MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

July 28, 2025

The Letter Comes in Response to the Dangerous Firing of the Entire CDC Committee that recommends vaccines, influences insurance coverage

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06) and Kim Schrier, MD(WA-08) led 77 House Democrats in a letter to top health insurance companies urging them to continue to provide coverage for vaccines currently recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

In June 2025, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of ACIP. This was alarming, given Secretary Kennedy’s longstanding history of vaccine skepticism and cozy relationships with the anti-vaccine community. In fact, he immediately appointed several vaccine opponents to the advisory committee and made independent changes to vaccine recommendations with no scientific basis. In addition to concerns about public health, this raises concerns that insurers might not cover the cost of vaccines if they no longer have the official ACIP recommendation. 

“Insurance coverage for high quality, effective vaccines without cost sharing for beneficiaries is a critical component of ensuring vaccine uptake, and protecting public health,” the members wrote. “…Secretary Kennedy announced the sudden ouster of all seventeen members of ACIP, and pledged to replace them with appointees who would restore ‘public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda.’ This announcement, taken in the context of Secretary Kennedy’s longstanding history of vaccine skepticism, has caused concern that under Secretary Kennedy’s influence, ACIP may re-evaluate its support for time-tested, safe, and effective vaccines.”

Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, insurance plans subject to preventative services requirements have been required to cover routine vaccinations, which are recommended by ACIP and adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of its vaccine schedule. Insurance coverage for high-quality, effective vaccines without cost sharing for beneficiaries is a critical component of ensuring vaccine uptake and protecting public health.

In addition to Reps. Casten and Schrier, the letter was signed by Reps. Auchincloss, Jake; Balint, Becca; Barragán, Nanette; Bera, Ami; Beyer, Donald; Brownley, Julia; Budzinski, Nikki; Carter, Troy; Casten, Sean; Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila; Chu, Judy; Cisneros, Gilbert; Clarke, Yvette; Cleaver, Emanuel; Cohen, Steve; Correa, J.; Courtney, Joe; Craig, Angie; Davis, Danny; Dean, Madeleine; DelBene, Suzan; Deluzio, Christopher; Dexter, Maxine; Dingell, Debbie; Elfreth, Sarah; Evans, Dwight; Foster, Bill; Frost, Maxwell; Garamendi, John; García, Jesús; Garcia, Robert; Garcia, Sylvia; Huffman, Jared; Jackson, Jonathan; Jayapal, Pramila; Johnson, Henry; Johnson, Julie; Khanna, Ro; Krishnamoorthi, Raja; Landsman, Greg; Larsen, Rick; Latimer, George; Lynch, Stephen; Magaziner, Seth; Mannion, John; Matsui, Doris; McBath, Lucy; McBride, Sarah; McClellan, Jennifer; McIver, LaMonica; Menendez, Robert; Moore, Gwen; Morrison, Kelly; Norton, Eleanor; Pingree, Chellie; Pocan, Mark; Quigley, Mike; Ramirez, Delia; Schakowsky, Janice; Schneider, Bradley; Scholten, Hillary; Schrier, Kim; Sewell, Terri; Simon, Lateefah; Soto, Darren; Thanedar, Shri; Thompson, Bennie; Thompson, Mike; Tlaib, Rashida; Tokuda, Jill; Tonko, Paul; Trahan, Lori; Underwood, Lauren; Vasquez, Gabe; Velázquez, Nydia; Watson Coleman, Bonnie; and Williams, Nikema.

The letter was sent to the CEOs of United Health Group, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Elevance Health, The Cigna Group, and Health Care Service Corporation.

A copy of the letter can be found here. Text of the letter can be found below.

Dear Mr. Hemsley, Ms. Boudreaux, Mr. Joyner, Mr. Cordani, Mr. Adams, Mr. Smith and Ms. Keck:

Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, insurance plans subject to preventative services requirements have been required to cover routine vaccinations, which are recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of its vaccine schedule. Insurance coverage for high quality, effective vaccines without cost sharing for beneficiaries is a critical component of ensuring vaccine uptake, and protecting public health.

The ACIP consists of a panel of public health and medical experts who assess FDA-approved vaccines and make a recommendation to the CDC based on the balance of evidence as to whether new vaccines should be recommended. The ACIP has been assessing immunizations for 60 years, and convenes regularly and transparently to discuss its recommendations. The CDC and industry alike have historically followed the recommendations of ACIP because the committee is the nonpartisan gold standard voice of public health on issues of immunization.

Nonetheless, on June 1, 2025, Secretary Kennedy announced the sudden ouster of all seventeen members of ACIP, and pledged to replace them with appointees who would restore “public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda.” This announcement, taken in the context of Secretary Kennedy’s longstanding history of vaccine skepticism, has caused concern that under Secretary Kennedy’s influence, ACIP may re-evaluate its support for timetested, safe, and effective vaccines.

As of June 2025, at the recommendation of ACIP, insurers subject to preventative services coverage requirements are obligated to provide age appropriate coverage for high-impact vaccines, including those for COVID-19, hepatitis, HPV, measles, meningitis, flu, pneumonia, RSV, chicken pox, mpox, and shingles. Insurance coverage of these routine vaccinations ensures that deadly and dangerous diseases remain controlled, and the American people are protected.

On June 23, 2025, Politico reported that insurers have been put in a challenging position, without clear guidance on which vaccines to cover if ACIP’s recommendations change. Granted anonymity, insurers expressed willingness to follow the science regardless of tumult within ACIP.

Given the likelihood of conflicting and politically-influenced guidance that may now come from ACIP, we ask that you promptly respond to the following questions:

1. Will you commit to continuing to provide coverage, without cost-sharing, for vaccines approved by ACIP prior to June 24, 2025, if ACIP changes its recommendations?

2. In lieu of some scientifically dubious recommendations from the newly appointed ACIP, will you instead commit to covering evidence-based vaccination schedules recommended by a preponderance of trusted experts at national medical societies?

Thank you for your prompt response to these questions. We look forward to working together to ensure continued access to safe and effective vaccines.

Sincerely,

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Today, Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would finally release more than $5.5 billion in Congressionally approved education funding it had illegally frozen, including $32 million owed to the Palm Beach County School District:

“I’m relieved that this critical funding is finally being released, but let’s be clear: it never should have been withheld in the first place. The delay forced school boards to scramble just weeks before the start of the school year, throwing into doubt programs for teacher training, professional development, and academic support.

Whether the holdup was due to White House mismanagement or extreme ideology, it was wrong, and it wasn’t fair to our children. This money wasn’t a gift. It was owed to our schools by law. And yet, students and educators were caught in the middle while the Trump Administration played politics with their futures.

I’ll keep fighting to make sure our public schools get the resources they need—on time and without interference.”

Earlier this month, Rep. Frankel joined a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and OMB Director Russ Vought demanding the immediate release of the funds. Yesterday, she led Florida House Democrats in urging Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier to join the lawsuit brought by 25 states challenging the Department of Education’s illegal freeze.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“I discovered I had cancer at a young age, but I didn’t know how heavily genetics impacted my risk,” said Wasserman Schultz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and the BRCA2 gene mutation at age 41 and after seven surgeries, is now more than fifteen years cancer free. “It’s nonsensical, wasteful and short-sighted that Medicare doesn’t allow individuals to access this inexpensive and widely available screening until they have received a potentially terminal cancer diagnosis. By expanding access to genetic testing, we empower an entire generation to learn their risk and take action before it’s too late.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Representative Ed Case Ed Case (Hawai‘i-First District) announced today that last week the full U.S. House of Representatives in an overwhelming show of bipartisan support passed the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 4275) which includes a provision to increase focus on Coast Guard operations in the Indo-Pacific that he introduced with Congressman Trent Kelly (Mississippi-First District).

Case explained, “With bipartisan support of the full House, the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, Congressman Kelly and Congressman John Garamendi, the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act includes my push to mandate an annual plan for Coast Guard operations in the Indo-Pacific, including the annual budget needed to support these operations.”

Case continued: “Our plan will significantly enhance the Coast Guard’s effectiveness, readiness and strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific by integrating Coast Guard activities with broader U.S. defense and foreign policy goals in the region.”

Case added that the provision “will allow for better forecasting of operational, personnel, asset and funding needs. It will ensure that the U.S. engagement in the region is sustained across the federal government and help to identify any operational gaps we have in the Indo-Pacific to better safeguard American and allied national security interests, respond to articulated needs of our Pacific Island partners and counter the People’s Republic of China’s increasingly malign influence in the region.”

Case said the provision comes from H.R. 3397, the Pacific Ready Coast Guard Act, a measure introduced by himself and Congressman Kelly. The provision was taken from that measure and inserted into H.R. 4275 by Congressman John Garamendi (California-Eight District), a cosponsor of the measure and a member of the T&I Committee.

Hawai‘i is the home of the Coast’s Guard’s operations throughout the Indo-Pacific. Its Oceania District is responsible for directing Coast Guard operations throughout Hawai‘i, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Oceania, Singapore and Japan. The Coast Guard works closely with the Department of Defense and America’s allies and partners to advance maritime governance as part of the rules-based international order essential to a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific. 

H.R. 4275 authorizes $66.5 billion for Coast Guard operations and maintenance for five years, along with $185 billion in total funding for Coast Guard procurement and construction for the next five years. It also provides policy guidance for the Coast Guard. 

The Coast Guard Reauthorization Act would also update Coast Guard sexual assault and harassment policies and modify requirements for commercial vessels. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee previously approved the bill by a 60 to 0 vote on July 15 and sent the measure to the full House, which was approved on July 23 by a vote of 399 to 12.

The text of the measure is here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today to recognize the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

“When President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law thirty-five years ago today, we took one of the greatest steps in our nation’s history toward expanding the ‘the blessings of liberty’ promised to all Americans under the Constitution. It opened doors, both literally and figuratively, for millions of people living with disabilities, enabling them to live with greater dignity, independence, equality, and opportunity. Crucially, it changed the hearts and minds of the American people. The ADA sought to alleviate the stigma and prejudice against those with disabilities.

“I was proud to serve as the lead House sponsor of the ADA. That historic legislation was only possible because of bipartisan cooperation in the Congress and grassroots advocacy throughout the country. Later, we built on that civil rights progress with the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.

“At a time of division and gridlock, and an Administration undermining access to health care for millions, this anniversary ought to remind us of what we can achieve through cooperation. Today, many people with disabilities still face discrimination in health care, housing, employment, and other crucial aspects of American life. We have a duty to support with them not simply for their sake but for the sake of that age-old American promise that ‘all men are created equal.’ Let us make it so.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), and April McClain Delaney (MD-06) released the following statement on the future of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center: 

“The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is the foundation of our country’s excellence in agricultural research, with its scientists working for more than 100 years on the front lines of protecting public health and supporting farmers and farming across the country. Shuttering BARC and uprooting its workforce will undercut its critical mission, endanger public safety, and unnecessarily waste taxpayer dollars. Clearly, the Trump Administration has not thought through the costs or consequences of this misguided decision. Congress and the courts must act swiftly to block this illegal and harmful reorganization and ensure BARC remains intact. The law demands it, and our farmers depend on it.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Agencies Bill. Below is a transcript of his remarks:
 

“Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. There are many ways to sound retreat. Silence is one of them. Failure to articulate the principles of democracy and defense. Failing to fund properly the defense of democracy here and around the world. The chairman of this subcommittee and I have voted almost exactly alike over a long period of time, ensuring that we opposed communist dictatorship in a little island not too far from our shores.

“Some of you perhaps saw my statement the day after we bombed Iran’s nuclear capacity in support of that action. I fully subscribe to the remarks of the Subcommittee Chairman in articulating the deficiencies of this bill, in articulating, in sounding a clear trumpet again here and around the world of America’s willingness to stand against dictators, despots, and war criminals. I also will take no second spot in my defense of Israel. And I thank the gentleman for – and the gentlelady for assuring that our intent to defend Israel and oppose those who want to kill Jews.

“A few months ago, when DOGE eliminated [the] Near Eastern Regional Democracy Fund – which supported pro-democracy Iranian activists – the Ayatollah’s regime celebrated. An Iranian newspaper affiliated with Khomeini’s government praised the decision, writing, and I quote, ‘Trump, who was expected to undermine Iran, has instead disrupted the opposition.’ I think perhaps they’ve changed their views as a result of the Administration’s action in Iran just a few days ago. China was similarly elated when the Trump Administration gutted Voice of America early this year. Reacting to that news, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship newspaper said, ‘How truly gratifying.’ He said that China was thrilled to see the program and, I quote, ‘crumble from within, scattering like a flock of startled birds.’ The reaction was similar in Russia, where the head of one of Vladimir Putin’s state media agencies said, and again, I quote, ‘Today is a holiday for me and my colleagues.’ These are Russian colleagues. ‘This is an awesome decision by Trump.’ ‘We couldn’t shut them down,’ the spokesman continued, ‘unfortunately, but America did so itself.’ The axis of aggression will have the same reaction to this bill.

“Russia, China, Iran, and others are already working to fill in the vacuum the bill would help create on the global stage. China, Russia, and other adversaries are pouring money into foreign initiatives to expand their influence around the world. They’re training more diplomats and analysts. They are forging closer economic ties with developing nations, as the Chair Lady [Frankel] said. Investing in diplomacy and foreign aid is not simply the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do. It builds goodwill toward the United States. It helps stop humanitarian crises that would otherwise put additional strain on our broken immigration system. It helps stop the spread of dangerous diseases from HIV to Ebola to Covid. Crucially, investing in these programs enhances our national security without endangering our military service members.
 
“I echo what Marco Rubio said in 2017: ‘Foreign aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of our budget and critical to our national security.’ That was the Secretary of State who said that in 2017. How sad to see him rationalize disinvestment, contradicting his own words. In just the past few weeks, we’ve seen the Administration purge over 1,300 employees from the State Department, allegedly to improve efficiency and perhaps because our foreign challenges have become less complicated. I had two separate constituents who were dismissed. They’re concerned that the purge will undermine the State Department’s ability to process American passports.

“I will yield, and I would hope somebody would yield to me to continue my statement.”

(Rep. Jim Clyburn yields for Mr. Hoyer to continue his remarks.)

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Alford is one of my better friends on the Republican side. I respect him. I respect his remarks, and we are pleased, as the gentleman observed, that PEPFAR has been saved. It was saved from DOGE, it was saved from the Trump Administration. And yes, we support that effort, and we applaud the Chairman of the Subcommittee for doing that. However, when the gentleman talks about limited resources, there are limited resources. I care a great deal about the debt. We need to deal with $37 trillion of debt or my great grandchildren are going to be in real trouble. My grandchildren are going to be in trouble. Maybe my children won’t be in so much trouble. But we need to deal with that debt.

“But a Republican former vice president who was governor of our state once said: ‘The cost of failure far exceeds the price of progress.’ That was Spiro Agnew. The cost of failure exceeds the price of progress. On your side, you made a determination. You were going to raise our debt by $5 trillion. Some people who had never voted to raise debt before voted to raise the debt by $5 trillion, and then you spent that additional debt, giving $3.4 trillion to some of the wealthiest people in America. Now, there were some who were not so wealthy [who] also got some small relief. So yes, this bill does some good things, but it is silent, and I think one of the biggest challenges to which John Kennedy was speaking, that, ‘we will pay any price, bear any burden to defend freedom here and around the world.’

“And we have a dictator, despot, anti-democrat – with a small ‘d’ – attacking a democratic country, an ally of ours. We have had 12 votes on supporting Ukraine. There’s not a single Democrat [that] voted against Ukraine in those, and the overwhelming majority of Republicans voted for these 12 votes. An average of 79% of us in the Congress of the United States supported defending and helping Ukraine defend itself. Yet, as I understand it, there’s not a single word in this national security bill about Ukraine. I think the gentleman from Illinois has an amendment that may deal tangentially with Ukraine, but this bill is essentially silent. That’s what I mean about sounding retreat.

“Now, we won’t know the full scope of the damage of this bill for a long time to come. I hope it’s a long time. It maybe sooner. We talk about China. We talk about Taiwan and supporting that $500 million. I guarantee you the message we send to China if Ukraine loses will be louder than anything this bill says. Many of those forced out of [the Department of State] were intelligence analysts specializing in Russia and China. Others focused on counterterrorism, on stopping drug trafficking. Some were tasked with ensuring America’s energy dominance. Maintaining America’s security and influence around the world is not a partisan issue. It has not been for me a single day I’ve been in this institution. I supported almost all of Ronald Reagan’s buildup, and I think it led directly to the ability of Gorbachev to look his industrial complex in the eye and say, ‘We can’t compete with America.’

“We ought to put this legislation aside and act on the bipartisan consensus that I believe still exists on these priorities. I pray it still exists. If America retreats, our adversaries will inevitably advance. Are there some good things in this bill? There are. But they are woefully inadequate in so many other ways. I urge the defeat of this bill and yield back the balance of my time.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced a ‘share your story’ webpage where community members can tell him directly how Republicans’ Big Ugly Law will impact their lives: larsen.house.gov/shareyourstory

Rep. Larsen announced this webpage during his speech at Snohomish County Indivisible’s “Families First” rally. A recording of his remarks is available here, and below is an excerpt:

“The Republicans do not care about working families. They care about the richest Americans and the largest corporations, and the Big Ugly Law is a clear indication of that. It puts big corporations first, and it puts you all last…

“We’ve got to start now thinking about, and building the case, to reverse the worst impacts of the Big Ugly Law… and that’s where you all come in. The health care and food assistance cuts will be rolled out slowly over the next couple years… Hearing from you all about the impacts is going to be important.

“I want you to pull out your phone right now if you’re interested… and go to larsen.house.gov/shareyourstory. You story about yourself, about your family, matters to me.

“Just this year I’ve received about 209,000 separate emails and communications from people in the district, seven months in to this Congress. Last Congress, over 24 months, I received 290,000 communications…

“The share your story website is very important… Please, you can help me fight back… You can help Congress fight back by sharing your story about the impacts of the Big Ugly Law.” 

The Big Ugly Law contains the largest cuts to Medicaid and food assistance in U.S. history. More than 328,000 people in Washington state will lose their health care because of the legislation, and 57,000 people could lose some or all of their food assistance.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

Congressman Valadao Joins Entire California GOP Delegation in Releasing a Statement on Governor Newsom’s Move to Overturn the Will of Voters

Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement alongside the entire California Republican Congressional delegation following Governor Newsom’s press conference announcing his intent to disenfranchise California voters and overturn the independent redistricting commission.