Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)
“Today, a federal court took the first step toward blocking the president from unilaterally dissolving, selling, or relocating key programs operated by NCAR—I will keep fighting day after day to put a stop to further attempts to gut this world-renowned center.”
Lafayette, CO — Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse issued the following statement after a federal judge Monday blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), specifically the transfer of the world-renowned climate center’s supercomputing facility.
The judge ruled that the administration’s decision was, in-part, politically motivated—issuing a preliminary injunction in the matter ofUniversity Corporation for Atmospheric Research v. National Science Foundation.
“Donald Trump’s blatant and unlawful retaliation against Colorado must end. His administration’s attempts to dismantle NCAR, handing its life-saving work over to the highest bidder and the like, are reckless, dangerous, and undermine the work being done at Boulder’s cutting-edge research institution,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “Today, a federal court took the first step toward blocking the president from unilaterally dissolving, selling, or relocating key programs operated by NCAR. And I will keep fighting day after day to put a stop to further attempts to gut this world-renowned center.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Reps. Vince Fong (CA-20), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Josh Harder (CA-09) to send a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Director Brian Nesvik urging immediate emergency federal funding to combat the rapidly spreading invasive golden mussel in California waterways.
The letter warns that, without immediate federal support, California water agencies, farmers, and communities will continue to bear escalating costs as this invasive species spreads unchecked.
“Golden mussels pose a unique threat given they reproduce at exponential rates, clog water delivery systems, and damage water infrastructure,”the letter states.“Golden mussels spawn several times throughout the year producing microscopic larvae in numbers reaching up to one million eggs annually per female. This has led to the unrestrained spread of larvae throughout California and has made eradication efforts nearly impossible.
“Golden mussel colonies infiltrate critical infrastructure, such as pipelines, pumps, and hydropower systems, by attaching to surfaces, reducing water flow, overheating pumps, and potentially causing catastrophic failure of water conveyance systems. These impacts have reduced water conveyance capacity, damaged equipment, and driven-up maintenance costs for water agencies and ratepayers alike.
“After golden mussels were first detected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) in late 2025, they have rapidly spread, threatening major water systems like the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. These projects supply water to millions of Californians and irrigate more than 4,000 acres of farmland.
“Kern and San Joaquin Counties recently declared a local state of emergency in response to an active infestation within critical water infrastructure, citing ‘immediate operational risks’ to drinking water supply, agriculture, energy production, and regional economic stability. The scale and reach of these water projects underscore the statewide risk to California’s water supply, environment, and agricultural infrastructure.”
Specifically, the letter urges USFWS to:
Expedite emergency funding through existing invasive species authorities
Prioritize California for assistance under existing grant funding and future funding cycles
Increase funding allocations for early detection, rapid response, and containment efforts for water infrastructure systems
Coordinate with federal partners, including the Bureau of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers, and Environmental Protection Agency to ensure a whole-of-government response
Expedite the listing of golden mussels on the injurious species list under the Lacey Act
Develop a golden mussel National Control and Management Plan to prevent further introduction and spread, and to eradicate and control existing populations
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)
Today, following reportsthat the Johnson County Election Office is eliminating eight early voting sites ahead of the August primary, Davids released the following statement.
“Every eligible voter should be able to cast their ballot easily and confidently, but while families are already facing high gas prices, they’re now being asked to travel farther just to participate in one of the most basic parts of our democracy. These eliminated sites serve dense communities currently represented by both Republicans and Democrats. It’s not about one political party; it’s about ensuring every Kansan can make their voice heard.
“I’m always open to thoughtful conversations about aligning voting access with population growth, like in De Soto and Spring Hill, but those discussions should be transparent, data-driven, and open to the public. Instead, these changes appear to have moved quickly, with limited community input and without clear data shared publicly. Bottom line: we should be making it easier, not harder, to vote.”
Background:
The Johnson County Election Office is reducingthe number of early voting locations from 18 to 12 ahead of the August primary election, eliminating eight previously used sites and adding a smaller number of new locations in other parts of the county. Several of the locations being removed are in high-traffic, densely populated areas, including the Johnson County Community College campus, which has historically served as a convenient early voting site for many residents. All 18 locations have been funded for use this year.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
NJ Lawmakers Cite Progress on Family Visitation and Release of Pregnant Women, Say Serious Concerns Remain
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone Jr. and Analilia Mejia today conducted an unannounced oversight visit to the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility, where they met with detainees and facility management to press for additional improvements to conditions inside the facility.
The visit comes after the restoration of family visitation and the release of several pregnant women from Delaney Hall following weeks of advocacy from peaceful protestors, Democratic Members of Congress, and Governor Mikie Sherrill. During the visit, Pallone and Mejia conveyed a series of demands to GEO Group and the Trump Administration, including the release of vulnerable detainees, expanded access to medical care and prescriptions, and stronger protections for due process.
At the conclusion of the oversight visit, New Jersey Democratic lawmakers, including Representatives Pallone, Mejia, Watson Coleman, Norcross, and Pou issued the following statement:
“The restoration of family visitation and release of several pregnant women follows sustained advocacy from peaceful protestors, Democratic Members of Congress, and Governor Sherrill.
While these are small but meaningful improvements, serious concerns remain. As Members of Congress, we have unique oversight powers that we will continue to use to ensure just and humane conditions are upheld at Delaney Hall. Today, Representatives Pallone and Mejia represented our delegation during an unannounced oversight visit to Delaney Hall to meet with detainees and convey demands to improve conditions.
We remain committed to our oversight responsibilities and will continue to conduct announced and unannounced visits to inspect the conditions at Delaney Hall on a sustained and recurring basis. We will do this for as long as the conditions reported to us by members of the community and impacted families warrant. Our aim is to ensure the health and safety of all detainees and workers alike.
Ultimately, Delaney Hall must be shut down. We must continue to fight the abuses being carried out by ICE and DHS and hold the Trump Administration accountable.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront, where he emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration is out of control and that Democrats are committed to ensuring immigration enforcement is conducted in a manner that is consistent with American values.
ERIN BURNETT: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries just visited the facility, and he is now OutFront. And Leader Jeffries, I appreciate your time. So I just detailed a few of the allegations out there, but can you tell me specifically what did you see and witness during your visit that convinced you that Delaney Hall has to be shut down?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening, thanks for having me on. Listen, Donald Trump promised that immigration enforcement in this country was going to target violent felons and the worst of the worst. That’s not what has happened. Taxpayer dollars are being used to brutalize or kill American citizens, which is what we horrifically saw happen in Minneapolis, or to violently target law-abiding immigrant families.Not a single person who we spoke with at Delaney Hall yesterday was a violent felon, someone who had been convicted of a crime or presented a danger, as far as we can tell, to the community. In fact, we spent a good amount of time with an 18-year-old girl who was a month away from finishing her high school graduation and has been detained now in Delaney Hall for months, who also appears to be here on a U visa, which is available for juveniles, and has been ripped away from her family, including her two children siblings, who are here as American citizens. We also spent some time talking to a whole lot of folks with serious medical conditions who clearly have not gotten basic medical care. Now, immigration enforcement in this country, it should be fair, just and humane, and nothing that we saw at Delaney Hall or that people have previously experienced at Delaney Hall suggest that that is what is taking place, and that’s why we believe it should be shut down.
ERIN BURNETT: So the acting Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security had a comment about your claims and other criticisms, saying, “Sanctuary politicians are spreading categorically false smears about ICE’s Delaney Hall facility in New Jersey. These types of smears are inciting violent riots outside the ICE facility in New Jersey. No lawbreakers in the history of human civilization have been better treated than illegal aliens.” What do you say to that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s a wildly irresponsible claim, but this is what we should expect from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, which is deeply unpopular with the American people, or from the Trump administration. Not a day goes by without them peddling a lie to the American People. And they obviously are trying to distract from the fact that the administration has been a total failure—a failure on the economy, a failure of immigration enforcement, a failure as it relates to this reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East, which has caused gas prices to skyrocket for tens of millions of everyday Americans all across the country. We will continue to encourage people who show up outside of Delaney Hall to comply with the law and to peacefully demonstrate consistent with the First Amendment at the same period of time as Members of Congress, led by the New Jersey Congressional delegation, particularly LaMonica McIver and Rob Menendez, who have done a tremendous job, are going to continue to exercise our constitutional responsibility to engage in oversight to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent consistent with American values.
ERIN BURNETT: I want to ask you about something else, if I may, Leader Jeffries, and this is a report from our KFILE tonight about Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democratic socialist. She’s endorsed by the New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani. She is challenging the incumbent Congressman, Adriano Espaillat. Now, she deleted a previous Twitter account, but KFILE found a lot of the deleted posts and reposts, and I just wanted to share a couple of them with you. One of them is Avila Chevalier responding to a user asking what a better slogan would be than defund the police by posting, “F— you. We’re going to defund and abolish. You don’t get to water down our movement.” There is another one. This one’s from 2020, so obviously prior to any of the conflict in the Middle East, in which Chevalier reposted a tweet, which responded to a social media prompt. The prompt asked, “Israel suddenly disappears. Your third emoji is your reaction.” And then she reposted a tweet that said, “Trick question. Israel doesn’t exist.” Now, Leader Jeffries, she has not disavowed these posts. She did tell CNN, “I have grown considerably since in the years since these tweets.” And you have endorsed her opponent, Congressman Espaillat. But, you know, those views, if she’s elected, do those views have a home in your Caucus in the Democratic Party?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, listen, the voters are ultimately going to decide this primary election, and Adriano Espaillat, in my view, is going to win. Adriano Espaillat has been a tremendous leader. He’s leading in terms of battling Donald Trump. He’s leading as it relates to battling and pushing back against ICE’s violent mass deportation machine. And he’s been one of the leaders in pushing back against Donald Trump’s reckless and costly war of choice. I’m unfamiliar with his particular primary opponent. Obviously, the language that she’s used, as is the case with any candidate, speaks for itself, and she’s gonna have to explain herself, of course, to the people of Harlem, the people of Washington Heights and the people of the Bronx. We’re going to continue to stand firmly behind Representative Espaillat. He’s got a track record of accomplishment, but more importantly, a progressive vision for the future to make life better for the people he represents.
ERIN BURNETT: Okay, so it’s clear where you stand, I mean, who you’ve endorsed, right? You say she has to speak for herself on those posts, but Mayor Mamdani praised her. Now, he didn’t address the controversial posts, okay, but he said, “At a time when power is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands, Darializa will fight in Congress for New York’s working families. She’s the champion we need for a city New Yorkers can actually afford.” Are you disappointed in that response given just those examples that I shared? Does it surprise you that Mayor Mamdani would say that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: The mayor and I have agreed to strongly disagree as it relates to this particular race. And we, as House Democrats—certainly Members of the New York delegation, but also the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, Members of goodwill in terms of the organized labor movement who are strongly behind Adriano Espaillat—we’ve got to put the work in over the next few weeks to make sure that his track record is clear, can’t be distorted and that Adriano Espaillat is able to communicate the fact that he is an actual genuine leader who lifts people up as opposed to trying to tear people down.
ERIN BURNETT: Leader Hakeem Jeffries, I appreciate your time and thank you very much.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), and Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) visited the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County, California, to meet with detainees participating in an ongoing hunger strike and assess conditions inside one of the nation’s most troubled immigration detention facilities.
The Members met with detainees who launched a hunger strike on May 19, 2026, to protest unsafe and inhumane living conditions inside Adelanto’s Desert View Annex. Hunger strikers have demanded the removal of mold, access to clean drinking water, adequate food, and timely medical care for individuals with chronic health conditions. Detainees have also reported being forced to rely on expensive commissary purchases to supplement inadequate food provided by the facility and have organized an economic boycott in response.
Rep. Chu has conducted oversight of the Adelanto facility for more than a decade and has repeatedly called for its closure due to documented concerns regarding medical neglect, unsafe conditions, and detainee deaths.
“For more than a decade, I have called for the closure of Adelanto, and today’s visit made clear why that call is as urgent as ever,” said Rep. Chu. “The detainees we met with described horrific, unacceptable living conditions that no human being should ever have to endure. The problems at Adelanto are not new, and they are not isolated. They are the result of years of neglect that have continued despite repeated warnings, congressional oversight, and detainee deaths. Adelanto has had countless opportunities to change and has failed time and again. It is time to shut down this facility once and for all.”
“The Trump administration has tried to block congressional oversight and hide the inhumane conditions at immigrant detention facilities like the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, but Democrats have fought for transparency to bring attention to what’s happening behind closed doors,” said Rep. Aguilar. “We heard the truth today from detainees about the dangerous, unsanitary and unlivable conditions at this facility, and what they’ve been subjected to is nothing short of cruel. House Democrats will keep fighting for accountability and we won’t give ICE and Border Patrol another cent until their chaos and brutality are reined in and real reforms are in place.”
“Today, I heard directly from detainees who say they have exhausted every other avenue to raise concerns about the conditions they face inside this facility,” said Rep. Gomez. “Members of Congress have a responsibility to investigate these allegations and ensure the American people know what is happening inside. When people are willing to put their own health on the line just to be heard, that’s a sign that something is deeply wrong. No one should have to starve themselves to get basic dignity, medical care, or have their concerns taken seriously.”
Since the start of President Trump’s second term, five people have died while in Adelanto custody or shortly after being transferred from the facility. In total, at least 13 people have died in connection with Adelanto since it opened, making it one of the deadliest ICE detention centers in the country. Over the years, detainees, advocates, medical professionals, and oversight officials have documented serious concerns at the facility, including delayed medical treatment, unsanitary conditions, inadequate access to hygiene products, and barriers to communicating with attorneys and family members.
The Adelanto facility is operated by GEO Group, a private prison contractor that receives millions of taxpayer dollars to detain immigrants. Similar protests have recently emerged at other GEO-operated detention centers, including Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, where detainees have also engaged in hunger strikes over conditions and treatment.
The Members reiterated their commitment to conducting congressional oversight of immigration detention facilities and ensuring that all individuals in federal custody are treated with dignity and afforded adequate medical care, nutrition, sanitation, and access to legal representation.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
This weekend, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee penned an op-ed in CommonWealth Beacon making the case that Congress cannot afford to wait for a crisis before establishing guardrails on the most powerful AI systems, drawing a direct line from the manufacturing jobs that vanished from the Merrimack Valley she represents to the disruption AI now threatens to unleash on America’s workers, national security, and cyber infrastructure.
“After decades of offshoring and automation hollowing out American manufacturing, the workers left behind in Haverhill didn’t need a study to tell them what was coming. They needed Congress to act years before they got handed pink slips,” Congresswoman Trahan wrote. “On artificial intelligence, we still have a chance to move before similar damage is done, but that window is closing faster than most people realize.”
Trahan points to Anthropic’s Mythos model, which was deemed too dangerous for public release after it proved capable of identifying thousands of vulnerabilities across major operating systems and browsers. Despite warning signs like these, she notes, there is no federal law governing how the most powerful AI systems are built, tested, or deployed, no independent auditing of frontier labs’ safety claims, and no federal agency with clear authority to step in to prevent a catastrophic event.
She goes on to describe what a potential bipartisan federal framework can and should include:
Frontier Accountability: Require the largest AI companies to publish and comply with safety frameworks, submit to third-party audits, and ensure whistleblowers are protected.
Independent verification: Accredit private auditing organizations to embed within frontier labs and call in enforcers when companies fall short of safety and transparency requirements.
Protections for American Workers: Update WARN Act requirements so employers must disclose when AI drives a mass layoff, enable real-time tracking of AI impacts on the workforce, and prompt Congress to act proactively to support American workers rather than job training after the damage is done.
Strengthened Cyber Defenses: Include funding for open-source maintainers and reauthorize the threat-sharing framework that lets companies flag risks without antitrust exposure.
Trahan also addresses the federalism question head-on, arguing that serious governance concentrates oversight at the frontier and elevates the strongest state provisions into a federal standard focused on model development, while explicitly preserving states’ ability to protect residents from AI systems that discriminate, deceive, or endanger.
“I cannot go back to Haverhill, look a worker, a parent, or a recent graduate in the eyes, and tell them that we saw what was coming and decided to wait for a more opportune moment,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “Congress must act for the workers, the families, and the communities that cannot afford for us to get this wrong. Again.”
The full op-ed is available at CommonWealth Beacon: https://commonwealthbeacon.org/opinion/congress-must-act-now-on-ai/
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)
June 01, 2026
Washington D.C. — Today, Representative Norma Torres (CA-35), a longtime advocate for fair and humane conditions at ICE facilities, and for congressional oversight of immigration detention facilities, visited the Adelanto ICE Processing Center following reports that detainees have engaged in a hunger strike to protest inhumane conditions, inadequate medical care, and food insecurity.
The visit comes as immigrant rights advocates and family members raise alarm over conditions inside the facility. While the Department of Homeland Security disputes reports of a hunger strike, detainees and their loved ones continue to describe serious concerns regarding medical treatment, access to care, and living conditions.
“Whether DHS wants to acknowledge it or not, the concerns being raised by detainees and their families deserve answers,” said Congresswoman Torres. “My office received a call last week from a detained individual who said he was on a hunger strike. When people are willing to risk their health to draw attention to conditions inside a detention facility, Congress has a responsibility to listen, investigate, and ensure basic human rights are being respected. During my visit, ICE made us aware that roughly 27 detainees had skipped at least one meal in recent days but none met the hunger strike criteria. To meet the “official” hunger strike criteria a detainee must self identify that they are on a hunger strike, and miss nine consecutive meals within a 72 hour period. Our constituents, who are often constituents detained at Adelanto or family members of those at Adelanto, deserve to know that the law is being followed and people are being treated with dignity.”
During her visit, Torres met with facility officials, toured the facility, and sought information regarding detainee welfare, access to medical care, meal distribution, and protocols for responding to hunger strikes and other health emergencies.
“No one in federal custody should be denied adequate medical care, nutritious food, or humane treatment,” Torres continued. “These are not political issues, they are basic standards of human dignity and the rules that ICE and its contractors have agreed to follow. Every person held in government custody deserves to be treated with respect and have their health and safety protected as their immigration cases move forward. I’ll continue my oversight visits to make sure ICE complies with the law.”
Torres has repeatedly conducted oversight visits to immigration detention facilities and has been a leading voice in Congress demanding transparency and accountability from ICE and DHS. She is also part of the successful lawsuit to prevent the Trump Administration from denying access to these facilities.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03)in introducing the Developing Oversight for Nutrition through the Official Regulation of Milk Actor the DONOR Milk Act, legislation that would better protect the nation’s supply of donor human milk – a lifesaving resource for premature and medically fragile newborns. The legislation is introduced in honor of World Donor Milk Day, which is May 19.
Hundreds of lawsuits in the United States now allege that preterm infant formula could be associated with a higher risk of a serious gastrointestinal illness, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). More must be done to make donor human milk safer and more accessible.
Donor human milk is the gold standard for premature and critically ill infants when a mother’s own milk is unavailable. One factor that is proven to reduce the development of NEC in premature and medically fragile newborns infants is the use of human milk. However, there must be proper federal oversight and requirements to ensure the stability of this Critical Food, as well as better coverage for it.
“New Hampshire families deserve to know that what they feed their babies is safe and of good quality,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan legislation would establish needed oversight of donor milk to ensure the safety of the supply for families and their infants. I will continue to support efforts that strengthen the health and well-being of babies, kids, and families in New Hampshire and across the country.”
“We must ensure the food we feed our babies is high quality and safe,” said Congresswoman DeLauro.“The donor milk industry is growing, and the DONOR Milk Act treats this growing industry with the seriousness it deserves – as a Critical Food vital to lifting up the next generation. This bipartisan legislation would put commonsense safeguards in place to protect newborns, and I am proud to it alongside my colleagues and with the support of milk banks across the country.”
“Premature babies and newborns in critical condition deserve the safest, highest-quality nutrition possible, and right now our federal oversight hasn’t kept pace with the growing demand for donor human milk,” said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. “The DONOR Milk Act closes that gap, ensuring that when a family is fighting for their baby’s life, the safety of their nutrition is one less thing they have to worry about.”
“Donor milk is one of the most powerful tools we have in ensuring optimal health for premature infants,” said Scott Elster, CEO of Prolacta Bioscience.“But for too long, we have lacked a consistent set of safety standards to ensure the donor milk fed to our most vulnerable babies meets the quality required to remain contaminant free and support growth these babies need to thrive. The DONOR Milk Act will change that – and it will help make our babies healthier and stronger as a result. We are immensely grateful to Representatives DeLauro, Trahan, Van Drew, Pappas, and Dean for their leadership on this critical legislation and all of their efforts to establish safety standards for the fragile babies who need it most.”
“Donor milk is a safe, evidence-based intervention that protects premature and low birth weight infants,” said Lindsay Groff, Executive Director of Human Milk Banking Association of North America. “The DONOR Milk Act would strengthen regulatory clarity for donor milk while providing critical support for nonprofit milk banks. We appreciate the sponsors’ focus on ensuring medically vulnerable infants can receive this care.
The DONOR Milk Act would:
Designate donor human milk as a Critical food.
Which would require milks banks to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) of a discontinuance or interruption that is likely to lead to a disruption of supply not later than 5 days after such an incident occurs.
Which would also require each manufacture of a Critical Food to create a Risk Management Plan that:
Identifies/evaluate the risks of making more than one Critical Food at a facility.
Mechanisms by which a manufacturer would mitigate the impacts of a supply disruption.
Subject donor milk banks to annual inspections by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Include an authorization of appropriations (up to $8 million) to assist non-profit milk banks comply with the legislation to not affect or harm supply.