MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

Headline: Congressman Veasey Releases Statement on October 7th Attacks Anniversary

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Veasey has released the following statement on the 2nd anniversary of the October 7th Attacks: 

“On this solemn anniversary, we mourn the innocent lives lost in the horrific October 7th attacks carried out by Hamas. That day, 1,200 people — including 33 Americans — were brutally killed, leaving a deep and enduring wound on families and communities across the world. Today, we remember the victims and stand with their loved ones who continue to endure unimaginable grief. My thoughts and prayers remain with them — today and always.” 

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

In response to current efforts that single out Latino, Black, and immigrant Memphians for stops and searches

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

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) wrote to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought today seeking clarification on whether federal employees furloughed because of the government shutdown will receive back pay when their offices re-open.

A recent OMB memorandum suggested employees may not be guaranteed back pay, which “is inconsistent with both federal law and decades of bipartisan precent,” Congressman Cohen’s letter says.

“The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 — signed into law by then-President Donald J. Trump — explicitly guarantees back pay for all federal employees affected by a lapse in appropriations. 

“The plain language of that statute leaves no room for doubt: federal employees who are required to work without pay, as well as those furloughed during a shutdown, must be made whole when government funding is restored.”

See the entire letter here.

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

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) will attend and speak at The Foote Park at South City Community Homes on Thursday, October 9. Congressman Cohen secured $750,000 for the final phase of the project on the site of the former Foote Homes through the annual appropriations process. The effort began in 2015 when Congressman Cohen secured a $30 million grant under President Obama’s Choice Neighborhoods Program.

What: A ribbon cutting at The Foote Park at South City VI Community Homes

Who: Congressman Cohen; Ellen Eubank, CNI Project Manager, Memphis Housing Authority; Mayor Paul Young, City of Memphis; Ralph Perrey, Executive Director, Tennessee Housing Development Agency; Denise Cleveland-Leggett, Southeast Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development; Dexter Washington, Chief Executive Officer, Memphis Housing Authority; Archie Willis, Founder & President, ComCap Partners; Eva Mosby, Regional Vice President, Urban Strategies Inc.; Tierra Bell, South City Resident; Shante Avant, President & CEO, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis; and Emily Bernstein, Senior Vice President, McCormack Baron Salazar

When: Thursday, October 9, at 10:30 a.m.

Where: 430 South Danny Thomas Boulevard

Please RSVP to Congressman Cohen’s Communications Director at Bartholomew.Sullivan@mail.house.gov

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

Hoping the war ends this week, hostages are returned and needed aid flows into Gaza

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

PASADENA, CA – Rep Judy Chu (CA-28), Founder and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Creative Rights Caucus, issued a statement today condemning President Trump’s most recent threat to implement a 100% tariff on films made outside of the United States, which would have a devastating impact on the industry.

“American movies are some of our country’s greatest exports, but that is all at risk if President Trump follows through on this dangerously misguided threat,” said Rep. Chu. “Tariffs will not bring film production back to the United States. Instead, they will provoke retaliation from around the world, devastate our film industry here at home, and jeopardize millions of American jobs.” 

“President Trump correctly identified the problem of film and TV production moving abroad. But tariffs are not a solution. Instead, we need incentives that keep production here, support American workers, and grow our creative economy. And without congressional action, the Section 181 tax deduction, which is the only federal incentive for domestic film production, will expire after December 31^st of this year. That is why I introduced the bipartisan, bicameral CREATE Act to expand and extend Section 181, and strengthen federal support for U.S.-made films, television, theater, and sound recordings by allowing 100% deduction of production costs in the same year those costs are paid or incurred. And with Section 181 set to expire in just a few months, it is critical that Congress act now to not only extend this deduction, but strengthen it to ensure that the United States continues to invest in the incredible talent that exists in my district in Southern California and across the country,” Rep. Chu continued. 

“Our movies showcase the best of American creativity to the world and support millions of jobs nationwide. Putting them at risk with reckless tariffs is unacceptable,” Rep. Chu concluded.

As the global hub of film and television, Los Angeles County is home to world-renowned studios such as Disney, Paramount, Universal, and Warner Bros. The industry anchors the local economy, supporting over 325,000 jobs, paying $38.5 billion in wages, and driving $117.2 billion in overall economic impact.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) released the following statement on the Republican Government Shutdown: 

“Republicans own this shutdown. They control the House, the Senate, and the White House and yet they chose to shut down the government rather than protect affordable health care for millions of Americans. After forcing through a partisan spending bill that failed in the Senate, Republicans then blocked House Democrats from bringing up a commonsense bill that would have kept the government open, canceled health care cuts, lowered out-of-pocket costs, and protected the affordable care that working families rely on.

“This shutdown makes Donald Trump and Republicans’ priorities clear. First, they passed their Big Ugly Law, which ripped $1.5 trillion out of our health care system, kicked 15 million Americans off their insurance, slashed Medicare and Medicaid, and weakened the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—all to fund massive tax cuts for billionaires. Now, with 24 million Americans facing premium hikes of up to 114 percent, Republicans left town and shut down the government. This is a failure of leadership and a despicable betrayal of working Americans who depend on ACA tax credits to afford health care. 

“In my district alone, more than 61,000 people will see their premiums skyrocket if these tax credits expire, and nearly 40,000 people will lose coverage altogether because of Republicans’ combined cuts to Medicaid and the ACA. People are already paying higher prices because of Trump’s reckless tariffs, and this assault on their health care only makes this crisis worse. 

“This is a sad day for America. My Democratic colleagues and I remain ready to work across the aisle to reopen the government, lower health costs, and protect families. But we will not enable more chaos, destruction, and giveaways to the wealthy at the expense of the American people.

“During this unsettled time, I urge constituents to visit my website chu.house.gov/shutdown for resources and updates. My office is here to help answer questions and provide assistance.”

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

PASADENA, CA — Yesterday, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) sent a letter to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in advance of its motion to adopt the recommendations of the Independent After-Action Review of the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades Fires, raising serious concerns about the report’s findings.

The report confirmed that while residents east of Lake Avenue in Altadena were told to evacuate as early as 7:26 p.m., residents west of Lake Avenue — where 18 of the 19 deaths occurred — did not receive an evacuation alert until 3:25 a.m., hours after the first 911 calls from the area.

In her letter, Rep. Chu expressed support for the report’s recommendations to clarify evacuation authority, improve interagency training and coordination, modernize communication and alert systems, and address staffing and equipment shortages. She also raised concerns about unanswered questions, particularly why West Altadena residents, who suffered the greatest losses, did not receive the timely warnings and response they so desperately needed and deserved. Her letter emphasized that the 19 lives lost must be placed at the center of this process, and requested regular updates on the County’s progress implementing these reforms.

“I strongly urge the County to fully implement the recommendations outlined in this report, but also address the unresolved questions,” wrote Rep. Chu. “The County must clarify evacuation authority and documentation, strengthen training and coordination across agencies, and address resource shortfalls by filling vacancies, updating equipment, and ensuring adequate staffing. It must also modernize situational awareness and interoperability so all agencies share real-time data, and improve public communication so warnings are immediate, automatic, and accessible without opt-ins or extra steps during an emergency. These are lifesaving measures that must be implemented with urgency and accountability. Should the Board adopt this report, I request that the County provide regular updates on its progress in implementing these recommendations so that the public can have confidence that these systemic failures are being addressed in a timely and transparent manner. We owe it to the victims, survivors, and their families to ensure that these evacuation delays and failures are never repeated.

The Eaton Fire was the second most destructive wildfire in California’s history, killing 19 residents, destroying 9,500 structures, and displacing more than 20,000 people across Altadena and Pasadena.

To view the full letter click here.

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

PASADENA, C.A. – Today, Los Angeles County officials released an independent after-action review of alerts and evacuations issued during January’s devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires. The report, ordered by the County Board of Supervisors, investigates the severely delayed evacuation alerts for residents in the path of the Eaton Fire. Rep. Chu, who previously called for an independent investigation into these delayed evacuation orders, released the following statement:

“The Independent After-Action Report on the Eaton Fire evacuation delays is disturbing, raising more questions than it answers. For example, the report still does not explain why critical evacuation orders for west Altadena were delayed for hours, even after 911 calls confirmed fire in the area. Without alerts, many residents either went to bed or waited too long to make plans for someone to come help them if they were physically unable to leave on their own. Perhaps most troubling, the report only once mentions the nineteen lives lost in the Eaton Fire. We need a full accounting of how each of these deaths was allowed to happen, and what specific actions officials could have been taken the night of the fire to prevent their deaths.

“The report makes clear that serious changes are needed. I strongly urge the County to act on the recommendations outlined in this report, including clarifying who has authority over evacuation orders, strengthening staffing and training at the Office of Emergency Management, unifying agency communications into a single real-time platform, and ensuring alerts are immediate, automatic, and complete.

“I will be seeking more information from County leaders on how they will implement these reforms, and press for transparency into how west Altadena was left without timely warnings, who was responsible for those delays, and how these failures will be addressed. I will continue pushing for regular public updates and concrete timelines to ensure reforms are implemented before the next disaster strikes.  I will work to ensure that Congress helps our local agencies have the staffing, technology and training they need to keep people safe, such as fully funding FEMA and emergency management grants, supporting wildfire prevention and mitigation programs and investing in modern communications systems so warnings are never delayed again.”

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

While the Trump administration cuts funding for Minority Serving Institutions, Members of Congress recognize the importance of AANAPISIs in expanding access to higher education for all

Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Emerita Judy Chu (CA-28), First Vice Chair Mark Takano (CA-41), and Chair Grace Meng (NY-06) introduced a bipartisan resolutionrecognizing Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Week, from September 22 – September 28, 2025. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (HI) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. 

This week honors the vital role of AANAPISIs in expanding access to quality higher education for American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students. Since its authorization under the 2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the AANAPISI program has provided grants to institutions serving AANHPI undergraduate students to help expand their capacity to serve all students. These institutions have played a crucial role in opening the door to higher education for minority students, especially those who are low-income or first-generation. Today, AANAPISIs enroll 46 percent of all AANHPI undergraduate students in the United States, and award over 50 percent of the associate degrees and nearly 45 percent of the bachelor’s degrees attained by all AANHPI college students across the country.

This resolution comes in the wake of the Trump administration’s reckless decision to rescind $350 million in Congressionally-approved funds from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) including AANAPISIs, Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Predominantly Black Institutions. AANAPISIs alone have had over $18 million in grant funding terminated, which will force many to gut support services for students and lay off staff. These cuts will destabilize the education of thousands of students and ultimately harm our nation’s economic future.

“As a former community college educator, I have seen how a quality college education can unlock our students’ full potential. I’ve also seen how so many students of color and low-income students face enormous barriers to pursuing their degrees. AANAPISIs provide critical support to these students, ensuring an equitable access to higher education” said CAPAC Chair Emerita Rep. Judy Chu(CA-28). “President Trump’s slashing of MSI funding will rob millions of their shot at the American Dream. This will hurt not only students of color, but also every single student at these higher education institutions, since all students are able to benefit from these programs. This AANAPISI week and always, I will never stop fighting to ensure MSIs and all students, regardless of background, receive the education they deserve.”

“During AANAPISI week, we celebrate Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions nationwide and the important work they do for our communities,” said Senator Hirono. “As this administration actively works to strip hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding from these important institutions, it is more critical than ever that we reaffirm our commitment to supporting them. I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this resolution to recognize the importance of AANAPISIs and the role they play in supporting students—expanding opportunities for our youth, while uplifting and connecting students from diverse backgrounds in Hawaii and across the country” said Senator Mazie K. Hirono (HI).  

“As a former public school teacher and current member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, I’m glad to be recognizing AANAPISI Week. Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) bridge the gaps in educational opportunities and give underserved communities a fighting chance to succeed – and it is essential that we continue to support and uplift them. Investments in AANAPISIs are investments in the future of our nation and I will continue to fight the Trump administrations illegal attempts to rob AANPI students of the opportunities they deserve. Education is a hallmark of the American Dream that everyone should have equal access to” said CAPAC First Vice Chair, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41).

“Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions are essential for our communities to access higher education, good jobs and economic opportunities,” said CAPAC Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06). “They enroll nearly half of all AANHPI undergraduate students—the majority of whom are low-income, first generation college students—yet the administration is determined to strip millions of dollars in funding for these institutions. It is a betrayal to our communities and will shut millions of families out of the American Dream. As CAPAC Chair, I will continue fighting to ensure every child has the resources they need to succeed.” 

“I am honored to join our CAPAC colleagues in commemorating Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).  I’ve witnessed how AANAPISI programs are transformative for low-income, first-generation AANHPI students across colleges and universities.  These programs don’t just close equity gaps; they build empowered leaders rooted in community, culture, and purpose.  Investing in AANAPISI strengthens our national economy and workforce, ensuring a more just and prosperous future for all.” said Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng the President of Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE).

The bipartisan resolution text is available here.

The resolution has 38 original cosponsors.

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