U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) secured federal funding in the appropriations package for the following Ninth District project:
Project Name: Enhancing Nuclear Reactor Testing and Safety Through 21st Century Technologies Project
Recipient Name: Virginia Tech
Amount Received: $1,000,000
Following presidential approval of the appropriations package and the inclusion of federal funding for this Ninth District project, Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:
“This government funding package, which I supported, delivers critical funds to Ninth District community projects. In this package, I helped secure $1 million for Virginia Tech.
“With this federal funding available to Virginia Tech, access to nuclear reactor safety research will improve.”
BACKGROUND
The above community project funding request was submitted by Rep. Griffith for fiscal year 2026.
Congress has to consider four remaining appropriations bills before the January 30 government funding deadline.
U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) secured federal funding in the appropriations package for the following Ninth District project:
Project Name: Western Hills Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project
Recipient Name: Bedford Regional Water Authority
Amount Received: $750,000
Following presidential approval of the appropriations package and the inclusion of federal funding for this Ninth District project, Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:
“This government funding package, which I supported, delivers critical funds to Ninth District community projects. In this package, I helped secure $750,000 for the Bedford Regional Water Authority.
“With this federal funding available to the Authority, Bedford County community access to sanitary water will improve.”
BACKGROUND
In April 2025, Congressman Griffith attended an Earth Day event hosted by the Bedford Regional Water Authority. At that event, Congressman Griffith joined officials to celebrate wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
The above community project funding request was submitted by Rep. Griffith for fiscal year 2026.
Congress has to consider four remaining appropriations bills before the January 30 government funding deadline.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
January 27, 2026
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced a bicameral resolution recognizing the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup and its immense contributions to protecting oceans and waterways worldwide. Launched in 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy, this annual event has mobilized 19 million volunteers to remove more than 400 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways across 155 countries and 33 states in the United States. The International Coastal Cleanup also produces one of the largest citizen science datasets, which has been used in 43 peer-reviewed studies of marine trash pollution.
“For 40 years, the International Coastal Cleanup has proven that when our communities come together, we can make a real difference in protecting our oceans and waterways. With 19 million volunteers across 155 countries removing over 400 million pounds of trash, this annual event is more than just a cleanup effort. It’s a community-led commitment that drives global action,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. “Now, we need to do our part and match the dedication of these volunteers with bold legislative solutions that reduce plastic pollution and hold polluters accountable. Their work reminds us that real change requires not only the environmental action, but also the policy commitment to back up these efforts.”
“For forty years, the International Coastal Cleanup has shown what’s possible when communities come together to protect the environment and public health. Millions of volunteers – including tens of thousands from Maryland – have rolled up their sleeves to clean up our shores as part of this coordinated worldwide effort led by Ocean Conservancy. As we mark this 40-year milestone, we must continue working to prevent trash and plastic from reaching our waterways in the first place and to keep them clean for future generations,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.
“Since the start of the International Coastal Cleanup, nearly 19 million volunteers have removed over 400 million pounds of plastics and trash from beaches and waterways worldwide, equivalent to over 27,000 pounds per day for 40 years. Every piece of plastic collected makes a tangible difference for our ocean and all of the wildlife and communities who depend on it. Thank you to Senators Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Blunt Rochester, Heinrich, and Merkley for recognizing the importance of confronting the plastic pollution crisis with this resolution celebrating the International Coastal Cleanup’s 40th anniversary,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Allison Schutes.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)
SAN JOSE, CA – Today, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), a member of the House Judiciary Committee and former impeachment manager, announced that she would be supporting articles of impeachment filed against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
“Under Kristi Noem’s watch, ICE has unleashed chaos in Minneapolis and cities across this country,” Rep. Lofgren said. “Lawless agents are executing mothers and nurses in the streets, and her response to these tragedies has been to label these victims as terrorists and lie to the American people about what we’ve seen with our own eyes. Beyond that, she has been illegally obstructing congressional oversight of ICE facilities. As a former impeachment manager myself, I take the impeachment process very seriously; it’s not a tool that should ever be used for partisan games. However, Secretary Noem’s misconduct leaves Congress with no other choice. Today, I am signing onto the impeachment articles filed against Secretary Noem, and I will continue doing everything in my power to protect American’s constitutional rights and hold this administration accountable.”
Lofgren has served as an impeachment manager three times: the 2009 impeachment of Judge Samuel Kent for sexual assault and obstruction of justice; the 2010 impeachment of Judge Thomas Porteous for corruption and making false financial disclosures; and the first impeachment of President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. She was also a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton and was a staffer for Judiciary member Don Edwards in 1973, where she helped to prepare articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon.
The articles of impeachment in H. Res. 996 filed by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) can be readhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03), Rep. French Hill (AR-02), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. Donald Davis (NC-01), Rep. Max Miller (OH-07), and Rep. Blake Moore (UT-01) introduced the bipartisanTicket to Work Awareness Actto increase awareness of an existing program that helps Americans with disabilities access job training, employment services, and support without risking their benefits.
Rep. Sharice Davids said,“Far too often, people who want to work and gain more independence don’t have clear information about the support available to them. This bipartisan bill makes sure Social Security actually reaches out to beneficiaries and clearly explains their options, so Kansans with disabilities can explore work and career opportunities without fear of losing the benefits they depend on. By improving awareness, we can help more families build financial stability and dignity through work — without adding cost or bureaucracy. I am glad to work with my Republican colleague, Representative French Hill, on this effort.”
Rep. Hill said, “Nearly two-thirds of eligible beneficiaries have no idea the Ticket to Work program exists. That is unacceptable. This commonsense bill improves outreach so people who want to work know what options are available to them, without adding new spending or growing government. I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort to correct the Social Security Administration’s failure to adequately communicate and promote this important program and support greater opportunities and independence for people with disabilities.”
“I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation to ensure people receiving Social Security disability benefits are aware of the Ticket to Work program,” said Rep. Costa. “Far too many individuals with disabilities across the San Joaquin Valley and the nation are unaware of the employment services readily available to them. This bill will strengthen outreach from the Social Security Administration and will allow beneficiaries to explore work opportunities without risking their benefits.”
The Ticket to Work program opens doors for eastern North Carolinians and others across the nation by offering training that leads to meaningful new careers and economic stability for their families,”saidCongressman Don Davis.“True potential is unlocked when eligible participants know how to access these impactful training opportunities.”
“Too many Americans with disabilities who want to work and achieve financial independence simply don’t know the Ticket to Work program exists,”saidCongressman Max Miller.“This legislation takes a simple, common-sense step to change that by requiring regular outreach, so eligible beneficiaries are aware of the opportunities and support available to them. Ticket to Work empowers Americans to pursue meaningful employment without risking their benefits, and increasing awareness will help more people gain independence, dignity, and a stronger future. I’m proud to cosponsor this bill to make sure no one is left in the dark about a program designed to help them succeed.”
Rep. Moore said, “The Ticket to Work program exists to give disability beneficiaries access to free vocational rehabilitation, employment, and other work-related support services while maintaining their benefits. Unfortunately, many of the people who could benefit the most from this program don’t know that it exists. I’m excited to work with my friend Chairman French Hill to introduce theTicket to Work Advertisement Actto require regular advertising for the program, bringing awareness to the opportunities and support available to SSDI beneficiaries.”
Background:
The Ticket to Work (TTW) program was created with bipartisan support as part of an effort to promote work amongst those who receive Social Security disability benefits, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The Ticket to Work Advertisement Actrequires the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to advertise the TTW program to beneficiaries at least every six months. SSA has 12 months for implementation.
Increasing awareness of the TTW program is a straightforward, cost-effective step toward improving the TTW program’s impact. Ensuring consistent SSA outreach will help beneficiaries understand and access the opportunities they have and deserve.
What is the Ticket to Work Program?
· The TTW program allows beneficiaries ages 18-64 to obtain free employment services, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and other support services from approved providers to achieve specific work-related and career goals.
· Participation is completely free and voluntary.
· The purpose of the TTW program is to help individuals with disabilities experience working while connecting them to support and services they need to succeed in the workplace.
· The goal of the TTW program is to help SSDI and SSI beneficiaries who can and want to achieve financial independence.
· During the TTW program, participants do NOT lose their disability benefits.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)
LOS ANGELES, CA — Yesterday, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), in partnership with the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, hosted a Legal Observer Information Session in Downtown Los Angeles to educate community members on how to safely and effectively document immigration enforcement actions and protect their First Amendment rights.
The training comes amid a sharp escalation in immigration raids across Los Angeles and the country, and follows the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were acting as legal observers when they were shot and killed by federal agents.
“Legal observers play a critical role in our democracy,” said Rep. Gomez. “If Donald Trump and Republicans in power see an opportunity to lie about the facts of an incident, we’ve already seen that they will. Legal observers are there to make sure the truth is preserved, and the facts are not swept under the rug.”
During the session, attorneys and law students from the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic walked attendees through best practices for observing immigration enforcement actions, how to document interactions without interfering or escalating, and how to protect themselves and others while exercising their constitutional rights.
The event drew community organizations, nonprofit partners, and concerned residents seeking tools to protect their neighbors as enforcement activity intensifies. The Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic has served nearly 15,000 noncitizen clients and trains law students to provide free immigration legal services to East Los Angeles communities.
Rep. Gomez emphasized that this training is only the beginning, and that additional community-facing events are planned as his office continues pushing for oversight, accountability, and an end to Donald Trump’s unchecked national police force that puts lives at risk.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN News Central, where he made clear that Democrats are fighting back to protect the American people from the out-of-control, lawless behavior by ICE, DHS Secretary Noem and Donald Trump.
KATE BOLDUAN: Joining me now to talk about this is the Democratic Leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries. Leader, thank you so much for being here. I want to ask you first about Ilhan Omar, the Congresswoman. You heard Sara has done extensive—she was in the room at the time. Capitol Police have spoken out and said this is horrendous and this man should be brought to—have the toughest charges brought against him possible. The President spoke overnight about this, admitted that he had not seen the video, but told ABC News ‘she probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.’ What’s your reaction to this?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that’s a disgusting comment and the President’s lies and misinformation continue to fan the flames of these type of violent incidents. And it’s at a moment like this where we actually need leadership from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and it is something that we never get from this President. Ilhan Omar, of course, is a strong, courageous, hardworking public servant. This should have never happened. I’m thankful that she is physically okay. She’s mentally strong, as is always the case, and we stand by her.
KATE BOLDUAN: Much more to learn about all of that still. You posted yesterday with regard to DHS, what’s happening in Minneapolis, the Secretary of Homeland Security. You put out a statement yesterday that said, ‘dramatic changes at the Department of Homeland Security are needed…Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings…We can do this the easy way or the hard way.’ Does that mean you now support the effort to try and impeach Kristi Noem?
LEADER JEFFRIES:Donald Trump needs to fire Kristi Noem immediately. We know that she is a malignant, corrupt, pathological liar. She’s unqualified. She never should have been confirmed by Republicans in the United States Senate. She is creating harm to the American people. Taxpayer dollars are actually being used by the Department of Homeland Security to kill American citizens and to brutalize law-abiding immigrant families, that’s unacceptable. So she’s gotta go—
KATE BOLDUAN: Okay, short of him firing her, you support moving towards impeachment?
LEADER JEFFRIES:We will commence impeachment proceedings against Kristi Noem in the absence of her being fired.
KATE BOLDUAN: Do you want to force a vote unilaterally, or do you want to launch an investigation in the minority?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re in conversation with Bennie Thompson, Jamie Raskin, Robert Garcia about next steps in the process. We want to make the case to the American people as to why Kristi Noem’s continued leadership creates problems in terms of the health, the safety and the well-being of the American people. And we’ll do that in ways that Democrats have done in the past even though we’re in the minority because the issue is significant enough. We’ve held hearings on other issues such as the cost of living, protecting Social Security, the healthcare of the American people. We can hold hearings as it relates to how destructive Kristi Noem’s continued presence will be.
KATE BOLDUAN: Virtue signaling and a messaging operation is— can be worthwhile, especially when you’re trying to speak to the public, but is that enough, if that’s what this ends up being?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Congress has the power to impeach someone who has committed crimes against the Constitution and the American people. So it’s not virtue signaling—
KATE BOLDUAN: But, when you are in the majority. When you are in the majority.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, no. As you know, the impeachment process is one of the few areas where every single Member has the privilege to bring a resolution to the floor of the House of Representatives and, at the appropriate time, force an up-or-down vote. By the way, even though we’ve been in the minority, we’ve compelled Republicans to move legislation to release the Epstein files. We’ve compelled Republicans to move legislation to wipe away one of Trump’s most toxic executive orders, which is stripping rights away from more than a million different hardworking federal employees, collective bargaining rights. And of course, House Democrats, against all odds, were able to move a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits—in the minority—and all 213 House Democrats were joined by 17 Republicans to protect the healthcare of the American people. If we’ve done it before, we can do it again.
KATE BOLDUAN: On this issue, many Republicans are not okay with what they’re seeing in Minneapolis either. As I mentioned, this seems a break from the President on this immigration effort in a bigger way than we have seen before. I mean, John Thune yesterday called this moment after Alex Pretti’s death an inflection point. I want to play for you also what Thom Tillis said, because he is now the first, I would say, think it’s the first in his party to call for Noem’s firing. Let me play this for you.
RECORDING OF SENATOR TILLIS: I think if Noem looks at her body of work, I could not be—if I were in her position, I can’t think of any point of pride over the last year. She is taking this administration into the ground on an issue that we should own. We should own the issue of border security and immigration. But they have destroyed that for Republicans, something that got the President elected. They have destroyed it through their incompetence.
KATE BOLDUAN: Bipartisanship is not something we find on Capitol Hill very often, for sure. Do you see an ally in Thom Tillis?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Thom Tillis is correct in his observations. The administration has been a disaster for the American people. They failed on the economy, failed to lower the high cost of living, failed on healthcare.They’re ripping healthcare away from the American people. By the way, in their One Big Ugly Bill, they enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history and, in the same bill, gave the Department of Homeland Security $191 billion in taxpayer money, $75 billion of which went to ICE. That taxpayer money is now being used to kill American citizens. It’s all unacceptable. We need Department of Homeland Security agents to behave like every other law enforcement agency in the country, not like a toxic paramilitary organization.
KATE BOLDUAN: Do—you say he has his facts right, but do you commend him for speaking out where a lot of Republicans don’t? Even John Thune calling this an inflection point. Do you see allies in them in this effort?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to work with anyone on the other side of the aisle who actually understands that dramatic changes are needed to the manner in which the Trump administration has been conducting itself with respect to immigration policy. The American people are demanding change, and we’re going to aggressively support it.
KATE BOLDUAN: Change. Define change. I know—and don’t give me the line of I’m not going to negotiate in public. Thune said—
LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s not a line that I often use, by the way—
KATE BOLDUAN: True, true, true. Thune said, ‘What do Democrats want?’ in terms of changes in order to approve the funding that is now before you. Is Noem out enough to support DHS funding?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Kristi Noem being fired or removed from office is, of course, not enough. It’s a start—
KATE BOLDUAN: What is the change?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, there’s a variety of different things that have been put on the table. First of all, there’s the basic value and principle that taxpayer dollars can’t be used to kill American citizens, to brutalize American communities and to target—violently—law-abiding citizens—
KATE BOLDUAN: Currently, that’s not a policy that says you can use taxpayer dollars to kill American citizens, you see what I’m saying?—
LEADER JEFFRIES: No, that’s clearly what’s happening. We have a DHS killing machine. The American people have seen it. That’s the reality of what happened to Alex Pretti. It’s the reality of what happened to Renee Nicole Good. It’s the reality to the fact that dozens of people have actually died in ICE detention over the last year. This is an administration that promised to deport violent felons. We all support that, but that’s not what’s happening right now. We also need ICE to conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country.That means judicial warrants. That means no masks. That means body cameras. That means when officers actually break the law, they should be held criminally accountable for their behavior. That’s what happens to every other law enforcement agency in the country. But you have this administration saying ICE is absolutely immune, which is part of the reason why you see these people behaving in this kind of rogue fashion.
KATE BOLDUAN: I see. Heard three suggestions at least for changes to DHS policy. Let’s see what happens. Thank you very much for coming in on a very critical day.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Know Your Immigration Rights
If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.
Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.
Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.
Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.
The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)
SHERMAN OAKS, CA– Today, Congressman Brad Sherman issued the following statement in response to yet another gas leak at Aliso Canyon (Porter Ranch), the site of the largest natural gas blowout in history:
“I have been fighting to close this natural gas storage facility down. Southern California Gas Company has refused to even try to develop a natural gas delivery system that is not dependent upon Aliso Canyon.
The California Public Utilities Commission has refused to require the development of a plan to shut Aliso Canyon down while continuing to provide natural gas service to the residents of Los Angeles County.
We have no idea whether today’s gas leak was more significant than described by Southern California Gas Company. But we know that today’s gas leak shows that it is long past time to shut it down.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA – Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), who represents Pacific Palisades, issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s Executive Order, regarding rebuilding after the Palisades wildfire:
“Pursuant to action taken by President Biden and at least not rescinded by President Trump, the federal government is providing $7 billion to California, including well over half the cost of rebuilding Palisades High School.
But Trump is doing everything to avoid spending a penny. Under Biden, there were supplemental appropriations to help the people hurt by Hurricane Ida, Hurricane Ian, the Maui fires, Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Milton.
Under Trump, there has been no supplemental appropriation to help the victims of Texas, Florida, the Eaton Fire, or the Palisades Fire, or any of the disasters that occurred in 2025. Not one penny.
The President issues an executive order which is clearly unconstitutional and a nullity as an excuse for not providing a supplemental appropriation, which would put money in the pockets of uninsured disaster victims.