Duckworth, Durbin Secure Key Illinois Priorities In Senate-Passed Inflation Reduction Act

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

August 10, 2022

The bill will cut prescription drug costs, lower energy costs, and create millions of new jobs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.]—U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) secured key provisions for Illinois in the Senate-passed Inflation Reduction Act.  These priorities include investing in domestic energy production and manufacturing right here in the U.S., reducing carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, investing in clean energy tax credits, lowering prescription drugs, extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies, and more.

“This is a big deal: Senate Democrats—without a single Republican vote—passed historic changes that will put working Illinoisans first by helping them save money on prescription drugs, fighting inflation, tackling the climate crisis to protect our planet for future generations, cutting the deficit by hundreds of billions and helping ensure megacorporations pay their fair share,” said Duckworth.  “And we did it all in a way that protects every working family making less than $400,000 from seeing their taxes increase. This is going to have a real, positive impact on so many families in every corner of Illinois, and I’m proud to have helped get it done.”

“The Inflation Reduction Act is a win for Illinois,” said Durbin.  “This bill will lower the price of prescription drugs and healthcare, reduce the deficit, and invest in American energy to both address climate change and bring down energy bills.  Due to the expanded ACA subsidies, nearly 300,000 Illinoisans will be protected from loss of health coverage or premium hikes, and it creates new good-paying clean energy jobs in Illinois.”  

Lowering Prescription Drug Prices:

  • The IRA caps out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35/month for Medicare beneficiaries.  More than 1 million Illinois residents have been diagnosed with diabetes.
  • The IRA allows Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, to bring down the price beneficiaries pay for their medications.  It also requires drug companies to offer a rebate when the companies increase the price of their medications higher than the rate of inflation. About 1.8 million Illinois seniors are enrolled in Medicare Part D.
  • The IRA caps Medicare seniors’ annual prescription drug prices at $2,000 per year (approximately $170 per month).  In Illinois, 59,000 Medicare seniors who pay more than $2,000/year on prescription drugs stand to benefit from this provision.
  • The IRA ensures that Medicare seniors have access to free vaccines.  In Illinois, 125,000 Medicare seniors stand to benefit from this provision.

Health Insurance Subsidies:

  • The IRA includes a 3-year extension (until 2025) of the Affordable Care Act subsidies Democrats expanded as part of the American Rescue Plan, protecting nearly 300,000 Illinoisans from loss of coverage or premium hikes.

Environmental Justice:

  • By including $3 billion for a first-of-its-kind Environmental Justice (EJ) Block Grant program, the IRA will help deliver for communities that have been ignored for too long. EJ communities throughout Illinois will be able to use these grants for air pollution remediation, mitigating health risks from extreme heat, reducing indoor toxins and much more. The program also reserves $200 million for technical assistance to help these communities apply for and use these funds.
  • The IRA includes $117 million in grants for fenceline air monitoring and increased air monitoring that will help communities in Illinois that are facing or have faced airborne toxins.

Energy:

  • Wind and Solar Tax Credits: The IRA extends the wind and solar production tax credits (PTC) and investment tax credits (ITC) for 10 years.  The ITC will allow utility scale developers to recoup as much as 30% of eligible project costs for new wind and solar development.  The Illinois Solar Energy Association has indicated that the bill will foster thousands of megawatts of new solar in Illinois over the coming decade.  New wind and solar development will be statewide, as southern Illinois’ flat geography is ideal for large-scale solar and wind installations. 
  • Nuclear and Hydrogen Tax Credits: The IRA creates a PTC for nuclear energy and a PTC for hydrogen which would pave the way for Constellation to extend the operating licenses for all its Illinois nuclear reactors by 20 years, generating more than 250 million person-hours and preserving 6,000 high-paying jobs for Illinois families.
  • States and Utilities: The IRA includes a further $30 billion in targeted grants and loans for states and utilities to accelerate the transition to clean electricity.  Illinois is uniquely positioned to qualify for these grants and loans, as last year the state passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), placing Illinois at the forefront of state climate policy. 
  • Port Pollution: The IRA provides $3 billion for reducing air pollution at ports, which could directly benefit Chicago and other Illinois freshwater ports. 
  • Household efficiency: IRA includes 10 years of tax credits for individuals to install clean technologies in their homes, including: efficient windows ($600) and doors ($500); heat pumps and heat pump water heaters ($2,000); biomass stoves and boilers ($2,000); and rooftop solar (Up to 30%), as well as incentives to become a qualified Energy Property ($600). All of these credits could benefit Illinois homeowners as they invest in household efficiency. 
  • The IRA provides $14 billion, which includes $2 billion for farms and rural small businesses to make clean energy upgrades, and $9.65 billion for electric coops to transition to cleaner renewable power generation There are 24 electric coops and 5 power generation and distribution coops that serve Illinois which stand to benefit from this investment assistance.  

Electric Vehicles (EV):

  • The IRA expands and extends the $7,500 EV credit to include all “clean” vehicles, like hydrogen, and eliminates the manufacturer limit on the number of vehicles that can qualify.
  • The IRA establishes a $4,000 credit for the purchase of qualifying used EVs
  • The IRA includes a $10 billion ITC to accelerate the development of clean technology manufacturing, including for facilities that build EVs
  • The IRA provides $1 billion for clean medium and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturing, training, and acquisition. 

Agriculture:

  • This bill provides $500 million to expand the number of service stations that offer low-carbon ethanol and biodiesel, made from Illinois corn and soybeans—the bill also has incentives to make these low-carbon biofuels even lower-carbon than today.  These climate-smart investments in Midwestern-grown fuels will reduce our reliance on Middle Eastern oil.
  • The IRA extends the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax credits, providing planning and manufacturing certainty for Illinois biodiesel production and soybeans markets while incenting lower-carbon production technologies Illinois is fourth in biodiesel production with six biodiesel plants. About 90 percent of Illinois diesel retailers sell biodiesel.
  • This bill provides USDA with a $20 billion increase in voluntary incentives for farmers to adopt practices that cut costs like fertilizer and creates new carbon reductions and markets like expanding cover crops, all of which will increase the value of the corn and soybeans in the global marketplace.

Aviation:

  • The IRA helps airlines reduce their carbon footprint by creating an incentive for new jet fuel made from low-carbon biofuels—so future travelers from O’Hare and Midway will be flying on aircraft that run on climate friendly fuels. 

National Labs:

  • The IRA includes $2 billion for the National Labs, including $600 million for the High Energy Physics Program, which directly supports projects at Illinois’ Fermilab and Argonne National Labs.

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Klobuchar, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing Toxic Exposure Awareness Day

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

 Resolution honors service of veterans exposed to toxic substances and promotes awareness of resources available to veterans facing illnesses related to toxic exposure

Landmark PACT Act to deliver comprehensive relief for toxic-exposed veterans was signed into law earlier today

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing August 10, the first day that Agent Orange was used in the Vietnam War in 1961, as Toxic Exposure Awareness Day. The resolution also honors the service of veterans who were exposed to toxic substances and encourages the Department of Veterans Affairs and other veterans service organizations to promote awareness of resources available to veterans facing illnesses related to toxic exposure. 

“When we ask our young men and women to defend our nation, we make a promise to be there for them when they return home, and with the historic PACT Act being signed into law, we are one step closer to delivering on that promise,” said Klobuchar. “This bipartisan resolution advances those efforts by honoring the servicemembers and veterans who were exposed to toxic substances and raising awareness of the resources available to them. We must do everything we can to ensure veterans and servicemembers receive the care they’ve earned.” 

Klobuchar has been a leader in advocating for veterans and servicemembers exposed to toxic substances.

Two Klobuchar-led provisions were included in the historic SFC Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act legislation that was signed into law today. The Toxic Exposure Training Act, a bipartisan bill Klobuchar leads with Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), improves education and training for Department of Veterans Affairs health care personnel to treat illnesses related to exposure to burn pits and other toxic substances. The Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Act, bipartisan legislation, which Klobuchar introduced alongside Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Jerry Moran (R-KS), reforms and improves how veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA.

In October 2021, Klobuchar and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) sent a bipartisan letter to the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs expressing concern about how toxic burn pit exposure affects women’s health, including the potential increased risk of breast cancer.

In January 2021, a provision based on the bipartisan Pandemic Care for Burn Pits Exposure Act led by Klobuchar and Rounds was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The provision improves the care that veterans who were previously exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances receive during the coronavirus pandemic. It requires medical professionals to ask whether veterans who test positive for a virus designated by the federal government as a pandemic if they were previously exposed to burn pits, which will help ensure that they receive proper care and attention to their medical needs.

In December 2019, Klobuchar’s bipartisan Burn Pits Accountability Act with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Burn Pits Accountability Act requires members of the Armed Forces to be evaluated for exposure to toxic airborne chemicals during routine health exams and directs the Secretary of Defense to record and share whether servicemembers were based or stationed near an open burn pit. 

In September 2018, provisions based on the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act led by Klobuchar and Tillis were signed into law as part of the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. These provisions – the first legislative actions taken to address this issue – created the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence within the VA, which is focused on researching the health effects associated with burn pits and treating veterans who become sick after exposure.

Full text of the resolution is available below:

Whereas, during the Vietnam War, the United States sprayed between 11,000,000 and 12,000,000 gallons of Agent Orange, potentially exposing millions of members of the Armed Forces stationed in Vietnam and elsewhere to this toxic mixture of herbicides;

Whereas, after the Vietnam War, it took the United States Government years to recognize the link between Agent Orange and the health conditions being experienced by thousands of returning members of the Armed Forces;

Whereas the Agent Orange Act of 1991 provided Vietnam veterans with a presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents;

Whereas members of the Armed Forces have been exposed to toxic substances while serving at home, including at Camp Lejeune, where as many as 1,000,000 members of the Armed Forces, family members, and staff may have been exposed to drinking water containing contaminants that have been linked to adverse health effects;

Whereas members of the Armed Forces have been exposed to toxic radiation while engaged in cleanup operations, including in—
             (1) the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
              (2) Thule, Greenland; and
              (3) Palomares, Spain;

Whereas, from 1985 to 2001, at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Atsugi, Japan, personnel and family members of members of the Armed Forces, including dependent children, may have been exposed to environmental contaminants from off-base waste incinerators;

Whereas the Armed Forces used burn pits in Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm;

Whereas more than 250 burn pits were used during military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Djibouti after September 11, 2001;

Whereas veterans encountered hazardous exposures while serving at the Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, commonly known as K2, in Uzbekistan from 2001 to 2005;

Whereas there were no regulations restricting what the Armed Forces could burn in burn pits until 2009;

Whereas the open air burn pits used by the Armed Forces in many overseas operations may have exposed members of the Armed Forces to a variety of potentially harmful substances;

Whereas the Department of Defense estimates that approximately 3,500,000 members of the Armed Forces, who served in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations after August 2, 1990, or in Afghanistan after September 11, 2001, may have been exposed to airborne hazards;

Whereas an Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America survey found that 86 percent of post-9/11 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan say they were exposed to burn pits or airborne toxic materials;

Whereas hundreds of thousands of members of the Armed Forces and other personnel who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, United Arab Emirates, and certain sea locations have signed up for a burn pit registry created in 2014 by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans to register health problems associated with exposure to burn pits; and

Whereas designating August 10, 2022, as “Toxic Exposure Awareness Day” would be an appropriate way to honor the members of the Armed Forces who were exposed to toxic substances while serving in defense of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates August 10, 2022, as “Toxic Exposure Awareness Day”;

(2) honors and recognizes the contributions of the members of the Armed Forces and veterans who were exposed to toxic substances;

(3) encourages States and local governments to designate August 10, 2022, as “Toxic Exposure Awareness Day”;

(4) encourages the Department of Veterans Affairs (referred to in this resolution as “VA”) to conduct additional outreach and promote awareness of the resources that the VA offers for those exposed to toxic substances, including—

(A) offering no-cost health screenings;

(B) registering for the VA Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry;

(C) providing information on the Electronic Health Record (commonly known as “EHR”);

(D) reviewing the VA insurance and benefits, including review of disability claims;

(E) connecting with County Veteran Service Officers; and

(F) promoting awareness campaigns;

(5) encourages veterans to use the available resources at the VA and Veteran Service Organizations (referred to in this resolution as “VSOs”);

(6) encourages VSOs to continue outreach efforts to connect veterans with available health resources, from both VSOs and the United States Government;

(7) promotes continued medical research regarding burn pit exposure risks, whether through the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence or other partnership programming with the VA or the United States Government;

(8) encourages the people of the United States to observe Toxic Exposure Awareness Day, whether by familiarizing themselves with resources available to all veterans or thanking members of the Armed Forces for their sacrifice; and

(9) demonstrates the resolve that the people of the United States shall never forget the sacrifices and service of the generations of veterans who served in the Armed Forces at home and around the world.

# # #

News 08/10/2022 ICYMI: Blackburn Warns Of The New Axis Of Evil’s Rising Threat To Democracy And Freedom

Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

NASHVILLE, TENN. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) authored a Letter to the Editor of the New York Times warning that the world must not turn a blind eye to the dangers posed by the New Axis of Evil.

Senator Marsha Blackburn, on ‘a New Axis of Evil’

Sen. Marsha Blackburn

New York Times

To the Editor:

Re “A New Axis?,” by David Leonhardt (The Morning newsletter, Aug. 2):

Mr. Leonhardt stopped short of asserting that Russia, China and Iran are cooperating against the U.S. I wish he hadn’t. A new axis of evil is indeed in play, and its success depends on our willingness to mince words.

These governments have spent decades encroaching on Western interests without firing a shot. For their weapons Moscow chose energy, Beijing chose critical supply chains and Tehran lured the West into a farcical attempt at nuclear diplomacy.

This entanglement is no less dangerous than a bomb specifically because so many proclaimed “experts” have waved it off as the natural result of global competition. Vladimir Putin and the rest may have finally embraced the trappings of diplomacy, but their rival interests have meshed far too cleanly for us to accept the coincidence.

The “coordinated campaign of aggression” began long ago (indeed, my references to this new axis of evil stretch back to 2018) and reflects not only shared interests, but also a willingness to align from afar.

Handshakes are redundant when the goal is the destruction of democratic norms. An understanding is all these dangerous men require.”

ICYMI: What They’re Saying About How Bennet Secured $4 Billion in Drought Funding in The Inflation Reduction Act

Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry and Natural Resources, worked with U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) to secure $4 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to address drought in the American West.

Drought provisions in the IRA will fund water conservation, habitat restoration, and mitigation efforts by distributing $4 billion to states, public water facilities, and water districts, including $12.5 million to mitigate the effect of drought on tribes.

Here’s what they’re saying about the drought mitigation funding Bennet secured in the IRA:

Colorado Public Radio: Michael Bennet plays key role in adding $4 billion to fight drought in the West

As Senate Democrats were waiting to see if moderate Democratic Sen. Krysten Sinema would sign onto the climate, health and tax bill, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, Colorado’s Michael Bennet worked behind the scenes to get a change included, too.

When the Inflation Reduction bill came out and Bennet saw that it did not include drought funding, Bennet fought for it and led other Western senators on doing the same, according to two sources close to the negotiations but who were not authorized to speak publicly on the discussions.

Colorado Sun: Inflation/climate bill includes $4 billion for buying water to save the Colorado River Basin

The climate change and health care bill nearing final approval in Congress includes $4 billion to rent, buy or save water that could go a long way to help restore the beleaguered Colorado River Basin amid a historic megadrought, Senate supporters and water advocates say. 

“The West has not been this dry in 1,200 years, the Colorado River is in crisis as a result, and we don’t have a plan and we need to develop one,” Bennet said in an interview after the weekend’s round of amendments and Senate passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. “I believe very strongly that the federal government has to be there with resources to backstop an agreement.”

While $4 billion alone is not enough to buy all the water needed for a 4 million acre-foot annual restoration of Colorado River flows, Bennet said Western supporters of the legislation can add in many other pieces as connected climate policy. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 included $5 billion to restore forest health across the country, which improves runoff and water quality. Another $5 billion was included for mitigating fire risk, and $20 billion more for water conservation on agricultural land, Bennet said. 

Vail Daily: Flowing funds: Climate bill contains $4 billion to combat drought on Colorado River

When the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday, Western legislators breathed a sigh of relief after feeling victorious in an effort to see funding included for the Bureau of Reclamation to combat drought in the Colorado River Basin.

U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., announced the agreement, which could see billions go toward “voluntary system conservation projects that achieve verifiable reductions in use of or demand for water supplies or provide environmental benefits in the Lower Basin or Upper Basin of the Colorado River,” over the next few years, according to the bill text.

Durango Herald: Bureau of Reclamation to receive $4 billion to combat drought in Colorado River Basin

As a prolonged drought takes its toll on the Colorado River, states that make up the Colorado River Basin will receive $4 billion for drought mitigation efforts.

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, along with Sens. Mark Kelly and Catherine Cortez Masto, announced $4 billion in spending has been added to the Inflation Reduction Act. The $4 billion is new funding in addition to the $369 billion for addressing the climate crisis that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act and was announced Friday by the senators.

“For me, it was really important that the language be written so that the $4 billion could be used to compensate all water users for voluntary multiyear reductions in real water use, and I didn’t want this just to be a paper shuffle,” Bennet told The Durango Herald. “I wanted there to be, at the end, a real reduction in water use.”

“In the end, I think the job of the federal government here is not to dictate what the outcome should be on the Colorado River,” Bennet said. “It’s for the states to come to an agreement and hopefully reach a consensus and then the federal government in the years ahead backstop and consensus with further funding.”

In his interview with the Herald after the funding was announced, he said getting the funding is an “important down payment” to help the Colorado River survive.

“I wouldn’t have voted for (the Inflation Reduction Act) if it harmed the Upper Basin or Colorado,” he said. “Colorado and the entire American West is facing a severe 22-year-long drought driven by climate change. The West has not been this dry in 1,200 years and the Colorado River is in crisis.”

Drought and wildfire go hand and hand, with droughts creating the ideal conditions for wildfire, with a lack of rain drying out vegetation and trees. Given the relationship between extreme drought and wildfires, Bennet said he’ll continue to come back and fight for more forestry money, and emphasized what he said was an “unprecedented amount” of funding this provides for Coloradans facing these issues.

“I do think it was jarring last year when the smoke from California reached the East Coast and people in New York and Washington, D.C., started to smell that smoke,” he said. “And I think, tragically, the picture of families burned out of their houses as we were in Colorado … and seeing that on the nightly news is also catching people’s attention, and we just are going to have to keep pushing.”

Ark Valley Voice: A Major Investment In Combating Drought On The Colorado River

This past Sunday in overtime hours ahead of adjourning for their August recess, the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It invests $370 billion into clean energy and curbing climate change, the largest U.S. investment ever in U.S. history.

The provisions included in the bill could cut carbon emissions by 40 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. This is still short of the 50 percent President Joe Biden had originally aimed for, but it goes a long way toward meeting a goal that has been seen as out-of-reach for the past year.

States that divide the flow of the Colorado River. Image courtesy of Mission 20212 Clean Water.

Here in the west, legislators finally took a deep breath and exhaled, as the bill includes major climate funding for the Bureau of Reclamation to address the impacts of drought on the Colorado River Basin.

“The Colorado River Basin is the lifeblood of the American Southwest, it provides the drinking water for 40 million people across seven states and 30 tribes, it irrigates five million acres of agricultural land, it underpins the West’s $26 billion outdoor recreation economy, and it is running out of water,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet during a June 7 hearing for the Senate’s Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources subcommittee.

That reality has now received official acknowledgment. Three U.S. Senators, Bennet (D-Colo.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Mark Kelly, (D-Ariz.), announced the agreement that could mean billions of dollars allocated toward “voluntary” system conservation projects.

Farm Progress: Inflation Reduction Act passes with ag climate investments

It also includes $5 billion to protect communities from wildfires while combating the climate crisis and through climate-smart forestry. On Friday, Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., joined with Sinema in securing $4 billion to address drought in the West and in the Colorado River Basin. An agreement was reached to include $4 billion in funding for the Bureau of Reclamation to combat drought in the Western U.S.

“The Western United States is experiencing an unprecedented drought, and it is essential that we have the resources we need to support our states’ efforts to combat climate change, conserve water resources, and protect the Colorado River Basin,” Bennet says.

*** MEDIA ADVISORY*** Sen. Johnson to Lead Roundtable on Border Security

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

OSHKOSH – U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, will hold a roundtable discussion on the crisis at the southern border to examine the failures of the Biden administration and explore possible solutions to the unprecedented flood of illegal immigrants and unregulated drugs into our country. Sen. Johnson will be joined at the roundtable by border security leaders, immigration experts and a local victim of the administration’s reckless policies.

WHAT:               Panel discussion about President Biden’s border crisis

 

WHO:

Senator Ron Johnson

Mark Morgan, former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council

Thomas Homan, former Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Lauri Badura, mother of Fentanyl victim and founder of Saving Others For Archie

 

WHEN:              

August 16, 2022

11:00 AM CT

 

WHERE:           

Federal Building

517 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

RSVP:                 Please RSVP by Monday, August 15 at 9:00 AM CT with name, outlet, email and phone number to press@ronjohnson.senate.gov.

 

###

Sen. Cramer Speaks at the Independent Community Banks of North Dakota Annual Convention

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

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Banking Committee, participated in a legislative panel and delivered remarks at a luncheon during the Independent Community Banks of North Dakota’s (ICBND) annual convention today. 

With 75 community banks operating across the state, North Dakota recognizes and protects the critical role independent community banks play in supporting both main street and families across the state. Today’s legislative panel and luncheon provided a great opportunity to hear from community bankers firsthand about their challenges and legislative priorities amidst President Biden’s economic recession and record-high inflation,” said Senator Cramer. 

Senator Cramer joined Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and North Dakota state representatives on the legislative panel where they discussed funding opportunities for carbon capture. Senator Cramer also highlighted key banking legislation he co-sponsors such as the Fair Access to Banking Act, which prevents discrimination by banks and financial service providers against constitutionally-protected industries and law-abiding businesses, Investor Democracy is Expected (INDEX) Act, which addresses problems stemming from the consolidated corporate ownership and voting power within Wall Street’s largest investment advisers and their index funds, and SAFE Banking Act, which generally prohibits a federal banking regulator from penalizing a depository institution for providing banking services to a legitimate cannabis-related business.

Sen. Cramer Discusses FBI Raid of Mar-a-Lago, Democrats’ Inflation Enhancement Act on Kudlow

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

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

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Budget Committee, joined Fox Business’ Kudlow to express concern over the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) unprecedented raid of President Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago. Senator Cramer also discussed the Inflation Enhancement Act, which Democrats rammed through the Senate over the weekend on a party-line vote. Excerpts and full video are below.

On the FBI Raid of President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Home:

“First of all, I think that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is to be feared by every American and have [thought so] for a long time. I think the concentration of power that they have, the power they have even over individual agencies through their bank of lawyers, so once they take on a case the agency they’re supposed to be working for, loses all control. I’ve thought the DOJ should [have been] busted up a long, long time ago, but this raid, particularly in the context of the times we’re living in, is very concerning. Larry, they could clear a lot of it up with more transparency. I know that’s not a new argument, but show us the subpoena for crying out loud. This requires further explanation or else we’re left to presume the worst.”

 

“Here’s what sort of crazy and I’ve often wondered about the motives of Democrats when they do these things. It is very unlikely that anything they can come up with would prevent Donald Trump from running or being president. It looks to me like they’re driving him right into the arms of the American people, at which point all of this history they’re creating for themselves is not going to endear them anymore to the future and former president. I, for the life of me, don’t understand their strategy, other than they’re so fueled by hatred they can’t even let a former president enjoy his status as a retired president.”

On EPA Provisions in the Inflation Enhancement Act:

“There’s not a lot of ‘authority,’ per se, but there’s a lot of money and appropriations—a lot of it the EPA and the Department of Energy will oversee. Anytime you have money, you have power. As you recall last week when I and [former EPA Administrator Andrew] Wheeler [were] on with you, we pointed to very specific appropriations that were designed to regulate the power sector. For example, in certain parts of the [Clean Air Act] code which are absolutely contrary to the West Virginia v. EPA ruling. Ironically, Joe Manchin authors a bill that tries to give the EPA more power over West Virginia. That was all struck out. [Senator] Shelley Moore Capito and I both had amendments to directly address this. Before our amendments could even be voted on the Senate Parliamentarian ruled those areas out of order. From an authority standpoint, I think some decent work was done, but you just can’t take $369 billion and spread it over a few agencies and expect there not to be some mischief that goes along with that money.”

On Democrats’ Climate Change Hysteria:

“If the United States of America ceases to exist tomorrow, so there’s no more coal, no more traffic, no jet airplanes, no flatulent cattle, I mean, none of this awful [carbon dioxide] going into the air—first of all, the world would die of hunger—but beyond that, it would make a difference of 0.3% on the temperature forever. 0.3% if we didn’t even exist. Larry, we had a hearing last week in the [Senate] Banking Committee the Democrats put [on] called the economic impact of climate change. I [renamed] it the economic impact of climate change overreaction or climate hysteria. The real damage to the economy is the response to climate change. The reality is that the United States of America has been a leader in decarbonization. The best way to decarbonize or at least to reduce carbon [globally], remember this is a global issue, would be to produce more American energy and export more American energy because we do it so much cleaner and better than anyone else. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have another area of trade surplus rather than [have] a trade deficit with China and other countries? Food is one of the areas where we have a surplus. Energy should be another one of those areas where we have a trade surplus. That is good for the world, good for the United States, and certainly good for the free world.”

Click Here to Watch

Photos: Rubio Visits Southern Manufacturing Technologies

Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) visited Southern Manufacturing Technologies in Tampa, Florida where he held a roundtable discussion on challenges impacting the manufacturing industry and spoke with Bay News 9 in an exclusive interview

Photos courtesy of Senator Rubio’s office

Shaheen Visits Cirtronics on Heels of Historic CHIPS & Science Act Becoming Law

Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

August 10, 2022

Later: Shaheen Visits Jaffrey to Highlight $2.3 Million EDA Grant for Cold Stone Spring Water Treatment Plant Project

Shaheen tours Cirtronics in Milford

Shaheen visits Jaffrey

(Nashua, NH) – This morning, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited Cirtronics in Milford to highlight New Hampshire priorities included in the recently enacted CHIPS & Science Act. During the visit, Shaheen highlighted the impact the legislation will have on Cirtronics and other manufacturers across the state.

“Granite State manufacturers play an important role in supporting economic development and innovation across New Hampshire,” said Shaheen. “My visit comes on the heels of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act being signed into law. This landmark legislation invests in the U.S. workforce and ensures that companies like Cirtronics stay on the cutting edge of domestic production and innovation, making New Hampshire a leader both across the nation and globally. As Chair of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, I’ll work to ensure the successful implementation of this law to meet the needs of manufacturers and workers across New Hampshire.”

As Chair of the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Shaheen has been a strong advocate for STEM education and scientific research funding priorities. In the new law, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022, Shaheen secured inclusion of language based on her bipartisan Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act to allow funds to support research and development of innovative STEM educational programming, including afterschool and other outside of the classroom activities. This language seeks to improve federal investment in experiential learning opportunities to strengthen the pipeline of students entering the STEM workforce, especially from traditionally underrepresented groups like women and communities of color.

Later in the afternoon, Shaheen visited Jaffrey to highlight a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the Cold Stone Spring Water Treatment Plant project. Shaheen was a strong advocate for the Cold Stone Spring Water Treatment Plant project and worked closely with Jaffrey town officials to secure this grant. Shaheen sent a letter of support alongside other members of the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation urging the EDA to award this funding. During her visit, Shaheen met with representatives from the communities of Jaffrey and Peterborough, both benefitting from the grant, to receive a briefing on their ongoing infrastructure projects including their need for funding to address PFAS concerns.

“PFAS contamination in our water supplies continues to be a pressing issue across New Hampshire, and I am glad that funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law will support towns like Jaffrey to address these concerns. Additionally, I am excited to see Jaffrey received this EDA award to support the Cold Stone Springs project. These funds will make a meaningful difference for residents and their access to clean drinking water. I’ve repeatedly met with officials in both Jaffrey and Petersborough to discuss their water treatment needs, and I’m glad that the Economic Development Administration followed my push and chose this facility for an award,” said Shaheen. “Investing in water infrastructure projects like the Cold Stone Spring Water Treatment Plant is critical to address water contamination, while also promoting economic development and job creation in our Monadnock communities. I’ll continue to push for these investments to swiftly be delivered to affected towns and neighborhoods across the Granite State.”

As Chair of the CJS subcommittee, Shaheen oversees funding for the EDA and helps secure investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for New Hampshire. During negotiations for government funding legislation for fiscal year (FY) 2022, Senator Shaheen secured $373.5 million for the EDA. Senator Shaheen led negotiations on water infrastructure provisions on the bipartisan infrastructure law, which includes $4 billion to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Last year, Shaheen announced more than $72 million in federal funds for New Hampshire from the EPA to improve the state’s drinking water and wastewater systems.

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Maryland Delegation Members Applaud President’s Signing of Veterans’ Health Care Bill with Funding for Two Maryland Veterans Clinics

Source: United States Senator for Maryland Chris Van Hollen

August 10, 2022

Nearly 300,000 Maryland veterans who served in conflicts are now eligible for extended benefits if they have conditions related to toxic exposure

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.) applauded President Biden’s signing of legislation to open two veterans’ outpatient clinics in Baltimore and Prince George’s County. The bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT Act) provides healthcare benefits for all generations of toxic-exposed veterans for the first time in the nation’s history and will improve access to care for all those who served in our nation’s armed forces.

The lawmakers fought to include authorization and funding for the two Maryland veterans’ health clinics – one in the Baltimore region and another in Prince George’s County. $43 million will support the construction of a new Baltimore Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), which will replace and expand the outpatient services currently provided at the existing Baltimore VA Clinic Annex on Fayette Street while reducing the strain on the Baltimore VA Medical Center. $32 million is set aside for the construction of a Prince George’s CBOC; this new facility will be significantly larger than the existing clinic in the southern part of the county and represent a major upgrade for area veterans, as the new clinic will be equipped to provide services beyond the capabilities of the current clinic as well as the Southeast D.C. CBOC.

“We’ve got to keep our promises to veterans who put themselves as risk to serve our country, and that includes ensuring they have access to high-quality health care. The bipartisan PACT Act does just that – ensuring every veteran exposed to burn pits or other toxins gets first class care and provides $75 million for the VA to expand and upgrade its network of veterans out-patient clinics in Maryland,” said Senator Van Hollen. “This is a big win for our communities and a critical step forward in improving access to quality health care for veterans across our nation.”

“Maryland veterans served this nation with honor and they deserve access to top-notch health care services in a timely and convenient manner,” said Senator Cardin. “Providing health care benefits to the thousands of American veterans exposed to toxins emanating from burn pits is essential. Expanding the network of Community Based Outpatient Clinics available to Baltimore area veterans and greatly upgrading the facilities and services for veterans within Prince George’s County will bring much needed, state-of-the-art health care services within easier reach for all veterans who call Maryland home.” 

“This historic piece of legislation will have a significant impact on the lives of Prince George’s County veterans, improving the quality of their health care and ensuring that they receive the benefits and services they deserve. I am glad that President Biden has signed this historic bill into law, and I look forward to witnessing the positive difference it will make in the Fifth District and throughout the state of Maryland,” said Congressman Hoyer.

“Our veterans deserve state-of-the-art healthcare in state-of-the-art facilities,” Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger said. “They also deserve a healthcare system that is accessible and convenient. This new clinic will help us deliver on all of these promises and I am proud of the team effort that went into making it happen for our local veterans.” 

“As the Honoring Our PACT Act becomes law today, it delivers on our promises to the veterans who have selflessly served this nation. This legislation extends critical benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty and expands access to care for veterans nationwide, including by improving Maryland’s network of Community Based Outpatient Clinics,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “I am pleased that President Biden has signed this landmark bill into law today.” 

“If you put your life on the line abroad to protect Americans’ freedoms at home, you deserve to be taken care of both during and after your military service,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “I’m proud to have supported the Honoring Our PACT Act, which furthers our nation’s commitment to our brave servicemembers by guaranteeing that their health needs will always be met no matter the circumstances.” 

“We make a sacred promise to our servicemembers when they return home – to provide our veterans with the best health care our country has to offer. Critical to upholding that promise, is a commitment to access in the communities our veterans live in,” said Congressman Anthony Brown. “This legislation and funding will help meet Maryland veterans where they are and provide the quality care that they deserve. We’ll never stop fighting for the brave men and women who have served and we’ll always have their backs.”

“I want to thank Senator Van Hollen and the members of our Federal Delegation for pushing forward this important legislation. Prince George’s County is home to more than 60,000 veterans, the highest number in our state, and we must continue to do all we can to ensure that they have access to the quality healthcare they need and deserve. Providing a new and improved CBOC will ensure that they can receive that care close to home in a facility with all the resources they need for high quality, comprehensive healthcare,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. 

“Baltimore’s veterans are essential to our vibrant and diverse communities, and they deserve access to the best health care we can offer. I am grateful to our incredible federal delegation and the Biden Administration for reaffirming our shared commitment to our veterans by opening a new outpatient clinic right here in Baltimore. These brave women and men have gone above and beyond in service to our country, and now they can get the care they need close to home. The PACT Act is a win for Baltimore and veterans across our nation,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott

“Taking care of our veterans is a moral imperative, and this funding will go a long way toward improving services for veterans from around the Baltimore region. I’m grateful to Senator Van Hollen and all of our members of Congress for their efforts to bring these resources to the region and to support the men and women who have served our country,” said Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski, Jr.

Additional Background on the Baltimore and Prince George’s County CBOC Plans

For the Baltimore CBOC, this legislation provides for a lease of an approximately 112,624 square foot outpatient clinic, including 800 parking spaces. The new facility would enable VA to enhance outpatient services and provide more primary care space than is currently available at the Baltimore VA Clinic Annex. 

For the Prince George’s County clinic, the PACT Act provides for a lease of an approximately 85,116 square foot outpatient clinic, including 600 parking spaces. The new facility would enable VA to accommodate the workload that the Southern Prince George’s County and Southeast D.C. CBOCs currently service, which has increased since the closure of the Greenbelt CBOC in 2015, and allow more patients to receive care closer to their homes.

Both clinics will allow for the full implementation of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model of care delivery, improving operational efficiencies and the veteran experience. They will be state-of-the-art, energy-efficient health care facilities offering primary care, mental health, specialty care, and ancillary services to veterans. 

About the PACT Act 

Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson deployed to Kosovo and Iraq with the Ohio National Guard. He died in 2020 from toxic exposure as a result of his military service. Among its many priorities, the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 will:

  • Expand VA health care eligibility to Post-9/11 combat veterans, which includes more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans;
  • Create a framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure;
  • Add 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions to VA’s list of service presumptions, including hypertension;
  • Expand presumptions related to Agent Orange exposure;
    • Includes Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll as locations for Agent Orange exposure;
  • Strengthen federal research on toxic exposure;
  • Improve VA’s resources and training for toxic-exposed veterans; and
  • Set VA and veterans up for success by investing in:
    • VA claims processing;
    • VA’s workforce; and
    • VA health care facilities.
  • Establish 31 new VA health care facilities across 19 states, including the two in Maryland.