This Week in Research: September 5 – 8

Highlights from the Week

1. Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning English monarch, died Thursday, September 8, at the age of 96. The queen celebrated 70 years on the throne in 2022 and passed away peacefully surrounded by family at her estate in Scotland. To see President Biden’s statement on the queen’s passing, click here. To see all statements from Congress on Queen Elizabeth, click here.

2. California residents have endured a summer of raging wildfires and scorching heat at unprecedented levels, causing the power grid to become threatened. Sacramento reached temperatures of 116 degrees on Tuesday, September 6, and a wildfire in Northern California swept across more than 4,200 acres, killing at least two people. To see statements from all members of Congress on wildfires, click here. To see statements from members of Congress on the environment, click here.

3. On Tuesday, September 6, a judge in South Carolina ruled that the state could not use firing squads or electric chairs for executions, deeming the methods as cruel and unusual punishment. The case arose when four death row inmates sued the state because South Carolina discontinued the use of lethal injection drugs and reverted to using firing squad or electric chair as the only possible options. To see statements from all members of Congress on the use of the death penalty, click here.

Elections

By the Elections Research team (Noah, Courtney, Seth, Nick, Caleb, & Anthony)

Elections:

Want to learn more about the candidates who are running in Iowa’s general election? You can see the full list of candidates by office below:

• Congressional General Candidates

• Gubernatorial General Candidates

• Statewide General Candidates

• State Legislative General Candidates

Want to learn more about the candidates who are running in Nebraska’s general election? You can see the full list of candidates by office below:

• Congressional General Candidates

• Gubernatorial General Candidates

• Statewide General Candidates

• State Legislative General Candidates

Want to learn more about the candidates who are running in Oregon’s general election? You can see the full list of candidates by office below:

• Congressional General Candidates

• Gubernatorial General Candidates

• State Legislative General Candidates

Biographies: Want to learn more about the candidates who are running in congressional general elections? You can see the full list of candidates by state below:

• Alaska General Candidates

• Colorado General Candidates

• Maine General Candidates

• Hawaii General Candidates

• Kentucky General Candidates

• Minnesota General Candidates

• Montana General Candidates

• New Jersey General Candidates

• New York General Candidates

• Ohio General Candidates

• Oklahoma General Candidates

• Tennessee General Candidates

• Wisconsin General Candidates

• Washington General 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 who are running in gubernatorial general elections? You can see the full list of candidates by state below:

• Alabama General Candidates

• Alaska General Candidates

• Maine General Candidates

• Hawaii General Candidates

• Minnesota General Candidates

• New York General Candidates

• Ohio General Candidates

• Oklahoma General Candidates

• Tennessee General Candidates

• Wisconsin General Candidates

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

• Delaware 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 Hampshire 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

• Rhode Island 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, and Katie

Public Statements: 995 statements were added this week. See highlights from the week for notable statements.

Key Votes:

• States: 31 new votes were added.

• Washington state passed HB 1736, which was then signed into law by the governor, creating a state investment board to oversee student loan programs within Washington. The state student loan program would offer lower interest rates than currently offered by the federal program, including grace periods for life events that may interrupt education, and is designed to assist students who need additional financial support in order to get a postsecondary education.

• The governor of New Mexico signed HB 73 into law, a bill which encourages retired teachers to reenter the workforce by authorizing them to continue receiving retirement benefits while working. This comes after nationwide teacher shortages have caused public schools to adopt new measures to retain staff.

• Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed SB 1168 into law, authorizing cities to issue licenses or permits to short-term vacation rentals (such as AirBnb and similar websites which allow guests to rent out single family homes for short stays). The law gives cities the power to revoke or suspend the permits for up to one year should the individual violate any of the guidelines laid out.

• Federal Legislation: No new votes

Special Interest Groups:

• There were 43 endorsements and 4 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 83,539 candidates and entered endorsements for 23,681 candidates.