Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California
Washington, D.C. – Tonight, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the House Floor honoring her longtime Chief of Staff, Terri McCullough, who is stepping down after decades of dedicated service to the Congress, to the people of San Francisco, and to the country.
In her speech, Pelosi celebrated McCullough’s extraordinary leadership, her historic tenure as the first woman to serve as Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House and her unwavering commitment to public service. Pelosi reflected on McCullough’s decades of experience in her office—from intern to top advisor—and praised her integrity, strategic insight, and care for colleagues throughout the institution.
Read the transcript of Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s Floor remarks below:
Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a visionary, steadfast and deeply respected leader and indispensable participant in advancing our mission For The People — my longtime Chief of Staff, Terri McCullough.
[Applause]
I’m not finished!
Terri is stepping down this month to spend more time with her family — teenagers.
Terri’s service has been defined by wisdom, by warmth and by her unwavering belief in the power of public service to improve private lives.
From her beginnings as an intern in my San Francisco office — district office — nearly 30 years ago, to her outstanding leadership as Chief of Staff in the Speaker’s Office, Terri has embodied the very best of our core values: integrity, excellence and compassion.
Terri made history as the first woman to serve as the Chief of Staff in the Speaker’s Office, a testament not only to her extraordinary capabilities, but to her trailblazing example for women across this institution and the nation.
Her leadership helped guide our work throughout times of enormous challenge and change, from strengthening our institution to delivering historic progress for working families.
Her judgment, strategic insight and care for every member of our office, our Caucus, and our Congress has been essential to our success.
While we will miss her daily leadership, we wish her every happiness in the next chapter of her life.
We look forward to continuing our collaboration, friendship and shared mission in new ways.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California
Washington, D.C.— This week, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined 212 Democratic Members of Congress—led by Equality Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-AL) and Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39)—in sending a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson condemning the rise in anti-transgender rhetoric from Members of Congress and urging the enforcement of the House’s rules of decorum. The letter signers represent the diversity of the Democratic Caucus, including rank-and-file Members, Leadership—including Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, Chair Pete Aguilar—every Member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and Members of every major House Democrat ideological caucus.
In their letter, the Members state:
“We write to you to strongly condemn the rise in anti-transgender rhetoric, including from members of Congress, and to urge you to ensure members of Congress are following rules of decorum and not using their platforms to demonize and scapegoat any marginalized community, including the transgender community.”
“This Congress, we have seen a dramatic escalation in rhetoric demonizing and dehumanizing the transgender community. This includes multiple instances of a member of Congress using a slur to refer to the transgender community during official proceedings, including during committee proceedings and on the floor of the House. Despite the responsibility of Committee Chairs and the Speaker of the House to maintain order and ensure members are following the rules of decorum, no action was taken by the Chair or Speaker Pro Tempore in any of these circumstances.”
Members end their letter by urging Speaker Johnson to condemn the rise in dehumanizing rhetoric and ensure members of the Republican conference abide by the rules of decorum:
“As Speaker of the House, you have a responsibility not just to the Republican Conference but to the entire House of Representatives—and the entire country that the House represents. We urge you to condemn the rise in dehumanizing rhetoric targeting the transgender community and to ensure members of your conference are abiding by rules of decorum and not using their platforms to demonize and scapegoat the transgender community, including by ensuring members are not using slurs to refer to the transgender community.”
The full letter, including the names of all signers, is available to readhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)
November 28, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) introduced this week the Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act. This bill would establish new penalties for tax preparers for misuse of identification numbers and failure to comply with Internal Revenue Service requirements.
“Americans trust that tax preparers will be honest and thorough with their work,” said Rep. Steube. “When that trust is betrayed, it can have catastrophic consequences for the families and small businesses that depend on their services. That is why I am joining with Representative Panetta to introduce the Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act. It’s time to raise the standards for the trained professionals who organize and file the taxes of the American people.”
“Innocent taxpayers should not be penalized for the mistakes or malevolence of their tax preparer,” said Rep. Panetta. “My bipartisan legislation will help taxpayers avoid paying the price for untrustworthy or incompetent tax preparers by ensuring they’re held accountable. If you pay someone else to help you prepare your taxes, you should feel confident and secure that your tax preparer is professional, proficient, and principled.”
Background: The Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act expands the definition of “return” while establishing penalties and fines for tax preparers who fail to provide valid ID numbers, misuse electronic filing ID numbers, or improperly alter returns. It makes it a felony to willfully misuse or misappropriate ID numbers with criminal penalties reaching up to two years imprisonment and maximum fines of $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for corporations. The Secretary of the Treasury is also permitted to deny, revoke, or suspend the Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTINs) of tax preparers that either engage in misconduct or fail to meet licensing and professional requirements.
Read the full bill text here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Rep Ro Khanna (CA-17)
Washington, DC — Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) released the following statement after his bipartisan bill,the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed the House by 427-1:
“This fight isn’t about politics –– it’s about humanity. It’s about justice for the courageous survivors and taking on the Epstein class who have been shielded for too long. Passing my bipartisan bill with Representative Thomas Massie today is a step toward changing our rotten system and standing up for American values. When we are united and work across the aisle, amazing things can happen, but our work isn’t done. We need a full release of the Epstein files,” said Rep. Ro Khanna.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland November 28, 2025 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES ON PASSING OF ELISA MCKAY
U.S. Virgin Islands – Congresswoman Plaskett released the following statement expressing condolences on the passing of Elisa McKay:
“It is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Elisa McKay, a beloved artist, educator, and pillar of our Virgin Islands community.
Elisa was a truly remarkable woman whose creative spirit and generous heart touched countless lives across St. Croix and throughout our territory. As a self-taught artist, she channeled what she described as a divine expression, creating work that reflected her deep love for our islands, our culture, and our people. Her art was an extension of her soul—vibrant, authentic, and deeply rooted in her Crucian heritage.
Beyond her artistic talent, Elisa dedicated herself to uplifting our community in so many ways. She served as an educator, taught yoga for four decades, worked tirelessly with our seniors through the Interfaith Coalition, and gave her time and wisdom to numerous organizations including Unity of St. Croix, the St. Croix Environmental Association, and the Women’s Coalition. Her compassion, spiritual leadership, and commitment to service made our Virgin Islands a better place.
Elisa lived with purpose and love, seeing the divine in everyone she encountered. Our community has lost a truly special soul, and she will be deeply missed.
My heartfelt condolences go out to her daughter Ayanna Joy McKay, whom Elisa considered her greatest accomplishment, and to all who knew and loved her. May her memory be a blessing, and may her artistic legacy continue to inspire us for generations to come.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Larsen Releases Statement on Shooting in D.C.
Everett, WA, November 27, 2025
Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:
“I condemn the senseless violence committed in Washington D.C. against two brave National Guard members. I support local and federal law enforcement efforts to hold the shooter accountable. My thoughts are with the family of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, and with Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe as he fights for his life.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s The Briefing with Jen Psaki, where he pointed out how Republicans are waging an all-out assault on the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans while Democrats are keeping up the fight to protect the health, safety and well-being of the American people.
JEN PSAKI: Welcome back. And joining me now is House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, it’s great to see you. Thank you for taking the time tonight. I just want to start by asking you about this shooting today, of course, in Washington. It’s, of course, the day before Thanksgiving. These two National Guard members were away from their homes in West Virginia following orders and serving their country when they were shot today in Washington. I know you put out a statement earlier, but what has been—we’ve learned a lot over the last couple of hours—What’s been going through your head today as you’ve been digesting all of this news?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s a terrible tragedy, and we certainly are praying for the recovery and the well-being of these two patriotic National Guard members, as well as standing with not just them but their families and their communities on the eve of Thanksgiving. Also, now that we have a shooter who’s not just in custody and we’re thankful for the work of local law enforcement in swiftly apprehending an individual, but now we need to begin to understand, in the context of the investigation, what happened, why it happened and how we can take steps to prevent this from ever happening again.
JEN PSAKI: There’s a lot. I mean, as you mentioned, the suspect is in custody. He’s been identified as a 29-year-old Afghan national. The mayor of D.C. has said this was a targeted attack, and the FBI has announced they’re going to investigate it as a possible act of terrorism. I was just talking with my prior guest about this. You mentioned some of the questions you have about what happened, why. What else are you hoping to learn as this investigation unfolds over the next hours and days?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we need to know what inspired the shooter, how he got access to the weapon that was used, whether the shooter acted alone or whether it was in concert with other individuals, either foreign or domestic. And these are naturally questions that are going to have to be answered by a thorough law enforcement investigation. And, of course, we need the suspect prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And then as we move forward, we need to think about how we can prevent this type of violent act from ever occurring again, as it relates to both the National Guard, but, of course, how we can protect the men and women of law enforcement who protect and serve communities all across the country on a daily basis, week after week, month after month, year after year.
JEN PSAKI: I should mention that the President is addressing the shooting right now. We’ll play some of that in a moment, depending on what he says. But the Trump administration has already tonight requested a stay of a federal judge’s ruling last week that the deployment of the National Guard in D.C. is illegal. And also, as you well know, Secretary Hegseth also announced that Trump has ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to D.C., joining the 2,200 already. Obviously, what has happened today is an incredible tragedy with these two National Guardsmen, but this is a city you spend a great deal of time in. What do you make of those two actions, just hours after this shooting?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I think the Trump administration is going to have to justify to the American people why these actions are being taken as part of the broader effort to deploy National Guard troops all across the country. These are reasonable questions that the American people deserve answers to, not simply in the context of the actions that Donald Trump and the Secretary of Defense have taken today, but generally in terms of understanding what their overall public safety strategy may be in a country where so many Americans understandably have concluded that things are moving in the wrong direction over the last year or so and that we’ve got to find a better path forward.
JEN PSAKI: Let me ask you about one of those areas and I know this is on the minds of people—a lot of things are—as they head into Thanksgiving and the holidays and that is of course the cost of healthcare and the expiration that is going to be happening in just six weeks of these ACA tax credits. It’s been, I mean, a bit of a whipsaw, whirlwind this week. I don’t know how you feel with Donald Trump saying he was in favor of extending those tax credits. It seemed like he backtracked after Republicans said he shouldn’t, even though they’re off politically. I know there’s a lot of things happening right now, including more than around 200 or more than 200 signatures for this discharge petition, but what do you see as a path here, either with Republicans, with a lot of them, or with a smaller number, to extend these tax credits?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, here’s the bottom line. We’re in the middle of a devastating Republican healthcare crisis that is threatening the safety and the well-being of tens of millions of Americans, in a year where they’ve already enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all throughout America. We know that because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, people all across the country, in the middle of this holiday season, are about to experience dramatically increased healthcare premiums. In some cases, those health insurance costs are going to increase by $1,000 or $2,000 per month, if there’s a failure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, because it’s a program that serves working class Americans, middle class Americans and everyday Americans all across the country, including in rural America. And for some reason, Republicans refuse to do what is necessary to protect the healthcare of the American people. And so, clearly, the answers aren’t going to come from the President. The answers aren’t going to come from House Republican leaders, who’ve been missing in action from day one. It’s gonna take Democrats, compelling just a handful of people on the other side of the aisle to do the right thing so we can extend these Affordable Care Act tax credits. The clock is ticking. We only have to December 31.
JEN PSAKI: Just to dig into that further, I mean, you had, just last week—it feels like a long time ago, but the discharge petition moved forward almost unanimously in the House. Only one person voted against it on the Floor. You’ve said you have the votes, you think you have votes, to do a similar tactic, a discharge petition, on these healthcare tax credits. How close are you? And is that something that we could be looking at even the week after Thanksgiving?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, absolutely. As soon as we return to Washington, we’re going to continue to press our case. We’ve introduced, of course, as you referenced, this discharge petition that now has north of 200 signatures. We’ll only need a handful of House Republicans, at the end of the day, to join us, and we can extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years. We’re pressing for a three-year extension so we can give working-class Americans the same level of certainty that Republicans just gave to their billionaire donors when they passed the One Big Ugly Bill and made tax credits—tax breaks for their billionaire donors permanent. And now, many of my Republican colleagues can’t find a dime in order to help out everyday Americans. It’s extraordinary. We’re going to continue to press the case in the House. We’re gonna continue to work with Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats as they press the case in this Senate and do everything we can to get this done by the end of next month.
JEN PSAKI: A lot of them are going to have tough races next year. Seems like voting against healthcare and making healthcare more expensive is a very dumb political move, but I’m not here to give them advice, per se. Let me ask you about another thing that has been floating around this week. Obviously, a big story has been—I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the Republicans seem to be in a bit of disarray over there, and there’s rumors and lots of reporting that a number of them are considering leaving Congress before the midterms over frustrations with Trump and with Mike Johnson. That would obviously have a huge impact on a lot of people, most specifically you. Are you preparing for the possibility that Democrats could be in the majority before the midterms?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we certainly are working as hard as we can to make sure that we flip the three seats necessary next November to take back control of the House so we can begin the process of ending this national nightmare. But as you’ve indicated, there’s a GOP civil war that’s going on on the other side of the aisle. Donald Trump fighting with Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was his biggest supporter. Mike Johnson and John Thune fighting with each other. Nancy Mace, of course, fighting with every single person in the House Republican Conference. It’s a mess over there, and it is our expectation that in the next few weeks, upon return from the Thanksgiving recess, you’re going to see some reasonably high-profile Republicans continue to announce that they’re either not seeking reelection or resigning in the middle of the Congress. And if enough of that happens, when we get back to full strength as Democrats, which will be 215, some interesting things could occur in this Congress in advance of the midterm elections.
JEN PSAKI: We’ll look forward to that. It feels like the time—it’s only a couple weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but what you’re telling me is there could be votes for a discharge petition on healthcare. We’ll see. And there could be more high-profile resignations. Well, that seems like something we’ll all look ahead to in December. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you so much and have a happy Thanksgiving.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your viewers.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)
November 26, 2025
Rep. Levin & Mel Vernon
Oceanside, CA—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) recognized Mel Vernon, Captain of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, author, professional musician, and esteemed public speaker and educator, as his November 2025 Constituent of the Month.
For more than 15 years, Mel has worked with Southern California teachers and educators, emphasizing the history, culture, and folklore of the Luiseño people through various mediums. He has authored multiple stories, including Kíicha Nights, Coyote Dreams and Mel and the Blue Arrow, a children’s book that shares Native American traditions and culture. He also performs live storytelling and co-facilitates a flute circle to increase civic engagement and awareness, helping ensure the cultural preservation of Luiseño heritage.
He is a member of the planning committee for the Valley Arts Festival, which celebrates Oceanside and its Indigenous community, and serves on the Community Engagement Panel for the decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. He also served as President of the Rotary Club of San Luis Rey (Oceanside) in 2021 and was a recipient of the Rotary Club’s Peacebuilder Nominee award in 2022. Impressively, Mel plays guitar in his classic rock band, The Kings of La Jolla.
Rep. Levin recognized Mel for his outstanding record of community engagement, cultural preservation, and his daily commitment to raising awareness of Luiseño heritage. He is an inspiration for all members of the community. Mel’s work reminds us to never forget, and learn from and celebrate the Indigenous population that has lived on this land for countless generations.
See below for Rep. Levin’s statement recognizing Mel Vernon in the Congressional Record:
“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Mel Vernon as my November 2025 Constituent of the Month.
“Mel Vernon is an example of what it looks like to dedicate ourselves to community engagement and cultural preservation. For more than 15 years, he has worked with teachers and educators across Southern California to ensure the history of the Luiseño people is not forgotten. Mel is committed every day to increasing awareness. I’m proud to support the work of Mel and so many others who serve our community. It’s an honor to recognize his accomplishments and service thus far.
“Mel is a great community leader, author, and musician. His preservation efforts remind us that, as a community, we benefit from learning about and celebrating the Indigenous population that has lived on this land for countless generations. I admire his devotion to preservation and am grateful we have people like Mel in our district who are dedicated to educating our communities about the great Luiseño people.”
ABOUT THE CONSTITUENT OF THE MONTH PROGRAM:
Rep. Levin’s Constituent of the Month program recognizes outstanding North County San Diego and South Orange County residents who have gone above and beyond to help their neighbors, give back to their community, and represent the best of our country. Rep Levin’s October 2025 Constituent of the Month was Annalise Aitken, a 17-year-old San Clemente resident, student, and volunteer extraordinaire, and his September 2025 Constituent of the Month was Logan Bailey, an actor who recently starred in his first movie.
Solana Beach, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) was joined by a bipartisan coalition of officials including, Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner, State Senator Catherine Blakespear, Assemblymember Laurie Davies, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, and environmental groups Oceana and Surfrider, to oppose and sound the alarm on the Trump Administration’s new offshore drilling plans for Southern California’s coast.
The proposals include as many as 34 offshore lease sales covering approximately 1.27 billion acres of United States coastline. In California, there would be six lease sales, three of which would be in Southern California. The plan would also include 21 lease sales off the coast of Alaska and seven in the Gulf of Mexico, and create a new administrative planning area called the South-Central Gulf of America.
“Offshore drilling puts our communities at direct risk of toxic spills that threaten public health, harm marine life, destroy habitat, and jeopardize an economy that generates tens of billions of dollars each year. Coastal communities do not want this. Democrats do not want this. Republicans do not want this. That is why I introduced the Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act to fully ban new drilling off our coastline.” said Rep. Levin. “Cities throughout our district have stood together and endorsed this legislation because protecting our coast is common sense. I will continue fighting against this decision because protecting the people I represent is not optional. Our coast is not for sale. California says hell no.”
In April 2025, Rep. Levin introduced the Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act¸ which would ban offshore drilling along the Southern California coast. He also co-sponsored Rep. Jared Huffman’s (CA- 02) bill, West Coast Ocean Protection Act, which would ban offshore drilling throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. Rep. Levin’s bill has been endorsed by numerous environmental groups and cities throughout the 49th Congressional District.
“California knows all too well that oil spills kill wildlife, contaminate fisheries, tarnish beaches, and impact people reliant on clean oceans,” said Ashley Blacow-Draeger, Field Campaign Manager for Oceana. “California is well along its transition away from offshore drilling, with numerous oil platforms already in various stages of decommissioning. Oceana stands united with state and federal elected officials from both parties, local communities, and the public who have resoundingly opposed the expansion of offshore drilling over the last several decades to protect the future of our coast forever.”??
“Our beautiful coast is not for sale, and it’s clear that the Trump Administration is really determined to drag us backward and undo any environmental progress we have achieved. It wasn’t that long ago in 2021 that tar balls were washing up on the San Diego shores from a spill in Orange County; that spill closed beaches, impacted small businesses and fishing operations, and destroyed habitat and wildlife. Offshore drilling contributes very little to our overall oil supply, but in return can be detrimental to the environment, public health and local economies. I am proud to stand alongside Congressman Levin and others to fight against this harmful decision,” said Assemblymember Tasha Boerner.
Rep. Levin has advocated extensively for a ban on offshore drilling. In November 2024, Rep. Levin sent a letter to the Biden Administration that resulted in the withdrawal of future oil and natural gas leasing in sensitive coastal areas across the country, including in Southern California. In January 2025, the Trump Administration once again opened these areas to drilling and has taken measures to expand offshore drilling and roll back environmental regulations.