Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)
October 30, 2025
Castro Calls Out Republicans for Illegally Withholding SNAP Benefits, Hurting Texas Families in Need
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) visited the food pantry at Inner City Development, a community-based non-profit serving the Westside of San Antonio. He held a press conference with families impacted by SNAP cuts, Inner City leaders, and members of the community to call on Congress and Texas leadership to restore SNAP funding and keep Texas families fed.
(View Congressman Castro’s full remarks and photoshere.)
“Millions of Texans are about to lose SNAP benefits—a critical lifeline that keeps food on the table,” said Congressman Castro. “I am proud of the organization in San Antonio at Inner City and the San Antonio Food Bank that are stepping up to meet the growing needs of families in our community. However, Congress must restore SNAP funding. Sadly, Donald Trump and Republicans already have the funding needed but are choosing not to use it. We cannot allow this to happen. Republicans need to re-open the government and make life more affordable for hardworking families.”
“If a family is on the SNAP program, it is a statement that they are already insecure in their ability to feed their children, and with the extreme increase in the cost of food, without an increase in their SNAP allocation, it is near impossible to stretch resources to the end of the month. So, if the SNAP resources are cut off, the situation changes from a very, very difficult situation to one of criminal proportions,” said Patti Radle, Co-Executive Director, Inner City Development.
Background
Inner City Development is a nonprofit, community-based organization that responds to emergency, educational, and recreational needs of the neighborhood on the near Westside of San Antonio in the vicinity of the Alazan-Apache Public Housing Project. It has been operating in this area, the economically poorest area of Bexar County, since 1968. Patti and Rod Radle have served as the Co-Executive Director of Inner City Development since 1971.
Additional Background
This is the first time in SNAP’s 60-year history that the federal government is refusing to provide food assistance to families. The United States Department of Agriculture can fund SNAP in November through its contingency fund and legal transfer authority. The Trump Administration is choosing to cut benefits for 42 million Americans including 3.5 million Texans and this after they already cut SNAP by $186 billion earlier this year in the Republican reconciliation bill. If the Trump Administration does not want to fund November benefits, Congressman Castro is calling on Governor Abbott to fast-track funding to food banks to offset the shortfall using the “Rainy Day Fund,” which has a current balance of $24.28 billion.
In his remarks, Castro highlighted the urgent need for Congress to meet the needs of Texas families who will lose SNAP benefits, saying, “We are entering a crisis for many families—one that will be devastating to families in San Antonio and across the United States of America. On November 1st, people will not receive the SNAP benefits they rely on to put food on their tables. Shutting off SNAP will leave 3.5 million Texans hungry. Donald Trump and the Republicans have funding to keep SNAP benefits flowing yet they are choosing not to. And let me be clear about that—the President has the authority right now to allow people to get their SNAP benefits, but he is holding those hostage….They are exploiting families’ anxiety over their household budget. In other words, they are weaponizing people’s hunger.”
On October 24th, Congressman Castro joined 214 House Democrats in sending a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, urging the agency to use contingency reserves to fund SNAP during the government shutdown. To view the letter, click 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 Source, where he emphasized that while Republicans remain on vacation, Democrats will continue fighting to find a bipartisan spending agreement to end the shutdown, protect the healthcare of the American people and restore the nutritional assistance that Republicans are ripping away.
KAITLAN COLLINS: My lead source tonight is one of those Democrats that the Speaker just mentioned, the House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York. And thank you, sir, for being here. What’s your response to Speaker Johnson saying that he has given up on Democratic leadership, i.e. you?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Mike Johnson hasn’t even tried to sit down and negotiate with Democrats during the 29 days that Donald Trump and Republicans have actually shut the government down. And of course, they are completely and totally uninterested in solving or addressing decisively the Republican healthcare crisis that they’ve created, including their continued refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, notwithstanding the fact that on November 1st, when open enrollment begins, it’s going to be crystal clear to tens of millions of Americans across the country that their premiums, co-pays and deductibles are about to dramatically increase.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Would you say that Zohran Mamdani has anything to do with reopening the government for Democrats?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Of course not. It’s a silly, unhinged conspiracy theory. The thing that we know to be true about Mike Johnson and House Republicans is that they haven’t been given permission by their puppet master, that would be Donald J. Trump, to sit down and have a conversation with Democrats. We’ve said from the very beginning that we want to reopen the government,that we want to enter into a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people, while, at the same time, addresses the healthcare crisis that they’ve created and are visiting on the American people, which includes, but is not limited to, the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. The fact that hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all across America, including dozens potentially in Louisiana, the home state of Mike Johnson. And now they’re refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which is going to adversely impact the ability of working-class Americans, everyday Americans and middle-class Americans to receive their healthcare or go see a doctor when they need to.
KAITLAN COLLINS: You’ve said that Mike Johnson’s not willing to sit down and have a conversation. Y’all did have a phone conversation, I believe you said earlier today. Who initiated that call? Was that you or was that Speaker Johnson?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It was a call from Mike Johnson. It was very brief. And it wasn’t a substantive discussion in terms of finding a path forward.
KAITLAN COLLINS: But was he calling to talk about the government shutdown?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I mean, you can say that that was in the ballpark, but, you know, it was a private conversation that will remain private. However, nothing meaningful came out of it, again, because Donald Trump has not given Mike Johnson permission to enter into a bipartisan negotiation. Kaitlan, I mean House Republicans have been literally on vacation for the last five weeks. They’ve canceled votes five consecutive weeks in a row. They are uninterested in doing anything other than jamming their partisan Republican spending bill down the throats of the American people. And as Democrats, we’ve made clear we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. Period, full stop.
KAITLAN COLLINS: I asked about y’all’s conversation because it sounds like based on the reporting here at CNN and other outlets that cover you closely on the Hill, that it’s a lot of the rank and file members who are trying to have these conversations on next steps here, whether that’s in the Senate or even in the House tonight. And some people might look at that and say, the leaders—should the leaders not be leading on these negotiations and these talks to find some kind of common ground?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, from the standpoint of what may emerge from the Senate, as House Democrats, we’ve consistently said that we will consider anything in good faith that emerges from the Senate as long as it’s, of course, bipartisan in nature and decisively addresses the Republican healthcare crisis. But we’re not going to, you know, continue to go down this road that Republicans have been taking the country since January 20th, which is my-way-or-the-highway because they just want to jam their right-wing ideology down the throat of the American people. We’ve seen the damage that they’ve already done in their One Big Ugly Bill, which, by the way, also includes the largest cut to SNAP in American history. They cut $186 billion in nutritional assistance. Literally, these people ripped food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors, veterans, women and families so they could reward their billionaire donors with massive tax breaks and make those tax breaks permanent. And now they’re threatening to take those benefits away from 42 million Americans on November 1st.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Well, can I ask you on that, because that’s what Leader Thune was shouting about on the floor today because a Democrat over in the Senate tried to introduce a bill basically that would just fund SNAP during the government shutdown. We’ve seen some Republicans who support doing that. And yes, you’re right, the Republicans just cut $186 million from SNAP in the One Big Beautiful Bill. We’ve talked about that at length with Republicans on this show. But I wonder, does that comfort the 42 million people, though, who are about to go without SNAP starting in November, who are being denied those benefits, while you’re fighting for these Obamacare subsidies? The question is, you know, which pain point, you know, is the worst, I guess.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, none of this pain that Republicans have inflicted on the American people is acceptable. It’s also important to note that the money currently exists within the Trump administration, including $5 billion in a contingency fund specifically for this kind of circumstance, to continue providing SNAP benefits to the American people, including 16 million children who might otherwise go hungry if Donald Trump successfully withholds these SNAP benefits. The Trump administration doesn’t need Congress to act in order to continue providing nutritional and food assistance to everyday Americans. They’re trying to weaponize this issue and cause people to go hungry in the most callous and cruel manner possible.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Yeah, but on that front, as you know, what basically they have in their contingency funds is about 5 to 6 billion dollars. It costs about $9 billion for SNAP benefits. So what happens if they do dip into that? I mean, that’s still not enough to cover all the benefits.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, there’s certainly other funding that they have the ability to move around, as we’ve seen them do throughout the entirety of Donald Trump’s presidency. And by the way, this is the same group of people who somehow found $40 billion in order to bail out their right-wing, wannabe dictator friend in Argentina. But they can’t find a dime in order to make sure that more than 42 million Americans, including more than a million veterans and eight million seniors, don’t go hungry because of their callousness? Of course they can find that funding. They are unwilling to because they want to weaponize hunger as part of their continuing effort to hurt the American people.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Leader Thune’s argument today was if Democrats want to fund SNAP, they’ve had 13 opportunities to do so by just funding the government. That would keep SNAP funded. For Democrats, is there a point, though, where the pain of the shutdown outweighs the fight for the extended Obamacare subsidies in your view?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to fight on all of the things. And we’ve said from the very beginning that we want to find a bipartisan path forward to enacting a spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people. And we set out three criteria—their health, public safety and their economic well-being, particularly as it relates to driving down the high cost of living in an environment where Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down in America. Costs have gone up. Inflation moving in the wrong direction. Trump tariffs creating thousands of dollars in additional expense on everyday Americans. Electricity bills through the roof. Housing costs out of control. Child care costs out of control. And now they want to create this healthcare crisis because of their refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. So we’re fighting on all of the things, but anchored in a premise that we have to make life better for working-class Americans, everyday Americans and middle-class Americans.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Yeah, it’s just obviously going to be really tough for those millions of people who rely on SNAP and are about to not get it. You said today that there are zero cracks when it comes to your group, to the Democratic side. I want you to listen, though, to what your colleague from New Jersey had to say.
RECORDING OF REP. GOTTHEIMER: I think what’s a very fair deal is open the government and let’s just vote on extending these premiums for a year or more. I don’t understand what’s so hard about that. And by the way, Senator Thune has offered that, I believe. He said we’ll—he offered up a vote that we can actually have a vote on extending these premium.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Obviously Josh Gottheimer is a Democrat. What’s your reaction to his argument there?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, well, I speak to Josh five or six times a week. And, you know, we all are in this fight to make sure that we protect the healthcare of everyday Americans. And of course, that includes but is not limited to dealing with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. These Republicans can’t necessarily be trusted by simply offering a wing and a prayer. Understand, this is the same group of people who have tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 different times over the last 15 years. They have zero healthcare plan that is credible. Don’t take my word for it. That’s what Marjorie Taylor Greene has made clear. She can’t find their healthcare plan. None of us can because it’s non-existent. And so we just want to make sure on behalf of the American people that there’s a credible path toward addressing the Republican healthcare crisis.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Congresswoman AOC told me that she believes—that she needs to see ink on paper before she would vote to reopen the government. Is that your standard as well when it comes to those subsidies and what’s going to happen with them?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I think we just need a credible path forward so that beyond—
KAITLAN COLLINS: Right, but what does a credible path forward look like? I think a lot of people want to know.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well a credible path forward to me means something legislative, and we’ve made that point from the very beginning. And we believe that it exists because there are Republicans—both traditional conservative Republicans who are in swing districts who are pleading with Mike Johnson to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and then some people on the right like Marjorie Taylor Greene—who also recognizes that premiums, co-pays and deductibles absent congressional action are about to skyrocket for her constituents and people all across rural America, urban America, small town America, the heartland of America and, of course, Black and brown neighborhoods and communities throughout America, in some cases by a thousand or two thousand dollars per month. This is all unsustainable, and it’s why it requires dramatic, decisive action.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Before you were the House Minority Leader, there was a government shutdown back in 2013. It was Republicans who would not vote to fund the government at that time. I want to listen to something you had to say then.
RECORDING OF REP. JEFFRIES: We’re in the midst of a government shutdown right now that is unnecessarily forcing pain on the American people. It’s a shutdown that was manufactured by the House GOP that has resulted in a situation where Americans all across this country have now been put in jeopardy. That’s a tragedy of epic proportions.
KAITLAN COLLINS: I wonder what Hakeem Jeffries of today would say to the Hakeem Jeffries of 2013 who had that message in terms of wanting to pass a clean CR so Congress could get back to work.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the Hakeem Jeffries of today definitively agrees with the Hakeem Jeffries of yesterday from the standpoint of, listen, we’ve said to Republicans, get to the negotiating table. We want to find a bipartisan path forward. We want to reopen the government. We are standing by hardworking federal employees, but we need a partner in that effort. But we don’t have a partner. Literally, Donald Trump over the last 29 days has spent more time talking to Hamas and to the Chinese Communist Party than to Democrats on Capitol Hill who represent half the country. And that’s extraordinary in and of itself. And we’ve said we will pass a spending bill that’s bipartisan, that makes life better for the American people. What we will not do is support continued Republican efforts to rip healthcare away from everyday Americans.
KAITLAN COLLINS: You were asked today if you will defer your paycheck during the shutdown. Obviously a lot of federal workers, TSA agents are going without paychecks. Have you made a decision on that yet, sir?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I’ll be commenting on that shortly, but I understand the sacrifice that people are making, including Capitol Police officers here, and I’m going to conduct myself accordingly given that sacrifice.
KAITLAN COLLINS: So that sounds like a yes, that you will defer your pay check?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I’ll have more to say about that shortly, but I think consistent with the values that I just articulated.
KAITLAN COLLINS: Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you for joining us tonight. Really appreciate your time.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)
“Trump’s presidency has been an unending nightmare for Venezuelan Americans here and around the country. He has ripped away temporary protected status from law-abiding Venezuelans and thrown countless families into terror through raids conducted by agents in masks. He has characterized all Venezuelans as criminal dirtbags and alien enemies. And he has killed at least 57 people, most of whom were Venezuelan, with airstrikes on boats, with no evidence, due process, or Congressional authorization,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Anyone who believes that Trump will promote democracy in Venezuela should look at what he’s done to democracy here.”
Sunrise, FL– Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) held a roundtable discussion to hear from leaders in South Florida’s Venezuelan community about their concerns over Trump’s assault on law-abiding immigrant families and failure to promote a peaceful, democratic transition of power in Venezuela.
“Trump’s presidency has been an unending nightmare for Venezuelan Americans here and around the country. He has ripped away temporary protected status from law-abiding Venezuelans and thrown countless families into terror through raids conducted by agents in masks. He has characterized all Venezuelans as criminal dirtbags and alien enemies. And he has killed at least 57 people, most of whom were Venezuelan, with airstrikes on boats, with no evidence, due process, or Congressional authorization,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Anyone who believes that Trump will promote democracy in Venezuela should look at what he’s done to democracy here.”
South Florida has the largest concentration of Venezuelans in the United States. Many Venezuelans in the U.S. fled violence and hardship at the hands of the Maduro regime, which continues to crush dissent, criminalize opposition, and engage in extrajudicial disappearances and murders.
Now, many Venezuelans are horrified to see these tactics emulated by the Trump Administration. Trump has sent masked agents to arrest law-abiding TPS recipients, launched airstrikes on boats without any evidence or Congressional authorization, and allowed Maduro to fund his repression of Venezuelans by lifting oil sanctions.
Wasserman Schultz was joined by Venezuelan American Caucus co-founders Adelys Ferro and Luis Fernando Atencio, as well as several other Venezuelan local leaders.
Sunrise, FL– Hoy, la congresista Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) convocó una mesa redonda para escuchar a los líderes de la comunidad venezolana del sur de Florida sobre sus preocupaciones sobre el asalto de Trump a las familias inmigrantes que respetan la ley y el fracaso en promover una transición pacífica y democrática del poder en Venezuela.
“La presidencia de Trump ha sido una pesadilla interminable para los venezolanos estadounidenses aquí y en todo el país. Ha arrebatado el estatus de protección temporal a los venezolanos respetuosos de la ley y ha sumido en el terror a innumerables familias a través de redadas realizadas por agentes enmascarados. Ha caracterizado a todos los venezolanos como criminales y enemigos extranjeros. Y ha matado al menos a 57 personas, la mayoría de las cuales eran venezolanas, con ataques aéreos contra barcos, sin pruebas, debido proceso o autorización del Congreso”, dijo Wasserman Schultz. “Quien crea que Trump promoverá la democracia en Venezuela debería mirar lo que le ha hecho a la democracia aquí.”
El sur de Florida alberga la mayor concentración de venezolanos en Estados Unidos. Muchos venezolanos en EE. UU. huyeron de la violencia y las penurias a manos del régimen de Maduro, que continúa reprimiendo la disidencia, criminalizando a la oposición y perpetrando desapariciones y asesinatos extrajudiciales.
Ahora, muchos venezolanos están horrorizados al ver que la Administración Trump imita estas tácticas. Trump envió agentes enmascarados de la migra para arrestar a beneficiarios del TPS que cumplían la ley. Lanzó ataques aéreos contra embarcaciones sin ninguna prueba ni autorización del Congreso. Y permitió que Maduro financiara la represión contra los venezolanos al levantar las sanciones petroleras.
A Wasserman Schultz se unieron los cofundadores del Caucus Venezolano Americano, Adelys Ferro y Luis Fernando Atencio, así como varios otros líderes locales venezolanos.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Larsen Releases Statement on Senate Vote on Canadian Tariffs
Washington, D.C., October 30, 2025
Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after the Senate voted 50-46 to strike down tariffs on Canada yesterday evening:
“When the President stokes tensions with our Canadian neighbors, families in Northwest Washington state pay the price. The President’s pointless trade war has destroyed local businesses and driven up costs for the people I represent. The Administration should be working with Canada to reduce barriers between our two economies, create jobs and lower prices. Trade good, tariffs bad – it’s not complicated.
“The Senate once again voted in a bipartisan fashion to overturn Trump’s tariff tax hikes on everyday Americans. It’s time for Mike Johnson and House Republicans to get serious and take action to end this stupid trade war. I remain committed to bringing down costs in Washington state and making the U.S.-Canada relationship boring again.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
Griffith Statement on Protecting Ninth District Beef
As more details emerge of a potential trade deal that increases imports of Argentinian beef into U.S. markets, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:
“While I understand the Trump Administration is committed to lowering costs for American consumers, the reason that beef prices have gone up is because of the rise in demand for American-grown beef. American cattle farmers produce an exceptionally high-quality product, particularly in Virginia’s Ninth District, which is the largest cattle-producing Congressional district east of the Mississippi River.
“Our Ninth District cattlemen, ranchers and farmers deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and high-quality product. As an economic driver that feeds scores of American families, I will continue advocacy for American beef products and our Ninth District cattlemen, ranchers and farmers.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)
DENVER, CO — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Colorado Division of Insuranceannouncedthat health care costs are going to double on average for Coloradans who get their health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado.
“For months, Democrats have been sounding the alarm about the Republican-forced health care crisis. Now, inaction by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, who have been on vacation for over a month, will cause health care costs to double for many of my constituents and hundreds of thousands of Coloradans. Costs are already too high under Donald Trump, and many families will now be forced to choose between staying on their health care or buying groceries.
“As the top Democrat on the Health Subcommittee, I am heading back to Washington because this is not acceptable. Republicans need to end their vacation and come back to the table with a real plan, not a concept, to fix their mess.”
According to the Colorado Division of Insurance, hundreds of thousands of Coloradans enrolled in the state’s individual marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, will see an average premium increase of 101%, meaning their premiums will double in cost.
DeGetterecently hosted a press conferencewith Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway and Connect for Health CEO Kevin Patterson to address this issue and call on Republicans to act.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)
Today, Representative Suzan DelBene (WA-01), House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Ranking Member Jahana Hayes (CT-05), House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02), and 212 House Democrats sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, urging the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown. With no resolution to a bipartisan path forward to reopen the government, SNAP funding is set to lapse on November 1, putting 42 million children and families at risk of experiencing hunger, including 900,000 Washingtonians.
There is enough in the SNAP contingency reserve to cover nearly two-thirds of the amount needed for a full month of benefits. The Members also advocate for the agency to use statutory transfer authority or any other legal means to supplement shortfalls the contingency reserve cannot cover.
“Now more than ever, millions of families across the country depend upon the SNAP to make ends meet. For far too many veterans, seniors, and children, SNAP benefits are the difference between having food or not,” wrote the Members. “Now, due to the government shutdown, they are facing crippling levels of uncertainty about whether they will be able to afford food next month. A potential lapse in benefits would be felt by Americans of all ages and affect every corner and congressional district in the country.”
“We urge USDA to use these funds for November SNAP benefits and issue clear guidance to states on how to navigate benefit issuance. Additionally, while the contingency reserve will not cover November benefits in full, we urge USDA to use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority at its disposal to supplement these dollars and fully fund November benefits. There are clear steps the administration can and must take immediately to ensure that millions of families across the country can put food on their table in November. Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people,” the letter continues.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)
Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) personally led two U.S. Capitol tours for students from Willard High School in Huron County and Upper Sandusky Middle School in Wyandot County.
During the ongoing government shutdown, many federal operations, including public Capitol tours, are suspended until the government reopens. However, Members of Congress are still permitted to lead tours themselves, allowing students and visitors to continue experiencing the U.S. Capitol. Last week, Congressman Latta led two Capitol tours for Marion Local Schools and Coldwater Middle School in Mercer County. On Tuesday, Congressman Latta led two tours for Fort Recovery Middle School and Antwerp Middle School.
Both Willard High School and Upper Sandusky School were in Washington, DC, for a field trip, but many of their planned activities were cancelled due to the shutdown. Congressman Latta was glad to welcome the students and ensure they could still visit the Capitol during their trip.
“Capitol tours are an engaging and important way for students to experience American history and civics firsthand. I enjoyed leading tours for Willard High School and Upper Sandusky Middle School, who traveled all the way from Ohio to visit Washington, DC. It’s always great to see students curious about American government, and I hope they learned a lot and enjoyed their time at the Capitol,” Latta said.
“Touring the U.S. Capitol has always been an important and meaningful part of our school trip to Washington, DC. When we learned the building would be closed due to the shutdown, we were obviously disappointed to think our students might miss out on that experience. We are deeply grateful to Congressman Latta for arranging and personally leading our tour of the Capitol. What an awesome surprise and incredible opportunity for our students,” said Cathy Weaver, Teacher at Willard High School.
“Congressman Latta’s personal tour of the U.S. Capitol was a standout highlight of our 8th-grade students’ field trip. His willingness to provide this experience during the federal government shutdown gave our students a rare opportunity to explore one of our nation’s most important institutions at a time when so many others were closed or unavailable,” said Greg Moon, a chaperone for Upper Sandusky Middle School’s trip.
“Upper Sandusky Middle School’s 8th graders had a once in a lifetime experience as Congressman Bob Latta was so gracious to provide a personal tour of our Capitol building in Washington, DC on Wednesday, October 29th. The government shutdown has impacted many tours in Washington, DC, but Congressman Latta took the time out of his week to bring the class onto the House Floor of the Capitol building and explain our legislative branch along with historical points about the Capitol building. This experience will forever be remembered by our students and we all want to thank Congressman Latta for all his time and efforts to support our local community as well as our country,” said Jason Hoffbauer, a chaperone for Upper Sandusky Middle School’s Trip.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata
Headline: Amata Highlights Significance of First Female Prime Minister of Japan, Congratulates Prime Minister Takaichi
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, who serves as Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific in the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), is congratulating Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, and highlighting the significance of the first ever female Prime Minister of Japan.
On October 21, 2025, a vote to designate the Prime Minister was held in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. Prime Minister Takaichi became the 104th Prime Minister. A new Cabinet was announced and the investiture ceremony for the Prime Minister was held at the Imperial Palace.
“My congratulations to Prime Minister Takaichi in honor of this historic occasion,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Prime Minister Takaichi’s leadership is another inspiration point for the young people of the Pacific region. Japan is an important ally of the United States and an essential partner in diplomacy, trade, and security between our countries, and with other Pacific neighbors.”
“As a Member of the U.S. Congress from the South Pacific, and the first elected woman representative to Congress from our territory, I am delighted to highlight to the young people of American Samoa that one of the world’s leading economies has chosen the first ever female Prime Minister, who will have a central role in the next chapter of the US-Japan alliance and elsewhere on the world stage.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press availability, where he emphasized that while Donald Trump and Republicans are choosing to rip nutritional assistance and healthcare from the American people, Democrats will continue to fight to end the shutdown and support everyday Americans.
LEADER JEFFRIES: This is day 29 of the Trump-Republican shutdown, and Republicans have continued to show zero interest in reopening the government, enacting a bipartisan agreement that meets the needs of the American people and addressing the Republican healthcare crisis. In just a few days, on November 1st, open enrollment will begin, and tens of millions of Americans are going to more completely understand that their premiums, co-pays and deductibles are going to skyrocket by thousands of dollars per year because of Republicans’ continued refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for working-class Americans. At the same period of time, on November 1st, about 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP in order to put food on the table are at risk of losing their benefits because Donald Trump and Republicans want to cruelly rip them away. Let’s be clear. The administration has the funding to make sure that not a single American on November 1st or beyond goes hungry. Not a single American. They have the money, but they are choosing to withhold funding for SNAP because they want to punish hungry children, hungry veterans, hungry seniors, hungry women and hungry families as part of their continued effort to hurt everyday Americans.
This is what we’ve seen from Donald Trump and Republicans from the very beginning of this Congress. The Republican One Big Ugly Bill included the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. It also included the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history. Republicans cut $186 billion from SNAP in July, which is why we’re facing this crisis right now. And they did all of this back in July. Why? So they could provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors. That’s what Republicans have done during this presidency. And now, because of their continued refusal to even sit down and have a conversation with Democrats, despite us repeatedly making clear that we will sit down with Republicans anytime, anyplace, anywhere, here at the Capitol or back at the White House, to have a serious conversation about reopening the government, supporting our hardworking federal employees and addressing the healthcare crisis that Republicans have created, the affordability crisis that Republicans have created and now the hunger crisis that Republicans are creating by threatening to withhold SNAP benefits, even though the Trump administration has the money to make sure that not a single American goes hungry.