MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Olivia Porcaro 202-225-6165

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) and Subcommittee Chairman Steve Womack (AK-03) led a House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agents Subcommittee budget hearing, where they collected testimony from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget for the agency. Congressman Cole utilized some of his time with the Secretary to advocate for the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, which is home to the only training center in the country for FAA-certified air traffic controllers. After the hearing, Congressman Cole released the following statement:

“Oklahoma has long been a hub for aerospace and aviation industry development. The Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center is not only a key administrative, research, and safety hub for the FAA, but it is also home to the FAA Academy – and Secretary Duffy is more than aware of this. His support for the Center, as well as determination to supercharge controller hiring, has made a real difference and reflects a general understanding of what this facility means to the safety of our entire aviation system,” said Congressman Cole

“We have the land, the facilities, and a world-class staff in Oklahoma City to ensure that air traffic controllers receive in-person, focused, state-of-art training. Therefore, I personally will continue to fight for the funding this center needs to modernize and expand, while at the same time push back on any effort to decentralize or weaken what we have built at the Center,” said Congressman Cole.

“I’d like to thank Secretary Duffy for the attention he has given to Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, for attending this House Appropriations subcommittee hearing today, and for his leadership and commitment to our nation’s transportation sector. I look forward to continuing to work with him in the future,” said Congressman Cole.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced that New Jersey will receive $258,000 in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to monitor water quality at beaches across the state, helping protect swimmers and notify the public when contamination makes swimming unsafe.

The funding comes just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer tourism season at the Jersey Shore.

“New Jersey’s beaches drive our economy, support local jobs, and bring millions of people to the Shore every summer,” said Pallone. “This funding helps make sure beachgoers can trust that the water is safe before they dive in. It’s also exactly why I fought to strengthen and reauthorize the BEACH Act earlier this year — because protecting public health and protecting the Shore go hand in hand.”

The funding is provided through the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, landmark legislation originally authored by Pallone in 2000 to establish national standards for beach water testing and public notification systems.

Earlier this year, Pallone helped lead House passage of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the BEACH Act through 2031. The bill expands testing to include shallow waters where children and seniors are more likely to swim and gives states more tools to identify pollution sources before contamination reaches beaches.

Under the EPA grant program, states monitor coastal recreational waters for elevated bacteria levels and issue advisories or closures when conditions become unsafe for swimming.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) participated in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s markup of the Build America 250 Act, a bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill that strengthens critical infrastructure and keeps people and goods moving safely and efficiently across the country. Several of Stauber’s priorities were included in this legislation, including his Brake for Kids Act and several permitting reform provisions.

Under this legislation, Minnesota is estimated to receive $4,836,979,308 in highway apportionments and $141,618,838 per year to support the rehabilitation and construction of bridges in the State. It also prioritizes rural and small communities through dedicated funding for discretionary grant programs.

Of this legislation, Stauber said, “This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked up the most significant surface transportation bill in decades. This legislation returns our nation’s investments to traditional infrastructure projects by securing the first new revenue into the Highway Trust Fund in over 30 years and making the largest investment into bridges in our history. Rural America is being prioritized under this legislation, and once passed, I expect to see significant funding distributed to much needed projects in Minnesota’s Eighth District. I was also proud to have many of my legislative priorities included, like significant permitting reform to speed up project delivery and my Brake for Kids Act to protect kids from illegal school bus passings. I look forward to seeing this legislation swiftly pass off the House Floor.”

Here is a breakdown of bill highlights included in the bill: 

• Focuses on America’s Highways and Bridges by providing the largest ever investment in bridges, delivering more than 90 percent of highway funding via formula, and continuing flexibility for states, recognizing they know best how to address their unique needs. 
• Speeds up project permitting by reducing costs and delays associated with the project permitting process, removing unnecessary project review steps, and streamlining permitting timelines.
• Strengthens the Highway Trust Fundby ensuring all users of the infrastructure, including electric vehicles, pay their fair share. 
• Includes the Brake for Kids Act, Stauber’s legislation that directs the Secretary of Transportation to produce and distribute a national public safety messaging campaign to increase awareness and education about the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses. 
• Supports Buy America lawsto ensure all federally assisted surface transportation infrastructure projects are constructed using U.S.-produced iron and steel, construction materials, and manufactured products. 
• Continues the consistent application of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage standards supporting Minnesota’s union workers who will be constructing these new infrastructure projects.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) announced today that more than $131 million in federal funding is being awarded for major water infrastructure improvements across the San Joaquin Valley, including upgrades to the Friant-Kern Canal and O’Neill Pumping Plant, two critical components of California’s water delivery system. The funding brings the total federal investment secured for water storage, aging water infrastructure, clean drinking water, and groundwater recharge projects benefiting California’s 21st Congressional District to more than $1.4 billion.
The funding, secured through investments made under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, will help improve water reliability, modernize aging infrastructure, strengthen drought resilience, and support long-term water management efforts throughout the Valley.
“Reliable water infrastructure is critical to the future of the San Joaquin Valley, our agricultural economy, and the communities that depend on it,” said Congressman Costa. “The Central Valley depends on a reliable water supply to support our farms, local economy, and growing communities. These investments will help strengthen water delivery systems that families, farmers, and communities across the Valley rely on every day.”
Projects receiving funding include:

$65.8 million for the Friant-Kern Canal Capacity Correction Project
$53 million for the O’Neill Pumping Plant Main Transformer Replacement Project
$11 million for the O’Neill Pumping Plant Unit Upgrades Project
$2 million for Fresno Irrigation District flow metering improvements expected to conserve approximately 840 acre-feet of water annually

The Friant-Kern Canal serves farms and communities across the eastern San Joaquin Valley and has lost significant carrying capacity due to decades of land subsidence. The O’Neill Pumping Plant projects will modernize critical Central Valley Project infrastructure connected to San Luis Reservoir and improve operational reliability throughout California’s water system.
Congressman Costa has long advocated for federal investments in water storage, conveyance, groundwater recharge, and drought resilience projects across the Central Valley.
Additional information on previously secured federal funding for Central Valley water infrastructure and San Joaquin Valley community projects:

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-4) and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey today led a letter to President Trump and his pardon czar, Alice Marie Johnson, seeking the commutation of the sentences of all serving in federal prisons for non-violent marijuana-related offenses. 

The letter was signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Ron Wyden, and Ed Markey and Representatives Hank Johnson, Troy Carter, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib, Jonathan Jackson, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jared Huffman, Valerie Foushee, Frederica Wilson, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Pramila Jayapal, Dan Goldman, Dwight Evans, Alexandria Ocassio-Cortez, Dina Titus, Ilhan Omar, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Nikema Williams, Summer Lee, Chris Deluzio, and Val Hoyle. 

The letter reads in part:

“We write to respectfully request that you use your pardon power to commute the sentences to all those in the federal prison system serving non-violent marijuana-related offenses. 

“The inclusion of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act has resulted in tens of millions of people being sent to county, state, and federal prisons over the last several decades. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans believe that marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational purposes. You have recognized this disconnect between the science and policy with your executive order directing the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) to complete the rescheduling to Schedule III, and your DOJ’s April 23, 2026 order to reschedule certain medical marijuana products to Schedule III. However, rescheduling marijuana does not provide relief for anyone currently in federal prison from a marijuana conviction. As president, you have a unique opportunity to use your constitutional authority and issue a categorical commutation to address this continuing injustice. 

“Those convicted of marijuana offenses face disproportionately long sentences. Based on data from the United States Sentencing Commission, it is estimated that approximately 3,000 people are still federally incarcerated for marijuana trafficking offenses, with hundreds, perhaps thousands serving harsh mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years or longer. Additionally, the arrest rate for African Americans for marijuana possession is 3.6-fold higher than for white people, despite similar usage rates. Too many people are serving way too long for marijuana-associated offenses. This means precious time away from loved ones and families separated for years, and in some cases even decades, due to our country’s antiquated laws around marijuana. However, thousands of people continue to be federally incarcerated for marijuana-related offenses, an activity that most states, in some form, have legalized.

“The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is plagued by capacity issues, both overcrowded and understaffed. While it won’t solve the structural issues that have led us here, we believe that commuting the sentences of people with marijuana offenses would both address the overly harsh sentences while simultaneously allowing BOP to focus resources where they are needed most. 

“Lastly, those serving unjust marijuana sentences should be provided with support services to ensure they have a successful reentry after years of incarceration. Unfortunately, often those with life sentences cannot access reentry services. In order to prevent recidivism, we also urge you to order BOP to provide such services to people serving marijuana sentences. 

“Thank you for your consideration of our request.”

See the letter here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

A budget shortfall threatens South Texas’s capability to maintain premier aviation training responsibilities for the Navy and Marine Corps.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

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

WASHINGTON, DC — Thirty days after Representative Sharice Davids demanded answers from the National Weather Service (NWS) following severe tornado outbreaks in Kansas, the agency has failed to respond — even as critical weather data collection disruptions continue and seven more tornadoes touched down across the state this week.

According to publicly available upper-air data records, the standard 7 a.m. weather balloon launch was missed 25 out of the last 30 days at Kansas sites responsible for collecting atmospheric data used in severe weather forecasting.

“Kansans deserve confidence that the systems meant to keep them safe are fully operational during tornado season, and meteorologists deserve the reliable data they need to do their jobs. Instead, we’re seeing ongoing data collection failures and no transparency from the National Weather Service about why this keeps happening,” said Davids. “These are not abstract bureaucratic problems — they can directly impact how much time families have to get to shelter before dangerous storms hit. After seven more tornadoes touched down in Kansas this week, the administration owes the public answers and immediate action to address these reported failures before tragedy strikes.”

Last month, Davids sent a letter to the NWS after tornadoes struck Kansas’ Third District and reports emerged that routine morning weather balloon launches — a critical forecasting tool used to assess atmospheric conditions before severe storms — may not have occurred ahead of the outbreak. Despite requesting a response within 30 days, Davids has received no answers from the agency.

Weather balloon launches provide forecasters with real-time atmospheric measurements, including temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind conditions that help determine tornado risk and storm intensity. Missing launches can reduce forecasting accuracy and limit the data available to meteorologists during dangerous weather events.

“For decades, 7 a.m. weather balloon launches have been a standard part of how meteorologists track severe weather and protect communities,” said Davids. “If that standard has changed, the National Weather Service owes Kansans clear answers about why — and the science and data behind that decision. You don’t get to quietly scale back something this important without transparency, especially in a state where severe weather can turn deadly fast.”

In her original letter, Davids requested information on:

• Whether weather balloon launches were missed and why;
• Whether missing data contributed to delayed tornado watches;
• Staffing vacancy levels across regional NWS offices;
• The agency’s hiring and operational plans moving forward;
• And additional severe weather preparedness concerns.

Davids previously raised concerns about staffing shortages and operational capacity at the NWS last year but still has not received a response from the administration. She is now renewing calls for accountability as missed launches and operational concerns persist.

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

WASHINGTON, DC — Early this morning, Representative Sharice Davids voted to advance the bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act out of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — a five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill investing in roads, bridges, transit, rail, and transportation safety programs. While it does not include every Davids-supported provision, it creates good-paying jobs, strengthens the economy, and improves the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.

“When infrastructure works well, it shows up in everyday life — less time sitting in traffic, businesses moving products, safer trips for families, and lower costs at the end of the month,” said Davids. “This bipartisan package is about making those basic things work the way they should, while creating good-paying jobs and ensuring Kansas and the country stay competitive in a global economy. We’ll keep improving it as it moves through Congress.”

The legislation builds on the bipartisan infrastructure law — which Davids was the only Kansas Member to support — by investing in projects that improve the nation’s transportation systems, support workers, and maintain Buy America protections that strengthen American jobs and manufacturing.

Specifically, the legislation includes support for:

• repairing and replacing aging bridges and roads;
• improving rail and transit systems;
• expanding bicycle and pedestrian safety infrastructure;
• improving accessibility at transit stations for Kansans with disabilities;
• giving local governments flexibility to pursue projects tailored to their communities;
• reconnecting neighborhoods divided by major highways;
• and more.

The bipartisan infrastructure law, which has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in the last decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is funded through a combination of new revenues and existing savings. To date, more than $3.2 billion has been invested in Kansas through the bipartisan infrastructure law – from expanding statewide rural broadband access, lead pipe replacements in Olathe, safety initiatives in Kansas City, and long-overdue upgrades to K-68 in Miami County.

Because federal surface transportation programs must be reauthorized on a regular cycle, Congress is required to pass a long-term bill to keep national investments in roads, bridges, transit, rail, and safety programs moving forward. The current authorization expires on September 30, 2026, and without action, states and local governments could face delays and uncertainty for critical infrastructure projects already underway.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Department of Commerce announced letters of intent totaling $2 billion in awards to nine U.S. companies for quantum technology. A single company will receive $1 billion. The funds were appropriated through the CHIPS and Science Act and were not intended for quantum technology. 

“This announcement is illegal and troubling on so many levels,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “The administration is, once again, directly defying very clear direction from Congress. These funds were appropriated by Congress specifically for microelectronics R&D, with a focus on semiconductor technology — not quantum technology. These funds were intended to focus on cooperative public-private sector R&D and not on incentives for manufacturing. Furthermore, the Congressional record is quite clear that Congress did not want the government taking equity stakes in companies using these funds — that represents communism, not capitalism. There has also been zero transparency to Congress or the public on how these awards were selected or their terms. These were backroom deals that handed $1 billion to a company that happens to be a longtime former employer of a Department of Energy Under Secretary who was reportedly helping to make the decisions for these awards. To be clear, I do not question the legitimacy of any of these companies or our government’s need to invest in U.S. leadership in quantum. However, today’s announcement leaves me with many questions as to how this is serving the taxpayer and not just handing billions more of taxpayer dollars to cronies of the administration.”

The funds announced by DOC were appropriated under Section 102 of the CHIPS and Science Act specifically to fund microelectronics research and development activities authorized under Section 9906 of the CHIPS Act, which was authorized in the 2021 NDAA. The Department of Commerce was allocated $11 billion in appropriations for this research program. The activities authorized under Section 9906 include the establishment of a National Semiconductor Technology Center, a national advanced packaging manufacturing program, and microelectronics metrology research at NIST. Incentives to build manufacturing facilities were authorized and appropriated separately from the research and development funds.

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