MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50), Richard Hudson (NC-09), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) and U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, bipartisan legislation to protect seniors’ access to essential laboratory services. Without reform to the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, deep cuts under that payment system are set to begin in January 2026, which will threaten access to common lab tests for America’s seniors.

“It is critically important that seniors have uninterrupted access to innovative diagnostic tests,” said Senator Tillis. “The Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act is a necessary step toward ensuring this access and supporting seniors’ health care needs. I’m proud to work with my colleagues to permanently fix flawed data collection and reporting methods which will allow Medicare beneficiaries to continue receiving quality and affordable lab services.”    

“Access to quality clinical labs is essential to keeping our seniors living long, healthy lives,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud to partner with my colleague Senator Tillis to put forward this legislative fix that will help ensure Georgia seniors will continue to have access to high-quality diagnostic services.”

“Clinical labs drive innovation in health care and better medicine, from early detection to guiding lifesaving treatments,” said Rep. Peters. “The RESULTS Act protects access to these essential medical services and ensures our health system can keep pace with patients’ growing Health care needs. I’m proud to support this effort to strengthen care for seniors and families in California and across the nation.”

“Clinical labs are the backbone of modern medicine, providing diagnostics and detections to inform decisions and give patients and doctors the answers they need,” said Rep. Hudson. “By passing the RESULTS Act, we can stop devastating cuts that would have threatened access to routine and lifesaving tests. This bipartisan bill delivers stability, cuts red tape, and ensures seniors and families can continue to count on timely, accurate results. I’m proud to have led this fight and deliver a commonsense solution that protects patients and strengthens care.”

“Strong clinical laboratories are vital to delivering high-quality care, especially for seniors who depend on timely testing to maintain their health,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “The RESULTS Act will protect access to these essential services and help ensure that families in Florida—and across the country—can continue to receive the care they need.”

“I’ve long championed early detection as the cornerstone of prevention and quality care. Through my work with PA-1 health advocates and partners, I know how critical clinical labs are to keeping our seniors healthy and strengthening our health system. Without ensuring a sustainable solution, labs will close, care will be delayed, and our seniors will pay the price. The RESULTS Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution to block these cuts, protect essential services, and ensure seniors across the country have access to timely care,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

“Seniors across America rely on timely, accurate lab tests to detect disease, guide treatment, and prevent serious health problems. The RESULTS Act ensures those services remain accessible and affordable while fostering innovation in our health system. I’m proud to partner with colleagues from both sides of the aisle on this legislation to safeguard this lifeline for families in Illinois and nationwide,” said Rep. Krishnamoorthi.

Without congressional action this year, reimbursement for approximately 800 tests—including routine bloodwork, cancer screenings, and tests to manage heart disease and diabetes—will be cut by up to 15 percent beginning January 1, 2026. This is on top of three previous rounds of cuts of up to 10 percent.

The RESULTS Act would provide a sustainable fix by:

• Ensuring a Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) rate-setting process that is accurate and representative of commercial market rates for independent, physician-office and hospital outreach laboratories by leveraging an independent not-for-profit commercial claims database for widely available tests while relying on laboratories to report private payor rates for non-widely available tests.
• Reducing the administrative data collection and reporting burden on clinical laboratories and lessening the administrative burden on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) while preventing destabilizing payment cuts and mitigating future reductions.
• Promoting diagnostic innovation by providing stability in Medicare reimbursement for laboratories to develop and deliver cutting-edge tests for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and emerging public health threats.

“Clinical laboratory services from the most routine to those driving personalize medicine, provide crucial information to patients about their underlying health and are indispensable to clinicians in guiding patient care. Clinical laboratory test results hold the key to preventing, diagnosing, and guiding the right personalized treatment at the right time,” said American Clinical laboratory Association President Susan Van Meter. “ACLA is grateful to Reps. Hudson, Bilirakis, Peters, Fitzpatrick, and Krishnamoorthi and Senators Tillis and for their leadership in championing The RESULTS Act, a smart policy solution that would fundamentally reform Medicare payment to clinical laboratories, providing stability and predictability, ensuring our seniors get the essential results they deserve.”

“The National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA) applauds the bipartisan introduction of the RESULTS Act and urges Congress to quickly pass this vital legislation to strengthen our nation’s clinical laboratory infrastructure,” said NILA’s Executive Director Mark S. Birenbaum, Ph.D. “Our members are facing up to 15 percent cuts to many of the most common laboratory tests; without immediate reform to PAMA this year, regional and community clinical laboratories could be forced to close their doors, leaving patients without access to critical laboratory testing.”

The RESULTS Act builds on the foundation established by the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA). While this bipartisan, bicameral legislation was ultimately not enacted in the previous Congress, it did amass more than 70 co-sponsors in the House and Senate and secured support from dozens of national stakeholder groups representing millions of patients and providers.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Scott Peters (D-CA-50) released the following statement after voting against the politically charged National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026:

“During my first five terms in Congress, I consistently voted for the bipartisan defense authorization bill, because it put the country first. My values have not changed, but this traditionally apolitical bill has. After passing an agreeable deal in the House Armed Services Committee, Republican leadership allowed the loudest voices in their conference to hijack the bill to push their culture wars.

“While I did not vote for the bill, I did vote to begin the process of negotiating a compromise with the Senate. I hope we can strip out hateful provisions through that process, prioritize our service members, and maintain the wins we have secured for San Diego. These wins include my bill to support San Diego’s ship repair industry, $86 million for a child care center at Naval Base San Diego, $103 million for infrastructure upgrades at Naval Base Coronado, improvements to military housing, and a 3.8% raise for servicemembers. We must end the political games and return to an NDAA that advances our national security and supports San Diego’s enduring role in our national defense.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

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

Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, the bipartisan leadership of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues — Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and Dina Titus (D-NV) — issued the following statement:

“The United States must be very careful when engaging in negotiations particularly as it relates to discussions surrounding Turkey’s potential reentry into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Turkey was rightfully removed from the program in 2019 following its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system—a clear violation of U.S. law under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). President Erdogan’s decision to pursue military collaboration with the Russian Federation, despite Turkey’s NATO obligations, directly undermines the security of U.S. defense technology and poses a threat to the strategic integrity of allied defense cooperation. The continued possession of the S-400 system while seeking access to F-35 fighter jets risks exposing sensitive U.S. military capabilities to Russian intelligence, eroding allied trust, and jeopardizing the development of next-generation military platforms. Beyond this violation of U.S. law, Erdogan’s government has consistently demonstrated a disregard for international norms and democratic principles—from crackdowns on press freedom and political dissent, to aggressive military actions in the regions that have drawn international condemnation. Upholding CAATSA sanctions is not only a matter of legal compliance but a necessary step to protect American defense assets and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to accountability and rule of law in international relations. Rewarding Erdogan’s government without meaningful changes in behavior would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the credibility of U.S. foreign policy. The United States must stand firm in defending its laws, its alliances, and the international order.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

Worcester, MA – Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02) has sent a letter to Nexstar Media Group executives demanding answers about the company’s decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC-affiliated stations—just as the company seeks federal approval of a $6.2 billion merger with broadcast group Tegna.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr suggested this week that companies behind Jimmy Kimmel Live! would need to “take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” Shortly after those remarks, Nexstar announced it would no longer air the program. Within hours, ABC parent company Disney suspended the show “indefinitely.” Carr later praised Nexstar for “doing the right thing,” and former President Donald Trump declared the decision “Great News for America.”

“The public owns the airwaves—not the FCC Chairman, not Donald Trump, and not Nexstar,” said Congressman McGovern. “Local TV stations have a responsibility to serve the public interest—not advance political vendettas against those who express opinions the government doesn’t like. Using the threat of license revocation to strong-arm a network into silencing a comedian is not only corrupt—it’s almost certainly unconstitutional. We need answers and accountability about this authoritarian assault on freedom of expression.”

McGovern’s letter raises constitutional concerns about government officials pressuring private broadcasters to silence voices they dislike, and questions Nexstar’s role in preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! while simultaneously asking the FCC to approve a multi-billion-dollar merger.

“At a moment when Nexstar is seeking to consolidate even more power over what communities see on their local news, this incident tells me that they cannot be trusted to act as fair and independent stewards of public airwaves,” McGovern said.

McGovern’s letter demands answers from Nexstar about whether the decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! was made independently or at the direction of ABC/Disney, why these comments in particular led to preemption, and whether Nexstar intends to block other programming that criticizes President Trump, his administration, or conservative political figures.

Nexstar owns WWLP 22 News, the NBC affiliate serving Springfield and Western Massachusetts.

The full text of McGovern’s letter is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

Tonko Statement on GOP Spending Bill that Drives Up Healthcare for Millions

Votes against legislation that would dramatically raise healthcare premiums & green light Trump’s tariffs

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, DC — Representatives Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), along with members of the New York Congressional delegation, called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to uphold its 2009 “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare. In their letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the lawmakers urged the agency to uphold its climate protections, stressing the need to protect New Yorkers from the escalating costs, damage, and dangers associated with climate change.

“We are deeply concerned by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding and what that will mean for New York State and our constituents’ health and safety. By undermining the scientific and legal basis for EPA to protect people from the pollution that causes climate change, this proposal will condemn New Yorkers to a less safe, less prosperous, and less livable environment for generations to come,” the lawmakers wrote.

In the letter, the lawmakers emphasized that New Yorkers are already living with the consequences of climate change, from Montauk to Niagara Falls and Prospect Park to Plattsburgh. They warned that these impacts are projected to intensify in the decades ahead unless significant and rapid action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with global scientific consensus.

“Since the Endangerment Finding was issued in 2009, New York has experienced numerous destructive, climate-fueled extreme weather events, including Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, Superstorm Sandy in 2012, Hurricane Ida in 2021, and historic snowstorms in Western New York in November and December 2022,” continued the lawmakers. “These natural disasters have caused devastation throughout the state, resulting in billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure, private property, and ecosystems.”

The lawmakers warned that rising temperatures will bring more dangerously hot days across New York, threatening public health and key industries like farming. They also pointed to warmer, more humid conditions fueling the spread of ticks and increasing cases of Lyme disease, raising health risks and costs for families.

The letter concluded: “We urge you to abandon efforts to rescind the Endangerment Finding and maintain standards that are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the health and welfare of New Yorkers.”

In addition to Velázquez and Tonko, the letter was signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-9), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), George Latimer (NY-16), John Mannion (NY-22), Gregory Meeks (NY-5),  Grace Meng (NY-6), Joe Morelle (NY-25), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Josh Riley (NY-19), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Tom Suozzi (NY-3), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15).

The full letter can be read HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the Protect Adoptees and American Families Act, which would grant U.S. citizenship to international adoptees who were legally adopted in the U.S. as children but lack citizenship status due to a loophole in the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

“For decades, thousands of people who were adopted into loving American families have lived in legal limbo through no fault of their own,” said Rep. Smith. “The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act will finally close this loophole and guarantee citizenship to adoptees who have spent their lives in the United States and deserve the same rights as any other American. This bipartisan legislation is about fairness, dignity, and ensuring that families remain whole.”

“As the father to two adopted children, I can’t imagine the uncertainty and anxiety faced by these adoptees who were legally adopted in our country, but are now being told they aren’t U.S. citizens,” said Rep. Bacon. “While this situation was rectified for newly adopted children when the law was passed in 2000, adoptees from before that year were left in limbo land. Imagine being allowed to vote, paying into social security and enjoying other rights as a citizen, and then being told you are not a citizen. It makes zero sense and this legislation corrects that egregious mistake.”

“Thousands of American families and their internationally-adopted children have been living in fear and uncertainty due to an oversight in the Child Citizenship Act, which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation that would provide a long overdue solution to address this issue,” said Senator Hirono. “The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act will help keep families together, and ensure that international adoptees are afforded the rights they deserve as U.S. citizens.”

“It is simply not right that international adoptees who were legally adopted in the United States are being denied citizenship due to a loophole in current law,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan bill would address this loophole and allow these individuals to finally achieve their rightful status as American citizens.”

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BACKGROUND
Families who adopted children from abroad were previously required to complete a lengthy, expensive naturalization process for their adopted children, on top of the adoption process itself. In some cases, the paperwork was not completed in full, leaving adoptees unaware they were living in the U.S. without citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA) streamlined this process by granting automatic citizenship to foreign-born children under 18 adopted by U.S. citizens. However, the law only applied to adoptees under age 18 at the time the CCA took effect in February 2001. Adoptees who had already reached adulthood were excluded, leaving tens of thousands of people without citizenship despite being raised in American families.
The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act fixes this gap by confirming U.S. citizenship for internationally adopted individuals, regardless of when they were adopted or their age. Specifically, the bill:

• Provides automatic citizenship to foreign-born children lawfully adopted by U.S. families who turned 18 before February 27, 200.
• Establishes a path to citizenship for adoptees living abroad who meet eligibility requirements but currently reside outside the U.S. This process includes background checks and the resolution of any outstanding legal matters before citizenship is granted.

This legislation will provide long-overdue certainty for adoptees who have faced barriers to higher education, employment, and financial services, and who in some cases have even faced deportation to countries where they have no family or community ties.

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BROAD SUPPORT
The legislation has been welcomed by adoptees, families, and advocates nationwide who have long fought for a permanent fix to the CCA loophole.

Endorsements for this bill come from: Adoptee Rights Campaign, Korean American Grassroots Conference, National Council For Adoption, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, NAKASEC, Niskanen Center, Center for Adoption Policy, National Immigration Forum, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Adoptees for Justice, Family Coalition for Adoptee Citizenship, National Alliance for Adoptee Equality, and Alliance for Adoptee Citizenship.

SUPPORTIVE QUOTES
“We recognize the challenges faced by adoptees who, though raised in American families and contributing fully to our communities, continue to live without the protections of citizenship. We applaud the leadership of Rep. Smith, Rep. Bacon, Sen. Hirono, and Sen. Collins in introducing the Protect Adoptees and American Families Act, a bipartisan measure that offers long-overdue relief and recognition to those who are American in every way except on paper. With Korean American adoptees among the most affected, KAGC is committed to working with partners to ensure this vital legislation is enacted and justice is delivered to all impacted.”  – Wonseok Song, Executive Director of the Korean American Grassroots Conference, the largest nationwide network of Korean American voters.

“NCFA supports the Protect Adoptees and American Families Act. Congress intended citizenship for children being internationally adopted by American citizens, but a complicated and confusing immigration and visa system resulted in some parents failing to complete the citizenship process on behalf of their minor children. The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act provides the citizenship that was initially intended for these individuals.” – Ryan Hanlon, National Council For Adoption.

“As a national network in five states, the NAKASEC network strongly urges the immediate passage of this legislation. Birth parents, adoptive parents, and sending countries partnered with the United States with the understanding that adoptees would be full members of their families – with all the rights, protections, and opportunities afforded to them. It’s important to note that citizenship for adoptees is an issue only in the United States. No other receiving country failed to confer citizenship for the children in their care. It’s time for the United States to fulfill their promises and secure citizenship for all intercountry adoptees.” – Becky Belcore, Co-Director of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC).

“The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act fixes a 25-year loophole that has prevented internationally adopted Americans, raised by American families and fully integrated into American society, from achieving full United States citizenship. There is no excuse. Now is the time for Congress to get this commonsense bill over the finish line and provide a long-awaited solution for these families and for the betterment of our country.” – Kristie De Pena, Director of Immigration Policy at the Niskanen Center.

“We support this effort to strengthen American families by easing the citizenship process for international adoptees. The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act supports a core aspect of our national values, and we are glad to see Republicans and Democrats come together behind it. We look forward to seeing it passed and signed.” – National Immigration Forum

“Fundamental fairness demands that those children who were lawfully adopted and raised in the United States enjoy the full privileges and opportunities of American life.  Yet for thousands of international adoptees, so many of whom arrived from Asian countries and through no fault of their own, that basic promise has been denied due to inadvertent missing paperwork.  The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) commends the sponsors for introducing the Protect Adoptees and American Families (PAAF) Act, a pivotal step to ensure that those impacted within the Asian Pacific American community can finally enjoy stability and pursue a livelihood without fear of removal.” – Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA

 “Adoptees and their families across the country are living in fear, shock, and with a sense of betrayal – often learning they are not citizens when they are well into adulthood and after lifetimes as Americans. More and more adoptees are reaching out when they are approaching or in their senior years. Their stories underscore the urgent need for immediate legislative repair. The introduction of this bill shows that our country’s leaders recognize this profound injustice and are committed to adoptees and American families.” – Rachel Koelzer, Co-Founder of Adoptees For Justice.

 “We’re thrilled at the introduction of this bill that will give aging adoptees the rights and protections that are rightfully theirs. Reintroducing this bill is an important step toward ensuring that no one is denied their rights or opportunities because of how they came to be a part of their families. This is the tenth year the bill has been introduced – let’s get it passed this session!” – Amanda Cho, Policy Manager with the Alliance for Adoptee Citizenship.

 “To be adopted into a family is to be chosen, loved, and embraced as one of their own. Adoption is a bond that transcends borders, making you not just a citizen of a country, but a citizen of a family, forever. Somehow, we as adoptees have been forgotten. We were lost in the shuffle and are being held accountable for the responsibilities of adults that were ignorant of the process. Our adoptive parents were under the impression that we were citizens through the adoption process. Many of us were born in the 60s and grew up living as citizens because we were told we were. Why would we believe any different when we grew up being told we were citizens? We were given our social security numbers and our driver’s licenses with no questions asked. Why didn’t the government inform us then? If they did, we would have been able to right the wrong. Now years later, we are in limbo, many of us deported. How is this fair or humane? How is it fair to send someone to a country where they know no one, they don’t know the language, and have no means to make a living? This bill needs to be law for those innocent adoptees who are victims of a faulty system.” – H, an adoptee without citizenship.

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Additional Resources

• A fact sheet on the Protect Adoptees and American Families Act can be found here.
• Full bill text can be found [adamsmith.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/adamsmith.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/paaf-house-text-1.pdf]here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, along with 17 Members of the House of Representatives, have written a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem asking them to address appalling conditions in Salvadoran prisons that violate international human rights standards and cease any further rendition of persons from the United States to prisons on El Salvador.

***Text of Letter Here (PDF)***

“These prison conditions represent not only cruelty that threatens human dignity, but also serious violations by El Salvador of its obligations under international human rights law,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter. “Moreover, the United States, as party to the Convention Against Torture, is obligated to not send a person to a country where there are ‘substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.’”

Last spring, the Trump Administration sent some 280 men, of Venezuelan  and Salvadoran origin, to be held in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador, International human rights monitors have documented horrific conditions in prisons across El Salvador.  First-hand accounts from Kilmar Ábrego García, a legal resident of the United States, and others released from CECOT include accounts of psychological and physical abuse, including beatings, sleep deprivation, isolation, deprivation of medical treatment, and sexual assault.

Specifically, the letter asks the Secretaries to:

·         Undertake an immediate and transparent review of prison conditions in El Salvador;

·         Demand the Salvadoran government to give U.S. diplomats access to the prisons;

·         Ask the Salvadoran government to allow access to UN human rights observers; and 

·         Cease further rendition of persons from the U.S. to El Salvador for the purpose of detention in a prison there.

“The United States should not be complicit in the torture of incarcerated individuals. Nor should it remain silent when a government of a country, especially one that the United States is paying for the express purpose of housing such deportees, repeatedly fails to meet minimum standards for humane prison conditions,” conclude the Members of Congress in their letter.

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

This past Friday, Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Don Bacon (NE-02) were joined by Representatives Don Beyer (VA-08) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) to introduce the bipartisan “No Coffee Tax Act,” that will repeal the Trump administration’s tariffs on coffee and lower costs for consumers. 

The U.S. is the largest importer of coffee in the world. Brazil, the top source for U.S. coffee, has faced a 50% tariff under the Trump administration’s tariff policy, contributing to a surge in prices. U.S. retail coffee prices increased by nearly 21% last month compared to the same month last year. The No Coffee Tax Act will bring coffee tariffs back to the level they were the day before Trump took office. That level was 0% on everything other than coffee substitutes containing coffee. 

“Americans started a revolution over a tax on tea. U.S. coffee prices have increased significantly in the last year, in part due to Trump’s tariffs. If you drink coffee every morning, how can you not be mad about that? Our bipartisan bill is simple: it removes Trump’s tariffs on coffee to bring down costs,” said Representative Ro Khanna.

“Families across America are feeling the cost of higher coffee prices, which are already up 21 percent, and tariffing a product we can’t grow at a large, commercial scale, only makes it worse. Tariffs are simply a tax on American consumers, raising the price of everyday goods without creating jobs or bringing production on-shore. Article One of the Constitution makes clear that Congress has the authority to set tariffs, and this legislation begins to reclaim that authority. I look forward to working with Rep. Khanna to introduce this bipartisan bill and believe it can help spark the broader debate about Congress reclaiming its constitutional role in tariff policy.” said Representative Don Bacon.

“Millions of Americans are paying a new tax on coffee every morning thanks to President Trump’s tariffs. Our bill would stop it,” said Representative Don Beyer.

“Donald Trump’s unilateral tax on coffee has jacked up the cost of a cup for the more than 200 million Americans who drink coffee. Our commonsense, bipartisan bill will cut this senseless tax that you’re paying every day,” said Representative Maggie Goodlander.

For the full bill text, click here.