MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Representative Don Beyer (VA-08) led their 161 colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought urging OMB to follow the law—which President Donald Trump signed in 2019—that requires furloughed federal employees to receive back pay during a government shutdown. The members underscore that the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which was passed and signed into law during the last shutdown under President Trump, is clear that all federal employees, whether they are excepted or furloughed, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends.

“During the 2018-2019 shutdown, we worked with President Trump to enact the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019, the intent of which is clear – federal employees are entitled to retroactive pay in the event of a government shutdown. We applauded President Trump for signing this bipartisan bill into law,” the members wrote.

“The law is clear: all impacted government employees, regardless of excepted or furloughed status, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends, which is consistent with the guidance currently provided by federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM),” the members wrote. “OPM’s shutdown guidance from September 2025 still states that furloughed federal workers will be provided back pay once the government reopens.”

The members continued, “The decision by OMB to remove critical guidance on federal employee back pay is causing unnecessary stress for the federal workforce comprised of nearly 2.2 million employees.”

“We request you immediately clarify and update the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations Document and other relevant materials to affirm that furloughed employees will receive back pay, as is required by law,” the members concluded.

In addition to Kaine, Murkowski, Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Warner, Beyer, and Hoyer, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). It is also cosigned by U.S. Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-04), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Wesley Bell (D-MO-01), Ami Bera (D-CA-06), Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Janelle Bynum (D-OR-05), André Carson (D-IN-07), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Ed Case (D-HI-01), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Shomari Figures (D-AL-02), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Jesús García (D-IL-04), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-02), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Pablo Hernández (D-PR-01), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Val Hoyle (D-OR-4), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Bill Keating (D-MA-09), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), John Larson (D-CT-01), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Susie Lee (D-NV-03), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-03), Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Sarah McBride (D-DE-AL), April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), James McGovern (D-MA-02), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Robert Menendez (D-NJ-08), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Frank Mrvan (D-IN-01), Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-02), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05),  Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06), Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Emily Randall (D-WA-06), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25), Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14), Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13), Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Derek Tran (D-CA-45), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24).

 Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Vought:

The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) recent update to the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations document implies that furloughed federal workers are not entitled to back pay. Additionally, a draft OMB memo stated the administration would deny back pay to furloughed federal workers for the current government shutdown. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, we worked with President Trump to enact the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019, the intent of which is clear – federal employees are entitled to retroactive pay in the event of a government shutdown. We applauded President Trump for signing this bipartisan bill into law. 

On January 16, 2019, the Senate unanimously passed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act to guarantee back pay for all impacted federal workers once a government shutdown ends. This law was enacted during the longest government shutdown which lasted 35 days at the end of 2018, and into the beginning of 2019. Prior to the law’s passage, Congress had to pass specific legislation after each shutdown to ensure furloughed workers received back pay. 

Explicitly, the law guarantees back pay for all federal employees in the event of a government shutdown. “Each employee of the United States Government or of a District of Columbia public employer furloughed as a result of a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for the period of the lapse in appropriations, and each excepted employee who is required to perform work during a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for such work, at the employee’s standard rate of pay, at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates, and subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse.” The law requires that retroactive pay be required in the event of any government shutdown after December 22, 2018.

The law is clear: all impacted government employees, regardless of excepted or furloughed status, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends, which is consistent with the guidance currently provided by federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM’s shutdown guidance from September 2025 still states that furloughed federal workers will be provided back pay once the government reopens. The decision by OMB to remove critical guidance on federal employee back pay is causing unnecessary stress for the federal workforce comprised of nearly 2.2 million employees.

Thus, we request you immediately clarify and update the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations Document and other relevant materials to affirm that furloughed employees will receive back pay, as is required by law.

Sincerely,

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

WASHINGTON, DC –  Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on Republicans’ refusal to swear in U.S. Representative-elect for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District Adelita Grijalva, who won the seat of her father, the late U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva, in a special election on September 23, 2025:

“The voters of Arizona’s 7th District, along with all Americans, should demand that Speaker Johnson swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva immediately.

“That he has waited this long to do so is an insult to the People’s House. His conduct defies his constitutional responsibility, contradicts his recent signing in of two Republicans the day after their special election, and shirks his duty to the House of Representatives.

“Speaker Johnson could swear in Representative-elect Grijalva during one of our scheduled pro forma sessions. It would only take minutes. Instead, he has defied the will of the American voters who elected her by failing to seat her for 22 days.

“This is how a dictatorship works, not a democracy. The Speaker does not have the authority to refuse to acknowledge the election of Representative-elect Grijalva, which has already been certified by the state of Arizona. If any speaker had such a power, he or she could simply refuse to swear in Members of the Minority. Would anybody in their right mind defend such a proposition? Surely not, which is why I call on Speaker Johnson to fulfill his most basic responsibility and swear in Representative-elect Grijalva as soon as possible.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today to urge President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to apply pressure on Hamas to return all remaining hostages, prioritizing American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra:

“As we build on the progress we made with the first stage of the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, I urge President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to keep applying pressure to fulfill the deal’s terms to return the remains of the deceased hostages still held in Gaza – especially the two Americans among them, Itay Chen and Omer Neutra.

“I have become friends with Itay’s parents, Ruby and Hagit, over the past two years. When I met them for the first time, I promised them that America would do everything it could to bring their son home. Last year, when we learned the tragic news that Hamas had murdered Itay on October 7, I told the Chen’s that our commitment had not changed: we will bring Itay’s remains home so they can sit shiva and put him to rest. I made the same promise to Omer’s family, whom I saw again only a few days ago. America must honor that sacred duty to bring these two young men home.

“Hamas kidnapped dual citizens from over 30 countries during its terrorist attack on October 7. Most of those nations have received the remains of their citizens back from Hamas. Today, only the United States, Thailand, and Tanzania await the return of their slain nationals’ remains from Gaza. The nightmare that these families have been living through for 740 days cannot end until their loved ones are brought home. I call on Hamas to fulfill the terms of the deal and release these hostages immediately. I urge the Trump Administration and our Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries to do everything in their power to achieve that end. I wish strength to the Chen’s, the Neutra’s, and all those who continue to wait in agony for their loved one’s return. Know that our promise is unwavering: we will bring every last hostage home.”
 

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined Members of Congress in the Maryland and Virginia delegations for a press conference to call out the Trump Administration for their illegal mass firing of thousands of dedicated public servants in the midst of the Republican government shutdown. Below is a full video and transcript of his remarks:

 

Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.

“Mr. Vought, you’ve just heard about the trauma that you are causing. Shame. I have three articles here: ‘The pain from the government shutdown is about to hit the public,’ Americans, because those who work for America, who stand behind me, who stand in Washington, Maryland, Virginia, and every state in our nation. The pain will be because they have been traumatized, Vought. The next article says, ‘Some GOP lawmakers want to get back to work,’ from wherever they are. (laughter) We’re here, we want to get the government back to work for the American people. The next article is ‘Hundreds of CDC layoffs reversed, but biodefense preparedness staff hit‘.

“Ladies and gentlemen, every authoritarian leader has had his Grim Reaper; Russell Vought is Donald Trump’s Grim Reaper. Trump even posted a bizarre video describing Vought in those terms. That’s who he wanted, a Grim Reaper. ‘Grim’ is defined in the dictionary as ‘sinister, savage and ferocious.’ A trauma causer. ‘Reaper’ is defined as ‘that which is used to cut down.’ Vought swings his scythe through the federal government as thoughtlessly and dangerously as Elon Musk and the DOGE children did with their chainsaws. The effect, sadly, has been the same: great damage to the government, the American people, and the morale, psychological well-being, and efficiency of the patriotic American workers, we call federal workers, who serve them.
 
“I want to close, because we were told there was a one-minute limitation. (laughter) The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines ‘hostile workplace’ as one that ‘involves unwelcome conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive work environment.’ The Congress has said that is illegal. Now, Russ Vought, [who] once promised to traumatize our federal workers, saying —you’ve already heard this quote, but it demands repetition: ‘When they wake up in the morning, we want them not to come to work because they’re increasingly viewed as the villains.’ Well, these courageous people kept showing up because they love their country. They love their state, their communities, and their family, so they kept coming day after day, trauma after trauma, attack after attack. And they came, and America was served. And so, Vought and Trump decided, ‘Aha, we’ll do what we’ve done before. We did it in 1995 over education and other expenditures.’ Newt Gingrich shut down the government just a year into his term as Speaker of the House. Then in 2013, they didn’t like health care then either. They shut down the government so that Americans would not have the health care they need and want.

“And so today they’ve shut down the government. Why? Because they want to stop Americans [from] getting health care, which will happen on December 31st if we do not act. That is why we’re standing here, that is why this is so important for the American workers, our federal employees, yes. But for the American people? Absolutely. Our federal workers are not the villains. The man – the Reaper — putting them in trauma: he’s the villain. They’re the villains. You may not get this analogy, but I want you to listen closely: but as the Blue Öyster Cult band once sang, ‘We don’t fear the Reaper. We don’t fear the Reaper. We don’t fear the Reaper.’ We are going to keep fighting for Americans’ health care and for our workers. We will make sure Russell Vought will reap what he has sown with these illegal actions.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today introduced the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act (VGPRA), legislation to expand the successful model of voluntary federal grazing permit retirement across the western United States. The bill creates a market-based, cooperative tool to reduce conflicts between domestic livestock grazing and other critical uses of public lands, including wildlife habitat, clean water, hunting and fishing, and outdoor recreation, while providing fair compensation to ranchers who voluntarily retire their grazing permits. 

Under the VGPRA, ranchers operating on public lands may choose to permanently waive their federal grazing permits in exchange for equitable compensation from private parties. Federal agencies would then retire those allotments from further grazing, ensuring lasting benefits for wildlife, recreation, and the millions of people who depend on healthy public lands. 

“Our public lands are a shared inheritance. They sustain wildlife, clean water, and outdoor recreation for millions of Americans,” said Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.). “This bill gives ranchers and conservation partners a fair, voluntary path to resolve long-standing conflicts and restore fragile ecosystems. It’s a pragmatic solution that supports local economies, protects biodiversity, and saves taxpayer dollars by reducing the cost of administering grazing programs.” 

Background 

Permitted livestock grazing occurs on over 200 million acres of federal public lands — the most widespread use of those lands nationwide. Many of these landscapes face pressures from drought, invasive grasses, and shifting land-use demands that can cause costly conflicts among ranching, recreation, and conservation interests. The VGPRA provides a fair and voluntary solution that benefits both ranchers and the environment by giving permittees flexibility to make the best choices for their operations and their land. 

Specifically, the VGPRA: 

• Authorizes ranchers in 16 Western states to voluntarily waive federal grazing permits or leases with the intent to permanently end livestock grazing on an allotment.
• Ensures that any retired allotment cannot be re-leased for new grazing permits.
• Caps the number of accepted retirements at 100 per year across all Western states, or 25 per state, to provide manageable, incremental implementation.
• Helps restore wildlife corridors, protect water quality, and reduce the costs of administering grazing programs.
• Encourages collaboration between ranchers, land managers, and conservation organizations.  

Bill text here. Fact sheet here.

Endorsements: 

The bill is endorsed by: Sierra Club, American Bird Conservancy, Wilderness Watch, Western Watersheds Project, Animal Welfare Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, Los Padres ForestWatch, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Oregon Natural Desert Association, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Kettle Range Conservation Group, Predator Defense, Wildlife for All, and Friends of the Clearwater. 

Supporting Statements 

“The VGPRA provides a simple and time-tested solution to conflicts between domestic livestock on public lands and other uses including wildlife habitat, water quality, hunting and angling, and recreation,” said Josh Osher, Public Policy Director for Western Watersheds Project. “Expanding this opportunity for public lands across the West is a common-sense step that provides lasting benefits to ranchers, taxpayers, wildlife, and the millions of people that visit and enjoy public lands.” 

“Grassland birds—the fastest declining group of birds—need healthy and diverse grasslands to survive,” said Steve Riley, Chief Conservation Officer for the American Bird Conservancy. “Some grasslands in the West are no longer viable as grazing lands, and their retirement can help restore ecosystems and the conservation benefits they provide, including bird habitat.” 

“Wilderness Watch strongly supports the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act,” said Wilderness Watch. “Most Americans are shocked to learn that domestic livestock graze over 25 million acres of wilderness areas in the Lower 48. This bill will bolster protection for public lands and wilderness areas, allotment by allotment, fairly and permanently.” 

“Increasing aridification is making it economically infeasible for ranchers to graze public lands, even with grazing fees heavily subsidized by taxpayers,” said WildEarth Guardians. “The VGPRA is a pragmatic solution that will benefit ranching families, taxpayers, and public lands alike.” 

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press availability where he emphasized that Democrats remain ready to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people and fixes the Republican healthcare crisis, but Republicans remain out of town.

LEADER JEFFRIES: This is day 17 of the Trump Republican shutdown, and the House and Senate Democratic position remains the same. We look forward to sitting down with anyone, anytime, anyplace, either here at the Capitol or back at the White House, to reopen the government, to enact a spending agreement that actually makes life better for the American people, while also addressing decisively the Republican healthcare crisis that continues to hurt everyday Americans all across the country. Every day that goes by, there are people throughout America receiving notices that their healthcare premiums, copays and deductibles are about to skyrocket. In the district in upstate New York, the North Country, currently represented by Elise Stefanik, there are couples who currently pay about $2,000 per year for their health insurance premiums because they benefit from Affordable Care Act tax credits. When those credits go away, that same couple will now pay more than $20,000 a year. They cannot afford that. These are working-class Americans, living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to get by, can barely survive, let alone thrive in this country. And this is the wealthiest country in the history of the world.

So House and Senate Democrats will continue to hold firm as it relates to a basic common-sense position that when we enact spending bills, we should be helping the American people, not hurting them. And so we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. But we will continue to extend that offer to our Republican colleagues and to President Trump and members of his administration. Let’s sit down in good faith to reopen the government, to stand by our hardworking federal employees, to enact a spending bill that actually improves the quality of life of the American people and to address the healthcare crisis that Republicans have created, devastating people all across the country, including in rural America, in Black and brown communities all throughout America, in urban America, in the heartland of America and in small-town America.

Full press availability can be watched here.

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

The Hon. Mike Johnson
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, The Capitol 
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Johnson:

I write to demand that you swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva at the pro forma session scheduled to take place on Friday, October 17.

Her election has been officially certified by the state of Arizona. In fact, it was never in question. Yet, for more than three weeks House Republicans have denied the people of Arizona’s 7th district their rightful representation in Congress. The continued refusal to seat Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva for partisan advantage undermines the integrity of this institution. 

In April, Republican Representatives Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine were sworn in during a pro forma session less than 24 hours after their election. The decision to seat right-wing Republicans with record speed, while denying a newly elected Democrat the opportunity to serve is an unacceptable disgrace.

In these challenging times, where Republican policies have raised the already high cost of living and triggered a devastating healthcare crisis, the American people have had enough with partisan political gamesmanship. We need common sense leadership, and House Republicans can begin by ending your three week vacation, reopening the government and swearing in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva immediately. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. 

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries

Democratic Leader

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon requesting answers about how recent mass layoffs at the Department of Education (DOE) are impacting students in special education programs.

“As co-chairs of the Bipartisan Disabilities, we are deeply concerned about the impacts these significant cuts will have on the future of the special education programs students depend on.

“The reported layoffs will impact the department’s special education office from roughly 200 workers to about five total staff. Families in our districts rely on these teams of federal workers to coordinate with states and schools to ensure they are following disability laws to protect our students and ensure all learners are getting the education they deserve.  For example, in 2018, the Department of Education found out that Texas for years violated federal law by denying students with disabilities access to proper public education. Gov. Greg Abbott then ordered a plan to overhaul special education, and thanks to federal oversight, necessary changes were able to be implemented.  

“The staff reductions inside the U.S. Department of Education have the potential to effectively dismantle the federal offices responsible for protecting the rights of students with disabilities. Based on reporting, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has lost most of its personnel and the capacity to enforce civil rights is severely weakened. OSERS plays a vital role in ensuring states comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and in managing billions of dollars in federal grants that fund special education and vocational rehabilitation. The offices also provide legal and technical guidance to schools, fund research on effective teaching strategies, support training and retention of special educators, and coordinate transition services that help youth with disabilities move from school to employment and community life.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

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

WASHINGTON — On Day 17 of the Democrat Shutdown, Speaker Johnson held a press conference alongside House GOP Leadership and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers to discuss Senate Democrats not just blocking pay for U.S. troops through the clean CR, but also by rejecting a standalone bill to fund our nation’s defense. Speaker Johnson also addressed the Democrats’ “Hate America” rallies taking place across the country tomorrow.

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here.

On Senate Democrats continuing to block pay for U.S. troops and defense:

If you’re keeping count at home, we’re on Day 17 of the shutdown. The Democrats have now voted for the 11th time to keep the government closed. 11 times now, they’ve refused to just do their basic job, get the government going again, making sure that federal employees are paid, that our troops are paid, Border Patrol agents, TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and everyone else who relies upon the vital services of our federal government.

They’re being denied that because Democrats in Congress are playing games. And right now, to add insult to injury, if you’re paying attention at home, you also need to make note of this. Yesterday, the Senate Democrats took it a step further. They rejected a standalone bill to fund our nation’s defense and pay our troops. They voted it down. Now, why is that so noteworthy? Well, the bill was passed out of committee in the Senate with broad bipartisan support, and yet the Democrats still engaged in a stunt on the floor, and they rejected it. So now they are on record, specifically and exclusively, to block the paychecks of the troops, to block the funding of our national defense in a very dangerous moment in world history. It is absurd to us. Leader Thune said this on the floor after that vote, he said, “That one vote demonstrates just how fundamentally disinterested Democrats are in supporting our troops and providing for our common defense.” Yes, that is exactly what we saw. And I suspect, if they were here today and it was on the floor, they’d do it once again.

On Democrats caring more about spectacle than substance:

For many of our Democrat colleagues, tomorrow is about creating really a spectacle. That’s what they’ve been doing here every day of the shutdown with their little TikTok videos and their publicity stunts. And they’re going to do it in a much larger venue tomorrow. And as the shutdown drags on, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this spectacle is the reason the Democrats have refused to reopen the government. Just read a sample of the materials that this organizing group has circulated far and wide about the event tomorrow. They distributed talking points, cheering on the shutdown. I mean, they’re urging this on. They love this. They’re cheering on Chuck Schumer’s decision to close the government. And their lead organizer said this is his words, not mine. “He hasn’t surrendered yet. I call that progress.” Maybe that’s what led Chuck Schumer to say that every day of the shutdown gets better for us. That’s what he said.

Since then, Democrats have had their 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th opportunities to reopen the government, and they have obeyed the mob. They have listened to that on Wednesday. This is pretty ominous. I don’t know if anybody’s reported on this, but you should. The lead organizer of tomorrow’s event issued an open threat to Democrats in Washington. And this is what he said: “The cavalry is coming in on October 18, and they’re either going to be celebrating you or they’re going to be calling for new leadership in the Democrat party.” Now, know who heard that? Chuck Schumer heard it. Hakeem Jeffries heard it. And their actions and their votes show that they are taking that as an order. Evidently, they’ve decided it’s more important to show a fight to President Trump and appease this mob than to reopen the government and ensure the American people are taken care of.

On Democrats catering to their Far-Left base at the “Hate America” rally this weekend:

Tomorrow, the Democrat Leaders are going to join for a big party out on the National Mall. They’re going to descend on our Capitol for their much anticipated, so-called “No Kings” rally. We refer to it by its more accurate description, the “Hate America” rally. And I’m not sure how anybody can refute that. If you think about what’s going to happen here tomorrow, you’re going to bring together the Marxists, the Socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists, and the pro-Hamas wing of the Far-Left Democratic party. That is the modern Democratic party. That’s where they’ve gone. And the Hate America rally is the common theme among all those groups. Listen to the language they use themselves.

Many of them don’t like living in America. They hate capitalism. They hate our free enterprise system. They hate our principles. They hate the ideas that we come in to work every day to fight for, to preserve, in the greatest nation in the history of the world. They hate the idea of individual freedom and limited government. They hate the idea of the rule of law. They fight against it all the time. They hate the idea of peace through strength. They lobby against it all the time. Individual freedom, limited government, the rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, human dignity, the things that lead to human flourishing, the things that made us the greatest nation in the history of the world. They’re opposed to law enforcement. They’re opposed to military. And their votes show it over and over. That’s the collection of voices that you’ll hear tomorrow that the Democrats will go out and raise their hands with and cheer with. And some of these people are so blinded by their hatred of President Donald Trump, that they can’t find one reason to celebrate America or all that we’ve accomplished and continue to accomplish under this new Administration.

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