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Rep. Angie Craig Introduces Comprehensive Regulatory Framework for Hemp

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

Minnesota’s hemp industry supports 3,400 jobs,132 licensed growers, 96 processors and over 2,000 retailers

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee Angie Craig (D-MN-02) introduced legislation alongside Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY-06) to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for hemp and hemp-derived THC products, ensuring hemp remains safe and available for Minnesota’s farmers, processors, brewers, retailers and consumers.

Rep. Craig’s Lawful Hemp Protection Act comes after House Republicans effectively repealed a 2018 law that allowed Minnesota and other states to legally produce hemp and sell hemp-derived products, such as hemp beverages and textiles. Since 2018, the hemp industry has grown into a roughly $300 million a year industry and provided a new income stream for local farmers, brewers and small businesses. As of 2023, the Minnesota hemp industry supported over 3,400 jobs. The state is home to 132 licensed grow operations, 96 processors and over 2,000 retailers. If Congress does not act by November 12, 2026, Minnesota’s legal hemp industry will effectively be shut down.

“Minnesota became the model for responsible hemp regulation when it established a regulatory framework that complied with federal law and enabled local farmers and businesses to thrive,” said Rep. Craig. “My commonsense legislation will give regulatory clarity to Minnesota farmers, brewers and small business owners and provide an alternative to short-sighted federal policies that threaten Minnesota jobs and consumer choice. I am proud to have worked with Rep. Barr on a solution that protects our farmers and small businesses while also keeping our kids and communities safe.”

“Kentucky farmers helped build America’s hemp industry and they deserve certainty,” said Rep. Andy Barr. “The Lawful Hemp Protection Act protects Kentucky agriculture, safeguards consumers, and establishes a commonsense regulatory framework that allows this important industry to continue to grow while ensuring products are safe and kept out of the hands of children. Kentucky has demonstrated that hemp can be successfully regulated while supporting farmers and protecting consumers. This legislation builds on that success by creating a national framework that rewards responsible producers, eliminates bad actors and ensures consumers have confidence in the products they purchase.”

“We are dangerously close to one of Minnesota’s most promising small business industries being shut down,” said Bob Galligan, director of government and industry relations for the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. “Minnesotans proved that responsible regulation can lift businesses, strengthen economies and protect consumers. We now need Congress to do its job. We’re grateful for Rep. Craig for her continuous support and for now forging a path that reflects what our state has already shown: prohibition doesn’t work, but thoughtful, practical regulation does.”

“The entire Minnesota hemp industry thanks both Reps. Angie Craig and Andy Barr for their leadership in bringing sensible regulation to this industry that is so important to so many,” said Kyle Markinovich, the founder and CEO of Northern Diversified Solutions in Burnsville, MN. “The farmers, brands, distributors, retailers, patients, and consumers are so grateful this amazing success story will continue to grow and thrive. As Minnesotans, we are particularly grateful to Rep. Craig who continues to serve hemp farmers and businesses so well in the Congress.”

“Reps. Andy Barr and Angie Craig deserve tremendous credit for stepping forward with a serious, science-based and bipartisan solution at exactly the moment the hemp industry needs it most,” said Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. “Their leadership on the Lawful Hemp Protection Act reflects a clear-eyed recognition that prohibition is the wrong path, and that American farmers, small businesses, manufacturers, retailers and consumers deserve a workable federal framework built on responsible regulation. We are grateful for their willingness to engage stakeholders across the industry throughout the drafting process, and we look forward to continuing to work with them and their colleagues in Congress to advance a long-term federal solution.”

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Higgins Asks FBI to Examine Orleans Parish Grand Jury Indictment of LA AG Murrill 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel earlier this month, requesting an investigation into the indictment of Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill by an Orleans Parish grand jury. In the letter, he pointed to the suspicious origin of the case and irregularities with the grand jury’s proceedings as necessitating federal review. Read the letter here.

Congressman Higgins’ letter was delivered on July 3, 2026, shortly after a Louisiana Supreme Court decision to issue a stay and halt the indictment. The decision cited “disturbing defects in the grand jury proceedings and in the trial court’s handling of those proceedings.”

“There are significant questions regarding the proper application of the law and whether the Orleans Parish grand jury was righteously convened,” wrote Congressman Higgins. “Based upon my objective review of the case, the Orleans Parish grand jury’s actions have crossed the threshold of reasonable suspicion.” 

“FBI New Orleans should conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that the grand jury was indeed properly convened, not directed for retaliatory purposes, and not tainted by political motivations,” Congressman Higgins continued. “I further encourage the FBI to communicate with the grand jury and the trial court, directing them to preserve all records, documentation, and communications concerning the proceedings at hand.”

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Griffith Announces $1 Million HHS Grant to Mount Rogers Community Services Board

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the Mount Rogers Community Services Board, based in Wytheville, Virginia, a $1 million grant. The funding supports local substance abuse and mental health services. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Mount Rogers Community Services leads specialized programs for those impacted by mental health struggles and substance use disorders.

“This HHS grant for $1 million helps Mount Rogers Community Services make our communities healthier.”

BACKGROUND

According to its website, the Mount Rogers Community Services Board serves the City of Galax well as Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth and Wythe Counties. 

Mount Rogers Community Services operates multiple centers in the region.

As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Griffith serves as the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee. 

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Griffith Announces $750,000 HHS Grant to Support Local Opioid Response Programs

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems, Inc., based in Saltville, Virginia, a $750,000 grant. The funding supports local opioid response programs. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems operates numerous New Day Recovery facilities and community health centers. As someone who has visited its Saltville location, I understand the impacts of the synthetic opioid crisis on rural communities.

“This HHS grant for $750,000 helps Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems treat local communities.

“I am proud that my HALT Fentanyl Act is now law, and I will continue to work on legislation that helps tackle the opioid crisis.”

BACKGROUND

New Day Recovery has locations in the City of Bristol and the Towns of Saltville and Tazewell.

Congressman Griffith is chief House sponsor of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which President Trump signed into law in July 2025. This legislation permanently designates lethal fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.

Congressman Griffith also helped contribute to the SUPPORT Act, which President Trump signed into law in December 2025. Griffith is responsible for crafting Section 103 of the bill to reauthorize the prescription drug monitoring program.

As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Griffith serves as the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee. 

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Ahead of Senate Floor Action, Pressley, Gillen Urge Senators to Extend TPS for Haitians, Protect Haitian and American Lives

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

Senate Bill Follows Successful House Passage of Pressley’s Discharge Petition to Extend TPS for Haitians

Bill Text (PDF) | Letter Text (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of Senate floor action to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus, alongside Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04), urged Senators to support legislation to extend Haiti TPS and protect the lives and livelihoods of Haitians and Americans alike. Senators Ed Markey and Lisa Blunt Rochester lead the companion bill, introduced after the successful House passage of Congresswoman Pressley’s discharge petition to preserve and extend TPS for Haitians. 

In their letter to Senators, the Congresswomen made clear the harm of terminating TPS both for the safety and well-being of Haitian families and for the health of the American economy, workforce, and communities that are beneficiaries of Haitians’ essential contributions.

“Protecting the safety, dignity, and humanity of our Haitian neighbors is the right thing to do, and our country is strengthened by their contributions to our communities, the economy, our healthcare workforce, and more,” said Rep. Pressley. “Since my discharge petition to extend TPS for Haitians successfully passed the House, we’ve been pressing hard to advance this essential legislation and protect our Haitian neighbors. The Senate must pass the extension of Haiti TPS without delay.” 

“The Senate must respond to the Supreme Court’s harmful decision to terminate TPS for hardworking, taxpaying, law-abiding Haitian members of our community and pass our bipartisan bill immediately,” said Rep. Gillen. “Haitian TPS recipients have been thoroughly vetted, passed rigorous background checks and are essential to our nation’s workforce. Forcing them to face the violence and chaos in Haiti would be tantamount to a death sentence and bad for our economy. I’m proud to join my colleagues to urge every senator to support our legislation preserving the legal status of our Haitian friends and neighbors.”

The legislation preserves TPS protections for more than 300,000 Haitian nationals, offering a critical lifeline as Haiti continues to confront political instability, widespread violence, and a serious humanitarian emergency. 

Bill text can be accessed here.

Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country. She has stood in vigorous defense for Haitian communities and all immigrant neighbors amid Trump and ICE’s attacks against immigrant communities.

Congresswoman Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress pushing back against Trump’s threats to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians.

In April 2026, Rep. Pressley secured a major victory in the House of Representatives, passing critical legislation to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti by a vote of 224-204. The effort, which Congresswoman Pressley championed through a bipartisan discharge petition, is a watershed moment in her years-long advocacy for Haitian communities and immigrant families and marks an essential step forward in the fight to defend Haitian nationals from deportation.

  • On June 28, 2025, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement condemning the Trump Administration’s abominable termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti effective September 2nd, 2025.
  • On June 5, 2025, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement on Donald Trump’s executive order that bans citizens of 12 countries, including Haiti, from traveling to the United States, and places partial restrictions on citizens of seven more nations.
  • On March 18, 2025,  Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 62 of their colleagues in the House and 23 of their colleagues in the Senate in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the Trump Administration redesignate and extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which the administration recently canceled on questionable legal authority.
  • On February 20, 2025, Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Yvette Clarke (NY-12), and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) issued the following statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
  • On April 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley, alongside Co-Chairs Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti.
  • On April 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs led a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leadership emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP.
  • On April 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Haitian-led activists, organizations, and a directly impacted person in Haiti for a press call urging federal action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
  • On March 27, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her colleagues on the Massachusetts congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to expedite visa processing for Haitians, particularly  for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
  • On March 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Cherfilus McCormick and Yvette Clarke issued a statement on the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
  • On March 6, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the recent jailbreak and State of Emergency in Haiti.
  • On December 8, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke urged the U.S. Department of State to withdraw U.S. support for an armed foreign intervention in Haiti and encourage negotiations for a Haitian-led democratic political transition.
  • On December 6, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
  • On December 1, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Mondaire Jones led 14 of their colleagues on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Department to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
  • On August 17, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings, Yvette Clarke, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), called on President Biden to appoint a new Special Envoy to Haiti, a position that has remained unfilled since September 2021.
  • On May 31, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian Americans United, published an op-ed in the Bay State Banner in which they called on the Biden administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and instead support an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy on the island. 
  • On May 26, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), led a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power urging her to act to ensure food security in Haiti.
  • In February 2022, Reps. Pressley, Judy Chu (CA-27), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to CDC Director Walensky demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more. Days later, Rep. Pressley once again called on the Biden Administration to reverse the Title 42 Order and other anti-Black immigration policies.
  • On March 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Mondaire Jones called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky to fully end Title 42, cease deportations of people to Haiti and affirm their legal and fundamental human right to seek asylum.
  • On February 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 100 House and Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies – such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration – that continue to disproportionately harm Black migrants.
  • On February 14, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more.
  • In April 2022, she joined her colleagues at a press conference reaffirming her support for President Biden’s decision to end Title 42. Full video of her remarks at the press conference is available here. Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden Administration’s end of Title 42 in a statement in April 2022.
  • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Velázquez led 54 of their colleagues on a letter calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and provide humanitarian parole protections for those seeking asylum. The lawmakers’ letter followed the Administration’s resumption of deportation flights to Haiti as thousands of Haitian migrants continue to await an opportunity to make an asylum claim at the border. 
  • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in demanding answers regarding the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback and pushing to Biden Administration to end the ongoing use and weaponization of Title 42.
  • On July 7, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Andy Levin (MI-09), Val Demings (FL-10) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
  • On November 21, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation on a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) calling on them to coordinate with the government agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist newly arrived families from Haiti. 
  • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley, and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings (FL-10), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Andy Levin (MI-09) issued a statement following the kidnapping of American and Canadian missionaries in Haiti.
  • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the civil rights complaint filed by Haitian families demanding a federal investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
  • On October 22, 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), sent a letter to Troy A. Miller, the Acting Administrator of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), demanding a briefing and answers regarding press reports of the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback. 
  • On September 17, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) led 52 of their colleagues calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and take urgent action to address the concerns of the Haitian Diaspora after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti.
  • On August 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17) released a statement regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti.
  • On July 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to take a series of steps to support the Haitian diaspora amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
  • In July 2021, the Reps. Pressley, Clarke, Demings and Levin issued a statement condemning the assassination of President Moïse and calling for swift and decisive action to bring political stability and peace to Haiti and the Haitian people.
  • In May 2021, on Haitian Flag Day, Reps. Pressley, Levin, Clarke and Demings announced the formation of the House Haiti Caucus, a Congressional caucus dedicated to pursuing a just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first.

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After Committee Passage of Bill to Make the Most Consequential Reduction in D.C. Home Rule in Modern History, Norton Vows to Prevent Further Advancement

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

The Committee on Oversight & Government Reform marked up and passed a bill that would be the most consequential reduction in D.C.’s authority to govern itself in the modern history of D.C. home rule.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) marked up and passed a bill introduced by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) that would strip D.C. of the authority to make changes to its own tax code without congressional approval, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was outraged. 

Comer has claimed that the intention behind the bill was to prevent D.C. from raising taxes. As drafted, however, the bill would also prevent D.C. from cutting or eliminating taxes. 

“I’m outraged by the bill the Committee passed today, which would be the most consequential reduction in D.C.’s authority to govern itself since the D.C. Home Rule Act was passed in 1973 – the entire modern history of D.C. home rule,” Norton said. “Requiring Congress to proactively approve changes to D.C.’s tax code would prevent D.C. from taking fiscally responsible measures to address abrupt cash flow shortages of the type Congress itself is known to cause. 

“Last year, House Republicans omitted a provision in the Continuing Resolution that, in effect, caused a projected $1.1 billion shortfall in D.C.’s budget. Chairman Comer used today’s hearing to disingenuously blame that billion-dollar shortfall on fictional overspending by D.C. This is factually incorrect; D.C.’s budget has been balanced for the last 29 years. Republicans in Congress intentionally caused last year’s shortfall by forcing the District to revert to the prior year’s spending levels. Falsely blaming D.C. for a congressional action that D.C. vehemently opposed demonstrates that his bill lacks a persuasive case for its passage. Otherwise, he would not have needed to rely on falsehoods for its justification.

“D.C. residents are worthy and capable of governing themselves, and I’ll continue fighting to ensure this radical, undemocratic, and unworkable bill doesn’t progress further.”

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Krishnamoorthi Compares Trump's Billion-Dollar Vanity Projects to Dictators, Contrasts Spending with Cuts for Working Families

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) yesterday opened his questioning in a Democratic shadow hearing on President Donald Trump’s billion-dollar vanity projects by comparing the President’s self-promotional initiatives to those of authoritarian rulers, then questioning witnesses about democratic backsliding, taxpayer waste, and the Administration’s law enforcement priorities.

Krishnamoorthi began by asking Public Citizen Democracy Advocate Jon Golinger a series of multiple-choice questions with the same three options each time: Donald Trump, Muammar Gaddafi, or Turkmenbashi, the former president-for-life of Turkmenistan. Who named a class of warships after himself? Who put his own portrait inside our country’s passports? Which leader wanted to add a 60-foot granite monument of himself carved into the side of a mountain? The correct answer, each time, was President Trump. “Even Turkmen dictator Turkmenbashi, a man who famously renamed the months of the year after himself, did not do the same,” Krishnamoorthi remarked before concluding, “Room for one more on Mount Rushmore? The President wants to know. I think the answer is no.”

“On a more serious note, it appears that President Trump is mirroring the actions of dictators worldwide,” Krishnamoorthi said before asking Ambassador Norm Eisen whether the giant posters of President Trump draped over federal buildings in Washington “evoke the same looming display of Erdoğan in Ankara, Turkey.” He continued, “Years before Trump gutted the White House to create his golden ballroom, Erdoğan built his own vanity project called the White Palace. I’m sure it has a nice ballroom as well.” Krishnamoorthi then questioned Eisen about Turkey’s voter roll purges, intimidation of election officials, and recent reporting that DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened election officials with prison time if they failed to cooperate with the Administration.

Turning to the cost of the projects, Krishnamoorthi cited The New York Times’ estimate that President Trump’s construction spree could cost at least $1.2 billion before arguing the money would be better spent helping working families. “In my home state of Illinois, countless families will lose SNAP benefits under President Trump. $1.2 billion could restore all those SNAP benefits this year,” he said. “Countless Illinoisans are going to lose their Medicaid under Trump. $1.2 billion would restore Medicaid for 130,000 Illinoisans this year.”

“President Trump found billions of dollars for his vanity projects, but he cuts billions of dollars from the vital safety-net programs that struggling families rely on every day,” Krishnamoorthi said. “And that is what today is about. It’s one man’s vanity over the priorities of the American people.”

Krishnamoorthi closed by questioning why the Department of Justice aggressively prosecutes those who vandalize President Trump’s vanity projects while failing to pursue individuals whose names appear in extensive records related to Jeffrey Epstein.

“This contrast says everything about Trump. If you damage one of his vanity projects, such as the Reflecting Pool, the DOJ will pursue you. However, when extensive records implicate you in the worst sex trafficking ring in modern history, this DOJ will look away.”

The full video of Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s question line is available here.

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Jayapal Statement on Republican Stock Trading Sham

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement before voting against the Republican-led Stop Insider Trading Act, which they purport to be a stock trading ban but would allow Members to continue owning and trading individual stocks.

“Today, Republicans are bringing forward a so-called stock trading ban that literally does nothing of the sort. It lets Members of Congress hold onto existing stocks and act on legislative matters that directly increase the value of those stocks. The bill also allows Members to sell stocks with advanced notice, letting them avoid massive losses based on insider information. Finally, the bill allows Members to purchase private stocks, commodities, and industry-specific funds without any restrictions. 

“Republicans know that the American people want a stock trading ban on Congress. Today’s bill, however, is a sham. There are real bipartisan solutions to end stock trading, like the Restore Trust in Congress Act. Putting forward a partisan, watered-down proposal like this bill is a slap in the face to the American people who are struggling to get by as their elected officials are raking in money from insider trading. I’m a NO.”

Issues:

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Congressman Aderholt’s Statement on House Passage of H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Aderholt released the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027. The Continuing Appropriations Act is a clean extension that protects against a partisan shutdown and extends government funding through December 4, 2026.

“By passing a clean continuing resolution, we are honoring our commitment to responsible governance. Through H.R. 9770, Republicans are preventing a last-minute funding crisis while preserving the path to full year FY27 appropriations.

While Senate Democrats have refused to allow markups to progress under regular order, the House Appropriations Committee has passed all twelve appropriations bills out of committee. This clean continuing resolution does not stop appropriations work from continuing, it just removes the threat of a shutdown at the end of the fiscal year.

Last year, we saw the longest government shutdown in history because Democrats held the government hostage and refused to fund key federal programs. We will not let this obstruction of funding happen again. 

Previous shutdowns led to chaos at our airports, thousands of federal workers without paychecks, and disaster relief and first responders without funding. 

H.R. 9770 extends funding critical programs in their current form, including SNAP, WIC, the Disaster Relief Fund, small business support, and more. This legislation not only keeps the government open past the September 30 deadline but also protects essential services and national security.”

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CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT’S LEGISLATION HONORING PETER G. THURLAND, SR. ADVANCES THROUGH NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Alayah Phipps

July 22, 2026                                                    202-813-2793

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT’S LEGISLATION HONORING PETER G. THURLAND, SR. ADVANCES THROUGH NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

U.S. Virgin Islands — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) announced that the House Committee on Natural Resources advanced H.R. 8121, legislation to designate the Christiansted Bandstand as the “Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand.” Today’s markup follows a hearing held by the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federals Lands on July 1, 2026. Congresswoman Plaskett issued the following statement:

“This is meaningful progress to ensure that the contributions of Peter Gregory Thurland, Sr. to the Virgin Islands are never forgotten. The Christiansted Bandstand stands today because of his hands and vision. Renaming the Bandstand in his honor ensures that every person who walks past it, and every musician who ever plays on it, will know whose legacy they are standing on.

“Mr. Thurland was a master craftsman, a bandleader, a mentor, and a U.S. Navy veteran. I thank my colleagues on the House Natural Resources Committee for unanimously advancing this bill. This legislation was first championed by Congressman Ron de Lugo in the 103rd Congress, and I am proud to continue this effort to have Peter G. Thurland, Sr.’s name take its rightful place on a landmark he helped create.

“The bill must now be considered on the floor of the House of Representatives before proceeding to the U.S. Senate, and ultimately the President’s desk for signature.”

H.R. 8121 honors the life and legacy of Peter Gregory Thurland, Sr., born in 1892 in Christiansted, St. Croix. On March 31, 1917, Mr. Thurland played with the Christiansted Industrial Brass Band at the transfer ceremony on the Christiansted Wharf. Just a few years after the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States, Mr. Thurland joined the U.S. Navy Band, and helped build the very bandstand where he would later perform for decades.

In 1938, Mr. Thurland founded the St. Croix Community Band, an institution that has trained generations of local musicians. Through free monthly concerts, the band has given the Christiansted waterfront its enduring soundtrack.

The legislation designates the bandstand located at the Christiansted National Historic Site in St. Croix as the “Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand” and directs that any reference to the bandstand in federal law, regulation, or documentation be treated as a reference to its new name.

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