MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio raising concerns that the State Department may be illegally impeding the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) from conducting statutorily mandated oversight of U.S. foreign assistance.

The letter comes following recent, significant changes to foreign assistance and operations, including humanitarian and development funding cuts and an alarming lack of transparency surrounding these decisions, underscoring the need for thorough, independent oversight.

A PDF copy of the letter can be found here.

“Congress in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and subsequent legislation has consistently reiterated its intention that USAID OIG conduct foreign assistance oversight because these programs are implemented by multiple federal entities and require specialized oversight because programs are implemented overseas, often in conflict zones, with high fraud, diversion, and corruption risks. Nonetheless, we understand that you directed the USAID OIG to stop conducting its statutorily required oversight over foreign assistance programs via a July 1, 2025,‘All Diplomatic and Consular Posts’ (ALDAC) cable.

“The effort to restrict the work of USAID OIG is a violation of federal law. . . The law further states that the definition of USAID includes ‘any successor agency primarily responsible for administering Part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961’ — giving USAID OIG clear responsibility for oversight of the programs and funding in question even if they are transferred to another agency. Given the monumental changes to foreign assistance funding and operations, a lack of adequate oversight is especially troubling.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at a full committee hearing entitled “Confronting Haiti’s Terrorist Gangs: The Gang Suppression Force and the Path Ahead.” Members heard testimony from Amb. Michael Kozak, Senior Bureau Official in the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Colonel Justin Gorkowski, Co-Lead of the Defense Department’s Haiti Gang Suppression Force Tiger Team.

“Thank you, Chairman Mast, for calling this hearing. And thank you to our witnesses for joining us.

“For years, Haiti has endured a convergence of violence, political instability, economic collapse, and humanitarian suffering that has no parallel in our hemisphere.

“Armed gangs control large parts of Haiti’s capital. Families have been driven from their homes. Women and children face gender-based violence. Hospitals struggle to function. Schools have closed. Nearly 5.7 million Haitians – half of the country – face acute food insecurity.

“While we may not all agree on the best approach to addressing this crisis, I believe we can all agree that U.S.-Haiti policy – under Democratic and Republican administrations alike – has fallen short.

“Closing that gap is not only a matter of conscience. It’s a matter of national and regional security. Helping Haiti overcome this crisis is not charity; it’s a strategic investment in a safer, more prosperous hemisphere.

“But in doing so we must recognize that another U.S.-imposed solution will not work. Haiti’s future cannot be designed in Washington, New York, or Geneva. Lasting progress must be Haitian-led and accountable to the Haitian people. The U.S. should offer sustained support, and we must work with like-minded countries around the world, but as partners, not architects.

“That brings me to the Gang Suppression Force. With proper implementation, the GSF can help Haitian authorities push back against gangs, secure critical infrastructure, and create the conditions for Haitians to begin rebuilding their country. I hope it’s successful.

“But we must also be honest about what the GSF cannot do. It cannot replace legitimate governance. It cannot substitute for long-term investments in institutions, economic opportunity, or public trust.

“You can capture or kill gang members. But if you do not address the broken political and economic system that creates, finances, and replenishes these gangs, the cycle of violence will only continue.

“If the GSF mission is not paired with a serious political process, humanitarian relief, and a plan to reclaim gang-controlled territory, then any gains will be temporary.  Security without a political and economic strategy is not a solution, it is only a pause.

“Any security mission in Haiti must also be accompanied by disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs. Humanitarian assistance must flow alongside security assistance — because Haitians need food, medicine, and shelter.

“That means the Trump Administration must bring forward a comprehensive strategy equal to the scale of the crisis. The administration should start by reversing its own damaging policies. The gutting of U.S. foreign aid has hit Haiti particularly hard.

“And even as the administration warns Americans against traveling to Haiti, it claims the island is safe enough to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and deport some 350,000 Haitians. This is not just cruel, it’s contradictory, and it will only exacerbate instability in Haiti.

“Next, the administration must identify and hold accountable those members of Haiti’s political and economic elite who are supporting the gangs.  It has failed to do so adequately, despite a Congressional mandate in my bipartisan Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act, which became law last year.

“Congress can do more as well.

“I introduced the “SAK PASE in Haiti Act,” with Rep. Murphy of North Carolina that would require the State Department to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter instability in Haiti. Congress should pass it today. And unless Congress reauthorizes HOPE/HELP for an extended period, jobs that are a lifeline for Haitians fleeing gang violence will evaporate. 

“Support for Haiti has long had bipartisan backing in Congress, because the American people understand the suffering the Haitian people have endured and want to help. After the 2010 earthquake killed more than 300,000 people, Americans across the country mobilized, because that is who we are.

“The United States has a responsibility to lead. But we must do so in a way that avoids repeating the mistakes of the past, centers Haitian voices, and delivers the partnership this moment demands. So I look forward to our discussion today and hearing how this administration intends to be the partner that this moment calls for. Thank you.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

Latta Applauds Energy and Commerce Committee Passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – The House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill led by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) to strengthen protections for injured federal workers against fraudulent medical providers and improve government accountability.

The Putting Patients First by Strengthening Provider Accountability in FECA Act empowers the Department of Labor to suspend FECA payments to medical providers convicted of fraud, protecting both patients and taxpayers. This bill is a targeted fix to a well-documented problem that the Department of Labor Inspector General has been recommending for years.

“I am thrilled to see the House pass my bill with Rep. Mackenzie to protect injured federal workers from fraudulent medical providers,” said Rep. Omar.“When a federal worker gets injured on the job, we have an obligation to make sure they get the care and benefits they have earned. For too long, gaps in the system have wasted taxpayer dollars while creating financial uncertainty for injured workers and their families. This bill will ensure injured federal workers receive the care they are owed, and the resources meant for their recovery are used responsibly and effectively – this is exactly what good government looks like.”

You can find the text of the Putting Patients First by Strengthening Provider Accountability in FECA Acthere. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig demanded that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigate President Trump’s media company, “Trump Media & Technology Group” (“TMTG”), for its latest plan to unveil a $100,000 insider trading subscription service.

In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, Rep. Craig pressed the Administration on its inaction following the announcement of “Truth API” – a blatant insider trading scheme that would enable the President to rake in personal profits by offering Wall Street billionaires inside information on the President’s social media platform, Truth Social.

“I am deeply disturbed by your agencies’ inaction on the $100,000 per-month insider trading subscription service unveiled by the President’s social media company, Truth Social,” Rep. Craig wrote. “This is another blatant giveaway to billionaires so that the President can make a quick buck at the expense of ordinary Americans.”

“Reuters reports that for high-frequency traders, a head start of just a few milliseconds can translate into hundreds of thousands of dollars on a single large trade,” she continued.  “Every one of those dollars comes at the direct expense of the average investor who does not have $100,000 a month to spare to bribe President Trump.”

Rep. Craig highlighted that President Trump owns approximately 41 percent of TMTG through his revocable trust, so every dollar of revenue going to Truth API will go directly into the President’s pocket.

“A $100,000-a-month subscription may look like a drop in the bucket next to a $400 million plane from Qatar, but what is being sold here is worse than the price tag: it is a standing structural advantage over the American public in our own markets, handed to President Trump’s billionaire buddies on Wall Street,” Rep. Craig concluded.

Rep. Craig has led the charge to hold the President and his family members accountable for using the White House to enrich themselves. In January, she introduced her Presidential Conflict of Interest Accountability Act to prevent the President and Vice President from financially benefitting from their positions and take on President Trump’s clear conflicts of interest.

The bill would require the President and the Vice President to submit a disclosure of financial interests to Congress and the Director of Government Ethics no later than 30 days after assuming office. Under this legislation, the President and Vice President and their immediate family members would have to divest of any financial interest posing a potential conflict of interest by transferring it to a blind trust and selling it.

You can read the full text of the letter here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Kansans can RSVP here for an individual meeting with Rep. Davids

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced the Protecting Immigrants from Legal Exploitation Act. The legislation would create penalties for those who provide fraudulent immigration legal services and allow immigrants who are victims of fraud to have their cases reconsidered under certain circumstances. It would also create grant programs to educate immigrants on how to avoid legal service fraud and help qualified nonprofit organizations provide legal services to immigrants. 

In many Latin American countries, “notario” or “notario público” refers to state-appointed lawyers. However, in the United States, a notary only has the authority to witness and certify legal documents. This linguistic discrepancy can expose many recent immigrants, particularly those from Latin American countries, to the risk of fraudulent immigration legal services.

“My office, like many other Members of Congress, has seen a large increase in people seeking assistance with their immigration cases in the wake of the Trump Administration’s attacks on immigrant communities,” said Rep. Foster. “Now more than ever, well-meaning immigrants are vulnerable to fraudulent immigration lawyers looking to exploit them for money, possibly leading to their deportation. It’s time to stop scammers from targeting vulnerable immigrants who are working to follow the legal immigration process in a time of fear and uncertainty.”  

The Protecting Immigrants from Legal Exploitation Act is cosponsored by Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Juan Vargas (D-CA), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).

A copy of the legislation is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter urges FCC to review broadcast licenses after refusal to air Presidential address

Carter urges FCC to review broadcast licenses after refusal to air Presidential address

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding answers about the fatal shooting of her constituent, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13.

“[O]nce again, a family and community is grieving because a person is dead after an encounter with your officers,” Pingree said. “My constituents are being asked to trust that deadly force was justifiable and are left to confront the question of whether federal immigration officers are operating under policies that prioritize aggressive efforts to meet quotas over the preservation of human life.”

In light of recent reporting about the agent’s disturbing background, and DHS’s reported hiring push, Pingree asks Mullin how his agency is ensuring quality and experience of new hires and what information would be disqualifying in an agent. 

Pingree also asks DHS to explain whether the Biddeford operation was targeted and whether Durán Guerrero was its intended target; to detail the planning and risk assessment conducted beforehand; identify any witnesses; and more. 

“The people of Maine deserve better than vague assurances after another fatal encounter involving immigration officers,” Pingree said. “We are a nation of immigrants. They are our family, friends, and our neighbors. A community is grieving and angry—as is our state. If that is not enough for the Department, immigrants are vital to Maine’s workforce; without them, our economy would crumble.”

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Dear Secretary Mullin, 

I write with profound outrage regarding the fatal shooting of my constituent, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13, 2026. I appreciate you making yourself available for a call; however, the reality is that once again, a family and community is grieving because a person is dead after an encounter with your officers. My constituents are being asked to trust that deadly force was justifiable and are left to confront the question of whether federal immigration officers are operating under policies that prioritize aggressive efforts to meet quotas over the preservation of human life. As such, I am following up on several matters I brought up with you.

First, I question the justification your agents have relied on to arrest and detain my constituents. You told me your agents focus their enforcement efforts on individuals with final orders of removal, but, as my office has witnessed firsthand, and heard repeatedly from local lawyers and organizations, ICE is detaining Mainers who are lawfully pursuing asylum or other status through the proper channels. These are not people with final orders of removal at all; they are actively engaged in the legal process your agency claims to respect.

Beyond that, we also know a final removal order does not necessarily indicate the end of the legal process; due process allows for motions to reopen, petitions to review, and applications for humanitarian relief.  Arresting and detaining individuals as though they have no legal recourse and their due process is complete ignores the complexity of immigration law, is a waste of taxpayer dollars, and risks needlessly engaging aggressive enforcement tactics. This intentional mischaracterization of the process ignores that immigration enforcement is largely a civil administrative process, not a criminal one. Yet we have seen a clear pattern of that distinction being ignored, with preventable deaths chalked up to “necessary” enforcement. 

No family should have to wonder whether their loved one would still be alive had federal officers exercised better judgement, had received better training, or followed different procedures. Every use of deadly force demands rigorous oversight, complete transparency, and total accountability. Anything less is unacceptable. 

For months, even in the past week, Americans have witnessed increasingly aggressive ICE operations conducted in their communities. Despite repeated warnings and calls for greater transparency after the deaths of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, another person has been killed during an immigration enforcement operation. Mainers demand and deserve accountability.

Congress has the responsibility and authority to determine whether ICE has created an enforcement culture that unnecessarily escalates encounters and places civilians at greater risk. Therefore, I need answers to the following questions:

• What is the status of the officers involved in the incident?

  • How long had the officer(s) been conducting enforcement activity and what training had they received? 

  • If they are on leave, how long is that leave period?

• There have been credible and alarming reports about the officer who allegedly discharged the weapon that resulted in Mr. Guerrero’s death, including a history of “terrifying and violent” behavior. Further, DHS reported that ICE had hired 12,000 new officers and agents in less than a year. How do you ensure the quality and experience of these new hires?

  • What information is reported from the background checks you require before hiring?

  • What information would disqualify an applicant from being hired? 

  • What is the average time between an individual submitting an application and a final job offer being extended?

The people of Maine deserve better than vague assurances after another fatal encounter involving immigration officers. We are a nation of immigrants. They are our family, friends, and our neighbors. A community is grieving and angry – as is our state. If that is not enough for the Department, immigrants are vital to Maine’s workforce; without them, our economy would crumble. To this end, I expect full cooperation between your department and Maine State Police and Biddeford Police Department in any independent investigation that they pursue, including full access to evidence and witnesses.

This needless death raises the question of whether DHS has learned anything from prior tragedies, or whether DHS has the decency to care. If DHS continues to ignore systematic failures and dismiss each fatal shooting as an isolated event, then the loss of trust in this institution is well and truly deserved, and we need to consider how to fundamentally change our approach to immigration enforcement. 

I expect a complete written response to these questions no later than July 24, 2026. Given the gravity of this incident, I also request that DHS promptly brief my office on the status of its internal review and any immediate policy changes under consideration.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

This week Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) introduced the Turn the Tide Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation would deliver more than $65 billion in federal funding over the next ten years for substance use treatment and prevention. This legislation would expand critical treatment programs, prioritize prevention and increase access to care by addressing workforce shortages. U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan introduced this legislation in the Senate.

“It’s clear that investing in substance use treatment and prevention works,” said Congressman Pappas. “This administration has repeatedly tried to devastate our efforts to combat and prevent addiction, but what we actually need is continued investment to ensure treatment and prevention programs can reach everyone across our communities. This crisis is deeply personal for Granite Staters, and I will always fight to deliver New Hampshire the resources we need to save lives and help our communities stop this crisis.”

“Substance use disorder has touched nearly every community in New Hampshire, leaving far too many families to grieve lives cut short. We have made real progress, but we cannot afford to take our foot off the gas. The Turn the Tide Act makes the long-term investments we need in prevention, evidence-based treatment, recovery housing, and the workforce that delivers lifesaving care. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues from New Hampshire in the House and Senate to ensure every Granite Stater struggling with addiction has a real opportunity to recover and rebuild,” said Congresswoman Goodlander.

Specifically, the Turn the Tide Act:

• Increases State Opioid Response (SOR) treatment grant funding to $5.5 billion per year over the next five years and provides needed flexibility so that providers can treat patients who have non-opioid related substance use disorders, such as methamphetamine or other substances.
• Expands the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Recovery Housing Program and ensures states receive more consistent funding to support patients in recovery.
• Establishes a new grant program modeled off of the successful Manchester Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team program to assist children who have been exposed to trauma, often as a result of substance use disorders among family members or friends.
• Requires that private insurers and Medicare Part D plans cover Naloxone without any co-pay or deductible requirements and prohibits insurers from setting up administrative barriers, like prior authorization, that delay start of medication-assisted treatment.

Last year Pappas led 50 of his House colleagues in urging Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy to reverse the cancellation of almost $12 billion in federal grants for state health services from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which included $80 million in public health funding for New Hampshire. He also led a call for the Administration to immediately reinstate illegally fired SAMHSA workers alongside leading members of the Addiction, Treatment, Recovery Caucus, Mental Health Caucus, and Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. A court ultimately ordered that the workers be reinstated in December 2025.

In January 2026 the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reverse its massive, sudden, and unexplained cuts to critical mental health and addiction prevention grant programs. After organizations across New Hampshire began to receive grant cancellation notices from the Department of Health and Human Services, they quickly pressed Secretary Kennedy to reverse the cancellations, and within days the Administration began reinstating this critical funding for New Hampshire organizations.