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House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Meeks Statement on Senate Passage of His Iran War Powers Resolution

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued a statement following the Senate’s approval of his War Powers Resolution which passed the House of Representatives earlier this month. The Senate passed the Resolution 50-48.

Having passed both chambers as a Concurrent Resolution, this measure does not go to the president’s desk for signature. Under the War Powers Resolution, however, it is binding on the president and directs him to cease hostilities against Iran.

“With the Senate passage of my Iran War Powers Resolution, both chambers have now made clear that the president cannot continue this war of choice and must cease all hostilities against Iran. Regardless of what President Trump says, this measure is binding under the War Powers Resolution, and I will explore all legal avenues to ensure the Executive complies with the will of Congress. Congress never authorized this failed war, and the president certainly has no authority to continue it indefinitely without our consent as the Constitution demands. 

“I thank my Democratic colleagues and the Republicans who joined us across party lines for saying enough is enough. After months of war, billions of taxpayer dollars spent, and 14 dead U.S. service members, Trump’s illegal war hasn’t achieved a single core U.S. objective with respect to Iran. If anything, it has empowered and emboldened the Iranian regime while Americans suffer from rising costs at home. Even if the administration succeeds in reaching a new nuclear agreement, by their own description, it appears to at best fall short of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that Trump tore up in the first place. This war should have never happened; it has made clear the limits of U.S. military intervention and the need for thoughtful, hard diplomacy.” 
 

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Rep. Huffman Votes to Pass Bipartisan Affordable Housing Package, Bill to Become Law Today

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

Landmark Legislation Aims to Lower Costs and Expand Housing Access

June 24, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Rep. Jared Huffman voted to pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a landmark package of housing reforms aimed at lowering costs, increasing housing supply, and helping more Americans achieve homeownership. It is slated to be signed into law later today. The bipartisan legislation represents the most significant federal effort to address housing affordability in more than thirty years.

“Housing is a basic necessity, not a commodity for Wall Street investors to monopolize. But the dream of finding an affordable place to live has slipped further out of reach for too many families in California and across the country. This bipartisan legislation takes meaningful steps to increase housing supply, modernize federal housing programs, and ensure everyday homebuyers are not forced to compete against massive corporate investors,” said Rep. Huffman. “While there is still more work to do, this legislation is an important step toward making housing more attainable and accessible for everyone.”

Key Provisions of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act

  • Authorizes pilot programs and grants opportunities to support home improvements, housing development, and local planning efforts.

  • Expands funding opportunities to support local infrastructure, convert underutilized and abandoned properties into housing, finance home repairs, and increase the development of manufactured and modular housing.

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Congressman Cohen Announces $1.1 Million in NIH Grants to St. Jude

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive three grants from the National Cancer Institute totaling $1,172,297.

The first, for $475,681, is for research exploring CLK2 as a novel therapeutic target in rhabdomyosarcoma under the direction of Dr. Jun Yang. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma (cancers that originate in the bones and soft tissues) in children and young adults. CLK2 is an enzyme that plays a key role in the regulation of mRNA production, and this enzyme is one of the most highly expressed in rhabdomyosarcoma relative to healthy tissue. The goal of this project is to develop novel therapeutics targeting the CLK2 protein as a therapeutic target in rhabdomyosarcoma. The second, for $647,502, is for research into transcriptional overload unlocking a new anti-cancer paradigm by targeting DDX19A under the direction of Dr. Lillian Guenther. The DDX19A gene encodes an enzyme which binds mRNA, and assists its export from the nucleus, and plays a critical role in ensuring the quality of mRNA, which is important for proper protein production. In cancer, it has been implicated in cell metastasis, particularly in ovarian and cervical carcinomas. Dr. Guenther’s group is not only working to better understand the function of this enzyme, but also working to develop new drugs to disrupt its activity in cancerous cells. The third, for $49,114, is a national research service award for work determining how cell state evades standard of care chemotherapy and drives tumor recurrence under the direction of PhD student Samantha Turk.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“The funding announced today will go a long way in improving our understanding and treatment of cancer. I congratulate Drs. Yang and Guenther and PhD Ms. Turk for their dedication to the science of saving lives.”

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Pressley Issues Call to Action on Fourth Anniversary of Devasting Supreme Court Dobbs Decision, Engages & Uplifts Families Harmed by Republicans Denial of Life-Saving Abortion Care

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

At 10:30AM, Pressley To Lead Press Conference with House Democratic Leadership, Reaffirm Need for Action & Commitment to Abortion Justice

“What binds us together today and every day is a steadfast commitment to our shared humanity. A belief that every person should get the medical care they need.”

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, marks the somber fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision through engaging with and uplifting families harmed by Republicans’ denial of life-saving abortion care.

Congresswoman Pressley joined impacted individuals and abortion storytellers last night to initiate a powerful day of action, offering a message of resilient community support and a commitment to ensure abortion care is treated as the fundamental human right it is. A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks at the event is available below and the video is available here.

This morning at 10:30AM, Rep. Pressley will lead a press conference with House Democratic Leadership to mark the anniversary and renew her calls for comprehensive legislation to protect abortion and expand access to reproductive healthcare.

Transcript: Pressley Issues Call to Action on Fourth Anniversary of Devasting Supreme Court Dobbs Decision, Engages & Uplifts Families Harmed by Republicans Denial of Life-Saving Abortion Care

Free & Just Abortion Storytellers Event

June 23, 2026

Thank you all for being here. Thank you for taking time away from your lives, from your families, to come to Washington and to share your stories.

Stories can change the world. I know that to be true.

When we are denied our basic rights and dignity, those in power may be dismissive of facts and victims, but stories cut through.

Stories demand that we make eye contact, that we be fully present, and we sit in the moment. That we do not look away.

Now, for some of you here, the testimonies remind us of our self-agency, of our autonomy, and our empowerment, but for others, you’ll be sharing stories of raw grief, and trauma, and open wounds.

What binds us together today and every day is a steadfast commitment to our shared humanity. A belief that every person should get the medical care they need.

Now, I’m dating myself when I share this, this next line, but that’s okay, because I’m 52 and I’m holding. Thank you.

But I was two years old when the Hyde amendment was first adopted, a few short years after the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision. An attempt by a man to deny Black women and low-income women their fundamental right to care.

So it’s not abstraction, and I’m not being dramatic when I say that this modern day struggle for abortion justice quite literally spans my lifetime.

And in this moment I’m reminded that we are standing on the shoulders of s-heroes and giants.

I’m thinking of—they haven’t been reported in history, but their impact is undeniable and indelible—the sisters and the aunties who found a way, time and again, to give the loved ones the healthcare they needed.

I’m thinking of the doulas who provide compassionate care during a pregnancy release.

I’m thinking of the mutual aid neighbors extended to those traveling miles away from home to get care.

I’m thinking of the lawyers and the doctors who wielded the privilege of their professions to fight for our most basic human rights.

I’m thinking of the surviving family members robbed of a loved one, denied care, who press forward in their name.

I’m thinking of every abortion story, including from my own mother, passed down from mothers to daughters to grandmothers to best friends.

Our road map for survival and bodily autonomy stretches across the generations.

Abortion care is healthcare and a fundamental human right.

Together we’re organizing for true justice and liberation. For an America where every person gets the care they seek. Where abortion care is compassionate, is accessible, and essential.

You all came to Washington to do a brave thing, to do a powerful thing, to do a loving thing, to do a necessary thing—to share your stories.

So let me tell you, if no one has ever said it to you before, I am so very sorry that you have no choice but to bear your souls in order to compel action from your government.

But I am so deeply grateful for your willingness to do so. I’m grateful to inform you your stories are powerful, your experiences matter, and you deserve to be heard.

Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

I think there might be a greater one. To share that story when you feel like you’re screaming into a void and no one’s listening.

But I want you to know I’m listening, and I’m learning, and I’ll keep listening, and we’ll keep fighting until everyone is free.

In her time serving in Congress, Rep. Pressley has fought persistently to protect and advance reproductive justice and ensure fundamental life-saving reproductive health care for all.

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Frankel, Kamlager-Dove Introduce Esther Coopersmith Award Act to Honor Champions of Women, Peace, and Security

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Today, Representatives Lois Frankel (FL-22), co-chair of the Women, Peace, and Security Caucus, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-27) introduced the Esther Coopersmith Award Act, legislation to create a State Department award honoring public servants who advance Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) around the world.

Named for Esther Coopersmith — a trailblazing diplomat, philanthropist, and lifelong champion of women’s leadership — the award would recognize members of the Civil and Foreign Service whose work strengthens peace, security, and stability by elevating the role of women in preventing conflict, resolving crises, and rebuilding communities.

“Women are the backbone of families and communities — and when they have a voice in decisions about peace and security, the world is safer and stronger,” said Rep. Frankel, “Esther Coopersmith spent her life bringing people together and opening doors for women leaders. This award honors her remarkable legacy and the dedicated diplomats and public servants carrying that mission forward.”

“Throughout her remarkable career as a diplomat, host, and philanthropist, Esther Coopersmith not only blazed a trail for herself, but brought countless other women to the table too,” said Rep. Kamlager-Dove. “At a time when world leaders too often choose force over diplomacy, Esther’s legacy reminds us of the importance of human connection and the inclusion of women when tackling global issues. I’m proud to co-lead this legislation that both honors Esther’s life’s work and reaffirms the U.S.’s commitment to Women, Peace, and Security.”

Esther Coopersmith dedicated more than 70 years to diplomacy, public service, and building bridges across cultures and communities. She served on the U.S. delegation to the United Nations (UN) under President Jimmy Carter, was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as an advisor to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, became only the second woman to receive the UN Peace Medal, and was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Known for bringing people together across political and international divides, Mrs. Coopersmith regularly convened women leaders, Members of Congress, diplomats, and advocates to promote cooperation, peace, and opportunity.

The Esther Coopersmith Award Act builds on bipartisan efforts to recognize the important role women play in creating lasting peace and advancing U.S. security interests.

Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

For full text of the bill, click here.

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NEWS: Essential Pressley Bills Pass Congress in Most Robust Housing Package in Decades

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

Pressley-Led Bills Would Address Bias in Home Appraisals, Expand Affordable Housing, Strengthen Oversight of Corporate Landlords, and Help Families Reach Financial Stability

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), a member of the House Financial Services Committee, issued a statement upon Congress’s passage of her four bills to address the housing crisis and increase pathways to equitable and affordable housing. The robust package passed by the House of Representatives today includes her legislation to address bias in home valuations, expand affordable housing, strengthen oversight of corporate landlords, and help families reach financial stability.

“I’m proud that Congress has passed my bills to confront racial bias in home appraisals, protect renters from abusive corporate landlords, expand access to affordable housing, and help families build long-term financial stability,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “Housing is a human right, and these bills move us closer to a more just America where everyone has a safe, healthy, and affordable home.”

Rep. Pressley’s bills in the Congress-passed housing package include:

  • The Appraisal Modernization Act. This bill would promote equity and combat systemic bias in the home appraisal process that has disadvantaged many current and aspiring homeowners—especially homeowners of color. 
  • The Innovation Fund Act. This bill would establish a grant program to reward communities that are taking innovative steps to increase housing supply.
  • The Renter Resource Center Act. This bill would protect renters and strengthen oversight of corporations by creating a database of institutional investors that buy single-family homes, requiring HUD to provide resources to renters, and more.
  • Helping More Families Save Act.This bill would help families receiving federal housing assistance achieve financial independence as a pathway to wealth building by modernizing and expanding HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program.

In January 2026, Rep. Pressley, alongside Congresswomen Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05) held the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ (CPC) Lowering Costs Taskforce’s first shadow hearing, titled “Building the New American Dream: Lowering Housing Costs for All.” The shadow hearing brought together housing experts and CPC Members to advance solutions to lower costs by building more affordable, public, and market-rate housing; cracking down on corporate and landlord greed; and expanding federal assistance for low-income families.

As a Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance of the House Financial Services Committee (FSC), Rep. Pressley has consistently advocated for policies that affirm housing as a human right and center the dignity and humanity of all people.

  • In May 2026, during Fair Housing and Second Chance Month, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) reintroduced the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act of 2026, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing. The bill would advance housing justice and help disrupt the prison-to-homelessness pipeline by removing unjust barriers to housing and limit tenant screening criteria for criminal records in background checks.
  • In April 2026, Rep. Pressley along with Rep. DeLauro and Rep. Gomez, founder and co-chair of Congressional Renters Caucus, introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act to protect tenants facing illegal evictions, crack down on credit reporting of evictions, and more.
  • In March 2026, Rep. Pressley joined Financial Services Committee Democrats in a comment letter condemning HUD’s proposed mixed-status families rule, which would increase evictions, separate families, and increase homelessness across the country.
  • In December 2025, Rep. Pressley convened local advocates and community partners to sound the alarm on the housing crisis created by Donald Trump.
  • In December 2025, Rep. Pressley underscored the need to support grandfamily and kinship households, which are vital to preventing homelessness and keeping families and communities whole.
  • In November 2025, Rep. Pressley joined House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (CA-35) and 52 colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, calling on him to rescind a recent HUD decision to slash essential Continuum of Care (CoC) program funding. 
  • In November 2025, Rep. Pressley introduced the Appraisal Modernization Act, legislation to promote equity and combat systemic bias in the home appraisal process that has disadvantaged many current and aspiring homeowners—especially homeowners of color.
  • In May 2025, Rep, Pressley, along with Representatives Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), and Greg Casar (TX-35), reintroduced the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act, legislation to protect the power of tenants, including those with federal vouchers, to organize.
  • In June 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Maxine Waters (CA-43) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), re-introduced the Tenant Empowerment Act, bold legislation to strengthen HUD tenant protections and provide renters with the tools necessary to improve the quality of their homes.
  • In March 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Mayor Wu, visited Roxbury to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal funding she secured to provide emergency childcare support for families experiencing homelessness in the City of Boston.
  • In March 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Senators Warren and Markey, applauded the final passage of $850,000 in federal community project funding for The Pryde, an affordable housing development for LGBTQ+ seniors in Hyde Park.
  • In March 2024, Rep. Pressley urged Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates to boost home affordability and construction of affordable housing.
  • In January 2024, Rep. Pressley, during a House Financial Services Committee Hearing, highlighted the growing housing crisis and how appraisal bias and discriminatory tenant screening practices exacerbate the racial wealth and homeownership gaps, especially for Black communities.
  • In January 2024, Rep. Pressley celebrated the $2.4 million in federal funding she secured to support the community-led transformation of the Clarendon Hill housing community, an ethnically, linguistically and economically diverse neighborhood in Somerville.
  • In December 2023, Rep. Pressley requested the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide data on housing needs for Medicaid beneficiaries and feedback on challenges the agency is having in covering housing support for people requiring home and community-based services (HCBS).
  • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), reintroduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, critical legislation to provide much-needed assistance to those facing eviction amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • In September 2021, Rep. Pressley joined Rep. Bush and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in introducing the Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 to enact an urgently needed nationwide eviction moratorium. 
  • On July 2021, ahead of the expiration of the previous CDC eviction moratorium, Reps. Pressley, Bush, Gomez and their progressive colleagues sent a letter renewing their calls for President Biden and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to extend the federal eviction moratorium and prevent the historic and deadly wave of evictions that would occur if the government failed to do so. 
  • On July 30, 2021, Rep. Pressley joined House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) in introducing the Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021, legislation to extend the eviction moratorium through the end of the year. 
  • In June 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Reps. Gomez and Bush, led over 40 of their colleagues on a letter urging President Biden and CDC Director Walensky to extend and strengthen the moratorium for the duration of the public health crisis. 
  • In June 2021, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), re-introduced the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, a bill to institute a nationwide cancellation of rents and home mortgage payments through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • On May 18, 2021, Reps. Bush and Pressley sent a letter to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calling on the CDC to strengthen and extend the federal moratorium on evictions, ensuring families can remain safely in their homes for the duration of the COVID-19 global health emergency.
  • On July 28, 2020, Rep. Pressley, Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Harris introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act to provide much-needed, layered assistance to those facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • On July 24, 2020, in a Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed the unprecedented financial cliff facing millions of renters and homeowners, the economic consequences of millions losing their homes, including the ability to return to work, and why funding for legal representation is so critical.
  • On May 11, 2020, Reps. Tlaib, and Joe Neguse (D-CO) urge House and Senate leadership to include $11.5 billion in funding for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) in the next relief package to aid the nation’s homeless population who are experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • On April 10, 2020, Rep. Pressley urged Congressional leadership to prioritize recurring monthly cash payments to those most at-risk during the COVID-19 crisis. This funding would allow people to cover all their bills, including rent.
  • On April 17, 2020, Reps. Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and colleagues introduce the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, a bill to institute a nationwide cancellation of rents and home mortgage payments through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • On March 23, 2020, Reps. Pressley and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced the Public Health Emergency Shelter Act of 2020, legislation to provide critical funding to states and local governments responding to the needs of families and individuals experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis. This legislation was included and passed through the HEROES Act and H.R. 7301, the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020.
  • On March 19, 2020, Rep. Pressley, along with progressive lawmakers and organizations, introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act to authorize more than $200 billion in federal spending over 10 years for crucial housing infrastructure and reduce homelessness.
  • On March 18, 2020, Reps. Pressley, Katie Porter (D-CA) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) wrote to HUD calling for a moratorium on evicting renters during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • In July 2019, Rep. Pressley announced legislation that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
  • In November 2019, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Tlaib wrote to HUD blasting the agency for ignoring low-income tenants seeking to save their homes.

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House of Representatives Passes Historic Housing Package, Sending Legislation to President’s Desk

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes numerous bills introduced by Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the House of Representatives passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. The historic housing package includes numerous bills introduced and supported by Housing & Insurance Subcommittee Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), including proposals to modernize the HOME and Rural Housing Service programs, expand development of manufactured housing, and incentivize the creation of affordable housing in communities nationwide. The legislation will now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“The cost of housing is the number one concern of American families. The historic housing package passed today is the culmination of years of bipartisan work to cut unnecessary red tape, modernize federal housing programs, and address our national housing affordability crisis,” said Ranking Member Cleaver. “Chairman Hill, Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Flood, and I have worked tirelessly to bridge partisan divides and forge bipartisan solutions that will lower housing costs and revitalize the American dream for hardworking families in Missouri and all across this great nation. I’m extremely proud of the overwhelming support this legislation was able to garner in a deeply divided Congress, and I am hopeful it will serve as a blueprint for lawmakers seeking to address other challenges facing the American people.” 

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes numerous provisions sponsored by Ranking Member Cleaver, including:

  • Innovation Fund: The innovation fund is a section first proposed in the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). This section authorizes a seven-year $200 million annual competitive grant program for jurisdictions pursuing innovative policies, interventions, or programs for increasing housing supply. 
  • HOME Reform Act: Introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Chairman Flood (R-NE), the legislation is the most significant reform to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program since authorization in 1990. The legislation includes provisions introduced by Representative Joyce Beatty (D-OH) and would modernize and update the federal government’s largest block grant program dedicated exclusively to creating and preserving affordable housing for low-income households. 
  • Rural Housing Service Program Improvements: The legislation includes sections of the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Representative Zach Nunn (R-IA), representing the most significant US Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service reforms in decades. The included sections would allow for greater use of the Rural Housing Service Section 504 Home Repair Program, ensure continued rental assistance for tenants in properties with expiring protections, and make it easier for nonprofits to buy and preserve housing.
  • Choice in Affordable Housing Act: The legislation includes sections of the Choice in Affordable Housing Act, introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY), representing a major reform to HUD’s Section 8 program. The included sections would streamline inspections, increase access to housing for voucher holders, and encourage private landlord participation. 
  • Manufactured Housing Innovations: The legislation includes the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Cleaver and Rep. Rose (R-TN), which would update the federal definition of manufactured housing and allow for more efficient and cost-effective designs.
  • HUD Accountability Act: Introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Rep. Lawler (R-NY), the HUD Accountability Act requires the Secretary of HUD to testify on an annual basis before Congress.

Official text of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is available here.

A one-pager on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is available here.

A section-by-section of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is available here.

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

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Congressman Krishnamoorthi Questions Witnesses on Dangerous Failures of the Trump Administration's "MAHA" Agenda

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

The Congressman highlighted the consequences of public health cuts, the failure to address toxic heavy metals in baby food, and the weakening of efforts to combat youth vaping

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today questioned witnesses during a Democratic shadow hearing titled “Abandoning Americans to Disease: The Trump Administration’s Reckless Crusade Is Harming America’s Health,” examining how public health cuts, vaccine misinformation, failures to address toxic heavy metals in baby food, and weakened anti-vaping efforts have undermined the Trump Administration’s promise to “Make America Healthy Again.”

Questioning former CDC official Dr. Daniel Jernigan, Krishnamoorthi highlighted the consequences of weakening public health infrastructure and undermining confidence in vaccines amid outbreaks of New World Screwworm and whooping cough.

“And now declining vaccination rates have helped fuel the nation’s largest whooping cough outbreak in over a decade. In fact, just last year there were more than 28,000 confirmed cases of whooping cough, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals. That’s not making America healthier again, right? So, whether it’s Screwworm, measles, whooping cough, or other public health crises, the lesson is the same: when we weaken our nation’s public health systems, we are making Americans hurt again. That’s the new MAHA—not making them healthier.”

Krishnamoorthi also pressed witnesses on the Administration’s failure to establish enforceable limits for toxic heavy metals in baby food despite repeated promises from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address the issue. During the hearing, Krishnamoorthi highlighted his bipartisan, bicameral Baby Food Safety Act, legislation that would establish enforceable limits for toxic heavy metals in baby food and strengthen testing requirements.

“This is exactly why I introduced, on a bicameral basis, the Baby Food Safety Act, which would establish enforceable limits for toxic heavy metals in baby food and strengthen the testing requirements for those metals. If Secretary Kennedy is serious about stopping what he calls the ‘mass poisoning’ of American children, he will actually implement regulations with regard to toxic heavy metals in food and endorse this particular piece of legislation.”

Turning to youth vaping, Krishnamoorthi questioned witnesses about reports that the CDC office responsible for monitoring youth vaping was largely dismantled while the FDA has begun authorizing flavored vaping products. He also questioned witnesses about reports that the President’s PAC received a $5 million donation from Reynolds shortly after the Administration moved to deregulate flavored vaping products.

“Flavored vapes hook young people. Plain and simple. With most teens reporting that their first vaping experience was with a flavored product. And guess what? Just one week after the Administration moved to deregulate flavored vaping products, public reports showed that the President’s PAC received a $5 million donation from Reynolds, a company that profits from selling the very vapes that hook children.”

Video of Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s questioning is available here.

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Velázquez-Backed Cooperative Housing and Public Housing Oversight Provisions Headed to President's Desk in Landmark Housing Bill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

WASHINGTON — Today, the House of Representatives voted on final passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, sending the most significant federal housing legislation in a generation to the President’s desk. The final bill includes provisions authored by Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) to expand access to affordable housing through cooperative ownership models and tighten congressional oversight of public housing authorities operating under federal monitorship.
 
Velázquez’s provision explicitly authorizes housing cooperatives as eligible participants in federal housing programs, fixing vague statutory language that had left co-ops at risk of being excluded from programs they qualify for.
 
“Cooperative housing remains one of the best tools we have to increase affordability and ensure working families can stay in their neighborhoods,” said Velázquez. “In a city like New York, where rising costs are pushing families out, resident-owned cooperatives offer stability and a buffer against rent hikes. This bill will ensure cooperatives play a prominent role in our national affordable housing strategy.”
 
Cooperative housing supports more than 1.5 million families across the country and is a cornerstone of affordable homeownership in New York City.
 
Velázquez also secured oversight and transparency requirements aimed at public housing authorities operating under a federal monitor or receiver. The provision was developed in response to persistent maintenance failures at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the court-appointed federal monitor’s limited engagement with New York’s congressional delegation. Under the new requirements, monitors and receivers must deliver annual reports and testimony to Congress. Velázquez’s language will strengthen congressional oversight and help the federal government direct resources where they are needed most.
 
“For years, NYCHA residents have lived with conditions no family should have to tolerate, while the court-ordered federal monitor operated with little input from the representatives who serve those communities,” said Velázquez. “This law changes that. Requiring monitors and receivers to report and testify before Congress means we can better equip NYCHA and struggling housing authorities nationwide to make repairs and improve residents’ lives.”
 

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Smith on House Floor: Bill to Expedite Wildfire Disaster Assistance Heads to President’s Desk

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

Nebraskans are resilient, but they shouldn’t have to navigate unnecessary red tape while recovering from disaster.

Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03) took to the House Floor to celebrate the House passage of the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act (S.629)and it being sent to President Trump’s desk. 

As Nebraska’s agriculture producers work to rebuild following this year’s devastating wildfires, this legislation would help expedite access to critical federal disaster assistance when it is needed most. With Smith’s support, the bill is led by Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05). 

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Following is a transcript of Smith’s remarks as prepared for delivery: 

M. Speaker, 

I rise today to celebrate the House passage of the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act and to thank Congresswoman Letlow and Senator Fischer for their leadership in sending this important legislation to the president’s desk. 

Wildfires have wreaked havoc across Nebraska’s Third District, with more than 860,000 acres burned this year alone. Now more than ever, Nebraskans deserve relief, not additional burdens. 

I was proud to cosponsor this commonsense piece of legislation, which will ensure that the Emergency Conservation Program eligibility can be triggered faster in response to a natural disaster—like the wildfires in my district—and provide much-needed flexibility for producers as they begin to rebuild. 

Nebraskans are resilient, but they shouldn’t have to navigate unnecessary red tape while recovering from disaster.   
  
Today, with the final passage of this bill we took a meaningful step towards providing producers with the timely support they need to rebuild, restore, and recover. I look forward to seeing President Trump sign it into law.