#Rep. Gregory Meeks
Text
At least two Republican members of Congress were seen wearing lapel pins in the shape of an AR-15 rifle while conducting official business in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, when two mass shootings took place in the U.S.
Tweets showing Rep. George Santos (R-New York) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) wearing the pins went viral as many users pointed out the already high number of mass shootings that have occurred in the country since the start of the new year.
It’s likely that the two wore the pins all day long (in lieu of the U.S. flag pins they usually wear), as the Republican lawmakers were seen on House cameras, in footage that aired on C-SPAN, wearing the pins at different places in the Capitol — Santos, for instance, was seen wearing an AR-15 pin while giving a speech on the House floor, while Luna wore hers on camera while participating in a House Oversight Committee hearing.
Many lawmakers said that wearing a pin depicting a weapon that is frequently chosen by mass shooters was insensitive to people whose loved ones have been murdered in such shootings.
“To be promoting them on the floor of the House, is despicable and I think an insult to all of the victims of assault weapons,” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-New York) said.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-California) said that the pins lacked “common decency.”
“Anna Paulina Luna wore an assault weapon pin at today’s Oversight hearing — less than 48 hours after her state experienced a mass shooting,” Gomez said on Twitter. “You can’t make this shit up.”
That same day, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) gave a speech on the House floor championing unregulated gun ownership, lamenting the fact that the U.S. doesn’t account for more than 46% of all civilian-owned guns in the world.
“We need to get our numbers up, boys and girls,” Boebert said.
Gun violence experts have presented evidence suggesting that the vast amount of guns in the U.S. corresponds to the country having a higher homicide rate than other wealthy nations on the globe.
In 2022, there were 648 mass shootings, an 86% increase from just five years prior. Since the start of 2023, there have been more than 50 mass shootings — including at least two on the day Santos and Luna wore their AR-15 pins. If current trends keep up, there will have been around 600 mass shootings this year by December 31.
Should the U.S. exceed 600 mass shootings in 2023, this would be the fourth year in a row that that many mass shootings took place within a single calendar year.
youtube
THESE REPUBLICANS ARE ACTUALLY WEARING AR-15 PINS IN CONGRESS DURING GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVORS WEEK
House Democrats criticised freshman Republicans, including embattled Representative George Santos, for wearing assault rifle pins on Capitol Hill.
Democratic Representative Jimmy Gomez of California tweeted out photos of Representatives Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Mr Santos of New York wearing lapel pins in the shape of an assault weapon.
"Where are these assault weapon pins coming from? Who is passing these out?" he tweeted.
#us politics#news#truthout#tyt#the young turks#videos#youtube#the independent#118th congress#us house of representatives#assault rifle pins#gun violence survivors week#gun violence#mass shootings#Rep. George Santos#Rep. Anna Paulina Luna#House Oversight Committee#Rep. Gregory Meeks#Rep. Jimmy Gomez#rep. andrew clyde#Ben Meiselas#twitter#tweet#2023#Rep. Lauren Boebert
129 notes
·
View notes
Text
[Fox News is Private, Pro-GOP US Media]
"I welcome the U.S. and coalition operations against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists responsible for violently disrupting international commerce in the Red Sea and attacking American vessels," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement. "President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue."
"I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies. To restore deterrence and change Iran’s calculus, Iranian leaders themselves must believe that they will pay a meaningful price unless they abandon their worldwide campaign of terror," he added.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Mike McCaul, R-Texas, who said he was meeting with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the strikes were called, also praised the actions. He also called on Biden to restore the Houthis' terror designation.
"I’m pleased the president, in coordination with our allies, finally took action against the Iran-backed Houthis following weeks of instability in the Red Sea. Tonight, with these strikes, we are beginning to restore deterrence. The administration must acknowledge it was a mistake to rescind the Houthis designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and re-list them immediately," he said.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, similarly called the action "overdue" and accused the Biden administration of contributing to the increasingly hostile situation in the Red Sea, but said the strikes were "a good first step toward restoring deterrence in the Red Sea."[...]
["]It is important that we follow this action in close consultation with our Saudi partners to ensure they are with us as the situation develops," Wicker said.[...]
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., an ally of former President Trump's, said he was "very supportive of the Biden Administration’s decision to strike Houthi rebels who have been harassing international shipping and trying to attack Israeli and American interests."[...]
Even rank-and-file Republicans have been issuing cautious and rare praise for the move. Rep. John James, R-Mich., a military combat veteran who served in Iraq, told Fox News Digital, "The Houthis are a terrorist organization. They have been striking at U.S. military personnel since late last year and must be destroyed."[...]
"While I support these targeted, proportional military strikes, I call on the Biden Administration to continue its diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation to a broader regional war and continue to engage Congress on the details of its strategy and legal basis as required by law," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said.
11 Jan 24
164 notes
·
View notes
Text
House Democrats ask Biden to revoke Bolsonaro’s visa after Brazil riot
Dozens of House Democrats, including some of the top members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter late Wednesday to President Biden urging his administration to revoke any diplomatic visa that former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro may be using to stay in the United States.
The letter follows a riot in the Brazilian capital on Sunday aimed at reversing Bolsonaro’s loss in October, in an election that he claimed without evidence was infected by fraud. The defeated incumbent flew to Florida on Dec. 30, two days before the inauguration of his opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“As we understand, since Mr. Bolsonaro entered the United States when he was still the President of Brazil, he may have done so on an A-1 visa that is reserved for individuals on diplomatic or official visits,” states the letter, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.) and signed by 45 others, including Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.), who was chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee until Republicans took control of the chamber this year.
Since Bolsonaro is no longer an officeholder, the letter adds, “we request that you reassess his status in the country to ascertain whether there is a legal basis for his stay and revoke any such diplomatic visa he may hold.”
Continue reading.
#brazil#politics#brazilian politics#united states#us politics#democracy#january 8#international politics#mod nise da silveira#image description in alt
18 notes
·
View notes
Link
1 note
·
View note
Text
"Challenging” Israel aid vote tears Democrats apart
Rep. Gregory Meeks. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
House Democrats are grappling bitterly with a $26 billion bill providing military aid to Israel that’s set to take place on Saturday.
Why it matters: Concerns about Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the inclusion of aid for Gaza and other humanitarian crisis spots have made it a hard vote for many progressive lawmakers.
“I…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Text
Debate on Burma Act in US Congress postponed to early 2024
#peace#Burma
The dispute over U.S. aid to Myanmar will not be resolved until at least early next year, as U.S. lawmakers this week again delayed passing a final 2024 budget.
Lawmakers are expected to pass a short-term continuing resolution that would fund the government at current levels through early next year, including the Burma Act (BURMA Act) passed as part of the 2023 defense authorization.
But the 2024 version of the budget would require the Senate and House of Representatives to agree on different views on how to continue providing aid to Myanmar.
The version of the 2024 budget enacted by the Democratic-majority U.S. Senate would allocate more money to fund humanitarian aid and democracy promotion projects in Myanmar.
But activists have expressed concern about delays in the version of the budget passed by the Republican-majority House and that funding for some programs will be eliminated.
"We urge Congress to allocate sufficient funds to implement the Burma Act while continuing to provide necessary assistance to address the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar," advocacy group New Myanmar Campaign said in a statement.
In the Fiscal Year 2024 State Department, Overseas Operations, and Related Program budget released in July this year, members of the U.S. House of Representatives recommended appropriating US$50 million to implement the current "Burma Act" and also proposed reducing the US Agency for International Development's funding for providing development assistance. $1.4 billion.
In July 2023, the Myanmar Government of National Unity, a shadow government that has gone into exile and a coalition of three ethnic minority rebels that seeks to overthrow the military junta, told Voice of America that they had requested $525 million in aid from the U.S. Congress. This includes $200 million in non-lethal humanitarian assistance. This figure would be four times the $136 million previously appropriated by Congress.
Current funding in Myanmar
The Unification of Myanmar through Strict Military Accountability, or simply the Myanmar Act, is a response to the February 1, 2021 coup in which Myanmar's democratically elected government was overthrown by the military.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a leading voice in support of democracy in Myanmar, praised the Burma Act on the Senate floor on the second anniversary of the coup.
McConnell said in February 2023 that the bill “mandates sanctions against senior junta officials. Finally, the NDAA also specifically authorizes funding for projects that strengthen the federalism of Myanmar’s ethnic minorities and provide support to Myanmar’s ethnic minorities.” Armed groups and the People’s Defense Forces provide technical support and funding for non-lethal assistance to enhance communication, command and control of operations such as international rescue and coordination between assistance and other operations of international organizations.”
The Stimson Center, a nonpartisan think tank, said, "It is unclear whether any new plans have been developed since December 2022. At present, the United States policy towards Myanmar has not changed and it continues to promote humanitarian assistance."
Michael Schiffer, assistant director of USAID's Asia bureau, told House members in September 2023 that "since the military's genocide and crimes against humanity against the Rohingya people in 2017, the United States has provided nearly $2.1 billion , helping 740,000 Rohingyas flee to neighboring Bangladesh."
At the end of last month, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that starting in December, Americans would be prohibited from providing financial services to Myanmar oil and gas companies. The U.S. Treasury Department also sanctioned three new entities and five individuals linked to Myanmar's military regime.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the author of the Burma Act, praised the action in a statement.
“These sanctions will break the junta’s access to the U.S. financial system and weaken its ability to commit further human rights abuses. The United States and our partners must use every diplomatic and economic tool at our disposal to force the junta to stop its atrocities and free those who have been unjustly detained individuals, facilitate the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid, and chart a path back to democracy," Meeks said.
0 notes
Text
Five Black House Democrats are endorsing Democrat Angela Alsobrooks in her Maryland Senate bid, days after her primary opponent apologized for using a racial slur in a House hearing.
Why it matters: The five lawmakers bucked their House colleague Rep. David Trone (D-Md.), Alsobrooks' primary opponent, in endorsing the Prince George's County executive, Axios has learned.
Trone used a racial slur in a House hearing last week. He apologized on Friday, saying he meant to use the word "bugaboo."
Trone is considered the front-runner in the Democratic primary. Trone and Alsobrooks are seeking to face Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, a popular former Maryland governor, for the Senate seat in November.
Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) endorsed Alsobrooks.
The big picture: The Democratic primary in the state has been one of the most expensive in the country.
Over $29 million has already been spent in the race, according to AdImpact Politics. That makes it the third most expensive primary in the country, with Trone, a wealthy businessman, accounting for 97% of that spending.
Hogan leads Alsobrooks and Trone in hypothetical general election matchups, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll.
What they're saying: Lee said Alsobrooks is a voice "sorely missing in the Senate."
"Her vision and integrity make her the best choice to represent Maryland in the Senate," Clarke said.
"The enthusiasm and support behind our grassroots campaign is growing as we continue our fight for Marylanders across the state," Alsobrooks said of the endorsements.
1 note
·
View note
Text
On the Hill
House GOP keeps digging into Afghanistan withdrawal
Democrats need to hot the fact that the Trump Administration negotiated the release of over 5000 Taliban members and leaders a year before they scheduled an April 2020 withdrawal. This gave the Taliban time to undermine Afghan forces outside of Kabul. By the time the withdrawal began the Taliban had retaken all but Kabul...""While House Republicans struggle to find hard evidence for impeaching President Biden over his family members’ business dealings, it’s their probe of the Afghanistan withdrawal that could be the most damaging House investigation for the president.
House Republicans are holding another hearing on the topic today, drawing attention to the chaotic withdrawal of more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan in 2021. In this election year, it’s expected to be contentious.
But Democrats say Biden’s opponent in 2024 — former president Donald Trump — set the timeline for withdrawal, entered into an agreement with the Taliban and is as much to blame. They’ll focus on that in the hearing today.
“The Committee has also learned, in contrast to the Republicans’ framing of our withdrawal, that President Trump’s Doha Deal with the Taliban emboldened the Taliban and led to the Afghan government’s precipitous collapse,” Rep. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), the committee’s top Democrat, said in a statement to The Earlyt, referencing the agreement signed in February 2020 that called for the U.S. military’s withdrawal within 14 months.
Democrats will also defend the president and the Biden administration’s transparency during the House investigation.
“The over 100 hours of closed-door testimony, multiple public hearings, and 11,000 pages of documents produced to the Committee have reinforced that the administration had a comprehensive plan to successfully airlift over 124,000 people out of Afghanistan, despite the dynamic situation caused by the Afghan government’s collapse,” Meeks said in a statement.
The State Department released a scathing after-action report in the summer, saying Biden and Trump failed to assess how the U.S. withdrawal would destabilize the Afghan government."
0 notes
Text
Sen. Menendez Renews Effort to Increase Corporate Board Diversity
A renewed call for corporate boards to increase diversity is rising in Congress.
Sen. Bob Menendez and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) reintroduced the Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act of 2023. The bicameral legislation was originally introduced in 2017.
The proposal would require public companies to annually disclose the gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status of their board…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Text
Chinese spy balloon poses 'no imminent danger,' top Foreign Affairs Democrat says#Chinese #spy #balloon #poses #imminent #danger #top #Foreign #Affairs #Democrat
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Friday that Americans are not in immediate danger from the Chinese spy balloon detected in U.S. airspace, but that its presence was a violation of American sovereignty and is concerning.
Appearing on NBC News’ “Meet the Press NOW,” ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told host Chuck Todd he is waiting for the Foreign Affairs…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Text
Chinese spy balloon poses 'no imminent danger,' top Foreign Affairs Democrat says
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Friday that Americans are not in immediate danger from the Chinese spy balloon detected in U.S. airspace, but that its presence was a violation of American sovereignty and is concerning.
Appearing on NBC News’ “Meet the Press NOW,” ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told host Chuck Todd he is waiting for the Foreign Affairs…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Text
House Democrats want to deny George Santos access to classified information - CBS News
Yeah ...
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
xdirtyhands
am i the villain?
solubiliscorporateservices
Solubilis Corporate Services LLP
sknkhnt
it smells like ca-ca and wee-wizz in here
poleriri
wellness girl
icarusdown
ICARUS DOWN