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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) issued the following statement announcing $7,193,000 in Community Project Funding that he secured for projects in Maryland’s Fifth District in the recently enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. The House Committee on Appropriations allowed each Member of Congress to submit up to 15 Community Funding Project requests for their districts in the Fiscal Year 2026 funding cycle. Ten of Congressman Hoyer’s projects were included in the recent appropriations packages, while the other five were already enacted into law in November 2025. The combined value of all the Community Project Funding Congressman Hoyer secured for Fiscal Year 2026 is $11,890,000.

“Throughout my time in Congress, securing funding for local projects in Maryland’s Fifth District has been one of my top priorities,” Congressman Hoyer said. “This year was no exception. I’m pleased that Maryland’s Fifth District received $7,193,000 for community projects in the most recent appropriations law, bringing our total for FY 2026 to nearly $12 million. These federal funds will help expand access to clean water, improve road safety, reduce crime, build affordable housing, and more. With Maryland and America struggling under the Trump Administration’s radical agenda, we need to do everything we can to help our communities weather the storm. I look forward to bringing home more crucial resources for Maryland’s Fifth District during the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations cycle.”

The funded projects include:

$700,000 for University of Maryland SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors: This funding will help the University of Maryland establish the Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment (SAFE) Center to fill gaps in data, research, and program evaluation in the anti-trafficking field and serve as a regional asset.

$975,000 for MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Workplace Violence Prevention Initiative: This funding will help the hospital implement MedStar Health’s comprehensive initiative to provide staff with training, tools, and infrastructure to prevent incidents from escalating and to resolve incidents more quickly.

$534,000 for Charles County Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Unit Upgrade: This funding will help the sheriff’s office purchase new equipment to expedite the processing of digital evidence and reduce the current backlog of cases.

$1,092,000 for Town of Indian Head Anchor Point Booster Station Wellhouse: This funding will help the town design, permit, and construct a new water pumping station and wellhouse to serve the Anchor Point development.

$800,000 for Town of Indian Head Mattawoman Woods and Dogwood Lift Stations: This funding will help the town design, permit, and construct two new sewage lift stations to replace facilities that are over 30 years old and upgrade site security to meet current best practices.

$1,092,000 for City of Bowie Cast Iron Pipe Lining Project: This funding will help the city line approximately two miles of originally unlined cast iron drinking water main to improve system reliability and water quality.

$50,000 for City of College Park Park Drive Flood Mitigation Project: This funding will help the city implement a flood berm to reduce flooding in the Cherry Hill neighborhood, which lies within a 100-year floodplain adjacent to the Little Paint Branch watershed.

$850,000 for St. Mary’s County Affordable Housing Acquisition and Relocation: This funding will help the St. Mary’s Housing Authority purchase and place high-quality manufactured homes to provide affordable housing for low-income families.

$850,000 for YMCA Great Mills Recreation Center in Lexington Park: This funding will help St. Mary’s County construct a multi-use YMCA recreation center serving families and youth in the Lexington Park community.

$250,000 for Town of Upper Marlboro School and Wilson Lane Road Renewal Project: This funding will help the town improve drainage and create safe pedestrian connections along School Lane and Wilson Lane to enhance access to and experience along Main Street.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative James E (Jim) Clyburn (6th District of South Carolina)

I rise today, to pay homage to the men and women who five years ago, risked their lives protecting the lives of those elected officials who met in this Hall in fulfillment of their Constitutional duties to peacefully transfer presidential power after the November 2020 elections.  Mr./Madam Speaker, January 6, 2021, will be forever remembered for the vicious unprecedented insurrection that took place on that date.

On December 31, 2025, the House Judiciary Committee, released the transcript of its December 17^th private 8-hour interview with Special Counsel Jack Smith, whose investigation into the events of that day led him to describe January 6^th as an event that “does not happen” without Donald Trump. 

Smith testified that Donald Trump is the “most culpable and most responsible person in the criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. These crimes were committed for his benefit. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit,” Smith said.  Trump caused the violence, exploited it, and refused to stop it.

Mr./Madam Speaker, I was in this Hall on January 6, 2021, and was among those whisked away to an undisclosed location.  My staff huddled behind barricaded doors that were badly damaged by the mob that was described by some of my Republican colleagues as “patriots” on a tour of the Capitol. 

Our valiant U.S. Capitol Police and first responders did everything they could to keep us out of harm’s way.  Some were beaten, strangled, and tased. This building, the People’s House, was trashed, damaged, and subjected to despicable acts.

Members of Congress and their staffs feared for their lives. Insurrectionists waved Confederate battle flags and exhibited Nazi symbols, and some brave American citizens died. A Republican Senator [Sen. Ron Johnson] said, “By and large—it was a peaceful protest.”  This was not a peaceful protest; it was unadulterated violence.

The President of the United States and all Members of Congress, take an oath to “defend the Constitution from all enemies: foreign and domestic.” That oath is a recognition of the fact that there will be times throughout history when we must deal with the enemy from within.

On the second day of his presidency, Trump granted blanket pardons and commutations to nearly 1,600 of the rioters who stormed this Capitol on January 6. The President decided these perpetrators should be pardoned and not pay for their crimes.

By pardoning these individuals, this President has made a mockery of the Pardon process and smeared his oath to uphold the Constitution. These actions demonstrate a blatant disregard of our democratic institutions and the sanctity of the vote.

The great John Lewis once shared his great fear that, “one day we may wake up and our democracy is gone.”  John and I often spoke of the delicacy of our democracy, and its future was far from guaranteed. On January 6, 2021, we came face to face with the reality of this fragility. But our democracy also prevailed. We were not deterred from doing our constitutional duty and certifying the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election.

But, even during this unrelenting campaign to weaken our laws and impede justice, members of this body have stood up for our Constitution. The exceptional work of the bi-partisan January 6th Committee, ably chaired by Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-02), illuminated for the American people the severity of the conspiracies behind the January 6^th attack. Congress has also passed critical reforms to safeguard the legal process for future Presidential elections to help ensure this never happens again.

Earlier today, the Leader of our Caucus Hakeem Jeffries, held a special hearing to shed further light on the ongoing threats to free and fair elections, and the threats to public safety posed by some of the violent criminals President Trump has let out of prison.

The threat to our democracy that we witnessed five years ago has not lessened, and our obligations to be vigilant in its defense and steadfast in our pursuit of a more perfect Union is as important as ever. The Constitution that binds this country together is a sacred document that has guided our pursuit of perfection for nearly 250 years.  We came close to derailing that pursuit on January 6, 2021.

If we refuse to acknowledge the facts and give due deference to the violence that took place five years ago, we run the risk of abdicating our responsibility to the American people to safeguard our nation’s core principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

The insurrection of January 6^th could very well be the worst domestic attack on our government since the Civil War which ended in 1865.  That insurrection incented much of my recently released third book, entitled “The First Eight” which chronicles the trials and tribulations of the eight African Americans who served in Congress from my home state of South Carolina. 

The book also highlights the social and political events that occurred in the aftermath of the Civil War and calls attention to the violence and lawlessness that took our great nation into a dark place that lasted for nearly a century.

            The book is a cautionary tale that reminds us of the admonish of the Spanish philosopher, George Santayana that, “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.” I fear that danger is facing us today.  The aftermath of January 6, 2021, continues to test our ability to protect our freedoms and our willingness to continue our trek towards a more perfect Union.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative James E (Jim) Clyburn (6th District of South Carolina)

Mr. Speaker,

I rise today, as a proud South Carolina State University alumnus, to congratulate the football team of my alma mater on their new title — 2025 HBCU National Champions. These bulldogs won the Cricket Celebration Bowl on December 13, 2025, with a score of 40-38, in a four-overtime thrilling victory over Prairie View A&M University. 

South Carolina State erased a 21-point halftime deficit, scoring three touchdowns. The Bulldogs finished the season 10-3 and claimed their second Celebration Bowl title, making their third appearance in the game over the past five years. This accomplishment was history-making for the school, a great honor for the city and county of Orangeburg and the State of South Carolina, and it brought great pride to a plethora of us “loyal sons and daughters” of that storied institution.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in honoring the South Carolina State University Bulldogs for their exceptional season and victory in the 2025 HBCU National Championship. This championship will be remembered not only for the trophies earned, but also for the legendary “Bulldog tenacity” the team displayed. 

This achievement inspired Bulldogs everywhere and will be a memorable event in the proud legacy of South Carolina State University.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

Congresswoman Dina Titus introduced legislation today to strengthen travel and tourism ties among the United States, Mexico, and Canada by directing the U.S. Trade Representative to convene a working group to develop new travel and tourism strategies.

“President Trump has alienated Canada and Mexico through his words and policies,” Congresswoman Titus said. “We need to rebuild our relationships with two of our largest tourism partners to restore travel to Las Vegas and other destinations. Our tourism economy declined in 2025, costing us jobs and revenue. Half of our international visitors come from Canada and Mexico. We need to win them back.” 

The USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act would establish a working group under the auspices of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Representation from the U.S. would include members from the Departments of Commerce, State, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor and Transportation working under the umbrella of the Office of United States Trade. The working group would gather input and advice from trade and tourism companies and formulate strategies to enhance the international competitiveness of the travel and tourism industry in North America, with the goals of creating employment and economic growth.

Travel is America’s top services export and a major engine of jobs and economic growth nationwide. As international visitation to the United States declines, this bipartisan legislation ensures travel and tourism remain a priority in the upcoming USMCA joint review. 

“Creating a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group will strengthen North American cooperation, boost competitiveness, expand travel exports, and support the millions of American workers and businesses powered by travel. U.S. Travel thanks Representative Titus for her leadership and urges swift consideration in the House,” said Erik Hansen, Senior Vice President, Head of Government Relations, U.S. Travel Association. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

NJ 6th District Congressman’s Resolution Calls for Ending Racist School Mascots Amid Trump Administration’s Efforts to Reverse State Bans

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse Calls on State House Speaker to Reissue Press Passes for Independent Journalists

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04), alongside Rep. Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), sent a letter to Washington State House of Representatives Speaker Laurie Jinkins urging the reversal of her decision to deny press passes for independent journalists Ari Hoffman, Brandi Kruse, and Jonathan Choe. 

“Our Founding Fathers designed a system of governance that allowed any citizen to publicly question our government. The First Amendment exists to prevent discrimination and punishment of the press for the views, thoughts, or words in their coverage. The job of the press is to agitate, investigate, and scrutinize our leaders and institutions, which distinguishes democracy from dictatorship,” the Members wrote.

They added, “We request that the House of Representatives immediately reverse this decision, issue press passes to these journalists, restore their ability to take part in the democratic process, and hold their government accountable.” 

These three independent journalists were denied press passes to the House this legislative session, but Brandi Kruse was granted a pass for the Senate. 

Brandi Kruse appealed her denial with Washington State House of Representatives Chief Clerk Bernard Dean, and her appeal was denied.

Read the full letter here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced that bipartisan legislation he authored to better empower patients with up-to-date information on healthcare providers covered by their insurance plans, was signed into law as part of the most recent government funding package. The Requiring Enhanced and Accurate Lists (REAL) Health Providers Act requires Medicare Advantage insurance plans to update their provider directories annually starting in 2028.

Provider directories are supposed to help patients find doctors and specialists in their networks. But too often, insurers allow these directories to become outdated, creating so-called “ghost networks” of providers who are listed, but no longer practicing, not accepting patients, or not being in-network. These errors can force patients into delays, denials, or unexpected bills.

A recent review of provider directories revealed that one in three listed providers had inaccurate or non-working numbers, and over 80% of listed mental health providers were either unreachable, not accepting new patients, or not actually in-network. These gaps hit seniors, people with disabilities, and those with mental health needs especially hard¹.

“Many constituents came to me over the past few years expressing their understandable frustration with wasting time chasing providers who are listed in their network directories, but actually don’t exist,” said Rep. Panetta. “With that information, I wrote a straightforward bill that directly fixes the problem by reducing and tightening up these Ghost Networks.  I also found that many of my Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle have been hearing the same issue from their constituents all across the nation. This bipartisan law requires Medicare Advantage plans to now regularly update their directories and give patients accurate information. I believe that this law is an example of my work to listen to constituents, be their voice through this type of legislation, and work with Democrats and Republicans, including the President, to get this bill signed into law to help make people’s lives a little bit easier, which is needed especially these days.”

The Requiring Enhanced and Accurate Lists (REAL) Health Providers Act is co-led by Reps. Greg Murphy (NC-03), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and John Joyce (PA-13).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Mark Amodei announced the inclusion of $34.85 million in appropriations for the continued development and expansion of the ShakeAlert West Coast earthquake early warning system, with language specifically directing the United States Geological Survey to initiate the expansion of the program into Nevada. 

This funding was secured in H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026, which was signed into law by the President on January 23, 2026. 

“While neighboring states already have the tools and technology to warn residents of potential earthquakes, Nevada has lagged behind,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “This funding will equip our state’s experts with the resources they need to implement a proven system that keeps Nevadans safe and communities prepared for seismic activity. I appreciate the University of Nevada for their leadership and advocacy on this issue, and it was an honor to work alongside them to secure the funding that will bring ShakeAlert to Nevada.” 

“We thank Representative Amodei for his leadership in advocating for this funding to advance research and create much needed infrastructure for earthquake emergency response in Nevada,” said Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevada. 

“The possibility of ShakeAlert expanding to serve Nevada is really exciting,” said Christie Rowe, Director of Nevada Seismological Laboratory. “We will help the USGS develop a plan that fits Nevada’s people, industries, and infrastructure to offer the best warning system possible. We are so grateful for the support from Nevada’s congressional delegation that resulted in this critical step toward earthquake early warning for Nevada.” 

“The ShakeAlert system was designed in such a way that it could be expanded to other U.S. regions with high earthquake risk,” said Robert de Groot, Coordinator for Communication, Education, Outreach, and Technical Engagement for the ShakeAlert Program. “Possibilities could include the populated areas across high-risk regions of Nevada, Alaska, Utah, the New Madrid Seismic Zone, the Puerto Rico region, and elsewhere. Development of a technical implementation plan would be the first step in a multi-step process for ShakeAlert rollout to parts of Nevada.” 

Background 

ShakeAlert works by detecting the fastest seismic waves close to an earthquake as soon as it starts. Computer algorithms compare the signals from several seismic stations and confirm that a large earthquake has occurred and trigger an alert. For areas farther away from the source of the earthquake, the alert arrives via cell phones and WEA Alerts before damaging seismic waves reach that location. 

The precious seconds of warning allow people to Drop, Cover and Hold to protect themselves, and allow trains, water supply systems, emergency services, manufacturing, schools, and health care facilities to put emergency measures in place or stop delicate procedures just before shaking begins.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced a bill today to create a stamp commemorating civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. Norton said the timing of the bill’s introduction is significant, coming during Black History Month. 

“Bayard Rustin, whose leadership deserves special recognition by our country, was a central figure in the civil rights movement,” Norton said. “I worked for him when he served as the principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin demonstrated how his lifelong commitment to nonviolence could be put into action, orchestrating the largest demonstration in U.S. history at the time in the nation’s capital. My bill would create a commemorative stamp in his honor, a fitting tribute to one of the chief architects of the American civil rights movement during Black History Month.”

“Bayard Rustin was one of the great architects of the civil rights movement, a brilliant strategist whose commitment to nonviolence helped shape the course of American history,” Torres said. “As the chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, he turned moral conviction into collective action and brought hundreds of thousands together in the fight for justice. Honoring his legacy with a commemorative stamp is a meaningful way to recognize a trailblazer whose courage, intellect, and vision helped move our nation closer to its ideals.”

Born March 17, 1912, Bayard Rustin became one of the most important leaders in the 20th century civil rights movement. Rustin learned the values of nonviolence and peacekeeping from his grandparents’ Quaker faith at a young age, and he would continue to build these values into his life as a civil rights movement leader. Rustin was an advisor in Martin Luther King Jr.’s inner circle as King advocated pacifism and nonviolence for achieving equal treatment for African Americans. Rustin executed aggressive but peaceful action in the civil rights movement and throughout his life as an activist.

His most important role was as the chief organizer of the historic 1963 March on Washington, the largest demonstration ever organized at the time, in which a quarter of a million people turned out to demand civil rights for African Americans.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Olivia Porcaro

Washington, D.C. – Co-Chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus, Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK-04) and Congresswoman Sharice Davids (D-KS-03), reintroduced H.R. 7325, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025, to formally investigate, document, and report on the histories of Indian boarding schools, the policies of Indian boarding schools, and the long-term effects of those schools and policies on Native American peoples. 

Cole, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and the longest-serving Native American in the United States House of Representatives, and Davids, a member of the Wisconsin Ho-Chunk Nation and one of the first two Native women ever elected to Congress, are dedicated to offering answers and healing for survivors of these Indian boarding schools, the descendants of those survivors, and the entire Tribal communities of those survivors.

After reintroducing the legislation, the members of Congress released the following statements:

“For years, Indian boarding schools forcibly removed Native children from their families, stripped them of their heritage, and, in many cases, took their lives. Yet, for far too long, little has been known about these Indian boarding schools, and these stories have been kept in the shadows. This silence cannot go on. We must bring light to this dark chapter in our nation’s history – and this bill is critical to doing that,” said Congressman Cole, Member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. “I would like to thank my Co-Chair, Congresswoman Davids, for her collaboration on this legislation, as we work to hopefully bring Tribal communities one step closer to the answers they deserve.”

“I would not be here without the resilience of my ancestors and those who came before me – including my grandparents, who survived federal Indian boarding schools. Their experiences are not distant history; they shape our families and communities today. Establishing a Truth and Healing Commission would bring survivors, experts, federal partners, and Tribal leaders together to fully understand what happened to our relatives and to take meaningful steps toward a more honest and hopeful future for the next seven generations,” said Congresswoman Sharice Davids, Member of the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin and Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus.

Background:

From 1819 through the 1970s, the United States government implemented policies establishing Indian boarding schools across the nation. The purpose of these schools was to assimilate Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children by forcibly removing them from their families, communities, and cultural beliefs.

In total, there were more than 526 government-funded and church-run Indian boarding schools, and, by 1926, nearly 86 percent of Indian school-age children were forcibly attending these schools. Yet, little is known about what happened at these boarding schools or what happened to the Native children who attended them.

In Oklahoma alone, there were 76 federal boarding schools, making up about 19 percent of the total amount of boarding schools that existed. Federal boarding schools in Oklahoma were often overflowed due to intentionally mixing more than 30 different tribes in attempts to unsettle relations and prevent the speaking of common languages.

In Kansas, there were 14 federal boarding schools, including the Shawnee Indian Manual Labor School in Fairway in Kansas’ Third District, which is now preserved as the Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site. According to the Kansas State Historical Society, this school operated from 1838 to 1862 and enrolled nearly 200 children at it largest.

H.R. 7325 will establish a commission to formally investigate, document, and report on the histories of Indian boarding schools, Indian boarding school policies, and the long-term effect of those schools and policies on Native American peoples. The commission will develop recommendations for federal efforts based on the findings, as well as offer answers and healing for survivors, the descendants of survivors, and the communities of survivors.

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