sure our state and nation are prepared to compete in our international economy,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “When it came time to negotiate this bill, I worked across the aisle to promote American research and development and protect our intellectual property rights. This bipartisan legislation will help our state attract additional industries, create more jobs, and boost our economic competitiveness on the world stage. ”

The United States Innovation and Competition Act includes over $100 billion in new funding for the development and implementation of cutting edge technology and research and development to support the United States’ competitive advantage over China and other foreign competitors. The bill sets aside 20% of this funding to build research capacity in states like Nevada that have historically received inadequate R&D funding.

Senator Cortez Masto is responsible for several bipartisan provisions in this legislation, including: 

  • Cortez Masto-Portman legislation to safeguard American research and help combat the growing threat of foreign governments, including China, working to access or subvert research conducted on U.S. soil.
  • Cortez Masto-Daines legislation to protect American intellectual property from being stolen and manipulated by China and other with weak IP laws by enhancing current enforcement provisions. 

Additionally, Cortez Masto secured passage of her bill to strengthen international women’s rights through requirements that nations trading with the U.S. implement worker and women’s rights standards.

Senators Cortez Masto has been a leader in the Senate, working to boost American competitiveness and counter the Chinese government’s efforts to influence technology, research, and labor standards. Her bipartisan legislation to help ensure the Chinese government isn’t exerting undue influence on international technology standards-setting was signed into law last year, and she has also passed bipartisan legislation to combat the rise of manipulated videos, known as deepfakes.

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Competition and Innovation Bill Includes New Tools to Target Chinese Trade Cheating, Spur U.S. Research and Manufacturing

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

June 08, 2021

Bill Includes Crapo-Wyden Trade Amendment to Level the Playing Field For American Workers; Opens Access to Scientific Research; Boosts Oregon Manufacturers

 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded the passage of the bipartisan United States Innovation and Competition Act today, which includes critical priorities to help workers and employers in Oregon and across the country level the playing field with China.

“The Senate came together to deliver a massive, bipartisan win for U.S. workers and American innovation. From new incentives for tech R&D, to new tools targeting Chinese government trade cheating and stronger enforcement of laws against forced labor, this bill is chock-full of ways to help our country get ahead. The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act will level the playing field and help for workers and small businesses in Oregon and across the country,” Wyden said.  

The package includes a bipartisan amendment by Wyden and Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, which was added by a 91-4 vote, to take aim at China’s worst trade practices, including forced labor, unethical seafood production, counterfeiting, and theft of intellectual property.

 “I’m proud to have coauthored with Ranking Member Crapo provisions going after seafood caught using forced labor, focusing on censorship of free speech online by China and other authoritarian governments, and empowering U.S. Customs to crack down on counterfeit goods,” Wyden continued.

The package also includes a provision originally authored by Wyden and supported by Sen Rand Paul, R-Ky., requiring open access to federally funded research within 12 months of that research being published in peer-reviewed journals.

“Taxpayer-funded research shouldn’t be locked away behind expensive paywalls – it should be open to researchers to spur new innovation and scientific advances. Our provision will help ensure more researchers benefit from work paid for by the American public,” Wyden concluded.

The package includes a host of new provisions to benefit workers in Oregon and across the country, including:

  • More than $50 billion in grants and incentives for semiconductor research and domestic manufacturing, which will help companies in the Silicon Forest design and produce chips in Oregon.  
  • New tools to help U.S. Customs crack down on imports made with forced labor, including seafood that unfairly competes with fish caught off the Oregon Coast. In addition to being morally repugnant, forced labor disadvantages Oregon businesses, workers and fishers.
  • $10 billion for the Department of Commerce to help cities establish themselves as regional technology hubs for researching, developing and manufacturing key technologies. 

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Hickenlooper Cheers Confirmation of Regina Rodriguez to U.S. District Court for Colorado

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

Hickenlooper Cheers Confirmation of Regina Rodriguez to U.S. District Court for Colorado

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and a bipartisan majority of senators today voted to confirm Regina Rodriguez to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. President Biden made Rodriguez one of his first judicial nominations after Hickenlooper and Senator Michael Bennet recommended her for the position. 

“Regina Rodriguez’s family came to Colorado because our state took a stand against discrimination,” said Hickenlooper. “Colorado can count on her to uphold those values, bringing integrity, excellent qualifications, and deep community ties to her service on the federal bench.”

In addition to being one of Colorado’s top attorneys, Rodriguez was a founding member of Latinas First Foundation, served on the Board of Directors for the Family Star Montessori, and was a Founding Board Member of Colorado Youth at Risk.  

Rodriguez is the daughter of a Mexican-American father and a Japanese-American mother. During her confirmation hearing last month, she explained how her mother’s family moved to Colorado after learning that former Governor Ralph Carr welcomed Japanese-Americans during WWII. Rodriguez will be the first federal district court judge in the District of Colorado of Asian American descent.

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Feinstein Supports Paycheck Fairness Act

Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein

Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement after voting to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that would have modified the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Equal Pay Act to help shrink the gender pay gap. Currently, women in the United States on average earn only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. The bill failed to reach cloture in the Senate on a 50-50 vote.

“Equal pay for equal work is a legal requirement, but the gender wage gap persists due to shortcomings in the law. It’s disappointing that addressing those inadequacies has become a partisan issue.

“While we’ve made progress thanks to the Equal Pay Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, women still earn only 82 cents for every dollar men are paid. That pay gap is even larger for women of color.

“This disparity doesn’t just hurt women, it also hurts the families that many of them support. Women are the sole or co-breadwinner in more than half of all U.S. families. Simply by closing the gender pay gap, we can help cut the poverty rate in half for working women.

“The economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately hurt women. As our economy continues to recover, it’s important that we address the wage gap to help families recover. Hopefully, Republicans will join us in that effort and reconsider the Paycheck Fairness Act.”

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Feinstein, Padilla Join Senate Democrats in Resolution Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month

Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein

Washington—Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif), along with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, today introduced a resolution recognizing June as “LGBTQ Pride Month.”

The resolution highlights the contributions LGBTQ individuals have made to American society, notes several major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ Americans, and resolves to continue efforts to achieve full equality for LGBTQ individuals. The resolution also recognizes how the coronavirus pandemic compounds the systemic inequality that LGBTQ people face in healthcare, employment and housing systems in the United States, leading to a disparate impact on LGBTQ people.

Full text of the resolution is available here.

“Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate the progress made in the fight for justice, equality and inclusion,” Senator Feinstein said. “At the same time we must recommit ourselves to combating hatred and bigotry in all its forms. Nobody should face discrimination because of who they are or who they love. Pride Month reminds us of that fact and that we can’t rest until true equality for all LGBTQ individuals is achieved.”

“Every person should be safe to live and love freely as their authentic self. As we celebrate Pride Month, we honor and recognize the diversity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community in California and across the country. This important resolution recognizes the historic milestones and outstanding contributions of the LGBTQ+ community, while acknowledging that the fight for equality and justice is far from over,” Senator Padilla said.

Senate Democrats introduced the first Senate Pride Month Resolution in 2017, after then President Trump broke the eight-year tradition of offering an official presidential proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month. On June 1, President Biden issued a presidential proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month, the first time Pride Month has been recognized by the White House since 2016.

In 2019, Senate Democrats reintroduced the Equality Act, legislation to ensure civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Equality Act would unequivocally ban discrimination in a host of areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding assistance and education.

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Barrasso: Biden Abandons Infrastructure Deal To Satisfy an Insatiable Far-Left Agenda

Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, issued the following statement after President Biden ended infrastructure talks with a group of Senate Republicans that he was a part of.

“The president has made it clear that he has no intention of agreeing to a plan that addresses core, physical infrastructure.

“President Biden and his team are trying to satisfy an insatiable far-left agenda that demands massive tax hikes and spending trillions of dollars on things unrelated to physical infrastructure.

“In return for our multiple, significant offers to invest in our roads, bridges, ports, airports, and waterways, the president continues to seek a massive tax and spend plan.

“Republicans are serious about passing a responsible, targeted infrastructure plan that truly meets the needs of America, without adding the burdens of higher taxes, more federal debt, and job-killing regulations.

“We are ready to work with Democrats who recognize a bipartisan agreement on physical infrastructure is possible.”

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Barrasso Questions Secretary of State on Nord Stream 2, World Health Organization

Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) questioned Secretary of State Tony Blinken on the administration’s deliberate failure to sanction all of the entities that are involved in the construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Barrasso also questioned Sec. Blinken on the administration’s inability to achieve much-needed reforms at the World Health Organization despite rejoining the organization.

Blinken testified at today’s Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing on the State Department’s FY 2022 budget request.

On Waiving Sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Pipeline:

“I would like to follow up on things that I asked of you during the confirmation process. And the first is Nord Stream 2, the pipeline.

“There is strong bipartisan opposition on this committee and throughout the Senate to President Biden’s deliberate failure to sanction all of the entities that are involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

“Protecting this Russian trap is not in the U.S. national security interest. It is a grave mistake.

“This pipeline threatens the energy security of our friends as well as our allies.

“We know Russia uses energy as a geopolitical weapon to coerce, to manipulate. I know you’ve agreed to that during your confirmation hearing.

“It does seem that President Biden is now allowing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to be added to Russia’s energy arsenal.

“Putin has said essentially the same thing. On Friday, he stated that Ukraine must show goodwill if it wants Russian gas transiting through the country to continue.

“He said that Russia is going to further threaten to cut gas to Ukraine, they’ve done that over the Donbas conflict.

“This is even before Nord Stream 2 is even completed.

“I think it’s really critical that we act now. I think we have a misguided policy right now coming from your boss, the president.

“I think it’s in our national security interest to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 now. Why is it not in our national security interest to impose those sanctions?

Follow up:

“I would just point out Mr. Secretary that during your confirmation process, you reiterated your opposition to Nord Stream 2 and you said ‘I am determined to do whatever we can to prevent that completion, the last hundred yards.’

“So the fact that it was 90 percent complete when you came into office, and the administration came into office, your commitment to us was the last hundred yards.”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Sec. Blinken on the Biden administration’s failure to sanction construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

On Making Reforms to World Health Organization (WHO):

“While President Biden and the administration vowed to reform the World Health Organization, I think it threw away its leverage early on.

“By rejoining the World Health Organization and giving it more than $200 million, the administration could have insisted reforms be made.

“The annual World Health Assembly meeting on May 24 was another opportunity to demand action.

“Yet, it just reinforced the systemic problems and the inability of this organization to make real reforms.

“For example, China succeeded in that meeting at blocking Taiwan’s participation at the World Health Assembly.

“Taiwan only wanted to be an observer. And arguably Taiwan has one of the best records in combatting COVID-19.

“In May, you stated, ‘There is no reasonable justification for Taiwan’s continued exclusion from the forum.’

“In addition, the World Health Assembly voted to place Syria and Belarus in leadership posts at the World Health Organization.

“You claim the best way to reform the World Health Organization is from within but no reforms are being made.

“How will we be able to make any meaningful reforms at the World Health Organization if you can’t even prevent dictators like Assad, who slaughters his own people, from having a leadership role in what is the World Health Organization?

Follow Up:

“Let me just conclude, on May 12, we had a bipartisan committee hearing titled “COVID-19 Pandemic and International Response.”

“Gayle Smith, who is the State Department coordinator for global COVID response and health security was here.

“I specifically urged her to use the World Health Assembly annual meeting to push for reforms and get them implemented. It certainly did not occur and I think it’s fair to say the actions were unsuccessful.”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Sec. Blinken on reforming the World Health Organization.

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Inhofe, Rogers Express Deep Concern Following Reports Navy Will Cancel Nuclear Sea Launched Cruise Missile

Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe

 U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the Ranking Members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, released a statement expressing deep concern following reports that the Acting Secretary of the Navy plans to cancel a Nuclear Sea Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N), a decision that comes after submission of the FY22 budget and before the completion of a Nuclear Posture Review (NPR).

“Reports that an Acting Secretary of the Navy would cancel a new Nuclear Sea Launched Cruise Missile after submission of the FY22 budget, and before a Nuclear Posture Review has been started — much less completed — is bewildering and short-sighted,” Inhofe and Rogers said. “The Biden administration has decided to project weakness ahead of a summit with Vladimir Putin – another gift to our adversaries. We have serious questions for senior Pentagon leaders on this reported decision and how it was reached.”