In the News
Capitol Police chief sought DC National Guard help before riots—but was denied by supervisors: report
by Greg Norman
The U.S. Capitol Police chief who was in charge during last week's deadly riots reportedly asked his supervisors ahead of time for permission to request that the D.C. National Guard be on standby if the situation spiraled out of control - but was denied. Steven Sund, who resigned from the position as of Friday, revealed the plea this week in an interview with The Washington Post. "If we would have had the National Guard we could have held them at bay longer, until more officers from our … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Rep. Huffman joins call for impeachment, unseating lawmakers, Capitol Police & National Guard inquires, 25th Amendment, etc. – Democrats introduce articles of impeachment
by Adrian Fernandez Baumann
WILLITS, 1/11/21 - In response to the riot and storming of the Capitol last week, which Democrats are characterizing as an "insurrection," Rep. Jared Huffman has joined many of his colleagues in calling for a slew of actions to, in his words, "defend our democracy." Democrats in the House have already moved forward with one big step, introducing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump for the second time. (Read our interview with Rep. Huffman) Huffman sent a letter to … Continue Reading
January 08, 2021
House Democrats Take a Step Necessary for a Swift Impeachment
by David Korn and Kara Voght
On Friday afternoon, in the wake of the Donald Trump-incited terrorist attack on the US Capitol, House Democrats moved swiftly toward a possible second impeachment of the president. In an unprecedented step, they used a Zoom meeting of the entire caucus to assign members to the Rules Committee for the new Congress. By setting up the committee, Democrats are ensuring that an impeachment resolution can obtain speedy consideration by the committee-a necessary step for reaching the House floor-and … Continue Reading
January 08, 2021
Bay Area lawmakers, Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Jared Huffman react to US Capitol protest that took place on Wednesday
by Reggie Aqui and Melanie Woodrow
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Several Bay Area lawmakers are reacting to the Capitol protest and shared their experience at the event that took place on Wednesday.Representative Barbara Lee of Oakland reached for a gas mask underneath her seat as the angry mob stormed the Capitol."It was pandemonium in some respects, although we were very disciplined and followed instructions," said Lee."I expected something and actually I wore tennis shoes to the hill," she continued. She says the response was … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
North Coast lawmakers call for Trump’s removal in wake of U.S. Capitol chaos
by Isabella Vanderheiden
After a violent takeover at the U.S. Capitol, some North Coast Democratic lawmakers have called to impeach President Donald Trump or invoke the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to remove him from office. An angry mob of Trump supporters looking to overturn the results of November's election breached the Capitol building on Wednesday, and sent the House and Senate into lockdown. North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman joined the call for impeachment via Twitter on Thursday afternoon. "Let's be … Continue Reading
January 06, 2021
Sonoma County Congressmen Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson recount dark day at US Capitol
by Phil Barber
The two congressmen representing Sonoma County - Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena - both saw warning signs as President Donald Trump repeatedly whipped up his supporters with baseless claims of election fraud following his loss to Joe Biden in November. But neither thought it would get this bad, this chaotic. "I never could have imagined anything like this," Huffman said midday Wednesday, as he sheltered in his Longworth Building office, part of the Capitol Hill … Continue Reading
January 06, 2021
California lawmakers flee, hunker down as chaos overtakes Capitol
by Tal Kopan
WASHINGTON - As rioters seeking to install President Trump in a second term contrary to November's election results breached the Capitol building, California's lawmakers were spread throughout the complex. They were told to draw the curtains and stay away from the windows. They were urged to remove the lapel pins that identify them as members of Congress. They could hear unidentified explosions and the din of a mob outside. "I'm sickened. This is not our country," said Rep. Jared Huffman, … Continue Reading
January 06, 2021
ANWR on the auction block
by Kelsey Tamborrino
With help from Ben Lefebvre, Annie Snider, Zack Colman and Eric Wolff ANWR ON THE AUCTION BLOCK: The Trump administration today will offer millions of acres of untouched Alaska wilderness to oil companies, but its fulfillment of a long-time wish of state lawmakers is threatening to become a colossal flop. The lease sale for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - which is proceeding after one of the last-ditch efforts to halt the auction failed Tuesday night - is the culmination of more than … Continue Reading
January 06, 2021
Trump's sale of Arctic refuge drilling rights earns just a fraction of GOP prediction
by Rebecca Beitsch
The Trump administration auctioned off oil and gas rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for the first time ever Wednesday, selling off 1.6 million acres along the coast to primarily one major buyer: the state of Alaska. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) won nearly every bid, a sign that oil companies were largely uninterested in developing the pristine wildlife refuge as many major banks have refused to provide financial backing and public support … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Democrats press to bar lawmakers from carrying guns in the Capitol
by Mike Lillis
A group of liberal Democrats is pressing House leaders in both parties to bar lawmakers from carrying guns on Capitol Hill. Although members of the public are prohibited from carrying weapons of any kind on the Capitol grounds, a decades-old regulation allows lawmakers to bear firearms in most areas of the Capitol complex. At least twenty-one Democratic gun reformers are hoping to overturn that exemption. In a letter sent Tuesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Democrats press to bar lawmakers from carrying guns in the Capitol
by Mike Lillis
A group of liberal Democrats is pressing House leaders in both parties to bar lawmakers from carrying guns on Capitol Hill. Although members of the public are prohibited from carrying weapons of any kind on the Capitol grounds, a decades-old regulation allows lawmakers to bear firearms in most areas of the Capitol complex. At least twenty-one Democratic gun reformers are hoping to overturn that exemption. In a letter sent Tuesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader … Continue Reading
December 14, 2020
Pelosi to keep climate committee, Castor as chair
by Nick Sobczyk
The Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will return for the 117th Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said yesterday, as President-elect Joe Biden pushes for aggressive action on climate change. "As we look toward the future, this Select Committee will continue to champion ambitious progress to protect our communities, promote justice, create good-paying jobs and safeguard our planet for generations to come," Pelosi said in a statement. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) will remain … Continue Reading
December 12, 2020
Editorial: Biden election offers hope for preserving the Delta
The forthcoming Biden administration is California's best - and perhaps only - hope for solving vexing water issues that have largely been put on hold for more than a decade. It should be clear that state leadership is incapable of crafting a comprehensive water strategy. The California Department of Water Resources continues to push for pumping additional water from the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta at the expense of its immediate and long-term health. Preserving the health of … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Lumbee goes before Congress for federal recognition. Again.
by Mary Annette Pember
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has been here several times before over the past 130 years. Recognized by the state of North Carolina in 1885, the Lumbee have been seeking federal recognition since 1889. Over the years, the tribe has sought recognition through Congress several times. Although versions of the Lumbee Recognition Act have been passed by the House of Representatives, the legislation inevitably dies in the Senate. In 2020, the House has once again passed the Lumbee Tribe of … Continue Reading
December 10, 2020
Bill to restore marine ecosystems, update water infrastructure, passes unanimously in House of Reps
by Lana Cohen
LITTLE RIVER, 12/10/20 - On Tuesday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the 2020 Water Resources Development Act, a bill which will allocate funding to improve water infrastructure, restore marine ecosystems, and manage for flooding around the country. The bill approves $30 million to continue to protect Lake Mendocino from the invasive species Zebra Mussels. "The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is essential to everyday American life," wrote Democratic staff in a WRDA … Continue Reading
December 10, 2020
House, Senate approve natural resources bills
by Jacob Wallace
The House approved legislation yesterday to study the effects of drones on wildfire suppression, among other natural resource bills. The chamber cleared H.R. 5040, the "AIR Safety Act," from Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), on a 382-6 vote. The bill would direct the Bureau of Land Management to study the effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression on public lands. The measure would task BLM with releasing a report within 18 months detailing how drones have affected wildfire suppression. … Continue Reading
December 09, 2020
Rep. Katie Porter Exposes 'Corruption In Real Time' After McConnell's Attempts To Tank Relief Bill
by Evan Brechtel
Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) is just finishing up her first term in the House of Representatives, but the freshman representative is already well-established on Capitol Hill. Porter is known across the country for her tactics during meetings of the House Financial Services Committee, where her sensible yet relentless line of questioning often forces everyone from billionaire CEOs to high-level pharmaceutical executives to acknowledge the economic hardships faced by their employees. Now, … Continue Reading
December 09, 2020
Bipartisan senators introduce tree conservation bill as climate solution
by Rachel Frazin
Bipartisan senators on Wednesday introduced a bill that seeks to use trees to mitigate climate change, similar to a Republican-backed bill that was introduced in the House earlier this year. The new legislation, introduced by Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Wednesday, looks to forests, wetlands and other ecosystems to absorb carbon dioxide that's emitted into the atmosphere. It authorizes $10 million for a program to shore up the country's supply of seeds … Continue Reading
December 09, 2020
The 2020 Election: How Might Fisheries Be Affected?
by Charles Witek
As this is being written, nearly a month after the 2020 election, the outcome of the election is not yet fully clear. The Democrats have retained the House of Representatives. Although a few races remain in doubt, it's clear that their majority in the 117th Congress will be significantly smaller than it was in the previous session. Barring some unprecedented and probably unthinkable event, the Democrats have also captured the White House, with President-elect Biden standing by to take over … Continue Reading
December 08, 2020
Huffman Votes in Favor of Water Resources Legislation
by Kali Cozyris
North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman voted today in favor of the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, which includes key North Coast and environmental priorities authored by Rep. Huffman.The legislation includes numerous provisions Rep. Huffman advocated for including increasing the set-aside for smaller "emerging ports" from 10 percent of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to 15 percent and unlocking an additional $2 billion in annual funding for harbor maintenance … Continue Reading