MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

OTTAWA, KS — Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited Heartland Community Health Center’s Healthy Futures mobile dental program at Ottawa High School, which provides dental exams and cleanings to local students. Recent Medicaid cuts, which Davids voted against, are threatening the financial stability of Heartland and other federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), raising the risk that some clinics could be forced to scale back services or even close due to the loss of a major source of revenue.

“Community health centers like Heartland are where people of all backgrounds and incomes go when they need care — whether it’s a kid getting a dental exam, a parent managing a chronic condition, or someone reaching out for mental health support,” said Davids. “When Medicaid is cut, it means fewer appointments, fewer providers, and clinics closing their doors altogether. If centers like Heartland are forced to scale back or shut down, families in these communities will have to travel farther, wait longer, or go without care entirely. That’s the real impact, and it’s why I’m fighting to protect access to care across Kansas.”

Last year, Davids voted against an extreme, partisan budget law, which included the largest cuts to Medicaid in American history. The law stripped health coverage from 92,937 Kansans, put six rural hospitals at risk of closure, restricted reproductive health care, and increased Affordable Care Act premiums by an average of $708 per year for families in Kansas’ Third District.

FQHCs, which mainly serve low-income families, depend heavily on Medicaid reimbursements to sustain their operations. When fewer people are covered by Medicaid, these clinics lose a major source of funding while still caring for uninsured patients. Davids warned that because of extreme Medicaid cuts, clinics like Heartland may be forced to reduce services, limit patient care, or struggle to recruit and retain providers — ultimately pushing more patients to seek care in already strained emergency rooms.

“Heartland’s Healthy Futures program reduces barriers to care by taking comprehensive dental services out to schools,” said Julie Branstrom, Chief Executive Officer, Heartland Community Health Center. “This is particularly important in rural communities where families may encounter additional barriers like transportation or a lack of dental providers. Cavities are the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States and can negatively impact children’s quality of life, school performance and overall health. School-based programs Like Healthy Futures help to bridge gaps for underserved populations, ensuring that all children have access to necessary dental care. We are grateful for Rep. Davids’ support of Federally Qualified Health Centers who serve the whole of their communities, regardless of someone’s ability to pay.”

Hospitals across Kansas are also projected to lose more than $78 million annually because of these cuts. Facilities like the University of Kansas Hospital, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, and AdventHealth Shawnee Mission are expected to face some of the steepest financial losses. Because Medicaid currently covers one-fifth of hospital spending, reductions in coverage will significantly increase uncompensated care — placing additional strain not only on hospitals but also on community health centers.

Heartland Community Health Center provides primary care, mental health services, dental care, and pediatric services to residents across Douglas County and surrounding communities. Programs like Healthy Futures help ensure that children can receive essential care regardless of their family’s income or insurance status. During her visit, Davids met with providers and staff to discuss the critical role community health centers play in delivering care to low-income Kansans — and the serious risks posed by recent Medicaid cuts.

Throughout her time in Congress, Davids has championed policies to make health care more affordable and accessible. She voted to cap insulin costs at $35 per month for Medicare recipients, extend tax credits that help families afford insurance through the Affordable Care Act, and cap annual out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors. She also supported giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices — saving 74,000 Kansans up to 79 percent — and led efforts to ban surprise medical billing and increase transparency from insurers to help patients avoid costly out-of-network care.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. –Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata welcomed official notice of a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for American Samoa Department of Health at LBJ Tropical Medical Center providing HIV Care through $16,800 in national training and technical assistance. 

Pictured with RFK jr and his wife

“More important than the grant amount is the assurance that an essential health service is available as needed at our LBJ Tropical Medical Center,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Thank you to Faafouina Sagaga for the work securing this grant so these services are ready, and thank you to all our doctors and nurses for the medical services our people rely on throughout the year. Congratulations to Governor Pulaali’i, Lt. Governor Pulu, Health Director Dr. Saipale Fuimaono and our Department of Health.”

HHS is led by Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., and these health funds are through the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), led by Administrator Thomas Engels.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Ahead of the first anniversary of President Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs on April 2, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement.

“The lasting legacy of Trump’s sweeping tariffs will forever be higher prices and a weaker American economy. The cost of groceries, gas, health care, housing, and child care – the bedrock of family budgets – are all up, making it harder for families to make ends meet. Farmers and small businesses are getting crushed by higher overhead costs. Despite the Supreme Court ruling overturning these sweeping tariffs, the president doubled down with a new set of them, creating more chaos in the economy.

“It didn’t have to be this way. Republicans could have worked with us to end this chaos months ago and returned to working on sensible trade policy that benefits families and our economy. I implore my colleagues to stand up for their constituents and help end the ongoing uncertainty around tariffs once and for all.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

SHERMAN OAKS, CA — On March 31, over 2,000 residents joined Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) for another live Telephone Town Hall to discuss key national and local issues, including economic challenges facing families, the ongoing war with Iran, and growing concerns over what Sherman described as President Donald Trump’s reckless and extreme policies.

“At a time when families are feeling squeezed by rising costs, travelers are facing chaos at our airports, and the United States risks being pulled deeper into conflict abroad, it’s more important than ever that people stay informed and engaged,” said Congressman Sherman. “I’m grateful to the thousands of constituents who joined our Town Hall and who continue to participate in these conversations. Even in a turbulent moment in Washington, our communities are paying close attention and making their voices heard.”

During the event, Congressman Sherman — a senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa — provided updates on the rapidly evolving situation involving Iran and ongoing U.S. military activity in the region. He reiterated the importance of Congress’s constitutional authority over decisions of war and peace and emphasized the need for strong oversight of executive actions that could draw the United States into a broader conflict.

Sherman also addressed widespread frustration with the current state of the economy, including rising gas prices and cost-of-living pressures facing families across the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles. He discussed his bill the No U.S. Oil Exports During Iran War Act to halt exports of U.S.-produced crude oil during the ongoing war with Iran, aiming to protect American consumers from rising energy costs and economic instability. 

In addition, Sherman spoke about the Department of Homeland Security funding impasse and its real-world consequences, including long TSA lines and airport disruptions, warning that misguided policy decisions have only exacerbated the situation for travelers.

The Telephone Town Hall featured Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who joined Sherman to provide updates on local issues affecting Valley residents and to highlight coordination between federal and local governments. Councilmember Blumenfield addressed concerns ranging from public services to infrastructure and emphasized the importance of maintaining strong communication between all levels of government during periods of uncertainty.

Constituents raised a wide range of issues, including the rising cost of living, the direction of U.S. foreign policy, airport delays and travel disruptions, ongoing immigration enforcement actions, and concerns about protecting democratic institutions and ensuring fair elections. Sherman addressed these questions directly, underscoring his commitment to transparency, oversight, and keeping constituents informed during a rapidly evolving period in Washington.

Participants had the opportunity to respond to interactive survey prompts about their top concerns.

The results of the survey questions are as follows:

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Do you support or oppose allowing voting by mail without a claim of disability or travel?

– Yes, I support voting by mail: 80%

– Yes, but only for good reason: 16%

– No, I oppose voting by mail: 3%

–  Unsure: 1%

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Who do you blame for the current government shutdown of DHS? 

-The Republican Party: 62%

– The Democratic Party: 17%

– Both Equally: 15%

– Unsure: 6%

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Do you approve of President Trump’s performance as President so far? 

– Approve: 11%

– Disapprove: 86%

– Unsure: 3%

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

MEMPHIS – In 2022, President Biden signed into law the Evaluating Lynching Locations (or ELL) for National Park Sites Act, named in part in memory of Ell Persons, lynched by a Memphis mob in 1917. The legislation Congressman Cohen introduced calls upon the National Park Service (NPS) to evaluate the presumed historic sites of lynchings in the South within 100 miles of Memphis with the purpose of designating them as national historic sites. The legislation also solicits public comment on proposed lynching location sites with Friday, April 3, as a deadline. 

In his comments, Congressman Cohen wrote, in part, “Including lynching sites in the National Park Service sends a clear message: America does not shy away from its past—we confront and learn from it to build a better future. By safeguarding these places, we ensure that the lessons of history are not forgotten, that the voices silenced by violence are heard, and that the promise of liberty and justice for all remains our guiding principle.”

See Congressman Cohen’s written public comments below.

More information about the NPS’s special resource study on lynching locations is available at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=124261.

Public Comment for the Memphis Area Lynching Locations Special Resource Study

April 3, 2026

The story of America cannot be fully told without acknowledging its darkest chapters. Among these are the racially motivated lynchings that terrorized African Americans for generations. These extrajudicial acts were not isolated incidents—they were systematic tools of oppression, designed to instill fear and deny basic human rights. To omit these sites from the National Park Service is to leave a gaping hole in our nation’s historical narrative.

I am pleased that the National Park Service is undertaking the study of lynching locations as directed by my legislation, the Evaluating Lynching Locations Act, or ELL Act, which was signed into law in 2023. Preserving these locations is not about reopening old wounds; it is about healing them through truth. Our national parks serve as living classrooms, teaching future generations about the triumphs, tragedies, and landscapes that shaped our democracy. Just as we commemorate battlefields and civil rights landmarks, we must also memorialize the places where justice was denied so brutally. People’s Grocery, the Bender/Whitfield lynching site, the Ell Persons lynching site, and others remind us of the cost of hatred and the courage of those who fought against it.

Including lynching sites in the National Park Service sends a clear message: America does not shy away from its past—we confront and learn from it to build a better future. By safeguarding these places, we ensure that the lessons of history are not forgotten, that the voices silenced by violence are heard, and that the promise of liberty and justice for all remains our guiding principle. 

Christopher Bender and Bud Whitfield, 1868

In 1868, two young white men, Christopher Bender and Bud Whitefield, were accused of stealing a horse in Raleigh, a neighborhood in north Memphis. While they were in custody, a group of between 40-60 armed men surrounded the jail and took Bender and Whitfield. The two men were later found lynched about a mile away from a bridge over the Wolf River. Bender and Whitefield’s lynchings are significant in that they exemplify extrajudicial killings that were all too familiar in our country’s past and are the only non-racially motivated lynchings recommended for study by the ELL Act. 

Wash Henley, 1869 

In 1869, police were alerted to reports of a 16-year-old girl who allegedly took $445 of her father’s money and ran away with a Black man. The man she ran away with was Wash Henley, a Black Union Army veteran turned blacksmith, who was employed by the girl’s father. Some of his friends captured Wash Henley to hand him over to the police, but a mob of 25 masked horsemen took Wash Henley, hung him, then shot and burned his body.  

Wash Henley’s case shows the pervasive history of how racism and hatred cause chaos and disheartening savagery which is a history that is not worth repeating – but worthy of remembrance. To have the Henley lynching acknowledged by the National Park Service would not only memorialize him but also show some of the dark history of Memphis and our country to condemn it so we never have to relive it. Henley fought for the Union and worked an honest job, but because he tried to marry a girl who happened to be White, he was brutally murdered. While there were anti-miscegenation laws in the United States during Reconstruction, the penalty was typically imprisonment or forced separation (which I believe were still morally unjust), but should never have been extrajudicial killing. 

People’s Grocery, the Moss, McDowell, Stewart Site, 1892 

The combined lynchings of Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell, and William Stewart add to a plethora of cases that confirms the massacre of Black America’s economy and businesses. Thomas Moss was a black businessman who owned the People’s Grocery, a store in the Curve neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee. His success made him a competitor against William Barrett, a neighboring white grocery store owner. Moss became a target of unjust accusations involving William Stewart, a young worker at the People’s Grocery Store, which led to Barrett and a police officer arriving at the store to search for Stewart. They were met by the grocery clerk, Calvin McDowell, and escalated into a physical scuffle between McDowell and Barrett. Because of that interaction, the patrons of the People’s Grocery prepared for an attack from an angry mob led by Barrett. Soon after, a shootout broke out between the two groups, resulting in the wounding of two police officers. To avoid further destruction towards their community from the mob in search of them, Moss, McDowell, and Stewart turned themselves in at the Shelby County Jail. Within a few days, the mob seized the three men from the jail and murdered them a mile north of the city. 

The People’s Grocery lynching exemplifies the racial terror that contributed to the suppression of Black Americans living in Memphis, Tennessee. Upward mobility was not only discouraged through systemic laws and Shelby County leadership, but it was also enforced by violent mobs and corrupted police gangs. It is important to learn the intricacies of past White Supremist acts that supported racial division in order to understand the racial undertones of injustices and complications today. This tragic site holds great significance towards the segregationist history in Memphis. It should be nationally recognized to honor the victims and remember the horrors that once occurred in Shelby County. 

Lee Walker, 1893 

Lee Walker’s extrajudicial murder resulted from an accusation from a young white woman, Mollie McCadden. She claims that while she was horseback riding with her sister at Bond station in northeast Shelby County, she was dragged off her horse and assaulted by a black man. A search party began searching for the assailant while the newspapers described him as “the monster” and the “negro fiend.” On July 21, Walker was arrested at his parents’ home south of New Albany, Mississippi. Sheriff A.J. McLendon took Walker to the Shelby County Jail on the morning of July 22. After nightfall, a mob gathered outside the jail. They eventually broke in and dragged Walker two blocks north to his death. He was brutally beaten, stabbed, lynched from a telegraph pole, burned, and mutilated for souvenirs. Sheriff McLendon, two police captains, a deputy sheriff, and several mob leaders in the lynching were indicted by a grand jury, but prosecutors dropped the charges after they were unable to seat a jury. 

The location of this heinous crime is significant because of the media surrounding the case and the involvement of law enforcement in the crime. The repeated theme of alleged interactions between Black boys and men and White men and women leading to a lynching kept Black communities fearful of doing anything that might be considered out of line. 

Warner Williams, Daniel Hawkins, Robert Haynes, Edward Hall, John Hayes, and Graham White, 1894

In 1894, six African American men, Warner Williams, Daniel Hawkins, Robert Haynes, Edward Hall, John Hayes, and Graham White, were arrested for suspicion of arson at the Shelby-Tipton County fairgrounds. While they were being transported to Memphis, a mob of 50 men, armed and wearing masks, stopped their wagon and massacred all six men in “Big Creek Bottoms,” Kerrville Tennessee. Thirteen suspects of this crime were indicted by a grand jury but ultimately found not guilty. 

Again, rather than allowing the judicial system to charge and convict, angry vigilantes took matters into their own hands and killed men. The case is significant because of court and newspaper reports indicating that law enforcement was aware of the likelihood of a lynching in advance, yet were unable to deescalate the anger and prevent the unlawful killings. 

Jesse Lee Bond, 1939 

The lynching of Jesse Lee Bond’s is representative of the many minor perceived slights that turn deadly for Black Americans. Jesse was a 20-year-old sharecropper who visited the S.Y. Wilson store to buy planting supplies. To ensure a record of his purchase, Bond asked for a receipt from the store cashier, Sam Wilson, who instigated an argument, then reluctantly handed over a receipt. When Sam informed his father, Charles Robert Wilson, and the store owner of the incident, the elder demanded Sam return Bond to the store. When Jesse arrived with his Aunt Luanna Bond, they were met with gunfire and ran. Charles Robert Wilson, his friend William “Bud” Johnson, and a group of others chased Bond to capture and bring him back in front of the store. They shot him to death, castrated him and then dragged his body behind a truck to the Loosahatchie River, where they staked him to the bottom. The body was “found” by authorities five days later. On the death certificate, the coroner wrote that the victim “fell into the Hatch River and was accidentally [sic] drowned.” Legal records from the Shelby County archive show that Charles R. Wilson and William Johnson were charged with first-degree murder and tried before a jury. A brief article in the January 23, 1940, issue of The Commercial Appeal indicated that the two men were quickly acquitted. 

Charle Morris, Jesse Lee Bonds’ late 96-year-old brother, was finally given the opportunity to share his details of this murder after seven decades. In 2017, Morris testified before a joint subcommittee of the state legislature. “At the age of 97, he travelled to Nashville to tell our committee his story. When he spoke about the need for justice for his brother’s death, his words touched the entire room,” said State Representative Johnnie Turner. His family has fought tirelessly to commemorate their uncle by being a helping hand in passing a bill, Tennessee Cold Case Civil Rights Crime Act signed into law in May 2018, and partnering with The Lynching Sites Project of Memphis to put up a historical marker to memorialize Bond and bring awareness to the justice he never received.

Kyra Harris Bolden is the great granddaughter of Jesse Lee Bond. She was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court in its history in 2023. Ms. Bolden reckons with the pains of her family’s past that were originally intended to disarm prosperity in her future, but she prevailed instead in spite of that past. 

Jesse Lee Bond’s lynching is an instance of a normal interaction which turned deadly due to overzealous aggression. We should not memorialize the result, but reflect upon the wrongness of this extrajudicial killing. 

Ell Persons, 1917  

In 1917, Ell Persons was lynched after being accused of sexual assault, and the murder and decapitation of 15-year-old Antoinette Rappel in Memphis, Tennessee. Investigators went to extreme lengths to charge Persons with the crime, including the exhumation of Rappel’s body during which they “saw” Person’s image in her eye. Persons was arrested twice for suspicion of the murder and upon the third was beaten until he confessed to the crime of assault and murder of Antoinette. After his arrest, he was intercepted by a mob during a police transport. He was tied to a tire, burned alive, decapitated, and dismembered for souvenirs. Published accounts of the lynching report that between 3,000 and 10,000 people attended, with a carnival-like atmosphere, with candy and food vendors present. As if the reports on this were not already haunting to the Black community, a few members of the mob rode by Beale Street and threw his decapitated head at a group of young Black teenagers.  

The Ell Persons lynching is unique due to the amount of press it received across the country, from the grisly descriptions of Rappel’s murder, the fear instilled in law enforcement enough to have the Sheriff leave town, and the advance notice of the day and time of the lynching, which contributed to the large crowd in attendance. The Ell Persons case remains widely discussed to this day due to the severity of the crimes against him, as well as the cautionary message it sent to Black families and people that either lived in the district or heard the stories of it.  

Elbert Williams, 1940 

In 1940, Elbert Williams was the first NAACP organizer known to be lynched. After encouraging Black people to vote in the upcoming election, Williams was abducted from his home. His body was found in the Hatchie River, yet authorities failed to locate suspects or make any arrests on his abduction or murder. Williams’ wife and children fled their home due to the imminent danger. Many others in his family and close circle also feared that they might also be targeted. Though there is little public information on Williams’ lynching, his role in the NAACP and the presumed motive of discouraging Black participation in elections is significant, especially in the years leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.  

Each lynching is a heinous crime. The lynchings which predominantly targeted African Americans reinforced an underlying and insidious message to other African Americans about the unwritten rules that they had to live by in order to not be attacked or killed by a mob for doing something completely ordinary if done by a White person.

As we reckon with history, it is vitally important to first condemn these horrific acts of terror that resulted in the deaths of many Memphians, southerners, and Americans. Furthermore, we must remember the names and stories of victims whose lives were unlawfully taken. Preservation and national recognition of these sites honor the victims of lynching in our cities and reminds us to continually pursue equality and justice for all Americans.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

Yesterday, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) recognized the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition during a special reception held at his Augusta office. Members of Congress sponsor this competition each spring, challenging students from across the nation to produce an original artwork depicting life in their home district. This year’s competition drew participants from across Georgia’s 12th District, whose submissions were scored by a panel of judges.

The first-place winner’s artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one full year. Other finalists will have their work displayed in one of Congressman Allen’s district offices.

Following last night’s reception, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

“I look forward to the Congressional Art Competition every year as the gifted young artists who call Georgia-12 home put their artistic talents on full display. It is a privilege and a blessing to spend time with these students, parents, and teachers, to celebrate their achievements and dedication. I am eager to showcase this beautiful artwork in the U.S. Capitol and my district offices for the next year.”

First Place: Kaiden Oliver, from Davidson Fine Arts, with his piece: “Southern Bell”

First Runner-Up: Arianna Brunk, from Columbia Virtual Academy, with her piece: “Lady in Red”

Second Runner-Up: Taylor Tankersley, from Davidson Fine Arts, with her piece: “Soul of Augusta”

Third Runner-Up and People’s Choice Award Winner: Nidhi Patel, from Lakeside High School, with her piece: “The Ocean is not Blue”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)

WASHINGTON — Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) introduced the bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act, legislation to fix Medicare payment formulas that do not account for the cost pressures facing hospitals in rural and lower-wage areas. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) are leading companion legislation in the Senate.

“Access to health care should not depend on a person’s ZIP code,” said Congressman Kustoff. “Many rural hospitals are held back by outdated payment policies that fail to account for the challenges they face. I am proud to introduce this legislation to support these hospitals so they can keep their doors open and continue serving patients who depend on them every day.”

“Alabama has endured some of the most devastating hospital closures in the nation. Each one leaves families traveling farther for care, mothers delivering babies without nearby maternity units, and seniors losing access to the doctors they’ve trusted for decades,” said Rep. Sewell. “The introduction of the Save Struggling Hospitals Act could not come at a more critical moment. By strengthening the financial foundation of vulnerable hospitals, this bill offers a lifeline to communities that have consistently been asked to do more with less. It will help hospitals keep their doors open so that patients get th e care they need, regardless of their ZIP code.”

Background:

Hospitals in West Tennessee and across the country serve as a critical point of care, but many continue to face challenges due in part to wage index calculations that do not reflect local economic conditions. Recent data shows over 40 percent of rural hospitals are operating at a loss, with more than 400 at risk of closure, underscoring the need for targeted, responsible reforms.

Under current law, Medicare’s payment structure can leave hospitals in certain regions at a disadvantage, undercutting its intent to support access to care across all

communities. From fiscal years 2020 through 2024, Medicare included a policy to help address this imbalance, but it has since been removed, creating renewed uncertainty for hospitals that rely on it. The Save Struggling Hospitals Act permanently restores the wage index adjustment, helping ensure these hospitals are treated more fairly within the system.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08) traveled on Air Force One and welcomed President Donald Trump to Memphis. While in Memphis, President Trump met with law enforcement to discuss the Memphis Safe Task Force’s efforts to reduce violent crime in Shelby County. Congressman Kustoff issued the following statement: 

“I am proud to welcome President Trump to Memphis as he highlights the results of the Memphis Safe Task Force. Thanks to the President’s leadership, Memphis is seeing a reduction in violent crime,” said Rep. Kustoff. “People in Memphis and Shelby County deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and the Memphis Safe Task Force shows what is possible when federal, state, and local law enforcement work together. I will continue to lead and support efforts with the President to make Memphis safer.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15)

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-14) released the following statement after a federal judge ruled that his civil lawsuit against President Donald Trump, related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, will proceed toward trial on most claims:

“Donald Trump thinks he can get away with murder,” said Congressman Eric Swalwell. “This lawsuit is long overdue for his hand in the destruction of our Capitol and the attack on our democracy on January 6. This case is for my colleagues, the brave Capitol Police officers, Americans everywhere, and the future of our nation. Those who incited and fueled the violence must be held responsible. I’m thankful that we will get some accountability and some measure of closure from that dark day. And that finally, the truth will come to light. We deserve it.”

In March 2021, Rep. Swalwell, along with other Members of Congress and Capitol Police officers, filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeking civil damages for injuries and trauma resulting from the January 6 attack. In February 2022, President Trump sought to dismiss the case entirely. A judge rejected that attempt, stating the case against him was plausible.

 In more recent filings, President Trump asked the court to tell the officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 that he was immune from any responsibility for the death, injury, and destruction caused when the mob answered his call and descended upon them. Today, the court said no to each request made by President Trump’s attorneys.

With today’s ruling, the court rejected those arguments in large part, allowing the case to proceed toward trial on most claims.

View the decision here. 

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), CAPAC Chair Grace Meng (NY-06), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced a House resolution recognizing April as “National Language Access Month”. Senator Alex Padilla (CA) is leading the Senate companion.

Language access is essential to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of English proficiency, can fully participate in and access public services and civic life. Over 25.7 million individuals in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP) and over 71 million individuals in the United States speak a language other than English at home. Several state and local governments including Hawai`i and New York already recognize April as Language Access Month.

The resolution highlights the importance of meaningful language access in ensuring equitable participation in Federal programs and services and encouraging awareness of language access rights and resources to all communities.

“The diverse languages spoken by our communities is something to celebrate, not punish or exclude. I am proud to lead this resolution declaring April as National Language Access Month to bring attention to the millions of individuals in the U.S. who have LEP and the importance of having language access services,” said CAPAC Chair Emerita Judy Chu (CA-28). “I first got my start in public service fighting an ugly, anti-immigrant English-only initiative in my hometown of Monterey Park. As the Trump Administration seeks to destroy language access across the federal government, it is important that we continue this fight and once again overturn these hateful policies.” 

“Every American, no matter what language they speak, should be able to fully participate in federal programs and services. I am proud to co-lead this resolution recognizing April as National Language Access Month and celebrating the diversity that makes our country stronger and more vibrant. As President Trump eliminates federal translation and interpretation services, CAPAC and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will continue to stand together to protect language access for individuals with limited English proficiency, including millions in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community,” said Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

“I am proud to co-lead this resolution recognizing National Language Access Month because language access is a civil right, not a privilege. At a time when people are being targeted for how they speak or who they are, we must be clear: discrimination has no place in our democracy,” said Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is demanding the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights investigate these practices and their impact on Latino communities. Language access is about dignity, fairness, and ensuring everyone can fully participate in our economy and our democracy.”

“President Trump’s efforts to slash funding for English language learners and illegally declare English the national language are an un-American affront to our values and the tens of millions of hardworking Americans and immigrants with limited English proficiency,” said Senator Padilla (CA). “This National Language Access Month, we must maintain and improve language tools that help millions of Californians and people across the country access critical federal programs and services like housing support, health care, education, tax assistance, and legal counsel.”

This resolution comes in the wake of President Trump’s rollback of federal language access provisions with Executive Order (EO) 14224, which seeks to declare English as the official language of the United States and rescinds EO 13166, a decades-long policy that established meaningful language accessibility across federal agencies and funding recipients.

The resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Barragán, Dean, Lieu, Menendez, Min, Mullin, Holmes Norton, Thanedar, Thompson, Tlaib, Vargas, and Wilson. 

The resolution is further endorsed by UnidosUS, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), California Center for Civic Participation, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), Khmer Community of Seattle-King County, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network, Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Sikh Coalition, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE), BCNC, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Stop AAPI Hate, South Asian Public Health Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), AREAA, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, California Healthy Nail Salons Collaborative, South Asian American Justice Collaborative, United Nations and European Union, NAKASEC TX, Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation, Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association, Asian Law Caucus, Hmong National Development, Inc., Hmong American Partnership, Little Tokyo Service Center, Ayuda, Japanese American Citizens League, Century 21 Advantage Gold, Long Island Language Advocates Coalition, Saahas for Cause, Association of Language Companies, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Colorado Interpreters and Translators Association, Colorado Language Connection (Aurora Mental Health & Recovery), Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, NAJIT, South Asian Network, and SAAVETX EF.