The bill will provide tens of billions of dollars in security assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. It also contains a provision aimed at forcing China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok.
Category: National Defense
Posted inNational Defense, Policy Topics, Public Planning
Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses after catastrophic overnight ship strike
Last night, the cargo ship Dali struck and caused the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, hindering marine traffic and impeding Port of Baltimore operations. The incident sent vehicles and workers into the water, with rescue efforts and NTSB investigations ongoing. President Biden has called for congressional funds to rebuild the span.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Senate’s bipartisan national security deal unveiled; House Republicans vow to nix it
It is unclear if the proposed agreement can pass in Congress’ upper chamber, but even if it does, it has no future in the House, top Republicans say.
Posted inPolicy Topics
U.S. Senate passes its version of the 2024 NDAA, with PNW Democrats split yea and nay
The bill, which passed 86–11, would authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Ye reap what ye sow: Putin forced to quell armed uprising by one of his own henchmen
The Russian government has struck a deal to defuse a rebellion with the rogue tycoon founder of the mercenary Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin and his fighters had seized a Russian military base and begun driving towards Moscow after becoming dissatisfied with the course of the war in Ukraine.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Joe Biden heads to Ottawa: He and Canada’s Justin Trudeau have much to talk about
The two leaders are expected to talk about the depth to which they should intervene in Haiti, and what to do about gangs running rampant. Biden and Trudeau are both committed to action on climate.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Biden administration reportedly now willing to send U.S. made Abrams tanks to Ukraine
The U.S. has already agreed to provide Strykers and Bradleys to Ukraine. The Abrams is the final frontier with respect to what the U.S. can offer in terms of armored vehicles.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Washington State Senate unanimously passes much needed school seismic safety grant bill
All forty-nine Washington State senators have voted to pass a bill that would establish a grant program to upgrade seismically vulnerable school buildings in Washington State, providing sorely needed funds to ensure our kids have safe facilities to learn in.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Big news! Meaningful school seismic safety bills have been introduced in the Legislature
The bills (HB 2095 and SB 5933) would create a school seismic safety grant program, backed by general obligation bonds that would need to be voter-approved in a special statewide vote to be held in November of 2022.
Posted inAppreciations & Remembrances
Read President Biden’s speech marking the anniversary of the January 6th attack
Access the complete transcripts of the speeches delivered by Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden at the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2022.
Posted inPolicy Topics
The two faces of Sean Hannity: Fox host privately advised Trump to go back to Florida while publicly attacking our democracy
Unbelievable as it may seem, Hannity briefly offered Trump sensible advice in closing days of his scandal-ridden presidency, according to a treasure trove of emails obtained by the House Selection Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Posted inPolicy Topics
Jaime Herrera Beutler votes to hold Steve Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress
Just nine Republicans were among the two hundred and twenty-nine representatives who voted to hold Bannon in contempt, and one of them was the Pacific Northwest’s own Jaime Herrera Beutler.
Posted inEvents
Netroots Nation featured panel delves into the lasting effects of the January 6th, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol
Sarah Groh, Ted Lieu, Sarah Iddrissu, and Matthew Fuller joined Melissa Ryan for a conversation about the aftermath of the attack that Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress incited and directed against the nation’s temple of democracy.
Posted inPolicy Topics
The Taliban’s reascendance is regrettable, but there were no good options for concluding the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan
We can all wish that our withdrawal had been smoother, better executed, and not so inconsiderate of the Afghans who risked so much to help us. But again, there’s no such thing as a war that ends well, and all wars are messy.