MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

Washington, DC (September 5) – Today, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) wrote to Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to strengthen oversight and accountability measures for local transit agencies following reports that Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) lost approximately $4 million in revenue in 2024 to bus evasion. Recent findings indicate MCTS riders skipped paying fares more than 8 million times in 2025, nearly one-third of all trips. MCTS received $57.24 million in federal transit funding in 2023.

“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not to compensate for avoidable revenue shortfalls caused by lax fare enforcement,” said Steil. “Fare evasion not only pushes MCTS toward insolvency, but it is fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares. I’m committed to ensuring taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.”

Click HERE to read the full letter.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) and 14 of her Democratic Ways and Means colleagues today called on President Trump to reverse a decision requiring a 15 percent cut of sales revenue from advanced semiconductor chip sales to China in exchange for export licenses.

In recent years, the United States has tightened export restrictions on advanced semiconductor chips to China due to national security concerns. In April, the Trump administration announced it would expand those restrictions by requiring export licenses for certain chips, including NVIDIA’s H20, AMD’s MI308 and other equivalent models. However, the administration later admitted that these licenses were being used as leverage in trade negotiations with China, granting them in exchange for a share of the sales revenue.

“The decision to treat congressionally authorized national security export restrictions as a bargaining chip to be traded away seriously undermines the credibility of the U.S. export control regime, as pointed out recently by congressional colleagues,” the members wrote. “Now, however, we learn that your administration is not just trading away our security interests as part of a bargain with the Chinese, but that you actually intend to take a cut of those proceeds.”

The members continued, “Aside from the apparent illegality of the ‘revenue sharing’ arrangement, the notion of charging U.S. companies to export establishes a dangerous precedent that both threatens America’s national security and opens the door to rampant corruption.”

In addition to Ranking Member Sánchez, the letter was signed by Representatives 

Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), John Larson (D-Conn.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), and Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.). 

Full text of the letter is available here and follows:

September 11, 2025

The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, DC 20520

Dear President Trump:

 We write to express our profound concern with the arrangement you have reported in which you plan to take a 15% cut of the sales revenue of certain advanced semiconductor chips sales in China in exchange for issuing the export licenses that permit those sales. We urge you to reconsider this approach, which we view as unlawful, an egregious abuse of national security protections, and a dangerous precedent that may irretrievably damage America’s security and economic interests. We request an immediate briefing by senior members of your administration to explain the details of the arrangement that you negotiated, including an explanation of the legal and constitutional basis for taxing the exports of American firms. 

In response to legitimate national security fears, U.S. administrations of both parties have carefully tightened export restrictions on the sale of advanced semiconductor chips to China in recent years. Your own Administration announced in early April 2025 that it would expand export restrictions by imposing export licensing requirements on the sale of certain advanced semiconductor chips, including the H20 and MI308 chips made by NVIDIA and AMD, and equivalent chips. The Department of Commerce has not issued export licenses for the chips until now, with one senior cabinet official admitting that the licenses were a bargaining chip in your trade discussions with China.

The decision to treat congressionally authorized national security export restrictions as a bargaining chip to be traded away seriously undermines the credibility of the U.S. export control regime, as pointed out recently by congressional colleagues. Now, however, we learn that your administration is not just trading away our security interests as part of a bargain with the Chinese, but that you actually intend to take a cut of those proceeds. You, yourself, have been quoted confirming that the 15% cut of chip sales was in exchange for the release of the licenses. Senior cabinet officials and administration spokespeople are now openly considering how this new model could expand in the future to other companies.

Under the U.S. Constitution, Art. 1, Sec.9, Clause 5 reads “[n]o Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.” This clause categorically bars the imposition of taxes on exports. In addition to the clear and unambiguous constitutional prohibition on levying taxes on exports, federal law also forbids this practice with even greater specificity. The Export Controls Act of 2018 states clearly, “[n]o fee may be charged in connection with the submission, processing, or consideration of any application for a license….” It appears crystal clear that the promise of payments you have extracted from U.S. firms is unlawful under both the spirit and letter of the law.

Aside from the apparent illegality of the “revenue sharing” arrangement, the notion of charging U.S. companies to export establishes a dangerous precedent that both threatens America’s national security and opens the door to rampant corruption. If the chips in question pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States, as the Bureau of Industry and Security has already determined, then there is no percentage of sales that can justify endangering America’s national security. Licenses should be issued based on technical requirements impartially applied by BIS experts in order to mitigate risk, and not on the basis of a mafia-style shake-down. 

We request, as a matter of urgency, that you reverse the arrangement and have senior officials from your administration brief Congress.

Respectfully,

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement on committee passage of her bill to allow the chair of the D.C. Council to transmit legislation to Congress in the form of the chair’s choosing, including in electronic form, and 13 bills introduced by Republican members of Congress targeting D.C. laws and policies. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform marked up the bills yesterday. 

“There shouldn’t be a congressional review process for local D.C. legislation, period. However, since there is one, we must bring the process into the electronic age,” Norton said. “I’m pleased the Committee marked up and passed my bill to allow the chair of the D.C. Council to send D.C. legislation electronically, which would allow both D.C. and Congress to avoid the costs imposed by the current multi-step process to physically bring the legislation to Congress.”

The Committee also marked up and passed 13 bills introduced by Republican members of Congress to make it more difficult for D.C. actions to become law, or to repeal or change local D.C. laws and policies. 

“D.C. is enduring an unparalleled wave of attacks on its autonomy and home rule from the federal government, most starkly shown when the president federalized MPD and sent thousands of National Guard troops into our streets. Yesterday’s markup is yet another assault in that barrage,” Norton said. “Republicans, emboldened by President Trump’s unacceptable and unjustified actions, are exploiting their majority to pile on by marking up over a dozen anti-home rule bills.

“Let me be clear: Republican members of Congress, who are not accountable to D.C., have no business dictating the local laws of a city where 700,000 people live, work, and have chosen their own leaders through the democratic process. The people of D.C. are as deserving, as capable, and as prepared to govern themselves as any other Americans. I will fight with every tool I have to stop these attacks in their tracks – and to keep D.C. on its path toward full equality and statehood.”

A list of those bills and a description of each follows, and more information can be found in the Committee’s markup memo.

1. H.R. 5183, District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act, introduced by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), would change the congressional review process for bills enacted by D.C. and subject more official actions of D.C. to the congressional review process.
2. H.R. 5103, Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, introduced by Rep. John McGuire (R-VA), would implement the March 28th executive order from President Trump titled “Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.”
3. H.R. 5214, District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would amend D.C. law to require detention pretrial and post-conviction before sentencing for a crime of violence or a dangerous crime.
4. H.R. 5172, District of Columbia Criminal Mandatory Minimums Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), would change the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines in D.C. Code.
5. H.R. 5163, A bill to impose criminal penalties for camping on public property in the District of Columbia, introduced by Rep. William Timmons (R-SC), would make it a crime to live or sleep in public spaces in the District, punishable by a fine of $500, imprisonment for more than 30 days, or both.
6. H.R. 4922, D.C. Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safer (D.C. CRIMES) Act, introduced by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), would make several changes to D.C.’s criminal code relating to youth, and require D.C. to publicly disclose youth crime data.
7. H.R.5140, District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), would lower the age of eligibility for juveniles to be tried as adults in D.C. from 16 years to 14 years of age for certain criminal offenses including murder, first degree sexual abuse, burglary in the first degree, and robbery while armed.
8. H.R. 5181, SOAR Act Improvements Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), would change D.C.’s SOAR Act formula on funding to public, private and charter schools in the District.
9. H.R. 5107, introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), would repeal D.C.’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
10. H.R. 5143, District of Columbia Policing Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), would allow vehicular pursuit of a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle, if the officer or supervisor deems it necessary, the most effective means of apprehension, and without unreasonable risk to innocents and bystanders.
11. H.R. 5125, District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), would eliminate the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission (JNC) and give the President the sole power to make nominations for the D.C. Courts.
12. H.R. 5179, District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX), would grant the President with the power to appoint the Attorney General for D.C., instead of being elected by D.C. voters.
13. H.R. 5242, introduced by Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN), would repeal D.C.’s Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act of 2016 and the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

The Home Rule Act requires D.C. legislation to be transmitted to Congress for a review period before it takes effect.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

The Committee will hold its hearing at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

The lawmakers in August announced plans to reintroduce bills the day Trump unleashed his assault on D.C.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The full House Committee on Appropriations marked up and passed the fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill, which Norton said includes an outrageous and irresponsible number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans try to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents. Significantly, the bill would halve funding for DCTAG, a program established by a 1999 Norton bill. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $10,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.

“Now, when there are more frequent Republican attacks on D.C. home rule than any time since the 1990s, it is unsurprising that the D.C. appropriations bill reported out of the Republican-controlled Appropriations Committee contains numerous and extensive riders that would condescendingly overrule the expressed will of D.C. residents, who the Republicans on the committee hypocritically regard as less worthy of having a voice in their own local affairs than their own constituents,” Norton said. 

“I am particularly appalled by the irresponsible 50% cut in funding for DCTAG, a program created in 1999 by a bill I authored that simply helps pay for students who are D.C. residents to attend college. Republicans in Congress have recently focused on crimes in D.C. committed by young people, yet denying opportunities for educational advancement to D.C. students only contributes to the problem.

“To my fellow lawmakers across the aisle: I commit to reminding you at every opportunity that D.C. residents are equally worthy of deciding their own local affairs as your own constituents. The 700,000 people who live in the nation’s capital are no less worthy of the benefits of democracy than any other American, and I will use every tool at my disposal to see that they receive as many of those benefits as possible.”

As reported out of committee, the bill would:

• Provide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.
• Permit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.
• Prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.
• Prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.
• Repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act and prohibit enacting any similar act.
• Require D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
• Prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.
• Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.
• Prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.
• Repeal the provision of D.C.’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.
• Prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.
• Prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
• Repeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.
• Prohibit the use of D.C. funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.
• Prohibit the use of D.C. funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.
• Prohibit the use of D.C. funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
• Prohibit the use of D.C. funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.
• Changes D.C.’s SOAR Act formula on funding to public, private and charter schools in the District.
• Prohibit the use of D.C. funds for D.C. to enter into sister activities between D.C. and any city within China.
• Prohibit the use of D.C. funds to carry out parts of its Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act, D.C.’s shield law.

Despite Republican control of the House, Norton secured several key victories for D.C., including the first increase in the annual and lifetime award caps for DCTAG recipients since the program was created in 1999.

“The bill that passed out of the Appropriations Committee maintains several wins I secured for D.C., including increasing the DCTAG yearly cap from $10,000 to $15,000 and lifetime award cap from $50,000 to $75,000, a change I have requested for many years. Even in the face of funding for the overall program being cut by half, these increases are a positive for DCTAG recipients. I will continue to work to secure full funding for DCTAG.”

The bill also maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2026, a provision Norton has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 26 local budget.

Norton secured the following victories in the bill:

• Increasing the yearly cap on DCTAG to $15,000 from $10,000 and increasing the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
• Requiring ratably reducing the amount of tuition and fee payment of each eligible DCTAG student who receives more than $10,000 for the award year if there are insufficient funds.
• Exempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2026.
• Providing $5.7 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project.
• Providing $70 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital, and is designed to cover the District’s costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.
• Providing $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.
• Providing $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

Full Text of Resolution (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Mark Pocan (WI-02) introduced a resolution condemning the Trump administration’s plan to implement a new Medicare requirement, dubbed the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, to force recipients of traditional Medicare to receive prior authorization, including through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), before being able to receive some forms of medical care.

“Every year, millions of seniors on Medicare Advantage are unfairly denied the care they need because of burdensome prior authorization rules. Now, the Trump Administration plans to implement these same requirements on certain traditional Medicare services — threatening access to care for millions more. This is unacceptable,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “That is why I am proud to be joining Congressman Pocan in introducing this resolution calling for the termination of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model. We must protect traditional Medicare.”

“It is not an exaggeration to say that the requirement of prior authorization for traditional Medicare services will kill seniors,” said Congressman Mark Pocan. “Not only that, but the use of AI in determining whether or not treatment is necessary is extremely reckless. Unlike Medicare Advantage plans that already use AI in prior authorization decisions, traditional Medicare is supposed to cover you, no questions asked. This is a disastrous idea of epic proportions and should be immediately rescinded.”   

The WISeR Model requires Medicare beneficiaries in pilot states – Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington – to increase the number of Medicare services requiring pre-approval by 30%, primarily using AI to do so. This means that patients’ medical decisions — from what medications they can take to which procedures they can undergo — will be made by a bot run by private contractors who prioritize profits over patient safety. 

Most Medicare Advantage plans primarily require prior authorization to receive any care, leading to countless delays and denials, resulting in thousands of deaths every year. However, when those denials are appealed, a significant portion of them are overturned, resulting in needless delays and bureaucracy. Moreover, some Medicare Advantage plans that already use AI in prior authorization decisions have been found to have error rates as high as 90%. 

Representatives Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) co-sponsored the resolution.

Endorsing Organizations: Center for Health and Democracy, Just Care USA, Labor Campaign for Single Payer, National Nurses United, Physicians for a National Health Program, Social Security Works.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) released the following statement after voting against final passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA):

“Today, I once again voted against the Republican’s extremist National Defense Authorization Act. Not only does this harmful bill exacerbate an already over-bloated Pentagon budget, authorizing nearly $900 billion in additional spending for the Department of Defense, it also attacks some of the most vulnerable among us. This bill reflects the wrong priorities and the wrong vision for our future.

“The FY26 NDAA continues Republicans’ ongoing baseless discrimination against the transgender community and bans gender-affirming care for service members and their families, putting the lives of children at risk and potentially forcing thousands of service members to make the choice between continuing their military service or leaving to ensure their child can access the health care they need. It is cruel to ask our service members to defend us and our country and then, in return, trample all over their rights and access to healthcare. The bill also codifies President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. These provisions are hateful, shortsighted, and will weaken our military readiness and retention rates. Our greatest security threats have no military solutions, and it is time our budget reflects that. We must instead make the investments in health care, education, housing, clean air and water, and public transit that Americans deserve.

“Although I am opposed to the FY26 NDAA, there were a few bright spots. I am supportive of the 3.8% pay raise for all service members and additional investments in new construction of housing, child development centers and more. Additionally, I was pleased to see increased access to birth control and IVF for members and their families covered under TRICARE. Furthermore, I was thrilled to see the repeal of the 1991 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq and a ban on naming military assets after Confederate leaders.  

“Despite these important provisions, this legislation does not reflect the best interests of our nation and does not provide the protection that our service members need, and that is why I ultimately could not support the FY26 NDAA’s passage.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), released the following statement to condemn the Trump administration’s plan to deploy the National Guard or active-duty military in Chicago despite objections from local leadership. 

“Donald Trump even considering deploying the National Guard to Chicago is outrageous and nothing but a power grab by an aspiring dictator. 

“This is not the first time he has used the National Guard as a political weapon. We all remember when Trump ordered a militarized crackdown on our nation’s capital in 2020 and then failed to deploy the National Guard on January 6, 2021, Washington, D.C.’s most lawless and violent day. 

“Now, five years later, we are seeing history repeat itself, this time, under the guise of a public safety emergency. Crime rates in Chicago have gone down. Our communities need investment, not intimidation. Sending troops into our neighborhoods will not help public safety, it will only escalate tensions. 

“No American city should be ruled through force, surveillance, and intimidation. We will not stand by as our city is used as a backdrop for political theater. Chicagoans do not want, or need, our city turned into a military state.” 

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