MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

PASADENA, CA – On November 6, 2025, the Eaton Fire Residents United (EFRU), a local, grassroots group advocating for survivors of the Eaton Fire, released new findings showing that even after professional remediation, more than half of tested standing homes within the region where ash settled following the Eaton Fire still contain dangerous levels of lead, and one third of those homes have significant levels of asbestos contamination. This is despite remediation efforts designed to remove toxic substances from these homes. 

“I am deeply alarmed by the findings released by the Eaton Fire Residents United (EFRU), which show that despite remediation efforts, our neighbors and loved ones are still at risk of exposure to high levels of lead and asbestos that remain in their homes. Many of the homes tested have levels of contamination high enough for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require further remediation efforts, and we know that exposure to these toxins can lead to serious health consequences like cancer and brain damage,” said Rep. Chu. “It is unacceptable that, as many survivors of the Eaton Fire see their compensation for temporary housing deplete, many of our neighbors are being forced to decide between a roof over their heads or risking exposure to deadly toxins. 

“These findings make it clear that we must take further action to protect the health and wellbeing of our neighbors, loved ones, and environment. That’s why I urge Governor Newsom, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to immediately adopt a Clearance Before Occupancy standard to ensure that survivors can feel safe from exposure to toxins before returning to their homes. I urge Commissioner Lara to call on the insurance companies to cover testing, and also do multiple remediations until the home is cleared. I also urge an immediate extension of Additional Living Expense (ALE) coverage so that survivors can have as stable roof over their heads as their homes continue to be remediated and tested. Finally, I urge Governor Newsom to declare an “Ash Zone” to provide a formal recognition of homes outside of a fire’s direct burn zone but nonetheless impacted by ash and smoke. This designation would protect the health and wellbeing of our community members, as well as make it easier for impacted households to demonstrate the impact they’ve experienced following a fire and receive the compensation and assistance needed.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

PASADENA, CA  – Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Sharice Davids (KS-03) led 100 of their Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy demanding the Trump administration to reinstate workers at the Office of Population Affairs (OPA), who were illegally fired on October 15. OPA administers key programs like Title X, which provides essential family planning services to 2.8 million people across the country. OPA also administers the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program and provides resources to expand access to embryo donation and adoption as a family building option for families with fertility obstacles. 

“We write to express our grave concern at the recent actions by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to terminate nearly the entire staff at the Office of Population Affairs (OPA),” the members wrote. “The OPA oversees the nation’s only federal program dedicated to family planning, the Title X program, among other vital reproductive health programs. These firings will severely undermine the functionality of the office, hindering the Title X program’s ability to operate effectively, and threatening the loss of health care for many of the millions of people that these programs support annually.”

“Undermining the federal government’s ability to effectively administer the Title X program funds will unquestionably result in the loss of health care for patients who depend on it,” the members continued. “The dismantling of the OPA threatens to rip away critical services from millions of Americans at thousands of health centers across the country. We urge you to immediately reinstate the OPA employees so they can continue to carry out their essential functions.”

In March, the Trump administration froze funding for Title X family planning that Congress had previously set aside for the program.  

To read the full text of today’s letter, click here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) released the following statement after voting against the Republican government funding bill:

“I voted against the Republican government funding bill because it fails to protect the health care subsidies that prevent premiums in my district from doubling.

“My constituents are already struggling with rising health care premiums and grocery costs driven by Trump’s reckless tariffs. I refused to gamble their family budgets on a flimsy promise by the Senate to address these issues later — especially when Speaker Johnson has offered no such commitment.

“While reopening the government is important, this bill gives Republicans exactly what they wanted: higher health care costs and a green light to continue Trump’s tariffs, which are driving up prices on everyday goods.

“That’s why I led 11 fellow Democrats in introducing an amendment to block these tariffs. But instead of allowing a vote, Republicans on the Rules Committee adjourned to protect Trump’s unchecked power over trade policy.

“This vote makes it clear that Republicans stand with Trump, not the American people.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

Picture above: Kathy Register, right, speaks with Congressman Johnson’s Outreach Director Eric Hubbard at a recent town hall meeting in May 2025 in Georgia’s Fourth District.

DECATUR, GA – This week, Congressman Johnson sadly announced the sudden, unexpected but peaceful passing away of Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson’s lifelong best friend and his own close friend and District Director Kathy (Gayle) Holt Register.

Kathy Register, 70, served as District Director from the day Congressman Johnson was first sworn in to Congress on January 3, 2007. Kathy oversaw an award-winning constituent services operation that has been largely responsible for Rep. Johnson’s reelection to Congress.

“When I first took office in 2007, I promised Georgians that I would take care of home first,” said Congressman Johnson. “Kathy Register made sure that that promise was kept. Under Kathy’s leadership, my district staff has helped tens of thousands of constituents solve seemingly intractable problems. She ran the office with professionalism and an eye for service. That is what she did every day for more than almost 19 years. She will be missed as our leader but also as a dear and close friend.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

CHICAGO, IL – Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL-07) today sounded the alarm on looming health care premium increases and the termination of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits that threaten thousands of families in Illinois’s 7th Congressional District. In a press conference at Bethel Family Ministries, he also announced the addition of a new “Tell Your Story” feature on his congressional website, inviting residents to submit their experiences as the impact of the shutdown deepens.

Beginning October 27, many families will face sharp increases in health care premiums unless Congress acts to extend critical tax credits. Simultaneously, SNAP benefits for nearly 1.9 million Illinois residents will be cut off as early as November 1 if operations remain halted.

“On October 27, thousands of families in our district will see their health care premiums rise, and by November 1, many more will lose food assistance entirely if our government does not reopen. That’s why today I’m launching a new ‘Tell Your Story’ feature at davis.house.gov — so residents can speak about what this crisis truly means for their lives. Their voices must be heard, because real people are paying the cost of political gridlock.” – Congressman Danny K. Davis

The congressman highlighted key data illustrating the looming crisis:

• Approximately 19,000 residents in the 7th District stand to see their health care costs spike if tax credits disappear.

• Families of four earning $64,000 could face premium hikes of up to 243 percent; a 60‑year‑old couple earning $82,800 may see an increase of more than $13,000 annually.

• In the district, 64,091 households (roughly 19.9 percent) rely on SNAP — with benefits slated to end November 1 if the shutdown continues.

Congressman Davis reaffirmed his commitment to protecting vulnerable families, seniors, and children in the district. He said, “These are not statistics. They are our neighbors, our friends, our family members. When health care becomes unaffordable and food assistance disappears, our entire community suffers. We must put people ahead of politics.” 

State Representative La Shawn K. Ford, who joined Congressman Davis at the press conference, emphasized the local impact and called for bipartisan cooperation. He said, “This is not about party lines, it’s about the lives of the people we serve. Our families deserve stability, food, and affordable health care. I stand with Congressman Davis in calling on Congress to reopen the government and protect Illinois families.” 

Congressman Davis urged his colleagues in Congress to act immediately to reopen the government, protect SNAP benefits, extend health care tax credits, and prevent a tragic rollback of access for working families.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

Every October we wear pink, but the truth is plain: awareness without access doesn’t save lives—screenings, treatment, and support do. Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers, and too many families in our communities are still losing mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties, and friends because they couldn’t get care in time or couldn’t afford it.

Early detection is powerful. If you’re due for a mammogram, get it scheduled. If you’ve never had one, talk to your doctor about when to start based on your age and risk. If cost or insurance is a barrier, contact our office—we will connect you with programs that provide low- or no-cost screenings.

We also have to face the hard reality of inequity. Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer despite similar rates of diagnosis. That’s not biology alone—that’s access, trust, and follow-up care. We can and must fix it.

In Congress, I’m fighting to:

• Expand funding for community health centers and the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program so cost never blocks a screening.
• Support research that advances earlier detection and more targeted, less toxic treatments.
• Improve coverage for genetic counseling and testing, and remove red tape that delays care.
• Back policies that give workers paid time to get preventive screenings.

This month, honor survivors, support those in treatment, and remember the loved ones we’ve lost—but let’s also act: schedule your screening, check on a friend, and share resources. My office stands ready to help you navigate options and get the care you need.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement after voting against the government funding deal passed by the Republican-controlled Senate:

“I voted against this deal because it fails the basic test of protecting Americans’ health care. Too many families in Illinois are already stretched thin, and this agreement does nothing to stop premiums from skyrocketing even higher. The American people shouldn’t have to trust Donald Trump’s promises to keep their coverage affordable. We need real action that lowers costs and restores stability for working families, and I will continue to fight for it.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

Trump Admin has been holding up Congressionally-appropriated funds to replace Illinois lead pipes, keep families healthy

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem expressing “grave concern” over reports that DHS may hire private contractors to “locate, surveil, and report on individuals within immigrant communities for profit.”

In his letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi warned that the proposal would “outsource one of the government’s most coercive powers to actors who operate with little oversight and limited public accountability.” He wrote that such an arrangement “risks creating an enforcement apparatus that functions beyond the reach of ordinary checks and balances.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi cautioned that “once the state begins contracting out its power to police, it invites the very abuses, secrecy, and corruption our founders sought to prevent.” He added, “When citizens can no longer discern who acts in the name of government, trust gives way to fear. A government that rules through confusion and coercion rather than law and consent erodes its own legitimacy and the freedoms it exists to protect.”

The Congressman also outlined the dangers of performance-based enforcement contracts that would effectively establish a “bounty hunter” model: “When the government pays private contractors based on how many people they can find, detain, or deliver, it turns them into bounty hunters. In such a system built on quotas and cash rewards with minimal oversight, mistakes are not just possible—they are certain.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi cited recent incidents of discriminatory enforcement, including a case in Illinois where a U.S. citizen was detained by DHS officers who “refused to believe her U.S. passport was real—because her appearance did not fit their assumptions about what someone with her last name ought to look like.” He warned that allowing private individuals to perform similar functions “will inevitably chill civic participation and deepen fear among law-abiding residents who already feel watched and vulnerable.”

Drawing historical parallels, Congressman Krishnamoorthi wrote that “when governments blur the line between official authority and private surveillance, societies inevitably pay a steep price in lost trust and personal freedom.” He added, “While today’s circumstances are different, any system that rewards private actors for reporting on one another risks repeating those same mistakes—undermining community cohesion, eroding the rule of law, and betraying American values.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s letter calls on DHS to answer key questions about the scope and legality of the proposed program, including:

• What statutory or regulatory authority allows DHS to delegate investigatory or surveillance functions to private contractors?
• What personal or location data would these contractors have access to?
• What oversight mechanisms and identification requirements would be in place to prevent harassment, trespass, or unlawful surveillance?
• Would contractors be authorized or incentivized to physically confront, detain, or pursue individuals?
• Why is DHS outsourcing address verification and document delivery rather than relying on trained federal agents?

Congressman Krishnamoorthi concluded by emphasizing that “outsourcing immigration enforcement to profit-driven contractors undermines the very trust between government and the people it serves, and risks normalizing a system incompatible with American values and due process.”

A copy of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s budget agreement:

“Time and again, Donald Trump has proven that his promises aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. From the start of this shutdown, I’ve said our focus must be on confronting the surge in health care costs unleashed by his administration. Across Illinois, I’ve met families pushed to the brink—and doctors and nurses doing everything they can to keep them healthy amid the chaos. The ability of the American people to afford health care must not depend on Donald Trump keeping his word. I cannot support any deal built on delay, deception, and empty promises.”