MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and member of the Defense Subcommittee on House Appropriations, issued the following statement after the full committee approval of the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of War Appropriations Act.

Vice Chairman Díaz-Balart said, “I commend Chairman Tom Cole’s leadership for today’s achievement in advancing all twelve funding bills out of the full committee and fulfilling our duty to ensure regular order.

With the approval of this funding bill, we are once again delivering on our unwavering commitment to the men and women in uniform by ensuring they have the weapons, technology, and innovation needed to strengthen U.S. warfighting and combat readiness.

I also want to recognize Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert’s work in crafting a bill that prioritizes support for our service members and their families and strengthens our efforts to counter transnational drug trafficking, including transferring Mexico from NORTHCOM’s jurisdiction to SOUTHCOM for more effective coordination.

SOUTHCOM’s presence in the region is vital to safeguarding America and protecting our communities from the scourge of illicit drugs and transnational crime.”

Fiscal Year 2027 Department of War Appropriations Bill Key Takeaways

The FY27 Department of War Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $1.072 trillion and enhances America’s strategic military advantage, strengthens support for service members and military families, optimizes the Department of War, disrupts transnational drug trafficking, and delivers on Trump Administration priorities.

Disrupts transnational drug trafficking by:

• Transferring Mexico from United States Northern Command’s jurisdiction to United States Southern Command for better coordination and prioritization.
• Providing $1.2 billion for counter-drug programs.
• Increasing funding for the National Guard Counter-Drug Program. 1
• Providing $464.8 million for United States Southern Command, which supports enhanced detection and monitoring, theater-wide operations, improved command and control, and increased force protection to pursue drug cartels and terrorist networks.

Enhances America’s strategic military advantage by:

• Providing $836 million to procure, for the first time, new-entrant low-cost munition systems and providing multiyear procurement authority.
• Providing over $7.5 billion for hypersonic weapons and test infrastructure. o Providing over $2.9 billion for Defense Production Act (DPA), Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), and Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS).
• Accelerating delivery of capability to the warfighter through over $1.7 billion for Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT).
• Transforming autonomous and counter-small, unmanned aircraft system initiatives with $1 billion for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) and $1.4 billion for the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401).

Strengthens support for service members and military families by:

• Supporting a military pay raise of 7% for all military personnel ranked E-5 and below, 6% for E-6 to O-4, and 5% for O-4 and above.
• Providing an additional $15 million for the Military and Family Life Counseling Program, which provides counseling services to service members and their families to support operational readiness and resilience.

Optimizes the Department of War and improves transparency by:

• Supporting business modernization efforts, including $250 million to accelerate the transition to a modern, secure, and audit-ready financial management environment.
• Digitizing acquisition processes through $72.5 million for Acquisition Visibility.
• Protecting and preserving competition and readiness by mandating a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA).
• Modernizing requirements and resourcing by including $140.1 million for the Mission Engineering and Integration Activity and $92.7 million for Acquisition Integration and Interoperability.

Delivers on Trump Administration priorities by:

• Advancing the President’s Executive Order 14409, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security.
• Furthering the President’s Executive Order 14369, Ensuring American Space Superiority.
• Supporting the President’s Executive Order 14265, Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base.
• Continuing to ensure that no funding supports diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, Critical Race Theory, or abortion-related travel, consistent with Department of War policy.
• Prohibiting the use of funds to destroy surplus firearms or spent brass that are no longer of use to the United States military.
• Maintaining legacy provisions to prevent the closure or transfer of detainees from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

A summary of the bill is available here.

Bill text is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, Kelly Lead Bill to Award Artemis II Crew the Congressional Gold Medal

“From Apollo to Artemis, America’s pioneering spirit has long defined our leadership in space exploration,” said Rep. Bacon. “Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen carried that legacy farther than any humans have ever traveled from Earth, setting a new record of approximately 252,756 miles and marking the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon in 53 years. The Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act is a bipartisan, bicameral effort to honor this historic mission with the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow. I am grateful to our friends at Space for Humanity for bringing this idea to us, and to Sen. Kelly and our co-leads for working together to recognize these extraordinary astronauts.” 

“Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy carried human space exploration farther than it has ever gone before,” said Sen. Kelly. “I’ve flown on four missions to space and I know how hard that crew and the teams on the ground worked. They made something incredibly complex and difficult look easy. They reminded Americans what we’re capable of when we work together. They inspired the next generation of scientists, explorers, and engineers. For pushing the boundaries of human achievement, the Artemis II crew deserves this honor.” 

“Few missions have captured our imagination the way Artemis II has. Its crew became the first humans in more than 50 years to experience the lunar Overview Effect — a perspective from which our world floats distantly in the darkness of space,” said Antonio Peronace, Executive Director of Space for Humanity. “We are at an important inflection point for our species. Space has the ability to bring people together, shape perspectives, and inspire us all. Artemis II’s record-shattering mission could not have happened at a better time. The images, experiences, and perspectives these remarkable explorers shared remind us that while we may come from different nations, backgrounds, and beliefs, we all live on the same fragile planet. We are all crewmembers on Spaceship Earth. Artemis proves our greatest achievements are the ones we accomplish together. That’s why this mission was not only a success for NASA and the United States, but a gift to all humanity. For these reasons and more, the Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting recognition for the inspirational crew of Artemis II.” 

“Artemis II marked a bold new chapter in American space exploration, with a groundbreaking crew that set records for the farthest humans have ever traveled from our planet. Their incredible accomplishments represent the very best of us and brought the country together in a collective moment of awe. I’m proud to pay tribute to their journey with the Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act which bestows the crew with Congress’ highest civilian honor,” said Rep. Whitesides. 

“The Artemis II mission represents the very best of America: courage, innovation, and a willingness to push beyond the horizon in pursuit of something greater than ourselves. As an Army veteran, I have tremendous respect for the dedication, discipline, and sacrifice required to undertake a mission of this magnitude. Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen carried forward a proud legacy of exploration while inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, service members, and explorers. Awarding the Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting tribute to their historic achievement and reaffirms America’s leadership in space exploration,” said Rep. Evans. 

“Artemis represents the next great chapter in American leadership in space exploration, and communities like ours that support the nation’s spaceflight missions are proud to help send astronauts farther than humanity has ever traveled before.  The Congressional Gold Medal Act is a fitting tribute to the courage, skill, and dedication of the Artemis II crew, whose service will inspire a new generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers across our nation.  I am proud to honor these outstanding astronauts as an original co-sponsor of this bill,” said Rep. Ivey. 

“The Artemis II mission was a historic achievement for American space dominance,” said Sen. Ricketts. “This is a fitting honor for the crew and all those who aided in the mission’s success. This includes the General Dynamics team in Lincoln who manufactured several components for the spacecraft, including the oxygen tanks.” 

“Earlier this year, Artemis II made history and showed the world that our greatest days of discovery are still ahead,” said Sen. Moran. “As we celebrate the mission’s success, we honor the Artemis II crew – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen – alongside the NASA workforce whose contributions helped set new records in space exploration. America’s leadership in space would not be possible without the innovation, courage and dedication of the men and women who made this mission possible.” 

“The Artemis II mission took humanity further away from Earth than we have ever been before. This historic effort was built on contributions from NASA centers across the country – including the dedicated workforce at Goddard Space Flight Center – to send four brave astronauts around the moon. Artemis II will be remembered for the teamwork, dedication, and spirit that Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, and Commander Reid Wiseman from our great state of Maryland shared with the world. This resolution marks their contributions and the contributions of all of those who made the Artemis II mission a success and an inspiration to us all,” said Sen. Van Hollen. 

“The brave Artemis II crew broke new frontiers for space exploration and proved to the next generation of young scientists that anything is possible,” said Sen. Duckworth. “Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen and everyone behind the scenes at NASA that made this incredible mission possible deserve the highest praise, and I’m glad to join my colleagues in honoring their achievement.” 

“This crew did what no human has ever done, and their mission puts us one step closer to a sustained presence on the moon. I applaud their bravery and am proud to recognize the path they paved for the future of space exploration,” said Sen. Fischer. 

“The Artemis II mission demonstrated what Americans can achieve when we combine courage, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to exploration. As the first crew to travel farther from Earth than any humans in history, these astronauts inspired our nation and strengthened America’s leadership in space. I’m proud to support awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to recognize their extraordinary achievement and the generations of explorers they will inspire,” said Sen. Sheehy. 

Background

The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors awarded by Congress. Since the American Revolution, Congress has used the medal to recognize individuals and groups whose achievements have had a lasting impact on American history and national life. 

The last astronauts to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal were the Apollo 11 Crew in 2009. No other NASA mission crew has received the honor, reserving it for missions of extraordinary historic significance.  

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

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

“Instead of our celebrating the ROAD to Housing, we are on a road to voter suppression. Instead of our celebrating the ROAD to Housing, many people in this country will be on a road to struggle, compounded struggle.”

Pressley-Led Bills Would Address Bias in Home Appraisals, Expand Affordable Housing, Strengthen Oversight of Corporate Landlords, and Help Families Reach Financial Stability

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) convened with House and Senate Democrats to highlight the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the most robust housing package to pass Congress in decades. Following Trump’s refusal to sign the package into law without advancing his voter suppression bill, Rep. Pressley joined lawmakers in demanding Trump support the housing package and the essential, expanded access to housing it would deliver for Americans.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes four of Rep. Pressley’s bills to address bias in home valuations, expand affordable housing, strengthen oversight of corporate landlords, and help families reach financial stability.

A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks is available below and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Highlights Historic Housing Package Passed by Congress, Calls Out Trump for Refusing to Sign It into Law

U.S. Capitol

June 24, 2026

Well, aren’t I lucky that Elizabeth Warren is my Senator? So proud to call the Commonwealth of Massachusetts my home. And, Senator, you always persist, and I thank you.

And aren’t I lucky to be a committee member on Financial Services in the eight years that I’ve been in Congress under the leadership of Ranking Member Maxine Waters, who is always reclaiming our time, and I’m so grateful for her indefatigable efforts.

And I do just want to take a moment also to acknowledge the exhaustive efforts of committee staff and also the staff in our respective offices.

Instead of our celebrating the ROAD to Housing, we are on a road to voter suppression.

Instead of our celebrating the ROAD to Housing, many people in this country will be on a road to struggle, compounded struggle.

Whether I am on a tele-town hall or at a town hall in community in the Massachusetts Seventh congressional district, which I have the honor of representing, housing is the first, second, and third priority that they raise.

Our students need housing, our seniors need housing, our veterans need housing, young professionals need housing, young families need housing, everyone needs housing.

It determines health outcomes. It determines social and economic mobility.

Housing is so much more than shelter.

As my colleagues have articulated here with their powerful shared lived experiences, housing is about a place of refuge, a place to rest, a place to plan, a place to dream.

So I am so grateful to the leadership of all assembled here, led by Senator Warren and Ranking Member Waters, to get us to this moment.

I’m proud that four of my bills were included in this package.

My bill protects renters from abusive corporations, it addresses racial bias in home appraisals. We know that Black home ownership is the lowest now than it’s been for six decades, and for those that still have their homes, there is a theft that has occurred for decades and aren’t getting the equity that we deserve because of those biases, racial bias in home appraisals.

My bills expand access to affordable housing. They help families build long-term financial stability.

These bills, combined with my colleagues’, will help families not just survive, but to thrive.

This housing bill is long overdue. It is needed. It is popular. It is important.

So I’m going to say Mike Johnson, do your damn job.

And Donald Trump, sign the damn bill.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON –Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05), House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, urged Department of Labor (DOL) Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling to withdraw its proposed rule on determining joint employer status.  The Members warned that the proposal would undermine worker protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) by making it harder to hold employers accountable for labor law violations.

In a letter to the Acting Secretary, the Members explained that the proposed rule conflicts with congressional intent and longstanding legal precedent by narrowing the standard for finding ‘joint employment’ liability.  The proposal would limit workers’ ability to recover unpaid wages and other remedies by shielding larger businesses that rely on subcontractors and staffing agencies from responsibility for violations of federal labor laws.

“By limiting who an employee can hold responsible for federal labor law violations, the Department’s proposal would shield larger businesses whose business model relies on subcontracting with thinly capitalized subcontractors or farm labor contractors that cut corners on federal labor law compliance,” wrote the Members.  “If the thinly capitalized subcontractor or farm labor contractor is unable to pay back wages or judgments owed, then workers would be unable to recover from any employer.”

The Members further noted that the proposal closely mirrors a 2020 Trump Administration rule that a federal court found unlawful and warned that the new proposal threatens to go even further by applying its narrowed interpretation of joint employment to the FMLA and MSPA in addition to the FLSA.  The Members also cited analysis estimating that a similar proposal would cost workers more than $1 billion annually in lost wages and argued that the rule could leave both workers and franchisees with fewer protections while allowing larger corporations to evade accountability.

To read the full letter, click here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and House Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) called for an immediate, long-overdue oversight hearing with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) leadership to examine the EEOC’s budget request and the House Republicans’ proposed Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) funding cut to the EEOC.  The hearing would also explore the numerous actions the agency has taken over the past year that undermine the Agency’s mission, including the EEOC’s plan to roll back regulations requiring the collection of workplace demographic data, known as EEO-1. 

Since becoming Chair of the EEOC, Andrea Lucas has rescinded workplace harassment guidance, halted processing of claims alleging gender identity-based discrimination, and prompted bar complaints alleging that her actions constitute a refusal to follow established law. 

“We remain deeply concerned that, under Chair Lucas’ leadership, the EEOC has taken a number of actions that are contrary to the EEOC’s mission to ‘[p]revent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination and advance equal opportunity for all in the workplace,’” wrote the Ranking Members to Chairman Walberg.  “It is important for Committee Members to hear directly from Chair Lucas about the full implications of House Republicans’ proposed FY27 funding cut to the EEOC.” 

In addition to urging Chairman Walberg to hold the first EEOC oversight hearing in four years, the Members demanded EEOC Chair Lucas turn over to the Committee all documents and information regarding the decision to drop the reporting requirements and its failure to announce the opening of the 2026 collection cycle, which would collect from employers the EEO-1 workplace demographic data from 2025.

“For nearly sixty-one years, the EEOC has been the leading federal agency focused on ensuring equal opportunity in employment, working toward fulfillment of creating fair and just workplaces through its enforcement of our civil rights laws.  Taken together, the proposal to rescind longstanding regulations and the failure to fulfill existing obligations under those regulations to conduct the 2026 EEO-1 Data Collection Cycle undermine the EEOC’s mission,” wrote the Ranking Members to EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas.

Chair Lucas’s testimony and the documents related to EEOC’s above-mentioned decision regarding EEO-1 workplace data are critical to assessing whether the EEOC is fulfilling its statutory mission to prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination and advance equal opportunity for all in the workplace. 

To read the letter to Chairman Walberg requesting a hearing, click here. 

To read the letter to EEOC Chair Lucas requesting documents, click here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) and 35 members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), led by DWC members Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), sent a letter to Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon calling out the Department of Education’s failure to enforce Title IX protections for students who have been sexually harassed, sexual assaulted, and faced other forms of sex discrimination. 

Since the start of the second Trump administration, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is in charge of handling student discrimination, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment claims, has not entered into a single resolution agreement addressing sexual harassment or sexual violence, despite hundreds of pending cases involving student survivors. Last week, the Trump administration announced they would move the OCR outside of the Department of Education entirely—further evidence of the administration’s failure to prioritize any resolution, accountability, or justice for women and girls.   

The Members’ letter argues that the Department of Education must prioritize the investigation and resolution of complaints, restore resources dedicated to Title IX enforcement, end politically motivated investigations, and provide Congress with detailed information about its handling of Title IX cases and enforcement activities.

In their letter, the Members express outrage that the OCR has not entered into a single resolution agreement addressing sexual assault or harassment in schools.

“As members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, we are outraged that since the start of the second Trump administration, the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Education (OCR) has not entered into a single resolution agreement addressing sexual assault or harassment in schools. Instead, this administration is wasting taxpayer dollars pursuing immaterial politically motivated investigations while failing vulnerable students, including survivors of sexual assault or violence. We urge you to cease baseless investigations and demonstrate immediate progress in effectively resolving all pending OCR cases to deliver real enforceable legal protection for students facing discrimination based on their sex.”

The Members also explained that the Trump administration has deliberately reduced the capacity of the OCR to handle these complaints by placing investigators on leave without plans to hand off their cases. 

“Your failure to enforce Title IX protections for millions of women and girls is deliberate and indefensible. In March 2025, the Trump administration placed 299 OCR employees—nearly half the agency’s entire workforce—on paid administrative leave and closed seven of OCR’s 12 regional offices, barring investigators from doing their jobs. According to the Government Accountability Office, this decision cost taxpayers up to $38 million in salaries paid to investigators who were prohibited from working. To this day, the Department has not explained to Congress how many investigators have returned to work, what caseloads they now carry, or how OCR plans to address the backlog it created.”

The Members closed the letter by calling on the Department of Education to prioritize Title IX enforcement of actual cases of sex discrimination.

“Protecting students’ civil rights is your fundamental responsibility as the Secretary of Education, and instead of using your authority to provide justice to survivors, you are weaponizing it against vulnerable students. That is shameful. We call on you to take immediate action to increase the resources focused on Title IX enforcement of actual and pending cases of sex discrimination and cease baseless directed investigations against schools or colleges.”

Read the full letter here.

In addition to Brownley and letter leads Suzanne Bonamici and Adelita Grijalva, the letter was signed by Yassamin Ansari, Joyce Beatty, Suzanne Bonamici, Judy Chu, Jasmine Crockett, Diana DeGette, Debbie Dingell, Veronica Escobar, Sylvia Garcia, Adelita Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Pramila Jayapal, Julie Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Summer Lee, Teresa Leger Fernandez, Doris Matsui, Lucy McBath, LaMonica McIver, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Nellie Pou, Emily Randall, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Janice Schakowsky, Terri Sewell, Lateefah Simon, Emilia Sykes, Jill Tokuda, Lori Trahan, Nydia Velázquez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Education

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [6/24/26] – Today Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to repeal a final rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would make child care more expensive and less accessible.

The Trump administration’s “Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)” final rule repeals a 2024 rule that protected families from excessive costs, provided greater financial stability for child care programs, and increased child care options for families. The final rule repealing these provisions is set to take effect on July 13, 2026.

“It’s disturbing that the Trump administration is making child care more expensive when the cost for child care can be as much as rent or mortgage payments and families are struggling to pay for necessities like health care, groceries, and gas,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Child care is essential infrastructure and I am grateful to partner with Senator Murray, Ranking Member Scott, and Rep. Jacobs to fight this harmful final rule that would make it even harder for families to find and pay for care they need for their children.”

“Child care is already one of the largest expenses in a family’s budget — and Republicans are making it worse.  The Biden Administration’s Child Care and Development Fund rule protected families from crushing copayments, stabilized child care providers, and ensured timely reimbursements.  Now, the Trump Administration is ripping those protections away. Without a cap on copayments, families could once again be forced to pay more than they can afford.  Without enrollment-based reimbursements, providers will face financial unpredictability that could force them to close their doors,” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott.  “I am proud to cosponsor this Congressional Review Act resolution, alongside Representatives Bonamici (OR-01) and Jacobs (CA-15), to overturn this rollback and restore the protections that families and child care providers depend on.”

“The Trump Administration has made their agenda crystal clear: tear down the child care system in America, piece by piece, until nothing’s left,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “Instead of doing anything to actually help the child care sector, this Administration is making the child care crisis worse. After making baseless claims of widespread fraud and threatening to withhold $10 billion in federal funds for states, including California, they’re now going after the 2024 CCDF Final Rule. Repealing this rule would increase the costs of child care for families and create more barriers for providers who are already struggling to keep their doors open. I’m proud to co-lead this Congressional Review Act because every family in America deserves quality, accessible, and affordable child care.”

“Trump is intentionally raising the cost of practically everything—and in case tariffs driving up child care costs wasn’t bad enough, now he is going out of his way to push prices up even further,” said Senator Patty Murray. “What Trump is doing is nothing short of punishing working class families who need help to afford the astronomical cost of child care. It doesn’t help to make child care more expensive while also forcing parents to pay Trump’s tariff tax. It doesn’t make life any easier for families by forcing them to pay more for child care when gas is $5 a gallon where they live. Democrats are fighting to make child care more affordable and to help families. Trump is actively making it more expensive to raise a family. Congress should take action as soon as possible to overturn this harmful, anti-family policy.”

The 2024 CCDF Final Rule had several provisions that this final rule overturns:

• Capping copayments at 7 percent of household income: Prior to the 2024 CCDF Final Rule, some states charged copayments as high as 27 percent of family income. The 2024 CCDF Final Rule capped copayments at 7 percent of household income. The Trump administration’s Final Rule removes the cap so families can be charged more for child care services. 
• Enrollment-based subsidy reimbursements: The 2024 CCDF Final Rule codified a COVID-19 pandemic policy that reimbursed subsidies based on enrollment rather than attendance. This change helped stabilize the child care sector and is consistent with the private pay market. This Final Rule reverses the change and reinstates reimbursements based on attendance. Attendance-based payments create unpredictability that can threaten the stability and finances of a child care provider.
• Paying providers prospectively: Under the 2024 CCDF Final Rule, providers received payments in advance of the delivery of child care services, which created greater stability in the child care sector and aligned the system with the private-pay market. This Final Rule changes how providers are paid. It no longer requires prospective payments and may delay timely reimbursements for services.

The text of the CRA can be read here. 

It is supported by: Caring Across Generations, Center for American Progress, Child Care for Every Family Network, CLASP, Community Change Action, Council for Professional Recognition, Home Grown, Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, MomsRising, National Association for Family Child Care, National Indian Child Care Association, National Women’s Law Center, SEIU, SEIU, Small Business Majority, and Zero to Three.

In the House, the CRA is cosponsored by: Representatives Janelle Bynum (D-OR), Judy Chu (D-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Summer Lee (D-PA), Sarah McBride (D-ED), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). 

In the Senate, the CRA is cosponsored by: Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

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

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH) led a 44-member effort on Wednesday urging the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to abandon a Trump Administration proposal requiring current and future federal employees to sign indefinite, government-wide nondisclosure agreements. In the letter, the Members argue that federal employees are already subject to extensive laws, regulations, and agency policies governing classified, sensitive, and protected information and warn that the proposal would discourage lawful whistleblowing, undermine government transparency and accountability, and erode the independence of the nonpartisan civil service.

The Members write:

“Federal employees are already subject to extensive laws, regulations, and agency policies regarding the handling of classified, sensitive, and protected information. Mandatory, government-wide NDAs will only block lawful whistleblowing and disclosures, undermine government transparency and accountability, and erode the independence and integrity of the nonpartisan civil service.”

They continue:

“Federal workers play a critical role in holding the government accountable and bringing waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or wrongdoing to the attention of Congress, Inspectors General, and the American people. Their rights and protections, along with the integrity and independence of the federal workforce, must be upheld.”

To better understand the scope and legality of the proposed rule, the Members asked OPM to answer the following questions:

1. How is the proposed rule not a violation of existing whistleblower and anti-retaliation laws, the First Amendment, or other federal statutes?
2. How exactly does OPM define the broad terms of “non-public,” “confidential,” or “proprietary information” as well as “sensitive,” “pre-decisional,” or “deliberative” materials as covered by the NDA in the proposed rule?
3. What are the specific consequences of refusing to sign or violating the NDA?
4. How long are the terms of the NDA legally binding?
5. How will workers be protected from retaliation for lawful whistleblowing or other disclosures, as required by the law?

In addition to Reps. Krishnamoorthi and Landsman, the letter was signed by Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Dina Titus (D-NV), Darren Soto (D-FL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Donald Beyer (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Danny Davis (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Summer Lee (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), and Emilia Sykes (D-OH).

The full letter can be found here.

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

Headline: Committee Passes Amata-Backed GAOA 250 Bill to Invest in Parks and Public Lands

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming passage Wednesday by the House Natural Resources Committee of the Great America Outdoors Act 250, the GAOA 250, as she is an original cosponsor of this legislation. The GAOA 250 is named as a follow-on to the major Great America Outdoors Act enacted in 2020, and in honor of America’s 250^th anniversary. 

File photo – Amata in HNR field hearing, Grant Teton National Park

Introduced just this month, the bipartisan bill invests in modernization and upkeep projects throughout the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Education. 

“This is excellent legislation, fully bipartisan, and enhances care and maintenance of our public lands,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-AS-AL). “This five-year investment in America’s beautiful places honors the 250th birthday of the country.”

Over the next five years, the GAOA250 reauthorizes the Legacy Restoration Fund, and invests $1.9 billion annually in America’s national parks and public lands, especially focusing on high-priority projects and deferred maintenance, and restoration of related roadways and infrastructure. 

With the backing of Aumua Amata and others, and endorsed by over 100 supporting organizations, the bill includes the leadership of Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR), the only forester in Congress, and Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA).

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