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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: House Democrats Slam Proposals to Exacerbate the Student Loan Crisis

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), led over 85 House Democrats’ opposition to the Department of Education’s proposed rule on federal student loans. The proposed rule, titled “Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE),” implements changes that Republicans’ “Big Ugly Law” made to the federal student loan program in the Higher Education Act of 1965, including new graduate loan limits and the elimination of affordable repayment options.

“We are concerned that this new structure of federal graduate lending will further restrict higher education access, particularly for low- and middle-income borrowers,”wrote the Members.“It is crucial that the Department prioritize providing all students with access to federal student aid to finance their education, regardless of economic status, and protect students from unaffordable debt.”

“[Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Law’] destabilizes our higher education system and harms students struggling to afford college by restricting access to federal student aid and eliminating affordable loan repayment plans,”continued the Members.“We urge the Department to put students and borrowers first and consider how each decision will impact a student’s ability to afford their education.”

As of September 2025, over 3.6 million federal student loan borrowers were in late-stage loan delinquency on their federal student loans, and over 5 million have defaulted on their loans. According to a recent survey, 42 percent of borrowers reported having to choose between covering their basic needs and making a loan payment.

The changes to student loan repayment initiated in ED’s proposed rulemaking threaten to worsen the affordability crisis that working families are already facing.

The letter was signed by Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Donald S. Beyer (VA-08), Sanford D. Bishop (GA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Janelle S. Bynum (OR-05), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-28), Steve Cohen (TN-09), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Lois Frankel (FL-22), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Daniel S. Goldman (NY-10), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Val T. Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Greg Landsman (OH-01), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), John W. Mannion (NY-22), Lucy McBath (GA-06), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Christian D. Menefee (TX-18), Grace Meng (NY-06), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Hillary J. Scholten (MI-03), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc A. Veasey (TX-33), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

To read the full letter, click here.

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

Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) led Arizona’s Republican Members of Congress in submitting a formal comment letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum expressing serious concerns with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Post-2026 Operational Guidelines for Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The proposed alternatives in the DEIS would place reductions exclusively on the Lower Basin, despite the fact that the Lower Basin represents 75% of the Basin’s population and economy, 76% of its jobs, and 78% of its crop sales.

For decades, Arizona has been a good steward of its water allocation, employing innovative methods to save, store, and reduce overall water use. These efforts have allowed the state to flourish, doubling in population while using less water. Along the way, the state has been a true partner among the seven basin states, taking prudent reductions to ensure the viability of the Colorado River for decades to come. The proposals included in the DEIS are unnecessarily punitive on the Lower Basin states and will have a drastic impact on Arizona’s future. The proposals are also in direct contradiction to the Colorado River Compact of 1922, solidifying them as unworthy of consideration.

“The Colorado River is foundational to Arizona’s economy and our national security,” said Congressman Biggs.“Yet the alternatives outlined in this draft plan would force disproportionate and devastating water cuts on Arizona and the Lower Basin, while allowing the Upper Basin to increase its use.”

“Arizona has done the hard work. We have and continue to save every possible drop of water so that our population can grow, our economy can thrive, and our state can serve as a hub for agriculture and technology in the nation. We cannot accept a framework that punishes responsible stewardship while ignoring long-standing legal obligations under the Compact and the Law of the River. The Department must go back to the drawing board and produce a revised plan that is balanced, lawful, and sustainable.”

“Arizona and our Lower Basin partners have sacrificed to contribute nearly 9 million acre-feet of water to help save the river system, and we have offered to do more. Now it’s time for our Upper Basin neighbors who benefit from the river to show responsibility and step up with real reductions. If no agreement is reached among the parties, the United States must implement a decision that is consistent with the Colorado River Compact of 1922, the Law of the River and wise water policy. We thank our congressional delegation for their continued support,” said Brenda Burman, CAP General Manager.

The Arizona Republican delegation reaffirmed its commitment to working collaboratively with the Department of the Interior and fellow Basin States to secure a durable and fair agreement that protects both the Colorado River system and the communities that depend on it.

The letter may be read here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — Today, Speaker Johnson released the following statement on the Democrat Department of Homeland Security shutdown:

“Regarding the Democrat DHS shutdown, the time has come to make a few things clear:

“It is inexcusable that Democrats continue to shut down the American government over and over, hurting American citizens and jeopardizing the security of our homeland — on purpose — to protect illegal aliens.

“In the fall, Democrats shut down the government to try to give American taxpayer funded health care benefits to illegal aliens.

“Now, they have shut down the government again for the expressed purpose of making sure known criminal illegal aliens including child molesters and murderers can continue living in American neighborhoods. These are truly the worst of the worst.

“House Republicans already did our job and passed the bicameral, bipartisan-negotiated bill providing full-year funding to the Department of Homeland Security, which also includes crucial agencies like TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, Secret Service, and many others.

“The insanity of the Democrat DHS shutdown comes at the expense of our own American citizens who pay taxes and demand and deserve safe and efficient travel at our airports, assistance when natural disasters occur, and secured borders for safe communities.

“And yet, thanks to the ongoing Democrat DHS shutdown, FEMA operations are disrupted following a historic season of winter storms on the East Coast, TSA agents are working another week without pay, the Secret Service is going unfunded while another armed attempt was made recently on President Trump’s life, and our nation witnessed an act of terrorism in Texas over the weekend.

“Perhaps most crucially of all, the military action in Iran makes it all the more urgent and crucial to have a fully staffed, fully funded Department of Homeland Security across all departments.

“Democrats withholding funding for the department in the midst of rapidly mounting crises is the definition of irresponsibility.

“Republicans in the House and Senate continue to demonstrate over and over that our Number One priority is to serve and protect the American people. And we will do so again this week, when we bring the House-passed full-year DHS funding bill to the floor of the House again for a vote.

“If the Democrat Party ever wants to begin correcting the impression that they prioritize the welfare of illegal aliens over the welfare of the American people, this will be the week to start.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive a $573,500 Outstanding Investigator Award grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for a project entitled “Understanding Phase Separation in Biology and Disease.” The grant is being awarded to Dr. Richard W. Kriwacki, a member of the St. Jude faculty in the Department of Structural Biology.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“I congratulate St. Jude and Dr. Kriwacki on this substantial and prestigious grant award. The work St. Jude does every day saves lives and it’s encouraging to see members of its faculty being singled out nationally for their ‘outstanding’ scientific research.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced he will host the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. High school artists living in California’s 10th Congressional District are invited to submit original artwork to Congressman DeSaulnier’s office from now through Thursday, April 9^th. The winning piece will be selected by a panel of local judges and announced at a special awards ceremony following the submission deadline.

“As a senior member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, I continually see that the arts and creative pursuits are a crucial part of education and the Congressional Art Competition is a wonderful opportunity for students to dive into artistic endeavors and be recognized for their talent and originality,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “As always, I am eager to see the incredible works young artists from our district will submit.”

The competition is open to all high school students in California’s 10th Congressional District. The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol, and the winner will be provided two round-trip airline tickets to Washington, D.C. to attend a national reception honoring winners from around the country. 

All submissions must be emailed to Kaylee.DeLand@mail.house.gov along with a completed release form no later than 5:00 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Complete contest guidelines and submission forms are available on Congressman DeSaulnier’s website.

The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide high school visual art competition to encourage and recognize artistic talent across the country. Since the Competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. For more information or help submitting artwork, please contact (925) 933-2660.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts Ranking Member issued the following statement after the Supreme Court sided with Republicans protecting a GOP-held district in NYC

WASHINGTON, D.C. — “The law is supposed to be predictable and consistent,” said Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet. “Yet the Roberts Court once again has withheld that reliability from the American people. The unprecedented decision to grant extraordinary emergency relief in Malliotakis v. Williams serves only to highlight the inconsistency and unpredictability that has come to define the Court’s emergency docket. Like too many other emergency docket decisions before it, this case was expedited without rigorous briefing and oral argument, yielding a hasty decision that undermines previously stated principles of jurisdiction, federalism and equity. The Supreme Court should be better than a double-standard disguised as principle and Americans deserve a court that acts as more than a rubber stamp for the President.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

Congressman wants to reform Pentagon’s 1033 Program that gives military-grade weapons to local, state & federal law enforcement departments for free

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) re-introduced his commonsense Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2026 that would place restrictions and transparency measures on the Department of Defense (DOD) Program that transfers excess military equipment to federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

“When you see law enforcement in our communities across the country that look more like an occupying force armed to the teeth, masked and carrying weapons of war, something has gone terribly wrong,” said Johnson. “When law enforcement officers, particularly unaccountable federal agents dressed like commandos are dragging American citizens from their homes, their cars and killing American citizens on our streets, it changes the entire dynamic of public safety, even our democracy. The militarization of police — whether they be local, state or federal agencies – only terrorize our communities and make us less safe.”

Through the Defense Logistics Agency’s Law Enforcement Support Office, or “1033 program”, the Department of Defense has transferred more than $8 billion in surplus military equipment – often from warzones overseas – to our streets, without charge. 

Presidential administrations have sought to reform 1033 through executive orders, but these orders can easily be overturned, as we saw when President Trump rescind President Obama’s order reining it in in 2017 and Biden’s EO curtailing the program when he took office again in 2025. For a longer-term solution, Congress should pass the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act to increase oversight and transparency of the 1033 program.

The Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act would:

• Prevent transfers of equipment inappropriate for local policing, such as military weapons, long-range acoustic devices, grenade launchers, weaponized drones, armored military vehicles, and grenades or similar explosives. 
• Require that recipients certify that they can account for all military weapons and equipment. In 2012, the weapons portion of the 1033 program was temporarily suspended after DOD found that a local sheriff gifted out army-surplus Humvees and other supplies. This bill would prohibit re-gifting and require recipients to account for all DOD weapons and equipment.

The bill adds requirements to enforce tracking mechanisms that keep up with and control transfers of the equipment, implement policies ensuring that police agencies can’t surplus the equipment for resale, and defines drones more clearly.

Current Original Cosponsors (19): Andre Carson (IN), Danny K. Davis (IL), Diana DeGette (CO), Lloyd Doggett (TX), Dwight Evans (PA), Maxwell Frost (FL), Sylvia Garcia (TX), Robin Kelly (IL), Ro Khanna (CA), Summer Lee (PA), LaMonica McIver (NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Jan Schakowsky (IL), David Scott (GA), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA), Lateefah Simon (CA), Shri Thanedar (MI), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Frederica Wilson (FL)

Endorsements: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Amnesty International USA, Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, Government Information Watch, Japanese American Citizens League, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, ReThinking Foreign Policy, RootsAction, Stand Up America, World BEYOND War 

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

“The Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act is a critical step toward ensuring that policing is grounded in accountability, transparency, and bound by the Constitution. Armored vehicles and battlefield weapons are meant to intimidate and escalate conflict and have no place in American streets and communities.” — Nina Patel, ACLU Senior Policy Counsel Justice Division or Nina Patel, Senior Policy Counsel ACLU Justice Division

To read the bill, click HERE. 

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

WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) led 26 Members of Congress in a letter to major technology and telecom companies, inquiring how they respond, track, and comply with administrative subpoenas from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As first reported by the Washington Post, administrative subpoenas are not widely known, but are a powerful weapon utilized by DHS to gather personal information on Americans. Under the Trump administration, administrative subpoenas have been used against people attending pro-Palestinian or anti-ICE protests.

“Administrative subpoenas allow federal agencies to demand the disclosure of records without prior judicial approval,” the members wrote in the letter. “Recent incidents demonstrate that DHS has used this authority to identify, surveil, and intimidate individuals based on speech and political expression protected by the First Amendment…These practices undermine public trust in both law enforcement and the private companies entrusted with Americans’ personal data.”

The letter was sent to the CEOs of Apple, Snapchat, Google, Meta, TikTok, Microsoft, X, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

“The companies that receive these subpoenas serve a critical position,” the members continued. “Decisions to comply, challenge, or narrow government demands determine whether constitutional protections are meaningfully upheld. Companies’ decisions whether or not to provide notice to the affected individuals impacts whether they can exercise their free speech rights.”

The American Civil Liberties Union also endorsed the letter.

In addition to Reps. Kelly and Jayapal, these members signed the letter: Eleanor Holmes Norton, Danny K. Davis, Becca Balint, Madeleine Dean, Zoe Lofgren, Seth Moulton, Jesús G. “Chuy” García, Dan Goldman, Debbie Dingell, Emily Randall, Nydia M. Velázquez, Lloyd Doggett, André Carson, Rashida Tlaib, Mary Gay Scanlon, Maxine Dexter, Delia C. Ramirez, Seth Magaziner, Greg Casar, Sara Jacobs, Stephen F. Lynch, Summer L. Lee, Jasmine Crockett, Emanuel Cleaver II, Lauren Underwood, and Jan Schakowsky.

Read the full letter here.

Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security, Science, Technology, & Antitrust

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

Griffith Celebrates $8.9 Million Manufacturing Expansion in Giles County

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, where he emphasized that Donald Trump and Republicans have lied and failed the American people, spending taxpayer dollars not to make life more affordable for them but to launch endless foreign wars and brutalize or kill everyday Americans. 

LEADER JEFFRIES: Donald Trump and Republicans have once again failed the American people. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump and Republicans promised to lower costs on day one. But failed Republican policies haven’t led to costs going down. Costs have gone up, and the Trump tariffs have increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump and Republicans promised that immigration enforcement would focus on targeting violent criminals who are here illegally. But under Donald Trump, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE are spending taxpayer dollars to brutalize, and in some cases kill, American citizens like Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump and Republicans promised not to get the American people into endless, failed, foreign, forever wars. And yet, Donald Trump has just gotten America into an endless war that he acknowledges and plans to be endless, as was the case earlier today. And we’ve already tragically lost the lives of six American service members because Donald Trump, without justification and without coming to Congress, has gotten America into a Middle Eastern war that we know will not end well based on what we’ve already seen in Afghanistan, in Iraq and, for that matter, in Vietnam as well.

Donald Trump and Republicans have consistently lied to the American people over and over and over again on matters related to both domestic and foreign policy. These extremists have been a complete and total disaster. They have consistently failed the American people. And Democrats are here to offer a better path forward. And our commitment to the American people remains—we’re going to fight to make your life better in every way possible, to drive down the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system, to deliver an immigration enforcement system that’s fair, just and humane, that focuses on violent criminals who are here illegally, not targeting law-abiding immigrant families or killing American citizens. And we are here as Democrats to make sure that we’re spending taxpayer dollars in ways that are designed to improve the quality of life for the American people, not launching another endless war in the Middle East that is destined to cost more American lives and billions, if not trillions, of dollars unless Congress is able to stop Donald Trump in his tracks, which is what it is our intention to do.

Full press conference can be watched here.

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