MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

On Wednesday, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved Representative Rick Larsen’s bipartisan legislation to reform FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669) provides the most robust legislative reform of FEMA and federal disaster assistance programs in decades. Rep. Larsen is the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, the FEMA Act of 2025 strengthens the Agency and ensures it has the tools to efficiently and effectively serve as a lifeline to disaster-impacted communities – like those in Northwest Washington state hit by the 2024 Bomb Cyclone,” said Rep. Larsen. “Thank you to Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) for partnering on this important bill to reform FEMA. I hope this legislation moves quickly to the House floor for a vote.”

The FEMA Act of 2025 streamlines the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again that is directly accountable to the President. The bill rewards effective state and local preparedness, protects taxpayers, cuts red tape, and ensures that relief efforts are fast, fair, and free from political bias.

The FEMA Act of 2025 also has the support of numerous emergency management stakeholders.

“I am grateful to Rep. Rick Larsen for his leadership, along with his colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, in pushing for FEMA reform,” said Snohomish County Public Utility District CEO John Haarlow in an Everett Herald op-ed. “The PUD strongly supports this bill because it delivers what our community needs most: faster relief, fairer treatment and a stronger foundation for the future… FEMA reform ensures that aid arrives more predictably, so families and businesses are not hit with higher bills after already enduring the hardship of an outage.”

John Haarlow’s full Everett Herald op-ed in support of the FEMA Act is available here and below.

The FEMA Act of 2025 was introduced by Rep. Larsen and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves; former Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee lead Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL); and Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ).

A detailed summary of the FEMA Act of 2025 can be found here. The full recording of the committee markup can be found here.

Everett Herald – Comment: Reform of FEMA will help keep lights on after disaster

By John Haarlow

When the wind and rain pummel our region and the lights go out across Snohomish County, Snohomish PUD crews know what to do. They grab their gear, head into the storm and work through the night — often times for multiple days — to restore power to homes, hospitals and businesses.

Our lineworkers move quickly because they know how much our community depends on them. Unfortunately, the federal disaster recovery system has not always kept pace. Even after the last pole is replaced, the last line is reconnected, transformer repaired and customer restored, utilities often wait months or even years to receive the federal funding that helps cover the significant cost of restoration after a disaster. Those delays can strain local budgets and, in the end, affect customers.

That is why I am grateful to U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., for his leadership, along with his colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, in pushing for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reform. On Wednesday, the committee will take up a bipartisan bill that would make long-overdue improvements to how FEMA responds to disasters. The PUD strongly supports this bill because it delivers what our community needs most: faster relief, fairer treatment and a stronger foundation for the future.

Imagine a winter storm causing catastrophic damage to miles of power lines and poles; much like the bomb cyclone that hit our region a year ago. Our crews work around the clock during storm restoration, but every new pole, transformer and wire comes with a price tag. Without timely federal support, utilities either carry that cost alone or pass it on to customers. FEMA reform ensures that aid arrives more predictably, so families and businesses are not hit with higher bills after already enduring the hardship of an outage.

Importantly, the benefits of this bill will extend beyond utilities. State, county and city governments will also be able to respond more effectively to disasters, strengthen their emergency preparedness and invest in resilience ahead of the next storm or wildfire. That means faster recovery for schools, fire departments and local agencies that are on the frontlines of serving people when disaster strikes.

The bill also rewards preparation. The PUD has invested heavily in hardening infrastructure and advancing grid technology to reduce the risk of outages before they happen. Our SnoSMART program will allow us to make a generational leap in smart grid technology and infrastructure over the next five years. FEMA reform recognizes that resilience matters and makes it easier for utilities like ours to access resources that support this kind of work.

This legislation reflects a rare bipartisan consensus. Lawmakers across the political spectrum agree that FEMA is essential and that reform is needed to make it stronger. At a time when disasters are becoming more frequent and severe that unity is both timely and necessary. And it reflects the way FEMA itself operates: locally executed, state managed and federally supported.

We all know disasters are hitting harder and more often. Summers bring wildfire risk, winters bring windstorms, and flooding can happen in a flash. FEMA reform will not stop the storms, but it will make sure communities like ours can recover more quickly and fairly.

On behalf of the PUD, I want to thank the congressman for his leadership. Congress should move quickly to pass this bill. Because when the lights go out, our community should not have to wait for D.C. to catch up.

John Haarlow has been the chief executive officer and general manager of Snohomish County Public Utility District since 2018. He has nearly 30 years of experience in the electric utility industry and is currently serving as the board chair of the American Public Power Association.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – This morning, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the fiscal year of 2026, with a final vote of 214-213. Congressman Riley M. Moore proudly voted for this legislation that lays the groundwork for American energy dominance, reduces our reliance on foreign adversaries for critical minerals, prohibits the sale of crude oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China, strengthens our nation’s waterways infrastructure, and defunds all woke and weaponized Biden Administration policies.

This is a great step toward codifying many of President Trump’s American energy dominance objectives. Additionally, the final legislation included an amendment Congressman Moore secured during the Appropriations Committee’s markup that restores critical funding to the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“I proudly voted for the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, today. This important America First legislation included an amendment I was able to add during markup that restores critical funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission. West Virginians know that the Appalachian Regional Commission is an invaluable resource for our state that creates jobs, combats addiction, provides job training resources, and improves the Mountain State’s infrastructure. I will always fight for West Virginia and will always make sure that Appalachia’s voice is heard in Congress.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) met with Butler native and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Zachary Sessa in Kelly’s Washington office Thursday morning.

On September 3, Maj. Sessa was honored as the “2025 Military Times Marine of the Year” during a ceremony hosted by the Military Times and Military Times Foundation in Washington, D.C. “for his groundbreaking leadership and distinguished performance during the first-ever F-35C Lightning II combat operations.”

Rep. Kelly presented Maj. Sessa with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of this designation.

“Major Sessa has committed his life to serving our great country. He is most deserving of the title of ‘Marine of the Year’,” said Rep. Kelly. “Prior to our meeting today, I spoke with Maj. Sessa’s family, and they couldn’t be prouder. I know the Butler community is proud to call him a son, as well.”

BACKGROUND

Maj. Sessa, 33, served as the lead weapons and tactics instructor for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) during its historic 2024 deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. In November, under his guidance, the squadron executed the F-35C Lightning II’s first combat missions, striking Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen in response to attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Sessa flew critical nighttime combat sorties while mentoring the next generation of F-35 leaders and instructors.

Learn more about Maj. Sessa and the Marine of the Year Award here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)

Today, Congressman Guthrie (KY-02) issued the following statement following the House passage of H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026.

“I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation, which fulfills President Trump’s priorities of asserting military deterrence through investing in America’s nuclear capabilities, unleashing our nation’s vast energy potential, and supporting the construction of important water infrastructure to grow our economy,” said Congressman Brett Guthrie. “As a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, I am glad to see the House pass legislation to fund essential Department of Energy priorities to unleash American energy and bolster our national security.”

Background:
H.R. 4553 delivers on Republicans’ commitment by allocating $57.3 billion to utilize America’s energy potential, invest in America’s water infrastructure, and exert deterrence on the world stage through modernizing our nuclear weapons technologies.

This legislation notably funds:

– $20.662 billion for the continued modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure.
– $2.171 billion to support the U.S. Navy’s nuclear fleet by investing in infrastructure and new technologies to maintain America’s advantage over our adversaries.
– $1.984 billion to reduce the danger of hostile nations or terrorist groups acquiring nuclear weapons.
– $9.883 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, restoring full funding for the water resources development program.

This bill also:
– Prohibits the sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the Chinese Communist Party.
– Prohibits access to U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities by citizens of China and Russia.
– Prohibits the purchase of technology and telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries.
– Supporting one of the largest investments focused on mining production technologies for critical minerals extraction in decades, reducing reliance on foreign sources.
– Funds small modular reactor and advanced reactor demonstration projects as well as increasing funding for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to expand capacity for the review, licensing, and oversight of new nuclear reactors.

More information about the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 prior to amendments can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Pressley Blasts Trump’s Authoritarian Threats to Boston, Other Major Cities as DC Sues Trump Over National Guard Deployment

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) joined Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Free DC, and several D.C. Councilmembers to oppose Donald Trump’s unlawful occupation and federal law enforcement surge in Washington, DC. As the Trump Administration threatens to send more National Guard troops to cities across the country and as soldiers with rifles and federal agents occupy neighborhoods in Washington, DC, Rep. Pressley stands with D.C. residents in pushing back, fighting for statehood, and defending the safety, beauty, and joy of Washington, DC.

The coalition’s calls today also come as Washington, DC sues the Trump Administration over its deployment of the National Guard.

A full transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks at the press conference is available below, and full video is available here.

Transcript: As Trump Weaponizes National Guard, Pressley Calls for End to DC Occupation and Militarization of America’s Cities

September 4, 2025

Washington, DC

Good morning! Well, another day, another day in the midst of a hostile government takeover, hostile administration, one that is anti-freedom and anti-Blackness on steroids. 

Thank you all for being here today. I’m proud to join Free DC in solidarity. 

Let me be clear, everyone who calls DC home deserves representation and freedom. 

This city is home to scholars, to educators, to families, hard working people, and for too long, they’ve been denied statehood and the rights and protections it affords. 

And in this moment, we see the current occupant of the White House, a man who once called for the lynching of the now exonerated Central Park Five. We see this man sending federal troops into this beautiful majority-Black city. 

Our DC residents are experiencing whiplash. One moment you’ve got the National Guard sitting around looking bored, no clear mission, maybe picking up litter, and then on the next spot, you’ve got tactical teams swooping in to handcuff and kidnap hard working dads just trying to get to the job site or to get their child to school. 

When Trump uses these authoritarian tactics in DC, he is signaling and threatening his intent to bring them to communities across our country, including Boston, which I’m proud to represent, and Chicago, the city that raised me. 

Cities around the country are having to prepare for the unthinkable and unlawful when the President threatens to send militarized forces into local communities who do not need or want this abuse of power. 

Let me say that again, no one wants this, Donald. This cruel, lawless administration only cares about power, retaliation and punishment for those who don’t bow down to their right-wing authoritarian agenda. 

But I’m also here because DC is personal to me, even before serving as a Congresswoman, many years ago, I lived and worked in Chocolate City, and now my staff live and work here. My godchildren, two young Black boys live here, and they are afraid.

Afraid to walk to school, afraid to go to their summer jobs, afraid because Donald Trump himself has said that young people like them were, “born to be criminals.” 

It’s no secret, he’s targeting our immigrant neighbors and Black kids, specifically Black boys. That is dangerous, that is dehumanizing, and that rhetoric, combined with military presence, is meant to keep communities living in fear, which makes everyone less safe. 

Communities that should be celebrating the beauty of DC, joining together for summer block parties, listening to go-go music and finding joy in community. 

So let me make it plain: Donald Trump’s militarization of DC has nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with terror and intimidation. 

Trump showed us who he was decades ago when he called for the death penalty against five Black and brown boys accused of a crime they didn’t commit. When someone shows you who they are, believe them. 

So we are here speaking up and fighting back. This extremist march towards authoritarianism is an attack on Black and brown folks, a deliberate distraction from Donald Trump’s broken promises to lower costs, make housing more affordable, and to protect working people. 

We cannot ignore the structural racism at the heart of this crisis. 

The more than 700,000 residents of Washington, DC, who still don’t have full representation in the federal government. 

Working families that pay taxes. 

Veterans that serve this country. 

People that contribute to our communities, but are denied the most basic democratic rights. 

This racist, rogue militarization ignores their voices and makes us all less safe. 

DC has the lowest crime rate in 30 years before this occupation. And even still, we know there’s always work to do to make our cities more livable and safe, to make those investments to make people safer, to get at the root causes. 

But the policy solutions that actually fit the bill, they are summer jobs programs, federal action to prevent gun violence, and policies that meet folks’ basic needs like food and housing. 

This fight to free DC is a fight for justice, a fight for safety, a fight for our communities, and I’m proud to be in it with you. 

Free DC.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) applauded committee passage of the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669), the most robust reform of federal disaster assistance programs in decades, which included provisions from Brownley’s FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act (H.R. 2535) and Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act (H.R. 1593).

The FEMA Act will improve the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs, strengthen FEMA by restoring its status as a cabinet-level agency, support effective state and local preparedness, and ensure that disaster relief efforts are fast and fair.

“From the recent wildfires in California to hurricanes and floods across the country, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more destructive,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “I worked to ensure that the FEMA Act included language from my bills so that disaster displacement assistance and temporary housing assistance reach disaster survivors quickly and to eliminate bureaucratic delays that occur under current law requiring FEMA to determine insurance status prior to delivering aid. Families who lose their homes must be able to access help right away, so they can begin to rebuild their lives without unnecessary obstacles. As we’ve seen time and again, our response system must meet these crises with urgency and compassion.

“The improvements to federal disaster assistance programs under the FEMA Act represent the most comprehensive improvements in decades. I applaud Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen’s bipartisan work on the bill, and I will continue working with my colleagues to advance this important legislation to meet the urgent needs of Americans facing disasters across the country,” Brownley added. 

FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act

Through the Assistance for Housing and Other Needs program, FEMA provides temporary housing assistance to individuals impacted by Presidentially-declared disasters, including rental assistance. However, under current law, FEMA must require survivors to wait for insurance claims to be processed before approving aid – delaying critical support.

Brownley’s legislation would ensure that insurance is not considered a “duplication of benefits” when determining eligibility for temporary housing. This clarification would expedite temporary housing relief, cut red tape, and get families the assistance they need more quickly. 

Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act

In 2024, FEMA launched Displacement Assistance to help survivors who cannot return home after a disaster. This benefit provides up-front funds to cover immediate housing options, such as staying with family or friends, while survivors secure longer-term solutions.

Under current law, insured individuals cannot access this benefit until their insurance claim is resolved, even though most survivors cannot get a decision within the time frame they need help most. Brownley’s bill would fix this gap by clarifying that FEMA disaster displacement assistance is not a “duplication of benefits.” 

If enacted, survivors would be able to access Displacement Assistance immediately, in addition to the $770 Serious Needs Assistance benefit, helping families transition more quickly from shelters to safe and stable housing.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Disaster Relief

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. – The Democratic Doctors Caucus, comprised of U.S. Representatives Ami Bera (CA-06), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Kelly Morrison (MI-03), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), and Kim Schrier (WA-08), is calling for the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing repeated actions that have undermined evidence-based public health guidance and jeopardized the health and safety of the American people.

“During your confirmation hearings, you pledged to follow the science on vaccines,” the letter states. “Yet in the months since, your actions have repeatedly contradicted that pledge despite opposition from the scientific and medical community. The culmination of this reckless behavior was last week’s firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez for defending evidence-based vaccine standards. These decisions threaten American lives and public trust.”

The ousting of Director Monarez is part of a troubling pattern of leadership at HHS. Following her termination, four top CDC officials resigned, including the Chief Medical Officer; the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; the director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and the director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology. These departures represent an irreplaceable loss of expertise and experience and further erode public confidence in the CDC.

The Members of Congress note that Secretary Kennedy never requested briefings from the directors of NCIRD or NCEZID before implementing major vaccine policy changes. According to these leaders, the CDC is being used to create policies unsupported by current science and without input from subject matter experts. “Leaders of these critical offices cannot –– and should not –– be expected to carry out an agenda at the expense of the health and safety of the American people,” the letter states.

Earlier this year, Secretary Kennedy also fired every member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replaced them with vaccine skeptics without reviewing conflicts of interest or credentials. This move undermines a trusted, historically independent body and threatens decades of validated public health guidance, including the childhood immunization schedule and the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.

Despite claims that trust in the CDC is being restored, the Democratic Doctors Caucus asserts that Secretary Kennedy’s actions have directly undermined the agency’s mission, from cutting funding for mRNA vaccine development to issuing guidance not grounded in scientific data or expert input.

“As physicians and Members of Congress, we are deeply concerned that your tenure at HHS undermines the core mission of the Department: to protect and promote the health of the American people,” the letter concludes. “Your actions have eroded public trust and actively endangered lives. We demand your resignation to safeguard the health and safety of our communities.”

To view the full letter, click here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse Legislation Protecting Our Dams Receives Legislative Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement after his legislation, H.R. 2073, the Defending our Dams Act, received a legislative hearing by the House Natural Resources Committee with testimony from Clark Mather, Executive Director, Northwest RiverPartners.  

“I have been working hard with allies of the Lower Snake River dams to ensure we do everything possible to protect them, and this hearing today marks another success in that effort. This legislation guarantees that federal funds will not be used to breach, or even study breaching, the dams and protects the Army Corps and BPA’s rights to control spillage operations,” said Rep. Newhouse. 

Newhouse added, “I thank Clark Mather with Northwest RiverPartners for his willingness to testify before the committee on this important issue and will continue to work with our partners to protect these critical pieces of infrastructure.” 

Background 

This legislation protects the Lower Snake River dams while ensuring that safeguards are implemented to protect ratepayers and the greater Pacific Northwest economy from the irreparable harm that would occur if the dams were breached.

It also prohibits the use of federal funds from being used in breaching, studying the breaching of, or altering the Lower Snake River dams, and does not allow spillage operations on any of the Lower Snake River dams unless such operations are approved by the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration. 

The legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Russ Fulcher (ID-01). 

See full bill text here. 

Watch full hearing here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter Brings Home $65.7 Million for Georgia Ports in House-Passed Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today secured $65.7 million through the House-passed Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 to fund the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ modification and maintenance of the Port of Brunswick and the Port of Savannah. 

The House of Representatives passed this bill Thursday, sending it to the Senate for consideration. 

This investment is crucial to both the Port of Brunswick and the Port of Savannah in their continued service to local and global trade. They are the #1 gateway in the nation for autos and heavy machinery roll-on/roll-off, as well as the largest single-terminal container facility in North America, respectively. In FY24 alone, Georgia’s ports accounted for 11% of Georgia’s total sales, amounting to $174 billion.

Among other provisions, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act, 2026 includes:

·      $48.9 million for Savannah Harbor Operation and Maintainance, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

·      $16.3 million for Brunswick Harbor Operation and Maintainance, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

·      $500,000 for Savannah Harbor Deepening Study, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

·      Brunswick Harbor Modifications Project final funding via reprogramming

“With investments in the Savannah and Brunswick ports, Georgia is poised to continue its streak of 11 consecutive years as the best state to do business,” said Rep. Carter. “Our ports aren’t just the lifeblood of the Southeast; they power the global economy. These strategic modifications and maintenance will strengthen Georgia’s economy, creating more jobs, boosting revenue, and solidifying our position as a trade leader.”

Read the full bill text here.

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