MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) published a letter today, announcing his withdrawal from the House Homeland Security Committee.
 
“Over the course of my nine years in Congress, I have been a dedicated servant to We the People through the House Homeland Security Committee, fighting for the America First agenda, enforcement of American law, and security of American sovereignty,” wrote Congressman Higgins. “My Republican colleagues have chosen an alternate path for the Committee that I helped to build, a path more in alignment with the less conservative factions of our Conference, factions whose core principles are quite variant from my own conservative perspective on key issues like amnesty, ICE operations, and opposition to the surveillance state.”
 
Congressman Higgins continued, “Therefore, recognizing that I would be in opposition to the core principles and agenda of the newly elected Chairman, I withdraw my presence from the House Homeland Security Committee.”
 
Congressman Higgins will continue his mission in service to We the People. He will remain as a senior Republican member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement. He will also continue to represent Louisiana as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and he will work closely with the White House to advance America First priorities.
 
View a PDF of the letter here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Thomas Massie (4th District of Kentucky)

For Immediate Release
Contact: massie.press@mail.house.gov
Contact #: 202-225-346

Washington, D.C.- Today Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) re-introduced the “Safe Students Act.” The “Safe Students Act” (H.R. 5066) repeals the “Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990,” (GFSZA) eliminating GFSZA’s one-size-fits-all federal ban on guns in school zones. Enactment of the “Safe Students Act” would make it easier for state and local governments and school boards to unambiguously set their own firearms policies. 

“Gun-free zones are ineffective and make our schools less safe. Since 1950, 94 percent of mass public shootings have occurred in places where citizens are banned from having guns,” Rep. Thomas Massie said. “Banks, churches, sports stadiums, and many of my colleagues in Congress are protected with firearms. Yet children inside the classroom are too frequently left vulnerable.”

Supporters of Rep. Massie’s “Safe Students Act” offered the following comments:

“So-called ‘gun free’ school zones have left our children utterly defenseless,” said Dudley Brown, President of the National Association for Gun Rights. “Instead of ‘protecting’ our kids with a tin sign, let’s defend them with something that makes a difference: a good guy with a gun. We’re proud to support the Safe Students Act and we’re lobbying everyone in Congress to join as a co-sponsor. It’s time to protect America’s most precious resource: our kids.” 

“GOA staunchly advocates for the repeal of the Gun-Free School Zones Act, which disarms parents and staff, and more importantly, leaves schools significantly less protected as soft targets for those looking to commit violence,” said Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs, Gun Owners of America. “The government has no business dictating where law-abiding citizens carry arms in public, and prohibiting firearms in schools has certainly not yielded the outcome anti-gun politicians thought it would. We must harden schools to protect teachers and students and to do that we must end Gun Free Zones.”

“We all agree that protecting our children is a priority,” said Dianna Muller, Founder, Women for Gun Rights. “The DC Project fully supports the Safe Students Act and applauds Congressman Massie and his colleagues for their leadership to ensure parents and teachers can lawfully carry and protect our kids.”

“More than three decades of evidence since the passage of the ‘Gun-Free School Zones Act’ shows us that those who wish to do harm to others specifically target schools because they know everyone there is a sitting duck. These ‘gun free zones’ don’t work, they empower criminals and endanger students, teachers, and staff,” said Patrick Parsons of The American Firearms Association.

This bill, originally introduced by Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) in 2007, repeals GFSZA, a law that makes it “unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.” In 1995, the Supreme Court held the GFSZA unconstitutional, which prompted Congress to amend the bill in 1996. The Supreme Court has not ruled on the constitutionality of the amended act. 
 
Original cosponsors of the “Safe Students Act” include: Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), and Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX).
 
The text of H.R. 5066 is available at this link. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force Co-Chairs Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07) introduced legislation to commemorate August 31st as Overdose Awareness Day.

“Far too many families across our nation, including in my district, have felt the devastating impact of losing a loved one to an overdose. By formally recognizing Overdose Awareness Day, we honor the lives tragically cut short, shine a light on the grief and resilience of families left behind, and recommit ourselves to advancing solutions that save lives. I’m proud to join my colleagues in leading this bipartisan effort and ensuring that every person affected by the addiction crisis knows that they are not alone,” said Congresswoman Trahan.

“Every life lost to overdose is a tragedy—and a call to act. Here in Bucks and Montgomery counties, I’ve sat with families who carry this pain, and it is their stories and voices that drive my work every day. From securing federal resources for prevention and treatment, to advancing bipartisan solutions that expand access to care and support recovery, this fight has been and will remain one of my top priorities. By commemorating Overdose Awareness Day, we not only remember those we’ve lost—we renew our charge to press forward until every family is supported, every life is protected, and this epidemic is ended,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

In 2024, more than 80,000 Americans lost their lives to a drug overdose. While that figure represents a nearly 27 percent decline from the previous year, fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids continue to fuel the epidemic, with 90 percent of overdose deaths involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl. The resolution introduced today, in advance of National Recovery Month in September, honors those lives lost, raises awareness of the ongoing crisis, and reaffirms the House of Representatives’ commitment to advancing evidence-based policies that prevent overdoses and support individuals and families affected by substance use disorders.

The Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force was created in 2021 through the merger of the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force, then led by Representative Fitzpatrick and former Representative Annie Kuster (D-NH-02), and the Freshman Working Group on Addiction, founded by former Representative David Trone (D-MD-06). Over the past four years, the Task Force has convened stakeholders, partnered with experts, and advanced legislative solutions to address the root causes of the addiction crisis. Representatives Trahan and Pettersen were named Co-Chairs for the first time this year.

A copy of the legislation introduced today can be accessed HERE.

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

Photos: Estes Tours Rural Kansas

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

On Friday, August 22, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) conducted an oversight visit to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility in Santa Maria to assess conditions and convey concerns raised by constituents regarding ICE operations on the Central Coast. During the visit, Carbajal toured the facility and engaged directly with ICE officials, raising critical questions about the well-being of the individuals detained at the facility. He inquired about access to adequate food and water, availability of legal counsel, and the process for medical evaluations. The inspection was part of the Congressman’s ongoing commitment to holding ICE officials accountable.

“Residents across the Central Coast have voiced serious concerns about ICE’s activities in our community,” said Rep. Carbajal. “As their representative in Congress, I conducted an inspection of the Santa Maria ICE facility as part of my oversight responsibilities. I met with facility officials to directly raise the issues my constituents have been calling and writing to me about. While our conversation was productive, this is by no means a ‘one-and-done’ visitation. As long as ICE continues to pursue aggressive tactics in our community, I will continue to demand answers and push for accountability to ensure that detainees are treated fairly and afforded their full constitutional rights.”

The Santa Maria ICE processing facility is where individuals taken into custody are processed for potential immigration violations. These centers handle individuals who may be subject to deportation, are awaiting immigration court proceedings, or are being held for other immigration-related reasons, such as during targeted operations.

Carbajal is a leader in Congress in pushing for commonsense immigration reform and holding federal immigration enforcement officers accountable to the communities they serve.

In June 2025, Carbajal co-sponsored the No Secret Police Act, which would require law enforcement officers and agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) engaged in border security and civil immigration enforcement to clearly display identification and insignia when detaining or arresting individuals and to ban them from using home-made, non-tactical masks.  

In July 2025, Carbajal co-led the introduction of the bipartisan Dignity Act, a bipartisan bill that would introduce reforms into our country’s immigration system. The bill includes commonsense reforms to legal status and protections for undocumented immigrants, border security investments, and improved asylum and visa processes.

In the same month, Carbajal reintroduced the Fight for the American Dream Act, legislation that allows participants of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program to serve in the United States military and provides them a pathway toward U.S. citizenship after their service.

In June 2025, Carbajal introduced the Protect Patriot Parents Act, which would make parents of U.S. military servicemembers eligible for Lawful Permanent Resident status, preventing potential deportations or separations of military families.

Carbajal is also a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which establishes a program for agricultural workers in the United States to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contributions to the U.S. agricultural economy.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought’s unlawful effort to unilaterally cancel appropriated funding:

“Once again, President Trump—with the help of Project 2025 architect Russ Vought—is attempting to claw back billions of dollars in funding already appropriated by Congress. This so-called ‘pocket rescission’ is illegal, unconstitutional, and a brazen attempt by the president to further consolidate power and usurp the explicit funding authority of Congress. 

“The Constitution is clear: This is a flagrant affront to Congress’s power of the purse. The programs and initiatives the president is trying to stop—including $5 billion for biomedical research and disease prevention and $2.5 billion for state and local crime-prevention efforts—had bipartisan support. This president believes that only his priorities matter. It’s wrong, it’s dangerous, and it underscores this administration’s increasingly authoritarian behavior.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

OFFICES OF CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT CLOSED SEPTEMBER 1ST IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott Demands Response on Request for Oversight Hearing on HHS Layoffs and Proposed Reorganization

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, once again called on Chairman Tim Walberg, House Committee on Education and Workforce, to immediately hold an oversight hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS or the Department) layoffs and the Department’s proposed reorganization.  This request follows a series of layoffs at HHS, including employees from vital programs that support older adults and people with disabilities.

On April 5, Ranking Member Scott was joined by every Democratic Member of the Committee in requesting that Chairman Walberg hold a hearing on HHS’ proposed reorganization and staff terminations.   In this follow-up letter, Ranking Member Scott again urged the Committee to hold Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department accountable.  To date, Secretary Kennedy has not provided transparency regarding the impact that the layoffs will have on essential services, nor has the Committee received answers on the Department’s drastic proposed reorganization plan that includes elimination of entire subagencies.

“The urgency of an oversight hearing is exacerbated by the recent termination of 4,623 dedicated public servants on July 14, 2025, and HHS’ continued lack of transparency surrounding its reorganization plans,” said Ranking Member Scott.

Congress and the American public deserve full transparency, and Ranking Member Scott is pushing to hold HHS accountable before more damage is done to the health and well-being of millions of people.

To read the full letter to Chairman Walberg click here.

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

August 29, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced today the Protection of College Sports Act. This bill codifies executive action taken by President Trump to restore order to collegiate sports and the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rule. 
“With all the excitement and buzz generated by the introduction of NIL, this new rule has nonetheless presented serious challenges for the future of collegiate sports,” said Rep. Steube. “While boosters pour millions of dollars into their alma mater’s football and men’s basketball programs, the rest of the sports landscape is left scrounging for pennies. Women’s athletics in particular are facing massive shortfalls of funding and personnel as a result of NIL. This also shrinks the talent pool for U.S. Olympic teams seeking to compete in non-revenue sports like swimming and track and field. Student-athletes deserve better than the status quo. With President Trump’s executive guidance, my bill will defend women’s and non-revenue sports by clearly defining protections for all athletes in the NIL era of college sports.” 
The Protection of College Sports Act achieves four main policy goals through the codification of President Trump’s E.O. 14322. First, it guarantees that major university athletic departments with budgets over $125,000,000 increase scholarship opportunities for women’s and non-revenue sports. Collegiate athletic departments with less revenue must meet similar benchmarks so that women’s and non-revenue athletic scholarship opportunities are preserved. Secondly, the bill bans third-party “pay-for-play” slush funds masquerading as athlete endorsement pools. The bill also protects the non-employee status of collegiate athletes so scholarships remain academic and not taxable benefits. And lastly, future labor and antitrust disputes are thwarted by this legislation that may otherwise appear in the course of the NIL era.
Rep. Steube is joined by Rep. Stephanie Bice as a co-lead on the Protection of College Sports Act. 
“I am proud to support this legislation which codifies President Trump’s Executive Order,” said Rep. Bice. “It is vitally important we continue to protect our student athletes in this new era of college athletics.”
The Protection of College Sports Act has the support of Heitner Legal.
“I hope that the codification of the ‘Saving College Sports’ Executive Order will provide much-needed clarity and structure to the evolving landscape of NIL compensation and revenue sharing without unfairly limiting opportunities for any college athletes. It is a noble goal to protect non-revenue sports, women’s sports, and Olympic athletes while ensuring that college athletes in all disciplines can benefit from their efforts. No one can argue with a mission grounded in ensuring the preservation and expansion of college sports as long as fairness and athlete rights are prioritized. We can all get behind promoting accessibility and protecting the long-term viability of intercollegiate athletics for generations to come, as long as it does not interfere with athletes’ abilities to negotiate and enter into NIL deals, which must be protected above all.” —Darren Heitner, Founder of Heitner Legal
Read the full bill text here.

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

August 29, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced today the Guaranteeing Religious Accommodation in Childhood Education (GRACE) Act. This bill prohibits federal education funding to educational institutions and agencies that refuse to provide students with a religious exemption for vaccine mandates. 
“Freedom of speech and religion is the most sacred right guaranteed under our Constitution,” said Rep. Steube. “No student or their family should ever be coerced into sacrificing their faith or jumping through loopholes to comply with a vaccine requirement. The GRACE Act reaffirms our country’s commitment to protecting religious freedom in the classroom.” 
The GRACE Act bars federal education funding from being made available to elementary and secondary schools as well as local and state educational agencies that refuse to provide students with a religious exemption to vaccine requirements for participation in athletics and other activities. 
Rep. Steube is joined by 14 cosponsors of the GRACE Act: Reps. Mary Miller (R-Iowa), Dan Webster (R-Fla.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), and Troy Downing (R-Mont.). 
The GRACE Act also has the support of more than fifty organizations including Moms for Liberty, Global Wellness Forum, Guiding the Impact, and Children’s Health Defense. 
“I am profoundly grateful for Congressman Steube’s leadership in introducing this critical legislation. His steadfast commitment to parental rights, religious freedom, and equal educational opportunity exemplifies the values that have long defined our nation. Our nation was founded on the promise of liberty of conscience, and this legislation ensures that promise is protected for the next generation. No child in America should ever be denied the right to an education or equal opportunity because of their parents’ faith. To Make America Great Again, we must stand unwaveringly in defense of parental rights, religious freedom, and equal access to education for every family — and that begins with Congress passing the GRACE Act.” —Cait Corrigan, Advocate for religious and medical freedom
“Children’s Health Defense is grateful to Representative Steube for introducing the GRACE Act, landmark legislation to protect free exercise of religion. Four states — CA, NY, ME, CT — refuse to recognize the right to religious exemption from vaccination for school children, to the detriment of the children, their families, and their states. This Act provides incentive for these outlier states to join with the other 46 to protect the most vital right under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.” —Mary Holland, President, Children’s Health Defense
“Moms for Liberty believes that parents have the right to raise their children how they see fit. The GRACE Act supports this by affirming parental rights, defending First Amendment freedoms, and promoting fair and equal access to education.” —Moms for Liberty
“I am deeply grateful for Congressman Steube’s leadership on the GRACE Act, and Guiding the Impact proudly supports his efforts to defend our God-given rights. This bill sends a powerful message that in America, no child should be denied a classroom seat because of their family’s faith. For generations, our nation has protected religious freedom as a cornerstone of democracy, and 45 states already demonstrate that it is possible to safeguard both public health and religious liberty. The GRACE Act ensures this balance is upheld nationwide.” —Elyse Young, Sarasota Resident, Founder of Guiding the Impact
Read the full bill text here.