MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) secured key provisions in H.R. 6644 the Housing for the 21st Century Act to expand access to affordable housing through cooperative ownership models while strengthening Congressional oversight to protect tenants in federally monitored public housing authorities.

Velázquez successfully included targeted language in Sections 101, 405, 406, and 407 of the legislation to explicitly recognize housing cooperatives as eligible entities for federal housing programs and funding. These clarifying provisions added the term “cooperative(s)” where applicable, ensuring that cooperative housing developments are not excluded from participating in existing programs due to ambiguous statutory language. 

“Cooperative housing is one of the strongest tools we have to preserve long-term affordability and keep working families in their communities,” said Velázquez. “In a city like New York, where rising housing costs are driving displacement, cooperatives provide a resident-owned model that stabilizes neighborhoods and protects affordability from market pressures. The provisions I secured ensure cooperatives remain accessible, sustainable, and a central part of our affordable housing strategy.”

Cooperative housing provides financially stable, resident-owned housing to more than 1.5 million families nationwide and remains a critical source of affordable homeownership and housing stability, in New York City. 

In addition to expanding cooperative housing, Velázquez secured new oversight and transparency requirements in Section 502 to strengthen accountability for public housing authorities overseen by a federal monitor or receiver.  The provision responds directly to chronic maintenance issues at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the court-appointed federal monitor’s lack of coordination and collaboration with the city’s Congressional Delegation. 

This enhanced oversight ensures taxpayer dollars are being used effectively, residents’ needs are addressed, and lawmakers are providing NYCHA and other struggling PHAs with the resources and tools they need to improve their operations and conditions.   

“For too long, NYCHA residents have endured unsafe conditions while the court-ordered federal monitor has had limited interaction with our city’s Congressional delegation.  Today we are changing that.  By requiring monitors and receivers to provide annual reports and testimony to Congress we can help provide public housing authorities around the country with the resources they need to facilitate repairs and improve the lives of residents,” said Velázquez.   

The provisions advance a comprehensive approach to affordable housing and deliver meaningful protections and opportunities for New Yorkers facing a housing affordability crisis.

Find the quotes of support here.

Find the full legislation here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums For All Americans Act:

“I’m pleased to see the House pass real change for our healthcare system,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “This bill gives people more choice, helps lower costs, and represents a step in the right direction. These reforms will lead to decreases in insurance premiums in the coming years. Folks in my district need more immediate relief. Families are still facing costs that are needlessly high, teetering on the edge of insurmountable healthcare expenses. Congress has a responsibility to address this before even more people are priced out of coverage entirely.” 

The Lower Health Care for All Americans Act represents a significant step toward making health insurance more affordable, particularly for small employers and individual consumers. The bill expands Association Health Plans, allowing small businesses to join together to access group rates and larger networks on ACA exchanges. It also deregulates Stop Loss Insurance, encouraging more employers to offer health benefits without the burden of Obamacare’s red tape. Employers can now place funds in employee accounts, giving workers greater flexibility to choose the plan that works best for them.

The legislation also increases transparency for Pharmaceutical Benefits Managers (PBMs), cracking down on practices that drive up drug costs. Additionally, it ends the practice of insurers inflating silver plan prices to capture larger federal subsidies. These changes are expected to save federal dollars, reduce premiums by an estimated 11%, and reduce reliance on costly insurance payouts.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Research and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Haley Stevens (D-MI) sent a letter to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acting Under Secretary Craig Burkhardt demanding an explanation for the termination of SMART USA Institute, a semiconductor research and development program authorized by Congress through the CHIPS and Science Act.

“We worry that NIST’s arbitrary and capricious decisions to terminate its financial commitments will shake confidence among its current and future partners, even long after this Administration leaves office,” the Ranking Members wrote in their letter. “NIST has a reputation as a neutral and steadfast partner that can work with any industry and academic organization. This reputation is very much at risk. Few companies would willingly seek partnership with an organization that cancels its obligations on a whim.”

 The letter can be found here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (43rd District of California)

Washington, DC – On December 6, 2025,  Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, received the Uncommon Height Crystal Stair Award at the 90^th Annual National Council of Negro Women’s gala, in Washington, DC. This award is the highest honor given by the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). 

Upon receiving the Uncommon Height Crystal Stair Award, Congresswoman Waters issued the following remarks:

“I am deeply humbled and profoundly honored to accept the 2025 Uncommon Height Crystal Stair Award, named after my dear friend, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height.  In 1958, Dr. Height became the president of NCNW and guided the organization for forty-two years, through the height of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. While often one of the only women in the room, Dr. Height was considered a member of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement. And under her leadership, NCNW did more than march; it built institutions. It created programs, policies, and platforms. 

“Dr. Height, who believed deeply in strengthening Black families, launched The National Black Family Reunion, a celebration that reaffirmed our shared values and heritage. I remember fondly when she and I first organized the Black Family Reunion in Los Angeles. In those moments, we were reminded that our struggle is not our own, but it’s for children, mothers, grandparents, and our communities. Throughout her lifetime, Dr. Height met with every President from Roosevelt to Obama. And as I stand here this evening, I wonder what she would think about the current administration. 

“We are living under the rule of a cruel, deplorable, wannabe dictator of a president in the Oval Office. Trump’s attacks on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), Black History, Reproductive Freedoms, Healthcare, Education, Voting Rights, and Housing are attacks against the Black family. But these are the same battles Dr. Height taught us how to fight. I consider what Dr. Height would do if she were here today. She would not wait; she would act! She would organize, she would lead. 

“And know this: as long as I have a voice, as long as I have a vote, as long as I have a platform, I will continue to march, I will continue to build, I will continue to fight. Because when we fight, we win!!”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (43rd District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, sent letters on December 9, 2025, to six executive branch agencies in response to the Trump administration’s executive orders terminating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies and programs. The letters ask how the agencies are implementing these anti-DEIA executive orders and what steps – if any – they have taken to ensure they are not violating civil rights law. The letters were signed by 40 Members of Congress.  

“Everyone deserves to have access to living-wage jobs; safe, affordable housing; quality health care; and educational opportunities,” said Congresswoman Waters. “Yet, the Trump administration’s anti-equity executive orders seek to weaponize civil rights enforcement, terminate longstanding legal government programs, and dismantle important, decades-old legal tools for ferreting out discrimination. Pursuant to these executive orders, the Trump administration has sought to cut funding for research into cancer, Black maternal health, autism, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and HIV; halt programs to improve teacher development and quality; withhold funding for domestic violence services, food access, and school-based mental health supports; and terminate grants for college preparatory programs. These attacks have harmed people of all backgrounds in this country: Black, white, Latino, Asian American, and Indigenous; from urban and rural areas; of every gender, sexual orientation, and ability. People in America deserve to know how the Trump administration is implementing these harmful executive orders.”  

Each letter was signed by the following 40 Members of Congress: Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Shontel M. Brown, André Carson, Troy A. Carter, Sr., Yvette D. Clarke, Steve Cohen, Danny K. Davis, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Cleo Fields, Jesús G. “Chuy” García, Sylvia R. Garcia, Daniel Goldman, Al Green, Jared Huffman, Glenn Ivey, Jonathan L. Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Robin L. Kelly, Timothy M. Kennedy, Summer L. Lee, Jennifer L. McClellan, LaMonica McIver, Kelly Morrison, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ayanna Pressley, Delia C. Ramirez, Janice Schakowsky, Terri A. Sewell, Lateefah Simon, Bennie G. Thompson, Rashida Tlaib, Ritchie Torres, Lauren Underwood, Maxine Waters, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams, and Frederica S. Wilson.  

The letters were sent to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, and the Environmental Protection Agency.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

DEKALB – Today, Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) announced a new office location at 2179 Sycamore Road, #107, DeKalb, Illinois. The office officially opens to the public on Friday, December 12. To celebrate the office’s opening, Underwood will be hosting an Open House for constituents at the DeKalb office in January 2026. 

“Remaining accessible and listening to the 14th District has always been a top priority, and I’m thrilled to be opening a new community space in DeKalb,” said Underwood. “I invite everyone in our community to visit our new space to learn more about the support and resources my office offers and our work on their behalf.”

Information on Underwood’s office locations can be found below and on her website at http://underwood.house.gov/. Underwood and her staff are available for in-person and virtual appointments in her Washington, D.C., DeKalb, and Joliet offices; constituents can call 630-549-2190 and staff will determine whether an appointment is necessary to resolve their issue.  District offices are open Monday – Friday from 9am-5pm CT.

DeKalb, Illinois Office

2179 Sycamore Road, #107

DeKalb, IL 60115

Joliet, Illinois Office 

116 N. Chicago Street, Suite 201  

Joliet, IL 60432 

Phone: (630) 549-2190 

Washington D.C. Office 

2228 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 

Phone: (202) 225-2976 

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Department of Labor Secretary Lori M. Chavez-DeRemer raising concerns about federal law enforcement conduct toward workers engaged in lawful strike activity in Chicago. In the letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi cites video footage from December 16 showing uniformed officers interacting with striking workers in a manner that he warns may constitute unlawful interference with activity protected under federal labor law and the U.S. Constitution.

“Video footage recorded by members of the public shows Commander Bovino and uniformed law enforcement officers surrounding striking workers, laughing at them, and engaging in conduct that appears intended to intimidate and chill protected activity, all while the workers were engaged in lawful strike actions safeguarded by the U.S. Constitution and federal labor law,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi wrote. “Federal courts, state courts, and federal agencies have long and consistently held that core labor protections, including the right to organize, to engage in concerted activity, and to be free from retaliation, apply to all workers, regardless of immigration status. Federal law enforcement officials have no lawful basis to interfere with workers’ rights to organize or to collectively bargain.”

The letter also cautions against the use, or perceived use, of immigration enforcement during labor disputes. “The use, or perceived use, of immigration enforcement as leverage during a labor dispute is fundamentally incompatible with federal labor policy and corrodes trust in both labor and immigration institutions,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi wrote in the letter.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi requests that the Department of Labor promptly review the incident and, where appropriate, coordinate with or refer the matter to the National Labor Relations Board, and examine whether Mauser or any entity acting on its behalf coordinated with immigration enforcement officials in connection with the intimidation of Teamsters Local 705 workers.

He concludes by requesting a prompt response detailing what steps the Departments are taking to investigate the matter and to ensure that federal law enforcement is never used, explicitly or implicitly, to suppress lawful labor activity.

The letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted on a bipartisan basis to advance H.R. 1897, the ESA Amendments Act of 2025, a critical package of reforms to the Endangered Species Act led by Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04). This legislation takes a targeted approach to fix what has been broken for decades with the Endangered Species Act.

“The Committee’s passage of the ESA Amendments Act is a major step toward fixing a broken law that has failed to recover species while burdening rural Americans,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “For too long, the ESA has kept recovered species like the gray wolf listed in perpetuity, putting Northern Minnesota families and children at risk. This bill restores the focus on actual recovery, and brings common sense and transparency to the process. I am proud the legislation includes my amendment that helps to ensure federal agencies coordinate with state, local, and tribal governments when making listing decisions and ensures local input is taken into account.”

Background: The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 reforms the Endangered Species Act by restoring scientific integrity to species listing and critical habitat designation, emphasizing recovery through state management pathways and linking progress to regulatory relief. It streamlines permitting with clear guidelines, defines “best available science” to prevent bias, requires feasible and economically minimal project modifications, prohibits judicial review during post-delisting monitoring to block activist interference, and prevents unauthorized use of the ESA for broad regulations, aligning with recent Supreme Court rulings.

Watch Congressman Stauber’s full remarks HERE.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Washington – Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) released the following statement today in response to Speaker Johnson’s announcement that he will not hold a vote to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that 24 million Americans use to afford health care. Without renewal, these tax credits will expire at the end of the year and families will pay double for their health insurance premiums in 2026: 

“Across our country, American families are being squeezed by higher grocery prices, utility bills, and even soaring costs for holiday gifts. Now, Speaker Johnson has announced he’s delivering the policy equivalent of a sack of coal for Christmas. Republican leadership’s refusal to work across the aisle to extend these credits means millions of families will pay double for their health care premiums next year. This isn’t just bad policy. It’s cruel. The American people deserve better. 

“If only four Republicans joined Democrats, we would have the support needed to force a vote and pass through the House of Representatives a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium tax credits.”  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

WASHINGTON, D.C .— Today, Congressman Andy Harris M.D. (MD-01), announced the inclusion of his amendment, co-sponsored by Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) and Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), in the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED) Act following negotiations with House Leadership on the floor. This amendment will protect legal actions the Trump Administration has taken thus far to combat the Biden Offshore Wind agenda, including actions impacting the Maryland Offshore Wind Project.

 
Statement from Congressman Harris: 

“I am happy to have worked to deliver a real conservative permitting reform bill that, rather than making concessions to Democrats interested in preserving Biden’s Green New Scam by handcuffing the Trump Administration, preserves the Trump Administration’s fight to Stop Offshore Wind. I was engaged in deliberations with the House Natural Resources Committee for months to ensure the inclusion of this language, guided by a single principle: my constituents in Ocean City and communities across the Atlantic Coastline are not for sale.”

For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov