Rep. Neguse, “The bills before us do nothing to improve the lives of working families in our country.”

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

Washington, D.C. — In case you missed it, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse managed Floor debate against a Republican-led Rules package providing for consideration of four bills, including H.Res. 1156—a non-binding resolution that seeks to rename the widely unpopular “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” to the “Working Families Tax Cuts.” In the measure, Republicans also express support for the policies enacted under this legislation, which cut taxes for the richest 10% of Americans while kicking 15 million people off their health care coverage, gutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and adding $5 trillion to the national debt. 

The Rule also provided consideration for H.R. 6387, the FIRE Act; H.R. 6409, the FENCES Act; and H.R. 6398, the RED Tape Act. These bills seek to amend the Clean Air Act and give handouts to polluters.  

Democrat slams GOP for commemorating devastating tax law

Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado criticized Republicans on the House floor Wednesday for wasting Tax Day—after a two-week Easter vacation—patting themselves on the back for their “One Big, Beautiful Bill” instead of doing anything remotely useful. 

“Republicans control the floor. They could put a bill on the floor to address cost of living issues. They could put a bill on the floor to address soaring gas prices. They could put a bill on the floor to address rising health care costs,” Neguse said. “But instead we’re here to debate a commemorative resolution. It is absurd.” 

Read HERE

‘It Was So Unpopular That They Had To Change The Name’: Joe Neguse Hammers GOP On Big Beautiful Bill

NEGUSE: “[L]ast month, Speaker Johnson gaveled out this chamber and sent members of Congress home for a 2-week recess. He did so despite the fact that the Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for 60 days—and counting. Despite the fact that President Trump had made a reckless and unlawful declaration of war without congressional authorization. Despite soaring gas prices and the ongoing cost of living crisis stretching from New York, the home of my distinguished colleague, to Colorado. Despite the heat, the drought, and the wildfire records being shattered in the western United States. Despite all of that, Speaker Johnson made the decision to gavel the house out of session and send everybody home. And now we’re back. 2-week recess concluded. What has the Republican majority decided is the most pressing challenge and issue for this august body to debate? I’ll tell you, Mr. Speaker. Apparently, it’s a resolution commemorating a bill that Republicans passed last year. That’s what we’re here to debate. Republicans control the floor. They could put a bill on the floor to address cost of living issues. They could put a bill on the floor to address soaring gas prices. They could put a bill on the floor to address rising health care costs. But instead, we’re here to debate a commemorative resolution. It is absurd.” 

Watch HERE

‘The Bills Before Us Do Nothing’: Neguse Torches GOP Legislation Amid Affordability Concerns 

NEGUSE: “Week after week, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have opted to take up a variety of legislation. The one common thread is that it fails to meet the moment. Americans sent us here to work on the issues that they care most about. That have the most impact on their everyday lives. The rising affordability crisis. Expanding access to affordable health care. Protecting our environment and public resources. Not to gut air pollution standards and pass commemorative resolutions, patting ourselves on the back—patting themselves on the back. That’s not how Congress should be spending its precious time. The bills before us do nothing, nothing to improve the lives of working families in our country. And it’s why I would encourage my colleagues to oppose the previous question, the rule, and the underlying bills.” 

Watch HERE.  

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Congresswoman Torres Votes No on FISA Reauthorization

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

April 16, 2026

Cites Threats to Americans’ Privacy

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) voted against reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), warning that current law allows the government to collect and search Americans’ communications without a warrant.

“I will not support expanding surveillance powers without real safeguards to prevent abuse by the Trump Administration. If Congress won’t enforce constitutional limits, we’re not strengthening security, we’re eroding the very freedoms we claim to defend.”

“It is already happening. The Trump Administration is misusing law enforcement authorities intended to protect Americans and directing them against the very people they are meant to serve. They are attacking political opponents and using our intelligence services to chase down false conspiracy theories. They cannot be trusted with additional powers to surveil Americans.”

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Krishnamoorthi Demands SBA Action on Economic Damage Caused by Operation Midway Blitz in Broadview and Across Illinois

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi sent a letter on April 16, 2026, to Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler and the SBA Office of Advocacy demanding immediate federal action to support Illinois small businesses harmed by Operation Midway Blitz and calling for a formal public assessment of the operation’s economic impact, including the losses suffered in Broadview and communities across the state.

In the letter, Krishnamoorthi raises alarm over the “severe economic impact that Operation Midway Blitz has had on the small business community in Illinois” and calls on the SBA “to immediately take action to support small businesses across the state of Illinois and any other communities that have documented substantial economic losses due to immigration enforcement operations.”

The letter details the extensive economic fallout from the operation, including year-over-year revenue declines of 20 to 50 percent for many local enterprises, steep declines in foot traffic, workforce instability, and mounting risks to long-term business viability.

Krishnamoorthi specifically highlights the economic damage in Broadview, writing that the village has been “ground zero for DHS and its unlawful actions during Operation Midway Blitz” and noting that, according to Mayor Katrina Thompson, businesses in the village have collectively lost over $350,000 in revenue as a direct result of the operation.

“For a small community, this level of economic loss is devastating and underscores how quickly federal enforcement actions can destabilize local economies,” Krishnamoorthi wrote.

The Congressman also calls on the SBA Office of Advocacy to “immediately undertake a formal economic impact assessment of Operation Midway Blitz, including neighborhood-level data on business closures, revenue losses, and employment disruption,” and requests that the findings be made public and transmitted to his office by June 15, 2026.

Krishnamoorthi adds that “the scale of these impacts raises serious questions regarding the absence of safeguards or mitigation measures for small businesses caught in the wake of federal operations” and demands that the SBA use “any tools at your disposal” to support Chicago-area small businesses facing documented revenue losses.

The letter is available here.

Castro, Casten, Van Hollen, Kaine Demand Transparency from Trump Administration on United States-Venezuela Energy Deal

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

April 17, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) are demanding transparency from the Trump Administration on its energy deal with Venezuela, an unprecedented attempt to seize control of a sovereign nation’s natural resources. The members are pressing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a full audit of this deal.

The lawmakers underscored that President Trump’s executive order gives his administration unprecedented authority over Venezuelan oil supply, writing, “This gives senior Trump Administration officials sweeping discretion over how the Venezuelan oil funds will be spent and it is unclear whether the appropriate anti-corruption and anti-money laundering controls exist to ensure that the funds are not enabling the illicit drug trade and other criminal activities in Venezuela.”

The lawmakers criticized the lack of oversight of the deal, writing, “Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that no formal audit agreement was in place, but his agency plans to engage outside auditors to review future payments. This lack of a defined oversight mechanism, combined with the arrangement’s significant scale and its national security and foreign policy implications, warrants independent congressional oversight.”

They concluded by requesting a GAO audit and that the “scope of the review cover both the period of time that the funds were routed to accounts in Qatar, the current arrangement for funds to be routed to U.S. accounts controlled by the Treasury Department, and any other successor mechanism utilized by the Administration to facilitate the sale of Venezuelan oil, custody of these assets, and disbursement of these funds.”

In part, the lawmakers are requesting that the GAO audit include:

  • Potential areas for fraud, waste, abuse, and conflicts of interest.

Read the full details of the audit and the full letter here.


Workforce Protections Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at 7th Hearing on AI’s Impact on Workers’ Rights

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at today’s subcommittee hearing entitled, “Building an AI-Ready America: Understanding AI’s Economic Impact on Workers and Employers.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for joining us today.

“Today marks the seventh hearing this Committee has held on artificial intelligence (AI) this Congress.

“To put things into perspective, here is a list of issues in our jurisdiction that we haven’t held even a single hearing on— the healthcare workforce shortage, plummeting wages, school meal access, fair scheduling practices, wage theft, worker misclassification, gig economy protections, heat stress, and child labor prevention.

“And is this singular focus even amounting to anything? After seven AI hearings, Committee Republicans have not produced a single plan or bill to protect workers from AI risks.

“Republicans also have no plan to tackle the current cost-of-living crisis. President Trump’s reckless policies and Congressional Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ are only making things worse.

“Millions of working families are struggling to afford rent, groceries, and gas.  Many working-class Americans are being forced to dip into their retirement savings or sell their plasma to help pay their bills.

“And AI has the very real potential to deepen this economic hardship and inequality. Congress cannot stand on the sidelines and hope that corporations are going to do the right thing for workers.  

“For example, more companies are using automated technologies to constantly monitor their workers: from tracking their bathroom breaks to checking the tone of their voice.  Some employers have even used AI-powered tools as a weapon to retaliate against workers who might want to unionize.   

“These AI tools are also becoming widespread in the employment process, with more cases of AI-enabled discrimination in hiring.

“Despite instances of AI labor abuses, there have been successful efforts to keep this technology in check.  Labor unions have been at the frontlines in this fight by using their power to bargain over working conditions to prevent the reckless use of AI and guarantee that workers have a voice in its development and implementation.

“Additionally, some states have stepped up to protect workers by passing their own guardrails on the use of AI.  But instead of holding tech companies accountable, the Trump Administration is actively undermining these states’ AI laws and looking to pass legislation to preempt any regulation. 

“As critical as it is to establish new guardrails on AI, we also cannot forget about enforcing our existing worker protection laws.  While AI may be new, there is no AI loophole for wage theft, union-busting, and antidiscrimination laws. 

“Agencies like the National Labor Relations Board and the Department of Labor have the duty and the power to protect workers during the rise of AI, but they need more resources.  Unfortunately, these agencies have been hollowed out by the Trump Administration’s vicious campaign to slash the federal workforce.  And in his latest budget, Trump is also proposing to cut funding for these severely understaffed agencies. 

“If we are going to uplift working Americans, a bold pro-worker AI agenda must help more workers join unions, place appropriate limits on AI, safeguard worker privacy, and enforce worker protections. 

“At the end of the day, AI is a tool.  Whether this tool will benefit corporations and their wealthy executives or the working class and the middle class is a policy choice.  It is up to Congress to make the right choice—and that starts with centering American workers, their livelihoods, and their well-being.

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.”

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McCaul, Luttrell Urge President Trump to Expand Veterans' Access to Life-Saving Neuroplastogen Treatment

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — and Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas) wrote a letter to President Donald Trump, highlighting the mounting evidence that neuroplastogen medicines, particularly ibogaine, can accelerate the healing process for veterans struggling with mental health and substance addictions. In the letter, McCaul and Luttrell urged the Trump administration to expand access to these life-saving treatments for our nation’s heroes.

“Every day, an average of 17 veterans take their own lives. These are men and women who survived combat, who came home, and who then lost a quieter and longer war against the invisible wounds they carried with them. Evidence is mounting that neuroplastogen medicines, such as ibogaine, can provide a durable path to healing where traditional medicine has failed,” the members wrote.

They continued, “This breakthrough rests on a new understanding of how these medicines interact with the brain. Unlike traditional treatments that manage symptoms, ibogaine appears to work at a deeper level, stimulating the brain’s own repair mechanisms and encouraging the growth of new neural connections that can bypass the damaged pathways underlying PTSD, depression, TBI, and addiction. A 2024 study from Stanford University found that a single ibogaine treatment produced dramatic reductions in PTSD, depression, and anxiety among veterans with traumatic brain injuries, along with meaningful improvements in cognitive function. No approved treatment has come close to this level of impact, and larger controlled trials are needed to fully understand it.”

Click here to read full text of the letter.

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Huffman, Raskin, Colleagues Demand Answers About Trump Admin’s Suspicious Military Changes Threatening Religious Freedom

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

April 02, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressional Freethought Caucus Co-Chairs Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) led their colleagues in a letter to Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers regarding the Trump administration’s recent changes within the military that threaten the religious freedom of U.S. service members.

The letter expresses concern surrounding three specific decisions from the administration: reducing the Department of Defense’s Faith and Belief codes, withdrawing the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide, and ordering Chaplains to replace their rank insignia with religious symbols on their uniforms.

“American service members put their lives on the line to defend our country and our Constitution. Each service member is in turn guaranteed their own First Amendment right to practice their religion—or no religion at all—as they see fit,” the lawmakers wrote.

“[Y]our actions signal a departure from decades of precedent protecting service members against undue restrictions on their personal religious practice while also exposing them to unwanted and taxpayer-funded religious proselytization.”

The lawmakers argue that these policies disproportionately affect service members who belong to religious minorities, identity as nonreligious, or do not subscribe to the same theological beliefs as the administration.

“[W]e plan to ensure that DoD is not backsliding on its historic commitment to every service member’s religious free exercise and freedom from religious coercion and government orthodoxy. It is not your job to promote a particular religious creed in the Department of Defense, but rather to protect all service members’ constitutional rights and faithfully implement the law,” the members said.

The members outlined a series of requests and questions to help ensure service members’ First Amendment right of religious freedom is protected:

  1. Please share the full list of the newest Faith and Belief Codes.
  2. Please share DoD’s written justification for rescinding the longstanding Faith and Belief Codes. Please additionally describe the process DoD used to determine which codes would be removed from the Faith and Belief Codes updated during the first Trump Administration.
  3. With these changes, how will the DoD protect the religious freedom rights of service members from minority faiths and belief backgrounds, including humanists and non-religious service members?
  4. How will the DoD protect all service members’ access to the benefits of working with chaplains in a manner that is authentic to their beliefs?
  5. What guidance will the DOD provide to chaplains to ensure that chaplains do not proselytize to servicemembers?
  6. Will a new guide replace the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide? If a new guide on spiritual or religious fitness will be produced, we request:
    1. Criteria used to determine changes from the 2025 guide;
    2. Any documents currently in formation; and
    3. Information about who is being consulted.
  7. Please share all evidence complied by the Department used to determine there was undue “secular humanism” influence in the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide prior to these changes. How will the DoD ensure that any new materials promulgated to replace the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide do not promote any specific religion or religious belief, including theism?

Read the full letter here.

In addition to Reps. Huffman and Raskin, the letter was signed by Reps. Julia Brownley, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Sarah McBride, and Becca Balint.

The Congressional Freethought Caucus is an interfaith group of Members dedicated to advocating for religious freedom, church-state separation, and public policies based on science and reason.

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Rep. Haley Stevens, Colleagues Introduce Clean Slate Legislation Delivering Relief for Student Loan Borrowers

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) joined Congresswomen Nikema Williams (GA-05), Alma Adams (NC-12), and Deborah Ross (NC-02) in introducing a suite of legislation designed to help federal student loan borrowers recover from default and rebuild their financial futures.

The Clean Slate through Consolidation Act, Clean Slate through Rehabilitation Act, and Clean Slate through Repayment Act would remove default records from the credit histories of borrowers who have taken meaningful steps to resolve their federal student loan debt.

Across Michigan and the nation, millions of borrowers face long-term financial barriers due to student loan defaults, even after taking steps to repay their debt. These barriers can limit access to housing, transportation, and small business opportunities. The Clean Slate legislative package ensures that borrowers who act responsibly are not permanently penalized. The Clean Slate through Consolidation Act, which Stevens wrote, wipes away borrowers’ bad credit history from a defaulted student loan once they have obtained a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan.

“Michiganders who make a good faith effort to pay off their student loans deserve a fair chance to reestablish their credit and participate in our economy,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “I am proud to join with my colleagues on this legislation that empowers borrowers to get back on track and start saving for their future.”

“I struggled to repay my student loans long after graduating. I understand the burden they place on a budget,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams. “Today, default and delinquency rates are reaching record highs, while Trump kicks over 7 million people off of the SA VE Program. We cannot abandon our students to drown in their debts. The student debt crisis demands a response, especially while everything from housing to groceries is getting more expensive. The Clean Slate series offers people the second chance they need to build on their education and escape the crushing weight of student loan debt.”

“As a first-generation college student, I know how hard it is to make ends meet and pay for college,” said Congresswoman Adams, founder and co-chair of the HBCU Caucus. “That’s why the Clean Slate Series is so necessary. Burdensome student loan debt is dragging down millions of our best and brightest, preventing borrowers across generations from qualifying for the credit they need to buy a house, lease a car, or start a business. These three bills help borrowers hit the reset button and unlock a brighter future for themselves and their families. Especially in the wake of the Supreme Court’s denial of debt relief to millions of Americans, student loan debt remains a serious and often unfair burden for our families. I promised action on student loan debt, and with these three bills, Congresswomen Stevens, Ross, Williams, and I intend to deliver.”

“Our nation is facing an unprecedented student debt crisis, and many young Americans are burdened with an adverse credit history as a result,” said Congresswoman Ross. “Students should not be punished for seeking an education, but the high cost of learning has prevented many young people from pursuing their dreams. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing a series of bills that will help borrowers recover from crippling student loan debt and reach their goals – whether it’s buying a home, owning a car, starting a business, or saving for the future.”

This legislation has been endorsed by the National Education Association (NEA), American

Federation of Teachers (AFT), The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), the

National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), and the Center for Responsible Lending.

Text of the Clean Slate through Consolidation Act.

Text of the Clean Slate through Rehabilitation Act.

Text of the Clean Slate through Repayment Act.

 

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Congress Recognizes the Lifesaving Work of 9-1-1 Professionals During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

April 17, 2026

Washington, D.C – This week, Representatives Norma Torres and Brian Fitzpatrick, and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ted Budd join with our colleagues in Congress in celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 13-19, 2026, honoring the dedicated 9-1-1 professionals across the country whose calm voices and quick actions help protect and save lives every day.

Last year, we introduced bipartisan resolutions in the House of Representatives and the Senate supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and honoring the extraordinary role these professionals play in our nation’s emergency response system.

We are proud to continue that recognition this year. Every day, public safety 9-1-1 professionals demonstrate remarkable skill and composure as they answer calls for help, manage complex emergencies, support first responders in the field, and help ensure that those in need receive timely assistance. Public safety telecommunicators form the backbone of our emergency response system and their critical work often goes unrecognized as they work behind the scenes to keep our communities safe. This work requires resilience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to public safety.

During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we encourage communities across the country to join us in thanking the public safety dispatchers who answer the call and help save lives every day.

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Congressman Biggs Co-Sponsors the SWALWELL Act

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.- This week, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) co-sponsored the SWALWELL Act, which would prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for settlements of workplace misconduct claims involving Members of Congress or their senior staff, require personal financial accountability, ensure transparency of past settlements while protecting victims, and mandate referral of criminal allegations to the Department of Justice.

The introduction of the bill by Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-05) responds to a pattern of Members of Congress committing serious crimes or indiscretions and American taxpayers footing the bill for the settlements arising from the unethical or illegal actions. Most recently, Eric Swalwell resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives after horrifying allegations were revealed about his behavior in office, including with a member of his congressional staff, prompting the legislation.

“For far too long, many Members of Congress have used their shielded positions of power to harm and exploit vulnerable individuals, all while misusing the trust and dollars of hardworking taxpayers without any transparency,”said Congressman Biggs.“This behavior is beneath the sacred trust given by the American people, and it’s past time for these disgusting actions to end. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring the SWALWELL Act to send a message to future violators that they will be held accountable while protecting victims’ privacy and safety.”

Read the bill here. 

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