MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Griffith Announces $432,132 HHS Grant to Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Michigan to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 10-21, 2026.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Iosco, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Washtenaw and Wexford counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and families recover from the effects of the disaster. 

Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Alcona, Alpena, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Eaton, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Iron, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Marquette, Mecosta, Menominee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Newaygo, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Presque Isle, Tuscola and Wexford counties. 

Brian F. Schiller has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments. 

Individuals and families who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App.

If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09) joined Elevate Textiles and local leaders in Raeford to celebrate the opening of Elevate’s new dye house facility, which will support the production of U.S.-made military uniforms.

“North Carolina textiles have helped build our state and keep America strong for generations,” said Rep. Hudson. “This facility means good paying jobs for our community and it means our troops have high quality American uniforms.”

Elevate Textiles’ Raeford facility produces military dress uniforms and plays an important role in North Carolina’s textile economy. Hudson has continued to advocate for policies that strengthen domestic manufacturing, protect American jobs, and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today,California Democratic Congressional Delegation Chair Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), U.S. Representatives Norma Torres (CA-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), and Brad Sherman (CA-32) led the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to congressional leadership urging that no supplemental funding package move forward until Congress passes long overdue federal disaster assistance for California communities devastated by the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and other communities across the country recovering from major disasters.

More than 100,000 Californians were displaced by the January 2025 wildfires, which destroyed more than 13,000 homes and properties, claimed more than two dozen lives, and caused an estimated $275 billion in economic damage. Despite the scale of the devastation, the Administration has not taken a single step to submit a supplemental disaster funding request to Congress. This inaction is on top of the Trump Administration delaying or denying Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emergency aid, with FEMA’s own data showing that the Trump Administration is making it harder to access disaster aid and moving more slowly than previous Administrations to help disaster-hit communities.

In the letter, the members wrote:

“It is deeply disappointing that since January 2025, not a single step has been taken by the White House to submit a request for federal disaster aid, not just for California, but also for the over 30 States, Tribes, or Territories with major disaster declarations.”

“President Trump’s Administration is prioritizing the war in Iran over helping American communities recover from devastating disasters… Instead of taking up the June 24, 2026, Iran War supplemental request, we believe that Congress should immediately draft a federal disaster aid supplemental to help Americans rebuild their communities from the most deadly and costly wildfires in recent history.”

The letter notes that while the Administration requested more than $67 billion for military operations related to President Trump’s costly war of choice in Iran, it has failed to request the approximately $34 billion in federal disaster assistance needed for California’s wildfire recovery, along with billions more needed by disaster-impacted states, Tribes, and territories across the country.

The California Democratic Congressional Delegation reaffirmed its commitment to working on a bipartisan disaster relief package that ensures American families receive the support they need to rebuild their homes, businesses, and communities.

Additional signers of the letter include: Aguilar, Pete; Barragán, Nanette; Bera, Ami; Brownley, Julia; Carbajal, Salud; Chu, Judy; Cisneros, Gilbert; Correa, J.; Costa, Jim; DeSaulnier, Mark; Friedman, Laura; Garamendi, John; Garcia, Robert; Gomez, Jimmy; Harder, Josh; Huffman, Jared; Jacobs, Sara; Kamlager-Dove, Sydney; Khanna, Ro; Levin, Mike; Liccardo, Sam; Lieu, Ted; Lofgren, Zoe; Matsui, Doris; Min, Dave; Mullin, Kevin; Panetta, Jimmy; Pelosi, Nancy; Peters, Scott; Rivas, Luz; Ruiz, Raul; Sánchez, Linda; Sherman, Brad; Simon, Lateefah; Takano, Mark; Thompson, Mike; Torres, Norma; Tran, Derek; Vargas, Juan; Waters, Maxine; Whitesides, George.

Full letter

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee; Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ranking Member on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, pressed Cantor Fitzgerald (Cantor) — led by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s sons — and USA Rare Earth (USAR) on ethics concerns following their recent $1.6 billion agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce).

USAR’s reported engagement with Secretary Lutnick and financial arrangement with Cantor in conjunction with the Commerce deal — an agreement that potentially resulted in a multi-million-dollar payout to a firm led by the Secretary’s sons — raises glaring red flags. 

“It is imperative your compan[ies] provide complete transparency about the substantive conflict of interest concerns raised by the circumstances of this investment,” wrote the lawmakers.

In January 2026, USAR and Commerce announced a tentative $1.6 billion deal in which the federal government agreed to take a 10% stake in USAR. To close the deal, USAR raised $1.5 billion in a private offering for the company’s stock and selected Cantor, Secretary Lutnick’s former financial firm, as the deal’s placement agent. Cantor is currently led by Secretary Lutnick’s son, Brandon Lutnick. 

Secretary Lutnick appears to have played a key role in securing the lucrative deal. USAR’s CEO attested to Secretary Lutnick’s decisive and personal involvement after a meeting in November, describing how he opened doors to influential agency staff that manage billions in CHIPS Act funding and officials at other federal agencies. The lawmakers sounded the alarm on potential bribery concerns surrounding the deal, both in relation to Secretary Lutnick and company officials.

“The circumstances around how this deal came together raise serious questions about Secretary Lutnick’s exposure to federal conflicts of interest and bribery laws,” wrote the lawmakers. 

“If USAR selected Cantor as its broker as a way to induce, reward, or otherwise curry favor with the Department of Commerce, Secretary Lutnick, or other government officials, it would raise serious questions about USAR’s exposure to federal anti-bribery or gratuity laws,” continued the lawmakers.

Ranking Member Lofgren and Members of Congress previously raised concerns over the Commerce Department’s investment in USAR. In response, USAR’s CEO said: “[o]ur best move was to go with the team who knew us.” Following Secretary Lutnick’s refusal to provide answers, the lawmakers expanded their investigation to press Cantor and USAR directly. 

The lawmakers pushed Cantor Fitzgerald and USA Rare Earth to provide answers regarding the circumstances around this deal and transaction documents by July 23, 2026.

Read the letter to Cantor Fitzgerald here.

Read the letter to USA Rare Earth here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration abandoning the effort to put Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill:

“In all my years, I’ve never seen an Administration so hell-bent on erasing Black excellence from American history.”

“Harriet Tubman was an American hero. She risked her life for freedom and shaped our nation.”

“We’re seeing another attack on Black history and the generations of Black Americans whose courage built this country.”

“This is the same playbook—from removing the portrait of the first Black four-star general, Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., to attempts to erase the history of slavery from our national parks.”

“We cannot rewrite history, and we cannot ignore it.”

“We must confront our history, learn from it, and ensure we never repeat its darkest chapters.”

“I’ve fought for years through my Woman on the Twenty Act to ensure our nation’s currency reflects the full story of America.”

“My fight doesn’t end today.”

“Donald Trump may try to delay progress, but he cannot stop it.”

“Harriet Tubman’s place in the American story is permanent, and I will fight with every breath until her face is on the $20 bill.”

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

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opening a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on potential oil and gas lease sales across California, including in San Luis Obispo County.

“The Trump administration continues to favor Big Oil at the expense of our environment and public health. While this 30-day public scoping period does not mean new oil wells will spring up tomorrow, it represents yet another reckless step toward handing public lands over to the oil industry. Californians have been clear from the start: we do not want any more oil drilling on public lands – especially areas close to our state’s natural treasures such as the Carrizo Plain National Monument. 

“The administration claims expanding oil drilling is necessary for California’s energy security, yet just last month it blocked a wind energy project in Morro Bay that would have provided the state with a new source of clean power. These actions reveal a pattern of favoritism toward Big Oil rather than any genuine commitment to California’s long‑term energy needs. 

“I remain strongly opposed to the Bureau of Land Management’s actions and will continue working with state and local partners to stop any attempt to build new oil wells on our public lands.”

Carbajal has long opposed the expansion of oil and gas drilling in California. 

In August 2025, Carbajal reintroduced his Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which would designate approximately 250,000 acres of public land in the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument as wilderness, the highest form of federal protection available. A wilderness designation would protect the land from future oil or gas drilling.

In April 2026, Carbajal asked the BLM to continue the pre-existing moratorium on new oil and gas leases, citing the environmental, economic, and public health risks that new drilling could pose to California communities in response to BLM’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), released on January 12, 2026. 

Last year, Carbajal announced the reintroduction of the California Clean Coast Act. The California Clean Coast Act was the first bill Congressman Carbajal introduced as a Member of Congress, demonstrating his longstanding commitment to protecting California’s coast from offshore drilling and the devastating impact of oil spills.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to recognize and preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington, located in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, by redesignating them as a national historic park.

“This bill would redesignate the 22 Defenses of Washington currently under National Park Service jurisdiction as a national historical park, and allow other sites associated with the Defenses of Washington that are owned by D.C. or a unit of a state government to be affiliated with the national historical park through cooperative agreements,” Norton said. “This bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the history of the Civil War, including the history of the Defenses of Washington and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, being assembled, arrayed and conveyed for the benefit of the public for the knowledge, education and inspiration of this and future generations.”

Norton’s introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Civil War Defenses of Washington National Historical Park Act

July 6, 2026

Today, I introduce the Civil War Defenses of Washington National Historical Park Act, which would recognize and preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington located in the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland.  The Defenses of Washington, including forts, unarmed batteries and rifle trenches, created a ring of protection for the nation’s capital during the Civil War. 

This bill would redesignate the 22 Defenses of Washington currently under National Park Service jurisdiction as a national historical park, and allow other sites associated with the Defenses of Washington that are owned by D.C. or a unit of a state government to be affiliated with the national historical park through cooperative agreements.  This bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the history of the Civil War, including the history of the Defenses of Washington and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, being assembled, arrayed and conveyed for the benefit of the public for the knowledge, education and inspiration of this and future generations.  

The Defenses of Washington were constructed at the beginning of the war as a ring of protection for the nation’s capital and for President Abraham Lincoln.  By the end of the war, the Defenses of Washington included 68 forts, 93 unarmed batteries, 807 mounted cannons, 13 miles of rifle trenches and 32 miles of military roads.  The major test of the Defenses of Washington was the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, when Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early, directed by Confederate General Robert E. Lee, sought to attack the nation’s capital from the north, causing Union forces threatening to attack Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, to be withdrawn.  General Early was delayed by Union Major General Lew Wallace at the Battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864, and was stopped at the northern edge of Washington at the Battle of Fort Stevens on July 11-12, 1864.  The Shenandoah Valley Campaign ended when Union Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan defeated General Early at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia on October 19, 1864. 

Nearly all the individual forts in the Defenses of Washington—on both sides of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers—were involved in stopping General Early’s attack, and the Battle of Fort Stevens was the second and last attempt by the Confederate Army to attack Washington.

Taken together, these battles were pivotal to the outcome of the war and the freedom and democracy that the war represented for this country.  It is therefore fitting to recognize the Defenses of Washington by redesignating them as a national historical park. 

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

July 08, 2026

President Trump’s June 24, 2026, supplemental request included $67.1 billion for the Iran War, ignoring the $34 billion needed by CA and the billions more desperately needed by over 30 other States, Tribes, and Territories to rebuild their communities after natural disasters.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Norma Torres (CA-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), Brad Sherman (CA-32), and California Democratic Congressional Delegation Chair Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) led the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to congressional leadership urging that no supplemental funding package move forward until Congress passes long overdue federal disaster assistance for California communities devastated by the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and other communities across the country recovering from major disasters.

More than 100,000 Californians were displaced by the January 2025 wildfires, which destroyed more than 13,000 homes and properties, claimed more than two dozen lives, and caused an estimated $275 billion in economic damage. Despite the scale of the devastation, the Administration has not taken a single step to submit a supplemental disaster funding request to Congress. This inaction is on top of the Trump Administration delaying or denying Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emergency aid, with FEMA’s own data showing that the Trump Administration is making it harder to access disaster aid and moving more slowly than previous Administrations to help disaster-hit communities.

In the letter, the members wrote:

“It is deeply disappointing that since January 2025, not a single step has been taken by the White House to submit a request for federal disaster aid, not just for California, but also for the over 30 States, Tribes, or Territories with major disaster declarations.”

“President Trump’s Administration is prioritizing the war in Iran over helping American communities recover from devastating disasters… Instead of taking up the June 24, 2026, Iran War supplemental request, we believe that Congress should immediately draft a federal disaster aid supplemental to help Americans rebuild their communities from the most deadly and costly wildfires in recent history.”

The letter notes that while the Administration requested more than $67 billion for military operations related to President Trump’s costly war of choice in Iran, it has failed to request the approximately $34 billion in federal disaster assistance needed for California’s wildfire recovery, along with billions more needed by disaster-impacted states, Tribes, and territories across the country.

The California Democratic Congressional Delegation reaffirmed its commitment to working on a bipartisan disaster relief package that ensures American families receive the support they need to rebuild their homes, businesses, and communities.

Additional signers of the letter include: Aguilar, Pete; Barragán, Nanette; Bera, Ami; Brownley, Julia; Carbajal, Salud; Chu, Judy; Cisneros, Gilbert; Correa, J.; Costa, Jim; DeSaulnier, Mark; Friedman, Laura; Garamendi, John; Garcia, Robert; Gomez, Jimmy; Harder, Josh; Huffman, Jared; Jacobs, Sara; Kamlager-Dove, Sydney; Khanna, Ro; Levin, Mike; Liccardo, Sam; Lieu, Ted; Lofgren, Zoe; Matsui, Doris; Min, Dave; Mullin, Kevin; Panetta, Jimmy; Pelosi, Nancy; Peters, Scott; Rivas, Luz; Ruiz, Raul; Sánchez, Linda; Sherman, Brad; Simon, Lateefah; Takano, Mark; Thompson, Mike; Torres, Norma; Tran, Derek; Vargas, Juan; Waters, Maxine; Whitesides, George.

Full letter

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09) announced he has named Colin O’Brien as his Communications Director. O’Brien will be based in the Washington, DC office.

“Colin is a talented and motivated communications professional, and will serve the people of North Carolina’s 9th district well,” said Rep. Hudson.

Prior to joining Rep. Hudson’s office, Colin served as Deputy Press Secretary and Press Assistant in Senator Bill Cassidy’s office and as a Political Director for Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Jason Smith (MO-08).

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