MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

Rep. Aguilar is working to pass legislation to better protect victims of mail theft and strengthen protections for mail carriers 

REDLANDS, CA – Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) held a press conference in front of the Redlands Post Office to highlight his efforts to combat mailbox theft and vandalism, protect mail carriers and improve public safety in the Inland Empire.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Aguilar secured changes to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Financial Services and General Government funding (FSGG) bill, urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) to respond to mailbox theft and vandalism more quickly and strengthen protections for consumers. Passing through committee with bipartisan support, these changes urge USPS to notify victims of mail theft sooner so they can take immediate steps to protect their finances and personal information. 
Additionally, as a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Protect Our Letter Carriers Act, Rep. Aguilar is working to strengthen protections for postal workers so they can do their jobs without fear of robbery or assault while delivering mail. You can watch the full video of the press conference here.
“Whether you live in an apartment building or a house, people in the Inland Empire deserve to receive their letters and packages safely and on time,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “I’ve heard from countless constituents, law enforcement and mail carriers about their frustrations with mail theft and the risks it poses to our community. That’s why I pushed for bipartisan changes in a recent funding bill to urge the Postal Service to respond faster to these problems and why I’m proud to support legislation to make it safer for mail carriers to do their jobs. I’ll keep fighting for these policies until they become law so everyone in our region can send, receive and deliver mail securely and without delay.” 
“Residents can help prevent theft by retrieving mail daily and as soon as possible after delivery, since mail left unattended creates greater opportunities for theft,” said Chief Rachel Tolber, Redlands Police Department. “If you are traveling or away from home, consider placing a temporary mail hold through the United States Postal Service so your mail can be securely held until your return. And if you become the victim of mail theft, report it to your local police department as soon as possible. Timely reporting helps law enforcement identify patterns, connect related crimes, investigate and alert the community when necessary. Preventing mail theft requires a strong partnership between local police, the United States Postal Service, legislators, and the community. Awareness, prevention, and timely reporting remain some of the most effective tools we have to combat these crimes.”
“NALC appreciates Rep. Aguilar for bringing letter carriers’ voice to this important event,” said Brian L. Renfroe, President, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). “Mail security starts with protecting the dedicated, hardworking letter carriers who deliver it. We appreciate the congressman’s support of the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act (H.R. 1065), and we look forward to working with Congress on ways to protect letter carriers and America’s mail.”

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

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) issued the statement below following the fire on Platform Habitat.

“I want to thank the U.S. Coast Guard, Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, and the Santa Barbara and Ventura County Fire Departments for safely evacuating the crew and extinguishing the fire on Platform Habitat. While we await a full investigation into the cause of the fire and any potential environmental impacts, today’s incident serves as a sobering reminder of the inherent risks that offshore drilling poses to our coast. Our community shouldn’t have to gamble with our environment, economy, and public health just to pad the pockets of Big Oil. I will continue to fight any plans to expand offshore drilling in our region, and advocate for alternative energy sources like wind and solar. These alternative energy sources are safer, reduce our dependence on volatile global oil markets, and lower energy costs for families.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Santa Rosa, CA – This week, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) presented a $250,000 check to the Sonoma County Community Development Commission to build a playground at the Tierra de Rosas Public Plaza in Roseland. This park is part of an affordable housing development under construction.  

“Proud to have secured $250,000 for the Tierra de Rosas Public Plaza playground,” said Thompson. “This funding will help provide a public space for local parents and kids to enjoy. Everyone deserves access to beautiful public spaces to come together as a community. Thank you to our local leaders who helped identify the need for this funding.”

“The contribution provided by Congressman Thompson helps create a neighborhood park that will be enjoyed by Roseland residents for decades to come,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey.

The funding will go to the Sonoma County Community Development Commission for the Tierra de Rosas Public Plaza Park Furnishings and Equipment. This is a final piece of the Tierra de Rosas Public Infrastructure Improvements Project to prepare for construction of a mixed-use development on a largely vacant shopping center property situated in the heart of Santa Rosa’s Roseland neighborhood.

The funding for this project is part of the $14,351,487 secured this year by Thompson for community projects in our district.

Each year, Members of Congress may direct federal funding to a limited number of community projects through the appropriations process. Under this program, each House member may submit a limited number of requests on behalf of their district for competitive review by the House Appropriations Committee. Projects selected for funding must meet strict transparency and accountability requirements before being included in federal appropriations legislation.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

WASHINGTON – Last Thursday, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) hosted his congressional district’s twelfth-annual reception for the Congressional Art Competition at the Otis College of Art and Design.

Students from 16 different high schools submitted 135 pieces of art for this year’s competition. These submissions included 35 photographs, 38 paintings, 48 drawings, 9 mixed-media pieces, and 5 other pieces that included computer-generated art. The winner, Hugh Saetia from Mira Costa High School, submitted a piece called “Denial.” 

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students who reside in California’s 36th District. The first-place winner’s art will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol along with winners from Congressional districts across the country. The winner will receive a trip to Washington D.C. in June to be recognized at an awards ceremony. The second and third place winners will have their art displayed for one year in the Congressman’s D.C. and District offices.  All winners received scholarships. All student participants received certificates and swag bags.

“Each year I am blown away by the creativity displayed in the students’ artwork. This year was no exception.” Rep. Lieu said. “I am always excited to see the great talent of the students in our community. As I work in D.C. to represent the values and priorities of our district, it inspires me to see a piece of home hanging proudly in the halls of Congress. I look forward to seeing Hugh’s artwork take the place of representing our community.”

Below are the results of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition:

Overall Winners:

• 1st Place: Hugh Saetia, “Denial” | Grade 11, Mira Costa High School
• 2nd Place: Ayla Dowdell, “Weaving of Cultures” | Grade 10, Redondo Union High School
• 3rd Place: Elizabeth Le, “A Child’s Mind” | Grade 12, West High School

Honorable Mentions:

• Photography: Natalie Soliman, “American Dream” | Grade 12, Palos Verdes High School
• Painting: Trevor Huo, “Summer Day” | Grade 11, Mira Costa High School
• Drawing: Eli Kano, “Seen” | Grade 11, Redondo Union High School
• Mixed Media: Coralie Foucher, “Quilted” | Grade 10, Santa Monica High School
• Other: Keegan Zarefsky, “Presidents Cup” | Grade 12, Redondo Union High School
• Member’s Choice: Jasmine De Baris, “Farewell” | Grade 12, Venice High School 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

Ranking Member Johnson
House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet
Keynote Speech for the Innovation Alliance
May 11, 2026

Thank you for that introduction and thank you for inviting me here to speak with all of you today. Patent and innovation policy is often viewed by people not in the business of inventing as an esoteric area of the law, meant more for corporations than everyday people like you and me. But America’s founders meant for patents to be for the people—not giants. They believed that by rewarding any individual who can meet the standard for a patent, all of us would thrive. But reputations like patent’s “sport of kings” can be difficult to overcome. And it’s been made worse by two decades of system change that have made it harder to own and enforce a patent.

I’m here today to say it’s time to make the patent system work for the people again.

One of the reasons America’s economy became the envy of the world is not just because we have smart people here. It’s because we have a system to allow those people to make a living by coming up with new and better ideas. Innovators with the confidence to invest in themselves know that a novel idea can change not just the world but the course of their own life.

But it’s not always so easy. Anyone who works with innovators and inventors can tell you that unpredictability is the hallmark of innovation. Patents are granted to creations that are, among a few other requirements, new. To invent, we need to do something that has never been done before. Individuals need the resources, investment, and most of all the promise that if they are able to discover something new, they can own their idea, without someone stealing it. 
Yes, nothing is stopping inventors from getting to work inventing. But to make those innovations and discoveries worth the time, energy, and money needed to obtain a patent, the resulting patent needs to be more than a piece of paper they can hang on their wall. A patent should be reliable enough for an inventor to be able to convince investors to help transform the idea into a reality—from paper to products on the shelves.

Two decades of changes that included multiple Supreme Court decisions, landscape-shifting statutory amendments, and technology evolving faster than most experts can keep up, have made for opaque rules governing enforcement of patent rights. Even once an innovator owns their patent, it can be difficult to know that it won’t be taken away if and when a bigger fish infringes on it. That is why I’m a proud cosponsor of the Restore Act, which would bring preliminary injunctions back to patent litigation. It is not the only fix we need, and certainly not the largest, but it is a positive step in the right direction.

But innovation isn’t just about enforcement; the strength of the patent office affects the strength of individual inventors’ patents too. Let me explain: Under the Trump administration, the patent office’s workplace morale has plummeted, likely because of the administration’s layoffs, which were bizarrely characterized as an attempt to save money, even though the USPTO is self-funded. USPTO employees’ collective bargaining rights were undermined by President Trump, destabilizing the already fragile work force. And the USPTO has limited the number of hours that examiners can be compensated for working on an application.

If these changes sound to you like internal strife unrelated to patent law, you should look closer. Patent examiners, employees who work on international innovation issues, and coordinators who do outreach to underserved communities directly affect the strength of patents granted, the enforceability of those patents overseas, and the pool of innovators working on the next big idea.

This lost mission is most obvious in the USPTO’s cancellation of its planned Southeast Regional Outreach Office in Atlanta, Georgia. The USPTO chose Atlanta after a long process, as proscribed under the law. Instead of going forward, the Trump Administration cancelled this outreach to the Silicon Valley of the South and instead opened it within the USPTO headquarters already in Alexandria, Virginia. Yes, this contract was near and dear to my heart, but it also would have served an innovation hub in the United States, to foster more individual inventors, decentralized from Washington, D.C. and the President.

American innovation can thrive only when the opportunity to participate is accessible to all. By placing the Southeast Office at USPTO headquarters just outside of DC, the USPTO has limited its reach and concentrated opportunity among those already best positioned to access it.

As you can see, I strongly disagree with the Trump Administration, and I dislike what they’ve done to the USPTO. But I acknowledge the effort Director Squires has made to reform the patent trial and appeals board, which reflects ideas my Subcommittee examined when I was Chair, and which has similarities to those proposed in my colleague Congresswoman Ross’s PREVAIL Act legislation. Even then, while these administrative changes are certainly worth discussion, agency action is not the same as legislation.

When the Director changes, so can agency rules. Patents exist to ensure that research and development rests on firm, predictable ground. This kind of vacillation between presidential administrations undermines the stability that is essential to a functioning patent system. Ultimately, these are questions for Congress to decide, not the agency; and they are questions I look forward to addressing if I become Chairman of this subcommittee next Congress.

A healthy USPTO requires clear rules, consistent leadership free from political influence and a steadfast commitment to protecting those who take the risk to create. It is incumbent upon us to get these questions right because inventors and job creators are not asking for favors, they are asking for a predictable and stable system they can rely on. When policy shifts with the political whims of an administration, it is the individuals in the American innovation system who pay the price.  

I applaud everyone in this room for their commitment to creating a patent system that works for everyone, and I welcome your questions.

Thank you again. 
 

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

NAPLES, FL – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and Dean of the Florida Congressional Delegation, presented $2,504,543 in federal funding to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office to upgrade marked policing equipment, including marked patrol vehicles, as well as specialty vehicles such as a jail transport bus, a hostage negotiation van, and a safe boat.  

 

These upgrades will strengthen public safety operations, ensuring law enforcement officers are prepared to keep the community safe.  

 

Congressman Diaz-Balart said, “I am proud to once again deliver for Collier County, this time with $2.5 million for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office to upgrade their current policing equipment, which will be a critical investment in the safety and effectiveness of their department. This funding ensures that deputies are well prepared to handle emergency situations with greater precision and readiness. 

I am also grateful to Sheriff Kevin Rambosk for his continued leadership and dedication to the safety of our community and thankful for the brave men and women putting their lives on the line every single day to aid in that mission.”  

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said, “We appreciate the support Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart always has for law enforcement. His work to secure these funds for critical law enforcement resources greatly helps the men and women of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office to carry out their mission safely every day and to keep Collier County a great and safe place.”

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

NAPLES, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and Dean of the Florida Congressional Delegation, presented $2,000,000 in federal funding to Collier County for a feasibility analysis to open the Everglades Boulevard interchange location on a portion of I-75. 

 

Residents of eastern Collier County lack a southern interchange that provides direct access to the interstate. 

 

Congressman Díaz-Balart said, “I am proud to deliver $2 million in funding to Collier County for a feasibility analysis for a proposed interchange project on I-75 and Everglades Boulevard.  

 

Over the past several years, this area has experienced accessibility and congestion issues that have affected Collier County residents. The Everglades interchange would be essential in alleviating these challenges and providing an evacuation route to a community that has faced the danger of large wildfires. This analysis is the first step toward providing the necessary evidence to move this project through the review and approval process.”

Joined by Collier County Commissioners, Commissioner Bill McDaniels shares, “This appropriation is an important step forward in identifying the transportation improvements needed to advance the opening of the I-75 Everglades Boulevard interchange. This funding will help evaluate critical infrastructure solutions that support mobility and safety for our community. We are grateful for the leadership and advocacy of Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart in securing this important federal investment and for his continued commitment to improving transportation infrastructure in Southwest Florida.”

Background: This project received funding through the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2026, which was approved by Congress and signed into law by the President on January 23, 2026. 

 

Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart represents Florida’s 26th Congressional District and serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He is the Dean of the Florida Congressional Delegation and has a longstanding, successful track record of delivering crucial funding for infrastructure, transit, and roadway improvements.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01) introduced the Campaign Finance Transparency Act and the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act. Together, these comprehensive campaign finance reforms will increase transparency and ensure fraudulent and foreign donations cannot influence political campaigns, individual candidates, or electoral outcomes.

Both bills will be marked up by the Committee on House Administration later this week.

“My investigation into ActBlue has demonstrated that the current campaign finance laws weren’t drafted for the modern era we live in. The major gaps we’ve uncovered are being exploited by fraudsters and foreign nationals to make illegal political donations. For example, right now an individual could make a fraudulent donation online in someone else’s name and avoid getting caught. That’s an unacceptable vulnerability that bad actors are taking advantage of,” said Chairman Steil. “We must increase transparency and update the rules to reflect the technological advances of the 21^st century.”

The Campaign Finance Transparency Act will: 

The Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act will: 

• Prohibit foreign nationals from donating for specified election-related activities, including: 
  • Voter registration drives;  
  • Ballot harvesting;  
  • Voter research and polling;  
  • Get Out the Vote initiatives;  
  • Administration of elections by state or local officials (i.e. Zuckerbucks);
  • Prohibit aiding or facilitating assistance to foreign nationals in making campaign contributions;
  • Prevent federal agencies from collecting or disclosing tax-exempt donor information, subject to specified exceptions (e.g. IRS, House/Senate lobbying disclosures, in certain situations). 

To read the Campaign Finance Transparency Act click here.

To read the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act click here.

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) called on Congressman James Comer (KY-01), the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight, to formally open an investigation into corruption and insider trading occurring in online prediction markets by subpoenaing internal records from these markets.

Online prediction markets allow individuals to gamble on the outcomes of a wide variety of real-life events, including sports games, election outcomes, daily stock and commodity price changes, whether certain legislation being considered by Congress will be signed into law, and even geopolitical events such as the likelihood of the United States taking military action against another country or the outcome of diplomatic negotiations. 

In his letter, Pappas highlighted how recent wagers on political and international topics have raised suspicion of insider trading, writing: “As you know there have been a number of suspicious trades made in connection with U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran… a single trader made nearly $1 million with a 93 percent success rate on wagers predicting unannounced U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, placing bets hours before strikes in October 2024, June 2025, and February 2026. A separate group of 38 accounts netted more than $2 million on the February 28 strikes alone, after being preloaded with funds the preceding week. At least 50 newly created accounts placed coordinated bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire on April 7, some opened minutes before the announcement.”

He went on to highlight the vested interest of the American people in knowing whether government officials are using these markets in violation of the law and their oaths of office: “The American public has a legitimate interest in knowing whether individuals entrusted with classified national security information have used that access for personal financial gain. A committee investigation, enforced with subpoenas, will include internal records, which are the only means by which the individuals who conducted these trades can be identified and the question of whether these platforms are upholding their responsibilities can be answered. Congress has both the authority and the responsibility to determine whether existing ethics, classification, and financial disclosure laws have been violated, and whether legislative action is necessary to prevent recurrence.”

Pappas concluded by re-emphasizing the importance of House Oversight’s subpoena power, noting: “We cannot fulfill that responsibility without knowing who placed these trades.”

Background:

Pappas supports the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026, which bans members of Congress and government employees from trading on political prediction markets when they have or could easily get inside information through their jobs, and has led the fight to ban Members of Congress from trading stocks and to strengthen ethical standards across all branches of government since entering Congress.

Pappas leads legislation to codify the Office of Congressional Ethics, now called the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), the only independent internal watchdog that probes ethical breaches in Congress. 

Pappas has repeatedly broken with his own party in support of a stock trading ban. Following his advocacy in 2022, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi reversed course and announced legislation to ban stock trading by members of Congress would be considered by the House. Pappas has also fought to change House rules to include a ban on members of Congress trading stocks.

Over the course of the 119th Congress, Pappas has helped introduce the TRUST in Congress Act and the No Getting Rich in Congress Act and supports the bipartisan effort to force a vote on the Restore Trust in Congress Act. He is also a cosponsor of the Fighting Foreign Influence Act. 

Read Pappas’s letter here and below:

Dear Chairman Comer: 

We write to request that the Committee issue subpoenas and open an investigation into apparent corruption and insider trading occurring in online prediction markets. As you know there have been a number of suspicious trades made in connection with U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.

We are deeply concerned that individuals with access to sensitive government information have used that access for personal financial gain. For example, a single trader made nearly $1 million with a 93 percent success rate on wagers predicting unannounced U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, placing bets hours before strikes in October 2024, June 2025, and February 2026.¹ 

A separate group of 38 accounts netted more than $2 million on the February 28 strikes alone, after being preloaded with funds the preceding week.² At least 50 newly created accounts placed coordinated bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire on April 7, some opened minutes before the announcement.³ Israeli authorities have separately indicted two individuals, including a military reservist, for placing Iran-related bets on Polymarket using classified information.⁴

Some of the suspicious trades were reportedly placed on Polymarket Global, the platform’s offshore site, which U.S. persons are barred from accessing under the terms of Polymarket’s 2022 settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.⁵ The platform’s failure to implement meaningful identity verification or enforce restrictions on U.S. persons raises serious questions about its broader compliance with federal law. A recent case illustrates the seriousness of the issue. In that case a U.S. Army special forces soldier was charged with using classified information to bet on the raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to win $400,000 on the platform, Polymarket identified him and referred the matter to federal authorities, leading to his arrest and criminal charges. 

The American public has a legitimate interest in knowing whether individuals entrusted with classified national security information have used that access for personal financial gain. A committee investigation, enforced with subpoenas, will include internal records, which are the only means by which the individuals who conducted these trades can be identified and the question of whether these platforms are upholding their responsibilities can be answered. Congress has both the authority and the responsibility to determine whether existing ethics, classification, and financial disclosure laws have been violated, and whether legislative action is necessary to prevent recurrence. We cannot fulfill that responsibility without knowing who placed these trades.

Given the important national security implications and possible corruption occurring in these markets, we respectfully request a response to this letter outlining the Committee’s planned approach to this issue no later than May 22, 2026. 

Sincerely,

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar, Dingell Introduce Legislation To Ban Chinese Vehicles from U.S. Roads

Connected Vehicle Security Act Would Prohibit Vehicles and Components Linked to China