Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Garden State Lawmakers Call Out DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for Softening Standards

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. –687 members of the National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering, including 10 Nobel Laureates, publicly endorsed the Articles of Impeachment against RFK Jr. introduced by Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI).

Signing in their individual capacities, the members issued a clear warning: science and public health are under attack.

“As [Rep. Haley Stevens] has stated: ‘Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has turned his back on science, on public health, and on the American people – spreading conspiracies and lies, driving up costs, and putting lives at risk.’ He has done this by (e.g.) cutting funding for lifesaving research, withholding funds for previously approved biomedical research, restricting access to vaccines, removing experts from the CDC’s advisory panels, misrepresenting scientific findings, approving the use of chemotherapy drugs to treat autism without FDA due process regarding risks to children’s health, and endangering pregnant women by raising unnecessary alarms about Tylenol, all without established evidence.”

The continued momentum behind these Articles, now backed by hundreds of leading scientists, physicians, engineers, and Nobel Laureates, demonstrates the growing, bipartisan recognition that we need to protect public health and restore scientific integrity and that RFK Jr. must be removed from office.

Click here to see the full list of scientific endorsers. 

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to DTE’s announcement that it will seek yet another electricity rate increase, Rep Haley Stevens issued the following statement:

“This is outrageous. DTE is out of control. They’ve raked in taxpayer support to fix the grid yet bills for hardworking Michigan families keep going up while executives and shareholders cash in.

“For months, I’ve been working on legislation to rein in DTE and out-of-control utility companies from raising rates. Under my bill, utility companies would face significant penalties if they raise rates within three years:

• In year one, any residential rate increase will lose them their federal funding.
• In years two or three, any rate increase must be accompanied by a cut to executive pay of twice the percentage of the increase or they lose their federal funding.

“This is about making sure Michigan families aren’t paying more just to make corporate executives richer. With DTE now threatening yet another rate hike, I’m doubling down. In the coming weeks, I will introduce legislation to make sure we are protecting Michigan ratepayers, not corporate profits.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

SAN JOSE, CA – Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) released the following statement reacting to ongoing military action in Iran by American military forces:

“Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have both referred to this as a ‘war’ and one that may require ‘boots on the ground’. Starting a war requires the consent of Congress,” Rep. Lofgren said. “Donald Trump has not made any attempt to justify to the Congress or the American people why this act of war was necessary at this time, how long he expects this war to last, or what his objectives are.”

Rep. Lofgren will be supporting H.Con.Res.38, the war powers resolution authored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to remove American forces from unauthorized hostilities in Iran.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Representative Donald S. Beyer Jr., VA-08, today said they are leading their bicameral colleagues in pushing the Federal Judicial Center (FJC) to reverse course on its decision to rescind critical judicial guidance on climate science following politically-motivated pressure by Republicans.

“After facing political pressure from Republican attorneys general and conservative organizations, you made the decision to eliminate the entire chapter on climate science from the FJC Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence,” the lawmakers wrote to FJC Director, Judge Robin Rosenberg. “We vehemently oppose this decision and are writing to understand why, after publishing, the FJC made the decision to delete this chapter. The decision to censor this information recklessly disregards scientific consensus and the work of experts in a critical field of science.”

As part of its responsibilities, the FJC publishes a more-than-1,000 page reference manual for judicial use in partnership with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This manual, entitled the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, provides “impartial and reliable primary reference source on science for judges” and is written and reviewed by dozens of leading scientific experts.

Pulling this guidance leaves judges without the resources they need to make important rulings on climate-related lawsuits. Republicans have long voiced opposition to the inclusion of climate-related guidance, arguing that it is skewed against oil and gas producers.

In addition to their request that the FJC rescind its guidance, Wyden, ## and their colleagues also requested that the FJC answer the following questions:

1. Describe in detail how the decision was made to remove this chapter.
2. What review processes did this chapter undergo prior to initial publication?
3. Were the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consulted prior to the removal of this chapter?
4. What steps, if any, are you taking to eliminate partisan influence in the work of the FJC?

Wyden and Beyer were joined by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representatives Steve Cohen, D-T.N., Nydia M. Velázquez, D-N.Y., Paul D. Tonko, D-N.Y., Chrissy Houlahan, D-P.A., Mike Thompson, D-C.A., Maxwell Alejandro Frost, D-F.L., Madeleine Dean, D-P.A., Sara Jacobs, D-C.A., Mike Quigley, D-I.L., and Shri Thanedar, D-M.I.

The text of the letter is here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) and 15 members from the New York Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urging them to immediately start a study ordered by Congress to address and modernize the country’s aging air traffic control (ATC) systems. The FAA must work with airports and airlines to assess how modernization and technology can improve operations in congested airspace especially as major tourist events are scheduled for New York and nearby areas. 

“Flight delays across the country caused by outdated air traffic control systems strain airports, disrupt the economy, and impact millions of passengers who expect to arrive at their destination safely and on time,” Rep. Meeks said. “As we prepare to welcome the world for America250, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, it is imperative that our systems are ready to safely and efficiently manage the surge in traffic so visitors can experience the best of our nation without disruption.” 

More than 142 million passengers, from daily commuters to international visitors, traveled through the New York City region’s airports in 2024. The upcoming mega-decade of events is expected to drive record levels of travel to the United States making the need for the FAA to modernize air traffic control systems even more urgent.

The Members wrote in the letter:

“We appreciate the FAA’s commitment to modernizing the nation’s airspace and look forward to swift implementation now that a prime integrator is in place. To ensure that public investment delivers maximum public benefit, federal ATC modernization must focus first on the areas where improvements will have the greatest national impact. With its unmatched passenger volume and critical role in the broader aviation network, the New York region must be a top priority for modernization. Accordingly, we urge the FAA to proceed without delay in launching the required ATC modernization study and to ensure the needs of the New York region are fully prioritized and addressed.”

Read the full letter, here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Legislation Bans Chemicals Linked to Cancer and Reproductive Harm in Hair Products, Causing Disparate Impact on Black Women’s Health

Pressley, Brown Have Led Congressional Efforts to Ban Formaldehyde

Bill Text (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), introduced the Health Hair Act, legislation to effectively ban formaldehyde from hair products.

The Health Hair Act would designate hair straightening or hair smoothing products containing formaldehyde as adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, prohibiting their sale or distribution in the United States. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (NY-09) is an original cosponsor of the bill, which is cosponsored by 13 members of the House of Representatives. 

Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, has been linked to increased cancer incidence, respiratory illness, and reproductive harm, including fibroids. Formaldehyde is a common element in hair relaxers and straighteners that are largely marketed to Black women. Black women are also more likely to develop uterine cancer, and twice as likely to die from it, which has also been linked to exposure to hair products. 

“Whether in schools, in the workplace, or in our everyday lives, Black women have been overlooked, punished, and criminalized for our hair. Not only does that come at an emotional cost, but a physical one too,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “The beauty products marketed to Black women and girls and found in our salons contain toxic, unregulated chemicals—leaving us to disproportionately suffer from adverse health impacts like cancer. Black women, girls, and salon workers should be able to show up without putting our health at risk. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Healthy Hair Act with Reps. Brown and Velazquez to regulate these hazardous products and affirm our right to safer alternatives.” 

“It is time to get hair products that are making us sick off the shelves, out of stores, and out of salons. The evidence builds every day that chemical hair relaxers and straighteners are killing Black women, and this is a public health and consumer safety crisis that must be addressed. Since the FDA continues to delay, Congress must move first. I am proud to introduce the Health Hair Act with Congresswoman Velazquez and Congresswoman Pressley because women, hairdressers, and their families deserve better,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

“The FDA had every opportunity to ban formaldehyde in hair products, and their failure to act has put the health of millions of women at risk. No one should have to choose between straightening their hair and their health, especially Black women and salon workers who face the greatest risks. This bill will finally ban these dangerous chemicals and make clear that Congress will not stand by while consumers are exposed to a known carcinogen. If the FDA won’t act, we will,” said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez. 

“The link between chemical hair straighteners and extreme harms like cancer is not a matter of debate, nor has it been for years. This is the reality for countless Black women across America who, whether due to their workplaces’ demands, society’s pressures, or simply their personal preferences, turned to these carcinogenic products to alter their hair texture. Products we know to be dangerous have no place on the shelves of our stores and salons, and no business being anywhere close to our bodies. I am proud to fight alongside my colleagues to protect consumers and salon workers from the proven unsafe side effects of hair straightening products and bridge the health inequities that too often leave Black women and girls behind,” said Chairwoman Yvette D. Clarke.

Text of the bill can be accessed here.

The Healthy Hair Act is cosponsored by: Rep. Joyce Beatty, Rep. Shontel Brown, Rep. Yvette Clarke, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Jahanna Hayes, Rep. Summer Lee, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Rep. Robin Kelly, Rep. LaMonica McIver, Rep. Terri Sewell, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman. 

The bill is also endorsed by the Clean Beauty Coalition.

Congresswoman Pressley, alongside Congresswomen Brown and Velázquez, have led congressional efforts to ban formaldehyde in hair products. Last year, they sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting an update on delays in implementation of a rule to ban formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in hair products. In October 2023, the FDA proposed the ban of formaldehyde in hair products following a letter led by Reps. Pressley and Brown, which called on the agency to investigate the health risks associated with the chemical. However, the implementation of the ban has continuously been delayed.

Congresswoman Pressley has been steadfast in her advocacy for Black women’s health, ending race-based hair discrimination, and introducing policies that affirm the right of Black women to show up in the world as their full, authentic selves.

• Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, legislation with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05) that would ban discrimination based on hair textures and hairstyles that are commonly associated with a particular race or national origin.
• In February 2026, Rep. Pressley, alongside Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), led their colleagues in re-introducing the Wigs as Durable Medical Equipment Act, legislation to help individuals affected by Alopecia Areata and patients with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy by allowing medical wigs and other head coverings to be covered under the Medicare program.
• Rep. Pressley, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) lead the Recognition of Traction Alopecia in Service Women Act of 2023 to support servicemembers with traction alopecia.
• Rep. Pressley leads the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act, a bicameral bill to declare structural racism a public health crisis and confront its public health impacts through two bold new programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in September 2020.
• In 2020, the House passed an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Pressley to provide $5 million dollars for the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to fund research on the causes, impacts, and possible treatments of Alopecia areata.
• In December 2019, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky seeking information on the targeted marketing and sale of the company’s talc-based baby powder and its potential to cause harm, particularly to women, teenage girls, and people of color, due to asbestos contamination. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Bill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Congresswomen Judy Chu (CA-28), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), reintroduced the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act, which would end the deportation of Southeast Asian American (SEAA) refugees, provide critical protections for the more than 15,000 community members living under final orders of removal, and establish a pathway for the more than 2,000 refugees who have already been deported to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to return to the United States.

Between January and October 2025, the Trump administration deported more SEAAs in a single fiscal year than any prior administration — including 46 individuals to Cambodia, 175 to Laos, and 676 to Vietnam. Many of these individuals were shackled hand and foot for flights lasting more than 50 hours to countries they had never set foot in, including Sudan and Eswatini.  The administration also paused immigration applications for 75 countries including the Southeast Asian nations of Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos.

“Trump’s campaign of terror is traumatizing children, ripping families apart, and harming dedicated community members who have called our country home for years—and that includes Southeast Asian Americans who have planted roots, grown families, and contributed significantly to our communities,” said Rep. Pressley. “This reckless abuse of power must be reigned in, and that means ending deportations and providing critical protections for Southeast Asian American refugees—many of whom reside in the Massachusetts 7^th and strengthen our economy, schools, culture, and more.”

“Donald Trump has made the entire immigrant community his scapegoat to justify horrifying violence, undermine our rights, and tear families apart. That includes Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) who have called our country home for decades and who are now being targeted and forced to return to countries that are unsafe or completely unfamiliar to them,” said Rep. Chu. In 2025 alone, Trump deported more SEAAs than any president in a single year, and we know this cruelty will continue without action. That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026 to provide critical protections from detention and deportation for SEAAs who have contributed so immensely to our communities. In the face of Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant regime, we will continue to stand with refugees and fight for justice.”

“As the Trump administration has worked criminalize all forms of immigration and terrorized immigrant communities, it is more important than ever that we pass the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act. This is a long-overdue step to end the constant fear of deportation for families across this country,” said Rep. Jayapal. 

“I’m proud to represent San Jose, which has the largest Vietnamese population of any city outside Vietnam,” Rep. Lofgren said. “Many Southeast Asian refugees settled here following the Vietnam War and have become an integral part of our communities. Deporting refugees back to nations where they may face persecution or human rights abuses is completely antithetical to American values. The policy in this bill has been the anti-Communist policy of every administration, both Republican and Democratic, yet the Trump administration cozies up to Communist regimes that threaten human rights. Unlike Trump, I am an anti-Communist, and I recognize that we have to protect folks from removal and we need a pathway to return for those who have already been deported back to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.”

Specifically, the bill would:

• Limit the Department of Homeland Security’s authority to detain or deport Southeast Asian refugees from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam who arrived in the United States by 2008;
• Permanently authorize employment eligibility for Southeast Asians with a final order of removal with a five-year renewal period;
• End in-person ICE check-ins and establish five-year intervals between virtual check-ins for Southeast Asians on orders of supervision; and
• Create a pathway for Southeast Asian refugees who have already been deported to return to the U.S. and fight their removal orders.

Text of the bill can be accessed here and a one-pager here.

Southeast Asians from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam comprise the largest refugee population ever resettled in the United States. In the aftermath of U.S. military interventions in the region, more than 1.2 million refugees were welcomed to the United States because they fought alongside the U.S. or were forced to flee genocide, persecution, and violence. Most resettled into heavily disinvested communities with limited access to resources or support systems while grappling with the lingering trauma of war and displacement.

As a result, many Southeast Asian youth made mistakes or were swept into cycles of violence—leading to criminal convictions and incarceration decades ago. Although many have since rebuilt their lives and given back to their communities, many SEAAs continue to face double punishment through deportation for decades-old convictions for which they have already served their time. These individuals often have U.S. citizen family members, serve as primary caregivers in their families, have no recollection of or meaningful ties to their country of origin, and have deep roots in their local communities in America.

“SEADRA is more than policy; it’s a promise of healing, hope, and a future where Southeast Asian families are no longer torn apart. We thank Reps. Judy Chu, Pramila Jayapal, Zoe Lofgren, and Ayanna Pressley for reintroducing this critical legislation and for supporting our Southeast Asian American refugee communities, who have endured decades of trauma and separation. SEADRA recognizes the full lives that people have built here and refuses to erase them,” said Quyên Đinh, Executive Director of Southeast Asia Resource Action Center.

“The SEADRA bill would end deportation for Southeast Asians as we know it. In this moment when we’re told to turn against one another, we must choose a different path: we belong here and no one is disposable. Our communities have organized, resisted and created new worlds when the old ones failed us. This bill is part of that legacy – a call to love and protect one another, especially now.” said Chhaya Chhoum, Co-Executive Director of Southeast Asian Freedom Network

The Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026 is cosponsored by Representatives Judy Chu (CA-28), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18),, Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Gwen Moore (WI-04), James McGovern (MA-02), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Adam Smith (WA-09), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Robert Garcia (CA-42).

The Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026 is endorsed by over 100 nationwide and statewide organizations including: A Legacy of Equality Leadership and Organizing (LELO), API Chaya, API RISE, ARISE, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY.org), Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, Asian Law Caucus, Asian Pacific Americans for Higher Education (APAHE), Asian Prisoner Support Committee, Asian Resources, Inc., Asian Solidarity Collective, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Board of Directors of The International Examiner, Borderlands Resource Initiative, Buen Vecino, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Cambodian American Community Council of WA, Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia (CAGP), Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Inc., CAPI, Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS), Church World Service, City of Seattle, Climate Refugees, Collective Freedom, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, CSU Fullerton, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), End Child Poverty California powered GRACE, F.I.G.H.T, FIRM – Fresno Immigrant and Refugee Ministries, Formerly Incarcerated Group Healing Together (F.I.G.H.T.), Freedom Action Now, Freedom, Inc., Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Hmong American Partnership, Hmong American Women’s Association, Hmong Cultural Center of Butte County, Hmong Innovating Politics, Hmong National Development, Inc., Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), Immigrant Defense Project, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Immigration Equality Action Fund, InterIm Community Development Association, Jacqueline Tran, Consulting, Japanese American Citizens League, Japanese American Citizens League, Seattle Chapter, Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice of Western MA, Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW, Khmer Alumni Association, Khmer Anti-deportation Advocacy Group (KhAAG), Khmer Community of Seattle-King County, Khmer Girls in Action, Khmer Student Association UW, Lao Assistance Center of MN, Laos In The House, Laotian American National Alliance (LANA), LEAD Filipino, Mekong NYC, Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation, MN8 (Minnesota 8), National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Cambodian American Organization, National CAPACD – National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, National Education Association, National Immigration Project, National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, New Breath Foundation, New Light Wellness, Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, Nikkei Progressives, Northern California Coalition for Just Immigration Reform (NCCJIR), Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, Ohana Ho`opakele, OneAmerica, ORALE (Organizing Rooted in Abolition Liberation & Empowerment), Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, Progressive Vietnamese American Organization (PIVOT), Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM), Public Defender Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Rising Voices, ROOTS Laos, RSN, Refugee Support Network, San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, Stop AAPI Hate, The Banh Mi Chronicles Podcast, The Cambodian Family, The Sikh Coalition, United Cambodian Community, United Hmong with Disabilities Inc., VAO | Vietnamese American Organization, Viet Rainbow of Orange County (VROC), VietLead, Vietnamese American Roundtable (VAR), and Wing Luke Museum.

In 2022, Rep. Pressley, alongside Reps. Lowenthal, Chu, Jayapal, and Lofgren, originally introduced the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act (SEADRA). She has consistently advocated for protections and the end of deportations for Southeast Asian refugees in the Unites States., including continuing to introduce and push SEADRA in Congress.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Houston, TX) —On Monday, March 2, 2026, Congressman Al Green, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, will hold a press conference to address issues related to the war in Iran. This will include a classified briefing which he will attend tomorrow, March 3, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C. The presenters at this classified briefing will include Secretary Marco Rubio, Department of State; Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of War; Director John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency; and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He will also address the impeachment of President Trump.

Click here to watch the YouTube Live Stream of the event.