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Congressman Biggs Applauds Department of Education’s Recognition of Grand Canyon University’s Nonprofit Status

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s Department of Education (ED) formally recognized Grand Canyon University (GCU) as a nonprofit institution of higher education, correcting a years-long misuse of federal authority that unfairly targeted faith-based universities under the rogue Biden-Harris Administration. Congressman Biggs issued the following statement:

“This decision is a long-overdue correction and a clear step toward restoring integrity at the Department of Education. Under President Trump’s leadership, federal agencies are once again applying the law as written, not as manipulated to advance partisan agendas. I am thankful for Secretary Linda McMahon’s decisive leadership and commitment to fairness in ensuring GCU was properly recognized as a nonprofit institution.

“The Biden-Harris regime weaponized ED to undermine education freedom by targeting faith-based universities and trade schools through arbitrary and politically-motivated standards. I led the effort in Congress to push back against that abuse of power. Earlier this year, I led a letter to Secretary McMahon urging ED to immediately recognize GCU’s nonprofit status, and I introduced the IHE Nonprofit Clarity Act to ensure institutions recognized as nonprofits by the IRS are treated accordingly by ED.

“My office has remained in near-constant contact with Secretary McMahon’s ED to press for a lawful resolution. This action is a meaningful step toward restoring the rule of law and ensuring that federal agencies serve the American people, not partisan agendas.”

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Congressman Biggs Unveils Landmark Conservative Healthcare Overhaul

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Putting Patients First Healthcare Freedom Act, a robust legislative package that organizes the most impactful conservative healthcare reforms into one actionable blueprint. The bill brings together proven legislative proposals from across the Republican Conference and President Trump’s priorities and consolidates them into a single, Floor-ready plan to lower premiums, restore competition, empower families, and protect life.

The Putting Patients First Healthcare Freedom Act integrates widely-supported reforms that are already drafted, vetted, and in many cases ready for committee or Floor consideration. The legislation is structured around three major titles:

Title I—Putting Patients Over Insurance Companies

  • Redirects federal support to families instead of insurance companies, expanding HSAs, strengthening transparency, protecting Health Care Sharing Ministries, and requiring up-front pricing

Title II—Codifying President Trump’s Healthcare Freedom Agenda

  • Expands affordable options outside of rigid Obamacare mandates for impactful market-driven reforms, including Association Health Plans, ICHRAs/Choice Arrangements, self-insurance protections, expanded catastrophic plans, long-term short-term coverage, small-business flexibility, and a new alternative market with lower premiums and guaranteed coverage

Title III—Ending Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Gender Transition Procedures

  • Permanently codifies Hyde-style protections, closes Obamacare loopholes, and bars federal dollars from funding transgender surgeries

“The American people are being strangled by a broken healthcare system, and it is long past time for Republicans to confront it with real reform centered around freedom, affordability, and real choice,” said Congressman Biggs.

“Republicans already have the ideas, the policy work, and the legislation. My bill simply consolidates everything into a coherent, comprehensive plan that can move immediately, demonstrating the urgency to address these issues.

“Republicans are ready to lead. America is watching. It’s time to move.”

Cosponsors of the bill include: Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN).

The full bill may be read here.

Breitbart News covered the legislation here.

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Congressman Biggs Leads Push for Robust, Conservative Health Care Reform Framework

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

Congressman Biggs delivered a comprehensive healthcare framework to House Leadership, calling forimmediate action on long-overdue conservative reform. The letter lays out a clear, detailed blueprint built on freedom, affordability, and patient choice, while rejecting the failed policies, inflated subsidies, and insurance-company carve-outs that have defined the failed Unaffordable Care Act.

Congressman Biggs’s framework highlights concrete, ready-to-implement policies that are already drafted, vetted, and in many cases prepared for floor action:

  • Rep. Greg Steube’s ACCESS Act (H.R. 1157) redirects federal support to families instead of insurance companies and expands competition across state lines.
  • Sen. Rick Scott’s More Affordable Care Act strengthens price transparency and delivers patient-controlled funding to lower premiums.
  • Rep. Andy Biggs’s own Health Savings Accounts for All Act expands and modernizes HSAs by lifting limits and allowing funds to cover a broader range of expenses.
  • OBBBA HSA Expansion (Section 71307) enhances HSA eligibility and flexibility, including for premiums and prescriptions.
  • Rep. Eric Burlison’s MAHA Accounts Proposal sends federal dollars directly to policyholders to let families pick any insurance product they want.
  • Rep. Tim Walberg’s Association Health Plans Act (H.R. 2528) allows small businesses to band together for more affordable group coverage.
  • Rep. Kevin Hern’s Choice Arrangement Act (H.R. 5463) strengthens ICHRAs to give workers portable, tax-advantaged dollars for the plan of their choice.
  • Rep. Andy Biggs own Health Coverage Choice Act (H.R. 90) codifies Trump’s 2018 rule allowing long-term, flexible coverage for up to ten years.
  • Rep. Bob Onder’s Self-Insurance Protection Act (H.R. 2571) protects small employers’ access to stop-loss insurance to keep self-insured premiums affordable.
  • Rep. Chip Roy’s Direct Medical Care Freedom Act (H.R. 1140) allows patients to use tax-advantaged dollars for direct primary care arrangements.
  • Rep. Gary Palmer’s New Health Options Act (H.R. 1776) creates an alternative market outside Obamacare with guaranteed coverage for preexisting conditions at lower cost.
  • Rep. Chris Smith’s No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 7) codifies and strengthens Hyde Amendment protections to block federal funds from financing abortion.
  • Rep. Morgan Griffith’s Program Integrity and Anti-Fraud Reforms cracks down on fraud by strengthening income verification, ending silver loading, and codifying Trump-era integrity rules.
  • Rep. Andy Harris’s Cash-Pay Patient Protections prevents discrimination against cash-paying patients to protect price competition.

“It’s past time to reject the failing status quo and lead with bold solutions,” said Congressman Biggs.

“The House must lead with clarity and conviction. These reforms are ready, they’re proven, and they should be on the floor immediately. If Republicans draw a clear line today, we can finally rebuild a health care system anchored in conservative principles and return control to patients rather than bureaucrats or insurance companies.

“Republicans are overflowing with solutions; we have the ideas, the legislation, and the mandate from the American people. What we lack is urgency. It’s time to show the country the depth of our ideas and the strength of our vision. Now is the moment to act.”

Cosigners of the letter include: Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ).

The letter may be read here.

Breitbart News covered the letter here.

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President Trump Signs FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act Into Law

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

President Trump Signs FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act Into Law

Washington, December 18, 2025

Tonight, President Donald J. Trump signed H. Amdt. to S. 1071, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, into law. The NDAA authorizes annual funding levels for the U.S. Armed Forces and sets expenditures for the Department of Defense (DoD). Congressman Rick W. Allen supported this legislation on the House floor and issued the following statement upon the bill becoming public law:

“With President Trump’s signature, the FY2026 NDAA officially delivers on our peace-through-strength agenda with a generational investment in our national defense. Not only does this bipartisan bill ensure America’s warfighters are the most lethal and capable fighting force in the world, but it also improves the quality of life for our servicemembers in the 12th District and nationwide. I was proud to support this bill and will continue to stand with the men and women who make up our nation’s Armed Forces,” said Congressman Allen.

The FY2026 NDAA:

  • Secures funding to continue critical missions at the Savannah River Site (SRS)
  • Provides enlisted servicemembers with a 4% pay raise.
  • Expands our counter-drone defenses and new technologies.
  • Advances the Golden Dome and enhances America’s nuclear deterrent and new nuclear power technologies.
  • Enacts guardrails to protect America’s long-term investments and economic interests.
  • Fully supports the deployment of National Guard and active-duty troops at the southwest border to intercept illegal aliens and drugs.
  • Enhances U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific to bolster Taiwan’s defense and support Indo-Pacific allies. 
  • Revitalizes American shipbuilding and expands the Maritime Industrial Base.
  • Strengthens U.S.-Israel military operations and cooperative missile defense programs. 
  • Strengthens our defense industrial base and supply chains.
  • Reforms the defense acquisition process to eliminate regulatory barriers, enhance speed, and scale capacity for our Warfighters.
  • Accelerates the development and delivery of space capabilities to counter Chinese and Russian nuclear arsenals and space surveillance.
  • Streamlines operations by eliminating $20 billion in obsolete weapons, inefficient programs, and Pentagon bureaucracy.
  • Prohibits contracts with advertising firms, like NewsGuard Technologies Inc., that blacklist conservative news sources.
  • Restores merit-based promotions and admissions to service academies.
  • Counters antisemitism and eliminates programs that discourage military readiness, like CRT, DEI, and climate initiatives.

FY26 NDAA bill text can be accessed HERE.

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Rep. Mike Levin’s Bipartisan TIER Act Signed into Law

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

December 18, 2025

TIER Act Will Help Service Members Successfully Transition Back into Civilian Life; Marks Rep. Levin’s 35th Bill to Become Law

Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) announced that his bipartisan bill, the Transition Improvement by Estimating Risk (TIER) Act of 2025, was signed into law by President Trump as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This is Rep. Levin’s 35th bipartisan bill to become law. The TIER Act will help target resources for service members to successfully transition back into civilian life.

“My bipartisan bill, the TIER Act, is now law and will ensure service members across the country receive the right level of support when they leave active duty and transition back into civilian life,” said Rep. Levin. “It will strengthen the transition process to ensure all service members’ needs are met and the help they receive adequately reflects their circumstances. Our country has a duty to our service members, and our laws must meet their needs. This law is another step in fulfilling our nation’s promise to them.”

The TIER Act improves the existing Transition Assistance Program (TAP) by adding additional screening factors to more accurately assess the transition risk for individual service members. By focusing especially on child care requirements, spousal employment, and familial obligations of each service member, the law will help us identify the resources each service member needs to succeed in their transition to civilian life.

TAP has three pathways, also called tiers, that screen each service member for potential risk as they go through the transition process in order to determine the level of support they will need. Service members are assigned a tier by counselors based on many factors, such as disability, rank, term of service, educational and employment history, military occupational specialty, and more. The passage of Rep. Levin’s TIER Act into law will add other factors such as familial obligations and spousal unemployment that will then contribute to the tier where they are placed and the level of support they are given.

The 2026 NDAA, which includes the TIER Act, also includes a pay raise for service members, funding for new military construction projects, and increases in child care financial assistance. It also authorizes $90.4 million in new construction funding to Camp Pendleton.

The FY2026 NDAA authorizes millions in new funding to Camp Pendleton including:

  • $23.5 million for the Area 52 Communications Center;
  • $43.8 million for the Fire Emergency Response Station;
  • $22.74 million for Area 53 Mess Hall and Armory.

Additionally, the FY2026 NDAA includes provisions that improve service members’ quality of life:

  • 3.8% pay raise for service members;
  • $1.5 billion for new construction of barracks and family housing;
  • Five-year pilot program that will increase maximum childcare financial assistance by 30% for children two years or younger who are located in areas with high child care service costs. Service members on Camp Pendleton are eligible for this program;
  • Requires the Department of Defense to study alternative methods for calculating Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to better reflect market trends and the true cost of housing, especially in high cost and rural areas.

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CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT MOURNS THE PASSING OF LILLIA KING

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
December 18, 2025                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT MOURNS THE PASSING OF LILLIA KING

U.S. Virgin Islands— Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the passing of Lillia King, daughter of former Governor Cyril King and Agnes King, and a respected member of the Virgin Islands community:

“I am saddened by the passing of Lillia King, a beloved daughter of the Virgin Islands and a distinguished healthcare administrator and community leader. Lillia was part of a generation that helped preserve and share the history of the Virgin Islands, including her contributions to documenting the legacy of her father, Governor Cyril King, whose leadership helped shape our modern Territory.

“For more than four decades, Ms. King made immeasurable contributions to healthcare in the Virgin Islands. As supervisor and manager of the histopathology department at Schneider Regional Medical Center, she was not simply an administrator—she was an innovator who transformed patient care through the mechanization and computerization of critical medical systems, including pioneering work that established the foundation for our territory’s cancer registry.

“Beyond her professional achievements, Lillia King was a compassionate humanitarian who understood that true leadership means service to others. From mentoring countless high school and college students through educational programs she created, to her extensive philanthropic work with organizations across our community, she gave generously of her time, talent, and heart.

“As the territory’s first ‘first daughter,’ Ms. King was raised to understand the responsibility that comes with privilege. She carried out that understanding every day of her, approaching her work with the same dedication and humility her parents instilled in her, carrying forward the legacy of her distinguished parents with grace, humility, and an extraordinary dedication to improving the lives of others.

“On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the King family, her loved ones, and all who are mourning this loss. May her memory be a blessing, and may her family find comfort during this difficult time.”

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Beyer Returns To House Science Committee

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Rep. Don Beyer, previously a longtime member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Committee, was re-appointed to that committee by Democratic Leader Jeffries this week. Beyer departed the Committee after serving on it for his first four terms when Democrats lost slots at the beginning of the 118th Congress. His appointment became official after being confirmed by the full House Democratic Caucus and with the approval of House Resolution 954 on Wednesday morning, where he was welcomed back by Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren.

“American leadership on scientific research and technology is at a crossroads, and many of the most important challenges facing our country fall under the jurisdiction of the House Science Committee. I am thrilled to return to the Committee as it seeks answers to key questions about our nation’s future,” said Beyer. “From rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and their implications for our economy and workforce, to energy policy amid rapidly rising electricity prices, to the debate over the future of our space program, to renewed battles over scientific integrity, the House Science Committee is engaged in extremely important policy work. I have never stopped my efforts in these areas, but serving on the Committee will make me a stronger advocate on these topics, especially for my district and my constituents. I thank Leader Jeffries and my Democratic colleagues for this opportunity, and Ranking Member Lofgren and my colleagues in both parties for their warm welcome.”

Rep. Beyer is the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus, and a steadfast advocate for the advancement of fusion energy technology. A leading voice in the House on energy and climate, he co-chairs the Safe Climate Caucus, and attended the 2021 COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He co-chairs the bipartisan AI Caucus, was appointed by House leaders to serve on the bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Task Force in the 118th Congress, and is currently working toward a master’s degree in machine learning at George Mason University.

Beyer previously served for several terms on the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, where he helped protect funding for key science missions including the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope. As the Subcommittee Chair during the 117th Congress, he was a key voice on intergovernmental debates over space situational awareness, and coauthored the first NASA authorizing legislation in over five years. Since taking office he has been a prominent advocate for scientific integrity, and an indefatigable defender of federal workers, including those who work in scientific fields.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) represents a Northern Virginia district in the U.S. House that is home to leading institutions of technology and research including the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the MITRE Corporation, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Virginia Tech’s Institute For Advanced Computing, George Mason University’s Mason Square campus, and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, along with numerous global aerospace and tech firms. He has been published in the pages of Scientific American, and his work has been covered by Popular Science, Science Magazine, Ars Technica, and Gizmodo, among others.

Beyer serves as co-Chair of the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus. He was one of a handful of members selected to serve on the bipartisan Task Force On Artificial Intelligence, convened by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Mike Johnson. He is the author of the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act and a lead cosponsor of the CREATE AI Act, the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act, Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act, the SECURE AI Act, and forthcoming legislation that will address President Trump’s recent executive order on artificial intelligence.

Beyer is the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus. He was a co-lead of the Fusion Energy Act, signed into law in 2024, and is the House sponsor of the bipartisan, bicameral Office of Fusion Act. He was a leading governmental voice celebrating the historic announcement of a net energy gain from a human-controlled fusion energy reaction. He has advocated for fusion energy research and funding as a long time member of the House Science Committee, with his colleagues in Congress, at the White House, in the pages of Scientific American, and elsewhere.

Beyer served as Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee in the 117th Congress, in which capacity he helped draft and pass the first bipartisan reauthorization of NASA in years (included in the CHIPS and SCIENCE Act). His work on the subcommittee also included leading the effort to protect funding for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, longtime advocacy for NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, and defending funding for NASA’s Earth Science Division. He is the author of the Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act (signed into law in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022), and the Space Safety and Situational Awareness Transition Act of 2023.

Beyer serves as Vice Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, and co-chairs the Safe Climate Caucus. He has been a forceful advocate for scientific integrity and federal research during his tenure in Congress, and co-leads the Scientific Integrity Act. He represents a Northern Virginia district with numerous research institutions and federal agencies, which is home to more federal employees than any other in the U.S. House.

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STATEMENT FROM KENNEDY CENTER EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS ON TRUMP’S ILLEGAL EFFORT TO RENAME ARTS INSTITUTION

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), House Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA-02) and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03)—all ex-officio members of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees—issued the following statement after the Trump-appointed Board attempted to illegally rename the Center after Trump:

“Beyond using the Kennedy Center to reward his friends and political allies, President Trump is now attempting to affix his name to yet another public institution without legal authority.  Federal law established the Center as a memorial to President Kennedy and prohibits changing its name without Congressional action.  At today’s meeting, a sitting Member of Congress was muted, and participants were prevented from speaking—actions that reflect a troubling lack of transparency and respect for the rule of law.  This whole process displays the corruption that permeates the entire Trump Administration, and as ex-officio members of the Kennedy Center Board, we will be unwavering in our commitment to holding this Administration accountable.”

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WATCH: Pressley Condemns Trump & Republicans’ Attacks on Healthcare & Abortion Access, Demands Vote to Extend ACA Subsidies

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

Despite Having 218 Votes Necessary to Pass ACA Extension, Johnson is Sending House Home With Premiums Set to Skyrocket for Millions

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, in a powerful floor speech, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) condemned Trump and Republicans’ attacks on healthcare and abortion access, and demanded Speaker Johnson bring a vote to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies to the House floor immediately.

Despite having the 218 votes necessary to pass a three-year extension of the ACA subsidies—which help millions of families afford their health care coverage, including reproductive healthcare—Speaker Johnson is instead sending the House home for the holidays with premiums set to skyrocket for families nationwide.

A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s remarks is available below and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Condemns Trump & Republicans’ Attacks on Healthcare, Implores Johnson to Extend ACA Subsidies
House of Representatives
December 18, 2025

Mr. Speaker, the wealth of our nation is the health of our people.

And yet, Republicans are doing everything in their power to make families sicker.

They want to deny children food, ban abortion care, and obstruct the extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies.

This dire for folks in my district, where in a three-mile radius, life expectancy drops by 30 years.

For my constituent Paula, whose husband lost his job and became ill, the ACA has been their lifeline, carrying them through years of uncertainty as she became his caregiver.

This is a healthcare crisis Republicans created, and it is intersectional.

Abortion care is healthcare.

Republicans are using abortion, once again, abortion care as a political bargaining chip.

The truth? Republicans will send premiums sky-high just to stop families from using their own money on a plan that covers abortion.

They’re not just putting healthcare out of reach for millions—they’re further restricting reproductive care.

The shame and sham of it all.

Mr. Speaker, we have the votes to extend these subsidies and save healthcare for our constituents.

The House must vote on it NOW.

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Valadao, Bipartisan Specialty Crop Caucus Urges Equitable Relief for Specialty Crop Producers

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – Specialty Crop Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. David Valadao (CA-22), Jim Costa (CA-21), David Rouzer (NC-07), and Sanford Bishop (GA-02), joined by 103 Members of Congress, sent a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees urging immediate and equitable relief for specialty crop producers. 

The letter comes in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which allocates $11 billion in economic assistance to row crop producers, and $1 billion for specialty crops and other commodities. 

Specialty crops—including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture products—represent one of the most economically significant and labor-intensive sectors of U.S. agriculture, generating more than $75 billion annually in cash receipts. Yet specialty crop producers continue to face rising costs and market disruptions without receiving proportional relief. 

Between 2020 and 2025, specialty crop growers paid:

  • 25% more for pesticides
  • 31% more for fuel
  • 37% more for fertilizer
  • Nearly 50% more for labor

These cost increases were not matched by comparable increases in crop prices, placing significant strain on growers across the country. 

In their letter, the Members stress that while USDA has stated that $1 billion will be reserved for specialty crops, details regarding eligibility, payment formulas, and timelines remain unclear. The co-chairs urge the Agriculture Committees to press USDA to ensure these funds are distributed quickly, fairly, and in a manner that reflects the unique structure of specialty crop operations. 

“Specialty crop growers contribute over $75 billion annually to the U.S. economy, yet they continue to face rising input costs, limited access to labor, trade disruptions, and other unprecedented challenges. As USDA rolls out the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, we urge the Agriculture Committees to ensure that the $1 billion set aside for specialty crops is distributed quickly, fairly, and equitably, so growers can continue producing for our nation and remain globally competitive,” said the bipartisan Specialty Crop Caucus Co-Chairs. 

“After months of uncertainty, specialty crop growers urgently need clarity and meaningful relief, and we appreciate the Specialty Crop Caucus for elevating this issue and making clear that specialty crops must be included in any relief package for American agriculture,” the co-chairs of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance said. “Specialty crops are both an economic engine and the source of the most nutritious foods in the American diet, but current policies fail to reflect their importance to public health and food security. We strongly support the Caucus’s call for USDA to act swiftly, provide transparency, and build on proven relief models such as the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (MASC) and CFAP-2 to ensure assistance reaches growers quickly and fairly. Specialty crop growers cannot afford further delay, and we urge congressional leadership and the Administration to move immediately to deliver proportional, transparent, and timely relief that reflects the economic significance and unique cost structures of specialty crop agriculture.” 

Previous programs, including the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) and the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program, demonstrated tailored formulas and streamlined delivery systems ensure relief reaches producers efficiently.  

The Members emphasize USDA should build on these proven models as they proceed with implementation of the FBA Program. The Specialty Crop Caucus is calling on congressional leadership and the Administration to prioritize parity, transparency, and urgency, ensuring specialty crop producers receive the support necessary to remain competitive, sustain rural economies, and continue supplying safe, affordable food to consumers nationwide. 

Background:

USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Program announced December 8, 2025 provides: 

  • $12 billion total in assistance
  • Payments for row crops are expected as early as February 28, 2026

Read the full letter here.

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