Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)
Bergman Applauds House Passage of FY26 NDAA
Washington, September 10, 2025
Today, the U.S. House passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jack Bergman voted in support of this legislation. The NDAA aligns with President Trump’s peace-through-strength agenda to build a more lethal, capable, and efficient military.
Rep. Bergman issued the following statement:
“This NDAA puts our warfighters and our Nation first – modernizing weapons, cutting waste, improving safety, raising pay, and delivering on our promise to make the United States warfighters the most ready, capable, and lethal force in history. As Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee, I fought alongside my colleagues to ensure this bill addresses the real challenges our servicemembers face and delivers results that will make our military stronger, safer, and better prepared.”
Key provisions in the FY26 NDAA include:
Revolutionizing Defense Acquisition – Drastically speeding up procurement – from years to as few as 90 days – while reducing red tape, encouraging commercial innovation, rightsizing thresholds, and driving cost-efficiency.
Supporting Our Troops – Upholds a 3.8% pay raise, extends bonuses and special pay; invests in F-47 aircraft, submarines, autonomous systems, and onshoring of defense industrial base.
Securing the Homeland – Fully funds deployment of National Guard and active-duty troops for southwest border operations, creation of National Defense Areas, and counter-narcotics efforts totaling over $900 million.
Delivering $20 Billion in Taxpayer Savings – Eliminating DEI initiatives, cutting climate-related and obsolete weapons spending, and trimming inefficient contracts and bureaucracies.
Fortifying Deterrence – Advances missile defense – including President Trump’s Golden Dome for America, strengthens nuclear posture, maintains critical aircraft (F-22, F-15E, A-10, C-130, and Grey Eagle), and boosts U.S.-Israel defense cooperation.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)
September 24, 2025
Washington, D.C. (September 24th, 2025) – Today, House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Mike Levin (CA-49) unveiled the Cheap Energy Agenda, a consumer-focused approach to United States energy policy that ensures Americans have access to cheap, reliable, and clean energy.
To fulfill this agenda, Reps. Casten and Levin released a draft of their legislation, the Cheap Energy Act, which is a comprehensive approach to addressing the wide array of different factors that are raising energy bills.
“For too long, United States energy policy has prioritized the wants of energy producers over the needs of American consumers,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “It’s past time things change. The Cheap Energy Act is a consumer-focused approach to energy policy that is rooted in American values like choice and competition. It will lower the cost of energy for American consumers by ensuring they have access to cheap, reliable, and efficient energy.”
“Energy prices are way too high and millions of Americans are struggling to pay their energy bills because we’re caught in a cycle of favoring dirty energy producers over consumers. The path to lower energy costs must include consumer-first policies that prioritize clean, cheap energy,” said Rep. Mike Levin. “Our Cheap Energy Agenda outlines forward-thinking solutions that modernize the grid, reorient electricity markets to better serve the American people, and build a future that lowers the cost of energy for homes and businesses throughout the country. I’m proud to work with Rep. Casten on this foundation that will kickstart conversations on how to solve our energy crisis.”
A summary of the draft legislation can be found here.
A section-by-section of the draft legislation can be found here.
At a time when electricity rates are soaring across the country and millions of families are struggling to pay their rising energy bills, the single most impactful thing we can do to lower energy costs for Americans is to expand access to cheap energy. The cheapest, most reliable forms of energy are also the cleanest. We have the tools to power America with abundant, affordable, American-made clean energy.
The missing link between those tools and expanded access to cheap, reliable, and clean energy is a consumer-first energy policy. For too long, U.S. energy policy has boosted the profits of energy producers at the expense of energy consumers. We must shift our focus to lowering costs and increasing reliability for American homes and businesses by deploying more clean energy.
The Cheap Energy Agenda prioritizes consumers and ensures access to cheap energy for our homes, businesses, and economy by:
Providing energy assistance to millions of households, protecting families from utility shutoffs.
Deploying more cheap energy – which is also the cleanest energy – by unblocking the bottlenecks that prevent new energy sources from reaching Americans.
Protecting domestic natural gas prices from the higher-priced international market.
Incentivizing electric utilities to save consumers’ money.
Restoring the historic tax credits for cheap energy that Congress enacted in 2022 and revoked in 2025.
Modernizing the electric grid to connect the cheapest forms of energy from the sometimes-distant places where it is generated to where people live and work.
Providing incentives to work with communities and ensure our federal agencies are adequately staffed and resourced to review and process permits expeditiously.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
VIDEO AND MEDIA ROUND-UP: U.S. Reps. Scott, Beyer, McClellan, Subramanyam and Walkinshaw Join Protect Our Care to Call on Congress to Protect Premium Tax Credits
More than 326,000 Virginians Are at Risk of Paying More for Health Insurance if Republicans Take Away Premium Tax Credits
Washington, September 24, 2025
In case you missed it, U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08), U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) and U.S. Rep. James Walkinshaw (VA-11) on Monday joined Protect Our Care Virginia to discuss the ongoing Trump-GOP health care disaster and the urgent need to stop GOP premium hikes by making Affordable Care Act enhanced Premium Tax Credits permanent. Without action from Congress, the enhanced Premium Tax Credits will expire at the end of this year.
Enhanced Premium Tax Credits have helped make health insurance affordable for326,268 Virginians enrolled in coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and eliminating them would make health care out of reach for too many, forcing Virginians to choose between health care and other basic necessities.
While nearly 9 out of 10 Virginia shoppers qualify for these income-based enhanced Premium Tax Credits (with some paying as little as $10 per month for a plan), insurance companies are seeking to raise premiums for all shoppers as they are anticipating a smaller and sicker pool of people if the credits are allowed to expire. Most of the companies who have agreed to participate in Virginia’s marketplace in 2026 have proposed average rate increases of 20% or higher to account for those who will no longer be able to afford to buy health insurance once they lose their tax credits.
Republicans have already broken their promise to bring down costs for everyday Americans by slashing funding for Medicaid in their Big Ugly Law, and they will continue to drive up costs if they take these tax credits away. Families across the country are already paying the price of the Trump-GOP budget bill and have spoken loudly and clearly that they oppose Republicans’ ongoing assaults on health care.Three rural health clinics in Virginia have already closed as a result of the Big Ugly Law, while six rural hospitals remain at risk of closure. 350,000 Virginians are projected to lose their health care as a result of the health care cuts, but that number can be mitigated with the permanent extension of the enhanced Premium Tax Credits.
“We must stop the upcoming Republican premium hikes,”said Congressman Scott.“Without action from Congress, the enhanced Premium Tax Credits will expire at the end of this year, and the health care costs will increase for more than 326,000 Virginians. Many will face unaffordable premium increases … those that are sick will pay the higher prices. Those that are healthy might drop out, which means that the insurance pool will be sicker and they’ll have to charge higher prices.”
“Health care is a top issue for all of us. It always has been, and making our health care system better and more affordable has got to be one of our biggest political challenges,” said Congressman Beyer. “The greatest accomplishment of this century has been the Affordable Care Act, and the premium tax credits are an essential part of making that law work for Virginians right now. But earlier this year, when the Republicans passed their One Big Ugly Bill, it failed to extend those tax credits, and that’s going to raise health care costs for hundreds of thousands of Virginians … Republicans made the mess. They need to work with us.”
“I was a member of the state Senate when we expanded Medicaid, and I also carried the bill to create the Virginia health care exchange,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “And the reason we did both, just like the reason the Affordable Care Act was passed in the first place, was because we understood that costs go down when the uninsured rate goes down. The more people who have access to health insurance, the more likely they are to get the care they need before it’s too late, or before it’s too expensive …. And yet, with this bill, so many people will not be able to afford health insurance or will lose it all together – over 15 million people – but they’ll still get sick, and instead of going and getting primary care or going when something first feels wrong, they’ll show up in the emergency room when it may be too late, and it’s definitely more expensive to treat, and if they’re uninsured and they can’t pay that bill, the rest of us pay for it.”
“We have to do something now,” said Congressman Subramanyam. “We cannot let this continue to spiral into a national crisis. And so that’s why we’re standing up right now. This is critical. This moment right now requires us to do more than just sit back and decide that business as usual and things are normal right now … things are not normal. And so I know my colleagues agree with me, and that’s why we are united in this fight to make sure that everyone has affordable care and that this administration doesn’t continue to take away people’s access to quality affordable care.”
“I think one of the benefits that is not discussed enough is the benefit of the exchanges to entrepreneurs and folks who are self-employed,” said Congressman Walkinshaw.“By some estimates, 25% of folks who are on the Affordable Care Act exchanges are self-employed, and for many of them, it’s the existence of the exchanges and the affordability of the insurance on the exchanges that has allowed them to take that leap to start a business. And that’s something I hear my Republican colleagues talk about a lot … they say we should be encouraging entrepreneurship and business creation in this country. Well, if you take away affordable health care on the exchanges, millions of Americans who would like to start their own business will no longer be able to do it. And by the way, some folks who have a small business today who are doing the hardest thing you can do – get a small business off the ground — they’re learning that they might not be able to afford to keep that business going because of the Republican assault on health care.”
“[Republicans] are at it again. They’re coming at our health insurance, and I am one of the millions of Americans that is terrified of opening the mailbox and getting the sheet of paper that says what my premiums will be next year, because as a cancer survivor, I have to pay it,” said Laura Packard of Alexandria. “I cannot go without health insurance. So whatever they charge me, it’s what I have to pay, and if I get no help with paying for it, then I have to decide how I’m going to somehow pay for this health insurance. So millions of people are going to be going through this right now, and lives are at stake. So Republicans in Congress need to do the right thing and extend the tax subsidies now.”
“Many in the hospitality industry like myself rely on these credits to stay healthy and insured,” saidLester Johnson, who owns a restaurant in Richmond. “Before the Affordable Care Act, it was hard for small business owners and self-employed people to get health insurance, but this law has been a much-needed resource to me and my employees. I was able to sign up for a plan, and I have employees who are able to get their insurance through the marketplace as well. Premiums have been affordable for me as well as my staff … We do not want to have to come back and keep fighting this fight every year. So please make these tax credits permanent to give the small businesses and working people one less thing to worry about. Times are already tough, and we cannot afford to lose our health care.”
You can watch the full event here, and learn more about the Trump-GOP Health Care Disaster here.
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.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District
WASHINGTON, DC — This week, Representative John Garamendi (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding answers on the chaotic firings of key government experts in nuclear weapons diplomacy with working group co-chairs Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and key working group members Representative Bill Foster (D-IL), Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA), Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), and Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
This letter comes at a time when risks of weapons proliferation are higher than they have been in decades, and with the last remaining arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, the New START treaty, is set to expire in February. If Trump and Putin fail to reach a deal, then for the first time in decades, there will be no limits on nuclear arms competition between the two nations.
Both leaders have recognized the importance of preventing an unrestrained nuclear buildup: in July, President Trump said, “That’s not an agreement you want expiring…When you take off nuclear restrictions, that’s a big problem.” And this week, Putin announced that Russia will abide by the limits on strategic nuclear weapons prescribed by New START for an additional year, inviting the United States to do the same.
Yet, at this critical juncture, New START negotiations have not begun in earnest and the administration is removing diplomats who are experts in arms control and nonproliferation. It is vital that we take serious steps towards restoring nuclear diplomacy to ensure stability and prevent a nuclear arms race.
“In diplomacy – perhaps more than in any other domain – expertise, institutional memory, and trusted relationships are irreplaceable,” said the signers. “We are concerned that reductions in force have been non-methodical, chaotic, and have the potential to undermine national security. At a time of heightened global instability, retaining technical knowledge in nuclear and chemical threat reduction is not only prudent but essential to U.S. national security.”
“It is more important than ever that the United States remind the world that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,'” said Congressman Garamendi. “By shutting out expert diplomats, the Trump administration is sending the wrong message and making us all less safe. I urge the administration to reverse course and ask all the irreplaceable experts to return to serving their country.”
“As a physicist, I know firsthand how irreplaceable the technical knowledge of our nuclear experts is for safeguarding our security and ensuring a safer world,” said Congressman Foster. “With New START set to expire and allies and adversaries alike openly reconsidering nuclear capabilities, American leadership is desperately needed to prevent escalation and avoid an unrestrained nuclear arms race. The Trump Administration must take the necessary steps to reverse its shortsighted and reckless purge of nuclear expertise before it inflicts lasting damage on our national security and heightens the risk of global conflict.”
The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Rubio:
August marked the 80th anniversary of the United States’ atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only time nuclear weapons have been used in conflict. As we reflect on the devastation wrought by these bombings, and the significant advances in nuclear weapons capabilities since, we are reminded of the moral and strategic imperative to reduce nuclear risks via robust diplomacy and nonproliferation efforts. The Department of State, including the personnel reporting to the Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, plays a vital role in this mission.
We write to express our grave concern regarding reports that State Department restructuring has led to the loss of senior experts and the elimination of positions in nuclear testing, verification, multilateral nuclear diplomacy, and chemical weapons, among other roles.1 In diplomacy – perhaps more than in any other domain – expertise, institutional memory, and trusted relationships are irreplaceable. We are concerned that reductions in force have been non-methodical, chaotic, and have the potential to undermine national security. At a time of heightened global instability, retaining technical knowledge in nuclear and chemical threat reduction is not only prudent but essential to U.S. national security.
For example, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) – the last remaining bilateral arms control treaty between the United States and Russia – is set to expire on February 5, 2026, less than five months from now. Yesterday, President Putin indicated Russia is prepared to continue adhering to the central limits imposed by New START for an additional year.2 President Trump has publicly acknowledged the importance of avoiding nuclear arms racing and the strategic value of diplomatic engagement. In July he stated, referring to New START: “That’s not an agreement you want expiring. We’re starting to work on that. When you take off nuclear restrictions, that’s a big problem.”3 The elimination of senior officials with deep expertise in nuclear diplomacy could complicate efforts to replace New START, or to pursue future agreements, including with the People’s Republic of China.
At the same time, questions surrounding the United States’ commitment to extended deterrence have led Poland, South Korea, Japan, and even Germany to openly consider developing independent nuclear weapons capabilities.45 The United States will also likely be engaged in discussions and negotiations regarding civil nuclear cooperation agreements6 that will involve protecting longstanding U.S. interests to minimize the spread of sensitive nuclear technology and material. In the coming year, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and Chemical Weapons Convention member states will be engaged in diplomacy and directing inspections in Syria to resolve questions about its residual chemical weapons arsenal,7 continue investigating evidence that Russia is using riot control agents in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention,8 and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons member states will elect a new Director-General.9
These developments require serious attention and input from seasoned State Department officials, yet the re-organization appears to undermine the State Department’s capacity to provide the necessary expertise and input to address these and other urgent international security, nonproliferation, and arms control issues.
We seek additional information on how the announced plan to merge the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) with the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN)10 would affect the United States capabilities to effectively manage these and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) issues. We have heard reports that both Bureaus have lost expert leadership in the ongoing reduction in force at the Department, and there is a lack of clarity on who now has primary responsibility within the State Department to represent the United States’ interest in several key WMD-related areas.
To this end, we request answers to the following questions by October 20, 2025:
Which nuclear and chemical weapons policy experts have been removed or left the Department of State as part of the ongoing reductions in force and restructuring? What leadership positions remain unfilled at the Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, and Deputy Assistant Secretary levels? Which remaining officials have experience in negotiating with Russia and/or China?
Which bureaus or offices were the departed nuclear experts from? Were these removals tied to the elimination of specific units or the elimination of specific functions? Which programs or positions will be removed or consolidated in the restructuring? Please provide the exact position descriptions and justifications for any positions deemed duplicative?
What programs or policy areas were these individuals leading or supporting? What specific subject matter expertise and relevant training did the removed individuals possess?
What was the length of service of each of the individuals removed? Were any of the individuals removed veterans?
Can you commit to refraining from firing any more nuclear experts? Will you commit to rehiring any experts with unique skills and expertise?
We have heard reports that you eliminated the office of Public Affairs and Government relations at both ADS and ISN. If true, we are concerned that this will make it much harder for the Congress to keep abreast of the many programs managed by ADS and ISN. What is the Department’s justification for this action? Was any cost-benefit analysis undertaken prior to this action?
Has the Department formally considered how these cuts to our nuclear expertise and capacity will be interpreted by allies and adversaries, and if so, through what process and what conclusions did the Department reach? If not, will you direct the Bureau of Intelligence and Research to produce a report to this effect?
How many employees lost in the reduction in force did jobs related to the above issue areas? How do you plan to achieve President Trump’s intent to avoid nuclear arms racing and ensure continued restraints on nuclear arsenals with the reduced force size?
What processes will be used, and which individual personnel will specifically be responsible for, preparing the following diplomatic engagements, including developing strategy, preparing guidance, and coordinating across agencies: representing the United States at the UN First Committee meetings this fall in New York? Representing the United States at the “P5 Process” consultations? Serving as the U.S. National Authority on the Chemical Weapons Convention and at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons meetings of state parties? Representing the United States at the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission in Vienna? Representing the United States at meetings and consultations leading up to the Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2026? Representing the United States at the Conference on Disarmament and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva?
President Trump stated that the United States is “working on” a renewal or replacement for New START. Who is now charged with the responsibility for helping to develop options for the negotiation of such an arrangement? When does the administration expect an Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security will be confirmed? When will the administration’s strategy for negotiating the new limits on strategic nuclear arms be completed? Will the administration commit to briefing Congress on its goals in this regard and when will this occur?
How do you plan to ensure that the combined Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) and International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) has adequate resources, staffing? Please outline the Department’s strategy to acquire and maintain requisite arms control and nonproliferation expertise in the Department.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter of vital importance to national and global security.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Alayah Phipps
September 24, 2025 202-813-2793
PRESS RELEASE
PLASKETT ADDRESSES NEW CUSTOMS DUTY REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. TERRITORIES FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE ORDER
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett addressed new customs duty requirements that went into effect on August 29, 2025, impacting residents across all U.S. territories outside the custom zone including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
“The Virgin Islands has been outside of the Customs Zone since becoming a territory of the United States. It is the discretion and authority of the Governor of the Virgin Islands to make requests to the Federal Government about inclusion or exclusion from the Customs Zone. I have said, for more than 10 years, that the Virgin Islands should determine if being outside of the Customs Zone has the same benefit that it did over 100 years ago to our Territory and residents. If not, the Governor of the Virgin Islands as the individual with authority to enter into arrangements of this nature with the Federal Government should request such change which would then require the executive branch authorization.
“All of the U.S. territories, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, except for Puerto Rico which is the only U.S. territory inside the customs zone, are experiencing the same problems following Executive Order 14324, which eliminated the duty-free de minimis exemption for goods valued at $800 or less. I and my family are experiencing these same shipping challenges alongside my constituents as packages are being sent. All of the Members of Congress and other government officials of U.S. Territories affected by being outside the Customs Zone are working directly with the White House to address this burdensome consequence of the Administration’s order on de minimis rules. This change creates an additional unfair burden for territorial residents. Our constituents in the Virgin Islands, along with residents of Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, should not bear disproportionate shipping costs.
“I am committed to finding solutions. As an example, this past February, I worked with the Trump Administration’s U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) to provide an exemption for the U.S. Virgin Islands and Caribbean from punitive port fees and restrictions on shipping companies that would have had the potential to skyrocket costs of imports for the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands. I will apply that same determination to find a waiver for the U.S. territories from this customs duty requirement.”
Background: As of August 29, 2025, customers shipping from U.S. territories to the United States and Puerto Rico must prepay duties before tendering packages to USPS. The U.S. Postal Service has partnered with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to implement the Zonos Prepay app solution, which allows customers to calculate and pay duties to CBP before visiting the Post Office. Without a Declaration ID from this system, USPS cannot accept packages for delivery to the U.S. or Puerto Rico. The prepaid duty requirement does not apply in certain cases, including documents, goods without monetary value, gifts valued at $100 or less, items valued over $800, or returns.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), with 83 U.S. House Representatives, today wrote Acting National Park Service (NPS) Director Jessica Bowron to solicit information regarding the impacts of the June 9 memo directing all NPS units to identify any public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties that are “subjectively negative” about either past or living Americans, or that fail to emphasize the “beauty, grandeur, and abundance” of landscapes and other natural features. The lawmakers noted that in addition to disrupting NPS operations by diverting critical resources away from addressing the longstanding maintenance backlog, which could impact visitor safety, the directive also threatens the preservation of the historical and educational missions of the NPS.
“We write to request an update on the impact of your June 9 memo on educational and historical markers, monuments, and memorials that are part of the National Park System. We are greatly concerned that your memo aims to undermine cultural resources at those sites while neglecting meaningful upgrades and improvements…
“We are deeply concerned that your memo will create changes that damage valuable historical resources, disrupt NPS operations, and unnecessarily hurt our national parks and the communities that use and enjoy them…
“The history of our great nation is told through the National Park System. Historical markers, monuments, and memorials play an important role in educating Americans about that history…
“Those dedicated historical sites join hundreds more NPS units across all 50 states, which collectively welcome more than 330 million visitors every year to witness their natural beauty and learn from longstanding educational resources, including signs and others interpretative materials. None of those sites can, or should, be separated from the history that makes them part of our nation’s fabric…
“Instead, your memo will further divert resources away from deferred maintenance, an infamous issue within the Park Service. The NPS maintenance backlog affects all aspects of parks, including not only historical markers, monuments, and memorials, but also basic signage essential for visitor safety. Addressing that backlog should be NPS’ utmost priority in updating or changing cultural resources, rather than neglecting safety and the visitor experience in pursuit of censorship and erasure…”
The letter to Acting Director Bowron was sent by U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Becca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Janelle Bynum (D-OR), Troy Carter (D-LA), Ed Case (D-HI), Sean Casten (D-IL), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), James Clyburn (D-SC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jason Crow (D-CO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Danny Davis (D-IL), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Shomari Figures (D-AL), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Dave Min (D-CA), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif)
September 24, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Reps. Mark Takano (CA-39), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Lou Correa (CA-46), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Amata Coleman Radewagen (AS-AL), and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) reintroduced the Veteran Service Recognition Act. In the Senate, Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is introducing companion legislation.
The Veteran Service Recognition Act would allow noncitizen servicemembers to apply for naturalization during basic training, establish a review process for those who are in removal proceedings, and provide an opportunity for noncitizen veterans who have been removed or ordered removed, and who have not been convicted of a serious crime, to obtain legal permanent residence.
“If you are willing to raise your right hand, put on the uniform, and defend this country, you should have a clear path to citizenship,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “The Veteran Service Recognition Act makes good on that promise, and it gives us a way to bring home veterans who served honorably but were deported. Standing up for our veterans has always been bipartisan, and this bill carries that tradition forward.”
“The men and women who risk their lives to serve our country should not have to worry about their immigration status when they get home,” said Rep. Nadler. “No matter where they were born, our veterans deserve the utmost respect and should be honored for their bravery and sacrifice, and that includes providing them a path to citizenship. I am proud to join Representative Takano in reintroducing the Veteran Service Recognition Act.”
“Immigrants have valiantly served in our nation’s military since its founding,” said Rep. Lofgren. “Those who put their life on the line for our country should not be facing the possibility of deportation. I’m proud to be re-introducing the bipartisan Veteran Service Recognition Act with my colleagues, so that Congress rights these wrongs and ensures that noncitizen veterans are protected and can access the care and benefits that they’ve earned.”
“If you put your life on the line for our country, you deserve the right to stay in our country,” said Rep. Ruiz. “That’s why the Veteran Service Recognition Act works to stop the deportation of noncitizen servicemembers and ensures they have due process here in America and a fair chance at citizenship. With today’s introduction of the Veteran Service Recognition Act, we are one step closer to making sure noncitizen veterans are never treated as second-class veterans.”
“Our nation’s veterans served with honor, and they should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of immigration status,” said Rep. Vargas. “The Veteran Service Recognition Act is an important step towards giving noncitizen veterans a pathway to citizenship in the country they put their lives on the line for, and I’m honored to be an original cosponsor of this legislation.”
“Veterans put their lives on the line to protect our nation and the ideals it represents,” said Rep. Correa. “This legislation honors that service by making it easier for active duty servicemembers to become citizens and creating a pathway to legal resident status for U.S. Veterans. Fighting for the United States is the ultimate act of patriotism—let’s deliver our vets the justice and equality they deserve.”
“Thank you to our many U.S. Service Members who volunteer from our closest allies and Freely Associated States,” said Rep. Radewagen. “After their service, it is common sense and good policy for these Veterans to be able to remain as permanent residents or pursue citizenship if they choose. They strengthened our military and strengthened the country. All our veterans showed commitment to the country through service, in turn we as a nation have a commitment to support our veterans. Thank you Congressman Takano for leading this effort.”
“All members of our Armed Forces deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Rep. Salazar. “Noncitizen veterans, just like their American peers, make the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation with Congressman Takano, to streamline the naturalization process for noncitizen veterans and provide due process for those who were wrongfully deported.”
Endorsements: The American Legion, VoteVets, LULAC, AFL-CIO, UnidosUS, ACLU.
You can find the bill text here and a one pager here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s Deadline White House to discuss how House Democrats are aggressively pushing back against Donald Trump’s efforts to continue to gut the healthcare of the American people and threaten the American people with a painful government shutdown.
NICOLLE WALLACE: In the spirit of the public’s work in making Disney re-examine their decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel off the air, what fight have you picked or have you led that you are most proud of or that you seek to sort of emulate on a day-to-day basis?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, House and Senate Democrats stood shoulder-to-shoulder together in strong opposition—in fact, in unified opposition to the One Big Ugly Bill that Donald Trump and Republicans jammed down the throats of the American people because it ripped away Medicaid. It was the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. It stole food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans, and all this was being done to provide massive tax breaks to Republican billionaire donors. Now, legislatively, the Republicans bent the knee to Donald Trump, as they always do, and they were able to sneak it through the House and the Senate. But the bill is deeply unpopular because the American people have now come to the conclusion that Donald Trump and Republicans have no interest in making their life better. In fact, they are hurting everyday Americans in order to reward their billionaire donors. And so this is an extension of that fight, in terms of Democrats aggressively pushing back against Donald Trump’s efforts to continue to gut the healthcare of the American people and threaten the American people with a painful government shutdown.
NICOLLE WALLACE: So, talk to me like I don’t live in Washington and explain what this shutdown is about.
LEADER JEFFRIES: So, Republicans have a responsibility, holding the majority in the House and the Senate and the presidency, to make sure that the federal government can continue to run. They’re in the majority. Now, it’s our responsibility as Democrats to find common ground on a spending agreement if that spending agreement actually meets the needs of the American people. And we’re in strong opposition to the partisan Republican spending bill. It’s a dirty bill because it continues to gut the healthcare of the American people, and we’re not simply going to go along to get along.
NICOLLE WALLACE: So, there’s so much coverage and so much of our conversations and, frankly, so much of what we pick up from voters— they want to see Democrats fight—misses this—this point that I think you’re making. They control the White House, right? They control the Republican Members of the House and Senate. They don’t—they don’t buck Donald Trump in any way, shape or form, and they essentially they’re—they’re batting about 850 in the Supreme Court. I think the Supreme Court has ruled for Donald Trump 19 times and against him twice. But they need you. They need you in this rare instance, in this—if you live outside of Washington—sort of obscure manner that to keep the government going, to keep it funding, they actually need you. You and Senator Schumer who are in the minority. What is the most that you can get from them in this rare instance that they need you?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, what’s important to understand, Nicolle, is that Republicans have engaged in an unprecedented assault on the healthcare of the American people throughout this year. The largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Millions of people are going to lose coverage because of what Republicans have done. Hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics are already closing because of the One Big Ugly Bill. They are refusing to extend the tax credits connected to the Affordable Care Act. What that means is that for more than 20 million Americans, they’re going to experience, in a matter of weeks, increased health care premiums, co-pays and deductibles. And the cost of living in America is already too high. Because of actions that Republicans have taken in connection with the One Big Ugly Bill, the country actually faces a $536 billion cut to Medicare at the end of the year, and we know that Republicans have basically canceled medical research in the United States of America. So our position as Democrats is clear: cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save healthcare. That’s our fight that we’re waging on behalf of the American people, and we’re willing to sit down with anyone at any time, any place to try to actually get to a spending agreement that makes sense for the American people. But we’re not going to simply bend the knee to Donald Trump’s will when he’s gutting healthcare for everyday Americans and actively hurting people. That’s immoral, and it’s not something for us to participate in.
NICOLLE WALLACE: So if he doesn’t agree to back off the cuts, what will you do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, our view—listen, we voted no in the House and in the Senate on the partisan Republican spending bill that was before us on Friday because it continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. That’s our public position, and we haven’t backed off that position in any way, shape or form. And the fact that Donald Trump is running scared, would cancel this meeting shows that they know they have a weak position as it relates to the Republican healthcare crisis that they’ve created. So next week, we were scheduled to be in session for votes on Monday and Tuesday, and House Republicans canceled those votes. They don’t even want to show up, even though we’re on the brink of a government shutdown. But Democrats will be in town. There ready, willing and able to do our jobs and to also communicate with the American people the stakes of this shutdown fight.
NICOLLE WALLACE: If you had to prepare your Members for what’s ahead, what is your sense from your perch and all of your experience in Washington about what the coming days will hold?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s going to be incredibly important. We’re in the midst of a Healthcare Cost-of-Living Week of Action, where all across America, House Democrats, partnering with Senate Democrats and governors, are holding events related to healthcare costs related to protecting our hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics, related to protecting Medicaid and related to making sure that the tax credits for the Affordable Care Act continue. Because all of this matters for the well-being and the health of the American people. Like, this is not a fire drill. This is real in terms of what’s happening right now related to the Republican assault on healthcare and the crisis they’ve created. And that’s why Democrats have drawn a line in the sand as it relates to what’s in front of the American people. And we’re going to continue to make that clear. We can find bipartisan agreement, but it has to make sense for the quality of life of the American people. It has to lower costs. It has to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans.
NICOLLE WALLACE: I had a victim of Jeffrey Epstein on my program yesterday, and she described feeling like the effort to have the files released doesn’t feel as partisan as a lot of other issues in the nation’s capital. And I shared with her that the polls suggest it isn’t, but I wonder what it feels like there. I mean, it seems, in covering the efforts of Thomas Massey and Ro Khanna to release all of the files and to listen to the victims and try to recenter the debate around them, that maybe there is some bipartisan momentum behind transparency, but then you hear the victims and you watch Alex Acosta and you watch Republicans seem to make excuses for him and other members of the cabinet. I just wonder your thoughts on the efforts, centered around the victims for transparency in the Epstein files.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to charge forward on behalf of the victims and on behalf of everyday Americans who care about making sure that predators are held accountable, that there’s full transparency and that whatever may be in the Epstein files is completely and totally released to the public so that folks can be held accountable in a manner consistent with what the victims have so powerfully asked to be done in this instance. Now, Democrats are going to swear in, sometime soon, in the Congress, an additional Member, which will bring us to 214. She will also represent, I think, the number that brings us to a majority in the House to trigger our ability to actually force the Trump administration to release the Epstein files. And so, we’re going to continue to partner with whatever enlightened Republicans want to partner with us, though we recognize, as Democrats, that we’re going to have to carry the overwhelming load here, because Donald Trump and the Trump administration, despite all of their promises throughout the years, are clearly trying to keep these files from becoming public.
NICOLLE WALLACE: When Trump was president last time, Speaker Pelosi—and she was the Speaker, Democrats were the majority—she seemed to relish going toe-to-toe with him on a daily basis. Do you relish the fight with Donald Trump?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I think it’s an incredibly important fight for the American people, and I’m just not clear why Donald Trump is backing away from that fight. He agreed to the meeting. We demanded it on Saturday. Leader Schumer and I sent a letter laying out our position very clearly as it relates to government funding and the healthcare of the American people. He agreed to that meeting. We were prepared to go into that meeting and lay out our position—cancel the cuts, lower the cost, save healthcare for everyday Americans—and make very clear, we are not down with the Republican healthcare crisis, and that’s why this line in the sand has been drawn. That’s an important fight for the American people. It’s the right fight, and it’s the fight that as House Democrats, we certainly are committed to waging in this position that we’re in right now, with Republicans temporarily holding the gavels, but we also believe that we’re going to change that dynamic next November. We’re going to take back control of the House of Representatives. And then we’ll finally have a Congress that actually can function as a separate and coequal branch in government and a check on the out-of-control Trump administration, as opposed to what the sycophantic Republicans are doing right now, which is to serve as nothing more than a rubber-stamp. A rubber-stamp over and over and again for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda.
NICOLLE WALLACE: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for starting us off today.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
With Trump Admin. Attacking Head Start and Gutting Essential Resources, Federal Funding Secured by Pressley Will Support BCNC’s Early Education and Care
BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) visited Chinatown to celebrate the $425,000 in community project funding she secured for the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. The federal funding, which passed Congress as part of a previous FY2024 federal spending bill signed by President Biden, will support the BCNC’s childcare and early education programming and infrastructure for current and future generations of families in and around Chinatown.
Following a tour of BCNC, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley sat down with BCNC staff, families, and local partners to discuss the importance of affordable and accessible early childhood education programming, in particular for immigrant children and families.
“Accessible, high-quality early childhood education is not only essential to the success of our babies, but of entire families,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center provides a vital lifeline to families in the Massachusetts 7th. With the White House callously attacking Head Start and gutting other essential education resources for families, I’m proud to support the BCNC’s dedicated educators and staff who work to support every family and every child who benefits from this program.”
“BCNC is deeply grateful for Congresswoman Pressley’s investment in the Asian and immigrant community. A capital investment in our space is about creating a welcoming and safe environment for all the children and families we serve who have come to Boston to make a better life. The new classrooms, playground, and roof provide the next generation the best possible learning experience they deserve, and their parents can feel satisfied their child is receiving a quality education,” said Ben Hires, CEO, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. “Special thanks to all our public and private partners from Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, Eastern Bank Foundation, Franklin Square House Foundation, PNC Bank, Shlomo Fund and an anonymous foundation for helping make these investments possible.”
“Investing in the spaces in which children learn and play is essential to expanding access to high-quality affordable child care for families in our communities. We are grateful to be working in partnership with Congresswoman Pressley and the team at BCNC to ensure children and their families have the tools, support, and opportunities they need to thrive and succeed,” saidAmy Kershaw, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, Commissioner.
“We are thrilled about the new investment in BCNC and are happy to have partnered on several capital improvement projects. Healthy environments are important, and it is encouraging to see local, state, and federal partners collaborating to achieve that goal,” saidTheresa Jordan, Director, Children’s Investment Fund/CEDAC.
The federal dollars secured by Rep. Pressley will enable BCNC, a community-based, immigrant serving organization to update their existing early education children’s classrooms and address roof maintenance in order to continue high quality programs for Asian and new immigrant children and families who have been highly impacted by the pandemic.
Joining Rep. Pressley this morning were Ben Hires, CEO of BCNC, Kathy Cheng, Director of Acorn Center for Early Education and Care at BCNC, Michele Dandrea, teacher at BCNC, Amy Kershaw, Commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, and families and children served by BCNC.
Footage from the event can be found here, and photos are here.
Rep. Pressley secured the federal funding as part of a previous spending bill for Fiscal Year 2024. Rep. Pressley has secured approximately $35 million in federal community project funding for the Massachusetts 7th since Fiscal Year 2022.
On March 27, 2025, Rep. Pressley visited East Boston to celebrate the $1 million in federal funding she delivered to expand the Digital Literacy (DigLit) Initiative in Boston, a critical program that helps workforce development programs address digital literacy gaps.
On October 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph for the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Turner Free Mobile Library, a bookmobile carrying books, movies, Wi-Fi, and other resources for community members, made possible by the $524,000 she delivered in funding for the library and STEM programming.
On October 10, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Just A Start, elected officials and community advocates and members for the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons, a 70,000-square-foot facility designed to address the evolving needs of the community.
On June 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Boston Medical Center (BMC) to celebrate $370,000 in federal community project funding she secured to support BMC’s Violence Intervention Advocacy Program.
On June 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea HealthCare Center to celebrate $1,150,000 in federal community project funding she secured to support Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) efforts to address the statewide shortage of bilingual, culturally diverse mental health providers for immigrant and limited English proficiency communities.
On April 22, 2204, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) visited Nubian Square in Roxbury for a roundtable discussion to celebrate the $1,000,000 million in federal funding they secured for the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA).
On March 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Roxbury to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal funding she secured to provide emergency childcare support for families experiencing homelessness in the City of Boston.
In February 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea City Hall for a roundtable and press conference to celebrate the $750,000 in federal funding she secured for the City of Chelsea’s and City of Everett’s Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project.
In January 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Somerville to celebrate the $2.4 million in federal funding she secured to support the community-led transformation of the Clarendon Hill housing community, an ethnically, linguistically and economically diverse neighborhood.
In November 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Roxbury Community College (RCC) to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured for Northeastern University’s Roxbury Associate’s to Master’s Workforce Accelerator (RA2MWA).
In June 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea to celebrate $2,000,000 in federal community project funding she secured to improve the Broadway Corridor—home to an array of BIPOC-owned small businesses, vibrant public spaces, high frequency public transit routes, and dense residential housing.
In April 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to celebrate $524,000 she secured for Randolph Public Schools to support a mobile library and STEM programming.
In March 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Dorchester to celebrate $250,000 in new Community Project Funding she secured for Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s one-to-one mentoring and enrichment programs for girls.
In February 2023, Rep. Pressley visited the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE) to celebrate the $643,003 in community project funding she secured for ACEDONE to support small businesses in predominately Black, brown and African immigrant communities.
In October 2022, Rep. Pressley visited The Dimock Center in Roxbury to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured to support substance use treatment and programming at the health center.
In August 2022, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to deliver $275,000 in federal community project funding for culturally responsive resources and digital literacy tools for Randolph Public Schools.
In June 2022, Rep. Pressley visited the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology to deliver $300,000 in direct federal funding for the development of a Clean Energy Building Automation Systems certificate and associate degree program.
In April 2022, she visited Randolph to deliver $1,000,000 in federal community project funding for a new school-based community health center at Randolph High School.
In March 2022, she visited La Colaborativa in Chelsea to celebrate the $300,000 in federal community project funding that she delivered for La Colaborativa’s COVID Employment Recovery Program.