Emanuel Cleaver: Pushing back against Trump's lawlessness

 

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

We are officially one month into the 119th Congress and already navigating the anticipated challenges of standing up for the American people against the Trump Administration's extreme agenda. 

From efforts to undermine our democracy, to policies that prioritize the ultra-wealthy over working families, this administration has made it clear that it will govern through chaos, fear, and division. But House Democrats are fighting back - as your representative, I remain committed to defending our freedoms, protecting our rights, and advancing an agenda that puts people first.

Our work in the People's House is more critical than ever, and I'm eager to provide a brief update, so let's jump right in.

Pushing Back Against Musk's Access to Americans' Private Information and the Treasury's Payment System

As you may be aware from public reporting, President Trump has quickly handed the keys to the federal government, including the Department of Treasury's multi-trillion dollar payment system, over to Elon Musk - an unelected, unaccountable billionaire with numerous conflicts of interest and without a security clearance. This illegal and extraordinarily dangerous action is unprecedented and has the potential to end in a calamity for American families and our national economy.

Not only does Mr. Musk's access to the Department of Treasury's internal systems threaten the private information of Missouri families, such as Social Security numbers, banking information, and home addresses, but it also provides ample opportunity for rank corruption from the world's richest individual, endangering funding for essential programs like Social Security and Medicare.

Since this information came to light - which was made available through investigative reporting and not relayed to the public by the Trump Administration - Missourians have been, rightfully, flooding my office with phone calls about their displeasure with the situation. And I want you to know that I'm pushing back against this unlawful invasion of Americans' privacy and threat to our national economy.

Last week, I joined congressional Democrats, federal workers, veterans, and law-abiding Americans for a protest outside the Treasury Department to demand an end to this lawlessness, as we try to put pressure on the Trump Administration to revoke Musk's access. Additionally, I teamed up with more than 150 House Democrats to demand information from the Treasury Secretary about Musk 's access to Americans' personal information and what they're doing to ensure he doesn't illegally gut federal programs which are protected by laws passed by Congress. Lastly, I joined the entire House Democratic Caucus to introduce the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, which would prevent individuals with conflicts of interest or without a security clearance, including Elon Musk, from accessing the highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system.

 

As my colleagues across the aisle abdicate their constitutional responsibility to provide a check on the Executive Branch, I want you to know that Democrats are doing everything in our power to end this lawlessness, including legislation, litigation, and mobilization. As this situation evolves, please know that I will not relent in the fight to protect our federal programs from greedy billionaires like Elon Musk.

Condemning President Trump's Unlawful Pause of All Federal Funding

Two weeks ago, President Trump illegally and abruptly attempted to pause trillions of dollars in federal funding that was passed into law by an act of Congress. This left many of our neighbors facing two days of terror as they were left confused about whether they could access critical programs like Meals on Wheels, Head Start, SNAP, and so much more. Moreover, many of our local health organizations, nutrition assistance nonprofits, and veterans support organizations were left without access to federal funding that supports their mission to assist our community members.

Immediately, I joined a chorus of lawmakers in condemning this illegal and damaging directive from President Trump. Thankfully, a federal court in Washington paused the federal funding freeze that was causing chaos in our communities, which is still in effect today. Following the court order, the Administration backed down and rescinded the order which led to all the unnecessary chaos. However, many organizations are still struggling to access funding, and the President has made clear that he still intends to move forward with a freeze in all federal funding that he doesn't support if a court gives him the opportunity. Although Republicans are in control of the House, Senate, and White House, I want you to know that Democrats are using every tool in our toolbox, including the federal court system, to push back against this reckless attempt to defund the entire federal government.

As I continue to monitor this situation, please reach out to my office if you or your organization are in need of assistance due to the previous federal funding freeze.

Trump Folds, Pauses Reckless Tariffs After Public Outrage

Just like they did with the illegal funding freeze, after threatening to enact harsh tariffs on our two largest trading partners, President Trump caved and backed down on his reckless attempt to provoke a trade war with Mexico and Canada - which would have left American families facing higher costs on everyday goods like gas and groceries.

Missouri currently sells more goods to Canada than to its next five largest foreign markets combined, with $6.5 billion in goods exported to Canada annually. Moreover, 184 Canadian-owned companies employ approximately 11,950 workers in Missouri - simply put, Missourians cannot afford the President's childish spat with our ally. That's why I was pleased to join dozens of my colleagues in demanding the President and the Trump Administration permanently rescind the executive order levying a 25 percent blanket tariff on Canadian imports and a 10 percent tariff on imported Canadian oil.

Find more information on our effort to prevent tariff price hikes from going into effect here.

Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Primary Care Workforce

Too many communities, particularly in rural areas, are struggling to maintain the level of primary care doctors needed to support their populations. I was proud to introduce a bipartisan bill with Congressman Zach Nunn (R-IA) to ensure families can get the care they need. This legislation addresses the primary care provider shortage and strengthens the healthcare workforce, which is increasingly under threat.

The bipartisan Train More Primary Care Doctors Act would strengthen the pipeline of primary care providers by reauthorizing grant funding to support the training of more primary care providers nationwide. Moreover, the bill would codify an additional $1,000,000 to support training for eating disorder screening and referrals, ensuring more Missourians dealing with these challenges can get the help they need.

Every American in every community deserves access to quality, affordable primary healthcare, which has proven to cut down on chronic illnesses and expensive hospital visits. However, far too many communities experience barriers to meet this critical need. As Co-Chair of the Midwest Crossroads Caucus, I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my fellow Co-Chair to ensure every family has access to the care they need, regardless of their ZIP code.

Official text of the Train More Primary Care Doctors Act is available here.

Know Your Rights, Protecting Immigrants and Families

The Trump Administration has taken aggressive actions to limit immigration, roll back protections for asylum seekers, and target undocumented individuals and their families. If you or someone you know is impacted, it's important to understand your constitutional rights, so I wanted to provide the following information, which is also available on my website here.

You have the right to remain silent - if confronted by immigration authorities, you are not required to answer questions about your immigration status. You can say "I'm exercising my right to remain silent."

Do not open your door without a warrant - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must have a signed judicial warrant to enter your home or business. Ask to see it before allowing entry.

You have the right to an attorney - if detained, you have the right to legal representation. Do not sign anything without consulting an attorney.

Emergency preparedness matters - If you are undocumented, make a plan in case of detention, including designating a trusted person to care for your children or handle your affairs. Additionally, if you are detained and seek assistance through my office, should my office need to communicate with ICE on your behalf at some point in the future, my office will be legally required to present a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) privacy waiver that you have filled out and signed. We encourage constituents to keep a completed version of this form in a safe location with other vital records. Completing these forms in advance should be considered an important part of your family's preparedness plan.