MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)

WASHINGTON –Today, Congressman Kustoff announced new federal funding for 11 separate projects in West Tennessee. These funds were included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations package that President Trump signed into law.

“As a Member of Congress, I am proud to work on appropriations bills to ensure that federal resources are returned to our communities for valuable and worthwhile projects,” said Congressman David Kustoff. “These new investments will support critical projects throughout West Tennessee, including campus security enhancements, flood control systems, and improvements to transportation infrastructure. I am pleased to help bring this funding home so our region can continue to grow and thrive.”

The following community funding requests secured by Congressman Kustoff’s office are included in the appropriations package:

● University of Tennessee at Martin Campus Security Improvements (University of Tennessee at Martin, TN). Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $938,000

● Army Corps of Engineers Civil Construction, Section 219 Project (Tipton, Haywood, and Fayette Counties, TN). Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $9,500,000

● Tennessee Riverbank Stabilization, West TN River Basin Authority. Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $2,500,000

● Sewer Equalization Tank Installation (City of Bartlett, TN). Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $1,000,000

● Sewer System Upgrade (City of Selmer, TN). Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $750,000

● Water and Wastewater Extension Project (Jackson Energy Authority, TN). Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $750,000

● Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion (Town of Arlington, TN). Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $1,000,000

● Water Main Replacement Project (City of Henderson, TN). Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $750,000

● I-69 Troy Bypass North and South (Tennessee Department of Transportation). Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $5,000,000

● Memphis Airport Terminal Modernization and Seismic Program (Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, TN). Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: Rep. David Kustoff, $4,000,000; Rep. Steve Cohen, $250,0000. Total: $4,250,000.

● Lambuth Campus Upgrades (University of Memphis, TN). Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. Amount Funded: $1,250,000

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) reintroduced her bipartisan Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act, legislation to strengthen the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) and expand support for Native entrepreneurs. The bill passed the House with strong bipartisan support in 2024 and advanced out of committee in the Senate in 2023, underscoring growing momentum to get it across the finish line.

Davids, an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, is one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. To introduce this bipartisan legislation, she was joined by Representatives Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Jake Ellzey (R-TX-06), and Kelly Morrison (D-MN-03).

“Our economy is stronger when small businesses can succeed — and in tribal communities, Native-owned businesses are often the backbone of local economies,” said Davids. “For too long, Native entrepreneurs have faced unnecessary barriers to accessing the tools and resources they need to grow, create jobs, and compete. This bipartisan bill strengthens dedicated tribal entrepreneurship programs so they can better meet those needs, and its strong, bipartisan support shows that investing in Native communities is something we can and should work on together.”

“I’m proud to again be part of this bipartisan coalition working to expand tribal communities’ access to and outreach from the U.S. Small Business Administration,” said Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02). “Although this legislation stalled in the Senate last Congress, it’s critical that we continue pushing for its passage. This is a good bill aimed at helping tribal citizens navigate the unique complexities of running a business on a reservation.”

WATCH: Davids speaks on the House floor about the importance of supporting Native entrepreneurs

Currently, the ONAA has a valuable but limited mission: to support Native American entrepreneurs, conduct outreach with tribal communities, and connect Native business owners with SBA resources. However, because the current SBA budget does not include explicit funding for the ONAA, the office can only support a small staff and can be unilaterally disbanded.

The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act would codify the ONAA into federal law, establishing an Assistant Administrator role to oversee its operations and report directly to SBA leadership. It would also create a better government-to-government working relationship with tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. ONAA would also be able to expand its grant-making ability, conduct tribal consultation, utilize SBA’s entrepreneurial and contracting programs, and provide training, counseling, and technical assistance.

“The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act is critical legislation for boosting economic development in tribal communities,” said Chris James, President and CEO, The National Center. “As a former Associate Administrator at SBA, I understand the need for Indian Country to have an advocate within the agency who has a direct line to the Administrator. The unique economic and entrepreneurial needs of our community – and government-to-government consultation – must always be a priority at SBA. I look forward to working with Rep. Davids, Rep. Morrison, and other co-sponsors to ensure this legislation gets across the finish line in the 119th Congress. Its passage will mean Indian Country will have a seat at the head table in an agency that plays a critical role in supporting and growing tribal economies.”

“The Office of Native American Affairs provides important opportunities, support, and education to numerous Native owned businesses across the country. The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act will advance and move the office forward with stability to bolster economic development in Native communities,” said Jon Panamaroff and Haven Harris, Co-Chairs, Native American Contractors Association (NACA). “We applaud this legislation’s introduction and its emphasis on the office’s involvement with the 8(a) Business Development Program.”

Davids previously urged the U.S. Department of the Interior to recommit to enforcing a rule that levels the playing field for Native businesses seeking federal contracts. Davids’ additional work to support small business owners includes pushing for oversight of relief programs and urging the SBA to address fraud and protect small business owners in need. She has also focused on shoring up supply chains for small- and medium-sized manufacturers here at home and reducing operating costs.

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

  

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representatives James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced the launch of the Federal Workforce Caucus. The members are launching this Caucus to bolster efforts to protect federal workers and strengthen our merit-based federal civil service so these dedicated public servants can continue to deliver for the American people without political interference. The lawmakers were joined by Caucus member Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and federal employee union leaders and members at the announcement. 

Additional members of the Caucus include U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), April McClain Delaney (D-Md.), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), and Eugene Vindman (D-Va.). 

“Donald Trump and Russell Vought claim that our federal workers are ‘villains’ who ought to be ‘put in trauma.’ That’s dead wrong. Federal employees are patriotic professionals who provide vital services to the American people every day. I have fought to protect them from DOGE’s crusade, and Congress must do the same. That’s why I’m pleased to help found the Federal Workforce Caucus,” said Congressman Hoyer. 

“Federal workers deliver essential public services on behalf of the American people every day – they are the patriotic civil servants who care for our veterans, conduct food safety inspections, provide aid to communities struck by disaster, and so much more. But from day one, the Trump Administration has relentlessly attacked them and jeopardized the services they provide – as they pursue their ultimate goal of replacing qualified civil servants with political cronies who will do Trump’s bidding without regard for the law. We’re launching the Federal Workforce Caucus to stand united against this Administration’s attacks, to support our federal workers, and to protect the integrity of our merit-based civil service,” said Senator Van Hollen. 

“As Co-Chair and Founder of the Federal Workforce Caucus, I’m proud to lead this effort to advocate for our dedicated federal workers and the good government values they uphold,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “Virginia is home to nearly 150,000 federal workers, including more than 60,000 in Fairfax, who care for veterans, protect our food supply, respond to disasters, and keep essential programs running. Too often, they are treated as political targets instead of the backbone of an effective, nonpartisan civil service. This Caucus will be on the front lines defending merit-based public service and advancing policies to strengthen recruitment and retention, boost morale, and modernize pay and professional development. We will work every day to ensure government delivers world-class services for all Americans.” 

“Virginia is home to hundreds of thousands of hardworking public servants who keep our country safe and provide critical services to their fellow Americans,” said Senator Kaine. “As the Trump Administration attacks and vilifies this dedicated workforce, we must push back. I’m glad to join my colleagues in launching the Federal Workforce Caucus to protect and strengthen the federal workforce.” 

“When federal workers take their oath, they don’t pledge allegiance to whoever is in the Oval Office, they pledge an oath to this nation and our constitution. They deserve our gratitude and respect, yet instead, this Administration has unleashed a witch hunt against our civil servants. The Federal Workforce Caucus is focused – through legislation, advocacy, and dialogue – on protecting our civil servants and allowing them to continue to serve the American people,” said Senator Alsobrooks. 

“Federal workers in Virginia and across the country are the backbone of services Americans depend on,” said Senator Warner. “As the Trump administration continues to target federal workers and use them as political bargaining chips, it is critical for lawmakers to come together and defend the job security, pay, and benefits of our dedicated civil service.” 

“Over the past year, people and communities have protested, lawyers have sued, and courts have issued orders to protect our civil servants. It is an honor today to mark the establishment of a bipartisan, bicameral congressional caucus to support the people who work for all us – our nonpartisan, merit-based civil service. The Congressional Federal Workforce Caucus could not come at a more pivotal time. As the Trump-Vance administration and its allies escalate threats to our nation’s elections, our nation’s communities, and our nation’s civil servants, it is time to use all tools our democracy provides to push back and move forward. We are grateful to these lawmakers for taking an important step to protect and strengthen the civil service not just for today, but for the ability to build the people-centered government we all will need in the future,” Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward in remarks at the event. 

“After a traumatic year for the civil service, including a 43-day government shutdown and unprecedented mass firings, this Caucus is very timely. Your members’ expertise and commitment will amplify the voice of the federal civilian workforce when it matters most.  AFGE stands ready to support and work with the Caucus.  Our country depends on it,” said Eric Bunn, Sr., National Secretary-Treasurer, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE) 

“The federal workforce has endured unimaginable harm, with over 300,000 employees separated, agencies wiped out and previously nonpartisan institutions politicized. Congress must stand for federal workers, and I believe the Federal Workforce Caucus will provide the venue to press for oversight and serve as a gathering place for all members who have constituents who rely on well-functioning government services,” said Max Stier, President and CEO, Partnership for Public Service. 

The federal workforce is essential to a legitimate democratic republic, yet our civil service is increasingly under attack – politically, structurally, and rhetorically,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “These attacks weaken public accountability, lawful administration, and the quality of services Americans rely on every single day. The Federal Workforce Caucus will ensure the civil service is protected and strengthened, and critical services are delivered to the public while maintaining a skilled, apolitical workforce. Thank you to the co-chairs of the Caucus – Senator Van Hollen, and Representatives Walkinshaw and Hoyer – for your continued support of federal employees.” 

“The federal public service workers who help keep our communities running deserve dignity, respect, and the security of knowing they’ll be paid on time,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Unfortunately, anti-worker politicians continue to exploit them to push their extreme agenda. In the last year, federal workers have been fired arbitrarily, stripped of their collective bargaining rights, and furloughed without pay during the shutdown. I applaud the members of the Federal Workforce Caucus for their focus on restoring dignity and respect to these dedicated public servants. It also highlights why we need solutions like Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Walkinshaw’s True Shutdown Fairness Act, which will ensure federal workers don’t miss a paycheck or get fired during a shutdown. On behalf of the AFSCME members and the hardworking federal public service workers we represent, we thank the Federal Workforce Caucus for having our backs.” 

“IFPTE welcomes the launch of the Federal Workforce Caucus. Over the past year, our members who work for the federal government have witnessed unprecedented political interference, mass firings without cause, and unlawful efforts to deny federal workers their union rights and defund federal agency missions. Our democracy depends on a professional, nonpartisan federal civil service that serves the American public with accountability and integrity. We urgently call on Members of Congress in both chambers and both sides of the aisle to join the Caucus and work to uphold and protect merit system principles, due process protections, and a civil service that ensures that science and innovation, public health, safety, economic security, our national defense, and public services are delivered fairly, effectively, and effectively,” said Matthew Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)  

“NTEU applauds Senator Van Hollen and Representatives Hoyer and Walkinshaw for launching the Federal Workforce Caucus to highlight the work and challenges facing federal workers across the country.  Given the deluge of attacks employees have faced over the past year, from mass firings and illegal attempts to eliminate their union rights to threats against their pay and benefits, we appreciate the dedicated effort that this caucus will make to strengthen the nonpartisan civil service and ensure that federal employees are treated with dignity and respect so they can continue to provide the critical services the American people rely on,” said Doreen Greenwald, National President, NTEU. 

The Federal Workforce Caucus will serve as a forum for Members to: 

• Support and strengthen the federal civilian workforce and the merit-based civil service system so that it can continue to deliver for American families and businesses;
• Protect the integrity and nonpartisan character of federal employment;
• Advance policies that improve recruitment, retention, and workforce morale across federal agencies;
• Highlight stories that show how government programs and workers improve the lives of the American public;
• Develop and advance data-informed policies that encourage modernization and innovative practices across the federal workforce in areas such as pay competitiveness, workforce performance optimization, and professional development;
• Facilitate dialogue among Members of Congress, former and current federal employees, organizations, and unions representing federal employees, and subject-matter experts to inform efforts to modernize the federal government and attract the workforce needed to deliver for Americans.  

“Federal workers help families put food on the table, protect veterans healing from the wounds of war, and empower communities in the face of environmental crisis. Over the past year, they’ve faced unprecedented attacks – mass firings, union busting, and illegal interference with their work – meant to demoralize and deplete the civil service. Federal workers deserve full support from Congress to protect their bargaining rights and their right to do their jobs without political obstruction,” said Senator Markey. 

“Our federal civilian workforce is made up of dedicated public servants who keep our government running.  While the Trump Administration fails to see the value in these public servants’ work, the Senate Federal Workforce Caucus, which we are launching today, stands with our government’s employees,” said Senator Durbin. 

“Public servants deliver essential services on behalf of the American people. I am proud to join this caucus supporting federal employees and solidifying our dedication to a fortified, innovative workforce. Their service is crucial to promoting the well-being and safety of our country, and they deserve the best assistance we can offer—supporting our public servants is an investment in our country,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“The federal workforce is integral to our country and our communities, helping American families and businesses thrive. As this regime attacks federal workers and the critical work they do, I am proud to join this caucus, which will advance policies that support federal workers and the communities they serve,” said Senator Hirono. “As part of this caucus, I reaffirm my commitment to ensuring federal workers are recognized, protected, and receive the support they need to confront challenges and provide for the public.” 

“Throughout the last year, President Trump and his administration have used dedicated federal public servants as political pawns. It’s unacceptable,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “I’m proud to join this bicameral coalition in launching the Federal Workforce Caucus. To the nearly thousands of federal workers in Delaware and the millions around the country, we’ve got your back.” 

“President Trump has berated, traumatized and mass-fired federal employees to destroy expertise and science and to remake our government in the image of his imbecilic incompetence,” said Congressman Raskin. “Our institutions were not built by generations of Americans to be broken up and sold for parts; they exist to serve the American people in every age. That’s why I’m proudly standing with my colleagues to establish the Federal Workforce Caucus to defend the professional civil service and the public servants who have helped build our amazing country.” 

“The newly established bicameral Federal Workforce Caucus affirms a simple truth: good-paying federal jobs have helped build and sustain the middle class across the country, leveling the playing field while strengthening communities like ours in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area. Public service is the backbone of our country, and these careers should be an opportunity for dedicated Americans to serve the nation with honor while securing economic stability for their families. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to protect, support, and invest in the federal workforce that keeps America moving forward,” said Congressman Ivey. 

“Federal workers are the lifeblood of our democracy, and they perform countless essential duties that our country simply could not go without,” said Congressman Mfume. “They fulfill these duties without fear or favor because they are hard-working, patriotic Americans. I have always been a proud supporter of federal workers, and I am proud to join the Federal Workforce Caucus to work with my colleagues in the Congress on ways to better support the people that make the American government work.” 

“Federal workers are not political pawns — they are the dedicated public servants who keep our country running. After Trump’s firings wiped out nearly 25,000 federal jobs in Maryland last year alone, the stakes could not be more clear. I’m proud to serve as a founding member of the Federal Workforce Caucus to defend a strong, nonpartisan civil service, protect merit-based hiring, and invest in recruitment, retention, and modernization so the federal workforce can keep delivering for the American people,” said Congressman Olszewski. 

“As the proud daughter of two civil servants and the representative to over 45,000 federal employees in Maryland’s Third District, I am excited to join the Federal Workforce Caucus. The sledgehammer of DOGE not only hurt our hardworking civil servants – it impacted the hundreds of critical services that everyday Americans pay for and rely on. Now more than ever, we must strengthen and rebuild our federal workforce to ensure we continue to recruit the best and brightest into the important tradition of public service,” said Congresswoman Elfreth. 

“I’m honored to join as an inaugural member of the Federal Workforce Caucus. Our federal employees and institutions are under relentless attack, with their protections, credibility, and character being eroded with each passing day by this Administration. It’s on us as lawmakers to defend a merit-based, nonpartisan civil service and ensure the next generation feels empowered to answer the call to serve, not turned away,” said Congresswoman McClain Delaney. 

“I’m pleased to join the Federal Workforce Caucus to stand with the dedicated public servants who keep our government working for the American people, tens of thousands of whom live in the nation’s capital,” said Congresswoman Norton. “A strong, merit-based federal civil service — free from political interference — is essential to effective governance and public trust. This caucus will play an important role in protecting federal workers and ensuring they can do their jobs with professionalism, independence, and integrity.” 

“I am proud to be a part of the Federal Workforce Caucus to fight for the dedicated federal workers in our Commonwealth and across the country. Recent attacks on the federal workforce not only hurt our community, they hurt every single American by making it harder to deliver essential services and earned benefits. I am thrilled to be a part of this Caucus and look forward to continuing to champion federal workers,” said Congressman Subramanyam. 

“Federal employees are the backbone of our national security, safe transportation, safe food, and clean water. But as our federal workforce remains under attack by the very people entrusted to lead it with massive purges designed to hollow out or eliminate key federal agencies, and through wanton cruelty targeting dedicated civil servants – I’m joining the Federal Workforce Caucus to stand up for our public servants. Over the years, I have fought to increase federal employees’ pay and expand their paid leave, and I will continue fighting to support the needs of the men and women who keep our country running,” said Congressman Beyer. 

“Virginia is home to tens of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and service members who serve with a dedication to country, not political party. As their Representative, a 25-year Army officer, and as the husband of a former federal employee, I know that federal workers are essential to the success, safety, and stability of our nation,” said Congressman Vindman. “I will never back down from a fight to protect and honor those who choose a life of service. I am proud to be an inaugural member of the federal workforce caucus.” 

“President Trump promised Americans that he would make their lives better; unfortunately, since taking office, the administration has only upended the lives of workers and their families,” said Congressman Scott. “The Trump administration’s reckless firing of thousands of civil servants – in some cases unlawfully – has left federal workers on edge and weakened public services. I am proud to support the Federal Workforce Caucus to ensure that workers’ collective bargaining rights are upheld and Americans can access the earned benefits and services they depend on.” 

“Our federal workforce serves as our nation’s backbone, providing services that address the needs and improve the lives of the American people. Yet this past year, the Trump Administration set out to traumatize the very people who show up every day to keep our air and water clean, our roads and travel safe and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “As the state with the second highest number of federal employees, Virginia has felt the devastating effects of this all-out assault in our communities and local economy. The Federal Workforce Caucus will forefront the interests of our civil servants in Congress, and I’m honored to continue this fight to ensure we afford them the rights, opportunities and dignity they deserve.” 

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs held a hearing on Rep. Hudson’s bipartisan Love Lives On Act, which ensures surviving military spouses do not lose earned survivor benefits if they remarry, regardless of age.

In the wake of this hearing, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09) reaffirmed his support for the bipartisan Love Lives On Act, which ensures surviving military spouses do not lose earned survivor benefits if they remarry, regardless of age.

“It takes great courage for surviving spouses of fallen servicemembers to pick up the pieces and move forward in the face of unimaginable loss,” Hudson said. “We must ensure they do not have to worry about losing benefits that are actively supporting their family.”

Current federal policy can reduce or eliminate key survivor benefits if a spouse remarries before age 55, forcing families to choose between companionship and financial security. The Love Lives On Act removes that penalty for military survivors and helps ensure benefits follow sacrifice, not marital status.

For North Carolina, Hudson said this issue hits close to home for families connected to Fort Bragg, where service and sacrifice are a daily reality, and the nation’s obligation to survivors must be clear and enduring.

The Love Lives On Act would allow surviving spouses to retain Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) after remarriage, and it would restore access to TRICARE if a subsequent marriage ends due to death, divorce, or annulment.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed H.R. 7273, the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, during a full committee markup. This important legislation, led by Chairman Brian Babin and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, strengthens America’s leadership in space by providing clear direction for NASA and supporting critical programs and initiatives that will keep our nation at the forefront of exploration and discovery well into the future.

“Today the Science Committee recommitted NASA to fulfill its multiple missions in exploration, earth and space science, aeronautics, innovation, education, and inspiration,” said Ranking Member Lofgren. “Much like the space enterprise itself, through collaboration, hard work, and a good measure of patience on both sides, we have once again, achieved good legislative results. Our nation’s investment in civil space has, and will continue to contribute significantly to innovation and economic prosperity here on earth.”

“Today’s passage of the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 out of Committee marks a major step toward securing America’s leadership in space for generations to come,” Chairman Brian Babin said. “This bipartisan bill—a top priority of mine and one that is especially close to my heart—strengthens our human exploration efforts, supports a growing commercial space economy, and invests in the technologies that will carry us from the Moon to Mars. I’m hopeful the full House will act quickly so we can send this legislation to the Senate and ultimately to the President’s desk. The next great chapter of American exploration is within reach, and this bill helps ensure we lead the way.”

Highlights of H.R. 7273:

• Strengthens human exploration by supporting Artemis missions and continued development of the Space Launch System and Orion to return astronauts to the Moon and prepare for missions to Mars.
• Grows the commercial space economy by enabling NASA’s transition to commercial low-Earth orbit platforms that support American industry and innovation.
• Invests in breakthrough space and aeronautics technologies, including advanced propulsion, deep-space communications, hypersonics, and next-generation flight systems.
• Supports a balanced science and workforce portfolio by advancing discovery missions and expanding education programs that prepare the next generation of explorers.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The FY26 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill – led by NSRP Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart – has been signed into law by President Trump – advancing an America First, peace through strength agenda while eliminating $9.3 billion in wasteful spending. The legislation refocuses U.S. foreign policy resources on core national security priorities, including deterrence, countering narcotics and human trafficking, confronting the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party, and combating terrorism. An outside and international perspective from political commentator and Caribbean-focused analyst Ravi Balgobin Maharaj examines how this approach will reshape U.S. power and leadership in the Western Hemisphere.

With the latest round of FY26 full-year funding enacted – covering defense; transportation and housing; labor, health, and education; financial services; and national security and the Department of State – we are reminded that national strength is built bill-by-bill, choice-by-choice. The full FY26 slate reinforces that clear strategy: restoring deterrence, sharpening U.S. leadership, supporting our communities, and demanding accountability for taxpayer dollars.

Read on for insight into how implementing full-year appropriations turns priorities into durable policy and results.

Austerity With a Point

How a Republican appropriations bill reorients U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere

By Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

“The strangest thing about modern Washington is not how much it spends, but how rarely anyone can explain why. So when the House passed a Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations package that actually cuts spending and tells you what it’s for, it felt less like routine governance and more like a clerical error.

“That is the context for the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs bill shepherded through the House by Representative Mario Díaz-Balart of Florida. Folded into a broader appropriations minibus, the legislation delivers a 16 percent reduction from last year’s spending levels, nearly $9.3 billion trimmed away, the deepest cut of any appropriations bill this cycle. In a Congress addicted to symbolic fights and deficit amnesia, that alone is notable.

“What makes the bill more than an exercise in budgetary self-control is the worldview embedded in those cuts. Díaz-Balart has long argued that American foreign policy should be disciplined, unapologetic, and hemispherically literate. This bill reflects that instinct. It pares back programs that have multiplied without much evidence of success, while protecting funding for allies and strategic priorities that still define American power, including Israel, Taiwan, and the Indo-Pacific.

“For the Caribbean and Latin America, regions often treated by Washington as either sentimental causes or afterthoughts, the legislation lands with particular force. It sharply restricts assistance to authoritarian regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua while expanding democracy, religious freedom, and broadcasting programs aimed directly at their populations. It also takes direct aim at the trafficking of Cuban medical personnel, a practice that Democratic administrations have been reluctant to confront too directly, preferring the language of engagement over the discomfort of enforcement.

“Here the contrast with recent Democratic foreign policy is hard to miss. Under Democratic leadership, foreign assistance has increasingly doubled as a grab bag of domestic cultural priorities, climate mandates, diversity initiatives, and gender programs layered onto embassies and aid accounts with little regard for local conditions or strategic coherence. The result has been neither moral leadership nor geopolitical leverage, but a swollen bureaucracy that confuses activity with impact.

“Díaz-Balart’s bill strips much of that away. It refocuses the State Department on basic functions like diplomacy, security, and consular services. It creates an America First Opportunity Fund to give the Secretary of State flexibility to act quickly when genuine strategic openings emerge, rather than waiting for the paperwork to clear while rivals move faster. It also insists on oversight, transparency, and measurable outcomes, concepts that have lately fallen out of fashion in foreign aid circles.

“The bill’s posture toward China is likely to resonate across the Caribbean basin, where Beijing has expanded its influence through loans, infrastructure projects, and quiet leverage over small economies. By requiring U.S. opposition to multilateral development bank lending to China and blocking the use of American-backed funds to service Chinese debt, the legislation sends a clearer signal than Democrats have been comfortable sending. For countries weighing Washington’s lectures against Beijing’s checkbook, clarity counts.

“On Israel, the bill is unequivocal, fully funding security assistance, prohibiting support for UNRWA, and reinforcing long-standing restrictions designed to keep U.S. funds out of the hands of terrorist groups. This firmness will irritate progressive Democrats who have grown increasingly uneasy with America’s closest Middle Eastern ally. In much of Latin America and the Caribbean, where security cooperation is not an abstraction, that unease is far less widespread.

“Critics will argue that deep cuts risk diminishing American influence. But influence diluted by incoherence is not influence at all. The past several years of Democratic stewardship produced record spending, softer language toward adversaries, and no visible improvement in regional stability. Haiti remains in crisis. Venezuela remains broken. Cuba remains authoritarian. Spending more did not fix any of it.”

“Díaz-Balart’s bill does not promise miracles. It promises something rarer, like restraint paired with intent. For a hemisphere accustomed to mixed signals from Washington, that may be the most meaningful change of all.”

NSRP Subcommittee Chairman Díaz-Balart has been duly focused on strengthening economic opportunity and accountability and reinforcing America’s security and leadership at home and abroad. Through his leadership, he delivered a bill that replaces the weakness of prior administrations by restoring President Trump’s deterrence and strength posture. To protect the safety, freedom, and prosperity of the American people, the measure shows that focused strategy – not endless spending – is what delivers results.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that he has secured $15,468,000 in Community Project Funding for public safety, infrastructure, and economic development initiatives across the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri as part of the 2026 appropriations packages that were recently signed into law. 

“Responsible governance in the United States of America demands compromise in Congress. While the recent funding packages were by no means perfect, they contained vital investments that are important to communities across western Missouri,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I’m proud to have secured more than $15 million within those funding bills that will support public safety, economic development, and infrastructure initiatives in my congressional district, creating safer and more prosperous communities for all our neighbors. As the Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, I will continue working to bring additional investments back to western Missouri to meet the needs of hardworking families.”

Included in the recently passed funding packages are 15 separate investments for local projects supported by Congressman Cleaver:

• $2,000,000 to Kansas City, Missouri for a Brush Creek Park Greenway to create improved pedestrian and recreational opportunities for the neighborhoods that were fractured by the Bruce R Watkins Highway Project and the Brush Creek Flood Control Project.
• $1,200,000 to Independence, Missouri for Kentucky Avenue Bridge Replacement to replace the existing bridge that was built in the 1920’s and which has been closed since 2019 due to safety concerns. Replacing the bridge on Kentucky Road, which serves as an arterial roadway for residential and commercial areas through Independence and Sugar Creek, will allow for greater access between communities, quicker response for emergency services, and reduce logistics and scheduling costs for businesses.
• $1,039,000 to Lee’s Summit to purchase additional public safety technology equipment, supporting regional public safety communications and their real-time crime center, enhancing emergency response and coordination for Jackson County, Missouri communities.
• $1,031,000 to Rockhurst University to expand innovative technology programs focused on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
• $1,031,000 to the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to purchase automated license plate readers to combat reckless driving and boost traffic safety.
• $1,031,000 to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) to support their Transit Ambassador Program, which is aimed at strengthening transit security during the 2026 World Cup.
• $1,031,000 to KCATA to purchase a combination of public safety technology, including license plate readers, a security camera system, lighting improvements, gun-shot detection systems, and other installation costs.
• $1,031,000 to Foster AdoptConnect to strengthen wraparound support programs intended to provide stability for high-risk youth.
• $1,031,000 to the Mattie Rhodes Center in support of their community-based violence intervention and prevention initiatives.
• $1,031,000 to the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) to purchase additional police cruisers.
• $1,031,000 to KCPD to purchase police aviation technology equipment.
• $1,031,000 to Youth Guidance to support school-based education and crime prevention programs for Kansas City children.
• $850,000 for to Grandview for a Main Street Market, creating a permanent Main Street Market that will also provide an additional multipurpose community space in downtown Grandview, including the construction of a farmer’s market structure both enclosed and open air, restrooms, public parking, solar power, and the development of green space that provides a pocket park and park amenities.
• $850,000 to MCC Longview for their Automotive Institute, providing equipment for training programs within Automotive Technology and Collison Repair, launch a program in Diesel Technology, and permit development of new program tracks focusing on Electric Vehicle Maintenance and Repair.
• $250,000 to North Kansas City, Missouri to Modernize the Town Square, supporting the renovation of the town square located in the block between Armour Road, Erie Street, 18th Avenue, and Swift Street, which is currently underutilized by the community and local businesses.

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

Washington (February 5, 2026) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the ICE Out of My Face Act, bicameral legislation that would ban ICE and CPB from acquiring and using facial recognition technology (FRT) and other biometric identification systems. The ICE Out of My Face Act would also require the deletion of all data collected for use in or by biometric identification systems and allow individuals and state attorneys general to seek civil penalties for violations.

“ICE and CBP agents are using facial recognition technologies to track, target, and surveil individuals across the country,” said Senator Markey. “The Trump administration isn’t deploying these tools to maintain public safety. They are doing so to silence lawful speech and to punish dissent. I’m proud to introduce the ICE Out of Our Faces Act to stop this unaccountable, authoritarian use of facial recognition technologies. Big Brother has no place in a democracy, and we will not allow these Orwellian tools to take root here.”

“We are at an incredibly dangerous moment in this country, where overzealous and overly violent ICE and Border Patrol agents are increasing their use of biometric identification systems. This has become a surveillance state with militarized federal troops on our streets to terrorize and intimidate US citizens and residents alike. We must urgently pass the ICE Out of My Face Act to stop the proliferation of this technology, protect our communities, and protect our democracy,” said Representative Jayapal.

“For years, I’ve been ringing the alarm bells about the dangers of a national surveillance state built on facial recognition technology. Now, we’re seeing Trump’s lawless federal agents deploy this technology on our streets across the nation as he tries to tighten his authoritarian grip,” said Senator Merkley. “Without oversight, this technology is dangerous in the hands of any government, and the Trump Administration is abusing it to trample on privacy, freedom of speech, and civil liberties. All freedom-loving Americans must join us to stand up to this assault on folks’ fundamental rights.”

“ICE and CBP have trampled on our Constitution when they build databases of regular people concerned about ICE committing violence in their communities or scan the faces of people on the street to run through their surveillance systems. I’m glad to work with Senator Markey to protect Americans against harassment and biometric surveillance by Trump’s handpicked militia,” said Senator Wyden.

The ICE Out of Our Faces Act is co-sponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The legislation is endorsed by Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Fight for the Future, American Civil Liberties Union, The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology, Free Press Action, Access Now, and Human Rights First.

“It’s past time for the federal government to end its use of this abusive surveillance technology. A great place to start is its use for immigration enforcement, given ICE and CBP’s utter disdain for the law. Face surveillance in the hands of the government is a fundamentally harmful technology, even under strict regulations or if the technology was 100% accurate. We thank the authors of this bill for their leadership in taking steps to end this use of this dangerous and invasive technology,” said India McKinney, Director of Federal Affairs at Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

“Facial recognition is a dangerous and invasive surveillance technology, particularly in the hands of an agency that is cavalier with the law, lacks transparency, and avoids oversight. ICE’s use of facial recognition is ripe for abuse and undermines our privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights. The ICE Out of Our Faces Act is a step towards stopping the growing surveillance infrastructure that is undermining Americans’ Constitutional rights, and EPIC is proud to support it,” said Jeramie D. Scott, Senior Counsel & Director, EPIC Surveillance Oversight Program.

“Facial recognition creates a broad, warrantless hoard of surveillance data that can instantly be weaponized for intimidation and oppression. It has no place in a free society and we will continue to fight to see it banned in every arena: ICE agents should be banned from using it; city and state governments including law enforcement should be banned from using it; and businesses should be banned from using it in all places of public accommodation. We cannot let this regime of data-supercharged fascist witness intimidation become the new normal. It is time to ban facial recognition for good and banning ICE from using it is a great start,” said Lia Holland, Campaigns & Communications Director at Fight for the Future.

“Since Congress gave ICE and Border Patrol hundreds of billions of dollars in unnecessary funding last year, the Trump administration has doubled down on the use of shadowy surveillance technology to supercharge its lawless and violent immigration operations,” said Kate Voigt, Senior Policy Counsel at the ACLU. “The Department of Homeland Security’s use of such biased and error-prone technology to go after our communities and to scare people speaking out against ICE’s abuses is disgusting and blatantly illegal. It’s vital that Congress pass the ICE Out of Our Faces Act as soon as possible, and that our leaders use their funding power to rein in these out-of-control agencies.”

“No matter where we’re from or the color of our skin, we should all be able to move freely in our communities without the fear of being spied on by our own government. But right now, facial recognition and other biometric surveillance tools are being used to carry out violent immigration enforcement. The ICE Out of Our Faces Act is essential to start reigning in a growing and unaccountable surveillance state aimed squarely at immigrant communities, communities of color, and people speaking up for their neighbors and loved ones. No administration should be able to weaponize technology against us,” said Alejandra Montoya-Boyer, Vice President of The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology.

“Biometric surveillance poses an urgent threat to our fundamental rights. Facial recognition and other biometric surveillance technologies have been used by authoritarian regimes around the world to target journalists, protestors, and marginalized communities; they are increasingly central to infrastructures of mass surveillance and criminalization. We are watching these abuses evolve as DHS pours more money into expanding its own surveillance dragnet — including mobile facial recognition tools that ICE and Border Patrol agents are using to profile, track and target people in the street. The ICE Out of Our Faces Act interrupts this trajectory and is a critical step towards safeguarding our communities and our rights,” said Jenna Ruddock, Advocacy Director at Free Press Action.

“At a time of increasingly lawless actions by ICE, we are grateful for Senator Markey taking concrete steps to implement accountability measures to protect our communities with the introduction of the ‘ICE Out of Our Faces Act.’ No government official should be able to hide behind masks while violating our fundamental rights with impunity. Our privacy and security, regardless of our race, nationality, or citizenship, should not be compromised by such dangerous anti-immigrant agendas, as we have seen acted out on the streets of Minneapolis. This bill inserts crucial guardrails for protecting our democracy and we urge Congress to act swiftly to pass this legislation,” said Robyn Barnard, Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy at Human Rights First.

Senator Markey is leading efforts to hold ICE and DHS accountable for their gross violations of Americans’ First Amendment rights and their weaponization of surveillance technologies against peaceful protestors, immigrants, and American citizens.

1. This week, Senator Markey wrote to ICE’s Acting Director Todd Lyons demanding that Lyons immediately confirm or deny reports that the agency is maintaining a so-called “domestic terrorists” database to track individuals protesting ICE activities. 
2. In November, Senator Markey wrote to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney S. Scott, urging the agency to immediately cease using a system of license plate readers (LPRs) and predictive algorithms to monitor the movements of individual Americans. CBP is reportedly using the system to “identify and detain people whose travel patterns it deems suspicious.”
3. Also in November, Senator Markey led his colleagues in requesting that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cease the use of their biometric phone application known as Mobile Fortify following a previous unanswered request.
4. In September, Senator Markey wrote to ICE’s Acting Director Todd Lyons, demanding that ICE cease use of Mobile Fortify and requesting detailed information about its policies and practices surrounding the use of biometric technology.
5. In July, Senator Markey, along with Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Schiff (D-Calif.), sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent usage of Predator drones and aerial surveillance against peaceful protesters in Los Angeles. In the letter, the senators raised concerns about the threat to the protesters’ privacy and their constitutional rights that are guaranteed by the First Amendment.
6. In June, Senators Markey and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote two letters to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary Noem about the government’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to determine whether an individual poses a national security risk.

Issues: Civil Rights, Immigration

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