Latest news with #MikeLawler
Fox News
a day ago
- Business
- Fox News
The ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' May Be Hitting A Snag
On Monday, the Senate Finance Committee released their revisions to the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' pushing for deeper tax cuts and lowering the State and Local Tax (SALT) cap back to $10,000. These changes have sparked some friction between Senate and House Republicans, as President Trump warned that failure to pass his bill could lead to 'the highest tax increase in history instead of the greatest tax cut in history.' Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) joins the Rundown to defend raising the SALT cap to $40,000, and he explains the stakes for the U.S. in the Israel-Iran conflict. Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team members come from diverse backgrounds. Some start their careers in the military, while others are civilians who often find themselves in high-stakes situations. Tommy Wehrle, a SWAT officer, sniper, and former Baltimore County police officer, joins the Rundown to discuss his career and how he joined the SWAT ranks as an elite sniper. Plus, commentary by neurosurgeon and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Ben Carson. Photo Credit: AP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Newsweek
a day ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Republican Calls Out Trump Admin Cutting Suicide Hotline: 'This is Wrong'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Republican congressman has called out the Trump administration for cutting the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth. "This is wrong," Representative Mike Lawler of New York wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "According to studies, LGBTQ+ young people have an elevated risk of suicide and are more likely than their peers to attempt it. We should ensure they have the resources necessary to get help. The 988 hotline has been a lifesaver. This decision should be reversed." Newsweek contacted Lawler and the White House for comment via emails sent outside regular business hours. Why It Matters The LGBTQ+ youth program has served more than 1.3 million callers since it launched in September 2022, federal data shows. Since then, callers could press 3 on the phone to be connected to a counselor specifically trained to help LGBTQ+ youth. Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk of suicide. A report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year found about 26 percent of transgender and gender-questioning students had attempted suicide in the past year, compared with 5 percent of cisgender male and 11 percent of cisgender female students. The closure of the 988 service comes as President Donald Trump has targeted transgender people with executive orders since returning to office in January. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Sign for the 988 Lifeline mental health emergency hotline in Walnut Creek, California, on December 20, 2024. Sign for the 988 Lifeline mental health emergency hotline in Walnut Creek, California, on December 20, 2024. Getty Images What To Know The 988 hotline will stop providing tailored support options to LGBTQ+ and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) website. The decision preempts the Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988's LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services. The Trevor Project said on Wednesday that it received official notice on Tuesday that the White House had ordered the closure of the program. The nonprofit, which is dedicated to preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, is one of seven centers that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people and responds to almost half who contact the lifeline. SAMHSA's statement said the decision was made to "no longer silo" the services and "to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option." The statement referred to "LGB+ youth services," omitting the markers for transgender and queer people. Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black called the decision to omit the "T" representing transgender people "callous." "Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased," Black said. What People Are Saying Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement: "Suicide prevention is about people, not politics. The administration's decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible." He added: "I want every LGBTQ+ young person to know that you are worthy, you are loved, and you belong—despite this heartbreaking news. The Trevor Project's crisis counselors are here for you 24/7, just as we always have been, to help you navigate anything you might be feeling right now." The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in its statement: "Everyone who contacts the 988 Lifeline will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse, or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress. Anyone who calls the Lifeline will continue to receive compassion and help." Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., the CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), said in a statement: "The 988 Lifeline has been one of the most impactful mental health and suicide prevention innovations in recent years—connecting millions of people in crisis to immediate, lifesaving care. "It has also played a key role in building awareness, reducing stigma, and making support more available to people who need it most. As we mark Pride Month, we at NAMI are incredibly disheartened that the administration has announced the elimination of these services for America's LGBTQ+ youth, a community that, tragically, is at high risk for suicide." What Happens Next The Trevor Project is calling on people to sign a petition to demand lawmakers act to reverse the decision. The nonprofit said it would continue to run its 24/7 mental support services. SAMHSA said 988 will serve anyone who calls with compassion. If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can contact the Trevor Project's trained crisis counselors 24/7 by calling 1-866-488-7386, via chat at or by texting START to 678 678.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
State lawmakers take final swipe at Lawler as they head home
ASSEMBLY HEADS HOME: The state Legislature officially wrapped up its regular session for the year when the Assembly gaveled out at 12:38 Wednesday morning. New York Democrats ended their formal business in 2025 by offering a preview of what's sure to be one of their favorite activities in 2026: screwing with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler. The session's final big debate was over a bill to change a longstanding law that lets county party leaders seek to purge any registered voters who are 'not in sympathy with the principles of such party.' It would allow a party's state leadership to assume that role if a county-level structure doesn't exist. The bill effectively applies only to the Working Families Party, as New York's other three parties each have affiliates in nearly every county. It was directly motivated by Lawler's House race last year in which a couple hundred Rockland County voters enrolled in the WFP shortly before the primary, paving the way for stalking-horse candidate Anthony Frascone to win the WFP line over Democrat Mondaire Jones, 287-197. The tactic ensured that the left split its vote in November. Republicans were apoplectic over the bill. 'This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard,' said Assemblymember Chris Tague. 'We have people that are starving that can't clothe and feed their children ... Where the hell are our priorities?' 'This isn't about democracy, this isn't about freedom of elections, this is about a certain congressional seat that another party has been smarter and worked harder in the last two election cycles and won,' Tague said. 'What a shame. What an absolute shame.' The measure, Lawler said, is an example of Democrats 'disenfranchising voters who don't agree with them ... how democratic.' Party raiding seems to have become more common in New York in recent years, and Assembly sponsor Dana Levenberg said the bill was designed to 'level the playing field' with other parties that have an easier time ousting hostile members. 'We know the Conservative Party has effectively purged people from its registration rolls,' she said. The bill was one of 856 that passed both houses of the Legislature this year. They included high-profile measures such as Medical Aid in Dying, new prison oversight rules and a bill to help ween the state off gas — as well as plenty of notable lower-profile bills. One would have the state rename the four 23-story agency buildings in Albany's Empire State Plaza. All of them now have comically boring names: Agency Building 1, Agency Building 2, Agency Building 3 and Agency Building 4. They'll soon be named after the state's most famous rivers, as determined by a commission. 'When names are done right, they can really honor and give you a sense of history,' said Sen. Pat Fahy, whose district includes the Capitol. She personally prefers the Mohawk and Hudson as potential namesakes for Albany's skyline over, say, the East River. There have been various proposals over the decades to rename the buildings after famous New Yorkers, but there's an advantage to going with waterways: 'At least with rivers we don't have to do the historical research to see if they've done anything terrible in their lives,' Fahy said. Other bills that passed in the frenzy of recent weeks would require ad agencies to disclose when they're using artificial intelligence to create 'synthetic performers,' launch a study on how recess works at schools throughout the state and let bars buy a few bottles directly from liquor stores when they're in danger of running out before a wholesaler can arrive. There will be one constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot this year. It would allow the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex near Lake Placid to use land in the Adirondacks to modernize its Nordic skiing and biathlon trails. — Bill Mahoney FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL MAMDANI BROADCASTS AOC SUPPORT: Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani is putting up six figures in the final stretch of the mayoral race to promote his endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 'New York City we need a new day; we deserve a chance,' Ocasio-Cortez says in the ad, which will appear on cable. 'Elect Zohran for mayor.' The 30-second clip features Ocasio-Cortez's on-stage speech at Mamdani's highly -attended Saturday night rally, where she also urges the crowd to 'fill out the entire ballot' and 'not rank Andrew Cuomo.' The ad also claims that Cuomo has received 'millions from Trump donors.' Playbook reported last week that Cuomo has gotten nearly $400,000 from GOP or Conservative Party donors. While a super PAC supporting Trump has raised $500,000 from prominent Trump donor and billionaire Bill Ackman, other high-profile supporters of the PAC — like former Mayor Michael Bloomberg — have not donated to the president. Mamdani's campaign could not immediately provide evidence backing up the claim. — Jason Beeferman A CHAOTIC DAY ON THE TRAIL: With more than 130,000 New Yorkers already casting their ballots for the tightening Democratic primary, the leading candidates are scrambling to the finish line. Mamdani spent this morning celebrating the endorsement of 2021 mayoral candidate Maya Wiley, a leading progressive who came in third place in the Covid-era election. Wiley unveiled her full ballot slate at a press conference with the Mamdani camp, ranking him, Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Sen. Zellnor Myrie, and former Rep. Michael Blake. At the presser, Mamdani got emotional describing the harassment and death threats targeting him and his family on Islamophobia grounds. 'Part of this is the very sad world of what it means to be the first Muslim candidate,' Mamdani said, with tears in his eyes. 'It pains me to be called an antisemite as if I am somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love.' Mamdani's anti-Israel stance undergirds some of that criticism, which has been prevalent in a litany of mailers from a pro-Cuomo super PAC. Cuomo began today denouncing Mamdani's recent comments on The Bulwark podcast, in which he didn't condemn the chant 'globalize the intifada,' a popular slogan in the pro-Palestinian movement. 'I know people for whom those things mean very different things,' Mamdani said on the podcast, pointing to the word's use in an Arabic translation of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising exhibit in the U.S. Holocaust Museum. The museum responded in an X post this morning, writing that 'Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize 'globalize the intifada' is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors.' Cuomo was quick to pile on his leading competitor. 'All leaders or those running for office must condemn the use of this battle cry,' he said in a statement. 'There are no two sides here.' Six days out from the Democratic primary, the Cuomo campaign also celebrated the endorsements of the Staten Island Advance, the borough's only daily newspaper, and amNY. Elsewhere in the city, City Comptroller Brad Lander basked in the glow of national attention a day after he was detained by ICE agents. Lander made his rounds on local television stations to describe the incident, joined the Worker's Justice Project rally against GrubHub and touted the endorsement of former City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. — Amira McKee FROM THE CAPITOL PACKAGING FALLOUT: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie pushed back on criticism from environmental advocates over his conference's failure to pass a sweeping packaging reduction measure. Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and a former EPA regional administrator, accused Heastie of bowing to special interests and blocking the packaging bill and other environmental priorities from getting a vote. 'There has always been special interest opposition to effective environmental bills, but this year, Speaker Heastie let those special interests win by not allowing the packaging-reduction bill to come up for a vote and blocking every major piece of environmental legislation,' she said in a statement. Heastie said in a statement that he personally supported the bill, but that it did not have enough votes to pass according to his tally. 'What should be gone are the days of lazy advocacy that expect a top down approach from the Speaker,' Heastie said in a statement. 'Instead of spending time attacking me and my character, I suggest Ms. Enck put in the work to gain the necessary support for her bills. Contrary to popular belief, I am the most accurate vote counter in the Assembly, so I have three words for Ms. Enck: 'Continue the work.'' Environmental advocates have been frustrated with the Assembly blocking their priorities for years. The Senate typically passes far more environmental bills, but they falter in the Assembly. This year, that included several bills to limit PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' a more aggressive gas transition measure, a moratorium on spreading biosolids on farmland, and more. Heastie said the Assembly has passed several environmental bills in recent years, including the 2019 climate law, the environmental bond act and a pollinator protection bill. He also listed the Build Public Renewables Act, which passed as part of the 2023 budget after having previously passed in the Senate, and the All-Electric Buildings Act, which the Assembly pushed to weaken. 'Any suggestion that the Assembly doesn't take protecting the environment seriously is ridiculous and counterfactual,' Heastie said. — Marie J. French IN OTHER NEWS — DR. PHIL, ERIC ADAMS AND ICE: The celebrity psychologist played a key role in elevating Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry to a liaison between the city and the Trump administration's immigration efforts. (The New York Times) — DINAPOLI'S CHALLENGER: Drew Warshaw, who is challenging comptroller Tom DiNapoli in a 2026 primary, has vowed to return $20 billion to the public. (New York State Focus) — BANNED FROM ICE: Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler were barred from visiting immigration court in Lower Manhattan one day after Lander was arrested there. (THE CITY) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Balance of Power: Early Edition 6/18/2025
On the early edition of Balance of Power, Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Joe Mathieu discusses President Donald Trump's latest Iran comments. On today's show, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of New York, Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress Senior Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino and Groundwork Collaborative Senior Fellow Kitty Richards. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Lawler Says 'Time Has Come' to End Iran Nuclear Program
New York Republican Representative Mike Lawler Says "the time has come" for the US to act to eliminate Iran's nuclear program. Rep. Lawler also discusses negotiations around the SALT cap as the house and the senate remain far apart on key tax bill provisions. (Source: Bloomberg)
