MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Today, the Michigan Congressional Delegation announced their submission to the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule on behalf of the state of Michigan. As part of Congress’s efforts to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the capsule will serve as a snapshot in time and will be opened on our nation’s 500th anniversary on July 4, 2276.

The Delegation submitted a Pure Michigan license plate engraved with “America 250,” a Pure Michigan brochure, a photograph of the Michigan U.S. House Delegation in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda at the statue of Michigan-native President Gerald Ford, and a picture of the Michigan U.S. Senate Delegation for inclusion.

In the letter accompanying the submission, the lawmakers write, “We have selected the license plate and brochure because they reflect two defining pillars of Michigan’s identity: our historic leadership as the ‘Auto State’ and our natural heritage as the ‘Great Lakes State.’ The photographs serve as a record of the men and women entrusted with representing Michigan in Congress during the United States’ 250th anniversary, preserving for future generations a snapshot of the state’s federal delegation at this historic milestone.”

“Together, these items capture both the character of our state and the voices entrusted to represent it during this historic moment in American history,” the lawmakers conclude. “We are proud to contribute them to the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule as a testament to Michigan’s unique role in our nation’s rich and storied history.”

The letter was signed by the entire Michigan Congressional Delegation, including U.S. Representatives Jack Bergman, John Moolenaar, Hillary Scholten, Bill Huizenga, Tim Walberg, Debbie Dingell, Tom Barrett, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Lisa McClain, John James, Haley Stevens, Rashida Tlaib, and Shri Thanedar. They were also joined by U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin. 

You can view the full letter HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – The House Committee on Education and Workforce today passed two bipartisan bills led by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) that will strengthen protections for injured federal workers and improve government accountability during today’s Education and Workforce Committee markup.

H.R. 8822 authorizes agencies to share data to improve benefit calculations, helping workers avoid unexpected repayment obligations caused by government overpayments. H.R. 8823 empowers the Department of Labor to suspend FECA payments to medical providers convicted of fraud, protecting both patients and taxpayers. Together, these bills will help ensure injured federal workers receive accurate and timely benefits while preventing provider fraud.

“I am thrilled the committee passed two of my bills with Rep. Mackenzie to help injured workers,” said Rep. Omar. “When a federal worker gets injured on the job, we have an obligation to make sure they get the care and benefits they have earned. Today, this committee took an important step to crack down on fraudulent providers and ensure benefits are paid accurately from the start. For too long, gaps in the system have wasted taxpayer dollars while creating financial uncertainty for injured workers and their families. These bills will help protect workers, strengthen accountability, and make government work better for the American people. That is exactly what good government should do, and I am thrilled to see these bills move forward.”

For the text of the Federal Workers’ Compensation Integrity and Care Act (H.R. 8822), click here.

For the text of the Putting Patients First by Strengthening Provider Accountability in FECA Act (H.R. 8823), click here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, Panetta Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Waive Overtime Pay Cap and Protect Federal Firefighters

Washington, D.C. – Representative Don Bacon (NE-02) joined Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) today to introduce the Support Our Firefighters Act. This bipartisan legislation would waive the overtime cap for federal wildland firefighters and ensure they receive mandatory rest and recuperation time. The bill is also co-led by Reps. Jack Bergman (MI-01), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), Josh Harder (CA-09), and Joe Neguse (CO-02).

Federal wildland firefighters are subject to an annual compensation cap, which includes base pay, overtime, and premium pay. During peak fire season, many federal wildland firefighters work extensive hours while assigned to an incident. This arbitrary cap often forces firefighters to fight fires and protect communities without getting paid, and exacerbates retention issues. To help address this issue, the Support Our Firefighters Act would permanently waive the pay cap for federal wildland firefighters so that they are fairly compensated for their lifesaving work.
 
The bill would also ensure federal wildland firefighters receive three days of paid rest and recuperation leave after a 14-day period and four days of rest and recuperation following a 21-day period.

“Our wildland firefighters put their lives on the line to protect our communities from devastating fires,” said Rep. Bacon. “As a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I’m pleased to co-lead the bipartisan Support Our Firefighters Act to ensure these heroes receive the rest, support and resources they need after difficult deployments.”

“With wildfires raging across the country, Congress must ensure we can properly recruit and retain our federal wildland firefighters,” said Rep. Panetta. “The unreasonable current overtime pay cap and unsustainable lack of rest and recuperation time undermines these selfless professionals’ ability to best protect families, homes, and businesses and risks pushing them to jobs with better pay and conditions. That’s why our bipartisan bill would permanently lift this arbitrary compensation cap while also providing mandatory rest for federal firefighters. It’s this type of bipartisan, commonsense solution that can address the wildfire crisis and strengthen our federal firefighting workforce.”

“Our first responders, including our wildland firefighters, are willing to put everything on the line to keep our communities safe,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “Wildfires are unpredictable, and we cannot afford to limit their annual pay or force these brave men and women to choose between serving their communities and providing for their families. The Support Our Firefighters Act helps retain experienced firefighters, strengthens wildfire response, and ensures firefighters receive the pay they have earned and the rest time they need.”

“When wildland firefighters answer the call of duty, they put their lives on pause — leaving behind their lives and families for months at a time, working an average of 16-hour daily shifts, sleeping in the dirt, with incredibly limited time off to reset and reconnect with loved ones. Their service is an incredible sacrifice, and we must do everything we can to support the brave individuals that make up this workforce. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Panetta in introducing the Support Our Firefighters Act, a bill that expands upon our efforts to increase firefighter pay by permanently waiving the overtime pay cap and ensuring folks are provided an adequate rest and recuperation leave. It’s up to us to make sure these courageous heroes are well compensated for their selfless dedication,” said Rep. Neguse.

“Wildland firefighters shouldn’t be punished for taking a breather after spending weeks on the frontlines of severe megafires,” said Rep. Harder. “Our firefighters are already being pushed to the brink by this year-round crisis, and they need relief. This bill keeps our promise to those who stand between our communities and fire disaster by guaranteeing the rest, pay, and support they’ve earned.”

“From the forests of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula to those out West, our federal wildland firefighters put their lives on the line every fire season – and we’re losing good people to attrition because the workforce system hasn’t kept pace with the support our firefighters need and deserve,” said Rep. Bergman. “The Support Our Firefighters Act guarantees real recovery time, fixes the overtime pay cap waiver, and protects the pay continuity these crews depend on, and I’m proud to help co-lead this bipartisan effort with my colleagues.”

“Federal wildland firefighters perform grueling, complex work while defending American communities from the wildfire crisis. It is critical that these men and women have time to recover after deployments and that they are fairly compensated for their incredible duties. NFFE is proud to endorse this legislation to guarantee rest periods for the dedicated public servants on the front lines, in addition to lifting overtime pay limitations for hours worked on fire assignments. Addressing both issues will help ensure the workforce is adequately equipped to carry out its important mission. Thank you to Representative Panetta and the original cosponsors for their leadership in supporting federal wildland firefighters,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin.

Despite risking their lives and traveling cross-country for months at a time to protect American communities and forests from wildfires, many of the more than 18,000 federal wildland firefighters live paycheck to paycheck, sometimes working overtime without fair pay. Wildland firefighters are required to work long hours in challenging and changing conditions, such as high temperatures and steep terrain. Federal agencies have continuously experienced difficulty with retention due to the nature of their work and compensation. 

Full text of the bill is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement:

The Supreme Court has recklessly rubber-stamped the Trump administration’s crusade to rip legal status from hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian TPS holders, forcing them to return to a dangerous and deeply unstable environment where they know people are at risk. 

TPS holders from Haiti and Syria are our hardworking neighbors actively contributing to our communities, supporting our small businesses and filling critical labor needs. This decision harms them, their families and the communities all across America that rely on their participation in the healthcare workforce and beyond. This cruel decision by a right-wing conservative majority on the Supreme Court may now expose 1.3 million people from 17 countries to the same unconscionable treatment. 

We believe that immigration enforcement in this country should be fair, just and humane, and we will continue pushing back to protect our communities, including the vibrant Haitian diaspora that calls New York City home. Over the objection of Donald Trump and Mike Johnson, House Democrats passed legislation in April to extend TPS for Haitians and protect our communities from the inhumane and unacceptable policies of this out-of-control administration. 

The Senate should immediately move Rep. Laura Gillen’s bipartisan bill in response to today’s reckless Supreme Court decision.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [6/25/26] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced a resolution to impeach Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

The resolution outlines how McMahon violated her oath of office, made false and misleading statements to Congress, and violated federal law by illegally transferring the operations of multiple offices and more than 140 programs under the Department of Education to other federal agencies without the approval of Congress. 

In introducing the resolution, Bonamici said “I introduced an impeachment resolution because Secretary McMahon has made it her mission to close down the Department of Education, something she does not have the right to do.”

Bonamici called on other members to join her impeachment effort during remarks on the House floor. Video can be found here.

“Educators and parents, especially parents of students with disabilities, are distraught and asking us to take action to stop these illegal transfers. To them I say we hear you,” Bonamici said on the House floor. 

The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), John Garamendi (D-CA), Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Nikema Williams (D-GA).  

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

Since taking office McMahon has unlawfully ordered the transfer of at least five offices and their multiple programs to other agencies – all without the consent of Congress. Congress created the Department of Education and only Congress can dismantle it. These transfers essentially gut the Department of Education and obstruct the Department’s ability to conduct statutory oversight and disburse Federal funds appropriated by Congress through its authority under Article I of the United States Constitution:

• On September 30, 2025, McMahon approved an interagency agreement moving the provision of several essential programs and services under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. 
• On February 20, 2026, McMahon approved another interagency agreement moving the provision of additional programs and services under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services.
• On September 30, 2025, McMahon approved an interagency agreement moving the provision of several essential programs and services under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor.
• On February 20, 2026, McMahon approved another interagency agreement moving the provision of additional programs and services under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State.
• On May 21, 2025, McMahon approved an interagency agreement moving the provision of essential programs and services under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor.
• On June 15, 2026, McMahon approved an interagency agreement moving the provision of essential programs and services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (formerly the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) of 1975 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to the Department of Health and Human Services.
• On June 15, 2026, McMahon approved an interagency agreement moving the provision of essential programs and services under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 to the Department of Justice. 

Additionally, McMahon made false statements to Congress during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. She assured multiple Senators that she would commit to awarding funds authorized by Congress to schools and students; however, since taking office, McMahon has canceled or withheld hundreds of grants authorized and appropriated with bipartisan support by Congress, including mental health funding for elementary and secondary schools and TRIO grants for institutions of higher education. Making false statements to Congress is a federal crime.

Finally, McMahon has created widespread chaos and confusion by terminating or overseeing the departure of approximately 2,000 employees – cutting the Department of Education’s workforce by at least half. As a direct result of these firings, the Department of Education does not have the necessary staff to disburse funding in a timely manner or investigate instances of discrimination and harassment in schools. This represents a significant breach of the public’s trust in the Department of Education and in McMahon as its leader.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

The Supreme Court’s decision in Monsanto v. Durnell is a devastating setback for Americans who deserve the right to hold powerful companies accountable for serious health harms. 

While we feared the Court’s decision might go this way—thanks in large part to the Trump Administration’s support—I held out hope that the growing, bipartisan opposition to this liability shield would make clear just how much is at stake. From the People vs. Poison rally outside the Supreme Court to our recent win keeping a pesticide manufacturer liability shield out of the Farm Bill, advocates, lawmakers, farmers, and families have been sending a clear message: No chemical company should be able to write the rules, dodge accountability, and leave people and communities to pay the price.

Let’s be clear: The Court did not decide whether Roundup causes cancer. Instead, it ruled that, because EPA approved Roundup’s label without a cancer warning, federal pesticide law blocks this kind of state-law failure-to-warn claim. People who believe they were harmed by Roundup now face an even steeper path to justice, while Bayer gets exactly what it has been fighting for—a powerful new shield from accountability.

This decision exposes the Trump Administration’s so-called “Make America Healthy Again” agenda for what it is: nothing more than a hollow political slogan.

You cannot claim to care about Americans’ health while sending your Justice Department to the Supreme Court to side with Big Chemical. When forced to choose between public health and corporate power, Trump chose the latter.

Giant chemical companies have been trying to rig the system in their favor for years. Republicans in Congress attempted to slip language into a key spending bill that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers from accountability. I successfully led the effort to strip it from the final bill that passed both the House and Senate. Republicans tried and failed again in the Farm Bill. Now, after President Trump put his finger on the scales, Bayer has won in court what it could not get through Congress.

If the Supreme Court is going to put even more weight on EPA’s pesticide review and labeling process, then Congress and the President have a responsibility to fix the dangerous gap this decision exposes. EPA must be transparent, science-based, independent, and accountable to the public—not the industries it is supposed to regulate. 

The people of Maine, and all Americans, deserve a justice system and regulatory structure that puts human health before corporate profits. No chemical company should be powerful enough to write the rules, dodge accountability, and leave families to pay the price.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

June 24, 2026

Watch Rep. Levin’s Remarks Here

Washington, D.C.—Today, during a House Appropriations Committee markup, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced an amendment to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate a $620 million loan awarded to Vulcan Elements. The amendment was rejected by Republicans on the Appropriations Committee, except for Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) who supported it. Republicans gave no substantive reasons for rejecting the amendment.

In November 2025, the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) awarded a $620 million loan to Vulcan Elements. Prior to the award, Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm bought a stake in Vulcan Elements, and after Vulcan received the award, the company’s value ballooned from $200 million to $2 billion. According to a ProPublica investigation, the direction to give Vulcan the loan came directly from the White House. Of all the companies DoD was considering for this type of funding at the time, Vulcan Elements was the only one with the backing of the White House.

During debate on the amendment, Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Chair Ken Calvert (CA-41) was unable to offer substantive reasons for rejecting the amendment. He offered the only remarks from the Republican side of the Committee stating, “I thank the gentleman for his amendment. This amendment directs an investigation into the Office of Strategic Capital to assess whether conflicts of interest drive decisions on financing. The Office of Strategic Capital is a transformative tool. Without them, we would not be able to strengthen our national industrial base. I believe it’s doing a good job, and I was happy to help create the National Strategic Capital account. I oppose this amendment and I yield back.”

Rep. Levin’s amendment would have initiated a GAO investigation into how the Vulcan loan was pursued and finalized. It would have also assessed OSC’s procedures for preventing any conflicts of interest and ensuring open and competitive access to all interested parties.

Read Rep. Levin’s remarks as prepared for delivery below:

When the federal government commits hundreds of millions of dollars of the people’s money, the people have a right to know how that decision was made.

That is the reason the Government Accountability Office exists, and it is why this committee, under chairs of both parties, has asked GAO countless times to review how dollars are spent.

This amendment applies that principle to one transaction, a single loan, to Vulcan Elements. And I want to explain why this particular loan, more than any other loan the Office of Strategic Capital – or OSC – has made, deserves a closer look.

Let me start by saying I support the mission of OSC. Reducing our dependence on China for rare earth minerals is a genuine national security priority, and I expect there is no disagreement in this room about that. That is exactly why I want this program to be beyond reproach. If we believe in it, we should want its decisions to be clean, competitive, and defensible, able to withstand scrutiny rather than avoid it.

So let me walk through what makes this particular loan an outlier.

First, the size. At $620 million dollars, this is one of the single largest loans in the history of OSC, and a commitment of that scale warrants careful review on its own.

Then the speed, and how it came about. Loans like this are normally the product of many months of diligence, but this one was finalized in a matter of weeks. According to public reporting, career staff at OSC were told this deal was a priority for Peter Navarro, a senior White House advisor, and did not go through OSC’s normal process. I believe that alone is reason enough for an independent review.

Consider the company itself. Vulcan Elements was founded in 2023, and at the time of this loan it had only a small fraction of the production capacity the money was meant to build. This was not an established producer with a long track record. It was a two-year-old startup receiving the largest loan this office had ever issued.

Look at the timing of the private investment. Just months before the Pentagon announced this deal, a venture firm connected to the President’s family took a stake in the company. The proximity of that investment to a record federal loan, pushed by a White House adviser, is precisely the kind of sequence oversight is meant to examine.

And consider the result. After the loan was announced, the company’s reported valuation jumped roughly tenfold, from about $200 million to around $2 billion. When a single federal lending decision moves a company’s value that dramatically, the public has a clear and legitimate interest in knowing that decision was made on the merits.

I want to be careful and fair here. Not one of these facts, standing alone, proves anything improper. It is entirely possible that Vulcan was the strongest applicant and that every rule was followed. If that is the case, the review this amendment calls for will confirm it, and the program will be stronger for having been tested. But the only way to know is to look.

And taken together, one of the largest loans in the program’s history, finalized in weeks rather than months, pushed by a White House adviser, to a two-year-old startup, shortly after a politically connected investment, followed by a tenfold valuation increase, this is not an ordinary transaction by any measure.

So let me be clear about what this amendment does and does not do. It directs GAO to examine how this loan was pursued and finalized, and to assess whether the office’s procedures for preventing conflicts of interest and ensuring open, competitive access were followed.

It does not accuse anyone of a crime. It does not cut a dollar, block the loan, or slow the program. It simply asks a nonpartisan, independent agency to verify that this transaction was handled the way the program’s own standards require.

I believe that is the easiest vote in the world to explain to the people we serve, because every one of them already knows that the biggest and fastest deals are exactly the ones that deserve a second set of eyes.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming a federal funding notice, the second in the same day, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for $275,025 to the American Samoa Department of Health (ASDOH).

This is again a discretionary, continuing grant from the CDC, this time from the National Center for Chronic Diseases Prevention & Health Promotion (NCCDPHP). These federal funds are for the American Samoa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) project, a grant application by the American Samoa Health Department, part of a second five-year project through 2030. This grant covers one year into 2027, for scientific and health research funding, including surveys.

“Thank you to all our health professionals or territory personnel involved in the important efforts to make our people healthier over the long term,” said Congresswoman Amata. “The CDC is supporting efforts to gain more data-driven knowledge about American Samoa’s health to achieve better care.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting a federal funding notification from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the amount of $413,850 for American Samoa Department of Health (ASDOH).

This is a discretionary, continuation grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement provides crucial support for state, local, and territory public health departments, supporting public health systems to respond to or recover from emergencies.

“Thank you to all who have part in our emergency preparedness, whether ensuring our territory puts in the necessary effort to receive funds, or responders to the scene if needed in an emergency,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “Thank you for planning and response readiness to keep our people safe.”

The grant is through the Office of Readiness and Response, an office of the CDC.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed ten AI bills through Committee. The bills are listed below. 

“I’m pleased that we were able to move ten AI bills through the Committee today,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “These bills are focused on the challenges and opportunities presented by the widespread adoption of AI technology. The bills passed today thoughtfully recognized and address the nuance and complexity around these issues. I’m thankful to my colleagues, both Democratic and Republican, who worked so hard to get these bills to this finish line.”

“We should be proud of this win today, and we are, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the process by which we got here strayed from the usual good faith efforts and discussions this Committee has so long been known for. We are a productive Committee and have continued to deliver for our constituents despite these tumultuous times. Several Democratic priorities were struck down by Republicans or completely barred from consideration during our markup, otherwise risking a bill getting thrown out altogether. It’s troubling to imagine why Republicans would oppose these items, such as efforts to address concerns about youth exposure to AI, data centers, and the inclusion of community colleges in our AI future. Americans certainly are concerned about these issues. Democrats will continue to fight for a future that carefully assesses the risks of AI while also capitalizing on the opportunities it brings. I hope the House takes up these bills before the end of the Congress, and I look forward to them landing on the president’s desk.”

The following bills passed through Committee: 

H.R. 9341, AI-Ready Federal Data Guidelines Act 

H.R. 9363, AI Security and Innovation Act

H.R. 9333, AI Flaw Reporting and Security Enhancement Act

H.R. 2385, CREATE AI Act 

H.R. 5351, NSF AI Education Act of 2025

H.R. 5584, LIFT AI Act 

H.R. 6461, READ AI Models Act

H.R. 8893, Protecting Consumers from Deceptive AI Act 

H.R. 9334, Workforce for AI Trust Act

H.R. 9372, Data Infrastructure Energy Measurement and Standards Act

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