MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement on his votes in the U.S. House against both pieces of the FY26 appropriations “minibus,” including the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act:

“The Department of Homeland Security under Donald Trump and Kristi Noem is a lawless, corrupt organization that is bringing violence and mayhem to peaceful American communities. ICE, CBP, and other DHS entities are pursuing a mission to sow division and fear that is inflicting unimaginable cruelty on law-abiding immigrants and even U.S. citizens, sadly exemplified by the murder of Renee Good. They are engaging in deeply unlawful conduct, including breaking into homes without proper warrants, refusing to comply with court rulings, and blocking Congress from conducting meaningful oversight. DHS is fundamentally broken and completely out of control, and I certainly will not vote to fund their systematic violations of the Constitution.

“The other appropriations bills contained in the minibus have good elements, particularly in the provisions funding health research and aviation safety. But the Trump Administration is already threatening to withhold appropriated funding from numerous states Trump lost in 2024, including Virginia, after this legislation passes. I cannot support a funding deal that is premised on bad faith and punishing Virginians for exercising their right to vote. The absence of clear language barring further federal purges will also put my constituents’ jobs at risk. This bill will, I fear, lead to renewed illegal and unconstitutional acts by Trump and Russ Vought that do extensive harm to Virginia.

“I also cannot support passing a defense funding bill without sufficient guardrails under a president who is making overt threats to invade numerous countries and who is increasingly untethered from our national interests and security. The massive cuts of billions from the IRS further imperil our nation’s fiscal outlook, while making life even easier for wealthy tax cheats. And after promising a vote on restoring funding for the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, which hundreds of constituents contacted me to support, Republicans simply refused to honor their agreement. The bad elements in this bill outweigh the good ones, and that is why I voted no.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

Today, Reps. Jack Bergman and Nikki Budzinski announced the reintroduction of Gerald’s Law, legislation to permanently close a loophole in federal law that has denied burial benefits to some Veterans based solely on where they spent their final days.

Gerald’s Law was previously included as a pilot provision in the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2025, but that authority is set to expire later this year.

Under prior law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could provide a burial allowance to the surviving family of a Veteran who died while in the care of a qualifying VA facility, such as a VA hospital or VA-funded nursing home. However, terminally ill Veterans who were discharged from a VA facility and received VA-furnished hospice care at home were deemed to have died outside a qualifying facility, even though VA remained responsible for their care.

As a result, some families lost eligibility for burial benefits simply because their loved one chose to spend their final days at home. This gap in the law created a perverse incentive that discouraged Veterans from choosing home-based hospice care out of concern that doing so would forfeit their earned burial benefits.

Gerald’s Law is named in honor of Gerald “Jerry” Elliott, a U.S. Army Veteran from Dickinson County, whose family was denied burial benefits under this loophole. Denise Formolo, the Veterans Service Officer for Dickinson County, originally brought Jerry’s story to Rep. Bergman, inspiring the legislation.

Rep. Bergman said, “Veterans should not be penalized for choosing to spend their final days at home, surrounded by loved ones. Forcing families to forfeit earned burial benefits is unacceptable, and what happened to Jerry must never happen again.”

“For surviving families, VA’s burial allowance eases the burden of funeral and burial costs, allowing them to properly honor their loved one who gave so much in service to our country. It’s wrong for a veteran to be denied this earned benefit just because they choose to pass away in the comfort of their own home. Congress temporarily closed this loophole last year, now it’s time to fix this injustice permanently,” said Rep. Budzinski

Gerald’s Law has received the support of a number of key stakeholders:

“We are deeply grateful for the reintroduction of Gerald’s Law by Representatives Bergman and Budzinski. This critical legislation ensures that veterans and their families can continue to choose comfort over cost when selecting an end-of-life care setting, without having to risk the loss of crucial burial benefits,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home. “While Congress previously addressed this issue on a temporary basis, veterans and their families deserve certainty and permanence. We thank both Representatives for their bipartisan leadership and look forward to supporting efforts to make this protection permanent and ensure continued access to care at home for our nation’s veterans.”

“No veteran should ever be forced to choose between the comfort of their own home and the burial benefits they earned through honorable service. The Gerald’s Law Act closes a technical loophole that currently penalizes families when a veteran transitions from a VA facility to VA approved and funded home hospice care. DAV is proud to support this bill and commends Reps. Bergman and Budzinski for their leadership in upholding the dignity of every veteran’s end-of-life journey,” said DAV National Legislative Director Jon Retzer.

“Gerald’s Law was introduced to ensure veterans who choose to receive VA-furnished hospice care at home with their families were not penalized and denied benefits based on that choice. The passage of S. 141, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, codified Gerald’s Law, but only until October 2026. As a pilot program, Gerald’s Law demonstrated how critical it was to address the gaps in veteran end of life benefits. NACVSO has long supported this initiative and looks forward to working with Representatives Bergman and Budzinski to make Gerald’s Law permanent. The pilot provision has been successful and now is the time to do the right thing for our veterans,” said Andrew Tangen, President of National Association of County Veteran Service Organizations.

“AMVETS fully supports making Gerald’s Law permanent, allowing veterans to receive hospice care at home without their families losing crucial burial benefits. By passing this legislation, Congress will ensure that veterans are never penalized for choosing to spend their final days surrounded by their loved ones,” said Paul Shipley, AMVETS National Commander.

“Veterans who choose to spend their last days in hospice care are being denied the burial benefits and dignity they deserve. Service to their nation should determine their benefits, not the location of their passing,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor. “With Honor is proud to endorse the Gerald’s Law Act, and we thank For Country Caucus member Rep. Jack Bergman for his commitment to our veterans and their right to choose the location of their treatment.”

“The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is grateful to Representatives Bergman and Budzinski for reintroducing the Gerald’s Law Act. This vital bipartisan legislation ensures that veterans receiving VA-furnished hospice care qualify for the burial allowance, regardless of whether that care is provided at home,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder. “On behalf of our nation’s surviving families, who honor their loved one’s final wishes, TAPS looks forward to this important bill’s swift passage.”

“Gold Star Spouses of America (GSSA) understands firsthand the lasting impact that end-of-life decisions have on military families. Gerald’s Law ensures that Veterans are treated with equal respect at the end of life, supports family-centered care decisions, and provides clarity and fairness in VA burial benefits. It affirms that a Veteran’s final chapter, wherever it is written, does not diminish their service or sacrifice. Gold Star Spouses of America urges Congress to advance and pass Gerald’s Law without delay. This legislation is a meaningful step toward honoring Veterans, supporting surviving families, and ensuring compassion and equity in VA policy,” said Tamra Sipes, National President of Gold Star Spouses of America.

Gerald’s Law has also been endorsed by the American Legion.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

Washington D.C.— Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) released the following statement after voting yes to fund federal agencies through the end of September 2026.  

“Congress has an obligation to fund federal agencies that provide essential public services and resources to all Americans. We need to prevent a lapse in government funding and fund FEMA assistance programs and U.S. Coast Guard operations as South Texas and nearly half the country braces for a dangerous winter storm.  

“Regrettably, this bill does nothing to stop ICE from continuing the shameful operations in South Texas and communities around the country – indiscriminate deportations that are causing businesses to shutter, putting construction at a standstill, and causing a major labor shortage. Congress must act to ensure transparency and accountability surrounding this Administration’s reckless immigration policies, but refusing to pass a Homeland Security funding bill would only create further harm to the American public. Just this week, I asked senior administration officials to let the President know about the negative effects ICE raids are having on our labor force and small business community in South Texas.  I urge the President and his Administration to work with me to fix this.”

### 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement after she voted in support of appropriations legislation to maintain the United States military as the best in the world: 

“Today’s Appropriations legislation strengthens our national defense at a time when our adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are seeking to grow their own power and destabilize the world.  These dictatorial nations put American lives at risk, both at home and abroad, and we must take immediate action to strengthen our defenses and confront them head on.  

“I worked with my colleagues to secure over $4.7 billion for St. Louis-area programs built right here by our fellow Missourians. This includes $3.1 billion for the cutting-edge F-47 aircraft, cementing St. Louis’s storied legacy in aviation innovation. This legislation also makes robust investments in established St. Louis-area programs, including $233 million for the procurement and development of F-15EX tactical fighter aircraft, which will support a total of 22 critically-needed new aircraft this year, $439 million for the MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drone, $400 million for F-18 Super Hornet sustainment and upgrades, $362 million for T-7A trainer aircraft, $187 million for Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and $90 million for the Small Diameter Bomb.

“My vote in support of these Missouri-made programs will reinforce American military strength and our region’s status as a central hub for the national defense industrial base. Resources are also increased to support our National Guard, secure the border, and protect our communities from terrorists and traffickers attempting to invade our nation. Across the United States, this bill will shore up missile defense programs, invest in advanced aircraft to maintain American air superiority, and ensure the brave men and women of our armed forces, as well as their families, get a much-needed raise for their many sacrifices.”

Additional Funding Secured through Rep. Wagner’s Efforts

• $145 million for peer-reviewed breast cancer research
• $20 million for peer-reviewed pancreatic cancer research
• $10 million for Military Burn Research

Additional provisions of note

• $49 billion for NIH research for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases
• $1.9 billion for community health centers
• $418 million for rural health
• $22 billion for FAA, including $10 billion to allow FAA to hire 2,500 air traffic controllers

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today delivered the following remarks, as prepared, to demand a vote on the House floor for S.J.Res.88, legislation to terminate the made-up national emergency the Trump administration is using as justification to impose tariffs on some of the United States’ closest trade partners.

“We should be voting today to end these tariffs and lower costs for everyday Americans. Instead, this house majority is paralyzed by fear, making it one of the least effective in modern American history.

“The American people sent us to Washington to address affordability. To lower the cost of health care, housing, and groceries. Yet this Congress has taken fewer votes in 2025 than in any non-pandemic year this century. Apparently, the Majority doesn’t think affordability is important enough to vote on.

“Instead of focusing on prices, the White House has spent the past week talking about invading Greenland or using your taxpayer dollars to buy an island that isn’t for sale. To advance this fantasy, President Trump threatened yet another round of tariffs that would raise prices even further, only to walk the threats back after the stock market tanked yesterday.

“Regardless of what the President does, we are a co-equal branch of government. We should be addressing affordability right now by passing the resolutions I have offered, and resolutions that have already passed the Senate, to terminate these tariffs.

“When asked to explain why we are not doing everything we can to lower costs for American families, the Speaker responded that the President is exercising Article II powers to impose tariffs. Only there’s one problem; the President has no Article II powers to tax or tariff. Those powers are explicitly assigned to Congress under Article I of the Constitution.

“So, the Republican Majority, more interested in providing cover for Donald Trump than honoring their oath to the Constitution, is deliberately avoiding doing its job to lower costs for Americans.

“I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question, demand a vote on terminating the tariffs, and yield back the balance of my time.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued a statement marking one year since President Trump’s executive order freezing U.S. foreign assistance, an action that suspended nearly all foreign assistance programs and resulted in the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the needless deaths of millions of people around the world.

“President Trump’s executive order abruptly ended decades of bipartisan progress countering poverty, eradicating infectious diseases, and saving lives overseas around the world. As a direct result of President Trump’s actions, an estimated 3 million people will die from preventable causes, 95 million people will lose access to basic health care, and at least 23 million children will be forced out of school.

“As the Trump administration presides over an unprecedented retreat from global leadership, China has filled the void left by the United States’ absence, tightening its influence over the world’s fastest growing economies and undercutting American businesses’ ability to fairly compete in emerging markets. Actions such as the dismantling of USAID have left the United States with fewer tools to counter these trends and advance our strategic interests.

“I applaud the dedicated staff who supported U.S. efforts to save lives, promote democracy, counter poverty, and foster stability overseas. I will continue to champion this work and broader U.S. global leadership, which is critical to protecting our national security. Cutting foreign assistance has not saved the taxpayer money, balanced the budget, or made us safer, stronger, or more prosperous. Instead, it has pushed countless countries closer to China and left the United States weaker and more isolated than when President Trump assumed office.” 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

January 17, 2026

Congressman Meeks Supports more than $4 million in Community Projects Across Queens

I recently voted for a government funding bill that tackles affordability issues like rising utility costs, advances clean energy and environmental protection, and invests in public safety. It also funds STEM research priorities at institutions in Queens and supports crime prevention efforts that keep our borough safe.    Read more here.

Rep. Meeks Warns Against U.S. Military Strikes on Iran

This week, I issued a statement urging the Trump administration to avoid using military force against protesters in Iran, warning that it could lead to serious consequences beyond the demonstrations.

Share Your Story: How Have You Been Impacted by President Trump and Republicans’ Attack on Affordable Health Care?

I’d like to hear from my constituents about how the Republican Shutdown and Big Ugly Law will affect you or your loved ones. I am fighting for lower health care costs, but I need your help. Please complete the form here to explain how the administration’s latest actions are affecting you.

Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on this issue and others!

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Washington, DC – Rep. Panetta released the following statement:

“I voted no on the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). My vote came down to priorities. I’m focused on reducing costs for working families in California’s 19^th Congressional District, especially when it comes to decreasing prices for housing, healthcare, food, fuel, and childcare. This Administration, however, is focused on sending masked agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CPB) into our communities to troll parking lots of big box stores and target, harass, and, as we witnessed recently, harm community members and American citizens. 

“This Administration’s deportation policy is going well beyond targeting felons and gang members. Instead, ICE and CPB officers, many who appear to be recently recruited, rushed through training in 47 days, poorly trained, and unprofessional, are injected into communities with masks and without body cameras, which is leading to violent and deadly confrontations. Moreover, as we experienced after the shooting of Rene Nicole Good in Minneapolis, the Administration, including the President, provides irresponsible defenses and explanations for this ineptitude and aggression, which appear to normalize brutality, violence, and lawlessness, rather than accountability and transparency.

“The DHS appropriations bill does nothing to rein in and control ICE and CPB. Congress must work together to ensure proper oversight of DHS, including basic accountability measures, including no masks, warrant requirements, bans on deporting American citizens, proper training, and body cameras. These are standard practices in many law enforcement agencies. But none of those procedures were included in the DHS appropriations legislation. The Congressional power of the purse is one of our Constitutional tools to demand accountability, and that is why I voted no.  

“I also continue to call for an independent investigation into the shooting of an American citizen in Minneapolis for transparency and accountability, the removal of Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and DHS Secretary Noem, and impeachment proceedings based on the Congressional investigations in the House Committees on Homeland Security and Judiciary. I support legislation to help control ICE and CBP, including bills to limit force and require de-escalation training, hold agents accountable when they break the law, ban masks for agents, limit enforcement in sensitive areas, limit authority to target citizens of a specific nation, and redirect partisan approved funding to help people afford healthcare. I continue my work on immigration reform to fix our asylum system and help legalize those who work hard, play by the rules, and contribute to our economy and communities.

“My priority in Congress is to fight for the values and serve the people of our home. That includes voting against funding bills so that Congress can provide proper oversight, transparency, and accountability of federal agencies and the executive branch.  That is how Congress lives up to our responsibilities of checks and balances under Article One of the U.S. Constitution. To help fulfill that goal, I will continue my fight against the backward priorities of this Administration and work hard to fulfill our priorities by investing in accountability, safety, and affordability for working families.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, delivered opening remarks and questioning at the full committee hearing examining former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations, which developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and that Trump willfully retained highly classified documents after leaving office. 

Below are Ranking Member Johnson’s remarks at today’s hearing. To watch the exchange, click HERE. 

CHJ: On January 6, 2026, the fifth anniversary of the insurrection, the White House launched a taxpayer-funded website that attempts to rewrite history about what happened on that day of infamy. 

On January 6, 2021, there was an insurrection at the United States Capitol that resulted in a police officer dying the next day, another 4 officers dying by suicide in the months thereafter, with at least 140 police officers being injured by the insurrectionists, with 15 of them requiring hospitalization. 

Mr. Smith, I want to ask you about this website, because the Trump administration is using taxpayer dollars to lie to the American people about the events leading up to, and the events taking place on, January 6, 2021.

For example, this Trump propaganda site claims that the 2020 election was “stolen.”

CHJ: Mr. Smith, did your investigation uncover evidence sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald Trump knew that his claim that the election was stolen, was false?

Mr. Smith: Yes, it did.

CHJ:: And did your investigation uncover evidence sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald Trump publicly claimed that the 2020 was stolen from him, while he privately acknowledged that he had lost the election? (Admitting to former White House aide Alyssa Farah: “Can you believe I lost to this effing guy?” as he watched the President-elect Joe Biden on television)

Mr. Smith: Yes, we cited instances of that during our in our case.

CHJ: But yet, here we see that on the 5th year anniversary of the insurrection, the Trump White House propaganda machine is still promoting the “Stolen Election” theory on this government webpage, with a text box titled quote “Fraudulent Election: Stolen Election Certified.” [poster]

CHJ: The site also has a subsection reading, in part: quote “FBI Entrapment Operation Exposed:…” [poster]

CHJ: Mr. Smith, did your investigation develop any evidence to support the allegation that the FBI “entrapped” insurrectionists into committing crimes on January 6th?

Mr. Smith: Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused January 6th, that it was foreseeable to him and that he sought to exploit the violence.

This website also accuses you of being a quote “Biden prosecutor” who brought quote “weaponized” charges against Mr. Trump.

CHJ: Mr. Smith, were you a “Biden prosecutor” who weaponized the Department of Justice against Donald Trump?

Mr. Smith: Absolutely not.

CHJ::Did Attorney General Merrick Garland direct you to prosecute Trump because Donald Trump was running against Joe Biden in the presidential election?

Mr. Smith: No.

CHJ: There are also allegations that President Trump was the victim of quote “lawfare” and accusations that the DOJ lawyers who prosecuted Trump used quote “fabricated indictments” and “rigged show trials.” Did you, or the men and women on your team, work to “fabricate indictments” or put on “rigged show trials”?

Mr. Smith: No, we secured indictments from grand juries, and we were prepared to prove our case in court beyond a reasonable doubt.

CHJ: Did you use your appointment as Special Counsel to conduct a politically motivated witch hunt scam investigation and prosecution of Donald Trump?

Mr. Smith: I did not. We followed the facts and we followed the law. Where that led us was to an indictment of an unprecedented criminal scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power. 

CHJ: And those indictments have been dismissed. Can they be re-brought or resurrected after this? After Trump leaves office?

Mr. Smith: They were dismissed without prejudice.

CHJ: So they can be refiled? And he can be prosecuted after he leaves office. Is that correct?

Mr. Smith:  I’m not going to speak to that. I can only speak to what we did, which was dismiss the case without prejudice.

 CHJ: All right. The website put out by the Trump White House on the anniversary of the January 6th attack is nothing more than a pack of lies. It proves that Donald Trump is hell-bent on misusing taxpayer dollars in a feeble attempt to rewrite his criminal history, and the history of what really happened on January 6, 2021. But we know the truth—thanks to the work done by your office Mr. Smith, and by the Select Committee on January 6, and by the men and women at the DOJ and FBI who worked tirelessly to bring the truth about January 6 to light.

Thank you, Mr. Smith, and I yield back.

I would like to, Mr. Chairman, I offer, for the record. unanimous consent. unanimous consent. a statement from the cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency released on November 12th, 2020 that states the November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. objection and also testimony from i would like to request unanimous consent to enter into the record. the September 24th, 2020 testimony of Trump’s former FBI director, Chris Wray, who told senate homeland security, excuse me, the homeland security committee of the senate that the FBI had, quote, not seen or historically had any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election. And last but not least, Mr. Chairman, I’d like to ask for unanimous consent to enter into the record this article titled disputing Trump, Barr says no widespread election.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 341-88 to pass H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. This minibus provides full Fiscal Year 2026 funding for three appropriations bills: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Defense; and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Rep. Chu (CA-28) released the following statement: 

“Today’s bill makes important progress toward protecting the programs our communities rely on and rejecting the Trump administration’s plan to cut funding for public services by tens of billions of dollars. While I would have liked to see even stronger investments, I am pleased that this bill makes progress in relieving cost-of-living pressures for American families by mandating robust funding for affordable child care and housing, public health, transportation infrastructure, and more. Democrats also successfully eliminated dozens of extreme Republican policy riders that would have limited access to reproductive health care, removed worker protections, cut infrastructure projects in blue states, and more,” said Rep. Chu. “However, I am disappointed that this bill would increase funding to a Department of Defense budget that is already bloated, while also putting no meaningful guardrails on the Trump administration’s reckless actions in Venezuela or their threats of use of force against places like Iran and Greenland. Despite my disappointment, this legislation helps restore Congress’s role in deciding how taxpayer dollars get spent and makes meaningful progress in preserving some of our federal government’s most important functions.”

Rep. Chu secured more than $7 million in funding for nine projects that will directly benefit residents of California’s 28th District.

• $2 million for the Arcadia and U.S. Forest Service Joint Fire Training Center
  • This funding will support a joint fire training center between the City of Arcadia and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to facilitate Class-A live fire training including structural firefighting, wildland urban interface firefighting, Urban Search & Rescue, and more. This will contribute to faster and more effective response times for real incidents.
• $500,000 for the Altadena Community Center Facility Improvements and ADA Upgrades
  • The funding will help install updated fixtures, lighting, HVAC, and ADA accessibility upgrades in the Altadena Community Center, the sole remaining community center in the area following the Eaton Fire.
• $1 million for the Pasadena Jackie Robinson Community Center – Facility Improvements and ADA Upgrades
  • This funding will help make facility-wide ADA accessibility upgrades, energy-efficient lighting upgrades, HVAC maintenance, remodeling of community service staff areas, and more to revitalize the Jackie Robinson Community Center of Northwest Pasadena.
• $850,000 for the Temple City Lower Azusa Road Resurfacing and ADA Improvements
  • This funding will institute street resurfacing, sidewalk construction, and ADA improvements for Lower Azusa Road, a major east-west corridor that runs through the City of Temple City, to bolster pedestrian mobility and accessibility and improve the flow of traffic.
• $850,000 for the Foothill Transit Zero-Emissions Bus Program
  • This funding will replace 6 retirement-eligible compressed natural gas buses with zero-emissions buses and will help construct fueling stations throughout the service area, to deliver cleaner, smarter transit service.
• $850,000 for the Claremont South Village Public Infrastructure Improvements
  • This funding will make public improvements, including streets, medians, traffic signals, sewers, storm drains, utilities, and public open spaces to support the development of the South Village and stimulate more housing production, public transit ridership, and economic activity in the region.
• $500,000 for the Rosemead Garvey Avenue Community Center Renovation Project
  • This funding will help renovate the Garvey Avenue Community Center, including the repainting of the entire facility, replacement of flooring, renovation of the existing six restrooms, replacement of the exterior lighting fixtures with brighter and energy-efficient fixtures, and renovation of the kitchen.
• $250,000 for the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust Project Pipeline
  • This funding will support site acquisition, construction, and capital improvements of affordable housing developments as prioritized by the San Gabriel Valley Project Pipeline, a list of affordable and homeless housing projects in need of gap financing.
• $250,000 for the Monterey Park Fire Station 63 Reconstruction Project
  • This funding will support the demolition and reconstruction of Fire Station 63 and the attached training tower that were previously damaged and made unsafe by an earthquake. The reconstructed station will improve public safety and will be better sized and equipped to handle increased demand for fire and emergency services.

“I am proud to have secured $7,050,000 in Community Project Funding in this bill to support projects across my district,” Rep. Chu continued. “These investments will advance public safety, modernize infrastructure and community services, and improve transportation throughout our region. This funding will be especially critical as we continue to recover and rebuild from the Eaton Fire, and I’m proud to be bringing these federal dollars directly to our community.”

The bill also: 

• Reasserts Congress’s power of the purse through mandatory staffing thresholds, notification requirements, and funding tables
• Increases funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $400 million, investing in cutting-edge research to develop cures and treatments
• Increases funding for Child Care and Head Start by $170 million, helping provide hard-working families access to early childhood education and child care
• Provides $66.6 billion in funding for rental assistance programs, rejecting President Trump’s efforts to cut funding for these programs in half
• Provides an increase of $1.6 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including funding to expand the air traffic controller workforce by 2,500 personnel, improve facilities and equipment, and modernize the nation’s air traffic control towers
• Fully funds the 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel

###