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Underwood Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Critical Infrastructure Security and Improve Local Emergency Preparedness

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

WASHINGTON – Rep. Lauren Underwood introduced the Resources for Emergency and Security Infrastructure Logistics In Every Neighborhood to Curb Extremism (RESILIENCE) Act of 2026, legislation to help communities better identify and address security risks facing critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure includes the networks and systems our communities rely on every day, such as hospitals, power grids, drinking water systems, transportation networks, communications systems, emergency services, and other essential facilities. These facilities face a range of evolving threats, including physical security threats, cyberattacks, and other vulnerabilities that can disrupt essential services and put communities at risk. 

“Keeping our communities safe means making sure the people responsible for protecting us have access to the resources, tools, and information that they need to do their jobs,” said Representative Lauren Underwood. “The RESILIENCE Act strengthens partnerships between the federal government and State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, expands access to security training and resources, and helps communities better prepare for evolving threats.”

The RESILIENCE Act directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish a pilot program to train State, local, Tribal, and territorial government officials to conduct security vulnerability and terrorism risk assessments of our critical infrastructure. By expanding access to this training, the bill helps communities identify potential security risks before they become emergencies and lowers costs for local taxpayers.

The legislation also directs CISA to create a centralized online resource where critical infrastructure owners and operators can access security guidance and best practices. In addition, CISA would be required to publicly report each year on how it is sharing these resources and engaging with infrastructure owners across the country.

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MATSUI INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN CYBERSECURITY IN K-12 SCHOOLS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act Would Help Schools Protect Student Data, Prevent Disruptions, and Respond to Growing Cyberattacks

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Zach Nunn (R-IA), and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced the Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation to help schools defend against ransomware, data breaches, and other cyberattacks that can expose students’ information, disrupt classroom learning, and strain already limited school resources.  

“When I thought about my own grandchildren going to school, I wanted what every parent and grandparent wants: for them to be safe and focused on learning,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “No family should have to worry that a cyberattack could expose a child’s personal information or disrupt their education. This bill gives schools the tools, training, and support they need to protect students’ data, help teachers keep classrooms running, and give administrators stronger resources to prevent and respond to cyberattacks.”

“As a 20-year Air Force intelligence officer and former White House National Security Council member, I’ve spent my whole career tracking threats like these,” said Congressman Nunn. “Now they’re hitting our classrooms — shutting schools down and putting Iowa students’ personal information in the wrong hands. No school should have to fight that alone. Our bipartisan bill gives K-12 schools across the country the backup they need to stop these attacks and protect their students.”

“As cyberattacks grow more frequent and sophisticated, it’s our responsibility as lawmakers to ensure our schools have the tools and resources needed to protect students, parents, educators, and their sensitive information from being compromised,” said Senator Warner. “Schools should be focused on teaching young people – not worried about fending off ransomware attacks or recovering from cyber incidents. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation that would help school districts strengthen their cyber defenses, improve coordination with federal experts, and better prepare for the growing threats facing classrooms across the country.”

“Cyberattacks continue to grow in size, frequency, and complexity in critical U.S. institutions, including in America’s schools,” said Senator Blackburn. “We must ensure that our education sector is equipped to address these threats and keep students’ personal information private. This bipartisan and bicameral legislation will improve the cybersecurity tracking system for schools and provide them with necessary training resources and best practices for prevention.”

Cyberattacks targeting K-12 schools continue to grow in both frequency and sophistication, exposing sensitive student information, disrupting classroom learning, and forcing schools to divert limited resources away from educating students. According to the 2025 Center for Internet Security (CIS) K-12 Cybersecurity Report, 82% of more than 5,000 K-12 organizations experienced cyber threat impacts between July 2023 and December 2024, underscoring the growing challenge schools face as they rely more heavily on digital technologies.
Federal cybersecurity officials have repeatedly warned that schools remain targets for ransomware and other malicious cyber activity because they often operate with limited cybersecurity personnel and budgets while maintaining large amounts of sensitive data. The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act would help schools better prepare for these threats by improving access to cybersecurity guidance and resources, strengthening national awareness of cyber incidents affecting schools, and expanding the tools and support available to help school systems.

The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act would:

Establish a School Cybersecurity Information Exchange

Directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director to establish a Cybersecurity Information Exchange to disseminate information, best practices, and grant opportunities to improve cybersecurity.

Create a Cybersecurity Incident Registry

Establishes a Cybersecurity Incident Registry within CISA to track incidents of cyberattacks on elementary and secondary schools. Information submitted to the Registry is strictly voluntary and will help improve data collection to coordinate activities related to the nationwide monitoring of the incidence and financial impact of cyberattacks.

Launch a K-12 Cybersecurity Technology Improvement Program

Directs CISA to establish the K-12 Cybersecurity Technology Improvement Program to be administered through an information and analysis organization to deploy cybersecurity capabilities that will help address cybersecurity risks and threats to information systems of K-12 schools. This approach will capitalize on the existing services and expertise of organizations like MS-ISAC & others to ensure maximum impact of funds. The legislation authorizes $10 million annually for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to fund the Technology Improvement Program.

Full text of the Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act can be found HERE.

The Sacramento County Office of Education, National Principals Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of State Chief Information Officers, State Educational Technology Directors Association, and Consortium for School Networking endorsed the legislation.

“As a local educational agency that provides internet connectivity to 250,000 students across California, the Sacramento County Office of Education sees firsthand the growing threat that cyberattacks pose to student information, instructional continuity, and school operations,” said Jerry Jones, executive director of Technology Resources for the Sacramento County Office of Education.“This bill would provide much-needed, practical support to schools by expanding access to K–12-specific cybersecurity guidance, training, cybersecurity information, funding opportunities, and effective tools and services. Its emphasis on improving coordination, strengthening protections against ransomware and other cyber threats, and helping schools learn from cyber incidents recognizes that schools should not have to face these increasingly sophisticated attacks alone. I strongly support this important legislation and its commitment to strengthening the security and resilience of our nation’s schools.”

“Schools are increasingly at risk from cybersecurity threats. NAESP is proud to endorse the Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act, a bill which would give our members practical tools, information, and resources from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to help pre-K-8 school leaders protect student data and privacy and to avoid costly school disruptions,” said L. Earl Franks, executive director of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. “We commend Representatives Matsui and Nunn and Senators Blackburn and Warner for their bipartisan leadership on this critically important issue.”

“Cybersecurity remains one of the most urgent technology challenges facing K-12 schools. School districts face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats that can disrupt learning, compromise student and personnel data, and strain already limited technology resources,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). “CoSN strongly supports the bipartisan Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act because it will strengthen information sharing, improve understanding of the cyber threats facing schools, and expand access to the resources and expertise districts need to better protect their networks. We applaud the bill’s bicameral and bipartisan sponsors for their leadership on this important issue.”

“SETDA strongly supports the bipartisan Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act because it improves collaboration, increases visibility into cyber incidents affecting schools, and expands access to the tools and technical assistance states and districts need to protect students and critical education systems,” said Dorann Avey, SETDA Board Chair. “We commend Representative Matsui and Representative Nunn for their leadership and urge Congress to advance this vitally important legislation.”

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Wasserman Schultz Joins Mourning, Overtown Youth Center to Announce Broward Expansion

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

“I’m ecstatic that the Overtown Youth Center will bring its proven, holistic model for family and child success to Broward County,” said Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly want all our children to travel on a path of success, they must have access to sound nutrition and tutoring, STEM and arts education, and the family support systems that make it all possible. This proven enrichment blueprint is just the type of empowering infrastructure that our Broward communities deserve, and I’ll support these efforts any way that I can. I’m also very proud that our Broward County School District leaders and Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy are teaming with community leader and OYC architect Alonzo Mourning, to embrace this amazing expansion opportunity to support our children and families.”

Hollywood, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz joined Overtown Youth Centers (OYC) Co-Founder Alonzo Mourning, Broward School District representatives, and local elected officials to announce OYC’s expansion into Broward County.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

In partnership with Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), OYC is further expanding its proven youth development model to communities in South Broward County. Through an official agreement with Broward County Public Schools, OYC expanded its programming to McNicol Middle School in Summer 2026 and will continue through the new school year.

The expansion will also offer OYC services at McNicol Middle School to students from four nearby elementary schools. This represents a strategic investment in increasing access to high-quality, outcome-driven programming for more students and families.

“I’m ecstatic that the Overtown Youth Center will bring its proven, holistic model for family and child success to Broward County,” said Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly want all our children to travel on a path of success, they must have access to sound nutrition and tutoring, STEM and arts education, and the family support systems that make it all possible. This proven enrichment blueprint is just the type of empowering infrastructure that our Broward communities deserve, and I’ll support these efforts any way that I can. I’m also very proud that our Broward County School District leaders and Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy are teaming with community leader and OYC architect Alonzo Mourning, to embrace this amazing expansion opportunity to support our children and families.”

“For 25 years, I have been committed to ensuring that children and families have access to the high-quality programs they need to thrive. I know firsthand that there are a lot of champions in our communities; and my goal is to galvanize resources for our families and to nurture the gifts and talents of our young people. Through OYC and Honey Shine, our goal is to provide empowering, enriching and exposure opportunities that positions all those we serve to compete and win in this world, and I am proud to strengthen that mission through our partnership with Broward County Public Schools,” said Mourning.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring every child has access to meaningful opportunities that support academic growth, personal development, and long-term success. We are proud to welcome OYC’s proven programming into our schools and to expand the resources available to students and families in South Broward,” said Broward School Board Member Maura McCarthy Bulman.

OYC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, empower, and enrich the lives of youth, adults, and families by providing a comprehensive and long-term approach to strengthening communities.

Wasserman Schultz and Mourning were also joined by Broward School Board Member Maura McCarthy Bulman, Broward Schools Deputy Superintendent Dr. Angela Fulton, McNicol Middle School Principal Deirdre Benka-Coker, Overtown Youth Center Director Tina Brown, and other local elected officials and education leaders.

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The Hill: Scalise Embraces House GOP Elder Statesman Role Amid Leadership Shakeup Speculation

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—This week, The Hill’s Emily Brooks profiled House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) storied and successful leadership of the House Republican conference as we go into the 2026 midterm elections. Read the full article below or click here.The Hill: Scalise embraces House GOP’s elder statesman role amid leadership shake-up speculationJuly 23, 2026By Emily BrooksHouse Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) has reached his peak elder statesman era in President Trump’s second term.The No. 2 House Republican has harnessed policymaking lessons from Trump’s rocky first-term trifecta, providing institutional memory that is unique among the conference’s other top leaders who rose to their positions later. At the same time, Scalise has grown his relationship with Trump and enjoyed more cohesive working relationships with leadership colleagues. That experience, plus his conservative bona fides and surviving a brush with death in the 2017 congressional baseball shooting, has positioned Scalise to be a top contender for the House GOP’s No. 1 slot should control of the House flip after the midterms. The always-on-message Scalise brushed off that prospect, though, as he expressed optimism about Republicans’ chances of defying history to keep control of the chamber.In an interview with The Hill in his Capitol office last week, Scalise said he has a “unique skill set” with his conservative policy wonk roots and history of building trust with Trump. That has helped him most, he said, in pushing major legislation through a historically slim and complicated Republican majority.“I think that goes back to being chairman of the Republican Study Committee,” Scalise said, referring to the largest policy-minded, traditionally conservative caucus in the House, which he led more than a decade ago before jumping to be GOP whip in 2014.“You’ve got to really take it serious and focus on the details, because the details are what matter.”As House Republicans last year crafted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which extended tax cuts and pushed through partisan spending priorities, Scalise was the only member of House Republican leadership who was also in a top leadership position when Republicans crafted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reconciliation bill in Trump’s first term in 2017.“I learned from the first Trump term that he was not in sync with all of leadership. Some were fighting President Trump,” Scalise said of Trump’s first term, noting the president’s rough relationship with then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and saying Trump “didn’t have the closest relationship” with former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). That dynamic, Scalise said, led to delays in advancing the party’s legislative agenda.“We literally wasted the first six months with everybody being on different pages,” Scalise said.Republican leaders didn’t want that to happen again if Trump won the 2024 election and started planning months ahead of time what they would do legislatively if the GOP won trifecta control of government. Scalise said he flew to Mar-a-Lago to talk to Trump about those ideas about six months before the election — and took his suggestions of what kind of policies to add, like the “no tax on tips” provision for qualified tipped workers.“Our relationship has grown through the years to where we not only trust each other, but he also knows that I have a really good understanding of how the House works,” Scalise said of his relationship with Trump. “We’ve been able to bridge some gaps through some of that trust.”Then, Scalise got into the policy weeds — and management of the committee leaders crafting the various aspects of what would eventually get put into the bill, even months ahead of the election.“I had tasked the committees with very aggressive things to do, but I gave them the clear direction along the way,” Scalise said. “I gave everybody deadlines — you know, ‘Get the bills out by these times. These are your target numbers.’”In the end, the House GOP was able to overcome infighting made more complicated by the slim Republican majority and deliver the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — which Republicans and the White House have since worked to rebrand as the Working Families Tax Cuts — to Trump’s desk by July 4 last year.The dynamics in the House GOP have shifted dramatically in Scalise’s nearly two decades in Congress. Narrow margins and emboldened hard-liners have led to out-in-the-open rebellions on legislative items big and small on a near-weekly basis.Scalise said the aim of the leadership team now is to bring different factions of the conference together to help them understand each other’s perspective.“They think leadership’s stopping them from getting it, when it’s really other colleagues of theirs that won’t vote for that stuff,” Scalise said. “I said, well, don’t make it be leadership versus everybody else. Have them in the room, sitting across the table from their own colleagues.”“You can hash out a lot of problems in an hour-and-a-half, two-hour meeting of some yelling and screaming,” Scalise said.He doesn’t do that alone. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has also embraced those kinds of meetings, which he dubs “intense fellowship.”“The Speaker’s got incredible patience. He and I have a great relationship. We’ve known each other for 30 years,” Scalise said. “I do think that helps.”It’s no secret on Capitol Hill that Scalise had a complicated relationship with Johnson’s predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), even though they both publicly downplayed the tension. With fellow Louisianan Johnson at the helm, Scalise comes across as more empowered than in the past, though the majority leader declined to characterize it that way.“I’m not going to compare leadership teams. I’m just going to talk about what we’re doing,” Scalise said.“I’ve been in majorities where we had 35-seat majorities where we didn’t get as much done.”Scalise said leaders now try to emphasize to members that they “can do big things,” but to do so, “we’re going to have to come together and work through our differences.”Despite Johnson’s odds-defying performance as Speaker given the slim majority and rebel culture, Republicans widely assume a midterm loss would result in the Speaker exiting from leadership altogether. Johnson recently told The Wall Street Journal he wants to stay in the post if Republicans win but demurred when asked about the possibility of Republicans being relegated to the minority.Scalise, as the current No. 2 Republican, is an obvious contender to take the No. 1 slot if Johnson departs. But members have also speculated about whether House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) would seek the job, and they suspect House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) could make an insurgent bid — though none of them have confirmed that interest. All three leaders at various points sought to replace McCarthy as Speaker when he was ousted three years ago.Scalise did not directly answer when asked if he would seek to be minority leader. He said people are always asking him: “Are you going to run against this guy? Are you going to run for that thing?”“As long as I do this job well, I don’t worry about the next job, and I’ve never done that,” Scalise said. “I know some people walk in the building thinking they’re going to be president of the United States. That’s never been the approach I’ve had.”His short-lived bid for Speaker after McCarthy’s ouster was complicated by uncertainty about whether he would be up for the job health-wise.Scalise, 60, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, in August 2023. The cancer was described by his office as “very treatable,” but some Republicans were hesitant to hand him the high-stress, travel-intensive job just a few months later.He announced in February 2024 that his cancer was in “complete remission” and has traveled extensively on the campaign trail since. Still, scrutiny of high-powered lawmakers’ health issues has increased in the last few years, with instances like former President Biden being pushed to end his reelection bid after a disastrous debate performance; Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) refusing to explain his health-related absence for months; and McConnell waiting weeks to fully explain the circumstances of his hospital stay.But Scalise’s cancer battle, combined with his emotional and legendary return after surviving the congressional baseball shooting, also displays personal resilience that has endeared him to the rest of the GOP.Through tough votes and turbulent internal politics in the Republican Party, Scalise has been a disciplined messenger for Republicans, seemingly incapable of putting his foot in his mouth.“I know what I need to do,” Scalise said about his message discipline. “We have got a tough conference, a complicated conference, but you know, you got to work with everybody. But you also have to be candid with him and go, ‘OK, it’s time. Now it’s time to get on the train.’”It helps, he said, that Trump is engaged in the process. The president will ask Scalise to give him names of members to call to get on board — and while some might see the attention from Trump as a treat, Scalise insisted: “That’s not a call you want to have.”“He’s our best closer for a reason — because he also knows what he wants to do, and we’re all helping each other achieve the things we ran on,” Scalise said of Trump.

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Davids Joins KC Diamonds to Highlight Lower-Cost Fuel to Help Kansas Families Save at the Pump

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids joined the Renewable Fuels Association and the KC Diamonds for “Fuel Up Friday” at Casey’s in Lenexa, where Kansas families received discounts on E15. As gas prices continue to climb, Davids highlighted how expanding access to E15 — a lower-cost fuel made from American-grown crops — can help lower prices at the pump, support Kansas farmers, strengthen American energy independence, and reduce reliance on foreign oil.

“When gas prices go up, Kansas families feel it almost immediately,” said Davids. “That’s why I’ve worked across the aisle to make lower-cost fuels like E15 available year-round. It’s a commonsense solution that helps families save money, creates new opportunities for Kansas farmers, and strengthens our energy independence at a time when global instability from the war in Iran is driving up costs. We should be making it easier — not harder — for Americans to choose a fuel that’s made right here at home.”

Earlier this year, the U.S. House passed Davids’ bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. The bill ensures drivers have permanent, uninterrupted access to E15, which reduces emissions and can lower prices at the pump by 15 to 40 cents per gallon compared to regular unleaded. It would also increase American energy independence and create additional opportunities for family farmers at a time of growing economic uncertainty across farm country.

Rising fuel costs underscore the urgency of expanding access to lower-cost alternatives like E15. Since the outbreak of the Iran war, global oil prices have surged sharply, exceeding $100 per barrel. U.S. gasoline prices have followed, jumping from under $3.00 per gallon before the conflict to more than $4.00, with analysts warning prices could climb even higher if instability continues.

WATCH: Davids urged passage of year-round E15 during a speech on the U.S. House floor

Previously, Davids has taken multiple actions to lower gas prices for Kansans by:

  • Securing an emergency waiver to allow the sale of E15 during the past four summers and 2026.
  • Voting for the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act, which allows retailers the ability to sell higher ethanol-blended fuels year-round.
  • Visiting East Kansas Agri-Energy (EKAE), a Garnett-based renewable ethanol producer, as part of her Farm Bill listening tour.
    • EKAE has around 40 full-time employees and relies heavily on Kansas corn producers to supply the crops needed to make the biofuel.
  • Helping to pass legislation that promotes sustainable aviation fuel, a liquid fuel that achieves significant emissions reductions compared to fossil-based jet fuel.
  • Supporting legislation that expands biofuels infrastructure, opening up new market opportunities for sustainable fuel sources and lowering energy costs for Kansas families.
  • Pushing the President to suspend the federal gas tax, providing immediate relief to Kansans at the gas pump.
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Wilson Leads 41 Bipartisan Lawmakers Introducing a Resolution Calling for Charleston to Host the 2027 OSCE PA

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Joe Wilson (2nd District of South Carolina)

Washington, DC – Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), the head of the U.S. Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and Chairman of the First Committee of the OSCE PA leads 41 cosponsors in a resolution Recognizing Charleston as the appropriate host city for the 2027 annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

     The original cosponsors of the resolution are: Representatives Nancy Mace (R-SC), Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Russell Fry (R-SC), Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Rick Allen (R-GA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Michael McCaul (R-TX), William Keating (D-MA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Jim Costa (D-CA), Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-AS), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), James Moylan (R-GU), Julia Brownley (D-CA), James Baird (R-IN), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Jefferson Shreve (R-IN), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Daniel A. Webster (R-FL), Jimmy Patronis (R-FL), Cory Mills (R-FL), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Don Bacon (R-NE), Ben Cline (R-VA), Austin Scott (R-GA), David Taylor (R-OH), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Mark Alford (R-MO), and Carol Miller (R-WV). 

     A full copy of H.Res. 1451 is available here. 

     Chairman Wilson previously sent a letter to the Secretariat of the OSCE PA explaining why Serbia would not be an ideal host for the 2027 assembly, and that letter is available here. 

     Chairman Wilson has also sent a letter to those who mentioned financial concerns about the OSCE PA, explaining how budgetary constraints and other perceived concerns will not prevent Charleston from hosting in 2027, that letter is available here. 

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Castor, Welch Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Energy Grid, Lower Electric Bills

Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, and Sen. Peter Welch (VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy and Credit, this week reintroduced the Enhancing Electric Grid Resilience Act, bicameral legislation that aims to make it easier for the United States to advance affordable, clean energy projects and strengthen its electric grid. 

The Enhancing Electric Grid Resilience Act would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure that interstate and offshore transmission infrastructure projects allocate costs to beneficiaries more fairly. The legislation would help lower energy costs for consumers by accelerating the construction of interstate transmission lines that deliver vital affordable, clean energy to communities across the country. 

“America’s aging electric grid and growing transmission bottlenecks are driving up energy costs for Florida families, slowing the development and deployment of newer, cheaper energy resources and leaving communities more vulnerable to increasingly extreme weather,” said Rep. Castor. “The Enhancing Electric Grid Resilience Act will help address these challenges by making it easier to complete essential transmission projects, reduce costly grid congestion and deliver affordable, reliable electricity where it is needed. This commonsense legislation will help build a cheaper, cleaner, stronger and more resilient energy future for families and businesses across Tampa Bay.” 

“Strengthening America’s electric grid is essential to ensuring we can meet modern electricity and climate challenges. Finding ways that make it easier to construct and complete transmission projects that boost the resiliency of our grid and lower costs for consumers is a major part of that. We’re working to bolster our grid against extreme weather and help ensure every home across America has access to affordable and reliable electricity,” said Sen. Welch.   

View the full text of the bill here.

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LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON CONGRESSMAN CLEO FIELDS

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

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued the following statement after Congressman Cleo Fields announced his decision not to seek re-election to the House of Representatives:

Throughout his distinguished career in public service, Representative Cleo Fields has always fought to make life better for the people of Louisiana. 

A son of Baton Rouge, Cleo was elected to the Louisiana State Senate on three occasions, becoming the youngest State Senator in Louisiana history. In 1992, Cleo was elected to Congress as the youngest Member of his class, and he rejoined us in the House last year, once again becoming a beloved member of the Congressional Black Caucus family. During his time in Congress, Rep. Fields has co-chaired the Congressional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Caucus, been a fierce advocate for voting rights and fought to expand economic opportunity.

After being gerrymandered out of his seat in 1996, Rep. Fields founded the Congressional Classroom, a first-of-its-kind program to teach high school students about the federal government. It was an honor and a privilege to join Rep. Fields in Baton Rouge last year, where I witnessed firsthand the powerful impact of what is now called the Louisiana Leadership Institute.

On two separate occasions, Republicans have deployed undemocratic gerrymandering tactics to target and wipe out districts represented by Rep. Fields and deny equal representation to Black Louisianans. House Democrats will continue our fight to deliver fair Congressional maps, defend the integrity of our elections and end voter suppression once and for all.

Rep. Fields will be deeply missed by the entire House Democratic Caucus. We wish him and his family well during this next chapter in his lifelong service to the people of Louisiana.

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SCHNEIDER, SEWELL, OCASIO-CORTEZ LEAD 52 DEMOCRATS URGING SECRETARY KENNEDY AND ADMINISTRATOR OZ TO RESCIND TRUMP POLICY TO ALLOW HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES TO OFFER PREDATORY LOANS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Co-Conveners of House Democrats’ Cost of Living Healthcare Working Group, led 52 of their House Democratic colleagues in urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to rescind a final rule that allows health insurance companies to offer loans to Affordable Care Act enrollees to cover their deductibles and other medical costs. This rule will place health insurers in a new role as loan officers, potentially allowing these companies to subject patients to predatory interest rates or condition care on patients’ ability to pay back their loans. 
 

In June, the New York Timesreported on the rule and the strain many Americans are already dealing with as insurance premiums and healthcare costs rise, highlighting that 36% of U.S. households have medical debt.  
 

“Every American should have quality, affordable healthcare with providers they know and trust when and where they need it,” said Schneider. “Sadly, thanks to President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ refusal to extend the ACA tax credits, millions of families have lost access to healthcare, and millions more have seen their healthcare costs skyrocket this year. We should be working together on solutions that lower costs and expand access to care. Instead, the Trump Administration is inviting insurers to profit off of our nation’s growing medical debt crisis. The Administration must rescind this predatory rule and better focus on advancing policies that make healthcare more accessible, more affordable, and more sustainable for American families.” 
 

“The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans have spent the past year making health care more expensive for American families—allowing ACA premium tax credits to expire, driving up premiums, and stealing coverage from more than a million Americans,” said Sewell. “Now, instead of fixing the problem they created, they’re encouraging insurance companies to offer loans to patients who can’t afford sky-high deductibles. This policy will push more Americans deeper into medical debt, forcing them to borrow money just to access the care they need. Every American deserves affordable, quality health care they can count on, not a system that profits from families’ financial hardship. As Co-Convener of House Democrats’ Cost of Living Healthcare Working Group, I’ll keep fighting to lower costs and put patients first.” 
 

“100 million Americans are currently living under the weight of medical debt and now the Trump administration is proposing making the load even heavier,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “This will only further entrench working families in a never-ending cycle of medical debt, and could lead health insurers to require repayment before people can renew their insurance plans or receive the care they need.” 
 

“Since this Administration allowed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced tax credits to expire at the end of last year, there has been a 58% average increase in out-of-pocket premiums in 2026 per person,” the lawmakers wrote. “This trend is expected to continue as rates are set for 2027, with a recent analysis indicating a median proposed premium increase of an additional 14%. This cost increase, adding to an already intense affordability crisis, has resulted in 1.2 million Americans losing health coverage all together.” 
 

“Ultimately, this Administration has deliberately constructed plans with deductibles that most enrollees cannot afford to pay and is allowing the same insurer who sold the unaffordable plan to offer the enrollee a loan to cover the gap, presumably with interest, and under terms established entirely by the issuer,” the lawmakers continued. “Health insurance was designed to help families during their darkest moments, not profit off denying Americans care and perpetuating prolonged illness. This policy incentivizes health plans to profit off their own enrollees’ medical debt, not provide Americans adequate health coverage.”
 

View the full letter text here and below. 
 

Dear Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz: 

We write to express serious concern about the Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), “HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027” final rule that encourages issuers of catastrophic health plans to provide enrollees with loans to cover their deductibles and other cost-sharing obligations.  
 

We find this to be a profound conflict of interest when an insurer acts simultaneously as a health plan and as a creditor to that same plan’s enrollees. At a time when 36 percent of households in the United States are saddled with medical debt, this provision in the final rule raises fundamental questions about the purpose of adequate healthcare coverage and consumer protection. 
 

Since this Administration allowed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced tax credits to expire at the end of last year, there has been a 58% average increase in out-of-pocket premiums in 2026 per person. This trend is expected to continue as rates are set for 2027, with a recent analysis indicating a median proposed premium increase of an additional 14%. This cost increase, adding to an already intense affordability crisis, has resulted in 1.2 million Americans losing health coverage all together. 
 

Since the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, the Administration has pursued a deliberate policy of steering Americans away from comprehensive coverage and toward high-deductible catastrophic plans. The annual deductible for covered services in a catastrophic plan is an astronomical $10,600 for an individual or $21,200 for a family, over five times the average deductible for job-based coverage.   
 

Against this backdrop, CMS states in the final rule: “issuers of catastrophic plans could consider financing the deductible by providing enrollees a loan. To the extent permitted by applicable Federal and State law, this could be especially helpful for enrollees who, before reaching their deductible, incur a large amount of medical costs within a short period of time.” 
 

When an insurer acts simultaneously as a health plan and as a creditor to that same plan’s enrollees, a profound structural conflict of interest arises. The insurer’s interest in maximizing loan repayment, including interest income, is directly at odds with its obligation to provide affordable, timely coverage. This policy will result in enrollees being caught between delayed care and mounting debt, with the same entity on both sides of that equation. Considering more than one-third of American households already carry medical debt, adding an insurer-issued loan product to that burden risks conflating a coverage gap into a debt trap. 
 

The ACA was built on the principle that insurance should provide genuine financial protection, not merely nominal coverage. A plan that requires a family to pay $21,000 before benefits are triggered is not insurance in any meaningful sense, it is a mechanism for transferring risk from the insurer to the patient while collecting premiums in return. In addition to the lack of adequate coverage, the Administration has created a pathway for the same industry intended to provide healthcare coverage to now operate as a bad faith lender to “assist” families to pay off the medical debt manufactured by bad faith policy.  
 

Ultimately, this Administration has deliberately constructed plans with deductibles that most enrollees cannot afford to pay and is allowing the same insurer who sold the unaffordable plan to offer the enrollee a loan to cover the gap, presumably with interest, and under terms established entirely by the issuer. Health insurance was designed to help families during their darkest moments, not profit off denying Americans care and perpetuating prolonged illness. This policy incentivizes health plans to profit off their own enrollees’ medical debt, not provide Americans adequate health coverage.  
 

In light of these concerns, we respectfully request that HHS, through CMS, provide written answers by July 31, 2026: 

  1. Clarify in sub-regulatory guidance whether and how insurer-issued deductible financing products will be subject to the same state medical debt consumer protection standards that apply to other medical debt holders (e.g., health systems and third-party debt collectors) in a given state, including: 

    1.  interest rate caps; 

    2. disclosure requirements; 

    3. prohibitions on mandatory arbitration clauses; and 

    4. what consumer protection standards, if any, CMS intends to establish at the federal level given that no such standards currently exist for this product type. 
       

  2. Confirm whether CMS consulted with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFBP) in developing this provision. Specifically, disclose any comments provided by the CFBP or justify reasoning for not consulting the CFBP;  
     

  3. Provide any actuarial or economic analysis CMS conducted regarding the likely impact of this provision on enrollees’ total out-of-pocket costs, including loan repayment obligations;  
     

  4. Provide a detailed description of what recourse is available to enrollees who are offered loan terms they cannot meet, and which agencies at both the federal and state level have the responsibility of overseeing an insurer-issued loans. 
     

  5. Clarify that issuers cannot condition plan enrollment or renewal on acceptance of a financing arrangement or failure to repay a deductible financing loan. 
     

  6. Provide a detailed description of what recourse is available to enrollees who are offered loan terms they cannot meet and whether issuers plan to condition plan enrollment or renewal on acceptance of a financing arrangement denoting consequences against enrollees who are unable to repay a deductible financing loan, including:

    1. Structuring loans as secured debt requiring collateral, 

    2. Pursuing civil judgments against enrollees and subsequently attaching judgment liens to real property, including a primary residence, 

    3. Pursuing wage garnishments, 

    4. Referring unpaid loans to third-party debt collectors or reporting debt to consumer credit bureaus. 
       

American families across this country deserve health insurance that provides genuine protection, not plans that shift catastrophic financial risk onto patients and then offer debt as the reward. We urge the HHS to withdraw this ill-conceived provision. We appreciate your prompt attention to this issue. 

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Rep. Loudermilk on Passage of FY2027 NDAA

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2026) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), issued the following statement following the U.S. House vote on Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation authorizes funding for the Department of Defense, strengthens military readiness, improves quality of life for servicemembers and their families, and reinforces America’s ability to deter emerging threats.

“America’s military must remain the strongest fighting force in the world. As our adversaries continue to expand their capabilities, Congress has a responsibility to ensure our servicemembers have the resources, training, and equipment necessary to defend our nation and deter aggression.

“The FY27 NDAA strengthens our national defense while making meaningful investments in the men and women who volunteer to serve. This legislation provides a five to seven percent pay increase for servicemembers, expands in-home childcare options to better support military families, and includes procurement reforms that allow the Department of Defense to purchase larger quantities of critical munitions more quickly, ensuring our military can respond promptly to emerging threats.

“The bill prohibits Department of Defense funds from being used to assist the Taliban, its affiliates, or its subsidiaries, reinforcing our commitment to protecting national security and the American taxpayers.

“As a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, I have consistently advocated for the resources to keep our military prepared, and supported Georgia’s defense industry. Last year, I met with Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss the importance of preserving and modernizing the C-130 fleet, including the Navy Reserve KC-130J, and continuing the investment in the F-35 program. These aircraft are essential to our national defense and sustain hundreds of high-skilled jobs in Georgia’s 11th Congressional District.”