WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema released the following statement on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress:   “Israel is a beacon of hope for the Jewish community in Arizona and across the world – and I stand firmly with Israel and her right to defend herself against evil and terrorism. America must continue her unwavering support for the safety and security of our democratic ally.”

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs passed two pieces of legislation introduced by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), H.R. 9053 Veterans Gun Rights Restoration Act of 2024 and H.R. 9054 Safeguarding Veterans 2nd Amendment Rights Act of 2024. The Veterans Gun Rights Restoration Act of 2024 nullifies all previous submissions of veterans’ data from the VA to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and declares any prior transfer of such information unlawful. The VA’s Fiduciary Rule, intended to aid veterans in managing their finances, labels them as “mental defectives” under federal law. This has led to the unconstitutional disarmament of countless veterans by unelected bureaucrats. The bill would restore the Second Amendment rights of more than 260,000 veterans whose rights have been unconstitutionally infringed. The Safeguarding Veterans 2nd Amendment Rights Act of 2024 would prohibit officers or employees of the VA, in the course of their duties, from initiating, participating in, or advocating for the removal of a firearm in any proceedings relating to a state gun confiscation law. The VA has frequently been complicit in disarming veterans, particularly through the practice of submitting their data to the FBI’s NICS system following the appointment of a fiduciary. Veterans have lost trust in the VA, deterring them from seeking care. This legislation would safeguard veterans’ constitutional rights by ensuring they are not subjected to unjust disarmament when seeking assistance from the VA. “It’s unacceptable that the constitutional rights of more than a quarter million of our nation’s heroes have been blatantly trampled on at the whim of unelected bureaucrats. I’m very grateful that my bills, which would help remedy the un-American assault on the rights of those who served, is advancing through the legislative process,” said Rep. Crane.

PHOENIX – Yesterday, Arizona Right to Life filed a desperate lawsuit against Arizona for Abortion Access. Their complaints are deceptive attempts to silence the will of more than 820,000 Arizona voters – the most voters ever unified in support of any citizen-led initiative in state history. Despite these bogus attacks by anti-abortion extremists, we have long been prepared for just this type of unfounded attempt to shut down direct democracy in our state. We are confident that we will prevail, and remain committed to winning in November and restoring abortion access in Arizona once and for all. 

TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, the first independent expenditure urging Arizonans to vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 will be up in the Tucson area on billboards and 15-second videos online. The ads by Free and Fair Democracy PAC center on Harris’s record working for voters, defending the constitution and denouncing fascism in direct contrast to Donald Trump’s felonies and attacks on the constitution.  The $120,000 buy comes as Harris holds her first official campaign events since stepping to the top of the ballot, and as pundits lift up Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly as a strong contender for her vice presidential pick ahead of next month’s DNC convention. Statement from Free and Fair Democracy PAC: “Free and Fair Democracy PAC condemns MAGA extremists who call themselves patriots while launching insurrections against the United States. Donald Trump attacks democracy, insults veterans, and wants to terminate the Constitution to rule for life. “We will not allow Democrats to concede patriotism. We’re proud to launch six figures in advertising, funded by thousands of hardworking Americans, showing who the true patriot is in this race: Kamala Harris.” View the online ads here , and images of billboards below.

PHOENIX – It’s summer in Arizona and with that comes blistering heat and wildfires that can cause travelers delays when there’s an unplanned highway closure. 

 

During these highway closures, the Arizona Department of Transportation sometimes receives questions on social media that ask a variation of: The wildfire isn’t near the highway so why is the road closed?

 

ADOT and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management want people to know that the answer is safety — for the traveling public and first responders. 

 

When a brush fire ignites, there are a few reasons for a full highway closure or for lane restrictions to be implemented.

 

Brush fires can be fast moving and with multiple agencies responding, it can take time to figure out who needs to go where and establish where the fire is spreading. In some instances, the highway will be shut down briefly to allow crews and firefighters the space to assess the situation and position people where they need to be to fight the fire. 

 

“We try to keep the closures as short as possible and give the traveling public at least a lane,” Brett Rupp, an ADOT highway maintenance supervisor in Payson, said. “But depending on the size or location of the fire, it’s not safe for vehicles to travel past a fire. We do what is safest for everybody who is out there, from the boots on the ground to the traveling public.”

 

Wildland firefighters sometimes must park their trucks and vehicles on the highway to do their job effectively, which may necessitate a lane closure for an extended period of time. Helicopters carrying hundreds of gallons of water to dump on the fires may also stage on the highway itself because it’s a convenient location for operators to set up a portable dip tank to replenish water quickly and head back out.

 

Low-flying aircraft dropping retardant is also a safety issue for those on the ground, including motorists.

 

“Those aircraft fly so low it’s a safety concern. They’re trying to get as low as possible to drop the retardant, and they don’t want to impact the traffic. There’s always a risk you take with flying aircraft, and we don’t want to put the public and drivers in harm’s way,” Tiffany Davila, public affairs officer for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said.

 

Smoke coming from fires can also reduce visibility, which is hazardous for drivers. And although a wildfire may appear miles away from the highway, firefighters can often predict the direction the fire is headed and will make decisions to keep everyone safe. 

 

“If they know in an hour the fire will impact, for example, Interstate 17, they’re going to start calling for road closures immediately because it’s going to take that long to clear the highway and get those drivers off the road,” Davila said. 

 

ADOT and AZDFFM work closely with local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and others to make determinations of when highway closures may be needed during wildland fires. 

 

“Safety drives these decisions,” Rupp added. “We don’t want motorists driving through raging flames and we don’t want personnel worrying about oncoming cars when they’re trying to get from the median to the other side of the road while a fire burns.”

 

When a highway closes, it’s natural for motorists to consult a navigation app or GPS unit to explore alternate routes. But drivers need to apply common sense to a computer’s suggestions, starting with not taking vehicles that aren’t up to the task down unpaved roads. 

 

We can all do our part to help reduce the chances of igniting wildfires while driving (and the delays associated with it) by doing the following: 

 

• Avoid parking your vehicle on dry grass or driving through tall grass because heat from the underside of your vehicle can start a fire.
• Never throw a lit cigarette out of a vehicle.
• Make sure trailer chains are securely attached. Loose chains can drag on the pavement, shooting sparks off the road and into dry brush and grass.
• Check tire pressure before you travel. Exposed wheel rims can cause sparks on the asphalt.

 

ADOT wants to make sure that drivers are prepared when they head out on road trips, and unexpected delays, like wildfires, can add extra travel time. Make sure you pack an emergency travel kit that includes plenty of extra water, healthy snacks, sun protection — such as sunscreen, sunglasses or a hat — a fully charged cell phone and any prescription medication.    Be patient and be prepared. If you are waiting in a backup on a highway that is closed (whether it’s for a brush fire, a crash or other active incident) stay in your lane and do not exit your vehicle. Do not drive onto the shoulders of the highway as first responders use that lane. 

 

“Give crews room to get by,” Rupp said. “The sooner we can get to the incident scene, the sooner responders can do the work that needs to be done and open the highway safely for everyone.”