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Congressman Al Green Votes to Impeach Trump for Covering Up the Deaths of Reneé, Alex, Lorenzo, and Johan

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Washington, D.C.) — On Monday, September 14, 2026, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor regarding voting to impeach President Trump for covering up the deaths of Reneé Good, Alex Pretti, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero. 

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s speech on his official YouTube page or by clicking here. The floor speech highlighted is also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). 

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LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS NOT A HOAX”

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at a press conference, where he emphasized that as President Trump and Republicans continue to fail to make life better for the American people, House Democrats are committed to rooting out corruption and fighting for an affordable America.

LEADER JEFFRIES: The affordability crisis in the United States of America is not a hoax. It’s very real. Life is far too expensive in the United States of America. Millions of people are working hard and playing by the rules, but they can’t thrive and can barely survive. That’s why House Democrats are continuing to work hard and fight for an affordable America so we can lower the high cost of living and ensure that everyday Americans can live a good life, an affordable life and a comfortable life.

The Epstein scandal—that’s not a hoax. And the Epstein survivors deserve accountability and transparency, and that’s why House Democrats are continuing to push back aggressively against the Department of Justice’s ongoing cover-up of the Epstein files. The explosive growth of artificial intelligence and the challenges that are therein presented—that’s not a hoax. It’s very real, despite what Donald Trump has to say about that issue as well, and it requires decisive congressional action immediately in a manner consistent with what some of the leading AI voices in the country are now saying needs to happen as it relates to slowing things down to protect the health, the safety and the well-being of the American people.

There are 50 days until the American people will have an ability to move things in this country in a different direction. We have a president right now uninterested in solving the challenges confronting the American people. Instead, he continues to publicly and brazenly make the unhinged observation that these challenges, including the affordability crisis and the safety concerns related to artificial intelligence, are hoaxes. They are not. They are very real issues. Republicans should stop burying their heads in the sand. Democrats will never make that mistake.

Full press conference can be watched here.

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Scott, Wittman, Elfreth, Kiggans Celebrate House Passage of Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott, Wittman, Elfreth, Kiggans Celebrate House Passage of Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act

WASHINGTON –Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act, which was introduced by Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) and Jennifer Kiggans (VA-02). This legislation reauthorizes key programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office (CBO). Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

 

NOAA’s CBO provides a variety of services that advance the restoration of the Bay and support local businesses, schools, and coastal resilience. CBO manages the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System which collects water quality, meteorological, and oceanographic data used by scientists, fisherman and those recreating on the Bay. CBO also oversees the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, a competitive grant program for environmental education projects that connect students throughout the watershed with the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act authorizes the Chesapeake Bay B-WET program for the first time in the program’s history.

 

“The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and a critical resource for the millions of Americans that live within its watershed,” said Congressman Scott. “NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office is essential to ensuring that government, industry, and nonprofits have the technical and scientific information necessary to improve the health of the Bay. This office also oversees the successful Chesapeake B-WET Program that has connected countless students to hands-on, environmental education programming throughout the watershed. Today’s passage of the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act is a major step towards ensuring that this office can continue supporting the restoration of the Bay and connecting future generations with the environment around them.”

 

“As a lifelong outdoorsman, vice chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, and co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, I am proud to have co-led this bipartisan effort to protect the Chesapeake Bay,” said Congressman Wittman. “The Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act would ensure that the Chesapeake Bay remains healthy for generations to come — protecting our coastal economies and preserving a national treasure. I will continue to advocate for this legislation as it moves to the Senate.”

 

“I am incredibly proud to represent the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, which conducts critical scientific research and programming to restore the health and habitat of the whole Chesapeake Bay watershed. I was thrilled to see my colleagues come together on the House floor today to pass the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act to ensure this office is properly resourced and – for the first time ever – authorize the Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program to support hands-on outdoor learning for students,” said Congresswoman Elfreth. “If you talk to folks back in Annapolis, they will describe the Bay as ‘transcending politics’ and that it’s ‘like a religion.’ I couldn’t agree more. That is why I will continue to work collaboratively with our partners – Democrat and Republican alike – to ensure the Bay can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

 

“The Chesapeake Bay is vital to the coastal communities, local economies, and natural resources we are fortunate to have in Virginia,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “The Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act ensures NOAA can continue providing the research, restoration support, and educational opportunities needed to keep the Bay healthy and thriving. I’m proud to have worked alongside my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this legislation through the House, and I’ll continue working to see it signed into law.”

 

“NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office is central to the Bay restoration effort, from providing essential water quality monitoring data, to supporting our understanding and management of our fisheries, to fostering a greater appreciation of the Bay through environmental education,” said Anna Killius, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. “Passing the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act will ensure these critical functions continue and uphold a strong, science-based foundation for the work of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership.”

 

“A healthier Chesapeake Bay starts with science, restoration, and education. This legislation does all three by supporting NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office and Bay Watershed Education and Training program,” said Keisha Sedlacek, Senior Policy Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “These programs lead research and restoration work that create cleaner waterways, support fisheries and local economies, and build resiliency to climate change. Education grants allow thousands of kids to learn hands-on outside, building future leaders. We applaud the House and the leadership of Reps. Bobby Scott, Sarah Elfreth, Jen Kiggans, and Rob Wittman for advancing the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act. We urge swift action from the Senate.”

 

“The Choose Clean Water Coalition wholeheartedly endorses the Chesapeake WATERS Act, which reauthorizes NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO),” said Kristin Reilly, Director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition. “Many federal agencies play a critical role in restoring the Chesapeake Bay, and NCBO plays a critical role. They are a leader in restoring the Bay’s oyster population, protecting striped bass and other native species from the onslaught of invasive blue catfish, and helping steward the next generation through outdoor education experiences. It is vital they receive continued support as we enter the next chapter of the Bay restoration effort.”

 

Full text of the bill can be found by CLICKING HERE. 

 

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Congressman Al Green Joins C-SPAN’s Washington Journal to Discuss Articles of Impeachment, His Call for a Vote, and More

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Washington, D.C.) — On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Congressman Al Green will join host Jasmine Wright on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal. Possible topics may include: his filing of articles of impeachment and call for a vote, the debate surrounding artificial intelligence, election integrity, midterm messaging, the Federal Reserve meeting, congressional news of the day, and more.

You can watch the Washington Journal liveat 6:30 a.m. CT/7:30 a.m. ET by clicking the link here.

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Dingell, Colleagues Seek Answers on USDA Cancellation of Cyclospora Research

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and nine of her House Democratic colleagues are seeking answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) following the unauthorized reorganization of its staff and research projects. This reorganization has put two research projects on cyclospora—the bacterium that caused the largest foodborne illness outbreak in United States history, with most of the cases occurring in Michigan–on hold. In a letter to the USDA Secretary, the lawmakers are calling on the USDA to reinvest in this research.

“Research projects like those focused on cyclospora play an important role in helping researchers, investigators, and public health officials understand the nature of an outbreak and build a strategy to prevent the next potential outbreak. Researchers who worked on the cancelled cyclospora projects have reported that they are unable to continue any research beyond preserving samples they received from previous outbreaks, and that they are having to turn down requests for assistance from other federal agencies investigating the outbreak,” said the lawmakers. 

In addition to Congresswoman Dingell, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), and Yvette Clark (D-NY-09).

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

This letter is regarding reports that two of three cyclospora-related research projects conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have been shelved on the heels of an unprecedented outbreak of cyclosporiasis — the gastrointestinal illness associated with the cyclospora parasite — across 48 states and Washington D.C. The third research project, though not halted, is moving from the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland to Iowa as part of USDA’s reorganization plan. Given that scientists working on this project are not expected to relocate, it is likely this research will not be conducted. While Americans are increasingly worried about the safety of our food supply and the ability of federal agencies to respond to outbreaks of foodborne illness like cyclosporiasis, it is especially concerning that USDA would rollback critical food safety research.

This summer’s outbreak of cyclosporiasis is the largest recorded outbreak of foodborne illness in United States history, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting over 18,000 confirmed cases, over 14,000 of which were in Michigan. There are nearly 12,000 additional non-laboratory confirmed cases, and potentially thousands more from people who did not seek medical care or testing. Research projects like those focused on cyclospora play an important role in helping researchers, investigators, and public health officials understand the nature of an outbreak and build a strategy to prevent the next potential outbreak. Researchers who worked on the cancelled cyclospora projects have reported that they are unable to continue any research beyond preserving samples they received from previous outbreaks, and that they are having to turn down requests for assistance from other federal agencies investigating the outbreak. This will likely have a similar effect on private institutions who wish to carry out cyclospora research, since they also rely on samples from ARS. Despite these reported disruptions, USDA has claimed that these labs will be uninterrupted, and that the ARS is “working with research leaders to ensure an orderly transition of programs.”

USDA has directed the blame to Congress, who voted to defund the ARS projects as part of a 2026 Continuing Resolution, enacted on November 12, 2025 However, the Department began planning for a significant workforce reduction and agency restructuring as early as April 2025, according to a document submitted to the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management. Notably, the November 2025 Continuing Resolution included language prohibiting the use of USDA funds for the Department’s reorganization plan without congressional approval, which they appear to be circumventing by proceeding with their plan to reduce the workforce and relocate staff and subcomponent agencies. This includes a 43 percent staffing cut for the ARS, which oversees scientific research like the three cyclospora projects at issue.

The Trump Administration has claimed that research facilities like BARC are too expensive, without regard for the potential cost of stopping this research altogether. According to CDC, there have been 922 cyclosporiasis hospitalizations. While we do not yet know the total cost to the health system of this outbreak, USDA’s Cost Estimates of Foodborne Illness data estimate that, in 2023, the cost of foodborne illness in the United States was $74.7 billion. These costs — compounded by drastic cuts to Medicaid, expired ACA tax credits, and dismantled public health programs — make it clear that we must invest in research to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.

As we continue to grapple with additional cases of foodborne illnesses in our food supply, the American people should be able to have confidence that the Trump Administration is working to investigate those cases and prevent future outbreaks. Therefore, we respectfully request that you respond to the questions below within two weeks of receipt of this letter.

  1.  For what reason did the Department choose not to seek congressional authorization for their reorganization plan? Do you plan to seek such authorization at any point or do you plan to proceed in direct violation of the law?

  2. How many staff at ARS have been let go, left for another position or project, or retired?

        a. What specific research was impacted by these departures?

  3. How does USDA plan to ensure an “orderly transition of programs” throughout their reorganization process, despite their own acknowledgement that their relocation plans will result in significant staff attrition?

  4. In terms of staff who have been ordered to relocate, how many are expected to vacate their positions instead of relocating?

  5. What plans are in place to fill any vacancies that occur as a result of these staff departures?

  6. What is the USDA’s plan for the relocation of research materials that are a part of the ongoing cyclospora research project at BARC? Specifically:

         a. How does USDA plan to transport samples from BARC to the new location in Iowa?

         b. How will USDA account for the potential impact of environmental factors on the integrity of the research conducted in the new lab              location?

                c. When can ARS researchers who are relocating to the new location expect their research equipment to reach them?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and for providing a detailed response to these questions. At a time when Americans are counting on the federal government to protect the safety of their food supply, it is critical that USDA maintain the scientific capacity necessary to investigate outbreaks, support public health officials, and prevent future illnesses.



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Congressman Cohen Announces $884,991 in NIH Grants to St. Jude

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

Funding will support machine learning, cancer research, and infectious disease training

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Coen (TN-9) today announced that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive four grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $884,991. One grant of $263,328 is from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for training staff in infectious disease therapeutics. A second, for $289,458, is for research on pediatric leukemia from the National Cancer Institute. A third, for $49,114, is for a predoctoral program at the hospital’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. And a fourth, for $283,091, is for mapping Real-World CAR T-cell implementation from the National Cancer Institute.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“This investment in staff training and cancer and biomedical research will result in better outcomes for patients and potentially save lives.”

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CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT CELEBRATES HOUSE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO HONOR VIRGIN ISLANDS MUSIC LEGEND PETER G. THURLAND SR.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland

September 14, 2026                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT CELEBRATES HOUSE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO HONOR VIRGIN ISLANDS MUSIC LEGEND PETER G. THURLAND SR.

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 8121, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) to designate the Christiansted Bandstand in Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, as the “Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand.”

“I am pleased that the House has passed H.R. 8121 to designate the Christiansted Bandstand as the Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “The Christiansted Bandstand is one of the most significant cultural landmarks in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Peter Thurland helped build it, served his country with distinction, and dedicated decades of his life to the cultural life of St. Croix. I thank Chairman Westerman (R-AK), Ranking Member Huffman (D-CA), and the Members and staff of the House Committee on Natural Resources for their expeditious consideration of this bill, and I thank my House colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support.”

The Christiansted Bandstand has served for over a century as a gathering place for residents and visitors and as the center of St. Croix’s musical and civic life. Peter Gregory Thurland, Sr., was born on February 19, 1892, in Christiansted, St. Croix, and performed with the Christiansted Industrial Brass Band at the March 31, 1917, ceremony that marked the transfer of the Virgin Islands to the United States. He went on to enlist in the U.S. Navy, where he was instrumental in the physical construction and design of the Bandstand and performed there with the Christiansted Naval Band until his honorable discharge in 1921. In 1938, Mr. Thurland founded the St. Croix Community Band, leading free monthly concerts at the Bandstand for three decades and training generations of young musicians until 1968.

This legislation was first introduced by Congressman Ron de Lugo in the 103rd Congress. Congresswoman Plaskett is proud to carry it forward in the 119th Congress on behalf of the Thurland family, who have long advocated for this recognition. This bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration, and if passed, it will proceed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

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110+ House & Senate Democrats Slam EEOC's Proposal to End Demographic Data Collection Key to Fighting Workplace Discrimination

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: 110+ House & Senate Democrats Slam EEOC's Proposal to End Demographic Data Collection Key to Fighting Workplace Discrimination

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Today, Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-D), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (NY-06), Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Mark Takano (CA-39) and Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) led 112 Members of Congress & Senators in a letter urging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to reverse its proposed rule that would end the Equal Employment Opportunity reporting requirements to collect demographic data.

Established in 1964, the EEOC was commissioned with bipartisan support to serve as an independent, multi-member body tasked with preventing and addressing employment discrimination. Despite workers coming to rely on the EEOC as a fair and independent regulatory body, the commission’s proposal claims the data reports are inconsistent with equal employment opportunity law, and may raise constitutional concerns.

The EEOC’s proposal would directly undermine its regulatory power. The proposal would undermine the Commission’s ability to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that makes it illegal for employers to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, and would delay justice for workers across America who are facing unlawful discrimination.

For over 60 years, the EEOC and Congress have relied on this demographic data legally collected by the EEOC as a foundational tool for enforcing equal employment laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and used it to identify discrimination that would have otherwise gone unchecked.

The Members outline how the proposal would undermine Title VII protections:

“This proposal would rescind this longstanding data collection framework and create

confusion regarding employers’ responsibilities, as employers would remain legally required to comply with Title VII, including maintaining employment records that help demonstrate that compliance.”

The Members continue by highlighting how the data is essential for ending workforce discrimination:

“Ultimately, eliminating the EEO reporting requirements would not eliminate the need for demographic data—it would merely make that information more difficult, more expensive, and more time-consuming for the Commission to obtain. Workers who experience discrimination would wait longer for justice, and systemic violations affecting hundreds or thousands of employees would be less likely to be identified before additional workers are harmed.”

Members also emphasized that the collection of data was both legal and vital:

“Even if strict scrutiny did apply, the Supreme Court has long recognized eliminating

discrimination as a compelling government interest, and the collection of demographic data is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest. In fact, the Commission’s proposal cites no cases where a Court has found that its data collection is subject to heightened scrutiny or is in any way unconstitutional… Ultimately, the Commission asks the public to conclude that a reporting framework every administration has utilized for nearly sixty years and courts have repeatedly permitted is suddenly unlawful. The proposed rule fails to provide a persuasive legal basis for such a dramatic departure from longstanding law and practice.”

Lastly, members concluded by outlining the long-term damage this proposal would have on Congress’s ability to reduce systemic discrimination:

“Rescinding these reporting requirements would reduce the Commission’s capacity to detect systemic discrimination, weaken enforcement efforts, and diminish the availability of reliable data that benefits employers, workers, researchers, and policymakers alike. The elimination of this comprehensive reporting tool would further reduce transparency, exacerbate inconsistencies, and limit the Commission’s ability to assess national employment trends over time. We must not further hinder the Commission’s ability to enforce federal laws and prevent discrimination, especially at a time when the Commission’s own workforce has been reduced by nearly 25 percent since fiscal year 2025 under the recent federal staffing reductions.”

The letter was signed by: Adams, Alma; Alsobrooks, Angela D.; Amo, Gabe; Balint, Becca; Barragán, Nanette; Beatty, Joyce; Bell, Wesley; Beyer, Donald; Blunt Rochester, Lisa; Bonamici, Suzanne; Boyle, Brendan; Brownley, Julia; Brown, Shontel; Budzinski, Nikki; Bynum, Janelle; Carbajal, Salud; Carson, André; Carter, Troy; Chu, Judy; Cisneros, Gilbert; Clarke, Yvette; Cleaver, Emanuel; Congressional Hispanic Caucus – Rep. Adriano Espaillat; Correa, J.; Crockett, Jasmine; Davis, Danny; Dean, Madeleine; DelBene, Suzan; DeSaulnier, Mark; Dexter, Maxine; Dingell, Debbie; Elfreth, Sarah; Escobar, Veronica; Evans, Dwight; Foushee, Valerie; Frankel, Lois; Friedman, Laura; Frost, Maxwell; Garcia, Robert; Garcia, Sylvia; Gillibrand, Kirsten; Goldman, Daniel; Grijalva, Adelita; Hayes, Jahana; Houlahan, Chrissy; Hoyle, Val; Huffman, Jared; Ivey, Glenn; Jackson, Jonathan; Jayapal, Pramila; Johnson, Henry; Johnson, Julie; Kamlager-Dove, Sydney; Kelly, Robin; Khanna, Ro; Krishnamoorthi, Raja; Lee, Summer; Leger Fernandez, Teresa; Lieu, Ted; Lynch, Stephen; Markey, Edward J.; Matsui, Doris; McBath, Lucy; McBride, Sarah; McClain Delaney, April; McClellan, Jennifer; McIver, LaMonica; Mejia, Analilia; Meng, Grace; Mfume, Kweisi; Min, Dave; Moore, Gwen; Morelle, Joseph; Morrison, Kelly; Moulton, Seth; Mullin, Kevin; Murray, Patty; Nadler, Jerrold; Norton, Eleanor; Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria; Omar, Ilhan; Pelosi, Nancy; Pettersen, Brittany; Pingree, Chellie; Pou, Nellie; Quigley, Mike; Ramirez, Delia; Randall, Emily; Raskin, Jamie; Rivas, Luz; Ross, Deborah; Salinas, Andrea; Sanders, Bernard; Scanlon, Mary Gay; Schakowsky, Janice; Schiff, Adam B.; Scholten, Hillary; Scott, Robert; Sewell, Terri; Shaheen, Jeanne; Sherman, Brad; Simon, Lateefah; Stansbury, Melanie; Stevens, Haley; Strickland, Marilyn; Subramanyam, Suhas; Takano, Mark; Thompson, Bennie; Thompson, Mike; Titus, Dina; Tlaib, Rashida; Tokuda, Jill; Tonko, Paul; Torres, Norma; Torres, Ritchie; Trahan, Lori; Underwood, Lauren; Van Hollen, Chris; Vargas, Juan; Velázquez, Nydia; Wasserman Schultz, Debbie; Waters, Maxine; Williams, Nikema; Wilson, Frederica

To read the full letter, click here.

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Scott, Mannion, Fitzpatrick Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Key Offices and Programs at the Department of Education from Being Transferred to Other Federal Agencies

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott, Mannion, Fitzpatrick Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Key Offices and Programs at the Department of Education from Being Transferred to Other Federal Agencies

House companion to bipartisan Senate bill would protect critical education offices from being transferred to agencies that lack the staff and expertise to administer them Legislation safeguards programs serving students with disabilities, K-12 schools, colleges, and Native students

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Rep. John W. Mannion (NY-22), and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect key offices and programs at the U.S. Department of Education from being transferred through interagency agreements to other federal agencies that lack the staff, experience, and expertise needed to administer them.

The legislation is the House companion to S.5046, a bipartisan bill led by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that advanced out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July.

Ranking Member Scott said, “The Trump Administration’s plan to illegally dismantle the Department of Education is disastrous for students, educators, people with disabilities, and the communities that support them. I will not stand on the sidelines and let this Administration dismantle this agency brick by brick. This legislation is important to keep the bipartisan momentum from the Senate going and defend the programs that so many Americans rely on.”

Representative John W. Mannion said, “Congress created the Department of Education, and its troubling we must take this step to preserve the constitutional order and stop the executive branch from illegally dismantling the department. I’ll continue to put students’ services and rights first, and I strongly oppose all efforts to move these critical education programs – including those serving students with disabilities – to agencies that lack the staff and expertise.”

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said, “The families I represent should never have to wonder whether a federal reorganization will cost their child a service, a protection, or an opportunity. When concerns were raised about moving OSERS out of the Department of Education, I took those concerns directly to the Administration and demanded answers about how it would protect IDEA, preserve critical resources, and prevent disruption for students. This legislation builds on that effort. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, I will continue working side by side with families, educators, and advocates to ensure their voices drive the decisions that shape special education.”

The bipartisan bill safeguards programs serving students with disabilities, K-12 schools, colleges, and Native students. It prohibits the Secretary of Education from transferring programs overseen by four Department of Education offices:

  • The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
  • The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  • The Office of Postsecondary Education
  • The Office of Indian Education

Phyllis Wolfram, Executive Director of The Council of Administrators of Special Education, said, “The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) thanks Representatives John Mannion and Brian Fitzpatrick for introducing bipartisan legislation prohibiting the transfer of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OSERS) and three other offices out of the Department of Education. IDEA is an education law, not a health care law, and should remain under the administration of education experts.”

Chan Rummel, CEO of the Council for Exception Children, said, “CEC commends Representative Mannion and Ranking Member Scott for their leadership on this important legislation, which aims to protect key functions of the Department of Education, including the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Transferring special education to the Department of Health and Human Services is misguided—it segregates special education from other education programs and jeopardizes the rights of students with disabilities.”

Stephanie Smith Lee, Policy & Advocacy Co-Director of The National Down Syndrome Congress, said, “The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) strongly supports the bipartisan bill introduced by Representative Mannion, Representative Fitzpatrick, and Ranking Member Scott, that would block the administration from transferring the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), and the Office of Indian Education (OIE) to other Departments through interagency agreements or other means. It is critically important to students, schools, and states that these offices remain together at the U.S. Department of Education.”

Joseph P. Joyce, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America, said, “Students with Autism and other disabilities deserve a coordinated federal system that protects their rights and supports them from education through employment. We thank Representatives Scott and Mannion for introducing this legislation to prevent the transfer of critical IDEA functions out of the Department of Education. Congress must preserve the expertise and infrastructure that students with disabilities and their families rely on to access the education and supports they need to thrive.”

Representative Mannion has consistently opposed efforts to abolish the Department of Education, introducing the Protecting Students with Disabilities Act that would prohibit federal funds from being used to eliminate or restructure Department of Education offices that administer programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including the Office of Special Education Programs. Mannion has also repeatedly used his position on the House Committee on Education and Workforce to defend IDEA and the rights of students with disabilities.

Representative Mannion taught science in public schools for nearly 30 years, including in a 15:1 special education classroom. Before serving in Congress, he was the founding chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Disabilities.

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Scott, Omar, Casar Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers’ Hard-Earned Wages from Medical Debt Collection

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott, Omar, Casar Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers’ Hard-Earned Wages from Medical Debt Collection

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON— Today, House Committee on Education and Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Ranking Member Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and Vice Ranking Member Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), introduced the Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act. This bill would prohibit workers’ wages from being garnished to pay for medical debt.

Right now, approximately 100 million Americans are trapped with $220 billion in medical debt. Looming unpaid medical bills can devastate working families, whether they have health insurance or not. Unfortunately, the medical debt crisis has become more dire as millions of Americans are being stripped of their health care due to President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ disastrous “Big, Ugly Bill.”

Over the last several years, new reports of hospitals and debt collectors suing patients for outstanding bills and forcibly cutting their wages to repay the debt have highlighted the predatory nature of wage garnishments.

Currently, federal law allows up to 25 percent of a worker’s take-home pay to be garnished each workweek. Over 30 states have taken action to better protect consumers and have added additional protections to prevent workers’ wages from being unnecessarily garnished. However, when workers are struggling, these constraints are not enough.

The Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act protects workers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet, by prohibiting wages from being garnished for the payment of medical debt. Specifically, the bill:

  • Bans any amount of a worker’s wage from being subject to garnishment for medical debt, and
  • Prohibits any state or court from issuing or enforcing a wage garnishment order for medical debt.

“In the richest country in the world, medical debt should not be a threat to working people’s livelihood. The American people should not have to slash spending on necessities to pay for life-saving care and no one should be denied future health care because of unpaid medical bills. Unfortunately, that is the reality many Americans are facing right now,” said Ranking Member Scott. “I am proud to work with Reps. Omar and Casar on this commonsense legislation, which will ensure families are not thrown into further hardship simply because they got sick and needed care.”

“In 45 states, some workers have a portion of their take-home pay forcibly cut to pay off medical debt,” said Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Ranking Member Omar. “I’m partnering with Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) to ban this practice and ensure no worker is thrown into further financial hardship over often-predatory debt.”

“Nobody should lose their wages because they got sick,” said Vice Ranking Member Greg Casar (D-TX). “Trump and Republicans ripped health care away from millions of Americans to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Now families who get sick are being hit with bills they can’t pay, and in most states a hospital or debt collector can take a cut of their paycheck before they ever see it. This needs to end, and our bill would stop it.”

The Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act is endorsed by: American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Center for Health and Democracy; Families USA; Public Citizen; and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

To read a fact sheet on the Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act, click here.

To read the bill text on the Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act, click here.

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