Congresspeople Stand Up!
New Hampshire, June 12, 2015 — Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (D – New Hampshire 2nd Congressional District) voted against cuts to public broadcasting:
“For more than sixty years, Congress has, on a bipartisan basis, supported public broadcasting by investing in the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations across America,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander. “In New Hampshire, NHPR and NH PBS are critical pillars of our democracy and way of life. Their journalists deliver local news independently without fear or favor. Their programming helps ensure our kids are successful in school and keeps our most rural communities engaged and informed, including in times of emergency. That’s why I voted against this cruel and senseless bill and will never stop fighting to protect public media.”
Washington, D.C., June 9, 2025 — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D – Pennsylvania 5th Congressional District), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution:
“In the aftermath of ICE’s aggressive and militaristic detention activities, the White House’s decision to federalize and deploy National Guard troops and mobilize the U.S. Marine Corps in downtown Los Angeles appears to be a manufactured escalation designed to justify abuses of power and stoke fear across the country.
“Our military should never be deployed domestically, except in extreme circumstances when it’s clear that civilian law enforcement is unable to handle a situation. This was not such a situation. Whether by design or sheer incompetence, the activities of ICE and the White House appear tailor-made to provoke confrontation and cause chaos, rather than to promote calm and ‘ensure domestic tranquility’.
“The decision to deploy troops against the advice of state and local officials is an affront to our federal system, attacking the powers of state and local government and their ability to meet the needs of their constituents.
“It is a dangerous precedent for the government to turn the military against its own civilians when they object to actions of that government. Such an abuse of power is typical of dictators and authoritarians, not American leaders, and should be universally condemned.
“In deploying our military against US citizens, the Trump Administration undermines trust in both our government and our armed forces. I will do everything in my power to protect the fundamental American freedoms that this Administration so callously disregards, and I urge leaders of all parties to censure this action and embrace civil dialogue rather than stoking the flames of division.”
Los Angeles, Calif., June 6, 2025 — Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D – California 37th Congressional District) shared the following statement to social media as ICE raids unfolded across Los Angeles, including in California’s 37th District, on Friday:
“I am closely monitoring the ICE raids that are currently happening across Los Angeles, including at a Korean American-owned store in my district. LA has long been a safe haven for immigrants. Trump claims he’s targeting criminals, but he’s really just tearing families apart and destabilizing entire communities.
“If you are a constituent of the 37th District and your family member has been detained, please reach out to my office and we can help locate your family member and provide you with a list of government-approved attorneys.
“In these disturbing times, it’s important for you to know your rights and how to protect yourself. For more information, head to my website.”
Washington, D.C., June 12, 2025 — Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (D – Georgia 5th Congressional District) posted the following statement in response to the assault on Senator Padilla (D – Calif.) while practicing his Constitutional duty of Congressional oversight at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles, Calif.:
“Senator Alex Padilla announced himself and was simply seeking answers from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Answers we all deserve.
“The Trump administration responds to oversight with violence. Everyone involved in this horrifying conduct must be held accountable.”
Congresswoman Nikema Williams then joined her House Democratic colleagues in a march to Senate Majority Leader Thune’s office and then marching to Speaker of the House Johnson’s office.
June 6, 2025 — Pingree, Turner lead 120-plus Reps. in Bipartisan Push to Restore NEA Grants
“Today, Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D–Maine) and Congressman Mike Turner (R–Ohio) led more than 120 of their colleagues in urging President Trump to restore National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant funding approved by Congress. The bipartisan push comes after the Trump Administration canceled NEA grants to hundreds of community organizations, many of which had already begun the projects for which they had been awarded.
“’Many grantees are anchors in their communities, whether as employers and educators, prominent Main Street destinations, and tourist attractions,’ the lawmakers wrote. ‘Lost grants will hurt budgets, contract programming, and may lead to layoffs – right as the crucial summer season kicks off for many organizations and small businesses.’
“They further explained that the NEA underpins a $1.2 trillion cultural sector, representing 5.4 million jobs and a $36.8 billion trade surplus. ‘In short, the bang for our buck delivered by the NEA is too significant to ignore,’ Pingree, Turner, and their colleagues said.
“The full text of the letter is copied below and available here.
“In addition to cancelling NEA funds already appropriated by Congress, the President has proposed eliminating the agency entirely in his budget.
“Pingree recently penned an op-ed in the Portland Press Herald condemning President Trump’s attacks on arts and culture and warning that his actions mirror the authoritarian playbooks of regimes in Turkey and Hungary.”
New Mexico — Congresswoman Leger Fernández (D – New Mexico 3rd Congressional District) Condemns Passage of “Bad Billionaire’s Budget” After Nearly 30 Hours of Democratic Resistance
“‘This so-called budget is not just morally bankrupt—it’s downright cruel,’ said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. ‘It throws families off their health care, takes food away from hungry children, attacks women’s rights, repeals clean energy investments, and will force rural clinics to close across states like New Mexico—just to give billionaires another tax break.’
“‘I didn’t leave the Capitol—didn’t sleep—for two days straight to fight back because the American people deserve to know what’s in this bill. And I will keep calling out their lies every step of the way,’ she continued. ‘Republicans say that this won’t increase the deficit, but they know it adds trillions to the debt. They say it supports low-income Americans–but in reality it’s the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in American history. The American people deserve to know the truth. I will continue to fight every step of the way to stop it.'”
