MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that the Memphis-based Mid-South Development District will receive Round Four Regional Infrastructure Accelerators Program funding of $1,150,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to support an array of local transportation infrastructure projects.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“As America’s Distribution Center, Memphis is the hub in a transportation network that drives commerce and produces skilled workers. This Department of Transportation funding will help make more efficient the delivery of goods and services and strengthen our local economy.”

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced $7,619,427 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to three Memphis-based medical research centers. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive $6,752,102 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under a Cancer Center Support grant to advance cures for pediatric cancer. St. Jude will also receive an NCI grant of $38,009 for its pediatric oncology career development program and $79,780 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research into fluconazole resistance under the direction of Dr. Darian Santana of the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 

The University of Memphis will receive a grant of $365,000 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for environmental research and the University of Tennessee Heath Science Center (UTHSC) will receive a grant of $41,536 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research on aspergillosis under the direction of Dr. Harrison Thorn in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“Memphis is fortunate to have these three world-renown medical research institutions, and I am pleased to see this substantial federal investment in the important work they do. I congratulate all of those whose research will be underwritten by these grants for their life-saving efforts.”

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

SCHAUMBURG, IL — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump reposted a podcast promoting racist attacks against India and immigrants:

“Donald Trump’s decision to amplify a racist rant attacking India and immigrants is disgraceful and beneath the office he holds. His rhetoric doesn’t just insult millions of Indian Americans and one of our most important global partners—it undermines the values that have made America a nation of opportunity and innovation. We should be strengthening that partnership and honoring our diversity, not stoking division for political gain.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) announced that Snohomish County will receive nearly $300,000 for flood prevention efforts. The resources will allow the county to make life-saving investments to protect communities at increasing risk of severe flooding. The funding, initially approved in June 2025, was held up awaiting the signature of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. 

“Our communities don’t have the time or ability to wait month after month for the federal resources they need to help prepare for the next natural disaster. Washington has faced more frequent and intense flooding in recent years. These resources will help the county better prepare to protect lives and property,” said DelBene. “By finally unlocking these funds, communities along the Snohomish, Stillaguamish, and other river systems and waterways will be better prepared for future flooding.”  

“December’s flooding highlighted how critical flood mitigation measures can be in ensuring that our residents live in prepared and resilient communities,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “This grant will help give us more information about what needs to happen to keep people and property safe. It provides the resources for us to look holistically at flood infrastructure countywide, specifically dikes and levees, so that we can work with partners on identifying and addressing areas of concern.” 

In December 2025, DelBene, along with Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08), called on then-Sec. Noem to release the funding that had already been held up for six months at that point, as Washington was facing another round of extreme weather and flooding.  

The funding was announced as part of a $21 million FEMA investment to support flood mitigation in Washington and Oregon. The full FEMA announcement can be found here. 

The letter to Sec. Noem can be found here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congressman Lance Gooden (TX-05) introduced the Protecting American Railroad Workers’ Jobs Act. Concerns about delays at rail points of entry between Mexico and the United States have led the Federal Railroad Administration to grant more waivers allowing crew changes and inspections to occur after trains have already crossed the border. Delayed crew changes and inspections increase opportunities for foreign actors to smuggle drugs, such as fentanyl or the precursor chemicals required to make synthetic opioids, into the United States. Pappas’s bill would tighten security and protect American rail workers by allowing only U.S. Citizens and permanent residents with a reporting location in the United States to operate trains crossing the U.S. Southern Border, and by ensuring that inspections are not unnecessarily delayed.

“Reestablishing these commonsense guidelines for rail crew changes and inspections will improve rail safety, protect American rail workers’ livelihoods, and help law enforcement safely interdict dangerous drugs,” said Congressman Pappas. “Our bipartisan legislation will ensure existing standards are and will continue to support efforts that combat drug trafficking and save lives.”

“This America-First bill puts an end to Mexican exploitation of U.S. rail standards that threatens American railroad jobs and undermines rail safety,” said Congressman Gooden. “Freight moving through the United States should be operated by workers legally authorized to work here and held to American safety standards.”

“On behalf of the Teamsters Rail Conference and the BLET, I want to commend Reps. Gooden and Pappas for introducing the Protecting American Railroad Workers Jobs Act of 2026 and for standing with union railroaders,” said Mark Wallace, President of the Teamsters Rail Conference and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET). “This is a critically important issue, and I appreciate these two leaders working across the aisle to get it done. In repeated visits to the southern border, I heard one consistent message from BLET members: railroad jobs in America should be done by Americans. This legislation reflects that commonsense principle and will strengthen job security for BLET members while reinforcing proper oversight of cross-border rail operations.”

The text of the bill can be found here.

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

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, President of the Senate Tuaolo Manaia E. Fruean, and Speaker of the House Savali Talavou Ale met with Deputy Secretary of the Interior Kate McGregor, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular, International, and Ocean Affairs William Hague to reiterate the shared concerns and unity of American Samoa’s elected leaders regarding seabed mining in the U.S. EEZ and urge that the people of American Samoa should benefit from royalties for any activity that the federal government proceeds with over their local opposition. Also discussed were maintaining a better communication between the DOI and American Samoa regarding seabed mining, as well as federal funding of infrastructure, US Coast Guard cutters, and federal highways.

StarKist Group Photo

See more photos here

“This was a productive and helpful discussion and I appreciate the opportunity to have a part in bringing together our Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and two key senior leaders of the Department of the Interior in one room to go over these important topics. Thank you to each one for taking part so all viewpoints and priorities were heard for a fuller understanding by each of these leaders to achieve the best possible policy results for our people,” said Congresswoman Amata. 

StarKist Visit

Congresswoman Amata, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Kate McGregor, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular, International, and Ocean Affairs William Hague also visited the StarKist facility and employees. The employees sang, and DOI leadership was briefed on operations and the recent expansions in products and packaging. Thank you to Injoo Ha, General Manager, StarKist; Michael McDonald, American Samoa Port Administration; Brett Butler, former General Manager of StarKist; Joe Hamby, CEO, Cape Fisheries Holdings; Tufuga Fa’afo’i Palepua, Senior Manager, StarKist.

“Every time I go to our StarKist facility, I’m so touched by the prayer and singing of our Samoan people, and once again I was proud of them all for being such a great representation of our people to Deputy Secretary McGregor and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Hague,” said Aumua Amata. “Thank you to everyone working there who had a part in welcoming us, guiding them through the operations, and showcasing the importance of this industry to our islands and its role in our nation’s food security.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming advancement of a bill she cosponsors, the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests (FISH) Act, H.R. 3756, which cracks down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by strengthening inspections and penalties for vessels participating in the banned activity, especially the creation of an IUU vessel list.

“This bill addresses some key aspects of the fight against illegal fishing, and U.S. imports of illegally caught competitors’ fish,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “Legislation like this can work in tandem with bolstered U.S. Coast Guard presence to reduce IUU fishing and protect U.S. food sourcing and commerce.”

In 2019, IUU fishing was estimated to be involved in 11 percent of all U.S. fish imports, or 13 percent of imports caught at sea, known as marine capture, for a total of $2.4 billion in seafood in just one year, in this report by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The NOAA website notes, “The inherent nature of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing makes it difficult to accurately quantify the full global economic impacts resulting from these activities.”

The bipartisan bill was one of eight advanced by the House Committee on Natural Resources (HNR). The FISH Act clarifies key definitions for enforcement; states U.S. policy; establishes an IUU vessel list and procedures for placing an offending vessel on that list; specifies other enforcement provisions, sanctions, penalties and exceptions; amends the Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing; optimizes data collecting, sharing and analysis; takes steps to prevent importation from countries with forced labor; encourages investment and technical assistance for the U.S. fisheries sector, and provides for reports to Congress.

HNR Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., said, “House Committee on Natural Resources members are dedicated to enacting commonsense policies to support rural communities across America. Today’s markup advanced legislation that will allow for more resource development, implement land exchanges for critical water infrastructure and the consolidation of culturally significant land, combat illegal fishing activities and strengthen historic battlefield conservation. I look forward to working with the sponsors to advance these bills through the House.”

H.R. 3756 is sponsored by Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-TX; with Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-RI; Rep. Nicholas Begich, R-Alaska; Rep. Aumua Amata, American Samoa; Rep. Nancy Mace, R-SC; and Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-VA. The House bill has companion legislation in the U.S. Senate, introduced by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced new legislation aimed at confronting the growing disconnect between Washington decision-makers and the everyday economic realities facing families across Michigan.

The bill would install real-time gas price trackers in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate, displaying average gas costs in all 50 states.

Stevens framed the legislation as a direct response to what she called the “out of touch priorities” of Trump and his Republican yes-men in Congress.

“While politicians in Washington cast votes to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to fund Donald Trump’s war in Iran, Michiganders are at the pump wondering how they’re going to afford to fill up their tanks,” said Rep. Stevens. “If Congress is going to fund endless foreign wars that make gas more expensive, they should have to look, every single day, at what it costs families back home just to get to work.”

Michigan is the state that put the world on wheels and launched America’s love of cars. Across the state, families rely heavily on gas to drive to work, school, the doctor, and all around for daily life, and are directly impacted by rising gas costs.

At a time when Congress keeps voting to continue Trump’s war in Iran and support other policies that raise costs on Americans, like Trump’s blanket tariffs, Stevens believes Members of Congress should have to confront the average price of gas in their state every time they cast a vote.

Stevens has repeatedly voted to invoke the War Powers Act and curtail Trump’s war in Iran. Those measures have been blocked every time by Republicans.

“This is about accountability. We cannot lose sight of the basic costs Americans are dealing with back home. As a federal lawmaker, my priority has and always will be Michigan,” said Rep. Stevens.

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Washington, DC) — On Thursday, April 23, 2026, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor, announcing his intent to file a resolution condemning President Trump’s despicable depiction of himself as Jesus Christ using artificial intelligence (AI). 

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s speech on his official YouTube page or by clicking here. The floor speech highlighted is also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Today Congressman Chris Pappas introduced the Rural Child Care Access Act, legislation to help child care providers serving small and rural areas upgrade existing or construct new facilities and strengthen services by creating a new grant program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Affordable, accessible child care is essential to children’s development and learning, and parents’ ability to go to work. Yet 46% of people in New Hampshire live in a child care desert. In 2025 it was estimated that New Hampshire businesses lose $56 million annually due to the lack of available licensed child care slots.

“From my conversations with moms, dads, and providers across the state, I know child care remains among the most pressing issues that families are facing. We’ve got to tackle it head on,” said Congressman Pappas. “My new legislation, the Rural Child Care Access Act, would provide child care providers serving small and rural communities with federal resources to invest in their facilities, services, and staff. Strong child care services mean kids have a safe place to learn and grow while parents work and contribute to our economy. It’s fundamental to society, and we have to be making bigger steps in this space.”

“Child care businesses in New Hampshire operate on thin margins, with staffing costs eating up more than 70% of program expenditures, and little room for capital improvements. Representative Pappas’ Rural Child Care Access Act puts critical infrastructure projects in reach for child care businesses, while helping to advance improvements in care, provider supports, and community connections,” said Trina Ingelfinger, Early Care and Education Policy Director, New Futures, Concord, N.H.

The Rural Child Care Access Act would help new or existing child care facilities serving jurisdictions of 50,000 or fewer residents upgrade their facilities. Eligible projects could receive up to $4 million in funding for infrastructure projects that would improve child care access, provider training and development, staff recruitment and retention, and community engagement.

Bill text is here. 

Background:

Pappas continues to advocate for investments in child care to be made in New Hampshire, including $1 million in federal dollars he secured through the Congressional appropriations process to make enhancements to the Child Study and Development Center at UNH, help create an Early Child Institute for Excellence, and improve child care and education in New Hampshire. He has heldroundtable conversations with child care workers and New Hampshire families about the urgent need to address rising costs for families by making child care more affordable. In February, he introduced the bipartisan After Hours Child Care Act, which would improve access to affordable child care for parents working nontraditional hours.

Pappas fought for the original expansion of the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan and has continuously advocated for reinstating the expanded Child Tax Credit to help Granite State families make ends meet. It’s estimated that 34,000 more children in New Hampshire would benefit from reinstating the fully expanded Child Tax Credit.