Tag: Sherrod Brown

Senate Democrats urge White House to quickly nominate new inspector general for coronavirus programs

Washington Post logoPresident Trump on Friday took a step that could weaken an inspector general’s independence, but Democrats said strong oversight is needed to ensure accountability

Three senior Senate Democrats are asking Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to honor the terms of a new coronavirus law that establishes independent oversight to monitor the Trump administration’s handling of a $500 billion funding program, according to a copy of a letter obtained by The Washington Post.

Shortly after enacting the law on Friday, President Trump took a step to curb the program’s oversight, kicking off a battle between Congress and the White House over how the law would be implemented and scrutinized.

Mnuchin brokered many of the terms of the spending deal with Democrats last week, and in their letter to him they expressed alarm about Trump’s immediate signing statement, which some interpreted as an attempt to weaken the reporting requirements of a new inspector general. The letter, signed by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), also said Trump must “without delay” nominate the new inspector general to oversee and probe the funding. Continue reading.

‘Be honest about this’: Democratic senator shoots down reporter who suggests ‘both parties’ are to blame for mass shootings

AlterNet logoSen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) shot down a question from a reporter on Wednesday that suggested Democrats and Republican carry equal blame for the failure of Congress to address mass shooting in the United States.

“Don’t both parties take blame in the inability to find a solution to these mass shootings?” the reporter asked.

“No, no,” Brown responded while addressing the press in Dayton, Ohio, the site of just one of the weekend’s mass shootings.

View the complete August 7 article by Cody Fenwick on the AlterNet website here.

Democratic senators pressure Trump on Russia sanctions

The following article by Elana Schor was posted on the Politico website February 12, 2018:

“The lack of seriousness shown by the administration in the face of a clear national security threat and even clearer congressional intent is alarming and cannot continue,” Sen. Ben Cardin said in a statement.

Three senior Democratic senators on Monday introduced a resolution pushing President Donald Trump to use the new authority over Russia sanctions that Congress overwhelmingly gave him last year.

The symbolic measure from Sens. Ben Cardin of Maryland, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Robert Menendez of New Jersey marks the latest Democratic effort to pressure the Trump administration on its delay in implementing a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill — designed in part as a response to Moscow’s meddling in the 2016 election — that the president signed only reluctantly.

The administration’s decision last month to hold off on new penalties targeting the defense and intelligence sectors of President Vladimir Putin’s government infuriated Democrats, who pointed out that the bipartisan bill Congress approved with only five opposing votes last year had designed the sanctions as mandatory. Continue reading “Democratic senators pressure Trump on Russia sanctions”