MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

July 02, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON – The House Committee on Ways and Means today unanimously passed H.R. 9498, the Taxpayer Advocate Participation Act (TAPA), bipartisan legislation led by Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) alongside Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) to authorize the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) to file amicus briefs in federal courts in support of fundamental taxpayer rights, particularly those contained in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Under current law, the National Taxpayer Advocate, often called “the voice of the taxpayer,” is not authorized to submit amicus briefs in federal tax litigation, even in cases that could set precedent affecting the rights of taxpayers nationwide. TAPA closes that gap by amending Section 7803(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code to allow the NTA to present the Advocate’s views in court on issues that may broadly affect the rights described in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
“When a federal court is deciding a case that may affect the rights of many or all taxpayers, it would benefit all for the National Taxpayer Advocate to submit an amicus brief to share her views as the voice of the taxpayer. This bill is a narrow, common-sense fix. This authority is expected to be used sparingly, similar to the authority exercised by the Small Business Administration’s Chief Counsel for Advocacy,” said Rep. Steube. “This is a bipartisan effort, and I am honored to work with Representative DelBene, because protecting taxpayers and improving their right to representation should not be a partisan issue.”
“The National Taxpayer Advocate exists precisely to defend the rights of taxpayers, whether those rights are threatened by legislation, regulation, or litigation,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08). “An amicus brief is a common occurrence in judicial proceedings to ensure the court has relevant information pertaining to the case before it. Under the Taxpayer Advocate Participation Act, the National Taxpayer Advocate will no longer be denied the opportunity to use this avenue to impart its expertise – particularly when the interests of taxpayers could be impacted. With this legislation, Representative Steube is building on his personal record as a tireless advocate for American taxpayers, and I applaud his leadership.”
“The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) commends Representative Steube’s leadership in crafting the Taxpayer Advocate Participation Act. This practical reform strengthens taxpayer protections by ensuring courts can benefit from the National Taxpayer Advocate’s expertise in legal proceedings that impact core taxpayer rights,” said Alexander Ciccone, Policy and Government Affairs Manager at NTU. “Allowing the Advocate to provide courts with its input isn’t just a question of promoting a more efficient tax system—it’s fundamentally about restoring trust in government by ensuring the American people have an independent voice that advocates for the fair and consistent application of tax laws.”
TAPA is supported by a broad coalition of taxpayer advocacy and business organizations, including the National Taxpayers Union, Small Business & Entrepreneurship (SBE) Council, Intuit, 60 Plus Association, and National Association of Consumer Advocates.
TAPA is modeled on the National Taxpayer Advocate’s 2026 Purple Book, which recommended granting the NTA amicus authority comparable to that already held by the SBA’s Chief Counsel for Advocacy. The bill’s scope is intentionally limited: it does not authorize the National Taxpayer Advocate to represent individual taxpayers or to replace the Department of Justice or IRS Chief Counsel in litigation. Courts would be required to grant the NTA’s application to appear as amicus curiae for the purposes described in the bill.
The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate already assists taxpayers in resolving disputes with the IRS, identifies systemic problems in tax administration, and reports annually to Congress on the ten most litigated tax issues. TAPA would allow the Advocate to bring that same expertise directly before federal courts in cases with broad implications for taxpayer rights.
TAPA now heads to the full House of Representatives for consideration. Rep. Steube urged his colleagues to support the bill.
The bill can be read in its entirety here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) sent a report to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer urging the continuation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA). The report summarizes over a hundred meetings and conversations that Rep. Larsen’s office has had with farmers, businesses, municipalities, ports and other stakeholders across Northwest Washington over the past year.

“Continuing the USMCA deal will lower costs and create jobs in our communities by restabilizing the economic relationship between the U.S. and two of our largest trading partners,” said Rep. Larsen. “Across conversations with the people I represent, I have heard how USMCA helps families and communities thrive. The United States should negotiate in good faith to enhance and renew USMCA, and fully enforce the provisions of the agreement to help lower prices and create more good-paying jobs.”

Today, the required joint review of USMCA began, which USTR is leading together with Canada and Mexico. The Trump administration announced that the U.S. did not agree to renew agreement in its current form, opting instead to spend the coming months renegotiation the deal.

Rep. Larsen’s report to Ambassador Greer summarizes local stakeholders’ broad support for USMCA and top priorities to enhance the agreement during renegotiations: 

• Providing predictability and reducing uncertainty when it comes to tariff rates, regulations and trade policy;
• Sustaining and facilitating integrated, tariff-free cross-border supply chains, particularly with Canada; and
• Ensuring WA-02 farmers, producers and businesses can compete in the United States and worldwide on a level playing field, addressing both tariffs and non-tariff measures.

Trade with Canada and Mexico supports 320,000 jobs in Washington state, according to the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT). In the past six years, Washington state businesses saved $126 million in direct tariff costs thanks to USMCA (WCIT).

In Northwest Washington, the U.S.-Canada partnership is especially important. Trade between Northwest Washington and Canada supports 2,200 jobs in Whatcom County, 1,400 in Skagit County and 3,800 in Snohomish County (Trade Partnership/Connect2Canada data).

“President Trump’s pointless tariffs and reckless rhetoric towards Canada have hurt families and businesses I represent,” said Rep. Larsen. “Rising shipping and manufacturing costs, along with instability from constantly changing tariff policies, have pushed prices up for families and stopped companies and tourists from bringing their business to Northwest Washington.”

This year, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appointed Rep. Larsen to be the top Democrat on the U.S.-Canada Interparliamentary Group, an organization that connects American and Canadian legislators to promote information sharing and better understanding on shared issues of concern.

Born and raised in Arlington, Washington, Rep. Larsen has a deep personal history with British Columbia and the U.S.-Canada relationship. As a member of Congress, he has been a leader on issues involving Canada, including trade, environmental protection in the Salish Sea and Pacific Northwest, the Arctic, security and border management.

Rep. Larsen’s full report to Ambassador Greer is available HERE. The contents of this report reflect priorities and feedback on the USMCA review that stakeholders shared. The report is not an endorsement of each of these positions by Rep. Larsen.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement: 

“This funding is great news for the Port of Bellingham and Northwest Washington’s entire economy,” said Rep. Larsen. “These dollars will allow the Port of Bellingham to rebuild port infrastructure and create good-paying jobs in Northwest Washington. I will keep working to bring home federal dollars to upgrade maritime infrastructure and grow the local economy.” 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that the Port of Bellingham will receive $23,500,000 in federal funding under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program for the port to rebuild pier infrastructure, strengthen deck loading capacity and upgrade its mooring system for Phase II of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal’s North Pier Rehabilitation project. The BUILD program provides grants for communities of all sizes to carry out road, rail, transit and other surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact.

The funding marks another major step towards the Port’s long-term effort to restore the aging shipping terminal that currently limits the Port’s operational capacity. Completion of the project will restore and modernize a critical marine freight asset that will improve the movement of goods, improve worker safety and create long-term jobs in Northwest Washington.

Projects in Washington state received a total of $52 million in BUILD grants for three projects across the state, including the Port of Bellingham’s project.

Larsen Has Secured $129.4 Million in BUILD Grants for WA-02 Since 2022 

Larsen has secured nine BUILD grants totaling $129,406,000 for local communities since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed. In addition to the $23 million for the Port of Bellingham, Larsen has helped deliver:

$2 Million for Snohomish County’s Everett Intermodal Yard and Curve Improvements Project – In July 2025, DOT awarded Snohomish County a $2 million BUILD grant to improve rail shipping capability, safety, and reliability for freight and intercity passenger service at the Everett Intermodal Yard. 

$25 Million for Lynnwood’s Poplar Way Bridge – In August 2022, DOT awarded the City of Lynnwood a $25 million RAISE grant to construct a new six-lane, multimodal bridge over I-5 in Lynnwood, between the intersections of 196th Street SW (State Route 524)/Poplar Way and 33rd Avenue W/Alderwood Mall Boulevard. 

$25 Million for Whatcom County’s Lummi Island Ferry – In August 2022, DOT awarded Whatcom County a $25 million RAISE grant to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with an electric-battery hybrid ferry and build related infrastructure. 

$9.5 Million for Blaine’s Bell Road Project – In June 2023, DOT awarded the City of Blaine a $9.5 million RAISE grant to improve safety and accessibility and reduce congestion at the Bell Road (State Route 548)-BNSF at-grade rail crossing.  

$17.9 Million for Port of Bellingham’s Shipping Terminal Rail Connection Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Port of Bellingham a $17,931,000 RAISE grant to renovate a shipping terminal site, returning the site to a fully functioning multimodal terminal with more efficient loading and unloading of railcars on the terminal. 

$4.9 Million for the Tulalip Tribes’ Road Safety Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Tulalip Tribes a $4,975,000 RAISE grant to plan, design and construct improvements to the 4th Street and 88th Street NE crossings of Interstate 5. 

$2 Million for Lynden’s Pepin Creek FASST Design Project – In January 2025, DOT awarded the City of Lynden a $2 million RAISE grant to complete planning for its project to relocate Pepin Creek, which runs in deep roadside ditches that overflow and flood the area during winter storms when large quantities of water flow across the U.S.-Canada border.

$19.5 Million for Skagit Transit’s Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility – In January 2025, DOT awarded Skagit Transit a $19.5 million RAISE grant for the agency to continue renovating its Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility in Burlington.

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

Headline: American Samoa Joins the Nation in Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday  

Washington, D.C. – As our Nation prepares for the United States Semiquincentennial, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, Americans from every state and territory will have the opportunity to reflect on the freedoms, sacrifices, and blessings that have shaped the United States for nearly two and a half centuries.

“This historic milestone is first and foremost a celebration of America’s immense legacy of freedom,” said Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata. “For 250 years, the United States has stood for liberty, opportunity, self-government, and the God-given rights that have blessed generations of Americans.”

Since 1776, the United States has been built on the ideals of liberty, faith, service, and opportunity. These principles have inspired generations, strengthened families and communities, and called men and women to defend the freedoms we cherish.

For American Samoa, this national celebration is also a meaningful time to give thanks for our place in the American family. Our relationship with the United States is rooted in history, mutual respect, and the decisions of our chiefs, who looked to the future and helped establish a lasting bond between our islands and this Nation.

“American Samoa joins the Nation in celebrating America’s 250th birthday with gratitude,” said Congresswoman Amata. “We remember the wisdom of our chiefs, the blessings of our relationship with the United States, and the many ways our people have contributed to the American story.”

From the first leaders who helped shape that relationship to the many sons and daughters of American Samoa who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, our people have contributed to the American story with honor and sacrifice. American Samoa has one of the highest rates of military service in the Nation, and nearly every village has families who know the cost of service. Our veterans, active-duty service members, reservists, and military families remind us that freedom is not only celebrated; it is defended.

“Our Toa o Samoa and veterans hold a special place in this celebration,” said Congresswoman Amata. “They have served under the American flag with courage and patriotism, and their service reminds us that freedom is a blessing that must be honored, protected, and passed on.”

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we also recognize the blessings that have come through our connection to the United States. Our islands have benefited from the freedoms, protections, opportunities, and shared responsibilities that come with being part of this great Nation. For generations, American Samoa has carried a deep love of family, faith, service, and country, values that are also at the heart of the American spirit.

This milestone gives us a chance to teach our children and grandchildren about both the founding of the United States and American Samoa’s special place within that story. It is a time to remember the Declaration of Independence, honor those who built and defended the Nation, and reflect on the blessings of liberty that continue to reach from the mainland to the Pacific.

“As Americans look toward 2026, I hope this anniversary renews our gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy and the responsibilities we share,” said Congresswoman Amata. “From the mainland to the Pacific, we are part of one American story, and American Samoa is blessed to celebrate this milestone with the Nation.”

In 2026, American Samoa joins Americans everywhere in saying Happy Birthday U.S.A. We celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial with gratitude for America’s enduring legacy of freedom, with respect for those who have protected it, and with thankfulness that our islands are part of the American story.

May God bless the United States of America, and may God bless American Samoa.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

Tonko Statement on Passing of Harbe Nagi and Ensuing Islamophobia

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

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is designating Tazewell County as a primary natural disaster area due to recent drought. As part of the designation, the Counties of Bland, Buchanan, Russell and Smyth are set to receive access to drought assistance as well. 

In response to this USDA action, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“This USDA action is necessary to support farmers in Virginia’s Ninth District. Spring frost and freeze events followed by severe drought continue to impact Virginia’s agricultural health.

“This disaster designation sets in motion opportunities for eligible groups to request emergency loan assistance.

“My office is ready to help facilitate access to federal assistance. Additionally, I will continue to advocate for our farming communities as they navigate through growing season challenges and record temperatures.”

BACKGROUND

Congressman Griffith helped lead federal engagement to secure a separate USDA Secretarial natural disaster declaration for Virginia farmers. In June, Secretary Rollins approved Virginia’s request.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) led over 100 of her House colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to protect safe drinking water standards and address PFAS contamination that poses risks to the physical health and environmental health of communities across America. In a new letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Congresswoman Davids and 112 of her colleagues in the House pressed the administration to reconsider eliminating the 2024 National Drinking Water Standards for four PFAS forever chemicals. The water standards established an enforceable limit of forever chemicals and required that public water systems monitor for PFAS, notify the public of PFAS, and reduce PFAS in drinking water.

“Safe drinking water should never be a luxury or a legal debate. For families facing PFAS contamination, this is about the water they pour into a glass, cook with, and give to their children. America should be moving faster to get PFAS out of our drinking water—not giving families more years of uncertainty and harm. We will not stand by while protections are weakened and working families are left waiting. We will continue fighting to protect clean water, hold polluters accountable, and put public health ahead of the interests that created this crisis. We urge EPA to reconsider its proposals to eliminate and delay the 2024 National PFAS Drinking Water Standards and meaningfully protect Americans from PFAS contamination,” said the lawmakers. 

Nearly 98% of Americans have PFAS detectable in their blood, and as of March 2026, about 176 million Americans drink water contaminated with PFAS. By EPA’s own estimates, the Drinking Water Standards would protect as many as 105 million Americans from exposure to PFAS in their drinking water, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses. The EPA also cited economic benefits from the standards, estimating cost savings of over $1 billion in avoided health costs. 

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

Dear Administrator Zeldin:

We write to urge EPA to reconsider its proposals to eliminate the 2024 National Drinking Water Standards for four PFAS forever chemicals and to allow water utilities to opt-in to an extension of the compliance deadline for the remaining two standards by two years to 2031. These standards regulate and set legally enforceable limits to protect millions of Americans from unsafe levels of PFAS in their drinking water. Rescinding and delaying these standards is dangerous and undermines the core purpose of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which is to provide communities with clean and safe drinking water. 

PFAS contamination affects communities across the country. These forever chemicals persist in our environment and can accumulate in our bodies. Nearly 98% of Americans have PFAS detectable in their blood, and as of March 2026, about 176 million Americans drink water contaminated with PFAS. While this Administration is investing nearly $1 billion dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to states to address PFAS in drinking water, rolling back these standards and extending the compliance deadline risks exacerbating the PFAS crisis across the country and fails to address this public health problem.

The 2024 Drinking Water Standards established an enforceable maximum contaminant level (MCL) standard of four parts per trillion for two of the more widespread and harmful PFAS variants, PFOS and PFOA. It also regulated other known toxic PFAS (PFNA, PFHxS, and GenX) with health-based enforceable MCL standards of ten parts per trillion each. In addition, EPA set a mixture-based hazard-index for these three PFAS and PFBS that sets a limit for the total amount of these four PFAS in any combination. It required that public water systems monitor for PFAS, notify the public of PFAS, and reduce PFAS in drinking water through phased-in approaches. 

The 2024 Drinking Water Standards were finalized in response to EPA’s own extensive scientific research and analysis consisting of hundreds of scientific studies that overwhelmingly point to associations between PFAS exposure and serious health effects, including high cholesterol, kidney cancer, decreases in birth weight, and immune suppression. EPA also received extensive input from the public on these standards during the comment period and issued an exhaustive response to the comments that spanned over 4,500 pages. EPA’s conclusions on the toxicity of these PFAS are well in line with other authoritative evaluations, including those conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Michigan, California, New Jersey, Canada, and the European Union.

By EPA’s own estimates, the Drinking Water Standards would protect as many as 105 million Americans from exposure to PFAS in their drinking water, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses. In its analysis, EPA also cited substantial economic benefits from the Standards, estimating cost savings of $1.17 billion in avoided health costs, though the agency noted it only considered three health effects, and many additional health benefits were not quantified in this estimate. More comprehensive economic analyses have estimated PFAS-related health care costs up to $60 billion per year. Finalizing the 2024 Standards was a critical step in keeping PFAS out of homes and communities. Rescinding and delaying the standards will do nothing to alleviate the economic and health burden on families and individuals who are exposed to PFAS contamination. 

EPA’s decision to limit monitoring and treatment solely to PFOA and PFOS will not be sufficient to protect against exposure to and harms associated with other PFAS, including the four PFAS the agency is proposing to remove protections for. Not all PFAS contamination can be predicted by the presence of PFOA and PFOS.

Additionally, newer generation, short chain PFAS, like GenX and PFBS, are more difficult to remove from drinking water than PFOA and PFOS. If water systems are only focused on removing PFOA and PFOS, they may opt to install treatments that are insufficient to fully address the PFAS that are present. This will leave communities unprotected and waste resources while not fully addressing the problem. 

Safe drinking water should never be a luxury or a legal debate. For families facing PFAS contamination, this is about the water they pour into a glass, cook with, and give to their children. America should be moving faster to get PFAS out of our drinking water—not giving families more years of uncertainty and harm. We will not stand by while protections are weakened and working families are left waiting. We will continue fighting to protect clean water, hold polluters accountable, and put public health ahead of the interests that created this crisis. 

We urge EPA to reconsider its proposals to eliminate and delay the 2024 National PFAS Drinking Water Standards and meaningfully protect Americans from PFAS contamination.

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced two National Institutes of Health grants to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and one to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). 

St. Jude received a grant of $1,077,000 from the National Cancer Institute for research on innate immune sensors inflammasomes and inflammasome-mediated processes in cancer under the direction of Dr. Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti in the Department of Immunology. Inflammasomes are proteins in the immune system that regulate the activation of important signaling molecules and proteins and induce inflammation in response to infectious microbes and molecules. A second St. Jude grant, for $388,500, from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is for research on lipid metabolism under the direction of Dr. Joseph T. Opferman in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.

UTHSC received a grant of $777,079 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research on fungal-bacterial dynamics under direction of Dr. Brian M. Peters in the College of Pharmacy. This work aims to help develop improved therapeutic interventions to reduce the mortality from fungal-bacterial co-infection. 

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“Important medical research is being done in Memphis by these internationally revered pillars of academic medicine in our community. I congratulate Drs. Kanneganti, Opferman, and Peters for receiving these federal investments in the work they undertake.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) celebrates the inclusion of several Missouri priorities he championed in the House’s Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), bipartisan legislation that authorizes critical U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects to strengthen infrastructure, protect communities, and support long-term economic growth.

Among the provisions secured by Congressman Cleaver are:

• A $45 million authorization for Phase 5 of the Brookside Sewer Separation Project in Kansas City
• Language prohibiting out-of-basin water transfers from the Missouri River Watershed, helping safeguard one of the region’s most vital natural resources
• Authorization of the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency Comprehensive Study, a critical step toward protecting communities from increasingly severe flooding while improving long-term resilience throughout the region

“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure means investing in safer communities, cleaner water, and a stronger economy,” said Congressman Cleaver. “These provisions represent collaboration with local leaders, engineers, advocates, and stakeholders who understand the needs of our region. I’m proud to see these priorities included in the House WRDA bill because they will help strengthen our infrastructure, protect the Missouri River, and better prepare our communities for the challenges of the future.”

The $45 million authorization for the Phase 5 of Kansas City’s Brookside Sewer Separation Project will support ongoing efforts to modernize aging wastewater infrastructure, reduce sewer overflows, improve water quality, and protect public health while ensuring the city can continue meeting federal environmental standards. 

The bill also includes Congressman Cleaver’s effort to prevent out-of-basin waste transfers from the Missouri River Watershed, preserving water resources that are essential to communities, agriculture, navigation, industry, and ecosystems throughout Missouri and neighboring states.  

Additionally, the legislation authorizes the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency Comprehensive Study, allowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate long-term strategies to reduce flood risk, strengthen community resilience, and improve management of the Lower Missouri River in the face of increasingly frequent severe weather events. 

“Whether it’s protecting our drinking water, reducing flood risk, or upgrading critical infrastructure, these investments will have lasting benefits for families and communities across our region. I’m grateful these provision were included and I will continue fighting to ensure Missouri receives the federal partnership it deserves.” 

The Water Resources Development Act is considered every two years and authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects that improve navigation, flood protection, ecosystem restoration, and water infrastructure across the country.

Full text of the bill here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.