Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Adam Smith (WA-09) are today introducing the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, legislation to enact guardrails and oversight on immigration detention, and to ensure civil and human rights are protected. 

“Under the Trump Administration, we have seen a shocking surge in the detention of people who have committed no crimes being locked up in increasingly horrifying conditions,” said Jayapal. “People are being held in squalor, largely in private, for-profit detention facilities, all to pad the bottom lines of prison corporations that donate to Donald Trump and Republicans. As Trump has struck down legal pathways and made it nearly impossible to come to or stay in this country, even for those who have been here for decades, this will only continue to get worse. We must pass this legislation to protect dignity and civil rights in America.”

“We are witnessing appalling conditions for immigration detention and a clear disregard for basic human rights,” said Smith. “No one should be subjected to overcrowded cells, denied medical care, or held in facilities that profit off of human suffering. This legislation establishes the oversight and guardrails needed to end these abuses and ensure that people are treated with dignity.”

Since President Trump returned to office, the use of immigration detention has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, with over 66,000 people detained. During that period of time, 23 people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Nearly 73 percent of those detained have no criminal convictions, and many of those with convictions have only minor offenses, including traffic violations. 

Detained people in these facilities are being held in inhumane living conditions, with reports of overcrowding forcing 35 men to share one toilet and sleep head to toe on concrete floors, of people being served only a cup of rice a day or rotting food, and of people having their medications withheld or being denied necessary medical care. Further, the Trump Administration has restarted the practice of detaining families and children, which has long been criticized as unsafe and inflicting irreversible harm on children. 

This is while the Trump Administration has blocked Congressional oversight, despite death reports that do not line up with autopsy reports. In the case of Chaofeng Ge, ICE stated that he died by suicide, while his attorney alleges he was found with his hands and feet tied. 

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would: 

• Repeal mandatory detention;
• Prohibit the detention of families and children in family detention;
• Create a presumption of release and impose a higher burden of proof to detain primary caregivers and vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, survivors of torture or gender-based violence, people with serious mental or physical illness or disability, LGBTQ individuals, asylum seekers, and people over age 60;
• Phase out the use of private detention facilities and jails over a three-year period;
• Require DHS to establish civil detention standards that provide, at minimum, the level of protection in the American Bar Association’s Civil Immigration Detention Standards;
• Mandate the DHS Inspector General to conduct unannounced inspections with meaningful penalties for failure to comply with standards; and
• Require DHS to admit Members of Congress to detention facilities for unannounced inspections.

“The reintroduction of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act could not come at a more urgent moment,” said Haddy Gassama, Senior Policy Counsel at the ACLU. “We are witnessing an unprecedented expansion of the immigration detention system, with billions of taxpayer dollars being funneled into the hands of private prison corporations, profiteers who are building and operating abusive detention facilities, while deaths in custody and other egregious abuses reach record levels. These are not abstract policy failures; they are the lived realities of the 66,000 people disappeared into an inhumane system that has long thrived on opacity, minimal oversight, and virtually no accountability.

“The reintroduction of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act comes at a critical moment, as the harsh realities of immigration detention are no longer hidden but visible in every empty seat once occupied by a loved one sent to detention,” said Jennifer Ibañez Whitlock, Senior Policy Counsel at the National Immigration Law Center. “Real change will take time, but immigration detention is an urgent threat that demands immediate action. The National Immigration Law Center welcomes the re-introduction of this important bill and urges Congress to act quickly to secure its passage.”

“The National Immigrant Justice Center is grateful for members of Congress fighting for communities increasingly under attack, facing inhumane conditions in a system driven by private contractors profiting off the imprisonment of human beings,” said Jesse Franzblau, Associate Director of Policy, National Immigrant Justice Center. “The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act is pivotal legislation that works to end the private incentive to fill up prisons, fund communities and not cages, and combat impunity for the persistent human rights violations that occur everyday in immigration detention. This legislation is a guide for Congress working to dismantle walls and prisons and invest in an immigration system grounded in humanity.”

“Trump’s cruel mass detention and deportation agenda has reached a previously unimaginable scope and scale, skyrocketing the number of people in immigration detention,” said Setareh Ghandehari, Advocacy Director of Detention Watch Network. “In more than 200 detention facilities across the country ICE subjects people to medical neglect, overcrowding, horrendous conditions of confinement, and rampant transfers that disappear people into the detention system, sowing confusion and cutting people off from their loved ones and support networks.  As the administration aggressively expands the detention system and puts people’s lives in jeopardy at a cost to all Americans, Congress must take immediate and decisive action to intervene. While this bill does not fully end the inhumane and unnecessary system of immigration detention, it takes a bold step forward by ending mandatory detention, ending privatized detention, enacting critical safeguards and reversing the trend of constant, unchecked growth.” 

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act is sponsored by Alma Adams (NC-12), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), André Carson (IN-07), Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Pablo José Hernández (PR-At Large), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted W. Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

The legislation is also endorsed by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Detention Watch Network; National Immigrant Justice Center; National Immigration Law Center; AFL-CIO; African Communities Together; African Human Rights Coalition; AFT; American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); Amica Center for Immigrant Rights ; Amnesty International USA; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; ASISTA Immigration Assistance; Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; CASA; Center for Constitutional Rights; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for Victims of Torture; Church World Service; Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP); Community Change Action; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces; Congressional Progressive Caucus; Disability Law United; Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM); Franciscan Action Network; Friends Committee on National Legislation ; Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees; Haitian Bridge Alliance; Human Rights First ; Immigrant Justice Network; Immigrant Legal Resource Center; Immigration Equality Action Fund; Indivisible; Just Detention International ; The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA); LatinoJustice PRLDEF; Make the Road States; Muslim Advocates; National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Immigration Project; National Partnership for New Americans; National Religious Campaign Against Torture; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; People’s Action Institute; Refugees International ; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF); Social Workers for Immigration Justice; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC); Tahirih Justice Center; UndocuBlack Network; UnidosUS; Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice; United Church of Christ; Vera Institute of Justice; Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice; Ayuda; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef); Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA); JAMAAT – Jews and Muslims Ana Allies Acting Together; Miami Valley Immigration Coalition; Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; OneAmerica; Promise Arizona; Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network; and Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN). 

Issues: Civil Rights, Immigration, Public Safety & Criminal Justice

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) today cheered the advance of his bill H.R. 1355, the Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act, out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee in a unanimous vote of 50-0. Tonko’s bipartisan legislation invests in home weatherization efforts to save low-income families hundreds of dollars on their energy bills, while making homes safer, healthier, and more energy efficient.

“With millions of Americans facing rising utility costs and the cold winter months upon us, Congress can and must take action to help lower energy prices,” Congressman Tonko said. “My Weatherization legislation does just that. We know weatherization works, not only serving to lower energy costs, but also making homes healthier and safer. I’m glad to see this commonsense bill move out of committee. We must continue to improve upon this vital program and ensure that our communities have the resources and support they need.”

Data shows that home weatherization reduces energy burden with cost-effective, energy efficiency retrofit investments. Additionally, households receiving WAP services save an average of $372 each year on their energy bills.

H.R. 1355 would strengthen the program by:

• Reauthorizing the Weatherization Assistance Program through Fiscal Year 2030; and
• Raising the statutory Average Cost Per Unit from $6,500 to $12,000, so that households can receive more assistance, and WAP implementers can pay competitive wages and retain their workforces.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Adam Smith (WA-09) are today introducing the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, legislation to enact guardrails and oversight on immigration detention, and to ensure civil and human rights are protected. 

“We are witnessing appalling conditions for immigration detention and a clear disregard for basic human rights,” said Smith. “No one should be subjected to overcrowded cells, denied medical care, or held in facilities that profit off of human suffering. This legislation establishes the oversight and guardrails needed to end these abuses and ensure that people are treated with dignity.”

“Under the Trump Administration, we have seen a shocking surge in the detention of people who have committed no crimes being locked up in increasingly horrifying conditions,” said Jayapal. “People are being held in squalor, largely in private, for-profit detention facilities, all to pad the bottom lines of prison corporations that donate to Donald Trump and Republicans. As Trump has struck down legal pathways and made it nearly impossible to come to or stay in this country, even for those who have been here for decades, this will only continue to get worse. We must pass this legislation to protect dignity and civil rights in America.”

Since President Trump returned to office, the use of immigration detention has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, with over 66,000 people detained. During that period of time, 23 people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Nearly 73 percent of those detained have no criminal convictions, and many of those with convictions have only minor offenses, including traffic violations. 

Detained people in these facilities are being held in inhumane living conditions, with reports of overcrowding forcing 35 men to share one toilet and sleep head to toe on concrete floors, of people being served only a cup of rice a day or rotting food, and of people having their medications withheld or being denied necessary medical care. Further, the Trump Administration has restarted the practice of detaining families and children, which has long been criticized as unsafe and inflicting irreversible harm on children. 

This is while the Trump Administration has blocked Congressional oversight, despite death reports that do not line up with autopsy reports. In the case of Chaofeng Ge, ICE stated that he died by suicide, while his attorney alleges he was found with his hands and feet tied. 

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would: 

• Repeal mandatory detention;
• Prohibit the detention of families and children in family detention;
• Create a presumption of release and impose a higher burden of proof to detain primary caregivers and vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, survivors of torture or gender-based violence, people with serious mental or physical illness or disability, LGBTQ individuals, asylum seekers, and people over age 60;
• Phase out the use of private detention facilities and jails over a three-year period;
• Require DHS to establish civil detention standards that provide, at minimum, the level of protection in the American Bar Association’s Civil Immigration Detention Standards;
• Mandate the DHS Inspector General to conduct unannounced inspections with meaningful penalties for failure to comply with standards; and
• Require DHS to admit Members of Congress to detention facilities for unannounced inspections.

“The reintroduction of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act could not come at a more urgent moment,” said Haddy Gassama, Senior Policy Counsel at the ACLU. “We are witnessing an unprecedented expansion of the immigration detention system, with billions of taxpayer dollars being funneled into the hands of private prison corporations, profiteers who are building and operating abusive detention facilities, while deaths in custody and other egregious abuses reach record levels. These are not abstract policy failures; they are the lived realities of the 66,000 people disappeared into an inhumane system that has long thrived on opacity, minimal oversight, and virtually no accountability.

“The reintroduction of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act comes at a critical moment, as the harsh realities of immigration detention are no longer hidden but visible in every empty seat once occupied by a loved one sent to detention,” said Jennifer Ibañez Whitlock, Senior Policy Counsel at the National Immigration Law Center. “Real change will take time, but immigration detention is an urgent threat that demands immediate action. The National Immigration Law Center welcomes the re-introduction of this important bill and urges Congress to act quickly to secure its passage.”

“The National Immigrant Justice Center is grateful for members of Congress fighting for communities increasingly under attack, facing inhumane conditions in a system driven by private contractors profiting off the imprisonment of human beings,” said Jesse Franzblau, Associate Director of Policy, National Immigrant Justice Center. “The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act is pivotal legislation that works to end the private incentive to fill up prisons, fund communities and not cages, and combat impunity for the persistent human rights violations that occur everyday in immigration detention. This legislation is a guide for Congress working to dismantle walls and prisons and invest in an immigration system grounded in humanity.”

“Trump’s cruel mass detention and deportation agenda has reached a previously unimaginable scope and scale, skyrocketing the number of people in immigration detention,” said Setareh Ghandehari, Advocacy Director of Detention Watch Network. “In more than 200 detention facilities across the country ICE subjects people to medical neglect, overcrowding, horrendous conditions of confinement, and rampant transfers that disappear people into the detention system, sowing confusion and cutting people off from their loved ones and support networks.  As the administration aggressively expands the detention system and puts people’s lives in jeopardy at a cost to all Americans, Congress must take immediate and decisive action to intervene. While this bill does not fully end the inhumane and unnecessary system of immigration detention, it takes a bold step forward by ending mandatory detention, ending privatized detention, enacting critical safeguards and reversing the trend of constant, unchecked growth.” 

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act is sponsored by Alma Adams (NC-12), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), André Carson (IN-07), Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Pablo José Hernández (PR-At Large), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted W. Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

The legislation is also endorsed by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Detention Watch Network; National Immigrant Justice Center; National Immigration Law Center; AFL-CIO; African Communities Together; African Human Rights Coalition; AFT; American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); Amica Center for Immigrant Rights ; Amnesty International USA; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; ASISTA Immigration Assistance; Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; CASA; Center for Constitutional Rights; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for Victims of Torture; Church World Service; Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP); Community Change Action; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces; Congressional Progressive Caucus; Disability Law United; Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM); Franciscan Action Network; Friends Committee on National Legislation ; Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees; Haitian Bridge Alliance; Human Rights First ; Immigrant Justice Network; Immigrant Legal Resource Center; Immigration Equality Action Fund; Indivisible; Just Detention International ; The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA); LatinoJustice PRLDEF; Make the Road States; Muslim Advocates; National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Immigration Project; National Partnership for New Americans; National Religious Campaign Against Torture; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; People’s Action Institute; Refugees International ; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF); Social Workers for Immigration Justice; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC); Tahirih Justice Center; UndocuBlack Network; UnidosUS; Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice; United Church of Christ; Vera Institute of Justice; Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice; Ayuda; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef); Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA); JAMAAT – Jews and Muslims Ana Allies Acting Together; Miami Valley Immigration Coalition; Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; OneAmerica; Promise Arizona; Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network; and Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN). 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Congressman Eugene Vindman (VA-07) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to reintroduce the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would help provide American workers with foundational digital skills through the creation of a new “Digital Skills at Work” grant program.

“Our job market is changing rapidly, and workers need strong digital skills to keep up,” said Congressman Valadao. “The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act will help people enter the workforce with the foundation they need while easing burdens on employers. I’m proud to join Senator Kaine and Congressman Vindman in reintroducing this bipartisan, bicameral bill that will set American workers on a path to success and strengthen our economy.”

“Virginia is a place where anyone willing to work hard should be able to land their first job, keep a job they love, or build their first company. The jobs of today require new skills that can be mastered with the right training, helping employers retain seasoned workers and attract top talent,” said Congressman Vindman. “I’m proud to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation that helps Virginians and people across the country build digital skills that are essential in today’s economy.” 

“As Americans face a rapidly-changing job market, it’s crucial they be empowered with the digital skills they need to succeed in the contemporary workforce,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation to expand access to high-quality digital training programs to help people develop in-demand digital skills—benefiting our workers, employers, and economic growth. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in supporting this bill.”

Supporting organizations include: National Skills Coalition, American Library Association, Asc3, California EDGE Coalition, Coalition on Adult Basic Education, DAETC, Digitunity, Forum for Youth Investment, Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board, Hispanic Federation, Jobs for the Future, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Mohuman, National Coalition for Literacy, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, National Immigration Forum, National Skills Coalition, Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, NTEN, Prince William Chamber of Commerce, Third Way, Virginia Community College System, and Virginia Minority Chambers, Inc.

The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act would:

• Create digital skills training programs.
• This bill would create formula funding grants for states based on a combination of population, number of working-age residents, and number of residents with low digital literacy skills (determined by educational attainment, earnings, and limited English proficiency).
• Increase opportunities for underserved communities.
• This bill would create competitive grants for localities and organizations based on how the funds will be used and the populations that will receive services, including individuals with barriers to employment and underrepresented populations.
• Require performance accountability.
• This bill would require states, localities, and organizations that receive a grant under this bill to report their awards publicly.

Background:

More than 90 percent of today’s jobs require digital skills like email, spreadsheets, and data entry, but more than one-third of workers lack foundational digital skills. This poses a huge obstacle to succeeding in today’s workforce. Existing programs to help job-seekers access employment and support services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) are not permitted to use federal resources for digital skills training. As a result, one-stop workforce development career centers—physical sites within local workforce development areas where job seekers and employers access programs, services, and resources—do not offer any digital skills training opportunities.

To fix this omission, the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act would amend WIOA to establish a new “Digital Skills at Work” grant program to expand digital skills training within postsecondary education, adult education, and workforce development issues. This bill would make targeted investments in digital skills training to help Americans seeking jobs or upskilling opportunities, as well as those with barriers to employment, learn, or build digital skills.

Read the full bill here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

Bergman, Dingell Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Permanently Extend Telehealth Flexibilities

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

ALBANY, NY — Today, Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced the awarding of 13 federal grants totaling more than $5.45 million in funding for 11 Capital Region fire departments and EMS squads. The funding announced today comes from two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs for Fiscal Year 2024 — the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program.

The following 5 departments will receive the following amounts of funding from the FY2024 SAFER program to support the hiring of new firefighters and bolster recruitment and retention:

·         City of Schenectady Fire Department: $2,008,304

·         Rotterdam-Princetown Fire District #5: $821,192

·         Halfmoon Hillcrest Volunteer Fire Department: $635,886

·         S.W. Pitts Hose Company of Latham, NY: $426,838

·         City of Rensselaer Fire Department: $237,090

The following 8 departments will receive the following amounts of funding from the FY2024 AFG program to support improvements in equipment, operations, and safety:

·         Round Lake Fire Department: $295,428

·         Albany Fire Department: $266,181

·         City of Schenectady Fire Department: $201,933

·         Ravena Rescue Squad: $191,428

·         Halfmoon Hillcrest Volunteer Fire Department: $137,142

·         Glenville Fire District #2: $124,936

·         Cohoes Fire Department: $85,714

·         Voorheesville Fire Department: $27,450

Taken together, these significant grant awards will help recipients hire more firefighters, support essential training courses, improve recruitment and retention efforts, and purchase vital equipment like new turnout gear and personal protective equipment (PPE), turnout washer/dryer/extractors, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) face masks, and more. Last December, Congressman Tonko submitted letters to FEMA in support of the City of Schenectady Fire Department and Voorheesville Fire Department’s requests for federal funding.

“Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve made it a top priority to ensure that our Capital Region firefighters and EMS squads have the resources, equipment, and support to continue serving our communities safely and effectively,” Congressman Tonko said. “These brave men and women put their lives on the line every single day to keep our families safe, and it is up to us as elected officials to make certain they are properly equipped to safely face the monumental challenges of their jobs. I’m proud to celebrate this significant federal investment in our local emergency responders, and I look forward to continuing my efforts to ensure our local fire departments and EMS squads have the tools and training they need to succeed.”

Each year, Congressman Tonko and his staff assist numerous local fire departments and EMS organizations by writing letters of support and helping to prepare their applications for these critical grants. Today’s announcement marks the completion of the competitive rounds of Fiscal Year 2024 SAFER and AFG funding, delivering a total of $5,459,522 for our Capital Region emergency responders.

Earlier rounds of AFG funding for Fiscal Years 2021, 2022, and 2023 delivered nearly $3 million for departments in Albany, Ballston Lake, Burnt Hills, Colonie, Glenville, Greenfield, Latham, Menands, North Greenbush, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Scotia, South Glens Falls, Troy, and Watervliet.

In total, the Fiscal Year 2024 AFG and SAFER programs distributed 1,885 awards totaling $615.6 million in competitive grants for fire departments, non-affiliated EMS organizations, and state fire training academies nationwide.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Pocan (2nd District of Wisconsin)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) reintroduced a bicameral resolution commemorating and supporting the goals of World AIDS Day, including the goal of achieving zero new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths. The resolution also recognizes the impact of efforts by the United States and international organizations to combat HIV/AIDS, such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief  (PEPFAR), and encourages greater coordination among the global community to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“I’m honored to be part of a bipartisan group in Congress to recognize this important day,” Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), Chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, said. “We’re closer than ever before to eradicating this disease; we cannot give up now. This is the time for the government to fulfill its commitment to ending the HIV epidemic and for leaders around the globe to reaffirm their commitment to ending AIDS once and for all.”

“I’m proud to work alongside Representatives Pocan and Fitzpatrick on this resolution, which recognizes the over 40 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS and the thousands of Americans who continue to lose their lives each year,” said Senator Booker. “As the Trump Administration focuses on dismantling foreign assistance and refuses to recognize the goals of World AIDS Day, it is more critical than ever that the United States recommit to eradicating HIV/AIDS globally and remain a leader in supporting those currently living with HIV/AIDS, preventing the spread of disease, and ultimately achieving zero new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.”

To read the full text of the resolution, click here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

WASHINGTON, DC – As working families continue to face skyrocketing housing costs and a deepening affordability crisis, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) today introduced the Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act, landmark legislation that redirects the $175 billion ICE and CBP slush fund Donald Trump created in his “Big Beautiful Bill,” and reinvests those billions directly into proven solutions that would reduce rents, expand homeownership, and incentivize the building of housing that’s affordable across the country.’

“I’m introducing this bill because families across the country are being crushed by housing costs while Trump uses $175 billion to terrorize families with his own national police force,” said Rep. Gomez. “This bill flips the script. We’re taking back Trump’s anti-immigrant slush fund and investing it in real housing solutions that actually help people while putting a check on the unaccountable police force he built to go after our communities.” 

The bill makes one of the largest housing investments proposed this Congress, lowering costs for renters, providing substantial support for first-time homebuyers, and incentivizing the conversion of vacant office buildings into affordable units. It would simultaneously redirect some of the most abusive and wasteful spending in the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant agenda, including billions for ineffective border militarization, inhumane detention facilities, and unaccountable DHS and ICE programs.

The Make Housing Affordable & Defend Democracy Act would:  

• Create the first-ever monthly Renter Tax Credit for families paying more than 30% of their income on rent.  

• Provide $25,000 or more for first time homebuyers and $50,000 or more in down-payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers. 

• Convert vacant office buildings into affordable housing through a 20–35% Affordable Housing Conversion Credit.  

• Launch a Starter Home Construction Credit targeted at first-time buyers.  

• Expand production of deeply affordable housing through a strengthened Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.

A key difference between this bill and others is that it is paid for by the billions of dollars currently locked in draconian anti-immigrant enforcement programs and channels that funding directly into housing solutions for renters, first-time homebuyers, and incentives for affordable housing.

“At the summit, I said this crisis demands a New Deal-level housing movement, and I meant it,” Gomez continued. “My son just turned three. He doesn’t understand the affordability crisis he’s inheriting yet, but he will live with the consequences if we fail to act. This bill restores the simple promise that if you work hard, you can afford a home and build a future for your family.”

The legislation is endorsed by UnidosUS, LULAC, CASA, A Way Home America, CLPHA, and CHIRLA, representing millions of renters, immigrants, low-income families, and housing advocates nationwide.

“These organizations know what families know, that housing affordability is the defining challenge of our time,” Gomez said. “We need to create a 21st century housing boom, even larger than what occurred after WWII to help house veterans. This bill is a blueprint for how we do that.”

In addition to Rep. Gomez, the Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act is cosponsored by 61 Members of Congress including Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL ), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-31), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. (“Hank”) Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Scott Peters (CA-50), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)

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

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today celebrated the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) announcement awarding Michigan $920 million in federal funding directed to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program– an essential step in expanding high-speed internet access for more than 200,000 Michiganders. 

“Approximately 30% of Michigan households do not have access to an affordable, reliable high-speed internet connection,” said Dingell. “In the 21st century, access to the internet is essential— it connects people to jobs, education, health care, and many more necessary support systems for Americans. The approval of Michigan’s BEAD proposal bridges a gap in ensuring that every community, regardless of zip code or income, can benefit from the opportunities that broadband provides.”

Federal funding for this program comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Dingell helped pass, and will help bring reliable internet access to unserved and underserved communities. With an additional $550 million in private-sector matching funds, Michigan’s total upcoming investment in high-speed internet infrastructure will reach $1.47 billion. 

Dingell has long worked to expand access to high-speed internet for all Americans. Earlier this year, Dingell reintroduced the bipartisan Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act to help expedite broadband expansion.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), co-chair of the Rare Disease Congressional Caucus, released the following statement after the House passed the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids A Chance Act, a package of rare disease legislation that included her Retaining Access and Restoring Exclusivity (RARE) Act. The RARE Act would ensure that promising options for rare disease patients with no approved therapies are able to come to market without being blocked by other pharmaceutical companies. 

“Today, the House delivered long-overdue hope for the millions of Americans and their families struggling with a rare disease,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “I’m proud my RARE Act is included in this bipartisan package. It will prevent pharmaceutical companies from abusing their orphan drug status to keep other innovative drugs from coming to market. As Co-Chair of the Rare Disease Caucus, I’ve met far too many families who have been told there are no options for their child’s care. This legislation brings them real hope by ensuring investment into pediatric therapies and getting promising treatments to patients faster. Now the Senate must act quickly, because for the rare disease community, every single day matters.”

Specifically, the RARE Act clarifies FDA’s longstanding interpretation of the Orphan Drug Act to ensure that the scope of the orphan drug exclusivity applies only to the same approved use or indication within such rare disease or condition, instead of the same disease or condition. This will give FDA the necessary authority to approve the same drug from different manufacturers if they aim to serve different patient populations.

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