MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Virginia’s Democratic Representatives in the U.S. House, Don Beyer (VA-08), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), and James Walkinshaw (VA-11) today urged the Director of Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to extend Virginia’s Open Enrollment period through May 1, 2026. With the expiration of enhanced advance premium tax credits (APTC) that helped lower monthly health plan costs for more than 335,000 Virginians, many residents now face increased costs and difficult choices about whether to start, keep, or change their health insurance coverage. Extending the enrollment period would allow Virginians additional time and flexibility to select plans that best fit their needs as Democrats in Congress fight to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) APTCs.

They wrote Director of the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange Keven Patchett:

“We write to request an extension of the 2025-2026 Open Enrollment period to enroll in health insurance through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace. In light of significant cost uncertainties facing Virginians, who will be left with difficult decisions about whether to begin, continue, or change their health insurance, we ask that you extend the period through May 1, 2026. Doing so will give Virginians additional time and flexibility to select plans that best fit their needs.

“For Plan Year 2025, 388,856 Virginians enrolled in plans through the Virginians Insurance Marketplace. Of those, 335,255, more than 86%, received an Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC) that reduced the cost of their monthly premiums.  However, enhancements to those tax credits will expire at the end of 2025, less than a month before Open Enrollment is scheduled to end. Those enhancements provide significant savings for Virginians, create an exceptional need for more time to make consequential decisions. Last year, the enhanced APTCs reduced monthly premiums in the Commonwealth from $489 to $135, saving the average buyer more than $4,000 annually. Without those savings, net premiums could rise by 30-50% on average.

“We thank you for your consistent attention to this issue. In General Assembly testimony earlier this year, you estimated that 100,000 Virginians could go uninsured when the enhanced tax credits expire. That coverage loss would be devastating for not only the Virginians forced to choose between healthcare and other basic necessities, but also an acute shock to the rest of the Commonwealth’s health insurance ecosystem which will be left with an insurance pool that is smaller and sicker than before.

“We therefore ask that you extend the Open Enrollment period through May 1, 2026, to allow Virginians to see their final incomes and tax bills and make final health insurance decisions with a complete understanding of their financial situations. Given the precedent for Open Enrollment extensions in Virginia, we believe that this is a necessary step to give Virginians more time and information to make exceptionally consequential healthcare decisions.

“We thank you for your response to this request, as well as your ongoing attention to this important issue.”

A signed copy of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Following their September oversight visit of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Chantilly, Virginia, Representative James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Representative Don S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), and Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reverse its decision to furlough the civil servants responsible for oversight of ICE detention centers.

 In a bicameral letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the lawmakers raised serious concerns over the furlough of the Office of Detention Oversight (ODO), the unit charged with inspecting facilities, investigating abuse, and ensuring humane conditions for detainees.

 “We write to raise serious concerns about your decision to furlough Department of Homeland Security (DHS) civil servants within the Office of Detention Oversight (ODO). Given the concerns involving the safety of human life, we urge you to immediately reclassify DHS civil servants in charge of oversight as excepted under the Antideficiency Act and reinstate them,” wrote the members.

 The members noted that the Antideficiency Act provides an emergency exception for employees whose work is “necessary to prevent or avoid an imminent threat to human life or safety.” ODO staff, whose functions are essential to prevent death, serious injury, or severe harm, would be eligible to be excepted during the Republican shutdown.

 The Congressional leaders warned that sidelining oversight staff during a government shutdown could put human lives at risk. “This is not hypothetical—ICE has publicly reported that at least twenty people have died in its custody since January,” the members added.

 “The decision to furlough the entire ODO is a clear attempt to sabotage oversight into the conditions of ICE facilities and the wellbeing of detainees. We urge you to immediately reclassify the DHS civil servants in charge of oversight as excepted under the Antideficiency Act and reinstate them,” the members concluded.

 Text of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

MI Congresswoman Haley Stevens’ bill undoes Trump’s $20 billion Argentina bailout and reinvests in Michigan’s manufacturing backbone

Washington, D.C. — Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced the American Manufacturers over Argentine Bailouts Act, bold new legislation to stop Donald Trump’s $20 billion bailout for Argentina and put that money where it belongs — in the hands of American manufacturers.

“While Michigan’s manufacturers are struggling with rising costs from Trump’s reckless tariffs, the president wants to send $20 billion to bail out Argentina,” said Rep. Stevens, “I will always fight to make sure Michigan’s workers and businesses come first — strengthening our supply chains, protecting jobs, and lowering costs.”

Since President Trump assumed office, Michigan manufacturers have been hit by his reckless shoot-from-the-hip tariffs that have raised costs, hurt supply chains, and created crippling uncertainty for the very businesses that power Michigan and America’s industrial base.

Rather than funneling billions of taxpayer dollars overseas, Rep. Stevens’ legislation redirects those funds into direct relief for U.S. manufacturers — helping stabilize production, protect jobs, and lower costs for Michigan businesses and workers.

The American Bailouts over Argentine Bailouts Act would:

• Block the Trump Administration from using the Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF) to bankroll Argentina;
• Reallocate no less than $20 billion from the ESF for Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Tariff Relief;
• Require the Treasury Department to compensate U.S. manufacturers for the financial damage caused by tariff instability.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Dingell Statement on Speaker Pelosi’s Retirement

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), along with State Senator Jeff Irwin and State Representative Morgan Foreman, today sent a letter to Michigan Public Service Commission chair Dan Scripps, requesting transparency, accountability, and frequent clear communications with the public throughout the entirety of the approval and construction processes of the new Stargate data center coming to Saline Township.

“As reported, Related Digital Construction, in partnership with Oracle and OpenAI, plans to build a $7 billion artificial intelligence (AI) data center campus on approximately 250 acres of farmland in Saline Township,” the lawmakers write. “This development would bring significant investment, employ good-paying union labor, and strengthen Michigan’s position as a leader in next-generation computing infrastructure. However, the project’s scale, which could increase the energy needed to serve all of DTE’s customers by 25 percent, underscores the need for transparency and public accountability at every stage.”

“As we understand it, DTE’s request before MPSC involves an ex parte proceeding, which would move more quickly, as it applies only when there is no expected impact on ratepayers. DTE has stated that this project meets that standard — that no rate increases will occur due to this project and that the project will benefit customers by helping to offset fixed costs and strengthen grid reliability, battery storage capacity, among other improvements,” the lawmakers continue. “Given the size and complexity of the proposal, we believe DTE should provide full and verifiable information to ensure that ratepayers are protected, including clarity on the financial guarantees backing the agreement and the contractual safeguards in place if the project’s partners are unable to meet their obligations. Under state law, any rate associated with this project cannot be subsidized by other ratepayers, and we would like DTE to clearly demonstrate that this will be the case.”

“It is also important that the project come forward with full transparency about its water usage and infrastructure needs, ensuring that local water systems are not overburdened and that water rates for residents remain stable,” the lawmakers continue. “While the developers have indicated that the facility will comply with DTE’s renewable energy requirements, it should be clear to the public how this project aligns with Michigan’s broader energy transition. We encourage MPSC, DTE, Related Digital Construction, Oracle, and OpenAI to communicate this clearly and transparently so that residents can share in the confidence about this investment.”

“Such assurances must be communicated clearly, transparently, publicly, and must be legally binding. Residents deserve clear and verified information. Open communication with the community is essential to build trust and ensure that people have confidence their rates will remain stable and that their concerns are being heard and addressed…” the lawmakers conclude. “ We recognize that this can be a promising project for Southeast Michigan. By keeping the process open and transparent, we can make sure it strengthens our economy, supports workers, and ensures that communities remain informed and involved every step of the way.”

View the full text of the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Dingell Statement on Passing of Dick Cheney

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, in which he reiterated that Democrats are committed to protecting healthcare and lowering the high cost of living to deliver Americans a country that works for the working class.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi will go down in history as the greatest Speaker of all time. Her tenure has been iconic, legendary, historic and transformational. The incredible pieces of legislation that she has moved into law through her brilliance, her wisdom and her incredible grasp of how to get things done for the American people is too numerous to list right now, but it includes the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan, the PACT Act to provide healthcare to our veterans, the Chips and Science Act that has brought domestic manufacturing jobs back to the United States of America and, of course, the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the largest investment in combating the climate crisis in the history of the world. As a result of Nancy Pelosi’s historic tenure, the nation is better off today than the one she found upon her arrival in 1987. It’s been an honor and a privilege to be able to serve with her, work with her, be mentored by her, learn from her and get things done for the American people alongside her historic tenure as Speaker.

This is day 37 of the Trump-Republican shutdown, and the position of House Democrats remains the same. We will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. We’re ready, we’re willing, we’re able to sit down with our Republican colleagues anytime, anyplace in order to reopen the government, to find a bipartisan path forward and to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis that continues to crush people all across the country. Tens of millions of Americans who are in the open enrollment period right now are seeing their premiums, copays and deductibles skyrocket, in some cases by $1,000 or $2,000 per month. That is unsustainable, particularly in this country right now, which is experiencing an affordability crisis. Life has gotten more expensive under Donald Trump and Republican policies. This is from a group of people led by Donald Trump, who promised that costs were going to go down on day one. Costs haven’t gone down in America. Costs are through the roof. Housing costs are up. Grocery costs are up. Child care costs are up. Electricity bills are skyrocketing. And now, because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, healthcare premiums are going to drive some people into medical bankruptcy, and tens of millions of folks won’t be able to provide a doctor when they need one. That’s why we have to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis. And that’s why we need Donald Trump to show some leadership. Stop hiding, show some leadership, direct Mike Johnson and John Thune, both of whom work for you—Donald Trump is the puppet master of Congressional Republicans—show some leadership. Direct them to sit down so we can authentically enter into a bipartisan negotiation and end this Republican madness now.

[…]

Lastly, let me just say Trump has stunningly made the point that the economy in this country is going well. It ain’t going well. Everyday Americans know that they are working hard, they are playing by the rules and they cannot get ahead. They can barely get by. The cost of living in this country is way too high, and Republicans are clearly out of touch, focused solely on the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. And as Democrats, we are going to continue to work hard to drive down the high cost of living to fix our broken healthcare system and to clean up corruption to deliver an America that works for working-class people.

Full press conference can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14) released the following statement regarding Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s upcoming retirement: 

“Speaker Emerita Pelosi will go down in history as the most effective Speaker of the House in history. I know, because I had a front row seat to her leadership, service and accomplishments over the past eighteen years. When she was sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the House in 2007 and I was sworn in for the first time, my daughters stood with her on the dais as Pelosi took the gavel and announced her work would be ‘For the Children’. I have had the honor to work with Speaker Pelosi and watch her leadership progress our country forward and positively impact the lives of our neighbors.”

“Pelosi’s leadership spanned seven presidents and she helped America make progress no matter the political party in power. Pelosi was a true health care champion, leading Democrats to pass the monumental Affordable Care Act into law with President Obama. She was dedicated to serving our service members and their families just as they have served us through passing the Post-911 GI-Bill and the Honoring Our Pact Act. As a steadfast defender of LGBTQ+ civil rights, she worked to secure federal funding for lifesaving AIDS research under President Bush. Pelosi’s forward-looking legislative agenda made space to address the climate crisis.  She tapped me to Chair the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis for two terms where we adopted the most detailed plan for climate action in American history. With the help of the Select Committee, Congress was able to strengthen our infrastructure and grow clean energy jobs across the country, paving the way for the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act with President Biden.”

“Pelosi’s legacy will live on in veterans who can get a higher education or the health care they have earned. It will live on in equal rights, equal pay and equal opportunity. Children are healthier, life-saving cures and treatments are more available, and Americans enjoy greater civil rights due to Pelosi’s leadership. Our country and our people are better because of her, and I am grateful for her service, leadership and friendship.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

FRESNO, Calif. – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, released the following statement in response to the recent order by Judge John McConnell of the District of Rhode Island to the Trump Administration to fully fund and issue SNAP benefits by Friday, November 7, 2025. “Today’s court order to fully fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November reinforces what I’ve said for weeks: in the richest country in the world, it is outrageous that our President would allow millions of Americans to go hungry. The Trump Administration has both the resources and the authority to fully fund SNAP for November,” said Congressman Costa. 
“Instead, they have chosen to ignore the law and defy court orders. The Administration must comply; partial funding is not acceptable. With 30 percent of households in my district relying on SNAP, it is critical that the Administration meet its legal and moral obligations. Taking food away from hardworking families in my district is not just unlawful, it’s callous and immoral.”