MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led 16 of their colleagues in introducing the Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act, which will provide $1 billion over four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants to address the significant backlog of facility needs at federally impacted schools. In addition to Representative Garamendi, the bill was co-sponsored by Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23). This legislation was first introduced in the Senate by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

The federal Impact Aid program offers federal support for public school districts where federal activity has reduced the available tax base. This is because federally impacted school districts have significantly less tax revenue and bonding capacity to meet their needs. Currently, Impact Aid supports over 1,100 school districts, totaling more than 10 million students.

“This bill addresses long-overdue repair needs to ensure equitable access to quality education and safe learning environments for students across the country,” said Rep. Garamendi. “I am grateful to Senator Hirono for introducing this legislation in the Senate and for fighting for safe environments for teachers and students,” said Garamendi. “Every child should have the opportunity to learn and excel in a safe environment. This legislation brings us closer to realizing that goal.”

“Every child deserves to receive a quality education in a safe, suitable learning environment,” said Senator Hirono. “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would provide critical funding for over 1,000 school districts across the country to address their significant backlogs of construction, repair, and maintenance needs. Impact Aid is one of many critical programs administered by the Department of Education and this bill would strengthen this program to help ensure that federally impacted school districts have the funding they need to support millions of students as they learn and grow in our public schools.”

“In California’s 23rd District, many of our schools serve military families and are located near federal lands that do not pay local tax and therefore reduce local tax revenues,” said Rep. Obernolte. “These schools face serious infrastructure challenges—from outdated buildings to limited capacity for critical upgrades. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a vital step forward. It provides the resources and federal-local collaboration our schools need to modernize their facilities and create safe, effective learning environments for every student. I’m proud to help lead this legislation because it delivers real support to our communities and honors our commitment to military families and rural schools alike.”

“The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a crucial investment in the future of federally impacted school districts,” said Nicole Russell, Executive Director, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). “Too many schools serving military-connected children, Native American students, and others affected by federal property face deteriorating facilities that undermine student achievement and make it difficult to recruit and retain teachers–and they lack the tax base to overcome these challenges due to the presence of nontaxable federal property. By addressing the extensive backlog of infrastructure needs, this legislation is an important step in leveling the playing field and ensuring every student has access to a safe, modern learning environment that supports their success.”

“2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the Impact Aid law, which recognized the Federal Government’s obligation to replace lost tax revenue in school districts with a federal presence by providing operational and minimal construction funding,” said Brent Gish, Executive Director, National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA). “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would provide crucial funding to districts serving students residing on Indian land and those in military and federal property areas. These districts have very limited and sometimes no bonding capacity to construct new or renovate existing facilities and teacher housing. The growing backlog of need now exceeds $4 billion. It is our strong belief that in America, all children deserve a high-quality education in a safe and modern facility that supports innovative, culturally rich teaching. Quality facilities coupled with research-based instruction yields positive learning outcomes!”

“Schools around the country that receive Federal Impact Aid have a distinct disadvantage when it comes to raising funds for school construction,” said Kyle Fairbairn, Executive Director, Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA). “In a majority of states, the only way to build a school or do an extensive remodel is by passing a local bond issue supported by property taxes. In Impact Aid districts, these funds become the responsibility of local taxpayers because the federal government does not pay taxes on land it owns. This makes passing a bond issue very difficult, as it places a tremendous burden on taxpayers who do pay property taxes. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a way to have the federal government help fund local schools, benefiting all taxpayers within an LEA.”  

The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would ensure that federally impacted school districts have the resources needed to provide every student with a quality education and safe learning environment by authorizing $250 million annually for four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants. Of this funding, 25% would be allocated through formula funding to all eligible school districts. The Department of Education would distribute the remaining 75% as competitive grants, prioritizing school districts with urgent facility needs.

The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is endorsed by National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS); National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA); Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA); and Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC).  

In the Senate, this legislation was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

In the House, it was cosponsored by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Don Davis (D-NC-1), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), and Emily Randall (D-WA-06).  

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)

The Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act directs the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and designate a restored segment of the Kissimmee River as a Recreational River

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Dr. Arthur Herman, a senior fellow and director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative at Hudson Institute, penned an op-ed in National Review highlighting how AUKUS — the security pact between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia — provides a strategic advantage against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), both at sea and in the high-tech realm. 

National Review

The U.S. Has a Game Changer in the Struggle for High-Tech Supremacy

Congressman Michael McCaul and Dr. Arthur Herman 

April 3, 2025 

In the great-power competition with the United States’ adversaries, none is more formidable than the Chinese Communist Party.

Emboldened by four years of appeasement policies, the CCP is on the march — escalating its military activities, conducting aggressive drills around Taiwan, and increasing its belligerence in the South China Sea.

The tension in the Indo-Pacific is nearing a breaking point. Given China’s unholy alliance with Russia, Iran, and North Korea — and America’s friendship with Taiwan and defense treaty with the Philippines — any surge of CCP aggression in the region could catapult the world into a snowballing conflict.

There is one key to avoiding this World War III scenario: deterrence. And as the future of warfare rapidly develops, high-tech supremacy will be the decisive key. That’s why — as President Trump has said — China’s recent DeepSeek challenge to American AI leadership serves as a wake-up call. We must commit greater focus and resources to high-tech supremacy — not only in AI, but in a range of technologies that will define military deterrence in peacetime and determine victory in a time of war.

[…]

Instead of peace through strength, the Biden presidency brought instability and conflict through weakness. But in the midst of its abysmal foreign policy record was one bright spot: a security pact established in 2021 between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, to work together on a cluster of advanced technologies. 

AUKUS will change the game when it comes to countering the generational threat posed by China.

[…]

To ensure the program’s success, Congress passed an initiative, led by one of us (Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee), to exempt Australia and the U.K. from lengthy and burdensome licensing requirements. These requirements, while meant to protect our sensitive technology from falling into the wrong hands, also prohibited our trusted allies from using U.S. tech for our collective defense goals.

Congress was explicit: The administration “shall provide” defense articles and technology to these allies, whose export control regimes are similar to our own. But when the Biden administration removed the licensing requirements, it quickly nullified that action by releasing a list of excluded technologies. The list was so lengthy that it swallowed up the exemption. In other words, the Biden administration undermined congressional intent and re-created lengthy burdens for technology sharing with our allies, inexplicably undercutting its one true foreign policy success in the process.

The excluded-technologies list must be immediately trimmed if we want to keep up with China in the technology race that will determine the future balance of power.

[…]

In our brave new age of great-power competition, our high-tech posture will be as important as our military force posture; in fact, one will determine the other. Just as in World War II the integration of mass production by commercial companies was the key to victory, so too will integration of advanced technologies like AI, quantum, and autonomous systems be key to deterrence — and to victory if war breaks out.

Except this time, we won’t have to rely on American industry alone for needed breakthroughs and deployments. Instead, we can work with key allies to achieve our most important national security goals — including supremacy at sea — and prevent the next world war from breaking out.

As Ronald Reagan told us, “We know only too well that conflict comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak.” For too long, the forces of freedom have been weak in the face of CCP aggression. AUKUS can change that.

Click here to read the full op-ed in National Review.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Homeland Security Committee — released the following statement on March’s record-low border crossings under the Trump administration. 

“Month after month, the Trump administration continues to prove that deterrence works. I’ve dealt with the border for more than 25 years, and I’ve never seen border crossings this low. These numbers are a testament to the dedication of our brave border patrol agents and to President Trump’s strong immigration policies, which are restoring order to the chaos caused by Biden’s reckless open border.”

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

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) took note of today’s stock market response to the Trump tariffs and made the following statement:

“Trump’s tariff wars are making everything more expensive. And it’s about to get worse. And while we’re paying more for food, medicine, appliances and car repairs, the GOP wants to slash Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP and more to give billionaires a tax cut. They do not care about working people. Tariffs are taxes. The stock market is a measure of Trump’s economic folly. Trump has wrecked our thriving economy and our social safety and health network. ‘47’ is a monstrous, out-of-control man-child. And Howard Lutnick is a cheerleader, not a commerce secretary.”

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today introduced the Reward Each American’s Labor and Make Every Rich Individual Contribute Again (REAL AMERICA) Act, a bold tax reform bill that helps everyday working people while addressing Republican plans to sneak through a $2 trillion tax cut for millionaires and billionaires.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“Donald Trump and Republicans want Americans to believe they support tax cuts for working people. But while they float limited tax reforms to mask their real agenda, their actual plan would require deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security in order to pay for their new round of tax giveaways to billionaires like Elon Musk, Trump’s wealthy donors, and others making more than $400,000 every year. 

“Democrats should not let that deception go unchecked. If Trump and the GOP want to talk about ‘Real America,’ then it’s time they stand with real Americans — like people who depend on tips, work overtime hours, and have worked hard their entire lives and now rely on Social Security. This bill gives them an easy chance to do that. The first two provisions — eliminating federal taxes on tips and overtime pay — came straight from President Trump’s campaign playbook. Add in tax relief for Social Security recipients and elimination of the carried interest loophole, and you’ve got a real pro-worker tax plan. If Republicans are serious about helping the people they claim to represent, they should support the REAL AMERICA Act.” 

The REAL AMERICA Act will deliver real tax cuts for real working people by: 

• Eliminating Federal Income Taxes on Tips — Service workers shouldn’t be taxed on the tips they rely on to make ends meet;
• Making Overtime Pay Tax-Free — If you put in extra hours, you should take home extra pay, not hand more over to the IRS;
• Ending Federal Income Taxes on Social Security Benefits — Retirees paid into Social Security their entire working lives; it’s time to stop taxing their hard-earned benefits;  and  
• Closing the Carried Interest Loophole — Billionaire hedge fund managers shouldn’t pay a lower tax rate than their clerical assistants. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs — released the following statement on the 3-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

“Three years ago today, Putin sent his army into Ukraine, shattering peace in Europe and threatening global stability. Putin’s autocratic friends in China, Iran, and North Korea quickly came to his aid — bolstering Russia’s defense industrial base and sending thousands of troops to fight and kill the Ukrainian people. Make no mistake: This unholy alliance formed by our adversaries seeks to undermine western values, weaken U.S. national security, and upend the global balance of power.

“I agree with President Trump that this would never have happened had he been in office. There’s a reason these hostile regimes did not attack sovereign territories during his first term: He projected peace through strength. All the pain and bloodshed in Europe could have been prevented if Democrats — under both the Obama and Biden administrations — had stood up to Putin sooner.

“This war has raged for three years too many. Putin could stop the killing today, but since he refuses — President Trump has answered the call to help put an end to the fighting. As he and his team continue negotiations, I urge them to ensure the agreement holds the Kremlin accountable for its crimes and contains serious teeth to ensure Putin cannot resurrect his quest to recreate the Soviet Union by taking Ukraine. Only then will lasting peace be secured.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs — released the following statement on honoring the U.S.’ commitment to our Afghan allies.

“I support President Trump’s efforts to eliminate programs at the State Department that do not put America first, including many of the wasteful, woke programs the Biden administration prioritized and that I tried to eliminate when I was chairman. But I’m concerned about reports that the Afghan relocation efforts may also be eliminated. During its chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration abandoned tens of thousands of our Afghan allies who fought and bled alongside our military. I urge Secretary Rubio to prioritize honoring the promises we made to those Afghan allies as he works to make State a more effective and efficient department.”

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

Senate plan features exploding deficits, health care cuts, giveaways to the wealthy

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

WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s announcement of expansive new tariffs:

“President Trump’s latest trade chaos has our economy teetering on the cliff’s edge. His trade wars have zero strategy behind them – other than lining the pockets of his billionaire friends and sticking families with the bill.

“Americans were promised lower prices ‘on day one,’ but instead, the president’s trade policies are hiking up the cost of everyday goods to pay for more tax cuts for the rich.

“And this is all being done behind closed doors. Backroom deals are something corrupt, anti-democratic countries do, not the United States. Congress must step up and take back its constitutional authority over trade. Instead, House Republicans have abandoned all power to President Trump and then fled town to avoid responsibility for the fallout from his disastrous decisions.”

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