MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

CHICAGO — Congressman Jesús “Chuy“ García, joined by State Senators Celina Villanueva and Javier Loera Cervantes, State Representatives Aarón Ortiz and Edgar Gonzalez Jr., Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda and Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez sent a letter today to Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Director James Jennings requesting a transparent and comprehensive public assessment of the Koppers Inc. fire that occurred on May 27, 2026 in Cicero, IL. The incident has caused significant concerns among residents, local officials, first responders, and businesses regarding potential environmental contamination, public health impacts, emergency response procedures, and regulatory compliance of the company. 

The letter urges the Illinois EPA to engage directly with the community through public meetings, briefings, and opportunities for residents to ask questions and receive clear answers in multiple languages. The officials emphasize that the “health and safety of our community depends on a full and ongoing assessment of this incident. In addition to an immediate investigation, residents should be made aware of any available resources or support services if contaminants are found on their property as a result of this incident.”

The request includes information about the cause of the fire; chemicals involved; air, soil and water monitoring data before, during and after the fire; any hazardous substances released and their impact on public health; actions taken by Koppers Inc, as well as enforcement actions under consideration or already initiated. The letter also requests that the Illinois EPA assess the facility’s compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and asks for recommendations to prevent future incidents, as well as plans for the closure of the Kopper Inc plant previously scheduled for end of the year.

“As elected representatives, we have a responsibility to ensure that government agencies and regulated facilities are held accountable and that the public receives complete and accurate information,” concludes the letter. 

A copy of the full letter can be found on this link.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to UAW launching a strike at American Axle, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens issued the following statement:

“For nearly 20 years, American Axle workers in Three Rivers have taken deep wage and benefit cuts to keep this plant alive while continuing to deliver massive profits for the company.

“Now, after years of sacrifice and hard work, these workers are standing up for fair pay, safe conditions, and the dignity they deserve. I’m proud to stand with UAW Local 2093 in this fight.

“Michigan manufacturing was built by workers, not corporate greed, and I will always stand with the Michiganders who keep our plants running and our economy strong.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) was joined by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Lucy McBath (GA-06), and Bradley Schneider (IL-10) in sending a letter to the Honorable Daniel Aronowitz, Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

The letter urges the EBSA to exercise its enhanced authority to enforce the landmark reforms designed to rein in the abuses of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), as required by law via the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (CAA).

In the letter, the Members write: “The CAA represents years of bipartisan work to increase the accountability and transparency of PBMs’ opaque business practices, which have contributed to rising costs and diminished access to medicines for American patients and employers. The enactment of the CAA’s provisions is a significant step toward increased PBM transparency.”

The Members continue: “However, meaningful implementation will require active oversight and guidance from the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). We write to urge EBSA to exercise its enhanced authority to give full effect to these reforms, as Congress intended.”

The Members conclude: “Robust implementation of the rebate pass-through requirement and the bona fide service fee standard will help ensure the following:

• PBMs no longer have a financial incentive to favor more expensive medicines over generics or biosimilars.
• Patients benefit from the rebates and discounts negotiated on their behalf.
• Employers and plan fiduciaries gain meaningful transparency into the compensation arrangements and services provided by their PBMs.

We urge EBSA to use every tool at its disposal to translate this legislative intent into durable, enforceable standards.”

BACKGROUND: The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 was signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 3, 2026. Congressman Rick Allen has long called for major PBM reforms—helping champion the reforms included in the CAA, and most recently with the introduction of the PBM Kickback Prohibition Act, which was advanced by the Education and Workforce Committee on May 21, 2026.

To read the full letter to the Honorable Daniel Aronowitz, click here.

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

After Missing Congressional Deadline, FEMA Faces Questions About Readiness Amid Staffing Cuts, Leadership Turmoil, and Diversion of Personnel to ICE

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

Speaker Johnson Hosts Awards Ceremony Honoring Community Leaders

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

ADELANTO, CA – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) today conducted an unannounced congressional oversight visit at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, where he inspected the facility’s medical unit, dining hall, kitchen, library, and housing areas as part of his ongoing oversight of immigration detention facilities and federal ICE and CBP enforcement operations..

The visit comes as Rep. Gomez continues to defend his authority as a Member of Congress to conduct oversight of immigration detention facilities. Last year, Rep. Gomez helped lead a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s attempt to block Members of Congress from conducting unannounced inspections of immigration detention facilities. Following the lawsuit, a federal court reaffirmed Rep. Gomez’s authority to conduct oversight visits without advance notice.

“I personally sued the Trump administration and won the right to do drop-in visits,” said Congressman Jimmy Gomez. “We have to make sure that there is adequate medical staffing, that people are getting their medicines, and that they’re getting the care they need. We need to make sure that they’re getting treated fairly and humanely.”

During today’s inspection, Gomez also followed up on concerns previously raised by members of his staff regarding detainees’ access to Department of Homeland Security authorization forms. The forms allow individuals in detention to authorize congressional offices to assist them with issues involving federal agencies.

After Rep. Gomez identified that the forms were not readily available in the facility’s library or housing units, his staff raised the issue with facility officials. During today’s visit, Gomez confirmed the forms are now available in both locations, allowing detainees to more easily seek assistance from congressional offices.

Rep. Gomez has conducted multiple oversight visits, including inspections of ICE detention and processing facilities in Downtown Los Angeles, where he documented concerns about overcrowding, prolonged detention, inadequate access to services, and the treatment of detainees. Today’s visit underscores his commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and oversight of a detention system that continues to face serious allegations of mistreatment and neglect.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04)

Freedom comes at a cost. Memorial Day serves as a weighty reminder of just how high a price many of our service men and women have paid. Most of us will spend our weekend enjoying the company of friends and family, hopefully some warm weather and sunshine, and maybe even a cookout or two. But my hope is that we can still remember that our ability to enjoy this weekend and the many blessings we have been given as Americans is all because of the sacrifice of our military heroes.

A little over a month ago, Hot Springs was privileged to welcome home the remains of World War II veteran, U.S. Army Air Force Staff Sgt. Russell O. Chitwood. While serving in France, his aircraft was struck down by German fire over enemy territory. Chitwood was among ten men, some of whom were captured as prisoners of war. However, Chitwood was never accounted for.

After new technology allowed his remains to be identified, Staff Sgt. Chitwood finally made his way home, eighty years later. It’s stories like these that remind us of the cost of freedom. And they remind us of how truly blessed we are to hold on to that freedom.

There’s a quote by Ronald Reagan that perfectly captures the spirit of this upcoming holiday. In his own Memorial Day speech at the Arlington National Cemetery in 1982, he said, “The willingness of some to give their lives so that others might live never fails to evoke in us a sense of wonder and mystery. One gets that feeling here on this hallowed ground. And I have known that same poignant feeling as I looked out across the rows of white crosses and stars of David in Europe, in the Philippines and the military cemeteries here in our own land. Each one marks the resting place of an American hero.”

I’m grateful to Staff Sgt. Chitwood and all of our American heroes who have served or lost their life for our country. As a Member of Congress, it’s a privilege to use my vote to honor their service and sacrifice. This week, the House voted to pass the Veterans 2^nd Amendment Act.

Our veterans fought to defend our Constitution. And they shouldn’t lose their own constitutional rights simply because a box was checked on their benefits form. For too long, veterans with fiduciaries have been placed into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) – taking away their ability to legally own a firearm or ammunition.

This strips them of the due process civilians are guaranteed before being added to NICS. So instead of a judge making the decision of whether a veteran is a threat to their community, a VA bureaucrat makes that decision with the flick of a pen or click of a button.

House Republicans passed the Protecting Veterans 2^nd Amendment Act to prevent the VA from giving the NICS sensitive information without due process to protect our veterans’ constitutional rights – the ones they fought to defend.

I’m always proud to work alongside my colleagues in Congress to cast a vote that ensures our veterans receive the care, respect, and rights they have earned.

May you have a blessed Memorial Day weekend and may God continue to bless our troops and the United States of America.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), announced $2,230,582 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Choptank Community Health System in Denton, Maryland, to expand healthcare access in rural communities across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Statement from Congressman Harris:

“Choptank Community Health System has long been a trusted healthcare provider on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and I am proud to see this $2.2 million federal award invested in healthcare services across rural Maryland. Many residents live in areas where medical care is not always nearby, and long travel distances can make routine appointments and treatment more difficult. This funding will allow Choptank to serve more patients, increase appointment availability, and keep high-quality healthcare close to home for Eastern Shore families.”

For media inquiries, please contact Michella Carter at “>Michella.Carter@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after a federal judge ordered the removal of President Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and blocked the administration’s plan to close the venue for two years beginning in July:

Donald Trump tried to slap his name on the Kennedy Center like it was one of his tacky hotels, and today a federal judge made clear what we have been saying from the start: he had no legal authority to do it.

I am also relieved the court blocked Trump’s plan to shutter the Center. Closing the Kennedy Center was never about renovation. It was about covering up the catastrophic damage Trump has already inflicted: ticket sales in free fall, the Washington National Opera ending its 55-year residency, beloved performances canceled, and union workers fired in clear violation of their contracts. The court saw through the pretense.

I want to commend Congresswoman Beatty for her courage and persistence in filing this suit, along with the preservation and architectural organizations that fought alongside her. This victory belongs to every American who refused to accept a president using a national memorial as a vehicle for his own ego.

The Kennedy Center’s deferred maintenance needs are real, and they should be addressed. But that work must happen through a transparent, collaborative process, with full congressional oversight and proper historic preservation review. I stand ready to be a genuine partner in restoring the Kennedy Center’s integrity and greatness for generations to come. That is what the American people deserve, and that is the work that lies ahead.

Trump has two weeks to comply with this court order. The Kennedy Center belongs to the American people. Now and always.

Pingree, who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, has been a leading voice in Congress to protect the Kennedy Center since Trump installed himself as board chair in 2025. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Pingree successfully stripped language from the 2026 Appropriations bill that would have renamed the Kennedy Center Opera House after Melania Trump.

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