MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

This week Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) announced the introduction of Baby Brent’s Bill, legislation that would require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate, report on, issue regulations, and enforce penalties including fines for unfair or deceptive advertising or marketing of preterm infant formula. 

Inspiration for the legislation came from the Weymouth family of New Hampshire’s First District. Their son, Brent, was born preterm and contracted necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after being given cow’s milk-based fortifier while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). NEC is the most common emergency intestinal complication in premature infants, a fast-moving and life-threatening condition with an overall mortality rate of 33%. It is estimated that one baby dies every day in the United States from NEC and those who survive may be neurodevelopmentally impaired and have lifelong consequences.

Brent contracted NEC multiple times, leading surgeons to remove more than half of his intestines. Now nearly two years old, Brent has been diagnosed with global developmental delay.

“Brent’s life was permanently altered after developing NEC multiple times in the NICU. Naming this bill after him brings a voice to a struggle that many NICU families face,” said the Weymouth family. “Parents deserve complete transparency about what goes into their babies’ bodies as well as the power to hold formula and fortifier manufacturers accountable. Our family is so grateful to Congressman Pappas for honoring Brent and fighting to protect future premature infants. We hope to see Congress pass this into law. This isn’t a left or right issue but a moral one.”

Pappas’s legislation comes as formula manufacturers face mounting questions of legal accountability for the risks associated with cow’s milk-based preterm formula. Abbott and Mead Johnson currently face nearly 1,000 lawsuits nationwide from families alleging the companies failed to warn about the risk of NEC, including more than 700 cases consolidated in federal court in Illinois. In April, a jury ordered Abbott to pay $70 million to four mothers whose premature babies developed NEC after being fed the company’s preterm formula, finding Abbott failed to warn about the risk. In June, a Missouri appeals court upheld a $495 million verdict against Abbott in a similar case. Rather than change their marketing practices, manufacturers have pressed Congress for a legal shield to block families from seeking compensation, an effort Baby Brent’s Bill directly rejects by affirming that no manufacturer should be permitted to limit families’ ability to pursue legal recourse.

“Every parent deserves complete and honest information about the products being fed to their child,” said Congressman Pappas. “Brent’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of what is at stake when research is limited and questionable practices go uninvestigated. I will not stand by while the status quo allows manufacturers to market formula without disclosing risks, and we must stop efforts by those same manufacturers to evade accountability. I’m introducing Baby Brent’s Bill because families like Brent’s deserve transparency and the ability to seek justice when they’re harmed.”

“Preterm infant formula is not like any other product—it is vital to a vulnerable infant’s survival, and parents are understandably risk-averse when it comes to the health and safety of their newborn baby,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “Our infant formula industry is dominated by two companies, and they compete with one another to ensure their formula is the ‘first bottle fed’, aggressively pushing their products in hospital NICUs in order to get parents hooked as future customers. At a time when hundreds of lawsuits are alleging a connection between bovine milk fortifiers used by big infant formula manufacturers and increased incidence rates of a potentially fatal disease known as Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), it is more important than ever that we shine a light on the preterm infant formula market. Baby Brent’s Bill would require the Federal Trade Commission to investigate preterm infant formula manufactures’ marketing and advertising practices to expose any deceptive behavior by these companies trying to secure greater market share. In order to continue putting babies first, we need to know what’s going on behind hospital doors.”

Specifically, Pappas’s legislation:

• Directs the FTC to conduct an investigation and submit to Congress a report within one year of enactment on unfair or deceptive acts or practices that may be prevalent in the advertising or marketing of preterm infant formula;
• Directs the FTC to issue regulations to prohibit such practices and enforce such regulations no later than 18 months after the submission of their report;
• Directs the FTC to enforce fines and penalties for such practices consistent with the current legal maximums under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, including up to $53,088 per violation along with other forms of relief, including the payment of damages to consumers and others resulting from the violation of the rules;
• Expresses the sense of Congress that parents should retain the right to be fully informed about, and be able to protect, the health of their preterm infants; that additional research is needed into the potential risks associated with cow’s-milk based fortifiers and the causes of NEC; and that no manufacturer should be permitted to limit or evade families’ ability to pursue legal recourse.

On May 19, Pappas joined DeLauro and Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) to introduce the Developing Oversight for Nutrition through the Official Regulation of Milk Act or the DONOR Milk Act. This legislation would better protect the nation’s supply of donor human milk, a lifesaving resource for premature and medically fragile newborns. He is also an original cosponsor of the Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act, comprehensive bipartisan legislation to modernize federal oversight of the nation’s infant formula supply and close longstanding gaps in testing, transparency, and regulatory enforcement.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Roger Williams (25th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) introduced the Veterans Medicare Premium Transparency Act, legislation that helps protect veterans from unexpected lifetime Medicare penalties by ensuring they receive clear information about how VA health care affects Medicare enrollment and premiums.

“Our veterans should never be saddled with higher Medicare premiums simply because they didn’t receive clear information,”said Congressman Williams. “The Veterans Medicare Premium Transparency Act is a commonsense, no-cost solution that ensures those who served our country have the guidance they need to make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary lifetime penalties.”

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Background:

Millions of veterans rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for their health care after leaving military service. When they become eligible for Medicare at age 65, many mistakenly believe that enrolling in VA health care is the same as enrolling in Medicare Part B. However, VA health care is not considered creditable coverage for Medicare Part B, meaning veterans who delay enrollment may face a permanent late-enrollment premium penalty when they eventually sign up.

The Veterans Medicare Premium Transparency Act addresses this problem by providing transparency. The bill requires the annual “Medicare & You” handbook and Medicare.gov to clearly explain how VA enrollment affects Medicare Part B and Part D coverage and premiums. It also directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress on how many veterans are currently paying these penalties and how many were enrolled in VA health care.

By ensuring veterans receive clear, accurate information before making Medicare enrollment decisions, this no-cost legislation helps prevent avoidable lifetime premium penalties while improving accountability and outreach.

Click here to read the full text.

Congressman Roger Williams’ legislation was joined by Congressman Aaron Bean (R-Florida) as an original cosponsor.

Supporting Organizations: Defense Credit Union Council 

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Congressman Roger Williams is the Chairman of the House Small Business Committee and a member of the House Financial Services Committee. He proudly represents the 25^th Congressional District of Texas.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

SEATTLE, WA – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and the Environment and Public Works Committee, today introduced the Green New Deal for Public Schools Act, legislation that would infuse $1.6 trillion over the next decade to transform our public school system – investing in students, educators, and infrastructure – and respond to the climate crisis.

“Public schools and a strong education system are the bedrock of our democracy. However, for decades, as school buildings have crumbled, as classes have doubled or tripled in size, and as the Trump administration has chipped away at programs to support kids’ mental health, American schools have fallen behind. In the richest country in the world, we should have the best public school system in the world. The Green New Deal for Public Schools, which I’m proud to lead with Senator Markey, would make investments in safe, healthy, zero-carbon classrooms to lift up our students, teachers, administrators, and entire public education system,” said Congresswoman Jayapal.

“Every student in America deserves to learn in a school that lifts them up, not one that’s falling down. Across the country, kids are trying to learn in buildings with broken heat, leaky roofs, and hazardous ventilation systems,” said Senator Markey. “It’s time that we reinvest in our students, our planet, and our future. The Green New Deal for Public Schools Act is a step toward building up the next generation of leaders by securing educational justice, health justice, and environmental justice all in one.”

The Green New Deal for Public Schools Act would invest $1.6 trillion in public and Bureau of Indian Education schools over the next ten years to revitalize the K-12 education system and reduce hazardous pollution. It would also reverse harmful disinvestment in the public school system by investing in schools serving low-income students, tripling funding to support students with disabilities, and giving schools the resources to hire hundreds of thousands of educators, paraprofessionals, and staff – including counselors to support student mental health. Investments from the Green New Deal for Public Schools Act would create 1.3 million jobs annually and eliminate 78 million metric tons of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to taking 17 million cars off the road.

Specifically, the Green New Deal for Public Schools Act would:

• Establish grants for healthy green retrofits of public schools, including modifications to optimize air quality, ensure clean air and water, and improve energy efficiency with priority given to highest-need schools
• Ensure school upgrades support safe, well-paid union jobs with project labor, prevailing wage, and registered apprenticeship protections
• Invest $250 billion in hiring thousands of new teachers, paraprofessionals, and mental health counselors to ensure every student receives a quality education and the support they need
• Fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and quadruple funding for schools serving predominantly low-income students to fulfill Congress’ promise to every student

“As we face a catastrophic climate crisis caused by unchecked corporate greed, we need to center children and their future. What this comes down to is whether we’re willing and able to provide students with the resources they need to realize their brilliance and have a livable planet. Do we want to continue building a world based on militarization, incarceration, poverty, and destruction of resources? Or will we put our kids and educators first, and treat the climate crisis as the emergency it is? The Green New Deal for Public Schools Act would ensure the production and maintenance of safe and healthy learning and teaching environments for students, teachers, staff, caregivers, and the broader community — and represents the action we need to be on the right side of history,” said Batul Hassan, Labor Director at Climate and Community Institute.

The Green New Deal for Public Schools Act is cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). and Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Chuy García (IL-04), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Troy Carter (LA-02), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Mark Pocan (WI-02).

The legislation is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), U.S. Green Building Council, Food & Water Watch, Education Law Center, Citizens for Public Schools, Climate and Community Institute, and Sierra Club.

Issues: Arts & Education, Environment

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

The co-chairs of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group in the House of Representatives, Representative Don Beyer (VA-08) and Representative John Garamendi (CA-08), and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa Brad Sherman (CA-32) issued the following statement in response to the recent announcement of a deal to provide Saudi Arabia with nuclear technologies without safeguards that prevent weaponization. 

“As leaders who have long supported non-proliferation, we are deeply concerned about the failure of the proposed U.S. – Saudi civilian nuclear agreement to include key protections to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. It is unacceptable that this Administration would push forward a deal without comprehensive safeguards to prevent Saudi Arabia from weaponizing the nuclear technology that President Trump has agreed to give them. Without these safeguards, we could give Saudi Arabia the tools it needs to become a nuclear-weapons state – something Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has openly aspired to achieve.” 

“If the Trump administration submits this so-called deal for the required Congressional review, we will take all available steps, including legislative action, to reject any deal that fails to include the safeguards necessary to prevent Saudi Arabia from developing nuclear weapons.   

“Any nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia should include the strongest safeguards, including both a requirement that the nation signs the ‘Additional Protocol’ with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guaranteeing robust inspection of nuclear facilities, and agrees to the ‘Gold Standard’ prohibiting uranium enrichment and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel—capabilities that are necessary to produce nuclear weapons. The Additional Protocol and Gold Standard are reasonable and are included in our nuclear cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which allows them to generate electricity efficiently without posing a nuclear weapons threat. 

“President Trump is currently waging a disastrous war against Iran ostensibly to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. It was the United States that provided preliminary nuclear technology to Iran when it was ruled by a friendly, pro-Western monarch – and all of the technology in the hands of the Shah in 1978 fell into the hands of the Ayatollah in 1979. We cannot make the same mistake with Saudi Arabia.  

“Preventing Saudi Arabia from developing nuclear weapons has long been an area of bipartisan consensus here in Congress – because America’s national security depends on it. We will fight to make sure Congress rejects any nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that fails to protect the American people from a nuclear-armed Saudi state.” 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), along with fellow Congressional Hispanic Caucus members Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), led 85 House and Senate Democrats in filing a bicameral amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to uphold a lower court’s order blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using – or even viewing – tens of thousands of taxpayers’ addresses obtained from the IRS. 

The brief was filed in Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts v. Bessent, the government’s appeal of preliminary relief ordered by Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. 

In February, Judge Talwani found that the IRS’s transfer of more than 47,000 taxpayer addresses to ICE in August 2025 likely violated federal tax law, which permits disclosures to law enforcement only when tied to a specific, individualized criminal investigation. Her order froze the underlying data-sharing arrangement and barred ICE from making any further use of the information it had already received. 

The lawmakers’ brief argues that reversing Judge Talwani’s order would gut a confidentiality standard Congress has repeatedly declined to loosen for immigration enforcement – rejecting proposals to do so as recently as 2006 – and that the IRS itself assured ITIN filers for nearly three decades would hold. The brief also warns that ICE’s request was so broad, and so stripped of individual identifiers, that it risked sweeping in the wrong people entirely. 

“Amici submit this brief to make clear how the Administration’s actions and change in policy encroach upon powers reserved by the Constitution for Congress and contravenes Congress’s longstanding prerogative to prioritize collection of federal tax revenues by preserving the confidentiality of return information,” wrote the amici curiae. “[The] disclosure to ICE imperils effective tax administration, the reliance of millions of taxpayers, and Congress’s clear prerogative to decide when and how sensitive tax information may be used for non-tax purposes.”

This is the fifth brief CHC members have led in litigation challenging the IRS-ICE data-sharing arrangement, part of a continued push in Congress to hold the administration accountable after IRS leadership has repeatedly declined to answer lawmakers’ questions about the disclosures. Unlike two earlier cases, which addressed the data-sharing agreement on paper and how the IRS carried it out, this case is the only one where a court has stopped ICE from using taxpayer data already in its possession.

A copy of the brief is available HERE.

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

WASHINGTON — Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted 21-1 to advance the bipartisan College Transparency Act, legislation led in the House by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) and in the Senate by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA.).

Congressman Krishnamoorthi released the following statement:

“Choosing a college is one of the biggest financial decisions a student and their family will ever make. Just like any major investment, they deserve clear, reliable information before they commit. I’m proud that our bipartisan College Transparency Act advanced out of the Senate HELP Committee today with overwhelming bipartisan support. Our legislation will help students compare college costs, graduation rates, and career outcomes so they can make informed decisions and shop for the best program with confidence. I thank Senators Warren and Cassidy for their leadership, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bipartisan bill across the finish line.”

The College Transparency Act would require the federal government to collect and publicly report comprehensive data on college costs and student outcomes, including graduation rates, post-college earnings, average net price, and average student loan debt across colleges and academic programs. By providing students and families with clear, reliable information, the legislation will help prospective students compare programs, identify affordable options, and make informed decisions about their futures. The bill will also provide colleges, researchers, and policymakers with better data to strengthen America’s higher education system.

The College Transparency Act is supported by more than 70 organizations, including the American Association of Community Colleges, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, EdTrust, the Institute for Higher Education Policy, the National College Attainment Network, the National Skills Coalition, The Institute for College Access & Success, Third Way, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Women Employed, and Young Invincibles.

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

National and local experts discuss election administration, voting rights and coordinated preparation ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Yesterday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressman Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, hosted a shadow hearing at Rochester City Hall focused on protecting the right to vote, supporting election officials and preparing for threats to the 2026 elections.

The shadow hearing featured Bob Bauer, former White House Counsel and Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at NYU School of Law; Omar Noureldin, Senior Vice President of Policy and Litigation at Common Cause; and Natalie Sheppard, Deputy Commissioner of the Monroe County Board of Elections.

Jeffries and Morelle questioned the panel about how to build voter confidence, protect eligible voters from improper voter-roll removals, support election workers and administrators, preserve bipartisan election administration and strengthen the legal and operational safeguards that protect free and fair elections.

The Rochester hearing is the latest public step in a coordinated House Democratic voter-protection effort led by Morelle at the direction of Leader Jeffries. The effort includes national threat assessment, scenario-planning exercises, congressional oversight, stakeholder coordination and public education ahead of the midterms.

“Our elections belong to the people, not to any president, political party, or powerful interest,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “House Democrats are prepared to use every tool available to defend voters, support election officials, and make sure the results reflect the will of the American people.”

“Donald Trump and Republicans have broken every promise that they made to the American people and have concluded that their best course of action as it relates to the upcoming midterm election is to suppress the vote, intimidate voters and potentially rig the outcome. It is our collective responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, to ensure that we have the largest voter protection effort in the history of the country, that we give everybody an opportunity to have their voice heard,” said Leader Jeffries. “I’m thankful to Congressman Morelle for his extraordinary efforts all across the country in ensuring that the American people and civil society are prepared for a free and fair election this November.”

House Democratic voter-protection work

• A dozen election security events, including shadow hearings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Haven, Las Vegas and Rochester;
• Engagement with civil society allies;
• Tabletop exercises and strategy sessions; and
• Public education campaigns.

Full shadow hearing can be watched here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

OVERLAND PARK, KS — Today, Representative Sharice Davids met one-on-one with Kansans to hear directly about the financial challenges families are facing and discuss solutions to lower costs. During the daylong Cost-of-Living Check-Ins, Kansans shared how rising prices for groceries, gas, housing, and healthcare are impacting their everyday lives and making it harder to make ends meet.

“I know what it’s like to sit around the kitchen table and make tough choices about how to stretch every dollar,” said Davids. “That’s why I spend so much time listening directly to Kansans about the challenges they’re facing. Right now, families are feeling squeezed by rising costs, and they need leaders who understand what that means in their everyday lives. I’ll keep fighting for solutions that lower costs, support working families, and make sure the voices of Kansans are heard in Washington.”

WATCH: Click the following photos to learn more about some of the conversations

Many Kansas households continue reporting financial pressure due to rising inflation and reckless policy decisions in Washington that only favor billionaires. The average family is paying more than $2,500 extra this year due to tariffs and is expected to spend about $740 more on gas. In the past year, residential electricity prices have risen by 13 percent nationally, and families have paid more than $300 more for groceries.

 

Davids discussed her work to lower costs for Kansans, including efforts to cap insulin at $35 for seniors, lower prescription drug prices through Medicare negotiation, expand affordable housing supply, strengthen Kansas agriculture and local food systems, support year-round E15 fuel access to lower prices at the pump, and extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that help families afford health coverage. She also highlighted her opposition to reckless tariffs and extreme Medicaid cuts that are closing rural hospitals and increasing healthcare costs for Kansas families.

Davids was raised by a single mom who served in the Army for 20 years. She knows what it’s like to struggle to put food on the table, stretch every dollar, and make difficult choices between paying for groceries, healthcare, gas, or rent. That experience continues to shape her focus on lowering costs for working families and making sure everyday people — not just billionaires and large corporations — have a fair shot at getting ahead.