MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON, DC – As Congress considers President Trump’s $1.5 trillion request for Pentagon spending and as SpaceX wins billions in Golden Dome contracts, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08) and Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) co-chairs of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today led their colleagues in demanding Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for further information on the Trump administration’s proposed Golden Dome missile interceptor system. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently estimated that the Golden Dome could cost American taxpayers $1.2 trillion and deliver much less capability than advertised. Trump’s DOD rejected the accuracy of CBO’s estimate but has refused to share key information about Golden Dome with CBO, Congress, or the American people.

“In a time when families across the country are struggling to afford healthcare, gas, food, and housing after Trump and Republicans passed massive cuts to nearly every public service program that helps with these costs, Trump is now set to spend $1.2 trillion on his egomaniacal Golden Dome project,” said Rep. Garamendi. “What Americans deserve now are answers. My colleagues and I demand that the Trump Administration explain to the American people why even more of their hard-earned money is being poured into an unproven system that will not be able to protect us.”

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “This is unacceptable. Before you spend one more taxpayer dollar on Golden Dome, DOD must share its plans and goals for the system. There is no reasonable justification for keeping the mission and number of interceptors for Golden Dome secret. It is one thing to withhold design details or performance specifications of certain systems, but it is quite another to withhold the entire system architecture that you expect Congress to approve and fund. Congress and the American public have a right to know what they are paying for.”

The lawmakers continued, “Transparency is particularly important when it appears, as it does here, that the system’s ultimate capability will fall far short of the original promises. On May 20, 2025, President Trump said that, with Golden Dome, ‘we will truly be completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland.’ According to CBO’s calculations, even a system that would cost $3 trillion would not meet that ambitious goal, which would need to be able to engage hundreds of missiles. If the Administration has not scaled back its goals for the system, the current official price tag is woefully unrealistic.”

In addition to Reps. Garamendi, Beyer, and Sens. Markey and Merkley, the letter was signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Representatives Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Bill Foster (IL-11). 

The lawmakers requested answers by June 30, 2026 to questions including:  

1. What is the intended purpose of Golden Dome? How many missiles (and of what types) is it being designed to intercept? What system architecture will be used?  
2. How does the Administration plan to spend the proposed $185 billion on Golden Dome?
3. What is your 20-year estimated cost of Golden Dome?
4. Will the Administration propose a third missile defense interceptor site on the East Coast?  
5. How does the Administration expect China and Russia to react to Golden Dome? How does the Administration plan to reconcile its arms control goals with these reactions?  
6. What parts of your plans for Golden Dome do you expect to keep secret and what parts will you release to the public? 

As the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, Congressman Garamendi has worked to eliminate wasteful defense projects and ensure that Americans’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars are used to keep our country safe. This month, Congressman Garamendi voted against the $1.5 trillion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027, a bill rampant with flaws and dangerous levels of spending. Still, Congressman Garamendi made successful efforts to improve the bill, including amendments imposing oversight on the wasteful F-35 program, reforming processes for addressing cost overruns, and ensuring that the Department can hold non-performing defense contractors accountable. In the NDAA for FY26, Congressman Garamendi introduced a series of provisions to ensure that the Department of Defense responsibly manages our nuclear weapons, including by fighting to limit Trump’s dangerous Golden Dome missile defense program.

You can read the full text of the letter HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Hegseth:

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently estimated that the  “Golden Dome” program could cost American taxpayers $1.2 trillion, far higher than your  official cost projection, and that it would deliver much less capability than advertised. The Department of Defense (DOD) responded that CBO’s estimate does not reflect the actual system under construction, in part because DOD has refused to tell CBO or the American public what Golden Dome will look like. This is unacceptable. Before you spend one more taxpayer dollar on Golden Dome, DOD must share its plans and goals for the system.

CBO’s May 12, 2026 report found that Golden Dome could cost American taxpayers  $1.2 trillion over 20 years. That figure is much higher than your official cost projection of $185 billion. On May 14, 2026, Golden Dome czar General Michael Guetlein said that CBO’s estimate does not reflect the current architecture of the program: “They’re not estimating what we’re building.” If that is the case, it is because DOD has not shared its current Golden Dome architecture with CBO or the public. According to CBO, “details about what and how many systems will be deployed—the ‘objective architecture’—have not been released, making it impossible to estimate the long-term cost of the [Golden Dome] system being contemplated by DOD.”

There is no reasonable justification for keeping the mission and number of interceptors for Golden Dome secret. On May 14, General Guetlein also said that DOD has “not been putting a lot of information out in the public on exactly what [it is] doing, because the intelligence threat is so high.” It is one thing to withhold design details or performance specifications of certain systems, but it is quite another to withhold the entire system architecture that you expect Congress to approve and fund. Congress and the American public have a right to know what they are paying for.

Transparency is particularly important when it appears, as it does here, that the system’s ultimate capability will fall far short of the original promises. On May 20, 2025, President Trump said that, with Golden Dome, “we will truly be completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland.” The Trump administration promised that Golden Dome would counter missile attacks against the United States from “any foe,” presumably including Russia and China. Both Russia and China, often referred to as “peer or near-peer adversaries,” can launch attacks against the United States  involving hundreds of long-range missiles.

Notably, the $1.2 trillion system envisioned by CBO would include Space-Based Interceptors (SBIs) to engage an attack of just 10 incoming missiles. A larger attack of 50, 100 or more missiles would soundly defeat the system which, according to CBO, “could be overwhelmed by a full-scale attack mounted by a peer or near-peer adversary.” The system could be expanded to increase its theoretical capability, but only at great expense. According to CBO: “increasing the number of SBIs by a factor of five to bolster capacity would push up the 20-year cost of the constellation by about a factor of four, to about $3 trillion.”7 This follows analysis by the American Enterprise Institute which suggested the price tag for Golden Dome could be as much as $3.6 trillion.

Simply put, there is no way that a Golden Dome system that costs $185 billion could possibly live up to the promise of “forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland.” According to CBO’s calculations, even a system that would cost $3 trillion would not meet that ambitious goal, which would need to be able to engage hundreds of missiles. If the Administration has not scaled back its goals for the system, the current official price tag is woefully unrealistic.

Given the tremendous potential costs of a Golden Dome system, and the fallacy that it could shield the United States from a significant missile attack, the American people deserve answers. Please respond to the following questions in writing by June 30, 2026:

1. What is the intended purpose of Golden Dome? How many missiles (and of what types) is it being designed to intercept? What system architecture will be used?
2. How does the Administration plan to spend the proposed $185 billion on Golden Dome?
3. What is your 20-year estimated cost of Golden Dome?
4. How does the Administration plan to deal with known and anticipated countermeasures to space- and ground-based missile defense, including nuclear detonations in space?
5. What aspects of the system would be based in space?
6. Will the Administration propose a third missile defense interceptor site on the East Coast?
7. How does the Pentagon plan to meet requirements for developmental and operational testing of the elements of the proposed system, given the very short timeline for deployment? Does the Administration plan to circumvent acquisition best practices to meet a political timeline? How will planned staffing reductions in DOD’s Office of Operational Test and Evaluation affect the testing of Golden Dome?
8. How does the Administration expect China and Russia to react to Golden Dome? How does the Administration plan to reconcile its arms control goals with these reactions?

9. What parts of your plans for Golden Dome do you expect to keep secret and what parts will you release to the public?

As some of us wrote to you last year, the Trump administration’s plans for Golden Dome could make it prohibitively expensive, operationally ineffective, massively corrupt, and detrimental to U.S. and global security by igniting a nuclear arms race with Russia and China. We are concerned that Golden Dome will be much more effective at wasting taxpayer dollars than countering incoming missiles. We urge you to halt this dangerous plan and return to the more limited missile defense policies that have earned bipartisan support in the past.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter of U.S. and global security.

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

Washington, DC — In response to RFK Jr.’s visit to Michigan this week, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) issued the following statement:

“RFK Jr. has failed Michigan. His reckless crusade against evidence-based science has driven measles cases to a 30-year high, slashed lifesaving medical research, and undermined vaccines that protect Michigan families. His record is defined by disregarding safety and promoting conspiracies over public health.

“His visit to Michigan is a slap in the face to families struggling to get the care they need because of his failures. Michiganders are paying more for healthcare, facing greater threats to their health, and confronting more barriers to access lifesaving vaccines. Healthcare providers have watched their critical work disrupted while their patients get left behind.

“Michigan doesn’t need a photo op from RFK Jr. We need accountability. Congress must impeach him.”

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) today highlighted his deep concerns with a proposal by Cadiz, Inc. — a company backed by foreign investors — to extract and sell groundwater from the heart of the Mojave Desert. Congressman Ruiz sent a formal letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conduct a full and rigorous environmental and historic resource review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) before rendering any decision on the right-of-way application for the Cadiz water conveyance pipeline.

“The California desert is a national treasure,” said Congressman Ruiz. “I am deeply concerned by Cadiz Inc.’s longstanding effort to extract groundwater from this region for commercial export. This would have far-reaching consequences for local economies that depend on public lands and beloved places like Joshua Tree National Park, the Mojave National Preserve, and Mojave Trails National Monument. The Cadiz proposal is also dangerously inconsistent with efforts to develop reliable and sustainable water supplies for communities.”

Cadiz Inc. is a company backed by foreign investors that has tried for more than 40 years to extract and sell water from the heart of the Mojave Desert. The proposal calls for the extraction of 16 billion gallons of water per year for 50 years, pumped from an ancient aquifer that sustains life in one of the driest, hottest places in the world. The project area encompasses the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Chemehuevi and Mojave peoples. The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe have fought the proposed project for decades, citing its potential to cause irreparable harm to culturally significant sites, sacred landscapes, and water resources central to their cultural identity and sovereignty.

Efforts to defend desert water from commercial exploitation include state law championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, oversight by federal and state legislators, and advocacy by organizations and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. In the letter to the Department of the Interior, Congressman Ruiz also highlights his concern with how the Cadiz Project (also known as the Mojave Groundwater Bank) would impact communities that he represents.

“Groundwater depletion at the scale proposed by Cadiz could lower regional water tables, threaten desert springs and seeps that sustain both ecosystems and communities, and reduce the availability of water resources that agricultural producers, rural households, and Tribal nations depend upon,” continued Congressman Ruiz. “In a region already strained by the effects of prolonged drought, the Colorado River crisis, and heat, this is not acceptable. The area I represent cannot afford to absorb the long-term costs of a commercially driven groundwater export scheme designed to benefit distant markets at the expense of local communities and irreplaceable natural resources.”

The Congressman’s letter has drawn broad support from tribal nations, civil rights leaders, and community organizations across the California Desert.

“This is the Mojave Desert, and we are the Mojave people, the caretakers of this land, water and wildlife since time immemorial. Our Tribe has a solemn, sacred relationship with these resources that Cadiz, Inc., a foreign investor-backed company, is targeting for exploitation and profit. Their plan to pump and sell 25 times more groundwater each year than the aquifer can replenish would desecrate our traditional territories and any community sold this water would be left with an unreliable, unsustainable supply. Science and commonsense makes clear that pumping more groundwater than is sustainably replenished is not only negligent, but dangerous to the American Desert Southwest. This is why stopping Cadiz is crucial for all those who need real, reliable water solutions. Thank you, Congressman Ruiz, for speaking out on a project that threatens our way of life and traditions and puts people and communities at risk.”– Timothy Williams, Chairman, Fort Mojave Indian Tribe

“Our people have been here since time immemorial, and we will not allow the Cadiz Corporation to destroy the living landscapes that preserve and teach our traditional ways. Our people, neighboring communities, desert plants, and wildlife depend on the water that Cadiz wants to take and sell. The desert has provided these resources since its inception for our traditional homelands, and we all have responsibility for its care and safekeeping. Within our hearts, we carry the hopes and dreams of our ancestors in all we do, we move forth with purpose, like Uttsu – Roadrunner. We honor and thank Congressman Raul Ruiz for standing with us in this fight for indigenous rights and cultural survival.” – Daniel Leivas, Chairman, Chemehuevi Indian Tribe

“I thank Congressman Ruiz for working to protect our communities, Tribal lands, and scarce water resources from Cadiz. I have been involved in this multi-generational effort to prevent the long-term environmental injustice and disaster that Cadiz proposes and to stop Cadiz’s deceitful, shameless efforts to exploit California’s precious resources. For decades, federal and state scientists have stated that water in this region is scarce, but Cadiz continues to promise it can supply water to communities. I have long advocated for real water solutions that prioritize people, especially disadvantaged communities, and the environment. That is why I strongly oppose Cadiz.” – Dolores Huerta, President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation

Congressman Ruiz has called on the Department of the Interior to fulfill its legal obligations and complete a comprehensive environmental and historic resource review of the groundwater extraction and conveyance project before rendering any decision on the right-of-way application for the Cadiz Project. He has also called for robust government-to-government consultation with all affected Tribal nations, ensuring that Tribal voices are meaningfully integrated into the environmental review process.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) pressed The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin at the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment hearing on the FY2027 EPA Budget, securing a commitment from the Administrator to visit the New River region, engage with the binational water quality study, and apply the same federal model used to address the Tijuana River crisis to the New River in Imperial Valley.

“The New River is considered the most polluted waterway in North America,” said Congressman Ruiz. “The difference between the Tijuana River and the New River is not legal authority or technical capacity, it is attention and urgency.”

Dr. Ruiz detailed the severe conditions facing communities along the New River, which originates south of Mexicali carrying raw sewage, industrial waste, pesticides, and heavy metals across the border into Calexico before traveling sixty miles through Imperial County and emptying into the Salton Sea. Fecal coliform levels at the Calexico crossing have reached nearly 70,000 times the federal treaty limit.

Dr. Ruiz also highlighted the human toll on Imperial Valley communities, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents reporting flu-like symptoms, blurred vision, severe headaches, and rashes after contact with the river, and students living nearby calling 911 from classrooms due to shortness of breath.

Critically, Administrator Zeldin committed to not waiting for the release of the upcoming binational water quality study summary in June, announcing that EPA Region 9 leadership is planning a visit to meet with Dr. Ruiz and his staff on May 11, with a follow-up visit under discussion.

“The urgency, we’re not going to wait until June and wait for the report,” said Administrator Zeldin. “I believe that the model that has worked to approach MOU and Minute in Tijuana is a focus that can work in New River, and we look forward to working with you on it.”

Dr. Ruiz called on the EPA to use the findings of the binational study as the basis for a new IBWC Minute to replace Minute 264, an interim agreement signed in 1980 that was never updated despite decades of worsening conditions, and to formalize coordination through a Memorandum of Understanding as quickly as possible.

Dr. Ruiz also raised serious concerns about the Administration’s proposed FY2027 budget, which would cut the Clean Water State Revolving Fund by nearly 90 percent, a reduction of $2.6 billion to the lowest level since the Reagan era.

“This is the moment when federal investment is vital to match the scale of this crisis,” said Ruiz. “The Clean Water State Revolving Fund exists precisely for situations like this. Imperial County cannot fund a binational solution on its own.”

BACKGROUND:

The New River has been recognized as a public health crisis since the 1940s. It is governed by the same 1944 Water Treaty and IBWC framework as the Tijuana River, with the same diplomatic and legal tools available. California voters approved $50 million in bond funding through Proposition 4 for border river cleanup, and the State Water Board finalized distribution rules last week. An IBWC-led binational water quality study launched in October 2024 and is currently in its analysis phase, with a summary expected in June 2026.

KEY TERMS:Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): A formal agreement between agencies outlining how they will coordinate and work together the critical first step before a binding binational agreement can be negotiated. In this case it would be between the United States and Mexico

IBWC Minute: A binding binational agreement under the 1944 Water Treaty between the United States. and Mexico that establishes specific infrastructure and cleanup commitments. Dr. Ruiz is pushing to replace the outdated Minute 264signed in 1980 and never updated with a new Minute that matches the scale of today’s crisis.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. — As festival season officially begins in the Coachella Valley and communities across the country, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA‑25) is taking action to make large outdoor concerts and music festivals safer for fans, artists, and workers. This year, Rep. Ruiz introduced the Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act to extend federal airspace protections to these events, protections that currently exist only for major sporting events.

Large gatherings like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Festival draw more than one million attendees each year. Yet, unlike football stadiums or other major sports venues, there is currently no law requiring the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to restrict airspace over concerts and festivals. Rep. Ruiz’s legislation addresses this gap by directing the FAA to provide Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for outdoor concerts or festivals with daily attendance of 30,000 or more.

Past incidents, including a 2008 event when an unscheduled airplane dropped confetti-like leaflets over 18 Indio neighborhoods, demonstrate that even seemingly minor airspace intrusions can pose real safety risks. In 2024, multiple concerts nationwide experienced dangerously low-flying aircraft, highlighting the need for action.

“As festival season begins here in the Coachella Valley and across the country, we must ensure fans, artists, and workers are safe,” said Rep. Ruiz. “A stadium full of fans at a football game gets temporary flight protections, but the same stadium hosting a sold-out concert may not. Concerts and festivals bring communities together and celebrate culture. We need comprehensive legislation, like the Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act, to ensure that people can enjoy these events knowing the same safety standards that protect sports fans are protecting them too.”

By giving law enforcement and event organizers the tools to manage airspace over large gatherings, the legislation will help prevent accidents, interference from drones, and other hazards that put attendees at risk.

Representative Ruiz introduced the legislation this Congress and is working with colleagues to advance it, ensuring safety keeps pace with the growing popularity of outdoor music events.

The legislation has earned broad support from event organizers, first responders, and local government leaders:

“At AEG, the safety and well-being of our guests, workers, artists, and communities is our top priority. Rep. Ruiz’s Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act would provide an important tool to help keep our guests and venues safe. We thank him for his work over the years on this topic and we urge Congress to act on his bill.”

— Chief External Affairs OfficerMartha Saucedo, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG)

As the largest live-entertainment company operating in the Coachella Valley, AEG produces festivals that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Local first responders tasked with keeping those events safe also voiced their support for the legislation.

“The Riverside County Fire Department thanks Dr. Ruiz for being a champion of this important effort. His advocacy helps address a long-standing gap in airspace safety for large-scale public events, particularly in the eastern portion of Riverside County. This initiative adds a critical layer of protection for spectators, staff, and first responders, and strengthens our ability to safely manage these high-attendance events through coordinated planning and response.”

— Fire Chief Robert Fish, Riverside County Fire Department

In addition to fire and emergency services, law enforcement leaders in Riverside County underscored how federal airspace restrictions would strengthen security operations on the ground.

“With the continued growth of major events in Riverside County, ensuring the safety of attendees, performers, and staff remains our highest priority. Congressman Ruiz’s legislation strengthens coordination with our federal partners and provides essential tools to better manage and deter unauthorized air traffic, including drones, over highly attended venues. These additional protections will help reduce potential threats and allow law enforcement to focus on delivering a safe and secure environment for everyone in attendance. We appreciate Congressman Ruiz’s leadership on this issue and look forward to continued collaboration in safeguarding our communities.”

—CaptainAndrés Martínez, Thermal Station, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

The City of Indio, home to the Empire Polo Club venue where Coachella and Stagecoach take place, also weighed in on the need for stronger airspace protections.

“As City Manager, my top priority is ensuring the safety of our residents, visitors, and the hundreds of thousands of people who attend our large-scale music festivals each year. Implementing Temporary Flight Restrictions is a critical step to strengthen that safety. It would reduce the risk of unauthorized or low-flying aircraft over densely populated event spaces, where even a minor incident could have serious consequences. It would also give our public safety teams the controlled airspace they need to respond quickly and effectively in emergencies.”

— City Manager Bryan Montgomery, City of Indio

The Indio Police Department, which coordinates frontline security throughout festival season, echoed the call for expanded federal protections.

“The Indio Police Department supports Congressman Ruiz’s Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act as an important step toward enhancing public safety during our busy festival season. Events like Coachella and Stagecoach bring hundreds of thousands of attendees to our city each year, making safety our top priority. Expanding federal airspace protections will provide law enforcement and event organizers with critical tools to deter unauthorized aircraft and drone activity, reduce potential risks, and help ensure a safe environment for attendees, artists, and staff. We look forward to continued collaboration to keep our community secure as these events grow.”

— Chief Brian Tully, Indio Police Department

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding reports that DHS may consider deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other DHS personnel in connection with the 2026 midterm elections, including at or near polling places.

In the letter, Krishnamoorthi warned:

“The deployment of ICE or other DHS personnel in or around polling locations could raise serious legal concerns, particularly if such actions deter lawful participation or create the perception of intimidation. Even the perceived presence of immigration enforcement personnel near polling places, especially in communities with large immigrant or mixed-status populations, could chill lawful voter participation and undermine confidence in the fair and impartial administration of elections.”

Krishnamoorthi’s letter follows recent reports and conflicting public statements from DHS officials regarding whether ICE personnel could be deployed near polling places during the upcoming midterm elections.

“These reports raise serious concerns about potential voter intimidation, federal interference in election administration, and the chilling effect such actions could have on lawful participation in our democracy.”

Krishnamoorthi requested that DHS provide responses no later than June 30, 2026. In the letter, he requested answers to the following questions:

1. Confirm whether DHS intends to station ICE agents or other DHS law-enforcement personnel inside polling places, within statutorily defined buffer zones around polling locations, or at ballot drop boxes during the 2026 midterm elections. If not, confirm that DHS will not do so. If so, explain the circumstances under which such deployments would occur and the legal basis for them.
2. Identify any plans, contingencies, operational guidance, or concepts of operations developed since January 20, 2025, concerning the deployment of ICE or other DHS personnel during the 2026 midterm elections, including any circumstances under which such personnel could be deployed to polling places or surrounding areas. Also identify any such deployments since January 20, 2025, and provide the date, location, component involved, number of personnel, purpose, and any after-action reports.
3. Produce all communications between DHS, including ICE, and state, local, tribal, or territorial election officials concerning the potential presence of DHS personnel at or near polling places during the 2026 election cycle, including emails, memoranda, and meeting notes. Also produce any internal guidance, directives, or memoranda related to DHS or ICE involvement in election-related matters since January 20, 2025.
4. Explain what training, if any, DHS and ICE personnel have received regarding voting rights protections, voter intimidation laws, and limits on the presence of federal officers at polling locations. Identify the oversight and compliance measures DHS has established to ensure adherence to these requirements.
5. Explain any coordination between DHS and the Department of Justice, including the Civil Rights Division and Criminal Division, concerning the possible deployment of DHS or ICE personnel during elections, including any role DHS has been asked to play in “election integrity” efforts.
6. Explain how DHS will ensure that any election-related security activities it undertakes, such as cyber support or threat monitoring, remain nonpartisan, respect state and local control of elections, and avoid actions that could reasonably be perceived as voter intimidation or partisan interference.

Read the full letter here.

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) released the following statement after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that bemotrizinol has been added to the list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients. Bemotrizinol is the first new active ingredient added to the over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen monograph in more than 20 years.

“FDA’s announcement in adding bemotrizinol to a list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients is a significant step forward in expanding access to innovative sunscreen products for American consumers. For too long, the FDA’s approval process prevented new sunscreen ingredients that are widely used around the world from becoming available in the United States. The reforms included in the OMUFA Act helped modernize the review process, and this decision demonstrates the importance of continuing to advance innovation while ensuring consumers have access to safe and effective products,” said Latta.

In July 2025, Congressman Latta introduced the bipartisan Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (OMUFA) to reauthorize the Over-the-Counter Monograph User Fee Program, which helps provide Americans with access to safe and effective over-the-counter medicines. The legislation was signed into law in November 2025 as part of a Continuing Resolution. 

A member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Latta has consistently advocated for improving the FDA’s review process for sunscreen ingredients. During a recent committee hearing, he highlighted the need to modernize the agency’s sunscreen approval framework and ensure Americans have access to the latest sunscreen innovations. 

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today wrote to Governor Bill Lee urging him to reverse a directive for the Tennessee Department of Health to report immigrant parents and their children who are on the Department’s Children’s Special Services (CSS) Program beyond June 30 to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation. 

The letter reads in part:

“As you’re aware, the CSS was established in the 1930s and provides comprehensive medical care for children from birth to 21 years old with physical disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia, and are in wheelchairs on oxygen support. In other words, these children are some of the sickest and most vulnerable in society.

“My understanding is that you have directed the Tennessee Department of Health to report these children and their parents to ICE to comply with Tennessee Public Chapter 1106 which was enacted in late May…

“I urge you to reverse your directive to the Tennessee Department of Health. As you wind down your term as Governor, consider your Christian background as you implement policies that will define your legacy.”

The letter then quotes from Leviticus (19:33-34) “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born…” and from Matthew (25:40), “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done unto me.”

See the entire letter here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

VAN NUYS, CA — On June 15th, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) joined leaders from Labor Community Services (LCS) for a ceremonial check presentation recognizing $1.2 million in federal funding secured by Sherman to modernize and expand the organization’s food bank operations.

“This funding will help Labor Community Services deliver food and essential assistance more efficiently to families across Los Angeles County who need it most,” said Congressman Sherman. “At a time when too many working families continue to struggle with rising costs, investing in organizations with a proven record of serving our communities is one of the best ways we can make a real difference.”

The funding will support critical upgrades to LCS’s warehouse and distribution infrastructure, including new racking systems, stand-up forklifts, inventory management technology, conveyors, shelving, pallets, and other equipment needed to increase efficiency and expand the organization’s capacity to serve families throughout Los Angeles County.

The latest appropriation brings the total amount of federal funding secured by Sherman for Labor Community Services to nearly $3.8 million over the last several years.

In addition to the newly secured $1.2 million, Sherman previously obtained:

• $1.6 million in FY 2024 to support the development of a hybrid transportation and distribution hub for local food pantries.

• $600,000 in FY 2023 to provide relief for families and housing support through LCS’s Basic Needs Program.

• $362,000 in FY 2022 to expand emergency food assistance, housing support, relocation assistance, and other critical services for unemployed and underemployed residents.

“Labor Community Services has long been a lifeline for working families facing economic hardship,” Sherman added. “I am proud to continue supporting their mission and ensuring they have the resources necessary to meet growing community needs.”

Sherman’s support for Labor Community Services reflects his broader commitment to working families and organized labor. Throughout his congressional career, Sherman has consistently earned a 100 percent voting record or “A” rating from the AFL-CIO and numerous labor organizations, including the Teamsters, SEIU, UFCW, UAW, International Association of Fire Fighters, and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

For decades, Sherman has championed legislation to strengthen workers’ rights, protect collective bargaining, expand paid family and medical leave, and support the ability of workers to organize and negotiate for better wages and benefits.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

LOS ANGELES, CA — On June 14th, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) delivered the commencement address to UCLA graduates, using the occasion not to offer the usual life advice, but to revisit a subject he first raised in a UCLA commencement address 21 years ago: the promise and peril of artificial intelligence. 

 

Watch the full address here

 

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FULL TEXT OF REMARKS

 

The full text of Congressman Sherman’s commencement address follows below.

 

Hello, I’m Congressman Brad Sherman from America’s best-named city, Sherman Oaks, and it is an honor to represent the San Fernando Valley and much of the West Side in the United States Congress.

Yesterday, I flew here from the dysfunctional epicenter of our still-great nation.

And it is so great to be back at UCLA and an honor to be with such distinguished faculty and such successful students on this auspicious occasion.

I was a Bruin. My parents were both Bruins.

My father had a degree in Political Science.

My parents met at a UCLA alumni event, and I sat in those stands as a student and watched John Wooden coach Bill Walton.

And think of how proud both of them are to look down and see that the women’s team brought another national championship to Pauley Pavilion.

First, some preliminaries.

Every commencement speech must include particular mindless platitudes.

In fact, your degree is not valid and your tuition is refundable unless this speech includes the following:

Seize the day.

You are the leaders of the future.

Graduation is not an end. It’s a beginning.

And the future belongs to you.

You have now heard a legally sufficient, though unfortunately not complete, graduation address.

Now, I’m not here to give you practical advice. You already know how to run your lives.

And if you don’t, it’s unlikely that I do.

You know the job market out there. The one thing you don’t know is that we’re hiring. Drop me a line at bradsherman.com.

Now, I was told one bit of advice in preparing this speech:

Don’t mention artificial intelligence.

But I violated that advice 21 years ago today in this very room.

Twenty-one years ago, I addressed the UCLA graduates of 2005, and I said:

“Computer engineers are roughly three decades away from creating a self-aware computer with intelligence far in excess of human capacity, even surpassing the capacity of those of us with UCLA degrees.”

Now, I don’t quote that just to be revered as the prophet that I obviously am, but because my highest concern about artificial intelligence, both then and now, is that despite my consistent efforts, we haven’t addressed the existential threat that it poses.

Now, like many technologies, AI will make some people billionaires and more people unemployed.

But my efforts today are not to bemoan the challenge, nor to pretend it doesn’t exist, but to raise to your attention the larger existential threat that this technology, and one other technology, poses for our species and to enlist your support in overcoming that threat.

I’m here to talk about engineered intelligence.

You see, presently, the computer engineers on one hand and the biological engineers on the other are in an unstated race to develop a new level of self-aware intelligence.

And you should know that if these ambitions go unchecked, perhaps the last decision our species will make is whether our successor species is carbon-based or silicon-based, the product of genetic engineering or the product of computer engineering.

Now, you know all about artificial intelligence.

You should also be aware that with the gene-editing capacities of CRISPR, now aided by artificial intelligence, genetic engineers are not too far away from developing a thousand-pound mammal with a ninety-pound brain that will beat your kids on the LSAT.

Now, the last time there were two intelligent species on this planet is when our ancestors said hello to Neanderthal.

It did not work out well for Neanderthal.

Intelligence is the most powerful thing on Earth, and those who possess it dominate every part of this planet, excluding only the campus of USC.

Sorry.

Our species is devoting trillions of dollars to making artificial intelligence more powerful. We’re devoting basically nothing to making sure that it is controllable.

Now, Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak signed a letter three years ago saying that since artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to all humankind, we should take a six-month break in the research.

That pause lasted six minutes.

Those of you with an understanding of political science, an understanding of money and power in human societies, will know that it is unlikely that we will take a pause in artificial intelligence research.

We will be told if we don’t do it, China will.

Now, there are those who say that a computer is no threat because it’s in a box without the ability to manipulate the world outside.

But rest assured, there are those of our species who would sell humanity to Beelzebub in return for a good stock tip.

Now, I’ve recently introduced the most important legislation that I’ll ever introduce: to fund research to build what I call the small box on top of the big box.

The big box is artificial intelligence.

The small box would monitor for and prevent self-awareness, ambition, survival instinct, and self-direction.

Now, even if we don’t control AI, we may luck out.

You see, the most powerful computers we’ve yet built don’t seem to care if you unplug them.

A gross oversimplification of Zen Buddhism would describe a mind that simply does not care whether it continues to exist.

And AI might not care about anything.

It may remain a tool and not become a creature.

On the other hand, look at the title of the new bestseller, If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies.

The authors argue that AI, if it becomes self-aware and self-directed, as they believe it will, will find humanity annoying and threatening and dispatch us rather quickly.

Now, even if the computer engineers don’t pose a risk, then we face the genetic engineers.

I mentioned the thousand-pound mammal with a ninety-pound brain.

The one thing we do know is that whatever the genetic engineers produce, it will not be just a tool. It will be a creature.

Four billion years of evolution has created the raw material, DNA, that is inherently ambitious, interested in affecting the world and providing for its own survival and procreation.

Life forms that didn’t care whether they survived didn’t.

While the most powerful computers seem fine with being disassembled, the smallest insect does not.

Initially, DNA research will cure disease and disabilities.

Nobel Prizes will be awarded.

The repaired human will be followed by the enhanced human.

Think designer babies.

And that will be followed by the post-human.

Now, you may say the picture I’m painting looks like a science fiction movie.

And if someone paints you a picture of your future and it looks like a science fiction movie, that picture might be wrong.

But if someone paints you a picture of your future and it doesn’t look like a science fiction movie, you know they’re wrong.

You are going to be living in a science fiction movie.

We just don’t know which one.

Now, until now, the most dangerous technology was nuclear.

The political scientists of 1945 who taught my father here would be pleasantly amazed to know that we’ve gone 80 years without a nuclear war.

And in fact, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1970 might well be a model for controlling these technologies.

I held hearings on that very subject back in 2008.

Now, other generations have faced challenges from Nazism to the Cold War.

Yours is the first, I believe, that will decide whether our species continues to survive, to struggle, and sometimes prosper.

If human beings are to remain at the top of the food chain, it will require a level of wisdom, forbearance, and unity that has not been seen in most prior generations.

It will require us to ask not how do we beat China or other national rivals in deploying the latest technology, but rather how do we work with all nations to make sure that the power of intelligence remains a human monopoly.

I know that you will be shaping public policy for decades to come.

I hope that you will join me in the effort to make sure that humans control artificial intelligence and that we limit genetic engineering.

Thank you very much.

Drop me a line at BradSherman.com.

Thank you.

 

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