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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

New Visa Category Would Allow Relatives of U.S. Citizens to Visit for Milestones & Family Events

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, legislation passed nearly every year to fund the U.S. defense for the upcoming fiscal year. 

“This year’s NDAA delivers real wins for our service members, their families, and for San Diego,” Rep. Peters said. “I’m glad to see my Smart Ship Repair Act for 2025 included; San Diego is home to a vibrant ship repair industry that accounts for over 8,000 jobs and contributed more than $3.7 billion to the region’s economy in 2023. This year’s NDAA also includes a pay raise for our troops, major infrastructure upgrades at California bases, and significant funding for the science and technology programs that support our servicemembers, power San Diego’s economy, and keep our nation safe.” 

He continued, “This bill, however, leaves out a key priority of mine: the Build More Housing Near Transit Act. This measure, originally included in the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act, passed the Senate attached to the upper chamber’s version of the NDAA. The exclusion of the ROAD to Housing Act is a missed opportunity to address our nation’s housing shortage with proven solutions that would speed up building and drive down costs. The FY26 NDAA also excludes several items that have bipartisan support, including expanded access to IVF, re-establishment of the State Department’s Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, and protecting collective bargaining rights for thousands of Department of Defense civilian employees. I am disappointed these items were left out of the final text.”  

Rep. Peters’ Smart Ship Repair Act of 2025 (SSRA) extends the time a ship must remain in its home port before the Navy can send it elsewhere for repairs from 12 to 18 months. Previously, San Diego–based ships needing more than a year of maintenance could be reassigned to other West Coast yards offering lower bids. This practice disrupts San Diego’s ship repair workforce and can force sailors to spend extended time away from their families after long deployments. Rep. Peters’ SSRA of 2024 was included in last year’s NDAA. 

The FY26 NDAA also: 

• Includes a 3.8% military pay raise for all servicemembers. 
• Authorizes funding for military construction projects in San Diego including $86 million for a new mess hall and armory, fire emergency response station, and communication center at Camp Pendleton; $144.9 million for unaccompanied housing, aircraft carrier infrastructure improvements, and a Naval Special Warfare facility at Naval Base Coronado; $68 million for a new cyber lab at Naval Base Point Loma; and $86 million for a Child Development Center at Naval Base San Diego. 
• Authorizes $18.9 billion for science and technology programs that benefit San Diego’s defense economy. 
• Authorizes $26 billion for shipbuilding, including funding for the TAO Fleet Oiler program. The oiler is built in San Diego. 
• Authorizes $38 billion for new Navy and Air Force aircraft, including the MQ-1C, MQ-4 Triton, and MQ-9, which are produced by San Diego-based companies.  
• Conditions the Defense Secretary’s travel budget on the release of footage related to a “double tap” strike carried out in the Caribbean, killing two allegedly defenseless survivors. 
• Requires notifications and detailed justifications for removal of general officers and greater transparency and reporting on the use of military aircraft, personnel, and installations for immigration enforcement.  
• Authorizes funding for critical foreign national security priorities, including $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, $1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation initiative, and provides $650 million for U.S.-Israel defensive weapons. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, DC –?Today, Congressmen Scott Peters (CA-50) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) celebrated the passage of their bipartisan ePermit Act out of the House. The ePermit Act, which passed out of a House Natural Resources Committee markup last month, would establish a framework for agencies to modernize and implement a digital permitting system. This would expedite the approval process for critical infrastructure initiatives, including renewable energy, housing, and transportation projects.

“Passing this bill out of the House represents a major breakthrough in our effort to finally modernize an outdated permitting system,” Rep. Peters said. “Today’s progress is a clear sign that Congress can still come together to solve real problems; let’s build on this momentum, digitize the permitting process, cut needless delays, and get this bill across the finish line.” 

“It has become harder and harder to get any big project done in America,” said Johnson. “The same road project that can get approved in Germany in six months takes six years in America. America is full of innovators, creators, and builders. It’s time we let them build again, fueling economic growth and unlocking domestic energy production. I’m grateful the ePermit Act passed the House, and I hope the Senate acts soon so this can be the law of the land.” 

Background:

In April, President Trump issued a memorandum emphasizing the importance of modernizing permitting technology. This process began under the Biden Administration in the codification of an e-NEPA study that explored the creation of a digital permitting system. The ePermit Act builds on this momentum and provides legislative clarity and direction on how agencies should implement such an electronic permitting system. The current permitting process has failed to ensure project permitting is on-time and on-task. By failing to embrace modern technology and move on from legacy bureaucratic approaches, like paper forms, many projects are heavily delayed. Congress must address the root causes for delays, which include compiling and reviewing lengthy paper documents, a lack of accessibility and transparency – leading to misunderstanding, conflicts, and all too often, protracted litigation – and continued reliance on outdated technologies and processes for interagency review and comment. 

Read what endorsing organizations are saying here. Read the full bill text here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, DC – Last week, Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50) introduced the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, which will remove a federal chassis requirement that has served to unnecessarily raise the price of manufactured housing. The legislation is co-led by five Members of the House, including Rep. John Rose (R-TN), House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Chairman, Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE), Ranking Member Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), and Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA).

Since 1974, federal law has required that manufactured homes be built on a permanently installed steel frame, known as a chassis, that allows it to be moved after installation. This has significantly reduced the ability of young and low-income families to buy their own homes. Removing the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes will lower construction costs, unlock modern design flexibility, and open far more locations for quality, affordable housing.

“San Diego suffers from a housing crisis that threatens prosperity; we can help remedy this by building more affordable and accessible housing,” Rep. Peters said. “The Housing Supply Expansion Act will make it easier and cheaper to build manufactured homes. This provision has already advanced through the Senate. I look forward to working with Congressman Rose to get this bill across the finish line so we can put homeownership back within reach for countless San Diegans.”

“Manufactured housing is a great way to get more families into homes that they own,” Rep. Rose said. “Rent prices across Tennessee continue to soar because demand for housing still far exceeds supply. By striking this outdated restriction on manufactured homes, my legislation will increase supply and ultimately help bring home prices down for everyone.” 

“In order to get more young families on the path towards achieving the American Dream, we need more single-family homes at affordable price points. Manufactured homes are one type of product that can help fill that void in our market,” said Rep. Flood. “The Housing Supply Expansion Act updates outdated rules applying to manufactured housing, and it makes changes that will ultimately get more supply on the market. I am proud to join Congressman John Rose, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Congressman Scott Peters, Congressman Lou Correa and Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz in introducing this very important piece of legislation.”

“Manufactured housing is a key component to the nation’s supply of quality, safe, and affordable housing,” said Rep. Cleaver. “By removing an outdated requirement that manufactured homes retain a permanent chassis, we can increase design innovation, reduce costs, and provide relief to more American families and communities. I look forward to working with Representative Rose and our colleagues to see this bipartisan, common sense update passed into law.”

“Access to affordable housing is a top concern for South Texas families. By updating outdated regulations and cutting red tape, the Housing Supply Expansion Act will expand housing options and open the door for innovation in manufactured housing. As Vice Chair of the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, I am committed to ensuring families can find a home that meets their needs and achieve their dream of homeownership,” said Rep. De La Cruz.

“Manufactured housing is one of the most affordable options on the market, but outdated regulations are keeping new designs from becoming widely available,” Rep. Correa said. “This legislation is a win-win, it unlocks more opportunities for affordable housing in California, without driving up costs for the government.”

Full bill text for the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025 can be found here. The Manufactured Housing Institute also issued a statement of support, which can be found here. A companion bill, S. 2414, was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in July. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Roger Williams (25th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) introduced the Safer Schools Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that establishes two pilot grant programs within the Department of Justice to help schools assess and strengthen campus physical security.

This bipartisan bill provides federal resources to help public schools conduct independent facility risk assessments and fund hard security improvements based on identified vulnerabilities. These protections include perimeter security, controlled access points, security alarms, camera systems, and other life-saving infrastructure upgrades.

“Every child deserves a safe learning environment, and schools should never face the impossible choice between investing in education or protecting students’ lives,” said Congressman Williams. “The Safer Schools Act gives school districts the tools they need to identify threats and make improvements that prevent tragedies before they happen. We owe it to parents, teachers, and students to take security seriously, and this bill is a commonsense step toward that goal.”

Background:

The Facility Risk Assessment Grant Program allows qualifying public schools to apply for grants to conduct independent facility security risk assessments. It also prioritizes schools that have experienced violent attacks or attempted mass harm.

The Hard Security Improvement Grant Program provides funding for physical improvements to address vulnerabilities identified in assessments. Eligible improvements include automatic lock doors, perimeter hardening, surveillance systems, emergency alert systems, notification technology, and other protective infrastructure.

Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida) is joining as the original Democratic co-lead.

Supporting Organizations: Safe Schools For Alex, National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA), National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA).

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Roger Williams (25th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) introduced the Merger Process Review Act. This legislation will ensure federal regulators conduct timely, efficient reviews of merger applications submitted by insured depository institutions. The bill directs the Inspectors General of the Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, and NCUA to examine the agencies’ merger review processes every three years, focusing on delay reduction, efficiency, and transparency.

“For years, we have heard from community banks across Texas and across the country that merger approvals are taking far too long – in some cases, years. Those delays add unnecessary costs, create uncertainty, and limit growth,” said Congressman Williams. “This bill gives Congress clear insight into where delays are occurring and how to fix them. Streamlining the merger review process will strengthen local financial institutions, help them reach new customers, and provide certainty to consumers.”

Under the Merger Process Review Act, the Inspectors General of each federal prudential regulator will evaluate processing times using objective data, identify bottlenecks or causes of costly regulatory delays, and recommend reforms to streamline the process without weakening safety or statutory oversight.

The federal agencies will be required to formally respond to Congress with a plan to implement the recommendations, ensuring meaningful accountability and improving transparency across the merger approval process.

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Background:

Community banks often rely on mergers to enter new markets, grow customer bases, and remain competitive against larger institutions. However, regulatory reviews today can drag on unpredictably, driving up costs that community banks cannot absorb while creating uncertainty for consumers and local economies.

This legislation does not change approval standards; it simply ensures that regulators review applications efficiently and transparently and that Congress has the data necessary to hold agencies accountable and reduce unnecessary delay.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

Headline: Congressman Veasey Votes to Pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Veasey has voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Congressman Veasey released the following statement on the NDAA:  

“Each year, the House Armed Service Committee (HASC) is responsible for crafting our nation’s military budget in the best interest of our national security, service members, and veterans. While no bill is perfect and there are important provisions I disagree with, this bill does meet these goals and includes several provisions I strongly support, including funding for national security programs like the F-35 that are critical for the DFW Metroplex. 

More importantly, this is a bill that gives our service members a much-deserved pay raise. Our nation’s continued security is owed to our brave service members. This small token of our nation’s appreciation is included in this iteration of the NDAA.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

JEFFERSON, LA. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement after the first Working Families Tax Cut lease sale in the Gulf of America was held on Wednesday:“It’s a great day for American energy independence! With this first Working Families Tax Cut lease sale in the Gulf of America, we are delivering on our promise to American families and small businesses to unleash American energy, create more good-paying jobs, and bolster our national and energy security. Despite the Biden Administration’s best efforts to crush American energy, we saw a strong interest in today’s lease sale, and I’m proud that millions of dollars from this sale will go directly to Louisiana’s coastal restoration and hurricane protection efforts.”Wednesday’s lease sale resulted in $279 million in high bids from 30 companies in the Gulf of America.  Background:  In July 2025, President Trump signed into law the Working Families Tax Cut, which required at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf of America over 15 years. Additionally, Leader Scalise secured language in the law that increases the amount of revenue sharing dollars Louisiana receives each year from offshore drilling.  This provision in the law will bring hundreds of millions of new dollars to Louisiana for vital coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) to discuss House Republicans’ work to lower prices, boost the economy, lower health care premiums, and provide families with more options for health care.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s remarks:On lowering costs after Bidenflation:“We’re going to continue, as President Trump is this week, to focus on affordability and lowering costs. You saw President Trump go to Pennsylvania yesterday to talk about a number of the things he’s been working on in his administration and working with Congress to lower costs for families. But it’s important to remind people what he inherited and what was going on in this country under the Biden Administration for four years, when you saw prices skyrocketing, energy costs skyrocketing, interest rates skyrocketing. And Democrats in Congress never cared about any of that. They let it happen. They looked the other way over and over again. An open, porous Southern border that President Trump not only said he would fix as a candidate but now has fixed as President of the United States. When he talks about the things that he’s doing to lower inflation, we’re finally seeing some relief, but we’re going to continue working to lower costs for families. It’s something that is not only important to President Trump; it’s important to this House majority.”On House Republicans’ plans to lower premiums and provide more options:“Our committees have been working on very serious proposals, all focused on lowering costs for 100% of American families. While Democrats talk about less than 10% of the American people, we have been talking about what we can do to lower health premiums for 100% of American families, while also giving options to people who are trapped in Unaffordable Care Act plans, where Democrats want to keep them trapped. We want to give them options. And so, we’ve been working and meeting with different caucuses within our conference. For weeks, the committee chairs have been talking about the very specific bills. We’ve been meeting and getting ideas from a lot of our members who have great, passionate ideas on health care: the Doctors Caucus, doctors who practiced medicine in the private sector, and then they came to Congress. They still have great ideas about how to restore the doctor-patient relationship that Obamacare broke. So many things about health care that the Affordable Care Act just destroyed, starting with the title of the bill. Nothing is affordable about the Affordable Care Act, and Republicans want to fix that.“So what we did today in our conference, just a little while ago, was have a really productive discussion about all those ideas that the committees have been working on, not just ideas, actual bills. And we are now focused on bringing a number of those bills to the floor next week that we have consensus on. There are still some areas that we don’t have full agreement upon, and we’re going to keep working on those. We’ve committed to work on those early into the next year, but starting next week, voting in the House on bills that will focus on lowering premiums for 100% of Americans.“Let’s see where Democrats stand when it’s not just giving money to insurance companies and propping up failed Obamacare plans, but actually helping 100% of Americans have better choices and lower health care premiums. So, we’re going to continue bringing bills to the floor that work on fixing problems that Democrats have created and delivering on the promises we made to the American people.”