Category: US Senate

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Stabenow, Peters Announce Over $61 Million to Connect Underserved Communities in Michigan to High-Speed Internet

Source: United States Senator for Michigan Debbie Stabenow

Funding Made Possible by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Senators Helped Enact

Friday, June 16, 2023

DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI)  today announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is awarding $61,256,705 in federal funding to the Peninsula Fiber Network to connect unserved and underserved communities in Michigan to high-speed internet. The project will place 535 miles of new broadband fiber to connect local networks to high-capacity national and regional networks, which will bring high-speed internet access to over 35,000 homes in rural counties in Michigan and increase the resiliency and reliability of internet infrastructure across the state. The funding is made available by the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, which is funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law the Senators helped enact.   

“High speed internet isn’t a luxury, it’s an essential service that we need for everything from work, school, doctors’ visits, and paying our bills. With the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Senator Peters and I were able to ensure major investments like this to expand affordable, reliable broadband in Michigan. Today’s announcement is critical for thousands of people frustrated by slow and unreliable internet connections. This new infrastructure will allow for telemedicine, remote learning, and other services families and businesses rely on,” said Senator Stabenow.

“Expanding access to reliable high-speed internet in unserved and underserved areas creates new job opportunities and supports small businesses, increases access to quality health care through telehealth, and expands educational opportunities,” said Senator Peters. “This funding is a massive win for Michiganders and communities in our state, and I’m proud to have supported the bipartisan infrastructure law that made this funding possible.”

“Internet connectivity is the backbone of Michigan’s economy, allowing businesses to thrive, connecting people to health care services and education providers, and helping people communicate locally and around the globe. This grant, combined with PFN’s own investment, will allow for the installation of middle mile infrastructure that will help to bring better and faster broadband to some of the largest underserved areas in our state while strengthening network connections between Michigan’s peninsulas and with a neighboring state,” said Peninsula Fiber Network General Manager Scott Randall. “We are thankful to our local, state and federal partners for supporting us in this grant and look forward to getting started on this vital infrastructure project.”

More information on the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program can be found here. 

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Cassidy, Schatz, Wicker Introduce Legislation to Expand Telehealth Access, Make Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

06.16.23

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Thune (R-SD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and a bipartisan group of 60 senators introduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors.

“As a doctor, improving health care for Louisianans has always been my focus,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The pandemic accelerated the deployment of telehealth. The bipartisan infrastructure bill will bring high-speed affordable internet to almost everyone in our state. The combination of these two things will change healthcare for the better for Seniors in our cities and rural areas.”

“While telehealth use has skyrocketed these last few years, our laws have not kept up. Telehealth is helping people in every part of the country get the care they need, and it’s here to stay,” said Senator Schatz. “Our comprehensive bill makes it easier for more people to see their doctors no matter where they live.”

“Telehealth is a revolutionary development in health care delivery. The internet put communications and commerce in the palm of our hand, and it is now doing the same for health care,” said Senator Wicker. “After years of dedicated efforts, I am pleased to see the growing support for making flexibility in telehealth delivery permanent. The CONNECT for Health Act will move us toward Medicare beneficiaries receiving the healthcare they deserve.”

“Telehealth has proven itself as a valuable tool in delivering essential care, and one that has helped address health disparities for populations with diminished access to care,” said Senator Cardin. “I’m proud to join my colleagues on this bipartisan bill that will increase the availability of telehealth and help deliver better health care to Americans in every part of Maryland and across the country.”

“South Dakotans have long understood the value of telehealth, and it’s time to take what we’ve learned from the pandemic and work to expand its availability,” said Senator Thune. “Increasing access to telehealth services, especially for folks in rural areas, remains a top priority for me, and I’m proud to support this bill that builds on those efforts.”

“One of the lessons we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that our health care system is more adaptable than we thought. Over the last three years, patients have received quality care from the comfort of their own homes through the expansion of telehealth services. I’m proud to introduce legislation that will make permanent some of these services and ensure Virginians continue to have access to the affordable health care they need when they need it,” said Senator Warner. 

“The pandemic showed us just how valuable telehealth is to ensuring folks receive care, but telehealth’s use goes far beyond navigating public health emergencies,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “Mississippians and Americans face many obstacles accessing healthcare, whether it’s living in rural areas, old age, or mobility issues. This legislation would be key to providing them with the quality, affordable care they need and deserve. It’s time to get this done.”

Three provisions from the CONNECT for Health Act were signed into law in 2020. As a result, there was a sharp rise in use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic as patients avoided traveling to hospitals and other health care settings and instead chose to receive care at home. Data shows that telehealth provides essential access to care with nearly a quarter of Americans accessing telehealth in the past month.

The CONNECT for Health Act was first introduced in 2016 and is considered the most comprehensive legislation on telehealth in Congress. Since 2016, several provisions of the bill were enacted into law or adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including provisions to remove restrictions on telehealth services for mental health, stroke care, and home dialysis.

The updated version of the CONNECT for Health Act builds on that progress and includes new and revised provisions that will help more people access telehealth services. Specifically, the legislation would: 

  • Permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites;
  • Permanently allow health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services;
  • Allow more eligible health care professionals to utilize telehealth services;
  • Remove unnecessary in-person visit requirement for telemental health services;
  • Allow for the waiver of telehealth restrictions during public health emergencies; and
  • Require more published data to learn more about how telehealth is being used, impacts of quality of care, and how it can be improved to support patients and health care providers.

Cassidy, Schatz, Wicker, Cardin, Thune, Warner, and Hyde-Smith were joined by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Bob Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tim Scott (R-SC), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), James Lankford (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Thom Tillis (D-NC), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Steve Daines (R-MT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Boozman (D-AR), Jon Tester (D-MT), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Katie Britt (R-AL), Tina Smith (D-MN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tom Carper (D-DE), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) in co-sponsoring the legislation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), David Schweikert (R-AZ-01), and Bill Johnson (R-OH-06).

The CONNECT for Health Act has the support of more than 150 organizations including AARP, America’s Essential Hospitals, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, American Medical Group Association, American Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Telemedicine Association, Consumer Technology Association, Federation of American Hospitals, HIMSS, Kaiser Permanente, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Quality Forum, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, National Rural Health Association, and Teladoc Health.

Click here for a summary of the bill and the full list of endorsing organizations. 

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Senator Bernie Sanders and Governor Phil Scott to Celebrate the Newly Completed Lamoille Valley Rail Trail

Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

All are invited to join in the Governor’s end-to-end bike ride and planned events

LVRT first broke ground in 2005 with the help of a federal grant secured by Sanders

What: Governor Scott and Senator Sanders invite the media and the public to participate in a celebration of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) – recently completed and now the longest rail trail in New England. The Governor will bike the entire 93-mile trail from Swanton to St. Johnsbury and make brief water stops along the trail with Senator Sanders, who secured the original federal grant to help establish the LVRT back in 2005. (More details on the stops to come.)

The media and the public are invited to join in all or part of the Governor’s ride and any of the planned brief stops.  

When: Saturday, July 15, 2023 – 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

  • 7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.: Swanton (location TBD), Kick Off Event (with brief remarks)
  • 7:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Ride from Swanton to Morrisville (schedule of brief stops to come)
  • 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Morrisville (location TBD), Main Event and Celebration
  • 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Ride from Morrisville to St. Johnsbury (schedule of brief stops to come)
  • 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. St. Johnsbury (location TBD), End of Ride Celebration

*All times are approximate; a more detailed schedule with times and locations for all stops will be issued closer to the event. For the latest information, visit RailTrails.Vermont.Gov.

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Lankford, Rubio, Wicker Call Out Biden for Sidestepping Spy Balloon Inquiry

Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

06.16.23

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) along with Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Marco Rubio (R-FL) vice chairman on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, along with 15 of their colleagues sent a letter to President Biden calling out a continued lack of transparency related to the takedown of a Chinese spy balloon in February.

The letter follows numerous efforts from Senate Republicans to receive a public accounting of the Biden Administration’s assessment of actions taken prior to and following the takedown of the Chinese spy balloon.

The Senators expressed their growing frustration with the Biden Administration for failing to confront the China challenge.

“In your State of the Union address this year, you promised the American people that you would protect the United States from the PRC’s threats to our sovereignty. While four months have passed since a Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to fly across the United States, your administration has yet to provide the American people a full accounting of how this spy platform was allowed to traverse across sovereign US territory, what the balloon carried, and what it collected during its mission,” the Senators wrote. “Your administration has also not taken appropriate steps to hold the PRC accountable for this flagrant violation of US sovereignty. As such, we urge you to immediately direct all relevant administration officials to release information, as appropriate, to the American public regarding the Chinese spy balloon.”

The Senators also observed the growing belligerence of China since the spy balloon was identified in US sovereign airspace, and maintain that the behavior has been incentivized by the United States’ willingness to be coerced into silence.

“In addition to deploying a spy platform into US territory, the PRC has conducted dangerous maneuvers against US aircrafts in the South China Sea and US ships navigating international waters, and continues to support Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, harass American companies operating in China, commit egregious human rights violations, all while threatening a free and democratic Taiwan,” the Senators wrote. “We note with grave concern how, in a recent report in The New York Times, officials in your administration acknowledged that a May 2023 PRC malware attack against Guam was “part of a vast Chinese intelligence collection effort that spans cyberspace, outer space and, as Americans discovered with the balloon incident, the lower atmosphere.” It is time that your administration fully exposes Beijing’s efforts to collect intelligence against the United States and the threats posed by such activities. As such, we urge you to release, to the American people, all appropriate information that the United States has collected regarding the Chinese spy balloon.”

Joining Lankford, Rubio, and Wicker are Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), John Cornyn (R-TX), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in addition to, Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) from the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Bill Hagerty (R-TN).

Lankford is a member on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. 

Read the full letter here or below. 

Dear Mr. President:

We write to express our deep concern with the lack of transparency from your Administration over the information it has collected regarding the surveillance platform that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) deployed over our country.

In your State of the Union address this year, you promised the American people that you would protect the United States from the PRC’s threats to our sovereignty. While four months have passed since a Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to fly across the United States, your Administration has yet to provide the American people a full accounting of how this spy platform was allowed to traverse across sovereign US territory, what the balloon carried, and what it collected during its mission. Your Administration has also not taken appropriate steps to hold the PRC accountable for this flagrant violation of US sovereignty. As such, we urge you to immediately direct all relevant Administration officials to release information, as appropriate, to the American public regarding the Chinese spy balloon.

The People’s Republic of China, under the control of the Chinese Communist Party, has only increased its brazen threats to our national security. In addition to deploying a spy platform into US territory, the PRC has conducted dangerous maneuvers against US aircrafts in the South China Sea and US ships navigating international waters, and continues to support Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, harass American companies operating in China, commit egregious human rights violations, all while threatening a free and democratic Taiwan.

We note with grave concern how, in a recent report in The New York Times, officials in your Administration acknowledged that a May 2023 PRC malware attack against Guam was “part of a vast Chinese intelligence collection effort that spans cyberspace, outer space and, as Americans discovered with the balloon incident, the lower atmosphere.” It is time that your Administration fully exposes Beijing’s efforts to collect intelligence against the United States and the threats posed by such activities.

As such, we urge you to release, to the American people, all appropriate information that the United States has collected regarding the Chinese spy balloon. In particular, we note that the Financial Times reported last April that “China is refusing to let US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visit Beijing over concerns that the FBI will release the results of an investigation into the downed suspected Chinese spy balloon.” We therefore call on you to stand up to Beijing’s efforts to coerce the United States into silence on the PRC’s violation of US sovereignty and to release the FBI’s findings on the PRC’s spy balloon immediately.

Furthermore, we encourage you to review all options to firmly respond to, and deter, the PRC’s significant violations that threaten American national security and interests.  Beijing continues to test US resolve and tarnish US credibility—we must respond with strength, or risk further aggression from America’s adversaries.

Thank you for your attention to this timely matter. We look forward to you reply.

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Klobuchar, Grassley, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Competition and Rein in Big Tech

Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar

Legislation would put in place common sense rules of the road for major digital platforms to ensure they cannot unfairly preference their own products and services

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) as well as U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member, Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. This bipartisan legislation would restore competition online by establishing common sense rules of the road for dominant digital platforms to prevent them from abusing their market power to hurt competition, online businesses, and consumers. 

“Our nation’s prosperity is built on a foundation of fair competition and open markets. But right now we’re facing a monopoly problem as dominant digital platforms – some of the most powerful companies the world has ever known – increasingly give preference to their own products and services,” said Klobuchar. “It’s past time to put in place rules of the road to give small businesses and entrepreneurs a chance to compete and bring down costs for all consumers who rely on digital platforms. I won’t stop fighting to get this done.” 

“While Big Tech has grown and evolved over the years, our laws have not changed to keep up and ensure these companies are competing fairly. These companies have continued to become a larger part of our everyday lives and the global economy, controlling what we see and how we engage on the internet,” Grassley said. “Big Tech needs to be held accountable if they behave in a discriminatory manner. Our bill will help create a more even playing field, ensure that small businesses are able to compete with these platforms and promote an environment for greater consumer choice.”

“Choice is fundamental to competition. American consumers have been systematically denied access to critical information about their market choices. The American Innovation and Online Choice Act will push back against strong arm tactics employed by Big Tech to disadvantage consumers and exclude competitors from the marketplace,” said Durbin.

“For too long, Big Tech has run roughshod over small businesses, and lax antitrust enforcers have refused to do anything. No more. Congress is finally beginning to take these issues seriously. This bill will outlaw much of the discrimination and self-preferencing that tech companies currently get away with,” said Hawley. 

“Big Tech’s self-serving market manipulation hurts consumers, workers, and online business. Tech giants use their vast market dominance to unfairly boost their own products and services—and to disadvantage competitors. I’m proud to back this bipartisan bill to level the playing field, ensuring smaller competitors have a fighting chance and consumers have more options at fairer prices.” said Blumenthal.

“It’s clear the American people want Congress to rein in the enormous power of giant tech companies,” said Warner. “I’m committed to working with my colleagues on sensible, bipartisan reforms to check the worst behavior of these companies.” 

Last year, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act made history as the first digital competition bill since the dawn of the internet to advance in Congress when it passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 16-6 vote.  In December 2022, Klobuchar and Grassley’s Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act became law as part of the end of year funding package. This legislation updated merger filing fees for the first time since 2001, lowering fees on smaller acquisitions and increasing them for the largest mergers, raising additional revenue that Congress can use to fund antitrust enforcement.  

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act will:

  • Set clear, effective rules to protect competition and users doing business on dominant online platforms, including:
    • Prohibiting dominant platforms from abusing their gatekeeper power by favoring their own products or services, disadvantaging rivals, or discriminating among businesses that use their platforms in a manner that would materially harm competition on the platform; and
    • Prohibiting specific forms of conduct that are harmful to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and consumers, but that do not have any pro-competitive benefit, including:
      • Preventing another business’s product or service from interoperating with the dominant platform or another business;
      • Requiring a business to buy a dominant platform’s goods or services for preferred placement on its platform;
      • Misusing a business’s data to compete against them; and 
      • Biasing search results in favor of the dominant firm.
  • Give antitrust enforcers strong, flexible tools to deter violations and hold dominant platforms accountable when they cross the line into illegal behavior, including significant civil penalties, authority to seek broad injunctions, emergency interim relief, and potential forfeiture of executive compensation.
  • Prevent self-preferencing and discriminatory conduct by the most economically significant online platforms with large U.S. user bases which function as “critical trading partners” for online businesses. For such platforms, the rules target harmful conduct, allowing the platforms to innovate, do business, and engage in pro-consumer conduct, including protecting user privacy and safety, preventing unlawful behavior, and maintaining a secure online experience for users.

Last Congress, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act was supported by the National Federation of Independent Business, Consumer Reports, the Consumer Federation of America, Public Knowledge, leading national security experts, leading antitrust legal scholars, small business organizations, and over 60 small and medium-sized companies and trade associations, including Spotify, Wyze, FuboTV and Quora.

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Sen. Cramer Announces Nearly $300,000 Grant to North Dakota State University for Crop Breeding Research

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

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $299,581 to North Dakota State University to facilitate breeding research and develop new genetic and genomic resources for a variety of wheat species.

These funds are distributed through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the nation’s leading competitive grants program for agricultural sciences.

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Sens. Cramer, Menendez Introduce Legislation to Prevent Businesses from Refusing Cash Payment

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

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), members of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Payment Choice Act to prohibit retail businesses from refusing to accept cash as a form of payment and prevent them from charging a higher price for using cash instead of other forms of payment. The bill will ensure customers have the freedom to choose how they pay for goods and services.

“Cold hard cash is still legal tender in the United States, despite some businesses’ exclusive acceptance of electronic payments,” said Senator Cramer. “Imposing premium prices on goods and services paid for with cash or forcing the use of credit and debit cards limits consumer choice and is just plain wrong. Americans should have the option of using plastic, but they should be the ones who make that choice, not businesses.”

“While electronic payments have grown in popularity and are for many a convenient form of payment, completely refusing cash denies people, frequently in underserved communities, from having equal access to participate in our economy,” said Senator Menendez. “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation would ensure that everyone who carries legal tender printed and backed by the U.S. Treasury, and especially those who are unbanked or underbanked, can continue to fully participate in the economy.”

The legislation is also supported by the National ATM Council.

“The hardworking men and women of America’s retail ATM industry, who make widespread convenient access to cash a daily reality for consumers throughout our nation, want to thank and applaud Senators Menendez and Cramer and Representatives Rose and Payne for their ongoing leadership in reintroducing the Payment Choice Act,” said Bruce Renard, Executive Director of The National ATM Council, Inc. “With the US dollar under attack as the world’s leading currency, it is more important than ever for our country to ensure cash continues fulfilling its essential role as legal tender here at home throughout the USA.  The option for consumers to pay with cash for basic goods and services is an important economic right we must preserve for all Americans, including our most vulnerable citizens.  Accepting cash as a payment option is not too much to ask of all the retail establishments blessed with the opportunity to do business in the greatest marketplace on earth.”

Joining Senators Cramer and Menendez are Congressmen John Rose (R-TN-06), Donald Payne (D-NJ-10), Alex Mooney (R-WV-02), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05).

Click here for bill text.

Background:

While the majority of American households have access to financial services, 4.5% of U.S. households do not have a checking or savings account. Those without access to financial services are more likely to have lower incomes, less education, or be a member of a racial or ethnic minority group. Despite a decline in cash payments during the last few years, this demographic represents nearly 20% of all payments in the U.S. economy according to a recent study.

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Klobuchar Statement On Ticketing Announcement

Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, released the following statement on commitments made to the White House by a number of companies, including Ticketmaster, to disclose all fees up front.

“While this is a good step forward, there is much more we have to do, particularly in the live event market. We have to protect consumers and address Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s monopoly power and strengthen competition. When one company controls a vast majority of the ticketing market, that hurts fans, venues, and artists. Voluntary commitments can be revoked, so we need new laws to protect Americans from excessive fees. The Justice Department must act and we must pass legislation to protect consumers in this market.”

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Van Hollen, Booker, Brown, Davis, Burgess Reintroduce Bicameral, Bipartisan Resolution Supporting World Sickle Cell Awareness Day

Source: United States Senator for Maryland Chris Van Hollen

June 15, 2023

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) reintroduced a resolution expressing support for the designation of June 19, 2023 as “World Sickle Cell Awareness Day” to increase public awareness about sickle cell disease and the continued need for research, early detection, and effective treatments that lead to a cure. U.S. Representatives Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas) introduced the House companion bill. 

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare, inherited disorder that causes a person’s red blood cells to become deformed and get stuck in their veins, blocking oxygen flow throughout the body. In the United States, 100,000 people are affected by SCD, including 1 in every 365 African-American births, and 1 in every 16,300 Hispanic-American births. Around the world, sickle cell disease affects millions of people, particularly in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa, eastern Saudi Arabia, and central India. In countries with fewer resources, more than 90 percent of children diagnosed with sickle cell disease do not live to see adulthood. Despite being the most common inherited blood disorder in our country, research, treatment, and awareness efforts for the disease still lag far behind other chronic illnesses.

“Having lost a beloved staff member to sickle cell, the fight to end this disease is deeply personal to me. I’m committed to boosting awareness of this illness as well our federal investment in studying and treating it so we can build a future where every sickle cell patient has the chance to live a long and healthy life as we work to defeat it entirely,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Sickle cell disease continues to be a global health concern,” said Senator Booker. “The disease disproportionately affects people of African descent and is lethal without proper medical care. We know that over 90 percent of children with sickle cell disease in regions with poor health care infrastructure do not reach adulthood. This resolution raises awareness around sickle cell disease and calls on the United States to lead the global effort to develop innovative therapeutic methods to support people living with the disease.”

“Sickle cell disease can lead to many medical complications – but even though millions of people around the world are affected by this disease, research, detection and treatment are too far behind,” said Senator Brown. “As a nation, we must commit ourselves to gaining a better understanding of sickle cell disease through research and develop a better treatment strategy for patients around the globe.”

“In light of the health difficulties that sickle cell disease creates for millions of individuals both in the United States and globally, it is critical that we focus on access to quality and affordable treatment(s) and cures for these individuals in our nation and around the world,” said Representative Davis.

“Having personally treated patients with sickle cell disease, I have witnessed its devastating impact on individuals and their families. Seeing the existing disparities in research, treatment, and awareness efforts for this prevalent blood disorder is disheartening,” said Representative Burgess.“I have worked for years to drive progress and advocate for improved resources to support those living with this disease. I am grateful to Senators Booker, Van Hollen, Brown, and Representative Davis for their support in reintroducing the ‘World Sickle Cell Awareness Day’ initiative.”

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

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Sen. Menendez, Rep. Velázquez Introduce Bicameral Bill to Stop Predatory Small Business Financing

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), the Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, today introduced the bicameral Small Business Financing Disclosure Act. The bill aims to protect small business borrowers from predatory lenders and small business financing options carrying unfair terms and conditions and would ensure safeguards already required in consumer lending, through the Truth in Lending Act. The bill would bolster the role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in policing small business financing and bring enhanced transparency to small commercial originations.

“Predatory lenders often attempt to prey on small businesses in need, which is why we must have greater transparency around their lending practices and the loans they make available to small business borrowers. We must create an economy where hard-working Americans and small businesses can thrive,” said Sen. Menendez. “I am proud to be leading this legislation with Congresswoman Velázquez to help protect the more than 950,000 small businesses that call New Jersey home and the millions more that are the backbone of our nation’s economy.”

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the American economy. But for too long, predatory lenders have taken advantage of businesses in need of capital by offering loans and similar products with unclear terms and exorbitant interest rates,” said Ranking Member Velázquez. “This legislation is a critical step in extending many consumer lending protections to small firms, bringing needed transparency to small business credit markets and ensuring entrepreneurs understand their obligations and rights when they sign up for credit.”

“We have a responsibility to ensure that small business owners have access to capital on reasonable terms. This is particularly important for entrepreneurs and small business owners from minority and underserved communities who have historically faced barriers to receiving financing,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “Many small businesses do not the necessary resources to make determinations on financing, leading them to search for alternatives. This legislation simply ensures that small business owners understand the terms of the capital they receive in an effort to bring much needed transparency into this market.”

“It’s outrageous that unscrupulous lenders continue to rip off small business owners with unfair predatory loans,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. “Small business owners in Oregon and nationwide deserve transparency when it comes to small commercial loans and this bill would add necessary safeguards to protect borrowers and allow the small business economy to flourish.”

“Small businesses are the heart of communities in Ohio and across the country. Without access to safe, affordable, and transparent credit to grow, small businesses are vulnerable to predatory lenders who want to trap them in an endless cycle of debt,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. “I’m proud to support the Small Business Financing Disclosure Act, which would help protect small business owners by extending consumer protections to Main Street.”

America’s over 33 million small businesses employ nearly half the private workforce and play a key role in the wellbeing of local communities. In recent years, online lending for entrepreneurs and small businesses has grown. While many of these financial products are fair and help meet entrepreneurs’ capital needs, some carry enormous interest rates that can exceed 80% or even rise above triple digits without the rates being fully disclosed to borrowers.

Under Menendez and Velázquez’s bill, the CFPB would be granted the same oversight authority with respect to small business financing as the agency has over consumer financial products and services. Moreover, the bill would require small business lenders to make additional information readily available to borrowers including: the annual percentage rate; financing charges for loans; loan terms; payment amounts and collateral requirements.

Joining Sen. Menendez in cosponsoring the bill are Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Joining Rep. Velázquez in cosponsoring the bill in the House of Representatives is Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43).

The Small Business Financing Disclosure Act earned praise and support from a wide range of organizations and is endorsed by over 80 small business, financing, microenterprise and other advocacy groups.

“Small business borrowers must have fair and transparent information about all financial products and services in order to run their companies responsibly and successfully. We applaud Senator Menendez for reintroducing the Small Business Financing Disclosure Act, to protect businesses in New Jersey and across the country from proliferating unfair, deceptive, abusive and predatory lending practices,” said Beverly Brown Ruggia, Financial Justice Program Director, New Jersey Citizen Action.

“Small business owners are the backbone of the economy and deserve fair and transparent financing. For far too long, people of color and women have been shut out of the traditional financial system becoming frequent targets by predatory lenders. I am pleased with the introduction of the Small Business Financing Disclosure Act of 2023 that will promote the disclosure of total cost of credit so that business owners understand the terms of the credit they are accessing,” said Luz Urrutia, CEO of Accion Opportunity Fund.

“It is vital that small businesses who are seeking financing have the information to fully understand the cost and terms of each offer, and to easily compare across products, so they can make the best choice for their business. APR is the only metric that enables apples-to-apples comparisons among products with different fees, interest rates, and term lengths over a common unit of time. Lack of transparency is currently inhibiting competition and innovation in the financing markets. Today, without transparent disclosure and the ability to compare costs, financing companies do not have a strong incentive to lower prices but compete instead on the speed or ease of accessing financing. As a result, small business financing prices remain high. This reduces the ability of business owners to reinvest in the growth and health of their businesses, support their workers, or use the profits of their business to support and invest in their families and communities,” said Joyce Klein, Senior Director, Business Ownership Initiative, The Aspen Institute.

“We believe a free and fair market operates most efficiently when there is transparency in pricing, terms and conditions. When a small business has all of the necessary information up front including the annual percentage rate (APR), they can comparison shop and make informed decisions that are best for their business. Funding Circle supports one national uniform small business financing disclosure law because it is in the best interests of small businesses and interstate commerce,” said Ryan Metcalf, Head of U.S. Public Affairs at Funding Circle U.S.

“Unregulated, predatory lenders come with the promise of fast cash for small businesses; however, these lenders often use bait and switch tactics that can send a business into financial ruin. For years predatory lenders have been able to skirt transparency and trick small business owners into repaying a loan at exorbitant rates. As small businesses recover from myriad challenges stemming from the pandemic, we cannot allow them to be taken advantage of any longer. We commend Senator Menendez and Congresswoman Velázquez for leading this charge in Congress and urge all Members to join them in providing America’s entrepreneurs with the financial transparency they rightly deserve,” said John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO of Small Business Majority.

“Accompany Capital often receives inquiries from entrepreneurs who have become trapped in cycles of expensive, payday-like debt that quickly drain all their business resources. Too many small businesses in New York are at risk of taking out predatory financing unknowingly because finance companies have not been required to clearly disclose the prices and terms to borrowers. To make informed decisions and compare different financing options available to them, small businesses need to know the annual percentage rates (APR) and other key terms. Therefore, we supported the New York legislature’s work in creating state-level protections, which will go into effect in August. We also applaud Congresswoman Velázquez and Senator Menendez’s leadership on the federal level in ensuring that small businesses in every state have access to responsible and affordable capital,” said Yanki Tshering, Executive Director of Accompany Capital.

“We are excited that Congresswoman Velázquez and Senator Menendez are working to close a loophole for small business lending. Many business owners act like consumers when it comes to lending and look at their financing options like they would a car loan or a mortgage. This bill is of special importance to entrepreneurs of color as they are more likely to find financing online, where most of the predatory lenders operate and tend to hide the true costs of their products,” said Carolina Martinez, CEO of CAMEO (California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity).

“Fair and honest lenders have nothing to fear regarding transparency and the adoption of standard terms to describe the cost of business loans. Our legislature passed the NYS Small Business Truth in Lending Act with overwhelming bipartisan support, and the Governor signed it in 2020. We thank Rep. Velázquez and Senator Menendez for their commitment to deliver similar protections at the federal level through universal disclosure standards,” said Linda MacFarlane, Chair of the New York State CDFI Coalition.

“There are more than 4.37 million businesses owned by Hispanics in the United States, contributing around $700 billion per year to the national economy. Despite this, Latino business owners are frequent targets of unfair small business lending practices. NALCAB applauds Senator Menendez and Ranking Member Velazquez for introducing legislation that will give 5 entrepreneurs the transparency needed to make informed financial decisions,” said Marla Bilonick, President and CEO, NALCAB.

“For far too long unregulated, predatory lenders come with the promise of fast cash for small minority businesses. However, these lenders often use deceiving tactics that can send a business into financial strain or even shutdown. For years, predatory lenders have been able to manipulate transparency and mislead small minority business owners into repaying a loan at exorbitant rates, sometimes as high as 350% APR. Now, as our nation builds back after the unprecedented global pandemic which caused the worst financial crises in American history, we cannot allow small minority businesses to be taken advantage of. Having access to clear and accurate lending terms will be critical to assisting the more than 32 million small businesses and five million Hispanic-owned businesses in America with their recovery. The USHCC supports the efforts of Senator Menendez and Chairwoman Velázquez for introducing the Small Business Financing Disclosure Act of 2023 and leading this charge in Congress to help America’s entrepreneurs and small minority businesses with the financial transparency they rightly deserve,” said Anthony J Hinojosa, Vice President Government and International Affairs, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC).

“Black entrepreneurs in New York often struggle to secure the financing resources needed to start or grow businesses. Our community members encounter predatory lenders charging rates and fees that are not presented in a straightforward way. This lack of transparency can trap small businesses in high-cost debt that harms their bottom line or risks taking down their business completely. Hard-working entrepreneurs deserve to receive the necessary information to be able to avoid costly products and make the best financing decisions for their businesses. We applaud New York’s state legislators for passing a bill to address this challenge for business 9 owners in New York. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and Senator Bob Menendez’s legislation will bring much-needed sunshine to benefit business owners across the U.S. by requiring clear disclosures in small business lending. If knowledge is indeed power, this bill will empower business owners with better information to assist them in making better-informed decisions,” said Anthony Gaddy, Co-Founder/President and CEO of the UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce (USNYBCC).

“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies, yet many are vulnerable to ruthless lenders looking to lock them in a never-ending cycle of debt and ambiguous terms. The Small Business Lending Disclosure Act of 2023 is a great step forward as we aim to level the playing field and give small businesses the tools they need to succeed in this market. Small business owners require accessible loan terms, especially as we work to support these businesses in the aftermath of a worldwide pandemic. LEDC is proud to endorse the Small Business Lending Disclosure Act of 2023 as a manner of supporting small businesses in thriving and expanding rather than solely surviving,” said Emi Reyes, Chief Executive Officer, Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC).

“Small businesses are the economic and cultural lifeblood of low income neighborhoods and communities of color. Accountability and transparency about how they are financed is critical to how these vital community assets are supported. The Small Business Financing Disclosure Act gets us a long way toward our shared goal of equitable and prosperous communities for all,” said Frank Woodruff, Executive Director of the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA).

For a copy of the bill text click HERE.

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