MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

“We expect companies that pride themselves on consumer protection, like Bank of America, to stand up for its customers and not rely on forced arbitration clauses that quietly strip customers of their rights.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) wrote to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, calling on the bank to immediately remove its recently added forced arbitration agreement, hamstringing consumers’ legal rights and denying them the ability to hold corporations accountable.

“The new forced arbitration provision will force Bank of America’s customers into a private and secretive system, rigged against their interests. During the arbitration process, corporations can write the rules and have no obligation to make proceedings public. Without access to the public court system, discovery is typically limited, making it hard for consumers to obtain the evidence needed to prove their case,” wrote the lawmakers.

“We expect companies that pride themselves on consumer protection, like Bank of America, to stand up for its customers and not rely on forced arbitration clauses that quietly strip customers of their rights,” continued the lawmakers. “At a time when costs are rising, Americans are struggling to get by, and the Trump administration has abandoned enforcement of even the most basic consumer protection policies, we are deeply disappointed that Bank of America is imposing yet another obstacle for customers seeking accountability and protection.”

The full letter to Moynihan can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. Moynihan,

We write to urge Bank of America to immediately remove the forced arbitration provision recently added to its Online Banking Service agreement. This inherently unjust provision denies consumers the right to hold corporations accountable and enforce their rights. [1]

In 2009, Bank of America ended its use of forced arbitration clauses in credit card disputes.[2] The change, welcomed by advocates and consumers alike, followed a lawsuit alleging that Bank of America colluded with other banks to implement arbitration provisions – effectively severing a customer’s ability to enforce their rights in court.[3] Bank of America’s decision not to include forced arbitration provisions in its terms thereafter persisted for almost 17 years.[4] In fact, in response to a letter sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2017, Bank of America even called its decision to remove the arbitration clauses the “right business practice to maintain relationships with its clients and customers.”[5]

However, in a significant departure from its historical commitments, Bank of America recently added a forced arbitration provision to its Online Banking Service Terms. As of May 18, 2026, customers will be forced to resolve almost every dispute with Bank of America through forced private arbitration, denying them their right to a jury trial or to participation in class-action lawsuits.[6] Similarly troubling, the Online Banking Service agreement only gives customers 60 days to opt out of the clause – leaving most customers likely unaware that their rights are being stripped away.[7]

The new forced arbitration provision will force Bank of America’s customers into a private and secretive system, rigged against their interests. During the arbitration process, corporations can write the rules and have no obligation to make proceedings public. Without access to the public court system, discovery is typically limited, making it hard for consumers to obtain the evidence needed to prove their case.[8] Additionally, there is no meaningful judicial review, frequently leaving consumers without the ability to appeal a decision even if the arbitrator gets it wrong. The process is binding, forcing consumers into an inherently biased system that they did not choose for themselves.[9]

We expect companies that pride themselves on consumer protection, like Bank of America, to stand up for its customers and not rely on forced arbitration clauses that quietly strip customers of their rights.[10] At a time when costs are rising, Americans are struggling to get by, and the Trump administration has abandoned enforcement of even the most basic consumer protection policies, we are deeply disappointed that Bank of America is imposing yet another obstacle for customers seeking accountability and protection.

We urge Bank of America to immediately remove the forced arbitration clause and restore basic consumer protection principles. In addition, in order to gain a deeper understanding of Bank of America’s decision to add a forced arbitration clause to its Online Banking Service Terms, please provide detailed responses to the following questions by June 26, 2026:

1. Why is Bank of America reversing its 2009 decision to eliminate forced arbitration clauses from its contracts?

2. In 2017, in response to a letter sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren, Bank of America stated that it “implemented revisions to our arbitration policies and procedures almost ten years ago because we believe it is the right business practice for us to maintain relationships with our clients and customers.”[11]
 
a. Is Bank of America no longer concerned with “maintain[ing] relationships with its clients and customers?”

b. Has Bank of America conducted any analysis of the effects this policy will have on its customers?

3. Did Bank of America conduct internal reviews or analyses before deciding to add forced arbitration clauses to its Online Banking Service Terms?

a. If so, please provide any related insight or documentation explaining the factors that contributed to its decision to add forced arbitration clauses.

4. Has Bank of America projected any cost savings or any other return as a result of adding the forced arbitration clause?

5. Will Bank of America commit to reassessing its decision to include forced arbitration provisions?

CITATIONS

[1] Bank of America, “Online Banking Service Agreement,” May 18, 2026, https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/agreement/OnlineBankingServiceAgreementUpdateEN.pdf.
[2] Kathy Chu, “Bank of America ends arbitration of credit card disputes,” ABC News, August 13, 2009, https://abcnews.com/Business/story?id=8324675&page=1.
[3] Associated Press, “BofA Drops Credit Card Arbitration Requirement,” CNBC, August 14, 2025,  https://www.citizen.org/article/coalition-letter-opposing-bank-of-americas-adoption-of-forced-arbitration-provisions-in-its-online-banking-service-agreement/#_ftn2.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Letter to The Honorable Elizabeth Warren from John Collingwood, Director of Federal Government Affairs for Bank of America, Sep. 1, 2017, https://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/2017_09_12_Responses_to_Arb_Letter.pdf.
[6] Bank of America, “Online Banking Service Agreement,” May 18, 2026, https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/agreement/OnlineBankingServiceAgreementUpdateEN.pdf.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Economic Policy Institute, “The Arbitration Epidemic,” December 7, 2015, https://www.epi.org/publication/the-arbitration-epidemic/.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Bank of America, “Our Mission & Vision,” accessed May 19, 2026, https://careers.bankofamerica.com/en-us/company/values.
[11] Letter to The Honorable Elizabeth Warren from John Collingwood, Director of Federal Government Affairs for Bank of America, Sep. 1, 2017, https://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/2017_09_12_Responses_to_Arb_Letter.pdf.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON – Today House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) introduced legislation to guarantee workers receive the full award they deserve when their employers are found liable for employment discrimination.

“It’s unacceptable that many workers are not receiving full compensation after experiencing discrimination,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Arbitrary caps on awards for discrimination allow irresponsible employers to avoid being held accountable for their wrongdoing and add to the harm experienced by workers in discrimination cases. I’m grateful to partner with Ranking Member Scott and Senator Markey to finally end this outdated and harmful practice.”

“Too often, when employers are found liable for discriminating against an employee based on age, for example, the employee is not awarded the full amount that the jury determines they should receive.  This is because of a decades-old law that arbitrarily caps damages for employment discrimination.  Moreover, the caps have not been adjusted over time to keep pace with inflation.  Weak and ineffective penalties do not deter unscrupulous employers from violating workers’ rights and protections,” said Ranking Member Scott.  “The Equal Remedies Act eliminates unfair damage caps and amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act so employees who experience age discrimination can access the same remedies available to those who experience other forms of discrimination.  I am grateful for Rep. Bonamici and Sen. Markey’s leadership on this important issue and look forward to fighting alongside them to ensure workers receive the full amount of damages they are awarded by a jury of their peers.”

“It’s outrageous that many workers are still denied financial justice when they experience discrimination on the job while corporations reap record-high profits,” said Senator Markey. “Arbitrary and outdated caps routinely force judges to slash jury awards, leaving victims with only a fraction of the payment they deserve despite suffering significant economic and emotional harm. The Equal Remedies Act eliminates these unfair limits, holds abusive employers accountable, and gives seniors and other workers a shot at full compensation and real justice.”

The Equal Remedies Act corrects an outdated 1991 law that caps awards in employment discrimination cases and prevents workers from receiving the full amount awarded by a jury.  The maximum award for these cases has not kept pace with inflation and is determined by the number of employees at the place of work without considering the severity of harm caused by the discriminatory behavior.  

The new Equal Remedies Act eliminates unfair damage caps and amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act so employees who experience age discrimination can access the same remedies available to those who experience other forms of discrimination.

The Equal Remedies Act is endorsed by the American Association for Justice (AAJ), Barrett & Farahany, Equal Rights Advocates, Lift Our Voices, National Employment Law Project (NELP), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) Action Fund, People’s Parity Project, WorkLife Law, National Institute for Workers’ Rights, National Employment Lawyers Association.

“For far too long, arbitrary, one-size-fits-all limits on damages in workplace discrimination cases have allowed employers to discriminate at a discount,” said Gaylynn Burroughs, vice president for education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “These caps on jury awards are outdated and unpopular, and it’s time to eliminate them once and for all. The Equal Remedies Act would do just that, ensuring that employers who discriminate are held fully accountable and that workers who experience discrimination can be fully compensated for the harm they have suffered.”

“When Congress capped damages in 1991, it told juries their verdicts didn’t count. The Equal Remedies Act finally fixes that,” said Amanda Farahany, Founding Partner of Barrett & Farahany. “Workers who prove discrimination deserve the full measure of justice a jury says they’re owed — not a number picked by politicians three decades ago.”

The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Pamila Jayapal (D-WA).

To read the full bill text of the Equal Remedies Act, click here.

To read the fact sheet for the Equal Remedies Act, click here.

To read the section-by-section for the Equal Remedies Act, click here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

Rep. Jimmy Gomez Statement on Lebanon War Powers Resolution

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brian Babin (R-TX)

Babin, Cruz Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect MQ-9 Capabilities and Preserve Air National Guard Readiness

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Brian Babin (R-TX) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) introduced the Sustainment of Unmanned Systems, Total Force Aircraft Inventory, and National Guard Protection (SUSTAIN) Act. This bipartisan legislation prohibits the Air Force from reducing MQ-9 units or staffing levels in ways that would erode their current operational capabilities.

Rep. Babin said, “The 147th Attack Wing at Ellington Field in my district represents exactly why this effort is urgently needed. MQ-9 units have provided the nation with persistent ISR, strike, and other critical capabilities that strengthen our national defense. The platform that delivers this capability may evolve over time, but we cannot allow the capability, expertise, and readiness these Airmen provide to disappear without a clear and responsible path forward. I am proud to lead this effort in the House alongside Rep. Houlahan and Senators Cruz, Kelly, and Slotkin to ensure these units are not left behind. At a time when our adversaries are growing more aggressive, we should not weaken our military or hollow out proven capabilities. I will keep fighting to protect Ellington Field, strengthen our Air National Guard, and ensure the United States remains the strongest and most feared military power on Earth.”

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate.

Sen. Cruz said, “The MQ-9 is a proven, cost-effective platform that provides critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. In Texas, they were invaluable after the devastating July 4, 2025 floods, when the Texas Air National Guard’s 147th Attack Wing deployed the MQ-9 to support search, rescue, and recovery operations along the Guadalupe River. I am proud to introduce this legislation to protect the MQ-9’s operational capabilities and preserve this vital asset.”

Sen. Kelly said, “This aircraft is a critical platform for the Arizona National Guard to gather intelligence, conduct surveillance, and perform strike missions. We must invest in the best tools that strengthen our national security. With this bill we’re making sure servicemembers have the equipment they need at a time of growing global threats.”

Sen. Slotkin said, “Protecting Air National Guard missions has been a priority for me since my time in the House. The message is simple: don’t take away missions from the National Guard until you have a plan to replace it. The same rule applies here. I’m glad to have bipartisan support to protect these missions and the servicemembers that form the backbone of our military, including at Battle Creek in Michigan. The SUSTAIN Act holds the Air Force to a basic standard: show us the plan before you start cutting people and planes. Our National Guard units deserve that, and our national security will be stronger because of it.”

BACKGROUND

The Sustainment of Unmanned Systems, Total Force Aircraft Inventory, and National Guard Protection (SUSTAIN) Act prohibits the U.S. Air Force from reducing MQ-9 aircraft, units, or staffing levels from the date of enactment through September 30, 2032. The bill provides an exception for MQ-9 aircraft that are determined to be no longer mission-capable and too costly to repair due to a critical malfunction or if an MQ-9 unit undergoes a change of mission.

This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a full Ways & Means Committee hearing with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, highlighted the success of Erie’s Opportunity Zones. Kelly also invited the Secretary to Erie to tour the city’s projects.

“Opportunity Zone investments have expanded housing, supported small businesses and entrepreneurship, spurred innovation, and revitalized long-forgotten communities. Erie, Pennsylvania, demonstrates the transformative potential of Opportunity Zones,” said Rep. Kelly.

“I’ve heard that Erie is the posterchild in a great way for Opportunity Zones. So, I look forward to coming to visit, and I look forward to visiting the rural areas in your district,” said Sec. Bessent.

VIDEO: Watch Rep. Kelly’s exchange with Sec. Bessent during Thursday’s hearing on Rep. Kelly’s YouTube channel.

BACKGROUND

Opportunity Zones were first created under the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA). They allow investors from all over the United States to invest their capital gains earnings in economically distressed communities where new investments can be eligible for preferential capital gains tax treatment. Instead of sitting idle in a brokerage or bank account, this money is put to work in communities that have not seen significant private investment for some time. 

Rep. Kelly has led Opportunity Zones legislation in Congress. In 2025, The Working Families Tax Cuts made permanent and expanded Rep. Kelly’s Opportunity Zones (OZ) legislation, which encourages private investment in low-income and rural communities.

In March, he introduced the “Increasing Housing in Opportunity Zones Act,” legislation that enables the U.S. Secretary of Housing & Urban Development added weight to applicants for competitive HUD grants that are located in, or primarily serve, designated Opportunity Zones to support housing preservation and construction. The legislation passed the U.S. House in May.

Since its enactment, Opportunity Zones have attracted more than $100 billion in private investment across thousands of communities nationwide.

About Erie’s Opportunity Zones

Erie, Pennsylvania may best exemplify the economic benefits and the tangible changes Opportunity Zones can create in a relatively short period of time. In 2018, the city’s downtown ZIP code, 16501, was named the poorest in Pennsylvania and among the poorest nationwide. However, through the potential of OZs, the stigma of Pennsylvania’s poorest ZIP code served as a springboard for investment in the area. 

Shortly after TCJA was signed into law, a group of local residents recognized how Opportunity Zones could revitalize the city. Major employers, local universities and other organizations partnered to provide initial financial backing to form the Erie Downtown Development Corporation (EDDC).  

To date, EDDC has leveraged more than $115 million in private investment into downtown Erie, which has built 108 new fully occupied residences, revitalized and created more than 100,000 square feet of new commercial space, and established space for 25 new businesses. Overall, $400 million of long-term capital investment is at work, breathing new life into Downtown Erie. 

You can read Rep. Kelly’s op-ed with U.S. Housing & Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) from 2025 on FoxNews.com here. 

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, during a U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing, Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins on the recent detection of New World Screwworm in the United States, as well as rising costs and staffing cuts affecting the Department’s ability to respond to agricultural threats.

“I continue to hear from Kansas farmers and ranchers who feel like they are getting hit from every single direction,” said Davids. “When farmers are hurting, it doesn’t stay on the farm. It affects food prices, local businesses, and the entire country and our rural communities. And that’s exactly why farmers need a Department of Agriculture that they can count on. Instead, we have seen significant staffing cuts across the board.”

WATCH: Davids speaks with USDA Secretary Rollins during today’s hearing

The USDA confirmed yesterday that New World Screwworm larvae were detected in a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas — the first confirmed case in the United States in decades. The New World Screwworm is a flesh-eating parasite that can devastate livestock herds, threaten ranchers’ livelihoods, and drive up grocery prices. Federal and state officials have established surveillance zones and initiated eradication measures, including increased deployment of sterile flies designed to stop reproduction of the pest.

The parasite’s northward spread from Mexico has raised concern among agriculture experts due to its potential to rapidly damage cattle herds and other livestock. Analysts estimate that even a limited outbreak could cost producers approximately $732 million per year and result in $1.8 billion in total losses. The cattle industry alone represents a $15 billion sector in Kansas.

“Yesterday, when confirming the New World Screwworm case in Texas, I have to say I was struck by your use of the phrase ‘as expected’ in the USDA post on X,” Davids told Secretary Rollins. “I know there were projections on timing, … but from talking to Kansans, I can say that ranchers don’t care that it’s expected. They want to know what’s being done to prevent [it].”

Davids also highlighted broader pressures facing Kansas farmers, including rising input costs and market uncertainty. She cited a 30 percent increase in fertilizer prices, $28 billion in crop losses over the last crop year tied to trade policy uncertainty, and a 70 percent increase in Midwest farm bankruptcies last year. 

Davids has consistently worked to support rural communities while pushing back against extreme policies that make it harder for producers to thrive. She voted for a bipartisan Farm Bill to provide certainty for Kansas producers, opposed reckless tariffs that are driving up costs, and introduced legislation aimed at strengthening the food supply chain and lowering fertilizer costs. She has also raised concerns about the President’s Argentina beef bailout, which puts foreign producers ahead of American ranchers.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

The video below, titled “Rep. Al Green Confronts Sec. Mullin Over Mullin’s Temperament and Opposition to Peaceful Protest,” as reported by some members of the press, has been distorted. We believe that the short video below, when viewed in its entirety and in context, speaks for itself. We will leave it to viewers to judge the exchange on its merits.

It is important to note that Congressman Al Green’s line of questioning was, in part, a response to the comments below made by Sec. Mullin during his opening statement. 

The following bolded language is excerpted from Sec. Mullin’s remarks: “You start talking about peaceful protesters and racism. Racism is a reckless term that is thrown around way too often. It’s thrown around like it is true. And yet you can’t point to something that is actually racism. It’s just a term when you lack the words to actually describe your hatred towards President Trump, so you just use racism.”

You can access the video by clicking the link here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

“Now, look, I support using the clemency power to rectify injustices when the criminal legal system gets it wrong.”

“But Donald Trump, with the support of Republicans in Congress, is using his authority to reward fraudsters—and he is doing so at the expense of victims of fraud.”

In December, Pressley Released First-Of-Its-Kind Report Exposing Trump’s Clemency Gap, How his Pardons Neglect Those Who Need Them Most

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – During the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses’ first hearing on alleged fraud in Medicaid waiver programs, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)condemned Trump’s clemency gap and corrupt use of pardons, exposing the hypocrisy of the Trump administration’s fraud attacks while he pardons fraudsters, political allies, and the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of victims of fraud and those who need clemency the most.

A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s question line during the hearing is available below and the video is available here. 

Transcript: Pressley Condemns Trump’s Clemency Gap, Pardoning Fraudsters & Political Allies at Expense of Victims of Fraud

U.S. House of Representatives

June 3, 2026

REP. PRESSLEY: Today’s hearing is the first one convened by the so-called Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses. And yet we are ignoring the fact that Donald Trump is the single largest threat to our Constitution – and judges across our country have consistently ruled, in fact, that he has violated the law. 

And when it comes to institutional abuses, Trump created a $1.8 billion fund to directly send taxpayer dollars to his friends and political allies. 

That is what I call fraud.

But Republicans want to ignore Trump’s culpability. So, let’s discuss a federal government response to what is happening in Ohio.

Mr. Faber, given your role as state auditor, when public funds are stolen, what do you consider to be meaningful accountability?

MR. FABER: Chairman, Representative. Essentially the question is, what do you think needs to happen to people who are caught stealing, lying, cheating with government money, as we have done in 165 different cases? 

You hold them accountable. If it is convictable fraud, meaning a crime, you prosecute them and send them prison. 

On the other hand, a lot of what we see—as I talked about earlier, as somebody who prosecutes fraudsters—is waste or abuse, and that is essentially a public policy question. 

You need to tighten the controls, tighten the eligibility, tighten the parameters of the program to limit waste and abuse. 

We lose more money in waste and abuse than we do in other areas, but fraud is certainly something if you catch somebody who violates the law, you hold them accountable and you prosecute them. That’s what I’ve done. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay, well, I’ll just say yes, and in my opinion, accountability must also include restorative justice—so that means making communities whole.

It means putting the stolen money back into programs that it was taken from, and sending a clear message that theft of public good, of public funds simply does not pay. It is unacceptable. 

I don’t feel that’s the standard that’s being modeled by Republicans. 

In today’s hearing, we’ve seen and heard people castigate and attack caregivers who bathe our elders, who cook for disabled neighbors, and keep families together in their homes.

And so when it comes to holding bad actors accountable and helping victims, Trump and Republican sycophants seem to me to be deeply unserious, and that is a choice. It’s a deliberate choice. 

Mr. Faber, do you believe that individuals—and this is a yes or no question, please—that individuals convicted of health care fraud should have to pay restitution? Yes or no?

MR. FABER: Absolutely, we have issued tens, hundreds of millions of dollars of findings for recovery for restitutions, not just on convictions, but when we find somebody has violated the rules.

REP. PRESSLEY: All right, and I’ll just ask for the entire dais.

Ms. Roziak, do you believe individuals convicted of health care fraud should have to pay restitution? Yes or no?

MS. ROZIAK: Yes.

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay. And Representative Dovilla?

REP. DOVILLA: Yes.

REP. PRESSLEY: And Senator Antonio?

SEN. ANTONIO: Yes.

REP. PRESSLEY: Alright, so you agree, but you know who doesn’t, Donald J. Trump. 

In fact, I want to ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a June 2025 article from Truthout, titled “Trump Grants Clemency to Executive Who Orchestrated $205 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme.”

CHAIR: Without objection.

REP. PRESSLEY: Now, look, I support using the clemency power to rectify injustices when the criminal legal system gets it wrong.

But Donald Trump, with the support of Republicans in Congress, is using his authority to reward fraudsters—and he is doing so at the expense of victims of fraud.

I published a report called Trump’s Clemency Gap. It reveals how Trump has prioritized pardoning people who collectively defrauded the federal government of over $2 billion in taxpayer money. 

For example, in 2011 Florida resident Lawrence Duran, owner of American Therapeutic Corporation, was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for orchestrating a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme involving false and fraudulent claims for mental health services. 

A federal judge ordered Duran to pay more than $87 million in restitution, which Trump wiped away. 

This task force should have a hearing about that. 

Senator Antonio, do you support Trump denying $87 million in restitution to victims when he commuted Lawrence Duran? Yes or no?

SEN. ANTONIO: No.

REP. PRESSLEY: Representative Villa?

REP. DOVILLA: It’s not an issue I’ve looked at, and it’s not relative to this hearing. 

REP. PRESSLEY: I’m asking, I’m asking you now—

REP. DOVILLA: Congresswoman—

REP. PRESSLEY: It’s pretty clean. Do you support Trump denying $87 million in restitution to victims when he commuted Lawrence Duran? 

REP. DOVILLA: I stand by the statement I’ve given you. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay, Mr. Roziak?

MR. ROZIAK: Same answer as Ms. Dovilla.

REP. PRESSLEY: Well, I don’t know. I guess I just have to take that as a no. Mr. Faber?

MR. FABER: No, I’m not familiar with the facts. The short answer is, the President has— 

REP. PRESSLEY: I’m making you aware of it right now, so you could just—

MR. FABER: You’re not. Without me understanding both sides, without the President’s facts in the commutation, he has that—

REP. PRESSLEY: There’s really not both sides, somebody’s—

MR. FABER: Now, the fact is, is there are things that I disagreed with the Biden partners as well, but—

REP. PRESSLEY: Fair enough, but that also is not the subject of this hearing, so that’s not germane, but this is—and we should be having a hearing about that. 

Thank you.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Rep. Lauren Underwood and House Democrats forced a vote on the Floor to end President Trump’s reckless and costly war in Iran. For more than 90 days, President Trump and his administration have waged war without a clear strategy, defined objectives, or congressional authorization, dragging America further and further into Trump’s self-declared war of choice.

“Today Democrats took control of the House and passed legislation to end Trump’s war in Iran and rein in this reckless president,” said Rep. Underwood. “President Trump promised lower costs and an end to foreign wars, but that was a lie. While American families struggle with soaring costs, the Trump Administration has spent tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on a war that has fueled higher gas prices, increased economic uncertainty, and put American servicemembers in harm’s way.”

“Families in our community want lower costs, affordable health care, and a government that works for them – not more endless wars in the Middle East. President Trump may not think about the American people when he’s waging wars, but House Democrats are focused on lowering costs and making Americans safer and healthier while holding this out-of-control administration accountable.”

President Trump’s open-ended, undefined military engagement is precisely what the War Powers Resolution was designed to restrain. Democrats’ War Powers Resolution directs the President to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran without a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force (AUMF), except for those elements necessary to defend the U.S. or an ally from imminent attack. Today’s vote reaffirms the Constitutional principle that only Congress can declare war.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, June 4, 2026, the House Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy Co-Chairs Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles County), Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (D-NC), and Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) released the following statement:

“While we appreciate the bipartisan effort from Representatives Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan, their proposed discussion draft on AI does not meet the enormity of the moment. We do not support the discussion draft as it currently stands.

The House Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy has spent months working closely with our colleagues and key stakeholders from civil society organizations, industry, labor, academia, and others addressing AI issues. Many of those same organizations share our view that this document cannot serve as the basis for productive dialogue.

We look forward to continuing this discussion and developing thoughtful AI policies that protect the American people and drive American innovation.”