Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

Washington, D.C. —Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) and the New Democrat Coalition, which he chairs, released their Affordability Agenda, a policy roadmap to help make life more affordable for Illinoisans by focusing on lowering the five core costs that are too high for hardworking people: health care, housing, energy, family care, and household essentials like groceries.

Despite promising to lower prices “on day one” and “end inflation,” President Trump and Republicans in Congress have failed to lower the cost of living as their billionaire-first agenda makes life more expensive across the board for hardworking Americans. 

With the Affordability Agenda, Rep. Schneider and the New Democrats are offering a better path forward to lower everyday costs in the short- and long-term by rolling back harmful policies pushed by Republicans in Washington, promoting competition and supporting small businesses to boost consumer choice, and breaking down regulatory barriers across the government to meet the needs of everyday Americans.

“New Dems have always fought for economic growth and opportunity to enable hardworking Americans not to just get by, but to get ahead,” said New Dem Chair Brad Schneider. “That’s why we’re now taking on the cost-of-living crisis to make it easier for people to afford their home, feed their family, pay for healthcare, and still have enough money left to take a vacation and save for the future. Our Affordability Agenda represents bold policy ideas from some of the brightest minds in Congress, and a path forward for lawmakers to empower everyday people to reach their full economic potential.”

Affordability Agenda Toplines

Groceries & Household Essentials

• Restore certainty by rolling back Trump’s tariffs and advancing smarter, durable trade policies.
• Support small producers and crack down on price-gouging corporations to increase competition in the food marketplace.
• Lower internet bills by restarting the Affordable Connectivity Program.
• Increase the minimum wage and ensure workers have a seat at the table.

Health Care

• Reduce monthly costs by extending ACA tax credits and expanding access to prescription price caps.
• Protect patients from surprise medical bills and aggressive debt collection.
• Expand access to care by fully funding Medicaid and strengthening Medicare’s guaranteed benefits.
• Increase competition and transparency while cracking down on fraud and abuse.

Housing

• Cut red tape and update permitting and zoning to build four million homes in the next decade.
• Level the playing field by eliminating unfair tax breaks to private equity and large investors.
• Utilize innovative construction technologies to accelerate home production.
• Build more affordable homes by increasing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocations and community benefits.

Energy

• Reform permitting rules to make it faster and cheaper to build energy transmission and generation infrastructure.
• Ensure energy is available and abundant by establishing a level playing field for all forms of energy.
• Reallocate electric grid costs to protect consumers from price hikes due to manufacturing and data center development.
• Invest in energy efficiency and home heating & cooling to lower residential energy costs.

Families

• Create a national paid family and medical leave program that covers all Americans.
• Support working families with expanded access to tax cuts and universal pre-K.
• Leverage federal resources and foster public-private partnerships to enhance care options and paid leave access.
• Invest in the home health and long-term care workforce to care for aging Americans.

You can read the full Affordability Agenda here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, delivered the following remarks at a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hearing on the potential impacts of a DHS shutdown:

“Let’s be clear about why we are here.

Republicans have allowed ICE and Border Patrol to operate out of control, abuse their authority, trample civil rights, break the law, violate the Constitution, and kill U.S. citizens—all while lying to the public about actions we can plainly see with our own eyes.

So, if my Republican colleagues were serious about keeping the American people safe, we’d be discussing how to protect citizens from their own government.

Today, we should be hearing from Secretary Noem and the leaders of the agencies that are terrorizing and killing Americans.

Instead, we’re having a sham hearing with Republicans trying to shift blame, even though our Democratic leadership has already offered a funding proposal with safeguards to protect Americans from misconduct by federal agents.

It seems the White House would rather shut down agencies like FEMA during historic winter storms than accept the bare minimum of accountability and transparency for ICE and Border Patrol, so here we are.

Just to level set, Secretary Noem has not appeared before this committee since last year—before her agents killed Renée Good and Alex Pretti, before Greg Bovino terrorized my constituents in Illinois during Operation Midway Blitz, before more than 170 U.S. citizens were illegally detained by federal agents, before 5-year-old boy Liam Ramos was snatched on his way home from school because ICE wanted to use him as bait, and before countless other atrocities were committed on her watch. 

So where is she today?

Since day one, Secretary Noem has violated our Constitution and the oath she took to defend it. 

DHS’s leader behaves as though Congressional oversight is optional—and her negligence is enabled by my Republican colleagues. That negligence is visible across the Department. 

Four of the five DHS components represented today are being run by acting officials—not because qualified leaders do not exist, but because Republicans have abandoned even the pretense of governing. 

And now, after failing to confirm permanent leaders, refusing congressional oversight, and starving the components they do not care about, Republicans want to lecture this Subcommittee about the impacts of a shutdown on the agencies THEY have neglected all along.

But I don’t think it’s going to fool the American people. The real Republican priorities are painfully obvious. 

My constituents can understand what it means that FEMA recently denied Illinois’s request for a major disaster declaration after severe storms. 

Mr. Phillips, I’m not going to waste our time today asking you why this decision was made—I think we all know why.

My constituents see what’s happening here. They paid their federal taxes, but now that they need help to rebuild, FEMA tells them they’re on their own.

That’s not a result of a funding lapse. That’s a policy choice.

It’s a policy choice that reflects a pattern of governance that treats some missions and some communities as expendable.

Apparently the Trump administration has enough money for immigration agents to rappel down from helicopters to raid an apartment building on Chicago’s South Side – resulting in zero criminal charges – but not to address flooding when heavy rain overwhelmed the sewer system a few miles away.

And under Kristi Noem’s failed leadership, it’s not just disaster response that’s getting shortchanged in order to pay for the secret police terrorizing American communities.

Cybersecurity. Transportation security. Maritime safety. Our nation’s most valuable resources and secrets. All being sold out by the Trump administration.

Meanwhile, agencies like Border Patrol and ICE—whose actions are opposed by 63 percent of American voters—got a blank check in the Big Ugly Bill last summer, and now my Republican colleagues want to give them another one with no strings attached.

So spare us the fiction of Republican concern about paying federal employees or sustaining critical services. This is not about resources. This is about choices.

And it’s also a choice to hold this sham hearing today instead of bringing Secretary Noem in to answer for the unlawful abuses of power the American people have experienced under her leadership. 

That tells me everything I need to know, so I have no questions for these witnesses, and just one question for Secretary Noem: when will YOU stop hiding behind your subordinates and come explain yourself to this committee?”

Video of Underwood’s remarks can be viewed here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

Congressman Baird Joins President Trump for White House’s Beautiful, Clean Coal Event

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today introduced the Kids Need Lunch Act, legislation to guarantee that every child in Illinois and across the country has access to a free school lunch so no student is forced to go hungry while they are trying to learn. With food insecurity continuing to affect families across Illinois, many children rely on school meals as their most dependable source of food during the day.

“No American child should go hungry when they should be focused on learning in school,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Yet in communities across Illinois, too many students attend school hungry. This bill ensures every child can count on a meal at school, without stigma or barriers, so they can focus on learning and growing. Feeding children is not just an act of compassion — it is a commitment to their education and our future.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, roughly one in nine Illinois children experiences food insecurity, highlighting the critical role school meals play in helping students learn without hunger. The Kids Need Lunch Act amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to expand access to free lunches for all students and provide lasting stability for schools and families. By making school lunch a universal guarantee, the Kids Need Lunch Act helps ensure Illinois children have what they need to learn, grow, and succeed — regardless of their family’s income.

The Kids Need Lunch Act would:

• Guarantee free school lunches for all students, eliminating income-based eligibility requirements and ensuring universal access.

• Ensure schools are fully reimbursed for meals served, with federal payment rates adjusted annually to keep pace with rising food costs.

• Reimburse schools for existing unpaid meal balances, relieving districts of accumulated school meal debt.

• Prohibit schools from collecting unpaid lunch charges from students or families, ending harmful and stigmatizing practices. 

The text of the legislation is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar Announces 2026 Art Competition

Congressman John Moolenaar invites all high school students from Michigan’s Second Congressional District to enter their artwork in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. 

The winning student from the Second District will have his or her art displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year and be invited to attend a reception in Washington, D.C. with other winners from across the country. Additionally, two regional winners from the Second District will have the opportunity for their art to be displayed in Congressman Moolenaar’s offices in Caledonia and Clare. 

The deadline for students to submit their work is Tuesday, March 31st. Entries should be mailed or personally delivered to Congressman Moolenaar’s Caledonia office at 8980 North Rodgers Court, SE Suite H, Caledonia MI 49316 or his Clare office at 431 North McEwan Street, Clare, MI 48617. 

More information on the rules and how to enter the Art Competition can be found online at Moolenaar.house.gov. Interested students who need assistance transporting their art to Caledonia or who have additional questions on the competition should contact Congressman Moolenaar’s office at 616-528-7100. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01) Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08), Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Kelly Morrison, MD (MN-03) led 44 of their colleagues 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 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 is joined 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. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2026) – Today, Congresswomen Alma Adams (NC-12),  Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12) reintroduced the Improving Access to Nutrition Act tolift the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) three-month limit and ensure that all Americans have access to nutritious food and the ability to stay healthy in everyday life. 

“Hunger is on the rise across the country while Republicans have made the largest cuts to SNAP in history,” said Congresswoman Alma Adams. “The Improving Access to NutritionAct puts people over politics and ensures that we keep all families healthy and fed, so they can pursue a career, continuing education, job training, and take care of themselves.”

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the One Big Ugly Bill has cut $186 billion from SNAP through 2034. Under current law, most working adults without dependents are limited to three months of benefits within a three-year period unless they meet strict work requirements. The bill tightens these rules even further by eliminating long-standing exemptions for United States veterans, young adults ages 18 to 24 who have aged out of foster care, and people experiencing homelessness. As a result, individuals already facing housing instability, trauma, or inconsistent employment could lose access to food assistance through no fault of their own. 

These reductions come as food insecurity remains persistently high. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that 47.9 million people, including 14.1 million children, struggled with food insecurity in 2024. In 2025, after the Republican SNAP cuts became law, the USDA cut their Food Security Report. 

At the same time, economic conditions are making it harder for people to secure steady work. The labor market has slowed significantly amid tariff-driven uncertainty, with companies scaling back hiring. Job openings have fallen to 6.54 million, the lowest level since September 2020, underscoring the growing gap between stricter SNAP requirements and the availability of jobs.

“Hungry people should not be punished because they lose their job or their hours get cut,” said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, “SNAP is an important lifeline to getting a working person back on their feet. No person, doing the best they can, should go hungry; the Improving Access to Nutrition Act is a step in accomplishing this goal.” 

“In communities across Western Pennsylvania and the country, people are already doing everything they can to get by, yet Republicans in Congress are doubling down on failed policies that don’t create jobs but do take food off families’ tables,” said Congresswoman Summer Lee, “The Improving Access to Nutrition Act is about dignity and survival, ensuring people can eat and care for their families without needless barriers. I will always fight to center our communities and ensure no one is forced to go hungry in the richest country in the world.”

“I am proud to champion this legislation alongside Congresswomen Adams, Hayes, and Lee to end outdated SNAP rules that cut off food assistance after just three months for adults deemed ‘able-bodied’ with no dependents,” said Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. “No one should be denied nutrition benefits because of punitive rules. Cuts to SNAP drives families deeper into hunger and hardship. We need policies like the Improving Access to Nutrition Act that uphold dignity and expand opportunity, not ones that criminalize being poor.”

You can read the full text of the bill below.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

MINNEAPOLIS — Following Border Czar Tom Homan’s announcement that Operation Metro Surge is ending, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement:

“Two of my constituents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal immigration enforcement agents. A third was shot under questionable circumstances. Thousands were tear-gassed and shot with less-lethal weapons and harassed by masked agents. What we witnessed was not law enforcement — it was militarized racial terror unleashed on the streets of Minnesota as a deliberate attempt to demonize the Somali community.

“Operation ‘Metro Surge’ has exposed just how far ICE is willing to go to intimidate and terrorize Black, Brown, and immigrant communities in our state. Nearly all Somalis in Minnesota are citizens, yet ICE agents harassed residents demanding proof of papers and, when citizens sought to document these unlawful stops, they were met with lethal force. Latino, Asian, and other communities of color were forced into hiding regardless of their status, and those who dared to live their lives, were often arrested with no cause. That was not public safety. That was an authoritarian abuse of power.

“Nothing about what we witnessed was normal. Businesses are reeling from the economic devastation. Families are shattered. Children will carry the trauma of federal agents descending on their neighborhoods for the rest of their lives. The pain inflicted on this community will not fade — it will remain etched in their memory as the moment their own government turned against them.

“Minnesotans are resilient, and the world has seen what makes our state strong: compassion, solidarity, and justice. But I am outraged and heartbroken that our state was forced to endure unfathomable suffering at the hands of this administration. The American people saw clearly that fear and cruelty were not side effects, they were the point.

“It is past time for ICE operations to leave Minnesota. And it is time to move to abolish this rogue agency so that no community in America is ever terrorized like this again. But ending this operation is not enough. There must be justice and accountability. This administration must fully cooperate with independent investigations into the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Congress must withhold funding for unlawful actions and ensure federal dollars never bankroll civil-rights violations. We should be hauling cabinet secretaries and agency heads before congressional committees and demanding sworn testimony. They must explain who authorized these actions, what legal justifications were used, and why constitutional protections were ignored. Our businesses deserve economic restitution for the harm done. I won’t rest until we can ensure this abuse of power and terror can never happen again.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

SHERMAN OAKS, CA — On February 11th, over 5,000 residents joined Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) for another live Telephone Town Hall to discuss the key fights underway in Washington — including efforts to combat what Sherman described as President Donald Trump’s reckless policies and to hold U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable after a string of deadly incidents across the country. 

“I’m grateful to the thousands of constituents who continue to join our Town Halls,” said Congressman Sherman. “In this moment — when Washington is gripped by the chaos and decisions of Donald Trump — staying connected and engaged is more important than ever. I will continue fighting to protect our rights and hold this administration accountable at every level.”

During the event, Sherman provided updates on congressional efforts to push back against aggressive immigration enforcement actions by ICE that have generated fear in communities across Los Angeles and around the country. Sherman reiterated his position that Congress must exercise stronger oversight of ICE and emphasized his opposition to funding what he described as an “out of control organization” that has violated constitutional protections and undermined public trust.

Sherman also spoke about broader concerns over the country’s direction amid what he described as the chaos and recklessness of the Trump administration — pointing to economic uncertainty, rising costs, and the integrity of future elections. As a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he addressed recent developments in Iran, where thousands have rallied against a brutally repressive regime, and the situation surrounding Greenland in light of Trump’s threats, emphasizing the need to strengthen alliances and protect America’s global leadership.

Participants had the opportunity to ask live questions and respond to interactive survey prompts about their top concerns. Issues raised by callers included immigration enforcement, civil rights protections, affordability, and the future of democratic norms.

Sherman concluded the event by reaffirming his commitment to holding the administration accountable and making sure the voices of our communities are heard — loud and clear — in an increasingly chaotic and dysfunctional Washington.

During the Town Hall, Sherman requested input from residents by asking a series of survey questions about their thoughts and concerns.

The results of the survey questions are as follows:

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-Do you approve of President Trump’s performance as President so far?

• Approve: 5%
• Disapprove: : 92%
• Unsure: 1%

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-Should your Member of Congress vote in favor of the Department of Homeland Security budget, which includes funding for ICE?

• Yes, with significant reforms to ICE: 38%
• No, even if it does include reforms to ICE: 49%
• Unsure: 13%

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-Do you support Trump’s tariffs on Canada?

• Support: 3%
• Oppose: 93%
• Unsure: 3%

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