MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The bill passed the House 220- 208, with four Democrats voting in favor.

“The right to vote in American elections should be exclusive to American citizens. Requiring people to prove citizenship when registering to vote is a simple way to ensure that’s happening across the country,” Golden said.

While noncitizens are ineligible to vote in federal elections, there is no federal law prohibiting them from voting in state or local elections. Currently, municipalities in three states and the District of Columbia allow noncitizens to vote in local elections.

The SAVE Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Critics of the billhave argued that the proof of citizenship requirement would prevent people whose names differ from those on their birth certificate from registering to vote. However, the bill contains several provisions to accommodate those whose names have changed since their birth, including accepting several different forms of identification that establish citizenship, as well as a requirement that states establish a process to allow citizens to register when there are discrepancies between an individual’s current and documented name — such as a name change after a marriage or divorce.

“Life changes like marriage should never affect someone’s eligibility to vote, so the SAVE Act requires states to have a plan for accommodating people whose current name differs from their birth name,” Golden said. “Maine’s leaders work hard to keep our elections fair and I’m confident in their ability to continue doing so.” 

The bill would require states to remove any noncitizens from their voter registration rolls. Additionally, it penalizes officials who knowingly and willfully register noncitizens to vote in the future. The SAVE Act does not change registration exemptions for Americans serving or living abroad, meaning that those citizens would still be eligible to register and vote by mail.

Golden also voted for the SAVE Act last September when it passed the 118th Congress by a bipartisan vote of 221-198.

Golden has been a champion for clean and fair elections throughout his time in Congress. He is an original cosponsor of the Let America Vote Act, which would allow independents to vote in primaries for federal office while barring noncitizens from voting in state and local elections — rules that are inconsistent across state lines. Last Congress he also introduced his Government Integrity and Anti-Corruption Plan to reduce foreign influence and dark money in campaigns.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

House-Senate ‘compromise’ contains health care cuts, lopsided tax breaks for the wealthy and trillions in new debt

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Rep. French Hill (R-AR) introduced legislation, the S Corporation Additional Participation Act or S-CAP Act, which would increase the maximum threshold for the number of shareholders an S Corporation can offer from 100 to 250. Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH) joined Rep. Hill in introducing the bill in the House, and Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

 

Rep. Hill said, “As a former community banker, I have a deep appreciation for the importance of S Corporations. They are an invaluable tool that helps workers and small businesses alike. That is why I am pleased to introduce the S-CAP Act, which will expand access to the benefits of S Corps.

“By increasing equity participation for employees in private companies, S Corps have given more and more families the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. They improve employee retention, motivation, and productivity, and they increase the ability for companies to access capital through diverse sources. S Corps also empower Americans to climb the economic ladder and build generational wealth. This bill will build on the success of S Corps by increasing the number of shareholders they can have. It is a simple change that will have a dramatic positive impact on thousands, if not millions, of hardworking Americans.”

Sen. Boozman said, “Congress has a duty to shape the tax code with pro-growth policies that spur job creation and capital investment. S Corps are an important element in that framework that also help empower employees with expanded economic opportunity through the enterprise they know and trust most. Congress has adjusted S Corps shareholder caps previously, and our bill is another simple but important tax code reform that will benefit millions of small businesses and the hardworking Americans who drive their success.”

Rep. Carey said, “S corporations are an economic cornerstone of towns across America. I am proud to partner with my friend Rep. French Hill to support this common-sense legislation, the S-CAP Act, that would raise the S corporation shareholder cap from 100 to 250. This would promote small and mid-sized businesses, allowing them to attract more investments, and ultimately create more jobs for hard-working Americans.”

Further Background:

In the United States, S Corporations (S Corps) are the most popular corporate structure. The IRS estimates that there are more than 5 million S Corps throughout the country. Congress created the S Corp structure through subchapter S of the tax code in 1958 to help shield family-owned businesses from the double taxation treatment imposed on C Corporation (“C Corp”).

When the S Corp structure was established, Congress limited the number of shareholders to 10. Given the pass-through tax treatment, shareholder limitations were designed to create parity between S Corps and C Corps. When S Corps were originally introduced, the 10-shareholder cap made sense for small, family-owned businesses.

Over time, Congress has recognized the power of S Corps to create jobs, increase wealth, and grow the economy. They also realized that the cap on the number of permitted shareholders hinders the potential of S Corps and have voted to increase the cap multiple times. Most recently, the shareholder cap was raised to 100 through the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. This expansion allowed for greater investment opportunities, but S Corps are still limited in their ability to attract capital, which restricts their ability to foster economic growth and their contribution to broader economic development.

In Arkansas’s Second District, 93,440 people (29.2% of all private sector workers) are employed at S Corporations. There are 318, 525 S Corp employees across the entire state (28.1%), and 38,533,460 nationwide (27.4%).

Other Support:

“The Subchapter S Bank Association strongly supports Chairman Hill’s legislation proposing to increase the number of shareholders eligible to hold S Corp stock. One-third of community banks in the US maintain an S election, and enactment of this legislation will be critical to meet and expand community bank capital access – allowing America’s 1500 S Corp banks to continue to serve their customers,” said Patrick J. Kennedy, Jr., President, Subchapter S Bank Association and Executive Chairman of TransPecos Banks, SSB.

“The S corporation shareholder cap is a relic from another age, particularly as it applies to employee owners. The Hill legislation would ensure that S corporations who offer ownership opportunities to their employees are not penalized by this arbitrary cap. We fully support this bill and look forward to working with Representative Hill on seeing it enacted,” said Brian Reardon, President, S Corporation Association.

“In 1949, my grandfather, Bob Nabholz embarked on a journey to build a house for himself and his wife, setting in motion the start of a construction legacy that has thrived for more than 75 years. Today we have 16 offices in seven states and employ more than 1,700 professionals with an expected 2025 revenue of over $1.8 billion. In 1976, Bob saw the value in offering ownership to key employees and invited the first group of team members to become shareholders. He felt it was important to give employees an opportunity to shape the future of our company and have a personal stake in our long-term success. That tradition continues to this day. Employee ownership has been a cornerstone of our company’s success for nearly 50 years. We are very proud of our employee owners and the impact they have on our company and the communities we live in. The proposed increase in the S Corp shareholder cap will give us the ability to offer many more well-deserving employees the opportunity to become owners of Nabholz Construction. We are grateful to Senator Boozman and Congressman Hill for sponsoring this legislation which will help reward and retain top talent, ensuring the long-term growth and success of our company. We respectfully encourage Congress to pass this legislation,” said Jake

Nabholz, Chief Executive Officer, Nabholz Construction Corporation.

This bill is also endorsed by the American Council of Engineering Companies.

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

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), along with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025, legislation to permanently reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission in the Puget Sound, and fund it at $10 million each fiscal year for the next six years, through Fiscal Year 2031. Joining Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, and Rep. Larsen in introducing the legislation today was U.S. Representative Emily Randall (D, WA-06).

The Northwest Straits Commission is a community-led effort to restore marine habitats in the Northwest Straits region and address local threats to marine environments with projects such as restoring shellfish populations, protecting vulnerable ecosystems, and promoting growth for native water and shore-based plants. The Northwest Straits Commission provides funding, training, and support to seven county-based Marine Resources Committees (MRCs) and 15 Tribes. The Commission advises local officials on how to best carry out environmental projects and provides expertise to community organizations to help them be partners in their work by, for example, training volunteers to identify forage fish spawning sites.

“The Northwest Straits Commission has an impressive track record of community-led, well-executed projects that protect Washington state’s environment,” said Rep. Larsen, the lead Democrat on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “I am proud to support the Commission as it brings together a diverse group of local, state, tribal and federal stakeholders to restore marine habitats and create good jobs in Northwest Washington. I look forward to working with Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell and Rep. Randall to pass this bill to reauthorize the Commission so it can continue its important work for decades to come.”

“Ensuring our rich marine resources in the Northwest Straits stay healthy is critical not only for local communities and Tribes, but also for our economy in Washington state. That’s why I first established the Northwest Straits Commission in a bipartisan way back in 1998, and fight to secure funding for it every single year,” said Senator Murray. “The Commission remains a model for how successful investments in community-led restoration projects can be, and how vital they are for restoration work that help our marine habitats recover and thrive. I am excited to continue leading the charge to permanently authorize the Northwest Straits Commission with this legislation, which would also provide a strong and consistent funding stream for the Commission over the next decade—making sure partners on the ground can expand their efforts to protect our marine species and habitats and support our outdoor recreation economy. I’ll continue fighting every way I can to secure the federal funding necessary to protect our natural resources for generations to come.”

“The Northwest Straits bill is critical to supporting our robust coastal economy and fishing jobs, while preserving Washington’s coastal environment for generations to come,” Senator Cantwell said. “This legislation ensures we continue to support the health and sustainability of our diverse marine resources.”

“From abalone beds and oysters, to the rugged coastline that stretches for hundreds of miles, folks from Washington’s 6th District know there’s no place quite like home. The Northwest Straits Commission has been a lifeline for our communities, providing critical resources like the Marine Resources Committees in Jefferson and Clallam counties, and working alongside Tribes all across the state,” said Rep. Randall. “Their collaborative efforts to restore and protect our marine habitats are a testament to what makes this place so special. I’m proud to co-lead this legislation to reauthorize and continue the Commission’s important work so we can continue working together to safeguard the precious marine resources that make our community and our state one-of-a-kind.”

The Northwest Straits Commission is supported by a wide range of stakeholders, including state and federal agencies, elected leaders, and Tribal partners throughout the Puget Sound Region. More information about this bill is available here. The text of the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025 is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a bill that ensures only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections by requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. 

“The right to vote was always intended to be reserved for United States citizens. Allowing non-citizens that right would undermine the very principles upon which our nation was founded and diminish the value of votes cast by actual American citizens,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “For years, blue states have exploited weak laws, creating loopholes that put our elections at risk. The SAVE Act is a commonsense solution that closes these gaps and ensures that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections, restoring trust and integrity to the process. I am pleased to see the House take this important step towards protecting the sanctity of our elections and the will of the American people.” 

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act reinforces election security by:

• Requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, whether at the DMV, a government office, or by mail.
• Ensuring voter rolls are accurate by mandating that states remove non-citizens from their databases.
• Holding election officials accountable by allowing private citizens to sue if officials register voters without proper proof of citizenship.
• Providing states access to federal databases at no cost to verify citizenship status.
• Creating a process for legitimate voters who lack standard documentation, ensuring no eligible citizen is wrongly turned away.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement after the House passed the Senate Amendment to the budget resolution. Passage of this amendment is a critical step in the reconciliation process and moves us one step closer to a balanced budget.

“Runaway spending has driven inflation and pushed costs higher across the board. This budget resolution takes an important step toward reversing that damage, bringing down energy costs, stopping a devastating tax increase, and putting us back on the path to a balanced budget without cuts to Medicare or Social Security,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “Hardworking Americans deserve policies that lower prices and strengthen our economy, not more reckless government spending. I look forward to the next steps in this process to build on this progress and deliver real relief.”

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 22, the SAVE Act. Congressman Riley M. Moore voted “Yes” on the legislation, which requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote and requires states to remove non-citizens currently on their voter rolls.  

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Only American citizens should be voting in American elections. It’s insane that this is even a question we have to vote on. This commonsense legislation will secure our elections by ensuring the millions of illegal aliens who came here under Joe Biden cannot cancel out the vote of American citizens.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed an amended version of the House budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2025, which first passed the House in February of this year.

Now that Congress has officially passed a budget, committees will begin the work of drafting the President’s signature legislative package, which they hope to pass via the reconciliation process.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Today’s budget resolution gets us one step closer to delivering on President Trump’s America First Agenda. I’m proud to have supported this bill, which will bolster defense, send needed resources to the border, unleash American energy, and supercharge our economy — all while not touching benefits for those legally eligible to receive them.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)

Washington, DC — Today Representatives Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the IRA Charitable Rollover Facilitation and Enhancement Act to amend a restriction in the tax code preventing donors from making Qualified Charitable Distributions to donor-advised funds (DAFs). Current law prohibits individuals from using an IRA Charitable Rollover to contribute to a DAF. DAFs allow individuals and families to designate funds for charitable giving upfront and allocate the funds to their preferred charities over a number of years.

The congressmen released the following statements:

“This bill provides seniors with greater flexibility to direct their charitable giving to support the causes they believe in,” said Rep. Smith. “This in turn opens the door to empower more American charities to do more good for our communities. I thank Rep. Panetta for joining me to introduce this bipartisan legislation.”

“Older Americans can’t use their IRA Charitable Rollovers to give through donor-advised funds,” said Rep. Panetta.  “Our bipartisan bill would fix that by allowing these rollovers to go into DAFs, giving donors the flexibility to give smarter and support a broader range of causes.  This commonsense change empowers generosity, strengthens local communities, and reflects how people actually want to give.”

Additional cosponsors of the legislation include Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Don Beyer (D-VA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), and Kevin Hern (R-OK).

Read text of the bill here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif)