MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), a senior member of the Education and Workforce Committee, announced he will host a virtual Education Town Hall on Wednesday, May 28^th at 4:00 p.m. This town hall comes in the wake of President Trump’s Executive Order attempting to dismantle the Department of Education, which administers the federal student loan program and funds resources for students with disabilities, among other important priorities. 

To discuss how the Trump Administration’s recent actions will impact students around the country and in CA-10, Congressman DeSaulnier will be joined by Lynn Mackey, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools, and Allegra Fischer, Senior Policy Attorney at Disability Rights California. The Congressman and panelists will also take questions live.
 

Virtual Education Town Hall
Wednesday, May 28^th
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT
Hosted on Zoom 
Streamed on Facebook and YouTube

To reserve your spot and receive a Zoom link or to request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. 

This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 232^nd town hall and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress in January 2015.

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

WASHINGTON – During the markup of the Republican tax bill, Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to provide Trade Adjustment Assistance to workers and small businesses displaced by trade. The Republican-led committee blocked the amendment in a 19–24 party-line vote

Video of her statement introducing the amendment is available HERE and the text follows:

“This tax bill is a desperate attempt from Republicans to kowtow to corporations, while they turn their backs on millions of hardworking Americans.

Prices on everyday goods are rising, retirees are watching their savings evaporate as markets swing wildly, farmers are losing access to key export markets, many small businesses are on the verge of closing their doors forever, and jobs are being lost.

It’s time to put an end to the economic damage. A tax bill that creates massive deficits and gives handouts to billionaires will not do that. We must use this opportunity to restore stability in our trade and economic policy before the damage is too far to reverse.

That’s why I am offering an amendment to renew Trade Adjustment Assistance and modernize the program, including by streamlining the eligibility criteria for farmers, workers, and businesses. This language comes from the COMPETES Act, which Congress passed on a bipartisan basis in 2022.

Under my amendment, displaced workers would be eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance through 2031. My amendment would also ensure port workers and workers in the trucking industry will be eligible to apply for TAA if they unfairly lost their jobs due to tariffs imposed by President Trump since January 20th of this year.

Since its inception, TAA has helped millions of trade-displaced workers attain the necessary skills, credentials, resources, and support they need in order to return to work. At least 192,000 workers have pending TAA petitions with the Department of Labor. That includes 17,240 new applicants since President Trump took office to March — a nearly 10 percent increase in less than two months.

Despite the fact that this data was updated monthly, no new data has been available since March 3rd, just after the Trump administration began to wreak havoc on our economy with the Canada and Mexico tariffs and the April 2nd global tariffs.

Wow. I wonder why? Could it be that the Trump administration is scared of Americans finding out the real cost of his chaotic trade policies?

Not only are prices going up, but Americans working in trade-related industries literally have their jobs on the line, including the thousands of port workers from Los Angeles and Long Beach that live in my district.

Every one container that arrives in the port supports four jobs in the Los Angeles economy. Yet, imports at the Port of Los Angeles are currently down by 35% from the same time last year. If this trend continues, empty shelves and layoffs will follow.

We also cannot forget the truck drivers who help transport essential goods across the country. These truck drivers will lose from declining truck volumes and higher operational costs.

We cannot abandon our workers. They need relief now.

Over 8,000 workers with pending TAA applications are in my Republican Ways and Means colleagues’ districts:

• Chairman Smith currently has 1,272 workers with pending TAA applications.
• Representative Adrian Smith – 295 workers
• Representative Mike Kelly – 60 workers
• Representative Schweikert – 250 workers
• Representative LaHood – 1,097 workers
• Representative Estes – 528 workers
• Representative Miller – 35 workers
• Representative Murphy – 120 workers
• Representative Van Duyne – 1,382 workers
• Representative Feenstra – 197 workers
• Representative Carey – 387 workers
• Representative Miller – 125 workers
• Representative Yakym – 2,442 workers

All with pending trade adjustment claims. They cannot afford to be left in limbo any longer, waiting for Congress to renew Trade Adjustment Assistance.

I call on my Republican colleagues to support my amendment to renew TAA and offer some relief to their constituents who have unfairly lost their jobs due to this administration’s stupid and irresponsible trade policies.”

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

On the final day of Infrastructure Week, Rep. Hank Johnson introduces legislation to invest $80B in public transit across large cities, small towns, and rural communities to better serve constituents and working families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the final day of Infrastructure Week, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, re-introduced the Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act, which would provide $20 billion annually for four years ($80 billion total) to transit systems for their operating budgets.

The bill would provide targeted federal funding to help transit agencies increase bus and rail service, especially in places with existing poor service, disadvantaged communities, and areas of persistent poverty. The funding will be in addition to existing state, local and farebox revenue and will support additional services above and beyond what is currently being provided. Agencies could use funding under this bill to make “substantial improvements to transit service.”

“Transit in our communities is as essential as food on our tables, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads,” said Rep. Johnson. “This kind of funding is a game-changer for Atlanta and communities across the nation. Simply put, people could get to more places in less time using transit. Jobs, schools, and other daily destinations that previously took too long to reach would become more accessible. People would feel less strain on household budgets as their transportation costs shrink. They would have more time to spend with their families as time spent commuting falls.”

The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act builds on the momentum of Infrastructure Week by supporting efforts to create a more equitable, efficient, and connected transportation system for all Americans.

The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act would:

•    Authorize $20 billion annually for FY2025-FY2028
•    Create a new formula grant program to support the operating costs of public transportation and certain associated capital costs
•    Require funds must be used for projects that make “substantial improvements to transit service” –  that directly boosts frequency of buses, trains and increases routes
•    Clearly define funding for “areas of persistent poverty” and “underserved communities;”

According to the Transit Center, a foundation that works to improve public transit in cities across the U.S., in Atlanta alone, $20 billion in annual transit funding could mean a 40 percent gain in service that could vastly improve access to transit that arrives at least every 15 minutes, all day, seven days a week.

In some parts of the city, that would increase the number of jobs reachable within 30 minutes on transit by a factor of eight, it said.

In cities and communities across the country, a federal program to support transit services could yield similar benefits by helping families lower transportation costs, drive economic opportunity and racial equity and reduce greenhouse gases.

Cosponsors include: Reps. Cohen, McClellan, Tlaib,  Frost, Cleaver, Dean, Boyle, Doggett, Wilson (FL), Ramirez, Kennedy (NY), McIver, Norton, Smith (WA), Sykes, Gomez, Simon, D. Davis (IL), Schakowsky, Carbajal, Garcia (CA), Sanchez, Mullin, DelBene, McGarvey,  Raskin, R. Kelly, Garamendi, Veasey, Horsford, McBath, Meng, Ruiz, Carter (LA), Titus, Lynch, Fields, Morelle, Scanlon, Omar, Foushee, Tonko, Moore (WI), Adams, Magaziner, Pocan, Moulton, Evans (PA), Landsman, Thompson, Jayapal, Watson Coleman, DeGette, Mfume, Deluzio, Hayes, Thanedar, Barragán, Beatty, Brown, Fitzpatrick, Ocasio-Cortez, Garcia (IL), Lee (PA), Khanna, Neal, Pingree, Clarke (NY), Krishnamoorthi, Sherman, Budzinski, Ansari, Nadler, Cherfilus-McCormick, Ryan, Gottheimer, Casten, Jackson, Garcia (TX), Velazquez, Houlahan, Sorensen, Huffman, Foster, Chu, Ross, Vargas, Stansbury, Goldman, Amo, Moskowitz, Sewell, Dingell, Harder, Quigley, Salinas, Takano, Bishop, Ivey.

The bill is supported by: Transport Workers Union of America, Amalgamated Transit Union, MARTA, T4America, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Campaign for Transit Justice, Sierra Club, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Union of Concerned Scientists

What stakeholders are saying:

“The federal government inexplicably funds transit capital investments without providing the operations funding to ensure that buses and trains can run safely, on time, and frequently enough to benefit working families,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “This bill would end a transit funding practice that doesn’t make sense and ensure that federal dollars can go toward transit operating expenses that improve service and ridership.”

“Transportation labor has long supported strong federal action that facilitates sustainable and reliable public transit service,” Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO President Greg Regan said. “By providing $20 billion per year over the next four years, transit agencies would have the opportunity to increase service frequency, expand service areas, extend operating hours and overall improve the passenger experience. We applaud Rep. Johnson for understanding the importance of this public service and introducing this legislation.”

To read the bill, click HERE.

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

Congressman Held Roundtable With Local Stakeholders

STONECREST, GA – On Friday, May 9, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) gathered local nonprofits, parents and experts in the field of providing critical services to children in need, including the YMCA, Head Start, Easter Seals, Sheltering Arms and others to discuss the impact of drastic cuts to programs that keep children safe and healthy. 

“I’m seeing firsthand what Republican program cuts could jeopardize – it’s a very serious dilemma our country now faces,” said Rep. Johnson. “Are we going to invest in people, or are we going to give tax cuts to those at the top? I’m also struck by how many medical and service providers’ livelihoods are at stake – there are so many people whose job it is to deliver these services. I, for one, am going to keep fighting for these critical programs.”

The Republican budget bill moving through Congress cuts Medicaid and food assistance by $1 trillion, ripping away basic needs programs that help tens of millions of everyday Americans. The Republican budget will cause nearly 14 million Americans to lose their health care and raise health care costs for millions more. Hospitals across America will close, critical services will be cut, and as one of the roundtable participants said, people will die. The Republican budget takes food assistance away from millions of kids, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Federal dollars underpin the services upon which all Georgians — including babies and toddlers — rely. Without these dollars, hospitals will continue to close, more children will be food insecure, and parents will be unable to work due to lack of childcare. These funding reductions will harm all Georgians and the state’s economy; however, the effects will be felt most severely by those most vulnerable, including children.

The Congressman was joined by a parent whose Medicaid grants helped his 10-month-old with leukemia and a mother whose twins’ access to Head Start lets her earn a living during the day. Also in attendance Hanah Goldberg, Director of Research and Policy, GEEARS; Alejandra Martinez, Director of Family Services, Sheltering Arms; Andria McMichael, Vice President of Early Learning, YMCA of Metro Atlanta Head Start; Donna Davidson, President & CEO of Easter Seals of North Georgia (ESNG); Polly McKinney, Advocacy Director, Voices for Georgia’s Children; Chad Jones, Vice President for Business Development, View Point Health; Matt Pieper, Chief Executive Officer, Open Hand Atlanta.

“We are worried about any cuts,” said Donna Davidson, President & CEO of Easter Seals of North Georgia. “All of the children in our program, whether its federal funding for Head Start, Medicaid or SNAP – any cuts to those programs would be devastating to so many families that are already dealing with challenges.”

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

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet, issued the following statement after Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter, was fired over the weekend by President Trump – days after he fired now-former Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden:

“President Trump’s firing of the Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, is yet another power grab from an administration that has repeatedly violated the Constitution and our country’s rule of law. Register Perlmutter is an accomplished and respected expert who led the Copyright Office with distinction.

We should also recognize the clear benefit to Elon Musk and other artificial intelligence CEOs, who are in litigation over their use of copyrighted material to train their generative AI systems. It’s no mistake that just hours before she was fired, the Copyright Office issued a report assessing the nature of the fair use doctrine as applied to its use in training large language models.”

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

WATCH

Subcommittee Ranking Member Johnson’s opening statement.

Ranking Member Hank Johnson

Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet

Hearing on “Protecting Our Edge: Trade Secrets and the Global AI Arms Race”
May 7, 2025

One hundred and seventeen days ago, Chinese company DeepSeek launched its flagship model, DeepSeek R-1. In the following days and weeks, American experts wrung their hands and shook their heads, many considering for the first time the possibility that we may be losing the so-called “AI Arms Race.” DeepSeek claims R-1 was developed faster and cheaper than comparable U.S. models. Others argue DeepSeek at a minimum violated Open AI’s terms of service to obtain proprietary training data. 

Where everyone seems to agree is that AI startups should be innovating faster. I’ve heard colleagues suggest we should forget regulations, ignore IP laws, and just focus on clearing the way for AI companies. I agree everyone wins when we foster American AI startups. But I think it’s a false choice to say we can succeed, but only if we do so irresponsibly. 

If you walk around Capitol Hill today, you can see plants sprouting out of the soil, beginning to grow. What you’ll notice if you look closely, is some of those shoots growing in the shade look like they’re growing faster than the others. As they race for just a little bit of sunlight, yes, they grow quickly, but ultimately, they grow less hardy, more brittle, and prone to disease.

AI innovation works the same way. As we seek ways to promote American AI startups, we should also work to ensure that businesses meet minimum standards for system cybersecurity; we should ask what types of transparency are necessary to protect other IP rights and consider how to set standards while still protecting trade secrets. By encouraging companies to meet best practices and respect intellectual property rights, we will foster hardy competition that protects U.S. innovation from those who seek to undermine our success.

The government of China has made no secret of its intent to steal American intellectual property. And there is bipartisan agreement that the United States should protect its innovations from those who seek to benefit from American ingenuity. 

There is also a right way and a wrong way to compete with our adversaries. While we don’t always agree on this Committee, we have had meaningful discussions on the right way to protect American IP from the government of China, cybersecurity standards to keep our people and our institutions safe, and the threat landscape to AI innovation.  

Donald Trump on the other hand, has acted in ways that hurt American businesses. His ideologically inconsistent and unpredictable tariffs have hurt American consumers, American businesses, and our allies. Innovation in America suffers when the path forward is uncertain.

For generations, American companies have benefited from attracting the best and the brightest from other nations. Yet seemingly without reason, Trump again and again hurts American businesses by attempting to revoke already granted student visas and threating the H1-B visa program for highly skilled immigrants.

The deleterious impact of these policies on AI innovation should not be ignored. According to a recent study, immigrants have founded or cofounded 28 of the top 43 AI companies in the United States, and 70 percent of full-time graduate students in fields related to artificial intelligence are international students.

So instead of focusing on policies that stand to derail American innovation, we should focus on upholding our treaties and respecting our allies. We should encourage our research institutions to engage with universities around the world. The breakneck speed of innovation has made it easier than ever to reach out to people around the world. Now is not a time for isolationism because history has shown us that true innovation thrives on openness. Afterall, groundbreaking inventions rarely emerge when knowledge is walled off. 

I thank the witnesses for being here today and I yield back. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement condemning the passage of the Republican Reconciliation Package through the Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill will come before the full House for a vote as soon as next week.

“House Republicans jamming this bill to gut Medicaid through this committee today is one of the most shameful moments in my over two decades of Congressional service. Republicans are clearing the deck to give massive tax breaks to billionaires by slashing Medicaid funding and forcing millions of Americans off their health care. Rather than fight for their constituents, Republicans have chosen to rip life-saving care away from more than 13 million working families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid as a lifeline, and then turn around and lie to the American people about its true impacts.

“This bill takes direct aim at women’s health by intentionally defunding Planned Parenthood, cutting off millions from access to cancer screenings, birth control, and reproductive health services. Let’s be clear: this is an ideological attack on women and their right to control their own health care decisions. It also attacks transgender youth by prohibiting them from utilizing federal Medicaid funding for medically necessary healthcare interventions.

“I have visited with hundreds of constituents in Illinois’s 9th District over the past few months and have seen firsthand the vital role Medicaid plays in our communities. Nearly 150,000 people in my district alone rely on Medicaid. It supports low-income families, funds rural hospitals, and provides essential care for children with complex medical needs. Slashing Medicaid is not just heartless—it’s dangerous. It puts lives at risk and undermines our entire health care system.”

“Instead of working to strengthen access to care, Republicans are pushing a reckless, partisan agenda that punishes the most vulnerable. This bill will cause rural hospitals to close, cause health care workers to lose jobs, and cause families to fall through the cracks—all in the name of tax cuts for the wealthy.”

“This fight is not over: I will never stop fighting to protect the health and dignity of every American. I and my Democratic colleagues will continue to hold the line for the millions of Americans set to lose their health coverage under this cruel and dangerous bill.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

Full Text of Bill (PDF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on International Nurses Day, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky and U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act to improve hospital patient care and nurse retention by setting mandatory minimum registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. 

There are no federal mandates regulating the number of patients a registered nurse (RN) can care for at one time in U.S. hospitals. As a result, RNs are consistently required to care for more patients than is safe, negatively impacting patient outcomes. Studies show that when RNs are forced to care for too many patients at one time, patients are at higher risk of preventable medical errors, avoidable complications, falls and injuries, pressure sores, increased length of hospital stay, higher numbers of hospital readmissions, and death. For each additional surgical patient in a registered nurse’s workload above the baseline nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:4, the likelihood of patient death within 30 days increases by seven percent.

“I am proud to reintroduce the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act with Senators Padilla and Merkley that will establish registered nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals, provide whistleblower protection for nurses who advocate on behalf of their patients, and invest in training and career development to retain hardworking nurses in the workforce,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “For years, I’ve talked to exhausted nurses who have said they go home at night, wondering if they forgot to turn a patient because they were stretched far too thin. Study after study shows that safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios result in higher quality care for patients, lower health care costs, and a better workplace for nurses. It is past time that we act on the evidence, give nurses the support they deserve, and put patients over profits. Let’s get it done!”

“Every patient deserves access to quality care, but the registered nursing staffing crisis across the country is putting patients at risk and leading to preventable health complications, especially in communities of color,” said Senator Padilla. “The numbers are clear: California’s mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient ratio is saving lives. Extending safe staffing at hospitals across the country is long overdue and is essential to retaining our nursing workforce and improving health outcomes.”

“As the husband of a nurse, I’ve seen how our health care heroes give so much to keep communities in Oregon healthy every day,” said Senator Merkley, Co-Chair of the Senate Nursing Caucus. “As we celebrate National Nurses Week, I am committed to fighting for safe staffing levels for both nurses and patients, to enhance the quality of patient care, reduce medical errors, and increase nurse retention. Nurses make the world so much better, one bedside at a time, and Congress must do all it can to tackle the challenges these life-saving professionals face.”
 
“Nurses are constantly forced by our employers to care for too many patients than is safe. Yet, during National Nurses Week, those same employers hang banners or give out a free cookie to show their appreciation of us. It’s a slap in the face,” said Nancy Hagans, RN and NNU president. “Our patients deserve high-quality care, and nurses have always stood up to protect our patients. It’s time hospital managers are mandated to staff our units safely for our patients’ sake and to actually give nurses the resources and respect we deserve.”

“Nurses know from caring for patients at the bedside, that safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios save lives. CNA fought for and won legislation in California ensuring safe staffing ratios, and unfortunately two decades later, we are still the only state in the country with a law of its kind,” said Sandy Reding, RN and CNA/NNOC President. “Nurses come to California from all over because of our ratios, and we are proud to continue the fight on the national level until every nurse is guaranteed safe staffing ratios, and our patients and our profession are protected.”

“The understaffing crisis at hospitals and health care facilities puts 60 million older Americans at risk every year,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans. “This legislation will improve patient safety and health outcomes by requiring all healthcare facilities to maintain adequate nurse staffing ratios. Nurses, patients, and family members deserve nothing less.”

“As some in Congress try to cut healthcare to hand tax breaks to billionaires, others are trying to invest in the safe staffing levels needed for high-quality patient care. All too often, patients face interminable delays, overcrowded waiting rooms, and understaffing that puts them in danger. It does not have to be this way. In many cases, we have enough qualified nurses, but they’ve been driven from the bedside by a healthcare system that puts profits over patients. With this bill, Rep. Schakowsky and Sens. Padilla and Merkley give us a path forward that holds hospitals accountable for staffing levels. These standards will improve outcomes for patients, make healthcare careers more sustainable and, in a medical emergency, reassure families that their local hospital is a safe place to get the care they need,” said Randi Weingarten, President, AFT: Education, Healthcare, Public Services.

“Hospitals across the U.S. are faced with an intensifying staffing crisis, leaving dedicated nurses with no choice but to turn to jobs with better working conditions, regrettably leaving the patients they love and care for,” said Martha Baker, RN, Chairperson of the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare. “Congress needs to pass safe staffing ratios to allow all nurses—regardless of where we live or where we work—to provide the high-quality care that our patients need and deserve.

“One nurse can be responsible for the care of an entire hospital floor — keeping multiple patients alive and on the path to recovery,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “They are truly the front-line heroes of our health care system, but they’re also human. Too often, they’re stretched thin, working exhausting hours that put patient care and their own health at risk. The Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act gives nurses the backup they need to keep themselves and their patients safe and healthy. On behalf of the over 60,000 nurses in our AFSCME family, we thank Senator Padilla and Representative Schakowsky for championing real solutions for care and safety.”

Studies have also found that registered nurse staffing levels in hospitals that serve communities of color are often lower, exacerbating health care disparities. Setting a single standard of nursing care across hospitals would improve outcomes for patients, including patients of color, through reduced readmission rates, increased satisfaction, and better obstetrical outcomes.

Specifically, the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act would:

• Require hospitals to annually develop safe staffing plans that meet the bill’s mandated minimum RN staffing ratios and provide for additional staffing based on individual patient care needs;
• Mandate that hospitals post notices on minimum ratios and maintain records on RN and other staffing;
• Provide whistleblower protections, including administrative complaint process and cause of action, for nurses who speak out against assignments that are unsafe for the patient or nurse;
• Authorize the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to enforce the minimum RN staffing ratios through administrative complaints and civil penalties.

The bill is endorsed by organizations including National Nurses United, California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, Alliance for Retired Americans, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), SEIU Healthcare, and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar’s NO GOTION Policy Advances in House Budget

Today, Congressman John Moolenaar made the following statement after the House Ways and Means Committee advanced legislation which included his NO GOTION policy as part of the budget reconciliation package.

“Gotion and its parent company have well-documented ties to the Chinese Communist Party and under no circumstance should American taxpayers fund companies beholden to our adversaries. I am grateful the House Ways and Means Committee has passed my NO GOTION policy in its budget reconciliation package. This policy will ensure that the federal tax dollars of hard-working Michigan families never go to Gotion and other companies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. This is common sense, and I will continue my work in Congress to ensure this becomes law.”

Moolenaar’s NO GOTION policy would prohibit foreign entities of concern from claiming green energy production tax credits implemented by the Biden administration in the “Inflation Reduction Act.”

Moolenaar’s policy came as a response to Gotion, a CCP-affiliated company, claiming it was reviewing and assessing how it can utilize the tax credits. Gotion is currently planning to build factories in Green Charter Township, and Kankakee, Illinois.

Gotion is a “wholly owned and controlled” subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech, a Chinese-based battery company. According to Gotion High-Tech’s by-laws it is required to “carry out Party activities in accordance with the Constitution of the [Chinese Communist Party].” A 2024 investigation into the company by the House Select Committee on the CCP found the company is reliant on the CCP’s use of forced labor in its supply chain. In an amended Foreign Agents Registration Act filing, Gotion admitted it is subsidized by the Chinese government.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar Receives Commitment From Agriculture Secretary Rollins to Solve Farm Labor Issue

Today, Congressman John Moolenaar, the only member of the House Appropriations Committee from Michigan, questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins in a budget hearing. In his questioning, Moolenaar secured a commitment from Rollins to address a long term solution on the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), which hurts Michigan farmers in it’s current formulation by requiring them to pay high wages for H-2A migrant farm workers. 

“Michigan farmers utilize H-2A employees to grow and harvest the food we rely on every day. Unfortunately federal regulations require family farmers who take advantage of the program to take on unsustainable labor costs, making it difficult to make ends meet. I am grateful Secretary Rollins recognizes this and committed today to working with Congress and the Department of Labor to find a long-term solution to the AEWR calculation which will allow Michigan farmers to thrive,” said Moolenaar. 

In February, Moolenaar introduced the Supporting Farm Operations Act, bipartisan legislation which sets the AEWR back to 2023 levels and freezes the wage rate until the end of 2026. Michigan farmers who utilize the program are currently required to pay H-2A employees $18.15 per hour, in addition to housing and transportation costs. 

Moolenaar’s questioning of Secretary Rollins can be viewed here.