Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) is calling for an independent, impartial, and credible investigation into the Philippine Army’s recent killing of 19 people in Toboso, Negros Occidental province. Among those killed were U.S. citizen civilians Kai Sorem, a resident of Seattle, and Lyle Prijoles.
“Ms. Sorem, a 26-year-old resident of Seattle committed to advancing the interests of the most marginalized Filipinos, had traveled to Negros in the Philippines earlier this year to learn about and document the conditions of rural Filipino communities. Mr. Prijoles, a resident of Hayward, California, was a human rights activist and advocate for underserved and rural Filipino communities, including farmworkers,” wrote the Members. “We urge the Government of the Philippines to ensure an independent, impartial, and credible investigation into these killings.”
On April 19, 2026, the 79th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division shot and killed 19 people in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, whom the Army has claimed were all New People’s Army combatants. However, reporting indicates that up to nine of those killed were civilians.
The Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights is currently investigating the incident. Investigations conducted by the commission have been regularly undermined by a lack of cooperation from security forces, including withholding evidence and intimidating witnesses. In this case, the crime scene was maintained by the Philippine Army unit involved in the killings.
The Toboso killings appear to be a part of a larger crackdown by the Philippine government targeting activists and members of progressive civil society organizations (CSOs). Philippine counter-terrorism laws, including the Anti-Terrorism Act and Terrorism Financing Act, are used to prosecute and imprison individuals from CSOs engaged in human rights advocacy, environmental protection, and humanitarian and development work.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Johnny Olszewski, Jr. (MD-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Senators Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
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, alongside Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and others, in support of the discharge petition to force a vote on the American Dream and Promise Act.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you to Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, my good friend, for her incredible leadership on behalf of Dreamers, TPS recipients and DED recipients during a moment where, both because of the Trump administration’s violent mass deportation machine and the Supreme Court’s egregious decision as it relates to TPS recipients, hardworking immigrants in this country are under incredible assault. And the Dream and Promise Act provides an opportunity for us to continue to lean into what has always been the promise of America.
We are a gorgeous mosaic of people in this great country who come from all across the world. Out of many, one. That has been at the core of America and our journey from the very beginning, but now it’s under relentless assault. Immigrants, who are hardworking in this country, including our Dreamers, contributing to the economy, contributing to the culture, contributing to the social and civic fabric of America, are being deported. DACA recipients being targeted by Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine in ways that are unconscionable, unacceptable and un-American.
The American Dream and Promise Act gives us an opportunity to stand up for what has always been part of what makes this country exceptional: the fact that people from all across the world come here, work hard, play by the rules, contribute and uplift their communities. It’s made America the envy of the world.
Donald Trump promised that his violent mass deportation machine would target the worst of the worst. But he’s doing the exact opposite. Donald Trump, ICE and this violent mass deportation machine are targeting American citizens, in some cases killing them, and violently targeting law-abiding immigrants, including our Dreamers [and] TPS recipients.
And so, we’re urging everyone to sign this discharge petition. The Dreamers deserve a vote. TPS and DED recipients deserve a vote. The American people deserve a vote. And as a result of the leadership of Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, we have an opportunity to deliver that vote as part of our effort to deliver on the promise of America, keep the dream alive and make our great country the best version of herself.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s The Last Word, where he made clear that Democrats will continue pushing back against this reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East that continues to take American lives and fight to drive down the high cost of living and end the rampant corruption plaguing our government.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Leading off our discussion tonight is Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, it’s good to see you. Thanks for being here.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Great to be with you.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Thanks so much. The news today is that more Americans have been killed in this endless war, as Fox put it now. And it seems to be escalating. Donald Trump is doing, in your estimation, what exactly?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Donald Trump has gotten us into this reckless and costly war of choice that has resulted in Iran being stronger now than they were before this war started, and, of course, the economic well-being of the American people being much weaker. Donald Trump promised America that he wasn’t going to start endless wars, he was going to stop them. And then he turned around, and, of course, has started this endless, reckless, costly war of choice in the Middle East. And he’s got no way out. And now, tragically, you have more American heroes being killed.
JACOB SOBOROFF: The words that he spoke on the tarmac here as he departed the Tri-State area were this: ‘What we’re doing now is we’re ending any chance where they can have a nuclear missile.’ Is that what he’s doing?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s really not what he’s doing. And, in fact, Donald Trump is the same person who told us last year after the United States bombed Iran that the nuclear program of the Iranian regime had been completely and totally obliterated—his words not mine. And now, a year later, he’s basically saying that we spent over a hundred billion dollars in taxpayer money. We’ve got more than 18 or so people who’ve been killed, dozens more, perhaps hundreds, seriously injured. And, of course, gas prices are through the roof as a result of this endless war that Donald Trump has now started. And so no, there never was any plan, there never was any strategy, there never were any obtainable objectives. It’s just Donald Trump getting us involved in a mess over in the Middle East. And the American people are now clearly rejecting it.
JACOB SOBOROFF: And you know I talk to, I spend a lot of time talking to people across the country in my day job. And you just mentioned the gas prices, you posted about this earlier today too. You said, ‘Gas prices are back above $4 a gallon. The Republican war of choice in Iran is making life more expensive. Why is Pete Hegseth still around?’ You know he seems to be the most, I don’t know, unbothered wartime Defense Secretary. There’s no Republicans demanding a resignation, nobody’s asked for a course correction. He’s focused on low-T testosterone, hormone tests, prayer sessions. I ask this only I guess half facetiously—are Republican lawmakers you speak with aware of how the war in Iran is going?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, it’s a really good question. It’s unclear. Democrats, of course, successfully advanced a War Powers Resolution as part of our effort to end this reckless and costly war of choiceover in the Middle East, and just a handful of Republicans have joined us. They continue to bury their heads in the sand, it appears, or just function like a reckless rubber stamp to Donald Trump’s extreme agenda even though it is hurting the very people that House Republicans currently represent. And the whole situation with Pete Hegseth, who seems to specialize in bravado but deliver nothing other than rhetoric—there’s no reason for him to be around at this point in time. It was clear at the beginning he should have never been confirmed. He’s deeply unqualified, in fact the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in American history. And now you see the lack of ability, the lack of expertise, the lack of strategic planning having real-life consequences in terms of what’s been unfolding as it relates to Operation Epic Failure in Iran.
JACOB SOBOROFF: I want to talk about the money because the President wants $95 billion, I think, if I have it right, just for the supplemental. What is the actual price tag that Americans are being asked to pay for the war without, it seems, any real oversight at all?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, it’s incredible to me that Donald Trump and Republicans would have the nerve to bring a reckless budget to the Floor of the House of Representatives this week where they will allocate over $70 billion in additional money for this failed and costly and reckless endless war of choice over in the Middle East. House Democrats, needless to say, are going to strongly oppose it. And we just need a handful of enlightened Republicans, if there are any, to join us on behalf of the American people. Because we believe that taxpayer dollars should actually be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans because the Trump economy is suffocating them right now. People are drowning, can’t thrive and can barely survive because of the high cost of living that Donald Trump and Republican policies continue to make worse.
JACOB SOBOROFF: You may have that chance in 106 days if I got my numbers correct because that is when the midterm elections are going to be, and the polls are saying that you’re on track to be elected the next Speaker of the House on that day. And of course, obviously there are many voters who are thinking about what Donald Trump and Republicans have done on redistricting, what they’re gonna possibly try to do to thwart that outcome, that crazy speech that he made last Thursday night. What would you tell those voters that are worried not just about their futures but about the integrity of the election that could determine them?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re gonna work incredibly hard to make sure that we have the largest voter protection effort in the history of the country to ensure that there’s a free and fair election in November. We believe that it’s the American people who should decide who gets to represent them in Congress, not Donald Trump and MAGA extremists. We’re working with our colleagues over in the Senate, with the Democratic Governors Association, of course, with the Secretaries of State, with Democratic Attorneys General, with the DNC, as well as with civil society—that includes good government groups, civil rights groups, democracy protection groups, civil liberties groups, organized labor and the faith community—to ensure that we do have a free and fair election. We do need everyday Americans to show up and produce an outcome that is too big to rig. That’s exactly what happened over in Hungary. And we believe that we’re going to work hard, do everything that we need over the next days, the next few weeks, the next few months, win the hearts and minds of the American people and we can produce a victory for the American people in November and Donald Trump won’t be able to do anything about it.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Lay out the stakes, if you would, if the Democrats don’t win control of the House nor the Senate. What are the next two years of Donald Trump’s presidency going to look like. What is the biggest existential threat? What are you worried about the most?
LEADER JEFFRIES:We’re in the middle of a national nightmare right now, and in order to take steps to decisively end it, we absolutely have to take back control of the House of Representatives. And hopefully things are moving in the right direction as well over in the United States Senate, so we can change direction. The American people clearly do deserve better. And we’re going to fight to drive down the high cost of living. We’re going to fight to make sure that healthcare is affordable for everyone all across the United States of America. We’re also going to fight to end the rampant corruption that is taking place right now. Donald Trump and the cartel that he oversees has undertaken the largest smash-and-grab corrupt program in American history. And here’s the problem for the American people—that if you’ve got folks in government who are more focused on trying to enrich themselves, their family members, their friends and their donors, one thing that’s not happening is that these government officials are focused on making life better for everyday Americans. That’s why we’re committed to ending the corruption plague that exists in Washington, D.C. right now because it’s hurting our ability to actually make life more affordable for the American people and it’s costing them more such as when you see this corrupt war that’s going on right now over in the Middle East.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Alright, the House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, it’s great to see you tonight. Thanks for being here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced the Ratepayer Protection Act to the full House of Representatives unanimously. Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, spoke in support of this legislation, which, if signed into law, would prevent ratepayers from footing the bill for upgrades to any energy generation, transmission, or distribution infrastructure for newly constructed data centers.
Excerpts from Chairman Guthrie’s remarks on the Ratepayer Protection Act from today’s Full Committee Markup as prepared for delivery.
“We have met with numerous stakeholders, including the data center industry and big tech, state regulators, utilities, and others. But it has become clear that across the entire industry there is one entity uniquely positioned to stand up for families and communities who are the ones paying electricity bills—and that is the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and our colleagues in Congress.”
Background:
The Ratepayer Protection Act would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) to require each state regulatory authority to consider establishing a large-load standard, requiring large-load data center customers to cover the full, incremental cost of any generation, transmission, or distribution upgrade necessary to serve the energy load for the customer.
Full legislative text for H.R. 9430 can be found HERE.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) supported the passage of two bipartisan pieces of legislation to protect ratepayers from increased utility costs caused by data centers during a House Energy and Commerce Committee markup. Both bills, the Ratepayer Protection Act and the Protecting Families from AI Data Center Energy Costs Act, are now eligible for consideration on the House floor.
“It’s our job to make sure that when data centers are built, they’re built on terms that work for the families who live nearby,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “That’s what this legislation gets right. It says something simple. If you build the data center, you pay for the data center. The construction costs, the utility costs – those fall on the company, not the family down the street. This bill gives states a strong standard to make sure large load developers foot that bill themselves.”
During the Committee markup, Trahan spoke in favor of both pieces of legislation. Footage of her remarks can be accessed HERE or by clicking the image below. A transcript is embedded below.
Data centers are the fastest-growing source of new electricity demand in the country, and the grid upgrades needed to serve them are not free. Someone has to pay for the new power plants, transmission lines, and substations, and too often that cost gets spread across everyone’s monthly bill, leaving families and small businesses to subsidize the energy needs of some of the largest corporations in the world.
To combat this problem, the Ratepayer Protection Act gives state utility regulators clear standards to ensure large-load customers, meaning any new data or information storage facility drawing 100 megawatts or more, cover the full cost of the infrastructure they require. It requires those customers to recover the full incremental cost of grid upgrades over time and to provide financial assurances, so ratepayers stay protected even if a data center scales back or leaves entirely.
Similarly, the Protecting Families from AI Data Center Energy Costs Act directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to convene major stakeholders to examine how to shield residents from these rising costs, and it requires FERC to deliver a report with concrete recommendations and best practices so the energy costs tied to AI data centers are not passed on to ordinary consumers.
During her remarks, Trahan pointed out that both bills are important first steps in protecting families from bearing the burden of increased utility costs caused by data centers. She argued that Congress must go further, including by passing a provision in her bipartisan Great American AI Act discussion draft released last month to improve data center efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint.
“Both of these bills are good first steps, Mr. Chairman, but we should also be honest about what they don’t do. They don’t fully address the water these facilities draw from our communities. They don’t answer the concern back home that when the grid is stretched, families worry they’ll be deprioritized,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “People in the district I represent are raising these questions, and they deserve answers. That’s exactly why, when Congressman Obernolte and I drafted the Great American AI Act, we included provisions to make data centers more efficient and lessen their environmental footprint. Because the smarter we build these facilities, the less strain they put on the grid, on our water, and on the families who live nearby.”
Both bills passed unanimously and now move to the House floor for consideration by the full House of Representatives.
———————————–
Congresswoman Lori Trahan
Remarks as Delivered
House Energy and Committee Markup
July 21, 2026
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I too support the Ratepayer Protection Act and look forward to advancing this bipartisan legislation to the House floor today.
Right now, families across our country are afraid to open up their electric bills. The number keeps climbing, and their paycheck isn’t keeping pace. They’re doing the math at the kitchen table, wondering what they might have to cut next just to keep the lights on.
That fear is real, and too many families have stopped believing that anyone in Washington is listening. They watch prices rise at the pump and at the grocery store. They sit through weeks of brutal heat and run the air conditioning that they can barely afford. And now they read that a data center is coming to their community, and they are told not to worry about what that means for their bills.
Well, to be clear, data centers aren’t going away. So it’s our job to make sure that when data centers are built, they’re built on terms that work for the families who live nearby.
That’s what this legislation gets right. It says something simple. If you build the data center, you pay for the data center. The construction costs, the utility costs – those fall on the company, not the family down the street. This bill gives states a strong standard to make sure large load developers foot that bill themselves. That’s a real move toward keeping these costs off our constituents’ bills.
I’m also glad H.R. 6529, the Protecting Families from AI Data Center Energy Costs Act, is part of today’s markup. It’s another effort to make sure surging demand from these massive projects doesn’t land on the backs of residential ratepayers.
Both of these bills are good first steps, Mr. Chairman, but we should also be honest about what they don’t do. They don’t fully address the water these facilities draw from our communities. They don’t answer the concern back home that when the grid is stretched, families worry they’ll be deprioritized.
People in the district I represent are raising these questions, and they deserve answers. That’s exactly why, when Congressman Obernolte and I drafted the Great American AI Act, we included provisions to make data centers more efficient and lessen their environmental footprint. Because the smarter that we build these facilities, the less strain they put on the grid, on our water, and on the families who live nearby.
So, these bills can’t be where our work ends. AI is spreading through every corner of our economy, and hardworking Americans cannot be an afterthought while that happens.
I commend the sponsors and Committee staff for their work on this legislation. It really matters. And I look forward to continuing this track record of bipartisan work on AI in the weeks and months ahead.
###
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today announced that several of his intelligence oversight priorities were included in the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, which was approved by the House Intelligence Committee.
Among the provisions Krishnamoorthi helped secure are requirements for new intelligence assessments on China’s economy and the global consequences of Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stronger safeguards to prevent intelligence personnel from using nonpublic information to trade on prediction markets, and new oversight of how artificial intelligence is deployed across the Intelligence Community.
“At a time when the United States faces growing threats from China, Iran, and other adversaries, Congress should be focused on strengthening our Intelligence Community, not distracting it with politically motivated investigations,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “I’m proud to have secured provisions that will strengthen congressional oversight, improve our understanding of emerging threats, and ensure intelligence resources are used responsibly. Although my amendment to prevent intelligence resources from being diverted to relitigating the 2020 election was rejected, I’ll continue fighting to keep our intelligence agencies focused on protecting the American people.”
During the markup, Krishnamoorthi also offered an amendment to prohibit National Intelligence Program funds from being used by the FBI to investigate the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia. Krishnamoorthi argued that FBI intelligence personnel and resources should instead remain focused on genuine foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, cyber, and other national security threats. The committee rejected the amendment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—This morning, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to preview a busy week in the House, outlining House Republicans’ agenda to keep the government open, strengthen election integrity, reform congressional stock trading, support America’s military, and lower costs for American families. Leader Scalise also contrasted Republicans’ focus on delivering commonsense solutions with Democrats’ embrace of radical collectivist policies that would raise costs and undermine America’s security.
Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview.
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:On House Republicans fighting for Americans on the floor this week:“We have a busy week. We’re moving a number of bills. We’re going to be moving what’s called a continuing resolution, a bill to make sure we can keep government funded because the basic function of government is to pay the troops, to make sure we can fund, for example, we had the big fight over the Department of Homeland Security and where it hurt families, as you saw lines at airports and Democrats shut the government down. We don’t want to have that happen again. So we’re going to bring a bill tomorrow to prevent a government shutdown. “We’re going to bring a bill to ban stock trading… a lot of people have this frustration when they see that Members of Congress— some do trade stocks. I don’t, but some do. And, you know, right now it’s legal. You’re not allowed to use insider information, but just the perception of it’s not good. And so banning day trading by members of Congress, you know, if you come in from another job, you have a 401K, you can hold that, but you can’t be trading along the way while you’re a Member of Congress. I think that’s a really good, long-needed reform that’s going to move this week. We’re going to pass that bill. “We’re going to be moving, as you talked about, Reconciliation 3.0. This is a bill, at least a budget, to start that process so that we can actually have the ability to, number one, move the SAVE America Act over to the Senate in a way where they can take this up with 51 votes, not 60. You know, we’ve seen in the Senate that Democrats do not want to work with President Trump on anything, and this is an important reform to ensure voter integrity. So we’re going to move that bill over as well.”We’re also moving the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act.This is a bill that ensures that our troops get the priorities they need in military spending so that our department of war is able to stay up to date with our adversaries like China.”And then we’re moving a really good Main Street bill that French Hill over at financial services have moved to help community banks get more level footing with the large banks. So we’re doing a lot of important things this week.”On House Republicans working to secure elections and lower costs:“There are a lot of really good bills that are over in the Senate. You know, we’ve got a great permitting reform bill that would be really important to help Americans build again. I mean, everything from homebuilding to roads and bridges that take ten years and sometimes just get shelved because of ridiculous, overriding bureaucracy. We have a great bill that solves that problem that passed with a big bipartisan vote in the House. Can’t go anywhere in the Senate. They’ve got serious problems over there getting bills moved. Just the appropriations bills to fund basic functions of government. They can’t get 60 votes to take the bill up and start debating it, let alone to pass it.”So when you think about something like SAVE America, which is at the heart of democracy, just saying show picture ID to vote, for God’s sake, you can’t go get pasta at Olive Garden without a picture ID. Why not be able to show a picture ID to vote, the franchise of American democracy, and the Senate can’t get 60 votes to move it. So we’re sending them this idea in a bill that only needs 51 votes. And, and look, at some point the Senate’s going to have to take this up and find a way to get it to the president’s desk. It’s an 85-15 issue with the American public. Everybody— Democrats, Republicans, black, white— understand this. You get on an airplane, you show an ID, Shouldn’t you show an ID to vote when some states actually ban the people at the polls from asking you for an ID? So you don’t even know who the people are that are showing up, and it undermines the integrity of the vote. So we’re going to get that bill back over to the Senate in a new form. At some point, they’ve got to pass that bill.”On the direction of the Democrat party:“It’s a contrast election. Look at how insane the Democrat Party has gone to the Marxist communist left. I mean, they’re in a civil war right now where their own leaders are fighting each other. I mean, Hakeem Jeffries is fighting Bernie Sanders. And guess what? Bernie Sanders and Mamdani are winning in their primaries. So they’re sending all these far-left extremists who want to defund not just the police, they want to defund prisons. Those are the candidates they’re sending up against our Republicans this year. “And our Republicans are working to make life more affordable for American families. So we’re, we’re going to keep working on good policies. Democrats this week have said they’re going to vote to shut the government down again. That continuing resolution, the funding bill I talked about, Democrats are saying they’re going to vote no because they want a government shutdown. They want chaos in America. You know, do you want lines at the airports again for four hours? Do you want our troops not to get paid? That’s what Democrats are going to vote for, and that’s their message when families just want the government to function, make their lives better, not try to instill chaos just because Democrats are still upset with the president…“Go look at the polling. We’ve asked the question, ‘who do you trust more to make life more affordable for you? Republicans or Democrats right now?’ And voters by a large margin trust Republicans because they’re watching the Democrats talk about collectivism. They want to talk about getting rid of private property rights, raising tax rates on everybody. That’s insane. That’s not where we need to go. They, by the way, also want to ban fossil fuels. So, you know, if you’re concerned about oil at, you know, $4 a gallon today, imagine California’s prices would be the national standard… So these are all going to be on the ballot this November. So there’s a lot at stake and their party is showing just how extreme they’ve gone.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks on the House Floor ahead of the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on Sunday, July 26th, 2026. Below are a video and transcription of his remarks:
“Mr. Speaker, one of the proudest moments of my time in public service was sponsoring the Americans with Disabilities Act and seeing it through to enactment. I was honored to work closely with House and Senate colleagues – leaders like Bob Dole, Tom Harkin, Tony Coelho, Steve Bartlett, Orrin Hatch, and Ted Kennedy – just to name a few. We passed it on a bipartisan basis, and it was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. This month, we celebrate the 36th anniversary of the ADA. In those 36 years, that law has made a transformative difference for millions of Americans. It did so not only for physical access to public and private space of public accommodations, but also on ensuring reasonable accommodations in workplaces and non-discrimination and every facet of American life.
“And we’ve seen it strengthened through legislation like the ADA Amendments Act in 2008 and through the courts, with decisions likeOlmstead v. LCin 1999. That decision concerned the ADA’s nondiscrimination rule – and applied it to the forced segregation of disabled people away from their communities, a historic tragedy in centuries past. TheOlmsteadruling affirmed that states are required to provide disability services in the most integrated setting possible in schools, workplaces, and even individual homes. Last month, the Department of Justice issued new guidance that the ADA does not guarantee, according to them, a right to live and receive services in integrated settings. Instead, it reinterprets theOlmsteaddecision as only prohibiting states from unnecessarily institutionalizing those with disabilities without adequate justification, and that it did not establish a general ‘integration mandate.’ Frankly, that’s absurd.Olmsteadmerely affirmed what Congress had clearly intended in the ADA. Unlike when we speculate on what our founders’ intent was and paraphrasing certain parts of our Constitution, when it comes to laws enacted 36 years ago, we can go right to the source.
“Let me be absolutely and unambiguously clear as the House sponsor of the ADA: an ‘integration mandate,’ as outlined correctly in theOlmsteadruling, was our intent. Senators Dole, Kennedy, and Hatch may no longer be here to state it, but I’m sure former Senator Harkin and former Representative Coelho, Bartlett, and others who were involved in drafting and enacting the law will affirm the same. Among the findings expressly listed in the text of the ADA was that, and I quote,‘Society has tended to isolate and segregate individuals with disabilities, and despite some improvements, such forms of discrimination against individuals with disabilities continue to be a serious and pervasive social problem,’so said theOlmsteadcase. So, the Department of Justice is wrong and ought to retract its new guidance to states and communities.
“At the same time, we’ve also seen the Trump Administration use disability rights as an excuse to undermine ballot access and trample on the Help America Vote Act, which I also had the honor of sponsoring. The same principle just outlined aboutOlmsteadapplies here as well. It was never Congress’s intent in writing the ADA that accommodating people with disabilities should be used as an excuse to limit America’s right to vote, just as it should not be issuing a rule penalizing Americans with disabilities for living at home with their families and their caregivers and slashing Medicaid funding upon which so many in the disability community rely. I certainly hope statements like this one – from someone who was intimately involved in the writing of the ADA and stated from the Floor – will serve as a reminder of the legislative intent of the ADA and of the Congress. It is truly all about nondiscrimination, public accommodation, equal access, and, yes, integration as much as possible within communities.
“We cannot turn the clock back to the time before the ADA, when those with disabilities were ostracized, isolated, and locked away. I am proud of the part I played in changing that. And all of us, all of us, should be proud that this institution came through and delivered in both promise and practice. Let us continue to do so today. I yield back the balance of my time.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)
WASHINGTON, DC [7/21/26] –Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Danny Davis (D-IL), and Zach Nunn (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to support families in which children do not have parents in the home.
About 2.5 million children across the United States are being raised in grandfamilies, in which grandparents raise children, or kinship families, in which adult relatives or close family friends raise children. Grandfamilies and kinship families play an essential role because they preserve family connections, prevent children from entering foster care, and promote family stability. Without these caregivers, the foster care system would be overwhelmed and cost taxpayersan additional $10.5 billion annually.
The Supporting Grandfamilies Act of 2026 would reauthorize the National Technical Assistance Center on Grandfamilies & Kinship Families to strengthen the nation’s response to and support for these families.
“Living with grandparents or extended family and friends can provide children with the stability they need to thrive when their parents aren’t able to care for them,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “We must support these essential caregivers, who often face additional barriers. The bipartisan Supporting Grandfamilies Act will extend support for families and children at a critical time in their lives.”
“Pennsylvania’s grandparents and relatives frequently step in to provide unconditional support to their grandkids and children every day, and often for years on end,” saidRep. Thompson. “As primary caregivers, it’s necessary to provide access to resources that will help them navigate the child welfare system. The Supporting Grandfamilies Act of 2026 provides caregivers who are raising kids and grandkids, with support, ensuring older primary caregivers have the tools needed to support our next generation.”
“My Congressional District historically has the highest percentage of children living with kinship caregivers in the country,” said Rep. Davis. “I am proud to join with Representatives Bonamici, Thompson, and Nunn in leading the Supporting Grandfamilies Act to ensure that the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network continues providing the critical and coordinated support to kinship and grandparent caregivers. For these families, connections to extra resources serve as crucial lifelines. Supporting kinship caregivers strengthens families, promotes stability, and helps children thrive.”
“Not every family looks the same. Kelly and I adopted two of our daughters, and across the country, there are 2.5 million kids being raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other relatives — not because of a government mandate, but because family stepped up when the alternative was foster care,” said Rep. Nunn. “Those caregivers said yes without hesitation, often with little warning and fewer resources. Our bill reauthorizes the Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Network for another five years to ensure that when a family steps up, they aren’t navigating that journey alone.”
The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network is the National Technical Assistance Center (TA Center) led by Generations United through a five-year cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The TA Center brings together national experts and partner organizations to develop evidence-based tools and promote innovative practices that help communities better meet the needs of kinship families and grandfamilies. The Supporting Grandfamilies Act of 2026 guarantees this information work continues by providing funding for the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network for another five years.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson previewed House Republicans’ consequential week ahead and highlighted Republican efforts to secure American elections and provide for our national defense through the SAVE and Protect America Act. Speaker Johnson also discussed House Republicans taking action to responsibly fund the government, avoid yet another Democrat shutdown, and stop the threat of insider trading in Congress.
“Number one: secure American elections by passing the SAVE America Act into law, as much of that as possible, that’s the objective. Number two: protect and strengthen our homeland. And how do we do that? We’ll be providing supplemental funding in line with the Administration’s request to support our national defense and our farmers,” Speaker Johnson said. “Why is this necessary? Because Democrats have yet again refused to work with Republicans on basic election integrity and strengthening our nation’s defense.”
On Republican efforts to secure American elections and provide for national defense:
On reconciliation this week, of course, we’re going to move the ball forward on Reconciliation 3.0. We’ll pass our budget resolution, send it to the Senate. As a reminder, this legislative vehicle is our best shot at accomplishing two key objectives of the people of this country. These are very popular and important and necessary objectives. Number one: secure American elections by passing the SAVE America Act into law, as much of that as possible, that’s the objective. Number two: protect and strengthen our homeland. And how do we do that? We’ll be providing supplemental funding in line with the Administration’s request to support our national defense and our farmers. Why is this necessary? Because Democrats have yet again refused to work with Republicans on basic election integrity and strengthening our nation’s defense. As always, Republicans support our troops, our farmers and election integrity and we will demonstrate that again this week.
On Republicans preventingyet another Democrat government shutdown:
Later today, House Republicans are going to move closer to responsibly funding the government as well. We’re going to pass a totally clean, very simple continuing resolution that will fund the government through November. The CR is as clean as they come. There are no poison pills. There’s no maneuvers, there’s nothing other than a simple extension of current funding levels. Now this is going to be one to watch. Unfortunately, given the Democrats have already forced the two longest government shutdowns in American history in this Congress – one of them for 78 days – they’ve already demonstrated they don’t care what kind of pain they inflict on the American people.
They do this to try to score political points. I think they’re making the wrong calculation here. Republicans are under no illusions about Democrats’ intentions ahead of a very consequential midterm election. Today’s Democrat Party, I think they have a very false impression. They think that they can score political points by trying to inflict pain. It’s not going to work. They’ve shown there’s nothing they love more than a government shutdown as tens of millions of Americans head to the polls in November. But this clean CR is an opportunity for both sides. They have an opportunity to demonstrate they’re committed to responsibly funding the government through November. And again, I bet you, they don’t help us on it. If the Democrats can’t support that, this basic principle, then they alone are going to own the chaos that ensues if the government shuts down after September 30th.
On the Stop Insider Trading Actplus Voter ID:
This week, House Republicans are going to take an important step to restore Americans’ faith and trust in Congress and in American elections with the Stop Insider Trading Act. As Leader Scalise noted, this is something the American people have been very interested in for a long, long time. We have finally cobbled together what we believe is the vote coalition to make that happen. I want to commend the good work of the House Administration Committee and Chairman Bryan Steil for their quarterbacking of this collaborative effort. And they’ve drafted a bill that I think is really, really well done. Too often, Americans struggling to make ends meet have watched as lawmakers have entered office to leave as multimillionaires. There’s a handful of glaring examples. A couple of those people are still serving, notably on the Democrat side.
The Stop Insider Trading Act does exactly what it says. It bans Members of Congress from purchasing individual stocks from publicly traded companies, and it helps prevent public officials from profiting from inside information. It’s a very logical thing to do. The bill also includes a very common sense and popular provision to ensure that voters must show a valid ID when they go to the polls to vote. Virtually all Republicans support that commonsense measure, and over 70% of Democrats do, as acknowledged most recently by Chuck Schumer himself. And yet, watch, I bet you, not a single Democrat in the House or Senate will support these measures. Democrats only talk about corruption. Republicans are actually delivering real solutions to restore the public’s faith in our institutions because we believe in this country. We believe in our matchless Constitution that is the envy of everybody around the world. And we believe on the 250th anniversary, now is it a very important time to stand on that.