In the News
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said the Turkey-US Interparliamentary Friendship Group will send a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry in response to another letter sent by members of the US Congress to Kerry concerning the arrests of Turkish journalists and the status of media freedom in Turkey.
Erdoğan's remarks came after 88 members of Congress sent Kerry a letter on Feb. 2 urging him to support media freedom in Turkey.
A large number of members of the US Congress have voiced concerns on the recent arrest of media members in Turkey and called on Secretary of State John Kerry to press the Turkish government to secure press freedom in the country.
In a letter to Kerry, 89 members of Congress stated that they are "deeply concerned" with the recent arrest of journalists, underlining the Turkish government's steps to "intimidate, arrest and smother" critical voices as being a threat to the very democratic principles that Turkey claims to respect.
The LGBT Equality Caucus is once again calling on U.S. House members to show solidarity with LGBT people by joining the organization — except this time there’s a price tag.
At the onset of the 114th Congress, the nearly seven-year-old caucus is for the first time charging for regular membership. The cost is $400 per year. The cost for being a co-chair has risen to $7,500 annually and for being a vice-chair to $2,100 a year.
Democratic leaders in Congress haven't been too receptive to President Barack Obama's push for new trade deals — so he's turning to a freshman.
On Tuesday, Obama sent a letter directly to Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), arguing that reaching new trade agreements is the only way to stop China from dominating the global markets and letting its lax standards run the world.
Click here to see Congressman Ted Lieu at hearing on Oversight and Government Reform, courtesy of Getty Images.
Seeking to build on the Obama Administration commitment to making the United States fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality both at home and abroad a foreign policy priority, U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA 47th District) and U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) have introduced the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2015 in both the House and Senate.
It's still legal for members of Congress to fire their employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. That's because there is no federal law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees from workplace discrimination, even though many states have their own policies that are more inclusive.
Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles) recently met with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs secretary Bob McDonald to talk about his concerns relating to veterans issues.
"Secretary McDonald and I had a very productive discussion about the Greater Los Angeles VA and how we can live up to our promise to take care of those who have sacrificed so much for our country," Lieu said. "It is clear from my conversation with the secretary that he cares deeply about our homeless veterans."
On the first day of the 114th Congress, the House of Representatives enacted a budgetary rule change that could radically alter our nation's budgets.
Local leaders in business and politics gathered Friday afternoon in Torrance to take stock of the regional economy and mull where to focus their energy for continued future growth. The answer: Invest in education and workforce training.