MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s The Situation Room where he made clear that House Democrats will continue to work to protect the healthcare of the American people and push back on the corruption of Donald Trump and his administration. 

WOLF BLITZER: And joining us now is the House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Leader Jeffries, thanks so much for joining us. So you just heard the President there. Can a meeting with him actually achieve anything?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s important that the meeting take place so that we can avoid a painful, Republican-inspired government shutdown. And our demands are really simple. We want to protect the healthcare of the American people. Cancel the cuts, lower the cost, save healthcare. We are in the midst of the most intense assault on the healthcare of the American people ever. Largest cut to Medicaid in American history. A potential $536 billion cut to Medicare as a result of the One Big Ugly Bill. Hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics are closing all across the country, including in rural America. Tens of millions of Americans are about to experience dramatic increases in premiums, co-pays and deductibles, in part based on their refusal to extend the premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act. And Republicans have effectively ended medical research in this country. And so, we need to make some progress on addressing the Republican healthcare crisis. And we cannot support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of everyday Americans.

WOLF BLITZER: As you know, the House Republicans are noting that they passed what’s called a clean bill to extend government funding until November 21. Only one Democrat backed that. So why wouldn’t Americans blame Democrats if the government winds up shutting down?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, first of all, let’s be clear. It’s not a clean bill. It’s a dirty bill. The Republican partisan spending bill continues the assault on the healthcare of the American people. That’s why Democrats did not support it in March because it was an attack on healthcare, an attack on housing, an attack on veterans and an attack on the quality of life of the American people. And so, it can’t be a clean bill if it extends dirty provisions that existed in March. Second point is Republicans control the House, the Senate and the presidency. And so, it’s their responsibility to make sure that the federal government is funded. It’s our responsibility as Democrats to make sure that if the federal government is going to be funded, it’s actually done in a way that improves the quality of life of the American people, the health of the American people, the safety of the American people and, of course, the economic well-being of the American people and that we are actually driving down costs, not continuing the process of jacking up costs, be that healthcare or in other areas, on the American people.

PAMELA BROWN: All right, Leader Jeffries. I want to jump in and ask about something else that happened over the weekend. President Trump called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring criminal charges against several of his political foes, like Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and former FBI Director James Comey. And then he later backtracked, saying, quote, ‘if they’re not guilty, that’s fine.’ Your reaction?

LEADER JEFFRIES: There is absolutely zero basis for Trump’s Department of Justice to go after and prosecute Attorney General Tish James or James Comey or Senator Adam Schiff or Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. No basis at all. This is all a political witch hunt being led by a President who is bent on revenge. And that statement that President Trump made initially is exhibit A for why this is a malicious prosecution. And it would be my expectation that if, in fact, they can convince a grand jury to bring charges, which I don’t believe they will be able to do, and if, in fact, you have attorneys violating their oath to actually administer justice in a fair and impartial way and indict these members, I believe any charges will be quickly dismissed and that everybody involved should be held accountable. If they want to prosecute or investigate anyone, start with Tom Homan and the fact that he appears to have taken a $50,000 bribe, but they want to sweep those charges under the table to allow this guy to continue to unleash masked ICE agents on the American people.

PAMELA BROWN: Just to follow up on that. Just to be clear, Tom Homan has not been charged. DOJ stopped the investigation. There are questions about that. So what is Congress going to do to look into it? Because if DOJ doesn’t do anything, the power is now with Congress to look into it. What can you do in the minority?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, as Democrats, you know, as we’ve done in other instances, including the most recent situation with the FCC Chair and the attack on the First Amendment that is ongoing, launch our own internal investigation, because Republicans haven’t been functioning as a separate and co-equal branch of government. They are simply a reckless and extreme rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s out-of-control agenda. And we are not going to wait until we take the majority back in November of next year. We’re going to launch these investigations now and make sure, just as we’ve done in the case of the Epstein files, that we can present the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to the American people, and hold people publicly accountable for their behavior.

PAMELA BROWN: And just be clear, Tom Homan denies wrongdoing and says there’s nothing to it.

WOLF BLITZER: On another sensitive legal issue, Leader Jeffries, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was pushed out of his job. Several reports saying that that was for failing to charge the New York Attorney General Letitia James with mortgage fraud. What does that tell you about the independence of the U.S. Justice Department right now? And is there a role for House Democrats here?

LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s absolutely a role for House Democrats. And I expect that that effort will continue to be led by the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Jamie Raskin. We are demanding that all information connected to this sordid affair be preserved so that once the investigation is fully underway, led by us and we’ll see what the Republicans on the Judiciary Committee decide to do, that we can secure all of the documents and present them to the American people and ensure that folks are held accountable for their behavior. You know, one thing to understand, as people who are flirting with the Trump administration or doing the bidding of the Trump administration or engaging in the pay-to-play schemes of the Trump administration, the statute of limitations is five years. Donald Trump and this toxic administration will be long gone, but there will still be accountability to be had. And that process, of course, begins now. But it will not be complete until perhaps there is an independent Department of Justice, certainly an independent House of Representatives in Democratic hands. The Department of Justice is one of the great institutions in law enforcement in the history of this country. And Donald Trump and these extremists have been destroying its integrity. And we should also blame the conservative justices on the Supreme Court for all of the things that we see happening because they basically gave this President blanket presidential immunity in a country where the framers of the Constitution said we don’t want a king. But they’ve effectively enabled Donald Trump at times to behave just like a king. And that needs to be revisited as well. The Supreme Court, shame on them for what they’ve done to this country in unleashing this out-of-control behavior. That needs to be reversed.

PAMELA BROWN: Let me just follow up with you on that, though. By saying that, are you undermining trust and faith in a critical institution in this democracy?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Are you referring to the Supreme Court or the Trump administration?

PAMELA BROWN: No, to the Supreme Court. You’re saying, you know, they’ve unleashed this. The justices have done this. They made him king. Are you undermining faith in an important institution in this democracy?

LEADER JEFFRIES: No. What I’m undermining faith in is a decision that had no basis in the Constitution, no basis in law, and no basis in how the framers envisioned this democratic republic. We broke away from the notion of a king, a singular figure, and created three separate and co-equal branches of government so that no one would have the ability to unleash unchecked power, and that no one could be above the law. And it’s reasonable, I think, to ask the question, why was that decision issued, and what are the consequences that have flowed from that decision over the last eight and a half months? And so, that’s what I’m questioning. Not the integrity of the Court. But yes, I am questioning the integrity of that decision and what it has wrought now on the American people, because of the out-of-control behavior coming out of the White House.

Full interview can be watched here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, September 19, U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Representatives Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), and Blake Moore (R-Utah) introduced the bipartisan Fair Housing for Disabled Veterans Act, a bill to ensure that veterans’ service-related disability benefits are not used to deny veterans access to affordable housing.

Currently, these disability benefits are considered income in calculations for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), often pushing disabled veterans above eligibility thresholds and potentially into homelessness. The bill would exclude service-related disability benefits from those income calculations, ensuring veterans are not denied housing assistance.

“This critical legislation ensures veterans can continue to keep more of their hard-earned money and have the resources they need to purchase an affordable home,” said Rep. Kelly, Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax. “This legislation puts the tax code to work for those who have worn the uniform to protect our great nation.”

“Veterans who have sacrificed for our country shouldn’t face barriers when trying to find a safe, affordable place to live,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Disability benefits are meant to cover the costs of injuries sustained during their service – they’re not income. Our bill would ensure that veterans aren’t unfairly disqualified from affordable housing, allowing them to live with the dignity they earned through their service.”

“Our veterans are being denied access to affordable housing programs because of a flaw in IRS code that classifies their disability benefits as income. Those who served our country, and especially those who sustained a service-connected disability, should never be turned down from the ability to obtain a safe and stable home,” said Congressman Gomez. “With this bill, we’re making sure veterans can access the housing support they deserve after their service and sacrifice to our country.”

“As the representative of Hill Air Force Base and an active veteran community, improving servicemember housing has been a priority my entire time in Congress. Homelessness among our veteran population is unacceptable, and our veterans are more than deserving of affordable housing – especially when they are injured while serving,” said Congressman Moore. “I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Fair Housing for Disabled Veterans Act with my Ways and Means colleagues to exclude service-related disability payments from the income calculation for LIHTC eligibility to ensure that our servicemembers and their families are better able to access affordable housing when they return home.”
 
“VA disability compensation should never be a barrier to accessing stable housing for veterans,” said Jose Ramos, vice president for government and community relations for Wounded Warrior Project. “But currently, wounded warriors are penalized for injuries sustained during service to our country when their VA benefits make them ineligible to rent affordable, stable, and often higher-quality housing created through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. These are often our most vulnerable veterans who need both supports – their VA payments and housing assistance. WWP is grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Linda T. Sánchez and Mike Kelly in introducing the Fair Housing for Disabled Veterans Act to address this problem and help veterans across the country.”

Specifically, the Fair Housing for Disabled Veterans Act would amend the Internal Revenue Code to strike consideration of veterans’ service-connected disability and pension payments when determining income qualifications for properties financed with LIHTC and qualified residential bonds.

The full text of the bill can be found HERE.  

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

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) announced his co-chairmanship of the House Congressional Musicians’ Caucus alongside Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas). The caucus is dedicated to supporting musicians and advancing the music industry, ensuring this vital sector continues to fuel creativity and economic growth across the nation. 

As part of this effort, Congressman Estes led the charge to introduce and pass the Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act, which allows artists and musicians to expense sound recording production costs in one year rather than stretching them out over time. This provision was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“Joining my colleague, Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), as co-chair of the Congressional Musicians’ Caucus is an honor and a great opportunity to recognize how music has impacted the lives and history of Americans,” said Rep. Estes. “We will work to feature the incredible role music plays in bringing Americans together, fostering creativity, and enriching our communities. From the heartland of Kansas to every corner of our great nation, music unites us, inspires the next generation, and strengthens our heritage. I look forward to working across the aisle to support the music industry, ensure the arts continue to thrive for all, and enjoy many styles and varieties of music that can be created.”

“Music doesn’t take sides—it takes the stage and asks us to listen. From my hometown of Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, to music classrooms and performance venues across the country, crowds become communities,” said Rep. Doggett. “My good friend, Ron Estes, gets this rhythm by uplifting the artists, educators, and engineers who shape the industry and inspire future musicians. I’m pleased to have him join our mission as a Co-Chair, and look forward to working together to create a more inclusive landscape that benefits us all.”

Background: 

May 2025 – Rep. Estes Applauds Ways and Means Tax Legislation Vote

February 2025 – Reps. Estes, Sánchez Reintroduce the HITS Act

September 2022 – Rep. Estes Introduces Resolution Honoring Walnut Valley Festival’s 50th Year

July 2020 – Rep. Estes and Rep. Sanchez Introduce the HITS Act

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the following statement in response to the closure of the United States Postal Service (USPS) Contract Postal Unit (CPU) at Surrey Center Pharmacy in Augusta.

“The closing of the USPS CPU at Surrey Center Pharmacy is extremely disappointing to me and many others in our community. Since 1979, this USPS location has been a meaningful resource for residents and businesses, with lifelong relationships forged between staff and customers,” said Congressman Allen. “Though a renewal was offered, our months-long effort in coordination with the pharmacy and USPS did not result in agreeable terms. I will continue working to ensure this does not happen to another beloved small business again. Simply put, this was the wrong decision from USPS, and while this CPU may be closing, I have every confidence that Surrey Center Pharmacy will continue to be a vibrant pillar of this community.”

“We are extremely disappointed to not be able to come to agreeable terms with the United States Postal Service to save our CPU at Surrey Center Pharmacy. I cannot thank Congressman Rick Allen and his staff enough for all of the hard work and effort they have put into this process. They left no stone unturned and were faithful in their commitment to help our business, customers, and their constituents. We look forward to continuing to serve our community in new ways and appreciate the support and love from all of our customers,” said Courtnee Russ, Pharmacist and Owner of Surrey Center Pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Since the announced termination of the USPS contract with Surrey Center Pharmacy in June 2025, Congressman Allen has met with Postmaster General David Steiner and had several discussions with congressional liaisons demanding answers on what information and data were used to justify the potential cancellation of this contract.

The USPS has consistently ignored requests for hard data and transparency regarding this decision. On September 16, 2025, Congressman Allen introduced the bipartisan Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act, legislation designed to require USPS to provide reports to Congress on how the closure of CPUs will impact residents and allow for public hearings before any closure takes place.

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

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is raising concerns about reports that attorneys have been prohibited from accompanying their clients during routine check-ins at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Maine. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Pingree stressed that preventing legal counsel from attending such visits undermines constitutional protections and erodes public confidence in DHS’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

“Blocking access to legal counsel is incompatible with our values as a nation—as well as DHS’s stated commitments to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law,” Pingree wrote. “If DHS or ICE maintain such a stance, I ask that you provide in writing the policy that allows for legal counsel to be turned away from your facilities. Further, should this policy exist, it raises significant questions about transparency and the right to representation. I strongly urge you to repeal any policy that would deprive individuals of their constitutional right to due process.”

Pingree also formally requested a tour of the ICE field office in Scarborough, Maine, citing concerns raised by local town officials who have sought to engage with the facility but have been denied entry.

“Clear and consistent communication with community leaders, advocacy organizations, and local officials fosters greater transparency and ensures that enforcement operations are implemented fairly and humanely,” Pingree wrote. “Without these relationships, DHS risks deepening mistrust and eroding the very public confidence it requires to operate effectively.”

The Congresswoman reiterated that robust constituent services and agency oversight are core congressional responsibilities, and said she will continue to monitor DHS’s responsiveness.

The full letter is available here and copied below. 

+++

Dear Secretary Noem,

As you know from your time in the U.S. House of Representatives, providing casework and acting as an intermediary to executive agencies is one of the most fundamental services we provide for our constituents, ensuring that the government serves the people it represents. My office frequently assists constituents with immigration petitions pending with your agency—including adjustments of status, naturalization, and non-immigrant visa petitions—that have been delayed or lost. I take immense pride in my ability to serve the thousands of Mainers who have sought assistance from my office.

Moreover, robust casework functions to directly support Congress’s oversight responsibilities. Elevating constituent concerns provides valuable insights into how federal programs are being implemented on the ground. It can also reveal systemic inefficiencies, inequities, and gaps in service that may warrant legislative or administrative attention.

It is within this oversight capacity that I raise alarm about several reports from my district that attorneys have not been permitted to accompany their clients to routine check-in visits at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. Blocking access to legal counsel is incompatible with our values as a nation—as well as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s stated commitments to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. If DHS or ICE maintain such a stance, I ask that you provide in writing the policy that allows for legal counsel to be turned away from your facilities. Further, should this policy exist, it raises significant questions about transparency and the right to representation. I strongly urge you to repeal any policy that would deprive individuals of their constitutional right to due process.

In service of my oversight responsibilities, I request your assistance in scheduling a tour in the coming weeks of the ICE field office within my district in Scarborough, Maine. In accordance with this request, I wish to stress the importance of the Department’s responsibility to engage with and be responsive to the local communities in which ICE facilities operate. It has been brought to my attention that officials from the Town of Scarborough have made efforts to engage with the ICE facility in the Town, but have yet to be allowed entry. Clear and consistent communication with community leaders, advocacy organizations, and local officials fosters greater transparency and ensures that enforcement operations are implemented fairly and humanely. Without these relationships, DHS risks deepening mistrust and eroding the very public confidence it requires to operate effectively.

I respectfully request a written response to this letter no later than 30 days from receipt. Please provide confirmation of whether a policy exists prohibiting legal counsel from attending routine ICE appointments, and if so, its legal justification. My office will also follow up on scheduling a visit to the Scarborough, Maine facility as soon as possible.

Thank you for your prompt attention to these matters. Congress will continue to closely monitor the Department’s responsiveness, and I fully expect your office will take the necessary actions to address these concerns. Please reach out to my office at (202) 225-6116 should you have any questions.

###

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

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, led 15 Members of Congress in calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately disburse nearly $50 million in funding for farmers that has been inexplicably delayed. If the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program funding for fiscal year 2025 is not released to regional partners by September 30th, farmers and ranchers across the country will lose out on the only producer-led program that supports research, demonstration, and education projects across a wide range of topics related to sustainable agriculture.

“At a time when farmers and ranchers are facing increased costs and significant uncertainty, it is unacceptable for the Department to be withholding funding approved by Congress that delivers both short-term financial support and strategies for long-term viability,” Pingree and her colleagues said in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Rollins.

Joining Pingree in sending the letter are: Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee; Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii); John Larson (D-Conn.); Robin Kelly (D-Ill.); Gabe Vasquez (D-Texas); Sharice Davids (D-Kan.); Terri Sewell (D-Ala.); Alma Adams (D-N.C.); Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.); Josh Harder (D-Calif.); Gabe Amo (D-R.I.); Joe Courtney (D-Conn.); Jim Costa (D-Calif.); Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.); and Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).

The letter is available here and copied below. 

+++

Dear Secretary Rollins,

We write to express our urgent concern over the delays in distributing nearly $50 million in Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program funding for fiscal year 2025. Without immediate action from the Department, American farmers and ranchers will lose access to yet another critical source of federal support.

The SARE program supports research, demonstration, and education projects across a wide range of topics related to sustainable agriculture. It is the only such program that is farmer- and rancher-led – ensuring that outcomes are focused on what producers really need in order to sustain their livelihoods and protect their land and operations. From new farmer training in Maine, to milk quality research in Pennsylvania, to studies on tomato cultivation in Texas and Oklahoma, the SARE program is a vital pathway for farmers – especially small and mid-sized — to take the lead in addressing the challenges that impact them most.

At a time when farmers and ranchers are facing increased costs and significant uncertainty, it is unacceptable for the Department to be withholding funding approved by Congress that delivers both short-term financial support and strategies for long-term viability. We urge you to disburse SARE program funding for fiscal year 2025 by September 30th, or else risk producers losing out entirely on meaningful opportunities.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

###

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

“It is difficult to imagine any circumstance that could justify staging enforcement activity when children are arriving to learn,” Pingree said. “Beyond the harm it causes the community at-large, these actions have caused irreparable damage to the family, who is already dealing with difficult circumstances.”

She said the agents’ actions “caused confusion among local law enforcement who were not informed of the activity,” and said, “Above all, no person should be swept up off the streets by masked and unidentifiable members of law enforcement.”

Pingree demanded a full accounting of ICE’s operation, including which agencies were involved, what coordination occurred between those agencies, and the justification for selecting the school as a location for enforcement activity. She also requested a written explanation of any review or retraining that occurs from this incident; a description of the guidance used to determine whether enforcement activity at schools is absolutely necessary; and a list of protocols adapted to minimize harm done to the community while practicing said enforcement activity.

The full letter is available here and copied below. 

+++

I write to express grave concern and outrage over recent actions by federal law enforcement agents detaining a parent during the student drop-off period for Gerald E. Talbot Community School in Portland, Maine. According to reports, this occurred just before 8 a.m. on the school’s access road. This road is located immediately next to the school, and the school is the only location accessible by the road. 

The proximity of the enforcement activity to the school raises serious questions about its justification, its impact on the school community, and whether appropriate oversight and approvals were secured. It is difficult to imagine any circumstance that could justify staging enforcement activity when children are arriving to learn. Beyond the harm it causes the community at-large, these actions have caused irreparable damage to the family, who is already dealing with difficult circumstances. 

Studies show that immigration enforcement near schools triggers measurable harm: lower attendance, diminished academic performance, increased anxiety and depression, and lasting trauma for students and families – including those not directly targeted. Children who witness or even hear of immigration arrests near their schools experience fear that undermines their ability to learn and thrive. These findings are exactly why the sensitive locations guidance and policies have repeatedly emphasized the need to shield schools from immigration enforcement activity. Portland Public School officials have already reported a decrease in attendance to my office.

In addition to my concerns regarding the proximity to a school are the deeply unsettling reports that the arresting officers were unidentifiable, driving unmarked cars, and refused to state which agency they represented when asked by the school district administrator. Not only did these present challenges for the school administrators and the family members, but it caused confusion among local law enforcement who were not informed of the activity. Above all, no person should be swept up off the streets by masked and unidentifiable members of law enforcement. 

I demand a full accounting of this operation, including which agencies were involved, what coordination occurred between those agencies, and the justification for selecting the school as a location for enforcement activity. In particular, I request a written explanation of any review or retraining that occurs from this incident; a description of the guidance used to determine whether enforcement activity at schools is absolutely necessary; and a list of protocols adapted to minimize harm done to the community while practicing said enforcement activity.

Families entrust their children to schools expecting that the federal government will not bring political theater to the schoolhouse gate, especially if such activity could conceivably happen elsewhere. I expect your prompt and complete response as well as your assurances that Portland’s students, and students across the country, will be protected from similar exposure in the future.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

###