MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

CHICAGO — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) announced today that his guest for the upcoming State of the Union address will be Marimar Martinez, a constituent of Illinois’ Fourth District, a teacher’s assistant at a Montessori school and a survivor of a near-fatal shooting by a federal agent. 

On October 4, Martinez, a U.S. citizen, was shot five times by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent while going to donate clothing to her church. Following the shooting, the federal government charged and prosecuted Martinez, falsely labeling her a “domestic terrorist”. The government later dismissed the charges, yet federal officials continue to defame her. Now Martinez is fighting to release all evidence in her case to expose the Trump administration’s lies and how federal agents are endangering people where they have been deployed. 

“After a Border Patrol agent brutally shot Marimar and bragged about it, the Trump administration wrongly called her a “domestic terrorist”. Even after all charges were dropped, they continue to smear her name. This is unacceptable,” said Rep. García. “I believe her personal story, as someone who has been harmed by this administration’s violent immigration enforcement, should be widely shared with the public, the media, and Members of Congress.”

“I am humbled by Congressman García’s generous invitation and appreciate Congressman García being in my corner from the beginning of this fight with the Department of Homeland Security over truth and fundamental fairness. I look forward to attending the State of the Union and hope the country can look at what happened to me and other victims of DHS’s unlawful behavior as a basis to call their elected representatives and demand accountability.” said Ms. Martinez. 

Martinez was nearly killed during Operation Midway Blitz, a months-long DHS operation that terrorized immigrant communities across Illinois, particularly in the district represented by Rep. García. During the operation federal agents used chemical agents against civilians, engaged in racial profiling, denied due process, and killed Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez. 

A report by DHS found that only 3 percent of those arrested during Operation Midway Blitz had serious crime convictions. 

“This is the federal government’s playbook: escalate violence, criminalize our neighbors, and then lie to justify brutality,” García continued. “I am proud to stand with Marimar and support her demand for full transparency and accountability.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) issued the statement below following the Trump Administration’s rollback of the 2009 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) endangerment finding. This finding determined that pollutants created from fossil fuels – such as methane and carbon dioxide – can be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

“The Trump Administration has once again chosen to prioritize the interests of Big Oil at the expense of the American people. It’s 2026 — the debate over the reality of climate change should be long settled. For decades, scientific evidence and firsthand experience have shown that greenhouse gases pose a serious threat to human health and to our nation’s security. Just last year, communities across the country suffered more than $100 billion in damages from climate‑related disasters, including our own state, which is still recovering from the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles. The Administration has a responsibility to protect the American people from the escalating dangers of climate change, and I call on them to reverse this decision immediately.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), along with U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced the Safe Skies Act, a bipartisan bill to improve workplace protections for cargo pilots. 

Under current law, cargo pilots are operating under weaker flight, duty, and rest regulations than their passenger airline counterparts. This loophole increases the risk of fatigue and jeopardizes the safety of everyone who relies on our shared airspace. The Safe Skies Act closes this loophole by applying the same proven safety standards to cargo pilots that already protect passenger airline crews. 

Read the full text of the legislation here.

“Every pilot deserves the same workplace protections — whether they’re flying passengers or cargo,” said Rep. Carbajal. “The bipartisan Safe Skies Act is a commonsense step to reduce stress and fatigue for America’s cargo pilots. In doing so, it will enhance the safety of all who travel in our nation’s airspace.”

“When it comes to aviation safety, consistency is not optional—it is essential,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Protecting our skies requires vigilance, accountability, and a commitment to getting the standards right. Cargo pilots operate in the same airspace, face the same fatigue risks, and carry the same responsibility as passenger crews, and our regulations must reflect that. The Safe Skies Act extends the FAA’s proven duty and rest requirements to all-cargo operations, closing a gap that has persisted for too long and strengthening the safety framework that underpins our entire aviation system.”

“Cargo plane pilots are an integral part of our economy, yet they are not held to the same safety standards as commercial flight crews,” said Rep. Garamendi. “The Safe Skies Act changes that by applying the same common-sense rules to combat fatigue and keep our airspace safe as those required for other pilots. I’m honored to join Rep. Carbajal in reintroducing this critical bill to ensure strong workplace protections for cargo pilots and crew.”

“I’m pleased to join my friend and colleague Rep. Carbajal in cosponsoring the Safe Skies Act to ensure one uniform standard of safety in our airspace,” said Rep. Bacon. “Cargo pilots fly in the same skies and land at the same airports as commercial pilots, and they should operate under the same science-based fatigue and rest standards.”

“Airline pilots are affected by fatigue the same, regardless of whether we fly passengers or freight. It is time for Congress to pass the Safe Skies Act and ensure one level of safety for all airline operations,” said Capt. Jason Ambosi, ALPA president. “ALPA has long advocated ensuring all-cargo operations, which have an elevated accident rate and frequently require difficult, night-time schedules, are covered by modern, science-based fatigue rules. We thank Representatives Carbajal, Fitzpatrick, Garamendi, and Bacon for their continued leadership for increasing safety for the airline industry and the pilot profession.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after Platform Ventures announced they will not sell their south Kansas City warehouse for the purpose of a mega Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center.

“I welcome Platform Ventures’ decision to not move forward with the sale of its south Kansas City warehouse.

“From the outset, I had serious concerns about the scope, oversight, and justification for placing a large-scale immigration detention center in Missouri’s Fifth District. That is why I sent two letters to Secretary Noem demanding transparency from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about their intentions and process. The questions I raised in my letters remain part of a broader responsibility Congress has to conduct oversight of DHS and ensure its actions are aligned with the law, basic standards of accountability, and human dignity.

“While this specific sale will not move forward, my concerns about the expansion of mass detention and the lack of transparency surrounding immigration enforcement decisions have not changed. Congress has a constitutional obligation to serve as a check on the executive branch, and I will continue pressing DHS for answers wherever due process, human rights, and fiscal responsibility are at stake.

“Kanas Citians deserve thoughtful public policy, responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and federal actions that respect both the law and the communities they impact. I remain committed to ensuring DHS is held accountable – in Missouri’s Fifth District and nationwide.” 

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Representatives Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Mark Takano (CA-41) are reintroducing the Transgender Bill of Rights amidst ongoing attacks on the trans community. This resolution encourages the federal government to take concrete measures to advance protections for transgender and nonbinary people, ensuring all Americans can live authentically and with dignity, no matter their gender identity or expression.

“The trans community continues to be targeted and scapegoated by hateful legislation and politicians. This cruelty must stop,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force. “Today, I’m reintroducing the Trans Bill of Rights to unequivocally say that trans lives matter and that every person deserves to live free from prejudice and discrimination. Our bill honors the resilience of the trans community, and lays out a clear vision for what Congress must do to ensure every trans and gender non-conforming person is treated with dignity and respect.”

“Trans rights are human rights. We must ensure that every trans and gender diverse person in America can live freely, safely, and authentically. That’s what the Transgender Bill of Rights is all about,” said Senator Markey. “I am proud to partner with Representatives Jayapal, Takano, and Jacobs, and with advocates from across the country to reject hate and reaffirm that trans people have a right to gender-affirming health care, to accurate identity documents, and to fully participate in school, in work, and in public life—just like anyone else. This is about who we are as a country: whether freedom belongs to all of us or only to some of us. We must choose freedom and justice for all.”

“Whether it’s pushing trans sports bans or blocking access to health care, the Trump administration continues to attack the trans community and threaten their basic human rights,” said Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs,  Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force. “We need protections for the transgender and non-binary communities at the federal level, because no one should live in fear of being who they are. I’m so proud to co-lead the Transgender Bill of Rights as proof of our commitment to protect the health, safety, and well-being of trans people in this country. To the trans community: we see you, and we will not stop until you can live freely and authentically.” 

“For years, right-wing politicians at every level of government have been relentless attacking the transgender community’s rights and dignity. Even in the face of these cruel attacks, our transgender siblings are still standing tall,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “The Transgender Bill of Rights is both a clear reminder to every trans person in the United States that we stand with them and a commitment to the work still left to do in order to build a safer, more loving, and more equal nation. As Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, I’m proud to stand beside our Transgender Equality Task Force Co-Chairs, Congresswomen Jayapal and Jacobs, as well as Senator Markey, in introducing this resolution.” 

In 2025 alone, there were 1,022 bills proposed across the country that target the rights of trans and gender non-conforming individuals, including bills that would jeopardize the health and safety of trans and LGBTQ+ youth. Anti-trans laws aimed at minors have been linked with increases in suicide attempts by trans and gender nonconforming teenagers, and coincide with the Trump Administration’s cuts to suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth. These laws also target an already vulnerable community, as trans people are four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violent crimes.

The Trans Bill of Rights calls on the federal government to provide protections for transgender and nonbinary people by:

• Ensuring that transgender and nonbinary people have equal access to services and public accommodations by amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly include gender identity and sex characteristics as protected characteristics and amending federal education laws to explicitly clarify that they protect students from discrimination based on gender identity and sex characteristics.
• Ensuring transgender and nonbinary people have the ability to provide for themselves and their families by codifying Bostock and clarifying that it is illegal to discriminate in employment, housing, and credit based on gender identity and sex characteristics.
• Ensuring every child is protected from discrimination based on their gender identity by ensuring the rights of students from participating in all areas of school life, including classes, athletics, and access to facilities. 
• Recognizing the right to bodily autonomy and ethical healthcare by expanding access to gender-affirming medical care, codifying the right to abortion and contraception, protecting transgender people from discrimination in healthcare, and banning forced surgery on intersex children and infants in violation of ethical standards of care.
• Promoting the safety of trans and nonbinary people by investing in community services to prevent violence against trans and nonbinary people and expanding services for survivors, investing in mental health services designed for transgender and nonbinary people, and banning so-called “conversion therapy” practices.
• Enforcing the civil rights of transgender people by requiring the Attorney General to designate a liaison within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice dedicated to advising and overseeing the enforcement of the civil rights of transgender people.

This legislation is also cosponsored by Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY09), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), William Keating (MA-09), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), John B. Larson (CT-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Ted W. Lieu  (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ10), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Scott Peters (CA-50), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley  (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda T. Sanchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Ann Stansbury (NM-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez  (NY-07), James Walkinshaw (VA-11), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

Issues: Civil Rights, LGBTQIA+ Rights

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

MINNEAPOLIS — Following Border Czar Tom Homan’s announcement that Operation Metro Surge is ending, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement:

“Two of my constituents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal immigration enforcement agents. A third was shot under questionable circumstances. Thousands were tear-gassed and shot with less-lethal weapons and harassed by masked agents. What we witnessed was not law enforcement — it was militarized racial terror unleashed on the streets of Minnesota as a deliberate attempt to demonize the Somali community.

“Operation ‘Metro Surge’ has exposed just how far ICE is willing to go to intimidate and terrorize Black, Brown, and immigrant communities in our state. Nearly all Somalis in Minnesota are citizens, yet ICE agents harassed residents demanding proof of papers and, when citizens sought to document these unlawful stops, they were met with lethal force. Latino, Asian, and other communities of color were forced into hiding regardless of their status, and those who dared to live their lives, were often arrested with no cause. That was not public safety. That was an authoritarian abuse of power.

“Nothing about what we witnessed was normal. Businesses are reeling from the economic devastation. Families are shattered. Children will carry the trauma of federal agents descending on their neighborhoods for the rest of their lives. The pain inflicted on this community will not fade — it will remain etched in their memory as the moment their own government turned against them.

“Minnesotans are resilient, and the world has seen what makes our state strong: compassion, solidarity, and justice. But I am outraged and heartbroken that our state was forced to endure unfathomable suffering at the hands of this administration. The American people saw clearly that fear and cruelty were not side effects, they were the point.

“It is past time for ICE operations to leave Minnesota. And it is time to move to abolish this rogue agency so that no community in America is ever terrorized like this again. But ending this operation is not enough. There must be justice and accountability. This administration must fully cooperate with independent investigations into the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Congress must withhold funding for unlawful actions and ensure federal dollars never bankroll civil-rights violations. We should be hauling cabinet secretaries and agency heads before congressional committees and demanding sworn testimony. They must explain who authorized these actions, what legal justifications were used, and why constitutional protections were ignored. Our businesses deserve economic restitution for the harm done. I won’t rest until we can ensure this abuse of power and terror can never happen again.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON—Today, in response to the Trump Administration’s actions to impose a total oil embargo on Cuba, Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, has introduced legislation to repeal the statutory basis for the U.S. embargo on Cuba. H.R. 7521, the United States-Cuba Trade Act, would repeal or amend several laws codified over decades that restrict trade, exchange, telecommunications, and travel with Cuba. A similar bill, S. 136, has been introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

“America has had an embargo against Cuba for sixty years. And for sixty years, we have been waiting for that embargo to do what politicians in Washington claim it will do—deliver freedom or democracy to the people of Cuba. It has failed,” said McGovern. “It’s time to throw away the old, obsolete, failed policies of the past and try something different. Let’s focus on the people of Cuba—and let’s treat them like human beings who want to live their lives in dignity and freedom. The Cuban people—not politicians in Washington—ought to decide their own leaders and their own future.”

McGovern previously worked with the Obama administration to free political prisoners and help loosen the embargo and promote U.S. diplomacy and engagement—an effort hailed by many experts as a step toward more freedom and democracy in Cuba. The Trump administration’s subsequent rollback of normalized relations was criticized even by Republican lawmakers as misguided and isolationist. A summary of Congressman McGovern’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba is available here.

“The Trump administration says they want to curtail migration, but their own hardline approach only incentivizes migration to the United States by making living conditions worse in Cuba,”continued McGovern. “Not only is the embargo absurdly ineffective—it is counterproductive, hurting the very people it purports to help. It’s not Cuban elites who are harmed by our policies—it’s regular people and families who are denied food, medicine, and basic goods. We ought to use diplomacy and engagement to achieve our goals.” 

A copy of the bill can be found HERE. A summary of its provisions is available HERE.

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

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC), is an original cosponsor of legislation introduced in December, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, H.R. 6047. On Thursday, the Committee passed the bill, along with four other Veterans bills to increase and improve services, for consideration by the full House of Representatives. 

Voting in the Veterans Committee

This legislation would increase the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) monthly compensation benefit for service-connected, catastrophically disabled veterans and the surviving family of 100% disabled or deceased veterans. This tax-free benefit, meant to financially support the loved ones for the loss of their disabled veteran, has not been increased in decades.

“With this bill, Congress keeps commitments to care for catastrophically disabled veterans and recognizes the sacrifices of their families, accounting for increased needs and costs,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Thank you to our Gold Star families and these heroic veterans. It’s important to see this bill through for most substantial growth in these benefits in 20 years.” 

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) and among the original cosponsors are HVAC Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Vice Chairman Aumua Amata (American Samoa), Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), HVAC Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs Chairman Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), Rep. Kimberlyn King-Hinds (CNMI), and several others for a group of 12 at introduction.

Veterans Committee voted through five bills

H.R. 6047 is named after and supported by two proud Americans – Sharri Briley, the surviving spouse of Army veteran CW3 Donovan ‘Bull’ Briley – and catastrophically disabled Army veteran, Sergeant Eric Edmundson.

Sharri Briley is the surviving spouse of CWO3 Donovan Lee ‘Bull’ Briley, an Army Special Operations Blackhawk helicopter pilot who tragically lost his life in Mogadishu, Somalia during Operation Gothic Serpent (commonly known as the Black Hawk Down incident) in 1993. 

Army veteran Sergeant Eric Edmundson’s Humvee was hit by an IED on October 2, 2005, in Iraq. Eric sustained lifechanging injuries – including an anoxic brain injury – which changed the course of his life by ending his ability to speak or walk. Despite these challenges, Eric continues to lead a full life through enhanced medical technology and therapy. 

H.R. 6047 would increase VA’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefit, which currently provides $1,650 per month. For the next five years, this bill would increase DIC by an additional 1 percent each year on top of inflation, helping over 500,000 families with their living expenses.

Congresswoman Amata in Veterans Committee votes on Thursday

The bill would also significantly raise the monthly benefits rate for catastrophically service-connected disabled veterans with a traumatic brain injury or other severe disabilities that require regular, round the clock, in-home medical care, offering an additional $10,000 annually. This is the first significant increase for this cohort of veterans in decades.

H.R. 6047 has support from various veteran service organizations (VSOs) including the American Legion, Wounded Warrior Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Gold Star Spouses of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart USA, Independence Fund, National Military Family Association, Gold Star Wives, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Quality of Life Foundation, and Veterans MS Alliance.

“This bill is more than legislation to me; it is a promise kept,” said Sharri Briley, surviving spouse of CW3 Donovan ‘Bull’ Briley, upon the bill’s introduction. “For thirty-two years, I have lived with the loss of my husband, Donovan, and I have seen firsthand how surviving families continue to bear the cost of war. The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act honors that sacrifice by providing real, tangible support to survivors and catastrophically disabled veterans. It shows that our nation hears us, sees us, values us, and will stand by us just as our loved ones stood for their country.”

“This Act is recognition of the veterans and families who wake up each morning adjusting to the long-term consequences of service,” said Edgar Edmundson, father of Sgt (Ret) Eric Edmundson, when the bill was announced. “The increase in benefits provided by the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act are not optional — they are essential. Our veterans’ needs evolve as they age, and our support must evolve with them. This legislation ensures that injured veterans and surviving families are not left struggling to meet changing realities alone.”

Also passed Thursday by the Committee were these bills:

• H.R. 3726 – Fisher House Availability Act of 2025.
• H.R. 785 – Representing our Seniors at VA Act of 2025.
• H.R. 3482 – Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act.
• H.R. 2148 – Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 12, 2026) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) today announced he secured $7.4 million for eight community projects in the 3rd Congressional District in a recently passed federal funding package.

“Bringing federal funding home for Philadelphians has always been one of my priorities in Congress, and I’ll keep pursuing more funding for our communities,” Evans said. 

The federal funding is designated for these projects:

• Ana Blakiston Day School – schoolyard improvements and equipment upgrades – $717,593
• James G. Blaine School – schoolyard improvements – $850,000
• Richard R. Wright Elementary School – schoolyard improvements, infrastructure, upgrades, and equipment – $850,000
• Build-out of the Temple University Public Health Simulation Center – $1,031,000 – Evans said, “This project has great potential to improve the quality of health care.” Health-care education is increasingly adopting implicit bias training to increase awareness among their students of how inaccurate assumptions and beliefs about a patient can impact care. To make a difference in health care and improve health outcomes, health-care professionals need to translate their heightened awareness into tangible behavioral change. Simulation-based education is a novel approach to teach behavioral skills to help eliminate bias and achieve health equity.
• Community College of Philadelphia – housing development and renovations – $850,000 – The project addresses housing affordability and insecurity, two important issues in Philadelphia. By removing a barrier to success, the project will help improve students’ outcomes and provide significant benefit to communities. An estimated 17 percent of CCP students are housing-insecure, the highest figure for a higher education institution in the city.
• Temple University’s Community Kitchen – $1,500,000. This project addresses existing levels of geographic, racial, and socioeconomic inequalities by providing access to essential nutrition education and cooking classes. Through targeted outreach efforts, underserved people in North Philadelphia will gain invaluable knowledge and skills to navigate food insecurity and combat obesity-related health risks, reducing their reliance on processed foods and fostering a culture of healthier eating habits, Evans said.
• Healing Our Community (EMIR-Every Murder Is Real) – $1,031,000. Evans said EMIR Healing Center will collaborate with other organizations to offer meeting space that is safe, reliable, convenient, and comfortable in which to hold joint community events that foster healing and wholeness in Germantown, a predominantly Black neighborhood.
• Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology – lipid nanoparticle manufacturing equipment – $619,000. Evans said this grant will benefit both the local and regional scientific community by increasing access to this new and important technology. Access to lipid nanoparticle manufacturing capacity has been very limited in the Greater Philadelphia tri-state region, and the technology has the potential to generate novel delivery systems for a diverse range of therapeutic applications.

Each of the three school projects will serve and benefit the schools’ low-and moderate-income students and families and the surrounding communities by constructing an outdoor space at each school that supports and promotes high-quality learning experiences and healthy living. All three were also supported by U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA).

Evans represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia. He serves on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, including its Subcommittee on Health. The committee oversees taxes, trade, Social Security and Medicare. 

Evans’ website is evans.house.gov and his social media handle is @RepDwightEvans on Youtube, Bluesky, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Co-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) and her fellow SEEC Leadership Members, released the following statement in response to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s final decision to repeal the landmark Endangerment Finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, alongside the determination to gut vehicle tailpipe pollution protections. Last year, SEEC submitted a 154-Member public comment letter condemning EPA’s proposal to rescind the Endangerment Finding. 

“The Environmental Protection Agency’s job could not be more clear: protect the health of our families and the environment we live in. Yet, after months of the American people and businesses alike warning EPA of the dangers of rolling back our nation’s life-saving pollution standards, Administrator Lee Zeldin has unleashed an ‘all-you-can-pollute’ assault on the American people. 

“At the top of the list is the reckless decision to repeal the Endangerment Finding, which is part of the Trump EPA’s outrageous attempt to assert fossil fuel propaganda as fact that climate change isn’t affecting Americans’ health and safety. This is a gut punch to every American who has already experienced the costs of worsening natural disasters, the lack of attainable and climate-resilient homes in their zip code, the numerous health impacts of worsening heatwaves and wildfires, the inability to find affordable home insurance, high costs at the grocery store, and more. The evidence is all around us, and yet Trump’s EPA continues its single-minded mission to deliver on Trump’s promises to big polluters.

“As if this wasn’t enough, EPA today also gutted pollution standards for vehicles. Apparently, this EPA does not care about the 40,000 lives that were expected to be saved by these standards. This is in keeping with their decision last month to no longer consider the value of saving lives when setting air pollution rules for soot and ozone. Trump’s EPA has deliberately turned its back on the people whose lives would be saved by keeping harmful air pollution out of the air we breathe.

“There will be a time when this Administration’s yes-men will need to explain to our children why they rolled back every possible pollution protection just to make their friends richer while the American people suffered.” 

SEEC is Co-Chaired by Reps. Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko, with Reps. Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Sean Casten, Mike Levin, and Chellie Pingree serving as Vice Chairs.

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