In addition to countless meetings, discussions, and advocacy on behalf of the affected counties, Rep. Bergman and his Republican colleagues in Michigan sent a letter to President Trump requesting that he overturn FEMA’s denial of certain categories of federal assistance following the historic ice storm. The letter recognized the incredible recovery efforts already underway while emphasizing that the work is far from finished and that communities still face significant challenges ahead.
Bergman has repeatedly warned that without additional federal support, the remaining recovery costs would ultimately fall on individual households and families across Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula – those least able to shoulder the burden.
Following FEMA’s amended declaration, Bergman thanked President Trump and partners across all levels of government for their work to secure this support.
“I’m grateful that President Trump corrected FEMA’s initial decision to deny key categories in the disaster declaration and ensured Northern Michigan was not left hanging out to dry,”Bergman said.“Through countless hours of work with my colleagues in Congress, Governor Whitmer, state legislators, and local leaders, we were able to deliver this critical support for the communities still recovering from this historic storm.”
Background:
In the months following the devastating March 2025 ice storm, Rep. Bergman worked continuously with federal, state, and local partners to secure essential disaster assistance for the impacted communities of Northern Michigan.
As recovery efforts progressed, Rep. Bergman joined Senators Peters and Slotkin on June 9, 2025, in sending a letter to the Small Business Administration urging approval of the Governor’s request for a Rapid Disaster Declaration so that small businesses across the region could access federal disaster loans and begin rebuilding.
Throughout this process, Rep. Bergman has remained in close communication with FEMA leadership to identify any available administrative or statutory flexibilities that could deliver additional financial relief to affected communities and not-for-profit utilities.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s strikes on Iran.
“Last night, President Trump unilaterally ordered a military strike against Iran. For decades, the Iranian regime has posed a persistent threat to U.S. national security, beginning with the 1979 hostage crisis and continuing through its pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities, its role as a leading global sponsor of terrorism, and its oppression of the Iranian people.
“In response to the recent U.S. strike, Iran has reportedly launched attacks on four of the thirteen U.S military bases in the region, where more than 40,000 U.S. service members are currently stationed. In June of last year, the President asserted that Operation Midnight Hammer had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.
“The American people deserve to understand why this latest strike was undertaken, why it was initiated at this time, and what clear strategy exists to bring this situation to a responsible conclusion.
“Above all, we must ensure the protection of our troops abroad and safeguard religious institutions and vulnerable communities here at home from potential retaliation. I am therefore calling for an immediate classified briefing to Congress to fully explain the rationale for this action and the path forward.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) released a statement on his support for the War Powers Resolution.
“As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I received classified briefings after Operation Epic Fury and am still left with serious questions. The American people deserve to know why this strike was undertaken at this time, why it happened now, and what strategy exists to prevent a wider conflict,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “The Iranian regime has posed a persistent threat to U.S. national security for decades, is the leading global sponsor of terrorism, and has oppressed its own people. Undertaking a war in the Middle East without a full understanding of the conflict is not the right strategy and puts our servicemembers at risk. The War Powers Resolution makes clear that the President must go to Congress and justify any use of military force against Iran.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
CHERRY HILL, NJ –Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) delivered $1,092,000 in Community Project Fundingto the Town of Maple Shade to help construct a new water treatment plant to replace the aging Kings Highway facility. Nearly 20,000 Maple Shade residents rely on the township’s treatment plants every day to provide clean, safe drinking water.
“Access to clean, safe drinking water is something every family depends on.This investment of more than $1 million will help Maple Shade build a modern treatment plant that protects against flooding and removes emerging contaminants like PFAS,” said Congressman Donald Norcross.“Investments like this keep our communities healthy and our infrastructure strongand ensure residents have safe, reliable drinking water for years to come.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Donald Norcross and his office for securing $1,092,000 in federal funding for the Kings Highway Treatment Plant project. This investment is critical to strengthening Maple Shade’s water infrastructure, improving system resiliency, enhancing fire protection capabilities, and ensuring reliable, high-quality service for our residents and businesses,” said Mayor Heather Talarico. “Support like this allows us to move forward with essential upgrades while remaining fiscally responsible to our taxpayers, and we sincerely appreciate Congressman Norcross’ continued partnership and advocacy for our community.”
The Kings Highway plant, built more than 50 years ago, sits in an area vulnerable to flooding and has a process for removing contaminants that is outdated and inefficient, leading to a large quantity of wastewater. The federal funding will support construction of a new, modern facility that strengthens the reliability of the township’s water system, expands storage capacity, and improves its ability to remove contaminants from the drinking water supply.
This project is a part of the $11.98 million Congressman Norcross secured for 15 Community Project Funding (CPF) awards throughout New Jersey’s First Congressional District to support economic development, create jobs, and respond to the most pressing needs of the community.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
CHERRY HILL, NJ – Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) delivered $850,000 in Community Project Funding to Pennsauken Township to support renovations and upgrades to the township’s Public Works facility.
The project will be used to establish a new, accessible public office facing Clement Avenue to improve public access, construct a covered storage structure to protect critical equipment and support the Fleet Maintenance Division, upgrade maintenance and garage areas, and replace aging building infrastructure.
“It’s great to be in my hometown of Pennsauken today to deliver an investment that supports the people who keep our community running,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “From trash collection to snow removal and pothole repair, Public Works crews provide essential services we rely on every day. Modernizing this facility will help ensure our crews have the safe workspace they need to serve South Jersey residents.”
“Pennsauken’s Department of Public Works is the backbone of many of the critical services our residents rely on every day, from maintaining our roads and public spaces to responding when our community needs us most,” said Mayor Patrick Olivo. “These funding resources will allow us to make essential infrastructure upgrades to our Public Works Facility and Vehicle Repair Garage, ensuring our team has the safe, modern space they need to continue serving effectively. We are grateful to Congressman Norcross for recognizing the importance of this investment and supporting Pennsauken’s goals to strengthen the foundation of the services our community depends on.”
These improvements will help create a safer, more efficient workplace for employees while strengthening services for more than 36,000 residents. The existing complex, built more than 70 years ago, is aging and in need of upgrades.
This investment is a part of the $11.98 million Congressman Norcross secured for 15 Community Project Funding (CPF) awards throughout New Jersey’s First Congressional District to support economic development, create jobs, and respond to the most pressing needs of the community.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
CHERRY HILL, NJ – Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) delivered $1,900,000 in Community Project Funding to Rowan University and Gloucester County to support the research, development, and testing of concrete 3D printed housing and critical roadway infrastructure improvements at Rowan’s West Campus.
“With this new Community Project Funding we are making smart investments that keep South Jersey on the map as a leader in education and innovation,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “One project will support groundbreaking 3D printing research into new housing technology and the other will strengthen the roads and infrastructure needed to support Rowan’s continued expansion. “I always say that my three priorities are jobs, education, and security in our nation and our neighborhoods, and this funding helps deliver on all three—expanding educational opportunities that prepare the future workforce while improving traffic safety in our communities.”
“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Norcross for securing federal support for these transformative projects,” said Dr. Ali A. Houshmand, president of Rowan University. “This investment will accelerate our work to develop affordable, resilient housing through advanced 3D-printing research and will strengthen the infrastructure needed to support the continued growth of our West Campus. These initiatives will expand economic opportunity, attract new industry partners and help us continue building a stronger future for South Jersey.”
“This is a huge win for Gloucester County and Rowan’s West Campus, helping us deliver the road and infrastructure upgrades that will support growth for decades to come,” said Matthew Weng, Gloucester County Commissioner. “We’re excited to keep moving this project forward and to make travel safer, smoother, and more reliable for students, residents, and local businesses.”
The $1,050,000 grant to Rowan University will help students research, develop, and test advanced concrete 3D printing technology to build affordable and resilient homes. Rowan partners closely with labor unions and trade schools to cultivate the future workforce.
The $850,000 grant to Gloucester County will support Phase II of the County’s roadway infrastructure project at Rowan’s West Campus. The project includes the continued construction of Gilbreth Parkway in Mantua, from its existing terminus near the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine and extending it up along route 55 right-of-way to Edison Parkway and ending at Lambs Road.
These projects is a part of the $11.98 million Congressman Norcross secured for 15 Community Project Funding (CPF) awards throughout New Jersey’s First Congressional District to support economic development, create jobs, and respond to the most pressing needs of the community.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)
WASHINGTON – Today’s scanty document production shows that there is no adequate basis to close the Kennedy Center and that Donald Trump’s statements to the contrary are not founded.
President Trumpclaimsthat his proposed closure of the Kennedy Center was based on a “a one-year review” including “Art Institutions” and other experts and advisors. Rep. Beatty’s court filings (seehereandhere) establish that indeed such an extensive review is required for a decision of this magnitude.
Accordingly, on Saturday, March 14, 2026, a federal court issued an emergency order requiring the government to provide Congresswoman Joyce Beatty–a Kennedy Center trustee–with proof backing up the President’s statement. That includes “a list of the experts or advisors who provided input during [the] ‘one year review.’” The court also ordered production of “any reports provided by those experts and advisors” “relating to the ‘one year review’ or the planned closure of the Center.”
“We called Donald Trump’s bluff, and the results are in,” said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. “These inadequate documents prove that there is absolutely no basis to shutter this precious living memorial and beloved institution. It certainly looks like President Trump is shutting down the Center because he is embarrassed that ticket sales are down and artists are fleeing since his illegal renaming. I’m not letting him get away with it – we’re holding him accountable.”
The documents just produced fall far short. “President Trump’s February 1, 2026 Truth Social post claimed he conducted a one-year review with contractors, musical experts, art institutions, advisors and consultants to determine whether to shut down the Kennedy Center,” said the Congresswoman’s counsel Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), executive chair of Democracy Defenders Action, and Nathaniel Zelinsky, Senior Counsel at the Washington Litigation Group. “According to the scanty materials we have received, the Kennedy Center did not consult a single outside expert or adviser from February 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026 as part of a one year review, and there appears to be no report from the supposed one year review during that period. This only confirms that there is no legal or other basis to close the Kennedy Center.”
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Democracy Defenders Action brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.
The Washington Litigation Group is a nonpartisan team of attorneys dedicated to defending individuals and institutions that have been unlawfully targeted for exercising their legal rights and to fighting against governmental overreach.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s Velshi, where he emphasized that the Trump administration should be using taxpayer dollars to make life more affordable in America rather than breaking their promises to the American people by entering an unpopular war of choice in the Middle East.
ALI VELSHI: For more on this, I’m joined by New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives. Congressman Jeffries, good to see you. Thank you for being with us this morning.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning. Great to be with you.
ALI VELSHI: Everything about this war, forgetting the part that it seems to have been badly thought out and badly planned and all of that, it is illegal. It is not permitted for the United States to enter into war without either an authorization of the use of military force or explicit permission from Congress. What do you do about the fact that that simply hasn’t happened? Whether you like the war with Iran or not, or you hate the Islamic regime, doesn’t matter. This is not a legal war.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we brought a War Powers Resolution to the Floor of the Congress that fell a few votes short when we were in session earlier this month. Upon our return, we’ll continue to do the same thing. The President has failed to make the case to the American people and to their representatives in Congress, and that is one of the reasons why, of course, this war of choice is deeply unpopular.The American people want their taxpayer dollars spent to make their lives more affordable. Instead, the administration, of course, is spending billions of dollars to drop bombs in the Middle East when Donald Trump, as Candidate Trump, promised not to get us involved in this type of conflict.
ALI VELSHI: You said that the administration failed to make the case to Congress, and one might say that one could try to make a case to Congress, and Congress could say you didn’t make the case well enough. I would assume that some of your Republican colleagues would say you didn’t even attempt to make that case. The legal part of this is you’ve got to actually come and try and tell us about that. Why wouldn’t Republicans have joined hands with Democrats, and why did a handful of Democrats not support this?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, you’ll have to talk to those individual Democrats who made a decision to not support the prior War Powers Resolution, although several of them have indicated that the next time we bring such a resolution to the Floor, they will be prepared to support it. In terms of Republicans, what’s clear is that from the very beginning of the Trump presidency, these extremists have functioned like wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Trump cartel, continuing to be nothing more than reckless rubber stamps for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda, as opposed to functioning like a separate and co-equal branch of government.And what is clear to me is that Donald Trump’s war of choice that Republicans are supporting was poorly planned. There was no plan as it relates to dealing with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. There was no plan as it relates to evacuating thousands of Americans who, for days after the conflict, were stranded. There were no plans to deal with the fact that Iran was going to strike out at our allies in the Gulf states throughout the region, and now this war has intensified, so more than a dozen countries are actually involved. And there’s no clear plan to end this conflict in a way that enures to the benefit of the national security interests of the American people.
ALI VELSHI: I’m hoping this war is not continuing in November when the election is on, the midterms are on, and in January when the new Congress is formed. But is there something you can do if and when you take control of Congress to immediately stop this war if it’s going on, and immediately impose a requirement on this administration that they cannot go into war without the permission of Congress?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, certainly, it would be our hope that this would resolve itself way earlier than November or January of next year, as you’ve indicated, Ali. But the one thing that is clear is that Democrats, in taking back control of the House and/or the Senate, needing both chambers, of course, to ensure that the congressional requirement of approval of an act of war, particularly one that continues to sustain itself now for weeks, is vindicated and brought to life. And that certainly will be our intention. Listen. As Democrats, we need to reclaim the institution of Congress as a separate and co-equal branch of government, because Republicans have decided that they just want to hand over our authority on behalf of the American people to Donald Trump and the sycophants that are filled within his administration and his cabinet. And so listen. Our focus has got to be on the issues that matter for the American people, and that’s our promise to everyday Americans: that we’re going to focus on driving down the high cost of living, focus on fixing our broken healthcare system, focus on making sure that immigration enforcement in this country is fair and just and humane and focus on making sure that the taxpayer dollars of the American people are actually spent to make their quality of life better.
ALI VELSHI: So let’s talk about that. You mentioned the price of gas, $3.67 now. It’s up 25% or something since before the war. Price of oil itself is up 40%, and gas always follows that. So the average American is now going to be paying probably 40% more for a gallon of gas. Then they’ll pay surcharges for everything that they order, that UPS or Amazon has to deliver, every flight they take or for every company that ships things. For farmers who have to pay more for diesel, for farmers who have to pay more for fertilizer. And then there’s the $2 billion a day that this war is costing that is not going toward the things that we need. So we can’t give healthcare subsidies to people, but we can spend $2 [billion] on a war that nobody explains to us. From an affordability perspective, this fits right into what should be Democratic messaging.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that’s absolutely correct. Listen, our view is that Donald Trump and Republicans have taken affirmative steps to make life more unaffordable for the American people, when these are people who promised—these extremists, these Republicans—to lower the high cost of living on day one. And of course, costs aren’t going down. They’ve gone up. The Trump tariffs have increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year. Republicans refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, causing dramatic increases in health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans directly and tens of millions of other Americans indirectly who receive their insurance from their employers. We’ve also seen Republicans make the affirmative decision to enact the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, to cut SNAP by $186 billion, which is making food more unaffordable for the American people. And, of course, as a result of this war of choice, this reckless war that Donald Trump and Republicans have launched, we’re seeing gas prices increase through the roof. And that’s already on top of electricity bills that have been skyrocketing because of the Republican attack on the clean energy economy. And so Republicans have affirmatively made life more expensive for the American people, and Democrats plan to do everything that we can to reverse that.
ALI VELSHI: A special election in [New Hampshire] last year—last week—over a state seat, a Democrat flipped a seat to—a Republican seat to Democrat. That’s the 28th seat that’s been flipped so far. Republicans have flipped no legislative seats—state legislative seats—since the last election. What are you reading into this? What are you hearing about that in terms of the effect that it’s going to have on primaries and the midterms?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Democrats have effectively won every single meaningful election for 15 consecutive months at this point in time. The American people are rejecting Republican extremism and embracing our focus on actually doing the things necessary to drive down the high cost of living and ensure that every single American who works hard and plays by the rules can actually live an affordable life, a comfortable life or live the good life. And we’ve been very clear on what that means: a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children and then when it’s all said and done, a good retirement. And we’re going to continue to keep our foot on the gas pedal to focus on the things that matter for the American people, to lay out a clear, forward-looking agenda in advance of November. And it’s my expectation we’re going to take back control of the House.
ALI VELSHI: Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader. Thank you for joining us this morning. We appreciate your time.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)
Congressman Baird Offers Condolences to Family of Captain Koval
Washington, March 14, 2026
Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement on Captain Seth R. Koval, a member of the Ohio Air National Guard from Mooresville, IN, who died supporting Operation Epic Fury:
“My heart breaks for the family of Captain Seth Koval. Captain Koval represented the very best of Indiana and our nation, and he served our country honorably. His extraordinary dedication and sacrifice in defense of our country will never be forgotten. I ask everyone to join me in praying for the comfort of Captain Koval’s wife, Heather, and all of his loved ones during this time of profound loss and continue to pray for the safety of our courageous men and women who are risking their lives for our country during Operation Epic Fury.”
Captain Koval was one of six Airmen who died on March 12, 2026, in the crash of a KC-135 in western Iraq. Captain Koval was assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker ANG Base, Ohio. For more information from the U.S. Department of War, please click here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the Trump administration to ensure Congresswoman Joyce Beatty is provided with the crucial information about Donald Trump’s plan to close the Kennedy Center and that she can participate in next week’s Kennedy Center Board meeting.
“I serve on the Board on behalf of my colleagues in Congress and the American people, and I take that responsibility seriously. The Kennedy Center is a national cultural institution created by Congress and supported by the American public,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “No president has the authority to shut Congress out of the governance of the Kennedy Center, much less unilaterally rename or demolish it. We will not stand by while an important part of our national heritage is jeopardized, and I intend to make that clear at next week’s board meeting.”
The ruling orders the administration to allow Rep. Beatty to participate at the March 16 meeting, where trustees are expected to discuss the president’s plan to close and potentially demolish the Kennedy Center. In December, Congresswoman Beatty was barred from speaking at a Board meeting where trustees purported to rename the Kennedy Center after Donald Trump.
The Court also ordered the government to provide Rep. Beatty documents regarding the shutdown of the Kennedy Center, including information about the “one year review” that Trump claimed he conducted. If the documents do not exist, the government must state so in writing.
“The Kennedy Center is a national institution created by Congress and held in trust for the American people. As a member of the Kennedy Center Board, Congresswoman Beatty is entitled to have a say in the President’s unlawful efforts to close and potentially demolish it,” said Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), executive chair of Democracy Defenders Action, and Nathaniel Zelinsky, Senior Counsel at the Washington Litigation Group. “The court rightly recognized this and sent a clear message that the Kennedy Center is not Donald Trump’s renovation project any more than it is his political trophy or personal property. He cannot simply make unilateral decisions about it and have those decisions rubber-stamped by his hand-picked board.”
The ruling can be found here: https://f9c23fd5-1644-4a5f-a561-d04e6b5736d6.usrfiles.com/ugd/f9c23f_e6efb0daa2ea4d49891fde9e5d5ea2af.pdf
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Democracy Defenders Action brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.
The Washington Litigation Group is a nonpartisan team of attorneys dedicated to defending individuals and institutions that have been unlawfully targeted for exercising their legal rights and to fighting against governmental overreach.