Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Legislation Addresses Financial Burden for Survivors Whose Rights Were Violated by Federal Gov’t, Including Lost Income, Medical Costs, Housing Stability, Trauma

As a Survivor of Sexual Abuse, Pressley Has Led Calls for Accountability, Highlighted Economic & Emotional Harm Borne by Epstein Survivors

Bill Text | Bill Summary | Press Conference | Photos

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Congresswomen Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) and Deborah Ross (D-NC) introduced the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act, first-of-its-kind legislation that would create a restitution fund in the judicial branch for survivors of sexual violence whose rights were violated by the federal government, including all survivors of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Congresswoman Pressley announced this historic proposal alongside survivors and survivors’ rights advocates at a press conference on Capitol Hill.

As a survivor of sexual abuse herself, Congresswoman Pressley has been a dedicated advocate for survivors’ justice and recently discussed the long-lasting economic and emotional harms that Epstein survivors continue to carry while rarely seeing meaningful accountability.

The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act would create a historic investment to support survivors of sexual violence and hold the federal government accountable when it fails to protect survivors’ rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. The estimated lifetime cost of rape is $122,461 per victim. This legislation would address the burden survivors carry, including significant long-term economic and non-economic impacts of sexual violence, from lost income and medical costs to housing instability and enduring trauma.

“The financial, physical, and emotional trauma that survivors of sexual violence carry is a lifetime sentence,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “By no choice of their own, survivors can incur debilitating costs due to medical needs, lost income, housing instability, and mental health support. Far too often, the federal government has been complicit and failed to meet its moral and legal obligation to fight for accountability and relieve this economic burden—our bill would change that by holding our government, abusers, and their co-conspirators to account and helping our survivors get on a pathway to healing. The ignored burden that survivors carry is a stain in our legal system and must be addressed immediately.”

“Survivors should never have to pay the price when our government fails to protect them,” said Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández. “For too long, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific abuse were denied justice while powerful people were protected. That failure has real costs: lost wages, medical bills, housing instability, and trauma that can last a lifetime. We cannot undo the harm, but we can make sure survivors are not left to carry the burden alone. The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act gives survivors that path to restitution.”

“Far too often, we have seen our government fail survivors of sexual violence who have risked everything to come forward,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross. “Trauma is often just one part of the burden survivors carry, and it is often compounded by lost income, housing insecurity, and economic hardship. We have seen this play out in the administration’s treatment of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse, who have been dismissed and demonized. Now more than ever, we must ensure all survivors receive the justice they deserve. I am proud to introduce this bill to establish a first-of-its-kind economic relief fund for survivors of sexual violence.”

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are tens of thousands of rape and sexual assault victimizations annually, amounting to 23 violent victimizations for every 1,000 people in 2024. Despite its prevalence, approximately two out of three sexual assaults go unreported.

When a survivor takes action to report the crime, the Crime Victims’ Rights Act grants them specific protections, including the right to timely and accurate notice of any release of the accused. However, the Jeffrey Epstein sweetheart deal is proof that these rights are not always enforced. Furthermore, there is no relief for survivors when their victims’ rights are violated.

To support survivors of sexual violence and empower survivors who choose to come forward, the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act would:

• Establish the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Program to provide compensation to eligible victims for harm and losses.
• Create an independent Office of Special Adjudicators for Survivors Restitution within the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to review petitions and determine awards through a streamlined, non-adversarial, and trauma-informed process.
• Establish the Survivors Rights Restitution Fund within the Department of the Treasury to finance awards through federal forfeiture proceeds tied to trafficking and sexual exploitation offenses, voluntary contributions, and authorized appropriations.

The bill is cosponsored by: Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Joyce Beatty, Wesley Bell, Brendan Boyle, Salud Carbajal, André Carson, Yvette Clarke, Lou Correa, Jim Costa, Madeleine Dean, Maxine Dexter, Debbie Dingell, Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia, Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Adelita Grijalva, Hank Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Summer Lee, Stephen Lynch, Sarah McBride, Jennifer McClellan, LaMonica McIver, Christian Menefee, Kweisi Mfume, Gwen Moore, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chellie Pingree, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Emily Randall, Andrea Salinas, Lateefah Simon, Melanie Stansbury, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, James Walkinshaw, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Frederica Wilson.

This bill is endorsed by: Democratic Women’s Caucus; World Without Exploitation; me too. International; Women’s HQ; UltraViolet Action; National Alliance to End Sexual Violence; Safe Exit Initiative; RIA, Inc.; National Alliance to End Sexual Violence; Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA); My Life My Choice; National Network to End Domestic Violence; National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; Boston Area Rape Crisis Center; Survivor Justice Network; Equal Rights Advocates; Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA); Victim Rights Law Center; Them Apples Music; Justice for Migrant Women; Esperanza United; National Women’s Political Caucus; Feminist Majority; Legal Momentum, the Women’s Legal Defense & Education Fund; South Asian SOAR.

“Sex trafficking survivors are often asked to take enormous risks to report their abuse and cooperate with the justice system, only to find that the same institutions demanding their trust can fail to protect their rights,” said Becca Zipkin, Vice President of Policy and Programs, World Without Exploitation. “Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein experienced that failure in one of the most public cases imaginable, but they are far from alone. At World Without Exploitation, we work alongside survivors who know that justice must include changing the systems that allow exploitation to flourish and holding institutions accountable when they fail the people they are supposed to protect. The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act is an important step toward that goal by giving survivors a meaningful path to redress when the federal government violates their rights. It also recognizes something survivors have long told us — economic justice is survivor justice.”

“As a survivor who has worked alongside thousands of survivors I’m clear that the full story of what it actually takes to survive is not often told. Alongside the mental, physical and emotional toll of the violence that we endured is the financial burden of untangling the web that the trauma creates to try and find our way back to ourselves – there is an actual cost to that work and it’s rare that we have support footing that bill. This country and our government has to ask itself what does it owe survivors? Rep. Pressley is doing her part to begin answering that question,” said Tarana Burke, Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer, Me Too

“Survivors have been paying the price for their assault for far too long,” said Liz Speakman, Executive Director, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. “We know that money is not what heals trauma but it goes a long way to providing the space, time and resources to make the path a little easier.”

“Survivors should not have to spend decades paying for crimes committed against us. When institutions fail us, that failure becomes generational trauma. We deserve privacy, dignity, and restitution—not someday, but now. Congresswoman Pressley’s bill gives survivors a path forward,” said Dani Bensky, survivor and advocate.

“As a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, I am heartened by the introduction of the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act of 2026. This vital legislation not only acknowledges our trauma but also provides a pathway to justice with meaningful compensation. It’s time for Congress to act swiftly, reinforcing that survivors deserve to be heard, believed, and supported in our healing journey,” said Lara Blume McGee, Survivor and CEO of Team Up World.

Text of the bill can be accessed here and a bill summary is available here. Video from the press conference can be accessed here, and photos can be accessed here.

As a survivor of sexual abuse herself, Congresswoman Pressley has led Democrats on the House Oversight Committee calling for a full, public Oversight hearing to prioritize the individuals who survived the horrific abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their associates, and whose firsthand accounts may not be sufficiently represented in the Department of Justice’s records.

Rep. Pressley has led the demand for a hearing with survivors as the Committee has continued its investigation and after the Congresswoman successfully helped pass a motion by Ranking Member Robert Garcia and Congresswoman Summer Lee to force the Committee to subpoena the Epstein files.

In May 2026, Congresswoman Pressley and House Oversight Committee Democrats held a field hearing in Palm Beach on the Epstein investigation and centering survivors’ experience. Rep. Pressley discussed the long-lasting economic and emotional harms that survivors continue to carry while rarely seeing meaningful accountability. Following the hearing, Rep. Pressley made an impassioned call for accountability, healing, and restorative justice for survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse.

In recent interviews, Rep. Pressley described why her work to subpoena the Epstein files is deeply personal to her.

Throughout her time in Congress, serving on the Boston City Council, and her entire life, Rep. Pressley has been a champion for justice for survivors of sexual violence and reproductive freedom.

• In May 2026, Pressley and House Oversight Committee Democrats held a field hearing in Palm Beach on the Epstein investigation. Rep. Pressley discussed the long-lasting economic and emotional harms that survivors continue to carry while rarely seeing meaningful accountability. Following the hearing, Rep. Pressley made an impassioned call for accountability, healing, and restorative justice for survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse.
• In April 2026, Pressley joined Ranking Member Robert Garcia and Oversight Democrats in filing a resolution to hold former Attorney General Pam Bondi in civil contempt of Congress after she failed to appear for her legally-binding, bipartisan subpoena to be deposed on the Epstein investigation and the White House’s cover-up of the Epstein files. Less than an hour later, Republicans announced a date for Bondi’s appearance before the committee.
• In April 2026, Pressley issued a statement after First Lady Melania Trump echoed Congresswoman Pressley’s longstanding calls for a Congressional hearing that centers survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse. 
• In March 2026, Pressley delivered an impassioned speech for survivors of sexual violence and trauma—including for activists with the farm workers’ movement, including Dolores Huerta, who shared their stories publicly earlier this month.
• In February 2026, Pressley joined survivors of Epstein’s abuse and members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus to demand transparency, accountability, and healing for survivors. Rep. Pressley condemned the botched, partial release of the Epstein files by Trump’s Department of Justice that exposed the identities of survivors while redacting alleged abusers’ names.
• In December 2025, Pressley condemned the Trump Admin after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the Department of Justice will fail to release all of the Epstein files to the public by the legal deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law that was forced through by House Democrats and signed into law by President Trump in November.
• In November 2025, Pressley applauded the House vote to release the Epstein files and renewed her push for Congressional action and accountability.
• In September 2025, Pressley held a media availability with Ranking Member Robert Garcia and Committee Democrats following a closed-door Oversight Committee roundtable with survivors of unconscionable exploitation and abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their co-conspirators.
• In September 2025, in response to pressure from Rep. Pressley, the House Oversight Committee held a closed-door roundtable with survivors of the unconscionable exploitation by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their co-conspirators.
• In August 2025, Pressley reintroduced the Protections and Transparency in the Workplace Act to combat sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
• In August 2025, Pressley led committee Democrats in calling for a Congressional hearing to prioritize the individuals who survived the horrific abuse associated with  by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their associates, and whose firsthand accounts may not be sufficiently represented in the Department of Justice’s records.
• In August 2025, Pressley issued a statement after Chairman James Comer issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files relating to child sex trafficker and Trump’s longtime friend Jeffrey Epstein. This action came after Rep. Pressley successfully helped pass a motion by Congresswoman Summer Lee and Ranking Member Robert Garcia to force the Committee to subpoena the Epstein files.
• In July 2025, Pressley in an interview described why her work to subpoena the Epstein files is deeply personal to her.
• In July 2025, Pressley joined the successful effort to pass a motion by Congresswoman Summer Lee and Ranking Member Robert Garcia to force the Committee to subpoena the Epstein files.
• In July 2024, Rep. Pressley reintroduced the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act of 2024. 
• In June 2024, Rep. Pressley renewed her calls for accountability and survivor-focused solutions following the damning reports of a toxic work environment at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). 
• In June 2024, Rep. Pressley also sent a letter to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) requesting information about the botched closure of FCI Dublin, abuse of women while they were being transferred to other facilities, and BOP’s management of investigations into the staff sexual misconduct and abuse at FCI Dublin and other federal BOP facilities.
• Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of H.R. 5388, legislation that would prevent the Secretary of Education from rolling back Title IX protections for survivors, as well as H.Res. 560, a resolution calling for an impeachment inquiry into Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, following reporting on new allegations of sexual misconduct committed by the Associate Justice.
• In April 2019, following the passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, Rep. Pressley issued a statement honoring her mother, Sandra Pressley, a survivor of domestic violence. Rep. Pressley is also the lead co-sponsor of an amendment to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that would establish the first-ever grant program dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, which passed the House of Representatives in March 2021.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Washington, D.C. – United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Greg Steube (FL-17), and Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act was signed into law. The legislation will extend current law to deliver critical tax relief to Americans impacted by federally declared natural disasters.

Under this legislation, victims will more easily be able to deduct qualified casualty losses for federally declared disasters between July 4, 2025, and December 31, 2026. It also ensures certain disaster relief payments are not treated as taxable income. These provisions will ensure disaster victims are not penalized by the tax code as they recover from catastrophic events.

“The last thing families and communities recovering from natural disasters should have to worry about is an additional tax burden when they’re trying to get back on their feet,” said Rep. Panetta. “I’m proud that our bipartisan legislation has been signed into law to ensure that wildfire relief payments and hurricane losses continue to qualify for fair tax treatment. This new law will provide disaster-impacted Americans with the certainty, time, and tools they need to rebuild and move forward.”

“This delivers long-overdue certainty to Americans rebuilding after natural disasters. Disaster victims should be focused on rebuilding their homes, businesses, and communities, not worrying about an unexpected tax burden on the assistance they receive,” said Rep. Steube. “I’m grateful to President Trump for signing this important legislation into law and ensuring families across the country receive the relief they deserve. Congressman LaMalfa worked tirelessly to get this legislation across the finish line, and it is fitting that his legacy of service will live on for years to come.”

“Californians are all too familiar with the devastation caused by wildfires. In the wake of losing their homes and livelihoods, it is wrong to tax survivors on settlement money that is meant to help them rebuild their lives,” said Rep. Thompson. “Survivors can’t afford to wait around for retroactive tax relief. I’m proud to have worked with Rep. Steube to pass this law extending the original tax relief Doug fought with us to achieve. Now, we have expanded this critical relief so even more survivors can be compensated.”

The legislation was led in the Senate by Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rick Scott (R-FL). The legislation was originally introduced as the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2025, but was later renamed to the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act to honor Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who passed away in January of 2026. 

“Surviving a natural disaster can place an enormous financial burden on families. It is critical that we support victims of devastating disasters like the wildfires in California and across the country. That’s why I was proud to team up with Senator Rick Scott and Representatives Greg Steube, Mike Thompson and Jimmy Panetta to provide tax relief to the victims of natural disasters and why I am so grateful to see our bipartisan bill signed into law. We must ensure that those hit the hardest when disaster strikes receive the support and the tax relief they need to recover. And in seeing our bill become law, we affirm a vital part of the late Doug LaMalfa’s legacy,” said Sen. Schiff. 

“After disaster strikes, impacted Americans should be focused on rebuilding their lives and their communities – not surprise changes to their tax bills. After speaking with so many Americans in Florida and across the country impacted by natural disasters, including meeting Spencer Pratt at his burned-down home and touring the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, I knew we had to do something. Now that President Trump has signed this bill into law, I’m grateful to have worked with Spencer, Rep. Steube, and Sen. Schiff to ensure those affected by hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters continue to receive the real tax relief – and the peace of mind – they deserve,” said Sen. Scott. 

The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023 previously delivered billions in tax relief to Americans recovering from hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and other federally declared disasters. The Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act builds on that effort by extending these provisions so disaster victims can continue to access relief under the tax code.

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Thomas Massie (4th District of Kentucky)

For Immediate Release
Contact: massie.press@mail.house.gov
Contact #: 202-225-3465

Washington, D.C.- Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) announces he is forcing a vote in the House of Representatives to impeach Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth. Among his charges, Rep. Massie asserts that Secretary Hegseth is operating in contravention of three specific provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Representative Massie is a member of the House Judiciary Committee. 

“By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” said Rep. Thomas Massie. “Secretary Hegseth’s constitutional violations extend beyond the illegal war in Iran. He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders, and to intimidate critics of the Trump administration by retaliating against them for exercising free speech. If we are to remain true to our oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States,’ Congress must not turn a blind eye to Secretary Hegseth’s unconstitutional and illegal actions.”

Rep. Massie will force the House to vote on eight specific charges against the Secretary of Defense. The charges are summarized as follows:

• Article I – Waging War in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 Section 2(c): Charges Secretary Hegseth with waging the Iran war despite no declaration of war, statutory authorization, attack on the United States, or imminent threat. It establishes that the war was unlawful from its inception.
• Article II – Waging War in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 Section 5(c): Charges Secretary Hegseth with continuing the Iran war after both Houses of Congress directed the removal of U.S. forces through H. Con. Res. 86. It focuses on his refusal to obey Congress’s express direction to terminate unauthorized hostilities.
• Article III – Waging War in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 Section 5(b): Charges Secretary Hegseth with continuing hostilities in Iran after expiration of the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day termination period and any potential 30-day withdrawal period. It establishes that he treated mandatory statutory deadlines as discretionary.
• Article IV – Ignoring Laws that Minimize Civilian Casualties: Charges Secretary Hegseth with ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties. 
• Article V – Extrajudicial Killings: Charges Secretary Hegseth with replacing maritime law enforcement with unauthorized lethal military targeting of suspected drug traffickers, resulting in at least 221 deaths. It also addresses denial of quarter, secondary strikes on survivors, failure to rescue shipwrecked persons, and the creation of artificial legal authorities for the campaign.
• Article VI – Suppressing Free Speech: Charges Secretary Hegseth with using DOD authority to retaliate against and intimidate Senator Mark Kelly for constitutionally protected speech questioning unlawful military orders.
• Article VII – Kidnapping of a Sovereign Foreign Leader: Charges Secretary Hegseth with directing Operation ABSOLUTE RESOLVE to seize Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in Venezuela without constitutional or legal authority.
• Article VIII – Unlawful War in Yemen: Charges Secretary Hegseth with initiating Operation ROUGH RIDER without congressional authorization or an imminent threat to the United States, while also violating war powers reporting requirements. It further addresses extensive civilian deaths and unlawful strikes on civilian objects, rescuers, and other protected persons.

The text of the charges against Secretary Hegseth is available at this link.

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

WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson highlighted House Republicans’ record of success in the 119th Congress and reminded people of the disastrous Democrat record during the Biden-Harris Administration. Speaker Johnson also condemned Congressional Democrats for their refusal to disavow individuals like Hasan Piker who said America deserved the 9/11 attacks.

“This is not a campaign over standard political disagreements. We are entering a new era in American politics. In Congress, beginning January 27, we’re not going to be arguing over marginal tax rates or inflation or foreign policy,” Speaker Johnson said. “We’re going to be debating whether we’re going to keep the greatest nation in the history of the world or break the thing down to the foundation and go down this dark, dangerous, deadly road to communism. That is not campaign rhetoric; it isn’t hyperbole. That’s literally what they’re doing.”

 

Watch Speaker Johnson’s remarks here.

On the House Republican record of success:

We have had a steady hand at that wheel, and we are turning the ship of state. And these are some of the results of that. I mean, our agenda is very simple. Get control of the border; check. Let working families keep more of what they earn; absolutely, did it. Increased competition and choice to lower healthcare costs; We are on that path right now. Encourage home building and domestic energy production to make everyday life more affordable, incentivize American companies to build in America, and hire American workers; we’ve been doing all that. You could summarize it all by just saying that it’s common sense. We believe in common sense principles. Listen to what I’m about to tell you and just ask yourself if you agree. Do you think criminals should go to jail and girls’ locker rooms should be for girls only? We do. The Democrat Party doesn’t.

We have had the largest drop in prescription drug prices in 60 years since we took back over the government. The largest middle- and working-class tax cut in American history. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on social security discussed this morning. More than one million new private sector jobs have been created in the last 19 months. More Americans are working than ever before. The jobs numbers are off the charts. Inflation is finally coming down from the Biden-era highs. Remember, it was a 40-year high, and we’ve been dragging it back down. The homicide rate hit the lowest level in 126 years. We took care of the violent crime problem. Illegal border crossings plummeted to zero for almost 16 straight months. Trillions of dollars in new investment are flowing into American industries because we are reshoring American jobs and American manufacturing, and that’s the American way.

On the disastrous results of the Biden-Harris Administration:

We reminded voters of the disastrous effects of the years under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, what we inherited when we took all this over last January. Remember this because it seems like a long time that’s gone by, but this is just less than two years ago. We had a country on the brink of ruin; we had criminals and cartels with free reign over the border. Y’all remember that. Americans of all ages were dying from fentanyl overdoses, a great scourge upon the country. Inflation soared to over 9% under Joe Biden, a 40-year high. Our cities were awash with violent crime. Factories were closing and American jobs were moving overseas. And radical woke politics were invading classrooms from kindergarten to college campuses. The American people were not down with that. In their communities, in their classrooms, in their pocketbooks, families were feeling the devastating effects of Democrat leadership and their false vision for what America is. And in 2024, the people said, “That’s enough.” They wanted a change.

On the Democrat agenda:

Democrats are offering nothing more than grievance politics. You want to know what their 2027 agenda is? I just described what ours is to keep on pace and keep doing that, but this is what they want to do. Political retribution, they’re already telling you about it. Reverse the tax cuts. It means taxes go up for your family, all the hardworking families. They want amnesty for illegal aliens. They want to reopen the borders. They want a restoration of taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal aliens. That’s quite literally what they’re going to do if you give them the reins back. We can’t do that. That’s their entire agenda.

On Democrats embracing radical, anti-American candidates and influencers:

The prevailing view of this new Communist/Marxist wing of the Democrat Party has an entirely different perspective on the tragic events of 9/11. Just observe their actions and their words and what they’ve said. The Senate Democrat nominee in Michigan, Mr. El-Sayed, openly campaigns with the radical who says America deserved 9/11. He won’t denounce it. The socialist candidate in Colorado, Kiros, said the September 11th attacks were quite inevitable. It was our fault, they say. Another candidate in New Jersey, Hamway, has publicly acknowledged past ties to Al-Qaeda as their candidate to run for Congress. It’s nuts. And in an unforgettable clip that we’ve all seen, I don’t think you can ever unsee it, during the sacred ceremony honoring the victims of 9/11 at ground zero. The unofficial leaders of the new Democratic Party, the radical left Democrat Party, AOC, and Zohran Mamdani were seen laughing while the names of the victims were being read, those American heroes names being read aloud. It’s just disgusting. And the American people see this, and they don’t agree with it. I mean, this is the kind of open disdain for America that today’s Democrat Party has. They don’t even try to hide it. It’s despicable. The American people should have none of it.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

WASHINGTON —A new report from the U.S. government’s nonpartisan watchdog agency revealed that federal taxpayers subsidized 1,719 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) that covered elective abortions for an estimated 4.4 million individuals this year alone. The report also showed that 683 more abortion-covering QHPs were available through the ACA than when GAO issued a similar brief in 2014.

                The recent report, compiled by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), was requested by House and Senate majority leadership, Co-Chairs of the House and Senate Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and Values Action Teams, and Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees of jurisdiction.

                Upon the release of the report—first reported by The Daily Wire—Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Chairman of the House Values Action Team (VAT), and Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, issued the following statement:

                “For far too long, pro-life Americans have been deceived by the ACA and strongarmed into paying for health plans that do not respect the sanctity of life. American taxpayers deserve complete transparency and truthfulness as to where their hard-earned dollars are going—and under the ACA as it currently stands, that’s just not possible.

                “Today’s GAO report confirms the very concerns that Republicans have raised for over fifteen years: the ACA fails to apply the longstanding and bipartisan Hyde Amendment law, which protects taxpayer dollars from funding abortion, both directly and through federal health plans.

                “The ACA allows premium tax credits to be directed towards health insurance coverage that includes elective abortion. Federal taxpayer dollars—even from individuals living in pro-life states—are subsidizing plans that include elective abortion coverage for over 4.4 million people.

                “The report also found that some insurance issuers failed to comply with the ACA’s consumer transparency provision, which requires plans to prominently disclose abortion coverage.

                “As we approach the 50^th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment on September 30^th—which is estimated to have saved the lives of over 2.6 million children (about 60,000 lives per year)—we renew the call to enforce this critical, lifesaving protection within the ACA without further delay. Taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize plans that cover the elective killing of an unborn child by dismemberment or baby poison pills.

                “Moreover, until Congress can pass legislation requiring full Hyde protections for all ACA plans, we urge the Trump Administration to reissue the Exchange Program Integrity Final Rule to ensure that consumers understand whether a plan subsidizes elective abortion.”

                Members of Congress who signed the GAO request letter: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA); Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD); House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA); Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY); House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN); House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI); House Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chairs: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD), Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO); Senate Pro-Life Caucus Chairwoman Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS); House Values Action Team Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL); Senate Values Action Team Chairman James Lankford (R-OK); Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID); Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA); House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY); and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement: 

“On September 1, my staff observed a joint exercise between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard designed to simulate response efforts and coordination between our two countries in the event of an oil spill in shared waters.

“This type of collaboration across the border between the U.S. and Canada is even more critical because of Canada’s plans to ship more oil in the Salish Sea with the proposed new Alberta to B.C. pipeline.

“I have concerns about the potential impacts of this proposed pipeline, including on tanker traffic in the Salish Sea, and I am glad that my staff could observe the exercise to ensure that there are relationships and procedures in place that benefit both countries in the event of a disastrous spill.

“I will continue to work with federal agencies to ensure their oil spill prevention and response plans account for increased tanker traffic, identify federal actions to reduce the risk of a spill and engage my Canadian Government counterparts on the concerns people I represent have about the pipeline.”

On September 1, the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard participated in a joint exercise designed to coordinate oil and hazardous spill responses in shared Pacific waters such as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait, Georgia Straits and Boundary Bay. These exercises occur every other year under the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan.

On July 2, the Government of Alberta announced a proposed new oil pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific Ocean that would transport 1 million barrels per day to an export terminal at Roberts Banks in British Columbia located just north of the Canada-U.S. border. The new pipeline is anticipated to significantly increase tanker traffic in Haro Strait and Boundary Bay in the Salish Sea, and with it the risks for catastrophic oil spills impacting sensitive marine environments. 

Larsen Insists Coast Guard Act to Protect Salish Sea

After hearing concerns from people who live in his district about this proposed pipeline, Rep. Larsen has been closely tracking developments on plans for pipeline construction and pressing the Coast Guard on its plans to update its prevention planning through the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan. In late July, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a roundtable with officials from the Coast Guard on maritime safety. A video clip of Rep. Larsen asking Coast Guard officials about their awareness of the new Canadian pipeline and how it would implicate existing oil spill prevention plans can be found here, and the recording of the entire roundtable can be found here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), introduced legislation to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax, delivering immediate relief to American drivers and truckers ahead of the midterm elections.

Statement from Congressman Harris:

“Families and truckers need some immediate relief from the high cost of fuel to drive to work or haul goods across this country. It’s time right now to temporarily suspend the federal gas and diesel tax until the end of the year. Hardworking  American taxpayers deserve that break.”

The federal gas tax currently stands at 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel. 
Congressman Harris’ bill would suspend these taxes through the end of the year, lowering costs at the pump for families, small businesses, and the trucking industry that keeps America’s supply chains moving.

To read the full bill text, please click here. 

For media inquiries, please contact Michella Carter at Michella.Carter@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

The National Law Enforcement Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Act, introduced by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Congressman Troy E. Nehls (TX-22), and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), was brought to the floor in the House yesterday and passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

This bipartisan legislation would establish a formal program within the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) to support and enhance the community outreach, public education and officer safety and wellness programs of the National Law Enforcement Museum through grants to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF). These programs would memorialize and honor law enforcement, compile data on law enforcement fatalities and injuries, increase public understanding of and support for law enforcement, enhance and improve law enforcement officer safety and wellness, and bring law enforcement closer to the communities they serve.

“Every day members of law enforcement answer the call to serve and keep our communities safe, putting their lives on the line. We must always support their critical work and honor those that give the ultimate sacrifice,” said Congressman Pappas. “My bipartisan legislation will support efforts to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, commemorate their legacies of service and sacrifice, and strengthen officer safety and wellbeing. I urge the Senate to take this legislation up to support members of law enforcement and the important work they do.”

The National Law Enforcement Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act is supported by NLEMOF’s board member organizations, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, International Union of Police Associations/AFL-CIO, Motorola Solutions, Verizon, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs’ Associations, COPS, DuPont, National Black Police Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Policing Institute, National Troopers Coalition, Police Executive Research Forum, Police Unity Tour, and the United Federation of Police Officers. 

Created by an Act of Congress in 1984, NLEOMF operates the National Law Enforcement Museum and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. NLEOMF’s mission is to honor fallen law enforcement officers, tell the story of our nation’s law enforcement officers, and make it safer for law enforcement.  

Read the bill text HERE.

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congresswoman Betty McCollum and Congressman Matt Van Epps (R-TN), introduced the Critical Materials Future Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would establish a pilot program at the Department of Energy to financially support domestic critical material processing projects.

“Securing a domestic critical mineral supply chain is essential for manufacturing clean energy technologies,” said Rep. McCollum. “For far too long, critical minerals extracted from our public lands have been shipped overseas for processing to be sold on the global market or bought back by American companies. That is not good stewardship of our natural resources, nor is it a good national security strategy. The Critical Materials Future Act will ensure that when we extract these resources, we also have the capacity to process them here at home.”

“Continuing to rely on foreign sources for our critical mineral supply is gambling with both our economic and national security. Today, China leads global processing of key critical minerals, refining more than 90% of graphite and nearly all gallium, which are essential to semiconductors and batteries. China also refines more than 90% of rare earth elements used in magnets for advanced defense technologies,” said Rep. Van Epps. “It is far past time for the United States to end this dangerous dependence. We can do this by paving the way for more critical mineral processing right here at home. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the Critical Materials Future Act alongside Congresswoman McCollum. This bipartisan legislation establishes a pilot program to support companies committed to building critical mineral processing operations here in the United States. By strengthening our domestic supply chains, this legislation will reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries and move us one step closer to rebuilding the American defense industrial base.”

The U.S. critical minerals list contains 50 minerals – including graphite, nickel, and cobalt – that are essential to our economy, infrastructure, and military capability. Critical minerals are used in smartphones, electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and more.

In December 2024, China announced that it would immediately block the export of three critical minerals — gallium, germanium, and antimony — to the U.S. China currently controls 90% of the global processing capacity for rare earth elements and over 80% of the processing for other critical minerals like cobalt, gallium, and graphite. Experts have become increasingly concerned with U.S. dependence on China for critical materials, arguing it poses a significant risk to national security.

The Critical Materials Future Act supports critical material processing projects in the United States by granting the Secretary of Energy the authority and funding to deploy innovative financial mechanisms, such as contracts for differences and advanced market commitments, within this sector.

The bill also requires the Secretary of Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of these financial tools on market dynamics and processing projects within the critical materials sector, and to provide recommendations for expanding their use to strengthen America’s processing capabilities.

The Senate companion, S. 596, was introduced by Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Todd Young (R-IN), and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

In the 118^th Congress, Congresswoman McCollum introduced H.R. 5021, the Securing American Critical Minerals Act, a bill to prohibit the sale or transfer of critical minerals to our adversaries. 

The full text of the Critical Materials Future Act can be found here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

(Washington, DC) — Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is holding a Full Committee hearing titled, Innovation in Disaster Prevention: Advancing Technology for Prediction and Response.

Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren’s (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below:

Good morning. Thank you to Chairman Babin for holding this important hearing and thank you to the witnesses for coming to share your expertise and insights with us today.

The topic of today’s hearing is timely. NOAA has announced that we’ve just experienced the hottest summer on record, and a historic “super El Niño” event is expected to bring more extreme weather events this fall. Climate change is intensifying natural hazards around the nation, and we need to prepare by investing in our capabilities for forecasting, detection, monitoring, warning, and response.

Coming from California, I know how quickly natural events can escalate into hazards that threaten public safety. Wildfires, earthquakes, landslides, and drought all pose ongoing risks to my constituents. Just last February, an atmospheric river occurred at the end of a severe fire season in my District. Torrential rainfall onto the recently burned areas caused landslides, debris flows, and flash flooding across the region. Forecasting models failed to indicate the storm’s severity or where it would make landfall, limiting evacuation time. Emergency officials should not have to resort to giving door-to-door evacuation notices. We must improve our ability to detect and communicate risks before they become active hazards.

Science and technology are fundamental to addressing the new reality of extreme hazards. Our current hazard prediction and alert systems have been built through interagency partnerships, which leverage institutional expertise and federal tools and data to inform risk management.

While industry is using AI and machine learning to improve our current detection systems, dedicated research helps us understand how natural hazards occur, who they impact, and how we can reduce risk and improve response. Translating the science into operational tools, forecasts, and warning systems will require collaborations across government, academia, the public, and private sectors.

We’ve seen the power of these partnerships in California. CAL FIRE is a leader in fire innovation, adopting next-generation wildfire technology, like AI-powered camera networks, to enhance firefighter safety and efficiency. Programs like FireSense at NASA Ames can also serve as a model by leveraging technical capabilities at our research agencies to directly support the operational decision making of our federal and state wildfire management agencies. I am excited to hear from Dr. Falkowski, who previously led the FireSense project at NASA Ames, about how we can move these technological innovations to support operational agencies and decision-makers.

While there are many successful federal programs, I am deeply concerned about the trajectory of disaster research and recovery due to reckless cuts and partisan decision-making from the Trump Administration.

The Administration has weakened the federal emergency management apparatus across several key agencies, including NASA, NSF, NOAA, NIST, and FEMA, by defunding valuable programs and research or pushing out agency expertise on these issues. In the past 19 months, the President has slashed the fundamental research that informs our hazard forecasts, haphazardly consolidated federal firefighting resources, and withheld disaster aid as he pleases. It’s become clear that public safety is not a priority for this Administration.

I am most concerned about instances where the Trump Administration has withheld disaster response funding from states that have elected Democratic leaders. Last year, the Administration withheld important wildfire funding from Los Angeles after the most destructive wildfire in the city’s history. This past February, this Administration overruled their own regional FEMA and NOAA offices to deny hundreds of millions of dollars in major disaster aid to four Democratic-led states: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

We cannot allow federal disaster response to become a partisan game. Doing so will certainly lead to a race to the bottom that neither Democratic- nor Republican-led states can afford.

Thank you again to our witnesses for being here today. I yield back.