MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, today called on the Postal Service Board of Governors to remove Postmaster General David Steiner, accusing him of using the U.S. Postal Service in an effort to implement President Trump’s election mail executive order, which federal courts have twice held violates the Constitution. In a letter sent today, Krishnamoorthi also demanded answers about USPS’s apparent implementation of the order.

In the letter, Krishnamoorthi argues that Steiner has transformed USPS into a partisan instrument of voter suppression:

“Under your leadership, the United States Postal Service has been transformed into a partisan instrument of voter suppression. You have allowed this institution—trusted for more than two centuries to deliver mail without regard to party or politics—to be pressed into service implementing an Executive Order that federal courts have twice held violates the Constitution.”

President Trump’s March 31 executive order directed USPS to withhold delivery of mail ballots to voters whose eligibility could not be confirmed against a federally compiled voter list. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia challenged the order as an unconstitutional usurpation of authority reserved to the states and Congress. A federal district court blocked key portions of the order, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld that injunction, and the Trump Administration has since asked the Supreme Court to allow the order to take effect before the November midterm elections.

Krishnamoorthi also argues that the Trump Administration’s representations to the Supreme Court are contradicted by USPS’s own apparent implementation efforts:

“The Administration’s own filing presents a troubling contradiction. In urging the Supreme Court to allow immediate implementation, the Department of Justice characterized the Executive Order as merely ‘general policy guidance’ and acknowledged that USPS has not finalized any implementing regulations. Yet USPS’s apparent implementation efforts over the past four months tell a different story.”

Krishnamoorthi argues that Steiner’s repeated refusal to answer Congress has left critical questions about USPS’s efforts to implement the executive order unanswered. The letter details how Steiner failed to respond to multiple requests for information, confirmed during Senate testimony his intention to carry out key aspects of the executive order despite ongoing litigation, declined to answer additional questions in writing, and refused to appear voluntarily before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Because of that pattern of obstruction, Krishnamoorthi concludes that Steiner has forfeited the trust required of his office:

“A Postmaster General who will not tell Congress whether his agency is complying with a federal court order, and who will not appear to answer for that silence, has already forfeited the trust the office requires. I am therefore calling on the Postal Service Board of Governors to remove you as Postmaster General, and I will urge my colleagues on the Committee to join that call.”

Krishnamoorthi requested responses by August 13, 2026, including answers to the following questions:

1. Describe, in detail and with supporting documentation, every implementation activity USPS has undertaken pursuant to the Executive Order to date, including any activity undertaken after the district court’s injunction and after the First Circuit’s July 25 ruling.
2. Identify all guidance, training materials, or instructions issued to postal employees, contractors, or mail processing facilities regarding the handling of election mail under the Executive Order.
3. State whether and how USPS has communicated with state or local election officials regarding implementation, including any communications regarding the voter eligibility lists referenced in the order.
4. Describe, specifically, what implementation-related work has continued, been paused, or been abandoned while litigation remains pending, and reconcile that description with the Department of Justice’s July 27 representation to the Supreme Court that the order is merely “general policy guidance” and that no regulations have been finalized.
5. State whether USPS has suspended, delayed, or modified any implementation activity because of the injunctions issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts or the First Circuit’s July 25 ruling, and if not, explain why not.

The full letter is available here.

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

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

Less than a week after Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) introduced the Frontier Risk Oversight, National Transparency, Independent Evaluation, and Reporting (FRONTIER) Act, a broad coalition of stakeholders is praising the bipartisan legislation that would establish a federal risk-based framework governing the development and deployment of the most advanced artificial intelligence models.
The FRONTIER Act would establish a tiered, risk-based national framework for oversight of the most advanced AI models, requiring the largest developers to publish safety frameworks, submit to independent third-party audits and verification, and report critical safety incidents to a new Under Secretary of Commerce for AI Security. It is an updated version of the Commerce-focused portions of the lawmakers’ Great American AI Act (GAAIA) discussion draft, reworked over seven weeks of stakeholder feedback to narrow its preemption of state law and sharpen its auditing and reporting provisions.
“Not too long ago, a bipartisan bill this good and serious would have been a pipe dream. But things change quickly. This is by far the best AI safety bill ever introduced, in any jurisdiction,” said Charlie Bullock, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Law & AI. “There are still some flaws that I would like to see fixed, and some improvements to be made, but overall I’m very impressed with how well Reps. Trahan and Obernolte did on this. The next step is actually *passing* this kind of legislation, which unfortunately still seems like a pretty heavy lift. But this is a very promising first step.”“AI governance keeps running into the same wall. The technology is hard to measure and it moves faster than any law can keep up with,”said Andrew Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Fathom. “Trying to write the perfect rules and freezing them in place won’t work. What will work is a competitive market of independent verifiers who are accountable for real-world outcomes and who the government can actually count on. The FRONTIER Act shows we can move fast and still get this right.”
“The latest version of the bipartisan Obernolte–Trahan framework, FRONTIER Act, is a serious step forward. It’s one of the strongest efforts yet to establish a federal AI framework that protects Americans while preserving America’s leadership in AI,” said the Alliance for a Better Future. “The bill gets several things right. Frontier developers would publish safety frameworks, file transparency reports before deployment, report serious safety incidents, and provide rapid notification when an imminent threat emerges. It also establishes meaningful emergency response authority and independent oversight for the most advanced AI systems. That’s a targeted, risk-based approach that puts oversight where it’s actually needed.”
“Rep. Lori Trahan and Rep. Jay Obernolte’s bipartisan FRONTIER Act deserves a lot of credit here; they are clearly engaged with stakeholders and civil society across the spectrum and have incorporated extensive feedback,” said Caleb Knapp, Senior Policy Manager and Secure AI Now. “In an ideal world, federal standards for frontier AI model pre-deployment would have crossed the finish line a year ago. Strongly addressing these issues is even more imperative as the technology develops further. We are seeing more instances of AI misalignment with OpenAI/Hugging Face, Kimi, and otherwise. Is the bill perfect? No. But it is the strongest federal frontier bill to date and builds on all the great work occurring at the state level in CA, NY, IL, and elsewhere.”
“The FRONTIER Act is a meaningful bipartisan effort to strengthen oversight of the most advanced Al systems, and it’s the strongest federal proposal to date. It builds on state regulations in many ways and incorporates a lot of the feedback that various stakeholders gave on the earlier discussion draft,” said the AI Verification & Evaluation Research Institute (AVERI). “There are some remaining areas for improvement, including making sure that state laws are not preempted until their federal replacements are ready and clarifying some of the auditing provisions. But this is undoubtedly a step in the right direction and we look forward to working with Representatives Trahan and Obernolte, their staff, and other members of Congress to strengthen this proposal and advance effective oversight of frontier Al.”
“Like a lot of people on [Twitter], I had some concerns regarding the initial federal framework discussion draft that Reps. Lori Trahan and Jay Obernolte released a couple weeks ago. I am happy to say that, after substantial engagement and feedback, they’ve crafted the strongest ai safety proposal to date in the FRONTIER Act. There’s still some improvements I’d like to see in the text, and I look forward to continued conversation with the sponsors. But! The narrower preemption and strong auditing provisions should inspire confidence that congress is evolving their approach quickly and worth engaging,” said Nat Purser, Director of U.S. Policy at AVERI.
“The revised FRONTIER Act is meaningfully better than GAAIA, the earlier draft from Representative Trahan and Representative Obernolte. They deserve credit for engaging constructively with stakeholders and taking feedback seriously,” said Nathan Calvin, General Counsel Encode AI. “Overall, this is very much a step in the right direction. Some important issues remain, but we’ll continue engaging with the authors and appreciate the work they’ve put into improving the bill.”
“It’s a good bill—actually worth going for, I think,” said Anton Leicht, a Fellow with the Carnegie Endowment’s Technology and International Affairs team. “[Especially] after the past few weeks, federal third-party evaluation seems like a very good way to build capacity beyond exec branch scrambles fast, and to get actual insight into labs-as-entities and their internal deployments.”
“The FRONTIER Act gets the AI regulatory balance right: focus transparency and oversight on the handful of companies pushing the frontier through a coherent federal standard, and leave the rest of the ecosystem alone. Rather than micromanaging model development, it builds audit-and-disclosure infrastructure so that Congress, courts, and the American people can stay informed. Independent verification organizations make the framework adaptive in a way static rules never could, letting oversight evolve as fast as the technology. This is what right-sized AI governance looks like: light-touch with dynamic, third-party oversight where the risks are greatest,” said Samuel Hammond, Chief Economist & AI Policy Director at the Foundation for American Innovation.
“Seven weeks from discussion draft to introduced legislation is fast for Congress on anything; for AI, where the complaint is that they’ve been asleep at the wheel, it’s astounding. This wasn’t a panic bill scribbled over a weekend; the revision shows seven weeks of actual work, with gaps closed, clocks tightened, and new teeth added. The sponsor statements make it clear that they were watching the same news as the rest of us,” said Daniel Parshall, Ph.D., Founder and Director of the Canary Institute for AI Policy.
A copy of the legislation introduced last week can be accessed HERE.
A section-by-section summary can be accessed HERE.

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

WORCESTER, MA – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) announced today that over $42 million in federal disaster relief he secured in December 2024, is finally heading to Massachusetts farmers.

The money comes from a $220 million New England disaster block grant program written by McGovern and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), enacted into law by President Biden in late 2024. Designed specifically to support small and mid-sized producers—particularly those in states like Massachusetts who are often shut out of traditional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs—the program compensates farmers for crop losses and storm-related damage to on-farm infrastructure sustained during severe weather events in 2023 and 2024.

“I’m thrilled our farmers will finally get the relief they were promised,” said McGovern. “Trump Administration policies are raising costs on producers and making it even harder to farm. This funding will not only help farmers recover from devastating losses, but it will also help Massachusetts continue to build a resilient regional food system that will feed families across our commonwealth. I am grateful to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle and Deputy Commissioner Winton Pitcoff, State Senator Jo Comerford, and former State Representative Natalie Blais for their leadership in making this relief for farmers possible.” 

McGovern and DeLauro, top Democrats on the Rules and Appropriations Committees, repeatedly pushed top USDA officials in letters, phone calls, and meetings to comply with the law and release the funds—ultimately forcing the Trump Administration to do so. Massachusetts recently executed its contract with USDA, and this week is announcing a process for impacted farmers to apply for funding to support their continued farming operations.

Massachusetts is home to nearly 7,100 farms—roughly 2,000 of which lie in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties, areas devastated by 2023 flooding of the Connecticut River and battered by multiple severe weather events. Many small farms in the region are ineligible for crop insurance or find USDA aid programs too cumbersome to access, putting them at higher risk of closure following natural disasters.

McGovern has long been a champion for small family farms and regional food systems. In addition to creating this disaster program in Congress, he previously helped raise and distribute $3.2 million in philanthropic relief and supported $20 million in state-level grants to keep Bay State farms in business following the 2023 storms.

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

U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Bill Huizenga (R-MI-04), and Dave Joyce (R-OH-14) urged the Trump Administration to lift the stop-work order and end the administrative review on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam complex. The critical project is designed to prevent invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes and devastating the region’s $11 billion fishing and recreation industry, and work was abruptly halted on July 24, 2026, putting Great Lakes ecosystems and the regional economy at severe risk. The lawmakers are calling for the release of federal funds to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers so construction on the vital multilayer barrier system can resume without further delay.

The four lawmakers are the co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Great Lakes Task Force. 

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and below:

Dear Director Vought and Assistant Secretary Telle: 

We write to express concern over delays affecting the timely construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) under the Department of the Army’s Civil Works Program and to urge prompt resolution of these delays. As we emphasized in our April 9, 2026, letter, this project is critical to preventing invasive carp from penetrating the Great Lakes. The project has been thoroughly reviewed by Congress, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and local partners. Its funding has been authorized and appropriated by Congress, and the non-Federal sponsors have met all applicable cost‑share obligations and secured the necessary property for construction.

The Corps of Engineers awarded the latest contract for the first phase of the project on April 23, 2026. However, we were informed that on July 24, 2026, the Corps of Engineers issued a stop-work order on the project’s contracts, causing additional delays and putting the Great Lakes ecosystem at direct risk. There is a rapidly closing window to stop the further spread of these harmful invasive species before they inflict irreparable damage on the Great Lakes. 

The Great Lakes and their waterways are a way of life—providing fresh water, fish and wildlife habitat, and countless opportunities for recreation, while supporting the economies of eight surrounding States and thousands of good-paying American jobs. Once invasive carp establish reproducing populations, there is little that can be done to stop them from taking over the ecosystem, leading to escalating costs for American taxpayers. Any threat to the Great Lakes is a direct threat to the American economy, the more than 3,500 native species of plants and animals within the Great Lakes ecosystem, and the drinking water supply millions rely upon.

Importantly, we appreciate that the President has publicly conveyed his support for this effort numerous times since issuing his May 9, 2025, memorandum titled “Protecting the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp.” Given the strong support for this project from President Trump, its non-Federal sponsors, and the longstanding bipartisan support for its timely construction by Congress, as Co-Chairs of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force we respectfully urge you to lift the stop-work orders, conclude any additional administration review of BRIP, and release Federal funds through the Army Corps of Engineers without any further delay.

We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure timely completion of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

MIAMI, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26) issued the following statement reflecting on the passing of former House Committee on Appropriations Chairwoman, Congresswoman Kay Granger.

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend and former colleague Kay Granger.

Kay was a giant among her peers—a mentor, a leader, and a loyal friend. 

She broke barrier after barrier as the first woman elected Mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman from Texas elected to Congress, the first woman to chair the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and the first Republican woman to chair the full Appropriations Committee.

Kay’s legacy of service, leadership, and determination left an indelible mark on both our nation and on me and my family. 

Thank you, Kay. You will be deeply missed!”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Today, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released its long-awaited Post-2026 Operational Guidelines for Lake Powell and Lake Mead – Final Environmental Impact Statement. 

The framework reduces Arizona’s share of the Colorado River usage through 2036 – though not by as much as the Draft Statement proposed earlier this spring. 

Congressman Biggs released the following statement:

“While I am grateful for the cooperation of California and Nevada and the federal government’s willingness to listen to the concerns of the Lower Basin States, I am extremely disappointed that the Upper Basin States have continuously refused to come to the table to help bring relief to the entire basin. Over many previous years, Arizona has drastically cut its water usage to prove its responsible partnership with both the Upper and Lower Basin States. We cannot afford to take on more cuts, yet here we are with another framework that puts Arizona last. 

“Over the past two years, I worked with the federal government on a solution that could be less harmful to Arizona than the options presented by the Upper Basin States. I understood, however, that Arizona could not rely solely on this new framework for its water future security, so I have worked in Congress on other solutions to help our state enhance existing infrastructure and bring relief to stakeholders most affected by existing drought conditions and ongoing cuts. I will continue to take action to bring relief to our state and ensure that we can protect our citizens, agriculture industries, and everyone else relying on this life-giving resource.”

In March 2026, Congressman Biggs led Arizona’s Republican Members of Congress in submitting a formal comment letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum expressing serious concerns about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 

In April 2026, Congressman Biggs co-led a letter with Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-09) to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, successfully urging the Bureau of Reclamation to release federal funds to address the ongoing drought across the Colorado River Basin. Reclamation announced they would release $450 million – $350 million of which will flow to Lower Basin States.

Earlier this month, Congressman Biggs led a letter to U.S. House leadership, urging the inclusion of funds in the recently introduced emergency funding package to address the increasingly dire condition of the Colorado River Basin. The funding would support water infrastructure, investments, upgrades, and long-term planning for the future of this vital resource.

In addition to these efforts, Congressman Biggs worked behind the scenes to meet with federal, state, and local stakeholders to put Arizona in the best-possible position for this new framework. Because, in large part, of this advocacy, the Grand Canyon State received a better share of the new framework than what was previously introduced.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

Headline: Congressman Veasey, Congresswoman Dingell, and Congresswoman Sewell Lead Letter Demanding Immediate Transparency and Federal Action Amid Growing Nationwide Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressmen Marc Veasey, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, and Congresswoman Terri Sewell, along with 50 of their colleagues, called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide greater transparency and take immediate action to identify the source of the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, which has sickened more than 4,000 Americans across 41 states.

In a letter to the agencies, Congressman Veasey expressed concern that, despite the growing outbreak and more than 300 hospitalizations, federal officials have yet to publicly identify the source of contamination or provide sufficient information to protect the public.

“As this outbreak continues, the American people deserve answers,” Congressman Veasey wrote. “Americans should have confidence that public health decisions are guided by science, transparency, and the protection of public health—not by outside influence.”

“The American public expects federal health agencies to act quickly and transparently when outbreaks threaten communities. The ability of the CDC and the FDA to collaborate and rapidly detect, investigate, and communicate about emerging foodborne illnesses is essential to preventing additional harm,” said Congresswoman Dingell.

“Americans deserve confidence that the food on their tables is safe and that when an outbreak occurs, our public health agencies will respond swiftly, independently, and transparently,” said Rep. Sewell. “With more than 4,000 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis reported across the country, families deserve answers about the source of this outbreak and what is being done to prevent additional illnesses. That’s why I’m joining Congressman Veasey and Congresswoman Dingell in calling on the CDC and FDA to provide the transparency and accountability the American people expect. Public trust depends on timely, science-based communication, and Congress has a responsibility to ensure our federal health agencies have both the independence and the resources they need to protect public health.” stated Rep. Sewell. 

As the investigation continues, Congressman Veasey emphasized that identifying the source of the outbreak and communicating clearly with the public are critical to preventing further illnesses and restoring public confidence in the nation’s food safety system.

The Letter can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12), Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Office of Refugee Resettlement Acting Director Angie Salazar demanding answers about ORR’s decision to place unaccompanied migrant children at Abraxas Academy in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, despite the facility’s documented history of child abuse violations.

The lawmakers raise serious concerns about ORR’s decision to award Abraxas Alliance a $9.2 million contract in August 2025 despite Pennsylvania officials documenting repeated deficiencies and revoking one of the facility’s licenses. They also urge HHS to immediately review all ORR-contracted facilities, suspend the Abraxas Academy contract pending a full investigation, and provide Congress with a complete accounting of how the placement decision was made.

“It is appalling that ORR nevertheless decided to house unaccompanied minors in a facility with such a record, thereby potentially exposing these children to the possibility of abuse and in violation of federal rules,” the Members wrote.

The letter details a decades-long pattern of documented problems at the facility, including repeated state findings of physical mistreatment of minors, allegations of sexual harassment and abuse by staff, and a pattern of institutional failures. Although federal law requires ORR to place children in “the least restrictive setting that is in the best interests of the child,” reports indicate children are being housed in locked cells.

The Members also cite concerns stemming from a July 8 congressional oversight visit, during which facility staff were reportedly unable to answer basic questions about allegations of abuse or explain legally required procedures for children who turn 18 while in ORR custody. As the Members wrote, “This utter lack of knowledge of the basic, legally required functions of this facility raises serious concerns about the safety of the children living inside.”

The letter requests responses by August 14, 2026, including:

• Who approved the decision to place children at Abraxas Academy and what child welfare assessments were conducted.
• Why ORR proceeded with the contract despite Pennsylvania’s documented findings of abuse and licensing violations.
• Whether HHS has reviewed other ORR-contracted facilities for compliance with state and federal child welfare standards.
• Why some children with parents or close relatives in the United States were reportedly placed in ORR custody rather than reunited with family.
• What safeguards exist to protect children from abuse and how staff are trained.
• The financial and operational relationship between Abraxas Alliance and GEO Group.

“The federal government bears a solemn responsibility to ensure the proper treatment and protection of every child in its care,” the Members wrote. “Allowing any child to be placed in an environment with a history of abuse is cruel and undermines the moral leadership of the United States.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.