DMH

R18 Republican GP Spending

HOW IT WORKS One important aspect to remember is that this is something new and is bound to be subject for change and sometimes on the fly or even retcons. I would ask all of you to be patient when it comes to this and view it as the opportunity to try something new and to be vocal with constructive criticism and suggestions. You are not obligated to use your GPs if you choose not to. What it does: Basically, you receive bonuses or penalties on a number of things, as you advance through the tiers, or maybe even get knocked back if you screw up. Your placement in the Character Tier System (CTS) is subject to change upwards and downwards at the discretion of the Administrative Board, based on your actions. As you take part in the CTS, you also accumulate Groundwork Points (GPs) which you can use for a number of things at a certain cost. How to advance: Again, your placement in the tier is at the discretion of the Administrative Board, based on what you yourself are doing in-game. There is no set timeline for how fast you can advance and you may even be set back, if you screw up bad enough. What you can do in order to advance/improve your chances to advance is: Actively Legislate/Pass Legislation: This is a no brainer and is basically what you are doing right now anyway. Maintain a Active Profile Media Presence: I am talking about being active in your Press Office, doing interviews, writing editorials, doing tours throughout your states, giving speeches, the whole shebang. I will not be taking Twitter into account. Playing to Your Faction: This one is a bit tricky to navigate, but for example a progressive Democrat voting for concealed carrying laws will receive some bewildered looks and may hold you back, if you pull such stunts too often. Climbing Up the Leadership Ladder: Someone who holds a powerful position in Congress has a higher chance of being placed, well, higher. But it's not a given if to automatically advance to another tier if previous to your election, you have done jack nothing. Winning an Election: That one should be easy to grasp. You win an election, it boost your seniority and your chance to advance to the next tier. Spending GPs on Certain Actions: The more honorable way to improve your chances of moving up in the world of the CTS. Responding to "Events": From time to time, an "event" will pop up for you in your state. Be advised, that a) you will have to respond in a timely manner and b) that you do not have an automatic right to get such an event. They can be quick events (like writing a letter to a Government Department on behalf of a constituent), require you to acquire funds for a certain pork project or for example have you taking part in something happening in your state. The player will normally be notified of the event. Sometimes, a hint might be placed in a news story. If you miss it or do not react to it, the chance is lost. How to keep track: The Administrative Board will open a new subforum in the Character Activities Forum with an official list of Players with their respective Character Tier via Goggle Sheet. Players will post when they want to spend the GPs within their party's respective area, albeit the post will be hidden until deemed no longer necessary by the AB. The AB will maintain a separate master sheet that will track spending GPs. WHAT YOU CAN SPEND YOUR GPs ON Below are the actions you can "purchase" with your GPs. Please be advised, that some of the effects mentioned are general guidelines and not set in stone. They are simply meant to give you a feeling if what you are doing has a chance of having an effect. It is also not meant for you to be able to do everything all the time with your GPs, they are a resource to be budgeted and not political mana without end. You can receive GPs throughout the IG year at the discretion of the AB. Player Options: Introduce State Legislation: The way it works is that you tell the Administrative Board, that you want your homestate to consider xyz legislation. You give a rough outline of what the bill should do (for example "right to work legislation" or "a bill which strips all inmates of their right to get fed every day") and post it in your party GP spending location. Introducing the legislation has nothing to do with the bill being passed. It only means that it will be considered. Chances of passage are of course based on the content, the "nature" of the state party (aka dominant faction) and other things. Be warned, though, that a player whose party does not control a trifecta in his homestate will sometimes have a very tough time having the legislation being successfully considered. GPs COST HOMESTATE 2 3/3 Control 4 2/3 Control 6 1/3 or 0/3 Control NOT-HOMESTATE 3 3/3 Control 7 2/3 Control 9 1/3 or 0/3 Control Improve Outcome of State Legislation: You will be able to boost the chances of state legislation you introduced. The less control your party holds, the less likely it is that your bill will pass. Do note, though, that also PRs and in-character rallies in support of state legislation will contribute to the chances of the outcome of state legislation, too. GPs COST HOMESTATE 3 3/3 Control 6 2/3 Control 9 1/3 or 0/3 Control NOT-HOMESTATE 6 3/3 Control 10 2/3 Control 14 1/3 or 0/3 Control Impair Outcome of State Legislation: When a state considers new legislation being bought with GPs, the Administrative Board will state so in a short news blip. Players now have an opportunity to impair the outcome via PRs, in-character rallies/events or by spending GPs. GPs COST HOMESTATE 3 3/3 Control 6 2/3 Control 9 1/3 or 0/3 Control NOT-HOMESTATE 6 3/3 Control 10 2/3 Control 14 1/3 or 0/3 Control Introduce Statewide Referendum: The way it works is that you tell the Administrative Board, that you want your homestate to consider xyz referendum. You give a rough outline of what the referendum should do (for example "reproductive rights referendum" or "parental rights proposition") and post it in your party GP spending location. Introducing the referendum has nothing to do with the refendum being passed. It only means that it will be considered. Chances of passage are of course based on the content, the "nature" of the state (aka dominant party) and other things. Be warned, though, that a player whose party does not control a trifecta in their homestate will sometimes have a very tough time having the referendum being successfully considered. Referendums, if implemented strategically, can increase turnout for a particular faction in statewide races and can potentially even shape electoral outcomes. GPs COST HOMESTATE 8 3/3 Control 10 2/3 Control 12 1/3 or 0/3 Control NOT-HOMESTATE 10 3/3 Control 12 2/3 Control 14 1/3 or 0/3 Control Boost State Faction Influence: Players may choose to spend GPs on influencing their state in favor of their faction. It is worth noting that this is geared towards influencing the faction affiliation of the state legislature, representatives, and gubernatorial candidates aligned with the party of the player. GPs COST HOMESTATE 4 Small Boost 7 Medium Boost 9 High Boost NOT-HOMESTATE 6 Small Boost 9 Medium Boost 12 High Boost Advance Character Tier: You can pay GPs to de-facto advance a character tier. GP COST TO ADVANCE TO 25 Tier I 30 Tier II 60 Tier III 75 Tier IV THE CHARACTER TIERS Below are the Character Tiers. Be advised, that most players will propably spend most of their time in Tiers II and III. I is where most players will probably fall within, whereas Tier 0 and Tier IV are tough to reach. Your character tier will correspond to more IVS/XP. TIER 0: "THE PARIAH" (10 GPs/y) You are the pariah of your state and your state's party. Basically, your own voters would prefer you taking a long walk off a short pier, never to be seen again. People expect less than nothing from you. As a result, your approval rating is penalized, your have lower background fundraising, and fewer GPs to spend. Oh, and you receive a penalty for your starting polling in an election. The upside to all of this is, that you can't fall any lower and have nowhere to go but up. TIER I: "THE PEASANT" (15 GPs/y) So you are a United States Senator. Congratulations. Problem is, that people don't know you. Voters might vaguely remember that they checked the ballot for someone with your name but wouldn't remember you if you shook their hands ten minutes ago. As a result, you get no approval rating bonus and your background fundraising and GP are nothing much to talk about. You have to work the state to get noticed, so get going. TIER II: "THE COUNT" (25 GPs/y) You seem to have acquired the hint of a power base in your state. At least people will remember that you successfully ran for the United States Senate and that you propably are in Washington D.C., hopefully doing your job. As a result, you get no approval rating bonus, your background fundraising is at the baseline, and your GP is adequate. You are on the right track, but still have a long way to go. TIER III: "THE DUKE" (35 GPs/y) You are recognized and noticed in your state. The work you're doing is appreciated and people generally like what you're doing. As a result, you receive a slight approval rating bonus, your background fundraising is higher, and you receive a larger GP set. There even is a small boost to your starting poll in a state election. This is where you are usually sitting at, at the peak of your power. TIER IV: "THE GOD-KING" (40 GPs/y) You are not only a force to be reckoned with, you are THE force in your state. Where you walk, the earth crumbles and the mighty tremble, as you gracefully beckon them to approach your ivory throne. As a result, you receive a worthy approval rating bonus, your background fundraising is significantly higher, and you receive a hefty GP set. At the beginning of an election, you receive a boost in your starting poll. Be careful, though, for the mighty can fall quite low and a major misstep could have catastrophic consequences not only, for you, but for your state party as well. TIER VP: "VPOTUS" (35 GPs/y) This tier is reserved for the player serving as Vice President of the United States. They will be able to engage in the character tier system through this reserved tier that allows them to the ability to operate within the system if they choose to do so. They will received a larger GP set to accommodate the prestige that comes with the Office of the Vice Presidency. Their home state advantage will correspond to the state their character is from. TIER P: "POTUS" (45 GPs/y) This tier is reserved for the player serving as President of the United States. They will be able to engage in the character tier system through this reserved tier that allows them to the ability to operate within the system if they choose to do so. They will received a hefty GP set to accommodate the prestige that comes with the Office of the Presidency. Their home state advantage will correspond to the state their character is from. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS A running tally of frequently asked questions for quick reference and clarifications. "Will GPs carry over to the next year": Yes. "How often are GPs awarded automatically in a IG year": The start of Quarter 1 and Quarter 3. "Can GPs be transferred to other players or the party": No. "How many pieces of legislation can I propose per quarter": A maximum of twice per Quarter. "How often can I influence state faction influence": A maximum of twice per IG year. "How many referendum can I propose in an IG year": Twice per IG year.

Sign-ins are open! We providing two links below: one is for POTUS mini-game rules leading into the 2016 primary race. The AB will be carrying over the rules from the last round, courtesy of the magnificent @Ollie. Thank you Ollie. The other is the POTUS Registration. If you have questions, use the ⁠technical-requests forum to keep it all consolidated in one place.

2016 Presidential Election Mini-Game Rules Welcome to the 2016 Presidential election mini-game! This will be a simple system with one turn where you may spend Action Points (AP) to perform different actions leading up to January 1st, 2016. Think of this as groundwork for beginning the true campaign and leading up to the first three primaries/caucuses. There will be one turn in this mini-game and the full calendar is posted above on the forum header. You will post a thread in this forum to submit your turns; all turn submissions will remain private. REMINDER: 2016 is 2016. 2016 is a different world from 2024. The AB will judge rounds accordingly. The AB will also be assuming BOTH parties are starting with Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. Action Points Every contender will have 30 action points to begin each turn. Any unspent action points do not roll over to the next turn. You may spend action points in any of the following areas below to complete your turn. Fundraising Fundraising is one of the key barometers for candidates strength and how well they'll likely do in the election. This is because money is required for key campaign infrastructure (staff, offices, travel, etc.) along with advertisements. There are three options for spending AP on fundraising. You may only pick one each round. Example Submission Galas (4 AP) Target: Defense Industry Focus: I support committing further funding for the F-35 Lightning II, doubling production. And we will expand our defense support of our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and across Europe. Light Fundraising (4 AP) Light fundraising includes emails, putting together a donor list for the future, and soliciting donations other ways through your campaign website. This is the bare minimum for raising funds prior to a campaign launch. For emails, you'll want to target more generally (e.g., grassroots donors, progressive democrats, MAGA Republicans, etc.) Galas, High End Events (8 AP) Galas and high end events, along with regular emailing/website solicitations, will be held. For this option, you're going to want to target more specifically than you would for emails. (e.g., telecommunications, oil industry, unions, etc.) Maximum Fundraising (16 AP) This is the maximum amount of fundraising you can do in a turn. This means all hands on deck with emailing, galas, soliciting donations through your website, and making phone calls for large donations. You can choose how you wish to target here for max impact from your chosen donor base. Courting Endorsements and Mega Donors Endorsements play an important role in every primary. There is a reason Democratic candidates meet with The New York Times every four years or Republican candidates seek out endorsements from some of the largest donors in their circles. With that said, every endorsement request will cost (4 AP) and must include 1-2 sentences on why you think that person/organization/newspaper should support your campaign for President. Keep in mind, however, you may attempt to court an endorsement from anyone. News Media The media plays a big role in visibility for candidates, improving name recognition, and making headlines. There are three options for attempting to gain more recognition for your campaign, explaining your policy ideas, and hitting home your talking points. This is similar to the known Spin Zone, tailored for the campaign system. Standard Cable Hit (2 AP) This is a standard short interview on one of the major paid-television networks (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc.) where you'll use the time to talk about the key themes you intend to hit on your campaign. You're limited to 2-3 talking points here. This will cost x AP. Spreading the Message (4 AP) This is similar to the standard cable hit, except that you'll also have allies/staffers going across to other networks spreading your talking points/themes as well. Full Court Press (12 AP) Your team will put forward a full court press to spread your talking points/themes. They'll book you on popular podcasts, cable news, late night talk shows, or wherever else you might wish to go. This is the max you can spend in order to increase your name recognition and get your talking points out in the world. On the Attack Do you see another candidate as a threat and want to knock them down a peg? See a vulnerability in their record, their policy positions? Then let the media know, plant the story, and go on the attack. You can leak a story in the media or have surrogates of your own go on the attack against the candidate in the press. This will cost (8 AP). Example Submission On the Attack (x AP) Senator Jacob Olliver (R-CA) vetoed legislation that would have expanded gun rights during her time as Governor. Caroline Jefferson clearly doesn't care about voters second amendment rights. Barnstorming Do you want to barnstorm a certain early primary state to spread your key themes, tailor them to the state you're visiting, while shaking hands and kissing babies? Here's your chance. You can visit any of the primary states you wish (see the calendar, here) and use any of your themes/talking points you wish. This will cost (2 AP) for every location you visit. Example Submission Locations IA: Des Moines (2AP), Iowa City (2AP), Ames (2AP) NH: Concord (2AP) Targets: Young Voters, Rural Voters - Jacob Olliver is the best candidate in this race because he has promised, on day one, to push Congress to forgive $40,000 in student loans, lifting the financial burden on millions of American's. - Jacob Olliver cares about rural infrastructure and will invest $100 billion into healthcare, education, and road infrastructure for rural areas across Iowa in desperate need of it. Example Turn Below is an example of what a turn submission might look like. Keep in mind, this is just an example, and likely shouldn't be used for any true submission. Results How you spend your time in this mini-game, ultimately, will help determine your standing in pre-polls prior to the initial three primaries/caucuses, along with how the media views you. If you spent all your time barnstorming in Iowa, you may have an advantage there, but your opponent may have spent a lot more time fundraising giving them an upperhand for their warchest, and vice versa.

VGS R18 Election Announcements

State of the States (2017 - Present) Alabama Governor: Robert Bentley (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Alaska Governor: Bill Walker (I) Legislature - (R)/(R) Arizona Governor: Doug Ducey (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Arkansas Governor: Asa Hutchinson (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) California Governor: Jerry Brown (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Colorado Governor: John Hickenlooper (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Connecticut Governor: Dannel Malloy (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Delaware Governor: Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Florida Governor: Rick Scott (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Georgia Governor: Nathan Deal (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Hawaii Governor: David Ige (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Idaho Governor: Butch Otter (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Illinois Governor: Bruce Rauner (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) Indiana Governor: John Gregg (D) Legislature - (R)/(R) Iowa Governor: Terry Branstad (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Kansas Governor: Sam Brownback (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Kentucky Governor: Matt Bevin (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Louisiana Governor: John Bel Edwards (D) Legislature - (R)/(R) Maine Governor: Paul LePage (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) Maryland Governor: Larry Hogan (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) Massachusetts Governor: Charlie Baker (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) Michigan Governor: Rick Snyder (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Minnesota Governor: Mark Dayton (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Mississippi Governor: Phil Bryant (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Missouri Governor: Catherine Hanaway (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Montana Governor: Steve Bullock (D) Legislature - (R)/(R) Nebraska Governor: Pete Ricketts (R) Legislature - (R) Nevada Governor: Brian Sandoval (R) Legislature - (R)/(D) New Hampshire Governor: Chris Sununu (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) New Jersey Governor: Chris Christie (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) New Mexico Governor: Susana Martinez (R) Legislature - (D)/(D) New York Governor: Andrew Cuomo (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) North Carolina Governor: Pat McCrory (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) North Dakota Governor: Wayne Stenehjem (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Ohio Governor: John Kasich (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Oklahoma Governor: Mary Fallin (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Oregon Governor: Kate Brown (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Pennsylvania Governor: Tom Wolf (D) Legislature - (R)/(R) Rhode Island Governor: Gina Raimondo (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) South Carolina Governor: Henry McMaster (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) South Dakota Governor: Dennis Daugaard (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Tennessee Governor: Bill Haslam (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Texas Governor: Greg Abbott (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Utah Governor: Gary Herbert (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Vermont Governor: Peter Welch (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) Virginia Governor: Terry McAuliffe (D) Legislature - (R)/(R) Washington Governor: Jay Inslee (D) Legislature - (D)/(D) West Virginia Governor: Jim Justice (D) Legislature - (R)/(R) Wisconsin Governor: Scott Walker (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Wyoming Governor: Matt Mead (R) Legislature - (R)/(R) Major U.S. Cities (2017 - Present) Washington D.C. Mayor: Muriel Bowser (D) New York City (NY) Mayor: Bill de Blasio (D) Los Angeles (CA) Mayor: Eric Garcetti (D) Chicago (IL) Mayor: Rahm Emanuel (D) Houston (TX) Mayor: Amanda Edwards (D) Atlanta (GA) Mayor: Kasim Reed (D) Phoenix (AZ) Mayor: Greg Stanton (D) Philadelphia (PA) Mayor: Jim Kenney (D) San Antonio (TX) Mayor: Ivy Taylor (D) San Diego (CA) Mayor: Kevin Faulconer (R) Dallas (TX) Mayor: Mike Rawlings (D) Jacksonville (FL) Mayor: Lenny Curry (R) San Francisco (CA) Mayor: Ed Lee (D)

VGS R18 CHARACTER CREATION STATION The character creation system is devised to help players come up with realistic, competitive biographies. As always, you may elaborate with a detailed biography after providing the requested information. Each person gets 100 points as a baseline. Please calculate your biography's points and list them in your sign-in post. Name: Choose a name. Seat: Choose your Senate seat based off of the Senate Roster Party: Be a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent caucusing with either of them as long as it matches your seat. (If you wish to play an Independent that does not currently hold the seat please contact the AB.) Avatar: Your avatar, of course, is a real person. Let us know who that person is so that the AB knows who you are when we're writing articles. As we have entered the AI age, AI creations are also accepted so long as they are realistic. Major Caucus: Choose your major based on your character's beliefs. (One character can only be a member of one major caucus) Democratic Blue Dog Coalition - Tale as old as time, Blue Dogs are the moderate Democrats that promote strong defense, fiscal responsibility, and finding bipartisan consensus. (examples: Joe Manchin, Henry Cuellar, Steve Bullock) New Democrats - The bridge between the Blue Dogs and Progressives, the New Democrats were brought to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s thanks to figures like Gary Hart, Bob Kerrey, and Bill Clinton. Liberal on domestic, social, and economic policy, though averse to the extremes of the progressive left. (examples: Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris) Progressive Democrats - The most left leaning Democrats, views here can range from progressive to outright socialist on economic, and generally dovish on foreign policy. Generally, more distrustful of the GOP and working with them than the other two Democratic caucuses. (examples: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Russ Feingold) Republican Mainstreet Partnership - The present and still effective center to center-right faction of the Republican Party. Where the mavericks and dealmakers live. Socially moderate, economically center-right, strong on national defense. (examples: John Kasich, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski) Study Committee - The bridge between the moderates and hardcore conservatives. Filled with Reaganites, Compassionate Conservatives, and party-line supporters, among others. (examples: Steve Scalise, John Thune, Marco Rubio) Freedom Caucus - The most conservative wing of the Republican Party, the Freedom Caucus has become the home of Tea Partiers, right-wing Libertarians, and a burgeoning conservative populist movement.(examples: Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Donald Trump) GENDER: Male: 0 Points Female: 5 Points Non-Binary/Transgender: 70 Points (40 Points for Democrats) AGE: 39 years or younger: 20 Points 40-44 years old: 10 Points 45-49 years old: 5 Points 50-65 years old: 0 Points 66-70: -5 Points 71-75: -10 Points 75 or older: -15 Points SEXUALITY: Straight, married with < 3 children: -5 Points Straight, married with > 3 children: 0 Points Straight, unmarried, no children: 5 Points Straight, unmarried, with children: 15 Points for Republicans, 10 Points for Democrats Straight, divorced, with or without children: 15 Points Openly Homosexual: 40 Points for Republicans, 25 Points for Democrats RACE/ANCESTRY: White/Caucasian: 0 Points Black: 15 Points for Republicans, 5 Points for Democrats Hispanic/Latino: 10 Points for Republicans (5 if Cuban), 5 Points for Democrats Sephardic/Ashkenazi/Mizrahi: 10 Points Asian/Pacific Islander: 10 Points for Republicans, 5 Points for Democrats (0 points for Pacific Islander in HI) Arab: 25 Points for Republicans, 10 Points for Democrats RELIGION: Evangelical or Mainline Protestant: 0 Points Roman Catholic: 0 Points Jewish: 5 Points Mormon: 15 Points (0 points in UT, ID, WY, AZ) Greek or Russian Orthodox: 15 Points Jehovah's Witness or Other Christians: 20 Points Atheist: 25 Points for Republicans, 15 Points for Democrats Muslim: 30 Points for Republicans 25 Points for Democrats Buddhist: 20 Points for Republicans, 10 Points for Democrats Hindu: 25 Points for Republicans, 20 Points for Democrats Other Religion: 35 Points EDUCATIONAL HISTORY: No College Degree: 5 points College Degree at Public University: 0 Points College Degree at Private University (non-Ivy level) or Public Ivy: 5 Points College Degree at Top University: 10 Points Master's Degree (incl. JD): 10 Points (add 5 for Private University, 10 for Top) Doctoral Degree: 15 Points (add 5 for Private University, 10 for Top) Click on Spoiler below for University lists. SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY: Super-Rich (Top 1%): 5 Points Top 5%: -10 points Upper Class: -5 points Middle Class: 0 points Working Class: 10 points Child of Immigrant: 15 points Immigrant: 20 points CAREER HISTORY: Appointed Judge: 15 points (You must have at least 15 years experience as a lawyer first) Activist: 10 points Artist: 10 points Astronaut: 25 points Athlete: 15 points Blue-collar management: 15 points Blue-collar worker: 10 points Business Associate: 10 points Business Executive: 20 points CEO: 30 points (no Fortune 500 companies) Doctor: 10 points Emergency Services: 15 points Entrepreneur/Business Founder: 30 points Foreign Service: 20 points Ivy League Professor: 30 points (Must hold Doctoral Degree) Lawyer: 10 points (To start your own firm, add 5 points) Police Officer: 5 points Police Captain: 10 points State trooper: 10 points Enlisted Military: 0 Points Commissioned Officer (O-1 to O-5): 10 Points Non-Commissioned Officers (E-5 and above): 5 Points Senior Commissioned Officer (O-5 or O-6: 20 Points General/Flag Officer (O-7+): 40 points Nurse: 5 points (10 if male) Pilot: 5 points Local Political Staffer: 1 points State Political Staffer: 5 points Federal Political Staffer: 10 points Print Journalist: 5 points Private School Administration: 15 points Private School Professor: 15 points (Must hold Doctoral Degree) Private School Subject Teacher: 15 points Public School Administration: 15 points Public School Professor: 10 points (Must hold Doctoral Degree) Public School Subject Teacher: 15 points Radio Host: 10 points Religious Ministry: 20 points Social Worker: 5 points (10 if Republican) Spouse of Famous Person: 30 Points (must receive AB approval first) Teacher working with Disadvantaged Students: 30 points Television Host: 15 points To become well-known in your field, double your points. If your chosen career is not listed here, please contact an admin. AWARDS AND EXTRAS: Published an academic book (for Professors only): 10 points Published a book: 10 points Major cultural award: 15 points Major academic award: 25 points Major military award, Non Medal of Honor (must have Military career): 10 points Medal of Honor (must have Military career): 25 points Related to a Famous Politician or Person: 20 Points (must receive AB approval first) POLITICAL EXPERIENCE HISTORY: NOTE: Should you hold any prior political experience, you will in general inherit the legislative record - but not the personal record - of the RL person you are replacing. If you are replacing a partisan official (i.e. Governor, U.S. House Member, U.S. Senator), you must match the party of that officeholder for the period that they were in office (i.e., if you were Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003-2011, you would be replacing Ed Rendell and therefore must be a Democrat). Senate Terms: 5 points (Not counting your current term) Senate Subcommittee Chair/RM: 3 points per Congress (you must have served at least 1 term in the Senate before assuming this role) Senate Committee Chair/RM: 5 points per Congress (you must have served at least 2 terms in the Senate and 3 Congresses as a Subcommittee Chair/RM before assuming this role) House of Representatives Terms: 3 points (not counting your current term) House of Representatives Subcommittee Chair/RM: 2 point per Congress House of Representatives Committee Chair/RM: 4 points per Congress (you must have served at least 5 terms in the House and 2 Congresses as a Subcommittee Chair/RM before assuming this role) State Legislature Term: 2 points for upper house, 1 point for lower house State Supreme Court: 5 points per term State Row Office (excl. Lt. Gov.): 5 points per term Lieutenant Governor: 8 points per term Governor: 20 points per term Cabinet: 20 points per Presidential term Sub-Cabinet: 10 points per Presidential term City Council (population <50,000): 1 point per term City Council (population >50,000): 2 points per term City Council (population >100,000): 3 points per term Mayor (population <50,000): 2 points per term Mayor (population >50,000): 3 points per term Mayor (population >100,000): 5 points per term Mayor (population >250,000): 10 points per term Local Judge: 2 points per term KEY VOTES: Each Congress that you were a US Senator or a US Congressman you must list how you voted on the Key votes listed by congress on the next post. For 5 points per vote you can add another key vote that goes against how your party or your character in general voted on a bill as long as it does not break the following rules: 1) The vote was not on a unanimous by your party (ie no votes the other way abstentions do not count) 2) Your key vote will not change the results of the vote. Buying a key-vote outlines to the AB and other Players that your vote came with the leg work from either your character, opposition party, or the media to make sure that the vote is remembered, and there for subsequent campaigning on it will be more a position where the media and people remember how you voted. Key votes: While votes that are older matter less, for being campaigned against, going to far liberal or conservative for your state based on the votes can hurt your ARs even today. Only listed back to the 96th Congress if you served before that please message an admin to get Key votes. 96th Congress 1979-1981 Both: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 97th Congress 1981-1983 Both: Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 98th Congress 1983-1985 (Republicans who want to oppose this bill should say they voted nay on the house version and abstained on the final vote.) Both: Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act of 1983 99th Congress 1985-1987 Republicans: Tax Reform Act of 1986 Democrats: Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 100th Congress 1987-1989: Republicans: Civil Liberties Act of 1988 Democrats: McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act 101th Congress 1989-1991: Republicans: Civil Rights Act of 1990 Democrats: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 102th Congress 1991-1993: (This is a really boring congress, have an easy one) Both: Former Soviet Union Demilitarization Act of 1992 103th Congress 1993-1995: Both: North American Free Trade Agreement 104th Congress 1995-1997: Republicans: Helms–Burton Act Democrats: Defense of Marriage Act 105th Congress 1997-1999: Republicans: Balanced Budget Act of 199 Democrats: Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 106th Congress 1999-2001: Republicans: Legal Immigration Family Equity Act Democrats: Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act 107th Congress 2001-2003: Republicans: Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Democrats: Homeland Security Act of 2002 108th Congress 2003-2005: Republicans: Intelligence_Reform_and_Terrorism_Prevention_Act Democrats: Unborn Victims of Violence Act 109th Congress 2005-2007: Republicans: Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement Democrats: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act 110th Congress 2007-2009 Republicans: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 976) Democrats: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 111th Congress 2009-2011 Republicans: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 Democrats: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 112th Congress 2011-2013 Republicans: American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 Democrats: United States–Colombia Free Trade Agreement 113th Congress 2013-2015 Both: Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Both: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 114th Congress 2015-2017 Both: Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015

VGS R18 GAME ROSTER (2017 - Present) Executive Leadership of the United States President of the United States: Xiomara de la Cruz (D-TX) Vice President of the United States: Doug Murphy (D-WI) Federal Party Leadership DNC Chairman: Heather James (D-WA) DNC Vice-Chairman: TBD DSCC Chairman: TBD DCCC Chairman: Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) DGA Chairman: John Bel Edwards (D-LA) RNC Chairman: Charles Walker (R-CA) RNC Vice-Chairman: TBD NRSC Chairman: TBD NRCC Chairman: Roger Williams (R-TX) RGA Chair: TBD U.S. House of Representatives (232 R - 202 D) Speaker of the House: Paul Ryan (R-WI) House Majority Leader: Jim Jordan (R-OH) House Majority Whip: Steve Scalise (R-LA) Republican Conference Chair: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) House Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) House Minority Whip: Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Democratic Conference Chair: Joe Crowley (D-NY) U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice: John Roberts Associate Justice: Anthony Kennedy Associate Justice: Clarence Thomas Associate Justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Associate Justice: Stephen Breyer Associate Justice: Samuel Alito Associate Justice: Sonia Sotomayor Associate Justice: Elena Kagan Associate Justice: VACANT U.S. Senate (50 D - 49 R) Senate Majority Leader: Alex Fakhouri (D-MI) Senate Majority Whip: Diego Everhart (D-PA) President Pro Tempore: John Carlsen (D-IN) Senate Minority Leader: Cliff Fleming (R-AL) Senate Minority Whip: Kyle Van Horn (R-KY) Alabama 2. Clifford Fleming (R) 3. Richard Shelby (R) Alaska 2. Dan Sullivan (R) 3. Lisa Murkowski (R) Arizona 1. Jeff Flake (R) 3. John McCain (R) Arkansas 2. Tom Cotton (R) 3. John Boozman (R) California 1. Camilo deSonido (I/D) 3. Kamala Harris (D) Colorado 2. George Kuykendall (R) 3. Michael Bennet (D) Connecticut 1. Chris Murphy (D) 3. Richard Blumenthal (D) Delaware 1. Tom Carper (D) 2. Chris Coons (D) Florida 1. Bill Nelson (D) 3. Kathy Castor (D) Georgia 2. Barak Mofaz (R) 3. Johnny Isakson (R) Hawaii 1. Mazie Hirono (D) 3. Brian Schatz (D) Idaho 2. Jim Risch (R) 3. Anne Marie Morello (R) Illinois 2. Edgar Villanueva (D) 3. Dan Lipinski (D) Indiana 1. John Carlsen (D) 3. John Miller (R) Iowa 2. Joni Ernst (R) 3. James Cambridge (R) Kansas 2. Pat Roberts (R) 3. Jerry Moran (R) Kentucky 2. William Whitaker (R) 3. Kyle Van Horn (R) Louisiana 2. Douglas Butcher (R) 3. Ronald Renault (R) Maine 1. Angus King (I-D) 2. Susan Collins (R) Maryland 1. Ben Cardin (D) 3. Nolan A. Stokes (D) Massachusetts 1. Elizabeth Warren (D) 2. Nathan Cohen (D) Michigan 1. Malcolm Tucker (D) 2. Alex Fakhouri (D) Minnesota 1. Amy Klobuchar (D) 2. Al Franken (D) Mississippi 1. Roger Wicker (R) 2. Thad Cochran (R) Missouri 1. Andrew Clarke (D) 3. Jason Kander (D) Montana 1. Jon Tester (D) 2. Steve Daines (R) Nebraska 1. Diane Delorean (R) 2. David Rollins (R) Nevada 1. Dean Heller (R) 3. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) New Hampshire 2. Jeanne Shaheen (D) 3. Maggie Hassan (D) New Jersey 1. Bob Menendez (D) 2. Cory Booker (D) New Mexico 1. Martin Heinrich (D) 2. Tom Udall (D) New York 1. Kirsten Gilibrand (D) 3. Chuck Schumer (D) North Carolina 2. Beau Goodwin (R) 3. Richard Burr (R) North Dakota 1. Heidi Heitkamp (D-NPL) 3. John Hoeven (R) Ohio 1. Paulina Richards (D) 3. William Croft (R) Oklahoma 2. Jim Inhofe (R) 3. James Lankford (R) Oregon 2. Jeff Merkley (D) 3. Ron Wyden (D) Pennsylvania 1. Diego Everhart (D) 3. Pat Toomey (R) Rhode Island 1. Sheldon Whitehouse (D) 2. Jack Reed (D) South Carolina 2. Gary Freeman (R) 3. Nikki Haley (R) South Dakota 2. Mike Rounds (R) 3. John Thune (R) Tennessee 1. Bob Corker (R) 2. Linda Lawler (R) Texas 1. Tom Donelson (R) 2. Benjamin R. Pinnacle (R) Utah 1. Orrin Hatch (R) 3. Mike Lee (R) Vermont 1. Bernie Sanders (I-D) 3. Patrick Leahy (D) Virginia 1. Katrina Valdez (D) 2. Dylan Macmillan (D) Washington 1. Heather James (D) 3. Anney Iyal (D) West Virginia 1. Joe Manchin (D) 2. Shelley Moore Capito (R) Wisconsin 1. VACANT 3. Russ Feingold (D) Wyoming 1. John Barrasso (R) 2. Mike Enzi (R)

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Inside Politics with Manu Raju (CNN) Reason: Debt Limit Extension Action "The relative crickets from Republicans on the incoming debt ceiling expiration is simply astounding. We've heard them bloviate time and time again about fiscal responsibility, the same phrase they chuck out the window anytime they get an inch of power, but have thus far heard little to nothing. It's shocking that something of such magnitude to the global economy has yielded a collective shrug from that side of the aisle." "You're on the frontlines of reporting in Congress Manu, you've seen the apparent antics of House Republicans. You can take House Republicans out of the leadership but you can't take the chaos out of the Chaos Caucus. Don't get me started on the Main Streeters, the purported moderates, potentially proposing a more extreme expiration of the end of this year compared to the Study Committee changing the date to next year! What you have is a House Republican Conference that is simply playing politics with the global economy, with little explanation, and Senate Republicans and the White House staying quiet." "Democrats have led on the debt ceiling because we all witnessed the shenanigans Republicans pulled in 2023 with President Biden. Republicans waffled and wavered at every opportunity, constantly moving the goal posts, with little direction beyond inflicting political damage. All that got them was a dethroned Speaker and weeks of indecision. A default on the debt would be catastrophic for the global economy and devastating for the lives of all Americans. I genuinely mean all Americans." "I have confidence that the Debt Ceiling Limit Extension Act of 2025 will pass swiftly through the House and I remain hopeful that the few moderate Republicans that remain who have a genuine interest in protecting our economy. The extension to 2027 allows for Congress to focus on the issues that matter to Americans without the ticking time bomb in the corner. Republicans can say whatever they want but it is beyond clear: the Debt Ceiling Limit Extension Act of 2025 is the compromise proposal. We need an extension on the President's desk and this bill does just that. The time is now to get it over the line and put our economy and the American People at ease knowing a global economic crisis is not imminent. The stakes are simply that high Manu."

PR #15 - Senator Kamaka Honors Late-Senator Daniel Inouye With Respiratory Disease Legislation - Q3, 2025 Honolulu, HI - Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) unveiled new legislation at a civic event at Honolulu Hele, the city hall of Honolulu, aimed at honoring the late-Daniel Inouye (D-HI) by providing funding towards treatment and research in the realm of respiratory disease. Daniel Inouye died at the age of 88 as the result of a bout of respiratory disease. The Daniel Inouye Respiratory Disease Resistance Act would provide funding for training of medical personnel, equipment procurement, research and development, and the establishment of the Daniel Inouye Respiratory Disease Institute in Honolulu, HI. The legislation will allocate $80,000,000 each year from fiscal year 2026 to 2030. "Daniel Inouye was a titan of Hawaiian politics and he was a titan of American politics. A trailblazer in every sense of the word, I believe we can honor his legacy by providing critical research into the respiratory-related issues that led to his death. Thousands of Americans die each year as the result of respiratory disease and the Daniel Inouye Respiratory Disease Resistance Act provides critical funding into training, equipment, research and development, and the establishment of the Daniel Inouye Respiratory Disease Institute right here in Honolulu. We can combat respiratory disease in the United States and we can provide aid and comfort to the thousands of Americans and their families who have loved ones suffering. America can be a leader in medical breakthroughs, as we always have been, and this priority is near and dear to my heart. Ohana is a universal value here in Hawaii and I believe this familial care for our fellow man and woman is one shared nationwide."

PR #14 - Senator Kamaka Pans PROSPER Act and Champions MSI/HBCU Empowerment on CNN - Q2, 2025 Washington D.C. - Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) joined The Lead with Jake Tapper on CNN to discuss the problems with the White House's PROSPER Act and championed the MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act she and other members of the Senate Progressive Caucus have sponsored. Much of the opposition centered on the profiteering military corporations like the Ross Group would achieve through the PROSPER Act along with changes to the tax code that will facilitate that profiteering off the backs of working Americans. Senator Kamaka also expressed frustration over the constant flip-flopping of Republicans at every level of government and called them out for misleading voters about where they stand on issues from a pathway to citizenship, expanded Medicare, and various other issues. "Talk about a doozy of a bill Jake. The PROSPER Act, proposed by this White House, does little to cultivate prosperity beyond the profit margin of the Ross Group and other corporations within the military industrial complex. Let's pretend for a moment that this bill isn't just a Frankenstein monster of different issues, and take it at face value. Eliminating the Child Tax Credit alone and replacing it with a system that would let someone making over $200,000 qualify for the same need as someone making $10,000 a year is simply bad governance. Increasing taxes on working families through gimmicks like removing head of household filing just to fill the coffers of military industrial corporations is par for the course for this administration. The PROSPER Act is the perfect bait and switch on working families, taking their hard earned money and giving it to corporations like the Ross Group." "I seem to recall Republicans as late as 2024 calling efforts to expand vision, hearing, and dental pure socialism. Not only has the White House reversed course, they've embraced the exact policy the Biden Administration attempted to push for before being stymied by, and you guessed it, Republicans! Vice President McKnight and Congressional Republicans can deny reality until they're blue in the face but let's give credit where credit is due, to the previous administration and Congressional Democrats. I'm glad to see Republicans finally see the need to expand Medicare coverage." "The White House has proven once again that they are not serious about governing. This is why Congressional Democrats have sent a formal letter to Congressional Republican Leadership to sit down and hammer out Medicare Part A solvency, affordable housing reform, and other pressing issues facing the American People. It's why Democrats have put forward a clean debt limit extension. We are in the business of getting things done for the American People. Unlike Republicans, we have been consistent to our values from day one. You don't get surprises from us on where we stand." "Across the board, we are seeing Republicans in the White House and in Congress have sudden epiphanies on virtually every major proposal put forward by the Biden Administration and adopting them as their own. A familiar pattern seems to be emerging where Republicans campaign vehemently against Biden, against Casanova-Davis, and against Democrats in elections and those same Republicans turn around and back the very same proposals they claim they detest. That isn't a change of heart, it's flip-flopping and it's no doubt disingenuous to voters. Expanding medicare, free community college, sick leave for rail workers, funding HBCUs and MSIs, a pathway to citizenship through the immigration deal, and the list goes on. We welcome the support for policies we've supported for decades but I question why the sudden change of heart from as late as last year." "Speaking on HBCUs and MSIs, I was glad to join my colleagues Senator Sharpe, Senator deSonido, and Congressman Frisch in Pueblo earlier today to unveil the MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act aimed at empowering those institutions through investment, community engagement, and essential repairs. This bill strengthens institutions, like my alma mater Hawaii Pacific University and CSU Pueblo that we spoke at, in ways they previously have not been. With newfound Republican support for HBCU and MSI funding, I look forward to seeing wide support in the near future. I also prefer HBCU and MSI funding not be attached to a payday for the military industrial complex as it currently is through the PROSPER Act."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: The Lead with Jake Tapper (CNN) Reason: PROSPER Act & MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act "Talk about a doozy of a bill Jake. The PROSPER Act, proposed by this White House, does little to cultivate prosperity beyond the profit margin of the Ross Group and other corporations within the military industrial complex. Let's pretend for a moment that this bill isn't just a Frankenstein monster of different issues, and take it at face value. Eliminating the Child Tax Credit alone and replacing it with a system that would let someone making over $200,000 qualify for the same need as someone making $10,000 a year is simply bad governance. Increasing taxes on working families through gimmicks like removing head of household filing just to fill the coffers of military industrial corporations is par for the course for this administration. The PROSPER Act is the perfect bait and switch on working families, taking their hard earned money and giving it to corporations like the Ross Group." "I seem to recall Republicans as late as 2024 calling efforts to expand vision, hearing, and dental pure socialism. Not only has the White House reversed course, they've embraced the exact policy the Biden Administration attempted to push for before being stymied by, and you guessed it, Republicans! Vice President McKnight and Congressional Republicans can deny reality until they're blue in the face but let's give credit where credit is due, to the previous administration and Congressional Democrats. I'm glad to see Republicans finally see the need to expand Medicare coverage." "The White House has proven once again that they are not serious about governing. This is why Congressional Democrats have sent a formal letter to Congressional Republican Leadership to sit down and hammer out Medicare Part A solvency, affordable housing reform, and other pressing issues facing the American People. It's why Democrats have put forward a clean debt limit extension. We are in the business of getting things done for the American People. Unlike Republicans, we have been consistent to our values from day one. You don't get surprises from us on where we stand." "Across the board, we are seeing Republicans in the White House and in Congress have sudden epiphanies on virtually every major proposal put forward by the Biden Administration and adopting them as their own. A familiar pattern seems to be emerging where Republicans campaign vehemently against Biden, against Casanova-Davis, and against Democrats in elections and those same Republicans turn around and back the very same proposals they claim they detest. That isn't a change of heart, it's flip-flopping and it's no doubt disingenuous to voters. Expanding medicare, free community college, sick leave for rail workers, funding HBCUs and MSIs, a pathway to citizenship through the immigration deal, and the list goes on. We welcome the support for policies we've supported for decades but I question why the sudden change of heart from as late as last year." "Speaking on HBCUs and MSIs, I was glad to join my colleagues Senator Sharpe, Senator deSonido, and Congressman Frisch in Pueblo earlier today to unveil the MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act aimed at empowering those institutions through investment, community engagement, and essential repairs. This bill strengthens institutions, like my alma mater Hawaii Pacific University and CSU Pueblo that we spoke at, in ways they previously have not been. With newfound Republican support for HBCU and MSI funding, I look forward to seeing wide support in the near future. I also prefer HBCU and MSI funding not be attached to a payday for the military industrial complex as it currently is through the PROSPER Act."

PR #13 - Kamaka, deSonido, Sharpe, and Frisch Roll Out HBCU/MSI Legislation - Q2, 2025 Pueblo, CO - Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) joined her fellow Democratic Senate colleagues, Senator Camilo desonide (D-CO), Senator Aaron Sharpe (D-CA), and Congressman Adam Frisch (D-CO-03) at an event on the campus of the Colorado State University Pueblo in Pueblo, CO to champion their new proposed bill aimed at empowering HBCUs and MSIs across the country. As a HSI-designated institution, CSU Pueblo has received multiple awards from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities for their work to uplift and empower Hispanic students across Colorado. Highlighting the newfound bipartisan cause of empowering HBCUs and MSIs across the country, the three Senators and CSU Pueblo's hometown Congressman have come together to support critical empowerment legislation. The MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act would establish a grant program to support long-term improvements of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), graduate programs at HBCUs, and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award grants to HBCUs and MSIs to improve campus facilities. A recipient must use grant funds for certain activities, such as constructing or renovating facilities, carrying out major repairs, and strengthening the safety and security of a campus. Any new construction, modernization, or renovation projects must meet building code and energy and water conservation requirements. Further, HBCUs and MSIs must seek to procure contracts from certain small businesses, including those owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans. The bill prohibits the use of grant funds for specified activities, including for the payment of routine and predictable maintenance costs, minor repairs, and utility bills. The Government Accountability Office must study the implementation of the grant program. The bill also requires ED to repay the outstanding balance of principal, interest, fees, and costs and any related reimbursements for certain capital financing loans. Senator Camilo deSonido (D-CO): "Ladies and gentlemen, on the grounds of Colorado State University-Pueblo, we unite in celebration of the profound influence of HBCUs and MSIs, institutions that should be revered as high seminaries of cultural pride and American excellence. Alongside Senator Janice Kamaka of Hawaii, Senator Aaron Sharpe of California, and Congressman Adam Frisch of Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, we champion the MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act—a visionary legislation devoted to fortifying these institutions and acknowledging their pivotal role in shaping the destinies of great Americans. This legislation goes beyond physical enhancements, delving into the soul of these institutions—their students. It stands as a pledge to invigorate the spirit of innovation and excellence that defines HBCUs and MSIs, recognizing them as crucibles of resilience, perseverance, and cultural pride. By emphasizing economic growth and community engagement through small business contracts, we ensure that the impact of these institutions extends far beyond their campuses. Let us stand united in elevating HBCUs and MSIs as the cornerstone of American excellence and cultural pride, inspiring generations to come. I must thank everyone who joined us today, but especially the heart behind this bill, Senator Janice Kamaka. Senate Minority Whip, thank you for your commitment to these students and our communities." Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI): “I want to thank Senator deSonido and Congressman Frisch for welcoming myself and Senator Sharpe to CSU Pueblo right here in the heart of Colorado's 3rd Congressional District. The work for Hispanic students that this college has done for decades is a testament to the strength and resilience of MSIs in the face of growing financial and educational challenges. If we want our children to have the best education and best resources at their disposal, we must work to bring all students into the fold which is exactly what this bill rectifies. The MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act will support long-term improvement and sustained support for HBCUs and MSIs across the country. I am glad to see some of my Republican colleagues finally come to the agreement that we need to support these institutions, not demonize them. The work of MSIs cannot be understated. In my own home state of Hawaii, universities like my alma mater Hawaii Pacific University, Hawaii Community College, and the University of Hawaii System spread across multiple campuses are all MSIs. Serving our minority students has always been something Hawaii excels at since the days of statehood. The MSI and HBCU Enhancement Act will uplift communities of color across this country, giving them the resources to establish the longevity needed in a changing world. It will also help our surrounding local communities through procuring grants from small businesses, particularly those owned by veterans. I believe there is great potential to see positive change in the lives of hundreds of thousands of students across the country at institutions that have often been underfunded and neglected.” Senator Aaron Sharpe (D-CA): "Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play crucial roles in the American educational system and in remembering history. This is crucial at a time when people are trying to ban books and get rid of history that matters. HBCUs were established during a time when racial segregation prevented African Americans from accessing higher education at white institutions. These were beacons of hope for African Americans wanting to excel in life in a country that did nothing but hold them down. HBCUs foster a sense of cultural identity and pride among students. These colleges and universities celebrate the history, heritage, and achievements of African Americans, by creating an environment where students feel a strong connection to their roots. HBCUs often play a vital role in their local communities. They contribute to community development, job creation, and economic growth, positively impacting the areas surrounding these institutions. Many HBCU graduates go on to become influential leaders in various sectors. The institutions focus not only on academic development but also on instilling leadership skills and a commitment to social justice. HBCUs contribute to diversity within the higher education landscape. They create an inclusive environment where students from different backgrounds come together to learn—fostering a rich tapestry of experience and perspectives. Overall, HBCUs are indispensable institutions that have played a pivotal role in breaking down barriers to education, fostering cultural pride, and contributing to the overall advancement of both individuals and communities. Their continued support and recognition are crucial for ensuring equal opportunities and diversity in the educational landscape."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: This Week with George Stephanopoulos (ABC News) Reason: Guyana/Venezuela & WH Gang of Eight Leak "The conflict in Guyana as the result of Venezuelan aggression is illegal under international law. While the chest thumpers in Congress punch at anyone who dares question the erratic decision-making of this President, I have been speaking on Guyana's rightful territorial claim to the Essequibo region since before the word Guyana came out of any of their mouths. We knew the danger, we expressed the concern, and we were met with a White House moving a carrier strike force into our backyard and then going radio silent. No address from the President, no line in the sand, and no clarity for millions of Americans and people across Latin America about what America actually wanted Venezuela to do." "I believe the decision to not evacuate American citizens prior to the unprovoked attack by Venezuela is one that deserves review. The American People were left in the dark on what this administration wanted from the Venezuela/Guyana dispute beyond one press conference by the NSA that didn't provide any particular clarity on what this President was committed to do to maintain Guyana's territorial integrity. My prayers are with the five Americans, and the Guyanese killed by the Venezuelan artillery attack as well as those who will continue to needlessly die in this conflict." "We now have a situation in which two American service members have been captured by the Maduro Regime. Captain Luis Ricardo and Lt. Adam Humphries must be returned to the United States, as should international law on the treatment of prisoners be respected. The images out of Caracas are horrifying, there is no dispute of that. My concern remains that the same people on Capitol Hill shaming all those who question the flawed response of this Administration are only lending their voices to escalating this conflict. We now have two service members held hostage and these politicians want to glass Caracas? Its irresponsible language at best and a detriment to their safety at worst. I hope that cooler heads will emerge to safety deliver our Americans back into our hands." "What particularly concerns me is the willingness of this White House and their allies to shame anyone who questions their strategy in Venezuela but so wantonly ignores the national security procedure. The Gang of Eight leak is a serious breach in our national security. If deflection was an Olympic sport, Republicans would be getting the gold right now. FBI agents taking out boxes from the White House and the White House Press Secretary under FBI investigation for foolishly leaking classified information in an attempt to one-up Minority Leader Starnes is simply unacceptable and shameful on those who scoff at the suggestion that this is a serious liability for our national security." "Ultimately, I believe the current conflict is a fundamental failure of diplomacy on the part of this administration and an ignorance of the warning signs that this regime was willing to use military force against Guayana. How our military was surprised that Maduro would launch an attack based on their significant military buildup and rhetoric is beyond me. The failure to provide clarity to the nation and the world about a brewing conflict in our own backyard has left us unprepared and two Americans in the hands of a savage dictator. Guyana's territorial integrity must be maintained, but I will not sit here and pretend as though the President wasn't called upon repeatedly to make a strong and public case for it before the outbreak of violence."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Fox News Sunday (Fox News) Reason: Passage of the 21st Century Railway Safety Act "The passage of the 21st Century Railway Safety Act is a major bipartisan accomplishment. We hear a lot in the news about the partisan rancor that has gripped Washington but I continue to believe time and time again that this Congress has the capability to meaningfully address reform that yields tangible benefits for the American People. Democrats took the lead on railway safety because this issue is of paramount concern for those worried about the environment, our national security, and protecting communities all across this country. Whether they be rural towns or major metropolitan areas, rail safety is critical to securing our supply lines and keeping people safe." "This bill expands accountability and transparency within the rail industry. The rise in train derailments is a direct result of corporate entities ignoring safety as a priority and our regulatory bodies having no teeth to enforce it. This bill includes expanding rail car inspections, defect detectors, increasing maximum civil penalties for violators of rail safety regulations, and hazardous material training for first responders, along with empowering the FRA to actually hold corporate entities to account. Train derailments pose severe public safety risks, while devastating the surrounding ecosystem. This bill finally gets us moving in a positive direction." "This bill also finally codifies sick leave for rail workers. If you saw the statistics around the hours these workers work alone, you'd be shocked that this was controversial. We know in the past that some of my Republican colleagues rejected this proposal but I am glad to see once again they've come around to the reality that this support is essential. All Americans deserve sick leave, and rail workers in particular deserve all the support we can give them given the seriousness of the job they occupy." "Ultimately, communities like East Palestine and Mendon, Missouri deserve a Congress that takes this issue seriously. I'm glad to see both parties come to the collective agreement that rail safety is a priority demanding direct action. I was proud to sponsor this bill with Senator White of Michigan because the environmental and national security implications can't be ignored. While some have attempted to claim credit for their own party for the passage of my legislation, I remain committed to celebrating this as a bipartisan achievement. Democrats were proud to take the lead on this issue and we are glad to see rail safety come to fruition."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Meet the Press (NBC News) Reason: American Immigration Fairness and Security Act "It's a breakthrough. As simple as that. Democrats and Republicans in Congress got together and hammered out an immigration deal. Pundits said it couldn't be done and they got proven wrong. I am greatly appreciative of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for coming together and delivering a package that gets to the root of the issue. Neither side got everything they wanted, but that's the name of the game in Washington. It became apparent quickly that the elephant in the room being left out of the conversation was necessary to get a deal done. Erratic behavior, repealing DACA as a show of strength and then claiming they didn't when they did, and threatening mass deportations casually on podcast derailed immigration conversations time and time again. The adults in the room stepped in and delivered." "The American Immigration Fairness and Security Act builds on the FAIR Act as a foundation, with key elements of S.66 included, to deliver reform that strengthens our border security, establishes the DREAM Act as the law of the land, addresses fentanyl and refugee reform, and creates a pathway to citizenship, among other various proposals aimed at alleviating the immigration issue. Dreamers can sleep well again knowing that Democrats fought like hell with Republican supporters in Congress to make the President's callous EO a thing of the past. We accomplished what the Biden Administration had put forward through the inclusion of the U.S. Citizenship Act that creates an earned pathway for citizenship. These are wins across the board that deliver results." "This bill delivers significant reform and funding to protect our Southern border, tackle gang violence, and improve the immigration system. Hiring more immigration judges to clear the backlog, establishing regional processing centers in the United States and in Latin America to stem the flow to our border, improving border infrastructure, investing in things that work like technology and not some arcane wall, and establishing a right to counsel for those in immigration courts are just some of the proposals implemented in this act that address immigration holistically." "We got a deal done folks. I think that is a historic achievement in it of itself. We did so by bringing those actually serious about reform to the table and delivered a breakthrough. I am hopeful that this legislation can pass through Congress with bipartisan support and I believe we can see the American Immigration Fairness and Security Act become the law of the land. Democrats said time and time again that we would always lead on this issue, heck we did it earlier this session when we fixed the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act to actually address human trafficking on the Southern Border. This bill is a win for America and one I'm proud to have been a part of."

PR #12 - Senator Kamaka Condemns President's Call for Potential Mass Deportations - Q2, 2025 Washington D.C. - Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) condemned recent comments made by President Leah Ross (R-FL) during a podcast in which the President outlined her potential usage of mass deportations, along with callous language around the over 600,000 DACA recipients. The President openly admitted during an episode of her Oval Uncensored that her decision to scrap DACA was a stunt to flex her executive power. The President also expressed the possibility of launching mass deportations of millions of people within the United States. "I said it before and I'll say it again, cruelty was the point. Absolutely horrific rhetoric coming from the President, whether it be her callousness towards the 600,000 DACA recipients, her admission that she put those lives in legal jeopardy as part of an ego trip, or her comments indicating support for mass deportation of millions. A child having a temper tantrum because they aren't getting what they want occupies the Oval Office. Simply shameful. It was be journalistic malpractice for the media to not question every elected Republican in Congress on whether they support the President's nativist rhetoric. Democratic Leadership has concluded that President Ross is a volatile and unstable partner uninterested in actually finding common ground on immigration reform. Her erratic flip-flopping on DACA alone has become nauseating enough, if not for her foaming at the mouth desire to rip apart the lives of millions of people in the United States. This White House has flown off the rails."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Fox News Sunday (Fox News) Reason: Environmental Security, 21st Century Railway Safety Act & Flores Nomination "Environmental security is national security. We've allowed for the political discourse on the environment to lose sight of that reality. Rising sea levels are threatening U.S. strategic interests, like our bases, globally. Severe weather across the country is battering our energy grid, destroying infrastructure, and putting lives at risk. Lack of effective funding into agencies like the National Weather Service and FEMA, has limited our ability to effectively mitigate and respond to crisis across our country. Air quality is declining and our rivers and waterways are threatened. It is one of the top national security issues of our time." "I don't believe the environment needs to be a partisan issue because it simply isn't. Our climate is changing and our country is not prepared for it. I wanted to come onto Fox because I believe we need to meet people where they're at. I don't expect Americans skeptical of environmental policy to understand the stakes of environmental security without conversation, dialogue, and common ground. Politicians throw around catch phrases like 'drill baby drill' while our environmental security declines as a result without necessary precautions. Securing America means securing our environmental future. My door is always open to colleagues on both sides to work to strengthen our environmental future and our national security as a result." "I targeted once facet of this wider issue of environmental security with the 21st Century Railway Safety Act because the threat to our infrastructure and possibility of environmental destruction as the result of derailments must be addressed. Folks in East Palestine, Ohio and other towns and cities across the country who have faced this danger deserve to know that their Congress is working to strengthen accountability in the industry and make our supply chains safer. The destruction of local ecosystems leads to lower growth, job loss, and loss of revenue for communities." "It's also why the climate denialism of someone like Mayra Flores for EPA Administrator concerns me as much as it does. I don't care if you voted Republican, Democrat, or third party in 2024, we've all felt the impacts of climate change. Harsh winters, devastating hurricane seasons, and rising sea levels threaten all of us. You can believe in small government and still believe in good government. It is beyond clear that Mayra Flores lacks the professional qualifications to serve as EPA Administrator, so much so that no Republicans outside of the White House have supported her nomination. But even more importantly, Mayra Flores lacks the conviction to acknowledge the threat of climate change, putting American national security at risk as a result."

PR #11 - Senator Kamaka Champions Bipartisan Rail Safety Legislation - Q2, 2025 Honolulu, HI - In the midst of a partisan environment on Capitol Hill, Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) has put forward rail safety legislation that has received broad bipartisan support from Republicans and Democrats alike. Joining Senator Madeline White (D-MI), the 21st Century Railway Safety Act enhances safety requirements for trains transporting hazardous materials, including expanding rail car inspections, defect detectors, increasing maximum civil penalties for violators of rail safety regulations, and hazardous material training for first responders.. This bill requires the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to provide Congress with notice of when a comprehensive safety assessment is being conducted on an intercity or commuter rail transit agency. Specifically, the FRA must provide notice within 10 days after it initiates an assessment to specified congressional committees and each Member of Congress who represents a state in which the service that is subject of the assessment is located, and report the findings of the assessment within 90 days after completion to such committees and Members. This bill also amends title 49, United States Code, with respect to expanding sick leave for certain employees of Class I railroads. "I sponsored the 21st Century Railway Safety Act with my colleague from Michigan Senator White because rail safety is a pressing concern. We are talking about the movement of material from point a to point b across this country. I've read report after report about the failures within the railway system as corporations have ignored safety standards and our government is powerless to mandate it. Whether it was East Palestine in Ohio or the next tragedy, we must correct the system and keep Americans safe. I'm glad to see Republicans and Democrats come together around this legislation because this isn't about partisanship, this is about addressing a legitimate national security concern. I am also particularly glad to see both parties agree that our rail workers deserve expanded sick leave. We hear a lot about the rampant partisanship in Congress in the media but I believe this breakthrough on rail safety can be built on for future progress in this political climate."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Noticias Telemundo (Telemundo) Reason: GOP DACA Shenanigans & FAIR Act "To hold a fancy Rose Garden affair to gleefully throw 600,000 people into legal limbo at the stroke of a pen is nothing short of disgraceful from President Ross and this administration. Spare me the nonsense coming out of the White House and by some Congressional Republicans that they still stand for DACA. The same Congressional Republicans that voted unanimously to block DACA protections. This President pretending to care about Dreamers before her actions and astonishingly after shows just how disingenuous this President truly is. Her own Vice President was tweeting about the White House's support for DACA hours before they eliminated it for God's sake!" "This stunt pulled by the President, while malicious enough, was also grossly incompetent. She actually had to run back from Congress to the White House just to sign a EO fixing her own executive order killing DACA. Hoping to bank on claiming they've maintained protections for DACA recipients, the President has attempted to create a scenario where a DACA student, upon graduation, or a recipient who's work authorization expires, will be deported back to a country they haven't been to since their childhood. The cruelty is unimaginable and this President knows that, because cruelty was the point." "As a former journalist, I gotta say that I wouldn't blame a single member of the White House Press Corp for taking everything Press Secretary Dana White says with a grain of salt. She absolutely lied and misconstrued the position of President Ross, no matter how much the White House denies it. You genuinely cannot trust any of the words coming out of this White House. The President and Vice President both had the gaul to claim that this executive order did not repeal DACA despite the second section of the order being titled 'Repeal of DACA' in the most telling instance yet of what has become a White House obsessed with alternative facts, misinformation, and outright denials of reality." "The FAIR Act is the only real immigration reform on the table. If you want a bill that protects our country and our border, protects Dreamers, establishes a pathway to citizenship, and maintains humanity within our immigration system. This is a bill that I am proud to co-sponsor because the time is now to end the never-ending nonsense coming from Senate Republicans who waffle and waiver at every opportunity on immigration. Can anyone actually tell me where the President or Congressional Republicans actually stand on immigration? I feel like the nation is collectively feeling whiplash from this administration and Congressional Republicans constant backtracking on DACA alone, let alone various other aspects of their bill like their lack of consensus on how extreme they want to make the E-Verify mandate they hope to pass." I remain hopeful that the FAIR Act will pass through Congress. I am already aware that Speaker Jeffries intends to place the FAIR Act on the floor of the House and get it to the Senate. It was Democrats who acted decisively earlier in this session to place an actual plan to address human trafficking on the border after the initial Republican bill did nothing to do so, despite them claiming otherwise, because Democrats are committed to addressing the challenges in our immigration system. Democrats are unified behind the FAIR Act and Democrats will deliver results as we always do by passing the FAIR Act."

PR #10 - Senator Kamaka Criticizes President Ross for Lack of Clarity on Troop Movement in the Caribbean - Q2, 2025 Washington D.C. - Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) criticized President Ross at a recent foreign policy conversation held at American University in Washington D.C. over her lack of clarity with the American People regarding the severity of a potential crisis in Venezuela. Senator Kamaka reaffirmed Guyana's right to the Essequibo Region, a territory Venezuela is seeking to dispute while calling on Venezuela to give up its claim. She has been a vocal critic of the President's decision to move a carrier strike force into the Caribbean Sea without informing Congress or the nation beforehand. Senator Kamaka criticized the President's continued inability to speak candidly with the American People on the potential danger. "I've been vocal for some time now on the need for the President to speak clarity to the American People about the developments in Venezuela. We've heard tough posturing, like the reaffirmation of the Monroe Doctrine, and yet we've been told little about the decision to move a carrier strike force into the Caribbean Sea. We aren't talking about some country in a far away land, we're talking about our own backyard. The continued inability by this President to address the nation on the threat we face in Latin America or the possibility of direct military engagement in our hemisphere with American lives at risk is unacceptable. The decision to make thus unilateral move without consulting Congress was equally concerning when compared to every previous President. To learn the President's own thoughts on a major move for the first time via a podcast designed for her vanity is nothing short of a dereliction of duty. We've been clear, Guyana has every right to the Essequibo Region. We will maintain that rightful claim and reject efforts by Venezuela to say otherwise. The heart of our contention with the White House is the simple fact that we are slow walking towards a potential major crisis without any clarity from our Commander-in-Chief. The world is watching what the United States does. We need a Commander-in-Chief who goes beyond what they think is 'legally' required of them and actually speaks to the people, engages with the nation in this trying time. The President must address the American People. Full stop."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Meet the Press (NBC) Reason: Dissolving of the WH Gender Policy Council "I said it on Twitter and I'll say it here, the decision to dissolve the White House Gender Policy Council is one squarely situated in the President's desire to stoke the culture war as a distraction from her own administration's failures. The rollout of this administration has broken the record for the most times an administration can put their foot in their mouth. Whether it was the botched rollout of a cabinet historically unpopular with the American People, the President's decision to leave Medicare and Social Security on the table for possible cuts, or the collective failure of the GOP to adequately protect Americans by pulling their anti-discrimination bill because it protected too many people, this is an administration and Republican Party that is rudderless and incapable of meeting the moment." "For the President to so blatantly claim that she is stopping the "promotion of abortion, radical sex education & gender ideology in minors" by dissolving the White House Gender Policy Council is simply an insult to her own voters that care about those issues, on top of the vast majority of Americans who don't want the right-wing hellscape this President salivates at the idea at. The White House Gender Policy Council had nothing to do with sexual education and President Ross knows this. She's pushing a bold-faced lie because she knows it's the only way to distract from a bungled administration." "I think it's a damn shame that the first female President has consistently worked throughout her brief time in office to undermine the rights of women and girls nationwide. Her firm embrace of the right-wing anti-choice agenda, her mockery of women's rights, and her disregard for seeking the uplifting of women across this country is a record she alone is cultivating. The President cares more about appeasing an extremist element of her base that the vast majority of Americans do not agree with then she is actually governing responsibly." "Democrats remain the only party committed to fight for the rights of women and girls in this country and it isn't even close. Turn off Fox and Friends for five minutes and you'll see a party that is actively pushing for reproductive right codification in the House, paid family leave, and actually calling the President out on her bluff of supporting women by calling on this administration to back paycheck fairness legislation. Democrats have delivered for women time and time again and we will stand as a bulwark against the extreme and frankly pathetic culture war pandering by this President and her party that places their rights and freedom in their crosshairs for political gain."

Name: Janice Kamaka (D-HI) Media/Outlet: Fareed Zakaria GPS (CNN) Reason: State of Israel/Hamas Conflict & Caribbean Sea Deployment "To be frank with you Fareed, I remain very concerned about the administration's lack of a concrete plan for how our government intends to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis in Egypt as a result of the War in Gaza. We've heard a lot of vague platitudes from this administration but no plan. We haven't actually heard that much from this administration on the current conflict between Israel and Hamas as of late. I made my concerns about Prime Minister Regev's post-war plan, as has much of the international community, clear in the past. The President must outline our longterm goal for Israel, Palestine, and the region." "I supported the Biden Administration when they called for Mahmoud Abbas to either show leadership in Palestine or step aside. It is clear now that Abbas must step aside. He has lost the mandate of the people and the legitimacy needed to be a stable partner. The White House must work with legitimate government in Palestine in order to end this conflict longterm. Mohammed Dahlan and the Palestinian Future Movement show promise but we must remain vigilant to insure positive progress in Palestine." "Fareed I also have significant concerns regarding the actions undertaken by the administration with regards to South America. I share the sentiment of many that recent moves by Venezuela are of great concern, and have myself made vocal my belief in Guyana's territorial claim. To move a carrier strike force into the Caribbean Sea, with the possibility of direct military action, and not inform Congress or the American People of it until after the fact is dangerous. The White House can scream until they're blue in the face that they fulfilled their legal obligation, it says little of their moral obligation or basic procedure established by past Presidents." "The American People and Congress are in the dark. The threat Venezuela poses to Guyana should it not back down is significant but the American People deserve to know to what lengths this President is willing to go. You don't just shrug at moving a carrier strike force into our own backyard with the potential for conflict and not inform the nation. What we're talking about is the potential for an armed conflict with direct American intervention in our own hemisphere. The President must address the nation."

PR #9 - Senator Kamaka Rallies Progressives at Netroots Nation 2025 - Q1, 2025 Washington D.C. - Senator Janice Kamaka (D-HI) rallied progressives at Netroots Nation 2025 in a speech calling on Americans to stand up for a bold progressive future. Senator Kamaka spoke of her own background to make the case that perseverance is possible even in spite of significant odds. She called out the Ross Administration and President Ross directly on their failed leadership and embrace of extremist right-wing politics. "Good afternoon Netroots Nation! My name is Janice Kamaka and it is truly an honor and a privilege to speak before a gathering of likeminded patriots dedicated to fighting for the issues that matter to the American People at every level! I am proud to represent my home state of Hawaii in the United States Senate since 2015 and am proud to serve my fellow Democrats as Senate Minority Whip. As we stand here today, we stand on the backs of all those who have come before in our universal march towards living out the true meaning of this nation, becoming the perfect union we were meant to be! I am a direct product of that long but fruitful march. Decades ago, if you had asked me that I would be able to openly love who I love unapologetically, I wouldn't have believed you. I watched as my Aloha State voted to reject my right to love who I wanted to back in 1998 with over 70% of the vote. I was on the frontlines of that brutal reality through my work as a political journalist for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. I documented the campaign for Hawaii Amendment 2, getting up close and personal with the likes of Mike Gabbard who openly stated that my right to love who I loved was invalid, that it was wrong. It was a difficult time, but it was also my inspiration to enter the political arena. I rejected the notion that my love was wrong. I rejected the idea that progress would meet an impenetrable wall incapable of breaking through. As I campaigned for the Hawaii House, I found myself embracing other progressive causes like the need to protect our communities from the scourge of gun violence or the call for paid leave for all. I leaned on my roots, on the experiences of my childhood, that were defined by embracing community and embracing diversity. As I worked through the ranks of the Hawaii House of Representatives, I found myself entering the highest level of leadership through my time as Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives. By this time, the nation was beginning to come to the conclusion I had reached for as long as I could remember: love is love. The attitudes in my Aloha State had changed, as had attitudes across the United States. As Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives, we worked to make Hawaii a leader in the fight against climate change, raising wages for Hawaiians, and putting into action progressive policy. Despite all of that progress, the greatest honor of my lifetime was to shepherd the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act of 2013 through the chamber and officially establish the right to same-sex marriage! I proudly said I do to my longtime partner, Deidre, two weeks later and have been happily married with our two sons since. I say this story to you all now because I recognize this moment that we are in calls for us to be bold, even in the face of fear and trepidation. We look at a White House and a President who is beholden to a right-wing agenda rooted in fear and otherizing those it disagrees with. We have seen their wanton disregard for the rights of women to have any say over their own bodily autonomy, the rolling back of reproductive rights, and the ostracizing of communities that have long been the target of the conservative movement. They demonize our educators, our workers, our elders, our youth, and all others who oppose their agenda. They cling to power in the hopes that their policy positions, as historically unpopular as they are, can be forced on the American People and that we simply will be silent and accept the reality they wish to impose on us. The politics of rage that politicians like Leah Ross have cultivated thrives in darkness. It truly is never more alive than when we are asleep. They hope and pray every day that we will simply accept their right-wing agenda imposed upon us by a President who lacks a mandate and a party that lacks vision beyond turning back the clock of progress to a time where women have no control over their bodies, LGBTQ+ Americans suffer in silence, and the rich get richer at the expense of working people! They uplift woefully unqualified sycophants to the highest levels of government and toss convention by the wayside in favor of chaos and appeasement of the powers that have dominated our politics for decades. This is not a serious party nor is this a serious presidency. It is a charade being pulled on the American People by a deeply unpopular establishment hell-bent on maintaining the concentration of power within the select few! We here at Netroots Nation and across the country boldly declare that we will not sit idle by and watch as our American story is turned into an American nightmare! We reject the notion that the politics of rage and bigotry are what defines our tomorrow! We condemn the efforts of craven politicians like Leah Ross who bend their knee at the alter of special interests and the military industrial complex! We stand tall, as progressives and concerned Americans, and we stand together as we continue on our universal march to make this country better for all! I've often spoken of the need for Democrats to embrace a quality of life agenda. A bold and progressive platform that fights for the issues that matter to the American People. Never has there been a stronger contrast in priorities than what we all saw as the first dockets of House Democrats and Senate Republicans. It was the House, under Democratic leadership, that laid out affordable housing, paid family leave, and the right to reproductive access as priorities that have tangible impacts on the lives of Americans from Honolulu, Hawaii to Augusta, Maine! It is Democrats who are actively advocating for paycheck fairness for all, the right to unionize for all, the right to quality education, and the right to love who you love, free from discrimination and harassment in the workplace! The results of the 2024 Presidential election was discouraging, I make no qualms about that. We watched as the darling of the military industrial complex ascended to the highest office in the land, unrepentant in their embrace of the very worst of the politics of rage we've come to know. What we recognize is that the American People do not want rage, they want results! What the American People want is leaders who fight for the issues that matter to them, not the special interests and political elite! What the American People want is good wages, good education, good benefits, and the right to dignity in their workplace! The time is now Netroots Nation to stand up and stand strong as we march towards that perfect union we know is possible. I've seen firsthand that the march is long and difficult, but it is a necessary struggle. The struggle is righteous in the face of odds oftentimes not in our favor. We choose to get up every day and fight to make a better and brighter tomorrow, today! We must organize! We must rally! We must canvass! We must engage in this process! If we wish to see a bold progressive agenda rooted in supporting working Americans come to fruition, we must fight here and now! Thank you Netroots!"

Senate Minority Whip Janice Kamaka (D-HI) "Good afternoon Netroots Nation! My name is Janice Kamaka and it is truly an honor and a privilege to speak before a gathering of likeminded patriots dedicated to fighting for the issues that matter to the American People at every level! I am proud to represent my home state of Hawaii in the United States Senate since 2015 and am proud to serve my fellow Democrats as Senate Minority Whip. As we stand here today, we stand on the backs of all those who have come before in our universal march towards living out the true meaning of this nation, becoming the perfect union we were meant to be! I am a direct product of that long but fruitful march. Decades ago, if you had asked me that I would be able to openly love who I love unapologetically, I wouldn't have believed you. I watched as my Aloha State voted to reject my right to love who I wanted to back in 1998 with over 70% of the vote. I was on the frontlines of that brutal reality through my work as a political journalist for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. I documented the campaign for Hawaii Amendment 2, getting up close and personal with the likes of Mike Gabbard who openly stated that my right to love who I loved was invalid, that it was wrong. It was a difficult time, but it was also my inspiration to enter the political arena. I rejected the notion that my love was wrong. I rejected the idea that progress would meet an impenetrable wall incapable of breaking through. As I campaigned for the Hawaii House, I found myself embracing other progressive causes like the need to protect our communities from the scourge of gun violence or the call for paid leave for all. I leaned on my roots, on the experiences of my childhood, that were defined by embracing community and embracing diversity. As I worked through the ranks of the Hawaii House of Representatives, I found myself entering the highest level of leadership through my time as Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives. By this time, the nation was beginning to come to the conclusion I had reached for as long as I could remember: love is love. The attitudes in my Aloha State had changed, as had attitudes across the United States. As Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives, we worked to make Hawaii a leader in the fight against climate change, raising wages for Hawaiians, and putting into action progressive policy. Despite all of that progress, the greatest honor of my lifetime was to shepherd the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act of 2013 through the chamber and officially establish the right to same-sex marriage! I proudly said I do to my longtime partner, Deidre, two weeks later and have been happily married with our two sons since. I say this story to you all now because I recognize this moment that we are in calls for us to be bold, even in the face of fear and trepidation. We look at a White House and a President who is beholden to a right-wing agenda rooted in fear and otherizing those it disagrees with. We have seen their wanton disregard for the rights of women to have any say over their own bodily autonomy, the rolling back of reproductive rights, and the ostracizing of communities that have long been the target of the conservative movement. They demonize our educators, our workers, our elders, our youth, and all others who oppose their agenda. They cling to power in the hopes that their policy positions, as historically unpopular as they are, can be forced on the American People and that we simply will be silent and accept the reality they wish to impose on us. The politics of rage that politicians like Leah Ross have cultivated thrives in darkness. It truly is never more alive than when we are asleep. They hope and pray every day that we will simply accept their right-wing agenda imposed upon us by a President who lacks a mandate and a party that lacks vision beyond turning back the clock of progress to a time where women have no control over their bodies, LGBTQ+ Americans suffer in silence, and the rich get richer at the expense of working people! They uplift woefully unqualified sycophants to the highest levels of government and toss convention by the wayside in favor of chaos and appeasement of the powers that have dominated our politics for decades. This is not a serious party nor is this a serious presidency. It is a charade being pulled on the American People by a deeply unpopular establishment hell-bent on maintaining the concentration of power within the select few! We here at Netroots Nation and across the country boldly declare that we will not sit idle by and watch as our American story is turned into an American nightmare! We reject the notion that the politics of rage and bigotry are what defines our tomorrow! We condemn the efforts of craven politicians like Leah Ross who bend their knee at the alter of special interests and the military industrial complex! We stand tall, as progressives and concerned Americans, and we stand together as we continue on our universal march to make this country better for all! I've often spoken of the need for Democrats to embrace a quality of life agenda. A bold and progressive platform that fights for the issues that matter to the American People. Never has there been a stronger contrast in priorities than what we all saw as the first dockets of House Democrats and Senate Republicans. It was the House, under Democratic leadership, that laid out affordable housing, paid family leave, and the right to reproductive access as priorities that have tangible impacts on the lives of Americans from Honolulu, Hawaii to Augusta, Maine! It is Democrats who are actively advocating for paycheck fairness for all, the right to unionize for all, the right to quality education, and the right to love who you love, free from discrimination and harassment in the workplace! The results of the 2024 Presidential election was discouraging, I make no qualms about that. We watched as the darling of the military industrial complex ascended to the highest office in the land, unrepentant in their embrace of the very worst of the politics of rage we've come to know. What we recognize is that the American People do not want rage, they want results! What the American People want is leaders who fight for the issues that matter to them, not the special interests and political elite! What the American People want is good wages, good education, good benefits, and the right to dignity in their workplace! The time is now Netroots Nation to stand up and stand strong as we march towards that perfect union we know is possible. I've seen firsthand that the march is long and difficult, but it is a necessary struggle. The struggle is righteous in the face of odds oftentimes not in our favor. We choose to get up every day and fight to make a better and brighter tomorrow, today! We must organize! We must rally! We must canvass! We must engage in this process! If we wish to see a bold progressive agenda rooted in supporting working Americans come to fruition, we must fight here and now! Thank you Netroots!"