MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), along with Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Top Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), led 14 of their colleagues in filing an amicus brief in California v. Wright, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, to challenge the Trump Administration’s use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to facilitate the restart of the Sable Offshore oil pipeline system along the California Central Coast.

The brief argues that the Administration has failed to identify a legitimate national defense need for Sable’s crude oil and that the DPA order does not satisfy the statutory requirements for invoking this extraordinary authority. Sable produces crude oil—not finished fuels used by the military—and the order does not establish a connection between Sable’s production and an unmet military fuel requirement.

Joining Carbajal, Whitehouse, Padilla, and Schiff, the amicus brief is co-signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19).

“The Sable pipeline restart is a classic example of the Trump administration abusing power to benefit political allies at the expense of local communities,” said Rep. Carbajal. “As our brief outlines, there was no legitimate national security justification for invoking the Defense Production Act on behalf of Sable. This Administration is clearly fixated on boosting the fossil fuel industry, even when doing so risks putting our environment and public health in harm’s way. The people of Santa Barbara County and California have every right to be concerned about the pipeline restart given its role in the 2015 Refugio oil spill. I will keep fighting alongside my colleagues to hold the Administration accountable for this overreach and protect our communities’ right to a safe environment.” 

“President Trump and Secretary Wright’s ‘national security’ justification for invoking the Defense Production Act to restart flow of the Sable pipeline was clearly pretextual.  The order was intended to throw a lifeline to a failing fossil-fuel company facing a severe financial cliff.  The Trump administration will do anything to please their fossil fuel megadonors, no matter the environmental and public safety risks,” said Sen. Whitehouse.

“Californians have been clear: we don’t want oil infrastructure off our coast,” said Sen. Padilla. “The Trump Administration is using a bogus justification to open our waters to their Big Oil donors, jeopardizing our environment and our economy. It’s corrupt, it’s dangerous, and I’ll do everything in my power to stop it.”

“The idea that reopening a damaged pipeline on the Central Coast of California is somehow imperative to our national defense – when killing other renewable energy sources is just fine, when data centers are demanding new energy and we’re taking offline 90 to 95% of the new energy coming into the grid – tells you this has nothing to do with national security. It has nothing to do with your price at the pump. It only has to do with the president keeping a promise to the big oil companies, and we are all paying the price,” said Sen. Schiff.

“Once again, Trump is blatantly boosting the fossil fuel industry under guise of national security. They’re betraying the real national interests of our communities and public health. Restarting the Sable pipeline displays this Administration’s continued abuse of power, benefiting Trump’s billionaire cronies at the expense of the American people. I will continue fighting to stop Trump’s overreach threatening our environment,” said Sen. Blumenthal.

“Donald Trump is obsessed with abusing the Presidency to enrich his billionaire buddies while his policies keep sending everyday costs through the roof,” said Sen. Duckworth. “The Defense Production Act is a tool meant to help protect our national security—not bail out the President’s Big Oil donors. The Administration’s phony justification for restarting this pipeline without environmental and safety review is blatant corruption, and it could seriously endanger public health. It must be stopped.”

“Trump is turning the Defense Production Act into a blank check for Big Oil,” said Rep. Huffman. “Emergency national security powers exist to protect this country in a crisis. They were never meant to force open an oil pipeline that has sat idle for more than a decade after fouling our coast. This is a fossil fuel giveaway dressed up as national security, designed to enrich Trump and reward his political allies. But it’s our beaches, our coastal communities, and the businesses that depend on a clean, healthy ocean that will face the consequences if we let his sham continue. We have cleaned up this company’s mess once already. Californians have defended this coast for decades, and we are not backing down.”

“The Trump Administration’s abuse of the Defense Production Act to revive the Sable pipeline is an unlawful corporate giveaway masquerading as a national security measure,” said Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. “California communities know the devastating consequences of offshore oil spills. Congress created the Defense Production Act to protect our national security—not to reward political allies, endanger our coastline and override vital environmental safeguards.”

“As Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, we have been united against this Administration’s illegal attempts to force fossil fuel projects at the expense of our state’s environment and public health,” said Rep. Lofgren. “Trump has always put oil company profits above Americans’ well-being, but invoking the Defense Production Act for this pipeline is ridiculous. Californians don’t want a repeat of the 2015 oil spill, and the Administration is overstepping its authority to put our environment and coastal economy at risk.”

An excerpt from the brief is below. The full amicus brief is available HERE.

“This case is not about national defense. It is about a heavily leveraged, crude oil company asking the President to transform the Defense Production Act (DPA) from a statute designed to ‘assure the availability of domestic energy supplies for national defense needs,’ 50 U.S.C. § 4502(a)(5), into a corporate rescue operation for political allies; a rescue that advances the Administration’s political preference for fossil-fuel development at the expense of all other concerns. The Department of Energy’s (‘DOE’) March 13, 2026 order (the ‘Wright Order’) comes nowhere close to identifying a need for Sable crude oil or pipelines in the Order’s generalized invocation of California’s military presence and increased reliance on foreign crude. DOE never explains why those general circumstances create a national-defense need for Sable’s crude, much less how restarting its beleaguered pipelines would meet one. 

“Merely invoking “national defense” or an “emergency” does not insulate executive action from the statutory prerequisites that Congress imposed in the DPA on the exercise of delegated authority. Enforcing these requirements, i.e., that the Secretary establish the statutory predicates for invoking the DPA, does not amount to second-guessing genuine executive judgments about national defense. Instead, enforcement honors the conditions precedent Congress imposed to prevent abuse of the DPA. DOE’s failure to satisfy these statutory prerequisites invalidates the Wright Order.”

Background

Sable Offshore acquired the Santa Ynez Unit from ExxonMobil in 2024. The pipeline had been out of service since the 2015 Refugio oil spill. In March 2026, Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked the DPA and ordered Sable to restore pipeline operations. The brief argues that the Administration used national defense as a pretext to advance domestic energy policy and benefit a specific company.

Carbajal has been a leader in opposing the Administration’s use of the DPA to force the Sable pipeline’s restart.

In July 2026, Carbajal spoke on the House floor against the NDAA’s Hunt amendment, which would grant the federal government unprecedented access to California-owned public lands associated with the Santa Ynez Unit and Las Flores Pipeline System.

In May 2026, Carbajal, Schiff, and members of the California congressional delegation launched an inquiry into Sable’s efforts to restart oil drilling off the California coast and demanded answers on the company’s collaboration with the Trump administration to invoke the DPA in relation to this project.

Last year, Carbajal, Schiff, Padilla, and members of the California congressional delegation demanded answers from the Trump administration on its involvement in Sable’s attempts to restart the pipeline.

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Reps. Kim Schrier (WA-08), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Adam Smith (WA-09) to introduce the 988 Crisis Response Act. This bipartisan legislation would help fund professional mobile crisis response teams (MCRTs) dispatched by 9-8-8 Lifeline operators and establish Medicaid reimbursement for crisis call centers and resources. 

“Across the Central Valley, mobile crisis response teams work alongside law enforcement to respond to individuals in crisis, deescalate difficult situations, and connect people with vital mental health services,” said Congressman Valadao. “I know how deeply personal and impactful this work is for our community, which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the 988 Crisis Response Act. This bipartisan bill will strengthen federal support for mobile crisis response teams and the broader crisis care continuum, helping ensure these critical services remain available to those who need them most.”

“As a pediatrician, I have seen firsthand how severe our youth and adult mental health crisis has become,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “It is so important that when our family members, loved ones, and neighbors are in crisis, they can get immediate help. Mobile crisis response teams, with licensed counselors, physicians, crisis workers, and paramedics, dispatched by 988 save lives, deescalate dangerous situations, and keep us all safe. We need to make sure these teams are always available for every American as a reliable resource when our community members need help.”

“A mental health crisis does not wait for business hours, and a family asking for help should never be left wondering whether anyone will come,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “For years, I have worked with families, first responders, providers, and advocates who understand that the right intervention at the right moment can change the course of a life. The 988 Lifeline gave Americans a number to call; now we must make certain there is a strong system of care ready to answer that call. Our bipartisan 988 Crisis Response Act will help communities put trained professionals on the ground, strengthen crisis stabilization services, and ensure that when someone reaches out in their most vulnerable hour, help is not merely promised—it arrives.”

“When someone has a mental health crisis, they deserve timely, comprehensive treatment — not just a trip to an overcrowded emergency room,” said Congressman Smith. “I’ve witnessed the important work of our mobile crisis response teams and broader behavioral health workforce in King County, and I appreciate their dedication to providing critical care to our community’s most vulnerable. This bill will provide the reliable funding needed to strengthen these teams and help expand this model of care nationwide. Everyone deserves the right help, in the right setting, at the right time. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort.”

The 988 Crisis Response Act would:

• Authorize $100 million for the Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership program for communities to create or enhance existing mobile crisis response teams, composed of licensed counselors, clinical social workers, physicians, paramedics, crisis workers, and/or peers. 
• Make permanent the 85% federal matching assistance percentage (FMAP) for mobile crisis response teams and expand the FMAP to crisis call centers and crisis stabilizing and receiving facilities, ensuring Medicaid financing for all three pillars of the crisis care continuum.

If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 988.

Read the full bill here.

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) and Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) released the following statement criticizing the State Water Resources Control Board Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan:

“In 2022, after years of negotiations, California’s public water agencies came together in good faith and agreed on a science-based path forward for the Bay-Delta. Four years later, the State Water Board has walked away from that agreement and moved the goalposts. Central Valley families are the ones who will pay the price for this bait and switch.
 
“An unelected board in Sacramento is once again telling farmers, workers, and businesses that their water needs come last.  Water districts and communities across California need certainty, not shifting rules that guarantee years of delay and litigation. Higher costs and more regulation are not the answer. While the federal government is working to deliver more water to Californians, the State Water Board keeps finding new ways to take it away. The Board must stop jeopardizing California’s water supply and deliver a viable path forward.”

After years of negotiations, California’s public water agencies established a science-based path forward for the Bay-Delta in 2022, which was supported by public water agencies across the state, the California Secretary of Natural Resources, the California Secretary for Environmental Protection, and the Bureau of Reclamation through a Memorandum of Understanding. Unfortunately, the State Water Resources Control Board has disregarded the agreed upon plan and produced a flawed product that fundamentally undermines what parties negotiated for years in good faith.

The new plan, released on August 19, 2026, changes how water contributions are counted, reduces the credit water users receive for commitments already made, and removes the limits on future demands — leaving more uncertainty than when negotiations began. 
 
The Central Valley is the food production capital of the nation, growing nearly a quarter of the food on Americans’ tables. Without reliable water resources, the foundation of our region’s economy and the entire nation’s food supply is at risk.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

Letter details how event tickets and merchandise orders flowed through vendors owned by Trump’s former campaign manager and tied to the RNC and MAGA PACs

September 08, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) sent an urgent request to the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether Freedom 250, Trump’s shadow organization that hijacked America’s 250th birthday, used federal resources to build a voter contact list for President Trump and his allies ahead of the midterms.

“Based on our preliminary findings, President Trump and his allies are in a position to use information on American voters, harvested with taxpayer money and government resources, in an attempt to tip the scales in the upcoming midterm elections,” the lawmakers wrote. “This is a grave threat to Americans’ personal privacy and freedom from election interference, and we are asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate.”

Watch Ranking Member Huffman discuss the findings.

The letter builds on the Natural Resources Committee Democrats’ July 2 interim report, “From Vanity to Insanity,” which documented how Freedom 250 sidelined the congressionally chartered, nonpartisan America250 Commission and captured most of the $150 million Congress set aside for the semiquincentennial.

According to the letter, every American who requested a free ticket to a Freedom 250 event on the National Mall submitted their name, email, phone number, and ZIP code into Campaign Nucleus – a system owned by Brad Parscale, the architect behind President Trump’s 2016 digital operation and 2020 campaign. A second Parscale company, Dyspatchit, handles Freedom 250’s email and text messaging, which collects billing and mailing addresses. A third Trump campaign-affiliated company, Ace Specialties, runs the official Freedom 250 merchandise storefront and also collects billing and mailing addresses, as well as other contact information.

“A national contact list assembled at taxpayer expense, enriched with geolocation and behavioral data and scored for persuadability, is an asset of extraordinary value to a party heading into a midterm election,” the lawmakers wrote.

Freedom 250’s operations are entangled with Trump and the GOP’s political ambitions, according to the letter. Freedom 250 asked Americans registering for free July 4 tickets to consent to “alerts [and] donation requests,” then sent them links to a Trump-branded WinRed site soliciting donations of up to $5,000 for the Never Surrender PAC. Freedom 250 blamed a vendor mistake, yet registrants went on to receive emails carrying Freedom 250’s name and logo from an address on the Trump campaign’s own domain, and federal records show Never Surrender pays the same vendor that runs Freedom 250’s email program.

“In either scenario, it is clear that Freedom 250 and the Trump campaign are co-mingling their activities and using Freedom 250’s collected data to point registrants to a campaign PAC’s website,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter warns that no federal privacy law protects this data because of Freedom 250’s intentional structure as a nonprofit subsidiary, and that its own privacy policy names no data protection manager, sets no retention limit, and permits vendors to “disclose, share, and use your information.” The board that controls Freedom 250 now includes multiple Trump campaign architects and a former president of the firm that handles voter data for the Republican National Committee.

The data privacy concerns stretch beyond elections. The Patriot Games application, processed through Parscale’s system, required teens aged 14 to 17 to post public introduction videos and hand over their personal social media handles. The competition itself lasted three days in August, yet parents were asked to sign over open-ended rights to their child’s name, image, and likeness with no expiration date and for use by Freedom 250 itself, meaning the data was never confined to the event. Minors who identified their age, school, and hometown on camera then became targets of hate, harassment, and obscene comments by online trolls who weaponized this data.

“Freedom 250’s solicitation of teens’ videos with little respect for their privacy adds evidence to their pattern of being cavalier with Americans’ data,” the lawmakers wrote.

Huffman and Morelle asked GAO to produce a full list of Freedom 250’s vendors and their political clients, determine how much federal money paid for data collection services, identify what safeguards, if any, stop the data from reaching political committees, assess potential violations of appropriations and campaign finance law, and recommend options for closing the privacy gaps that allow a federally funded nonprofit to run a nationwide data collection operation at the President’s behest.

Read the full letter here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) joined a bipartisan effort to challenge President Donald Trump’s efforts to limit mail-in voting. The court filing questions the legality of Donald Trump’s Executive Order seeking to exert federal control over mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“As current and former legislators, amici took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States—including its guarantee of the separation of powers. Amici have a particular interest in defending the institutional role of the Legislative Branch under Article I of the Constitution and in vindicating the long-settled principle that the Constitution commits ultimate regulatory authority over federal elections to Congress. The Constitution does not contemplate the Executive Branch acting unilaterally to assert power over federal elections. Yet that is what the Order and Final Rule do,” the lawmakers wrote. 
Te group, made up of a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of 261 lawmakers, filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the matter of United States Postal Service, et al., v. State of California, et al., a lawsuit brought by a coalition of State Attorneys General against the U.S. Postal Service. The court case challenges a Final Rule issued by the USPS pursuant to Trump’s directive that imposes unconstitutional and unworkable restrictions on mail-in voting, including requiring states to provide a “citizenship verification list” and attempting to give USPS control over who can vote by mail.
The amici also pointed to a recent federal court ruling blocking the USPS from implementing its newly finalized mail ballot rule for the midterm elections, saying the agency lacked the authority to implement the rule and that its actions are “substantively unconstitutional and contrary to law.”
“The district court correctly concluded that Appellees are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims that USPS lacked authority to issue the Final Rule, that the Final Rule unconstitutionally imposes mail-ballot requirements on the States, and that the Final Rule unconstitutionally bars non-compliant State and local election officials from using the USPS to mail ballots at all,” the lawmakers continued.
The group concluded by asserting states’ power to administer elections and Congress’s power to make or alter rules regulating elections, which the Supreme Court itself has described as an “override” authority. The president’s illegal incursion on this authority is an attempt to disenfranchise people who depend on mail-in ballots to vote.
The lawmakers concluded: “The integrity of our constitutional system depends on each branch keeping to its assigned role. The Framers set up a two-part system that gave the States default authority to regulate federal elections subject to Congress’s authority to override the States. The Framers did not provide the President with any authority to interfere in that system, nor has Congress imbued the Executive Branch with any such authority by statute.”
In the court filing, the amici curiae argue that Trump’s Executive Order 14399, “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” violates the separation of powers and usurps congressional authorities outlined in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which gives the states and Congress exclusive authority over election administration.
One-third of Americans are expected to vote by mail in the upcoming midterm elections, a voting practice Donald Trump himself used as recently as August 2026, when the president voted in Florida’s Republican primary.
Trahan has been a fierce voice against Donald Trump’s attack on mail-in voting. In 2025, she led calls against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which requires voters to provide a birth certificate, naturalization papers, or passport matching their current name to vote in a federal election. Since arriving to Congress, Trahan has championed legislation to make voting more accessible for all Americans, including co-sponsoring the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and securing House passage of proposals to enhance ballot access for the families of servicemembers and prohibit the agents of foreign governments from exercising influence over the drawing of new congressional districts.
Click HERE to view the full brief.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) joined Mayor Mamdani to announce the release of more than 170,000 pages of City records documenting the government’s response to the attacks on September 11, 2001 and the aftermath related to the environmental hazards at and around Ground Zero. His remarks can be viewed HERE and read below:

“Thank you for having me here today.

“We are here today to remember the innocent lives that were devastated in the days,

weeks, and months following the deadly terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

“We are here to honor the heroes who ran toward the towers as the planes struck,

who combed through the rubble to save survivors, and who worked tirelessly to

clean up the wreckage.

“We are here to honor the men, women, and children who did not know the danger

they were facing as they slept in their homes, went to school, and returned to work.

“When our communities were at their most vulnerable, people turned to trusted

sources—including their government—to guide them through this crisis.

“Government officials betrayed that trust by suspecting, and later knowing, the

environmental hazards from the catastrophe and failing to tell the public.

“The air was unsafe. It was filled with toxic substances that sickened the people

who breathed it in. And 25 years later, our neighbors and heroes are still falling

seriously ill because of these toxins.

“My colleagues and I who represented Ground Zero and the surrounding

communities immediately warned local and federal officials about the health risks

posed by the toxins in the air.

“I was screaming at the top of my lungs to protect our communities, my constituents. But officials like EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman and Mayor Guiliani, denied claims like mine, saying the air was “perfectly safe.” Blasphemous.

“The failure of government officials to share this information with the public and

adequately respond to the danger has had devastating—and, in too many cases,

fatal—consequences.

“Now, we and the public know that City Hall, led by former Mayor Giuliani,

predicted that thousands of responders and community members would face

devastating long-term health consequences from these toxins. Despite this, he

stayed silent on the hazards.

“Eventually, the air became safe to breathe again. But officials continued to

withhold the truth about the environmental hazards from the people who had been

exposed.

“Their decision to deny the toxicity of the air that people had breathed in was a slap

in the face of the heroes and community members who were exposed at Ground

Zero and in schools, offices, and homes throughout the surrounding area.

“By hiding the truth, our fight in Congress to secure funding to address the health

needs of 9/11 victims was an uphill battle. As a result, too many people faced

unnecessary delays in accessing the healthcare they needed—sometimes with fatal

consequences.

“For years and across multiple City Hall administrations, I have led leaders in

Congress to demand the release of these files. I am glad that this is finally

happening.

“The damage to the health of 9/11 victims, and the suffering they have endured and

will continue to endure, cannot be erased. But I am grateful to the Mamdani administration, specifically to Steve Banks, and to Speaker Menin, Councilmember Brewer, Ben Chevat of 9/11 Health Watch, and Kimberly Flynn of 9/11 Environmental Action, for making today possible. Thank you for your commitment to release these files so that victims and their loved ones can finally have the transparency they deserve.

“Officials in the future will know that actions have consequences—the truth will always come to light.

“I am proud to be here today as we take this monumental step towards justice.

“My heart is with those who are sick today. My heart is with those who have lost

loved ones. My heart is with our community who still reels from the pain.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Everett’s Maritime Institute Recognized as Leader in Maritime Workforce Education

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to expand education benefits to dependent parents of servicemembers and veterans. Under the legislation, a dependent parent could qualify for education assistance if their child dies from a service-connected disability or has a total and permanent service-connected disability. Currently only spouses and children of these servicemembers are eligible. 

“Parents of servicemembers make enormous sacrifices to support their children’s service, often stepping in to care for their grandchildren while their sons and daughters are deployed overseas,” Norton said. “When a servicemember is killed or becomes permanently disabled in service to our country, we should not leave those parents behind. This bill recognizes the sacrifices they have made by helping them pursue the education and training they may have put on hold and giving them a better opportunity to enter or reenter the workforce.”

This legislation has been endorsed by Disabled American Veterans.

The idea for the bill came from a Norton constituent. Norton’s introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of a Bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for survivors’ and dependents’ educational assistance to the dependent parent of a person who dies of a service-

connected disability or has a total and permanent service-connected disability, and for other purposes.

August 27, 2026
 

Today, I introduce a bill to expand eligibility for the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program, commonly referred to as Chapter 35 benefits, to dependent parents of servicemembers.

The idea for this bill came from one of my constituents. Currently, the spouses and children of servicemembers who die or become disabled are eligible for Chapter 35 benefits. However, dependent parents of servicemembers are not eligible. 

Parents of servicemembers often fill the role of caregiver for the children of servicemembers while they are overseas. Such time commitments make it challenging for these parents to pursue post-secondary education, making it difficult for them to enter the workforce if their child is killed or becomes disabled in service of their country. 

This bill would expand the definition of “eligible person” in Chapter 35 to include dependent parents of servicemembers. Granting dependent parents of servicemembers access to Chapter 35 benefits will allow them to gain the necessary skills to enter the workforce and support themselves and other surviving family members.   

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) introduced two bills to protect senior citizens from financial harm: H.R. 10242, the Janie Wynn Protecting Elders From Financial Exploitation Act, and H.R. 10243, the Protecting Elders From Government Error Act. 

The Janie Wynn Protecting Elders From Financial Exploitation Act directs the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to issue a rule within 180 days requiring fraud alerts on pre-approved credit cards issued to seniors, sent both to the cardholder and to a trusted contact of their choosing. It also requires banks and credit unions to train fraud detection employees to recognize account activity associated with elder exploitation and to notify the accountholder within 24 hours. Read the text here. 

The Protecting Elders From Government Error Act bars the Social Security Administration from clawing back old-age benefit overpayments that the agency itself caused and failed to catch within six months, and caps monthly withholding at 5 % where recovery is still permitted. The protections do not extend to beneficiaries who have committed fraud. Read the text here. 

“To honor our Mother and Father is a foundational Christian principle,” said Congressman Clay Higgins. “Every American elder should feel secure in their own home and also in the financial realm. These bills are designed to protect our elders from predatory creditors, social security errors, and government bureaucracy.”