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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Yesterday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Ruthless Podcast to discuss President Trump and House Republicans’ aggressive agenda to lower prices for hardworking Americans through historic tax cuts, bringing investment into America, unleashing American energy, and permitting reform. Leader Scalise also previewed House Committees’ work on health care legislation to lower premiums and provide families with more options.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview. 
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:On President Trump’s historic leadership:“They hate [President Trump] so much, and they hate his success. That’s, I think, what they’re jealous of, that he’s been so successful. When Joe Biden, the autopen, Joe Biden didn’t even know what he was doing because there was an autopen doing so much of it. But this guy doesn’t sleep. He’ll call me at seven in the morning on a Sunday. You hear from him at 11 o’clock at night. President Trump has been the funnest guy to work with. But I’ll tell you, he’s engaged… he understands what’s going on in all of the different areas.“He is our best salesman. He’s our best closer because he cares about getting this country back on track, and he knows the details, too. He can get in the weeds with you if you want, but he also loves the country, and you see that passion every day. It’s sad that people hate him for that. The fact that he’s getting done what he said. He ran on very specific things: I mean, I’m going to secure the border. No tax on tips. It’s all done. All done in his first three months. If somebody hates him for that, what do they hate America? I mean, this guy is delivering for America on the things that he was elected by 77 million people to do.”On House Republicans’ efforts to lower prices: “We’re working to deliver for the American people. I mean, obviously, we’ve done some big things already. There’s more we want to do. I know the buzzword today is affordability, but it’s really, do you have more money in your pocket today? Do you feel better about how things are going in the country today than a year ago and three, four years ago when Joe Biden was there? That’s ultimately the question next year. I sure know what I feel because I see what we’re doing, and I’ve already seen how it’s making an impact.“We’ve seen tens of billions of dollars per state come in in new investment. Per state. You’re talking about hundreds of billions, if not over a trillion dollars in new manufacturing plants being announced in America since Donald Trump took office, and this Congress came in and set better rules of the game. We set better tax policy, by the way. Not giving new tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, saying nobody’s taxes will go up.“No tax on tips. Average pay, by the way, $32,000 a year. Elon Musk is not working for tips. But the single mom may be working two shifts at the diner, that is going to be $1,500 more in her pocket by the end of this year. It’s retroactive to January, but a lot of people won’t really see it until they file their returns in April of next year. They’re going to get a lot of money back, by the way. No tax on overtime. Who’s that? Again, not millionaires and billionaires… Every Democrat, by the way, voted to raise your taxes 30%. There’s a real contrast going into next year: What America do we want versus Democrats?“We’re bringing a permitting reform bill. By the way, we’ve worked really hard to make it bipartisan, but you’re going to see in the next few weeks a bipartisan permitting reform bill. That will not only allow us to build more things in America, but it’ll allow us to lower costs. Why does it cost so much money for things? If you want to build a road, a bridge, a pipeline from Pennsylvania, where they can actually frack and produce oil and natural gas, into New York, where they don’t allow it, so you have to bring it in on a tanker from a foreign country. How nuts is that policy? But imagine if you could have permitting reform, and then all of a sudden, you can not only build things, but build them in two years instead of 10 years because people aren’t abusing the Endangered Species Act, and there’s some mouse nobody’s ever heard of.“How about we actually allow people to build stuff and care about the endangered American worker and bring them back? I think more people would rather bring them back. We’re working on bills to do all of those things. That lowers costs. It brings more jobs to America, but it also lowers costs.”On House Republicans’ health care agenda: “There’s some real exciting things coming. But for anybody that really went through the scars of Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, they named it, by the way. Anybody want to make the argument that it’s affordable? That’s one of the big lies; it’s like the Inflation Reduction Act. The Democrats love naming things the opposite of what they are. Inflation Reduction Act jacked up inflation. Democrats did the Affordable Care Act. What happened? 80% premium increases on families since that bill became law. No Republican voted for it because we knew, number one, it would jack up costs for families, higher health care costs. It also destroyed the doctor-patient relationship. We have more doctors in Congress now because a lot of them had to leave the practice of medicine because it didn’t work. What we want to do is not spend hundreds of billions of dollars to insurance companies, by the way, which is the Democrats’ plan. They want to prop up insurance companies, mask the high cost of the Unaffordable Care Act, and by the way, you still will pay higher premiums. We want to lower premiums and give families options.“We’re bringing a number of bills to the floor in the next few weeks… I was meeting with the Doctors Caucus. I met with every different group, along with the three chairmen of the committees of Jurisdiction. Energy and Commerce has been working on a lot of really big things. Ways and Means Committee, the Education and Workforce Committee. They’ve all been working on different pieces to do things like association health plans… There’s no competition in health insurance. Really no transparency either. Imagine bringing those elements in. Even look at the Obamacare tax credits that everybody talks about, not the ones that are expiring. How about the ones that still exist? You’re trapped, only looking at an Affordable Care Act plan that you cannot afford. How about if you made that flexible and said, hey, we’re going to roll that into a health savings account, and then you can go shop it around and buy a better plan. You want to stay in Obamacare? That’s your choice. I think a lot of people would love to get out of it, but they’re trapped right now. Imagine if you said that money, taxpayer money, can now be flexible to go anywhere, and everybody’s going to compete for your business and want you to move to a lower cost plan for you and your family, maybe a lower deductible. How about we allow those things to happen? We’ve got bills to do that.“Other things on lowering prescription drug costs. We’re going to be bringing bills to the floor in the next few weeks to do exactly that. We’ve been putting that together for a few weeks. Again, doing a lot of things, walking and chewing gum. A lot of committees are working on all of these issues. You’re going to see these votes. I love to see where Democrats are going to be on those votes, by the way. Lowering health care costs and giving families options. Is that what they’re going to vote for? Are they going to just vote to bail out the big insurance companies and continue to trap you on a plan you don’t like?”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) to discuss House Republicans’ work to safeguard small businesses from regulations and burdensome costs, protect our education system from Communist China, and lower premiums for hardworking families. Leader Scalise also condemned the horrific attack against the National Guardsmen in our nation’s capital.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s remarks:On the senseless act of violence against National Guardsmen in DC:“Our country was shocked the day before Thanksgiving to see just a senseless, violent act of this tragedy, attack on our National Guardsmen here in DC, the West Virginia National Guardsmen that were both attacked for just doing their jobs and keeping DC safe. I, too, want to extend my prayers and sympathy to Sarah Beckstrom’s family for the horrible loss of her life and just senseless, senseless loss of life for such a young girl with great promise. Then, of course, Andrew Wolfe, who is still at the hospital fighting for his life from the gunshot wounds that he suffered. We keep him in our prayers, his family as well, and pray that he is able to recover and come back. I know the people of West Virginia share that, the people of America share those prayers.”On protecting small businesses from Biden’s failed policies and schools from Communist China:“This week, we have a number of bills we’re bringing to the floor to continue to address some of the problems that were created by the Biden Administration that drove up inflation, that drove up higher costs. We saw so many ridiculous rules and regulations that added costs to the products we buy, our small businesses that were under attack. And so, this week, we’re bringing a number of bills to reduce those regulatory attacks on small businesses, giving small businesses relief also gives families relief in terms of lower costs.“We’re going to bring more bills that came out of the Education [& Workforce] Committee to take on what is happening in our universities, in our schools, where the Chinese Communist Party tries to move Confucius Institutes into our schools, teaching our children, trying to put Communist ideas into our children in our schools. And so we’re going to continue to have more transparency and prohibit that kind of money coming in from China to our schools.”On establishing a national framework for college sports:“Over the years, you’ve seen lawsuits erode the ability for the NCAA to even police college athletics to the point where now it’s the Wild Wild West. There are no rules in place, no structure. You have people that can play until they’re 26 years old in college athletics. You don’t have any protections for a lot of the student-athletes. And so, we first restore the ability for policing through the NCAA. Congress won’t be doing the regulations. It will be the NCAA having the ability to police college athletics again. We also protect women’s sports. We protect Olympic sports by ensuring that you have an equal number of women’s sports to men’s sports, that you have a minimum number of sports, so that a lot of the Olympic sports that are so important to our country as we see the Olympics coming up here again. In many cases, our Olympians come from the college ranks, and so we protect that, too. Again, just putting structure in place for what is right now a Wild Wild West atmosphere.”On lowering premiums and giving choices to hardworking families:“We’re going to continue to work on health care proposals to ensure that families have choices and lower premiums. That’s what Republicans care about. Democrats have never cared about that since they passed the Affordable Care Act and all the broken promises and lies that went with it. ‘If you like what you have, you can keep it.’ Probably the most broken promise in all of politics, where millions of families lost the good health care plans that they liked because of the Affordable Care Act. Of course, there’s nothing affordable about the Affordable Care Act. All we’ve seen is increased costs, 80% premium increases. Democrats are just concerned about bailing out insurance companies who get record profits while families see higher premiums because of that failed law. What we want to do is give families options, lower premiums for families. Again, we’ve brought some bills to the floor already. We’re going to keep bringing bills to the floor to do those two things, to lower premiums for families and give them options so that they can get what’s best for their families.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement applauding the Department of the Interior’s renewed five-year Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program to replace the most restrictive plan in our nation’s history put in place under President Biden: “I applaud President Trump and Secretary Burgum for this strong 5-year offshore leasing plan that will create more high-paying American jobs, lower energy costs for hardworking families and small businesses, and bolster our national security while helping our allies reduce their dependence on hostile nations for their energy. This plan will not only boost domestic exploration and production in the Gulf of America and provide much-needed predictability, but thanks to the language I included in the Working Families Tax Cut, Louisiana will receive hundreds of millions in new revenue sharing dollars from these lease sales to fund critical coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects.” Background:  In July 2025, President Trump signed into law the Working Families Tax Cut, which required at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf of America over 15 years. Additionally, Leader Scalise secured language in the law that increases the amount of revenue sharing dollars Louisiana receives each year from offshore drilling from the leases outlined in this plan. This provision in the law will bring hundreds of millions of new dollars to Louisiana for vital coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects. What Louisiana Leaders are saying: “For Lafourche Parish, one of our best weapons for coastal restoration is the revenue sharing dollars we receive from offshore oil and gas exploration and production. Today’s new five year offshore leasing plan delivers stability for this industry, and thanks to Leader Scalise’s language in the Working Families Tax Cut, we are set to receive millions more in revenue sharing dollars to protect and rebuild our coast for years to come,” said Lafourche Parish President Mitch Orgeron.“Port Fourchon has felt the impacts from the lack of offshore lease sales but this new five year plan brings back the certainty we need to regain our energy independence, strengthen our local economy with good paying jobs, and deliver more resources for our hurricane protection projects to safeguard industries critical to our nation’s energy and national security,” said Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson.“Louisiana is one of the world’s leading markets for energy production, processing, and transportation, and this offshore leasing plan further secures our state’s vital role in America’s energy security with a strong outlook for future lease sales in the Gulf of America. Not only will this plan solidify billions in economic impact, including high-wage jobs for our region over the next five years, but it also offers the stability this industry needs to continue to invest and grow for the future,” said GNO, Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Yesterday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke on the House floor to celebrate Chief of Staff Brett Horton and thank him for his 15 years of service to the people of LA-01.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
Leader Scalise’s remarks:“Today, I rise to recognize a man whose dedication, steadiness, and wisdom have shaped not only my work in this chamber, but the work of this institution itself. I’m talking about my Chief of Staff, Brett Horton. There are few people who know Capitol Hill more intimately than Brett.“For 15 years, he’s been by my side. He began as my counsel in 2010 and worked his way through some of the most demanding, consequential roles in the House: policy director at the Republican Study Committee, floor director in the Majority Whip’s Office, and for the last decade, my chief of staff in both the Whip’s Office and the Leader’s Office. To me and to countless members of Congress and staff, Brett Horton has been far more than a colleague. He’s been a trusted advisor, steady in his approach, wise in his counsel, and deliberate in his words and actions. When the stakes were the highest, Brett’s voice was the one you wanted in the room. His fingerprints are on every major Republican policy victory we’ve achieved in the past decade.“Perhaps more importantly, he’s been by my side through tough personal and professional challenges that extend far beyond legislating. In the aftermath of the Congressional baseball shooting, an event that shook my family, my staff, and this entire conference and Congress, Brett’s leadership and friendship were unwavering. He helped carry us through one of the most difficult and unprecedented challenges we ever faced. Mr. Speaker, public service at this level demands trust, character, and unwavering duty for the institution that is this United States Congress. Brett Horton embodies all of these qualities. I’m profoundly grateful for his years of service to me personally, to this House, and to our country. As Brett begins his next chapter, I have no doubt he’ll continue to serve with the same excellence that has defined his entire career. The United States House of Representatives is the stronger institution because of Brett Horton’s distinguished service here. I wish Brett all the best in his future endeavors, and I tell you thank Brett, for your personal friendship and for your service to this great United States of America and this great Congress. Thank you, Brett Horton.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), and Congressman Nick Begich (R-Alaska) to discuss House Republicans’ America First agenda, including unleashing American energy, lowering premiums, and taking a stand against the radical left. Leader Scalise emphasized that President Trump and Congressional Republicans have been working to reverse President Biden’s record of failure.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
Excerpts from Leader Scalise’s remarks:On House Republicans hitting the ground running to deliver for American families:“It’s good to have the Democrat shutdown ended and the pain, the suffering that went on for way too long, finally be over. And now to see the House back doing its business. And of course, we missed a few weeks and so we’re making up for lost time.“We have a very robust schedule this week, as you can see, full five-day work week. We’re going to be working and having some late-night votes. Today, we have three vote series going into the night, and our members have rolled up their sleeves and are ready to get back to work, too. The committees are going to be meeting into the night this week and beyond to catch up and get back to focusing on those issues that we’ve been fighting for this entire Congress, and that is fighting for those families who have been struggling under the failed Biden agenda. All we saw under the Biden and Democrat agenda was higher costs for families, higher inflation, higher interest rates, open borders, chaos around the world. And President Trump has reversed that quickly. As you look at all of the things that this president has done, working with this Congress, we have been focused on fixing the problems that Biden created and then really setting a new course, getting this country back on track, lowering costs for families.”On President Trump and Republicans working to reverse Biden’s failed energy agenda:“You heard Chairman Guthrie and Congressman Begich talk about this great energy agenda that we’re continuing to deliver on. Of course, in the Working Families Tax Cut, we had a lot of provisions in that bill, in fact, Congressman Begich himself brought forward to open up areas in Alaska. I walked the Alaskan pipeline in section 1002 of the North Slope, and to see all of the ability to produce energy in America that had been shut down under Joe Biden. We couldn’t even produce the energy we know we have here in America because of stupid policies by the Biden Administration. And we’ve been reversing that. Many of those provisions that Congressman Begich campaigned on, he already delivered on in the Working Families Tax Cut. But there’s more to do.“We’re bringing some of those bills to the floor this week. You’re going to see the Department of Interior, probably this week, hopefully in the next two weeks, roll out their five-year leasing plan for the Gulf of America again, something that President Biden shut down that drove investment to foreign countries. We saw billions of dollars of energy investment moving to foreign countries because Biden shut down America. Well, America’s open up for business again, and that means more jobs here in America. But really importantly for families, lower energy costs and energy costs affect everything that we do. When you go to the grocery store, lower energy costs mean lower food costs for families. And so we’re going to keep delivering on that agenda. Obviously, this week. It’s going to be a very aggressive schedule, and we’re going to continue to move bills in the future.”On Democrats spiking health care premiums under the Unaffordable Care Act:“Something else the Democrats broke – we talked about this a lot during the shutdown here at this podium – and that is the health care crisis in America. The current law in health care is the Affordable Care Act. I think everybody would recognize it’s unaffordable for millions of American families. And yet they have dumped more families into that plan. And the cost increases are evident. 80% increase in cost for families since Obamacare passed. And yet, as the Affordable Care Act has failed to work for families, Democrats continue to try to shove hundreds of billions of dollars more into that failed program, and not giving relief to families, but giving COVID subsidies to insurance companies. That’s what Democrats were fighting for.“We’ve been working before the shutdown with our three relevant committees, Chairman Guthrie’s committee in Energy and Commerce, Chairman Jason Smith in Ways and Means, and Chairman Walberg over in Education and Workforce. The three committees that work on health care policy to focus on legislation that would actually lower costs for families and give families options so they’re not trapped in the Unaffordable Care Act policies that drive up their premiums. And so we’ve brought bills, we had some of those we talked about in the Working Families Tax Cut that didn’t make it all the way through the process. We’re going to be coming back to that.“We moved PBM reform last year, very bipartisan bill that Chuck Schumer sat on because he and Democrats don’t want to lower costs for families. We do. And we’re going to keep bringing those bills over the next few months.”On House Republicans standing against socialism:“We’re going to have a resolution Friday that says we stand up against socialism and the atrocities of it. It’s not just the bad policies. It’s led to murder all around the world where it’s been tried. And they don’t teach that history, unfortunately enough in our schools. And so a lot of young people don’t even get exposed to the atrocities of socialism. But we’ll surely be talking about it and voting on it this Friday. A pretty easy vote, I think, for most people. Hopefully, they say no, we believe in freedom, opportunity, and we stand against socialism. We’re going to have that opportunity this week as well, while we’re also focusing on affordability.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement after Speaker Adrienne Jones announced she will step down from her position as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates:

“My dear friend Adrienne Jones has been a historic Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. I am sorry to hear that she will soon step down from the position – a great loss for the institution. She will remain a titan in Maryland politics and an important voice in the General Assembly.
 
“Adrienne has dedicated her entire life to serving Marylanders. From her early work for the Baltimore County Executive’s office to her decades representing Maryland’s 10th District to her six-year tenure as the first woman and first Black Speaker of the House of Delegates, she has proven to be a leader of great vision, strong character, and tremendous vision. Never was that more apparent than when she rose to the occasion after her predecessor, Speaker Michael Busch, passed away in 2019. She took on the responsibilities of that office with great poise and has performed them expertly ever since.
 
“She and I have worked closely together over the years to create new economic opportunities for Maryland families, bring the FBI headquarters to Prince George’s County, resist Donald Trump’s attacks on our state, and much more. I look forward to continuing to work with her to serve our communities during this pivotal moment for our state. No matter the task at hand, she is always an invaluable partner and an absolutely critical member of Team Maryland.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks during a panel discussion at the Urban Institute’s Improving Access to State Tax Credits through Research to Action event. Below is a full transcript of his remarks:

“Thank you. I’ve been involved in taxes for 68 years (audience laughter) – paying. But I’m pleased to be here at the Urban Institute, so thank you, Sarah, for all you do. I apologize because I’m going to say a few words and then I have to leave because we just [had] votes. You can’t always count on the time when you have votes. My job is to adopt policy that I believe is good for the citizens of our country and the citizens of my constituency, obviously. (Motions to panelists) Their job is to implement what I do and if they don’t implement it, it doesn’t get done. If we don’t facilitate people knowing what the policy is, it doesn’t get done and the purpose for which I vote does not get accomplished. And, I have a theory of why that does not happen, and it’s called the YOYO theory. The YOYO theory is a very simple one, which I think, frankly, is the major premise and policy of the party that I’m not in: You’re On Your Own. YOYO.

“Direct File, which Brooke Lierman talked about – I want to say we have the best comptroller in America. Not a lot of people don’t know what a comptroller is or does, but I will tell you that Brooke Lierman, as our comptroller – I have now served in office since 1967 [in] January. She has been the most involved in making sure that people aren’t on their own, that they know what their benefits are, they know how to access their benefits, and they are facilitating and doing exactly that. Brooke, thank you so much for being such a caring, involved, smart tax collector (audience laughter) because that’s what, technically, she is. We send it to Brooke Lierman, and she sends it back to us so soon, to me. But Direct File was a program that was tested, it wasn’t just thrown out there. It was tested to see: Does it work? Does it effectively carry out a policy of helping people know how to do their taxes? Because most Americans want to pay their taxes, because they want – because they’re honest and they want – you know, we call it a voluntary system, [but] for the large amount of our citizens it’s not so voluntary. Every week, every bi-week, every month, Uncle Sam gets his or her cut, depending upon your perspective, but the cut that is necessary for democracy to work. Taxes. The ‘price of freedom.’

“Direct File was tried on a relatively small number of people, a couple hundred thousand people, and it worked so well [that] they enlarged it. And then it worked so well with overwhelming support of the users with a savings that you mentioned [were an] average $160 to $170 on average for people, because they want to pay their taxes, they want to make sure they’re right and they sometimes have to pay people or spend an inordinate amount of time going through what are relatively complex directions. So, Direct File was a way to say, ‘You, by law, need to pay these taxes, and we’re going to help you follow the law,’ and not have the anxiety that ‘Oh my goodness,’ you hear these ads on TV, you know, ‘Ultimate tax system is going to make sure your wages garnished, your home foreclosed on,’ all this et cetera, et cetera. So, ‘You’re On Your Own’ says they’re not going to help. So, that program is now extinct. Why? Because they fired everybody who carried out that program, why because they thought, ‘We do not need to do this.’ We, being the government. ‘You’re On Your Own.’ And it’s like minimum wage, it’s like the Affordable Care Act, You’re On Your Own. It’s so many things. I have a long list that you don’t have the time for, nor do you have the interest (audience laughter).

“But remember the principle because it is the underlying concept that a lot of the reductions in services. The IRS is being decimated, not just on Direct File, decimated in terms of people who make sure that those who owe taxes pay them. Why? Because [if] those who owe taxes don’t pay them, guess what? Those costs of that are – and interest over the rest of us, so taxes need to be higher than they otherwise would be if everybody paid. But when I talk about that, we’re talking $600 billion, give or take, lost revenue every year. So that what I do as the Ranking Member on the committee that oversees the Treasury Department and IRS is to make sure that services are available. So, when you pick up the phone, somebody answers. That costs the government some money, but it is a service that we ought to be performing when people are trying to comply with the law.

“So I’ll leave it at that, because I could go on and on about what we’re doing at the federal level, which is not good in terms of everyday people trying to A), make their lives affordable – you talked about affordability, we work on affordability, it’s obviously the issue of the era, because so many people are finding it impossible to pay the cost of living that they want maintain for themselves and their families. Thank you. I’m going to jump ship, but not because – (gestures to panelists) these three who really, as I say, implement policy. What I do is make words on a piece of paper. I don’t make anything happen. Members of Congress don’t make anything happen. It is those of you who work every day, as you say, on helping people, helping them know what is due, and making sure America is all it can be. Thank you very much.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC –  Former Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (WA-09), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee; Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Jim Himes (CT-04), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus; and Bill Keating (MA-09), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee issued the following joint response to the Trump Administration’s initial 28-point proposal for ending Russia’s war on Ukraine:

“The Administration’s attempt to impose a pro-Russian, one-sided ‘peace’ deal on Ukraine is both a policy nightmare and morally bankrupt. Pressuring Ukraine while giving aid and comfort to Russia is wrong. Forcing Ukraine to give up more of its own territory, including some that Russia doesn’t even hold, is unacceptable. Crippling the Ukrainian Armed Forces would all but guarantee another Russian invasion once Moscow rebuilds its forces, further threatening NATO. Echoing Putin’s baseless accusations of Nazism amplifies Kremlin disinformation and provides Russia with a convenient excuse to claim Ukraine has violated this imposed edict.

“The Putin wing of the Administration cannot be allowed to abandon American interests by forcing Ukraine into an unjust and impossible-to-maintain surrender. Instead, after months of Ukraine’s success in further weakening Russia’s economy and military, the President should direct his National Security staff that ‘peace through strength’ does not mean copying Russian talking points to extort Ukraine into surrender. Such a capitulation would only lead to more attacks by Putin and encourage similar attacks against other peaceful democracies, further threatening global stability and undermining the national security of the United States.

“The best guarantor of peace going forward will be a well-armed Ukraine that can capably defend itself against a violent and untrustworthy Russia. What has reportedly been released as a potential counteroffer, and was developed with Ukraine and European allies over the weekend, is vastly closer to what an achievable peace agreement would look like. We urge the administration to abandon its initial plan to force Ukraine into capitulation and to continue its discussions with Ukraine and European allies. We look forward to supporting such efforts.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today regarding the passing of Mark Mellman, CEO of The Mellman Group and founder of the Democratic Majority for Israel:

“I am very sad to learn of the passing of my dear friend Mark Mellman. Mark was not only a brilliant political strategist, seasoned policy expert, and respected pollster; he was a man of immense character. He could take the pulse of the public better than anyone, and clients across the country and around the world sought him out for that talent. Mark was also a champion of the U.S.-Israel relationship, working tirelessly to unite our two nations around shared values of democracy, freedom, and justice.

“Mark’s passing is a tremendous loss for the Jewish community, the Democratic Party, and our nation. My prayers are with his wife Mindy and the rest of his family. May his memory be a blessing.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), and April McClain Delaney (MD-06) announced $60,322,396 in federal funding to upgrade the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) bus transit system and to support the construction of a new transit maintenance and operations facility in Charles County.

WMATA will receive $50,322,380 to purchase 50 40-foot diesel-electric hybrid replacement buses, an investment that is expected to cut the system’s fuel consumption by 51,000 gallons each year. Charles County will receive $10,000,016 to build its modernized maintenance and operations facility that will better support bus operators and riders.

“Upgrading our public transit with cleaner, more efficient buses and improved bus infrastructure will help provide greater reliability for the thousands of Marylanders who ride WMATA and VanGO every day. Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are continuing to invest in public transportation that supports our growing communities while producing fewer emissions and keeping the region’s economy moving forward,” said the lawmakers.

The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low or No Emission Grant Program and Buses & Bus Facilities Program, which Federal Team Maryland fought to fund under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.