Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse Leads Bipartisan Legislation Establishing Federal Fentanyl Joint Taskforce

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2025 to establish a coordinated federal task force to combat the trafficking of synthetic narcotics like fentanyl.

“The CCP is the leading force behind the fentanyl crisis, and the United States is failing to respond while they profit from the loss of American lives,” said Rep. Newhouse. 

Newhouse continues, “This Joint Taskforce will pool resources across the federal government and respond to this crisis with everything from sanctions to joint drug raids to keep this deadly substance out of our communities. This task force will help President Trump and his administration accomplish his goal of stopping the flow of fentanyl from China across our northern and southern borders.”

Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate today by Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA).

“Fentanyl killed nearly 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year and over 200 Americans each day,” Senator McCormick said. “This legislation would empower our federal government to coordinate all the tools at its disposal to combat the trafficking of lethal fentanyl that is ruining American families. I’ve heard from too many families who have lost their loved ones to fentanyl overdoses, I refuse to allow it to continue.”

Newhouse was joined by House Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Ro Khana (D-CA), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), and Richie Torres (D-NY) in introducing the legislation. 

Chairman Moolenaar said, “The Chinese Communist Party has deliberately funded the production of fentanyl chemicals, which are sold to cartels and trafficked into the U.S., killing Americans. This legislation builds on the bipartisan Select Committee’s report from last year and will unite government agencies to disrupt trafficking networks and impose sanctions on those poisoning our country. This is a critical step to hold China accountable and protect American lives from this deadly crisis.”

Rep. Krishnamoorthi said, “The bipartisan Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act is critical to tackling the deadly flow of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs that are devastating communities across our country. By strengthening coordination between law enforcement and intelligence agencies, this bipartisan bill will help us crack down on transnational criminal networks and protect American families from this ongoing crisis.”

Rep. Johnson said, “China has been flooding our nation with fentanyl for years, profiting on the destruction and poisoning of American lives. Getting tough on China includes cracking down on their money-making fentanyl scheme, which is devastating American families. I’m proud to support this legislation to help make America safe and healthy again.”

Rep. Khana said, “Fentanyl has taken too many loved ones and devastated communities across America. I am proud to support the bipartisan Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act to ensure there is interagency coordination to address the CCP’s role in international trafficking networks and keep Americans safe.”

Rep. Dunn said, “For far too long, the Chinese Communist Party has targeted American civilians by fueling our country’s opioid epidemic. We must take swift action to protect the American public and hold the CCP accountable for brazenly pushing illicit narcotics in the United States. I am proud to be part of this unified response to CCP aggression and look forward to playing an active role in passing this overwhelmingly bipartisan bill.”

Rep. Auchincloss said, “The U.S. government must take decisive action at every link of the illegal synthetic narcotic supply chain, beginning with China. This Task Force would provide a coordinated framework to hold bad actors accountable for the state-sanctioned poisoning of Americans.”

The task force will task representatives from relevant federal agencies to conduct joint operations, disrupt trafficking networks, and enforce sanctions. It will focus on international and domestic coordination, including addressing the role of the People’s Republic of China in the opioid crisis. The task force aims to streamline interagency collaboration, enhance legal enforcement, and report regularly to Congress.

Full bill text can be found here.

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

Larsen to Host Telephone Town Hall on Thursday, March 20 at 4:00 p.m.

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

Congressional Soccer Caucus Co-Chairs Welcome the Creation of a World Cup Task Force

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

BELLINGHAM, WA – Yesterday, Rep. Rick Larsen and Sen. Maria Cantwell sent a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Deputy Administrator Ben Kochman expressing their strong opposition to purported plans to withhold funds for a 2025 Technical Assistance Grant to the Pipeline Safety Trust (PST). PST was created in the aftermath of the Olympic pipeline disaster in Bellingham, Washington on June 10, 1999. The explosion killed two young boys and a young man.

This Congressionally-mandated grant was authorized by the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020 (PIPES 2020) and signed into law on December 27, 2020 by President Trump. Funds for the grant have been appropriated by Congress every year since the law’s enactment.

“PST is the only national education and advocacy organization in the country dedicated to advancing all aspects of pipeline safety and protecting the public. On its face, your action to rescind the Technical Assistance Grant notice of funding opportunity appears like an attempt to silence an organization that seeks to hold the pipeline industry and regulators accountable to the public,” Rep. Larsen and Senator Cantwell wrote in the letter. “Please submit, in writing, to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation the legal reasoning behind your plans.”

The letter further expresses that the need for PST’s work is greater than ever—2023 and 2024 were the deadliest two years due to pipeline accidents in more than a decade. The number of pipeline safety incidents in 2024 was worse than 2023.

To read the full letter, click here.

Larsen Participated in Hearing on Pipeline Safety
On Tuesday, February 25^th, the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials  a hearing on “Promoting and Improving Safety and Efficient Pipeline Infrastructure” at 10.00 AM Eastern Time. Bill Caram, the Executive Director of Pipeline Safety Trust, testified at the hearing. Additional hearing details, including written testimony and a recording, can be found here.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the below statement after voting against the Republican budget. The budget passed by a final vote of 217 to 215 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

“The Republican budget betrays the middle class by gutting services that help millions of families afford health care, put food on the table and receive a quality education. Instead of lowering the cost of everyday items for American families, they are focused on handing a $4.5 trillion tax cut to the richest Americans and wealthiest corporations,” said Larsen. “I voted no on the Republican Rip-Off, and I will continue to fight against Republican efforts to drive up costs for middle class families.”

Republican Budget Would Devastate Northwest Washington Families

Under the Republican budget plan, families in Washington’s Second Congressional District would see cuts to health care and other essential services, including:

• 34,000 people who get coverage via the Affordable Care Act will see premiums increase by an average of $1,460/year
• 186,000 people will be at risk of losing health coverage through Medicaid, including more than 80,000 children and 18,000 seniors
• 93,000 people will be at risk of losing food benefits, making food more expensive or even out of reach

Additional Information

• For more information about the harms of the Republican budget plan nationwide, click here.
• For more information about the damage to Washington’s Medicaid coverage, click here.
• For more information about the risks to Washington’s Second Congressional District, click here.

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

LYNDEN, WA – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a $2,000,000 grant to the City of Lynden to complete planning for its project to relocate Pepin Creek, which runs in deep roadside ditches that overflow and flood the area during winter storms when large quantities of water flow across the U.S.-Canada border.

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), who supported Lynden’s grant application, applauded the grant announcement.

“Every day is infrastructure day in Lynden and Whatcom County!” said Larsen, the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “Thanks to the hard work of Mayor Korthuis and the Lynden City Council, Lynden has the funding it needs to move a step closer to rerouting Pepin Creek – a critical project that reduces the impacts of flooding and pollution on residents and businesses, improves road safety for all users, and protects salmon and other endangered fish.”

Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis celebrated the grant announcement and emphasized the importance of the funding to the city’s long-term plans.

“We were very excited to hear that the City of Lynden has been awarded a $2 million grant for the Pepin Flood, Agriculture, Safety, Salmon, and Transportation (FASST) project,” said Korthuis. “The City of Lynden will receive the funding from USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) through its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program. We especially want to thank Rep. Rick Larsen and our U.S. Senators for their effort in obtaining this funding. This design grant will allow the city to create a plan for the transportation corridor and infrastructure (water, sewer, and stormwater) for this important area of the city for future development. This area will provide a significant number of parcels for development once the infrastructure is completed; the Pepin subarea will provide most of the developable lots in the city over the next several years.”

DOT awarded the funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program, which enables communities of all sizes to carry out road, rail, transit and other surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $7.5 billion over five years for the existing RAISE program, formerly known as TIGER and BUILD grants – a 50 percent increase in funding. For more information on RAISE grants, click here.

Larsen Has Secured $103.9 Million in RAISE Grants for WA-02 Since 2022

Larsen has secured seven RAISE grants totaling $103,906,000 for local communities since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed. In addition to the $2 million grant for Lynden, Larsen has helped deliver:

• $25 Million for Lynnwood’s Poplar Way Bridge – In August 2022, DOT awarded the City of Lynnwood a $25 million RAISE grant to construct a new six-lane, multimodal bridge over I-5 in Lynnwood, between the intersections of 196th Street SW (State Route 524)/Poplar Way and 33rd Avenue W/Alderwood Mall Boulevard.
• $25 Million for Whatcom County’s Lummi Island Ferry – In August 2022, DOT awarded Whatcom County a $25 million RAISE grant to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with an electric-battery hybrid ferry and build related infrastructure.
• $9.5 Million for Blaine’s Bell Road Project – In June 2023, DOT awarded the City of Blaine a $9.5 million RAISE grant to improve safety and accessibility and reduce congestion at the Bell Road (State Route 548)-BNSF at-grade rail crossing. 
• $17.9 Million for Port of Bellingham’s Shipping Terminal Rail Connection Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Port of Bellingham a $17,931,000 RAISE grant to renovate a shipping terminal site, returning the site to a fully functioning multimodal terminal with more efficient loading and unloading of railcars on the terminal.
• $4.9 Million for the Tulalip Tribes’ Road Safety Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Tulalip Tribes a $4,975,000 RAISE grant to plan, design and construct improvements to the 4th Street and 88th Street NE crossings of Interstate 5.
• $19.5 Million for Skagit Transit’s Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility – In January 2025, DOT awarded Skagit Transit a $19,500,000 RAISE grant to continue renovating its MOA facility in Burlington.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore is excited to announce that Bishop Robert Barron will be his guest for President Trump’s joint address to Congress this Tuesday evening. The bishop will also celebrate Mass with members of Congress on the Capitol grounds in advance of the speech.

Bishop Barron, who serves as the Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. His organization, which reaches tens of millions across the globe each year, uses various media platforms to “proclaim Christ in the culture.” He also chairs the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Through Word on Fire, Bishop Barron has helped countless souls discover, strengthen, or return to the Catholic Church by proclaiming the Gospel ‘through the culture.’ His use of contemporary media to reach people is innovative and highly effective. I am honored to host him as my guest for President Trump’s joint address to Congress, and am equally thrilled to have him celebrate the Mass for my colleagues and me prior to the speech.”

Bishop Robert Barron added:

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Representative Riley Moore for his kind invitation to celebrate Mass for Catholic members of Congress and to attend, as his guest, the State of the Union Address.  I look forward to this opportunity both as a Catholic bishop and as an avid student of American history.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore has just introduced new, groundbreaking legislation to halt the issuance of student visas to Chinese nationals. The Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act (Stop CCP VISAs Act) comes on the heels of several cases where Chinese students have been caught spying on the U.S. military or stealing advanced technology from American companies. Rep. Moore first raised concern about this issue in an op-ed in Newsweek in February.

Five House lawmakers joined Rep. Moore in co-sponsoring the legislation: Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX); Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA); Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX); Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN); and Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC). In addition, Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) is expected to introduce companion legislation in the Senate.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Every year we allow nearly 300,000 Chinese nationals to come to the U.S. on student visas. We’ve literally invited the CCP to spy on our military, steal our intellectual property, and threaten national security. Just last year, the FBI charged five Chinese nationals here on student visas after they were caught photographing joint US-Taiwan live fire military exercises. This cannot continue.

“Congress needs to end China’s exploitation of our student visa program. It’s time we turn off the spigot and immediately ban all student visas going to Chinese nationals.”

Here’s what others are saying:

“For decades, the failed post-Cold War consensus assumed China would democratize and liberalize if we welcomed them into our markets, media, and universities. Instead, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took advantage of Americans’ goodwill and subversively exported agents to our shores to spy, oppress dissidents and enemies of the state, and steal publicly funded research and intellectual property to the tune of billions of dollars,” said Senator Ashley Moody. “Now, by law, nationals of the PRC are forced to engage in intelligence gathering and espionage, and those who refuse face retaliation and persecution against themselves and family members. It is unfortunate that the CCP’s draconian national security law requires us to take such drastic measures, but the risk of allowing this to continue unabated is too great to ignore.”

“The Chinese Communist Party is fundamentally opposed to our American values, and yet we have handed out hundreds of thousands of student visas to Chinese nationals, many of whom are state-sponsored spies,” said Congressman Brandon Gill (R-Texas). “I fully back Congressman Riley Moore’s Stop CCP VISAs Act, and I am proud to be a cosponsor.”

“Allowing 300,000 Chinese nationals to infiltrate American academic institutions while the CCP attempts to undermine our national security is a threat and makes ZERO sense,” said Congressman Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania).

“It’s clear China is taking advantage of these visas to spy on our military, steal American research, and infiltrate our schools. Enough is enough,” said Congressman Addison McDowell (R-North Carolina). “The Stop CCP VISAs Act closes the loopholes on this national security threat and puts America first. I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill. Let’s get it done.”

There have been several documented cases from recent years that underscore the vital importance of this legislation: 

• In Michigan, 5 students were recently charged after being caught photographing U.S. and Taiwanese troops conducting live fire exercises.
• In Newport News, Virginia (where the U.S. Navy has a massive presence), a Chinese national was convicted after flying a drone with a camera over a naval shipyard. He was a student at the University of Minnesota.
• In Chicago, a Chinese national who first came to the U.S. on a student visa was convicted after being tasked by the CCP to recruit spies to steal advanced technology.

Fox News Digital first covered the bill’s introduction, read about it here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the following statement applauding President Trump’s new executive order to dismantle the Department of Education:

“I proudly ran on eliminating the federal Department of Education and block granting those dollars directly to the states, and I am proud to see that come to fruition.

“Educational outcomes have been disastrous since the Department’s creation under President Carter — and it’s time we fully returned the decision-making authority back to the states. I’m grateful to President Trump for keeping his campaign promise, and, in Congress, I can’t wait to work on legislation to make this action permanent.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the following statement in response to the Washington Post reporting that a Mexican drug cartel operated an extermination camp outside Guadalajara, Mexico:

“The news that the Jalisco New Generation cartel was running an extermination camp in Mexico is beyond horrific. These images and stories are barbaric, something we’d only previously associated with Nazi death camps like Auschwitz. It’s critical that Americans understand these atrocities are happening across our border.

“President Trump was right to designate the Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and I encourage him to take every action necessary to eliminate this direct threat to our homeland and our very way of life. It’s abundantly clear that we cannot sit idly by as these cartels continue to butcher people ruthlessly and kill our fellow Americans through the fentanyl poison they smuggle into our country.”

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