MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) joined in leading 107 House Democrats in calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump to scrap plans that would cut funding for the specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth who contact the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

“America has a youth mental health crisis, and LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers,” the congressmen wrote in their letter. “The 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth has recently received an average of 2,100 contacts per day, and since 2022, it has received over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats. America’s mental health crisis affects every community, and every family knows someone who has experienced distress. Mental health crises do not recognize partisan differences, and this is why support for 988 and its specialized services has always been firmly bipartisan.”

The specialized services 988 offers, particularly for high-risk groups like LGBTQ+ youth and veterans, are critical to saving lives. Any proposal to cut funding in the President’s budget and thereby cut off access to this life-saving support for vulnerable young people run counter to the best practices in suicide prevention.

“Cutting off specialized 988 services for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis is not just wrong, it’s dangerous,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “LGBTQI+ youth already face a heightened risk of suicide, and removing tailored support could have deadly consequences. Every American, regardless of who they are or whom they love, deserves access to compassionate, life-saving mental health care, especially in moments of deepest distress.”

“Suicide remains a serious public health concern in the U.S., and we know from research that certain groups have higher risk, including Veterans and LGBTQ+ youth. This is why these groups have dedicated services within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, where uniquely trained counselors help prevent suicide in these disproportionately impacted populations,” Robert Gebbia, CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said. “We understand that funding may be eliminated for 988 LGBTQ+ specialized services, and we urge the administration to continue its existing support for crisis services, including those for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth. These crisis response services are effective and save young lives.”

“I am deeply grateful to these members of Congress for speaking out and urging the administration to reverse course on their proposal to end life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth across the U.S. Tailoring suicide prevention services to ensure they’re effective for the most at-risk groups should not be political; it is simply clinical best practice. I applaud these lawmakers for their vocal support of these evidence-backed, bipartisan crisis services that have already supported an estimated 1.3 million LGBTQ+ youth and counting,” Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, said.

“988 is about providing hope and saving lives. Tragically, we lose too many young lives to suicide, especially LGBTQ+ young people,” Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said. “We thank these members of Congress for prioritizing resources for people who need them, and for working to maintain these services to provide vital, lifesaving support to our LGBTQ+ community.”

The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

President Trump’s budget threatens to end specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth who contact 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Ending this mental health support for youth in distress would devastate a vital resource for some of our nation’s most vulnerable young people. This shortsighted and dangerous plan undermines 988’s ability to provide tailored support for a population with a higher risk of suicide and will have lethal consequences if enacted. Surely you can agree that every American deserves the resources necessary to prevent suicide and self-injury, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

America has a youth mental health crisis, and LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. The 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth has recently received an average of 2,100 contacts per day and, since 2022, it has received over 1.3 million calls, text, and chats. America’s mental health crisis affects every community and every family knows someone who has experienced distress. Mental health crises do not recognize partisan differences, and this is why support for 988 and its specialized services has always been firmly bipartisan.

When Congress established the 988 lifeline, signed into law by President Trump during his first term, we intended it to be a resource for any American experiencing mental distress. To a young person feeling alone and scared, 988 is truly a lifeline. The specialized services it is able to provide to individuals with a higher risk of suicidality, such as LGBTQ+ youth and veterans, are especially vital to provide high-risk groups with custom support. Consideration of cutting off this life-saving resource to vulnerable youth and young adults goes against best practices in suicide prevention. 

We urge that you scrap this ill-advised plan. Our nation’s children deserve nothing less.

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

SCHAUMBURG,IL – Following the news that Edan Alexander has been freed after more than 580 days in captivity, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement:

“I am deeply relieved that Edan Alexander is finally coming home after more than 580 days in captivity. His release is a long-overdue moment of hope, and my thoughts are with him and his loved ones as they begin the healing process.

We must remain unwavering in our efforts to secure the safe return of every remaining hostage and to advance a durable peace rooted in a two-state solution without Hamas — one that ensures Israel’s security, upholds dignity for the Palestinian people, and delivers a future free from terror and violence across the region.”

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

CHICAGO – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement in response to the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago:

“I join millions across Illinois, the United States, and the world in celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV as the next leader of the Catholic Church. This is a deeply historic and emotional moment: the first American pope, and he hails from our beloved city of Chicago.

I offer my warmest congratulations to Pope Leo XIV and to the Catholic community in Chicago, across Illinois, and around the globe. His election is a powerful reflection of the values of faith, service, and humility that he has demonstrated throughout his ministry. As a proud representative of the Chicagoland area, I know how much this moment means to our communities, and I wish His Holiness and his flock every blessing in the journey ahead.”

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) denounced Republican efforts to dismantle and weaken critical social safety net programs such as Medicaid and affordable housing during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services. During his opening statement as ranking member of the subcommittee, Congressman Krishnamoorthi condemned recent proposals made by Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump that call for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to be cut by more than $1.1 trillion, a move that would greatly benefit the wealthiest Americans and special interests at the expense of tens of millions of Americans, including millions of Illinoisans, who would lose health care coverage and access to food on the table for themselves and their families.

“Slashing the budgets of these critical lifelines will not magically eliminate inefficiencies,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said during his opening statement. “What it will do is inflict real, immediate harm on our constituents. No matter if they live in red states or blue states. Children will go to bed hungry. Seniors will forgo lifesaving medications. Hardworking families, many of whom are already working multiple jobs, will face the agonizing choice between paying rent and putting food on the table. We must not lose sight of the real-life consequences of these policy debates.”

Throughout his question line and his opening and closing statements, Congressman Krishnamoorthi repeatedly spoke on his own personal experience with social safety net programs. After immigrating to the U.S. when he was only four months old, Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s family depended on housing assistance and food stamps, now referred to as SNAP.

“I’m so passionate about the benefits of the safety net because I’ve experienced them,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “These programs sustained my parents until my father got a great job in, of all places, Peoria, Illinois. My parents realized the American Dream, and they never took it for granted. I haven’t either.”

During his question line, Congressman Krishnamoorthi criticized the Republican witnesses, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, for pushing false narratives surrounding anti-poverty programs and called them out for backing policy proposals that negatively impact working-class families that depend on programs to get back on their feet. Congressman Krishnamoorthi specifically called out former Secretary Carson for calling the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery,” pointing out that 65 million Americans have access to health care because of the ACA.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi went on to point out the hypocrisy of Republicans calling for drastic cuts to programs that help working-class families while backing massive tax cuts and subsidies for large corporations, citing a Cato Institute study that found that corporate welfare costs the federal government $181 billion per year. Congressman Krishnamoorthi also cited a recent Wall Street Journal article that estimates President Trump’s self-imposed tariffs will cost American households at least $2,100 a year and would lower household income by 2.1 percent.

The Congressman’s full opening statement is available here, his question line is available here, and his closing statement is available here.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined Congressmen Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) and Rich McCormick (R-GA) in calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to provide eligible H-1B and other low-risk category visa holders with the option to renew their visas from within the United States. Under current practice, H-1B visa holders are required to return to their home countries in order to renew their visas, a time-consuming process that forces visa holders to travel internationally.

Allowing visa holders to renew their paperwork in the U.S. would alleviate the burden on U.S. embassies and consulates, which often face backlogs, and ensure that skilled workers, critical to industries like technology and health care, can continue to contribute to the U.S. economy without disruption, ultimately benefiting American businesses and communities. The bipartisan letter comes on the heels of a highly successful domestic renewal pilot program in 2024 run by the State Department that allowed 20,000 H-1B visa holders to renew their forms in the U.S.

“The 2024 pilot program for domestic visa renewals was a commonsense success, and now it’s time to build on that momentum,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Expanding and formalizing this program will reduce red tape, strengthen our economy, and help ensure that the United States continues to attract and retain the best and brightest talent from around the world.

“The current process to renew H-1B visas is cumbersome and needs to be modernized,” Congressman Subramanyam said. “This bipartisan proposal, based on a successful bipartisan 2024 pilot program, will help streamline the H1-B process and avoid unnecessary processing delays.”

“Building upon the 2024 pilot program for domestic visa renewals will demonstrate that we can modernize our immigration system while maintaining security and efficiency,” Congressman McCormick said. “As a fiscal conservative, I believe expanding and formalizing this initiative is crucial. It will alleviate the strain on American businesses, bolster our high-skilled workforce, and cut through the red tape holding back our economic edge. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in pushing the administration to take this vital step toward a streamlined, future-focused visa process.”

“Reinstating the domestic visa renewals pilot program, expanding it beyond the H-1B visa category, and clarifying the eligibility rules is an important step in the effort to modernize the immigration system,” Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director for American Immigration Lawyers Association, said. “It provides an opportunity for the Department of State to alleviate the visa backlog, increase efficiency, stimulate economic growth, and strengthen America’s ability to retain talented individuals.”

“The United States is currently relying on an immigration system designed for a different country at a different time. Expanding the domestic visa renewal pilot will allow us to maintain our leadership in the global race for talent, reduce excessive wait times, alleviate processing backlogs, and provide certainty for immigrants working in the U.S. and their employers,” Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us, said. “It is in our country’s best interest to have a more efficient legal immigration system that improves its ability to attract and retain top talent from around the world and maximizes their contributions in critical industries. We thank Representatives Krishnamoorthi, Subramanyam, and McCormick for their leadership and the 17 members who signed this letter.”

“Domestic visa reissuance has been suspended since 2004,” Jeremy Neufeld, Director of High-Skilled Immigration Policy at Institute for Progress, said. “A successful pilot program last year showed that it’s time to bring it back. IFP thanks lawmakers for their leadership in working to make visa processing more efficient and less disruptive.”

“Consular officers stationed across the globe are tasked with vetting new travelers seeking entry into the United States,” Sam Peak, Policy Manager for the Economic Innovation Group, said. “However, much of their caseload consists of reviewing visa renewals for professionals who have already been approved and have resided in the country for many years. This reform helps ensure that the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs can provide more efficient and thorough vetting of higher-risk visa applicants. EIG applauds this bipartisan group for championing this effort.

In the letter to Secretary Rubio, the lawmakers strongly urged the administration to build upon the successful 2024 pilot program for domestic visa renewals and quickly take the necessary steps to formalize and expand the initiative with clear eligibility rules. The pilot program allowed certain eligible H-1B visa holders to renew their visas within the United States, an important first step in modernizing our visa processing system. The lawmakers urged Secretary Rubio to ensure that the program not only continues but is expanded to include additional E, H, I, L, O, and P visas to ease unnecessary burdens on workers and businesses alike.

Up until 2004, the United States allowed E, H, I, L, O, and P visas holders to renew their visas domestically. This practice was discontinued by the State Department in response to the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002. While this change was not legislatively required by Congress, the 2002 law mandated stricter biometric screening for visa applicants. At the time, the State Department had more capacity to collect this information in embassies and consulates abroad than domestically. The 2024 pilot program was limited to those individuals who had already had their biometrics captured overseas and whose biometrics can be reused.  Expanding the pilot program and making it permanent would align with the findings of the Secure Borders and Open Doors Advisory Committee, convened by President George W. Bush, that recommended reinstating domestic renewals for low-risk visa categories in 2008.

The letter can be read and downloaded here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter secures $56 million in additional funding for Savannah Harbor

Carter secures $56 million in additional funding for Savannah Harbor

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) is leading dozens of Members in filing an amicus brief in United States of America v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. et al, a case alleging that UnitedHealth uses inaccurate diagnosis codes to inflate payments through Medicare Advantage (MA), essentially embezzling from taxpayers. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) estimates that MA plans through insurers like UnitedHealth will be overpaid by $1.2 trillion between 2025-2034 without intervention. 

“Medicare DisAdvantage, as I like to call it, was initially created as a way to save taxpayer dollars, but in reality, it does the exact opposite. It costs more and consistently has worse patient outcomes,” said Jayapal. “Today, this program is simply a cash cow for big insurance corporations at the cost of seniors and people with disabilities. UnitedHealth must answer to a jury, to the allegations that its network of MA plans intentionally ‘upcoded’ to increase the payments it received from Medicare — taxpayer dollars that did not go to provide healthcare to patients, but rather to pad UnitedHealth’s profits. Americans deserve to know if Medicare funds have been—and could continue to be—abused.”

The private insurance companies running MA plans mislead the public by claiming their plans save money and improve care. However, private insurers in MA overcharged CMS by at least $83 billion in 2024 without any improvements to the quality of care for patients. These overpayments to private insurers threaten the stability of the entire Medicare program for the 65 million Americans who rely on it. UnitedHealth is the nation’s largest insurer of MA plans, with 28 percent of the market share nationally and $400 billion in revenue last year. 

“The MA Program was supposed to decrease costs and increase access to healthcare for elderly and disabled Americans, while simultaneously adding efficiency to the healthcare system. Corporate health insurers like United have guaranteed MA’s failure by wringing the program dry with their insatiable appetite for profit,” reads the brief.

When a patient receives treatment through a third-party MA insurer, like UnitedHealth, they are assigned a “sickness score” that determines the payments to the insurer from the Traditional Medicare fund. Those sickness scores are driven by the post hoc diagnoses of United’s coders, and this case states that UnitedHealth knew that $2.1 billion in payments were due to incorrect diagnoses, yet did nothing to correct the error and instead took the money at a time when Americans are paying nearly $26,000 per family in premiums per year, while the largest US insurer made $14 billion in annual profits. And just this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that UnitedHealth is under investigation by the Department of Justice for possible criminal Medicare fraud.

Jayapal has been a leader in the efforts to rein in MA and protect patients, having led efforts to urge both the Trump and Biden Administrations to enact reforms. 

The brief was signed by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Greg Casar (TX-35), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Greg Landsman (OH-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Takano (CA-39), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Derek Tran (CA-45), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

The full text of the brief can be read here. 

Issues: Health Care

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Co-Chair Lori Trahan (MA-03) issued the following statement after Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced their partisan reconciliation package, which will cut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and result in at least 13.7 million Americans losing health coverage, to the House floor:
“Over the past 26 hours, House Republicans have rejected every single Democratic amendment – amendments that would have protected Americans’ health care, lowered out-of-pocket costs for working families, kept pollution out of our children’s schools, and so much more. Instead, every Republican member of this Committee voted to preserve a cruel and reckless bill that will rip health coverage away from millions of Americans.”
“Republican members like Nick Begich (AK-AL) and Rob Bresnahan (PA-08) now face a clear choice. One in three Alaskans rely on Medicaid. One in four people in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District depend on it too. Will they stand with their constituents and reject a proposal that threatens their health care and makes their bills more expensive? Or will they fall in line behind Donald Trump’s promise to slash taxes for the billionaires like Elon Musk who bankrolled his campaign?”
“This bill isn’t just bad policy – it’s a betrayal of the people we were sent here to represent. I’ll keep fighting alongside my Democratic colleagues to stop it and to protect every American’s right to access affordable, quality health care.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) has been awarded the “Defender of Economic Freedom Award” by the Club for Growth, America’s largest free market advocacy organization.  

“One of my top priorities in Congress is to support economic policies that benefit the citizens of the Sixth District of Virginia,” said Congressman Cline. “I’ve voted to cut taxes, eliminate red tape, reduce regulations on small businesses, and fight inflation. It’s a privilege to receive this award from Club for Growth as I continue working to advance fiscally responsible legislation that empowers Americans and strengthens our economy.”

“We congratulate Rep. Cline for earning Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic Freedom Award for fighting for policies that advance limited government and prosperity,” said Club for Growth President David McIntosh. “Meanwhile Democrats have become more socialist than ever despite many of them claiming to be ‘moderate.”

The award is based on the Club for Growth Foundation’s 2024 Congressional Economic Scorecard, the gold-standard in measuring the voting behavior of Members of Congress based on issues relating to limited government and economic growth. Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic Freedom Award required Representatives and Senators to not only score 90% or better on votes cast in a year, but to also maintain a lifetime rating of at least 90% to receive the award.

Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

Wauseon, OH – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced the award of $342,000 from the US Department of Transportation’s Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program to Fulton County. The funds will support Phase 1 of a critical airport infrastructure project at Fulton County Airport (USE), further advancing economic resilience and connectivity for NW Ohio.

“This is a strategic and forward-looking investment in the of our region’s transportation network,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “Fulton County Airport’s has a growing role in supporting general aviation, regional commerce, and emergency response in our region. This award is more than a transportation upgrade – it’s an investment in our local workforce, small businesses, and the future of aviation in Northwest Ohio. As our communities work to modernize and grow, targeted federal investment like this ensures that rural and regional airports are not left behind, and are instead positioned to lead our communities into the future.”

“The Fulton County airport is an active, vibrant airport with over 30 based aircraft, a growing flight school offering flight training to students from all over Northwest Ohio, and is a base for a Life Flight helicopter,” said Jeff Rupp, President of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. “We have had a waiting list for hangar space for many years and with this grant, we will be able build hangars for six additional aircraft. The Fulton County Commissioners wish to express our sincere appreciation to Congresswoman Kaptur for securing this grant which will benefit the county!”

The project includes the design of a new sponsor-owned hangar to generate long-term revenue and support airport sustainability, and the replacement of the airport’s Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), which has reached the end of its operational life. The project reflects a commitment to modernizing regional infrastructure and ensuring safety, efficiency, and long-term economic growth.

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