MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — spoke at a full committee hearing titled, “Winning the AI Arms Race Against the Chinese Communist Party.”

McCaul discussed the importance of keeping American AI tech out of the CCP’s hands with former Deputy U.S. National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger.

Click to watch

Full Transcript of McCaul’s Exchange:

MCCAUL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for bringing this issue to the forefront. I think it’s one of the most important issues facing this committee. The great power competition with China rivals, when I was growing up, the Cold War against Russia and the space race. And for years we thought we could work with China as business partners, as you, Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Finer, were covering China. At that time, I was a young federal prosecutor in the Justice Department investigating the case of the re-election of Bill Clinton and campaign dollars flowing from China into the campaign coffers of the DNC. Why? Because they wanted the competitive advantage of our technology. What I found were deposit slips in Johnny Chung’s bank account from China Aerospace and a meeting with the director of military intelligence, where they talked about this very issue. They wanted our technology back then in 1997, and they want it today. It’s even worse — far worse today than it was in 1997, and I think y’all have laid the case out very clearly in terms of what the threat is today. 

You know, they steal so much intellectual property from this country, but we don’t have to sell it to them. And that’s the axiom that led me to introduce the ENFORCE Act. [It says] very simply, you cannot sell military-grade AI technology to China. I marked it up out of this committee … and then it was blocked from a floor vote because of outside special interest groups at play in this debate. And let’s be honest, there are outside special interest groups trying to block this, what we were talking about today and that kind of legislation. I commend the chairman for his bill, and I support it.

My U.S. attorney in Texas, as these H200 chips were smuggled into China, said, “These chips form the building blocks of AI superiority and [are] integral to modern military applications.” So [on] this agreement with NVIDIA, we met the CEO, and I asked him, “You sold them the very chips that they used to create DeepSeek AI.” AI opens the windows, the chairman said, to military-grade applications. [NVIDIA] sold them the technology that now has given them DeepSeek AI. Granted, it was legal until we caught up with it with export controls, but it demonstrates why those controls are so important.

I want to ask Mr. Pottinger this question. You said the vice chairman — and I always love using the enemy’s words against them, right — that the vice chairman of the China Semiconductor Industry Association said that he believes that they need NVIDIA chips to “catch up.” Or in other words, Beijing needs NVIDIA chips to take the lead in this great power competition. Is than an accurate statement and can you expand on that?

POTTINGER: Very good to see you, sir, thank you. That’s right, I have a fuller quote in my submitted testimony, but Wei Shaojun is the vice chairman of the China Semiconductor Industry Association. So in China, industry associations aren’t like they are here in the United States; the founding charter of the China Semiconductor Industry Association says that their purpose is to uphold Marxism, Leninism, Mao Zedong thought, and Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, so it’s basically an appendage of the party state. What he was saying just last week is that we’re going to use NVIDIA chips to leapfrog NVIDIA over time, we’re going to use NVIDIA chips to leapfrog the United States in AI. That is the policy; it’s very explicit.

MCCAUL: And it’s essentially saying we’re going to use NVIDIA chips to defeat the United States in the great power competition. Those are my words, but I think it’s very clear, the intention behind his statement. Now [NVIDIA’s] argument is this, when you talk to them: you know, we just need to get [China] hooked on our chips. These are second-generation chips. We need to hook them on our chips, so they don’t manufacture them themselves. And by the way, we need to compete with Huawei in their own market, so we have market share against Huawei. Do you buy that statement, Mr. Pottinger? … Do you buy that statement, that we need to hook them on our technology and sell them our technology and compete with them in their own market?

POTTINGER: China’s leaders, in their own words, utterly reject the premise that they will allow their country to become addicted. And by the way, Chinese companies have, from what I’ve been reading, have ordered two million of these chips. The Chinese government may not actually let them import all of those chips because they want to mandate that Chinese companies continue to buy inferior Huawei chips at the same until Huawei, they hope, can catch up. …The more advanced AI that they’re getting from the American chips, they’ll use to compete with American companies and also to advance Huawei’s planning and designs to catch up. So NVIDIA may actually be sort of seeding its own demise.

MCCAUL: Any time we compete with China in their own market, we lose market share. I yield back.

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott Statement on Hampton Roads Native Mike Tomlin’s Resignation as Head Coach of the Pittsburg Steelers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the resignation of Mike Tomlin as Head Coach of the Pittsburg Steelers:

“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Coach Mike Tomlin for his extraordinary career and lasting impact on the game of football. His resignation marks the end of an era not only for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but for the entire National Football League.

“Coach Tomlin has been a model of leadership, consistency, and excellence. As one of the longest-tenured and most successful head coaches in the league, he demonstrated what it means to lead with integrity, resilience, and a commitment to both performance and people. His historic achievements—including never having a losing season—speak volumes about his discipline, preparation, and ability to bring out the best in those around him.

“For those of us in Hampton Roads, Coach Tomlin’s story is especially meaningful. A proud graduate of Denbigh High School in Newport News and a standout student-athlete at the College of William & Mary, he represents the very best of our region. His journey from our local schools to the pinnacle of professional football is a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, and community support.

“Beyond the wins and championships, Coach Tomlin’s legacy is also defined by the doors he helped open. As one of the few Black head coaches in the NFL, he has been an inspiration to countless young people who now see what is possible when talent meets opportunity.

“I wish Coach Tomlin and his family the very best in this next chapter. His influence will continue to be felt for years to come—on the field, in locker rooms, and in the lives of the many players, coaches, and fans he inspired.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) condemned the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) reported plans to open an immigration detention center in Kansas City, Missouri, calling for additional information on the process before the plan moves forward. According to the report, DHS intends to build several detention centers across the country, including in Kansas City, to hold approximately 80,000 immigrants. DHS recently awarded a $29.9 million no-bid contract to an organization that had no previous history of government contracts to facilitate the plan—which is just shy of the $30 million threshold that requires the administration to justify forgoing a competition process for the award.

“Since day one, this administration has fractured communities with ICE raids and severed families with hundreds of thousands of deportations, sweeping up legal residents and American citizens in the process. While we believe strongly in an orderly immigration system, Kansas Citians and I do not want to see the stench of these extreme mass deportation policies centralized in Kansas City,” Congressman Cleaver wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Tom Lyons.

“No human deserves to be rounded up as cattle, shipped across the country, imprisoned in warehouses, and stripped of their dignity. The proposed plan will degrade our society, divide our communities, waste taxpayer dollars, and stress the civility of our institutions to the point of fracture,” Rep. Cleaver continued.

“America’s immigration system is far from perfect, and border security is a key component. But those millions of dollars for detention centers would be better spent on finding criminals rather than attacking families and those with no criminal history,” Cleaver concluded.

In addition to condemning the administration’s plans, Rep. Cleaver requested answers to the following questions by January 23:

1. Has the administration briefed Congress on the plans and locations of these facilities?
2. Why did the administration pursue a no-bid contract, as opposed to a competitive, transparent application process?
3. Will the administration provide Congress and the general public with the locations of the proposed facilities?
4. How has the administration coordinated with local governments? Will the administration honor the local zoning policies and process? 

The official letter from Rep. Cleaver is available here.

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to Louisiana’s indictment of a California doctor for providing abortion medication and its attempt to force extradition across state lines, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) issued the following statement:

“This is a dangerous escalation in the Republican campaign to end abortion everywhere,” said Rep. Chu. “Louisiana is trying to criminalize doctors in California for providing safe, legal health care that is protected under our state’s laws. That is an outrageous abuse of power.

“Abortion medication is FDA-approved, overwhelmingly safe, and used by millions of women nationwide. What truly puts women at risk is Louisiana’s extreme abortion ban, and now, its attempt to intimidate doctors nationwide by threatening them with prison sentences.

“This is not about patient safety. It is about exporting an extremist agenda beyond state borders and punishing providers for defying it. I support Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to reject Louisiana’s extradition request and uphold California’s abortion shield laws. California will not be complicit in attacks on doctors or patients.

“I will continue fighting in Congress to pass my bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would restore the right to abortion care nationwide, ensuring that no provider is treated like a criminal and no patient is denied care because of where they live or who is in power.”

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

(Washington, DC) – On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Congressman Al Green and Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) reintroduced H.R. 7053 – the Preemption of Real Property Act. This bill seeks to address current and future efforts by state legislatures around the country to restrict or prohibit individuals from purchasing real estate based on their country of citizenship. A copy of the bill is accessible by clicking here.

“A foundational part of the American Dream for many of our immigrant families is the ability to purchase a home. Unfortunately, state legislatures across the country are seeking to undermine this right for nationals from the People’s Republic of China, Iran, North Korea, and other countries. Asian Americans and people of Asian descent now must endure unwarranted suspicion and racial profiling by realtors and lenders,” said Rep. Judy Chu. “Banning individuals from purchasing property on the basis of their citizenship, national origin, race, ethnicity, or immigration status is a blatant assault on civil rights and a betrayal of the core values on which America was founded. The Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act will make sure that we do not repeat the shameful Alien Land Laws of the past and preempt these xenophobic state laws at the federal level.” 

Congressman Al Green stated: “I would like to thank Congresswoman Judy Chu, Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, for co-leading this legislation with me. Congresswoman Chu’s support of this bill and her leadership in the United States Congress are invaluable. This bill aims to preempt fifty states from introducing or enacting fifty different laws that restrict or outright prohibit individuals of certain nationalities from purchasing real estate property. While we must ensure that adversaries of the United States do not have direct or proxy ownership of land within our country, bills such as Texas’ SB 17 and Florida’s SB 264 cast far too wide a net and risk fueling increased xenophobia and invidious discrimination. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency body that is comprised of members from the Departments of Defense, Treasury, State, Commerce, and Homeland Security, is already empowered to review national security risks associated with foreign investment in the United States. CFIUS has had its authority strengthened multiple times during the past several decades to expand the scope of transactions covered. The discriminatory state bills introduced across the country do nothing to enhance CFIUS’s critical national security work. Instead, they will contribute to the denigration of immigrant communities.”

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

(Washington, DC) — On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Congressman Al Green, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, shared remarks in a Financial Services Hearing entitled, “Evaluating the Operations of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).”

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s remarks by clicking here. The hearing remarks highlighted are also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday afternoon, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D, MN-04) became an original co-sponsor of Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s (D, IL-02) articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. This announcement follows Congresswoman McCollum’s Friday announcement that she would support efforts to impeach Secretary Noem. 

“Secretary Noem should be fired, but we know President Trump won’t do that. That’s why I support impeachment by the House and conviction by the Senate for her obstruction of Congress and violation of the public trust,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “Over the past year, Americans in cities across the United States have felt the chaos and terror of Secretary Noem’s Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Secretary Noem has demonstrated that she is unable to enforce immigration law in a peaceful and ethical manner. Her deployment of unprofessional, poorly trained, masked immigration agents has put our neighbors in danger of physical harm. The appalling conduct at ICE and DHS starts with its leadership. Kristi Noem needs to go.”

The Constitution gives the U.S. House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment. Congresswoman McCollum is an original co-sponsor of Congresswoman Kelly’s three articles of impeachment: 

1. Obstruction of Congress

Secretary Noem violated her constitutional oath and refused to comply with the law that prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from preventing a Member of Congress from entering a DHS facility used to detain undocumented immigrants. Members of Congress have been denied entry into ICE facilities in Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, California, New York, Virginia, and Washington.

2. Violation of Public Trust

Secretary Noem has repeatedly violated the Immigration and Nationality Act, the First Amendments to the United States Constitution, and Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. She’s also violated due process by directing ICE agents to conduct warrantless arrests and use violence against U.S. citizens and lawful residents.

During Secretary Noem’s “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, federal agents used excessive force, in some cases injuring or killing, residents. Federal agents used military-style tactics to raid an apartment building in South Shore, detaining U.S. citizens for hours without warrants or reason for arrest. These dangerous actions have continued in cities across the country, including in Minneapolis, where Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed without justification.

3. Self-Dealing

Secretary Noem has misused her position for personal gain while inappropriately using $200 million in public funds to award an ad campaign for ICE recruitment. She bypassed the standard competitive bidding process to award a contract to a firm called Strategy Group. Strategy Group was formed just days before the award and is run by the husband of senior DHS official Tricia McClaughlin, a close friend of Secretary Noem. 

Read the full text of articles of impeachment here.

There are 70 Members of Congress cosponsoring these articles of impeachment, including all four Democratic members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation: Betty McCollum; Ilhan Omar; Angie Craig; Kelly Morrison; Adriano Espaillat; Alma Adams; April McClain Delaney; Becca Balint; Bonnie Watson Coleman; Brad Sherman; Brittany Pettersen; Chellie Pingree; Danny Davis; Dave Min; Diana DeGette; Doris Matsui; Emily Randall; Eric Sorensen; Eric Swalwell; Gabe Amo; Gabe Vasquez; Gwen Moore; Jan Schakowsky; Jasmine Crockett; Jill Tokuda; Jimmy Gomez; John Larson; Jonathan Jackson; Juan Vargas; Julie Johnson; Kevin Mullin; LaMonica McIver; Lateefah Simon; Laura Friedman; Linda T. Sanchez; Lloyd Doggett; Lori Trahan; Luz Rivas; Mark DeSaulnier; Mark Pocan; Maxine Dexter; Maxwell Frost; Melanie Stansbury; Mike Quigley; Mike Thompson; Nikki Budzinski; Nydia M. Velazquez; Paul Tonko; Pramila Jayapal; Raja Krishnamoorthi; Rashida Tlaib; Ritchie Torres; Rob Menendez; Sarah Elfreth; Sarah McBride; Sean Casten; Seth Moulton; Shontel M. Brown; Shri Thanedar; Steve Cohen; Summer Lee; Suzanne Bonamici; Teresa Leger Fernandez; Tim Kennedy; Val Hoyle; Valerie Foushee; Veronica Escobar; Wesley Bell; Yassamin Ansari; Yvette Clarke.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D, MN-04) issued the following statement after the conclusion of the White House meeting between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and the Trump administration:

“The decision on the future of Greenland is up to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenland’s future is in the hands of its people, not the United States of America, and not President Trump. President Trump’s continued military threats against our allies are shocking and unbecoming of his office. If the President is truly concerned about America’s national security in the Arctic, then the best thing he could do would be to work to strengthen the NATO Alliance. Every single Arctic nation in the world, except for Russia, is a member of NATO and it is our shared defensive posture that secures the Arctic from Russian and Chinese aggression. If the President believes that America’s security in the Arctic is confined to Greenland, then he has a highly misinformed view of the high north’s security situation. Make no mistake, if President Trump were to order U.S. military action to seize Greenland, it would be the gravest military error committed by a President in American history. The end of the NATO Alliance would be a gift to Putin that even the leaders of the Soviet Union could never have dreamed of. It must never be allowed to occur.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D, MN-04) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem demanding that DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately cease all operations in Minnesota. Additionally, the Congresswoman is seeking prompt answers to nearly a dozen questions concerning DHS’s reported search for a potential ICE detention facility in Woodbury.

Read an excerpt of the letter below or click here to view the full text of the letter on Congresswoman McCollum’s website. 

“The fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7 by ICE agent Jonathan Ross is tragic proof that the Trump administration’s immigration policy has totally failed our country and is increasing danger for Minnesotans and all Americans.  I demand that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cease all operations in Minnesota immediately to allow local law enforcement officials to return to protecting our community from further violence and conduct a full and transparent investigation into ICE’s actions and conduct which caused this horrific shooting.  

“My constituents are deeply troubled, and many are fearful of the dramatic chaos and unrest being stoked as a direct result of the Trump administration’s tactics of ordering more than 2,000 ICE and DHS agents to Minnesota to racially profile and arrest people in their homes, their workplaces, their schools, and on our streets.  The outrageous and unprofessional behavior exhibited by ICE and other federal immigration agencies is not only making our neighborhoods, our cities, and our state more dangerous for everyone, it is making it more difficult for local law enforcement to conduct their daily work to protect and serve our community.  Our children have a right to be safe at school, at home, and in our community. As parents and adults, it is our solemn responsibility to protect our children and our neighbors from violence. It is unconscionable this now includes violence perpetrated by our own government. 

“Additionally, since December, I have been contacted by constituents and public officials who are deeply concerned about reports in the Washington Post and other publications that ICE is actively soliciting warehouse space to hold as many as 1500 detainees in Woodbury, Minnesota, located in my congressional district, and other communities across the country. Inquiries made to DHS/ICE by local officials have gone unanswered as they seek answers to their many questions about these reported plans.   

“According to comments by ICE acting director Todd M. Lyons at a border conference in April, the Trump administration’s goal is to deport immigrants like Amazon moves packages: ‘Like Prime, but with human beings.’ Not only is this plan dehumanizing, it fails to account for the fact that structures designed for storage and shipping are not fit for human habitation, because they lack adequate ventilation and temperature controls.”

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

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) are leading bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives to address persistent staffing shortages at federal prisons across the country, including at FCI Berlin in New Hampshire. The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act would provide a 35% special salary rate increase for federal correctional officers nationwide. The legislation is led in the U.S. Senate by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and David McCormick (R-PA). The legislation was introduced in the House alongside Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Congressman Rob Bresnahan (PA-08). 

The bill is designed to boost recruitment and retention, reduce excessive mandatory overtime and burnout, enhance safety for officers and incarcerated individuals, and strengthen operations across the Bureau of Prisons. 

“Chronic staffing shortages at federal prisons risk the safety of the staff, incarcerated individuals, and communities. This bipartisan legislation would reinstate pay incentives that the Trump Administration revoked to help recruitment and retention efforts and ensure prisons have the personnel needed,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “I’ll continue working to support dedicated public employees who show up every day for New Hampshire.”

“Our federal correctional officers in Berlin have some of the toughest jobs and most important jobs in New Hampshire. But year after year, they have been asked to do more and more with less and less — and it’s just not right,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander. “Our bipartisan bill is about ensuring fair pay for hardworking Granite Staters and ensuring our federal prison is properly staffed with the professional and well-trained workforce it needs to operate safely and justly.”

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has faced severe staffing shortages for years that have strained facilities nationwide. A February 2024 report from the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General found that reliance on augmentation and mandatory overtime has overburdened staff and may contribute to fatigue, sleep deprivation, and decreased vigilance—raising serious safety concerns. 

Specifically, the Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act would:

• Enact a special rate of pay for federal correctional officers to address chronic recruitment and retention challenges
• Establish a 35% increase to the General Schedule (GS) pay scale for correctional officers
• Apply the enhanced pay rate to officers with custodial responsibilities, including GS, GL law enforcement officers, and eligible prevailing-rate employees
• Include a sunset provision requiring the DOJ Inspector General to evaluate whether BOP has made measurable progress in reducing augmentation and excessive mandatory overtime; if progress is achieved, the special pay rate would remain in place, with findings reported to Congress 

Pappas supports the Protect America’s Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to repeal a presidential executive order that stripped union rights from roughly 1 million federal workers, which passed the House in December, as well as the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.