#Israelgate Enters The Stage - Nita Lowey Retires From Congress

It is looking like #ukrainegate is fizzling out and #isrealgate is firing up.

There will be more as Nita Lowey opens the door for much younger torchbearers.

Nita Lowey, longtime Democratic lawmaker and House Appropriations chairwoman, to retire

Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., a 16-term congresswoman and chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, announced Thursday that she will retire after the 2020 elections.

Lowey, who represents New York's 17th Congressional District, located in the southeastern part of the state – including Westchester, Queens and the Bronx – touted the record she built over her 31-year career and promised to continue representing her constituents through 2020.

"Thank you to the people of my district for the opportunity to serve," she said in a statement. "I will continue working as hard as ever – with the same optimism and energy – through the end of this term in Congress."

Lowey became the first-ever woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee and has championed legislation on drunk driving, gender equality and support for Israel.

Here’s my full statement: https://t.co/V6B1dJtxEr pic.twitter.com/H81Tr70hmy

— Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) October 10, 2019

"I am especially thankful for the dedication and wisdom of my current and former staff in New York, in Washington and on the House Appropriations Committee," she wrote. "I look forward to more time with my husband Steve and our family, who have strongly supported my career in public service."

Lowey's retirement comes as the number of House GOP members not running for reelection has mounted, especially in Texas, where Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, recently became the sixth Republican to decide not to seek another term. He is the 19th House Republican leaving Congress, including two members who resigned.

Lowey's district won't be in any danger of turning red as it's located in a Democratic stronghold and she won her most recent reelection 88 percent to 12 percent. There's previously been chatter that Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, might be interested in the seat.

Those news reports have speculated the youngest Clinton might run for the 17th District seat after Lowey's retirement, and the Clinton's hometown is Chappaqua, which is currently represented by Lowey. Clinton has been an outspoken critic of President Trump since her mother lost to him in the 2016 election and would likely have the highest name recognition of any Democratic candidate for the seat were she to run.

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CONYERS Holds Forum On Impact Of Trump Immigration Policies: "Ali v. Trump: The Fight for American Values" - 3/9/2017

  RVSP Here

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 2PM, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a forum entitled, “Ali v. Trump: The Fight for American Values” to examine the critical consequences of President Donald Trump’s misguided immigration policies.

During the past six weeks, President Trump has begun implementing immigration policies that assume all immigrants, and even some citizens, are entering the United States to commit fraud, terrorism, and/or criminal activity. This has led to absurd consequences, including the hours long questioning of a U.S. Citizen, Muhammad Ali, Jr., the  interrogation of a 70 year old Australian children’s book author, the 10 hour detention of a French historian, and the absurd test administered to a Nigerian software engineer.

WHO:            Members of Congress

·         House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)

·         House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)

·         House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS)

·         House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

·         Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus

·         Rep. Judy Chu, Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

·        Additional Members of Congress

Panelists

·         Muhammad Ali, Jr., son of boxing legend, Muhammad Ali

·         Khalilah Camacho-Ali, former wife of boxing legend, Muhammad Ali

·         David Leopold, immigration lawyer

·         Hugh Handeyside, Staff Attorney, ACLU National Security Project

·         Bo Cooper, Partner, Fragomen, Del Ray, Bernsen & Lowey (invited)

·         Kal Penn, Actor (invited)

WHEN:        March 9, 2017

                      2 – 4 PM

WHERE:      House Visitors Center Room 215 (HVC 215)

RSVP:          Media interested in attending should RSVP to Shadawn.reddick-smith@mail.house.gov.

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MEMBERS TO HOLD FORUM ON TRUMP MUSLIM BAN EXECUTIVE ORDER

                                           RVSP Here

Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 11:30AM, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a forum to examine and discuss President Donald Trump’s recent Muslim and refugee ban Executive Order entitled, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” and the ensuing actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to implement the order.

WHO:            Members of Congress

·        Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

·        Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer

·         House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) ·         House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)

·         House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY)

·         House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS)

·         House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

·         House Committee on Veterans Affairs Ranking Member Timothy J. Walz (D-MN)

·         House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA)

·        Additional Members of Congress

Panelists

·        Khizr Khan, Pakistani-American lawyer and Gold Star Father

·         Thomas Countryman, former Assistant Secretary of State and Retired Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State

·       Michael Breen, President & CEO of the Truman Center and Truman National Security Project

U.S. Army Veteran

·        Andre Segura, Senior Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union

·       Galen Carey, Vice President of Government Relations, National Association of Evangelicals

·       Farah Al Khalifi, Iraqi SIV recipient and U.S. permanent resident

Former interpreter for U.S. military, married to U.S. citizen and Navy officer.

·       Omar Al-muqdad, Syrian refugee journalist and documentary filmmaker

Former political prisoner under the Assad regime

                                                                                                                                   

WHEN:        February 2, 2017

                     11:30am – 1:30pm

WHERE:      House Visitor’s Center Room 215 (HVC 215)

RSVP:          Media interested in attending should RSVP to Shadawn.reddick-smith@mail.house.gov.

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CONYERS Joins Cicilline & More Than 165 Reps Asking President-elect Trump To Reverse Bannon Appointment

WASHINGTON – Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) joined 169 members of the U.S. House, led by Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), in sending a letter asking President-elect Donald Trump to rescind alt-right leader Steve Bannon’s appointment as White House Chief Strategist. Although Republican members of the House were invited to sign Cicilline’s letter, none did so.

Yesterday, Ranking Member Conyers released the following statement on Bannon’s appointment:

“Steve Bannon is the standard-bearer for the worst instincts in American society. 

“Whether or not Mr. Bannon personally trades in violence, racism, and bigotry - he allowed his media organization to become a platform for white nationalism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, and anti-immigrant sentiment of the worst kind.  He encouraged it.  He bragged about it.  His appointment validates the views of the so-called ‘alt-right,’ and we cannot allow him to use the White House to the same ends.

“I call on President-elect Trump to remove Mr. Bannon from his team without delay. 

“If the President-elect has any hope of unifying this country—if we are to ‘come together as never before,’ in his words—then he cannot allow Mr. Bannon to serve in his White House.”

165 U.S. Representatives Letter To President-elect Trump Request To Reverse Appointment of Stephen Bannon 1... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

The letter was signed by the following Members of Congress:

David N. Cicilline (RI-1)
Alma Adams (NC-12)
Pete Aguilar (CA-31)
Karen Bass (CA-37)
Joyce Beatty (OH-3)
Xavier Becerra (CA-34)
Ami Bera (CA-7)
Donald Beyer (VA-8)
Sanford Bishop (GA-2)
Earl Blumenauer (OR-3)
Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1)
Madeleine Bordallo (Guam)
Brendan Boyle (PA-13)
Robert Brady (PA-1)
Julia Brownley (CA-26)
Cheri Bustos (IL-17)
G.K. Butterfield (NC-1)
Michael Capuano (MA-7)
Tony Cardenas (CA-29)
John Carney (DE-At large)
Andre Carson (IN-7)
Matt Cartwright (PA-17)
Kathy Castor (FL-14)
Joaquin Castro (TX-20)
Judy Chu (CA-27)
Katherine Clark (MA-5)
Yvette Clarke (NY-9)
William Lacy Clay (MO-1)
Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5)
James Clyburn (SC-6)
Steve Cohen (TN-9)
Gerald Connolly (VA-11)
John Conyers (MI-13) Jim
Cooper (TN-5)
Joe Courtney (CT-2)
Joseph Crowley (NY-14)
Elijah Cummings (MD-7)
Danny Davis (IL-7)
Susan Davis (CA-53)
Peter DeFazio (OR-4)
Diana DeGette (CO-1)
John Delaney (MD-6)
Rosa DeLauro (CT-3)
Suzan DelBene (WA-1)
Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11)
Ted Deutch (FL-21)
Debbie Dingell (MI-12)
Lloyd Doggett (TX-35)
Michael Doyle (PA-14)
Tammy Duckworth (IL-8)
Donna Edwards (MD-4)
Keith Ellison (MN-5)
Eliot Engel (NY-16)
Anna Eshoo (CA-18)
Elizabeth Esty (CT-5)
Dwight Evans (PA-2)
Sam Farr (CA-20)
Bill Foster (IL-11)
Lois Frankel (FL-22)
Marcia Fudge (OH-11)
Ruben Gallego (AZ-7)
John Garamendi (CA-3)
Gwen Graham (FL-2)
Al Green (TX-9)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Raul Grijalva (AZ-3)
Luis Gutierrez (IL-4)
Janice Hahn (CA-44)
Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1)
Alcee Hastings (FL-20)
Denny Heck (WA-10)
Brian Higgins (NY-26)
James Himes (CT-4)
Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15)
Michael Honda (CA-17)
Jared Huffman (CA-2)
Steve Israel (NY-3)
Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8)
Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30)
Hank Johnson (GA-4)
Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)
William Keating (MA-9)
Robin Kelly (IL-2)
Joseph Kennedy (MA-4)
Dan Kildee (MI-5)
Derek Kilmer (WA-6)
Ron Kind (WI-3)
Ann Marie Kuster (NH-2)
James Langevin (RI-2)
Rick Larsen (WA-2)
John Larson (CT-1)
Brenda Lawrence (MI-14)
Barbara Lee (CA-13)
Sander Levin (MI-9)
John Lewis (GA-5)
Ted Lieu (CA-33)
Dave Loebsack (IA-2)
Zoe Lofgren (CA-19)
Alan Lowenthal (CA-47)
Nita Lowey (NY-17)
Ben Ray Lujan (NM-3)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-1)
Stephen Lynch (MA-8)
Carolyn Maloney (NY-12)
Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18)
Doris Matsui (CA-6)
Betty McCollum (MN-4)
Jim McDermott (WA-7)
James McGovern (MA-2)
Jerry McNerney (CA-9)
Gregory Meeks (NY-5)
Grace Meng (NY-6)
Gwen Moore (WI-4)
Seth Moulton (MA-6)
Patrick Murphy (FL-18)
Jerrold Nadler (NY-10)
Grace Napolitano (CA-32)
Richard Neal (MA-1)
Richard Nolan (MN-8)
Donald Norcross (NJ-1)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)
Beto O'Rourke (TX-16)
Frank Pallone (NJ-6)
Bill Pascrell (NJ-9)
Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10)
Ed Perlmutter (CO-7)
Scott Peters (CA-52)
Chellie Pingree (ME-1)
Mark Pocan (WI-2)
Jared Polis (CO-2)
David Price (NC-4)
Mike Quigley (IL-5)
Kathleen Rice (NY-4)
Cedric Richmond (LA-2)
Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40)
Raul Ruiz (CA-36) Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Linda Sanchez (CA-38)
John Sarbanes (MD-3)
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9)
Adam Schiff (CA-28)
Kurt Schrader (OR-5)
Bobby Scott (VA-3)
Jose Serrano (NY-15)
Terri Sewell (AL-7)
Albio Sires (NJ-8)
Louise McIntosh Slaughter (NY-25)
Adam Smith (WA-9)
Jackie Speier (CA-14)
Eric Swalwell (CA-15)
Mark Takano (CA-41)
Bennie Thompson (MS-2)
Mike Thompson (CA-5)
Dina Titus (NV-1)
Paul Tonko (NY-20)
Norma Torres (CA-35)
Niki Tsongas (MA-3)
Chris Van Hollen (MD-8)
Juan Vargas (CA-51)
Marc Veasey (TX-33)
Nydia Velazquez (NY-7)
Timothy Walz (MN-1)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)
Maxine Waters (CA-43)
Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)
Peter Welch (VT-At large)
Frederica Wilson (FL-24)
John Yarmuth (KY-3)

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More Than 100 Members Of Congress Call For DHS Briefing This Week On Trump Muslim Ban Executive Order

Washington, DC– More than 100 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by House Judiciary Committee Member Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), wrote to the Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly condemning the President’s Muslim ban executive order and calling for a full Member-wide briefing no later than Friday, February 3, 2017.

In their letter, the Members wrote, “We hope you will urge the President to immediately rescind the Executive Order, which has created profound chaos and fear among refugees and immigrants who have been admitted to the United States, as well as their families. As a nation of immigrants that has been a refuge for people fleeing persecution from around the world, these actions are contrary to who we are as a nation.”

On Tuesday, Secretary Kelly briefly met on the hill with a few select Committee Chairmen and Ranking Members. The Members are calling for a full Member-wide briefing on the Executive Order this week, writing, “Given the urgency, widespread confusion and dangerous impact of the Executive Order, we would appreciate hearing from you as quickly as possible so that we may ensure the briefing occurs by no later than Friday, February 3.  The lives and well-being of many individuals, as well as our ability to partner with foreign governments to fight terrorism, depends on it.”

More Than 100 Members Of Congress Call ForDHS Briefing On Trump Muslim Ban Executive Order Letter 2-1-2017 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

Signators of the letter:
1. Rep. John Conyers, Jr,
2. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep.,
3. Rep. Pramila Jayapal,
4. Rep. Pete Aguilar,
5. Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán,
6. Rep. Karen Bass,
7. Rep. Joyce Beatty,
8. Rep. Donald S. Beyer, Jr.
9. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.,
10. Rep. Earl Blumenauer
11. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici,
12. Rep. Robert A. Brady
13. Rep. Anthony Brown,
14. Rep. G.K. Butterfield,
15. Rep. Salud Carbajal,
16. Rep. Tony Cárdenas,
17. Rep. Joaquin Castro
18. Rep. Judy Chu,
19. Rep. David N. Cicilline,
20. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke,
21. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay
22. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver,
23. Rep. James E. Clyburn,
24. Rep. Steve Cohen,
25. Rep. Jim Cooper,
26. Rep. Luis J. Correa,
27. Rep. Joseph Crowley
28. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings
29. Rep. Susan A. Davis,
30. Rep. Peter A. DeFazio,
31. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro,
32. Rep. Suzan K. DelBene
33. Rep. Theodore E. Deutch,
34. Rep. Debbie Dingell
35. Rep. Lloyd Doggett,
36. Rep. Keith Ellison,
37. Rep. Elliot L. Engel,
38. Rep. Anna G. Eshoo,
39. Rep. Adriano Espaillat,
40. Rep. Dwight Evans,
 41. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge,
42. Rep. Ruban Gallego
43. Rep. John Garamendi,
44. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva,
45. Rep. Luis Gutierrez,
46. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa,
47. Rep. Alcee L. Hastings,
48. Rep. Denny Heck
49. Rep. Jarred Huffman,
50. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee,
51. Rep. Hakeem S. Jeffries,
52. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
53. Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr.,
54. Rep. Marcy Kaptur,
55. Rep. Robin L. Kelly,
56. Rep. Derek Kilmer,
57. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi,
58. Rep. Ann M. Kuster
59. Rep. Rick Larsen,
60. Rep. Barbara Lee,
61. Rep. Sandy Levin,
62. Rep. John Lewis,
63. Rep. Nita M. Lowey,
64. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch,
65. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney,
66. Rep. Doris O. Matsui,
67. Rep. Donald A. McEachin,
68. Rep. James P. McGovern
69. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks
70. Rep. Gwen Moore,
71. Rep. Seth Moulton,
72. Rep. Stephanie Murphy,
73. Rep. Jerrold Nadler,
74. Rep. Richard E. Neal
75. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.,
76. Rep. Jimmy Panetta,
77. Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr.
78. Rep. Collin C. Peterson
79. Rep. Chellie Pingree,
80. Rep. Mark Pocan,
81. Rep. Jared Polis
82. Rep. Mike Quigley,
83. Rep. Jamie Raskin,
84. Rep. Cedric L. Richmond,
85. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard,
86. Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger,
87. Rep. Bobby L. Rush,
88. Rep. Linda T. Sanchez,
89. Rep. John P. Sarbanes,
90. Rep. Adam B. Schiff
91. Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider
92. Rep. Bobby Scott,
93. Rep. Terri Sewell,
94. Rep. Jan Schakowsky,
95. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter,
96. Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter,
97. Rep. Adam Smith,
98. Rep. Darren Soto,
99. Rep. Thomas R. Souzzi,
100. Rep. Jackie Speier,
101. Rep. Eric Swalwell,
102. Rep. Mark Takano,
103. Rep. Bennie Thompson
104. Rep. Paul D. Tonko,
105. Rep. Norma J. Torres,
106. Rep. Niki Tsongas,
107. Rep. Marc Veasy,
108. Rep. Filemon Vela,
109. Rep. Nydia Velsaquez,
110. Rep. Timothy J. Walz
111. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz,
112. Rep. Maxine Waters
113. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman,
114. Rep. John A. Yarmuth

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Memorandum to House Republicans on A Real Agenda for American Women

MEMORANDUM  

To:                  House Republicans

From:             Rosa DeLauro, Steering and Policy Co-chair

Jan Schakowsky, Steering and Policy Vice Chair

Donna F. Edwards, Chair of the Democratic Women’s Working Group

Eddie Bernice Johnson, House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Ranking Member

Nita M. Lowey, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member

Carolyn Maloney, Ranking House Member Joint Economic Committee

Louise Slaughter, House Rules Committee Ranking Member

Maxine Waters, House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member

Date:               January 10, 2014

RE:                 A Real Agenda for American Women

We know you are receptive to memos and have expressed an interest in learning about how to better communicate with women on the issues important to them. To that end, this memo is in the spirit of moving past partisan politics and working together to ensure America’s women and their families have the economic security and opportunities they need to succeed.

Yesterday House Republicans on a Judiciary subcommittee – an all-male panel led by GOP Rep. Trent Franks – held a hearing on yet another dead-end bill to restrict access to women’s health services. At this hearing one of the Majority witnesses, Helen Alvare, admitted to House Republicans that this issue is standing in the way of a “real women’s agenda”:

Regular squabbles over federal funding for abortion across myriad pieces of legislation seem to have taken the place of an actual legislative agenda for women’s actual needs. Instead of debating policies supporting women’s care work, or work/family balance, policies addressing paid leave or social security benefits -- instead of debating ideas about enabling poor women especially to break the cycle of poverty and nonmarital childbearing --Congress continually debates abortion funding. It is time once and for all to settle the matter of federal funding for abortion, and move on to a real women’s agenda. [1/9]

As MSNBC noted, some of the measures mentioned have already been introduced by Democrats:

Alvare did mention a couple of policies she would consider more pro-woman than the right to choose and access an abortion, among them paid family leave. In fact, Democrats just introduced such legislation in both chambers. The Republican silence was deafening. [1/9]

The constant debates and squabbling the witness decried are a result of Republicans refusing to take action on real legislation to help American women. The time has come to stop wasting taxpayers’ time and dollars waging attacks on women’s constitutionally protected right to make informed health care decisions about their own bodies with their own doctors and work on an “actual legislative agenda for women’s actual needs.”

House Democrats have an economic agenda for America’s women, When Women Succeed, America Succeeds, which will enable women to achieve greater economic security, raise wages for working women and their families and allow working parents to support and care for their families. Among the policies included in this agenda:

·         Paycheck Fairness

·         Supporting Women Entrepreneurs and Women-Owned Small Businesses

·         Paid Family and Medical Leave

·         Paid Sick Leave

·         The President’s Preschool and Early Head Start & Child Care Initiative

·         Promoting Access to Affordable and High Quality Child Care

Enough of the talking – it’s time for action for American women and their families.

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