Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT’S OFFICE RELEASES STATEMENT ON PRIVATE DELIVERY PACKAGE DELAYS IN TERRITORY

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

People’s Justice Guarantee | Ending Qualified Immunity Act | Andrew Kearse Act

WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) reintroduced the People’s Justice Guarantee (PJG), the Ending Qualified Immunity Act, and the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act – a suite of bills that collectively will help build a fair, equitable, and just legal system in America, and improve police accountability.

“It’s been nearly five years since George Floyd was murdered, and our families and communities continue to be plagued and destabilized by the overlapping crises of mass incarceration, police brutality, and overcriminalization,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “As we approach this somber anniversary and weather an unprecedented assault on Black and brown communities from the Trump Administration, I’m proud to reintroduce bold legislation and continue our push toward accountability, healing, and our collective liberation.”

The People’s Justice Guarantee is a comprehensive, decarceration-focused resolution that outlines a framework for a fair, equitable and just legal system. The resolution, developed in close partnership with activists, advocates, and those most impacted by criminal and racial injustice, calls for an ongoing and participatory “people’s process” that centers the dignity and expertise of those impacted by the carceral state. The PJG is rooted in five guiding principles – shared power, freedom, equality, safety, and human dignity – and specifically calls for (1) decarceration and the dramatic reduction of jail and prison populations; (2) eliminating wealth-based discrimination and corporate profiteering; (3) transforming the experience of confinement; and (4) investing in historically impacted communities.

The Ending Qualified Immunity Act, which Rep. Pressley is introducing alongside Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. The lawmakers’ bill would permit civil lawsuits against public officials, in their personal capacity, to hold them accountable for their wrongdoing.

“On the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, we must never forget that true justice requires that victims of police brutality and their families get their day in court,” said Senator Markey. “But all too often, qualified immunity impedes victims from holding government officials accountable. Qualified immunity is a flawed and judge-made doctrine that shields law enforcement officers from being sued for wrongdoing. For decades, courts have been gutting the landmark civil rights law, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, which allows victims of abuse at the hands of state and local officials to vindicate their rights in court. We must hold accountable the public officials who abuse their positions of trust in our communities.”

The Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act, which the Congresswoman is introducing alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) would hold law enforcement officers criminally liable for failing to obtain medical assistance to people in custody experiencing medical distress. The bill is named after Andrew Kearse, a 36-year-old Black man who on May 11, 2017 died of a heart attack in the back of a police cruiser after begging a police officer for help. Instead of providing Mr. Kearse with medical assistance, the officer dismissed his pleas and waited precious minutes until after Mr. Kearse became nonresponsive to call for medical assistance. Despite failing to seek potentially life-saving care for Mr. Kearse, the officer involved was not charged with a crime.

“If an officer denies life-saving medical care for people in their custody, they should be held accountable,” said Senator Warren. “This bill is a step towards justice for Andrew Kearse and all who died a preventable death while in custody.”

Full text of the People’s Justice Guarantee resolution is available here.

A copy of the Ending Qualified Immunity Act can be found here.

A copy of the Andrew Kearse Act can be found here and a summary is available here.

Congresswoman Pressley has introduced over a dozen pieces of precise legislation informed by the People’s Justice Guarantee to fundamentally redefine what justice looks like in America, including the Ending Qualified Immunity Act and Andrew Kearse Accountability for the Denial of Medical Care Act.

Congresswoman Pressley also led calls in Congress for President Biden to use his clemency authority to address mass incarceration and has applauded the President for granting clemency to thousands of people and commended him for commuting the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row.

• In June 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)unveiled the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley reintroduced her Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act to improve maternal health care and support for pregnant individuals who are incarcerated. It was originally introduced in March 2020 and reintroduced in February 2021 as part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Package—a suite of 12 bills aimed at addressing the Black maternal health crisis.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus, requested the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to research post-traumatic prison disorder and share findings related to prevention and treatment for people returning from behind the wall.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) re-introduced their Ending Qualified Immunity Act, legislation that would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in June 2020 with Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI) and reintroduced it with Sen. Markey in March 2021.
• On April 6, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Hank Johnson led 25 of their colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in calling on Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley, in partnership with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05), re-introduced the Ending PUSHOUT Act, their legislation to end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. It was originally introduced in December 2019 and reintroduced in March 2021.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and 27 Members of Congress, alongside more than 300 advocacy organizations and community leaders, reintroduced the New Way Forward Act, a landmark piece of legislation that addresses some of the most harmful provisions of immigration law that drive racist enforcement practices, expanded incarceration in immigration detention centers, and unjust deportations. It was originally introduced in December 2019 by Reps. Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Karen Bass (CA-37) and was reintroduced in January 2021.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues re-introduced the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act to stop federal entities’ use of facial recognition tools and prohibit federal support for state and local law enforcement entities that use biometric technology. They reintroduced the bill in June 2021.
• In December 2022, the House passed Congresswoman Pressley’s amendment to strengthen maternal health care for people who are incarcerated.
• In December 2021, Rep. Pressley unveiled the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s clemency system and address the mass incarceration crisis.
• In March 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to consider H. Res. 266, the People’s Justice Guarantee, as a framework for embedding justice in our criminal legal system and building integrity in the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
• In February 2021, October 2020, Congresswoman Pressley reintroduced the Mental Health Justice Act with Reps. Katie Porter (CA-45), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), to support the creation of mental health first responder units that would be deployed in lieu of law enforcement when 911 is called due to a mental health crisis. The lawmakers originally introduced the legislation in October 2020.
• In January 2021, she reintroduced the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 with Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) to prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level, and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row. The lawmakers originally introduced the bill in July 2019.
• In August 2020, she introduced the COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and others, requires federal, state, and local prisons and jails to collect and publicly report COVID-19 data. The legislation was reintroduced in 2021.
• In July 2020, she introduced the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), to prohibit federal funds to support the increased presence of police in K-12 schools and supports school districts that invests in counselors.
• In June 2020, she introduced the Dismantle Mass Incarceration for Public Health Act with Reps. Tlaib (MI-13) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to require decarceration to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails.
• In June 2020, she introduced the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ed Markey (D-MA), to hold police officers criminally liable for denying care to those in medical distress.
• In May 2020, she introduced a resolution with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Karen Bass (CA-37) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to condemn any and all acts of police brutality, racial profiling, and militarization and over-policing of Black and brown communities.  
• In July 2019, she introduced the No Biometric Barriers Housing Act with Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
• In June 2019, in conjunction with Gun Violence Awareness Month and the 5th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, she introduced a resolution to honor survivors of homicide victims by establishing National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Scott (GA-13)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), a senior member of the House Agriculture and House Financial Services Committees, announced a list of fifteen Community Project Funding priorities in the 13^th Congressional District for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations cycle.

Each Fiscal Year, Members of Congress can request Federal funding from the House Committee on Appropriations for up to fifteen community projects in their home districts. As part of that process, Congressman David Scott solicited requests through stakeholder meetings and member level engagement and submitted the list of projects outlined below. These Federal dollars provide vital resources to improve transportation and water infrastructure, enhance public safety, and help veterans access lifesaving health care.

“In every vote I cast and every bill I fight for, my focus is simple: delivering results for the people I represent in the 13^th District,” said Congressman David Scott. The nearly $40 million in Federal funding I have requested are going directly back into our neighborhoods—to repair roads, modernize schools, expand access to clean water, and create good-paying jobs. These priorities represent crucial investments in infrastructure and services that will strengthen our communities and bolster local economies for Georgians. I look forward to working closely with officials from across the district on each request to ensure we address the needs of the hard-working families we serve.”

Congressman Scott’s project include:

Project Name: City of Jonesboro Pedestrian Improvements Project
Explanation of Request: The City of Jonesboro would use this funding to make pedestrian improvement in high-traffic areas, including the installment of sidewalks, adding pedestrian crosswalks, installment of ADA accessibility features, lighting, and turnup/turndown walls as required to tie with existing grades.

Project Name: Rockdale Veterans Transportation Assistance Project
Explanation of Request: Rockdale County would use this funding to purchase a new vehicle to supplement its Veteran Transportation Program, which assists honorably discharged Rockdale County veterans of any age with trips to the Veterans Hospital in Decatur and the VA clinics in Stockbridge and Covington.

Project Name: Newton County Sheriff Department Equipment Project
Explanation of Request: The Newton County Sheriff’s Office would use this funding to purchase ten FAP-30 FBI-certified LES fingerprint sensors that would be used for mobile applications such as roadside stops, crime scene investigations, and serving warrants. Together, this equipment would give the law enforcement agency the capability to fingerprint offenders and victims efficiently and quickly.

Project Name: Henry County Panola Road Resurfacing Project

Explanation of Request: Henry County would use this funding to resurface 3.5 miles of Panola Road from Fairview Road to State Route 155. Panola Road serves as a critical east-west connection in northern Henry County, providing access to commercial areas, the City of Stockbridge, and the nearby Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Project Name: Gwinnett County Walton Court Booster Station
Explanation of Request: The Gwinnett County Board of Supervisors would use this funding to upgrade the booster station facility, including installing a standby power source and updating the existing electrical system. This project with ensure that Gwinnett County residents will have adequate access to drinking water.

Project Name: Newton County Salem Road Utility Relocation Project
Explanation of Request: The Newton County Water and Sewage Authority would use this funding to relocate 15,640 feet of critical water main, 75 valves, 26 fire hydrants, and 1,050 feet of 10-inch sewer piping to accommodate proposed improvements to State Route 162 in Newton County.

Project Name: Clayton County Police Department Precinct Anti-Crime Taskforce Project
Explanation of Request: The Clayton County Police Department would use this funding to purchase and outfit fifteen police cruisers which will conduct gang enforcement operations, surveillance, and offender apprehension. The police cruisers would be outfitted with lighting and siren systems as well as hardware kits that support the Police Department’s in-car cameras.

Project Name: Lawrenceville Police Department Equipment and Technology Update Project
Explanation of Request: The Lawrenceville Police Department would use the funding to purchase four standard police cruisers which would conduct high-visibility enforcement, first-aid kits, trauma bags, mechanical breaching kits, a hydraulic breaching kit, a reusable training breach door, 16’ telescopic ladders, public safety camera trailers,  Bluetooth communication equipment, safety barriers, ballistic shields, gas masks, and tactical camera kits.

Project Name: City of Conyers Technology and Equipment for Strategic Preparedness Project
Explanation of Request: The City of Conyers Police Department would use this funding to purchase a mobile command vehicle and LTE-enabled portable radios to improve officer preparedness during large-scale incidents, high-threat situations, hostage rescue, and disaster response while enhancing the safety of first responders and civilians.

Project Name: MARTA Securing Rail and Bus Facilities Project
Explanation of Request: MARTA would use this funding to install anti-climb, anti-cut fencing around at bus yards and rail yard facilities to prevent unauthorized access to hazardous and dangerous areas.

Project Name: Rockdale River Trail Connector Project
Explanation of Request: Rockdale County would use this funding to connect two disconnected portions of the Rockdale River Trail. Connection these two portions of the trail would provide greater access to centers of business, downtown Conyers, recreational opportunities, and the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

Project Name: Oxford Haygood Avenue Water Main Replacement Project
Explanation of Request: The City of Oxford would use this funding to disconnect the existing iron water main, install a new resilient water main, and reconnect water services lines to ensure residents of the City of Oxford have necessary access to drinking water.

Project Name: Jonesboro Enhancing Law Enforcement and Public Safety Project
Explanation of Request: The City of Jonesboro Police Department would use this funding to purchase one portable message board trailer, three portable LED light tower trailers, one speed detection trailer, thirty stop sticks, four rapid ID devices, four alcohol detection services, eight police cruisers, ten laptops, thirty body cameras, and twenty-six in-car cameras. This equipment will improve officer reporting, access to real-time information, and public communication during public emergencies.

Project Name: Alcovy Road Transmission Main Replacement Project
Explanation of Request: Newton County would use this funding to install 4,200 linear feet of 36-inch water main to replace the existing transmission lines. This project would ensure potable water for nearly all residents of Newton County.

Project Name: Gwinnett County Harvest Gwinnett Mobile Kitchen Project
Explanation of Request: Gwinnett County would use this funding to purchase a 16-foot box truck with a lift for its “Live Healthy Gwinnett” initiative. The box truck with allow the county to more easily transport its mobile kitchens across cities and rural areas in the county.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

“I am excited by this announcement from the Department of Energy.

“Metallurgical coal is a lifeblood for coal and steel communities across the country, including Virginia’s Ninth District.

“By designating metallurgical coal as a critical material, the Trump Administration advances the mineral’s status as an important contributor to America’s economy, energy and manufacturing sectors and military preparedness.”

BACKGROUND

Rep. Griffith is Co-Chair of the Congressional Coal Caucus.

In the 118th Congress, Rep. Griffith chaired the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations.

The 119th Congress is Rep. Griffith’s first term as the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee Chair.

The designation of metallurgical coal as a “critical material” as any element falls in line with President Trump’s Executive Order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Energy.”

The Energy Act of 2020 defines a “critical material” as any element, substance or material that the Secretary of Energy determines (i) has a high risk of supply chain disruption; and (ii) serves an essential function in one or more energy technologies, including technologies that produce, transmit, store and conserve energy.

According to the Virginia Department of Energy, approximately 80% of coal mined in Virginia constitutes metallurgical coal, almost all of which is from Virginia’s Ninth District.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, DC—The Congressional Jewish Caucus issued the below statement in response to the shooting that took place at the Capital Jewish Museum killing Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, employees of the Israel Embassy. The Caucus is co-chaired by Reps. Jerry Nadler (NY-12) and Brad Schneider (IL-10). Members include Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Greg Landsman (OH-1), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Jamie Raskin (MD-8), Mike Levin (CA-49), Kim Schrier (WA-8), Jake Auchincloss (MA-4), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Seth Magaziner (RI-2), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Laura Friedman (CA-30), and Eugene Vindman (VA-7). 

“The Members of the Congressional Jewish Caucus are shocked and horrified by the brutal murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, employees of the Israeli embassy gunned down by an antisemitic assailant in front of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. The young couple planned to be engaged soon in Israel.

“Yaron and Sarah were leaving the American Jewish Committee’s Young Diplomats Reception, hosted by the AJC’s Young Professional Board, when they were killed. Their murders, in the midst of Jewish American Heritage Month, is an outrage. While the investigation is ongoing, we must be clear: the targeting of any Jewish gathering is antisemitism and the violence perpetrated on Wednesday night was a hate crime and an act of terrorism.

“The members of the Congressional Jewish Caucus extend our deepest sympathies and solidarity to the families of the victims, their friends and colleagues at the Israeli Embassy, and everyone else traumatized by this savage attack in the Capital of the United States at a site cherished by the Jewish community.

“We must not accept or normalize antisemitic hate — history teaches us that antisemitic words lead to antisemitic violence. We will redouble our efforts to oppose antisemitism, hate crimes, and violence in response to this horror, and, now more than ever, we urge our friends and colleagues to do the same.

“May the memories of this beautiful young couple be forever a blessing to their families and friends.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom urging him to reconsider any plans that would include closing Calipatria State Prison, following the Governor’s announcement in the May Revision of the California Budget that another state prison will be closed this year.

In his letter, Congressman Ruiz emphasized the devastating economic impact such a decision would have on Imperial Valley, a predominantly rural, underserved region already experiencing the highest unemployment rate in California at 16%, more than triple the state average.

“The closure of Calipatria State Prison would strip away a critical source of economic security from families already struggling to make ends meet,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). “This is about more than just jobs; it’s about protecting the ability of parents to provide for their children and ensuring that communities in Imperial Valley are not left behind. I am calling on Governor Newsom to not close the Calipatria State Prison.”

The prison provides hundreds of stable, good-paying jobs for local residents, serving as a lifeline in a region historically excluded from major economic development efforts. The letter also highlights the compounding effect of the recently announced planned closure at the Spreckels Sugar Plant, another major employer in the area, which has already deepened economic insecurity for local families.

Congressman Ruiz called on the Governor to work collaboratively with him and local leaders to find alternative solutions that do not jeopardize livelihoods or increase economic hardship for the region’s residents.

Read the full letter, here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) released the following statement on the murder of two Israeli diplomats, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, outside a Jewish community event in Washington, D.C. last night:

“I am horrified by the murder of two innocent young people, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, last night. Yaron and Sarah were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum about coexistence—a tribute to the values they lived. My heart is with their families, their loved ones, and the Jewish community. Your worst fears have been realized once again, and your pain is heard and felt across the country.

This act of antisemitic terror was not random. It was stoked by the demonization of Israel and the Jewish people, which has skyrocketed since October 7, 2023. We must stand united against it and reject calls for violence, or its normalization – our communities and democracy depend on it.

As the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science—which funds law enforcement and hate crime prevention programs—I will continue fighting for federal dollars that support our communities’ ability to stop these attacks before they happen. Earlier today, I was briefed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on their involvement in this case. In the days and weeks ahead, I will continue to monitor its progress and continue the call for accountability for the perpetrator. I have also reached out to local and national Jewish and Israeli community leaders—including Ambassador Leitner, Consul General Akunis, and AJC CEO Ted Deutch—to express my condolences and offer support.

Hate, bigotry, and violence have no place in any community. I know that many of my constituents are reeling from this attack, and my office stands ready to help those in my district who may need assistance.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Tom Cole (R-OK), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Pete Stauber (R-MN) introduced the bipartisan DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act to advance innovative research into Down syndrome and better understand the disease.

“Last Congress, the INCLUDE Project Act passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives because Down syndrome research is a bipartisan priority,” said DeGette. “This bill will advance vital research into Down syndrome and improve health outcomes for those living with Down syndrome and related conditions. Colorado is home to the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome Research, the largest research facility dedicated to Down syndrome in the world. The INCLUDE Project Act will help us better understand the disease while bolstering our commitment to groundbreaking and innovative research.”

“People with Down syndrome enrich our world in many unique ways,” said Rep. Hudson. “The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act ensures people with Down syndrome are valued, respected members of society and that NIH is supporting their health, enabling them to live their lives to their full potential – with no barriers or bias or obstacles standing in their way. I am honored to continue and grow research efforts so people with Down syndrome have the long and healthy lives they deserve.

 “Biomedical research is essential – I consider myself alive to because of it,” said DeLauro. “We must do all we can to strengthen the resources that facilitate lifesaving medical breakthroughs and help folks with Down syndrome live long and full lives. Since 2018, as the top Democrat on the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, I am proud that on a bipartisan basis we have provided more than $400 million in funding for the more than 200 INCLUDE Project research grant awards at the National Institutes of Health. Now more than ever, we must fight to protect that funding. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues, to build on that success and show our strong support for this critical program.”

“Innovative medical research has the power to transform lives. The INCLUDE Act will do just that by strengthening the environment needed to advance medical breakthroughs and support individuals with down syndrome. I am proud to help lead this legislation forward, as it will make a real difference for those with down syndrome, and I thank Rep. DeGette for introducing this legislation,” said Congressman Cole.

“Substantial NIH research funding is needed to benefit and enhance health and quality of life for people with Down syndrome, including my own daughter Katherine, and this bill will authorize the necessary funding,” said Norton. “Thank you to Rep. DeGette for your leadership on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bill to provide robust funding for Down syndrome research.”

“As a father of a son with Down syndrome, I understand the important role research plays in improving the lives of those with disabilities,” said Rep. Stauber. “I’m proud to help lead this effort to ensure continued investment in these life-changing discoveries. Every individual deserves a chance to thrive, and this legislation brings us one step closer to that goal.”

“The reintroduction of the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act is a powerful next step in ensuring that the NIH continues to invest in Down syndrome research that will elongate life and improve health outcomes for our children and adults with Down syndrome,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, President and CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. “GLOBAL, our self-advocates and families, and our researchers and medical professionals are deeply grateful for Reps. Diana DeGette and Richard Hudson’s leadership, and we are so pleased that original cosponsors Reps. Tom Cole, Rosa DeLauro, Pete Stauber, and Eleanor Holmes Norton continue to support this effort. To know that this bill will also provide a legacy in memoriam for our Ambassador DeOndra Dixon means the world to me, Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, and our entire team. I am proud that the awesome people with Down syndrome we serve, brings both sides of the aisle together. We look forward to working with our congressional champions to pass this important legislation into law this year.” 

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7406, the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act of 2024, unanimously in the last Congress.

This week, Rep. DeGette was presented with the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation for her continued strong advocacy in Congress that makes an impact on the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of the May 21st shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Noem and Attorney General Bondi urging immediate action and additional federal resources to protect Jewish communities, houses of worship, and nonprofit organizations.

In her letter, Rep. Sherrill detailed several recent violent antisemitic attacks, including the May 21st shooting, the April 13th arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence following a Passover celebration, and incidents in her New Jersey Congressional District such as the firebombing of Temple Ner Tamid and the vandalism of Oheb Shalom Synagogue.

The May 21st attack came just one day after the Capital Jewish Museum received a grant from the District of Columbia’s Safe and Secure DC Grant Program to cover the costs of security officers at the museum, highlighting the critical need for additional funding to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations.

“On the night of May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, were horrifically shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum,” wrote Rep. Sherrill. “While details from the shocking attack are still emerging, the suspect’s antisemitic motivations highlight the threat of violence against Jewish Americans and residents across the United States. This attack was an assault on the core values and ideals of our nation – particularly the right to religious expression and to practice one’s faith without fear of violence – and we must take every effort to prevent it from happening again. In the wake of this violence and yet another devastating antisemitic attack in our country, I write to urge you to dedicate additional resources at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations and to combat the significant rise in antisemitic attacks and threats nationwide.”

Read the full letter here or below:

Dear Secretary Noem and Attorney General Bondi,  

On the night of May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were horrifically shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum. While details from the shocking attack are still emerging, the suspect’s antisemitic motivations highlight the threat of violence against Jewish Americans and residents across the United States. This attack was an assault on the core values and ideals of our nation – particularly the right to religious expression and to practice one’s faith without fear of violence – and we must take every effort to prevent it from happening again.

In the wake of this violence and yet another devastating antisemitic attack in our country, I write to urge you to dedicate additional resources at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations and to combat the significant rise in antisemitic attacks and threats nationwide. Over the past two years, our country has seen a concerning number of high-profile instances of antisemitic violence. It is vital that your departments ensure there are sufficient resources focused on preventing and investigating these violent crimes. Specifically, I ask that you surge funding from your departments to ensure that synagogues, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits have the resources to put necessary security measures in place and that law enforcement is prepared and able to investigate antisemitic violence and other hate crimes across the country.

In addition to the heinous attack in Washington, on the night of April 13, 2025, an arsonist set fire to the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. The fire was reportedly set only hours after Governor Shapiro hosted more than two dozen people commemorating the first night of Passover. The suspected arsonist reportedly sought to kill Governor Shapiro over his stated support for Israel. Such a brazen assault on one of our states’ governors highlights the ever-present risk of antisemitism and violence to all Jewish Americans.

In my own Congressional District, Jewish houses of worship have come under these same types of hateful, antisemitic attacks. This January, the Oheb Shalom Synagogue in South Orange, New Jersey was vandalized with antisemitic threats. In 2023, Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey was firebombed by an individual with a molotov cocktail in a brazen antisemitic attack.

As antisemitic violence and threats have increased, I remain concerned that synagogues, Jewish faith-based organizations, and nonprofits are under-resourced for the heightened threats that they face. I urge you to take whatever actions you can to ensure that the programs that support these organizations are properly resourced and staffed. One such program, DHS’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, offsets the cost of physical security enhancements for religious, educational, and nonprofit community institutions, including Jewish organizations. Synagogues and schools have been targeted with vandalism, destruction, and violent attacks by extremists who seek to strike fear into congregations and civil society leaders. This funding will help to keep Americans safe from antisemitic and extremist attacks, and allow communities of faith to practice in peace.

I also urge you to ensure that initiatives to combat, investigate, and prosecute hate crimes are fully staffed and resourced. As President Trump has slashed budgets and staffing across the Executive Branch – including for the FBI staff who track and combat domestic terrorism – I am concerned that initiatives within your departments meant to combat antisemitism and other hate crimes will be left unable to address the rising threat that we face today. Specifically, it is vital that DOJ maintains its focus on investigating and prosecuting antisemitic violence across the country. However, prosecutions alone will not reduce antisemitic violence across America. For that reason, it is important that the DOJ continues programs designed to research and address hate crimes like antisemitism in our communities. Activities authorized by the Khalid Jabara & Heather Heyer NO HATE Act and the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as the Community Relations Service, Community Approaches to Advancing Justice Grants, and continued research into domestic extremism and radicalization, are vital tools to allow the federal government to combat the rising tide of antisemitic violence. I urge you to maintain and expand funding for these programs.

Our country faces a crisis of antisemitic violence and threats that show no signs of abating. It is vital that the federal government take urgent action to protect Jewish communities, prosecute perpetrators of antisemitic hate crimes, and support community programs to counter antisemitism. Jewish Americans face the severe threat of antisemitic violence every day, and it is long past time that the U.S. federal government prioritizes their safety. 

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