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News from Sen. Johnny Isakson
Since the horrifying revelations regarding wait times at certain U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities first came to light two years ago, I have been working through multi-pronged efforts to change the culture of corruption at the VA and help it again become an agency worthy of our veterans. This week, I led a coordinated bipartisan effort, called a colloquy, with members of the Senate VA committee on the Senate floor, and sent a letter to my Senate colleagues to urge them to demand a vote for the Veterans First Act. The need for this legislation, which would increase accountability at the VA, became greater than ever after the VA announced that it would no longer use its expedited removal authority to hold VA executives accountable.
We owe our veterans no less than our absolute commitment to match the commitment they made to us. It is time that veterans got the quality care and benefits they've earned from a department that is accountable to the veterans it serves.
You can my full remarks here, or you can watch them, here. Click here to read the letter I sent to my senate colleagues.
Supreme Court Blocks President Obama's Executive Amnesty
This week, our constitutional system of checks and balances was put to the test, and Article I of the Constitution prevailed. The Supreme Court's ruling on Thursday in United States v. Texas prevents an unprecedented executive overreach and upholds a previous decision by a lower court that the president's use of executive action to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants is unlawful. It also demonstrates why it is incredibly important for the next president to appoint, and the Senate to confirm, judges who will respect the Constitution and the rule of law and who can be trusted to reject future abuses of executive power.
Protecting the Second Amendment
Also this week, I voted in support of commonsense measures that would ban the sale of guns to anyone on a terror watch list while also providing resources to improve and enhance the national background check registry to enable our federal and local law enforcement agents to locate, monitor and stop domestic terrorism without infringing upon our Second Amendment rights.
In Case You Missed It
What's On Tap?
On Wednesday, I will chair a hearing with the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs on pending legislation to improve veterans' health care and benefits. You can watch the hearing at www.veterans.senate.gov. The Senate will continue consideration of the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations measure when we return next week.
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 News from Sen. David Perdue
Senator David Perdue Statement On Supreme Court DecisionBlocking Executive Amnesty
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 4-4 in
United States vs. State of Texas, which leaves in place a lower court injunction blocking President Obama's unlawful executive amnesty:
"Today's Supreme Court ruling further halts President Obama's executive amnesty and upholds the Constitutional balance of powers. Yet, Americans should not have to rely on the courts to ensure President Obama follows the laws he is sworn to uphold. I am proud that Georgia joined a majority of states to stand up against President Obama's unconstitutional executive amnesty. There are real national security risks associated with illegal immigration, which is why we must first secure our border and restore the rule of law in our country."
Background:
The U.S. Supreme Court took up
United States vs. State of Texas after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in November of 2015 affirmed a previous decision by a federal district court in Brownsville, Texas, to halt the Obama Administration from moving forward with its executive actions on immigration that are in violation of federal law.
In April 2016, Senator Perdue joined 42 senators in filing an
amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Georgia's and a group of states' legal challenge in
United States vs. State of Texas.
Senators Isakson, Perdue Support Measure to Strengthen Security Assistance to Israel
Introduce resolution to clarify, reaffirm U.S. commitment
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined 14 colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution urging the Obama Administration to support a new, robust long-term agreement with Israel to ensure that our strongest ally in the Middle East has the resources it needs to defend itself.
"From the threat of terrorism within its own borders to the challenge to its very existence by Iran, Israel is faced with increasing threats to its safety and sovereignty,"
said Senator Isakson. "At a time when threats are increasing worldwide and especially in the Middle East, we must commit to prioritize the defense of our greatest ally and friend in the region over anti-American regimes like Iran."
"President Obama's dangerous nuclear deal with Iran has made the Middle East even more dangerous for our friend and ally, Israel,"
said Senator Perdue. "Sanctions relief and other payments facilitated by the deal have allowed them to invest more in its military and fund proxies like Hezbollah to increase its anti-Israel campaign. Now, more than ever the United States must remain steadfast in our support of Israel to ensure our ally is a mainstay of security and stability that can defend itself against these radical and complex threats."
The current agreement with Israel, referred to as a "Memorandum of Understanding," that defines military assistance between the countries expires in 2018. Considering the increasing threats and growing instability in the region, this resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to ensure that Israel has the capacity and capability to defend itself from all credible military threats.
The Senate resolution, S.Res.508, was introduced by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Christopher Coons (D-DE). A copy of the resolution can be viewed
here. U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-27) introduced a companion resolution,
H.Res.729, in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Specifically, this resolution:
- Reaffirms that Israel is a major strategic partner of the United States;
- Reaffirms that it is the policy and law of the United States to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge and has the capacity and capability to defend itself from all credible military threats;
- Reaffirms United States support of a robust Israeli tiered missile defense program;
- Urges the expeditious finalization of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States and the Government of Israel; and
- Supports a robust and long-term Memorandum of Understanding negotiated between the United States and Israel regarding military assistance which increases the amount of aid from previous agreements and significantly enhances Israel's military capabilities.
Additional Background:
In April 2016, Senator Isakson and Senator Perdue
sent a bipartisan letter, signed by 83 senators, to President Obama emphasizing the need to extend the current agreement between the United States and Israel.
Also in April 2016, following the United Nations' decision to allow the Palestinian Authority to join its climate convention, Senator Isakson signed a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry demanding that the United States not send any taxpayer dollars to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change because doing so would be against U.S. law.
Bipartisan Group Of Foreign Relations Members Condemn Russian Aggression
Outline Russia's provocative behavior and violations to international agreements in bipartisan resolution
WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), all members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have introduced a
bipartisan resolution that calls on Russia to cease provocative military maneuvers that endanger U.S. forces and calls on the U.S., its European allies, and the international community to continue to apply pressure on Moscow.
"Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has become increasingly assertive and aggressive militarily,"
said Senator Perdue. "We've recently seen Russian military personnel taunting U.S. military units with provocative military maneuvers. Not only are these actions irresponsible, but they also endanger the lives of American and Russian soldiers alike and fly in the face of decades-long agreements between our two nations. Further, Russia continues to build up its military, cyber capabilities, and poses direct challenges to stated U.S. interests. Today, we come together to condemn Russia's provocative and antagonistic behavior."
"From invading Ukraine to provocative and reckless behavior directed at U.S. warships, Vladimir Putin's Russia continues to incite instability in the global community and violate international law,"
said Senator Gardner. "On a recent trip to Europe to discuss NATO readiness to counter the Russian threat, I met with European leaders, U.S. diplomats, and military personnel, and we all agreed on the need for strong U.S. leadership and enhanced presence in the face of Russia's increasingly belligerent actions. As U.S. and NATO military leaders told me during my visit: "virtual presence is actual absence." The United States cannot lead from behind, and we must reassure our allies that the United States stands firmly behind its NATO commitment, including Article 5 of the NATO Charter regarding collective defense. The Obama Administration must hold Russia accountable and lead the effort to address Russia's bad behavior."
"I'm alarmed by Russia's dangerous maneuvers directed at the U.S. military in international waters and airspace,"
said Senator Johnson. "Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to demonstrate that he's not looking for off-ramps that would de-escalate tensions with the West. He's only looking for on-ramps to destabilize Europe and threaten the United States and our allies. We must make it clear that the U.S. stands firmly with our allies in the face of persistent Russian aggression."
"Russian President Vladimir Putin is once again flexing his muscles, clearly challenging the post-Cold War order, demanding a clear and consequential response to prevent him from continuing to threaten international order and stability,"
said Senator Menendez. "As an author of effective sanctions in response to past Russian aggression, I join my colleagues in sending President Putin our unequivocal response: Continue Russian aggression, with violence against peaceful opposition, election-rigging, human rights abuses and corruption, international adventurism in Georgia, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, and risk more isolation, more sanctions, and greater consequences. If President Putin continues to flex his muscles assuming there will be no consequences, he is mistaken."
"The United States and the international community must stand strong against Russian aggression and the Kremlin's ongoing efforts to undermine the sovereignty of its neighbors,"
said Senator Shaheen."Moscow's provocative actions now endanger U.S. and allied service members, and this is unacceptable. We strongly condemn Russia's reckless actions, and we must not tolerate interference with the right of the United States and our allies to operate freely in international airspace and waters."
Russia has sought to reassert its dominance on the world stage by engaging in increasingly aggressive military behavior. These recent provocative military maneuvers, many of which have been directed specifically at the U.S., violate the 1972 agreement on Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas. Meanwhile, Russia has begun significantly building up their military presence in Eastern Europe, which has prompted NATO to respond by positioning more than 4,000 additional troops to the region, including at least 1,000 U.S. service members. Further, the State Department has found that Russia is in continued violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Russia has pushed the envelope for too long and the time has come for the U.S. express a formal condemnation of these actions as unsafe, unprofessional, unwarranted, and unacceptable.
- Condemn recent dangerous and unprofessional Russian intercepts of U.S.-flagged aircraft and vessels;
- Call on Russia to cease its provocative military maneuvers that endanger American and allied forces;
- Call on the U.S., European allies, and the international community to continue to apply pressure on the government of Russia to stop its provocative behavior;
- Reaffirmthe right of the U.S. to operate military aircraft and vessels in international airspace and waters.
Senator David Perdue Votes To Stop Terrorists From Purchasing Guns
"Keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is absolutely a priority."
WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) today voted to stop terrorists from purchasing guns while protecting the Constitutional rights of all law-abiding Americans:
"As we confront a global security crisis and the most heinous act of terror here in America since 9/11, keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is absolutely a priority. We can all agree on that. The common-sense solutions I supported today would help keep guns away from terrorists while protecting the Constitutional rights of all law-abiding Americans. Unfortunately, partisan politics stalled these efforts. This clearly warrants a full and serious debate in order to get the policy right."
Senator Perdue supported the
Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016, sponsored by Senator Grassley (R-IA), and the
Securing Our Homeland from Radical Islamists and Enhancing Law Enforcement Detection Act, sponsored by Senator Cornyn (R-TX), which would:
- Stop terrorists on a watch list or no-fly list from buying guns;
- Protect the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans by requiring the government to prove that an individual trying to obtain a gun is involved with terrorism;
Improve coordination and record submission to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) from states and other agencies.
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As Talks of Restricting Gun Ownership Increase, So Do Georgia Gun Sales
By: The Staff/zPolitics
Now that talks of restricting gun ownership have again taken over the national debate, it seems that gun sales have (again) spiked.Following the massacre that took place in a gay nightclub in Orlando, gun sales have increased across the country. In Nevada, some shops have
reported a 40% increase in sales.
In Oklahoma, one gun retailer noted
a 90% sales boost over 2015.
Here in Georgia, one store has tripled the sale of AR-15s.
WSB-TV reports:
A gun store in Cobb County says they have to restock military-style rifles by the dozens.Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna reports selling 15 AR-15s an hour. The gun retailer says their norm is about four or five a day.The store owner told Channel 2 Action News the current boost in sales is not just due to people seeking protection, but a fear that the AR-15 could soon be banned.
Interestingly, it seems that the LGBT community is among those who have begun to stock up on firearms. The Atlanta chapter of the Pink Pistols, a pro-gun advocacy group, says that its membership has tripled in the past week.
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Senate votes down closing 'terror loophole'
By: Jordain Carney/The Hill
Senators rejected dueling proposals on blocking suspected terrorists from being able to buy a gun Monday, approximately a week after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Both proposals, from Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Dianne Feinstein(D-Calif.) respectively, fell short of getting the 60 votes needed to move forward. Senators also rejected two background check measures - also offered as amendments to a commerce, justice and science appropriations bill - earlier Monday.
Democrats backed a proposal from Feinstein, which failed in a 47-53 vote.
Feinstein's amendment would have allowed the attorney general to block the sale of a gun or explosive if there's a "reasonable suspicion" an individual has or will be involved in a terrorist attack. It would allow the attorney general to block the sale of a gun to anyone under a terror investigation in the past five years.
Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) praised the Democratic proposal earlier Monday, saying it would "close the terror loophole which allows suspected terrorists to illegally purchase weapons and explosives."
Reid also blasted Republicans, saying they "need to put the lives of innocent Americans ahead of the NRA."
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| Supreme Court may take action on state assault weapon bans
By:Will Dunham/Reuters
The U.S. Supreme Court may weigh in this week on gun control, an issue smoldering again following the June 12 Orlando massacre, with the justices due to decide whether to hear a challenge by gun rights advocates to assault weapon bans in two states.
The Connecticut and New York laws prohibit semiautomatic weapons like the one used by the gunman who fatally shot 49 people at a gay night club in Orlando in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
The Supreme Court will announce as soon as Monday whether it will hear the challenge brought by gun rights groups and individual firearms owners asserting that the laws violate the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantee of the right to bear arms.
The court has not decided a major gun case since 2010.
If they take up the matter, the justices would hear arguments in their next term, which begins in October. A decision not to hear the challenge would leave in place lower-court rulings upholding the laws.
The court's action in another recent appeal indicated it may be disinclined to take up the matter. The justices in December opted not to hear a challenge to a Highland Park, Illinois ordinance banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
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5 things Trump needs to do to turn his campaign around
By: Jonathan Swan/The Hill
Donald Trump has had a miserable few weeks, but he has plenty of time to turn things around before the Nov. 8 general election.
While polls show Trump behind
Hillary Clinton and Republicans worry that a negative narrative about the presumptive GOP presidential nominee is getting baked in, strategists say he can get things back on track by following a few simple recommendations.
Here are five of them.
Pick a good VP
One of the fastest ways Trump can repair trust is by surrounding himself with people who would be seen as having a steadying influence on his administration.
A good start would be announcing a seasoned vice presidential nominee - preferably one who would offset doubts about Trump's lack of experience in governing or handling U.S. foreign policy and security.
Judd Gregg, the longtime Republican politician who served as New Hampshire governor and U.S. senator, said Trump's VP pick is a "very important choice" that will "set the tone" for his general election campaign.
Gregg said he hopes Trump chooses a "substantive, thoughtful person with a history of bringing people together and who's got ideas for making America stronger."
When The Hill listed Sens.
Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and
Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as possible options, Gregg said they'd all make fine choices.
Veteran Republican strategist Sig Rogich said Trump could build further trust beyond his running mate by rolling out "a team of stars."
Rogich, who has advised Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and
John McCain, said that if he were running Trump's campaign, he'd announce a batch of Cabinet posts every couple of weeks, turning each announcement into a media event to build the sense that there is a team behind The Donald.
Trump should pick "superstar" business and community leaders who ordinarily wouldn't serve for four years but might serve two years to "right the ship," Rogich said.
"Then the vote becomes a vote for Team Trump ... and it transitions from being just about him."
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Trump: We have to start looking at profiling
By: Rebecca Savaransky/The Hill
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. needs to start looking into the use of profiling to stop terrorism.
"I think profiling is something we're going to have to start thinking about as a country," Trump said on CBS's "Face The Nation."
The candidate said he doesn't like the concept, but it may be necessary.
"Other countries do it. You look at Israel and you look at others, and they do it and they do it successfully," he said.
"I hate the concept of profiling, but we have to start using common sense and we have to use, you know, we have to use our heads. ... We really have to look at profiling. We have to look at is seriously."
Earlier in the interview, Trump avoided directly answering a question about whether a Muslim buying ammunition and weapons should get extra scrutiny.
I don't know about that," he said.
"I think, right now, we have some pretty big problems, and they're problems coming out of radical Islamic groups. You know, radical Islamic groups. You have a very, very strong group of people that is radical Islamic and that seems to be a problem."
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GOP rep: FBI should monitor Facebook for possible terrorists
By: Jessie Hellmann/The Hill
House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Sunday the FBI should pay more attention to Facebook when searching for possible terrorists.
Omar Mateen reportedly wrote in a Facebook post that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) planned attacks in the U.S. He later killed 49 people and left 53 more injured at a mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub last weekend.
"That is what I will be looking at, is what is our capabilities when someone posts a public social media posting that says they're going to conduct attacks in the United States," McCaul said on ABC's "This Week."
"Why can't we pick up that information and then stop that act of terrorism?"
He said it's possible the FBI could develop an algorithm to find suspicious Facebook posts and that users "have no expectation of privacy" on the site.
Evidence shows Mateen may have been radicalized and inspired by extremist ideology.
Mateen, who died in a shootout with police, allegedly praised ISIS and other terrorist groups during the shooting.
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NRA's LaPierre blasts Dems' gun control push
By: Rebecca Savaransky/The Hill
The executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Sunday criticized the Democratic push for gun control laws in the wake of the deadly Orlando nightclub attack.
"What we're doing with this debate on the Hill right now, it's like they're trying to stop a freight train with a piece of Kleenex," Wayne LaPierre said on CBS's "Face The Nation."
LaPierre said people who commit attacks like the one carried out last weekend at the Pulse nightclub won't be stopped by laws.
"They don't care about the law. Laws didn't stop them in Boston. Laws didn't stop them in San Bernardino, where you had every type of a gun control law you could have, and they didn't stop them in Paris, where people can't even own guns," he said.
"These bad guys we're facing, they don't say, 'Oh gosh, they passed a law. Oh gosh, I don't think I could do it.' "
The Senate
will vote Monday on gun control proposals after Democrats staged a filibuster last week to force a debate on the issue.
LaPierre said Sunday that these kinds of proposals won't prevent attacks.
"We need to face what's coming. They're trying to kill us," he said.
He said terrorists, like the Orlando shooter, will attack places like shopping malls and churches.
"The fact is we need vigilance, we need preparedness, we need a full-court press on personal protection. We need to be able to protect ourselves," he said.
He urged Americans to create their own security plans because "they're coming." He said the country needs to get the bad guys off the street and "leave the good guys alone."
"They're going to go for vulnerable spots," he said, "and this country needs to realize it."
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| Through "News You Can Use", VOICES Publications shares weekly news items reflecting multiple viewpoints to aid readers in making decisions. The articles included in these posts do not necessarily represent the views of the Georgia Federation of Republican Women or of VOICES Publications. Items are passed along for education purposes only. |
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A Message From Kelly Ayotte
Good morning,
Last night, I voted on several gun-related amendments, and today there will no doubt be a lot of misinformation flying around about those votes. So, I wanted to make sure that you heard the truth directly from me.
To watch my floor speech regarding last night's votes, click here.
We need to more aggressively take the fight to ISIS and radical Islamist terrorists, and I'm going to keep pushing the White House to do so.
But we are now fighting the threat here at home, and I believe that suspected terrorists - particularly those who are too dangerous to board a plane -- should not be able to purchase guns. I also believe in protecting Americans' 2nd Amendment and due process rights.
Last night we voted on two proposals - one from a Republican and one from a Democrat - aimed at accomplishing both those goals. I had concerns with both proposals, but voted to move forward with debate to force a conversation and come to agreement on a real solution that will actually pass the Senate.
Both measures failed on near-party line votes. There is no room for partisan games and gridlock when it comes to keeping our country safe from terrorism. So, I'm joining today with several colleagues to offer a common-sense solution that targets terrorists and protects the rights of law-abiding citizens - and that both parties can support.
Here's the solution we're offering:
- Target Terrorists: let's prohibit the sale of guns to terrorism suspects who are on the "No Fly" list or the "selectee" list for additional airport screening.
- Protect Americans' Rights: let's make sure that if you are an American citizen who feels you've been put on one of these lists unfairly, you get an expedited review in court to remove yourself from the list and that your attorney's fees are paid for by the government if they were in the wrong.
- Look-Back at Previous Threats: let's guard against intelligence gaps and ensure that the FBI gets a head's up if a person who has been on the broader terrorist watchlist within the past five years - like the Orlando terrorist - tries to buy a gun.
We can destroy ISIS and defend our rights.
My colleagues and I are working toward that goal, and we're calling on the full Senate to step up and join us.
I know these are issues about which many people are very passionate. So, if you have any additional comments or concerns, please don't hesitate to reply at [email protected] or click here.
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Gridlock on guns in Orlando's wake
By: Alexander Bolton/The Hill
The Senate rejected four separate gun control measures on Monday as Republicans and Democrats jockeyed for position the week after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
All four measures - two dealt with background checks and two sought to prevent people on terrorist watchlists from buying guns - were expected to fail.
All four required 60 votes to move forward, and Republicans and Democrats offered dueling amendments on both issues. The National Rifle Association opposed the two Democratic measures.
The climatic vote was on a measure sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would have prohibited people on terrorist watchlists from buying guns or explosives. It failed 47-53.
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) was the only Democrat to vote against it.
Only two Republicans backed the Feinstein amendment: Sens. Mark Kirk (Ill.) and Kelly Ayotte (N.H.). Kirk is the most endangered Republican up for reelection in the Senate, and Ayotte also faces a tough race.
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80% of Incumbents Will Go Unchallenged in November
By: The Staff/zPolitics
Here's a fun fact about Georgia politics: 80 percent of incumbent legislators will not face a challenger in the November General Election.
Governing Magazine reports that it's typical for 40% of legislative seats to "lack major party competition". While that number seems to have increased across the board, Georgia is particularly noteworthy, as 8 in 10 lawmakers will not face a competitor of the opposite party. Here's why:
There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, redistricting has left most legislative seats lopsided in favor of one party or the other. Why bother running if you figure that more than half the voters are already against you? Also, potential challengers know that incumbents have huge advantages in terms of resources. So they choose to wait until the right moment to run. The percentage of seats that are actively contested goes up in years when one party or the other believes the wind will be at its back - 2008 for Democrats, for example, or 2010 for Republicans. People who recruit candidates - legislative leaders and party officials - also pick their battles. They are much more concerned with getting quality candidates in place in districts that look winnable than they are in making sure there's a warm body occupying every slot on the ballot.
Of course, the article does not seem to consider the many primary challenges that Democrats and Republicans have both seen in recent years.
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Georgia Federation of Republican Women
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Michele Bachmann to Advise Trump on Evangelical Issues
By: Cailtin Yilek/The Hill
Tea Party firebrand Michele Bachmann is joining Donald Trump's Evangelical Executive Advisory Board, his campaign announced Tuesday.
The board will "provide advisory support to Mr. Trump on those issues important to Evangelicals and other people of the faith in America," the campaign said in a statement.
The former House representative from Minnesota joins 20 others - including Jerry Falwell Jr. - on the board.
"The executive board members will convene on a regular basis," the statement said.
The campaign added that certain members of the board were "solely responsible" for Trump's private meeting with Christian leaders in New York City on Tuesday, but did not clarify which members those were.
Bachmann, who mounted a presidential run in 2012, has yet to endorse a candidate in the 2016 election.
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Hispanics look to increase their numbers in Congress
By: Patricia Guadalupe/The Hill
While Latinos comprise 17 percent of the U.S. population, only six percent of the members of Congress are Hispanic.
Hispanic leaders think those numbers could rise this fall, however.
In the Senate, former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat, is seeking to win retiring Senate Minority Leader
Harry Reid's seat. She'd be the fourth Hispanic senator.
The number of Senate Hispanics could also fall depending on what happens in Florida, where Sen.
Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is thinking of reversing course and running for reelection.
In the House, Hispanic Democrats are favored to win safe seats in California and New York, which will almost certainly mean more than 29 House members wil be Hispanic in the next Congress.
Rhetoric from the presidential race is sure to weigh heavily on down-ballot races, particularly as a sharp divide between presumptive Republican nominee
Donald Trump and Hispanic voters has festered into open animosity.
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FBI Re-Releases Orlando 911 Call Transcript to Include ISIS Pledge
By: James Grimaldi/The Wall Street Journal
The FBI has now re-released the transcript from a 911 call made by Orlando terrorist Omar Mateen during the attack on the Pulse nightclub.
Officials caused a backlash earlier by releasing a partial transcript with references to terrorism redacted.
In the call, Mateen pledges allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The Justice Department and FBI said in a statement:
The purpose of releasing the partial transcript of the shooter's interaction with 911 operators was to provide transparency, while remaining sensitive to the interests of the surviving victims, their families, and the integrity of the ongoing investigation. We also did not want to provide the killer or terrorist organizations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda. Unfortunately, the unreleased portions of the transcript that named the terrorist organizations and leaders have caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime. As much of this information had been previously reported, we have re-issued the complete transcript to include these references in order to provide the highest level of transparency possible under the circumstances.
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Other Articles of Interest
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Officials vexed by homegrown terror threat
By: Julian Hattem/The Hill
The United States is struggling to confront the stubborn persistence of homegrown terrorists, even as it has repeatedly proven able to disrupt broader, organized plots from overseas.
A week after the deadly massacre in Orlando, Fla., there are few signs of a major intelligence failure, even though gunman Omar Mateen had been interviewed three times in the last three years.
But the episode illustrates the near-impossibility of detecting "lone wolves" before their diet of online propaganda and internal hatred turns into violence.
"It is an exceptionally challenging issue for the intelligence community, security and law enforcement to deal with," CIA Director John Brennan told the Senate Intelligence Committee this week.
Killers like Mateen can be inspired by extremists on the internet and make their plans "without triggering any of those traditional signatures that we might see as a foreign terrorist organization tries to deploy operatives here," he added.
The obstacles have only increased as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has evolved from a centralized Middle East extremist group to a digital multimedia behemoth, eager to claim anyone acting in its name.
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Trump: People on terror watchlist should be barred from gun purchases
By: Jessie Hellmann/The Hill
Donald Trump continues to diverge from the rest of the Republican Party on issues of gun control, reaffirming in an interview to air Sunday that those on the terrorist watchlist shouldn't be able to buy guns.
"We have to make sure that people that are terrorists or have even an inclination toward terrorism cannot buy weapons, guns," the presumptive Republican presidential nominee
said in an interview to air Sunday on "This Week."
When asked if his position is that those on the terrorist watchlist shouldn't be able to purchase a gun, Trump responded, "I'd like to see that, and I'd like to say it. And it's simpler. It's just simpler."
Discussions on gun control have re-emerged this week after a shooter left 49 dead and 53 more injured at a gay nightclub in Orlando last Sunday. Democrats have pushed for assault weapon bans, more background checks and a purchase ban for those on terrorist watchlists.
But Trump's fellow Republicans, including House Speaker
Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), generally oppose barring gun sales to those on the terrorist watchlist, arguing it could hurt those erroneously put on it. That's also the position the National Rifle Association takes.
"We want to make sure something like this doesn't happen again. ... But as we look at how to proceed, we also want to make sure that we're not infringing upon people's legitimate constitutional rights," Ryan
said Thursday.
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NRA Strategist Points to Radical Islamic Terrorism in Wake of Orlando massacre
By: Kyle Balluck/The Hill
The National Rifle Association's top lobbyist and political strategist on Sunday pointed to radical Islamic terrorism in the wake of the massacre at an Orlando, Fla. nightclub, saying there is a "serious problem in this country."
"What happened in Orlando was heartbreaking. Our prayers go out to those families, everybody impacted," Chris Cox, the executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, said on ABC's "This Week."
"We have a serious problem in this country, a catastrophic situation. It has nothing to do with firearms. It has nothing to do with the Second Amendment or even gun control and it has everything to do with radical Islamic terrorists."
Cox was asked about presumptive GOP presidential nominee
Donald Trump's comments that the outcome in Orlando would have been better had more people in the club been armed.
Cox said the Pulse nightclub's gun-free-zone policy didn't prevent Omar Mateen from "mowing down innocent people."
Cox, however, said he does not want people drinking a nightclub armed to the teeth.
"What Donald Trump has said is what the American people know is commonsense, that if somebody had been there to stop this faster, fewer people would have died. That's not controversial, that's commonsense," he said.
"No one thinks that people should go into a nightclub drinking and carrying firearms. That defies commonsense. It also defies the law. It's not what we're talking about here," he added.
"What we're talking about is the failure of this government to keep us safe. And the American people are scared. And they have reason to be scared. You can do both things. You can stop bad things from happening while protecting the rights of law-abiding people to defend themselves."
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