MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Darrell Issa (R-CA), alongside Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), introduced the Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act to prohibit states from implementing excise taxes on firearms and ammunition to fund gun control programs.

“Gun grabbing liberals will stop at nothing to undermine the Second Amendment,” said Congressman Hudson. “Their latest scheme is an unconstitutional tax that seeks to price you out of your right to keep and bear arms, and this legislation will put a stop to it.”

“For too many years, extreme state policies — including from my home state — have targeted our fundamental Second Amendment rights and the American citizens who exercise them,” said Congressman Issa. “The latest attack is California’s imposition of a ‘sin tax’ on firearms and ammunition. This outrageous and unfair burden on law-abiding citizens is why Sen. Risch, Rep. Hudson, and I are working to stop this and other attempts to penalize our people and put the price of self-defense out of reach of any American.”

“Blue states that implement an excessive excise tax to fund gun control initiatives are exploiting the Second Amendment,” said Senator Risch. “The Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act ensures states do not place a significant financial burden on law-abiding gun owners to advance their anti-Second Amendment agenda.”

As of July 1, 2024, California implemented a new 10-11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition to discourage the purchase of firearms and fund gun control programs. These added fees now double the tax on gun and ammunition purchases. Colorado, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and New York have proposed similar taxes. 

Hudson, Issa, and Risch are joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) in introducing the legislation.

The Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act has received support from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Read the full text of the bill here.



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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09) joined Representative Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03), along with Representatives Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), David Rouzer (NC-07), Pat Harrigan (NC-10), Addison McDowell (NC-06), and Tim Moore (NC-14) in introducing legislation to allow North Carolina volunteer firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) personnel to join a state or local retirement plan. 

“North Carolina’s firefighters and EMS personnel, like those involved in the Hurricane Helene relief efforts, risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe,” said Rep. Hudson. “These brave heroes deserve access to the same retirement benefits as their state-employed counterparts. I’m proud to support this legislation to ensure they are taken care of.”

“North Carolinians depend on the selfless service of first responders every single day,” said Rep. Murphy. “It is only fitting that these dedicated individuals should be able to depend on the government to provide them with a reliable retirement plan. The First Responders Retirement Parity Act ensures just compensation for their contributions to community safety and support for when their service comes to an end.”

Rep. Hudson with Puppy Creek Fire Department Volunteer Fire Chief John Joseph, as well as local first responders and officials. 

Background

The current tax code prevents full-time nonprofit firefighters and EMS personnel from joining the state retirement system. In North Carolina, 74% of fire departments are non-profit and employ 5,527 paid personnel who could be affected. 

This legislation would amend the code to include these volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in governmental retirement plans.

Read the full bill text here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC), who serves as the Chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and U.S. Representative Troy Carter, Sr. (D-LA) introduced the Open RAN Outreach Act. This bipartisan bill will strengthen U.S. wireless networks and ultimately protect our small and rural communications network providers from being reliant on Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-backed technology companies, such as Huawei.

“By ensuring our small and rural telecom providers have the support needed to deploy technologies, like Open RAN, we can promote innovation and create jobs,” said Chairman Hudson. “This legislation paves the way for greater U.S. competition with China and a more secure, resilient wireless network landscape.”

“This is a pivotal step toward strengthening our nation’s telecommunications infrastructure,” said Rep. Carter. “By providing technical assistance and outreach to small telecom providers, especially in rural areas like Louisiana, this bill opens the door to a more secure, diverse, and competitive wireless network landscape. The shift to Open RAN technology not only enhances national security by reducing reliance on foreign-made equipment but also boosts American manufacturing and fosters innovation in 5G. This bill ensures that rural communities are no longer left behind in the race for cutting-edge technology, driving down costs and empowering smaller carriers to build stronger, more resilient networks.”

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent natural disasters underscored the importance of securing domestic supply chains and telecommunications networks. Huawei and other untrusted companies with the support of government money from China have been able to offer lower costs to entice small and rural providers to use their technology. Promoting a more competitive market of trusted alternative vendors to provide 5G equipment remains an important strategic component to protect U.S. networks.

A closed or proprietary network has one vendor or manufacturer for end-to-end network equipment. Open RAN technology can help diversify communications technology by being an open network infrastructure that can have multiple components from multiple manufacturers. The Open RAN Outreach Act requires technical assistance and outreach to be made available on Open RAN technologies by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). This will give small and rural providers information and support to deploy Open RAN technologies if providers would like to implement this technology.

Read the Open RAN Outreach Act here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

SOUTHERN PINES, NC – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09) announced that his Southern Pines and Fayetteville offices are accepting submissions from North Carolina’s Ninth District for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition.

“The Congressional Art Competition is a wonderful opportunity for our District’s high school students to showcase their artistic ability, and I look forward to seeing this year’s submissions,” said Rep. Hudson.

The 2025 Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students from North Carolina’s 9th District. The overall winner of the District’s competition will have their artwork framed and displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. In addition, the second and third place winners will have their artwork displayed in Rep. Hudson’s offices.

Art entered in the contest must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate U.S. copyright laws. Work cannot be copied from an existing photo or image that was created by someone other than the student. Work must be in its original medium and cannot be a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing. AI generated art will not be accepted.

Art does not need to be framed upon submission. Our office will frame the winning piece before it is sent to Washington, D.C.

Artwork that is potentially inappropriate for display in the Capitol will not be considered. This determination will be made by a panel.

Additional guidelines can be found hereor by visiting https://hudson.house.gov/services/art-competition. 

Artwork must be submitted to Rep. Hudson’s Southern Pines or Fayetteville District Offices by 12pm on Friday, April 25, 2025 with a completed 2025 Student Release Form.

To request more information about the annual Congressional Art Competition, contact Rep. Hudson’s Southern Pines District Office at (910) 910-1924.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Virginia Foxx (5th District of North Carolina)

Foxx Supports Legislation to Help Western North Carolina Businesses

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin condemning the Trump administration’s outrageous decision to encourage polluters to apply for exemption from critical Clean Air Act standards by simply sending a template email response to EPA officials. These standards, required pursuant to Section 112 of the Clean Air Act, seek to protect human health and the environment from hazardous air pollutants including asbestos, benzene, hydrogen chloride, and mercury, which are known to cause cancer and other serious health impacts.

Tonko is demanding information about each regulated entity seeking exemption from these lifesaving standards, and promising close public and Congressional scrutiny of the exemptions granted through this unprecedented, slapdash process.

“I was appalled to learn that EPA has invited regulated entities to apply for exemptions in lieu of complying with existing standards for hazardous air pollutants,” Tonko writes. “The invitation for mass-exemptions to these standards flies in the face of Congressional intent and could have serious public health consequences, which appear not to have been given any consideration in your exemption process.”

Standards developed under Section 112 are developed under a robust public process that includes rigorous scientific analysis of the environmental and public health risks associated with air pollution, as well as consideration of new and existing cost-effective technologies that industrial sources can utilize to mitigate those risks. Under this new process, these standards could be completely undone by a simple email from a polluter to the agency responsible for protecting the public from dangerous air pollution.

“While Section 112 standards have been developed through these robust processes, EPA’s public comments indicate that exemptions will be granted based on the arbitrary whims of President Trump, which may include actions to benefit his political supporters, regardless of the potential public health and environmental harms to those that live and work near these exempted facilities,” Tonko continues. “EPA and the regulated community should expect that Congress and the American people will closely scrutinize any exemptions granted through this process.”

Tonko serves as Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on the Environment as well as Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) and has been a leader for many years on efforts to limit air pollution and foster healthier, more sustainable communities across the nation.

The full letter can be read HERE and below:

March 28, 2025

The Honorable Lee Zeldin

Administrator

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20460

Dear Administrator Zeldin:

I was appalled to learn that EPA has invited regulated entities to apply for exemptions in lieu of complying with existing standards for hazardous air pollutants required pursuant to Section 112 of the Clean Air Act. The invitation for mass-exemptions to these standards flies in the face of Congressional intent and could have serious public health consequences, which appear not to have been given any consideration in your exemption process.

As you know, Section 112 of the Clean Air Act seeks to protect human health and the environment from hazardous air pollutants. This class of emissions includes many dangerous pollutants, including asbestos, benzene, hydrogen chloride, and mercury, which are known to cause cancer and other serious health impacts.

Standards developed pursuant to Section 112 are informed by public processes, which include robust scientific and public health analysis of the risks of air pollution. These processes also consider technologies and techniques that industrial sources can adopt to mitigate those risks, often relying upon existing, cost-effective solutions already in use by regulated entities. It is astonishing that these standards, which often take years to develop, could be undone simply by a polluter sending a template email response to the agency responsible for protecting the public from dangerous air pollution.

While Section 112 standards have been developed through these robust processes, EPA’s public comments indicate that exemptions will be granted based on the arbitrary whims of President Trump, which may include actions to benefit his political supporters, regardless of the potential public health and environmental harms to those that live and work near these exempted facilities. EPA and the regulated community should expect that Congress and the American people will closely scrutinize any exemptions granted through this process.

While Section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act is clear that the President must report to Congress on the issuance of any exemption, the American people have an immediate right to know which entities are pursuing exemptions and how those exemptions may affect the air they breathe.

With that in mind, I request the following for each regulated entity seeking an exemption through this process not later than Monday, April 7, 2025:

1. the name of each regulated entity requesting an exemption;
2. the specific emissions standard or limitation subject to the request;
3. the location of any facility or affected source subject to the request;
4. the length of time sought to delay compliance for each request; and
5. an explanation for why—

A.   the technology necessary to implement the standard is not available; and

B.   the exemption would be in the national security interests of the United States.

I look forward to your response to ensure appropriate transparency of EPA’s Section 112 exemption process.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released the following statement lambasting the Trump administration for eliminating the entire staff at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as part of the massive and devastating cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The Home Energy Assistance Program provides relief for millions of American families that struggle to afford their utility bills. Over my years in Congress, I’ve worked to deliver HEAP funding to our Capital Region time and again to ensure our neighbors don’t have to choose between keeping the lights on or paying for food, medicine, and other daily essentials. This latest action from the Trump administration to eliminate the employees who deliver this aid is beyond callous. These cuts will rip away a lifeline for families across our Capital Region, New York State, and the nation. It is clear that Trump, Musk, RFK, and the GOP do not care about whether or not families can keep the power on — their focus remains bankrolling tax breaks for their billionaire friends.

“In the face of this cruelty, I’ll not stop my efforts to combat these cuts and deliver meaningful relief for American families struggling to pay their utilities, as with my bipartisan Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in this work to preserve these proven energy affordability programs that support our communities.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Today, Congressman Nadler issued the following statement:

 

“I strongly condemn former President Trump’s latest attacks on higher education cloaked under the guise of fighting antisemitism. Once again, the President is weaponizing the real pain American Jews face to advance his desire to wield control over the truth-seeking academic institutions that stand as a bulwark against authoritarianism.

Withholding funding from Columbia and, potentially, Harvard will not make Jewish students safer. Cutting funding to programs that work to cure cancer and make other groundbreaking discoveries will not make Jewish students safer. Impounding congressionally appropriated funding will not make Jewish students safer. Trump’s “review” is part of a larger effort to silence universities and intimidate those who challenge the MAGA agenda. It is a dangerous and politically motivated move that risks stifling free thought and academic inquiry.

Make no mistake. Trump’s actions are not rooted in genuine concern for combatting hate. If Trump were truly committed to fighting antisemitism, he would not have crippled the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the only agency specifically tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws at our nation’s educational institutions. If Trump were truly committed to fighting antisemitism, he would start by rooting out the numerous antisemites that he has brought into some the highest echelons of power in the government of the United States.

Let’s also not forget that Trump’s record is stained by praise for neo-Nazis, Holocaust deniers, and white nationalists—groups that openly express their disdain for the Jewish people.

We cannot allow Trump’s authoritarian tactics to prevail—this is not the America we want to live in, nor is it the America we need.

I call on our nation’s universities to reject President Trump’s demands and to fight back against these hostile acts. If necessary, these issues must be litigated in federal court to put an end to the illegal and unconstitutional actions taken by the Trump Administration.”

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

“Firing 10,000 of our nation’s top scientists, doctors, and public health experts is not reform—it’s sabotage. Trump, Musk, and Kennedy Jr.’s reckless purge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is gutting the agency American families rely on to stop disease outbreaks, develop new treatments, and save lives. With these dangerous firings, our government is losing generations of talented researchers, doctors, epidemiologists, and public health professionals—people who have dedicated their lives to advancing medical science and protecting the public. Their departure will set back lifesaving research and likely delay cures for diseases we’ve spent decades fighting.

“With regional offices shuttering, every community—urban, rural, red or blue—will feel the consequences. Fewer staff means longer delays for approvals, slower responses to health crises, and higher costs as the remaining workforce is stretched thin and forced to travel farther to get critical work done.

“Democrats will not stand by while America’s health infrastructure is dismantled. We will fight these dangerous cuts in Congress and in the courts.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Dean of the New York Congressional Delegation, led a letter signed by fifteen members of New York’s delegation to President Donald Trump, expressing strong opposition to his Executive Order calling for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).