Category Archives: Democrat

High school students across New Jersey, take note. You would get to sleep in a little later before class under a new proposal spurred by what experts and officials say is a growing mental health crisis among young people.

Two lawmakers, including the leader of the state Assembly, introduced a bill this week that would require classes start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. at New Jersey high schools, beginning in the 2024-25 school year.

The measure would apparently not apply to elementary or middle schools.

Delaying school start times has been debated for years in the Garden State. Its now one of many issues that have been revisited in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, and state Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, said the new bill (A3816) is inspired by concern over the mental health of children and teens after two years of upheaval because of COVID-19. Many were already reporting alarming rates of depression and anxiety even before the pandemic.

Earlier this month, experts and advocates told state lawmakers New Jersey students are suffering amid a national mental health crisis.

Ensuring students are getting enough rest is an important first step toward addressing the alarming rise in student mental health issues were seeing in New Jersey, Gopal said.

Coughlin said students are better prepared to succeed in school when they are well rested and eat nutritious meals.

Overwhelmingly, the research and success stories out of other states school districts show that the benefits of later start times to students holistic well-being, in terms of both mental health and academic performance, easily outweigh the costs, he said.

One of the biggest arguments against the idea: Opponents say later start times could disrupt extracurricular activities, including sports, and cause problems for child care and busing schedules.

Gov. Phil Murphy told Politico New Jersey on Friday morning that he is open to the proposal.

Theres a fair amount of research that suggests its a better way to go to start later, Murphy said after an unrelated event at a school in Chatham. Im absolutely open-minded to that.

The bill would need to be passed by both the state Senate and Assembly and signed by Murphy to become law.

The vast majority of New Jersey middle and high schools currently begin before 8:30 a.m.

The average start time for New Jersey schools is 7:51 a.m., compared to the national average of 8 a.m., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

California a state Murphy has often sought to emulate enacted a law in 2019 pushing start times to 8 a.m. for middle schoolers and 8:30 a.m. for high schoolers.

Then-Gov. Chris Christie signed a law in 2015 requiring the New Jersey Department of Education of study the feasibility and possible benefits or consequences of starting the day at middle and high schools no later than 8:30 a.m.

The education department released a report in 2019 saying teenagers would likely benefit from later start times, but the state shouldnt force the change because it would cause a logistical nightmare.

The same year, Murphy signed a law that required the state to experiment with starting classes after 8:30 a.m. at five high schools.

A number of organizations including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have suggested delaying school start times to align school schedules to the biological sleep rhythms of adolescents.

Experts say those rhythms cause teenagers to go to bed later and thus, school would need to start later to accommodate their need for 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep on school nights. Those who are deprived of sleep can suffer physical and mental health problems and experience a drop in academic performance, experts say.

The new proposal has the support of New Jerseys chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Jeanne Craft, the chapters president, said research show later start times for adolescents contribute to better academic performance, quality of life, mental health, and school attendance.

Still, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators has said schools that delayed start times received complaints from parents. One major concern is how much longer students will stay up if classes begin later in the morning.

State Sen. Richard Codey, a former governor, has long supported later start times and said he is all in on the new bill.

Theres not too many pediatricians who wont say were right, Codey, D-Essex, told NJ Advance Media. Their safety and their ability to learn is impacted negatively. Thats the biggest issue.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @johnsb01.

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N.J. high schools would start later in the day under top Democrats bill. Murphy is open to it. - NJ.com

(Piscataway) A special meeting of the Piscataway Democratic Organization (PDO) was held this month to screen candidates for the ward council seats.

Incumbents Frank Uhrin (Ward 1), Jim Bullard (Ward 2) and Michele Lombardi (Ward 4), along with Sharon Carmichael (Ward 3) were overwhelmingly endorsed by the PDO committee members. Uhrin, Bullard, Carmichael and Lombardi are committed to delivering exceptional services and programming, ensuring fiscal stability, government transparency, protecting our environment and delivering real results for all residents of Piscataway.

The special meeting was presided over by Councilwoman Gabrielle Cahill, new Democratic Chair. After decades of dynamic leadership, former Mayor and PDO Chairman, Ted Light retired from his official role in the organization at the January meeting passing the torch to Cahill. Together, we have built a strong local grassroots Democratic Party of inclusion, diversity and shared values here in our community and I am honored to have been able to work with dedicated people every step of the way, said Light. It is time for a new chapter and Gabrielle brings new ideas and motivational leadership while maintaining the core Democratic values that our organization has long stood for, Light added.

Ted has led us through two very challenging elections during the height of the pandemic never missing a beat. As the Covid-19 public health crisis raged Ted worked to make sure that voters rights were protected as he led the team to victory delivering big Piscataway numbers for President Biden in 2020 and Governor Murphy in 2021 and all our state, county and local candidates including myself, said Cahill. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for his tireless leadership and devotion to our township, this organization, Cahill concluded. Cahill will now lead the organization through the next campaign cycle that has Piscataway favorite, Congressman Frank Pallone topping the ticket along with the Middlesex County County candidates, two of which are former Piscataway council members, Sheriff Millie Scott and Chanelle Scott McCullum.

Locally, the Ward 3 Council vacancy was created by the retirement of long-time Councilman Steve Cahn, an attorney and former Marine. Cahn spearheaded the groundbreaking ordinance prohibiting the sale of guns and ammunition near schools garnering nationwide acclaim and the support of the Brady Campaign to end gun violence. Cahn supporting his successors candidacy said, Sharon Carmichael is a brilliant professional who is dedicated to our community. Her experience and proven leadership qualities will be an asset to our Mayor and Council and I am looking forward campaigning door to door with her, Cahn said. Carmichael, a senior level professional working in voice recognition technology at AT&T holds degrees in mathematics and computer science. She has lived in town for 36 years and was active in PTO, Little League, Pop Warner and the Superchief Band Parents Association while raising her three very accomplished children. Carmichael is a steward and long-standing member of the North Stelton AME Church. Carmichael spoke passionately about her work with the church and with NJ Orators, an organization devoted to training youth in public speaking where she served as a volunteer coach and competition director.

The PDO members are excited to work on behalf of the entire team for the upcoming June 7th Primary Election. Joining Cahill on the PDO leadership team as PDO Vice- Chair is Ward 2 District 2 Committee Member Dennis Espinosa. Dennis brings energy, enthusiasm and the keen ability to move our organization forward. He is a team builder who embodies Democratic ideals and we all are looking forward to an exciting campaign cycle, said Cahill.

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A special meeting of the Piscataway Democratic Organization (PDO) was held this month to screen candidates for the ward council seats. - InsiderNJ

The Yolo County Office of Education hosted its Yolo County Elected Leaders & Officials Forum this week, which provided an update on the state of education in the county.

The forum, held Friday morning, included updates from all five school districts within Yolo County and an introduction of Congressman Mike Thompson who will represent most of Yolo County excluding West Sacramento due to redistricting.

Congressman John Garamendi, who has represented Yolo County for nearly a decade, attended the event to reintroduce Thompson to the community.

Joining you today is a brother that I know is dedicated to getting it done, Garamendi emphasized. Mike Thompson has represented this area previously and hes back to represent Yolo and a good portion of Solano County.

Garamendi noted that although he still represents a portion of Solano County he wont be able to represent Yolo County in all the ways he has in the past.

Ill work with Mike to make sure that youre well represented and the things that weve worked on over the years will be able to continue, Garamendi assured.

Thompson reassured Garamendis remarks and noted he will work to ensure that education in the county gets what it needs.

Everybody knows how tough the last couple of years have been and teachers, staff and administrators have been faced with just unimaginable hurdles, he highlighted. Nonetheless, you pulled through, youre working hard and youre providing the education that our students deserve.

However, he stressed that times are still tough as the school districts continue having to maneuver through the pandemic.

We need to make sure that were there for our students, for our staff and for our teachers and thats the commitment that I made to you, Thompson emphasized. I love Yolo County and look forward to working with all of you so thank you again for all that you do.

Elodia Ortega-Lampkin, superintendent for Woodland Joint Unified School District, delivered a presentation detailing the districts board-approved local control and accountability goals:

These goals had a lot of input from our community and many stakeholders and we have not had any controversy on the focus of these goals, Ortega-Lampkin emphasized. Were working on making these goals a reality.

Additionally, Ortega-Lampkin remarked on the difficulties that the pandemic has created for her district and others around the county while commending the work that has been done to keep students engaged and learning.

I hope that we continue to address the needs of our students with the same urgency that we have done with the pandemic, she began. I think that if we continue working together in that same manner with that same urgency and that some focus we will make a difference.

Maria Arvizu-Espinoza, associate superintendent for the Yolo County Office of Education, also highlighted the problem of absenteeism and lower enrollment rates that the pandemic has caused across schools in California.

Average Daily Attendance (ADA) is down by 9% among California school districts when comparing the 2019-2020 school year to this year with an ADA of 4.7 million students compared to 5.2 million students two years ago, according to Arvizu-Espinoza.

Certainly the pandemic is a large part of the chronic absenteeism and lower average daily attendance that were experiencing, Arvizu-Espinoza explained. Its really important to get kids back in school, enrolled and actually showing up again. We know that attendance is critical and its the number one signal of dropouts and graduation rates.

Garth Lewis, Yolo County superintendent of schools, thanked all of the speakers who attended the event for their enthusiasm and spirit in serving the countys students.

The future is bright for Yolo County children and I just want to express our gratitude for our partnership and the ability for all of us to share the responsibility in the health and the well-being and education of our students, Lewis stressed.

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Elected leaders discuss the future of education in Yolo County - Woodland Daily Democrat

New Jersey is a wallflower during presidential primary season.

Its June primary comes too late to help choose the nominee, so candidates skip the state and campaign elsewhere. And the last two New Jerseyans to seek the presidency, Republican Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, long had dropped out before their home state voters even got to go to the polls.

Now some state Democrats want to make New Jersey a player in presidential politics.

State Party Chair Leroy Jones Jr. asked the Democratic National Committee to make New Jersey one of the first primary states as the committee looks at changing its calendar, and state Sen. Richard Codey, a former governor, said he would introduce legislation that would move the states primary to the third week in February.

Our party cannot cling to outdated traditions that do not help us reach new voters and motivate the diverse coalition of supporters needed to win elections and enact our pro-middle class agenda, Jones wrote to national party chair Jaime Harrison, who attended Yale University with Booker. New Jersey has everything that our party needs to fulfill this important role.

Jones cited the states diversity, with double-digit percentages of Black, Latino and Asian residents; and its geography that includes large cities, suburban towns and rural counties.

And Codey, D-Essex, said moving the primary up would help build relationships with the presidential candidates, which could translate into more federal aid and other support.

The state traditionally has been one of the last to vote, except in 2008, when the primary was held on Super Tuesday in February and Democratic voters picked Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama. Four years later, the primary was returned to June.

Giving New Jersey an early primary slot isnt such a far-fetched idea, said Chris Lehane, a veteran of Al Gores 2000 presidential run.

Lehane wouldnt replace Iowa and New Hampshire, which he said force candidates to engage in retail politicking and therefore deserve their early spots.

What Iowa and New Hampshire do really, really well is demonstrate whether a candidate has the retail skills to be successful, he said. These retail skills are really important in terms of how you can actually work with Congress, your ability to work with world leaders.

But New Jersey could provide another key test for candidates, Lehane said.

If you think running for office is like cultivating a garden, the Garden State would make a lot of sense, he said.

Lehane said the states primary could serve as an arbiter of how well a candidate can communicate to a large audience, especially one as diverse as New Jerseys, an audience that reflects what the nation looks like.

New Jersey is sandwiched between two major media markets: New York City and Philadelphia.

Its a visual age that we live in, Lehane said. The modern presidency is really running a content platform. Theres a lot to be said, in addition to the retail stuff, for having a state or subset of states that would be able to prove that ability to run a content machine or a content platform.

Jones said New Jerseys compactness would make Iowa superfluous.

Our state is noteworthy for its compact size as the fourth-smallest state in the nation, which would save candidates valuable travel time and resources and encourage the kind of retail campaigning that has always been a hallmark of the Democratic presidential primary process, he said.

Besides, candidates would get to meet a lot more potential voters, Codey said.

I have more people on my block where I grow up that vote in a primary than Iowa, he said.

Codeys bill would need to pass both the Democratic-controlled state Senate and Assembly and be signed by Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat.

Murphys office deferred comment to Jones on Thursday.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @JDSalant.

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Top Democrat pushes for N.J to hold one of the earliest presidential primaries in 2024 - NJ.com

If you believe the talking points of Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration, Americans are seeing high gas prices through no fault of theirs but because of two reasons Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Hillicon Valley Invasion complicates social media policy Defense & National Security Blinken details Russia's possible next steps MORE's invasion of Ukraine and the price gouging of selfish American oil and gas producers.

This outrage is laughable because Democrats areactively pursuingat least 17 energy tax increases that would raise prices for families and small businesses.

President BidenJoe BidenRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Energy & Environment Ruling blocking climate accounting metric halted Fauci says officials need more than .5B for COVID-19 response MORE's fiscal year 2022 budget includes a dozen tax increases on American energy. The Democrats' socialist tax-and-spend bill,Build Back Better, includes several tax hikes on energy including a home heating tax. Progressives like Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - What now after Zelensky's speech? Senate panel advances Biden Fed nominees to confirmation votes On The Money Fed starts hiking rates as prices climb MORE (D-Mass.) and Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon WhitehouseGas prices lead to tensions within Democratic Party Senate unanimously approves making daylight saving time permanent Carole King to discuss forest fires before Oversight subcommittee MORE (D- R.I.) want a 50 percentwindfall profits taxon oil and gas businesses.

Higher taxes do not just hit businesses they are also passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices. Raising taxes on corporations as Democrats have repeatedly proposed will hit families and businesses through the increased costs of basic goods and services.

The Democratic push for higher taxes on American energy producers and manufacturers will see the price of gasoline and energy increase, despite the fact that consumers are already facing record-high gas prices. In the past 12 months, gasoline has increased by38 percent, while energy has increased by25.6 percent.

However, things would be much, much worse if Democrats have their way.

First, Bidens FY 2022 budgetincluded30 tax increases totaling $3.5 trillion. This included roughly a dozen tax increases on American energy, which the left routinely characterized as tax loopholes.

However, these provisions promote manufacturing jobs and American energy independence. Repealing them would only lead to higher prices, less investment and fewer jobs. For instance, the deduction for intangible drilling costs (IDCs) allows independent producers to immediately deduct business expenses related to drilling such as labor, site preparation, repairs and survey work.

Asnotedin a 2014 study by Wood Mackenzie Consulting, repealing the deduction for IDCs would cost 265,000 jobs in the long-term.

The study notes the elimination of IDCs would also result in a $407 billion reduction in investment, or roughly 25 percent of the capital used by producers to continue investing in new projects. This would mean even less oil andhigher pricesfor American consumers.

The Democrats trillion dollar socialist Build Back Better proposal doubles down on this approach with several tax increases on American energy including a 16.4 cents per barrel tax on crude oil and petroleum products that would raises taxes by nearly $13 billion and an $8 billion home heating tax.

Americans understand that these taxes will increase energy costs according topolling conducted by HarrisX, 66 percent of voters believe these energy taxes will increase energy costs, compared to just 12 percent of voters who do not think it will increase costs.

This is not the only way prices would go up the legislation also includes $800 billion in tax increases on American businesses that would further exacerbate inflation and raise prices for consumers.

More recently, Democratsproposeda windfall profits tax which would impose a 50 percent tax on the difference between the current price of a barrel of oil and the average price per barrel between 2015 and 2019. This could raise taxes by as much as $450 billion over the next decade and would be used to finance a new welfare payment, that in combination with other Democratic policies, will pay people not to work and drive inflation.

A windfall profits tax has been tried and failed in the past. It was signed into law in 1980 by Jimmy CarterJimmy CarterWhy it's time for Black women state supreme court justices Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Walter Mears dead at 87 Administration eyes re-regulation of rail industry; would magnify supply chain problems MORE but was repealed eight years later. The Congressional Research Service hasnotedthat the windfall profits tax was an extremely complicated tax to comply with and administer, that it generated a fraction of the revenue projected and that it raised the cost of gasoline and increased dependence on foreign oil.

The Democrat's tax obsession is not limited to energy they want to use higher taxes as the solution for everything. They have pushed a global minimum tax agreement based on thebeliefthat we should be partnering with Europe, China, Russia and the rest of the world to ensure businesses pay their fair share. They havepusheda 95 percent tax on American pharmaceutical manufacturers as a solution to lower the cost of medicines. They have pushed afinancial transactions taxon every single stock trade as a solution to get tough on Wall Street and even proposed atax on businessesthat do not pay their workers $15 per hour.

While Democrats are playing politics with high energy prices and rampant inflation in general, the bottom line is their policies of higher taxes, more spending and more regulations make these problems worse, not better.

Alex Hendrie is director of Tax Policy at Americans for Tax Reform.

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If Democrats have their way, gas prices will surge even higher | TheHill - The Hill

One of the two Democrats vying to represent north Portland in the Oregon House dropped out of the race earlier this week.

Still, Eric Delehoy will still appear on the May ballot and in the government-issued Voters Pamphlet because he didnt end his campaign before the states deadlines to withdraw from consideration.

Delehoy, a college counselor, sought to be appointed to the House seat formerly held by Tina Kotek, the former speaker now running for governor. Travis Nelson, a registered nurse who now works full time as a union representative with the Oregon Nurses Association, won the appointment and is running for election with the full backing of FuturePAC, the political action committee for House Democrats.

No Republicans are running for the seat. Candidates from minor parties have later filing deadlines.

Delehoy told supporters Monday evening that he realized over the weekend that he couldnt compete with Nelsons structural advantages.

We knew this would be a difficult race when we entered, yet we took that challenge because we believed strongly that people in our district are suffering and that they deserve more than they are currently getting, Delehoy wrote on Facebook.

Its unusual, though not unheard of, for candidates to drop out but remain on the ballot. Oregons late presidential primaries meant Democrats in 2020 and Republicans in 2016 cast ballots for candidates who dropped out before Oregonians had a chance to vote. In 2018, a state House candidate from Bend who ended her campaign in September still received more than 15% of the vote in November.

Delehoys campaign manager, Henry Pratt, said in an email that Delehoy tried to remove himself from the Voters Pamphlet and ballot but was unable to because deadlines passed. Candidates had until March 10 to finalize their Voters Pamphlet statements and March 11 to withdraw.

The campaign has about $40,000 left in its bank account, and Delehoy will pay campaign staff through the May primary.

He plans to write a memoir about his campaign experience.

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Portland Democrat drops out of House race, still will appear on ballot Oregon Capital Chronicle - Oregon Capital Chronicle

Democrats efforts to combat inflation are stuck in limbo because of internal divisions over a range of proposals aimed at lowering the cost of gas, health care and child care.

The latest idea that some Democrats are rallying around is a proposed tax on the windfall profits of major oil companies that would raise an estimated $45 billion to be returned to consumers in the form of energy rebates.

Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerA movement is underway to ban lawmakers from trading stocks in office Biden signs .5 trillion government funding bill with Ukraine aid Bottom line MORE (D-N.Y.) highlighted oil companies profits on the Senate floor Thursday and announced that oil and gas company executives will be called to testify about why they are buying back stocks instead of keeping prices lower for average Americans.

It is nothing short of repugnant for oil companies to be touting what are truly dizzying profit margins, while soaking American families with these exorbitant prices, Schumer said.

But Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe ManchinJoe ManchinEnergy & Environment Ruling blocking climate accounting metric halted GOP pushes to add Russian oil ban into trade bill The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - What now after Zelensky's speech? MORE (W.Va.), the biggest swing vote in the Democratic caucus, isnt yet sold on the idea, and Republicans say they think theres little chance hed vote "yes."

Manchin told The Hill Thursday that he wants to have a hearing on the idea to find out the facts.

Other key Democrats, such as Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperLobbying world Democrats divided over proposal to suspend federal gas tax Graham signals he's a likely 'no' on Biden SCOTUS pick MORE (Del.) and Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria CantwellMaria Elaine CantwellTech advocates criticize FCC nomination delays Democrats hit limits with Lujn's absence Hillicon Valley Presented by Cisco Media industry divided over Big Tech bill MORE (Wash.), havent taken a position on the proposal either.

Even if the measure, which is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon WhitehouseGas prices lead to tensions within Democratic Party Senate unanimously approves making daylight saving time permanent Carole King to discuss forest fires before Oversight subcommittee MORE (D-R.I.), got the support of all 50 members of the Democratic caucus, it has no chance of getting 10 Republicans to overcome a filibuster, and theres been no serious talk of putting it in a budget reconciliation package to circumvent GOP opposition.

Sen. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiSenate panel advances Biden Fed nominees to confirmation votes Biden signs reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - All eyes on Zelensky today MORE (Alaska), the ranking Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, predicted not a single Republican would vote for the move and questioned whether even Manchin would back it.

I cant see any Republican supporting it. I dont see that it gets any traction and for lots of good reasons. If you want to send a positive signal to producers that they might want to be doing more, the worst thing you can do is threaten them with a windfall tax, she said.

Manchin told The Hill that hes more interested in spurring oil producers to bring more product to market.

I just want people to produce the products we need to get us through this crisis, he said.

Another proposal to soften the impact of rising gas prices suspending the 18.4 cent per gallon federal gas tax until next January has also divided Democratic senators.

The idea is spearheaded by two vulnerable Democrats facing tough reelection races, Sens. Mark KellyMark KellyMark Kelly says White House should characterize Putin as a war criminal Senate votes to nix mask mandate for public transportation Bipartisan group of senators press Mayorkas on US readiness for Russian cyberthreat MORE (Ariz.) and Maggie HassanMargaret (Maggie) HassanSenate votes to nix mask mandate for public transportation Democrats divided over proposal to suspend federal gas tax Equilibrium/Sustainability Biden presses ahead, bans energy imports MORE (N.H.), but its getting pushback from colleagues who are worried about cutting off a key source of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund.

We have for as long as I can remember ... embraced the principle that those who use roads, highways and bridges have an opportunity to help pay for them. We are not even coming close to paying for the roads, highways and bridges that we need, Carper told The Hill last week.

Other members of the Democratic caucus such as Sen. Angus KingAngus KingBipartisan group of senators press Mayorkas on US readiness for Russian cyberthreat Democrats divided over proposal to suspend federal gas tax Live coverage - Zelensky thinks Russia will talk; 6,000 Russian troops dead MORE (I-Maine) havent taken a position yet on the gas tax holiday but wonder aloud how to replace lost revenue to fund highways and bridges after Congress passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package last year.

Democrats also remain divided over the core elements of President BidenJoe BidenRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Energy & Environment Ruling blocking climate accounting metric halted Fauci says officials need more than .5B for COVID-19 response MOREs Build Back Better agenda, which the White House argues would help fight inflation by lowering families costs.

Biden told lawmakers during his first State of the Union address: I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages.

The president called on Congress to make permanent the subsidies for health care premiums Congress enacted last year through the American Rescue Plan and enact proposals to fight climate change that he said would cut energy costs for families by an average of $500 a year.

He also called for federal subsidies to cut the cost of child care and access to pre-kindergarten for every 3- and 4-year-old.

All of these will lower costs, Biden declared.

But Manchin walked away from the speech unconvinced.

Ive never found out that you can lower costs by spending more, he said.

The following day, Manchin sketched out a proposal to build a package around tax reform, prescription drug reform and a group of measures to combat climate change. He left out expanded child care, home health care for seniors and the disabled, the child tax credit and other social spending initiatives.

Manchin also proposed setting aside half the revenue raised from tax reform and prescription drug reform to reduce the deficit and fight inflation.

More liberal Democrats would be happy to spend that money to fight inflation if it means spending it on programs to reduce families costs, but theres not much appetite for paying down the debt when they have a list of higher social spending priorities.

Senate Democrats acknowledge their internal divisions over how to combat inflation, but they argue that at least theyre putting forward ideas and criticize Republicans for just complaining about rising prices from the sidelines.

While many on the other side of the aisle have spent a lot of time giving floor speeches and presenting floor charts about rising costs, where are their actual proposals? We dont hear what they do to solve the problems, Schumer said last month.

Republicans should step up and say what their plan is to fight inflation, not just pointing fingers, he added.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGOP talking point could turn to Biden's 'underwhelming' Russia response The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - What now after Zelensky's speech? Capito to make Senate GOP leadership bid MORE (R-Ky.) has told colleagues he wont release a legislative agenda before the midterm elections outlining what Republicans would do if they won back control of the Senate.

Republicans have since responded by calling for more access to oil and gas drilling on public lands, reauthorizing the Keystone XL pipeline and other proposals to spur domestic energy production and reduce fuel costs.

Were producing 1.4 million barrels [of oil] less a day than we were right before the pandemic, Sen. John BarrassoJohn Anthony BarrassoRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Capito to make Senate GOP leadership bid Manchin delays vote on Interior nominee, citing energy crisis MORE (R-Wyo.) told reporters Tuesday.

One inflation-fighting idea that Democrats are completely unified behind is the proposal negotiated last year to reduce the cost of many prescription drugs. The deal would cap out-of-pocket drug expenses for seniors at $2,000 and set a cap on the price of insulin at $35 a month.

It would also give the government limited authority under Medicare to negotiate lower prices for the 10 most expensive drugs.

Democrats, however, havent decided whether they will stick with that deal or try to craft something more expansive to give the federal government more power to drive down drug costs.

Manchin this month proposed modeling Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug programs on the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The organization that does the best job is the VA, the veterans administration gets some of the lowest prices. Maybe we should look at them, he told reporters after Bidens speech.

The prescription drug proposal remains stalled as Democrats debate whether it should be broadened and the strategy for passing it.

At last weeks Senate Democratic retreat, members discussed moving the proposal under regular order in an attempt to secure 10 Republican votes to get past a filibuster.

The other option would be to move it under the special budget reconciliation rules, which allow the majority party to pass major legislation with 51 votes. But the problem with this path is theres no consensus among Democrats about what else to include in the reconciliation package.

Progressives such as Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairwoman Patty MurrayPatricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayOvernight Health Care White House steps up COVID money warnings Senate panel advances pandemic preparedness bill on bipartisan vote Five COVID-19 challenges on the two-year anniversary of the pandemic MORE (D-Wash.) say they're not giving up on including legislation to expand access to child care in the reconciliation bill.

I still think that child care is one of the most critical things we can do to help people lower their costs and take a barrier away so they can go back to work and help our economy, she said.

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Democrats divided over how to deal with rising inflation | TheHill - The Hill

KALAMAZOO, MI Carol Heflin will be remembered as someone who was an ardent supporter of women, for helping those less fortunate and as someone who never shied from standing up for causes she believed in.

The former chair of the Kalamazoo County Democratic Party, Heflin died at the age of 67 on Tuesday, March 15, just three weeks after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, her family and friends confirmed earlier this week.

Heflins husband of 30 years, David Heflin, preceded her in death after succumbing to early onset Alzheimers disease in January 2021.

Carol was just a furiously strong and ardent advocate for women, said Michelle Zukowski-Serlin, a friend of Heflins for 35 years.

She worked alongside Heflin on numerous causes such as supporting Medicaid-funded abortion, making marital rape illegal and participating in organizations like the National Organization of Women (NOW) and events such as the Kalamazoo Area Womens Festival.

Whatever she believed in, she put her whole self into, Zukowski-Serlin said. Whether it was feeding the homeless in Bronson Park, taking people into their home when they were in need, fighting for human rights. Carol was there and she didnt have to be asked. She was always fighting for people.

Heflin, who is survived by six children, was involved in numerous political campaigns throughout her life and met her first husband while attending an anti-war rally in the 1970s when she was in her late teens, her daughter Lynneea Brown told MLive.

Growing up, it didnt take long before Brown, now 35, realized her mother was different from most other moms.

One of the first tell-tale signs, Brown said, was when she was just 5, and her mother pulled her out of school to meet President Bill Clinton. That same year, Brown also recalls standing on the steps of Kalamazoo City Hall alongside current city commissioner Don Cooney, carrying a sign for living wages.

Nobody elses kids were out knocking on doors, handing out flyers, Brown said. She was born politically active, something she got from my grandmother, and now she has six kids and 21 grandkids who are doing or going to be doing the same thing.

Heflin worked on national, statewide and local campaigns. They included, among many others, those of former attorney general candidate Amos Williams, former Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former state Rep. Ed LaForge.

Its hard to remember all the things she was involved with, said LaForges widow, Ann LaForge, one of Heflins closest friends and a former business partner. She was never too busy or had so much on her plate that she would not reach out and help someone who needed it.

Heflin and Ann LaForges friendship began when the two worked together at a small community newspaper east of Kalamazoo. At the time the paper folded, they had been working on a project focused on the rise of women-owned businesses.

LaForge recalls Heflin asking their boss if the two could take the work they had done with them and use it for another project. That project became known as WomaNet, a publication the two produced for a few years in the mid-late 90s that served as a directory for women-led businesses and organizations in Southwest Michigan, as well as a community resource guide for women in need of crisis intervention or who may be experiencing domestic violence.

Her passion for helping those in need did not stop with her political voice, or the publication.

She had a much expanded version of what family is, said her son, Shawn Malone, 45. It wasnt just blood. Anybody who was down on their luck, in a marginalized community. She was the first person to bring them into the family. Growing up, I cant think of an Easter or Thanksgiving where there wasnt somebody who was there that we didnt know.

At one point, we had a young woman living with us with her child, who had been been abused by her boyfriend. She stayed with us a few months until mom was able to help her get on her feet. Thats just who she was. She was all about How can we really make a difference in peoples lives every day?

That commitment carried over to catering meals for the homeless, both when there was an encampment at Bronson Park in 2018, and for months afterward when the encampment was no longer visible, said her friend Cheri Bell, an Oshtemo Township trustee.

Without fanfare, she reached out to congregations and people she knew cared about that issue, organized, cooked and delivered meals for weeks for the people in Bronson Park, Bell said. The issue of whether or not that was an appropriate place for the encampment, what did it mean for the city, none of that mattered.

Her care and concern was about the individuals suffering on the ground, and that is where she came from as a human being.

That care is what also led Carol and David Heflin to open their Dowagiac restaurant Foodies Fresh Caf that they owned and operated for about seven years on holidays and prepare free meals for community members in need, Brown said. Her mother would also routinely hire people who were in the early stages of recovery and try to help them up.

Champions and heroes sometimes are the people doing the work that you dont see, Bell said. And Carol Heflin, while sometimes she had a more public persona than others, she was always doing the work to lift up people in need whether she was out front or not.

A memorial service for Heflin will be held at 11 a.m. May 21 at the band shell in Portage.

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Kalamazoo County Democrat Carol Heflin remembered as advocate for women, those less fortunate - MLive.com

Democratic leaders worry that far-left lawmakers are stepping on the partys message by prodding President Biden to declare a climate emergency and clamp down on U.S. oil production.

A policy wishlist recently unveiled by the House Progressive Caucus called on Mr. Biden to declare a national climate emergency and executive action including invoking the Defense Production Act, ending new drilling leases on federal lands and in U.S. waters, reinstating a crude oil export ban and eliminating subsidies for oil companies.

The proposals if invoked would blunt domestic energy production and likely boost energy costs higher.

That doesnt jibe with Democratic leaders plans. They are promising voters various ways to reduce record-high gasoline and energy prices that have become a top issue just months before the midterm elections.

I cant speak for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. What I can tell you is the House Democratic Caucus is focused on delivering results and relief to people who need it, people who are feeling the pinch of higher gas prices.

The lawmaker in charge of making sure Democrats over in the Senate win elections had a similar message.

With whats going on in Ukraine, we want to make sure were able to keep prices stable, said Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. I think that should be our focus right now.

While Mr. Biden is not expected to bow to the demands of the Progressive Caucus, it opens the entire party to criticism and questions about their stance on energy in an already difficult election year for Democrats.

The partys far-left wing, however, insists presidential executive action is necessary to deliver on promises to combat climate change and expand the social safety net. Those promises stalled in the 50-50 split Senate with Mr. Bidens $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act.

Some progressives rejected the notion that doubling down on climate change puts their colleagues in a difficult position with voters, despite current energy prices. Others admitted that it very well could.

Rep. Mark Pocan, Wisconsin Democrat and a leader of the Progressive Caucus, said theyre not necessarily calling on Mr. Biden to act imminently, despite wanting a climate emergency declaration.

These are all good things the president could do. Clearly, timing is going to come into play with everything, Mr. Pocan said. But I think the impetus was since Build Back Better doesnt appear to be moving very fast, what aspects could we get done?

Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat and member of the far-left Squad on Capitol Hill, conceded that the pivot to cleaner energy would cause a headache for her colleagues if high gasoline prices persist.

Of course, if we are in the same situation with these kinds of policy positions [come October], it could be a messaging problem, she said.

Though oil prices have recently dipped from record-highs, gasoline prices remain near record territory, leading many Democrats to accuse big oil companies of price gouging and a desire to haul executives in for congressional testimony. Historical trends show that its normal for gasoline costs to reduce at a far slower pace than oil in a volatile energy market.

The national average for a gallon of unleaded fuel was $4.27 on Friday, down just six cents from a week ago. Oil, meanwhile, has seen a roughly 20% dip to around $105 per barrel compared to brief peaks last week around $130 or higher.

Democrats also blamed fossil fuel companies for the thousands of unused federal drilling leases but have more recently come around to more aggressively pushing executives to ramp up production.

Republicans jumped at the opportunity to hammer Democrats and Mr. Biden for what they describe as a concerted effort to limit domestic energy production to raise the price of fossil fuels and push consumers toward clean energy. Republican lawmakers point to actions taken by Mr. Biden and his administration, such as canceling the Keystone XL pipeline or significantly reducing the number of new federal drilling permits, as evidence.

Every day before Biden has been in office, every time he took an action that was going to harm the energy industry, we showed you the prediction of what would happen. Well, that day has come, said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, California Republican. Im sorry, theyre out of excuses. Every action theyve taken has put us in this place.

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Democrats wince at progressives' push to limit domestic energy production - Washington Times

The Wyoming Democratic Party criticized lawmakers Thursday for how they redrew legislative district lines during the 2022 budget session. The party denounced the Legislature for prolonging the redistricting process into the late hours of the final day of the session despite having several months to work on the issue.

Even more disturbing are the concerns that much of it was motivated by lawmakers attempting to pick their own voters, including family members in some cases, instead of focusing on creating districts that made sense and offered fair equal representation, Wyoming Democratic Party Chairman Joe Barbuto said in a statement.

Despite those concerns, the party said it will not take legal action on behalf of underrepresented voters in Sheridan and Johnson Counties. The party also said it was not aware of others planning any kind of legal action.

Why it matters: The final redistricting map passed by lawmakers put districts in Sheridan and Johnson counties out of deviation, which means they fall out of legally permissible district proportions. This violates the Equal Protection Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and puts the state at risk of legal challenges by those who are not properly represented.

The Wyoming Democratic Party said they were concerned they lacked legal standing.

We do not feel that it is the place of the state political party to tell Sheridan County voters what relief, if any, they should seek in this matter, Nina Hebert, communications director for the Wyoming Democratic Party, said.

Who said what: There is no reason that legislators should be conducting business behind closed doors, Hebert said in regard to lawmakers completing much of the redistricting work in caucus and other private meetings during the last week of the session.

What else you should know: While the party will not file a lawsuit, it does plan to pursue other, more long-term action. That includes pushing for an independent commission to handle redistricting when Wyoming will need to do it again in 10 years. The state is required to do so every decade during the first budget session following a completed U.S. census. Sen. Mike Gierau (D-Jackson) brought a bill this session to establish such a commission, but it failed an introduction vote.

Next up: Gov. Mark Gordon has yet to sign the bill. Earlier this week, Gordon said he would not sign it until his attorney general had reviewed it. That review has been completed, according to Michael Pearlman, Gordons spokesperson. No legal challenges can take place before Gordon takes action on the bill. He has until March 26 to do so.

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Wyoming Democratic Party will not sue over redistricting - WyoFile