MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

Severe storms resulted in extensive damage to critical infrastructure, parks, cultural sites, schools, public buildings, and more, resulting in over $34 million dollars in damages across six counties

Letter comes following denial of initial request, WA delegation urges President Trump to reconsider and approve WA state’s pending appeal

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03), Dan Newhouse, (R, WA-04), Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10) SENT a letter last night to President Donald Trump urging him to reconsider the denial of Washington state’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of the devastating windstorms, heavy rainfall, flooding, and mudslides caused by a bomb cyclone that struck Washington state in November 2024.

“As representatives of Washington state, we earnestly request that you carefully reconsider this decision and approve the state’s pending appeal without further delay,” the bipartisan, bicameral group of Members wrote.

“From Grays Harbor, Pacific and Wahkiakum to King, Snohomish, and Walla Walla Counties, the storm’s impact was severe, far-reaching and well-documented. One of the most destructive storms in recent history, it overwhelmed public infrastructure, endangered lives, and left residents across the state grappling with long-term consequences. This is precisely the kind of catastrophic event for which the federal declaration process was designed. The state’s request outlines over $34 million in damages across these six counties—costs that local governments cannot and should not be expected to shoulder alone,” the Members wrote.

“Disaster declarations are not symbolic, they are critical lifelines for communities in crisis. Washington state’s first responders, local governments, and emergency management professionals have done everything within their means to begin recovery, but the scale of the damage requires federal support through the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Anything less unnecessarily places our communities, infrastructure and long-term stability at an unacceptable risk.”

“We remain committed to working with you to secure the support our constituents urgently need,” the Members concluded.

Previously, the full group of Members—led by Senator Murray—urged President Biden to grant the request for a Major Disaster Declaration in January.

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to express our serious disappointment and growing concern regarding the denial of Washington state’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration following the devastating bomb cyclone that struck between November 17 and November 25, 2024. As representatives of Washington state, we earnestly request that you carefully reconsider this decision and approve the state’s pending appeal without further delay.

From Grays Harbor, Pacific and Wahkiakum to King, Snohomish, and Walla Walla Counties, the storm’s impact was severe, far-reaching and well-documented. One of the most destructive storms in recent history, it overwhelmed public infrastructure, endangered lives, and left residents across the state grappling with long-term consequences. This is precisely the kind of catastrophic event for which the federal declaration process was designed. The state’s request outlines over $34 million in damages across these six counties—costs that local governments cannot and should not be expected to shoulder alone.

Disaster declarations are not symbolic, they are critical lifelines for communities in crisis. Washington state’s first responders, local governments, and emergency management professionals have done everything within their means to begin recovery, but the scale of the damage requires federal support through the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Anything less unnecessarily places our communities, infrastructure and long-term stability at an unacceptable risk.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We remain committed to working with you to secure the support our constituents urgently need.

Sincerely,

Issues: Environment, Housing, Transportation, & Infrastructure

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) released the following statement after House Republicans passed their tax bill:

“House Democrats have been fighting this bill into the early morning hours—and we’ll keep speaking out and fighting back even if we’re outnumbered. 

“By voting for the biggest wealth transfer in American history, Republicans are slashing Medicaid and food assistance and increasing costs on the working class so they can give billionaires a $255,000 tax break per year. They’re stealing from the poor to give to the rich. 

“They claim to be the party of family values, but time and again, they refuse to pass legislation that actually values families. Instead, they’re giving enormous tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy, while working families face rising costs and cuts to benefits.

“My colleagues and I have offered a different vision—one where we invest in paid leave, lower child care and housing costs, and make America affordable for everyone. And we’re going to keep fighting for that America by stalling and stopping the Republican agenda, organizing to beat them, and showing up to fight back.”

Rep. Gomez has been a leader in the fight to stall and stop the Republican tax bill before it reached the House floor. Last week, he carried out a nearly 18-hour marathon during the Ways and Means Committee markup, where Republicans voted against his amendments to expand paid leave, make housing affordable, and ensure billionaires pay their fair share. In the early morning hours of May 21, he introduced 14 amendments in the Rules Committee to expose the bill’s harm to working families. In total, House Democrats offered more than 500 amendments to push back on the GOP’s agenda—but with Republicans in the majority, every single one, including Rep. Gomez’s, was blocked.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after House Republicans passed the Big, Ugly Bill that gave tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of everyday Americans.

“In the middle of the night, Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump rammed through the largest cuts to health care in American history. I’m furious. Every single Democrat voted NO on cuts to health care and food assistance, but Republicans were desperate to please President Trump and pass his bill to slash Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to give tax breaks to billionaires.

“House Democrats fought like hell to stop this by shining light on House Republicans’ clandestine meetings and offering over 500 amendments to delay the bill. The fight is not over. We’ll continue to listen to the American people who feel betrayed. We will continue to fight for lower costs for goods, groceries, and healthcare.”

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after two Israeli Embassy staff members were murdered exiting an event at the CApital Jewish Museum last night.

“I am shocked and horrified by the news that two Israeli Embassy staff members were murdered outside of the Capital Jewish Museum last night. This is a truly sickening act of antisemitism, and I expect that the gunman will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Jews in the United States and abroad are living in fear as worsening antisemitic rhetoric and violence has permeated all facets of life. My own Jewish constituents have been victims of this insidious brand of hatred and I have repeatedly heard from members of the Jewish community who feel more fearful than ever before. The scourge of antisemitism must be universally condemned in the strongest terms possible. My heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims, and everyone feeling less safe after this disgusting act of violence.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Scott (GA-13)

Stockbridge – This week, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) proudly announced the winners of his 22^nd Annual Congressional Art Competition during a special awards ceremony. In addition to celebrating the top entries, every participating student was honored with a Congressional Certificate recognizing their artistic achievement. The first-place winner’s artwork will be displayed in the Cannon House Office Building tunnel for one year, representing Georgia’s 13^th District on Capitol Hill.

“I want to express my heartfelt congratulations not only to the winners of this year’s Art Competition, but to every student who participated,” said Congressman David Scott. “Their dedication to developing their artistic talents reflects both intelligence and creativity. I am excited to see the inspiring works this new generation of artists will create in the future.”

Finalists include:

1st Place: 
Becky Alemayehu – Providence Christian Academy

• Students’ artwork will be displayed in the Tunnel of the Cannon House Office Building for one year.
• Two Round-trip airfare tickets for Southwest Airlines to attend the national ribbon cutting ceremony in Washington, D.C.
• $600 Scholarship.

2nd Place: 
Aderia Rucker – Mt. Zion High School 

• Students’ artwork will be displayed in Congressman Scott’s Washington, D.C. office for one year.
• $250 scholarship.

3rd Place:
Asmaa Osama Jasseb – Parkview High School

• Students’ artwork will be displayed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for one year.
• $150 scholarship.

4th Place:
Jaylen Stanley – Newton High School 

•  Students’ artwork will be displayed in the County Administrative Office 
  for the county in which the student resides.
• Six-month Dual Family Membership to the High Museum of Art-Atlanta.

5th Place: 
Mariam Nagvi – Parkview High School

• Students’ artwork will hang in Congressman Scott’s Stockbridge office for one year.
• Two tickets to any Aurora Production at the Lawrenceville Arts Center.

6th Place – Honorable Mention: 
Ana Sofia Solis Matos – Morrow High School 

• Students’ artwork will hang in Congressman Scott’s Stockbridge office 
  for one year.

Background:

Established in 1982, the Congressional Art Competition was created to celebrate and showcase the artistic talents of high school students across the United States. Since its inception, hundreds of thousands of students have had the opportunity to participate through their local congressional districts. This year, the first-place winner will have their artwork displayed for one-year in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol. The second-place winner’s piece will be featured in Congressman Scott’s Washington D.C. office, while the third-place winner’s artwork will be exhibited at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

More information regarding the 2025 Art Competition is forthcoming. Please visit www.DavidScott.House.gov for updates and additional information.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, May 20th, the Democratic Faith Working Group, chaired by Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06), invited faith leaders to stand in solidarity in the U.S. Capitol House Gallery in support of Leader Jeffries and the Democratic Women’s Caucus as they shared stories about women and children who would be harmed by the proposed Medicaid and SNAP cuts in the Republican budget.

“The faith community has never waivered in calling out attacks against humanity, women, and children. That is who is bound to be penalized the most by these proposed budget cuts on healthcare and nutritional assistance,” said Congressman Clyburn. “Across traditions and cultures, people of faith are commanded to care for the least of these. My brothers and sisters in faith are here today to sound the alarm–the House Republican budget fails to care for the vulnerable, and it is incumbent upon all of us to correct this.”

To learn more about the Democratic Faith Working Group, click here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI), joined by Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ), introduced the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Elimination Act, which will repeal the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), an outdated, costly, and ineffective program that has primarily enriched politically-connected developers and banks, while doing little to reduce housing costs for low-income Americans.

Currently, LIHTC provides tax credits to developers to subsidize the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing units. These subsidies cover around 70% of a project’s cost. However, rather than benefiting tenants, the program has become a cash grab for developers and banks. The elimination of LIHTC will save taxpayers a staggering $69.1 billion over a ten-year period.

“The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is another way for developers to get rich, while hardworking taxpayers foot the bill,” said Grothman. “It’s absurd that the federal government is paying 70% of construction costs to private developers, who often use these funds to build lavish and costly housing units. We need to stop throwing money at a broken system and instead focus on reducing supply constraints that make it so difficult to build affordable housing in the first place.

“Despite its original intent, LIHTC fails to effectively serve low-income tenants. The primary beneficiaries are rich developers, banks, law firms, and state bureaucracies. Only 24% of the programs’ costs benefit low-income households in the form of rent savings. Its elimination will save taxpayer dollars, end the funneling of money to corrupt developers, and allow us to refocus on solutions that work for hardworking Americans.”

“Unfortunately, the government subsidy meant to ease the financial burden of tenants is ripe with abuse.  Instead of creating affordable housing for those who need it most, the program produces costly low-income housing and lines the pockets of greedy developers and banks,” said Congressman Paul Gosar.

“The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is a textbook case of good intentions gone wrong. After nearly four decades and billions in federal subsidies, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit has done more for banks and developers than for struggling renters. It’s time Congress ended this inefficient corporate welfare program,” said Adam Michel, Director of Tax Policy Studies at the Cato Institute.

“Since its inception in 1986, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) has been plagued by the Five Cs: crowding out, cost, complexity, corruption, and cartel,” said Edward Pinto and Tobias Peter, Co-Directors AEI Housing Center. “LIHTC developments often displace housing that the private market would have produced without subsidies, creating a crowding-out effect. The cost to taxpayers is staggering, with the average LIHTC unit priced at approximately $450,000—compared to zero for private developments that would have otherwise been built. The program’s excessive complexity has given rise to a cartel-like ecosystem dominated by a small cadre of developers and nonprofits, who have profited handsomely, while calling for even more subsidies. This has bred corruption and inefficiency. At its core, LIHTC reflects a misguided emphasis on the futile task of building ever more expensive subsidized housing, rather than on policies that allow for the building of housing that is affordable. We applaud Representative Grothman for taking this step to sunset this fundamentally flawed program.”

Background Information

Currently, the federal government provides a tax credit, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), to developers to subsidize the construction and rehabilitation of housing units with income limits and rent caps for eligible tenants. These LIHTC tax credits subsidies cover roughly 70% of the cost of qualified housing projects.

A 2009 study found for a large sample of projects that the construction costs per square foot of LIHTC projects were 20 percent higher than for average industry projects.

Because of the complex structure of the program, most of the LIHTC benefits go to the developers and banks, rather than the tenants. A 2017 study found that “tenants capture at most 24% of the [LIHTC] development subsidies.” The ability for states and localities to dole out these lucrative tax credits breeds corruption and funneling subsidies to politically connected developers.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Elimination Act would end this costly, inefficient, and corrupt program. To lower housing costs, policymakers should focus on reducing supply constraints on housing, not funneling tax dollars to politically connected developers.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, repealing LIHTC would save taxpayers $69.1 billion over ten years.

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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) is serving his fifth term representing Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement in response to Judge Myong J. Joun’s order blocking the Trump Administration and the “Department of Government Efficiency’s” (DOGE) illegal efforts to gut the Department of Education and mandating the reinstatement of wrongfully terminated staff:

“This ruling is a victory for millions of students, educators, and families across the country who rely on the Department of Education’s programs, protections, and support. Judge Joun accurately determined that the Trump Administration and DOGE’s political purge of the Department of Education was unlawful and reaffirmed that the executive branch cannot unilaterally work toward abolishing a congressionally established agency without the approval of Congress. I am grateful that thanks to Judge Joun’s ruling, more than 1,300 wrongfully terminated employees must be reinstated to fulfill the Department’s statutorily mandated functions.

“Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Linda McMahon’s actions – reductions in force and the eliminations of entire offices, including key Office for Civil Rights (OCR) hubs – inhibited the Department from being able to carry out its statutory obligations. Their abuse of the federal civil service targeted attorneys, student aid workers, and civil rights office staff and had detrimental effects on our schools. It left millions of students and teachers without essential services they need, including the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and support for students with disabilities. Their attempted purge of the Department of Education is a direct assault on the protection of student’s rights and the promise of equal opportunity through education. It was a gross betrayal of American students.

“Today’s decision brings much-needed relief for students, educators, our public servants in the Department of Education, and civil rights across the country. It restores the rule of law and sends a clear message that our nation’s promise of equal educational opportunity cannot be unraveled by political whim.”

Beyer has been critical of illegal attempts by the Trump Administration and “DOGE” to dismantle the Department of Education, and has led efforts to restore the Department’s ability to fulfill its statutorily required mandates. He also met with Education Secretary Linda McMahon to discuss the serious harm these actions inflicted upon his constituents, and on students and educators across the country.