MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Today, Pressley Will Join Colleagues on Capitol Steps for Moment of Reflection

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement on the five-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. Later today, the Congresswoman will join her colleagues on the Capitol steps for a moment of reflection to mark the anniversary and honor those impacted.

“Today marks five years since a violent white supremacist mob of insurrectionists, incited and emboldened by Donald Trump, attacked our Capitol—and with it, the very principles that make our country whole: freedom, democracy, equality.

“I will never forget what it was like to be inside the Capitol complex that day. We did not know if we would make it home to our families. I grieve deeply for the officers killed in the line of duty and the aftermath of the attack.”

“In the five years since, Donald Trump has attempted to dismantle our democracy at every turn and continues to operate with contempt for every person who calls this country home. Instead of facing accountability and making amends with those impacted on that harrowing day—Capitol police, Congressional staff, facilities workers, members of Congress, and the public writ large—Trump has attempted to erase and whitewash what took place on January 6th, pardoned more than 1,500 insurrectionists who desecrated our Capitol, and continued to spread lies, incite violence, and embolden organized white supremacist violence.

“And it is no coincidence that on the eve of the anniversary of Trump’s attempt to overthrow American democracy, he is attempting to overthrow a foreign government in Venezuela in a brazen violation of our Constitution and international law. Trump disregarded Congress as a co-equal branch of government five years ago, and he is defying Congress and violating his oath of office again today.

“The January 6th insurrection will forever be a damning stain in American history, and we must never abdicate our responsibility to pursue accountability for everyone involved and tell the truth about what happened that day. As Donald Trump continues his march toward authoritarianism and attacks on our fundamental principles, I will keep using every tool at my disposal to do just that.”

In December 2025, Congresswoman Pressley unveiled a new, first-of-its-kind report revealing how Donald Trump’s use of clemency and pardons has neglected many of the most marginalized and impacted communities. The report, titled “Trump’s Clemency Gap,” found, among other things, that of the over 1,700 pardons issued by Trump in his second term, over 1,500 went to January 6^th insurrectionists.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at a press conference, where he emphasized that House Democrats are committed to lowering the high cost of living and protecting healthcare, while the Trump administration has done nothing to benefit the American people.

LEADER JEFFRIES: The Trump administration has started 2026 in the same way that they spent all of 2025: unleashing chaos, crisis and corruption at levels unprecedented in modern American history. The Trump administration has not done a damn thing throughout its entire time in office to make life better for the American people. Donald Trump and the administration and the Republican extremists, they promised all of 2024, when they were on the campaign trail trying to get power, that they were going to lower costs. In fact, it was Donald Trump who said costs would go down on day one of his administration. A year later, costs haven’t gone down in the United States of America. Costs have gone up.

The affordability crisis is not a hoax. It is very real. Housing costs out of control, grocery costs out of control, utility costs out of control, child care costs out of control and healthcare costs out of control. This week, as a result of a Democratic-led effort, the House of Representatives will vote on bipartisan legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits so we can prevent tens of millions of Americans from experiencing dramatically-increased premiums, co-pays and deductibles this month, increases that in some cases could result in everyday Americans paying $1,000 or $2,000 more per month. Completely and totally unacceptable in the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world.

House Democrats are going to continue to fight to lower the high cost of living, fix our broken healthcare system and make life better for everyday Americans, while Donald Trump and the administration is off starting wars, most recently connected to the unauthorized military action in Venezuela. This wasn’t a law enforcement action. They’re lying to the American people when they say that. It was an unprecedented military act. And yes, in fact, it is the case that Maduro is a bad guy. A dictator. Someone who was not the legitimate head of government or head of state in Venezuela. We also know that the future of the Venezuelan people should be determined by the Venezuelan people, not by Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth or Stephen Miller. Are you kidding me? These people don’t even know how to run the United States of America. And we’re supposed to believe that there’s any credibility to the notion that the Trump administration is going to run Venezuela, a country of 30 million people in South America? The American people reject the possibility of another unjustified foreign war that seems to be on the horizon because of Trump’s desire to reward Big Oil in the United States of America while continuing to not do a damn thing to make life better for the American people.

Full press conference can be watched here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published updates to the Childhood Immunization Schedule:

“This reckless change in the vaccine schedule by RFK Jr. and his hand-picked team of anti-vaxxers is a direct attack on the health of every American. It abandons decades of rigorous evidence and concern for the health and wellbeing of American families.

“Every reputable health care provider knows this is a dangerous and terrible idea. Without these vaccines, more children will die from preventable illnesses. The flu alone has already killed nine children this season.

“Trump and RFK Jr. aren’t just gambling with lives today—they’re sabotaging the future of American medicine. Researchers will abandon their work here rather than live under an administration hostile to science itself. The next preventable illness will stay incurable because this administration fired the scientists and installed the conspiracy theorists instead.”

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

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, announced today that she has successfully stripped a provision in the FY2026 funding bill that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers like Bayer from lawsuits. Pingree has been leading the effort to remove Section 453 from her subcommittee’s funding bill since Republicans quietly included it in their draft bill earlier this summer.

“For too long, powerful chemical companies like Bayer have spent billions lobbying Congress to override the voices of states, towns, and families who are simply trying to protect their health. Despite their relentless efforts and thanks to immense public pressure, we successfully stripped the industry-backed pesticides preemption rider, Section 453, from the final Interior and Environment funding bill,” Pingree said.

“This provision would have handed pesticide manufacturers exactly what they’ve been lobbying for: federal preemption that stops state and local governments from restricting the use of harmful, cancer-causing chemicals, adding health warnings, or holding companies accountable in court when people are harmed. It would have meant that only the federal government gets a say—even though we know federal reviews can take years, and are often subject to intense industry pressure,” Pingree continued. “In Maine and across the country, communities have acted responsibly to limit pesticide use near schools, homes, farms, and waterways. They shouldn’t be told by Washington—or by chemical lobbyists—that they no longer have the right to protect their children, their land, or their livelihoods. By removing this rider, we pushed back against Big Chemical, preserved local control, and made clear that public health comes before corporate profits. But this is not the end of the fight. We’ll be watching closely to ensure that similar language is not included in a Farm Bill or another legislative vehicle.”

Pesticides in the United States are regulated under a combination of federal, state, and local laws. The primary federal statute governing pesticide registration and use is the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the sale, labeling, and use of pesticides nationwide. Under FIFRA, the term “pesticide” includes substances used to control insects, rodents, weeds, fungi, and other organisms designated as pests.

EPA is required to review each registered pesticide at least once every 15 years to determine whether it can continue to be used without causing unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. While FIFRA establishes a federal baseline for pesticide regulation, it has long been interpreted to allow states and local governments to adopt additional protections to address health and environmental risks in their own communities.

Section 453, which was included in the draft Interior and Environment appropriations bill, would have sharply limited that authority. The provision would have prohibited EPA from issuing guidance, taking regulatory action, or approving pesticide labeling that differed in any way from the conclusions of a FIFRA human health assessment or a pesticide carcinogenicity classification. In practice, this language would have restricted EPA’s ability to respond to emerging science and would have strengthened industry arguments that states and localities cannot impose additional warnings, restrictions, or safeguards.

Debates over state and local authority to regulate pesticide use have been litigated for decades, particularly in cases involving widely used chemicals such as Roundup and paraquat, which have been linked to serious health harms including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers. Many states, cities, and counties have adopted measures to restrict pesticide spraying near schools, homes, and public spaces, citing the heightened vulnerability of children to toxic exposure and risks to brain development, reproduction, and long-term health.

Seven states—Maine, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Utah, Nevada, and Vermont—do not preempt local governments from regulating pesticide use within their jurisdictions. In Maine alone, there are more than 30 state and local regulations related to pesticide use and warning requirements that could have been undermined or preempted under Section 453.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis issued the following statement in support of Operation Absolute Resolve.  

“President Donald J. Trump’s decisive actions under Operation Absolute Resolve demonstrate a renewed commitment to holding narco-terrorists like Nicolás Maduro accountable. The operation underscores the urgent need to confront drug cartels responsible for the overdose crisis that has taken the lives of countless Americans, as well as for exporting violent criminal gangs such as Tren de Aragua to terrorize our communities. Upholding the rule of law through the American justice system is essential to dismantling Venezuelan narcotics networks and ensuring that those who profit from this destruction are ultimately punished. Accountability is not only a legal obligation, but a moral imperative to protect American lives. I applaud the Administration and brave men and women serving in our military who flawlessly carried out this historic mission,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) is pleased to share that the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded over two million dollars in federal grants from the FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Grants to airports across Kansas’ 4th Congressional District. The AIP funds airport infrastructure projects, such as runway construction, taxiway rehabilitation, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings. These grants strengthen our nation’s aviation infrastructure and enhance safety and capacity. 

“Kansas’ 4th Congressional District is home to the Air Capital of the World,” Congressman Estes said. “I’m thrilled to see these grants being awarded to airports across south central Kansas so our airports can undertake critical infrastructure rehabilitation, construction and safety projects.”

The grants awarded include:

Location: El Dorado, Kan. (El Dorado / Captain Jack Thomas Memorial Airport)

Project description: Rehabilitates 4,000 feet of existing concrete runway to maintain its structural integrity and minimize foreign object debris to extend its useful life.

Amount awarded: $320,633

Location: Wichita, Kan. (Colonel James Jabara Airport)

Project description: Reconstructs 550 feet of existing paved taxiway pavement that has reached the end of its useful life. 

Amount awarded: $636,503

Location: Medicine Lodge, Kan. (Medicine Lodge Airport)

Project description: Reconstructs existing airport drainage that has reached the end of its useful life. 

Amount awarded: $192,950

 

Location: Anthony, Kan. (Anthony Municipal Airport)

Project description: Constructs a new 640-foot taxi lane to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

Amount awarded: $292,055

Location: Newton, Kan. (Newton City/County Airport)

Project description: Reconstructs 3,501 feet of existing paved runway that has reached the end of its useful life.

Amount awarded: $282,000

Location: Pratt, Kan. (Pratt Regional Airport)

Project description: Reseals 5,500 feet of existing runway pavement and joints to extend its useful life. 

Amount awarded: $375,250

Location: Kingman, Kan. (Kingman/Clyde Cessna Field)

Project description: Extends existing taxiway by an additional 1,700 feet in length to bring the airport into conformity with current standards. 

Amount awarded: $536,750

###

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

The Stuart Community Hospital in Patrick County, Virginia, officially reopened its doors for operation. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, toured the facility, spoke with Hospital leadership and staff and attended the ribbon cutting ceremony. Following the ceremony, Chairman Griffith issued the following statement:

“A new rural hospital opens its doors right here in Virginia’s Ninth District! Rural Virginia communities like Patrick County benefit from increased health care services and resources, which is why I was excited to be a part of today’s ribbon cutting ceremony and celebrate this news with the local community.

“Thanks to all who made this happen, particularly Braden Health.

“In my role as Health Subcommittee Chairman, I will continue to support policies that help rural communities like Patrick County deliver critical health care resources, administer quality health care and improve rural health care outcomes.”

BACKGROUND

In July 2025, Representative Griffith was named Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

In his first public actions after being named Chairman, Representative Griffith visited multiple rural health care providers in Southwest Virginia.

The 2025 reconciliation bill, known as the Working Families Tax Cuts, will help fuel other project investments that positively impact health care in rural communities. For instance, the reconciliation package permanently extends the New Markets Tax Credit. In Tazewell County, Virginia, a new investment was recently made using the New Markets Tax Credit to support the construction of a new medical office building to deliver primary health care services to the local community.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued the following statement:

Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi has led the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party with grace and resolve. Throughout the past three years, Rep. Krishnamoorthi has worked diligently and in a bipartisan way to strengthen our global competitiveness and to advance American economic and national security interests. Our nation is safer and more secure because of Raja’s commitment to public service. On behalf of House Democrats, I thank him for his leadership and continued dedication to the work of the Committee. 

I am grateful to Congressman Ro Khanna for his willingness to take on the role of leading House Democrats on the Select Committee as Ranking Member for the duration of the Congress. Through his work on the Committee and across the Congress, Rep. Khanna has proven to be a fighter for our nation and the health, safety and well-being of the American people. We thank Ro for his continued determination, strong sense of purpose and commitment to the work needed to safeguard our economy, defend our national security and protect human rights around the world.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

DENVER, CO — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after Donald Trump announced that the United States launched a large-scale strike against Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife:
 
“While Nicolas Maduro is certainly an illegitimate leader, the United States does not have the authority to unilaterally invade another country, capture its leader and his wife, and haul them to the United States. After repeated assurances from this administration that it was not pursuing regime change, today’s military action calls into question the credibility of those who made those claims. 

“Due to our concerns in Congress over this type of rogue activity from the administration, there were bipartisan war powers resolutions on the House floor that would have protected Congress’ Constitutional authority. Unfortunately, Republicans abdicated their responsibility and voted them down. 
 
“Congress holds the sole power to declare war and authorize military force. Even if Donald Trump believes that Venezuela is a threat to the United States, he has the Constitutional obligation to present his case to Congress and obtain war powers authority before pursuing a strike like the one carried out last night in Venezuela. 

“Speaker Johnson must immediately reconvene Congress to address this unconstitutional and destabilizing abuse of power.”