MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the New York Times reported that the National Science Foundation (NSF) intends to announce they will stop their plan to illegally dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). This comes after Congressional Democrats rallied against the administration’s expensive scheme to remove monitoring equipment from the ocean floor. It’s been reported that some research buoys have already been pulled off the Pacific Northwest coast. 

“This is welcome news—NSF leadership is stopping the dismantling of the ocean observatory initiative,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “We also don’t yet know how much damage they have already done. To be clear, this should have never happened. This pathetic scheme was illegal. NSF is governing via chaos and reactionary nonsense. Scientists and coastal economies that depend on this data deserve better. My oversight team and I will be following closely what NSF does next. NSF’s next steps must be nothing short of replacing any of the instruments that have already been removed and ceasing all activities to descale until legitimate expert advice has been sought.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) announced funds for three projects in Texas’ 14th Congressional District were included in the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act after the legislation advanced out of the full House Appropriations Committee.

The bill includes more than $2 million for projects serving communities across Texas’ 14th Congressional District:

• $1.05 million for Texas A&M University at Galveston’s Disaster Resilient Texas initiative to improve online disaster risk assessment and communication capabilities for Gulf Coast communities vulnerable to severe weather events.
• $500,000 for the University of Texas Medical Branch’s (UTMB) New Approach Methodologies Repository & Shared-Service Center to support biomedical research and strengthen scientific collaboration and innovation.
• $500,000 for the City of Beaumont’s public safety technology and infrastructure improvements to help equip first responders and strengthen emergency response capabilities.

“Living on the Texas Gulf Coast teaches you pretty quickly that preparation matters,” said Rep. Weber. “We’ve seen what hurricanes can do. We’ve seen the importance of a strong emergency response. We’ve also seen the incredible work being done by researchers and medical professionals right here in Southeast Texas. These investments support the people and institutions working every day to keep our communities safe, informed, and moving in the right direction. I’m proud to help bring these priorities to the table as the FY27 appropriations process moves forward.”

The broader legislation also strengthens key national priorities by:

• Increasing funding for the National Weather Service to help protect Americans from severe weather and eliminate radar coverage gaps.
• Focusing Department of Justice grant funding on efforts to combat the opioid crisis, address child exploitation, eliminate the rape kit backlog, and prevent school violence.
• Maintaining strong support for NASA’s Artemis program to help ensure American astronauts are the first to return to the Moon.

“The TX-14th Congressional District is one of the most flood-impacted areas in the nation, yet communities too often lack access to critical information, such as predicted property damage in advance of a storm,” said Dr. Sam Brody, Director, Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas (IDRT). “IDRT’s new publicly available online risk communication system will be the first of its kind to deliver timely, accurate, and understandable information that helps individuals reduce the impacts of flood events. We are deeply grateful to Congressman Randy Weber for his support of this work and his enduring commitment to protecting the communities of the upper Texas coast.”

“Texas is a leader in biomedical innovation,” said Dr. Jochen Reiser, President and CEO of the UTMB Health System. “This funding will expand use of customizable devices for specialized health-related projects at UTMB, such as organ-on-a-chip and organoids, to accelerate drug development and advance new treatments. We are currently using such emerging systems to develop treatments for preterm birth, preeclampsia, and neurologic disorders. UTMB is grateful for Representative Weber’s support for our institution, as we focus on enhancing quality of life with cutting-edge technologies for our patients.”

“We are grateful to Congressman Randy Weber for securing this important investment in Beaumont’s public safety infrastructure,” said Christopher S. Boone, City Manager for Beaumont. “This funding will help us expand high-quality camera coverage, strengthen our technology network, and give our public safety teams better tools for real-time monitoring and response.”

The Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is now eligible for consideration on the House Floor before moving to the United States Senate.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today introduced the District of Columbia Courts Vacancy Reduction Act, which would allow nominees to the local District of Columbia courts to be seated after a 30-day congressional review period, unless a disapproval resolution is enacted into law during that period. Currently, nominees to the local D.C. courts cannot be seated without affirmative Senate confirmation. The bill would make the congressional review process for nominees the same as the one currently used for legislation passed by the D.C. Council. This bill is cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

“D.C.’s local courts have faced chronic judicial vacancies for far too long, delaying justice for residents and placing an unnecessary strain on the administration of our local court system,” Congresswoman Norton said. “Unlike state and local courts elsewhere in the country, the D.C.’s courts are subject to a unique confirmation process that requires Senate action before nominees can take their seats. As a result, highly qualified nominees can languish for months or even years while the Senate prioritizes federal judicial and executive branch nominations.

“This bill would establish a commonsense process to ensure that qualified nominees are not indefinitely delayed by Senate inaction. By allowing nominees to be seated after the same 30-day congressional review period that applies to D.C. legislation, this bill would help reduce vacancies, improve the efficiency of the courts, and ensure that D.C. residents have timely access to justice.”

“The District of Columbia deserves a fully functional justice system as is afforded to each of our states. The current system has hamstrung the District’s local courts — leaving the city with judicial vacancies that often take years to fill due to congressional inaction. This shortage of judges has led to slower judicial proceeding and a serious backlog of criminal and civil cases. This legislation would limit congressional interference in D.C.’s court system, helping to better ensure the District’s residents have a justice system that works for them,” said Senator Van Hollen.

Norton’s introductory statement follows. 

 

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Courts Judicial Vacancy Reduction Act

June 18, 2026

 

Today, I introduce the District of Columbia Courts Judicial Vacancy Reduction Act, which would expedite the appointment of local D.C. judges.  Senator Chris Van Hollen is introducing the companion bill.

The longstanding judicial vacancy crisis in the local D.C. courts has existed regardless of which party controls the presidency and the Senate because the president and the Senate are, understandably, more focused on nominees to the federal courts and the executive branch than to the local D.C. courts.  The sole purpose of this bill is to protect public safety and promote justice by ending the judicial vacancy crisis in the local D.C. courts, which delays the resolution of criminal and civil cases.  This bill has nothing to do with D.C. statehood or home rule.  Although D.C. will control the local D.C. courts when it becomes a state and Congress can—and should—give D.C. control over the local D.C. courts now, this bill would not give D.C. any new authority over the local D.C. courts.

Under the D.C. Home Rule Act, D.C. has no control over the organization or jurisdiction of the local D.C. courts, including the nomination and appointment of judges.  A seven-member commission, which is comprised of federal, D.C. and private-sector appointees, submits to the president a list of three persons for each vacancy on the local D.C. courts.  The president must nominate, and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint one person from the list.  If the president fails to nominate one of the persons from the list within 60 days, the commission must nominate, and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint one of the persons from the list.

This bill would not change the role of the president or the commission in the appointment of local D.C. judges.  Instead, it would apply the current congressional review process for bills enacted by D.C. to the appointment of local D.C. judges.  Upon nomination, local D.C. judges would be appointed after the expiration of a 30-day congressional review period, unless a resolution disapproving of the appointment was enacted into law during the period.

Local D.C. judges are non-Article III judges.  The Constitution only requires Senate approval of Article III judges—that is, judges on the federal district courts, the federal appeals courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.  Congress has the discretion to decide how non-Article III judges will be appointed, and it has chosen to subject some non-Article III judges to Senate approval, but not others.  For example, Congress has not given itself any role in the appointment of bankruptcy or administrative law judges.  This bill would strike a middle ground.  Congress would retain authority to block the appointment of local D.C. judges, but it would only have a limited period to do so.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reps. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Pete Aguilar (CA-33), and Judy Chu (CA-28) wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding an immediate investigation into reports that multiple detainees at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility have faced retaliation for a hunger strike and for a meeting with the Members of Congress during a congressional oversight visit earlier this month. 
 
On June 1st, the Congressional Members visited the facility and met with detainees who described a disturbing situation there, including poor treatment, unsafe conditions, and inadequate access to food, water, and essential medical care. Prior to the visit, the Members had learned that several detainees went on a hunger strike in order to protest these conditions, and during the visit these reports were confirmed by the individuals the Members visited. 
 
Immediately following the oversight visit, the Congressional offices contacted ICE demanding a full and complete accounting of the facts into these disturbing incidents and the hostile treatment of detainees. That’s why the Members of Congress are imploring the Homeland Security Secretary to provide answers about the reported punishments and demanding he hold individuals responsible for inhumane treatment of and retaliation against the detainees. 
 
The letter reads in part: 
 
“Any report of retaliation against a detainee at an ICE facility is disturbing and warrants investigation, but it is especially troubling if retaliation stemmed from meetings with Members of Congress performing oversight of an ICE facility. Meeting with  detainees is an important component of any oversight visit to a detention facility and provides valuable and complete information to Members. They must be thoroughly investigated, and if proven true, corrected and the individuals responsible for them must be held accountable.”
 
Read the full letter below. 

June 17, 2026

The Honorable Markwayne Mullin
Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Mullin:

We are writing to demand an immediate investigation into reports¹ that detainees have been retaliated against after our visit to the Adelanto U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center, located at 10250 Rancho Road, Adelanto, CA 92301, on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Any report of retaliation against a detainee at an ICE facility is disturbing and warrants investigation, but it is especially troubling if retaliation stemmed from meetings with Members of Congress performing oversight of an ICE facility. Meeting with detainees is an important component of any oversight visit to a detention facility and provides valuable and complete information to Members. These reports must be thoroughly investigated, and if proven true, corrected, and the individuals responsible for them must be held accountable.

During our oversight visit, we met with three detainees who described poor treatment and unsafe conditions at the detention facility. According to the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a nonprofit law firm that represents detainees at the Adelanto facility, one of these detainees was moved out of the California facility and deported, which they allege was a violation of a court directive.

Prior to our visit, we heard reports that detainees were driven to take the desperate action of a hunger strike to protest inhumane conditions at the facility. The individuals raised serious concerns about the conditions in the facility, including the lack of access to adequate food, water, and medical care. Furthermore, they raised disturbing accusations that individuals were being retaliated against for protesting these conditions, including that they were being harassed, placed unjustly in solitary confinement, and subject to expedited deportation.

In light of these disturbing reports, we ask that you respond to the following questions no later than June 30, 2026.

1. Were any of the detainees we met during our Congressional oversight visit treated differently than before our visit in the days afterward? This includes, but is not limited to:
     1. Being placed in solitary confinement;
     1. Being transferred to another detention facility;
     1. Being issued a deportation order or removed;
     1. Being subject to increased force by detention facility personnel; or
     1. Losing privileges provided to other detainees, such as visitation or access to phones or tablets.
 2. An issue that was raised by detainees during our oversight visit was the hunger strike mentioned above. Does ICE consider participation in a hunger strike to be a protected freedom of speech activity? What are ICE’s policies regarding responses to  hunger strikes?
3. Please respond to the reports that detainees were placed in solitary confinement, sent to other facilities across the country, and met with deportation orders following the visit.
4. What are ICE’s standard operating procedures regarding the use of solitary confinement and segregation in detention facilities? Were these procedures followed regarding the above detainees in this instance? Please detail if any of the above detainees were placed in solitary confinement, when they were placed in segregation, and by what justification.
5. What are ICE’s standard operating procedures for transferring detainees from one detention facility to another? Were these procedures followed regarding the above detainees in this instance? Please detail if any of the above detainees were relocated to another detention center, when, where, and by what justification.
     1. The government is required by law to “provide at least two court days’ notice to the petitioner, their counsel, and the Court of its intent to remove the petitioner from the Central District of California.” Was this notice provided prior to the detainee(s)  being transferred?
6. Were any of the detainees who we met during the oversight visit issued deportation orders after the visit? Please detail which detainees, when, and by what justification.
     1. It has been reported that Kyon Shakeel Swaso, who was participating in the hunger strike, was deported following the congressional visit. Please provide the legal justification for this removal as well. Prior to his removal, was DHS aware of a court  directive intended to prevent his deportation? If so, was that court directive followed?
7.  If ICE alleges appropriate standard operating procedures were followed, what evidence can you provide to substantiate that actions taken against detainees were unrelated to their participation in our oversight visit?
8. Will you ensure future detainees who play an important role in thorough oversight visits conducted by Members of Congress are not met with retribution?

Congressional oversight visits are an essential part of our democracy, and these visits are incomplete without firsthand accounts from individuals in detention facilities.

Accordingly, we look forward to your prompt response to the above questions.

Sincerely,

Jimmy Gomez
Member of Congress

Pete Aguilar
Member of Congress

Judy Chu
Member of Congress

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

Allegations include inadequate access to food, water, and medical care, as well as solitary confinement, transfer to other ICE facilities, and deportation 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reps. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Judy Chu (CA-28) and Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding an immediate investigation into reports that multiple detainees at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility have faced retaliation for a hunger strike and for a meeting with the Members of Congress during a congressional oversight visit earlier this month. 
On June 1st, the Congressional Members visited the facility and met with detainees who described a disturbing situation there, including poor treatment, unsafe conditions, and inadequate access to food, water, and essential medical care. Prior to the visit, the Members had learned that several detainees went on a hunger strike in order to protest these conditions, and during the visit these reports were confirmed by the individuals the Members visited. 
Immediately following the oversight visit, the Congressional offices contacted ICE demanding a full and complete accounting of the facts into these disturbing incidents and the hostile treatment of detainees. That’s why the Members of Congress are imploring the Homeland Security Secretary to provide answers about the reported punishments and demanding he hold individuals responsible for inhumane treatment of and retaliation against the detainees. 
The letter reads in part: 
“Any report of retaliation against a detainee at an ICE facility is disturbing and warrants investigation, but it is especially troubling if retaliation stemmed from meetings with Members of Congress performing oversight of an ICE facility. Meeting with detainees is an important component of any oversight visit to a detention facility and provides valuable and complete information to Members. They must be thoroughly investigated, and if proven true, corrected and the individuals responsible for them must be held accountable.”
Read the full letter here and below. 
June 17, 2026
The Honorable Markwayne MullinSecretaryU.S. Department of Homeland Security2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SEWashington, D.C. 20528
Dear Secretary Mullin:
We are writing to demand an immediate investigation into reports¹ that detainees have been retaliated against after our visit to the Adelanto U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center, located at 10250 Rancho Road, Adelanto, CA 92301, on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Any report of retaliation against a detainee at an ICE facility is disturbing and warrants investigation, but it is especially troubling if retaliation stemmed from meetings with Members of Congress performing oversight of an ICE facility. Meeting with detainees is an important component of any oversight visit to a detention facility and provides valuable and complete information to Members. These reports must be thoroughly investigated, and if proven true, corrected, and the individuals responsible for them must be held accountable.
During our oversight visit, we met with three detainees who described poor treatment and unsafe conditions at the detention facility. According to the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a nonprofit law firm that represents detainees at the Adelanto facility, one of these detainees was moved out of the California facility and deported, which they allege was a violation of a court directive.
Prior to our visit, we heard reports that detainees were driven to take the desperate action of a hunger strike to protest inhumane conditions at the facility. The individuals raised serious concerns about the conditions in the facility, including the lack of access to adequate food, water, and medical care. Furthermore, they raised disturbing accusations that individuals were being retaliated against for protesting these conditions, including that they were being harassed, placed unjustly in solitary confinement, and subject to expedited deportation.
In light of these disturbing reports, we ask that you respond to the following questions no later than June 30, 2026.

Were any of the detainees we met during our Congressional oversight visit treated differently than before our visit in the days afterward? This includes, but is not limited to:

Being placed in solitary confinement;
Being transferred to another detention facility;
Being issued a deportation order or removed;
Being subject to increased force by detention facility personnel; or
Losing privileges provided to other detainees, such as visitation or access to phones or tablets.

An issue that was raised by detainees during our oversight visit was the hunger strike mentioned above. Does ICE consider participation in a hunger strike to be a protected freedom of speech activity? What are ICE’s policies regarding responses to hunger strikes?
Please respond to the reports that detainees were placed in solitary confinement, sent to other facilities across the country, and met with deportation orders following the visit.
What are ICE’s standard operating procedures regarding the use of solitary confinement and segregation in detention facilities? Were these procedures followed regarding the above detainees in this instance? Please detail if any of the above detainees were placed in solitary confinement, when they were placed in segregation, and by what justification.
What are ICE’s standard operating procedures for transferring detainees from one detention facility to another? Were these procedures followed regarding the above detainees in this instance? Please detail if any of the above detainees were relocated to another detention center, when, where, and by what justification.

The government is required by law to “provide at least two court days’ notice to the petitioner, their counsel, and the Court of its intent to remove the petitioner from the Central District of California.” Was this notice provided prior to the detainee(s) being transferred?

Were any of the detainees who we met during the oversight visit issued deportation orders after the visit? Please detail which detainees, when, and by what justification.

It has been reported that Kyon Shakeel Swaso, who was participating in the hunger strike, was deported following the congressional visit. Please provide the legal justification for this removal as well. Prior to his removal, was DHS aware of a court directive intended to prevent his deportation? If so, was that court directive followed?

If ICE alleges appropriate standard operating procedures were followed, what evidence can you provide to substantiate that actions taken against detainees were unrelated to their participation in our oversight visit?
Will you ensure future detainees who play an important role in thorough oversight visits conducted by Members of Congress are not met with retribution?

Congressional oversight visits are an essential part of our democracy, and these visits are incomplete without firsthand accounts from individuals in detention facilities.
Accordingly, we look forward to your prompt response to the above questions.
Sincerely,
Pete AguilarMember of Congress
Jimmy GomezMember of Congress
Judy ChuMember of Congress

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens led 21 Members of Congress in introducing the Protect Local Funding Act, legislation to block the Trump Administration’s politicization of the federal grant process, stand up to Donald Trump’s overreach, and protect federal taxpayer dollars for local communities.

On May 29, 2026, the Trump Administration released a new proposal to overhaul the federal grantmaking process, allowing politics to determine where federal funding gets allocated. Notably, it would give senior political appointees the power to review discretionary grant funding and allow federal agencies to change or terminate grants after they are awarded. The proposal would diminish the role of independent, merit-based review instead making funding decisions based on partisan politics rather than expert advice. Grant recipients across scientific research, public health, public safety and law enforcement, disaster preparedness and response, and agriculture and rural development areas could see their funding threatened by the new proposal. This move, straight out of the Project 2025 playbook, comes on the heels of the Trump Administration’s repeated disregard for Congress’s role in the budget process, gutting of the federal civil service, and withholding of federal funds to states for political purposes.

Congresswoman Stevens is fighting back against Trump’s attempts to take over the federal grantmaking process. Her new legislation would halt the Administration’s proposal in its tracks, preventing the White House from implementing the rule. This legislation would protect independent and merit-based grantmaking, ensuring taxpayer funds are awarded based on expertise and technical merit rather than Trump’s political whims.

In particular, the Protect Local Funding Act would:

• Keep Politics Out of Grants: Prohibit OMB and federal agencies from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed grantmaking rule.
• Stop Future Power Grabs: Block any substantially similar future rule that would allow political appointees to override expert grant evaluations.
• Protect Merit-Based Funding: Preserve independent grant review processes that rely on career officials, peer review, and subject matter experts.
• Prevent Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: Ensure taxpayer dollars are awarded based on merit and evidence, not political whims.
   

“Federal grants are critical to our communities, especially our small and medium manufacturers, scientific researchers, and local law enforcement,” said Rep. Stevens. “We cannot allow Donald Trump to inject politics into our grants system and give his cronies unilateral power to direct federal funding to their allies and block it for their opponents.”

From countering Trump’s military deployments on U.S. soil, to reversing Trump’s cuts to scientific and medical research, to holding ICE agents accountable, to impeaching RFK Jr., Congresswoman Stevens is leading the charge in Congress to stand up to the Trump Administration.  Stevens is also advocating to boost scientific research funding for labs and universities across the country in her role as the top Democrat on the House Research and Technology Subcommittee. For her work, Stevens has been named the most effective Democrat in Congress on Science and Technology issues.

The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Debbie Dingell (MI-06); Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07); Jared Huffman (CA-02); Sarah McBride (DE); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC); Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25); Mike Quigley (IL-05); Bill Foster (IL-11); Nikki Budzinski (IL-13); April McClain Delaney (MD-06); Seth Moulton (MA-06); Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05); Melanie Stansbury (NM-01); Dan Goldman (NY-10); Josh Riley (NY-19); Greg Landsman (OH-01); Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01); Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05); Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06); Chris Deluzio (PA-17); and Gwen Moore (WI-04).

Text of the bill can be found here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

WASHINGTON D.C. — Thursday, June 18, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D – Los Angeles County) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D – NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution reaffirming the United States’ commitment to the protection of refugees and displaced persons. The World Refugee Day Resolution was cosponsored by 27 Senators and 34 Members of Congress.

“Refugee resettlement and targeted foreign aid are strategic investments that foster goodwill and strengthen our national security. These efforts advance United States foreign policy goals and support host countries, all while helping families and individuals in need,” said Representative Lieu. “Despite longstanding bipartisan support, the Trump administration abandoned its responsibility to protect the world’s most vulnerable populations. As the Trump administration treats refugees with hostility, it is more important than ever to stand in solidarity with refugee populations. Robust U.S. foreign aid and refugee resettlement programs are both morally right and a smart investment.  I’m pleased to reintroduce this resolution with Senator Shaheen and reiterate our call to help people fleeing unimaginable circumstances.”

“America’s commitment to helping the world’s most vulnerable has long been a source of national pride and economic strength,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “Yet the Trump Administration has abandoned that legacy, turning its back on those who need our help the most. This World Refugee Day, we honor the spirit and contributions of refugees around the world, reaffirm our commitment to their protection and call on the Trump Administration to reverse course.”

Support for this resolution:

“World Refugee Day arrives at a moment when more people are seeking safety than at any point in recorded history. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. The need has never been greater, yet in too many places, including the United States, the doors of welcome are closing. The Trump administration has corrupted the U.S. resettlement program, for the sake of a harmful ideological agenda that admits only one population at the exclusion of tens of thousands refugees at risk around the world. Congress must hold the administration accountable to restore a refugee program that resettles those most at risk. At Refugee Council USA, our coalition refuses to retreat from the promise that those who seek refuge will find it here,” said John Slocum, Executive Director, Refugee Council USA

“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we must reclaim our national promise of safety and opportunity. Local communities across the country are ready, as shown by the growing network of Certified Welcoming places. The capacity to welcome is clear; the mid-year addition of 10,000 slots and $100 million proves our systems can scale. Yet, reserving this space exclusively for one group while locking out 120,000 vetted refugees betrays our founding values. We Are All America proudly endorses this resolution, and we call on Congress to hold the administration accountable to restore an equitable, rules-based program that grants safety based on human need, not race or nationality,” said Fatima Saidi, Director, We Are America (WAAA)  

“Every person seeking safety has the fundamental right to request protection. As we approach the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, this fundamental right has been imperiled by cruel immigration policies that seek to disappear, harm, and deport people exercising their fundamental right to seek safety, including many who have in fact already been found to be refugees. Despite these harmful policies, people around the world continue to recognize the importance of offering safe harbor to people seeking safety—not as an obligation, but as a profoundly human act of solidarity and compassion, that in turn immeasurably enriches our lives and our communities. On World Refugee Day, as we honor the courage and strength of people seeking safety, Human Rights First wholeheartedly endorses this resolution, and calls on Congress to do everything in its power to uphold the right to seek safety for all those who are forced to flee from their homes,” said Robyn Barnard, Vice President of Refugee and Immigrant Rights, Human Rights First  

“In the face of mounting attacks on people seeking safety, we applaud Senator Shaheen, Congressman Lieu, and their colleagues calling for policies that welcome refugees with dignity and fairness. The Trump administration’s myriad anti-asylum and anti-refugee policies endanger people seeking safety, fuel family separations, and sow terror in communities across the country. They also violate the Constitution and laws passed by Congress, which obligate us to uphold noncitizens’ due process rights and provide meaningful access to a fair asylum process. We urge lawmakers to do everything in their power to fully restore asylum and refugee protections in compliance with U.S. law and our international obligations,” said Karen Musalo, Director, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS)

“World Refugee Day is an opportunity to honor the courage, humanity, and resilience of refugees everywhere, and to renew our commitment to welcoming and protecting those fleeing persecution. It is also a moment of reckoning, when we must grapple with the devastating impacts of the ongoing refugee and travel bans that have left so many with no path to protection,” said Danilo Zak, Director of Policy at Church World Service. “CWS thanks Senator Shaheen, Representative Lieu, and their colleagues for standing with refugees and leading the 2026 World Refugee Day resolution. At its best, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is a shining example of American humanitarian values. We must fight to restore a refugee program that can once again enrich our communities, advance global stability, and support our national security.”

The resolution is supported by the following organizations: #AfghanEvac, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Church World Services, Friends Committee on National Legislation, HIAS, Human Rights First, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Refugee Council USA, Refugee Congress, Refugee Advocacy Lab, and Refugees International.

The House resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Jesus G. Garcia (D-IL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Christian Menefee (D-TX), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jarrold Nadler (D-NY), Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL)Julia Brownley (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Tory Caryer (D-LA), Analilia Mejia (D-NJ), Teresa Leger Ferandez (D-NM), and Danny K. Davis (D-IL).

The Senate resolution is cosponsored by Senators  Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ),  Chris Coons (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-NY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).     

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

“As communities across Colorado struggle to fill the gaps left in key programs due to the Trump administration’s reckless policies, our kids are the ones facing the consequences.”

Lafayette, CO — Earlier this week, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse hosted local leaders from across Larimer County for a roundtable discussion about the challenges impacting families in Northern Colorado, including the consequences of draconian federal aid cuts on kids across the state. 

According to recent public reports, Colorado’s children will face the brunt of cuts to federal support for healthcare, childcare, and education and food assistance programs enacted by President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” 

“As communities across Colorado struggle to fill the gaps left in key programs due to the Trump administration’s reckless policies, our kids are the ones facing the consequences. Hundreds of thousands of Colorado children rely on federal healthcare support, and hundreds of thousands more rely on food assistance programs,” said Congressman Neguse. “I’m incredibly grateful to the folks across Larimer County who are stepping in — ensuring families have access to the resources they need to thrive. As we continue to see the dire consequences of Trump’s policies, it is imperative that we adopt an all-hands-on-deck approach to setting the next generation up for success.”

Among the programs on the Trump administration’s chopping block, more than 600,000 kids in Colorado receive health insurance through Medicaid or the Child Health Plan Plus; 355,000 people depend on food assistance through SNAP; roughly 51,000 receive monthly cash assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; and nearly 28,000 rely on federal child care assistance dollars. 

“About 50% of SNAP recipients in Colorado are children. So, children are disproportionately impacted by these cuts.” said Amy Pezzani, Food Bank of Larimer County. “As well, and I think this is shocking, $500,000 a month was lost in just our Larimer County economy due to those SNAP benefits being cut so money no longer being spent at our local farmers markets and grocery stores.”

“It’s not just the children and families that are getting impacted. More than 15% of early educators across the state of Colorado with and below the poverty line, these are people that are already struggling with basic needs and are trying to show up for children day in and day out to help raise them and grow them into our next generation,” said Christina Taylor, Northern Colorado Kids Thrive. “And these are folks that are getting heavily impacted by SNAP and Medicaid cuts, housing insecurity, food insecurity.”

“Regarding H.R. 1, the biggest challenges are fewer resources, administrative burden, and uncertainty. For example, the federal government provides unclear direction regarding the implementation of proposed changes to SNAP and Medicaid, such as work requirements and recertification. This lack of clarity makes it very difficult to plan for and deliver human services to people struggling to make ends meet, and to fulfill our partnership responsibilities with community-based organizations to ensure people dealing with family crises receive support,” said John Kefalas, Larimer County Commissioner.

Neguse, who at 42 years-old is the youngest Democrat in Colorado’s federal delegation, has two small children. He has made it a priority to speak up for kids and their families, supporting next-generation efforts to make childcare more affordable and accessible, expand mental health services, advance public safety in schools, and more. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO), Chair of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, released the following statement after she introduced the SEC Reform and Restructuring Act:

“I am committed to supporting local small businesses and the families that run them. The Biden Administration’s SEC imposed a top-down regulatory process that made it much more challenging for employers to raise money and for families to invest.  It has been a full-time job working with our current Chair of the SEC Paul Atkins to dig ourselves out of that hole and build a smoother, more effective, and more accountable process so hardworking Americans can focus on what matters: saving for a better future.  The SEC Reform and Restructuring Act will prioritize investor protection and eliminate onerous and ineffective programs, support more accessible regulations that make sense, and ensure that the SEC is accountable to the people, not government bureaucrats who think they know best.”

The SEC Reform and Restructuring Act includes the following legislation:

SEC Regulatory Accountability Act – Sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner

SEC Transparency Act – Sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner

SEC Cybersecurity Act – Sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner

Review the Expansion of Government Act – Sponsored by Rep. Young Kim

Streamlining Public Company Accounting Oversight Act – Sponsored by Rep. Bill Huizenga

Securities Enforcement Clarity Act – Sponsored by Rep. Pete Sessions

SEC Modernization Act – Sponsored by Rep. Troy Downing

Read the section by section on this bill here.