MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today remembered the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol, and urged President Trump and Speaker Johnson to end their campaign of historical revisionism.

Pallone has long condemned efforts by Trump and House Republicans to misrepresent or diminish the significance of the attacks, arguing such efforts show flagrant disrespect for democracy, the rule of law, and the law enforcement officers who uphold them.

“Five years ago today, violent domestic terrorists attempted to silence the voice of the American people and prevent the representatives they elected to Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election. The attacks on our rule of law have only continued,” said Pallone. “President Trump has subverted and ignored Congress time and time again. His attempts to rewrite the history of this shameful day—by downplaying its significance and pardoning its perpetrators—are an insult to the nearly 250 years of continuous representative democracy that this Administration claims to celebrate.”

“Lying about what happened and setting violent criminals free is an insult to the brave law enforcement officers who were injured or killed on that day,” Pallone continued. “This includes Officer Brian Sicknick, a son of Middlesex County, who laid down his life to protect democracy. Republicans claim to support ‘law and order,’ but they continue to betray law enforcement officers by handing out get-out-of-jail-free cards to the terrorists who assaulted them.”

“This half-decade of denial and hypocrisy must end now,” Pallone concluded. “Today, I stand with the families of the injured and deceased law enforcement heroes, and all Americans who seek to preserve our democracy, and call on Trump and Republicans to end their crusade against remembrance of the January 6th insurrection.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement following yesterday’s briefing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and other officials on the Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela:

“I heard nothing yesterday to dispel my very serious concerns about the Trump administration’s attempted regime-change and nation-building exercise in Venezuela, nor leads me to trust that Trump and his administration are truly operating in the best interests of the American people.

“Donald Trump used U.S. military force to invade a sovereign nation without authorization from Congress. He did so not to address an imminent threat to the United States, nor to advance a democratic transition in Venezuela. Instead, the administration is embracing a dangerous worldview in which the United States can run roughshod over our hemisphere, mirroring the same logic Vladimir Putin uses to justify domination over his neighbors.

“Nicolas Maduro is an illegitimate leader. But we are a country of laws, and this president’s blatant disregard for both domestic and international law is reckless and dangerous. Rather than addressing the Republican health care crisis and lowering costs for the American people, this administration is committing billions in taxpayer dollars to an open-ended foreign conflict.

“Critical questions remain on what happens next. Congress is not a spectator in matters of war. I will continue pressing for public hearings, transparency and meaningful oversight to reassert Congress’s constitutional role and prevent further escalation and instability.” 

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

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement following the Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela: 

“Let’s be clear. Nicolas Maduro is an illegitimate leader. But using the U.S. military to attempt regime change in a sovereign foreign nation, without approval from Congress, without a defined objective or plan for the day after, and without support from our allies, risks entangling the United States in an open-ended conflict in Venezuela that could destabilize the entire region. This action is also a violation of international law and further undermines America’s global standing.

“Congress must reassert its constitutional role before this escalation leads to greater instability, chaos, and unnecessary risk to American lives.” 

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

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern over the State Department’s mismanagement of key fellowship programs critical to recruiting and retaining the next generation of America’s foreign policy workforce. In the letter, Meeks highlights ongoing problems affecting the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, Foreign Affairs Information Technology Fellowship (FAIT), William D. Clarke Sr. Diplomatic Security Fellowship, Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship, and Veterans Innovation Partnership Fellowship (VIP). The programs have long served as pipelines for diverse, highly qualified public servants.

The recently signed National Defense Authorization Act included language from Ranking Member Meeks reauthorizing the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, and VIP fellowships. Meeks’ letter questions why, despite clear congressional authorization, the Department continues to introduce uncertainty, delays, and changes that threaten the integrity and viability of these fellowships.

Read the letter in full here. An excerpt is below.

“Confusion around the fate of these programs and the firing of staff who manage them threatens to erode confidence in federal hiring pathways and weakens America’s long-term diplomatic capacity. Congress recently authorized the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, and VIP fellowships on a bipartisan basis in the National Defense Authorization Act, signaling continued support from Congress for these vital programs. These fellowships are not peripheral initiatives—they are essential national security programs that sustain America’s diplomatic readiness and bolster our credibility abroad… 

“The State Department congressional notification that was transmitted to Congress in May about your proposed reorganization did not indicate any significant change to these fellowship programs or the office that administers them. Yet, your reduction-in-force (RIF) carried out in July included terminating the dedicated public servants in Global Talent Management’s Recruitment Office who administered these fellowships. These changes have led to severe consequences. Graduate school funding for tuition and stipends have been disrupted, internship placements have been delayed, and the onboarding timelines for incoming Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) have been thrown into uncertainty. Additionally, Pickering and Rangel Fellows are being told to retake the Foreign Service Officer Test, which they have previously passed. These actions potentially breach the written agreements between the Department and the fellows regarding their academic requirements and their onboarding into the State Department. 

“Further, there appears to have been little to no transition planning before these changes went into effect. The staff who managed these programs before their separation were required to undergo training and be certified to administer the funds for these programs. Now, it is my understanding that these responsibilities are being carried out by contractors. This raises questions on whether the fellowship programs are being carried out in potential violation of federal requirements that limit certain types of work to full-time federal employees as well as those who possess the necessary financial management certification. The Department’s actions could jeopardize multimillion-dollar cooperative agreements, merit-system protections, and contractual service obligations owed to the U.S. government.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding documents and information regarding reports that the administration terminated U.S. law enforcement agreements as part of a quid pro quowith El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, to enable third-country removals to the notorious CECOT prison.

“…Since our prior requests for information, it has been reported you personally spoke with President Bukele on March 13, 2025. In this discussion, you reportedly promised that the United States would terminate its informant arrangements with certain high-ranking members of MS-13 in U.S. custody who had been cooperating with law-enforcement so that the men could be turned over to El Salvador, preventing them from testifying in federal courts. In exchange, President Bukele would receive and detain Venezuelan nationals and other deportees from the United States. This quid pro quo was arranged in spite of the reported objection of officials from the Department of Justice, who warned that terminating the informant agreements risked undermining years of work and U.S. law-enforcement agencies’ ability to engage informants in the future…

“We remain deeply concerned that you would prioritize protecting President Bukele’s reputation over delivering justice for American victims of MS-13 crimes by agreeing to give up informants under U.S. protection whose knowledge and testimony is integral to ongoing federal investigations into MS-13 leadership, operations, and ties with President Bukele’s administration. Multiple credible reports have alleged that the Bukele government engaged in direct negotiations with MS-13 leadership between 2019 and 2021 to secure reductions in homicide rates and support for Bukele’s political party in exchange for prison privileges, political protection, or promises to stall gang leader extraditions. One of these leaders, César López Larios6, who was facing serious charges including conspiracy to finance terrorism and support narco-terrorism, was deported to El Salvador two days after your reported March 13 conversation with Bukele.” 

A PDF of the full letter can be found here. 

This letter follows up on a letter Meeks and Raskin sent in July 2025 regarding the administration’s deal to imprison hundreds of immigrants in El Salvador, and a letter Meeks and Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, sent in April requesting documents related to the bilateral deal struck with El Salvador. Contrary to the law, the State Department has refused to provide details on the bilateral agreement. 

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

Washington, DC – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Bill Huizenga and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Chair and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, today sent a letter to Dr. Mohammed Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, expressing concern over the total ban of a political party ahead of elections in February. Cosigners of the letter include Rep. Julie Johnson and Tom Suozzi.

“We welcome your willingness to step forward at a moment of national crisis in Bangladesh to lead an interim government ahead of elections in February of next year. It is vital that the interim government work with parties across the political spectrum to create the conditions for free and fair elections that allow the voice of the Bangladeshi people to be expressed peacefully through the ballot box, as well as reforms that restore confidence in the integrity and nonpartisanship of state institutions. We are concerned that this cannot happen if the government suspends activities of political parties or again restarts the flawed International Crimes Tribunal.

“Freedom of association, as well as the principle of individual rather than collective criminal responsibility, are fundamental human rights. We are concerned that the decision to fully suspend the activity of any one political party, rather than focus on persons determined to have committed crimes or gross violations of human rights through the due process of law, is inconsistent with those principles.”

A PDF of the full letter can be found here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

WASHINGTON (January 5, 2026) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) issued this statement today:

“I oppose the Trump-Vance administration’s unauthorized and unconstitutional military actions in Venezuela. Once again, this administration has no regard for the rule of law, risking American lives in and near Venezuela. I voted last month for a resolution that would have barred President Trump from military action against Venezuela without authorization by Congress, but House Republicans narrowly defeated it. Trump can’t even run our country well and now he’s focused on trying to run another one – and threatening to attack other countries.

“America does not need another ill-conceived ‘forever war.’ We have serious problems here at home that Democrats in Congress will keep pushing to address, like Trump letting health-insurance premiums skyrocket Jan. 1 for 22 million Americans. I will continue to fight for Philadelphians and oppose this backwards, disastrous Trump-Vance agenda!”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), released the following statement following the capture of Narco-Terrorist Dictator Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.

“Democrats spent years making excuses while an illegitimate dictator and indicted Narco-Terrorist destabilized the hemisphere and endangered American lives. Accountability finally came.  

Parents in our community can rest easier knowing a major peddler of fentanyl is off the streets.

I’m grateful for the heroes who carried out this mission and praying for their safe return home.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

Last week, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)  announced North Carolina will receive $213 million under the Rural Health Transformation Program, one of the largest funds for rural health programs in history, created by President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut.

“I’m pleased that President Trump and House Republicans delivered $213 million for North Carolina through H.R. 1, the Working Families Tax Cut, creating the largest rural health care investment in a generation,” said Rep. Hudson. “As one of the most rural states in the nation, serving nearly eight percent of the U.S. rural population, North Carolina is well-positioned to expand access to care and strengthen rural providers.

“I’m disappointed the Governor’s Office did not coordinate with federal and local partners during the application process, which appears to have limited the funding our communities deserve,” Hudson continued. “I look forward to continued engagement with rural providers and stakeholders to make sure North Carolinians get the health care access they need.”

This comes shortly after U.S. Representative Richard Hudson and the North Carolina congressional delegation sent a letter urging CMS to allocate funds to match the vast rural population North Carolina serves. They urged approval of North Carolina’s application and outlined the urgent need to recognize the state’s uniquely rural population and health care challenges.

North Carolina is home to nearly 3 million rural residents across 85 counties, making it the second-most rural state in the nation and accounting for up to eight percent of the U.S. rural population.

These funds come from the Rural Health Transformation Program — part of a $50 billion, five-year investment designed to expand access to care, support rural providers, strengthen the health care workforce, and modernize rural health infrastructure.

The delegation specifically highlighted that existing federal guidance excluded counties such as Moore and Pitt, which serve some of North Carolina’s most isolated rural patients, while including larger urban counties. Members pressed CMS to ensure funding decisions reflected real-world rural health care delivery rather than arbitrary classifications.

Why this matters for North Carolina:

• 24 counties lack adequate primary care access
• 90 counties are designated mental health shortage areas
• 12 rural hospitals have closed since 2006

Rural Health Transformation Program – North Carolina Impact

Created under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut, the Rural Health Transformation Program represents the largest investment in rural health care in a generation, designed to:

• Expand access to affordable, quality care in rural communities
• Support and retain rural health care providers
• Strengthen workforce development
• Invest in technology, innovation, and health infrastructure
• Improve preventive care and long-term health outcomes

Read the full letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03) issued the following statement on Trump Administration’s military actions in Venezuela earlier today:

“The American people and Congress deserve transparency, accountability, and clear answers before the United States is drawn into another open-ended conflict.  

Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate, authoritarian ruler who has brutalized the Venezuelan people and dismantled democratic institutions. They deserve a genuine path to democracy. 

At the same time, the President of the United States is bound by the Constitution and the rule of law. Military action cannot be undertaken without congressional authorization, clearly defined objectives, or a plan for what comes next.  

President Trump has offered shifting justifications for aggressive action in Venezuela over time, ranging from counter-narcotics efforts to protecting oil reserves, which makes the nature of this latest escalation deeply concerning.”

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