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Castro, Texas Democratic Colleagues Demand Gov. Abbott End Unlawful Deployment of National Guard to Other

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

October 07, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led nine of his Democratic colleagues, including Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33), Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32), Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35), Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and Congressman Al Green (TX-09), in calling out Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s cooperation with President Trump’s illegal deployment of the Texas National Guard across the country and demanding their immediate withdrawal. This letter comes a day after Governor Abbott sent 200 Texas National Guard troops to Chicago to assist Trump’s invasion of American cities.

“As Members of Congress representing Texans, we urge you to immediately decline, withdraw, and refuse any cooperation or support for the deployment of the Texas National Guard to Portland, Oregon, Chicago, Illinois, or any other state for civilian or criminal law enforcement purposes. Despite Illinois’ pending litigation in federal court, you’ve willingly sent 200 Texas National Guard troops to Chicago. This request is urgent, grounded in U.S. law, public safety, and our responsibility to the people of Texas,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Already, a federal court in Oregon has prohibited the deployment of federalized National Guard troops, including those from Texas to Portland in the Administration’s September 28th memorandum. In her order, Judge Karin Immergut, an appointee of President Trump to the U.S. District Court in Oregon, noted that based on the facts on the ground, this deployment violated constitutional and other federal statutory law. At a moment when the Administration is threatening to send federalized National Guard troops hundreds of miles away from their families, job, and communities, and without a clear factual and legal explanation for the scope and duration of the alleged mission, this deployment violates the rule of law, puts Texas National Guard servicemembers at risk, and sets a precedent that undermines the ability of Texas to resist a similar imposition by other states in the future,” the lawmakers continued.

“Texans did not join the National Guard to be used as a political weapon aimed at fellow American citizens in another state. Our Guard members are citizen-soldiers who serve in disasters, defend our state, and serve overseas when required. Turning them into a domestic police force in another state – especially over that state’s objections – erodes public trust and undermines the Guard’s core mission,” the lawmakers continued.

“Our state faces hurricanes, wildfires, and other emergencies that demand readiness at home. When the federal government sends our troops to police our neighbors, it creates more fear and distrust, and is an inappropriate and unacceptable diversion of personnel, equipment, and funds. Deploying Texas troops to another state, even under a federalized posture, is deeply concerning, and it sets a dangerous precedent that states can police one another’s communities. Texans would oppose any other state that deployed military forces into our cities without our consent. If any other state deployed their National Guard to Texas without our consent, we would call that an invasion of Texas. We must not do the same to Oregon, Illinois, or any other American state,” the lawmakers continued.

“As noted in the Oregon decision, the Administration has not provided a compelling justification for the use of federalized National Guard troops in Portland, and while individuals in the Trump administration have made statements about the intended use of troops in Chicago and elsewhere, the Administration has similarly not provided a legal or factual justification for taking our National Guard from their families and communities to be used as a federal police force. We do not believe that the President’s use of his authority under Title 10 or any other statute to deploy the Texas National Guard is lawfully justify,” the lawmakers concluded.

Lawmakers demand that Governor Abbott:

  1. Publicly commit that, to the maximum extent possible under law, Texas will not cooperate with, enable, or facilitate deployments of Texas National Guard personnel into other states for domestic policing purposes over the objection of those states.
  2. Request the Administration rescind their decision to deploy the Texas National Guard to Oregon, Illinois, or other states.
  3. Direct the Texas Adjutant General that no Texas National Guard personnel, equipment, or logistical support will be provided for such operations, to the maximum extent possible under law, and that Texas will not serve as a staging ground for cross-state domestic missions.
  4. Release the Governor’s Office and Texas Military Department legal analyses regarding the scope and limits of presidential authority to federalize and redeploy Texas National Guard units for domestic law-enforcement functions in other states.
  5. Coordinate with the Attorney General of Texas to ensure full compliance with federal court orders, the Constitution, and all other federal laws to avoid exposing Texas National Guardsmen to personal legal jeopardy.
  6. Reaffirm that Texas National Guard readiness and resources will prioritize Texas emergencies and federally authorized missions that comport with the Constitution and federal law.
  7. Pursue litigation against the Federal government, if necessary, to protect the rights of the State of Texas under the Constitution.

Link to the full letter here.

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Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees Launch Investigation into Violent Chicago Immigration Raid

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON – The House Committees on Homeland Security and the Judiciary launched an investigation into the September 30th immigration raid in Chicago that terrorized residents of a South Shore apartment building.

Ranking Members Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Immigration Integrity, Security & Enforcement Subcommittee Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Border Security & Enforcement Subcommittee Ranking Member Lou Correa (D-CA), Oversight, Investigations & Accountability Subcommittee Ranking Member Shri Thanedar, Constitution & Limited Government Subcommittee Ranking Member Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), and Chicago area Representatives Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL) and Chuy García (D-IL) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pamela Bondi demanding details on the operation and answers on the actions of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under their control.

“According to media reports, armed federal agents in military fatigues approached or entered nearly every apartment in the five-story, 130-unit apartment building, using flashbang grenades, busting down doors, and pulling men, women and children from their beds. Agents put residents in zip ties and led them to unmarked vans to wait for hours while handcuffed, with children separated from their parents,” the Members wrote.

“Reporting indicates that there were U.S. citizens and military veterans among those dragged out of their apartments in zip ties and detained for hours,” the Members added. “They were not told why they were detained, and they were not allowed to contact attorneys. Residents report significant property damage and having their units ransacked. Doors were blown off hinges and holes left in walls. When returning to their apartments, some residents found their items stolen after federal agents left apartments open.”

After making 37 arrests during the operation, DHS claimed, without providing any evidence, that neighborhood was a location frequented by Tren de Aragua members. However, law enforcement authorities have not confirmed that any of the people arrested in this raid were members of Tren de Aragua.

“It is unacceptable that this violent, heavy-handed immigration enforcement operation put families and children at risk and detained U.S. citizens, while traumatizing an entire community.”

The letter presses DHS and DOJ to provide details on warrants used, the number of U.S. citizens and children detained, evidence supporting DHS’s claims of criminality, and explanations for tactics including the use of flashbang grenades, helicopters, and the zip-tying of children.

Click here to read the full letter.

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Speaker Johnson on Day Seven of Democrat Government Shutdown: Chuck Schumer Continues to Inflict Harm on the American People to “Stand Up to Trump”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — As the Democrat Government Shutdown crosses one week, Speaker Johnson held another press conference in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol to remind the American people – and the mainstream media – that Chuck Schumer has spent nearly half a century in Congress and has always advocated to keep the government open over partisan policy disputes. The only difference now is that he is running scared of his Far-Left base.

“Chuck Schumer has been in Congress for 44 years. He was first elected to the House in 1981, just for reference. I was nine years old. I was in the third grade when Chuck Schumer came here to Congress,” Speaker Johnson said. “Throughout his entire career, he has been very consistent about the necessity of keeping the government open, until just now.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here.

On Chuck Schumer deliberately lying to the American people:

Chuck Schumer has been in Congress for 44 years. He was first elected to the House in 1981, just for reference. I was nine years old. I was in the third grade when Chuck Schumer came here to Congress. Throughout his entire career, he has been very consistent about the necessity of keeping the government open, until just now. In fact, I want to read to you an excerpt from seven months ago, his floor speech on March 13th, 2025. This is Senator Chuck Schumer in March of this year on the Senate floor. “While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse. I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country to minimize the harms of the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.”

Now, what was Chuck Schumer talking about? The exact same bill that is on the floor today. That’s what he himself said, and he did vote to keep the government open. And then during an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN following that vote on March 14 of this year, he said, “I’m proud I did it. I know I did the right thing.” That is Chuck Schumer himself. Today’s the exact same scenario. It is the exact same vote. It is the exact same spending levels, and he has no reason whatsoever to do anything different except for the politics.

On Democrats refusing to support a clean CR despite doing it during the Biden Administration:

The Democrats record on the CRs; you know about Chuck Schumer’s record, but they’ve all done it. Democrats and Republicans have worked together to pass 13 CRs to keep the government open under the Biden administration in the previous four-year term. Democrats supported every CR close to unanimously in the House and the Senate. In fact, their average is 99%. 99% of the Democrats who are voting no right now, voted yes 13 times on the almost exact same word for word, very simple CRs to keep the government open, but they won’t do it now.

On the real-life consequences of the Democrat government shutdown:

This is resulting in crippling economic losses right now […] each week the shutdown continues, it will wipe out an estimated $15 billion in our GDP in our country. A month-long shutdown would mean not just 750,000 federal civilian employees furloughed right now, but an additional 43,000 more unemployed Americans across the economy because that is the ripple effect that it has in the private sector. You could go state by state and we could have charts and graphs this morning and show you what it’s going to mean to every state. But what the shutdown means in the state of New York, for example, that’s Chuck Schumer’s state. The impact there is the decline of $1.2 billion per month in GDP.

That is the pain that is being wrought. And I again, have to mention that when you shut down as they have, women, infants, and children nutrition programs, veterans’ health services, the disabled, the elderly who receive healthcare at home, all these programs are now being shuttered because the funding streams have stopped. We have troops, we have border patrol agents, TSA agents that are all serving, protecting all of us, protecting the country without pay right now. Real hardships for real families, and it cannot drag on any longer. We are pleading with the Democrats in the Senate to do the right thing.

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Beyer Statement On Federal Employee Back Pay

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

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia district with one of the largest concentrations of federal employees and contractors in the U.S. House, today responded to reports that the Trump Administration may try to deny back pay to federal employees impacted by the ongoing government shutdown. Beyer was the sponsor of bipartisan House legislation, co-led by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), mirroring Senate legislation enacted in 2019 that guarantees retroactive pay to federal employees impacted by any lapse in appropriations.

Beyer said:

“Federal employees are guaranteed back pay at the end of any shutdown by law without question or exception.

“This is clearly and unambiguously stated in the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which Congress passed nearly unanimously in 2019. Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Thune voted for that bill, and President Trump signed it into law. The Trump Administration recently issued guidance that ‘retroactive pay for period of furlough and excepted work will be provided after the laps ends as required by law.’ Speaker Johnson’s own website correctly affirms that, ‘Under federal law, employees are entitled to back pay upon the government reopening.’

“The Trump Administration is trying to frighten federal employees and their families as a negotiating tactic, which is despicable. The President and Republican leaders should instead be using this time and effort to work with Democrats on a deal that reopens the government, protects Americans’ health care, and prevents huge price increases.

“Federal employees should know that these threats are hollow, and they will be paid when this shutdown ends, as the law requires.”

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Bacon Releases Statement on Two-Year Anniversary of October 7th Attack

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon Releases Statement on Two-Year Anniversary of October 7th Attack

Washington – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) issued a statement on the second anniversary of the October 7th attack.

“On October 7, 2023, the world witnessed unimaginable evil. Hamas terrorists brutally murdered 1,200 innocent men, women, and children in the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Many were tortured, raped, or burned alive, and approximately 20 hostages still remain in captivity, with some victims’ bodies yet to be returned to their families. That morning, I received a call from a Jewish American friend in tears. She said something terrible is happening in Israel, will you please stand with us? I promised her, as I promise again today, that I will always stand with our Jewish and Israeli friends against this evil. Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be defeated, and Israel has every right to defend itself.

“Since that day, antisemitism has surged across America. We see it on our campuses, online, and in our communities. Our nation was founded on freedom, equality, and respect for human dignity, and we cannot allow hatred to take root. As Americans, we have a moral obligation to confront this challenge head-on. When we say, “never again,” we must ensure those words are more than symbolic. They must be backed by sincerity, unity, and steadfast resolve. When it comes to antisemitism, I refuse to be a bystander.”

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Huffman Joins Over 160 Democrats to Demand DOE Reinstate Affordable Energy Projects Cancelled by Trump

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

October 07, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) joined House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs, Representatives Mike Levin (CA-49) and Sean Casten (IL-06), to lead 162 House Democrats in a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright. In their letter, the lawmakers condemned the termination of $8 billion of projects that were set to lower electricity costs for Americans and increase grid reliability and further demanded that DOE immediately reinstate the projects.

“The projects that the Department of Energy (DOE) has unilaterally decided to cancel were driving down costs for all our constituents—regardless of their political affiliation,” the lawmakers wrote. “Household electric bills have already increased 10% nationally since January 2025 and are poised to spike even further. This Administration’s reckless energy policy and award terminations, designed to stifle the development of cheap, clean energy and prop up more expensive dirty energy, will only further increase the cost burden for families to keep the lights on.”

The letter can be found here.

Background

On October 2, 2025, DOE announced it would terminate 321 financial awards that support 223 projects across 136 Congressional districts, including 108 represented by Democrats and 28 represented by Republicans. The terminated projects, accounting for approximately $8 billion, were intended to lower energy costs for consumers, improve grid reliability, create jobs, and strengthen the United States’ global leadership in energy innovation.

A recent report found that Americans in at least 41 states and Washington, D.C. have seen increased electricity and natural gas costs under the Trump administration. These terminations are the latest action in the Trump administration’s war on clean, affordable energy.

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Bilirakis Condemns Hamas Delays, Calls for Immediate Release of Hostages on Second Anniversary of October 7 Attacks

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Co-Chair of the Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance and of the International Religious Freedom Caucus in the House of Representatives, issued the following statement marking the second anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel:

“It is unconscionable that Hamas continues to delay progress toward peace by refusing to accept the Trump-negotiated peace plan. The immediate release of all hostages is essential for any meaningful path forward.  On this solemn anniversary, we stand in solidarity with the people of Israel. We pray for the safe return of the hostages, for strength and healing for their families, and we honor the memory of those whose lives were tragically taken in this horrific and unprovoked act of terror.”

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Estes Joins the John Whitmer Show

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined the John Whitmer Show to discuss the Democrat-induced government shutdown and his work to preserve and protect Social Security as Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee. Listen on YouTube and Rumble. 

On House Republicans funding the government and what the appropriations process should look like:

“We did our job several weeks ago, we –the House Republicans – voted to fund the government. [We] funded it till November 21st … The problem stems back to we haven’t been doing regular order for a long time. 

“There’s 12 appropriation bills that fund the different departments in the government and … the fiscal year runs from October 1st to September 30th and it’s been since 1997 since all 12 of those have been done, completed, signed into law by September 30th. 

“The House Appropriation Committee has passed all 12 out of the Appropriations Committee, but unfortunately, the clock ran out on September 30, with all the other things we’ve been working on with DOGE and with the One Big, Beautiful Bill, the Working Families Tax Cuts,  and other things, appropriations just didn’t get done in time.

“We’ve passed some of them out of the house. What the Speaker proposed and what we voted on several weeks ago was, ‘Let’s keep funding the government at the current levels until November 21st, allow the appropriations process to work out, pass it through the House, pass it through the Senate, and whatever conference committee work gets done by passing those provisions.’ And the Democrats said, ‘No, we’re not going to do that.’ … Even though they voted for these exact same funding levels in the appropriations last spring.”

On Democrats refusing to vote for the same funding bill they voted for 13 times during the Biden administration:

“It’s just a continuing resolution, which basically means you spend at the current levels. You don’t start new programs, you don’t change or improve programs or redirect that. It’s just keeping the government open, keeping it funded so that we can continue to pay our military, continue to pay our Customs and Border Patrol agents, continue to pay the TSA agents at the airport and air traffic controllers, all the things that a great nation has and should have. 

“The Democrats came back with an irrational proposal that says, ‘Well, just to fund it ‘til November 21st, we need to spend an extra 1.5 trillion dollars and do things like … give free health care to illegal aliens, and take money away from rural hospitals.’ I mean, that’s what they’re proposing to do in order to fund the government until November 21st.”

On Democrats’ posturing to control the media narrative:

“They’re hoping to get the media on their side, which they have. I mean, the Democrat media is kind of redundant … and being able to talk about this message and make sure that there’s enough angst out there. 

“The facts aren’t on their side. I mean, Speaker Johnson pointed out on page 57 [of the government funding bill], ‘Here’s right where you said you’re not going to fund the government for every operation unless you give free health care to illegal aliens.’”

On continued government payments during the Schumer Shutdown:

“This is really focused on the discretionary spending, which is about 25% of the total spending of the government. So many other things are continuing to happen. 

“We’re still sending out Social Security checks, still making Medicare and Medicaid payments,  because those are … sometimes called mandatory programs or sometimes called entitlements. I call them automatic programs because they’re set in law to happen based on the provisions that somebody’s in, whether it’s income or whether they’ve paid into Social Security or Medicare. But it gets back to the basics of the responsibility is to fund the government and make sure that we defend the country. Those are the two main responsibilities of the federal government.”

On Democrats choosing to continue receiving their salaries during the shutdown they caused:

“Yeah, it really is a bad thought process that [Senator Ruben Gallego]’s going through from the standpoint of saying he’s voting to shut down the government, just like all but one House Democrat voted to shut down the government, including Kansas Democrat, only Democrat, Sharice Davids. 

“[Sharice Davids] voted to shut down the government. She voted not to fund the government, which in effect shut us down. So all of these people, all the military folks, all of the Customs and Border Patrol agents, all the air traffic controllers and TSA agents are not getting paid, but you have this senator who’s said the quiet thing out loud. 

“The Democrats still want to get paid. Even though their staff, their own staff’s not going to get paid. But for Senator Gallego to say that he wants to still get his paycheck regardless of what his staff’s getting paid or the responsibilities he has to oversee the government. That’s just irresponsible, particularly when he voted against funding the government.”

On Democrat hypocrisy of shutting down the government:

“I think this is a political position they’re taking and it’s as you said, the position they take depends on what politics and what political angle they want to play. When I pulled up, I was looking at some pictures of my phone from 2018, the last time we really had a Schumer Shutdown, and had a big picture of a sign out there of … let’s stop the Schumer Shutdown and here we go again having another Schumer Shutdown just because the Democrats don’t want to fund the government. 

“They don’t want to step up and say, ‘Okay, we know we need to negotiate and have appropriation bills passed to fund the government,’ but instead of actually doing that or instead of allowing time to finish that work between the House and the Senate, they’re saying, ‘Well, let’s shut the government down’ so that they can inflict pain on the American people.”

On predicting how long the Democrats will keep the government shut down:

“Well, it’s really in the Democrats’ court. I mean, they have backed themselves into a corner by saying they’re not going to fund the government unless they spend this extra one and a half trillion dollars, and it’s just irrational from that standpoint.

“So I’d like to think that they will have thought through this over the weekend, now that we’ve been shut down for almost a week, and look at an approach of saying, ‘Okay, so let’s open up the government. Let’s continue the discussions.’ 

“They still get input on the appropriation process. I mean, it’s still going to take 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster to pass a bipartisan agreement on appropriations for the next fiscal year.”

On Congressman Estes’ concerns for Social Security:

“I chose to take the role of Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee, which is part of one of our subcommittees on Ways and Means. It’s been in place [for] 90 years. Ninety years ago was when the law was passed to implement Social Security … When it was put in place, average life expectancy was 63. And so it was set up to say if you’ve lived beyond that and you get to 65, then the program that you pay into, the insurance program that you pay into as a worker, you get a little assistance back from the credit that you’ve earned in doing that work. It was set up there as to help out with … reducing the poverty level in the senior citizens and helping them with the end of their life, for those folks that actually have lived longer than the average life expectancy. 

“The average lifespan at birth is about 74. The average lifespan for somebody that reaches age 65 is about 84. And so, we need to look at some of those things about how do we adjust that? We actually have fewer workers now, partly because of technology, but we have fewer workers per retiree. So, we’ve got to get in and make those hard decisions … 

“In 1983 they made some changes so that the baby boomers, when they were working, built up the trust fund so that it would be there when the baby boomers were retiring. Well, now we’re in the midst of that retirement of the baby boomers. We’re seeing that fund’s going to run out in 2032. We’ve got to address that. We’ve got to get serious. We’ve got to be adults in the room and say, ‘This is a program that has worked and we want to make sure that it continues to work for the next 90 years.’”

On addressing the insolvency issue of Social Security:

“You can’t ask a millennial or a Gen Z or Gen X to think they’re going to get anything out of Social Security. And the problem is that the trust fund only gets so much money based on what’s put in by workers. So when we have fewer workers per retiree, in 2032, it’s not like there’ll be zero dollars. It’ll be about 77-76 cents on the dollar. So people that are currently getting it will get a haircut and the people that aren’t getting it will get less than what they expected. So we’ve got to like I said, we’ve got to be adults. We’ve got to address this. The sooner we address it, the easier it’ll be to solve.”

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Pressley Marks Two-Year Anniversary of Horrific October 7th Attack

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Pressley Has Consistently Centered the Humanity of Those Impacted and Called for Peace, a Surge in Aid, and a Ceasefire to Save Lives

BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley issued the following statement marking the two-year anniversary of the horrific October 7th attack by Hamas, and the Israeli military’s ongoing offensive in Gaza. Since the onset of this crisis, Congresswoman Pressley has consistently centered the humanity of those impacted—Israeli, Palestinian, and American—and called for peace, a surge in humanitarian aid, and a ceasefire in Gaza to save lives.

“The October 7th attack carried out by Hamas was horrific and devastating. Elders, babies, parents, and loved ones were senselessly murdered. 1,200 people were killed, and 251 souls were taken hostage, among them Americans, Israelis, grandparents, toddlers, and peace activists. The grief of these losses runs deep in the Massachusetts 7th and around the world.

“In the two years since the October 7 attack, I have sat beside the family members of hostages and those who lost loved ones that day. Their stories have stayed with me. Surviving family members have spoken of our shared humanity. The hostage families have sparked a movement calling for peace, joined by a multi-generational, multi-racial coalition of people of every faith and every corner of the globe.

“Today in Gaza, we are witnessing a genocide, and we must continue to call for peace. Innocent civilians are being denied food, water, and medical care. Our children will ask what we did in this moment, and the only acceptable answer remains: everything we could to save lives.

“I remain committed to the safety and survival of everyone impacted by these atrocities. I send my deepest condolences to every family who lost a loved one in the violent October 7th attack and to every family who has lost a loved one in the violence perpetrated in Gaza. Grief lasts as long as love does. Your loved ones mattered deeply, and they will not be forgotten.”

In August, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) led 101 of their colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to use its full power and authority to demand that Israeli government immediately facilitate a massive surge in all humanitarian aid, and in particular infant formula, into Gaza to address the crisis of starvation. After receiving no response and no action from Secretary Marco Rubio, Reps. Pressley and Pettersen condemned his silence and renewed their call for an immediate surge in infant formula and humanitarian aid.

Last month, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Delia Ramírez (IL-03), actors Cynthia Nixon and Morgan Spector, Mahmoud Khalil, Dr. Adil Husain, Congressional colleagues, and advocates to call for the passage of H.R. 3565, The Block the Bombs Act, to save lives.

Rep Pressley has consistently called for peace and a ceasefire in Gaza to save the lives of civilians, hostages, Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans.

In May 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with and Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16)  and Grace Meng (NY-06), urged President Biden to use all applicable executive authorities to end the baby formula shortage. In May 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03), Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-05) and the Massachusetts delegation, sent a letter to Abbott Laboratories Chairman and CEO Robert Ford requesting urgent information on the company’s plans to replenish its Similac baby formula in Massachusetts.

Since the horrific October 7th attack, Congresswoman Pressley has consistently and stridently called for a ceasefire to save lives, return all hostages, and surge humanitarian aid to Gaza. Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she called for urgent de-escalation in the region and renewed her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to prevent a broader regional war.  Rep. Pressley introduced a pair of amendments to increase funding to global humanitarian assistance and place a one-year moratorium on the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli military.

  • Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and their colleagues on a resolution condemning Hamas’ brutal attack and hostage-taking, and demanding Hamas immediately release all hostages.
  • Rep. Pressley joined Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and 50 colleagues on a letter condemning the terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel, calling for Israeli military operations to follow the rules of international humanitarian law, and continuing to work toward peace in the region.
  • Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in announcing a resolution urging the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible. She later joined her colleagues and a multi-faith, multiracial coalition of faith leaders and organizers for a prayer and press conference to renew their calls for a ceasefire. Rep. Pressley also joined dozens of rabbis and Members of Congress for a press conference to renew calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
  • Instead of attending Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress, Rep. Pressley spent the day centering people directly impacted by Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza
  • Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she condemned antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate on college campuses.
  • Rep. Pressley joined a coalition of nearly 100 interfaith clergy and faith leaders on a joint statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
  • Rep. Pressley joined Reps. Grace Meng (D-NY), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and nearly 150 colleagues in urging the State Department to use all tools at its disposal help get Americans out of Israel and back home to the United States. She applauded the State Department for heeding her calls on October 12, 2023 and continues to press for the urgent evacuation of Americans in Gaza.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement following the safe evacuation of Massachusetts constituents Wafaa and Abood Okal and their one-year-old Yousef from Gaza.
  • Rep. Pressley and Rep. Jamie Raskin led a group of 60 House lawmakers in urging the State Department to affirm the United States’ strong opposition to the forced and permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, and to support an increase in humanitarian aid to the region.
  • Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mark Pocan (WI-2), Betty McCollum (MN-4) and 20 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden, asking him to support a bilateral ceasefire in Gaza to protect the one million children living there.
  • Rep. Pressley joined a coalition of interfaith clergy and faith leaders for a vigil to mourn the tens of thousands of Palestinians, Israelis, and innocent civilians killed since October 7th, and to renew calls for a ceasefire to save lives, return all hostages, and deliver humanitarian aid to the region.
  • Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues at a press conference to condemn the Israeli government’s pending invasion of Rafah and continued her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
  • Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in calling for full funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide urgent humanitarian relief to Gaza.
  • Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Joaquín Castro, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakowsky and 33 House Democrats to President Biden urging him to prevent an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah.
  • Rep. Pressley, amid heightened tensions in the region, delivered a floor speech in which she called for urgent de-escalation in the Middle East and renewed her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza to prevent a broader regional war.
  • Rep. Pressley filed a pair of amendments to increase funding to global humanitarian assistance and place a one-year moratorium on the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli military. The amendments were not adopted in the final legislation. 
  • Rep. Pressley voted against HR 8034 to send more offensive weapons and funding to the Israeli military, citing the Israeli military’s callous disregard for human life in Gaza and significant human rights violations.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the peaceful student protests taking place in Massachusetts and across the country.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Boston City Council for passing a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
  • Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and 54 additional lawmakers in calling on the Biden Administration to use all tools possible to dissuade the Israeli government from moving forward with an offensive invasion into Rafah.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement in response to the escalating situation in the Middle East.
  • Rep. Pressley joined impacted families, faith leaders, and advocates to observe the anniversary of the horrific October 7, 2023 attack and commemorate the 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas, the hostages killed and those still kidnapped, and the over 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed by the Israeli military over the past year.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the horrific October 7th attack.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement urging the Senate to support Senator Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval that would block the sale of offensive arms to the Israeli government.
  • Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the ceasefire-hostage deal reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025.
  • Rep. Pressley is a co-sponsor of the Block the Bombs Act, which would withhold the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli government and demand the Israeli military’s compliance with U.S. and international law.

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Congressman Brad Sherman Marks Two-Year Anniversary of October 7th Attack Against Israel

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

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), Co-Chair of the House Israel Allies Caucus and senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement marking two years since Hamas’s October 7th, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel:

“Two years ago today, Hamas terrorists launched a barbaric and unprovoked attack that killed more than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children in Israel. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust and a sobering reminder that Israel is surrounded by violent terrorist organizations that seek its destruction.

We continue to mourn those murdered and pray for the safe return of all hostages still held in Gaza. The United States must remain steadfast in supporting Israel’s right to defend its citizens and dismantle Hamas so that their threats of “repeating October 7th until Israel is destroyed” can never become a reality.

As Co-Chair of the House Israel Allies Caucus, I have worked to strengthen the U.S.-Israel defense relationship, sanction Hamas as well as its allies and sponsors, and bring home every last hostage. Congress must continue to provide the resources Israel needs to defend itself, while also supporting humanitarian efforts that protect innocent civilians caught in the conflict. Now more than ever, American leadership is needed to chart a path forward that brings greater security for both Israel and Gaza by ending Hamas’s destructive rule, bringing home the hostages and finally establishing legitimate, Arab-led governance in Gaza that will end terrorist rule of the enclave. 

The U.S.–Israel partnership is rooted in shared democratic values and a common determination to confront terror and preserve peace. On this solemn anniversary, we reaffirm that commitment — today, tomorrow, and always.”

Since the 2023 attack, Congressman Sherman has led and co-sponsored multiple measures to support Israel’s security and condemn Hamas’s atrocities, including legislation to sanction those responsible for the October 7 massacre, strengthen the Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile-defense systems, and counter the flow of Iranian funds to terrorist proxies.

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