#congressional

[reality-detective]

"You should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity."

Marjorie Taylor Greene brutally lambasted Anthony Fauci for his role in inflicting arbitrary and totalitarian Covid measures—including mask mandates, stay at home orders and social distancing rules—on the American people. 🤔

[theladypossum]

Growing Pains

Kinda encapsulates all of my big emotions about graduation, going to college soon, and growing up. Skull is death/fear, teddy is childhood, pics represent the memories I’ve made with friends/friendships, and grad cap is graduation/adulthood approaching. And open rib cage is how vulnerable and small I’ve been feeling lately.

Finally finished this piece for congressionals took like a month or two and several restarts but I’m finally at a place where I’m pretty proud of it. Can always improve (like I’m still learning how to shade with paint color matching suuuucks)

[martianmuckraker]

Martian Streamer Arrested Due to Appearance in Earthing Inquiry

B’ffer, the totally radical Martian streaming and racing sensation was arrested this morning after one of his trademark stellar racing saucers was revealed during an Earthling hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. It is uncertain to Martian Muckraker reporters at this time whether this hearing is actually evidence the Earthlings are interested in interplanetary life again, or if the…

[spacenutspod]

Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E204 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to source for the latest in space and Astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and today we dive into an array of intriguing updates, from Uranus's mysterious magnetic field to groundbreaking space missions and celestial phenomena. Highlights: - Uranus's Magnetic Field Revelation: Delve into the recent discovery that reshapes our understanding of Uranus’s magnetic field. Discover how a rare solar wind event during Voyager 2’s 1986 flyby compressed the planet's magnetosphere, altering our perceptions and suggesting that its moons, Titania and Oberon, may be more shielded than previously thought. - Fast Radio Bursts Origin Unveiled: Explore the breakthrough in identifying the origins of fast radio bursts (FRBs), with new research linking these phenomena to magnetars in large active galaxies. Understand the role of binary star systems and heavy elements in the formation of these cosmic occurrences. - SpaceX's Launch Marathon: Get ready for a week packed with SpaceX launches, including multiple Starlink missions and the Optus X satellite. Learn about China's significant launches, including a resupply mission to the Tiangong Space Station. - Solar Polar Vortices Discovery: Discover the potential existence of polar vortices on the Sun, controlled by magnetic fields rather than atmospheric conditions. This research could revolutionize our understanding of solar behavior and aid in space weather forecasting. - Gravitational Waves from White Dwarfs: Learn about the unexpected prediction that the upcoming LISA mission could detect gravitational waves from white dwarfs, providing a new way to study stellar evolution in distant galaxies. - Congressional Hearing on UAPs: Tune into the upcoming congressional hearing examining UAP research programs, aiming for greater transparency on these phenomena. Hear from expert witnesses, including Luis Elizondo and Tim Gallaudet. For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Sign up for our free Daily newsletter to stay informed on all things space. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, Tumblr, and TikTok. Share your thoughts and connect with fellow space enthusiasts. Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe. Sponsor Links: NordVPN - www.bitesz.com/nordvpn - Secure your internet browsing with up to 74% off! Old Glory - www.bitesz.com/oldglory - Now with official NASA Merch!

[ivygorgon]

An open letter to the President

President Biden—only you can stop Netanyahu. Do it!

674 so far! Help us get to 1,000 signers!

I’m deeply concerned about a possible intensive Israeli military operation in Rafah. I call on President Biden to publicly outline the clear and dire consequences for Israel’s own interests that such a move may trigger. President Biden is already on record saying that an operation “should not proceed” in Rafah without a credible plan for protecting over one million people, many of whom have been “displaced multiple times fleeing the violence to the north and now they are packed into Rafah, exposed and vulnerable.” Similar concerns have been expressed by other American and international leaders – including the UK, Canada, France, Australia and Germany. Vital Israeli voices are raising concerns as well. Hostage families are highlighting the danger that a Rafah offensive puts their loved ones in and the risk that the operation could derail sensitive release negotiations. Furthermore, former Prime Ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak continue to warn that Netanyahu is putting personal political interests ahead of a hostage release deal that would suspend hostilities. And, according to reports, members of Israel’s War Cabinet are calling for more patience in the pursuit of Hamas and that hostage releases and international support must be given greater priority. These voices should be elevated. Diplomacy must be prioritized and play a pivotal role in defeating Hamas. The White House recently issued a new National Security Memorandum requiring – in short order – thorough reporting to Congress on the Israeli government’s compliance with US and international law. The President should make clear that actions the Netanyahu government takes now regarding Rafah will be reflected in that report and will have real implications for future US military assistance. Finally, the impact of such an escalation on a range of diplomatic efforts and on regional stability cannot be underestimated. As mentioned, it may derail sensitive hostage release negotiations currently underway. Egypt has also warned that a Rafah invasion risks suspension of the Egypt-Israel peace agreement. In a region already at a boiling point, images of yet more devastation in Rafah will only make a volatile situation on Israel’s borders even worse. Finally, a Rafah invasion could prove fatal to ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a “day-after” framework leading to long-term, comprehensive regional peace agreements. I call on President Biden to bring immediate and effective US pressure to bear to deter Prime Minister Netanyahu from this catastrophic course for Israelis and Palestinians, as well as for US interests. The only solution is an immediate bilateral ceasefire. Netanyahu and Hamas’s leadership must both be made to understand that nothing else will do. Thanks.

▶ Created on February 28 by Jess Craven

📱 Text SIGN PZGJYQ to 50409

🤯 Liked it? Text FOLLOW JESSCRAVEN101 to 50409

[nameofjones]

Congressional Art Awards - Betchler Museum of Modern Art

- Photo by Darion Quick

[digitalcreationsllc]

Congress finds pharmacies give patient records to law enforcement without warrants

A sweeping congressional review of eight major pharmacy chains’ privacy practices found that none require a warrant prior to sharing customers’ records with law enforcement, and three of the eight do not require any legal review of such requests, according to an announcement Tuesday from Sen. Ron Wyden. Wyden urged the Biden administration to revise Health Insurance Portability and Accountability…

[congressionalshit]

[weeblmaodotcom]

This high resolution image of the "tic-tac"UFO was released during the congressional hearing today. , Meme by Weeblmao.com

[auroraluciferi]

Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Hearing - July 26, 2023

[energynews247]

Missed the congressional ESG hearing? Here’s what you need to know

The U.S. House of Representatives committee tasked with oversight of the financial services industry Wednesday held the latest in a series of sessions dedicated to examining the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s role in requiring mandatory ESG disclosure. The aim of the meeting was for Republicans to continue to rail against a proposed SEC rule that will require companies to disclose…

[saxafimedianetwork]

US CECC Staff Director: “China Is Out To Disrupt Peace, Stability In Somaliland”

"I believe is because there is a malicious #Chinese influence there & they are trying to #disrupt the #peace that you have & the prosperity that you have in #Somaliland," said Piero Tozzi, the Staff Director of the @CECCgov

Continue reading Untitled

[potofsoup]

i love your fourth of july comics every year but this years feels extremely optimistic about biden’s abilities in the face of him letting roe get overturned and funding a gen*cide at worst or letting it happen at best by taking the bare minimum of regulatory action… i mean can he really be trusted at all anymore to do the right thing or act in line with the people’s demands? and how do we know the people behind project 2025 won’t just rig the election again to get in under false pretenses?

Hihi! Thank you for reading and enjoying my July 4th comics every year! I am in a non-US airport en route to a month-long trip in a place with sketchy internet, so sorry in advance for sloppiness in my response (and potentially going radio silent).

But:

I don't think he "let" Roe get overturned, since that was the Supreme Court's overwhelming conservative majority, which really started with Mitch McConnell refusing to approve Obama's appointee and forcing it into a 2016 election issue. The fact that Trump got to appoint 3 Supreme Court Justices is what got us here.

Re: Biden and the Israel/Hamas war ... on the one hand, there's definitely more that he could have done, but on the other hand, they are a whole other country over there. It's Hamas that initiated the Oct 7 attacks and took the hostages. It's Netanyahu and his right-wing government who decided to retaliate to such extreme extent. Biden can talk about how he would really like Netanyahu to stop fighting and step down, but at the end of the day that's not his call, any more than he can stop the Sudan fighting that is near-genocidal either.

So, to come to your question #1: "Can he really be trusted at all anymore to do the right thing or act in line with the people’s demands"?

For me, it's a resounding YES. Guyz, he has passed so much good domestic policies. My spouse works in green energy and the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act halved his anxiety and gave him legitimate hope. The tumblr post I linked to in my comic has links to many of the other great things that Biden has done. Tbh I voted for him in 2020 because "a moldy onion is still better than Trump", and I've been pleasantly surprised. Like how he tried to cancel student loans, the Supreme Court overturned it, and then he came back 6 months later with a different way to do it that didn't lead to a court challenge.

Is he perfect? Hell no. There's tons of stuff that I wish he did more about, or he went further on, but also he's just one guy heading one branch of government who is heading into an election year. (Just like FDR promising not joining WWII, while behind the scenes doing all the Lend-Lease Act stuff). And "the people" have lots of demands, many of them conflicting.

I'd also like to push at the unspoken part of your question... "Can he really be trusted to do the right thing..." compared to whom? Because right now the answer is "compared to Trump." And compared to Trump... I don't even trust Trump to respect the results of a legitimate election. Heck, he might just take his favorite state secrets, sell them to the highest bidder (or just show them off to someone for funzies), and then claim Presidential immunity. A decent Democrat who got stuff done vs someone who probably wants to pardon himself and all his friends and do Project 2025 stuff is not even on the same level. (Do I wish that there was a viable Democratic alternative to Biden? Sure! But who?) Heck, at this point -- imagine if it's Kamala Harris vs. Trump. Who would you vote for?

As for your question #2: "How do we know the people behind project 2025 won’t just rig the election again to get in under false pretenses?"

We don't. But also what can we do besides showing up to vote?

Actually, I need bullet points for this:

The 2022 midterm elections brought in fewer-than-expected election-deniers into crucial electoral offices at the state level, which means that hopefully most state electoral boards will continue to have integrity

Yes, voting is harder but at least we can still vote. So it's about getting out there and getting your vote counted. For some states, it involves waiting in 8 hour lines. For some states, it involves bringing 2 forms of ID. Document. Track. Make sure it's dropped off in a real ballot box and not a fake one. Don't believe messaging that the voting is happening on a different day or location, etc.

A 50.1% majority is easily challenged. A 55% majority, less so. Which means getting people out to vote.

The more people know about and think about the reality of a second Trump term (versus being disappointed by a Biden term), the more they will be motivated to vote against Trump.

Finally, let's be real here: I'm braced for a 2nd Trump term. That said:

I'm still going to go and vote for Biden, because the only way to prevent a 2nd Trump term is to vote.

A Trump term where either the House or Senate is controlled by the Democrats will be *very* different from a clean Republican sweep.

Even with a clean Republican sweep on the federal level, States have so much more power now, and voting the state level stuff will help shore up Democratic goals for the future. States get to draw voting districts however they want. States get to decide on abortion policies. If you live in a deep Red state, there still might be things to vote for that make it easier to live in now, and turn it purple a few elections down the line.

So at the end of the day, it's "Vote AND". Vote and keep living your best life. Vote and tell others about Project 2025. Vote and have hope. Even if Trump wins, at least you'll have voted against him. Vote and stay to build up a progressive wave for the next election.

[reality-detective]

Rep. Nancy Mace just ENDED the career of Disgraced Secret Service Director Cheatle on LIVE-TV:

"This is Bulls**t! You are FULL of SH**!"

She got Cheatle to admit her "colossal failure" and the Trump assassination "was preventable" 🤔

[nycannabistimes]

#Repost @beardbrospharms with @use.repost ・・・ #Veterans have been denied access to cannabis and other plant medicines for far too long. However, the long wait may be over. Now, more than 20 Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) have come together to call on #Congress and #congressional #leaders to address #medical marijuana research through the encouraged passing of a #veterans #research #bill before the end of the current Congress. Read more about the veterans research bill at Beardbrospharms.com Link in bio. (at Washington Heights) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmb-vdnL1i9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[justinspoliticalcorner]

President Biden set to announce support for major Supreme Court reforms

Tyler Pager and Michael Scherer at WaPo:

President Biden is finalizing plans to endorse major changes to the Supreme Court in the coming weeks, including proposals for legislation to establish term limits for the justices and an enforceable ethics code, according to two people briefed on the plans.

He is also weighing whether to call for a constitutional amendment to eliminate broad immunity for presidents and other constitutional officeholders, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The announcement would mark a major shift for Biden, a former chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has long resisted calls to make substantive changes to the high court. The potential changes come in response to growing outrage among his supporters about recent ethics scandals surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas and decisions by the new court majority that have changed legal precedent on issues including abortion and federal regulatory powers. Biden previewed the shift in a Zoom call Saturday with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. [...]

Term limits and an ethics code would be subject to congressional approval, which would face long odds in the Republican-controlled House and a slim Democratic majority in the Senate. Under current rules, passage in the Senate would require 60 votes. A constitutional amendment requires even more hurdles, including two-thirds support of both chambers, or by a convention of two-thirds of the states, and then approval by three-fourths of state legislatures. The details of Biden’s considered policies have not been disclosed. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

[...] Eight Democratic senators have co-sponsored a bill that would establish 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices, with a new justice appointed every two years. The nine most recently appointed justices would sit for appellate jurisdiction cases, while others would be able to hear original jurisdiction cases or to step in as a substitute if one of the most recent nine is conflicted or cannot hear a case for another reason.

Good News! President Joe Biden set to endorse major reforms to SCOTUS, such as term limits and an ethics code with actual teeth.