MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, today voted in full Committee against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Appropriations and FY 2026 Energy and Water Appropriations measures.

The FY 2026 housing and transportation bill proposes to spend $89.9 billion for HUD, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Department of Transportation, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is a decrease of $4.5 billion from the FY 2025 enacted level.

The $57.3 billion Energy and Water Appropriations bill funds the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) civil works programs and various energy programs. This is a decrease of nearly $776 million from the FY 2025 enacted level.

“While these measures fund many critical Hawai‘i priorities I requested, I regrettably had to vote against both bills because of massive cuts to federal program that help everyday Americans with rising housing, transportation and energy costs,” explained Case.

The Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill included some important wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case including $5.5 million for Case’s Community Funding Projects (described below), as well as $18.3 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant and $28 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund (for both of which programs the President’s budget has proposed $0). It also included Case’s request to continue funding for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which plays a crucial role in enhancing the safety of the helicopter and small aircraft industry through accident investigation, analysis and recommendations to prevent future incidents, including several fatal accidents throughout Hawai‘i.

Despite these positives, Case said the bill poses significant risks to vulnerable communities by exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis and undercutting critical housing support systems. The bill eliminates the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the only federal program dedicated to developing new affordable rental and homeownership options. It also defunds the PRO Housing Program, which empowers local governments to address housing shortages. Together, these actions remove essential tools for expanding the affordable housing supply.

The bill further harms Americans aspiring to homeownership by stripping funding from housing counseling assistance. The net effect of the bill threatens nearly 415,000 households that rely on HUD assistance, putting them at risk of eviction and housing instability.

The Energy and Water Appropriations bill also included numerous wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case, including funding for USACE programs that aid in the preservation of Hawaii’s coastlines across all seven inhabited islands. Specifically, the bill includes $2 million to study avenues of protection for public infrastructure on small beaches from erosion and damage caused by storms and natural wave currents; $18 million for regional sediment management, construction, operations and regulatory functions in the coastal zone; and $38 million for programs which manage aquatic weeds in public waters.

Notably, one of Case’s highest priorities, an instruction to the USACE to complete a major update study for Honolulu Harbor, was included in the bill. This provision directs the USACE to investigate modifications to Honolulu Harbor to better handle the impacts of military operations in the state and throughout the Indo-Pacific as a whole, which can open up additional federal resources for the planned improvements of Honolulu Harbor. Also included in the bill is $9.5 million for USACE program that aids in the planning, designing and construction of small projects for commercial navigation purposes such as channels, breakwaters and jetties. This funding will aid in the investigation of best practices for Honolulu Harbor modifications.

Despite these positives, Case opposed the measure in light of the widespread elimination of funding to advance clean, affordable and secure energy for Americans. The bill slashes vital clean energy funding nationwide, with Hawai‘i set to experience a cut of 31% on federal funding for clean energy projects and investments.

“While the Energy and Water Appropriations measures fund many critical Hawai‘i and priorities I requested, regrettably the bill will increase energy costs for American families by revoking more than $5 billion in clean energy investments.

“Without these federally funded programs and incentives, we risk falling dangerously behind our clean energy goals,” said Case. 

Through his assignment on the Committee, Case secured the following seven Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF) projects across the two bills that specifically focused on local needs in Hawai‘i:

·      $2 million for the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation to repair Aloha Tower, including replacing its 40-foot mast, repairing the crown of the tower and replacing its windows to weatherproof the landmark. This funding is essential to maintain Aloha Tower’s structural integrity, enhance public access and ensure that it remains a celebrated symbol of Honolulu’s history for generations to come.

·      $1 million for the City and County of Honolulu for its Waikīkī Vista Project. This project converts former Tokai University and Hawai‘i Pacific University classrooms into a consolidated, family-friendly emergency shelter and additional affordable housing units for low-income families. This investment will directly enhance the City’s ability to reduce family homelessness and expand affordable housing inventory in one of Hawaii’s most housing-challenged areas.

·      $850,000 for the City and County of Honolulu to support its Safe Harbor Support for Housing Survivors of Domestic Violence project. This funding will expand the Domestic Violence Action Center’s successful housing program by supporting property acquisition and staffing to increase safe and stable housing options for survivors and their children.

·      $850,000 for Kalihi Waena Elementary School to construct a new single-span pedestrian bridge with American with Disabilities Act-compliant access between Kūhiō Park Terrace and the school. The new bridge will replace dangerously deteriorating infrastructure and ensure safe and equitable access for students and community members.

·      $300,000 for Highlands Intermediate School to modernize and expand its media center infrastructure. The renovation will create a collaborative, technology-driven learning environment that fosters student creativity, innovation and digital literacy.

·      $250,000 for the Hawai‘i State Parks System and Hawai‘i Nature Center to upgrade educational and operational facilities, including classroom expansion and replacement of a sustainable wetland wastewater system supporting environmental education for thousands of Title I students annually.

·      $250,000 for the Hawai‘i State Broadband Office for broadband infrastructure development in our local community centers. Funding will be used toward essential network enhancements, including rewiring, electrical system upgrades and the installation of Wi-Fi access points to ensure reliable, high-speed connectivity.

The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member and must be subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/services/funding-disclosures.htm.  

Transportation-HUD Funding Bill

More specifically, the bill includes the following funding requested by Case for programs to improve access to affordable housing in Hawai‘i and nationwide:

·      $18.3 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program, which supports the building, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable homes.

·      $5 million for core housing research partnerships with Native Hawaiian serving institutions among other minority serving institutions.

·      $56 million for the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program.

·      $17 billion for project-based rental assistance.

·      $5.6 billion for the Community Development Fund, which includes $3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant formula program.

·      $4 billion for the Homeless Assistance Grants.

Transportation and infrastructure programs requested and secured by Case include:

·      $380 million for the Maritime Security Program, $123 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program and $30 million for assistance to small shipyards like Kalaeloa/Barbers Point.

·      $64 billion for the Federal Highway Administration to improve the safety and long-term viability of our highways.

·      $23 billion for the FAA, including $10 billion to fully fund air traffic control operations and allow the FAA to hire 2,500 air traffic controllers to replace the retiring workforce.

·      $15 billion for the Federal Transit Administration.

A summary of the Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill is available here.

Energy and Water Funding Bill

More specifically, the bill includes the following energy and water-related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case and of specific benefit to Hawai‘i: 

·      Language directing the USACE to investigate modifications to Honolulu Harbor to better accommodate the impacts of military operations in the state and throughout the Indo-Pacific as a whole.

·      $2 million for the USACE’s beach erosion and hurricane and storm damage reduction activities.

·      $40 million for flood control and coastal emergencies efforts.

·      $18 million for the USACE’s National Coastal Mapping Program, which provides high-resolution elevation and imagery data along the U.S. shorelines on a recurring basis which can provide a better understanding of human uses, issues and constraints in coastal regions.

·      $12 million for the USACE’s Aquatic Plant Control Program, which conducts research and development of biological, chemical, cultural and ecological capabilities for controlling invasive aquatic plants.

·      Language modifying a clean energy program under DOE that has been widely beneficial for Hawai‘i. The newly named Energy Technology Innovation Office, previously known as the Energy Transitions Initiative, supports island and remote communities by providing personalized technical and financial assistance. Case recently introduced legislation make to make this program permanent. (See here for more details.)

·      Language directing the DOE to investigate potential benefits of having small-modular nuclear reactors as a source of clean, domestically sourced electricity for remote, noncontiguous U.S. areas such as Hawai‘i.

A summary of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill is available here. 

These two bills are the 6th and 7th of twelve separate bills developed and approved by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1^st of this year. The bills now move on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.   

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

Medina v. Planned Parenthood Ruling Will Rob Patients of their Lives, Put Essential Healthcare Further Out of Reach for Millions

Ruling Will Cut Off Medicaid Funding, Undermine Planned Parenthood Providing Critical Healthcare Services, Including Cancer Screenings, Birth Control, and Preventative Care

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, issued the following statement on the harmful Medina v. Planned Parenthood ruling, the Supreme Court’s decision to allow South Carolina to bar Medicaid patients from receiving healthcare services at Planned Parenthood. The decision allows states to ban the organization from getting Medicaid reimbursements for cancer screenings, wellness checks, pre-natal care, and other basic medical services.

“This cruel, unjust, and political ruling by this far-right majority court is nothing short of damning. On the very week that we marked the somber anniversary of the Supreme Court ripping away our right to abortion care, the Court issued another devastating blow that will push basic, essential healthcare further out of reach for millions.

“Planned Parenthood is often folks’ only local option for essential care, including cancer screenings, wellness-checks, and pre-natal care. By cutting off Medicaid funding for this routine healthcare, the Court is going to rob patients of their lives, and will be especially harmful for Black women, people of color, low-income folks, the LGBTQIA community, and those in rural and underserved communities.

“We are witnessing the most sweeping attempt yet to dismantle Medicaid and rip away essential healthcare as the Republicans try to ram their Big Ugly Bill through the Senate on the heels of this court ruling. Trump and Republicans are attacking our healthcare at every level of government—and today the Supreme Court majority linked arms to advance their cruel agenda. It’s absolutely shameful.”

“We refuse to accept their harmful agenda as an inevitability. Planned Parenthood has long provided quality, compassionate care to all and we will always stand with them. We refuse to cede to such unconscionable attacks on the basic right to healthcare.”

This week, in the wake of the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Congresswoman Pressley has spent the week convening leaders and impacted families, renewing her calls for comprehensive legislation to protect abortion care, and uplifting the experiences of people impacted by cruel abortion bans and denials of essential medical care.

Congresswoman Pressley has been outspoken in demanding justice for Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old pregnant mother who was declared brain dead in February and was forced to remain on life support due to Georgia’s abortion ban. Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech in which she underscored that Adriana’s case is far too common in the unjust history of denying Black women their dignity, humanity, and right to bodily autonomy – and that GOP abortion bans such as Georgia’s deepen this pain and bar critical healthcare freedom. Last week, Rep. Pressley issued a statement after Adriana’s infant son Chance was delivered via emergency Cesarean section and Adriana was taken off life support.

Throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Pressley has fought persistently to protect fundamental reproductive and sexual healthcare rights. 

• On the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley introduced the Abortion Justice Act, sweeping, intersectional legislation to address access to abortion care and put forth a comprehensive vision of a just America where abortion care is readily available—without stigma, shame or systemic barriers—for all who seek it, regardless of zip code, immigration status, income, or background.
• Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), bicameral federal legislation to guarantee equal access to abortion care, everywhere. 
• Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of the EACH Act, bold legislation to repeal the Hyde Amendment and help guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance.
• Shortly before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Rep. Pressley led a group of her Black women colleagues in writing to President Biden urging him to declare a public health emergency amid the unprecedented threats to abortion rights nationwide. 
• Rep. Pressley condemned the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade., and implored the Senate to protect abortion rights and slammed the white supremacist roots of anti-abortion efforts.
• In October 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on Josseli Barnica, who died on Sept. 3, 2021 after being denied emergency abortion care in Texas as she suffered a miscarriage.
• In September 2024, in a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Hearing, Rep. Pressley highlighted the harmful and deadly impact of abortion bans in America to date, and outlined in detail the shameful circumstances under which Amber Nicole Thurman died after being denied necessary abortion care in Georgia.
• In June 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Idaho v. United States; Moyle v. United States – the case about whether emergency abortion care is included under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 
• In May 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on a Louisiana bill that would classify medication abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances. 
• In April 2024, at a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley played “Fact or Fiction” with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf to emphasize the safety and efficacy of medication abortion drug mifepristone.
• In August 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Fifth Circuit Court decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.
• In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation to help people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—get better access to reproductive healthcare and the informed care they need to control their own reproductive lives.
• In July 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of over-the-counter birth control.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the FDA Advisory Committee’s unanimous, 17-0 vote to recommend the approval of the first-ever application for over-the-counter birth control. She and Senator Murray also held a press conference applauding the decision and urging the FDA to approval over-the-counter birth control without delay.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Ami Bera, MD (CA-06) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), reintroduced their bicameral Affordability is Access Act to ensure that once the FDA determines an over-the-counter birth control option to be safe, insurers fully cover over-the-counter birth control without any fees or out-of-pocket costs.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Texas court ruling on mifepristone, and discussed the Texas case in a recent floor speech in which she affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care and access to mifepristone as essential. She later joined Governor Maura Healey, Senator Elizabth Warren (D-MA), and local leaders in announcing action to protect Mifepristone in Massachusetts.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Schakowsky, Lee, DeGette, Torres and Strickland, reintroduced the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act harmful and discriminatory Helms Amendment and expand abortion access globally.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Hirono led their colleagues in reintroducing a bicameral congressional resolution honoring abortion providers and clinic staff. 
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley delivered a speech in which she discussed the pending court case in Texas, which aims to restrict access to medication abortion across the entire nation. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care, and accessibility to the abortion pill mifepristone as essential.
• In September 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Supreme Court’s inaction on SB-8, Texas’ restrictive abortion law. Later that month, she participated in a House Oversight Committee hearing to examine the threat posed by abortion bans and underscored the urgency of the Senate passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
• In April 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Congresswomen Barbara Lee (CA-13), Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), led a group of 131 Democratic members in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act or the EACH Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and ensure that all people, regardless of income, insurance or zip code, can make personal reproductive healthcare decisions without interference from politicians. She re-Introduced the legislation In January 2023.
• Rep. Pressley has led calls in Congress for the FDA to remove medically unnecessary restrictions on the medication abortion drug mifepristone, and applauded the FDA’s action in January 2023 to allow retail pharmacies to dispense abortion medication pills.
• As Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus’s Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, Congresswoman Pressley has led the fight to repeal the Hyde Amendments from annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bills and in July 2020 published a Medium post on the importance of doing so. She applauded the removal of the Hyde Amendment in President Biden’s FY2022 budget.
• In May 2020, she led more than 155 Members of Congress in calling on House Democratic leadership to ensure that any future COVID-19 relief packages rejected Republican efforts to use the public health crisis to diminish abortion access.
• In August 2021, Rep. Pressley, Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, and Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette and Barbara Lee led more than 70 of their House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion care. 
• In January 2023, Rep. Pressley introduced a resolution to condemn all forms of political violence in the U.S., regardless of its target or intent. That same day, she delivered a powerful speech on the House floor slamming Republicans’ harmful, misleading anti-abortion resolution.
• In September 2022, Rep. Pressley hosted U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester for a convening on their work to address the Black maternal health crisis and the criminalization of abortion care in states across the nation following the harmful U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. 
• In May 2019, she led more than 100 colleagues in introducing H.Con.Res.40, a resolution reaffirming the House of Representative’s support for Roe v. Wade.
• In June 2019, Rep. Pressley introduced H.R. 3296, the Affordability is Access Act, to make oral contraception available without a prescription. 
• In September 2016, as a member of the Boston City Council, Pressley championed a resolution calling on Congress and President Obama to repeal the Hyde Amendment and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the full committee’s markup of its fiscal year 2026 bill:

Thank you very much, Chairman Cole. Ranking Member DeLauro, my dear friend, Chair Fleischmann and all the members as we gather today to mark up this Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development Bill. I have to restate, Chairman Fleischmann, I have truly appreciated working with you. You are always open to suggestions and, to all of our colleagues on this subcommittee that is a very, bipartisan subcommittee to develop and pass these bills, and our committee has long had this practice. We affect every single Congressional District in this country.

I’m truly saddened that this vital subcommittee is, being steered yet again to return to a partisan process not caused by our subcommittee, but as we move forward with this Fiscal Year 2026 House bill.

I would like to begin by thanking our diligent staff for all their hard work on this bill from the minority staff Scott McKee, Anisha Singh, and Adam Wilson, and on our personal staff, Kaitlin Ulin, TJ Lowdermilk, and Margaret McInnis. Truly thank you to you all.

Engineered energy and water systems undergird America’s way of life. They are not optional, but essential to sustaining life. Of late, we have been piercingly reminded about our subcommittee’s purpose, especially as related to water management by the extreme flash flooding and tragic loss of over 132 lives, and with over 101 missing, in the Guadalupe River catchment area in Texas.

The deadly West Virginia flash flooding this past month significantly damaged over 100 homes. Unfortunately, taking the lives of at least nine people, including a three year old, in Valley Grove, West Virginia. And we’ve seen flooding events in central North Carolina and New Mexico. All our hearts go out to the families of the victims and their communities. These tragedies inform us of the power of water and wild energy in our atmosphere. Not because of cloud seeding, but because of nature’s awesome power generated inside the thin seven layer atmosphere surrounding our spinning and rotating earth. Let me be clear. No matter how much members on the other side of the aisle want to pretend that the climate isn’t changing, for the record, the last ten years are the ten hottest in recorded history.

So many have been held up on their plane flights back here. It’s an unusual change in the weather across this country, and members are personally experiencing these delays, as are the American people. These recent floods are made worse by the heating atmosphere. We had four 1,000 year floods last week alone. That is a record.

So far in July, our country has seen over 1,200 flooding events, more than double the normal for an average July, and we’re just halfway through the month. Constitutionally, it is our sworn duty to prepare and protect the people in our communities, and it is hard to accept that no warning sirens had been installed along the Guadalupe River, despite prior tragedies along that very treacherous corridor. Our nation needs to install warning systems and build resilient infrastructure, and we are behind.

For example, in a district like mine, we had to bring funding for tornado sirens many years ago. I was shocked that they didn’t exist. And in Ohio, we do zone to prevent flooding from threatening human life. But many places in our country do not, and we cannot keep bailing out places that are irresponsible in their behavior. My home in the City of Toledo has gone into Billions of dollars of debt to build new sewers, along with gigantic underground catchment basins, some as large as two football fields in size, in order to handle increasing water loads.

We are making investments all over our district to protect Lake Erie shoreline and its tributaries. But in places where infrastructure investments aren’t cost effective, how does our nation make sure that families will be protected with adequate local planning and disaster warning systems? America needs more rigor in land and water planning systems, and my friends, quite frankly, we as a nation don’t get a grade A on that.

It is our awesome responsibility as public servants to address the structural shortcomings at the federal, state, and local level that contributed to the recent loss of life. Sadly, this Republican energy and water bill does not meet our nation’s imperative for the future. It’s over $700 Million below last year. We must invest faster in modern infrastructure, and become energy independent in perpetuity. That is our responsibility. In a nation of 350 million people headed to 500 million people, we must make energy cost less and invest in grid resilience, which is sadly behind what this country needs.

I find it interesting that Russell Vought, the chief architect of the budget cuts that we are being asked to endure in this bill, claims that he’s so savvy. But how is it possible? He’s supposed to be known as a budget cutter, right? But how is it possible that he has added $3.4 Trillion, despite our cuts to the national debt over the next ten years? Over 20 years, he’s adding $9.5 Trillion, and $18.7 Trillion by 30 years out. So that’s a total of $32 Trillion, if temporary measures are extended permanently. Think about that one. So if they’re doing such a good job over there at the Executive Branch and OMB, how come the national debt is rising when we’re cutting every single bill that we are discussing today, and those that will follow?

This bill fails to address the cost of living crisis. The price of electricity has risen 5.8% over the last year. Every family in this country knows that, and even higher energy bills lie ahead for families and businesses. China is investing record levels in energy, my friends. But this bill retreats from US global leadership in the future in the form of a diversified and clean energy economy. This energy and water bill cuts $1.6 Billion, or 47%, from the Department of Energy’s energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The adage analysis prevention is worth a pound of cure applies to our nation’s imperative to deliver clean, affordable, and secure energy to the American people and to ensure our nation leads, not lags, in the global race toward energy independence in perpetuity, including an abundant clean energy future.

Our mom and dad taught us how to be thrifty and not wasteful. Dad would say, “it’s not how much you make, it’s how much you save,” and that applies to energy and fresh water. Conservation are good goals for the future of our children and grandchildren, and we’ve made some strides toward those horizons. The United States on the oil front is producing more than ever before, record high levels of production, but we are still tethered to a volatile global energy market dominated by cartels and petroleum dictators like OPEC. We must advance an all of the above energy strategy to be successful long term. Europe learned the hard way about being too reliant on one source of energy, Russian gas. In their case when Russia invaded Ukraine. Let us heed that chilling warning.

China aims to be the OPEC for the next century, and gain dominance in clean energy, and they are well on their way. Their investments dwarf the rest of the world’s. A Chinese company has developed an EV battery. Are you ready for this? That can travel 1,800 miles in a single charge and recharge in just five minutes. Think about that. What sense does it make for this Energy and Water Bill to slash the Department of Energy’s vital research and development programs?

The Republican plan cripples America’s energy future by awarding giant tax breaks to Millionaires and Billionaires in the Big Billionaire Bonanza Bill that’s creating the big, huge additions to the debt. America must focus on building an economy that works for everyone, especially our working families and retirees, not just the wealthy few. The bill this bill eliminates funding for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and worse, it revokes $5.1 Billion of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources from the Department of Energy that will cede the US global lead in hydrogen, direct air capture, battery recycling, and energy savings in every public and private structure. Already, US businesses have canceled. This is shocking number. More than $15 Billion in investments in new factories and electricity production projects this year, as a result of the Republican Bonanza for Billionaires Bill. Those canceled projects were expected to create nearly 12,000 new jobs, all now gone.

I can remember when we brought back the heavy Ford heavy truck line from Mexico to the region that I represent, and I stood next to the CEO of the company at that time, and I said, what can I do to keep these jobs anchored here in Northern Ohio? And he looked at me and he didn’t waste a moment. He said, cut my energy bills by a third. Well, think about that one.

Thus I strongly oppose the Republican cuts to vital energy production and conservation and our future through the US Department of Energy. Shortchanging these advances pushes our nation backwards and raises already high energy prices for consumers. Why drive America backwards by slow walking energy innovation and failing to modernize our nation’s electric grids, which are old.

In other areas, this bill dangerously short changes our national security, and this is really critical. The bill slashes $412 Million from the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account. This effectively guts our efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, detect covert nuclear threats, and uphold arms control agreements that keep us safe. All a big gift for Iran, Russia, China, Belarus, and North Korea. Think about that Spiderweb of Tyranny.

Additionally, this bill turns its back on communities still living with the toxic legacy of America’s atomic past. Zeroing out the Army Corps program to clean up radioactive waste at early nuclear sites. It slashes $779 Million from the Department of Energy’s nuclear cleanup efforts. Delaying the cleanup of these communities have been promised for decades. I’ll note for the committee that one of these sites is in the village of Luckey, Ohio, not so far from my district, and believe me, you don’t want to breathe in or ingest atomic waste anywhere in the world. Finally, this bill includes numerous controversial poison pill riders that sadly show some extremists among us are not interested in real bills that can gain bipartisan support and become law.

In closing, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. America can, and must meet the new age frontiers of energy and water. We owe it to the future. Nature is signaling, times are changing. And it’s good to remind ourselves, 200 years after Daniel Webster stated this, that is up on the wall in the House of Representatives chamber. “Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether also we in our time and generation may not perform something worthy to be remembered.” That is our mandate today.

Thank you, and I yield back.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement slamming the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for seeking a one-day jail sentence for the officer convicted in the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor.

“Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Instead, she was shot and killed while sleeping when officers fired into her home.

“By seeking a one-day sentence, in the rare instance where a police officer is actually convicted for murdering a Black woman, Trump’s DOJ is sending a cruel and disrespectful message: that they do not value Breonna’s life, nor the pain and loss endured by her loved ones.

“This is an affront to justice, to accountability, and to every person who calls this country home. We should all be outraged.”

Congresswoman Pressley has introduced over a dozen pieces of precise legislation to improve police accountability and fundamentally redefine what justice looks like in America, including the People’s Justice Guarantee, Ending Qualified Immunity Act and Andrew Kearse Accountability for the Denial of Medical Care Act.

• In June 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)unveiled the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley reintroduced her Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act to improve maternal health care and support for pregnant individuals who are incarcerated. It was originally introduced in March 2020 and reintroduced in February 2021 as part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Package—a suite of 12 bills aimed at addressing the Black maternal health crisis.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus, requested the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to research post-traumatic prison disorder and share findings related to prevention and treatment for people returning from behind the wall.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) re-introduced their Ending Qualified Immunity Act, legislation that would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in June 2020 with Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI) and reintroduced it with Sen. Markey in March 2021.
• On April 6, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Hank Johnson led 25 of their colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in calling on Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley, in partnership with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05), re-introduced the Ending PUSHOUT Act, their legislation to end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. It was originally introduced in December 2019 and reintroduced in March 2021.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and 27 Members of Congress, alongside more than 300 advocacy organizations and community leaders, reintroduced the New Way Forward Act, a landmark piece of legislation that addresses some of the most harmful provisions of immigration law that drive racist enforcement practices, expanded incarceration in immigration detention centers, and unjust deportations. It was originally introduced in December 2019 Reps. Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Karen Bass (CA-37) and was reintroduced in January 2021.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues re-introduced the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act to stop federal entities’ use of facial recognition tools and prohibit federal support for state and local law enforcement entities that use biometric technology. They reintroduced the bill in June 2021.
• In December 2022, the House passed Congresswoman Pressley’s amendment to strengthen maternal health care for people who are incarcerated.
• In December 2021, Rep. Pressley unveiled the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s clemency system and address the mass incarceration crisis.
• In March 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to consider H. Res. 266, the People’s Justice Guarantee, as a framework for embedding justice in our criminal legal system and building integrity in the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
• In February 2021, October 2020, Congresswoman Pressley reintroduced the Mental Health Justice Act with Reps. Katie Porter (CA-45), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), to support the creation of mental health first responder units that would be deployed in lieu of law enforcement when 911 is called due to a mental health crisis. The lawmakers originally introduced the legislation in October 2020.
• In January 2021, she reintroduced the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 with Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) to prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level, and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row. The lawmakers originally introduced the bill in July 2019.
• In August 2020, she introduced the COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and others, requires federal, state, and local prisons and jails to collect and publicly report COVID-19 data. The legislation was reintroduced last month.
• In July 2020, she introduced the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), to prohibit federal funds to support the increased presence of police in K-12 schools and supports school districts that invests in counselors.
• In June 2020, she introduced the Dismantle Mass Incarceration for Public Health Act with Reps. Tlaib (MI-13) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to require decarceration to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails.
• In June 2020, she introduced the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ed Markey (D-MA), to hold police officers criminally liable for denying care to those in medical distress.
• In May 2020, she introduced a resolution with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Karen Bass (CA-37) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to condemn any and all acts of police brutality, racial profiling, and militarization and over-policing of Black and brown communities.  
• In July 2019, she introduced the No Biometric Barriers Housing Act with Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
• In June 2019, in conjunction with Gun Violence Awareness Month and the 5th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, she introduced a resolution to honor survivors of homicide victims by establishing National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. 

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement after voting for the CLARITY Act, the GENIUS Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. These bills help regulate digital assets to provide consumers with long-overdue protections while prioritizing the essential right to financial privacy and safeguarding the ability for digital asset developers to innovate within the cryptocurrency space.

“Americans deserve financial privacy, and it’s long past time we put real guardrails in place to protect that right,” said Congressman Valadao. “As more people invest in digital assets, we need a framework in place that encourages innovation, puts consumers first, and keeps the federal government from overreaching into Americans’ personal finances. These bipartisan bills reaffirm our commitment to free markets and individual freedom, and I was proud to support them.”

The CLARITY Act helps create a safer, more predictable environment for companies and consumers who use digital assets like cryptocurrency by:

• Making it easier for businesses that work with digital assets to grow and innovate.
• Giving clear rules to companies that offer cryptocurrency services to everyday customers.
• Protecting consumers by requiring more transparency and responsibility from cryptocurrency firms.
• Defining the roles of crypto regulation for the two major financial regulators—the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)—so they don’t overlap or conflict.
• Setting up a legal process for cryptocurrency companies to register and operate properly in the U.S. 

The GENIUS Act prioritizes consumer protection, fosters innovation, and protects U.S. currency interests by:

• Creating a nationwide system for regulating stablecoins.
• Requiring stablecoins to be backed by safe, reliable assets—mainly U.S. Treasury bonds and U.S. bills—to protect consumers.
• Strengthening the U.S. dollar’s role as the world’s leading currency by increasing demand for U.S. Treasury assets.

The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act stops the federal government from creating a digital version of the dollar that could be used to track or control Americans’ personal finances by:

• Blocking the Federal Reserve (Fed) from launching a government-controlled digital currency for everyday Americans.
• Ensuring the Fed can’t act like a big government-run bank that collects your financial data.
• Preventing the government from sneaking around this rule by using third parties.
• Stopping the government from using digital currency to influence interest rates or spending behavior.
• Making clear that Congress—not federal agencies—have the final say on whether a digital dollar is created.

Read the full CLARITY Act bill here.

Read the full GENIUS Act bill here.

Read the full Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act here.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced H.R. 3419, the Telehealth Network and Telehealth Resource Centers Grant Program Reauthorization Act, out of full committee markup. This bipartisan bill was introduced by Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) and Congressman Adam Gray (CA-13) and would provide investment in rural healthcare by reauthorizing the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs through Fiscal Year 2030.

“Central Valley families shouldn’t have to wait weeks just to see a doctor,” said Congressman Valadao. “Expanding access to telehealth gives patients more flexibility, helps address workforce shortages that are straining our healthcare system, and gives families the tools needed to better connect with providers. I’m grateful to Chairman Brett Guthrie and the Energy and Commerce Committee for prioritizing this issue and look forward to advancing this bill.”

Background:

Originally enacted in 1944, the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) provides the foundation for the nation’s public health programs and workforce. Over the years, it has been a critical tool in addressing America’s evolving health care needs—particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to quality care remains a challenge.

Through key provisions supporting community health centers, workforce development programs, and telehealth expansion, the PHSA has helped bring vital services to millions of Americans living in rural areas. Reauthorizing the telehealth network and telehealth resource grant programs ensures continued investment in initiatives that recruit and retain health professionals in rural communities, strengthens rural hospitals and clinics, and closes the geographic gaps in receiving quality care.

Read the full bill here.

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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 – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) released the following statement: 

I am the Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, the Ranking Member of the Congress-Knesset Friendship Group, and a lifelong advocate for an ironclad U.S.-Israel relationship. It is in the spirit of that support that I wholeheartedly condemn the heinous recent terrorist murder by extremist Israeli settlers of Sayfollah Musallet, a young Palestinian American visiting family in the West Bank. Just today I discussed this with Israel’s Consul General Israel Bachar and will be expressing these views to Ambassador Yechiel Leiter tomorrow.

Mr. Musallet was attacked on his family’s property in Area B of the West Bank, where no settlements may be constructed and no settlers should be present. All settlement outposts in Area B, particularly those associated with this incident, should be dismantled. Further fueling the outrage are reports that the assailants prevented ambulances from reaching Mr. Musallet for hours while there still may have been an opportunity to save his life. 

I join U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in calling this crime what it is: a “criminal and terrorist act.”

Terrorism, whether its targets be Israelis or Palestinians, is unacceptable and unjustifiable. Tolerance for terrorism anywhere and by any perpetrator is a grave threat to the safety of both Israelis and Palestinians alike. In addition, the U.S.-Israel relationship requires that the Government of Israel brings to justice anyone who commits such a heinous act against an American citizen. 

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

“Trump and Ron DeSantis have exploited legal ambiguity around this Everglades internment camp to avoid any scrutiny of abuses there,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Our bill would shut down this atrocity, strengthen oversight of detention facilities nationwide, and mandate public reporting on costs, conditions, and the treatment of detainees at this detention site, as well as report on any harms to the environment and nearby tribal lands. The public deserves the full truth about what’s happening in and around this facility and they deserve accountability for any laws broken.”