MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

Contact: Luis Botello Faz

202-494-4620 

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) led colleagues in requesting immediate answers from State Secretary Marco Rubio regarding the Trump Administration’s approach to U.S. foreign assistance. They were joined by 120 House members and 5 Senators. After shuttering USAID and rescinding most of its funding, the Trump Administration had $1.8 billion in remaining appropriated funds to which it has sought a $2.9 billion addition to establish the America First Opportunity Fund for “flexible” foreign aid spending. This would purportedly be used toward vaguely defined initiatives advancing Trump’s “America First” agenda. 

“Since the Administration has refused to provide a meaningful explanation as to how these foreign aid funds are being used, we are seeking answers to provide the oversight that this Republican Congress refuses to provide,” said Rep. Doggett. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used as a slush fund to reward Trump’s billionaire friends and political allies while pursuing his latest whim.  Let’s assure that there really is no waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“President Trump illegally rescinded billions of previously appropriated foreign aid dollars and is currently sitting on nearly $2 billion in unspent funds for foreign assistance, after taking a chainsaw to USAID and our international development architecture. And yet, his Administration has asked Congress for nearly $3 billion more for vaguely defined so-called ‘America First’ initiatives. Given this Administration’s track record and Congress’s power of the purse, we need answers on how they intend to use these taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

In the letter, the Members wrote, “After the Administration justified its dismantling of USAID to eliminate ‘waste, fraud, and abuse,’ it may be creating an unaccountable foreign aid system highly susceptible to the very corruption it claimed to have addressed…It is critical that Congress maintain effective oversight over the world’s largest foreign aid budget that encompasses vital national security priorities like military assistance, arms agreements, and counterterrorism efforts.” The letter seeks answers regarding the reallocation of USAID funds and the proposed America First Opportunity Fund.

Today’s full letter can be read here.

 

The letter is cosigned by Cory Booker (NJ), Andy Kim (NJ), Jeff Merkley (OR), Bernard Sanders (VT), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Suzzane Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), André Carson (IN-07), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Al Green (TX-09), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), William Keating (MA-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Susie Lee (NV-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), John Mannion (NY-22), Doris Matusi (CA-07), Sarah McBride (DL-AL), James McGovern (MA-02), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12),  Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Derek Tran (CA-45), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gabe Vazquez (NM-02), Marc A. Veasey (Tx-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), James Eugene Simon Vindman (VA-07), Walkinshaw (VA-11), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05)

Full text below: 

We write regarding the Administration’s actions over U.S. foreign aid, including the State Department’s plans to reallocate nearly $2 billion that Congress had appropriated for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) toward vaguely defined initiatives aimed to advance President Trump’s “America First” agenda. This follows the Administration’s request to establish the $2.9 billion America First Opportunity Fund (A1OF) for “flexible” foreign aid spending in May, despite its appeal that Congress rescind $8.3 billion in previously appropriated foreign aid in June and unilateral cancellation of $5 billion in foreign aid already signed into law in August. Given the Administration’s pledge to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse” in U.S. foreign aid, we request more information on the potential transformation of these Congressional budget accounts into multi-billion-dollar funds that your Department has argued “make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” without providing any further explanation. 

The Department’s September 12 notification to Congress outlines that the $1.8 billion previously appropriated for programs implemented by USAID would instead be obligated for State Department-run programs, including countering “Marxist, anti-American regimes” in Latin America, supporting “U.S. immigration priorities” in Africa, and “economic development and conservation work” in Greenland. Meanwhile, the cancellation of at least $19 million in emergency food assistance for famine-stricken Sudan and $27 million to counter deadly infectious disease in the conflict-afflicted Democratic Republic of Congo risks infectious disease outbreaks and global conflict that endanger Americans, running counter to the President’s stated mission. 

The President’s FY2026 Budget Request to Congress indicated the A1OF would utilize $2.9 billion to “focus on strategic investments that make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” and fund “new activities to strengthen America’s national security priorities.” Unlike previous Congressional Budget Justifications, it did not specify what those activities would be nor the amount of funding allocated for each activity. The Administration suggested the A1OF could be used for initiatives as varied as U.S. contributions to the United Nations; international peacekeeping; international security assistance; loan guarantees; global disease outbreaks; or anything else the President deems necessary. 

After the Administration justified its dismantling of USAID to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse,” it may be creating an unaccountable foreign aid system highly susceptible to the very corruption it claimed to have addressed. Considering our constitutional responsibility to serve as stewards of taxpayer dollars, we request your prompt answers to the following questions by December 30. 

Regarding the reallocation of USAID funds: 

1. Knowing that the $1.8 billion had to be obligated by September 30, did the Administration have a plan for what specifically to fund before it abruptly cancelled USAID programs in July?

2. Regarding the $1.8 billion obligated by September 30, please provide an itemized list of every country and/or organization that is receiving funding, the amount, and the purpose. 

3. What specific activities will be supported by funding dedicated to “[confronting] the Marxist, anti[1]American regimes of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua”? 

4. What specific activities will be supported by funding dedicated to “U.S. immigration priorities” in Africa? Will this include deporting third-country nationals from the United States to African countries? 

Regarding the A1OF: 

1. Who is the individual responsible for recommending to you any awards? 

2. What governs the agreements under the A1OF? Will there be a competitive, open process for making awards? Will these be contracts, grants, or compacts? 

3. What policies or procedures are being developed to ensure that A1OF funds will be administered with internal control standards comparable to those in place for foreign assistance programming prior to January 2025? 

4. The A1OF proposal references investment funds. How do you classify waste, fraud, or abuse under an investment fund? What are the reporting requirements for these funds? 

5. How will A1OF funding be monitored in conflict zones? How and to whom will waste, fraud, or abuse be reported? 

6. The A1OF proposal directly references India and Jordan as potential funding recipients. What other countries are being considered, and under what criteria?

7. Are you consulting with local organizations and communities in deciding which projects to fund? 

8. If funds are to be invested via private firms, how do you ensure for-profit programs are not advantaged over nonprofit programs? 

9. What are the criteria used in awarding funds? 

10. What are the branding and marking requirements under the agreements that indicate that funding was provided by the U.S.?

It is critical that Congress maintain effective oversight over the world’s largest foreign aid budget that encompasses vital national security priorities like military assistance, arms agreements, and counterterrorism efforts. We look forward to your prompt responses justifying where, why, and how the Administration intends to spend billions of taxpayer dollars around the world. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

Contact: Luis.BFaz@mail.house.gov

(202) 494-4620

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Ranking Member of the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, renewed efforts to safeguard Americans’ most confidential data collected by the federal government from misuse by the Trump regime.

“As he grasps for more and more power, Donald Trump has been pursuing an unprecedented project to combine all federal data on every American into a master file on every citizen,” said Rep. Doggett. “Essentially a digital ID, a dossier, tracking where you live, where you work, your earnings, your bank accounts, your health information, even child support agreements – and much more. This would permit him to target opponents and manipulate others.”

With House Republicans having delayed consideration of his June 11^thResolution of Inquiry, which was joined by every Democratic Member of the Ways and Means Committee, Doggett forced a vote on a similar inquiry with an amendment offered to H.R. 2716, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. He would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to produce to the Committee all records and communications pertaining to SSA’s sharing of Americans’ private data with Palantir Technologies, Inc. for the purposes of developing a centralized federal database of Americans’ information. Republicans have twice resorted to extraordinary measures to block the Committee from considering the resolution, opting to keep Americans in the dark about who has access to their personal data. While the amendment was defeated 16 to 24 on a party-line vote, Doggett has committed to continue pressuring the need for answers on this dangerous Trump plan.

You can read the amendment text here.

To watch Rep. Doggett’s remarks, click here.

Demand Progress, a group that helped lead the efforts to successfully block the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) endorsed Rep. Doggett’s amendment. 

“The American people deserve to know how their Social Security data is being used, especially if it’s being used for an Orwellian government tracking system,” said Demand Progress Policy Director Emily Peterson-Cassin. 

Rep. Doggett’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

Donald Trump has been pursuing an unprecedented project to combine all federal data on every American into a master file on every citizen. Essentially a digital ID, a dossier, tracking where you live, where you work, your earnings,  your bank accounts, your health information, even child support agreements, and much more to obtain more insight into the extent of this massive project, this massive invasion of our privacy by someone who daily professes his desire for revenge and persecution of anyone that doesn’t laud him as the great leader that he thinks he is. 

I introduced months ago a resolution of inquiry. It was joined by every Democratic member of this committee. Our resolution simply asked the administration to turn over all materials related to this massive data aggregation effort and its chosen contractor, Palantir, a company that one Silicon Valley executive once accused of, quote, building the infrastructure of the police state.  

And that’s precisely what we are concerned with preventing. With a president whose top priority is revenge, personal enrichment for himself and his family, and self-glorification, this is deeply concerning.

But beyond furthering the machinery of a police state and beyond enabling Trump to target his enemies, this centralization of data creates immense risk for every American family.  It takes some of the same confidential information that’s held anywhere in the federal government, Social Security earnings, histories, bank account, Medicare and Medicaid records, tax data, and it places it into a master file that is vulnerable to any malicious actor or outside threat. There’s reason to be concerned about exposing our personal data to hackers.

And there’s more reason, given the fact that a whistleblower has divulged that Social Security records of 300 million Americans were uploaded by DOGE into an unsecure cloud environment that lacked adequate security.  Internal federal reviews have found alarming weaknesses in Palantir’s systems. One internal U.S. Army government report described that platform as, quote, very high-risk warning.

So we’re exposing ourselves not only to the dangers of Donald Trump, but the dangers of hackers everywhere. And while Palantir denies these findings, they raise alarming concerns about how the most sensitive data could soon be linked together in one place.  Despite the gravity of these issues, House Republicans don’t want to deal with them.

And so they found up, came up with a nifty way to deal with it.  On two different occasions with rules that they have passed on totally unrelated subjects, they have simply postponed the consideration of our resolutions of inquiry. So that they can’t be considered about these data.

I do want to acknowledge one Republican, Warren Davidson, who has said Trump’s arrangement with Palantir is, quote, dangerous, saying, quote, when you start combining all these data points on individuals into one database, it essentially creates a digital ID and a history that shows that power will be abused. He is correct about that. And that’s what we’re inquiring about.

And here is something notable.  Palantir has met with my staff and they say they support this resolution. So if it’s Palantir you’re concerned about and they say they have nothing to hide, then support this amendment.

It is a vote that would be consistent with their claims. This amendment offers one small but meaningful window into how this secretive project operates.  It would require disclosure of how Social Security data has been used or misused in creating a digital ID on every American.

Safeguard privacy of Americans with a little transparency, a little sunlight by adopting this reasonable amendment. I yield back.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

Letter responds to RFK Jr.’s CDC panel’s vote to drop the longstanding recommendation for the universal administration of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) led 108 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that it conduct a comprehensive study on the public-health, economic, and equity impacts of eliminating the universal hepatitis B birth-dose recommendation. 

This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), appointed by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, voted 8-3 to eliminate the long-standing recommendation.

“For more than three decades, the universal birth-dose has been one of the most effective public-health interventions in the United States. Since its adoption in 1991, annual childhood hepatitis B infections have declined by more than 99 percent…The vote to abandon this universal standard raises profound concerns about the health and safety of newborns nationwide,” said the Members.

They continued: “These concerns are especially acute for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, who comprise only seven percent of the U.S. population yet account for approximately sixty percent of chronic hepatitis B cases.”

The letter requests that GAO’s study evaluate projected public-health impacts of increased infant infections, including long-term liver disease and cancer; assess equity impacts, especially for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities; analyze the economic and health-system effects, including downstream Medicaid and Medicare costs; and evaluate ACIP’s evidence and decision-making process.

The Members concluded: “Given the magnitude of this policy shift and the risks it poses to public health, a thorough GAO review is essential to ensure transparency, safeguard scientific integrity, and inform Congress as CDC leadership considers whether to implement the ACIP recommendation.”

The full letter is available here.

The letter is signed by 108 Members: Reps. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Troy Carter (LA-02), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Angie Craig (MN-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Greg Landsman (OH-01), John Larson (CT-01), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer Lee (PA-12), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), John Mannion (NY-22), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Lucy McBath (GA-07), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Darren Soto (FL-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Derek Tran (CA-45), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), James Walkinshaw (VA-11), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), George Whitesides (CA-27), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

The letter is endorsed by 20 organizations: the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Hepatitis B Foundation, National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, The Pride Center at Equality Park, Justice in Aging, Protect Our Care, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Doctors for America, American College of Nurse-Midwives, Families USA, Equality California. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces, National Hispanic Medical Association, American Kidney Fund, Trust for America’s Health, Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL) Infectious Diseases Society of America

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) voted against S. 1071, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the House by a vote of 312-112, and released the following statement: 

“I could not in good conscience support this year’s NDAA. Our service members deserve a defense bill that strengthens our military and supports their families, not one that strips away rights, fails to constrain the Trump administration’s abuse of the military, and injects partisan politics into our armed forces.

“This bill includes deeply troubling provisions that promote discrimination and dismantle diversity efforts that help ensure every qualified service member can serve with dignity and respect. It also rejects expanded access to IVF for TRICARE beneficiaries, denying access to this reproductive health care for military families who sacrifice so much in service to our country. This bill also includes anti-labor provisions that undermine civilian employees’ collective bargaining rights. These provisions do nothing to strengthen our national defense. Instead, they weaken morale, damage recruitment and retention, and betray the fundamental principle that every service member deserves equal treatment and respect.

“Further, this NDAA authorizes a record-breaking level of funding for the Department of Defense, which remains the only federal agency unable to pass an audit. And while I am relieved that Democrats succeeded in mandating transparency into the administration’s unconstitutional deadly strikes on boats in international waters, it does not prevent Secretary Hegseth from continuing this unexplained and unjustified campaign. And though today a federal judge ruled that the President’s National Guard deployment in Los Angeles is illegal, this NDAA nevertheless fails to stop the administration’s ever-expanding deployments of servicemembers in American cities around the country. 

“For these reasons, I voted no.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

Bill would reduce visa backlogs, boost efficiency across the immigration process, and ensure a fairer, more humane process for immigrant families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep Judy Chu (CA-28), Senator Mazie Hirono (HI) reintroduced the Reuniting Families Act of 2025. This legislation would strengthen protections for immigrant families and address long-standing problems in a family immigration system that hasn’t seen meaningful reform in more than three decades. 

Today, nearly four million people with approved visa applications remain trapped in a massive immigration backlog, with many waiting more than a decade to reunite with their loved ones. This crisis is the direct result of an outdated system that has not seen meaningful reform for more than thirty years. The Reuniting Families Act tackles these delays by recapturing unused visas, rolling them into future years, expanding who qualifies as a family member to include permanent partners, and increasing both the total number of available family preference visas and per-country limits.

The individuals stuck in these backlogs have approved applications and are ready to contribute to our communities and strengthen the American economy. No one, regardless of where they come from, should be forced to wait decades to reunite with family or begin building a life in the United States. We need a system that is safer, more efficient, and better equipped to uphold both America’s security and its commitment to humanity.

This bill tackles several major challenges within the immigration system. Among the key improvements are:

1. More than doubling number of available family preference visas
2. Raising existing per-country yearly visa limits, so the wait is not so long for countries with high levels of migration
3. Setting an absolute time limit on visa processing, so no applicant has to wait more than 10 years for a visa if they have an approved application

“Family-based immigration makes our country stronger. But our broken immigration system is preventing individuals from reuniting with their loved ones and contributing to our communities and economies. With over four million individuals with approved visa applications stuck in limbo through no fault of their own, families are needlessly suffering,” said Rep. Chu.  “That’s why I am proud to reintroduce the commonsense Reuniting Families Act of 2025 with Senator Hirono to ensure that no one should have to wait years, sometimes decades, to reunite with a loved one and to ensure our family-based immigration system works more efficiently and humanely.”

“Immigrant families currently experience unnecessary obstacles and delays due to our country’s broken immigration system, keeping families separated for potentially long periods of time,” said Senator Hirono. “By reducing family-based immigration backlogs and making common sense updates to how we treat families, the Reuniting Families Act will help take the first step in the right direction to keeping families together as they navigate our immigration system.”

“Asian Americans Advancing Justice is proud to support Rep. Judy Chu’s reintroduction of the Reuniting Families Act (RFA), which will make it easier for immigrant families to reunite through a family-based immigration system. Family-based immigration has been the cornerstone of the United States for decades, laying the foundation for immigrant communities, including Asian Americans, to settle down and contribute to our nation’s vibrant social and economic fabric,” said Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations. “However, our immigration system has broken down without a fix for over thirty years, keeping families separated with millions of people stuck in backlogs abroad. Families have the right to be together and should not have to spend decades apart. This bill is a beacon of hope to make our immigration system more humane, and it is a meaningful step toward bringing loved ones back together.”

“Fifty years ago, millions of Southeast Asian families were forced to flee war and genocide in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, separated from their loved ones in order to survive. Today, our backlogged family immigration system continues to keep Southeast Asian American families apart, and that backlog has only continued to grow for our communities as this Administration prevents immigration from Laos,” said Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC). “The Reuniting Families Act (RFA) restores compassion to our immigration system by preventing families from waiting decades to reunite and expanding relief for those facing deportation. As families across the country continue to be torn apart by this administration’s cruel immigration enforcement policies, we applaud Rep. Judy Chu for her leadership and commitment to keeping families whole. SEARAC is committed to working alongside Rep. Chu and our partners to ensure all families have the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones and heal.”

“In a time when immigrant families are facing unprecedented levels of cruelty and family separation, we urgently need legislation like the Reuniting Families Act (RFA) to reform our inefficient and inhumane immigration system,” said Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). “For decades, we have endured the repercussions of this broken immigration system, which includes a significant backlog of family visas. CHIRLA welcomes the RFA, as it recognizes that family unity lies at the core of our immigration system and that immigrants are human beings who contribute to and strengthen our nation.”

“The Reuniting Families Act (RFA) directly addresses the needs of our communities by ensuring that family members are not subjected to extensive and often distressing visa processing delays,” said Nils Kinuani, Federal Policy Manager of African Communities Together (ACT). “By streamlining the family-based immigration system, this bill facilitates the quicker reunification of families, which is vital for both the individuals involved and the broader community.”

The bill is endorsed by American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), CenterLink: The Community of LGBTQ Centers, Church World Service, Coalition on Human Needs, COOLJC Region 8 SJEREC, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), Franciscan Action Network, Global Refuge, Japanese American Citizens League, Mennonite Central Committee U.S., National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), National Council of Jewish Women, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), National Tongan American Society, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Refugee Council USA, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), Stop AAPI Hate, Union for Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, Woodhull Freedom Foundation, Regional/State/Local Groups, AAPI Equity Alliance, ACLU People Power Fairfax, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, Ayuda, BISN, BRIJ PEACE EMPOWERERS, Caribbean Equality Project (CEP), Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, Equality California, HANA Center, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), InterReligious Task Force on Central America, Just Neighbors, Khmer Maine, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, Mountain State Justice, Ohio Immigrant Coalition, OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, R320 Design, Reconciling & Social Justice Team 1st United Methodist Church Sacramento, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), SWMI Indivisible, Transformations CDC, WADEIn New Jersey

To see a 1-pager of the bill click here.

To see the bill click here.

Click here for a section-by-section of the bill.

Click here for a brief video statement from Rep. Chu on the bill. 

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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) raised concerns about allegations of systemic abuse at numerous veterinary schools across the country. In a letter to 36 veterinary medicine schools, Congressman Cleaver called on the institutions to provide information about their policies and procedures to better understand the issue and what can be done to ensure students are not being abused.

Following several reports of troubling complaints, including patient care suffering due to 100-hour workweeks and students losing 15 pounds in a single month due to inadequate time to eat, Rep. Cleaver is pushing the universities to share information about what protections are in place for students, as well as how universities ensure students are not exploited for their free labor in the name of education.

“I believe strongly that our higher education institutions should provide rigorous curriculums that guarantee students will receive the best education and experience possible, ensuring they are capable and qualified when they enter into the workforce,” said Congressman Cleaver. “However, just as we have taken steps to ensure colleges and universities are not taking advantage of student athletes for institutional monetary benefit, we must ensure that students at veterinary medicine schools are not being exploited. Unfortunately, with numerous allegations of abuse, it appears we have more work to do—and I’m hopeful that these institutions will provide information to address these concerns and ensure proper protections are in place.”

The letter was delivered to the following universities: Auburn University; Colorado State University; Cornell University; Iowa State University; Kansas State University; Lincoln Memorial University; Long Island University; Louisiana State University; Michigan State University; Midwestern University; Mississippi State University; North Carolina State University; Oklahoma State University; Oregon State University; Purdue University; Rowan University; Texas A&M University; Texas Tech University; The Ohio State University; Tufts University; Tuskegee University; Universidad Ana G. Mendez; University of Arizona; University of California, Davis; University of Florida; University of Georgia; University of Illinois; University of Minnesota; University of Missouri-Columbia; University of Pennsylvania; University of Tennessee; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Utah State University; Virginia Tech University; Washington State University; Western University of Health Sciences.

The official letter from Rep. Cleaver is available here.

  

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 – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II released the following statement after the Missouri Housing Development Commission announced additional investments in the Parade Park Homes redevelopment project.

“After securing $15 million in federal funding to support the redevelopment of Parade Park, I’m thrilled that the Missouri Housing Development Commission has approved a package of federal and state support, including $6,575,000 in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), $2,400,000 in HOME funds and $32 million in tax-exempt bond authority, demonstrating significant support for affordable housing.

“Whether at the federal, state, or local level, Missourians are demanding action to expand the supply of affordable housing so that we can lower costs for hardworking families. Parade Park is a perfect example of what we can accomplish when collaboration occurs between the public and private sector. 

“As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing & Insurance, I will continue pushing bipartisan reforms like my HOME Reform Act to ensure more affordable housing projects like Parade Park can move forward in the months and years ahead.”

Since 2022, Congressman Cleaver has worked with HUD and local officials to stabilize Parade Park and chart a path to preserve affordable housing, ensuring the property was sold by HUD to the City of Kansas City for redevelopment last year. Following the City’s conveyance of the property to Twelfth Street Heritage Corporation, a non-profit, Rep. Cleaver has strongly advocated for additional investments to support redevelopment while ensuring it remains affordable to local and longtime residents. In January of this year, Rep. Cleaver announced $15,514,225 in federal grant funding through HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program which supports the development, rehabilitation, and acquisition of housing for low-income elderly persons. 

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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 – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Tech Initiative, along with Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), reintroduced the Workforce of the Future Act, legislation that would require a detailed study to grow our understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), its impact on the economy and workforce, and determine the skills necessary for workers to succeed. Additionally, the bill would provide workers, teachers, and students with the resources to develop integral skills required to participate in the workforce of the future. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

“While there is much excitement about the potential of AI and the benefits it can bring to our communities, there is also much concern about the impacts it will have on American workers, their jobs, and their wages. It is critically important that we take steps today to prepare our nation and our workforce for the economic consequences that are rapidly approaching with the growing adoption of AI,” said Congressman Cleaver. “The Workforce of the Future Act will provide the investments necessary to ensure American workers are ready and able to capitalize on those opportunities and that nobody is left behind.” 

“Working people deserve innovation that expands opportunity—not eliminates it. Strengthening our understanding of how AI is impacting jobs in real time and investing directly in education makes sure Americans are not caught flat-footed as AI accelerates,” said Rep. McIver. “By prioritizing training that delivers economic gains to young people and underrepresented communities, the Workforce of the Future Act puts power back where it belongs: with the people who keep our economy running.”

“Artificial intelligence is increasingly disrupting our economy, contributing to layoffs and occupational changes,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “Building off the work done by Senator Laphonza Butler in the last Congress, I’m proud to introduce the Workforce of the Future Act alongside Senators Hirono and Schiff and Representatives Cleaver and McIver. This bill allows us to remain proactive, protect workers who are most impacted by the technology, and supercharge the future of work by ensuring our future workforce has the skills they need to succeed. As Delaware’s former Secretary of Labor, I have spent my career ensuring people can access and maintain stable, good-paying jobs. I will maintain this commitment in the Senate as we race to confront the challenges of tomorrow.”

“AI is already transforming every corner of our economy in California and across the country. That’s why it’s critical the federal government do more to evaluate how AI will impact workers, while also investing in job training programs to prevent AI-related job displacement,” said Senator Schiff.  “I’m pleased to join Senators Blunt Rochester and Hirono as well as Representatives Cleaver and McIver on the Workforce of the Future Act. We must act now to gain a full understanding of the impact of AI on the workplace, so we can ensure access to good paying jobs for the American people even as technology changes how we work.”

“As advanced and emerging technologies—including AI—become rapidly integrated within society, it is imperative that we prepare our workforce for these changes,” said Senator Hirono. “Specifically, we must ensure advances enabled by AI are used to strengthen, not weaken, the workforce. I am proud to introduce the Workforce of the Future Act to better prepare and equip workers with the skills necessary to adapt to AI and a rapidly-changing work environment.”

Without proper guardrails, the impact AI could have on our economy is wide-ranging. According to studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), AI could replace nearly 12 percent of the workforce. Currently, many recent college grads report being unable to find work. This legislation addresses the most pressing concerns behind AI’s rapid advancement in our workforce while also providing resources to prepare individuals to succeed in advanced technology sectors.

The Workforce of the Future Act will:

• Require the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Educationto jointly and efficiently prepare a report analyzing AI’s impact on the economy and workforce that must identify critical information, including what industries and jobs will be most impacted, how job quality will be impacted, necessary skills for workers, and recommendations for preparing the 21st century workforce.
• Authorize the Department of Education to award $160 million in grants to support expanding access to emerging and advanced technology education. Grants will help support foundational and innovative STEAM learning for students who need this knowledge to participate in the 21st century workforce.
  • Grants must leverage information and recommendations from the report and may be used for teacher training and recruiting, high-quality learning materials, reducing gaps in access for underrepresented groups, engaging industry, and providing necessary support for student success.
• Authorize the Department of Labor to award $90 million in grants to support workforce training for workers most impacted by AI.
  • Grants must leverage information and recommendations from the report and support the training of workers to prevent AI-related displacement and provide immediate support and training to workers who experience job loss in AI-impacted industries.

The Workforce of the Future Act is co-sponsored by Representatives Dan Goldman (D-NY), John Larson (D-CT), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

The Workforce of the Future Act is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Anthropic, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Microsoft, the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), OpenAI, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Official text of the Workforce of the Future Act is available. 

 

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 – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing & Insurance, Mike Flood (R-NE), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing & Insurance, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services, and French Hill (R-AR), Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, unveiled the bipartisan Housing for the 21^st Century Act.

This bipartisan housing package will streamline housing development and affordability by updating outdated programs, removing regulatory roadblocks, and increasing local control.

“The cost of living remains the most urgent challenge facing Americans in every region of the country, and tackling that crisis begins with bipartisan, comprehensive housing reform,” said Ranking Member Cleaver. “Over the past year, Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Flood, Chairman Hill, and I have worked with Committee members on legislation that cuts unnecessary red tape, accelerates the development of affordable housing, and reduces costs for hardworking families. I’m proud of the bipartisan package we are introducing today and look forward to working with the House and Senate to advance critical housing legislation to the president’s desk.”

“As housing gets more expensive, the American Dream of homeownership is slipping away for working families,” said Chairman Flood. “This package is the product of bipartisan work in the Financial Services Committee to address some of the core issues driving up the cost of housing. I want to thank Chairman Hill, Ranking Member Waters and my counterpart on the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver for working together to produce this strong, bipartisan package. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this legislation through the committee, move it across the House floor, and ultimately to get these critical reforms enacted into law.”

“Today, I am pleased that our Committee is finally taking the lead on advancing meaningful housing legislation,” said Ranking Member Waters. “The Housing for the 21st Century Act reflects a shared recognition that our affordable housing crisis demands real solutions and coordinated effort. This is a historic moment for our Committee, and I commend Chairman Hill for his leadership and Subcommittee Chairman Flood and Ranking Member Cleaver for joining in this effort. Under previous Republican Committee Chairmen, housing has either been ignored or put on the table for dismantlement. Through our partnership on this legislation, we are showing that housing is truly a bipartisan issue and that we can all come together to bring down costs and expand access to housing for all Americans. I also appreciate the work of my Senate colleagues in passing the ROAD to Housing Act, some of which is included in the House bill. While I was disappointed ROAD was not included in the NDAA, there is clearly broad bipartisan support in both Chambers to advance housing legislation. Our legislation, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, builds on my lifelong efforts to create long-term affordability and opportunity in housing, and represents an important first step towards finally solving our housing crisis once and for all. I want to be clear, however, that today’s introduction is not a final product, as I know there are many more important, bipartisan ideas that I and other Members of the House will want to include as the bill advances. Nevertheless, when we pass the Housing for the 21st Century Act into law, we will move closer to a future where every family, no matter their income or ZIP code, has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. I look forward to moving this bill through the Committee process and to the House floor as quickly as possible. Millions of renters, homeowners, elderly, veterans and people experiencing homelessness are counting on us to act with urgency.”

“Our Committee is dedicated to finding new ways to foster a home building and buying environment where achieving the American Dream is in reach for our families across the nation,” said Chairman Hill. Our goal is to chart a path forward toward greater development capacity and a simplified regulatory framework. I’m proud to advance this package with Ranking Member Waters, Subcommittee Chair Flood, and Ranking Member Cleaver to tackle housing costs and access challenges for American homeowners and renters. We look forward to moving this bill through regular order and working with our Senate counterparts in the new year to get a bill signed into law that reflects ideas from both chambers and delivers real results for American families.”

The Housing for the 21^st Century Act includes multiple reforms introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and various colleagues, such as:

• HOME Reform Act: Introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Chairman Flood, the legislation is the most significant reform to the HOME program since authorization in 1990 and would increase the supply of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing.
• Rural Housing Service Program Improvements: The legislation includes sections of the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Representative Zach Nunn (R-IA), representing the most significant Rural Housing Service reforms in decades. The included sections would allow for greater use of the Rural Housing Service Section 504 Home Repair Program, including expanding participation to include more low-income families, among other provisions.   
• Choice in Affordable Housing Act: Introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY), the Choice in Affordable Housing Act is a major reform the HUD’s Section 8 program that would streamline the program and increase the number of private landlords participating in the program.  
• Manufactured Housing Innovations: The legislation includes the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Cleaver and Rep. Rose (R-TN), which would update the federal definition of manufactured housing and allow for more efficient and cost-effective designs. Additionally, the housing package includes legislation introduce by Chairman Flood and Ranking Member Cleaver that would streamline energy efficiency and safety standards for manufactured housing.
• HUD Accountability Act: Introduced by Ranking Member Cleaver and Rep. Lawler, the HUD Accountability Act requires the Secretary of HUD to testify on an annual basis before Congress.

Official text of the Housing for the 21st Century Act is available here.

A one-pager for the Housing for the 21^st Century Act is available here.

A section-by-section of the Housing for the 21^st Century Act is available here.

 

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 – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced today that he will host a virtual End of Year Town Hall on Monday, December 15^th at 6:00 p.m. PT to share a recap of his efforts in Congress on behalf of CA-10 this year, preview his legislative priorities for 2026, and take questions from constituents.

Virtual End of Year Town Hall 
Monday, December 15^th
6:00 p.m. PT
Hosted on Zoom 
Streamed to YouTube

To reserve your spot and receive a Zoom link or to request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. 

This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 254^th town hall and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress in January 2015.