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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Amid reports that the latest detainee death at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, NJ may have been brought on by pervasive medical neglect at the facility, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today blasted the Trump Administration for the deplorable conditions at Delaney Hall, holding the Department of Homeland Security and the company managing the Delaney Hall facility, GEO Group, directly responsible.

 “When I demanded Trump’s DHS immediately improve conditions at Delaney Hall, I received radio silence. Now, another one of our neighbors has died at Delaney Hall because of President Trump and Secretary Mullin’s negligence and disregard for human suffering,” said Pallone. “This tragedy was entirely preventable, but this Administration’s cruelty ensures it will be repeated if immediate steps aren’t taken to strip GEO Group of its billion-dollar contract and shutter Delaney Hall.”

“My colleagues and I warned Trump and DHS this would happen, and now a 39-year-old father has died because they refused to listen. There must be an immediate investigation. Inspectors from the New Jersey Department of Health must be allowed immediate and full access to Delaney Hall, detainees must be provided comprehensive medical care, and ultimately, this facility must close,” said Pallone.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)

Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03) announced today that his staff will hold a mobile office hour for constituents in Furnas and Gosper Counties on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. These office hours are an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith’s staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency, or take advantage of the services available through his office. 

Smith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following times and locations:  

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 
Furnas County Courthouse
912 R Street
Beaver City, NE 68926
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CT

Gosper County Courthouse
507 Smith Avenue
Elwood, NE 68937
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CT 

For more information, please contact Smith’s Grand Island office at (308) 384-3900, his Scottsbluff office at (308) 633-6333, or his Nebraska City office at (402) 874-6050.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill today to help reduce the number of unemployed young Americans by expanding AmeriCorps by 500,000 members to allow unemployed young people who have mostly completed college or high school to earn a stipend sufficient to support themselves, as well as an education award, while gaining valuable work experience. Norton’s bill would allow states and localities to boost personnel for badly needed services, such as after school and elderly programs, without new administrative structures or bureaucratic requirements.

“As artificial intelligence reshapes the job market and shrinks the number of available entry-level opportunities young people have long relied on to gain a foothold in their careers, we cannot afford to leave an entire generation behind,” Norton said. “My bill would meet this moment by adding 500,000 new AmeriCorps positions, giving young people a paid pathway to real work experience, valuable skills, and public service at a time when AI is making it harder than ever for them to break into the workforce. We owe our young people more than a diploma and a shrinking job market. They deserve a fair shot at well-paying and meaningful careers.”

Norton’s full introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Promoting National Service and Reducing Unemployment Act

Today, I introduce the Promoting National Service and Reducing Unemployment Act to address one of the greatest workforce tragedies—our unemployed young people—by adding 500,000 new members to AmeriCorps. Youth unemployment is harming our young people and costing our country billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and tax revenue, among other costs.  Although the total unemployment rate has reached a relative low (4.2 percent), the youth unemployment rate is 10.8 percent.  These young people have not had a fair chance to use the high school or college education we strongly urged them to obtain.

By adding 500,000 new members to AmeriCorps, this bill would allow unemployed youth to earn a stipend, obtain work experience and provide valuable public service.  AmeriCorps participants receive a living allowance and are also eligible for an education award equal to the value of a Pell grant, school-loan forbearance, health care benefits and childcare assistance. 

This bill would also establish that the minimum wage for any AmeriCorps State and National member is 200 percent of the federal poverty line and would not allow for a decrease in that amount, as is allowed under current law.  AmeriCorps members serve their country and gain skills, but we should increase the minimum wage for everyone, including national service members.

For some time, it has been clear that policies to address the most stubborn forms of unemployment need to be targeted in order to be effective.  Without significant targeting, many young people will continue to face their first years as adults without jobs and with no way to acquire necessary work experience. Young people deserve a better start in life as adults.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

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

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

“I’m so grateful and relieved that Claudia is with her family again. I was proud to help put a spotlight on her case, but there are 300,000 Florida families who had TPS ripped away just like Claudia, and they are just as vulnerable to the kind of cruel arrest and detention that she and her family just went through,” said Wasserman Schultz. “She’s clearly no threat to our community. And the atrocious pain and uncertainty that she and her family were put through, and all the immense, wasteful expense it costs taxpayers, are just appalling. The end of TPS means more and more of our neighbors will be targeted by ICE. I’ll keep fighting to keep families like Claudia’s together, and to put an end to Trump’s racist cruelty. There are still too many Claudias going through this same horror.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

Rep. Ben Cline Reintroduces Legislation to Increase Opportunities for Veterans

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), announced that four law enforcement agencies across Maryland’s First Congressional District have been awarded a combined $91,069 through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The individual awards will support a range of law enforcement equipment and technology projects across the First District. None of the recipient agencies are located in counties with sanctuary policies.

Harford County Sheriff’s Office — $32,639 to establish a Real-Time Crime Center, improving access to real-time intelligence and investigative technology.

Salisbury Police Department — $32,576 to purchase Motorola APX 6000 portable radios.

Cambridge Police Department & Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office — $12,974 to purchase electric bicycles for the Cambridge Police Department and mapping software and upgraded fingerprinting equipment for the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office.

Cecil County Sheriff’s Office & Elkton Police Department — $12,880 to purchase drone batteries for the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office and ballistic vests for the Elkton Police Department.

Statement from Congressman Harris:

“These grants will help law enforcement agencies across Maryland’s First District invest in the equipment officers use every day—from communications systems and investigative technology to emergency response equipment and protective gear—so they can better protect the people and communities of Maryland’s First District.”

For media inquiries, please contact Michella Carter at Michella.Carter@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

The Developing the Community Health Workforce Act aims to address growing staffing shortages at federally qualified health centers nationwide.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) and Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) introduced the Developing the Community Health Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen recruitment, training, and retention of the health workforce at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and expand access to high-quality care in rural and underserved communities.

The legislation addresses a growing crisis: health care professional shortages are threatening access to care in communities that depend on federally qualified health centers as their primary point of care. In 2024, more than 32.4 million people relied on these health centers for care, including 1 in 8 children and more than 25.1 million uninsured, Medicaid, and Medicare patients. Of these patients, 90 percent live at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. Community health centers are a lifeline for rural and underserved communities.

“Community health centers are the backbone of health care in our communities. As a physician who has seen firsthand what happens when people cannot access care close to home, I know that a shortage of skilled, community-based providers is not just a workforce problem, it is a crisis that affects the health and well-being of entire communities. This bill makes strategic investments to grow a workforce that reflects and understands the communities it serves so that every person in California’s 25th Congressional District and across the country can get the care they need, when and where they need it.” said Congressman Ruiz.

“Community health centers are on the frontlines of care for millions of Americans, especially in underserved and rural areas. They are a success story and a vital part of what is working well in our healthcare system. This legislation strengthens the workforce pipeline, supports recruitment and retention, and ensures providers have the tools they need to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. By investing in these proven models, we can improve health outcomes and build a more resilient health care system.” said Rep. Bilirakis, who serves as Co-Chairman of the Community Health Center Caucus in Congress and has led the charge for increased funding for FQHCs for several years.

Community health centers offer primary care, dental, and behavioral health services to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Studies show that the preventive services and care coordination provided by community health centers reduce overall health care costs and decrease reliance on emergency rooms. Despite their important role, many health centers face persistent staffing shortages that limit their ability to meet growing demand, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

This legislation was developed in close partnership with Advocates for Community Health and community health center leaders to address the critical workforce shortages threatening access to care in underserved communities. Drawing on frontline experience, the bill would strengthen recruitment and retention through increased loan repayment, build sustainable workforce pipelines, expand community health center–hospital Graduate Medical Education partnerships, and grow the behavioral health workforce.

Amanda Pears Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Advocates for Community Health, said:“By investing in the development of the workforce, particularly from the very communities that rely on them, this bill helps create pathways for professional development and success, and ensures patients can continue to access high-quality, comprehensive care no matter where they live.”

The bill strengthens the community health workforce in the following ways, among other provisions:

• Improves recruitment and retention of FQHC staff through a Loan Repayment Program,
• Creates a community health center workforce pipeline program,
• Expands FQHC and hospital training partnerships, and
• Expands the behavioral health workforce available to treat FQHC patients.

The bill is supported by Advocates for Community Health, the National Association of Community Health Centers, and Health Center Partners of Southern California.

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