Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Today, Rep. Rick Larsen released a statement about the passing of his mother, Yolanda Larsen:
“It is a sad day for me, my seven brothers and sisters, and mom’s friends and family. Our mom, Yolanda Jean Larsen (neé Rosenbach) died on April 29th. She just celebrated her 88th birthday this month.
“Mom was the center of our lives as kids and as adults. Our house on South French Avenue in Arlington was the center of activity for our friends. Dinner was at 5pm every night except Sunday, no exceptions without approval. Cookies were always available to anyone who would stop by. The door was always open or, at a minimum, unlocked, so friends could come and go as they pleased knowing Mom would always welcome them.
“When she wasn’t holding the fort down while Dad was at work, Mom was active in the local community, setting an example for her children to be part of the place where we would live. She was a participant and not just a spectator in Arlington and its surrounding communities.
“She valued education first and pushed us to do well in school and be active in school sports and clubs. Although she never served on the five-member local school board, Mom was an unofficial sixth member since there was a Larsen kid in Arlington schools for 26 straight years.
“We are still sifting through her 88 years of life and will have a further announcement on services soon. Until then, bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, cheer for your kid to do well in school or make sure they are at the dinner table each weekday night to hear how their day went. That would be a great way to honor her.”
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (21st District of New York)
Stefanik Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Veterans’ Access to VA Benefits | Press Releases | Congresswoman Elise Stefanik
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), a member of the Education and Workforce Committee, released a statement on Republicans plan to raise costs for students and make it harder for them to find good-paying jobs.
“Not only are Trump and his Republican friends in Congress trying to take away Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, they are now making draconian cuts to grants that support education for low-income and middle-class students. Families are struggling to make ends meet, and Trump’s only solution is to take funding away from working families and give their hard-earned money to his billionaire friends,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “By cutting the Pell Grant program that helps lower-income students afford college, eliminating an income-driven repayment program for student loans, and repealing regulations that are designed to protect students, Trump and House Republicans are doing everything they can to make education and good-paying jobs less accessible for American families.”
Republicans plan to raise costs for students and make it harder for them to find good-paying jobs includes:
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after Donald Trump signed executive actions targeting sanctuary cities and his continued illegal attacks on migrants communities.
“Donald Trump promised to secure our border and make our country safer. Instead, he has launched an illegal and unconstitutional campaign of fear that targets families, violates due process, and undermines our Constitution.
“In recent weeks, Trump has defied Court orders to return Mr. Kilmar Abrego Garcia to his wife and family in Maryland after the Administration wrongfully deported him. Without due process, Trump has detained students, like Mr. Mahmoud Khalil, for exercising their First Amendment rights. Trump is cruelly separating U.S.-born children, some of whom are sick with cancer, from their parents.
“Here in Denver, Trump has authorized ICE raids that terrorize neighborhoods and deportation proceedings that target my constituents like Ms. Jeanette Vizguerra, a mother and longtime immigration rights leader who was detained by this Administration, again without due process, weeks ago.
“And just this week, Trump took executive action threatening to strip federal funds from sanctuary cities like ours that refuse to be complicit in his callous immigration agenda.
“Denver is a proud, welcoming city, where we comply with the law and show compassion to our neighbors. In contrast, these latest executive actions are a continuation of Trump’s cruel campaign to stoke fear and division in our community, while shamefully targeting immigrants.
“This is not justice — it is cruelty masquerading as policy. Not only do I forcefully condemn the Trump Administration’s bigoted, unjust immigration policies, I will fight this illegal and unconstitutional power grab with every fiber of my being.”
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Lori Trahan’s (D-MA-03) Youth Poisoning Protection Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the consumer sale of products containing high concentrations of sodium nitrite, a meat-curing chemical that can be lethal when ingested. The legislation was introduced earlier this year alongside Congressmen Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) and Mike Carey (R-OH-15) as well as U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Bernie Moreno (R-OH).
“Most Americans have never heard of Sodium Nitrite, but for families who’ve lost loved ones, it’s something they’ll never forget,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “The Youth Poisoning Protection Act would restrict sales of Sodium Nitrite above 10 percent concentration to businesses with verified industrial or commercial use.”
CLICK HERE or the image below to view Trahan’s speech during the House’s consideration of the legislation. A transcript is embedded below.
A 2021 New York Times investigation into an online suicide forum found that sodium nitrite was being popularized and encouraged as an easily accessible method to die by suicide. The forum, which is disguised as a safe place to discuss suicidal ideation, hosts threads where anonymous users provide detailed instructions and real-time guidance on how to die by suicide using sodium nitrite. A 2021 toxicology publication based on data from the National Poison Data System (NPDS), one of the data sources used by the CDC, points to a rise in self-poisonings using sodium nitrite in the United States since 2017.
There is no known recreational use for highly concentrated amounts of sodium nitrite, but at the time of the Times’ investigation, highly concentrated amounts of the poison were widely available on multiple e-commerce platforms, including with free two-day shipping on Amazon. Following outcry from lawmakers and victims’ families, Amazon and a number of other online marketplaces began removing sodium nitrite listings. In May 2023, a Canadian citizen was arrested and charged for shipping packages containing lethal amounts of sodium nitrite to over 40 countries, including 272 sales to individuals in the United Kingdom, of whom at least 88 people died.
The Youth Poisoning Protection Act bans the sale of consumer products with a concentration of sodium nitrite greater than 10 percent. The bipartisan legislation passed in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support last May.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, feeling at risk of suicide, or experiencing a state of distress, it is crucial to find help immediately. There are many resources available, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline which provides free, confidential support 24/7, and the Crisis Text Line which offers free crisis counseling 24/7. Dial 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with these services.
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Congresswoman Lori Trahan
Remarks As Delivered
Floor Speech on The Youth Poisoning Protection Act
April 28, 2025
I thank the gentleman for yielding as well as his leadership and Chair Bilirakis on this important issue.
Mr. Speaker, I introduced the Youth Poisoning Protection Act alongside Representative Mike Carey because we are facing an urgent and deeply troubling trend: The promotion of Sodium Nitrite, a toxic chemical, as a method to die by suicide.
In 2022, the New York Times revealed the existence of online suicide forums that don’t just discuss suicide – they promote it. Anonymous users on these platforms encourage vulnerable children and young adults to end their lives, and they often suggest using this chemical to do it.
Now, most Americans have never heard of Sodium Nitrite, but for families who’ve lost loved ones, it’s something they’ll never forget. In lower concentrations, it’s a chemical used safely to cure meats and fish, but in higher concentrations, it’s deadly. And for the few who have survived attempts to end their lives using Sodium Nitrite, they report agonizing pain as the chemical deprives their body of oxygen.
After learning how easy it is to purchase high-concentration Sodium Nitrite, my office worked with retailers to limit access to businesses with a proven use for the chemical, but some sites still openly market it as part of so-called “suicide kits” to people in crisis. There is no federal law that allows us to stop this.
That’s where this bipartisan legislation comes in. The Youth Poisoning Protection Act would restrict sales of Sodium Nitrite above 10 percent concentration to businesses with verified industrial or commercial use. That threshold is based on expert recommendations for safe handling and won’t interfere with legitimate industries like food processing.
This bill is focused and reasonable. It targets bad actors who are exploiting a loophole to profit off tragedy, and it does so without burdening responsible businesses.
That’s why, last Congress, this bill passed the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously before passing it here on the floor with overwhelming support. Now, we must finish the job. I urge my colleagues to support the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive orders targeting sanctuary cities and local law enforcement officials.
“Donald Trump is once again threatening cities, states, and elected officials across the country who refuse to go along with his cruel, inhumane, and unconstitutional campaign to kidnap and disappear people. He’s once again lying to the American people about what will make them safer. The truth is that local governments have the right to allocate their own resources, and that the relationships of trust that local law enforcement creates with the community are the most important factor in ensuring public safety. Local governments also have the right to decide that they would rather invest in things that actually help people — housing, infrastructure, public safety, and more — than capitulate to Trump and tear their own communities apart.
“Multiple courts have ruled that states have the right to enact laws ensuring that local police are focused on preserving public safety — their actual jobs — not acting as federal immigration enforcement agents. Trump’s attempted overreach and power grab has zero legal basis.
“These executive orders are just another example in Trump’s long line of attacks on the separation of powers, the judiciary, law enforcement, immigrants, and anyone who disagrees with him or his unconstitutional actions.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)
Washington, DC — Today Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the Office of the United States Trade Representative released its 2025 Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement.
“Intellectual property infringement discourages American ingenuity and threatens future advancement. The United States is home to the most pioneering economic ventures in the world because of our commitment to freedom, opportunity, and rule of law. Safeguards for the rights of American innovators must be maintained. This report reflects significant priorities including protecting digital service providers, preventing forced technology transfer, and holding China accountable to Phase One Agreement commitments. I commend Ambassador Greer for his diligence and look forward to continuing to work with the Trump administration to ensure American IP interests are respected in the global marketplace.”
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) issued the following statement on the first 100 days of Trump’s second term as president:
“Few presidents have unleashed more chaos and dysfunction in their first 100 days than Donald Trump, and none have sunk to such a low approval rating in the last 70 years. The American people see through the flood of Executive Orders gutting our civil liberties, economic policies that fail to lower everyday costs, and cruel immigration crackdowns that trample due process and even endanger U.S. citizens.
“From Day One, I’ve been fighting back, taking action in Congress, in the courts, and in the streets to protect my constituents. Trump is targeting Chicago due to its history as a city that protects labor rights, reproductive freedoms, and welcomes immigrants. He has illegally withheld funds for schools, hospitals, childcare and violence intervention programs simply because we don’t bow to his authoritarian decisions. When Trump comes after our city, we fight back. In the community, I’ve stood alongside organizers and unions to defend our health care, Social Security, and education funding. In my district, I’ve held town halls to amplify the voices he’s tried to silence, led workshops to support mixed-status families and Dreamers under attack, and empowered immigrants with the tools to defend themselves. In Congress, I’ve led and joined letters to hold this administration accountable. In the courts, I’ve joined litigation to defend our rights and the constitution.
“The people of Illinois are not alone. We have a long road ahead, but as Democrats, we must stay true to our values and remain the party that fights for every family, not just the wealthy few.”
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