Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi concluded a three-stop “Trump Tariff Tour” across Illinois to highlight the destructive economic impact of President Donald Trump’s blanket tariff policies. From Chicago to Atlanta to Urbana, Congressman Krishnamoorthi heard directly from small business owners, farmers, and workers about how Trump’s tariffs are driving up costs, shrinking margins, and threatening jobs across the state.

“Whether it’s a family farm, a neighborhood kombucha brewery, or a local produce distributor, Illinois businesses and working families are footing the bill for Donald Trump’s reckless tariff war,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “These tariffs are a hidden tax on hardworking families and small businesses, and they’re already doing real damage to our economy. Illinoisans shouldn’t have to pay the price for Trump’s self-inflicted economic wounds. It’s time to end these tariffs now.”
 

“Many of the small businesses that drive our economy have been rocked by the uncertainty of shifting tariffs and trade policies,” said Elliot Richardson, president of the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC). “These small businesses face the prospect of rising costs, shrinking margins, and disrupted supply chains. Small businesses do not have the resources to suddenly and frequently pivot, making transparency and certainty so important to the small business community. The SBAC continues to urge an intentional approach to trade policies that considers the impact on small businesses so they do not become collateral damage in escalating trade wars.

The tour kicked off in Chicago at Testa Produce, where the congressman met with CEO Peter Testa and small business leaders from the Small Business Advocacy Council. There, he emphasized that tariffs are inflating operating costs for food distributors and retailers across the state. From there, Congressman Krishnamoorthi traveled to Kindred Farms in Atlanta, Illinois, where he stood with local agricultural leaders to call out the impact of retaliatory tariffs on Illinois’ $200 billion agricultural sector. The tour concluded at Cloud Mountain Kombucha Brewery in Urbana, where the congressman met with small business owners and local leaders to discuss the ripple effects of higher import costs.

Across the state, the congressman warned that if fully implemented, Trump’s proposed tariffs could cost the average Illinois household at least $4,400 per year, with 44% of small businesses already bracing for revenue losses. As the Trump administration continues to pursue its costly trade policies, Congressman Krishnamoorthi is fighting to protect Illinois families and the small businesses that drive our economy.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

Schaumburg, IL — Following U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s announcement today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi released the following statement:

“Today is a day to celebrate Senator Dick Durbin for his exemplary career of public service as well as the profound and lasting positive impact he’s had on Illinois families and our nation. Known for his legendary work ethic, Senator Durbin has led the fight to expand access to affordable health care, invest in our state’s infrastructure, tackle gun violence, defend Dreamers, improve public health, protect working families, and more. His expert leadership on the Senate Judiciary Committee ensured the confirmation of a record 235 federal judges, shaping the courts and securing our most fundamental American rights for many years to come.

“A champion for everyday families and an unyielding advocate for the underdog, Senator Durbin represents the true meaning of public service. Over the next two years, I know he will continue to fiercely advocate for our state, and I will be honored to fight alongside him as we continue to deliver for Illinois. From one son of downstate to another: Thank you, Senator.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

SCHAUMBURG, IL – In a letter sent Monday to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged immediate consideration of the Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act following troubling signs that Members of Congress — including possibly Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — may have used non-public information surrounding recent Trump Administration tariff announcements to trade stocks for personal gain.

“In recent weeks, as the Trump Administration caused significant market volatility through a series of tariff announcements, there have been several opportunities for elected officials to make profitable stock trades based on non-public information,” Krishnamoorthi wrote. “This improper activity, or even the appearance of impropriety, serves only to further erode trust between public servants and the American people.”

The Congressman specifically pointed to market activity on April 9th, when President Trump posted on Truth Social, “IT’S A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” at 9:37 a.m. — followed just hours later by a formal tariff announcement that caused the Dow Jones Industrial Average to spike by 2,000 points. “This rapid change in market conditions triggered by the President’s planned announcement presented a clear opportunity for those with advance knowledge of the activity to reap significant financial benefit by trading stocks accordingly,” Krishnamoorthi warned. 

To combat this behavior, Krishnamoorthi has led the charge to clean up Washington, introducing the Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act alongside Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Cory Mills (R-FL). The bill would bar Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependents from owning or trading individual stocks while in office.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that Members are serving the American people and not day trading stocks and profiting from the position to which they were elected,” Krishnamoorthi emphasized in his letter. “I urge you to act on our bipartisan effort and schedule a vote to pass this legislation at the earliest possible opportunity to do so.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s full letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

April 26, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement on the passing of Alexis Herman, the first African American to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor:

“I am truly saddened to learn of the passing of my friend and Soror, Secretary Alexis Herman. Alexis was a faithful public servant, who devoted her entire being to the preservation and economic development of the Black community.

“Herman defied all odds, growing up in the segregated Jim Crow South to parents who were civil rights activists and educators, who helped lay the foundation for Alexis to become a change agent of social justice and a vocal opponent of inequality. She fought to desegregate schools in Mobile, Alabama, and worked with the Southern Regional Council to assist Black women to obtain managerial or technical jobs, and she would later become the youngest director of the U.S. Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau under the Carter administration. Before the term DEI, Herman would use her position to encourage large corporations, such as Coca Cola and Toyota, to diversify their workforce by hiring Black women.

“Alexis went on to become the first Black Secretary of Labor under the Clinton administration. During her time as Secretary, she was praised for handling the USPS labor strike, addressing child exploitation and labor laws, and increasing the minimum wage.

“Herman’s contributions to politics and the advancement of women are legendary. Her work alongside presidential candidates, her leadership under various administrations, and her tenacity to break gender and race barriers within the workplace have cemented Alexis Herman’s name in American History.

“My heartfelt prayers and condolences are with her family and friends, as well as the countless others she inspired over her lifetime of service and advocacy.” 

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” – Matthew 25:23

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., (GA02) issued the following statement regarding the passing of former U.S. Secretary of Labor, the Honorable Alexis Herman.

“My wife, Vivian, and I were deeply saddened to learn that our friend of longstanding, the Honorable Alexis Herman, had passed.

“From our days together as teenagers on the neighborhood youth council in Mobile, Alabama, up through her years of public service as Director of the Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor, as Chief of Staff at the DNC, as White House Public Liaison Director, as Secretary of Labor, and as a member of multiple corporate boards, she exemplified competency, courage, integrity, wisdom, grace, and dignity.

“Alexis was a gifted visionary, able to bring people together, manage resolution of their issues, and achieve common goals. She was among the best! America and the world are better because of her service.

“On a personal level, I will always be grateful for the timbre of her character and the fidelity of her friendship.”

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, and all who mourn her loss.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

Chicago, Ill. – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement regarding the announcement that U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (IL) will not seek re-election:

“After serving the people of Illinois for over 40 years in Congress, my colleague Senator Dick Durbin has shared that he plans to retire at the end of his term. 

“From securing federal funds to extend Chicago’s Red Line and bolster anti-flooding infrastructure, to supporting full LGBTQ+ equality, Senator Durbin has been an essential partner in solving problems right here at home. As the Senate Democratic whip for two decades, Durbin has also mobilized my Democratic colleagues to vote for transformative legislation, including the Affordable Care Act, First Step Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In recent years, I have also been honored to work with Senator Durbin in advocating for Ukraine in the war against Russian aggression.

“Senator Durbin’s decision to retire embodies the essence of public service—doing what is best even when it is difficult. I will miss his partnership and advocacy in the Senate, but I look forward to seeing him thrive in this next chapter.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement on the passing of Pope Francis:

“The world has lost a great messenger for peace and compassion. Pope Francis spent his life in service to those less fortunate and used his influence as Pope to advance the causes of environmentalism, peace, and equality. He led with humility and the biblical call to welcome all, including refugees and immigrants. At all times, Pope Francis reminded the world that the root of the Catholic faith is in aiding the poor, voiceless, and disadvantaged. It was one of the great honors of my career to attend Pope Francis’s address to Congress in 2015.

“My thoughts are with the millions of Catholics who mourn his passing, and I stand with those around the world who grieve the loss of this moral giant. In these difficult times, the best way to honor Pope Francis’s memory is to follow his example by extending mercy and kindness to all those around us.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Honolulu, HI) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai‘i– First District) in a letter today urged President Donald Trump to reconsider his decision to allow for seabed mining in U.S. and international waters, saying the decision “recklessly prioritizes short-term economic gain over the current and long-term health of our oceans, ignoring the profound and potentially irreversible damage it could cause not just to fragile marine ecosystems but to all of our other ecosystems which are intertwined with our oceans.”

Case’s letter came the day after the President issued his executive order opening up unregulated mining, saying the nation “must take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral resources” both within and beyond national jurisdiction.

In his letter, Case said fast-tracking seabed mining “is an unwise gamble with our planet’s future, and it is imperative that we fully understand the implications of such actions before moving forward.”

Case’s letter was joined by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), the Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, his Hawai‘i colleague Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2), and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Case further stated:

“The deep ocean represents an irreplaceable frontier, playing a critical role in carbon sequestration, sustaining marine biodiversity and supporting climate stability. Fast-tracking permits for seabed mining threatens to destroy these fragile ecosystems through highly destructive practices that could decimate habitats, contaminate food chains and disrupt vital carbon processes.

“While the full impacts of deep-sea mining remain uncertain, the risks we do understand are alarming. The potential damage far outweighs any anticipated benefits. Furthermore, coastal and Indigenous communities—many of whom are already disproportionately affected by climate change—will bear the heaviest consequences of this policy.

“This is a profoundly misguided step. At a time when the world is watching how we lead, the United States should be setting a standard for responsible ocean stewardship, not racing to exploit unproven resources. We must choose protection over economic expediency and uphold our responsibility to safeguard the deep ocean, not only for ourselves, but for the generations that will follow.

“To that end, earlier this Congress I introduced the American Seabed Protection Act and the International Seabed Protection Act, two critical bills that would halt new seabed mining permits in U.S. waters and advocate for a global moratorium on international seabed mining. These pieces of legislation are rooted in science and caution, ensuring that environmental protections come first while we work to fully understand the ecological impacts of deep-sea extraction.”

When Case introduced his measures, he referred to an area most sought after by the industry for immediate unregulated mining: the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

This Zone is an abyssal plain as wide as the continental United States punctuated by seamounts which extends to just hundreds of miles southeast of Hawai‘i Island. Yet little if anything material is known about the marine ecosystem of this area or its connection to Hawaii’s own unique marine and related ecosystem.

Attachments:

·        Letter to President Trump is here

·        Picture of Sea cucumber Amperima sp. on the seabed in the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone. Image courtesy of Craig Smith and Diva Amon, ABYSSLINE Project.  

·        Picture of Relicanthus sp a new species from a new order of Cnidaria collected at 4,100 meters in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) that lives on sponge stalks attached to nodules. Image courtesy of Craig Smith and Diva Amon, ABYSSLINE Project.

·        Information on Case’s bills is here

·        Case’s remarks in the Congressional Record on introduction of his bills is here

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

ISSAQUAH, WA – Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) called out Congressional Republicans’ efforts to cut $880 billion from Medicaid and rip health care access away from millions of Americans. 

“Millions of patients in Washington State are able to access health care thanks to Medicaid, and the Republicans’ push to cut $880 billion from it will have devastating repercussions for all Washingtonians,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “Not only would these cuts leave those on Apple Health with much more limited access to care, but they would, in turn, lead to longer wait times and reduced care in emergency rooms, increased healthcare costs, and closed nursing homes. I’ve worked for years to expand health care access for my constituents, and I am proud to have a partner like Whip Clark as we continue to fight against these irresponsible cuts.”

“It’s no secret that Trump and Republicans are on track to dismantle Medicaid — the largest health care program in the country — in order to hand massive tax breaks to the richest few. We’re talking about 1.5 million Washingtonians on Medicaid, including 38% of all children in the state,” said Whip Clark. “I was honored to join Representative Schrier, Dr. Simmonds, and health care advocates to stand up against the GOP’s illegal assault on health care. We will not allow the greed of billionaires to dictate life in America.”

Whip Clark joined Congresswoman Schrier, local labor leaders, physicians, and patients at the Swedish Issaquah Campus for a roundtable, press conference, and tour of the hospital’s emergency department. At the roundtable, Congresswoman Schrier and Whip Clark listened as stakeholders expressed the ways that the Medicaid cuts would impact their lives, showcasing the wide-reaching ramifications that cutting $880 billion from this program would have. 

In Washington State, approximately 1.8 million individuals are enrolled in Medicaid, also known as Apple Health. The Republican budget calls for billions of dollars in cuts to essential programs like Medicaid, which would be devastating for thousands of patients in the Eighth District and millions across the country. Congresswoman Schrier, the first pediatrician elected to Congress, and Whip Clark have been leaders in fighting against these cuts and defending patients’ access to care.

While Congressional Republicans are attempting to dismantle health care for millions of Americans, Congresswoman Schrier has a long track record of working with colleagues from both parties to strengthen our health care system. In fact, Congresswoman Schrier has spearheaded the bipartisan Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act, which would actually bolster Medicaid by ensuring it pays at the same rate as Medicare. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington, D.C. — This week, Speaker Emerita Pelosi joined House Democrats in filing an amicus brief challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to close the Department of Education in the matter of the State of New York v. Linda McMahon. A case in which 20 states moved to sue the administration for its plans to place fifty percent of the Department’s workforce on administrative leave, effectively shuttering a congressionally authorized agency by way of executive fiat. 
 
By involving themselves in this legal battle, House Democrats sought to stand up for Congress’s power to ensure a quality education for all Americans—and in their filing, they argued that the Trump Administration cannot unilaterally create, dismantle, or reorganize the Education Department, nor can executive officials make solitary decisions regarding the agency’s organization and assignment of functions. The lawmakers also cited executive overreach, noting that efforts to strip support for the federal agency violate Congress’s power of the purse.

The brief was led by Task Force Co-Chairs Jamie Raskin and Joe Neguse, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Ranking Members of the Appropriations and Education and Workforce Committees, Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott.

The full amicus brief is available HERE. 

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