MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) and Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (D-IL) introduced the Know Your Rights Act. The legislation would directly address due process violations that occur in immigration detention facilities.

Each day, countless immigrants are placed into detention without full knowledge of why they’re there or what their rights are. The Department of Justice (DOJ) created legal orientation programs (LOPs) to educate people detained in removal proceedings about their rights and the immigration process generally. Yet, there is currently no mandate requiring detention centers or jails that house immigration detainees to provide immigrants with this information.

The Know Your Rights Act would require the U.S. Attorney General, with the assistance of non-governmental organizations, to develop and deploy a plan to have an operational LOP program in every detention center and jail that houses immigrants within a year of enactment. It would also require this orientation and legal notice of rights to be available in English and the five most common languages of detainees held at the facility. This will enable immigrants to better understand why they’ve been placed in detention and the legal rights afforded to them.

“In Illinois, we witnessed chaos and fear rip through our communities as ICE carried out Operation Midway Blitz,” said Congressman Foster. “Countless members of our community have been detained without knowledge of why they are being held or what their legal rights are. It is a betrayal of American values that this is happening. I am proud to work with Congresswoman Ramirez on this commonsense measure to ensure that every immigrant being held in a detention center—man, woman, or child—receives appropriate legal assistance in accordance with due process protections.”

“During a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, a detained woman seeking asylum looked at me through glass and begged me for help. I can’t forget that moment. Every day, thousands of immigrants, like this woman, are being detained without access to legal representation or information about their rights. That is unacceptable,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “Due process is a constitutional right that all people are entitled to, including immigrants. We must do everything in our power to ensure our constitutional and civil rights are protected. I am proud to join Congressman Bill Foster in introducing the Know Your Rights Act, to ensure that every migrant in a detention center, including the women and children behind glass windows, receive the legal help to which they are entitled.”

The Know Your Rights Act is cosponsored by Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

A copy of the legislation is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-Ill.) to highlight House Republicans’ efforts to root out billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse, protect hardworking taxpayers, and hold fraudsters accountable while Democrats continue to oppose commonsense reforms.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks.
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s remarks:On House Republicans’ commitment to regular order: “We are bringing a number of bills this week. We’re bringing another appropriations bill to the floor, Ag Approps. You look at what Chairman Cole and his members of the Appropriations Committee continue to do, moving bill after bill, out of subcommittee, out of full committee. They’ve got some more subcommittee and full committee markups, but we’re bringing yet another appropriations bill to the floor this week, tomorrow. Get that bill over to the Senate, allow the Senate to start working on a normal appropriations process. It’s a commitment Speaker Johnson made the day he came in. He’s committed to continuing to follow through so that we don’t end up with the Christmas omnibuses that seem to be a pattern around this place, a pattern that we broke. We broke it by getting back to doing the work of Congress, having these appropriations bills move through the process. “We’re bringing other bills too. You’re seeing the NDAA being marked up in the Armed Services Committee later this week. Critical, critical bill to our national security, to our Department of War. Chairman Rogers and his committee, I think he told me yesterday they have about 1,000 amendments filed on that bill. They will go through that process over the next few days and produce a great NDAA bill for our country’s defense. And then you’ll see that bill coming to the floor shortly thereafter. Surface Transportation Bill, that’s moved through two committees now, working on that coalition. You’ll see that bill moving to the floor.”On Democrats opposing commonsense fraud reforms:“We’re also bringing, as Chair McClain and Whip Emmer and Mary Miller talked about, some more bills to confront the fraud, the massive, massive fraud that sadly occurs in this country with your taxpayer dollars. And it’s not thousands or millions, it’s billions of dollars that is being stolen every single year from the hardworking taxpayers of America. And House Republicans are committed to ending it, to exposing it, to giving more tools to the lawmakers, to Justice Department, to others, to root it out and send people to jail who steal your money. And why, for some reason, does every single Democrat continue to oppose every measure we bring to root out this fraud? I think it begs an important question to ask.“You go back to the One Big Beautiful Bill, we put important fraud prevention measures in there. Bill wasn’t just about helping give working families more of their tax dollars back – no tax on tips, no tax on overtime. These are blue-collar workers who are finally starting to get thousands of dollars back in their pocket so they can take a summer vacation, so they can invest maybe for their kids’ education fund. But every Democrat voted no. And I don’t think it was just because Democrats don’t want Americans to have more of their hard-earned money. Democrats also knew that in that bill we had fraud prevention measures that eliminated fraud, that exposed learing centers. Sadly, everybody knows what a learing center is. It wasn’t just a typo. It’s theft of your money. And how much money? We’re talking tens of billions. Dr. Oz estimates over $100 billion just in durable medical equipment and hospice fraud…“Every Democrat stands in the way of us rooting it out because we’re able to take that money, the savings that we get from fraud prevention, and give it back to families in the form of no tax on overtime. Senior citizens, 85% of whom no longer have to pay taxes on their Social Security. That’s how much fraud was out there. And every Democrat voted no.”On holding fraudsters accountable:“Now we’re going to bring these three bills this week. Again, you know, you look at the fraud in TANF. You’ll hear the Democrats on the floor. They’re going to hide behind children and, oh my gosh, don’t take this money away. Well, [Chair] Lisa [McClain] told you the story: $42 million from one fraudster in Minnesota, all under the guise of helping feed children who are needy. That’s what they do. They use these programs and they talk about lofty things like helping to feed children and they steal the money from those children to put it in their pockets. Every one of them ought to go to jail. And that money ought to be returned to the taxpayers. Yes, help the people who need it, but take the money away from the fraudsters and send them to prison. That’s what we’re doing this week. Watch how every Democrat votes on these bills. It’s going to be very, very telling.”

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, again today called for the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at a committee markup of a Constitutional Amendment on composition of the high court. Congressman Cohen introduced six Articles of Impeachment against Roberts on May 21.

In his remarks, Congressman Cohen said in part:

“The Justices on the Roberts Court – at least six of them – have it all wrong. They are supposed to have integrity, impartiality, fealty to the Constitution, and be unencumbered by the politics of the day. But today we have a Court that refuses a binding code of ethics…They don’t have ethics…They operate as a political arm. It undercuts our core and explicit constitutional principles, like that no one is above the law, and meddles in politics in pursuit of partisan interests. For years, I defended this Court, particularly Chief Justice Roberts. I thought that, despite the outrageous conduct of Justices like Alito and Thomas…, the Chief Justice really wanted to preserve the Court as an institution. I thought he would be the one to stand up for the Court. The past several years have shown he is incapable of doing that or didn’t want to…”

Congressman Cohen said that Justice Roberts violated his oaths and, because of that, he was compelled to introduce Articles of impeachment. 

“And I ask each member of this committee to join because Chief Justice Roberts unfortunately deserves to be impeached, and convicted and removed from the Court because he has not done his duty and has violated his oaths.”

See Congressman Cohen’s complete remarks here.

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

“Congress must not sit idly by while the Trump administration supports Netanyahu’s barbaric warfare. We must not be complicit. We must take action for peace and pass this war powers resolution.”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, during a speech on the House floor, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) urged her colleagues to support Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s Lebanon War Powers Resolution, H.Con.Res.84, to protect lives in Lebanon and stop Trump’s support of Netanyahu’s human rights violations. In her remarks, Congresswoman Pressley called on Congress to end its complicity in these deadly attacks and defend innocent lives.

A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s floor speech is available below and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Urges Colleagues to Support Lebanon War Powers Resolution & Protect Innocent Lives, Calls on White House to End the War

U.S. House of Representatives

June 3, 2026

I rise in support of the Lebanon War Powers Resolution.

More than three thousand innocent people have been killed in Lebanon by the Israeli military and over a million are displaced.

These are not abstract statistics; these are real lives. A baby who will grow up without a mother. An elder who is fleeing the only home they’ve ever known.

Congress must not sit idly by while the Trump administration supports Netanyahu’s barbaric warfare. We must not be complicit. We must take action for peace and pass this war powers resolution.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.Con.Res.84.

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

WASHINGTON – At today’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul (R-Texas) discussed the administration’s efforts to prevent a nuclear Iran with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. McCaul highlighted how, despite every president’s assertion that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, the Trump administration is the first to back those words with action.

Click to Watch

Full exchange:

McCaul: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me thank you for your service, Secretary, I know you’re wearing a lot of hats, a lot of responsibilities. I think you’re doing an outstanding job. Let me just say since 1979, a dark veil of terror descended upon the Middle East, and we’ve had it ever since. And every president since that time has said that a nuclear Iran is not acceptable. And every Congress has said that.

In fact, last Congress, when I was chairman of this committee, I passed a resolution that said that a nuclear Iran was unacceptable and that the U.S. must use “any means necessary” to prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The vast majority of Democrats voted for this [and] almost all Republicans. It passed the House floor. A resolution stating that that is not acceptable.

We’ve had a lot of talk in these congresses and in prior administrations — a lot of talk — but we haven’t had a whole lot of action. Your administration, you, sir, and the president, have taken action on this very dire, dangerous situation we find ourselves in with Iran [attempting to obtain] a nuclear weapon.

I also want to applaud you for your efforts in this Western Hemisphere. A free Venezuela, a free people. Possibly, one day, a free Cuba. And people don’t realize Iran is in this hemisphere, and Russia is in this hemisphere. China is in this hemisphere. This is all kind of tied together in a coherent foreign policy strategy that I see. So I wanted to give you the time, sir, to respond to that because, again, [prior administrations were] all talk and no action. But you, sir, have put this into action.

Rubio: Thank you. Well, before I address that, the ranking member made accusations against the president, which I’ve never heard before, but number one, are completely false. Not once — just to be clear, not a single time, not even for a millisecond — has the president ever discussed his personal economics in relation to war or any public policy that he’s made for that matter. And I’ve been in every one of his foreign policy meetings for the most part.

As to your point, what we need to understand is exactly what you just said. It’s not just that we say they can’t have a nuclear weapon; everyone says they can’t have a nuclear weapon. The Chinese say they can’t have a nuclear weapon. The Russians agree they couldn’t have a nuclear weapon. But at a point, you have to do something about it.

What Iran was trying to do was build a conventional shield of drones and missiles and a navy and capabilities. At some point they would say to the world, “Now we’re [going to] get a nuclear weapon, and you can’t do anything about it because we have so many weapons and so many drones and so many naval vessels that the price we will inflict on you for trying to do something about it makes us untouchable, makes us immune.” And the president was not going to allow them to build a conventional shield behind which they can develop their nuclear program.

Today, the Iranian Navy sits at the bottom of the sea. They do not have a navy; it no longer exists. They have no air force either. Their missile launchers have been significantly degraded. Their defense industrial base has suffered upwards of 80 to 90 percent attrition. It will take years for them to rebuild it.

Those are facts. That is the reality. That was the purpose of Epic Fury; it achieved its purpose in degrading that conventional shield. And it has brought them to the negotiation table that hopefully will lead to the point where Iran will give up its enrichment ambitions, will turn over their highly enriched uranium, will stop sponsoring terrorism around the world.

McCaul: You know, I think the goal should be the fulfillment of the Abraham Accords. We know why October 7th happened — because Israel and Saudi are getting very, very close, and in Iran’s perspective, dangerously close, to a normalization agreement. And what did Iran do? They lit up their proxies. They lit up their proxies to stop that from happening.

I do foresee a free Iran. I do foresee a free Venezuela and a free Cuba. But you have to start somewhere. And I think we’re taking the steps so that future generations will thank us for these actions.

Rubio: Look, we would love to see a change in Iran and that they be governed by the people, but that was not the goal of our mission. The goal of our mission was to take away their ability to threaten the region with an overwhelming number of missiles and drones that would basically make them immune to any sort of external pressure. And then they could break out to a nuclear weapon. That was the goal; it achieved that from a military perspective.

The reality of it remains that it’s not just us; the entire world says they can’t have a nuclear weapon, but no one wanted to do anything about it. And I can tell you this: they are not going to have a nuclear weapons program at least as long as President Trump is in the White House. That’s been made clear to everyone in the administration from the very top down. It was the motivation behind these actions, and it’s the reason why we engaged the way we did.

McCaul: Well, I want to thank you again in the last 10 seconds for your service. I would hope we could unify as a nation behind this. I would hope our allies would unify behind us on this because they’ve all said it as we’ve said it in the past, and yet it was all talk and no action.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Congresswomen Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) introduced legislation to expand opportunities for veterans to gain long-term, good-paying manufacturing jobs by boosting training options for service members transitioning from military to civilian life. The Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act would invest $50 million into creating veteran manufacturing pilot programs that will offer targeted training and apprenticeships from employers and labor-management organizations.

According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 296,000 veterans are unemployed and struggling to find jobs. This includes approximately 6,000 veterans in Washington. Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector faces a pressing need for skilled workers, with approximately 462,000 job openings and a projected 2 million vacancies in the next decade, largely due to a skills gap in advanced manufacturing.

This legislation would bridge this gap by expanding access to skills training for U.S. veterans in manufacturing career pathways, ensuring veterans have the tools needed to translate their military skills to the civilian workforce, and encouraging manufacturers to recruit, hire, and train our nation’s returning heroes.

“Our veterans deserve access to well-paying, fulfilling jobs when they reenter civilian life,” said DelBene. “This bill aims to give veterans the tools they need to secure adequate employment, while addressing a growing shortage of skilled manufacturing workers. Veterans possess invaluable skills and expertise, and this legislation will help ensure they can thrive in a post-service career.”

“We have a responsibility to care for veterans, and that includes helping them transition to quality civilian jobs when their service ends,” said Bonamici. “Creating more career pathways for veterans will help connect them with well-paying jobs and strengthen the companies that gain qualified employees. I’m grateful to lead this legislation with Rep. DelBene to support veterans.”

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

Proposals would block Navy’s planned offshoring, boost BIW, require American-made footwear for troops

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

“Bobby’s humanity, empathy, and strength saved the lives of so many of our Boston neighbors. As we mourn this loss, may we carry his example forward in word and deed.”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – On the House floor, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a heartfelt speech honoring the life and legacy of Boston Firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr., a Marine Veteran, proud third generation fire fighter, and dedicated father and partner. Rep. Pressley lauded Robert’s legacy of humanity, empathy, and strength in his 24 years of service and his commitment to keeping the people of Boston safe.

A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s floor speech is available below and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Delivers Floor Speech Honoring the Life and Legacy of Boston Firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr.

U.S. House of Representatives

June 2, 2026

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Boston firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr.

Bobby was a Marine Veteran, a proud third generation firefighter, and a dedicated father to two beautiful children.

For 24 years, he served the Boston Fire Department and kept the people of Boston safe.

Tragically, Bobby died last week while in service to our community, battling a large fire at a home in Dorchester. 

My husband Conan and I extend our deep condolences to his daughter Hannah Jane, his son Mason, his partner Jess, his extended family and the Boston Firefighters Local 718 as they grieve this loss.

His 24-year-old daughter spoke passionately at his funeral in Boston yesterday, she said, “My dad represents everything our world can be if we look out for each other, if we reach out to help first and ask questions later.”

“He used to say that the only thing he loved more than being a firefighter was being our dad.”

Bobby’s humanity, empathy, and strength saved the lives of so many of our Boston neighbors.

As we mourn this loss, may we carry his example forward in word and deed.

I yield.

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) today sent a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith urging inclusion of language in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) prohibiting the use of funds authorized by the bill for military operations against Cuba unless specifically approved by Congress.

In the letter, the members warned that President Trump “has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to use military force without congressional authorization,” noting that he has already undertaken military action in Venezuela, initiated a war with Iran, and publicly declared that “Cuba is next.”

The lawmakers also pointed to reports indicating that U.S. military planners are “weighing an array of options” that “could range from a single airstrike meant to scare the regime into concessions to a ground invasion meant to uproot it,” underscoring the need for Congress to act before additional military action is underway.

“Congress should not wait until additional military action is underway in Cuba to assert its constitutional authorities,” the members wrote. “Therefore, we urge the Committee to adopt clear language prohibiting the obligation or expenditure of funds for military operations against Cuba unless and until Congress has specifically authorized such action.”

In the letter, the members also reaffirmed Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war and peace, stating: “Congress alone possesses the authority to declare war, and the Committee should make clear that no funds authorized by this Act may be used to circumvent that fundamental constitutional principle.”

The letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata Honors Henry Saaga and American Heroes

U.S. Commemorates D-Day and Battle of Midway

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is honoring the memory of Henry Saaga, who fought in the Normandy invasion, as the United States commemorates the anniversaries of D-Day (Europe, 1944), which was codenamed Operation Overlord, and the Battle of Midway (Pacific, 1942). Historians identify these as two of the major tipping points of World War II.

This special photo of the Saaga family in 1941 is on file at the Memorial in France

“As Samoans, we commemorate D-Day with our own shining example of bravery among our Toa o Samoa. Henry Saaga, born and raised in Utulei Village, here in American Samoa, survived the fighting in the great invasion of Normandy, but was last seen battling with courage in the famous, deadly hedgerows of France,” said Amata. “As we honor his memory and sacrifice, it is good to know that he is held in high honor in France, where his name is etched on the Wall of Honor, visited by many thousands yearly.” 

Henry Saaga is etched on the Wall in France and in this photo Amata has highlighted it in wet sand, a special tradition there, the only permitted use of the protected historic beach

Henry Saaga earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was a singer and musician who played multiple instruments, and a three-sport athlete. In a historical footnote, he knew Uifa’atali Peter T. Coleman, both in Oahu at the start of the war, and both from Ma’oputasi District.

Vice Chairman Amata in Normandy visiting D-Day and Hedgerow war sites with Veterans Committee Members including Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano – file photo

On June 6^th, we commemorate D-Day. Under the direction of General Dwight Eisenhower, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, sustaining severe losses, en route to liberating Europe from Nazi Germany. General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s historic message to the departing troops states, “The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”

Two years earlier, on June 4-7, the U.S. Navy engaged Imperial Japan in the Battle of Midway, a largescale sea and air battle that dramatically changed Allied prospects in the Pacific. 

“On these honored dates, we commemorate the heroism of those who fought for country and freedom, and we thank God for their success in these two great endeavors,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Generations later, these victories still matter, becoming part of building more democratic governments, including our modern partnerships with Japan and Germany.”

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