MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

Contact: Luis Botello Faz

Watch the Congressman’s remarks here

Today, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, spoke out against the Republican-created health care crisis. After previously rejecting Rep. Doggett’s amendment to maintain the tax credits that help millions of families afford ACA plans, Republicans shut down the government for weeks, and waited all year to eventually offer a bill that replaces ObamaCare with NothingCare.

Rep. Doggett also reacted to some Republicans joining Leader Jeffries’ discharge petition to maintain the ACA credits for three more years:

“This last-minute effort by four Republicans to insulate themselves from public outrage may provide them some political cover, but it will do nothing for the struggling families who now face soaring health premiums.  After signing our Democratic petition to maintain essential support for the Affordable Care Act, they once again voted against our motion to provide immediate relief by taking up the petition today.” 

Watch the Congressman’s remarks here. 

Rep. Doggett’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

In a bill that they call ‘big’ and ‘beautiful,’ Republicans have approved the biggest reduction in access to health care in American history. They rejected my amendment in committee to maintain the tax credits that make the Affordable Care Act truly affordable. Now, after shutting down the government for weeks, delaying further weeks, they offer this sorry bill, this loser, wrapped up in a bow for Christmas. 

To Andrew and his family down in Austin, this phony bill means zero relief on premiums. Premiums that are going to spike for his family by nearly $2,000 per month. Nothing for Russell, a prostate cancer survivor just two years away from Medicare, wondering how he will afford the screenings and any necessary care.

And for a mother in Austin who contacted me about the stop-loss provision that is reinforced in this bill, it means the possibility that after her three-year-old child was diagnosed with cancer, they will lose all their coverage. These are real-life stories from my neighbors who have been forgotten by Republicans in their rush to provide more tax benefits for their billionaire buddies. They forget the struggles of so many working Americans. 

Republicans have made over 70 attempts to destroy the Affordable Care Act, which they all opposed. They peddled junk insurance policies that would deny essential consumer protection benefits under the Affordable Care Act. They could even make matters worse with one provision in this bill that will allow the reinstituting of pre-existing conditions that were used to bar coverage for so many people before the Affordable Care Act. 

This is their commitment to deny health care, to provide no relief on premiums that are soaring. 

In short, it means replacing ObamaCare with NothingCare. I yield back.

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN-08) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted last night to confirm Mitch Graves to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors.

“I applaud the U.S. Senate’s vote today confirming Mitch Graves to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)’s Board of Directors. President Trump made an outstanding choice nominating Mitch Graves for the TVA Board of Directors.

With his experience leading as Chairman and President of the Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLG&W) Board, Mitch has a deep and profound understanding of how energy policy and infrastructure impact our communities.

Mitch’s executive leadership as the CEO of the West Cancer Center will be big benefit to the TVA Board as it makes critical and crucial decisions for the Mid-South. Mitch Graves will also bring a high level of expertise to the TVA Board of Directors. His confirmation is a win for Memphis, a win for West Tennessee, and a win for the entire TVA region. Thank you to Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Bill Hagerty for their support of this important nomination.”
 

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

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman David Kustoff introduced legislation to revoke the tax-exempt status of any non-profit organization that provides material support to terrorist groups. Senator John Cornyn (TX) introduced the Senate companion bill.

“Our tax laws should never be used to subsidize or shield organizations that help terrorists,”said Rep. David Kustoff.“There should be zero ambiguity and tolerance for non-profits that fund terrorists. This legislation ensures that groups providing material support to terrorist organizations lose their tax-exempt status and are held accountable. We must use every tool available to cut off support for terrorism and protect our national security.”

“I’m introducing legislation to strip CAIR of its tax-exempt status because no organization who bankrolls terrorists should get a tax break, period,”said Senator Cornyn. “CAIR is a radical group of terrorist sympathizers with a long history of undermining American values and trying to unconstitutionally impose Sharia Law on Texas, which is why I stand behind Governor Abbott’s decision to designate it as a foreign terrorist organization. I also call on President Trump to do so at the federal level to ensure this breeding ground for anti-American hate is starved of funding and forced to close its doors once and for all.”

Background:

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to revoke the tax-exempt status of organizations that provide material support to terrorist groups. It defines a terrorist-supporting organization as one that provides more than a de minimis level of support to a designated terrorist organization within a three-year period.

The bill excludes lawful humanitarian aid approved by the Office of Foreign Assets Control or the State Department, with the concurrence of the Attorney General. It establishes a Treasury-led designation process that includes written notice, an opportunity to cure or contest the designation, administrative review through the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, and judicial review in federal district court, ensuring due process while protecting national security.

Read the full bill text here.
 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Mark Amodei issued the following statement after voting in favor of the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a targeted health care plan designed for Americans, not insurance companies.  

The bill reduces health insurance premiums and expands coverage options by increasing transparency in prescription drug pricing, stabilizing the individual market, and giving employers and workers greater flexibility and choice in obtaining health insurance. 

While our work to rein in rising health care costs, which have been exacerbated by a deeply flawed system, is far from over, this marks a step in the right direction. This week, House Republicans advanced a long-term strategy to shift the focus of health care back to serving patients instead of insurance companies. 

This legislation sets a path forward to promote real affordability by lowering premium costs and expanding choices for workers, families, and small businesses: 

Funding Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSRs) 

• Appropriates cost-sharing reduction payments which will lower premium costs by 11% and reduce out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copays for low-to-moderate income people. 
• While CSRs are designed to assist people in silver plans who fall between 100% and 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, reimbursing insurers for these reduced out-of-pocket costs will help lower premiums across the entire market. 
• Approximately 40,000 Nevadans would qualify for cost-sharing reductions. 
• Appropriating the CSRs is expected to lower ACA plan premiums in Nevada by $716 annually.   
• In 2017, 196 House Democrats, many of whom remain current members, signed a letter in support of exactly what this provision accomplishes. 

Promotes Transparency and Reduces Hidden Drug Costs 

• For reference, a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) is a company that manages prescription drug benefits for health insurers and employers by setting drug coverage rules and negotiating prices with drug manufacturers and pharmacies. 
• Requires PBMs, to provide employers with detailed reports on drug costs, rebates, formulary decisions, and spread pricing.  
• Provides employers and employees with the PBM transparency they deserve to help negotiate better prices and improve access to prescription medications. 

Expands Access to Plans for Small Businesses and Independent Workers 

• Lets small businesses and self-employed workers team up to expand choices and lower premiums by up to 30 percent. 
• Establishes association health plans (AHPs) as single, large employers for purposes of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).  
• Allows employers to offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs).   
• Protects the ability for small businesses to purchase stop-loss insurance—a way for job creators to manage the cost of unexpected serious medical claims. 
• Restores President Trump’s 2018 executive order, rescinded under the Biden Administration, that the Congressional Budget Office estimated would enroll 3.7 million Americans in Association Health Plans and extend coverage to 400,000 previously uninsured individuals. 

Obamacare was sold to the American people on the premise that it would lower costs, expand access and choice, and better support the people it was created to help. But today, hospitals are struggling to stay open, premiums rise year after year, patient options have dwindled, and fraud has infiltrated the system, allowing big insurance to come out on top while Americans are left behind.  

So, for those who think Republicans are doing nothing, I would humbly beg to differ. More information on health care from us after the holidays.  

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, today issued a statement following the successful lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to unilaterally shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC program):

“Disaster preparedness shouldn’t be a partisan issue, and this court order means the Trump Administration can’t shut down a program designed to keep New Jersey communities safe. This is great news for Highlands, which had a $12 million award taken away by President Trump. I’m going to keep pushing to make sure this Administration follows the law and delivers every dime. Our state is on the front line every hurricane season, and we know that every dollar invested in disaster preparedness saves property and lives. Trump is hellbent on abolishing FEMA and illegally gutting vital disaster assistance programs, and this lawsuit confirms that the power to legislate lies with Congress—and not a power-hungry president.”

The BRIC program is the core of FEMA’s disaster mitigation efforts and has invested approximately $4.5 billion in funding nationwide and $180 million in New Jersey for projects such as evacuation shelters, grid strengthening, wastewater management infrastructure, road fortification, and flood walls.

After the Trump Administration moved to unilaterally cancel funding for the program, attorneys general from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the governors of Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit to block the Administration’s actions, arguing they were in direct violation of the Appropriations and Spending Clauses, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Separation of Powers outlined in the U.S. Constitution. The judge’s decision prevents FEMA from unilaterally terminating the BRIC program and mandates the immediate restoration of these funds.

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

LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today released the following statement in response to the State Health Planning Board’s decision to hold a special public meeting, Thursday December 16th, to consider RWJ Barnabas Health’s proposal to move Monmouth Medical Center hospital from Long Branch to Tinton Falls:

“At their last meeting on December 4th, the state health planning board echoed the concerns of community members who spoke out against the proposed removal of Monmouth Medical Center hospital from Long Branch. The Board had several questions about health disparities in the Long Branch area, transportation, and the impact on nearby hospitals and whether RWJ Barnabas Health would keep medical services in Long Branch long-term.

 

The Board asked serious questions that deserve answers with full analysis so we can better understand the impact of RWJ Barnabas’ proposal. Instead of moving the hospital away from families who need it most, the State should invest in a solution that works for everyone.

 

As I have said from the beginning of this process, I continue to try and find a path forward in Long Branch to keep critical inpatient and outpatient acute care services with a full-service emergency department. We had a compromise that achieved that objective and if there’s enough political will, we can make it a reality.”

Pallone has led opposition to RWJ Barnabas Health’s plan to close Monmouth Medical Center hospital in Long Branch from day one, arguing that the plan would worsen health care outcomes for area residents and deepen the national health care crisis for the region.

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

NJ Residents Face Sharp Premium Hikes Without ACA Credit Extension Which NJ Congressmen Publicly Claim to Support But Did Nothing to Save

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

LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today released the following statement following the final New Jersey State Health Planning Board meeting on the future of Monmouth Medical Center:

 

“At this point, Commissioner Brown has all the information he needs to do the right thing and keep Monmouth Medical Center Hospital in Long Branch open. The State Health Planning Board has raised serious, unresolved concerns about access to care, transportation barriers, existing health disparities, and the strain this move would place on surrounding hospitals. If the Commissioner were to decide to close the Long Branch hospital after all of that has been put plainly on the record, it would be a conscious decision to ignore the facts, the data, and the voices of this community. Long Branch deserves real health care access, not more excuses.”

 

“We have been crystal clear: the consequences of closing Monmouth Medical Center Hospital in Long Branch would be immediate and lasting. Patients would face longer travel times for emergency care, particularly seniors. The loss of a full-service hospital would push patients farther from trauma care, inpatient beds, and a comprehensive emergency department. This would delay treatment when minutes matter and increase the risk of worse health outcomes.”

 

“Over time, the closure of the Long Branch Hospital would weaken the entire regional health care safety net. Nearby hospitals would be forced to absorb additional patients despite already operating near or at capacity, leading to longer wait times, fewer available beds, and increased pressure on emergency departments. Long Branch, a diverse, working-class community with well-documented health disparities, would bear the brunt of that strain, widening gaps in care and leaving residents with fewer options and less stability.”

 

“The Commissioner should not let a low-income community become a hospital desert because RWJ Barnabas wants to capture a wealthier population in Tilton Falls.”

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

Washington, D.C. — Earlier today, Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis (FL-12) and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), along with Representatives Dave Min (CA-47), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Gabe Amo (RI-01), David Valadao (CA-22), and Chris Smith (NJ-04) introduced the Armenia Security Partnership Act. This bipartisan legislation is designed to strengthen U.S. policy toward Armenia while holding the Government of Azerbaijan accountable for continued aggression and human rights abuses.  It requires the President of the United States to certify to Congress that Azerbaijan has taken meaningful steps to:

• Completely withdraw all military forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia;
• Unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners;
• Cease engaging in hostilities toward Armenia; and
• Recognize the right of return for ethnic Armenians to their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh and commit to the preservation of Armenian cultural and religious sites in the region.

If the President is unable to make such a certification, the bill would:

• Require a comprehensive review of U.S. security assistance to Armenia to identify gaps in Armenia’s long-term defense needs and assess the threat posed by Azerbaijan; and
• Prohibit the reauthorization of the waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, thereby enforcing existing statutory prohibitions on U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan.

“Armenia is a key partner in a volatile region and deserves meaningful support as it faces continued threats to its sovereignty and security,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “This legislation sends a clear message that the United States will not turn a blind eye to aggression, human rights abuses, or the forced displacement of ethnic Armenians. Accountability must be at the center of our foreign policy.”

Congressman Pallone added, “For far too long, Azerbaijan has been allowed to act with impunity to destabilize the South Caucasus, commit horrific human rights abuses, and threaten the Armenian people. Our bill is a great step in the right direction to finally hold the Aliyev regime accountable for ongoing crimes against humanity and threats to lasting peace in the region. I look forward to working with Congressman Bilirakis and the rest of my colleagues to pass it into law.”

“A durable peace in the South Caucasus must be built on respect for sovereignty, human rights, and international law, not force or coercion,” said Congressman Brad Sherman, Democratic Vice Chair of the Congressional Armenia Caucus. “Azerbaijan’s continued aggression against Armenia, the detention of Armenian prisoners, and the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites demands a serious response. This bipartisan legislation makes clear that the United States will not reward violations of international law and that Armenia deserves a reliable partner as it works to secure its borders and pursue a just and lasting peace.”

“As co-chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Armenia Security Partnership Act,” said Congressman Valadao. “Azerbaijan’s aggression in the South Caucasus has gone on for far too long, and this bipartisan bill takes meaningful steps to hold them accountable for ongoing human rights abuses and hostilities against the sovereign territory of Armenia.”

The Members of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, have long worked to promote policies that uphold international law, protect vulnerable populations, and support regional stability.

“We thank Congressman Bilirakis for proactively introducing this important, bipartisan, legislation. Azerbaijan’s continuing aggression toward Armenia and its reluctance to fully embrace the August 8 Joint Declaration must stop if a just and durable peace is to be achieved,” said Timothy Jemal, President of Global ARM. “We are hopeful this bill will receive broad, bipartisan support, and that Congress will actively consider and pass this legislation to strategically bolster peace negotiations and support U.S. interests in the South Caucasus.”

“The ARMENIA Security Partnership Act represents a common-sense approach to both checking Azerbaijani aggression and strengthening America’s partnership with Armenia,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “This bipartisan legislation grounds U.S. policy in concrete benchmarks for peace – the release of Armenian prisoners, the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from occupied Armenian land, and the protection of Armenian cultural heritage. We need to stop incentivizing continued Azerbaijani hostility, by normalizing its genocide of Artsakh and ongoing violations of international law, and start holding its Aliyev regime accountable for its crimes.”

“We commend Congressmen Bilirakis and Pallone for their bipartisan leadership in advancing this vital legislation,”said Mariam Khaloyan, Congressional Relations Director of the Armenian Assembly. “Azerbaijan’s continued unlawful holding of Armenian hostages underscores the need for this bill and the importance of enforcing Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, while also strengthening America’s support for Armenia’s security and sovereignty.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement following the signing of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law:

“This NDAA package includes several priorities I have spent years working to enact, including the historic repeal of the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). I was honored to carry forward the work of former Representative Barbara Lee, whose leadership made this long overdue repeal possible. For too long, presidents of both parties have misused AUMFs to justify unrelated military actions. The repeal of the 2002 AUMF removes a dangerous blank check and helps ensure no president can drag us into reckless foreign wars the American people do not want, and which Congress has not authorized. 

“This bill also includes my legislation, the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act, which targets the flow of illegal arms fueling Haiti’s crisis and holds accountable those elites enabling it. It also restores the State Department’s Office of Haitian Affairs, a bipartisan rebuke of Secretary Rubio’s rushed and illegal reorganization. And the NDAA preserves the Rangel, Payne, Pickering, and Veterans Innovation fellowships, sustaining bipartisan commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the State Department. 

“While the reauthorization of the Development Finance Corporation was not finalized on a fully bipartisan basis, I was able to secure essential guardrails to protect its core mission and safeguard taxpayer dollars. While I support what good provisions there are in the final package, it is in the interest of the American people for the NDAA to remain a bipartisan process.”