Latest news with #Lofgren
Boston Globe
21-03-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
‘An incredible man,‘ WWII veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor honored at 105th birthday
Johnson, a great-grandfather of two, was surrounded by friends, family, and military service members. 'He was so pleased seeing all the children... they made him cards,' said Johnson's daughter, Diane Johnson. 'It was so heartwarming.' Advertisement Several families came to the event, which they said served as a history lesson for their homeschooled children. For about two hours, people lined up to give Johnson gifts, including cards, quilts, and teddy bears, and pay their respects to the veteran, a week after his 105th birthday. Diane Johnson spoke on her father's behalf, saying his hearing loss can make conversations difficult. 'It really just turned into this incredible local celebration,' said Colleen Lofgren, who works in Diggs's office. Johnson was born March 11, 1920, in Springfield and was raised in Waltham. When he was 19, he enlisted in the Navy in Boston to help in the war effort. After training in Newport, R.I., he served aboard the USS St. Louis, which came to be known as 'Lucky Lou' for escaping the attack on Pearl Harbor. Johnson played a crucial role in the first boiler room, helping to ready the ship for sail. After Pearl Harbor, Johnson transferred to the USS Iowa, which transported President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Iran for a wartime conference with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Aboard the Iowa, Johnson also witnessed the official surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay on Sep. 2, 1945. 'He's truly an incredible man,' Lofgren said. Lofgren said she met Johnson when she was on her weekend shift waitressing at a restaurant in Centerville, where Johnson and his daughter frequent. When Lofgren learned that Johnson was a Pearl Harbor veteran, she decided to help arrange a birthday celebration. Advertisement 'He's so humble,' Lofgren said. 'The way he talks, it's never about him. It's about the country, and he'll say he was just doing his job.' At the party were active members of the Navy, who traveled from Boston for the event, fellow Navy veterans and members of the military support club at Barnstable High School, Lofgren said. 'He was truly amazed at how many people came out,' Lofgren said. 'He thought it was just going to be another veterans event, but no.' Members of the local police and fire departments attended, as well as the Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Related : 'It was definitely a bit of a surprise,' Johnson's daughter said. 'We were just going for the cake, but it ended up being this wonderful thing.' Johnson stopped in his tracks when he saw the young Naval officers honoring him, Lofgren said. 'I think it was overwhelming for him,' Johnson's daughter said. 'He's a good man. He doesn't think what he did was all that special, but I think it was a good reminder.' Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at
Associated Press
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
EPA plans to eliminate scientific research team, could fire more than 1,000 employees
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate its scientific research office and could fire more than 1,000 scientists and other employees who help provide the scientific foundation for rules safeguarding human health and ecosystems from environmental pollutants. As many as 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists — 75% of the research program's staff — could be laid off, according to documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The planned layoffs, cast by the Trump administration as part of a broader push to shrink the size of the federal government and make it more efficient, were assailed by critics as a massive dismantling of the EPA's longstanding mission to protect public health and the environment. The plans were first reported by The New York Times. The Office of Research and Development — EPA's main science arm — currently has 1,540 positions, excluding special government employees and public health officers, according to the memo. A majority of staff — ranging from 50% to 75% — 'will not be retained,'' the memo said. The plan calls for dissolving the research office and reassigning remaining staff to other parts of the agency 'to provide increased oversight and align with administration priorities,' the memo says. EPA officials have presented the plan to the White House for review. Molly Vaseliou, an EPA spokeswoman, said the agency 'is taking exciting steps as we enter the next phase of organizational improvements,' but said changes had not been finalized. 'We are committed to enhancing our ability to deliver clean air, water and land for all Americans,' she said, adding, 'While no decisions have been made yet, we are actively listening to employees at all levels to gather ideas on how to increase efficiency and ensure the EPA is as up to date and effective as ever.' California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the top Democrat on the science committee, said in a statement that the agency's research office was created by Congress and 'eliminating it is illegal.' Every decision the EPA makes 'must be in furtherance of protecting human health and the environment, and that just can't happen if you gut EPA science,' Lofgren said. 'EPA cannot meet its legal obligation to use the best available science without (the Office of Research and Development) and that's the point,'' she added. President Donald Trump and his adviser, Musk , 'are putting their polluter buddies' bottom lines over the health and safety of Americans,' Lofgren said. In his first term, 'Trump and his cronies politicized and distorted science,'' she said. 'Now, this is their attempt to kill it for good.' Ticora Jones, chief science officer at the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council, said Trump's EPA 'yet again is putting polluters over people.'
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Mindless firings' hit federal ag employees in California
(KRON) — A military veteran was recently fired from his job in California working as a scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), the scientist is one of many federal workers who were unfairly terminated by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and President Donald Trump. 'I am calling attention to the mass firings of federal employees by Donald Trump and Elon Musk from science, agricultural, and research agencies,' Lofgren said. The scientist was based in the Salinas Valley, an ag region in Monterey County that's also known as 'America's Salad Bowl.' He requested anonymity to prevent retaliatory actions against his family. Lofgren said Musk's DOGE is carrying out 'mindless firings' against federal employees. The scientist received positive job performance reviews last year while working for the USDA's Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center. On February 14, the scientist and some of his co-workers received an email stating, 'The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment would be in the public interest. For this reason, the Agency informs you that the Agency is removing you from your position of (science technician).' The firings went into effect the day before the layoff emails were received by USDA employees in Salinas. With billionaire Musk by his side, Trump is in the process of firing thousands of federal workers. Lofgren said the veteran-turned-scientist will be her guest Tuesday in Washington, D.C. for Trump's address to Congress. 'When I heard from this particular Salinas scientist and U.S. Air Force veteran, I knew I had to reach out to this public servant … and invite him to DC, as his situation represents one of the many mindless firings by Trump and Musk that undermine our country's science and innovation prowess,' Lofgren said. Brise Tencer, director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, said publicly funded agricultural research is essential for helping America's farmers adapt, innovate, and thrive. Tencer said recent layoffs at USDA jeopardizes critical work and disrupts long-term projects that enhance soil health and crop resilience. Lofgren said, 'Monterey County agriculture pumps more than $1.3 million into the local economy each hour of every day. 'USDA scientists, like my guest, conduct important research and development projects that boost American innovation and help keep food on our tables. The United States will no longer be the envy of the world if Co-Presidents Trump and Musk keep firing smart, capable public servants advancing America's best interests,' the Congresswoman said. The Congresswoman is a ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is currently surveying the impact of the Trump administration's mass firings of federal employees from science agencies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
California Rep. Zoe Lofgren Introduces Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act To Block Sites Infringing On U.S. Copyrights
U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Dem-CA) has introduced H.R. 791, the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act (or FADPA), to prevent foreign-run piracy sites from exploiting loopholes in U.S. law. The Act sets site-blocking laws that require U.S. internet providers to make 'a good faith effort' to disable access to pirate websites. Lofgren is Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and a senior member of the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet. After working for over a year with the tech, film, and television industries, she said, 'we've arrived at a proposal that has a remedy for copyright infringers located overseas that does not disrupt the free internet except for the infringers.' More from Deadline Global Industry Group ACE Announces Shutdown Of Fmovies, Deemed "World's Largest Piracy Ring" Operators Of Jetflicks, An Illegal Streaming Service With A Catalog Larger Than Netflix, Prime Video And Hulu Put Together, Convicted By Federal Jury Indonesia Clamps Down On Piracy Of Streamer Vidio's Content On Telegram Foreign digital piracy, she adds, presents a 'massive and growing threat,' costing American jobs, harming the creative community, and exposing consumers to dangerous security risks. The Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act is a targeted approach that focuses on safety and intellectual property, while simultaneously upholding due process, respecting free speech, and ensuring enforcement is narrowly focused. 'Compromise is often found when you sit and hash out policy recommendations with the workers, companies, and users directly involved, and I appreciate the support from the tech and content communities in this effort. I look forward to continuing to work with Chairmen Darrell Issa and Jim Jordan on anti-piracy measures in the near future,' Lofgren said. Rep. Issa (R-CA) is the Republican chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet. Trade groups applauded the bill with the Motion Picture Association noting that intellectual property theft drains at least $30 billion and 230,000 jobs from the U.S. economy each year. It said more than 55 countries including Canada, the UK and Australia have tools in place similar to those proposed by Rep. Lofgren that have successfully reduced piracy's harms while protecting consumer access to legal content. 'The MPA thanks Rep. Lofgren for introducing FADPA and for her commitment to work with Chairman Issa to enact legislation this Congress to ensure America's creators have effective enforcement tools to combat offshore piracy targeting the U.S. market,' said MPA chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin. Jean Prewitt, president and CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance, said foreign copyright piracy is also a grave problem for independent film producers. 'Site blocking legislation is badly needed to protect U.S. creators from industrial-strength theft of their films and programs by foreign bad actors, who are outside the reach of U.S. legal jurisdiction.' 'We also look forward to working with … Chair Darrell Issa as he leads a bi -partisan effort, working with Rep. Lofgren and other members to craft a legislative solution to deal with foreign copyright piracy and protect our industry and U.S. economic productivity,' she said. The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the Authors Guild, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE),the Copyright Alliance, and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), and leading technology policy think tanks, ITIF, also backed the bill. Background on the issue Lofgren's office provided, citing research, said that in 2019, U.S.-produced television episodes and movies were illegally streamed or downloaded, respectively, 126.7 billion and 26.6 billion times. By 2022, global visits to movie and TV piracy sites reached 191.8 billion, costing the U.S. economy $29.2 billion annually and threatening more than 230,000 American jobs in entertainment, technology, and small businesses. Today, it said, some illegal foreign online pirate sites are bigger than some of the biggest legit U.S. streaming services. One piracy site hit 364 million visits in October of 2024, which was larger than Disney+ viewership in that same month. Live sports are also a prime target, with piracy draining $28 billion annually from the global sports industry. 'Past U.S. efforts to curb piracy failed because they lacked due process, threatened free speech, and provided overly-broad enforcement powers that risked harming legitimate websites and the open internet,' the announcement said. That's certainly what some felt about Obama-era legislation called the Stop Online Piracy Act (or SOPA), which lawmakers quickly walked back after facing a really furious onslaught by the U.S. tech industry. Today is the first time legislators have really dared to touched the issue of digital piracy since then. 'A decade ago, I was at the center of the successful effort to prevent the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) from becoming law. That was not because I support copyright infringement, but because I support the open internet. Lofgren said. She said the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act takes a better approach. It protects service providers from legal liability. ISPs, DNS providers, and other intermediaries are shielded from lawsuits 'as long as they comply in good faith' with court-ordered blocking measures. The good faith element could make enforcement messy but it's a start. As per the famous (or infamous) Section 230 of Telecommunications Act of the late 1990s, service providers are not responsible for content on their platforms, with very few exceptions. A 2018 law under the Trump Administration did legally prohibit sex trafficking sites. Providers tend to cry slippery slope and the end of free speech at any carve-out to their Section 230 freedom, which courts have mostly respected. Other highlights of the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act: It only targets large-scale, foreign-run piracy sites. It respects First Amendment rights. Every blocking order must go through a U.S. court, requiring clear evidence, due process, and judicial oversight to ensure fair enforcement and prevent censorship. Courts must first verify that any site-blocking order does not interfere with access to lawful material before issuing an order. It allows for feasible tech solutions. Unlike past proposals, the bill does not mandate specific technical measures for blocking. Instead, it allows service providers to determine the best, least intrusive methods to comply with court orders. It provides a narrowly-tailored blocking mechanism limited to piracy sites that exist solely to infringe copyrights. Best of Deadline How to Watch The 67th Annual Grammy Awards Online And With Cable 2025 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Spirits, Grammys, Tonys, Guilds & More The 2025 Oscars: Everything We Know So Far About The Nominations, Ceremony, Date & Host
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘What the president has done is clearly illegal': Bay Area rep slams Trump funding freeze
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Bay Area Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) slammed President Donald Trump's federal funding freeze as illegal. 'What the president has done is pretty clearly illegal,' said Lofgren, speaking to KRON4's Justine Waldman. 'Congress has appropriated these funds, he's required under law to see that the laws are faithfully executed. There have been numerous cases since the Nixon presidency indicating what he's doing is illegal.' 'We now have a right-wing Supreme Court. Do they plan to overturn half a century of case law? Who knows with those guys?' Lofgren added. 'We are going to fight this as best as we can. Lawsuits have already been filed.' San Francisco launches immigrant resources hub 'President Trump can review all he wants, and if he has recommendations, he can come to the Congress to make changes — propose changes to the law. But what he's doing here is wrong and illegal.' 'The lower courts are bound to follow existing law and the law is that this is illegal. Now maybe the right-wing Supreme Court wants to change the law, but until they do, I'm hopeful that the lower court will follow what has been a half century of precedent.' Bay Area Congressman Sam Liccardo (D-San Jose) also slammed President Trump's federal funding freeze as unlawful. 'If you don't think the Trump administration's illegal impoundment of all federal funding will harm every corner of our community, consider the thousands of parents who cannot go to work if they depend on child care funded by Head Start, and the millions of residents imperiled by potential delays in the rebuilding of the Anderson Dam.' 'Sensible budget-cutting requires discernment, not disregard for human suffering from halting essential public safety, health care, or disaster relief. I will fight to push the President to abide by the 1974 Budget and Impoundment Control Act and our Constitution.' Trump's abrupt federal aid freeze has drawn widespread backlash and reportedly led to State Medicaid programs across the country reporting they've lost access to federal payment portals. At a White House press briefing Tuesday, President Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the freeze as a 'temporary pause' while the Office of Management and Budget reviews 'the federal funding that has been going out the door.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
