Today, April 21, Western’s vaunted annual tradition of Model Congress returns. Now in its 19th year, MoCo will simulate the workings of the nation’s federal legislature. Seniors will take the roles of senators and representatives and debate proposals ranging from reforming education and steering the development of AI to curbing the use of private jets and constructing a protective dome over the country.

Each year, Model Congress offers government students a chance to apply what they’ve learned throughout the year and go in-depth on issues they’re passionate about. As per tradition, the Hemisphere will be reporting live, tracking bills, capturing photos, and holding interviews. Stay tuned throughout the day for updates both here and on our Instagram (@thewesternhemisphere).

Morning Updates: Committees & Caucuses

9:06 — House Committee on Environment, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Passes the Farmer and Family Protection Act

With a resounding 18-2 vote, Audrey Miracle’s Farmer and Family Protection Act passed its committee. The bill aims to mitigate “significant health and economic risks” by limiting the use of pesticides in farming, Miracle said. It will also work to increase the ethicality of EPA-conducted assessments by limiting influence from pesticide companies and instead emphasizing farmers and health, as “farmers and their families are the ones most overlooked,” according to Miracle.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

9:07 — Railroad Infrastructure Bill Passes House Committee for Transportation

Ben Hostler’s bill to improve railroad infrastructure in the U.S. passed 14-1. The bill would increase federal funding for railroads and Amtrak. According to Hostler, “Automakers have affected how we view trains, and led to their decline in the U.S.” Hostler claims that powerful lobbying groups from both the auto and oil industry have crippled the U.S. railroad system, and stifled America’s progress towards more equitable public transportation.

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

9:11 — House Committee on Health and Human Services Passes Act limiting Price Spreading by PBMs

With a 17-4 vote, Ava Jackson’s act for limiting price spreading of prices by PBMs, which are companies that administer drugs to different entities, passed the House Committee on Health and Human Services. The bill requires PBMs to report semi-annual data in order to limit misinformation that is used to scam patients. In the past, multiple PBMs “are guilty of [pocketing money] but action hasn’t been taken,” according to Jackson, so her bill would be the first to combat the issue.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

9:13 — Public Transportation and Electrification Act Passes House Committee for Transportation

Ananya Madaan’s bill to improve public transportation passed the Transportation Committee 9-6. The bill will also convert existing public transportation to electric, expediting the transition to clean energy. Representative Madaan claims that “updating public transportation will reduce class and racial inequality.” The bill also aims to boost the economy by creating jobs and giving citizens greater mobility.

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

9:29 — Invasive Species Act Passes House Transportation Committee

Logan Sibiski’s bill to eradicate invasive species passed the House Transportation Committee 10-5. Invasive species cause $140 billion dollars in damages each year, and Sibiski’s bill aims to save money by eliminating these issues. Sibiski described his bill as “helping our nation counter invasive species and promote native ones.” Despite opposition over the definition of an invasive species, the bill garnered enough support to pass. Congressman Moneymaker agreed on the issue of Burmese Pythons, saying, “I think we should kill them and sell their skins for profit.”

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

9:30 — House Committee on Energy Passes Act Prohibiting Natural Parks Drilling

With a majority vote, Lilly Smith’s act for prohibiting drilling in natural parks has been passed. Smith made it clear that yearly assessments of wildlife population and funding sustainable traveler support were needed. Anyone who violates the act receives a fine of $500,000. “We need to make sure that we are maintaining natural parks for future generations,” Smith said.

~ Hadley Cabell, Staff Writer

9:30 — Common Sense Gun Control Bill Passed in House Judiciary Committee

Abe Maybee’s bill, “meant to ensure that the right people can own guns legally and the wrong people can’t,” passed with a majority. It would create a national firearm license and would ban civilian possession of semi-automatic weapons. This would cost 15 billion dollars over 5 years which would be reevaluated annually, and would create ERPO forms to prevent people experiencing mental health crises from buying firearms for 14 days.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

9:36 — Supreme Court Nomination and Term Limit Bill Passed Unanimously in House Judiciary Committee

Caroline Grist’s bill would implement an 18 year term limit for Supreme Court justices. It would also force the president to appoint one conservative and one liberal justice during their presidency. This would create “a more moderate and youthful court.”

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

9:45 — Bill to Regulate AI in Marketing Fails in Senate Budget, Commerce, and Transportation Committee

Proposed by Allie Fontaine and Eliza Wasson, the bill would decrease AI use in marketing by imposing an 80% fine on all profits from AI marketing campaigns. After multiple amendments, including one to cap the fine at 30%, the bill failed with an overwhelming vote.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

9:45 — Senate Health and Agriculture Committee Passes Bill Combating High Drug Prices

The bill’s purpose is to ban evergreening and lower overall drug prices. According to the bill’s sponsor, “American’s pay 2-3% more for prescribed drugs than other countries.” The provisions to this bill include loans on evergreen, accelerated access to the generic drug, and anti-price gouging measures, which means that the price cannot exceed past inflation prices. The only disagreement that others had with this bill was that they needed to clearly define what evergreening is, so an amendment defining evergreening was added before the bill passed.

~ Nora Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

9:48 — Bill to Allow Funding for Genome Editing Passes in the House Committee for Health and Human Services

With a 14-6 vote, Isabelle Brann’s bill, which would allow the government to fund genome editing, passed overwhelmingly. The bill supports genome editing to combat hereditary diseases, which down the line would allow for medical research and resources to be allocated away from hereditary diseases. The bill would also create a board to ensure ethical usage of genome editing. This would ensure that the researchers “meet the standards and the goal to eradicate hereditary diseases,” according to Brann.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

10:08 — Food Dye Regulation Act Passes House Committee for Health and Human Services

Stewart Cobb’s bill limiting artificial dyes in food products passes 17-3. The bill would limit artificial dyes linked to cancer rates and ADHD symptoms. According to Cobb, “studies found that when these dyes were taken out of children’s diets, their ADHD symptoms decreased by almost 60%.” The bill would limit the effects of these dyes, especially dyes made with carcinogenic petroleum.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

10:11 — Equitable School Funding and Staffing Act Passes in House of Educational and Labor

Sammy Rowanhill’s bill would eliminate inequitable funding for schools within districts. If there were a funding inequality greater than 10% within two schools teaching the same ages, it would be flagged by the Department of Education, and if the district doesn’t reform within the next year, all federal funding would be cut. The bill passed in its committee.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

10:15 — Bill to Increase DEI in College Admissions Fails in Senate Committee for Budget Commerce, and Transportation

Senator Malcolm Powell’s bill to increase DEI in college admissions was introduced with strong opposition from Senator Powell. He described it as a “discriminatory, frivolous bill that is constitutionally questionable at best,” and encouraged committee members to vote against it. The bill would “fight fire with fire” to create a “counterweight” of discrimination in college admissions processes, but, he claimed, was lacking in evidence. The bill failed in committee.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

10:24 — Make Fast Food Healthier Act Fails in House Committee for Health and Human Services

Wade Sturman’s bill to reduce fast food options with high calories or sodium, which are directly linked to high obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, failed 4-16. The act would allocate funding to creating more “superfood” options on fast food menus, as “one third of children consume fast food on any given day,” according to Sturman.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

10:34 — Mandatory Itemized Healthcare Bill passes House HHS Unanimously

David Richmond’s bill to require healthcare systems to send itemized bills to patients passed the House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously. Currently, itemized bills are only available upon request. According to Richmond, his bill would “increase transparency for patients, especially uninsured ones.”

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

10:45 — Senate Democratic Caucus Tackles Key Issues From AI to Abortion and Community Safety

The Senate Democratic Caucus discussed a variety of bills, covering topics from driving laws to artificial intelligence and term limits. Cooper Shelton’s bill allocates funding for community violence intervention agencies to identify individuals involved with violent organizations and work to prevent violence. Cole McGinty has proposed a bill that incentivizes people to leave subsidized housing. Dan Diamond’s abortion bill is expected to be the most significant piece of legislation for the Democrats, and they anticipate a considerable amount of debate surrounding it.

Morning Updates: Floor Debate

11:21 — Amelia Schultz’ Electoral College Reform Fails on House Floor

This bill would encourage equitable representation. “It is our job as a democracy to address the systematic inequalities that exist in our society” said Schultz. “It does not abolish the electoral college, but reforms it” said representative McQueen. “This would better be addressed as a constitutional amendment” said one dissenter. Another agreed, saying, “voting is a very delicate process in America and this is much too soon to vote on something that would cause such a drastic change, that should require a supermajority vote and would be better addressed through an amendment.”

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

11:28 — House Floor Hears Fire-Resilient Land Act

The Fire-Resilient Land Act aims to “promote preventative measures on private land and burn regulations.” Democratic Caucus leader Audrey Abrahamson said the bill “aims to protect land giving you tax credit to help prevent crazy wildfires. We believe it is a very bipartisan bill.” The bill’s author, Republican Kyler Snow, states the bill’s goal is “making sure land owners know they are protected and that they are protecting their land…when disaster strikes, instead of 2.4 million acres of land being burned, it can be drastically prevented. We can take care of these fires before they start.” The bill passed unanimously in the house.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

11:35 — Police Bodycam Requirement Act Passes House Floor

With a unanimous vote in the house, Easton English’s bill on requiring all police to use body cams has been passed. The bill states that all video footage will be updated to a database for review. The footage will help with false accusations regarding the legal system. “It’s essentially to keep police integrity intact,” English said. It will prevent police misconduct and allow judges to determine who’s at fault. The bill states that federal police should not have control over state police regulations.

~ Hadley Cabell, Staff Writer

11:38 — House Floor Hears Representative Love’s Fentanyl Prevention Act

The bill is focused on increasing border security and will minimize the amount of illegally smuggled fentanyl. The bill’s sponsor, House minority leader Danielle Love said “the fentanyl crisis has cost the United States $5 million in damages and this bill works to establish better relations with Mexico and to find the exact infiltration points of fentanyl.” Representative Buchanon, Democrat, supports this bill because “as both a mother and grandmother, this bill keeps our country safe.” This bill passed the house.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

11:44 — Common Sense Gun Control Bill Passes House Floor

“45 thousand people die every year from guns. This bill is not meant to take away anyone’s second amendment rights but exists to ensure that the wrong people don’t get guns,” said Representative Abe Maybee. The bill would also remove the gun show loophole and ensure that thorough background checks occur before someone purchases a firearm. “Someone close to an individual or law enforcement may fill out an ERPO form to prevent someone from purchasing a gun for 14 days,” Maybee continued. “If you are a civilian I see no reason why you should need to own a semi-automatic weapon.” The bill would also invest in mental health research to work to prevent gun violence. The bill passed on the house floor.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

11:44 — Minimum-Wage Reform SB-184 Fails Senate Floor

The bill is focused on raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 over the next 6 years, but it was controversial due to concerns that the raise would be too much, too quickly. Senate minority leader Molly Streit stated that the bill would cause the government to cover too many gaps in states that relied on the federal minimum wage. Senate majority leader Jacob Cohen stated that the bill would help cover pay gaps between gender and race. Despite intense debate, the bill did not receive enough votes to pass.

~ Bo O’Connor, Staff Writer

11:44 — SB-172 Garners Unanimous Support for Drug Price Reduction

The bill is focused on increasing transparency on drug prices. The bill aims to address the root causes of this problem, primarily patenting and jacking up prices for profit. The bill aimed to give millions access to the drugs they need and add clarity to drug pricing. Senate Majority Leader Jacob Cohen and Senate Minority Leader Molly Streit both agreed on the importance of the bill in a rare show of bipartisanship. The bill unanimously passed the Senate.

~ Jasper Barry, Staff Writer

11:50 — House Hears Disability Employment and Equality Act

The Disability Employment and Equality Act would require those with mental and physical disabilities to be paid the same as those without those disabilities. Sponsor of the bill, Democratic Representative Adams, states “employers exempt those with disabilities from the federal minimum wage. This bill will increase security for those with disabilities and allow them to qualify for benefits. In the United States, Americans with disabilities fall below the social security benefits given to most Americans, and this bill will aim to prevent that.” Opponents of the bill, such as Representative Hunter Werheim, argued that the bill costs $10 billion and employers will be opposed to it. Republican dissenters called for a ballot vote for the bill, as the original vote was very close. The bill passed in the house.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

11:53 — Senate Hears SB-520 Regarding Retesting of Elderly Drivers

Co-presented by Kai Fusco and Jacob Cohen, this bill pertains to elderly people on the roads and how their driving conditions are unsafe to themselves and other drivers. The retesting would be required for people both under and over 65 years old. Presenter Kai Fusco said, “Anyone younger than 65 years old will retake their drivers test every five years. While over the age of 65,  one has to retake their driving test every five years along with an eye test.” After no debate, this bill has passed the Senate floor.

~ Nora Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

12:01 — Education Funding Bill Passes Senate Floor

This bill aims to reduce the wealth gap between public schools by redistributing taxes for education to each school based on the number of students they have. It garnered favor from both parties and passed the Senate floor.

~ Jasper Barry, Staff Writer

12:03 — Representative Buchanan’s Support for Veteran Administration and Support Act Passes Unanimously on House Floor

This bill will ensure that government programs and outside sources will help veteran and veteran families. “We love veterans and their families and the sacrifices that they make and we want to make sure that they’re taken care of when they come home,” said Representative Jack Connelly. It would “create an agency that clearly communicates veterans benefits and helps ensure that every veteran gets the benefits that they deserve.” This bill passed unanimously on the House floor.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

12:05 — Senate Tables Age-Limiting SB-222

This bill places restrictions on the age of candidates running for offices. The bill bars candidates who will be over 80 by the end of their terms from holding that office. Proposed by the Democrats of the Senate, the bill received backlash from Republicans, who were concerned that the bill stated nothing about the candidates taking cognitive tests. The bill was tabled, and Democrats offered to amend the bill to run cognitive tests on the candidate once they are over 80. With that amendment, the bill later passed.

~ Bo O’Connor, Staff Writer

12:15 — Audrey Abrahamson’s Bill Protecting Citizenship Reaches House Floor

This bill aims to give work authorization terms to immigrants who are escaping very difficult circumstances. Abrahamson said, “in this age of deportation, this bill allows for immigrants to grow their lives and families.” Dissenting opinions, championed by Representative Carter state “we cannot focus on outside forces, and we need to not allow illegal immigrants into our country.” Speaker of the House Miracle gave an extra minute for dissenting Republicans to voice their opinions. Representative Heilman stated “we need to set a precedent against illegal immigrants, and protecting them in this bill does not do that.” This bill was moved to a ballot vote.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

12:26 — Nationwide Medicaid for Pregnant Women Act Passes House Floor

A bill to help pregnant women financially was discussed on the house floor. “This act is an extremely costly bill and while it helps impoverished pregnant women, it costs every other American,” said one dissenter. “A lot of these people cannot function without the help that this bill would provide,” said one supporter. Another supporter said, “birth rates are declining while maternal and infant death rates are unacceptably high…” “This would increase the birth rate if women knew that the price of childbirth would be covered…it is very expensive for women who do not currently have insurance to pay for childbirth and this will help,” said another supporter. A Republican dissenter said, “the last thing we need as a society is less handouts. The last 96% of childbirths were insured. We don’t need another 35 billion dollars in handouts…this is not necessary for the majority of the population and we shouldn’t be giving handouts.” The bill passed on the house floor.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

12:30 — House Passes Bill to Bar Drilling on National Parkland

This bill aims to prevent any drilling on federally sanctioned national parks. Smith states the bill “preserves the integrity of national parks for future generations.” Dissenting this idea, Republican Representative Maybee states “the drilling only occurs on less than 20% of national parks, and the small impact it has on the environment is not worth the massive negative effects on workers.” This bill passed the house.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

12:33 — Dan Diamond’s Bill to Enshrine Abortion Rights Prompts Vote by Card in Senate

A bill, sponsored by Dan Diamond, would give women the option to abort a fetus at 26 weeks. Senate Majority Leader Jacob Cohen spoke on the bill, saying that it should not be the government’s choice whether a woman should have an abortion. Diamond called out Republicans for their stance on abortion: “Someone in a position above you is telling you not to vote for abortion. I want you to look at this bill not from your leaders, but just [from] logic.” Senator Molly Streit was insulted by Diamond’s actions and called on other Republicans to oppose the 26-week limit. Other Republican senators spoke against the bill in the belief that an abortion is equivalent to killing a child after 26 weeks. The bill went to vote by card.

~ Jasper Barry, Staff Writer

12:36 — Nauman’s Paid Maternal and Paternal Leave Act Passes on House Floor

Nauman’s bill would “guarantee women six weeks of paid and six weeks of unpaid leave and men three weeks of paid and three weeks of unpaid leave…the gender disparity exists because women have to physically recover from the birth.” This would exist if the parents have been working at a company for 12 months. Businesses may receive reimbursement from the federal government if they have less than 50 employees. This bill passed on the house floor.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

12:40 — Bill to Protect Those with Excessive Student Loans Passes in House

The bill aims to alleviate some student loans by preventing unjust fees and credit score depletions due to student loans. Rather than forgiving debt, the bill “simply protects the most vulnerable from falling deeper into poverty,” according to Emily See. The bill passed on the House floor.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

12:44 — Act to Cap Supreme Court Terms Fails on House Floor

Representative Caroline Grist’s bill to cap Supreme Court terms and limit Supreme Court nominations failed on the house floor. Dissenters were concerned that shorter terms would result in less experienced justices and would weaken the separation of powers. Grist argued that “it is crucial that we bring back people to a more moderate court.”

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

12:44 — Senate Hears SB-112 to Protect Schools from Shootings

The bill would provide supplemental funding to public schools to better prepare them for violent intruders. Senator Streit supported the bill, saying it protects “our most vulnerable population: children.” Senate Bill 112 passes nearly unanimously.

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

12:46 — Senate Hears Bill to Ensure Access to AEDs and Epi-Pens in Federal Buildings

Senator Sam Buer said that “375,000 Americans suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac event per year. It is critical to prepare for these emergencies.” The bill would provide Epi-Pens in public buildings and require CPR training in public schools. Senator Jack Cooper said he “was unable to carry an inhaler with [him] due to the cost.” This bill would also provide for albuterol inhalers in first-aid kits nationwide. An amendment was added to the bill to exempt disabled people from a CPR requirement. The bill passed unanimously.

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

12:50 — Senate Hears SB-533 from Senator Overman in Response to Social Security

The bill aims to expand social security to increase the wage gap to $1 million. The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Senator Overman, claims that raising the quota to $1 million will bring the social security gap closer to its intended impacts. He adds on by saying “The bill includes a tax credit for businesses that make under $200,000 annually.” Dissenting this bill is majority leader Streit who states the bill “unfairly taxes Americans disproportionately.” More Republicans add on to this idea saying “the bill unfairly taxes the rich who could give their money to a helpful charity.” There was a motion to extend debate, but it was denied. This bill passed the Senate.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

12:58 — Farmer and Family Protection Bill Goes to Ballot Vote in House

Audrey Miracle’s bill to reduce the use of pesticides on farms moved to a ballot vote. Supporters of the bill argue that it will reduce harmful chemicals that are often leaked from farms and limit carcinogens in the environment. Dissenters worry that “farmers will lose up to 78% of food production due to the banning of these pesticides,” said representative Jake Beard.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

1:00 — Senate Hears SB-210 Promoting Nuclear Waste Recycling

According to Senator Kennedy, “We have enough energy in our nuclear waste to power our nation for 100 years.” Kennedy’s bill aims to recycle nuclear waste, both to reduce its environmental impact and produce cheaper electricity for the American people. Senator Kimbrough endorsed the bill on behalf of the Republican party. The bill passed.

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

1:03 — Bill Restricting Legislators’ Stock Market Activity Fails House Floor

A bill to decrease corruption by preventing representatives from participating in the stock market failed on the House floor. Senator Annabelle Mackey opposed it by claiming that representatives have the same rights as their constituents and should have the liberty to make their own financial decisions.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

Afternoon Updates: Return to Committees

1:44 — House Education and Labor Committee Discusses School Security Bill

Representative Julia DiGilio’s bill, the Security Schools Act, aims to stop school shootings by introducing a school issued officer, who is armed with a firearm. This bill, according to chair Brader Eby, is “by stepping the greater issue which is firearms.” Congresswoman Stan agreed with Eby, saying, “it ignores the broader issues and turns schools into prison-like environments.” According to Stan, the bill is “causing more harm than good.”

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

1:51 — House Education and Labor Committee Blocks Tax-Redistributing Scialla-Neu Act

The Scialla-Neu Act aims to redistribute local tax revenue for statewide education in order to eliminate funding disparities. Congresswoman Ava Naumann took issue with the bill, saying, “it’s impossible for local taxpayers to see where their money is going” under the bill. Congressman Mateja feared that the quality of schools in more affluent areas would deteriorate. The bill was rejected by the committee.

~ Reid Keller, Staff Writer

1:54 — Mandatory Driving Tests Approved by House Committee for Transportation

Kai Fusco’s bill to require driving and eyesight tests for adults went to the House Committee for Transportation, where it passed almost unanimously. One proponent of the bill described it as “pretty easy to pass” as it federalized existing state legislature.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

1:56 — Postpartum Aid Bill Blocked in Senate Health and Agriculture Committee Amid Privacy Concerns

Catherine Ziemba’s bill on providing postpartum aid to mothers failed in a Senate committee. “Keeping a registry on pregnant women will give states power to target them,” Phoenix Claibourn. “It will give states the power to track those who are pregnant and know who have had natural miscarriages.” The committee also opposed the high cost of funding.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

1:56 — Dan Diamond’s Abortion Bill Passes Tight Vote in House Judiciary Committee

Dan Diamond’s bill to allow abortion to the fetus up to 26 weeks of pregnancy went to the House Judiciary Committee where, it narrowly passed. One counterargument to the bill was the monetary concerns for protected minors, whose funding for the abortion would be charged to parents who may or may not have known about the procedure.

~ Jasper Barry, Staff Writer

2:11 — Optimistic Senate Republicans Caucus for Afternoon Session

The Senators triumphantly entered their caucus meeting by screaming “Red Wave! Red Wave!” During discussion, the party attempted to establish an approach to the opposing party’s legislation. “Personally, and as a party, we’re kind of against this bill, but you should read it, just raise your hands like the good old days,” Senator Fisher Goodall said about a Democrat-led insurance reform bill.

Majority Leader Streit opened the floor for discussion on Nathan Peterson’s bipartisan bill that aims to end the production and sale of vape flavors targeted towards children. The Republicans were in support of this bill. Senator Goodall decried Mary Larkin Buchanan’s bill that would have provided benefits to families with veterans, citing cost concerns. “We are the party of small government, and this is inconsistent with our beliefs.” Streit later discussed Representative Nauman’s Paid Paternity and Maternity Leave Act saying “I’m in support of this bill as it gives needed money to mothers and fathers.”

The caucus continued by discussing Kyler Snow’s Fire Prevention Act, with Senator Kimbrough saying “the bill calls for a lot of money, $720 million, but it has good intentions, so I’m in support of it.” The meeting then briefly erupted into chaos when word arrived that the Judiciary Committee had failed to inform them of the passage of three additional bills.

The caucus shifted to a focus on Lily Smith’s Drilling Prevention Act for National Parks, with the main sentiment echoing across the room being “drill, baby drill.” The party was staunchly opposed to the bill. The caucus then began discussing Easton English’s bill to mandate the use of body cameras by police officers. The party expressed support for English’s legislation.

~ Sam Rosenbaum, Staff Writer

2:14 — House Democrats Work Towards Unified Front in Afternoon Caucus

The Democratic Congressmen opened their caucus by discussing Dan Diamond’s abortion bill with overwhelming support. However, Speaker of the House Audrey Miracle encouraged dissent for Molly Streit’s bill to increase the ease of getting temporary restraining orders and assisting minors in obtaining weapons other than guns, out of concerns for safety. “If you want to speak up and support it, that’s totally fine, even if it doesn’t align with what ‘we’re saying,’” Majority Leader Audrey Abrahamson said. Miracle later said they “scoff about” Republicans’ dislike of “taxing the rich” in reference to Overman’s Social Security Act. They agreed to support Diamond’s abortion bill, Cole McGinty’s term limits bill, Overman’s Social Security Act, and Kai Fusco’s driving assessments bill, but opposed Streit’s bill. 

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

Afternoon Updates: Floor Debate

2:32 — Fair Pharmaceutical Pricing Act Passes House Ballot Vote

The bill, which aims to decrease the price of pharmaceutical drugs, “will allow more people to have access to healthcare… this bill will let more people have access to drugs that they need to survive” said one supporter. Another added that, as American citizens, “we have the right to have affordable medication.” One dissenter said, “this bill will overregulate our economy. They will take away our patents.” The bill went to vote by ballot, where it passed 86-67. 

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

2:37 — Contentious Nationwide Access to Abortion Act Passes House Ballot Vote

Representative Dan Diamond’s bill to allow abortion up to 26 weeks faced hot contention on the House floor. “Abortion should be a protected healthcare right,” House Majority Leader Audrey Abrahamson argued. “It makes it too easy to get an abortion to the point of pressuring young women to get abortions,” a dissenter said, arguing that getting an abortion at “26 weeks is inhumane as a baby has a heartbeat and can often survive outside of the womb.” A proponent responded that “giving women the option to have an abortion just gives them another choice.” After going to a ballot vote, the act passed the House.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

2:52 — House Passes Kinnan Jones’ Small Farm Property and Sustainability Act

This bill would create new jobs and would help the environment. “I think this bill should have bipartisan support because farmers are extremely important to America,” said one Republican supporter. “This bill allows technological growth and encourages sustainability,” said a Democratic supporter. This bill passed on the house floor.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

2:54 — Bill Allowing Concealed Carry of Protective Weapons for Minors Passes House in Tight Vote

Molly Streit’s bill would allow minors to attain restraining orders more easily and carry protective weapons, excluding guns. Supporters of the bill argue that it will prevent acts of violence. Representative ML Buchanan claimed that “85% of attacks were prevented because people were concealed carrying.” Dissenters argue that allowing minors to carry weapons would increase violence among youth, and that the “safety of minors should be left to the states,” according to representative Annabelle Mackey. In a ballot vote, the bill passed 71-69.

~ Olivia Moore, Student Life Editor

3:06 — House Passes Social Security-Reforming RESTORE Bill Following Debate

Democrats backed the RESTORE bill, as it “will bridge the gap between the upper, middle, and lower classes,” according to a proponent. Republicans, on the other hand, dubbed it “inherently unequal and unfair,” and argued that rich people should not be “punished” and forced to pay taxes to increase social security. “This is an investment into all of our futures,” representative Kate Quinn said, referencing the depleting funds comprising social security. The bill passed the House with mixed votes.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor

3:12 — House Approves Cardiac Response Act

The bill would allow for better more widespread access to defibrillators. The bill passed, despite dissenters arguing that the bill gives too much power to the federal government over small issues. “What is the point of the 10th amendment when the federal government nitpicks the little things? This sets a dangerous precedent for the federal government overreach,” representative Emily See said.

~ Isabella Stewart, Staff Writer

3:15 — Aiden Maddox’s “Old Hag” Act Rejected Following Intense House Debate

Maddox’s act to impose an age cap on officeholders “could put many wise minds with years of experience… in jeopardy,” argued a dissenter. One suggested that older representatives take a cognitive test to determine their ability to stay in office, rather than imposing a definitive age cap. A proponent of the bill said that it “encourages young people to run for office” to better represent the will of the people. The bill failed with strong opposition.

~ Ika Gottlieb, News Editor