MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Larsen Announces Departure of Chief of Staff

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that instead of working to lower costs, Rubber Stamp Republicans are advancing a budget that cuts Medicaid and food assistance and makes life more expensive for hardworking taxpayers while allowing Donald Trump to crash the economy.

LEADER JEFFRIES: George Washington, in his farewell address to the nation, made the important observation that the Constitution is ‘sacredly obligatory upon all.’ That means everyone in the United States of America has a responsibility to follow the Constitution. That includes presidents of the United States of America. That includes you, Donald Trump. There is nothing unclear about it. Why does Donald Trump make such ridiculous statements like he’s unsure as to whether he has a responsibility to follow the Constitution? Why is the Republican Party stuck with Marjorie Taylor Greene as their candidate for the United States Senate seat in Georgia? Why is the top thing that House Republicans are going to do this week on their legislative agenda renaming the Gulf of Mexico? It’s because Donald Trump and House Republicans are on the run. They are on the run. They are on the run with respect to the economy. They are crashing the economy in real time and driving us toward a recession.

Donald Trump and House Republicans have nothing good to say about the economy. They promised to lower costs and to drive down the high cost of living in the United States of America. Costs aren’t going down, they’re going up. House Republicans haven’t passed a single bill that has anything to do with lowering the high cost of living in the United States of America. Not a single bill, no executive order, no administrative action coming from this administration. They’re crashing the economy in real time, driving us toward a recession. Donald Trump and Republicans are on the run with respect to the economy. They’re on the run with respect to healthcare. They want to enact the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. It’s deeply unpopular, which is why they have been ordered not to hold town hall meetings. Democrats are running toward our constituents, and House Republicans are running away from them. And Republicans are on the run as it relates to Social Security. They believe that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, and they’re trying to end Social Security as we know it. Democrats are here to protect and strengthen Social Security.

So when you have Republicans, in barely 100 days, on the run on the economy, on healthcare and on Social Security, ridiculous statements are made or they’re left with scratching the bottom of the barrel as it relates to candidates for U.S. Senate seats. And they’re forced to cancel hearings, like Republicans were compelled to do this week, because they have nothing of value or substance for the American people. They are on the run, and Democrats are going to keep the pressure on.

Full press conference can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) announced Nicholas Schrock, a homeschooled sophomore from International Falls, as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. The winning entry, titled “Summer Evenings at Kakabeka Falls,” is an oil painting on canvas depicting a family on vacation. It will now hang in the U.S. Capitol alongside the winning artwork from other Congressional Districts for one year. 

“Congratulations to this year’s Congressional Art Competition winner, Nicholas Schrock,” said Congressman Stauber. “I am excited to pass this beautiful piece of artwork in the hallway every time I head to the Capitol for votes. I’m grateful to all the students who submitted their work and shared their talents with us. It’s clear that Minnesota’s 8^th District is filled with many creative young artists.”

The Congressional Art Competition takes place each spring. Students are encouraged to visit Congressman Stauber’s website to learn more. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement today following the release of President Donald Trump’s FY 2026 budget proposal:

“Right now, my focus is on opposing the GOP’s reconciliation plan to fund tax cuts for the wealthy by slashing health care for my constituents and running up the deficit. 

“Looking ahead to the president’s FY 2026 budget request, I can’t co-sign a plan to eliminate LIHEAP, which would leave tens of thousands of Maine households in the cold. However, there are other areas where we may be aligned; For example, I support in principle the president’s proposals to increase funding for law enforcement at our border and in our international trade. These are policy priorities I could support. 

“My staff and I will continue to review the details of the president’s budget request, while remaining focused on protecting health care this year.”

This year, GOP majorities in Congress have pushed ahead with a budget reconciliation plan that would gut health care programs to fund the renewal of tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest households. The plan would add trillions of dollars to the national deficit.

Golden voted against the reconciliation plan that set Congress down this reckless path in February and again in April. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted this week to roll back several waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency that allowed California to set aggressive, unrealistic new electric vehicle (EV) standards that would effectively ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in several states across the country, potentially including Maine.

“Maine families and small businesses should be able to buy vehicles that meet their needs, whether that’s a diesel truck or an EV,” Golden said. “The EV market is growing steadily and will continue to grow without new regulations that take options away from people looking to purchase their next vehicle.” 

Golden voted today in favor of three resolutions under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn federal agency rules. Each resolution involved EPA waivers approved by the Biden Administration under the Clean Air Act (CAA), which allows California to adopt more aggressive emissions reduction standards than the floor set by federal law.

The CAA permits other states to adopt California’s emissions rules, thereby allowing California to set new standards for the rest of the country. Currently, there are 17 other states (including Maine) that have historically sought to adhere to California’s emissions standards.

The resolutions included: 

• H.J.Res. 88, voted on today, which would revoke an EPA waiver allowing California to require all new passenger vehicles sold to be zero emissions by 2035. The bill passed in a bipartisan vote of 246-164.
• H.J.Res. 87, voted on yesterday, which would revoke an EPA waiver allowing California to require manufacturers to produce and sell increasing percentages of zero-emission trucks by 2035. The bill passed in a bipartisan vote of 231-191.
• H.J.Res. 89, voted on yesterday, which would revoke an EPA waiver allowing California to reduce the permissible nitrogen oxide emissions from medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The bill passed in a bipartisan vote of 225-196.

Each resolution will have to pass the Senate and be signed by the president to repeal the respective waivers. 

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

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) today pressed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reevaluate its detention of his constituent, Georgetown postdoctoral fellow Dr. Badar Khan Suri. In a letter, Beyer urged ICE to consider Dr. Khan Suri’s eligibility for release and to reevaluate his custody classification.

Dr. Khan Suri is a legally admitted visiting scholar with no prior criminal record, he has not been charged with a crime, and the obscure immigration provision with which he has been charged is not a ground for mandatory detention. However, he is currently held in ICE custody at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas where he has been deemed a high-risk custody detainee requiring maximum security control and supervision. Dr. Khan Suri was detained by masked agents outside of his home in Rosslyn and charged with removability under a seldom used, Cold War-era immigration provision allowing the for the deportation of individuals deemed potential foreign policy risks. The Trump Administration is abusing this provision to instill fear and silence dissent on college campuses.

Rep. Beyer wrote

“I write about the alarming arrest and detention of Dr. Badar Khan Suri, a J-1 visa holder and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University. Dr. Khan Suri is currently held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, where he has been deemed a high-risk custody detainee requiring maximum security control and supervision. However, Dr. Khan Suri has not been charged with a crime and is a legally admitted visiting scholar with no prior criminal record. The obscure immigration provision with which he has been charged does not subject him to mandatory detention. I urge you to reconsider his eligibility for release and at minimum, the reevaluation of his custody classification.

“Dr. Khan Suri was, within days, transferred to a far-away immigration detention facility in Alexandria, Louisiana and is now being held at the Prairieland Detention Center, 1,300 miles away from his home. Once at the Prairieland Detention Center, Dr. Khan Suri was informed of his classification as a high-risk custody detainee. This classification is typically reserved for serious and violent criminal offenses, institutional disciplinary history, or affiliations to criminal organizations. As a result of the security protocols applied to this high-risk classification, Dr. Khan Suri is only permitted two hours per week of recreation, and he is not permitted to work or spend more time outside his cell. According to legal counsel, Dr. Khan Suri was also initially denied religious accommodations, including Halal food, Ramadan fasting accommodations, a Quran, and a prayer mat.

“He has not been charged with a crime and has no prior criminal record. The invocation of his removability under 8 U.S.C. §1227(a)(4)(C) does not subject him to mandatory detention, and more importantly, are a violation of his protected speech, viewpoint, religion, national origin, and protected associations. The circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention raise serious concerns about civil liberties and academic freedom. For these reasons, we urge you to reconsider Dr. Badar Khan Suri’s eligibility for release. At minimum, his custody classification should be immediately reevaluated. Additionally, I request any documentation and materials in ICE’s possession related to Badar Khan Suri’s classification decision.”

Full text of the letter follows below, and a signed copy is available here.

***

Dear Acting Director Lyons:

I write about the alarming arrest and detention of Dr. Badar Khan Suri, a J-1 visa holder and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University. Dr. Khan Suri is currently held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, where he has been deemed a high-risk custody detainee requiring maximum security control and supervision. However, Dr. Khan Suri has not been charged with a crime and is a legally admitted visiting scholar with no prior criminal record. The obscure immigration provision with which he has been charged does not subject him to mandatory detention. I urge you to reconsider his eligibility for release and at minimum, the reevaluation of his custody classification.

On the evening of March 17, 2025, Dr. Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national with valid J-1 visa status as a visiting scholar, was arrested and detained by masked Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents outside of his Arlington, Virginia home. Dr. Khan Suri was charged with removability under 8 U.S.C. §1227(a)(4)(C), a rarely invoked immigration provision allowing the government to seek the deportation of individuals deemed potential foreign policy risks by the Secretary of State.

Dr. Khan Suri is one of many visa-holders across the country, like Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and others, who have been targeted amid President Donald Trump’s pursual of policies to instill fear and silence dissent on college campuses. Such policies are an assault on freedoms protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Dr. Khan Suri was, within days, transferred to a far-away immigration detention facility in Alexandria, Louisiana and is now being held at the Prairieland Detention Center, 1,300 miles away from his home. Once at the Prairieland Detention Center, Dr. Khan Suri was informed of his classification as a high-risk custody detainee. This classification is typically reserved for serious and violent criminal offenses, institutional disciplinary history, or affiliations to criminal organizations. As a result of the security protocols applied to this high-risk classification, Dr. Khan Suri is only permitted two hours per week of recreation, and he is not permitted to work or spend more time outside his cell. According to legal counsel, Dr. Khan Suri was also initially denied religious accommodations, including Halal food, Ramadan fasting accommodations, a Quran, and a prayer mat.

At the time of his arrest, Dr. Khan Suri was a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he was teaching a course on Majoritarianism & Minority Rights in South Asia. He is married to a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent, with whom he has three children: a nine-year-old son and five-year-old twins – a boy and a girl.

He has not been charged with a crime and has no prior criminal record. The invocation of his removability under 8 U.S.C. §1227(a)(4)(C) does not subject him to mandatory detention, and more importantly, are a violation of his protected speech, viewpoint, religion, national origin, and protected associations. The circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention raise serious concerns about civil liberties and academic freedom. For these reasons, we urge you to reconsider Dr. Badar Khan Suri’s eligibility for release. At minimum, his custody classification should be immediately reevaluated. Additionally, I request any documentation and materials in ICE’s possession related to Badar Khan Suri’s classification decision.  

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I look forward to your response regarding his release and documents pertaining to his classification decision. Please respond no later than May 12, 2025.

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

As Elon Musk and the Trump Administration expand their chaotic assault on the federal government and the workers and contractors who deliver its essential services to the American people, Northern Virginia Congressman Don Beyer continues to fight for civil servants who devote their careers to making this country stronger.

On Thursday, Beyer announced the introduction of two bills to rehire federal workers fired by Trump and Musk, and to protect them from future civil service purges. On Saturday, Beyer hosted a jobs fair for federal workers with 40 companies, organizations, and other employers; attendance dwarfed expectations, with over 2,400 people ultimately participating in the event.

Additional coverage from local news outlets:

Government Executive: “Federal Employees Removed By Trump Would Have Easier Pathway Back To Government Service Under Democratic Bill”

“Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., who represents more than 72,000 federal workers, is introducing legislation to make it easier for government employees removed under the Trump administration to rejoin agencies and to deter a future president from undertaking a mass firing of the workforce.

“The Restoring Employment and Hiring Incentives for Removed Employees (REHIRE) Act would deem any federal employee who was involuntarily removed during the period between Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2027, as preference eligible for competitive service appointments, a special candidate consideration in the federal hiring process normally afforded to veterans or their family members.”

WUSA9: ‘I’m Ready To Work Seven Days A Week, Ten-Hour Days’ | Fired Federal Workers Flock To Alexandria Job Fair

“Fired federal workers arrived at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria on Saturday, looking for their next career. A job fair hosted by Virginia Congressman Don Beyer featured more than 40 employers ready to hire now.

…

“I think it tells you just how many people have been impacted by cuts already, or how many people are fearful that cuts may be coming to their positions,” said City of Alexandria Mayor Aliya Gaskins. “That’s huge for Alexandria, where we have over 16,000 residents who are federal workers.”

“Everyone at the job fair, like Marianne Carliez, wished they didn’t have to be.

“I’m this far away from cleaning houses so I can pay my mortgage,” said Carliez, whose career in foreign aid was cut short in January when federal cuts began. “It’s been 25 years of working hard, and I miss working. That’s just, that’s all I want. I want to work.”

“Beyer organized the job fair for Carliez and the thousands of people in a similar situation.”

Black Virginia News: Congressman Beyer’s job fair to assist federal workers and contractors will easily hit over 2,000 people

WJLA7: New Bill Would Rehire Fired Federal Workers And Reform Probationary Period Rules

“A group of House Democrats led by Northern Virginia Rep. Don Beyer has introduced two pieces of legislation aimed at rehiring and protecting federal workers.

…

“The second bill, the PREP Act, aims to reform the probationary process for federal employees, impacting both new hires and those with new jobs or recent promotions.”

ALXnow: City Of Alexandria Teams Up With Congressman Beyer For Federal Worker Job Fair On May 3

“The event aims to connect job seekers with more than 40 companies and organizations looking to hire. Recruiters and hiring managers from various fields, including healthcare, IT, local government, military, consumer electronics, accounting and finance, and federal government professional services, will be there.”

The Zebra: Beyer Sponsoring Job Fair for Federal Workers, Contractors

“This fair is specifically for federal workers and contractors who have lost their jobs in recent months. “Every day, I’m hearing from so many of my constituents who have been laid off – or are afraid that they may be the next to lose their jobs,” said Beyer in an email announcement.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to halt U.S. federal funding of gain-of-function research in overseas countries, like China and Iran, without proper oversight measures. In response to the Executive Order, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“President Trump’s decisive action against gain-of-function research is a significant step towards greater government agency accountability. While this news is welcomed by many who have closely investigated COVID-19 origins, I believe future congressional action is essential to monitoring gain-of-function research of concern, reforming our public health agencies and protecting American life from risky experiments that involve dangerous virus transmission in humans.”

BACKGROUND

In the 118^th Congress, Rep. Griffith chaired the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations.

Rep. Griffith chaired hearings on various issues, including but not limited to topics of biosafety and risky research. 

Rep. Griffith was the lead Energy and Commerce Member in numerous forums with public health officials that were in various leadership positions during the outbreak of COVID-19, including working closely with the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

During this time, Chairman Griffith participated in closed-door transcribed interviews questioning former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and questioning former National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Frances Collins.

Rep. Griffith was also a key figure in examining EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak. 

EcoHealth is the company that received grants from NIAID which in turn gave subgrants to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to conduct research on Coronavirus evolution and transmission. 

Because of questions asked by Rep. Griffith related to significant inconsistencies and delays in required reports, among others, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that Dr. Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance would be debarred for five years, cutting them off from U.S. federal funding.

In January of 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump was considering an Executive Order to halt federal funding to gain-of-function research. In response, Rep. Griffith called on President Trump to scrutinize the country’s national gain-of-function research policy.

Some of Rep. Griffith’s e-newsletters on these topics can be found here and here.

In March, Rep. Griffith introduced the Risky Research Review Act and the Royalty Transparency Act to rein in the federal health bureaucracy.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) introduced the Improving Helicopter Safety Act, which bans all non-essential helicopter traffic within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty. The bill comes in the wake of the tragic crash of an air tourism helicopter into the Hudson River on April 10, which claimed the lives of six people.  

“The tragic helicopter crash last month on the Hudson River was not an isolated incident; it was the latest in a long line of preventable tragedies in the New York metropolitan region’s increasingly crowded and poorly regulated airspace,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “For far too long, non-essential helicopter flights have endangered public safety and shattered the peace of our neighborhoods. I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Improving Helicopter Safety Act with my colleagues, Rob Menendez and Nicole Malliotakis, to finally put an end to these dangerous flights in our region. We owe it to the victims, and to every resident living beneath these flight paths, to put safety first and prevent future disasters.” 

“While we have consistently worked to address the impact of non-essential helicopters on our communities, last month’s tragic crash should be a clarion call for every level of government to take action on helicopter safety,” said Congressman Rob Menendez. “Rising congestion of non-essential helicopters, coupled with concerning safety records of air tourism operators, are causing a direct threat to public safety. Along with my colleagues from New Jersey and New York, we’re doing what is necessary to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.”  

“The tragic crash that claimed six lives in the Hudson River isn’t an isolated event, it’s the clearest sign yet of an industry that has operated without meaningful oversight for far too long and continues to pose an unacceptable public safety threat,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. “Congress must take action, which is why I’m joining my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ban non-essential helicopter traffic within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty and finally rein in these helicopter tour companies.” 

The crash on April 10 is part of a well-documented and escalating pattern of helicopter-related incidents in the New York Metropolitan Area. Since 1983, there have been at least 30 helicopter crashes in the region, resulting in at least 31 fatalities. In addition to furthering ongoing frustration over air traffic congestion in the region, this year’s crash also shed new light on serious concerns about regulatory oversight and operational standards for non-essential helicopter operations. 

The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Grace Meng, Nydia Velázquez, and LaMonica McIver.  

It is also supported by the grassroots advocacy organization Stop The Chop NY/NJ: “Stop the Chop NY/NJ commends Representatives Jerry Nadler, Rob Menendez, and Nicole Malliotakis for today’s introduction of the ‘Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025’ – common sense federal legislation that will, when passed, finally put an end to the dangerous helicopter conditions in the New York metropolitan area. For too long, tax-paying New Yorkers and Jerseyites have been subjected to excessive noise and air pollution, as well as the safety risks, of endless sightseeing and commuter helicopters flying, often at extremely low altitudes, over our homes, parks, and schools. We have sounded the alarm each time one of these nonessential helicopters has crashed while traversing our densely populated urban areas. However, the FAA has still not addressed the community’s concerns, harms, and pleas for relief. The multiple recent fatal crashes involving helicopters, coupled with the alarming shortage of air traffic controllers, demonstrate the need for immediate reform of the current Wild West-like conditions over NYC and surrounding communities. We also thank the additional Congressional co-sponsors: Representatives Grace Meng, Nydia Velázquez, and LaMonica McIver. This non-partisan issue negatively impacts all who live or work near the NYC and NJ heliports and/or along the helicopter flight paths. It is heartening to see our elected officials joining forces across state lines and party affiliations to end this public harm.” 

For full bill text, click here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly (IL-02), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Maxwell Frost (FL-10) led 43 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump demanding he continue funding for community violence intervention (CVI) programs.

Last week, the Department of Justice terminated $811 million in grants, which included over $66 million under the Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI). This funding was designated by Congress through appropriations and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

“Communities across the United States, both rural and urban alike, have long grappled with persistent violence,” members wrote in the letter. “Recognizing this dire situation and understanding the critical role that community-based violence intervention and prevention programs play in combating the community violence epidemic plaguing American communities, there is an urgent need to continue to support programs such as CVIPI to ensure that violence reduction continues.

“Although these proven strategies have been researched, cited in academic literature, and supported by law enforcement, they remain chronically underfunded at every level of government, prolonging the daily loss of life and rising violence,” members continued. “Therefore, to continue strengthening our public health and safety infrastructure to combat community violence and senseless deaths, we urge you to continue the disbursement of CVIPI grants immediately. Reinstating this funding would reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to addressing community violence through a comprehensive and coordinated approach, ensuring the safety and well-being of all Americans.”

As members noted in the letter, the cancellation of grants did not happen in isolation. It is only the latest action taken by the Trump administration to hurt public safety measures.

Read the full letter here.