MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) jointly announced the introduction of the Sparking Production of Urban and Rural (SPUR) Housing Act. The SPUR Housing Act establishes a fund to increase the capacity of emerging developers – those with limited development experience and limited resources – who are undertaking affordable housing and community development projects. The funds are made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the form of competitive grants for nonprofit housing organizations and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) providing financing, capacity-building training, and technical assistance to eligible emerging developers. 

“The road to lowering housing costs for the American people begins with the increase in construction of affordable housing,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Emerging developers, including many minority developers who have faced historical barriers to entry, need access to the tools and resources necessary to build affordable housing in their communities. By providing these developers with the support to pursue projects in rural and urban communities alike, we can create good-paying jobs, increase our national housing supply, and drive down prices for hardworking families. I’m proud to introduce the SPUR Housing Act with Senator Durbin as we fight to lower housing costs for communities in the heartland and all across this great nation.”

“Despite there being more than 112,000 real estate development companies in the United States, only one percent are owned by Black and Latino developers.  This great divide is spurred by unequal access to capital for minority developers, who often are competing against generational wealth.  Many of these developers are subjected to onerous equity and experience requirements that make it nearly impossible for them to secure financial backing for their projects.  The SPUR Housing Act levels the development playing field and gives Black and Latino developers the resources and experience they need to build and grow their own companies,” said Senator Durbin.

“The communities we serve at Cinnaire — rural and urban alike — share an urgent need for increased affordable housing options,” said Chris Neary, Senior Vice President for Policy, Research and Advocacy at Cinnaire. “The Sparking Production of Urban and Rural (SPUR) Housing Act would tap into the unlocked potential of these communities to create the affordable homeownership and rental opportunities they need to thrive. We applaud Congressman Cleaver for introducing this legislation to address the housing crisis.”

“The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) applauds Representative Cleaver for introducing the Sparking Production of Urban and Rural (SPUR) Housing Act. Our experience has shown us that emerging real estate developers need more access to training, technical assistance, and flexible financial capital to scale their affordable housing and real estate development work, especially in underserved communities,” said Geoff Jolley, Executive Director at LISC Greater Kansas City. “The SPUR Housing Act will provide the resources necessary to build their capacity, which will create desperately needed housing, spurring jobs, economic development, and broader neighborhood revitalization.” 

“As a nationally recognized leader bridging commercial real estate, community and civic partnerships, I commend Congressman Cleaver’s leadership on the SPUR Housing Act,” said Kimberly Brown, Managing Partner at Housing Impact Partners. “My work has shown that when emerging developers have access to capital and supportive policy, they create housing and economic opportunities that organically strengthen our historically underestimated communities.”

The SPUR Housing Act would establish an emerging developer fund to: 

• Expand Financing Tools for Affordable Housing and Community Development Projects – Through predevelopment loans, loan loss reserves, grants, risk sharing, credit enhancements, and capitalized loan funds, SPUR Housing Act funds expand access to capital.
• Increase Access to Capacity-Building Training and Technical Assistance – Nonprofit housing organizations and CDFIs can use SPUR Housing Act funds to provide real estate development capacity building and ongoing technical assistance. 

Emerging developers face a range of barriers to entry and growth including limited access to financing, challenges navigating regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles, and a lack of experience. The SPUR Housing Act aims to address these concerns by helping newer developers access the important financial and technical resources needed to catalyze revitalization and economic growth. Importantly, this legislation builds upon state and local models proven successful in supporting emerging developers addressing the housing and economic development needs of their communities.  

Official text of the SPUR Housing Act is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after voting against the partisan Continuing Resolution (CR) that continues the Republican assault on Americans’ healthcare and includes cuts to the previously negotiated bipartisan budget.

“Republicans in the House of Representatives are following the orders of President Trump and refusing to negotiate a bipartisan budget with Democrats, choosing instead to jam a partisan CR through Congress that will continue their decimation of Americans’ healthcare, as well as cuts to important programs that were previously negotiated on a bipartisan basis.

“The number one thing I hear from families in Missouri is the rising cost of healthcare and housing. I cannot in good conscience support a partisan budget bill that will cause my constituents in Missouri to see their healthcare costs skyrocket—which is precisely what this legislation would do. Moreover, as the administration continues to cut programs that were funded on a bipartisan basis, any budget bill must include safeguards that prevent more partisan cuts after a deal is struck. 

“Democracy demands compromise. If Republicans in Congress want the votes of Democratic lawmakers, they cannot cut us out of the process completely. Before they force another harmful shutdown, my colleagues across the aisle must come back to the negotiating table and work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan budget bill that addresses the unsustainable rise in healthcare costs and the needs of our communities.”

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement on the Charlie Kirk Resolution.

“As John Donne said in his famous poem, ‘any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.’

“I reject and resent the savagery of the man who killed Charlie Kirk. When we resort to violence as a means of expressing opposition to another’s politics, we are actually downgrading our own. I condemn political violence in all forms and from all perpetrators, including the heinous murder of Mr. Kirk.

“Mr. Kirk’s statements about African American women and other Black people demands me to reject his racial insensitivity. Therefore, because I fundamentally disagreed with many of Mr. Kirk’s views, I voted against today’s resolution on the grounds that it lionized a legacy I cannot support.”

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced the introduction of the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act (H.R. 5423), legislation to crack down on exploitative leasing practices in the trucking industry that trap truck drivers in cycles of debt and prevent them from becoming independent owner-operators.

“Current predatory leasing arrangements exploit hardworking truck drivers who are simply trying to build a career and support their families,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Far too many drivers are trapped in crushing debt, denied fair pay, and prevented from ever owning their trucks. These abusive practices push dedicated workers out of the industry, create unnecessary financial stress, and can even put drivers and the public at risk on our roads. My bill will help put an end to these abusive practices, level the playing field for drivers by giving them a fair shot at ownership, strengthen the trucking workforce, and make our roads safer.”

While traditional lease agreements can allow truckers to operate as independent small businesses, many lease-purchase or “lease-to-own” arrangements are structured in ways that exploit drivers. Under these agreements, a motor carrier (or related entity) owns a truck and leases it to a driver, who makes payments in hopes of eventually owning the vehicle and agrees to operate it exclusively for the motor carrier. In these schemes, the lessor and motor carrier are effectively the same entity. 

Companies offering these agreements often offer false promises of fair compensation, future ownership of the truck, and independence from employer-employee requirements. While the supposed goal of these agreements is for the driver to become a full-fledged owner-operator at the end of the lease, these schemes rarely work out that way. Instead, drivers are often paid pennies on the dollar and have their work limited by the motor carrier to prevent them from ever securing ownership of the truck. They are also provided with no independence to seek better compensation or more steady work with other motor carriers. This exploitative system pushes individuals who genuinely desire a career in trucking out of the industry and further contributes to driver churn. The financial and personal pressures resulting from escalating debt can also create highway safety risks.

Created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to address these problems, the Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF) was tasked with examining the terms, conditions, and fairness of common truck leasing arrangements. In January 2025, following a series of productive meetings and discussions with stakeholders, TLTF submitted its findings to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Labor, and Congress. The final report found that inequitable lease-purchase programs negatively affect individual drivers (especially new drivers), the trucking workforce, the health of the industry, and roadway safety.

The Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act would implement the TLTF recommendations and require the U.S. Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to prohibit the use of predatory commercial motor vehicle lease-purchase programs by motor carriers within one year of enactment.

The Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act is endorsed by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and Teamsters.

“OOIDA and truckers across America applaud Representative Brownley for taking on the predatory lease-purchase schemes that have fleeced truck drivers for decades. These scams dangle the promise of ownership but leave drivers broke, trapped in debt, and kicked to the curb with nothing to show for it. These schemes represent the worst in trucking and the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act would put a stop to this practice once and for all,” said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer.

“Predatory truck leasing arrangements target decent hardworking people looking for careers in the trucking industry only to lead them to financial ruin,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “The Teamsters Union was proud to serve on the Truck Leasing Task Force and applauds Representative Brownley for using its recommendations to craft the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act. This bill can finally help put an end to these nefarious practices in a core American industry. The Teamsters strongly endorse the legislation.”

“Truck drivers keep America moving. They deserve fair treatment and a real chance to succeed. The Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act will help stop abusive practices, restore integrity to the industry, and ensure that drivers can build sustainable careers while keeping our roads safe,” added Brownley.  

Read the text of the bill here.

Issues: 119th Congress, Jobs, Economy, and Small Business

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) issued the following statement regarding today’s vote on a resolution concerning Charlie Kirk:

“Last week, Charlie Kirk was gunned down in an apparent act of political violence. As I publicly stated on the day of this tragedy, political violence against any individual or group is unacceptable and incompatible with our country’s laws, values, and ideals. My sincere prayers and condolences go out to his family.

“If this resolution were to simply condemn Charlie Kirk’s murder, it would have had my vote. Unfortunately, it was an attempt to use this tragedy as an opportunity to lionize his beliefs. While he was entitled to have and express his beliefs freely, some of them are offensive to me and to the many people targeted by his invective and vitriol. They do not reflect the highest and noblest values of America, nor my Judeo-Christian faith, and I cannot condone them.

“Though I unequivocably condemn political violence and Charlie Kirk’s heinous assassination, I could not support this resolution.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brendan Boyle (13th District of Pennsylvania)

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Lead Democrat of the U.S. Congressional Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, released the following statement after Russian aircraft violated Estonian airspace:

“This is yet another breach of NATO airspace and a dangerous escalation by Putin’s regime. These repeated violations show that Russia’s aggression is not limited to Ukraine but is directed at NATO itself. NATO’s quick and united response proves the Alliance is strong and prepared. If Russia keeps choosing this reckless path, it will face serious consequences.

Donald Trump, on the other hand, has shown nothing but weakness. His refusal to hold Russia accountable and his constant attacks on our allies have only emboldened Putin. If Trump wants to prove he is not weak, he must finally condemn Russian aggression, support Ukraine, and stand with NATO.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Today, Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) released the following statement after voting no on the Republicans’ continuing resolution:

“Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have been inflicting pain on working Americans for eight months, passing legislation to take away healthcare from 15 million Americans in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, and driving up costs on everyone else. 

“Now they are refusing to extend vital ACA tax credits that would protect 4 million Americans from losing their coverage and save tens of millions more from crushing premium increases.

“Democrats introduced a continuing resolution that would keep the government open while addressing the healthcare crisis President Trump and Republican lawmakers have single-handedly created. 

“Our plan would preserve coverage for millions, prevent premium spikes for tens of millions, fully fund community health centers, and continue investments in lifesaving research. Instead of negotiating in good faith to help working families, Donald Trump told Republicans, “Don’t even bother dealing with them.”

“I could not in good conscience vote for a Republican continuing resolution that abandons families, risks millions of Americans’ healthcare, and leaves our public health system weaker.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted in favor of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep government funded until November 21, preventing a government shutdown on October 1, when the current funding law expires. 

Unlike many previous stopgap funding bills, the CR contains no major changes to federal policies, programs or current spending levels. The bill passed the House 217-212. 

“There’s a lot of important work to be done in Congress, none of which will be any easier if Mainers are suffering the harms of a government shutdown,” Golden said. “At the top of my mind are critical conversations around the need to prevent health care price spikes and lost coverage for millions of Americans.

“With the Republican trifecta, there’s no path forward on health care without GOP support. That’s why I remain focused on my bipartisan effort to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits that make coverage affordable for Mainers,” Golden said. “This clean, short-term CR will keep the lights on and give us more time to set policies and funding levels for the future.”

A federal government shutdown would have immediate effects on Mainers, particularly the more than 11,000 federal employees who would be either furloughed or forced to work without pay. Acadia National Park would likely be forced to close, jeopardizing the shoulder season for small businesses and workers, while federal food assistance, housing assistance, small business support and other programs could be paused. 

A shutdown also would give President Donald Trump and the executive branch extraordinary leeway in determining which aspects of government are “essential,” and which can be shuttered. 

Meanwhile, Mainers are facing massive health care cuts as a result of the partisan reconciliation bill enacted by Republicans this summer. The most immediate concern is spiking premiums on track to hit tens of thousands of Mainers who buy health insurance on the state’s individual marketplace, coverME.gov, when enhanced premium tax credits expire in January. 

Roughly 85 percent of Mainers who buy coverage on the marketplace use tax credits to help afford their coverage. If Congress does not act, those Mainers face a $180 average monthly premium increase in January, with rural Mainers aged 60-64 facing the sharpest increase. 

Golden is leading efforts to extend the tax credits through 2026. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) released the following statement on U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s letter to Governor Wes Moore regarding the reconstruction of the Key Bridge:

“The Key Bridge was bigger than Baltimore and Maryland – its collapse took away a vital transportation artery for the broader region and a gateway to the Port of Baltimore. As we have with other major infrastructure disasters with nationwide implications, Congress came together on a bipartisan basis to provide the full resources necessary for reconstruction to ensure it can be rebuilt as quickly and efficiently as possible. The federal government’s commitment to fund the rebuild is enacted into law, and the construction contract was awarded through a legal, competitive, transparent process. We will continue working with the Department of Transportation and our partners to keep delivering on this national priority and commitment.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement regarding recently passed legislation that would enhance Republicans’ efforts to assert more federal control over Washington, D.C. and undermine the District of Columbia’s home rule authority:

“This week, Republicans demonstrated once again that they would rather meddle in local issues in the District of Columbia than govern the United States. They advanced four bills that further undermine DC’s autonomy and the will of those who live, pay taxes, and vote in the District of Columbia. Instead of respecting home rule and the right to self-determination, Republicans voted to restructure DC’s criminal justice system and disregard the input of Washingtonians and their elected officials. That isn’t democracy. Washingtonians did not vote for the National Guard to patrol their streets. They did not vote for masked federal agents to roam through their city, whisking people away into unmarked cars. They certainly did not vote to make the House GOP their mayor. The people of our nation’s capital deserve better. I believe they deserve statehood. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to do what I did and reject this legislation.”