Woonsocket Radio News Room

CHIPPENDALE, PLACE RE-ELECTED TO SERVE AS THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THE RHODE ISLAND HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS

 

State House, Providence – The Rhode Island House Republicans unanimously elected Michael W. Chippendale of Foster as House Minority Leader, and David J. Place of Burrillville as Minority Whip, to continue in their caucus leadership roles. They will help drive meaningful legislative reform and policy discussions at the State House.

 

"The House Minority Caucus has grown, and I’m grateful to Rhode Islanders for making that possible,” said Chippendale. “With a looming budget deficit near half a billion dollars, and federal funds exhausted, it’s time for the House to focus on sustainable budgeting. We must reduce spending, streamline our state budget – one of the largest per capita in the country - and seek efficient solutions, not temporary fixes. Now is the time for real, lasting change."

 

“It’s a great responsibility and honor to be re-elected as Whip by my peers in the Republican House caucus,” said Place. “I look forward to working with Leader Chippendale and our members to continue in our role as the opposition party for the betterment of our state.”

 

The 2025 Rhode Island House Minority (Republican) Caucus is comprised of the following elected members: Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale, District 40 (Foster/Glocester/Coventry); Minority Whip David J. Place, District 47 (Burrillville/Glocester); Representative George Nardone, District 28 (Coventry); Representative Brian Newberry, District 48 (North Smithfield/Burrillville); Representative Robert Quattrocchi, District 41 (Scituate/Cranston); Representative Sherry Roberts, District 29 (Coventry/West Greenwich); Representative-elect Richard Fascia, District 42 (Johnston/Cranston); Representative-elect Marie Hopkins, District 21 (Warwick); Representative-elect Chris Paplauskas, District 15 (Cranston); Rep-elect Paul Santucci, District 53 (Smithfield/Glocester).

The White House is asking the Supreme Court tonight to block a lower court's order making the administration pay full SNAP benefits for November. The Department of Justice brief asks the high court to make its decision by 9:30 p.m. Eastern. The request comes even after the USDA announced earlier today it is complying with the federal court order to fully fund the food stamp program. It's unclear if the DOJ is consulting with the USDA.        The number of canceled flights is piling up across the U.S., with more than one-thousand scratched as the FAA deals with the government shutdown. The Secretary of Transportation says he's putting safety first as air traffic controllers are forced to work while not getting paid. The FAA announced cuts at 40 big airports impacting four-percent of all scheduled flights and that percentage will increase every day until it hits ten-percent next week.        Republicans and Democrats in the Senate are at an impasse tonight. Democrats blocked a Republican measure that would pay federal workers while the government remains shut. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier said Democrats will sign the GOP House-passed bill to re-open the government if it includes a one-year-Obamacare credit extension. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called it a "nonstarter."        President Trump is pardoning New York Mets legend Darryl Strawberry. The White House confirms the pardon is for the slugger's guilty plea to federal tax fraud in 1995. Strawberry got three years' probation and repaid 350-thousand-dollars in back taxes. Strawberry cannot be pardoned for his previous drug crimes, which were brought in state court.        Mark Sanchez has been fired by FOX Sports. According to multiple reports, the former NFL QB was let go after he was involved in a fight in Indianapolis, where he was set to call a game, in early October that almost killed him. Sanchez was arrested in a hospital bed after he allegedly attacked a 69-year-old deliver driver, which led to the man stabbing Sanchez in self-defense.        The nominees for the Record of the Year Grammy are out. Kendrick Lamar is once again up for the award after winning it last year, this time for his SZA [[ siza ]] duet "Luther." Also nominated are Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra," Sabrina Carpenter's "Manchild" and the Rose [[ ro-zay ]] and Bruno Mars duet "APT." [[ ah-pa-tay ]]. Rounding out the list are Billie Eilish's "Wildflower," Bad Bunny's "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," Chappell Roan's "The Subway" and Doechii's "Anxiety."       

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