Latest news with #LisaBluntRochester
Newsweek
15-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Senator: We're Already Seeing Consequences of RFK Jr's Vaccine Skepticism
As summer winds down, thousands of families across my home state of Delaware are starting to look ahead to the new school year. Parents are making their back-to-school shopping lists. Students are finishing their summer reading. But perhaps most importantly, families are checking to see what vaccines their children need to be safe and healthy come fall. Children receive over 30 vaccinations from the day they are born until they turn 17 to protect them from deadly diseases like the measles, the flu, and even COVID-19. But how do we know what vaccinations our children need? Enter the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. For more than half a century, ACIP has met multiple times a year to deliberate on the efficacy of vaccine selection for millions of Americans. This committee makes recommendations for the routine administration of vaccines for children and adults alike. These recommendations inform our broader public health system, ensuring the vaccines we need are affordable, accessible in our communities, and covered by insurance. ACIP is made up of doctors, scientists, pediatricians, and parents, often appointed following a rigorous public nomination and vetting process. They work above the political fray. There is no "D" or "R" next to any of their names—they let the science guide their work to keep our communities safe. That is, until last month, when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist, made an unprecedented, dangerous, and unilateral decision. Under the guise of trying "re-establish public confidence in vaccine science," he fired the entire committee in the middle of its members' staggered terms. He got rid of the qualified experts and replaced them with vaccine skeptics, conspiracy theorists, and scientists with little applicable experience. One member has already withdrawn due to a financial conflict. This is not how we build trust in our public health system. As a former statewide health official and member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I questioned Secretary Kennedy during his confirmation process. I met with him and considered his nomination, as I did all the other cabinet members that came in front of our committee, on the basis of his ABCs: his ability to do the job, his background, and his character. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat from Delaware, speaks at a press conference alongside other Senate Democrats outside the US Capitol on Priorities for the 119th Congress in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2025. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat from Delaware, speaks at a press conference alongside other Senate Democrats outside the US Capitol on Priorities for the 119th Congress in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2025. ALLISON ROBBERT/AFP/Getty Images As a new member of the Senate with an extensive record of bipartisanship from my time in the House, I was hoping to find common ground with Mr. Kennedy. He raised some legitimate concerns about the functionality of our health care system and the harm the food industry is causing Americans. I share some of these concerns, as do public health advocates across the country. I knew I would disagree with Mr. Kennedy's conspiratorial views on vaccines. But I was struck by the nominee's fundamental lack of knowledge about what the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does for the American people. I felt that his lack of understanding, and frankly, lack of curiosity, about the basic responsibilities of HHS made him not only an unqualified choice to lead this critical agency, but a dangerous one. And unfortunately, we are seeing the consequences of his highly partisan confirmation. In Delaware, a place with more chickens than people, illnesses like the Avian flu are a serious concern. American communities are dealing with the biggest Measles outbreak in decades. Meanwhile, Secretary Kennedy undermines the efficacy of vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, for children and pregnant women. Now is not the time to let conspiracy theories guide our health decisions. We need leaders who understand the importance of public health and allow science to inform their decision making. I'm not alone in my critiques of Secretary Kennedy. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American Public Health Association recently filed a lawsuit against him, alleging his changes to the vaccine schedule violate federal law. Their suit underscores the problems I've seen with Secretary Kennedy's leadership from day one. In just six months, Secretary Kennedy has postponed ACIP meetings, closed research labs, delayed clinical trials, laid off more than 1,000 NIH officials, and ignored congressional inquiries on CDC leadership. He even went back on a promise to our committee's well-respected chairman, senator and physician Bill Cassidy (R-La.), to "maintain" the 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices "without changes." The health and safety of our communities should not hang on the whim of a political ideologue. That is why I am working on legislation to reverse Secretary Kennedy's dangerous decision to fire ACIP members, reinstate the original committee, and ensure no future secretary can fire ACIP members without cause. Parents rely on ACIP for insurance coverage for the childhood vaccines students need to attend school. Children and caregivers rely on ACIP to ensure their parents can receive shingles vaccines free of charge. Many Americans who received a COVID-19 shot or were vaccinated against Polio have ACIP to thank. Firing ACIP's members will create confusion for insurers, confusion for doctors, and confusion for patients looking to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. ACIP worked so well for so long because politics did not factor into its decisions. We must restore this standard of integrity again. If Secretary Kennedy truly wants to restore confidence in our public health system, then he should let the science speak for itself. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat, serves as junior U.S. senator from Delaware. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
The Hill
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Stablecoin bill clears another hurdle in Senate, inching toward final vote
The Senate voted Wednesday to advance legislation setting up a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, bringing the crypto bill one step closer to a final vote in the upper chamber. Seventeen Democrats voted with almost every Republican to end debate on an updated version of the GENIUS Act. The new bill text was reached as part of lengthy negotiations between Republicans and crypto-friendly Democrats last month, ahead of an earlier procedural vote on the Senate floor last month. The vote breakdown was largely similar to the May vote, although Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) switched her vote to oppose the measure. She had supported the bill both in the Senate Banking Committee in March and on the Senate floor last month. Blunt Rochester voiced some hesitation Tuesday about Senate leadership's decision to forgo an open amendment process on the GENIUS Act, emphasizing that she hoped to see additional changes to the bill. 'I was really clear,' she told The Hill. 'I hoped that there would be an open amendment process, and that's what I heard Leader Thune say around last month, so I will take a look at this language, and we'll make a decision from there.' Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) ultimately scrapped the push for so-called 'regular order,' as controversial amendments — most notably, Sen. Roger Marshall's (R-Kan.) Credit Card Competition Act — threatened to upend support for the bill. The decision to move forward without an open amendments process frustrates a push by several Democrats to add in a provision that would prevent President Trump and other elected officials from profiting off stablecoins. 'The GENIUS act attempts to set up some guardrails for buying and selling a type of cryptocurrency, one type called a stablecoin,' Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said on the Senate floor ahead of Wednesday's vote. 'Well, we need guardrails that ensure that government officials aren't openly asking people to buy their coins in order to increase their personal profit or their family's profit,' he continued. 'Where are those guardrails in this bill? They're completely, totally absent.' However, crypto-friendly Democrats who have been deeply involved in negotiations are urging their colleagues to support the bill despite some of its shortcomings. 'It's extremely unhelpful that we have a president who's involved in this industry, and I would love to ban this activity, but that does not diminish the excellent work of this legislation,' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday. 'It does not diminish the hard work that bipartisan group of senators put into this to make a difference and to write a law that can protect consumers, that can protect our financial services industry, that can protect the strength of the dollar, and that can protect people who would like access to capital,' she added. The GENIUS Act likely faces a handful more votes before it can clear the Senate and head to the House. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told The Hill on Tuesday that she expects a final vote on the bill next week.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ESA Announces 2025 Recipients of the Interactive Entertainment Impact Awards
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne recognized as champions of the video game industry WASHINGTON, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today announced the 2025 recipients of the Interactive Entertainment Impact Awards: Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne (FED). Established in 2024, the awards celebrate champions of the video game industry and their efforts to enable and leverage the positive impact video games have on society. "The work of this year's awardees highlights the multifaceted value of video games that includes driving economic and workforce development and enhancing the lives of people with disabilities," said ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis. "Our recipients understand the unique and powerful ways video games positively impact society, not just as America's favorite pastime, but as a force for connection and innovation across the country." Driving innovation and growthThe leadership of Senators Blunt Rochester and Tillis reflects a deep understanding of the industry's potential to drive innovation and economic growth. They have helped shape a policy landscape where video games can thrive by protecting creative rights, promoting emerging technologies and expanding access to education, career pathways and community connection. "I am grateful to the Entertainment Software Association for honoring me with the Interactive Entertainment Impact Award," said Sen. Blunt Rochester. "We know that video games serve an economic, social and cultural value for millions of Americans, while also being a source of entertainment and joy. I'm proud to be a champion for emerging technologies, innovation and the power of play." "As chairman of the intellectual property subcommittee, I've championed strong, predictable IP rights for the entire time I've been in the U.S. Senate," said Sen. Tillis. "I firmly believe it is key to driving creative industries. I am proud to support America's thriving video game industry and thank the Entertainment Software Association for its leadership in protecting IP rights and securing America's position as the leader in innovation." Promoting accessibility and connectivity For years, the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne (FED) has been a dedicated advocate for the video game industry, sharing powerful firsthand experience of how video games serve as a valuable lifeline for people with disabilities. FED's support helps ensure that lawmakers understand how individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy benefit from sharing in the joy, challenge and connection that video games offer. "When our son James was diagnosed with Duchenne in 2000, we never imagined he'd one day be working on Capitol Hill. As a teen, he shared how video games were an equalizing force in his life – offering connection and joy when playing physical sports wasn't possible," said Joel Wood, president, Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne. "Interactive entertainment has had a profoundly positive impact on James and so many others. We are humbled and grateful for this honor and are pleased to support the ESA's work to embrace accessibility and promote the idea that play is for everyone." Recognizing the power of playThe ESA's Interactive Entertainment Impact Awards were founded in 2024 as a way to celebrate champions of the video game industry and their work to enable and leverage the positive impact game play has on society. According to the ESA's 2025 Essential Facts Report, nearly two-thirds of Americans regularly play video games, and the benefits are not only wide-reaching but profound for individuals and the economy. In the U.S. alone, consumer spending on video games and related products has more than tripled in size over the past decade, growing from $28.4 billion in 2014 to $59.3 billion in 2024. The U.S. video game industry also generated and supported more than $101 billion in total economic impact and contributed $66 billion to U.S. GDP, as reported in the ESA's 2024 Economic Impact Report. About the ESAFounded in 1994, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has served as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry for more than 30 years. Its members are the innovators, creators, publishers and business leaders that are reimagining entertainment and transforming how we interact, learn, connect and play. The ESA works to expand and protect the dynamic marketplace for video games through innovative and engaging initiatives that showcase the positive impact of video games on people, culture and the economy to secure a vibrant future for the industry for decades to come. For more information, visit the ESA's website or follow the ESA on X @theESA or Instagram @theesaofficial. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Entertainment Software Association Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
GeoVax Congratulates Bipartisan Senate Action to Onshore Critical Medical Manufacturing
Highlights Broad National Support for Domestic Vaccine Resilience and Role of MVA Platform in Public Health Preparedness ATLANTA, GA - May 29, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing multi-antigen vaccines and immunotherapies, voiced strong support for the newly announced bipartisan initiative by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) to onshore the manufacturing of critical pharmaceutical supplies. The Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act seeks to reduce reliance on foreign sources for key medical products - directly aligning with GeoVax's mission to rebuild U.S.-based vaccine manufacturing and strengthen national preparedness. 'We are seeing a unified, national groundswell - from Congress, the White House, HHS, FDA, BARDA, and commissions like NSCEB - calling for the onshoring of America's vaccine manufacturing base,' said David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax. 'GeoVax is purpose-built to answer that call, with a clinically validated MVA platform, a domestic manufacturing strategy, and a focus on pandemic responsiveness and protection of the immunocompromised.' Rebuilding U.S. Biomanufacturing Through Coordinated Federal Action The Senate initiative complements a cascade of government actions to bring the manufacturing of essential medical countermeasures - including vaccines - back to U.S. soil including: These actions reflect growing bipartisan recognition that national health security depends on resilient, scalable domestic vaccine capacity. MVA Technology: Protecting the Immunocompromised with Durable, Multi-Antigen Vaccines GeoVax's MVA platform supports a pipeline of multi-antigen vaccines, including GEO-CM04S1 (COVID-19), primarily targeted to address the current unmet needs inducing broad T-cell and antibody responses among immunocompromised individuals, overcoming the limitations of single-antigen vaccines. GeoVax's MVA vaccines align with FDA and HHS goals to advance diversified, multi-antigenic strategies that provide broader, longer-lasting protection across high-risk groups. Enabling U.S. Biomanufacturing Through Equip-A and BARDA RRPV: A Roadmap to Rapid, U.S.-Based Vaccine Production GeoVax's progressing advanced MVA manufacturing process is anticipated to eliminate the need for pathogen-free eggs and leverage a continuous avian cell line system, directly supporting the objectives of the federal government's EQUIP-A-Pharma initiative. This HHS-ASPR-DARPA program aims to create agile, point-of-care pharmaceutical production capabilities using modular, AI-driven platforms. Additionally, GeoVax's proposal - 'Innovation in Clinical Manufacturing of MVA-Vectored COVID-19 Vaccines' - was selected by BARDA's Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV), pending funding availability. The program is designed to accelerate the scale-up of advanced U.S.-based MVA vaccine manufacturing. The proposal is designed to: If funded, this effort is expected to create a scalable, resilient domestic manufacturing platform essential for the rapid deployment of MVA-based vaccines like GEO-CM04S1 (COVID-19) and GEO-MVA (Mpox/smallpox). Platform Alignment with National Priorities GeoVax's MVA-based vaccines embody the shift in U.S. public health strategy away from single-antigen platforms and toward multi-antigen, durable, and safe alternatives. These vaccines are specifically engineered to meet the needs of high-risk populations - including the 40+ million immunocompromised Americans who may not respond effectively to mRNA and other vaccines that focus primarily on inducing antibody immunity. GeoVax's U.S.-controlled MVA platform addresses key government objectives: Call for Continued Bipartisan Momentum 'With renewed bipartisan focus on U.S. medical independence, there is no better time to invest in American-homegrown vaccine innovation,' added Dodd. 'We urge lawmakers and federal agencies to continue supporting domestic capacity, biodefense readiness, and equitable access to advanced medical countermeasures to protect both our national security and our most vulnerable populations.' About GeoVax GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel vaccines against infectious diseases and therapies for solid tumor cancers. The Company's lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, being evaluated as (1) a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom the current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, (2) a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and (3) a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. In oncology the lead clinical program is evaluating a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin(R), having recently completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. The Company is also developing GEO-MVA, a vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox. GeoVax has a strong IP portfolio in support of its technologies and product candidates, holding worldwide rights for its technologies and products. For more information about the current status of our clinical trials and other updates, visit our website: Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements regarding GeoVax's business plans. The words 'believe,' 'look forward to,' 'may,' 'estimate,' 'continue,' 'anticipate,' 'intend,' 'should,' 'plan,' 'could,' 'target,' 'potential,' 'is likely,' 'will,' 'expect' and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax is able to obtain acceptable results from ongoing or future clinical trials of its investigational products, GeoVax's immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines can provoke the desired responses, and those products or vaccines can be used effectively, GeoVax's viral vector technology adequately amplifies immune responses to cancer antigens, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax's immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control. Further information on our risk factors is contained in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K that we have filed and will file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Company Contact: [email protected] 678-384-7220 Investor Relations Contact: [email protected] 212-698-8696
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Bipartisan effort launched to onshore manufacturing of key supplies never before 'Made in USA'
EXCLUSIVE: Senators from both sides of the aisle will put forward a resolution calling on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to seek out new sites and critical infrastructure for high-demand products that are currently not made in America, and analyze the viability of making such products here. Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee chairwoman Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., came together Friday to launch the effort – citing the dual need for onshoring supply chains while bolstering the U.S. workforce. The Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act would force Lutnick to report within 18 months on critical infrastructure sectors where products face material, sourcing, or supply-chain constraints that prevent them from being domestically produced. The Commerce Department would then have to analyze the feasibility of producing that product in the U.S. – and whether such products' newly-onshore production can be established in underserved rural areas and industrial parks. Both Ernst's and Blunt Rochester's states are vastly rural. In the latter, suburban sprawl from Wilmington gives way to miles of coastal plain. In recent years, the cities of Newark and Middletown have seen a boom in industrial parks and warehouses for major companies like Amazon seeking out the First State's famously low-tax and tax-free environs. "Supply chains are key to global competitiveness and our national security," Blunt Rochester told Fox News Digital. "This bipartisan legislation will help us identify where we rely too heavily on foreign imports for critical infrastructure and explore how we can bring that manufacturing home." The Delawarean added that strengthening domestic production not only protects our supply chains, "it supports American jobs, revitalizes local economies, and reinforces our nation's resilience if global manufacturing disruptions occur." Ernst added that the bill seeks to make the U.S. less dependent on foreign adversaries for critical infrastructure and key manufacturing supply chain preservation. "I am working to make 'Made in America' the norm instead of the exception," she said. "That starts with ensuring that our manufacturers are able to get the materials they need right here instead of having to import supplies from halfway around the world. Beyond boosting domestic industry, this bill is also about safeguarding our national security by ensuring that we are not dependent on any foreign adversary for critical goods that we need." Ernst has also spearheaded efforts to onshore the pharmaceutical supply chain from China. Many key ingredients in medicines are not produced in the U.S., and instead predominantly in Ireland and China. While one is a longtime U.S. ally, the other's involvement in the supply chain could lead to national security risks, critics have said.
