MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) released the following statement marking two years since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023:

“Two years ago, Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack on Israel. They murdered nearly 1,200 men, women, children, and infants, and abducted more than 250 others. The terrorists brutally gunned down young people at a music festival, burned families alive in their homes, slaughtered parents before their children and children before their parents, desecrated the dead, and dragged hundreds of hostages back to Gaza.

“Today we mark two years since the darkest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. We remember every innocent life stolen that day, and we stand with the families who continue to grieve unimaginable loss.

“We are also holding on to hope that the comprehensive deal to bring the last 48 hostages home and end this terrible war can be reached in the coming days. Our European and Arab allies must put pressure on Hamas to agree to the 20-point peace proposal, to release all hostages, living and dead, and to allow desperately needed humanitarian aid into and throughout Gaza. And may the world unite behind a shared vision for a more just, peaceful, and prosperous Middle East, building on the promise of the Abraham Accords. 

“May the memories of all who were murdered on October 7, and of all lost in the 732 days since, be a blessing. May the hostages be quickly returned to their families. And may the fighting finally end — so that lasting peace can take root for all people of the Middle East.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) issued a statement on the Republican shutdown that leaves millions of Americans with rising healthcare costs. 

“President Trump and Congressional Republicans just purposefully shut the government down – putting our economy, security, and critical government services at risk. They did so simply to protect their cruel healthcare cuts and make it harder for working people to afford their everyday needs. 

“Republicans have full control of the House, Senate, and White House. While Democrats stayed in Washington to seek a solution, Republicans took an extended vacation at home. This shutdown could have easily been averted, and the responsibility for it lies solely on President Trump and the Republicans’ shoulders.

“There is still a way out of this mess. I call on Congressional Republicans to come back to D.C., put the American people over their extreme agenda, and negotiate in good faith a bipartisan budget that lowers costs and prevents a full-blown healthcare crisis.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

LINCONSHIRE, IL – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair and co-founder of the Abraham Accords Caucus, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, were joined by 178 House Democratics in a new letter to Israeli leadership expressing opposition to  possible unilateral annexation of the West Bank.

“As long-standing supporters of the U.S.–Israel relationship, Israel’s security, and Israel’s future, we are deeply opposed to proposals for unilateral annexation of territory in the West Bank,” write the members. “Such a move would not only violate international law but undermine decades of bipartisan U.S. policy and threaten the progress of the Abraham Accords, which offer Israel and its neighbors the opportunity to build a more secure, cooperative, and prosperous regional future.”

The letter was sent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and was delivered ahead of an anticipated speech by Prime Minister Netanyahu in which unilateral annexation, or steps towards unilateral annexation, might be announced.  Several Israeli Government ministers have been publicly calling for such steps. Prime Minister Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet with President Trump and discuss the matter in the White House on September 29th.

“We are particularly troubled by increasing public calls to unilaterally annex West Bank territory,” the letter continues. “Senior officials from the United Arab Emirates—core partners in the Abraham Accords—have made clear that annexation is a red line, warning it would jeopardize the promise of regional normalization and integration with Israel. Moves toward annexation would undermine Israel’s progress on normalization, prevent international cooperation to rebuild Gaza after this devastating war, risk instability in Jordan, and even further strain ties with key European partners.”

The letter builds on an effort led by House Democrats in 2020 expressing similar concerns over possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank at that time.

“We respectfully urge your government to refrain from steps toward unilateral annexation and to recommit to a negotiated outcome consistent with U.S. policy and the regional vision embodied in the Abraham Accords,” the letter concludes. “That path best safeguards Israel’s security and democratic ideals, advances regional cooperation against shared threats, and offers Israelis and Palestinians the possibility of living side by side in peace and dignity, freed from perpetual attacks on civilians and the threat of war.”  

The full letter is below and linked here.

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Katz, and Foreign Minister Sa’ar:

As long-standing supporters of the U.S.–Israel relationship, Israel’s security, and Israel’s future, we are deeply opposed to proposals for unilateral annexation of territory in the West Bank. Such a move would not only violate international law but undermine decades of bipartisan U.S. policy and threaten the progress of the Abraham Accords, which offer Israel and its neighbors the opportunity to build a more secure, cooperative, and prosperous regional future. Unilateral annexation of the West Bank would plunge the region, already reeling from tens of thousands of deaths in the horrific Gaza war, into further chaos and violence.

Hamas’s barbaric October 7 attacks murdered more than a thousand people, including American citizens, and took hundreds of hostages. Israel has the right and obligation, within the requirements of international law, to defend its people and bring every hostage home.

At the same time, longstanding and overwhelmingly bipartisan U.S. policy, as enacted in the bipartisan Israel Relations Normalization Act, supports direct negotiations toward a two-state solution to ensure a future for two peoples living side by side in peace, security, and mutual recognition. We are convinced that unilateral steps by either side, including Israeli annexation of territory in the West Bank or Gaza, would move Israelis and Palestinians further away from negotiations and further away from a just, sustainable peace.

We are particularly troubled by increasing public calls to unilaterally annex West Bank territory. Senior officials from the United Arab Emirates—core partners in the Abraham Accords—have made clear that annexation is a red line, warning it would jeopardize the promise of regional normalization and integration with Israel. Moves toward annexation would undermine Israel’s progress on normalization, prevent international cooperation to rebuild Gaza after this devastating war, risk instability in Jordan, and even further strain ties with key European partners.

We are likewise troubled by statements from ministers within your government contemplating annexation of Gaza or parts of it. Such steps would not only violate international law but exacerbate humanitarian and diplomatic challenges at a moment when broad international support for Israel is at risk.

We respectfully urge your government to refrain from steps toward unilateral annexation and to recommit to a negotiated outcome consistent with U.S. policy and the regional vision embodied in the Abraham Accords. That path best safeguards Israel’s security and democratic ideals, advances regional cooperation against shared threats, and offers Israelis and Palestinians the possibility of living side by side in peace and dignity, freed from perpetual attacks on civilians and the threat of war.

Thank you for your consideration. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) released the following statement after voting no on Republican proposal to cut healthcare:

“Congressional Republicans are hellbent on making life harder and more expensive for hardworking Americans and their families. They used their One Big Bad Bill to take healthcare from 15 million people, deny food assistance programs to millions of hungry families, and unnecessarily burden our children with $4 trillion plus in additional debt—all to fund more needless tax breaks for billionaires. Meanwhile, American families are paying President Trump’s tariff taxes on everything from groceries and school supplies to clothing, new cars, and new homes.

“Republicans have full control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. With today’s vote, House Republicans make clear that they would rather shut down the government than work with Democrats to lower costs and protect healthcare for millions of American families.

“I will not be complicit with the Republicans’ extreme agenda, nor will I provide a blank check for President Trump and Congressional Republicans to continue raising prices for working people and ripping health care from American families. Today I voted NO on making Americans pay more for groceries, housing, and health care.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-founder and co-chair of the House Abraham Accords Caucus, released the following statement in response to Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and six other countries formally recognizing the State of Palestine: 

“I am a lifelong believer in the legitimacy of the national aspirations of both the Israeli and the Palestinian people. That is why I must unequivocally condemn the premature, misguided, and unhelpful decisions this week by our allies Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom and six other countries to formally recognize the State of Palestine. 

“We all want the war in Gaza to end, the hostages held by Hamas returned to their families, and humanitarian aid surged to the people of Gaza so they can finally begin to rebuild their lives and their communities, free from the reign of terror of Hamas and the threat of war with Israel. Extreme pressure must be placed on Hamas to release the hostages and on all parties to agree to stop the fighting and allow both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples to heal and move forward with their lives. 

“But, at this moment, as Hamas continues to hold 48 hostages and refuses to surrender control over Gaza, unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state is too easily seen as a reward for terrorism. Furthermore, unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, outside the context of direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, offers little more than a political cudgel against Israel. 

“In addition, rather than encouraging Israel to accept a ceasefire, to develop a plan for the day after in Gaza, to suspend actions that undermine the status quo in the West Bank, and to engage with the Palestinians in seeking a path to a future peace, unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state has the unintended effect of legitimizing Israel’s unilateral moves. Extremists in Israel will use these actions to tell Israelis they are alone in the world, while increasing their demands for unilateral annexation of the West Bank and Gaza. 

“As much as our allies might wish otherwise, a secure and successful Palestinian state cannot be created by simple decree. As former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad used to say, Palestine must first be built before it can be recognized. Building strong Palestinian institutions of governance would both strengthen the Authority’s hand in direct negotiations and improve the material lives of Palestinians. 

“I remain firm in my conviction that peace is possible, though likely distant. It will take work. It will take time. And it will certainly require perseverance and resistance against those who prefer continued chaos and violence to real compromise and commitment to peace. 

“Unfortunately, peace will not be brought closer for either Palestinians or Israelis by the actions of our allies. The harsh reality is that meeting Israeli unilateralism with Palestinian unilateralism is not the answer to reckless leadership in Jerusalem, feckless leadership in Ramallah, and inconsistent leadership from the United States. And sadly, any positive role Britain, France, Canada, or Australia could have played to advance regional security has been diminished.

“Our allies, in concert with the U.S., would be more productive working together with the Palestinians towards building credible, incorruptible, and trusted institutions of governance. They should also work with our Arab allies in a unified effort to defeat the enemies of peace –including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the regime in Iran — and clear the path for Palestinians and Israelis to live together in mutual recognition, security, peace, and prosperity.”

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott, Bonamici Urge USDA to Minimize Disruptions to WIC Services for Pregnant Women and Infants During Government Shutdown

Roughly half a million pregnant women and nearly 40 percent of all infants in the United States rely on WIC.

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott Sounds Alarm on Jobs Day

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) did not release a jobs report due to the government shutdown.

“Workers, economists, and businesses rely on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports to understand the health of our economy and the labor market. Without the September jobs report, policymakers and the public are denied an opportunity to understand the challenges facing the American economy.

“Private sector estimates suggest that job growth—already anemic since President Trump took office for a second term—continues toslow. According to the latest data available, job growth since January 2025 has averaged just 70,000 per month, in comparison to 336,000 per month during the Biden Administration. Real wage growth continues to slow. The overall unemployment rate, as well as rates for women, Black workers, and Hispanic workers, has increased since the start of the year.

“The takeaway is clear: The Trump Administration’s policies are hurting Americans. Worse, the Trump Administration is then preventing the government from accurately measuring the impact of these harmful policies. The first Trump Administration’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic killed thousands of Americans. Then, President Trump demanded that we stop testing for it. Earlier this year, Congressional Republicans passed and the President signed the ‘Big Ugly Law,’ which included historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Then last month, President Trump ordered the end of a report that tracks household food security. Now, President Trump’s reckless tariffs are killing jobs, and policymakers are left in the dark without a jobs report.

“From abruptly firing the former BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, to nominating and then withdrawing the nomination of E.J. Antoni who claimed the BLS ‘rigged’ data, to now threatening additional firings across the federal government, President Trump risks compromising the credibility of BLS data.

“Americans must have confidence that they can trust our institutions to produce reliable data. Without reliable data, policymakers cannot understand the scope of the problem they are trying to address. What’s more, just because the Trump Administration does not measure the impact of their policies, does not make the harm go away. Americans know the truth. Costs are going up, it is harder to find work, and the President’s policies are the cause.”

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott Slams Continued GOP Vacation During the Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after House Republicans announced they would be in recess again next week despite the ongoing government shutdown:

“House Republicans announced they will be on an extended vacation next week, despite the government having been shut down since October 1^st. They have been on vacation since September 19^th and appear to have no interest in ending this shutdown for the American people. Republicans currently control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives and it is incumbent on them to govern responsibly and end their shutdown.

“House Democrats returned to Washington this past week, and we remain ready to negotiate a bipartisan funding solution that protects the health care of the American people.”

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Virginia Delegation Slams White House Threat to Furloughed Workers’ Back Pay

Washington, D.C. –  Today, the Democratic members of Virginia’s congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to OMB Director Russ Vought clarifying that threats to withhold or cancel back pay to furloughed federal workers would be illegal. The letter was signed by Representatives James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07). 

“We are writing in response to reports that the White House is considering guidance that would compromise back pay for thousands of federal employees furloughed during the current Republican-driven government shutdown. This proposal is both preposterous and unlawful, as it would misrepresent congressional intent and contradict established legal interpretation,” the members wrote to Vought. 

“The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA) was enacted with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President Trump on January 16, 2019. It was explicitly intended to guarantee that all federal employees furloughed during any lapse in appropriations receive back pay once the government reopens,” the members added.The legislation was carried in the House by Congressman Beyer. 

“Any new OMB position that conditions back pay on a specific appropriation is a distortion of congressional intent and a transparent attempt to use federal employees as leverage in a political dispute. These are real people with families who rely on their paychecks to make ends meet and should not be subjected to additional harm for political gain.

We call on OMB to uphold the law as written and intended, ensuring that furloughed employees are entitled to full back pay consistent with GEFTA and prior executive branch guidance,” the members concluded. 

Full text of the letter is here and follows:

Director Vought,

We are writing in response to reports that the White House is considering guidance that would compromise back pay for thousands of federal employees furloughed during the current Republican-driven government shutdown. This proposal is both preposterous and unlawful, as it would misrepresent congressional intent and contradict established legal interpretation.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA) was enacted with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President Trump on January 16, 2019. It was explicitly intended to guarantee that all federal employees furloughed during any lapse in appropriations receive back pay once the government reopens. Upon receiving President Trump’s signature, the Trump White House described the law as “requir[ing] the compensation of government employees for wages lost, work performed, or leave used during a lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 2018.” The plain language of the statute, along with interpretations by the Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management and the Council of Economic Advisers issued within the last two months, affirms that back pay is guaranteed at the end of a government shutdown. According to OPM’s guidance for a 2025 shutdown, “after the lapse in appropriations has ended, both excepted and furloughed employees will receive retroactive pay at the employee’s standard rate of pay.”

Reports suggest the White House has now conjured an unconvincingly narrow interpretation of the January 25, 2019 amendment to GEFTA, which provides that furloughed workers shall be compensated “subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse.” That language was a procedural clarification ensuring furloughed employees were eligible for backpay at the end of a shutdown. In no way does it constitute a limitation on whether backpay may be administered.

Any new OMB position that conditions back pay on a specific appropriation is a distortion of congressional intent and a transparent attempt to use federal employees as leverage in a political dispute. These are real people with families who rely on their paychecks to make ends meet and should not be subjected to additional harm for political gain.

We call on OMB to uphold the law as written and intended, ensuring that furloughed employees are entitled to full back pay consistent with GEFTA and prior executive branch guidance.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA) was enacted with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President Trump on January 16, 2019. It was explicitly intended to guarantee that all federal employees furloughed during any lapse in appropriations receive back pay once the government reopens. Upon receiving President Trump’s signature, the Trump White House described the law as “requir[ing] the compensation of government employees for wages lost, work performed, or leave used during a lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 2018.” The plain language of the statute, along with interpretations by the Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management and the Council of Economic Advisers issued within the last two months, affirms that back pay is guaranteed at the end of a government shutdown. According to OPM’s guidance for a 2025 shutdown, “after the lapse in appropriations has ended, both excepted and furloughed employees will receive retroactive pay at the employee’s standard rate of pay.”

Reports suggest the White House has now conjured an unconvincingly narrow interpretation of the January 25, 2019 amendment to GEFTA, which provides that furloughed workers shall be compensated “subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse.” That language was a procedural clarification ensuring furloughed employees were eligible for backpay at the end of a shutdown. In no way does it constitute a limitation on whether backpay may be administered. 

Any new OMB position that conditions back pay on a specific appropriation is a distortion of congressional intent and a transparent attempt to use federal employees as leverage in a political dispute. These are real people with families who rely on their paychecks to make ends meet and should not be subjected to additional harm for political gain.

We call on OMB to uphold the law as written and intended, ensuring that furloughed employees are entitled to full back pay consistent with GEFTA and prior executive branch guidance.

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

WASHINGTON— Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) released the following statement on the importance of reauthorizing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): 

“The United States and Africa share a proud history of partnership in international trade and cooperation. Since 2000, the Ways and Means Committee has been the architect, keeper and champion of AGOA, which has rightfully earned its place in the centerpiece of U.S. trade relations. AGOA has expanded trade and investment in sub-Saharan Africa while promoting job creation and strengthening democratic institutions and worker rights throughout the continent. 

“Allowing AGOA to expire is unacceptable. It has always been renewed on time and never lapsed. Letting it expire now, while the Trump Administration is already shrinking away from Africa by dismantling USAID and other development assistance programs, would be a grave mistake, undermining decades of trust, stability, and U.S. leadership. 

“At a time when the Trump administration is fueling an increasingly hostile and unlawful trade war, that is already shaking confidence and killing investment, turning our backs on African partners would be disastrous. We call on House Republicans to work with us to find a bipartisan solution to lift the IEEPA tariffs and reauthorize AGOA. AGOA has stood proudly as a beacon of bipartisan success, and it must remain so for many years to come.” 

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