Latest news with #DemocraticSenators
Reuters
3 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US senators propose sweeping FAA air safety reforms after fatal collision
WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - A group of seven Democratic senators on Thursday introduced sweeping air safety legislation after a fatal collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab regional jet in January near Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people. Lawmakers have questioned why the Federal Aviation Administration failed to act for years to address close calls involving helicopters near Reagan. The legislation would require a review of helicopter and passenger operations at major airports, mandate new FAA safety reviews after fatal passenger airline accidents and require the use of use ADS-B, an advanced aircraft-tracking technology.
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Democratic Senators Want Bondi to Explain Crime Unit's Closure
A group of Democratic senators asked US Attorney General Pam Bondi to explain the Trump administration's plans to dissolve a unit within the Department of Justice that combats transnational organized crime networks and drug cartels. Last month, Bloomberg News first reported that the DOJ abruptly decided to close down the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, known as OCDETF, by 'zeroing out' its fiscal year 2026 budget. A reason wasn't specified and it was unclear who made the decision.
Washington Post
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Some of Trump's loyalty-first picks for prosecutors draw opposition from senators who can block them
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's early selections for U.S. attorneys have drawn strong pushback from Democratic senators who have considerable power to block them, setting up another fight over personnel picks from a president who places a premium on loyalty as he staffs his administration. His choices for the top prosecutors in Nevada, New York and New Jersey are opposed by Democratic senators, and at stake is the Republican president's ability to have the team he wants for positions with enormous sway over which cases and crimes are investigated and what penalties the government seeks.
Gizmodo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
‘Textbook Case of Corruption': Democratic Senators Call for Ethics Investigation Into Starlink's Recent Trade Deals
In an open letter, the senators expressed concerns that the Trump administration may be offering countries tariff relief if they do business with Elon Musk. Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet constellation that is run through SpaceX, has caught legislators' attention. Democratic Senators this week called for an investigation into whether the Trump administration is using trade negotiations to benefit Musk. In a letter addressed to federal officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics Jamieson Greer, a group of Democratic Senators wrote, 'Musk may be using his official role and his proximity to the President as leverage for his own personal and financial benefit — even if it comes at the expensive of American consumers and the nation's foreign policy interests.' The letter comes shortly after Musk accompanied Trump to Saudi Arabia on the president's first overseas trip of his second term and announced Starlink's approval in Saudi Arabia while the White House shared its newest defense and trade agreements. The senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), noted that Starlink has an 'aggressive goal' of gaining a million new customers each year. However, Starlink has 'struggled to secure agreements to operate in certain emerging markets' and its growth seemed slow last year. But then things shifted. 'Since President Trump took office, and Musk became a top Trump advisor, Starlink has seen a rush of new countries permitting the company to enter their markets,' the senators wrote. For example, Lesotho awarded Musk its first-ever satellite internet service license shortly after Trump hit the country with high tariffs. Senators also highlighted recent deals with other countries 'seeking a reprieve from the threat of the Trump administration's unpredictable tariffs,' including India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The letter specifically mentions two articles from the Washington Post. First, an op-ed detailing that a Bangladeshi official met with Musk at the White House in February immediately after a trade meeting. There, Musk implied that the country 'would not be able to get favorable trade terms' without granting Starlink access into Bangladesh. And then, a report in which the Post detailed how internal documents it obtained show that officials 'have pushed nations to clear hurdles for U.S. satellite companies, often mentioning Starlink by name.' Although nothing shows the Trump administration 'explicitly demand[ing] favors for Starlink in exchange for lower tariffs,' the Post reported that the State Department told officials to push for regulatory approvals. 'Suggesting that a foreign government adopt Starlink in exchange for relief on tariffs appears to be a textbook case of corruption,' the senators said, while requesting an investigation into whether officials 'pursued a quid-pro-quo exchange of Starlink access for tariff favors in violation of federal ethic laws.' In addition, the senators wrote that the State Department's involvement raises additional concerns, including whether 'these officials may be subverting the public's interest in favor of Mr. Musk's personal financial interests as they negotiate new tariff agreements — and whether they have been directed by [Musk] or [Trump] to do so.' The Senators requested that the State Department Inspector General investigate that matter.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Democratic senators ask Trump administration to rehire CDC IVF team
A group of more than a dozen Democratic senators is asking the Trump administration to rehire a team of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dedicated to conducting research on in vitro fertilization (IVF), which it disbanded in April. The Department of Government Efficiency's mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have gutted maternal and reproductive health programs. Last month, the HHS laid off 10,000 people, a move that included the CDC's six-person Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Surveillance team. CDC's ART Surveillance team has collected and analyzed information on nearly every IVF procedure performed in the U.S., including patient demographics and success rates, since the early 1990s. The team operated under a congressional mandate issued in 1992. Thirteen Democratic Senators sent a letter addressed to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday with a list of 11 questions regarding the firing of the ART Surveillance team. Senators asked when the department plans to reinstate the entirety of the ART team, how many of the team members were fired and how the agency plans to continue to monitor IVF data as mandated by federal law. Lawmakers stressed that the HHS's firing of the team will have 'devastating consequences' for people trying to become parents. 'Because IVF is a complicated and expensive process, the American people deserve access to the best information possible to inform their family building journey,' senators wrote in the letter. 'Your actions threaten hopeful parents and families' ability to access high-quality, safe and effective fertility care. The American people deserve assurances that their rights under the [Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act of 1992] will continue to be guaranteed, as Congress intended,' the letter continues. The thirteen Democratic Senators who signed the letter are: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Raphael Warnock (Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Jon Ossoff (Ga.). President Trump has pledged to support IVF in the past and even referred to himself as the 'fertilization president.' But the recent firings at the CDC, particularly to the ART Surveillance team, have made lawmakers and health experts alike question the president's commitment to making the procedure more affordable for and accessible to Americans. 'Unfortunately, hollowing out National Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Surveillance System capabilities and capacity is consistent with Donald Trump's deceitful and disingenuous rhetoric on IVF,' the letter from the senators reads. HHS spokesperson Emily Hillard told The Hill that maternal health remains 'a top priority' for the administration. 'As part of HHS' efforts to streamline operation, these programs will continue under the Administration for a Healthy America,' she added. Updated at 3:43 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
