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Sullivan introduces bill to ensure military members, including reservists, paid during shutdown

Suzanne Downing
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16
Sullivan introduces bill to ensure military members, including reservists, paid during shutdown

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), along with 11 of their Senate colleagues, introduced S. 2835, the Pay Our Military Act of 2023, which would ensure America’s military service members — Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Space Force — are paid in the event of a government shutdown. The federal government runs out of spending authority on Sept. 30.

Wicker serves as ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, on which Sullivan also serves. Cruz serves as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard, and on which Sullivan also serves.

The legislation would appropriate funds to pay members of the Armed Forces, including reservists, if a temporary or full-year federal funding bill is not passed and signed by Oct. 1. The Pay Our Military Act would also fund the pay of civilian Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel and contractors whom each department’s respective secretary determines are “providing support to members of the Armed Forces.”

“We have entered the most dangerous period in American history since the end of World War II—a new era of authoritarian aggression led by the dictators in Beijing and Moscow,” said Sullivan. “All Americans count on our military members to be ready to respond to threats to the homeland, wherever and whenever they may arise. The last thing our brave men and women in uniform need to be worrying about is whether they will get a paycheck, and whether their families are taken care of back home. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together and pass our commonsense legislation to alleviate those concerns as we face a potential government shutdown. Senators and congressmen often like to say how much they support our military members—now they have an opportunity to show it.”

“Following the blockage of my bicameral, bipartisan legislation, the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, by some Senate Democrats, it has become apparent that there are politicians in this chamber who intend to leave parts of our military unfunded in the event of a government shutdown,” Sen. Cruz said. “Defunding our military dangerously undermines our national security and hinders the men and women who bravely protect Texas and our great nation. I urge all of my colleagues—on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers—to pass this legislation expeditiously and pay our military in the event of a government shutdown.”

Cosponsors of the bill include Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) has introduced companion legislation in the House.

Last week, Senators Cruz and Sullivan attempted to pass the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, legislation to ensure Coast Guard personnel receive pay and allowances in the event of a government shutdown if the other members of the Armed Forces receive pay and allowances. However, the bill was blocked by Senate Democrats.

Peltola’s staff says she’ll return to D.C. if her vote is needed this week

Suzanne Downing
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22
Peltola’s staff says she’ll return to D.C. if her vote is needed this week

Rep. Mary Peltola’s office has started breaking its silence. Two weeks has passed since the death of Eugene Peltola, the congresswoman’s husband, in a plane crash.

The communications director for Peltola said that while Mary Peltola is still home in Alaska grieving with her family, she will return to Washington, D.C. if her vote is needed to avert a “shutdown” of the federal government.

The federal government won’t actually shut down but will lack some spending authority on Sept. 30. Many programs continue, such as military, Department of Homeland Security, and nearly all entitlement payments, such as SNAP benefits and Medicare.

But other programs move into a limited role, and some programs that the public is used to having access to may be temporarily unavailable. Federal workers who are furloughed during a funding pause get all their pay once they are invited to return to work.

Peltola’s vote on this matter is not actually essential, since she is in the Democrat minority in the House.

Certain members of the Republican caucus believe they need to focus leadership’s attention on what is happening not just now, but 10 years from now. The Congressional Budget Office says the nation will be $50 trillion in debt by the end of the decade. The current national debt exceeds $33.1 trillion. That’s $14.3 billion per day being added to U.S. debt in just one week, and with another $3 billion per day of interest expense, it’s over $17 billion per day of added debt.

These Republicans have pushed the issue to try to curb excessive government borrowing.

Peltola also announced that a $50 million grant was awarded by the Department of Energy to replace a coal plant in Healy with wind energy and pumped thermal energy storage, which Peltola says will lead to a more reliable Railbelt electric power grid “and showing that Alaska is a natural proving ground for clean energy technology.”

Peltola brings in California leftist Rep. Eric Swalwell for Juneau fundraiser

Sullivan says Biden’s border is a ‘dereliction of duty’

Suzanne Downing
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26
Sullivan says Biden’s border is a ‘dereliction of duty’

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is the cosponsor of a bill that would redirect $15 billion from the IRS enforcement account to the crisis on the southern border, where just last month, more than 260,000 illegal immigrants poured over a border that has been abandoned by the Biden Administration.

That’s more than 8,300 illegals per day penetrating the border without any accountability, and the flood of migrants has not let up in September.

On Monday, Sullivan released the following statement regarding the record-breaking number of illegal border crossings on the southern border this August.

“There are no excuses for the Biden administration’s disastrous handling of our southern border. The numbers released by Customs and Border Protection reveal more than 200,000 illegal encounters last month ALONE. It is a humanitarian crisis. It is a national security crisis. It is a health crisis. Americans nationwide, including Alaskans, are impacted by this crisis.

“This dereliction of duty by President Biden is allowing thousands of criminals, including human and drug traffickers, to pour into our country. We are already dealing with a scourge of drug overdoses nationwide—largely driven by fentanyl. Alaska is no exception. My state experienced the largest percent increase in drug overdose deaths in the country. Until we get our wide-open border under control—and I’ve been there to see it—this problem will only get worse under President Biden’s inaction.

“I’m calling on President Biden, yet again, to do his job and secure our southern border. Even Democrats are finally becoming outraged at this failure to act. The President needs to step up, enforce the law, and put an end to this catastrophe.”

The president early in his administration assigned the border problem to Vice President Kamala Harris, who was supposed to coordinate diplomacy with Mexico and stem the tide of humanity pouring into the United States. She has failed in every measure.

Sen. Sullivan’s Securing Our Border Act would redirect $15 billion from IRS enforcement funds that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to instead be spent on border security. The legislation is endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council, which represents approximately 18,000 agents and support personnel, many of which are assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol.

CBP is the largest law enforcement agency in the country, and more than 85 percent of the agency’s Border Patrol agents (approximately 16,878 of 19,648) are concentrated on the southern border. The agents are outnumbered 7-to-1 by illegal immigrants alone.

Sullivan visited the southern border in 2021 with U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.).

In 2022, all 50 Democrats blocked Sullivan’s amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that would have directed $500 million to be allocated to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to secure the southern border. The funds were instead earmarked for “sustainability and environmental” programs at the Department of Homeland Security.

Canada’s Trudeau, Parliament, and Zelenskyy honor former Nazi-serving soldier with standing ovation

Suzanne Downing
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42
Canada’s Trudeau, Parliament, and Zelenskyy honor former Nazi-serving soldier with standing ovation

Canada’s entire Parliament rose and applauded an elderly man they said was a Ukrainian “refugee” who had fought the Russians. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau applauded. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded.

That was before critics pointed out that the man was probably a former Nazi, who changed his identity and fled to Canada to avoid prosecution after World War II.

Yaroslav Hunka, now 98, was honored for serving in the First Division of the Ukrainian National Army before he immigrated to Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Speaker of the House Anthony Rota had asked him to join them as their guest during Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada last week.

“We have with us in the Chamber today a Ukrainian-Canadian veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian Independence against the Russians and continues to support the troops today,” Rota announced to the chamber. “He’s a Ukrainian hero — a Canadian hero — and we thank him for all his service.”

But in 2020, a Canadian researcher wrote in the military journal esprit de corps that there was never a First Division during World War II. It was a division made up after the war to cover the atrocities by these soldiers.

Writer David Pugliese reported that members of that division had actually served in Adolf Hitler’s 14th Waffen SS Division Galicia — later known as a criminal organization by the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal. He wrote that these Ukrainian men had volunteered to serve under the Nazis, and were not conscripted or coerced.

About 2,000 of the Waffen SS soldiers from Ukrainian heritage changed their identities and sought refugee status in Canada to avoid capture and trial for their war crimes. Hunka is believed to be one of them. He was one of the more than 30,000 Ukrainians fled Europe and settled in Canada as the war ended. But before the members of the Waffen unit surrendered, they hid their SS affiliation by renaming the unit, “First Division Ukrainian National Army.”

Rota over the weekend apologized after word spread that Hunka served under Nazi command.

Troopers in Fairbanks arrest two alleged jewelry scammers, with ties to network of Romanian nationals

Suzanne Downing
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12
Troopers in Fairbanks arrest two alleged jewelry scammers, with ties to network of Romanian nationals

Alaska State Troopers, in collaboration with multiple local police departments, took two individuals into custody on charges related to a widespread scam involving counterfeit gold jewelry.

Over the past few weeks, numerous reports flooded in from all over the state road system about foreign individuals tricking unsuspecting Alaskans with fake gold trinkets and tall tales.

The culprits were reported to approach victims with fictitious sob stories, such as needing money to return to their homeland, and enticing them with gold jewelry at bargain prices. On Sept. 23, a solid lead came from Fairbanks when local troopers received a tip-off about such suspicious activities in a shopping center parking lot.

A responding officer witnessed the two individuals approaching three potential victims. Subsequent traffic intervention led to the detention of these suspects, who were identified as Romanian nationals.

As the investigation unfolded, it became clear that the duo was part of a more extensive criminal network. Valentin Miclescu, 21, faced arrest due to his possession and usage of a counterfeit Romanian ID card, even utilizing it for air travel.

Meanwhile, Ion Boceanu, also 21, was apprehended on charges of second-degree theft, for using a debit card not belonging to him. Both are now held at the Fairbanks Correctional Center.

Troopers believe that other members of this criminal conspiracy are still at large, actively scamming Alaskans. The Alaska State Troopers issued a cautionary statement, urging Alaskans to be vigilant and suspicious of anyone offering jewelry or other valuables at dramatically reduced prices.

The Troopers are actively seeking information from victims who haven’t yet reported their encounters with these scam artists.

If you or someone you know has fallen prey to such scams, reach out to the Alaska State Troopers at 907-451-5100, referencing case number AK23102128.

Police warn of scam involving jewelry

Democrat governor of New York tells illegals ‘go somewhere else’ rather than New York

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Democrat governor of New York tells illegals ‘go somewhere else’ rather than New York

By CHRISTIAN WADE | THE CENTER SQUARE

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is telling migrants to “go somewhere else” as she tries to dissuade more asylum-seekers from traveling to the state amid another surge of immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border.

In remarks during a CNN appearance, Hochul said New York has “reached capacity” for accepting new migrants and urged them to apply for asylum before leaving their countries or seek shelter in other states if they arrive.

“If you’re going to leave your country, go somewhere else,” Hochul said. “We have to let the word out that when you come to New York, you’re not going to have more hotel rooms.”

Hochul also said she supports efforts to update or suspend New York City’s right to shelter law, which requires the city to provide housing, food and other necessities for homeless individuals, regardless of their immigration status. She said it was never intended to be a “universal right or obligation on the city to have to house literally the entire world.”

Hochul’s remarks appear to be a shift in her stance on immigration for the Democrat who has previously defended New York’s “sanctuary” state status and its storied history of accepting large numbers of asylum seekers.

She has also pushed for work authorization for migrants and lobbied President Joe Biden to extend the temporary protected status to tens of thousands of Venezuelan asylum seekers that allows them to work in the U.S. legally. Critics say policies are encouraging more migrants to enter the country illegally.

New York City has had an influx of more than 116,000 asylum seekers over the past year amid a surge of immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border. The surge coincided with the end of the pandemic-era Title 42 policy that required migrants to stay in Mexico while requesting asylum, which expired in May.

Hochul’s comments echo those previously made by New York Mayor Eric Adams, a fellow Democrat, who in June began distributing flyers on the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a new marketing campaign to dissuade new arrivals from settling in the city.

Adams has criticized the Biden administration for not doing enough to secure the southern border, and has said the migrant crisis will “destroy” New York City if the federal government doesn’t provide more funding and resources to the city.

New York Republicans have long called on Hochul to rescind the state’s sanctuary designation and New York City’s right to shelter law, saying the policies are drawing more migrants to the state.

“New York City’s leaders chose to be a sanctuary city, putting out a welcome mat for every migrant who arrives in the country,” a group of state GOP lawmakers wrote to Hochul earlier this month. “They chose virtue signaling over good government policy, and so must bear the consequences.”

Last week, several Republican congressional lawmakers filed a lawsuit seeking to block New York City from using Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field or other federally owned sites in the Gateway National Recreation Area to provide temporary housing for migrants.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and other GOP lawmakers have also called on Democrats in the U.S. Senate to pass a border security bill approved by the House earlier this year.

Homeless camp fire sends flames skyward along Chester Greenbelt

Suzanne Downing
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57
Homeless camp fire sends flames skyward along Chester Greenbelt

A fire in a greenbelt near the Ben Boeke Arena was extinguished by Anchorage Fire Department crews after 4 pm on Sunday.

Several tents that make up a homeless encampment around 16th Avenue went up in flames in what fire officials characterized as a medium-sized fire whose cause is undetermined. The fire was quickly extinguished once firefighters reached the scene. The area is near several populated neighborhoods.

As nights grow colder and darker, homeless camps in the greenbelts of Anchorage are seeing more camp fires built by people trying to keep warm, but this is the first homeless camp fire of the season to require intervention. The fire resulted in no known injuries.

Southern border surge sets new record in August, up 27% over July

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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18
Southern border surge sets new record in August, up 27% over July

By BETHANY BLANKLEY | THE CENTER SQUARE

U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 232,972 total encounters along the southwest border in August.

The data includes 181,059 encounters with illegal border crossers reported between ports of entry along the Southwest border by Border Patrol agents.

Official data excludes at least 28,355 gotaways reported by Border Patrol agents in preliminary data obtained by The Center Square earlier this month.

Including the gotaway number, total illegal border crossers apprehended or reported evading capture last month was at least 261,327.

This is the greatest number reported in August in U.S. history, according to CBP data on record. It’s nearly equivalent to the population of Anchorage, Alaska.

Troy Miller, a senior CBP official performing the duties of the CBP commissioner, said the agency’s “operational tempo along the border has increased in response to increased encounters, and we remain squarely focused on our broader security mission and enforcing U.S. immigration laws. We are maximizing consequences against those without a legal basis to remain in the United States, including by processing more individuals into expedited removal than ever before. The men and women of CBP continue to work, day in and day out, to protect our nation, disrupting the entry of dangerous people and dangerous goods into the country while providing humanitarian care for vulnerable individuals.”

Despite his claim that “CBP’s message for anyone who is thinking of entering the United States illegally along the Southwest border is simple: don’t do it,” over 10,000 people in the last few days surged the Eagle Pass and El Paso regions of Texas. Eagle Pass officials declared an emergency and Gov. Greg Abbott increased resources to the areas in response.

Since the previous CBP commissioner Chris Magnus was forced to resign, CBP has not been publishing demographic data it previously did in its monthly report. Some of this information is published here, which breaks down encounters by single adults, individuals in a family unit (FMUA), unaccompanied children, single minors (UC) and accompanied minors.

In August, Office of Field Operations agents apprehended 27,426 single adults, 23,613 family units (FMUA), 710 unaccompanied children (UC) and 164 accompanied minors, totaling 51,913. Border Patrol agents apprehended 74,402 single adults, 93,108 FMUA, and 13,549 UC, totaling 181,059.

The numbers are an increase of 27% from July to August, CBP reports.

CBP also reports demographic data by sector. This data reveals the greatest number of illegal border crossers have been pouring into Texas, specifically in the sectors of El Paso, Del Rio and the Rio Grande Valley.

Fiscal year to date, 389,330 illegal border crossers have been apprehended in El Paso, 347,572 in Del Rio, and 292,576 in the Rio Grande Valley.

Southwest sectors that have also been hit hard by illegal border crossers in the sectors of Tucson and San Diego, which have apprehended 322,630 and 204,334 people, respectively.

The majority of illegal border crossers are single adults, totaling nearly 1.2 million fiscal year to date. The majority are coming non-Central American countries from all over the world, totaling over 577,000. The next greatest numbers are more than 444,000 Mexicans, over 76,000 Guatemalans, more than 65,000 Hondurans and over 26,000 El Salvadorans.

The next largest group of illegal border crossers are family units, totaling over 518,000 fiscal year to date. Among them, the greatest number are coming from non-Central American countries, over 324,000; followed by over 71,000 Mexicans, nearly 60,000 Guatemalans, and over 61,000 Hondurans.

Over 118,000 unaccompanied children have been brought into the U.S. through the southern border. The majority of them, nearly 44,000, are from Guatamala.

These numbers exclude gotaways, which The Center Square has been reporting on for the last two years. Nearly 1.6 million gotaways have been reported illegally entering the U.S. and evading capture since January 2021.

Gotaways is the official term used by Border Patrol agents to describe foreign nationals who illegally enter the U.S. between ports of entry and don’t return to Mexico or Canada.

They don’t file asylum or other immigration-related claims – they intentionally illegally enter to avoid being caught. Many have criminal records. They often run when they are pursued by Border Patrol agents or others in law enforcement, authorities tell The Center Square.

The majority of gotaways are single, military-age men. They also include women and children, many who are smuggled, law enforcement officials have explained.

Since January 2021, the number of known, reported gotaways total more than the individual populations of 11 states. The number is believed to be much higher because Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officers, Homeland Security – the agency tasked with defending the homeland – have no idea how many come through who weren’t captured on camera or reported. They have no idea how many, who or where they are.

WaPo doesn’t believe its own poll showing Trump up by 10

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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15
WaPo doesn’t believe its own poll showing Trump up by 10

By MICHAEL MACHERA | DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION

The Washington Post cast doubt on its own poll with ABC that showed former President Trump up by 10 points over his likely rival President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential contest.

Trump leads Biden 52% to 42% in a hypothetical general election matchup, according to the Post. The outlet suggested that, given other polling showing a closer race, its own poll is “probably an outlier” and appeared to cast doubt on the sample.

“The Post-ABC poll shows Biden trailing Trump by 10 percentage points at this early stage in the election cycle, although the sizable margin of Trump’s lead in this survey is significantly at odds with other public polls that show the general election contest a virtual dead heat,” the Post wrote. “The difference between this poll and others, as well as the unusual makeup of Trump’s and Biden’s coalitions in this survey, suggest it is probably an outlier.”

Read the rest of this story at this Daily Caller link.

In a separate NBC poll of 1,000 registered votes conducted Sept. 15-19, Biden’s approval rating has hit an all-time low:

  • Approve 41% [-2 since June]
  • Disapprove 56% [+3 since June]
Poll: Trump leads GOP field in New Hampshire, but lags behind Biden
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