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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Richard Hudson (NC-09), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) introduced the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, bipartisan legislation to protect seniors’ access to essential laboratory services. Without reform to the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, deep cuts under that payment system are set to begin in January 2026 will threaten timely access to care for America’s seniors. Senators Thom Tillis (NC) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (GA) have filed a companion bill. 

“Strong clinical laboratories are vital to delivering high-quality care, especially for seniors who depend on timely testing to maintain their health,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “The RESULTS Act will protect access to these essential services and help ensure that families in Florida—and across the country—can continue to receive the care they need.”

“Clinical labs are the backbone of modern medicine, providing diagnostics and detections to inform decisions and give patients and doctors the answers they need,” said Rep. Hudson. “By passing the RESULTS Act, we can stop devastating cuts that would have threatened access to routine and lifesaving tests. This bipartisan bill delivers stability, cuts red tape, and ensures seniors and families can continue to count on timely, accurate results. I’m proud to have led this fight and deliver a commonsense solution that protects patients and strengthens care.” 

“It is critically important that seniors have uninterrupted access to innovative diagnostic tests,” said Senator Tillis. “The Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act is a necessary step toward ensuring this access and supporting seniors’ health care needs. I’m proud to work with my colleagues to permanently fix flawed data collection and reporting methods which will allow Medicare beneficiaries to continue receiving quality and affordable lab services.”    

“Access to quality clinical labs is essential to keeping our seniors living long, healthy lives,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud to partner with my colleague Senator Tillis to put forward this legislative fix that will help ensure Georgia seniors will continue to have access to high-quality diagnostic services.”

“I’ve long championed early detection as the cornerstone of prevention and quality care. Through my work with PA-1 health advocates and partners, I know how critical clinical labs are to keeping our seniors healthy and strengthening our health system. Without ensuring a sustainable solution, labs will close, care will be delayed, and our seniors will pay the price. The RESULTS Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution to block these cuts, protect essential services, and ensure seniors across the country have access to timely care,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

“Clinical labs drive innovation in health care and better medicine, from early detection to guiding lifesaving treatments,” said Rep. Peters. “The RESULTS Act protects access to these essential medical services and ensures our health system can keep pace with patients’ growing Health care needs. I’m proud to support this effort to strengthen care for seniors and families in California and across the nation.”

“Seniors across America rely on timely, accurate lab tests to detect disease, guide treatment, and prevent serious health problems. The RESULTS Act ensures those services remain accessible and affordable while fostering innovation in our health system. I’m proud to partner with colleagues from both sides of the aisle on this legislation to safeguard this lifeline for families in Illinois and nationwide.” saidRep. Krishnamoorthi.

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) voted for H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 231-196. The bill supports our military personnel and families, strengthens our national defense, modernizes our military capabilities, and includes two amendments introduced by Rep. Hill that will directly benefit central Arkansas.

Rep. Hill said, “Maintaining a strong national defense is one of Congress’s most important responsibilities. With aggression from foreign adversaries like China and Russia continuing, and a security environment that is increasingly dynamic and complex, America’s military must have the capabilities necessary to confront emerging challenges. This bill makes critical investments to keep our forces the strongest in the world. It delivers well-deserved pay raises for servicemembers in Arkansas and ensures they have the weapons, training, and support needed to deter threats and defend our nation.

“I am especially proud that two of my amendments were included in this year’s NDAA. The first requires the Air Force to submit a report on C-130J training capacity and requirements, which could result in more C-130Js being assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base. The second supports the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, which provides world-class marksmanship training for National Guard members from across the country.”

Background:

H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Fiscal Year 2026, authorizes approximately $892.6 billion for national defense, including $844 billion for the Department of Defense and $34 billion for the Department of Energy. The legislation provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for all servicemembers, expands military bonuses and special pay, increases the Family Separation Allowance, broadens housing allowance eligibility, and enhances bereavement and convalescent leave. It also accelerates modernization by funding next-generation platforms such as F-35 fighters, KC-46 tankers, B-21 bombers, naval vessels, and missile defense systems, and restores a focus on lethality, merit, and accountability.

Rep. Hill’s Amendments

• C-130J Training Report: Requires the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report on the  C-130J Formal Training Unit (FTU), which is responsible for training all future Air National Guard C-130J pilots and loadmasters. The report will review C-130J training throughput, backlogs, annual training numbers, and plans for FY 2027-2030 to ensure the Air National Guard’s transition to C-130Js is adequately supported.
• National Guard Marksmanship Training Center (NGMTC): Requires the Secretary of the Army to designate the NGMTC as an institution under the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), make its courses Guard-centric, award Guardsmen a Master Marksmanship Training identifier, integrate programs into the Army Program Objective Memorandum, and ensure the NGMTC remains within the Arkansas National Guard.

Learn more by clicking HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

This week, Rep. French Hill’s amendment to highlight the Little Red River’s application to the Sustainable Rivers Program passed the House unanimously. Rep. Hill introduced an amendment to H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, which provides critical funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Energy through September 30, 2026.

Rep. Hill said, “The Little Red River is a world-class trout fishery and a cornerstone of Arkansas’s outdoor recreation economy. My amendment ensures its application to the Sustainable Rivers Program receives the full and fair consideration it deserves so future generations of Arkansans can enjoy this treasure of the Natural State, just as I have.”

Ben Batten, Deputy Director, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said, “The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s commissioners and leadership are appreciative of Congressman Hill’s support of this work on the Little Red River. This is an incredibly valuable resource for the state, and we hope that this project will help us better protect and support the fishery in the future.”

Mark Saviers, Board Chair, The Nature Conservancy Arkansas, said, “We greatly appreciate Congressman Hill’s leadership and strong support for the Sustainable Rivers Program that helps strengthen our waterways by enhancing fish and wildlife habitat while advancing conservation and outdoor recreation. Through this partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy, we’ve already seen success on the Cossatot, Black, and Fourche La Fave rivers, and we look forward to continuing this work to ensure our rivers serve both people and nature.”

Ed Drilling, President, The Little Red River Foundation, said, “Thank you Congressman Hill for your efforts to obtain this SRP designation for the Little Red River. This will mean a great deal for the fishery and the economies of Cleburne and White Counties.”

Background:

Rep. Hill’s amendment highlights funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Operations and Maintenance account that supports the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP). 

As the Natural State, Arkansas welcomes millions of visitors each year to enjoy its rivers, lakes, and natural beauty. Recreational fishing alone contributes an estimated $1.2 billion and 10,000 jobs to the state’s economy. The Little Red River, home to a thriving wild brown trout population, offers more than 25 miles of premier trout fishing and held the world record for brown trout until 2009. 

Its inclusion in the SRP would allow the Corps to study water trends and implement stewardship practices to strengthen fisheries and improve long-term river management.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP), and member of the Defense Subcommittee, released the following statement after the passage of H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 SPEED and NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are restoring our military’s focus on its core mission of protecting the homeland and revitalizing the American military to defend the national security interests of the United States and its people.

“Among its many achievements, the Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA implements President Trump’s Peace Through Strength Agenda, revitalizes the defense industrial base to equip our troops with needed capabilities in the quickest, most cost-effective manner, and improves Servicemember quality of life through a 3.8% pay raise and $1.4 billion in funding for military housing.

“It also reauthorizes and expands military bonuses and special pay, restores lethality and warrior ethos by ending wokeism in the military, and strengthens border security by fully funding deployment of National Guard and active-duty troops at the southwest border.”

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26) issued the following statement on the passing of Charlie Kirk:

“Charlie Kirk, an American patriot who has dedicated his life to sharing with the world one of America’s key pillars of democracy –freedom of speech– has been murdered in an act of pure evil and political violence. I am gutted and horrified. Political violence has NO place in our country. I hope those responsible are found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. My deepest condolences are with Charlie’s wife, Erika, and his two children.”

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) today voted against the current version of the National Defense Authorization Act, citing its failure to include safeguards against the President’s unchecked use of military force at home.

“I am opposing this NDAA because it fails to rein in the President’s abuses of executive power, including the domestic use of our military. My amendment to require a governor’s request before any president can unilaterally deploy active-duty troops or federalize the National Guard would have been a critical safeguard, but Republicans wouldn’t even put it up for a vote. At a time when this President is actively threatening to militarize my home state, the exclusion of this necessary protection is nonnegotiable.”

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

WASHINGTON – Today at the House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing titled “Better Meals, Fewer Pills: Making Our Children Healthy Again,” Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) condemned the Trump administration’s policies for worsening children’s health through cuts to critical programs, attacks on vaccines, and economic policies driving up food costs. In his opening statement, Krishnamoorthi emphasized the stakes:

“Every day I come to work, I think about what I can do in Congress to ensure that children in this country will have a better future than the generations before them. HHS and USDA have unfortunately contributed to a worsening health crisis by slashing critical programs like SNAP and Medicaid, and by undermining public trust in vaccines and medical research that are proven to help keep children healthy.”

He noted that President Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will cut off SNAP benefits for hundreds of thousands of families and slash Medicaid coverage for 15 million Americans—closures that could shutter at least 11 hospitals in Illinois alone. “As a child, my family relied on food stamps when my father lost his job,” Krishnamoorthi added. “It is cruel to rip away this safety net from families just to hand tax breaks to the wealthiest.”

Krishnamoorthi also blasted HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his anti-vaccine rhetoric:

“RFK has made outrageous claims, literally saying that vaccinating our children is ‘a holocaust.’ These lies are driving states like Florida to roll back school vaccination mandates. Even President Trump admits that vaccines ‘work’ and ‘are not controversial at all.’ RFK should listen to his own president.”

Pressing Witnesses on SNAP Cuts, Suicide Prevention, and RFK’s Ties to Epstein

During his questioning, Krishnamoorthi pressed Dr. Dorothy Fink, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS, on three key issues:

• RFK and Epstein: Krishnamoorthi highlighted flight logs showing Secretary Kennedy flew on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane and socialized with sex traffickers, serial rapists, and other convicted criminals. He announced his intent to seek sworn testimony from Kennedy about his relationships with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

• LGBTQ Youth Suicide Hotline: He cited CDC data showing LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide and noted that calls to a specialized youth hotline doubled to 70,000 in June 2025. Yet HHS eliminated the program. “At a time when LGBTQ youth and children are reaching out for help like never before, this administration is shutting the door,” he said.

• Rising Food Costs and SNAP Cuts: Krishnamoorthi cited reports showing Trump’s tariffs drove wholesale vegetable prices up 40% in one month. He challenged USDA and HHS witnesses for defending SNAP cuts even as families struggle to afford basic healthy foods. “This is not junk food. These are peppers and broccoli whose prices are skyrocketing, and your administration is cutting the supports families need to buy them.”

Krishnamoorthi: “Children Deserve Better”

Krishnamoorthi concluded that the administration’s actions are actively harming children’s health:

“Any child can see the plain truth: this administration’s policies are harming our health and jeopardizing our future. If we truly care about making America’s children healthy again, the first step is holding HHS and USDA accountable for the roles they are playing in worsening our children’s health today.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s opening statement is available here and his question line is available here.

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) issued the following statement today after the State Department responded to his bipartisan May 7 letter urging the expansion of domestic visa renewals following the successful 2024 H-1B pilot program. The Department’s reply this month stated it does not intend to continue or expand the initiative and will instead require most applicants to appear in person abroad.

“The H-1B renewal pilot program was a commonsense initiative that made government more efficient, reduced backlogs for workers and businesses, and strengthened our legal immigration system — boosting our economy and creating good-paying American jobs,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Rather than expand this successful program as we urged in our bipartisan letter, the Trump administration has chosen to shut it down. Modernizing our immigration system with practical, bipartisan reforms is long overdue, and I will keep fighting for policies that grow our economy, honor the contributions of immigrant communities, and bring our system into the 21st century. As President Trump turns his back on South Asia and the South Asian diaspora in America, I will continue to stand with them.”

In May, Congressman Krishnamoorthi joined Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) and Rich McCormick (R-GA) in leading a bipartisan coalition urging Secretary Rubio to build on the 2024 domestic renewal pilot and expand it to additional visa categories. The lawmakers stressed that allowing renewals within the United States would alleviate bottlenecks overseas, reduce unnecessary burdens on workers and employers, and help ensure America remains a magnet for top global talent.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — The House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC) today held an initial hearing on the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, bipartisan legislation spearheaded by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and HNRC Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) that would reduce red tape and put the United States back in the business of building. 

The SPEED Act would modernize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline the permitting process and return the law to its intended purpose as a procedural statute for assessing the environmental impact of federal actions.

“Our country needs modern infrastructure to keep our people and our economy moving. We need robust power production and transmission to achieve energy dominance and lower costs. We need housing for families. But NEPA has been warped over time to become a law that allows endless lawsuits and bureaucracy that make it harder to build the things we need at the pace we need them,” Golden said. “By reforming NEPA while standing firm in our commitments through the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, we can be good stewards of our environment while ending a permitting status quo that is onerous, overly complex and ripe for litigation abuse.”

During the hearing, Golden spoke about the ways the bill would retain the ability of any interested party to weigh in on proposed projects, and about the delays NEPA has allowed for the development of all types of energy production — including clean energy. 

“The problems with the NEPA process are energy-neutral,” Golden said. “They can be detrimental to both fossil fuel and renewable energy projects. … These problems with NEPA can cut both ways and so too should the solutions. This is a pro-energy bill that takes an all-of-the-above, technology-neutral approach.” 

In response to questions from Golden, Jeremy Harrell, CEO of ClearPath — a nonprofit working to reduce global energy emissions — said America’s broken permitting system is “the single largest barrier to deploying new clean energy in this country.” Harrell pointed to the fact that solar energy projects face the highest rate of NEPA litigation of any energy source in the country.

WHAT’S IN THE BILL:

The SPEED Act will modernize NEPA to help streamline the permitting process and return the law to its intended purpose. It will: 

• ensure environmental reviews focus on direct, significant impacts rather than hypothetical or tenuously connected effects;
• create reasonable timelines for agency decisionmaking while protecting public comment and thorough environmental review;
• streamline judicial review to create more certainty for those working to build and to reduce opportunities for frivolous litigation; and
• improve efficiency and ease burden on agencies, including by clarifying when NEPA is triggered by refining the definition of “Major Federal Action” — a category that has grown so broad that nearly any federal action or funding can trigger a lengthy, complex review.

An independent review of the legislation from the Bipartisan Policy Center can be found here. 

BACKGROUND:

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a procedural statute that established parameters for assessing the environmental impacts of all major federal actions and created the Council on Environmental Quality. The procedural requirements in NEPA apply to all major federal actions, including but not limited to the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, highways, ports, irrigation systems, forest management, transmission lines, energy projects, broadband and water infrastructure.

While well-intentioned, NEPA has evolved into a cumbersome and lengthy process that has increased costs and permitting timelines. Additionally, NEPA has become a tool used by special interest groups to block critical infrastructure across the country, as it is currently the most litigated environmental statute.

This litigation is most often initiated not by communities or individuals, but by national NGOs. According to the Breakthrough Institute, NGOs filed more than 70 percent of all lawsuits filed under NEPA in recent years. According to the report, litigants lose their challenges 80 percent of the time. But what they lost in court, they made up for in delays; Litigation under NEPA added an average of four years to a project’s timeline. These kinds of delays can kill a project even when the litigation against it fails.

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