MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today cautioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over plans to rush a costly, unproven battleship while slowing production of the proven DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers built at Bath Iron Works. 

Hegseth appeared before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), on which Golden is a member, to present the Pentagon’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. While the plan cuts production of DDG-51s, it includes $17 billion for a new “Trump–class” battleship on a rushed timeline. 

“Everyone on this committee knows about the Navy’s struggles to successfully design, manage and field new classes of ships,” Golden said, citing the Littoral Combat Ships, Zumwalt-class destroyers and Constellation-class frigates — all of which had to be scrapped due to challenges such as cost overruns, design problems and scheduling delays. 

“Recent history is littered with failed Navy efforts to replace existing, successful programs that remain the best in class worldwide — including the Bath-built Arleigh Burke destroyers. This isn’t the failure of our shipbuilders or our sailors. It’s a failure by top brass to learn a simple lesson: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. My sincere hope is that Secretary Hegseth, the Navy and Congress will pump the brakes on this battleship and focus on producing ships we know can meet our needs today.” 

Bath Iron Works has built dozens of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, including USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr., which entered service earlier this month. Golden has long advocated, successfully, for multi-ship procurement in defense appropriations bills to ensure not only maritime combat readiness but stable demand for highly skilled, good-paying jobs at BIW.  

Hegseth himself called the destroyer the “workhorse” of the U.S. Navy when he visited BIW earlier this year and told shipbuilders that the Pentagon would “max out” on destroyer procurement. But the Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal requests just one DDG-51. Instead, it proposes construction of a new battleship named for the president with a price tag of $17 billion — enough to fund six DDG-51s. 

Golden noted that the Trump-class ship would be a return to a vessel style not used since WWII. Experts have raised questions about the proposed battleship’s ability to meet modern surface combatant needs, with one suggesting that the ship will never hit the water.

“The proposed battleship is a high-risk, low-reward proposition and the cost will be high — not just for taxpayers, but for the lost opportunity to maintain the supply of destroyers proven to meet our surface fleet’s needs,” Golden said. 

HASC will continue to consider the Pentagon’s budget request in the coming weeks. Video of Golden’s remarks can be viewed here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the only Democrat in the Tennessee Congressional Delegation will hold a press conference today at 3:30 p.m. to discuss the impact of the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling in Louisiana v. Callais and candidate for Governor Senator Marsha Blackburn’s call on Governor Bill Lee to call a Special Session of the General Assembly to consider redistricting.

Time: Today, Wednesday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern

Where: 2268 Rayburn House Office Building

RSVP to the Congressman’s communications director atBartholomew.Sullivan@mail.house.gov

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott, Omar Slam DOL Rule Robbing Workers of Fair Wages and Workplace Protections

WASHINGTON – Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) slammed the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule to allow unscrupulous employers to misclassify their workers as independent contractors, robbing workers of their wage and hour and other work protections.

The Members argued that by loosening restrictions allowing employers to misclassify their employees as independent contractors, the proposed rule will strip workers of their basic wage and hour protections and leave law-abiding businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Unlike employees, independent contractors do not get essential protections, such as minimum wage, overtime, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, access to employee healthcare and benefits, pensions, or OSHA protections.

“Despite the proposed rule’s claims to the contrary, the Department’s proposal conflicts with the statutory text and Congressional intent, as well as controlling law,”wrote the Members.“As a result, the proposed changes in this rule would result in more regulatory confusion among stakeholders and provide more opportunities for lawbreaking employers to evade liability for robbing workers of their wage and other basic federal protections.”

“Despite the proposal’s claims, the reality is that Department’s proposal would lead to more widespread misclassification and more exploitation of workers,”the Members continued.

In the letter, the Members also asserted that the proposed rule would have a detrimental effect on the economy by giving an unfair advantage to employers who misclassify their workers. Rampant misclassification could also impose significant financial burden on federal, state, and local governments due to lost tax revenues.

The Members demanded that DOL withdraw its proposed rule to safeguard workers’ wages and protections.

To read the full letter, click here.

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Louisiana v. Callais

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Co-Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, issued the following statement: 

“The Voting Rights Act has long protected minority communities from disenfranchisement, but over the years conservative Supreme Court justices have steadily weakened those protections. Section 2 remained one of the last major safeguards against maps that dilute minority representation in Congress.

“This latest decision by the Supreme Court sets voting rights back decades. By creating a nearly impossible standard to challenge racial gerrymandering, the Court has opened the door for Republican-led states to draw new maps that weaken the ability of minority communities to elect candidates of their choice.

“Attacks on voting rights have become a defining feature of the MAGA-controlled Republican Party and this Supreme Court. During the recent mid-decade redistricting, Republicans have so far created seven seats in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina. Six of those seats are presently represented by African American and Hispanic Members of Congress. Using efforts to undermine voter registration and vote-by-mail, Republicans continue to weaken the foundations of our democracy in order to hold onto power. 

“Congress must respond by passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. We must remain committed to protecting a democracy that represents all Americans and ensuring that every voter has an equal voice in choosing their representatives.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Appropriations Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security & Department of State funding bill on Tuesday by a vote of 35-27. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D), the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, voted no on the bill and spoke against what she called a “retreat from American diplomacy” during the committee hearing. Following the committee’s approval of the bill, Congresswoman McCollum issued the following statement:  

“It’s deeply unfortunate that this bill continues President Trump’s retreat from strong American diplomacy and support for development assistance. We know what happens when America retreats from the developing world: poverty, malnutrition, and disease take hold, transnational terrorism spreads, and our adversaries like Russia and China fill the void. This is a national security threat and a dark outlook for the world, and unfortunately Republicans’ bill embraces it.

“Democrats and Republicans used to stand together and say: America saves lives, and we do it because it reflects our values. But this bill cuts $532 million from global health programs. Fewer mothers will survive childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa. Fewer children will be vaccinated against dangerous diseases like tuberculosis. HIV clinics in Zambia, Uganda, and the Philippines shut their doors. COVID-19 didn’t knock on our door and ask permission to enter the United States. The next pandemic won’t either.

“American diplomats used to walk into negotiations with credibility because the United States had a track record of showing up and keeping its word. Sadly, that has changed. This bill not only reflects that reality, it endorses it.” 

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

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after the Supreme Court released their decision in Louisiana v. Callais, effectively gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“For over sixty years, the Voting Rights Act has been a vital pillar of American democracy, ensuring fair representation and the protection of voting rights that are entitled to every citizen across this great nation. Passage of this landmark legislation, along with the Civil Rights Act, was the seminal moment of the Civil Rights Movement and another step in America’s march toward becoming a true multi-racial democracy, helping to fulfill the promise of our nation’s founding.

“Today’s appalling decision by the Supreme Court to unilaterally gut this historic law is not only wrong—it is deeply disrespectful of the generations of African Americans and civil rights advocates who gave their freedom, their blood, and even their lives to make it possible. With one fell swoop, this increasingly partisan and unaccountable court has turned the clock back decades to a time when state legislatures were legally allowed to silence the voices of entire communities based on the color of their skin.

“This decision reiterates that the current Supreme Court is out of step with the American people. And it was not done in a vacuum; state legislatures have already acted to redraw congressional maps in Missouri and Texas to disenfranchise voters, and this decision will only accelerate those efforts nationally.

“Now more than ever, it is incumbent on lawmakers who genuinely believe in the principles of American democracy to reject the court’s invitation to racially gerrymander our fellow citizens out of representation in the halls of power. Congress can, and must immediately, enact legislation that puts an end to these undemocratic practices and protects the voices and voting rights of all Americans. Failure to do so would be an everlasting stain on this chapter of American history.”

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

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

Congresswoman Renews Calls for Passage of John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Supreme Court Reform, Including Expansion

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued a statement condemning the Supreme Court’s harmful ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. Congresswoman Pressley is renewing her calls for passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and major Supreme Court reforms, including court expansion.

“With this shameful ruling, the Supreme Court is once again complicit in Republicans’ assault on our democracy and Black political power. This decision will disenfranchise millions of people, further weaken the Voting Rights Act, and embolden racial discrimination in our elections,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “Congress must immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and take action to restore the integrity and legitimacy of this far-right majority Supreme Court—including expanding the court, imposing term limits on Supreme Court justices, and passing a binding Supreme Court code of ethics. Every option should be on the table.”

Rep. Pressley has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to protecting and expanding the sacred right to vote for all people, including those who are currently and formerly incarcerated.

• In December 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) unveiled the Inclusive Democracy Act, brand new, first-of-its-kind legislation that would end felony disenfranchisement in Federal elections and guarantee the right to vote for incarcerated citizens.
• In February 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Whip Jim Clyburn and Congressman Mondaire Jones called on the Department of Justice to aggressively protect voting rights and fight against disenfranchisement, gerrymandering, voter purges, and other forms of voter suppression, vote dilution, and election subversion.
• Rep. Pressley has repeatedly urged the U.S. Senate to abolish the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
• In March 2021, Rep. Pressley led her colleagues in re-introducing an amendment to lower the federal election voting age from 18-years-old to 16-years-old.
• Rep. Pressley has called on the Massachusetts State Legislature to pass meaningful voting rights legislation that would boost voter turnout and expand access to the ballot box.
• As a Boston City Councilor, Rep. Pressley advocated for expanded access to the ballot box, supporting legislation requiring ballots be available in multiple languages, and filing a home rule petition to allow for early voting in Boston’s preliminary and general elections.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

Today, Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts Ranking Member Johnson released the following statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  “Today’s 6 to 3 MAGA Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v Callais hurtles the precept of democracy for all backwards, in the same way as the equally egregious 1896 Louisiana case of Plessy v. Ferguson, which legalized Jim Crow racism. Today’s throwback decision legalizes Jim Crow 2.0 and is a devastating blow to the voting rights of Black people, and to American democracy itself. In the words of the immortal John Lewis — ‘we must get out and vote like our lives depended on it.’ “

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar Explains What is Needed for a Federal Response to Historic Flooding in Michigan

This month, significant rainfall accompanied with rapid snowmelt led to historic flooding in communities across Michigan. In the last two weeks, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in 41 Michigan counties including 13 counties represented by Congressman John Moolenaar.  The flooding and severe storms, including a tornado in Carson City, have caused property damage, businesses shuttered, and families displaced. Moolenaar released the following statement on the federal response to this tragedy: 

“The historic flooding across our state warrants a significant response. My team and I have been in constant communication with local officials regarding the impact of the flooding. I applaud the dedication of the first responders, and local governments who kept their communities safe during this situation, and are now planning long-term clean up processes,” Moolenaar said.  

He continued, “The state and local communities are doing everything they can to follow the process to receive a disaster declaration from FEMA to bring additional federal resources to their community. This process has caused some confusion among residents experiencing property loss because of the storm. FEMA is not the first responder when disasters like this occur. First, a governor must formally request for FEMA to make a disaster declaration before the agency can be deployed to a state. That has not happened just yet. Currently, federal agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are on the ground in our state to assist with this process. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Police is collecting reports from residents, property owners, and businesses on the damage caused by the recent weather events. These reports will help the Governor make her request and ensure it reaches the federal government’s threshold for FEMA assistance.”

“This is a time of crisis and need for families across our district, and it is vital that the process is understood and followed to receive federal disaster resources. I encourage every Michigan family and business owner who has been impacted to submit their report to MSP immediately so the damages can be accurately assessed. I will continue to work with local and state officials and support their efforts to ensure our communities can rebuild,” He concluded.  

Residents impacted by the flooding or storms can submit their damages to the Michigan State Police here.  

A state of emergency was declared in Barry, Clare, Eaton, Gratiot, Lake, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, and Wexford counties.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse and Senator Michael Bennet pressed the Departments of Agriculture and Interior for answers regarding their agencies’ efforts to ensure the federal government is prepared to respond in the face of record-high temperatures, drought conditions, and heightened wildfire risk.  

According to experts, 2026 has been the worst year for Colorado’s snowpack in recorded history. Communities across the state and the nation are also already in the throes of a historic wildfire season. As of late April, more than 22,000 fires have burned nearly 2 million acres this year alone—more than two and a half times the 10-year average (2016–2025).

These conditions, coupled with staff vacancies across the Department of the Interior (DOI), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) due to President Donald Trump’s mass terminations and reductions in force, have created extremely dangerous circumstances.  

“We write today regarding the dire wildfire and drought conditions currently facing the Western United States. […] As we approach the summer months, we write to express our deep concerns about these conditions and respectfully implore your agencies to take immediate actions to better prepare for unprecedented wildfire risks,” wrote the Colorado lawmakers.  

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) are integral partners, along with state, local, and tribal governments, in mitigating, monitoring, and responding to wildfires. In light of the increased risk of wildfire and resulting resource needs this year, rapid, responsive coordination between federal, state, local, and tribal partners will be critically important.” 

Neguse and Bennet called on the administration officials to get serious about advancing a comprehensive federal approach to addressing the wildfire crisis, urging them to take immediate action to increase preparedness and cooperation with state and local agencies to tackle the problem.

The Colorado lawmakers closed by imploring the agencies to provide a status update on a series of actions, including current staffing levels and the impacts the planned reorganization of the USDA and DOI could have on wildfire preparedness and response.  

The letter concluded: “We urge you to take immediate steps to maximize early detection of wildland fires and reduce any delays to ensure that federal resources are prepared to respond efficiently.” 

Read the full letter HERE and below: 

 

April 29, 2026

 

 The Honorable Doug Burgum 

Secretary

U.S. Department of the Interior

Washington, D.C. 20242

 

The Honorable Brooke Rollins

Secretary

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Washington, D.C. 20250

 

Dear Secretary Burgum and Secretary Rollins,

We write today regarding the dire wildfire and drought conditions currently facing the Western United States. As you know, record-high temperatures and drought conditions have resulted in historic snowpack deficits across the Western United States. As we approach the summer months, we write to express our deep concerns about these conditions and respectfully implore your agencies to take immediate actions to better prepare for unprecedented wildfire risks. 

Every major river basin in the West experienced one of the warmest winters on record in 2025- 2026, in addition to nearly every basin experiencing record low snowpack, or snow water equivalent, levels. The Colorado River Basin, for example, reported record-low snow water equivalent, and the majority of the Western United States is currently under 50 percent of the median snowpack for this point in the year. More than 60% of the United States is currently experiencing drought conditions.

These record-low levels of snowpack and moisture, coupled with high winter temperatures, have significantly increased wildfire risk throughout the West as temperatures continue to rise heading into the summer months, threatening to overwhelm federal, state, local, and tribal firefighting resources. We have already seen fires burning throughout the winter months, as more than 22,000 fires have burned 1.8 million acres in 2026 – a 20-year high for this point in the year. As snowpack worsens and the number of high-severity wildfires increases, these conditions will require continued partnership and quick action from all levels of government.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) are integral partners, along with state, local, and tribal governments, in mitigating, monitoring, and responding to wildfires. In light of the increased risk of wildfire and resulting resource needs this year, rapid, responsive coordination between federal, state, local, and tribal partners will be critically important. We urge you to take immediate steps to maximize early detection of wildland fires and reduce any delays to ensure that federal resources are prepared to respond efficiently. 

Therefore, we request that you take the following actions and provide our offices with a briefing on their status by May 29, 2026:

1. Take steps to convene additional cooperative preparedness efforts with local, state, and tribal governments and across all federal agencies to increase preparedness and rapid response capabilities. Quick, collaborative coordination across all levels of government will be critical to addressing and responding to wildfires, particularly during this heightened risk.
2. Work to pre-position assets and resources across the West in areas of highest risk before a fire breaks out, using qualified and capable state and local agencies to strengthen response capacity. This includes partnering with willing local fire departments to participate in severity assignments throughout the duration of the spring, summer, and fire season, including engine, crew, and overhead supports. Early partnerships with local and state fire departments will strengthen response capabilities in the areas of highest risk– decreasing costs, improving efficiency, and utilizing local knowledge of terrain, vegetation, and geography.
3. Continue with planning and implementation of wildfire mitigation projects—including the use of hazardous fuels reduction, actions to increase defensible space, and in areas that contribute to Potential Operational Delineation (POD) management strategies and adjacent to private lands—to the extent possible. This includes providing flexibility for pre-positioned federal fire crews to address wildfire mitigation needs where practical.
4. Extend the duration of exclusive-use federal contracts for wildfire resources this year so that they are available throughout the season. This includes beginning aviation contracts earlier in the spring and extending them throughout the entirety of this high-risk period, to ensure that needed resources are available early and late into the year as needed.
5. Provide an update on the planned reorganization of the USDA and DOI, and how this reorganization will impact wildfire preparedness and response capabilities for 2026.
6. Publicly release DOI and USFS staffing levels for 2026, including the number of federal wildland firefighters that have been hired and the number of Red-Card-holding staff that will be available to assist with wildfire suppression and response efforts.
7. Suspend existing hiring freezes and promotion prohibitions for all open positions in areas that are experiencing Moderate to Exceptional Drought (D1-D4), per the U.S. Drought Monitor.

We thank you for your attention to this urgent need across the Western United States and your swift actions to increase and accelerate wildfire preparedness well in advance of the summer months. 

Sincerely, 

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