MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and David Valadao (CA-22) reintroduced the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act, to ensure that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) distributes the remaining anti-dumping duties to U.S. garlic, honey, and crawfish producers that weren’t paid by the agencies between 2000 and 2014.

Under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA), CBP still owes garlic producers, which both Reps. Panetta and Valadao represent, an additional $10.5 million in retroactive duties. These producers have suffered years of abusive dumping practices by China and are owed that amount in restitution that was wrongly kept from them by CBP.

“The federal government has failed to pay the required restitution to impacted producers from the dumping duties it collected on Chinese garlic imports,” said Rep. Panetta. “This bipartisan bill would right that wrong by requiring CBP to pay all collected duties and interest to those in our agricultural sector who deserve it.  By passing this legislation, we can push the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities, to not only to prevent dumping by China, but also to provide the proper remedy to our garlic growers and producers.”

“Central Valley producers are the backbone of our nation’s domestic garlic supply, but China’s practice of dumping garlic into the U.S. market has unfairly impacted competition,” said Rep. Valadao. “Since 2000, Customs and Border Protection has collected duties on these imports as required by law, yet our growers still haven’t received the payments they’re owed. This bipartisan, bicameral bill ensures domestic producers finally receive those funds and gives them a fair chance to compete in the domestic market.”

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) to reintroduce the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation ensures domestic garlic, honey, and crawfish producers are paid the duties already collected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) for China’s unfair trading practices meant to drive U.S. producers out of the market. CBP still owes garlic producers, 90% of which is grown in California, an additional $10.5 million in retroactive duty payments. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tine Smith (D-MN) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

“Central Valley producers are the backbone of our nation’s domestic garlic supply, but China’s practice of dumping garlic into the U.S. market has unfairly impacted competition,” said Congressman Valadao. “Since 2000, Customs and Border Protection has collected duties on these imports as required by law, yet our growers still haven’t received the payments they’re owed. This bipartisan, bicameral bill ensures domestic producers finally receive those funds and gives them a fair chance to compete in the domestic market.”

“The federal government has failed to pay the required restitution to impacted producers from the dumping duties it collected on Chinese garlic imports,” said Congressman Panetta. “This bipartisan bill would right that wrong by requiring CBP to pay all collected duties and interest to those in our agricultural sector who deserve it.  By passing this legislation, we can push the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities, to not only to prevent dumping by China, but also to provide the proper remedy to our garlic growers and producers.”

Background:

For years, Chinese agricultural producers have purposely exported products far below the cost of production to drive domestic producers out of the market—a practice commonly known as “dumping.” In 2000, Congress passed the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act, which instructed CBP to pay all collected anti-dumping duties and accrued interest to the U.S. producers impacted by this harmful practice. Due to a range of delays, many producers still haven’t seen the interest they are owed on the anti-dumping duties CBP collected. The China Trade Cheating Restitution Act ensures CBP pays out the remaining anti-dumping duties to producers who haven’t been paid between 2000 – 2014.

Read the full bill here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is honoring the February 6^th birthday of the late President Ronald Reagan, and recalling his historic video message sent to American Samoa and the South Pacific Conference, which was hosted in American Samoa that year by Uifa’atali Governor Peter Coleman.

Governor Coleman in the Oval Office presenting President Reagan a specialty license plate from American Samoa

“President Reagan sent a special video message to American Samoa for the South Pacific Conference, at the invitation of Governor Coleman. That was a historic moment from a U.S. President, particularly back then in the early 1980’s,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Every head of government from the South Pacific was on hand, so all the titles were there: king, president, prime minister, and governor. The special event was held at the Lee Auditorium for the Conference to hear from President Reagan, using the seats from the Fono to seat the dignitaries. 

Amata speaking with President Reagan in 1985 at his inauguration

“Governor Coleman personally invited President Reagan to head the U.S. delegation to the South Pacific Conference he was hosting in our islands as chairman in 1982. While the President couldn’t make the long trip to the South Pacific, he offered to address the opening remotely, which was the first (and probably only) time a U.S. president ever addressed the Conference, and it was a big undertaking in those pre-internet and pre-digital days. 

“President Reagan was born 115 years ago, and served as the 40^th President of the United States. His great legacy is the eight determined years of public policy that directly preceded and led to the dismantling of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and his ringing call at Germany’s Brandenburg Gate: ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’

“He was known for a major U.S. economic turnaround, his optimism and connection with the American people, his enjoyment of telling jokes, along with several appointments to the Supreme Court, including the first woman to serve on the Court, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Among his many finest moments were comforting the American people after the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, and the Normandy 40^th Anniversary of D-Day speech memorializing ‘the boys of Pointe du Hoc.’”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) delivered remarks as the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee and now heads to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration before moving to the House floor.

Watch Rep. Weber’s remarks here.

Read Rep. Weber’s remarks below.

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

“My legislation, the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, which I am proud to lead with my friend from Michigan, Representative Dingell, has long-standing support in this Committee. Addressing cyber and physical threats, as well as other hazards to our fuel infrastructure, requires information sharing and coordination among infrastructure owners, states, and the federal government. It also requires visibility across the entire energy sector, from fuels to power, upstream to downstream, including the facilities that secure American energy dominance around the world.

“Mr. Chairman, the Department of Energy serves, by law, as the government’s lead for the energy sector. As such, it has broad visibility and the expertise necessary to ensure security and hazard coordination across the entire energy system. H.R. 7272 would improve how the Department of Energy works with others to ensure the security and resilience of pipelines and LNG facilities that our energy sector depends on for the reliable supply of fuels and electricity.

“This legislation leverages DOE’s vast technical capabilities to develop a program that improves coordination and provides the technical support needed to ensure timely, efficient, and effective efforts to secure our energy systems and respond to disruptions.

“To be extremely clear, H.R. 7272 does not create, nor does it authorize, a regulatory program. Let me repeat: this bill does not create, nor does it authorize, a regulatory program. It is intended to strengthen DOE’s ability to inform, improve coordination, and build capabilities within states and across the energy sector.

“Other agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration, certainly play a vital role when it comes to pipeline cybersecurity. However, the Department of Energy retains responsibility across the entire energy and power sector and already leads federal coordination in this area.

“This bipartisan effort maximizes the Department of Energy’s capabilities in the public interest and, in turn, strengthens all stakeholders responsible for the secure delivery of fuels and power.

“With that, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7272.”

Read more here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Randy Weber (R-TX) introduced the bipartisan Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act alongside Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), legislation to protect America’s pipelines by placing the Department of Energy as the lead agency on cybersecurity coordination.

Cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure are increasing in frequency and sophistication, putting the pipelines that transport energy across the country at risk. While pipeline cybersecurity responsibilities are currently spread across multiple federal agencies, the Department of Energy already serves as the Energy Sector Risk Management Agency and has demonstrated its ability to respond during major incidents, including the 2021 Colonial Pipeline cyberattack.

“Texas’ 14th Congressional District helps power America, and protecting our pipelines is critical to our national and energy security,” said Rep. Weber. “This bill puts the Department of Energy’s expertise in the lead to coordinate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts to protect our pipelines.” 

 
The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act directs the Department of Energy to coordinate with federal, state, and industry partners to strengthen the security and resilience of pipeline infrastructure by:

• Improving federal coordination and information-sharing related to cyber and physical threats;
• Supporting preparedness, response, and recovery efforts following cybersecurity incidents;
• Developing voluntary cybersecurity tools, technologies, and pilot projects in partnership with industry;
• Strengthening workforce development and cybersecurity training for pipeline and LNG facilities;
• And preserving existing agency authorities and creating no new regulatory requirements.

“As our world becomes more digital and interconnected, strong cybersecurity is essential, especially when it comes to protecting our energy supplies,” said Rep. Dingell. “Cyber threats to our energy infrastructure are real, growing, and need action now. The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act strengthens the Department of Energy’s role by ensuring its experts are fully engaged in federal coordination and working closely with industry to secure our pipelines. We must continue to act decisively to safeguard our critical infrastructure and our national security.”

Read more here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Pocan (2nd District of Wisconsin)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after 14 of his earmarks have now been signed into law as part of the FY2026 government funding process:

“These projects provide a major investment in our region, helping our economy and making a real difference in communities across Wisconsin and the country,” said Congressman Pocan. “I’m pleased that 14 Community Project Funding awards for Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District have now been signed into law. These projects will reach all over the district, and I look forward to seeing their impact for years to come.”

The FY26 Appropriations bills include a number of provisions benefiting Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District, including:

• $1,200,000 for the Great Sauk State Trail Bicycle Rail Trail Connection Project: to support completing 20+ years of work to create the rail to trail corridor across Sauk County, linking vital major trails together and providing development that creates vibrant and diverse community economies.
• $1,031,000 for the UW-Madison Entrepreneurship Science Lab’s Statistical Analysis for Rapid Commercialization of University Ideas and Research (STARCUIR) Initiative: to generate new research at UW-Madison that can be applied to increase the number of economically impactful companies formed in Madison and across the state of Wisconsin by students and recent graduates of UW-Madison.
• $1,031,000 for the UW-Madison Criminal Justice Forensic Assistance Project: to support a Criminal Justice Forensic Assistance Project within the Law School, which improves and aids the criminal justice system through forensic analysis, DNA testing, and expert research.
• $1,000,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County: for an initiative focused on guiding youth away from incarceration, improving their overall well-being, and fostering their career and educational goals.
• $1,000,000 for Madison Area Rehabilitation Centers (MARC), Inc.’s Mount Horeb Rural Community Health & Employment Services Facility Construction Project: to support the construction of a new facility to provide essential health and employment services for adults with developmental disabilities in a rural community.
• $1,000,000 for the City of Mineral Point Lead Service Line Replacement: to replace lead and galvanized service lines connected to the City’s water system to achieve zero lead in test results by the beginning of 2027.
• $1,000,000 for the Sauk Prairie Healthcare Rural Clinic Construction Project: to support the expansion of an existing rural health clinic in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, that has limited capacity and is unable to offer new, in-person services.
• $850,000 for the City of Madison Metro Transit Bus Safety Initiative: to support equipping Madison Metro’s new fleet of 60-foot buses with technology upgrades to warn bus drivers of impending collisions and improve public safety.
• $572,000 for the Dodgeville Fire & Rescue Training Tower Construction Project: to support the construction of a three-story fire training tower designed to significantly enhance the training capabilities of the Dodgeville Fire Department and provide a shared resource for other regional fire departments and emergency response teams.
• $525,000 for the City of Middleton Graber Greenway Project: to establish a continuous greenway between Graber Pond and the Pheasant Branch Conservancy, surrounding the existing drainageway with conservancy lands and enhanced stormwater management facilities.
• $500,000 for the Innovation Center Stoughton Youth and Young Adult STEM Education Project: to establish a regional innovation center to provide youth and young adult STEM education and programming, including in robotics, automation, advanced materials design, and additive manufacturing, in south-central Wisconsin.
• $400,000 for the Reedsburg Oral Healthcare Facility Renovation Project: to support the renovation of an existing, former primary care clinic into a new dental clinic to serve the rural city of Reedsburg in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
• $400,000 for the City of Edgerton Veterans Park Site Improvements Project: to support a planned site improvement project at the Edgerton Veterans’ Park to enable the city to construct a multi-purpose park shelter that would provide a for a covered location for family gatherings and community events, including farmers’ markets and other small business activities, as well as local holiday celebrations.
• $250,000 for the Village of Loganville Street and Utility Improvements: to support replacement and upgrades of local road and utility infrastructure, including base and asphalt, curb and gutter, new water mains to replace currently undersized water mains, replacement hydrants, sidewalks, storm sewer upgrades, and sanitary sewer adjustments as needed.

• As a member of the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for drafting all federal funding legislation, Rep. Pocan looks forward to Wisconsin – and Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District – receiving the funding it needs and deserves.

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

Today, the Michigan Republican Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, demanding answers on ongoing concerns about election integrity in Michigan. 

Recently, Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini identified 14 non-citizens who were registered to vote, some of whom had a voting history. This comes in addition to earlier reporting that at least 15 non-citizens were found to have cast ballots in the 2024 election.

“While you admit you are aware of instances of non-citizen voting you continued to erode public confidence by refusing to comply with a lawful request by the Department of Justice to provide them Michigan’s voter registration data to ensure that Michigan’s voter rolls are being properly maintained,” the lawmakers write.

“Your refusal to comply with the DOJ’s request and assist in building the public’s confidence in Michigan elections invalidates your statement to the Committee on House Administration that you believe your responsibility is to ‘ensure our elections are accessible, safe, secure and that the results are accurate’ because under your watch you have allowed an environment to persist where at least 15 non-citizens cast ballots in the 2024 election.”

“These continued reports of non-citizens both registering to vote and casting a ballot in elections is unacceptable and as Secretary of State you should be taking every action to ensure the integrity of Michigan elections and build public confidence in them,” the lawmakers continue. 

The lawmakers’ letter to Benson can be found in full here. 

The letter was signed by every member of the Michigan Republican Delegation: Reps. Jack Bergman (MI-01), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Tim Walberg (MI-05), Tom Barrett (MI-07), Lisa McClain (MI-09), and John James (MI-10).  

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

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia district in the Washington, D.C. suburbs in the U.S. House, today issued the following statement after the announcement of mass layoffs at the Washington Post, which reportedly included the elimination of substantial portions of the newspaper’s desks covering local and regional news, international news, sports, and the arts, eliminating one third of the Post’s newsroom:

“I love the Washington Post. I have been a subscriber for many years, reading it cover to cover for much of that time. The Post’s coverage has enriched my life, and its reporting has been indispensable to my work as an elected leader and policymaker more times than I can count. I think I speak for many in our region when I say it is heartbreaking to watch Jeff Bezos run the Washington Post into the ground.

“Two new media trends have reshaped national American journalism over the past year. One is the relentless geyser of news driven by an authoritarian president and his administration, which expands consumption of political reporting but also shapes coverage of the economy, global affairs, health, technology, environment, local communities, and so much more. Competitors of the Post, including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, have been successful in this environment.

“But this trend has been accompanied by another: a trend of media companies and other key institutions of civil society responding to Donald Trump’s efforts to bully and intimidate them by knuckling under, sucking up, and appeasing him. Over the past year we’ve seen media outlets try to protect the business interests and personal wealth of their billionaire owners by weakening or censoring journalism critical of Trump or his allies. This pervasive cowardice is deeply harmful to our country, and Jeff Bezos has been one of its chief practitioners.

“I don’t know whether investing tens of millions of dollars in a puff piece documentary about the First Lady is a savvy business move, but I know that Bezos’ well publicized meddling in and censorship of the Post’s editorial pages cost the paper hundreds of thousands of subscriptions. I strongly suspect that his decision to gut the Post’s staff rather than investing a tiny fraction of his vast personal wealth into growing it will deepen its financial problems, not improve them. Many readers who lose coverage of local issues and sports teams – the reason many subscribed to begin with – will respond by cancelling their subscriptions.

“The Washington Post is deeply important to our region. Instead of hiding in silence while he slowly kills one of the best newspapers in the country, Jeff Bezos should show the Post’s readers and employees basic respect by taking honest responsibility for his actions. Mr. Bezos has the wealth and resources to make the Post better than it is, but if he is unwilling to invest in his own newsroom or afraid of the risk associated with vibrant, critical journalism, I urge him to consider selling the Washington Post to someone who will be a better steward of this beloved and essential institution.

“My heart goes out to those who are losing their jobs today, along with my thanks for helping keep my constituents informed about their community. Your work has not been in vain.”

Beyer strongly criticized Jeff Bezos’ overhaul of the Washington Post opinion section to espouse libertarian values last year.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

“I rise today to sound an alarm about something dangerous and dark and pernicious that is happening inside our government. I recognize there are only a handful of my colleagues in the Chamber to hear that alarm. A few folks in the gallery. But I pray that Americans writ large will hear it.”

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

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Directive 1, directing the Commonwealth’s law enforcement agencies to terminate any and all Section 287(g) agreements. This order threatens the work of Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Corrections to cooperate with federal law enforcement to keep Virginia communities safe.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Law enforcement officials are important public safety servants in Virginia’s Ninth District. A core function of their mission is to protect Virginia communities, and I believe cooperation between local, state and federal officials helps accomplish that goal.

“I believe Governor Spanberger’s action to terminate 287(g) agreements directly undermines this goal and potentially pits local communities, state law enforcement and federal law enforcement against each other. This creates danger for all involved.

“This executive directive can be seen as encouraging behaviors and actions that obstruct federal law enforcement! 

“Because the public safety needs of our communities are in Virginia’s best interest, I urge Governor Spanberger to rescind this harmful executive directive.”

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