MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced the winners of the annual Congressional Art Competition held for local high school students.  Claire Hamilton from San Lorenzo Valley High School earned first place for her piece titled, “Hearts at Rest.”  Claire’s artwork will be proudly displayed in the United States Capitol alongside winning submissions from across the country.

The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide tradition that began in 1982.  Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Each spring, congressional offices select a winning piece to be displayed in the United States Capitol.  First-place winners and a family member are invited to Washington, D.C. for a special ceremony honoring their achievement.  This year, 21 students from every county in the 19th Congressional District submitted original artwork for the competition.

“Through their expression, these high school artists reflected the beauty, diversity, and shared values of our home in California’s 19th Congressional District,” said Rep. Panetta.  “I’ll see Claire’s artwork every day as I walk through the Capitol and feel a deep sense of pride for the young people that I represent.  Our community is stronger, and our democracy is healthier when young people comprehend what it means to engage, whether through art, service, or civic participation.”

The full list of winners and honorees for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition is below:

• First Place: Claire Hamilton, San Lorenzo Valley High School, “Hearts at Rest”
• Second Place: Daeun Jung, California School of Art and Design, “In a Mother’s Eye”
• Third Place: Vivian Ming, Pacific Grove High School, “A Brilliant, Billion of Stars”
• Honorable Mention for Composition: Finn Maxwell, San Lorenzo Valley High School, “Remembering Something in Spring”
• Honorable Mention for Creative Vision: Seta Nicholson, Harbor High School, “The Privation”
• Honorable Mention for Distinctive Style: Sophia Spivey, Pacific Grove High School, “What Becomes of Roads No Longer Traveled”

###

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

Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) released the following statement on recent developments in the Middle East:

“As the Middle East continues to be a tinder box of tensions, it is critical that the United States maintain its work with our partners to counter Iran and other extremist groups and bring stability to the region.  During my limited time in Congress, I have been to the Middle East more than any other region in an effort to ensure that countries, including Israel, continue their commitment to work with the U.S. to achieve peace.  This includes establishing mechanisms that prevent Iran from furthering tensions and diplomatic efforts to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

“Israel has the right and obligation to defeat Hamas and rescue the remaining 59 hostages still held in Gaza.  At the same time, it is critical that Israel enables the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.  During the recent ceasefire, Israel surged humanitarian supplies into Gaza, including 25,000 trucks full of food, essential medicine, and fuel. Unfortunately, Hamas prevented or negated some of that aid from reaching civilians in dire need.  While the temporary truce allowed for the release of hostages, the ceasefire was ended in March after Hamas refused to cooperate on any further release of hostages.  Israel subsequently issued a blockade of Gaza to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages and negotiate a regional security plan.  However, this restriction has impacted Palestinian civilians by furthering suffering and malnutrition in Gaza and creating resentment in the region. 

“Israel will defend itself against Iran and its proxies of Hamas, Hezbollah, and others.  Yet, those extremist groups drive chaos, recruit, and garner support from the suffering of civilian populations in war zones.  Israel’s security will be enhanced when stable governing structures emerge in those places where Iran’s proxies act.  That starts with Israel immediately allowing humanitarian assistance back into Gaza to alleviate suffering.  Hamas must release every hostage now.  Israel must continue to work with the U.S. and Arab partners in the region to support Palestinian leadership that can be an alternative to Hamas.  The cycle of regional conflict that has been devastating to civilian populations will be broken only with the foundation of humanity, stability, and security.

“As threats from Iran and its proxy networks persist across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, the United States will continue its work with willing partners to confront terrorism, counter the spread of radical influence, and protect regional energy infrastructure and international shipping lanes.  The United States can do that by continuing to build a coalition of partners to deter Iran. Israel will be a part of that effort, while it works to defeat Hamas and immediately deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. That would help stop the suffering of Palestinians and provide a foundation of stability and security for Israel and a path to peace in the Middle East.”
 

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

WASHINGTON, DC — Tomorrow, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) will hold a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to address the deportations of U.S. citizen children to Honduras, attacks on due process, and detainee abuse. 

The Trump administration is doubling down its cruel attacks on immigrant families, forcing mothers into impossible choices about their children’s well-being. It’s a continuation of Trump’s 2018 family separations and this president’s zeal to exploit the suffering of families and children for political gain.

WHAT: CHC Press Conference

WHO: 
·    CHC Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)
·    Whip Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
·    Vice Chair of Communications Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35)
·    Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20)
·    Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52)
·    Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44)
·    ACLU Louisiana Legal Director Alanah Odoms
·    National Immigration Project Executive Director Sirine Shebaya

WHEN: Wednesday, April 30th at 12:00 PM

WHERE: House Triangle, United States Capitol, Washington, DC 20004

WATCH: Livestream at https://x.com/RepEspaillat

###

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. 

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

NEW YORK, NY –  Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) will reintroduce his bill later this month urging the creation of a commission to study interventions and occupations of the United States and develop proposals for the repair and reconciliation to the people of the Dominican Republic and other Latin American and Caribbean countries as these misguided interventions led to generations of turmoil and civil conflict.

During the 20th century, the U.S. conducted a series of military interventions and operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, contributing to great harms in numerous countries, including coups, regime collapses, civil wars, and mass casualties. In the decades since these historical occupations occurred, the U.S. has gained a clearer picture of how these misguided military operations have negatively impacted the collective psyche of Caribbean and Latin American countries and spurred anti-U.S. sentiment amongst our neighbors. Studies also show these military operations have resulted in generational trauma and mass migration into the U.S. Fortunately, this new bill provides the U.S. with an important opportunity to formally apologize for these missteps in the region.

The Commission on the United States Occupations in the Americas Act will establish a Commission responsible for studying and identifying the lasting effects of the United States’ 20th century military occupations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Commission would also provide recommendations on whether a formal U.S. apology to each previously occupied nation is warranted, in addition to considering any potential remedies for wrongs and injuries caused by the U.S. during the following occupations:

1. First Occupation of Nicaragua (1909 – 1925)
2. First Occupation of Mexico (1914)
3. Second Occupation of Mexico (1916 – 1917)
4. First Occupation of the Dominican Republic (1916 – 1924)
5. Second Occupation of Nicaragua (1927- 1933)
6. Guatemala Air Occupation (1954)
7. Second Occupation of the Dominican Republic (1965- 1966)
8. Grenada Occupation (1983)
9. Panama Occupation (1989)
10. Any other unlawful occupations in the region identified by the Commission. 

Only by directly confronting the United States’ difficult history in this region, and apologizing for our missteps, can our nation work towards repairing our relationship with the many Latin American and Caribbean nations we have harmed and pursue future policy solutions that uplift our region and make up for our historical wrongdoings.

###

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. 

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

BRONX, NY – Today, Representatives Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) released a joint statement on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) abduction of Bronx resident Merwil Gutiérrez.

On February 24, ICE detained 19-year-old Merwil Gutiérrez at the doorstep in front of his shared Bronx apartment. He had no criminal record or tattoos linking him to the Tren de Aragua gang. He was denied due process.

“We are horrified by ICE’s abduction of Merwil Gutiérrez, who was violently taken from his doorstop in the Bronx and deported to El Salvador. Like many others sent to CECOT, a mega-prison infamous for human rights abuses, Merwil was torn away from his father and our community, without due process, without any criminal charges, and without an order of deportation from a judge. His family is heartbroken and thinks he was deported by mistake. Whether Kilmar Abrego García or Merwil Gutiérrez, ICE’s attacks on due process are threats to all of our fundamental rights. Our offices have been in touch with the family to support and we will not rest until Merwil is back where he belongs: at home in the Bronx.”

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

NEW YORK, NY — Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following statement in recognition of Earth Day 2025 and touted several pieces of legislation he leads during the 119th Congress: 

“On Earth Day, we reaffirm our commitment to adopting climate solutions to save our planet,” said Espaillat. “The difference we make today will have resounding impacts throughout our communities and the future of our society. I am proud to sponsor many critical environmental bills this Congress and remain committed to ensuring a greener, more sustainable future for the next generation.” 

• The Green Climate Fund Authorization Act — authorizes an additional $8 billion to the Green Climate Fund, supporting climate action projects globally. 
   
• The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act – bipartisan legislation re-introduced with Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA) in the wake of the California wildfires. The bill eliminates barriers for survivors of natural disasters when seeking housing assistance. 
   
• Resolution Recognizing Cecil Corbin-Mark honors his significant contributions to the environmental justice movement, working with primarily vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. 
   
• Secure Electronic Waste Export and Recycling Act– bipartisan legislation re-introduced with Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), which curbs the overwhelming flow of electronic waste (“e-waste”) exports from the United States, which bring about national security risks, harm the public health, and cause significant damage to the environment  
   
• The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program (SWIFR) Reauthorization Act — reauthorizes and suggest an increase in funding for the EPA’s most important recycling grant program through 2035. 

 

###

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. 

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

Legislation Would Ensure Job Seekers in Federal Workforce Training Programs Can Maintain Food Security and Employment Training Without Undue Barriers to Career Success

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Reps. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Mike Simpson (ID-02), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Adam Gray (CA-13) to reintroduce the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. This bill, which passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support in the 116th and 117th Congresses, updates the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and is a compromise solution that provides needed stability for farmers and farmworkers. Congressman Valadao was a co-lead of the bill in the 118th Congress and a co-sponsor in the 117th Congress.

“Central Valley farmers are the backbone of our nation’s agricultural industry, but they continue to face serious challenges finding and retaining a reliable workforce,” said Congressman Valadao. “The current H-2A program doesn’t meet the labor needs of many producers, but the Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a positive step to addressing our agriculture workforce needs and securing our food supply chain. Food security is national security, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find long-term solutions that support our farmers and strengthen our food supply chain.”

“The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. However, in the past few years, we’ve seen labor shortages contribute to high food prices,” said Rep. Lofgren. “As economic chaos and confusion continues, it is essential we provide stability to this critical workforce. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would do so, which will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. It is well-past time we get this bipartisan legislation twice passed by the House of Representatives to the President’s desk.”

“The workforce crisis has come to a boiling point for farmers across the country. Reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act sends a clear message to farmers that we are working hard to find solutions that ease the burdens brought on by the current state of the H-2A program. This legislation is necessary to lay the groundwork for continued negotiations, and I am committed to working closely with my colleagues to enact long-term, durable reforms to our agriculture guest worker programs. This issue has been, and remains, my top priority and unified Republican government is an opportunity to deliver for our farmers and ranchers,” said Rep. Newhouse.

“The workforce crisis is the most important issue facing agriculture in our country,” said Rep. Simpson. “Supporting American agriculture means providing a stable, reliable, and legal workforce, and this legislative solution addresses one of the most pressing concerns our farmers and ranchers face. Now that we finally have an administration taking the border crisis seriously, Congress must address this issue and enact necessary reforms. It is well past time we solve this problem. I look forward to working with my colleagues and getting this critical legislation across the finish line to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”

“American agriculture depends on a reliable workforce and nowhere is that more true than in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where farmworkers are the backbone of our economy. This legislation is a common-sense, bipartisan solution that provides stability for our farmers and dignity for the workers who feed America. If President Trump is serious about fixing our broken immigration system, he should work with us to get this bill across the finish line,” said Congressman Costa. 

“Farm workers and the larger agricultural community are the backbone of the Central Valley’s economy,” said Congressman Gray. “Labor shortages on our farms could lead to higher food prices across the country and the Valley cannot afford to be shorthanded. This commonsense bipartisan bill would stabilize our vital workforce and make sure Valley farmers can continue to feed families across the country.”

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would:

• Reform the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers.
• Establish a program for agricultural workers in the United States to choose to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contribution to the U.S. agricultural economy.
• Focus on modification to make the program more responsive and user-friendly for employers and provides access to the program for industries with year-round labor needs.

Read the full bill here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the following statement on Cleveland-Cliff’s announcement about the future of their Weirton steel facility:

“For generations, the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia has forged the steel that kept our country strong, prosperous, and free. Today’s announcement is nothing short of heartbreaking.

“Last year I stood in front of the men and women of United Steelworkers Local 2911, laying out a vision to get the plant running again and the steel workers back on the job. Despite today’s disheartening news, Weirton remains one of the best places in America to produce steel because of our hardworking, skilled workforce with a century of experience in the industry.

“I’ve had productive conversations about the future of this facility with people in the Trump Administration, neighboring members of Congress, the Congressional Steel Caucus, and our partners in the private sector. I’ll keep fighting for Weirton and to keep these good-paying union steel jobs in the Northern Panhandle.”

Background: The tinplate steel facility operated by Cleveland-Cliffs in Weirton, West Virginia was idled during the Biden Administration after the International Trade Commission rejected anti-dumping duties, triggering large job losses. Then-State Treasurer Riley Moore helped secure $50 million in support from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority to retrofit the plant for electrical steel and transformer production.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

LawmakersMet with Öztürk at Louisiana ICE Facility Where She Has Been illegally Detained Since March

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02) released the following statement after the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit directed the Trump administration to comply with a lower court order to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk from ICE custody in Louisiana to Vermont. The court ordered the government to move Ms. Öztürk within one week. On March 25, 2025, Ms. Öztürk, a PhD student at Tufts University, was abducted by six plainclothes ICE agents off the streets of Somerville, Massachusetts. She was quickly moved across state lines and shipped more than 1,500 miles away from her community to a detention facility in Louisiana. 

“We applaud the Second Circuit for rejecting the Trump administration’s attempt to delay complying with the district court’s order to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk from Louisiana to Vermont, where she will be closer to her community and to her legal counsel,” said Pressley, Markey, and McGovern. “Rümeysa should never have been abducted and transferred thousands of miles away to begin with. She is being unlawfully detained for writing an op-ed in her school newspaper and has not been charged with a single crime. Last month, we visited Rümeysa in detention in Louisiana, where she faces intolerable conditions and has suffered multiple asthma attacks. Rümeysa’s case is part of an alarming trend by the Trump administration to trample individuals’ constitutional rights to due process and free speech. Rümeysa must be released and have her visa restored immediately, and we will continue to ring the alarm loudly until that is the case.”

On April 22, 2025, Pressley, Markey and McGovern, along with Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of House Committee on Homeland Security, and Representative Troy Carter (LA-02), visited the Louisiana ICE facility where Rümeysa Öztürk was being held. Also on April 22, Senator Markey, Representative Pressley, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons to demand answers about the Trump administration’s concerning practice of detaining individuals, such as Öztürk, far from their attorneys and communities and in legal environments where their rights are more difficult to defend. The Trump administration is forum shopping to obtain a legal outcome favorable to its deportation agenda.

###