MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata’s IGIA Message Focused on Local Economic Growth and Inclusion in Key Federal Programs

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata gave remarks Thursday at the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs (IGIA), a special mid-year session hosted by the Department of the Interior (DOI) at their DC headquarters, and focused her remarks on several issues that are critical to the local economy of American Samoa, and called for full inclusion in federal programs like SSI and removing the Medicaid cap completely.

Congresswoman Amata thanked Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, the governors and congressional representatives from the other territories, and federal interagency officials. Discussing economic issues, she thanked the administration for the April 17 Executive Order reopening fishing in the PRIMNM, which will bolster American Samoa’s economic stability, and strengthen U.S. food security. 

“While certain groups are attempting to litigate and delay the executive order, I am confident that we will be able to finalize the restoration of our fishing access in a responsible and successful way. I hope to continue to work with you on this and other issues affecting the Pacific,” she said. 

Congresswoman Amata filed in the comment period in July regarding the seabed mining lease, and continues urging the Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management (BOEM) to at minimum maintain a strict 50-mile distance buffer from any Samoan island. 

“In addition to managing our natural resources, another key part of the equation for our prosperity lies in being able to participate in the coming knowledge economy of the 21st century. The best way for DOI and the administration to support American Samoa’s participation in the growth of the economy is through measures that protect our cannery and invest in our ability to attract other industries,” she said.

She went on to request support for her bill, H.R. 399, to reauthorize Section 30A of the tax code, commonly known as the American Samoa Economic Development Credit, which expired in 2022, to increase the potential to diversify the local economy. “There is strong bipartisan support for its reauthorization, and we remain hopeful it can be included in another legislative vehicle. It’s also important to note that the cost of this credit is relatively minimal (just $8.5 million per year) yet its impact on the territory is profound,” she continued. “Renewal of this credit is vital for businesses operating in a remote island territory, where logistical hurdles and limited infrastructure create unique economic challenges.”

Amata thanked Interior leadership for being supportive of her calls for a permanent Coast Guard presence in and around American Samoa, noting their role in the security concerns of the Pacific region.

“Mr. Secretary, as we’ve heard from our governors today, initiatives which invest in and protect the economic and security interests of the otherwise isolated territories are important to keep us on par with the rest of the country,” she said in closing. “To that end, SSI shouldn’t be based on geography, and Medicaid should be uncapped for the territories, like the states. So, I ask that you work with us to ensure full integration into these essential programs are provided to all Americans. This mid-year forum shows the administration’s commitment to uplifting the territories along with the rest of the country, and I am optimistic about the future.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata and Island Colleagues Secure Improvements in Mail Deliveries, Continuing Work on Postal Services  

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting a successful congressional effort that flagged problems with mail delivery to U.S. territories and Hawai‘i, then secured a response from the United States Postal Service (USPS) to undertake corrective actions that “will improve the timely and accurate processing and transportation of mail that is designed for deliver in areas outside the 48 contiguous states.” 

The move by the USPS came after a bipartisan letter co-signed by the U.S. Representatives from the islands to Postmaster General David Steiner expressing concern over “persistent delays and service disruptions” with the United States Postal Service (USPS) Ground Advantage service to noncontiguous areas of the country, including the Pacific and Caribbean.

The shipping option, launched two years ago, was intended to offer a more simplified and more affordable and expedited delivery service for packages up to 70 pounds. However, it has been plagued by delivery delays and tracking inaccuracies.

The letter to the USPS Postmaster was signed by Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i -First District), Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (American Samoa), Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (Hawai‘i-Second District), Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (U.S. Virgin Islands), and Congressman James Moylan (Guam).

“Slow services cause more challenges and can add costs to our small businesses and island economy. It’s important to see improvements, and this is bipartisan work to ensure the quality postal services our people deserve. Thank you to Congressman Case and my colleagues for unity on this effort,” said Congresswoman Amata. 

In their letter, led by Congressman Case, the House Members said: “These significant delays are first patently unfair to our noncontiguous areas. They also create several practical problems for both consumers and businesses, especially when return windows have already expired by the time packages finally arrive.

“In response to the reliability problems with Ground Advantage, some sellers have opted to offer Priority Mail at an additional fee to guarantee timely delivery. This defeats the purpose of Ground Advantage, which was designed to provide a more affordable shipping alternative.”

In response to the letter from House Members, the USPS undertook a review which “found that some offshore destinating mail with a service standard requiring air transportation was incorrectly transported by sea. Specifically, the review determined that some Priority Mail items and lightweight Ground Advantage packages were improperly placed in mail containers for sea transportation.”

The USPS response continued: “To correct these errors, headquarters officials instructed management at relevant processing facilities to validate package processing flows to ensure parcels destinating to offshore locations are correctly transported.

“Specifically, these processing facilities have been instructed to validate and certify procedures for combining lightweight Ground Advantage items with Priority Mail items for air transportation to offshore destinations.”

The USPS apologized for the delays and recognized that Hawai‘i and the U.S. territories “rely on the Postal Service for efficient and effective service. It is always our goal to meet their expectations, and it is disappointing to us when we fail to do so.” 

“Reliable mail service is a necessity — especially in our rural and remote communities, and our constituents should not be forced to endure unfair delays and poor service. The United States Postal Service has acknowledged errors with their Ground Advantage service to non-contiguous areas and is committing to changes that will directly benefit our families, businesses, and consumers,” said Congresswoman Tokuda. “I’m proud to join my colleagues on this bipartisan effort giving constituents the fairness they deserve. USPS’s corrective actions and renewed focus on delivery performance are important steps to ensure equitable and dependable mail service for every American regardless of their ZIP code.”

“The Virgin Islands and our fellow noncontiguous territories have endured unacceptable postal delays that directly impact our families’ daily lives and hinder our businesses from competing in the national economy,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “The U.S. Postal Service’s acknowledgment that Priority Mail and lightweight Ground Advantage packages were improperly sent by sea instead of air validates what our constituents have been reporting for months. While I welcome these corrective measures and new validation procedures, we will continue our bipartisan oversight to ensure that geographic realities never become an excuse for substandard service—all Americans deserve reliable, timely postal delivery regardless of where they live.”

“For too long, Guam has faced unacceptable delays in mail delivery that directly impact our veterans, families, and small businesses. These aren’t just logistical hiccups—they’re real-life consequences, especially when prescriptions for our veterans arrive weeks late,” said Congressman Moylan. “I’m grateful to Congressman Case for leading this bipartisan effort and to my colleagues for standing united in demanding accountability. The USPS’s commitment to corrective action is a step forward, but we will continue to push for lasting solutions that treat Guam, Hawai‘i, and all U.S. non-contiguous areas with the same urgency and respect as the mainland. Our communities deserve nothing less.”

Letter from Members of Congress to the Postmaster General is HERE. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: House Passes Amata-Cosponsored PARTNER Act Extending Diplomatic Privileges to PIF  

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming bipartisan House passage of a bill she cosponsored, the PARTNER Act, officially the Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment to Enhance Relations Act. The bill, passed by voice vote, specifically extends diplomatic privileges to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and others, bolstering U.S. efforts in the Indo-Pacific. 

Introduced by Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) with Young Kim (R-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-AS), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Bill Foster (D-IL), and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), the bill extends privileges and immunities under the International Organizations Immunities Act to a group of international organizations crucial to U.S. leadership and foreign policy priorities. 

“I’m happy to be a cosponsor of the House-passed bipartisan PARTNER Act, which extends important diplomatic privileges to Pacific Islands Forum nations and other key international U.S. relationships. This is another way for our nation to show commitment and diplomatic engagement with nations especially throughout our strategic Pacific region,” said Congresswoman Amata of American Samoa. 

“The PARTNER Act is a concrete step to strengthen U.S. leadership, deepen our alliances, and keep America at the center of global diplomacy and science,” said Congressman Castro (D-TX). “At a time when our competitors are working overtime to expand their influence in Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Africa, we cannot afford to sit back. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill and get it on the President’s desk.”

 “The Indo-Pacific is central to America’s national and economic security—when we show up for our allies in the region, we win,” said Congresswoman Kim (R-CA). “The PARTNER Act is a necessary reaffirmation of America’s engagement with allies and partner organizations around the world. I’m proud to work alongside Rep. Castro to strengthen key partnerships and promote a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” 

 “Our country’s Indo-Pacific Strategy states in no uncertain terms that no region is of more consequence to the world and to everyday Americans than the Indo-Pacific,” said U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-HI). “The United States and our allies and partners around the world who are aligned with an international rules-based order share the common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific whose governance, priorities, goals and prosperity are determined by the countries of the Indo-Pacific without manipulation and dominance by malicious actors. This is especially true of the Pacific Islands themselves, in the heart of the Pacific, which today face the challenges of increased natural disasters and human and drug trafficking, economic sustainability, threats to democracy and more. It is crucial that the United States continue to extend our hand of full partnership in assisting the countries of the Pacific to meet these challenges, as we have for generations.”

The PARTNER Act

• Extends privileges and immunities to officials of three important regional international organizations—Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), allowing these organizations to work independently and effectively.
• Extends privileges and immunities to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), an international organization that is engaged in cutting edge physics research.
• Extends privileges and immunities to the African Union’s Observer Mission to the United Nations, which addressed a gap in the current law to include its Observer Mission to the United Nations.
• Demonstrates the United States’ commitment to our partnerships and multilateral cooperations that advance our interests and values.

“Extending privileges and immunities to these international organizations will help facilitate and deepen the United States’ engagement with them,” said Congressman Meeks (D-NY). “Our partnerships with ASEAN, PIF, CERN, CARICOM and the African Union’s mission to the UN have been vital to a range of U.S. national security interests and will be greatly strengthened through this common-sense legislation. I thank Ranking Member Castro for his tireless efforts advancing this bill, as well as all Members who’ve worked in a bipartisan way to move it forward.”

“The U.S. needs to collaborate globally to solve shared challenges, and the PARTNER Act will do just that—strengthening diplomacy and the institutions that build trust and cooperation among our allies and partners around the world,” said Congressman Olszewski (D-MD). “I am also proud that this legislation includes my bipartisan African Union Diplomatic Parity Act, which deepens our partnership with the African Union and promotes American leadership across the continent.”

 “The exchange of knowledge and ideas across borders not only promotes peace, but also serves as a powerful instrument to address urgent global challenges,” said Congressman Foster (D-IL).  “As a physicist, I spent more than two decades working with colleagues from around the globe at Fermilab in Illinois, where scientific collaboration transcended national boundaries and helped us better understand the world around us. I’m proud that my colleagues came together to pass the PARTNER Act, which will help solidify our long-term partnership with CERN and maintain our nation’s role as a leader in scientific research.” 

 “The countless contributions of the Caribbean-American community can be felt and seen across South Florida,” said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). “With the House passage of the PARTNER Act, we are strengthening our diplomatic engagement with CARICOM and laying the foundation for deeper economic, security, and cultural ties that will yield long-term, strategic benefits.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata Congratulates Samoan Congregation Church for 55 Years at Fort Myer

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is congratulating the Samoan Congregation Church, Joint Base Henderson Hall-Myer, which is celebrating 55 years at this location.

“It is a special delight to congratulate this wonderful congregation which celebrates an amazing 55 years of worshipping God together at Fort Myer. Your congregation is a strong part of the Samoan community in the greater DC area, and these years of faithful service bring God’s blessing on this ministry,” said Congresswoman Amata. “It’s a beautiful testimony to the Lord’s grace to his people that you’ve built this remarkable legacy of proclaiming the Word of God, God’s love for us all, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

“As Samoans, one of our greatest strengths is that we are a people of faith. This is the most important heritage we pass down to our children and their children,” Amata continued. “The Bible says ‘remove not the ancient landmark’ and this congregation makes up a landmark to God’s glory in the DC region and a ministry that is observed by our military, testifying of the Lord’s goodness. We will never know until eternity just how much God has used this church in 55 years.”

“It’s a joy to be Samoan, to send congratulations for this milestone, and it’s an everlasting joy to be a fellow believer in Jesus as Savior and Lord,” Amata concluded. “God bless you and your families, our great military, our people back in the islands, and our Samoan churches serving faithfully everywhere.”

Congratulatory Message in Samoan:

Lau susuga i le Taitai o le sauniga 

Le mamalu o le Tapuaiga

Ou Paia Faale-Talalelei

Ou Mamalu Faale-Malō

Ou Sā ma Faigā Faale-Aganuu

E afua mai ou Ao, e pau mai i sē aupito itiiti

Le Paia atoa uma ua tatou tapua’i faatasi i le Maota o le Galuega i nei Henderson, Fort Myer

Ou te faatulou atu, ofo alofa atu, ma faafeiloa’i atu i le suafa manumalo o lo tatou Alii Faaola

Ia te ia pea le Viiga, Faaneeneega ma le Mana, e o’o lava i le faavavau!

E le faaitiitia le agaga faafetai ia te outou uma lava

Malo le folau, malo le fai o le faiva, faafetai le onosa’i ma le faatoatoa, faafetai tatalo, malo alofa

Ua 55 tausga o lenei Faapotopotoga

55 tausaga o le alofa le faatuaoia, le alofa tausi ma le alofa saili o le Atua i ona tagata

O se tasi o uiga taualoa ua iloga ai nai o tatou tagata o le soifua tautua

Poo fea lava le tuluiga o loo aumau ma pāpā a’ao ai e iloga lava le Samoa

55, e le o se numera laititi 

Ou te manatua se tasi o alo o le atunuu na lauiloa i le lakapī faa- Amerika, le susuga ia Junior Seau, ua mapu atu i aao o le Faaola, o le 55 le numera sa ia laei

E tau foi i lo’u manatu le tusi a Isaia i lona mataupu e 55, o loo faaulutalaina “Ua valaauina tagata uma lava, latou te manuia i le Mesia”

E maoa’e le poto o le Mataisau Foafoa, na ia faia le tagata i lona faatusa, avea ma palealii e faia lona finagalo i soo se ala ua valaauina ai

O loo tatou fai tapuaiga faatasi ma nisi o Toa o Samoa, o loo tau mo le filemu o le lalolagi

E mafai ona ou faapea atu i lenei faapotopotoga “O outou o Toa o le Talalelei”

Ua outou tau ina ia maua e le lalolagi le filemu o le Atua

Ou te patipatia le ofoina atu o outou tagata mo le Atua e tumau ai le nofo lelei ma tagata uma lava

Ua outou faaauau le galuega alofa na faavae ma fatufatu mai e nisi o le au faatuatua

Tatou te manatua ai foi le sao tāua a i latou ua folau loa

Ia tatou saili pea i le Atua

O lona filemu, o le manuia lea e faavavau

E tele nauā le alofa o le Atua ma ana faamanuiaga mo i latou e faatuatua ia te ia

E ofo tele ai ma faafetai

Manuia lau susuga i le Ta’ita’i

Manuia le lenei sauiniga mamalu

Ola foi le auauna faatauvaa i le alofa o le Atua

Ona o Iesu, Amene

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) sought assurance from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure safe, uninterrupted, life-saving dialysis care for veterans. The VA recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for companies to bid on the next round of its National Dialysis Services Contract (NDSC). The RFP does not include any requirement related to labor peace agreements, which help ensure veterans can continue to receive quality care. Without these protections in place, labor disputes, short staffing, and other working conditions can interrupt the care that veterans with kidney disease need.

“Veterans with End-Stage Renal Disease cannot safely miss treatments; even short interruptions in care can result in preventable suffering, hospitalization, or death,” wrote the lawmakers. “We are concerned that NDSC contractors are exacerbating these risks by refusing to address their employees’ legitimate concerns.”

Tens of thousands of veterans receive care under the NDSC program run by the VA. Lofgren and Schiff asked for clarity on how the department is taking steps to protect essential services and keep veterans from losing access to care.

“We respectfully request a meeting between our staff and yours so that we can get a fuller understanding of the responses made by companies receiving lucrative federal contracts and whether they explicitly threatened to leave veterans without care in order to avoid compliance with responsible procurement policies,” continued the lawmakers.

Full text of the letter can be downloaded here and follows.

The Honorable Douglas A. Collins
Secretary
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420
 

Dear Secretary Collins:

Thank you for your April 24, 2025, letter regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) National Dialysis Services Contract (NDSC).¹ We are heartened by your commitment to maintain the uninterrupted delivery of dialysis care, including for our constituents, and to work with stakeholders to ensure that veterans receive safe, uninterrupted, high-quality care. Your commitment is critical to the survival of those veterans who rely on dialysis services provided through NDSC, and it reflects our shared priority of protecting them from the serious health risks that arise when access to these treatments is delayed or disrupted.

As detailed in the February comment submitted by Rep. Lofgren, California has witnessed a series of escalating labor protests and strikes over the last three years at several NDSC contractors, directly in response to these contractors’ hostility to union organizing, their various unfair labor practices, and generally poor working conditions, according to the workers. We believe that these protests and strikes underscore the need for policies to prevent such disruption before it occurs. As you no doubt know, veterans with End-Stage Renal Disease cannot safely miss treatments; even short interruptions in care can result in preventable suffering, hospitalization, or death.² We are concerned that NDSC contractors are exacerbating these risks by refusing to address their employees’ legitimate concerns.

Yet, there are no provisions in the Request for Proposals to address the issue, despite this clear and present problem. While the solicitation contains some new oversight provisions, contractors are only required to notify the VA of a strike; there is no contractual protection that would prevent labor disruption before it happens.³ Contractors may temporarily transfer patients to another facility, but contract documents do not limit how long these temporary transfers may extend or how close the temporary facility must be.⁴ Moreover, service disruptions are not factored into the contractors’ performance evaluation.⁵

We look forward to engaging on how such disruption could best be prevented before it occurs. We wish to point out that since your letter was sent, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo in June stating that the Executive Order (E.O.) referenced in your letter—E.O. 14063 regarding Project Labor Agreements—remains in effect with new guidance providing further information.⁶

Finally, we are extremely troubled to learn from your letter that three of the largest dialysis providers threatened not to participate in future dialysis services if the VA included a measure to address service disruptions caused by labor disputes. We respectfully request a meeting between our staff and yours so that we can get a fuller understanding of the responses made by companies receiving lucrative federal contracts and whether they explicitly threatened to leave veterans without care in order to avoid compliance with responsible procurement policies.

We write with some urgency as the VA recently invited companies to submit proposals in response to a new NDSC solicitation and is scheduled to award new contracts by the end of this year. We believe the Department should continue evaluating all available policy and contractual tools to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of dialysis care at all participating NDSC facilities.

Your acknowledgement of the importance of these issues is an encouraging step, and we look forward to working closely with you and your team to translate this shared commitment into lasting protections for the veterans we serve.

Sincerely,

 

^[1] Responding to a letter from Rep. Zoe Lofgren to Secretary Douglas Collins, February 6, 2025.

^[2] Connor, N., Dougherty, M., Harris, P., and Casarett, D. (2013) “Survival after Dialysis Discontinuation and Hospice Enrollment for ESRD.” The Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 8(12) p.2117-2122. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3848402/

^[3] U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025. “Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Products and Commercial Services.” https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/88ae5ec8bb8a43349de1fffb6a51dfd4/download?&token=. at 25.

^[4] Id. at 36.

^[5] U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025. “Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).” https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/3d83945f66c740df992c393dc3658bf2/download?&token=.

^[6] Office of Management and Budget, “Use of Project Labor Agreements on Federal Construction Projects – Amendments to OMB Memorandum M-24-06,” Memorandum to the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, M-25-29, June 12, 2025.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), a former member of the January 6th Select Committee, released the following statement after House Republicans voted to establish a new select subcommittee to reinvestigate the January 6th attacks on the United States Capitol:

“Back when I was a member of the bipartisan J6 Committee, only a handful of House Republicans seemed to have any interest in uncovering the facts of the January 6th attack or seeking accountability for those who incited the insurrection,” Rep. Lofgren said. “Now, many of those same Republicans seem very eager to establish this new select subcommittee. What that tells me is that this subcommittee is not going to be seeking answers, but they will be seeking political retribution and downplaying the events of that terrible day.”

“Speaker Johnson won’t even hang a plaque in the Capitol to honor our law enforcement officers who saved our lives and our democracy. Suddenly he’s taking an interest in January 6th? I’m not buying it, and I will push back on anybody who tries to distort the facts of the J6 insurrection,” Rep. Lofgren said.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) released the following statement on the U.S. Army’s reversal of their previous decision to inactivate the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) program at West Virginia State University (WVSU). On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Army Cadet Command announced a nation-wide strategic rebalancing and optimization of the Senior ROTC program that would inactivate the Army ROTC host unit at West Virginia State University. As a longtime advocate of ROTC programs, Congresswoman Miller communicated her concerns with U.S. Army officials and received word on August 28, 2025 that the initial decision was being reversed and the ROTC program at WVSU would be retained as an extension unit following feedback from community leaders and stakeholders. 

“ROTC programs play a key role in addressing the recruiting crisis our military is currently facing as well as providing incredible opportunities for scholarships and financial benefits for young people. I am grateful that the U.S. Army Cadet Command has reversed their decision and the ROTC program at WVSU will be retained as an extension unit. Anyone hoping to serve the United States of America should have easy access to do so, and the continuation of this program will allow many of our young mountaineers here in southern West Virginia to receive a first-class education and prepare for a career in the armed services,” said Congresswoman Carol Miller. 

Background

• On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Army Cadet Command announced the implementation of a strategic rebalance and optimization of the Senior ROTC program which would inactivate the host unit at West Virginia State University.
• Last Congress, Congresswoman Miller sent a letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall requesting the Air Force JROTC program at Cabell Midland High School in Ona, WV remain active after a similar decision was made to end the program. The program was continued following the Congresswoman’s request.
• Congresswoman Miller previously worked closely with Congressman Walz to increase funding for the AFJROTC program in the Defense Appropriations Bill. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON—Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, released this statement following the passing of Father José María “Chema” Tojeira, a longtime human rights advocate who led Central American Jesuits during El Salvador’s civil-war:

“I am heartbroken by the passing of my dear friend, Father José María “Chema” Tojeira. He was one of my heroes. A man of profound faith, courage, and conviction, Father Tojeira devoted his life to championing human rights, justice, and the dignity of the poor and oppressed.

He played a pivotal role in exposing the truth about the 1989 murders of his fellow Jesuit priests at the University of Central America in San Salvador. For speaking the truth, his life was threatened and he faced many hardships—but he never wavered. He continued to speak out with courage and with grace.

When I met with him last November in El Salvador during a fact finding trip, he shared with me his deep concerns—not only about those unjustly imprisoned and targeted in El Salvador, but also about the fragile state of democracy and human rights around the world. And yet, his message to me was simple: do not give up hope. We must never give up hope.

Father Tojeira’s voice, his wisdom, and his example will continue to inspire all of us who believe in justice, peace, and the defense of human dignity. He was a true companion in the struggle for human rights—and a dear friend who will be deeply, deeply missed.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

Estes Recaps District Visits

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) signed the bipartisan discharge petition to force a vote on the House floor on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, sponsored by Reps. Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Thomas Massie (KY-04). The discharge petition needs the support of 218 U.S. Representatives.

“President Trump – once again – would rather protect himself and fellow elitists than giving the American people the truth about the Epstein Files. The Department of Justice tried to fool the public by releasing 33,000 pages of Epstein documents, but 97% of the documents were already public,” said Rep. Kelly. “I see the games they’re trying to play, and it won’t work. There’s a bipartisan push in Congress to stand with the brave survivors who have shared their traumatic stories with us and are demanding the full release of the Epstein Files. The American people deserve the truth, transparency, and accountability.”

Speaker Mike Johnson recessed early in July to block a vote on releasing the Epstein Files, however, as Congress returned, calls for transparency around the Epstein Files have continued.