MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Greg Casar (TX-35) and Sara Jacobs (CA-51), joined by 17 colleagues, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth raising serious concerns about alleged human rights violations during recent U.S.-Ecuador military operations. The Members also call for a suspension of operations pending an investigation and demand clarification on the legal basis and scope of U.S. involvement.

In the letter, the legislators cite multiple statements from the Trump Administration about joint military operations against unidentified “designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador.” The Members also note that an investigation by The New York Times revealed one of the sites targeted in these joint operations appears to have been a dairy and cattle farm with no links to drug traffickers or armed groups. According to The New York Times, on March 3, “Ecuadorian military personnel interrogated and assaulted unarmed civilians, burned homes and infrastructure, and subjected detainees to torture before the site was aerially bombarded on March 6.”

The Members of Congress warn that “if U.S. forces provide new or continued security assistance to units that engaged in acts such as torture, extrajudicial killings, or enforced disappearances, and there is no credible investigation or prosecution underway, this would constitute a violation of the Leahy Laws, which prohibit assistance to foreign security forces credibly implicated in gross human rights violations without effective steps to bring those responsible to justice.”

The letter also expresses the Members’ concern about the deepening ties between the U.S. military and the Government of Ecuador under President Daniel Noboa’s administration, which has undergone an “alarming authoritarian and anti-democratic drift.”  Among other things, Noboa and his allies have violently repressed Indigenous-led protests, threatened the country’s Constitutional Court, and played a central role in the dissolution of opposition parties and the temporary banning of Ecuador’s largest opposition party.

The Members conclude by asking a series of oversight questions about the legal basis and scope of U.S. involvement in these joint operations, as well as allegations of links between Ecuadorian officials and illicit networks, including those involving President Noboa and companies linked to his family. The Members have requested a response by May 22. 

In addition to Representatives García, Casar and Jacobs, the letter was signed by: Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07).

The letter is endorsed by: Amnesty International USA, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Human Rights First, Latin American Working Group (LAWG), Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, StoptheDrugWar.org, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), and Win Without War.

A full copy of the letter can be found on this link.

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

Today, on the House floor, Representative Sharice Davids urged her colleagues to support year-round sales of E15 to help lower gas prices and strengthen American agriculture. E15 is a lower-cost fuel made from domestically grown crops that can help reduce what families pay at the pump, support Kansas farmers with a more stable market, and strengthen U.S. energy security by reducing reliance on foreign oil.

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

Earlier this year, House leadership failed to pass a Davids-supported bipartisan effort to allow year-round sales of E15. In its place, they created a federal task force to study the issue, which many farm groups and biofuel advocates found inadequate. Davids agreed and continues to push for year-round sales, which would be accomplished through this bill expected to be included in the Farm Bill. 

Rising fuel costs underscore the urgency of expanding access to lower-cost alternatives like E15. Since the outbreak of the Iran conflict, 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 mor than $4.00 in recent weeks, with analysts warning prices could climb even higher if instability continues.

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.

Read Davids’ full speech here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Blake Moore (R-UT-01) introduced the bipartisan Medium Transit Intensive Cities (MTIC) Authorization Act, a bill to provide more federal support for transportation infrastructure in medium-sized cities. The bill would create a new Medium Transit Intensive Cities (MTIC) category within the Section 5307 transit‑funding program. The program would be modeled on the successful Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) formula but designed for medium‑sized urban areas with 200,000 to 999,999 residents.

Read the full text of the legislation here.

While medium‑sized urban areas often provide transit service comparable in quality and intensity to large metropolitan systems, the current federal funding formula for infrastructure projects does not adequately recognize or reward their performance.

“Many medium‑sized cities on the Central Coast and across the country have strong transit systems that people depend on to get to work, school, and to stay connected with their communities,” said Rep. Carbajal. “But the current federal transit funding framework isn’t adequate for these communities, leaving too many of them without the support they need. My bipartisan bill closes that gap by ensuring we invest in transit systems that serve their riders effectively, no matter the community’s size.”

“Existing transit programs often favor either small or large cities, overlooking medium-sized cities such as Ogden and Layton in Northern Utah. By creating a federal set-aside to reward high-performing transit agencies operating in medium-sized cities, we can ensure that transit agencies are able to meet citizens’ needs and make the long-term investments necessary to support growing populations. I’m excited to work with Representative Carbajal to introduce the Medium Transit Intensive Cities Authorization Act to support medium-sized communities that are providing high-quality transit options,” said Rep. Moore. 

“Communities shouldn’t be penalized for population growth. The Medium Transit Intensive Cities Authorization Act would ensure that high-performing transit providers who connect people with jobs, school, and opportunity have the resources to do so,” said Jerry Estrada, General Manager of Santa Barbara MTD.

“The Bus Coalition strongly supports the Medium Transit Cities Authorization Act as a smart, targeted step toward a more equitable and performance-driven federal transit program. Across the country, mid-sized transit systems are delivering high-quality, efficient service that connects people to jobs, education, and essential services, yet too often they are disadvantaged by a funding formula that doesn’t fully recognize their impact.

“By creating a Medium Transit Intensive Cities set-aside, this legislation rewards strong performance, encourages continued innovation, and ensures that communities of all sizes have a fair opportunity to compete for federal resources. We commend Congressman Carbajal for advancing a proposal that strengthens mobility, supports economic growth, and better aligns federal investment with real-world transit outcomes,” Ed Redfern, Executive Director of The Bus Coalition.

Under current law, transit agencies in medium-sized regions are effectively measured against—and must compete with—large urban areas with populations over 1 million, which benefit from scale, density, and significantly greater resources. As a result, even high-performing medium-sized transit systems are at a structural disadvantage and are less able to access performance-based funding opportunities available within the existing framework.

The MTIC program would dedicate 1.5 percent of Section 5307 funding to reward transit agencies in these mid-sized regions that meet or exceed performance benchmarks. Metrics such as ridership, service frequency, and service provided per capita would be used to ensure that funding is directed toward systems delivering strong results for their communities.

By aligning incentives with performance, this proposal would:

• Reward high-performing transit agencies in medium-sized regions that are often overlooked in the current formula;
• Encourage improved service delivery and efficiency, strengthening transit systems nationwide;
• Promote equity across urbanized areas by recognizing that strong transit outcomes are not limited to the largest cities;
• Support economic growth and mobility in communities that rely on robust transit but lack proportional federal support.

As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Carbajal has long worked to support infrastructure projects on the Central Coast and beyond. 

In 2021, Carbajal helped write and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest investment in American infrastructure in nearly a century. Since its passage, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has delivered more than $1 billion in funding to projects up and down the Central Coast.

In July 2025, Carbajal introduced the bipartisan National Infrastructure Investment Corporation (NIIC) Act, which would authorize the creation of a national infrastructure bank. The bank created by the NIIC Act would be authorized to provide loans and loan guarantees to local infrastructure projects, giving local governments another potential funding source in addition to support provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or other federal and state funding sources.

In September 2025, Carbajal led a group of bipartisan House members in the introduction of the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act, legislation that would fund upgrades to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure to make them more resilient against threats ranging from cyberattacks to extreme weather.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

May 13, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today introduced the Increased Compensation for Enforcement and Federal Retention for Officers in Strategic Theaters or (ICE FROST) Act to increase pay for federal law enforcement officers performing immigration enforcement operations in high-risk areas across the country.
“Federal law enforcement officers performing immigration enforcement operations are being sent into increasingly dangerous environments created by sanctuary city policies, violent criminal activity, and the consequences of the Biden administration’s open-border crisis,” said Rep. Greg Steube. “While radical Democrats continue attacking ICE officers for enforcing federal law, these men and women are risking their lives to protect American communities. The ICE FROST Act ensures officers are properly compensated for the dangers they face while enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.”
The ICE FROST Act establishes an annual 25% supplemental bonus payment for federal law enforcement officers performing immigration enforcement operations. The bill also provides an additional annual 15% supplemental bonus payment for such personnel serving in hazardous duty areas designated as having elevated violent crime levels, transnational criminal organizations, significant concentrations of illegal aliens, and documented threats or assaults against federal law enforcement officers.
Hazardous duty areas designated under the legislation include the Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Washington-Baltimore metropolitan areas, among others.
The legislation also establishes additional surcharges on certain overseas remittance payments to help offset the cost of the supplemental bonus payments. This includes a $199 surcharge for remittance payments to Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, as well as a $99 surcharge for payments to countries with a visa overstay rate exceeding 2%.
Background: Federal immigration enforcement personnel increasingly operate in jurisdictions facing elevated violent crime, growing transnational gang activity, and large concentrations of illegal aliens unlawfully present in the United States.
In recent years, ICE officers and other federal immigration personnel have faced growing hostility while carrying out enforcement operations in major metropolitan areas across the country, including documented incidents of assaults, threats, and interference directed at law enforcement personnel. 
Hazardous conditions for immigration enforcement personnel are especially prevalent in large urban regions with elevated violent crime rates and significant activity tied to transnational criminal organizations.
Read the bill text here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse Applauds Rescission of Conservation and Landscape Health Rule

Press Release 
For Immediate Release: May 12, 2026
Contact: Juan Ayala, (202) 713-7750

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement regarding the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) rescission of former President Biden’s Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, know as the Public Lands Rule. 

“The previous Administration made a concerted effort to attack our Western Way of Life,” said Rep. Newhouse. “By including conservation as a multiple use under FLPMA, contrary to Congressional intent, unelected bureaucrats threatened to lock up millions of acres across the West. Conservation is an implicit benefit of other multiple uses, it is not in and of itself a use. I applaud Secretary Burgum for reversing this harmful regulation.” 

Background 

The Conservation and Landscape Health Rule was issued on May 9th, 2024. This rule elevated conservation as a discreet “use” of public lands, contrary to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1974’s intent and framework. By reversing this rule, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) eliminates mechanisms which threatened to restrict productive use of public lands.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Sara Jacobs (CA-51) today passed a resolution through the House Foreign Affairs Committee, with original cosponsor Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), condemning the attacks on civilians in Sudan and calling for a negotiated end to the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The measure passed 44-2 with bipartisan support. 

“The ongoing civil war in Sudan is one of the worst humanitarian crises the world has ever seen. It is critically important that today the House Foreign Affairs Committee recognized that fact in a bipartisan way and moved this resolution forward,” said Jayapal. “50 million people are caught in the crossfire as two military forces have waged a war with absolutely shocking atrocities against civilians. And that suffering has only been exacerbated by rampant malnutrition and famine as armed actors impede humanitarian aid. The full House must take up this resolution urgently to call for our government to use its leverage to bring an end to this war that has gone on for far too long.”

“For three years, the international community has essentially ignored the devastating war in Sudan that has evolved into the biggest humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs. “The health system has largely collapsed, millions of people are hungry, and some have even resorted to eating leaves or animal feed because they can’t find enough food. But today we took an important step forward. I’m so grateful that the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed our resolution to condemn the attacks on civilians in Sudan and call for an end to external support to the RSF and SAF. The United States has leverage with the external actors who are fueling this horrific war, and it’s long past time that we use it.”

“I thank Rep. Jayapal for this urgent resolution,” said Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks. “We must do more to end this brutal conflict, which is only being prolonged by the steady flow of arms from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other external actors to the warring parties. The Trump Administration must take decisive steps to curb the flow of arms to the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces, press them to ensure unfettered humanitarian access to populations in need of assistance, and work to negotiate an end to this conflict to prevent any further atrocities against Sudanese populations.”

More than 400,000 people have been killed and over 14 million displaced since the start of the war. It has been determined by the State Department that both the SAF and RSF have committed war crimes, and that the RSF has committed crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. 

It is estimated that 20 million Sudanese people are facing acute levels of food insecurity, and nearly 34 million people require urgent humanitarian assistance. 

Jayapal and Jacobs introduced the resolution on the third anniversary of the war’s start. The resolution formally denounces this crisis and calls for safety and security for the Sudanese people, an end to external, material support to the SAF and RSF from outside actors, recognizes the continued resilience of Sudanese civil society and calls on the Trump administration to take clear steps to help negotiate an end to the war. 

The full text of the resolution can be read here.

Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [5/13/26] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) announced that Eric Chen, a junior from Lincoln High School, won the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Oregon’s First District. 

Chen’s painting, “Departure,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. Chen and one guest are also invited to attend an award ceremony in Washington, D.C., with other first-place winners from around the country. 

“Arts education teaches students lifelong skills, and I know the student artists who participated in the Congressional Art Competition will benefit from their passion for the arts no matter what path they take in the future,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Congratulations to Eric for winning this year’s Competition! I look forward to seeing his art on display in DC.” 

“This painting depicts a touching moment of my mom and grandma conversing with each other right before my family departs from a visit to China,” said Eric Chen. “My mom is a first-generation immigrant to the United States, where she has lived for decades; it is where all her responsibilities are… My grandma is unable to leave her home, each longs for the company of the other.”

Ananthika Vinod, a sophomore from Westview High School, received an honorable mention for her piece, “Unfurling.” Vinod’s art will be displayed in Congresswoman Bonamici’s Beaverton office for one year. 

Local art leaders selected the Congressional Art Competition winner and honorable mention for Oregon’s First District. This year’s judges were John Goodwin, Director of Philanthropy at Portland Art Museum, and Ryan Burghard, Public Art & Artist Programs Coordinator at the Oregon Arts Commission. 

Congresswoman Bonamici held a showcase and celebration with judges, educators, family members, and student artists to announce the Congressional Art Competition winner and honorable mention. A picture of Chen with their artwork can be found here.

Bonamici has been a strong advocate for the arts and arts education throughout her time in public service. She is the founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, which promotes the integration of the arts and design with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. 

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

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), co-chair of the Congressional Postal Caucus, helped introduce the Vote by Mail Protection Act in response to President Trump’s unlawful executive order to severely restrict mail-in voting. This legislation would invalidate the order and prohibit federal agencies from using taxpayer funds to implement it, protecting the ability of Americans to vote by mail.

“Voting by mail is a safe and effective way to cast a ballot and has been for over a century. President Trump is attempting to undermine states’ rights to run their own elections, tamper with the independence of the U.S. Postal Service, and disenfranchise Americans. Congress needs to stand up for their constituents and their fundamental right to vote,” said Congressman Pappas. “This legislation would nullify President Trump’s unlawful executive order to protect mail-in voting for seniors, disabled Americans, overseas service members, and all those who use it to ensure their voice is heard. I’ll always stand up for free and fair elections and Granite Staters’ ability to cast their ballot whether it be in-person or by mail.”

President Trump’s executive order, signed on March 29, directs the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Social Security Administration and state governments, to compile lists of U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state and requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to deliver ballots only to voters whose names appear on those lists. This order poses a significant threat to the millions of citizens who depend on mail-in ballots to participate in the democratic process of voting, and it establishes a dangerous precedent for political interference in the operations of USPS.

Each individual state has constitutional power to regulate federal elections within its own state. The executive order attempts to transfer control over voting eligibility and mail-in voting regulations to the Executive Branch. It also forces the non-partisan, independent USPS to exceed its traditional public service mission by directing the agency to determine which mail-in votes will be counted and refuse the delivery of any ballot cast by otherwise eligible voters if they are not named on newly created federal voter lists.

The Vote by Mail Protection Act is endorsed by Public Citizen, the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and the National Association of Postal Supervisors.

Pappas helped introduce this legislation alongside Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42), Congressional Postal Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), and Rep. James Walkinshaw (VA-11). Full text of the Vote by Mail Protection Act is here.

Pappas and Budzinski led 101 members demanding that President Trump rescind his unconstitutional executive order that would effectively limit vote-by-mail. The lawmakers raised concerns about the feasibility of the order and the negative consequences it could have for postal employees, as well as the timeliness of mail delivery.

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

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, where he made clear that while inflation is skyrocketing as a direct result of Republican policies, Donald Trump and his sycophants in Congress are using taxpayer dollars to rip away healthcare and drag us further into a reckless war of choice instead of making life better and more affordable for everyday Americans.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Donald Trump has made clear that he and the Republican Party don’t give a damn about the personal finances of the American people. It’s an extraordinary admission. But the reality of the Trump presidency and Republican control of the House and the Senate has regularly made that very point because under the presidency of Donald Trump and Republican control in Congress, the economy is a disaster. Costs haven’t gone down, costs have gone up. And it’s a direct result of Republican policies. The Trump tariffs have increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year. At the same period of time, Donald Trump’s reckless and costly war of choice, where billions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted, has resulted in life becoming more expensive for the American people, particularly as it relates to the dramatic increase in gas prices.

In the Trump-Republican economy, inflation is at a three or four year high. The cost of groceries is out of control, gas is out of control, goods are out of control, housing prices are out of control and the Republican assault on the healthcare of the American people has ripped away the ability of millions of everyday Americans to be able to go see a doctor when they need one. Donald Trump and Republicans promised to love and cherish Medicaid. They turned around and enacted their One Big Ugly Bill, which is the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. And as a result, hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers [are] closing all across the country, particularly in rural America. The economy is a disaster and we know why—because Donald Trump and Republicans don’t give a damn about the personal finances of the American people. Donald Trump said it and he meant it.

Full conference can be watched here.

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