Here we go again, more shutdown drama. Congress failed to reach an agreement that would pass a continuing resolution (CR) and fund the government, triggering a government shutdown. This is an extremely disruptive and painful situation for millions of Americans that could have been avoided if Congress had fulfilled its basic duty of appropriating funds instead of opting for short-term spending deals. As millions of federal workers (including congressional staffers) go without pay during this shutdown, members of Congress continue to get paid as usual. Members should not be exempted from the consequences of a shutdown, especially when it is the product of their negligence. The dependence on short term CRs instead of full appropriation bills is irresponsible and creates chaos for the economy and federal workers. To be clear, House Republicans successfully passed a clean CR to keep the government open, demonstrating that a straightforward solution was on the table. Unfortunately, Senate
Democrats rejected that approach and insisted on cramming the bill with over $1 trillion in unrelated spending—including new green-energy subsidies, earmarks for pet projects, and additional foreign aid spending—none of which had anything to do with keeping essential government services running. By trying to leverage a shutdown to advance wasteful priorities, they put politics over the basic responsibility of funding the government. This has happened and will keep happening because members of Congress have no skin in the game. While essential federal workers continue to work without pay, members of Congress remain paid during government shutdowns. So, while the nation endures the costs of their negligence, Congress comes out unscathed. This is not logical, especially considering their staff will not be paid. There have been proposals in the past to withhold pay from Congress when debt limits are reached or the government is shut down. It is time to bring those ideas back to the floor. If
such measures were in place, perhaps Congress would approach the regular appropriations process with more urgency.

Profile in Courage: Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire

Five years ago, the coronavirus pandemic was wreaking havoc across the country. Around the time that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine, the deadly disease was causing more than 3,000 daily deaths in the U.S. Countless hospitalizations, widespread economic calamity, and counterproductive government measures exacted a heavy toll on Americans. With all the current anti-vaccine rhetoric, it is easy to forget the scores of talented scientists who produced multiple vaccines capable of beating back the virus. One such researcher, viral immunologist Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire, worked tirelessly to help accomplish a feat that would ordinarily have taken a decade. Through her collaborations with private industry, Dr. Corbett-Helaire used her knowledge of microbiology and immunology to help produce an mRNA vaccine that could defeat the deadly disease. This work is unfortunately being called into question by Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) and FDA leadership intent on rolling back vaccine access. Despite these reckless acts, the achievements of Dr. Corbett-Helaire and others will not soon be forgotten by millions of grateful Americans.

When asked in interviews, famed individuals will often point to a professional role model who preceded them and gave them the inspiration they needed to be who they would become. But this was a trickier proposition for Dr. Corbett-Helaire, who wanted to get into a field that didn’t exactly look like her. As The News & Reporter contributor Kate Murphy notes, “As a teenager growing up in Hillsborough, [North Carolina,] Kizzmekia Corbett had never seen a Black scientist before.” This changed when she met fellow PhD student Albert Russell in the lab while completing her doctorate at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Corbett-Helaire recounts, “Al was a Black man. At such an impressionable age, seeing, through him, that becoming a scientist was an attainable goal was what stood out to me the most. This left me with an understanding of the necessity of visible representation in underserved communities, and the realization that one’s approach to mentorship is equally as important as (or
arguably more important than) their approach to scientific discovery.” She realized from that point on not just that she could succeed in the scientific world, but also the need to pay it forward and be an inspiration to the next generation. This drive and determination led to her role as a leading scientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she studied how viruses originate and proliferate. Dr. Corbett-Helaire hit the ground running at the NIH, studying viruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Insights from her years in the laboratory proved invaluable as COVID-19 rapidly spread around the globe. Dr. Corbett-Helaire and her team wasted no time studying the virus, and human trials commenced just two months after the virus was sequenced. As they were busy trying to understand the virus and figure out how to prevent it, the world grappled with the worst pandemic in 100 years. Business shuttered and unemployment surged above 14
percent. Suicides spiked and patients died alone with no one allowed to attend their funerals. But the U.S. and the world was able to put the virus behind it, thanks in large part to the scientific accomplishments of Dr. Corbett-Helaire and the private companies she collaborated with.

Unfortunately, current leadership at the HHS and FDA is determined to undermine the work of Dr. Corbett-Helaire and others. In August, the FDA announced that it approved the latest iteration of COVID-19 vaccines, but with new restrictions. Approval is now limited to seniors and younger Americans with at least one underlying health condition that increases their risk of severe COVID-19 infection. The FDA is also demanding that every new iteration of a COVID shot “use[s] a true placebo control (salt water) so we will learn the side-effect profile.” These changes will drastically limit patient choice, hamper health, and raise costs for taxpayers. Because the FDA has limited vaccine approval, millions of Americans now require prescriptions to get boosters—instead of being able to walk into a pharmacy and get a booster as they choose. While people can disagree whether zero boosters or five is the “correct” number to get, that decision should be for patients, not bureaucrats, to make. Now more
than ever, Americans need scientists such as Dr. Corbett-Helaire determined to study, help produce, and explain the benefits of new vaccines. For being a light amid the darkness and helping the world conquer the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Corbett-Helaire is absolutely a Profile in Courage.

BLOGS:

Monday: Did Originalism Kill the Constitution? ([link removed])

Tuesday: State Bill of the Month – September 2025: Michigan H.B. 5086 ([link removed]) and Federal Bill of the Month: September – H.R. 5256 – 340B ACCESS Act ([link removed])

Wednesday: TPA Criticizes Shutdown and Calls for Congressional Accountability ([link removed])

Thursday: Reliance on Continuing Resolutions Threatens America’s Fiscal Future ([link removed])

Friday: Profile in Courage: Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire - Taxpayers Protection Alliance ([link removed])


MEDIA:

September 18, 2025: WIS Politics (Madison, Wi.) mentioned TPA in their story, “U.S. Rep. Grothman: Fair and Accountable IRS Reviews Act passes House Ways & Means Committee with unanimous, bipartisan support.”

September 18, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their story on the Maryland Department of Transportation audit.

September 20, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA for their story on Maryland public school spending.

September 22, 2025: PR Newswire and 53 other sources ran TPA’s press release, “Experts Warn of Regulatory Overreach at TPA Webinar on Global Digital Policy.”

September 22, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their story on prescription drug pricing and the 340B drug program.

September 22, 2025: WTTG Fox5 (Washington, D.C.) interviewed David McGarry for their news segment on free speech and government censorship.

September 23, 2025: Spiked ran TPA’s op-ed, “Banning vaping in public? What is Labour smoking?”

September 24, 2025: The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Md.) mentioned TPA in their story, “Baltimore taxpayers burdened by deal Spotlight Homeowners foot bill, big nonprofits pay fraction under expiring agreement.”

September 25, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA for their story on nonprofits not paying fair share of property taxes under a new deal in Baltimore.

September 25, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their news segment on Maryland’s oversight of contractors.

September 24, 2025: USAA News mentioned TPA in their story, “35 Free Market Groups, Advocates Urge President Trump to Let Biden COVID Credits Expire.”

September 29, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their story on Maryland's fiscal wellbeing.

September 29, 2025: DC Journal and 5 other outlets ran TPA’s op-ed, “Public Health Has Turned Into Public Harassment.”

September 29, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their news segment on Maryland’s budget gap and fiscal state.

September 29, 2025: FilterMag interviewed Martin Cullip for their story, “WHO’s COP11 Will Threaten Tobacco Harm Reduction Behind Closed Doors”

September 29, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their story on, “As government shutdown looms, Marylanders brace for impact”

September 29, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their news segment on the impact of job losses in Maryland.

September 30, 2025: I appeared on 55 WKRC (Cincinnati, Ohio) to talk about the 340B drug pricing program

September 30, 2025: Tekida mentioned TPA in their story, “New Set of Trump’s Tariffs To Kick-In From October 1st 2025."

October 1, 2025: Issues & Insights ran TPA's op-ed, "Age Verification Laws Cause More Problems Than They Solve."

October 2, 2025: The Washington Examiner (Washington, D.C.) ran TPA’s op-ed, “Jon Husted’s AI age verification bill is dangerous for children’s privacy”

October 2, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their story on the fiscal impact of a government shutdown on Maryland.

October 2, 2025: I appeared on WBOB 600AM radio (Jacksonville, Fl.) to talk about the government shutdown.

October 2, 2025: The Baltimore Sun ran TPA's op-ed, "Federal vaccine rules take away patient choice."

October 3, 2025: The Well News ran TPA's op-ed, "Curbing Lawsuit Abuse Will Restore Fairness to America’s Courts."


Have a great weekend!

David Williams
President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
1101 14^th Street, NW
Suite 500
Washington, D.C.
Office: (202) 930-1716
Mobile: (202) 258-6527
www.protectingtaxpayers.org

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