Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) co-led a House Resolution with Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) calling for urgent, coordinated federal action to address the nation’s worsening housing crisis by preserving and expanding access to affordable housing. 

 

The Resolution outlines the urgent need to address the housing crisis nationally and calls for a comprehensive approach to addressing it, including: expanding and preserving affordable housing units; strengthening Federal rental assistance programs; promoting equitable zoning and infrastructure alignment; and partnering across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to protect tenants and spur innovation. 

 

“Housing is a human right, full stop,” said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. “The nation’s ongoing affordable housing shortage hits low-income and minority communities the hardest, making it virtually impossible for millions of families to stay healthy, pursue higher education, maintain steady employment, or achieve financial stability. This resolution recognizes the urgency of addressing the housing crisis in America and affirms a commitment to advancing federal legislation to support rental assistance and housing development so that every American family has a safe, affordable place to call home.”

“In Northeast Ohio and across America, our housing crisis is pricing families out of stability. It’s harder than ever to find a place to live, pay the bills, keep our families safe and secure, and build wealth. Housing isn’t just having a roof over your head— it is the foundation for safety, security, and opportunity. This crisis is hitting families in every corner of the country, and it’s widening the wealth and racial gaps we’ve been trying to close for generations. I am proud to introduce this resolution with Congresswoman Beatty because it is time that we put the House of Representatives on record on this important issue. The housing crisis is impacting every congressional district, and we need a coordinated federal response,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.   

 

The United States faces an estimated shortage of over 7 million affordable homes for extremely low-income renters and over 12 million spend more than 50 percent of their income on rent, often sacrificing food, health care, or transportation as a result. 

 

Since 2020, rents have increased by more than 35%, while median incomes have not kept pace, fueling record-high homelessness and housing instability. Black households are substantially less likely to own a home than white households – 44% homeownership rate for Blacks versus 72% for whites – and the Black homeownership rate remains lower than in the year 2000.

 

Text of the resolution is available HERE.

 

This resolution is endorsed by: the National Affordable Housing Management Association, the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research, Northwest Neighborhoods, Providence House, University Settlement, and Loretta’s Helping Hands.

 

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

(Houston, TX) — On Sunday, May 18, 2025, Congressman Al Green was featured in an article written by Newsweek reporter Peter Aitken titled “Exclusive: Al Green on Trump Impeachment Push—’Don’t Wait’ for ‘Tanks’.” The article highlights Congressman Green’s recently filed articles of impeachment against President Donald John Trump, pointing to the Presidents continued attacks on judicial independence and disregard for the separation of powers. In this piece, Congressman Green addresses the need to confront rising authoritarianism, warning immediate action is necessary to safeguard American democracy. 

The article is available on Newsweek’s website by clicking the link here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON — During today’s House Appropriations subcommittee markup of the 2026 Defense funding bill, House Democrats highlighted how the bill undermines democracy at home and abroad and includes harmful policy riders that divide our nation.

For fiscal year 2026, the bill provides $831.5 billion, which is equal to current funding levels and $1.3 billion above the Administration’s fiscal year 2026 request.

Republicans have included language directing the Department of Defense to determine $7.75 billion in cuts to amounts listed in the bill. This jeopardizes every program other than intelligence activities. If made uniformly, it would reduce everything by approximately 1 percent, which would mean cuts of almost $2 billion for troop pay, over $2 billion for troop readiness, $409 million for health programs, $5 million each for Israel and Jordan, and over $2 billion for the procurement and modernization of weapons systems. At a time when the Trump Administration is already illegally stealing from American communities by refusing to spend funds, it is unfathomable that the Appropriations Committee would allow the administration to unilaterally make nearly $8 billion in cuts to defense investments.

The legislation:

• Weakens Ukraine and empowers Russia by eliminating support for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
• Undermines democracy at home and abroad by allowing disinformation and extremist views to flourish.
• Limits women’s access to abortion by preventing service personnel from traveling to seek reproductive health care
• Harms our military readiness with divisive provisions that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel, by:
  • Continuing DOGE and the Administration’s cuts to vital civilian positions;
  • Attacking the LGBTQ+ community with hateful policies; and
  • Banning funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

From Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum’s (D-MN-04) opening remarks as prepared for delivery:

“The Defense Appropriations Act is an incredibly complex piece of legislation that needs to be written the right way: With the president’s budget, and with thoughtful analysis by the Department of Defense. There are consequences to not following this process. We may end up buying too many of one platform, wasting precious taxpayer dollars. We may end up buying too little of another – leaving a gap in our defense capabilities. When we do not see the budget request, we fail to maximize the buying power for the taxpayer. It is unfortunate that President Trump put us in this situation. Our service members and America’s tax paying public deserve better.”

From Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT-03) opening remarks as prepared for delivery:

“Rather than working with House Democrats to strengthen our national security and prioritize the issues that matter most to our men and women in uniform, House Republicans are abandoning our allies, undermining democracy at home and abroad, and failing to support our servicemembers. Despite broad support in Congress for helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s brutal invasion, they empower Vladimir Putin by failing to include $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The majority’s bill holds the door open for disinformation created by America’s enemies rather than allowing the Department of Defense to counter the threat, allowing extremism and propaganda to proliferate across the Internet and media landscape. The bill continues House Republicans’ attacks on the right of women to seek an abortion, and the rights of minorities to be protected from discrimination, while destroying the Department’s efforts to build a more inclusive, effective, and modern military. And the bill weakens the Department by continuing the Administration’s reckless and indiscriminate cuts to vital civilian personnel, and yielding to DOGE and Elon Musk.”

A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Defense bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. The full text of the bill is here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) issued the following statement in response to confirmed reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was in Whittier over the weekend:

“ICE’s presence in Whittier and throughout Los Angeles does not make our neighborhoods safer. Instead, they are tearing families apart, traumatizing children and undermining trust with our local officials and law enforcement.

“The Trump administration’s raids serve no purpose other than to stoke fear and enforce a cruel and broken immigration system. No one should live under the constant threat of being ripped away from their family.

“I’m working with our local officials to determine if any of our residents were unlawfully detained. These inhumane raids must stop now.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) released the following statement on the White House deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles during protests against Trump’s immigration policies:

“President Trump’s unilateral deployment of the National Guard onto the streets of Los Angeles at a time when state and local law enforcement were defusing the fallout from ICE raids that terrorized immigrant neighborhoods and workplaces, was a move calculated to escalate what had been largely peaceful protests into violence that would create a pretext for suspending habeas corpus and imposing Martial Law.

“Similar to the Chinese Communist Party government crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, Martial Law would create the opportunity for Trump to crackdown on dissent throughout America, stifling freedom and liberty as the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from monarchal tyranny approaches.”

“I stand with my brothers and sisters who are peacefully protesting not only the cruelty of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdowns but the dictatorship he so desperately is trying to create, and I urge all those engaging in protest and demonstrations to remain non-violent. The time is now for all good people to find and get into trouble. Good trouble. Necessary trouble.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) joined Congressmen Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) and Brett Guthrie (KY-02), the co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Job Corps Caucus, in a letter signed by 199 members of Congress—Democratic and Republican—to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging her to continue the Job Corps program.

On May 29, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a notice that it will begin a phased pause in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers across the country. Job Corps is a national program with over 120 centers across the country. Job Corps offers at-risk youth varied academic opportunities and career pathways in business and industry.

In their letter, they highlighted, “Nearly 20,000 young people utilize Job Corps to learn skills for in-demand vocational and technical job training. Job Corps is one of the few national programs that specifically targets the 16-24-year-old population that is neither working, nor in school, and provides them with a direct pathway into employment openings in industries such as manufacturing and shipbuilding. The program also connects these young Americans with apprenticeships, higher education opportunities, or the military.”

The members of Congress also noted, “As companies continue to onshore and invest in the men and women of our country, a steady stream of skilled laborers will be required to meet the growing workforce demand. The Job Corps program is uniquely positioned to fill that role and provide these hardworking young Americans with the vocational and technical job training that will set them and our country up for success.”

The Jun. 5 letter to Secretary Chavez-DeRemer can be viewed here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

Ballwin, MO – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump approved Governor Mike Kehoe’s request for federal support to aid disaster recovery from the May 16th tornado.

“Thank you President Trump for your swift action to provide federal support to the victims of the deadly tornado last month. The St. Louis region was hit incredibly hard and this disaster assistance is going directly to ensure our community can rebuild stronger and better than before.  I appreciate President Trump and his team for working with us so our officials on the state and local level have the resources they need. I spoke with people on the ground when I saw the damage firsthand and I know how helpful this aid will be to our friends and neighbors.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) introduced new bipartisan legislation to better protect Americans’ private medical data from cyberattackers. 

Cyberattacks targeting Americans’ medical data have increased in recent years. In 2021, 46 million Americans had their health information breached as a result of a cyberattack, a threefold increase in three years. These cyberattacks often knock health systems offline, creating a backlog of unpaid claims and threatening patients’ access to care. Findings suggest that, as a result of these attacks, patients’ data may have been leaked on the dark web in the process. 

Congressman Crow’s Healthcare Cybersecurity Act would help safeguard Americans’ private medical data by requiring greater coordination at the federal level to ensure that government agencies stand ready to respond to the increasing threat posed by cyberattacks. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) joined Congressman Crow in introducing this legislation. The bill was also introduced in the Senate by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Todd Young (R-IN)

“As technology advances, we must do more to protect Americans’ sensitive data,” said Congressman Crow. “That’s why I’m leading bipartisan legislation to strengthen our defenses and protect families from cyberattackers.”

“Cyberattacks on our healthcare system endanger more than data—they put lives at risk. I’ve long worked to strengthen our nation’s cyber defenses where Americans are most exposed, from small businesses to hospitals. This bipartisan bill takes direct, strategic action: empowering CISA and HHS to coordinate real-time threat sharing, expanding cybersecurity training for providers, and establishing a dedicated liaison to bolster response. We’re not just responding to attacks—we’re building the infrastructure to prevent them, protect patient privacy, and defend a vital pillar of our national security,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

The Healthcare Cybersecurity Act would specifically require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collaborate on improving cybersecurity in both the health care and public health sectors. It would create a liaison between CISA and HHS to coordinate responses to cyberattacks, and would authorize cybersecurity training to all relevant personnel. The bill would also require CISA and HHS to conduct a study on specific cybersecurity risks facing the health care and public health sectors.

Congressman Crow has long worked to strengthen America’s cybersecurity defenses, and previously introduced the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act in the 117th and 118th Congress. He also previously introduced the SBA Cyber Awareness Act, bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) cybersecurity to handle and report cyber threats that affect small businesses.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) issued the following statement on President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and active duty Marines in California:

In a statement, Congressman Crow said: 

“Federalizing and deploying National Guard troops in any state should always be a last resort to address situations local authorities can’t handle alone. The reason for this is simple: introducing military personnel into domestic law enforcement situations is an escalation and can put both the military personnel and civilians on the ground at additional  risk. 

“Deploying troops inappropriately can also threaten the integrity and public trust of our military. There are many examples in US history of this ending poorly. 

“Here, both the mayor and the governor have been very clear that military personnel (the National Guard or active duty) are not necessary.

“I urge President Trump to reverse course and allow state and local law enforcement officials to respond.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON—During today’s House Appropriations full committee markup of the 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies funding bill, Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) delivered the following remarks: 

“Mr. Chairman, I strongly oppose the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill we are considering today. 

Our veterans are heroes who have given so much to our country. Their sacrifices can never be fully repaid, but the least we can do is to provide them with high-quality healthcare and other benefits they are entitled to. 

When they come home, they deserve to know that the country they fought for is going to deliver on its promises. 

And today, we have the opportunity to keep those promises—but unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle have chosen to join the Trump Administration in turning their backs on veterans.  

To start, this bill takes a page right out of the Project 2025 playbook by wasting billions of taxpayer dollars to privatize veterans’ medical care—even though this approach will only lead to higher costs, longer wait times, and more barriers to care.  

So while this Committee could be investing in vital, VA-based care that is consistently preferred by veterans and outperforms private community care, House Republicans have written a bill that will raise costs AND lower the quality of veterans’ care. This is unacceptable.  

If that wasn’t bad enough, let’s talk about the PACT Act.  

I was proud to support this historic, bipartisan expansion of health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances like burn pits and Agent Orange.  

Since its passage, the VA has delivered new PACT Act-related disability benefits to more than 1.4 million veterans and over 14,000 survivors of veterans who died of a toxic exposure-related illness.  

The PACT Act was a promise: if you put your life on the line for this country, we will take care of you. 

But this bill breaks that promise by failing to provide guaranteed advance funding for the PACT Act’s Toxic Exposure Fund.  Advance funding provides the certainty the VA needs to plan for and deliver consistent high-quality care for our veterans who were subjected to toxic exposures.  

And it doesn’t stop there. This bill is packed with the same cruel, performative policy riders we see year after year. As a nurse, I believe health care is a human right—including the full range of reproductive health care services. But this bill blocks the VA from providing abortions or even abortion counseling.  

It would force many of our veterans—like countless women across this country since the disastrous Dobbs decision—to wait till they are on their deathbeds to receive essential health care. It’s extreme, it’s deadly, and it’s anti-veteran. 

The bill also underfunds military construction by $904 million, delaying critical infrastructure needs that are vital to our military readiness. That hurts recruitment, worsens the quality of life for servicemembers and their families, and undermines our national security.  

But perhaps most alarming – this bill FAILS to stop the Trump Administration’s dangerous, unconstitutional effort to dismantle the Department of Veterans Affairs.  

So far, the Trump Administration has illegally fired thousands of VA staff that support critical services like processing claims benefits and keeping the Veterans Crisis Line running, and they have cancelled more than 500 contracts.  These cuts have interrupted veteran services and threatened the future of critical research from cancer treatments to suicide prevention.   

And this is just the beginning.  

Donald Trump’s VA Secretary has said publicly that the Administration’s goal is to reduce the agency’s staff by 15 percent –that’s 80,000 fewer professionals working to keep our promises to those who have served this country and many future generations of veterans left behind.  

Already I have heard from veterans in my District about the distress caused by these impending cuts. At my most recent town hall, one veteran who has sought mental health care at the VA since the 1970 shared his concerns about the future of his care in midst of these impending cuts.  

Another constituent of mine reached out via email and shared that “veterans that use the center for mental health issues are having anxiety attacks over the issues at the VA.” This is the real cost of the Administration’s decisions.  

And instead of standing up for our veterans, my Republican colleagues have written a bill that rubber stamps the Administration’s illegal and cruel acts.  

For all these reasons and more, I cannot support this bill.  

Our veterans deserve better. They deserve a Congress that honors their service—not just with words, but with action.  

They deserve a fully funded VA, access to comprehensive health care—including reproductive care—and a government that keeps its promises.  

I ask my colleagues across the aisle to do the right thing, stand up for veterans, and reject this misguided bill.” 

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