MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Today, U.S. Representatives Rick W. Allen (R-GA-12) and George Whitesides (D-CA-27) introduced the Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act, legislation designed to require the United States Postal Service (USPS) to provide reports on how the closure of contract postal units (CPUs) will impact residents and allow for public hearings before any closure takes place. 

“I am proud to join Representative Whitesides in introducing the bipartisan Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act. The USPS Substation located at Surrey Center Pharmacy in Augusta has reliably served our community since 1979—not only helping taxpayers mail and receive packages, pay bills, and much more in a timely fashion—but also prioritizing customer service in doing so,” said Rep. Allen. “The unilateral and sudden decision from USPS to potentially terminate this contract without explanation, congressional input, or public feedback is unacceptable. I share my constituents’ frustration in this decision and will continue to do my part at the federal level to ensure their voices are heard.”

“In my district, the Quartz Hill post office’s contract was abruptly terminated with no transparency or rationale provided,” said Rep. Whitesides. “This full service CPU has served our community since 1952, and my constituents deserve to know how they will be impacted by the sudden closure. I’m proud to join Rep. Allen on this bill that will increase transparency and involve communities in this process.”

The Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act would require:

• The Postal Service to publish a report on the Postal Service’s public website on expected impacts the closure will have on residents and what steps the Postal Service will take to ensure continued access to postal services in affected areas.
• The Postal Service to submit a report to Congress detailing its reasons for closing or consolidating the affected Contract Postal Unit.
• The Postal Service to carry out a public hearing on the closure or consolidation, which may be attended in-person or virtually by any members of the public affected by the closure or consolidation.
• Not later than 7 days after such hearing, the Postal Service shall publish a summary of the hearing on the Postal Service’s public website and include in such summary a description of any comments made or otherwise submitted at such hearing and the percentage of such comments that were in support or against the closure or consolidation.
• The applicable Contract Postal Unit may not be closed or consolidated until the date that is 180 days after the date the summary is published.

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

The USPS has consistently ignored requests for hard data and transparency regarding this decision. Congressman Allen will continue to urge USPS to extend this contract. The Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act is a necessary solution to restore accountability at USPS on behalf of hardworking taxpayers.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

Griffith Announces $210,000 EDA Grant Supporting New River Valley Regional Commission

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson discussed the impact and legacy of Charlie Kirk, explained how House Republicans are working with the Trump Administration to make the nation’s capital safe again, and laid out the plan to responsibly keep the government open.

Watch Speaker Johnson’s remarks here.

On political violence:

The tragedy has also initiated a number of uncomfortable but necessary conversations about important issues like the safety and security of our members, the responsibility of public servants, and the need for political leaders to turn down the temperature and the violent rhetoric in America. It’s not helpful. Government leaders, in this body in particular, have an increasing tendency to frame simple policy disputes as some sort of existential threat to our country, or as causes to, as some of them have said in their own words, take into the streets.

That’s not helpful, that is not productive. And it leads to bad consequences. Leaders cannot call their political opponent opponents nazis and fascists and enemies of the state because they disagree with their policy priorities. I mean, this, this is something we should have learned in in grade school. This type of language spurs on depraved people, deranged people who take that as a cue. And this tragic phenomenon played out this week in Utah.  Whether it’s in politics, government, media, or business, people look to leaders for guidance. We have to walk in the dignity of our offices, as I say all the time. And when ostensibly serious representatives compare their ideological opponents to murderous dictators and evil people, some see that as a cue to act. And we have to stop that. The political violence has been decried and it should be across the board, and we have to continue calling it out. And we will until it does.

On House Republicans’ D.C. crime crackdown:

The DC crime bills have been referenced because we understand that solving this nationwide violent crime problem is critically important. It’s a priority for President Trump as it is for Congressional Republicans. Crime is something that touches everybody. And we all know somebody who’s been carjacked or had a wallet stolen at gunpoint or was mugged; it’s happened to members of Congress in our nation’s capitol, and we have to stop it. Stopping violent crime is something that virtually every American agrees on. It’s an 80/20 or 90/10 issue in this country. So, this week, house Republicans are going to build on President Trump’s wildly successful crackdown on crime here in the Capital with four DC specific bills that we believe can serve as a model for other municipalities around the country.

On keeping the government open:

We’re going to release text here shortly, I think around noon, for a short term, clean continuing resolution that will keep the government funded and operating at current levels while we continue all this work and doing our jobs and getting the remaining bills done. Predictably and unfortunately, there are some Democrats who are openly pining for a government shutdown. In spite of this obvious and necessary step, they’re grasping for straws as a party. And so, some of them apparently believe that shutting down the government will be some sort of life raft for them so they can regain the support of the American people. I just think that is a fool’s gambit.

To make it a part as an exercise is making a big mistake. In exchange for their vote to fund the government, some Democrats said they wanted Republicans to repeal our very popular and very effective, reforms to the Medicaid program where we cut fraud, waste, and abuse. And we ensured that illegal aliens don’t receive taxpayer benefits, and we put able bodied men back to work. They want us to wind that back, zero chance that we will do that because it’s the right thing to do. And they’re also demanding that we include unrelated health insurance tax credit provisions. That is a December policy issue, not a September funding issue.

This will not be a partisan CR, it’ll be a clean, short-term continuing resolution, end of story. And it’s interesting to me that some of the same Democrats who decried government shutdowns under President Biden appear to have no heartache whatsoever at walking our nation off that cliff right now. I hope they don’t. I hope that they’ll work with us so we can all do our jobs here. We get a short-term CR done, complete the appropriations bill, and get back to the regular order that we have all seen as necessary so we can be good stewards of taxpayers’ funds.

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

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) has introduced the Randy Susen Nursing Home Visitation Rights Act to ensure nursing home residents can never again be denied visits from their loved ones in times of crisis. Grothman worked on this legislation with Shirley Krause, Randy Susen’s wife.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing homes nationwide imposed strict visitation bans in the name of infection control. These policies left many residents cut off from their families, leading to decline and even death in isolation without the comfort of a loved one. Prolonged isolation often leads to steep declines in mental, emotional, and physical health for nursing home residents.

The bill is named in honor of Randy Susen, a resident of Wisconsin’s Sixth District, who passed away during the pandemic after being denied visits from his family. Randy’s health deteriorated rapidly when separated from the people he loved most.

“Tragedies like Randy Susen’s must never be repeated,” said Congressman Grothman. “Forced isolation robbed Randy, and other residents, of the very connections that give them strength and joy. Policies that were intended to protect instead caused devastating harm, leaving far too many patients to suffer without the presence of their families. This bill will ensure that no nursing home resident is ever forced to face that isolation again.”

“After my 64-year-old husband Randy suffered a massive subdermal hematoma and stroke, doctors told me to let him go, saying he would never recover or even know me as his wife. Yet our love carried him into a remarkable recovery,” said Shirley Krause, Randy Susen’s wife.  “In March 2020, COVID nursing home restrictions barred me from being with him—I could only see him through a window. His health declined from loneliness, and I was emotionally shattered by the separation. No patient or family should endure such inhumane pain.”

Background Information

The Randy Susen Nursing Home Visitation Rights Act would:

• Amend the Medicare and Medicaid provisions of the Social Security Act to require that every nursing home resident be allowed to designate no fewer than one “essential visitor.”
• Guarantee that this essential visitor cannot be denied access to the resident except by the resident themselves.
• Protect dignity, health, and accountability by ensuring that residents always have access to at least one trusted loved one, regardless of circumstances.

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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) proudly serves the people of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, Flood Introduce Bill to Support College Students’ Access to Mental Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Don Bacon (NE), joined by Mike Flood (NE) and Rep. Zach Nunn (IA), introduced the “College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act.”

“College can be stressful for many students as they experience being away from their family and friends for an extended period, and nearly 77 percent experience some kind of psychological distress,” said Congressman Bacon. “Allowing college campus mental health providers to continue the care of their college student through telehealth will fill a need for when students are home during breaks. I’m pleased to join Rep. Flood on this bill to extend this needed care to college students in their times of need.”

“It is no secret that mental health is one of the most urgent crises of our time, especially among young adults,” said Congressman Flood. “Many colleges and universities include mental health care in their health service offerings to students. Current regulations, however, can prevent the continuation of these services when students are off campus and out of state. This bill simply allows students to maintain consistent access to their trusted providers throughout the year. That’s why I’m pleased to introduce this bill during National Suicide Prevention Month. I thank my colleagues for joining me in this effort to help address the mental health crisis affecting our nation.”

“Mental health support is a critical lifeline for students, and that need does not stop when they head home for break or the holidays,” said Congressman Nunn. “Right now, crossing a state line can cut off access to trusted care providers. Our bill removes that barrier so students can stay connected to the care they rely on.”

“This bill is a crucial step toward building a more supportive and responsive mental health system that meets the needs of today’s college student population,” said American College Health Association (ACHA) CEO James Wilkinson. “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Flood and his colleagues for introducing this legislation to support the mental health and well-being of college students. The Congressman listened to the challenges our members shared and immediately began researching and drafting a solution. His commitment to ensuring students don’t lose access to their mental health services when they leave the state for school breaks or internships is a testament to his dedication to their success.”

The “College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act” allows colleges and universities to extend the mental health care that college students use while on campus. Specifically, the legislation allows mental health providers to continue their care and services via three means:

1. Allows mental health providers employed by Institutes of High Education to offer telehealth mental health care services to a student of the same institution- regardless of state lines.
2. Protecting the ability of states to continue participating in existing interstate healthcare compacts.
3. Expanding interstate telehealth care to incoming students who have registered for classes, as well as students who have attended courses within the last three months at the time of seeking care from a mental health provider from the Institutes of Higher Education.

A full copy of the legislation can be accessed by clicking here.

Support for the College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act 

The following groups support the legislation: American College Health Association, Association of College and University Housing Officers-International, and National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), and members of the California congressional delegation demanded answers from the Trump administration on its involvement in Sable Offshore Corporation’s attempts to restart offshore oil drilling using the same pipelines that caused the Refugio State Beach oil spill of 2015.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)’s Principal Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens, the lawmakers requested information on what actions BSEE has taken to help Sable restart the project and question whether BSEE ignored their environmental responsibilities. 

“It is unclear whether the Trump administration bought into the company’s inaccurate statements or whether BSEE’s July 25 statement references different information entirely. BSEE’s July 25 statement also calls into question whether the Bureau had received accurate information from the company when the Bureau decided to issue 10 approvals for well modification permits for Sable in July,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Ensuring safety and reducing the environmental impact of oil production in the OCS are BSEE responsibilities, and they require careful consideration. As America has experienced throughout its history—such as the Exxon Valdez, Deepwater Horizon, and California oil spills—the risk to the economy and the environment from oil spills is simply too great for hasty decisions that do not comprehensively take into account science or state and federal law,” the lawmakers concluded.

The lawmakers emphasized how in addition to a series of misleading statements asserting that oil production has resumed, Sable has blatantly disobeyed directives from California agencies that are required for offshore oil and pipeline operations in the state.

In addition to Carbajal, Schiff, and Padilla, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Laura Friedman (D-CA-30), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), and Derek Tran (D-CA-45).

Earlier this year, Carbajal and Schiff wrote to Governor Gavin Newsom raising concerns about the potential restart of offshore oil drilling operations along California’s Gaviota Coast by Sable Offshore Corp.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Burgum and Principal Deputy Director Stevens:

We write to inquire and express concern regarding the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) public statement and involvement in the Sable Offshore Corp.’s (Sable) Santa Ynez Unit (SYU) offshore oil project near the coast of Santa Barbara, California. Given BSEE’s recent public statement, we request information on the agency’s involvement with the Sable offshore project.

BSEE is the lead federal agency charged with improving safety and ensuring environmental protection related to the offshore energy industry on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Bureau is supposed to protect Americans from the threat of offshore oil spills, and Californians in the Santa Barbara region are unfortunately all too familiar with the damage oil spills can cause. On January 28, 1969, an oil well blowout leaked 4.2 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean for an entire year. This oil spill completely closed commercial fishing in the area from February to April and caused damage to recreational and personal property, resulting in extensive economic losses for the region.

Further, on May 19, 2015, the SYU (the same operation now owned by Sable) ruptured near Refugio State Beach, leaking 143,000 gallons of crude oil into storm drains and ultimately the ocean. Marine life, including fish, birds, and mammals, washed up on beaches coated in oil, and fisheries and beaches were forced to shut down. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan assessed $22 million in damages to marine habitats, wildlife, and human uses due to the oil spill. The SYU was shut down after the 2015 Refugio State Beach oil spill until recent efforts to resume production.

In February 2024, ExxonMobil sold the SYU to Sable, a Texas-based company that seeks to extract mineral resources from California’s coast. By late April 2025, Sable had accrued multiple lawsuits from environmental groups, three cease-and-desist orders from the California Coastal Commission (CCC), and a $18 million fine from CCC for operating without the appropriate entitlements. The CCC has argued that Sable violated the California Coastal Act for months by repairing and updating oil pipelines without permits. Because of its actions, Sable became subject to two court injunctions from the Santa Barbara County Superior Court ordering the company to stop repairs on the pipelines and to pause oil production.

In spite of all this, on May 19, 2025—the 10-year anniversary of the Refugio State Beach oil spill—Sable announced the restart of oil production. Yet, in a letter sent to Sable on May 23, 2025, the California State Lands Commission wrote that the company appeared to “mischaracterize” its activities: “Characterizing testing activities as a restart of operations is not only misleading but also highly inappropriate – particularly given that Sable has not obtained the necessary regulatory approvals to fully resume operations at SYU.” As a result of Sable‘s confusing public statement, the company is facing class action lawsuits alleging that it misled investors.

Then, in an apparent amplification of the company’s misleading statement, BSEE released a public statement on July 25, 2025, celebrating “the restart of production at SYU” and claiming that the U.S. Department of the Interior “successfully resumed production in just five months.” The statement also claimed that BSEE “continues to work with Sable to bring additional production online.” However, Sable has yet to receive all the appropriate permits from California state agencies that are required for offshore oil and pipeline operations in the state. Moreover, the company remains under multiple court injunctions that prevent the resumption of operations until certain conditions can be met.

Therefore, BSEE’s statements are confusing at best and deceptive at worst. It is unclear whether the Trump administration bought into the company’s inaccurate statements or whether BSEE’s July 25 statement references different information entirely. BSEE’s July 25 statement also calls into question whether the Bureau had received accurate information from the company when the Bureau decided to issue 10 approvals for well modification permits for Sable in July.

Considering BSEE’s stated involvement with Sable and Sable’s blatant attempts to circumvent state agency directives, we request answers to the following questions by September 29, 2025: 

1. What is BSEE’s role in efforts to restart the Sable project and what actions has BSEE taken to help Sable restart the project? Please provide a timeline of the communications between BSEE and Sable.
2. Please provide clarification on BSEE’s July 25, 2025, statement that Sable has resumed oil production. How is this possible if Sable does not have the permits to do so and was merely conducting testing activities? On the basis of what information did BSEE decide to issue the July 25, 2025 statement? 
3. Has BSEE made any determinations regarding whether Sable is in compliance with applicable state permits and related requirements? Why has BSEE failed to clearly communicate on these issues with California state agencies? 
4. Has BSEE or DOI encouraged Sable to disregard California state agency directives in any way? 
5. Why did BSEE provide 10 permit approvals (nine applications for permits to modify and one revised permit to modify) for Sable even though the company remains ensnarled in litigation and court injunctions? Is BSEE confident that the company provided accurate information to the agency when it submitted its well modification applications? 

Ensuring safety and reducing the environmental impact of oil production in the OCS are BSEE responsibilities, and they require careful consideration. As America has experienced throughout its history—such as the Exxon Valdez, Deepwater Horizon, and California oil spills—the risk to the economy and the environment from oil spills is simply too great for hasty decisions that do not comprehensively take into account science or state and federal law. Thank you and we look forward to your response.