MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) and Jimmy Patronis (FL-01) introduced the Sunset Section 230 Act, which would repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, making it possible for Americans to bring legal action against big tech companies responsible for online harm. 

“With one in five American teenagers reporting harm to their mental health from social media sites, it is critical and urgent that we take action to rein in the big tech companies that are allowing the dissemination of harmful material on their platforms. These companies have been profiting at the expense of young people, who have been harassed and subjected to harmful content,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “This legislation combined with the recent legal action against companies like Meta should send a loud message: Big Tech’s days of acting with impunity, wreaking havoc, and then asking for forgiveness once the damage has been done are over.” 

“Big Tech has become a crooked dealer, pushing digital fentanyl to our kids while profiting from their addiction. Enough is enough. I’m proud to partner with Congressman DeSaulnier to co-lead the Sunset Section 230 Act and fight to repeal Section 230 once and for all. It’s time to hold Big Tech accountable and put our kids’ safety ahead of Big Tech’s profits,” said Congressman Patronis.

Section 230 was created in 1996 as part of the Communications Decency Act to help encourage innovation and growth among new social media companies, but 30 years later as these companies have become inordinately powerful, Section 230 has become obsolete and dangerous. By sunsetting Section 230 after two years, this bill would provide much needed reform to our tech policy that would protect all users of social media, particularly children, from harmful content and hold companies responsible for demonstrated injury to users of their platforms.

Introduction of this legislation comes as Meta agreed this summer to pay up to $18 billion to settle claims brought by 29 U.S. states that the company had contributed to the national youth mental health crisis. The deal also mandates that Meta introduce new guardrails for young users of its platforms, including default daily time limits and nighttime blocks that can only be lifted by a parent, an enhanced mechanism for teens to report potentially harmful content and a requirement that Meta respond to 90% of those reports within six hours, and bans on features such as cosmetic procedure image filters and the display of the numbers of likes on posts. Earlier this year, Meta suffered additional losses in court over claims it created addictive products that harmed young Americans.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

Congressman DeSaulnier is a senior member of the House Committee on Education & Workforce and a longtime advocate for consumer safety and the health and wellbeing of young people, having sponsored legislation to hold e-cigarette companies accountable for their role in the youth vaping crisis and to increase access to supports, services, and resources for children, students, workers, and families by strengthening school-based behavioral health care, bolstering mental health parity protections, and ensuring access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits for workers and families.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Chu (CA-28), Rep. Sherman (CA-32), Sen. Schiff (D-CA), and Sen. Padilla (D-CA) sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Cameron Hamilton demanding the agency immediately release outstanding funding for the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP), which is set to terminate on September 30, 2026. 

Nearly twenty months after the devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires, thousands of survivors remain displaced. The DCMP has been a lifeline for many, providing survivors with individualized assistance to navigate FEMA and SBA assistance, insurance claims, temporary housing, and long-term rebuilding plans. The demand for this program remains high: providers report 1,397 open cases and roughly 700 additional survivors on a waitlist, with more than 1,000 active cases involving Eaton Fire survivors alone. DCMP referrals have helped survivors access more than $100 million in direct assistance since January 2025. If the program shuts down, providers estimate 109 case management staff positions will be eliminated.

The looming termination is not due to a lack of approved funding. FEMA has simply failed to release millions of dollars it has already approved for the program. The State of California requested approximately $26 million to operate the program, and FEMA approved roughly $13 million. However, only about $3 million has been paid to date, leaving nearly $10 million in approved funding outstanding. A California Department of Social Services (CDSS) request for approximately $6 million in supplemental funding also remains pending.

“Twenty months after the Eaton Fire devastated our communities, survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles Fires have already waited longer than survivors of any other disaster for long-term federal recovery funding,” said Rep. Chu. Now, FEMA is withholding millions in approved recovery funding, forcing the Disaster Case Management Program to shut down more than a year early while survivors are still waiting for the help they need. Shutting down such a critical lifeline for no reason is indefensible. I’m calling on FEMA to immediately provide the funding necessary to keep these case managers on the job. Eaton Fire survivors and communities across Los Angeles have already lost enough. I will not stop fighting until they have the federal resources they need to rebuild and come home.”

“FEMA needs to provide these funds quickly”, said Rep. Sherman. “The Los Angeles wildfires were the costliest in U.S. history, and Congress needs to provide funding for the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) so it can accomplish its purpose of providing individualized assistance to fire survivors in accessing federal benefits they qualify for and developing long-term recovery plans.”

The lawmakers are demanding FEMA immediately release the remaining funds under the existing DCMP award and expedite review of CDSS’s supplemental funding request.

Read the full letter HERE and below. 

—

September 10, 2026

The Honorable Cameron Hamilton
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20472

Dear Administrator Hamilton:

We write with urgent concern regarding the impending termination of the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) serving survivors of the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades Fires in Los Angeles County. According to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), the program will be forced to end on September 30, 2026, because the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not provided sufficient funding to continue operations.

Nearly twenty months after these devastating fires, thousands of survivors remain displaced and continue to face significant barriers to rebuilding their homes and communities. The DCMP provides critical, individualized assistance to survivors navigating the complex recovery process, including accessing FEMA and Small Business Administration assistance, navigating insurance claims, securing temporary housing, identifying rebuilding resources, and developing long-term recovery plans. These services are particularly important for older adults, people with disabilities, individuals with limited English proficiency, and other survivors who may face additional barriers to accessing recovery assistance.

The continued need for these services is clear. DCMP providers report that there are currently 1,397 open cases and approximately 700 additional survivors on a waitlist for case management services. More than 1,000 of the active cases involve Eaton Fire survivors. Since January 2025, providers report that DCMP referrals have helped survivors access more than $100 million in direct assistance. If the program terminates on September 30, providers estimate that approximately 109 DCMP staff positions will be eliminated, disrupting assistance for survivors who are still actively working to recover.

We are particularly concerned by reports regarding the status of federal funding for the program. According to DCMP providers, California initially requested approximately $26 million from FEMA to operate the program. FEMA approved approximately $13 million, but only approximately $3 million has been paid to date, leaving approximately $10 million of the approved award outstanding. We further understand that CDSS has submitted a request for approximately $6 million in supplemental funding to sustain the program through the full period requested by the state.

We therefore urge FEMA to immediately release any remaining funds available under the existing DCMP award and expeditiously review and approve CDSS’s pending request for supplemental funding necessary to prevent an interruption in services. FEMA must take all available steps to ensure that survivors do not lose access to their case managers on September 30 simply because federal funding has not been provided in time.

Given the imminent termination of the program, we also request responses to the following questions:

1. What is preventing FEMA from releasing the remaining funding under the existing DCMP award, and when will those funds be made available to California?
2. What is the status of CDSS’s pending request for approximately $6 million in supplemental funding, and when will FEMA make a determination?
3. What actions will FEMA take before September 30 to prevent any interruption in case management services for survivors?

The Eaton and Palisades Fires devastated communities across Los Angeles County. With thousands of survivors still displaced and nearly 2,100 households either receiving or waiting for case management assistance, withdrawing this support now would undermine the recovery work that survivors, community organizations, and government agencies have spent nearly twenty months undertaking.

We urge FEMA to act immediately to prevent any interruption in these critical services. Given the September 30 deadline, we request a response to this letter no later than September 18, 2026.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), and Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) introduced the Higher Education Oversight for Nonprofits Ensuring Standards and Transparency Act, or the HONEST Act, to establish new safeguards for IRS investigations of colleges and universities. 

The bill comes as the Department of the Treasury and IRS move forward with new regulations affecting the tax-exempt status of private schools, including colleges and universities. Under the new proposal, as many as 18,000 schools could be affected, along with roughly 750,000 students who receive scholarships tied to race, ethnicity, or national origin. The rule would reach beyond admissions to scholarships, student programs, and other policies that colleges use to serve their students. 

“I spent 40 years as a professor, and I know our colleges and universities should not have to worry about the IRS being used as a political weapon,” said Congresswoman Adams,Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. “The HONEST Act does not prevent the IRS from enforcing the law, it simply ensures a fair and transparent process before the federal government investigates a college or university.” 

“Like other institutions, colleges and universities in the United States are entitled to ‘Due Process,’ the two most beautiful words in the English language,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08). “I am glad to partner with Representative Adams to introduce the HONEST Act, which preserves important federal tax investigation authorities while ensuring that colleges and universities get the same Due Process protection as houses of worship receive.”

The HONEST Act mirrors protections that already exist for churches and houses of worship, where the IRS must follow added procedures before opening certain tax inquiries. The bill would bring a similar process to colleges and universities, adding due process without taking away the IRS’s ability to hold schools accountable when they break the law. 

The legislation is endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

“The American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, with nearly1,600 member institutions, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad, strongly endorses the HONEST Act,” said a representative of the American Council on Education.  “The HONEST Act creates strong guardrails to protect our nation’s colleges and universities, both public and private nonprofit institutions, from the misuse of federal tax-exempt oversight authority by the Department of the Treasury and the IRS. This bill would make important enhancements to protections already in law and we hope it will be swiftly taken up and passed by the full Congress.”

“Nonprofit organizations, including institutions of higher education, have had their tax-exempt status threatened for no more than failure to operate in accordance with prevailing administrative orthodoxy,” said Dr. Charles L. Welch, President & CEO of the AASCU. “Colleges and universities must be able to carry out their missions—advancing academic achievement, research, and workforce preparation—without concern that lawful operations could trigger punitive action. The HONEST Act provides important safeguards to ensure transparency, consistency, and fairness in oversight of nonprofit institutions.”

The HONEST Act would: 

• Protect academic decisions from being used as a reason for an IRS investigation: The IRS cannot target a school based solely on its curriculum, accreditation, or other academic policies unless there is a violation of federal law.
• Make the IRS explain why it is investigating a school: A senior Treasury official must document evidence of a clear tac regulation violation an inquiry begins.
• Give the school a chance to respond: Colleges and universities must be told what the IRS is looking at and have an opportunity to meet with the agency. 
• Put a time limit on investigations: IRS examinations generally must be finished within two years. 
• Stop the IRS from repeatedly reopening the same issue: After a clean review, the IRS generally cannot come back on the same issue for five years. 
• Require another level of review before serious action is taken: The IRS cannot revoke tax-exempt status or take certain other enforcement actions without additional internal approval. 
• Require Congress to be notified: Treasury must report these investigations to the House and Senate tax-writing committees. 
• Apply the protections to public colleges and certain university foundations and endowments. 

A one pager for the bill can be found here.

The full text of the bill can be found here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

The funding will strengthen college and career readiness for more than 860 Inland Empire residents every year
SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) announced a $241,332 grant award for California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) to expand educational opportunities, workforce training, financial literacy and planning for underserved populations in the Inland Empire. 
The funding will support CSUSB’s TRIO Educational Opportunity Center (TRIO EOC) Project, which offers comprehensive academic and career services to adults looking to go back to school and youth who did not graduate from high school. The program offers resources to help these individuals pursue higher education and plan for their futures, including completing their GEDs, applying to college, navigating financial aid applications, financial literacy courses, finding apprenticeships and preparing for careers in good-paying fields.
“Everyone in the Inland Empire deserves the chance to pursue an education and find a good-paying job, regardless of their age or background,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “I’m proud to announce this funding for CSUSB to strengthen and expand their academic and workforce preparation programs, creating more opportunities for people here in the Inland Empire to achieve their career and financial goals.”  
“Education has the power to transform lives, strengthen families, and change the trajectory of entire communities,” said Dalia Hernandez, Director, TRIO EOC, CSUSB. “Through the support of the U.S. Department of Education and the continued institutional investment of California State University, San Bernardino, the TRIO Educational Opportunity Center (TRIO EOC) is positioned to expand access to critical educational resources for individuals across the Inland Empire. Through TRIO EOC, CSUSB is reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that individuals have the guidance, resources, and opportunities they need to pursue higher education and achieve their college and career goals. We are not simply helping individuals navigate the path to higher education; we are removing barriers, opening doors, and creating pathways to economic mobility and lifelong success. This federal investment, coupled with CSUSB’s ongoing commitment to the communities we serve, reflects our shared belief that talent and potential exist everywhere—and opportunity should, too. TRIO EOC is more than a program; it is an investment in people, families, and the future of the Inland Empire.”
This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Educational Opportunity Centers (84.066A) program grant awards.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) announced she secured $258,717,781 in federal grant funding for the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor to support a wide range of research initiatives, including cancer research, aging research, allergy and infectious diseases research, and more. The funding comes from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and was made possible by Congresswoman Dingell’s advocacy.

“These funds are a critical step in improving the health and well-being of communities in Michigan and across the country,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “These grants will bolster the University of Michigan’s leadership in research and innovation. I am proud to have secured this money and will always work to deliver our state federal resources that lead to better treatments and patient outcomes.”

Some of the projects receiving funding include:

$7,168,226 for Cancer Research

$1,169,992 for Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research

$1,520,330 for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research

$562,696 for Aging Research

$1,028,998 for Cardiovascular Diseases Research

$629,003 for Oral Diseases and Disorders Research

$381,950 for Nursing Research

$376,460 for Human Genome Research

$375,336 for Biomedical Research and Research Training

$577,444 for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research

$598,644 for Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research

$3,831,85 for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance

$1,347,673 for Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders

$43,947 for Lung Diseases Research

$178,515 for Vision Research

$249,938 for Opioid Programs

$610,843 for Arthritis Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research

$223,829 for Blood Diseases and Resources Research

$505,710 for Alcohol Research Programs

$500,000 for Sickle Cell Data Collection Program

HHS is the largest grant-making agency in the United States. Most HHS grants are provided directly to states, territories, tribes, and educational and community organizations, then distributed to eligible individuals and organizations. For more information on HHS grants, click HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

SOUTHERN PINES, NC – This week, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, met with AT&T officials and local leaders in Moore County to discuss areas with poor cell service and continue his push for better coverage across the community.

“Folks in Moore County deserve reliable cell service,” said Rep. Hudson. “I’ve made it clear to the major providers I want them here on the ground, seeing the problems firsthand, and working with us on solutions. I appreciate AT&T coming to Moore County to continue the conversation, and I’ll keep working until folks see better service across our community.”

During the visit, Hudson discussed areas where residents, businesses, and visitors continue to experience weak signal, dropped calls, and unreliable service. Hudson also heard from AT&T officials about their network in the area and opportunities to improve service for customers in Moore County.

Background

The AT&T visit follows Hudson’s July visit with Verizon officials and Southern Pines Mayor Taylor Clement, when Hudson brought the company to Moore County to see poor cell service firsthand. The group toured a small cell site in Aberdeen, met in downtown Southern Pines, and visited a cell tower near Moore County Airport.

That effort has already produced results. Verizon recently activated the site near Moore County Airport, improving service for Verizon customers in the surrounding area.

Hudson previously met with Verizon officials in December 2025 to push for better service in Moore County and across the Ninth District. As Telecom Subcommittee Chairman, Hudson will continue working with AT&T, Verizon, and other providers to improve reliable cell service across Moore County.

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

In response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14399 seeking to exert control over mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), co-chair of the Congressional Postal Caucus, led 99 members in calling on the Postmaster General to revoke a Postal Service rule codifying the order. In addition to that, Pappas joined a bipartisan coalition in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the matter of United States Postal Service, et al., v. State of California, et al., a lawsuit brought by a coalition of State Attorneys General against the U.S. Postal Service.

One-third of Americans are expected to vote by mail in the upcoming midterm elections—a voting practice Donald Trump himself used as recently as August 2026, when the president voted in Florida’s Republican primary. A 2025 Brookings Institution study found an average of just four cases of voter fraud for every 10 million mail-in ballots cast — and that states using universal mail-in voting have among the lowest fraud rates in the country.

Letter to Postmaster General David P. Steiner:

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) led 97 colleagues in calling on Postmaster General David P. Steiner to revoke a Postal Service rule that codifies President Trump’s Executive Order targeting vote-by-mail.

“The evidence is clear: voting by mail is safe, effective, and helps to ensure everyone is able to execute their constitutional right to vote. USPS has played an essential role in elections for generations – and it is our fear that this final rule risks harming the democratic process and severely damaging USPS’s relationship with the millions of Americans who rely on USPS to deliver ballots every election cycle,” the members wrote.  

The lawmakers warn that if the rule survives legal challenge, it would carry real consequences: disrupting operations for tens of thousands of USPS employees, creating new obstacles for tens of millions of voters who rely on mail-in ballots, and further eroding public trust in the electoral process.

Amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the matter of United States Postal Service, et al., v. State of California, et al.:

Congressman Pappas joined a court filing challenging the legality of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14399. The court case challenges a Final Rule issued by the USPS pursuant to Trump’s directive that imposes unconstitutional and unworkable restrictions on mail-in voting, including requiring states to provide a “citizenship verification list” and attempting to give USPS control over who can vote by mail.

In the court filing, the amici curiae argue that the order violates the separation of powers and usurps congressional authorities outlined in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which gives the states and Congress exclusive authority over election administration.

“As current and former legislators, amici took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States—including its guarantee of the separation of powers. Amici have a particular interest in defending the institutional role of the Legislative Branch under Article I of the Constitution and in vindicating the long-settled principle that the Constitution commits ultimate regulatory authority over federal elections to Congress. The Constitution does not contemplate the Executive Branch acting unilaterally to assert power over federal elections. Yet that is what the Order and Final Rule do,” wrote the lawmakers. 

The amici also pointed to a recent federal court ruling blocking the USPS from implementing its newly finalized mail ballot rule for the midterm elections, saying the agency lacked the authority to implement the rule and that its actions are “substantively unconstitutional and contrary to law.” The group concluded by asserting States’ power to administer elections and Congress’s power to make or alter rules regulating elections, which the Supreme Court itself has described as an “override” authority. The president’s illegal incursion on this authority is an attempt to disenfranchise people who depend on mail-in ballots to vote.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Letter Comes Amidst Alarming Spike in Possible Modern-Day Lynchings

“Inaction by the federal government is tantamount to complicity. This is part of the legacy of racial terror in the United States, and this neglect has long-term consequences.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led 59 colleagues in writing to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) demanding a thorough, transparent, and comprehensive federal investigation into the numerous incidents of Black people found hanging across the country. The Congresswoman’s letter follows a series of deaths which raise suspicion of foul play given the role of lynching in American history.

The growing number of Black people found hanging in public is a national crisis. A recent report documented more than 70 modern-day lynchings in the United States between 2000 and 2025.  In 2026 alone, there have already been at least 10 reported hangings of Black people. They were as young as 18 years old and lived in different parts of the country, including Mississippi, Michigan, and New York. Many families have publicly questioned the conclusions of local and state investigations.

“Inaction by the federal government is tantamount to complicity. This is part of the legacy of racial terror in the United States, and this neglect has long-term consequences,” the lawmakers continued. “Not only are innocent lives lost, but lynching inflicts deep traumatic and psychological wounds on family members, neighbors, and the entire Black community.”

“Congress enacted the Emmett Till Antilynching Act in 2022 to ensure the DOJ and FBI are empowered to fully investigate suspicious deaths and hold individuals accountable,” the lawmakers continued. “It is incumbent upon you to do just that.”

This letter demands a thorough, transparent, and comprehensive federal investigation into every hanging death of a Black individual across the United States. At a minimum, each investigation, with permission of the decedents’ families, should include an independent autopsy, an audit of local and state law enforcement investigations, review of physical and testimonial evidence, and a final report submitted to Congress explaining the agency’s findings. The letter also calls for robust data collection that tracks the hanging deaths of Black people in a transparent and systematic manner.

Joining Congresswoman Pressley in sending the letter are Representatives Alma Adams, Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Wesley Bell, Sanford Bishop, Everton Blair, Brendan Boyle, Shontel Brown, Janelle Bynum, André Carson, Troy Carter, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Mark DeSaulnier, Sarah Elfreth, Jesús “Chuy” García, Sylvia García, Jimmy Gomez, Al Green, Adelita Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Glenn Ivey, Jonathan Jackson, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Robin Kelly, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Summer Lee, Jennifer McClellan, LaMonica McIver, Gregory Meeks, Analilia Mejía, Christian Menefee, Kweisi Mfume, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Frank Pallone Jr., Mark Pocan, Stacey Plaskett, Delia Ramírez, Terri Sewell, Lateefah Simon, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Shri Thanedar, Bennie Thompson, Rashida Tlaib, Ritchie Torres, Lauren Underwood, Nydia M. Velázquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Maxine Waters, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.

Full text of the letter is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

CHICAGO — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), author of the bipartisan 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act and a Vice Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, today joined Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Dulce Quintero, The Trevor Project, NAMI Chicago, Equality Illinois, and other mental health and LGBTQ+ advocates for a roundtable and press conference calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump Administration to restore specialized 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline services for LGBTQ+ young people.

“When an LGBTQ+ person reaches out for help in a moment of crisis, they should be able to reach a counselor trained to understand what they are going through,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Press 3 provided that lifesaving support, and the Trump Administration shut it down. I worked with partners from both parties to secure $33.1 million for the program and directed the Administration to restore these lifesaving services. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. needs to turn Press 3 back on and make sure every LGBTQ+ person, including transgender young people, can get the help they need when they need it most.”

During the roundtable at NAMI Chicago, participants discussed efforts to restore Press 3 and strengthen crisis support in Illinois. The state is working with The Trevor Project to train general 988 counselors in LGBTQ+ crisis competency while the specialized federal service remains unavailable.

Congress directed $33.1 million in Fiscal Year 2026 funding toward restoring the specialized services. In June, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department acknowledged in a response to a bipartisan request led by Krishnamoorthi that Congress had directed the services to be restored, but said it was still assessing implementation while seeking to comply with Executive Order 14168. Krishnamoorthi has also introduced the bipartisan 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act to permanently protect the specialized services and require HHS to reserve at least 9 percent of annual 988 funding for them.