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Trahan Leads Bipartisan Coalition Demanding the Trump Administration Reverse Pay Cuts for Federal Correctional Officers

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of House Democratic leadership, led a bipartisan group of 36 lawmakers in writing a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Associate Deputy Director Kathleen Toomey urging them to rescind the Trump administration’s cuts to the retention pay of BOP correctional officers (COs) and healthcare professionals while simultaneously eliminating all future BOP recruitment incentives.
“We write to express our serious concern regarding the Bureau of Prison’s decision to cut the retention pay of hardworking Bureau of Prisons correctional officers and healthcare professionals and cancel all future BOP recruitment incentives. The decision to reduce or eliminate entirely the retention pay of over 23,000 BOP employees is dangerous and will cause our federal prison system to buckle under the weight of increasing numbers of incarcerated individuals and major staffing shortages. The brave correctional officers and healthcare professionals who show up to work each day play an integral part in ensuring the safety of employees, inmates, and our communities,” wrote the lawmakers.
In late February, more than half of the BOP workforce was told that their retention pay would be significantly reduced or eliminated entirely, with some employees seeing a pay decrease of up to 25%. Retention incentives serve as a crucial mechanism for upholding staffing levels at understaffed facilities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) annual report, issued last November, revealed that every BOP facility in the nation lacked sufficient staffing. The report also revealed that staffing shortages are directly tied to the safety of correctional officers, impairing their capacity to prevent inmate fatalities and leading to higher recidivism rates, which in turn threatens public safety.
“To make matters worse, BOP does not have an acting director or an acting deputy director. In fact, since President Donald Trump took office, the Director of BOP was fired, the Acting Director who took her place subsequently resigned, and five other senior leaders resigned. The lack of leadership and oversight from senior leaders at the agency further proves these cuts are counter to the agency’s stated mission. With some impacted correctional officers and healthcare professionals expecting to see a pay decrease of up to 25% of their current income, we are extremely alarmed by the lack of plan to address the increased staffing shortages these decisions will cause,” the lawmakers continue. 
Massachusetts’ sole federal corrections facility, Federal Medical Center (FMC) Devens in Ayer, houses 1,130 inmates and is just one of seven prisons across the country capable of caring for extremely ill inmates. However, a December 2024 report from the DOJ’s Inspector General found that just 81 percent of FMC Devens’ positions were filled, including 161 of 201 (80 percent) positions in the Correctional Services Department and 113 of 149 positions (76 percent) in the Health Services Department. The same report stressed the importance of recruitment and retention initiatives needed to fill these positions amid looming retirements likely to exacerbate the facility’s staffing shortage.
A copy of the letter sent yesterday can be accessed HERE.

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Ranking Member Huffman Statement on Billionaire-Backed Plan to Dismantle Key NOAA Weather Services

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

April 04, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) issued the following statement following reports that key NOAA websites and databases will go dark at midnight under the Trump administration’s proposed contract cuts:

“Three reckless billionaires – Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump, and DOGE vandal Elon Musk – are dismantling one of our government’s most important public functions, the National Weather Service. The data management contracts they are cancelling include critical weather and climate data, geographic information, and extensive modeling infrastructure that enables end users to utilize these data. As we heard in our forum on Wednesday, those who depend on NOAA weather tools include the Department of Defense, first responders, and local businesses across the country. Trump and his oligarchs are clearing the way for their corporate mega-polluter cronies by erasing science and scientists, pushing America into the dark ages. They are delivering another Project 2025 promise but betraying the American people by making us less safe and shredding our global scientific leadership. Secretary Lutnick should be working to maintain and expand NOAA’s lifesaving data and services, instead of burning this critical agency to the ground. Lutnick must reverse course on NOAA or resign and go back to Wall Street.”
 

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Hoyer Statement on Trump’s Firing of National Security Agency Director

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after President Donald Trump fired National Security Agency (NSA) Director General Timothy Haugh:

“Once again, Donald Trump puts his trust in far-right extremists over America’s foremost national security experts. This week, at the urging of Laura Loomer – a far-right conspiracy theorist with close ties to neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations – Trump fired Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and National Security Agency Director General Timothy Haugh. He did so without cause. General Haugh has served our country with honor and distinction for decades. 

“We ought to entrust America’s national security to seasoned experts committed to defending our Constitution. Trump believes we ought to put the safety of the American people into the hands of lackeys who are loyal to him and him alone. In doing so, Trump continues to make America less safe.”

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Rep. Mike Levin Visits Feeding San Diego to Highlight Impact of Trump Policies on Fight Against Hunger

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

April 03, 2025

San Diego, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) visited Feeding San Diego’s food distribution center to meet with volunteers and learn how the Trump Administration’s cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance program (LFPA) will undermine efforts to fight hunger in the region. LFPA provides funding to help organizations like Feeding San Diego purchase food grown and produced locally. These cuts take away an essential funding stream for food banks, hurting farmers and the people who rely on food banks.

“Despite claims that he would lower prices on Day One, the Trump Administration has only driven food prices higher, forcing more people to turn to food banks to put food on the table. New tariffs will make things even worse,” said Rep. Levin. “Now, the Administration is taking another step that will directly harm families in our region and make it harder for food banks to help people in need. Fighting hunger has always been one of my top priorities in Congress. I’ll continue to stand up for food banks, defend food assistance programs from grueling cuts, and push for the restoration of federal funding.”

“The recent USDA cuts will have a profound impact on hunger relief efforts, making it even harder for organizations like Feeding San Diego to meet the growing need in our community,” said Bob Kamensky, CEO of Feeding San Diego. “Families who rely on these programs will face even greater challenges in accessing nutritious food. We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Levine for visiting Feeding San Diego today and for his commitment to understanding the urgent issues at hand. His support is critical as we work together to ensure no one in our community goes hungry”

Feeding San Diego was anticipating receiving over $1 million in funding from LFPA next year. With these recent cuts, once its current funding runs out, it will need to find a new funding stream. For Feeding Sand Diego, this could result in a shortfall of 500,000 pounds of food, enough to produce 400,000 meals.

Cuts to these programs hurt everyone from children to farmers. One in five Californians struggle with food insecurity, and federal programs play a critical role in ensuring food banks have the funding they need to meet demand. By cutting programs to help purchase locally-gown foods, the Administration is stripping away funding that supports local farmers and feeds people in need. This comes in addition to cuts to additional food assistance programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program and House Republicans’ proposed cuts to CalFresh.

In response to these cuts, Rep. Levin sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, along with Members of the California delegation, demanding the Administration reverse these devastating cuts.

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Dingell Leads 40 Colleagues in Demanding Answers About CDC and SAMHSA Rescinding Billions in Funding

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) led 40 of her House colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers about the agency’s actions to pull back billions of dollars of funding sent to state and community health departments by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

“The agency rescinding $11.4 billion of authorized funding without any congressional action or input is extremely concerning. This funding includes support for state and local health department employees who work around vaccines which are paramount for defending our population from any disease,” the lawmakers wrote. “Especially with the outbreak of measles and avian flu, our nation needs a robust public health system for effectively investigating and tracking disease outbreak and disseminating that data. With the cuts to the agency, we are worried that sufficient support will no longer be available leading to a breakdown in our public health infrastructure.”

“We are also concerned about the future of vaccines. Funds supporting vaccine implementation were expected to expire in 2027, and we are alarmed that they could now be cut two years short. These immunization programs are used to educate people in communities about vaccines and preventable diseases and support surveillance and lab capacity to track infectious diseases. Inadequate funding will severely limit outreach to vulnerable populations including rural communities and nursing homes for vaccines. In addition, this funding supports staff who work on multiple projects, and it is unclear which other programs may be affected until staff have left,” the lawmakers continued.” Beyond infectious diseases control and prevention, the CDC also provides critical support for the management of other chronic diseases. This includes people with asthma, allergies, diabetes, and heart disease. These patients are at greater risk for more serious infection or hospitalization from infectious diseases, and they rely on a strong public health infrastructure with employees to carry out critical public health interventions tailored to the needs of the local community. We fear clawing back this funding will impact the health of people living with chronic conditions across the nation.”

“Regarding SAMHSA, we are concerned about $1 billion of grants that will be discontinued. Such cuts and restructuring will deteriorate our mental health infrastructure,”the lawmakers concluded. “We know that over 84.5 million American adults have a substance use or mental health condition, and we cannot cut resources for these services. Last year alone, SAMHSA distributed over $6.9 billion in grants to fight the opioid epidemic, end suicide deaths, and transform the lives of countless Americans facing substance use disorder and mental illness.”

Specifically, the lawmakers requested answers to the following questions: 

  1. Does the Department certify that all the nearly $11.4B funds being rescinded from CDC are non-obligated, expired by statute funds? If so, please specify under which statue they are expired.
  2. Does the Department certify that the $1B being rescinded from SAMHSA are nonobligated, expired by statue funds? If so, please specify under which statue they are expired.
  3. Please provide a detailed list of the state, local, territorial, and tribal health departments that will be impacted, and how much funding they will lose and from which authorization or appropriation legislation the funding is being rescinded.
  4. Has HHS determined how this funding cut will impact payroll or cause staff layoffs throughout local health departments? If so, how will HHS track this?
  5. Please provide the agency’s plan to maintain FY2024 appropriated activities for the following diseases in light of the announced reduction in funds:
    1. COVID-19
    2. Measles
    3. H1N1
    4. RSV
    5. Whooping Cough
    6. Tuberculosis
    7. Avian Flu
    8. Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI)
    9. Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Programs

View the full text of the letter here. 

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Rep. Carbajal, House Democrats Demand Answers from HHS on Head Start Regional Office Closures

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) joined a group of 33 House Democrats in pressing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers after the sudden shutdown of five regional Head Start Offices, including the San Francisco regional office that serves families in the Central Coast. 

The closures come on the heels of a major agency reorganization and reduction in force that led to 10,000 layoffs on Monday. In the letter, the lawmakers raise concerns about the lack of warning or transition plan and the potential impact on children and families who rely on the program.
“The abrupt closures—without a clearly communicated transition plan—puts services and education for our nation’s most vulnerable children and families at risk,” the lawmakers wrote.
Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood education, health care, and family services at no cost to low-income children across the country. In the last 60 years, Head Start has positively impacted more than 40 million children and their parents across the nation, including more than 55,000 in Santa Barbara County.
The letter stresses the essential role regional offices play in helping local Head Start centers access federal support and navigate complex regulations and that the closures will jeopardize vital services.
“Removing these support structures without an alternative plan or clear communication on the impact jeopardizes the reliability and quality of services that so many families depend on,” the lawmakers continued.
The group is asking Secretary Kennedy to respond by April 7 with answers to the following:

“All children deserve quality education and services to support their early development during the most crucial years of childhood,” the lawmakers wrote. “An investment in Head Start and the regional offices that support them should remain a top priority.”
For a full copy of the letter, click here.

Rep. Carbajal, who formerly worked with Head Start as a Parent Involvement Coordinator and Family Services Advocate, is a leader in fighting for childhood education programs. In Congress, he’s worked to prioritize funding for Head Start to ensure this important program has the necessary resources to be successful in our communities.


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DelBene, Panetta, Beyer, Schneider, Sewell Introduce Legislation to Reclaim Congressional Trade Powers

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

DelBene, Panetta, Beyer, Schneider, Sewell Introduce Legislation to Reclaim Congressional Trade Powers

Washington, D.C., April 1, 2025

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Don Beyer (VA-08), Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Terri Sewell (Al-07) introduced the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, legislation that would modernize outdated trade authorities and ensure that Congress retains final approval over the imposition of broad tariffs.  

This legislation would eliminate Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which permits the president to impose 15% tariffs on all imports in the event of a balance of payments crisis. Originally designed to address situations where a nation’s currency was tied to a commodity or a foreign currency, this provision is now obsolete, as the United States no longer operates under the gold standard. 

In recent years, the Trump administration misinterpreted the term “balance of payments issue” to justify tariffs based on trade imbalances rather than actual economic crises. This misuse highlights the need for Congress to reaffirm its authority over trade policy. This legislation was introduced in response to President Trump’s planned widespread tariffs on U.S. trading partners. 

By repealing Section 122, the Reclaim Trade Powers Act would: 

“President Trump is trying to use outdated laws to argue that he can unilaterally impose huge tax increases on American consumers without congressional approval,” said DelBene. “This legislation is one of several that would reaffirm Congress’ constitutional role in trade policy and ensure the president alone cannot impose broad-based tariffs, which are taxes, on our trading partners.” 

“The balance of payments authority has been mischaracterized and misused to justify broad, indiscriminate tariffs that bypass Congressional oversight,” said Panetta. “The Reclaim Trade Powers Act would close that loophole and help establish a trade policy that reflects modern economic realities rather than outdated statutes. This legislation would protect our economy from unnecessary and harmful tariffs, ensure major trade decisions are not made solely by executive branch, and restore Congressional authority over trade.” 

“No one should be under any illusion that the Trump administration would require an actual balance in payments crisis to levy these across the board tariffs,” said Beyer. “Pretextual and dishonest justifications are this president’s stock-in-trade, which makes this executive authority simply too dangerous to leave on the books.” 

“It’s long past time that Congress assert its constitutional responsibilities and put a check on President Trump’s reckless, arbitrary, and punitive approach to trade policy, which is only hurting our consumers, companies, and economy,” said Schneider. “We must close outdated loopholes—like Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, among others—that Trump is using to impose sweeping tariffs while punishing our small businesses, retirement accounts, and economy.” 

“In a few short months, President Trump has abused multiple trade authorities as he initiates trade wars with our allies,” said Sewell. “Congress must act to draw back trade authorities from this administration in order to protect American consumers, farmers, and manufacturers from President Trump’s reckless trade agenda. I am proud to join my colleagues in this effort to strengthen our checks against this administration.” 

A copy of the bill can be found here.  

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Bonamici Invites High School Students to Participate in 2025 Congressional Art Competition

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [4/4/25] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) is now accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition.

The competition is open to students in grades 9-12 who live in Oregon’s First Congressional District, which includes large portions of Washington and Multnomah counties and all of Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook counties. A panel of local arts leaders will select the winning student artist, whose artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. All students who participate in the competition will be invited to a reception with the Congresswoman where the winner and honorable mention will be announced.

“I host the Congressional Art Competition every year because the student artists I’ve met give me hope for the future,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “They are thoughtful, talented, and passionate, and it is always exciting to see the incredible art they create for the competition. I encourage all high school artists to participate this year.” 

Students interested in submitting artwork can find more information here. The deadline for art submissions is Monday, April 28, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Art may be mailed to the Beaverton office at 12725 SW Millikan Way, STE 220, Beaverton, OR 97005. Participants may also call 503-469-6010 to arrange an appointment to drop off in-person. 

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Tonko Leads Resolution on Barth Syndrome Awareness Day

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

ALBANY, NY — Ahead of Barth Syndrome Awareness Day (April 5th), Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) announced his bipartisan resolution to raise awareness about the ultra-rare genetic disorder and ensure individuals living with this condition have access to safe and effective treatments.

Rep. Tonko successfully championed the push in Congress to improve visibility and access to treatments for the millions of individuals impacted by rare disease with his Helping Experts Accelerate Rare Treatments (HEART) Act, which was signed into law in December 2022.

“For the millions of Americans living with a rare or ultra-rare disease, precious little information and even fewer treatments are available, leaving patients and their families without options and without hope,” Congressman Tonko said. “To that end, I’m immensely proud of my work alongside advocates to pass my HEART Act, but my work to uplift the needs of those living with these rare conditions is far from over. That’s why I’m introducing a resolution to raise awareness for Barth syndrome. I’m thankful to the individuals who have shared their experiences with this life-threatening condition, and I pledge to continue working to ensure Congress meets the needs of those living with a rare disease.”

“We are deeply grateful to Representative Tonko and his bipartisan colleagues for their continued commitment to the Barth syndrome community. His leadership and unwavering support are bringing us closer than ever to realizing what once felt impossible — an FDA-approved treatment for this life-threatening condition. Thanks to their recognition of the urgent need, we may now be just weeks away from a breakthrough that will give hope and change lives for those living with Barth syndrome.” said Emily Milligan, Executive Director of the Barth Syndrome Foundation.

Representatives Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Ralph Norman (SC-5), Doris Matsui (CA-7), Lori Trahan (MA-3), Joe Wilson (SC-2), Jake Auchincloss (MA-4) joined the Congressman as original cosponsors.

The text of the resolution can be viewed HERE.

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LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON THE FIRING OF NSA DIRECTOR GENERAL TIMOTHY HAUGH

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries