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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse Leads Bicameral Letter to DOL, State, DHS Regarding H-2A Program

Press Release 
For Immediate Release: July 30, 2026
Contact: Juan Ayala, (202) 713-7750

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) led a bicameral letter to the Departments of Labor, State, and Homeland Security respectfully urging the Administration to take administrative action to address processing delays, regulatory imbalances, and structural barriers threatening the effectiveness of the H-2A agricultural guest worker program. 

This letter was signed by U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), and U.S. Representatives Austin Scott (R-GA), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Mike Ezell (R-MS), David Valadao (R-CA), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Richard McCormick (R-GA). 

Click here or see below for the full text of the letter.

The Honorable Keith Sonderling 
Acting Secretary of Labor 
U.S. Department of Labor 
200 Constitution Avenue NW 
Washington, D.C.  20210  

The Honorable Marco Rubio 
Secretary of State 
U.S. Department of State 
2201 C. Street NW 
Washington, D.C.  20520  

The Honorable Markwayne Mullin 
Secretary of Homeland Security 
U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security 
Washington, D.C.  20528  

Dear Acting Secretary Sonderling, Secretary Rubio, and Secretary Mullin: 
We write to raise serious concerns regarding the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and to urge the Department of Labor, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security to take administrative action to address growing processing delays, regulatory imbalances, and structural barriers that are threatening the program’s effectiveness for agricultural producers across the United States. Ensuring our nation’s farmers and small businesses have dependable access to a stable workforce is crucial to the economic wellbeing of our Nation.

We have received many reports from our constituents regarding significant challenges and delays in H-2A workforce visa processing at multiple stages — including the Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. consulates abroad. Visa processing instability and delays harm our country’s agriculture sector and broader economy, and we encourage the Departments to act swiftly to resolve current challenges and prevent further interruptions to ensure an adequate workforce is in place for the agricultural season.  Beyond processing timelines, we also write to raise several regulatory and process concerns that we believe warrant the Department’s attention and, where appropriate, administrative action to better align current H-2A regulations with the statute’s text and the practical realities of modern agricultural labor needs. 

Current H-2A visa regulations are focused on allowing seasonal agricultural employment, but do not sufficiently or appropriately allow for ranching (livestock) and dairy industry workers to perform the year-round labor these industries require.  The practical consequence is that operations requiring continuous, year-round labor — daily milking and animal husbandry on dairy farms, year-round herd health management and calving on cattle operations, and uninterrupted daily care on poultry and swine facilities — cannot access the same workforce  program available to seasonal row crop producers, even though all of these activities constitute agricultural labor under 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a). Read together, the statute’s broad definition of agricultural labor — which encompasses livestock production — and its temporary or seasonal limitation have been interpreted by the Department of Labor in a manner that creates a structural barrier for industries whose labor needs are continuous rather than cyclical; as a result, year-round positions such as full-time dairy herdsmen, permanent ranch hands responsible for daily feeding and herd health, and continuous-duty swine and poultry caretakers are effectively excluded from the program regardless of whether the underlying work qualifies as agricultural labor under the statute’s own definition. We urge the Departments to consider whether the temporary or seasonal requirement is more appropriately understood as describing the nature of the worker’s authorized stay in the United States, rather than a limitation on the type of agricultural industry eligible to participate in the program. 

In turn, 26 U.S.C. § 3121(g) and 29 U.S.C. § 203(f) define “agricultural labor” and “agriculture,” respectively, to explicitly include livestock-related work and broader farming practices. We strongly encourage the Department to revise the regulations to clearly and properly incorporate the use of temporary labor that is not seasonal in nature as contemplated by the Immigration and Nationality Act through its citation of other statutory definitions of “agricultural labor” and “agriculture.”  

In addition, current H-2A visa regulations prioritize worker protections for housing, transportation, and wage guarantees without reciprocal employer safeguards.  This leaves employers vulnerable, subject to substantial upfront costs with no guarantees that workers will complete contracts.  Employers are then unable to recover transportation and housing costs.  We also urge the Department to address these vulnerabilities by implementing regulations which would require workers to complete a guaranteed portion of their contract and allow payroll deductions for housing and transportation costs if a worker fails to finish their contract. These regulations would create balanced accountability without reducing worker protections.

Further, current H-2A processing timelines do not provide employers with sufficient lead time to secure workers before critical planting and harvest deadlines – a concern of particular urgency for specialty crop producers, whose perishable commodities leave little margin for delayed labor arrival.  We are receiving complaints of processing delays at multiple stages, including the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. consulates.  Because the H-2A process is sequential — the Department of Labor must complete its review before USCIS can adjudicate a petition, and USCIS must complete its adjudication before consular posts can schedule interviews and the Department of Homeland Security can screen arriving workers — lengthening any single agency’s timeline in isolation does not shorten the overall process. To help address these issues, we recommend extending H-2A filing eligibility to 120 days prior to workers’ start date, expanding on the current 60-75 day filing window under 20 C.F.R. § 655.121(b). However, this change can only reduce overall delays if the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security make corresponding adjustments to begin and complete their respective stages earlier as well; absent synchronized timelines across all three agencies, an extended filing window will simply shift the point at which delays occur rather than eliminate them, and could result in workers arriving even later in the season.  The H-2A program has rapidly expanded since the conception of these filing timelines, yet these regulations have not been updated to reflect this demand and have ultimately caused significant delays in processing resulting in workers arriving after the contract start date.  We expect the Departments to coordinate on addressing this compounding issue. 

We further encourage the Department of State to consider establishing an expedited processing track for employers and workers with a demonstrated record of reliability — including timely arrival, compliance with approved job orders, and consistent return in subsequent seasons.  We understand the Department has cited job order changes, worker no-shows, and similar unpredictability as obstacles to accelerating consular processing more broadly.  A trusted-filer or recurring-worker fast lane would allow the Department to direct its limited interview and screening capacity toward higher-risk or first-time cases, while ensuring that reliable, repeat employer-worker pairings are not delayed behind less predictable applications. This kind of targeted efficiency, paired with administrative action at the Department of Labor, would meaningfully shorten the program’s true end-to-end timeline rather than shifting the same bottlenecks later in the process.  

We respectfully request that the Department of Labor provide clear guidance regarding the methodology it will apply when determining wage rates applicable to workers performing harvest operations in light of the current Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) methodology DOL issued in the October 10, 2025, interim final rule (IFR) to amend its regulations governing the certification of agricultural labor or services to be performed by temporary foreign workers in H2A nonimmigrant status (H-2A workers).  As presently implemented, the AEWR rule does not explicitly address or incorporate the outcome of Teche Vermilion Sugar Cane Growers Association v. Su (subsequently Chavez DeRemer), for instance for those workers who perform duties such as short-haul truck drives that facilitate harvest from the field to the first point of delivery or sale. This has created uncertainty for employers seeking to remain compliant while ensuring fair compensation. Absent such guidance, agricultural employers face heightened compliance risk and administrative ambiguity during critical harvest periods.  We therefore urge the agency to issue timely, practical guidance that aligns regulatory requirements with the court’s findings and reflects the operational realities of agricultural production.  

A more recent issue that has come to our attention from constituents pertains to English Language Proficiency (ELP) criteria and testing occurring at U.S. consulates for those workers who would be, or have formerly been, H-2A workers operating commercial motor vehicles in the United States. We respectfully request that the Department of State provide detailed information regarding any guidance issued to U.S. consulates concerning the assessment of ELP for visa applicants. In particular, clarification is needed on whether consulates have been directed to apply consistent standards when evaluating language ability, including the potential use of standardized testing or other uniform criteria across posts.  We are also interested in understanding how any such requirements are being communicated to employers who rely on these visa programs, as inconsistent or undisclosed expectations may create uncertainty in recruitment and workforce planning.  Greater transparency and consistency in this area would help ensure fair adjudication processes and allow employers to better prepare applicants for consular review.  

Lastly, H-2A employers face regulatory restrictions under 20 C.F.R. § 655.175(a) that provide limited opportunities to make changes to Applications for Temporary Employment Certification following approval. These restrictions prevent employers’ ability to amend or add new worksites to certified job orders.  They cause producers to decline new business or risk noncompliance, negatively affecting agriculture and small businesses across the Nation.  The Department must take action to alleviate these constraints and prevent further economic harm.   

The H-2A program is indispensable to agriculture across the United States, from specialty crop operations to livestock and dairy producers.  However, H-2A regulations have failed to adapt to the continually growing demand for these visas.  Processing delays, regulatory imbalances, and broader immigration challenges threaten this program’s effectiveness throughout the country – all at a time when our nation’s agricultural producers are facing significant economic hardship. We cannot stress enough how important it is for the relevant federal agencies to consider changes to the H-2A program to better support our nation’s agricultural industry – the men and women who feed and clothe us. 

Thank you for your attention to these serious matters.  We look forward to continuing to work with you to improve the outlook for farmers and ranchers who rely on the H-2A program. 

Endorsements: American Farm Bureau Federation, National Council of Agricultural Employers, AmericanHort, American Soybean Association, American Sugar Cane League, National Cotton Council, USA Rice, National Watermelon Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (GA, AL, FL, MS, SC growers), National Pecan Federation, National Peach Council, Southwest Council of Agribusiness, Western Growers, Florida Peanut Federation, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Vidalia Onion Business Council, MBG Marketing (Michigan Blueberry Growers cooperative), National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Producers Council, International Fresh Produce Association, U.S. Rice Producers Association, USA Farmers, Cotton Warehouse Association of America, Idaho Dairymen’s Association, Washington State Dairy Federation. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) led Congressional Cut Flower Caucus co-chairs Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20), and Jeff Hurd (R-CO-03) in introducing a bipartisan resolution to officially recognize the month of July 2026 as “American Grown Flower and Foliage Month”. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) leads a companion resolution in the U.S. Senate. 

“California produces nearly three quarters of all American-grown cut flowers, and I’ve seen firsthand the vital role these farms play in supporting local jobs, small businesses, and the long-term strength of our agricultural sector,” said Rep. Carbajal, co-chair of the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus. “By designating July as ‘American Grown Flower and Foliage Month’, we are recognizing the invaluable contributions cut flowers make to our specialty crop sector.”

“California is proud to lead the nation in flower production, thanks to the hardworking growers who cultivate some of the world’s highest-quality blooms right here in our state,” said Senator Padilla. “I’m proud to lead this Senate resolution designating July as American Grown Flower and Foliage Month to honor their contributions and encourage more Americans to support flowers and foliage grown here at home.”

“Across the country, from Maine to Hawaii, America’s cut-flower and foliage growers create jobs, support local economies, and bring beauty and vibrancy to our communities,” said Rep. Pingree, co-chair of the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus. “By recognizing their contributions and encouraging the use of American-grown flowers, we can help ensure these farms and farmers continue to thrive for generations to come.”

“American-grown flowers and foliage bring immense beauty while supporting growers, small businesses, and jobs across the country,” said Rep. Panetta, co-chair of the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus. “This resolution builds on our bipartisan Don Young American Grown Act, which would ensure that flowers and greens displayed at prominent federal buildings are grown right here in the United States. This July, we proudly celebrate the growers in California’s 19th Congressional District and across the country who strengthen American agriculture and cultivate the beauty of our nation.”

The text of the American Grown Flower and Foliage Month resolution can be found HERE. 

Last year, Carbajal led a bipartisan group of members in introducing the Don Young American Grown Act. The bipartisan bill requires any cut flowers or cut green plants officially on display in public areas of the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, or Department of State be grown in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory. 

Representative Don Young of Alaska, who passed away in 2022, was the lead sponsor of the Don Young American Grown Act in both the 116^th and 117^th Congresses. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) leads companion, bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate. 

Founded in 2014, the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus was created to help address, support, and represent the economic interests and opportunities facing America’s flower farmers.

The Congressional Cut Flower Caucus is a bipartisan coalition established to set the agenda and educate Congress on the cultural and economic value of flower and green farms.

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

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee which has jurisdiction over U.S. trade policy, today introduced the Homebuilding Materials Tariff Relief Act to eliminate the Trump Administration’s tariffs on a series of critical products used in home construction and bring down the cost of housing. 

“Rather than lowering costs for American families as he promised on the campaign trail, President Trump has been laser focused on making everything more expensive, particularly through his disastrous tariffs,” said Congressman Beyer. “The homebuilding sector has been particularly hard hit, as the new taxes Trump has imposed on imports of key materials like ceramic tiles, glass, particle board, cement, and others have increased the cost of new homes by thousands of dollars. The last thing the federal government should be doing is piling on additional costs that get passed along to buyers and puts homeownership even further out of reach for working- and middle-class Americans. This bill would provide immediate relief to homebuilders and buyers and ensure that any future tariffs on these materials can only be imposed if the housing crisis has abated and with Congressional approval.”  

Specifically, the Homebuilding Materials Tariff Relief Act would:

• Exempt a series of critical homebuilding products from all tariffs imposed since January 20, 2025, except any duties imposed under apolitical tariff actions like trade remedies, safeguards, and trade agreement dispute settlement.
• Ensure that for tariffs to be reimposed on the listed products, Congress must enact a joint resolution of approval.
• Further provide that future tariffs can only be reimposed on the listed products if national housing affordability has improved.

According to a report from the Center for American Progress, the Trump Administration’s tariffs on homebuilding materials could reduce new home construction by 450,000 homes through 2030 and raise the average cost of building a home by $17,500.

Full text of the Homebuilding Materials Tariff Relief Act is available here.

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

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Last week, Congressman Biggs voted to pass H.R. 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act. The legislation bans Members, spouses and dependent children from purchasing securities issued by a publicly traded company. It also requires Members to file a public notice with the Clerk of the House well in advance of any intended stock sale.

This legislation is not a reaction to a hypothetical scenario. According to a recent report, “Congress members had made 13,324 trades totaling a whopping $635.57 million” in 2025 alone. One of the nation’s most infamous traders, Nancy Pelosi, entered Congress in 1987 with a portfolio under $800,000. Today, it’s worth more than $130 million—a return of nearly 17,000 percent. Her family’s net worth has grown from about $3 million to an estimated $280 million. And it’s not just her profiting off the stock market while professing to serve the people’s interests. Democrat and Republican portfolios routinely beat the S&P 500. That is not luck. It’s access. This bill closes that loophole.

“Every year, public opinion polls of Congress show that the American people have less trust in this institution,” said Congressman Biggs. “As Members of Congress, we have a duty, not only to serve the people’s interests, but to restore as much trust in our body as possible. One significant step toward earning back trust is banning the insider trading loopholes that have infuriated hardworking citizens across the country. No Member of Congress should give any appearances that they are making money for themselves by abusing the public’s trust. I was pleased to support the bill and hope it is signed into law.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

“Access to the world of books through libraries changes lives. Prison libraries provide incarcerated people with important tools and opportunities for growth. This bill will study prison libraries and their effectiveness to reinforce the work prison libraries do to help incarcerated people return to society successfully.”

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

Washington, D.C. (July 30, 2026)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, sent a letter demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately equip all agents interacting with the public with fully functional body-worn cameras. The demand follows a disturbing pattern of deadly immigration enforcement operations carried out without basic accountability measures in place.

“We have watched in horror as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials shot over two dozen people and killed six of them, including three U.S. citizens, during immigration enforcement operations since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025.1 In shooting after shooting, we are told that there is no body-worn camera footage of the incident and asked to accept DHS’s account of the incident. Time and again, that account turns out to be a blatant falsehood. It is time for DHS to use the $210 billion that congressional Republicans have given the agency to ensure that every DHS officer is equipped with a fully functioning body-worn camera when conducting immigration enforcement,” wrote the Ranking Members.

Despite repeated DHS promises, body-worn cameras remain absent—or nonfunctional—when they matter most. After ICE agents killed U.S. citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this year, DHS pledged rapid nationwide deployment. Nearly six months later, that promise remains unmet.

The consequences have been deadly. Earlier this month, ICE officers fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas without body camera footage. Days later, officers killed Johan Sebastian Guerrero in Maine while wearing cameras that were not functioning. In both cases, the public was left to rely solely on DHS’s account—despite its documented record of false and misleading statements about these incidents.

DHS has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims about victims, including Renée Good, Alex Pretti, Ruben Ray Martinez, and Marimar Martinez—falsely alleging they attacked officers. In case after case, evidence has contradicted these claims, further eroding DHS’s credibility.

Body-worn cameras are a basic accountability tool used by state and local law enforcement nationwide. They protect officers, safeguard the public, and provide essential transparency for courts and Congress. Yet under the Trump Administration, federal immigration enforcement continues to operate without this standard safeguard.

Congress has already provided DHS with more than $210 billion for immigration enforcement in the last year and a half, including $20 million specifically for body-worn cameras. Even Republican lawmakers have urged deployment, but House Judiciary Republicans recently rejected an amendment requiring their use.

Ranking Members Raskin and Jayapal are demanding every agent who interacts with the public be equipped with fully functional body-worn cameras. 

Click here to read the letter.

Issues: Immigration, Public Safety & Criminal Justice

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

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) today urged the Fairfax County Planning Commission to deny the permit application filed for Edsall Data Center Substation 2232 at the Plaza 500 site at 6299 Edsall Road in Lincolnia, citing serious concerns about the project’s potential impacts on land use, flooding mitigation, light pollution, noise pollution, and whether this proposal is consistent with Lincolnia’s sustainable growth goals.

In a letter to the Fairfax County Planning Commission, Beyer noted that while Fairfax County has adopted guidelines intended to minimize the impacts of data center infrastructure on surrounding neighborhoods and preserve land for housing, economic opportunity, and transit-oriented development, he shares the concerns of many residents and stakeholders that the proposed substation is inconsistent with those goals.

“I am writing regarding the Edsall Data Center Substation 2232 Application currently before the Planning Commission. As the Member of Congress representing the community in which this proposal is located, I have serious concerns about the potential impact of this project on residents,” wrote Rep. Beyer. “Data center infrastructure should not be built in residential areas where its scale and likely impacts are fundamentally incompatible with the character and quality of life of adjacent neighborhoods. As such, I respectfully request the Commission deny the Application… I recognize the important of maintaining the infrastructure necessary to support our region’s economy and technological leadership. However, as we continue to experience unprecedented growth in data center development, we must ensure that these projects are appropriately located outside of residential areas.”

Full text of the letter follows below, and a signed copy is available here.

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Dear Commissioners:

I am writing regarding the Edsall Data Center Substation 2232 Application currently before the Planning Commission. As the Member of Congress representing the community in which this proposal is located, I have serious concerns about the potential impact of this project on residents. Data center infrastructure should not be built in residential areas where its scale and likely impacts are fundamentally incompatible with the character and quality of life of adjacent neighborhoods. As such, I respectfully request the Commission deny the Application.

The proposed substation is understandably a matter of significant concern for my constituents. Residents have raised important questions about the compatibility of this project with the surrounding community. Specific concerns include land use, environmental impacts like flooding, excessive lighting and noise pollution, and whether this proposal supports thoughtful, sustainable growth envisioned for Lincolnia.

Fairfax County has taken important steps to establish guidelines addressing these particular concerns associated with data center infrastructure and development. As I understand it, these guidelines are intended to minimize impacts on surrounding neighborhoods while preserving land designated for housing, economic opportunity, and transit-oriented development. Many residents and stakeholders have expressed concerns that this particular proposal does not align with those objectives. I share those concerns.

I recognize the importance of maintaining the infrastructure necessary to support our region’s economy and technological leadership. However, as we continue to experience unprecedented growth in data center development, we must ensure that these projects are appropriately located outside of residential areas.

Thank you for your consideration of this important request and for your service to Fairfax County.

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

Today, Representatives Don Beyer (VA-08), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04), along with 43 of their colleagues, demanded transparency about the Trump Administration’s new vanity project, the proposed redevelopment of East Potomac Park designed by President Trump’s handpicked architect, Tom Fazio. The letter, written to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Acting Director of the National Park Service Jessica Bowron, called on the Administration to preserve the park’s historical features and affordability.

In this latest letter, the lawmakers are demanding the administration disclose the cost of the golf course’s redevelopment and how any changes would affect bike and walking paths. They also demanded the administration comply with historic preservation laws and disclose how the golf course’s pricing may change. 

“We write with strong objections to your rushed ‘redevelopment’ of East Potomac Park, as well as the lack of clear public communication as to the changes planned for a beloved historic and recreation site,” the lawmakers wrote. “Any significant construction… requires compliance with bedrock environmental and historic preservation laws, robust public consultation and review, and protection of the existing uses of the site.” 

East Potomac Park, which includes East Potomac Golf Links, lies on federal land in Washington, D.C.  The existing golf courses are well-used and popular, and hosted 130,000 rounds of golf in 2025. The courses are known for both their affordability—a tee time costs as little as $17—and their rich history and accessibility for players of all skill levels. In addition to the golf courses, East Potomac Park is also a beloved recreation site for thousands of residents in D.C., Maryland and Virginia who use the park’s biking and walking paths and picnic on scenic Hains Point. In the spring, the park hosts visitors who travel to see D.C.’s oldest stand of cherry blossoms. 

The courses became a core part of the nation’s civil rights history in 1941 when three Black golf players insisted on playing a round of golf, making East Potomac Golf Links one of the first desegregated public golf courses in the country. 

In addition to public access considerations, the lawmakers raised transparency concerns surrounding the redevelopment project’s financing. 

“A private entity called the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation has sent brochures of the redesign to prospective donors and advertised the option for these donors to remain anonymous,” the lawmakers wrote. “The only information available about this shadowy foundation is that interested donors can contact President Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign finance director if they have any questions. 

The lawmakers first sounded the alarm on threats to East Potomac Park in response to the 35,000 cubic yards of toxic debris that the Trump Administration dumped on the golf courses following the illegal demolition of the White House’s East Wing. The proposed East Potomac Park redevelopment follows the Trump Administration’s pattern of unauthorized demolition and construction projects. Following the personal involvement of President Trump, the Administration has defaced other cultural and recreational spaces in the Nation’s Capital, including the East Wing of the White House, the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. 

The letter is also signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny Davis (IL-07), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James McGovern (MA-02), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Dave Min (CA-04), Jerry Nadler (NY-17), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Emily Randall (WA-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Robert “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), James Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). 

Read the full text of the letter here and below:

Dear Secretary Burgum and Acting Director Bowron: 

We write with strong objections to your rushed “redevelopment” of East Potomac Park, as well as the lack of clear public communication as to the changes planned for a beloved historic and recreation site. Any significant construction at East Potomac Park, which was expressly created by Congress in 1897 to be “forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people,” requires compliance with bedrock environmental and historic preservation laws, robust public consultation and review, and protection of the existing uses of the site. Removing or diminishing any of those uses, including the existing affordable public golf course, the biking and running trails around the course, and the historic grove of cherry trees along Hains Point, is unacceptable and potentially illegal. We urge you to immediately abandon those efforts and protect this essential site for generations present and future.  

East Potomac Golf Links has been an indispensable public asset since 1921. The National Park Service (NPS) responded to popular demand that year to create one of the country’s first public golf courses. The three courses—Red, White and Blue—were designed or inspired by the designs of Walter Travis, who rejected Victorian-style designs favored by the rich and powerful to create links-style courses that all players could enjoy. The courses opened with rounds of golf priced at just 25 cents. This legacy of inclusive pricing continues to this day. Visitors can book a child’s tee time for just $9 and enjoy a hamburger at the Potomac Grille for under $10—an enjoyable afternoon that won’t break the bank. The courses became a core part of our national civil rights history in 1941 when three Black golf players insisted on playing a round of golf, making East Potomac Golf Links one of the first desegregated golf courses in the country. For 85 years, residents of all backgrounds in the District of Columbia and the surrounding area have enjoyed the golf course and the biking and running trails that surround it.      

This all changed on August 1, 2025, when you met with President Trump to discuss destroying the Red, White, and Blue courses and replacing them with a single “championship- style” layout designed to host professional tournaments. This recently released “Washington National Plan,” credited to Tom Fazio—who has previously designed golf courses for President Trump—would be a wholesale redevelopment of a property that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973. To make this design a reality, the existing 36 holes, split across the Red, White and Blue courses, would need to be destroyed, trees would be cut down, and an entirely new clubhouse would likely be constructed. All of this would yield just one large course, an 18-hole course designed for professionals, and one 9-hole pitch and putt course, leaving little room for the cycling, running and picnicking activities that are equally important to the park’s character. 

On June 28, this already expansive redesign became catastrophic when President Trump toured East Potomac Golf Links and examined new renderings of a far more expansive redesign proposal than what you disclosed on social media. If the high-resolution photos of the plan clutched by the President during the tour reflect the Administration’s real intentions, the redesign would create just one 18-hole course for professionals, provide no 9-hole pitch and putt course, and completely eliminate Hains Point and the walking and biking trails surrounding the park. The Administration has not publicly released cost projections for this massive undertaking. The limited information shared about public access after the redesign includes estimates that the weekend price for local golfers could nearly double as a result of this complete transformation, even as the number of available courses to play on is cut by a third. This undermines the longstanding principles of affordability and public access which have driven East Potomac Golf Links since its founding.   

While the courses are certainly in need of significant maintenance and repair following decades of underinvestment, this work must be accomplished in compliance with the law and with respect for the historic nature of this beloved public resource. NPS itself has performed a Cultural Landscape Report on East Potomac Golf Links, determining in 2019 that the Red, White and Blue courses are “essential” to the “design integrity at East Potomac” and that the historic design reflects “an egalitarian institution within the city of Washington, D.C., as originally intended.” Furthermore, the biking and running trails circumnavigating East Potomac Park—in addition to providing crucial public access to the waterfront—are core components of the park. Hains Point is a beloved and scenic picnic area that is also critical to residents and visitors alike, who come each spring to enjoy Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossom season. 

To raise funds for the Washington National Plan, a private entity called the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation has sent brochures of the redesign to prospective donors and advertised the option for these donors to remain anonymous. The only information available about this shadowy foundation is that interested donors can contact President Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign finance director if they have any questions. We have seen this hollow promise before. Previous construction efforts that President Trump has touted as privately funded have both ballooned in cost and in fact been paid for by taxpayers. 

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires federal agencies to assess the effects of any proposed project on “historic federal properties.” It also requires federal agencies to publicly release development plans of this level of significance and incorporate sufficient time for public comment. Instead of engaging with the public about this design as required by law, the Administration began setting plans in motion to close the existing golf courses and clear stands of trees within them in May 2026. The trees have only been spared and the course only remains open due to pending litigation.  

To learn more about your plans to redevelop the park, and how you will address our concerns about the redevelopment and its negative impact on multi-purpose recreation access, we request written answers to the following questions by no later than August 14, 2026: 

1. What is the cost of redeveloping East Potomac Golf Links?  
2. Will the beloved and heavily-used walking and biking paths and lanes through the Park be preserved? If so, will any changes be made to those paths and lanes? 
3. Will the similarly beloved and heavily-visited cherry trees within the Park be preserved? If so, are there anticipated impacts on health or access to those trees? 
4. How much more will it cost for the public to play golf at East Potomac Golf Links under the “Washington National Plan”? The similar courses that you have cited as cost models in your redesign proposal feature prices that are as much as double the current East Potomac Golf Links prices. What justifies this increase? 
5. What is the relationship between the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation and members of the Trump Administration and specifically President Trump? 
6. What are the Department’s plans to assess project compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for the wholesale redevelopment of East Potomac Golf Links?
   1. If these plans move forward, what is the Department’s anticipated public comment schedule? 

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to your prompt response. 

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

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), the Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee and a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, issued the following statement today after President Trump announced new 10 to 12.5 percent tariffs on dozens of countries, including key U.S. trading partners:

“If President Trump wanted to raise our prices and run our economy into the ground, I don’t know what he would be doing differently. His tariffs, like his foolish war with Iran, are an illegal and ill-advised usurpation of congressional authority that will do lasting damage to our country. The supposed ‘investigation’ used to justify them is obviously, laughably, fraudulent. We know Trump doesn’t care about forced labor since he directly urged President Xi to build more camps in Xinjiang. Everyone involved should be embarrassed. The American people are sick to death of Republicans’ refusal to do anything about it.”

Rep. Don Beyer serves as Senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, chairs the New Democrat Coalition’s Trade Task Force, and serves on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV), Deborah Ross (D-NC), and Don Davis (D-NC) introduced the Virtual-Based Opioid Treatment for Veterans Act. This bipartisan legislation would establish a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program that would connect veterans with opioid use disorder (OUD) to community-based virtual treatment providers when the VA cannot provide timely care directly.
 
The legislation would expand access to evidence-based treatment for veterans with OUD when distance, long wait times, transportation challenges, or provider shortages make it difficult to receive in-person care at a VA facility.
 
Despite the effectiveness of treatment, requiring in-person appointments can make it difficult for patients to begin and remain in care. These challenges are especially significant for the more than 4.4 million veterans who live in rural communities, where travel distances are longer and local specialists are often scarce.
 
“Our veterans have sacrificed so much in service to our country, and they deserve timely access to the care they have rightfully earned. Too many veterans struggling with opioid addiction face barriers to treatment because of long wait times or a lack of access to in-person care. This bill provides a commonsense solution by expanding access to life saving treatment through telehealth, if and only when veterans cannot receive timely care at a clinic. I am happy to support this legislation and urge my colleagues to help get it across the finish line,” said Congresswoman Miller. 
 
“When a veteran is ready to seek treatment for opioid use disorder, a long drive, a months-long waiting list, or a lack of nearby specialists should never stand in their way. More than 300,000 veterans in North Carolina live in rural areas where accessing care can be especially difficult. The VA has already demonstrated that telehealth can help veterans begin and remain in opioid treatment. My legislation builds on that success by ensuring veterans and their families can access the care they need – no matter their zip code,” said Congresswoman Ross. 
 
“Eastern North Carolina is home to more than 56,000 veterans and generations of servicemembers and military families who strengthen our communities through their service and leadership. When veterans are seeking treatment, distance, transportation challenges, provider shortages, or long wait times should never keep them from receiving the care they have earned. The Virtual-Based Opioid Treatment for Veterans Act would connect veterans to community-based virtual care when the VA cannot deliver timely treatment, helping to close gaps in our rural communities while preserving the VA’s central role,” said Congressman Davis. 
 
The legislation would direct the VA to establish a two-year pilot program through the Veterans Community Care Program to connect eligible veterans with qualified virtual opioid treatment providers when VA facilities cannot provide timely care. The pilot would supplement, not replace, care delivered directly by the VA.
 
VA research supports expanding virtual treatment options. A national study of more than 17,000 veterans receiving buprenorphine found that patients who received at least some care through telehealth were significantly more likely to remain in treatment for at least 90 days than those treated exclusively in person.
 
The bill is endorsed by the Veterans Resilience Project of NC, Veterans Life Center of NC, North Carolina Medical Society, Behavioral Health Association of Providers, Project VBOT, Breaking Barriers to Substance Use Recovery, Addiction Professionals of NC, and International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium.
 
Bill text is available here.

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