Senator Ed Markey appears to be blocking a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting fraud in COVID-era government programs, seemingly siding with fraudsters and against the United States government.
The House of Representatives <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4495" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> the &#8220;SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act&#8221; in July by voice vote, signaling overwhelming bipartisan support. The <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/SM/SM00/20250722/118539/BILLS-119HR4495ih.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-page bill</a> simply gives more time for prosecutors to charge people who swindled two COVID bailouts, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant.
The programs were so fraud-ridden, and the dollar amounts so great, that investigators and prosecutors have a large backlog. Congress already added another five years to the prosecution window for the biggest COVID programs, the Paycheck Protection Program and unemployment bailouts.
But Markey, the top Democrat on the Senate panel overseeing the Small Business Administration, which took the lead on the pandemic recovery, appears to be using his position to block passage in the upper chamber. The Senate Small Business Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), <a href="https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/7/ranking-member-markey-votes-out-legislation-emphasizes-need-for-tariff-relief-for-small-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved the bill</a> in July. But it has <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1199?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22s1199%22%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not been</a> brought to the floor for passage.
&#8220;Senate Democrats are blocking my commonsense bill to extend the statute of limitations for COVID crimes, meaning criminals like those recently exposed in Minnesota will get away with it simply because the clock will run out,” Ernst told The Daily Wire. &#8220;It should be a no-brainer to side with taxpayers instead of fraudsters.&#8221;
The apparent blockage raises the question of whether Democrats have become the party of fraud, siding with the likes of the notorious Somali fraudsters who cost the government billions but vote for Democrats as a bloc.
The Biden administration doled out COVID billions using a &#8220;pay and chase&#8221; philosophy, meaning they erred on the side of getting money out the door, with the justification that they would claw back wrongly paid payments later. But the schemes were so numerous that they are still being uncovered, so not extending the statute of limitations amounts to simply paying scammers and not chasing at all.
John Hart, a former Senate aide who now leads the spending watchdog group Open The Books, said under Senate procedure that if a bill passes a committee and has the support of the top Republican and Democrat on that committee, it is fast-tracked for passage by the full chamber. &#8220;If the committee’s ranking member, Sen. Markey, would give the go-ahead, it could be passed by unanimous consent. That process helps uncontroversial bills succeed without extensive Senate procedures,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire.
The restaurant program cost $29 billion, and the inspector general found that recipients representing 12% of that did not even file the required paperwork. The shuttered venue program, which bailed out concert halls, cost $15 billion, more than half a billion dollars of which was identified by SBA as <a href="https://www.sba.gov/document/report-25-21-sbas-oversight-shuttered-venue-operators-grant-recipients" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potentially improper</a>. Both programs ran out of money, meaning fraudsters likely stole slots from more deserving businesses.
A spokesman for Markey — who has represented Massachusetts in Congress since 1976 — did not return a request for comment on what, if any, objection he has to the bill.
<div id="attachment_1027513" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1027513" class="size-full wp-image-1027513" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2214429130.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2214429130.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2214429130-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2214429130-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2214429130-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Ed Markey, at right (Photo by Mel Musto/Getty Images)</div>
Hart said it&#8217;s hard to see a legitimate gripe.
&#8220;This issue ought to be unanimous. It could be on President Trump’s desk today. What, exactly, is controversial about prosecuting cases of fraud? Every dollar spent this way is unavailable for Americans who truly need it,&#8221; he said.
Reducing fraud in all government programs used to be an area of bipartisan agreement, with members of the minority party joining the majority in wonky policy discussions. After all, stopping fraud means liberals would have more money for other programs, or Republicans could use the savings to lower taxes.
If the Democrats have moved from the party of big government to the pro-fraud party, one contributing factor could be identity politics. The Biden administration drew the ire of the SBA inspector general by deciding <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sba-wont-even-try-to-collect-on-ppp-loans-that-are-supposed-to-be-paid-back-citing-equity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not to even attempt to collect</a> PPP loan repayment from businesses that were not eligible to have their loans forgiven, citing &#8220;equity&#8221; as justification.
In the state of Georgia alone, two state legislators, both of them black Democrats, have been accused of <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/a-second-georgia-house-democrat-is-accused-of-unemployment-fraud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stealing</a> from COVID bailout funds. In Virginia, a former state legislator, an Arab Democrat, was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/11/11/covid-relief-fraud-ibraheem-samirah/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> of taking fake PPP loans.
The case of an African-born <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/usaid-contracting-officer-charged-with-pandemic-bailout-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USAID employee</a> who stole PPP loans raises the question of whether the Biden administration even attempted to stop fraud. He got money on the basis that his purported company did not make as much money in 2020 as it did in 2019 due to the pandemic. But state records and federal tax returns would have shown that the company didn&#8217;t even exist.
Markey, as the top Democrat on the committee overseeing perhaps the most-defrauded government spending spree in history, is the poster child for the notion that Democrats may now simply be apathetic, or even in denial, about fraud — even as fraud in places like Minnesota reaches such heights that it could make Great Society-style programs impossible.
Last month, Hart, along with this reporter, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wires-luke-rosiak-will-testify-before-the-senate-on-massive-federal-dei-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> before the Senate Small Business Committee about reducing fraud. Most Democrats on the committee didn&#8217;t bother to attend, and those who did — led by Markey — made no attempt to find ways to reduce fraud, instead suggesting that the programs at issue were not enough billions to care about, or using their time on anti-Trump tirades about topics outside of the committee&#8217;s jurisdiction.
Ernst was surprised, saying, &#8220;Individuals who used Barbie dolls as their photo identification were approved for SBA loans. This is totally unacceptable. &#8230; [Markey] said the largest amount of waste, fraud, and abuse is not in the Small Business Administration programs. &#8230; This is, however, the Small Business Committee. &#8230; Are my Democrat colleagues saying we should be ignoring billions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse?&#8221;

.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)

This Democrat Is Singlehandedly Blocking The Prosecution Of COVID Fraudsters

COVID

Ed Markey

Fraud

Joni Ernst

Politics

Small Business Administration

Squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) will not primary challenge Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) in the 2026 election. She is instead opting to run for re-election to her current seat.
“Hearing from so many people from throughout our Commonwealth encouraging me to run for the United States Senate was deeply humbling and a testament to the strength of our movement,” Pressley <a href="https://x.com/AyannaPressley/status/1995949427249610967">posted to X</a> in a statement on Tuesday.
“It would be an honor to serve the whole Commonwealth-but with our daughter in her last year at home before college and a district that has been in the crosshairs of this White House, I am certain that the Massachusetts 7th is where I belong in this moment,” she continued.
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The only major primary challenger to Markey next year for the seat is now Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).
The move comes as the Democratic Party is at a political crossroads in terms of both the age and ideology of candidates it runs. The congresswoman is 51 years old, and Markey is 79. Moulton is even younger at 47, and he’s been an advocate for having different Democratic leadership in the Senate besides Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
&#8220;Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership. If [Schumer] were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare. Maybe now [Markey] will finally join me in pledging not to vote for Schumer?&#8221; Moulton posted to X on November 9 when a handful of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans to take steps toward reopening the federal government.
As for Pressley, she is one of the original four members of the far-left “Squad,” which started with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Pressley, who all took office in 2019.
The debate has manifested most notably when President Joe Biden was swapped out for Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 presidential nominee. However, it is also showing up in other places, including the Maine Senate primary between 41-year-old veteran Graham Platner and 77-year-old Gov. Janet Mills.
“Congresswoman Pressley is a powerful fighter for working families and a national leader for her work in Congress,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) posted in response to Pressley’s announcement.
“No one fights harder than [Ayanna Pressley], and she will continue to be a strong, effective voice for Massachusetts,” she added. If Warren opts for re-election, it would not be until 2030, which is the year she turns 81.
Markey’s seat is rated as “Solid Democrat” by the Cook Political Report.

Ayanna Pressley

Squad Member Will Not Challenge Fellow Dem Senator As Party Frets Over Trump

Ayanna Pressley Will Not Primary Sen. Ed Markey As Democrats Navigate Trump-Era Direction

2026 election

Democrat

Massachusetts

Senate

seth moulton

Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), got into heated exchanges with Senate Democrats on Wednesday over his efforts to save taxpayer dollars at the agency.
Zeldin testified in front of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday and clashed with Democrats on the committee over his efforts to cut waste, fraud, and abuse.
Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse argued with Zeldin about cuts to the agency. Whitehouse along with other Democratic senators accused the administrator of lying about cuts constituting waste, fraud, or abuse.
A frustrated Zeldin eventually told the senator that the Trump administration is “not going to waste dollars just because you insist on EPA lighting taxpayer dollars on fire.”
“The American taxpayers, they put President Trump in office because of people like you. They have Republicans in charge of the House and Senate because of people like you, because you don&#8217;t care about 99% of this story,” Zeldin said. “You don&#8217;t want me to go through the list of all the evidence of waste and abuse. You don’t care about conflicts of interest. You don’t care about unqualified recipients.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Nothing exposes the hypocrisy of Congressional Dems like <a href="https://twitter.com/SenWhitehouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenWhitehouse</a> more than the cold hard truth about why I terminated their Green Slush Fund Scam and how I have unapologetically implemented a ZERO tolerance policy for ANY waste and abuse. <a href="https://t.co/1yQNlWLU7m">pic.twitter.com/1yQNlWLU7m</a>
&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1925234661409628461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts repeatedly asked Zeldin to provide a list of “waste, fraud, and abuse,” but interrupted the administrator before he could run through a list of what his staff had found.
“Are you willing to admit here today, Mr. Administrator, that you don&#8217;t have any evidence of waste, fraud, and abuse?” Markey asked.
Zeldin repeatedly said he would be “happy to go through the list.” But Zeldin failed to get more than a few words into his list of waste, fraud, and abuse before the Massachusetts Democrat was “reclaiming” time and talking over the administrator.
“You want to declare there&#8217;s no evidence, but you don&#8217;t want me to go through the list,” Zeldin said.
Markey’s time expired before Zeldin could meaningfully discuss the cuts he has made to the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Never anything but malarkey from the mouth of Ed Markey. The American public is DONE with this double talk, dishonest hackery from these Congressional Democrats,” Zeldin posted on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Never anything but malarkey from the mouth of Ed Markey.
The American public is DONE with this double talk, dishonest hackery from these Congressional Democrats. <a href="https://t.co/sdo0gh8c4K">pic.twitter.com/sdo0gh8c4K</a>
&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1925264793654505800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a back-and-forth with California Sen. Adam Schiff, Zeldin took issue with the senator’s characterization of his leadership at the EPA and called Schiff “an aspiring fiction writer.”
“With that wind-up, by the way, I understand you&#8217;re an aspiring fiction writer. I see why,” said Zeldin.
Schiff responded: “Well, I understand your view that you can cut half of the agency and it won&#8217;t affect people&#8217;s health or their water or their air. That, to me, is a big fiction, Mr. Zeldin.”
Schiff’s time expired as he continued to lecture Zeldin. The agency administrator shot back at Schiff later on X: “Aspiring fiction writer @SenAdamSchiff got sad today that I called out a bunch more of his lies. The next time he says something truthful will be the first.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Aspiring fiction writer <a href="https://twitter.com/SenAdamSchiff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenAdamSchiff</a> got sad today that I called out a bunch more of his lies. The next time he says something truthful will be the first. 
Regardless, the Trump EPA will tirelessly work on issues affecting his constituents like hazardous waste removal in LA… <a href="https://t.co/WKRaWOnPuC">pic.twitter.com/WKRaWOnPuC</a>
&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1925247823475363893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lee Zeldin

Zeldin Torches Democrats Over EPA Reforms: ‘You Don’t Care About 99% Of This Story’

Adam Schiff

Congress

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Sheldon Whitehouse

Two Democratic lawmakers are pushing President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> to sign on to an effort to restrict presidential authority over the use of nuclear weapons ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office.
Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Ted Lieu of California <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/with-trump-returning-to-office-sen-markey-rep-lieu-urge-biden-administration-to-place-limits-on-presidential-authority-to-start-nuclear-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> to Biden on Thursday to urge him to support legislation that would block presidents from ordering a first-strike with a nuclear weapon. Markey and Lieu’s legislation, the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act, has been introduced to Congress numerous times since 2015.
“Mr. President, with just weeks left in office, you can safeguard the system against Donald Trump or any future unstable president, and make it constitutional,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote.
To make their case, they provided examples of military leaders who, under the Nixon and Trump administrations, took steps to undermine the president’s constitutional authority over nuclear weapons. Rather than denouncing such action, the lawmakers argued that a legislative fix is needed to keep the decision to launch a preemptive nuclear strike out of the hands of “just one fallible human.”
Despite the concerns of former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger under former President Richard Nixon and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley under Trump, neither president threatened to launch a preemptive nuclear strike.
“We urge you to announce that henceforth it will be the policy of the United States that it will not initiate a nuclear first strike without express authorization from Congress,” the lawmakers wrote.
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According to the Democrats, under the legislation, “A president could order a nuclear launch only if (1) Congress had approved the decision, providing a constitutional check on executive power or (2) the United States had already been attacked with a nuclear weapon.&#8221;
“This would be infinitely safer than our current doctrine,” they wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Come January, Donald Trump will have the sole authority to launch a nuclear strike. This should terrify you. That&#39;s why <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTedLieu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepTedLieu</a> and I are urging <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> to put guardrails on presidential authority to start nuclear war. <a href="https://t.co/Wtvb6B2m4r">pic.twitter.com/Wtvb6B2m4r</a>
&mdash; Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarkey/status/1867245105406455995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Critics of the legislation accused the lawmakers of holding a partisan double-standard meant to cast Trump as unstable.
“They were fine with a guy who’s literally senile launching nukes…But now they want to rein things in?” RealClearInvestigations&#8217; Mark Hemingway said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
They were fine with a guy who’s literally senile launching nukes…But now they want to rein things in? <a href="https://t.co/dd9u5sp8cG">https://t.co/dd9u5sp8cG</a>
&mdash; Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) <a href="https://twitter.com/Heminator/status/1867315738534683018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Democrats Call On Biden To Tie Trump’s Hands Over U.S. Nuclear Strike Capabilities

Democrats Call On Biden To Tie Trump's Hands Over U.S. Nuclear Strike Capabilities

Donald Trump

Executive

Joe Biden

Nuclear Weapons

Ted Lieu

Washington D.C.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> Republicans blocked a Democrat bill that sought to codify the right to access <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/contraception" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contraception</a> in federal law, with many arguing that it would infringe on religious and parental rights.
Fifty-one members, including two Republicans, <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00190.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> to advance the legislation — an insufficient number to reach the three-fifths majority needed to break the filibuster. Thirty-eight Republicans voted against moving forward. Nine other GOP members and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-senator-bob-menendez-to-change-party-status-amid-his-corruption-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)</a> did not vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1798457646502261075" target="_blank" rel="noopener">switched</a> his vote to &#8220;Nay,&#8221; a move that allowed him to file a <a href="https://x.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1798455388783964209" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motion to reconsider</a> the failed cloture vote at some point in the future. He has set up a vote next week for an IVF bill with a <a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/transcript-majority-leader-chuck-schumer-delivers-remarks-at-press-conference-with-senate-democrats-after-senate-republicans-blocked-the-right-to-contraception-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated goal</a> of putting Republicans on the record on reproductive rights.
<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4381/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The contraception bill</a>, introduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), would &#8220;protect an individual’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception and to protect a health care provider’s ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception.&#8221;
Democrat lawmakers are pressing the birth control debate in a presidential election year. They argue Markey&#8217;s legislation is necessary because the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade — a ruling that returned the issue of abortion access to the states — also <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-hirono-duckworth-statement-on-the-right-to-contraception-act-floor-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;threatened&#8221;</a> contraception.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rick-scott-joins-race-for-senate-gop-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">running</a> to become the next leader of the Senate GOP, led 21 of his Republican colleagues in a <a href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2024/6/sen-rick-scott-leads-colleagues-in-slamming-democrats-attacks-on-religious-freedoms-parental-rights-political-games-on-contraception" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that disparaged the contraception bill. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), considered a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-campaign-requests-documents-from-some-vp-contenders-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contender</a> for former President Donald Trump&#8217;s running mate in the 2024 election, was among them.
&#8220;There is no threat to access to contraception, which is legal in every state and required by law to be offered at no cost by health insurers, and it&#8217;s disgusting that Democrats are fearmongering on this important issue to score cheap political points,&#8221; the GOP lawmakers said.
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&#8220;This bill infringes on the parental rights and religious liberties of some Americans and lets the federal government force religious institutions and schools, even public elementary schools, to offer contraception like condoms to little kids,&#8221; they added. &#8220;It’s just another way for Democrats to use activist attorneys and our courts to advance their radical agenda and that is why we oppose this bill.&#8221;
The pair of GOP lawmakers who joined with the majority of Democrats and the independents who caucus with them voting to advance the legislation included Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
&#8220;This is not a perfect bill,&#8221; Murkowski <a href="https://x.com/lisamurkowski/status/1798457352930357587" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a video posted to X. &#8220;This isn&#8217;t a bill that has gone through committee. Leader Schumer has decided that he&#8217;s just going to put it on the floor to move to it. That&#8217;s a lousy process, actually. This is unfortunately yet another messaging bill &#8230; but if it is going to be a messaging bill, I want my message to be very clear: that a woman should have a right to contraception.&#8221;

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other senators Speak To The Press After The “Right To Contraception Act” Failed Passage

Senate Republicans Block Dem Contraception Bill

Abortion

Birth Control

Chuck Schumer

Contraception

Lisa Murkowski

Marco Rubio

Rick Scott

Senate Democrats

Susan Collins

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-unveils-proposal-for-landmark-nationwide-crackdown-on-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> (D-NY) and Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ed-markey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ed Markey</a> (D-MA) reintroduced the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/green-new-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green New Deal</a>, a resolution which claims to solve <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a> within the next decade by drastically reshaping the American <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economy</a>.
The text of the <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/gnd_resolution_-_042023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> calls for the United States to meet all power demand through renewable and zero-emission sources, upgrade all existing buildings in the nation to achieve maximum energy efficiency, and overhaul the transportation system to remove carbon emissions to the greatest extent possible. The Green New Deal was initially proposed four years ago by the two lawmakers when Ocasio-Cortez entered Congress for the first time.
“When we first introduced the Green New Deal, we were told that our vision for the future was too aspirational. Four years later, we see core tenets of the Green New Deal reflected in the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest ever federal investment in fighting climate change, with a focus on creating good, green jobs. But there is still much, much more to do,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-and-ocasio-cortez-reintroduce-green-new-deal-resolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “Today’s reintroduction marks the beginning of that process of strengthening and broadening our coalition, and of laying the policy groundwork for the next fight.”
The lawmakers said the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated some $369 billion to climate and green energy initiatives, has a number of “shortcomings” with respect to “addressing health and racial justice, supporting sustainable and affordable housing, building a robust care economy, improving public transit, and investing in American education and schools.”
The version of the Green New Deal released on Thursday did not include a price tag, while the legislation introduced four years ago would have cost between $53 trillion and $94 trillion, according to an <a href="https://www.americanactionforum.org/research/the-green-new-deal-scope-scale-and-implications/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from the American Action Forum. The text of the new resolution, however, claims that the package would help to prevent $1 trillion in damage to infrastructure and coastal real estate emerging from the effects of climate change.
“In the four years since we first introduced the Green New Deal, the tides of our movement have risen and lifted climate action to the top of the national agenda,” Markey added. “We succeeded in securing historic progress through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and now we have an obligation to honor the origins of that success.”
Other sponsors of the Green New Deal include prominent lawmakers such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
President Joe Biden <a href="https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> the Green New Deal amid his campaign for the White House three years ago, asserting that the package is a “crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face.” Critics say that actions from the administration have since discouraged fossil fuel production, reducing the supply of affordable energy and stifling the economy.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
The White House has meanwhile <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and incentivize green energy production. Beyond the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, both of which allocated substantial funds for climate initiatives, regulators have introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-unveils-new-restrictions-on-air-conditioners-despite-backlash-over-gas-stove-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for household appliances such as gas stoves and proposed new vehicle emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-unveils-proposal-for-landmark-nationwide-crackdown-on-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">standards</a> to incentivize the adoption of electric cars.

House Democrats Reintroduce The Green New Deal Resolution

AOC Reintroduces The Green New Deal

AOC, Ed Markey Reintroduce The Green New Deal

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Climate Change

Environment

Green New Deal

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/southwest-airlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southwest Airlines</a> COO Andrew Watterson said in remarks prepared for a Thursday hearing that he and fellow executives “messed up” amid the company’s holiday <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/air-travel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">travel</a> meltdown.
Southwest canceled some 16,700 flights between December 21 and December 31, even as severe winter weather subsided in the days after Christmas. Watterson said in his prewritten opening <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23602424-written-testimony-of-andrew-watterson-coo-southwest-airlines-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> before the Senate Commerce Committee that the disruptions prompted the company to cancel flights so that crews could position themselves to resume normal operations.
“Let me be clear: we messed up. In hindsight, we did not have enough winter operational resilience,” he remarked. “It became clear that, with the storm severely disrupting our Denver and Chicago Midway stations concurrently, we did not have enough resiliency in our operation for the severe effect this winter event had on us.”
Flight schedules for Denver and Chicago Midway, which serve as starting and ending bases for one-fourth of the company’s flight crews, were almost entirely canceled by Southwest in the days before Christmas. The same occurred at other airports across the country as the storm moved east, causing communication between employees to deteriorate amid the chaos.
“This lack of effective communication and coordination resulted in compounding, frequent, close-in flight cancellations, rather than our normal practice of batched pre-cancellations further in advance of departure times,” Watterson continued. “This created an unprecedented amount and frequency of required changes to crew schedules that overwhelmed our crew scheduling processes and technology.”
Southwest previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/southwest-reveals-how-much-holiday-flight-meltdown-will-cost-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> that between $725 million and $825 million will be lost in the aftermath of the cancellations. The firm reported a $220 million loss in the fourth quarter of last year and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/southwest-airlines-reports-massive-revenue-hit-after-christmas-meltdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> investors that fallout from the company’s holiday meltdown would continue.
Watterson told lawmakers that Southwest would seek to enhance software used by crew members with a $1.3 billion information technology investment. He added that the company has gone “above and beyond” standards created by the Department of Transportation for airlines that cancel or significantly delay flights; customers received reward points amounting to $300 in value as staffers worked to reimburse passengers for meals, hotel accommodations, rental cars, and tickets purchased with other carriers during the meltdown.
“Southwest is intensely focused on reducing the risk of repeating the operational disruption we experienced in December,” Watterson added. “We are committed to running a great operation each and every day, and I have the utmost confidence that our people, processes, and technologies will do just that.”
The hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee occurs as lawmakers file legislation meant to bolster protections for consumers in the wake of the Southwest meltdown. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), both of whom are members of the Senate Commerce Committee, introduced the Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights and the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act last week.
“Air travelers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for basics like a carry-on bag, a seat next to their children, or even for a sip of water, especially as airlines continue to fail passengers at every turn,” Markey said in a <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-blumenthal-lead-in-introducing-legislation-to-bolster-airline-passenger-protections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “Our nation’s largest airlines can’t even guarantee consumers that their flights won’t be delayed or cancelled, that their luggage won’t be lost, or that they won’t get stranded at the gate because of overbooking. The status quo won’t fly any longer. We must empower regulators and uphold passengers’ rights so they are treated with dignity before, during, and after their flight.”

LaGuardia Airport

‘We Messed Up’: Southwest Executive Testifies On Holiday Meltdown Chaos

Southwest Executive Testifies Before Senators On Holiday Meltdown Chaos

Air &amp; Space

Air Travel

Richard Blumenthal

Southwest Airlines

U.S.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) wore an &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/abortion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">abortion</a>&#8221; pin that included a heart inside the letter &#8220;o&#8221; to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/state-of-the-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State of the Union</a> address Tuesday night, sparking criticism online.
The Democratic Party has become increasingly radical in its abortion stance, moving away from the oft-cited &#8220;safe, legal, and rare&#8221; position to <a href="https://democrats.org/where-we-stand/party-platform/achieving-universal-affordable-quality-health-care/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advocating</a> for taxpayer-funded abortion on demand.
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&#8220;I’m wearing my abortion pin from [Planned Parenthood Federation of America]  to tonight’s State of the Union address,&#8221; Markey captioned two photos. &#8220;Abortion is essential healthcare and we need to codify this right.&#8221;
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I’m wearing my abortion pin from <a href="https://twitter.com/PPFA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PPFA</a> to tonight’s State of the Union address. Abortion is essential healthcare and we need to codify this right. <a href="https://t.co/ZfNj5OEZcj">pic.twitter.com/ZfNj5OEZcj</a>
&mdash; Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarkey/status/1623123614915493890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The senator was hit with some criticism online, including from nonprofit Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. &#8220;SICK,&#8221; the group&#8217;s Twitter account reacted.
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SICK. <a href="https://t.co/HNrwq7lEmm">pic.twitter.com/HNrwq7lEmm</a>
&mdash; SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbaprolife/status/1623145609308798977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You’re not just wearing an &#8216;abortion pin&#8217;…you’re wearing a [heart] abortion pin indicating that you LOVE abortion,&#8221; pro-life advocate Obianuju Ekeocha replied. &#8220;You are an evil depraved man.&#8221;
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You’re not just wearing an “abortion pin”…you’re wearing a 👉🏾❤️abortion pin indicating that you LOVE abortion. You are an evil depraved man.
&mdash; Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) <a href="https://twitter.com/obianuju/status/1623238662535217152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Democrat man wears pin showing his love of abortion, which violently ends human life in the mother&#8217;s womb,&#8221; author and commentator Mollie Hemingway said.
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Democrat man wears pin showing his love of abortion, which violently ends human life in the mother&#39;s womb.
&mdash; Mollie (@MZHemingway) <a href="https://twitter.com/MZHemingway/status/1623136994619449345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The GOP House Judiciary Twitter account simply wrote, &#8220;Disgusting.&#8221; Markey responded, &#8220;What’s disgusting is the GOP’s obsession with controlling people’s bodies.&#8221;
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What’s disgusting is the GOP’s obsession with controlling people’s bodies. <a href="https://t.co/JKWrfATfUe">https://t.co/JKWrfATfUe</a>
&mdash; Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarkey/status/1623136383853293572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Congress must restore the right, and the — Congress must restore the right that was taken away in Roe v. Wade and protect Roe v. Wade. Give every woman [inaudible] right,&#8221; Biden said during his address, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/us/politics/biden-state-of-the-union-transcript.html">according</a> to a New York Times transcript.
&#8220;The vice president and I are doing everything to protect access to reproductive health care and safeguard patient safety. But already, more than a dozen states are enforcing extreme abortion bans,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Make no mistake about it: If Congress passes a national ban, I will veto it.&#8221;
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, Markey similarly lashed out.
“What we have feared most has come to pass. A stolen, illegitimate, and far-right majority on the Supreme Court has destroyed nearly fifty years of precedent guaranteeing the constitutional right to an abortion,&#8221; the senator <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-the-overturning-of-roe-v-wade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a press release. &#8220;The overturning of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey is an egregious and overtly political act that jeopardizes the health, safety, and freedom of millions of Americans.&#8221;
“I once again ask my Senate colleagues, what other judicial outrage must we endure from the illegitimate Supreme Court majority before we act?&#8221; he continued. &#8220;The most fundamental rights we hold dear as Americans are at stake. The right to privacy is at stake. The right to use contraception is at stake. The right to marry who you love is at stake. And with this decision, the very lives of those seeking to exercise their right to reproductive freedom are at stake.&#8221;
“We must act now and expand the Supreme Court to bring balance to the bench and restore its legitimacy in the eyes of the American people,&#8221; Markey urged.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nonsensical-and-random-yelling-biden-criticized-for-fumbles-repeated-lies-in-sotu-speech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Nonsensical And Random Yelling’: Biden Criticized For Fumbles, Repeated ‘Lies’ In SOTU Speech</a>

Airport Service Workers Urge Congress To Pass The “Good Jobs For Good Airports Act”

‘Sick’: Democratic Senator Shows Off His ‘Heart’ Abortion Pin At SOTU

Democratic Senator Ed Markey Shows Off His ‘Heart’ Abortion Pin At SOTU 

State of the Union

Twitter CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday that several top Democrats launched a &#8220;coordinated&#8221; attack against him and that they were nothing more than &#8220;actors on the political stage, not directors or script writers.&#8221;
Musk responded to an account that claimed that Musk had not been political in the past and only became politically active in response to attacks from Democrats.
&#8220;Elon wasn’t super political on Twitter until Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren started attacking him for no reason,&#8221; the account claimed. &#8220;Then others followed. Of all the dudes they could have attacked, they chose the guy most capable of helping government solve problems. Strange choice.&#8221;
&#8220;Several other major Democrat politicians attacked me too, all around the same time. It was coordinated,&#8221; Musk responded. &#8220;Outside of party leadership and independents like [West Virginia Sen. Joe] Manchin, they are essentially actors on the political stage, not directors or script writers.&#8221;
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Several other major Democrat politicians attacked me too, all around the same time. It was coordinated.
Outside of party leadership and independents like Manchin, they are essentially actors on the political stage, not directors or script writers.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1597728650019098624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Musk has come under attack from Democrats over the last couple of years for a variety of reasons and has also come under attack from former President Donald Trump, who has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musk-responds-directly-to-trump-labeling-him-a-bullst-artist-makes-plea-to-democrats">claimed</a> that Musk is a &#8220;bulls**t artist.&#8221;
Musk began what appears to be a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-elon-musk-issues-blanket-endorsement-of-gop-in-house-senate-races-cites-benefits-of-shared-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">political epiphany</a> during the government lockdowns that gripped the nation two years ago. He grew increasingly frustrated as California officials prevented a major Tesla factory from reopening, prompting the entrepreneur to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-says-tesla-moving-headquarters-from-california-to-texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move</a> the company’s headquarters to Texas. He <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-take-the-red-pill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">encouraged</a> other Americans to “take the red pill” and <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1287818109651431427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1287818109651431427%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Felon-musk-announces-hes-switching-to-vote-republican" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noticed</a> that leftists are “losing the middle” of the political spectrum.
Democrats have attacked him repeatedly over his recent acquisition of Twitter, including Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-senator-demands-answer-from-elon-musk-in-letter-musk-torches-him-in-response" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote a letter</a> about someone being able to make a fake Twitter account impersonating him.
“Yesterday, a Washington Post reporter easily created a fake Twitter account in my name, and by paying $8.00 was also able to obtain Twitter’s blue checkmark, signifying that Twitter had ‘verified’ the account was indeed that of a sitting U.S. Senator. It was not,” Markey’s letter began. “Apparently, due to Twitter’s lax verification practices and apparent need for cash, anyone could pay $8.00 and impersonate someone on your platform. Selling the truth is dangerous and unacceptable. Twitter must explain how this happened and how it will prevent it from happening again.”
Markey then made false claims about the verification badge that the fake account was given.
“Compounding Twitter’s verification dysfunction, a pop-up stated that the fake account was verified because I was a notable person in government, not because someone had paid for the verification blue checkmark,” Markey falsely claimed. “Safeguards such as Twitter’s blue checkmark once allowed users to be smart, critical consumers of news and information in Twitter’s global town square.”
The Washington Post’s report clearly showed a side-by-side screenshot of Markey’s real Twitter account vs. the fake account and the badges displayed different popups when clicked on.
His real account stated: “This account is verified because it’s notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category.”
The fake account, contrary to Markey’s claims, stated: “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue.”
Markey then claimed that the platform had descended into “the Wild West of social media” and demanded answering to questions related to Twitter’s verification process, which the company has paused for Twitter Blue subscribers.
Musk responded to a tweet from Markey that contained his letter to Musk.
“A @washingtonpost reporter was able to create a verified account impersonating me—I’m asking for answers from @elonmusk who is putting profits over people and his debt over stopping disinformation,” Markey tweeted. “Twitter must explain how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again.”
“Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?” Musk responded.
Musk later mocked the senator for having a profile photo that showed him wearing a mask, writing, “And why does your pp have a mask!?”

Elon Musk Visits Site Of New Tesla Gigafactory In Germany

Musk: Democrats Have Launched A ‘Coordinated’ Attack On Me

Musk: Democrats Have Launched A 'Coordinated' Attack On Me

Big Tech

Elon Musk

Twitter

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/twitter">Twitter</a> CEO Elon Musk slammed Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) on the platform Sunday after the senator made false statements in a letter to him late last week over the platform selling blue verification badges to paying subscribers.
Markey mentioned a report from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/11/twitter-blue-checkmark/">The Washington Post</a> in his letter where the reporter, with his permission, was able to set up a fake Twitter account and pay for a verified account impersonating Markey&#8217;s real account.
&#8220;Yesterday, a Washington Post reporter easily created a fake Twitter account in my name, and by paying $8.00 was also able to obtain Twitter&#8217;s blue checkmark, signifying that Twitter had &#8216;verified&#8217; the account was indeed that of a sitting U.S. Senator. It was not,&#8221; Markey&#8217;s letter began. &#8220;Apparently, due to Twitter&#8217;s lax verification practices and apparent need for cash, anyone could pay $8.00 and impersonate someone on your platform. Selling the truth is dangerous and unacceptable. Twitter must explain how this happened and how it will prevent it from happening again.&#8221;
Markey then made false claims about the verification badge that the fake account was given.
&#8220;Compounding Twitter&#8217;s verification dysfunction, a pop-up stated that the fake account was verified because I was a notable person in government, not because someone had paid for the verification blue checkmark,&#8221; Markey falsely claimed. &#8220;Safeguards such as Twitter&#8217;s blue checkmark once allowed users to be smart, critical consumers of news and information in Twitter&#8217;s global town square.&#8221;
The Washington Post&#8217;s report clearly showed a side-by-side screenshot of Markey&#8217;s real Twitter account vs. the fake account and the badges displayed different popups when clicked on.
His real account stated: &#8220;This account is verified because it&#8217;s notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category.&#8221;
The fake account, contrary to Markey&#8217;s claims, stated: &#8220;This account is verified because it&#8217;s subscribed to Twitter Blue.&#8221;
Markey then claimed that the platform had descended into &#8220;the Wild West of social media&#8221; and demanded answering to questions related to Twitter&#8217;s verification process, which the company has paused for Twitter Blue subscribers.
Musk responded to a tweet from Markey that contained his letter to Musk.
&#8220;A @washingtonpost reporter was able to create a verified account impersonating me—I’m asking for answers from @elonmusk who is putting profits over people and his debt over stopping disinformation,&#8221; Markey tweeted. &#8220;Twitter must explain how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again.&#8221;
&#8220;Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?&#8221; Musk responded.
Musk later mocked the Senator for having a profile photo that showed him wearing a mask, writing, &#8220;And why does your pp have a mask!?&#8221;
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And why does your pp have a mask!?
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1591817319143313408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Twitter Introduces New Official Badge For Users For Free

Democrat Senator Demands Answer From Elon Musk In Letter, Musk Torches Him In Response

A group of five American lawmakers landed in Taiwan on Sunday in an unannounced visit just days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) set off controversy with China following her trip to the self-ruled island.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia, Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Subcommittee, served as the leader of the surprise delegation.
The other four members included Reps. John Garamendi (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), and Don Beyer (D-VA), along with Republican Rep. Amata Radewagen of American Samoa.
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UPDATE: The U.S. delegation’s flight landed in Taipei at 18:53 local time. AIT has confirmed that Senator <a href="https://twitter.com/EdMarkey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdMarkey</a> lead a congressional delegation (<a href="https://twitter.com/RepLowenthal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepLowenthal</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DonBeyerVA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DonBeyerVA</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAmata?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAmata</a>) to Taiwan from Aug 14-15, as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region. 1/ <a href="https://t.co/gXfbTZMgjZ">pic.twitter.com/gXfbTZMgjZ</a>
&mdash; Tingting Liu 劉亭廷 (@tingtingliuTVBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/tingtingliuTVBS/status/1558779053389524993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The visit came following Markey&#8217;s visit to South Korea to reaffirm the U.S.-South Korean Alliance. Markey met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and other national leaders earlier Sunday in South Korea before arriving in Taiwan on a separate flight to join the other U.S. lawmakers.
“The U.S.-South Korea alliance is based on shared values and interests – from nuclear disarmament to the fight against climate change, and our commitment to this important relationship is stronger than ever,” Markey said in a <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-visits-south-korea-meets-with-president-yoon-to-reaffirm-us-south-korean-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“Through my meetings with President Yoon and other senior government officials, it was evident that our two countries are prepared to meet existential and pressing global challenges head-on. The size, diversity, and lethality of North Korea’s weapons continues to grow, as does its threat to our allies in the region. In my meetings and my visit to the DMZ, we discussed how to continue multilateral pressure and diplomatic efforts to reach a solution that ensures the American people and our allies are safe from a nuclear Kim regime,&#8221; he added.
The American delegation to Taiwan comes just 12 days after Pelosi&#8217;s controversial stop on the island. Chinese officials pushed back with threats ahead of the visit, and with military tests occurring near Taiwan after her departure.
“Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy,” Pelosi <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/08/03/world/pelosi-visit-taiwan-china">said</a> during her visit with Taiwan’s president. “America’s determination to preserve democracy here in Taiwan and around the world remains ironclad.”
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taiwan-scrambles-air-reconnaissance-patrol-forces-after-china-simulates-invasion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, Taiwan&#8217;s government scrambled its air reconnaissance patrol forces and ships after the Chinese government simulated an island invasion on Saturday as part of its fourth straight day of military training.
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-simulates-attack-on-taiwan-as-chinese-exercises-extend-into-third-day-11659784913?mod=hp_lead_pos1">reported</a> that the Taiwan government detected 14 Chinese ships and 20 planes in the Taiwan Strait. Fourteen of those planes crossed the median line toward the island of Taiwan, which sent the country’s military into action.
President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-concerned-about-chinas-reaction-to-pelosi-taiwan-trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">addressed</a> the retaliation on August 8 while visiting victims of recent floods in eastern Kentucky.
“I’m not worried but I’m concerned that they’re moving as much as they are,” said Biden. “But I don’t think they’re going to do anything more than they are.”

Taiwan flags

U.S. Lawmakers Make Unannounced Taiwan Visit Following Pelosi’s Trip

U.S. Lawmakers Make Unannounced Taiwan Visit Following Pelosi's Trip

China

Nancy Pelosi

Taiwan

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/amazon">Amazon</a> smart doorbell <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/business">company</a> Ring provided user data to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/police">law enforcement</a>, the e-commerce giant said in a letter to Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ed-markey">Ed Markey</a> (D-MA).
Ring — which Amazon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-amazon-acquired-ring-2018-3">acquired</a> in 2018 for $1 billion — offers products that use outdoor cameras for convenience and home security purposes. In response to a June 14 letter from Markey inquiring about the products’ privacy features, Amazon <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/amazon_response_to_senator_markey-july_13_2022.pdf">revealed</a> on July 1 that it had provided law enforcement with videos from user devices in emergency situations 11 times since the beginning of the year after making a “good-faith determination that there was an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury” to someone needing information on short notice.
“Ring reserves the right to respond immediately to urgent law enforcement requests for information in cases involving imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to any person,” wrote Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy for Amazon. “Based on the information provided in the emergency request form and the circumstances described by the officer, Ring makes a good-faith determination whether the request meets the well-known standard, grounded in federal law, that there is imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requiring disclosure of information without delay.”
Markey argued in a Wednesday press release that the revelation justifies the passage of his <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2052?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Facial+Recognition+and+Biometric+Technology+Moratorium+Act+of+2021%22%5D%7D&amp;s=2&amp;r=1">Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act</a> — legislation that would bar state and federal entities from accessing Americans’ biometric data.
“As my ongoing investigation into Amazon illustrates, it has become increasingly difficult for the public to move, assemble, and converse in public without being tracked and recorded,” Markey said in a <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markeys-probe-into-amazon-ring-reveals-new-privacy-problems">press release</a>. “We cannot accept this as inevitable in our country. Increasing law enforcement reliance on private surveillance creates a crisis of accountability, and I am particularly concerned that biometric surveillance could become central to the growing web of surveillance systems that Amazon and other powerful tech companies are responsible for.”
Indeed, Ring has faced scrutiny for alleged lax enforcement of its privacy standards. The company has provided its research and development team, which is based in Ukraine, with unencrypted customer video files, according to a 2019 report from <a href="https://theintercept.com/2019/01/10/amazon-ring-security-camera/">The Intercept</a>. Ring <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210512005336/en/Strategy-Analytics-Amazons-Ring-Remained-atop-the-Video-Doorbell-Market-in-2020">sold</a> more than 1.4 million video doorbells in 2020.
Markey noted that Ring’s letter did not provide specific details on the physical distance from which the doorbells can record audio. The company now has 2,161 law enforcement agencies and 455 fire departments enrolled in its Neighbors Public Safety Service — a fivefold increase since the end of 2019.
Lawmakers are also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leaked-internal-audio-from-tiktok-shows-u-s-user-data-accessed-from-china-despite-denials-report">concerned</a> over privacy breaches at TikTok — a social media platform owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance. <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emilybakerwhite/tiktok-tapes-us-user-data-china-bytedance-access">BuzzFeed News</a> recently obtained audio showing that Chinese employees of ByteDance have “repeatedly accessed nonpublic data” from American users.
Referring to the report, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr called on Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook to nix the app from its platforms.
“It is clear that TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk due to its extensive data harvesting being combined with Beijing’s apparently unchecked access to that sensitive data,” Carr <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1541823585957707776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1541823585957707776%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2022%2F06%2F29%2Ffcc-commissioner-tells-apple-google-to-remove-tiktok-from-app-stores.html">wrote</a>. “But it is also clear that TikTok’s pattern of conduct … puts it out of compliance with the policies that both of your companies require every app to adhere to as a condition of remaining available on your app stores.”

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