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

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45), and U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) led the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in a letter strongly opposing the Department of Education’s decision to rescind $350 million in funding from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). The lawmakers also voiced their disappointment and disagreement with the Department of Justice’s July 25th determination that Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) apply “racial quotas” in a manner that is “unconstitutional,” especially since no court has found the MSI program unconstitutional or instructed the Department of Education to reprogram this funding. The signatories also warn the Department’s actions would disproportionately harm Californian students and weaken California’s—and America’s—long-term competitiveness.“To be clear, diverting resources away from these schools will disproportionately harm California students and students across the nation who depend on MSIs as the most accessible and affordable pathway to a degree,” wrote the lawmakers.“It would also weaken proven engines of upward mobility, deprive our workforce of diverse talent, and undercut the nation’s long-term competitiveness.”
“Rather than reallocate scarce dollars from MSIs to HBCUs and TCCUs, we urge you to allocate funding as intended by Congress to support all MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs. … Equitable sustained funding across the spectrum of MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs will ensure that more institutions can continue broadening opportunity, reducing inequities, and powering the American economy,” continued the lawmakers.“Our collective goal must be to invest in all students, no matter which institution they attend.” 
BACKGROUND   
There are over 800 federally recognized MSIs, including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). MSIs enroll over five million students, many of whom are first-generation college students. These institutions rely on federal funding to provide vital supports and services for students to help them complete their degree. The Trump Administration’s decision to end funding for MSIs could threaten the institutions’ ability to adequately serve all the students they enroll.  
Earlier this year, Tennessee filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education to challenge the eligibility requirements necessary to receive a federal HSI designation. In July, the Department of Justice decided to not defend the constitutionality of the program in the ongoing litigation. Despite no ruling or court instructions, the Department of Education announcedduring HSI week on September 10th that it would end and reprogram $350 million in discretionary grants for HSIs and other MSIs. On October 10, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee allowed the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and LatinoJustice Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (LatinoJustice PRLDEF) to intervene in the litigation, ensuring affected campuses can help defend the programs. 
California has the largest concentration of MSIs in the country. There are 170+ HSIs and 85 eligible AANAPISIs. In addition, MSIs enroll the majority of first-generation and low-income students in California and consistently demonstrate higher rates of economic mobility than non-MSI institutions. The Department of Education’s decision to reprogram funding from the MSI program undermines the ability of these universities to serve communities that have long been underrepresented in higher education. 
The full text of the letter is available HERE.

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

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Co-Chairs of the Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, today introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate October as National Crime Prevention Month, a nationwide effort to put prevention at the forefront of public safety. 
“Crime prevention is not partisan idea – it’s a promise we owe every American,”said Congressman Costa. “Safe communities don’t just happen by accident; they are built when neighbors, law enforcement, and leaders work together to stop crime before it starts. Declaring October as National Crime Prevention Month affirms prevention as the foundation of public safety – keeping kids out of gangs, protecting seniors in their homes, stopping scams and organized crime, and supporting victims. Every American family deserves peace of mind. That’s the future we’re fighting for, and it starts now.”
“Preventing and combatting crime in our communities is something every American deserves,” Congressman Ciscomani said.“This commonsense, bipartisan resolution acknowledges our support for every law enforcement officer, first responders, educators, community leaders and so many more. I’m proud to join my colleagues in honoring National Crime Prevention Month.”
BACKGROUND
The resolution underscores a simple truth: keeping families safe begins with preventing crime before it happens, and ensuring every community has the tools to build safer streets and strong neighborhoods. In short, prevention is action. It means:

Stopping violence before it starts – tackling the roots of crime before it turns deadly.
Keeping kids on the right path – steering young people away from gangs, drugs, and cycles of violence.
Building trust in public safety – strengthening the partnership between police and the communities they serve.
Standing with victims – making sure they have the resources to heal and rebuild their lives.
Fighting modern threats – protecting families from scams, counterfeits, and cybercrime through awareness and education.

The urgency is clear. According to the FBI, a violent crime is reported every 25.9 seconds in the United States. Experts estimate crime drains $2.6 trillion from families, businesses, and taxpayers each year.
First launched in 1984 by the National Crime Prevention Council, Crime Prevention Month has a proud legacy of mobilizing communities. The bipartisan Costa–Ciscomani resolution renews that mission and challenges the nation to recommit to prevention as the surest path to safer streets, stronger neighborhoods, and peace of mind for every family.
The full text of the resolution is available HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, Suozzi, Hurd, Gottheimer Release Bipartisan Principles to Temporarily Extend and Reform Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits

Washington – Today, Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), Jeff Hurd (R-CO-03) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) released a statement of principles for lowering health care costs and temporarily extending and reforming the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (APTCs). The principles focus on a temporary extension with reasonable income caps and reform. 

Bacon, Suozzi, Hurd and Gottheimer released the following quote:

“Congress is gridlocked, and too many Americans have lost faith that we can work together. But here’s the truth: Democrats and Republicans can sit down, listen to one another, and find common ground, especially when it comes to lowering health care costs.

“We may not agree on every ideal outcome, but we’ve identified a fair, reasonable path forward on the future of the Affordable Care Act’s Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. Compromise isn’t rocket science and it shouldn’t be treated like a weakness.

“Our hope is that this shared statement of principles will inspire bipartisan collaboration across Washington and help get Congress back to work for the American people.”

Below, find the statement of principles:

Principles to Temporarily Extend and Reform Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits

Temporary: A two-year extension of APTCs

Income Cap: An income cap phased out between $200,000 and $400,000.

Reform: Guardrails to prevent improper payments of APTCs

Prevent “Ghost Beneficiaries”: Requirements that ACA marketplaces confirm recipient eligibility with the Death Master File 

Crack Down on Fraud: Establish a “preponderance of evidence” standard of proof to determine when an agent or broker should be allowed to continue operating in the ACA marketplaces. 

Enhance Delivery Clarity: Requirements that marketplaces better notify recipients the value of APTCs they are receiving from the federal government

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined NTD’s Capitol Report to discuss China’s restrictions on rare earth exports, President Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping, and more. Watch the interview on YouTube and Rumble.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined The Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser to discuss the ongoing Schumer Shutdown, how Democrats are using the government shutdown as “leverage,” and their out-of-touch demands to reopen the government. Watch the interview on YouTube and Rumble.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — Read “Travel Industry Sounds Alarm Over Government Shutdown,” in today’s Wall Street Journal:

Hundreds of travel businesses, including casinos, hotels and convention bureaus, are asking Congress to end the monthlong government shutdown by immediately passing a straightforward spending bill, citing worries about the holiday travel season.

The letter signed by nearly 500 companies and groups adds to the pressure on Democrats to give up their drive for a broader deal before voting to reopen the government. Since the shutdown started Oct. 1, government workers including air-traffic controllers and passenger screeners have gone without pay, leading to delays and safety concerns.

Americans “expect and deserve a fully functioning federal government during the peak holiday travel season,” the travel entities wrote in a letter led by the U.S. Travel Association and sent to the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate. “Congress must act without delay to pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government immediately and ensure full federal operations are restored in advance of the Thanksgiving travel period.”

Senate Democrats since September have blocked a GOP measure funding the government through Nov. 21, attempting to force Republicans to extend certain subsidies that help 22 million people pay for health insurance. Senate Republicans have said that they will discuss the subsidies only after Democrats agree to reopen the government. The subsidies would add an estimated $350 billion to the federal deficit over a decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The travel-industry letter was signed mostly by small businesses and groups that promote travel. But it was also signed by giants including MGM Resorts International, Hilton, Omni Hotels and Resorts, Delaware North and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

The busiest air-travel day last year was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with more than three million travelers in the skies, according to data from the Transportation Security Administration. Travel plans are typically locked in far in advance, causing anxiety about whether travelers will be willing to make plans with the uncertainty of the shutdown in the background.

“A continued shutdown is likely to significantly suppress travel demand and spending, creating a real threat to American workers, businesses, and the overall economy,” the letter said.

Last week, airline chief executives met at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and called on the Senate to pass a so-called continuing resolution that passed the House on Sept. 19.

“It is time to pass a clean CR, use that as the opportunity to get into a room behind closed doors and negotiate hard,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said.

Before that, the nation’s largest federal labor union went public with a call for Congress to pass the same bill.

Conversations about ending the government shutdown continued among senators over the weekend, according to one aide, and senators have been growing more optimistic about finding a way out of the shutdown. But the optimism that swept through the Senate last week still hasn’t resulted in a deal.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“America faces a dire Republican healthcare crisis, and now – despite having the power to avoid it – President Trump has plunged America into a potential hunger crisis,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Rather than sit down with Democrats to negotiate a plan to get us out of this mess, Trump is intentionally making it as painful as possible.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — On Day 34 of the Democrat Shutdown, Speaker Johnson hosted a press conference alongside House GOP Leadership to dismantle Congressional Democrats’ most flagrant lies about their government shutdown. Speaker Johnson also addressed Democrats fear of the Far-Left radicals in their own party.

“What is outrageous to us is that they have gone onto the Senate floor and they have voted no. They have voted to close the government,” Speaker Johnson said. “And then they have gone out to the hall, to the nearest camera they can find, and they look into the lens and say, ‘Republicans are shutting down the government…’ It’s the most extreme example of gaslighting in the history of American politics.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here.

On Democrats lying about their votes to shut down the government:

The obviously false claim from the Democrats is that Republicans have closed the government. I’ve heard them say this myself. You’ve all seen it in interviews. They’re blaming the shutdown on the Republicans, and it is patently absurd. The next slide will show you the simple fact, the obvious fact that everyone can see, it is Republicans who have voted to open the government 14 times. Now, remember how this came about. Back on September 19, in the House, Republicans voted to open the government, to pass the clean continuing resolution to keep everything in operation. Every Democrat, except one, in the House voted to close the government, but we still passed it because we have the majority. And so we sent that bill over to the Senate. And on 13 different occasions, 13 times, the Democrats have voted to close the government. Republicans voted yes every time to open it. Republicans and the Senate and the House voted to keep the lights on, to pay service members and our troops who are in harm’s way, Border Patrol agents, TSA, air traffic controllers, all federal workers.

They voted to ensure that women, infants, and children nutrition programs continue and that SNAP benefits continue to go to the American families who are in need. But by contrast, the Democrats have voted no every single time. And what is outrageous to us is that they have gone onto the Senate floor and they have voted no. They have voted to close the government. And then they have gone out to the hall, to the nearest camera they can find, and they look into the lens and say, “Republicans are shutting down the government.” It makes no sense. It’s the most extreme example of gaslighting in the history of American politics. And many in the media have allowed them to get away with that.

On the false claim that Democrats are “fighting for health care”:

False claim number three, Democrats are fighting for health care. You’ve heard this over and over and over. Let me say something very simply about this false claim. It is the Democrats who created Obamacare. It is the Democrats who did that without any Republican votes. It’s the Democrats who, by extension, have cost the American taxpayers and people who have health insurance have made their costs skyrocket. It is their policies that made that happen. And so instead of reforming it, the Democrats don’t reform Obamacare, they want to subsidize it. They want to spend more taxpayer dollars. That, by the way, goes mostly to insurance companies, which makes the cost rise further. That’s the Democrats plan. When they passed Obamacare in 2010, they called it the Affordable Care Act. We know the truth is exactly the opposite.

By some estimates, premiums have risen 60% in many categories since they passed that bill into law. Now, the fact is, the opposite. Republicans are the ones fighting to save health care. Why? It’s not just talking points to us. We do this, we have ideas and we have already implemented ideas and measures to reduce costs, increase access and quality, and eliminate fraud, waste and abuse. Now, why do we say it’s not just a talking point? Why do we say the Republican Party is the only one advancing commonsense reform solutions? Because we’ve proven it. We did that in the big beautiful bill, the Working Families Tax Cut. We took a look at Medicaid, and we took on that challenge. We took action to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicaid. We got able-bodied young men without dependents off the program. We got illegal aliens off the program, and we saved $185 billion, just to start. We got millions of ineligible enrollees off the program, and it preserved it, it strengthened Medicaid for the people who rely upon it, which is the elderly, disabled, and young pregnant women. No, it’s not about health care. That is a false claim, and everybody knows it. Everyone in America, and certainly everybody in this room understands that this is about something else. That what this is about is about fear. The Schumer Shutdown was never about health care. That’s a distraction. It’s a red herring, as we say in debate club. Okay? This is about fear and what is the fear, the resolution on the COVID-era Obamacare subsidy issue was always going to be slated for debate in October, November, and December. Everybody knows that, and every Democrat knows that it’s an issue that’s too complex to be solved on a short-term funding measure like a CR.

On Democrats running scared from their Far-Left base:

This is about fear. Everybody in the country is watching the elections that’ll happen tomorrow. You got big elections in New Jersey and Virginia, the governor’s races and attorney general’s races, et cetera. But all that, the attention is focused primarily on New York City. Why? Because the fear that Mamdani and all that he represents will be risen to power, that he’ll be elected the mayor of America’s largest city, the, the once cradle of capitalism, that we’re going have a Marxist, a communist, running the largest city now. This terrifies the establishment old guard Democrats in Washington, and the leaders of both chambers are among those most terrified. They’re both from New York. Leader Hakeem Jeffries is the Democrat in the House and Leader Schumer in the Senate. They’re both from New York and they’re terrified. You’ve watched their actions carefully. Many of you have not reported on it enough.

Hakeem Jeffries had to ultimately, finally, he was forced to endorse Mamdani, and he’s terrified that he now owns the results of that. Chuck Schumer has been dancing around the issue, but he knows he’s darned if he does, darned if he doesn’t, they’re both terrified. And so that is the fear. This is a fact, and you should print it this way. Schumer and Jeffries and their colleagues fear political retribution from the Far-Left activists in their party more than they fear the consequences of keeping the government closed for weeks on end. They fear that personally for their own political future, and they care more about that than they care about SNAP benefits flowing to hungry families, about air traffic controllers being paid so they can keep the sky safe, Border Patrol, troops, and all the rest. It pales in comparison, and this is a simple summary that is a simple fact. It is extremism on the Left that is the direct cause of American suffering right now.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — On Day 33 of the Democrat Shutdown, Speaker Johnson joined Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday to discuss how, despite the real pain they have caused for working families around the country, Democrats shamefully continue to treat the government shutdown as “leverage.”

“This is not about winning a political contest here. Real people are losing; the American people are hurting,” Speaker Johnson said. “Democrats have voted 14 times now to keep the government closed. 14 times.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full interview here.

On Democrats treating the suffering of American families as “leverage”:

Just 24 hours before that [poll] came out, CNN of all places had a big story about how Republicans are winning the shutdown battle. But we reject all of this. This is not about winning a political contest here. Real people are losing; the American people are hurting. Democrats have voted 14 times now to keep the government closed. 14 times. They had the opportunity to have SNAP benefits flow, to let air traffic controllers be paid, to take care of all these problems and pay the troops. And they said no. And it is a fact that no one can dispute. They shut the government down over restoring free healthcare to illegal aliens as part of their $1.5 trillion wild partisan wish list. They’re playing games and real people are suffering because of it.

You have all the unions now coming out against them. You have the major airlines in the country; you have every segment of the population and hardworking Americans who will be going without. You have 42 million recipients of SNAP that are in jeopardy right now. You have the women, infants, and children nutrition program that President Trump and the White House have heroically funded thus far is running out of money. And of course, the troops, I mean, we’ve gotten them paid now for two cycles, but that money is not inexhaustible and it’s running out. And so increasingly the American people will be feeling the pain. And after we pass that threshold of the first of this month, it gets very real for more and more people.

On Democrats refusing to fund SNAP then blaming Republicans for the consequences:

It’s absolutely absurd. They are accusing the Republicans and the President of doing exactly what they are doing. Remember, don’t get lost in the facts, Republicans have voted 14 times to open the government. Democrats have voted 14 times to close it. Who’s playing games here? We have a clean, simple continuing resolution, no partisan gimmicks or tricks at all. It’s 24 pages in length. It would keep everything going. The President is bending over backwards to take care of the American people, and it’s the Democrats who are quite literally using the people as leverage. 

I can quote you Senator, after House Member on the Democrat side in the last two weeks who have said the quiet parts out loud, from Whitehouse, to Coons to Katherine Clark, the number two Democrat in the House. Bernie Sanders, they’ve all said this is their leverage, their leverage for what? So, they can show that they’re fighting President Trump to the Far Left because they’re worried about the Marxists rising Democrat Party. We see it in New York City and elsewhere. And because they actually want, and they’ve argued and they put on paper, they want illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-funded benefits. Again, that is a fact. They’ve never changed it. They’ve never pulled back from that. Everybody can see the stark contrast between two parties right now, and only one is fighting for the people. And that’s a Republican party.

On the Trump Administration’s actions to protect the homeland from narco-terrorists:

We had a gang of eight briefing with the Secretary of State himself about a week and a half ago. You had Republicans and Democrats there, the top leaders on both sides in intelligence and in elected leadership. We have exquisite intelligence about these strikes, and I can’t get into the classified parts, but that information is well known. It is very reliable. And what the President and the Administration are doing is protecting the homeland. That’s one of his number one responsibilities. 

I like what Secretary Hegseth said at the opening, “Narco-terrorists will be treated like Al-Qaeda.” We have to do that. They’re bringing in huge amounts, tons of illegal narcotics into the country, and it is killing Americans. Remember, fentanyl alone was a leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 49 in the four years of the Biden Administration. We finally have a President who is strong enough to stop that and to protect the people. And one of these boats, Shannon, could kill potentially tens of thousands of Americans. This is serious business. They’re taking it seriously and Congress will continue to have oversight. We’ll have more of these hearings, but thus far, the intelligence that we have is very reliable.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

RIVERSIDE, CA – Inland Empire Representatives Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25), Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Mark Takano (CA-39), and Norma Torres (CA-35) call out the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for actions that intimidate voters and undermine confidence in California’s free and fair elections. The DOJ recently announced plans to send federal election monitors to polling sites in five California counties ahead of the November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election, a move the lawmakers say is unnecessary and unjustified.

The Inland Empire Representatives joined 41 California Democrats urging the DOJ to respect the state’s election system and refrain from actions that intimidate voters or suppress participation. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, the lawmakers stressed the importance of protecting California’s transparent and secure voting process, noting that the DOJ has provided no evidence of federal law violations in the state’s elections.

“California’s elections are secure, transparent, and fair. Any attempt to intimidate, harass, or mislead voters is unacceptable. Every Californian has the right to cast their ballot freely, privately, and without fear, and they can be confident their vote will count. False claims meant to sow doubt are a threat to democracy, and we will continue to protect the integrity of our elections.” — Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25)

 “In an effort to intimidate voters and undermine confidence in California’s Statewide Special Election on November 4th, Donald Trump is directing his Department of Justice to unnecessarily send federal monitors to the state. Let’s be clear: California elections are free and fair, and voters should feel safe going to the polls or mailing in their ballots. I’m confident Californians will make their voices loud and clear in just a few days.” — Congressman Pete Aguilar (CA-33)

“California knows how to run elections. We have one of the most transparent and secure systems in the country, and millions of Californians vote safely every year. I welcome fair observation from the Department of Justice, but not interference or intimidation. Donald Trump and his cronies are just looking for an excuse to suppress turnout, but I’m confident Californians will make their voices heard in this upcoming special election for Prop 50.” — Congressman Mark Takano (CA-39)

“There is no justification for the DOJ to intimidate Inland Empire voters with unnecessary federal monitors. California’s elections are safe, secure, and fair. Donald Trump and the Republican Party continue spreading lies to undermine trust, both here and across the nation. We saw the deadly consequences of those lies on January 6, when a President refused to accept the results of a fair election. Their goal is clear: to sow distrust, suppress votes, and silence Californians, especially Latino communities in Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire. DOJ’s actions are an attack on our democracy, and I will not stand by while Californians’ right to vote is threatened.” — Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35)

California operates one of the most transparent and secure election systems in the nation. Every registered voter automatically receives a mail-in ballot, and each ballot includes a voter-verifiable paper trail, allowing voters to confirm that their vote has been received and counted. Voting machines are thoroughly tested and audited to ensure accuracy and security. In the November 2024 election, more than 16.1 million Californians voted, representing over 71 percent of registered voters, far above the national average.

The Inland Empire delegation emphasized that Californians should feel safe and confident voting by mail, at drop boxes, or in person on Election Day. They encouraged voters to make a plan and to use official resources to track their ballots and find polling places: https://WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.

Voters in California have the right to cast their ballots free from intimidation, coercion, or interference under both state and federal law. No one can threaten, harass, or obstruct a voter to influence their choice or prevent them from voting. Every eligible voter is entitled to a private, secure voting experience, with access to assistance if needed, without fear of discrimination or suppression. Protections under laws like the Voting Rights Act ensure that all Californians, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or disability, can participate safely and confidently in the electoral process.

The four Inland Empire members reaffirmed their support for California’s election officials and encouraged residents to vote early, by mail, or in person on Election Day.