MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement:

“On Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s watch, federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Led by Secretary Noem, President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda has brutalized families and children here in Northwest Washington and across our country.

“As the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have fought back against Secretary Noem’s efforts to hobble the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), her retaliation against whistleblowers and her stonewalling of funding to help communities across the country rebuild after disasters. Secretary Noem’s actions have put politics over the public and hurt countless families and businesses.

“I support impeaching Secretary Noem, along with 175 of my colleagues in the House. I continue to demand full, independent investigations into the killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and other DHS-related shootings, and full accountability for those responsible.”

Last week, Rep. Larsen voted no on a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and demanded more accountability and oversight of DHS operations. Rep. Larsen is fighting for fair treatment, legal due process and justice in the immigration system.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

The Bay Area Ridge Trail is a scenic multi-use trail stretching 550 miles along the natural features that surround the San Francisco Bay. With over 415 miles already complete, the trail connects more than 75 parks and open spaces and provides recreational opportunities for hikers, cyclists, tourists, and more across nine Bay Area counties. This bill directs the National Park Service to conduct a feasibility study on making this designation, which is currently held by only 11 trails across the country.

“The Bay Area Ridge Trail gives visitors to the Bay Area and its residents the opportunity to enjoy more than 500 miles of some of California’s most incredible outdoor beauty, including parks and preserves. Providing federal recognition to this ridgeline trail will help preserve it for future generations, and I’m proud to partner with Congressman Huffman and our Bay Area delegation in the effort to make it so,” said Senator Schiff.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

Collier County, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Everglades Caucus and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, joined federal, state, and local leaders today to celebrate the completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project, the first Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP) to begin construction and one of the largest wetland restoration efforts. 

The Picayune Strand Restoration Project will restore natural water flows over an 85-square-mile area (~55,000 acres) in western Collier County, improving the area’s hydrology, allowing for the return of more balanced plant communities, increasing aquifer recharge, and sending fresh water to the coastal estuaries in a more natural manner. 

“Today’s completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project marks a major milestone in my years-long efforts to restore America’s Everglades, which I’m proud to play a huge part in.

This project returns more than 55,000 acres of land to its natural splendor and improves over 70,000 acres of uplands and wetlands being improved as habitat for Florida’s native wildlife. It is a powerful example of what consistent federal leadership and collaboration with state and local partners can achieve, demonstrating that large-scale ecosystem restoration is possible. 

I would like to thank Colonel Brandon Bowman, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Drew Bartlett, Executive Director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Rob Moher, Executive Director of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, and Eric Eikenberg, President and CEO, The Everglades Foundation, for their partnership in advancing this project. 

As founder and co-chair of the Everglades Caucus and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue my work in Congress to deliver critical funding and support needed to restore and protect this vital ecosystem.”

Background

Picayune Strand – 2011

Congress authorized the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in 2007 as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

The South Florida Water Management District expedited construction by filling in and plugging seven miles of the Prairie Canal and completing approximately 25 percent of the road removal.

The Picayune Strand Restoration Project will restore natural water flows over an 85-square-mile area (~55,000 acres).

The project will improve the area’s hydrology, allow for the return of more balanced plant communities, increase aquifer recharge, and send fresh water in a more natural manner to the coastal estuaries.

Díaz-Balart has consistently supported Everglades restoration efforts through his work on federal appropriations, helping advance key projects that strengthen Florida’s ecosystems and protect vital natural resources.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

MOLINE / ROCKFORD, IL — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today advanced his Illinois affordability agenda with events in the Quad Cities and Rockford, highlighting how rising housing costs and cuts to nutrition assistance are squeezing working families—and pushing for legislative solutions to help Illinoisans afford to buy a home and put food on the table.

In Moline, Congressman Krishnamoorthi convened a roundtable with local leaders, housing advocates, and community stakeholders to discuss the housing affordability crisis and his newly introduced First Home Affordability Act, legislation designed to help first-time buyers overcome steep upfront costs that are increasingly locking families out of homeownership.

“With housing prices surging and more than 75 percent of homes out of reach for a typical buyer, too many Illinois families are locked out of homeownership before they ever get a fair shot,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “My bill, the First Home Affordability Act, provides a refundable tax credit of up to $25,000 to help first-time buyers cover upfront costs like down payments and closing costs. At a moment when rising costs are pushing families out of the market, this legislation keeps homeownership within reach—and protects one of the clearest paths to stability and a middle-class life.”

“Illinois families can’t afford inaction on housing any longer — we need legislative solutions that deliver real relief to homebuyers being priced out of their own communities,” Bonnie Johnson, Moline Township Supervisor, said. “Raja Krishnamoorthi has a plan to tackle the housing crisis. His willingness to engage directly with Quad Cities leaders and work together to address housing challenges speaks volumes about his leadership and his commitment to our communities.”

Later in Rockford, Congressman Krishnamoorthi toured the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Northwest Center and Neighborhood Market to highlight the impact of recent SNAP cuts and expanded paperwork requirements, which are driving increased food insecurity and placing a growing strain on emergency food providers across Illinois. Northern Illinois Food Bank is now serving more neighbors than it did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with one in four children in Winnebago County experiencing food insecurity. The new expanded requirements go into effect on Sunday, February 1. 

“When my family went through a difficult period, we relied on food assistance for a time to help us get back on our feet—and that experience has stayed with me,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “For nearly two million Illinoisans, SNAP is how food gets on the table. When benefits are cut or buried under red tape, families pay the price and food banks are forced to fill the gap. That’s why I’m fighting to reverse these cuts and strengthen SNAP so no family goes hungry because of politics or paperwork.”

“SNAP plays a vital role in helping families put food on the table, and when those benefits are reduced, the charitable food system feels the impact immediately,” Julie Yurko, President and CEO of Northern Illinois Food Bank, said. “We are grateful for Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s leadership and advocacy in the fight against hunger and his commitment to ensuring neighbors across Illinois have access to the food they need.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi is working to reverse harmful SNAP changes through his Bringing Back Benefits Act and to expand access to homeownership through the First Home Affordability Act, reinforcing a broader affordability agenda focused on lowering everyday costs and strengthening economic security for Illinois families.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

Contact: Luis Botello Faz

Washington, D.C.— Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) demanded full transparency from United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and United States Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on the Trump Administration’s handling of revenues from Venezuelan oil through an offshore account in Qatar. Secretary Rubio’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this morning raised more questions than answers.

“President Trump has argued that his personally controlling millions in Venezuelan oil proceeds through an offshore account benefits Americans and Venezuelans, but his actions suggest otherwise,” said Rep. Doggett. “He is unlawfully refusing to honor debts owed to U.S. institutions by the Chavista regime and is instead appears to be rewarding his donors.”

The letter seeks further explanation regarding the legal authorities the Trump Administration is utilizing to act as a “custodian” of funds for the Venezuelan government, as well as the safeguards in place to ensure Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez does not use these funds to pay off Maduro’s cronies.

Rep. Doggett’s full letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Bessent: I write to request information regarding the Trump Administration’s use of an offshore bank account in Qatar to hold revenues derived from the sale of Venezuelan oil. Any arrangement involving the handling of Venezuelan oil revenues by foreign financial institutions located outside the United States raises significant questions about compliance with U.S. law and broader implications for anti-corruption efforts.

President Trump has argued that his personally controlling millions in Venezuelan oil proceeds through an offshore account benefits Americans and Venezuelans, but his actions suggest otherwise. He is unlawfully refusing to honor debts owed to U.S. institutions by the Chavista regime and is instead rewarding his donors. The Financial Times reported that President Trump awarded $250 million in oil proceeds to Vitol, where senior trader John Addison donated $6 million to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The Washington Post, meanwhile, found that Trump megadonor and hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer “has for years been in the process of acquiring distressed Venezuelan-owned assets in the U.S. and is on the cusp of owning them…to make a considerable profit turning newly available Venezuelan oil into gasoline.” With no transparency or oversight, we cannot ensure future proceeds will not simply be awarded to another one of the Trump family’s allies.

The Venezuelan side of the ledger is also vulnerable to corruption from this arrangement. In his first term, President Trump sanctioned Delcy Rodríguez in 2018 for undermining Venezuelan democracy, describing her as key to Maduro’s ability to “solidify his authoritarian rule.” Since then, the Drug Enforcement Administration has investigated Rodríguez for alleged links to drug trafficking, and, in 2022, labeled her a “priority target,” a designation for suspects believed to have a “significant impact” on the drug trade.Transparencia Venezuela reports that Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge Rodríguez, who heads the legislature, have “[gained] control over a large part of the financial, commercial, energy, diplomatic, political, and production sectors, weaving strategic networks…along with allies and cronies… in what some are starting to call ‘Rodriguismo.’” There are currently no safeguards to ensure the Rodríguez family does not use the revenue to pay off Maduro’s allies, including paramilitary groups and drug cartels, to maintain control of the country.

Given the potential implications for democratic accountability, U.S. sanctions policy, and financial transparency, I request written responses to the following questions by February 11:

1) You have stated that Qatar was chosen because it is “neutral” territory. What criteria were used to determine this “neutrality” and the preference of Qatar over other countries? 
2) Why did the Administration not choose a country with much stronger banking laws and a history of robust management of oil revenues? For instance, Norway is considered the world leader in financial oversight of oil revenues. Why was a bank account thus not established under Norwegian jurisdiction? 
3) Secretary Rubio testified today that the bank account in Qatar will ultimately become a U.S. Treasury based account in the United States, subject to an audit process agreed upon between the United States and Venezuela. Under what legislation and related authorities has the Administration authorized the establishment of a U.S. bank account on behalf of the Venezuelan government? 
    a) What institutional mechanisms are being established to ensure full Congressional oversight and the associated required transparency in a timely manner? 
    b) What will that audit process entail? 
4) Secretary Rubio also stated that this arrangement was memorialized in a written agreement with Venezuela. Please provide a copy of the agreement. 
5) Press have reported that Venezuela has received $300 million of the first $500 million in an oil sale. Secretary Rubio testified today that the remaining $200 million is in the bank account in Qatar. Will that money be put into a U.S.-based Treasury account, as Secretary Rubio suggested? If not, where is it being directed? Which Venezuelan companies received the foreign currency from the $300 million sale? 
6) Being as the Administration has stated this arrangement is a short-term solution, how will the State Department ensure rigorous oversight via inspectors general, especially the State Department IG, for future Venezuelan revenue in the long-term? Given the complexity of oversight in this case, what authorities and appropriations for a Special Inspector General for Venezuela (SIGV) will the State Department be seeking from Congress? 
7) The administration has undermined the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act, and yet these laws are vital to minimizing the willingness of Venezuelan officials to ask for bribes from U.S. companies and for those companies to comply. The two companies awarded Venezuelan oil licenses, Vitol and Trafigura, have been implicated by the Justice Department in bribery scandals. What is the State Department doing to re-invigorate these laws regarding Venezuela and corruption more broadly? 
8) What is the State Department doing to track existing illicit financial flows related to Venezuelan criminal state capture? 
    a) Most notably, proceeds from Venezuelan oil-related corruption have been laundered via cryptocurrency. How is the Department helping Venezuelan authorities to track these assets? What is the Department doing to ensure that US-associated cryptocurrency firms are not engaging in further illicit financial flows associated with these Qatar-based oil revenues? 
9) How is the United States assisting Venezuela in establishing new oil and other natural resourceassociated laws and institutions that meet international best practices? 
10) What is the State Department doing to lift the oppression that has prevented civil society and the press from providing the oversight so critical to developing good governance and starting to unwind the criminal capture of the Venezuelan state? 
11) While the National Defense Strategy focuses on so-called “narco-terrorism” in Venezuela, much of the criminal capture of the state is not oil-based. This includes gold smuggling, human trafficking, extortion, and environmental crimes. These crimes can often generate proceeds in excess of those from narcotics. What is the State Department doing to stop these aspects of Venezuela’s criminal state capture?

I look forward to your prompt response and to ensuring that U.S. foreign policy decisions affecting Americans, Venezuelans, and sanctioned authoritarian regimes are carried out transparently, lawfully, and in close consultation with Congress.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

FRESNO, Calif. – Congressman Jim Costa released the following statement and video in light of the tragic death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. Citizen and ICU nurse for a Veterans’ Hospital, during an ICE raid in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

His statement transcribed: 
“Hello, I’m Congressman Jim Costa and I have the honor and the privilege to represent the people in the 21st Congressional District in California, including the counties of Fresno and Tulare. Like most Americans, I want to ensure that we can deal with the challenges facing our nation. When President Trump took office over a year ago, he claimed that he would engage in what he called mass deportation, but to reassure Americans that it would only focus on violent criminals and serious offenders. But that’s not what we’ve seen happening across the country in recent months with immigration and customs enforcement agents under his directive who are arresting people first and asking questions later. 
And we’ve seen that the consequences are deadly. It’s an ignoring of the Fourth Amendment in our Constitution where due process is required and where a law enforcement agency must have a court order before going to one’s home and apprehending people who live there with no notice. This is not right. It’s not the American way. 
And what we’ve witnessed is U.S. citizens that have been wrongfully detained, wrongfully deported. And now we’ve seen men and women who have actually been killed during these ICE operations while simply trying to protect their rights and being able to protest the actions of this agency in which the law doesn’t seem to apply to them. 
Over the weekend, I witnessed a horrific shooting in Minneapolis. I think most Americans that have seen it would agree. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU nurse in the Veterans Hospital there, was filming with his right hand held high, his iPhone, the federal immigration enforcement efforts taking place with multiple agents. He was trying to protect a woman who they had pushed to the ground. They grabbed him — multiple agents — that not only struck him down, but killed him. And it’s not an isolated incident. 
This issue not only affects our immigrant community around the country, but all Americans, regardless of your political affiliation, race, your religion, or background. This is not the way due process is supposed to work in our country. When a U.S. citizen can be killed while peacefully observing federal agents attempting to apprehend individuals without an arrest warrant, no one — no one — should feel safe. 
Therefore, I think Congress must pursue its ability to conduct real-time oversight of immigration and detention and enforcement because Americans want to know the answers to their questions. The Administration, I think, has tried to delay the visits to detention centers. I know I’ve tried to visit one and they limited my interaction. They are not practicing transparency, and clearly they’re trying to hide something in terms of what’s happening behind closed doors. Americans have the right to know, and Congress should do its role as oversight. 
The Administration wants to claim transparency. Wonderful. Let them prove it. But yet operates in secrecy and fear — fear that is penetrating every community in America. When you shift the discussion and the narrative, you’re leaving not only families in the dark, but our Representatives as well. We can’t allow agents with as little as eight weeks of police training in neighborhoods to then go out and terrorize our communities or operate without accountability. 
One death at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents is one too many. Congress, I think, must demand accountability and exert our constitutional oversight powers and force meaningful reform that protects people’s rights, our dignity, and their safety. We must put an end to the perpetration of fear. It clearly is on the agenda as ICE pursues communities in different cities in our country. And I think that’s the bottom line.” 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee (NSRP), joined Capitol Recap hosted by Representative Mark Alford (MO-04) to discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills, including the NSRP legislation which delivers a historic 16% spending reduction – the largest of any appropriations bill this year.

Even with the cuts, the NSRP bill maintains robust funding for our allies like Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Taiwan, and counters adversaries like the Communist People’s Republic of China (PRC), Iran, Cuba, and drug cartels – including those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The bill removes woke Biden-era poison pills and supports President Trump’s vision to refocus and realign foreign policy to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. For key highlights of the legislation, click here.

Watch the full interview hereor below.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) delivered a letter to U.S. Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting full consideration for Louisiana shipyards when awarding shipbuilding contracts.

“We write to encourage the Department of War to give deliberate and sustained consideration to small and mid-sized domestic shipyards, including those in South Louisiana, when awarding shipbuilding, repair, modernization, and sustainment contracts, as the Department works to restore America’s shipbuilding capacity and strengthen the nation’s defense industrial base,” wrote the members. 

“Louisiana’s small and mid-sized shipyards already operate in a manner consistent with the Department’s stated aim to prioritize speed, innovation, and a “commercial-first” mindset in defense acquisition. These yards compete daily in fastmoving commercial markets, where success depends on rapid execution, continuous innovation, and disciplined cost control. That operating model enables them to adapt quickly to evolving requirements, integrate new technologies, and deliver complex vessels at pace—capabilities that directly support the Department’s effort to modernize procurement and strengthen the defense industrial base,” continued the members.

Read the full letter here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: ICYMI: Carter introduces resolution praising DOJ for prosecuting Minnesota church insurrectionists

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Buddy Carter to introduce resolution praising Trump DOJ for prosecuting “insurrectionists” that stormed Minnesota church service

By: Matthew Foldi

With all eyes on Minnesota, Rep. Buddy Carter (R., Ga.) plans to introduce a resolution, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, that reaffirms the constitutional rights of Americans to “religious freedom, and commending the Department of Justice for its prompt investigation” into a series of left-wing agitators who disrupted a church service in the North Star State.

On January 18, a group of protesters filmed themselves disrupting church services at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Carter’s resolution notes that the protesters “shouted over clergy, physically obstructed the service, intimidated worshipers, and created a threatening environment for families and children in attendance.”

Within hours of the protest that disrupted church services, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced that charges had been filed against several of the agitators, who argued that they stormed the service in protest of one of its pastors leading a local field office for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Bondi tweeted shortly before the arrests. Carter’s resolution clarifies that he respects Americans’ First Amendment right to “peaceful protest,” he notes that “entering a church during a worship service to disrupt, intimidate, or obstruct religious exercise is not protected speech and is inconsistent with Federal law and American values.”

Carter seems specifically amenable to charges being brought under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which the Biden administration had used to prosecute Americans who peacefully protested outside of abortion clinics.

Read the full Washington Reporter article here.

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