Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

CHICAGO — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) issued the following statement on the unjustified firing of Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden:

“Donald Trump’s decision to fire the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, one year before her term was set to expire, is unjustified. This is another example of the Trump administration’s pattern of firing leaders who are trying to ensure all aspects of the American experience are visible through the work of our cultural institutions.

“Dr. Carla Hayden led the Library of Congress with distinction and honor, spearheading efforts to ensure America’s Library was accessible to all Americans. From her early work as Chicago’s chief librarian to her time as the Nation’s top librarian, Dr. Hayden dedicated her career to ensuring libraries serve their communities. The next Librarian of Congress must continue to build upon Dr. Hayden’s legacy of inclusivity and expansion, ensuring that the Library serves all Americans, and not a regime’s ideology.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) voted in favor of H.R. 276, the Gulf of America Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 211–206. This legislation officially renames the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and mandates that all federal agencies update maps, documents, and records to reflect the new designation.

Congressman Aderholt and wife Caroline visiting the shores of the Gulf of America.

“As a representative of Alabama, a state with a proud and vital coastline along this body of water, I believe this renaming is both appropriate and timely,” said Congressman Aderholt. “The Gulf is integral to our national economy, energy independence, and security. Calling it the ‘Gulf of America’ reflects the deep connection our nation—and especially our Gulf states—have with this region.”

The Gulf of America Act codifies an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, which initiated the renaming process.

“Alabama’s coastal communities, from Mobile to Orange Beach, rely on the Gulf for jobs, tourism, and natural resources, which in turn is vital to our entire state” Aderholt added. “This legislation is a reaffirmation of our stewardship and sovereignty over these waters.”

The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded over $1.9 million in federal Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) to support critical improvements at two regional airports in Alabama’s 4th Congressional District.

“These federal investments in airport infrastructure are vital to supporting economic growth and public safety across North Alabama,” said Congressman Aderholt. “By upgrading and expanding our aviation facilities, we are ensuring they can continue to serve our communities for years to come. I’m pleased to see both Cullman and Albertville airports receiving these funds for important construction and modernization projects.”

Cullman Regional Airport – Folsom Field

• Grant Amount: $1,011,708
• Project: Construction of a new 600-foot Midfield Taxiway to accommodate increased aircraft activity. This grant funds Phase 2, which includes the construction phase of the project.
• Recipient: City and County of Cullman
• FAA Grant Number: 3-01-0022-037-2025

Albertville Regional Airport – Thomas J. Brumlik Field

• Grant Amount: $939,038
• Project: Reconstruction of runway and taxiway lighting on Runway 5/23 and Taxiway A, which have reached the end of their service life.
• Recipient: City of Albertville
• FAA Grant Number: 3-01-0004-038-2025

These grants are awarded under the Fiscal Year 2025 Airport Grant (AIG) program.

Ben Harrison, Director of Cullman Regional Airport, praised the funding and the collaborative effort behind the project:
“We are thankful for this grant and the opportunities it will provide to develop the airport for the next 10–15 years. After careful collaboration with the airport board, city council, county commission, ALDOT Aeronautics, the FAA, and our engineers, we have a good project that will help our entire community continue to advance forward and meet the ever-changing needs in aviation.”

“These grants will help ensure that local airports continue to meet modern safety standards and serve the needs of the community,” Aderholt added. “Airports like Cullman and Albertville are vital assets for rural areas, supporting both economic development and emergency services.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Oneonta, AL — Congressman Robert Aderholt is pleased to announce that James Manasco, Field Representative, will be available for Constituent Services Day in Oneonta to assist residents with issues involving federal agencies.

📍 Location: Blount County Courthouse 
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Address: 220 Second Avenue East, Oneonta, AL

“If you’re having trouble with a federal agency — whether it’s Social Security, Medicare, the VA, the IRS, or others — this is a great opportunity to get direct help from my office,” said Congressman Aderholt. “My staff is highly experienced and ready to assist anyone who needs help cutting through federal red tape.”

Please note: Congressman Aderholt’s office can only assist with matters involving federal agencies. We are not able to provide assistance with state or local government issues.

While walk-ins are welcome, appointments are preferred so we can better serve each person’s individual needs.

📞 To set up an appointment, please call 256-546-0201 or email james.manasco@mail.house.gov.

Helping constituents navigate federal services is a top priority for Congressman Aderholt and his team.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Guntersville, AL — Congressman Robert Aderholt is pleased to announce that James Manasco, Field Representative, will be available for Constituent Services Day in Guntersville to assist residents with issues involving federal agencies.

📍 Location: Marshall County Legislative Office
🗓️ Date: Monday, May 12, 2025
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Address: 524 Gunter Avenue, Guntersville, AL

“If you’re having trouble with a federal agency — whether it’s Social Security, Medicare, the VA, the IRS, or others — this is a great opportunity to get direct help from my office,” said Congressman Aderholt. “My staff is highly experienced and ready to assist anyone who needs help cutting through federal red tape.”

Please note: Congressman Aderholt’s office can only assist with matters involving federal agencies. We are not able to provide assistance with state or local government issues.

While walk-ins are welcome, appointments are preferred so we can better serve each person’s individual needs.

📞 To set up an appointment, please call 256-546-0201 or email james.manasco@mail.house.gov.

Helping constituents navigate federal services is a top priority for Congressman Aderholt and his team.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) today announced a staff promotion and two new additions to his Washington, D.C. office: Stone Griffin has been promoted to Policy Analyst, Lucy Allen will join as Press Assistant, and Sam Chance is now serving as Staff Assistant.

“Each of these individuals brings unique experience, energy, and a heart for service that reflects the values of Alabama’s Fourth District,” said Congressman Aderholt. “I’m proud to welcome Lucy and Sam to our team and to see Stone continue to grow in his new role.”

Stone Griffin, a native of Winchester, Virginia and graduate of the University of Virginia, previously served as Staff Assistant in Congressman Aderholt’s office. His prior experience includes working for Representatives Greg Pence and Jen Kiggans.

“It’s an honor to continue serving Congressman Aderholt and our constituents in this new capacity,” said Griffin. 

Lucy Allen, originally from Florence, Alabama, will officially join the office as Press Assistant following her graduation from Auburn University in May, where she is completing a degree in Public Relations. She previously interned in Congressman Aderholt’s Washington office, where she gained firsthand experience with legislative operations, constituent communications, and Capitol tours.

“I am grateful to be joining Congressman Aderholt’s staff,” said Allen. “Starting as an intern last summer and now being part of the team full-time feels really special. Everyone on staff is hardworking and passionate, and I’m excited to learn from them while serving the district I grew up in.”

Sam Chance, a native of Arab, Alabama and graduate of Samford University, joins the office as Staff Assistant. He brings experience from both legal and nonprofit sectors, including roles at Heninger Garrison Davis, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and Pine Cove Ranch. At Samford, he served on the Student Judiciary Council and graduated cum laude with a degree in Business Administration.

“Being in this office has already been such a blessing,” said Chance. “I have seen firsthand how our staff consistently goes above and beyond, and I am excited to learn from them. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to serve my home district.”

These additions reflect Congressman Aderholt’s continued commitment to building a team that provides responsive, thoughtful service to the people of Alabama’s Fourth District.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act strengthens regional integration through energy, infrastructure, and multilateral cooperation.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

WASHINGTON – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of Abraham Accords Caucus, led 27 fellow House Democrats on a letter to President Trump urging him to call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately restore the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. 

The letter notes Israel is fighting an existential war. “Israel has the right and obligation to defeat Hamas and rescue the hostages,” the members wrote. “At the same time, it is critical that Israel enables entry of lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza. We respectfully urge you to call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately address this humanitarian crisis and promote lasting peace”

“There will not be peace as long as Hamas reigns terror over Gaza and seeks to destroy Israel,” added Rep. Schneider. “As Israel works to defeat and dismantle Hamas, it must also facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Just as it is crucial for food, water, and medicines to get to civilians, it is imperative that Hamas, and gangs affiliated with Hamas, are not allowed to hijack future aid entering the Strip.” 

Members who signed the letter include Reps. Wesley Bell (MO-01), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Steve Cohen (TN-07), Angie Craig (MN-02), Danny Davis (IL-07), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Rick Larsen (WA-02), George Latimer (NY-16), John Mannion (NY-22), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Frank Mrvan (IN-01), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Brittany Petterson (CO-07), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07).

The full letter text is below.

Dear President Trump: 

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal and unprovoked war on Israel, murdering civilians and kidnapping hundreds of hostages. More than 40 Americans were killed, 13 were taken hostage, and five still remain unaccounted for. Presently, 59 hostages are still held in Gaza, of which 24 are presumed living and languishing in Hamas’s tunnels, enduring unspeakable abuse and terror. 

Israel has the right and obligation to defeat Hamas and rescue the hostages. At the same time, it is critical that Israel enables entry of lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza. We respectfully urge you to call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately address this humanitarian crisis and promote lasting peace.  

You recently highlighted the ongoing humanitarian suffering in Gaza, where Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields. We appreciate your recognition of the urgent need for food, water, and medicine to reach civilians — and we agree. The World Food Program recently announced that its warehouses are now empty, and many civilians are suffering from lack of access to food and clean water. It is vital for humanitarian assistance to again get to those in need, even amid the ongoing conflict. We also urge you to keep your recent commitment “to help the people of Gaza get some food.” 

We recognize that restoring humanitarian aid must coexist with the campaign to return the hostages and defeat Hamas. Failing to ensure aid reaches civilians risks greater humanitarian catastrophe, strengthens Hamas’s false narratives, risks Israel’s international standing, and undermines the moral clarity of the need to dismantle Hamas and bring hopes for peace and prosperity to the region. The United States must both stand with our allies and uphold our values, including protecting civilian life. Ensuring the safe and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid, while continuing to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel in its fight against terrorism, is essential to returning the hostages while preserving our shared commitment to security, justice, and human dignity.  

We respectfully urge you to continue speaking out about the importance of restoring humanitarian assistance and to encourage Prime Minister Netanyahu to enable the delivery of life-saving food, water, and medicine to civilians in Gaza without delay. Your leadership at this critical moment can help save lives, reinforce America’s steadfast support for both our values and our allies, and support Israel’s vital mission to dismantle Hamas and bring every hostage home. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weeknight where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back on the reckless Republican scheme to rip away the healthcare and nutritional assistance of the American people. 

ALICIA MENENDEZ: Joining us now, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Well, sir, I know we’re going to get to the tariffs in a second, but first your reaction to what we’re seeing now from the bill that Republicans in the House of Representatives have put out from the Ways and Means Committee writ large. This is the bill, if you will, and there are lots of thoughts going around about it. But your reaction, sir. Is this what you expected from your Republican colleagues?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening. Great to be with everyone. Donald Trump and House Republicans promised that they were going to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. They, of course, have failed to do that. Costs aren’t going down. They’re going up. So that’s a broken promise. Instead, they are trying to enact one of the largest healthcare cuts in American history, if not the largest. At this point, it looks like $715 billion in cuts to Medicaid that will devastate children and families and seniors and everyday Americans with disabilities. Hospitals could close. Nursing homes could shut down. And the reality is, because of this House Republican bill, if it were to pass and become law, people will die. And this is all being done in service of trying to provide a massive tax break to MAGA billionaire donors like Elon Musk, and give almost nothing to everyday Americans that Donald Trump and House Republicans promised they would focus on when they lied repeatedly on the campaign trail last year.

MICHAEL STEELE: You know, Mr. Leader, on Saturday, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget noted the deficit impact of this bill is well above the Ways and Means allowable increase of 4 to 4.5 trillion, so lawmakers are going to need to make adjustments, including offsets and so forth. You have NBC news noting Speaker Johnson convened a video call on Monday with members of both the tax writing Ways and Means Committee and the SALT Caucus, group of blue state Republicans, to sort of address that. So you have the reality, sir, that they can’t control the numbers the way they like in order—because of the fact that, to your point, they’re going to have to make some steep cuts in areas that they’re saying they’re not going to make those cuts. And then you have unresolved other issues among the more middle of the road, conservative, moderate Republicans on SALT and other issues. How do you see this playing? How does this get shaped in the House ultimately? Particularly the Democrats decide to go, all right, you guys put your bill on the table and see what happens.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, there’s a great deal of uncertainty. You have House Republicans fighting with House Republicans, House Republicans fighting with Senate Republicans. They don’t know whether to take orders from Donald Trump or Elon Musk or both. The whole thing is in disarray. They’ve decided to go it alone with this one big ugly bill and try to jam these far-right extremist policies down the throats of the American people. And, you know, we’ll see what happens this week. We’re going to continue to press our case as Democrats that we are defending the healthcare of the American people. Republicans, of course, are trying to undermine it. And this is not inconsistent with what they’ve repeatedly tried to do, which is take away healthcare from the American people. What’s egregious about this situation is that it’s all being done in service of trying to reward the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. And then to make matters worse of course as you indicated, Michael, they are further adding to our nation’s debt and deficit. These people aren’t fiscally responsible. They’re fiscally irresponsible. They need to stop lying and pretending that the case is otherwise to the American people.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: So they released this sweeping tax plan today, except they’ve not actually dealt with, as Michael referenced there, the real friction point here, which is SALT. Let me read you just a little bit of the reporting. A legislative text currently calls for the SALT deduction cap to be hiked to $30,000, and applies only to those who make up to $400,000 a year. One House Republican close to the process told NBC News there would be enough GOP votes to sink the bill if that SALT figure remains in the final product. I want you to game this out with me. If those, you know, Republicans who say that SALT is a deal breaker because they represent districts where that is a deal breaker for their voters, let’s say they fold. Let’s say they decide not to hold the line, they vote with Trump on this tax plan, on this budget. Do you currently believe you can flip their seats?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes. And you know, these Republicans who have been, you know, allegedly advocating to address the situation with State and Local Tax Deduction are all phonies. Understand that in 2017, it was Republicans through the GOP Tax Scam that imposed the tax cap, the SALT cap, $10,000 on everyday Americans and as a result, have cost people in states across the country, in places like New York, in New Jersey, in Connecticut, in Illinois, Pennsylvania and California, amongst others, thousands of dollars a year in additional cost. That is because of what Republicans did in 2017. And so, if nothing were to happen with respect to the State and Local Tax Deduction provision this year, then the cap would go away, and it would provide thousands of dollars of additional income to everyday Americans. And so, the notion that Republicans are going to try to get away with a $30,000 per year cap—that’s not helping middle-class Americans across the country. And these so-called swing seat Republicans in these blue-leaning states will be held accountable next year, and many will lose.

SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Before we get to the tariffs. Mr. Leader, there is reporting from March 31 in the Guardian that talks about how Republican districts were the ones that have benefited the most from these clean energy spending bills. This is from the bills that were passed in the Biden administration, the tax rates Republicans who now control Congress have to decide if they will eliminate, the IRA’s grants and, more crucially, the tax credits that have spurred a boom in clean energy activity in their own districts. A total of 78% of the spending has gone to Republican-held suburban and rural districts across the U.S. That’s according to data from Atlas Public Policy. In this current bill that we now know about, and scanning through it, there are reductions here that will hit those Republicans in those districts. There’s also a severe cut to Medicaid that the—and I’m just going to read here—the Congressional Budget Office on Sunday night said that 8.6 million people would go uninsured if the health portions of this package become law. Do you have four Republicans, five Republicans or any of the, you know, 12 Republicans, frankly, that have signed letters indicating that they are concerned about the deficit or the Republicans that have signed letters indicating that they’re concerned about cuts to Medicaid, who are willing to vote with you against this bill? What does your whip count tell you?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, that remains to be seen, whether these Republicans who have taken all these public positions, because they are on the run in the communities they represent all across the country. The American people are unhappy with them and the failure of Republicans to be a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch. They’re just functioning as a rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme policies. But this is going to be the ultimate test. Now, with respect to the clean energy tax credits, and you correctly point out Symone, that many of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, standing up a clean energy economy, creating clean energy jobs and also cheaper energy, have benefited red districts and red communities and red states across the country. So, to vote to repeal these things is a vote to undermine the very constituents that you represent. Now, there were 21 Republicans who signed a letter saying don’t touch the clean energy tax credits. Where are those 21 Republicans right now? All it takes is a fraction of them to actually keep their word as communicated to the people that they represent, and the bill will fail. And so, you’ve got challenges with respect to fiscal irresponsibility, challenges as it relates to Medicaid, challenges as it relates to State and Local Tax Deduction, challenges as it relates to the clean energy tax credits. All you need are three or four Republicans in either the House or the Senate to just keep their word to their constituents, and this bill will fall. We’re going to continue to strongly oppose these egregious provisions that don’t help the American people, they hurt the American people, and press our Republican colleagues to have some courage and some backbone for their constituents and do the same.

MICHAEL STEELE: So there’s an interesting—the politics here is very interesting, so I love Symone’s question because it really just kind of reframes some realities that I think Democrats are going to have to work through. And one of them, and what you’re starting to hear on the streets right now is that the Republicans are doing this little Artful Dodger kind of game where they’re, you know, they’re now talking about, oh, we’re going to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans. And Trump is floating that out there. And, of course, you’ve got a whole lot of reminiscent playback to ‘read my lips, no new taxes’ from George Bush 41. But now, you have the president also on Monday issuing an executive order asking drug makers to voluntarily reduce the prices of key medicines in the United States, but the order cites no obvious legal authority to mandate lower prices with this executive order. Trump also opted not to propose measures that could have more teeth, such as calling for his administration to work with Congress on legislation or writing regulations to change how government health programs pay for some drugs. That’s not the point, right? The point is, hey, I’m cutting drug prices. So do you see politically, the Republicans, not so much legislatively doing anything with teeth, but rather framing political narratives that make it more difficult for Democrats, as Symone offered up a little bit before, to go after some of those seats that could be on the chopping block otherwise.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, they’re certainly going to try, but the reality is the core promise that Donald Trump and Republicans made to the American people was that they were going to improve the economy, and they inherited one that was moving in the right direction. The big challenge was the high cost of living in the United States of America. It’s a challenge that we need to tackle. They promised that costs would go down on day one, that they would address inflation. Costs haven’t gone down, they’re going up. Inflation is going up. And a lot of it has to do with Trump’s reckless mismanagement of the economy, particularly as it relates to the on-again, off-again tariffs and the mess that he has made with respect to the American economy. And so, fundamentally, no matter how much Republicans try to distract from that reality, they will be held accountable for their failure to keep their word, for their failure to lower the high cost of living and, in fact, to actually increase costs and make life more unaffordable for everyday Americans. And as you pointed out, with respect to this so-called executive order, it has no force of law. And so, it’s not a serious effort to lower costs. If there was a serious effort, we’d actually have seen up until this point, more than 100 days into this administration, a single bill that was actually designed to address the high cost of living in the United States of America. Instead, we get legislation to try to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: Leader Jeffries, you referenced tariffs so I’ll allow this to be the last question. China took a tough stance on the threat of increased tariffs from the U.S. They managed to bring that threat down without any real concessions. If you are the Chinese, what have you learned about the Art of the Deal?

LEADER JEFFRIES: China punked the administration and the administration backed down. That’s no surprise because we’ve seen that happen over and over and over again.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you so much for being with us.

Full interview can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)