MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

At Judiciary Committee markup on forcing states to enforce immigration law, calls for Secretary Noem’s impeachment

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

Rep. Ben Cline (VA-06), alongside Reps. Lou Correa (CA-46), Laurel Lee (FL-15), and Joe Neguse (CO-02), introduced the bipartisan Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026. The legislation would permanently raise the small business reorganization threshold for Chapter 11 to $7.5 million, allowing more small businesses to access a faster, more cost-effective bankruptcy process while negotiating with creditors, keeping their doors open, employees on payroll, and suppliers paid. The bill also ensures the bankruptcy system remains self-supporting and that its costs are fairly borne by those who use it.

“The Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act will give small businesses the certainty they need to reorganize, restructure, and keep operating when challenges arise,” said Rep. Cline. “By permanently raising the eligibility threshold, we’re ensuring more job creators can access a streamlined and affordable bankruptcy process that helps them stay open, protect paychecks, and meet their obligations. Just as importantly, this bipartisan bill maintains the integrity of our bankruptcy system by keeping it self-supporting and fair for all who rely on it.”

“Bankruptcy is a painful last result for struggling businesses, impacting the people and communities that rely on their services. This legislation would make a streamlined and more cost-effective process accessible to more businesses, enabling them to settle their debts and continue serving their customers,” said Rep. Correa. “With the heavy burdens that Main Street already faces in this economy, we need to give them opportunities to not only survive but thrive.”  

“When small businesses face financial distress, they should have a practical path to reorganize and continue operating. This legislation permanently restores the $7.5 million debt threshold so more small and family-owned businesses can access a streamlined restructuring process, preserve jobs, and continue serving their communities. I’m pleased to support this bipartisan effort to provide greater certainty for small businesses,” said Rep. Lee.

“When we enacted the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act in 2022, we responded to the economic and financial strain Americans faced in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. Since then, this legislation has protected our local entrepreneurs, small business owners, and family-owned shops,” said Rep. Neguse. “By making this change permanent, we can protect those in our communities confronting the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and continue to ensure sufficient support for our main street economies.”

BACKGROUND: This bill builds on Rep. Cline’s previous work on this issue. As a freshman in the 2019 class, he became the first member of his class to have legislation signed into law with the Small Business Reorganization Act, which established the Subchapter V reorganization process.

Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and a Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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

(Washington, DC) — On Thursday, March 5, 2026, Congressman Al Green, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, shared remarks in a Financial Services Hearing entitled, “Fighting Fraud on the Front Lines: Challenges and Opportunities for Financial Institutions.”

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s remarks by clicking here. The hearing remarks highlighted are also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

More housing grants, expanded loan financing for affordable housing

Included in historic housing package advancing in the U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) announced that two of his bills to build more homes in Stockton were included in a historic housing reform package that is advancing in the U.S. Senate. The Increasing Housing in Opportunity Zones Act, led with Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16), requires more federal housing grants to be awarded in low-income communities, and the Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act, led with Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), expands federal financing for affordable housing like manufactured homes and smaller housing units.

“Valley communities are in a housing crisis – families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads while the next generation can’t even afford to leave home and move into a place of their own,” said Rep. Harder. “We need more new homes, lower housing costs, and projects finished faster – that’s exactly what these bills deliver, which is why I made sure they were included in the first real housing package in Congress in half a century. I’m going to continue pushing to make life in the Valley affordable again and restore our families’ dream of being able to buy a home.”

Unlocking more federal housing grants:

• Much of Stockton is in a federal Opportunity Zone, which was created to incentivize investment in low-income communities.
• Despite this, Stockton doesn’t have enough targeted, long-term housing investment from the federal government.
• Harder’s Increasing Housing in Opportunity Zones Act authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to give priority to Opportunity Zone communities when awarding competitive housing grants.

“Opportunity Zones have breathed new life into neighborhoods and Main Street businesses that have not seen private investment in years, all without spending a single taxpayer dollar,” said Rep. Kelly. “Housing costs continue to be a pressing issue for so many Americans. This new legislation builds upon the successes of Opportunity Zones and leverages the tax code to both expand the housing supply and lower costs.”

Expanded loan financing for affordable housing options:

• Housing options like manufactured homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) offer families an early path to homeownership, but outdated financing rules are limiting these options.
• Harder’s Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act increases limits on loans for manufactured homes and opens up new financing for ADUs.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the broader housing package, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, next week.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, for the “Advancing National Security through Public Diplomacy” full committee hearing. Members heard testimony from Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers. 

“Thank you, Chairman Mast and thank you, Under Secretary Rogers, for appearing before the Committee. I am glad we are holding this hearing today.  The Chairman has called very few hearings this Congress with Administration officials, so I’m pleased we will have the opportunity to hear from you.   

“At the same time, it is a dereliction of our duty to not have one single administration witness testify publicly on Iran for the past year, and even after the Administration bombed Iran in June. Zero.  The American people deserve to know why this President has taken us to war, what the objectives and nature of the imminent threat are, and how much it will cost them. These are basic questions that should be easy to explain BEFORE dropping a bomb and my constituents did not elect me to serve as a rubber stamp.   

“So back to you Madame Under Secretary, let me start by emphasizing a point on which I hope we agree: public diplomacy is not symbolic. It is our frontline tool for ensuring the United States—not China, not Russia—shapes how billions of people understand democracy, freedom, and American values. It’s how we counter foreign disinformation and propaganda, demonstrate U.S. leadership, and win hearts and minds. 

“Under Secretary Rogers, your job is to tell America’s story—not to become the story yourself.  

“Too often, the public narrative has centered on your statements, political engagements, and social media activity rather than America’s global message. During your brief tenure, you have met with partisan political actors in Europe and publicly criticized allied governments’ domestic policies, rather than explaining America’s foreign policy, the opposite of your mandate.   

“Your public statements on migration and political issues in allied countries have courted controversy. Your activities in Europe have disrupted U.S.-EU trade discussions and I understand that senior officials in your own administration have raised objections to your approach.   

“I am concerned that the focus of your tenure has at times appeared more aligned with advancing a domestic political brand than strengthening America’s global credibility. That is not public diplomacy, and it diminishes the credibility of your Under Secretariat and the professionals who serve within it. 

“The Public Diplomacy mission was not meant to be confined to one continent or to one issue. It is global by design. And for good reason. 

“China is rapidly expanding state-run media, cultural diplomacy, and exchanges worldwide, while Russia continues aggressive information warfare. Authoritarian actors are filling influence gaps wherever America appears absent. 

“U.S. public diplomacy has never been more needed, or more neglected. The world is watching an America that has launched trade wars and military ones.  

“They are trying to understand what America stands for. THAT is precisely the mission your office exists to address. 

“This year should have been an opportunity to showcase American leadership and values. We are hosting the FIFA World Cup and celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Yet anti-U.S. sentiment is rising, and some countries have issued travel advisories for the United States. Tourism has declined. That perception environment makes your mission more, not less, critical.  

“We know that U.S.-exchange programs are one of America’s most effective tools for building long-term support abroad. The Administration’s foreign assistance review, restructuring, and politicization of public diplomacy have delayed programs, upended contracts, and created uncertainty among partners.   

“Congress strengthened the Public Diplomacy Under Secretariat at State because leadership in public diplomacy is essential to national security. That authority carries expectations: that America’s global voice be coordinated, credible, and focused on advancing America’s standing, not weakening it. 

“If public diplomacy is perceived as partisan or ideological rather than strategic, it will undermine its own effectiveness, and hand our adversaries exactly the narrative they want. It erodes trust and undercuts our power of persuasion. 

“So, you have a big job ahead of you and I look forward to hearing how you will refocus the office on its actual mission: advancing the interests of the American people around the world, strengthening our alliances, and restoring confidence in America’s voice abroad.   

“Thank you, I yield back.” 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today delivered the following remarks on the floor during debate on House Concurrent Resolution 38, a bipartisan War Powers Resolution introduced by Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) to prohibit the Trump administration’s hostilities against Iran.

“In Donald Trump’s own words, in Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s own words… The United States is at war with Iran.

“Did Congress authorize that war, as the Constitution requires? No.

“Was there any imminent threat requiring this use of force? The administration has presented none. In fact, the word imminent does not appear once in the administration’s own War Powers notification.

“Did the Trump administration even bother making the case to the American people or to Congress? Just eight days ago, during the State of the Union, the most visible platform a president has, he could have laid out the rationale for military action. Instead, Iran, was just a footnote in a record-long speech.

“This is a war of choice, launched by this administration without authorization, without clearly stated objectives or a defined endgame, and without explaining how they intend to keep Americans safe.

“The chaos unleashed will not be borne by the president’s family. It will be borne by our men and women in uniform who will face retaliation from Iran and its proxy networks. It will be borne by innocent civilians at heightened risk of attacks from Iran’s aligned terrorist cells. It will be borne by American families paying more for groceries, for electricity, and for gasoline. All for Trump’s war of choice.

“Americans woke up Saturday to news that the United States is again at war in the Middle East. They don’t know for how long, because the president has not articulated a clearly defined endgame. Military action without a defined strategy invites escalation, mission creep, and failure. We should have learned this lesson already from Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam.

“As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’

“This War Powers Resolution is simple. This is not a vote on authorization for use of military force. This simply demands that President Trump come to Congress as the Constitution demands, to seek authorization for what he himself has described as a war.

“The War Powers Resolution does not prevent the United States from defending itself. It does not stop the president from responding to an imminent attack. It does not limit us from protecting our troops.

“I’ve served in Congress for nearly three decades. I’ve been in this chamber as this body has done its most sacred and serious work: deliberating whether to send American service members into harm’s way.

“I was here for the vote after 9/11 to go into Afghanistan, a heavy decision but one I believed was necessary for our national security.

“I was here for the invasion of Iraq. The Bush administration did come to Congress to provide intelligence — some real and some deeply flawed — and made their case. I ultimately voted against that war of choice and historic failure, but at least the Bush administration followed the Constitution.

“And year after year, I have watched Congress gradually relinquish its authority on matters of war to the Executive branch. We’ve allowed overly broad Authorizations for Use of Military Force to remain on the book. We have permitted presidents of both parties to commit forces without a vote. This war with Iran is the most extreme example of that abdication.

“The framers rejected the idea of a king. That is why they granted Congress the power to declare war. It is long past time to reclaim that authority; President Trump is not a king, and if he believes that war with Iran is in our national interest, then he must come to Congress and make that case.

“I would oppose his war of choice, but each Member here must make clear with their vote where they stand and own that decision.

“The president has initiated hostilities without a clear mission, without a coherent strategy, and without a defined endgame. This open-ended, undefined military engagement is precisely what the War Powers Resolution was designed to restrain. We are not the Iranian Parliament; we are not a rubber stamp. We are a co-equal branch of government, and our duty is not optional, it was written in the Constitution. The framers gave Congress this authority because they believed no single person should have the power to take this nation to war alone. Today we either defend that principle or we surrender it. I choose to defend it.” 

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

WASHINGTON – Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Darren Soto (D-FL) today introduced the Puerto Rican People’s Power Restoration Act of 2026, legislation to amend the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) to provide for the termination of the Financial Oversight and Management Board under defined circumstances and restore fiscal authority to Puerto Rico’s democratically elected government.

Nearly a decade ago, Congress enacted PROMESA in response to Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis. The law created the Financial Oversight and Management Board and granted it sweeping authority over the island’s budgets, fiscal plans, and debt restructuring. While the Board was intended to stabilize Puerto Rico’s finances, its continued control has raised serious concerns about self-governance and democratic representation. This legislation preserves fiscal stability while restoring institutional authority to elected officials through a clear, lawful transition.

“After nearly a decade under an unelected fiscal control board, it is time to give the people of Puerto Rico the chance to write their own financial future,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “President Trump has shown his willingness to abuse the board’s authority to enrich his Wall Street cronies, and he cannot be trusted to put the interests of Puerto Ricans above those of vulture funds. Our legislation creates a clear and orderly transition that preserves fiscal stability while restoring true authority to Puerto Rico’s elected government. Puerto Ricans deserve to choose for themselves how to manage the Commonwealth—not have it dictated by Washington. This bill ensures continuity during the transition while returning power where it belongs: with the people.”

“The people of Puerto Rico deserve a clear path toward full economic self-governance and long-term fiscal stability. This legislation builds on the progress made under PROMESA while establishing responsible conditions for ending the Financial Oversight and Management Board once its mission is complete,” Congressman Darren Soto said. “This way, we can ensure accountability, restore local control, and support sustainable economic growth for the island and its residents.”

“On behalf of our national coalition, our members on the island and our partners in the US, thank you Congressmembers Soto and Krishnamoorthi for your brave leadership in introducing this bill to once and for all restore the limited power Puerto Rico’s elected officials had before the United States Congress imposed the PROMESA law on the Puerto Rican people. While this bill does not decolonize Puerto Rico, it takes an important first step in overturning the most direct form of colonial rule that is an unelected, Wall Street-driven board controlling our island-nation’s finances, often overruling its democratically enacted laws. Thank you to our partners for taking us to this place with a years-long advocacy campaign that today marks the beginning of the end of this colonial board’s rule over our people,” Power 4 Puerto Rico Director Erica González said.

Former Congressman Luis Gutiérrez told a room full of reporters and advocates from across the country in Capitol Hill that, “today we tell the vultures, the bondholders, the overpriced consultants and those who think they know how to govern our island better than its elected officials, basta ya. Enough is enough. I was proud to vote against PROMESA and ten years after that sad day I am proud to stand with my former colleagues in taking this enormous step to end this tragic chapter in Puerto Rico’s colonial relationship with the United States. Gracias Raja, Darren, for your always saying presente for our Puerto Rican people.”

“After ten years of this fiscal colonially imposed board, we have less democracy, less economic development and less workers rights thanks to this Wall Street junta that has worsened outmigration, including to here in Chicago. Thank you Congressman Raja for having Chicago Puerto Ricans’ back,” said Juan Calderón, Deputy Executive Director of the Chicago-based Juan Antonio Corretjer Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC). 

City of St. Louis Alderperson Daniela Velázquez said: “As a Diasporican serving in St. Louis, I’m proud to support this effort to end Puerto Rico’s fiscal control board. Communities deserve the power to govern themselves, not have unelected bodies override the will of the people. Puerto Ricans have lived under this system for nearly a decade, and it’s time for Congress to return power to the people.”

“The junta has denied labor rights to both private and public sector employees. The board has even annulled laws passed by our elected legislature and signed by the governor to restore workplace protections and benefits hard won by years of labor organizing in Puerto Rico. We came here with Congressman Gutiérrez to demand the end of the fiscal board. Thanks to all of you for taking this important step to ensure we get there,” said Emilio Nieves, President, Central Puertorriqueña de Trabajadores (“Puerto Rican Workers Central,” in English), and Fidel Cordovés, President of the Federación de Trabajadores de la Empresa Privada (FETEMP – or “Federated Union of Private Sector Employees” in English).

Florida activist and Executive Director of Alianza for Progress, Marcos Vilar, said that, “Florida is home to the largest Puerto Rican diaspora community in the United States and we all are united in demanding that Congress gets rid of this undemocratic fiscal control board in Puerto Rico. No matter where boricuas stand in our quest for self-determination and decolonization we speak with one voice in calling for the end of the oversight board governing our country of Puerto Rico.” 

Under the legislation, the Oversight Board would terminate the day after the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico enacts legislation designating or establishing a successor entity. The bill preserves prior Board actions, maintains existing bankruptcy confirmation requirements, and retains the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, ensuring continuity, stability, and legal certainty throughout the transition.

Summary of the Puerto Rican People’s Power Restoration Act of 2026

• Terminates the Financial Oversight and Management Board upon enactment of Commonwealth legislation designating or establishing a successor entity.

• Provides for substitution of debtor representation authority in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) restructuring process upon enactment of Commonwealth legislation establishing a successor entity.

• Preserves the validity of prior certified fiscal plans and budgets unless modified in accordance with PROMESA or through confirmation of a plan of adjustment.

• Maintains existing federal court jurisdiction and bankruptcy confirmation requirements under PROMESA.

The text of the Puerto Rican People’s Power Restoration Act of 2026 is available here.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, and Josh Harder (D-CA) introduced the Increasing Housing in Opportunity Zones Act, legislation that enables the U.S. Secretary of Housing & Urban Development added weight to applicants for competitive HUD grants that are located in, or primarily serve, designated Opportunity Zones to support housing preservation and construction.

The Kelly-Harder legislation is part of Kelly’s initiative to make housing more affordable and accessible to Americans of all ages.

“Opportunity Zones have breathed new life into neighborhoods and Main Street businesses that have not seen private investment in years, all without spending a single taxpayer dollar,” said Rep. Kelly. “Housing costs continue to be a pressing issue for so many Americans. This new legislation builds upon the successes of Opportunity Zones and leverages the tax code to both expand the housing supply and lower costs.”

“Valley communities are in a housing crisis – families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads while the next generation can’t even afford to leave home and move into a place of their own,” said Rep. Harder. “We need more new homes, lower housing costs, and projects finished faster – that’s exactly what this bill helps deliver. I’m going to continue pushing to make life in the Valley affordable again and restore our families’ dream of being able to buy a home.”

The Increasing Housing in Opportunity Zones Act is included in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Actled by U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). If signed into law, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would mark the largest legislative housing package in decades. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is supported by the Trump administration.

You can read the full bill text here and a one-pager here.

BACKGROUND

Rep. Kelly has led and championed Opportunity Zones (OZ) legislation in the U.S. House, including his legislation to expand and make OZs permanent in the Working Families Tax Cuts signed into law by President Trump last year.

Opportunity Zones in Erie, Pennsylvania, located in Kelly’s district, are a national model for the program’s success. To date, Opportunity Zones have spurred more than $150 million in private-dollar investment in downtown Erie with OZs generating more than $450 million in additional long-term capital investment, according to the Erie Downtown Development Corporation.

Improvement and additions to Erie’s Opportunity Zone corridor include:

• 100,000 sq. ft. of new commercial space
• 25 new businesses
• 104 new residential spaces
• 8 historic properties restored

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Ahead of the House vote on the Iran war powers resolution, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the House Floor emphasizing the constitutional powers of Congress to authorize war and warning against bypassing the separation of powers amid debate over the initiation of U.S. military hostilities with Iran.

In her remarks, Pelosi expressed mourning for the American servicemembers who have already lost their lives in the conflict and urged Congress to honor their sacrifice by carefully exercising its constitutional duty. She stressed that while Members across the aisle agree Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, protecting the Constitution must remain paramount.

Pelosi underscored that the debate before Congress is not about the merits of war itself, but about safeguarding the authority granted to Congress under Article One of the Constitution to declare war.

Watch Pelosi’s Floor remarks here. 

 Read the transcript of Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s Floor remarks below:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his kind words, but more importantly, for his leadership in bringing us together today in his great statement, and that of our distinguished Leader, Mr. Jeffries, that we heard earlier.

I stand here as former Leader, but also as one with 30 years of experience in Intelligence. And I think this is a very important debate for us to have. There are two debates going on here.

One is the debate as to the Constitution of the United States. The other is whether Iran should have a nuclear weapon, which we all agree they should not. But that doesn’t mean the Constitution of the United States should be a casualty of that because you want to take a shortcut to war.

I rise in mourning for the brave servicemembers who have given their lives in this conflict. We honor their ultimate sacrifice, and we pray for them, their families and all who were injured in it so far.

I had some veterans, Mr. Speaker, in my office earlier today on two different occasions, and we talked about the fact that having six people killed so early at the beginning of a conflict, initiation of hostilities, is unacceptable.

What is our plan? What do we have in mind for them?

So again, we all agree Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. And to that end, I’m proud of what President Obama did with this. He was masterful in diplomacy, in forging an agreement that verifiably prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

I have this book of statements from our colleagues who told the President, we need to see the substance of the agreement. We need to see the validation and proof of it all. We need to get the communication to the American people.

The President respected the Congress and came and gave reasons. And this is for an agreement. And this President won’t even come and give us the data for an action of war.

So let’s be clear. This is not a debate about the merits of the war—that’s another debate. It’s a debate of the Constitution of the United States.

The beauty of the Constitution, central to it, is the separation of powers.

And central to that power is Article One. In that Article One is the power of the Congress to declare war.

So again, let us be serious about our oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution as we protect and defend the people of our country. That is our responsibility. That is what we will do.

I urge our colleagues to vote in support of the Constitution, then go on to the debate of whether we should go into Iran and how we go into Iran. And I think that there will be some mixed views on that.

But that’s a different subject.

I urge our colleagues to honor your oath of office. Honor the vision of our Founders. Honor the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform who’ve gotten us here today.

Thank you.