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‘Hostage’: House GOP Group Slammed for Threat to Derail Baltimore Bridge Rebuilding Funds

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The far-right House Freedom Caucus is threatening to derail any federal funding legislation to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore that was destroyed last week in a deadly accident. Their statement comes ahead of President Joe Biden’s planned trip to visit the wreckage Friday afternoon, where he will deliver remarks scheduled for 2:30 PM ET.

The pro-MAGA nationalist group, chaired by U.S. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) (photo), who is fighting to retain his congressional seat, issued a statement demanding the insurance from “foreign shipping companies” should pay all costs to rebuild, before the federal government even “considers” appropriating any additional funds, rather than have the federal government be reimbursed by insurance.

Experts say that could delay reconstruction for years, given expected lawsuits.

“Litigation will run years,” John Miklus, the president of the American Institute of Marine Underwriters, told CNN last week. “This claim has the potential to be north of a billion dollars.”

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That billion-dollar figure does not include the cost to the U.S. economy, especially because of the bridge’s impact on the Port of Baltimore.

Brookings Institution’s Joe Kane says, “on an annual basis, there are about 50 million tons of goods valued at about $80 billion that go to and from the port each year.” He also says “about 12 million vehicles a year used the bridge.”

President Biden immediately after the deadly accident vowed the U.S. government would pay to rebuild the bridge.

The House Freedom Caucus in its “Official Position on Francis Scott Key Bridge Response,” is saying no.

While attempting to derail federal funding legislation to rebuild the bridge, the House Freedom Caucus is insisting the federal government rescind all environmental and labor protection laws and policies in relation to rebuilding, which it characterizes as “burdensome regulations,” to “avoid all unnecessary delays and costs.”

The Freedom Caucus also demands “the Biden Administration’s pause on approvals of liquified natural gas export terminals … must be lifted before Congress considers appropriating any funding for the bridge reconstruction.”

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U.S. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Democrat who represents parts of Baltimore, slammed the far-right GOP group.

The Freedom Caucus “says it plans to hold Key Bridge rebuilding $$ hostage to ridiculous demands including waiving environmental rules, labor agreements & greenlighting LNG exports. Enough with the political games that will slow progress & keep Marylanders from getting back to work.”

The communications director for U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Ben Kamens, calls the Freedom Caucus’ statement, “a real cutting off your nose to spite your face situation,” saying that “many of these Members represent Congressional Districts that will feel a direct financial impact from imports and exports being stalled at the Port of Baltimore.”

“Make it make sense,” urged U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA). “House Republicans are insisting we resume liquified natural gas exports—which raise energy prices and hurt our climate—before *checks notes* reopening one of our nation’s busiest ports and a bridge that carries 11.3 million vehicles a year.”

Nicole Tardif, who has worked for several Republican members of Congress and several conservative organizations, blasted the House Freedom Caucus.

“Nothing screams Freedom Caucus more than politicizing a tragedy that cost people their lives, continues to disrupt countless Americans’ livelihoods, and is wrecking havoc on supply chains. Closing out the statement with an irrelevant natural gas reference was a nice, subhuman touch. Pound sand.”

Read the Freedom Caucus’ statement below or at this link.

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‘He Sued to Block Kids From Getting SNAP’: Trump Torched for Biblical Defense of Children

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President Donald Trump came under fire on Thursday after using the Bible to call for protecting children during an event with First Lady Melania Trump.

The event, an executive order signing, was “aimed at expanding opportunities for education, career development, housing, and other resources for young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood,” according to the White House.

“The Bible tells us that one of the measures of any society is how it cares for vulnerable children and orphans,” President Trump told the assembled audience in the East Room of the White House.

“So important, it is so big in the Bible, so, as we make America great again, we are going to protect American children in foster care.”

READ MORE: ‘Concepts of a Plan’: White House and GOP Under Fire for Health Care Cost Crisis

Critics were quick to chastise the president, whose administration has been fighting all the way to the Supreme Court to block funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“You literally fought in court to strip families of food assistance,” declared California Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Your ICE agents pepper sprayed a baby last week,” charged House Homeland Security Committee Democrats.

“He sued to block kids from getting SNAP benefits just days ago,” wrote The Lincoln Project.

The Friendly Atheist’s Hemant Mehta posted a headline that read: “USAID cuts may lead to more than 14 million deaths globally, including 4.5 million children under 5 by 2030, researchers say.”

READ MORE: Trump Stumbles Over ‘God Bless America’ Lyrics at Veterans Day Ceremony

 

Image via Reuters 

 

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‘Concepts of a Plan’: White House and GOP Under Fire for Health Care Cost Crisis

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It took congressional Democrats more than a year of work — plus several years of prior policy development — to create the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Now, Republicans are scrambling to fix it after passing President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which stripped away the subsidies that helped make buying insurance on the exchanges affordable.

And they have just weeks to make it happen, before the new premiums go into effect on January 1.

The House is back in session after Speaker Mike Johnson kept Republicans in their home districts for almost two months during the federal government shutdown. Now, Republicans and the Trump White House are starting to decide what, if anything, they will do to keep premiums — already published — from doubling or even tripling in certain cases.

“President Donald Trump’s Domestic Policy Council and senior health officials have been meeting privately for preliminary conversations on how to address the expiration of health insurance tax credits, according to a White House official and another person familiar with the talks,” Politico reported on Thursday. “Conversations about a White House alternative to Affordable Care Act subsidies, which will expire at year’s end, are in the ‘early ideation phase,’ said a third person familiar with the talks.”

READ MORE: Congressman Conway? Top Trump Critic Reportedly Eyeing House Bid

Capitol Hill is in a similar state.

Noting that “the clock is ticking,” NBC News reported that “Republicans, under pressure from Democrats after the government shutdown revived the health care clash, have not coalesced around legislation or even an abstract idea, and are only now starting serious discussions about putting proposals together.”

“As the party scrambles to craft an alternative, multiple Republicans are vying for Trump’s endorsement of ideas that could alleviate skyrocketing costs that are just around the corner,” NBC added.

Democrats want a three-year extension of Obamacare subsidies and tax credits, Speaker Johnson has said that is a nonstarter.

Some Republicans are starting to speak out.

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U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), a former Democrat, “warned, ‘not only is it morally bankrupt, it’s political suicide’ for Republicans to let the subsidies expire without an alternative in place.”

U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) prefers a vehicle like health care saving accounts that he claimed will lower costs by driving up competition. President Trump appeared to favor that approach, when he attacked health insurance companies in a social media post earlier this week.

Some are warning that bypassing the Obamacare exchanges could damage or destroy them.

“A tweet is not a health care plan,” Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, told NBC. “If people could use these Trump health care dollars to buy insurance not regulated by the ACA, it would likely cause the ACA to collapse and upend protections for pre-existing conditions.”

Meanwhile, critics are blasting Republicans on Capitol Hill as well as the Trump administration for waiting so long before starting to try to create a plan.

Responding to the NBC News report, journalist Justin Baragona observed, “we’re still on ‘concepts of a plan’ here.”

“They’ve had 10+ years to work on this and have nothing,” wrote Laura Belin, a reporter for a progressive website. “Time to stop taking their supposed health care policy work seriously.”

The White House is in ‘early ideation’ phase on ACA subsidies,” wrote The Bulwark’s Jonathan Cohn. “An issue already hitting millions of insurance buyers And that Democrats (not to mention analysts, journalists etc) have been saying needs attention for more than a year.”

Michigan Democratic State Senate Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, wrote: “After Republicans refused to extend ACA subsidies, 4 Michigan insurers are dropping out of the ACA marketplace altogether. That’s 200,000 Michiganders who just lost their plans. Others are just going to cancel their plans. Which means more uncompensated care. Which means *everyone’s* healthcare costs will be higher.”

READ MORE: Trump Stumbles Over ‘God Bless America’ Lyrics at Veterans Day Ceremony

 

Image via Reuters 

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Congressman Conway? Top Trump Critic Reportedly Eyeing House Bid

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George Conway, the prominent attorney, Trump critic, and ex-husband of former Trump White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, may be considering a run for Congress.

According to a report at CNN and a post by New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni, Conway is eyeing a run for retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler’s New York district.

CNN reported that Conway, 62, is “actively considering running for Congress from New York City, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.”

Karni reported, “the Conway pitch being — what the House will need next year is an aggressive lawyer with an investigative background just going after Trump.”

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Conway is a former Republican who became an independent in 2018. He has a law degree from Yale, and successfully argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, obtaining a unanimous ruling. He is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project and currently co-hosts a podcast at The Bulwark.

Should Democrats retake the majority in the House of Representatives, it’s likely there will be numerous investigations into President Donald Trump and his administration — not to mention possible efforts to impeach the unpopular and controversial Commander in Chief.

Conway would have good company in a primary.

“Jack Schlossberg, former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, entered the race this week,” CNN noted.

The Daily Beast adds that “much of the buzz around Conway stems from his personal life. While he and his 58-year-old ex-wife, Kellyanne, tried to make their marriage work amid his dramatic political realignment, the couple frequently made headlines. As Kellyanne served as senior counselor to Trump from 2017 to 2020, her husband routinely sounded off on her boss and advisers—including Stephen Miller, whom Kellyanne referred to as one of her ‘best friends’ in the current administration earlier this month.”

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

 

Image by Presia Debauch via Flickr and a CC license

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