Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Santa Paula, CA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) held a press conference at Santa Paula City Hall to renew her demands for Republicans to end the government shutdown and protect Americans’ access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Joined by Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez and Santa Paula Mayor Pedro Chavez, Brownley condemned the Trump administration for deliberately putting millions of families at risk of going hungry.
“For more than six weeks now, House Republicans have been on paid vacation while President Trump hosts extravagant parties and demolishes the East Wing to build a salacious ballroom for his wealthy friends and wealthier donors,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Meanwhile, families across America – and right here in Ventura County – are struggling to put food on the table.”
SNAP provides critical food assistance to 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans. In July, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans enacted the largest cuts to food assistance in U.S. history through their so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” slashing nearly $200 billion from the program to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires and corporations.
“Donald Trump had the funds and the legal authority to ensure families didn’t go hungry on November 1 – but he chose not to,” Brownley continued. “Instead, he’s sending $40 billion to bail out Argentina while American children go hungry. Let’s be clear: this was a deliberate choice – a weaponization of hunger to score political points. It’s cruel. It’s unnecessary. And it’s un-American.”
Brownley noted that Congress set aside billions in contingency funds to keep SNAP running during emergencies, like this shutdown, and Congress has authorized USDA to also transfer funds from other programs to SNAP, such as from tariff revenues. Yet, even after two federal judges ordered the Trump Administration to pay SNAP benefits, Trump is only allowing partial payments from the contingency funds and refusing to transfer funds to cover the SNAP shortfall. While the court cases continue, House Speaker Mike Johnson also refuses to call the House back to work to address this crisis.
“Republicans are holding the government hostage rather than working with Democrats to fix the chaos and crisis they created,” Brownley said. “This is not leadership – it’s a complete abdication of responsibility. Democrats are ready to work – to reopen the government, restore food assistance, and protect affordable health care for families, veterans, seniors, and children.”
Brownley also thanked local organizations for stepping up to meet urgent needs during the shutdown.
“I want to thank Food Share, volunteers and the many food pantries throughout our county who are stepping up to help people during this time,” said Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez, Fifth District. “This shutdown may appear to be a distant issue happening thousands miles from Ventura County. But it is not; it is happening here and it is impacting local families as Cal Fresh benefits have been delayed. It is imperative that this shutdown ends – the well-being of our communities depends on it.”
“These attacks on working families like those here in Santa Paula – go against the very values we cherish as Santa Paulans and as Americans,” said Pedro Chavez, Mayor of the City of Santa Paula. ”
Following the press conference, Brownley joined Food Share Ventura County and community volunteers for a meal distribution at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, underscoring that no family in America should ever have to wonder where their next meal will come from because of political games in Washington.
Photos from the press conference can be found here. Photos from the meal distribution can be found here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) reintroduced the Same Day Registration Act, legislation that would require all states to allow same-day voter registration for federal elections. The bill’s introduction comes on Election Day in California and numerous other states, as key races across the country underscore that democracy itself is on the ballot.
“Elections are a cornerstone of our democracy, and participation in that democracy should always be encouraged,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Far too often, the right to vote is obstructed by outdated voter registration regulations, cumbersome pre-registration requirements, and the absence of same-day voter registration laws that make it harder for Americans to cast their ballots. In many states, these unnecessary barriers keep eligible voters from having their voices heard.
“High participation in our elections ensures representation that works for the people. Same-day voter registration is one of the most effective tools we have to increase voter turnout, expand access to the ballot box, and strengthen representation. It is an important step that every state should take to make our democracy more responsive to the will of the people. Every eligible voter deserves the chance to participate, and this legislation moves us closer to that promise.”
Currently, 23 states and the District of Columbia permit same-day voter registration, which allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day. Brownley’s legislation would require every state to enact same-day voter registration for all federal elections, much like the process allowed in her home state of California.
Brownley has long championed policies that increase voter participation and strengthen representation that works for the people, not special interests. The Same Day Registration Act will ensure more eligible voters can make their voices heard at the ballot box.
The Same Day Registration Act is co-sponsored by Representatives Wesley Bell (MO-01), Don Beyer (VA-08), Troy Carter (LA-02), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and George Whitesides (CA-27).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Derek Tran (CA-45), and 33 members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in strongly opposing the Department of Education’s decision to rescind $350 million in funding from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).
The lawmakers voiced their disappointment and disagreement with the Department of Justice’s July 25th determination that Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) apply “racial quotas” in a manner that is “unconstitutional,” especially since no court has found the MSI program unconstitutional or instructed the Department of Education to reprogram this funding. The signatories also warned that the Department’s actions would disproportionately harm Californian students and weaken California’s – and America’s – long-term competitiveness.
“To be clear, diverting resources away from these schools will disproportionately harm California students and students across the nation who depend on MSIs as the most accessible and affordable pathway to a degree,” wrote the lawmakers. “It would also weaken proven engines of upward mobility, deprive our workforce of diverse talent, and undercut the nation’s long-term competitiveness.”
“Rather than reallocate scarce dollars from MSIs to HBCUs and TCCUs, we urge you to allocate funding as intended by Congress to support all MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs. … Equitable, sustained funding across the spectrum of MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs will ensure that more institutions can continue broadening opportunity, reducing inequities, and powering the American economy,” continued the lawmakers. “Our collective goal must be to invest in all students, no matter which institution they attend.”
There are over 800 federally recognized MSIs, including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). MSIs enroll over 5 million students, many of whom are first-generation college students. These institutions rely on federal funding to provide vital supports and services for students to help them complete their degrees. The Trump Administration’s decision to end funding for MSIs could threaten the institutions’ ability to adequately serve all the students they enroll.
Earlier this year, Tennessee filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education to challenge the eligibility requirements necessary to receive a federal HSI designation. In July, the Department of Justice decided to not defend the constitutionality of the program in the ongoing litigation. Despite no ruling or court instructions, the Department of Education announced during HSI week on September 10th that it would end and reprogram $350 million in discretionary grants for HSIs and other MSIs. On October 10, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee allowed the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and LatinoJustice Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (LatinoJustice PRLDEF) to intervene in the litigation, ensuring affected campuses can help defend the programs.
California has the largest concentration of MSIs in the country. The state is home to 170+ HSIs and 85 eligible AANAPISIs. In addition, MSIs enroll the majority of first-generation and low-income students in California and consistently demonstrate higher rates of economic mobility than non-MSI institutions. The Department of Education’s decision to reprogram funding from the MSI program undermines the ability of these universities to serve communities that have long been underrepresented in higher education.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-06), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Lou Correa (CA-46), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Josh Harder (CA-09), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Scott Peters (CA-50), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Norma Torres (CA-35), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and George Whitesides (CA-27).
The Honorable Linda McMahon Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202
Dear Secretary McMahon,
As members of the California Congressional Delegation, we write to express our strong opposition to the Department of Education’s (EDs) decision to rescind federal resources from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) – including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs).
California is home to the largest concentration of MSIs in the country. Our state has 85 eligible AANAPISIs, serving large numbers of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students, as well as more than 170 HSIs, educating nearly two million students of all backgrounds. For example, twenty-one of twenty-two California State University campuses are federally designated HSIs, and five University of California campuses have reached HSI status. California’s community colleges – our primary access point to higher education – are overwhelmingly HSIs, with over 90 percent already meeting the federal threshold. Collectively, MSIs enroll the majority of first-generation and low-income students in California and consistently demonstrate higher rates of economic mobility than non-MSI institutions. The Department’s decision to reprogram funding from the MSI program undermines the ability of these universities to serve communities that have long been underrepresented in higher education.
We are disappointed in and disagree with the Department of Justice’s July 25th determination that HSIs apply “racial quotas” in a manner that is “unconstitutional.” No court has found the MSI program unconstitutional, nor has a court instructed the Department of Education to reprogram this funding. We note that on October 10, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee granted Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and LatinoJustice PRLDEF the right to intervene in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. U.S. Department of Education, ensuring that affected institutions have a voice in defending these programs. To be clear, diverting resources away from these schools will disproportionately harm California students and students across the nation who depend on MSIs as the most accessible and affordable pathway to a degree. It would also weaken proven engines of upward mobility, deprive our workforce of diverse talent, and undercut the nation’s long-term competitiveness.
Rather than reallocate scarce dollars from MSIs to HBCUs and TCCUs, we urge you to allocate funding as intended by Congress to support all MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs. We are encouraged that affected institutions can now participate in the judicial process to ensure these programs are fully and fairly defended. In light of these developments, we would welcome the opportunity to work with the administration to increase investments in MSIs, HBCUS, and TCCUs. Equitable, sustained funding across the spectrum of MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs will ensure that more institutions can continue broadening opportunity, reducing inequities, and powering the American economy. Our collective goal must be to invest in all students, no matter which institution they attend.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Chellie Pingree (D-ME) today introduced the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act, bipartisan legislation to improve soil health on farms and support sustainable alternatives to annual agriculture. The legislation would ensure United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) conservation programs are better able to support farmers who incorporate perennial systems and agroforestry into their operations.
“American agriculture faces many challenges today, including harmful soil erosion exacerbated by the climate crisis’ extreme weather patterns,” said Rep. Beyer. “Our bill is a significant step to support the health and sustainability of American farms by ensuring the USDA has the resources necessary to be a strong partner for farmers who prioritize perennial agriculture and agroforestry. These practices promote soil health, which not only makes the soil more resilient to extreme weather events and erosion but also improves long-term agricultural productivity and farming’s impacts on watersheds and wildlife.”
“By supporting farmers in the utilization of perennial systems and agroforestry, the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act encourages healthy soil management – improving overall farm productivity and stimulating microbial life,” said Rep. Lawler.“This is a win for farmers, a win for the environment, and a win for American families. I’m proud to join my colleagues Don Beyer and Chellie Pingree in introducing this commonsense bipartisan bill.”
“In Maine and across the country, farmers are on the frontlines of the climate crisis – dealing with severe drought, flooding, wildfires, and other extreme weather conditions,” said Rep. Pingree. “In order to make our food system more resilient and to ensure our agricultural producers survive the worsening climate crisis, we must encourage and invest in climate-smart practices. My and Representatives Beyer and Lawler’s Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act does just that – promoting soil health, investing in agroforestry research and development, and incentivizing greenhouse gas reduction. Our bipartisan, commonsense bill is a win-win.”
“The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act provides common-sense, straight-forward support for high-impact perennial practices through NRCS conservation programs. It also ensures increased technical capacity at USDA for new and exciting perennial practices through a series of agroforestry centers,” said National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Conservation Specialist Jesse Womack. “This bill is a win for farmers committed to building soil health across their operation through plant diversity and strong, living roots.”
“Perennial and agroforestry systems strengthen soils by minimizing disturbance, maximizing living roots, and bolstering land-based carbon sinks – all while delivering benefits across biodiversity, on-farm resilience, and producer bottom lines,” said Interim Director of Policy at Carbon180 Mary Olive. “The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act of 2025 enhances NRCS conservation programs to increase support and flexibility for US farmers and ranchers looking to implement these innovative, soil-friendly production systems. We applaud Representatives Beyer, Lawler, and Pingree for their leadership in prioritizing soil health.”
Annual crops and monoculture cropping, common in farming, require tilling which disrupts the natural soil structure and can lead to increased erosion and a reliance on harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Perennial and agroforestry systems require less soil disturbance – improving soil structure, preventing erosion, increasing ecosystem nutrient retention, and promoting carbon sequestration.
Successfully designing, installing, and maintaining perennial systems and agroforestry on farms, however, is a long and complex process that comes with real costs. The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act would support these farmers by improving USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) programs, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); increasing technical assistance for farmers installing perennial systems; and designating four national and regional agroforestry centers.
Text of the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act is available here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s The Arena, where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to push back against the Republican effort to rip nutritional assistance and healthcare and work to end the Trump-Republican government shutdown on behalf of the American people.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Leader Jeffries, thank you so much for being with us this Halloween. I want to start by getting your reaction to what we have heard from Kevin Hassett about the White House agreeing to use these emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits. He seems to lament that the judges ruled this way.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah this is shocking to me because Donald Trump, Republicans and the administration should not be weaponizing hunger and jeopardizing the ability of more than 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, to put food on the table. But from the very beginning of Donald Trump’s time in office, cruelty has clearly been the point. We’re thankful for these rulings. The law is very clear. Funds do exist within the administration for exactly this reason—a contingency fund to make sure that no one in America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, ever goes hungry. What the administration needs to do is comply with the law and make sure that these SNAP benefits don’t lapse.
BORIS SANCHEZ: The counterargument from the administration, Leader Jeffries, is that it is Democrats, who by not voting for the CR almost identical to the one that they voted for just months ago, are holding these SNAP recipients and the beneficiaries of other government programs hostage. And I am curious about where you see all of this ending because eventually that emergency funding will run out again. It’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 billion, not enough to cover the $9 billion that I understand is required for SNAP benefits in November. Eventually there will be more agencies and programs that will run out of money. So what is the plan?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Donald Trump is the President. Republicans control the House and the Senate. And they’ve taken a my-way-or-the-highway approach from the very beginning of this year, unleashing their right-wing and extreme agenda and jamming it down the throat of the American people. But all of a sudden, they’re powerless. No one is buying that in America. As Democrats, what we’ve said is that we’ll sit down with Republicans anytime, anyplace, at the White House or in the Congress, in order to reopen the government and find a bipartisan path forward to a spending agreement that actually makes life better for the American people in an environment where the cost of living is way too high. And as part of dealing with that situation, we have to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis, particularly as it relates to the pending expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
BORIS SANCHEZ: I do want to get your thoughts on the way that the President and some Republicans have characterized SNAP recipients. Here’s something the President said earlier.
RECORDING OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Largely when you talk about SNAP you’re talking about largely Democrats, but I’m President, I want to help everybody. I want help Democrats and Republicans. But when you’re taking about SNAP, if you look, it’s largely Democrats. They’re hurting their own people.
BORIS SANCHEZ: What do you think the President means by that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: You know, it’s unbelievable to me. He should be functioning as the President of the United States of America, but, of course, he’s shown no interest in doing that. He just wants to be the President of his cult-like followers, but is unwilling to actually be there for everyday Americans, working-class Americans and middle-class Americans, who, by the way, are of every political persuasion. And, of course, people in every single state across this country are going to be impacted. You’re talking about 42 million Americans—16 million children, 8 million older Americans and seniors and more than a million veterans. And they’re in every single state in the country of every single political persuasion. You know, it’s Halloween. Donald Trump should put on a costume and pretend to act like a President, at least on this day.
BORIS SANCHEZ: I want to pivot to the President’s call to get rid of the Senate filibuster and actually play sound from President Barack Obama back in 2020. Let’s listen.
RECORDING OF PRESIDENT OBAMA: If all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do.
BORIS SANCHEZ: You yourself have used similar language to describe the filibuster. You wrote on X in 2021, quote, ‘The filibuster is a Jim Crow era relic that has been used to stop progress for decades. Enough.’ By your own standards, shouldn’t Republican Senators heed Trump’s call to eliminate the filibuster?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, Marjorie Taylor Greene made this point a few weeks ago, that Republicans are actually making a choice to keep the government shut down when everybody in Washington understands they have the power to reopen it. But they’re asking Democrats to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people in an environment where they’ve already enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing because of Republican policies all throughout the country. And now they’re refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, and they want us as Democrats to go along with it. In terms of what Republicans in the Senate may decide relative to the filibuster rule, it is a Jim Crow relic, but ultimately it’s their decision. But keep in mind that the filibuster has already been eradicated or watered down in other instances. That’s the reason why Republicans could pass their One Big Ugly Bill with only Republican votes. Every single Democrat in the House and every single Democrat in the Senate opposed it. It was a simple majority. And they used the erosion of the filibuster in the case of that budget reconciliation bill to visit upon the American people a trillion dollars or so in cuts to Medicaid, to rip food away from the mouths of hungry children. And, at the same time, to enact the largest tax break for their billionaire donors in American history, and they made that permanent.
BORIS SANCHEZ: As you know, Leader, thousands of federal employees will not be getting paid. Paychecks for Members of Congress, though, do go out tomorrow, on November 1. CNN actually connected with Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, who said that he is not planning on collecting that paycheck. You’ve said that you plan on telling your constituents on or before that date whether you plan on accepting pay yourself. Can you share your decision?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes, I made clear to my constituents that my check will be withheld.
BORIS SANCHEZ: And as we speak, another impact of the shutdown is on air traffic. New York’s JFK International Airport is currently under a ground stop because of staffing shortages at air traffic control centers. These are your constituents that are using this airport. There have been multiple concerns already raised about shortages in air traffic control before the shutdown. How concerned are you about potential safety risks for your constituents?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I’m very concerned with all of the harmful effects of the shutdown. The fact that our air traffic controllers and many hardworking federal employees, TSA agents, are being asked to work without pay. This is the reason why Donald Trump needs to get serious about sitting down and finding a path toward a bipartisan agreement. Understand, this is day 31 of the Trump-Republican shutdown. Donald Trump has spent more time on the golf course than he has talking with Democrats who represent half the country. He spent more time talking to Hamas over the last 31 days than he has with Democrats who represent half of the country, and he spent more talking to the Chinese Communist Party than he has talking with Democrats as part of an effort to reopen the government, to enact a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people and that addresses the Republican healthcare crisis that is hurting working-class Americans, everyday Americans and middle-class Americans, no matter where you live—rural America, urban America, small town America, the heartland of America and, of course, Black and brown communities throughout America. Donald Trump can help lead at this moment, but he refuses to do so.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Leader, could you specifically name a Republican who you’ve called in recent days and describe what that conversation was like?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Mike Johnson and I have had maybe two brief conversations over the last week or so, but they’re not serious. At the end of the day, understand, until Donald Trump tells them what to do, Republicans in the House and the Senate are going to be unwilling to find a bipartisan path forward, because Republicans, this version of the Republican Party in the Congress, they don’t work for the American people. They work for Donald Trump. He says jump. They say, how high? They’ve been nothing more than a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda, consistently hurting their own constituents, which is what they’re doing right now as it relates to their refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits when we know the five states that will be impacted the most are West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Tennessee and Mississippi. Those are the five sates. The next five states are also in Republican-controlled hands. They could care less, and that’s a shame.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Turning now to the mayoral race underway in your city right now. Early voting in New York City has been underway this week. Have you voted in the mayoral race yet?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I have.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Can you share who you voted for?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I issued a statement endorsing a Democratic nominee a little over a week ago. So of course that’s exactly who I voted for.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Yeah, and I wonder if you spoke with your colleague, Senator Chuck Schumer, about your decision to back Zohran Mamdani.
LEADER JEFFRIES: I have not.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Why?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Chuck Schumer makes his decisions, I make my decisions. I let him know the direction that I was heading in, and that was the extent of the conversation.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Well, it just seems like this race in New York City for mayor is a microcosm of a battle within the Democratic Party between what’s seen as the old guard and the new guard. And there are clearly some apprehensions about endorsing or even voting for someone like Zohran Mamdani, even publicly voicing support for him. I wonder if you told Senator Schumer that you would back him, what he said in response, if you could share some of his perspective.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, a private conversation is a private conversation between Leader Schumer and myself—
BORIS SANCHEZ: Of course.
LEADER JEFFRIES: —as would be the case relative to any other Member of Congress. But I certainly informed him in advance of my decision, as he often does with me. And of course, we speak often. We’re focused, I think, the two of us—and he’s done a tremendous job right now, and so have Senate Democrats, in standing up for the healthcare of the American people, pushing back against these extreme cuts and doing everything we can to reopen the government and to enact a spending agreement that actually drives down the high cost of living in an environment where Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs aren’t going down. They’re going up. Inflation through the roof. Housing costs up. Child care costs up. Grocery costs up. And, of course, electricity bills skyrocketing.
BORIS SANCHEZ: One final question, Leader, just on that point that’s been made, including by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, current candidate in the mayoral race, that this is a quiet civil war going on in the Democratic Party. Do you see it that way that this mayoral is an indicator of where the party stands, perhaps where it’s headed?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I mean, I don’t think it’s a quiet civil war. That’s a hyper-aggressive statement from, you know, a candidate on the campaign trail who obviously is trying to appeal to a wide variety of people outside of the Democratic Party. I think we’re focused on the fact that we’ve got a responsibility both to push back against the extremism that has been unleashed on the American people from January 20 on, an attack on all the things—on the economy, on healthcare, on farmers, on veterans, on law-abiding immigrant families, on the rule of law, on the American way of life and, of course, on democracy itself—while also articulating to the American people an affirmative vision of how to make things better. It certainly is the case that the American people deserve better than what they’ve received. What are we going to do as Democrats about it? We’ve got to address the affordability crisis, drive down the high cost of living. We’ve got to fix our broken healthcare system that Republicans are destroying right now. And we certainly have to clean up corruption in an environment where the Trump administration is running the largest pay-to-play scheme in the history of the country and undermining the ability of our country to actually be one that is of the people, by the people and for the people.
BORIS SANCHEZ: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, we’ll leave the conversation there. We appreciate your time. Thanks so much.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)
Washington, DC – Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) joined Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in introducing theWithhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act. This legislation prohibits members of Congress from collecting pay during the ongoing federal shutdown and deducts pay from members’ paychecks during future shutdowns. Steil has requested his pay be withheld during the ongoing federal shutdown.
“There is no reason our government should be shut down. If service members, men and women of federal law enforcement, and other essential employees are working without pay during the shutdown, members of Congress should not be paid either,” said Steil. “I’ve had my pay withheld and believe every member of Congress should do the same. This legislation ensures that members of Congress are not collecting pay during the ongoing shutdown and are treated the same as every other federal employee.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)
Washington, D.C. (October 21, 2025) – Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) joined Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10) in introducing the No Free Rides Act to address fare issues in transit systems across the country. The No Free Rides Actensures local transit agencies enforce fare collection.
This action follows investigative reporting that revealed Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) enacted a policy instructing drivers to not request bus fares from passengers. This policy contributed to a loss of $4 million in fare evasion and contributed to MCTS’s $10 million operating deficit. Under the bill, local transit agencies can adjust fare policies to meet new federal grant requirements.
“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not give free rides to people who cheat the system,” said Steil. “Whether it’s refusing to simply request fare from riders, or eliminating fares entirely, these policies not only push local transit agencies like MCTS toward insolvency, but are fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bennie G Thompson (D-MS)
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to each of the major corporations the White House released that donated $350 million to tragically demolish the historic East Wing of the White House and construct an obscene and gaudy gold ballroom for President Trump in its place. In the letters, Congressman Thompson demands answers from the corporations on their involvement in – and contribution to – this travesty being forced on the American people.
“Today, there is a gaping hole in the side of the White House, and no one in the White House has been honest with Americans about the construction plans or the costs,” wrote Congressman Thompson.
Since the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 was clearly not followed in the planning for the ballroom or the demolition of the East Wing, Congressman Thompson demands the corporations provide, by November 7th, extensive details on: how they came to contribute to this project, if they were solicited for the contribution, how much they contributed, if they were offered any benefit or recognition of any kind in exchange, and if they were advised on any potential conflicts of interest or ethical issues.
The companies must also provide a list of all existing contracts they have with the Federal government – or are competing for – along with a list of all regulatory actions or adjudications in which they have an interest currently pending before any Federal entity.
Finally – since demolition and construction plans have been kept secret from most Americans – the corporations must answer whether they were able to review any construction, or demolition plans at any point.
“The White House is a treasured symbol of our democracy, and the President has begun to demolish part of it with funds your company contributed. You owe Americans an explanation,” Congressman Thompson added.
The demand letters were sent to: Altria Group, Amazon, Apple, Booz Allen Hamilton, Caterpillar, Coinbase, Comcast, Hard Rock International, Google, HP, Lockheed Martin, Meta, Micron, Microsoft, NextEra Energy, Palantir Technologies, Ripple (pending), Reynolds American (pending), T-Mobile, Tether America, Union Pacific Railroad.
“Even Congress was not consulted, and there appears to be no oversight over the demolition and construction process. The ballroom construction plans have been roundly criticized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Society of Architectural Historians, and the American Institute of Architects, and the demolition has been condemned by large swaths of the public.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — On Day 35 of the Democrat Shutdown, Speaker Johnson hosted a press conference alongside U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, and House GOP Leadership to discuss how Democrats have abandoned working families in an attempt to appease the Far Left. Speaker Johnson also addressed new research which found Democrats are “woke and weak,” something that is apparent to anyone who loosely follows American politics.
“They’re gaslighting the American people and even their own base. The truth is, the Democrats have lost touch with working Americans because they’ve simply stopped listening and stopped serving them,” Speaker Johnson said. “And every few months, after leaning harder into their woke identity politics, they commission an expensive study to try to figure out why working-class voters have completely abandoned them in the Democrat Party…Of course you don’t need a months-long study to tell you that Democrats are woke and weak. You simply need to look around.”
It’s gotten so bad for them that even their traditional allies are losing patience. Now, the head of the Teamsters Union had a blunt message to Democrats a couple of days ago. “American workers are not bargaining chips. Senators need to stop screwing around and pass the House-passed, clean, short-term funding bill.” And it’s not just the Teamsters as you know. AFGE, the largest union of federal workers, had the same plea, and so did the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots, the Allied Pilots Association, Southwest Airline Pilots Association, the New York Steamfitters Union. It goes on and on and on.
These organizations have traditionally backed the Democrats for decades. That has been true. They represent tens of thousands of working Americans, all these associations together, and now they’re calling on the Democrats to drop their partisan demands and reopen the government. Stop inflicting this pain on the American people because you are afraid of your Far-Left base. And how did the Democrats respond to all this? They’re gaslighting the American people and even their own base. The truth is, the Democrats have lost touch with working Americans because they’ve simply stopped listening and stopped serving them. And every few months, after leaning harder into their woke identity politics, they commission an expensive study to try to figure out why working-class voters have completely abandoned them in the Democrat Party. Here’s a recent finding. This is a Left-leaning research group that surveyed 3,000 working class Americans. This is published in Politico, November 2: “Working class voters perceive Democrats to be woke, weak and out of touch, too focused on social issues and not nearly focused enough on the economic issues that impact everyone every day.”
And here’s the kicker. They also said working class voters, “can’t name what Democrats stand for other than being against Donald Trump.” Well, good luck with that as a message to the people. Of course, you don’t need a months-long study to tell you that Democrats are woke and weak. You simply need to look around.
On the stark contrast between Congressional Republicans and Democrats:
It’s now tied for the longest shutdown in U.S. history. We didn’t think we’d have to come in here every single day, day after day after day and repeat the obvious facts to the American people and to put it on display every day what is happening here. Again, it’s a split screen. We’ve talked about this split screen in the country right now. The American people are wise. Ronald Reagan used to remind us that you can trust the American people. And we do. And they can see the facts here. They see that the President Trump and the Republican Party are delivering real positive results for the American people, delivering on our promises. We passed the Working Families Tax Cut, which is the largest middle class tax cut in American history. We signed into law as part of that, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, big savings for those on Social Security.
We strengthened Medicaid with popular, commonsense reforms that strengthen the program. We’ve improved health care access in rural communities, and we have reduced premiums. There’s a lot more work to be done there. It is the Republicans who are delivering those reforms. We restored American energy dominance. We got the border crisis solved. We are reducing and handling the crime crisis in city by city around America. And we have restored peace through strength. That is on one side of the screen. Over the past 34 days of the shutdown, the Republicans have been the only ones working in good faith to end the shutdown and get everyone paid and get the services flowing again. And we have voted that way 14 times. That’s on one side of the screen. On the other is the Democrats. And it’s such a stark contrast because in the last 10 months, the only thing that that party has accomplished for the country is to shut down the federal government and cause this pain. The past five weeks have been painfully clear that Democrats are not interested in doing their most basic job.
On the passing of Vice President Dick Cheney:
Our condolences and our prayers go out to the Cheney family of course. We’ve had the loss now of former Vice President, Dick Cheney. Scripture is very clear, we give honor where honor is due and someone who gave their life, loved their country, loved serving their country in so many capacities. As you know, Dick Cheney served as Vice President. He served as a Secretary of Defense. He served as a congressman, of course, from Wyoming, and as the youngest chief of staff to any president in the history of the country. And the honor is certainly due to him. And our prayers go out to the family.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)
The health care cuts in Donald Trump and Republicans’ Big Ugly Law are taking a toll on Californians, and now, they have shut down the government rather than work with Democrats to save Americans’ health care
Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) held a press conference at the Planned Parenthood San Bernardino Health Center about the damage Donald Trump and Republicans’ Big Ugly Law is doing to the organization’s primary care centers. Republican cuts to Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal in California, will force Planned Parenthood to shutter the primary care arm of the organization, known as Melody Health, at all seven of its clinics in Orange and San Bernardino Counties. This will disrupt primary health care for more than 13,000 patients throughout the region and lay off 81 employees.
Republicans have doubled down on their assault on health care by also refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that reduce the cost of health insurance for families across the country. Democrats are calling on Republicans to work with them to cancel the cuts to Medi-Cal, extend the tax credits that make health care more affordable and end the government shutdown. Republicans control the House, Senate and the Presidency; they could stop these health care cuts and take action to reduce the cost of health care at any time.
“Donald Trump and Republicans have shown their true colors—they don’t care if Americans have access to quality, affordable health care,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “The Inland Empire already faces a shortage of doctors and nurses to care for our growing population, which will only be made worse once Melody Health closes its doors. When people can’t access affordable medical care in their own neighborhoods, they can get sicker as they wait longer and travel even farther to see a doctor. Republicans could end the health care crisis they created at any time. Instead of working with Democrats on a bipartisan solution to save Americans’ health care, they chose to shut down the government and put even more of the vital services people rely on at risk. I won’t stand for these cruel policies, and I will keep shining a light on the damage of these health care cuts on people in the Inland Empire.”
“Due to the Trump Administration unjustly defunding Planned Parenthood, PPOSBC was forced to close our primary care,” said Krista Hollinger, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties. “This comprehensive, compassionate primary care provided people in our community with needed care like mental health counseling, wellness screening, and diabetes management – basic health care that everyone deserves. The Trump Administration and those in Congress who voted for the defunding provision continue to demonstrate that they don’t care about the health of our communities. At PPOSBC, we will always remain steadfast in our mission to provide high-quality, compassionate reproductive health care to our community.”