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Act now—your donation to local news ensures a brighter, more informed tomorrow. Dear Editor, I was going to write an informational letter about the upcoming "No Kings" march and rally that takes place in Decorah on June 14, but then I woke up to learn of the nightmare that passed in the House of representatives as we slept and I knew I had to do everything that I could to amplify what the Trump administration is realLy attempting to do to us. After extensive reading I've discovered that Trump's "One Big Bill" is nothing more than an authoritarian power grab in legislative form, a free pass to big business, and a far-right wishlist that has no business becoming law in any advanced society. First, let me address the sections attacking or back tracking decades of environmental protections and social justice gains: - Sec. 42108 repeals Clean Air Act provisions used to limit emissions. - Sec. 42117 eliminates environmental and climate justice block grants. - Sec. 42301 strips EPA's authority to enforce vehicle emissions standards. - Sec. 41009 rescinds funds from national parks, and conservation and climate programs. - Secs. 80307-80309 rescinds National Park Service (NPS) funds provided under the Inflation Reduction Act. - Sec. 80307 cancels un-obligated balances from Section 50221 (BLM and NPS resilience & restoration). - Sec. 80308 cancels funds from Section 50222 (ecosystem protection and climate adaptation). - Sec. 80309 cancels funds from Section 50223 (historic preservation and legacy infrastructure). - Sec. 80301-80309 blocks federal land conservation plans and rescinds NPS/BLM funds. - Sec. 80151-80152 charges protest fees and kills environmental data programs. - Sec. 41008 creates a "De-Risking Fund" to protect fossil fuel companies from court orders or regulation. The next group of sections is nothing more than a blatent power grab by the executive branch, taking constitutional power from the courts, states, and the people. They are the actions of a dictatorship, NOT a democracy. - Sec. 30051 blocks agencies from issuing new rules without meeting strict cost-benefit standards. - Sec. 30061 prohibits the Secretary of Education from proposing new regulations. - Sec. 44001 prohibits state and local governments from regulating artificial intelligence for 10 years. - Sec. 80121(h) strips courts of jurisdiction to review federal permits and approvals by removing judicial oversight over mining, drilling, leasing, and environmental enforcement, effectively silencing the courts and people adversly affected by these corporations. - Sec. 110115 creates "Trump Accounts" and a Trump savings pilot program promoting a private savings plans tied to "American values." The last section defunds public interest protections, enforcement, and the safety nets that help keep the most vulnerable among us alive. - Sec. 50003 guts the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). - Sec. 50002 cuts enforcement powers from oversight bodies like the PCAOB. - Sec. 44122 limits retroactive Medicaid coverage. - Sec. 44131 ends extra funding for states that expand Medicaid. - Sec. 10008 expands work requirements for SNAP, even though studies have shown that a significant number of adults that receive SNAP benefits already work, but, due to inadequate wages, still fall below the poverty level. We have a term for that situation: The Working Poor. - Sec. 44141 requires states to impose Medicaid work requirements, even though the majority of Medicaid recipients are children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. So you see, this isn't just another budget bill. It's an authoritarian power grab by the executive branch and a give away to their corporate backers. This bill abuses budget reconciliation rules and attempts to jam through non-budget items, education rollbacks, and environmental deregulation which not only has an immediate detrimental affect, but will also continue to do harm for generations to come. Don't believe me? PLEASE read the bill. Christine Kilarski Decorah, Iowa Unlock a world of knowledge! Sign up for free DecorahNews.com newsletters and receive local news, local events and everything that is happening in and around Decorah.

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Letter to the Editor - A Far-Right Wishlist