MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

California Lawmakers: This administration “is focused on vindictive, destructive actions that will keep us dependent on innovations and expertise from foreign competitors and further raise costs for American families.”

October 24, 2025

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) joined 27 Democratic California lawmakers in denouncing the Department of Energy’s (DOE) cuts of $7.6 billion in critical grants for energy projects across California and the country. DOE’s list of cuts includes 79 projects and over $3.3 billion in investment across California, with over $2 billion in projects eliminated from Republican-represented districts in California. The funding for these projects was approved and appropriated by Congress, and the cuts violate existing bipartisan law while threatening to further raise energy costs.

The cancelling of these funds threatens thousands of jobs across energy, construction, and manufacturing sectors and could pass higher energy costs along to California residents.

“DOE does not have the authority to ignore the law, and Congress did not provide DOE with the discretion to terminate awards based on nebulous new criteria created by the Secretary years after enactment of the statute that funded and provided direction for these projects,” wrote the lawmakers.

In a letter to DOE’s Acting Inspector General Sarah Nelson, the lawmakers note that no state was hit harder than California. Out of the 321 terminated awards, DOE cancelled 79 awards in California, totaling more than $2 billion of federally funded projects. Among the projects was a backup battery power for a children’s hospital in Madera and an award worth $1.2 billion for the ARCHES hydrogen hub which had garnered bipartisan public support.

“These 321 grant project terminations will have real effects on affordability for our constituents and on the nation’s competitiveness. In the last year, electricity prices have increased twice as fast as the overall cost of living. Secretary Wright and the Trump administration’s decision to take $7.56 billion in energy projects offline is going to further constrain supply and send Americans’ electric bills through the roof,” the lawmakers continued.

In addition to Rep. Huffman, the letter was also signed by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), U.S. Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Ami Bera (D-Calif.-06), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-19), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), and George Whitesides (D-Calif.-27).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Acting Inspector General Nelson:

We write to request that your office immediately launch a formal investigation of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) recent termination of $7.56 billion in grant awards in states that did not vote for the President. These unjustified terminations call into question whether DOE followed appropriations law and raise serious doubts about the Department’s ability to meet its contractual and grant obligations. Terminating grants based on partisan criteria suggests significant unlawful bias at the highest levels of the Department. Therefore, a full investigation is warranted.

On October 1, 2025, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought posted on X: “Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled. More info to come from @ENERGY. The projects are in the following states: CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA”. Every one of these states gave their electoral votes to Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Out of the 321 awards deemed unworthy by DOE, it strains credulity to believe that all but seven of them happened to be in blue states.

No state was hit harder by these terminations than California. Out of the 321 terminated awards, DOE chose to cancel 79 awards in California, alone. In total, more than $2 billion of federally funded projects for California were included in this barrage of terminations. The recipients included state government, local governments, electric utilities, and innovative American energy companies. One of the projects would have provided backup battery power for a children’s hospital in Madera. One award for $1.2 billion was for the ARCHES hydrogen hub, a significant project that garnered public support from both Democrats and Republicans. Scores of projects were focused on boosting grid reliability and American domestic manufacturing. Overall, DOE’s terminations threaten the existence of thousands of jobs in the energy, construction, and manufacturing sectors.

It is not clear to us how DOE could have considered these projects unworthy of continuance, save for the obvious partisan reasons outlined above. Secretary Wright even specifically called out our state during interviews on CNN and Fox News: “California can do what it wants, but the 49 other states’ taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidizing that.” In the past several years, California has annually contributed around $600 billion in revenue to the federal government, making it a top donor state to the federal Treasury.

The process by which these terminations were approved also warrants intense scrutiny. During his interview with CNN on October 2, 2025, Secretary Wright explained that these terminations were a result of a months- long review of more than 2,400 projects. It remains unclear why such a review was necessary, and the Department has failed to produce a shred of evidence purporting waste, fraud, or abuse in any of these thousands of projects approved under the last administration. Indeed, the only criteria that condemned these projects to termination seem to be: 1) they were approved under the Biden Administration and 2) they were awarded to recipients located in states that did not vote for the President. Secretary Wright also mentioned that this review was conducted by “a team of seven or eight people”. The positions and qualifications of these individuals deserve scrutiny; it is unknown, for instance, if this team of people was comprised of any career officials, agency lawyers, or technical experts, or whether the team was comprised of DOGE personnel.

The Department’s press release states: “Using this review process, DOE evaluated each of these awards and determined that they did not meet the economic, national security or energy security standards necessary to justify continued investment.” There are serious problems with this statement. First, DOE has provided no evidence or quantifiable data to Congress to justify any assertion that these projects did not meet economic, national security, or energy security standards. In fact, DOE has demonstrated a stunning lack of responsiveness to congressional correspondence on previous grant terminations.

Second, no order, whether presidential or secretarial, can override a statute enacted by Congress. Much of the funding for these projects came from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a law that Congress passed with the support of both Democrats and Republicans. Congress directed DOE to establish these programs and use this funding to provide grant awards to further the intent of the statute. DOE does not have the authority to ignore the law, and Congress did not provide DOE with the discretion to terminate awards based on nebulous new criteria created by the Secretary years after enactment of the statute that funded and provided direction for these projects.

It is also unclear whether the Department conducted the appropriate internal reviews and analyses prior to approving these terminations, which raises important legal questions. Additionally, grant recipients were largely excluded from these deliberations and kept in the dark. Days after DOE’s termination announcement, many recipients reported that they had not even received a termination notice from the Department. At the very least, recipients deserve communication from the agency and an opportunity to appeal in accordance with DOE grant regulations. DOE’s actions cast doubt on the Department’s ability to be a reliable and trustworthy partner for the private sector.

It is imperative that these terminations be thoroughly investigated and the results shared with the Congress, especially in light of Secretary Wright’s assertion that he does not intend to stop wantonly terminating grant awards: “We released some announcements a few months ago. We’ll have many more coming this fall.” These 321 grant project terminations will have real effects on affordability for our constituents and on the nation’s competitiveness. In the last year, electricity prices have increased twice as fast as the overall cost of living. Secretary Wright and the Trump administration’s decision to take $7.56 billion in energy projects offline is going to further constrain supply and send Americans’ electric bills through the roof.

Secretary Wright’s termination decisions are both unlawful and will cause harm to Americans. We respectfully request that your office investigate these terminations thoroughly.

Thank you for your consideration.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

Instead of working with Democrats to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and keep health care affordable for millions of people, Republicans in Congress chose to shut down the government 

Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) recently sat down with Jim Mangia, President and CEO of St. John’s Community Health Network, for a discussion on how Republican cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act will harm the Southern California health care system and drive up costs for everyone. Democrats are continuing to call on Republicans to come back to Congress to negotiate a deal that will reopen the government and fix the health care crisis Republicans have created. You can watch the full discussion between Rep. Aguilar and Jim Mangia here and read an excerpt from the conversation below:
Rep. Pete Aguilar: House Democrats are fighting for the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits as well. The importance of that and ensuring that people have health care. So this isn’t just about the Medicaid population. This is about people with healthcare.gov.  This is about where will people go, the 30,000 clients that you have, where will they go if they don’t have health care? They’re going to go to the emergency room, which is the most expensive place to get care. So it’s going to affect everyone. Is that fair to say? Not just your clients, the health care system will be disrupted when this fully goes into effect. 
Jim Mangia, President & CEO, St. John’s Community Health: Well, you know, 90 percent of our patients are on Medi-Cal, but 10 percent are Covered California, on healthcare.gov, and they’re all going to lose their subsidies. So it’s going to be devastating for working people, middle-class people. Everyone is going to suffer. And that’s why I think this fight that the Democrats are urging and doing on the federal level is so important for us who are providing health care on the front lines, because we need our Representatives to be fighting for health care for our patients. And you are…I think we can win if we get together and we know who we’re fighting for, without a doubt.
St. John’s Community Health Network is one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Care (FQHC) providers in Southern California. They operate over 28 clinics in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, providing medical, dental, mental health and substance use services to underserved and diverse communities.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, and 214 of her Democratic colleagues in Congress are demanding Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins utilize the Congressionally authorized SNAP contingency fund to provide food assistance to hungry Americans as the Republican shutdown approaches its second month.

SNAP benefits were made available to eligible individuals in October, but due to the Agriculture Secretary’s unwillingness to use her statutory transer authority along with the roughly $5 billion SNAP contingency fund to deliver benefits in November, 42 million American seniors, veterans, and families with children risk not being able to keep food on their table. In Maine, 174,000 depend on SNAP benefits. 

The letter, signed by virtually every member of the House Democratic Caucus, comes as families, food banks, and farmers face rising costs and potential food shortages due to inflationary tariffs, increasing wealth inequality and reluctance by Trump administratin officials to exercise its legal authorities to ensure that SNAP operations continue through November. 

“USDA’s shutdown plan acknowledges that ‘Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds…’ USDA still has significant funding available in SNAP’s contingency reserve – which Congress provides precisely for this reason – that can be used to fund the bulk of November benefits,” the lawmakers wrote. “Additionally, while the contingency reserve will not cover November benefits in full, we urge USDA to use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority at its disposal to supplement these dollars and fully fund November benefits.”

They continue, “There are clear steps the administration can and must take immediately to ensure that millions of families across the country can put food on their table in November. Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people.”

Read the letter here.

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Dear Madam Secretary,

Right now, millions of Americans are struggling to afford food due to the Administration’s ill-conceived trade war. Just this year, we’ve seen household staples like eggs, coffee, and ground beef hit record high prices. Now more than ever, millions of families across the country depend upon the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to make ends meet. For far too many veterans, seniors, and children, SNAP benefits are the difference between having food or not. Now, due to the government shutdown, they are facing crippling levels of uncertainty about whether they will be able to afford food next month.  

A potential lapse in benefits would be felt by Americans of all ages and affect every corner and congressional district in the country. As the largest food assistance program in the United States, SNAP serves 42 million people. That includes 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans.

That is why we were deeply concerned to see your comments suggesting that SNAP will run out of funding in two weeks and that no SNAP benefits will be issued in November. USDA’s shutdown plan acknowledges that “Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds…” USDA still has significant funding available in SNAP’s contingency reserve – which Congress provides precisely for this reason – that can be used to fund the bulk of November benefits. 

We urge USDA to use these funds for November SNAP benefits and issue clear guidance to states on how to navigate benefit issuance. Additionally, while the contingency reserve will not cover November benefits in full, we urge USDA to use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority at its disposal to supplement these dollars and fully fund November benefits. 

There are clear steps the administration can and must take immediately to ensure that millions of families across the country can put food on their table in November. Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people. We appreciate your consideration of these requests.

Sincerely,

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

WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Jim McGovern, Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, Senior Member of the House Agriculture Committee, and a national leader on issues of hunger and food policy, released this statement following the Trump administration’s refusal to guarantee that federal food assistance benefits will go out on time in November:

“It’s been 24 days since Republicans shut down the federal government. Meanwhile, food prices continue to go up as ground beef, coffee, and other household staples hit record highs.

“But instead of looking after the concerns of regular families, Donald Trump and USDA Secretary Rollins now appear ready and willing to shut down America’s largest food assistance program, screwing over millions of working and low people—seniors, children, and American with disabilities—who are now wondering if they’ll be able to eat next month.

“This is a choice. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has significant money set aside in multi-year contingency funding authorized by Congress for exactly this kind of a situation. Republicans are shutting down SNAP to create political leverage by inflicting pain on working families.

“This is also yet another act of retaliation and revenge by a resentful and vindictive President. Massachusetts taxpayers send more to Washington than we get back—with the expectation that federal food assistance will be there for our friends and neighbors if and when they need it. It is untenable and absurd to expect us to pay more than our fair share—only to have the vital programs our tax dollars fund withheld by a petty, spiteful administration.

“It is entirely on Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress to fully fund SNAP next month, stop this shutdown, and start putting everyday people ahead of millionaires and billionaires.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) sent a letter to Corewell Health Southeast Michigan President Lamont Yoder amidst concerns that the board of directors is considering closing the labor and delivery unit at Corewell Health Wayne Hospital. Given growing challenges to health care access due to President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act,’ the lawmakers have grave concerns about eliminating or reducing services that residents depend on.

“Corewell Health Wayne Hospital has served residents across Wayne County, including constituents from both of our districts, for decades,” the lawmakers write. “Notably, the hospital has been a critical provider of obstetrical and gynecological services and was designated in 2021 as one of the “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” when it was operating as Beaumont Hospital – Wayne in 2021.”

“We are hearing you are considering eliminating obstetrical and gynecological services at Corewell Health Wayne Hospital, and we are deeply concerned about the impacts it would have on patients across Southeast Michigan,” the lawmakers continue. “Patients, many of whom already come from at-risk communities, would have to seek care from other health systems miles away who are likewise under tremendous strain. Not to mention, Corewell plays a vital role in training the next generation of residents in obstetrical care. Should residents be required to train at alternative locations, our region may lose this important workforce we need to retain in our community.”

“We urge you to maintain these critical obstetrical and gynecological services and redouble your efforts in investing in women’s health and growing the workforce necessary to support it,” the lawmakers conclude. “We stand ready to support you in any way possible.”

View the full text of the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in response to the partisan video addressing the federal government shutdown that is being broadcast at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at airports across America, including Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).

In the video, Noem says, “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.” Dingell is urging the Secretary to remove the video and instead focus efforts on supporting TSA employees who are working without pay during the shutdown.

“The video depicts you, in your official capacity as Secretary of Homeland Security, assigning blame to the Democratic party for the federal government shutdown,” Dingell writes. “The video is deeply concerning as it appears to be a partisan message, which is not allowed with federal resources. The Hatch Act explicitly prohibits federal employees from engaging in certain political activities to ensure federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion. Under the Hatch Act, it is also illegal to utilize government resources to benefit or disparage any political party.”

“Many airports across the country are refusing to broadcast the video due to it violating local policies and state laws barring the use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” Dingell continues. “At DTW, signs have been posted informing travelers that the TSA-controlled video does not reflect the views of the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA), which manages the airport, and that WCAA does not engage in partisan politics.”

“TSA employees are a backbone of the U.S. aviation system. They serve on the frontlines keeping Americans safe, ensuring security at our airports, and keeping our aviation system running. Yet due to the ongoing government shutdown, they are all working without pay,” Dingell concludes. “Despite this, they have remained committed to serving the American public and other travelers who depend on them for their safety. We should be entirely focused on supporting these dedicated men and women during this difficult time, not inserting political content that only undermines their important mission. I urge you to remove this video from public viewing at DTW and other federal security checkpoints and instead focus on helping the federal workers who show up every day to keep Americans safe. Passenger safety and their overall travel experience at airports should be our guiding light in the airport, not messaging on partisan politics.”

View the full text of the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Washington, D.C. — Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced the Inclusion, Development, and Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act to protect minority-owned businesses from the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)—a move that threatens jobs, innovation, and Michigan’s economic progress.

Michigan is home to one of the nation’s largest and most diverse entrepreneurial communities, particularly in high-tech manufacturing, engineering, and small business development. MBDA partnerships and accelerator programs have helped Michigan companies scale production, reach new supply chains, hire local workers, and grow in emerging sectors like mobility and advanced manufacturing. Trump’s actions threaten that progress, and the IDEA Act ensures Michigan entrepreneurs don’t lose momentum.

The IDEA Act creates a statutory grant program to support business accelerators that expand access to capital, business networks, supply chains, and mentorship in underserved communities. Specifically, the bill will:

• Launch an MBDA accelerator grant program dedicated to serving minority-owned businesses

• Provide up to $1 million per accelerator for direct capital support through cash grants, networking programs that connect entrepreneurs to investors and innovation hubs, and other assistance approved by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development

• Require public transparency and reporting on the number of grants awarded and minority-owned businesses served

• Crack down on fraud by establishing penalties for knowingly misusing grant funds

“Let’s be clear: President Trump is turning his back on minority entrepreneurs—including right here in Michigan,” said Rep. Stevens. “Across our state, minority-owned businesses are creating jobs, fueling manufacturing, and building wealth for working families. The IDEA Act protects Michigan jobs, strengthens local supply chains, and invests in the small business owners who are the backbone of our communities.”
 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – ICYMI: Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens sounded the alarm about the mounting health care costs and groceries prices Michigan families are battling.

With critical health care subsidies set to soon expire, Stevens reiterated her concerns about Republican’s plans to raise health care costs, saying the consequences would be devastating.

Stevens pointed to her No Tariffs on Groceries Act as a way to reduce prices and ease pressure on families at the grocery checkout line.

WWMT:

• [Congresswoman Stevens] says lawmakers have to come up with an agreement soon.

• She’s worried about Michiganders having to keep up with inflation, with groceries getting more expensive. And she says health care will get even pricier if Republicans succeed in cutting health care.

• “Hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents are going to lose coverage and face higher costs… that’s going to create some long-term damage for Michigan.”

• The health care subsidies are set to expire after next Saturday, November 1st. Stevens says health care will get more expensive after that.

• She worries more people will start putting bills on credit cards, especially because the consumer price index isn’t being released, and inflation is still high.

• She says her No Tariffs on Groceries Act is designed to help folks.

WGTQ

• “There’s a lot at stake for Michigan during this shutdown. Too many hard-working people aren’t getting paid.”

• “Families are struggling to make ends meet.”

• Stevens says health care could also get more expensive, with tax subsidies set to expire November 1st.

• “People are going to be forced to put more bills on credit cards with high interest rates.”

• “People are going to be priced out of their health care, and that’s not right.”

• “We’ve got an administration and Republican leaders who, you know, don’t want to come to the table for everyday people.”

• “People are being hurt. We need a better deal.”

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – ICYMI: Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens blasted President Trump and his Republican allies for their reckless shutdown tactics, which are putting federal workers and Michigan families at risk.

With the Republican shutdown stretching on, Rep. Stevens called on her colleagues to stand up to Trump’s reckless political games and make sure public servants are being compensated for their work, and raised alarm over skyrocketing health care costs for hardworking families in Michigan.

WLAJ:
 

• “It’s very frustrating to see a commander-in-chief who doesn’t care about paying federal workers—people who are working through a shutdown in this time. Trying to throw them away like yesterday’s trash is wholly unacceptable. We should be doing everything we can to ensure that people are compensated for their work and that their pocketbooks are protected.”

Bloomberg:
 

 

• “Look, I’ve done my part in the House, and I did vote alongside the people of Michigan and their pocketbooks.”

• “I’ll be very clear with you. We are in a health care crisis, and the responsibility of this moment is with the governing party, and what they are not doing is working in a very reasonable way with the other side of the aisle to keep the government funded…”

• “… the people who are paying the price are Michiganders.”

• “And I see this everywhere I go, the rising cost of food, that is grocery bills that are going on credit cards.”

• “700,000 Michiganders who are going to lose their health care when these Medicaid cuts go into effect, and notices that were given in the summer from this tax bill to Michiganders about their health care coverage and their benefits.”

• “And look, it’s not acceptable. People can’t afford more.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Pontiac, MI  –  Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens joined local leaders, students, and educators for the kickoff of Oakland County’s Manufacturing Day 2025 at the Oakland Schools Technical Campus in Pontiac. Stevens delivered remarks to students and chaperones before they departed for tours of leading manufacturers across the region.

During her remarks, Stevens celebrated National Manufacturing Day as an opportunity to honor Michigan manufacturers and showcase the career pathways available in the advanced manufacturing sector. She reminded students that Oakland County is at the heart of Michigan’s industrial strength and told them they would be visiting companies on the frontlines of developing technologies.

Congresswoman Stevens has been a steadfast champion of Michigan manufacturing She connected the day’s visits to her record in Congress, noting that one of her first acts was introducing the Building Blocks of STEM Act to expand opportunities for young people to explore science and engineering. She highlighted her role in helping pass the CHIPS and Science Act. Stevens also pointed to her Manufacturing Monday program, mirroring the student site visits, as a way she has stayed engaged with Michigan manufacturers and carried their voices back to Washington. Through these efforts, she has consistently worked to strengthen supply chains, create jobs, and ensure Michigan and America’s leadership in advanced manufacturing.

“Whether it’s securing our supply chains, supporting small and mid-sized manufacturers, or investing in the workforce, Michigan is leading the way,” said Rep Stevens. “Today’s Manufacturing Day shows the incredible potential of our students to carry forward our state’s proud legacy of innovation.”

Photo available for media use below. Videos for media use can be provided upon request.

 

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