Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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

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

In Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Mike Johnson hosted a statue unveiling and dedication ceremony to honor Virginia’s new contribution to National Statuary Hall. The new contribution is civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns of Prince Edward County, who is remembered for her courageous actions to protest racial segregation in Virginia public schools.

Barbara Rose Johns joins George Washington as Virginia’s two representatives in the National Statuary Hall Collection. Every U.S. state is granted the opportunity to contribute two statues to the Collection.

In attendance for the ceremony were Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, numerous state and federal elected officials from Virginia and guests from Virginia’s Ninth District who were invited by U.S. Congressman Griffith (R-VA).

Following the ceremony, Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:

“Barbara Rose Johns is a historic figure in Virginia and U.S. history. Her leadership during the civil rights movement was featured in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case that would overturn racial segregation and usher in a new era of social change in the United States.

“Barbara Rose Johns’ contributions to societal progress earned her the immense honor of being featured as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection. I join Virginia communities and the country in celebrating the inspiring legacy of Barbara Rose Johns.”

One of Congressman Griffith’s guests to the ceremony was Dr. Mickey Hickman of Pulaski, Virginia. Dr. Hickman is President of the Calfee Center’s Board of Directors. Dr. Hickman shared his thoughts:

“I am very pleased that Congressman Griffith had the benevolence to include me in this historic occasion. I am a former public schools history teacher. I taught about things that occurred in years past. But this is an era that I lived in and to see this recognition come to an individual a lot braver than me is heartening! It just happens to be that this history being celebrated today has a connective history to the project that I am working with in Pulaski, Virginia, one that the Congressman visited and made acquaintances. I appreciate him remembering me and our project’s story.”

Video coverage of today’s ceremony can be found here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

Rep. Ben Cline (VA-06), alongside Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), introduced the Protecting Ballot Measures From Foreign Influence Act of 2025, which would prohibit contributions and donations from foreign nationals seeking to influence state and local ballot initiatives and referenda.

“Foreign nationals should have absolutely no role in influencing the outcome of American elections, whether at the federal, state, or local level. My Protecting Ballot Measures From Foreign Influence Act closes a dangerous loophole by ensuring that ballot initiatives and referenda are decided by American citizens alone, not foreign money or foreign interests. This commonsense legislation strengthens election integrity and reaffirms that the future of our communities must be determined by those who live in them,” said Rep. Ben Cline.

“Folks of all political stripes agree that U.S. citizens, not foreign nationals should determine the outcome of U.S. elections,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Ballot measures can have an immense impact on life in the United States, and they must be protected from the whims of international bad actors. I take seriously my duty to keep our elections safe, secure, and solely decided by the American people.”  

Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and a Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a new measles case was confirmed in Oakland County, Michigan. 

In response to the growing public health threat resulting from RFK Jr’s failed leadership, Oakland County Congresswoman Haley Stevens issued the following statement: 

“A second confirmed measles case in Oakland County is not a coincidence — it’s the predictable result of dangerous conspiracies being pushed by our own Health and Human Services Secretary, RFK Jr. Eradicating measles was once one of the greatest public health achievements in the United States. Now it’s back, and it’s in my district, because RFK Jr. is undermining science and eroding public trust. He must be impeached.

“When public figures spread misinformation and chaos, they put families, children, and entire communities at risk. I stand with doctors, scientists, and public health officials who are clear: the best way to stop measles is vaccination — full stop.

“RFK Jr. should be strengthening public health, not sabotaging it. Michigan families deserve leadership rooted in facts, not fear. I urge my colleagues in Congress to stand up for science and join me in fighting to keep Michigan families safe by impeaching RFK Jr.”

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) recognized Butler, Pa. native and former University of Notre Dame Quarterback Terry Hanratty during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Hanratty was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Las Vegas earlier this month.

“I’ve known Terry for years. We played high school football together in Butler, and we later played football at Notre Dame together. Terry set the standard for college quarterbacks in the 1960s and quickly cemented his legacy as one of Notre Dame’s all-time greats. Most importantly, I’m proud to call him a friend. I want to congratulate Terry Hanratty for his induction in the College Football Hall of Fame, an honor that was long overdue and very much deserved,” said Rep. Kelly. “Terry has spent his entire life helping other people. More than being a tremendous athlete, I think it’s more important to note he is a tremendous person. Young people have to have somebody to look up to. Terry Hanratty is one of those people.”

You can WATCH and DOWNLOAD Rep. Kelly’s full floor speech using the YouTube link here.

Rep. Kelly also recognized former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and World Series champion Vernon Law, who Kelly joined during Mr. Law’s induction into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame in August.

BACKGROUND

Terry Hanratty set the standard as a precision quarterback in the 1960s, helping usher in an era of high-powered passing under Hall of Fame Coach Ara Parseghian and cementing his legacy as one of Notre Dame’s all-time greats. The Butler, Pennsylvania, native now becomes the 50th Fighting Irish player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame. 

A consensus First Team All-American in 1968, Hanratty led Notre Dame to a 24-4-2 record during his three years under center in South Bend, including a share of the national title in 1966. The Irish finished the 1966 season 9-0-1, tying Michigan State in the “Game of the Century” with Hanratty sidelined with an injury.
 
The Irish won 83.3 percent of their games with Hanratty as the starting signal caller, and the Irish boasted a final ranking of No. 5 or better during all three years of his tenure. Hanratty finished third in the Heisman voting in 1968, ninth in 1967, and sixth in 1966.

Hanratty was later drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by Pittsburgh, where he played seven years with the Steelers and one year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

You can read more about Hanratty’s career here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Co-Chair of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus, today praised the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to add Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP), underscoring the importance of early diagnosis for children and families across the nation.  Congressman Bilirakis joined HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., fellow Members of Congress, patient advocates, and families at today’s announcement, including the Beacham family and their daughter, Mattie, whose personal journey illustrates the life-changing impact of early newborn screening.

“I was proud to attend today’s compassionate announcement by Secretary Kennedy,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus, I have worked for years to expand newborn screening so that no child suffers because of a lack of diagnosis. This action will help ensure earlier diagnoses, better treatments, and more hope for families—while also advancing research and innovation for rare diseases.”

Bilirakis emphasized the significance of the Beacham family’s participation and the powerful reminder their story provides.

“I was especially honored to stand with the Beacham family and their daughter, Mattie,” Bilirakis continued. “Mattie’s story underscores exactly why this issue matters. If her rare disease had been diagnosed at birth, she could have avoided much of the pain she has endured in her short life. No family should have to wonder ‘what if,’ and no child should have to suffer unnecessarily because a diagnosis came too late.”

DMD and MLD are often not diagnosed until children are four or five years old, after irreversible damage has already occurred. Adding these conditions to the RUSP will give families critical answers at birth, allowing children to access FDA-approved therapies at the most effective stage and potentially change the course of their lives.

“This decision represents a monumental step forward rooted in compassion and science,” Bilirakis said. “I want to ensure children like Mattie have the best possible start in life. Early screening can mean the difference between years of uncertainty and pain, and a future filled with timely care, informed decisions, and hope.”

The RUSP serves as a federal recommendation for universal newborn screening, with states determining implementation. Congressman Bilirakis encouraged states to move swiftly to adopt the new screenings and reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for children and families affected by rare diseases.

“I will continue working in Congress to ensure states have the support they need to implement these screenings and to fight for policies that put children and families first,” Bilirakis concluded.

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

WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson discussed House Republicans’ efforts to lower health care premiums for all Americans, increase health care access, expand health care choices, and bring greater transparency to America’s health care system through the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act. Speaker Johnson also highlighted House Republicans’ extensive accomplishments in the first session of the 119th Congress.

“The Washington Post summarized all this best in one simple sentence. They said, ‘The real problem is that the Affordable Care Act was never actually affordable.’ That’s the problem,” Speaker Johnson said. “America’s health care system should be the envy of the world. Instead, it’s the most expensive in the world, and the American people are not getting any healthier.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here

On the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act:

For all the obvious reasons, all Americans deserve a health care system that puts patients first; one that meets their needs with more access, more choice, and more affordable quality care. And House Republicans have offered legislation to begin fixing what is broken and to restore integrity to our nation’s health care system. And it’s so long overdue. The Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act will be on the floor tomorrow; it is the first big step in that regard.

It offers common sense solutions to lower premium costs for everybody, for all Americans. It expands access to quality care. It provides every American with more options and flexibility to choose coverage that works for them. And it brings greater transparency to America’s health care system. And the bill has five key reforms. I’ll just reiterate some of this real quickly. It reduces premium costs through cost sharing reduction payments, brings pharmacy benefit manager transparency and removes the hidden costs of prescription drugs, it allows small business owners and independent workers to form association health plans to provide more choice for employees to customize their healthcare plans, and it protects small businesses from costly regulatory overreach. According to the latest CBO projection, Republicans cost sharing reduction payments, just that provision alone, would reduce premiums by at least 11% and will save taxpayers tens of billions of dollars, about $30 billion.

On Democrats fighting to continue subsidizing their broken, wasteful health care system:

It is the Democrats’ Unaffordable Care Act that broke America’s health care system, and it’s the Democrats who’ve refused every good faith Republican effort to fix it along the way. This is 15 years into this saga that the American people have been drug through, because the Democrats decided 15 years ago to break the system. They insisted when they passed the Unaffordable Care Act that it would reduce premiums; it would provide more choice and higher quality and all of that. And none of that ever happened. In fact, quite the opposite effect is what we have seen. All this was foreseeable, and that’s why Republicans didn’t support it. Premiums have skyrocketed. The quality of care has plummeted in so many places and in so many cases around the country. And the fraud is absolutely rampant in the system, and it’s costing everyone dearly.

Yes, there is a health care affordability problem in America. It’s a very serious problem for almost every family. But it is an indisputable fact, the Democrats caused that problem, and Republicans are the ones having to cleaned it up. For 15 long years, Americans have now faced skyrocketing premiums, fewer quality choices, inefficient care and widespread fraud, waste, and abuse. Benchmark premiums for on the Obamacare marketplace, for every plan, have increased 80% overall since 2014, and they’re continuing to rise. The Unaffordable Care Act marketplace has resulted in lower quality plan offerings and less consumer choices. Today, fraud is absolutely rampant. Paragon Health is one of the analyst groups, and they estimate there’s over 6.4 million people who are improperly enrolled in the Obamacare exchange. And a recent GAO study, the Government Accountability Office, found some staggering facts. It proved what we all know intuitively about the fraud that’s involved in this program. They found that Obamacare subsidy system lacks even the most basic guardrails to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.

On Democrats flip-flopping over their support for Cost Sharing Reduction Payments:

The Democrats’ subsidy proposal would only lower premiums for a small subset of people. Now, think of this. Just 7% of America case would benefit. When they passed the COVID-era enhanced subsidy, enhanced premium tax credit, it would only affect and only did affect 7% of American people. If it was extended today, if their gambit was done and without any reforms and they expanded it for three years, which is what they tried to do in the Senate, and they failed last week, and what they would try to do in the House if allowed, that would only reduce for the 7% of Americans, it would only reduce their costs by 5.7%. This is not some solution to the problem. It’s just adding more money, further subsidizing the broken system, and the subsidies go to insurance companies. They’re not trying to solve the cost problem. They’re trying to hide that. And it’s not the way to fix it. It would also, by the way, cost taxpayers if the subsidy was extended, would cost American taxpayers $350 billion over the next 10 years. Again, the proposal doesn’t lower health care costs in any way. It only hides the true cost of a failed law.

I’ll remind you; CSR payments are not a new idea. In fact, in 2017, the thing that we’re going to put on the floor tomorrow, a big part of that, 196 House Democrats, many of them still in Congress, wrote a letter in support of that very idea – exactly what the Republican bill this week will accomplish. Now, they won’t tell you that this week. I’m certain they’re all going to vote against it. Why? As was said here many times this morning, they do not want a solution. Democrats do not want a solution. They want an issue in the upcoming election. And they think that the media will go along with this and that people will buy it. That their heroic effort to extend this, this COVID-era subsidy that they themselves created and that they themselves put the expiration date on at the end of this year, that they’re going to try to convince you that that’s all health care wrapped into that. Remember, it only affects 7% of Americans and could only reduce their cost by less than 6%. Democrats also had a chance to support our provision. House Democrats voted against it. And the Senate Democrats did as well. That cost sharing reduction would reduce everybody’s premiums by almost 12%. The Democrats fought to take it out.

On House GOP accomplishments in the first year of the 119^th Congress:

We obviously passed the Working Families Tax Cuts, the beautiful bill, the most significant piece of legislation that Congress has considered in my lifetime. Stephen Miller had a quote that summarized pretty well. He said, “Each and every one of the individual titles in that bill would be considered one of the greatest achievements in the history of the conservative movement.” They are conservative policies, but they benefit every American and everyone will be seeing and feeling the effects of that in the first and second quarter of next year when all that becomes implemented. By way of reminder, the legislation included the largest tax cut in American history, permanent extension of the reduced estate tax, Medicaid program reforms, expansion of SNAP work requirements, increased border enforcement and funding, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, increase standard deduction for seniors, tax-free savings accounts for every child born in America, business tax provisions to incentivize investment and innovation and broaden the path we out of poverty for more people. Wages will be increasing and costs will be going down.

Many of these landmark provisions are set for implementation in the first, second quarter, as I said, and all boats will begin to rise. Just last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicted $100 to $150 billion in new tax refunds, between $1,000 and $2,000 per household. And most of the estimates say that the average American household would have their take home pay increase by at least 10,000 bucks. These are real tangible benefits that this bill is going to offer tens of millions of American families. And we’re excited about what’s ahead. It’s just one more example of the many positive and transformational outcomes that we want to see going into the next year. So far, House Republicans have passed 413 bills this year. We’ve codified 68 of President Trump’s America first executive orders. We’ve repealed 23 Biden-era regulations under the Congressional Review Act resolutions. We clawed back billions in wasteful spending through Rescissions and opened numerous investigations into President Biden’s failed administration. And we look forward to continuing all of that work when we return in 2026

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García issued the following statement about a new wave of federal agents arriving to Chicago:

“My office and I are aware that a large group of masked federal agents arrived in our city, once again terrorizing our community.

“At a time when families should be celebrating the holidays in safety and peace, these agents are instead carrying out operations to separate families, sow panic, and intimidate hardworking people. Investigative reporting has made it clear that these ICE raids are targeting individuals with no criminal records. 

“These operations are a choice. Masked agents, unannounced raids, and holiday timing are tactics designed to maximize fear. My office will continue to confront these practices and take every step necessary to protect our constituents and hold federal agencies and their leaders accountable.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

A bipartisan group of Florida lawmakers is urging swift implementation of proposed updates to the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding formula—changes that would significantly strengthen Florida’s ability to provide lifesaving care to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, established by Congress in 1990, provides critical medical care and support services to approximately 500,000 low-income Americans each year. Florida has one of the largest HIV-positive populations in the nation, with more than 100,000 Floridians living with HIV. 

Last month, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)—the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency that administers the program—proposed updating the funding formula to reflect where people live today, rather than where they were originally diagnosed. The current formula disadvantages high-growth states like Florida, which experiences significant migration and population shifts each year.

The bipartisan Florida delegation urged HRSA to move forward with the update so federal resources better align with patient needs and current population realities.

“Florida’s HIV community has grown and changed, but the funding formula hasn’t kept up,” said Rep. Frankel (D-FL-22). “This is about making sure federal dollars follow patients so people can get tested, treated, and stay healthy. That’s good public health and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”

The letter was led by Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22) and signed by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) as well as Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-26), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), John Rutherford (R-FL-05), Darren Soto (D-FL-09), Kat Cammack (R-FL-03), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), Laurel Lee (R-FL-15), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23), and Randy Fine (R-FL-06).

To read the full letter, click here.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Thomas Massie (KY-04) are leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers to fully repeal the 2001 Authorized Use of Military Force (AUMF). Notably, the 2001 AUMF is the only AUMF in American history that does not have a named enemy, geographic scope, a duration for which the authorization is active, or a list of specifically authorized operations.

“The United States has used the nebulous term ‘War on Terror’ to conduct military operations around the world for more than two decades. It is long overdue that we overhaul these broad authorities that enable the Executive Branch to conduct these operations with little to no oversight,” said Jayapal. “The American people do not want these forever wars. As the Trump Administration threatens military force in Nigeria and as they conduct strikes against alleged narcoterrorists, Congress must reassert our constitutional power to declare war to protect our servicemembers and our national security.”

“For almost a quarter of a century, this AUMF has been used to justify open-ended military operations across multiple countries, against groups and individuals that did not even exist in 2001 and were not connected to 9/11, without congressional authorization or oversight,” said Rep. Massie, “Too many American lives and too much American treasure has been expended on these endless foreign conflicts.”

In the decades since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, the original action authorized by this AUMF, numerous presidential administrations have used it as justification for actions against more than half a dozen groups around the world, including “associated forces” and “successor entities” of al-Qaeda, even in instances where there are negligible or no ties to the actors that carried out the September 11th attacks. 

While the ability to engage in counterterror operations is vital to U.S. national security interests, this AUMF is overly broad and abdicates Congress’ constitutional role to authorize hostilities. This authority must be updated to meet the current terror landscape and give clear guidance to the Administration on where hostilities can occur. With the House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress is on track to repeal a 1991 AUMF that authorized the Gulf War and a 2002 AUMF that authorized the Iraq War. However, the legislation failed to address the larger 2001 AUMF.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Representatives James P. McGovern (MA-02), Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Greg Casar (TX-35), Eli Crane (AZ-02). 

Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security