MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) announced the introduction of the Trust Through Transparency Act to require all immigration enforcement officials to wear and operate body cameras during public-facing immigration enforcement actions. 

“Last week, a US citizen was shot and killed in Minnesota by a masked ICE agent. We should not need tragedies like this to know ICE agents nationwide must wear body cameras, which is why I introduced a bill to require all immigration enforcement officials to do so, just as police officers in New Jersey are already required to do,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “This loss demands action, and transparency is not optional when lives are on the line.” 

Last week’s tragedy in Minneapolis is a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked power and the lack of transparency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  

The legislation would establish clear standards for the use and retention of body-worn camera footage, require footage to be retained for a defined period unless it captures serious incidents, and mandate annual public reporting and oversight measures to ensure accountability for enforcement actions. Requiring body cameras during public-facing immigration enforcement provides clear documentation of encounters, helps protect civil rights, and rebuilds public trust.   

Read the one-pager here. 

Read the full bill text here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Thomas Kean Jr. (R- NJ) introduced the Securing Enhanced Programs, Systems and Initiatives for Sepsis (SEPSIS) Act to strengthen national efforts to combat sepsis, a life-threatening condition that Congressman Norcross developed and fully recovered from last year. 

“Last year, I experienced a medical emergency on an airplane and developed sepsis, a medical condition caused by a severe infection. Each year, 1.7 million people in the United States develop sepsis and it is the third leading cause of death in American hospitals. I was one of the lucky ones,” said Congressman Norcross. “I am here today because of the excellent doctors and nurses who saved my life, but too many families aren’t as lucky. With the SEPSIS Act, we can change that.  We can save lives and reduce the devastating toll this condition has on our loved ones.” 

“Sepsis can impact anyone – young or old, sick or healthy – and preventing deaths depends on early recognition and timely intervention,” said Congressman Kean. “Today, Congressman Norcross and I are introducing this bipartisan legislation to strengthen sepsis care through expanded education, national information-sharing on best practices, and improved pediatric data collection. New Jersey has long been a leader in the fight against sepsis, and I am grateful to partner with a fellow member of our state’s delegation to bring this critical effort to the federal level.” 

“Sepsis is a devastating disease which unjustly claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans each year which would be preventable with more early detection. I am grateful for my dear friends Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton from New York who went through a terrible tragedy, losing their 12-year-old son Rory to sepsis a decade ago and have turned their profound suffering into action so that hopefully no family has to experience the same pain,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve long fought aside them and am proud the SEPSIS Act would help raise awareness and boost federal research funding for this devastating condition. The federal government must continue to bring more awareness and research to combatting this ruinous condition and save lives.” 

“This bipartisan bill would help provide hospitals and health care professionals with the training and data they need to detect and treat sepsis earlier, so that fewer families lose loved ones to this devastating condition,” said Senator Collins.  

“We know that early detection and treatment of sepsis is key to saving someone’s life,” said Senator Kim. “We can improve this through better coordination and education. I hope we can come together on this bill to prevent further tragedy and save families from such unbearable loss.” 

“We thank Congressman Norcross and Congressman Kean for their unwavering leadership in championing this lifesaving sepsis legislation,” said Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton, founders of END SEPSIS, The Legacy of Rory Staunton. “Thirteen years ago, sepsis claimed the life of our 12-year-old son, Rory. That heartbreak changed our lives forever-and it fuels our fight today. Today, sepsis still takes hundreds of thousands of lives each year while costing our healthcare system $64 billion annually. This bill is a critical step toward making early detection, timely treatment, and accountability the national standard—so preventable sepsis deaths become the exception, not the rule. Our son Rory loved helping people, lifting others up whenever he could. In this moment, he is still lifting us all, urging us to fight harder and do better.” 

“New Jersey hospitals have made significant investments in evidence-based protocols, staff training and quality improvement to identify and treat sepsis as early as possible. Continued attention to sepsis – such as this important legislation – is critical to supporting hospitals’ ongoing efforts to save lives,” said Cathy Bennett, NJHA President and CEO. 

The SEPSIS Act directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to dedicate staff and resources to sepsis, create an education program to help hospitals adopt best practices for prevention and treatment, and provide Congress with updates on progress toward reducing deaths and complications. The bill also calls for the development of a national outcome measure and creates a recognition program to highlight hospitals with effective prevention and treatment efforts. 

Sepsis is the body’s extreme reaction to infection and is one of the leading causes of death in hospitals, killing more than 350,000 Americans each year and costing the health care system billions. 

In April 2025, Norcross was hospitalized with a gallbladder infection that developed into sepsis, leaving him in critical condition. He has since made a full recovery, but his experience highlighted the urgent need for more national attention on sepsis prevention and treatment.  

Read the one-pager here. 

Read the full bill text here.

Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Andy Kim (D-NJ) joined Representatives Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) in introducing the legislation in the Senate.

The bill is supported by END Sepsis Inc., Sepsis Alliance, American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, New Jersey Hospital Association, and Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America.  

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) joined her colleagues on the Congressional Steel Caucus for a State of the Steel hearing, an annual event where leaders from America’s steel industry, along with trade and labor representatives, testify before Congress on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and its workforce. The hearing provided Members of Congress the opportunity to hear directly from industry executives and workers on the current state of American steel and the policies impacting its future.

Congresswoman Miller began by emphasizing the need to strengthen American steel production to protect good-paying jobs for hardworking Americans, the importance of reducing our reliance on foreign nations, and the harmful effects past policies have had on West Virginia’s steel and energy sectors. 

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

“The Worst Cabinet Secretary in U.S. History”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D-NC-12) joined 70 House Democrats in introducing Articles of Impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem for obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust, and self-dealing. 

North Carolina has been directly impacted by Sec. Noem’s abuse of power. The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) operation in Charlotte late last year terrorized the community, leading to U.S. citizens being assaulted and arrested. Sec. Noem’s unconstitutional withholding of Congressionally appropriated FEMA funds has resulted in the delay of billions of dollars of Hurricane Helene recovery to North Carolina, severely impacting recovery efforts in Western North Carolina.

“Under Secretary Noem’s tenure, DHS, CBP, and ICE have systemically violated the rights of Americans and the U.S. Constitution,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Border Patrol’s operation in Charlotte saw American citizens assaulted and unlawfully arrested for practicing their Constitutional rights, while their refusal to coordinate with local law enforcement threatened the safety of every person in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. At the same time, Sec. Noem’s willful withholding of Congressionally appropriated FEMA funds has impeded North Carolina’s ability to recover from the worst natural disaster in state history. I do not take Articles of Impeachment lightly but it is clear that Sec. Noem has violated federal law and her oath of office, and, for the safety of our country, she must be removed from office.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) cheered the reinstatement of nearly $2 billion in grants to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), including seven Health Care Authority-administered grants in Washington state. The reinstatement of this funding, which spanned thousands of grants across the nation addressing issues from youth overdose prevention to prenatal and postpartum care for women, comes just one day after grantees received letters from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) abruptly cancelling this funding.

“The Trump administration’s reckless decision to cancel almost $2 billion in funding to fight the opioid epidemic shows they do not care about helping families and communities recover from addiction,” said Rep. Larsen. “I worked with Democrats and Republicans to demand this funding be reinstated and I am glad the Administration caved quickly. I will keep supporting local efforts to end the opioid epidemic and keep holding the Trump administration accountable for the harm they cause.”

Larsen is Focused on Combating Opioid Crisis in Northwest Washington

Rep. Larsen is focused on supporting local efforts to combat the opioid crisis and save lives. In 2024, he published a districtwide opioid report that outlines a four-pillar framework to combat the crisis. Larsen has introduced four pieces of legislation to fight fentanyl in Northwest Washington:

– The PROTECT Act, which gives Tribal courts and law enforcement more tools and resources to combat the opioid epidemic.

– The Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act, which creates employment opportunities for people in recovery and supports communities impacted by widespread opioid use.

– The End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act, which establishes a dedicated federal funding stream to help multi-jurisdictional drug task forces combat opioid trafficking in Washington state and across the country.

– The Closing the Substance Use Care Gap Act, which expands access to lifesaving, community-based harm reduction initiatives and services and enhances the federal response to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.

Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Reinstatement of Funding

Following the SAMHSA grant cancellations yesterday, Larsen joined a bipartisan letter with 100 House colleagues to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding that funding be restored immediately.

Members who signed on to the bipartisan letter are as follows: Tonko, Paul; Dean, Madeleine; Beyer, Donald; Salinas, Andrea; Fitzpatrick, Brian; Trahan, Lori; Pettersen, Brittany; Matsui, Doris; Moulton, Seth; Amo, Gabe; Carter, Troy; Balint, Becca; Schrier, Kim, Auchincloss, Jake; Bell, Wesley; Bishop, Sanford; Bonamici, Suzanne; Bresnahan, Robert; Brown, Shontel; Budzinski, Nikki; Carbajal, Salud; Casten, Sean; Castro, Joaquin; Chu, Judy; Cohen, Steve; Davis, Danny; DelBene, Suzan; Deluzio, Christopher; Dexter, Maxine; Dingell, Debbie; Doggett, Lloyd; Elfreth, Sarah; Escobar, Veronica; Espaillat, Adriano; Fields, Cleo; Figures, Shomari; Fletcher, Lizzie; García, Jesús; Gillen, Laura; Goldman, Daniel; Grijalva, Adelita; Harder, Josh; Hernández, Pablo; Horsford, Steven; Hoyle, Val; Ivey, Glenn; Jacobs, Sara; Jayapal, Pramila; Kamlager-Dove, Sydney; Kelly, Robin; Kennedy, Timothy; Khanna, Ro; Krishnamoorthi, Raja; Landsman, Greg; Larson, John; Lee, Summer; Lee, Susie; Leger Fernandez, Teresa; Lynch, Stephen; McClellan, Jennifer; McDonald Rivet, Kristen; McGovern, James; McIver, LaMonica; Meeks, Gregory; Meng, Grace; Morrison, Kelly; Moylan, James; Norcross, Donald; Omar, Ilhan; Panetta, Jimmy; Pappas, Chris; Pelosi, Nancy; Pocan, Mark; Pou, Nellie; Pressley, Ayanna; Quigley, Mike; Ramirez, Delia; Randall, Emily; Riley, Josh; Rivas, Luz; Scanlon, Mary Gay; Schakowsky, Janice; Schneider, Bradley; Simon, Lateefah; Smith, Adam; Stansbury, Melanie; Stanton, Greg; Strickland, Marilyn; Suozzi, Thomas; Swalwell, Eric; Takano, Mark; Thompson, Mike; Tlaib, Rashida; Tokuda, Jill; Vasquez, Gabe; Walkinshaw, James; Watson Coleman, Bonnie; Whitesides, George; Williams, Nikema.

The lawmakers’ full letter to HHS is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

We are extremely concerned by reports of the sudden termination of what appears to be the vast majority of the discretionary grants at Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Addressing mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery is a bipartisan priority. The work of SAMHSA is not a partisan priority. It should be a priority for every American, every member of Congress and every Administration. Every state relies on SAMHSA funding to respond to these pressing mental health and addiction challenges. In Congress we have worked to prioritize the focus on mental health and substance use disorder, to reduce stigma and to expand access to prevention, recovery and treatment.

Reports indicate that 2,800 grant termination notices have been distributed across the nation for critical programs that support mental health and addiction resources effective January 13, 2026. We strongly urge you to rescind all of the terminations immediately. Too many people across the country are suffering without necessary resources. We must ensure that SAMHSA programs serve their congressionally intended purpose of getting lifesaving resources to our communities.

Given the urgency, we ask that you provide the following information by January 16, 2026.

1. How many grants were terminated at SAMHSA and what programs were included?

2. What was the rationale for each termination? Please explain how each program “no longer effectuates agency priorities.”

3. The President recently signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which reauthorized many of these programs for 5 years. Of the grants that were cancelled, please provide a justification as to why these grants do not align with the direction given under the SUPPORT Act?

Sincerely,

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

Rep. Weber Secures Over $30 Million for Southeast Texas as the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 Awaits the President’s Signature

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

This week, Rep. Jack Bergman helped secure the inclusion of key bipartisan priorities to protect rural mail service in the Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) report, which recently passed the House of Representatives.

The language, which Rep. Bergman secured alongside fellow Congressional Postal Service Caucus co-chairs Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), Jared Golden (ME-02), and Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), seeks to address USPS plans to reduce the frequency that mail is picked up from rural post offices, consolidate processing facilities, and close local post offices.

Rep. Bergman stated, “For many families in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, reliable mail service isn’t a convenience – it’s a necessity. Seniors depend on the mail for prescriptions, workers rely on it for paychecks and important documents, and small businesses count on it to reach their customers. These bipartisan provisions push back against proposals that would make mail delivery slower and less reliable for rural communities.”

Specifically, the FSGG report includes language that:

• Calls on the U.S. Postal Service to reevaluate its Regional Transportation Optimization plan to ensure rural Americans do not face additional delays caused by reduced mail pickups at post offices located more than 50 miles from processing centers.
• Recommends halting the consolidation or realignment of processing and logistics facilities that serve postal districts failing to meet established on-time delivery standards for First-Class mail.
• Urges the Postal Service to pause any plans to close post offices that serve more than 15,000 people or where no alternative post office exists within 15 miles.

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

Co-Chairs of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-OR) today issued the following statement after the Trump Administration terminated more than 2,000 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants – nearly $2 billion in funding for organizations providing critical services across the country:

“The Trump Administration’s decision to unilaterally and abruptly withdraw grants that help provide essential mental health and addiction treatment services across the country is deeply troubling, dangerously shortsighted, and puts American lives at risk.

“Abruptly canceling these grants will force providers to halt suicide prevention efforts, overdose prevention and treatment programs, naloxone distribution, and peer recovery services with little to no warning. Treatment programs will be forced to close their doors, prevention efforts will stall, and American lives will be lost as a direct result.

“Those consequences will be immediate and severe, but they are avoidable. Addressing mental health and substance use disorders has never been a partisan issue. For decades, Democrats and Republicans have come together to expand access to care because addiction and mental illness affect families in every community across the country. Just last year, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act to equip communities with the resources necessary to combat substance use disorders and support mental health services passed Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Trump himself. And last March, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. renewed the public health emergency declaration addressing our nation’s opioid crisis.

“Terminating billions of dollars in SAMHSA grants directly contradicts these bipartisan commitments and the Administration’s own renewal of the opioid public health emergency, severely undermines the federal response to the opioid crisis, and jeopardizes the treatment and recovery infrastructure American communities rely on.

“The Trump Administration must immediately reverse course, reinstate these critical grants, and ensure the American public has the resources needed to support mental health and addiction treatment.”

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Congressional Progressive Caucus has formally endorsed legislation introduced by Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) that would redirect $175 billion in ICE and immigration enforcement funding into programs that would help make housing affordable nationwide.

Rep. Gomez’s bill would pull billions of dollars from the anti-immigrant slush fund in Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and reinvest those funds into programs designed to lower rents, expand homeownership, and increase the supply of housing that’s affordable.

“The Progressive Caucus is proud to support Rep. Gomez’s bill to reallocate money from ICE to make housing more affordable,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar, Deputy Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Instead of spending billions to terrorize families, we could actually use that money to reduce rents, expand homeownership, and build more affordable housing units across the country. It’s way past time we end Donald Trump’s ICE and CBP slush fund, and invest in the well-being of the American people.”

“My bill flips the script, ” said Rep. Gomez. “We’re taking back Trump’s anti-immigrant slush fund and investing it in real housing solutions that actually help people while putting a check on the unaccountable police force he built to go after our communities. The Progressive Caucus understands that standing up to ICE and making housing affordable are both essential to our communities, and this bill delivers on that.”

Specifically, the legislation would create a monthly Renter Tax Credit for families paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent, provide at least $50,000 in down payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers, incentivize the conversion of vacant office buildings into housing that’s affordable through a new Affordable Housing Conversion Credit, and expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to boost affordable housing construction.

At a moment of escalating enforcement violence, the bill represents a clear stand against ICE’s unchecked authority and a decisive shift toward accountability and affordability.

Full bill here