NewsBreak Original

With thousands of Americans dying from opioids each year, more elected officials are taking actions to address the issue of illegal distribution. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy (R) introduced the Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act of 2023 to crack down on fentanyl trafficking by lowering the threshold required for minimum sentencing in light of the drug’s potency relative to other substances.

According to a press release from West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (D), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will provide financial assistance to low-income West Virginians whose energy costs represent a disproportionate share of their household budgets.

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, announced that she has joined U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), along with 22 additional Senate cosponsors, in introducing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to force the President and Congress to enact annual balanced budgets.

As Americans continue to debate gun control vs. gun rights, two southern senators, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in introducing the Respect for the Second Amendment Act to protect an individual’s right to keep and bear arms.

Florida Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has been a leading vocal critic of biological males participating in women's sports. Last week, Stuebe's bill H.R. 734, known as "The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023", passed the House Committee on Education and the Workforce committee 25-20, with Republican members voting unanimously in favor.

THE LEAD: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been rushed to a hospital in Washington, D.C., according to multiple reports. THE STORY: McConnell, 81, was rushed to the hospital Wednesday evening after he tripped and fell at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, D.C.

On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the Washington State Senate passed Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5263 which creates a task force and a state psilocybin board to research the creation of a regulated psilocybin program.

Is there a new challenger looking to unseat Texan Senator Ted Cruz?. In 2018, former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke ran against Cruz and lost by only 2.6 percentage points. Now another up-and-coming Democrat is considering running against Cruz next year.

Taxpayers need to be aware of what types of legislation are being introduced in both the House and the Senate. I will continue to write about the legislation being put forth by members of Congress so you can contact your representatives if you are in favor of or against the legislation. Here are some of the new bills recently introduced.

Former Vice President Pence is getting ready to challenge a subpoena that centers on his role on January 6 as the presiding officer of the Senate, and he will do so based on the information in demand.

AUGUSTA, ME. - Maine is considering a new bill adding cats to animal trespass laws. The proposed legislation, known as Legislative Document No. 644, was presented by Representative Doudera of Camden on February 14, 2023. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry for further consideration.

ALBANY, NY. - The New York State Senate is considering a new bill to provide financial education to all secondary school pupils in the state. The bill, introduced by Senator Comrie, seeks to amend the education law and establish a requirement for financial education instruction to be provided to pupils in grades nine, ten, eleven, or twelve in all public schools. The bill was read twice, ordered printed, and committed to the Committee on Education for further discussion.

THE LEAD: Top United States Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is being accused of a number of ethics violations in a new complaint filed with the Senate Ethics Committee, according to reports.

The newly elected Senator from Pennsylvania who was sworn in on January 3, 2023, has been hospitalized for observation. "Towards the end of the Senate Democratic retreat today, Senator John Fetterman began feeling lightheaded," Communications Director Joe Calvello said in the statement. "He left and called his staff, who picked him up and drove him to The George Washington University Hospital."(Source)

Governor Abbott's administration has proposed that state agencies prohibit employees from conducting official business on any device that is capable of downloading or using TikTok.

Hello, this is your guy bringing you the most recent news from the United States Senate. And you won't believe what they're worried about right now; it's not the national debt or anything like that; it's Beyoncé's forthcoming tour!

What’s Good for the Goose, Isn’t Good for the Cruz. There are currently no term-limits in Congress, if a Senator or Representative can get re-elected then they can serve for life, if they choose.

As announced on January 25th in a press statement from the office of U.S. Senator Mark Warner, a bill was recently introduced to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. The bill is titled the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. A bill has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents Washington, D.C. but is not permitted to vote on legislation.

U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is launching a bipartisan push to make the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sen. Ossoff and Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA-01) are urging the U.S. Interior Department to nominate the Okefenokee Refuge for the honor, a crucial step in getting considered by UNESCO.