Advocates express concern to lawmakers over proposed $1 billion cuts to DC budget
The GOP proposal would slash about $1 billion in funds from the District's local budget. Elected officials in D.C. said those cuts could include funding to first responders and public and charter schools.
Proposed federal bill would cut DC budget by roughly $1 billion, city officials say
At Monday's House Rules Committee hearing, several advocates with the newly-formed organization, Free DC, showed up to listen and speak with lawmakers. The group advocates for D.C.'s self-governance.
'We need to reveal to these lawmakers what it is they're doing and that there's a human face behind it,' Keya Chatterjee, Free DC's executive director, said.
The House Rules Committee voted down an amendment proposed by D.C.'s nonvoting Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton that would have added language to the CR that would allow D.C. to continue operating under its Congressionally-approved FY2025 local budget.
'What they're trying to say is that we can't spend our own money,' Chatterjee said. 'To have attacks on our schools, on our fire departments, it's very personal for all of us in D.C.'
Crews begin reconstructing Black Lives Matter Plaza
House Democrats on the Rules Committee echoed those arguments at Monday's hearing. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Ma.) said the bill 'kind of pulls the rug from under them,' referring to the District.
But Rep. Tom Cole (R-Ok.) said the changes were 'not substantive.'
D.C. budget officials said if the CR passes as currently written, that could mean an immediate hiring freeze followed by layoffs to core services.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Politico
29 minutes ago
- Politico
Hakeem Jeffries and the standoff in Illinois
Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. We woke up to a lovely Springfield sunrise. TOP TALKER SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — STANDOFF INTRIGUE: Texas House Democrats huddled for hours Tuesday in a Chicago-area hotel conference room, weighing their next move after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would end the controversial special legislative session on Friday — days earlier than its scheduled Aug. 19 adjournment. A new special session would be called 'immediately,' Abbott said in a statement. Democrats call it a win. 'We said we would defeat Abbott's first corrupt special session, and that's exactly what we're doing,' Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu said in a statement. The big question: Will the Texas Democrats return to Austin or remain in Illinois? Their hours-long, members-only discussions wrapped up late and without a plan, according to a person in the room. And CNN reports 'they are debating how much more they can accomplish by prolonging their self-imposed exile.' 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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Lake Placid Dem announces candidacy for 115th district assembly seat
LAKE PLACID — A second Democratic candidate has announced their candidacy for the upcoming 115th assembly district special election. Bridie Farrell of Lake Placid announced her decision to seek the Democratic nomination Tuesday. 'Our economy isn't made of statistics or data. Our economy is made up of people — all of our people,' Farrell said in a press release. 'We are individual people with different priorities and needs. However, in union there is strength. In teamwork there is strength. In hard work there is strength. and together we will continue working towards a better North Country. I am committed to listening to our communities and making a meaningful impact by approaching each issue with creativity, empathy, focus, and tenacity.' The 115th district assembly seat is being vacated by long-time Assemblyman Billy Jones, the lone North Country Democratic state lawmaker who recently announced his decision to resign from office at the end of August. CANDIDATES Since then, Farrell is one of two Democrats to announce their candidacy. Michael Cashman, supervisor for the town of Plattsburgh, shared his intention to campaign for the Democratic nomination last week. On the Republican side, Andrea Dumas, village of Malone mayor and Franklin County Legislator, has received several endorsements from high-ranking Republicans to run but has yet to announce her official candidacy. As previously reported by the Press-Republican, there is no petition process for this election, according to David Souliere, Clinton County Republican Commissioner. Instead, it's a County Committee Chair nomination between the three chairs — Franklin, Clinton and Essex — on the Democratic and Republican side. Any nomination meeting cannot officially occur until Jones' vacancy, which is Aug. 31. FARRELL BACKGROUND The 115th Assembly District includes all of Clinton and Franklin Counties and part of Essex County, where Farrell resides. Farrell previously ran for Congress in NY-21 in 2022 before stepping aside when redistricting 'drastically reshaped the district,' her news release said. Her campaign plans to build on that experience. 'Assemblyman Billy Jones served the district for nine years and we will build on his success. We will ensure every community in this district has a seat at the table,' Farrell said. 'The North Country deserves leadership that listens to our families, neighbors, and communities. We need someone who isn't afraid to fight for what is right and always puts our district first.' Farrell was on the U.S. Short Track Speed Skating National Team and held three American Records. She celebrated her 16th birthday at her first of four Olympic Trials in the 1980 Miracle on Ice arena in Lake Placid. Her educational path took her from BOCES vocational school, where she earned her CCNA certification, to Adirondack Community College, and to the land-grant College of Human Ecology at Cornell University, where she studied public policy and healthcare economics. Farrell, an advocate on behalf of crime victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation, said she was also instrumental in the passage of New York's Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act. 'DESERVES A CHAMPION' 'Our community deserves a champion in the Assembly and beyond,' Farrell said. 'Neighbors, small business owners, and folks from every corner of our district and across New York are showing up because they believe we can get things done together.' According to Farrell's news release, her approach is 'straightforward: listen to people, then bring their voices to the table where decisions are made.' Farrell was later successful advancing comparable bills in Arizona, New Jersey, California and beyond, closing critical loopholes and promoting rights for victims of crime and abuse. 'Her experience pushing major legislation across the finish line in Albany, and around the country, stands out as an invaluable qualification in her bid for the state legislature,' the news release stated. 'The implications of this year's special election in the 115th District will extend beyond the state legislature as the future of New York's 21st Congressional District remains uncertain.' GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN Farrell's first days as a candidate for Assembly have already brought in over $50,000 in grassroots contributions — a sign, she says, of the energy and commitment of the community. Farrell's campaign will be centered around increasing access to quality healthcare, affordable housing, and reliable broadband, strengthening support for farmers and agriculture, and bolstering the regional economy by creating jobs, supporting unions, and improving wages and benefits for workers. 'Successful fundraising is necessary for the way our current campaign system works,' Farrell said. 'More importantly, the enthusiasm of support by people across the district is energizing, and I'm ready to build on this momentum.' The date of the upcoming special election has not yet been announced, but is expected to coincide with the General Election on Nov. 4. A tour of the district and a series of kitchen table conversations with Farrell are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Gov. Tim Walz names 4 new University of Minnesota regents
Gov. Tim Walz named four new University of Minnesota regents on Tuesday. Why it matters: The 12-member board controls operations and budget for the five-campus system, deciding everything from who should fill the university's top job to tuition rates. Between the lines: This year's process gave the DFL governor unusual influence over the board after the narrowly divided Legislature deadlocked over how to fill a slate of expiring term vacancies for the first time since 2001. Zoom in: Walz said his picks for the four vacant seats, selected from a pool of about two dozen applicants, "bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives, united by a deep commitment to the University's mission." They are: Joel Bergstrom (member at-large): An attorney and non-profit leader whose résumé includes leadership roles at CohenTaylor Executive Search Services, Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery and the Minnesota Medical Foundation. Samuel Heins (member at-large): A human rights advocate and attorney who served as U.S. Ambassador to Norway under former President Obama and as a board member for ACLU of Minnesota and Planned Parenthood North Central States. Ellen Luger (5th Congressional District): A former philanthropy executive whom former President Biden tapped for a United Nations role focused on global food security and agricultural issues. Luger, who previously worked for The Minneapolis Foundation and General Mills, is married to former U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. Kowsar Mohamed (student at-large): A U doctoral student in Natural Resources Science and Management who works for the State of Minnesota's Office of Inclusion. Mohamed, a former project manager for the city of St. Paul's planning department, also taught at the U and served on the Regent Candidate Advisory Council. The big picture: The new members join the board at an especially challenging time for the U and higher education institutions more broadly. Like many of its peers, the U is navigating uncertainty and scrutiny over federal funding cuts, international student visas and a Trump administration probe into anti-semitism on campus. Plus: A bleak budget outlook, which officials say is exacerbated by inflation and state funding decisions, prompted the regents to approve spending cuts and the biggest tuition hike in 14 years at its flagship campus this year. The intrigue: Under the state constitution, the Legislature is supposed to select regents via a joint convention. The issue became a sticking point in the budget debate this spring, as Republicans accused Democrats of refusing to move forward amid an intra-caucus disagreement over which candidates to back. Legislative Democrats said at the time that they simply ran out of time. Friction point: Sen. Zach Duckworth, the GOP lead on the higher education committee, criticized the outcome as an abandonment of a "bipartisan, public and merit-based process … in favor of non-transparent and purely political appointments," noting that both Heins and Luger have donated to Walz's campaigns. Of note: Luger and Mohamed were also named finalists by a bipartisan advisory commission that vets and recommends candidates for the Legislature. What we're watching: The governor's picks will serve out six-year terms unless the Legislature holds a joint convention to replace them.
