Highlights from the Week
On September 6th, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to Ukraine to reaffirm the United States’ support for them in their war against Russia. During the visit, which included meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyal, and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken announced another aid package totaling more than $1 billion. This package includes weapons, security, and financial assistance. To read a statement from Secretary Blinken after his meeting with Prime Minister Shmyal, click here. To read a statement from Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, click here. Lastly, to read a statement from Representative Mark Alford of Missouri, click here.
On September 6th, 2023, the Biden administration announced that it will cancel oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, also known as ANWR, as well as protections for vast areas surrounding it. The original lease was part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a provision that required the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to hold two sales of land in the area before 2024, one of which was sold during the Trump administration. To read a statement from President Joe Biden, click here. To read more about this announcement from Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, click here. To read a statement from Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, click here. To read a statement from Representative Mary Peltola of Alaska, click here. To read a statement from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, click here. Lastly, to read a statement from Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, click here.
Elections
By the Elections Research team: Nick, Zachary, Caleb, Seth, Jessica, and Max and Elections Research interns Ionut, Spencer, Molly, Rachel, Emma, Kaia, and Brenda
Biographies & Elections:
Want to learn more about the results of elections happening around the country? You can see the list of elections that happened this week here:
Want to learn more about the candidates running for elections in Kentucky and Louisiana this year? You can see the full list here:
Want to learn more about elected officials in your state? You can see the full list here:
Want to learn more about the leadership in each state legislature? You can see the full leadership rosters here:
Want to learn more about which committees elected officials are a part of? You can see the full list of committees for each state here:
Want to learn more about the candidates who are currently being tested and their responses to the Political Courage Test ahead of the general election? You can see the full list of candidates, their responses, and response rates running in various states by office below:
Officials
By the Officials Research team: Sam, Johanan, Neal, Thomas, Quinn, Max, and Jessica.
Research interns: Justin, Skylar, Jami, Abby, Claire, Heather, Kaitlin, Sophia and Tristen
Public Statements: 96 statements were added this week. See highlights from the week for notable statements.
Key Votes:
States: 40 new votes were added.
Indiana Governor signed SB 187 - Requires State police departments conduct background checks on police reserve officers
Indiana Governor signed SB 314 - Amends the confidentiality laws regarding abuse victims
Minnesota Governor signed SF 2909 - Appropriates funding for the State Public Safety Omnibus Bill
Tennessee Senate Concurrence Vote passed SB 7086 - Reduces the time period for the Tennessee Bureau of Information to be notified of criminal proceedings from 30 days to 72 hours
Washington Governor signed SB 5352 - Expands police chase protections for law enforcement
U.S. Congress: 0 new votes were added.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
This year to date, the SIGs team has entered 24,265 ratings and 10,965 endorsements for candidates.