Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, where he emphasized that Democrats are committed to lowering the high cost of living, to making healthcare more accessible and to ensuring taxpayer dollars are used to make life more affordable, not to brutalize and kill the American people.

LEADER JEFFRIES: The Trump administration has failed the American people. Republicans have failed the American people. Extreme MAGA Republicans, led by Donald Trump, have failed on the economy, they have failed on healthcare and they have failed on immigration enforcement. ICE is completely and totally out of control. We know they need to be reined in now without further delay. Taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for the American people, not brutalize or kill them, which is what took place in Minneapolis, and it’s what is taking place all across America whenever these masked and untrained ICE agents show up on the scene. 

House Democrats continue to be committed to making life more affordable for Americans, to driving down the high cost of living. We’re committed to fixing our broken healthcare system. And of course, we need to get ICE under control and deliver a country that is consistent with our values, with who we are. That’s not what we’re seeing right now under Donald Trump and Republicans who’ve gone way too far, and the American people know it, which is why Republicans continue to lose elections all across America.

Full press conference can be watched here.

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

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.), ranking member of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, and Congressman Mike Turner (R-Ohio), head of the U.S. delegation to NATO Parliamentary Assembly, today introduced the Respect NATO Allies Act, a bill to require congressional approval for any new tariffs imposed on North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

The bill was introduced ahead of the Munich Security Conference, the annual international forum held in Munich, Germany, where political leaders, military officials, and experts, including many from NATO countries, gather to discuss global security challenges.

“NATO is the United States’ greatest strategic alliance and the relationship with our transatlantic allies must be preserved,” said Ranking Member Sánchez. “This is a simple bill. Congress has constitutional authority over trade and any new tariffs against our closest friends and allies should require congressional approval to protect those relationships and our national security.”

“NATO is a cornerstone of America’s national security, and at a moment when Russia and China are testing our resolve, we should be strengthening Allied unity,” said Congressman Turner. “Congress must re-claim its role in trade relations with our NATO allies, keeping faith with the alliance that keeps America safer and protects strategically vital regions like the Arctic, while also protecting American workers and manufacturers.”

In January, President Trump threatened to impose 10 percent tariffs on eight NATO countries – Denmark, the UK, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands – over their opposition to the United States’ threat to annex Greenland. The tariffs could have risen to up to 25 percent. The president withdrew the tariff threat after reaching a framework for a potential agreement regarding Greenland and the Arctic region.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

The president signed the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill into law on Tuesday. Norton has secured nearly $15 million in Community Project Funding for D.C. in FY 26.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: WATCH: Carter champions his Undersea Cable permitting reform bill on House floor

Rep. Carter speaks on the House floor

Watch the Floor Remarks Here

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025. 

“Undersea fiber optic cables carry roughly 95 percent of all intercontinental internet traffic and nearly all transoceanic digital communications. 

“Trillions of dollars in financial transactions – trillions! Global trade data, cloud computing, and secure government communications depend on these cables every single day. 

“They are critical infrastructure, just as essential as ports, as pipelines, or power grids.

“Yet despite their importance, the United States has allowed overregulation and duplicative permitting to stand in the way of deploying and maintaining this infrastructure. 

“Especially on the West Coast, where permitting delays and overlapping approvals have made it effectively impossible to lay new cables in certain areas for decades. 

“The [Natural Resources] Chairman [Bruce Westerman] just described what we’re talking about here.

“These projects weren’t stopped because they failed environmental review. 

“They were stopped because of bureaucracy.

“That is the problem H.R. 261 is designed to fix.

“Today, even when an undersea cable project has already received full authorization from a federal or state agency, it can still be forced through an additional, duplicative permitting process within national marine sanctuaries. 

“That extra layer adds years of delay, drives up costs, and discourages investment without providing meaningful environmental protection.

“H.R. 261 clarifies that once a project has been lawfully approved at the state and federal levels, it should not be required to obtain an additional permit for the same activity.

“And let me be clear: This bill does not weaken environmental protections. 

“All existing environmental laws, reviews, and interagency coordination requirements remain fully intact. 

“This is about eliminating redundancy—not eliminating oversight.

“This matters for states like Georgia.

“Georgia’s economy depends on global connectivity, from the Port of Savannah and our logistics and supply chain networks to manufacturing, defense contractors, data centers, and a growing technology sector. 

“Reliable undersea cable infrastructure supports jobs, it supports trade, and economic growth across the country.

“There is also a serious national security component to this.

“Undersea cables carry sensitive government and military communications. 

“Delays in installing, repairing, or maintaining this infrastructure create real vulnerability to our national security.

“Even today, our adversaries like China are actively targeting global communications networks, especially cutting undersea cables that connect us to our allies like Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.  

“Secure, resilient connectivity is not optional; It is a strategic necessity.

“H.R. 261 is the solution that offers a balanced, commonsense solution. 

“It cuts unnecessary red tape, it preserves environmental safeguards, it strengthens our economy, and most importantly, it protects America’s national security.

“I implore this Congress to pass this legislation to secure America’s technological dominance and fortify our national security.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse participated in the House Judiciary Committee’s Oversight Hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi.  

Before Donald Trump appointed Bondi to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2025, she was a personal attorney for the President. Bondi also played an early and active role in spreading falsehoods about the 2020 election. 

During her tenure as Attorney General, Bondi has repeatedly put her loyalty to the President above her responsibilities as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer. Under her leadership, the agency has attempted to rewrite history regarding the January 6th, 2021 attack on the Capitol and dismantled key programs meant to protect the interests of the American people.  

Congressman Neguse, a former impeachment manager tasked with prosecuting President Trump during his second impeachment trial, began his questioning by playing a video clip of an individual charged with multiple crimes on January 6th who was later hired by the DOJ. He also questioned the Attorney General on the dismantling of the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team.

To view the entire exchange, click HERE. 

On Attorney General Pam Bondi Hiring An Individual Charged With Offenses Connected to the January 6, 2021 Attack:

NEGUSE: Attorney General Bondi, six days ago, you posted online: “If you come for law enforcement, the Trump administration will come for you.” I want to show you just a brief video. It’s about 30 seconds, and then I’ll ask you a couple of questions about it. 

[JARED WISE: Hey. You guys are disgusting, man. You guys are disgusting. I’m former law enforcement. You’re disgusting. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo. You can’t see it because you’re chasing your pension, right? Pension. Your retirement, right? That’s what runs your life, your retirement. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Yeah! Fuck them! Kill ‘em. Yeah!] 

NEGUSE: Attorney General Bondi, that man works for you now, right? 

BONDI: Who was that, Congressman?  

NEGUSE: The man in that video. The one who was in the police worn bodycam footage. The one allegedly yelling “kill ‘em” at police officers on January 6th. His name is Jared Wise.  

BONDI: He does work for us. 

NEGUSE: He works for you at the Department of Justice? 

BONDI: Yes. He does. 

NEGUSE: This is an individual whom a federal grand jury indicted for two felonies and four misdemeanors related to his participation in the attack on January 6th. One of those charges was forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with police with the intent to commit another felony. This is who you choose as the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America to hire at the Department of Justice. Someone on video yelling “kill ‘em” at police officers, right? 

BONDI: I believe he was pardoned by President Trump.  

NEGUSE: Oh, he was pardoned. You’re right. You’re right. Pardoned by President Trump for his offense. Pardoned for yelling “kill ‘em” at police officers. And yet you expect hardworking police officers across the country to believe that you take law enforcement seriously. You could imagine the reaction of so many folks across the country hearing the chief law enforcement officer of the United States refuse to even condemn what that individual, whom you’ve now hired, did.  

On the Trump Administration Gutting Key Offices Within the Department of Justice:

NEGUSE: Let’s talk a little bit about some of the other divisions within the Department of Justice, and what’s happened over the last year. You’re familiar with the Public Integrity Section of the DOJ’s Criminal Division. I think it’s referred to as PIN, is that right? 

BONDI: Yes. 

NEGUSE: Okay. Do you know which presidential administration under which the PIN was first created? 

BONDI: I can tell you what administration that the weaponization was ended under. 

NEGUSE: I’ll reclaim my time. This wasn’t a trick question. 

BONDI:  You don’t get to reclaim your time.  

NEGUSE: Madam Attorney General. 

[Cross talk devolves into Attorney General Bondi yelling…]

NEGUSE: The president under which PIN was created was Gerald Ford. It was created after Watergate. I’m not asking you a question, Madam Attorney General. The administration under which it was created was Gerald Ford. When you first started as the Attorney General of the United States, there were 35 people working in that office. There are now two people working in that office because you have gutted it.  

NEGUSE: How many people work for the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team in the Criminal Division today?  

BONDI:  Can I answer the question about PIN? 

NEGUSE: I’ve asked you a question. How many people work for the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team? You won’t answer.  

BONDI: I’ll answer PIN. 

[Cross talk devolves into Attorney General Bondi yelling…]

NEGUSE: You know what, Madam Attorney General, I’ll say to the Chairman. Mr. Chairman, you know what the answer is. And I think I understand why the Attorney General does not want to answer the question, because [Bondi] eliminated the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team last year. So, I understand why you don’t want to tell the American people who works there. No one works there anymore, Madam Attorney General. 

[Cross talk devolves into Attorney General Bondi yelling…]

NEGUSE: I might as well ask the Chairman these questions because what’s profound, the questions I’ve asked, Mr. Chairman, are not trick questions. They’re not gotcha questions. They’re actually basic questions about how the Department of Justice functions and the unwillingness of this Attorney General to answer them in good faith. When a Member of Congress asks how many people work at the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and the Attorney General refuses to answer it, it is not a coincidence. It’s because she eliminated the team. Why? Because her boss, the president of the United States, is making money hand over fist. $1.4 billion over the course of the last year through cryptocurrency holdings. I think what is happening at the Department of Justice is a disgrace, Mr. Chairman, and I would urge you to gain control of this hearing. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

WASHINGTON – Today, the Steering and Policy Committee held a hearing on the current impacts of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. Under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have unleashed havoc in cities across the country.

“For months, our communities have withstood brutal attacks by their own government. Secretary Kristi Noem’s ICE and DHS agents have killed US citizens, illegally detained and deported people, kidnapped children, and occupied cities,” said Rep. Robin Kelly,co-chair of Steering and Policy. “What we heard today made it clear: these are not isolated incidents, but rather, designed and predictable results by an agency operating without oversight. People are rightfully outraged, and House Democrats will answer their calls for action and hold this rogue DHS accountable.”

“ICE is totally out of control, and we heard that again today. They target citizens and law-abiding immigrants and traumatize entire communities in the process,” said Co-Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “Our hearing shined a light on their abuses and provided a measure of the accountability Americans demand. We will continue to fight for dramatic changes to DHS before any funding bill passes. Taxpayers are sick of funding ICE brutality. The Floridians I represent are very clear on this: ICE shouldn’t get another penny of public funds until they reform the agency and are held accountable.” 

“Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller and Donald Trump have unleashed unaccountable, untrained, and lawless immigration enforcement agents to terrorize and strike fear into our communities,” said Co-Chair Rep. Nanette Barragán. “What we heard today reaffirms what we have seen in communities across the country, including in my district in Los Angeles County: disturbing patterns of abuse, racial profiling, verbal intimidation, unnecessary use of force, and blatant disregard for due process. These actions tear apart our families, destabilize communities, and erode trust in government. ICE should be bound by the same rules as any other law enforcement organization. They are not exempt from the Constitution. House Democrats will continue to demand transparency, accountability, and justice.”

Five witnesses provided testimony on ICE’s assault against our communities:

• Alejandro Barranco is a marine veteran and son of Narcisco Barranco, who was thrown to the ground and attacked by ICE agents at work.
• Reverend Anthony Galloway is the Pastor of the Wayman AME Church in Minneapolis and mobilizes faith-based organizations in response to pressing humanitarian concerns.
• Nayna Gupta is an immigrant and Policy Director at the American Immigration Council, an advocacy organization focused on upholding due process rights of immigrants.
• Kelly McCarthy is the Chief Police of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, and has seen ICE’s lawlessness firsthand.
• Antonio Romanucci is a civil rights lawyer representing Renee Nicole Good’s family, and previously, he won a historic lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis for the murder of George Floyd.

The Steering and Policy Committee has now held 18 hearings in an ongoing effort to confront and expose the Trump-Republican agenda on issues important to the American people. In addition to immigration enforcement, hearings have covered healthcare, Medicaid, food security, Social Security, veterans and small businesses.

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

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) introduced legislation, H.R. 7520, that addresses the efficiency adjustment in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule by delaying the adjustment to ensure it is more targeted and thoughtful. Currently, the CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule introduced a new “efficiency adjustment” policy, and this mandate assumes perpetual efficiency gains in physician services, leading to recurring reimbursement reductions. 

The policy reduces work Relative Value Units (RVUs) and intra-service time for all non-time-based codes by 2.5% in 2026, with additional cuts every three years. CMS assumes services are becoming faster, yet studies show 90% of procedures had the same or longer operative times in 2023 compared to 2019. 

Additionally, the 2.5% cut is a flat rate based on general economy-wide labor productivity rather than actual clinical work or direct patient complexity. Because many physician employment contracts use work RVUs to calculate pay, these cuts will decrease compensation and threaten patient access. 

Lastly, this cut occurs as practice operational costs have increased 59% since 2001, resulting in a 33% decline in inflation-adjusted physician pay. 

Rep. Estes legislation addresses concerns voiced by Kansas Doctors and National Doctors groups regarding this efficiency adjustment which calls for a delay while we work through how to ensure the adjustment is targeted and thoughtful to physicians nationwide. 

“Paying physicians properly is one of the only ways to ensure continued access and quality care for patients nationwide. As your representative in Congress, it is my duty to respond to concerns and fight for our Kansas Doctors such as the concerns raised with this efficiency adjustment,” Rep. Estes said. “Our physicians in Kansas and across our country are committed to the health and wellbeing of all Americans, and I will continue to fight in their best interest in Washington.”  

“Doctors are overwhelmed as it is. They’re suffering from record rates of burnout while spending more time filling out paperwork than with their patients. Asking them to work even faster without properly understanding what actually affects procedure times doesn’t make sense,” Rep. Tom Suozzi said. “This bipartisan bill delays an unvetted and potentially harmful policy from taking effect too haphazardly. Let’s take care of the people who take care of us and make sure they have the time, tools, and support to provide quality care for their patients.”

“The 2.5% reduction to work Relative Value Units (RVUs) that went into effect on January 1 is detrimental to surgeons’ ability to provide quality care. Recent research shows that operative times have increased on average by 3% since 2019 as patient complexity has risen. This critical legislation will put a stop to the flawed across-the-board reduction until CMS is able to provide data on why it is necessary to do such an adjustment.

At a time when too many patients are seeing access to essential medical care delayed, we cannot allow another reduction in the structure of physician payments to drive even more physicians out of medical practice. We must stabilize payments to enable surgeons and physicians to keep their practices open so that they can continue to serve their patients.

Congress must step in immediately and stop the implementation of this flawed plan that will negatively impact surgeons and will limit access to care for millions of vulnerable patients. We thank Congressman Estes and Congressman Suozzi for their leadership on this critical issue,” Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA FACS, Executive Director and CEO of the American College of Surgeons said.

“The Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act builds on Congress’ recognition that cuts fuel consolidation to the detriment of physicians and their patients,” Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA, Chair of the AANS/CNS Washington Committee for Neurological Surgery said. “It helps ensure any future changes to work RVUs are grounded in empirical evidence and stakeholder input. We applaud Representatives Estes and Suozzi for their leadership and urge Congress to advance this legislation.” 

You may click HERE to read the full legislation. 

You may click HERE to read a letter from over 30 organizations supporting this legislation. 

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

“Finally, Trump’s federal troops are leaving Minneapolis. They never should have been there in the first place. Anyone with basic common sense could predict that sending heavily armed troops equipped for combat into an American city with the promise of immunity for using force would result in people getting hurt. Trump did so anyway.

“We must ensure that the families of Alex Pretti and Renee Good see justice served and that the American people receive the answers they deserve about why this violence is happening in our streets.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Kelly Morrison, MD (MN-03) led 44 of their colleagues in calling for the removal of two recently appointed anti-vax OB/GYNs to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In January, Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed OB/GYNs Dr. Adam Urato and Dr. Kimberly Biss to ACIP, both of whom are well-documented anti-vaxers. 

“What was once a trusted panel of vaccine experts has become a hand-selected group of unqualified vaccine skeptics who have undermined years of scientific integrity and vetted public health practices,” the lawmakers wrote to Kennedy. 

Urato has said that vaccine science is not “long-settled.” In 2023, he posted a link to a study that looked at vaccines and breastfeeding, saying, “we don’t know the risks this poses.” Studies show that breastfeeding after COVID-19 vaccines is safe. Dr. Biss said that after COVID-19, she was now “anti-vaccine.” At a congressional hearing in November 2023, Dr. Biss repeated the false claim that taking the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy increased the risk of miscarriage.

“We are deeply concerned that the addition of Dr. Urato and Dr. Biss to ACIP do not make pregnant women and their children healthier. Instead, their false, harmful ideologies put women and their children’s lives at risk. The opinions of Dr. Urato and Dr. Biss are not founded in evidence-based science, but in anti-vaccine rhetoric that harms public health as a whole,” the letter continues. 

The medical community broadly rejects the connection between COVID-19 and miscarriages. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that all pregnant and breastfeeding women receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine or booster. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) also strongly recommends that pregnant women receive the vaccine.

In June 2025, Sec. Kennedy fired all 17 sitting ACIP members, which has put all Americans at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases, like measles, COVID-19, and even polio.

“We urge you to remove vaccine skeptics from ACIP and reinstate the 17 experts who were previously fired,” the lawmakers conclude. 

The letter was also signed by Representatives Becca Balint (VT‑AL), Nanette Díaz Barragán (CA‑44), Sean Casten (IL‑06), Emanuel Cleaver (MO‑05), Steve Cohen (TN‑09), Herbert Conaway (NJ‑03), Angie Craig (MN‑02), April McClain Delaney (MD‑06), Maxine Dexter (OR‑03), Debbie Dingell (MI‑06), Lizzie Fletcher (TX‑07), John Garamendi (CA‑08), Robert Garcia (CA‑42), Jimmy Gomez (CA‑34), Pramila Jayapal (WA‑07), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Robin Kelly (IL-2), Rick Larsen (WA‑02), Summer Lee (PA-12), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Jennifer McClellan (VA‑04), Seth Moulton (MA‑06), Donald Norcross (NJ‑01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC‑AL), Jimmy Panetta (CA‑19), Brittany Pettersen (CO‑07), Emily Randall (WA-06), Luz Rivas (CA‑29), Deborah Ross (NC-02, Jan Schakowsky (IL‑09), Terri Sewell (AL‑07), Brad Sherman (CA‑32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Greg Stanton (AZ‑04), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Mark Takano (CA-39), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25). 

You can read the full letter here.