Latest news with #JackReed
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Education Secretary Linda McMahon struggles with basic math when trying to add up proposed budget cuts
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was given a math lesson during a Senate hearing on Tuesday when Senator Jack Reed pointed out that $1.5 multiplied by 10 is not 'over a trillion dollars' but actually $15 billion. Sitting before the appropriations subcommittee that focuses on education, McMahon nodded her head along as Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana mistakenly claimed that the U.S. spends '$1,580,000' on federal grant programs, known as TRIO and GEAR UP, per year and that after 10 years, that adds up to be 'over a trillion dollars.' The U.S. actually spends $1.58 billion per year on the programs, which does not add up to more than a trillion after 10 years. But, McMahon did not correct Kennedy's math error. However, Reed, the senator from Rhode Island, did. 'I'm not a great mathematician, but I think you were talking about a trillion dollars? I believe $1.5 billion times 10 is $15 billion, that's a little bit off from a trillion dollars,' Reed said. McMahon responded, 'I think the budget cuts $1.2 billion for TRIO.' 'Well, $1.2 billion that would be $12 billion, not a trillion dollars,' Reed replied. 'Ok,' McMahon said. The math blunder was part of McMahon's testimony about President Donald Trump's 2026 budget proposal, which includes sweeping cuts to the Department of Education – drastically impacting education grants such as TRIO or GEAR UP. The Independent has asked the Department of Education for comment. TRIO, a federal program comprised of various grants, are some of the Education Department 's largest investments aimed at assisting low-income or first-generation college students or individuals with disabilities to advance through the academic pipeline. In 2024, the Education Department provided $1.191 billion for the program. GEAR UP, a federal grant program, assists low-income students preparing to enter postsecondary education. In 2024, the Education Department provided $388 million for the program. But under Trump's proposed 'skinny budget,' essentially all of the TRIO and GEAR UP grants would be eliminated. It's part of his efforts to shutter the Education Department. During the hearing, Senator Susan Collins of Maine aired concerns about the cuts to TRIO, saying she had 'seen the lives of countless first-generation and low-income students, not only in Maine, but across the country… changed by the TRIO program.'
Bloomberg
30-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Democrats Slam Hegseth's Plan to Cut Weapons-Testing Office
The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee slammed Pentagon plans to slash staffing at the office that oversees tests of major weapons systems, after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed the cuts would save the government $300 million. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island lamented the cuts to the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation as 'reckless and damaging to military accountability and oversight.'
The Guardian
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Doge employees hold stock in firms set to benefit from cuts, Democrats allege
Employees of Elon Musk's 'department of government efficiency' (Doge) own lucrative stock in companies that stand to directly benefit from their work gutting federal agencies, Democratic senators have alleged. The potential ethics violations merit an investigation by the justice department and other oversight bodies, urges a letter co-authored by senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Jack Reed of Rhode Island and obtained by the Guardian. 'We write regarding new reports that Doge employees at the treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have been engaged in the dismantling of these agencies while holding hundreds of thousands of dollars of stock in private companies benefitting from these individuals' efforts to eliminate key programs, staff, and policies,' the senators state. Doge was launched in January with a mission to cut wasteful spending, slash federal regulations and improve government software and IT systems. It has about 79 appointed employees and 10 seconded from other agencies. Many are young software engineers who worked for Musk's companies and have no prior government experience. Recent media reports have alleged that their actions aligned with the financial interests of the companies in which they held stock. This could constitute violations of an ethics law that prohibits federal employees from participating in matters in which they have a personal financial interest. A wilful violation of this law carries penalties including fines and imprisonment. Warren and her Senate colleagues argue: 'This poses a clear conflict of interest and potential criminal violation of federal ethics law, which bars any federal government employee from participat[ing] personally and substantially … [in any] particular matter in which [they] … ha[ve] a financial interest.' The letter – addressed to Pam Bondi, the attorney general, as well as Jamieson Greer, acting director of the Office of Government Ethics, and inspectors general within the Treasury, IRS and Federal Reserve – details three specific cases. Tom Krause, the Doge team leader at Treasury, reportedly holds substantial stock in major financial institutions – including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America – that do business with or provide services to Treasury. He also owns shares in the tech giants Google, Oracle and Amazon while leading treasury's IT modernisation efforts. A government ethics expert described this to Politico as 'a massive, glaring red flag of a conflict of interest'. Krause, Todd Newnam and Linda Whitridge of the treasury Doge team reportedly own shares in Intuit (parent of TurboTax), a company actively opposing the IRS's free tax filing programme Direct File. The letter notes that Musk had previously claimed to have 'deleted' a team involved in Direct File development. The senators find it 'deeply disturbing if Doge employees with a financial stake in Intuit were involved with overseeing and dismantling the Direct File initiative'. ProPublica reported that Gavin Kliger, a CFPB Doge aide, was warned by ethics lawyers against holding stock in companies forbidden by the CFPB, such as Apple, Tesla, Alphabet and cryptocurrencies, since they are subject to CFPB examination. Yet he reportedly take part in mass layoffs at the agency, including the ethics lawyers who warned him. The letter notes that 'a defanged and downsized consumer watchdog is unlikely to aggressively regulate those and other companies, freeing them of compliance costs and the risk associated with examinations and enforcement actions. That in turn could boost their stock prices and benefit … Kliger.' An expert is quoted as describing Kliger's actions as 'look[ing] like a pretty clear-cut violation' of the federal criminal conflict-of-interest statute. The senators argue that these cases suggest a widespread issue within Doge, where ethics rules are disregarded for personal financial gain, undermining the integrity of government decision-making. 'Together, these three examples underscore what appears to be a pervasive problem with Elon Musk and Doge employees trampling ethics rules and laws to benefit their own pockets at the expense of the American public.' The letter explicitly calls for a broad review by the inspectors general regarding 'illegal or inappropriate efforts' and an investigation by the justice department into whether 'these and other Doge representatives may have violated federal ethics law by abusing their official roles for the benefit of private companies in which they have a vested financial interest'.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Don't Take Instructions…': Kash Patel's Brutal Putdown Leaves Reed Speechless In US House
Tensions flared during a fiery Senate Appropriations Committee hearing as Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) grilled FBI Director Kash Patel on alleged access to DOGE-related intelligence. When Reed demanded, 'Did you get an instruction from the White House?' Patel's sharp glare and scathing reply sent shockwaves through the room. His blunt takedown silenced Reed and left the chamber in stunned silence — a dramatic moment that underscored the escalating political heat. Read More
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Coast Guard looks to remove hundreds of navigational buoys in Northeast
(WPRI) — If you rely on traditional buoys while navigating Northeast waters, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) wants to hear from you. As part of an effort to modernize how mariners navigate, USCG has proposed getting rid of roughly 350 buoys across the Northeast. That's around 6% of all federally maintained aids to navigation (AtoN) in the region. Rhode Island is home to about 400 AtoN, including the roughly three dozen coastal buoys identified for removal in phase one of USCG's plan. ALSO READ: RI DEM is still hiring lifeguards for summer Sen. Jack Reed is urging USCG to hear from commercial and recreational boaters and harbormasters before removing any navigational markers from Rhode Island waters. 'The Coast Guard's goal should be to ensure safety through an effective, efficient, and resilient navigation system,' Reed said. 'Rhode Islanders know these waters best, and their views should guide Coast Guard decision-making.' USCG's proposal reflects a shift toward using more modernized navigation systems like GPS, electronic charts and smartphone apps, and fewer physical markers. 'GPS technology and apps are great, but when technology fails, there needs to be a fail-safe to keep people safe,' Reed added. 'Everyone agrees it's better to save a life than a few bucks. I will not support any changes that undermine marine safety.' What's Killing Whales? Watch our 12 on 12 Digital Original USCG is accepting public feedback until June 13. Responses must be sent by email to D01-SMB-DPWPublicComments@ You are asked to include the size and type of your vessel, how you use buoys to navigate, and the distance at which you start looking for them. 'The Coast Guard works hard to maintain our buoy infrastructure. And as they make changes, it is essential that they listen to local voices,' Reed said. This project is just the first of USCG's three planned efforts to modernize and reduce navigational buoys. The overall plan can be viewed with this interactive map. RI Coastal Buoy Discontinuation ListDownload Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
