MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON — Representative Lauren Underwood, member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, sent three investigative letters to Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Kristi Noem, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney Scott, to demand answers and documentation related to Operation Midway Blitz.

In her letters, Underwood raised serious concerns about these agencies’ conduct, including potential constitutional violations, the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens, misuse of taxpayer dollars, and an unprecedented lack of transparency. The letters further underscore major unanswered questions about the cost, scope, and impact of immigration enforcement operations on Illinois’ communities.

“Congress has both the authority and duty to understand how taxpayer dollars are being spent and whether federal agencies are following the law,” Underwood said. “This Administration is completely out of control, and these so-called immigration enforcement operations in Illinois and around the country are terrorizing our communities, putting people in danger, and undermining our civil rights. I will not stop pressing for the accountability and transparency that our families deserve.”

Underwood and other Members of the Illinois delegation have repeatedly sought briefings, facility access, and basic details of immigration enforcement actions from the Trump Administration. Those requests have been consistently delayed or denied, obstructing Congress’s ability to conduct lawful oversight and help constituents impacted by enforcement actions.

People who need help with federal agencies like ICE and DHS are always encouraged to contact Rep. Underwood’s office for free assistance at (630) 549-2190 or visit https://underwood.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency.

Full text of Underwood’s letters can be found here:

Investigative letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Investigative letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Investigative letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

The House passed the disapproval resolution to overturn a local D.C. tax law today.

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement in response to The Washington Post’s large scale staff reductions and restructuring:

“On the front page of every copy of the Washington Post, right below the name of that famed paper, is a simple slogan: ‘democracy dies in darkness.’ Today, the darkness grows.

“I am appalled by the decision to lay off roughly a third of the Washington Post’s employees. Their dismissal will severely undermine the paper’s ability to provide comprehensive coverage of pressing events across the country and around the world. I thank those who have been fired not only for their tireless reporting but for their service to truth and democracy.

“As a Marylander and Prince Georgian, I find the downsizing of the Washington Post’s Metro section particularly concerning. It will create a vacuum in press coverage of one of America’s most important and diverse regions – a region that was already experiencing a decline in local journalism.

“The Post also removed every journalist who covers the Middle East and shuttered the Jerusalem and Ukraine bureaus, among others. The events currently taking place in these regions have grave implications for America and the world. Ignoring them is journalistic malpractice.

“What a shame it is to see this devastation inflicted upon the institution of Bob Woodward and Katharine Graham – the paper in which Americans read about Watergate and the Pentagon Papers.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

Sherman Oaks, California – Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) announced that over $12 million in federal funds for projects in the San Fernando Valley and parts of the Westside have been included in legislation signed into law. These 9 projects are in addition to 4 other projects that were signed into law two weeks ago. Sherman has secured funding for nearly 200 earmarks in appropriations bills and transportation reauthorizations throughout his time in Congress totaling more than $168 million for the district.

“These funds will address vital needs across our community including improvements to our local fire stations, public parks and infrastructure, as well as additional resources to address homelessness and services for those in need,” said Congressman Sherman.

 

The community projects signed into law this week were:

 

Los Angeles Fire Department Station Renovations – Los Angeles Fire Department

Amount: $2,000,000

This funding will be used for needed repairs to Los Angeles fire stations in the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. The life expectancy of a fire station is 50 years, and 15 fire stations in CD32 are close to or older than 50 years.

 

Labor Community Services Food Bank Equipment Needs – Los Angeles County 

Amount: $1,200,000

This funding will be used to modernize and upgrade the Labor Community Services (LCS) Food Bank Warehouse equipment. 

Southwest Valley Park Improvements Project – City of Los Angeles

Amount: $850,000

Funds to LA City to improve parks in the Southwest San Fernando Valley.

Los Angeles River Greenway Studio City Habitat Restoration, Beautification, and Safety Project – City of Los Angeles

Amount: $250,000 

This project will occur along the south bank of the Los Angeles River from Whitsett Avenue to Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Studio City and include new, native landscaping to replace existing, non-native plantings. The project will also install public lighting along the path, access pathways, and seating areas.

Community Engagement & Enrichment Center at LA Pierce College – Pierce College

Amount: $250,000

Grancell Village Affordable Senior Housing – City of Los Angeles

Amount: $850,000

This funding will assist in building affordable senior housing at Grancell Village, supporting low-income and disabled seniors.

West Los Angeles VA Modular Home Construction – Los Angeles County

Amount: $850,000 

Modular homes to provide temporary housing for homeless veterans.

 

Malibu Canyon Road and Kanan Dume Road Tunnel Lighting Upgrade Project – Los Angeles County

Amount: $250,000

Sepulveda Basin Park Improvements – City of Los Angeles

Amount: $850,000 

In addition, the following projects were signed into law two weeks ago:

 

Santa Monica Mountains Brush Clearance & Wildfire Mitigation – Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA)

Amount: $1,031,000

Lands within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) are in need of restoration, in particular brush clearance and the removal of invasive plant species. This project is critical for preserving the wildlife habitat and reducing wildfire risk as the Palisades and neighboring communities recover from the 2025 LA Fires.

 

High Bay Structural Test Lab – California State University, Northridge

Amount: $1,031,000

The technology and equipment in this 1,100-square-foot lab will expand research and student educational opportunities, through testing on structural systems using different weight loads that reflect real-world conditions. In addition, the laboratory provides workforce training to CSUN students in STEM pathways as the lab’s projects have real-world applications.

Crisis and Incident Response through Community–Led Engagement (CIRCLE) Program – City of Los Angeles

Amount: $2,062,000

The funding will be used to help expand the Crisis and Incident Response through Community-led Engagement (CIRCLE) program, a 24/7 unarmed response program that deploys trained teams to address non-urgent LAPD calls related to homeless individuals.

 

West LA Real Time Crime Center – Los Angeles Police Department

Amount: $1,031,000

The funding will be used to install a Real Time Crime Center in the West Los Angeles LAPD Division and expand the camera network around the community to reduce burglaries.

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative John R Carter (R-TX-31)

Carter: House Republicans Act to Prevent Government Shutdown

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed legislation to end the partial government shutdown and continue funding the federal government.

“Keeping the government functioning is a basic responsibility of Congress,” said Congressman John Carter. “House Republicans came together to do our job and provide certainty for families, workers, and small businesses who depend on a stable government.”

With today’s vote, the House has now funded 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, accounting for approximately 96 percent of federal government operations. This progress represents a meaningful return to regular order and reflects a commitment to governing responsibly.

“This is what Texans expect. Passing individual funding bills, exercising oversight, and ensuring the government continues to operate without unnecessary disruption,” Carter said. “That is how Congress is meant to function.”

Carter noted that work remains on the final Homeland Security appropriations bill, which funds critical agencies including Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and FEMA.

“That final bill is important,” Carter said. “It supports border security, disaster response, aviation safety, and the men and women who protect the public every day. Those responsibilities cannot be put on hold.”

House Republicans have urged the Senate and the White House to continue negotiations in good faith to complete the remaining funding without delay.

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

Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and David Valadao (CA-22) reintroduced the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act, to ensure that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) distributes the remaining anti-dumping duties to U.S. garlic, honey, and crawfish producers that weren’t paid by the agencies between 2000 and 2014.

Under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA), CBP still owes garlic producers, which both Reps. Panetta and Valadao represent, an additional $10.5 million in retroactive duties. These producers have suffered years of abusive dumping practices by China and are owed that amount in restitution that was wrongly kept from them by CBP.

“The federal government has failed to pay the required restitution to impacted producers from the dumping duties it collected on Chinese garlic imports,” said Rep. Panetta. “This bipartisan bill would right that wrong by requiring CBP to pay all collected duties and interest to those in our agricultural sector who deserve it.  By passing this legislation, we can push the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities, to not only to prevent dumping by China, but also to provide the proper remedy to our garlic growers and producers.”

“Central Valley producers are the backbone of our nation’s domestic garlic supply, but China’s practice of dumping garlic into the U.S. market has unfairly impacted competition,” said Rep. Valadao. “Since 2000, Customs and Border Protection has collected duties on these imports as required by law, yet our growers still haven’t received the payments they’re owed. This bipartisan, bicameral bill ensures domestic producers finally receive those funds and gives them a fair chance to compete in the domestic market.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) to reintroduce the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation ensures domestic garlic, honey, and crawfish producers are paid the duties already collected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) for China’s unfair trading practices meant to drive U.S. producers out of the market. CBP still owes garlic producers, 90% of which is grown in California, an additional $10.5 million in retroactive duty payments. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tine Smith (D-MN) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

“Central Valley producers are the backbone of our nation’s domestic garlic supply, but China’s practice of dumping garlic into the U.S. market has unfairly impacted competition,” said Congressman Valadao. “Since 2000, Customs and Border Protection has collected duties on these imports as required by law, yet our growers still haven’t received the payments they’re owed. This bipartisan, bicameral bill ensures domestic producers finally receive those funds and gives them a fair chance to compete in the domestic market.”

“The federal government has failed to pay the required restitution to impacted producers from the dumping duties it collected on Chinese garlic imports,” said Congressman Panetta. “This bipartisan bill would right that wrong by requiring CBP to pay all collected duties and interest to those in our agricultural sector who deserve it.  By passing this legislation, we can push the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities, to not only to prevent dumping by China, but also to provide the proper remedy to our garlic growers and producers.”

Background:

For years, Chinese agricultural producers have purposely exported products far below the cost of production to drive domestic producers out of the market—a practice commonly known as “dumping.” In 2000, Congress passed the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act, which instructed CBP to pay all collected anti-dumping duties and accrued interest to the U.S. producers impacted by this harmful practice. Due to a range of delays, many producers still haven’t seen the interest they are owed on the anti-dumping duties CBP collected. The China Trade Cheating Restitution Act ensures CBP pays out the remaining anti-dumping duties to producers who haven’t been paid between 2000 – 2014.

Read the full bill here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is honoring the February 6^th birthday of the late President Ronald Reagan, and recalling his historic video message sent to American Samoa and the South Pacific Conference, which was hosted in American Samoa that year by Uifa’atali Governor Peter Coleman.

Governor Coleman in the Oval Office presenting President Reagan a specialty license plate from American Samoa

“President Reagan sent a special video message to American Samoa for the South Pacific Conference, at the invitation of Governor Coleman. That was a historic moment from a U.S. President, particularly back then in the early 1980’s,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Every head of government from the South Pacific was on hand, so all the titles were there: king, president, prime minister, and governor. The special event was held at the Lee Auditorium for the Conference to hear from President Reagan, using the seats from the Fono to seat the dignitaries. 

Amata speaking with President Reagan in 1985 at his inauguration

“Governor Coleman personally invited President Reagan to head the U.S. delegation to the South Pacific Conference he was hosting in our islands as chairman in 1982. While the President couldn’t make the long trip to the South Pacific, he offered to address the opening remotely, which was the first (and probably only) time a U.S. president ever addressed the Conference, and it was a big undertaking in those pre-internet and pre-digital days. 

“President Reagan was born 115 years ago, and served as the 40^th President of the United States. His great legacy is the eight determined years of public policy that directly preceded and led to the dismantling of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and his ringing call at Germany’s Brandenburg Gate: ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’

“He was known for a major U.S. economic turnaround, his optimism and connection with the American people, his enjoyment of telling jokes, along with several appointments to the Supreme Court, including the first woman to serve on the Court, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Among his many finest moments were comforting the American people after the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, and the Normandy 40^th Anniversary of D-Day speech memorializing ‘the boys of Pointe du Hoc.’”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) delivered remarks as the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee and now heads to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration before moving to the House floor.

Watch Rep. Weber’s remarks here.

Read Rep. Weber’s remarks below.

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

“My legislation, the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, which I am proud to lead with my friend from Michigan, Representative Dingell, has long-standing support in this Committee. Addressing cyber and physical threats, as well as other hazards to our fuel infrastructure, requires information sharing and coordination among infrastructure owners, states, and the federal government. It also requires visibility across the entire energy sector, from fuels to power, upstream to downstream, including the facilities that secure American energy dominance around the world.

“Mr. Chairman, the Department of Energy serves, by law, as the government’s lead for the energy sector. As such, it has broad visibility and the expertise necessary to ensure security and hazard coordination across the entire energy system. H.R. 7272 would improve how the Department of Energy works with others to ensure the security and resilience of pipelines and LNG facilities that our energy sector depends on for the reliable supply of fuels and electricity.

“This legislation leverages DOE’s vast technical capabilities to develop a program that improves coordination and provides the technical support needed to ensure timely, efficient, and effective efforts to secure our energy systems and respond to disruptions.

“To be extremely clear, H.R. 7272 does not create, nor does it authorize, a regulatory program. Let me repeat: this bill does not create, nor does it authorize, a regulatory program. It is intended to strengthen DOE’s ability to inform, improve coordination, and build capabilities within states and across the energy sector.

“Other agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration, certainly play a vital role when it comes to pipeline cybersecurity. However, the Department of Energy retains responsibility across the entire energy and power sector and already leads federal coordination in this area.

“This bipartisan effort maximizes the Department of Energy’s capabilities in the public interest and, in turn, strengthens all stakeholders responsible for the secure delivery of fuels and power.

“With that, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7272.”

Read more here.