Brink
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Posts posted by Brink
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Will be primaried in 2030, unless brought out of the life boat.
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2025 in the United States
once again, I am thanking @Ollie for starting this while he was on the AB.
January
- January 2nd - Heightened security measures were ordered in Washington D.C. for the election certification on January 6th, the fourth anniversary of January 6th, 2021, where supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol to stop the election certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
- January 3rd - The 119th Congress convenes following the 2024 Elections. Hakeem Jeffries was elected as the 57th Speaker of the House, becoming the first African American to become Speaker. Butch Elroy was elected by Republicans to become the Senate Majority Leader, replacing outgoing Mitch McConnell. John Starnes was elected Senate Minority Leader, replacing outgoing Chuck Schumer.
- January 6th - Congress formally certified the 2024 Presidential election. With all votes tabulated, Leah Ross was the certified victor of the Presidential election, with Corey McKnight certified as the winner as Vice President. Justin Casanova-Davis won the popular vote.
- January 14th - President-elect Leah Ross unveiled her cabinet selections. Controversy erupted at the choice of Allen West to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) due to past comments casting doubt on the legitimacy of the 2021 election, along with his lack of law enforcement experience.
- January 20th - Leah Ross is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. Corey McKnight becomes the first African American man to hold the office of Vice President.
- January 21st - The 2025 Women's March is held organized by celebrities such as Chrissy Tiegen, Rachel Cook, and Debra Messing. Several prominent Democrats made appearances as well, including DNC Chairman Jon Krol and Georgia Senator Naomi Wolfe.
- President Leah Ross declared a national emergency on the southern border, declared January 21st as National Women's Day, instituted a regulatory freeze, and rolled back several Biden Executive Orders expanding access to abortion.
- January 23rd - A Capitol Hill staffer collapsed in the Capitol Halls requiring emergency responders to take her away in an ambulance. This sparked significant debate surrounding unionization of Congressional staff members.
- January 27th - Vice President Corey McKnight swore in both his and President Ross's successors in the U.S. Senate. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Nancy Mace, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Byron Donalds to fill the unexpired terms.
- January 29th - The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced plans to use artificial intelligence technology within its 122 institutions across the United States. Areas where AI might be utilized include Inmate Classification and Monitoring, Biometric Identification, Automated Inmate Management, and Contraband Detection.
- January 30th - President Leah Ross's cabinet continued to draw controversy from Democrats and even some Republicans. Democrats successfully tanked public opinion on the nominations, with 45.69% of those surveyed expressing an overall negative opinion of the Ross cabinet selections.
February
- February 2nd - President Leah Ross visited the U.S.-Mexico border and gave remarks alongside Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The visit was scheduled in line with the roll out of Ross' border security bill in the Senate.
- February 6th - The Stop Campus Hate Act was pulled from consideration by the U.S. Senate after Democrats passed an amendment to expand the protections in the bill to every protected class. Republican support for the legislation dropped to 45%.
- February 9th - The Miami Dolphins win Super Bowl LIX defeating the San Francisco 49ers 28-21. This marked the first time the Miami Dolphins won a Super Bowl since 1974.
- February 12th - Taylor Swift completed her rerecording project, releasing her original self-titled debut album 'Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)', the final of her six rerecorded albums after a highly publicized dispute with her former record label.
- February 17th - President Leah Ross began hosting inflation discussions at the White House with congressional leadership. In an opening statement, she laid out five pillars for discussion: government spending, taxes, regulation, revitalizing industry, and securing the border. She also famously called for a $1 trillion reduction in government spending while saying that she would let Congress figure out how to cut the spending.
- February 22nd - The 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference concludes with an anemic turnout. The conference was headlined by former Presidential Candidate Douglas Butcher and Senator Owen Ackerman.
March
- March 1st - The 2025 Netroots Nation convention concluded. The atmosphere, according to attendees, was electric. Several prominent Democrats were in attendance, including Camilo deSonido, Janica Kamaka, and Naomi Wolfe. This led to the convention being considered a fundraising triumph.
- March 8th - With the anti-semitism issue dropped by the GOP, public opinion on the issue collapsed for them. 40.9% said they trusted Democrats to more adequately address anti-semitism in the United States versus 36.1% who trusted Republicans.
- March 15th - The Securing America’s Borders, Communities, and Allies Act appeared to be dead, as strong political headwinds on the immigration issue continued to prevail.
- March 18th - President Leah Ross signed an executive order to discontinue the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon. The order also set a unified environmental review process for major infrastructure projects. This allowed for increased control over regulatory timelines to ensure expedient and effective project completion.
- March 20th - Polling from the Pew Research Center revealed that 47.5% of Americans support the Securing America’s Borders, Communities, and Allies Act while 44.2% were against. Additionally, Democrats held a 2.9% advantage in the generic congressional ballot.
- March 22nd - POLITICO reported on copies of communications between Republican and Democratic leadership. According to an anonymous Republican Senator, these communications were evidence that Senate Majority Leader John Starnes was “refusing to negotiate”
- March 24th - Senate Majority Leader Butch Elroy held a press conference where he expressed frustration with the Senate Democrats' leadership, particularly Senate Minority Leader John Starnes.
- March 25th - Senate Minority Leader John Starnes held a press conference in response to Elroy's where he refuted claims of Democratic obstruction and delay. He criticized the Republicans source material for their inflation proposals as an inadequate basis for legislation.
- March 27th - On the Pat McAfee Show, New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers floated the idea of running for Mayor of New York City.
- March 28th - The Applegate Hour, hosted by Wayne Applegate, published its debut episode on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and other podcasting platforms. The former Democratic presidential candidate and Mayor of Las Vegas used the first episode to rip President Leah Ross's cabinet selections and the selection of Nancy Mace to serve in the U.S. Senate.
- March 31st - President Leah Ross signed an executive order to eliminate the Gender Policy Council and establish a special assistant for life and family to coordinate and lead the President’s domestic priorities on issues related to life and family in cooperation with the Domestic Policy Council.
April
- April 2nd - The Oval Uncensored Podcast published its debut episode on the White House's YouTube channel as well as Apple and Spotify. While many characterized it as a unique and clever avenue to tap into the electorate, many Democrats derided the podcast as a platform for the President to "tell bald-faced lies about her anti-woman agenda".
- April 3rd - A riot broke out at a medium security federal correctional institution outside of Florence, Colorado. Three deaths were reported, two were of staff members and one was of an inmate. The Bureau of Prisons also announced they would be pausing the use of AI in federal correctional institutions until a review was conducted.
- April 7th - President Leah Ross signed three executive orders to overhaul federal employee policies. She described the orders in a speech as a "holistic approach to reforming federal labor management and workforce accountability." Senate progressives called the order a major red flag for workers.
- April 9th - President Leah Ross signed a memorandum ordering the Bureau of Prisons to implement strategies to prevent further riots at agency facilities. This came in response to the prison riot on April 3rd. Some experts in the artificial intelligence field later questioned if the order itself was written in part by artificial intelligence.
- April 11th - Senate Majority Leader Butch Elroy established a special committee into the Use and Governance of Artificial Intelligence to investigate the role artificial intelligence had, if any, into the April 3rd prison riot.
- April 14th - White House Press Secretary Dana White held a press briefing to ask Congress to pass the Securing America’s Borders, Communities, and Allies Act. The White House also published a statement from President Leah Ross.
- April 17th - President Leah Ross held a press availability in the White House Rose Garden where she, with Vice President Corey McKnight alongside, signed an executive order to repeal the popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. She then began a 22-minute walk to Capitol Hill, intending to reach a deal with Democrats to pass the Securing America’s Borders, Communities, and Allies Act. Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus held a press briefing shortly after Ross arrived to criticize the President's revocation of DACA protections, alleging a lack of understanding and sincerity in negotiations. During that briefing, they also announced the introduction of the For All of America Immigration Reform Act, their own immigration proposal. Ross left Capitol Hill after waiting for an hour and a half, returned to the White House, and partially rolled back the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program repeal.
- April 20th - In a New York Times editorial, New Jersey Senator Donato Vinachelli condemned the nomination of Carly Fiorina for Secretary of Labor. Vinachelli referred to the nomination as "everything that is wrong with the [Ross] Administration"
- April 22nd - The Senate Domestic Affairs and Judiciary Committee voted to advance the cabinet nominations of Carly Fiorina, Mayra Flores, and David Perdue along party lines.
- April 24th - Attorney General Shane Ewing fired Bureau of Prisons Director Colette S. Peters in response to the April 3rd prison riot.
- April 27th - The Almost Halfway Review of 2025 was published in various news outlets. It painted not so swell pictures for leaders on both sides of the aisle with President Leah Ross polling at 41% approval and Senate Minority Leader John Starnes polling at 37% approval. Republicans also took back the lead in the generic congressional ballot, however, by only one point.
- April 28th - Inflation fell below 3% for the first time since 2020, according to the United States Treasury Department. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters that he did not expect any interest rate cuts for the time being.
- April 29th - Axios reported on a copy of an alleged response from Senate Minority Leader John Starnes to bipartisan border talks. This response was given to Axios by a source inside the office of Vice President Corey McKnight. Later polling revealed that Americans were neither impressed by the response or the fact that the Vice President's office leaked it.
May
- May 1st - Senate Minority Leader John Starnes and Senate Majority Leader Owen Ackerman agreed to hold talks with each other and other members of Senate leadership on immigration and border security. Notably left out of the talks was the White House. Earlier in the day, on an episode of the White House's Oval Uncensored podcast, President Leah Ross floated the idea of beginning mass deportations if the Securing America’s Borders, Communities, and Allies Act wasn't passed soon.
- May 5th - The Wall Street Journal reported that the median price for an existing home eclipsed $400,000, with the median price for rent having increased to above $1,425. POLITICO also reported that a record number of congressmen now live in their offices on Capitol Hill. This is reportedly due to high housing costs and crime in Washington D.C.
- May 6th - President Leah Ross nominated Abel Burke to be Secretary of State and appointed Adam Vargas to be White House Chief of Staff. Those two replaced Aaron Rabin and Michael Allen who both recently resigned for separate personal reasons.
- May 8th - Secretary of Education Larry Arnn announced investigations on the grounds of Title VI into 13 universities and two school districts across the United States.
- May 9th - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration reported a $4.5 billion funding shortfall for the Artemis Moon Exploration Program. This meant that scheduled missions to the Moon in October of 2025 and 2026 were now in jeopardy.
- May 11th - CNN reported that American bison herds hit a new high. More than 500,000 Plains Bison were now confirmed to be in existence thanks to decades of conservation.
- May 12th - President Leah Ross bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the 13 original Freedom Riders and signed the Freedom Riders Congressional Gold Medal Act into law.
- May 13th - Senate Minority Leader John Starnes, Senate Majority Leader Owen Ackerman, and members of congressional leadership reached a deal on immigration. The group introduced the American Immigration Fairness and Security Act before the Senate and held a short press conference in the late hours of the night to announce the deal. The Washington Post released a summary of the deal (pre-spin) and experts interviewed called the deal "the most impressive piece of bipartisan legislation in recent memory".
- May 14th - President Leah Ross signed the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act into law. This marked the first policy signed into law from the 119th Congress.
- May 16th - Sources told Axios that the entire White House communications team, led by Press Secretary Dana White, was being investigated for allegedly leaking classified information from a Gang of Eight briefing on X. Pictures were published by CNN showing boxes being removed from the West Wing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- May 19th - The Social Security Administration released new estimates showing that the Social Security Trust Fund will run out by 2030, forcing an estimated benefit cut of 24% beginning in 2031.
- May 21st - Indictments were filed by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in response to the April 4th prison riot outside of Florence, Colorado. They marked the first time that the Ross Administration has authorized seeking the death penalty against a criminal defendant.
- May 23rd - The United States Senate voted to close debate on President Leah Ross's outstanding cabinet nominations of Abel Burke, Carly Fiorina, Mayra Flores, and David Perdue. Fiorina, Flores, and Perdue had more disapprovals than approvals in polling, based on Democrats' successful spin of the nominations, while Burke had high favorables, but also high undecideds.
- May 27th - The Department of Justice charged National Security Council communications assistant Nathaniel Miller with violating the Espionage Act in connection to a tweet from White House Press Secretary Dana White. This was directly in connection to the investigation started on May 16th.
- May 29th - When asked about the death penalty indictments on May 21st, Senator Daniel Hunt (R-Alabama) told POLITICO's Sarah Ferris that "He deserves to be shot or gassed whatever to kill him quickly."
- May 31st - Members of the Democratic leadership held a press conference to unveil the Debt Ceiling Limit Extension Act of 2025. Senate Minority Leader John Starnes invited members of the Republican leadership (sans the White House) to join discussions on the issue. During the Q&A session, they expressed a commitment to a clean extension, stating that amendments could be seen as attempts to politicize the issue.
June
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June 1st - Due to a routine medical procedure and being under general anesthetic, President Leah Ross (R-Florida) temporarily handed off the duties of the Presidency to Vice President Corey McKnight for a few weeks.
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June 3rd - The Department of Justice declined to bring charges against White House Press Secretary Dana White in connection to a tweet on her X account that leaked classified investigation. The Department of Justice issued charges against a National Security Council staffer on May 27th.
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June 5th - Gallup released a poll showing that Americans trusted Democrats more to deliver affordable housing than Republicans.
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June 6th - The New York Times reported on a new TikTok trend where conservative influencers cast doubt on the death of Donald Trump.
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June 8th - The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA championship since the team was in Seattle, beating the Milwaukee Bucks in a six game series.
- June 10th - Senate Republicans moved for cloture on the Jeremy Larson-Donald Holt Violent Crime Prevention and Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act. The New York Times published a lengthy article explaining the legislation section by section and covering the debate in the Senate up until that point.
- June 12th - Acting President Corey McKnight delivered a speech introducing the White House's deficit reduction plan: the PROSPER Act.
- June 16th, 17th, and 18th - Acting President Corey McKnight went to Morehouse College, Spellman College, and Kitteridge Magnet School as a part of the White House's effort to promote the PROSPER Act.
- June 17th - Paramount has begun production on 'Top Gun 3: Maverick's Horizon'. Tom Cruise, 62, is returning to the titular role in the newest edition of the franchise. Paramount was planning to release the film in time for the Christmas season.
- June 19th - President Leah Ross re-assumed the duties of the presidency after her recent routine medical procedure.
- June 24th - President Leah Ross announced the PROSPER Act and other legislation would be withdrawn from Senate consideration. PROSPER was officially withdrawn a few weeks later. Ross also extended an invitation to congressional leaders for discussions on Medicare solvency at the White House.
- June 25th - President Leah Ross signed the American Immigration Fairness and Security Act into law at a White House ceremony including Vice President Corey McKnight, Senate Majority Leader Owen Ackerman, Senate Minority Leader John Starnes, House Speaker Hakeem Jefferies, and Senate Minority Whip Janice Kamaka. The ceremony didn't end without controversy as Starnes and Kamaka held a press conference afterward outside the White House where they were later kicked off the grounds by the U.S. Secret Service.
- June 26th - National Security Council communications assistant Nathaniel Miller was sentenced to three years probation and fined $100,000 in plea deal for violating the Espionage Act in connection to a tweet from White House Press Secretary Dana White.
- June 27th - Senate Majority Leader Owen Ackerman published a letter he sent to Senate Minority Whip Janice Kamaka where he expressed reservations about a clean debt ceiling extension.
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On 2/2/2024 at 12:47 PM, Hannah said:
I'd like to sign back in once the round gets going again, please.
Not technically going again, but gave your masking back and took care of the roster
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mannequins
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APPROVED.
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Has been replaced completely, ineligible to be signed back in
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4 hours ago, George Bennett said:
Character Name: George Denver Howard
Political Party: Democratic
Seat Held: New York, Class III
Date of Birth: August 13th, 1981 (44 years old)
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Place of Residence: Manhattan, New York County, New York
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian
Avatar: Sam Clemmett
Caucus: Progressive Democrats
Family Information:
Parents: Matthew Chester Howard (b. 1952, m. 1980), Rebecca Elizabeth Howard (née Lundgren) (b. 1952, m. 1980)
Spouse: Joshua Anthony Howard (b. 1981, m. 2011)
Children: Brian Nelson Howard (b. 1999), Devin Carter Howard (b. 2000)
Educational History:
High School Diplomia, Abraham Lincoln High School, New York City, New York (1995-1999)United States Military Academy, West Point, NY (1999-2001)
Occupational History:
U.S. Representative, New York's 12th Congressional District (2013-2023)
U.S. Senator, Class Three, New York (2023-present)
POINTS:
Male: 0 Points40-44 years old: 10 Points
Openly Homosexual: 35 Points for Republicans, 10 Points for Democrats
White/Caucasian: 0 Points
Jewish: 5 Points
No College Degree: 5 Points
Working Class: 10 points
Enlisted Military: 0 points
House of Representatives Terms: 15 points (5 terms)
Senate Terms: 0 points (0 terms)55 POINTS
KEY VOTES:
113th Congress 2013-2015
Both: Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization AYE
Both: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 NAY
114th Congress 2015-2017
Both: Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 NAY
115th Congress 2017-2019
Democrats: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act NAY
116th Congress 2019-2021
Both: United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement Implementation Act NAY
117th Congress 2021-2023
Both: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 AYE
Both: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act AYE
Both: Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 AYE
118th Congress 2023-2025
Both: Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 NAY
.webp.46d3cb5d186698137272a9e88c56269b.webp)
Welcome back! APPROVED. -
5 hours ago, Quinn said:
No worries - happy to take back the magna cum laude and just drop back to 79?
Works for me. APPROVED. -
5 hours ago, Macmillan said:
Name: Alexander Arnold III
Seat: Oklahoma II
Party: Republican
Avatar: Charles Dance
Major Caucus: Choose your major based on your character's beliefs. (One character can only be a member of one major caucus) Freedom Caucus (towards the more Tea Party-esque end of it though)GENDER:
Male: 0 Points
AGE:
66-70: -5 Points
SEXUALITY:
Straight, married with < 3 children: -5 PointsRACE/ANCESTRY:
White/Caucasian: 0 PointsRELIGION:
Evangelical or Mainline Protestant: 0 PointsEDUCATIONAL HISTORY:
College Degree at Public University: 0 Points
SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY:
Top 5%: -10 points
CAREER HISTORY:
Entrepreneur/Business Founder: 30 points
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE HISTORY:
Senate Terms: 1, 5 points (2014 - Present)
Key votes:
- Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 - Wikipedia - Aye
- American Health Care Act of 2017 - Wikipedia - No
- United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement - Wikipedia - Aye
- American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 - Wikipedia - No
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - Wikipedia - No
- Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 - Wikipedia - Aye
- 2023 United States debt-ceiling crisis - Wikipedia - No
Only one question: which public university will you be attending for the purposes of this bio? Just want something to be on the record -
Q3, 2025
Unveiling of PROSPER Act Ignites Debate: Healthcare, Fiscal Measures, and College Grants Prompt Divergent Views
Washington, D.C's attention has turned in the last few weeks to the PROSPER Act. The PROSPER Act is the White House's deficit reduction legislation. This comes as inflation fell below 3% last quarter for the first time since 2020, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Vice President Corey Mcknight (R-South Carolina) unveiled the legislation during his service as Acting President.
"Today the Ross administration has revealed the 'PROSPER Act' which will serve as the administration's solution towards deficit reduction, ensuring the solvency of medicare and preventing tax hikes all across America," Mcknight said from the Naval Observatory. "In all, this bill will cut our deficit and help restore fiscal responsibility within our budget."
Division A of the legislation lays out several policies that would, according to Vice President Mcknight, ensure the solvency of medicare. Those policies include reforming post-acute care payments, implementing site-neutral payments, addressing bad debt in Medicare, introducing bundled payments, ensuring coding integrity in Medicare Advantage, enacting drug pricing reforms, and addressing tax-related issues in Medicaid funding.
Division B would limits the increase in discretionary spending for the current fiscal year to a maximum of 5% above the previous fiscal year's level. For the five fiscal years following the current one, discretionary spending would be frozen at the level set in the current fiscal year. However, an alternative option is provided to that freeze, which would allow discretionary spending to grow by no more than 1.3% annually over the next ten fiscal years. If there is a violation of the spending limits, the Office of Management and Budget would be authorized to take corrective measures to align spending with the specified limits.
Division C, Subtitle A of the legislation implements the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act. This legislation would allow taxpayers to treat research or experimental expenditures related to their trade or business as expenses not chargeable to a capital account and treat them as a deduction on taxes. It does set some exceptions such as it would not apply to expenditures for land acquisition/improvement or property subject to depreciation or depletion allowances and exploration expenditures for locating mineral deposits. It also limits eligibility to expenditures that are "reasonable under the circumstances".
Division C, Subtitle B would make permanent the expensing of certain new business equipment. Expensing allows the deduction of the full amount of an expense item in the same taxable year.
Division C, Subtitle C would urge the Secretary of Labor to actively encourage labor unions, general contractors, and businesses involved in building infrastructure in the United States to prioritize the recruitment, hiring, and training of unemployed African Americans ages 18-39. The subtitle lays out specific areas where it would be encouraged in particular: infrastructure development, transportation, technology, computer networks, and energy distribution systems. The subtitle would emphasize coordination with labor unions, the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, and various community organizations, churches, and civil rights groups to identify and connect with unemployed young Americans seeking employment opportunities in infrastructure-related fields.
Division C, Subtitle D is directly related to the domestic production of critical minerals, which would be defined by the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey. The list of critical minerals would be available for public comment before it is implemented. The subtitle also mandates the Secretary of Energy to conduct a research and development program for critical minerals, develops a web-based database containing information on critical minerals, appropriates $5 million each year over the next nine fiscal years for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program, repeals the National Critical Materials Act of 1984 (which was already repealed in 2020), establishes a grant program for studies, research, and demonstrations related to critical minerals production, and makes sure resource assessments are completed before withdrawing federal lands from mining activities.
Division C, Subtitle E would establish the Child Benefit, also known as the Family Security Benefit, which would replace the Child Tax Credit. The benefit would provide families $350 per month for children ages 0-5 and $250 per month for children ages 6-17, for up to six children per calendar year. Families would be allowed to choose monthly or annual payments. Parents would also be allowed to apply for benefits four months before an unborn child's due date. These monthly payments would be $700 per month. Families would have to report a total income of $10,000 or more in the preceding tax year to be eligible for the full benefit. Additionally, those families with a total income over $400,000 (for joint filers) or $200,000 (for single filers) would not eligible for the full benefit. The benefit would reduce for incomes over this threshold.
Division C, Subtitle F would establish a state and tribe grant program for community colleges, which would waive college tuition and fees for eligible students, certify alignment of high school diploma and community college entry requirements, and improve transfer pathways between institutions of higher education. The state and tribe grant program would have access to whatever unexpended funds are necessary to implement it.
A Student Success Fund would also be established in the subtitle. This would be a matching grant program for those same states and tribes, with required matches from non-federal sources. Those matches would increase over time for each state or tribe, reaching 100% in the ninth and subsequent years of the program. However, tribes may have modified or waived matching fund requirements. This fund would have $1 billion authorized and appropriated for the next fiscal year and each subsequent year.
Finally, the subtitle would award grants to encourage enrollment and successful completion of bachelor's degrees at historically Black colleges or universities and tribal colleges or universities, provide incentives for community college students to transfer to these colleges through transfer pathways, and support institutional reforms to enhance completion rates and student outcomes. Eligible institutions must be public or not-for-profit 4-year institutions (with at least 35% low-income students) who commit to evidence-based reforms to improve completion rates and student outcomes and set performance goals and have articulation agreements for transfer students. Funds allocated to this grant program would increase per year in the following manner: Fiscal Year 2025: $98,100,000, Fiscal Year 2026: $321,040,000, Fiscal Year 2027: $1,912,010,000, 2028: $1,988,710,000, 2029: $2,068,960,000, 2030: $2,151,010,000, 2031: $2,184,900,000, 2032: $2,329,370,000, 2033: $2,423,910,000, and 2034 and beyond: $2,521,990,000.
Division D, Subtitle A would terminate production of F-15EX aircraft for the United States military and speed up production of the F-35A aircraft and KC-46A tanker, appropriating $38.789 billion to the United States Air Force for the period of FY 2026 through FY 2035 for the procurement.
Division D, Subtitle B would increase the U.S. Army recruiting budget from $691 million to $800 million annually starting from FY 2026 onward as well as increase the enlistment bonus budget from $206 million to $300 million annually. It would also establish more Armored Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) and Stryker BCTs from FY 2026 to FY 2031, increase procurement of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), Armored Multipurpose Vehicles, Paladin Integrated Management Howitzer, and Joint Assault Bridges. The estimated cost of this per the subtitle is $84.675 billion from fiscal year 2026–fiscal year 2034.'
Division D, Subtitle C would increase U.S. Navy ship procurement and initiate programs to build and re-build key shipyard infrastructure to support an increased fleet size. The subtitle states this would cost around $123.085 billion.
Division D, Subtitle D would spend $100 billion for semiconductor manufacturing and research investment, $100 billion for oil and natural gas industry investment and permitting reform, and $250 billion for investment in the manufacturing sector, focusing on research and development.
Shortly after debate started in the Senate, Senator Hiram Storm (R-Ohio) motioned to include the American Tax Reduction Act into the legislation, which would permanently extend the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts.
Senate Minority Leader John Starnes (D-Virginia) asked for each section of the American Tax Reduction Act to be considered separately on whether to be included. DNC Chairman and Senator Donato Vinachelli (D-New Jersey) argued that including the American Tax Reduction Act into the PROSPER Act would invalidate parts of the PROSPER Act. This led to Storm withdrawing the amendment and saying he would propose a revised version. That revised version has yet to be introduced.
Starnes later motioned for the legislation to be tabled, "seeing as a grand total of 0 substantive statements have been made [b]y the sponsors of this bill, or even the majority, in support". Senator Naomi Wolfe (D-Georgia) seconded the motion. The motion failed 53-47.
President Pro Tempore Owen Ackerman (R-Maine) very recently introduced five new amendments to the legislation. Those amendments repeal the estate tax, enact most of the TCJA Permanency Act (which also permanently extends the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts), slowly increase the minimum wage, remove the current definition of tipped employee in the Fair Labor Standards Act (employee engaged in an occupation in which he customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips) and replace it with "any employee, without regard to the duties of the employee, who receives tips and other cash wages for a period described in paragraph (2) at a rate that when combined with the cash wage required under subsection (m)(2)(A)(i) is greater than or equal to the wage in effect under section 6(a)(1).", and make a permanent increase to the standard deduction.
Additionally, sources within the Senate Democratic Caucus released a map to POLITICO last week that reportedly shows how much more each American would pay in taxes per year under the PROSPER Act by state.
The states' colors correlate to how they voted in the 2024 Presidential election. Those Democratic sources also say that the taxes would disproportionately affect states that voted Democratic. Since the map was leaked to the press, no Democrats have seemed to discuss or try to explain it directly, with Storm asking on X if Democrats could explain the methodology to no response as of press time.
Do you approve or disapprove of the PROSPER Act?
Approve - Disapprove - Undecided
All Voters: 35% - 51% - 14%
Democrats: 17% - 75% - 8%
Republicans: 65% - 19% - 16%
Independents: 25% - 58% - 18%
Those who tend to support the PROSPER Act are very supportive of the Medicare portions, especially when it comes to the expansion of medicare to include vision and hearing benefits, which very much do affect senior citizens. However, those who oppose the PROSPER Act are very concerned about the closure of rural hospitals. That does make the Medicare issue a bit of a wash, with independents leaning towards being against the closure of rural hospitals, as has been argued by Democrats. Republicans are supportive of the bill's fiscal measures, however some of those on the Freedom Caucus flank of the party question why the government should be spending billions to subsidize minority serving institutions. Many independents do appreciate that Republicans are looking at how to assist minority serving institutions. The leaked map does add another dynamic to the situation with Republicans and an increasing amount of Independents looking for Democrats to explain the map further. Overall, the debate is still early, even though Democrats do have an obvious advantage. These numbers are not settled in on the independent side and Republicans can still bring a lot of people on their side. The debate in the Senate appears to be far from over, which means this is a first look at polling. Also, don't forget that this is such a large piece of legislation, that if you haven't made the argument, it's not gonna be reflected here.
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9 hours ago, Quinn said:
Senator Joe Quinn (D-NY)
NAME: Joe Quinn
AVATAR: Malcolm Turnbull
SEAT: New York, Class I
PARTY: Democratic Party
MAJOR CAUCUS: New Democrat
GENDER: Male (0)
AGE: 58 (0)
SEXUALITY: Straight, married with 2 children (-5)
RACE/ANCESTRY: Caucasian (0)
RELIGION: Mainline Protestant (0)
EDUCATION: Bachelor's of Business at Columbia University, 1989; (5) magna cum laude (25)
Master of Public Administration at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, 2001 (5)
SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY: Upper Class (-5)
CAREER HISTORY: [Business Associate (10); Business Executive (20); Federal political staffer (10)
1990-1992 -- Broker, Merrill Lynch
1993-1996 -- Senior Broker, Merrill Lynch
1997-1998 -- Junior Vice President, Merrill Lynch
1998-1999 -- Vice President, Merrill Lynch
2001-2001 -- MPA at Harvard Kennedy
2002-2006 -- Economic Policy Advisor, Office of Senator Hilary Clinton
POLITICAL HISTORY: [House of Representatives Terms - 2 (6); Senate Terms - 2.5 (25); House Subcommittee Chair 1 term (2); Senate Subcommittee Chair 2 terms (6)]
2006-2009 -- US Representative, 20th New York Congressional District
Member, House Committee on Armed Services
Member, House Committee on Agriculture
Chair, Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry
2009-Present -- US Senator, New York Class I
Member, Committee on Foreign Relations (2009-2011)
Member, Committee on Armed Services
Chair, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Member, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Chair, Subcommittee on Livestock, Marketing and Agricultural Security
TOTAL: 104 points
BACKGROUND:
Born and bred in Albany, New York, Joe Quinn's journey to becoming a distinguished leader in American politics is marked by a steadfast commitment to excellence and a profound dedication to public service. With a father who practiced law and a mother who served as a general practitioner, Joe was raised in a household that instilled in him a strong sense of duty and compassion for others.
After completing his undergraduate studies at Columbia University in 1989, Joe embarked on a career in finance, joining Merrill Lynch. Over the years, he demonstrated exceptional talent and leadership, rising through the ranks to become Vice President. His tenure at Merrill Lynch during the dynamic 1990s provided him with invaluable insights into the intricacies of the financial world and the global economy.
Despite his success in the corporate sector, Joe's passion for public service beckoned. In 2000, he made the decision to pursue a deeper understanding of governance and policy by enrolling at Harvard Kennedy School of Government. There, he immersed himself in the study of public administration, further honing his skills and expanding his knowledge base.
Following his time at Harvard, Joe brought his expertise from the finance sector to bear in the political arena. Through some connections he'd made during his time at Merrill, he landed a role in Hillary Clinton's Senate Office.
In 2006, Joe's dedication to public service led him to seek elected office in his own right, and he successfully ran for the US House of Representatives, representing New York's 20th Congressional District. Throughout his tenure in the House, Joe distinguished himself as a passionate advocate for economics and finance, but also served as a committee member on armed services and agriculture.
In 2009, Joe was appointed to fill the Senate vacancy following Hillary Clinton's appointment as Secretary of State. Joe continued his tireless advocacy for his constituents, leveraging his expertise in finance, public administration, and governance to address the critical issues facing the state and the nation. His appointment was controversial - he was a relatively unknown representative from upstate New York with a moderate voting record.
Senator Joe Quinn's tenure spans over a decade, marked by a focus on issues such as veterans' affairs, economic growth, and healthcare. He served on various committees, including Armed Services and Finance, advocating for policies benefiting service members, small businesses, and families. Quinn notably led efforts to improve mental health services for veterans and promote job creation in his home state. Throughout his tenure, he's been recognized for his bipartisan work, but also faced criticism for certain policy positions, notably his stance on tax reform earlier in his career. Overall, Quinn's Senate career reflects his commitment to representing his constituents and addressing pressing issues facing the nation
KEY VOTES:
110th Congress 2007-2009
YEA - Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008111th Congress 2009-2011
YEA - Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
112th Congress 2011-2013
NO - United States–Colombia Free Trade Agreement113th Congress 2013-2015
YEA - Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
YEA - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013
114th Congress 2015-2017
YEA - Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015
115th Congress 2017-2019
NAY - Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
116th Congress 2019-2021
NAY - United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement Implementation Act
117th Congress 2021-2023
YEA - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
YEA - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
YEA - Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022
118th Congress 2023-2025
YEA - Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023,
Welcome to the game! Unfortunately, the points limit in the character creation system is 100 points, so I am afraid you will have to scale back four points
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24 hours to reconsider, as always.
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Grassroots Law Project $321,044 Q2 2025
General Donors $707,749 Q2 2025
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Bank of America, LLC
Farm Credit Council $19,447 Q2 2025
General Donors $631,856 Q2 2025
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American Medical Association $20,164 Q2 2025
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Teresa Citroen D-CA
in R17 Character Archive
Posted
Blue Dog from California and twice divorced, this ought to be interesting. APPROVED.