MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Today, Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement after voting to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years.

“Everyday costs are already too high, and extending Affordable Care Act assistance will help keep millions of Americans from being forced to choose between seeing a doctor and paying their rent,” said Rep. Frankel. “Senate Republicans and Donald Trump must now step up to stop a full-blown health care crisis.”

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

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
January 9, 2026                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT SECURES CRITICAL FUNDING FOR VIRGIN ISLANDS IN BIPARTISAN APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE

Washington, D.C.— Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) announced that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Commerce, Justice Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. This legislation provides critical funding for the U.S. Virgin Islands, rejects the Trump Administration’s proposed $163 billion in cuts from domestic programs, and protects funding for clean energy, environmental protection, scientific research and public safety grants. The legislation will now be taken up and considered by the U.S. Senate before moving to the President’s desk for signature.

“This funding package delivers meaningful results for the Virgin Islands while standing firm against reckless cuts that would have devastated our communities,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “I am pleased to announce the bill includes $1,172,000 in Community Project Funding specifically for critical Virgin Islands programs: $1,031,000 for the Family Resource Center Emergency Shelter and Victim Services Expansion Project and $141,000 for Project Cultiv8te, which provides after-school programming as a gun violence intervention strategy for at-risk youth.

“These funds are in addition to eight Community Project Funding requests secured in November of 2025, which included two significant mental health projects, $857,000 to the St. Clair Institute to renovate the St. Clair House of mental health and substance abuse recovery services and $788,000 to the Bush Tea and Therapy Foundation to expand the Frederiksted Center for Community Wellness.  Just as importantly, Democrats eliminated every single extreme policy provision Republicans attempted to attach to this bill.”

“This is what effective representation looks like,” Congresswoman Plaskett stated. “We delivered direct resources for our community while protecting the programs Virgin Islanders depend on. We rejected Trump’s slash-and-burn approach and eliminated every poison pill Republicans tried to attach.” 

This funding package provides $117,217,000 to the Office of Insular Affairs, which administers federal assistance to the U.S. territories and freely associated states, for general technical assistance, maintenance, disaster assistance, coral reef initiatives, and natural resources activities.

This bill provides $10.4 billion in water infrastructure through the Army Corps of Engineers ($3.8 billion above the request), $3.1 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs ($2.2 billion above the request), and $8.8 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (nearly double the requested funding). It preserves programs President Trump tried to eliminate, including funding the Weatherization Assistance Program at $329 million,  the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities at $207 million respectively, and increasing Violence Against Women Act grant funding to $720 million.

Beyond funding allocations, the bill includes strong guardrails against executive overreach and strengthens congressional oversight. It mandates minimum staffing levels for key agencies including the EPA, Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management—preventing the Trump administration from undermining their core missions. The Administration would be required to notify Congress before moving funds and the bill secures appropriations levels through detailed funding tables, preventing unilateral shifts of hundreds of millions of dollars. The package secures resources for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and National Museum of the American Latino.

“The Virgin Islands and communities across America are better off because Democrats held the line on our values and priorities,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “We reasserted Congress’s power of the purse, addressed rising energy costs, invested in community safety and water infrastructure, and protected the environment—all while eliminating every extreme policy provision that would have harmed our communities.”

Background: This appropriations package builds on P.L. 119-37, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, which provided continuing appropriations through January 30, 2026, and full-year appropriations for Agriculture, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs. The current package does not provide funding for other departments or agencies, including Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education, State-Foreign Operations, and Transportation-HUD, which have temporary funding expiring at the end of this month. Congresswoman Plaskett will continue to advocate for full-year appropriations for these remaining departments to ensure stable funding for critical services affecting the Virgin Islands.

###

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

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
January 9, 2026                                                   202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

PLASKETT STATEMENT ON SHARK ATTACK AT DORSCHE BEACH

St. Croix, USVI –  Congresswoman Plaskett released the following upon learning about the horrific shark attack at Dorsche beach:

“It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge the tragic death of Arlene Lillis, 56, of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, who lost her life Thursday following a shark attack at Dorsch Beach on St. Croix.

“Our hearts go out to her husband, Richard Lillis, and to all of her family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. The loss of a loved one under such devastating circumstances is beyond words, and our entire community shares in their grief.

“We are deeply grateful to the emergency responders who acted swiftly in their efforts to provide assistance, along with the brave bystanders who stepped in; we extend our sympathies to all those affected by this heartbreaking incident.

“Ms. Lillis’ family remains in our thoughts and prayers.”

###

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

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01) today voted for U.S. House passage of a measure to revive and extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits for another three years. The premium tax credits, which assist over twenty million Americans including over 24,000 Hawai‘i residents with their health care, expired at the end of last year.

 “Today’s successful bipartisan vote in the House confirms what I have been saying all along: that while Americans, including Members of Congress, can disagree on various issues, nobody can disagree that the cost of living and overall affordability, including health care, are unacceptably high for all Americans and getting worse,” said Case.

“This House approval offers a ray of hope not only for a bipartisan solution to our many challenges, but specifically to the millions who depend on the ACA for their basic health care. With mutual commitment, we should be able to solve this challenge and move on to our many others.”

The measure, which was forced to a full House vote against the opposition of the current House majority leadership by a rare procedure referred to as a “discharge petition”, which Case signed, passed the House on a vote of 230-196. It now moves to the U.S. Senate.

Case is part of a bipartisan group of Representatives and Senators who have been working for months (more here) and met again today to further develop a compromise measure that can pass both the House and the Senate.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) helped to successfully force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to lower health care costs for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans.

Crow voted to extend lifesaving Affordable Care Act tax credits to make health care more affordable for over 300,000 Coloradans. Despite Republican opposition, the bill passed the House and now goes to the Senate for consideration.

In a statement, Congressman Crow said:

“Life is too expensive for Colorado families. The costs of health care, housing, and education continue to rise under Trump, and Coloradans deserve action.

“For months, Democrats have sounded the alarm to protect health care, but Republicans have refused to act. Thanks to the leadership of House Democrats, today’s vote was a crucial step towards lowering health care costs for millions of hardworking Americans. 

“As Trump engages in rank corruption and wastes taxpayer dollars on foreign nation-building, I’m focused on what matters to Colorado families: making life more affordable and lowering the cost of health care. Now, the Senate needs to do its job and pass this bill. Coloradans can’t afford to wait.”

###

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

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) released the following statement in response to the House’s passage of the Affordable Care Act premium tax credit extension:

“I voted YES on extending the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits because we need to lower health care costs. Democrats fought to bring this extension to the floor for months, and it was our pressure that forced 17 Congressional Republicans to work with us and pass this bill in the House today. I urge our Senate colleagues to pass this bill to protect health care.

“Taking away the credits that millions of Americans depend on to purchase coverage forces families to choose between junk plans that provide worse coverage at higher costs or no health insurance at all. That’s unacceptable, and that’s why I voted to extend these tax credits. We need to lower costs for the American people.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) released the following statement after the House passed a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs). The EPTCs, first established under the American Rescue Plan, were designed to lower monthly premiums and expand access to coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. These credits have been a lifeline and led to record high 24.3 million individuals enrolled in ACA coverage in 2025. In CA-07 alone, more than 27,000 people rely on these credits.

“Today, the House passed a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits because Democrats refused to stop fighting for affordable, quality health care.While Republicans repeatedly blocked action, we stood our ground and used every tool available to force the House to act.

“For months, families have been left anxiously waiting, bracing for costs they know they can’t absorb. That uncertainty is no accident. Republicans deliberately created this crisis, fully aware of what it would mean for Americans already struggling to get by. At its core, this fight is about whether Americans can afford to live healthy lives. Extending the enhanced premium tax credits means parents won’t be forced to choose between health care and groceries.

“These are the people I fight for every day. Because this fight is about real people and real consequences. It’s about stability when times are hard and the simple assurance that health care will be there when it is needed most. 

“Democrats are fighting to protect affordable health care, and we are not finished. The Senate must now follow suit. Sacramentans deserve stability and security. They deserve leaders who put them first. And I will never stop fighting to protect their health care.”

# # #

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Announcement Comes Following State Approval of Application Which Maintains Outpatient Services at Monmouth Medical Indefinitely

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 issued a statement on Trump’s withdrawal from 66 international organizations, including 31 United Nations entities. 

“President Trump’s withdrawal from these vital international organizations is a continuation of his assault on the multilateral, rules-based system the U.S. helped build and from which we have benefitted. This unilateral exit empowers our adversaries and robs the United States of its voice within these institutions, limiting our ability to ensure they align with U.S. interests.

“Far from advancing our priorities, this withdrawal will only undermine U.S. national security and prosperity. Many of the organizations affected support the livelihoods of everyday Americans and U.S. companies, including UN bodies helping to ensure a clean and safe environment, fair global labor and trade standards, and investments in the future of renewable energy. 

“This decision also endangers American lives by undermining organizations that combat threats from foreign terrorists and our global adversaries. Furthermore, it will cede our influence to foreign competitors and diminish our leadership in designing the rules that govern the global digital economy, raising costs for U.S. businesses. 

“This is yet another example of how Donald Trump’s version of America first is, in practice, America alone.”