THE LONG GAME: Senate leadership releases border-Ukraine-Israel package, Senators promote bill to protect children from social media threats
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that the first procedural vote on bipartisan legislation to address border security and funding for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific would occur on Wednesday. The much-anticipated $118 billion package was unveiled Sunday and would represent the first significant legislative step taken on immigration in decades. It limits the use of parole for migrants, makes it harder for migrants to apply for asylum, and would enable the president to virtually shut down the southern border when attempted crossings reach 5,000 per day. It also includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel and $9 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), following the lead of former president Donald Trump and his allies, threw cold water on the legislation, saying it was “worse than expected.” Johnson countered that he would schedule a vote on a bill containing aid to Israel only, which House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called a “cynical attempt” to undermine the bipartisan effort.
During a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, CEOs of some of the biggest social media firms were grilled by members from both sides of the aisle on online threats posed to minors. Committee chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) called the issue a “crisis on America,” and later compared the CEOs to tobacco industry executives at a pivotal moment in the 1990s. Ranking member Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told the executives, “You have blood on your hands.” The hearing’s highlight occurred when Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg turned to the audience to address grieving parents. Lawmakers are considering several bills, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which would require social media networks, video game sites and messaging apps to take “reasonable measures” to prevent harm to minors. During the hearing, executives from Snap and X said that their companies support the bipartisan bill, which is co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
Washington Watch is published weekly when Congress is in session. Published monthly during extended recess or adjournment.
Spotlight Puerto Rico
Chita Rivera honored by U.S. leaders
President Biden was among those paying tribute to Chita Rivera, who died last week at the age of 91. Biden called the Broadway legend “an all-time-great of American musical theater” who “captured the grit and grace of America.” Biden added that “Chita knew what great Americans know – it’s not how hard you get knocked down, it’s how quickly you get back up.” Rivera was born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in Washington, D.C. to a Puerto Rican father who played in the U.S. Navy band; her mother was a clerk at the Pentagon. She was known for many iconic roles, including Anita in the original production of West Side Story. She won three Tony awards and was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2009. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) said that Rivera “took pride in her Puerto Rican heritage and helped pave the way for other Latina artists.”
Clinical trial tests drug to treat advanced-stage breast cancer
Medical researchers in Puerto Rico have launched a clinical trial to test a drug that represents a alternatve therapeutic option to treat and control advanced-stage cases of breast cancer. So far, two breast cancer patients on the Island have participated in the tests. “The trial seeks to treat the most aggressive type of breast cancer,” according to Dr. José Rodriguez-Orengo, CEO of San Juan-based MBQ Pharma. Rodríguez-Orengo said that the first phase of the trial will test the safety of MBQ-167, a dual inhibitor which prevents the tumor from growing and spreading. A third patient is soon scheduled to join the trial. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Puerto Rico. Approximately 2,205 women on the Island are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society of Puerto Rico. Additionally, company representatives hope that MBQ-167 might be used to treat brain and pancreatic cancer, as well.
Retailers argue against higher electricity rates
Arguing that Puerto Rican businesses have already experienced significant increases in operating expenses, a group representing Island retailers is urging the government and the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) to avoid raising electricity rates in the coming months. The Puerto Rico United Retailers Center (CUD, in Spanish) said that a recent survey of small and medium-sized businesses showed production costs increased by 5 to 10 percent between 2022 and 2023. The group cited high energy costs among the reasons for the hike in expenses. Gustavo Vélez, president of Inteligencia Económica, the firm that carried out the survey, warned that “if costs continue to rise, bankruptcies will continue. The statistics validate that bankruptcies have shown an upward trend for four consecutive months.” The survey results were presented to the FOMB during a meeting in mid-January.
View From The White House
John Podesta, a senior White House advisor on clean energy and a longtime Democratic strategist, will replace John Kerry as the president’s special envoy on climate policy.
Amid growing concerns about the consumption of electricity involved in Bitcoin mining, the Department of Energy issued an “emergency collection of data request” to investigate U.S.-based miners over the next six months.
The Biden Administration on Thursday sent its opening offers to manufacturers of ten medications picked for the landmark drug price negotiation program established by the Inflation Reduction Act.
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