THE LONG GAME: Johnson releases Jan. 6th videos; Retirements set records
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) fulfilled the wishes of far-right members of his party by announcing the release of thousands of hours of footage from the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. About 95 percent of the 40,000 hours of videos will be made accessible, he said. The initial tranche of videos was made available through the website of the Committee on House Administration. Predictably, the release of the videos has reignited conspiracy theories about the deadly insurrection. Some Republican lawmakers have chosen to re-post selective moments from the videos and use them to suggest that the incident was an “inside job.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA), for example, posted video of a man who, she claimed, was a law enforcement officer merely disguised as a Trump supporter. She was quickly proven wrong. Likewise, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) floated the idea that the federal government had used “ghost buses” to transport undercover agents to the Capitol to take part in the riot. After the announcement, Johnson sent out a fund-raising email to his supporters touting the release of the videos.
Three lawmakers—Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Bill Johnson (R-OH)-- announced last week that they would not seek reelection to the House. Eshoo has represented the Silicon Valley area for nearly 30 years; in her announcement, she said that 66 pieces of her legislation had been signed into law. Johnson will become president of Youngstown State University. For the past 28 years, Cárdenas has represented the San Fernando Valley in elected office. Cárdenas says that he's not going to completely retire and looks forward to new opportunities. The three announcements are just the latest in a string of retirements made by members of the House and Senate in recent weeks. According to Politico, there have been at least a dozen such announcements in November alone, the most in any single month since 2011.
Washington Watch is published weekly when Congress is in session. Published monthly during extended recess or adjournment.
Spotlight on Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican academics seek official recognition for Island terms
The Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language, an institution dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the Spanish language on the Island, has submitted a list of terms rooted on the Island to the dictionary of the Real Academia Española (Spanish Royal Academy), considered the official guide to the Spanish language around the world. Terms included are “güira” (easy thing), “jurutungo” (a remote place), and “perreo, most recently popularized in many songs by crossover Puerto Rican artists like Bad Bunny and Karol G. The Royal Academy will convene a panel of experts to review evidence of the terms’ widespread use. Of the hundreds of Puerto Rican terms sent last year, seventy were accepted.
Lawmakers urge IRS to crack down on tax cheats in Puerto Rico
A group of Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter last week demanding that the IRS accelerate its investigation of wealthy Americans who may be unlawfully taking advantage of Puerto Rican tax incentives. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) and a dozen colleagues signed a letter calling on the IRS to crack down on about 100 wealthy individuals who have claimed tax breaks meant to benefit people who relocate from the mainland to the Island and become bona fide residents of Puerto Rico. Initially created as an incentive to boost the Island’s economy, the local government has failed to verify that those taking advantage of the program were in compliance. Beneficiaries are required to buy a home in Puerto Rico within two years of becoming residents and donate at least $10,000 to local charities. In July, the IRS said it had identified 100 individuals claiming tax benefits who did not actually qualify for them.
US Army Corps completes San Juan power project
The US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, announced last week the completion of a $1 billion power project in San Juan. FEMA led this initiative intended to restore and improve electrical infrastructure and grid resilience and reliability. Sixteen temporary power generation systems were installed at the Palo Seco and San Juan power plants, initially built in 1959 and 1964, respectively. The power plants had major stabilization issues since being built, which were exacerbated by the natural disasters of the last six years.
Puerto Rico enacts extended maternity leave for public sector employees
In recent weeks, Act No. 129-2023 was signed into law, increasing the duration of maternity leave for government employees. Maternity leave will now be 16 weeks, with 4 weeks for prenatal leave, 8 weeks after birth, and four additional weeks for childcare. Pregnant women have the flexibility to use just one week of prenatal leave and use the next 15 after giving birth. If a government employee chooses to adopt a child under five years of age, they are entitled to the same maternity benefits as a birth parent. If they adopt a minor age 6 or older, however, they are only entitled to 15 days of maternity leave.
View From The White House
he Department of Health and Human Services proposed a new rule that would require Head Start programs to pay teachers as much as local schoolteachers, which could raise salaries by up to $10,000 over the next seven years.
The Justice Department filed a brief urging a federal judge to keep in place affirmative-action policies at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, arguing that diversity in the Army is “integral to ensuring national security.”
White House officials said that President Biden will release a presidential determination under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to enable investment in the manufacture of medicines that the administration considers essential to national defense.
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