Latest in Politics
Supreme Court weighs pipeline deadline fight with stakes far beyond the Straits of Mackinac
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Feb. 24, determining procedural regulations for removing the procedural case to a federal court.
read moreSenate Dems. bash former DHS deputy secretary Troy Edgar at nomination hearing to be ambassador to El Salvador
WASHINGTON — Democratic senators on the Foreign Relations Committee have sharply criticized Troy Edgar, the nominee for ambassador to El Salvador, over his actions as Department of Homeland Security deputy secretary under President Donald Trump.
At Edgar’s nomination hearing, Democrats questioned his role in violent DHS activity, including the two fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Prettii by ICE, and CBP agents and the repeated obstacles for Congress to conduct visits to ICE facilities.
“Unfortunately, you’ve been part of an administration that’s taking away Americans’ rights to freedom here at home, due process rights as well as First Amendment rights, and it is hard to trust you there that you’ll stand up for important American principles as our American Ambassador to El Salvador, if confirmed,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
Edgar’s nomination was part of a major shift in the DHS leadership structure, as Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday afternoon that he was firing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem just hours after the nomination hearing. Trump said he would replace Noem with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., pending confirmation.
Van Hollen pressed Edgar to disagree with Noem’s statements that Renee Good and Alex Pretti were involved in domestic terrorism. Before congressional committees this week, Noem refused to retract those comments.
Van Hollen said he found it “absolutely astounding” that Edgar also refused to say that Good and Pretti were not domestic terrorists.
The top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., questioned Edgar on last year’s deportation of more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants without criminal convictions to El Salvador’s maximum security Terrorism Confinement Center.
Multiple human rights organizations have documented the megaprisons’ poor conditions and violations of human rights, including torture.
“It sends a message to the rest of the world, what we stand for when we forcibly deport hundreds of people, many with no criminal record, to a country that has a demonstrated human rights record that is abysmal.” Coons said.
“I’m gravely concerned by the significant human rights in El Salvador and frankly by your answer that what matters is meeting the president’s campaign promises and it’s popular, so who cares about the consequences for the people who were sent there.”
Edgar responded that he did not have concerns over human rights violations by the government of El Salvador under President Nayib Bukele in relation to the more than 200 people sent to the country’s Terrorism Confinement Center.
Democrats and Republicans fundamentally disagreed over human rights violations in El Salvador under Bukele, who authorized widespread abuses, including mass arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and ill-treatment of detainees and due process violations, according to the Human Rights Watch.
Some Republicans commended the decline of gang violence under Bukele.
“I think about President Bukele’s leadership that’s allowed El Salvador to dramatically reduce violent crime in that country, including the establishment of a maximum security facility that detains very high-risk criminal offenders,” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said.
Hagerty said Edgar will make an excellent ambassador to El Salvador.
“Our two governments have found a way to coordinate on the return of Salvadorian nationals that are involved in criminal activity, and we’ve done that in a way that’s reinforced public safety right here in the United States,” Hagerty said.
The committee also questioned Frank Garcia, assistant secretary of State for African affairs nominee; Lee Lipton, ambassador to the Philippines nominee; Asel Roberts, ambassador to Slovenia nominee; and Jared Novelly, ambassador to New Zealand nominee.
Since Edgar had captured most of the committee’s attention, Coons conducted a second round of questions at the end of the hearing for the remaining nominees.
Senate Foreign Relations Democrats criticized the number of vacant ambassadorial posts under the Trump administration and Trump’s nominees for lacking sufficient diplomatic experience.
The Senate was expected to vote to confirm ambassador nominees, including Edgar, in the coming months.
Senate candidate interrupts Joint Force meeting to criticize Israel
WASHINGTON — At the beginning of a Senate subcommittee hearing, a member of the public audience stood up and shouted, “Israel is the reason for this war!” The protestor, who was roughly removed from the hearing room, was later identified as Brian McGinnis, who is running to be the Green Party’s candidate for Senate in North Carolina.
“This is wrong!” he shouted as security dragged him out of the hearing room. “Nobody wants to fight for Israel!”
The protest and the hearing’s proceedings reflected high national tension over the Iran war as the White House struggles with messaging. The senators presiding over the hearing seemed divided over the current conflict, but high-ranking military witnesses affirmed the joint force’s current readiness and asked for more investment as the war continued into its first week.
A Capitol police officer inspects McGinnis’ hand, which was damaged as he was removed from the hearing chamber. (Isabel Papp/MNS)
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, began by recognizing the six confirmed deaths of U.S. soldiers as part of Operation Epic Fury and affirmed the longstanding goal of the United States government to prevent the Iranian government, the “largest state sponsor of terrorism,” from obtaining nuclear capabilities.
These concerns, however, have been raised since the 1990s. Several presidents, including Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama and Biden, have stated that Iran was “weeks” or “months” away from achieving nuclear capabilities, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been echoing these claims for 30 years.
“Iran will be capable of producing alone, without importing anything, nuclear bombs within three to five years,” Netanyahu said in a 1995 interview. In 2012, the prime minister told the United Nations “It’s only a few months, possibly a few weeks, before they get enough enriched uranium for the first bomb.”
The White House announced Operation Epic Fury’s goal was to end the Iranian regime. U.S. forces killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran. President Trump indicated that the candidates he would have liked to replace Khamenei may already be dead.
“Most of the people we had in mind are dead. And now we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports,” Trump said on Tuesday.
In the hearing, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, pressed military witnesses on the length of the war and the resources it would require.
“How do you determine impact and readiness if we don’t know the extent of this war?” asked Hirono. “Be frank with us. If you can’t gauge the impact on readiness, at this moment because you’re not told how long this is going to go, you can just tell us.”
Senator Hirono criticized the United States’ involvement in Iran during a Wednesday hearing about the readiness of the joint forces. (Isabel Papp/MNS)
The military officials affirmed that they did not know how long the conflict would last. “It’s a little too early to tell exactly what kind of impact it’s going to have just based on where we are in the conflict,” said Gen. John LaMontagne, vice chief of staff of the Air Force.
The hearing wasn’t limited to discussions of Iran, as senators and military witnesses presented their concerns regarding the threat that Russia and China pose to national security, as well as Ukraine’s ongoing dependence on U.S. arms production.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a closed-door briefing Tuesday that Iran still communicates with terrorist organizations and plans to attack the United States, according to Sullivan. A terrorist threat would be particularly significant now, considering the partial shutdown currently affecting the Department of Homeland Security.
“Every day DHS is not funded is another day the U.S. is vulnerable,” Sullivan said.
The top generals on the panel affirmed the readiness of their combat operations and the abundance of recruits. They also mentioned efforts to improve the quality of life for service members, such as ensuring that Marines have housing onshore, and addressing military suicide rates. Though the Pentagon has not released its yearly suicide report, officials mentioned that the rate of suicides in the military had increased.
“Any loss of a sailor is a tragedy. It’s doubly tragic when it’s a loss to suicide,” said Adm. James W. Kilby, Vice Chief of Naval Operations. “So, we take this seriously and regrettably, last year our numbers increased.”
Still, Hirono expressed her apprehension about the impact of Operation Epic Fury, which was reportedly launched with short notice, on military readiness.
“These impulsive decisions have a great consequence on readiness,” said Hirono. She encouraged her fellow legislators to vote “yes” on the War Powers Resolution proposed Wednesday evening. The resolution was later rejected.
“It is Congress that declares war, not the president,” she said.
Latest in Education
Repubs and Dems clash over parental opt-out rights in education after Supreme Court ruling involving LGBTQ+ books
A House subcommittee debated parents’ right to opt their children out of lessons because of religious conflicts in public schools, after Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling.
read moreHouse conflicted over One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes to federal student loans and solution to rising college costs
WASHINGTON — In a debate over how to best address rising college tuition, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee discussed the consequences of recent changes to federal student loan policy on American families.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Republicans blamed administrative bloat for the college affordability crisis. Democrats pointed to a lack of state and federal investment in higher education, unchecked privatization and for-profit colleges.
Average tuition for both public and private four-year colleges has essentially doubled over the last 30 years, after adjusting for inflation, according to CollegeBoard. Both parties emphasized the importance of higher education for a strong American workforce and economy.
“We all agree there is a college affordability crisis in this country,” said Alma Adams, D-N.C., the subcommittee’s top Democrat. “Where we disagree is on the solution.”
Republicans praised their work to change federal loan policy in H.R. 1, now commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act or The Working Families Act. The law imposes new borrowing caps, restructures the repayment system, reduces Pell Grant eligibility and reduces safety nets.
“The Working Families Tax Cuts simplified student loan repayment plans from over 50 options down to just two: a fixed ‘mortgage’ style plan and a ‘repayment assistance plan’ that provides targeted relief to borrowers in need,” committee Chairman Burgess Owens, R-Utah, said.
Owens said that the law will also hold schools accountable for student outcomes and ensure that their degrees improve their financial prospects. He said he is confident that restoring market incentives in higher education will lead to better pricing for students.
“The title of this hearing really should be about working families getting run over by the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Joe Courtney, D-Conn., said. “Again, I know they’re trying to rebrand the H.R. 1 to a different title, but the fact of the matter is, most people in this country have sort of figured out what a scam it is.”
Witness Julie Margetta Morgan is president of The Century Foundation and previously worked in the U.S. Department of Education. She said that the bill leaves students with two options: not attending college because it is too expensive or taking on risky private loans.
“These loans are going to have a higher interest rate, and they are going to have fewer options for people when they get in trouble on paying their loan,” Morgan said. “They don’t have the forgiveness option, they don’t have the income-based repayment options.”
Columbia economics and education Professor Judith Scott-Clayton said, in general, federal student loans have been a safe option for students because they offer many protections, including income-based repayment options, interest rate subsidies and very low default rates.
“All that being said, I think we’re definitely at a moment right now where there is so much chaos going on in the student loan repayment world,” Scott-Clayton said.
Scott-Clayton said families’ hesitation and anxiety about taking on student debt are not unreasonable at this time.
She said universities are feeling pressured because they can’t necessarily count on a guaranteed supply of families willing to pay what they charge every year, especially since the education sector is under fire and students are very price-sensitive.
Wellesley College Economics Professor Phillip Levine created MyinTution, which gives families access to a projected cost of attendance once financial aid is factored in, called the net price.
“It relies on very basic financial characteristics, how much money did you make last year, a few basic asset categories, what do you have in the stock market, that sort of thing,” Levine said. “It is very valuable for the institution to make it possible for prospective students to get off of the sticker price.”
Bob Onder, R-Mo., emphasized bipartisan legislation to improve college price transparency. His Student Financial Clarity Act creates a universal net price calculator and expands the college scorecard for students to compare costs across institutions.
Evan Bertis-Sample is a Northwestern University student from a low-income family. He receives the maximum financial aid package from Northwestern and also takes out a subsidized federal student loan each quarter to cover housing costs.
“I’m a first-generation student, so no one in my family before me has really had to deal with this type of stuff,” Bertis-Sample said. “So I had no advice given to me, so navigating what student loans look like, what financial aid packages are, and how to interpret them was definitely a big struggle.”
The committee has approved the Student Financial Clarity Act, and Onder said he is hopeful the bill will be brought to the House floor soon.
Repubs, Dems divided over school choice solution amid struggling education system
WASHINGTON — In a debate over how to fix the struggling American education system, senators disputed policies that allow public education funds to follow students to schools of their choice, including private schools.
“Traditional schools work for many students, what we’re asking though is to give the parent the choice if it does not,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
During the committee’s Wednesday hearing on school choice, senators discussed the implications of giving taxpayer dollars to private schools that can discriminate and deny admission to certain students. While Republican senators argued that the majority of Americans supported school choice, Democrats said voters had historically opposed private voucher initiatives.
The hearing came during National School Choice Week, an opportunity for the Trump administration to celebrate the return of education to the states through investment in charter school expansion and a federal tax credit for education scholarships. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the committee’s top Democrat, also released a report Wednesday detailing how Trump’s privatization of public education threatens public schools and working-class students.
“We should not be creating a two-tier education system in America,” said Sanders. “Private schools for the wealthy and well-connected, and severely underfunded and under-resourced public schools for lower-income disabled and working-class kids. Unfortunately, that is precisely what the Trump administration and my republican colleagues in Congress are doing.”
Among its provisions, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” created the first federal school voucher program at a cost of up to $51 billion a year, which Sanders said is more than the bill gives to the Title I program, which serves low-income students, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act combined.
Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association and middle school social studies teacher, said that the rapid expansion of school privatization in Arizona has led to schools losing funding because Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program draws directly from the public schools’ general fund.
“There is no cap on it, so it’s almost like turning on a water faucet and letting it go,” Garcia said to the committee. “This year alone, it will be $800 million out of our general fund.”
Garcia said she believes taxpayer money should go to schools that have some accountability and transparency to ensure that every student is accepted and treated fairly.
While public schools are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, disability, religion and sexual orientation, private schools are not subject to the same admission requirements.
Of the private schools analyzed in Sanders’ report, 48% did not provide all students with disabilities with the services, protections and rights provided to those students in public schools, and 17% charged different tuition based on a family’s religious beliefs.
Vice President of Advocacy and Development for Oakmont Education, Cris Gulacy-Worrel, called concerns over private schools turning away students a “red herring,” saying she wants to see the focus shift to addressing the systemic failure to teach students reading and math.
“I think that’s a distraction from the real question, are kids really safe in a district school that has been failing them, that has a reading proficiency of say 0% like Baltimore,” she said.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., noted that on a busy day for the Senate, there is still nothing more important than the future of American children’s education.
“I hope that’s something we can continue to engage in and have that substantive, thoughtful conversation about education and not let our kids’ education get caught up in just the partisan bickering and the arguing that so often encapsulates this building, unfortunately,” Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said.
Health & Science
Medical schools commit to increased nutrition education at RFK Jr.’s request
Starting next fall, over 50 medical schools will commit at least 40 hours to nutrition education for students’ degree requirements, RFK Jr. announced on Thursday.
read moreSenators question surgeon general nominee Casey Means on vaccine and autism beliefs
WASHINGTON – Surgeon general nominee Casey Means said at a confirmation hearing Wednesday she believes “vaccines save lives” but stopped short of saying she would encourage Americans to receive specific vaccines.
“I do believe that each patient, mother or parent needs to have a conversation with their pediatrician about any medication they’re putting in their body or their children’s bodies,” Means said.
As a leader of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, Means, if confirmed, would join Human and Health Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s administration, which has sowed skepticism about vaccines and changed the recommended U.S. childhood vaccine schedule.
Means, if confirmed to be surgeon general, would be responsible for providing Americans with scientific information on improving their health and decreasing the risk of illness and injury. The role also includes overseeing over 6,000 officers in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, according to the HHS website.
Means is a wellness influencer, author and entrepreneur. She graduated from the Stanford School of Medicine but did not complete her residency. Means has an inactive medical license in Oregon, according to the Washington Post.
In his introduction of Means, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said she did not complete her residency because she was “disillusioned” by what she saw as the focus on treating symptoms rather than addressing underlying causes of health issues.
“As a physician, I have always been inspired that the root of the word ‘healing’ means ‘to return to wholeness,’” Means said in her opening remarks. “Nothing is more urgent than restoring wholeness for Americans physically, mentally and societally.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the committee chair, probed Means on how she would communicate health advice to Americans.
Cassidy asked if she believes people should have an in-person visit with a doctor before receiving a mifepristone prescription.
Means repeatedly said she would encourage Americans to have thorough discussions with their doctor to understand risks and benefits that may come with birth control or other medications, but she did not commit to saying those discussions should be in-person. She also said she “absolutely” thinks oral contraception should be “widely accessible.”
Republicans have previously shown interest in requiring in-person consultations for mifepristone prescriptions and are generally against mail-order abortion drugs.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., agreed with Means on the dangers of processed food but pressed her to clarify her position on vaccines.
“I think the answers you gave us were a little bit political and not to the point,” Sanders said.
On autism, Means said she believes it’s important to continue to study causes of rising rates of the condition but said she is “not here to complicate the issue” of vaccines.
“We have a situation where autism is rising. This is a huge problem,” Means said to Sanders. “As a biomedical researcher and physician, I am not going to sit here and say that we should not study something in the future.”
President Donald Trump nominated Means for surgeon general in May 2025, stating in a Truth Social post at the time that she has “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials” and would work closely with RFK Jr.
Her confirmation hearing was originally scheduled for last October but was postponed after she delivered a baby, according to Reuters.
Means’s brother, Calley Means, is a senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and sat in the audience during the hearing.
The committee is expected to vote on whether to send her nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
In longest State of the Union, Trump devotes limited time to health care
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday lasted a record-setting 107 minutes, of which he dedicated just around five minutes to health care policy.
While he did not introduce any new policies, Trump called on Congress to codify his Most Favored Nation drug pricing program, which aims to lower drug prices to be on par with those of other countries. He specifically made the request to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
To further highlight his policies on drug pricing, Trump brought up the story of guest Catherine Rayner, who he said received reduced prices for drugs related to IVF through the Trump Rx website.
“Catherine, we are all praying for you and you’re going to be a great mom,” Trump said.
After the end of Trump’s speech, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke with Sean Hannity on Fox News and touted what he sees as the success of Trump’s drug pricing policies.
“We’ve gone from the highest price in the world to the lowest price in the world,” Kennedy falsely claimed.
According to the nonpartisan organization FactCheck.org, some consumers may see lower prices for drugs as a result of Trump’s efforts, but significant savings for Americans are not a guarantee.
Trump also said he is “confronting… the crushing cost of health care,” which he described as “one of the biggest rip-offs of our time.”
The expiration of the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits on Jan. 1, a major point of contention during the government shutdown last fall, caused many Americans to pay more for their health insurance or lose it entirely. Democrats wanted to extend the premiums but could not convince their Republican counterparts to extend them.
“I want to stop all payments to big insurance companies and instead, give that money directly to the people so they can buy their own health care, which will be better health care at a much lower cost,” Trump said in his speech.
However, many of the ideas outlined in Trump’s “Great Healthcare Plan” have not seen a swell of support from Republicans in Congress and, according to reporting from Politico, may not have a path to becoming law.
Many Congressional Democrats skipped the State of the Union altogether. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger gave the Democratic response to Trump from Williamsburg, Virginia.
Spanberger criticized Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
“Tonight, the president celebrated this law — the one threatening rural hospitals (and) stripping health care from millions of Americans,” Spanberger said.
Latest in Environment
Supreme Court weighs pipeline deadline fight with stakes far beyond the Straits of Mackinac
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Feb. 24, determining procedural regulations for removing the procedural case to a federal court.
read morePotomac sewer spill remains ‘active incident’ one month later
WASHINGTON — Exactly one month after a major sewer line collapsed, pouring raw sewage into the Potomac River, environmental advocates and experts warned the public health threat could continue for months.
The initial spill occurred on Jan. 19 when a section of the Potomac Interceptor, a regional sewer system, collapsed along the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Md. According to DC Water, which operates and manages the sewer system, approximately 243 million gallons of wastewater have overflowed from the collapse site.
Since the collapse, government and independent researchers have monitored the quality of the water around the rupture, specifically testing for E. coli. This bacterium indicates sewage contamination, which could cause vomiting and diarrhea for anyone who comes into contact with the water. Experts say water conditions can change day by day, making consistent monitoring critical.
Despite a temporary remedy, the effects of the enormous spill will likely be prolonged because of the limitations of the fix and the weather conditions. That creates uncertainty, inconvenience and possible health risks for the many people who enjoy recreation by the river.
Betsy Nicholas, the president of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, a local environmental advocacy group, said the weather conditions immediately following the spill could prolong its impact.
“The entire Potomac was completely frozen just a few days after this spill started,” Nicholas said. “So all of that [sewage] was contained in the ice, and the river is going to thaw more slowly than we’d see on our streets.”
As the ice melts gradually, she said, contaminants trapped beneath the surface could continue affecting water quality for weeks or even months.
“I can’t imagine going through the warm months into the summer without being able to get in and kayak and swim and all of those things in the Potomac,” Nicholas said. “Hopefully, we will get enough information to do that and stay safe.”
The Potomac Riverkeeper Network’s latest findings suggested people should avoid areas closest to the rupture site, particularly around Lock 10 and the adjacent C&O Canal, where contaminated water has reached the banks. Walking along the waterfront in places such as Georgetown or National Harbor was considered low risk, Nicholas said, but kayaking, rowing or other activities that involve direct contact with the water should be avoided for now.
DC Water Chief Engineer Moussa Wone said permanent repairs of the pipe would take up to nine months. A temporary bypass structure was installed to reroute wastewater back into the sewer system.
“There’s also the potential, until it’s fully repaired, that we’re going to have small overflows there,” Nicholas said. “Ultimately, we would like to see daily monitoring and posting of the results so that we can make sure that everyone stays safe.”
Hedrick Belin, President of the Potomac Conservancy, an environmental non-profit organization, called the spill “an active incident.” He said public access to up-to-date water quality data is critical to protecting public health and safety.
“Until [the] 40 to 60 million gallons of sewage that’s flowing every day is back in a pipe, fully contained, risks to public health, to the environment, to recreation continue,” Belin said.
DC Water is conducting daily water quality tests and posting the results online, while the Potomac Riverkeeper Network is working with the University of Maryland to publish weekly updates on Instagram. Nicholas said it’s essential to have multiple independent sources sharing and verifying data.
Nicholas and Belin both said that they believe local and federal governments have not adequately warned the public. Washington did not issue an advisory urging people and pets to avoid the river until Feb. 12, nearly a month after the spill began.
“People should be calling for stronger leadership at the local, state, and federal level about this ongoing incident, demanding more accountability, more communication, more information, and ultimately urgency to get this crisis under control,” Belin said.
Experts discuss climate communication and local climate action
Washington — Attendees filled the Fred Kavli Auditorium at the National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday for Climate Conversations: D.C. Crossroads, which featured two panel discussions.
The first conversation focused on how to communicate climate change effectively, while the second highlighted local climate action in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Risk and behavioral scientist Sweta Chakraborty discussed how to have effective climate conversations with the public without needing every detail to be perfectly accurate. The goal is to change behavior, she said, and any communication that helps facilitate that change is still valuable.
The event was part of the broader Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action series, a monthly webinar and hybrid program hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This series spotlights non-partisan conversations about climate change. Tuesday’s event marked the 50th installment in the series.
Latest in National Security
Senate Dems. bash former DHS deputy secretary Troy Edgar at nomination hearing to be ambassador to El Salvador
Troy Edgar’s nomination is part of major shifts in the DHS leadership structure, as Trump announced on Truth Social that he was firing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem just hours after Edgar’s nomination hearing.
read moreSenate candidate interrupts Joint Force meeting to criticize Israel
WASHINGTON — At the beginning of a Senate subcommittee hearing, a member of the public audience stood up and shouted, “Israel is the reason for this war!” The protestor, who was roughly removed from the hearing room, was later identified as Brian McGinnis, who is running to be the Green Party’s candidate for Senate in North Carolina.
“This is wrong!” he shouted as security dragged him out of the hearing room. “Nobody wants to fight for Israel!”
The protest and the hearing’s proceedings reflected high national tension over the Iran war as the White House struggles with messaging. The senators presiding over the hearing seemed divided over the current conflict, but high-ranking military witnesses affirmed the joint force’s current readiness and asked for more investment as the war continued into its first week.
A Capitol police officer inspects McGinnis’ hand, which was damaged as he was removed from the hearing chamber. (Isabel Papp/MNS)
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, began by recognizing the six confirmed deaths of U.S. soldiers as part of Operation Epic Fury and affirmed the longstanding goal of the United States government to prevent the Iranian government, the “largest state sponsor of terrorism,” from obtaining nuclear capabilities.
These concerns, however, have been raised since the 1990s. Several presidents, including Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama and Biden, have stated that Iran was “weeks” or “months” away from achieving nuclear capabilities, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been echoing these claims for 30 years.
“Iran will be capable of producing alone, without importing anything, nuclear bombs within three to five years,” Netanyahu said in a 1995 interview. In 2012, the prime minister told the United Nations “It’s only a few months, possibly a few weeks, before they get enough enriched uranium for the first bomb.”
The White House announced Operation Epic Fury’s goal was to end the Iranian regime. U.S. forces killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran. President Trump indicated that the candidates he would have liked to replace Khamenei may already be dead.
“Most of the people we had in mind are dead. And now we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports,” Trump said on Tuesday.
In the hearing, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, pressed military witnesses on the length of the war and the resources it would require.
“How do you determine impact and readiness if we don’t know the extent of this war?” asked Hirono. “Be frank with us. If you can’t gauge the impact on readiness, at this moment because you’re not told how long this is going to go, you can just tell us.”
Senator Hirono criticized the United States’ involvement in Iran during a Wednesday hearing about the readiness of the joint forces. (Isabel Papp/MNS)
The military officials affirmed that they did not know how long the conflict would last. “It’s a little too early to tell exactly what kind of impact it’s going to have just based on where we are in the conflict,” said Gen. John LaMontagne, vice chief of staff of the Air Force.
The hearing wasn’t limited to discussions of Iran, as senators and military witnesses presented their concerns regarding the threat that Russia and China pose to national security, as well as Ukraine’s ongoing dependence on U.S. arms production.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a closed-door briefing Tuesday that Iran still communicates with terrorist organizations and plans to attack the United States, according to Sullivan. A terrorist threat would be particularly significant now, considering the partial shutdown currently affecting the Department of Homeland Security.
“Every day DHS is not funded is another day the U.S. is vulnerable,” Sullivan said.
The top generals on the panel affirmed the readiness of their combat operations and the abundance of recruits. They also mentioned efforts to improve the quality of life for service members, such as ensuring that Marines have housing onshore, and addressing military suicide rates. Though the Pentagon has not released its yearly suicide report, officials mentioned that the rate of suicides in the military had increased.
“Any loss of a sailor is a tragedy. It’s doubly tragic when it’s a loss to suicide,” said Adm. James W. Kilby, Vice Chief of Naval Operations. “So, we take this seriously and regrettably, last year our numbers increased.”
Still, Hirono expressed her apprehension about the impact of Operation Epic Fury, which was reportedly launched with short notice, on military readiness.
“These impulsive decisions have a great consequence on readiness,” said Hirono. She encouraged her fellow legislators to vote “yes” on the War Powers Resolution proposed Wednesday evening. The resolution was later rejected.
“It is Congress that declares war, not the president,” she said.
Lawmakers warn China is exploiting Russia’s war to expand influence in Europe
WASHINGTON –– Lawmakers warned Wednesday that China has quietly expanded its political and economic influence across Europe while the continent remained focused on countering Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“China and Russia share a vision for the world where the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must,” said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the United States Helsinki Commission.
The commission met to examine how China has been gaining access to key economic sectors across Europe through economic investments and political pressure. Experts argued that China’s activities could undermine NATO cohesion, as could Russia’s geopolitical ambitions, if European governments fail to respond by reducing reliance on Chinese technologies and products.
Wilson said China’s strategy benefits directly from Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine.
“Russia’s patron, China, is only becoming the true winner in this war,” Wilson said. “Xi Jinping has complemented Putin’s brute force with a patient, persistent approach to establishing his global dominance.”
Experts testified that China’s influence campaign in Europe goes far beyond traditional diplomacy and often relies on economic leverage and political pressure to shape government decisions. Audrye Wong, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said China’s strategy includes building political support while discouraging criticism of Beijing’s policies.
“One (strategy) is to bolster friends and silence critics of the Chinese Communist Party and its policies,” Wong said. “China seeks to undermine transatlantic cooperation and European unity through a divide-and-conquer strategy.”
Valbona Zeneli, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said China’s growing alignment with Russia has changed how many European policymakers view Beijing.
“China and Russia are strange bedfellows, however, they have shared strategic alignment,” said Zeneli. “One of the main trends that has changed perceptions in Europe has been the support that Beijing has given to Russia for its war in Ukraine.”
The commission also heard testimony from Vidmantas Verbickas, Lithuania’s vice minister of foreign affairs, who described how China used economic pressure against his country after Lithuania expanded ties with Taiwan.
“Exports to China fell by 99.7 percent, essentially near zero,” Verbickas said. “This was not a commercial dispute. It was political pressure designed to change a sovereign policy decision.”
Lithuania mainly exported products like dairy, beef, and grain to China, as well as laser technologies. The drop in exports came after the country opened a representative office for Taiwan in its capital city, Vilnius.
Lawmakers also raised concerns about China’s growing influence in technology and infrastructure across Europe, warning that reliance on Chinese companies could create long-term security risks.
Several Western governments, including the U.S., have long restricted or banned Huawei equipment from their national networks over espionage-related national security concerns. Huawei became a major point of contention between the U.S. and its allies during the rollout of 5G networks. U.S. officials like Ellzey warned that allowing Chinese companies to build critical telecommunications infrastructure in Europe could give China potential access to sensitive data networks.
“(Europe) might be repeating the same mistake when it comes to 6G,” said Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, referring to security debates surrounding Chinese telecom company Huawei.
Ellzey said similar concerns could arise as countries begin developing next-generation technologies such as 6G. Currently, 11 European Union countries depend on Huawei 5G networks including Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria, according to EuroNews.
Witnesses urged stronger coordination between the U.S. and European allies to counter China’s growing influence in technology and other industries and to strengthen democratic institutions.
“China’s rise is a defining geopolitical challenge of the century,” Zeneli said.
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read moreAmid anti-ICE protests, peace-marching Buddhist monks deliver a non-controversial message to thousands in DC
WASHINGTON — Tears welled in Cynthia Flanders’ eyes Wednesday as she reflected on a group of Buddhist monks’ walk to promote peace. Wearing a beanie that read “it’s okay not to be okay,” Flanders traveled from her Michigan hometown to the Washington region solely for this experience.
“When I heard that they were marching to remind us of the peace that each one of us has, every time I say that, it brings tears to my eyes because I’m so touched by that reminder, you know?” Flanders said. “I’m here to get back in touch with a warm, soft, less brutal heart, and remember we’re all connected.”
The monks’ 4-month, 2,300-mile walk journey to DC came at a time when anti-ICE protests have popped up around the country, but the monks avoided political comments about ICE or anything else, Brandon Dotson, a Georgetown University professor of Buddhist studies, said in an interview with the Medill News Service.
“I think we can interpret it in that context and say, ‘Well, this is an opportune time to talk about non-violence, to talk about peace, when we do have so many voices in our country that are promoting violence,” Dotson said. “But I don’t think that [the monks] are necessarily leading us to that conclusion.”
In fact, their public statements at a Lincoln Memorial ceremony on Wednesday afternoon did not advocate particular religious principles, but rather urged kindness and mindfulness practices.
“Love and kindness does not need power, money, or a title,” said Walk for Peace leader Bhikkhu Pannakara as he stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial. “It is simply the choice to stop before hurting, to sharpen before speaking, If each person takes just one second to ask, will this hurt anyone? The world would already be kinder.”
Dotson said this nonpolitical approach may protect them from potential criticism.
“For their sake, I hope that they’re not going to be too politicized, just because it is dangerous in our country, especially as an immigrant and as a foreigner, to be putting your head above the parapet,” Dotson said. “So I think what they’ve done has been very skillful.”
Regardless of what prompted them, Flanders said she was touched by the monks’ reminders of peace during this moment in politics that has frustrated her.
“I’ve been really, quite filled with anguish about what is happening in our country and how people feel so divided,” Flanders said. “My heart has felt very brittle and in anger about things that I feel are unjust.”
Flanders and longtime friend Amy Moore have engaged in transcendental meditation, a practice that draws from Buddhist principles, since attending Iowa’s Maharishi International University 50 years ago. Moore, who lives in Utah, was compelled to travel across the country to support the monks. After meeting up in DC, the two friends spent three days walking alongside the monks.
“I’ve been following the monks and I have been praying for peace forever,” Moore said, arm in arm with Flanders.
Moore was one of the first people to arrive at the monks’ first DMV appearance at Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday. She said that as she watched the crowd grow, a warm and joyful energy was “palpable.”
After concluding their march in Maryland on Thursday, the marchers posted to Facebook: “Every welcome, every smile, every offering, every prayer, and every step you took with us brought us to this beautiful moment of completion today.”
In Photos: ‘Walk for Peace’ Buddhist monks complete Unity Walk on Embassy Row
WASHINGTON — On the 108th day of their walk across much of the U.S., a group of Buddhist monks arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday for the final leg of their ‘Walk for Peace’.
The monks, who began their pilgrimage in Fort Worth, Texas, described the walk as a spiritual journey promoting peace, compassion and unity.
After an interfaith ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral, the monks were joined by others for a Unity Walk down Embassy Row.
D.C. police escorted the monks down the street with cars, motorcycles and police bikes.
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read moreAs Section 230 turns 30, AI emerges as new fault line in online speech debate
WASHINGTON — As Section 230 marks its 30th anniversary, legal and technology experts warned Thursday that excluding generative artificial intelligence from the law’s protections could dramatically reshape online speech.
Enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 states that online platforms are not treated as the publisher or speaker of content created by users. This provision exempts platforms from liability and is widely credited with enabling the growth of social media, forums and user-generated content across the internet.
With its growing popularity and adoption, AI has added complexity to the discussion. AI chatbots, for instance, are trained with large databases and complex programming to distinguish what content is appropriate for use. The process includes “a lot of human, intentional decisions,” said Jess Miers, assistant professor at the University of Akron School of Law and a legal expert in Section 230.
The comment came during a panel at a day-long conference hosted by the Cato Institute in Washington. The event brought together legal scholars, policy experts and industry leaders to examine how a law written in the early days of the internet is being tested by AI.
Panelists focused on whether AI-generated outputs should be considered speech under existing legal frameworks, and what that means for Section 230 liability. Miers argued that a blanket rule denying Section 230 protection to AI systems could have consequences beyond chatbots, potentially affecting long-standing online practices such as ranking, sorting and editing third-party content.
Other panelists emphasized how liability uncertainty could reshape the market. Matt Reeder, head of legal at Bluesky, pointed to decentralized platforms as examples of how liability protections can empower users. Describing Bluesky’s structure, Reeder said it is “much more like a farmers market,” where users own their identity and content and can move freely if they disagree with platform decisions.
Ashkhen Kazaryan, senior legal fellow at The Future of Free Speech, highlighted how even the Supreme Court has gradually narrowed the scope of Section 230 through case law, focusing on how the statute applies to modern content algorithms and moderation. Panelists discussed the Supreme Court’s consideration of Anderson v. TikTok, a case that has yet to reach the Court but raises questions about whether platforms can be held liable for harms linked to algorithmic amplification of third-party content.
“Algorithms, and the Supreme Court said this, are just tools that platforms are using to solidify their editorial discretion,” Kazaryan said.
The conference also featured a virtual conversation with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., one of Section 230’s original authors. He said the law does not originally apply to generative AI, but sets general guidelines for internet users.
“It establishes very simple principles for a wide variety of internet services that take us into the next generation of technologies,” Wyden said.
U.S. launches “Pax Silica” coalition to counter China’s commercial dominance
WASHINGTON –– The Trump administration announced Tuesday they plan to formalize a new economic security coalition designed to counter China’s dominance in rare minerals and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“The nation that controls the industrial foundation of artificial intelligence will lead the century,” said Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment. “The nation that doesn’t will depend on those who do.”
Helberg told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the administration will introduce a new initiative: “Pax Silica,” Latin for positive sum, a multilateral economic coalition aimed at controlling AI supply chains and mineral refining capacity outside China. The coalition includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Israel, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Australia, Qatar, Taiwan and India.
Currently, China processes roughly 90% of the world’s mineral refining capacity, which lawmakers on both sides described as strategically dangerous for the United States. To reduce that dependency, the State Department is mapping available refining operations in allied countries where they hope to accelerate production outside China, rather than building entirely new facilities from scratch.
Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. and others introduced the bipartisan Dominance Act to codify and reduce dependence on China by expanding partnerships for critical mineral extraction, refining, and financing with allied countries.
“Breaking China’s chokehold on critical minerals will not happen overnight,” Mast said. “It will require sustained bipartisan resolve here in Congress and in close coordination with the administration.”
Beyond minerals, Helberg also described a coordinated push to control AI infrastructure exports. Last week, the United Arab Emirates’ AI firm G42 announced a voluntary common operating picture framework to track AI chip usage through cryptographic monitoring.
“(G42) agreed to build a common operating picture that would allow American policymakers to actually have internal transparency and assurance,” Helberg said.
The Trump administration also planned to launch a concierge service to help allied countries adopt U.S. AI technology. They would offer up to $200 million in foreign assistance to countries that use these secure, low-cost devices running on American software. Helberg described the effort as “economic deterrence” against China’s dominance.
“American technological leadership requires supply chain security,” Helberg said. “Pax Silica is our strategy.”
Lawmakers commented on the Trump administration’s broader strategic shift of how economic diplomacy is no longer separate from national security policy.
“As the President has said repeatedly, economic security is national security, whether we’re talking about enforcing sanctions, securing critical mineral supply chains, building new semiconductor manufacturing capacity, expanding energy exports, or strengthening transportation networks,” Helberg said. “These priorities are about protecting America, American workers, businesses, and our strategic position in the world.”
Rep. Keith Seif, R-Texas, pressed Helberg specifically on how to counter China’s dominance in refining rare minerals. Helberg focused on the U.S. dominance in fossil fuel energy, especially petroleum.
“China is incredibly vulnerable for its energy imports, and that is a point of leverage that the administration is keenly aware of,” Helberg said.
As U.S.-China competition intensifies, the committee signaled that oversight of economic statecraft from mineral refining to AI exports will remain central to U.S. foreign policy.
“American economic strength is the foundation of American leadership abroad,” said Rep. Young Kim, D-Calif.
SOTU: Health Care
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Congress should approve his plan to replace Obamacare with a new health care program that would provide “affordable alternative” insurance options and criticized Democrats for trying to impose “a socialist takeover of our health care system.”
“A good life for American families requires the most affordable, innovative and high-quality health care system on earth,” Trump said in his third State of the Union address.
Trump said he has proposed health care plans that would be up to 60% cheaper than the Affordable Care Act plans. Both the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services did not respond when asked if a specific replacement plan has existed or ever will.
The president blamed Democrats for not providing the American people with the health care reforms he has promised.
“As we work to improve Americans’ health care, there are those who want to take away your health care, take away your doctor, and abolish private insurance entirely,” said Trump, referring to the Democrats.
Democrats stood up at this comment, pointed their fingers at Trump and shouted “YOU.”
Trump said 130 Democrats endorse legislation to impose a “socialist takeover” of the health care system by “taking away the private health insurance plans of 180 million.”
Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are pushing for a “Medicare for All” plan that would end private health insurance while other candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., are pushing to expand on Obamacare.
“We will never let socialism destroy American health care,” Trump said.
Trump emphasized the administration’s efforts to protect patients with pre-existing conditions, to which Democrats threw up their hands and shook their heads in disagreement. Led by House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate and House Democrats brought more than 80 patients, doctors and health care advocates from across the country as guests to the speech.
“President Trump will speak to an audience filled with Americans who are suffering because of his broken promises on prescription drug costs and his all-out assault on Americans with preexisting conditions,” Pelosi said in a press release Tuesday morning.
The president also called upon Congress to pass legislation to lower prescription drug prices.
“Get a bill to my desk, and I will sign it into law without delay,” the president said.
Democrats responded to this by booing and holding up three fingers to represent H.R. 3, legislation proposed by the late Rep. Elijah E. Cummings that would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to negotiate certain drug prices. The bill has been on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s desk for over a month after being passed in the House.
Generic prescription drug prices dropped 1% in 2018, the first price drop in 45 years, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump said it was the first time in 51 years. Brand-name drug prices, however, are still increasing.
Trump said the administration will continue to make health care more transparent by requiring hospitals to make their prices negotiated with insurers public and easily accessible online. He also pointed to the passage of administration-backed legislation called “Right to Try,” which allows terminally ill patients access to drugs not fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration if they feel they have tried all other options.
He also said he has launched new initiatives to improve care for Americans with kidney disease, Alzheimer’s and those struggling with mental health challenges, in addition to pursuing new cures for childhood cancer and AIDS.
The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday afternoon to further discuss Trump’s health care policies and overcoming pharmaceutical barriers in particular.
Trump Sticks By Wall in State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s call for a wall to secure America’s southern border in his State of the Union address Tuesday night was no surprise to opponents.
Jennifer Johnson, the policy director at the Southern Border Communities Coalition, said Trump continually characterizes the southern border as a violent area.
“More of a reality check, these are families and children seeking protection, fleeing spiraling violence and poverty,” she said.
Chris Montoya, who served as a Customs and Border Protection agent for 21 years, said that “crime rates are pretty low in border cities. Being a border patrol agent is one of the safest law enforcement jobs. All those things together means a safe border.”
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., invited as his guest a mother who had been separated from her children at the border.
Other Democrats brought undocumented immigrants as their guests, including Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J.
Rep. Sheila Jackson, D-Texas, was enthusiastic about their attendance at the address. “Their presence here today is representative of the big tent that America is,” she said.
In his address, Trump attributed what he called at crisis at the border to America’s “reduced jobs, lower wages, overburdened schools, and hospitals that are so crowded you can’t get in.” He referenced San Diego and El Paso as being cities that were once violent, and now safe with the addition of physical barriers.
Trump also mentioned the prevalence of MS-13 within the country. “They almost all come through our Southern border,” he said.
Montoya said MS-13 members do enter through the southern border on rare occasions, but it is uncommon for CBP agents to make an arrest.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin is the ranking member on the Senate Subcommittee for Border Security and Immigration. He said nothing changed in Trump’s rhetoric. “If we’re waiting on him, we’re not going to get this solved,” he said.
Washingtonians alternately protest, celebrate the State of the Union
WASHINGTON – DC-area residents had very different reactions to President Donald Trump’s second State of the Union address Tuesday night. But whether they celebrated or denounced the event, emotions were strong.
Around 40-50 people gathered at each of two intersections near the Capitol ahead of the address — far fewer than the 400 people who protested last year, according to Resist DC, the community action group that organized both years’ protests.
People lined the sidewalks along the streets that President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other Trump cabinet members’ motorcades were expected pass by. They held homemade signs lit with string lights so they would be visible to government officials in their cars and chanted anti-Trump messages to music and drums.
Eileen Minarick, 70, said she was protesting simply “because the state of our union is terrible.”
Elsewhere in the city, local bar patrons gathered to drink beer, compete in presidential bingo and watch the State of the Union.
Grassroots activist group CODEPINK hosted a number of guest speakers, including actor Danny Glover, for a lively discussion before the main event. Topics ranged from the Bolivarian revolution to ending domestic violence.
Anita Jenkins, spokeswoman for Stand Up for Democracy, riled the crowd with a call to establish the District of Columbia the 51st state in the United States.
“The people of D.C. have no representation… We have nobody to speak for us,” she said. Modifying the words of America’s early founders, she said, “Taxation without representation is a rip-off.”
As President Trump appeared on the projector, shouts of disapproval rose from the bar patrons. The State of the Union 2019 had begun and the energy was energetic in its moroseness.
Across town, the atmosphere was also charged. Members of DC Young Republicans and Arlington Falls Church Young Republicans filled a restaurant for a celebratory viewing party.
“In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall… but the proper wall never got built,” said Donald Trump. He paused and then said, “I’ll get it built.” Hoots and hollers erupted in the bar and two girls were seen smiling and hugging each other.
Though Trump stressed unity in his national address, DC-area residents remained divided in their reactions.
2020 Candidates Alternate Cheers, Hisses to Trump Wall, Immigration Proposals during State of Union
WASHINGTON – Several Democratic 2020 presidential candidates expressed their displeasure with many of President Donald Trump’s policies during the State of the Union address Tuesday.
Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., could be seen shaking their heads when Trump mentioned controversial topics such as his commitment to building a border wall and the dangers of migrant caravans heading to the U.S. southern border.
Harris, who announced her candidacy on Jan. 21, shook her head and visibly mouthed, “They’re not,” as Trump said, “Large, organized caravans are on the march to the United States.”
In a Facebook Live address before the State of the Union, Harris told viewers, “It’s a moment for a president to rise above politics and unite the country with a vision that includes all Americans, not just the ones who may have voted for them. It’s a moment to bring us together.”
Early in the address, Harris was often reluctant to give Trump a standing ovation, asking her colleagues, “Really?” as they cheered the president’s comments about space exploration.
The candidates and their Democratic colleagues booed and hissed as Trump labeled the numerous investigations into his campaign finance and relationship with Russia “ridiculous partisan investigations.”
“If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation,” he said. “It just doesn’t work that way!”
Democrats cheered later as Trump mentioned that women have filled 58 percent of new jobs in the past year. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has formed a presidential exploratory committee, pointed at the newly elected House Democrats, who stood up and chanted, “USA, USA.”
“I think he didn’t realize that all the female jobs he created were for [congresswomen],” Gillibrand said after the speech.
The Democratic candidates stood and applauded with everyone in the chamber when Trump recognized World War II veterans, a SWAT team member and a childhood cancer survivor.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., sat stoically as Trump denounced socialism. Sanders, who calls himself a democratic socialist, is widely considered likely e to enter the presidential race. Unlike Sanders, Gillibrand and Harris stood and applauded as Trump said, “America will never be a socialist country.”
TRUMP STRIKES CHORD WITH WOMEN, FALLS FLAT ON BIPARTISAN BORDER WALL PITCH
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump got one of his biggest rounds of applause during his State of the Union address Tuesday night when he noted that Congress now has a record-high number of elected women, but it wasn’t lost on the crowd that when the women rose to cheer they were mostly on the Democratic side of the aisle.
“Americans can be proud that we have more women in the workforce than ever before,” Trump said as the women lawmakers rose to clap and celebrate. He then advised them “Don’t sit. You’re going to like this.”
“Exactly one century after the Congress passed the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in the Congress than at any time before,” he said. There were 117 women elected to Congress in 2018.
Bipartisan chants of “USA! USA!” filled the chamber as both the Democrats and Republicans broke into uproarious applause. Many of the Democratic women wore white and donned pins that read “ERA YES,” in a nod to the women of the suffragette movement.
Trump called his list of priorities “the agenda of the American people” in his second State of the Union address Tuesday, which was delayed a week because of the 35-day government shutdown, which didn’t end until the previous Friday. The address was the first the president has delivered before the new Democratic majority in the House.
The president remained on-script for the duration of the 84-minute speech and touted his administration’s achievements from the past two years. He also laid out several legislative priorities going forward, including a “smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier,” an infrastructure bill and the eradication of HIV and AIDS.
Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., was glad that health care was a topic in the speech, while Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., described the speech as “terrific.”
“We haven’t gotten that right when it comes to protection our citizens with pre-existing conditions, correcting all the problems and costs associated with the ACA,” French said. “I like that he kept an emphasis on that while also tackling the prescription drug process.”
For Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., laying out these broad initiatives wasn’t enough.
“I wrote down a number of initiatives — defense spending, cancer research, transportation, infrastructure — and never heard anything of how we’re going to pay for them,” he said.
The president also pushed his plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and to reduce drastically the number of troops in Afghanistan.
Among Democrats, reactions were mixed as Trump highlighted his achievements. When Trump lauded the U.S. increase in gas and oil production, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who has championed a Green New Deal to address accelerating climate change, remained seated.
Many Democrats applauded Trump’s push for a new infrastructure bill and decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who sat behind Trump with Vice President Mike Pence, was clearly following a printed version of the speech. She applauded when Trump mentioned criminal justice reform and bipartisan efforts on lowering drug costs and furthering women’s rights.
After praising a recent bipartisan effort to secure criminal justice reform, Trump shifted to a project he said would require the same bipartisan effort: a southern border wall.
“Simply put, walls work and walls save lives,” he said. “So let’s work together, compromise and reach a deal that will truly make America safe.”
However, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, was not encouraged by the president’s attempt to strike a bipartisan tone.
“I just don’t think he is to be trusted,” she said. “This is not a president who is working for the middle class of this country.”
Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., said that while parts of Trump’s speech were good, he was too combative at times.
“There should have been more emphasis on the fact that the government was shut down and we all need to work together to bring it back,” he said. “Blaming the Democrats is not going to keep the government open.”
Freshmen members of Congress excited, disappointed at their first State of the Union address
WASHINGTON — Before attending his first State of the Union address, Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-N.J., felt a sense of excitement and joy, but also feared the president might once again fan partisan flames by rehashing controversial issues.
“I hope that right now, he doesn’t talk about closing the government again. I hope he doesn’t talk right now about declaring a national emergency. I would so much rather see that we try to work together and get something done. That requires flexibility on Democrats side as well. Both sides have to do this,” said Van Drew.
Partisanship is the reason the approval rating for Congress is so low, but issues like border security, and infrastructure deserve cooperation between the two parties, said Van Drew.
“Rather than just argue and disagree and investigative and be hurtful on both sides, maybe we can actually get something get done.”
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Chris Pappas, D-N.H.
Although having been full-fledged members of Congress for a little over a month, the freshmen class of senators and representatives still retains a “sense of awe” about the State of the Union address, said Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H. Pappas said he hoped Trump would strike a conciliatory tone with Democrats, allowing lawmakers to avoid a second government shutdown.
Pappas brought a transgender military veteran from his home state to hear the president as a symbol of his hope that Trump’s transgender military service ban will be lifted.
“That doesn’t make us any safer and in fact plays politics with the military,” he said.
In addition to passing social justice reform, Pappas said he would like Trump to speak about the opioid crisis, prescription drug costs and infrastructure — and Trump did.
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Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill.
In Illinois Rep. Sean Casten’s dreams, Trump’s State of the Union address would make climate change a priority, but said his expectations were low. Trump did not in fact mention the environment.
“Truth is what I hope he doesn’t say is what I fear he will say,” Casten said, “which is that he’s going to threaten to shut down the government again if he doesn’t get a wall.”
Casten’s guest was Julie Caribeaux, the executive director of Family Shelter Service, which receives federal aid and provides support for victims of domestic abuse. He said domestic violence victims are some of the “primary victims” of Trump’s rhetoric.
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Anthony Brindisi, D-N.Y.
Rep. Anthony Brindisi, D-NY, was hoping for a message of bipartisanship and unity, things that “the American people are calling for.” Trump did call on Congress to act together on many issues.
Brindisi’s top priorities this year are trying to find common ground with the Republicans on immigration reform, infrastructure and lowering prescription drug costs. On infrastructure, he said he specifically wanted to hear Trump’s ideas on investing in job training programs. Trump mentioned all the issues, but with little specificity except that he wants a border wall and enforcement to stop what he called “caravans of migrants” heading to the southern border.
“Those are things that I talked about during the campaign that many people back in upstate New York are calling for and those are things I hope he does say,” Brindisi said.
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Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev.
Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., said she gets excited every time she walks onto the House floor, and Tuesday was no exception. Although there were parts of the speech she did not agree with, namely Trump’s insistence on a border wall, Lee said she appreciated the call for bipartisanship.
Lowering prescription drug prices, investing in infrastructure and a comprehensive border control strategy — these are all components of his speech Lee said she could agree with.
“These are all ideas I can get behind and they work together to produce some results for American families,” she said.
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Rep. Deb Halaand, D-N.M.
Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., said she was dismayed about Trump’s urgency regarding funding for a border wall.
“I wasn’t surprised. Let’s put it that way about the president’s speech. I mean, of course, we don’t want a wall,” said Halland. “He instilled fear and everybody about the danger, you know, the danger that’s coming across the border.”
Haaland hopes to focus on promoting awareness about climate change and wished the President would be more receptive to the diverse issues and people around the country.
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Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., said he enjoyed his first State of the Union in a historical sense, but wanted President Trump to address issues he feels are important, including raising the minimum wage and healthcare.
Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill.
He said while the president did mention lowering prescription drug costs, there was another area of healthcare that was not noted, such as the millions who do not have healthcare at all.
“He wrapped himself around a lot of patriotism and recognition of your courageous battles and victories and but in the end, I think he failed to address important things more,” Garcia said.
Post-SOTU Interviews with Illinois Democratic Reps. Jan Schakowski and Cheri Bustos
Our Alex Lederman sat down with Illinois Democratic Reps. Jan Schakowski and Cheri Bustos after the State of the Union to hear their thoughts on President Obama’s address.
Schakowski — Evanston’s congresswoman since 1999 — said “(Obama)’s vision of what makes our country strong was so human and so true.”
Bustos said Obama is focused on the future — our children and grandchildren — and working together to solve the nation’s problems.
Medill’s State of the Union night on social media
Medill on the Hill produces live State of the Union broadcast
WASHINGTON — It was the third day of reporting for the 21 students in Medill on the Hill. It also happened to be the day the president would deliver his final State of the Union address.
Months ago, buoyed by the excitement of the possibilities and the folly of youth, some of us came up with the idea of taking Medill on the Hill to a new level — producing live TV while also finding new ways of storytelling for the website and social media.
On State of the Union night, Jan. 12, the Washington web team led by Alex Duner and Celena Chong managed the flow of copy and constant web updates streaming in from reporters around Capitol Hill and elsewhere in D.C. There also was a constant stream of @medillonthehill tweets and snapchats as well as several Periscopes.
Tyler Kendall, Allyson Chiu and Shane McKeon were responsible for the main story, and Chiu said the experience was, “the highlight” of her journalism career.
“It was hectic, crazy and we were definitely all running on adrenaline by the end of the night,” she said.
Other reporters were assigned to stories on specific issues the president mentioned, or how local college students reacted to the speech. One even tweeted the speech in Spanish.
My task was to produce the Washington end of a live television broadcast.
Nine months ago Jesse Kirsch came back from 2015 Medill on the Hill with an idea for Carlin McCarthy, another producer with the Northwestern News Network, and me.
He said, with the optimism of a television anchor, that for the 2016 State of the Union we should produce a live broadcast with analysts at our home studio in Evanston and reporters in our D.C. bureau and on Capitol Hill. I said, with the skepticism of a television producer, that I thought he was crazy.
It took long nights, patience and a lot of support from the Medill faculty and staff, but we pulled it off.
Jesse opened the show in Evanston and before we knew it Isabella Gutierrez was doing a live hit from the Washington bureau. Then we were live in Statuary Hall with Noah Fromson, followed by a live report from graduate student Ryan Holmes on what to watch for just minutes before we streamed the live feed of President Barack Obama addressing a joint session of Congress for his final State of the Union.
We did a live interviews with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, wrote scripts while we counted down the seconds until they were read and gathered quotes from senators and members of Congress. Alex Lederman also provided quick-turn video interviews with two congresswomen.
Associate Producer Geordan Tilley, who interviewed Durbin, was nervous before the show, but she said she is proud of the Medill effort.
“I thought the show was some of our best work, Tilley said. “Especially considering how many firsts were involved, not the least of which was our first time going live.”
Medill Today | Thursday, March 5, 2026
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