MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata Welcomes Passage of Five Appropriations Bills to End the Partial Government Shutdown

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming House passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, with a vote of 217 to 214, sending five full-year FY26 appropriations bills to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law, and end the partial government shutdown. 

Congresswoman Amata with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on a CODEL flight Jan 24 2026

Notably, this package has the Transportation Appropriations, which contains funding for highways, bridges, airports and ports, including $1 million that Amata requested for American Samoa’s port upgrade efforts. In passing the Defense appropriations, the vote also locks in this year’s congressionally authorized pay raise for the military.

Congress has now completed final passage of 11 of the 12 appropriations bills (the House has passed all 12), but full-year Homeland Security appropriations have not yet reached the necessary bicameral, bipartisan agreement. Instead, Tuesday’s vote secures two weeks of extended funding to continue work on the last remaining appropriations bill. 

“I’m pleased to secure this port funding, and recently we secured $900,000 growth in American Samoa’s operations fund in the DOI appropriations,” said Congresswoman Amata. “All of our federal support in grants and formulas for the year will come from this major group of bills, which supports everything from medical research to classrooms. I especially welcome final completion of the pay raise for our very deserving troops.” 

“It is imperative that Congress finish appropriating funds for Homeland Security,” she concluded. “This Department includes the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, so we need funds in place and ready to provide services to the American people.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after Congress passed the remaining Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills to fund the federal government. The package funds key priorities across national defense, workers, schools, public health, transportation, housing, local community projects, and federal financial oversight. Congress also approved a short-term extension of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, ensuring the time needed to continue negotiations for proper oversight, accountability, and guardrails in the DHS bill.

“I voted to keep the government open and functioning because shutdowns hurt families, undermine public safety, and weaken essential services people rely on every day,” said Congressman Cuellar. “As an appropriator, my responsibility is to deliver results while making sure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and with accountability.

“In this instance, a shutdown would not stop DHS from operating due to the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. A shutdown would only stop Congress from doing its job. We stand for accountability, oversight, and the rule of law. Walking away is not an option.

“DHS is a large and powerful department, and Congress has a responsibility to ensure enforcement is focused on the most serious threats – not families and individuals who have lived here for decades, worked hard, and contributed to our economy. This extension gives Congress the time needed to ensure enforcement is targeted against criminals.”

Beyond DHS, the funding bills deliver significant investments in health care, particularly for rural communities across South Texas.

“These bills include some of the strongest rural health care investments we’ve seen in years,” Dr. Cuellar added. “Health care is a cost-of-living issue, and access to care close to home matters for families.”

Dr. Cuellar helped secure $4.6 billion in funding for community health centers through 2026, the largest increase in more than a decade. The legislation also prevents $16 billion in hospital cuts that would have disproportionately affected rural hospitals and vulnerable patients. It strengthens Medicaid support for providers serving seniors and low-income populations and includes nearly $2 billion in value-based Medicare payments to physicians, supporting providers who treat patients with complex medical needs. Additional provisions support telehealth services, behavioral health care, maternal health programs, and the rural health care workforce.

“These investments help keep hospitals open, support doctors and nurses, and expand access to care in rural areas,” Dr. Cuellar said. “When providers have certainty, families save money and receive care closer to home.

“This is what governing looks like. You keep the government open, you assert congressional authority, and you use the tools you have to protect our communities.”

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Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Previously, he served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

At the Invitation of Omar, Pressley Met with Organizers and Community Members Impacted by Violence Perpetrated by ICE

Photos (Dropbox) | Press Conference (YouTube)

MINNEAPOLIS – Last week, at the invitation of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) went to Minneapolis to meet with organizers and community members impacted by ICE’s violent operation in Minnesota, where they have murdered bystanders, terrorized schools and small businesses, and abducted children and parents.

“I went to Minnesota to join my sister-in-service, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, to meet with community members, help my movement family process their grief, and listen and learn from them,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “Through our visits, it’s clear to me that the people of Minnesota—much like the people of Massachusetts—stand up for their neighbors. Whether organizing their blocks, protecting families at school drop off, or leading mutual aid drives, Minnesotans are showing us the blueprint for community response and proving what is possible when we unite for good. It was an honor to support Rep. Omar and her community—and I am fortified in our fight to resist and reject the cruelty of ICE and abolish this rogue agency once and for all.”

Last week, the lawmakers met with local businesses providing essential learning services, child and elder support, and culturally conscious food options that are seeing a lack in engagement from community members attributed to fear of going to work, school, shopping, and more. They also toured Karmel Mall, a hub holding over 100 small businesses and community organizations, many of which have reported a significant decline in business since Trump’s Operation Metro Surge began.

Rep. Pressley hosted a press conference with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05) in which she condemned the violence perpetrated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and renewed her calls to abolish ICE, impeach Kristi Noem, and end qualified immunity for ICE agents and other federal law enforcement. The presser followed the horrific ICE murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and comes as the Senate takes up the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, including $28 billion for ICE, which the Congresswoman voted against in the House.

Additionally, the lawmakers met with parents and neighbors protecting families and students at school drop-off, visited a church and coffee shop providing mutual aid packages, and engaged with Black leaders violently targeted by ICE. Many community members expressed that they are traumatized by and living in fear of ICE assaults, and turning to their community for support has provided essential solace and protection.

This month, following the ICE murder of Renee Good, Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Qualified Immunity Abolition Act of 2026, which builds on the lawmakers’ prior work by granting victims the right to sue federal law enforcement officers—not just state and local—for civil rights violations and abolishing the defense of qualified immunity in these suits. The expanded legislation would help deliver accountability for families abused by law enforcement, including ICE agents.

Congresswoman Pressley delivered a floor speech on the need to end qualified immunity for federal law enforcement, including immigration officers. Watch the floor speech here.

Earlier this month, Congresswoman Pressley condemned the ICE murder of Renee Good in Minnesota and motioned to subpoena all records and footage related to the shooting, but Republicans obstructed it. Footage of Congresswoman Pressley’s motion to subpoena is here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced the launch of the 2026 Sixth Congressional District High School Art Competition, part of the national Congressional Art Competition: An Artistic Discovery program. This annual contest provides young artists an opportunity to showcase their talent and have their work recognized at the national level.

 

High school students residing in New Jersey’s Sixth Congressional District are encouraged to participate through their schools. The submission deadline is March 13, 2026.

 

“The Congressional Art Competition is a great opportunity for young artists to gain recognition and share their creativity with a wider audience,” said Congressman Pallone. “Each year, I am impressed by the incredible talent of students in our district, and I look forward to seeing this year’s submissions.”

 

Winners will be selected in April and honored at a Sixth Congressional District Awards Ceremony. The first-place artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year alongside winning pieces from across the country.

 

For more information, including submission guidelines and entry forms, students and teachers can visit Congressman Pallone’s website or contact his district offices.

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

On Friday, January 30, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) led her Virginia House Democratic colleagues, Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Don Beyer (VA-08), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) and James Walkinshaw (VA-11), in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. The letter expressed fierce opposition to the proposed purchase of a 550,000 square-foot warehouse in Hanover County to serve as an ICE processing and intake facility, as well as the potential construction of a 10,000-bed warehouse detention center in Stafford County, Virginia.

“Since early last year, we have witnessed an increasingly aggressive and militant ICE under your leadership,” wrote the Members. “Most recently in Minneapolis, we have seen federal immigration agents kill two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and injure dozens more. These reckless raids on our communities have resulted in the wrongful detention of hundreds of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. … This disproportionate use of force is utterly unacceptable.”

ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have escalated their tactics in the last year, ranging from demands that individuals randomly show their IDs and verify their legal status when they are not suspected of any crime, to instigations of violence, to warrantless searches and entries into homes, businesses and schools. Combined with a refusal to cooperate with federal partners and allow for meaningful Congressional oversight, the activities of DHS have raised serious concerns for the safety of detainees and Virginians. Hanover County’s Board of Supervisors has asked DHS to reconsider its proposed facility. The Canadian-based company that owns the Hanover County warehouse has since backed out of the proposed sale.

“Across the nation, there have been reports of overcrowded detention facilities with poor ventilation, inadequate climate control, limited access to shower facilities and basic hygiene, and insufficient food and access to meals,” the Members continued. “We have seen this sort of gross negligence play out firsthand in the Commonwealth. In the summer of 2025, reports emerged of severe overcrowding, a lack of food and access to basic hygiene, and limited water supplies at ICE’s Washington Field Office in Chantilly, VA. ICE stonewalled attempts by our offices to gain access to the facility and conduct proper oversight, and it continues to prevent our offices from fully understanding what conditions were like during that period.”

Even after increased scrutiny into the presence of ICE agents in Virginia and beyond, culminating in articles of impeachment introduced against DHS Secretary Noem, questions remain as to the conditions of current ICE facilities and measures being taken to ensure the basic needs of detainees are being met. There is no guarantee that the proposed ICE facilities in Virginia would permit Members of Congress to hold DHS accountable for any lapses in quality of care and detention.

“Given this history of behavior, it is no surprise that we are alarmed by the prospect of siting two enormous ICE facilities in Virginia,” the Members concluded. “We do not want the Commonwealth to be home to large detention facilities rejected by our local communities, which make no one safer. Rather, these facilities undermine public safety, erode trust between local law enforcement and the public, and place a federal agency indifferent to constitutional liberties near our schools, hospitals, and residential areas. We refuse to allow the Commonwealth to be beholden to an agency that has repeatedly failed to demonstrate the transparency, restraint, and constitutional compliance the public and Congress are entitled to expect from law enforcement.”

Read the full letter here.

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

Today, Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Reps. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Don Beyer (VA-08), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07) introduced legislation to pay all federal employees, as well as service members and federal contractors, during any shutdowns in FY2026.

With Republicans continuing to threaten shutdowns and use federal workers as political leverage, the True Shutdown Fairness Act would ensure that during any FY2026 shutdown, federal workers, service members, and contractors are paid and protected, and that the Trump administration cannot use a shutdown to carry out reductions in force.

“Federal workers and service members should never be used as leverage in Republicans’ shutdown standoffs, and the Trump administration should never be able to use a shutdown to inflict harm on our federal workforce, as we have seen,” said Rep. Walkinshaw. “This bill would provide critical protections by ensuring workers get paid during any FY2026 shutdown, contractors can keep paying their staff, and the Trump administration would be blocked from using a shutdown as a smokescreen to purge the federal workforce through reductions in force.”

“Our dedicated federal workers should never be pawns in a government shutdown fight,” said Rep. Raskin. “Our bill provides security to civil servants in MD-08 and across the country by protecting their paychecks and shielding them from any more of Trump’s reckless, unlawful firing sprees during a shutdown in FY26.”

“Federal workers and contractors – and their jobs – should never be used as leverage in political standoffs,” Rep. Norton said. “The True Shutdown Fairness Act would ensure that employees and contractors are paid during a shutdown in FY 2026 and would prohibit reductions in force, which can permanently damage the public’s access to services they have a right to receive from the federal government. Federal workers and the American public shouldn’t bear the cost of Congress’s failure to do its job.”

“Federal workers and contractors are never responsible for government shutdowns, but they are always the ones who bear many of the worst consequences. The True Shutdown Fairness Act would ensure all federal workers, contractors, and servicemembers continue to receive their pay throughout a shutdown. These people devote their careers to serving the American people, their efforts are essential for keeping Americans safe and healthy, and they should be paid for their work regardless of political squabbles,” said Rep. Beyer.

“Since the last government shutdown, federal employees and contractors have continued to face uncertainty despite the essential work they perform every day,” said Rep. Kweisi Mfume. “These workers keep our government functioning, and they deserve stability and fairness when shutdowns occur. The True Shutdown Fairness Act is a common-sense solution that ensures our federal employees are fairly paid and protected for their work during a shutdown. I thank Representative Walkinshaw for his leadership and am proud to support this legislation.”

“Congress’ inability to pass budgets shouldn’t stop federal workers, contractors, and service members from getting a paycheck,” said Rep. Subramanyam. “This commonsense legislation ensures that if there is a shutdown in FY2026, personnel and contractors are paid and protected—and that no administration can use a shutdown as a pretext to carry out reductions in force. It’s a commonsense safeguard for the public servants and their families in our community.”

“Virginia is home to tens of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and service members who keep our country running. This week, many are once again being forced to wonder if they will get their next paycheck — not because they failed to do their jobs, but because of the chaos and cruelty coming from the White House,” said Rep. Vindman. “As their Representative, a 25-year Army officer, and as the husband of a former federal employee, I know the uncertainty and strain shutdowns place on families. My family has lived through it. Nobody should have to. I am proud to support this bill that would change just that.”

“Federal workers simply want to do their jobs and serve their communities – yet too often they are treated as bargaining chips by anti-worker politicians,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “These are dedicated people with families to support – they shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’ll be able to pay the rent or buy groceries during a shutdown. The True Shutdown Fairness Act will ensure federal workers, contractors, and service members don’t miss a paycheck and protect federal workers from reductions-in-force during shutdowns. Further, the legislation is time-limited to avoid incentivizing more frequent and longer shutdowns that would stop funding for public services and cost our members’ jobs at the state and local level. Our members thank Reps. Walkinshaw, Raskin, Holmes Norton, Beyer, Subramanyam, Vindman, and Mfume for introducing this legislation to ensure federal workers have the security of knowing they’ll be paid regardless of the politics in Washington.”  

The Services Employees International Union (SEIU) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) endorse the bill.

Read the full bill text here.

The True Shutdown Fairness Act is the House companion to legislation led in the Senate by Chris Van Hollen.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Washington, DC – Rep. Panetta released the following statement:

“I will not be complicit in untrained and unaccountable actions by any ICE and CBP agents anywhere in our country. That is why, today, I voted against the appropriations continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“Now is the time for serious negotiations between Democrats and Republicans to rein in ICE and CBP and hold DHS leadership accountable. Moreover, Congress must use the power of the purse to be a proper constitutional check on this Administration.

“In the meantime, I continue to work with community leaders and law enforcement in our 19th Congressional district to coordinate on any activity by ICE and CBP in our region. We continue to work hard at the federal level to prevent further recklessness and ruthlessness by DHS, and we will continue to work together at the local level to prepare and protect our communities.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today exposed a pattern of systemic violence by Trump DHS at a bicameral shadow hearing titled “Our Values at Stake: Examining DHS’ Use of Violence in Immigration Enforcement,” detailing repeated uses of excessive force, false official narratives, and entrenched impunity under President Trump.

During the hearing, Krishnamoorthi laid out how DHS and ICE operations carried out under President Trump — including Operation Midway Blitz — inflicted serious, systemic harm on Chicago-area communities. Incidents examined included the pepper-spraying of a one-year-old child, the tasing of a U.S. citizen who refused to allow agents into his vehicle, the deployment of tear gas and smoke bombs in residential neighborhoods, and multiple shootings — including the killing of Silverio Villegas-González, a Chicago father of two who was shot after dropping his children off at school.

Krishnamoorthi underscored that Trump DHS repeatedly justified these actions by claiming they made communities safer — claims that collapsed under scrutiny. Pointing to body-camera footage, eyewitness testimony, and court findings, he emphasized that violent encounters were routinely followed by misleading or false official accounts from Trump administration officials.

Despite Trump’s DHS claiming Mr. Villegas-González had attacked federal agents, “there was no evidence,” Krishnamoorthi said. “This is part of a pattern.”

He also warned against allowing the human cost of DHS violence to fade from public memory. “The nation knows the names Renée Good and Alex Pretti — but let us not forget Mr. Silverio Villegas-González, a Chicagoan and a father of two,” Krishnamoorthi said.

Krishnamoorthi further highlighted testimony showing how DHS officials under President Trump advanced false narratives after violent encounters, only for those stories to unravel when video evidence and independent investigations emerged. Citing a federal court ruling in which a judge accused a senior Customs and Border Protection commander of “outright lying” about the use of force against peaceful protesters in the Chicago area, Krishnamoorthi stated bluntly: “He lied. He lied again.”

The Congressman reiterated his call for accountability at the highest levels of the department. “I have already called for Secretary Noem to be fired or impeached,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Today, I am calling for Greg Bovino to be fired.” He emphasized that officials who authorize, carry out, and attempt to cover up abuses of power must be investigated and held accountable.

Krishnamoorthi closed by warning that Trump DHS actions have placed lives at risk, eroded public trust, and undermined the rule of law — and that restoring accountability is essential to ensuring federal power is never again wielded with such impunity.

Footage of Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s question line is available here.

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on PBS NewsHour, where he reiterated the strong House Democratic opposition to any funding bill that gives taxpayer dollars to the Department of Homeland Security without implementing safeguards that protect the American people from Kristi Noem and Donald Trump’s extremism.

GEOFF BENNETT: For more on the vote today ending the partial government shutdown, and the latest on the Epstein Files, I spoke earlier today with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Leader Jeffries, welcome back to the NewsHour.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you for having me on.

GEOFF BENNETT: More than 20 House Democrats voted with Republicans to reopen the government. You voted against the measure. Why?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, what’s clear to me is that there needs to be dramatic change at the Department of Homeland Security. We supported the five bipartisan bills that are now on their way to President Trump’s desk because they are actually designed to promote the health, the safety and the economic well-being of the American people. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, did a tremendous job in negotiating those bills. The American people don’t want to see their taxpayer dollars, however, utilized to brutalize and kill American citizens. Taxpayer dollars should actually be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans. And that’s going to be the genesis of the fight over the next 10 days as we approach the funding deadline on February 13 for the Department of Homeland Security.

GEOFF BENNETT: That’s right. And we should explain to folks who might be unfamiliar, this agreement kicks off this 10-day sprint now for Democrats and Republicans to agree on policy changes for how ICE should operate. What specific changes do you believe must be addressed before Democrats support longer-term funding?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Fundamentally, we believe that ICE should conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country. Police officers don’t wear masks. Sheriffs don’t wear masks. State troopers don’t wear masks. There’s no justification for the manner in which ICE is conducting itself in terms of masks. They should be required to have body cameras. They should be required to obtain judicial warrants before they can rip everyday Americans out of their homes or out of their cars. We want to make clear there’s an explicit prohibition from ICE detaining or deporting American citizens, which we have seen examples of, unfortunately. We believe that if ICE agents break the law, they should be held accountable, and those investigations should be fair, complete and independent, which also means giving state and local authorities the ability to investigate violations of state and local law.

GEOFF BENNETT: The DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem, said this week that DHS will deploy body cameras to Minneapolis and other cities, as funding allows, for those agents who are working in those cities. Is that sufficient? Is that a good enough first step, a sign that the administration is at least open to changes?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Kristi Noem has zero credibility. Certainly, it is the case that body cameras should be required. And we also know that the Department of Homeland Security has more than enough funding. In the One Big Ugly Bill, where Republicans enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history and at the same time stripped away about $186 billion in support for nutritional assistance, they literally stole food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans, in order to give the Department of Homeland Security a $191 billion slush fund, $75 billion of which went to ICE. So the funding clearly exists for every single ICE agent to have body cameras on and functioning at all times. And the fact that Kristi Noem is suggesting that there may be a funding shortfall indicates further the lack of credibility that she has. She should be fired. And if she’s not fired, I’ve indicated that the House Democrats are prepared to initiate impeachment proceedings against her.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the time that remains, I want to ask you about the Epstein Files, because the Justice Department last week released over three million pages of Epstein-related documents. Many of them were heavily redacted. There are legislators who say that not all of the relevant material has been disclosed. In your view, did the DOJ comply with the congressional intent and with the law in the way that it has gone about making these documents public.

LEADER JEFFRIES: The Department of Justice continues to hide documents from the American people in a manner that is entirely inconsistent with the law that was passed with huge bipartisan majorities and, of course, signed by Donald Trump. And the question has to once again be asked: What are the Department of Justice lawyers hiding from the American people, and who are they protecting? There are more than three million documents that have not been released. And as you indicated, several documents have been heavily redacted. And so the survivors of the Epstein crime spree have boldly and appropriately called for accountability and transparency. And the only way to achieve that is to make sure that the Department of Justice releases the Epstein Files in their entirety. They have failed to do that to date.

GEOFF BENNETT: Meantime, the Clintons have agreed to testify in this Republican-led inquiry. It’s led by the House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, as you well know. This appears to be an effort by the GOP to make the Clintons the face of this Epstein scandal, the Epstein investigation. The question I have for you, though, is about the precedent. If Democrats win the House come November, does this mean that future investigations will apply the same standard to presidents and political leaders of both parties?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I think that, you know, the Clintons have endeavored to enter into good-faith negotiations with a Republican majority that is clearly trying to create a political circus in order to try to distract from the accountability and lack of full transparency that the Trump administration has been blocking since the very beginning of this whole sordid matter. And so from our standpoint, I’m thankful that it appears that we’re now on a path toward the Clintons reaching an agreement with the House to provide their testimony. But I don’t believe that James Comer is a serious individual or that he’s seriously trying to actually get information that then can be presented to the American people as part of what we are trying to accomplish here, which is transparency and accountability. He wants to politicize things. He’s targeting the Clintons so he can distract from the fact that the Trump administration is failing to comply with the law, a law that Donald Trump himself signed.

GEOFF BENNETT: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thanks again for your time this evening.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you so much.

Full interview can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for federal funding, today voted for a package of six appropriations measures to end the current partial government shutdown and focus on full reform of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As a member of his Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittees on Defense and on Homeland Security, Case spoke in favor of the measure in full House debate. A clip of his remarks is here. A copy of his remarks is attached, and his remarks are reprinted in full below.

“I join the vast majority of Americans in condemning the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said Case in his full House speech. The best way for us to reform ICE is to keep our laser focus on ICE reform. This measure does exactly that. It gives this administration and my majority colleagues ten days to work with us all to do the right thing. And unless the right thing is done, we should not fund the Department of Homeland Security.

“But this measure also funds 70% of our federal government rather than shut it down again. We must pass this measure now. And it must not be, need not be, and will not be at the expense of ICE reform. We sacrifice none of that mandate to reform ICE by passing this bill today.”

The $1.2 trillion measure will fully fund the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Treasury, and various agencies including the Small Business Administration, including over 20,000 Hawai’i federal civilian employees, through the current fiscal year (October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026). It also provides short term funding of the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through February 13^th only to achieve full ICE reform.  

The funding measure passed the House and the President has signed it into law.

Case’s full House remarks follow:

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Consideration of H.R. 7148, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026

February 3, 2026

Remarks of U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai’i-First District)

 

[The Speaker] “The gentlewoman from Connecticut is recognized.”

 

[Rep. DeLauro] “Madam Speaker, I yield four minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii, a member of the Appropriations Committee. Mr. Case.”

[The Speaker] “The gentleman from Hawaii is recognized for four minutes.”

 

[Rep. Case] “Thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

“I rise in support of this measure as a member of our Appropriations Committee, as well as of our Subcommittees on Defense and on Homeland Security.

 

“Madam Speaker, I join the vast majority of Americans in condemning the actions of immigration and Customs Enforcement.

 

“Brutality and death in our streets. So-called leaders trashing victims and their grieving families. Warrantless searches. Fear in our own citizens. (Last week a sitting state senator in my own district relayed that she was fearful of going out to talk with our constituents in her community without her passport.)

 

“This is unacceptable. This is un-American. ICE must be reformed. And until it is, neither it nor its parent entity, the Department of Homeland Security, should be fully funded. And the best way for us to reform ICE is to keep our laser focus on ICE reform. 

 

“This measure does exactly that. It gives this administration and my majority colleagues ten days to work with us all to do the right thing. And unless the right thing is done, we should not fund the Department of Homeland Security.

 

“But this measure also funds 70% of our federal government rather than shut it down again. Let me focus on just a few areas where this is critical.

 

“Let’s start with defense. Half of our total budget in a time that it is critical to our national security that our Defense Department be fully operating, be fully focused, be nimble, be quick, be able to adjust. And yet we have kept our Defense Department essentially crippled for sixteen months now, as the last time we funded it in regular order and gave it direction through funding and oversight was Fiscal Year 2024.

 

“They’ve been operating on a continuing resolution for sixteen months now, and that cripples national security. That is a national security risk. No new programs. Procurement that is excessively expensive because it cannot function over multi-years. No effective systemwide modernization. Any military leader will tell you that the worst thing going for our national defense right now, in a time when it has to adjust to the PRC, to Russia, across a variety of focuses, is another government shutdown or continuing resolution.

 

“Let’s look at financial services and general government. This bill funds our federal courts. Can we envision a time in our history when it was more important that our federal courts be fully staffed and funded? I don’t think so.

 

“This bill funds Social Security. It enables Social Security to continue to function for the millions of Americans who depend on it, all at a time when Social Security is being crippled by staff cuts.

 

“Let’s look at foreign affairs. This bill provides continued security assistance to our friends and allies throughout the world. It maintains some effective projection of presence out into the world. It funds the Countering PRC Influence Fund that is so important to our efforts.

 

“Let’s look at transportation. This bill funds the Federal Aviation Administration so that our air transportation system can continue to function.

 

“This measure funds federal workers throughout our government who have borne the brunt of our failure to appropriate in regular order, causing a record-setting shutdown. It helps millions of workers throughout our country by assuring them that they can continue working and getting paid without great doubt.

 

“We must pass this measure now. And it must not be, need not be, and will not be at the expense of ICE reform. We sacrifice none of that mandate to reform ICE by passing this bill today.

 

“I would finally say to our Department of Homeland Security employees throughout the country who have served us so well through so much difficulty in the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration and other agencies. You do critical work for us all, and we apologize to you that we must create more uncertainty for you for now. But we ask you to understand that reforming ICE is critical, not just to those that are suffering at the hands of ICE. It is critical to our country. You will be paid because this measure continues your pay. But until we get this resolved, you must live with the uncertainty. We truly appreciate your understanding and service.

 

“Madam Speaker, I urge support of this measure and yield back.”

 

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