MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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 – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

June 18, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and led a bicameral group of 50 lawmakers to sound the alarm over a review by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that paves the way to eliminate Clean Air Act protections for chemical recycling processes.

“We urge EPA to maintain its longstanding position that pyrolysis/combustion units are subject to regulation under Section 129 of the Clean Air Act and must meet EPA’s existing incinerator standards. Removing pyrolysis/combustion units from this definition would effectively remove the only federal baseline for hazardous air pollution resulting from pyrolysis,” wrote the Senate and House lawmakers to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Their letter highlights the extreme public health and environmental risks of burning plastics, resulting in highly toxic chemicals linked to cancer, nervous system damage, and infertility. The lawmakers also stressed that this has the potential to worsen air pollution in frontline communities across the country, disproportionately harming minority and low-income populations that are too often next to these plastic-burning facilities.

“We ask that EPA continue to regulate pyrolysis/combustion units as municipal waste combustion units, and urge the agency to prioritize solutions that reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and move us towards a circular economy through source reduction interventions and improved mechanical recycling to reduce plastic waste,” they emphasized. “Technologies that worsen the climate crisis, perpetuate a reliance on single-use plastics, and adversely impact vulnerable communities cannot be viewed as viable solutions moving forward.”

Huffman and Merkley have been longtime leaders on Capitol Hill fighting to take on our plastic pollution crisis. Previously, Merkley led his Senate colleagues in urging the EPA to use its existing authorities to address the full lifecycle of plastic pollution. As former Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) subcommittee overseeing environmental justice, chemical safety, and waste management, Merkley teamed up with Huffman to introduce the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act—the most comprehensive plan ever introduced in Congress to address the harms of plastic pollution on our air, water, and soil.

In addition to Huffman and Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), and U.S. Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Sean Casten (IL-06), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Don Beyer (VA-08), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Emily Randall (WA-06), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Adam Smith (WA-09), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Chuy García (IL-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07).

Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here and follows below:

Dear Administrator Zeldin,

We are writing to object to any attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove pyrolysis/combustion units from the definition of “municipal waste combustion units” under Section 129 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). We strongly oppose any efforts to exempt these units or weaken the current definition.

The EPA is currently reviewing whether pyrolysis/combustion units should continue being regulated under Section 129 through the Other Solid Waste Incinerator (OSWI) New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines. Pyrolysis/combustion units convert plastic waste into pyrolysis oil for fuels, chemicals, and low yields of new plastics, a process which has been referred to as “chemically recycling” of plastic waste. The EPA has been clear that it is not possible to achieve an oxygen free environment in paralytic systems and so these processes involve oxidization. During these processes, chemical recycling facilities emit highly toxic chemicals, including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylenes, as well as those subject to Section 129 regulations, such as mercury, hydrogen chloride and dioxins. Many of these chemicals have been linked to adverse health impacts, including cancer, nervous system damage, and negative effects on reproduction and development. Changes in how these pyrolysis/combustion units are regulated could have significant impacts on local air emissions in the communities where they are located, causing disproportionate environmental and health impacts on minority and low-income populations.

We urge EPA to maintain its longstanding position that pyrolysis/combustion units are subject to regulation under Section 129 of the Clean Air Act and must meet EPA’s existing incinerator standards. Removing pyrolysis/combustion units from this definition would effectively remove the only federal baseline for hazardous air pollution resulting from pyrolysis.

We are additionally concerned that EPA appears to be weakening regulation of pyrolysis/combustion units outside the ordinary course of notice-and-comment rulemaking. We urge EPA to ensure that any changes to the definition of “municipal waste combustion unit” follows a full and transparent rulemaking process, including a concrete proposed rule with adequate public comment opportunity.

We ask that EPA continue to regulate pyrolysis/combustion units as municipal waste combustion units, and urge the agency to prioritize solutions that reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and move us towards a circular economy through source reduction interventions and improved mechanical recycling to reduce plastic waste. Technologies that worsen the climate crisis, perpetuate a reliance on single-use plastics, and adversely impact vulnerable communities cannot be viewed as viable solutions moving forward.

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), who introduced and passed the first Congressional apology for slavery and Jim Crow discrimination in 2008, released the following statement commemorating Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their emancipation. Congressman Cohen voted to make Juneteenth a national holiday in 2021.

“I celebrated Juneteenth long before it became a federal holiday because it is such a major milestone in our national history. In 2019, as the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I held a symbolic hearing on Juneteenth that year on a bill to create a reparations commission. I was proud to cosponsor the measure making Juneteenth a federal holiday because it sends an important message about facing the sometimes-difficult truths of our history and finding a way to celebrate our journey as a country toward progress and freedom. I hope all find the holiday inspiring.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., joined Arizona’s bipartisan congressional delegation in submitting 250 copper pennies for inclusion in the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule, which will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The submission honors Arizona’s history as the Copper State and recognizes copper’s role in building the state’s economy, supporting American infrastructure and powering the nation’s future.

“Copper is part of Arizona’s story and America’s story,” Schweikert said. “This contribution honors our state’s mining heritage and the generations of Arizonans whose work helped build and power the nation.”

Congress authorized the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule, and the Architect of the Capitol will preserve it in the United States Capitol until July 4, 2276. Americans celebrating the nation’s 500th birthday will open the capsule and reflect on the people, values and achievements that shaped this era.

Arizona’s submission includes 250 copper pennies, one for each year of American independence. Copper is one of Arizona’s historic Five C’s, along with cattle, cotton, citrus and climate. Copper helped shape Arizona’s economy and remains essential to manufacturing, energy production, infrastructure and national defense.

The pennies represent Arizona’s contribution to America’s growth and honor the workers, families and communities that helped build the state.

Click here to read the letter submitted with Arizona’s contribution to the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson (CA-04) and David Valadao (CA-22) and nine other California colleagues, in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide emergency funding to address the growing threat posed by the invasive glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) in California.

In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the lawmakers requested the immediate release of $32.2 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to support efforts to contain and eradicate the pest, which spreads Pierce’s Disease (PD) and threatens many critical agricultural industries in California, including wine grapes and table grapes.

“On May 19th, staff from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Fresno County agricultural commissioner’s office identified nursery stock infested with GWSS that was distributed to Costco locations in Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Kings, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Yolo, and Yuba Counties,” wrote the lawmakers. “The vines were sold to customers across the state and are now believed to have been transported to residential homes in at least 38 counties. The movement of infested nursery stock into and near key grape-producing regions, including areas critical to California’s winegrape and fresh table grape production, significantly elevates the urgency of this response.”

The lawmakers emphasized the significant economic stakes for California agriculture.

“According to the Wine Institute, the California wine industry supports 1.1 million jobs across the country and has an economic impact of $170.5 billion,” continued the lawmakers. “Meanwhile, California produces 99% of the table grapes grown in the United States, and the California Table Grape Commission estimates that California table grapes have a crop value of $2.59 billion. This pest and its associated disease pose a potentially catastrophic threat to these industries. If left unchecked, the California Department of Food and Agriculture estimates that losses associated with PD/GWSS could eclipse $104 million annually.”

The requested funding would support immediate emergency response efforts, including tracing, surveying, and trapping, as well as implement ongoing trapping and survey programs for the next three years.

In addition to Panetta, Padilla, Schiff, Thompson, and Valadao, the letter was signed by Representatives Vince Fong (CA-20), Jim Costa (CA-21), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), John Garamendi (CA-08), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10).

Earlier this month, Representatives Panetta, Valadao, and Thompson led a bipartisan coalition of 14 California lawmakers in requesting that Québec Premier Christine Fréchette remove the current restrictions barring the importation and sale of American wine in Québec. 

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Rollins:

We write to request that you immediately authorize the release of $32.2 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to address the time-sensitive threat posed to the wine, winegrape, and table grape industries from Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (GWSS) and associated Pierce’s Disease (PD). GWSS is a serious pest that feeds on grapevines and is a vector for PD, an incurable disease which kills grapevines by clogging their water-conducting vessels.

On May 19th, staff from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Fresno County agricultural commissioner’s office identified nursery stock infested with GWSS that was distributed to Costco locations in Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Kings, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Yolo, and Yuba Counties. The vines were sold to customers across the state and are now believed to have been transported to residential homes in at least 38 counties. The movement of infested nursery stock into and near key grape-producing regions, including areas critical to California’s winegrape and fresh table grape production, significantly elevates the urgency of this response.

According to the Wine Institute, the California wine industry supports 1.1 million jobs across the country and has an economic impact of $170.5 billion. Meanwhile, California produces 99% of the table grapes grown in the United States, and the California Table Grape Commission estimates that California table grapes have a crop value of $2.59 billion. This pest and its associated disease pose a potentially catastrophic threat to these industries. If left unchecked, CDFA estimates that losses associated with PD/GWSS could eclipse $104 million annually. Federal law (7 USC 7772) authorizes you to transfer funds from the CCC “in connection with an emergency in which a plant pest or noxious weed threatens any segment of the agricultural production.” Given the breadth and scope of the outbreak we face today, we believe the necessary conditions have been met, and we therefore ask that you authorize a transfer without delay.

Industry and staff from CDFA estimate the following costs will be required to address this situation:

• There is an immediate need for an additional $3.2 million by June 30 to pay for emergency operations, including tracing, surveying and trapping.
• There is an expected need to implement an ongoing trapping and survey program for the next three years, which will cost approximately $5 million per year for three years ($15 million)
• When GWSS becomes more prevalent, as we fear it will, it is expected to cost an additional $3.5 million per year for four years for eradication. ($14 million)

It is important to note that the industry has not left the cost of PD/GWSS entirely up to the federal government. For the last 25 years, winegrape growers have assessed themselves to fund research and mitigation. Just last year, growers again approved a fee of $1.25 per $1,000 of grape value, which will be in place until 2030. Over time, growers have contributed more than $62 million to support the federal and state investments.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. The wine, winegrape, and table grape industries are a highlight of American agriculture, and your support during this challenging time will ensure U.S. wine and table grapes can continue to compete in the global market.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed to by the United States and Iran:

“The President should never have started this war. It was not smart, it was not legal, it was not morally justified, and it was not in our national interest.

“The American people never asked for this war, yet they have borne its costs from the very beginning. Thirteen American servicemembers have been killed and hundreds more have been injured. Countless civilians have lost their lives, including Iranian schoolgirls killed by U.S. military action – a tragedy carried out in our name that should shame us all. Americans have also felt the consequences here at home. Families are struggling to afford gas, energy bills, and groceries as this conflict continues to drive up costs and fuel inflation.

“While I welcome efforts to negotiate an end to this war, this MOU lays bare the utter failure of the President’s strategy. Not only is it worse that what was on offer prior to the US-Israeli bombing campaign, it also fails to improve on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which the president so foolishly cast aside during his first term against the advice of his own national security advisors.

“This MOU is the natural result of an ill-conceived military campaign rooted in hubris and willful ignorance and marked by shifting war goals that could not be met even as they were continually scaled back. It will be one of the defining documents of President Trump’s thoughtless, ignorant, corrupt, and violent approach to government and his disgraced administration. 

“I can only hope that the cheerleaders of this war find some humility now that the world can see the consequences of what they have wrought, and if they cannot, that their counsel is comprehensively rejected by our nation and its leaders in the months and years ahead.

“Diplomacy was always the best way to advance our national security interests with Iran, and it remains the only viable path forward.”

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

U.S. President Donald J. Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Colonel John Walter Ripley of Radford, Virginia. Colonel Ripley, who served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was honored for his courage and bravery as part of a White House presentation ceremony. Numerous members of Colonel Ripley’s family were present for the ceremony, including his son, Thomas H. Ripley.

“The Medal of Honor is our nation’s highest award. Only 300 U.S. Marines have worn the Medal, and we are incredibly honored that our father, Colonel John W. Ripley, will be included in those ranks. He was a proud Virginian, and loved the Marine Corps. Today is a chance to remember him, his service to our country and to our Corps. Semper Fidelis.” – Colonel Ripley’s son, Thomas Ripley

Following the ceremony, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), who carried the legislation to authorize the Medal of Honor award for Colonel Ripley, issued the following statement:

“Communities in Virginia’s Ninth District, including his hometown of Radford, Virginia, are proud that one of their very own is recognized today at the White House with the country’s highest military honor. Colonel Ripley’s acts of valor during the Vietnam War helped advance U.S. military interests and saved lives. His actions deserve heavy commendation and praise.” 

BACKGROUND

Congressman Griffith is sponsor of H.R. 7211, a bill to authorize President Trump to award the Medal of Honor to Colonel Ripley. 

Congressman Griffith’s e-newsletter on Colonel Ripley’s story can be found here.

An executive summary of Colonel Ripley’s actions can be found here.

Video coverage from today’s ceremony can be found here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

Today, Congressman French Hill (R-AR-02) and Congressman Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01) announce the relaunch of the bipartisan Congressional Skilled Workforce Caucus to champion skilled workforce development and inform Members of Congress on issues facing American workers and employers who depend on a trained, capable workforce. Hill and Jackson will serve as Co-Chairs of the caucus for the 119th Congress.The Skilled Workforce Caucus will serve as a forum for Members to coordinate on federal policy priorities related to skilled workforce training, career and technical education, apprenticeships, and the pipeline of workers needed across healthcare, aviation, technology, and the sectors that build and power our nation.

The need is urgent. The construction industry alone is projected to need 349,000 additional workers in 2026, with roughly 41% of the current construction workforce expected to retire by 2031. The healthcare sector faces a parallel crisis, with more than 189,100 registered nurse job openings projected annually through 2034. Across aviation, technology, and energy, the story is the same as demand continues to outpace the pipeline. If left unaddressed, the skilled labor shortage could cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost economic output.

Rep. French Hill said, “For decades, we pushed young people toward four-year degrees, which had the unintended consequence of making trade schools and skilled labor look like a second-rate career path. The fact is, our skilled workers are the backbone of our economy, integral to everything that makes this nation great, from our healthcare and technology industries to the workers who build our homes and maintain our infrastructure. While we continue to applaud those who attend our great colleges and universities, this caucus will make sure Congress pays equal attention to the skilled workers who make modern American life possible. I am proud to work with Congressman Jonathan Jackson to ensure their voices are heard in Washington.”

“Our nation needs a skilled workforce prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st-century economy,” said Rep. Jonathan Jackson. “I am honored to join Rep. Hill in relaunching the Skilled Workforce Caucus to bring Members of Congress together around a shared commitment to strengthening workforce development and expanding opportunity for working families. By investing in career and technical education, apprenticeships, and workforce training, we can create more pathways to family-sustaining careers, close skills gaps across critical industries, and build an economy where prosperity reaches every community.”

Additional caucus members will be announced in the coming weeks.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

CHICAGO, IL — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), State Senators Celina Villanueva, Javier Loera Cervantes, State Representatives Abdelnasser Rashid, Norma Hernandez, Edgar Gonzalez Jr., Aarón M. Ortíz Theresa Mah, Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, Alderperson Mike Rodriguez, Alderwomen Jeylú B. Gutiérrez and Julia Ramirez, Commissioner Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Chicago School Board Member Yesenia Lopez, District Councilor Elianne “Ely” Bahena, and Summit Public Library Board President Yareli Cortez, issued the following statement regarding the illegal detentions conducted by ICE at the Bridgeview Courthouse:

“Yesterday, federal immigration agents conducted unlawful arrests at the Bridgeview Courthouse. Despite state and local laws prohibiting civil arrests at courthouses without a judicial warrant, these agents detained three people, including a woman and a small child. At no point did they present a warrant. Video evidence shows local law enforcement officers seemingly assisting with a violent arrest and even shaking hands with a federal agent afterward. Once again, ICE is illegally kidnapping people at our courthouses and local law enforcement officers seemingly helping them do it. Our community is sick and tired of criminality and the impunity. We demand a thorough and independent investigation of this matter, and accountability for all violations of our laws.”

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