MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting nearly $1.3 million in new federal support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse the American Samoa Department of Health for COVID-19 response efforts carried out during the pandemic.

The FEMA award, totaling $1,290,403.07, helps reimburse emergency protective measures taken across the Territory during the COVID-19 public health emergency, including public health response activities such as vaccination operations, testing support, outreach efforts, communications, and expanded vaccine access in villages throughout American Samoa.

“I appreciate FEMA continuing to support American Samoa’s public health response and reimbursing the significant work carried out by our Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Our healthcare professionals, frontline workers, and support personnel worked tirelessly to protect our people during an unprecedented public health emergency. This funding helps recognize and support those efforts, especially the outreach to villages and families throughout the Territory.”

According to FEMA, the reimbursement also includes eligible costs tied to overtime labor, materials, rented equipment, and contracted services necessary during the public health emergency.

FEMA approved the project under its Public Assistance program at a 100 percent federal cost share.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Democrats on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP), led by Ranking Member Lois Frankel (FL-22), alongside Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06), Norma Torres (CA-35), and Mike Quigley (IL-05), sent a letter to Trump Administration officials expressing deep concern over plans to withhold $19 billion in foreign assistance and the Administration’s refusal to spend taxpayer dollars as directed by Congress.

The letter, addressed to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Deputy Director and Acting USAID Administrator Eric Ueland, follows an April 20, 2026 notification to Congress outlining the Administration’s intent to reserve billions of dollars for the closeout of terminated foreign assistance awards—even though information provided to Congress indicates the actual cost of those closeouts is only a fraction of the amount being withheld.

The lawmakers also warned that $3.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 Development Assistance and Global Health Programs funding is being held back instead of supporting congressionally approved programs that combat infectious disease, provide emergency food assistance, strengthen alliances, and promote global stability by reducing conflict and instability.

“We strongly opposed the indiscriminate termination of foreign assistance awards in 2025, which occurred without consultation with—or consent from—Congress,” the lawmakers wrote. “Withholding additional appropriated funds to support these terminations rather than investing in programs that advance both U.S. national interests and global stability is unconscionable and a misuse of taxpayer dollars.”

“The Administration’s stated goal of shuttering USAID cannot be achieved through rushed and wasteful closeouts,” they concluded. “Any such effort requires congressional debate and legislative action to address underlying statutory authorities.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

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

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) yesterday led 45 House Democrats in requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a comprehensive review of the systemic conditions and operational practices that preceded the January 29, 2025 midair collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near National Airport (DCA), which claimed the lives of 67 passengers and crew.

The lawmakers urged GAO to examine broader systemic issues related to Army aviation safety and training practices beyond the scope of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation, including staffing, training, safety culture, mission risk management, civil-military coordination, aviation technology, and oversight practices. Citing reports of near misses between military and commercial aircraft in DCA airspace, the lawmakers also emphasized that the review should pay particular attention to units operating regularly in complex civilian airspace, including those based in the National Capital Region.

In a letter to Acting Comptroller General Orice W. Brown, the lawmakers wrote:

We write with concern about the effectiveness of the Army’s aviation safety culture and in particular, its practices in civilian airspace in the aftermath of the January 29, 2025 collision of an Army Sikorsky H-60 helicopter with American Eagle Flight 5342, which claimed the lives of 67 passengers and crew. Other reports of near misses between military and commercial aircraft call into question broader patterns across military aviation in ensuring safety.

Given the collision and instances of near-misses, as well as the gaps identified in Army safety culture and processes in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)’s investigation of this collision, we respectfully request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a review or series of reviews evaluating the Army’s aviation safety and training practices, including its policies and procedures for interfacing with civilian aircraft. While we understand GAO will not re-investigate the January 29 collision, the circumstances surrounding it should clearly inform and frame this review as a reference point for assessing systemic coordination and safety practices.

We request that particular attention be given to units that regularly operate in complex civilian airspace, such as those based in the National Capital Region, to assess how Army aviation training, risk management, and coordination practices are applied in practice. We request that GAO assess and examine the following in its review:

Staffing & Qualifications

• Assess Army pilot assignment criteria for Class B/C/D operations (such as local and overall experience, recency, proficiency, flying hours, supervisory ratios, and fatigue management procedures).
• Assess Army training standards and assignment procedures for pilots and other airspace management personnel for complex operating environments.
• Assess trends in Army aviator experience, flight hours, and standards for the previous ten years and factors, such as retention and attrition trends, that could adversely affect safety.

Training & Standards

• Assess processes to align Army aviation doctrines, manuals, local standard operating procedures (SOPs), and training programs with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and local air traffic control (ATC) procedures, including reasons for any differences.
• Assess Army training programs for night vision goggle operations, visual separation, altimetry use, and spatial-disorientation, and traffic-awareness tools (e.g., ForeFlight, TIS-B, ADS-B and other similar systems), including how units measure training effectiveness and standardization, and whether evaluations are consistently conducted independently and graded with appropriate rigor.
• Assess Army training and standards for verbal communication with local ATC, including the consistency of compliance with such standards and any retraining or evaluations of compliance with standards throughout pilots’ careers.

Safety Culture & Decision Authority

• Assess the operational safety culture for Army aviation units and factors, such as operational priorities in congested airspace and flight safety, that crews and leadership consider when responding to safety concerns, including whether aviators have appropriate avenues and encouragement to raise concerns or decline missions.
• Assess the roles and responsibilities of Army governance structures and accountability mechanisms, including coordination with FAA and Department of Defense (DoD) oversight offices, in identifying and addressing safety issues, including the root causes of underlying safety risks and associated mitigations.

Risk Management & Technology

• Assess the adequacy and rigor of mission risk assessments in accounting for real-world traffic flows and hazards, including pre-flight tools and briefings to identify congested or conflicted airspace and to mitigate military-commercial overlaps in planning.
• Assess the safety implications of ADS-B Out exemptions and other sensor limitations, including FAA/Army processes for granting, tracking, and mitigating such waivers; decision-making authority at the unit, Army, and DoD levels; and Army oversight of its policies for exemptions.
• Examine the certification process for military-designed aircraft used in civilian airspace and any modernization or equipage upgrades intended to improve safety.
• Assess whether ground-based surveillance and communication systems used by FAA and DoD, including radar, multilateration, and coordination equipment, provide sufficient coverage and reliability to support joint airspace operations, and whether deficiencies or funding gaps have been prioritized for correction.

Civilian Airspace Risk Integration

• Assess the Army’s risk management procedures to identify and mitigate collision risks to non-participating civilian aircraft.
• Assess processes and procedures to account for recurring military activity in classes of airspace in the National Airspace System (NAS).
• Assess whether the risks and mitigation gaps observed in the National Capital Region also exist in other complex civilian airspace hotspots nationwide.
• Assess whether FAA–DoD coordination mechanisms and communication systems, including airspace handoffs, equipment interoperability, staffing levels in high-density environments, and post-incident coordination and response, adequately ensure situational awareness and safety, and whether known deficiencies have been addressed.
• Assess whether Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Letters of Agreement (LOAs) governing Army–FAA operations are consistently reviewed and updated to reflect changing airspace conditions, and whether procedural safeguards exist to ensure continuity of coordination independent of individual relationships or command changes.

Civil–Military Coordination

• Assess Army processes to coordinate with FAA, airport operators, local airspace users, and joint safety forums.
• Assess Army information-sharing agreements with these entities for collision alerts and hazard mitigations.
• Assess Army procedures to respond to concerns or recommendations raised through these mechanisms, including whether FAA-identified concerns and irregularities are reliably escalated to Army leadership, addressed in a timely and appropriate manner, and whether agreements such as LOAs are consistently implemented and enforced.

Accountability, Data Integrity & Post-Incident Response

• Assess the completeness and reliability of Army aviation accident and hazard reporting and data retention practices, including alignment with reports from FAA/ATC and other airspace users.
• Assess whether Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) / Flight Data Monitoring (FDM)-style programs (including flight-data capture, transmission, targeted monitoring of high-risk platforms, analysis, and integration with FAA systems) are used to identify systemic issues and to support coaching that corrects recurring deficiencies.
• Assess how ongoing records and post-incident responses are preserved and whether decision makers, including the FAA and Congress, receive timely, accurate, and complete information necessary for effective oversight of safety in shared airspace.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The letter is signed by Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), and Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Wesley Bell (D-MO), André Carson (D-IN), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Jesús García (D-IL), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Bill Keating (D-MA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Sarah McBride (D-DE), April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Mike Thompson (D-VA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

A signed copy of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05); Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus; Bill Keating (MA-09), Ranking Member of the Europe Subcommittee; Don Bacon (NE-02); and Kevin Kiley (CA-03), today released a joint statement after their bipartisan discharge petition for H.R. 2913 — the Ukraine Support Act — received the final signature needed to compel a vote on the House Floor.

“With today’s 218th signature on our discharge petition, the Ukraine Support Act will soon come to the House Floor for a vote. We are glad the House will finally be moving forward with robust legislation to support the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their nation and its sovereignty. Few have demonstrated as much courage and perseverance in our modern history as the people of Ukraine. In their battle for democracy, self-determination, and the preservation of their territorial integrity, they deserve our help and our material support. The Ukraine Support Act can deliver that assistance, as well as impose additional sanctions on Russia to hold it accountable for its brutal war. We look forward to seeing the House pass this bill quickly and encourage the Senate to take it up without delay. The brave men and women of Ukraine are waiting.”

The legislation, which was introduced on April 15, 2025, would impose numerous sanctions and other economic measures to place additional pressure on Russia to cease its war of aggression against Ukraine. It also includes further vital provisions to sustain security assistance to Ukraine for its defense, generate resources for post-war reconstruction, and override presidential actions to terminate existing sanctions without cause.

A section-by-section of the legislation can be found here. A PDF of the bill can be found here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after the committee approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill:

 

“I am proud to deliver nearly $25 million in direct federal funding to support law enforcement, public safety, and health research across Southern Florida. This funding will provide law enforcement with the modern equipment, technology, and resources they need to keep our communities safe and deter crime. It will also help universities advance life-saving, cutting-edge health research that brings us closer to better treatments and cures.

 

At the same time, this bill maintains America’s competitive edge and strengthens national security by holding adversarial regimes like Communist China accountable, combating transnational criminal networks, and drug trafficking.

 

I commend Chairman Tom Cole and the Dean of the House, Hal Rogers, for putting forth a bill that prioritizes Americans’ safety above all else while safeguarding taxpayer dollars. ”

 

Supporting Law Enforcement

• City of Miami Police Department: $4.2 million for the acquisition of marked police cruisers
• Town of Medley Police Department: $1.78 million to replace and expand its Police Department fleet through the purchase of 30 fully equipped marked patrol vehicles.
• City of Hialeah Police Department: $3.4 million to replace the current 911 technology system.
• Collier County Sheriff’s Office: $3.18 million to purchase 15 marked Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), one rapid response truck, and other critical law enforcement equipment.
• Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office: $500,000 to purchase a tactical vehicle
• Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida Police Department: $225,000 to acquire and deploy two public-safety drone sets and supporting software to increase situational awareness and speedy emergency response.

 

Bolstering National Security

• Including bill language for technical corrections for LIBERTAD Title III claimants.
• This language clarifies that a claimant who is eligible to sue under Title III of the LIBERTAD Act of 1996, and who subsequently acquired a claim through inheritance or as a successor-in-interest after March 1996, may successfully bring suit against a person who traffics in the claimant’s confiscated property.
• Including bill language prohibiting the use of funds made available by this Act to license exports to any officer of the Cuban military or intelligence service, or an immediate family member thereof.
• Including Report Language reiterating the passage of the No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act
• $108 million for the Missing and Exploited Children programs, which fund the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children clearinghouse.

 

Strengthening School Safety

• STOP School Violence Grant Program: $84 million
• STOP School Violence Act carveout for security hardening measures: $55M
• Police Act Grants: $11.5 million for active shooter training for police officers.
• COPS Hiring Program: $261M for the hiring of police officers.
• VALOR Initiative: $12.5 million for police officer safety and wellness programs
• Mental Health/Peer Mentoring: $10 million for mental health awareness training
• Including Report Language on the availability of School Resource Officers (SROs) in schools across the country, and encourages the COPS Hiring Office to review if any barriers are impacting law enforcement from applying COPS funds to SROs.
• Including Report Language on the challenges that urban and rural school districts encounter when applying for federal funding for school safety-related grants, and requires a detailed explanation of grant denials
• Including Report Language directing the Department of Justice to report on a plan to improve the timing and duration of the grant period to enable the improved quality of applications and increased participation in the application process.
• Including Report Language directing the Department of Justice to work with other Federal agencies to notify States, localities, Tribes, and school districts of the availability of funding announced by the STOP solicitation upon release, and to provide microgrants for school districts, including rural, Tribal, and low-resourced schools.

 

Championing Conservative Priorities, Countering Communist China, and Maintaining America’s Competitive Edge

• Providing $2.4 million for the University of Miami’s Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Advanced Nanotechnology Research Initiative
• Providing $4.2 million for the University of Miami Frontiers in Cancer Metabolism at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Institute
• Providing $4.9 million for Florida International University NCH Congenital Heart Defect Research
• Maintaining strong support for the NASA Artemis program to advance American leadership in space and ensure American astronauts are the first to return to the moon.
• Continuing the long-standing Hyde-like prohibition that prevents the use of Department of Justice funds to pay for abortion.
• Investing in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum, and advanced manufacturing.
• Providing funding for the DEA above the FY26 enacted level to curb the flow of China’s illicit export of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors into America.

A summary of the bill is available here.

Bill text is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) met today with Ambassador Roberto Flores Bermúdez of Honduras to discuss regional issues affecting both the United States and Central America, including the ongoing investigation into the deaths of Mexican and Honduran nationals found inside a shipping container at a Union Pacific rail yard in Laredo.

During the meeting, Congressman Cuellar and Ambassador Flores Bermúdez discussed the dangers posed by human smuggling networks operating across the U.S.-Mexico border and throughout Central America as authorities continue investigating the incident as a potential human smuggling event.

“As a representative for border communities, I see firsthand how decisions made across the region directly impact families in South Texas,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I spoke with Ambassador Flores Bermúdez about the need for heightened cooperation between the United States, Honduras, and our regional partners to combat human smuggling networks, strengthen border security, and prevent further loss of life. I pray for the families mourning the loss of their loved ones. May God grant them comfort in sorrow and peace in His loving embrace.”

Congressman Cuellar and Ambassador Flores Bermúdez also discussed broader regional issues, including migration trends, economic development, trade, and cooperation between the United States and Honduras on security and economic growth.

Congressman Cuellar continues working with federal, state, and local partners to keep South Texas communities safe, strengthen border security, and address the criminal networks that exploit individuals for profit.

Hoy, el congresista estadounidense, el Dr. Henry Cuellar (TX-28), se reunió con el embajador de Honduras, Roberto Flores Bermúdez, para conversar sobre temas regionales que afectan tanto a Estados Unidos como a Centroamérica, incluido la investigación en curso sobre las muertes de ciudadanos mexicanos y hondureños encontrados dentro de un contenedor de carga en un patio ferroviario de Union Pacific en Laredo.

Durante la reunión, el congresista Cuellar y el embajador Flores Bermúdez discutieron los peligros que representan las redes de tráfico de personas que operan a lo largo de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México y en toda Centroamérica, mientras las autoridades continúan investigando el incidente como un posible caso de tráfico de personas.

“Como representante de las comunidades fronterizas, veo de primera mano cómo las decisiones que se toman en toda la región impactan directamente a las familias del sur de Texas,” dijo el congresista Cuellar. “Hablé con el embajador Flores Bermúdez sobre la necesidad de fortalecer la cooperación entre Estados Unidos, Honduras y nuestros socios regionales para combatir las redes de tráfico de personas, reforzar la seguridad fronteriza y prevenir una mayor pérdida de vidas. Rezo por las familias que hoy sufren la irreparable pérdida de sus seres queridos. Que Dios les conceda fortaleza, consuelo en medio del dolor y que encuentren consuelo en su infinita misericordia.”

El congresista Cuellar y el embajador Flores Bermúdez también discutieron temas regionals más amplios, incluidas las tendencias migratorias, el desarrollo económico, el comercio y la cooperación entre Estados Unidos y Honduras en materia de seguridad y crecimiento económico.

El congresista Cuellar continúa trabajando con socios federales, estatales y locales para mantener seguras a las comunidades del sur de Texas, reforzar la seguridad fronteriza y combatir las redes criminales que explotan a las personas con fines de lucro.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

May 13, 2026

Watch Rep. Levin’s Remarks Here

Washington, D.C.—Today, during a House Appropriations Committee markup, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced an amendment to prevent taxpayer funds from being used by the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Department of the Interior (DOI) to kill offshore wind energy projects and hand over billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to foreign companies. The amendment was rejected by Republicans on the Appropriations Committee.

Recently, the Trump Administration struck deals with three offshore wind companies to cancel four different wind leases: TotalEnergies off of North Carolina and New York, Bluepoint Wind off of New York and New Jersey, and Golden State Wind off of California. These projects would have provided affordable power to over three million homes, but instead the Trump Administration is paying these companies nearly $2 billion of taxpayer funds to stop the energy projects from ever being built.

Rep. Levin’s amendment would have prevented the Trump Administration from striking these shady deals. At a time of skyrocketing energy prices and risks to grid reliability, America should be adding more power to our system, not using taxpayer dollars to pay companies to abandon their energy projects. The Administration’s unchecked actions will ensure that energy prices keep rising and our grid is less reliable.

These deals are a ripoff for the American people both as electricity ratepayers and as federal taxpayers.

Read Rep. Levin’s remarks as prepared for delivery below:

I’d like to draw the Committee’s attention to the alarming use of nearly $2 billion dollars of American taxpayer funds to pay foreign owned companies to keep our constituents’ utility bills sky high.

Across the country right now, as families open their electric bills month after month, they are increasingly facing impossible decisions to pay to keep the lights on or to put food on the table.

Electricity bills have risen 34 percent over the past five years, including more than 6 percent in the past year alone, significantly outpacing inflation.

Today, nearly 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills month after month.

As electricity demand from data centers and manufacturing rises faster than new power supply can be built, we are increasingly at risk of dual crises of energy affordability and grid reliability.

A decline in grid reliability threatens national security, public health, economic competitiveness, and during heat waves and cold snaps—human lives.

Right now, we need all the energy that we can get on the grid.

And yet, the Administration has decided that instead of deploying more energy, we should provide foreign companies with billions of taxpayer dollars —without any sort of consideration from this Committee—to stop developing projects that would have helped bolster grid reliability and bring down costs.

That’s right, the Administration has circumvented the Appropriations process to pay nearly $2 billion dollars out of the Judgement fund to entice companies to walk away from their offshore wind projects in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and California, and more deals just like this could be coming.

The projects in New York and New Jersey would have powered more than two million homes.

The project in North Carolina would have powered 300,000 homes.

And the project in California would have powered 1.1 million homes.

These cancellations are a massive loss at a moment of unprecedent energy demand growth and will make our grid less reliable.

But don’t just take my word for it, the grid operators themselves in the Northeast, New York, and mid-Atlantic have all said that offshore wind helps them solve the reliability challenges they are facing now.

I want to be clear that these cancellations will also hit many of our constituents right in the pocketbooks.

Since offshore wind has a low operating cost—the wind blows for free after all—it can bid into the electricity market at the low end of the cost curve.

So, when you have offshore wind on the grid, it pushes out the higher cost resources and lowers the system-wide price of electricity.

The result of deploying more offshore wind? Lower costs for our constituents.

The offshore wind projects that have been cancelled won’t just hurt those of us from coastal states like New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, and California.

When you add offshore wind to the system in PJM, it lowers the system-wide price, including in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Tennessee. Any future cancellations in PJM will leave these states facing higher costs and a less reliable grid.

These project cancellations are a bad deal for our constituents as both taxpayers and ratepayers.

And they are a bad deal for all of us as Americans since these buyouts were likely unlawful.

I am deeply concerned by this new playbook the Administration is using to kill off energy projects that it does not like.

Regardless of what your preferred energy sources are, we all should be able to agree that no Administration should have the ability to negotiate backdoor deals with companies to abandon projects that our country needs. If you stand for “all of the above energy” you should be as incensed by these actions as I am.

My amendment would block these payouts for the next fiscal year so that we in Congress and the American people can understand the legal authority under which these deals are being struck and the full impact that these cancellations will have on grid reliability and costs for our constituents.

Thank you and I yield back.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01) reported that his House Appropriations Committee today approved its Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and Related Agencies funding measure.  

The measure would provide $80 billion, a $1.2 billion decrease from the current year, for the U.S. Department of Commerce (including the International Trade Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology), the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and more. 

Rep. Case opposed the overall bill, warning that its sweeping funding cuts “would weaken programs central to Hawaii’s environmental protection, public safety, civil rights enforcement and economic opportunity.”

Now in his eighth year on the House Appropriations Committee, Case said the legislation would also scale back critical federal support for conservation efforts, community services, STEM education and assistance for vulnerable populations across Hawai‘i and the nation. Programs significantly cut or eliminated include: 

·         Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Protection, which safeguards our Hawaiian monk seals, dolphins, false killer whales and green sea turtles.  

·         Habitat Conservation and Restoration, which helps to restore and maintain crucial ecosystems and watersheds across Hawai‘i .  

·         Marine Debris Program surveys and cleans up derelict fishing nets and ocean plastics from the reef and habitats at Hawaii’s shores.  

·         Marine Mammal Commission, which provide science-based oversight of domestic and international policies and actions of federal agencies with mandates to address human impacts on marine mammals, such as the Hawaiian monk seal and the humpback whale.  

·         Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, the leading federal source of criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, which assists a range of initiatives including law enforcement, prosecution and court, prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation and technology improvement, and crime victim and assistance.  

·         Community Relations Service, which offers assistance to communities where disputes, disagreements, or difficulties regarding discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin threaten peaceful relations among citizens. 

·         Legal Services Corporation, which provides civil legal aid for low-income Americans.  

·         Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information. 

·         Minority University Research Education Project, which focuses on STEM training for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students at our local universities and colleges.  

·         Minority Business Development Agency, which assists with the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises.  

Despite these deficiencies, Case secured ten of his Community Project Funding (CPF) requests that specifically focus on local needs in Hawai‘i, with funding for these projects totaling $7.25 million. His successful CPFs are:

  ·         $772,000 for Loko I’a Restoration in Pu’uloa by the University of Hawai‘i. The Pu’uloa estuary (today commonly referred to as Pearl Harbor) once supported 35 highly productive fishponds. After years of watershed degradation, elevated levels of contaminants have led to unsafe seafood consumption and diminished ecosystem function. This project would support a coordinated effort to restore fishponds in Pu’uloa through remediation planning, restoration of fishpond infrastructure and invasive species management. 

·         $772,000 for the Enhancing Hawai‘i Cargo Security through Advanced High-Energy Cargo Screening Systems Project at the Hawai‘i State Department of Law Enforcement. With these funds, the Hawai‘i State Department of Law Enforcement would develop advanced high-energy cargo screening systems for Honolulu’s ports.

This targeted investment will enhance the state’s ability to interdict illegal fireworks, weapons, narcotics and other contraband, while also strengthening Hawaii’s first line of defense against invasive species and other biosecurity threats entering through commercial freight pathways.  

·         $772,000 for the Food Analysis Research and Extension Lab at the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. This funding would establish the Food Analysis Research and Extension (FARE) Lab, which will serve as a hub for standardized data necessary to support local farmers and food innovators. The FARE Lab will use national standards to document differences across local species and cultivars that serve as staple foods in the diets of people living in Hawai‘i and the broader Pacific. 

·         $772,000 for the Marine Finfish Hatchery for Stock Enhancement Project at the Hawai‘i State Department for Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources. This project would establish the first state-operated marine finfish hatchery on Oahu at the Division of Aquatic Resources Anuenue Fisheries Research Center to support the protection, restoration and sustainable management of reef fish populations.  

·         $772,000 for the Drone as First Responder (DFR) Project at the Honolulu Police Department. This project will use automated drones and intelligent surveillance cameras to improve emergency response. The system will include drone launch stations, secure storage, maintenance areas, and real-time video streaming so drones can arrive at incidents within minutes. 

·         $772,000 for the Waikiki Flood Watch Test Project at the University of Hawai‘i. This project would develop a cyberphysical testbed that would transform how Hawaii predicts and responds to flooding. Unlike traditional systems that rely on rainfall alone, this platform captures the full picture of compound flooding, including sensors, computer models, digital twins and AI alerts to provide faster and sharper predictions of floods in Waikiki. By providing earlier and more actionable guidance to city and state emergency managers, the project strengthens preparedness, reduces risk to businesses and residents and helps safeguard one of Hawaii’s most vital coastal communities, while demonstrating best practices for similarly situated communities nationally. 

·         $772,000 for a Critical Incident Response Apparatus for the Honolulu Police Department. This apparatus is a vital asset that enhances the Honolulu Police Department’s rescue and recovery capabilities across the island of Oahu. Designed as a shield and barricade tool for rapid deployment, CIRA provides critical protection for the public and first responders during emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters, hazardous material incidents, terrorist attacks and other large-scale critical events. 

·         $772,000 for the Hawai‘i Port Resilience and Coastal Erosion Study at the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation. This study would address vulnerabilities from coastal erosion and changing sea conditions impacting Hawaii’s commercial ports by enhancing a digital twin model with wave modeling, vulnerability assessments, drone-based pier inspections and bathymetric surveys to advance resilience planning for Hawaii’s maritime system. 

·         $772,000 for the Applied Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Research Laboratory at the Hawai‘i Pacific University. This project would establish a laboratory to conduct hands-on, applied research focused on securing AI systems, strengthening AI-enabled cyber defense and defending against AI-driven cyberattacks, while developing practical tools, testing environments and implementation guidance tailored to Hawaii’s defense contractors and critical infrastructure operators. 

·         $300,000 for the Security Water Quantity and Quality in the Ala Wai Watershed Project at the Hawai‘i State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. The Ala Wai watershed is currently heavily invaded by Miconia, an invasive plant that increases the propensity for erosion and landslides by limiting understory growth, destabilizing soil and decreasing water absorption. With these funds, the Division of Forestry and Wildlife will manage the invasive plant throughout the Ala Wai watershed by establishing field crews to remove the invasive plant, data management staff and coordinator positions. 

The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member and must be subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Case’s disclosures are here.  

Other provisions which Case requested and were included in the measure to fund the Department of Justice include: 

·         $762.5 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The COPS program provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.   

·         $148 million for grants to reduce the sexual assault kit backlog. 

·         $48 million for the Anti-Methamphetamine and Anti-Heroin Task Forces.

“Rising crime, both related and unrelated to gun violence, is of great concern to us all, and must be combatted at all levels of government,” said Case. “State and local law enforcement need increased assistance from our federal government to address crime at the state and local level.” 

“The funding I secured in the bill will help local and state law enforcement to not only investigate and prosecute crime but will also go to prevention and education programs to stop crime before it happens.”  

Case also won support to fund various science initiatives, including:

 ·         $26 million for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which enhances the research competitiveness of Hawai‘i by strengthening STEM capacity and capability. 

·         $92.5 million for the Climate Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes program to support the maintenance and needed repairs at the Atmospheric Baseline Observatories, including the Mauna Loa Observatory where the famous Keeling Curve proving rapid climate change was developed.   

·         $33.5 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program.  

·         $6 million for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, which supports Papahānaumokuākea and our Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale sanctuaries.

·         $56 million for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which supports our Hawaii’s Pacific Island (Pac) IOOS. PacIOOS provides easily accessible coastal and ocean observing and forecasting to increase ocean safety and protect public and environmental health. 

·         $20 million for the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments program, which provides vital research that allows communities to prepare for and respond to long-term shifts in weather patterns, resource availability and coastal conditions. 

·         $34 million for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, which includes support for education and restoration of coastal and marine habitats in He‘eia. 

·         $80 million for the Sea Grant Program, which supports the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program at the University of Hawaiʻi that promotes healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies and environmental literacy and workforce development.  

Provisions which Case secured to promote commerce in Hawaiʻi include: 

·         $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. This public-private partnership has centers in all 50 states, including Hawaiʻi, dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers. 

·         $1 million for the Minority Business Development Agency specifically for the Native American Business Development Program that awards grants to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian entities qualified to provide business, financing and technical assistance.    

·         $3.5 million for the Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism position, which Case worked to establish in the Visit America Act to drive a cohesive federal response to the challenges facing the industry. 

This measure is the fifth of the twelve bills to be taken up by the House Appropriations Committee that will collectively fund the federal government for FY 2027 (commencing October 1, 2026).  

Despite Case’s opposition, the bill now moves on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.  

A summary of the CJS and Related Agencies Appropriations bill is available here. 

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

Pressley Has Repeatedly Sounded the Alarm on Trump’s Unemployment Crisis, Pushout of Black Women from Workforce, Demanded Action from Federal Reserve

“People are looking for jobs. People want to work, but Trump’s economy won’t let them….Maximizing employment is good for our economy. It’s good for our communities. It’s good for our families.”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, during a House Financial Services Committee Markup, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) vehemently opposed Republican legislation that would strip the Federal Reserve’s mandate for maximum employment, emphasizing the Fed’s essential role in ensuring economic health, community well-being, and personal dignity in work especially under Trump’s unemployment crisis.

“The Federal Reserve’s mandate for maximum employment is essential to ensuring jobs are available and people are employed—and removing it would devastate our economy and communities,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “While Republicans continue advancing harmful, anti-worker policies, I’ll keep fighting for the dignity of work.”

During debate, Rep. Pressley combatted Republicans’ anti-worker legislation through four amendments affirming the importance of the Fed’s mandate for maximum employment. Rep. Pressley’s amendments would:

• Preserve the Fed’s mandate to continue pursuing maximum employment. Video of Rep. Pressley discussing this amendment is available here.
• Ensure the Department of Labor regularly shares employment data each month, broken down by race, ethnicity, gender, and geography, as mandated by her BLS Act. Video of Rep. Pressley discussing this amendment is available here.
• Rename Republicans’ bill the “Ignore High Employment Act” to reflect what it would actually do. Video of Rep. Pressley discussing this amendment is available here.
• Require the Fed to conduct a study on the likely impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption on employment and ensure no worker is left behind. Video of Rep. Pressley discussing this amendment is available here.

In Congress, Rep. Pressley has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the rising number of Black women forced out of the workforce in the United States, called on the Federal Reserve to take action, and convened impacted women and economists to renew those calls.

A transcript of the Congresswoman’s opening remarks during debate on the legislation is available below, and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Slams Republican Bill that Ignores Unemployment Crisis, Strips Federal Reserve’s Essential Mandate to Maximize Employment

U.S. House of Representatives

May 13, 2026 

Like Ranking Member Waters and my Democratic colleagues, I vigorously oppose this legislation to strip the mandate from maximum employment from the mission of the Federal Reserve. 

I mean, I never thought that my Republican colleagues would need a lesson on the importance of gainful employment and having a job. Even Ronald Reagan said that he believed the best social program is a job. And yet, here we are. 

The best way to support working families is to keep them working, plain and simple.

Maximizing employment is good for our economy. It’s good for our communities. It’s good for our families. And to deny that truth is to deny reality. 

So I’m confident that the American people will see through these baseless talking points and agree with Democrats that everyone should be able to get a job, to work a job, and to earn a living. 

Work is, is pride. It’s dignity. It’s essential to survive, to thrive, to provide, even to dream.

I’ve been working, I’ve been employed since I was thirteen, fourteen years old. Many young people pursue jobs, whether it’s being a bagger at a grocery store or work in retail, not just for enrichment or for exposure, but because it is essential. I was working at the age of fourteen to contribute to my household income.

Or what of young adults, recent graduates from college or a trade school, who want to save for a house or maybe even start a business one day? 

Or, you know, as a mother, I think about what it means to be able to see the light behind my child’s eyes when I can provide them with a vacation or some gift that they’ve been begging for.

And for our elders, increasingly so, under Trump’s administration and economy, retirement is farther and farther out of reach, and many of our elders have no choice but to work in order to pay for life saving medication, to keep a roof over their heads. 

So all this to say that having a job is not a statistic. It is essential. It is dignity. 

The dignity of work is transformational. That’s what the Fed’s mandate for maximum employment is about. 

This mission was not created in a vacuum. It dates back to the Great Depression in recognition that people should be able to earn a living, provide for themselves and their family. There was nearly unanimous support by Republicans and Democrats for maximum employment when the mandate passed Congress. 

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors is the only independent agency that works on improving employment. Some argue that this is the role of the Department of Labor, but in Trump’s America, the Labor Department is a joke. We don’t even have a Secretary of Labor right now. 

So the Fed’s mandate is essential, and always has been.

During the Great Recession of 2008—massive job loss—the Fed stepped in to maximize employment. During the COVID-19 pandemic and record layoffs, the Fed once again pursued its mandate of maximum employment. And in this moment, we need the Fed to do more, not less. 

For months, I’ve been sounding the alarm about the current unemployment crisis. The unemployment rate has increased to 4.3% due to Trump’s reckless policies like firing government workers, attacking small businesses. 

And when you analyze the data, Black unemployment specifically is at 7.3%. These are the worst rates we’ve seen since the pandemic. 

Black workers are the canaries in the coal mine. What happens to our community first, happens to everyone next. So folks should take heed. 

People are looking for jobs. People want to work, but Trump’s economy won’t let them.

Just last week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced the jobs numbers and said something that Republicans need to hear. There is little hiring going on, and for many Americans, it doesn’t feel like a good labor market. 

So the solution to the current unemployment problem is not to tell the Fed to abandon the goal of maximum employment. The solution is to empower the Fed to do even more. Recent graduates deserve more. 

Having a job and earning a paycheck is a beautiful and essential thing. 

So I just want to say this to folks at home, in the midst of all of this, these anti-worker policies against paid leave, child care, supporting tariffs, suppressing wages.

To those who keep applying to jobs but still aren’t hearing back,

To those who are wondering how they’re going to pay their bills without a paycheck,

To those who are doing everything right but the economy is all wrong, 

To those who know and appreciate the dignity of work, I see you. I’m fighting for you.

And that is why I oppose this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

In September 2025, Congresswoman Pressley wrote to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sounding the alarm on the rising unemployment rate for Black women in the United States and demanding the Fed take immediate action to uphold its mandate of maximum employment for all. The Congresswoman’s letter came amid the Trump Administration’s mass federal workforce layoffs and anti-DEI policies disproportionately impacting Black women and as Donald Trump attempted to seize control of the Fed by illegally firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. A copy of the Congresswoman’s letter is available here.

In December 2025, Rep. Pressley and Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke followed up to Rep. Pressley’s demands and wrote to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell demanding a briefing for members of the Congressional Black Caucus on how the Federal Reserve is responding to this growing crisis. 

In March 2026, Reps. Pressley and Summer Lee (PA-12) introduced the Better Labor Statistics Act, or the BLS Act, legislation that would codify the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ mandate to report unemployment data publicly, online, and at the first Friday of each month to ensure transparency and accuracy in unemployment data collection. The BLS Act would also codify the publication of unemployment data broken down by race and ethnicity, gender, geography, and industry.

In December 2025, Rep. Pressley, along with Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women & Girls, Congresswomen Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), led 19 of their colleagues demanding the Department of Labor (DOL) take immediate action to address the rising unemployment crisis among Black women that has taken shape since the start of the second Trump Administration.

In November 2025, Rep. Pressley convened Black women, economists, civil rights leaders, and community members for an urgent discussion about the unemployment crisis facing Black women and its impact in Massachusetts and beyond.

In September 2025, Congresswoman Pressley convened a press conference with a coalition of Black women activists and civil rights leaders to continue sounding the alarm on the rising number of Black women forced out of the workforce in the United States.

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