State Senator Jake Corman Introduces Legislation to Lower Pennsylvania Gas Tax

Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) proposed lowering the state’s gas tax levels in order to ease the burden on consumers.

Corman’s legislation, known as the Consumer Gas Prices Relief Act, would reduce the state’s liquid fuels tax by one-third through the end of 2022, cutting roughly 20 cents per gallon off the price.

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Congressman Tim Burchett Introduces Bill to Redirect Russian Assets to Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine

Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) on Thursday introduced new legislation that would direct Russian assets that were seized to humanitarian aid projects supporting Ukraine.

Specifically, the bill, known as the Confiscating Corrupt Criminal Proceeds (CCCP) Act, takes civil asset forfeiture from the sanctions imposed by the United States on Russian and Belarusian elites and sends support to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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Biden’s Policies Have ‘Emboldened’ U.S. Enemies, Says Sen. Ron Johnson

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) criticized the Biden administration for its foreign and domestic policy decisions, arguing the moves have “emboldened” enemies of the United States.

Over the past few weeks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has waged an unprovoked war against Ukraine. Despite economic sanctions from the U.S. and European allies, Putin has remained resolved in his attempts.

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers Calls for Federal Suspension of Gas Tax amid Soaring Prices

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers joined other Democratic governors and sent a letter to Congressional leadership, urging the federal lawmakers to pass legislation to suspend the federal gas tax.

The legislation, introduced by Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and known as the Gas Prices Relief Act, would terminate the 18 cents per gallon gas tax that individuals pay, temporarily lowering the prices for consumers.

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Nestlé Plans $675 Million Investment in Arizona Manufacturing Plant

Nestle building

Nestlé, one of the largest food and beverage manufacturers, will expand operations in Arizona, announcing a $675 million investment to build a 630,000-square-foot factory.

According to a release from the Arizona Commerce Authority, the factory will produce “high-quality creamers for Nestlé’s category-leading portfolio, including the Coffee mate, Coffee mate natural bliss, and Starbucks brands, with the ability to expand to additional beverages in the future.”

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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Redistricting Appeals in North Carolina, Pennsylvania

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected appeals from Republicans in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, an attempt to prevent the states’ redistricting maps.

GOP leaders in both states asked the Court for a temporary stay of the two maps in order to block them from being fully enacted. Because the ruling is not on the constitutionality of the maps, litigation can continue while the boundaries are in place.

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Congressman Mark Green Introduces Bill to Ban Purchase of Oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela

Mark Green signs legislation

U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Monday introduced legislation to ban the U.S. from purchasing oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed support for banning the purchase of Russian oil amid the country’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. However, the Biden administration has remained hesitant to make the decision.

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Wisconsin Lawmakers Push to Remove the Gray Wolf as an Endangered Species

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Wisconsin Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), are pushing to remove the gray wolf from the list of endangered species.

The group of lawmakers introduced legislation to return the management of the species to state and local government organizations, arguing the animals have made a recovery in western Great Lakes states.

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Ohio Political Consultant Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement of Congressional Campaign Funds

Steve Chabot

James Schwartz, a Cincinnati-based political consultant, was sentenced to two years in prison for embezzling roughly $1.4 million from the campaign of U.S. Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH-01).

According to a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Schwartz utilized his companies Fountain Square Group LLC and Prime Media LLC to conceal the improper payments from 2011 to 2019. Furthermore, he served as the “de facto treasurer” for the campaign.

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Connecticut Attorney General William Tong Announces Historic Settlement with Purdue Pharma

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on Thursday announced an historic settlement that will force members of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma to pay out $6 billion for their role in the opioid epidemic.

The drug company, which distributed OxyContin, must be “dissolved or sold by 2024 and [ban] the Sacklers from the opioid business in the United States.”

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Selects Redistricting Maps Proposed by Governor Evers

Tony Evers

The Wisconsin Supreme Court adopted a redistricting proposal offered by Governor Tony Evers, a move less favorable to Republicans.

The ruling was issued on a razor-thin margin, as swing Justice Brian Hagedorn wrote the opinion in the 4 to 3 decision. According to the decision, the justices selected the map by Evers because it proposed “the map with the least change.”

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Wisconsin Senate Candidate Mandela Barnes Struggles to Provide Examples of His Accomplishments as Lieutenant Governor

Wisconsin Senate Candidate Mandela Barnes struggled to name his own climate-related accomplishments when asked by a student at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

The question connected to the candidate’s role on the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change, where he serves as the chair. Yet, he could not provide an example of successful implementation of the group’s recommendation.

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Businessman Jake McCalmon Running for State House District 63 Seat

Businessman Jake McCalmon is running for the Republican nomination for an open seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives to represent parts of Williamson County.

The seat was vacated by Representative Glen Casada, who opted to not run for another term amid an ongoing federal probe into allegations of possible public corruption. Instead, Casada is set to run for Williamson County clerk.

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Wisconsin Poll: Majority of Voters Believe State Is Trending in the Wrong Direction

Wisconsin voters are increasingly concerned about inflation and believe the state is trending in the wrong direction, according to a new Marquette Law School poll.

The survey, which contacted 802 registered voters in the state and had a 3.8 percent margin of error, raises new concerns for Democrats, as the midterm elections draw closer and President Joe Biden maintains low approval numbers.

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Senator Blackburn Introduces Resolution to Urge Biden Administration to Remove Russia from the UN Security Council

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), joined by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY-22), introduced a joint resolution to ask the Biden administration to remove Russia from the United Nations Security Council.

If Russia were removed from the position, the country would no longer have veto power as a Permanent Member of the Council.

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Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge Michael Gableman Delivers Final Election Report, Testifies Before Legislative Committee

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge Michael Gableman completed his review of the November 2020 election, issuing a 136-page report on his findings and testifying before the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.

In his report, Gableman called for additional oversight and transparency for the state’s elections, detailing questionable actions taken by the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the Center for Tech and Civic Life.

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Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer Calls for Energy Independence Amid Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Tom Emmer

Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN-06) called for increased energy independence from the United States amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to attack the neighboring country, the U.S. and other European allies have issued direct sanctions on the Russian economy and removed some banks from a crucial financial messaging service that connects banks and other institutions around the world.

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Governor Tony Evers Provided Grants to Planned Parenthood with COVID Relief Funds, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty Questions Legal Authority

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers provided millions of dollars to Planned Parenthood through grants funded by federal coronavirus relief money, according to a letter from the Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty (WILL).

However, the group contends that Evers’ legal standing to fund the abortion provider is questionable at best.

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Arizona Congressman Tom O’Halleran Received Donation from PAC That Demands Candidates Support Defunding the Police

Congressman Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01) accepted thousands in campaign donations from a super PAC that encourages candidates to support measures to “reduce the annual budget for law enforcement and defense spending.”

The Courage to Change PAC, connected to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, donated the money to O’Halleran’s campaign in early 2021, according to disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission.

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Minnesota House Approves Bill to Provide Extra Payments to Frontline Workers

Lawmakers in the Minnesota House passed legislation that will utilize funds from a budget surplus to award “bonus checks” to frontline workers throughout the state.

According to a release from legislators, 667,000 individuals in the state will qualify for up to $1,500 in bonus checks, including “responders, nurses, child care providers, janitors and so many others who have sacrificed their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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Historic Opioid Settlement Receives Final Approval, Tennessee Attorney General Announces

Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery on Friday announced a final agreement between large opioid distributors, Johnson & Johnson, and attorneys general throughout the country.

According to the final details, Tennessee will receive approximately $600 million over 18 years to help combat the opioid crisis. The three distributors, Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, along with Johnson & Johnson, will begin to make payments on April 2, 2022.

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers Awards $25 Million in Milwaukee-Area ‘Neighborhood Investment Fund Grants’

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Thursday announced a new grant for Milwaukee and Milwaukee County that will award approximately $25 million to the region.

The money, which was awarded to the state through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will go to affordable housing and other issues in the region. For example, child care services and libraries will see a boost in funding.

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