Spectator NZ

Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

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Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

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Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) are demanding answers from U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on reports that he played a key role in orchestrating a letter from the National School Board Association (NSBA) that called concerned parents “domestic terrorists.” 

The Arkansas senators joined Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and several of their GOP colleagues questioning the secretary’s involvement in the September 2021 letter that led to a controversial memo issued by Attorney General Merrick Garland suggesting federal law enforcement may be needed to police local school board meetings. 

“Parents are not ‘domestic terrorists’ and it is appalling that anyone would suggest that exercising the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and assembly would be characterized as a threat,” wrote the senators. “Parents across the country are outraged that their children’s education has been disrupted, delayed, even denied over the past two years.”

“While we knew early on that White House staff were complicit in the creation of this letter, it is only recently that information has surfaced implicating you and your office in this shameful episode,” the senators continued. “News reports indicate that the letter from the NSBA to President Biden was actually initiated at your request. Accountability begins at the top, and as U.S. Secretary of Education you must explain your role, or your staff’s role, in the creation of this letter.” 

BACKGROUND 

• On September 29, 2021, the NSBA sent a letter to President Biden accusing parents expressing concern and frustration with lockdowns, shutdowns, school closures, mandates and more of “domestic terrorism.” 
• In response, on October 4, 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memo directing the FBI and U.S. Attorneys to act on the contents of the NSBA letter.
• On October 22, 2021, the NSBA apologized for the letter after receiving significant backlash from state school board associations.
• This week, new reporting revealed emails indicating the NSBA letter was sent to the Biden administration at the request of Secretary Cardona.

Full text of the senators’ letter to Sec. Cardona is available here and below.  

Dear Secretary Cardona: 

Parents are not “domestic terrorists” and it is appalling that anyone would suggest that exercising the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and assembly would be characterized as a threat. Parents across the country are outraged that their children’s education has been disrupted, delayed, even denied over the past two years. 

Study after study shows how much educational harm has been done to schoolchildren with shutdowns and closures. It is estimated most students lost between 30 and 50 percent of their learning gains because of school closures. Moreover, minority and low-income students and students with disabilities were among the hardest hit as a result of these disruptions, with many losing as much as a full year of educational progress. Students’ mental health suffered as well. According to the CDC, teen suicide attempts among girls increased by 51 percent, likely due in part to students’ inability to access in-person learning. 

Yet on September 29, 2021, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a letter to President Biden accusing parents expressing concern and frustration with lockdowns, shutdowns, school closures, mandates and more with “domestic terrorism.” The letter even suggested using the PATRIOT Act against parents who are concerned about months and years of lost educational opportunities due to school closures, shutdowns, and unnecessary restrictions.

On October 4, 2021, Attorney General Garland issued a memo at NSBA’s behest, directing the FBI and U.S. Attorneys to act on the contents of the NSBA letter. That evoked the prospects of the FBI using the powers of the PATRIOT Act against peacefully protesting parents frantic to get their children back in school so they don’t fall behind and lose a year of education.

On October 22, 2021, the NSBA apologized for the letter, as they should. Many state school board associations have called into question their affiliation with the NSBA, and the NSBA has a lot of work to do to regain the trust of America’s moms and dads without significant reforms.

Unfortunately, the Attorney General has not rescinded his memo, as he should.

While we knew early on that White House staff were complicit in the creation of this letter, it is only recently that information has surfaced implicating you and your office in this shameful episode. News reports indicate that the letter from the NSBA to President Biden was actually initiated at your request. 

Accountability begins at the top, and as U.S. Secretary of Education you must explain your role, or your staff’s role, in the creation of this letter.

Please respond to the following questions by 4:00 p.m., Friday, January 14, 2022:

1. What role did you personally play in soliciting the letter from the NSBA to the President on September 29, 2021? Did you advise on the content or the wording of the letter?
2. What role did your staff play in soliciting the letter from the NSBA to the President on September 29, 2021? Did they advise on the content or the wording of the letter?
3. Do you believe that parents exercising constitutionally protected rights are “domestic terrorists”?
4. What direction was your Department given from the White House regarding the origination, creation, or content of the letter?
5. Will you commit to firing any staff involved in crafting this letter if they did so without your knowledge or direction?
6. Do you think that school board meetings should be open to the public to allow parents to have oversight and influence on their children’s education?

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

WASHINGTON—With inflation at its highest rate in 40 years, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is backing an effort to combat Washington’s egregious spending. Ernst is supporting the Inflation Prevention Act to prevent government spending that would increase inflation until the year-over-year inflation rate drops below 4.5 percent.
 
“President Biden’s policies continue to cause soaring inflation–the highest in forty years–pinching the pocketbooks of hardworking Iowans and making it harder for them to purchase everyday household items from groceries to gasoline. We must rein in the Democrats’ out of control spending, and this effort will take steps to ensure spendthrift lawmakers are held accountable for the impact their actions have on everyday Americans,” said Senator Ernst.
 
This bill has also garnered support from several organizations including the National Taxpayers Union, Heritage Action, Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, and the Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC).
 
Background:

 
Ernst also helped introduce an amendment to the Senate Rules to require all bills passed by Senate committees to include inflationary impact statements, so Americans can see the true impacts of government spending.
 
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Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

01.14.22

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and John Thune (R-SD), and eight of their colleagues to introduce the Inflation Prevention Act (IPA) to help combat inflationary spending. Due to record government spending over the last two years, many Americans face rapidly rising costs of consumer goods. This bill would bar legislation estimated to increase inflation until the year-over-year inflation rate drops below 4.5 percent. Lankford, Scott, and Thune are joined on the bill by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Rick Scott (R-FL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Todd Young (R-IN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Hoeven (R-ND), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Steve Daines (R-MT).

“It’s clear that Democrats’ reckless spending approach to the pandemic has created the inflation crisis Oklahomans now face, especially after inflation hit a devastating 7 percent in December,” said Lankford. “I have warned about the impact of out-of-control spending on our economy for years. Our proposal protects against federal over spending that makes inflation worse, helps make sure future emergency spending only moves forward when absolutely needed, and reins it in when the federal pork barrel buffet starts to roll toward inflation.”

“American families cannot continue to endure the burden of skyrocketing costs of everyday goods brought on by reckless spending in Washington,” said Tim Scott. “A sound financial future requires wise financial action now.”

“Our country is facing the highest level of inflation in nearly 40 years, and South Dakotans are paying more for food, utilities, and gas,” said Thune. “I’m proud to join Sen. Scott in the fight to stop the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending spree, which would significantly worsen the already damaging inflation crisis.”

“From gas to groceries, Iowans and all Americans are paying higher prices because of record inflation stoked by irresponsible government spending. Our bill seeks to prevent Congress from pouring even more gasoline on the fires of inflation by restricting the ability of Congress to approve new spending while inflation remains historically high,” said Grassley.

“Families are worried about the skyrocketing inflation our country is experiencing. We know that reckless government spending causes inflation, but President Biden and the Democrats have absolutely no plans to slow down spending or get our debt under control. It’s shameful. Congress needs to get real about the true cost on every American family that this wasteful spending brings and start acting responsibly. That’s why we must pass the Inflation Prevention Act. I look forward to my colleagues supporting this measure to stop reckless spending and getting our country back on the path to prosperity,” said Rick Scott.

“President Biden’s policies continue to cause soaring inflation–the highest in forty years–pinching the pocketbooks of hardworking Iowans and making it harder for them to purchase everyday household items from groceries to gasoline. We must reign in the Democrats’ out of control spending, and this effort will take steps to ensure spendthrift lawmakers are held accountable for the impact their action have on everyday Americans,” said Ernst.

“Under the Biden inflation crisis, inflation is at a 40-year high and working Americans are struggling to pay for the daily essentials. For months, Democrats have ignored the problem, blaming everything instead of their socialist spending agenda. The Inflation Prevention Act would ensure that the bills we are voting on in Congress do not make this problem worse,” said Young.

“Everyday Americans could care less about a lot of the issues we have been discussing lately in the Senate,” said Rubio. “What people are really worried about is the fact that it costs more to feed their families and put gas in their cars. People can’t get basic goods because grocery store shelves are empty. And rather than fixing the problem, the Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress are making things worse. This bill puts a few commonsense guardrails in place to curb reckless spending habits in Congress that threaten to create even more challenges for American families. That’s the kind of action we should be taking right now.”

“Inflation is a tax on all Americans and it is now the highest rate it has been in 40 years,” said Hoeven. “The Inflation Prevention Act will prohibit legislation that worsens inflation. Prices are continuing to rise, and our bill will help prevent further harm to American consumers.”

This bill is supported by the National Taxpayers Union, Heritage Action, Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, and the Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC).

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