MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

Washington D.C. – On Thursday, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) joined her House colleagues in passing a minibus funding package, securing $11.8 million for projects in West Virginia’s First Congressional District. This funding package included the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. 

“I am thrilled that yesterday’s minibus secured funding for nine of my Community Project Funding requests, bringing meaningful results to West Virginia by investing in public safety, modern infrastructure, and water projects that directly benefit local communities. By prioritizing responsible spending and targeted investments, Congress is ensuring that West Virginia families, businesses, and first responders have the resources they need to thrive now and well into the future,” said Congresswoman Carol Miller.

The projects funded in each bill include: 

Commerce, Justice, and Science:
$340,000 – Fayette County Sheriff’s Department Fleet Upgrades

Energy and Water: 
$5,725,000 – City of Lewisburg’s Water System Improvements

Interior and Environment: 
$750,000 – Webster County Economic Development Authority’s Diana-Guardian Water Line Extension Project

$750,000 – Boone County Public Service District’s Water Improvement Project

$1,000,000 – Buffalo Creek Public Service District’s Water Treatment and Plant Upgrade and Expansion Project

$750,000 – City of Welch’s Combined Sewer Overflow Removal Project 

$750,000 – North Beckley Public Service District’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project 

$750,000 – Region 2 Planning and Development Council’s Crum Water Treatment Plant Project

$1,000,000 – Town of West Hamlin’s Water Treatment Plant Upgrades  

Two additional Community Project Funding requests passed in November 2025, securing over $4 million for West Virginia hospitals. The details of that funding package can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) released the following statement after voting in favor of the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026, which passed the House yesterday.

“The federal government needs to learn to live within its means, just like American families have to,” said Graves. “The appropriations bills, which cut billions in wasteful spending and make important investments in the things government should do and should do well, are a good step in the right direction. I’ll keep working to cut wasteful spending, balance the budget, and get our country back on track.”

Graves included several provisions in the bill to fund critical projects in North Missouri:

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington D.C. – Today, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25) and Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) in taking action to hold the Trump Administration accountable for their illegal, targeted freezing of federal child care and family assistance funding designated for California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and Colorado. Pelosi and her colleagues authored a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding the release of nearly $10 billion in frozen federal funding for child care and family support initiatives.

In addition to being unlawful, “this action is reckless, unjustified, and profoundly harmful, placing millions of children, working parents, and financially stressed families at immediate risk,” wrote the Representatives in their letter. “Congress appropriated these funds to support children and families, not to be withheld as political retribution. This decision undermines federal-state partnerships, destabilizes childcare systems, and erodes confidence in HHS’s stewardship of programs fundamental to the economic stability and well-being of children and families.”

This letter comes as a direct response to a January 6, 2026, decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze more than $10 billion in federal child care and family assistance funding for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York, citing “serious concerns about widespread fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars in state-administered programs.”

Under this action, access to major funding streams, including the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Social Services Block Grant, was restricted pending additional documentation and review, with HHS asserting that some benefits may have been provided to individuals not eligible under federal law. The department did not accompany the announcement with evidence of systemic fraud, prompting sharp criticism from state officials and stakeholders who warn the freeze jeopardizes services for low-income families, working parents, and child care providers who rely on these programs to stay afloat.

The letter is co-signed by 83 total members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Members from all five affected states. A full copy of the letter can be found here.

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

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
January 10, 2026                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ENHANCED TAX CREDIT EXTENSION

Washington, D.C.— Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend for three years the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits that expired on January 1, 2026:

“This week, as a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, I spoke on the House floor in defense of affordable healthcare for all Americans during debate on the three-year extension of ACA enhanced premium tax credits (view remarks here). The Virgin Islands and other territories, which have never had access to ACA Exchanges, reveal a clear picture of what happens without these critical benefits.

“The Virgin Islands healthcare system is in crisis. Our hospitals operate under outdated Medicare formulas from 1982 and 1996, and face chronic shortages of supplies, medications, equipment, and staff—forcing patients to bring their own sheets and diapers to the hospital and doctors to pool personal funds to pay vendors. Hospital funding gaps exceed $34 million annually. More than 3,000 Virgin Islanders lost Medicaid coverage when supplemental funding ended, dramatically increasing the uncompensated care burden on our already struggling system. In Puerto Rico, similar Medicaid funding caps forced reliance on borrowing and debt that contributed to their 2017 bankruptcy. These territorial healthcare crises stem directly from inadequate federal support.

“Nationally, the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits has already doubled healthcare costs for 20 million Americans. When millions lose affordable coverage, the impact ripples across the entire healthcare system. Uninsured individuals turn to emergency rooms for basic care, driving up costs that are absorbed through higher premiums and hospital charges for everyone—even those with employer-sponsored insurance. This system-wide strain means all Americans pay more for healthcare, regardless of where they get their coverage.

“Seventeen House Republicans joined Democrats in voting for this extension yesterday, demonstrating bipartisan recognition that this is a healthcare crisis, not a partisan issue. More than 90% of Marketplace enrollees rely on these enhanced premium tax credits—without the extension, families across America are forced to choose between seeing a doctor or paying rent, between filling prescriptions or putting food on the table. The Senate must now prioritize the well-being of the American people over partisan politics and send this commonsense, bipartisan extension to the President’s desk.

“My commitment to ensuring healthcare equity for the Virgin Islands and all U.S. territories in federal programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and SSI, remains unwavering. When the Affordable Care Act was enacted, the U.S. Virgin Islands elected to receive a lump sum Medicaid allotment rather than establish an ACA health exchange, a decision driven by the prohibitively high cost and overwhelming administrative and regulatory burdens that made marketplace creation unfeasible for all U.S. territories. I continue to advocate for policy changes that would allow territorial residents without employer-provided health insurance to access coverage through the Washington, DC Exchange (DC Health Link), with standard reimbursement for premium tax credits. This critical option would ensure access to comprehensive healthcare coverage where ACA Marketplaces do not exist and address a critical gap in the U.S. territories’ healthcare system.”

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

(Washington, D.C.) — On Friday, January 9, 2026, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor to express grave concern for the safety of the American people and for his own life, calling for the impeachment of President Trump.

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). 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the key House Committee on Appropriations, responsible for all federal discretionary funding, yesterday voted for final House passage of a measure consolidating three more of twelve annual appropriations bills for the current Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 (commencing October 1, 2026).  

The measure, which passed the House, included Case’s requests for funding of hundreds of millions to federal programs of direct benefit to Hawai‘i. It also included all of Case’s six requests for Community Project Funding in these three measures to specific projects throughout his district.  

The measure includes three bills, starting with $39 billion to fund the Department of the Interior, including the National Parks Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency.

The measure also includes $63 billion for the Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) civil works programs and various energy programs.

Finally, the measure includes $81 billion for Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and Related Agencies programs that support the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Justice and various science agencies.   

Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Bill 

The Interior, Environment and Related Appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of the Interior, including the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service and various independent agencies including the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities. 

The bill includes Case’s request for a Member-designated Community Funding Project (CPF) of $1,092,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) to upgrade the sewer infrastructure at Papakōlea.  

“Papakōlea is the only Hawaiian Home Lands community located in central Honolulu with more than 300 homes and some 1,300 residents,” said Case.

“As the infrastructure in Papakōlea ages, the sewer system has become susceptible to cracks, root intrusions and other defects that diminish the effectiveness of the service lines. My CPF will assist DHHL to work on a sewer line rehabilitation/replacement program for the community.” 

The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member and must be subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office.

Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/services/funding-disclosures.htm.  

The measure approved several of Case’s priority requests, including: 

·        $4.75 million for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State of the Birds Activities to respond to the urgent needs of critically endangered birds that now face possible extinction. These funds are helping to save numerous endemic birds in Hawai‘i that have been devastated by climate change and avian malaria.

·        $45.5 million for the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program.

·        $64 million for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers, which includes the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center based out of the University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa. These centers provide regionally relevant scientific information, tools and techniques to resource managers and communities in Hawai‘i in response to our changing climate.  

·        $62 million for State Historic Preservation Offices which help preserve Hawaii’s treasured historic properties.

·        $76 million for State Fire Assistance, which provides financial and technical support directly to states to enhance firefighting capacity, support community-based hazard mitigation and expand outreach and education to homeowners and communities concerning fire prevention. 

·        $4.6 million for Japanese Confinement Site Grants and funding for the Amache National Historic Site, which was one of ten incarceration sites established by the War Relocation Authority during World War II to detain Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their communities on the West Coast.  

·        $3 million for the Joint Fire Science Program, which supports a national collaboration of fire science exchanges providing science information to federal, state, local, tribal and private stakeholders.

A summary of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations is here.

Energy and Water Bill 

The Energy and Water bill funds the Department of Energy (DOE), the USACE’s civil works programs, the Bureau of Reclamation and agencies focused on nuclear energy. 

The bill includes numerous wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case, including funding for USACE programs that aid in the preservation of Hawaii’s coastlines across all seven inhabited islands. Specifically, the bill includes $2 million to study avenues of protection for public infrastructure on small beaches from erosion and damage caused by storms and natural wave currents; $2 million for regional sediment management, construction, operations and regulatory functions in the coastal zone; and $36.5 million for programs which manage aquatic weeds in public waters.

Notably, one of Case’s highest priorities, an instruction to the USACE to improve plans to upgrade Honolulu Harbor, was included in the bill. This provision directs the USACE to investigate modifications to Honolulu Harbor to better handle the impacts of military operations in the state and throughout the Indo-Pacific as a whole, which can open up additional federal resources for the planned improvements of Honolulu Harbor.

Also included in the bill is $9.5 million for a USACE program that aids in the planning, designing and construction of small projects for commercial navigation purposes such as channels, breakwaters and jetties. This funding will assist in statewide harbor modifications.

Other energy and water related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case in the measure include: 

·        $2 million for the USACE’s beach erosion and hurricane and storm damage reduction activities.

·        $40 million for flood control and coastal emergency efforts.

·        $18 million for the USACE’s National Coastal Mapping Program, which provides high-resolution elevation and imagery data along the U.S. shorelines on a recurring basis which can provide a better understanding of human uses, issues and constraints in coastal regions.

·        $36.5 million for the USACE’s Aquatic Plant Control Program, which conducts research and development of biological, chemical, cultural and ecological capabilities for controlling invasive aquatic plants.

·        Language modifying a clean energy program under DOE that has been widely beneficial for Hawai‘i. The newly named Energy Technology Innovation Office, previously known as the Energy Transitions Initiative, supports island and remote communities by providing personalized technical and financial assistance. Case recently introduced legislation to make this program permanent. (See here for more details.)

·        Language directing the DOE to investigate potential benefits of small-modular nuclear reactors as a source of clean, domestically sourced electricity for remote, noncontiguous U.S. areas such as Hawai‘i.

A summary of the energy and water provisions is here.

 CJS and Related Agencies 

The CJS and Related Agencies Appropriations bill supports the U.S. Department of Commerce, including the International Trade Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology; the U.S. Department of Justice; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); the National Science Foundation (NSF) and more.

During deliberations last year in his Appropriations Committee, Case secured a direction to the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to produce its agreements with other federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for use by those other agencies of BOP facilities such as the Federal Detention Center (FDC)-Honolulu. The amendment was prompted by BOP’s refusal to provide Case its agreement with ICE and details on ICE’s use of FDC-Honolulu and other facilities for ICE detainee needs.

Case remarked that a request by a Member of Congress for such information was a normal part of legislative, funding and oversight duties and any refusal to produce such information was not acceptable.

His amendment was adopted, and his remarks in Committee (which also addressed support for funding of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), especially given Hawaii’s recent tsunami and hurricane close calls) are here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7mFWp4FpWc 

Through his assignment on the Committee, Case also secured his following five Community Project Funding requests that specifically focused on local needs in Hawai‘i: 

·        $1 million for the Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources to survey and remove invasive coral spread at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. 

·        $1 million  for the University of Hawai‘i for its Fireshed Partnerships program, which would facilitate wildfire risk reduction.  

·        $1 million for the Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources to restore fishpond habitat and enhance water quality at Maunalua Fishpond.  

·        $1.15 million for Hawai‘i Pacific University to develop its Aquaculture Program, improving the workforce pipeline and bolstering the aquaculture industry in Hawaiʻi. 

·        $1 million for the Honolulu Police Department to do acquire a new Emergency Mobile Command Vehicle to replace its current vehicle which is over 20 years old.  

Other provisions which Case requested and were included in the measure to fund the Department of Justice include:

·        $397 million for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne-JAG). Byrne-JAG is the leading federal source of criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The funds are used to support a range of program areas including law enforcement; prosecution and court; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment and enforcement; planning, evaluation and technology improvement; and crime victim and witness initiatives.  

·        $800 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The COPS program provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.  

·        $54 million for grants to reduce the sexual assault kit backlog.

·        $48 million for the Anti-Methamphetamine and Anti-Heroin Task Forces.  

·        “Rising crime, both related and unrelated to gun violence, is of great concern to us all, and must be combatted at all levels of government,” said Case. “State and local law enforcement need increased assistance from our federal government to address crime at the state and local level.”

“The funding I secured in the bill will help local and state law enforcement to not only investigate and prosecute crime but will also go to prevention and education programs to stop crime before it happens.” 

The provisions which Case won support to fund various science initiatives include:

·        $250 million for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which enhances the research competitiveness of Hawai‘i by strengthening STEM capacity and capability.

·        $104 million for the Climate Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes program to support the maintenance and needed repairs at the Atmospheric Baseline Observatories, including the Mauna Loa Observatory where the famous Keeling Curve proving rapid climate change was developed.  

·        $143 million for STEM Engagement Programs at NASA including Space Grant, to inspire young people to pursue future careers in science and engineering.  

·        $33.5 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program.  

·        $67 million for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, which supports Papahānaumokuākea and our Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale sanctuaries.  

·        $178 million for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Protection, which safeguards our Hawaiian monk seals, dolphins, false killer whales and green sea turtles.  

·        $47.5 million for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which supports our Hawaii’s Pacific Island (Pac) IOOS. PacIOOS provides easily accessible coastal and ocean observing and forecasting to increase ocean safety and protect public and environmental health.

·        $17 million for the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments program, which provides vital research that allows communities to prepare for and respond to long-term shifts in weather patterns, resource availability and coastal conditions.

·        $34 million for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, which includes support for education and restoration of coastal and marine habitats in He‘eia .

·        $80 million for the Sea Grant Program, which supports the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program at the University of Hawaiʻi that promotes healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies and environmental literacy and workforce development.  

Provisions which Case secured to promote commerce in Hawaiʻi include:

·        $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. This public-private partnership has centers in all 50 states, including Hawaiʻi, dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers.

·        $4 million for the Minority Business Development Agency specifically for the Native American Business Development Program that awards grants to Tribes and American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian populations to address barriers to economic development, and another $5 million for grants to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian entities qualified to provide business, financing and technical assistance.   

·        $3.5 million for the Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism position, which Case worked to establish in the Visit America Act to drive a cohesive federal response to the challenges facing the industry.

A summary of the CJS and Related Agencies Appropriations funding bill is here. 

The omnibus measure funding these agencies now moves on to the full U.S. Senate for consideration.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

WASHINGTON – This week, Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined Bipartisan Fiscal Forum (BFF) Co-Chairs Bill Huizenga (R-Michigan) and Scott Peters (D-California), in addition to Reps. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pennsylvania), and Mike Quigley (D-Illinois), to introduce House Resolution 981 establishing a clear fiscal goal – reduce the federal budget deficit to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) or lower. Known as the “3% Resolution,” this measure establishes growing bipartisan agreement that Congress must adopt a concrete, achievable target to begin restoring fiscal discipline and confronting the nation’s escalating debt crisis.

With the federal deficit hovering around 6% of GDP in Fiscal Year 2025 and the national debt at historic levels, the 3% Resolution boldly calls for a straightforward, no-nonsense framework for action to put the nation on a more sustainable fiscal path and protect future generations from severe economic consequences. 

You may read the text here. In addition to Rep. Estes and the two cochairs, the 3% Resolution is also cosponsored by the entire BFF Steering Committee, including Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Steve Womack (R-Arkansas), Jimmy Panetta (D-California), Erin Houchin (R-Indiana), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Washington), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania), Dusty Johnson (R-South Dakota), and Jared Golden (D-Maine), as well as House Budget Chairman and BFF Co-Chair Emeritus Jodey Arrington (R-Texas).

In addition to the entire BFF Steering Committee cosponsoring the legislation, the 3% Resolution has gained significant support right out of the gate. 

“Reining in the deficit is essential for protecting taxpayers and preserving economic opportunity. This bipartisan resolution by Reps. Bill Huizenga and Scott Peters establishing a 3% deficit-to-GDP goal over five years provides a meaningful benchmark for getting our fiscal house in order. The best way to meet this target is for Congress to pursue thoughtful, long-term spending reforms and tax policies that encourage investment, work, and innovation. The resolution also gives the Congressional Budget Office an important role in assessing how major legislation would affect progress toward meeting these deficit-reduction goals, helping to keep lawmakers on track,” said Demian Brady, Vice President of Research, National Taxpayers Union Foundation.          

“Only Congress can fix federal finances. That’s why it’s good to see an emerging new framework from Representatives Huizenga, Peters, Smucker, and Quigley: reduce the deficit to 3% of GDP through an effective congressional budget process with credible backstops. Building consensus on the goals can open the door to serious conversations about how to get there,” said Kurt Couchman, Senior Fellow in Fiscal Policy, Americans for Prosperity.

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

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced the inclusion of funding totaling more than $19,792,000 that she secured for California’s 26th Congressional District in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act (H.R. 6938). This funding ensures continued federal investments in important infrastructure and public safety initiatives across the region.

“Every year, I am eager to deliver for my constituents by fighting for the federal funding that is needed to keep our communities moving forward,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “I am so proud to have continued my strong partnership with local leaders and community stakeholders across the region as we advanced our shared commitment to improving and strengthening the lives and livelihoods of all those who call Ventura County home.

“From securing critical resources to support victims of crime to replacing dilapidated pipelines across the county to bolstering engines of job growth like our ports and harbors, this package of bills allows for substantial investments that will upgrade regional infrastructure, strengthen our local economy, and improve public well-being.

“I am so pleased that the House approved funding for these critical community initiatives with overwhelmingly bipartisan support. As these spending bills get considered by the Senate and make their way to the President’s desk, my hope is that the important provisions included for Ventura County in the funding package will be delivered promptly and without modification.”

The FY2026 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies portion of the bill includes the following Community Projects:

• $1,031,000 for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office East County Family Justice Center Project
• $900,000 for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department DNA Automated Workflow Project

The FY2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies portion of the bill includes the following Community Projects:

• $1,092,000 for the Calleguas Municipal Water District Lake Bard Pump Station Project
• $1,092,000 for the City of Oxnard for Cast Iron Pipe Replacement Project
• $1,092,000 for the City of Santa Paula Cross-Town Pipeline Project

Additionally, the Energy and Water Appropriations portion of the bill continues programmatic funding championed by Brownley for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in Ventura County, including:

• $8,230,000 for dredging of Channel Islands Harbor
• $5,980,000 for dredging of Ventura Harbor
• $375,000 in donor port funds for the Port of Hueneme

In total, Brownley secured over $19,792,000 million for critical investments throughout Ventura County and the Conejo Valley in this appropriations package.

The text of the funding package and Joint Explanatory Statements for each division are available here. 

The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on January 8, 2026 with a strong bipartisan vote of 397-28. The legislation is expected to be considered by the U.S. Senate in the coming days before heading to the President for signature.

In December, the first 3 appropriations bills were enacted. Congress is still working to come to agreement on the remaining 6 appropriations bills ahead of the January 30th expiration of the current continuing resolution.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Local Issues, Transportation and Infrastructure

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Darren Soto (FL-09), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (NY-5), and 69 House Democrats in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem demanding they immediately restore Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans following the Trump Administration’s military action in Venezuela.

On Saturday, January 3, 2026, the Trump Administration conducted a major military operation in Venezuela, without Congressional authorization or notification, to depose and arrest Nicolás Maduro, leading to further instability in the nation. TPS is designed to protect immigrants from nations destabilized by war, violence, or natural disasters from deportation back to unsafe conditions.

“Hundreds of thousands of lawful Venezuelan residents who benefited from TPS…are facing deportation in the coming weeks to instability, desperate poverty and danger—conditions that have become even more dangerous since President Trump ordered military strikes and special operations to remove dictator Nicolás Maduro,” the Members wrote. “Many Venezuelans are hiding out in their homes, terrified of follow-on strikes or harassment by the regime which remains in place.”

“While Maduro was captured and brought to the United States to face justice, his criminal accomplices remain in power,” wrote the Members. “We are disturbed that the Administration has vocally backed these individuals, who are complicit in the worst abuses of the Venezuelan regime over the last decade, while dismissing the pro-democracy leadership of the legitimate president-elect, Edmundo González, and Nobel Peace Prize winning opposition leader María Corina Machado.”

Other signers of the letter include: Reps. Amo, Balint, Barragán, Bell, Bonamici, Brown, Carson, Casten, Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Chu, Cisneros, Cleaver, Conaway, Crockett, Dean, DeSaulnier, Doggett, Elfreth, Escobar, Espaillat, Frankel, Frost, Robert Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Goldman, Gottheimer, Green, Huffman, Jonathan Jackson, Julie Johnson, Kamlager-Dove, Krishnamoorthi, Larson, Susie Lee, Lieu, Lynch, McBride, McGovern, McIver, Menendez, Meng, Moskowitz, Moulton, Nadler, Norton, Pallone, Panetta, Pingree, Pou, Pressley, Raskin, Rivas, Salinas, Scanlon, Schakowsky, Scholten, Robert Scott, Titus, Tokuda, Torres, Trahan, Vargas, Waters, Watson Coleman, and Wilson.

The lawmakers’ full letter to Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem:

We write to urge you to immediately restore Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans following the Trump Administration’s military action in Venezuela. Conditions in the country are deeply unstable and dangerous, and the still-intact Venezuelan regime, emboldened by support from the President of the United States, has doubled down on repression and brutality since taking power.

The Trump Administration’s calamitous decision to terminate TPS for Venezuelans in January 2025 was rooted in a determination that conditions in the country had improved. This claim was baseless at the time, and, with the regime left in place, it is certainly untrue now. This termination of lawful status has caused unimaginable fear and anxiety for law-abiding Venezuelan families, who passed criminal background checks, earned work permits, and paid fees and taxes.

Hundreds of thousands of lawful Venezuelan residents who benefited from TPS are set to lose their employment authorization, which will have devastating economic consequences for essential sectors in Florida and across the country. Many are facing deportation in the coming weeks to instability, desperate poverty and danger—conditions that have become even more dangerous since President Trump ordered military strikes and special operations to remove dictator Nicolás Maduro.

This administration has not just abandoned Venezuelans in the diaspora, they have abandoned the Venezuelans that remain in Venezuela, who yearn for freedom and a democratic transition. While Maduro was captured and brought to the United States to face justice, his criminal accomplices remain in power, including de facto interim president Delcy Rodriguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello (who was indicted alongside Maduro in 2019). We are disturbed that the Administration has vocally backed these individuals, who are complicit in the worst abuses of the Venezuelan regime over the last decade, while dismissing the pro-democracy leadership of the legitimate president-elect, Edmundo González, and Nobel Peace Prize winning opposition leader María Corina Machado.

The worst fears of the Venezuelan community were confirmed as President Trump stated that Delcy Rodriguez will be empowered to “make Venezuela great again” and underscored that his objective was extracting oil resources from the country rather than ending the suffering of Venezuelans and promoting a peaceful, democratic transition of power.

In the days since the U.S. military operation commenced, which included missile and drone strikes in densely populated areas of Caracas that damaged residential buildings and injured innocent bystanders, the Venezuelan regime has enacted a new law criminalizing any expression of support for Maduro’s exit from the country. Dozens of people have been arrested and jailed, including journalists, for sending text messages or issuing social media posts related to the news. Many Venezuelans are hiding out in their homes, terrified of follow-on strikes or harassment by the regime which remains in place.

In light of these developments, we urge you to immediately rescind the revocation of TPS for Venezuelan beneficiaries and extend these critical protections for law-abiding Venezuelans who are genuinely fearful of being sent back to the same murderous regime under new management.

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