#uscongress — Public Fediverse posts

Trump personality cult alive and well in Dallas – will it power Republican midterm success?
By David Smith in Dallas

President the star of the show at two-day convention, but party’s plan to treat November elections as referendum on Trump himself poses grave risks

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/12/trump-dallas-midterms-convention-republicans

#DonaldTrump #USpolitics #USnews #Worldnews #Democrats #USCongress #Republicans #Dallas #Texas #TheGuardian #DavidSmithinDallas

Trump personality cult alive and well in Dallas – will it power Republican midterm success? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/12/trump-dallas-midterms-convention-republicans #DonaldTrump #UsPolitics #UsNews #WorldNews #Democrats #UsCongress #Republicans #Dallas #Texas

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

Is Trump’s $5,000 midterm pledge a new low? - The Latest
By Presented by Lucy Hough with Devika Bhat ; produced by Angus Neale ; senior producer Ryan Ramgobin ; executive producer Zoe Hitch

Donald Trump has pledged a payment of $5,000 to every adult American citizen if the Republicans win in the November midterms. The outlandish proposal, which would cost over $1tn, immediately raised legal and ethical concerns. It comes as the president’s approval rating has hit a record low, hovering at about 38%. Lucy Hough speaks to global editor Devika Bhat – watch on YouTube

https://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2026/sep/10/is-trumps-5000-midterm-pledge-a-new-low-the-latest

#DonaldTrump #USCongress #WashingtonDC #USmidtermelections2026 #Republicans #Democrats #TheGuardian #PresentedbyLucyHoughwithDevikaBhat #producedbyAngusNeale #seniorproducerRyanRamgobin #executiveproducerZoeHitch

US judge extends block on Trump order to restrict mail-in voting
By Associated Press

Indira Talwani’s ruling presents major setback for president as first states begin to send out mail ballots for midterms

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/04/us-judge-trump-mail-in-voting

#USvotingrights #DonaldTrump #Trumpadministration #USCongress #USpolitics #USnews #TheGuardian #AssociatedPress

US judge extends block on Trump order to restrict mail-in voting https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/04/us-judge-trump-mail-in-voting #UsVotingRights #DonaldTrump #TrumpAdministration #UsCongress #UsPolitics #UsNews

Dolly Parton was the polar opposite of our bullying president | Robert Reich
By Robert Reich

Terrified of being seen as a loser, Donald Trump is nonsensically lashing out – even against our old friend Canada

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/28/dolly-parton-trump-canada

#DonaldTrump #DollyParton #USnews #USpolitics #Canada #USIsraelwaronIran #Republicans #MarkCarney #Americas #USCongress #TheGuardian #RobertReich

Michigan progressive Abdul El-Sayed says ‘ogre’ remark not directed at rival
By Robert Mackey and Lauren Gambino

El-Sayed says in TV debate ‘ogre on a pike’ Zoom comment was in reference to John Fetterman, not Haley Stevens

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/27/michigan-abdul-el-sayed-debate-ogre

#Democrats #USpolitics #USnews #Worldnews #Michigan #USCongress #TheGuardian #RobertMackey #LaurenGambino

Michigan progressive Abdul El-Sayed says ‘ogre’ remark not directed at rival
By Robert Mackey and Lauren Gambino

El-Sayed says in TV debate ‘ogre on a pike’ Zoom comment was in reference to John Fetterman, not Haley Stevens

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/27/michigan-abdul-el-sayed-debate-ogre

#Democrats #USpolitics #USnews #Worldnews #Michigan #USCongress #TheGuardian #RobertMackey #LaurenGambino

DNC chair faces growing scrutiny amid financial pressure and internal turmoil
By Lucy Campbell and Lauren Gambino

Fraught time for Ken Martin as new reporting details cash-flow problem and divisions over party’s direction

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/27/dnc-chair-ken-martin-scrutiny

#Democrats #USnews #USpolitics #USCongress #TheGuardian #LucyCampbell #LaurenGambino

DNC chair faces growing scrutiny amid financial pressure and internal turmoil
By Lucy Campbell and Lauren Gambino

Fraught time for Ken Martin as new reporting details cash-flow problem and divisions over party’s direction

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/27/dnc-chair-ken-martin-scrutiny

#Democrats #USnews #USpolitics #USCongress #TheGuardian #LucyCampbell #LaurenGambino

🚨 BREAKING: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says the U.S. Congress must answer for the human and financial toll of the ongoing conflict.

Read More: https://gtvnewshd.com/world/2026/07/23/iran-baghaei-us-congress-war-toll/
#BreakingNews #Iran #USA #USCongress #MiddleEast #Geopolitics #WorldNews #GlobalSecurity #IranUS #GTVNews

When Theater Breaks

What the Absence of Violence in Congress Tells Us—and What Its Arrival Would Mean

By Cliff Potts
Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

Rhetoric Without Rupture

Since 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives has operated in a state of sustained rhetorical escalation. Members routinely engage in aggressive verbal confrontations, staged outrage, and performative conflict designed for media amplification rather than legislative deliberation. Yet one fact remains decisive: there has been no confirmed physical violence between sitting members on the House floor during this period.

That absence is not trivial. It is predictive.

In unstable legislatures, sustained verbal escalation eventually crosses into physical confrontation. Historically, this has been true both internationally and within the United States prior to the Civil War. The fact that it has not occurred in the modern House indicates that institutional restraint remains intact.

Political Theater as Containment

The highly visible framing of American politics as “Red MAGA versus Blue Resistance” functions primarily as political theater. It reinforces partisan identity, sustains donor engagement, and drives media attention. At the same time, it masks a quieter continuity: broad bipartisan alignment around neoliberal economic structures and the influence of corporate and financial actors within governance.

The conflict is loud. The underlying policy consensus is not.

This does not indicate institutional health. It indicates managed conflict. Members perform anger, but they respect boundaries that protect donor confidence, institutional legitimacy, and personal political survival. The restraint is strategic, not ethical.

Historical Precedent: When Words Turned Physical

There is historical precedent for what happens when rhetorical escalation escapes institutional restraint. In the years immediately preceding the Civil War, congressional debate became increasingly incendiary, personal, and absolutist. The turning point was not merely harsh language, but the moment when political disagreement became physically violent on the Senate floor, signaling that the norms governing conflict had collapsed.

That incident did not cause the Civil War. It revealed that the governing system could no longer contain it.

Violence inside the legislature marked the transition from symbolic polarization to open sectional rupture. Once that line was crossed, compromise was no longer credible, and institutional stability rapidly deteriorated.

Why the Line Has Not Been Crossed—Yet

Physical violence between representatives today would immediately destabilize the institution itself. It would signal loss of control, threaten capital confidence, and undermine the legitimacy of governance. As long as elite political and financial actors maintain leverage through party structures, fundraising mechanisms, and political action committees, internal violence remains unacceptable.

The system tolerates shouting.
It does not tolerate disruption of order.

That distinction is intentional.

January 6 as an Externalized Event

The events of January 6, 2021 do not contradict this analysis. That violence was external to Congress, carried out by non-members, and ultimately absorbed by the system without full accountability for key instigators and enablers. Many retained positions of influence, funding, and institutional support.

The lesson internalized by the political class was not deterrence, but containment.

As long as violence remains externalized—directed outward rather than inward—the institution can continue to function without confronting its own structural fragility.

The Predictor to Watch

The critical indicator of future instability is not rhetoric, polarization, or media outrage. It is loss of restraint among lawmakers themselves.

If physical violence were to occur between representatives—actual assault, not symbolic gesture—it would mark a transition from performative polarization to institutional breakdown. At that point, political theater would no longer be sufficient to manage factional pressure.

Such an event would not be a momentary scandal. It would be an early signal of civil upheaval moving from the public sphere into the governing core.

The Directional Warning

For now, the absence of violence indicates that the system remains controlled, if brittle. The shouting serves a purpose. The restraint serves a higher one.

The danger is not that the performance will continue indefinitely.
The danger is that when it fails, it will fail suddenly—and without a script.

For more social commentary, please see Occupy 2.5 at https://Occupy25.com

References (APA)

Brennan Center for Justice. (2021). The January 6 insurrection and the future of American democracy. https://www.brennancenter.org

Mann, T. E., & Ornstein, N. J. (2012). It’s even worse than it looks: How the American constitutional system collided with the new politics of extremism. Basic Books.

U.S. Capitol Police. (2023). Threat assessment and security trends report. https://www.uscp.gov

US postal service will run out of money by February 2027, says agency chief https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/17/us-postal-service-february-2027 #UsPostalService #UsCongress #UsNews #LawUs

SECTION 8 (continued)
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#1-8

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; // #IPLaw

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations; // #BombingCivilians #boats

#antifa #USConstitution #USCongress #war #Iran

Ilhan Omar guest arrested for standing at Trump’s State of the Union address https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/25/ilhan-omar-guest-arrested-state-union #StateOfTheUnionAddress #IlhanOmar #UsNews #UsPolitics #DonaldTrump #Democrats #UsCongress

‘Nobel prize for fiction’: Trump’s State of the Union provokes polarized reactions https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/25/trump-state-of-the-union-reaction-democrats-republicans #StateOfTheUnionAddress #Democrats #Republicans #UsPolitics #DonaldTrump #UsCongress

Abigail Spanberger: Democrats turn to centrist as party seeks return to relevance https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/24/abigail-spanberger-democrats-trump-profile #Democrats #UsPolitics #UsCongress #Virginia #UsNews #WorldNews #DonaldTrump #StateOfTheUnionAddress

Why I’m not watching the State of the Union – and you shouldn’t either | Robert Reich https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/24/trump-state-of-the-union-boycott #StateOfTheUnionAddress #UsNews #DonaldTrump #TrumpAdministration #UsPolitics #Democrats #UsCongress #TrumpTariffs

A court ruling could shrink Black representation in Congress – NPR

Politics

A Supreme Court ruling could bring historic drop in Black representation in Congress

January 8, 2026, 5:00 AM ET

By Hansi Lo Wang

The United States could be headed toward the largest-ever decline in representation by Black members of Congress, depending on how the Supreme Court rules in a closely watched redistricting case about the Voting Rights Act.

For decades, the landmark law that came out of the Civil Rights Movement has protected the collective voting power of racial minorities when political maps are redrawn. Its provisions have also boosted the number of seats in the House of Representatives filled by Black lawmakers.

That’s largely because in many Southern states — where voting is often polarized between a Republican-supporting white majority and a Democratic-supporting Black minority — political mapmakers have drawn a certain kind of district to get in line with the Voting Rights Act’s Section 2 provisions. In these districts, racial-minority voters make up a population large enough to have a realistic opportunity of electing their preferred candidates.

But at an October hearing last year for the redistricting case about Louisiana’s congressional map, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared inclined to issue this year another in a series of decisions that have weakened the Voting Rights Act — this time its Section 2 protections in redistricting.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: A court ruling could shrink Black representation in Congress : NPR

Venezuela and Congress – GovTrack.us

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Venezuela and Congress

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Jan. 8, 2026 · by Amy West

What has the U.S. done to Venezuela?

Was it an invasion, law enforcement, or extortion? Since last fall we’ve

• bombed small boats and their civilian Venezuelan crews that we have claimed were smuggling drugs to the U.S.
• Brought a fleet of military vessels to the region
• Dropped bombs near Caracas, the capital of Venezuela
• Seized President Maduro and his wife and indicted him in federal court over drug trafficking
• Announced a plan to seize some Venezuelan crude oil indefinitely and spend it at the President’s discretion.

Whether any of this was legal is a difficult and a somewhat philosophical question.

What is the War Powers Resolution?

The War Powers Resolution, a 1973 law,, “requires that the President communicate to Congress the committal of troops within 48 hours. Further, the statute requires the President to remove all troops after 60 days if Congress has not granted an extension,” per the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University. Since military action appears to be over, although the President has threatened further action around the world, the War Powers Resolution may have been satisfied.

What are Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs)?

The Constitution gives the power to declare war to Congress, not the President, but all recent presidents have engaged in military actions without declaring war. In most cases, it came with an authorization from Congress instead.

Per Congress.gov, AUMFs are laws which “permit the President to use United States military forces in pursuit of set objectives and within defined parameters.” Without an AUMF, the President must rely on inherent Constitutional powers of the presidency, which may or may not apply. For example, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Congress passed an AUMF that was used as the legal basis for military force in a wide range of places around the world because the authorization was for military force against terrorists. That authorization, along with one from 1991, were both repealed in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. President Trump signed that law last year about a week before he attacked Venezuela and captured the Venezuelan president.

Whether removing a head of state is tantamount to declaring war, and thus not permitted without Congress’s approval, is not likely to be resolved.

Are we bound by international law?

Well, we agreed to be bound by international law when we joined the United Nations, of which we are still a member. In general, UN members are prohibited from unilaterally using force against other nations, with very few exceptions. This is the point of having an entity like the UN – to help manage disputes in order to avoid or at least decrease violent conflict around the world. 

On the other hand, who’s going to stop us if we ignore international law?

Can the President control the proceeds from selling Venezuelan oil?

The Constitution is very direct in giving Congress ultimate control over government spending: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” Trump’s social media post that the “money will be controlled by me” makes a big assumption that Congress writes him a blank check in law first. Currently, many members of Congress are going on the record saying that they want oversight over any US revenues from Venezuelan oil sales, side-stepping the Constitutional issue of how the revenue is spent.

What Might Congress Do?

This week the Senate will vote on a War Powers bill to stop President Trump’s actions in Venezuela. It’s not expected to pass, and certainly not with enough votes to override the President’s veto. Democrats might also withhold votes on upcoming government funding bills, triggering another government shutdown at the end of the month, unless military funding is restricted or to extract other policy concessions around Venezuela and the sale of its oil.

Or Congress could pass legislation affirming the administration’s actions, instead.

What is Congress Likely to Do?

Nothing. It’s the safest choice politically. If you come out too strongly for or against and then public attitudes about the Administration’s actions go heavily one way or the other, it’ll cost votes. So the best thing to do politically is often nothing.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Venezuela and Congress – GovTrack.us

Pete Hegseth, No Boy Scout, Reportedly Wants to Put the “Boy” Back in Scouts – Vanity Fair

SCOUT’S DISHONOR

Pete Hegseth, No Boy Scout, Reportedly Wants to Put the “Boy” Back in Scouts

The Department of Defense won’t comment to VF on the possibly leaked “predecisional” documents, which would push Congress to cut ties with Scouting America

By Kase Wickman, November 25, 2025

Remember the good old days, when men were men and scouts were boys? US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth apparently does, and believes that, in fact, the sun set on those golden days in 2018, when the organization then known as Boy Scouts of America amended its rules to allow girls to join. Things got darker still on February 5, 2025, when the entity officially changed its name to Scouting America.

Hegseth is now reportedly prepared to order the government to cut all ties with the organization, ending a relationship that dates back more than a century.

NPR reported Tuesday that the outlet had received drafts of memos Hegseth intends to send to Congress mandating a severing of ties with Scouting America. Hegseth, who never participated in Boy Scouts, wrote in the draft that the organization now serves to “attack boy-friendly spaces,” accusing the group of being “genderless” and promoting “gender confusion.”

“The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys,” Hegseth reportedly wrote in a memo.

According to the Scouting America website, “The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”

Hegseth, however, reportedly believes that the group’s mission is to “cultivate masculine values,” per one memo, and that they are failing at it.

When contacted by Vanity Fair for comment, an official from the Department of Defense said, “The Department will not comment on leaked documents that we cannot authenticate and that may be predecisional.” Representatives for Scouting America did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s request for further comment.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Pete Hegseth, No Boy Scout, Reportedly Wants to Put the “Boy” Back in Scouts | Vanity Fair

#adolesecence #boy #boyScout #boyScoutsOfAmerica #departmentOfDefense #girls #growingUpMale #masculinity #meritBadges #nationalPublicRadio #npr #peteHegseth #presidentTheodoreRoosevelt #scoutingAmerica #scouts #teens #uSCongress #vanityFair #youngMen

Declaring War on Japan in 1941: Challenging Students to Explore Multiple Perspectives on a Presidential Speech to Congress – Library of Congress

Teaching with the Library Primary Sources & Ideas for Educators

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Declaring War on Japan in 1941: Challenging Students to Explore Multiple Perspectives on a Presidential Speech to Congress

September 29, 2025, Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Stacie Moats of the Library of Congress contributed to this article.

In the September 2025 issue of Social Education, the journal of the National Council for the Social Studies, our “Sources and Strategies” article features Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s speech to both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court on December 8, 1941. The article asks: How did the U.S. Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, influence the nation’s reaction to an event more than 150 years later? It introduces multiple sources reflecting the reactions of the president, Congress, and the American people to the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and invites students to consider how the founding document shaped the various responses.

One place to read President Roosevelt’s famous 1941 speech is in the Congressional Record (CR), Bound Edition, available from Congress.gov. The address narrates details of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and concludes with a call to action, asking “… that the Congress declare that, since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”

In addition to the speech, the Bound CR offers an almost play-by-play account of what happened in the House and Senate on December 8. Examining this record can help students learn about the specific response to the events of that historic day, the responsibilities of each branch of government, and the rules governing the work of the House and the Senate.

After the president’s address, each chamber reconvened and read joint resolutions declaring war on Japan per Roosevelt’s request, followed by statements and discussion on the floor, and then a vote in each chamber. Discussion in the Senate was brief and confined to one senator. Discussion on the floor of the House reflected the tone and direction of the final vote, with only one “No” vote against the resolution and against declaring war. Depending on the time available, assign or ask students to select one representative’s remarks, identifying the position taken and arguments presented. Before they begin, remind them that the Bound CR is a direct record of a historic event, reflects the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of a different time, and students may find the content offensive.

Even within Congress, students will notice multiple perspectives and may wonder if these congressional dialogues represented the conversations taking place across the nation. The article features a number of interviews from After the Day of Infamy: “Man-on-the-Street” Interviews Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor, including:

• Bloomington, Indiana, December 10, 1941, and
• Madison, Wisconsin, December 9, 1941.

Listening to these Americans express their thoughts can help students better understand the real-life political, economic, social, and emotional consequences of Congress invoking its constitutional power to declare war at the request of the president.

The article suggests that students seek additional perspectives through historical resources in the Library’s collections, including:

• Dear Mr. President,
• Chronicling America,
• Japanese-American Internment Camp Newspapers,
• Ansel Adams’ Photographs of Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar, and
• Veterans History Project.

Let us know what your students wonder and discover if you use any of these resources.

Continue/Read Original Article: https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2025/09/declaring-war-on-japan-in-1941-challenging-students-to-explore-multiple-perspectives-on-a-presidential-speech-to-congress/

#1941 #2025 #America #Blogs #Books #FranklinDelanoRoosevelt #History #Japan #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #PresidentialSpeech #Students #USCongress #UnitedStates

#HouseGOP Working to Push Through Bill That Would Let #Trump Shut Down #Nonprofits

#DemocracyNow, November 18, 2024

"On Capitol Hill, House #Republicans [and some #Democrats] are attempting once again to ram through #HR9495, a bill that would allow Trump and future presidents to effectively shut down nonprofits by labeling them a '#terrorist-supporting organization.' The measure could target #HumanitarianAid groups, #news outlets, #schools and countless #CivilSociety organizations. #Congress failed to fast-track the bill last week, falling short of a required two-thirds majority despite dozens of Democrats voting in favor along with Republicans. But the next vote, which could happen this week, would likely only require a simple majority.

"A coalition of groups said in a statement, 'This bill was designed to #criminalize organizations and #activists who oppose the U.S.'s unconditional support of #Israel's #genocide of #Palestinians and the slaughter of #LebaneseCivilians.' Signatories to the statement included the Council on American-Islamic Relations and #AmericanMuslimsForPalestine. #Oxfam criticized the bill, saying Trump could use it to silence and censor critics, curb free speech and target political opponents."

https://www.democracynow.org/2024/11/18/headlines/house_gop_working_to_push_through_bill_that_would_let_trump_shut_down_nonprofits

#StopHR9495 #USCongress #CrimininalizingDissent #FirstAmendment #WaterProtectors #Protestors #Activists #FreedomOfExpression #PressFreedom #USPolitics #SilencingDissent #FreePalestine #StudentProtestors #FreeSpeech #Clampdown #StopHR9495
#CharacteristicsOfFascism #Fascism
#Authoritarianism #ProjectEsther #Project2025 #NDAA #Authoritarianism

Johnson followed McCarthy in working with Democrats. Can he avoid his fate? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/26/mike-johnson-democrats-government-shutdown-mccarthy #HouseofRepresentatives #KevinMcCarthy #MikeJohnson #Republicans #USCongress #USpolitics #USnews