MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

May 28, 2026

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Jared Huffman, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, filed an amicus brief in federal court to stop President Trump’s illegal demolition and reconstruction of the White House East Wing to build a billion-dollar ballroom for his billionaire friends and donors.

“Donald Trump looked at a country full of people working hard and still falling behind, and he decided what America needed was a gaudy ballroom. Now he is reaching into the pockets of working families for crystal chandeliers and gold trim while Americans are told to tighten their belts. The White House does not belong to Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies. We are fighting this in court,” said Ranking Member Jared Huffman.

“While working families are told there’s no money for affordable housing, healthcare, or lowering everyday costs, President Trump is building a billion-dollar ballroom. Everyone should be disgusted by his illegal and unconstitutional vanity project. We are fighting this in court,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.

“Senate Democrats were able to knock taxpayer funding for Republicans’ gilded ballroom out of the reconciliation bill, but the law is clear that the entire project is illegal,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. 

The lawmakers filed the amicus brief in the case National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Park Service, currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging President Trump’s demolition of the White House East Wing without congressional authorization or appropriation. Congress controls federal property, including the White House, and for more than two centuries every major renovation has gone through congressional authorization and appropriation. Trump bypassed Congress entirely, and no law authorizes what he is doing.

Full list of amicus brief signatories: Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL), Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Rep. Wesley Bell (MO-01), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rep. Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Janelle S. Bynum (OR-05), Rep. Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Ed Case (HI-01), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09), Rep. Herbert C. Conaway Jr. (NJ-03), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Rep. Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Laura Friedman (CA-30), Rep. John Garamendi (CA-08), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Rep. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Rep. Pablo José Hernández (PR-AL), Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Val Hoyle (OR-04), Rep. Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Rep. William Keating (MA-09), Rep. Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01), Rep. George Latimer (NY-16), Rep. Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Sam T. Liccardo (CA-16), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36), Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-07), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. James P. McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Analilia Mejia (NJ-11), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Robert J. Menendez (NJ-08), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Dave Min (CA-47), Rep. Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Rep. Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Rep. Scott H. Peters (CA-50), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05), Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Rep. Luz M. Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Rep. Brad Sherman (CA-32), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rep. Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09), Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Rep. Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Rep. Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Rep. James Walkinshaw (VA-11), Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Rep. George Whitesides (CA-27), Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced Wenqing Lu from Oak Park High School as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 26th Congressional District. Lu’s piece, “Inner Worlds Never Fade,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol complex for one year. 

“I am always deeply impressed by the incredible artwork submitted to my office in the Congressional Art Competition, and in my final year of hosting this event, the pieces we received from students throughout our region surpassed all expectations. Wenqing Lu’s poignant artwork exemplifies the creativity and talent that thrives in our community, and I congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition and the opportunity to have her work displayed in the halls of our Capitol,” said Congresswoman Brownley. 

“Art is a powerful form of expression that allows students to harness their imagination and share perspectives, experiences, and ideas that matter deeply to them. I am proud of every student who participated in this year’s competition and shared something meaningful through their work. This event is truly a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our community’s up-and-coming artists and the unique voices they bring to the world.”

“I am incredibly honored to have my artwork selected as the first place winner in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. Seeing my work recognized alongside so many talented artists in our community is deeply meaningful for me and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to share my work on this platform. Art has become one of the most important ways I express my thoughts, explore identity, and communicate ideas that are difficult to express with just words alone. I love doing art whenever I can because it soothes me and lets me harness my creative freedom. I also hope viewers can connect my art with their own interpretations and experiences. With this painting, I wanted to show how inner worlds never fade. Even in old age, like the woman I painted, creativity is always there. That childlike wonder still exists deep inside all of us,” said Wenqing Lu, 2026 Congressional Art Competition winner for California’s 26th Congressional District.

“We are so proud of Wenqing! Her piece speaks to the joy and fullness of life while celebrating multi-generational relationships. Art is meant to be shared and we are honored that one of our students’ voices will be displayed so others can enjoy it,” said Mat McClenahan, principal of Oak Park High School. 

“Oak Park High School is proud that Wenqing Lu is representing our school and district for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. ‘Inner Worlds Never Fade’ represents our people and our diverse, beautiful community. Wenqing shows the joy of creativity encompassing innovation that never truly leaves you, no matter what age. I am so proud of the work that is being created in our classroom, the talent and passion at Oak Park High School is terrific. Wenqing’s work leaves me in awe and I am proud to know her for the kind person that she is as well,” said Anna Mendez, Visual Arts and AP Art teacher at Oak Park High School.

“This year’s Congressional Art Competition was both challenging and rewarding to judge. It was challenging because the number of entries demonstrating advanced artistic skill, creative experimentation, and technical mastery made selecting a winner no easy task. At the same time, it was deeply rewarding to see how students interpreted the world around them on canvas and paper. Wenqing Lu’s compelling juxtaposition of highly realistic figurative art with whimsical illustrations, combined with its intimate familial theme, distinguished the work as especially deserving of the competition’s top honor,” said Jeffrey Bowen, art competition judge. 

“It was an honor to serve as one of the judges for this year’s Congressional Art Competition. When I arrived to judge I decided to start with the ‘wow factor’ to get a feel for the work submitted. As I quickly walked past all the work, I was immediately drawn to four pieces on the first pass. Knowing the makers were all high school students, I was very impressed at the skill level on display with each work of art. There were 34 submissions, and I began judging by sitting with each piece and absorbing the topic, the colors, the style, and how the piece made me feel — that is what art & photography is all about anyway.  As I moved from piece to piece, I could envision who each artist was by the feeling the work revealed. The piece that won, ‘Inner Worlds Never Fade’ had all of that!” said Bill Horstick, art competition judge. 

“Wenqing Lu’s ‘Inner Worlds Never Fade’ captures the boundless possibilities that imagination offers. Her work feels like a doorway into something deeply personal yet universally felt by individuals of any and all ages. She beautifully captured a moment where ideas stretch beyond limits and take on a life of their own. It’s a powerful reminder that imagination doesn’t just reflect our inner worlds, it expands them,” said Cristian Rivas, art competition judge.

Two honorable mentions were also recognized: “Uniquely American” by Dylan Li from Newbury Park High School and “us.” by Kate O’Loughlin from Westlake High School.

Started in 1982, the nationwide Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and provides an opportunity to recognize and encourage student artistic talent from across the country. 

Submissions from students in grades 9-12 across California’s 26th Congressional District were judged by a panel of local judges who work in the arts, academic, and social work fields. This year’s submissions were judged by Jeffrey Bowen, Director of Library Programming and Public Affairs at Pepperdine University; Bill Horstick, Superintendent for Ventura County Fairgrounds’ Photography Department; and Cristian Rivas, a local artist from Oxnard.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Local Issues

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, during Celiac Disease Awareness Month, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced the Celiac Safety Act to strengthen food labeling law and protect the roughly 3 million Americans with Celiac Disease. The legislation is the first proposal in Congress to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to mandate the inclusion of “gluten-containing grains” as a major food allergen, ensuring manufacturers label the inclusion of all gluten-containing ingredients in products made available to the public.

“More than three million Americans are impacted by Celiac Disease in the United States, forcing them to maintain a careful diet or face serious health challenges that come with the disease,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Current food labeling law does not account for all gluten-containing ingredients, like barley and rye, making the tedious task of avoiding these ingredients in public products extremely and unnecessarily challenging for many of our neighbors. By taking the simple step of requiring the FDA to include all gluten-containing grains as a major food allergen, we can help prevent unnecessary health struggles for millions across the country.”

“All of us know someone with Celiac disease, and all of us have seen the suffering that can come with it. As co-chair of the Celiac Disease Caucus, I’m glad to co-lead the Celiac Safety Act with Congressman Cleaver. The United States is one of the only developed nations that doesn’t require food manufacturers to list gluten as a major allergen. Our bill would change that, helping the nearly three million Americans with the disease to avoid gluten exposure and make informed choices about the food they consume,” said Congresswoman McCollum.

“Gluten-containing grains trigger a serious autoimmune response in celiac disease patients, yet current labeling laws fail to recognize that risk with the same clarity afforded to other ingredients listed as major allergens. Recategorizing gluten-containing grains as a major food allergen would strengthen transparency, reduce preventable medical harm, and help millions of Americans make safe food choices with confidence. The Celiac Disease Foundation applauds Representatives Cleaver and McCollum for introducing the Celiac Safety Act, and we urge members of Congress to pass this important legislation,” said Marilyn G. Geller, CEO of Celiac Disease Foundation.

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine when individuals consume the protein gluten, which can be found in wheat, barley, and rye. There is no cure, and the only treatment is adherence to a strict gluten-free diet.

While Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and all 27 member states of the European Union require manufacturers to list gluten as a major allergen, the United States only requires manufacturers to list wheat as a major allergen, which does not account for other gluten-containing grains like barley and rye. This makes it difficult for individuals with Celiac Disease to assess the risk of individual food products while managing their condition. 

The Celiac Safety Act will protect individuals with Celiac Disease by:

• Requiring any product containing wheat, barley, or rye to list “gluten-containing grains” as a major allergen.
• Provide an 18-month implementation window for the FDA and manufacturers.

The Celiac Safety Act is endorsed by the Celiac Disease Foundation, American Gastroenterological Association, and Society for the Study of Celiac Disease.

A one-pager for the Celiac Safety Act is available here.

Official text of the Celiac Safety Act is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

May 28, 2026

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) led a bipartisan effort to ensure Congress has the information it needs to protect and support victims of sexual assault in American schools. In a letter to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the lawmakers urged the Department to provide Congress with accurate, up-to-date data on complaints received and the outcomes of related investigations and to resume publication of related materials.

“As members of Congress, we rely on timely and accurate information from federal agencies to inform policymaking and oversight,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is essential that Congress can assess the nature, severity, and scope of barriers to education facing our constituents. This information helps guide how Congress should apply its regulatory and funding authorities within the education system. OCR serves as an important backstop when schools, colleges, universities, or state and local educational agencies are unable or unwilling to protect students’ civil rights.”

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has a long history of addressing sexual assault, harassment, and sex-based discrimination in schools that receive funding under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Department of Education Organization Act authorizes the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to collect or coordinate the collection of data necessary to ensure compliance with civil rights laws within OCR’s jurisdiction. Congress, victims, and others who are committed to protecting against and supporting victims of sexual assault have historically relied on public reporting by the OCR to understand its enforcement activity.

Text of the letter can be found below. A copy of the letter can be found here.

Dear Secretary McMahon and Assistant Secretary Richey:

As Members of Congress responsible for the oversight of the Executive branch, we request information regarding the Department of Education’s (ED) management of sexual violence, assault, harassment, and misconduct cases within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR provides an invaluable service to students nationwide by enforcing civil rights laws to protect the fundamental right to a safe and secure education.

Sexual assault, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, continue to impact students’ ability to access education. Student survey data indicate that more than 20% of girls aged 14-18 report being kissed or touched without their consent. At the postsecondary level, one in four undergraduate women are sexually assaulted, and male college-aged students are 78% more likely than non-students of the same age to be victims of sexual assault. Research shows that youth who experience sexual abuse have lower grades, attain lower levels of education, and are more likely to drop out of school as compared to their peers. Across multiple studies, sexual assault is associated with declines in grade point average, self-regulated learning problems, and an increased likelihood of dropping out of university. Academic settings must remain safe environments for learning and growth for all students.

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, schools and other educational programs that receive federal financial assistance may not discriminate on the basis of sex. This includes a duty of recipients to address sex-based harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, when they have actual knowledge of incidents that are serious enough to limit or deny a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the institution’s educational programs or activities. A recipient must take prompt and appropriate action to stop the harassment, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects. Title IX also prohibits retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or participate in a Title IX process.

Investigative staff at OCR investigate complaints alleging discrimination by educational programs that receive federal funding and issue regulations, policy guidance, and technical assistance to support compliance. OCR responds to Title IX complaints filed by individuals or submitted on their behalf by assessing and, where appropriate, investigating the allegations. If OCR determines that a recipient is not in compliance with Title IX, it seeks to resolve the matter through a voluntary resolution agreement that outlines the corrective actions the institution must take. OCR then monitors implementation of that agreement to ensure the institution returns to compliance. ED may initiate an action for the termination of federal funds or make a referral to DOJ for other enforcement when a voluntary resolution cannot be reached.

Additionally, the Department of Education Organization Act authorizes the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to collect or coordinate the collection of data necessary to ensure compliance with civil rights laws within OCR’s jurisdiction. This authority is implemented in part through the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) a biennial survey of public school districts and schools. The CRDC gathers data on a range of civil rights indicators, including sexual violence and harassment. OCR uses this data to inform its enforcement work, identify trends, and help guide policy and oversight priorities to ensure safe and equitable learning environments.

Congress has historically relied on public reporting by the OCR to understand its enforcement activity. Specifically, OCR has published investigation letters and resolution documents on resolved sexual harassment and sexual violence cases on its “Recent Resolution Search” website page. While cases involving other types of discrimination continue to be posted, as of now, the website does not appear to include any sexual harassment or sexual violence resolutions since January 20, 2025. Additionally, only 177 resolutions were posted on the website for the entire year 2025.

These figures are inconsistent with other publicly reported information. In court filings, OCR reported having resolved 581 voluntary agreements, mediated settlements, or technical assistance between March and September 2025. Congress has also relied on insights from the publicly available list of institutions currently under investigation, which OCR has published on its “Pending Cases Currently Under Investigation at Elementary-Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools” webpage. However, this site has not been updated since January 14, 2025. Considering these variations, the absence of sexual harassment or sexual violence cases reported on these webpages may reflect gaps in public reporting or a lack of enforcement activity by OCR during this period.

As members of Congress, we rely on timely and accurate information from federal agencies to inform policymaking and oversight. It is essential that Congress can assess the nature, severity, and scope of barriers to education facing our constituents. This information helps guide how Congress should apply its regulatory and funding authorities within the education system.

OCR serves as an important backstop when schools, colleges, universities, or state and local educational agencies are unable or unwilling to protect students’ civil rights. We recognize ED, including OCR, has undergone staffing changes, which may impact its capacity to manage caseloads. However, it remains critical that OCR maintains its focus on handling these sensitive matters and provides consistent, transparent communication to Congress.

We urge OCR to resume regular updates to its webpages, including posting information on cases involving sexual harassment and sexual violence. We also request that ED directly respond to the following, either through written correspondence or a briefing to the signatories of this letter:

• The status of current and recent cases involving sexual harassment and sexual violence, including:

  • the number of complaints received, resolution agreements reached, and cases dismissed 2025 since January 20, 2025.

• An explanation of the prioritization of cases concerning school-based sexual violence and sexual harassment, including:

  • Average processing times from complaint receipt to resolution or dismissal;

  • Staffing levels at OCR, including, particularly, those working with cases of sexual violence and harassment:

    • The number of investigators,

    • The average caseload per investigator,

    • A breakdown of staff, including how many are permanent versus temporary, and how many are assigned to sexual harassment and sexual violence cases.

• An explanation of the criteria used to determine which cases and resolution documents are published on the Office for Civil Rights Recent Resolution Search webpage

• An explanation of how OCR manages the public “Pending Cases Currently Under Investigation at Elementary-Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools” webpage, including whether and when OCR expects to resume regular updates.

• The status and planned release dates for the 2023 to 2024 CRDC data and public and restricted use data sets.

• Whether OCR is including data on sexual harassment and sexual violence in the CRDC for the 2023 to 2024 cycle, including in both public use and restricted use datasets, and how OCR plans to incorporate and use this data in future collections to support civil rights enforcement.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your prompt response and continuing to work together to ensure the safety of our nation’s students from sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Sincerely,

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

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), and members of the California congressional delegation are launching an inquiry into Sable Offshore’s efforts to restart oil drilling off the California coast and are demanding answers on the company’s collaboration with the Trump administration to invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) in relation to this project. 

In a letter to Sable Offshore Corp.’s CEO and Chairman Jim C. Flores, the lawmakers raise concerns about the timeline of Sable’s accrued lawsuits, cease and desist orders, fines, etc. dating back from April 2025 to March 2026. They demand Sable preserve all of their internal communication records between the company and administration officials related to the restart.

“The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be involved for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers also point to concerning financial ties between Sable and President Trump, including executives at Sable directly contributing to the president’s campaigns. They emphasize that Sable has closely worked with the Trump administration to restart the oil pipelines that have been dormant for over a decade all in an effort to “benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources” rather than protect our coastlines.

“Californians do not want oil production restarting along their coasts and have voted repeatedly for California laws that block coastal oil production. The environmental impacts, along with the economic fallout from those impacts, are simply too great, especially when there is little to no benefit for California consumers. We urge you to pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law,” the lawmakers concluded.

In addition to Carbajal and Schiff, the letter was signed by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11), and Mike Thompson (D-CA-04).

Carbajal has long opposed the expansion of offshore oil drilling along California’s coastline. 

In April 2025, Carbajal announced the reintroduction of the California Clean Coast Act. The California Clean Coast Act was the first bill Congressman Carbajal introduced as a Member of Congress, demonstrating his longstanding commitment to protecting California’s coast from offshore drilling and the devastating impact of oil spills.

Most recently, Carbajal and Schiff joined local Central Coast environmental leaders to rally against the Trump administration’s attempt to restart offshore oil platforms owned by Sable.

Additionally, Carbajal and Schiff wrote to Governor Gavin Newsom raising concerns about the potential restart of offshore oil drilling operations along California’s Gaviota Coast by Sable Offshore Corp, and demanded answers from the Trump administration on its involvement in Sable Offshore Corporation’s attempts to restart offshore oil drilling using the same pipelines that caused the Refugio State Beach oil spill of 2015. 

The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 

Dear Mr. Jim Flores: 

We write to express our grave concern over the restart of Sable Offshore Corporation’s (Sable) Santa Ynez Unit (SYU) offshore oil activities near the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and your company’s disregard for California law and the well-being of our constituents. The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be invoked for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project. We also demand that all relevant documents and records pertaining to the SYU project as described in detail below be preserved. 

In February 2024, your family-owned special purpose acquisition company, Flame Acquisition Corp., struck a deal with ExxonMobil to acquire SYU for roughly $700 million, creating the Sable merger. Given the liabilities attached to SYU operations, including ten years of platform and equipment inactivity, challenges with complying with State regulations, and twenty-seven other risk factors identified in Sable’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 10-K Form, this was a risky purchase. 

Since April 2025, Sable has accrued multiple lawsuits, shareholder complaints, notices of violation, cease and desist orders, and fines from California state agencies and nonprofit organizations. Sable has responded by disobeying directives and filing counterclaims for monetary damages. A timeline of state agency and court penalizations are outlined below:  

April 2025: The California Coastal Commission (CCC) issued an $18 million fine and cease and desist order against Sable for unpermitted work that harmed habitats and waters on California’s coastline in violation of California’s Coastal Act. At the hearing, CCC staff presented evidence of Sable ignoring state orders; Sable had previously received two cease and desist orders from CCC for violating the Coastal Act and Sable responded by suing the CCC and vowing to continue work in defiance of the order. In October 2025, Sable filed a complaint seeking over $347 million in damages from the CCC, claiming “unlawful delay” of the pipeline restart.3 The CCC won a preliminary injunction against Sable in May 2025. 

July 2025: Multiple class action lawsuits were filed by Rosen Law Firm and Schall Law Firm on behalf of purchasers of Sable securities, alleging the company made misleading statements by claiming they had restarted oil production when they had not. Sable is also currently under investigation by the SEC for allegations of advance information being shared selectively among company insiders in October 2025, right before Sable raised $250 million by selling shares of its common stocks to private investors to help keep the company afloat. This same month, a Santa Barbara court placed a separate injunction against Sable preventing the restart of operations unless and until Sable obtains all necessary state approvals.  

September 2025: The Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch filed 21 criminal charges, including five felony counts, against Sable for unlawful discharge of pollutants into waterways and improper excavation during pipeline repair. The District Attorney alleged that these actions are in violation of the California Fish and Game Code and the Water Code. Sable responded by calling theses criminal charges “inflammatory and extremely misleading” and a “politically motivated attack”.  

October 2025: The California Office of the State Fire Marshal determined that Sable had failed to comply with safety standards on its pipeline corrosion repair work and therefore its restart could not proceed. That same month, on behalf of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, filed a lawsuit against Sable asserting three causes of action: 1) Sable repeatedly discharged or threatened to discharge waste to waters of the state without authorization, despite being notified by the Central Coast Water Board that permits were required for the activities; 2) Sable activities resulted in the discharge of sediment and vegetative debris to various bodies of water inland and near the Gaviota Coast, harming water quality and aquatic habitat; and 3) Sable failed to submit information to the board that was required by law. Sable responded by working with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to update its federal Development and Production Plan to allow the company to bypass its onshore pipeline and use a floating barge operating in federal waters (an Offshore Storage and Treating Vessel). 

March 2026: Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright issued an order claiming that SYU oil production was a national security concern invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA), which unlawfully superseded state laws and restarted SYU oil production. On behalf of the State of California, Attorney General Bonta responded by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration to halt the use of the DPA Order as a basis for executive overreach. The lawsuit alleges that the DPA Order, which DOE issued at Sable’s request, violates the Administrative Procedure Act and infringes on California’s sovereign power under the Tenth Amendment. The Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel opinion supporting DOE’s move to invoke the DPA explicitly references a letter from Sable through Holland and Knight to the DOE General Counsel requesting the invocation of the DPA.  

The Trump administration has clearly been working hand in glove with Sable to try to force the restart of SYU. For example, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) made misleading statements about SYU oil production in July 2025 that paralleled statements made by Sable, the same statements that resulted in securities class action lawsuits by your shareholders. California Congressional Members also requested further information about these statements in a letter to DOI Secretary Doug Burgum and BSEE Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens. To date, we have not received any response. While this fight between California and the Trump administration continues, these actions suggest that the Trump administration is willing to circumvent state laws to benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources, and you appear to be a willing partner in its efforts. 

Furthermore, we have concerns regarding financial ties between Sable and President Trump. Executives at Sable have directly contributed to President Trump’s campaigns. You have contributed over $300,000 to Super PACs like Right to Rise USA and Senate Leadership Fund, which made contributions to President Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns. Additionally, Gregory Patrinely, Executive Vice President and CFO of Sable, contributed thousands of dollars to Trump-aligned committees in 2020 and 2024. During his campaign, President Trump promised to reverse environmental rules for your industry in exchange for $1 billion in donations. It is difficult to avoid the inference that actions like the use of DPA to overcome state laws on behalf of an oil producer represents a fulfillment of that “pay to play” promise. 

In addition to the information requests below, please preserve all records and communications related to your efforts to work with the Trump administration or campaign to restart the SYU from January 1, 2024, to March 13, 2026, and on an ongoing basis moving forward. This preservation hold applies to your personal records, corporate records, and all communications with President Trump, the White House, the Department of Energy, the Trump presidential campaign and outside entities, and any person representing or purporting to be acting on behalf of President Trump, as well as communications with any intermediary that communicated with these entities on your behalf. This includes but is not limited to: records and communications via email, whether official or personal; mobile devices; encrypted or disappearing messaging applications; social media; calendar entries; meeting notes; and voicemail and text messages. To the extent that you or Sable use any auto-delete functions, you should immediately suspend autodelete functions and notify persons with control over potentially relevant records of their preservation obligations. You should also preserve all records of your or Sable’s communications with the White House or White House personnel, Department of Energy political appointees and staff, others appointed by the President or his advisors, or any member of the Trump presidential campaign. 

We request responses to the following: 

1. When did your relationship with President Donald Trump begin? Please outline those communications, including any meetings with Trump, his family, or his representatives, to date.  
2. When did your relationship with Secretary Chris Wright begin? Please outline those communications to date.  
3. Did Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives at any point discuss with President Trump or any member of his administration or campaign the SYU project and did you link it in any way with any campaign or political donations made by you or executives of your company?  
4. Did you, your attorneys, your representatives, or any executive of Sable ever make contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations or any other entity for which public disclosure would not be required, and were these contributions ever discussed with President Trump, any member of his family, any member of his campaign, or any political appointee of the current administration in relation to the SYU project? 
5. Did you, your attorneys, your representatives, or any executive of Sable ever discuss campaign or political donations at all—before or after it was given—with President Trump, any member of his family, any member of his campaign, or any political appointee of the current administration? What was communicated and when did these communications begin?  
6. Has Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives ever communicated with anyone in the DOE General Counsel’s office or the White House Counsel’s office? Please detail those communications.  
7. Has Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives communicated with anyone in the Executive Office of the President, the President, the President’s campaign, or any Cabinet members since the start of President Trump’s second term? Or direct others to do so on your behalf? If so, please outline those communications to date.  
8. Please provide any and all communications to the Department of Energy (DOE) from Sable (including through Holland and Knight), asking DOE to invoke the Defense Production Act, including the December 12, 2025, letter Re: Sable Offshore Corp.— Request for Action Under the Defense Production Act.  
9. Who initiated the request to DOE to ask for an opinion on the Defense Production Act? Did Sable’s attorneys, DOE, or a member of the President’s administration advise you to do so?  
10. Did you communicate nonpublic information to a select group of investors concerning your strategy to convince Secretary Wright, Secretary Lutnick, or President Trump to assist in your preemption of California law, and did this strategy involve offering a round of golf with Phil Mickelson to Secretary Lutnick or having an intermediary promise President Trump to affix gold leaf to your offshore oil platform in exchange for helping to override California law? 

Californians do not want oil production restarting along their coasts and have voted repeatedly for California laws that block coastal oil production. The environmental impacts, along with the economic fallout from those impacts, are simply too great, especially when there is little to no benefit for California consumers. 

We urge you to pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law. We also advise you that we will continue our oversight and investigative efforts in the next Congress. We look forward to your response and acknowledgement of compliance with this preservation request by June 10, 2026.  

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42)

Congressman Ken Calvert has secured $69,750,000 for Riverside County infrastructure projects in the Fiscal Year 2027 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. The bill was introduced last week and is set to be marked up by the House Appropriations Committee next week. Rep. Calvert is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. The total amount for Community Project Funding in House appropriations bills is capped at less than one half of one percent of discretionary spending.

“The infrastructure funding included in this bill will make a significant impact in the Riverside County communities I am honored to represent,” said Rep. Calvert. “By improving our roads, expanding water projects, and enhancing our airports, we are investing in the infrastructure Riverside County families rely on today and in the future. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I will keep fighting to return the tax dollars my constituents send to Washington and put them to work in our region.”

At Rep. Calvert’s request, the following Community Project Funding Requests were included in the bill:

• $10,000,000 – Quail Valley Subarea 4 Septic Conversion Project (Eastern Municipal Water District) – The requested funding would be used to support the construction of critical sewer infrastructure in Subarea 4, where 540 homes are located.
• $4,000,000 – Calimesa Blvd. Revitalization Project (City of Calimesa) – The requested funding would be used to revitalize one mile of Calimesa Boulevard, the City’s historic main street and primary commercial corridor.
• $5,000,000 – CV Sync – Rancho Mirage Interconnect Improvements Phase II Project (City of Rancho Mirage) – The requested funding would be used to implement an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) across transportation corridors within the City of Rancho Mirage.
• $5,000,000 – La Quinta Critical Infrastructure Improvements Project (City of La Quinta) – The requested funding would be used for channel lining and roadway construction to increase flood control and roadway connectivity.
• $5,750,000 – Wildomar Roadway Improvement Project (City of Wildomar) – The requested funding would be used to repave and improve various roadways throughout the city for increased safety and access.
• $5,000,000 – Palm Springs Airport Auxiliary Gate Expansion Project (City of Palm Springs) – The requested funding would be used to complete the design and construction of a 24,000 sq ft two-gate auxiliary facility, which includes Federal Inspection Station capabilities.
• $10,000,000 – Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Drinking Water Sustainability Project (Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District) – The requested funding would be used to rehabilitate the 40-year-old Corydon Well in the City of Wildomar to benefit 164,000 people.
• $5,000,000 – French Valley Airport Contract Air Traffic Control Tower Construction Phase II Project (County of Riverside) – The requested funding would be used for the construction of a tower that will allow aircraft movements to be actively managed, improving safety by reducing the risk of runway incursions, ground conflicts, and midair collisions.
• $4,500,000 – Portola Interchange Project (City of Palm Desert) – The requested funding would be used to add an Interchange to the I-10 at Portola Avenue.
• $3,500,000 – Lake Elsinore Nichols Road Bridge Project (City of Lake Elsinore) – The requested funding would be used to construct a durable and modern bridge along Nichols Road.
• $2,500,000 – McCall Boulevard/I-215 Interchange Project (City of Menifee) – The requested funding would be used to add two tolled express lanes in both directions in the existing median along I-15.
• $2,500,000 – Highway 74 Improvements Project (City of Palm Desert) – The requested funding would be used to repair, resurface, and improve Highway 74.
• $3,000,000 – Highway 111 Safety Improvement Project (City of Indian Wells) – The requested funding would be used for roadway improvements along Highway 111, mostly pedestrian crosswalks, speed signs, and merge lanes.
• $1,250,000 – Coachella Valley Regional Sterile Mosquito Insectary and Public Health Campus Expansion Project (Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District) – The requested funding would be used to establish a regional Sterile Mosquito Insectary and strengthen community education and workforce training capacity across the Coachella Valley.
• $1,000,000 – North Lake Elsinore Fire Station Project (City of Lake Elsinore) – The requested funding would be used to build a new fire station, which will improve emergency response times, strengthen wildfire preparedness, and reduce operational burden.
• $1,000,000 – Corona Parks Improvement Project (City of Corona) – The requested funding would be used for safety, accessibility, and recreational upgrades to Brentwood Park.
• $750,000 – SilverLakes Causeway Trail Connectivity & ADA Improvement Project (City of Norco) – The requested funding would be used for ADA-compliant improvements beginning at Eastvale Community Park, traveling beneath the Hamner Avenue Bridge, and extending into SilverLakes Sports Park and the Santa Ana River corridor.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)

Brownsville, KY – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) and Senator Mitch McConnell (KY) were joined by local and state leaders in Brownsville, KY, to celebrate the recently secured nearly $30 million in federal and state funding to support much-needed upgrades for the Edmonson County Water District. The two leaders were joined by State Senator David Givens (SD-09), State Representative Michael Meredith (HD-19), Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey, and former Edmonson County Water District General Manager Kevin Shaw. 

“It was an honor to play a part in securing $14 million in funding that will provide for modernization upgrades within the Edmonson County Water District, ensuring residents have access to safe and reliable water,” said Congressman Guthrie. “This project would not have been possible without the collaboration between federal, state, and local partners. It has been a years-long process to secure this state and federal funding, and I look forward to seeing it directly improve the lives of Kentuckians for years into the future.”

“I’m proud to have worked alongside Congressman Guthrie and local leaders to help secure more than $9 million in federal funding to modernize this critical water treatment facility in Edmonson County. Investments like this are essential to supporting growing communities and ensuring Kentuckians have access to reliable, modern infrastructure,” said Senator McConnell. “Throughout my time in the Senate, I’ve worked to make sure Kentucky punches above its weight when it comes to federal resources so that community projects like this one can help strengthen local economies and improve quality of life for families across the Commonwealth.”

“This coordinated effort by local, state and federal leaders to address the drinking water challenges faced by Edmonson County met with great success today as we celebrated the vital funding to address intake and infrastructure needs. The future just got much brighter for Edmonson County,” said Senator Givens.

“It was a pleasure to welcome Congressman Guthrie and Senator McConnell to Brownsville.  The $23 million they secured in Washington is a transformational investment in our community.  It will ensure that the people of our community have clean drinking water and will prepare us for future growth. I am grateful to both Senator McConnell and Congressman Guthrie for their support of Edmonson County and our water district,” said Representative Meredith.

“We are humbled and honored to welcome Senator Mitch McConnell and Congressman Brett Guthrie to our community. Both they and their staff have been instrumental in helping make this outcome possible,” said Judge/Executive Lindsey. “All of their dedication and hard work to secure the funding needed will have a generational impact on our community, and for that, we are sincerely grateful. This is proof positive of what can happen for communities when a critical need arises, and everyone at every level of government works together to create solutions to the needs at hand. I could not ask for better advocates for Edmonson County and our people than the Senator, Congressman, and the teams that they have assembled to assist the local governments.”

“It was just a great example of what everyone can accomplish working collaboratively towards a common goal. While the water level changing on Green River was of no fault of the Water District, the consequences were,” said former Edmonson County Water District Commissioner Kevin Shaw. “Now a change due to progress has been righted and we will all move forward and make the necessary adjustments and improvements to the Water Treatment Plant, and the community will be all the better for it.”

Pictures from this week’s event can be found HERE.

Additional information about the federal and state funding can be found HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), and members of the California congressional delegation are launching an inquiry into Sable Offshore’s efforts to restart oil drilling off the California coast and are demanding answers on the company’s collaboration with the Trump administration to invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) in relation to this project. 

In a letter to Sable Offshore Corp.’s CEO and Chairman Jim C. Flores, the lawmakers raise concerns about the timeline of Sable’s accrued lawsuits, cease and desist orders, fines, etc. dating back from April 2025 to March 2026. They demand Sable preserve all of their internal communication records between the company and administration officials related to the restart. 

“The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be involved for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project,” the lawmakers wrote.  

The lawmakers also point to concerning financial ties between Sable and President Trump, including executives at Sable directly contributing to the president’s campaigns. They emphasize that Sable has closely worked with the Trump administration to restart the oil pipelines that have been dormant for over a decade all in an effort to “benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources” rather than protect our coastlines. 

“Californians do not want oil production restarting along their coasts and have voted repeatedly for California laws that block coastal oil production. The environmental impacts, along with the economic fallout from those impacts, are simply too great, especially when there is little to no benefit for California consumers. We urge you to pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law,” the lawmakers concluded. 

In addition to Brownley, Schiff, and Carbajal, the letter was signed by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04). 

The full text of the letter can be found here, and below: 

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Dear Mr. Jim Flores: 

We write to express our grave concern over the restart of Sable Offshore Corporation’s (Sable) Santa Ynez Unit (SYU) offshore oil activities near the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and your company’s disregard for California law and the well-being of our constituents. The administration’s reliance on the Defense Production Act (DPA)—no doubt in consultation and coordination with lawyers representing Sable—is a serious misuse of a federal law meant to be invoked for national security reasons, not to enrich an industry already making record profits. To help Congress better understand this effort to circumvent California law and coastal protections, we seek detailed information on the company’s role in this decision, and your communications with the Trump administration in relation to Sable Offshore’s SYU project. We also demand that all relevant documents and records pertaining to the SYU project as described in detail below be preserved. 

In February 2024, your family-owned special purpose acquisition company, Flame Acquisition Corp., struck a deal with ExxonMobil to acquire SYU for roughly $700 million, creating the Sable merger. Given the liabilities attached to SYU operations, including ten years of platform and equipment inactivity, challenges with complying with State regulations, and twenty-seven other risk factors identified in Sable’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 10-K Form, this was a risky purchase. 

Since April 2025, Sable has accrued multiple lawsuits, shareholder complaints, notices of violation, cease and desist orders, and fines from California state agencies and nonprofit organizations. Sable has responded by disobeying directives and filing counterclaims for monetary damages. A timeline of state agency and court penalizations are outlined below:  

April 2025: The California Coastal Commission (CCC) issued an $18 million fine and cease and desist order against Sable for unpermitted work that harmed habitats and waters on California’s coastline in violation of California’s Coastal Act. At the hearing, CCC staff presented evidence of Sable ignoring state orders; Sable had previously received two cease and desist orders from CCC for violating the Coastal Act and Sable responded by suing the CCC and vowing to continue work in defiance of the order. In October 2025, Sable filed a complaint seeking over $347 million in damages from the CCC, claiming “unlawful delay” of the pipeline restart.3 The CCC won a preliminary injunction against Sable in May 2025. 

July 2025: Multiple class action lawsuits were filed by Rosen Law Firm and Schall Law Firm on behalf of purchasers of Sable securities, alleging the company made misleading statements by claiming they had restarted oil production when they had not. Sable is also currently under investigation by the SEC for allegations of advance information being shared selectively among company insiders in October 2025, right before Sable raised $250 million by selling shares of its common stocks to private investors to help keep the company afloat. This same month, a Santa Barbara court placed a separate injunction against Sable preventing the restart of operations unless and until Sable obtains all necessary state approvals.  

September 2025: The Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch filed 21 criminal charges, including five felony counts, against Sable for unlawful discharge of pollutants into waterways and improper excavation during pipeline repair. The District Attorney alleged that these actions are in violation of the California Fish and Game Code and the Water Code. Sable responded by calling theses criminal charges “inflammatory and extremely misleading” and a “politically motivated attack”.  

October 2025: The California Office of the State Fire Marshal determined that Sable had failed to comply with safety standards on its pipeline corrosion repair work and therefore its restart could not proceed. That same month, on behalf of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, filed a lawsuit against Sable asserting three causes of action: 1) Sable repeatedly discharged or threatened to discharge waste to waters of the state without authorization, despite being notified by the Central Coast Water Board that permits were required for the activities; 2) Sable activities resulted in the discharge of sediment and vegetative debris to various bodies of water inland and near the Gaviota Coast, harming water quality and aquatic habitat; and 3) Sable failed to submit information to the board that was required by law. Sable responded by working with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to update its federal Development and Production Plan to allow the company to bypass its onshore pipeline and use a floating barge operating in federal waters (an Offshore Storage and Treating Vessel). 

March 2026: Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright issued an order claiming that SYU oil production was a national security concern invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA), which unlawfully superseded state laws and restarted SYU oil production. On behalf of the State of California, Attorney General Bonta responded by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration to halt the use of the DPA Order as a basis for executive overreach. The lawsuit alleges that the DPA Order, which DOE issued at Sable’s request, violates the Administrative Procedure Act and infringes on California’s sovereign power under the Tenth Amendment. The Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel opinion supporting DOE’s move to invoke the DPA explicitly references a letter from Sable through Holland and Knight to the DOE General Counsel requesting the invocation of the DPA.  

The Trump administration has clearly been working hand in glove with Sable to try to force the restart of SYU. For example, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) made misleading statements about SYU oil production in July 2025 that paralleled statements made by Sable, the same statements that resulted in securities class action lawsuits by your shareholders. California Congressional Members also requested further information about these statements in a letter to DOI Secretary Doug Burgum and BSEE Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens. To date, we have not received any response. While this fight between California and the Trump administration continues, these actions suggest that the Trump administration is willing to circumvent state laws to benefit industry partners and preferred energy sources, and you appear to be a willing partner in its efforts. 

Furthermore, we have concerns regarding financial ties between Sable and President Trump. Executives at Sable have directly contributed to President Trump’s campaigns. You have contributed over $300,000 to Super PACs like Right to Rise USA and Senate Leadership Fund, which made contributions to President Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns. Additionally, Gregory Patrinely, Executive Vice President and CFO of Sable, contributed thousands of dollars to Trump-aligned committees in 2020 and 2024. During his campaign, President Trump promised to reverse environmental rules for your industry in exchange for $1 billion in donations. It is difficult to avoid the inference that actions like the use of DPA to overcome state laws on behalf of an oil producer represents a fulfillment of that “pay to play” promise. 

In addition to the information requests below, please preserve all records and communications related to your efforts to work with the Trump administration or campaign to restart the SYU from January 1, 2024, to March 13, 2026, and on an ongoing basis moving forward. This preservation hold applies to your personal records, corporate records, and all communications with President Trump, the White House, the Department of Energy, the Trump presidential campaign and outside entities, and any person representing or purporting to be acting on behalf of President Trump, as well as communications with any intermediary that communicated with these entities on your behalf. This includes but is not limited to: records and communications via email, whether official or personal; mobile devices; encrypted or disappearing messaging applications; social media; calendar entries; meeting notes; and voicemail and text messages. To the extent that you or Sable use any auto-delete functions, you should immediately suspend autodelete functions and notify persons with control over potentially relevant records of their preservation obligations. You should also preserve all records of your or Sable’s communications with the White House or White House personnel, Department of Energy political appointees and staff, others appointed by the President or his advisors, or any member of the Trump presidential campaign. 

We request responses to the following: 

1. When did your relationship with President Donald Trump begin? Please outline those communications, including any meetings with Trump, his family, or his representatives, to date.  
2. When did your relationship with Secretary Chris Wright begin? Please outline those communications to date.  
3. Did Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives at any point discuss with President Trump or any member of his administration or campaign the SYU project and did you link it in any way with any campaign or political donations made by you or executives of your company?  
4. Did you, your attorneys, your representatives, or any executive of Sable ever make contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations or any other entity for which public disclosure would not be required, and were these contributions ever discussed with President Trump, any member of his family, any member of his campaign, or any political appointee of the current administration in relation to the SYU project? 
5. Did you, your attorneys, your representatives, or any executive of Sable ever discuss campaign or political donations at all—before or after it was given—with President Trump, any member of his family, any member of his campaign, or any political appointee of the current administration? What was communicated and when did these communications begin?  
6. Has Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives ever communicated with anyone in the DOE General Counsel’s office or the White House Counsel’s office? Please detail those communications.  
7. Has Sable, its executives, attorneys, or other representatives communicated with anyone in the Executive Office of the President, the President, the President’s campaign, or any Cabinet members since the start of President Trump’s second term? Or direct others to do so on your behalf? If so, please outline those communications to date.  
8. Please provide any and all communications to the Department of Energy (DOE) from Sable (including through Holland and Knight), asking DOE to invoke the Defense Production Act, including the December 12, 2025, letter Re: Sable Offshore Corp.— Request for Action Under the Defense Production Act.  
9. Who initiated the request to DOE to ask for an opinion on the Defense Production Act? Did Sable’s attorneys, DOE, or a member of the President’s administration advise you to do so?  
10. Did you communicate nonpublic information to a select group of investors concerning your strategy to convince Secretary Wright, Secretary Lutnick, or President Trump to assist in your preemption of California law, and did this strategy involve offering a round of golf with Phil Mickelson to Secretary Lutnick or having an intermediary promise President Trump to affix gold leaf to your offshore oil platform in exchange for helping to override California law? 

Californians do not want oil production restarting along their coasts and have voted repeatedly for California laws that block coastal oil production. The environmental impacts, along with the economic fallout from those impacts, are simply too great, especially when there is little to no benefit for California consumers. 

We urge you to pause and consider the long-term legal and financial ramifications of collaborating with the Trump administration to circumvent California law. We also advise you that we will continue our oversight and investigative efforts in the next Congress. We look forward to your response and acknowledgement of compliance with this preservation request by June 10, 2026.  

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Issues: 119th Congress, Climate Crisis, Local Issues, Natural Resources

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

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded St. Charles Health Council Inc., based in Jonesville, Virginia, a grant of $1,122,356. The funding supports Stone Mountain Health Services and its black lung clinic program. In response to this grant notice, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“As the only federally funded Black Lung Clinic in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Stone Mountain Health Services is a critical health care provider in our region.

“This HHS grant for more than $1.1 million helps this community health care center deliver black lung treatment opportunities for the region.”

BACKGROUND

Congressman Griffith recently announced a separate grant of more than $5 million to St. Charles Health Council Inc. to support its health care center operations.

In a previous Health Subcommittee hearing with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Congressman Griffith expressed his support for working with the Trump Administration to help fight black lung disease. 

The HHS National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently provided free, confidential black lung screenings to coal miners in the region.

The awarding office of this grant is the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Griffith serves as the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee. 

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