MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT OFFERS CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF SENATOR HUBERT L. FREDERICK’S MOTHER, PRIMROSE FRANCIS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

“The legal, responsible use of cannabis has been a major economic driver in Nevada and across the country and deserves further research,” Congresswoman Titus said. “The Higher Education Marijuana Research Act would eliminate outdated federal restrictions that prevent universities and researchers from studying the full range of cannabis products that Americans are actually using today.”

“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, I am proud to support the Higher Education Marijuana Research Act because it removes outdated federal barriers that have long prevented universities from conducting critical cannabis research. This legislation protects universities and researchers while lifting barriers so we can make better public health decisions,” Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said.

Although 40 states have legalized medical marijuana and 24 states have legalized it for recreational use, federal law continues to impose significant barriers that limit meaningful research. Cannabis remains subject to restrictive federal controls that dictate who can conduct research, what products can be studied, and how studies are designed. Researchers are often limited to federally authorized cannabis that does not reflect the potency or diversity available in state-legal markets. Compounding these challenges, researchers must navigate strict compliance requirements and uncertainty regarding legal liability. These barriers have delayed clinical trials, constrained understanding of long-term health effects, and left critical gaps in knowledge.

“It makes no sense for the federal government to impede this research when millions of Americans are already using marijuana, whether for medical purposes or recreationally,” Congresswoman Titus said.

The Higher Education Marijuana Research Act is supported by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the National Cannabis Industry Association, the Drug Policy Alliance, and the UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute.

“This legislation is more necessary than ever before as the states continue to move towards allowing cannabis for medical and adult use purposes. Even if cannabis is federally reclassified in the near future, significant barriers will remain for scientists hoping to add to the existing body of research, especially when it comes to conducting clinical trials on health effects and studying the state-regulated products that cannabis consumers and patients are actually using. We applaud Rep. Titus for putting this bill forward again, and urge Congress to take action on it immediately to facilitate research, develop new medical treatments, inform evidence-based policies, and help consumers make educated choices,” said Morgan Fox, Political Director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

“The American public has made clear that it wants access to safe, regulated, and tested cannabis products, and state-legal markets continue to evolve to meet that demand. However, federal barriers have long limited the ability of researchers to study cannabis in a way that reflects real-world conditions. The Higher Education Marijuana Research Act is a practical step toward expanding credible, real-world research by providing colleges and universities with the clarity and protections they need to participate. NCIA is proud to support this legislation, which will help strengthen the scientific foundation of the industry and better inform policymakers, regulators, and consumers alike,” said Brooke Gilbert, Chief Operating Officer, National Cannabis Industry Association.

“The Higher Education Marijuana Research Act is commonsense legislation that will help researchers better understand the types of cannabis being produced in state-regulated markets. The bill will lift a major roadblock that currently prevents scientists from learning more about state-regulated cannabis and its public health implications. Increasing the body of scientific evidence with better informed research is something anyone who favors evidence-based drug policy should support,” said Cat Packer, Drug Policy Alliance’s Director of Drug Markets and Legal Regulation.

“Everyone, from members of both sides of the aisle in Congress to the science community to the current and previous presidential administration, have expressed that cannabis research is necessary and important. This is practically the only issue that everyone can coalesce around these days, but there is not a lot of progress being made in reducing current barriers to cannabis research. Congresswoman Titus’s bill is a smart response to the current barriers in cannabis research and since she has always been an advocate for common sense cannabis reform, it is fitting that she would lead the charge now. The UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute applauds her efforts and hopes that others will put in the necessary work to reduce the current barriers to cannabis research, which only serve to maintain outdated prohibition era policies,” said Riana Durrett, Director, UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute.

Background:

As Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus, Congresswoman Titus has long been a leader on marijuana policy. She has worked to expand access to medical marijuana for veterans, improve access to financial services for state-legal cannabis businesses, and reduce federal interference in state-regulated markets, while also pushing the Administration to move more quickly toward reclassifying cannabis. As part of this broader effort to advance evidence-based drug policy, Congresswoman Titus also introduced the Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act which would remove outdated restrictions that limit the federal government’s ability to study and evaluate cannabis policy.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Clay Fuller (R-Ga.) to discuss House Republicans’ push to slash costly federal red tape, rein in government abuse, and make life more affordable for working families. Leader Scalise outlined a series of bills on the House floor this week to cut burdensome regulations, lower costs, and support rural communities.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s remarks:On Republicans lowering costs by cutting Joe Biden’s red tape:“Well, it’s another week where House Republicans are bringing bills to the floor to make life more affordable for hardworking families. And if you look at some of the bills that we’re bringing this week, more bills to cut red tape. I think families all across America know that Washington usually spends a lot of time at a lot of these federal agencies, adding mountains of red tape that just jack up the cost of doing everything in their daily lives. And people are fed up with it.“The good news is Republicans are doing something about it. We’re bringing bills to reform these laws, to cut red tape in Washington. President Trump did that starting day one, signing executive order after executive order to cut some of the mountains of red tape that Joe Biden added that were adding so much cost to people’s lives. If you just go look at the thousands of rules and regulations that Joe Biden added during his 4 years in office, it added an extra $15,000 per household in extra cost for families. Think about that: A family who’s struggling is spending an extra $15,000 to pay for Washington red tape… The good news is Republicans are doing something about it. Democrats fight us every step of the way, and that’s fine. You’re going to be able to see more votes on the House floor that show you where people stand when it comes to allowing families to have more money in their pockets.”On Democrats opposing tax relief for working families:“When people filled out their taxes last week and were getting on average $3,400 back because of the bill that we passed, they also recognize that every Democrat voted against that bill because every Democrat wanted to take that money away from them. And if Democrats got the majority, they would reverse those tax cuts so that all hardworking families in America would pay more money to Washington for more fraud. That’s what Democrats want. They want to be able to grow the size of government, letting billions being stolen by their friends. And then when we bring anti-fraud measures, they fight that too.”On protecting communities and supporting rural America:“If you look at the bills we’re bringing, the FIRE Act, for example, allows people to manage forests again so that you don’t have wildfires that burn down communities. It’s insane that some of the fires that we’ve seen that have burned communities all across this country were completely preventable, except red tape, primarily out of Washington, stops local communities from managing their own forests. Let’s prevent wildfires. The FIRE Act allows that to happen… “If you look at Clay Fuller’s resolution, I mean, how about this guy? Comes in, he’s not even— he’s still got the new member of Congress smell. He’s been here a week, and he’s already bringing a piece of legislation to the floor to stand up for rural communities in America, to talk about how important rural America is to this great nation. And so I urge everybody to vote for Congressman Fuller’s legislation…“And then we’re bringing a bill on the Endangered Species Act, probably one of the most abused laws there is… Some of these laws [are] being abused over and over again, not to protect species, but to block the ability for us to build things in America. And by the way, abuses of laws like the Endangered Species Act are some of the things that drive up costs on people. You want to bring down affordability? Cut the red tape in Washington. Stop the abuses of some of these laws that are out there… We’re going to continue delivering with this Republican majority.”

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

(Washington, D.C.) – Today U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) reintroduced legislation to strengthen civics education in schools across the country. The Civics Learning Act would reaffirm Congress’ commitment to protecting American democracy by ensuring schools have the resources needed to provide a proper, robust education in civics and our constitutional system of government to students in every community.

“To guarantee our democratic ideals live on for generations to come, we must ensure the youth of America are well-versed in the legal framework and concepts of our constitutional republic, as well as their responsibilities as citizens to uphold it,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Unfortunately, with civics scores declining for the first time in the history of the National Assessment of Education Progress Civics Exam in 2022, it’s clear that we have work to do. My Civics Learning Act will reverse this troubling trend by equipping schools with the resources necessary to give students a thorough and well-rounded education in modern civics.”

For the first time in the history of the National Assessment of Education Progress Civics Exam, civics scores declined in 2022, with less than one quarter of eighth graders performing at or above a proficient level on the exam, demonstrating a need to bolster civics education in schools. While there are numerous reasons that contribute to America’s decline in civic understanding, a 2018 report from the Brown Center on Education Policy found that social studies teachers are some of the least supported teachers in schools.

Rep. Cleaver’s Civics Learning Act would help to bolster civics education in Missouri and across the country by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase funding by $70 million for civics education and awarding grants that:

• Support investments in innovative and evidence-based civics learning and teaching programs
• Fund elementary, middle, and high school programs to ensure a lasting foundation of civic knowledge accumulated through years of education.
• Prioritize funding for high-need schools, underserved populations, and low-access areas such as rural and inner-city communities, where civics education scores are lower than average.

The Civics Learning Act is cosponsored by Reps. André Carson (D-IN), Sean Casten (D-IL), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Bill Keating (D-MA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

Official text of the Civics Learning Act is available here.

 

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“I know what it’s like to hear the dreaded words: ‘you have breast cancer.’ As a survivor, this fight is personal,” said Wasserman Schultz. “That’s why I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Breast Cancer Research stamp program, which raised nearly $100 million for lifesaving studies at the Defense Department and NIH. Every stamp purchase is a commitment to beat this deadly disease.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House GOP Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson highlighted House Republicans’ legislation this week to continue cutting red tape and dismantling burdensome energy regulations. Speaker Johnson also discussed the path forward to bring an end the Democrat DHS Shutdown and to reauthorize FISA Sec. 702.

“The production of American energy is now directly related to national security. The need and the demand for energy is rising dramatically because of AI and all of these other necessities that we have in the economy. And we’ve got to provide for it,” Speaker Johnson said.

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here.

On House Republicans’ efforts to cut regulations and reestablish American energy dominance:

We’re going to pass two pieces of legislation that are going to build specifically on President Trump’s work to restore America’s energy dominance. The Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act rolls back an outdated and inefficient green energy mandate on federal buildings and military installations, which will allow agencies to pursue efficient, cost-effective energy solutions that meet their needs. What a concept. The second one, the HEATS Act, is going to help unlock American geothermal production. This is reliable renewable energy that has huge potential for diversifying America’s energy supply. This legislation will remove unnecessary permitting hurdles and help deliver on Republicans’ commitment to an all-the-above approach to affordable American energy. And we’ve got to provide for it. So, it’s an all-the-above and that’s what this legislation reflects. Finally, as Leader Scalise was noting the FIRE Act and the ESA Amendments Act will streamline and clarify environmental regulations, encouraging responsible fire management and the protection of America’s diverse wildlife, while removing costly and unclear mandates that unfairly penalize good faith actors. It’s common sense. That is the theme here. We’re going to cut red tape and do the right thing, and the Congress is leading on this.

On ending the Democrat DHS Shutdown:

And that’s why through a targeted and narrow reconciliation process, we will fully fund the agency, including ICE and CBP, for three years into the future. This is great news for every American who supports secure borders and safe communities and chaos free airports. In the coming days, the House will be working closely with the Senate as they commence on that reconciliation process. And it should not be forgotten that Democrats have shut down this, the third largest department of the federal government with all of its 10 agencies charged with keeping everybody safe. And they did that for political purposes.

They’ve kept it shut down for over two months. Now we’re on day 65. It’s the longest in history because they’d rather reopen the border than pay our hardworking men and women of our law enforcement. They would rather defund the police than pay our TSA workers at the airport. They would rather endanger the American homeland than fund basic immigration enforcement. I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again. You heard the theme here this morning. You’ll hear it all the way through the election cycle. Our politics have now entered a new era. It’s called common sense versus crazy. Republicans return to common sense versus Democrats just madness. This shutdown is a shameful episode in the history of the Democrat Party. This is not our father’s Democrat Party. Watch what happens. We administered the oath to a Member last night who has some, some pretty Far-Left positions. We expect more of that to come from that party, and it’s not where the American people are. And it’s yet another example of their preference for open borders and dangerous communities over the safety and security of American citizens.

On reauthorizing FISA Sec. 702:

The House will pick up where we left off on reauthorizing FISA, Section 702. It’s must-pass legislation. We’ve talked about it here before. It preserves the Trump Administration’s ability to kill terrorists and to prevent attacks on our homeland. This provision of law was created after 9/11. And frankly, one of the reasons we’ve not had another 9/11 on our shores is because we have this important tool. Congress was able to pass a short-term extension of Section 702 last week, and we’re going to continue to work out a longer-term extension. We’re confident that we’ll be able to find strong, bipartisan consensus that builds off of the really meaningful reforms that we included in the legislation the last time we authorized it. We did that in 2024. 56 reforms, and they’re working just as we planned.

Those were successful because that was a sensible set of changes. Countries like Russia and China are waging new forms of cyber and intelligence warfare. And of course, as Iran and its proxies threaten the US and our allies, it just bears repeating that this is no time to degrade in any way our ability to protect the homeland and our people. And this is an essential piece of that, an essential component, and failure on it is just simply not an option.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, will chair a hearing today on the SAT Streamlining Act, which aims to modernize and expedite the processing of satellite and space licenses.

“American innovators are at the leading edge of technological advancements that will serve our families and businesses for years to come. However, our laws governing satellite technologies often do not reflect our ability and shared goal to continue that progress,” said Chairman Hudson.

“I look forward to a conversation about modernizing our regulations so bureaucracy and red tape do not prevent another great American century.”

The hearing will discuss the impact of the following legislation:

• H.R. 8255, the SAT Streamlining Act (Rep. Brett Guthrie/Pallone)

WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on updating satellite regulations

DATE: Tuesday, April 21, 2026

TIME: 2:00 PM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed at energycommerce.house.gov.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, applauded the bipartisan, unanimous House passage of H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026.

This legislation will improve crisis communications with a stronger First Responder Network Authority, while prioritizing the needs of our First Responders to meet all Americans. It will strengthen oversight, improve reliability, and ensure first responders have the communications tools they need in emergencies.

“Reliable communications are essential for our first responders,” said Rep. Hudson. “In drafting this bipartisan bill, we brought everyone to the table to get it right. It builds on what works, fixes what doesn’t, and ensures FirstNet delivers a reliable, interoperable network that will keep our communities safer.”

Recent oversight has underscored the urgency of these reforms. Since 2014, the Commerce Department’s Inspector General has issued more than 20 reports raising concerns about oversight and network performance. Real-world failures have also shown the network has not always performed when it mattered most, including during major disasters like Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where first responders faced outages and communication breakdowns.

The FirstNet Reauthorization Act addresses these challenges by:

Strengthening oversight and accountability of the network
Improving governance and public safety representation on the FirstNet Authority Board
Ensuring responsible reinvestment of funds into network improvements
Supporting more reliable and resilient communications during emergencies

In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene and other emergencies exposed gaps in network reliability, reinforcing the need for reforms to ensure seamless communication during hurricanes and other disasters.

Hudson worked in good faith with bipartisan colleagues, stakeholders, and public safety organizations throughout the process. The legislation is supported by more than fifteen public safety organizations.

The House also advanced complementary legislation to modernize emergency alerts and strengthen the nation’s public safety communications infrastructure.

Supporters of the FirstNet Reauthorization Act include:

• AT&T

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• Congressional Fire Services Institute

• International Association of Emergency Managers, U.S. Council

• International Association of Fire Fighters

• International City/County Management Association

• Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association

• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives

• National Association of Counties

• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians

• National Association of State Chief Information Officers

• National Conference of State Legislatures

• National Emergency Management Association

• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

• National Fire Protection Association

• National League of Cities

• National Volunteer Fire Council

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

Rep. Kelly slammed his response as absurd.

“The American people are not falling for what you’re saying,” Rep. Kelly lectured Secretary Kennedy. “Your attacks on minority health, women’s health, LGBTQ+ health, and basic preventative medicine through illegal funding freezes and mass firing will lead to decades of consequences for all Americans. You have failed at your job and failed the American people.”

Secretary Kennedy claimed the country’s maternal mortality rate was improving.

Rep. Kelly quickly corrected him and stated Black women are still three times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related causes than white women. Secretary Kenned eliminated critical maternal health programs, like the Centers of Disease Control’s Safe Motherhood Initiative.

“You don’t have to show me the data,” said Rep. Kelly. “I’m the one who brought the issue [of maternal mortality] to Congress.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

Contact: Alexis Torres

Brownsville, Texas – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced Itzel Martinez, a senior from Rivera Early College High School, as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Texas’s 34^th Congressional District. Her artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

The 2026 competition garnered 89 entries from 19 high schools throughout the 34^th Congressional District.

On Saturday, Congressman Gonzalez’s office held an art show at Harlingen City Hall, with Mayor Norma Sepulveda joining as a guest speaker, to showcase all 89 entries and recognize the winning piece. Although the Congressman was in Washington fighting for public schools, working to lower costs, and advocating for South Texas values, he shared a message with the students and their families, which can be viewed here. 

“Every spring, I have the honor of hosting the Congressional Art Competition to encourage artistic creativity amongst our high school students and giving them the chance to have their work admired by visitors from around the world in our nation’s Capitol,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Congratulations to Itzel on her first-place finish, and thank you to every student across our district who made this year’s competition a success. Initiatives like the art competition are prime examples of why a strong public education system is important for providing young South Texans with opportunities to achieve their full potential.”

The winning entry, “We Are the Unity” by Itzel Martinez (12^th grade) depicts an angel with open arms draped in an American flag, symbolizing that all are welcome.

“We are the Unity.” Charcoal and prisma color pencil.