MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

FREEDOM Act delivers faster review, new permit protections, and enforcement mechanisms to unleash American energy

 

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) led the bipartisan introduction of tech-neutral legislation to deliver permitting certainty across the energy industry. Led with Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Adam Gray (CA-13), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), and Don Bacon (NE-02), the Fighting for Reliable Energy and Ending Doubt for Open Markets (FREEDOM) Act expedites judicial review, creates new protections for fully-permitted projects, establishes enforceable deadlines, and mandates de-risking programs and compliance reporting.

Energy projects face catastrophic financial losses from permit revocations, unreasonable agency delays, and yearslong processing times, even after sponsors invest millions based on approvals. This regulatory uncertainty deters critical infrastructure investment across all energy technologies and undermines America’s energy security. Harder, who serves as Chair of the bipartisan Build America Caucus, has been leading calls to establish long-term permitting certainty in the energy industry and protect critical projects from political attacks.

“Working families across the country are facing soaring energy prices because we’ve made it too hard to build new energy projects,” said Rep. Harder. “The FREEDOM Act delivers the smart, pro-growth certainty that critical energy projects desperately need by cutting delays, fast-tracking approvals, and holding federal agencies accountable. This is a common sense solution that will mean more energy projects being brought online in the short term and lower energy costs for our families for the long run.”

How the FREEDOM Act delivers tech-neutral permitting certainty:

• Faster Review and Enforcement – Empowers project sponsors to file court petitions with expedited review and limits non-project sponsors from extended legal challenges.
• Permit Protections – Federal agencies cannot revoke permits, issue stop-work orders, or halt construction on fully permitted projects that do not meet a narrow set of extreme circumstances.
• Consequences for Delays – Non-negotiable timelines that, when missed by agencies, empower project sponsors to hire qualified contractors to complete administrative work at no cost to the project.
• Loss Protections – Insurance-style program under the Department of Energy (DOE) to protect developers from losses due to federal actions or inaction.
• Compliance Reporting – Mandatory GAO reporting to Congress 180 days and annually on agency deadline compliance, unfair treatment, and industry success.

“America’s energy security depends on our ability to build critical infrastructure efficiently and responsibly,” said Rep. Lawler. “The FREEDOM Act cuts through regulatory delays that have stalled vital energy projects across the country. By establishing clear timelines and accountability for federal agencies, this legislation protects investments, creates jobs, and ensures NY-17 can power its future with reliable, affordable energy.”

“Projects in my district are being held up by a dysfunctional permitting system that takes years to process simple applications,” said Rep. Gray. “It’s long over-due for Congress to act. I am proud to co-lead the bipartisan FREEDOM Act with Reps. Harder, Bacon, and Lawler to ensure America can build reliable infrastructure, quickly.”

“Energy projects should not face years of uncertainty that undermine our energy security after sponsors have invested millions by following the rules and securing permits,” said Rep. Bacon. “I’m pleased to co-lead the bipartisan FREEDOM Act to bring common-sense timelines, protect permitted investments, and ensure the permitting process is fair, predictable, and applied equally.”

“Both parties have watched administrations weaponize the permitting process against disfavored energy sources,” said Thomas Hochman, Director of Energy & Infrastructure Policy at the Foundation for American Innovation. “The FREEDOM Act would fix that, creating a level playing field so that energy technologies succeed or fail based on their merits, rather than politics.”

“NOIA strongly supports bipartisan efforts like the FREEDOM Act, which delivers enforceable permitting deadlines, robust protections for fully permitted projects, expedited judicial review, and a de-risking compensation program to provide certainty and decision durability for all forms of offshore energy development, including oil and gas, offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, ocean mineral exploration, and emerging technologies,” said National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito. “We commend Representatives Josh Harder, Mike Lawler, Adam Gray, and Don Bacon for their leadership in advancing this critical legislation, which limits delays, safeguards investments from revocations or inaction, and ensures fair treatment across energy sources. By establishing predictable timelines, accountability mechanisms, and financial safeguards, efforts like the FREEDOM Act are essential to restoring investor confidence, unlocking capital, accelerating offshore infrastructure development, and building the all-of-the-above energy future America needs for security, economic growth, and affordability.”

The Build America Caucus has been working around the clock and across the aisle to build momentum around passing comprehensive permitting reform. In December, the Caucus hosted a permitting roundtable with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and more than a dozen lawmakers to build support for a bipartisan deal on permitting reform. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Kennedy Center, released the following statement after Trump announced a multi-year closure of the Kennedy Center:

President Trump’s decision to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts underscores the profound damage he’s done to this iconic institution. Setting aside the sheer financial incompetence, his callous disregard for the history, mission, and legacy of the Kennedy Center is appalling. From firing the board of Trustees and installing himself as chair, to using political litmus tests to determine programming, to the outrageous and illegal attempt to rename it the “Trump-Kennedy Center,” the president is making every effort to turn this American treasure into yet another vehicle for his own political vanity.

Trump has failed the Center’s workers, performers, and supporters from the very beginning of his takeover last year. Subscriptions have plummeted. Ticket sales are cratering. Artists are cancelling shows and refusing invitations. Rather than see these trends as a clear sign to reverse course, Trump now wants to close the Center for two years while he makes “major renovations”—presumably without any input or oversight from Congress.

Let’s not forget: the Kennedy Center was recently given $256 million in the Big Ugly Bill, which is nearly six times its typical allocation, plus another $37 million in the annual appropriations bill. Despite repeated calls for transparency and clarity about their plans with that exorbitant amount of money, Trump and his sycophants now in charge of the Center have given Congress next to nothing.

Considering it took less than 24 hours for him to plaster his name on the building, and that he demolished the East Wing of the White House in a matter of days without proper approval, it’s entirely possible that Trump could decide to just bulldoze the entire Center to remake it in his own tacky image. Just look at what he’s done to the Rose Garden and the Oval Office. Congress has a duty to step in.

The Kennedy Center is a living monument to a man who fervently believed in the emancipatory power of art and culture. It’s a legacy our current president clearly doesn’t understand—and has no right to usurp for himself.

Pingree, who is co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, has led the charge in Congress to save the Kennedy Center from Trump after he took it over last year. Pingree demanded answers and transparency from Richard Grenell, a Trump ally who was installed as President of the Kennedy Center, about how the $256 million requested, and later approved in the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, would be spent.

In December, Pingree led more than 70 Members of Congress in calling on President Trump to reverse the illegal renaming effort and remove his name from the building.

As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Pingree successfully removed language from the 2026 Appropriations bill that would have renamed the Opera House after Melania Trump.

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

Bacon Announces Winners of 2025 Congressional App Challenge

Washington – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) today announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, a nationwide competition for students in middle and high school to explore coding, computer science, and careers in STEM fields. Established by Congress in 2014, the challenge encourages students to create, code, and implement a new and innovative computer application. 

The first-place winner is Gavin Vernon, a junior at Brownell Talbot, who partnered with Michael Zhang of Colorado’s 6th Congressional District to develop Youth Policy Pulse, a civic-engagement web application that empowers young people to understand and participate in the policymaking process. Vernon was presented with a certificate at Brownell Talbot on January 28, 2026 by Theresa Thibodeau, District Director for Rep. Bacon.

The students said Youth Policy Pulse was inspired by their shared belief that young people deserve a stronger voice in shaping the policies that affect their lives. As students deeply involved in youth leadership and civic initiatives, Vernon and Zhang noticed that many of their peers wanted to participate in government but didn’t know where to start and wanted to change that. Youth Policy Pulse connects directly to real legislative data from Congress.gov, allowing users to browse, search, and track active bills that impact education, climate, mental health, and other youth-focused issues.

As the first-place winners, Vernon and Zhang are invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in #HouseofCode, a two-day event at the U.S. Capitol where students from across the country showcase their apps to Members of Congress, congressional staff, and leaders in the technology community.

“There is a growing need to fill high-paying jobs in STEM fields, and the Congressional App Challenge is a fun and engaging way to show students they can play a real role in shaping the future through innovation and technology,” said Rep. Bacon. “Gavin and Michael’s work on Youth Policy Pulse reflects both strong technical skills and a sense of civic responsibility. All of the students who entered the challenge demonstrated innovation in their ideas and a strong commitment to the task. We have some real future leaders who will make their mark in the STEM world.”

About the Congressional App Challenge

The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is an annual nationwide competition hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage middle and high school students to learn to code and pursue careers in STEM. It is considered the most prestigious prize in student computer science. 

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton released her remarks ahead of this morning’s press conference with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and DC Vote opposing the disapproval resolution that the House is expected to vote on tomorrow. The live stream will be available for viewing here. 

“The resolution before the House tomorrow, which would overturn a duly enacted local tax law of the District of Columbia, is nothing short of deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of the nation’s capital,” Norton said. 

Norton’s full remarks follow.

Remarks of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) at DC Vote Virtual Press Conference

2/3/2026

The resolution before the House this week, which would overturn a duly enacted local tax law of the District of Columbia, is nothing short of deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of the nation’s capital.

The D.C. law at issue did three straightforward things: It restored D.C.’s child tax credit, strengthened an existing earned income tax credit, and decoupled the District’s tax code from selected provisions of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act. None of this is radical. None of it is unprecedented. Nearly half the states, red and blue alike, have passed laws decoupling their states’ tax codes from portions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Yet Congress has chosen to single out the District for punishment.

This resolution is not about oversight or fiscal discipline. It’s about power – who wields it, and who is denied it.

Congress has never overturned a revenue-raising law for D.C. Doing so now would be a reckless escalation with real and lasting consequences. It will threaten D.C.’s credit rating, forcing it to pay higher interest rates and costing taxpayers millions. Last year, when Congress cut D.C.’s local budget by one billion dollars, D.C.’s rating was put on negative watch. This disapproval resolution poses an even greater danger. It will sow chaos in the middle of tax filing season, likely forcing the District to halt tax filings altogether while it scrambles to rewrite forms, systems, and guidance. 

That is not oversight. That is not governance. It is sabotage, and the damage would be severe and intentional.

The D.C. law targeted by this resolution is projected to generate six hundred million dollars in local revenue over the next four years. If Congress overturns it, the District will be forced to fill that hole by cutting critical programs that residents rely on every day.

This resolution doesn’t merely target the District’s government or its adult taxpayers. It would wipe out D.C.’s child tax credit, a policy projected to cut child poverty by 20%. Republicans are aware and are proceeding anyway. They’re willing to harm children in the nation’s capital to score political points, and the public should understand that clearly.

More than 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C., the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of self-government. If D.C. residents disagree with the decisions of their elected council, they can vote their leaders out. That’s how democracy works. Members of Congress from distant states, who don’t live or pay taxes in D.C. and are not accountable to D.C. voters – and who often don’t even understand how D.C. functions – have no business overriding local laws and stripping District residents of their right to self-government. Free D.C.

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

WASHINGTON — On Monday, Speaker Johnson appointed Brian Patchett to the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency within the executive branch focused on advancing policies supporting Americans with disabilities.

“I am honored to appoint Louisiana’s own Brian Patchett to serve on the National Council on Disability. Brian’s leadership at the Louisiana Association for the Blind has helped countless individuals with visual impairments across our state live more independent, fruitful lives,” Speaker Johnson said. “His experience and dedication to serving individuals with disabilities will be a blessing to our country, and I’m grateful he has accepted this appointment.”

“I am honored and grateful to Speaker Johnson for appointing me to the National Council on Disability. My focus as President and CEO of Louisiana Association for the Blind and my career has been to remove barriers for those with disabilities. As an adult with a visual impairment, I understand the challenges people with disabilities face while searching for a job and living an independent life. I have worked to help people overcome these obstacles. I am very hopeful my appointment to the National Council on Disability will allow me to continue my mission and improve access for those with disabilities in all aspects of our community,” Brian Patchett said.

Background:

The National Council on Disability provides advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to advance policy that promotes the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act – equality of opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and full participation in all aspects of society – regardless of type or severity of disability. It is comprised of nine-total members, four appointed by leadership in Congress and five appointed by the President. For more information on the Council, visit their website: National Council on Disability | Mission and History.

Brian Patchett is the President and CEO of the Louisiana Association for the Blind and a current resident of Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District. For decades, Mr. Patchett has served thousands of visually impaired individuals in northwest Louisiana, helping them navigate their life at home, at work, and in the community.

Mr. Patchett’s appointment to the Council has been entered into the Congressional Record of the United States House of Representatives. Click here to view his appointment.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today released the following statement in recognition of Black History Month.

“Black History Month is a time to honor the courage, creativity, contributions, and resilience of Black Americans — and to recognize that Black history is American history. In Memphis, that legacy lives not only in the chapters we read in books, but in the leaders and neighbors who built a more just community and pushed our country closer to its ideals. 

“This month, we remember Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring call for equality and dignity. I also remember with gratitude three civil rights heroes I had the honor to serve alongside in Congress — John Lewis, who served as a spiritual advisor to me; John Conyers, who was my Judiciary mentor; and Elijah Cummings, whose example as a role model still inspires me. 

“I also think of the Memphis civil rights and public-service giants I was privileged to know and serve with — Vasco Smith and his wife Maxine Smith, Walter Bailey Jr., Minerva Johnican, Russell Sugarmon, and Jesse Turner Sr. They helped shape Memphis’ conscience and its future, and they remind us of what leadership looks like when it’s rooted in service. 

“Throughout my career, I’ve tried to honor that legacy not just with words, but with work — from my years in the Tennessee State Senate, where I served as Vice Chair for many years and floor seat mate to the legendary Senator Avon Williams, who I learned much from, to my time in Congress, where the House passed my resolution in 2008 making Congress’ first apology for slavery and racial segregation. I have continued pushing ever since to preserve the people and places that tell the story of the civil rights movement. 

“Black History Month is a call to keep going. We must protect voting rights, confront discrimination, and keep pushing for equal justice and equal opportunity. I’m proud to represent Memphis and Tennessee’s Ninth District, and I will keep working to honor this legacy by preserving the history that shaped us and fighting for a future where every family can thrive.”

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, where he emphasized while life in America is more expensive than ever, Donald Trump is using taxpayer dollars to fund ICE brutality and lawlessness and not to make life more affordable for the American people.

LEADER JEFFRIES: The Republican Congress began with the extremists holding the narrowest majority of any party since the Great Depression in 1930. And later on today, as a result of the victory by Christian Menefee, who we congratulate on this significant accomplishment, that narrow Republican majority will get even narrower. And the question for Republicans will continue to be, are you going to continue to double or triple down on your extremism, which is getting you nowhere with the American people? Or try to find a bipartisan path forward to actually address the issues that matter when it comes to making life better for everyday Americans? House Democrats are going to continue to fight hard to lower the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system and to clean up corruption everywhere that it is found in this town. Republican policies on the economy have been a failure. Republican policies on healthcare have been a failure. And Republican policies on immigration enforcement have been a complete and total failure. Taxpayer dollars should not be spent to brutalize and kill American citizens. Taxpayer dollars should be spent to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, something that Republicans have refused to do from the very beginning of Donald Trump being sworn into office last January.

Donald Trump and Republicans promised that they were going to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America on day one. That’s what they promised. They lied to the American people. Costs haven’t gone down, costs have gone up across the board. Housing costs, out of control. Grocery costs, out of control. Utility bills, out of control. Child care costs, out of control. And healthcare costs, out of control. Republicans have refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits in the Senate and, as a result, tens of millions of Americans are now experiencing dramatically increased health insurance premiums. In some cases, the monthly costs have increased by $1,000 or $2,000 per month. That is completely and totally unacceptable brought to you by the Republican Party. At the same time, it’s Republicans, led by Donald Trump, who in their One Big Ugly Bill enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. They literally have ripped healthcare away from more than 14 million Americans. And as a result of their policies, hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health clinics are closing all across America.

In that One Big Ugly Bill, they also cut SNAP by $186 billion, the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history. The extremists, they literally snatched food out of the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans. And why did they do all of that? For at least two reasons. So they can provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors, and, at the same time, create a $191 billion slush fund that went to the Department of Homeland Security, including $75 billion to ICE, so that masked agents could unleash brutality and lawlessness on the American people. Everyday Americans have had enough with the failed policies of Donald Trump and Republicans in the House and the Senate. And the only real question that needs to be answered right now is when will Republicans have enough with the extremism and the cruelty and the chaos and the corruption that has failed the American people?

Full press conference can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the VA Marriage and Family Therapists Equity Act, legislation authored by Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

“Veterans and their families face unique challenges when service ends and the transition to civilian life begins,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists are often the professionals helping these families hold it together during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Yet a bureaucratic rule at VA has discouraged many of these highly qualified providers from serving our veterans.

“This bill is about removing that barrier and expanding access to care at a time when demand for mental health services has never been greater. It is about upholding our promise to care for veterans after their service, not just with words, but with real access to the support their families need to stay strong and healthy.”

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) are often the professionals helping veterans, spouses, and children navigate the stress, trauma, and major life changes that follow military service. They help families rebuild stability, strengthen communication, and develop healthy coping mechanisms during the difficult transition to civilian life.

However, current VA promotion rules allow only LMFTs who graduated from programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) to advance into supervisory roles. Nationwide, nearly 30 percent of LMFTs did not graduate from COAMFTE programs. In states like New York, Florida, and Ohio, that number approaches 40 percent. In California, it reaches 95 percent.

These therapists are fully licensed and recognized by private insurance, TRICARE, and some state Medicaid programs. But within the VA system, they face a career ceiling they cannot overcome because this credential cannot be obtained retroactively. As a result, many qualified therapists leave the VA workforce or never apply, shrinking the pool of providers at a time when demand for veterans’ mental health services continues to grow.

The VA Marriage and Family Therapists Equity Act (H.R. 658) eliminates this restriction, helping VA recruit and retain highly qualified therapists and ensuring veterans and their families have greater access to the care they need.

H.R. 658 passed the House by voice vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Issues: 119th Congress, Healthcare, Veterans’ Affairs

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) announced the approval of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding for over 40 projects in Louisiana’s 3rd District, totaling $326,131,765.68. The reimbursements to local government and non-profit entities add to the over $5 billion in previously announced recovery funds and cover damages incurred due to the impact of Hurricanes Laura, Zeta, Ida, and Francine. 

Rep. Higgins said, “I appreciate Secretary Noem’s assistance in signing off on these reimbursements that will provide federal support to storm-ravaged areas of Louisiana. My office will continue to work with her to improve the disaster recovery process and deliver necessary resources.”

Much of our official Congressional work to advance recovery projects occurs behind the scenes. Funding finalization and the associated formal announcement of funding are the result of constant efforts over many months with FEMA and state and local stakeholders. All funding will be delivered to the State of Louisiana. The state is responsible for disbursing the funds to each sub-recipient.

Below is a list of projects for parishes in Louisiana’s 3rd District: 
 
Acadia Parish: 

• $2,869,533.03 for the Acadia Parish Police Jury for debris removal operations. 

Calcasieu Parish: 

• $2,859.945.60 for McNeese State University to repair the Cowboy Stadium Press Box.
• $4,775,786.68 for the Old Emmanuel Baptist Church in Lake Charles for permanent repairs.
• $2,542,987.01 for Greater St. Mary Missionary Church for permanent repair work. 
• $3,437,165.70 for the Port of Lake Charles for permanent repairs to the City Docks loading equipment. 
• $7,831,241.54 to the State’s Office of Risk Management for permanent repairs to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Department of Public Safety, Imperial Calcasieu Human Service Authority, and SOWELA facilities.
• $1,490,410.62 for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury for permanent work on Prien Lake Park. 
• $2,950,553.61 for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury for permanent repairs to the parish government building. 
• $1,919,734.49 for the Calcasieu Parish Recreational District Number 1 for building replacement of the Rigmaiden Gymnasium in Westlake. 
• $1,582,781.61 for the City of Lake Charles for permanent repairs to the city’s parking structure. 
• $6,794,425.08 for the Diocese of Lake Charles for permanent repairs to Our Lady Queen of Heaven’s Family Life and Aquatic Center building. 

Cameron Parish: 

• $1,042,699.19 for Cameron Parish to mitigate flooding and repair drainage structures in Drainage District 3.  
• $7,831,241.54 for Cameron Parish for building replacement at the South Cameron Memorial Hospital.
• $7,241,015.59 for the Rockefeller Refuge to make permanent repairs to roads and bridges

Jeff Davis Parish:

• $1,074,273.21 to the Diocese of Lake Charles for permanent repairs to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Jennings.

Terrebonne Parish: 

• $6,882.941.70 for Terrebonne Parish Recreation District #7 for building replacement at the Little Caillou Gym. 
• $9,318,660 for the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District for permanent work on the Bubba Dove Floodgate on the Houma Navigation Canal.
• $1,944,582.30 for the Terrebonne Parish District Attorney’s Office for permanent repairs to the police dispatch center building. 
• $3,630,671.10 for the Terrebonne Parish District Attorney’s Office for permanent repairs to the old newspaper building. 
• $16,372,172.51 for the Terrebonne Parish School Board for permanent repairs to the Lacache Middle School buildings. 
• $9,205,679.25 for the Terrebonne Parish School Board for permanent repairs to facilities across the school district. 
• $2,049,889.12 for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for repair and replacement of facilities at Vandebilt Catholic High School. 
• $1,676,710.11 for the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District for debris removal operations.
• $1,082,926.03 for the State’s Office of Risk Management for permanent repairs to Nicholls State University buildings. 
• $3,282,063.98 for the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District for permanent repairs to the Reach J-2 Levee.
• $1,069.255.50 for the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District for permanent repairs to the Reach J-3 Levee.
• $1,222,737.87 for the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District for permanent repairs to the Reach L Levee. 
• $2,123,724.75 for Terrebonne Parish for permanent repairs to the South Plant Oxidation Pond Cell #2 wastewater facility. 

Lafourche Parish: 

• $1,088,274.99 for the Lafourche Parish Hospital Service District #1 for permanent work on facilities. 
• $1,721,988.00 for the Lafourche Parish School Board for permanent repairs to the South Lafourche Parish High School ROTC building.
• $75,714,165.00 for the State’s Office of Risk Management for permanent work on the CPRA, West Belle Pass Barrier Headland Restoration Project within the Terrebonne Basin barrier island system.
• $1,634,885.33 for the Thibodaux Regional Health System for emergency protective measures. 
• $1,581,338.40 to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for permanent repairs to St. Mary Nativity Church in Raceland.

St. Mary Parish: 

• $1,173,603.00 to Morgan City for permanent repairs to electrical substations. 
• $1,018,322.78 for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for emergency protective measures at the Central Catholic School Campus. 

Multi-Parish Electric Cooperatives: 

• $19,306,440.97 for the Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative Inc. to reimburse emergency generator usage. 
• $7,068,244.03 for the Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative Inc. for permanent repairs to utility infrastructure.
• $30,382,233.30 for the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association for permanent repairs to the transmission system from West Houma to Matherne, Louisiana.
• $37,519,274.70 for the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association for permanent repairs to power distribution lines. 
• $10,082,840.82 for the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association for permanent repairs to utility infrastructure. 
• $16,002,545.25 for the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association for permanent repairs to the Lake Line electrical utility section. 
• $11,871,458.10 for the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association for permanent repairs to power distribution lines.

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement regarding the recent federal and local law enforcement action in Las Vegas involving a suspected biological laboratory and ongoing concerns about illegal lab operations:“The announcement of the recent federal and local law enforcement raid in Las Vegas doesn’t come as a surprise. I’ve been ringing the alarm since 2023, when my constituents experienced a similar threat from an illegal Chinese lab operating in Reedley, California, storing dangerous pathogens and exposing serious gaps in federal oversight.That is why I led bipartisan legislation through H.R. 5747, the Preventing Illegal Laboratories and Protecting Public Health Act, which strengthens federal oversight of high-containment labs and provides authorities with the tools to identify and shut down illegal operations, and H.R. 3099, the STOP Health Threats Act, which equips local first responders and law enforcement with training and resources to better recognize and respond to serious public health threats.As this threat persists, I’m continuing to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to address these risks, and I urge Congress to pass my legislation to protect our communities and safeguard public health.”