MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Our constituents are already facing a healthcare affordability crisis, higher prices due to tariffs and economic uncertainty, and a higher net tax burden due to the Republican Big Ugly Law. We urge you to abandon unilateral changes to Social Security disability eligibility and refocus your attention on ensuring that all Americans can access their earned benefits.”

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

Laredo, TX – Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) released a new update showing that Texas’ 28th Congressional District is a powerhouse in clean energy production – pairing renewable power with traditional oil and gas to lower energy costs for families and strengthen the local economy. As a base for economic growth, the district ranks among the top in Texas for new energy projects, with Webb and Starr Counties leading the way in generation and development.

“I’ve always said that South Texas doesn’t have to choose between oil and gas and clean energy,” said Congressman Cuellar. “We can do both – and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Our district is producing more energy, creating more jobs, and generating more local tax revenue than ever before. This growth keeps costs down for every household in South Texas while ensuring reliable power for years to come.”

He continued, “When I talk with families in places like Laredo, Zapata, or Rio Grande City, I hear the same thing: people just want steady work, affordable energy, and a better future for their kids. That’s what these projects bring — not slogans, but results. They mean paychecks, progress, and pride for our communities.”

Powering Local Communities

Texas’ 28th District is home to 30 active clean energy projects, generating 3,548 megawatts (MW) of power across six counties — with 18 more projects planned that will add another 3,062 MW of new capacity in the coming years.

County Highlights:

• Webb County: Over 1,800 MW of solar and wind power

• Starr County: Over 1,000 MW of solar and wind power

• Zapata County: Over 400 MW of solar and wind power

• Bexar County: Over 100 MW of solar and wind power

• Jim Hogg County: 78 MW of wind power

• Guadalupe County: 4.9 MW of solar power
  Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA 860M)

Investing in Reliability and Jobs

Construction is underway on new battery storage projects in Bexar, Webb, Atascosa, Guadalupe, Jim Hogg, and Zapata Counties, which will hold up to 2,375 MW of stored energy to make the grid more reliable. In addition, new solar farms in Atascosa, Webb, and Zapata Counties will soon bring another 686 MW of clean power online.

“These projects mean more than numbers on a page,” Cuellar said. “They mean a young technician in Jim Hogg County can build a career close to home. They mean that a small business owner in Zapata can keep her lights on when the grid is stressed. They mean that South Texas — our workers, our families, our values — are shaping the future of American energy.”

He added, “We’re proving that economic growth and environmental responsibility don’t have to be at odds. We’re showing the country that if you believe in hard work, innovation, and community — you can build something that lasts.”

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Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. He previously served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — On Day 19 of the Democrat Shutdown, Speaker Johnson joined Jon Karl on ABC News’ This Week and Peter Doocy on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing to discuss the stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats and the ongoing “split screen” between the two parties.

“Think of the split screen. What’s happening right now? President Trump and Republicans reduced taxes, reduced regulations to get the economy going again, ended the crime crisis, ended the border crisis. He’s resolving wars and conflicts around the globe,” Speaker Johnson said. “What have Democrats done? They shut the government down.”

Watch Speaker Johnson on ABC News here, on Fox News here. 

On Congressional Democrats dragging the government shutdown into a fourth week:                                                                                     

I will tell you that the President takes no pleasure in this. I know this, Peter, because when we were in the Oval Office before the shutdown began in mid-September, he pleaded with Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries not to go down this road because he knew that that good, faithful, hardworking American citizens would suffer great harm because of this. And you see that. You know, the paychecks for troops, while we got it done middle of this month because of the President’s heroic efforts, that is not guaranteed going forward. He found a temporary pot of money to pay the troops, but it’s going to run out. And you have border patrol and TSA agents and air traffic controllers and all the rest, veteran services, health services, nutrition services to mothers and infants. The Democrats have now voted 11 times to block all of that, to shut down the government, and they have no good reason for doing so. Chuck Schumer’s doing it for political cover. President Trump is governing, and they’ve been dealt this situation, dealt this hand by Chuck Schumer, and they have to make the most of it. They have to triage federal spending because Schumer and the Democrats turned off the revenue streams. That’s just a reality of where we are.

I sent them a totally clean CR. It had zero Republican policy priorities attached to it. It’s merely maintaining the status quo, keeping the lights on so that we can continue all our work and get government appropriations finished up. They denied that and they’ve now voted 11 times to block paychecks for troops. And what they filed as the counter proposal, let’s never forget, is absolute madness. They want to spend instead $1.5 trillion. They want to give healthcare back to illegal aliens, paid for by taxpayer dollars to at tune of about $200 billion. They want to claw back the money that we set aside for rural hospitals, and they want to spend on all sorts of wasteful nonsense around the globe. They want all that to come back. We can’t do it. They know we’re not going to do that. And it’s not a good faith effort on their part.

On the irony of Democrats embracing the “No Kings” protest:

We congratulate them on an apparently violent-free, free speech exercise. I was a first amendment lawyer for 20 years. We defend that right. But the irony of the message is pretty clear for everyone. If President Trump was a king, the government would be open right now. If President Trump was a king, they would not have been able to engage in that free speech exercise out on the mall, by the way, which was open because President Trump hasn’t closed it. In the 2013 shutdown, President Obama closed the National Mall. He closed all the national parks, didn’t allow people to engage in all this. They needed a stunt. They needed a show. Chuck Schumer needs cover right now. He’s closed the government down because he needs political cover. And this was a part of it. 

On the relationship between Congress and the White House:

We have unified government. The American people put Republicans in charge of the White House, the Senate, and the House, and we are delivering for the people. You can make an argument, the first nine months of this Congress and this administration were the most successful, most productive in history. Think of the split screen. What’s happening right now? President Trump and Republicans reduced taxes, reduced regulations to get the economy going again. Ended the crime crisis, ending the border crisis. He’s resolving wars and conflicts around the globe. What have Democrats done? They shut the government down.

Congress is more than a check on the executive branch. We’re the Article I body in the Constitution. We have a preeminent responsibility, and I take that seriously. I’m a lifelong constitutional attorney and somebody who’s been a jealous advocate of it. The President and I talk all the time about policies and decisions and all of that. We do that behind closed doors, because that’s what party leaders do when you’re in the same party. It’s called unified government. The reason we’ve been so productive is because we do that so well and we’re delivering for the American people. 

On the Democrat Shutdown blocking further work on bipartisan appropriations:

The House has already passed the 12 appropriations bills through committee. They don’t need a committee hearing to do that. We need to get them off the floor. But it’s been stopped by the Democrats in the Senate. And why? Because Chuck Schumer is afraid that one of these Marxists is going to run against him in his next reelection, and he has to get political cover. When he did the right thing in March, and he voted for the nearly identical CR, he took massive heat from the far left. Many of the groups that were out there protesting yesterday, he can’t face them again. 

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC’s This Week, where he highlighted how Democrats remain committed to reaching a spending agreement that actually improves the quality of life of the American people, while Republicans are focused on stunts and extending their taxpayer-funded vacations.

JONATHAN KARL: I am joined now by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, thank you for joining us this morning. And I want to start right with what we heard from Senator Thune. He has offered Democrats, to Democratic Leader Schumer, that they would have a vote on extending those Obamacare subsidies and negotiations if they agree to open the government. Is that something that Senator Schumer should accept?

LEADER JEFFRIES: I think what we need is decisive action. We have repeatedly made clear—Leader Schumer, myself, Democrats in the House and the Senate—that we want to sit down, find a bipartisan path forward to enacting a spending agreement that actually makes life better for the American people, as opposed to gutting the healthcare of everyday Americans. We need to reopen the government, stand by our hardworking federal civil servants, but we also, of course, have to decisively address the healthcare crisis that Republicans have visited upon the American people. We’re talking about the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all across America because of what Republicans have done with their One Big Ugly Bill. And now they refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, and tens of millions of Americans, as a result, are about to experience dramatically increased premiums, co-pays and deductibles that will either bankrupt them or prevent them from having the ability to go see a doctor when they need one.

JONATHAN KARL: But what Senator Thune is offering there is to have a vote on a Democratic or bipartisan plan to extend those—those subsidies so people’s premiums don’t go up, as they will now, dramatically in January, if the Democrats simply agree to vote to have that temporary funding extension. Is that something you would be willing to agree with? You get your vote on healthcare, but you also reopen the government.

LEADER JEFFRIES: I think what we’ve said is that we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill, which is the bill that they continue to bring before the Senate and that emerged from the House, if that bill guts the healthcare of the American people. And that’s the reality. Now listen, there have been votes on the Affordable Care Act tax credits in both the House and the Senate throughout the year, and Republicans have repeatedly voted against extending those tax credits because they care more about George Santos and freeing him than they do about providing healthcare to everyday Americans. That’s the unfortunate reality that we confront. That’s why we need a change in position to actually decisively address the healthcare crisis that’s impacting the American people, and at the same time, by the way, deal with the cost-of-living crisis that Donald Trump and his policies have made worse. These people promised to lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down. They’re going up. Inflation is going up. The Trump tariffs are costing everyday Americans thousands of dollars more in expense per year. And now, because of their refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, people are confronting premiums that will double, triple or in some cases quadruple in amount.

JONATHAN KARL: So President Trump, by the way, was asked about the healthcare issue, and I want to play what he said. Take a listen to this.

VIDEO OF KAITLAN COLLINS: Would you make a deal with them on the ACA subsidies?

VIDEO OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: If we made the right deal, I’d make a deal.

JONATHAN KARL: So, I mean, that’s what he said. The President said he would make a deal, you know, reopening the government for something on the Obamacare or American—the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Have you tried to call President Trump directly on this? I do know he picks up that phone pretty regularly. Have you tried to call him directly?

LEADER JEFFRIES: We have repeatedly and publicly and privately made clear to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle that we will sit down with them anytime, anyplace, with anyone, either at the Capitol or back at the Oval Office, to reopen the government, find a bipartisan path toward enacting a spending agreement that actually improves the quality of life of the American people while at the same time decisively addressing the Republican healthcare crisis that’s devastating people throughout the country. Working-class America, rural America, urban America, small-town America, the heartland of America and, of course, Black and brown communities throughout America. But we haven’t heard anything from Donald Trump or the Republicans over the last few weeks. They have gone radio silent since the Oval Office meeting. In fact, we know Donald Trump has spent more time on the golf course over the last few weeks during this painful government shutdown than he has speaking to Democrats on Capitol Hill to try to find a bipartisan resolution. And, as you pointed out earlier with Speaker Johnson, House Republicans are now heading into their fourth week of vacation. They continue to cancel votes. They have no interest in doing the business of the American people, and that’s unfortunate.

JONATHAN KARL: I want to also ask you, obviously, we’re getting closer to that New York mayor’s race. You still haven’t endorsed Zohran Mamdani, have you?

LEADER JEFFRIES: I have not.

JONATHAN KARL: And why is that?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, as I’ve indicated, I expect to have a conversation with him at some point this week in advance of early voting, which begins next weekend in New York City and will certainly have more to say about the mayor’s race and about our Democratic nominee prior to early voting beginning.

JONATHAN KARL: What is it, though, that has held you back? I mean, usually—this is somebody that won a Democratic primary—you know, we usually wouldn’t be that much of a question whether or not, you know, a Congressman from the City of New York, the Democratic Leader, would endorse him. What’s giving you pause?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’ve had very good conversations over the last few months in advance of the government shutting down that were forward-looking, that were community-based, that were focused on, in particular, his efforts to make New York City more affordable. That’s the right issue to focus on. It’s why he decisively won the primary, and I look forward to continuing that conversation next week.

JONATHAN KARL: All right, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for joining us this morning. Really appreciate your time.

Full interview can be watched here.

###

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CBS Miami’s Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede, where he reiterated that Democrats will continue to fight to protect the American people from the healthcare crisis Republicans have created and to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that millions of Floridians and people across the country depend on.

JIM DeFEDE: Florida is a red state, but Jeffries is willing to take the fight over the shutdown to South Florida because South Florida is ground zero in this battle. We spoke early Thursday evening.

LEADER JEFFRIES: There are hundreds of thousands of people in South Florida who are at risk of seeing their premiums, copays and deductibles skyrocket by thousands of dollars a year in ways that will make it unaffordable for them to be able to go see a doctor if the Affordable Care Act tax credits are allowed to expire. Unfortunately, Republicans like Representative Gimenez, Representative Salazar and Representative Diaz-Balart refuse to sit down to negotiate an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. And they have no interest in addressing the healthcare crisis that they’ve created. We are ready, willing and able to sit down in a bipartisan way to reopen the government, to enact a spending agreement that makes life better for the people of Florida and beyond, but that also deals with this healthcare crisis that is central to the quality of life of the American people in an environment where the cost of living in Florida and throughout America is already too high. Grocery prices are too high. Electricity bills are skyrocketing. Housing costs are too high. The cost of insurance is unaffordable generally. And now the availability of healthcare is at risk because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

JIM DeFEDE: Well, the Republicans would argue that they’re willing to have a negotiation, but only after the government is reopened. So it becomes almost a chicken and egg issue here. You know, Democrats say they want the negotiations to take place now during the shutdown. Republicans are arguing that they are happy to have negotiations on extending those tax credits, those tax benefits for the ACA, the subsidies, but only after the government is reopened. And why not reopen the government if basically the Obamacare subsidies don’t expire until the end of the year?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Open Enrollment starts on November 1st. And right now, people throughout the state of Florida and across the country are going to begin to receive notices from their health insurance companies indicating that their premiums are about to skyrocket by thousands of dollars per year. That’s unacceptable. And it’s a crisis that Republicans have caused, and it needs to be addressed right now. We want to do it in a bipartisan way. We want to open up the government immediately. Unfortunately, House Republicans have literally been on vacation for the last three weeks. They canceled votes two weeks ago, canceled votes last week and canceled votes this week. In fact, since the end of July, House Republicans has worked only 15 days during the last several months, uninterested in doing the business of the people of the great state of Florida and everyday Americans all throughout the country. We can reopen the government, but we need Republicans to get back into town to do their jobs, as opposed to refusing to even show up for work at the same time when they’ve shut the government down, furloughed federal employees or are forcing our law enforcement officials and others to work without pay.

JIM DeFEDE: Representative Diaz-Balart makes the argument that these subsidies, these increased subsidies for Obamacare during the pandemic were always intended to be temporary. And that he says, and I’ll read a quote to you from him, ‘what it does prove is that Obamacare that was supposed to lower rates, keep rates really, really low and make it accessible to anybody and everybody was an absolute lie and a sad joke on the American people.’ He’s arguing that if these rates are going to dramatically increase without the extension of the subsidies, that the problem was, the underlying problem is Obamacare itself, not the disposition of the subsidies.

LEADER JEFFRIES: The healthcare system in this country needs to be dramatically improved. The problem is Republicans have shown no interest in making those improvements. Instead, they continue to attack the healthcare of the American people. Largest cut to Medicaid in American history. They are possibly triggering a $536 billion cut to Medicare if Congress doesn’t act at the end of the year because of what Republicans just did, like Representative Diaz-Balart, Representative Gimenez and Representative Salazar, in voting for the One Big Ugly Bill. Of course, hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all across the country. And they are now refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. So this is an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people that of course requires decisive action. Republicans have tried to repeal the Affordable care Act now more than 70 different times over the last 15 years. That’s extraordinary. And they have no credibility when it comes to addressing the healthcare of the American people yet and still, we want to sit down with my Republican colleagues when they return to work to negotiate a bipartisan path forward toward reopening the government, enacting an enlightened spending agreement and addressing the healthcare crisis that Republicans have created.

JIM DeFEDE: How confident are you that Democrats will remain united, particularly in the Senate? Democrats have seen a history of this where the tough talk slowly fades and then suddenly some Democratic Senators get a little weak-kneed and suddenly the entire thing collapsed. Why should Democrats believe that this is going to be any different?

LEADER JEFFRIES: House and Senate Democrats have been strongly united over the last several weeks, and in fact, over the several months, in standing up to lower the high cost of living for the American people, fixing our broken healthcare system and we also, of course, know that we’ve got to clean up corruption in Washington, D.C. I met earlier with Leader Chuck Schumer, thanked him and Senate Democrats for continuing to stand strong in their defense of the quality of life of the American people. And that’s what’s driving us right now. That’s what unifies us because this is a fight on behalf of working-class Americans, middle-class Americans, older Americans and everyday Americans.

[…]

JIM DeFEDE: I ask, of all the issues Democrats could have decided to fight over, the mass firings, the use of federal troops in cities, the alleged abuses by ICE, why draw the line on healthcare?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s important for us to push back on a whole range of issues, including the Trump tariffs, which are increasing the cost of living for people all across the country by thousands of dollars per year. And, of course, the fact that Donald Trump and his administration have unleashed extremism on law-abiding immigrant communities in ways that are breaking up families and in some cases, targeting young children who are American citizens. That’s completely and totally unacceptable. And I know the pain of that extremism is being felt by so many families down in South Florida and that is extraordinary and is something that cannot be allowed to stand. At the same period of time, the healthcare crisis is ever-present. It’s overwhelming the American people. And dealing with the expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits has to be addressed with the fierce urgency of now, which is why we have raised the issue as something that requires immediate action.

JIM DeFEDE: I did want to raise one other issue with you as it’s a critical issue. It’s sort of local for us, even though it’s an international issue, dealing with Venezuela. We see the President’s aggressive actions in terms of striking boats off the coast of Venezuela. We now learn that he’s also authorized lethal force by the CIA inside of Venezuela. How do you view this right now and what role is Congress supposed to be playing in terms of being briefed? I know you’re part of the Gang of Eight, so you should be receiving those briefings. I don’t know if you are, but where do—give me your overall impression of what’s happening right now between the United States and Venezuela?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s incredibly important that Donald Trump brief Members of Congress so that we can stay in close touch with the people across America that we’re privileged to represent. That is the role of the United States Congress. And unfortunately, what we’ve seen from Donald Trump and his administration continues to be a go-it-alone, my-way-or-the-highway approach. We have called for the administration to brief the Congress immediately. It’s my expectation that that should happen sooner rather than later, so that we can be fully informed about Donald Trump’s intentions, what he’s been doing. Are these legitimate targets, or is he potentially driving us into a war that I’m convinced most Americans do not want to see happen?

JIM DeFEDE: Mr. Leader, I appreciate your time and I don’t mean to catch you off guard, but literally while we were sitting here talking, it appears that John Bolton has been indicted by a grand jury. I realize you don’t know the facts surrounding that case, but this is now the third indictment against perceived enemies of the President. Do you have a general reaction that you want to share?

LEADER JEFFRIES: There are many people who live in South Florida now, enjoying the freedom of the United States of America, who know what it is to deal with a government that turns against its own people and unleashes extremism and authoritarianism. And it’s unfortunate that what we’ve seen is the weaponization of the Department of Justice by Donald Trump and his administration against people who are perceived to be adversaries of his. And that is unpatriotic, unacceptable and un-American.

Full interview can be watched here.

###

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s Velshi, where he highlighted that Democrats will continue to stand up for the healthcare of the American people and support everyday Americans in our continued fight against the extremism being unleashed by the Trump administration.

ALI VELSHI: Joining me now is the New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, he’s the Democratic Minority Leader in the House of Representatives. Leader Jeffries, good morning to you. Thank you for being with us. It’s 10:30 in the East. 7:30 in West. There is still time for people to get out and participate in what may be one of the biggest political rallies in American history. It’s not just Democrats. It’s everybody who’s concerned about democracy. I just want to play for you what, I know you’ve heard this already, what Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, had to say about the Democratic Party in this context.

RECORDING OF KAROLINE LEAVITT: The Democrat Party’s main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals. That is who the Democrat Party is catering to. Not the Trump administration and not the White House and the Republican Party, who is standing up for law-abiding Americans not just across the country, but around world.

ALI VELSHI: Your take on that.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the so-called White House Press Secretary is an unhinged disgrace. If she’s opening her mouth, it means that she’s lying. And clearly, we’ve seen that in this context. The protests that are going to take place today, the peaceful expression of dissent is entirely consistent with the American way. In fact, it’s as American as motherhood, baseball and apple pie. It’s what the framers of this Constitution envisioned. You know, in this country, when the people fear the government, there is tyranny. But when the government fears the people, there is liberty. And it’s important for everyday Americans of every political persuasion to continue to express peaceful dissent with the out-of-control policies of the Trump administration and the fact that Republicans continue to unleash extremism on the country in ways that are deeply harmful.

ALI VELSHI: The Republicans have been pretty effective in their message discipline, where they decided to call this the Hate America Rally, Pro-Hamas, Antifa and Marxist and whatever else they’ve been using. What’s your message to people about what these demonstrations should be?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Donald Trump and Republicans have unleashed this unprecedented extremism on the American people from the very beginning of the time in office that he’s had. We’re talking about an assault on the economy, an assault on healthcare, an assault on law-abiding immigrant families, an assault on the rule of law, an assault on the American way of life and an assault, of course, on democracy itself. And so, the American people understandably have decided to express, in a way consistent with what patriotism means, dissent with these policies that actually aren’t helping everyday Americans. They are designed to help Republican billionaire donors. That’s what we saw with the One Big Ugly Bill. And now, of course, as we are in day 18 of the Trump-Republican shutdown, Republicans have shown zero interest in reopening the government and zero interest in actually extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which is going to result in tens of millions of people experiencing dramatically increased healthcare premiums, copays and deductibles. It’s all consistent with the Trump administration that continues to hurt the American people and unleash cruelty, which apparently is the point of them being in office.

ALI VELSHI: Except a whole bunch of people with whom you don’t normally agree, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, are saying that the phone calls that are coming into their offices are about healthcare costs rising and healthcare premiums rising. This is, in theory, going to hurt a whole lot of people in Donald Trump’s base.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Without question. In fact, I think the five states that rely the most on the Affordable Care Act tax credits are all states that Donald Trump won. We’re talking about West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Tennessee and Mississippi. 45% of the people who benefit from Affordable Care Act tax credits are Republicans, 35% are Democrats and the rest are Independents. So this is an American issue. And the assault on healthcare that has been unleashed on the American people hurts everybody. People in rural America, urban America, small-town America, the heartland of America, working-class America and, of course, Black and brown communities all across America. So, what Democrats are fighting for is to stand up for Medicaid, stand up for Medicare, for the Affordable Care Act, stand up to push back against this effort to close our hospitals, our nursing homes and our community-based health clinics. We’re standing up for the principle that in America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, access to high-quality healthcare shouldn’t simply be a privilege just available for the wealthy and the well-off. It should be a right available to all Americans.

ALI VELSHI: Leader Jeffries, Adelita Grijalva is becoming famous. She was elected into a seat that was held by her father in Arizona 24, 25 days ago. She hasn’t been sworn in. There’s a whole lot of gaslighting going on about why she hasn’t been sworn in. Let’s listen to some of it from House Speaker Mike Johnson.

RECORDING OF SPEAKER JOHNSON: I thought Hakeem was a better attorney than that. It’s a publicity stunt by a Democrat Attorney General in Arizona who sees a national moment and wants to call me out. She has nothing whatsoever to do with what’s happening in Congress. I would say to Rep. Grijalva, if her Democrat colleagues in leadership have not informed her, you can be serving your constituents right now. You have an office. She’s hired 16 employees.

ALI VELSHI: That’s a little bit of gaslighting. She is in office, she has hired employees, but she’s not been sworn in as a Member of Congress. And there’s no prohibition in a shutdown about her not being sworn in.

LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s absolutely no prohibition. She should have been sworn in weeks ago. The fact that she hasn’t been sworn is a big tell. Mike Johnson and the Republicans clearly are trying to hide the Epstein files from the American people because they’ve been ordered to do so by their boss Donald Trump. And the challenge is, they don’t want to swear in someone like Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, who understands that as Members of Congress, we don’t work for Donald Trump. We don’t for JD Vance. We don’t work for their billionaire donors. We work for the American people.

ALI VELSHI: Leader Jeffries, good to see you. Thank you for joining us this morning.

Full interview can be watched here.

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced a resolution condemning the United Nations (UN) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) for proposing a global tax on shipping emissions. The UN-backed “Net-Zero Framework” under consideration by the IMO would impose a global tax or levy on maritime shipping emissions and funnel the proceeds into a centralized international fund. This proposal would undermine American sovereignty, raise costs on U.S. consumers, and empower unaccountable international bureaucrats to dictate American trade policy.

Congressman Biggs’s resolution:

• Condemns the proposed global carbon tax as illegitimate and harmful to national sovereignty;
• Opposes any international attempts to impose global taxes, tariffs, or levies on U.S. companies or consumers;
• Calls on the President to direct U.S. representatives at the IMO to vote against and oppose any such tax;
• Affirms that no American-flagged vessel or company may be taxed by an international body without congressional consent;
• Urges reciprocal U.S. action, including tariffs or restrictions, against nations that enforce or benefit from such a tax; and
• Reaffirms America’s commitment to free enterprise, energy independence, and the protection of U.S. industries from global overreach.

“The corrupt, globalist United Nations has no authority to tax the American people or our industries,” said Congressman Biggs.

“This proposal is an outrageous attempt by unelected elites to impose economic burdens on sovereign nations under the guise of climate policy. President Trump’s America First policies put the prosperity and independence of our nation above globalist agendas, and Congress must make clear that the United States will never surrender its sovereignty to unelected multinational institutions. We will always defend our right to self-governance.”

Cosponsors of the resolution include: Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) and Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX).

Breitbart covered the resolution here.

The resolution may be read here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her Department of Justice to resolve a 2013 lawsuit that has resulted in more than a decade of federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). This government overreach has cost Arizona taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and continues despite near-total compliance with the original court order.

In 2013, a federal court placed MCSO under a court-ordered monitor to oversee policing reforms. Since then, three sheriffs have implemented policy changes, training, and reporting requirements to meet federal standards. Even with near-total compliance, the federal monitor has piled on new demands that go far beyond the original ruling.

Taxpayers have been saddled with nearly $350 million in costs, including more than $34 million paid directly to the DOJ-appointed monitor and his firm. This continued federal intervention has worsened deputy attrition and recruitment challenges, straining MCSO’s ability to keep Maricopa County safe.

“For over a decade, a costly federal monitor has hamstrung the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office through administrative overreach and constant federal interference,” said Congressman Biggs.

“MCSO has worked tirelessly to comply with the court-ordered reforms, and it’s clear that the original goals of the oversight have been met. The continued monitoring, along with the growing costs associated with it, serves no legitimate purpose for the people of Maricopa County.

“I urge AG Bondi to bring this matter to a close and allow local law enforcement to move forward without unnecessary federal involvement.”

Maricopa County Supervisor Mark Stewart expressed his views on the federal oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, stating: “It’s time we wrap up this decade-long oversight. I want to thank Judge Snow for his invaluable guidance and hopefully for ending this costly oversight. The dedicated men and women of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deserve to be recognized as the top-tier law enforcement organization they are. Taxpayers rightly expect their hard-earned dollars to go toward keeping our communities safe and investing in law enforcement.”

“Maricopa County’s been under a court monitor for more than ten years—it’s not making anyone safer, it’s just wasting money and time. The Sheriff’s Office is doing the job right, but the goal posts keep moving and the scope keeps expanding—it’s totally unfair, and it’s time to end it once and for all,” said Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko.

“The people of Maricopa County deserve results, not endless federal micromanagement that drains taxpayer dollars,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Over $350 million has been spent on court-ordered oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, with little to show for it except bureaucracy and frustration. That money could have gone toward putting more deputies on the street and strengthening public safety in our neighborhoods. I applaud Congressman Andy Biggs for leading this fight in Washington and standing up for local control and fiscal responsibility.”

Congressman Biggs’s letter may be read here.

The Post Millennial covered the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

This week, Congressman Andy Biggs led a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urging him to reaffirm Arizona as the site of the co-located National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Prototyping and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility. 

Arizona was selected for this cutting-edge facility in January, confirming Arizona’s leadership in semiconductor development and manufacturing. The facility would be located at the Arizona State University (ASU) Research Park, creating a partnership where ASU’s robust research programs would jumpstart development. In August, Commerce announced that National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would take over management of NSTC and delayed advancement of the facility in Arizona.

“Arizona is the ideal choice for the co-located prototyping and packaging facility. We have the fastest growing semiconductor ecosystem in the country and can support every aspect, from research to manufacturing, packaging, and workforce development. There have been billions of dollars of private investment put into the industry in Arizona, presenting a unique opportunity to leverage that investment and secure our nation’s semiconductor future. Arizona is committed to building this critical supply chain. I look forward to NSTC’s affirmation of Arizona as the home for the pilot facility,” said Congressman Biggs.

“Arizona State University has the resources and has done the groundwork to support this national lab which will be a critical piece of the semiconductor supply chain that serves the nation with research and development, manufacturing and workforce development,” said ASU President Michael Crow. “This work is essential to U.S. economic stability, defense security, and it begins with building new expanded national hubs for advanced training and technology development.”

Congressmen Eli Crane (AZ-02), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), and Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) also signed the letter.

The full letter may be read here.