MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) raising concerns about the agency’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Space Modernization for the 21st Century,” and urging the Commission to withdraw or substantially narrow the proposal to remain within its statutory authority.

In the letter to FCC Chairman Carr, the bipartisan leaders express support for efforts to streamline radiofrequency licensing for private space systems, but warn that several provisions in the NPRM go beyond communications policy and into broader space activity regulation—areas Congress has not authorized the FCC to oversee.

The Chairman and Ranking Member requested that the FCC “rescind the ‘Space Modernization’ NPRM referenced above or issue a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) focused exclusively on radiofrequency communications licensing for private space systems.”

They further note that the NPRM would require operators to “take all possible steps” to assess and mitigate collision risks and certify compliance with an FCC-established human casualty threshold—requirements they argue are unrelated to spectrum management. As the letter states, such proposals “would effectively condition access to spectrum licenses on compliance with operational requirements unrelated to radiofrequency communications.”

The Members also raise concerns that the proposed rule would exceed the FCC’s statutory authority, writing that the Communications Act of 1934 “contains no clear congressional authorization empowering the FCC to regulate space safety, space traffic management, or broader non-communications space operations.”

Concluding the letter, they respectfully request that the Commission “suspend the NPRM or substantially narrow the NPRM through an FNPRM so that its contents are confined strictly to radiocommunications licensing within the clear bounds of the Communications Act.”

The intent of the letter is to ensure that federal space regulation remains grounded in clear statutory authority, avoids duplicative or conflicting requirements, and preserves U.S. leadership and competitiveness in the commercial space sector.

To read the full letter, please click here.

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

Tonight, Representative Sharice Davids offered the following statement on President Trump’s State of the Union Address:

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen TN-9), the House Ranking Member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, released the following statement on today’s fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia:

“Four years ago, Putin promised until the final hour that there would be no invasion. Then he sent his elite forces out of Belarus in an attempt to capture Kyiv. After Ukrainian troops valiantly fought back, sending the Russians retreating, he unleashed an army of thugs, conscripts and mercenaries to wreak havoc across Ukraine. Over the past four years, I have called for the United States to stand up and condemn Putin’s litany of atrocities and, before and after meeting in person with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, to make military resources available to sustain its defense. As we reach this four-year milestone and American leadership appears to waver, I again pledge to stand with Ukraine and its people who are on the frontlines of democracy fighting for their independence from a tyrannical hegemon obsessed with an anachronistic hope of a return to Soviet era occupation. Putin’s treatment of prisoners and kidnapping of children, his use of drone strikes against civilians, his attack on the energy infrastructure in the dead of winter after promising not to, his genocidal crimes against humanity, and his illegitimate claim of a right to the Donbas region must be condemned. Putin is a war criminal, and we must ensure there are consequences for his actions.”

Among his many legislative actions regarding the war in Ukraine, Congressman Cohen reintroduced a resolution last year calling Russian action in Ukraine a genocide and finding “state-level intent” for heinous war crimes.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tonight, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after Donald Trump concluded his State of the Union address:

“As expected, Donald Trump continued to mislead the American people about his record. His delusion was on full display as he lied about the economy, launched personal attacks against Members of Congress, and showed his focus is on himself.

“Donald Trump has done nothing to make life more affordable for my constituents in Denver and has prioritized enriching himself and his friends. He is an embarrassment and a stain on our country.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Olympic and Paralympic Caucus Co-Chairs Diana DeGette (CO-01), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), and Stephanie Bice (OK-05),  joined Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02) in introducing a bipartisan resolution (H. Res. 1069) honoring Team USA athletes competing in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. 

“In a time when everything feels heavy, the Olympics and Paralympics remind us of what we can do when we come together. These Games inspire kids everywhere to get active and dream big — and that matters more than ever,” said Congresswoman DeGette. “Colorado is home to 32 athletes on Team USA, more than any other state in the nation. And when the Paralympic Games begin in March, we’ll be cheering just as loud. I’m proud to co-lead this resolution, and I’ll be cheering on every single Coloradan through the rest of these Games.”

“Each athlete on Team USA has shown incredible determination, courage, and tenacity. They continue to inspire us all,” said Congressman Neguse. “Coloradans across our state — from the Western Slope and far beyond — are incredibly proud of our neighbors and fellow Coloradans competing in the 2026 Winter Games. It has been a tremendous joy to cheer them on and to witness their perseverance and resilience.”

“In the past two weeks, we’ve seen incredible grit and resilience from Team USA during this year’s Winter Olympics. Their commitment to sportsmanship and excellence has inspired the nation. A special shout out to South Bay’s Madison Chock and Chloe Kim, and UCLA’s Alysa Liu, for medaling and representing our community with such distinction. As we conclude the Winter Olympics and look towards LA28, Team USA remains the pride of our country by showing that diversity and tenacity are what make America great,” said Congressman Lieu. 

“As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, it is an honor to join my colleagues in celebrating this year’s Winter Games and our extraordinary U.S. athletes who represent this great nation with excellence and pride. This resolution pays tribute to the Olympians who have trained and competed in NY-21 and across the country, embodying dedication, perseverance, and the American spirit,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. 

“The Olympics are a wonderful time when extraordinary athletes compete while representing our great nation. The Olympic spirit showcases the best of our country, with athletes across the entire United States showing their skills on a global stage. I was proud to join my colleagues in co-leading this important resolution, and as the Representative for one of the host cities for 2028, I’m excited to welcome the games to Oklahoma City in two years,” said Congresswoman Bice. 

Colorado leads the nation with 32 athletes competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics — more than any other state. The state is also well-represented on the Paralympic team, with nine Coloradans — including one from CO-01 — among the 25 athletes named to the U.S. Paralympic Team so far, with the full roster to be announced on or by March 2. Colorado is also home to both the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Formed in 2010, the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus is a bicameral, bipartisan caucus devoted to supporting Team USA and advancing the Olympic and Paralympic movements. Among other things, the Caucus devotes time and attention to educating Members of Congress and staff about Olympic-related activity and shines a light on related issues such as efforts to increase and broaden participation in athletics, demonstrate the importance of youth sports, showcase the value of sport to individuals with impairments, champion integrity in sport, highlight the special role of American servicemembers and veterans in the movement, and enable U.S. athletes to realize their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.

Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Rep Ro Khanna (CA-17)

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) announced $13,501,000 in funding that he secured in the Appropriations Fiscal Year 2026 bills for 13 projects he requested funding for in his district. After being passed by the House and Senate, President Trump signed the spending bills into law, which include funding for numerous community projects. 

“This funding will enact real change in our community,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. “These funds will help provide housing, improve our water supply, improve public safety, and address many other needs felt in California’s 17th Congressional District. I am proud to have secured $13.5 million in funding for these vital projects.”

Rep. Khanna submitted the following Community Projects to the House Appropriations Committee, which have since been signed into law: 

Pruneridge Avenue Complete Streets Project

$1,000,000 with Senator Adam Schiff for The City of Santa Clara

This funding will be used to remove portions of existing travel lanes along Pruneridge Avenue to complete an important cross-county bicycle network and enhance intersections along the corridor with pedestrian improvements such as quick-build curb extensions, ADA curb ramps, and pedestrian signal enhancements. It will also provide a bikeway along this corridor that connects to 14 schools with a total enrollment of 8,896 students and over 12,500 employees from job centers along the project corridor.

Safe Routes to Schools and Parks 

$2,000,000 the City of Sunnyvale

The funding for this project will create safer walking and biking routes at three Sunnyvale locations, which include two schools and a park, by creating a corner curb and sidewalk extensions, pedestrian safety signs and striping, and ADA curb ramps. 

Main Street Revitalization Project

$250,000 City of Milpitas 

The funding will be used for design and construction of streetlights and signal improvements along Main Street from Carlo to Great Mall Parkway.

Cedar Boulevard Complete Streets Project 

$850,000, City of Newark

This funding will be used to resurface the pavement and provide for the construction of new bicycle and pedestrian facilities on a 2.2-mile segment between Stevenson Boulevard and Central Avenue — a critical street that serves more than 16,000 roadway users per day.

Silicon Valley Hopper

1,200,000, Cities of Cupertino and Santa Clara

This funding will be used to extend and expand a low cost on-demand micro-transit shuttle project. 

Restoration of Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing for Homeless Veterans

$3,150,000, County of Santa Clara

This funding will be used to renovate and repair a facility used to provide emergency shelter and support services for homeless and unstably housed veterans.

Milpitas USD Workforce Development Center

$500,000, Milpitas Unified School

This funding will be used to build a Workplace Redevelopment Center to retool and reinvigorate a low-income area in Milpitas. At the crossroads of Hwy 237 and Hwy 680 in Milpitas lies the “Triangle of Greatest Need,” where more than 50% of the residents are low income and working one paycheck away from becoming unhoused; the residents need workforce development to fuel the heart of the advanced manufacturing industry. 

Auto Mall Parkway Center Median Project

$850,000, City of Fremont

This funding would be used for approximately 5 acres of center median infrastructure on Auto Mall Parkway. Auto Mall Parkway is a critical thoroughfare in the south end of Fremont, and is vital in connecting regional workforce commuters, commercial goods movement, and important retail centers in Fremont.

Berryessa Youth Center Renovation and Improvements Project

$250,000, Berryessa Union School District

The funding would be used for the renovation of the 20,500 square-foot Berryessa Youth Center, a youth facility in the Berryessa Union School District which includes a gymnasium, activity/classrooms, offices, conference rooms, restrooms, lobby, and storage rooms. 

City of San Jose Restoration Project

$1,092,000, City of San Jose 

This funding will be used to address the loss of a potable water supply to the ponds from diminishing reserves from drought conditions. 

Cleanwater Center 

$1,092,000, City of Sunnyvale

This funding will be used to upgrade and replace key facilities in Sunnyvale’s Water Pollution Control Plant. This plant has provided reliable 24/7 wastewater treatment since its construction in 1956.

Silicon Valley Regional Purified Water Facility 

$1,092,000, Santa Clara Valley Water District

This funding will be used to begin the development process of a full-scale facility to provide purified water for direct potable reuse in Santa Clara County, the heart of Silicon Valley.

SAFE+ Program Enhancement

$175,000 County of Santa Clara

This funding goes to enforcing the SAFE+ Program provides patient-centered care to empower survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence (IPV), or gender-based violence to make informed choices that best suit their needs. 

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

Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement in response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address: 

“For nearly two hours, Donald Trump delivered divisive rhetoric, empty platitudes, and blatant falsehoods. Instead of addressing the true state of our union, he deflected from the chaos and cruelty of his administration and peddled distortions to distract from his failure to deliver for the American people.

“But the American people are not easily fooled. They see how Donald Trump has turned our country into a blank checkbook for his family and their billionaire donors. The so-called ‘party of fiscal responsibility’ has ballooned the national debt to hand massive tax breaks to the wealthy, while families across the country struggle to make ends meet.

“Donald Trump claimed he will ‘always protect Social Security and Medicare.’ What he did not say is that he gutted Medicaid, weakened the Affordable Care Act, and put Medicare at risk. Twenty-two million Americans are seeing their health insurance costs skyrocket, and 10 million more are losing coverage altogether. Trump continued to lie about implementing ‘no tax on Social Security’ while actively pushing efforts to privatize the program and jeopardize seniors’ hard-earned benefits.

“His distortion of reality did not stop there. When he boasted about lifting millions of Americans off of food assistance, he was relying on figures that include the hundreds of thousands of Americans he denied benefits to when he weaponized hunger during his government shutdown. And in the wake of Trump’s One Big Ugly Law, millions more are bracing for the loss of critical food assistance as grocery prices climb because of his illegal tariffs — tariffs paid for by American families, not foreign countries. 

“And while he declared America the ‘hottest’ country on Earth, he failed to mention that his administration has rolled back more than a decade of climate safeguards, weakened emissions standards, and stripped protections from our air, water, and public lands. He has chosen polluters over people and profits over the health of our planet.

“And as his assault on our climate, economy, and health care infrastructure continues to escalate, his militarization of immigration enforcement continues to appall the conscience of our nation. We have witnessed children, veterans, law-abiding immigrants, and more than 170 U.S. citizens get caught in the crosshairs of a reckless, untrained, and unaccountable militia. Under the guise of enforcement, Trump has abandoned due process, endorsed brutality, and jeopardized public safety, all while diverting significant resources from agencies that actually ensure our homeland’s security. 

“At home and abroad, Trump has embroiled the United States in constant conflict, frequently deploying our troops preemptively and unlawfully weaponizing our military against the American people. Despite being responsible for this brazen lawlessness, Trump doubled down on the myth of rampant noncitizen voting, while omitting how his billion-dollar bailouts to foreign countries and pardons of convicted drug traffickers have done nothing to prioritize American citizens. 

“And he could not even bring himself to acknowledge the Epstein survivors in the chamber, including my guest, Lara Blume McGee, who has bravely come forward to call for transparency and accountability. Survivors have yet to receive an apology from this administration, let alone the justice they deserve.

“In what is now the longest State of the Union address on record, Donald Trump once again fell short and delivered confusion instead of clarity and excuses instead of accountability. Instead of solutions, Trump resorted to a barrage of lies that insults the lived realities of hardworking Americans. We are not in the ‘Golden Age of America.’ We are confronting the consequences of a self-serving agenda enabled by Republicans in Congress who have chosen loyalty to one man over their oath to the Constitution.

“I boycotted my last State of the Union because I could not give credence to a man who has so little respect for the pillars and values upon which our nation was founded. And I will continue to take a stand against this administration’s abuses and keep fighting to make the American Dream a tangible reality for the people I was elected to serve.” 

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Issues: 119th Congress

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), hosted a hearing with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) President and CEO, Damon Wilson. 

The hearing provided Appropriators the opportunity to give serious attention to, and rigorous oversight of, the programs funded in the NSRP bill, as well as support the Trump Administration’s America First foreign policy. The National Endowment for Democracy, founded by President Ronald Reagan, is a critical tool to advance U.S. foreign policy priorities around the world and support those fighting for freedom under authoritarian regimes in Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. 

In his opening remarks, Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart said, “Foreign policy changes from one administration to the next. Yet the work of the NED remains consistent. As many of you know, I am a proud proponent of democracy and human rights promotion as a fundamental part of our foreign policy and national security. Toward that goal, the NED, and accountable democracy programs generally, are essential to countering adversaries, advancing American national security interests, and standing with those struggling for freedom… [NED] work[s] in some of the most dangerous and adversarial nations like Iran, like China. They have also been laying the groundwork for peace and stability in places like the South Caucases, which provides an opening for initiatives like the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) connecting Armenia and Azerbaijan. Yes, NED has made mistakes. But, to NED’s credit, they are extremely responsive and quick to recognize and rectify them. When they found a problematic issue with a grantee, they resolved it in a matter of days. Canceled it outright and got the money back. I wish every other federally-funded organization was that swift and responsive to Congress.”

Read Chairman Díaz-Balart’s full remarks here.

Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), who also chairs the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, focused on NED’s work in China, where they are combating forced labor. Rep. Moolenaar said, “You’ve talked a bit about the Uyghur genocide and that designation, and the work NED did… A lot of American businesses are competing with companies that use slave labor, and also some of our supply chains are dependent on that. If you’d talk a bit about the surveillance, the national security laws that China and the CCP have put in place. You mentioned the police stations, and some of the vulnerabilities that Chinese nationals, even on our home shores, are affected by, if you could talk about NED’s work in both of those areas.”

Mr. Wilson responded that China is NED’s largest program because of the large challenges to freedom and democracy within the country, as well as the scale of the CCP’s influence on the world stage. NED works to document the Uyghur slave labor and oppression in-country and spreads that information to the rest of the world to help put pressure on the CCP and sway other freedom-loving nations from relying on the CCP.

Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) focused his questions on how NED defines success and how they measure that success. Rep. Ciscomani said, “A core criticism I’ve heard from my constituents on this is that they feel that funding soft power initiatives like NED has not resulted in a geopolitical landscape more favorable to the U.S. interest. With your questions and testimony here today, I hope we can help alleviate relevant criticisms about why continuing to fund NED has been a bipartisan priority and why it can align, if done properly, with newly affirmed and streamlined national security priorities by the Trump Administration, and how that’s aligning itself to that. In light of this reality, how do you measure progress?”

Mr. Wilson explained that each grant is set up with benchmarks to achieve specific deliverables. In many cases, these grants will lead to concrete actions – like revealing an underground CCP police station in Manhattan. 

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) brought a report from the Heritage Foundation titled “The Undemocratic National Endowment for Democracy Needs Oversight and Reform,” which outlines several recommendations to improve the work of NED. Rep. Edwards said, “[This report] says that NED’s total revenue increased from about $180 million in Fiscal Year 2019 to over $300 million by Fiscal Year 2022, and it characterizes that growth as unjustified. Can you explain what specific geopolitical or congressional priorities drove that increase, such as support for Ukraine, countering other influences, or China-focused programming, and then also tell us whether those increases were tied to appropriated mandates from Congress rather than institutional expansion initiated by NED itself?”

Mr. Wilson acknowledged that the challenge to freedom has fundamentally changed around the world, and said we are currently in a two-decade democratic recession. Advanced technological tools used by authoritarian regimes, combined with growing alliances between those authoritarian regimes, require NED to scale up operations to maintain efficacy.

Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) touted the historic legacy of NED while also cautioning against the funding of anti-American efforts. Rep. Alford said, “President Trump and Secretary Rubio have ushered in a new golden era of America First foreign policy. They’ve moved away from the old State Department mindset, one that too often focused on so-called global interests rather than American interests. American taxpayers should not send one single dollar to a program that does not support our clearly defined national interests… The National Endowment for Democracy was created in Congress in 1983 as an independent, nonprofit grantmaking institution intended to strengthen democratic institutions abroad. Its core mission has long been to support growth of democratic institutions, civil society, free markets, and the rule of law around the world. I believe that overall, NED supports this vision. Its work in Venezuela, Iran, China, and Russia have been critical to supporting American interests against these hostile nations. However, NED has not been perfect by any means… For NED, I choose not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, because I believe in the core mission of NED. The American people – my constituents – deserve to know [what you have to say about NED’s funding of the Global Disinformation Index].”

Mr. Wilson was adamant that NED does not support censorship of Americans and does not fund anything with a domestic focus. He reiterated that as soon as NED discovered a grant partner was inappropriately using their funds to promote censorship of Americans, they rectified the situation and took full accountability. 

Appropriators continue to provide vigilant oversight over foreign aid to ensure that federal spending reflects American priorities at home and abroad. As the House Appropriations Committee moves into the FY27 funding process, the perspectives shared during this hearing will help shape funding decisions.

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