MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus’s provision restoring the 100 percent tax deduction on gambling losses passed out of committee. She is now urging House leadership to expeditiously bring her fix to the floor.

“After 14 months of fighting to get this commonsense, bipartisan fix through committee, we must now encourage the House to approve this measure before Jan. 1, 2027. This would stop the reduction to 90 percent from taking effect and ensure gamblers across the nation do not pay this tax on phantom money they never won,” Congresswoman Titus said. “Altering the tax code was a ruse in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill at the expense of recreational and professional gamblers. As I have said many times, it must be fixed.”

Congresswoman Titus was the first member of Congress to recognize the injustice of ending the full deduction and introduced her bipartisan FAIR BET Act on July 7, 2025, to correct it. Since then, other measures have been introduced mirroring the language in her bill. The House Ways and Means Committee included one of those measures today in approving H.R. 10357, the Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act.

“I am disappointed it took the House committee so long to take action,” Congresswoman Titus said. “I spoke at a Ways and Means Committee field hearing in Las Vegas in July 2025 to bring the consequences of reducing the deduction to their attention. Over the next several months, I wrote letters to the committee urging it to include the fix in an upcoming package. Nothing happened until now, when the House will be out of session until after the election. The Republican House leadership must bring this provision to the floor, and the Senate must also expeditiously pass it if we are to prevent the tax from taking effect and harming gamblers nationwide.”

The FAIR BET Act, which has bipartisan support from 25 co-sponsors, also has backing from the

American Gaming Association, MGM, Draft Kings, FanDuel, Caesars, Wynn, the Nevada Resort Association, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. In addition, there has been an outpouring of support for the legislation by gamblers on social media.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

WASHINGTON —Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) reintroduced the Clarifying Law Around Insurance of Marijuana, or CLAIM Act, legislation that would shield insurers from federal criminal prosecution and protect brokers, agents, and insurers from civil liability when they serve businesses in the state-legal cannabis industry.

“Because of the conflict between federal and state law, insurers are still hesitant to write policies for cannabis businesses,” said Congresswoman Velázquez. “That means thousands of legal small businesses are operating without a safety net. One fire or one storm could wipe out everything an owner has built, with no way to recover. The CLAIM Act fixes this by giving these entrepreneurs access to the same basic insurance protections every other legal business takes for granted.”

“Businesses operating legally under state law should be free to purchase insurance, and insurers should be free to serve them,” said Rep. Davidson. “The federal government should not use regulation to interfere with lawful commerce or override decisions made by the states. The CLAIM Act removes that federal interference and protects the freedom of insurers and their customers to do business.”

The CLAIM Act is endorsed by a broad coalition of insurance industry organizations, including the American Land Title Association, American Council of Life Insurers, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, Reinsurance Association of America, and Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association.

The legislation also directs the Government Accountability Office to study the barriers facing women and minority entrepreneurs seeking to enter the cannabis industry and identify ways to expand access to this growing market.

The text of the bill can be found here.
 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (D-HI-01) and U.S. Congressman James Moylan (R-Guam) announced that the U.S. House recently voted 371-33 to approve their National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act, which would significantly expand federal efforts to combat invasive species, responsible for severely impacting environments across the country.

“Hawai‘i in particular faces unique challenges from invasive species. Our isolation has led to the evolution of many endemic species that are found nowhere else on Earth,” said Case, who formerly served six years on the House Natural Resources Committee and is in his eighth year on the House Appropriations Committee.

“Our measure is especially timely as we reckon with the wide-ranging ripple effect of the recent storms that have struck the state, including accelerated spread of destructive invasive species especially in vulnerable places such as our national wildlife refuges.

“In Hawai‘i, invasive species have caused significant ecological damage, threatening the survival of native birds and plants. Protecting Hawaii’s unique biodiversity is not just an environmental necessity – it is a cultural imperative that reflects the identity and heritage of the Hawaiian people.”

“For island communities like Guam, invasive species are more than an environmental concern – they threaten our ecosystems, agriculture, economy, and way of life, said Congressman Moylan. “Once an invasive species takes hold on an island, the cost of eradication can be enormous, and the damage may be impossible to reverse.

“I’m proud to see the House pass this bipartisan legislation to strengthen early detection and rapid response within our National Wildlife Refuge System. Prevention is our best defense, and investing in it today will help protect America’s natural resources, preserve our unique biodiversity, and save taxpayers from far greater costs down the road. I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this important legislation forward.”

“Tropical storms and hurricanes (and other extreme weather) cause havoc to endemic species, even in refuges,” said Jonetta “Jonee” Leina‘ala Peters, Executive Director of the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i. “

“Hawai‘i struggles already with the onslaught of other issues that cause extinctions, being insular is a huge issue, (our species have nowhere to escape these threats).

“We are now seeing and experiencing the effects of global warming or climate change.

“Storms do increase habitat destruction with damage to forests, rivers and streams, as well as coastal marine resources, bringing disturbances to ecosystems. These weather events also spread aggressive non-native invasive species (both plants and animals) to vulnerable areas which take hold and flourish. And, of course, these storms destroy native flora as well.”

 “Invasive species are putting increased pressure on native wildlife and are especially damaging across our national wildlife refuges,” said Jill Feldhusen, senior manager of wildlife policy at the National Wildlife Federation.

“By establishing dedicated, regional strike teams, this bipartisan bill helps refuges respond more rapidly to invasive species threats before they cause lasting harm. Thank you, Representative Ed Case, for reintroducing the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act and broadening the impact of cross-jurisdictional collaboration.

Case continued: “Invasive species are not just a localized problem; they pose a significant threat to the integrity of our natural world. Addressing this crisis requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach, focusing on prevention, early detection, and effective management strategies to safeguard our vulnerable ecosystems.

“This legislation will codify the existing Invasive Species Strike Teams program currently operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). These specialized teams play an essential role in managing emerging invasive species, employing strategies tailored to local conditions across the National Wildlife Refuge System.

“With multiple teams strategically positioned in all nine FWS regions across our country, they are on the front lines, addressing the unique challenges posed by invasive species.”

Case said formally establishing the Invasive Species Strike Teams program will create a stable and legally supported framework to ensure consistent funding and enhance management efforts. The act also signifies a transformative shift within the FWS, moving from a reactive, species-by-species approach to a more strategic, ecosystem-wide framework for managing emerging invasive species.

“The act also mandates enhanced coordination and reporting through integrated systems and standardized procedures, ensuring transparency and enabling us to track progress with annual reports to Congress and the public,” said Case.

“Furthermore, it authorizes $10 million annually from Fiscal Year 2027 through 2033 to support ongoing initiatives.”

Case introduced the measure after federal invasive species experts toured O‘ahu to research the effects of invasive species on island communities. The bill now move on to the Senate. 

• Video of Case remarks on the floor of the U.S. House is here
• Text of Case remarks is here
• Text of H.R. 4219 is here
• Photo of both Case and Moylan attached

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Bipartisan legislation would designate the Quindaro Townsite as a National Historic Landmark

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Following the Major Richard Star Act’s discharge petition hitting its necessary 218 signatures, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, released the following statement: 

“It’s past time to eliminate the ‘wounded veteran tax’ that reduces the benefits that our veterans earn with their service and sacrifice,” said Congressman Pappas. “We’re working hard to get this across the finish line and see it become law before the end of the year, and I’m thrilled to see our discharge petition reach 218 signatures. I thank our veterans for speaking out and for their leadership on this issue. We’re making sure Congress steps up and does our part by forcing a vote in the House, and we’ll keep fighting until this bill finally becomes law.”

Pappas was the third member to sign a discharge petition for the Major Richard Star Act, and has been a cosponsor every Congress since being elected in 2019. This legislation currently has 330 cosponsors and would end the “wounded veteran tax”, or the offset that keeps medically retired veterans from receiving their full Department of Defense retirement pay and their full Veterans Affairs disability pay. The discharge petition was filed by House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) and Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA-25).

“218 signatures means the House has spoken. A majority of members, Democrats and Republicans, said enough is enough,” said Ranking Member Takano. “Combat-injured veterans shouldn’t have to choose between the retirement they earned and the disability compensation they’re owed. The time for that debate is over. The only person standing between these veterans and their money now is Speaker Johnson, and he’s out of excuses.”

“It’s official—we did it! We reached 218 signatures, and veterans just won a floor vote on my bipartisan Major Richard Star Act,” said Congressman Ruiz. “While this is a victory worth celebrating, the fight continues to deliver justice for our veterans, who for years have lived with the injustice of being forced to medically retire due to combat-related injuries, penalized and unable to receive both their disability compensation and their retirement pay in full. Now, the real work begins with this bipartisan bill, it is time for Congress to show our veterans that their sacrifice was not in vain and that we are here to support them.”

The Major Richard Star Act is supported by Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, Wounded Warrior Project, Disabled American Veterans, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and a number of other Veterans Service Organizations.

In June Pappas joined Ranking Member Takano, Congressman Ruiz, along with Major Richard Star’s brother, David Star and Veterans’ Service Organizations for a bipartisan press conference on the Major Richard Star Act discharge petition.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced the Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act to expand water supplies, accelerate critical infrastructure projects, and strengthen long-term water security throughout the Colorado River Basin.

The landmark legislation comes as prolonged drought, historically low reservoir levels, and the failure of the Basin states to reach a long-term consensus agreement have created significant uncertainty about the future of the Colorado River. The bill focuses on increasing water supply by investing in water augmentation, storage, desalination, recycling, treatment, and conveyance infrastructure.

“The goal of this legislation is simple: add new water, strengthen the Basin, and protect the farms, communities, and military installations that depend on the Colorado River,” said Congressman Biggs.“After the Basin states were unable to reach a long-term consensus agreement and the Bureau of Reclamation imposed significant new reductions on Lower Basin water deliveries for 2027 and 2028, it became more apparent than ever that Congress must pursue solutions that increase water supplies and provide greater long-term certainty.”

If enacted into law, the Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act would:

1. Cut federal red tape so water projects get built faster.
The bill exempts water‑supply projects from NEPA and imposes clear permitting deadlines. Agencies must make completeness decisions within 30 days and final decisions within 180 days. The bill also allows a wider range of feasibility and impact‑analysis studies to be used, so project sponsors do not have to redo years of engineering work. And for major federal projects, the bill provides congressional pre‑authorization, preventing the long delays that often occur while waiting for separate approval. Together, these reforms move projects from concept to construction without years of delay.

2. Create a federal program to build new water supply. 
The bill establishes a Basin‑wide Water Augmentation Fund and a generous 2:1 federal cost share, allowing states, Tribes, cities, utilities, and private partners to build desalination, reuse, storage, conveyance, aquifer recharge, salt cedar removal, and other supply‑side projects. This is the largest federal investment ever aimed directly at adding new water to the Colorado River system.

3. Launch major federal infrastructure projects across the Basin. 
The bill authorizes and accelerates federal construction in the Upper and Lower Basins. It includes:

• Restoring the Yuma Desalting Plant to full capacity.
• Binational desalination with Mexico to reduce U.S. treaty delivery obligations.
• California ocean‑discharge capture to convert wasted stormwater and wastewater into usable supply.
• Arizona and Nevada augmentation projects that move straight from feasibility to construction.
• Upper Basin development projects that increase reliable supply without reducing downstream deliveries.

“My bill offers a path forward by investing in new water, modernizing critical infrastructure, and removing unnecessary federal barriers that can delay projects for years, continued Biggs.“Increasing the amount of water available to the Basin will bolster our single-family housing market, and strengthen food security, economic security, and national security throughout the American Southwest. Congress and the people we serve cannot simply wait for relief from the drought or conserve our way out of this crisis. We must think big, be leaders, and deliver real solutions that will bring relief for decades to come. I urge my colleagues to act quickly and send this legislation to the President’s desk.”

Over the past several years, Congressman Biggs has worked to advance solutions that strengthen Arizona’s water security, improve existing infrastructure, develop new water supplies, and provide relief to communities and stakeholders affected by prolonged drought conditions and reductions in Colorado River water deliveries.

Those efforts include:

In March 2026, Congressman Biggs led Arizona’s Republican Members of Congress in submitting a formal comment letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum expressing serious concerns about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 

In April 2026, Congressman Biggs co-led a letter with Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-09) to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, successfully urging the Bureau of Reclamation to release federal funds to address the ongoing drought across the Colorado River Basin. Reclamation announced they would release $450 million – $350 million of which will flow to Lower Basin States.

Earlier this summer, Congressman Biggs led a letter to U.S. House leadership, urging the inclusion of funds in the recently introduced emergency funding package to address the increasingly dire condition of the Colorado River Basin. The funding would support water infrastructure, investments, upgrades, and long-term planning for the future of this vital resource.

In addition to these efforts, Congressman Biggs worked behind the scenes meeting with federal, state, and local stakeholders to put Arizona in the best-possible position for this new framework.

Read the text of the bill here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) released the following statement marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who died on September 16, 2022, after being detained by Iran’s “morality police.” Her death sparked widespread protests across Iran that became known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.

“Four years ago today, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed after being detained by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s so-called ‘morality police.’

“Mahsa’s brutal death unleashed a wave of defiance and demands for freedom that reverberated around the world. The Iranian regime responded to peaceful dissent with brutal violence and repression. 

“Today, we remember Mahsa and all those who have risked or lost their lives demanding basic freedoms. I will always stand with the Iranian people in their pursuit of freedom and human rights.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) officially awarded a grant of up to $13,610,908 to the State of Georgia for the establishment of the Georgia Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. Following the announcement, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the statement below:

“Funding for the long-awaited veterans cemetery in Augusta has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia. To our veterans and their families in the CSRA and surrounding communities: the tireless work that brought us to this point is for you. I am proud to have played my part at the federal level in delivering over $13 million for this project and I look forward to officially breaking ground as soon as possible. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to Former Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Augusta Commissioner Don Clark for their relentless efforts in making this possible.”

BACKGROUND: On August 5, 2026, Congressman Allen and several community leaders participated in a press conference in Augusta, Georgia—touting the federal funding for this project which Congressman Allen helped deliver. The funding was appropriated via H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2026, and made available through the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program. The funding has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia.

The new cemetery will serve veterans and their eligible family members of the Augusta region in Georgia. The grant will fund the construction of an Administration Building, Maintenance Building with a covered wash bay, Committal Service Shelter, an Assembly Area, 600 full casketed gravesites, 1,500 pre-placed crypts, 900 in-ground cremation gravesites, 960 columbarium niches, a Memorial Wall with 140 memorial wall plaques, an entry feature, roadways, landscape, irrigation, site furnishings and supporting infrastructure. 

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

Today, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger declared a State of Emergency in the Commonwealth. The declaration comes in response to a statewide hay shortage caused by persistent and ongoing drought conditions. 

In response to the State of Emergency declaration, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) released the following statement:

“Hay is an integral agricultural product supporting Virginia farmers, particularly those with cows and horses. But due to devastating drought challenges, access to hay supplies is dwindling.

“I commend the Governor’s action today to address the hay shortage impacting Virginia. 

“I will continue to advocate for our farming and rural communities as they try to access crop relief.” 

BACKGROUND

Congressman Griffith helped lead federal engagement to secure separate USDA Secretarial natural disaster declarations for Virginia farmers. 

In June, Secretary Rollins approved Virginia’s request.

In July, Tazewell County received a primary natural disaster area designation due to recent drought.

In August and September, the USDA extended its natural disaster declaration to many other Ninth District localities.

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