Providing Guidance in Response to Trump Administration Chaos
Dear Friend,
As the chaos of the Trump Administration reaches unprecedented levels, I am working with my fellow Democrats to find ways to reverse bad policy and bring stability back to government – both through legislative action and strong advocacy. I also addressed the recent airplane crashes and talked about Memphis Airport’s drone integration program at an Aviation Subcommittee hearing, introduced a measure to bring victims’ voices to the U.S. Department of Transportation, called for a study of the Fort Pillow battlefield for possible National Park status, sought to improve business relations with the Czech Republic, met with the leader of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, talked about Russian atrocities with a Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and offered a Friday Flashback, Bill Day cartoon, and a financial health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X) to see what I am doing as it happens.
Providing Guidance in Response to Trump Administration Chaos
Addressing Recent Airplane Crashes in Washington and Philadelphia
Introducing DOT Victim and Survivor Advocate Act
Calling for Study of Fort Pillow as a National Park
Seeking to Improve U.S. Relations with the Czech Republic
Meeting with OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General
Discussing Russian Atrocities with Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Providing Guidance in Response to Trump Administration Chaos
Freezing Congressionally approved federal funding, offering unauthorized buyouts to millions of federal employees, firing, reassigning or laying off hundreds of senior officials, ending environmental justice programs, proposing gambling casinos for the Gaza riviera, turning U.S. Treasury payment systems over to 19-year-old coders. When will this all end? Elon Musk and his young team who have no governmental experience or knowledge and have not been vetted now have access to Treasury, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security data. The sensitive financial and medical information of millions of Americans is at risk. This is a blatant abuse of power, and I refuse to stand by while our country is looted by unelected ideologues given free rein by a careless president. Many of the actions being taken are clearly illegal violating existing legislation or the Constitution. The firing of 17 inspectors general was done without the legally mandated 30 days’ notice to Congress. Ending the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) was a violation of Congressional Article One funding and the creation of the agency by Congress. I have joined my colleagues in cosponsoring legislation to revoke Musk’s unauthorized access to federal systems and hold responsible all those who allowed this to happen. I’ve also sent an oversight letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demanding answers since this clearly threatens Americans’ economic security and the integrity of federal payments. And as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, I’m helping lead the investigation into the legality of all these actions. No one voted for this level of chaos. I am working to protect your personal information and federal payments that our community relies on.
Addressing Recent Airplane Crashes in Washington and Philadelphia
At an Aviation Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, I acknowledged the nation’s grief at the plane crashes at Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia in recent days. I noted that legislation we passed last year will strengthen the air traffic controller workforce and improve runway and airspace safety and reemphasized the importance of its implementation. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, I pledged that safety must be our first priority. I also attended a briefing by National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jennifer Homendy on the latest developments in the passenger airline crash over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and will continue to pay careful attention as the investigations continue. In discussions this week, I have raised the issue of having helicopter training flights during hours when commercial air traffic is operating at DCA and have inquired why they are not conducted after midnight and before 6 a.m., when few scheduled flights are taking off or landing. The new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is considering this. I am eagerly awaiting the results from the NTSB investigation and will take immediate action to address the cause of the crash once all the facts are known, ensuring it never happens again.
Introducing DOT Victim and Survivor Advocate Act
I have introduced legislation with Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico to create a Victim and Survivor Advocate in the U.S. Department of Transportation. See my release on the measure here.
Calling for Study of Fort Pillow as a National Park
On Tuesday, I reintroduced my bill to direct the Department of the Interior to study whether the Fort Pillow battlefield in Lauderdale County, the site of an infamous massacre of Black Union soldiers in the waning months of the Civil War, qualifies it as a National Park Service site. See my release here.
Seeking to Improve U.S. Relations with the Czech Republic
I joined Congressmen Don Bacon (NE-2), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) and Lance Gooden (TX-5) on Thursday in introducing a measure to include the Czech Republic on the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the U.S. with E-1 visas if U.S. nationals are treated similarly by the Government of the Czech Republic. See my release on the measure here.
Meeting with OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General
Also Thursday, I met with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella of Italy to discuss the assembly’s agenda for 2025, the importance of continued support for Ukraine, and the biggest threats currently facing the region.
Discussing Russian Atrocities with Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
On Thursday, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk came to my office to discuss the atrocities Russians are committing in the war in Ukraine. Her organization has documented more than 80,000 Russian war crimes. Her work underlines my continued commitment to have what Russia is doing in Ukraine identified as genocide.
In honor of Sunday's Super Bowl -- my high school football team. I'm #50. It was a small school in California. Six man ball. I caught a pass for a PAT. It's now known as "The Catch."
Bill Day Cartoon – “Backseat Driver”
With the turmoil of Elon Musk’s meddling in the federal government’s payroll, retirement and other systems, I urge everyone to make sure they have good records of the benefits – Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Affairs – to which they are entitled. We don’t know what’s coming, but creating a credible paper trail can’t hurt.
“This Trump policy was like trying to cure acne with decapitation. Nobody seems to have asked the question: If we freeze all grant spending, what will happen next? Once the ramifications of that stupidity became obvious, Trump reversed course. And this is my big prediction for this administration: It will churn out a steady stream of stupid policies, and when the consequences of those policies begin to hit Trump’s approval rating, he will flip-flop, diminish or abandon those policies. He loves popularity more than any idea.” – New York Times columnist David Brooks
“Today he un-issued the tariffs. He decided to hold them for a month. I guess he must’ve seen the guacamole bill for his Super Bowl party.” – Late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress