Latest news with #Grothman
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Lawmakers Push for Osprey Safety Report to Be Added to Annual Defense Funding Bill
House lawmakers want a safety report about the V-22 Osprey to be included in the annual defense appropriations bill after several deadly crashes killed troops and raised questions about the aircraft's continued use by the military. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., wrote a letter to the leadership of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on Friday, asking for language to be added to the fiscal 2026 appropriations bill that would shed more light on historic mechanical failures with the aircraft. "These servicemembers are heroes, and their legacy should reflect their decorated careers, bravery and service to this nation," the letter says. "There is no question that our service members deserve better than to be protecting our country in an aircraft with known mechanical issues." Read Next: Pentagon Diverts $1 Billion from Army Barracks to Fund Border Mission Emmer and Grothman's letter follows a deadly Air Force Special Operations Command Osprey crash in November 2023 in Japan that killed eight airmen during a training mission. exclusively reported last year, after reviewing privileged safety information, that the crash was caused by issues in the tilt-rotor aircraft's gearbox -- specifically a fractured single high-speed planetary pinion gear. That internal Safety Investigation Board report detailed that other failures in the gearbox were first flagged back in 2013, a decade prior to the deadly crash, and concerns were raised at the Pentagon. Additionally, the company that made the part that failed has been plagued with a history of manufacturing issues. Emmer and Grothman's letter cited past reporting and specifically asks for language to be included that will examine past safety reports that probed failures, including that gear from the Japan crash. The letter asks the defense appropriator subcommittee to request "a report that includes the results of any safety investigation pertaining to any crash of the CV-22 Osprey since the introduction of the aircraft or other mishap involving the failure of the single high-speed planetary pinion gear." The language would require the defense secretary to submit the safety information within 30 days of the passage of the appropriations bill. Jason Gagnon, a spokesperson for Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., the chair of the defense appropriations subcommittee, said the congressman would be working with other lawmakers on Osprey safety. "Chairman Calvert looks forward to working with Majority Whip Emmer and other colleagues on this issue," Gagnon said in an emailed statement. "The safety of our service members remains one of the top priorities of the Defense Subcommittee." Notably, almost a year ago, Grothman led a House Committee on Oversight and Reform subcommittee hearing into the safety record of the V-22 Osprey. reported earlier this month that the investigation had stalled with the Republican-led committee, which angered Gold Star families who lost loved ones in the crash and are still hoping for answers. "I'm beyond disappointed, to say the least, that these oversight efforts seem to have stalled or disappeared," Amber Sax, the wife of John Sax, a Marine Corps pilot who died in a 2022 Osprey crash, told earlier this month. Grothman blamed the previous administration for a lack of transparency. He signed the letter alongside Emmer, calling for safety reports two weeks after reporting pointing out the lack of progress. Air Force Special Operations Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Rebecca Heyse told in an emailed statement that they "continue to welcome congressional interest and oversight" on the Osprey program. "We maintain close coordination with the V-22 Joint Program Office to ensure resourcing and funding are prioritized to maximize readiness and safety of the CV-22, like we do for all our aircraft," Heyse said. Related: Osprey Safety Investigation Stalls in Congress, Angering Gold Star Families
Newsweek
09-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Student Loans: Republicans Back Plan to Give Some Borrowers Extra Money
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Republican congressman is leading a new bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives that would give married student loan borrowers a larger tax deduction on their loans. Why It Matters More than 42 million Americans have student loan debt, which has been a sticking point between Democrats and Republicans in recent years. Former President Joe Biden tried to forgive student loan debt during his time in office, arguing that Americans seeking an education are unfairly punished with decades of debt if they do not come from wealthy families who can afford tuition, but those efforts faced myriad legal setbacks. Critics, on the other hand, have argued student loan forgiveness is unfair to those Americans who have already paid off their debt. The Student Loan Marriage Penalty Elimination Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by GOP Representative Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, could make it easier for some borrowers who are married to pay off that debt. What to Know Grothman's effort with the bill is joined by fellow Republicans, including Representatives Mary Miller of Illinois, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Rich McCormick of Georgia, David Rouzer of North Carolina and Michael Rulli of Ohio. Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene of Washington, Danny K. Davis of Illinois, John Larson of Connecticut and Kevin Mullin of California have also signed on in support. Currently, student loan borrowers are eligible for a $2,500 tax deduction; but married couples who file their taxes together may only take one deduction, even if both have student loans that would allow them to qualify for it. Students attend a commencement ceremony at Rutgers University on May 15, 2016 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Students attend a commencement ceremony at Rutgers University on May 15, 2016 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. EduardoThe bill would allow married couples filing a joint tax return to apply the deduction to each spouse, so they'll receive a $5,000 deduction in total, Grothman's office wrote in a statement. Proponents of the bill argue these couples are being financially disadvantaged under the current system. This would end an "unfair marriage penalty" in the tax code, the statement reads. It's unclear whether the bill will be brought to a vote, as House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has not weighed in on the legislation. Newsweek reached out to Johnson's office for comment via email. Meanwhile, the Department of Education (ED) is set to begin garnishing wages of those borrowers who are in default this summer as the Trump administration reverses on Biden's efforts to halt student loan collection. What People Are Saying Alan Collinge, founder of Student Loan Justice, told Newsweek: "This is frankly, re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic. The federal student loan program is now in catastrophic failure, where two-thirds of all borrowers cannot even make payments, and more than half are likely to default. Rep Grothman and the Republicans know full well that standard bankruptcy protections must be returned to these predatory loans, as they exist for all other loans in this country. There is nothing more important if this unconstitutional loan program is to avoid losing all its remaining legitimacy." Grothman said in a statement: "The federal government has a troubling record of polices that discourage marriage, and the student loan interest deduction is no exception. This is why I'm reintroducing the Student Loan Marriage Penalty Elimination Act to end the unnecessary marriage penalty on student loans that punish marriage and undermine the nuclear family. This is an initial dent on the war the federal government has waged on marriage." Representative Danny Davis, an Illinois Democrat supporting the bill, said in the statement: "Higher education is a critical path to economic security. Unfortunately, Americans collectively struggle under $1.77 trillion in crushing student loan debt, with an average $38,375 in federal student loans. I am proud to join my colleagues in leading this bill that would double the student loan interest deduction for married couples filing jointly. Congress must take every opportunity to ease the heavy financial burden on student loan borrowers." What Happens Next It's yet to be seen how much support the new bill will receive, but it does have some bipartisan support that could provide some relief for borrowers if passed.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oshkosh letter-writer asks: What are acceptable peace terms in Ukraine?
Editor's note: The deadline to submit letters regarding the April 1 election has passed. Here is this week's letter to the editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views. (Editor's note: This letter was addressed to U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman.) Congressman Grothman: What, in your opinion, would be acceptable peace terms in Ukraine? Specifically: Where should physical boundaries be set? Who should pay for reconstruction of Ukraine? Should Russia be required to return all Ukraine residents taken to Russia? Will Russia be required to compensate crops it took from Ukraine? How will Russia be prevented from attacking again? Please consider the following: Ukraine was able to fight back and reopen shipping lanes. Russia has needed to use Iranian drones, North Korean soldiers and North Korean munitions. Russia's capabilities were reduced enough to prevent them continuing to support the Assad regime in Syria, leading to its defeat. Per the Bank of Russia website as of March 21, their bank lending rate is 21%. Similarly, from the same website, their inflation in January was 9.1%, possibly higher given they may be understating intentionally. Europeans hold more than $300 billion in Russian assets. The Ukrainians are not asking U.S. military personnel to get directly involved. They are a democratic country trying to fight off an invader. Much of the support the U.S. and other countries provide is in the form of U.S. weapons that provide U.S. jobs that pay US income taxes. With U.S. and European support, potential exists for regime change in Russia that could reduce conflicts around the world. From 2017 to 2020, the national debt increased by $3.2 trillion, not including pandemic funding, per the CBO website. $50 billion in aid to Ukraine equals 1.6% of that debt run up during the last Trump presidency. Jerry Tribbey Town of Oshkosh Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to oshkoshnews@ and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@ Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel. This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh letter asks: What are acceptable peace terms in Ukraine?
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Charlie Sykes: Republicans are starting to feel the heat over Trump and Musk's cuts
This is an adapted excerpt from the Feb. 24 episode of 'Deadline: White House.' Across the country, Republicans are starting to feel the heat from their constituents over President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's sweeping federal cuts. Tensions ran high during two town hall meetings held by Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin during which voters demanded answers from the Republican about the recent cuts. Grothman represents a solidly conservative district and, as someone who lives in Wisconsin, I can tell you those scenes are not typical. That is not the kind of reception he's used to getting at home. Grothman has been in politics long enough to remember what happened in 2009 and the bubbling up of the tea party, which started in town hall meetings. But back then, Republicans benefited from that grassroots movement and the anger of the American people. It's got to be kind of a strange mirror image watching it turn on them. Over the last month, Trump's attacks on the federal government have been mostly a Washington-based story, but it's about to become a district-level one. Republicans know that although initially a lot of the focus has been on Musk, they're next. People are starting to understand the impact of the administration's federal cuts. For voters, it's one thing to maybe enjoy the theater of watching Musk break things, but when it's their own community being impacted, they start to realize, 'Wait, that's the check that I rely on,' or 'I can't get my Veterans Crisis Line call answered.' And if Republicans move ahead with some of the budget cuts the House leadership is talking about, they're going to see the outrage from voters spread dramatically. House Republicans have proposed a budget with massive cuts to Medicaid, a program on which a lot of their constituents rely. That's a real problem for Republican representatives and it means we're likely going to see a lot more of the kind of scenes we saw out of Wisconsin on Friday. Up until now, Republican lawmakers have been more afraid of Trump than they have been of their own voters. We're about to see whether or not that changes. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP Lawmakers' Town Halls Derailed by Voters Furious at Trump and Musk
Republican lawmakers across the country are coming face-to-face with droves of angry constituents in the wake of Donald Trump and Elon Musk's upending of the federal government. Representative Mark Alford held a town hall in Belton, Missouri, Monday, where he was met with jeers from the crowd as he attempted to justify Musk's power over government personnel, days after the unelected bureaucrat told federal employees to report five things they accomplished in the last week, or be fired. 'Why is an unelected person allowed to hire and fire federal employees?' Alford read from a piece of paper, in a video from the Kansas City Star. Alford struggled to respond to the question as his constituents shouted him down. 'The reason is ... he was hired.… Elon Musk was hired by the executive Donald Trump, and he has given him that authority—' The room erupted into loud booing. Alford's limp support for the massive layoffs recommended by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency was peppered with interjections about the billionaire technocrat's blatant conflicts of interest and lack of oversight, according to a video posted to Facebook by Daniel Scharpenburg, a union labor activist. The Missouri Republican really stepped in it by suggesting that if his constituents weren't happy with Trump's appointment of Musk, they could vote for someone else in the next election. 'We didn't elect Elon!' one person screamed. 'You don't represent us, you represent Elon Musk!' cried another. In Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Republican Representative Glenn Grothman also came face-to-face with his angry constituents in an overflowing town hall Friday morning, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Like Alford, Grothman attempted to downplay Musk's unchecked power when asked how he felt about the unelected bureaucrat's role in government. 'He does not have the ability to do any actions on his own,' Grothman said, echoing Trump. 'We did not elect him!' one man shouted. When faced with one constituent voicing her disgust with Musk's incendiary rhetoric about assistance programs, Grothman fled. 'Calling those people with different abilities 'leeches' and 'losers,' and that they're 'leeching off the system,'' the constituent said. 'I don't think so,' Grothman said. 'Yes, I've heard it from their own posts,' the constituent responded. 'I don't believe it,' Grothman said, walking away. 'You don't believe it—you can read it! You are in denial,' the constituent cried. 'I'll google it,' Grothman said over his shoulder as he continued out of the room. Earlier this month, Musk reposted a meme on X calling out the 'parasite class' who use the federal programs Trump intends to slash. And in Trinity, Texas, Republican Representative Pete Sessions also heard criticism from dissatisfied constituents during a town hall in a community center Saturday, according to The New York Times. Veteran Louis Smith told Sessions that while he supported cuts to government spending, Musk was not the guy for the job. 'I like what you're saying, but you need to tell more people,' Smith said, per the Times. 'The guy in South Africa is not doing you any good—he's hurting you more than he's helping.' Over the weekend, a woman was dragged out of a Republican town hall in Idaho for questioning whether the event was meant to be a public forum or a 'lecture.' A former NFL player was also carried out of a City Council meeting in California by police officers last week after protesting the installation of a MAGA plaque at a public library.
