Summer Lee Rep

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NEWS: Sen. Schiff, Reps. Neguse, McGovern, and Lee Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

September 17, 2025

NEWS: Sen. Schiff, Reps. Neguse, McGovern, and Lee Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

On Constitution Day, lawmakers resume push to ensure Congress and states can set reasonable limitations on political spending and influence by corporations on U.S. elections

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse (D-Colo.-02), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), and Summer Lee (D-Pa.-12) introduced the Citizens Over Corporations Amendment, a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would overturn Citizens United v. FECand limit corporate influence and spending in American politics.

“The Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United opened the door for corporations to pour billions of dollars of dark money into elections. This anonymous and unrestricted spending cripples transparency in the political process and weakens our democracy. Our amendment will keep big money out of politics and restore power where it should belong — with the American people,” said Senator Schiff.

“The time to confront political corruption and clean up government is now,” said Congressman Neguse.“The Citizens Over Corporations Amendment works to renew people’s faith in our democracy by ensuring transparency through campaign finance reform and preventing unrestrained spending and dark money in elections.”

“Elon Musk poured millions into electing Donald Trump and then used the influence he bought to fire federal workers, dismantle USAID, and strip health care from millions,” said Congressman McGovern. “Citizens United gives billionaires like Musk even more power to rig the system for the well-off and well-connected. That’s not a democracy—it’s an auction. I’m proud to support the Citizens Over Corporations Amendment, which will overturn Citizens United, get big money out of politics, and put power back where it belongs—in the hands of the people.”

“Some say the beginning of the collapse of our democracy was when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Citizens United, giving the green light to corporations and billionaires to pour hundreds of millions into our elections and drown out the voices of everyday people. At the root of why we cannot make progress on so many urgent policies is a system where money speaks louder than people. The Citizens Over Corporations Amendment is about changing that. It is about putting power back where it belongs, with the people, so we can build a government that works for all of us, not just the wealthy few and their corporate interests,”said Congresswoman Lee.

Senator Schiff has introduced his constitutional amendment in the U.S. House of Representatives to overturn Citizens Unitedsince 2013 and has been a strong proponent of fixing America’s broken campaign finance system since he was first elected in 2000, after a race that was at the time the most expensive in the history of the House of Representatives. The first bill he cosponsored in Congress was the bipartisan McCain-Feingold Act to regulate the financing of political campaigns, which was later passed and signed into law.

The proposed Constitutional amendment will:

Make clear the Constitution does not restrict the ability of Congress or states to set reasonable, viewpoint-neutral limitations on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections

Distinguishes between natural persons, corporations, or other artificial entities, including by allowing Congress or the State to prohibit such entities from spending money to influence elections

Allow public financing of campaigns when states choose to enact such laws, which can restrict the influence of corporate or private wealth = public fund election

Take further steps to protect the freedom of the press in the case of future campaign finance-related legislation

Earlier today, Senator Schiff and lawmakers rallied for Constitution Day to underscore the need to protect our democracy and curb influence by special interests on American politics. At the rally, Schiff highlighted his proposed amendment reversing the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that ended restrictions on corporate campaign spending, eliminating decades of legal precedent.

The Senator’s full remarks at the rally can be viewed.Schiff’s remarks can be downloaded here.

The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H), Angus King (I-Maine), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

The bill is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Democracy Defenders Action, Public Citizen, End Citizens United, People for the American Way, Common Cause, and Free Speech For People.

“Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v FEC 15 years ago, unlimited and untraceable money has flowed from the pockets of corporations and the ultra-wealthy into political campaigns”,said Stuart McPhail, Director of Campaign Finance Litigation, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “In the 2024 federal election cycle alone, over $2.7 billion was funneled through super PACs to various political campaigns. This dark money corrodes our democracy by allowing corporations and billionaires to hide their identities while greatly influencing elections and policy. CREW is proud to endorse the constitutional amendment introduced by Senator Schiff and Representatives Neguse, McGovern, and Lee to overturn Citizens United and ensure that the voices of average citizens are not drowned out by moneyed interests.”

“Democracy Defenders Action wholeheartedly endorses Sen. Adam Schiff and Reps. Joe Neguse, Jim McGovern, and Summer Lee’s constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United,” said Virginia Canter, Ethics and Anticorruption Chief Counsel and Director, Democracy Defenders Action. “This crucial step will ensure that all Americans, not just the super-rich and corporations, have an equal voice in our elections–and true representation in our democracy.”

“Citizens United has turned our democracy into a government that serves the ultra-wealthy. Political spending by billionaires has surged an astonishing 160-fold since the 2010 Supreme Court decision, and working families are paying the price like never before as self-enriching politicians bankroll tax breaks for their biggest donors. Senator Schiff’s amendment is a bold and commonsense step to reclaim government for the people. We applaud his leadership to challenge the billionaire class, fight corruption in Washington, and get Big Money out of politics,” said Tiffany Muller, President, End Citizens United.

“Citizens United destroyed our nation’s safeguards against the undue influence of money in politics. For 15 years now, dark money has flowed freely, allowing the rich and powerful even more influence over our elections. This amendment is essential to preventing that continuing assault on the integrity of our elections. People For the American Way is proud to support this amendment as we work toward building a democracy truly of, by, and for the people,” said Svante Myrick, President, People For the American Way.

“The vast majority of Americans want the real voices of real people to matter more than the money that corporations and the super-rich funnel into our political system. The devastating Citizens United decision 15 years ago dramatically altered the landscape of our politics—unleashing a flood of cash and deepening the outrage that regular people feel at the inequities baked into our democracy. We must overturn this decision. Senator Schiff, and Reps. Joe Neguse, Jim McGovern, and Summer Lee have remained focused and continue pushing for a constitutional amendment to do just that. Public Citizen strongly supports their efforts,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen.

A fact sheet on the legislation can be foundhere.

Full text of the bill is availablehere.

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email 8 25

oin Rep. Summer Lee and Free Speech For People via livestream on Wednesday, August 27, for “The Many Over the Money: A Roundtable on Money in Politics.”Together, we’ll dive into the movement to abolish super PACs, amend the Constitution to overturn Citizens United, and curb foreign-influenced corporate spending in elections. This event is happening in Pittsburgh, but you can tune in live virtually!

The Many Over the Money: A Roundtable on Money in Politicswith Rep. Summer Lee and Free Speech For People

Wednesday, August 27

6:30 - 8:00 pm

You must RSVP to attend. A livestream link will be provided upon RSVP.

Rep. Summer Lee has introduced a bill, HR 2352, that would ABOLISH super PAC spending in federal elections, severely curtailing the corrupting influence that billionaires and corporations exert in our political process. The bill places a $5,000 per calendar year limit on contributions to super PACs, effectively abolishing them.

For 15 years, super PACs have given billionaires, corporations, and other wealthy interests a backdoor to pour unlimited money into our elections. These unlimited contributions to super PACs, often totaling millions of dollars during federal elections, present the threat of corruption and the appearance of corruption in the political process. Further, super PACs have the power to shape elections, and candidates’ ability to direct massive contributions to super PACs can make or break campaigns.

Our democracy is meant to work by and for we, the people. This legislation would mark a major step forward in our fight for a republic where every voice and every vote counts.

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4 25 email

Representative Summer Lee has introduced landmark legislation that would place a $5,000 per calendar year limit on contributions to super PACs in federal elections, effectively abolishing them. We worked closely with Representative Lee’s office in drafting this legislation. By passing it, we bring ourselves one step closer to a democracy of, by, and for the people.

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an 6 25

During a congressional hearing on Wednesday, June 4, progressive Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pennsylvania) aggressively grilled Education Secretary Linda McMahon about education policies under the second Trump Administration — including President Donald Trump's vehement opposition to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs.

Lee on what specifically would be a violation of the Trump Administration's anti-DEI policies. And the Pennsylvania congresswoman was frustrated by the vagueness of McMahon's answers.

After McMahon told Lee, "I do not think that African Studies or Middle East Studies or Chinese studies are part of DEI if they are taught as part of the total history package," the lawmaker asked if gay studies would be considered DEI — to which McMahon responded, "I think our studies should all be taught accurately."

Lee, during the hearing, told McMahon, "To be honest, and to be very clear, I want to say that this administration has undoubtedly revived the culture of racism we haven't seen since the Jim Crow era. They made it clear that open attacks on Black and brown and other marginalized communities is not just tolerated, but it's encouraged…. I have a question — some questions, excuse me, about why this department — is taking its leads from Jim Crow."

IFrame Content

Lee also asked McMahon if teaching that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election would be "an illegal DEI, yes or no" — and when she gave a vague response, a frustrated Lee complained, "You have not answered the question."

Lee's questioning of McMahon is receiving a lot of attention on the Elon Musk-owned X.com, formerly Twitter.

KrassenCast's Ed Krassenstein tweeted, "UNBELIEVABLE! U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (@RepSummerLee) asks Education Secretary Linda McMahon if teaching that Biden won the 2020 election should be considered 'illegal DEI.' She refuses to say 'no.'"

Heartland Signal observed, "Education Secretary Linda McMahon refuses to answer U.S. Rep. Summer Lee's (D-PA) question on whether schools should teach that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election."

Former Republican turned self-described "Florida Democrat" commented, "This is how it's done. Thank you Congresswoman Lee."

The progressive group Justice Democrats posted, "@SummerForPA: Would you say that a lesson plan on the Tulsa Race massacre is 'illegal DEI'? McMahon: I'd have to get back to you on that. Summer Lee: Do you know what the Tulsa Race massacre is? McMahon: I'd like to look into it more and get back to you on it."

Former Bleacher Report columnist Peter Hopey posted, "If the Secretary of Education is unable to provide a simple binary response to a straight forward question, maybe she's not the right fit for the job."

CBS News' Scott McFarlane wrote, "At House hearing, Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) asks Education Secretary Linda McMahon: "Do you believe social studies standards that teach President Biden won the 2020 election is illegal 'DEI'?" McMahon doesn't directly respond Instead she answered: "We should teach accurately"

The Libertarian Party of New York asked, "Why would claiming Joe Biden won the 2020 election ever be considered DEI to begin with?"

X user Sahab Singh Aansoliya commented, "When stating a verified election result becomes controversial, the line between politics and facts is truly blurred.

Watch the full video below or at this link.

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just survived primary against yass money? 4 24

a POLITICAL ACTION committee funded by a Republican megadonor is running the first ads of the Pennsylvania primary season by an outside group attacking Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa.

The group, Moderate PAC, launched in January 2023 to target progressives in Democratic primaries. It’s doing so with Republican money.

The ads back the candidate recruited by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to run against Lee, Bhavini Patel, in hopes of making it to a general election against Republican candidate Laurie MacDonald.

Although Moderate PAC has employed Democratic consultants, including former Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, its primary funder is Jeffrey Yass, one of the richest man in Pennsylvania and a major donor to the GOP. Yass, though formally registered as a libertarian, is one of former President Donald Trump’s picks for Treasury secretary should he win election in 2024.

Yass, a co-founder of a large hedge fund, has become increasingly involved in spending against progressives, aimed at keeping a regressive tax code in place and cutting funding for public schools in Pennsylvania.

“Take a cue from Laurie McDonald and just run as a Republican.”

“If you have to rely on a Super PAC bankrolled by Pennsylvania’s richest Republican — who has made it his mission to defund public education and ban abortion in PA — you’re not just unfit to run in a Democratic primary, you’re actively anti-democracy too,” said Usamah Andrabi, communications director for Justice Democrats, which is backing Lee. “Take a cue from Laurie McDonald and just run as a Republican.”

Moderate PAC Donors

Moderate PAC president and founder Ty Strong told The Intercept that other Pittsburgh area donors, including labor unions, had given to the PAC to fund ads against Lee in the race for the Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District.

“All the money raised for the ads in PA-12 were received from members of that community and Pittsburgh labor unions,” Strong said.

Though he didn’t identify the labor unions, Strong named six individual Democratic donors. Among them were private equity and venture capital executives Todd Reidbord and Gregg Perelman, who run the Pittsburgh private equity firm Walnut Capital; Richard and Arlene Weisman, who are active philanthropists in Pittsburgh’s Jewish community; and Evan Segal and Andy Rabin of the 412 Venture fund.

Strong said the names of other donors would be revealed in the PAC’s next filings with the Federal Election Commission, which is due on April 15.

[## Join Our Newsletter ## Original reporting. Fearless journalism. Delivered to you.

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One of those donors, Segal, a Democrat who worked in the administration of former President Barack Obama, told The Intercept he hardly agreed with Yass on anything, including his reasons for funding the PAC in the first place.

“Mr. Yass’s reasons for funding this are in support of a very, very ultra-right-wing group of crazies who despise Summer Lee,” he said. Though he is supporting Yass’s PAC, Segal said, “I don’t support people on the extremes.”

Segal said he gave to Yass’s PAC not because he believes the enemy of his enemy is his friend, but that observers are anticipating further outside spending to back Lee. “We firmly believe that there will be money that will come in from the outside — from people who also hate marginalized communities — to support Summer Lee, as well as people from the right like Mr. Yass who want to run these Machiavellian games with their billions of dollars,” Segal said. (The other five identified donors did not respond to a request for comment.)

Segal said he’s backing Patel because she’ll support Democratic leaders including President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to fight for issues like reproductive freedom and women’s equality.

Past Spending Against Lee

For her part, in a press statement last week, Lee said, “Republican-funded Super PACs and their chosen candidate couldn’t stop us last cycle, and they won’t stop us this time.”

Lee faced an onslaught of spending from pro-Israel lobbying groups in 2022. AIPAC and its ally, Democratic Majority for Israel, spent millions against her.

[

Summer Lee’s Primary Foe Wants Pro-Israel and Right-Wing Hindu Supporters to Take Down the Squad

https://theintercept.com/2024/02/01/summer-lee-primary-bhavini-patel-republican/)

It’s also not the first time Lee’s opponents have claimed she’s not really a Democrat — while themselves taking money from Republicans. Patel and her campaign have strategized about how to encourage Republicans to get involved in the primary, how Patel’s campaign appeals to Republican voters, and how the campaign can encourage Republicans to switch parties to vote in the April 23 primary.

Moderate PAC’s Strong compared the donors who funded the new ads to one of Lee’s donors. “This is in contrast to Rep. Summer Lee, who receives money from people condemned by the White House,” Strong added.

Strong said he was referring to Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, whom the White House denounced in December after he said he was happy to see the people of Gaza breaking the long-running siege against the territory on October 7. Awad has explicitly condemned the Hamas attack and clarified that his comments were in support of Palestinians’ fight against Israel’s illegal occupation, not in support of Hamas.

Yass is also a major donor to a far-right Israeli think tank that has tried to reconfigure the country’s judicial system and suppress criticism of human rights abuses by the Israeli government.

intercept

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oversight

https://summerlee.house.gov/

Born and raised in the Mon Valley, Summer Lee is a dedicated organizer, attorney, and progressive state legislator. A proud alum of Woodland Hills public schools, Summer grew up in North Braddock and Swissvale before graduating from Penn State and Howard University School of Law, where she focused on civil rights and social justice advocacy. She worked as labor organizer, joining the Fight for $15 to increase the minimum wage, and lead voter mobilization efforts for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. In 2017, after repeated incidents of violence from police and school administrators against local students, Summer spearheaded a successful write-in initiative that transformed the local school board.

In 2018, at the urging of her neighbors, Summer threw her hat in the ring for State House – taking on a 20-year incumbent, doubling voter turnout, and winning with over 67%of the vote. She also made history, becoming the first Black woman from Western Pennsylvania ever elected to the legislature. Throughout her time in office, Summer has been a voice for working families, and a champion for sustainable jobs, environmental justice, police accountability, reproductive rights, immigration rights, and gender and racial equity. She is a tireless advocate for workers’ rights, unions, the right to organize, and the fight for a liveable wage.

Summer has also brought millions back to her community for infrastructure upgrades and community revitalization. She has also continued to lead efforts to build a more reflective democracy. When corporate polluters pushed a dangerous fracking proposal in her home district, she organized in deep partnership with community leaders and frontline organizations – and won, stopping the proposal in its tracks. In 2019, she co-founded UNITE, a member-driven grassroots organization dedicated to building progressive electoral power up and down the ballot. Since its founding, UNITE has transformed regional politics, helping to expand the electorate, welcome emerging Democratic voters at scale, and elect slates of progressives – judges, magistrates, county councilors, school board members, and more, including Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor, Ed Gainey.

In 2022, Summer was elected to the US House of Representatives for Pennsylvania’s 12th District, becoming the first Black woman ever elected to Congress from Western Pennsylvania.

Committees

Caucuses

**Congressional Black Caucus**(Co-chair of Race and Justice Taskforce)
Congressional Progressive Caucus(Executive Board Leadership)
Equal Rights Amendment Caucus (Vice-chair)
LGBTQ+Equality Caucus

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https://www.alternet.org/clarence-thomas-2663348558/

no lnx 8 23 an

House Democrats call on Clarence Thomas to resign over 'stunning' corruption

Jake Johnsonand Common Dreams August 11, 2023

Several House Democrats on Thursday pushed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to immediately resign after the investigative outlet ProPublica revealed fresh details about the powerful judge's billionaire-funded—and undisclosed—luxury vacations.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that Thomas' "alleged actions are not just shocking, they are illegal."

"Disclosure laws like the ones Justice Thomas allegedly violated are meant to provide transparency and prevent corruption," Lieu added. "Justice Thomas' alleged actions don't just appear corrupt, they are corrupt because of the unprecedented scale of his ethical and legal violations. Justice Thomas has brought shame upon himself and eroded the credibility of the Supreme Court. Justice Thomas should resign immediately."

ProPublica reported Thursday that Thomas has taken at least 38 luxury trips on the dime of ultrawealthy executives and Republican donors, some of whom have had business interests reach the high court.

The outlet noted that "while some of the hospitality, such as stays in personal homes, may not have required disclosure, Thomas appears to have violated the law by failing to disclose flights, yacht cruises, and expensive sports tickets."

ProPublica's detailed account of the gifts Thomas has received for decades from a group of right-wing executives renewed outrage over the Supreme Court's lack of ethical standards. Unlike every other federal court in the U.S., the Supreme Court does not have a binding code of ethics, providing an opening for justices to take dozens of private jet flights and stay at luxury resorts with the help of conservative billionaires.

"No justice should accept these types of gifts,"Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said Thursday. "Thomas has repeatedly brought dishonor and ethical malpractice to our highest court. I reiterate my call that he must resign. This is exactly why we need SCOTUS ethics reform."

Rep. Pramila Jayapal(D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called Thomas' conduct "unprecedented," "stunning," and "disgusting," writing that it is "the height of hypocrisy to wear the robes of a SCOTUS [justice] and take undisclosed gifts from billionaires who benefit from your decisions."

"Resign," she added.

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.)joined his colleagues in demanding Thomas' resignation, slamming the right-wing justice as "corrupt as hell."

Thomas insists that he has "always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines," but the justice has a long history of failing to disclose key items, such as income that his wife has received from right-wing organizations.

In April, after ProPublicareported that Thomas has been taking undisclosed yacht and private jet trips funded by billionaire GOP megadonor Harlan Crow for more than two decades, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez(D-N.Y.) told The Lever that she would be willing to draft articles of impeachment against Thomas if no other House member did so.

To date, no House lawmaker has unveiled articles of impeachment even as the Supreme Court's ethical crisis spirals further out of control. An impeachment vote against Thomas would stand no chance in the House, which is controlled by Republicans.

A few House Democrats nevertheless voiced support for an impeachment vote on Thursday.

Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) noted that she "called for a vote to impeach Justice Thomas if he would not resign back in April—before we even knew just how much farther his corruption goes thanks to ProPublica's reporting."

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), for her part, wrote Thursday, "Today's a good day to impeach Clarence Thomas."

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bill tracker

https://www.congress.gov/member/summer-lee/L000602

7 23

. H.R.4456 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To allow certain students, including those who have an expected family contribution of zero, to qualify for supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.

Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5] (Introduced 06/30/2023) Cosponsors: (6)

Committees: House - Agriculture

Latest Action: House - 06/30/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4423 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To establish a process by which the appointment of Supreme Court Justices can occur at regular time intervals, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17] (Introduced 06/30/2023) Cosponsors: (15)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 06/30/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4322 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify that all provisions shall apply to legally married same-sex couples in the same manner as other married couples, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Balint, Becca [Rep.-D-VT-At Large] (Introduced 06/23/2023) Cosponsors: (50)

Committees: House - Ways and Means

Latest Action: House - 06/23/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4285 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To eliminate employment-based visa caps on abused, abandoned, and neglected children eligible for humanitarian status, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Gomez, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-34] (Introduced 06/22/2023) Cosponsors: (32)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 06/22/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4170 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to provide certain benefits to noncitizens, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7] (Introduced 06/15/2023) Cosponsors: (100)

Committees: House - Ways and Means; Agriculture; Education and the Workforce; Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Financial Services

Latest Action: House - 06/15/2023 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4122 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Henrietta Lacks, in recognition of her immortal cells which have made invaluable contributions to global health, scientific research, our quality of life, and patients' rights.

Sponsor: Mfume, Kweisi [Rep.-D-MD-7] (Introduced 06/14/2023) Cosponsors: (29)

Committees: House - Financial Services; House Administration

Latest Action: House - 06/14/2023 Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4119 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To impose a tax on certain trading transactions to invest in our families and communities, improve our infrastructure and our environment, strengthen our financial security, expand opportunity and reduce market volatility.

Sponsor: Lee, Barbara [Rep.-D-CA-12] (Introduced 06/14/2023) Cosponsors: (16)

Committees: House - Ways and Means

Latest Action: House - 06/14/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4117 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure College for All.

Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7] (Introduced 06/14/2023) Cosponsors: (45)

Committees: House - Education and the Workforce; Budget; Ways and Means

Latest Action: House - 06/14/2023 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.4002 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a consistent set of policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: McClellan, Jennifer L. [Rep.-D-VA-4] (Introduced 06/12/2023) Cosponsors: (11)

Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology

Latest Action: House - 06/12/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3985 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Combating International Islamophobia Act

Sponsor: Omar, Ilhan [Rep.-D-MN-5] (Introduced 06/09/2023) Cosponsors: (35)

Committees: House - Foreign Affairs

Latest Action: House - 06/09/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3899 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payment.

Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3] (Introduced 06/07/2023) Cosponsors: (209)

Committees: House - Ways and Means

Latest Action: House - 06/07/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3760 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to strengthen the mental health workforce, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Carter, Troy [Rep.-D-LA-2] (Introduced 05/31/2023) Cosponsors: (24)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

Latest Action: House - 05/31/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3694 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Reward Work Act

Sponsor: Garcia, Jesus G. "Chuy" [Rep.-D-IL-4] (Introduced 05/25/2023) Cosponsors: (30)

Committees: House - Financial Services

Latest Action: House - 05/25/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3646 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2023

Sponsor: Meng, Grace [Rep.-D-NY-6] (Introduced 05/24/2023) Cosponsors: (67)

Committees: House - Education and the Workforce; Judiciary; Financial Services; Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure; Ways and Means; Budget

Latest Action: House - 05/25/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3645 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish emergency grants to safeguard essential health care workers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Lee, Summer L. [Rep.-D-PA-12] (Introduced 05/24/2023) Cosponsors: (37)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

Latest Action: House - 05/24/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3625 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act of 2023

Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1] (Introduced 05/24/2023) Cosponsors: (46)

Committees: House - Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House - 05/24/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3610 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Neighbors Not Enemies Act

Sponsor: Omar, Ilhan [Rep.-D-MN-5] (Introduced 05/23/2023) Cosponsors: (34)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 05/23/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3600 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

VA Work-Study Improvement Act

Sponsor: Cartwright, Matt [Rep.-D-PA-8] (Introduced 05/23/2023) Cosponsors: (38)

Committees: House - Veterans' Affairs

Latest Action: House - 06/21/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3589 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Affordability is Access Act of 2023

Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7] (Introduced 05/22/2023) Cosponsors: (44)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Education and the Workforce; Ways and Means

Latest Action: House - 05/22/2023 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3563 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

STRIP Act

Sponsor: Crockett, Jasmine [Rep.-D-TX-30] (Introduced 05/22/2023) Cosponsors: (44)

Committees: House - Judiciary; Energy and Commerce

Latest Action: House - 05/22/2023 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3519 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Hot Foods Act of 2023

Sponsor: Meng, Grace [Rep.-D-NY-6] (Introduced 05/18/2023) Cosponsors: (57)

Committees: House - Agriculture

Latest Action: House - 06/23/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3422 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Judiciary Act of 2023

Sponsor: Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [Rep.-D-GA-4] (Introduced 05/17/2023) Cosponsors: (62)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 05/17/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3421 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Medicare for All Act

Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7] (Introduced 05/17/2023) Cosponsors: (112)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and the Workforce; Rules; Oversight and Accountability; Armed Services; Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 05/17/2023 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, Rules, Oversight and Accountability, Armed Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3409 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Healthy Families Act

Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3] (Introduced 05/17/2023) Cosponsors: (88)

Committees: House - Education and the Workforce; House Administration; Oversight and Accountability

Latest Action: House - 05/17/2023 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3305 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act

Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14] (Introduced 05/15/2023) Cosponsors: (187)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Education and the Workforce; Veterans' Affairs; Natural Resources; Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 05/15/2023 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Veterans' Affairs, Natural Resources, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3264 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

RAISE Act of 2023

Sponsor: Schiff, Adam B. [Rep.-D-CA-30] (Introduced 05/11/2023) Cosponsors: (28)

Committees: House - Ways and Means; Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House - 05/11/2023 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3255 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Freight Rail Workforce Health and Safety Act

Sponsor: Payne, Donald M., Jr. [Rep.-D-NJ-10] (Introduced 05/11/2023) Cosponsors: (50)

Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure

Latest Action: House - 05/12/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3204 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023

Sponsor: Omar, Ilhan [Rep.-D-MN-5] (Introduced 05/11/2023) Cosponsors: (84)

Committees: House - Education and the Workforce; Agriculture; Science, Space, and Technology

Latest Action: House - 06/01/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3183 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

EATS Act of 2023

Sponsor: Gomez, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-34] (Introduced 05/10/2023) Cosponsors: (134)

Committees: House - Agriculture

Latest Action: House - 06/01/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3111 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Words Matter Act of 2023

Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2] (Introduced 05/05/2023) Cosponsors: (39)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 05/05/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3103 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act

Sponsor: McCollum, Betty [Rep.-D-MN-4] (Introduced 05/05/2023) Cosponsors: (26)

Committees: House - Foreign Affairs

Latest Action: House - 05/05/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3086 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Find It Early Act

Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3] (Introduced 05/05/2023) Cosponsors: (20)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Armed Services; Veterans' Affairs

Latest Action: House - 05/26/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3050 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act

Sponsor: Espaillat, Adriano [Rep.-D-NY-13] (Introduced 05/02/2023) Cosponsors: (21)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 05/02/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.3037 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2023

Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12] (Introduced 05/02/2023) Cosponsors: (80)

Committees: House - Agriculture

Latest Action: House - 06/01/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2994 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Returning Home Act

Sponsor: Barragan, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44] (Introduced 04/28/2023) Cosponsors: (14)

Committees: House - Judiciary; Financial Services

Latest Action: House - 04/28/2023 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2954 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act

Sponsor: Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [Rep.-D-CA-37] (Introduced 04/27/2023) Cosponsors: (8)

Committees: House - Judiciary; Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

Latest Action: House - 04/28/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2952 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

RAP Act of 2023

Sponsor: Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [Rep.-D-GA-4] (Introduced 04/27/2023) Cosponsors: (22)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 04/27/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2905 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

End Prison Gerrymandering Act

Sponsor: Ross, Deborah K. [Rep.-D-NC-2] (Introduced 04/26/2023) Cosponsors: (9)

Committees: House - Oversight and Accountability; Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 04/26/2023 Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the... (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2904 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023

Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7] (Introduced 04/26/2023) Cosponsors: (48)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

Latest Action: House - 04/28/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2870 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Raise the Age Act of 2023

Sponsor: Ivey, Glenn [Rep.-D-MD-4] (Introduced 04/26/2023) Cosponsors: (67)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 04/26/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2847 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Ending Qualified Immunity Act

Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7] (Introduced 04/25/2023) Cosponsors: (40)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 04/25/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2825 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Prison Libraries Act of 2023

Sponsor: Cleaver, Emanuel [Rep.-D-MO-5] (Introduced 04/25/2023) Cosponsors: (30)

Committees: House - Judiciary

Latest Action: House - 04/25/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateTo PresidentBecame Law

BILL

H.R.2822 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act

Sponsor: Casar, Greg [Rep.-D-TX-35] (Introduced 04/25/2023) Cosponsors: (33)

Committees: House - Agriculture

Latest Action: House - 04/25/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. (All Actions)

Tracker:This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

===

7 23

Summer Lynn Lee (born November 26, 1987)^[1] is an American politician and community organizer serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Lee served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 34th district from 2019 to 2022.^[2] With the support of the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, she defeated incumbent Paul Costa in the 2018 Democratic primary election with over 67% of the vote.^[3] Lee was the first black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature.^[2]

Lee was the Democratic nominee in the2022 election to represent Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. She won the primary by less than 1% of the vote over her closest opponent, Steve Irwin, the chair of the State Advisory Committee for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She won the general election, and became the first Black woman from Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives.^[4][5]

Lee was a member of Democratic Socialists of America,^[6] but left DSA before winning office after disagreements with the Pittsburgh DSA chapter.^[7]

Early life and education[

Of African American heritage, Lee was raised in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, and attended Woodland Hills High School. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2009 and earned a Juris Doctor from the**Howard**University School of Law in 2015.^[1][8][9] She campaigned for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries after graduating.^[10]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives[

Lee challenged incumbent Representative Paul Costa in the Democratic primary for the 34th district in 2018. An organizer from Pittsburgh's DSA chapter approached her about running after she led a successful write-in campaign for a school board candidate.^[10] She defeated Costa, 67.8% to 32.2%, attributing her victory to grassroots campaigning.^[11] She was unopposed in the general election.

Committee assignments[

Education^[12]
Health^[12]
Judiciary^[12]

U.S. House of Representatives[

2022 election[

Lee announcing her congressional campaign

In October 2021, Lee announced her candidacy for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district after the incumbent representative, Mike Doyle, announced his retirement.^[13] After Pennsylvania's new congressional districts were chosen in February 2022, most of the old 18th district, including Pittsburgh as well as parts of the Mon Valley and Westmoreland County, became the 12th district, and Lee announced she would run there.^[14]

Lee won the Democratic primary election on May 17, 2022, defeating rival Steve Irwin. Though Irwin had an early lead on election night with early and mail-in ballots, Lee emerged with a victory of around 740 votes once in-person Election Day votes were counted. She won the Allegheny County portion of the district by almost 4,500 votes. Most networks had declared Lee the winner by May 20, and Irwin conceded that day.^[15]

In the November 8 general election, Lee defeated Republican Mike Doyle (no relation to the Democratic incumbent).^[16]

Lee simultaneously ran for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; she was reelected to a third term with little opposition, but was required to resign the seat to assume her new role in the U.S. House, which she did on December 7, 2022.^[17][18] With elections in the 32nd district, where incumbent Tony DeLuca died in October 2022 but was reelected posthumously to a 21st term,^[19] and the 35th district, where incumbent Austin Davis was simultaneously reelected to a third full term and elected lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, an unusual situation arose in which the Democratic Party gained control of the chamber, having won 102 seats to the Republican Party's 101 in the 2022 elections, but would begin the new legislative term with just 99 members, due to these three vacancies in solidly Democratic districts in Allegheny County.^[20]

Tenure[

Abortion:{:(style="margin-right:0.25em"):}:[edit:{]}:

Lee supports abortion.^[21] Lee joined forty other House Democrats in a letter calling on the Biden Administration to use all means possible to preserve FDA approval for Mifepristone and protect access to these treatments nationwide, in response to a ruling by Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.^[22][23]

Affirmative Action[

In response to the Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which held that race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions processes violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Lee stated that she was "disgusted that our country just enshrined racial inequity in higher education and economic immobility into law.^[24]

Economy:{:(style="margin-right:0.25em"):}:[edit:{]}:

Lee was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.^[25] She was the only no-vote among western Pennsylvania house members.^[26] She had previously decried Republicans’ willingness to take the country “to the brink of economic catastrophe” to win budget concessions. ^[27]

Gun Control[

On March 29, 2023, two Pittsburgh Catholic schools received what investigators deemed were hoax active shooter threats that prompted evacuations, lockdowns and large responses from police.^[28] This came two days after a highly publicized school shooting in Nashville.^[29] In response, Lee said that having to endure active shootings and related evacuations, drills and hoaxes is "no way for our kids to live," and blamed the proliferation of guns in America for causing the widespread panic of the fake active shooting reports.^[30]

On April 7, 2023, Lee harshly criticized the Tennessee House's expulsion of Democratic representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones.^[31] The lawmakers were expelled after joining a protest against mass shootings on the Tennessee house floor.^[32] Her criticism was also aimed at Republican's overall treatment of gun control, saying "people are dying because Republicans want to put politics over the lives of the people they represent. They ask for safety for themselves, but not for school children, and they’ll sacrifice the lives of our loved ones for their lobbyists."^[33]

Infrastructure[

After a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Pittsburgh on April 8, 2023, Lee called for more accountability from railroads, and protection from so-called "bomb trains" that carry hazardous materials through populated areas.^[34] This was two months after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which also involved a Norfolk Southern train.^[35] In response to these events, Lee publicly supported multiple bills in Congress that look to enforce strict regulations on the rail industry.^[36] She is an original co-sponsor of the DERAIL Act, which would put stricter federal rail safety regulations in place that were rolled back during the Trump administration.^[37][38]

Israel[

Lee joined Senator Bernie Sanders, and at least nine House Democrats, in signing a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concern over rising violence between Israelis and Palestinians and the new Israeli government's attempt to weaken the country's independent judiciary.^[39]

On April 25, 2023, Lee was one of nineteen Representatives (eighteen Democrats and one Republican) to vote against House Resolution 311, a resolution honoring America's relationship with Israel on the 75th anniversary of its independence.^[40]

On May 5, 2023, Lee was one of 17 cosponsors of the “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act”, which would restrict aid to Israel.^[41][42]

On June 13, 2023, Lee was one of thirteen representatives (eleven Democrats and two Republicans) who voted against a bill mandating the Biden administration appoint a special envoy for the Abraham Accords.^[43]

Russia[

Lee, along with nearly fifty other members of Congress, were barred from entering Russia on May 19, 2023.^[44][45]

Syria[

In 2023, Lee was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.^[46][47]

TikTok[

In light of a potential ban on TikTok in the United States, Lee has supported the website, calling it "an incredible organizing tactic."^[48][49]

Caucus memberships[

Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment (vice chair)^[50]
Congressional Progressive Caucus^[51]

Committee assignments:{:(style="margin-right:0.25em"):}:[edit:{]}:

Electoral history

---

SUMMER LEE IS ENDORSED BY:

Elected Officials

Sen. Bernie Sanders

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Sen. Bob Casey

Rep. Ayanna Pressley

Rep. Ayanna Pressley

MA-07

Rep. Pramila Jayapal

Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

NY-14

Rep. Rashida Tlaib

MI-13

Rep. Ilhan Omar

MN-05

Rep. Cori Bush

MO-1

Rep. Ro Khanna

CA-17

Rep. Jamaal Bowman

NY-16

Rep. Andy Levin

MI-09

Rep. Mark Pocan

WI-02

Rep. Jan Schakowsky

IL-09

Ed Gainey

Mayor of Pittsburgh

Chardaé Jones

Mayor of Braddock

Delia Lennon-Winstead

Mayor of Braddock

Dontae Comans

Mayor of Wilkinsburg

Rep. Donna Bullock

HD-195, Chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus

Rep. Joanna E. McClinton

HD-191, House Democratic Leader

Rep. Jordan A. Harris

HD-186, House Democratic Whip

Rep. Jake Wheatley

HD-19

Rep. Sara Innamorato

HD-21

Rep. Jessica Benham

HD-36

Rep. Tina Davis

HD-141

Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

HD-155

Rep. Jason Dawkins

HD-179

Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler

HD-184

Rep. Morgan Cephas

HD-192

Rep. Rick Krajewski

HD-188

Rep. Chris Rabb

HD-200

Sen. Nikil Saval

PA State Senate—1st District

Pat Catena

Allegheny County Council President

Bethany Hallam

Allegheny County Councilperson At-Large

Jack Betkowksi

Allegheny County Councilperson—District 1

Anita Prizio

Allegheny County Councilperson—District 3

Bob Palmosina

Allegheny County Councilperson—District 12

Deb Gross

Pittsburgh City Councilmember—District 7

Erika Strassburger

Pittsburgh City Councilmember—District 8

Kendra Brooks

Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large

Helen Gym

Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large

Gene Walker

School Board Director for Pittsburgh Public Schools District 9

Mary Nesby

Homestead Borough Councilmember

Dan Gryzbek

School Board Director, Bethel Park

Tina Doose

Former Braddock Borough Council President

Ashley Comans

Ashely Comans

Former Wilkinsburg School Board Member

Darwin Leuba

O’Hara Township Auditor

Organizations

The 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club

BlueAmerica PAC

Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund

Clean Water Action

Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC

DFA

Emgage PAC

Free the Ballot

Friends of the Earth Action Fund

Food & Water Action

Future Generations PAC

Higher Heights for America PAC

J Street

Justice Democrats

League of Conservation Voters

Moms Demand Action

PA Joint Board of Worker’s United, SEIU

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

Pennsylvania United Allegheny County

Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Progressive Change Campaign Committee

Progressive Democrats of America

SEIU 32BJ

SEIU Healthcare PA

SEIU Local 668

SEIU PA State Council

Sierra Club

Steel City Stonewall Democrats

Sunrise Movement Pittsburgh

Sunrise Movement – National

UFCW 1776

United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE)

Way to Lead

Working Families Party

Young Democrats of Allegheny County

Zero Hour

===

https://www.alternet.org/fossil-fuel-2662235056/

https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2019/01/31/the-long-view-us-proxy-voting-trends-on-es-issues-from-2000-to-2018/

7 23 an no lnx

Inside the fossil fuel industry’s insidious plan to end responsible investing

Jessica Church, Common Dreams and Inequality.org July 06, 2023

In a recent Gallup poll, the vast majority of Americans surveyed said they were not even “somewhat familiar” with the term “ESG.” But on Capitol Hill, Republicans have developed a fixation on the issue, holding not one but two intensely partisan hearings on the topic.

“Republicans Are Losing Their Minds Over ESG” read one headline.

“Anti-ESG talk leads to partisan fireworks” read another.

Now you may be wondering, what the heck is ESG? What’s anti-ESG? What the heck is “woke” capitalism? And why should I care?

What Is ESG?

ESG stands for “Environmental, Social, and Governance,” which are categories of metrics that businesses use to assess performance and risk on a range of issues.To reduce risk and create value over the long term, businesses may seek to reduce carbon emissions (Environmental), improve working conditions for workers through racial equity and other measures (Social), or take steps to bring executive compensation closer in line with the company’s median salary (Governance).

Companies’ practices on ESG metrics can have an impact on future performance, so there is tremendous value in understanding long-term risks associated with environmental, social, and governance factors.

The simple concept that businesses should care about their communities and their workers and govern themselves accordingly is not new. In the 1980s, some companies and banks stopped doing business in South Africa to protest racial Apartheid. In the 1990s, a number of institutional investors divested from the tobacco industry as a way to take a stand against the harmful and deceptive practices of companies like Phillip Morris and R.J. Reynolds. And in the 2000s and 2010s, support for environmental shareholder proposals grew substantially in response to the worsening climate crisis.

Who’s Against It?

This leads us to the current backlash. “Anti-ESG” efforts, promulgated by long-time conservative organizations like theHeritage Foundation and American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and newly prominent groups like the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, Consumers’ Research, and the State Financial Officers Foundationall have one things in common—connections to conservative big money donors in the oil and gas industry.

“The anti-‘woke investing’ movement was not created by financial experts,” observed environmental reporter Emily Aktin, “It was created by two of the fossil fuel industry’s most notorious climate disinformers.”

The anti-ESG movement is a well-funded and well-organized campaign led by top conservative political operatives.

Big Oil wants to end ESG investing and ESG business practices because they’re at odds with the continued growth of the fossil fuel industry. Big Oil would rather let our planet burn and increase short-term profits than adjust its business practices to stave off the worst of the climate crisis and invest in long-term profits.

Big Oil also wants you to think that this “anti-ESG” movement is organic, that it emerged from the conservative grassroots, but that could not be further from the truth. The anti-ESG movement is a well-funded and well-organized campaign led by top conservative political operatives. I recently corresponded with Meaghan Winter, author of All Politics Is Local, who explained that:

“Ideological donors and their foundations and think tanks have deliberately chosen to push their agendas through obscure-seeming front groups that work incrementally on the state level because they don’t want to call attention to the profound (and very unpopular) changes they are initiating. This strategy is decades-old, it has worked against unions and abortion and more, and the anti-ESG effort is just one of the latest incarnations.”

One shining example of this is the recent House Oversight Subcommittee hearing on ESG, where the majority witnesses (those called by the GOP, because Republicans control the House of Representatives right now) wereMandy Gunasekara from the Independent Women’s Forum, Jason Isaac from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Stephen Moore from the Heritage Foundation. These organizations have a long history of receiving financial support and carrying water for the oil and gas industry, including Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, and Chevron.

Watch Congresswoman Summer Lee lay it out for us, plain and simple.

Why Does This Matter?

While the right wing foments a culture war crusade and attempts to make ESG the next critical race theory (“CRT”), the fear mongering campaign has real-world impacts on investors and companies who are scared of being caught in the backlash. For example, some private companies are now backpedaling on their climate commitments.

To be clear, this is what the funders of this movement want.

In December, Vanguard, the world’s second largest asset management firm, pulled out of the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, which was a voluntary industry-led effort to reach net-zero emission targets by 2050. This was a major setback for anyone who cares about the health and shape of our environment, because Vanguard manages roughly $7 trillion in assets. In order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement—less than 1.5°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels—global markets must shift capital away from the fossil fuel industry and toward renewable energy systems.

But this goes beyond the climate crisis. In recent years, workers and shareholders have been demanding more corporate accountability on workplace safety, workers’ freedom of association, data privacy, racial equity, and executive compensation, among other issues that fall into the Social and Governance categories of ESG. The right-wing campaign against ESG is a campaign to roll back these victories.

How Do We Fight Back?

My organization, Take on Wall Street, is organizing with unions, public interest groups, and grassroots groups to fight back against this regressive movement. But it’s not just about playing defense. We also need a forward-looking vision for worker power, climate justice, and racial equity. Watch this space.

FROM YOUR SITE ARTICLES

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TRANSCRIPT

Chris Hedges:The total cost of the 2022 federal midterm elections is projected to exceed $9.3 billion. But what do we get from what must surely be the most expensive electoral system on the planet? There’s little real choice. The dismantling of our democracy which took place over the last few decades on behalf of corporations and the rich has been a bipartisan project, leaving only the outward shell of democracy. The courts, legislative bodies, the executive branch, and the media, including public broadcasting, are captive to corporate power. There is no institution left that can be considered authentically democratic. The corporate coup d’etat is over. They won. We lost.

The wreckage of this corporate coup is appalling, endless and futile wars to enrich a military-industrial complex that bleeds the US Treasury of half of all discretionary spending, de-industrialization that has turned US cities into decayed ruins, the slashing and privatization of social programs including education, utility services, and healthcare, which so over one million Americans account for one-fifth of global deaths from COVID, although we are 4% of the world’s population.

Draconian forms of social control embodied in militarized police functioning as lethal armies of occupation in poor urban areas, the largest prison system in the world, a virtual tax boycott by the richest individuals and corporations, mone- saturated elections that perpetuate our system of legalized bribery, and the most intrusive state surveillance of the citizenry in our history.

How are we to interpret these elections which will create even more political paralysis with Republican control of the House, and what should we expect in the next presidential election? Joining me to discuss the political landscape and the wake of the midterm elections is former presidential candidate and consumer advocate Ralph Nader. You can find him at ralphnader.substack.com.

Ralph, let’s begin with the midterms. It wasn’t the blowout of the Democratic Party that many expected. How do you interpret what happened?

Ralph Nader:Well, coming off the list that you just described about the situation in this country and its impact on the world, my first reaction was there are 535 people in the Congress who could change it all,and they don’t all have to be unanimous. It could just be a plurality or a majority of members. So what are we waiting for? Check off your entire list, Chris, and we got the votes. The corporations don’t have the votes. They have money, but the members of Congress want the money to get the votes against their primary or general election opponents.

So it just is very intriguing that people thrash around groaning, moaning, being sickened, injured, blocked, discriminated against, deprived, andthey don’t focus on the Khyber Pass, which is Congress. Whether we like it or not, that’s the institution that has the greatest authority to take on these big corporations and take on the predators and to drive peace in the world instead of war and empire. We’re listening to all these recountings of the ills, ailments, and injustices and the brutish scenarios coming up in the future with climate disruption and reneging on any kind of compact with posterity, and we don’t focus on Congress.

So in the midterm election, they’re running around the campaigns like they’re ward bosses. We’re going to fix this pothole here and we’re going to make sure that there’s a public service there. Instead of looking at the big picture of the concentration of power, they’re doing this piecemeal retail assurances of the public, which of course drives the expectation of the people even lower. When you drive the expectation lower as to what members of Congress are running for election, or challengers running to defeat them, when you control those expectations at such a low level, the members of Congress get away with their responsibility for the country under the Constitution, we the people.

They’re the ones who get to tax new power in Congress, the spending power, the confirmation of judges and officials in power, the right not to go to war. There’s no end to it. So I keep saying if all of these efforts for justice around the country, small, large, national, local, do not focus on Congress and the state legislatures and the town councils, they’re going to be spinning their wheels forever as this country is driven into the ground.

Chris Hedges:I want to talk about the impediments, though. First of all, you haveredistricting. So most races are not actually competitive. The Democratic Party redistricted the seat that Dennis Kucinich had to drive him out. Number two, if you aren’t awash in moneyand you saw this in your own campaign, you were drawing crowds. I think you filled Madison Square Garden. Everybody had to pay $5 to get in. So I don’t know how many thousands of people, but you didn’t have access to television, which would’ve given you an audience of millions. So there are serious impediments to essentially breaking the power of this duopoly.

Ralph Nader:Yeah. But the impediments melt away if people organize in every congressional district to reflect the congruence of left-right opinion in this country, which is deleted from the news accounts who like to talk about polarization, red state, blue state, conservative, liberal. We know that on the fundamental necessities of life, there’s a huge convergence, 70, 80, 90% in the polls. There was one poll a few years ago, Chris, 90% of people wanted to break up the big banks. 90%.

You got 75% or so want universal healthcare even without a major party pushing for it. It just goes on and on. Whether it’s cracking down on corporate crooks, whether it’s changing the campaign finance system, whether it’s controlling what people own, like pension funds and mutual funds which together own three-quarters of the stock of the companies on the New York and Nasdaq Stock Exchanges. So the people have the power, but they’ve allowed it to be seized because they don’t do their homework back home.

They don’t spend time on their civic responsibilities. They don’t say to the members of Congress, hey, we’re the ones who have the sovereign power. You’ve got it from us and you’re using it against us, and we’re not going to tolerate it anymore. So the only place where democracy comes before work is in a dictionary. So we have to stop spinning our wheels and recounting disaster after disaster when we can control the legislative bodies, local, state, and national. Look at the initiatives in Nebraska and right-wing states. They have passed minimum wage increases against massive corporate opposition, saturating the television, Florida, Arkansas.

In one conservative state, South Dakota, the Republican dominated legislature, the governor, and the corporations all opposed an initiative to constitutionalize Medicaid, not just to send a statute, but to put the Constitution of South Dakota. Who won? The people won. Because they started working. They rolled up their sleeves. Otherwise, all we’re doing is documenting despair, perdition, pessimism, which discourages people and turns them into cynics, which leads to withdrawal from the political arena and which makes the corporation’s life all the way to the bank.

Chris Hedges:I want to talk about fear because I think Matt Taibbi wrote that most Americans don’t vote for what they want, they vote against the political figure they hate. The divisions largely, as you point out, there’s a majoritarian opinion on many of the issues you just cited. But there is this cultural divide, and people employ fear. Biden’s own record in the Senate and even as vice president is pretty appalling, from supporting Anita Hill to I think five years before the invasion of Iraq he talked about taking Saddam down. He, of course, as rehabilitated Mohammed bin Salman, a fervent supporter of the apartheid state in Israel. He fought school busing.

Aggressively, he sponsored the 1994 crime bill and three strikes you’re out, third violent penalty law where you can’t get parole, NAFTA, Glass-Steagall. So these are not issues that we look back on and support, but the Democrats, like the Republicans, play on this fear, the fear of – And I do see, as you do, a figure like Trump to be frightening and these fringe candidates to be frightening, but it seems that that is the primary currency at this point of our political system.

Ralph Nader:Yeah. Well, there are millions of people who don’t buy it. We need tens of millions of people who don’t buy it. We need people talking to one another in the neighborhoods. We need people to turn out for town meetings. There are all kinds of jurisdictions in this country that allow for the referendum to be stocked with all kinds of progressive legislation at the state and local level. Most people don’t even know about it. They don’t even use it. Why? Because our schools don’t begin teaching these children civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic experience. Learn by doing.

All of this comes down to how much time do people spend to produce a deliberative democracy that wages peace and justice, equality and foreseeing and forestalling the perils for our posterity like climate disruption. That’s what it comes down to. If we don’t address it at that level, if we don’t highlight the victories of the people over powerful interests that occur from time to time in this country, we’re just documenting despair, producing discouragement, producing withdrawal from the political system, and people then just dive into their own discouraging lives and watch entertainment, bet on sports. We gotta turn it around.

The nice thing about this approach is you only have to turn around a supermajority of 535 people. You know what they want more than anything else. They want to win, and that means votes. So you focus votes to nullify the effect of money. I mean, look at the victory of Summer Lee coming out of Pittsburgh. She’s 32 years old and she’s going to be the next representative in the House from an area around Pittsburgh. She was opposed by corporations. She took on the dark side of the United Steelworkers. They opposed her.

APAC put $1 million to $2 million just before the election to defeat her. She beat them all. How? She developed a grassroots coalition based on the principle that they all bleed the same color. It doesn’t matter what labels they put on themselves. She forged this coalition and beat them all. It’s a spectacular story, which The New York Times is not spending much time reporting on. They’re too obsessed with Taylor Greene, the madcap representative from Georgia, putting her on the cover of The New York Times Magazine.

They give all kinds of attention to crazy right-wing groups and institutes. They give people the impression nothing’s happened on the progressive side during the election period. So Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is not Ann Arbor, it’s not Cambridge. It has a lot of conservatives, and she beat them all. Energy. Civic energy is what’s needed. You have 82% of Republicans against Citizens United, which is a Supreme Court decision over a decade ago that said corporations could give unlimited money for or against candidates in elections. Unlimited. A lot of it dark money.

You got over 80% of Republicans, when they’re polled that, are against. It has to be organized. Otherwise, the divide and rule strategy of the two-party duopoly fronting for giant corporations will forever control the people who are the only people who have the votes. I mean, bad as corporates are, Chris, they don’t yet have the vote. Not yet, at least.

Chris Hedges:Let’s talk about the inevitable paralysis with the Republican control of the House. Biden’s already been stymied by Manchin and Democrats who essentially vote as Republicans. What is that going to mean for going ahead?

Ralph Nader:Well, it’s going to mean that nothing’s going to be done other than the routine stuff of just passing budgets for government agencies. The Republicans have such a narrow margin. They’re not going to get anything done, and they’ll be blocked in the Senate. So it’s two years of very little being done. And it’s the Democrat’s own fault. I mean, it’s the worst Republican Party in history. You cannot find a Republican Party since 1854 that has so many positions that are against the health, safety, and economic interests of children, of women, of workers, of small taxpayers, of communities all over the country, of consumers, of patients.

This is a vicious, callous, inbred, ignorant, corporate indentured, corrupt party. What are the Democrats? They lose to them, and then they say, hey, look at the pundits. They said it was going to be a red wave and it wasn’t a red wave. So it’s a victory. That’s how they fooled the people. Victory? What would happen if there were no polls and no pundits? Would the Democrats have pleaded victory? They lost the House of Representatives, for heaven’s sake.

Chris Hedges:Right. Well, they lost because, on all of the issues they just cited, they have surrendered.

Ralph Nader:Yeah, they lost because it starts with the nomination process. They exclude third parties, okay. Who’s they? Who’s they? It’s the state legislatures. They have these ballot access barriers and allow this to happen. They lost for reasons of their own making. For example, John Larson of Connecticut wanted to increase the benefits of social security. It hasn’t been increased, he said, in 40 years. So he puts in a bill and it’s very comprehensive, and he’s sweet-talked by Nancy Pelosi and his chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the crypto Republican, but Democrat in name only, Richard Neal from Western Massachusetts.

He starts pressing. He says, why aren’t you passing this through the House? He says, well, it’s not the right time. We don’t want to be accused of excessive spending. So he drafts the letter, which he wants his Democrats in the House to co-sign. He drafts the letter accusing the Senate of sabotaging the whole process, the Democrats in the Senate using the filibuster as an excuse. He says, let the Republicans filibuster. Let them go on the floor hour after hour after hour on natural television against increasing the benefits of social security for millions of elderly Americans. He was blocked and stymied.

Now, any active citizenry, Chris, would’ve dug into that and made it a major issue inside the Democratic Party. That’s the way you start upending these indentured senior Democrats who have concentrated power in the hands of three members: Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and the third one. And they control the subcommittees and the committees and all this started with Newt Gingrich, who did this when he was speaker in 1995, and the Democrats never changed it.

He cut budgets of committees, cut staff, cut the GAO, the monitor of spending, executive branch, waste, fraud, and abuse, eliminated the Office of Technology Assessment, which would’ve exposed some of these massive weapon and civilian technology boondoggles, and the Democrats inherited it. So you always have to go back to the people. What do they think? What do they know? What do they want for their families? You got to organize it. Look, labor never became unionized without rank and file people. Co-ops were never established without rank and file people. It never was top-down. It’s all bottom-up. So we got to focus on the people here.

Chris Hedges:Let’s talk about Trump, who’s just announced. What’s your read on the Trump candidacy and the future tactics of the Republican Party?

Ralph Nader:Well, first of all, under section 3 of the 14th Amendment, any state can ban him from running for election based on this Jan. 6 findings of insurrection. That’s the insurrection section of section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The Jan. 6 committee report is going to be out soon and they could recommend that to the states and say, start enforcing section 3 of the 14th Amendment. If he is banned from running for reelection in four or five states, he can’t possibly compete even at the primary level.

The second thing is, Jack Smith, the new special counsel, people have said that you couldn’t pick someone better for the Attorney General to pursue two criminal violations against Trump which could end in his indictment, and it’s very unlikely that he’s going to have much course to the primary victory if he’s under indictment from those two violations, not to mention the one that’s being prepared in New York state against him. One was stealing classified documents, that’s one that Garland is handing over to the special counsel to pursue. The other, of course, is the insurrection on Jan. 6.

Of course, Garland left out about 10 other violations of federal statutes, including the Hatch Act, which was designed to prevent presidents from using the power of the federal government and property against their opponents. He had campaign events on the White House lawn. He signed millions of checks, twisting arms over at the treasury for the pandemic relief programs. Garland just is giving him a free pass on one violation after another. Bruce Fein and I have written Garland listing all these violations more than once. Never get an answer.

However, two criminal statute violations are more than enough to retire Trump. Now, if that doesn’t occur, Trump is going to want a lot of competition at the primary level. That’s how he wins. He had 16 Republican opponents in the primary in 2016, and he is the best known. He’s the most egregious attention getter, and he would like that. He’d split it 10 ways. He’d say, okay, Youngkin, Virginia, come on board. Primary me. Okay, DeSantis, come on board, primary me. But I don’t think he’s going to get that far.

Chris Hedges:So what do you see happening?

Ralph Nader:I see he’s going to be indicted. There are civil suits against him, obviously, from assaulted women and other people that he’s fleeced. I think there may be a coordinated rebellion in the Republican Party itself. You just don’t get anywhere with other Republican candidates, senators, governors, if the head of the ticket is not only under indictment, but may have actually been convicted.

Chris Hedges:But the Republican Party, which has essentially become this proto-fascist entity, and certainly while Trump held sway, cultish, isn’t going to change its stripes, is it?

Ralph Nader:No, it changes its camouflage. They really pursue everything Trump has pursued, whether it’s immigration on the border. Wall Street, Trump and them are on the same page. The whole plutocratic system, the anti-union system, the tax cuts at an all time low for the super rich and the big corporations. But it’s the camouflage. He embarrasses them. He uses bad language. He attacks people specifically. He doesn’t have their style of control. But that’s serious. That’s a serious problem among politicians. That’s just not a matter of cosmetics. They know they can lose a lot of traction with his kind of blunderbuss and his lying and his mischaracterizing people and accusing people of homicides without a single bit of evidence like he has done in the past.

They’re also afraid of the violence of his audiences that he can unleash, and that can make you lose an election. That could scare a lot of conservative Republicans around the Midwest and elsewhere when they see the eruption of violence. He’s said there are going to be riots in the street if he’s denied the nomination. So there is a real deep conflict, not over economic issues, but over how the party presents itself to a public that it doesn’t want to scare. He scares people.

Chris Hedges:Does the inevitable paralysis now within Congress empower the Republican Party for the presidential elections?

Ralph Nader:No, because they’ll be viewed as the do-nothing House, can’t get anything done. If the Democrats are smart, they’d go on the floor of the House, as the Republicans did against them years ago, and throw the gauntlet down. Why aren’t you supporting Medicare, Medicaid, social security? Why are you against kids? Why don’t you extend the $300 a month child tax credit that went to 58 million kids from conservative and liberal families and you blocked the extension in January? Why are you freezing the minimum wage at a paltry $7.25 cents an hour when you’re making huge money in terms of what the taxpayer is paying you and all the benefits?

They could just throw one gauntlet: Why are you soft on corporate crime?Why are you letting these corporate crooks get away with ripping off the people and endangering their health and safety? That’s what they got to do. If they don’t do that, we’ll just have another very, very close election. Any kind of idiosyncratic event can tip it one way or another regardless of the left-right polls supporting basic change in this country coming in at 70, 75, 80, 80, 85%. I mean, you can’t stop that. That’s an unstoppable coalition.

If the Democrats will get rid of their corporate political media consultants who are losing race after race for the Democrats because they have corporate clients throughout the year and they’re conflicted and because they don’t want to do a ground game, which is what democracy is all about, and they want the 15% huge television buys. Right now in Georgia, there’s this runoff, Chris, between Senator Warnock and Herschel Walker. Warnock has spent $20 million already, charging that Walker is neither competent nor knowledgeable nor fit to be a US senator. Well, they’re going to put $200 million between them from Nov. 8 to Dec. 6.

Just imagine $200 million coming in there. How much of it is the ground game? Well, as little as possible, if the consultants have a say, which is what they do, they want the 15% commission. So Warnock should go around the state of Georgia and change his heavy focus on Walker, everybody knows about Walker now, and start saying, go vote for a raise. Go vote for universal health insurance. Go vote for cracking down on the corporate crooks that are on your back and in your pocketbook every day. Go vote for freedom to vote. Go vote for freedom for women, equal pay for equal work. Go vote for the children. Get that $300 back into poor families’ pocketbooks.

I mean, that’s the way you win an election. But the corporate consultants who should be the subject of major exposes by The Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, they got the reporters. They’re the ones who are destroying the Democratic Party, and they’ve been doing it for years.

Chris Hedges:Well, if Walker or Warnock went around and called for those kinds of programs, that corporate money would dry up, wouldn’t it, Ralph?

Ralph Nader:There’s no time for it to dry up. They already got it. Dec. 6 is the runoff. By the way, the more you can get people on your side by your message and your policies, the less money you need. I mean, the money wasted on these TV and social media ads is just staggering. Not only is it wasted, it’s the same ad, it’s dull, it’s repetitious, it’s not authentic, and it irritates people. In other words, it boomerangs against itself. Summer Lee was tremendously outspent, but she had a ground game.

Chris Hedges:Right. That was former presidential candidate and consumer advocate Ralph Nader. You can find him at ralphnader.substack.com. I want to thank The Real News Network and its production team: Cameron Granadino, Adam Coley, and Kayla Rivara. You can find me at chrishedges.substack.com.

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:{Summer Lee, progressive opposed by AIPAC funding, appears to win Penn ...:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Nov 8, 2022(JTA) - Summer Lee, a progressive Democrat House candidate in Pennsylvania who was opposed by pro-Israel lobbying giant AIPAC, was projected to handily beat her Republican opponent Mike Doyle...

:{https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com}::{ › summer-lee-progressive-opposed-by-aipac-funding-appears-to-win-penn-house-seat}:

:{Summer Lee, progressive opposed by AIPAC funding, wins Penn. House seat ...:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Nov 9, 2022(JTA) - Summer Lee, a progressive Democrat House candidate in Pennsylvania who was opposed by pro-Israel lobbying giant AIPAC, was projected to handily beat her Republican opponent Mike Doyle...

:{https://www.thenation.com}::{ › article › politics › aipac-summer-lee-pennsylvania}:

:{Why Is AIPAC So Desperate to Defeat Summer Lee? | The Nation:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Nov 4, 2022(Nate Smallwood / Bloomberg) P ennsylvania congressional candidate Summer Lee, a rising star on the left, won a May primary despite a withering assault from a super PAC set up by the American...

:{https://www.commondreams.org}::{ › news › 2022 › 10 › 31 › aipac-super-pac-throws-against-progressive-democrat-summer-lee}:

:{AIPAC Super PAC Throws in Against Progressive Democrat Summer Lee:(style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"):}:

Oct 31, 2022Having tried and failed to prevent Summer Lee from winning the Democratic nomination for the open U.S. House seat in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District earlier this year, a super PAC formed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is now spending against the progressive candidate in her race against Republican Mike Doyle.

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Summer Lee Rep

NEWS: Sen. Schiff, Reps. Neguse, McGovern, and Lee Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

Moderate PAC Donors

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