Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-1) reintroduced the Zero Food Waste Act, legislation that would create a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant program to reduce food waste nationwide. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. 

“It is unacceptable that as food insecurity grows across our country, nearly half of all food produced in the U.S. goes to waste, costing consumers billions of dollars and fueling the climate crisis. This level of waste is especially troubling when so many families are struggling to put food on the table, and when food production and food waste are major drivers of greenhouse gas emissions. We can and must confront these two critical, interconnected challenges, and we must do so with urgency,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley. “The Zero Food Waste Act will give local governments the tools they need to cut waste and build more sustainable, resilient food systems that better support families and strengthen our communities. I am also grateful to Senator Booker and Congresswoman Pingree for their partnership as we work to curb food waste, support those in need, and protect our environment for generations to come.”

“Families are stretching every dollar right now, yet enormous amounts of perfectly good food are still being thrown away instead of reaching people who need it. The Zero Food Waste Act aims to fix that disconnect. Our bill tackles hunger and rising food costs head-on by helping communities recover surplus food, expand local nutrition programs, and build systems that make better use of the resources we already have,” said Congresswoman Pingree, co-founder of the Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus. “Reducing waste also means cutting methane emissions from landfills and easing the environmental burden of producing food that never gets eaten. Our bill will strengthen local economies by creating jobs in food recovery, composting, and waste-reduction infrastructure and ultimately move us closer to meeting our national food waste reduction goals.”

“On top of already strained grocery budgets, food waste costs each American consumer around $700 per year. Nearly 40 million tons of food go to waste each year, which is a costly misuse of the significant resources that go into growing, transporting, buying, and preparing food, said Senator Booker. “The Zero Food Waste Act will create grants to make sure foods that otherwise would’ve needlessly gone to the landfill get eaten, upcycled into other products, or composted instead. We can keep more money in Americans’ pockets, simply by making sure the food we grow gets eaten or put to good use,” said Senator Cory Booker.

“Congress has the ability to support significant food waste reduction efforts through the Zero Food Waste Act, which would create the first EPA grant program specifically intended to fund the planning, measurement, and implementation of food waste reduction projects. The $650 million authorized for the program under the Act will enable local, state, and tribal governments across the U.S. to operationalize the food waste solutions that make the most sense in their region. The Zero Food Waste Act is an important opportunity for Congress to take action on food security, economic development, and the environment.” sail Emily Broad Leib, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic.

Background

In the U.S., nearly half of all food produced is lost or wasted, which means an estimated $408 billion is spent on growing, processing, transporting, storing, and disposing of food that is never consumed. Landfills are now the third-largest source of methane in the U.S., and food is the single largest input by weight in our landfills and incinerators.

In 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the EPA announced a goal of reducing the U.S.’s food waste by 50% by 2030. To achieve that goal, the federal government must increase its support for state and local efforts to eliminate food waste.

The Zero Food Waste Act would create a new EPA-administered grant program for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and for nonprofits, to support three types of grants: planning grants, measurement grants, and reduction grants. Planning grants could be used to investigate the kinds of food waste mitigation projects or policies that would be most impactful within a given community. Measurement grants could be used to better understand the amount of food waste generated in the state or community.

Reduction grants could be used to fund an assortment of different types of projects. For instance, food waste prevention projects could stop the generation of food waste. Recycling projects could reuse food waste as a feedstock for other non-food products, such as composting. Rescuing projects could redirect surplus food to places like food shelters. Upcycling projects could make new food from ingredients that would otherwise go to landfills. Additionally, localities could use the grant funding to implement food waste landfill disposal or incineration restrictions designed to stop food waste.

The Zero Food Waste Act is endorsed by The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), World Wildlife Fund, and ReFED.

Read the full text of the bill here.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Climate Crisis, Local Issues

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement on President Trump’s Executive Order that restricts states from regulating artificial intelligence.

“The Trump Administration failed badly twice to ban states from regulating artificial intelligence in the absence of a federal framework. The Administration’s new executive order on AI is an unconstitutional attempt to do an end run around their failed efforts and is a clear overreach of executive authority.

“An executive order cannot create law and cannot preempt state authority. Any attempt to impose binding legal requirements or dictate national policy on states without congressional action will be challenged in the courts. Only Congress can establish a national framework that preempts state laws.

“Congress on a bipartisan basis has refused to preempt states with nothing. I welcome any effort by the Administration to work with Congress to establish a federal framework for AI. I have repeatedly called for this foundational work so we can create durable, responsible legislation.

“Executive overreach wastes time and is never a substitute for lawmaking. Congress must lead on establishing a federal framework that continues to allow innovation in AI while providing reasonable, common-sense safeguards. And for that to happen, House Republican leadership must pull their heads out of the sand.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Mehmet Oz, MD, in response to a final rule that will reduce payment of the Medicare home health benefit, constraining the ability for seniors to receive much-need in-home care.

In her letter, Dingell requests a meeting with Administrator Oz to discuss how CMS and Congress can work together to support Medicare beneficiaries who rely on the home health benefit, as well as strengthen home care services across the country more broadly.

“In 2021, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home Health Quality Reporting Program found that approximately 3 million Medicare beneficiaries utilized home health care. These services enable individuals to receive care in their own homes and communities, which research shows is the preferred option for many patients,” Dingell said. “CMS issued a final rule that includes policies that would result in about a 1.3% payment reduction of the home health benefit for 2026. While this is a smaller reduction than was initially proposed, reducing payments to home health agencies (HHAs) by any amount is unacceptable. These payment cuts would not only be disastrous, but they also do not align with CMS’ intent to ensure budget neutral payment rates, given that total Medicare home health expenditures have declined year-over-year.”

“Access to home health care enables seniors and individuals with disabilities to receive the specialized care that allows them to safely transition from the hospital to the home. This benefit is often cost-saving, more convenient for patients and their families, and allows patients to receive quality care in-line with what they would receive in a hospital or a skilled nursing facility,” Dingell continues. “An analysis from the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare found that the mortality rate and emergency room admission rate for patients not receiving timely access to this care is increasing annually, in line with cuts that are growing annually.”

“I urge you to work with Congress and home health providers to ensure that funds directed to the home health benefit are used to improve the program for beneficiaries, including by addressing mortality and emergency room admission rates, rejections of home health referrals, and barriers to home care in rural areas,” Dingell concludes. “Further cuts to this system will be devastating. We must work together to improve, modernize, and expand access to the home health benefit for patients, providers, and their families.”

View the full text of the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today sent a letter to the University of Michigan demanding they hold an urgent community forum in Ypsilanti Township in response to questions and concerns from residents about its planned $1.25 billion joint high-performance computing and AI research center in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory. 
 
Since the announcement of the new development, Dingell has worked with all stakeholders to encourage community engagement, public input, and transparency. The University of Michigan has a responsibility to directly engage with the Ypsilanti Township community. The lack of information has caused significant stress and anguish for residents, who are dealing with daily anxiety and growing mistrust because their questions remain unanswered.
 
“For months, there has been anxiety and distress in the Ypsilanti Township community about this proposed joint project with Los Alamos for a data center. I first learned of the project from Ypsilanti Township, and still have very little background information from U-M,” Dingell wrote. “When Ypsilanti Township asked if I would host a town hall, I attempted to coordinate with U-M but was told officials were unable to answer questions or provide information. Therefore, without the ability to share facts, I could not hold the town hall I requested.”
 
“Despite repeated requests, U-M has still not met with residents in Ypsilanti Township. I participated in a meeting with Township officials, who expressed strong feelings that they did  not want this data center at the designated site. I also attended a meeting with several senior U-M officials and the Ypsilanti Township supervisor, clerk, and trustees, where concerns about the site of the project were discussed and asked that alternative sites be considered,” Dingell continued. “At that meeting, the request for U-M to engage directly with the community was reaffirmed. Yet instead of meeting in Ypsilanti Township, U-M hosted an open house in Ann Arbor. Holding a meeting miles away from the affected community, which sent the message that Ypsilanti Township’s concerns are secondary and further undermines trust in the process. This week, the Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees passed a resolution to immediately claw back the funding previously awarded for the proposed data center project.”
 
“There are too many unanswered questions, and Ypsilanti residents deserve clarity and to be part of this process. It is long past time for U-M to hold a public meeting in Ypsilanti Township to explain its vision, present any plans under consideration, and answer the outstanding questions from residents,” Dingell concluded. “I urge U-M to immediately host a public forum in Ypsilanti and take these unresolved concerns seriously. If U-M wants to gain the trust of the community, there must be real public input in the process, this must be an open, transparent dialogue, and it must occur before any further decisions or commitments are made.”
 
View the full text of the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Dingell Statement on Motion to Table Impeachment Resolution

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jack Bergman (R-MI) today reintroduced the Veterans Affairs Peer Review Neutrality Act to improve quality of care at VA medical facilities across the country by ensuring neutrality and accountability in the VA’s peer review process.

Dingell and Bergman first introduced the legislation following a report, requested by Dingell, by the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General that revealed leadership failures at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit.  

The Veterans Affairs Peer Review Neutrality Act would require that those who participate in the peer review process are not directly involved in the case itself, ensuring there is no conflict of interest. It would ensure that the peer review process is conducted according to a specific set of parameters to avoid issues for both patients and their doctors.

“It’s critical that we reassure our veterans that we are personally engaged, have been from the beginning, and will remain so throughout this process,” said Dingell. “We remain committed to ensuring that all veterans being treated at the John Dingell VA Medical Center, as well as other centers throughout the country, are getting the best care possible. This bill is meant to improve efforts to ensure veterans receive care that is carefully and accurately peer reviewed for the betterment of the VA healthcare system as a whole.”

“Conflicts of interest simply have no place in the VA’s peer review process. Our Veterans deserve to have confidence that the care they receive at VA medical facilities is being evaluated with fairness and professionalism,” said Bergman. “This bill strengthens that process to ensure it remains objective, consistent, and centered on the needs of those who served.”

The Veterans Affairs Peer Review Neutrality Act would:

• Prohibit those with a conflict of interest from participating in the peer review process
• Ensure that all peer reviews are approved by a neutral party at a separate VA facility than the one originating the review
• Require VA facilities fill all vacant medical center director positions within 180 days and require the VA to notify Congress within 90 days if a medical center director is given a different position, as well as provide necessary information.

View the full bill text here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Today, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed the bipartisan Women’s World War II Memorial Location Act to place a monument on the National Mall, near the existing WWII Memorial, in honor of the women who worked on the home front during World War II. The bipartisan bill, led by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID), is the next legislative step needed after Congress passed legislation in 2022 authorizing the establishment of a memorial.

Under current law, an act of Congress is required to place a commemorative work on the National Mall. This bill advances a decade-long effort to properly honor the more than 18 million trailblazing women – known as Rosie the Riveters – who worked as riveters, pilots, engineers, electricians, mechanics, code breakers, and more, most of which women had been previously told they were incapable of.

“Our Rosies answered the call when our nation needed them most, redefining the role of the American woman and opening the door wider for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “This bill will take us one step closer to ensuring our Rosies receive the recognition they deserve, and I am honored to lead legislation to honor their service and commitment to America and their unwavering ‘can do’ spirit. We will always be thankful for their strength, bravery, and lasting impact on our nation. I’m proud to pass this bill through the House, and look forward to it being signed into law, so we can begin work on this monument to complete the story of World War II in our nation’s front yard.” 

“Rosie the Riveters were vital to the war effort during WWII. In Idaho, heroic civilian women worked and volunteered at the Farragut Naval Training Station in North Idaho. Built shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, it became the second-largest naval training base in the country,” said Congressman Fulcher. “I’m proud to have co-led this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to honor their service, sacrifice, and patriotism by securing the location for a memorial in our nation’s capital—proudly supported entirely through private funds.”

View Dingell’s remarks on the House Floor here.

During WWII, the percentage of women in the workforce rose to nearly 37%. At Ford Motor Company’s Willow Run Bomber Plant in Michigan women made up one-third of a workforce that turned out one complete B-24 Liberator Bomber every 55 minutes. Many women worked in jobs previously reserved for men, such as riveters and welders.

Dingell has long worked to ensure the Rosies’ work and legacy are honored and remembered, hosting a group of 11 Rosies on a visit to the U.S. Capitol. She also helped pass the Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Rosies. The original Rosie the Riveter, Rose Will Monroe, moved to Michigan to build B-24 bombers at Willow Run in Ypsilanti.

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

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

“I voted for legislation that strengthens our national defense while delivering real support for the men and women who serve. The FY26 NDAA includes a wide range of provisions to support servicemembers, Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workers, and their families by authorizing a 3.8 percent pay increase, expanding access to childcare, and improving military housing and health care. These investments help our troops and their families stay healthy, stable, and mission ready. I will continue working to secure a bipartisan agreement that honors their service and delivers responsible defense policy for our country.”

The FY26 NDAA also advances several of the Congressman’s Texas and border security priorities.

“The bill provides an extension of authority for DoD to support civilian law enforcement on counterterrorism and counterdrug activities. This extension allows our law enforcement partners to better protect South Texas. I will keep working to advance these priorities because military families deserve our full support.”

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Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Previously, he served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.

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El Representante Cuellar Vota a Favor de Avanzar la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional para el Año Fiscal 2026

Washington, D.C. – Hoy, el Congresista estadounidense Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), miembro destacado del Comité de Asignaciones de la Cámara de Representantes y del Subcomité de Asignaciones para la Defensa, ha publicado la siguiente declaración tras votar a favor de la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional (NDAA) para el año fiscal 2026:

“Voté a favor de una legislación que refuerza nuestra defensa nacional y, al mismo tiempo, brinda un apoyo real  a los hombres y mujeres que prestan servicio. La NDAA para el año fiscal 2026 incluye una amplia gama de disposiciones para  apoyar a los miembros del servicio, a los trabajadores civiles del Departamento de Defensa (DoD) y a sus familias , autorizando un aumento salarial del 3,8 %, ampliando el acceso a los servicios de guardería y mejorando  las viviendas y la atención médica de los militares. Estas inversiones ayudan a nuestras tropa y a sus familias a mantenerse sanas, estables y preparadas para la misión. Seguiré trabajando para garantizar un acuerdo bipartidista que honre su servicio y ofrezca una política de defensa responsable para nuestro país.”

La FY26 NDAA también promueve varias de las prioridades del congresista en materia de seguridad fronteriza y de Texas.

“El proyecto de ley prevé una ampliación de las competencias del Departamento de Defensa para apoyar a las fuerzas del orden civiles en  actividades de lucha contra el terrorismo y el narcotráfico. Esta ampliación permite a nuestros socios de las fuerzas del orden  proteger mejor el sur de Texas. Seguiré trabajando para impulsar estas prioridades,  porque las familias de los militares merecen todo nuestro apoyo.”

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El congresista Henry Cuellar es miembro del Comité de Asignaciones de la Cámara de Representantes de Estados Unidos. Anteriormente, fue Representante del Estado de Texas y Secretario de Estado de Texas.

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