By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) joined California senators and other members of the California delegation to Congress to call on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the Trump administration’s use of the Defense Production Act and other taxpayer funds to support coal projects, including the proposed coal export terminal in West Oakland.

Defense Production Act funding is for national defense emergencies, such as authorizing private car companies to build parts for tanks or ships.

Since President Donald Trump’s June 4 announcement of $75 million in funding for the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal, Simon has opposed and worked to stop the proposed coal terminal.

She filed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2027 Energy and Water Appropriations bill that would have prohibited funding for the proposed Oakland coal export terminal project; however, House Republicans blocked the amendment.

Last week, in a letter to the GAO Acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown, Simon and her colleagues questioned the Department of Energy’s plan to use up to $425 million in DPA funds to support coal-fired power plants and construct the West Gateway Terminal Project in Oakland.

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This terminal project would primarily serve foreign commercial markets, rather than meet national emergency needs.

“The Defense Production Act was intended to scale up domestic industrial capabilities to meet urgent military or national emergency needs; therefore, its invocation to construct a commercial, civilian export facility intended primarily to serve foreign commercial markets raises profound statutory, legal, and fiscal questions,” wrote the lawmakers, which included Senators Alex Padilla (D) and Adam Schiff (D), Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee and Reps. John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and Ro Khanna (D-CA-17).

“We do not believe this satisfies the statutory definition of ‘national defense’ or ‘critical infrastructure protection’ under the DPA and that there is no legally sufficient, data-driven nexus between civilian coal exports and immediate U.S. military readiness or critical infrastructure defense,” the lawmakers’ letter said.

DPA funds are intended for U.S. national security and defense readiness. The Trump administration is instead diverting these funds to support a commercial export project that primarily benefits private industries and foreign markets in East Asia.

“Congress has never appropriated funds to the DOE’s DPA account with the intent of propping up a dying industry or financing a purely commercial project,” continued the lawmakers. “We are deeply concerned that DOE has improperly diverted funds from accounts intended by Congress for the critical modernization and resilience support of our nation’s grid to instead finance a commercial fossil fuel export project.”

Simon and colleagues also raised concerns that the Trump administration has improperly diverted funds designated for critical grid modernization and may be using emergency authorities to circumvent local environmental protections.  

“With no clear national security nexus, we question whether the DOE utilized emergency DPA authorities with the intent of preempting or subverting valid local health ordinances and environmental regulations. If so, this would be a gross departure from the intent of the DPA,” concluded the lawmakers.

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) is calling on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide immediate medical care to a constituent she says has been denied treatment after being shot by ICE officers last year.

Speaking on the House floor, Kamlager-Dove urged ICE to provide urgent care for Carlitos Ricardo Parias, describing him as a father, husband and community volunteer who was recognized by his local city council for his service.

According to Kamlager-Dove, Parias was shot near his elbow by ICE during an encounter in October. She said he received initial treatment at a hospital but has not received proper medical care since being transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in December.

The congresswoman said she visited Parias in late May and found his condition had worsened. She said his hand had turned purple, his fingers had become atrophied, and he was suffering from headaches and persistent nerve pain. 

“I am worried that he may have a bone infection, and that his arm could be amputated,” said Kamlager-Dove during her remarks.

Kamlager-Dove said Parias’ case highlights broader concerns about medical care at the Adelanto detention facility. She noted that a federal judge recently ordered sweeping changes to improve conditions for detainees.

“It is time for ICE to comply with this judge’s orders and end this cruelty at Adelanto and nationwide,” she said.

ICE has not publicly responded to the allegations raised during Kamlager-Dove’s House floor speech. The congresswoman urged the agency to provide Parias with immediate medical treatment while implementing the court-ordered reforms at the Adelanto facility.

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OAKLAND — Newly appointed Oakland Police Chief James Beere joined faith leaders, nonprofit representatives and community advocates on July 22 for a wide-ranging discussion on public safety, affordable housing, homelessness and civic engagement.

Hosted by the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC), the meeting brought together clergy, businesses and residents to identify practical resources, strengthen community partnerships and coordinate action on issues affecting Oakland and surrounding Alameda County communities. Participants also discussed opposition to a proposed coal terminal in West Oakland.

Beere, the meeting’s keynote speaker, discussed strategies for collaborating on public safety, community policing, Oakland’s Ceasefire program and ICAC’s overnight safe-parking sites for unhoused people living in vehicles in East and West Oakland.

Dr. Jim Hopkins, pastor emeritus of Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church, offered a prayer for Beere following his remarks.

The conversation then turned to affordable housing. Evita Chavez, a senior program officer with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, discussed resources available to affordable housing developers and advocates, including predevelopment assistance, development coaching and partnership opportunities.

Representatives of No Coal in Oakland — Ann Harvey, Margaret Rossoff and Ted Franklin — joined Care 4 Community lead organizer Nicole Dean to discuss the proposed development of a coal terminal in West Oakland near the Bay Bridge.

The advocates said transporting thousands of tons of coal from Utah through Contra Costa and Alameda counties to Oakland for overseas shipment would increase daily traffic and pollution in West Oakland, a historically underserved community with high rates of asthma and other health problems.

Meeting participants also viewed the Oakland FAITH art gallery, which features photography and maps documenting 450 clergy members and congregations across the city. The project was created by photographer Nicolo Sertorio.

During the meeting, ICAC founding president Dr. Ken Chambers also raised concerns about funding for the organization’s safe-parking programs. Chambers said ICAC has not yet received a $450,000 grant approved by the Oakland City Council on Dec. 19, 2023, to support overnight parking sites for individuals and families living in their vehicles.

West Side Baptist Church and Williams Chapel Baptist Church have served more than 1,000 clients through the program since it opened in 2017, according to Chambers.

Chambers said he is working with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and the interim city administrator to secure the grant funding. He said the money would allow the program to accommodate up to 50 clients each night and provide a safe environment, wraparound services, minor automobile repairs, smog checks, Department of Motor Vehicles registration assistance, insurance support, job development and help securing permanent affordable housing.

Joe Davis, an ICAC client, described how the program helped him transition from living in his vehicle to temporary housing and employment.

“If it hadn’t been for a safe place to park overnight, and now I’ve moved into a tiny home temporary shelter, I started a new job working at the post office, walking distance from the program. I’m so thankful,” Davis said.

ICAC’s next community meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Oakland FAITH Gallery, 1500 Broadway in downtown Oakland. The meeting will focus on job development at the Port of Oakland.

For more information or to donate, visit interfaithac.org or call Chambers at 510-239-6969.

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