Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
MIAMI, FL – Today, Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), and María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), along with Senator Ashley Moody, will hold a joint media availability on Venezuela.
WHO:
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations; Chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee; and member of the Defense Subcommittee
Rep. Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee and member of the House Armed Services Committee
Rep. María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere in the House Foreign Affairs Committee and member of the House Financial Services Committee
Senator Ashley Moody, Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)
WASHINGTON – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement following the international tax side-by-side agreement that was made:
“I cannot overstate the importance of this development for protecting U.S. tax sovereignty, American workers, and U.S. businesses competing globally. Under this side-by-side agreement, U.S. companies continue to be governed by U.S. tax law, while OECD Pillar Two rules are adjusted to ensure they do not unfairly apply to U.S.-parented companies. From the outset, the objective has been clear – to prevent double taxation and discriminatory treatment of U.S. firms.
I’m grateful to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and its negotiating team for engaging constructively with G7 and OECD partners and for advancing a framework that respects U.S. tax law while allowing for international engagement. I also thank Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith for setting clear congressional expectations and for his leadership in ensuring that any agreement protects U.S. competitiveness and Congress’ taxing authority. Additionally, thank you to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo for reinforcing congressional oversight, insisting on fairness for U.S. taxpayers, and coordinating with Treasury and international partners to achieve this outcome.
This agreement reflects clear and meaningful progress. As always, however, we must trust but verify. Congress can welcome this development while maintaining strong and vigilant oversight. Verification is essential to ensure that other countries fully implement their commitments through real-world compliance, not just written assurances.
I remain committed to robust congressional oversight of the agreement’s implementation, including close monitoring to ensure that U.S. companies are protected from the Undertaxed Profits Rule (UTPR) and similar mechanisms.
This side-by-side agreement represents a step in the right direction for U.S. tax policy. I will continue working to ensure it delivers on its promises and keeps American workers and businesses first.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson released the following statement on the FY26 appropriations process and the next set of bills to be considered on the House floor this week. The FY26 Energy and Water Development, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Interior-Environment conference bills underscore House Republicans’ commitment to restoring regular order and completing annual appropriations without a bloated omnibus bill.
“This week, House Republicans will advance the next set of FY26 funding bills and build momentum toward completing the annual appropriations process without a bloated omnibus bill,” Speaker Johnson said. “I commend Chairman Cole and the bipartisan, committee-led work to deliver full-year funding bills that spend less than another continuing resolution, deliver critical priorities for our Members, and continue to advance President Trump’s America First agenda. As these bills come to the floor, we are reaffirming our commitment to return to regular order, restore accountability to the process, and be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
“President Trump set an important foundation by signing three appropriations bills into law in November, and we are carrying that momentum into the new year. This bipartisan, bicameral package reflects steady progress toward completing FY26 funding responsibly. It invests in priorities crucial to the American people: making our communities safer, supporting affordable and reliable energy, and responsibly managing vital resources. It also delivers critical community projects nationwide, along with investments in water infrastructure, ports, and flood control that protect localities and keep commerce moving. Developed through committee-led negotiations and thoughtful deliberation, this package demonstrates how an accountable process produces strong policy. I commend our Cardinals for their leadership in producing a measure that turns priorities into action and puts America first,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole said.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
SEATTLE, W.A. — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s illegal actions in Venezuela to kidnap a foreign leader, force regime change, and plans to indefinitely occupy Venezuela:
“Maduro is an illegitimate dictator. That fact alone does not give Trump and his administration the authority to invade Venezuela, kidnap him in the middle of the night, and force regime change — something the U.S. has tried and failed to do many times over. This was an illegal and unconstitutional attack, undertaken by Trump without any authorization from Congress, and with no plan for the future.
“If this were truly about stopping drug trafficking, Trump would not have recently pardoned the former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had been sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking scheme that smuggled 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S.
“Congress alone has the power to authorize war. Republicans need to step up to do their Constitutional duty and join Democrats in ensuring that Congress reasserts our authority. The implications otherwise are dire: any rogue leader of any country can decide who they want to take out at any time.
“The American people have said over and over again that they do not want another war. Trump lied to the American people when he said he would get us out of endless wars and instead would focus on making life affordable for Americans. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is once again about oil, power, and greed — not bettering the lives of Americans or leading the world towards diplomacy and peace.
“Congress must intervene before Trump’s actions further destabilize the region.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement demanding answers from the Trump administration about its actions in Venezuela:
“While I am glad that the dictator Nicolás Maduro will face justice in U.S. federal court, the Trump administration’s actions raise serious concerns at home in Northwest Washington and abroad.
“First, federal action to fight the fentanyl epidemic must focus on what works: supporting law enforcement’s interdiction efforts at land and sea ports of entry, and supporting local treatment and recovery services. The flow of drugs from Mexican cartels and Colombian jungles into Northwest Washington has devastated families and communities I represent. The good news is that drug seizures over the last two months as reported by Customs and Border Protection are up significantly, continuing a trend started during the Biden administration. Also, the U.S. Coast Guard has reported capturing more cocaine in the past year than any previous year.
“Will the Trump administration support effective interdiction and recovery work, or use Maduro’s arrest to take a superficial victory lap? I will continue to maintain my focus supporting local law enforcement and treatment and recovery services.
“Second, the Administration is openly discussing invading other countries in the region. Will the Trump administration continue to ignore the American people’s voice in the use of military force by failing to come to Congress to get authorization to act? Will the Administration continue to violate international law, giving cover to Putin, Xi and dictators and rogue states across the world? I celebrate the remarkable competence of the U.S. military, and I hold the Trump administration responsible for the policy decisions that drive the military’s actions.
“Finally, the Trump administration has created a power vacuum in Venezuela and risked dragging our country into a new costly quagmire. In the past year, this Administration has driven up the prices Americans must pay for health care, gas and groceries. How does Trump plan to govern Venezuela when his governance of the U.S. has failed so miserably?
“I call for oversight hearings to investigate the Trump administration’s actions and demand answers to these questions.
“While the Trump administration’s attention is divided between solving the problems it created in Venezuela and the problems it created in the U.S., Congress will be in session this week to vote on extending critical tax credits that make health care affordable for 26,000 people in Northwest Washington. I remain relentlessly focused on lowering health care costs, lowering gas prices and lowering grocery prices for the people I represent.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)
JEFFERSON, La.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Fox News’ The Faulkner Focus to call out Democrats for refusing to address massive taxpayer fraud in Minnesota and to highlight efforts by the Trump Administration and the House to uncover the facts and deliver accountability. Leader Scalise also touted House Republicans’ legislative wins in 2025 for working families, including lowering costs, securing the border, unleashing American energy, and cutting government spending.
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:On aggressive efforts from the House and the Trump Administration to bring accountability for massive taxpayer fraud in Minnesota:“The complicity we think goes to the highest level. That’s why we’re being very aggressive with our oversight. You see Chairman Comer just announced this morning – we’ve been working very closely to get those state reps who have been giving us a lot of information to come and testify and continue to lay out this case, but then to bring in, ultimately, Tim Walz himself and Keith Ellison. They’ve got tough questions to answer. There are obviously serious criminal probes already going on by the Trump Administration, who I applaud…“People are irate. Minnesotans should be furious, but Americans all across the country. This is Medicaid money. This is child care money. This is money to help low-income people, to help seniors, all being stolen and defrauded. People need to go to jail. You’re going to see the administration continue to be very aggressive, as are we in the House. We’re being very aggressive in our investigation. The Trump Administration, through Justice Department, through FBI, they have an all-hands-on-deck approach to this as well as need be. We need to see people go to jail, so it never happens again anywhere.”On Democrats allowing widespread fraud in Minnesota:“This was all going on right under Tim Walz’s nose. And his agencies, by the way, ran these programs. These are federal dollars, which is why we’re involved in the oversight and investigation, but they’re run by the state. Tim Walz’s agencies have run this program for years and have had to have known that this was going on. When we bring them in, believe me, those are going to be very tough questions that Governor Walz himself will be asked: Did you know about it? Did people under you know about the participation? Did any of your friends profit off of this? There was a lot of profit being made by a lot of people stealing money. There were reports that it went to terrorist organizations. They need to go to jail. And as you’re seeing from the Department of Homeland Security, people will be deported if they lie on their applications, and they should be.”On the America First agenda delivering for hardworking families in 2025:“As you look at just the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Working Families Tax Cut, that Speaker Johnson alluded to in that great op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, which I recommend everybody to read, there were so many great provisions for working families in that bill, and a lot of people still haven’t seen the benefits of it yet. When you file your return next year, average families are going to get about $1,500 back on April 15th. That’s usually a day people don’t look forward to. A lot of people are going to benefit from it, and they’ll see that benefit then. We need to continue doing that work. And we just laid the groundwork. We’re just getting started. But every Democrat voted against almost every one of those bills you mentioned. And that’s why I think you see the disparity, why Republicans are doing better, because we’re fighting for working families, and Democrats voted to raise your taxes. Democrats voted for an open border. Democrats voted against every one those provisions to put more money back in the pockets of working families, and the lower cost, just energy costs.“Look at that: Energy costs alone, we’re already paying less money when you go to the pump, when you pay your household electricity bill. But it’s still not enough. We want to do more. We will do more.” On Republicans continuing to deliver in 2026:“We’re going to keep fighting for those working families who gave us this mandate. We’re only not even a year in, almost a year in, to that first term. We’ve got a lot more work to do. President Trump never sleeps. He’s working not only for helping families here at home, getting more peace around the globe, fighting inflation, lowering interest rates. Look at what the President has done to push the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates so first-time home buyers can get more relief, if you want to maybe move and buy a new home. All of those things are coming in the new year. We’ve got to keep working, and we’re going to keep our noses to the grindstone as we root out the fraud that we talked about.“There’s a lot of money, billions being stolen from taxpayers as we’re trying to get this economy back on track. So controlling spending, getting a healthy economy moving again, lowering energy costs, all those things help working families when you talk about your pocketbook, when you think about the cost of things at the grocery store, everywhere else you go, you want affordability. The affordability agenda is the Republican agenda that, unfortunately, every Democrat is voting against because they’re moving to the socialist left.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, where he reiterated that Democrats remain committed to lowering the high cost of living and protecting Americans’ healthcare in the midst of the Republican healthcare crisis.
KRISTEN WELKER: And joining me now is House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Leader Jeffries, welcome back to Meet the Press.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning.
KRISTEN WELKER: Good morning. Thank you for being here. We obviously have to start with the capture and indictment of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. You have called him a “criminal and authoritarian dictator who has oppressed the people of Venezuela for years.” Is Venezuela better off without Nicolas Maduro in power?
LEADER JEFFRIES: He’s a bad guy, of course, and he’s going to stand trial in the American court of law. At this particular point in time, it remains to be seen whether the people of Venezuela are going to be better off. Donald Trump claims that he’s gonna run Venezuela. He’s done a terrible job running the United States of America. Life hasn’t gotten better for the American people over the last year. Life has gotten worse. He promised to lower the high cost of living. Costs haven’t gone down, they’ve gone up. The healthcare system is broken. Donald Trump refuses to do anything about it to address the Republican healthcare crisis, so the notion that he’s going to run Venezuela and make life better for the Venezuelan people, of course, is belied by the facts as to what he’s done as President here in the United States of America.
KRISTEN WELKER: Well, you just heard my conversation with Secretary Rubio. I asked him about the administration’s decision not to inform Congress ahead of this operation until President Maduro had been captured. Secretary Rubio saying this was not the kind of mission where they could have afforded to notify Congress. There were concerns about leaks. He made that point. President Trump made that point. Was the administration justified in this case in not briefing Congress?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, there’s been no evidence that the administration has presented to justify the actions that were taken in terms of there being an imminent threat to the health, the safety, the well-being, the national security of the American people. This was not simply a counter-narcotics operation. It was an act of war. It involved, of course, the Delta Force, and we’re thankful for the precision by which they executed the operation and thankful for the fact that no American lives were lost. But this was a military action involving Delta Force, involving the Army, apparently involving thousands of troops, involving at least 150 military aircraft, perhaps involving dozens of ships off the coast of Venezuela and South America. So, of course, it was a military action, and pursuant to the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war, to authorize acts that take place in this regard. And we’ve got to make sure when we return to Washington, D.C., that legislative action is taken to ensure that no further military steps occur absent explicit congressional approval.
KRISTEN WELKER: Alright, let’s talk about when you return to Washington, D.C. One of the big topics at the forefront of Congress will be, of course, the fight over these Obamacare subsidies. They expired just days ago. The House set to vote on a three-year extension of those subsidies, but as you know, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said it’s a non-starter in the Senate. Why are you putting forward a bill that has absolutely no chance of passing the Senate?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, let’s take it one step at a time. We’ve got to make sure that a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits passes out of the House upon our return next week so we can protect the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans who are about to experience dramatically-increased health insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles. In some instances, health insurance costs will increase by $1,000 or $2,000 per month. That’s completely and totally unacceptable. And Republicans have a responsibility to partner with us as Democrats to stop it to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans, working-class Americans and middle-class Americans. Now, when we successfully pass this bill out of the House of Representatives, we know that there’s a bipartisan majority in the Senate—every single Senate Democrat and at least four Senate Republicans—who support a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. The votes exist to pass it in the Senate, absent procedural hurdles that John Thune is erecting because Republicans apparently have no interest in protecting the healthcare of everyday Americans. They’d rather protect the interests of Big Oil and their billionaire donors, which is why they enacted massive tax breaks as part of their One Big Ugly Bill.
KRISTEN WELKER: Let me ask you, because as you know, we are 26 days away from another potential government shutdown on the heels of the longest shutdown in U.S. History. Would you support another government shutdown over this battle over healthcare subsidies?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, what we’ve said from the very beginning. First of all, we need to resolve this issue within the next week or so, protect the healthcare of the American people, and then continue to fix our broken healthcare system and address the Republican healthcare crisis that’s devastating everyday Americans, including as a result of the fact that they enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Now, we’ve also said, as it relates to the appropriations process, that we will sit down anytime, anyplace, with anyone in order to find a bipartisan path forward to enact a spending agreement that actually makes life better for the American people. As Democrats, we’re committed to driving down the high cost of living that exists in this country. Donald Trump promised on day one of his presidency that Republicans would lower costs. Costs haven’t gone down, costs have gone up. Housing costs out of control. Grocery costs out of control. Utility bills out of control. Healthcare costs out of control. We’re committed to actually addressing the needs of the American people. That’s one of the problems with this action in Venezuela. How does it actually improve the quality of life of everyday Americans? How is it in America’s national security interest? Why doesn’t Donald Trump and the administration focus on dealing with the affordability crisis? That is not a hoax. It’s very real and something meaningful needs to be done about it. That’s the Democratic commitment.
KRISTEN WELKER: Leader Jeffries, let me ask you, because Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. House Democrats are planning to hold a hearing criticizing President Trump’s decision to pardon all of the rioters. And I wonder, is there anything tangible that you anticipate coming from this hearing, or is this hearing for show?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a substantive hearing. It’ll be about the concerns that have been raised by people all across this country after the fact that on his first day in office, Donald Trump pardoned hundreds of violent felons who brutally attacked the Capitol and beat police officers, more than 140 who were seriously injured. Psychological and physical damage that was done that is permanent in nature. And it was all part of Donald Trump’s effort to halt the peaceful transfer of power, which is one of the bedrocks of American democracy. We’re in our 250th year of representative government. Our democracy is not perfect, but it’s a glorious thing, and it fundamentally has to be protected and preserved. So at minimum, on this fifth anniversary of that horrific attack on the U.S. Capitol, we’re going to address issues of concern related to ensuring we continue to have free and fair elections. We’ve got to get rid of this compliant Republican Congress who function like a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda as opposed to actually trying to enact policies that make life better for the American people.That’s at the essence of our democracy. And so on Tuesday, it’ll be an important hearing. We’ll hear from Americans from across the ideological spectrum about the horrors of January 6th and why we’ve got to make sure that something like that never happens again.
KRISTEN WELKER: All right, very busy time in this new year on Capitol Hill. We’ll be tracking all of it. Leader Jeffries, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, made the following statement after reviewing news reports of the military-law enforcement extraction of Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela overnight:
“Nicolas Maduro and his wife were fugitives from justice and will now have their day in a U.S. court. Without question, Maduro is a bad guy and stole an election to stay in power and has engaged in activities that were deleterious to the United States.
“But this was an invasion to extract the president of a foreign nation by force and afterward to run the country. Capturing him was an act of war and only Congress can declare war. This action was unconstitutionally initiated.
“Trump has a way of shooting first and taking aim later, and I am concerned that this attack risks another open-ended conflict and could destabilize the entire region. My sense is that this is not what the American people can support. We’ve already seen enough ‘forever wars.’
“Trump has returned us to the era of ‘gunboat diplomacy’ and the Monroe Doctrine of the 19th century, both very unpopular with our Latin American neighbors. This is the 21st century.
“As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I expect the Administration to brief Congress as soon as possible on the scope, legal basis, and objectives of these actions, as well as any potential risks to U.S. personnel, civilians, or regional stability. Congressional oversight is not optional — it is a constitutional requirement.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Larsen Releases Statement on Trump Administration’s Actions in Venezuela
Washington, D.C., January 3, 2026
Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement on the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela:
“No one is lamenting the fate of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro. Yet our President’s actions today do not demonstrate strength. They violate international law and harm our credibility with an already shrinking number of allies, friends and partners.
“I have serious questions about what the President means when he says the U.S. will “run” Venezuela, whether American taxpayers will be forced to foot the bill, and what impact, if any, this action will have on illegal drugs coming into our communities.
“As I have done in the past and will continue to do, I honor and respect the women and men of the United States military. It is not our servicemembers who are responsible for the policy decisions that drive their missions. That responsibility sits squarely with the Trump administration.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) released the following statement on the Trump administration’s military actions in Venezuela:
Nicolás Maduro is an oppressive dictator who has inflicted profound suffering on the Venezuelan people. They deserve democracy, the protection of human rights, and the ability to determine their own future. However, that reality does not justify Donald Trump’s decision to initiate an unauthorized military action against Venezuela without Congressional approval.
Trump’s reckless action risks drawing the United States into a protracted conflict and has created dangerous uncertainty and instability for both Venezuela and the American people. The President is acting beyond his constitutional authority and has no legal basis to unilaterally assert U.S. control over another nation.
Congress must be immediately and fully briefed on this unauthorized use of military force, and the American people deserve full transparency and accountability for these actions and their consequences.