MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

“The Worst Cabinet Secretary in U.S. History”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D-NC-12) joined 70 House Democrats in introducing Articles of Impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem for obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust, and self-dealing. 

North Carolina has been directly impacted by Sec. Noem’s abuse of power. The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) operation in Charlotte late last year terrorized the community, leading to U.S. citizens being assaulted and arrested. Sec. Noem’s unconstitutional withholding of Congressionally appropriated FEMA funds has resulted in the delay of billions of dollars of Hurricane Helene recovery to North Carolina, severely impacting recovery efforts in Western North Carolina.

“Under Secretary Noem’s tenure, DHS, CBP, and ICE have systemically violated the rights of Americans and the U.S. Constitution,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Border Patrol’s operation in Charlotte saw American citizens assaulted and unlawfully arrested for practicing their Constitutional rights, while their refusal to coordinate with local law enforcement threatened the safety of every person in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. At the same time, Sec. Noem’s willful withholding of Congressionally appropriated FEMA funds has impeded North Carolina’s ability to recover from the worst natural disaster in state history. I do not take Articles of Impeachment lightly but it is clear that Sec. Noem has violated federal law and her oath of office, and, for the safety of our country, she must be removed from office.”

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

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) cheered the reinstatement of nearly $2 billion in grants to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), including seven Health Care Authority-administered grants in Washington state. The reinstatement of this funding, which spanned thousands of grants across the nation addressing issues from youth overdose prevention to prenatal and postpartum care for women, comes just one day after grantees received letters from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) abruptly cancelling this funding.

“The Trump administration’s reckless decision to cancel almost $2 billion in funding to fight the opioid epidemic shows they do not care about helping families and communities recover from addiction,” said Rep. Larsen. “I worked with Democrats and Republicans to demand this funding be reinstated and I am glad the Administration caved quickly. I will keep supporting local efforts to end the opioid epidemic and keep holding the Trump administration accountable for the harm they cause.”

Larsen is Focused on Combating Opioid Crisis in Northwest Washington

Rep. Larsen is focused on supporting local efforts to combat the opioid crisis and save lives. In 2024, he published a districtwide opioid report that outlines a four-pillar framework to combat the crisis. Larsen has introduced four pieces of legislation to fight fentanyl in Northwest Washington:

– The PROTECT Act, which gives Tribal courts and law enforcement more tools and resources to combat the opioid epidemic.

– The Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act, which creates employment opportunities for people in recovery and supports communities impacted by widespread opioid use.

– The End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act, which establishes a dedicated federal funding stream to help multi-jurisdictional drug task forces combat opioid trafficking in Washington state and across the country.

– The Closing the Substance Use Care Gap Act, which expands access to lifesaving, community-based harm reduction initiatives and services and enhances the federal response to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.

Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Reinstatement of Funding

Following the SAMHSA grant cancellations yesterday, Larsen joined a bipartisan letter with 100 House colleagues to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding that funding be restored immediately.

Members who signed on to the bipartisan letter are as follows: Tonko, Paul; Dean, Madeleine; Beyer, Donald; Salinas, Andrea; Fitzpatrick, Brian; Trahan, Lori; Pettersen, Brittany; Matsui, Doris; Moulton, Seth; Amo, Gabe; Carter, Troy; Balint, Becca; Schrier, Kim, Auchincloss, Jake; Bell, Wesley; Bishop, Sanford; Bonamici, Suzanne; Bresnahan, Robert; Brown, Shontel; Budzinski, Nikki; Carbajal, Salud; Casten, Sean; Castro, Joaquin; Chu, Judy; Cohen, Steve; Davis, Danny; DelBene, Suzan; Deluzio, Christopher; Dexter, Maxine; Dingell, Debbie; Doggett, Lloyd; Elfreth, Sarah; Escobar, Veronica; Espaillat, Adriano; Fields, Cleo; Figures, Shomari; Fletcher, Lizzie; García, Jesús; Gillen, Laura; Goldman, Daniel; Grijalva, Adelita; Harder, Josh; Hernández, Pablo; Horsford, Steven; Hoyle, Val; Ivey, Glenn; Jacobs, Sara; Jayapal, Pramila; Kamlager-Dove, Sydney; Kelly, Robin; Kennedy, Timothy; Khanna, Ro; Krishnamoorthi, Raja; Landsman, Greg; Larson, John; Lee, Summer; Lee, Susie; Leger Fernandez, Teresa; Lynch, Stephen; McClellan, Jennifer; McDonald Rivet, Kristen; McGovern, James; McIver, LaMonica; Meeks, Gregory; Meng, Grace; Morrison, Kelly; Moylan, James; Norcross, Donald; Omar, Ilhan; Panetta, Jimmy; Pappas, Chris; Pelosi, Nancy; Pocan, Mark; Pou, Nellie; Pressley, Ayanna; Quigley, Mike; Ramirez, Delia; Randall, Emily; Riley, Josh; Rivas, Luz; Scanlon, Mary Gay; Schakowsky, Janice; Schneider, Bradley; Simon, Lateefah; Smith, Adam; Stansbury, Melanie; Stanton, Greg; Strickland, Marilyn; Suozzi, Thomas; Swalwell, Eric; Takano, Mark; Thompson, Mike; Tlaib, Rashida; Tokuda, Jill; Vasquez, Gabe; Walkinshaw, James; Watson Coleman, Bonnie; Whitesides, George; Williams, Nikema.

The lawmakers’ full letter to HHS is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

We are extremely concerned by reports of the sudden termination of what appears to be the vast majority of the discretionary grants at Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Addressing mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery is a bipartisan priority. The work of SAMHSA is not a partisan priority. It should be a priority for every American, every member of Congress and every Administration. Every state relies on SAMHSA funding to respond to these pressing mental health and addiction challenges. In Congress we have worked to prioritize the focus on mental health and substance use disorder, to reduce stigma and to expand access to prevention, recovery and treatment.

Reports indicate that 2,800 grant termination notices have been distributed across the nation for critical programs that support mental health and addiction resources effective January 13, 2026. We strongly urge you to rescind all of the terminations immediately. Too many people across the country are suffering without necessary resources. We must ensure that SAMHSA programs serve their congressionally intended purpose of getting lifesaving resources to our communities.

Given the urgency, we ask that you provide the following information by January 16, 2026.

1. How many grants were terminated at SAMHSA and what programs were included?

2. What was the rationale for each termination? Please explain how each program “no longer effectuates agency priorities.”

3. The President recently signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which reauthorized many of these programs for 5 years. Of the grants that were cancelled, please provide a justification as to why these grants do not align with the direction given under the SUPPORT Act?

Sincerely,

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

Rep. Weber Secures Over $30 Million for Southeast Texas as the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 Awaits the President’s Signature

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

This week, Rep. Jack Bergman helped secure the inclusion of key bipartisan priorities to protect rural mail service in the Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) report, which recently passed the House of Representatives.

The language, which Rep. Bergman secured alongside fellow Congressional Postal Service Caucus co-chairs Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), Jared Golden (ME-02), and Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), seeks to address USPS plans to reduce the frequency that mail is picked up from rural post offices, consolidate processing facilities, and close local post offices.

Rep. Bergman stated, “For many families in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, reliable mail service isn’t a convenience – it’s a necessity. Seniors depend on the mail for prescriptions, workers rely on it for paychecks and important documents, and small businesses count on it to reach their customers. These bipartisan provisions push back against proposals that would make mail delivery slower and less reliable for rural communities.”

Specifically, the FSGG report includes language that:

• Calls on the U.S. Postal Service to reevaluate its Regional Transportation Optimization plan to ensure rural Americans do not face additional delays caused by reduced mail pickups at post offices located more than 50 miles from processing centers.
• Recommends halting the consolidation or realignment of processing and logistics facilities that serve postal districts failing to meet established on-time delivery standards for First-Class mail.
• Urges the Postal Service to pause any plans to close post offices that serve more than 15,000 people or where no alternative post office exists within 15 miles.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Co-Chairs of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-OR) today issued the following statement after the Trump Administration terminated more than 2,000 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants – nearly $2 billion in funding for organizations providing critical services across the country:

“The Trump Administration’s decision to unilaterally and abruptly withdraw grants that help provide essential mental health and addiction treatment services across the country is deeply troubling, dangerously shortsighted, and puts American lives at risk.

“Abruptly canceling these grants will force providers to halt suicide prevention efforts, overdose prevention and treatment programs, naloxone distribution, and peer recovery services with little to no warning. Treatment programs will be forced to close their doors, prevention efforts will stall, and American lives will be lost as a direct result.

“Those consequences will be immediate and severe, but they are avoidable. Addressing mental health and substance use disorders has never been a partisan issue. For decades, Democrats and Republicans have come together to expand access to care because addiction and mental illness affect families in every community across the country. Just last year, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act to equip communities with the resources necessary to combat substance use disorders and support mental health services passed Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Trump himself. And last March, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. renewed the public health emergency declaration addressing our nation’s opioid crisis.

“Terminating billions of dollars in SAMHSA grants directly contradicts these bipartisan commitments and the Administration’s own renewal of the opioid public health emergency, severely undermines the federal response to the opioid crisis, and jeopardizes the treatment and recovery infrastructure American communities rely on.

“The Trump Administration must immediately reverse course, reinstate these critical grants, and ensure the American public has the resources needed to support mental health and addiction treatment.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Congressional Progressive Caucus has formally endorsed legislation introduced by Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) that would redirect $175 billion in ICE and immigration enforcement funding into programs that would help make housing affordable nationwide.

Rep. Gomez’s bill would pull billions of dollars from the anti-immigrant slush fund in Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and reinvest those funds into programs designed to lower rents, expand homeownership, and increase the supply of housing that’s affordable.

“The Progressive Caucus is proud to support Rep. Gomez’s bill to reallocate money from ICE to make housing more affordable,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar, Deputy Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Instead of spending billions to terrorize families, we could actually use that money to reduce rents, expand homeownership, and build more affordable housing units across the country. It’s way past time we end Donald Trump’s ICE and CBP slush fund, and invest in the well-being of the American people.”

“My bill flips the script, ” said Rep. Gomez. “We’re taking back Trump’s anti-immigrant slush fund and investing it in real housing solutions that actually help people while putting a check on the unaccountable police force he built to go after our communities. The Progressive Caucus understands that standing up to ICE and making housing affordable are both essential to our communities, and this bill delivers on that.”

Specifically, the legislation would create a monthly Renter Tax Credit for families paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent, provide at least $50,000 in down payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers, incentivize the conversion of vacant office buildings into housing that’s affordable through a new Affordable Housing Conversion Credit, and expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to boost affordable housing construction.

At a moment of escalating enforcement violence, the bill represents a clear stand against ICE’s unchecked authority and a decisive shift toward accountability and affordability.

Full bill here

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter demands medical license termination for Georgia doctor who refused to say men can’t get pregnant

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today sent a letter to the Georgia Composite Medical Board calling on it to revoke the medical license of Dr. Nisha Verma, a Georgia-licensed obstetrician and gynecologist, after she refused to acknowledge during a United States Senate Committee Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing that men cannot get pregnant. 

In the letter, Rep. Carter writes, “Pregnancy is a biological function exclusive to females, and men cannot become pregnant. Clear understanding of biological sex differences is foundational to the safe and competent practice of medicine, particularly in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.” 

Rep. Carter continues, “Any physician who is unwilling to clearly answer that men cannot become pregnant should not be licensed to practice medicine in the State of Georgia. You wouldn’t trust a mechanic who doesn’t believe in oil changes to fix your car; Why should Georgians be expected to trust a physician who similarly rejects the basics? For these reasons, I request that the Georgia Composite Medical Board take immediate action to revoke Dr. Verma’s medical license.” 

Read the full letter here. 

 

BACKGROUND

On January 14, 2026, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing entitled, “Protecting Women: Exposing the Dangers of Chemical Abortion Drugs,” during which Dr. Verma was asked by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ashley Moody (R-FL), “Can men get pregnant?” Dr. Verma could not give a coherent, fact-based response, instead referring to “different identities” and calling the question “political.”  

Watch a clip from the hearing here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Amid reports of increased immigration enforcement operations in Maine, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement:

Over the past year, Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security and its untrained, masked, and violent immigration officers have terrorized and traumatized entire communities on orders from a truly lawless and morally corrupt Administration. Their assaults came to a tragic head last week in Minnesota, where agents murdered an innocent observer in cold blood. In Minneapolis and across our country, these agents continue to indiscriminately detain immigrants and U.S. citizens, forcefully trample on First Amendment and due process rights, and cause utter chaos in our communities. 

That we could soon see these reckless tactics unleashed in Maine is incredibly concerning. My team and I remain in constant communication with the Governor, the Mayors of Lewiston and Portland, and community organizations to prepare for increased enforcement activity. We are doing everything in our power to protect Mainers and immigrant communities. 

Tomorrow, more than two dozen of my Democratic colleagues and I will be in Minnesota to get a better sense of what’s happening on the ground, to meet with state leaders and advocates, and to hopefully learn how communities in our home states can prepare themselves for—and protect their citizens from—any potential federal operations. 

It’s important that Mainers who choose to protest do so peacefully, and that everyone, regardless of their background or immigration status, knows their rights. 

Republicans are in control of both the House and the Senate, and given their endless capitulation to the President, no matter how illegal or immoral his actions, Congressional Democrats have limited power to stop ICE’s operations outright. But let me be clear: We are using every available tool at our disposal to demand accountability and oversight—forcing votes on the record, documenting abuses, and keeping public pressure on this Administration so that, when Democrats retake control of Congress, meaningful change and accountability actually happens. I’m working with my colleagues to use the appropriations process to impose restrictions on ICE and to claw back funding for DHS approved in the Big Ugly Bill.

This week, I joined more than 70 Democrats in bringing Articles of Impeachment against Noem. Her lies, incompetence, and moral failings undermine the protections she swore to uphold, and she needs to be removed from office. 

It’s critically important to keep the pressure on in this Administration and show the American people that their abuses of power will not go unchallenged.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
January 15, 2026                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ANNOUNCES REVERSAL OF TERMINATION OF ESSENTIAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH GRANTS

Washington, D.C.— Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-USVI) today announced the successful reinstatement of approximately 2,000 health and mental health service grants totaling roughly $2 billion nationwide. The reversal follows sustained pressure from Members of Congress, including the Congresswoman, who  advocated with the Trump Administration successful explaining the chaotic and harmful termination of these critical programs.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), issued abrupt grant termination letters without warning, which threw communities nationwide into crisis and threatened vital programs that serve the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Virgin Islands organizations affected by the Administration’s reckless decision include the University of the Virgin Islands, the Access to Racial & Cultural Health Institute, Inc., and The Village – VI Partners in Recovery. These organizations provide essential substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and community health programs on which thousands of Virgin Islanders rely.

“I want to thank the University of the Virgin Islands, the Access to Racial & Cultural Health Institute, and The Village – VI Partners in Recovery for contacting my office about their grant termination letters,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “After national outrage and advocacy from Members of Congress—during which we made clear the impact of the cuts to vulnerable communities to be abandoned without warning or justification—HHS reversed this decision. I am pleased to share that HHS has begun to issue the grant reinstatement letters, and these vital health services will continue.”

“This victory demonstrates what we can accomplish when we stand together and advocate respectfully but strongly to deter policies that harm our most vulnerable neighbors,” Congresswoman Plaskett continued. “We will remain vigilant and continue to fight for the health and well-being of Virgin Islanders.”

The reinstated grants support essential services that include substance abuse treatment programs, mental health counseling, suicide prevention initiatives, and community health education throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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