MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01) reported that his Appropriations Committee today approved two Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 bills: the Legislative Branch and the Energy and Water funding measures.  

The Energy and Water measure would provide $27.2 billion for nondefense programs, a $1.8 billion decrease from the current year, for the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) civil works programs, the Bureau of Reclamation and agencies focused on nuclear energy. 

The bill contains numerous wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case, including preserving funding critical to Hawaii’s clean energy transition. The State Energy Program, which provides technical and financial assistance to advance energy efficiency and state-led clean energy initiatives, received level funding. Also receiving level funding is the Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides low-income households with assistance in energy-saving home improvements.

Additionally, the bill includes $10 million to study avenues of protection for public infrastructure on small beaches from erosion and damage caused by storms and natural wave currents; $5 million for regional sediment management, construction, operations and regulatory functions in the coastal zone; and $37.5 million for programs which manage aquatic weeds in public waters.

However, Representative Case opposed the overall bill, warning that its sweeping funding cuts “would weaken programs central to our inevitable clean energy goals that have only been amplified by Iran war-related energy disruptions and result in skyrocketing gas and other energy costs.”

Programs significantly cut or eliminated include:

·         The Solar Energy Technologies Account, which supports research and development to harness America’s abundant solar resources for secure, affordable, and reliable solar energy.

·         The Water Power Technologies Office, which enables research, development and testing of emerging marine energy technologies, hydropower and pumped storage systems.

·         Geothermal Demonstration Projects, which conducts work on next-generation geothermal power production demonstration projects, including demonstrations of enhanced, deep closed-loop and supercritical geothermal systems.

Despite these cuts, the bill still includes funding for other programs and provisions requested and secured by Case: 

·         $10 million for a USACE program that aids in the planning, designing and construction of small projects for commercial navigation purposes such as channels, breakwaters and jetties. This funding will assist in statewide harbor modifications.

·         $10 million for the USACE’s beach erosion and hurricane and storm damage reduction activities.

·         $40 million for flood control and coastal emergency efforts.

·         $12 million for the USACE’s Coastal Ocean Data System, high-resolution observations and models of coastal ocean waves and shoreline change in states, island territories and the Freely Associated States on a recurring basis to ensure safe and efficient navigation for military, commercial and recreational maritime traffic.

·         $38 million for the USACE’s Aquatic Plant Control Program, which conducts research and development of biological, chemical, cultural and ecological capabilities for controlling invasive aquatic plants.

·         Language modifying a clean energy program under DOE that has been widely beneficial for Hawai‘i. The Energy Technology Innovation Office, previously known as the Energy Transitions Initiative, supports island and remote communities by providing personalized technical and financial assistance. Case previously introduced legislation to make this program permanent. (See here for more details.)

·         Language studying workforce development investments in the Indo-Pacific to reduce labor costs and counter efforts by the People’s Republic of China to secure workers.

The Legislative Branch Appropriations bill, which funds Congress as a separate, independent, co-equal branch of government, provides $5.4 billion, a decrease of $125 million or 2 percent below the FY 2026 enacted level. This total excludes the Senate items, which are added later in the legislative process.

The bill supports the U.S. House of Representatives and Congress’ critical associated agencies such as, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Library of Congress, the Architect of the Capitol, the Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the Capitol Police. 

Many of these dedicated support agencies assist in Congressional analytical analysis and operations. They protect the ability of Congress to serve its vital constitutional role. Without them, Congress would have to depend on the executive branch for the data and analysis needed to govern, which would tip the balance of power to the President.

Case warned: “We as an institution must strengthen and protect Congress and its ability to function as a separate, independent and co-equal branch of our government.”

“As it stands, the executive branch already has a level of authority in Congress over the leadership appointment of the GAO, GPO, Library of Congress and the Architect of the Capitol – one that it should not have. This erosion of internal authority undermines Congress’s independence and weakens our ability to provide the necessary oversight over the executive branch.”

The GAO was founded in 1921 after Congress identified the need to control the growing government expenditures and debt after World War I. Since then, the GAO has grown parallel to the federal government’s responsibilities and programs, with its main responsibility to be Congress’s watchdog. It ensures that government spending is used efficiently, investigates potential waste or mismanagement, and provides nonpartisan recommendations to improve accountability and effectiveness.

The President currently has the power to nominate candidates to lead the GAO, along with the Library of Congress, GPO and the Architect of the Capitol. Case has introduced legislation to remove the President from appointing and removing the leaders of three organizations mentioned here.

Provisions in the bill weakening the GAO include: 

·         Providing only $612 million, a decrease of $200 million or 25 percent below FY 2026 and $248 million less than the FY 2027 request. The decrease in funding will result in over 1,000 layoffs.

·         Prohibiting the GAO from bringing civil actions against any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States for failing to comply with the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 without Congressional approval. The GAO, acting per its statutory direction from Congress, currently has nearly forty open investigations into whether the executive branch is illegally withholding (impounding) money Case’s Appropriations Committee previously appropriated.

Case spoke extensively in Committee against the attacks on these critical agencies associated with Congress here and here.

Despite these fatal flaws in the bill, Case secured various funding and provisions he requested and supported, including: 

·         $20.6 million in funding to help pay for interns in House Member Offices. 

·         $1.8 million for the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services which helps coordinate services for individuals with disabilities including Members of Congress, staff and visitors to the Capitol. 

·         $7 million for the Green and Gold Congressional Aide Program that provides two-year employment opportunities for veterans, Gold Star family members and active-duty spouses to work for the House of Representatives.

These two measures are the 6^th and 7^th of the twelve bills to be taken up by the House Appropriations Committee that will collectively fund the federal government for FY 2027 (commencing October 1, 2026). 

Despite Case’s opposition, both bills now move on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration. 

A summary of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill is available here.

A summary of the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill is available here.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) issued the following statement on passage of the 21 Century ROAD to Housing Act in the U.S. House of Representatives:  

“Every American deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Today’s vote is an important step toward addressing the country’s housing crisis and making the American Dream of homeownership within reach for millions of Americans. The 21 Century ROAD to Housing Act will generate more homes for families by enacting comprehensive reforms at the federal, state, and local levels aimed at reducing barriers to housing construction and increasing supply. The bill also includes community bank and credit union reforms designed to expand their role in local lending.

“With the cost of living weighing heavily on working families across the country, the need to expand housing availability has never been more urgent I applaud Ranking Member Waters and Chairman Hill for their dedication to this bipartisan and comprehensive housing reform, and I urge my Senate colleagues to support this legislation.”  

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today raised alarm over rising Islamophobia and antisemitism during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing marking 25 years since 9/11, days after the killing of three people at a San Diego mosque.

“More than twenty years after 9/11 happened, Islamophobia in the U.S. has not gone away,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Just this weekend, we saw the horrific killing of three people at a San Diego mosque.”

Krishnamoorthi asked witnesses whether they agreed that “Islamophobia and hate have no place in America” — receiving unanimous agreement. Jamil Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, who identified himself as Muslim, echoed Krishnamoorthi’s concerns and warned that antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate are rising together.

“As a Muslim, I don’t like Islamophobia,” Jaffer said. “We have seen a rise in both these trends — antisemitism and anti-Islamism — here in the United States.”

Jaffer added that “the same people who hate Jewish people hate Muslims just as much,” emphasizing that Americans are “stronger together than at each other’s throats.”

Krishnamoorthi also condemned rhetoric from elected officials equating Muslims with terrorism and explicitly calling for “more Islamophobia.”

“Hate has no place in America and it’s counter to all of our values,” Krishnamoorthi said.

Krishnamoorthi also raised concerns that diverting FBI counterterrorism resources away from preventing threats to the homeland risks making Americans less safe.

“It was a surprise to me that the FBI diverted counterterrorism efforts like the JTTFs to support the president’s immigration agenda,” Krishnamoorthi said. “According to data acquired by Senator Warner of the Senate Intelligence Committee last October, nearly half — 45% — of FBI agents in major U.S. field offices were reassigned from counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and other work to aid ICE in its immigration efforts. And I think that’s just plain wrong. I think it makes us less safe as a country.”

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today reintroduced the Hate Crimes Commission Act alongside U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and House co-leads Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), bicameral legislation to strengthen the nation’s response to hate crimes, improve hate crime reporting, and identify strategies to prevent bias-motivated violence. The legislation would establish a bipartisan United States Commission on Hate Crimes to examine the factors driving hate crimes, barriers to accurate reporting, and evidence-based approaches to prevention, while directing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit federal hate crime data collection systems.

“No one should have to live in fear because of who they are, how they worship, whom they love, or where they come from,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “As hate-fueled violence and intimidation continue to threaten communities across our country, we need stronger tools to understand what is driving these attacks, improve reporting, and identify strategies that can help prevent future violence. The Hate Crimes Commission Act will help strengthen our response to hate crimes and better protect communities from acts of hate.”

“Our country was founded on the core principles of liberty, justice, and equality. Every American has the right to live freely and safely, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or religion,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The alarming rise in hate crimes over the last few years demands a comprehensive federal response — and that starts with the establishment of a commission to investigate hate crimes. This legislation would help protect communities and gather the data we need to prevent future violence, and I am determined to get it passed.”

According to the FBI, more than 11,000 single-bias hate crime incidents involving nearly 14,000 victims were reported in 2024, targeting Americans on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and other protected characteristics. Hate crimes inflict lasting harm not only on individual victims, but on entire communities, undermining public safety and eroding confidence that people can live free from fear and intimidation.

The Hate Crimes Commission Act would establish a bipartisan commission composed of members appointed by congressional leadership and the Attorney General to investigate factors contributing to hate crimes — including the role of social media and technology — assess barriers to complete reporting by local law enforcement agencies, and identify successful prevention and response strategies through partnerships with nonprofits, educators, and government entities. The commission would submit recommendations to Congress and the President to strengthen hate crime prevention efforts and improve participation in the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System. The legislation would also require a GAO audit of federal hate crime data collection practices to improve the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of national hate crime reporting.

The text of the bill is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Amtrak’s announcement comes after fierce opposition from Congressman Nadler, New York elected officials, and New York residents throughout the corrupt, closed-door process

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) released the following statement after Trump’s Department of Transportation announced the developer for the New York Penn Station:

“Amtrak just handed a developer the future of Penn Station — the same way this administration does everything — in secret, without New Yorkers, and for the benefit of Donald Trump and his political allies. 

“There was not a single public hearing, no consultation with the MTA or the State and City of New York, and most egregiously, there was no transparency on the cost of this massive undertaking. This was not a selection process. It was a backroom deal dressed up as one, and the only fingerprints on it belong to Donald Trump and his donors. 

“Penn Station must be renovated. But this mess is not a renovation; it is the Trump administration taking over the largest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere. The Penn Station developer was selected with no idea of the cost, no plan that anyone in the public has seen, and no voice for the people who will pay for it.

Amtrak and the US Department of Transportation have failed New Yorkers — and we will not let this stand.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the FY 2027 Energy and Water Development bill in support of an amendment from Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) that would prevent and reverse the termination of projects at the Department of Energy and other agencies. Below are a video and transcript of his remarks:

Click here to watch a video of his remarks.

“I thank the Chairman. Ms. McCollum referenced the sign at the front of the dais. That [sign] was designed to assure that the people would decide what laws should be enacted and what laws should be followed. They were not different. If you enact it, the executive has the responsibility to follow it. Does the executive have an alternative? It does. It can come back to us and say, ‘We think these 303 projects are not justified, and therefore we think you, the appropriators, should rescind them.’ Mr. Chairman, not to arbitrarily and capriciously or for partisan reasons or for substantive reasons, say, ‘We do not agree and therefore we will eliminate that what you have enacted and the President has signed.’

“Now, you’ve heard me use the phrase that ‘we are the authors of our own impotence.’ Why should any administration, Republican or Democrat, worry about what we do if we simply stand by silently when they say no after the fact? What’s the point? What’s the point of us spending time here or considering amendments? Why don’t we just call up Russell Vought and say, ‘Whatever you want to do, sir,’ and salute? Now, obviously, what we could do when we next have the presidency – and by the way, history tells us at some point in time we’re going to have the presidency. For the last 75 years, we’ve gone back and forth almost every other time, and every other time being at eight years as well. And we did the same thing. Let’s say for sake of argument, Shalanda Young is returning to the OMB and decides we’re not going to have any red projects in America. I will tell you if, in fact, I was in charge – and to the extent it’s happened –  we should have stood up and said, ‘No, you can’t do that.’ And very frankly, I would hope that Ms. DeLauro, when she’s Chair, would say to a Democratic administration, ‘If you want to change that, you come back here because the Constitution says we make the law, not you.’

“Now, the President believes he is the law. That is a dangerous phenomenon, ladies and gentlemen. And if you are not cognizant of that and concerned about that, then you’re not concerned about our democracy. These times when we come here and we give our imprimatur to the arbitrary action of the executive [inaudible] – every time we do that, it erodes the authority of this committee. Bob [Livingston] is on that wall. He was a wonderful Chairman of this committee, a Republican from Louisiana. He wouldn’t have stood for this. Nor would – and David Obey, on the Democratic side, they wouldn’t have tried it with David Obey. And I believe Mr. Rogers would have quietly told somebody, ‘You cannot do that,’ because they stood strong. Not for the Democrats or the Republicans, but for the Constitution and the role of this committee in the Congress and in this country. I regret that we do not seem to be paying attention to those important principles. Our founders are disappointed. I vote for this amendment.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), a former paratrooper and Army Ranger who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Armed Services Committee, delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives demanding Congress pass a War Powers Resolution to end President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. Crow’s remarks came  ahead of a House vote on a Crow-backed War Powers Resolution. 

“Working class Americans, like the kids that I grew up with, the kids that I deployed with, fought with, suffered with, they’re the ones that have to do the fighting, and the dying, and the paying for these conflicts,” said Congressman Crow during his remarks. “They see that the burden of these wars fall on them, while the elites and the rich and the powerful in this country get richer, and more powerful, and more comfortable. The burden is not equal in this nation. It’s because the system is broken.”

He continued, “I want to be clear: this isn’t about process to me. Yes, there are important constitutional checks and safeguards at play, but this isn’t about inside baseball notification process… What it’s about to me is accountability. When I did my combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, combat mission, after combat mission, after combat mission, what I had to know is that important questions were being asked, people were being held to account and asking tough questions, so that I could focus on my mission in bringing my men home. But that has stopped. The debate isn’t happening.”

Crow has repeatedly condemned Trump’s illegal war of choice in Iran. He previously introduced a War Powers resolution with Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) to end this war and introduced legislation to prohibit federal funding for the war. As someone from a working class family who served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Crow has seen firsthand the toll forever wars have cost servicemembers and hardworking Americans.

Watch the full remarks here, and a full transcript is below:

Mr. Speaker, I’m here on behalf of the millions of working class Americans who have had it, are fed up with an endless cycle of unaccountable conflict in the Middle East. I started my service to this nation in uniform, like the Chairman. I honor his service like all of our brothers and sisters. And I’m proud of that service, as should all of my brothers and sisters who took the oath I took, stood up when our country called, and did our duty honorably. 

But what is abundantly clear is that our system is broken. Working class Americans, like the kids that I grew up with, the kids that I deployed with, fought with, suffered with, they’re the ones that have to do the fighting, and the dying, and the paying for of these conflicts. They see that the burden of these wars fall on them while the elites and the rich and the powerful in this country get richer, and more powerful, and more comfortable. The burden is not equal in this nation. It’s because the system is broken.

I want to be clear: this isn’t about process to me. Yes, there are important constitutional checks and safeguards at play, but this isn’t about inside baseball notification process. Americans’ eyes glaze over when people talk about that under this dome. What it’s about to me is accountability. When I did my combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, combat mission, after combat mission, after combat mission, what I had to know is that important questions were being asked, people were being held to account and asking tough questions, so that I could focus on my mission in bringing my men home. But that has stopped. The debate isn’t happening.

We’re paying for these wars with debt, five to eight trillion dollars, seven thousand American lives, and on and on it goes. It’s not just our right. It’s our duty. It’s our job under this dome to take votes, to appropriate money, to ask tough questions, to hold people to account, and then go home and stand in front of high school gymnasiums, stand in front of our our constituents, go to rotary clubs and explain those votes, why we should send our sons and daughters and our money to the Middle East again, and again, and again. That is what our system requires. That is what Americans deserve. 

This is not optional. The Framers dedicated this responsibility to us because they knew that the decision to send our sons and daughters into war and to spend our taxpayer money was our most solemn responsibility. And not one person should make that decision. This system is broken. It’s our duty to take it back. That’s what this vote is for. Maybe we should go to war in one instance, but the debate must happen. The vote must happen. I encourage, I demand, that my colleagues step up and take this vote and retake our constitutional duty and to get this done. It’s what our servicemen and women deserve. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

U.S. Rep. Castor Statement on Indictment of Former Cuban President Raúl Castro

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

May 20, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today introduced the GME Transparency Act of 2026 and the Our Doctors First Act of 2026, a two-bill package focused on increasing transparency in Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) programs and prohibiting Medicare GME payments attributable to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or nationals.
“Taxpayers deserve transparency on how federal healthcare dollars are being spent, especially when billions in Medicare funding are going toward GME programs,” said Rep. Greg Steube. “Congress has a responsibility to know who is benefiting from these taxpayer-funded programs and to ban Medicare GME payments from being used to support residency training for foreign nationals.”
The GME Transparency Act of 2026 would require hospitals participating in the Medicare-funded GME programs to submit deidentified information regarding the citizenship and immigration status of the medical residents in approved residency training programs. Under this bill, a hospital residency program would not be treated as an approved program for Medicare payment purposes if the required information is not submitted. The legislation also requires CMS to submit an annual nationwide report to Congress detailing aggregate residency data by state, including U.S. citizens, green card holders, J-1 visa holders, H-1B visa holders, and other lawfully present medical residents.
The Our Doctors First Act of 2026 would prohibit Medicare-funded GME payments from being used to support residency training costs associated with individuals who are not U.S. citizens or nationals. Hospitals and qualified nonhospital providers that count noncitizen medical residents for payment purposes where they know or should know the individuals are not U.S. citizens or nationals would face escalating penalties, including civil monetary penalties and exclusion from receiving GME payments for repeat violations.
Background: Graduate medical education (GME) is residency training completed by physicians after medical school. Medicare supports teaching hospitals that operate GME programs through direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) payments. DGME payments help cover residency training costs such as resident stipends, supervisory physician salaries, and administrative expenses, while IME payments help offset the higher operational costs associated with teaching hospitals.  
Medicare spends billions of dollars annually supporting graduate medical education programs intended to strengthen America’s physician workforce.
Meanwhile, American medical school graduates are burdened with significant student debt as communities across the country continue facing physician shortages. 
The American taxpayer is already footing the bill for these programs, and lawmakers are increasingly raising concerns about whether taxpayer dollars are being used to support residency training for foreign nationals rather than American physicians.
Read the bill text here.