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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted in Committee last night against the proposed $79 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.   

This measure funds (or should fund) the U.S. Department of Commerce, including the International Trade Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology; the U.S. Department of Justice; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); the National Science Foundation (NSF) and more.  

“As with prior appropriations bills this year, there were several aspects of the bill that I requested and were included and that I otherwise supported,” said Case.

“But the sum total of the bill as proposed by my majority colleagues would reduce key support for state and local law enforcement when that support is key, reduce support for our minority-owned businesses which are the majority of businesses in Hawaiʻi, undercut gun and domestic violence prevention, cripple our world-leading scientific research and development, undermine legal assistance for those who cannot afford representation, and otherwise continue an overall effort to reduce if not eliminate the necessary role of federal funding of initiatives that matter to real people in their everyday lives.”  

In Committee, Case also secured a direction to the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to produce its agreements with other federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for use by those other agencies of BOP facilities such as the Federal Detention Center (FDC)-Honolulu. The amendment was prompted by BOP’s refusal to provide to Case its agreement with ICE and details on ICE’s use of FDC-Honolulu and other facilities for ICE detainee needs.

Case remarked that a request by a Member of Congress for such information was a normal part of legislative, funding and oversight duties and any refusal to produce such information was not acceptable. His amendment was adopted, and his remarks in Committee (including support for funding of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), especially given Hawaii’s recent tsunami and hurricane close calls) are here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7mFWp4FpWc  

Through his assignment on the Committee, Case also secured the following five Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF) projects that specifically focused on local needs in Hawai‘i: 

·       $1 million for the Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources to survey and remove invasive coral spread at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.  

·       $1,031,000 for the University of Hawai‘i for its Fireshed Partnerships program, which would facilitate wildfire risk reduction.  

·       $1,031,000 for the Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources to restore fishpond habitat and enhance water quality at Maunalua Fishpond.  

·       $1,031,000 for Hawai‘i Pacific University to develop its Aquaculture Program, improving the workforce pipeline and bolstering the aquaculture industry in Hawaiʻi.  

·       $1 million for the Honolulu Police Department to do acquire a new Emergency Mobile Command Vehicle to replace its current vehicle which is over 20 years old.  

The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member and must be subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/services/funding-disclosures.htm.

Provisions with Case requested and which were provided in the measure include:

·                $397 million for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne-JAG). Byrne-JAG is the leading federal source of criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions.

The funds can be used to support a range of program areas including law enforcement; prosecution and court; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment and enforcement; planning, evaluation and technology improvement; and crime victim and witness initiatives.  

·                $654 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The COPS program is designed to provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.  

·                $52 million for grants to reduce the sexual assault kit backlog.  

·                $51 million for the Anti-Methamphetamine and Anti-Heroin Task Forces.  

·                $250 million for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which enhances the research competitiveness of Hawai‘i by strengthening STEM capacity and capability.  

·                $89 million for the Climate Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes program to support the maintenance and needed repairs at the Atmospheric Baseline Observatories, including the Mauna Loa Observatory where the famous Keeling Curve proving rapid climate change was developed.  

·                $84 million for STEM Engagement Programs at NASA. including Space Grant, to inspire young people to pursue future careers in science and engineering.  

·                $7.6 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop wildland-urban interface risk metrics to mitigate wildfire risk to communities.  

·                $33 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program.  

·                $67 million for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, which supports Papahānaumokuākea and our Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale sanctuaries.  

·                $68 million for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Protection, which safeguards our Hawaiian monk seals, dolphins, false killer whales and green sea turtles.  

·                $56 million for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which supports our Hawaii’s Pacific Island (Pac) IOOS. PacIOOS provides easily accessible coastal and ocean observing and forecasting to increase ocean safety and protect public and environmental health.  

·                $33.3 million for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, which includes support for our Heʻeia fishpond.  

·                $80 million for the Sea Grant Program, which supports the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program at the University of Hawaiʻi that promotes healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies and environmental literacy and workforce development.   

·                $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. This public-private partnership has centers in all 50 states, including Hawaiʻi, dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers.  

·                $4 million the Minority Business Development Agency specifically for Native American Business Development Program that awards grants to Tribes and American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian populations to address barriers to economic development, and another $5 million for grants to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian entities qualified to provide business, financing and technical assistance.   

·                $3.5M for the Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism position, which Case worked to establish in the Visit America Act to drive a cohesive federal response to the challenges facing the industry.

·                $20 million for the Climate Adaptation Partnership Program, which provides vital research that allows communities to prepare for and respond to long-term shifts in weather patterns, resource availability and coastal conditions.

A summary of the bill is available here.  

This is the last of twelve separate bills developed and approved by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1^st of this year. The bill now moves on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.

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

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) joined Representatives Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Darren Soto (D-FL-09), and over 64 of their colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump Administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the use of racial profiling in immigration enforcement.

Under the Fourth Amendment, federal agents generally may not stop someone unless agents have good reason to suspect they’re breaking laws. But a growing number of people — many of them Latino — have reported being targeted, harassed, and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents solely because of their race.

In July, a federal judge issued an order that stopped ICE from targeting people based on race, language, and work. However, this week the Supreme Court temporarily lifted the order while the case continues. As a result, ICE agents can resume making indiscriminate stops for the time being, underscoring the need for immediate answers and accountability from DHS on the use of racial profiling in immigration enforcement.

“We have been concerned by recent statements and actions undertaken by DHS that seem to indicate that the Department is unlawfully using race as a basis for conducting immigration enforcement operations,” wrote the lawmakers. “A strategy of immigration enforcement that singles out law-abiding people solely because of their race is at odds with our constitution’s commitment to both equality and freedom from unreasonable searches.”

Earlier this year, White House Border Czar Tom Homan stated in an interview that ICE agents “don’t need probable cause” to detain people and can instead rely on “observations… based on their location, their occupation, their physical appearance, their actions.”

“These kinds of indiscriminate, race-based detentions cause real harm,” the lawmakers continued. “In June, DHS conducted a worksite raid at a farm in Ventura County, California, where militarized agents violently detained hundreds of people, allegedly including U.S. citizens and those with work visas. As a result of the raid, Jaime Alanis, a farmworker at the farm, fell from a greenhouse and later died due to his injuries. In Los Angeles, ICE snatched Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, off the street, and detained her for two days, giving her nothing to drink for 24 hours. A U.S. citizen in Pico Rivera was assaulted and detained by agents in a Walmart parking lot.”

ICE data shows that between January 20 and July 28, 2025, ICE made more than 16,000 street arrests of immigrants with no criminal convictions, charges or removal orders. Over half of these arrests were made between June and July alone, with Latinos accounting for 90% of the arrests, meaning that nearly one in five arrests made by ICE is a Latino with no criminal history.

Read the full letter HERE and below:

Secretary Noem:

We write in response to recent incidents that have raised questions about the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s use of race in immigration enforcement. Recent statements and actions undertaken by Department officials have called into question whether stop and arrest decisions are being made based not on legitimate law enforcement reasons but on unconstitutional racial bias.

The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law.  This guarantee generally prevents the government from treating people differently based on their race without a compelling reason that is “narrowly tailored.”  The Fourth Amendment similarly prevents the government from conducting unreasonable searches and seizures, including searches without a warrant or probable cause.  It is well established that these limitations extend to the conduct of immigration law enforcement officers.  Away from the border, immigration agents can only make a stop when they have identified “specific articulable facts, together with rational inferences from those facts, that reasonably warrant suspicion” that the person is violating immigration law.

Given these well-established limitations, we have been concerned by recent statements and actions undertaken by DHS that seem to indicate that the Department is unlawfully using race as a basis for conducting immigration enforcement operations.

In July, Border Czar Tom Homan stated in an interview that “people need to understand ICE officers and Border Patrol don’t need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them . . . based on their physical appearance.”  As you know, to conduct a warrantless arrest, an immigration agent needs to establish probable cause that the person targeted is not only violating an immigration law or regulation, but also that they pose a flight risk.  And even for a brief detention, immigration agents need reasonable suspicion.  Mr. Homan’s statement seems to indicate that it is the policy of this administration that immigration agents can satisfy those requirements based solely on someone’s physical features and what they may mean about their racial identity.  ICE data shows that between January 20 and July 28, 2025, ICE made more than 16,000 street arrests of immigrants with no criminal convictions, charges, or removal orders.  Over half of these arrests were made between June and July alone, with Latinos accounting for 90% of arrests.  This means that nearly one in five arrests made by ICE is a Latino with no criminal history.  

Similar concerns prompted the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to order the Trump Administration to halt its practice of racial profiling in immigration enforcement.  This summer, Judge Frimpong found that the Administration has engaged in a pattern of stops and arrests based on four impermissible factors, including a person’s “apparent race or identity.” The judge made this finding after the Administration was unable to provide details that supported their claim that the stops and arrests —including the arrest of U.S. Citizens— were based on actual “intelligence” or an “investigation” that indicated they were breaking the law.  Without additional information, Judge Frimpong explained that it was improper to base arrests on these factors, including racial identity, because they were “no more indicative of illegal presence in the country than of legal presence.”  On September 8, 2025, the Supreme Court temporarily lifted this order as the case is appealed, allowing immigration enforcement officers to continue to make indiscriminate stops based on racial factors for the time being.  In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued that through its use of indiscriminate stops“[t]he Government…has all but declared that all Latinos, U.S. citizens or not, who work low wage jobs are fair game to be seized at any time.” 

These kinds of indiscriminate, race-based detentions cause real harm. In June, DHS conducted a worksite raid at a farm in Ventura County, California, where militarized agents violently detained hundreds of people, allegedly including U.S. citizens and those with work visas.  As a result of the raid, Jaime Alanis, a farmworker at the farm, fell from a greenhouse and later died due to his injuries.  In Los Angeles, ICE snatched Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, off the street, and detained her for two days, giving her nothing to drink for 24 hours.  A U.S. citizen in Pico Rivera was assaulted and detained by agents in a Walmart parking lot. 

Two U.S. citizens in Montebello were forcefully interrogated by Border Patrol agents on the street about their citizenship, one was later taken to a detention center.  Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a U.S. citizen, was detained by Florida authorities and charged with entering the country as an “unauthorized alien,” and was detained in county jail for more than 24 hours.  In Arizona, Jose Hermosillo, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, was wrongfully detained for 10 days. 

Such a pattern of apparent discrimination is even more concerning given that the Department gutted the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), which would normally investigate complaints regarding the violations of civil rights.  According to whistleblowers, when the Department initially moved to shutter the office, it halted over 500 civil rights investigations.  Without a robust CRCL, it will be difficult for those whose rights have been violated by ICE to obtain relief through any avenue other than the court system.

A strategy of immigration enforcement that singles out law-abiding people solely because of their race is at odds with our constitution’s commitment to both equality and freedom from unreasonable searches. Accordingly, we ask for the following information by September 30th, 2025: 

1. Does the Department have a policy on how immigration officers can use race in making determinations about when to stop or arrest someone? If so, what is the policy?
2. Does the Department agree with Border Czar Homan’s statement that “ICE officers and Border Patrol don’t need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them . . . based on their physical appearance”? 
3. Mr. Sean Skedzielewski, an attorney for the government, has been quoted as saying that the “Department of Homeland Security has policy and training to ensure compliance with the Fourth Amendment.”  Please provide copies of all related training materials and any training materials that address racial profiling, discrimination or bias.
4. What steps has the Department taken to ensure that agents are upholding protections against racial profiling provided by the U.S. Constitution, including the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause?
5. Since January 20, 2025, how many complaints have been filed with the Department alleging that an arrest or stop was based on race?
6. During that same time frame, what actions has the Department taken to respond to complaints that an immigration enforcement action was unlawfully motivated by race?
7. How has the Department’s gutting of the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties affected its ability to respond to such complaints?
8. What is the Department’s policy regarding how it responds to an allegation that a stop or arrest was unlawfully undertaken based on race?
9. When the agency determines that a stop or arrest was improperly motivated by race, what steps does the Department take in response? How does the Department ensure that there is accountability?  

We look forward to receiving your prompt response. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“Democrats are going to fight to lower the high costs of living our families face, and we will work to stop President Trump from continuing to freeze and steal funds our local communities were already promised. Life is just not affordable for Florida families. Costs for housing, rent, healthcare, utility, and food prices are all climbing. That’s what Democrats will focus on in any spending plan and I hope Republicans come to the table to negotiate in good faith.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

September 11, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday in favor of six amendments introduced by U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) to H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. “I am pleased to announce the adoption and passage of six of my amendments in this year’s NDAA,” said Rep. Steube. “These provisions will strengthen our national security, reinforce key alliances in the Middle East, and ensure greater support for our veterans and servicemembers. I look forward to seeing these measures deliver meaningful results for the American people both at home and abroad.”Background: The U.S. House of Representatives passed the following amendments to the NDAA submitted by Representative Steube by voice votes:

Amendment No. 4 — Requires Congress be briefed on the status of deliveries to the Government of Israel of any military aircraft or air-launched munitions that are approved for transfer but are either undelivered or only partially delivered.
Amendment No. 279 — Prioritizes local law enforcement agencies for the adoption of ceremonial horses no longer utilized by the U.S. Army.
Amendment No. 280 — Extends and modifies the annual report to Congress on the Iranian military.
Amendment No. 281 — Requires the Defense Health Agency to develop a plan to reopen any previously closed chiropractic clinic on a military installation and to pay chiropractors under the GS scale. 
Amendment No. 282 — Requires an annual report to Congress on cooperation between the United States and Israel to increase the production capacity and inventory of the Arrow interceptor.
Amendment No. 283 — Requires an annual report to Congress on U.S.-Israel military exercises, emphasizing the mutual benefit of the relationship between the United States and Israel. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., today reintroduced legislation that would improve child nutrition by expanding access to locally-grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for school meal programs.

“As costs skyrocket for poor and working families thanks to Trump’s reckless tariffs and cuts to nutrition assistance and health care, it could not be a more critical time to invest in school meal programs to provide our kids with the nutritious food they need to thrive,” Jayapal said. “The pilot program this legislation would extend has been a major success for both students and local farmers in my home state of Washington, and I’m proud to support this effort, expanding it to more communities nationwide. Nutritious meals should be available for our kids — regardless of zip code.”

“It’s not rocket science: healthy foods at school set up kids to be successful in and outside of the classroom,” Wyden said. “That’s why I am working to bring fresh foods grown from local farms to school cafeterias in Oregon and across America. This bill ensures that every child – no matter their zip code – has a school lunch that fuels their brains.”

“Healthy, nutritious foods are essential for the wellbeing of our kids and the future of our communities,” Welch said. “This bill will help more kids access locally grown fruits and vegetables and connect our farmers with new markets in their communities. That’s a win for Vermont kids and for our farms. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this important and much-needed legislation.”

“Access to healthy, local foods is good for both students and farmers,” Bennet said. “The Local School Foods Expansion Act will build on the already successful pilot program and allow more states to participate.”

Wyden and then-U.S. Representative Welch secured in the 2014 Farm Bill a pilot program that helped schools buy and serve a wider variety of fresh produce, while ensuring schools in participating states have more flexibility to source fresh foods from local vendors. However, the current program is limited to eight states, including California, Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The Local School Foods Expansion Act would expand on this pilot program and make it permanent, giving more states and school food authorities the flexibility to expand nutritious food access in school lunches and develop new relationships with local farmers, growers, and producers. Specifically, the bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create a program for at least 14 participating states and school food authorities to buy locally-grown, fresh fruits and vegetables with existing National School Lunch Program funds.

“The Local School Foods Expansion Act will maximize federal dollars so that school nutrition professionals have options to get kids the freshest options in a time of rising costs, and help small family farmers get a better return on their hard work,” said Karen Spangler, Policy Director at National Farm to School Network.

“Efforts by school nutrition professionals to expand student access to locally grown and raised foods were hard hit by USDA’s recent elimination of the Local Food for Schools program. The Local School Foods Expansion Act takes a critical first step in bolstering local sourcing efforts by helping to build relationships between schools and produce growers to increase the amount of fresh, local fruits and vegetables on students’ breakfast and lunch trays,” said Stephanie Dillard, President at School Nutrition Association, MS, SNS.

The text of the bill is here.

A web version of this release is here. 

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

WASHINGTON – Rising energy demand from AI data centers has led to higher utility costs for consumers. To address this challenge, U.S Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Blake Moore (UT-01) introduced H.R. 5227 – Unleashing Low-Cost Rural AI Act, bipartisan legislation to require the U.S. Departments of Energy, Interior, and Agriculture to study the impact of AI data center expansions in rural America.
“AI Data Centers are expanding rapidly and using more energy and water than entire cities. That energy demand is driving up utility costs for consumers,” said Congressman Costa. “My legislation ensures we take a hard look at how this growth impacts rural communities that are powering the AI industry, and make sure families aren’t left paying the price.  But at the same time, it’s important that rural communities are not left behind in the new opportunities that AI data centers will provide for agricultural sciences and an improved ability to compete in this modern era.”
“As a leader in both tech and energy innovation, Utah is a prime location for data centers and AI infrastructure. Cementing our role as an innovation hub will require identifying rural areas ready for data expansion, streamlining permitting for new energy projects, and promoting the co-location of data centers with energy facilities,” Congressman Moore said. “These efforts will power our growing digital demands without passing costs on to families. I’m grateful to partner with Representative Costa to introduce the Unleashing Low-Cost Rural AI Act to identify other areas of the country, like Utah, that will advance solutions to meet our energy needs.”BACKGROUNDArtificial Intelligence (AI) data centers are increasingly being built in rural areas to power the AI industry. This surge has led to increased energy demand and higher utility costs for consumers. PJM, the world’s largest energy market that covers 13 U.S. states from Illinois to Washington, D.C., estimates that data centers are responsible for an added $9.3 billion in costs for ratepayers.
The Unleashing Low-Cost Rural AI Act would require the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Interior, and Energy to conduct a joint study on the impact of AI data center expansions in rural areas. Specifically, it would identify rural areas poised for technological expansions and the impact of such expansion on energy supply, reliability, and costs to consumers.
This study would also look at ways to upgrade existing energy infrastructure so AI and data centers can be built alongside power facilities. It will review not just nuclear and geothermal energy, but also hydroelectric dams, solar, wind, battery storage, and carbon capture.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)  – along with 21 bipartisan Members of Congress representing the Chesapeake Bay watershed region – called for a new Chesapeake Bay agreement that sets ambitious, measurable, and achievable targets, especially for water quality improvement and pollution reduction, in order to restore and protect the Bay. The lawmakers letter comes as the Chesapeake Executive Council (CEC) seeks public feedback on its “Beyond 2025” Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Revision Draft. In their letter to the CEC, the lawmakers emphasize their commitment to continuing strong federal funding for Bay restoration while stressing that a robust agreement among the states in the watershed is needed to maximize the use of those resources to address the many factors putting strain on the health of the Bay.

Congressman Hoyer joined Senator Van Hollen on this letter along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), as well as Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Sarah McBride (DE), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07).

The lawmakers wrote, “As federal representatives for the Bay region, we are working hard to ensure that we maintain strong funding for the Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program as well as the other critical federal programs that support ecosystem restoration in the Bay watershed. While federal resources will continue to play an essential role in achieving our vision of a healthy Bay, we know that we cannot arrive at our many goals through such funding alone. A robust Watershed Agreement that sets measurable targets that are both ambitious and achievable is key to unlocking the full potential of federal support for the Bay and its watershed. Therefore, we are closely monitoring the PSC’s work to update the agreement to meet current and future challenges.”

They also expressed appreciation that the draft revised agreement proposes a “holistic” approach to the many challenges to the Bay’s health, writing, “Today, the Bay and its watershed face numerous interrelated and pressing challenges, including falling populations of key fish and wildlife species, emerging pollutants of concern, agricultural land and forest depletion, shifting environmental dynamics, and the prevalence of invasive species. We appreciate that the draft revised Watershed Agreement addresses these issues in a holistic manner, maintaining strong water quality and habitat restoration goals at its core, while also pursuing outcomes to deliver healthy landscapes, vibrant living resources, and engaged communities throughout the Bay.”

The lawmakers go on to urge the Principals’ Staff Committee (PSC) to set new restoration goals with clear targets and timelines, linked to the legally mandated total daily maximum load (TMDL) requirements; regularly engage the public to promote transparency and accountability for carrying out the agreement; and retain flexibility to adapt to evolving science and Bay conditions.

“The PSC should also seek to ensure that the final Watershed Agreement lays out clear timelines for meeting its recommended targets, particularly in relation to its water quality and pollution reduction goals. Improving water quality by reducing excess nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, as well as other emerging contaminants, is essential to revitalizing the Bay’s living resources and supporting local economies and recreation opportunities. […] Additionally, we urge the PSC to clearly express the relationship between these deadlines, implementation plans, and the legally mandated Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements in the finalized agreement to maintain public confidence in our shared commitments to meet our water quality goals,” they wrote.

“Improving the health of the Bay will require continued cooperation from all of us at the federal, state, and local levels of government, in partnership with tribal communities, non-governmental organizations, private businesses, landowners, academic experts, and the public. As we continue our work to deliver the federal resources for the Bay necessary to achieve our goals, we encourage the PSC to put forward a bold updated Watershed Agreement that will maximize the impact of these funds and demonstrate to our constituents the importance of our collective efforts,” the lawmakers closed.

Text of the letter can be viewed here and below.

Members of the Chesapeake Executive Council:

We write as Members of Congress representing the Chesapeake Bay watershed to provide feedback on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Beyond 2025 Revision Draft. We appreciate this opportunity to provide input as the Principals’ Staff Committee (PSC) continues its important work to propose updates to the 2014 Watershed Agreement at this crucial moment in our collective efforts to restore the health of the Bay and the rivers and streams throughout its watershed.

As federal representatives for the Bay region, we are working hard to ensure that we maintain strong funding for the Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program as well as the other critical federal programs that support ecosystem restoration in the Bay watershed. While federal resources will continue to play an essential role in achieving our vision of a healthy Bay, we know that we cannot arrive at our many goals through such funding alone. A robust Watershed Agreement that sets measurable targets that are both ambitious and achievable is key to unlocking the full potential of federal support for the Bay and its watershed. Therefore, we are closely monitoring the PSC’s work to update the agreement to meet current and future challenges.

Today, the Bay and its watershed face numerous interrelated and pressing challenges, including falling populations of key fish and wildlife species, emerging pollutants of concern, agricultural land and forest depletion, shifting environmental dynamics, and the prevalence of invasive species. We appreciate that the draft revised Watershed Agreement addresses these issues in a holistic manner, maintaining strong water quality and habitat restoration goals at its core, while also pursuing outcomes to deliver healthy landscapes, vibrant living resources, and engaged communities throughout the Bay.

In the final updated Watershed Agreement, the PSC should strive to put forward clearly defined targets that emphasize local ecosystem and quality of life benefits where they will be felt most by our constituents in the watershed. Stating the goals of the revised agreement without ambiguity will inspire accountability among stakeholders and promote transparency in efforts to monitor and communicate progress toward these targets.

To that end, the PSC should also seek to ensure that the final Watershed Agreement lays out clear timelines for meeting its recommended targets, particularly in relation to its water quality and pollution reduction goals. Improving water quality by reducing excess nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, as well as other emerging contaminants, is essential to revitalizing the Bay’s living resources and supporting local economies and recreation opportunities.

We recognize that the updated Bay water pollution model is forthcoming and will inform the long-term targets that are set, and we appreciate that the draft revised Watershed Agreement sets a December 2030 deadline for revising pollution reduction targets and implementation plans based on the updated model. Additionally, we urge the PSC to clearly express the relationship between these deadlines, implementation plans, and the legally mandated Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements in the finalized agreement to maintain public confidence in our shared commitments to meet our water quality goals.

Furthermore, public understanding of the goals and mechanisms of the updated Watershed Agreement will be crucial to its successful implementation. Therefore, in the final agreement, the PSC should strive to use specific but accessible language so that the public can hold the signatories accountable for making progress toward stated targets. We also encourage the agreement’s signatories and implementing partners to continue active public engagement after the updated agreement is finalized to ensure that our constituents can monitor its progress and have additional opportunities to provide feedback.

Finally, we applaud the PSC for including mechanisms for adaptive management in the draft agreement, which are crucial to ensuring that the finalized Watershed Agreement is informed by the most up-to-date science and capable of responding to changing environmental conditions. Uncertainty caused by shifting ecological dynamics has complicated the task of restoring the Bay and exacerbated many of the fundamental challenges to our efforts. Ensuring flexibility to respond to new obstacles as they arise will be necessary to support the updated agreement’s continued success.

Improving the health of the Bay will require continued cooperation from all of us at the federal, state, and local levels of government, in partnership with tribal communities, non-governmental organizations, private businesses, landowners, academic experts, and the public. As we continue our work to deliver the federal resources for the Bay necessary to achieve our goals, we encourage the PSC to put forward a bold updated Watershed Agreement that will maximize the impact of these funds and demonstrate to our constituents the importance of our collective efforts.

We appreciate this opportunity to provide feedback on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Beyond 2025 Revision Draft and look forward to reviewing the finalized document. Thank you for your consideration and ongoing partnership as we work toward a healthy Bay and watershed for all.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today commemorating the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001:

“What we witnessed 24 years ago today is forever etched in America’s memory: the wall of smoke and debris that swallowed lower Manhattan, the flaming gash in the side of Pentagon, the column of smoke looming over a field in Shanksville. But that is not all we remember of that terrible day. We remember how first responders bravely rushed to the scene, how the passengers of United 93 gave their lives to save our Capitol, how Americans across the country of every background and political persuasion stood together, indivisible. Indeed, one of the greatest days of infamy in American history also reminded us of the integrity of the American people.
 
“As we mark 24 years since the September 11 terror attacks, we continue to pray for the 2,977 innocent people killed that day. We also recommit ourselves to care for the families of those we lost and survivors who still bear scars from that attack. That sacred duty is why I brought legislation to the Floor as House Majority Leader in 2019 to reauthorize the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund permanently. That same commitment is why I will continue fighting to protect the World Trade Center Health Program, which has been the target of abhorrent partisan attacks these past nine months.

“We owe it to the victims of that day not only to care for their memory and for those they left behind but to find the same faith in our fellow Americans that we did 24 years ago. Let us remember that when united in common cause, Americans can overcome any challenge.”