This Week in Research: July 25 – July 28

Highlights from the Week

1. On Wednesday, July 27th, Senator Joe Machin II announced that he would cooperate with the Democratic leadership and agree to include measures in the upcoming inflation reduction package which would subsidize forms of healthcare and prescriptions. The infrastructure bill proposed by Senate Democrats lacks some elements of President Biden’s ambitious campaign proposals, but Biden has been publicly supportive of the bill. To see all statements from President Biden on inflation, click here. To see statements from all members of Congress on inflation, click here.

2. Pope Francis, global leader of the Roman Catholic Church, visited Canada on Monday, July 25th, to apologize to survivors of residential schools run by the Catholic Church. Indigenous activists met with the pope to discuss the trauma, abuse, and death that occurred at residential schools. This is a landmark step for Indigenous Canadians and Americans who had been pressing the Catholic Church to apologize and respond to criticism for decades. To see statements from members of Congress on issues concerning Indigenous Peoples, click here.

3. Wildfires have swept through California, starting near Yosemite National Park on Friday, July 22 and continuing throughout the week. According to wildfire tracking by the New York Times, this particular wildfire has destroyed 19,000 acres and affected more than 7,200 people who live within five miles of the fire. Over the last 50 years, wildfire seasons have gotten longer and weather has gotten dryer as a byproduct of climate change, and the impact of a wildfire on both local human activity and natural ecosystems can be devastating. To see statements from members of Congress on the environment, click here.

Elections

By the Elections Research team (Noah, Seth, Nick, Caleb, & Anthony) and Elections Interns (Andres, Liam, Luke, Muzhi, Ephriam, Hugh, Riley, Mia, & Charles) Elections: Want to learn more about the candidates running in the Louisiana primary elections? You can see the full list of candidates running for various offices below:

• Congressional Primary Candidates

• State Judicial Primary Candidates
  

Biographies: Want to learn more about the candidates running in congressional primary elections? You can see the full list of candidates running for various states below:

• Delaware Primary Candidates

• New York Primary Candidates

• Rhode Island Primary Candidates

If you want to learn more about a candidate, click on a candidate and go to their ‘Bio’ tab to learn more.

Want to learn more about the candidates running in the Rhode Island gubernatorial primary election? You can see the full list of candidates running here. If you want to learn more about a candidate, click on a candidate and go to their ‘Bio’ tab to learn more.

Issue Positions/Political Courage Test:

Want to learn more about the candidates who are currently being tested and their responses to the Political Courage Test? You can see the full list of candidates, their responses, and response rates running for various offices below:

• Alabama Congressional Primary Candidates

• Alaska Congressional Primary Candidates

• Arkansas Congressional Primary Candidates

• Arizona Congressional Primary Candidates

• California Congressional Primary Candidates

• Colorado Congressional Primary Candidates

• Connecticut Congressional Primary Candidates

• Florida Congressional Primary Candidates

• Georgia Congressional Primary Candidates

• Hawaii Congressional Primary Candidates

• Idaho Congressional Primary Candidates

• Illinois Congressional Primary Candidates

• Indiana Congressional Primary Candidates

• Iowa Congressional Primary Candidates

• Kansas Congressional Primary Candidates

• Kentucky Congressional Primary Candidates

• Maine Congressional Primary Candidates

• Maryland Congressional Primary Candidates

• Massachusetts Congressional Primary Candidates

• Michigan Congressional Primary Candidates

• Minnesota Congressional Primary Candidates

• Mississippi Congressional Primary Candidates

• Missouri Congressional Primary Candidates

• Montana Congressional Primary Candidates

• Nebraska Congressional Primary Candidates

• Nevada Congressional Primary Candidates

• New Jersey Congressional Primary Candidates

• New Mexico Congressional Primary Candidates

• North Carolina Congressional Primary Candidates

• North Dakota Congressional Primary Candidates

• Oklahoma Congressional Primary Candidates

• Oregon Congressional Primary Candidates

• Pennsylvania Congressional Primary Candidates

• South Carolina Congressional Primary Candidates

• South Dakota Congressional Primary Candidates

• Tennessee Congressional Primary Candidates

• Texas Congressional Primary Candidates

• Virginia Congressional Primary Candidates

• Vermont Congressional Primary Candidates

• Washington Congressional Primary Candidates

• West Virginia Congressional Primary Candidates

• Wisconsin Congressional Primary Candidates

• Wyoming Congressional Primary Candidates

Officials

By the Officials Research team: Thomas, Bibi, Johanan, Neal, Jake, Craig, Israel, Wyatt, and Katie

Public Statements: 3,228 statements were added this week. See highlights from the week for notable statements.

Key Votes:

• States: 29 new votes were added, 21 bills were updated with new information.

  • The governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, signed HB 2696 into law, expanding prohibitions and punishments for human smuggling and trafficking. The bill establishes sentences for those convicted of crimes against children and expands definitions to include punishments for individuals who knowingly assist in smuggling operations.

  • The Indiana Senate unanimously approved HB 1079, which amends the definition of rape from “sex by force or with someone who is mentally incapacitated” to “sex acts with someone who physically, verbally, or by other visible conduct refuse the person’s acts”.

  • In Tennessee SB 2219 passed the House and Senate and was sent to the governor to be signed into law. This bill gives local governments the authority to regulate smoking and the use of vapor products in age-restricted venues that are not retail tobacco stores.

• Federal Legislation: 5 new votes

  • The US House passed the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which provides Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and several related agencies.

Special Interest Groups

• There were 93 endorsements and 18 ratings released to the live web this week, which can be viewed here (organized by group). This year to date, the SIGs team has rated 76,441 candidates and entered endorsements for 16,123 candidates.