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

BROADVIEW, IL — Today, following a federal court ruling blocking the Trump administration’s restrictions on congressional access to immigration detention facilities, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) conducted an oversight visit at the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility after months of being unlawfully denied entry. Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb temporarily paused ICE and Department of Homeland Security policies requiring Members of Congress to provide seven days’ notice before visiting immigration detention facilities—restrictions the court found likely exceeded DHS’s statutory authority and interfered with Congress’s constitutional oversight responsibilities.

“For months, the Trump Administration blocked lawful congressional oversight into conditions inside immigration detention facilities, including here in Broadview, while carrying out increasingly militarized immigration raids that sow fear in our communities,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. “Congress has both the legal authority and the obligation to conduct real-time oversight. My visit follows a clear court ruling reaffirming that authority, and I will continue using every tool available to force the Trump Administration to follow the law, respect due process, and treat people in custody with dignity the American people demand.”

The Broadview facility has been a repeated flashpoint for denied congressional access. On October 8 and again on October 13, Congressman Krishnamoorthi was turned away from the facility despite citing his statutory authority to conduct oversight. Earlier this year, on June 17, he was denied entry to a South Loop ICE facility alongside Congressman Jonathan Jackson, where ICE officials contacted local law enforcement to remove the Members of Congress from the premises.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), a cosponsor of H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, released the following statement after the House passed the comprehensive permitting reform package that streamlines the broken NEPA process this Thursday:

“In Northern Minnesota, our broken permitting system is preventing important mining projects like Twin Metals, NewRange, and Talon Metals from getting online, and forcing basic road, transportation, and water infrastructure projects to face massive delays and costs. The SPEED Act takes politics out of permitting and gets America building again. I was proud to lead on this legislation with Chairman Westerman and Representative Golden.

“The SPEED Act does not weaken foundational environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, or Endangered Species Act. It simply streamlines the NEPA process and closes loopholes that have been exploited from day one to stop good projects through endless litigation and red tape.”

“I urge my colleagues in the Senate to swiftly pass this legislation and deliver real permitting reform for the American people.”

Background: The SPEED Act (H.R. 4776), led by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), is bipartisan legislation that restores the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to its original intent by addressing statutory flaws causing lengthy permitting delays and frivolous litigation. The outdated NEPA process averages 4.5 years of review, generates thousands of pages of analysis, and costs taxpayers an estimated $3.7 trillion through endless lawsuits. By streamlining environmental reviews, promoting early stakeholder engagement, limiting abusive litigation with a 150-day filing deadline, and establishing predictable timelines, the SPEED Act simplifies procedures, clarifies NEPA’s scope, protects shovel-ready projects, and empowers critical infrastructure, energy, and mining projects—boosting American jobs, reducing dependence on foreign adversaries like China, and lowering costs for families while maintaining the strictest environmental standards in the world.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), Senator Kevin Cramer (ND), and Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-01) sent a letter to the Canadian government inquiring about Canada’s recent termination of the Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) permit program. On this announcement, Congressman Stauber released the following statement:

“While I am disappointed that Canada has suspended a program that Americans and Canadians in border communities rely on, I am hopeful that its new remote access program will address the needs of these unique economies,” said Congressman Stauber. “I look forward to working with the Canadian government to ensure the security of our shared border while creating an environment for small businesses along the border to thrive.”

Read the full letter here.

Background: The RABC permit program is a Canadian program that allows permit holders to enter Canada at remote locations in northern Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Its participants—which average around 11,000 annually—rely on these permits to operate small businesses and manage properties.

In 2024, Canada began a systematic review of the RABC program. During this review, Congressman Stauber had met with Canadian officials, sent three inquiries to Canadian Ministers of Public Safety, and held a roundtable that featured local stakeholders, elected officials, and members of the Canadian government.

On December 19, 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency announced that the RABC program will end on September 14, 2026. Current valid permits will be extended to September 13, 2026. It is reported that the RABC program will be replaced by an expanded telephone reporting system.

You can read the Canada Border Services Agency’s release here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

Washington DC. – Today, the House of Representatives passed, in a bipartisan fashion, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845). This legislation co-sponsored by Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), will delist the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Specifically, the bill requires the first Trump Administration’s November 2020 rule delisting the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List be reissued. This will allow states to manage individual wolf populations based on clear science, while preventing activist judges from singlehandedly overturning this rule. This bill, long championed by Rep. Stauber will safeguard farmers’ livelihoods and livestock, keep pets safe in our communities, and allow deer populations to rebound for Minnesota hunters.

“Delisting of the gray wolf has been a top priority for me in Congress and I applaud my colleagues for passing this crucial bill,” Congressman Stauber said. “As I’ve said before, the gray wolf recovery is a genuine conservation success story and should be celebrated. The science is clear: populations have recovered. Delisting will protect our farmers and their livestock, help our rural families and communities, and—importantly—return to local control of wolf management. I’m proud to have helped get it across the finish line.”

“With today’s House passage, the bill will head to the Senate. I urge Minnesota’s two U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith to swiftly pass this legislation,” Congressman Stauber added.

Background: The Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845) was introduced during this session of Congress by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04) and Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07). Stauber was an early-cosponsor and voted for the bill passage in the House Committee on Natural Resources.

In 2020, the gray wolf was delisted in the lower 48 states under guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based on science and recovery of wolf populations. However, in 2022, a federal district court judge in California overturned the federal rule, placing the wolves back on the threatened and endangered lists. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service previously attempted to delist the wolf during the Bush and Obama Administrations, but federal courts also blocked these actions. The Trump Administration’s 2020 delisting of the gray wolf was defended in court by the Biden Administration and continues to be defended by the Trump Administration. Passage of today’s bill was supported by a variety of stakeholders nationwide representing farmers, ranchers, conservationists and sportsmen, among others.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the American Water Stewardship Act, bipartisan legislation led by Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) to reauthorize critical funding for programs that maintain and improve water quality across the nation, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

“The passage of the American Water Stewardship Act is fantastic news for communities across America, especially in our beloved Great Lakes region,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “This bill will lock in funding for programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, driving jobs, boosting recreation, protecting drinking water, and delivering massive economic growth while preserving important American water systems for generations to come. I look forward to this bill passing on the House Floor soon.”

In addition to the GLRI, the American Water Stewardship Act reauthorizes the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Long Island Sound and Columbia River Basin Restoration programs, the National Estuary Program, and the EPA’s BEACH Act program. These initiatives will continue addressing water quality challenges and supporting ecosystem restoration projects nationwide.

Background: The GLRI represents the largest investment in the Great Lakes ecosystem—the world’s largest system of fresh surface water—targeting Areas of Concern, invasive species, non-point source pollution, and habitat restoration. Over 8,000 projects have been completed in partnership with states, nonprofits, and communities, delivering more than $3 in economic return for every federal dollar invested.

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

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Deputy Chair Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) released the following statement following the narrow defeat of H.Con.Res. 64 to stop Trump’s illegal war against Venezuela:

“Nearly a quarter-century ago, the American people were misled by a lawless president promoting lies about weapons of mass destruction, all to invade an oil-rich country that posed no threat to us. The result was a disaster that killed thousands of American servicemembers, triggered a humanitarian crisis in Iraq, and destabilized the entire region. Trump is pursuing the same course today in Venezuela, absurdly designating fentanyl a WMD while blockading Venezuela until the country gives him ‘all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets.’ 

“Tonight’s razor-thin, 211-to-213 vote on the bipartisan War Powers Resolution to end these illegal hostilities puts Trump on notice. America has no kings, and Trump has no mandate to continue his unconstitutional military campaign against Venezuela. If Trump continues to carry out oil-tanker seizures, impose a naval blockade, and put American servicemembers in harm’s way for an illegal regime-change war, he can surely expect a vote to immediately stop this disastrous conflict. The Progressive Caucus is committed to its passage.” 

In September, the Progressive Caucus introduced the first War Powers Resolution in Congress related to ending Trump’s illegal actions in the hemisphere, led by CPC Members Reps. Omar, García, Greg Casar (TX-35), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Joaquin Castro (TX-20). The bipartisan H.Con.Res.64, led by McGovern and Castro, adapted that language and secured the cosponsorship of three House Republicans, Reps. Massie (KY-04), Bacon (NE-02), and Greene (VA-14). 

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The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is made up of nearly 100 members standing up for progressive ideals in Washington and throughout the country. Since 1991, the CPC has advocated for progressive policies that prioritize working Americans over corporate interests. The CPC champions policies including comprehensive immigration reform, good-paying jobs, fair trade, universal health care, debt-free college, climate action, and a just foreign policy. The caucus is the leading voice calling for bold and sweeping solutions to the urgent crises facing this nation, including ending America’s broken for-profit health care system, raising American wages, eliminating political corruption, supporting the labor movement, and taking action to protect the planet for generations to come.

Previo a las votaciones, el Caucus Progresista insta al Congreso a aprobar resoluciones privilegiadas para detener la guerra con Venezuela

WASHINGTON — La vicepresidenta del Caucus Progresista del Congreso (CPC), la Representante Ilhan Omar (MN-05), y el Representante Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), coordinador de votación del CPC, emitieron la siguiente declaración sobre la Resolución Congressional 61 y Resolución Congressional 64, Directivas del Congreso para retirar a las fuerzas estadounidenses de las hostilidades no autorizadas en el hemisferio occidental:

“Conforme Trump vuelve a amenazar con ‘ataques terrestres contra Venezuela’, cada representante estadounidense se enfrentará esta semana a una decisión crucial en la Cámara de Representantes: ¿Defenderán la Constitución y votarán para detener la guerra ilegal de Trump o no? Este no es un asunto partidista: tres de cada cuatro estadounidenses se oponen a una guerra de cambio de régimen para derrocar al gobierno venezolano, incluyendo dos tercios de los republicanos.

“El Caucus Progresista se enorgullece de apoyar dos resoluciones impulsadas por los miembros de mayor rango de los Comités de Asuntos Exteriores y de Reglamentos de la Cámara de Representantes, Meeks y McGovern, para poner fin a la brutal campaña militar de Trump, que ha causado la muerte de al menos 87 personas y nos está llevando hacia una guerra interminable y catastrófica en Venezuela. Estas resoluciones tienen prioridad en virtud de la Ley de Poderes de Guerra y están disponibles para su votación en el pleno esta semana.

“Con un voto inminente, tanto Demócratas como Republicanos envíen un mensaje contundente a la Administración Trump: Solo el Congreso puede autorizar el uso de fuerza militar ofensiva, no el presidente. Trump está desplegando personal estadounidense para incautar barcos petroleros venezolanos en aguas internacionales. Ha lanzado ataques dobles que han matado a personas indefensas en barcos volcados. Declaró una zona de exclusión aérea en el espacio aéreo venezolano, despliega aviones F-18 sobre el Golfo de Venezuela y se niega a descartar el despliegue de tropas, mientras amenaza con derrocar a jefes de estado en toda la región. Estas son hostilidades ilegales. El Congreso debe detener esta campaña militar inconstitucional aprobando ambas Resoluciones de Poderes de Guerra.”

En septiembre, el Caucus Progresista presentó la primera Resolución de Poderes de Guerra en el Congreso relacionada con las acciones ilegales de Trump en el hemisferio, liderada por los miembros del CPC Omar, García, Greg Casar (TX-35), Jim McGovern (MA-02) y Joaquín Castro (TX-20), en la que se basarán ambas votaciones.

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El Caucus Progresista del Congreso (CPC) está compuesto por casi 100 miembros que defienden ideales progresistas en Washington y en todo el país. Desde 1991, el CPC ha abogado por políticas progresistas que priorizan a los trabajadores estadounidenses por encima de los intereses corporativos. El CPC defiende políticas como una reforma migratoria integral, empleos bien remunerados, intercambio comercial justo, atención médica universal, educación universitaria sin deudas, acción climática y una política exterior justa. El caucus es la voz principal que exige soluciones audaces y radicales a las crisis urgentes que enfrenta esta nación, incluyendo el fin del deficiente sistema de salud con fines de lucro de Estados Unidos, el aumento salarial, la erradicación de la corrupción política, el apoyo al movimiento sindical y la adopción de medidas para proteger el planeta para las generaciones futuras.

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

Washington, DC — Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee; Jim Himes (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee; Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations; and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) issued a statement following the vote on their War Powers Resolution to end the Trump Administration’s military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific:   

“The Trump Administration’s ongoing lethal U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Western Hemisphere are legally questionable, and ineffective. Under existing U.S. law, these vessels could have been interdicted and their occupants subjected to judicial process. Instead of pursuing prosecutions, this administration has deliberately avoided judicial scrutiny by conducting lethal strikes, repatriating survivors, and in at least one instance carrying out a second strike on defenseless persons.

“The president has failed to demonstrate the necessary authority under U.S. or international law to conduct lethal military strikes on these boats. No one can credibly claim that these vessels, in some cases not even traveling to the United States and located thousands of miles from U.S. soil, posed an imminent threat to the American people warranting the use of military force. Our War Powers Resolution sought to terminate these extrajudicial strikes, yet most Republicans chose loyalty to Donald Trump over their oath to the Constitution. By not reining in Trump’s gross abuse of power, they are sending a dangerous signal that any president can unilaterally commit U.S. armed forces to hostilities without Congressional authorization. We hope our Republican colleagues find their courage in the face of President Trump’s threats to expand this military operation into Venezuela. Should he be allowed to do so, he will no doubt provoke another forever war that the American people do not support and Congress has certainly not authorized.” 

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

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Deputy Chair Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) issued the following statement in response to House Republicans’ failure to protect healthcare for millions of Americans:

“Today’s vote on House Republicans’ warmed-over partisan policies was a disgrace. It did nothing to protect the 22 million Americans who will see their monthly premiums double on average. Their cruelty and incompetence will make health insurance so unaffordable that millions will face no choice but to go without any coverage at all.  

“Speaker Johnson has failed the American people and members of his own conference, whose constituents are demanding the relief that every House Democrat has supported: a simple three-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits. But that vote cannot wait until January, after the credits expire, for a Democratic discharge petition to be considered. Americans will face this financial cliff in a matter of days.

“We demand that Speaker Johnson keep the House in session to schedule a vote to pass a clean, three-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits to provide ordinary Americans with the healthcare they need. If Johnson could move heaven and earth to deliver tax cuts to the richest and most powerful donors to Trump and the Republican Party, he can keep the House open to pass tax credits that protect millions of Americans’ healthcare and which now has support from the majority of Congress.

“The Progressive Caucus will not stop fighting for affordable healthcare, and more importantly, insurance will move us away from a privatized for-profit system. The real solution to this crisis is a truly universal system, like Medicare for All, that provides healthcare as a human right to all Americans.” 

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The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is made up of nearly 100 members standing up for progressive ideals in Washington and throughout the country. Since 1991, the CPC has advocated for progressive policies that prioritize working Americans over corporate interests. The CPC champions policies including comprehensive immigration reform, good-paying jobs, fair trade, universal health care, debt-free college, climate action, and a just foreign policy. The caucus is the leading voice calling for bold and sweeping solutions to the urgent crises facing this nation, including ending America’s broken for-profit health care system, raising American wages, eliminating political corruption, supporting the labor movement, and taking action to protect the planet for generations to come.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05) announced two formal congressional inquiries into the Trump Administration’s escalating attacks on Somali communities in Minnesota and across the country.

In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Rep. Omar demanded immediate answers regarding Operation Metro Surge, an ICE deployment to the Twin Cities that has resulted in widespread racial profiling, unlawful arrests of U.S. citizens, excessive force, and violations of constitutional rights.

Rep. Omar’s letter cites multiple documented incidents in which ICE agents detained people who had identified themselves as U.S. citizens, mocked a woman for wearing a hijab, used pepper spray on bystanders, and refused to provide warrants while carrying out arrests near homes, schools, and a university campus. The New York Times also reported that approximately 100 ICE agents were deployed to Minnesota, at significant taxpayer expense.

In a second letter sent to Secretary Noem, Rep. Omar led Members of Congress in demanding a full explanation of the administration’s threat to abruptly terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals in the United States.

Earlier this month, President Trump publicly claimed he would end TPS for Somalis “effective immediately,” and DHS officials echoed these statements despite a longstanding federal law governing TPS designations. Somalia has been designated for TPS since 1991 due to ongoing humanitarian crises. Ending TPS would put lives at risk and tear apart families who have lived, worked, and contributed to our communities for decades.

The letter, co-led by Representatives Adam Smith(WA-09), Joyce Beatty(OH-03), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Angie Craig (MN-02), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jared Golden (ME-02), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), and Chellie Pingree (ME-01), requests detailed explanations of the legal basis for terminating TPS, the administration’s assessment of current conditions in Somalia, consultations with humanitarian experts, and the potential consequences for regional stability.

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

WASHINGTON– Today, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) spoke on the House Floor to honor Minneapolis Fire Department’s first all-Native fire crew. The 4-member crew serves South Minneapolis with one shared goal: to strengthen trust between the department and the communities it serves.

The full video can be found here.

Full transcript below:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Minneapolis Fire Department for the historic assembly of their first all-Native Fire Crew.

“Manned by Captain Michael Graves, fire motor operator Jessie Strong, and firefighters Johnny Crow and Bobby Headbird, the crew operates Engine 10 out of Fire House Number Six in Minneapolis.

“The four firefighters share one goal: to build trust between the department and the communities it serves.

“Beyond responding to fire and emergency medical calls across South Minneapolis, the crew makes a diligent effort to attend community events and ensure young kids see their identities represented in public service.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the work they do to keep our city safe and inspire future generations to give back to their communities.

“Thank you and I yield back.”

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