Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

LEGISLATION WILL REINSTATE THOMPSON’S TAX CREDITS THAT BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS INTO THE U.S. ECONOMY.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Mike Thompson (CA-04) and Robert Wittman (VA-01) introduced a resolution designating the week of October 11-18, 2025, as National Wildlife Refuge Week.

The resolution celebrates the diversity of ecosystems and wildlife found in our national wildlife refuges and the many recreational activities that they support, including hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation. Since President Theodore Roosevelt created the first U.S. national wildlife refuge in 1903, the National Wildlife Refuge System has served a critical role in wildlife conservation. The national wildlife refuges have been strong drivers of economic growth for local communities across the country, generating billions of dollars each year. 

“America’s national wildlife refuges are among our greatest conservation success stories,” said Thompson. “They safeguard habitat, protect endangered species, and give people from all walks of life the chance to experience the natural beauty of our country. National Wildlife Refuge Week is a celebration of that legacy and a reminder that protecting these lands for future generations is a responsibility we all share.”

“The First District of Virginia is home to unique and special ecosystems. As a former state health official who conducted field research in the Chesapeake Bay, I am aware of the ecological challenges facing Virginia waters, wetlands, and refuges and I know the importance of taking care of our environment for future generations. Providing for the protection and security of these resources is absolutely vital,” said Wittman. “This resolution reiterates my support for our nation’s refuges.” 

Today, the national wildlife refuge system includes 573 refuges, 38 wetland management districts, and 5 marine national monuments spanning more than 850 million acres across all 50 states and U.S. territories. National wildlife refuges receive 71 million annual visitors, generating $3.2 billion for local economies and supporting over 41,000 jobs.

A longtime outdoorsman and conservationist himself, Thompson has helped conserve nearly 5 million acres of North American wetlands and uplands through his legislative work and his work with the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. 

In addition to Reps. Thompson and Wittman, the resolution’s original cosponsors include Representatives Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and Jill Tokuda (HI-02).

Senators Coons and Kennedy have introduced a companion resolution in the Senate.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

“For 54 days, House Republicans refused to come to the table—let alone vote. And today, they jammed through a continuing resolution that ignores the reality facing millions of Americans: without extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, health care costs will spike, coverage will be lost, and families will be left with impossible choices.

“This crisis wasn’t inevitable, it was manufactured by Republicans’ indifference. Instead of negotiating to lower costs, they chose a bill that leaves people staring at higher premiums, fewer plan options, and mounting uncertainty about whether they can stay covered. Rising health care costs don’t just hit those whose premiums go up—they ripple across every community through reduced access to care. They shrink provider networks and cause clinic cutbacks, longer wait times, and delayed treatments that make people sicker and care more expensive. 

“Foundationally this is about whether families can afford groceries, rent, child care—and still see a doctor when they need one. It’s about whether Americans have the ability to live healthy lives. This bill undermines our health care system and raises the cost of living for families, that’s why I voted NO.

“Democrats are still fighting. We will continue to take action to deliver relief and protect affordable coverage. The American people deserve stability and security. They deserve leadership that puts them first. And I will never yield to Republican cruelty, chaos, and indifference.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) released the following statement after Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced she would not seek another term in the House of Representatives. 

“Nancy Pelosi is the most consequential and effective speaker in American history. She is an extraordinarily gifted legislator and a fierce defender of our democracy. But to me, she is first and foremost a true, dear friend, someone I have learned from and laughed with countless times. She is an inspiration to us all. 

“Nancy shattered every barrier placed in front of her—not for the sake of breaking history, but to change the future for the better. Time and again, she stepped into uncharted territory and turned it into a path for others to rise behind her. That’s who Nancy is—she sees the possibilities long before anyone else does, dives headfirst into solving the toughest problems, and inspires that same boldness in everyone around her. From delivering and protecting affordable health care, to rebuilding our infrastructure and confronting the climate crisis head-on, she has delivered real progress for families in every corner of this country. 

“To really know Nancy is to see the heart behind the headlines. She brings compassion, a remarkable ability to connect with people, and keen instincts to every room she enters. When the stakes are highest, she never wavers. She leads with distinctive grace, determination, and brilliance no matter the moment. 

“Her work has strengthened our democracy, expanded opportunity, and gave a voice to millions who had been overlooked or unheard. Nancy Pelosi has made America fairer, stronger, and more just. And she is not done. In the year ahead, she will continue fighting the Trump Administration’s reckless agenda and standing up for the American people. Thank you, Nancy, for everything you have done and everything you will continue to do.”

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

Washington, DC – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) led a bipartisan and bicameral coalition to urge the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to preserve critical legislation in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that addresses food insecurity among military families.

Despite steps taken by Congress, including the creation of the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) and the expansion of eligibility thresholds, new data makes clear that hunger remains a persistent and widespread issue for military households.  A recent follow-up report by the RAND Corporation confirmed that 25% of active-duty personnel across all branches of the military remain food insecure, with the overwhelming majority being mid-career and junior enlisted servicemembers.

The letter highlights two of Congressman Panetta’s bipartisan and bicameral amendments in the NDAA: 

1. Removing Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) income calculations. Under current law, BAH is included in income for purposes of determining BNA eligibility, even though this benefit is intended to offset housing costs. This structure unfairly excludes thousands of struggling servicemembers from receiving nutritional support. By excluding BAH from income, we can ensure that the BNA reaches the personnel most in need and more faithfully aligns with congressional intent. 

2. Establishing a new commissary benefit pilot program. This initiative would authorize the Pentagon to pilot a commissary coupon benefit at two military installations, helping servicemembers access affordable and nutritious meals at commissaries. It also directs the Pentagon to assess the program’s impact on food security, dietary health, commissary utilization, and impact on dining facilities. This measure provides a practical, immediate pathway to increasing access to nutritious food for those living on installations where dining facilities are often inadequate or inaccessible.

“Embarrassingly, way too many of our nation’s servicemembers and their families experience food insecurity, especially with the recent uncertainty around SNAP benefits during the shutdown,” said Rep. Panetta. “As members of the U.S. Congress, the least that we can do is to address military hunger in this year’s final NDAA. That must be our responsibility for the men and women in uniform and their families who are responsible for the security of our nation.” 

“The Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) is an innovative solution for our servicemembers who struggle to make ends meet, and Congress has an opportunity to expand access to this resource for more food insecure families in this year’s NDAA. With paychecks spread thin, benefits being slashed, and soaring grocery prices, our military families are feeling the pain. Our servicemembers deserve the same respect from the federal government that they show our country every day, and Congress can free them from the economic anxiety that plagues too many American families. MAZON welcomes this bipartisan and bicameral effort to expand the BNA and address food and nutrition security in the FY 2026 NDAA,” said Liza Leiberman, Vice President of Public Affairs for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

Additional signers of the letter include; Roger Marshall (KS-Sen); Blake Moore (UT-1); Raphael G. Warnock (GA-Sen); Marilyn Strickland (WA-10);Danny Davis (IL-7); Maggie Goodlander (NH-2); Sara Jacobs (CA-51); Morgan McGarvey (KY-3); Dave Min (CA-47); Gwen Moore (WI-4); Eleanor Norton (DC-At-Large); Josh Riley (NY-19).

Full letter can be found here and below.

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed,

As you begin to conference the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we urge you to preserve Section 621 of the House NDAA, and Section 5621 of the Senate NDAA that address food insecurity in the military.  These sections are essential to improving the quality of life and readiness of our servicemembers, particularly those in the junior and mid-level enlisted ranks who are most affected by hunger and lack of access to quality nutritious meals.

During the past four years, Congress has recognized the urgent need to combat food insecurity among servicemembers. Establishing the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) in the FY22 NDAA and raising the eligibility threshold to 200% of the federal poverty limit in the FY25 NDAA were important steps forward. However, recent analysis from the Pentagon and RAND has confirmed that food insecurity is far more widespread than initially believed, affecting as many as one in four servicemembers. Despite these findings, implementation of the BNA has been far too narrow, reaching only about 2,400 servicemembers, or 0.08% of those in need.

Two provisions in particular deserve continued support:

1. Section 621 of the House NDAA, Removing Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) income calculations.      Under current law, BAH is included in income for purposes of determining BNA eligibility, even though this benefit is intended to offset housing costs.  This structure unfairly excludes thousands of struggling servicemembers from receiving nutritional support.  By excluding BAH from income, we can ensure that the BNA reaches the personnel most in need and more faithfully aligns with congressional intent.
2. Section 5621 of the Senate NDAA, Establishing a new commissary benefit pilot program. This initiative would authorize the Pentagon to pilot a commissary coupon benefit at two military installations, helping servicemembers access affordable and nutritious meals at commissaries.  It also directs the Pentagon to assess the program’s impact on food security, dietary health, commissary utilization, and impact on dining facilities.  This measure provides a practical, immediate pathway to increasing access to nutritious food for those living on installations where dining facilities are often inadequate or inaccessible.

Forging an army requires stamina and vigor, yet too often, servicemembers are unable to put nutritious meals on the table. With a proposed defense budget of nearly $900 billion in FY26, ensuring our servicemembers and their families have reliable access to healthy meals should be both feasible and a top priority.  We owe it to those who serve to safeguard their most basic needs.  Addressing hunger and ensuring access to nutrient-dense meals is fundamental to both our servicemembers’ well-being and our military readiness.

We respectfully urge you to preserve these provisions as the FY26 NDAA moves forward. Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to the men and women of our Armed Forces.

Sincerely, 

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

Washington, DC – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta released the following statement regarding his “No” vote on tonight’s Continuing Resolution:

“In my limited time in Congress, there have been 29 continuing resolutions (CR) for the federal budget, all of which have been the result of direct negotiations, agreements, or deals by the Republican and Democratic leadership of the House and the Senate. During the recent government shutdown, the Republicans who are in charge of the House, Senate, and White House refused to negotiate with the Democrats. After the longest government shutdown in history, a few Democratic Senators decided to vote for and help Republicans pass the current CR to reopen the government. Even with some positive funding provisions and protections for federal workers in the bill, there were no negotiations, no agreements, and no deals with any members of the House of Representatives on this CR.”

“Although the Senators who voted for the bill were assured of a subsequent vote around an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, there were absolutely no promises made by Speaker Mike Johnson for the same vote on the same type of issue to occur in the House of Representatives. Moreover, there were no negotiations, no agreements, and no deals made about extending the premium tax credits for the ACA or protecting healthcare for working families. With this President’s numerous attempts to abolish the ACA, his Administration’s impoundments and rescissions of previously legislated and agreed upon federal funding, and the compliant Majority in the Congress and Senate that voted for the largest reduction of Medicaid in history and abdicated its Constitutional duties to be a check and balance on this executive branch, we cannot solely rely on the CR vote in the Senate without any negotiations, agreements, or deals in the House of Representatives.”

“Additionally, the current CR also includes a provision that would allow Republican Senators to line their pockets with taxpayer funded dollars. A section was secretly tucked in to the CR late at night that would provide at least eight Republican Senators with the opportunity to sue and receive millions in taxpayer funded pay-outs over attempts to subpoena their phone records as a part of the government’s investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.”

“Without any negotiations, agreements, or deals with the House of Representatives, with the provision for a select few Senators to line their own pockets with taxpayer funds over litigation on the investigations into the January 6 attack, and without any efforts to protect healthcare or reduce costs for working families, I oppose the CR. After this vote, Republicans and Democrats from the House and the Senate must get back to governing by reclaiming and reestablishing our Article One authority. Together, we can work to negotiate bipartisan solutions for a responsible federal budget, ensure affordable and accessible healthcare, stop the tariffs imposed by this Administration which are increasing inflation and hurting our economy, and increase affordable housing, so that Congress can reduce costs for working families in California’s 19th Congressional District and across our country.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Larson (1st District of Connecticut)

Larson Visits Connecticut Foodshare Mobile Pantry in East Hartford

AnnMarie.Kaupe…

Fri, 11/14/2025 – 12:26

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Larson (1st District of Connecticut)

Larson Announces $750,000 for Connecticut Trolley Museum

AnnMarie.Kaupe…

Fri, 11/14/2025 – 12:22

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Larson (1st District of Connecticut)

Larson and Democratic Colleagues Announce Legislative Response to Trump-Musk Attacks on Social Security

AnnMarie.Kaupe…

Fri, 11/14/2025 – 12:02

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

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, opposed the passage of H.R. 5371, a partial, temporary funding bill. During debate on the bill, Congressman Bishop noted the bill left behind millions of Americans facing the imminent, drastic increase in their health insurance premium costs as well as the ongoing attacks by the administration against nutrition programs that benefit farmers and families.

“While this bill included some bipartisan work to provide investments in agriculture and rural America, the rest of the bill does more to harm Americans than to help them. As such, I had to oppose this bill,” said Congressman Bishop. “This summer, the big ugly bill made drastic cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP. While it made tax breaks for billionaires permanent, it let ACA tax credits that millions of hardworking Americans rely on to get affordable healthcare expire. Now, millions of Americans have seen their premiums skyrocket and, for over a month, Congressional Republican leaders refused to negotiate with Democrats to avoid this fiscal cliff and lead us out of this shutdown.

“I have heard, first-hand, from so many Georgians in the Second Congressional District that this is a matter of life and death,” noted Congressman Bishop. “Families should not have to choose between putting food on the table or going broke because of medical bills. We cannot afford to have hospitals and nursing homes cut services or close outright.”

Congressman Bishop concluded, “Since January, this Administration has used DOGE and executive orders to illegally deconstruct programs, eliminate federal workers, and withhold funds required by law. Even when challenged by the courts, the Administration has either refused to comply or dragged its feet in doing so. During the shutdown, this continued when the White House refused to distribute emergency SNAP funds that were available and required to be used, by law and court order. Even though today’s bill passed, how can we trust that the President will respect this law?”

The Congressman spoke in opposition to the bill during the debate. You can watch his remarks on his website and the transcript of remarks, as delivered, follow:

Thank you, Ranking Member DeLauro.

As Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA Subcommittee, I rise to oppose this bill. Though it does represent, for the most part, solid bipartisan work to provide investments in agriculture and rural America, I am disappointed that the rest of it falls far short of the needs of most Americans.

Healthcare providers and patients are frustrated and frightened by the imminent skyrocketing of healthcare costs caused by the loss of the ACA tax credits and cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and lifesaving biomedical research.

My constituent, Angela Hoomes, is unable to walk without debilitating pain. She is worried that, without the tax credits, she won’t be able to afford health insurance to complete the multiple back surgeries she needs.

For many Georgians, healthcare is a matter of life and death.

Our Republican colleagues could have corrected this in the Rules Committee, but they rejected an amendment last night that would have lowered health premium costs.

To me, that is unconscionable.

So are the Administration’s actions during the shutdown.

As a Christian, I am outraged that USDA used the shutdown to illegally withhold SNAP from 42 million Americans. USDA had the chance to do the right thing and use designated contingency funds but rejected it. And, when ordered to do so by the courts, they fought all the way to the Supreme Court to keep hungry families from receiving food.

America produces the highest quality, safest, most affordable, and abundant food, fiber, and medicine anywhere in the world.

To that end, this bill provides many welcome investments.

It fully funds SNAP and WIC, replenishes the SNAP and WIC contingency funds, and fully funds cash value vouchers for fruits and vegetables for women and children.

It also helps rural America by providing $1 billion in single family direct home loans – $120 million over the House level – and funding water and wastewater programs at $446 million, both issues that Democrats tried to address in full committee.

The bill provides $1.8 billion for the Agricultural Research Service and $1.6 billion for NIFA—protecting farmers, small businesses, and families against President Trump’s budget request to eliminate land-grant university research and extension activities across the country.

I am pleased to see the bill language requires the USDA to notify Congress before cancelling grants over $1 million.

The agriculture portion of this bill does make positive steps in the right direction.

The bill discards many of the harmful policy riders in the House bill, yet it does not go far enough to negate House language falsely questioning the safety of Mifepristone and encouraging the FDA to explore liability protections for certain infant formula manufacturers, over which the agency has absolutely no jurisdiction.

And while the overall funding package may reopen the government for a month or two, this bill does not address the breach of trust this Administration has demonstrated since January.

They failed to follow the law, and we cannot trust that they will even execute this bill if we vote on it today.

They cut SNAP by 20% in the big ugly bill this summer, dismantled and defunded federal programs, fired federal workers, and illegally ignored court orders.

This bill fails to address the healthcare crisis, and bipartisan outrage has erupted over language in this bill to pay millions of dollars, taxpayer dollars, to a handful of Senators whose phone records were subpoenaed in relation to the January 6 investigation.

It is a bad bill. Oppose it.

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