MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

In the last year alone, the cost of the Delta Tunnel has ballooned by 25%

Harder leading federal legislation to kill disastrous boondoggle
 

STOCKTON – Today, ahead of the hearing to consider auditing the ballooning cost of the Delta Tunnel, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) released the following statement urging approval of this critical investigation:

“Sacramento politicians have tried to backdoor the Delta Tunnel for years because they know this budgetary monstrosity won’t create a single drop of water for anyone. Worse still, the price tag to build it and the cost to Valley communities keeps going up. We need a full investigation into this $20 billion boondoggle. It’s time Sacramento admits what we already know – the Delta Tunnel is a direct attack on Valley communities and our way of life.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON – Representative Lauren Underwood introduced the Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act, bipartisan legislation co-led by Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS). The Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act would address the pressing health care disparities that rural communities face by prioritizing funding for rural health care facilities applying for Rural Development funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Republicans just passed the largest cut to health care in American history, and now hundreds of rural health care facilities are projected to close. We must act immediately to address the significant challenges that people in our rural communities are facing in accessing quality health care,” said Congresswoman Underwood. “The Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act is a crucial step towards addressing these disparities, providing essential resources to improve health care infrastructure, and support the dedicated professionals who serve these areas.”

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas and they face significant health care disparities compared to Americans living in urban areas. The shortage of physicians, longer wait times, and need to travel long distances to access medical care are just a few of the challenges rural residents endure.

This bill will provide much-needed support to these communities by prioritizing funding for health facilities and ensuring USDA resources can be used to renovate, remodel, and equip closed facilities.

Rural hospital closures result in inadequate preventive health care for rural residents, increasing the need for emergency treatments that are becoming increasingly unavailable. By prioritizing funding and resources for rural health care facilities, the Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act will help ensure that residents in rural areas receive the essential care they need.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON — This week, Representative Lauren Underwood announced a new round of federal funding she has secured for affordable housing, environmental cleanup, and research in the 14^th District.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Underwood has made securing federal resources for northern Illinois a top priority. The following funds will support programs in the 14^th District with federal resources:

The Neighbor Project, Aurora, Illinois – $57,000

The Neighbor Project will receive $57,000 in federal funding from NeighborWorks America through the NeighborWorks Flexible Impact Grant program.

This grant will support efforts to lower housing costs, expand housing supply, spark economic opportunity, revitalize neighborhoods, and strengthen communities across Illinois’s 14th Congressional District. NeighborWorks America, a public nonprofit established by Congress in 1978, provides financial and technical support to nearly 250 local and regional partner organizations nationwide.

Rep. Underwood helped secure this funding through her work on the Appropriations Committee.

City of Ottawa, Ottawa, Illinois – $1,243,270

The City of Ottawa will receive $1,243,270 in federal funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Cleanup Grant Program.

The grant will fund the cleanup of the former Beer Depot site at 429 W. Lafayette Street, which was previously used for oil and coal distribution from 1891 until the 1970s. The site, vacant since the 1970s and contaminated with semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, and pesticides, will be remediated to support community revitalization and economic redevelopment.

Rep. Underwood helped secure this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and her work on the Appropriations Committee.

A Cubed Design LLC, Aurora, Illinois – $305,000

A Cubed Design LLC has been awarded federal funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant to develop an affordable, durable, and user-repairable refreshable braille display.

This project aims to address the high cost and limited accessibility of current refreshable braille technology, which hinders braille literacy and digital access for blind and low-vision individuals. The innovation has strong commercial potential in a rapidly growing market and is expected to benefit thousands of users within three years of launch, expanding access to education, employment, and digital tools for the blind and low-vision community.

Rep. Underwood helped secure this funding through her work on the Appropriations Committee.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) announced today that he will host two Vietnam Veteran Pinning Ceremonies this August to honor and thank Vietnam veterans living in Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District for their service and sacrifice.

The ceremonies will take place in Tuscumbia and Cleveland, Alabama. These events are part of the ongoing United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration effort to give long-overdue recognition to those who served during the Vietnam War era. Family members and the public are welcome to attend.

“These men and women served our nation with courage during a difficult chapter in our history, and many never received the recognition they so rightfully deserved when they returned home,” said Congressman Aderholt. “These ceremonies are a small but heartfelt way to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of a grateful nation.”

Event Details:

📍Tuscumbia Ceremony
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM
Location:Alabama Music Hall of Fame
617 U.S. Hwy 72 W, Tuscumbia, AL 35674

📍Cleveland Ceremony
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM
Location:Blount County Multi Purpose Center
6700 Co Hwy 1, Cleveland, AL 35049

Each Vietnam veteran in attendance who resides in the Fourth Congressional District will receive a commemorative lapel pin from Congressman Aderholt as a symbol of the nation’s gratitude.

Vietnam veterans who live in the district and wish to be honored are asked to sign up in advance by visiting:
👉https://aderholt.house.gov/services/vietnam-veterans-50th-anniversary-pin-program

Or call (256) 546-0201

Please register by August 18^th.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) today released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Donald J. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” sending the landmark legislation to the President’s desk for his signature:

“The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers the America First agenda in a fiscally responsible way. Getting this bill to the President’s desk to deliver his mandate for an economy that is pro-growth, pro-family, pro-business, and pro-worker. It also continues to support the most vulnerable in our society while helping able-bodied individuals get back to work.”

In addition to the bill’s broad economic and social reforms, Congressman Aderholt successfully fought for the inclusion of a key pro-family provision — a refundable Adoption Tax Credit. This critical measure will help make adoption more accessible for lower- and middle-income families by ensuring they can fully benefit from the tax credit, regardless of their federal tax liability.

“As someone who has long championed pro-life and pro-family policies, I was proud to lead the charge to make the Adoption Tax Credit refundable once again,” Aderholt said. “No family should be denied the opportunity to adopt a child simply because they can’t afford the upfront cost. This provision ensures that families of modest means receive the same support as wealthier households when they open their hearts and homes to a child in need.”

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” is a sweeping legislative package aimed at restoring American prosperity, securing the border, promoting work, and uplifting families. With its passage, Congress takes a bold step forward in delivering on the America First vision and strengthening the nation from the ground up.

“Despite what many of my Democrat colleagues and the national news media have claimed, this bill does not remove children or veterans from Medicaid or food assistance. What it does do is restore these vital programs to their original purpose — providing a safety net for the poor, pregnant women, children, and individuals with disabilities. The reforms we’ve made will help ensure that Medicaid remains focused on its core mission and continues to serve those who truly need it most. Not for able bodied people who just don’t want to work.”

Having now cleared both chambers, the bill awaits the President’s signature and is expected to be signed into law in the coming days.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Congressman Robert Aderholt, Chairman of the House Values Action Team, released the following statement today after the Supreme Court ruled favorably in Mahmoud v. Taylor, confirming that parents have the right to make decisions about the education of their children concerning family life and human sexuality:

“I applaud the Supreme Court for upholding the fundamental rights of parents,” said Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-04). “Children are not wards of the state, and families, not government officials, should decide how curriculum related to human sexuality is introduced to their children. This is a clear victory for the rights of families and parents.”

In Mahmoud v. Taylor, a group of religiously diverse Maryland parents challenged a public-school district’s refusal to provide any opt-out option for their children from classroom activities that included explicit sexual material and ideological viewpoint advocacy about sexuality and gender.

“The Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor reaffirms that respecting parental rights is not only lawful, but essential to preserving both parental rights and religious freedom,” said Aderholt.

The parents who brought the suit were simply advocating for an opt out option in the classroom, which is a very common practice; they did not ask for specific books to be excluded from the curriculum.  

Congressman Aderholt was proud to lead an amicus brief in this case along with Senator Bill Cassidy and 60 Members of the House of Representatives and 17 Senators emphasizing that federal law does not compel the use of this curriculum and that Congress has long supported strengthened parental rights.

“For years, parents have sounded the alarm about obscene and inappropriate content invading our schools, and today, they were heard,” said House VAT Co-Chair, Rep. Mary Miller (IL-15). “The Supreme Court has delivered a historic win for families, affirming parental rights, safeguarding religious freedom, and pushing back against the Left’s radical gender ideology targeting our children.”

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a huge victory for parental rights nationwide. Parents should always have the primary role in guiding their children’s upbringing, and in no world should a school be allowed to hide critical information about their child’s learning from them. Today’s ruling ensures that public schools can no longer impose controversial gender ideology curriculum on children without parental knowledge or consent. As a father of three school-aged daughters, I deeply care about what my children are taught outside of our home, and this decision offers parents across the country greater peace of mind and control over their children’s education,” said Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11).

Rep. Brian Babin, D.D.S (TX-36) added, “No government, no school board, and no activist agenda has the right to come between a parent and their child. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what our Constitution and our Creator make clear: children belong to families, not the state. Forcing children into radical gender ideology without parental knowledge or consent is not education, it’s indoctrination.”

“Today’s decision affirms the fundamental truth that parents, not the government, have the right to determine the best educational curriculum for their children,” said Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-11). “Moms and Dads should not be intimidated or silenced when advocating for their children and religious convictions, and I applaud the court protecting parents’ rights and religious freedoms. I have and will continue to stand with students and parents.”

Rep. Rick W. Allen (GA-12) added, “This decision from SCOTUS is a major win for parental rights and religious freedom in our country. No elementary-aged child should be subject to woke gender ideology curriculum without parental input or consent, especially in a taxpayer-funded school system. Parents know their children best and should be the primary decision makers when it comes to their child’s education.”

“Today parents all over the U.S. received a Supreme Court huge victory,” said Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03). “This ruling ensures parents will be notified of any gender and sexuality-related instruction and given the opportunity to opt-out. When Montgomery County, Maryland made the choice to instruct preschoolers on ‘LGBTQ+ inclusivity’ without notifying parents and guardians, they decided to supersede the will of these parents and guardians. To have these kinds of choices stripped from the parents is an absurd overreach by the state, and I was glad to see our Supreme Court agreed with me.”

“It should be common sense that parents have a right to protect their children from being indoctrinated by curriculum that violates their religious convictions,” said Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06). “Parents know what is best for their children. I’m glad that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parents trying to protect their children from being indoctrinated by controversial gender ideology curriculum.”

“I am pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision to let parents make important decisions about what their children are exposed to in public schools, especially when it involves an ideology that violates their family’s religious beliefs. Public school instruction should stick to reading, writing, and arithmetic. Parents know best how to raise their children,” said Rep. Mark Messmer (IN-08).

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt, Chairman of the House Values Action Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti upheld Tennessee’s law protecting minors from irreversible and life-altering medical treatments:

“I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s law safeguarding our most vulnerable, our children, from irreversible and unnecessary medical treatments that carry dangerous risks,” said Congressman Aderholt. “This ruling reaffirms that protecting the health and well-being of minors is not just a state’s right, but a moral imperative. We will continue to fight to ensure that states can protect children from harmful medical practices and uphold the values that define our nation.”

After the previous administration challenged the law in federal court, the Supreme Court’s ruling confirms that states have the authority to act in the best interest of children and safeguard them from high-risk and irreversible interventions. This is a victory for America’s children and parental rights. 

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Robert Aderholt introduced the DUAL (Defense United Access to Learning) Act, a bill that would allow the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) to partner with accredited colleges and universities to offer dual enrollment programs for high school students in military families, similar to what is already available to public school students in most states.

Currently, DODEA students pay out of pocket for these opportunities and must organize these arrangements, whereas high school students nationwide have access to state-funded dual enrollment programs in which the schools establish. The DUALAct would eliminate that disparity, opening the door for thousands of students living on military bases, both in the U.S. and overseas, to earn college credit while completing high school. Importantly, the bill requires no new funding; it simply authorizes DODEA to use existing Department of Defense funds for this purpose.

“Military families make tremendous sacrifices for our country, and their children deserve the same educational opportunities that are available to other students nationwide,” said Congressman Aderholt. “This bill removes an unnecessary barrier and allows DODEA to invest in the future of its students, without increasing federal spending.”

The legislation would provide equitable access to advanced academic opportunities for the approximately 12,000 high school students enrolled in DODEA schools. It is designed to enhance college readiness, remove financial barriers, and strengthen the academic competitiveness of Department of Defense dependents.

“The DUAL  Act ensures that the children of our service members are no longer placed at a disadvantage simply because of their parents’ military service,” Aderholt added. “It’s a commonsense fix that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of military families.”

The DUAL  Act is supported by leading education and military family advocacy organizations, including the Military Child Education Coalition and the National Military Family Association.

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Washington – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04), David Schweikert (AZ-01), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Troy Balderson (OH-12) announced the introduction of the bipartisan and bicameral CONNECT for Health Act, legislation that would expand telehealth access for millions of Americans on Medicare. 

“Since my days in the California State Senate, I’ve been a big believer in telehealth’s ability to save money, time, and lives,” said Rep. Thompson. “Telehealth allows patients—especially those with low mobility or who otherwise can’t make it to the doctor’s office—to access the care they need when they need it. The CONNECT for Health Act will provide Americans on Medicare with the peace of mind that telehealth will be covered by their benefits. Proud to join Representatives Matsui, Schweikert, and Balderson to introduce this bill.”        

“Digital health isn’t just a convenience, it’s a modern necessity. It’s how we make care more accessible, especially for rural and underserved communities, without blowing up the budget,” said Congressman Schweikert. “By permanently removing outdated restrictions, the CONNECT for Health Act helps Medicare keep pace with the real world. This is about using technology to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and meet patients where they are.” 

“Telehealth is a proven tool to meet patients where they are and increase access to quality care throughout our communities,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “The expansion of telehealth services has been crucial to reaching our most vulnerable patients, older Americans, and the traditionally underserved. The CONNECT for Health Act permanently removes barriers to this critical resource and keeps it accessible for Medicare beneficiaries for years to come.”

“Telehealth has become a core component for how we deliver high-quality care, especially in rural and underserved communities,” said Rep. Balderson. “The CONNECT for Health Act ensures Medicare keeps pace with modern medicine by removing outdated restrictions, expanding who can provide telehealth, and giving patients the flexibility to receive care from home. This legislation would be a big win for providers in rural Ohio, like our Federally Qualified Health Centers, who are the front line of care in many of the communities I represent.”

“Permanently extending telehealth coverage will benefit patients and physicians far and wide, ushering in a new era of patient care. Medicare coverage of telehealth offers better access to health care not just for rural and other underserved communities; it also reduces travel time and serves as a vital tool for patients to receive seamless care with their existing physicians.  We deeply appreciate Representatives Thompson, Schweikert, Balderson, and Matsui for their leadership,” said American Medical Association President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 would permanently expand access to telehealth services—ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive essential care.

• Telehealth utilization surged in 2020 when CMS waived many statutory restrictions on telehealth to ensure continued access to health care during the public health emergency.
• Recent reports find that older adults and individuals from underserved communities benefited the most from expanded telehealth access.
• Since 2021, Medicare beneficiaries’ telehealth utilization has stabilized at 15 percent, while overall health care use is level, indicating that telehealth often substitutes in-person care.
• With telehealth flexibilities set to expire in September 2025, beneficiaries will lose access to care due to statutory restrictions, including requirements that only permit beneficiaries to receive telehealth services if they are in rural areas and at certain clinical sites.
• Permanent changes to Medicare’s coverage of telehealth services are critical in order to protect access to care and fully integrate telehealth into care delivery.

The full bill text can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

In a ceremony Wednesday, Congress awarded the highest civilian honor to world-renowned American cyclist