Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

The U.S. House of Representatives featured rules debate on several pieces of legislation. Congressman Griffith led the Republican side in rules debate on the following bills:

H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, funds cost-sharing reduction payments to reduce out-of-pocket health care costs like deductibles and copays. The bill also expands access to Association Health Plans to provide more insurance options. Additionally, the bill requires Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to disclose more information to group health plans. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), average Obamacare premiums would decrease by 11% for an average benchmark plan should this bill become law.

H.R. 498, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act, prohibits the use federal Medicaid dollars to fund gender transition procedures for people under the age of 18. 

H.R. 3492, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, prohibits genital, bodily mutilation and chemical castration for a minor which is generally anyone under the age of 18 years. The bill preserves this care if there is legitimate need for certain procedures.

Congressman Griffith’s opening remarks on Republican plans to make health care more affordable:

“…This bill lowers premiums for Americans, creates more insurance options, brings greater transparency and cuts red tape. 

“Unlike our Democrat friends’ plan, our Republican plan actually lowers premiums by double-digits, roughly 11%, according to the data.

“All the Democrats want to do is throw billions more dollars towards insurance companies. 

“Instead of attempting to lower the premiums of the individuals who are on the insurance plan the Democrats created, which should be called the Unaffordable Care Act, the Democrats have cried wolf that Republicans are responsible for premiums being unaffordable.

“But let’s get the facts straight.

“Every single Democrat voted in support of the so-called Affordable Care Act. They claimed people’s premiums would be lowered, patients would have more choice, and if you like your doctor, you can keep him or her.

“However, just the opposite has happened.

“Their so-called Affordable Care Act has caused premiums to skyrocket.

“Because of this, Democrats are too afraid to own up to the fact that their health plan has failed to actually lower premiums…”

To conclude a nearly 12-minute speech, Congressman Griffith emphasized:

“…Today you will hear, Mr. Speaker, you will hear my friends and colleagues on the other side, the Democrats, tell you this plan is not meaningful, and that the only way to help individuals is to throw more money at big insurance.

“Throwing more money at the insurance companies, Mr. Speaker, is not the answer.”

Congressman Griffith’s full opening remarks on the rule providing for these three bills can be found here.

During one exchange, Congressman Griffith highlighted the cost-sharing reduction plans in the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.

Votes on these three bills are expected later this week.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, criticized the Republican health care plan being considered on the House floor and called for an immediate vote on bipartisan legislation to prevent health care premiums from surging for 20 million Americans.

“Nothing in this Republican health care plan will stop Americans’ health care premiums from skyrocketing,” Congresswoman Trahan said on the House floor. “When this bill fails to become law, and it will fail, 20 million Americans will see their premiums surge on January 1. Many will not even be able to afford hundreds or even thousands more each month, and they will lose their health coverage altogether.”

CLICK HERE or the image below to view Trahan’s full remarks on the House floor. A transcript is embedded below.

Despite repeated claims from House Republicans that their health care “plan” would lower costs and protect coverage, an independent analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that H.R. 6703 would do little to prevent premium increases for 20 million Americans beginning in January, while causing an additional 100,000 people to lose their health coverage. This comes on top of the 15 million Americans projected to lose coverage as a result of Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” which cut $1 billion from Medicaid, the single largest cut to Americans’ health care in history.

Shortly before debate began, four House Republicans signed onto a Democratic led petition to force a vote on bipartisan legislation to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years. The legislation would protect coverage for 20 million Americans, including 328,000 Massachusetts residents. Without extending the tax credits, many families will be priced out of coverage. According to the Massachusetts Health Connector, more than 10,000 people in the Commonwealth dropped their health plans during this year’s open enrollment after seeing projected premium increases without the tax credits.

“This is a partisan exercise that does nothing to address the crisis before us. That’s why, moments ago, four Republicans signed onto the bipartisan legislation to end this crisis and protect Americans’ health care, giving it the signatures necessary to be considered on the House floor,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “The American people expect us to act with urgency, decisiveness, and transparency. Mr. Speaker, cancel this vote, call up the bipartisan bill to save Americans’ health care before you take another vacation.”

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Congresswoman Lori Trahan
Remarks As Delivered
House Floor Debate on H.R. 6703
December 17, 2025

Mr. Speaker, this vote is a waste of time.

Nothing in this Republican health care plan will stop Americans’ health care premiums from skyrocketing. When this bill fails to become law, and it will fail, 20 million Americans will see their premiums surge on January 1. Many will not even be able to afford hundreds or even thousands more each month, and they will lose their health coverage altogether.

This is a partisan exercise that does nothing to address the crisis before us. That’s why, moments ago, four Republicans signed onto the bipartisan legislation to end this crisis and protect Americans’ health care, giving it the signatures necessary to be considered on the House floor.

The American people expect us to act with urgency, decisiveness, and transparency. Mr. Speaker, cancel this vote, call up the bipartisan bill to save Americans’ health care before you take another vacation.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced the Improving Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnostics for Warfighters Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at accelerating the development and deployment of advanced diagnostic technologies to significantly improve how traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are identified and assessed among servicemembers during training and in combat environments.

“Too many servicemembers are returning home with traumatic brain injuries that go undiagnosed or untreated because our diagnostic tools have not kept pace with the realities of modern warfare,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This bipartisan legislation will help ensure our troops have access to faster, more accurate point of injury diagnostics so they can get the right care at the right time, protect their long term health, and maintain mission readiness.”

“Our servicemembers face intense physical demands in both training and combat, and we owe them the best tools available to detect injuries early,” said Congressman Bacon. “Our bipartisan bill helps close critical gaps in TBI diagnostics at the point of injury, improving readiness and long-term outcomes. I’m pleased to join Congresswoman Trahan to advance better data and faster diagnosis, leading to better care for those who serve.”

Since 2000, more than 500,000 servicemembers have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury as a result of explosions, falls, and other incidents. Despite the scope of the problem, a recent U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) report found persistent gaps in the identification and treatment of TBI, suggesting the true number of servicemembers affected may be far higher.

The Improving Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnostics for Warfighters Act would establish a pilot program within the Department of Defense to support the development and use of point of injury TBI diagnostic devices in operational settings. The program would:

Evaluate and support the research, development, testing, and production of innovative TBI diagnostic devices, including helping transition promising technologies from prototyping to deployment.

Assess whether covered diagnostic tools can accurately distinguish mild TBI from moderate or severe TBI and be effectively integrated with existing diagnostic methods.

Examine how improved diagnostic technologies can enhance military readiness and reduce the long-term medical burden of TBI through more accurate and timely assessment of acute exposure.

A copy of the bipartisan legislation introduced today can be accessed HERE.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This week, House Republicans are advancing the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act — a targeted package of reforms designed to lower premium costs for all Americans, expand access to affordable coverage, and increase transparency to drive down prices across the health care system.

While Democrats continue to push for additional COVID-era subsidies that funnel taxpayer dollars to large health insurance companies to hide the cost of Obamacare, this legislation delivers proven, measurable solutions for all Americans – not just some.

KEY REFORMS THAT LOWER COSTS AND EXPAND ACCESS

Lowers Premium Costs Through Cost-Sharing Reduction Payments

• Lowers premiums by at least 11%
• Stabilizes the individual market by appropriating CSR payments.
• Reduces out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copays.
• Reflects a policy previously supported by 196 House Democrats in 2017.

Brings Transparency and Reduces Hidden Drug Costs

• Requires pharmacy benefit managers to report:

• Drug spending
• Rebates
• Pricing

• Gives employers and employees visibility into cost drivers that raise premiums.

Expands Association Health Plans for Small Businesses and Independent Workers

• Restores the executive order by President Trump, which would: 
• Enroll 3.7 million Americans.
• Cover 400,000 previously uninsured individuals.

Expands Coverage Choices and Strengthens Employer Flexibility

• Allows employees to use tax-free employer contributions to purchase the health plan that works best for them.
• Provides workers with flexible, portable coverage options.
• Protects small employers’ ability to offer affordable, customizable benefit plans.

THE UNAFFORDABLE CARE ACT MARKETPLACE: RISING COSTS AND STRUCTURAL FAILURES

Premiums Have Risen Nearly Twice as Fast as Employer Coverage

Surging Premiums Are Driving Higher Federal Subsidy Costs

The Cost of Extending the COVID-Biden-Era Subsidy Boost is Substantial

Zero-Claim Enrollment Has Surged — While Insurers Collect Billions

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) introduced the Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act of 2025, commonsense legislation to establish the first voluntary federal standard for environmental claims on packaging and put an end to misleading “green” labels that confuse consumers and undermine real recycling efforts.

Across the country, a patchwork of state regulations has resulted in unverified claims like “recyclable,” “compostable,” and “reusable” to appear on packaging, often without any connection to real-world recycling or composting systems. This confusion has made it harder for consumers to know what can actually be recycled and has weakened legitimate environmental initiatives.

The PACK Act addresses this problem by promoting science-backed, industry-driven standards for environmental labeling. Under the legislation, companies may only make environmental claims if those claims are scientifically verified and recognized by existing recycling or composting programs, ensuring honesty and transparency without imposing new mandates.

“Americans want to do the right thing, but misleading labels make that harder,” said Rep. Weber. “The PACK Act cuts through that confusion. It’s pro-environment, pro-business, and rooted in common sense, all while holding companies accountable and giving consumers clear, honest information they can trust.”

Industry leaders praised the legislation’s approach.

“AMERIPEN applauds Rep. Randy Weber for introducing the Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act and supports the PACK Act’s creation of a federal framework for recyclable, compostable, and reusable claims for consumer packaging under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC),” said Lynn Dyer, President of AMERIPEN. “This new framework will address concerns with the patchwork of state regulations and its negative effect on interstate commerce and consumer awareness regarding management of consumer packaging. AMERIPEN will continue to support Congressman Weber as he moves this critical legislation through the House of Representatives.”

“The Plastics Industry Association thanks Congressman Weber for introducing the PACK Act,” said Matt Seaholm, PLASTICS President and CEO. “Plastic packaging is essential to modern life—protecting products, keeping food fresh, and ensuring medical supplies arrive safely—yet companies and consumers are currently navigating a complex landscape of rules around recyclable, compostable, and reusable packaging claims. This growing patchwork not only creates regulatory uncertainty but also has the potential to increase costs and contribute to broader affordability concerns.”

“The PACK Act would establish a clear national framework under the FTC, reducing uncertainty and supporting businesses operating across state lines. As an industry that employs more than one million Americans, we appreciate Congressman Weber’s leadership on this important issue that strengthens U.S. manufacturing and consumer confidence.”

“We welcome the introduction of the PACK Act for creating a single, national framework for packaging claims,” said Peter DePasquale, Vice President, Government Affairs, Keurig Dr Pepper. “By setting clear, national standards and certifications through credible third parties, this legislation helps ensure consumers receive accurate information while giving companies the consistency they need to innovate and accelerate investment in sustainable packaging solutions nationwide.”

Background:

Packaging and labeling standards in the United States are increasingly influenced by state-level regulations, particularly those adopted in California. Because of the size of California’s market, standards set by the state can have national implications for manufacturers, supply chains, and consumers, even when companies operate primarily outside of California.

This dynamic has raised concerns about regulatory consistency and the impact of state-specific requirements on interstate commerce.

Read the full bill text here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – ICYMI: Congresswoman Haley Stevens delivered passionate remarks on the House floor in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack against Jewish people in Sydney, Australia, on December 14. 

A full transcript of Rep. Stevens’ remarks is below:

Thank you, Mdm. Speaker.

Over the weekend, the world watched in horror as Jews celebrating the start of Hanukkah were murdered on the shores of Sydney, Australia.

It’s dizzying, it’s unfathomable, and devastatingly, it’s become more common in our world today. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in Australia, the United States, or Israel: the killing of Jewish people for practicing their faith is unconscionable, and it must stop.

Today, we mourn the 15 lives lost at Bondi Beach. We grieve with their families and their loved ones, and we share the pain felt by the entire Jewish community around the world. Hanukkah is a celebration of light—a proof point that even in dark times, Jewish communities can find the joy.

However, these are not easy days.

With freedom and lives on the line, we need change. We need the violence to stop.

As Co-Chair of the Anti-Semitism Task Force, I will always speak out and use my voice to uproot antisemitism wherever it festers.

To the Jewish community in Michigan and beyond: I see you, I hear you, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you get to live, worship, and celebrate safely and freely.

Thank you, and I yield back.

 

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

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the House Floor, emphasizing that House Republicans have a responsibility to join House Democrats in protecting Americans’ healthcare after he received 218 signatures on his discharge petition to extend the ACA tax credits for three years.

LEADER JEFFRIES: For months now, Democrats have made clear that we have a broken healthcare system that Republicans continue to destroy.They’ve exacerbated our healthcare crisis month after month after month, including with the One Big Ugly Bill, largest cut to Medicaid in American history, ripping healthcare away from 14 million Americans. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all across the country, including in rural America, because of the Republican healthcare crisis. Republicans, Mr. Speaker, continue to attack the National Institute of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, the FDA and vaccine availability. Republicans have launched an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people, and it continues today with this toxic piece of legislation that will rip healthcare away from an additional four million people and jam junk health insurance plans down the throats of the American people.

Democrats are strongly opposed to this legislation, and the American people know Republicans have zero credibility on fighting to protect their healthcare. In this great country of ours, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, it should be the case, we believe, that access to high-quality healthcare should not simply be a privilege, available only to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. Access to high-quality healthcare should be a right available to every single American, and that’s what House Democrats are continuing to fight hard to achieve.And one of the ways we can make sure that we strive to achieve that principle is to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are scheduled to expire in 15 days. And that means that tens of millions of Americans, working class Americans, middle class Americans, people in urban America, rural America, small town America, suburban America, the heartland of America, Black and brown communities all throughout America, tens of millions of people, Americans of every stripe, in every region, are about to experience their health insurance premiums increase, in some instances by a thousand or two thousand dollars per month. That is unacceptable. And now we have a bipartisan coalition here in the House of Representatives, at least 218 votes, to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years to provide everyday Americans with the certainty that they deserve in terms of being able to afford to go see a doctor when they need one.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans need to bring the Affordable Care Act tax credit extension bill to the Floor today. Under no circumstances should we leave this Capitol this week before voting on an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credit bill that we know will pass, that the votes exist in a bipartisan way to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans. House Democrats have made clear we are in this fight until we win this fight to cancel the cuts, lower the cost, save healthcare and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Full Floor remarks can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This morning, Speaker Johnson joined Secretary Scott Bessent for a press conference at the Treasury Department to deliver remarks about Trump Accounts – tax free savings accounts for every child born in America. House Republicans passed this transformational provision into law through the Working Families Tax Cuts. Every Democrat in Congress voted against it.

Thanks to Republicans’ landmark legislation, this new, historic savings tool will be available to every American child born over the next three years with a one-time $1,000 seed contribution that grows with the stock market.

“But among all those features, one that I think will have truly lasting effect on the economy and the financial stability of individuals in our country at large is the Trump Account,” Speaker Johnson said. “It is truly going to change the lives of every American.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here

Below are Speaker Johnson’s remarks as delivered:

What an exciting day this is. It’s so great to see you all here at Treasury with our extraordinary Secretary. Scott Bessent is a godsend to America. Can I get a round of applause for our Treasury Secretary?

President Trump will have a lot of extraordinary legacy items that history will record. But one of the best choices early on was selecting this gentleman to serve in this position. And he’s put together an extraordinary team.

And the truth be told, we would not have gotten the big beautiful bill, the Working Families Tax Cuts, done as we did without his steady hand of leadership. Anyone who had a question, I drug them over here to Treasury and made him sit through a little class with the Treasury Secretary and he helped get them to yes. So that’s something history will record as well.

We are so excited about this because America needs this. It’s an idea that is long overdue. People have been struggling. You know, when President Trump came in and this Republican Congress took over in January, with the new administration, we inherited a real mess.

We had four years of Bidenomics, and we all know what that did to people’s pocketbooks, to their outlook on the economy, and to their real experience and having to suffer through record high levels of inflation, lower wages, and less opportunity.

So, when we took the reins of power, we were determined to fix all of that. We had to fix virtually every area of public policy, and we got to work on it. And the result was that big beautiful bill, aptly named by the President, also known as the Working Families Tax Cuts, because that’s what we achieved.

We got real economic relief on the way for the American people. Largest tax cut in US history, largest savings of taxpayers’ dollars at the same time, by the way, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, real relief for seniors on social security, all the other big benefits in the bill.

But among all those features, one that I think will have a truly lasting effect on the economy and the financial stability of individuals in our country at large, is the Trump Account. And what we’re here to explain and what the Secretary just, laid out is an extraordinary transformational policy. It is truly going to change the lives of every American.

And when we wrote the big beautiful bill, it was geared for lower- and middle-class earners to give relief to hardworking families. And this is one of the primary drivers of that. Now, I’m not going to give you a long speech. I could, because I’m really excited about this and what it’s going to do for our families, for the economy.

But one thing I really like, I think it’s almost poetic, is that the implementation date happens to fall on July 5th of next year, right after our nation’s 250th birthday.

As the Secretary noted, we are the greatest nation in the history of the world, the most benevolent nation in the history of the world, the most successful, most free, most powerful. And there’s a reason for that. I’ll just leave you with that thought.

America is built on these foundational principles, and among them is the idea of the free market, of individual financial stewardship and responsibility. The idea of capitalism is that everybody gets a shot. If you work hard and you play by the rules and you do your best, you can get to the next rung on that economic ladder.

And now with this, there’s a bit of a turbo boost to that idea. And while we’ve always believed in private property ownership, private ownership, as the Secretary noted, now, there is a platform, a new platform for private ownership.

What an extraordinary concept and what a big thing to celebrate as we celebrate our nation’s super centennial, as the President calls it, next year.

The idea that these principles and these foundational premises that make our great nation will flourish in a whole new way.

So, we’re so excited to be a small part of that. We’re so excited for the exceptional leadership, for the vision of President Trump, to do this. I can’t wait to tell everybody about Form 45-47. If we can only put an exclamation point at the end of the form number, that would have even perfect.

This is big stuff for a big, incredible country. So grateful to be a small part of it. Thank y’all so much for being here. God bless.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Paul A Gosar DDS (AZ-04)

Washington, DC — Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement following Senate passage of H.R. 1043, the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act,legislation introduced by Congressman Gosar requiring the Secretary of the Interior to convey 3,400 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to La Paz County to help maximize additional renewable energy generation and energy storage capabilities, enhance the County tax base and facilitate transformative economic development:

“I applaud the Senate’s passage of my bipartisan legislation to unlock responsible solar development in La Paz County. H.R. 1043 conveys 3,400 acres of BLM land to strengthen the county’s tax base, create good-paying local jobs, and expand domestic renewable energy and storage capacity—advancing America’s energy independence.

This bill builds on my long-standing work, including the 2019 La Paz County Land Conveyance Act,to establish the county as a regional energy hub. By removing unnecessary federal barriers while preserving environmental stewardship, H.R. 1043 will attract private investment, lower energy costs, and drive lasting economic growth. 

At a time when Americans are demanding affordable energy and economic growth, this legislation does both. I look forward to President Trump signing my legislation into law,” stated Congressman Paul Gosar.

Background:

H.R. 1043 passed in the House of Representatives on July 21, 2025, and passed in the Senate last evening. The 3,400 acres proposed for conveyance in this legislation includes those remaining parcels in the original proposal that were not enacted into law and adds other parcels that are also compatible for clean energy development needed to unlock additional employment opportunities for La Paz County residents.