MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Last week, Representatives Jack Bergman (MI-01) and Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) introduced a bipartisan bill, the Protect Postal Performance Act, to prevent the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from downsizing facilities in underserved areas, provide more oversight over modifications to delivery schedules, and increase public transparency on proposed changes. The legislation is co-led by Representatives Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), Jared Golden (ME-02), and Chris Pappas (NH-01).

“For those in Michigan’s First District and other rural areas, timely mail service is essential. Whether it’s for bills, medications, or other vital resources, their mail service must function properly and efficiently. They deserve a system that works, not one plagued by unnecessary delays due to poor decision-making. The Protect Postal Performance Act aims to put the needs of rural America ahead of the ill-conceived plans of bureaucrats. I’m proud to lead this with Congresswoman Budzinski to ensure accountability and transparency in the postal service,” Rep. Bergman stated.

“My constituents in Central and Southern Illinois are already facing delays in service and the Postmaster General’s plans to downsize USPS would only worsen the situation—leading to more missed paychecks, late bills, and even delays in essential medications,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “I was proud to bring forward bipartisan legislation to push back on this misguided effort that could further impact poor delivery rates for rural Americans. This bill not only seeks to prevent further deterioration in service but also ensures more transparency in USPS reforms while safeguarding local postal jobs.”

“Concerns about the Delivering for America’s potential impact on consumers are consistently raised by stakeholders across the board, including the Postal Regulatory Commission in its Advisory Opinion. The Protect Postal Performance Act goes a long way to preserve rural communities’ access to reliable mail service. This bill rightfully places additional safeguards on USPS for changes that seek to restructure its rural processing and delivery network, ensures transparency in decision-making, and expands opportunities for public engagement. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Budzinski in a bipartisan manner to continue this fight,” Rep. Hageman added.

“For years, Postal Service leadership has made explicit choices to lengthen delivery times, abruptly close rural post offices, and ignore inquiries from concerned citizens and lawmakers. Congress must act to hold the agency accountable. Our bill is a collection of simple, realistic reforms to make future decision making more transparent and ensure the Postal Service no longer neglects rural America. I’m proud to help lead this important mission with Congresswoman Budzinski and Maine’s dedicated postal employees,” Rep. Golden remarked. 

“New Hampshire seniors, families, and businesses rely on the U.S. Postal Service for their medications, mail, and packages. USPS must take actions that will improve service – not make it worse,” said Rep. Pappas. “By preventing harmful facility downsizing and strengthening on-time deliveries, this bipartisan legislation would safeguard mail service for communities across New Hampshire. I’ll continue to support efforts that strengthen transparency, protect our postal workers, and improve mail service.”

The Protect Postal Performance Act is endorsed by the United Postmasters and Managers of America (UPMA).

“UPMA is grateful for the bipartisan efforts of Rep. Budzinski, Rep. Hageman, Rep. Golden, Rep. Bergman and Rep. Pappas in Congress to protect the workers of the postal service from service cuts that would negatively impact the quality of mail delivery received by the American people. The Protecting Postal Performance Act will help ensure evidence, data, and sound management practices lead the USPS’s strategy going forward and will ensure that any changes to retail and postal facilities in the future are fully vetted. Sound financial management of the Postal Service means a sustainable postal service – and UPMA will be a partner in ensuring that the organization follows the data to be the best service provider to the American people,” said Tony Leonardi, National President United Postmasters and Managers of America.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

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

This week, Representatives Jack Bergman (R-MI-01), Rudy Yakym (R-IN-02), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), and Scott Peters (D-CA-50) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen transparency and accuracy in improper payment reporting that will reduce waste and fraud.

The Improper Payments Transparency Act (H.R. 1771) would direct the President’s budget request to Congress to include the amounts and rates of improper payments at each executive agency, year-over-year trends, a detailed explanation of trends, and a summary of any corrective actions taken to address improper payments. Including this key data in the budget would correct the gaps in improper payment reporting, which in turn would streamline funding to essential government programs and reduce wasteful use of taxpayer dollars.

“I’m proud to join Rep. Yakym in introducing this vital legislation to rein in out-of-control spending of taxpayer dollars in Washington. To get our country back on a fiscally responsible track and ensure Americans are keeping more of their hard-earned money, we must quickly eliminate waste within the federal government. The Improper Payments Transparency Act is a great step in the right direction, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join this effort,” Rep. Bergman stated.

“Government waste and fraud continue to drain taxpayer dollars at an alarming rate, undermining public trust and fiscal responsibility. I’m proud to reintroduce this common sense, bipartisan bill to increase transparency and combat improper payments,” Rep. Yakym said. “The American people deserve full transparency and accountability in how their hard-earned money is spent, and this legislation is a crucial step toward ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.”

Rep. Panetta added, “Over the past two decades, the federal government has made more than $2.8 trillion in improper payments, errors that waste taxpayer dollars and undermine public trust. Our bipartisan Improper Payments Transparency Act would ensure the President’s annual budget request provides detailed reporting on these payments, giving Congress and the American people a clearer picture of where and why these mistakes happen.  This is the right way to go about increasing transparency and by shedding light on improper payments, we take another step toward responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.”

“According to the Government Accountability Office, federal agencies have made $2.8 trillion in improper payments since 2003. Some have used this to claim we spend trillions on fraud and justify firing inspectors general who do real oversight. In reality, many improper payments happen because well-meaning doctors miscode services when submitting mountains of paperwork to Medicare, or because a Social Security beneficiary didn’t receive their check in the correct amount. We do need government efficiency, but we need to do it in a way that is within the bounds of the law. The Improper Payments Transparency Act will ensure future Presidents’ budget requests include more detail on what is actually happening with improper payments — so Congress can start doing its job,” Rep. Peters concluded.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

Background:

Since 2003, the federal government has made $2.8 trillion in improper payments. In Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), 14 federal agencies reported a total of $236 billion in improper payments across 71 government programs, leading to reduced funding to programs and people in need.

Improper payment reporting requirements are severely lacking. In FY 2023, GAO identified eight programs as susceptible to significant improper payments that were required to report improper payment estimates but did not do so. GAO also found that 10 of the 24 largest executive branch agencies did not fully comply with reporting criteria as governed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Payment Integrity Information Act. Not every government program is required to report estimated improper payments each year. By law, agencies make the determination for their own programs in accordance with guidance from the OMB.

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

Yesterday, Representative Jack Bergman introduced H.R. 1823, which would enact a forensic audit of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs budgeting process following significant errors over the past year. 

In July of 2024, the VA requested $2.88 billion from Congress to fill a reported end-of-fiscal year benefits funding shortfall. Congress quickly passed legislation providing this funding to ensure Veterans would continue to receive the benefits they deserve. However, it was later revealed that there was no shortfall and that none of the additional funds were needed – in fact, the VA carried over $5.1 billion of excess funds into the new fiscal year.

This legislation, cosponsored by House VA Committee Chairman Mike Bost (IL-12), would require the Comptroller General of the United States to perform an internal audit of the accounting mismanagement in the VA which resulted in their incorrect 2024 budget shortfall report – ensuring that such a budgeting mistake does not happen again and preventing the mismanagement of taxpayer funds.

“Congress has the solemn duty to provide the VA with every single dollar it needs to give Veterans the health care and benefits they earned through their service. The only way this can be done is through accurate budgeting and planning by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Budgeting failures like those we saw last year are inexcusable and directly impede our mission on behalf of Veterans. I am proud to introduce this legislation to ensure those who have served our country can have every possible resource extended to them promptly and sufficiently,” Rep. Bergman stated.

Read the full text of the bill here.

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

Today, Rep. Jack Bergman announced that State Representative Karl Bohnak will join him as a special guest for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress.

Bergman issued the following statement:

“Karl Bohnak is a true picture of U.P. grit and I’m honored to have him join me for President Trump’s historic address tonight. Karl has been the face of the Upper Peninsula’s weather for four decades and is now serving his first term as State Representative in Lansing. When it comes to addressing the needs of his District, Karl has hit the ground running to help Yoopers.”

Background:

State Rep. Karl Bohnak was first elected to the State House of Representatives in November 2024. He serves the 109th House District, which includes the counties of Alger, Baraga, Marquette, and portions of Dickinson, including the townships of Breen, Felch, Norway, Waucedah, and West Branch, as well as the cities of Ishpeming, Marquette, Munising, Negaunee, and Norway.

Committees:

Bohnak serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Economic Competitiveness. He also serves as a member of the Natural Resources and Tourism, Health Policy, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.

Personal:

A love of snow drew Bohnak north to the Upper Peninsula nearly 40 years ago, where he became chief meteorologist at WLUC-TV6 in Marquette. He’s been there ever since. Weather has been Bohnak’s passion since his youth; to this day, he is captivated by learning about and informing people of interesting, extreme weather.

But Bohnak is more than just a meteorologist.  He is also an author and historian. His award-winning book, So Cold a Sky, was released in 2006. His next effort, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Almanac, was co-written with Ron Jolly. His latest book, Sunburns to Snowstorms, Upper Michigan Weather in Pictures and Stories, is a collaboration with photo historian Jack Deo.

Bohnak and his wife, Liz, live in Deerton with their beloved cat, Gracie. He has two sons and a twin sister who live in the Milwaukee area. He also has three grandchildren.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to restore funding to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that monitor and advocate for human rights in China. The letter appeals to Secretary Rubio as a former Chair (2017-2018) of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—a bipartisan and bicameral body that monitors human rights and rule of law in the People’s Republic of China—which Representative McGovern (2019-2020) and Senator Merkley (2021-2022) have both also served as Chairs for.

“We ask you, both as Members of Congress who want the United States to continue to be a visible champion of human rights and rule of law in China, and as former partners on the CECC, to take immediate action to end the funding freeze so that organizations working on China human rights can continue to receive support from the U.S. government and the American people,” wrote Senator Merkley and Representative McGovern.

The CECC relies extensively on the research and reporting by NGOs now being forced to lay off staff and curtail operations due to Secretary Rubio’s funding freeze. The letter highlights the breadth of China-focused legislation promoted by then-Senator Rubio based on the work of NGOs he is now defunding. Along with current Co-chair Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Merkley, McGovern, and then-Senator Rubio authored the landmark Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a product made possible by the work of the CECC.

The letter notes that Secretary Rubio’s withdrawal of support adds to the risks these organizations already face from the Chinese government and Communist Party, including cyberattacks, surveillance, intimidation, and transnational repression on U.S. soil.

The full text of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

LEOMINSTER, MA – As Donald Trump prepares to deliver his first address to Congress since returning to office, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), one of Congress’s leading voices in the fight against hunger, delivered a powerful speech from Ginny’s Helping Hand, a local food pantry in Massachusetts, calling out Trump and Republicans in Congress for their attacks on food assistance programs.

“Tomorrow, Donald Trump will stand at that podium and lie,” McGovern said in his remarks, which were released today. “He’ll lie about the economy—claiming everything is going great, even as more people fall behind. He’ll lie about helping workers—as he hands out more tax breaks to billionaires. And he probably won’t even mention hunger—even though 47 million Americans now struggle to put food on the table.”

McGovern slammed the drastic food assistance cuts being pushed by Trump and congressional Republicans, warning that they would take food away from children, seniors, veterans, and working families. McGovern noted that a majority of people who are on SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) who are able to work do work.  

Standing among shelves of food that will soon be distributed to struggling families, McGovern shared powerful stories from Massachusetts residents who rely on SNAP to get through the month—including a 79-year-old veteran in Springfield, a family from Worcester, and a mom in Fall River—who all fear they will not be able to afford to put food on the table if Republican buget cuts reduce benefits for their families.

“At the end of the day, a budget is a moral document. And this Republican budget? Let us just call it what it is. Republicans are stealing from the American People so they can give more tax breaks to their billionaire donors. They are taking food from hungry kids, seniors, and Americans with disabilities so they can help finance more giveaways to greedy corporations. And I believe that is just plain evil,” said McGovern at the conclusion of his remarks.

Remarks as Delivered:

Hi everyone, this is Congressman Jim McGovern from Massachusetts. I’m here at an incredible food pantry here in Leominster, Massachusetts called Ginny’s Helping Hand.

Tomorrow, Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union Address. 

He’ll lie about the economy—claiming everything is going great, even as more people fall behind.

He’ll lie about helping workers—as he hands out more tax breaks to billionaires.

And he probably won’t even mention hunger—even though 47 million Americans, many who voted for him—now struggle to put food on the table.

But the reality is that just two months into his presidency, hunger in America is getting worse. Food prices are sky-high. People can’t afford eggs… if they can even find them on the bare shelves. And food pantries like the one I’m standing in are overwhelmed.

So I want to take just few minutes to talk to you about the state of hunger in America—and what we can do about it…

…you know, behind me on the shelves you will see all kinds of nutritious food that will soon be going home to food insecure families in this community. 

The staff and volunteers who work here are incredible. This place is amazing, and it keeps people from going hungry.

Ginny’s is one of the thousands of food pantries across America that step in to provide emergency food so that people don’t go without. 

Many of the customers who go to pantries like this work—they just earn so little that they need help making ends meet.

This food is a lifeline for so many—but the reality is that hunger is such a big problem that charity alone is not enough. 

Thankfully, over the years, the American people have created federal programs to help make sure none of our neighbors fall through the cracks—especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities.

But those programs are now under threat. And the threat is coming from Trump and Republicans in Congress who want to betray the middle class in order to decimate the very funding that helps families keep food on the table when times get tough. 

Last week, they rammed through a budget that sets the stage for some of the most drastic cuts to food assistance we’ve ever seen.

Medicaid—which helps people here in Massachusetts access healthcare and pay for food—along with SNAP, school meals, WIC, and funding for food banks are all on the chopping block. 

Let that sink in. Republicans want to take food away from children… from seniors… from veterans… from regular people just trying to get by.

Their budget will dramatically cut food benefits for everyone on the program. We are talking about a program which already provides just a few dollars a day for food…

…which means a lot of those people simply won’t have enough food to get through the month.

And they will turn to places like Ginny’s to make up the difference.

Which is why it is particularly cruel that the Republican budget would also cut the funding that fills the shelves of this pantry. That’s more than just a betrayal—it’s a profoundly immoral choice to let people go hungry.

The average food benefit is just over $2 per person, per meal—a little over $6 dollars a day.

And a majority of people on food benefits are children, seniors, and Americans with disabilities. Of the remainder, the majority who can work, do work.

Food prices are sky high. And what has Donald Trump done to bring them down? Nothing. Not a single damn thing. Instead, he and Republicans are cutting food assistance. It’s a Republican betrayal of the middle class—and it’s a betrayal on a scale like we’ve never seen before.

Listen to the voices of the people whose benefits are on the chopping block…

• A 79-year-old veteran and his wife in Springfield, Massachusetts who says, “We have diabetes and I have heart issues. With SNAP we are able to buy healthy food for our conditions. We would be forced to buy food that is cheaper… food that is high in sugar and sodium. We should not be in the predicament.”

• A parent in Worcester who says that, “SNAP already isn’t enough, I still need to go to the food pantry or skip meals so my daughters’ meals can stretch further. The only bill I am able to manage always is my rent but I am behind on my electric bill, my phone bill, and my car payment. I work 40 hours a week which is as much as I possibly can with also being a single mother….I am also currently in school trying to get my bachelors to hopefully be able to afford everything some day. SNAP such a blessing to my family it helps tremendously.”

• A mom of two young kids in Central Massachusetts who wants the world to know that SNAP already isn’t enough.She says, “I still have to go to the food pantry. I still skip meals so my daughters’ food lasts longer. I work full-time, I’m in school trying to get my bachelor’s, and I’m behind on my bills. SNAP is a blessing.”

These are not outliers. This is the reality for millions of hungry people in this country.

Families who work hard. Seniors who just want dignity. Veterans who served their country. Parents who have done everything right—yet still struggle in the checkout line to buy enough food for their kids.

Trump and Republicans are taking good care of their billionaire buddies—while these hungry families are struggling. And I think that’s just wrong.

So when he stands at that podium and tells you everything is great, remember this—Trump is setting up an economywhere billionaires feast and millions of our fellow American go hungry.

Let me just end with this. I need you in this fight. I need you to find your Senators and Representatives and tell them toreject these cruel cuts. We need to let them know we are watching, and we are not going to let them get away with taking food away from hungry people. 

At the end of the day, a budget is a moral document. And this Republican budget? Let us just call it what it is. Republicans are stealing from the American People so they can give more tax breaks to their billionaire donors. They are taking food from hungry kids, seniors, and Americans with disabilities so they can help finance more giveaways to greedy corporations. And I believe that is just plain evil.

I will keep fighting, but I need you with me. Together, let us build a world where food is a human right. And if we do that, I really believe in my heart of hearts that we can end hunger now.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

McGovern asks Secretary Rubio to rescind appointment of Uyghur Genocide Denier to Top State Department Position

McGovern asks Secretary Rubio to rescind appointment of Uyghur Genocide Denier to Top State Department Position

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman James P. McGovern, Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued the following statement after President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order blocking funding for UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees:

“Cutting off UNRWA funding is an attack on innocent Palestinian families who rely on it for food, schools, and medical care. Trump’s cruelty knows no bounds. This will only deepen suffering, fuel instability, and make America less safe. Abandoning the most vulnerable doesn’t make us strong—it makes us complicit in their misery. Trump’s subsequent statements that Palestinians have ‘no alternative’ but to leave and that the U.S. will take over Gaza are an outrageous and brazen endorsement of ethnic cleansing. All Americans and the international community should immediately and forcefully condemn these appalling remarks in the strongest terms possible.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON—Congressman James P. McGovern, Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s new Executive Order withdrawing the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council:

“Pulling out of the U.N. Human Rights Council is reckless and shameful. Instead of leading the fight against human rights abuses, Trump is handing a victory to dictators and despots. Walking away doesn’t make the world better—it makes it easier for the worst regimes to act with impunity. Once again, Trump weakens America and betrays our values.” 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16)

Last week, the Trump administration moved to eliminate the Department of Education, a key provision of Project 2025. The Trump administration has been implementing plans laid out clearly in Project 2025. In line with the Project 2025 education agenda is the elimination of Title I grants, and we should all be concerned an announcement about this may soon follow.

“The effects of Title I being rescinded would be devastating for our community,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “Local schools rely on over $85 million in federal funding through Title I. It is despicable that instead of focusing on his promises of lowering costs, President Trump is instead focused on destroying our education system, firing thousands of dedicated educators, and setting our children back a generation.” 

What is Title I?
Title I provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families. Its purpose is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps by allocating federal funds for education programs and services.

Title I was created in response to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was signed into law by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. By enacting Title I, Congress recognized that students in high-poverty schools have greater educational needs—which continues to be a reality—and states lacked the resources to close this divide; therefore, federal aid was required to provide the academic services and opportunity necessary for these students. 

Estimates provided by the House Appropriations Committee on the federal funding and the number of teachers at risk of losing their jobs if Title I is eliminated can be found here for each congressional district.

TX-16: $85,348,754 in federal funding for schools at risk; 1,293 teachers at risk of losing their jobs

TX-23 (which includes part of El Paso County): $219,223,437 in federal funding for schools at risk; 3,321 teachers at risk of losing their jobs

Total Texas Estimates: $1,843,353,405 in federal funding for schools at risk; 27,930 teachers at risk of losing their jobs

Total National Estimates: $18,406,802,000 in federal funding for schools at risk; 278,891 teachers at risk of losing their jobs