Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)
WASHINGTON, D.C.- This month, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) co-led a letter with Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-09) to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, urging the release of federal funds from the Bureau of Reclamation to address the ongoing drought across the Colorado River Basin (Basin).
In 2022, Congress secured $4 billion in funding through fiscal year 2026 to support drought mitigation efforts in the Reclamation states and territories with priority given to Basin states. The release of these funds would help address the worsening drought conditions on the Colorado River, including expanded capacity at the Yuma Desalting Plant, long-term investments adding water to the Basin system, and vital resources to Lakes Mead and Powell for American energy requirements.
“One of the most critical issues Arizona faces is the future allocation of water from the Colorado River,” said Congressman Biggs. “Arizona stakeholders have long been leaders in conserving and managing their water allotments, and they are counting on these dollars to maintain our national-security and food-security industries. I’m grateful for the bipartisan support from Congressman Stanton for this effort, as we advocate for our constituents in our great state.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)
April 18, 2026
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released his nominations of songs and albums to be considered for the prestigious National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. This year, in addition to his fourth annual call for Latino artists, Castro made an inaugural call for Texas artists and received more than 400 submissions from the public.
“Latino and Texas artists have played an important role in contributing to our country’s musical canon,” said Congressman Castro. “Beloved artists like Selena and Luis Miguel remind us of the power of Latino’s story told through song and the importance of recognizing and preserving our voices. In our state, Texans like Gene Autry, Beyoncé, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the Texas Tornados have captured listener’s hearts and made their mark on genres from country and R&B to rock and Tejano. I will continue pushing for the National Recording Registry to reflect the country’s immense talent and musical genres.
Nomination List of Songs and Albums by Texas artists:
Deep In the Heart of Texas – Gene Autry (1942)
Baduizm – Erykah Badu (1997) (Album)
Strait Country – George Strait (1981) (Album)
Dangerously In Love – Beyoncé (2003) (Album)
Amor Prohibido – Selena (1994) (Album)
Come Away with Me – Norah Jones (2002) (Album)
Three Days – Pat Green (2001) (Album)
Delta Dawn – Tanya Tucker (1972)
Luckenbach, Texas – Waylon Jennings Feat. Wilie Nelson (1977)
Coming Home – Leon Bridges (2015) (Album)
Same Trailer, Different Park – Kacey Musgraves – (2013) (Album)
La Grange – ZZ Top (1973)
Heaven – Los Lonely Boys (2003)
Lookin’ For Love – Johnny Lee (1980)
June 27th Freestyle – DJ Screw (1996) (Mixtape)
Clumsy Sky – Girl in a Coma (2007)
The Late Great Townes Van Zandt – Townes Van Zandt (1972) (Album)
A Moment Like This – Kelly Clarkson (2002)
Texas Flood – Stevie Ray Vaughn (1983) (Album)
Say My Name – Destiny’s Child (1999)
El Indio – Isidro Lopez (1993) (Album)
Trini Lopez At PJ’s – Trini Lopez (1963) (Album)
Las Nubes – Little Joe y La Familia (1972)
(Hey Baby) Que Paso – Texas Tornados (1990)
It Must Be Him – Vicki Carr (1963)
Quiero Ser Tu Amante – Shelly Lares (2003) (Album)
Nomination List of Songs and Albums by Latino artists:
First Full Time Spanish-Language Radio Station Broadcast in the United States based in San Antonio, TX (formerly KCOR-TV and later known as KWEX-TC) (1946) (Broadcast)
Diamonds and Rust – Joan Baez (1975) (Album)
Suavemente – Elvis Crespo (1999) (Song)
Caminos Chuecos – Sunny and The Sunglows (1963) (Song)
Cien Años – Pedro Infante (1953) (Song)
Don Luis El Tejano – Latin Breed (1991) (Song)
La Chona – Los Tucanes De Tijuana (1995) (Song)
Tu Pum Pum – El General (1989) (Song)
Chilanga Banda – Café Tacvba (1996) (Song)
Mambo No. 5 – Perez Prado (1952) (Song)
Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira (2005) (Song)
Regalo del Alma – Celia Cruz (2003) (Album)
Introducing Johnny Rodriguez – Johnny Rodriguez (1971) (Album)
Julio Iglesias – 1100 Bel Air Place (1984) (Album)
Los Lobos – Will the Wolf Survive? (1984) (Song)
Just Another Day – Jon Secada (1992) (Song)
No Te Olvidaré – Mazz (1989) (Album)
Background
The U.S. Congress established the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in 2000 to preserve sounds and recordings with cultural, historic, or aesthetic significance to life in the United States. Since then, 675 titles have been inducted. However, as of 2025, approximately 4 percent of current recordings can be attributed to Texas artists and less than 5 percent to Latino artists.
In 2022, Congressman Castro began submitting nomination lists to the National Recording Preservation Board to increase visibility of Latino artists. So far, the board has inducted 7 of his selections–Juan Gabriel’s “Amor Eterno” (1990), Héctor Lavoe’s “El Cantante” (1978), Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What A Feeling” (1983), Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” (2004), Vicente Fernandez’s “El Rey” (1973), Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” (1974), and Lin Manuel Miranda’s album “Hamilton” (2015). This year, Congressman Castro is also pushing for increased visibility for Texas music giants like Little Joe y La Familia and Beyoncé.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04)
This week, I was proud to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that recognizes April as Second Chance Month. This resolution raises awareness for unlocking opportunities for successful reentry into society following incarceration that ultimately reduces recidivism rates.
Arkansas’ ranking as the third highest for recidivism rates in the nation highlights the need for us to look at opportunities to enact real change and ultimately create a more prosperous future for our state. According to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, forty-six percent of those released from prison in the state are readmitted within three years.
Offering incarcerated Arkansans the opportunity to succeed by reducing the barriers that keep them from establishing good-paying jobs and earning sought-after respect after being released is proven to be a critical key to reducing recidivism rates. Investing in these individuals who have proven to be committed to rectifying their mistakes is ultimately an investment in the future success and safety of our communities.
While the true hope is that crimes are not committed, it remains an unfortunate reality. Over twenty years ago in his State of the Union Speech, President George W. Bush said, “We know from long experience that if [incarcerated individuals] can’t find work, or a home, or help, they are much more likely to commit more crimes and return to prison…. America is the land of the second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.”
The United States of America stands apart from the rest of the world. Other countries and nations have centuries of history and stories to tell. But we are a young nation – only 250 years old – so what makes us so revered by the world?
There are many ways to answer this question, but there is one constant theme that has been woven like a thread into the fabric of our nation’s history: the hope of a second chance. The dream of starting over and building a new life that isn’t weighed down by past mistakes. We know this to be called the “American Dream.”
A concept first penned by James Truslow Adams in 1931, the term was described as, “not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”
We are the living legacies of men and women who desired a second chance and the opportunity to experience the American Dream. Because of that, giving a second chance to those who are committed to reconciling with society and looking to contribute positively to their communities after serving their sentence is one of the most American things we can do.
It’s a privilege to work in Congress on efforts that truly lead to the betterment of our communities. Getting down to the root of the issue and learning how we can apply real opportunities for real change is a great honor that I look forward to continuing to work toward.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland April 17, 2026 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETTCELEBRATES HOUSE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO RESTORE TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS OF HAITIAN NATIONALS
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) released the statement below following the U.S. House of Representatives’ vote requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until April 20, 2029.
The vote to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until April 20, 2029 follows the successful adoption of H. Res. 965, the Discharge Petition led by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) to consider H.R. 1689. This marks a significant milestone in Congresswoman Plaskett’s longstanding efforts to protect Haitian TPS holders. Congresswoman Plaskett assisted this week in whipping votes for passage of the legislation. The bipartisan vote comes after the Administration moved to revoke TPS from more than 350,000 Haitian nationals; protections that a federal court order has been keeping in place.
Congresswoman Plaskett has been instrumental in Congress to defend these protections. In 2025, she led a congressional letter with 48 of her colleagues to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem urging the immediate extension of TPS for Haitian nationals, detailing the catastrophic humanitarian conditions on the island, including gang violence that has killed thousands of civilians and displaced over 1.4 million Haitians. Congresswoman Plaskett has continued to advocate for Haitian TPS holders through legislation, coalition building, and direct engagement with the Administration.
“Our immigrant neighbors and their children are not our enemies, and today this body affirmed that reality,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “Haitian TPS holders contribute nearly $6 billion to the U.S. economy each year and annually pay $1.56 billion in taxes, as they are required to do, even though they are not eligible for the benefits that they directly help fund, like Social Security. For over 15 years, Haitian TPS holders have started families, built businesses, and contributed to communities throughout this country as teachers, caregivers, and more. Today’s vote is a critical step toward restoring their protections.”
Haiti’s TPS designation was first granted after the deadliest earthquake in the history of the Western Hemisphere killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than a million Haitians. Despite these deep roots in American communities, President Trump stripped legal status from otherwise law-abiding Haitian nationals.
Congresswoman Plaskett continued, “It is notable that even members of the Trump Cabinet understand this reality and the profound negative consequences of this decision. According to HHS Secretary Kennedy, there is already a shortage of health care workers. A mass deportation of Haitians will worsen the caregiving crisis. More than 20 percent of Haitians in the United States work in healthcare and help comprise the 1 in 4 long-term care workers who are immigrants. This decision is counterproductive, and even one of the most questionable members of this Cabinet understands that reality.”
Congresswoman Plaskett continued, “Arbitrarily stripping Temporary Protected Status from Haitians is cruel and unconscionable. It forces Haitian people to return to a nation in abject chaos. Congress took a stand against pulling the rug out from under our law-abiding neighbors. We must now see this bill through the Senate and to the President’s desk.”
BACKGROUND: Discharge Petitions are a procedural tool that allow Members of Congress to bring to the House floor for consideration a public bill or resolution that has been referred to committee but not reported, once 218 Members have signed the petition. This allows the consideration of legislation outside of regular order, which is controlled by the Speaker of the House.
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Pictured below: Congresswoman Plaskett and Haitian Ambassador Lionel Delatour
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement on the passing of longtime Central Valley news anchor Nancy Osborne:
“Nancy Osborne was a trusted voice in the San Joaquin Valley for nearly four decades and a pioneer in broadcast journalism who broke glass ceilings for women in the field.
I had the privilege of knowing Nancy, and like so many in our Valley, I respected her professionalism and her deep commitment to telling the stories of our community. She had a unique ability to connect with people and bring their stories to life with honesty and care.
I send my condolences to Rance, her family and loved ones. She will be deeply missed.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) joined U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Sen. Edward Markey, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and over 180 Democratic colleagues in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Miot v. Trump, a consolidated case challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria. This case also has significant implications for 1.3 million TPS holders of several nationalities across the country.
In the brief, lawmakers urge the Court to preserve TPS protections, emphasizing the bipartisan support for TPS and the immense public interest served by TPS holders in Florida and across the United States. The brief also highlights how the TPS statute was intended to provide safe haven to protect those who are fleeing violence abroad.
In the House, in addition to Brownley, Wasserman Schultz, and Pressley, the Amicus Brief was signed by:
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA), Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA), Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted W. Lieu (CA), Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (CO), Angie Craig (MN), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Robert Garcia (CA), Jared Huffman (CA), James P. McGovern (MA), Gregory W. Meeks (NY), Joseph D. Morelle (NY), Richard Neal (MA), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ), Jamie Raskin (MD), Adam Smith (WA), Bennie G. Thompson (MS), Nydia M Velazquez (NY), Maxine Waters (CA), Yvette D. Clarke (NY), Adriano Espaillat (NY), Grace Meng (NY), Gabe Amo (RI), Yassamin Ansari (AZ), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Becca Balint (VT), Nanette Barragán (CA), Joyce Beatty (OH), Wesley Bell (MO), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA), Suzanne Bonamici (OR), Shontel M. Brown (OH), Janelle Bynum (OR), André Carson (IN), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA), Sean Casten (IL), Kathy Castor (FL), Joaquin Castro (TX), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL), Judy Chu (CA), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO), Herb Conaway Jr. (NJ), Joe Courtney (CT), Jasmine Crockett (TX), Jason Crow (CO), Danny Davis (IL), Diana DeGette (CO), Suzan DelBene (WA), Christopher Deluzio (PA), Maxine Dexter (OR), Debbie Dingell (MI), Lloyd Doggett (TX), Sarah Elfreth (MD), Veronica Escobar (TX), Dwight Evans (PA), Cleo Fields (LA), Shomari Figures (AL), Lizzie Fletcher (TX), Valerie Foushee (NC), Lois Frankel (FL), Laura Friedman (CA), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX), Laura Gillen (NY), Dan Goldman (NY), Jimmy Gomez (CA), Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Al Green (TX), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ), Jahana Hayes (CT), Jim Himes (CT), Steven A. Horsford (NV), Steny H. Hoyer (MD), Val T. Hoyle (OR), Glenn F. Ivey (MD), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Henry C. (“Hank”) Johnson, Jr. (GA), Julie Johnson (TX), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA), William R. Keating (MA), Robin L. Kelly (IL), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY), Ro Khanna (CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL), Greg Landsman (OH), John B. Larson (CT), Summer Lee (PA), Susie Lee (NV), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM), Mike Levin (CA), Sam Liccardo (CA), Stephen F. Lynch (MA), John W. Mannion (NY), Doris Matsui (CA), Lucy McBath (GA), Sarah McBride (DE), April McClain Delaney (MD), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA), Betty McCollum (MN), Morgan McGarvey (KY), LaMonica McIver (NJ), Christian Menefee (TX), Rob Menendez (NJ), Kweisi Mfume (MD), Dave Min (CA), Gwen S. Moore (WI), Jared Moskowitz (FL), Seth Moulton (MA), Frank J. Mrvan (IN), Kevin Mullin (CA), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Donald Norcross (NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Ilhan Omar (MN), Nancy Pelosi (CA), Scott H. Peters (CA), Brittany Pettersen (CO), Chellie Pingree (ME), Mark Pocan (WI), Nellie Pou (NJ), Mike Quigley (IL), Delia C Ramirez (IL), Luz Rivas (CA), Deborah Ross (NC), Andrea Salinas (OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Bradley Scott Schneider (IL), Hillary Scholten MI), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA), Terri Sewell (AL), Brad Sherman (CA), Lateefah Simon (CA), Darren Soto (FL), Greg Stanton (AZ), Haley Stevens (MI), Suhas Subramanyam (VA), Tom Suozzi (NY), Shri Thanedar (MI), Mike Thompson (CA), Dina Titus (NV), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Paul Tonko (NY), Norma J Torres (CA), Ritchie Torres (NY), Lori Trahan (MA), Juan Vargas (CA), Eugene Vindman (VA), James R. Walkinshaw (VA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Nikema Williams (GA), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL).
In the Senate, in addition to Markey and Van Hollen, the Amicus Brief was signed by:
Angela Alsobrooks (MD), Michael F. Bennet (CO), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Cory A. Booker (NJ), Maria Cantwell (WA), Christopher A. Coons (DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Tammy Duckworth (IL), Richard J. Durbin (IL), John Fetterman (PA), Ruben Gallego (AZ), John Hickenlooper (CO), Tim Kaine (VA), Mark Kelly (AZ), Andy Kim (NJ), Ben Ray Luján (NM), Alex Padilla (CA), Jack Reed (RI), Jacky Rosen (NV), Adam B. Schiff (CA), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Raphael Warnock (GA), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Peter Welch (VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) is demanding immediate federal and state action after more than 40 cancer cases, including 28 clustered on one street, were identified near a contaminated landfill in Keyport.
In a letter to state and federal officials, including the Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pallone called for a full investigation into whether the former Aeromarine landfill is linked to the reported illnesses and urged immediate steps to address contamination at the site.
“A suspected cancer cluster in our community is a sensitive matter that requires the full force of our public health and environmental protection agencies. I sincerely urge you and your agencies to collaborate, take meaningful action and inform the community of your work. The residents of Keyport are entitled to clarity, accountability, and protection from potential environmental harm,”Pallone wrote.
The landfill, shut down in 1979 due to major failures, has never been fully closed or remediated. A 2010 environmental assessment found that parts of the site lack basic controls, allowing contaminants to spread into surrounding neighborhoods, Raritan Bay, and Chingarora Creek.
Hazardous substances identified at the site include benzene, PCBs, heavy metals, and methane gas. Contaminated groundwater has been observed discharging from the landfill, raising concerns about continued exposure.
Despite decades of violations, enforcement has lagged. The state issued its first fine in 2021, followed by penalties totaling nearly $900,000 in 2024 and 2025. Those fines remain unpaid and no comprehensive cleanup has been completed.
Pallone is calling for immediate environmental testing of soil, air, and water, a full review of cancer data to determine whether a cluster exists, mitigation of ongoing hazards, and enforcement actions to ensure the site is cleaned up.
Dear Acting Commissioner Potosnak, Acting Commissioner Washington, Regional Director Graziano, and Region 2 Administrator Martucci:
I am writing to urgently request that your agencies take immediate action to address the community concerns of a suspected cancer cluster in Keyport, NJ. As you know, advocates have identified over 40 cases, 28 of which are concentrated on and around First Street, particularly in neighborhoods surrounding the former Aeromarine landfill site along the Raritan Bay shoreline.
Recent community concerns regarding elevated cancer incidence are especially alarming in light of the extensive and well-documented history of contamination associated with the Aeromarine site. In 1979, New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ordered the shutdown of the Aeromarine landfill, citing “numerous operating and engineering deficiencies and overall exhaustion of capacity.” Despite this action, the property owners have not taken substantive redevelopment or comprehensive remediation to date.
Subsequent investigations have identified significant and ongoing environmental hazards at the site. In 2010, a proposed redevelopment initiative prompted an environmental assessment that documented serious deficiencies in the landfill’s condition. According to findings later referenced in a 2021 lawsuit filed by the Borough of Keyport, substantial portions of the landfill, particularly those adjacent to Raritan Bay, lack adequate engineering controls, allowing solid waste to migrate beyond the site boundary and into surrounding shoreline and bay areas.
The environmental assessment and subsequent legal filings further documented the presence and migration of hazardous substances, including heavy metals, methane gas, carcinogenic compounds such as benzene, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into soil and groundwater. Contaminants were also reported to have migrated into Chingarora Creek, which borders the landfill property, raising significant concerns regarding broader ecological contamination and potential human exposure pathways. In addition, there are multiple locations where contaminated groundwater appears to be discharging hazardous substances from the base of the landfill. The site has not been properly capped, which is a fundamental environmental control necessary to prevent the continued spread of contaminants through air, soil, and water pathways.
While it has been reported that local drinking water sources have not been definitively impacted, experts have noted in press reports that residents may nonetheless face potential exposure through other means, including direct contact with contaminated soil, recreational use of adjacent waterways, inhalation of airborne contaminants, and stormwater runoff events that may transport pollutants into surrounding residential areas.
Despite decades of documented concerns, meaningful remediation has not been completed. State inspections dating back to 1986 repeatedly identified environmental violations, often with extended intervals between inspections during which conditions further deteriorated. Enforcement actions have been limited. The first monetary penalty issued by DEP occurred in 2021 in the amount of $15,000.
After reports of suspected lead were found on the beach in the vicinity of the former Aeromarine landfill in 2024, I coordinated a response from the DEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate, test the material, and cleanup the hazardous material from the beach. DEP then issued additional penalties of approximately $300,000 in 2024, which subsequently increased to nearly $900,000 in 2025. However, these penalties remain unpaid, and the landfill has not been properly closed or remediated by the owner. In fact, it appears that even though the site was never properly capped, residents or visitors can just walk onto the property through an open gate or along the shoreline.
Given this extensive history of documented contamination, regulatory enforcement challenges, and ongoing environmental risk, it is imperative that the relevant federal and state agencies determine whether any association exists between conditions at the Aeromarine landfill and reported cancer cases within the surrounding community.
Accordingly, I respectfully request that your agencies work in close coordination to implement the following:
Promptly secure the site to restrict unauthorized access and minimize potential health and environmental risks.
Conduct a comprehensive environmental investigation of the Aeromarine landfill and surrounding residential areas, including soil, groundwater, sediment, and air quality testing.
Fully assess the extent of contaminant migration, including potential impacts to Chingarora Creek, Raritan Bay, and adjacent neighborhoods.
Evaluate cancer incidence data and determine whether a statistically significant cancer cluster exists.
Develop and publicly disclose a plan for immediate mitigation of identified hazards, including methane gas accumulation and ongoing contaminant leaching.
Enforce existing penalties and pursue all available regulatory and legal remedies to ensure full remediation of the site.
Provide transparent and ongoing communication to affected residents regarding findings, risks, and recommended protective measures.
A suspected cancer cluster in our community is a sensitive matter that requires the full force of our public health and environmental protection agencies. I sincerely urge you and your agencies to collaborate, take meaningful action and inform the community of your work. The residents of Keyport are entitled to clarity, accountability, and protection from potential environmental harm.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
Washington, D.C. – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Darrell Issa, Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing the historic backlog in license reviews at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), a bottleneck that undermines the American economy and U.S. technological leadership.
The bill directs BIS to make licensing decisions within 90 days, institutes reporting requirements to ensure greater Congressional oversight, and directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an audit of BIS’s license review process.
“The massive backlog at BIS is causing significant harm for U.S. industries who depend on predictable and efficient clearing of their licenses to satisfy their contracts. If the administration wants to maintain U.S. dominance in high tech industries like semiconductors and AI, BIS must do better. This bipartisan bill sets clear targets and enhances Congressional reporting requirements to ensure that the license review process is efficient. It addresses a major impediment in our ability to compete with China in the AI and technology race so that the Commerce Department can lead the way to boosting U.S. exports and creating jobs. I thank Rep. Issa for his partnership on this bill and hope to swiftly pass this bill before the delays at BIS do further damage to our economy,” said Ranking Member Meeks.
“The best arrangement to advance America’s essential process of export controls requires precision analysis, focused commitment, and transparency to Congress and the American industries that rely upon it,”said Vice Chairman Issa. “I applaud the BIS for its innovative and groundbreaking efforts to streamline regulatory burdens while upholding our national security interests, and this legislation is designed to allow the Bureau to provide even more certainty for the commercial sector. This consensus approach will be a widespread win for the nation.”
Additional background: In an industry survey conducted in 2026 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, 58 percent of respondents reported license review times averaging over 180 days, 31 percent reported waits of over 300 days, and 78 percent reported significant increases in license processing times over the preceding 12 months.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a longtime advocate of fair and sensible laws regarding marijuana, will hold a press conference and policy briefing to address the impact of incarcerating those charged with marijuana-related offenses.
What: Congressman Cohen, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Drug Policy Alliance, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and other drug-policy reform organizations will speak to the news media from the outdoor House Triangle on Monday morning. Later, Congressman Cohen and four individuals formerly incarcerated in Federal Prison for non-violent marijuana-related offenses will discuss related policy and legislative solutions at a Policy Briefing at Rayburn HOB Room 2075. The discussion will also address how incarceration for marijuana disrupts and harms families and communities.
When: The press conference will begin at 10 a.m. The Policy Briefing will convene at 12 p.m.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) joined House Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), DWC Executive Steering Committee Members Judy Chu (CA-28) and Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and 145 Members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) and House Democrats in sending a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04) urging him to restore the longstanding, bipartisan version ofThe Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act(H.R. 1329), which would solidify plans for the museum. In their letter, Members make clear their support for passage of the bill depends on Republicans reinstating the bill’s bipartisan foundation and commitment to pair it withSmithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act (H.R. 1330).
This letter follows a March 18 House Administration Committee hearing in which House Republicans introduced and adopted a hyper-partisan version of the bill that abruptly derailed the years-long, bipartisan effort to advance the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and National Museum of the American Latino. The bill as reported out of Committee gives unprecedented and undue control over the museum to President Trump. It also threatens the inclusion of transgender women and girls from the museum while opening the door to broader exclusion of other women. Before this last-minute amendment, the work to establish the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum had been a bipartisan effort rooted in the joint conviction that women’s history and women’s stories are central to the identity of our nation.
In the letter, the Members emphasized, “The buildings that house museums are interpretative objects themselves. Their design and location frame how visitors understand the content inside. The design and location of a museum about women, fought for and supported by women, should not be controlled by one man and his loyalists—particularly not a man who has been found liable for sexual assault, and regularly denigrates women based on physical appearance, among other repulsive behaviors. American women deserve better. The American people deserve better.”
The Members also explain that a provision in the Republican-amended version threatens the inclusion of transgender women and girls while opening the door to broader exclusion of other women.
“The amended bill also now vaguely states that only ‘biological women’ can be included in the museum. While the author’s intent is clearly to target transgender women and girls, the provision invites arbitrary enforcement and could be used to challenge the inclusion of any woman or girl a politician deems not ‘feminine’ enough. This is just another example of Republicans needlessly adding an anti-transgender provision to an unrelated bill that would impact not just transgender women and girls but all women and girls.”
The Members close by declaring that their support for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum bill is contingent on the retention of the museum’s spirit and the bill’s bipartisan foundation.
“If Republicans truly want to celebrate women’s history, we call on you and your colleagues to restore the bipartisan version of this bill and move it forward with us. Our support for this bill is contingent on the retention of the museum’s spirit and the bill’s bipartisan foundation. Absent those conditions, we will be compelled to oppose the politicized version of H.R. 1329 on the House floor.”
Read the letter here. Read additional information about DWC’s efforts to finalize the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum here.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Pete Aguilar, Gabe Amo, Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Wesley Bell, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Shontel Brown, Nikki Budzinski, Janelle Bynum, Salud Carbajal, André Carson, Ed Case, Sean Casten, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Gilbert Cisneros, Yvette Clarke, Katherine Clark, Steve Cohen, J. Correa, Jim Costa, Joe Courtney, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Jason Crow, Sharice Davids, Danny Davis, Madeleine Dean, Diana DeGette, Suzan DelBene, Maxine Dexter, Lloyd Doggett, Sarah Elfreth, Veronica Escobar, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Lizzie Fletcher, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Laura Friedman, Jesús García, Robert Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Daniel Goldman, Jimmy Gomez, Maggie Goodlander, Josh Gottheimer, Adelita Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Steven Horsford, Chrissy Houlahan, Val Hoyle, Jared Huffman, Glenn Ivey, Jonathan Jackson, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, Henry Johnson, Julie Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Robin Kelly, Rick Larsen, George Latimer, Summer Lee, Teresa Leger Fernandez, Mike Levin, Sam Liccardo, Ted Lieu, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, John Mannion, Lucy McBath, Sarah McBride, April McClain Delaney, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, James McGovern, LaMonica McIver, Christian Menefee, Robert Menendez, Grace Meng, Dave Min, Gwen Moore, Joseph Morelle, Kelly Morrison, Jared Moskowitz, Jerrold Nadler, Joe Neguse, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Johnny Olszewski, Frank Pallone, Jimmy Panetta, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Nellie Pou, Ayanna Pressley, Delia Ramirez, Emily Randall, Jamie Raskin, Luz Rivas, Deborah Ross, Raul Ruiz, Andrea Salinas, Linda Sánchez, Mary Gay Scanlon, Janice Schakowsky, Hillary Scholten, Robert Scott, Terri Sewell, Lateefah Simon, Eric Sorensen, Melanie Stansbury, Greg Stanton, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Emilia Sykes, Mark Takano, Shri Thanedar, Bennie Thompson, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Paul Tonko, Norma Torres, Ritchie Torres, Lori Trahan, Derek Tran, Lauren Underwood, Juan Vargas, Marc Veasey, Nydia Velázquez, James Walkinshaw, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.