MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Greater Memphis community, including Boxtown and Westwood, concerned about air pollution

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul (R-Texas) discussed the importance of Pax Silica — the State Department’s initiative to secure high-tech and artificial intelligence supply chains — with Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg at a committee hearing titled, “Advancing National Security through Commercial Diplomacy.”

Click to watch

Full Exchange:

McCaul: Secretary, it’s great to see you. Let me commend and applaud you for your recent appointment to secretary. I want to commend the administration for their picking such a talented person in the technology space. I’ve been to your [Hill and Valley] summits here on the Hill, talking about technology. You were also on the China Commission for many years when I was chairman, and I worked really well with you on your recommendations on China, as they are the great power competition that we face. And I know your personal views about China and your public views, and they pretty much are the same, and it is that China is the greatest threat that we face today. … I know this Pax Silica is a very interesting concept to me, and it’s an alliance between the United States and our partner nations, moving forward on technology — obviously semiconductors, but [also] AI, which is the future of warfare. When we talk about advanced weapon systems like the AUKUS bill that I passed, bringing together the U.K., Australia, and the United States to advance AI technologies and also quantum with advanced weapons … I know you just got back recently from India and had a very successful meeting with Mr. Modi over there. I want to give you an opportunity to talk about the importance of Pax Silica, what it is doing to advance our interests abroad, and to accelerate the core AI race against China.

Helberg: Thank you so much, and I’ll be brief to be mindful of time. But I completely share the sentiment, it’s great to see you, and you were indeed at the very first Hill and Valley Forum many years ago, so it’s been great to work with you all these years. With respect to Pax Silica, we have three lines of effort. The goal is to secure our supply chains, and we want to focus on artificial intelligence because we believe it’s one of the most transformative technologies that will affect the future of our economy. Our three lines of effort include membership, so focusing on being very deliberate and strategic about the composition of the group. The group now includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, Israel, the UAE, Qatar, the U.K., and Greece. We included India just about three days ago, and Taiwan is also a part of the group. The second track is projects — infrastructure projects. And when it comes to projects, we’re focused on logistics infrastructure and industrial capacity. The basic premise is we believe that logistics is key if we want to secure supply chains, because we can have access to minerals and factories, but if we don’t have a way of moving things around efficiently and in a cost-effective way, we will not have secure supply chains. And industrial capacity because we have offshored all that capacity. Our supply chains are filled with thousands of vendors that we have very little visibility into, and so we want to create an environment where we reduce the information silos, and we have more industrial might in order to do surge capacity when we need to. The last line of effort is policy. We want to use Pax Silica as a platform to coordinate at a policy level with our partner countries, especially and including for developing baseline definitions for us to agree for how we define sensitive technologies and critical infrastructure. We want to coordinate on anti-dumping practices and market incentives. And we also want to agree on a pro-innovation agenda for AI.

McCaul: Well, I think this is one of your legacy items, and I’m glad again you’re in the position you’re in to advance these sort of creative ideas. I always find, Mr. Chairman, when you have an economic alliance with countries — you know, in addition to the weapon sales that this committee does — the economic and diplomatic efforts really solidify those alliances with a common goal against our adversaries. And I think that’s precisely what Pax Silica does. I look forward to hearing more good news from you on that issue, and let me commend you for your service, sir.

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

WASHINGTON — Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s (D-IL) bipartisan Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act, legislation aimed at tearing down unnecessary barriers that prevent qualified workers from competing for federal contracting opportunities and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used more effectively.

“The House’s unanimous passage of my legislation is a major step toward tearing down the ‘paper ceiling’ that has kept too many hardworking Americans from fully participating in our economy,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “By focusing on demonstrated skills rather than outdated degree requirements, this bipartisan bill expands opportunity, strengthens our federal workforce, and helps ensure federal contracts deliver the best value for Illinois taxpayers.”

The Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act requires federal agencies to justify any minimum education or experience requirements included in contract solicitations, helping ensure that contractors are evaluated based on their ability to perform the work rather than credentials that may not reflect real-world competence. By encouraging skills-based evaluation, the legislation aims to increase competition, reduce unnecessary barriers, and open doors for qualified workers across the country.

The legislation aims to expand opportunities for workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) — individuals who have developed expertise through apprenticeships, military service, community college programs, or on-the-job experience rather than traditional four-year degrees. The bill builds on broader federal efforts to expand skills-based hiring, strengthen workforce pathways, and promote economic mobility.

The full bill text is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Woodland, CA – Wednesday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) was joined by Rep. John Garamendi (CA-08), House Committee on Agriculture member, Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21) for a roundtable meeting with local farmers, ranchers, processors, and ag leaders to discuss the ag community’s needs and how Congress can help deliver for them. 

“Agriculture is not just an industry in California — our ag community is the backbone of our economy and the heart of our communities.” said Thompson. “Right now, our ag community needs support. Tariffs are hammering farmers, ranchers, and processors. Not to mention the regulatory burdens, water issues, and infrastructure needs that urgently need to be addressed. Thank you to Rep. Costa, Rep. Garamendi, and every ag community member who showed up to discuss with us their needs and how Congress can help. It’s past time Congress pass a Farm Bill 2.0 that feeds our communities and meets the tremendous needs of our agriculture community.”

“Great to join Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. John Garamendi, and leaders of our agricultural community for this critical conversation. Farmers, ranchers, and dairymen and women are paying the price for this administration’s irresponsible agricultural trade policies and Congress must intervene to make things right and ensure our agricultural community can thrive. Thanks to everyone who joined us to make your voices heard,” said Congressman Costa.

“Proud to stand with a true leader of California farmers, Congressman Mike Thompson. I thank him for holding this roundtable, and I also thank Congressman Jim Costa and everyone else who participated in this incredibly important discussion about the immense pressures on the agriculture industry due to Donald Trump’s harmful policies, unnecessary tariffs, and cuts to food assistance. California is America’s garden basket, and I’m proud to stand with Rep. Mike Thompson, who has always championed commonsense policies that give California farmers a solid foundation for success,” said Rep. Garamendi.

The representatives were joined by over 50 guests, including members of the California Farm Bureau, Sacramento Farm Bureau, Napa Farm Bureau, Yolo Farm Bureau, Solano Farm Bureau, Colusa Farm Bureau, and Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau and ag researchers from UC Davis, almond farmers, grape growers, peach growers, cattle ranchers, ag finance professionals, and others in the ag community.

BACKGROUND

California lost 400 farms in 2025 as growers, ranchers, producers, and processors faced rising operational costs and a shortage of workers largely caused by the President’s policies on immigration and his international trade war. These challenges come at a time when the ag community is already facing challenges accessing water and navigating regulations.

A long-time representative of rural ag communities and founder and co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus, Rep. Thompson recently introduced the Specialty Crop & Wine Producer Tariff Relief Act, legislation to provide direct support to specialty crop growers and wine producers facing economic losses from tariffs.

Read more about his work for the ag community here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) to reintroduce the Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act (Specialty CROP Act). This bipartisan, bicameral bill makes key improvements to the annual U.S. Specialty Crops Trade Issues Report to identify major trade barriers so specialty crop growers can boost sales in foreign markets. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the companion legislation in the Senate.

“Specialty crops are a cornerstone of California agriculture—especially in the Central Valley—but while our state is a top exporter, our growers have unfortunately faced many challenges over the last few years,” said Congressman Valadao. “Many of our California-grown specialty crops rely on customers overseas, but due to unfair trade practices, burdensome labeling standards, and blockades in foreign markets, it makes it difficult to stay competitive. Our specialty crop producers deserve to compete on a level playing field in the global marketplace, and this bipartisan bill would take necessary steps to identify and combat unreasonable trade barriers more effectively.”

“The specialty crops are a vital part of Oregon’s economy,” said Congresswoman Bonamici.  “Unfortunately tariffs, market uncertainty, and other global factors have hit specialty crop growers hard.  I’m pleased to introduce the Specialty CROP Act to improve the USDA’s existing specialty crops trade report to better improve the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops exports.”

“Specialty crop production is central to Idaho’s economy and our identity as a state,” said Senator Crapo. “Idaho farmers can outgrow the world, but high tariffs and burdensome labeling requirements imposed by foreign nations threaten our rural communities and keep agricultural producers from accessing global markets. Detailed and up-to-date information from USDA and USTR will help specialty crop growers navigate foreign markets and inform congressional and presidential efforts to address trade barriers and expand export opportunities.”

“The world is hungry for grown-in-the-U.S. blueberries, potatoes, wine and other produce. But all too often our farmers and producers are stymied by unreasonable blockades in foreign markets,” said Senator Wyden. “Our bipartisan bill will help rural Americans by identifying unfair foreign trade barriers and creating specific plans to cut through that red tape.”  

The Specialty CROP Act would:

• Improve the annual U.S. Specialty Crops Trade Issues Report to:
• Explicitly require participation and engagement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
• Highlight specific trade barriers that limit the export competitiveness of specialty crops in specific markets, including tariff and non-tariff barriers.
• Include an assessment of whether each trade barrier is subject to a U.S. FTA or international agreement.
• Include specific information with respect to actions taken, or expected to be taken, by the U.S. government to address or resolve each trade barrier.
• Require a request for comment from both the public and the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables.
• Require the report be made public, while allowing for a classified annex to protect U.S. national security and economic strategy.
• Continue to define “specialty crop” as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.”

Read the bill here.

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

Carbajal Statement Following the 2026 State of the Union Address

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

PHOTO: The 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winning Artwork on Display Alongside Other Winning Artwork from Georgia’s Congressional Delegation

ALBANY, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) invites high school students from Georgia’s Second Congressional District to participate in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.

“I am happy to announce that my office is now accepting entries for this year’s Congressional Art Competition,” said Congressman Bishop. “This annual competition is an excellent opportunity to highlight artistic talent throughout the district. I look forward to seeing the creativity of our gifted 2nd Congressional District high schoolers and recognizing them for their hard work!”

Participants will be invited to attend a reception at the Albany Museum of Art, located at 311 Meadowlark Dr., Albany, GA 31707, where submissions will be on display and a winner will be announced.

This is the 45th anniversary of the annual competition which is sponsored by the Congressional Institute. The winner will have their artwork on display for one year in the Capitol complex in the passageway between the Cannon House Office Building and the U.S. Capitol.

All artwork must be submitted to Congressman Bishop’s office at 323 Pine Avenue, Suite 400 in Albany, Georgia, by Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 5:00pm ET.

For more information about the Congressional Art Competition and to view the official rules, please visit: https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/congressional-art-competition.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata responded to President Trump’s State of the Union address, which she attended, and highlighted the economic and national security message, along with applauding the U.S. military heroes that were recognized during the speech.   

President Trump honored heroic Veterans during the 2026 State of the Union (House Creative Services photo)

During the State of the Union, President Trump awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest decoration for valor, to 100-year-old U.S. Navy Captain E. Royce Williams, whose long-classified role in the Korean War is one of the longest sustained aerial combats in Navy history, and to U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, helicopter pilot in the Venezuela operation who continued his duties while wounded. He also awarded the Purple Heart to Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and posthumously to Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, members of the West Virginia National Guard, ambushed last year on patrol in Washington, D.C. The President also honored Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Ruskan, who was awarded the Legion of Merit, and specially recognized in the audience a decorated veteran, Buddy Taggart, also turning 100 years old soon, who helped liberate a major internment camp in the Philippines in World War II.

“We can all come together to honor our nation’s brave patriots,” said Congresswoman Amata. “I appreciated the President honoring these deserving Veterans and Service Members for their heroism, service and sacrifice, and highlighting our inspiring Olympic champions as well.”

“American Samoa can be at our best when the U.S. is strong, when the national economy is positioned to improve, and fuel costs are in check, and those were some of the themes of the speech. Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and start the big 2027 appropriations legislation, the next yearly National Defense bill, and urgently restore funds to the Department of Homeland Security so our U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA and TSA are back at full operations and staffing,” she continued. “These yearly bills in Congress are where we make sure our highway funds, healthcare, schools, nutrition, and other support are secured. That work starts in House committees and subcommittees, and I’m blessed to have some seniority.”

“In Washington, I highlight our local needs and priorities in the context of current events with China and the Pacific region, which opens the door to talk about our Port, our hospital and clinics, a future air traffic tower, a Coast Guard cutter home ported in Pago Pago Harbor, or other developments,” Amata concluded. “It helps to have good channels of communication to all the leaders in Washington, and I keep those lines open.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Larsen Opens Submissions for Fiscal Year 2027 Community Project Funding Requests