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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

NEW YORK, NY — Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following statement in recognition of Earth Day 2025 and touted several pieces of legislation he leads during the 119th Congress: 

“On Earth Day, we reaffirm our commitment to adopting climate solutions to save our planet,” said Espaillat. “The difference we make today will have resounding impacts throughout our communities and the future of our society. I am proud to sponsor many critical environmental bills this Congress and remain committed to ensuring a greener, more sustainable future for the next generation.” 

• The Green Climate Fund Authorization Act — authorizes an additional $8 billion to the Green Climate Fund, supporting climate action projects globally. 
   
• The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act – bipartisan legislation re-introduced with Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA) in the wake of the California wildfires. The bill eliminates barriers for survivors of natural disasters when seeking housing assistance. 
   
• Resolution Recognizing Cecil Corbin-Mark honors his significant contributions to the environmental justice movement, working with primarily vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. 
   
• Secure Electronic Waste Export and Recycling Act– bipartisan legislation re-introduced with Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), which curbs the overwhelming flow of electronic waste (“e-waste”) exports from the United States, which bring about national security risks, harm the public health, and cause significant damage to the environment  
   
• The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program (SWIFR) Reauthorization Act — reauthorizes and suggest an increase in funding for the EPA’s most important recycling grant program through 2035. 

 

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. 

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

Legislation Would Ensure Job Seekers in Federal Workforce Training Programs Can Maintain Food Security and Employment Training Without Undue Barriers to Career Success

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Reps. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Mike Simpson (ID-02), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Adam Gray (CA-13) to reintroduce the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. This bill, which passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support in the 116th and 117th Congresses, updates the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and is a compromise solution that provides needed stability for farmers and farmworkers. Congressman Valadao was a co-lead of the bill in the 118th Congress and a co-sponsor in the 117th Congress.

“Central Valley farmers are the backbone of our nation’s agricultural industry, but they continue to face serious challenges finding and retaining a reliable workforce,” said Congressman Valadao. “The current H-2A program doesn’t meet the labor needs of many producers, but the Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a positive step to addressing our agriculture workforce needs and securing our food supply chain. Food security is national security, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find long-term solutions that support our farmers and strengthen our food supply chain.”

“The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. However, in the past few years, we’ve seen labor shortages contribute to high food prices,” said Rep. Lofgren. “As economic chaos and confusion continues, it is essential we provide stability to this critical workforce. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would do so, which will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. It is well-past time we get this bipartisan legislation twice passed by the House of Representatives to the President’s desk.”

“The workforce crisis has come to a boiling point for farmers across the country. Reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act sends a clear message to farmers that we are working hard to find solutions that ease the burdens brought on by the current state of the H-2A program. This legislation is necessary to lay the groundwork for continued negotiations, and I am committed to working closely with my colleagues to enact long-term, durable reforms to our agriculture guest worker programs. This issue has been, and remains, my top priority and unified Republican government is an opportunity to deliver for our farmers and ranchers,” said Rep. Newhouse.

“The workforce crisis is the most important issue facing agriculture in our country,” said Rep. Simpson. “Supporting American agriculture means providing a stable, reliable, and legal workforce, and this legislative solution addresses one of the most pressing concerns our farmers and ranchers face. Now that we finally have an administration taking the border crisis seriously, Congress must address this issue and enact necessary reforms. It is well past time we solve this problem. I look forward to working with my colleagues and getting this critical legislation across the finish line to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”

“American agriculture depends on a reliable workforce and nowhere is that more true than in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where farmworkers are the backbone of our economy. This legislation is a common-sense, bipartisan solution that provides stability for our farmers and dignity for the workers who feed America. If President Trump is serious about fixing our broken immigration system, he should work with us to get this bill across the finish line,” said Congressman Costa. 

“Farm workers and the larger agricultural community are the backbone of the Central Valley’s economy,” said Congressman Gray. “Labor shortages on our farms could lead to higher food prices across the country and the Valley cannot afford to be shorthanded. This commonsense bipartisan bill would stabilize our vital workforce and make sure Valley farmers can continue to feed families across the country.”

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would:

• Reform the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers.
• Establish a program for agricultural workers in the United States to choose to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contribution to the U.S. agricultural economy.
• Focus on modification to make the program more responsive and user-friendly for employers and provides access to the program for industries with year-round labor needs.

Read the full bill here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the following statement on Cleveland-Cliff’s announcement about the future of their Weirton steel facility:

“For generations, the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia has forged the steel that kept our country strong, prosperous, and free. Today’s announcement is nothing short of heartbreaking.

“Last year I stood in front of the men and women of United Steelworkers Local 2911, laying out a vision to get the plant running again and the steel workers back on the job. Despite today’s disheartening news, Weirton remains one of the best places in America to produce steel because of our hardworking, skilled workforce with a century of experience in the industry.

“I’ve had productive conversations about the future of this facility with people in the Trump Administration, neighboring members of Congress, the Congressional Steel Caucus, and our partners in the private sector. I’ll keep fighting for Weirton and to keep these good-paying union steel jobs in the Northern Panhandle.”

Background: The tinplate steel facility operated by Cleveland-Cliffs in Weirton, West Virginia was idled during the Biden Administration after the International Trade Commission rejected anti-dumping duties, triggering large job losses. Then-State Treasurer Riley Moore helped secure $50 million in support from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority to retrofit the plant for electrical steel and transformer production.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

LawmakersMet with Öztürk at Louisiana ICE Facility Where She Has Been illegally Detained Since March

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02) released the following statement after the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit directed the Trump administration to comply with a lower court order to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk from ICE custody in Louisiana to Vermont. The court ordered the government to move Ms. Öztürk within one week. On March 25, 2025, Ms. Öztürk, a PhD student at Tufts University, was abducted by six plainclothes ICE agents off the streets of Somerville, Massachusetts. She was quickly moved across state lines and shipped more than 1,500 miles away from her community to a detention facility in Louisiana. 

“We applaud the Second Circuit for rejecting the Trump administration’s attempt to delay complying with the district court’s order to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk from Louisiana to Vermont, where she will be closer to her community and to her legal counsel,” said Pressley, Markey, and McGovern. “Rümeysa should never have been abducted and transferred thousands of miles away to begin with. She is being unlawfully detained for writing an op-ed in her school newspaper and has not been charged with a single crime. Last month, we visited Rümeysa in detention in Louisiana, where she faces intolerable conditions and has suffered multiple asthma attacks. Rümeysa’s case is part of an alarming trend by the Trump administration to trample individuals’ constitutional rights to due process and free speech. Rümeysa must be released and have her visa restored immediately, and we will continue to ring the alarm loudly until that is the case.”

On April 22, 2025, Pressley, Markey and McGovern, along with Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of House Committee on Homeland Security, and Representative Troy Carter (LA-02), visited the Louisiana ICE facility where Rümeysa Öztürk was being held. Also on April 22, Senator Markey, Representative Pressley, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons to demand answers about the Trump administration’s concerning practice of detaining individuals, such as Öztürk, far from their attorneys and communities and in legal environments where their rights are more difficult to defend. The Trump administration is forum shopping to obtain a legal outcome favorable to its deportation agenda.

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

U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Ami Bera (D-CA-06) are leading 94 House Democrats in calling for the Israeli government to immediately resume shipments of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

“As supporters of a strong US-Israel relationship, we write to express our opposition to the current Israeli government policy to block all humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “In addition to the harm imposed on Palestinian civilians, it is strategically counterproductive and will only hurt Israel’s international standing and long term security. While we share concerns about Hamas diverting humanitarian assistance, we encourage your government to work with the United States, alongside humanitarian organizations, to do everything possible to minimize the risk of diverted resources without harming civilians.” 

Resuming humanitarian aid in Gaza is an urgent need. 

In their letter, the lawmakers underscore, “…nine weeks into the total blockade, the humanitarian conditions in Gaza are staggering, leading to new levels of despair for Palestinian civilians. Food stockpiles from the ceasefire have been largely depleted, and the World Food Programme has stated that all 25 subsidized bakeries across Gaza have been forced to close without enough cooking gas or flour.”

This letter further emphasizes the need for putting the region on a path towards security and stability. 

“We implore your government to resume the flow of aid into Gaza. We also reiterate our support for a renewed ceasefire and hostage release deal to finally end this war — the only option to alleviate the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians,”  the lawmakers concluded.

For a full copy of the letter, click here.

Rep. Carbajal has been a leader in pushing for delivering humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Since the fall of 2023, Rep. Carbajal has persistently called for the passage of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in the Gaza Strip. In May of 2024, Rep. Carbajal raised significant concerns over Israel’s severe restriction of humanitarian goods amid mounting civilian deaths. 

In the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel, Rep. Carbajal voted to formally condemn Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks, call for swift support for both Israel’s security needs and humanitarian relief to help innocent civilians in Gaza, and to cut off funding sources for terrorist organizations in the region.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse, Bipartisan Coalition Introduce Farm Workforce Modernization Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) reintroduced the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act to reform the H-2A visa program and establish a strong, legal immigration workforce for agricultural producers.  

“The workforce crisis has come to a boiling point for farmers across the country,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse. “Reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act sends a clear message to farmers that we are working hard to find solutions that ease the burdens brought on by the current state of the H-2A program. This legislation is necessary to lay the groundwork for continued negotiations, and I am committed to working closely with my colleagues to enact long-term, durable reforms to our agriculture guest worker programs. This issue has been, and remains, my top priority and unified Republican government is an opportunity to deliver for our farmers and ranchers.” 

“The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. However, in the past few years, we’ve seen labor shortages contribute to high food prices,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. “As economic chaos and confusion continues, it is essential we provide stability to this critical workforce. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would do so, which will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. It is well-past time we get this bipartisan legislation twice passed by the House of Representatives to the President’s desk.”

Newhouse and Lofgren were joined by Reps. Mike Simpson (R-ID), Jim Costa (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Adam Gray (D-CA) in introducing the legislation.  

“The workforce crisis is the most important issue facing agriculture in our country,” said Rep. Mike Simpson. “Supporting American agriculture means providing a stable, reliable, and legal workforce, and this legislative solution addresses one of the most pressing concerns our farmers and ranchers face. Now that we finally have an administration taking the border crisis seriously, Congress must address this issue and enact necessary reforms. It is well past time we solve this problem. I look forward to working with my colleagues and getting this critical legislation across the finish line to President Trump’s desk for his signature.” 

“American agriculture depends on a reliable workforce and nowhere is that more true than in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where farmworkers are the backbone of our economy. This legislation is a common-sense, bipartisan solution that provides stability for our farmers and dignity for the workers who feed America. If President Trump is serious about fixing our broken immigration system, he should work with us to get this bill across the finish line,” said Rep. Jim Costa.  

“Central Valley farmers are the backbone of our nation’s agricultural industry, but they continue to face serious challenges finding and retaining a reliable workforce,” said Rep. David Valadao. “The current H-2A program doesn’t meet the labor needs of many producers, but the Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a positive step to addressing our agriculture workforce needs and securing our food supply chain. Food security is national security, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find long-term solutions that support our farmers and strengthen our food supply chain.” 

“Farm workers and the larger agricultural community are the backbone of the Central Valley’s economy,” said Rep. Adam Gray. “Labor shortages on our farms could lead to higher food prices across the country and the Valley cannot afford to be shorthanded. This commonsense bipartisan bill would stabilize our vital workforce and make sure Valley farmers can continue to feed families across the country.” 

The legislation passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support in the 116th and 117th Congresses. 

Click here for a two-page summary of the bill.  

Click here for a section-by-section outline of the bill.

Click here for the full text of the bill. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson and Rep. Pfluger (R-TX) released the following statements after the House passed H.R. 881, The Department of Homeland Security Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act.

“House Republicans will not tolerate adversarial regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party, using propaganda to manipulate students, undermine academic institutions, and compromise national security. Higher education in America must remain free from foreign malign influence,” said Speaker Johnson. “I commend Rep. Pfluger for his leadership in protecting students and ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to fund institutions that host Confucius Institutes or maintain ties to Chinese entities supporting CCP interests.”

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has proven to be an untrustworthy, adversarial actor by continually undermining American interests at every turn – in no world should they have a front-row seat in our classrooms funded by our own taxpayer dollars,” said Representative Pfluger. “The passage of my legislation today sends a clear message: America’s universities and research labs will no longer be used to steal critical research, recruit talent for Military-Civil fusion enterprises, conduct espionage, commit transnational repression, and influence academic institutions to the benefit of the CCP. This is a victory for our national security and for the future generations of Americans.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

Rep. Jack Bergman announced today that two of his legislative initiatives—the CHOICE for Veterans Act and the VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act—successfully passed out of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs yesterday.

“These bills reflect months of collaboration and feedback from Veterans, advocates, and oversight bodies,” said Rep. Bergman. “I’m grateful to my colleagues on the committee for recognizing the importance of protecting Veterans and ensuring the VA is operating with transparency and accountability.”

The CHOICE for Veterans Act reinstates penalties for unaccredited individuals who charge Veterans for help with filing disability claims. It also permits accredited agents and attorneys to charge fees for initial claim filings—capped at the lesser of $12,500 or five times the Veteran’s monthly benefit increase—while implementing strong guardrails to prevent abuse.

Key provisions include:

• Informing Veterans of free services available through Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs).
• Requiring clear, upfront fee disclosures and allowing Veterans to pay in installments.
• Enhancing oversight through a public VA website listing accredited representatives and enabling the reporting of unaccredited actors.
• Protecting data and privacy by requiring HIPAA-compliant systems and banning overseas call centers.
• Preventing unethical practices such as double billing or charging recently separated service members.

Additionally, Bergman’s VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act addresses concerns stemming from the VA’s 2024 budget request, in which the department cited a $3 billion shortfall. Despite that request, the VA ultimately carried over $5 billion in unspent funds.

“This legislation is about accountability and ensuring Congress has accurate, timely information to support Veterans effectively. By requiring annual reviews of the VA’s budget practices for the next five years, we’re taking meaningful steps to prevent future confusion and protect taxpayer dollars.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), delivered the following remarks at the subcommittee’s oversight hearing on the Department of the Treasury:

Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.
 

“Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and welcome, Mr. Secretary. This is our first substantive hearing dealing with the devastating actions that the Trump Administration has taken in the first three months of 2025 – actions planned and predicted by Project 2025. I look forward to having more such hearings with other agencies under our jurisdiction – especially the principals of DOGE, OMB, GSA, and OPM, which are having such a profoundly negative impact on our country.

“What we’ve seen in the first 100 days of this administration is unprecedented, and – so the polls tell us – disturbing to the American people. An irresponsible, incoherent tariff policy has plunged the Americans and global economies into chaos. These past three months, the American economy shrank for the first time since the final days of the pandemic. The stock market fell more in the first 100 days of the Trump Administration than in the first 100 days of any presidency in the past half century. Consumer confidence is [at its] lowest since May of 2020 – the height of Covid-19. That uncertainty has also rattled the bond market, with investors dangerously starting to doubt the full faith and credit of the United States.

“Most importantly, Americans are hurting. Families see their costs going up. Retirees watch their life savings losing value. Small business owners and farmers risk going under as they struggle to navigate ever-changing tariffs. Our economy is in chaos and so, I think, is our government.

“Donald Trump, Russell Vought, and Elon Musk are orchestrating an illegal purge of our federal employees. They clearly had a lot of ideas on how to remove these people and dismantle these programs as quickly as possible. Sadly, they had no clue, in my view, as to the devastating consequences of their actions on our country, our government, our allies, and the professionals we rely on to serve the American people.

“I am particularly concerned about the Internal Revenue Service, which has been severely understaffed and underfunded for decades. So far, the Trump Administration has forced the IRS to cut as many as 11,443 employees – or over 11 percent of its staff. That includes 6,700 workers who were fired at the height of this most recent tax season. Now, the administration is planning to reduce the IRS workforce, I understand, by another 40,000 jobs – or 40 percent. That includes up to half of IRS enforcement staff. Additionally, Trump’s 2026 budget cuts funding for the IRS by 20 percent. These actions at IRS, in my view, and every other government office, have bludgeoned morale, destroyed efficiency, and increased waste.

“Cutting back on IRS enforcement makes it easier for the wealthiest individuals and corporations to cheat on their taxes and get out of paying what they owe. That, of course, increases what others pay and explodes the deficit. As the President and Congressional Republicans undermine the ability to enforce our existing tax code, they are also pursuing massive tax cuts for the wealthiest among us.

“Furthermore, DOGE operatives are rifling through IRS databases that contain Americans’ sensitive information, including their financial history, Social Security numbers, immigration status, and more. The story is the same across the federal government. Americans are reeling from this uncertainty in their economy and in their government. They need answers. More than that, they need an adult in the room. That is the role, I hope, the Treasury Department plays – and Mr. Secretary, in particular, yourself.

“The economy and markets do not lie. We all depend on the Treasury Secretary to communicate clearly and transparently to the President, the Congress, the American people, and, indeed, the world. I’ve mentioned tariffs and the IRS, but I’m also eager to hear, Mr. Secretary from you about our economic approach to the Russian-Ukraine war – especially in light of last week’s mineral deal and recent questions about our sanctions regime on Russia.

“Former Secretary Mnuchin – whom I believe you know, sir – and I disagreed on some things, but we still found ways to work in a bipartisan fashion to inspire confidence in the economy. Mr. Secretary, I look forward to doing the same with you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”