Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON, DC — Last night, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), senior member of the Judiciary Committee, voted against the so-called “SAVE America Act”, a Republican bill that advances President Trump’s call to “nationalize elections”. The SAVE America Act would impose new documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements on voters and make it harder for 21 million Americans to vote, especially impacting seniors, students, lower-income Americans, and others without ready access to citizenship documentation.

“The SAVE Act isn’t about election security—it’s about voter suppression,” said Congressman Cohen. “Noncitizen voting is already illegal and vanishingly rare, but this bill would impose new barriers for eligible Americans, like married women whose documents don’t match, seniors, students, and working people who don’t have a passport or a birth certificate sitting in a drawer. And most Americans won’t be able to use a driver’s license to clear these hurdles, because even REAL ID doesn’t prove citizenship. The SAVE Act forces people to hunt down paperwork, take time off work, and pay unexpected costs just to exercise their constitutional right—and Republicans know exactly who that hurts.” 

“If this was truly about protecting the right to vote,” Congressman Cohen added, “Republicans would join us in advancing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to ensure all Americans can cast their ballot securely, safely, and without fear or intimidation.” 

The SAVE America Act would require Americans to present documentary proof of citizenship—such as a passport or birth certificate—in order to register to vote in federal elections. It would also require government-issued photo identification to vote in-person and copies of photo ID when requesting and submitting absentee ballots. The bill adds criminal penalties for election officials who register voters who fail to provide documentary proof of citizenship—even if that person is in fact a U.S. citizen. 

According to nonpartisan research, more than 21 million Americans (over 9% of voting age citizens) do not have ready access to proof of citizenship documents, and approximately 140 million Americans do not possess a valid passport.  

Under the SAVE America Act, a standard driver’s license would generally not be sufficient to register to vote. Even state-issued licenses that meet REAL ID standards do not indicate U.S. citizenship and are available to both citizens and lawfully present noncitizens. In practice, the only driver’s license that may serve as documentary proof of citizenship is an Enhanced Driver’s License—which is available in just five states. 

The House passed the SAVE America Act by vote of 218-213, with only one Democrat joining Republicans in favor of the bill. The bill now faces an uncertain path in the Senate. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a resolution to condemn and censure President Donald Trump for a social media post shared on February 5 that included a racist image portraying former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

“Depicting our first Black President and First Lady in that manner was not an accident, not a joke, and not ‘fake outrage’—it’s racist, it’s vile, and it disgraces our entire country,” said Congressman Cohen. “Deleting the post only proves that he knew exactly how vile it was. He doesn’t regret it—he regrets getting called out on it. Members of the House have a duty to stand up and push back when a President uses his platform to spread bigotry and degrade Americans on the basis of race, and that’s what I’m doing. This resolution censures and condemns Donald Trump for this repugnant post and calls on him to apologize to the Obamas and to the country.”

On the night of February 5, 2026, President Trump reposted a 62-second video promoting false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election that also included a depiction of the Obamas as primates—a widely recognized racist trope. The post drew bipartisan condemnation, including from Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who urged Trump to remove it.

White House officials initially dismissed public backlash as “fake outrage” before later attributing the post to a staffer and deleting it hours later. Trump has claimed he did not watch the full video before it was posted and has refused to apologize.

Congressman Cohen’s resolution outlines that:

• President Trump used his platform to amplify election lies alongside racist imagery depicting the Obamas as primates—a deliberate dehumanizing smear.
• The depiction invoked a longstanding, well-understood racist trope used to dehumanize Black Americans—conduct wholly inconsistent with the dignity and responsibility of the presidency.
• The post drew bipartisan condemnation, including from Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who said he was “praying it was fake” because it was “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” and urged that it be removed.
• When first confronted, White House officials defended the post and dismissed public outrage as “fake outrage,” rather than immediately condemning the racist imagery.
• After hours of widespread backlash from lawmakers and civil rights organizations, the post was ultimately removed—but President Trump has refused to apologize.
• The resolution states that if a staff member posted the content without review, that staffer should be admonished—but regardless, the President is responsible for what is amplified through his official platform.
• The resolution formally condemns and censures President Trump for the post and calls on him to apologize for conduct that disgraced the Office of the President and dishonored the United States.

To read the full text of Congressman Cohen’s resolution, click here

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

Washington, D.C. (February 13, 2026)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, and Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, are demanding that the Department of Justice (DOJ) immediately cease its attempt to obstruct and intimidate Members of Congress by covertly monitoring their searches of the slightly-less-redacted Epstein files.

At an oversight hearing this week with the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Pam Bondi was photographed with a document entitled ‘Jayapal Pramila Search History’ that contained a list of unredacted Epstein files Rep. Jayapal reviewed at DOJ a day prior. This photograph revealed that DOJ had secretly accessed and analyzed Members’ search histories and used that information to prepare Attorney General Bondi to launch partisan attacks instead of answering oversight questions.

“This surveillance of Members as we perform our constitutional oversight duties, done without our knowledge or consent, is a blatant violation of the separation of powers and further evidence that this DOJ will stop at nothing to protect Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s co-conspirators, accomplices, and enablers while denying justice to survivors and the American people,” wrote the Ranking Members.

DOJ’s Office of Legislative Affairs organized the file review process under false pretenses, disclosing only that it would log Members’ dates and times of access—while concealing any plan to track searches and document views in detail. In a letter authorizing the review of unredacted materials, DOJ made no mention that Members’ search histories would be tracked, recorded, or disseminated for any purpose.

More than a dozen Democratic Members, as well as Rep. Thomas Massie, have reviewed the files and may also have been subjected to DOJ surveillance. Even Republican Speaker Mike Johnson condemned the practice, stating that it is “not appropriate for anybody to be tracking” Members’ review of documents.

The surveillance marks a broader pattern by this DOJ of obstructing congressional oversight of the Epstein matter. Members are required to travel to a DOJ annex, use a limited number of DOJ-controlled computers, navigate cumbersome software, and review files under the watch of DOJ staff. Congressional staff are barred from assisting and have even been prohibited from entering the building.

With only four computers available for Members’ review, the lawmakers warn it would take more than seven years for Members to review the more than three million Epstein-related pages DOJ has partially released—while millions more pages remain fully withheld or heavily redacted.

The Members are demanding a meeting with Attorney General Bondi to develop a new protocol that allows Members of Congress to meaningfully review the fully unredacted documents—including by giving access to review terminals on the Capitol Complex and access for select Committee staffers. They are also demanding that DOJ (1) publicly release all files—with all the survivors’ information, and only the survivors’ information, properly redacted—as required by law and (2) provide information regarding the purpose and extent of the surveillance of Members.

“The American people and federal law demand nothing less,” the Ranking Members concluded.

Click here to read the letter.

Issues: Government Reform & Ethics

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

Real price tag for taxpayers to complete the Delta Tunnel could be as high as $100 Billion

Massive trenches, boring holes up to 250 feet deep, and major construction would cause $167 million in damages to Delta region

STOCKTON – Today, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considers a decision in the yearslong water saga, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) called on the Army Corps to deny the federal permits required for the Delta Tunnel to be completed. Joined by members of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Congressional Delegation, Harder led a letter urging the Army Corps’ final Record of Decision to protect Delta waterways, families, and our regional economy by denying these permits.

If approved, the Delta Tunnel would be a disaster for the Delta:

• First proposed more than 60 years ago, the Delta Tunnel is a monstrous zombie project with ballooning costs, growing to at least $20 billion in 2024 and potentially as high as $100 billion last year according to the latest analysis.
• That doesn’t even factor in the devastating damages that Delta communities would face – Sacramento’s own findings revealed $167 million in damages to Delta agriculture, air quality, and infrastructure.
• Even preliminary work on the Delta Tunnel would be extreme – massive trenches, boring holes up to 250 feet deep, and major installation projects would tear up dozens of sites across the Delta.

“This isn’t just some water heist to ship our Delta water down south to Beverly Hills lawns – this is an existential threat to our waterways, regional economy, and our very way of life,” said Rep. Harder. “And for all that devastation, it wouldn’t create a single new drop of water for anyone. That’s why we’ve been fighting tooth and nail to permanently stop the Delta Tunnel, and today I’m calling on the Army Corps to deny the permits needed for this boondoggle to ever be completed.”

Harder has been leading the charge in Washington to stop the Delta Tunnel devastation:

• Harder has launched legislation to prohibit federal permits necessary for the project to be implemented.
• Last summer, Harder demanded a full audit of the project to ensure transparency for Delta communities that have been cut out of closed-door Sacramento decision-making.
• Harder has rallied Delta residents, local leaders, and agriculture communities in  multiple town halls and a major demonstration at the State Capitol to press Sacramento to give in.

“The proposed Delta Conveyance Project would have a direct, negative impact on environmental justice communities, Delta farms, commercial and recreational fishing, and Delta ecosystems,” said Morgen Snyder, Director of Policy and Programs, Restore the Delta. “The US Army Corps of Engineers relies heavily on DWR’s incomplete EIR, which is currently subject to litigation, to demonstrate minimal impact to the project area, ignoring the cumulative impacts on an already impacted economy and sensitive ecosystem. If the US Army Corps of Engineers moves forward with the record of decision and associated permitting, Delta communities and ecosystems are facing a decade or more of construction, reduced flows resulting in declining water quality, further degradation of a declining ecosystem, and increased negative impacts to the Delta’s declining river economy.”

Read the full letter here.

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at a press availability, where he reiterated that while Democrats are committed to dramatic reforms to ICE and CBP, Republicans are shutting down DHS over their refusal to rein in these out-of-control agencies.

LEADER JEFFRIES: It appears increasingly likely that at midnight tonight, DHS funding for the Coast Guard, for FEMA and for TSA will lapse. Why? Because Donald Trump and Republicans have decided that they have zero interest in getting ICE under control. The American people know ICE is out of control and that they need to be reined in. And Democrats are working hard to do just that.

We believe that taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not brutalize or kill them, which is what we’ve seen in Minneapolis with the cold-blooded killing of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. In this country, immigration enforcement should be fair, it should be just and it should be humane. That’s not what’s taking place right now in the United States of America, where law-abiding immigrant families are being violently targeted and American communities are being brutalized.

Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security in terms of ICE and CBP. Absent that, Republicans have decided to shut down parts of the federal government once again.

Full press availability can be watched here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) released the following statement in response to Department of Justice documents concerning Jeffrey Epstein and Les Wexner:

“My thoughts are with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking and abuse. Their courage in coming forward demands our commitment to truth, accountability, and justice.

Throughout this matter, I have been consistent in my call for justice for the survivors. Within the recently released documents are references to Les Wexner and his interactions with Jeffrey Epstein. Mr. Wexner must answer all questions under oath. If he participated in or enabled these crimes, he must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

I have donated campaign contributions I received from Mr. Wexner to local organizations that support survivors of sex trafficking and abuse. I fully support the congressional investigation. As the facts are developed through the House Oversight Committee investigation, I will continue to stand with the survivors and their call for justice.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

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

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) received a Lifetime Achievement Award along with former Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) from the Maryland-Bosnia and Herzegovina Exchange Council at their Inaugural International Gala. Below are his remarks as prepared:

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Houston, TX) — On Friday, February 13, 2026, Congressman Al Green marked National Salute to Veteran Patients Week by distributing 1,000 Valentine’s Day cards created by students in local after-school programs and 1,000 Congressional Certificates to honor veterans. The distribution was held at the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MEDVAMC). This event served as a tribute to courageous individuals dedicated to serving and safeguarding our country. 

National Salute to Veteran Patients Week is an annual event that allows the public to show love and appreciation for our veterans. These Valentine’s Day cards and certificates will be presented to both inpatient and outpatient Veterans at MEDVAMC, as well as the nearby Veterans Benefits Administration Houston Regional Office. 

Congressman Al Green stated that, “National Salute to Veteran Patients Week gives us the opportunity to honor the men and women who were willing to sacrifice their lives in service to our nation. What makes this distribution especially meaningful is that the Valentine’s Day cards come from our young people in the Congressional District. They remind our veterans that we honor their service and the support system their families provide them as they serve our nation.  Moments like this affirm that their courage continues to be honored and appreciated.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata Cosponsors Bipartisan SUSHI Act to Safeguard U.S. Fishing

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is a cosponsor of the Standards for Understanding Source and Habitat Identification (SUSHI) Act, H.R. 3706, passed by unanimous consent on Wednesday by the House Natural Resources Committee. 

The bill works to secure American seafood against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, which unfairly competes with the American tuna industry, along with other seafood. Among other provisions, the bill requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against IUU fishing.

“Food security is national security, and in the Pacific we’ve consistently raised the alarm over IUU fishing. The U.S. has been doing more to signal a growing commitment to these priorities, and this legislation will strengthen efforts to add protections regarding our seafood sources and keep our U.S. fishing competitive and supplying American households with tuna, which ultimately strengthens American Samoa.”

Women’s History Museum

In other congressional activity this week, Congresswoman Amata is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan bill directing the National Women’s History Museum and its site selection along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, this bill was examined in a legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on Federal Lands, within the House Natural Resources Committee, providing the next step forward for the legislation. 

The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act, H.R. 1329, led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), authorizes the selection of a prominent location on the National Mall for the American Women’s History Museum and ensures its exhibits accurately reflect the history and contributions of women in the United States as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.

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