MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) issued the following statement on the second anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel:

“As the Jewish community gathers around the world to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, we pause to remember the nearly 1,200 Israelis who were killed two years ago today when the terrorist group Hamas launched its savage attack.

“Hamas also captured 254 people that day, including twelve Americans.  Of these twelve, four were murdered by Hamas, four were released last November, and four remain in captivity in Gaza.

“A glimmer of hope now exists that all hostages taken by Hamas, living and dead, will be released and an end to this devastating war will be negotiated.  On this solemn anniversary, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to bring about not a temporary but an enduring peace in the Holy Land.  America stands ready to help both the Israelis and the Palestinians build a future together based on shared values of security, economic opportunity, freedom, and mutual respect.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

With open enrollment weeks away and premiums set to spike, Pappas joined his colleagues to urge immediate action to protect millions of Americans from losing health coverage

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined his colleagues to urge Speaker Johnson to bring Republican lawmakers back to work in D.C. to pass a bill that ensures troops are paid by the upcoming October 15 deadline.

“If Congress does not act by October 15th, nearly three million military families will miss their next paycheck. That’s unacceptable — our military families and troops deserve better,” wrote the lawmakers.

Lawmakers also highlighted past bipartisan efforts to pay our Armed Forces during a shutdown, writing, “Those who dedicate their lives to serving our country should never have to worry whether they will receive a paycheck, even during a government shutdown. During the 2013 government shutdown, Congress successfully passed the Pay Our Military Act, a similar bill which provided pay for members of the Armed Forces during a government shutdown. There is precedent for bringing legislation to pay our troops up for a vote during a shutdown and a record that shows Congress can come together for the benefit of our service members even while disagreeing on other matters.”

“This is a moment not only to support our troops, but also to show the American people and the world that our service members and our national security are above politics and the bedrock of our nation,” the lawmakers concluded. “We urge you to support America’s military members and bring legislation to ensure that there is no disruption in troop pay during this shutdown to the House Floor for a vote immediately.”

Earlier this year Pappas helped reintroduce the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026. This bipartisan legislation ensures that members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those serving in the Coast Guard, continue to receive pay and benefits in the event of a government shutdown.

Full text of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) and Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06) and 162 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright condemning the termination of $8 billion of projects that were set to lower electricity costs for Americans and increase grid reliability. New Hampshire will lose more than $16 million in funding as a result of the cuts. The lawmakers demanded that DOE immediately reinstate the projects. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) also signed this letter.

“The projects that the Department of Energy (DOE) has unilaterally decided to cancel were driving down costs for all our constituents—regardless of their political affiliation,” the lawmakers wrote. “Household electric bills have already increased 10% nationally since January 2025 and are poised to spike even further. This Administration’s reckless energy policy and award terminations, designed to stifle the development of cheap, clean energy and prop up more expensive dirty energy, will only further increase the cost burden for families to keep the lights on.”

The letter can be found here.

Background:

On October 2nd, DOE announced it would terminate 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, in 136 Congressional districts, including 108 represented by Democrats and 28 represented by Republicans, accounting for approximately $8 billion. The terminated projects were intended to lower energy costs for consumers, improve grid reliability, create jobs, and strengthen the United States’ global leadership in energy innovation.

A recent report found that Americans in at least 41 states and Washington, D.C., have seen increased electricity and natural gas costs under the Trump Administration. The terminations are the latest action in the Trump Administration’s war on cheap energy.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Pappas’s legislation would protect New Hampshire families’ home energy and heating assistance during a government shutdown

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), co-chair of the Public Shipyard Caucus and representative for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee who served for more than a decade in the United States Navy Reserve, and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) introduced the Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act. This bipartisan legislation will ensure the workforce of our nation’s public shipyards is paid during government shutdowns. Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Congresswoman Emily Randall (D-WA), members who represent public shipyard workers, are cosponsors of this legislation.  

Read the full bill text here. 

“The men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and all our public shipyards are critical to our national defense. They work every day with skill and patriotism to support our military, and their ability to make ends meet shouldn’t hang in the balance due to political dysfunction in Washington,” said Congressman Pappas. “We’re introducing this bipartisan legislation to ensure shipyard workers are always paid on time for their work during a government shutdown.”

“The women and men of America’s public shipyards are mission-critical for our national security. These hardworking patriots have some of the toughest and most important jobs. They should never go a day without a paycheck they have earned,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “That’s why we are working to make our bipartisan bill that ensures our public shipyard workforce gets paid the law of the land.”

“The introduction of the Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act by Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander and Congressman Chris Pappas is a critical step toward protecting the men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and our nation’s other public shipyards. Every day, thousands of dedicated patriots keep lacing up their boots and coming to work to keep our submarine fleet mission-ready. That work does not stop during a shutdown, and neither should the paychecks that families depend on,” said Alana Schaeffer, President at Portsmouth Federal Employees Metal Trades Council. “For too long, shipyard workers have been forced to carry the burden of political stalemates in Washington – reporting for duty without pay, or being furloughed, both without access to their earned leave or the guarantee of a paycheck until a budget is passed and their back pay approved. This legislation acknowledges what we have always known: the work of our shipyard community is essential to both our local economy and our national security. I applaud Congresswoman Goodlander and Congressman Pappas for listening to the workforce, standing with us, and putting forward a commonsense solution that ensures stability for working families. I urge members of Congress from both parties to join them in supporting this vital legislation.”

Congressman Pappas is a founding member and co-chair of the bipartisan Public Shipyard Caucus and representative for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He leads the bipartisan Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act, which would exempt the workforces of America’s four public shipyards, which are responsible for repairing and retrofitting the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines, from recent hiring freezes and mass layoffs.

Background:

There are four public shipyards in the United States – Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY), Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF), and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY&IMF) – that are critical to our warfighting ability and national security. 

During a government shutdown, many of the civilian and military workforce at our shipyards are furloughed or asked to work without pay – including their base pay, basic housing allowance, or basic allowance for subsistence. These women and men are essential to our national security, and many already live paycheck to paycheck. 

During this government shutdown, all projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are continuing as scheduled. 280 employees at the shipyard were furloughed, while the rest of the 6,400-person workforce is deemed essential and is being asked to work without pay. 

This legislation would ensure that a lapse in government funding would not impact their ability to be paid or complete their essential mission.

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

Range of fees intentionally hidden from customers causing prices to skyrocket

Harder pushing FTC to crack down on price gouging 
 

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to crack down on online retailers charging hidden fees on everyday customers. The FTC currently bans these fees in live ticketing and short-term lodging, but still allows for companies like Grubhub, Doxo, Anthropologie, and more to charge service fees, return fees, and cost recovery charges. Harder sent a letter to FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson calling for an expanded rule that applies to more online retailers.

Hidden price-gouging couldn’t come at a worse time:

• Prices are up across the board, including by nearly 3% over the past year.

• Worse still, household incomes are struggling to keep up with rising costs, stretching families’ budgets even thinner.

• This all comes as corporate profits hit record highs earlier this year.

“Why does a $15 food order end up costing $30? Why is returning a t-shirt almost as expensive as buying it in the first place? Hidden fees are out of control, and it’s past time that we curbed this unacceptable price gouging,” said Rep. Harder. “I’m calling on the Federal Trade Commission to close this loophole and prevent companies from nickel-and-diming Valley families with bogus service fees, return fees, and cost recovery charges.”

In his letter, Harder called on the FTC to:

• Close the loophole by expanding existing rulemaking to include more online retailers, rather than the current narrow scope of live ticketing and short-term lodging.
• Prioritize transparency by making it easier for consumers to know what they’re paying for.
• Protect consumers from greedy companies that are trying to take advantage of rising costs.  

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