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

Rep. Meeks, Faith Leaders, Local Elected Officials, Labor and Community Organizations Fight for Haitian TPS Extension 

Queens, NY– U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) and a broad coalition of faith leaders, local elected officials, labor organizations, and Haitian community advocates hosted a press conference calling on the U.S. Senate to pass legislation extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians through January 29, 2029. This press conference comes shortly after a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the revocation of TPS for Haitians, extending protections and work authorizations until July 27, 2026. 

Despite the clear and present dangers to those living in Haiti, the Supreme Court ruled in the Trump Administration’s favor, allowing them to terminate TPS for over 330,000 Haitians in the United States. Violent crime and kidnapping are rampant, armed groups terrorize entire communities and hospitals lack basic resources. Recognizing these dangerous conditions, the U.S. State Department continues to maintain its highest travel advisory for Haiti – Level 4 “Do Not Travel.” TPS was created for moments exactly like this – when conditions in a country make a safe return impossible. 

“For generations, Haitian immigrants helped write New York’s story and built thriving communities across Queens,” said Congressman Gregory Meeks. “They are the parents of over 50,000 U.S. children nationwide, and community members who contribute over $1 billion to the New York City economy each year. Yet the Trump Administration chose to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians—even as Haiti remains consumed by gang violence, displacement, hunger, and political collapse. That is why I voted to pass legislation to extend TPS for Haiti and continue to call on the U.S. Senate to do the same. Our fight isn’t over yet.” 

Congressman Meeks and House Democrats successfully forced a vote on legislation extending TPS for Haiti for three years. On April 16, 2026, the measure passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 224 to 204, with total Democratic support and 10 Republicans breaking away from their party. The measure now awaits consideration in the U.S. Senate. Constituents of New York’s 5th Congressional District in need of assistance with federal casework may contact Congressman Meeks’ Jamaica District Office at (718) 725-6000. 

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 two grants from the National Cancer Institute and that the University of Memphis will receive one grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

One of the St. Jude grants, for $622,500, is for research on transcriptional regulation in ZFTA-RELA ependymoma under the direction of Dr. Mark C. Mack in the Department of Developmental Neurobiology. The second St. Jude grant, for $289,893, is for research on a treatment for pediatric patients with relapsed refractory sarcomas under the direction of Dr. Rebecca Epperly, a faculty member in the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.

The University of Memphis grant, for $53,114, is for research into alcohol use by non-four-year college emerging adults, under the direction of clinical psychology doctoral student Jacob Tempchin.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“St. Jude researchers are improving patient outcomes with the kinds of work these grants will underwrite. Understanding alcoholic behavior in young people is also likely to improve outcomes. I congratulate Drs. Mack and Epperly and Mr. Tempchin for the valuable work they’re doing.”

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

More than 250 House and Senate Democrats filed an amicus brief to the Fifth Circuit arguing that mifepristone has undergone a rigorous FDA approval process and has repeatedly been found to be safe and effective

Amicus Brief (PDF)

WASHINGTON – This week, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)—alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Representatives Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Jamie Raskin (D-MD)—led more than 250 Senate and House Democrats in filing an amicus brief to the Fifth Circuit in Louisiana v. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focused on pushing back against Louisiana’s attempt to reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone.

Following the Supreme Court’s stay of the Fifth Circuit’s nationwide ban on telehealth access to mifepristone, the case went back to the Fifth Circuit. Louisiana is seeking a ruling that would force the FDA to reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement nationwide for mifepristone—a safe and effective abortion medication that has been FDA-approved since 2000. This medically unnecessary move would end patient access to mifepristone through telemedicine, the method by which more than 1 in 4 abortion patients receive their care in America today. It would remove patients’ ability to get mifepristone from their pharmacy, forcing them to find a provider that dispenses the medication.

The lawmakers argued that mifepristone already undergoes a rigorous FDA approval process, and the medication has repeatedly been found to be safe and effective. The court overturning this decision not only limits who is able to receive this vital and life-saving medication, putting lives at risk, but it also undermines the longstanding, congressionally mandated, and evidence-based decision-making process at the FDA.

“For more than a quarter century, FDA has repeatedly and consistently affirmed that mifepristone is safe. Over seven million patients in the U.S. have safely used mifepristone. And as with other drugs, FDA continues to monitor the post-marketing safety data on mifepristone—data confirming that mifepristone is safe without regard to how it is dispensed,” the members wrote.

The lawmakers emphasized that the in-person dispensing requirement was eliminated in 2021, prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision of 2022, and not in response to the Supreme Court’s decision.

“The in-person dispensing requirement was first suspended by a court in 2020 and later eliminated altogether by the FDA in 2021, before Dobbs came down. Louisiana knows these facts but continues to make this spurious claim in its attempt to reimpose an unnecessary burden on all Americans, even residents of states that protect abortion. Decades after FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone and years after the in-person dispensing requirement was eliminated, Louisiana now seeks to re-impose this onerous nationwide restriction on all Americans. Granting such relief would undermine the science-based statutory framework Congress requires and threatens patient access to reproductive health care. As has been well documented, many Americans in states where abortion is legal live far from any reproductive health care provider. Reinstating an in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone exacerbates an already significant reproductive health crisis by limiting access to the most common method of early abortion,” the lawmakers continued.

Louisiana’s request for a stay of FDA’s 2023 rule would result in the reinstatement of the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone nationwide—and if granted, would have no basis in law, and would threaten the congressionally-mandated evidence-based process for drug regulation. The lawmakers argue that the Fifth Circuit should deny the stay, protecting telehealth and pharmacy access to mifepristone.

In the Senate, the amicus brief was signed by all 47 Democratic U.S. Senators.

In the House, the brief was signed by 212 Democratic U.S. Representatives.

The amicus brief can be read in full here.

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.

• In June 2026, during a speech on the House floor, Rep. Pressley commanded a moment of silence to honor those who have died because they were denied essential abortion care. 
• In June 2026, Rep. Pressley led a press conference with House Democratic Leadership to mark the fourth anniversary of the devastating Supreme Court Dobbs decision and offer her vision of seeing true reproductive justice realized and essential reproductive healthcare protected and expanded.
• In June 2026, Rep. Pressley joined impacted individuals and abortion storytellers to initiate a powerful day of action for the fourth anniversary of the devastating Dobbs decision, offering a message of resilient community support and a commitment to ensure abortion care is treated as the fundamental human right it is. Video is available here.
• On the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley introduced the Abortion Justice Act, sweeping, intersectional legislation to address access to abortion care and put forth a comprehensive vision of a just America where abortion care is readily available—without stigma, shame or systemic barriers—for all who seek it, regardless of zip code, immigration status, income, or background.
• Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), bicameral federal legislation to guarantee equal access to abortion care, everywhere. 
• Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of the EACH Act, bold legislation to repeal the Hyde Amendment and help guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance.
• Shortly before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Rep. Pressley led a group of her Black women colleagues in writing to President Biden urging him to declare a public health emergency amid the unprecedented threats to abortion rights nationwide.
• Rep. Pressley condemned the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade., and implored the Senate to protect abortion rights and slammed the white supremacist roots of anti-abortion efforts.
• Rep. Pressley has been outspoken in demanding justice for Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old pregnant mother who was declared brain dead in February and was forced to remain on life support due to Georgia’s abortion ban. In June 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech in which she underscored that Adriana’s case is far too common in the unjust history of denying Black women their dignity, humanity, and right to bodily autonomy – and that GOP abortion bans such as Georgia’s deepen this pain and bar critical healthcare freedom. Rep. Pressley issued a statement after Adriana’s infant son Chance was delivered via emergency Cesarean section and Adriana was taken off life support.
• In May 2026, Pressley and her colleagues led 250 House and Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court urging them to overturn a Fifth Circuit decision that would upend the FDA approval process and restrict access to mifepristone.
• On August 18, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the passage of the updated Shield Act in Massachusetts, signed into law by Governor Maura Healey this month. The expanded Shield Act strengthens legal protections for people seeking reproductive and gender-affirming care in Massachusetts.
• On July 3, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the final passage of Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill that will rip healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people, including in Massachusetts, push reproductive healthcare further out of reach nationwide, and fuel Trump’s unlawful mass deportation agenda.
• On July 1, 2025, Rep. Pressley filed an amendment to Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill to protect and expand reproductive healthcare.
• On June 26, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the harmful Medina v. Planned Parenthood ruling, the Supreme Court’s decision to allow South Carolina to bar Medicaid patients from receiving healthcare services at Planned Parenthood.
• On June 24, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined House Democratic Leadership for a press conference to mark the somber anniversary and renew her calls for comprehensive legislation to protect abortion care and expand access to reproductive healthcare.
• On June 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley and the women of the Massachusetts delegation, Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03) joined Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts President Dominique Lee for a press conference in solidarity with Planned Parenthood as they collectively fight to stop Republicans’ latest attack on reproductive freedom in the GOP’s Big, Ugly Bill.
• In June 2025, Rep. Pressley demanded justice for Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old pregnant mother who was declared brain dead in February and was forced to remain on life support due to Georgia’s abortion ban.
• On May 29, 2025, Rep. Pressley reintroduced a resolution demanding equitable access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for people with disabilities, and designating a day in May as “Disability Reproductive Equity Day.”
• On May 21, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful speech on the House Floor in which she slammed Republicans’ reconciliation bill that would slash Medicaid, which is necessary to ensuring safe, healthy reproductive care and maternal health nationwide.
• On April 3, 2025, Rep. Pressley, alongside Reps. DeGette, Chu, Leger Fernández, Fletcher, Davids, Williams, sent a letter signed by 162 Members urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and coordinate an urgent meeting on the matter.
• On April 2, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied with Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), colleagues, and advocates outside the U.S. Supreme Court for Medicaid patients’ ability to access routine care at Planned Parenthood health centers.
• On March 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley and the Reproductive Freedom Caucus issued a statement condemning Donald Trump’s plans to drop the U.S. government’s case against Idaho’s violation of Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) protections for emergency abortion care.
• In January 2025, Rep. Pressley gave an impassioned speech condemning H.R. 21, Republicans’ cruel anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers and denies families care.
• In January 2025, Rep. Pressley was announced as Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus for the 119^th Congress.
• In October 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on Josseli Barnica, who died on Sept. 3, 2021 after being denied emergency abortion care in Texas as she suffered a miscarriage.
• In September 2024, in a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Hearing, Rep. Pressley highlighted the harmful and deadly impact of abortion bans in America to date, and outlined in detail the shameful circumstances under which Amber Nicole Thurman died after being denied necessary abortion care in Georgia.
• In May 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on a Louisiana bill that would classify medication abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances. 
• In April 2024, at a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley played “Fact or Fiction” with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf to emphasize the safety and efficacy of medication abortion drug mifepristone.
• Shortly before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Rep. Pressley led a group of her Black women colleagues in writing to President Biden urging him to declare a public health emergency amid the unprecedented threats to abortion rights nationwide. 
• Rep. Pressley condemned the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade., and implored the Senate to protect abortion rights and slammed the white supremacist roots of anti-abortion efforts.
• In August 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Fifth Circuit Court decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.
• In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation to help people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—get better access to reproductive health care and the informed care they need to control their own reproductive lives.
• In July 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of over-the-counter birth control.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the FDA Advisory Committee’s unanimous, 17-0 vote to recommend the approval of the first-ever application for over-the-counter birth control. She and Senator Murray also held a press conference applauding the decision and urging the FDA to approval over-the-counter birth control without delay.
• In May 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Ami Bera, MD (CA-06) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), reintroduced their bicameral Affordability is Access Act to ensure that once the FDA determines an over-the-counter birth control option to be safe, insurers fully cover over-the-counter birth control without any fees or out-of-pocket costs.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Texas court ruling on mifepristone, and discussed the Texas case in a recent floor speech in which she affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care and access to mifepristone as essential. She later joined Governor Maura Healey, Senator Elizabth Warren (D-MA), and local leaders in announcing action to protect Mifepristone in Massachusetts.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Schakowsky, Lee, DeGette, Torres and Strickland, reintroduced the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act harmful and discriminatory Helms Amendment and expand abortion access globally.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Hirono led their colleagues in reintroducing a bicameral congressional resolution honoring abortion providers and clinic staff. 
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley delivered a speech in which she discussed the pending court case in Texas, which aims to restrict access to medication abortion across the entire nation. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care, and accessibility to the abortion pill mifepristone as essential.
• In September 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Supreme Court’s inaction on SB-8, Texas’ restrictive abortion law. Later that month, she participated in a House Oversight Committee hearing to examine the threat posed by abortion bans and underscored the urgency of the Senate passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
• In April 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Congresswomen Barbara Lee (CA-13), Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), led a group of 131 Democratic members in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act or the EACH Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and ensure that all people, regardless of income, insurance or zip code, can make personal reproductive health care decisions without interference from politicians. She re-Introduced the legislation In January 2023.
• Rep. Pressley has led calls in Congress for the FDA to remove medically unnecessary restrictions on the medication abortion drug mifepristone, and applauded the FDA’s action in January 2023 to allow retail pharmacies to dispense abortion medication pills.
• As Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus’s Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, Congresswoman Pressley led the fight to repeal the Hyde Amendments from annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bills and in July 2020 published a Medium post on the importance of doing so. She applauded the removal of the Hyde Amendment in President Biden’s FY2022 budget.
• In May 2020, she led more than 155 Members of Congress in calling on House Democratic leadership to ensure that any future COVID-19 relief packages rejected Republican efforts to use the public health crisis to diminish abortion access.
• In August 2021, Rep. Pressley, Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, and Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette and Barbara Lee led more than 70 of their House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion care. 
• In January 2023, Rep. Pressley introduced a resolution to condemn all forms of political violence in the U.S., regardless of its target or intent. That same day, she delivered a powerful speech on the House floor slamming Republicans’ harmful, misleading anti-abortion resolution.
• In September 2022, Rep. Pressley hosted U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester for a convening on their work to address the Black maternal health crisis and the criminalization of abortion care in states across the nation following the harmful U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. 
• In May 2019, she led more than 100 colleagues in introducing H.Con.Res.40, a resolution reaffirming the House of Representative’s support for Roe v. Wade.
• In June 2019, Rep. Pressley introduced H.R. 3296, the Affordability is Access Act, to make oral contraception available without a prescription. 
• In September 2016, as a member of the Boston City Council, Pressley championed a resolution calling on Congress and President Obama to repeal the Hyde Amendment and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is co-leading a resolution celebrating 55 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Republic of Fiji, and reaffirming commitment to this strategically important partnership.

Introduced this week, the resolution is co-led by Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), Rep. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (AS), Rep. Ed Case (D-HI), and Rep. James Moylan (R-GU). 

Amata (approximately 1983) at Government House at Maugaoali’i with Fiji’s first Prime Minister and later President H.E. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara

“Malo lava to Fiji from my beautiful home islands to yours, as our nations celebrate 55 years of official relations, and the resulting friendships among many people working between our two countries,” said Representative Aumua Amata. “My father, Uifa’atali Governor Peter T. Coleman, was good friends with one of Fiji’s leading early statesmen, the late H.E. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who was Chief Minister at the time of Fiji’s independence, then Fiji’s first Prime Minister when the U.S. and Fiji established relations in 1971, and later President. I also worked with Congressman Case and our colleagues on the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act that codified diplomacy among our countries, an important partnership. I’ve been to Fiji’s welcoming shores, and our nations have a bright mutual future for a secure, prosperous Pacific region.”

The United States and Fiji share deep and enduring people-to-people ties, including welcome and respected residents of American Samoa. More than 50,000 Americans trace their roots to Fiji, and Rep. Bera highlights those strong connections in Sacramento County, home to the nation’s largest population of Fijian immigrants.

The two nations formally established diplomatic relations on July 22, 1971. Since then, the relationship has strengthened through military training, maritime law enforcement, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, infrastructure investment, economic development, and educational and cultural exchanges.

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata and Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka

“For 55 years, the United States and Fiji have built a strong partnership rooted in mutual respect, shared values, and enduring people-to-people ties,” said Representative Bera. “This partnership is especially meaningful in Sacramento County, which is home to the largest Fijian immigrant community in our nation. Fiji is a valued security partner and regional leader, and our continued cooperation is essential to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the Pacific. This bipartisan resolution makes clear that the United States will remain a strong, reliable, and active partner with Fiji for years to come.”

“We celebrate and honor the strong relationship between our two great countries, which predates the establishment of diplomatic relations dating way back to the ‘ohana (family) of Pacific Islanders,” said Representative Case. “As the proud representative of the state with the highest percentage of Fijian Americans in our country, a proud part of our own Pacific Islander community, I also celebrate the deep historical and cultural connections between my state and Fiji, which were on full display in Honolulu two years ago during the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, a showcase of traditional arts, dances, languages and customary practices first held in Suva, Fiji, in 1972. Ours is an ongoing relationship built on shared values, mutual respect and assistance, and mutual security, including currently with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces participation again in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the largest international maritime exercise underway in Hawai’i. Vinaka vaka-levu!”

“It is with great joy that I join my colleagues in celebrating 55 wonderful years of friendship between the United States and Fiji. Our strong partnership is grounded in our cultural ties, mutual respect, and pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Representative Moylan. “As associate members of the Pacific Island Forum, Guam also commends Fiji’s commitment to regional solidarity, mutual security and economic resilience. We look forward to deepening our collaboration on sustainable development, marine resource conservation, and natural disaster preparedness. I look forward to the many more years of friendship between our two nations.”

Fiji is the second-most-populous Pacific Islands country and is home to one of the region’s largest economies. The country has played a significant role in promoting regional security, supporting United Nations peacekeeping operations, responding to humanitarian disasters, and advancing cooperation on sustainable fisheries, maritime security, economic development, and climate resilience.

The resolution underscores the importance of sustained U.S. engagement with our longstanding partners in the Pacific and strengthening relationships built on trust, mutual respect, and shared values.

Specifically, the resolution:

• Celebrates 55 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Fiji;
• Commends Fiji’s return to democratic governance and urges that its next general election remain free and fair;
• Supports the full implementation and strengthening of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018, including deeper cooperation with Fiji on fisheries and marine resource conservation, environmental resilience, global health, trade, development, and people-to-people ties; and
• Recognizes Fiji’s contributions to multinational security forces and multilateral institutions, including United Nations peacekeeping operations and the Pacific Islands Forum.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming notice from the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) that two American Samoa nonprofit organizations have been awarded federal grants totaling $900,000 to strengthen services for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The federal awards include $500,000 for Intersections, Inc. and $400,000 for Empowering Pacific Island Communities, Inc., through the OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Grants to Enhance Community-based Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program. Both grants begin August 1, 2026, and continue through July 31, 2029.

“These are important, needful programs that provide support and hope for survivors while strengthening our communities,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Congratulations and thank you to Melody Soi of Intersections, Inc., Kathryn McCutchan of Empowering Pacific Island Communities, and everyone involved in earning these competitive federal grants and the services they provide. I appreciate your dedication to serving the people of American Samoa and helping those facing difficult circumstances.”

The grant to Intersections, Inc. will support culturally specific services for victims of violence by providing faith leaders with training and resources to better identify and assist victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The grant to Empowering Pacific Island Communities, Inc. will provide culturally specific case management and behavioral health services for survivors, improving access to support and resources for individuals facing barriers to traditional services.

“Thank you to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and the leadership of the Office on Violence Against Women for continuing to invest in programs that protect and support survivors in American Samoa,” concluded Congresswoman Amata.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) hosted an Education and Workforce Committee field hearing in Augusta, Georgia titled “Building an AI-Ready America: How AI Is Creating Opportunities Across America’s Workforce.”

The hearing was the eighth in a series examining artificial intelligence and was attended by U.S. Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Lucy McBath (D-GA). The members questioned a panel of four witnesses at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center-Hull McKnight Building on the impacts of AI in the workforce.

Following the hearing, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

“There was no better place to hold today’s field hearing on AI in the workplace than Augusta, Georgia. AI has the potential to be a powerful engine of economic growth. Across the country, including here in the 12th District, AI is enhancing workers’ knowledge, skills, and productivity while also automating routine tasks and improving efficiency across various industries. Today’s witnesses were proof—each providing unique perspectives, valuable insight, and firsthand knowledge on utilizing AI in the agriculture, healthcare, and biotechnology sectors. I am grateful to my colleagues Joe Wilson and Lucy McBath for participating in this hearing, leadership from Augusta University and the Georgia Cyber Center for their hospitality, and our witnesses for their participation. If the United States intends to win the AI race, we must continue these critical discussions and ensure this technology remains a tool that serves Americans.”

The full hearing can be viewed here.
Congressman Allen’s opening statement can be read here.
Congressman Allen’s questions to witnesses can be viewed here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

Full Text of Bill (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth reintroduced bicameral legislation to reduce housing accessibility barriers and improve mobility for people with disabilities. The Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act would require all newly constructed single-family homes, townhouses and multi-level dwelling units built with federal funding include at least one accessible (or “zero step”) entrance into the home, doorways wide enough for a wheelchair on the main level and one wheelchair accessible bathroom, as well as light switches and thermostats at reachable heights from a wheelchair. 

“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) helped expand opportunity for millions of Americans, but our work is far from over,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “I am proud to once again join Senator Duckworth in introducing the Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act to ensure federally assisted homes are built with accessibility in mind from the start. This commonsense legislation will help more people live safely and independently because everyone deserves a home where they can age in place with dignity.”

“Over 15 percent of households are home to someone with a physical disability but only six percent of all homes actually meet accessibility standards—that’s unacceptable,” said Senator Tammy Duckworth. “Veterans, seniors and people with disabilities deserve to be able to move around their own homes and visit friends and family without worrying about architectural barriers, and I’m proud to work alongside Congresswoman Schakowsky to help make homes and communities more accessible for everyone.”

The Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act would require all newly built federally funded single-family homes, townhouses, modular homes and multi-level dwelling units incorporate “visitability” principles: at least one zero step entrance; doorways wide enough for a wheelchair on main level; one wheelchair accessible bathroom; and light switches and thermostats at reachable heights. According to findings in HUD’s 2019 American Housing Survey, 23.1 million households—or about one in five—are home to at least one individual with accessibility needs, and 9.2 million of those households require stairs to access the home and do not have ramps or lifts of some type. As our population continues to age rapidly, it is important to address our insufficient supply of visitable homes. Remodeling a home to include accessibility features costs more than $4,000 on average, which is significantly more expensive than the cost of incorporating these features in the initial construction process.

Schakowsky and Duckworth first introduced identical House and Senate legislation in the 116th Congress. The bill is named after Eleanor Smith, a leader in the thirty-year movement to ensure that all new homes are visitable by mobility-impaired individuals. Smith has successfully secured accessibility requirements in local building codes across the country, however federal accessibility requirements are still nonexistent for privately-owned homes.

The American Association of Interior Designers, Autism Society, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, Independence First, National Council on Independent Living, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Arc of the United States, National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Kelsey and Justice in Aging all support the Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

July 24, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON–U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today joined Rep. Craig Goldman (R-Texas) and Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) to introduce the Stop EU Overreach Act, legislation that directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to launch a Section 301 investigation into European Union (EU) sustainability mandates with extraterritorial reach that could impose more than $1 trillion in compliance costs on American businesses. The bill’s current cosponsors include Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), and Buddy Carter (R-Ga.). The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council endorsed the legislation. 
“American companies should answer to American law, not to bureaucrats in Brussels,” said Rep. Steube. “The EU is trying to export its regulatory agenda onto our farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses through the back door, and it’s going to cost them billions of dollars they don’t have to spend. I’m leading this fight to put American businesses first.” 
“The EU’s extreme, green energy mandates don’t just threaten to impose over a trillion dollars in compliance costs on American businesses; they’re also a clear challenge to America’s sovereignty,” said Rep. Goldman. “I’m incredibly appreciative of Congressman Steube’s leadership on this issue and his support for the Stop EU Overreach Act. Together, we’ll work to defend American businesses and workers from the EU’s costly regulations.” 
The Stop EU Overreach Act would direct the USTR to determine whether the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) constitute an unreasonable or discriminatory trade practice burdening U.S. commerce. If the USTR makes an affirmative determination, the bill requires the USTR to consider appropriate Section 301 remedies and report its findings to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees. 
A Hudson Institute study found that the CS3D alone could impose between $637 billion and $1.093 trillion in initial compliance costs on U.S. businesses, with recurring annual costs of up to $43 billion when implicit costs are included, a burden comparable to what U.S. firms currently pay across all domestic environmental and financial regulation combined. House Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, and Judiciary Committee chairmen cited the study in a June 25, 2026, letter opposing the EU’s regulatory crackdown on American companies. 

The full text of the Stop EU Overreach Act is available here. 
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

July 23, 2026 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) was named the National Taxpayers Union’s (NTU) Taxpayer Defender of the Month for his leadership in protecting American taxpayers from being forced to bail out fiscally irresponsible state and local governments. Rep. Steube also received NTU’s 2025 Taxpayers’ Friend Award for his voting record in support of limited government and free markets.Rep. Steube was named Taxpayer Defender of the Month for sponsoring the Government Bailout Prevention Act. The legislation would prevent the federal government, including the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve, from using taxpayer dollars to buy or guarantee the debt of state and local governments that have defaulted, declared bankruptcy, or are at risk of defaulting.“I’m grateful to receive the National Taxpayers Union’s 2025 Taxpayers’ Friend Award and to be named the organization’s Taxpayer Defender of the Month in my efforts to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts and advance legislation that protects hardworking Americans,” Rep. Steube said. “The federal government doesn’t have a taxpayer problem; it has a spending problem. As our national debt approaches $40 trillion, I’ll continue fighting to rein in reckless congressional spending.”“We are proud to select Representative Steube as our Taxpayer Defender of the Month. Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to bail out fiscally irresponsible jurisdictions that spend beyond their means,” NTU Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold said.Each year, NTU Rates Congress evaluates every Member of Congress based on their votes affecting taxes, spending, debt, and major regulations, providing a comprehensive view of their fiscal policies.In recognition of outstanding leadership in protecting taxpayers and advancing fiscal responsibility, the National Taxpayers Union presents its Taxpayer Defender of the Month award.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) co-led a letter to U.S. House leadership, urging the inclusion of funds in the recently introduced emergency funding package to address the increasingly dire condition of the Colorado River Basin. The requested funding would support water infrastructure investments, upgrades, and long-term planning for this vital resource’s future. Congressman Biggs partnered on the letter with Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01).

As reported, water levels on the Colorado River are declining due to prolonged drought and increasing aridity. This deteriorating situation is serious for the one in 10 Americans who rely on this source for drinking water, and for the millions across the nation who consume winter produce grown from its water. The Colorado River helps provide power for 2.5 million people and supports critical national security industries in the Western United States.

“For desert dwellers, nothing is more important than protecting and cultivating our water resources,”said Congressman Biggs.“That’s why I’m again working across the aisle with my colleagues to ensure Congress takes the natural threats to the Colorado River Basin seriously. The Colorado River situation is not just an issue for Arizona and the West; it’s an issue that affects the entire country because of the national industries that depend on this water source. I hope that House leadership and appropriators will heed our request and include the necessary funding to prevent this crisis from getting worse and needlessly harming vulnerable Americans.”

In the letter, the Members of Congress pointed to a similar situation in 2022, when federal funds supported drought mitigation efforts for Lakes Powell and Mead. They highlight that the water crisis in the West would be much worse without the commitment then to insert those funds.

Joining Biggs and Titus on the letter were U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury, Elijah Crane, Gabe Vasquez, Greg Stanton, J. Luis Correa, Yassamin Ansari, Jim Costa, Adelita Grijalva, Abraham Hamadeh, and Paul Gosar.

Read the letter here.

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