MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Old Bridge, NJ—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today launched his 2026 Youth Advisory Council at the Old Bridge Public Library, kicking off a year-long civic leadership program for students across New Jersey’s Sixth District.

 

This year’s council includes 134 students from 28 high schools across 29 towns –the largest group yet to participate in Pallone’s 11-year initiative aimed at encouraging civic engagement among area youth.

 

 

During the kickoff meeting, Pallone spoke about the importance of civil engagement and participating in the democratic process. Throughout the year, youth council members will meet with Pallone and his staff to develop their own legislative recommendations. The program culminates with students presenting their policy recommendations directly to the Congressman.

 

“It is inspiring to see the next generation stepping up to tackle the challenges facing our country. For the past 11 years, the Council has provided young people from across the Sixth District with a seat at the table to share their ideas, collaborate, and help shape solutions,” Pallone said. “I look forward to hearing their proposals and working to bring their ideas to Washington.”

 

Now in its 11th year, Pallone’s Youth Advisory Council provides hands-on experience in public service and policymaking.  To join the council, students must demonstrate a commitment to governance and public service, answer a series of questions, and provide letters of recommendation.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Rep Ro Khanna (CA-17)

Washington, DC — Today, Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) sent the following letter to Chairman Comer ahead of Ghislaine Maxwell’s deposition in the House Oversight Committee tomorrow. In the letter, Rep. Khanna outlines the specific questions he intends to ask Maxwell and requests confirmation as to whether she plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege in response to those questions.

To read the full letter, click here or see below:  

The Honorable James Comer 

Chairman 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC

20515

Dear Chairman Comer,

It is my understanding that Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell intends to invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and decline to answer all substantive questions at her upcoming deposition before the House Oversight Committee.

This position appears inconsistent with Ms. Maxwell’s prior conduct, as she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment when she previously met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to discuss substantially similar subject matter.

I understand that Ms. Maxwell intends to assert this privilege on a “blanket basis” by reading a prepared statement at the outset of the deposition and refusing to permit Members to question her individually through counsel, rather than invoking the privilege on a question-by-question basis.

Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, I am submitting in this letter the questions I intend to ask at Ms. Maxwell’s deposition and request confirmation from the Chair as to whether she intends to invoke the Fifth Amendment in response to the following questions:

1. On December 17, 2025, you filed a habeas corpus petition stating that “four named co-conspirators” and 25 men who entered into secret settlements were not indicted as part of the investigation. Is that statement accurate?

2. Who are the four co-conspirators and the 25 men, other than Jeffrey Epstein, who sexually abused minors at Epstein’s island, his New Mexico ranch, or his New York residence, and why do you believe they were not indicted?

3. What information, evidence, or personal knowledge do you have regarding why these individuals were not charged or prosecuted by federal authorities?

4. It is well documented that you, President Donald Trump, and Mr. Epstein had a social relationship, and there are several photographs of you together. Did you or Mr. Epstein ever arrange, facilitate, or provide access to underage girls to President Trump?

5. After President Trump publicly stated that he would “look at” a possible pardon for you, did you or anyone acting on your behalf have any discussions with him or his representatives about a pardon or reduced sentence in exchange for your silence?

6. What client lists or records did you or Mr. Epstein maintain that document the identities of clients or associates?

7. Please identify any foreign governments or intelligence services, including those associated with Russia and Israel, that Mr. Epstein shared information with or otherwise acted on behalf of, and describe the nature and purpose of any such relationships.

To avoid any doubt about the scope of Ms. Maxwell’s Fifth Amendment claim, please confirm that Ms. Maxwell intends to invoke the Fifth Amendment on these questions. Furthermore, I request this document be moved into the official record at the start of Ms. Maxwell’s deposition.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Best, 

Ro Khanna

Member of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s State of the Union, where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back aggressively to rein in ICE and DHS that are using taxpayer dollars to brutalize the American people instead of to make their lives better. 

DANA BASH: Here with me now is House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Thank you so much for being here this morning. I want to start with what you released this past week, a list of 10 proposed reforms including, but not limited to, a mandate for judicial warrants to search private property and a ban on masks, also a mandate for agents to wear body cameras. The Republicans say they are open to some of these, but others, especially the specifics on judicial warrant, are non-starters. Only five days now until the Department of Homeland Security will shut down. Are you willing to accept anything less than this full list of demands?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Not at this point. We start with a basic premise that taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not brutalize or kill American citizens like Renee Nicole Good or Alex Pretti. We know that ICE is completely and totally out of control. They’ve gone way too far, and the American people want them reined in because immigration enforcement should be fair, it should be just and it should be humane. So dramatic changes are necessary to the manner in which the Department of Homeland Security officers are conducting themselves before any funding bill should move forward.

DANA BASH: So you say, very clearly, that this—and it’s clear in your proposals—this is about reining in ICE and the CBP. But those agencies, as you well know, are very well funded already through the Big Beautiful Bill Act—that’s what the President called it—and it passed last year. So what that means is that a shutdown would really only impact unrelated agencies, FEMA, TSA, FAA. So how is pushing for these changes and potentially not getting there help rein in an immigration crackdown?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, our plan is to get there on behalf of the American people. That’s why we need to press forward aggressively and ensure that there are legislative changes enacted as part of any DHS spending bill because that’s the way that you change behavior. And these are common sense changes, things like mandatory body cameras. Judicial warrants should absolutely be required before ICE agents can storm private property and rip everyday Americans out of their homes in such a violent fashion. Of course, we need to make sure that there are no masks so that ICE is conducting itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country. That shouldn’t be controversial. It shouldn’t controversial that we are demanding that the Fourth Amendment constitutional protections are adhered to as it relates to the way in which ICE is conducting itself. We also need to make sure that state and local officials have the ability to conduct independent investigations so that when ICE or CBP or other officers violate the law, they can be investigated and prosecuted and held accountable for those violations of state and local law, not being able to govern themselves with impunity, which is the case right now.

DANA BASH: Just real quick, are there any negotiations going on about these reforms that you want?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Unfortunately, we haven’t heard back from the White House or Mike Johnson or Leader Thune in terms of the demands that we’ve put on the table, common sense demands on behalf of the American people. And so, in our view, the ball is in the court right now of the Republicans. Either they’re going to agree to dramatically reform the way in which ICE and other immigration enforcement agencies are conducting themselves so that they’re behaving like every other law enforcement agency in the country, or they’re making the explicit decision to shut down the Coast Guard, shut down FEMA and shut down TSA, and that would be very unfortunate.

DANA BASH: I want to turn to a big debate about elections. The President said this week that, or this past week, that he wanted to nationalize elections at the White House and on Capitol Hill. They say that what they mean legislatively is pushing what they call the SAVE Act, which would mandate Americans show proof of citizenship, like a birth certificate—and also potentially more information about their registration—to vote. Now, I understand you don’t support things like a passport, for example. But requiring basic ID in order to vote is really popular. A Pew poll from a few months ago showed 83% of Americans, including 71% of your fellow Democrats, support requiring an ID to vote. Why are they wrong?

LEADER JEFFRIES: I haven’t said that they’re wrong. We know that states are the ones who are empowered to conduct elections, and every state should be allowed to decide the best way to proceed to ensure that there’s a free and fair election. Here in New York, there are, in fact, voter identification requirements. The question is that what Republicans are trying to do is to engage in clear and blatant voter suppression. They know that if there’s a free and fair election in November, they’re going to lose. In fact, Republicans have been losing every single election since Donald Trump was sworn in in January of last year, including, most recently, decisively in Texas and, of course, losing all across the country, up and down the ballot in the November off-year elections in places like New Jersey or Virginia or New York—

DANA BASH: Yeah, and they’ve been losing. But I mean, Virginia is a good example. They have a requirement to show your ID, and Democrats won very, very handily across the way. So why not maybe even just take that off the table and say, okay, maybe not a passport or birth certificate, but show ID?

LEADER JEFFRIES: First of all, every state is empowered to be able to make a decision on their own, and we completely and totally support that. What Donald Trump wants to do is try to nationalize the election—translation, steal it. And we’re not going to let it happen. We stopped them in terms of their gerrymandering efforts where they were going to try to redraw congressional maps in red states throughout the nation, not expect Democrats to respond forcefully and try to rig the midterms. They failed. We stopped Donald Trump from being able to federalize the National Guard, which we believe was probably part of some toxic attempt to unleash troops on American cities all across the nation and intimidate people from voting. And we’re going to stop them from nationalizing the election. This is going to be a free and fair election. It’s going to be conducted like every other election where states and localities have the ability to administer the law.

DANA BASH: I do want to ask about a video that President Trump shared, a racist video. And it depicted former President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. About 12 hours later, the White House blamed a staffer for the post, removed it. But the President says he doesn’t need to apologize because he didn’t make a mistake.

LEADER JEFFRIES: He definitively needs to apologize. It was a disgusting video, and the President was rightly and appropriately and forcefully denounced by people all across the country—Democrats and even a handful of Republicans who finally showed some backbone in pushing back against the President’s malignant bottom feeder-like behavior.

DANA BASH: I do want to quickly ask about something else that the President wanted to do. He asked your counterpart in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, for the chance to rename both Dulles Airport and also Penn Station after him. And if Schumer agreed to that, then he would lift a freeze on—$16 billion freeze—for New York and New Jersey and the Gateway Tunnel there. What’s your reaction to that?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Listen, it’s another example of Donald Trump trying to force presidential graffiti down the throats of the American people. It’s completely and totally unacceptable. Of course I’m a hard no, as I believe is the case with Leader Schumer, House and Senate Democrats. The President is unlawfully withholding funds for Gateway. This guy’s priorities are completely and totally unhinged. But this is the Republican Party right now. These are people who engaged in the largest cut to Medicaid in American history as part of their One Big Ugly Bill. They ripped food out of the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans. They’ve failed to do anything to make life more affordable for the American people. And, in that same One Big Ugly Bill, enacted massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors and gave ICE a $75 billion slush fund so they could kill and brutalize American citizens like Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. These people are completely and totally out of control. The American people know it, which is why we’re going to continue to press the case to lower the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system, to clean up corruption and to actually get things done as Democrats for the American people.

DANA BASH: Okay, thank you so much for being here this morning. Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

“This administration’s ongoing effort is an attempt to obscure the clear abuses being perpetrated by the president and his allies, while depriving communities across the country of reliable, accessible local news.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. French Hill (R-AR) and Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) yesterday issued the following statements after their bipartisan Taiwan and American Space Assistance Act of 2025 (TASA Act) passed the House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology as an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026. The TASA Act enhances U.S.–Taiwan cooperation in space and improves our ability to support Taiwan’s space activities.

Rep. French Hill said, “I’m pleased that my and Rep. Gabe Amo’s bill, the TASA Act, was voted out of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The bill strengthens civilian space cooperation between NASA, NOAA, and Taiwan’s Space Agency, including collaboration on satellites, exploration, and atmospheric research. As Taiwan continues to develop its space program, this cooperation highlights the strength of the U.S.-Taiwan partnership and our commitment to allies in the region. American support will also encourage Taiwan to continue investing in its growing space capabilities. Thank you to Rep. Amo and Rep. Mike Haridopolos for helping advance the TASA Act through the SST Committee.”

“From the first steps on the Moon to the next generation of space discovery, American leadership has been bolstered by strong partnerships across borders,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “I’m grateful to work with Congressman Hill to build America’s proud legacy of international collaboration in science and technology. I look forward to this bill becoming law and continuing to work across the aisle, and the world, to promote science.”

Further Background:

The Taiwan and American Space Assistance Act of 2025 (TASA Act) was passed by the House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology as an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026.

• As it currently stands under the U.S. government’s “One China Policy,” the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have limited authority to work with the Taiwan Space Agency for various space endeavors.
• The TASA Act would not only give NASA and NOAA additional authority, but it would also instruct these agencies to work with Taiwan in areas of mutual benefit, including satellite programs, space exploration programs, and atmospheric and weather programs.
• The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) is a relatively new organization that was created on January 20, 2022. The creation of TASA marked a prioritization of Taiwan’s involvement in the space domain—coupled with an announcement in 2019 to invest $25.1 billion over the next decade to grow the nation’s commercial space capabilities.
• Taiwan is rapidly trying to build out an organization that can domestically produce and launch its own satellites.
• The TASA Act will create a vital partnership for the U.S. and NASA in the Indo-Pacific and allow Taiwan to gain essential knowledge and expertise from NASA to further its space capabilities.
• Specifically, the TASA Act would:
  • Allow for extended cooperation between the Taiwan
  • Space Agency and NASA
  • Allow for extended cooperation between the Taiwan Space Agency and NOAA
  • Extend cooperation in areas of satellite program development, space exploration, as well as atmospheric and weather programs.
• The TASA Act was introduced on September 30, 2025.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. French Hill (AR-02) today released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 7148, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, by a vote of 217-214:

“In less than six months, Congressional Republicans have ended a second Democrat shutdown and passed 11 of the 12 appropriations bills needed to fund the government through the end of FY26. I am confident that Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Thune will soon get the Department of Homeland Security appropriations across the finish line as well, again demonstrating that one party is focused on governing responsibly and delivering for the American people, while the other continues to play political games.

“These bills deliver for our troops and their families, strengthen national security, fund important medical research, and invest in critical infrastructure, all while saving taxpayers money. This is another step toward restoring fiscal discipline and making sure the federal government is working for the people of Arkansas and the country.”

Background:

H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026,provides funding for the FY 2026 federal discretionary budget, including: Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development; Financial Services and General Government; and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs.  It also includes a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the Department of Homeland Security through February 13, 2026. The five appropriations bills in the minibus are identical to the funding bills that passed the House earlier this month

Here are a few items of note that were included in the four appropriations bills that passed the House today:

• Supports apprenticeship programs to build strong American working families and increases funding to train workers and educate students in rural America.
• $418 million for rural health, including increased funding for America’s rural hospitals.
• $1.9 billion to support community health centers.
• $49 billion for the National Institutes of Health for biomedical research to find cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, rare diseases, and chronic diseases impacting Americans.
• Increases funding by $20 million for special education, including $5 million for rural education.
• $500 million for charter schools.
• Maintains funding for the Pell Grant’s discretionary maximum award level.
• Invests in transportation safety and rebuilds America by increasing funding for the FAA by $1.588 billion, providing the FAA with resources to hire 2,500 new air traffic controllers, and modernizing the Air Traffic Control (ATC) technology.
• Reinforces English language proficiency requirements for truck drivers.
• Champions America’s military superiority and provides a 3.8% pay raise for all service members and a 1% civilian employee pay increase.
• Bolsters public safety and homeland preparedness by enhancing resources to detect and counter the spread of deadly drugs like fentanyl.
• Strengthens U.S. national security and border protections by providing $513 million to sustain 22,000 Border Patrol agents.
• Invests $20 million to hire critical positions at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to counter the threat from China.
• Directs $20 million for the procurement, deployment, and operations of body-worn cameras for agents and officers performing immigration enforcement activities.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Rep Ro Khanna (CA-17)

Washington, DC — Today, Representative Ro Khanna introduced the End ICE Abuse Resolution to assert Congress’s constitutional authority over immigration enforcement funding, conduct oversight, and enact reforms to ensure Federal agencies act in accordance with the law and public interest. 

“Congress is not powerless, and it’s time we remedy the lack of accountability that is hurting American’s trust in our democracy and rein in this rogue agency. I’m proud to introduce my 10-point plan that will ensure federal agents abide by the constitution and reinforce Congress’s legal authority to conduct oversight,” said Rep. Ro Khanna

Read the resolution here.

The resolution seeks to: 

1. Oppose any new funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
2. Repeal the multi-year $75 billion funding allocation for ICE.
3. Initiate impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, United States Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other responsible officials, for failing to uphold constitutional standards and repeatedly mischaracterizing federal actions.
4. End qualified immunity for ICE agents to ensure meaningful civil accountability for misconduct and unlawful use of force.
5. Direct independent federal and state authorities to investigate and prosecute every ICE agent who has violated the law, with full transparency and public reporting of findings.
6. Prohibit all practices tantamount to “Kavanaugh stops,” racial profiling, and the militarization of ICE operations through statute and regulation.
7. Codify a clear, uniform, and enforceable national use-of-force standard applicable to immigration enforcement agents, enabling courts to hold rogue actors accountable under existing civil rights laws.
8. Dismantle ICE and replace it with a new agency within the Department of Justice that operates with robust civilian oversight, institutional integrity, and full respect for constitutional law.
9. Prohibit the use of masks by immigration enforcement officers and requires active body cameras and clearly visible identification.
10. Uphold human rights standards for all immigration detention facilities, including initiating independent inspections, guaranteed medical care, mandatory reporting requirements, and enforceable protections against abuse.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Paul A Gosar DDS (AZ-04)

Washington, DC — Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to sending a formal letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking answers regarding reports that a warehouse facility in Surprise, Arizona may be converted into a large-scale federal immigration detention center:

“The rule of law is not optional. I strongly support Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. Detention capacity is a necessary component of a functioning immigration system—particularly after years of reckless open-border policies under the Biden administration that allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood into the United States, overwhelming resources and forcing reactive federal measures that could have been avoided.

At the same time, while immigration policy is set at the federal level, its impacts are felt most acutely at the local level. Reports of a large-scale detention facility in Surprise raise legitimate questions for residents, schools, first responders, and local governments. Concerns about infrastructure, traffic, emergency services, and public safety deserve serious and transparent consideration and Empowering state and local officials in decisions that affect their communities consistently produces the most effective outcomes.

These are not anti-illegal alien concerns. They are common-sense expectations of transparency and coordination. I trust that DHS will work cooperatively with state and local officials and communicate openly with the communities affected by its decisions.

“My goal is straightforward: immigration enforcement must be carried out effectively while respecting the legitimate interests of the communities that bear its local impacts. I am confident that DHS will provide clear answers and will work collaboratively with local stakeholders moving forward,” stated Congressman Paul Gosar.

BACKGROUND:

Recent reports indicate that the Department of Homeland Security may convert a warehouse facility in Surprise, Arizona into a large-scale federal immigration detention center. Surprise is a rapidly growing community, and any facility of this scale has the potential to significantly affect local infrastructure, traffic patterns, public safety resources, and emergency services.

In response, Congressman Gosar, who represents Surprise and the surrounding area, sent a formal oversight letter to DHS requesting detailed information about the proposal. The letter affirms strong support for ICE and the enforcement of federal immigration law, while emphasizing the importance of transparency, planning, and coordination with state and local officials.

The letter requests answers regarding the facility’s capacity, operational structure, security measures, funding sources, infrastructure impacts, and whether the site would operate on a temporary or permanent basis. It also seeks clarity on DHS’s consultation with local governments and first responders, as well as how the department plans to communicate with residents and Congress if the facility moves forward.

Congressman Gosar’s inquiry reflects his constitutional oversight responsibilities and his commitment to ensuring that federal immigration enforcement is conducted transparently, without disregarding the legitimate interests of the communities most directly affected.

A copy of the letter can be found by clicking here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Houston, TX) —On Saturday, February 7, 2026, Congressman Al Green will host his Inaugural Black History Month Legislative Update with a powerful message to America on “A Century of Black History Commemorations” and discuss resolutions that he will introduce in Congress preserving Black history, and the ongoing fight for justice. Honoring both history and the future, the program will include a moving recitation by Otis Marks III, winner of Houston’s Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, and a Pledge of Allegiance led by students from the 9th district who have been accepted into United States military academies. 

This Black History Month Legislative Update centers on a stolen legacy, how Black contributions built this nation, yet continue to be erased. Congressman Green will introduce his Black History Month and Slavery Remembrance Day resolutions, along with several additional resolutions, while confronting ongoing efforts to erase and undermine Black history in America.

Congressman Al Green stated, “Black history was not meant to be hidden or stolen. Black Americans are at the foundation of America’s wealth and success, yet today we face deliberate efforts to erase that truth while rolling back civil rights. I will continue fighting to honor the enslaved, protect our history, and confront invidious discrimination wherever it exists. AMERICA MUST NEVER FORGET THAT MILLIONS OF AFRICAN LIVES WERE SACRIFICED FOR MORE THAN 240 YEARS TO PROVIDE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNPAID LABOR. THESE ENSLAVED PERSONS ARE THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONAL MOTHERS AND FATHERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THEY MUST BE RESPECTED, HONORED, AND COMMEMORATED FOR THEIR 240 YEARS OF SACRIFICE.”

Click here to watch the YouTube Live Stream of the event.