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☆ Medicare funding shortfall may be 'life and death' for millions of Americans, lawmaker says. Here's why taxes are a sticking point
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Retirees who rely on Medicare for health-care coverage may see those benefits diminish in as soon as eight years. The program's hospital insurance trust fund, which pays for Medicare Part A benefits including inpatient hospital care, may only pay 100% of benefits through 2031, according to projections from Medicare's trustees. When it comes to repairing the programs' funds, Congressional lawmakers generally have two choices: raise taxes, cut benefits or a combination of both. "It's simple arithmetic: raise revenue or cut benefits," Whitehouse said of preserving Medicare. "If we abide by what seemed like a bipartisan commitment not to cut benefits," said Whitehouse, referring the State of the Union earlier this year, "we must safeguard Medicare by raising revenue."

Persons: Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Whitehouse, Joe Biden Organizations: Medicare, Finance, Social Security, Security

☆ Republicans sure don't sound like they're about to block Democrats from filling Dianne Feinstein's Judiciary Committee seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dianne Feinstein's seat on the Judiciary committee is now empty in the wake of her death. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the wake of Sen. Dianne Feinstein's death, questions are swirling over how the California Democrat's now-empty seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee will be filled. In order to change the membership of any Senate committee, the chamber has to pass a resolution to make that change official. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer can do so via a simple voice vote if no Republicans object to the change. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio said it was up to Republicans on the Judiciary Committee and that he would "probably support" whatever decision they made.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein's, —, Sen, Joe Biden's, Josh Hawley, Chuck Schumer, Republican Sen, Ron Johnson, Johnson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Mike Braun, JD Vance, Ohio, Todd Young, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Paul, Ben Cardin, Bob Menendez, Feinstein, Mitch McConnell, Sheldon Whitehouse, Whitehouse, Hawley, I'm, She's Organizations: Service, Republicans, Democratic, GOP, Republican, Indiana, Committee, Senate Foreign Relations, Bob Menendez of New, Judiciary, Twitter, Democrats Locations: California, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Rhode

☆ US senators pressure Treasury to get more aggressive on climate crisis risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the U.S. Treasury building in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2023.? REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and four other U.S. senators are pressuring the U.S. Treasury Department to step up oversight and offer more guidance to financial institutions on addressing climate change risks threatening the U.S. financial system. The senators called on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and newly appointed climate counselor Ethan Zindler, a climate and clean energy research executive, to do more to protect the U.S. economy from what Yellen has described as the "existential threat" posed by climate change. The senators said they were particularly concerned about nonbank financial institutions, which also played a critical role in the 2008 global financial crisis, and said the FSOC should finalize and immediately implement a new analytic risk framework for climate-related financial risks. They also repeated earlier calls for stronger Internal Revenue Service enforcement of rules on political activity by nonprofit organizations, citing efforts by special interests to fuel climate change denial, and investigations into how such funding could be obstructing more action on the climate crisis.

Persons: Kevin Lamarque, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Warren, Martin Heinrich, Edward Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeffrey Merkley, Sanders, Janet Yellen, Ethan Zindler, Yellen, Andrea Shalal, Deepa Babington Organizations: Department of, U.S . Treasury, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Treasury Department, Treasury, Democratic, Reuters, Internal Revenue Service, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S

☆ House Judiciary Committee threatens to subpoena FBI over Charles McGonigal documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

House Judiciary is demanding that the FBI turn over internal records about ex-agent Charles McGonigal. The FBI ignored a letter from the committee sent in February, a committee spokesperson told Insider. Jordan first demanded that the FBI turn over McGonigal-related documents in February, a few days after he was indicted in New York and Washington. The bureau never responded beyond acknowledging receipt of the letter, a spokesperson for the committee told Insider. In a video interview, Buma told Insider that Jordan's committee is cherry-picking its witnesses, a charge that a spokesperson for Jordan has denied.

Persons: Charles McGonigal, McGonigal, Jim Jordan, Christopher Wray, Jordan, McGonigal's, Sheldon Whitehouse, Hillary Clinton, Trump, Johnathan Buma, Buma, Wray Organizations: FBI, Service, Justice Department, Bureau, New, Republicans, Veritas Locations: York, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Ohio, New York, Washington, Russia, New York City

☆ Analysis: Here’s why many Black people despise Clarence Thomas. (It’s not because he’s a conservative.)
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

CNN —Long before he became a Supreme Court justice, Clarence Thomas told a story at a public gathering that still sounds shocking years later. Justice Clarence Thomas jokes with his clerks in his chambers at the Supreme Court building in Washington in 2016. AP“His entire judicial philosophy is at war with his own biography,” Michael Fletcher, co-author of “Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas,”. “He’s arguably benefited from affirmative action every step of the way.”Thomas has admitted that he was accepted at Yale Law School under an affirmative action policy. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas looks at the displays inside the Pin Point Heritage Museum.

Persons: CNN — Long, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Ronald Reagan, ” Thomas, Diana Walker, Thomas ’, Emma Mae Martin, he’s, Harlan Crow, Crow, ”, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chip Somodevilla, “ fawning, Reagan, John L, Nikki Merritt, Merritt, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Roe, Wade, ” Sen, Alyssa Pointer, Anita Hill’s, Uncle Tom, Thomas “, Juan Williams, “, Armstrong Williams, ” Williams, Amul Thapar, Jonathan Ernst, ” Thomas ’, Thomas doesn’t, they’ve, Thurgood Marshall, ” Michael Fletcher, “ He’s, I’d, Critics, White, Malcolm X, Richard Burkhard, you’ve, pounced, “ Clarence Thomas, Black, ” Tori Otten, ” Otten, ” Juan Williams, Virginia “ Ginni ” Thomas, Trump’s, John Duricka, Williams, — Trump, Booker T, Washington, Marcus Garvey, Obama, ” “ We’ve, –, “ It’s, “ Thomas, Steven Ferdman, Jim Crow, Frederick Douglass, ” Clarence Thomas, nodded, ” Merritt Organizations: CNN, White House, Commission, Texas Republican, Republican, National Bar Association, Democrat, Georgia Senate, Georgia State Capitol, NAACP, Supreme, National Museum of, Thomas Others, Reuters, Yale Law School, Catholic, College of, Cross, AP, Yale, Heritage Museum, Savannah Morning, USA, The, New, Morehouse College, Fox News Channel Studios, Reagan Administration, Bettmann Locations: Storm, Texas, New York, Washington, Memphis, Georgia, handouts, Atlanta, American, America, Cincinnati, Pin, Savannah , Georgia, New Republic, Wisconsin, Arizona, Virginia, Black, China, India, Brazil, New York City

☆ I watched the newly-public security camera footage from January 6. I saw things I hadn't seen before — including eerie scenes of lawmakers fleeing for their safety on one of the darkest days in Americ
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

House Republicans have begun to make January 6 security camera footage publicly available. I watched as lawmakers fled for safety — and banded together — while rioters besieged the Capitol. AdvertisementAdvertisementRoger Stone in front of the O’Neill House Office Building, where the January 6 security camera footage can be viewed, in December 2021. Upstairs, I focused on a lone security camera in front of the House chamber. On another security camera in Longworth House Office Building, I watched lawmakers of both parties gathering near the secure location where they sheltered for the duration of the riot.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Tucker Carlson, Roger Stone, Anna Moneymaker, I'd, —, Cori Bush, Bush, Steny Hoyer —, Madison Cawthorn, Eric Swalwell, Mike Pence —, Pence, Republican Sen, John Boozman, Democratic Sen, Dianne Feinstein, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Kevin Cramer, Sen, Jim Inhofe, Sheldon Whitehouse, Ashli Babbitt, there's, Barry Loudermilk Organizations: Republicans, Capitol, Service, House Republicans, Fox News, Administration, O'Neill, US Capitol Police, United States Capitol Police, Cannon House, Democratic, Rayburn House, Lawmakers, Republican, Democrat, Capitol Police, Republican Rep Locations: Wall, Silicon, O’Neill, Hart, Hart , Alaska Sens

The decision by EPA Administrator Michael Regan means that one of the agency's most important air quality regulations will not be updated until well after the 2024 presidential election. Political Cartoons View All 1145 ImagesThe delay marks the second time in 12 years that a Democratic administration has put off a new ozone standard prior to an election year. Former President Barack Obama shut down plans to tighten ozone standards in 2011, leading to four-year delay before the standards were updated in 2015. "Unfortunately we’ve seen the process for updating the ozone standards repeatedly swept up in political games that risk lives,'' the lawmakers said in an Aug. 7 letter to EPA. Lianne Sheppard, a University of Washington biostatistics professor who chairs the scientific advisory panel, said Regan's decision was “his alone” to make.

Persons: Michael Regan, “, Regan, ”, Barack Obama, Paul Billings, Raul Garcia, ” Garcia, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, we’ve, Conor Bernstein, EPA’s, Donald Trump, Bernstein, Andrea Woods, —, Lianne Sheppard, Richard Moore, Peggy Shepard, Moore, Sheppard, Tomas Carbonell, Carbonell Organizations: WASHINGTON, Environmental Protection Agency, Republicans, Democratic, American Lung Association, National Mining Association, American Petroleum Institute, Scientific Advisory, White, Environmental, EPA, University of Washington, E, White House, Los Jardines Institute, WE ACT, Environmental Justice, Air Locations: Billings, Albuquerque , New Mexico, New York City

CNN —Justice Clarence Thomas disclosed Thursday that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow paid for private jet trips for Thomas in 2022 to attend a speech in Texas and a vacation at Crow’s luxurious New York estate, as ethics questions continue to rock the Supreme Court. Thomas made the disclosures after receiving an extension to file the yearly reports that were originally due in May 2023. In a statement after the ProPublica report, Thomas acknowledged the friendship but stressed that Crow did not have business before the court. In addition, he said that he should have disclosed a 2014 private real estate deal between Crow, Thomas and members of Thomas’ family. According to the disclosure, Thomas flew down to be the keynote speaker of the event in February, but returned via private jet “due to an unexpected ice storm.”The talk was rescheduled in May and Thomas rode round trip on Crow’s plane.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Dobbs, Roe, Wade, “, Crow, Samuel Alito, ProPublica, Thomas ’, ” Thomas, Virginia Thomas, Leola Williams, Williams, VII, –, Elliot S, Berke, Thomas “, ”, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chip Somodevilla, Elena Kagan, Alito, ” Alito, Gabe Roth, he’s, ” Roth, Rome Alito, Duke Organizations: CNN, Republican, Judicial Conference, Old Parkland Conference, Hoover Institution, Manhattan Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Black Americans, Crow Holdings, Democrats, Supreme, Capitol, Rhode Island, Wall Street, Notre Dame, School’s, Liberty Initiative, Religious Liberty Summit, Regent University School of Law, Duke Law School Locations: Texas, New York, Georgia, Savannah , Georgia, Washington ,, Rome

☆ Opinion | Samuel Alito Has a Favorite Branch of Government
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The necessary and proper clause gives Congress broad authority to decide on what it needs to carry out its enumerated powers. “Congress has duties to perform and powers to execute,” Chief Justice John Marshall wrote in his opinion for the court in McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819. As far as the Constitution is concerned, Congress cannot only shape that jurisdiction (“with such Exceptions”) but also set the terms by which the court exercises its appellate authority (“under such Regulations”). Congress could, to use one example, require justices to recuse themselves in any appellate proceeding in which they have a conflict of interest. As it stands, however, the kinds of ethics rules that are on the table — or should be — fall squarely within congressional authority to shape, regulate and even discipline the Supreme Court.

Persons: John Marshall, Sheldon Whitehouse Organizations: McCulloch, . Maryland, Party, Constitution, Supreme Locations: ., Rhode

☆ Alito says Congress lacks authority to regulate US Supreme Court, Wall Street Journal reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said that Congress lacks the power to regulate the court, in an interview published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday a week after Senate Democrats advanced a bill to impose an ethics code. The Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee last week approved the bill, which would mandate a binding code for the court following revelations that some justices - including Alito - had failed to disclose luxury trips funded by wealthy benefactors. "I know this is a controversial view, but I'm willing to say it," Alito said in the interview published in the Journal's opinion section. "No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period." That bill, which cleared the committee on an 11-10 party-line vote, is unlikely to gain the Republican support needed to pass Congress.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Alito, John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas, preemptively, ProPublica, Thomas, Harlan Crow, Sheldon Whitehouse, John Kruzel, Andrew Chung, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell Organizations: Conservative U.S, Supreme, Wall, Democrats, Democratic, Republicans, Republican, Thomson Locations: Alaska

☆ Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito gives a middle finger to Congress: 'No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Madison Hall | Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke to The Wall Street Journal about congressional oversight. "No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court," he said. "Congress did not create the Supreme Court," Alito said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period." "Dear Justice Alito: You're on the Supreme Court in part because Congress expanded the Court to 9 Justices," Lieu tweeted.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Alito, Ted Lieu, Lieu, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, David B, Rivkin, Moore, SCOTUS, Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, Crow, gifting, Thomas, Thomas —, —, ProPublica, Paul Singer Organizations: Wall Street, Service, Democratic, Twitter, GOP, Dallas Morning News, Democrats Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ The Sheldon Whitehouse Ethics Mirror
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-democrats-supreme-court-ethics-bill-markup-judiciary-committee-sheldon-whitehouse-sandra-whitehouse-clarence-thomas-5eb17abf

Persons: Dow Jones, whitehouse, thomas, 5eb17abf Organizations: sheldon, clarence

☆ Senate panel set to vote on US Supreme Court ethics reform
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - A Senate panel on Thursday was set to debate and vote on Democratic-backed legislation that would mandate a binding ethics code for the U.S. Supreme Court following revelations that some conservative justices have failed to disclose luxury trips and real estate transactions. It would require the justices to adopt a code of conduct as well as create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations. Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court's nine life-tenured justices have no binding ethics code of conduct. The legislation would face long odds to win passage on the Senate floor, where it would need some Republican support to advance. Democratic senators have said these reports show that the court cannot be trusted to police itself.

Persons: Sheldon Whitehouse, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, John Kruzel, Will Dunham Organizations: Democratic, U.S, Republican, Representatives, Dallas, Politico, Thomson Locations: Alaska, Colorado

☆ US Senate Democrats pursue Supreme Court ethics legislation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court's nine life-tenured justices have no binding ethics code of conduct. "The Supreme Court does a good job of that on their own," Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Reuters, referring to ethics rules. Senator John Kennedy, another Republican panel member, questioned whether lawmakers possess the power to impose ethics standards on the court. The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Supreme Court ethics concerns in May, but conservative Chief Justice John Roberts rebuffed Durbin's invitation to testify, citing "the importance of preserving judicial independence." That code, binding to lower federal court judges but not the justices, requires judges to avoid even the "appearance of impropriety."

Persons: Sheldon Whitehouse, Whitehouse, Dick Durbin, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Mike Lee of, John Kennedy, I'm, Kennedy, John Roberts, Roberts, they're, John Kruzel, Will Dunham Organizations: Democrats, U.S, Democratic, Republican, Representatives, Dallas, Politico, Reuters, Republicans, Thomson Locations: Alaska, Colorado, Mike Lee of Utah

☆ Democrats to Press Supreme Court Ethics Rules Over G.O.P. Opposition
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Carl Hulse | More About Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Senate Democrats plan to push ahead this week with legislation imposing new ethics rules on the Supreme Court in the wake of disclosures about the justices’ travel and outside activities, despite blanket opposition by Republicans who claim the effort is intended to undermine the high court. The Judiciary Committee is scheduled on Thursday to consider legislation by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, that would require the Supreme Court to establish a new code of conduct for justices, set firmer ground rules for recusal from cases, create a new investigatory board and promote transparency about ties with those before the court. Senate Republicans have made it clear they won’t support the legislation, and it has no chance in the G.O.P.-controlled House. “You have to start somewhere,” said Mr. Whitehouse. He added, “The more information that comes out about the mischief going on at the Supreme Court, the more inevitable it becomes that they come around to agreeing we have to do something.

Persons: Sheldon Whitehouse, Whitehouse, ”, We’re Organizations: Republicans, Democrat, Supreme Locations: Rhode Island

☆ Google and Meta got customer data from tax prep firms, and lawmakers want a probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A group of lawmakers led by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren are calling on the Biden administration to investigate how tax prep software companies may have illegally shared customer data with tech platforms Google and Meta . Some statements the tax prep companies provided to the publications at the time seemed to indicate the data sharing was done accidentally. Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to detect." Among their findings released Wednesday, the lawmakers said that millions of taxpayers' information had been shared with Big Tech firms through the tax prep software and that both the tax prep companies and tech firms were "reckless" in how they handled sensitive information. Although Meta and Google both said they have filters to catch sensitive data that's inadvertently collected, they seemed to be "ineffective," the lawmakers wrote.

Persons: Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democratic Sen, Biden, General Merrick Garland, Lina Khan, Daniel Werfel, J, Russell George, TaxAct, Block, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Conn, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse, Katie Porter, Warren, Meta Organizations: Capitol, Massachusetts Democratic, Google, Federal Trade, Tax, Facebook, Meta, CNBC, Big Tech, YouTube, Apple Locations: Washington ,, Sens, D

☆ Tax prep companies shared private taxpayer data with Google and Meta for years, congressional probe finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Some of the tax-prep companies still do not know whether the data they shared continues to be held by the tech platforms, the report said. The Warren aide told CNN it was unclear whether Meta knew it was inappropriately using taxpayer data at the time. The investigation found that all three tax-prep companies had discontinued their use of Meta’s pixel after The Markup’s report last November. “The scope of ‘taxpayer information’ is broad by design,” Rosenthal said, adding that tax-prep companies can be sued for “knowingly” or “recklessly” leaking that information. Depending on the strength of the allegations, the tax-prep companies could quickly be forced into a binding settlement, said a former FTC official who requested anonymity in order to speak more freely.

Persons: “, ”, David Vladeck, Vladeck, Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Meta, Warren, ‘, Sens, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Sheldon Whitehouse, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Katie Porter, TIGTA didn’t, Block, TaxSlayer didn’t, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, TurboTax, Steven Rosenthal, ” Rosenthal Organizations: CNN, Meta, Google, Georgetown University, Federal Trade Commission, Democratic, FTC, Internal Revenue Service, Justice Department, Tax Administration, Intuit, IRS, Urban, Brookings Tax Locations: United States, Google’s

☆ Republicans could filibuster the replacement of Dianne Feinstein, but it's unclear if they actually would: 'We couldn't do that'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

They argue that Republicans could filibuster the appointment of a new senator to the Judiciary Committee. "We couldn't do that," said Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chaired the committee from 2015 to 2019. "I don't know why that would be a problem," said Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, another member of the committee. With Feinstein absent, the Judiciary Committee could not quickly approve and send to the floor a slate of nominees that lacked GOP support. Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida expressed amazement that replacing Feinstein's seat could be subject to the Senate's 60-vote filibuster.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein, —, Sen, Dianne Feinstein's, Joe Biden's, Biden, Republican Sen, Chuck Grassley, Josh Hawley, Democratic Sen, Ben Cardin, Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, Lindsey Graham of, Graham —, Committee —, Mitch McConnell, Rick Scott, Anna Moneymaker, Barack Obama's, Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump's, Sheldon Whitehouse, Barbara Boxer, Cardin, Schumer, Ted Cruz, Cruz, McConnell, Graham, Scott, Schumer didn't Organizations: Committee, Service, Democratic, GOP, Republican, Republicans, CNN, Judiciary, California —, New York Times, Times Locations: Iowa, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ben Cardin of Maryland, California, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Washington, Florida, Rhode, Ted Cruz of Texas

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress introduced legislation on Thursday that would make it easier for Ukraine to fund its fight against Russian invaders by using seized and frozen Russian assets. The U.S. Congress has approved more than $100 billion in military, humanitarian and economic aid for Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. It also would bar the release of funds to sanctioned Russian entities until Russia withdraws from Ukraine and agrees to provide compensation for harm caused by the war. The bill's other Republican sponsors include Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Representatives Joe Wilson, Thomas Kean and Brian Fitzpatrick. Democratic sponsors include Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Marcy Kaptur, a co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, as well as Representatives Steve Cohen and Mike Quigley.

Persons: Jim Risch, Michael McCaul, Joe Wilson, Thomas Kean, Brian Fitzpatrick, Sheldon Whitehouse, Marcy Kaptur, Steve Cohen, Mike Quigley, Patricia Zengerle, William Maclean Organizations: Republican, Democratic, U.S . Congress, U.S, Congress, Moscow, Senate Foreign Relations, Opportunity, House Foreign Affairs, Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, United States

☆ New bipartisan bill in Senate could address TikTok security concerns without a ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Much of the existing legislation addressing TikTok at the federal and state level has focused on bans of the app. Wednesday’s legislation, known as the Protecting Americans’ Data From Foreign Surveillance Act, does not identify TikTok by name. TikTok has faced criticism from US officials who say the company’s links to China pose a national security risk. Congress has made several attempts in recent months to address data transfers to foreign adversaries. In February, House lawmakers advanced a bill that would all but require the Biden administration to ban TikTok over national security concerns about the app.

Persons: Oregon Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, Wyoming Republican Sen, Cynthia Lummis, —, ” Wyden, Wyden, TikTok, ByteDance, Biden, Justin Sherman, ” Sherman, Rhode Island Democratic Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Sheldon Whitehouse , Tennessee Republican Sen, Bill Hagerty, New Mexico Democratic Sen, Martin Heinrich, Florida Republican Sen, Marco Rubio, Warren Davidson, Anna Eshoo Organizations: CNN, Oregon Democratic, Wyoming Republican, ByteDance, Commerce Department, Oracle, Texas, Commerce, Duke University’s Sanford School of Public, Rhode, Rhode Island Democratic, Sheldon Whitehouse , Tennessee Republican, New Mexico Democratic, Florida Republican, Ohio Republican, California Democratic Locations: China, United States, Russia, Rhode Island, Sheldon Whitehouse , Tennessee, New Mexico, Florida

☆ Opinion | If the Supreme Court Won’t Fix Its Ethics Mess, Congress Should
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Erwin Chemerinsky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Last month, when the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on whether to impose an ethics code on the court, some of the Republican senators on the committee decried the effort as political. Liberals and conservatives should want a Supreme Court that is above reproach. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Richard Blumenthal, along with other Democrats, have introduced the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act. Among other things, it would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct within 180 days of the bill’s enactment. It also would create a transparent process for the public to submit ethics complaints against justices, to be reviewed by a random panel of chief judges.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Elena Kagan, Antonin Scalia, Neil Gorsuch, Sheldon Whitehouse, Richard Blumenthal Organizations: Bloomberg Law, Republican

The Democratic-led Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the subject in May. Crow, a major Republican donor, last month, rejected the panel's request for a meeting. Separately, Bopp declined to provide another Democratic-led Senate panel, the Finance Committee, any personal financial information about Crow, it said. In a statement, the panel accused Crow of "stonewalling" and "doubling down on bogus legal theories." The news outlet ProPublica has detailed the ties between Thomas and Crow.

Persons: Harlan Crow's, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Crow, Crow's, Michael Bopp, Dick Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, Bopp, Ron Wyden, Neil Gorsuch, Susan Heavey, Kanishka Singh, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Republican, Democratic, Finance Committee, Finance, Politico, Thomson Locations: Texas, Colorado

☆ The White House does not 'have a plan B' if lawmakers fail to raise the debt ceiling — and Biden will not solve the crisis without Congress, the Deputy Treasury Secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The White House doesn't have a backup plan if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said. He added that Biden will not consider using the 14th Amendment to address the crisis. Still, Democrats want Biden to prepare to go that route with a default possible in as soon as six days. "The 14th Amendment can't solve our challenges," Adeyemo said on CNN on Friday morning. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently told Politico that the 14th Amendment is an option where "the president should absolutely have this on the table."

☆ Why some Democrats think Biden shouldn't worry about legal challenges that would come from getting rid of the debt ceiling forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A US default could be days away, and Congress still doesn't have a debt ceiling deal. Some Democrats think Biden should use the 14th Amendment to address the crisis. On Monday evening, McCarthy and Biden met once again to attempt to reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling and avoiding an unprecedented default. Experts and lawmakers have said that this clause makes a default, and therefore the debt ceiling, unconstitutional, getting rid of the issue forever. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesWhy Biden shouldn't worry about legal challengesNo president has ever invoked the 14th Amendment to address the debt ceiling.

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