Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 7, 2026

Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov

Reps. Barragán, Obernolte Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Public Understanding and Trust in Artificial Intelligence

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (D-CA) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to help Americans better understand artificial intelligence (AI), protect consumers, and prepare workers for the growing number of opportunities created by AI-driven technologies.

The Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act would direct the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a nationwide public awareness and education campaign focused on the benefits, risks, and increasing prevalence of AI in Americans’ daily lives. Companion bipartisan legislation has already been introduced in the Senate by Senators Todd Young and Brian Schatz.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in everyday life, from workplace tools and consumer applications to online content, but public understanding and trust have not kept pace. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, only 13 percent of adults feel they have a great deal or quite a bit of control over how AI is used in their lives, while a majority say they want more control. 

“As artificial intelligence becomes more common in our workplaces, online spaces, and daily routines, people deserve clear, accessible information about how these technologies work,” said Rep. Barragán. “This legislation will ensure consumers are better informed, better protected, and better prepared to navigate a rapidly changing digital landscape.”

“Artificial intelligence is already part of daily life for millions of Americans, yet many people feel they lack a clear understanding of how it works or what protections exist. This bipartisan legislation will help provide straightforward information about AI, protect consumers, and highlight the workforce opportunities these technologies are creating so Americans can engage with AI confidently and responsibly,” said Rep. Obernolte.

The legislation responds to growing workforce impacts as well. One in five U.S. workers now report using AI in some part of their job, yet many receive little guidance or training. By improving AI literacy and highlighting workforce pathways, the bill aims to help Americans take advantage of new economic opportunities while reducing risk.

The Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act would require the Department of Commerce to provide information on:

• Workforce opportunities, including opportunities within the federal government, for individuals with experience developing, deploying, or using AI.
• The rights of individuals under existing law with respect to artificial intelligence.
• Best practices for identifying and differentiating AI-generated media, including deepfakes and chatbot-generated content.
• The prevalence of AI in everyday life, including commercial and personal applications.

The legislation is endorsed by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

 “The AI Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act is an important step toward supporting effective AI adoption that empowers individuals to enhance their productivity, navigate the modern workforce, and improve their daily lives,” said Hodan Omaar, Senior Policy Manager at ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation. “Today, gaps in AI literacy limit people’s ability to understand how AI tools are used in practice and how they can be applied responsibly and effectively. This legislation directly addresses that challenge by equipping the public with the practical knowledge and confidence needed to make more informed decisions about using AI-powered products and services, apply them more effectively to everyday tasks, and better realize their full economic and social value.”

To view the full text of the bill, click HERE. 

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

FRESNO, Calif. – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement after learning the news of the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Trump’s tariffs. “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court reaffirms the Constitution and the separation of powers that are meant to guide this nation. The Court made clear that the President exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and does not have unilateral power to impose sweeping tariffs. Trade authority resides with Congress, and this ruling is a reminder that no one — not even the President — is above the law. 
Here in the Central Valley, where agriculture is the backbone of our economy, the real-world harm has been deep and widespread. California agriculture represents an estimated $24 billion industry, and on-again, off-again tariffs have thrown supply chains into disarray, raised costs for producers, and heightened uncertainty for family farmers who already operate on razor-thin margins. 
Markets need stability and predictability — not the chaos created by ad-hoc trade policy that can change at the stroke of a pen. These tariffs are a tax on American consumers, pushing up prices on everyday goods and creating ripple effects throughout the economy. As I have always said, food security is national security, and disrupting our agricultural economy weakens both. 
Now we must determine where we go from here. This ruling provides a chance to restore balance and clarity, but it also highlights how little direction Congress has provided on trade. Instead of standing by while executive actions fill a vacuum, Congress needs to step up, take responsibility, and set clear, thoughtful trade policy for the benefit of American workers and families. The American people deserve more than half-measures and reactive policymaking — they deserve leadership and accountability.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia district that includes National Airport (DCA), issued the following statement today on federal aviation safety reform legislation, including the upcoming House vote on the ROTOR Act (S.2503) and the draft text released yesterday by the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Armed Services that would implement the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations from the final report on its investigation of the fatal January 2025 midair collision between PSA Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River:

“The collision above the Potomac which claimed 67 lives last year was preventable, and we as elected leaders owe it to those we lost and to their families to do all we can to stop this tragedy from ever happening again. This means taking comprehensive and expedient legislative action to improve aviation safety. I look forward to voting in favor of the ROTOR Act next week, and am proud to support the draft text released by House leaders on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee yesterday.

“I am thrilled that the ROTOR Act, which I cosponsor, is coming to the House Floor for a vote next week. The ROTOR Act takes a critical step toward ensuring a safer airspace for the flying public. NTSB has been clear that having access to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In technology could have given the pilots on the night of the collision a greater chance to avoid the collision. It is high time that ADS-B Out and In are required in our nation’s busiest airspaces like the National Capital Region—and this bill ensures that our pilots are equipped with both tools as soon as possible.

“In addition, the comprehensive draft text being led by Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Ranking Member Smith, and Chairman Rogers is a bipartisan compromise that addresses the systemic roots of many of the causes of the January 2025 collision, and which responds to all of NTSB’s safety recommendations arising from its investigation of this accident. This bill includes key provisions like a reevaluation of National Airport’s arrival rate, installation of time-based flow management in the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control (TRACON), improvements to the helicopter route review processes, and technological assessments on sharing communications frequencies and on anti-blocking technologies that can alert pilots to when communications have been unknowingly blocked by other communications transmitted at the same time, often referred to as being ‘stepped on.’

“Both of these bills carry forward critical improvements that are necessary to bolstering our aviation safety. I support the strength and urgency of the calls for ADS-B implementation in the ROTOR Act, and the comprehensive, systemic reforms and forward-looking technological improvements in the ALERT Act draft legislation. I urge House leaders to resolve any conflicts in the implementation of the collision mitigation systems in these bills in a manner that supports the highest standard for aviation safety, and I hope to see the core aviation safety reforms in each bill swiftly passed into law.

“I thank our House and Senate partners who have championed these important pieces of legislation, the National Transportation Safety Board for its leadership and dedication to improving aviation safety, and families of victims themselves, who have fought tirelessly to make policy changes aimed at preventing similar accidents from ever happening again. Congress should pass these important aviation safety reforms without delay.”

Congressman Beyer has consistently championed aviation safety and long advocated for measures to alleviate congested air traffic in Northern Virginia skies. After the tragic collision between PSA Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter, Beyer urged for a safety review and an extended halt of military helicopter training in the airspace around DCA. Beyer also helped secure language requiring the Department of Transportation to conduct an independent safety review of DCA’s airspace, civil-military coordination, and operational safety in the National Capital Region as part of the FY26 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act, which was recently passed into law on February 3, 2026. Beyer was among the first voices to urge the Trump Administration to adopt the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary recommendations following its investigation of the incident.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Today, New Democrat Coalition Trade & Tariffs Task Force Chair Don Beyer (VA-08) issued a statement after the Supreme Court ruled that the President violated federal law by illegally exceeding his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs. Chair Beyer previously called on the Supreme Court to limit the President’s use of emergency powers following oral arguments in this case last November. 

“For nearly a year, President Trump has raised prices for the American people, depressed job growth and put our economic wellbeing at risk. He has repeatedly disregarded the Constitution to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs without credible reason or cause, crushing American consumers and small businesses under these new taxes to help pay for giveaways to his wealthy friends. Now, at last, the Supreme Court has ruled that he broke the law to do so. 

“Even Trump’s Supreme Court allies, who have bent over backwards to give him unprecedented powers over and over again, had to admit that his tariffs are unconstitutional and illegal. 

“While this is a win for the American people and American businesses who will no longer have to pay these taxes, much of the damage is done. Manufacturers closed their doors and let go of workers as their costs skyrocketed. Small businesses have shuttered, and those that survived will have a hard time claiming the money they are owed under this framework, while consumers who have paid more for everyday necessities will likely never receive a refund. 

“These brutal losses could have been avoided if Congressional Republicans had the courage to stand up to Trump and end his trade war sooner. The American people will remember who fought for affordability and who called it a hoax.”

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

Pressley Has Led Efforts in Congress to Address Childhood Trauma, Championed Policies to Support Child Health, Education, Safety

Pressley Has Stood in Vigorous Defense of Immigrant Communities in MA 7^th and Nationwide, Fighting to Bring Detained Neighbors Home

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) plans to boycott Donald Trump’s State of the Union address and uplift children detained and traumatized by ICE as honorary guests.

“The state of our nation is traumatized. Because of this President’s terror campaign targeting our immigrant neighbors, families are terrified to leave their home and children are terrified they will return home from school to find their parents taken. From the Massachusetts 7^th to Minnesota to the Dilley Detention Center, the stories I have heard are gutting,” said Rep Pressley. “A childhood should be a right, not a privilege. But this White House has ripped parents away from children, deported families with vulnerable infants, and imprisoned hundreds of children in Texas. I will continue to use every tool I have to fight for their freedom and safety, to fight for their dignity and their childhoods.”

On Tuesday, Rep. Pressley will highlight the stories of four impacted children and participate in MoveOn’s counter programming during the address.

Press interested in availability should email Pressley.press@mail.house.gov.

As a leading voice and legislator, Rep. Pressley’s advocacy to protect children from abuse and trauma dates back to her days as a Boston City Councilor. In her first term in Congress, she partnered with the late Chairman Elijah Cummings to hold the first Congressional hearing on childhood trauma on the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Rep. Pressley leads the STRONG Support for Children Act, which would support communities in addressing childhood trauma through healing-centered, neighborhood-based, gender-responsive, culturally specific, and trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge the impact of systemic racism and inequities over generations. She has called for such trauma-informed and child-centered approaches to every issue, including: surging baby formula to Gaza, addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, addressing sexual harassment targeting children and women girls, committing to end gun violence, and more.

In recent weeks, Rep. Pressley has shone light on the inhumane attacks by ICE on immigrant communities and pushed back against the reckless agency. During Oversight Democrats’ bicameral shadow hearing on the use of violence by ICE, Rep. Pressley highlighted the urgency of the moment by uplifting stories of traumatized community members she met with during her trip to Minnesota with Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and invoking the horrifying detention case of five-year-old Liam Ramos. In the Massachusetts 7^th, Rep. Pressley has recognized and supported the many families torn apart and children suffering from the detention of a loved one—including harrowing attacks on Massachusetts families in their daily lives, abductions of dedicated workers at the Allston car wash, visiting Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk during her unlawful detention and pushing to bring her home, and more.

At last year’s State of the Union Address, Rep. Pressley was joined by Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and wheelchair user who was terminated during Trump’s mass federal layoffs from her service providing fair housing with HUD. In 2024, Rep. Pressley was joined by Priscilla Valentine, Boston teacher, first-generation American, and student debt relief recipient. In 2023, Rep. Pressley was joined by Jaqueline Sanches, a Mattapan resident, early educator, and mother of two. In 2021, Rep. Pressley was joined virtually by Christina Morris, a Hyde Park resident, union carpenter, and mother of four. In 2019, Rep. Pressley was joined by Estefany Pineda, a DACA recipient, as her guest to the State of the Union Address. In 2020, she invited Nneka Hall, a professional doula and healthcare justice advocate, as her guest to the State of the Union. In 2020 in the midst of the impeachment trial, the Congresswoman personally boycotted the speech and delivered the official response to the 2020 State of the Union Address on behalf of the Working Families Party.

As immigrant communities have been under siege by the Trump administration, Rep. Pressley has been a leading voice in pushing back and defending our immigrant neighbors.

This week, Rep. Pressley convened immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners, community advocates, and municipal leaders to hear of the essential role that immigrant-owned small businesses play in Massachusetts’ economy and communities and how they are suffering under Trump’s attacks.

In January 2026, Rep. Pressley and Senator Markey held a field hearing with members of the Haitian community on the importance of extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. Testimony was documented in the Congressional Record.

Rep. Pressley also leads a discharge petition that could compel the House vote on a bill to require the Trump Administration to extend TPS for Haiti for three years. 

In February 2026, during Oversight Democrats’ bicameral shadow hearing on the use of violence by ICE, Rep. Pressley demanded Congress end qualified immunity to ensure federal law enforcement officers are held accountable for breaking the law and murdering civilians. Rep. Pressley called on her colleagues not to settle for bare minimum reforms in funding negotiations for the Department of Homeland Security, instead urging them to fight to rebalance power and restore accountability.

In January 2026, at the invitation of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Pressley went to Minneapolis to meet with organizers and community members impacted by ICE’s violent operation in Minnesota, where they have murdered bystanders, terrorized schools and small businesses, and abducted children and parents.

Following the ICE murder of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Qualified Immunity Abolition Act of 2026, which builds on the lawmakers’ prior work by granting victims the right to sue federal law enforcement officers—not just state and local—for civil rights violations and abolishing the defense of qualified immunity in these suits. The expanded legislation would help deliver accountability for families abused by law enforcement, including ICE agents.

Congresswoman Pressley delivered a floor speech on the need to end qualified immunity for federal law enforcement, including immigration officers. Watch the floor speech here.

In January 2026, Congresswoman Pressley condemned the ICE murder of Renee Good in Minnesota and motioned to subpoena all records and footage related to the shooting, but Republicans obstructed it. Footage of Congresswoman Pressley’s motion to subpoena is here.

In December 2025, Rep. Pressley convened and welcomed home the workers and families impacted by the cruel and unlawful ICE raid at an Allston car wash in November. Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful speech on the House floor condemning the Allston ICE raid and defended the vibrant immigrant communities who are being maliciously stolen from their homes, ripped from their families, and unlawfully detained and deported by the Trump Administration and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In June 2025, Congresswoman Pressley convened immigrant justice advocates, local leaders, and impacted families to tell Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Hands off our immigrant neighbors. 

Rep. Pressley has also been an outspoken critic against the unlawful detention of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts PhD student, Somerville resident, and constituent of the Congresswoman’s who was unlawfully detained for weeks in retaliation for her protected speech. After weeks of advocacy and Congressional oversight, including a visit to detention centers in Louisiana, Rep. Pressley and Senator Ed Markey welcomed Ms. Öztürk to Massachusetts following her arrival from ICE detention in Louisiana.

Rep. Pressley has also spoken out against reports of ICE activity in the MA 7th and other municipalities in Massachusetts.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump did not have authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act:

“President Trump’s global tariffs were illegal from the start. 

“Despite all of his bluster and bravado, Trump’s trade wars have failed. Instead of improving our economy, they produced a record-high trade deficit, cost us manufacturing jobs, drove up prices for American families, squeezed small businesses and cut off farmers’ access to global markets.

“Even with today’s Supreme Court ruling rebuking him, Trump’s obsession with tariffs won’t go away. He has other trade authorities he could choose to abuse. Congress must immediately step in and pass the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act to require congressional approval for any new tariffs.

“Republicans need to start working with Democrats to end Trump’s trade chaos once and for all.”

Background:

Ranking Member Sánchez introduced the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act, a bill that would turn off most of President Trump’s tariffs and require congressional approval for any new tariffs imposed by the president. The bill has the support of all Ways and Means Democrats.

###
 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) released the results of their statewide survey asking Granite Staters their thoughts on the proposed ICE processing center in Merrimack. More than 11,000 Granite Staters responded to Pappas and Goodlander’s survey in opposition to building a taxpayer-funded facility in Merrimack amid the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans.

“Granite Staters want law and order, for their communities to be safe and secure, and for decisions that impact their communities to be made at the local level, not in Washington, DC,” said Congressman Pappas. “I stand with the residents of Merrimack, local leaders, and the thousands of Granite Staters who are voicing strong opposition to this plan. It is completely unacceptable for the Trump administration to be bypassing local and state leaders in this process. I will continue to push to stop this plan, for full transparency and accountability from this administration, and ensure that local voices are heard by President Trump, Secretary Noem, and officials at all levels of the federal government.”

“People across New Hampshire have spoken clearly and decisively,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “They want and deserve transparency, accountability, and professionalism from federal law enforcement — they do not want their hard-earned taxpayer dollars to be used by ICE to commandeer an industrial warehouse for the detention of human beings in our state. I will not quit in our fight on behalf of Granite Staters to stop this costly, half-baked plan that will hurt New Hampshire taxpayers and do nothing to make our communities safer.”

In January, Pappas led the New Hampshire Congressional delegation in demanding that Secretary Noem swiftly acknowledge and address concerns raised by the Merrimack Town Council about reports that ICE plans to establish a new processing center in the town. In a letter earlier this month, Pappas also urged Appropriations Committee leaders to include language in any DHS funding to protect states’ and localities’ ability to make decisions about what is best for their communities. Pappas introduced the PUBLIC SAFETY Act to redirect almost $75 billion in funding from ICE to go to local law enforcement programs to help hire and train 200,000 local cops nationwide. He has also called on Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or be impeached.

Congresswoman Goodlander has been outspoken in opposition to the proposed ICE detention center in New Hampshire since it was made public in December 2025. She has called on Secretary Kristi Noem to be removed from office or impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives. In January, she and the New Hampshire Congressional delegation urged Secretary Noem to address concerns raised by the Merrimack Town Council about the proposed facility and its impact. She also voted against the Department of Homeland Security funding bill and cosponsored the bipartisan PUBLIC SAFETY Act to redirect billions from ICE to local law enforcement, arguing that public safety depends on strong local partnerships. Goodlander and the Congressional delegation also forwarded a letter from a Republican NH state representative to Secretary Noem in opposition to the planned immigration detention center in Merrimack.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision rejecting President Trump’s illegal tariffs:

I’m relieved that the Supreme Court has finally acknowledged Trump’s chaotic tariff policy as a clear case of executive overreach. This is a win for businesses and industries that have struggled to navigate the uncertainty surrounding trade policy that was based on nothing more than the President’s egotistical impulse to impose tariffs on an immediate, boundless basis under the guise of an emergency measure. But while this ruling may provide momentary relief, we must acknowledge that Trump is insistent on reinstating these tariffs through other methods and means. 

Trump’s tariffs have done incredible damage to our economy, to our relationships with key allies, and to the pocketbooks of millions of Americans. Maine’s core industries have suffered greatly: falling lobster exports, family dairy farms being pushed to the brink, our lumber and paper companies hit by retaliatory tariffs and rising input costs—the list goes on. Meanwhile, the increased prices caused by Trump’s reckless tariffs are taking a serious toll on Maine households, at a time when many are already struggling with rising inflation, skyrocketing health care costs, and an economy that’s been increasingly rigged to benefit billionaires and big corporations. 

When used in the right way, tariffs can protect domestic industries. But the president’s chaotic and outright unconstitutional approach—the on-again-off-again threats, the ever-changing numbers, the blatant lies about who actually shoulders the economic burden—has instead destabilized an already fragile economy and isolated us from the rest of the world. 

I strongly oppose any efforts by the Trump Administration to reinstate these tariffs by other means, and will fight alongside my colleagues in the House to reassert Congressional authority on trade—even if Republican leadership fails to do so.

### 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 18, 2026

Contact: jin.choi@mail.house.gov

Rep. Barragán Convenes with Housing Providers, Landlords, Advocates, and Renters to Discuss Cost of Housing in Trump’s Economy

San Pedro, CA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) hosted a roundtable with housing providers, landlords, advocates, and local renters to discuss one of the highest living expenses in the district: housing. Participants spoke about the challenges Californian families face in finding housing and/or remaining housed, and how Trump and Republicans’ attempts to drastically cut essential housing programs, such as the HUD emergency housing vouchers, mean communities will struggle to keep a roof over their heads.

During the discussion, Lourdes Castro Ramirez, President and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), explained that the Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8, currently has a waitlist of 10-15 years. She added that the average annual income of an EHV holder is about $13,874, and roughly 20% of participants are seniors, highlighting the vulnerability of households relying on the program.

The roundtable comes as a part of House Democrats’ Day of Action on the State of Economy, where Members draw attention to how Trump and Republicans’ economic policies have only made basic living costs more expensive for Americans.   

“When rent goes up, the cost of living goes up,” said Rep. Barragán, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness. “But Trump and Republicans continue to try and make drastic cuts to our affordable housing programs that make it harder and harder for Americans to remain housed. This is unacceptable. Trump and Republicans promised to lower costs on Day 1, but they have only increased the costs of our groceries, rent, utilities, child care, and elder care. Americans deserve better and House Democrats will fight for your right to remain housed.”

To find videos and photos from the roundtable, click HERE.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 18, 2026

Contact: jin.choi@mail.house.gov

Rep. Barragán Holds Day of Action on the State of Health Care Roundtable with Community Health Center Leadership and Physicians to Discuss High Cost of Health Care 

South Gate, CA – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) gathered leaders and physicians from the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) and AltaMed, a Federally Qualified Health Center, for a Day of Action on the State of Health Care roundtable discussion regarding the high cost of health care and extensive cuts to federal programs like Medi-Cal (California’s version of Medicaid).

During the roundtable, participants shared with the Congresswoman their firsthand insights on patient experiences and operational impacts due to the recent cuts and how federal funding is critical to meet the needs of patients in the communities they serve. The group raised serious concerns about proposed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant reductions, which would eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for California and further strain the state’s community health infrastructure. These cuts would jeopardize HIV prevention programs, weaken disease surveillance efforts, and restrict access to care for underserved populations. Combined with more than $50 million in existing federal, state, and local funding reductions,  along with rising operational costs, clinics have already been forced to close several sites, resulting in the loss of essential services such as vaccinations, STI testing and treatment, and tuberculosis care.

“Americans pay too much and receive too little,” said Rep. Barragán. “Due to skyrocketing health care costs, many working families are forced to have to decide between feeding their families or being able to afford to see a doctor. You deserve better. House Democrats continue to fight to restore critical federal funding, protect Medi-Cal, and extend the expired insurance premium tax credits.” 

Today’s roundtable was part of a national Day of Action on the State of Health Care effort by House Democrats’ to highlight how the cost of living has skyrocketed for millions of Americans.

For photos and videos from the roundtable, see HERE.

###