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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04)

From some of our earliest years of education, we were introduced to the words our forefathers wrote as they envisioned what the future of the United States might be. In a small room in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, these words were written onto one of the most pivotal documents in history: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Our founding fathers understood that every man, woman, and child has been created with rights that no man can take away; the most important being the right to life. This week, thousands of Americans gathered in our nation’s capital to celebrate that right to life during the annual March for Life. 

The days leading up to this event always provide an excellent opportunity to reflect on the work being done to advance pro-life and pro-family legislation. We must never forget the importance of crafting policies that continue to protect our most sacred and ultimate gift. It was an honor to be recognized by the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America scorecard this week as an A+ legislator who consistently advocates for these initiatives in Congress. 

Just this week, the House voted on two specific pieces of legislation aimed at supporting pregnant mothers and working families: the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act and the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act. House Republicans understand that true support of an unborn child extends to the health of the mother along with her support system, which is equally valuable for a child’s best chance at a fulfilling and healthy life.

Updates to prenatal care facilities, programs, and opportunities for pregnant women are just as pro-life as fighting to protect the lives of the unborn in their mothers’ wombs. It’s an honor to serve the Fourth District and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I will continue to advocate for our God-given right to life and always fight against abortion.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04)

The United States is one of the only nations in the world that allows child victims of sex trafficking and abuse who retaliate against their abusers to grow up in prison with no chance at parole or rehabilitation. Because of this, I was proud to introduce the Sara’s Law and Preventing Unfair Sentencing Act of 2026 earlier this week.

This legislation ensures that our justice system exempts minors who are victims of abuse from mandatory minimum sentencing, encouraging judges to consider the full story when issuing a sentence.

Several years ago, I met Sara Kruzman, the inspiration for this bill, who was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole when she was seventeen years old. Sara’s story is one many children are unfortunately familiar with: after being groomed at the age of eleven, she was trafficked from ages thirteen to sixteen. After her escape, she returned to kill her abuser.

Without the court’s consideration of her childhood trauma and the darkness she undoubtedly endured, she was sentenced to live out the rest of her life in prison without parole. After serving a little over nineteen years, she was commuted, and her sentence was reduced.

According to Shared Hope International, children as young as thirteen can be sentenced to life in prison without parole, and unfortunately, over 2,500 children in our nation are serving this sentence. Of these children, girls in the juvenile justice system are more likely to have previously experienced high rates of sexual violence.

Children shouldn’t be sentenced to grow up in prison because they chose to fight back. Instead of letting the justice system come to a decision without the full breadth of the child’s history or victimization, we are doing a great disservice to these youth. We must work to create reforms to our juvenile justice system that will empower our future generations to receive the help they need to move forward, grow, and ultimately create wonderful, lasting impacts on our society.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Larson (1st District of Connecticut)

Rep. Larson wrote the following Letter to the Editor that appeared in the Boston Globe.

The Jan. 14 editorial, “Mitt Romney puts a spotlight on Social Security’s looming shortfall,” highlights the importance of both protecting Social Security from cuts and enhancing the nation’s number one anti-poverty program for the elderly and children.

The Trump administration is focused on dismantling it from within, cutting around 7,000 members of the agency’s staff, eliminating regional offices, and slashing phone service. Democrats continue to push back against these attacks on the people’s benefits, but it is time to act.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; Richard Neal, ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee; and I are introducing comprehensive legislation this year that would expand benefits and ensure that Social Security will continue to provide millions of Americans with their hard-earned benefits. I commend Mitt Romney for joining our continued call to lift the cap on Social Security. Having the wealthy pay their fair share allows us to secure Social Security’s future and expand benefits for the first time in more than 50 years.

Social Security is the safety net that keeps capitalism, entrepreneurialism, and free markets intact. We need action, not more dialogue. We have a plan, and it’s time to vote. Thank you to the former Republican senator from Utah for recognizing Social Security’s value to free markets and capitalism and to the Globe for highlighting the issue.

Representative John B. Larson
East Hartford, Conn.
The writer, a Democrat, is the ranking member of the House Social Security Subcommittee and represents Connecticut’s First Congressional District.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

Washington, D.C. (January 23, 2026) | – Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement following the Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act (H.R. 1799) Advancing Out of the House Committee on Financial Services.

“I am pleased that my legislation has passed out of committee, and I extend my sincere thanks to my colleagues for their support on this key issue. When Congress passed the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, they did so with the clear intent to monitor significant and unusual financial transactions. As inflation increased, the 10K threshold that the Department of Treasury implemented five decades ago is now effectively outdated and includes incredible amounts of common transactions, such as used car purchases and small business cash deposits , exemplifying the need for modernization. Treasury must update these thresholds in order to properly align with the realities of the 21st Century.

“My bill simply raises the currency transaction reporting threshold from 10K to 30K, and indexes it to inflation. It would also update certain thresholds for suspicious activity reports, where such thresholds exist, and index them to inflation. These updates would reduce the compliance burden for banks and credit unions by sixty to eighty percent, reduce the need to report arbitrary cash transactions, and ensure law enforcement maintains access to this information as needed. Furthermore, raising these thresholds will enhance customer privacy and allow federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to focus only on the data that really matters. Modern threats deserve modern approaches, to counter evolving risks, encourage proactive reporting and changes in money laundering and terrorist financing ecosystems. ”

Summary of the Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act:

•    Raises the Currency Transaction Report (CTR) threshold from $10,000 to $30,000.
•    Raises the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) thresholds from $5,000 to $10,000
•    Makes continuing adjustments for inflation, updating the CTR and SAR thresholds every five years.
•    Aligns other reporting thresholds for money service businesses with the increase in the CTR and SAR thresholds, with proportionate increases where applicable.
•    Requires Treasury, in consultation with private stakeholders and law enforcement, to review and submit a report to Congress on Bank Secrecy Act forms, reporting, and record-keeping requirements to ensure these forms remain effective and efficient.

Click here to read full bill text

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) secured $1.35 million in federal Community Project Funding in Fiscal Year 2026 to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in New Brunswick and Highland Park, addressing hazardous intersections, speeding, and accessibility challenges.

 

“These projects in New Brunswick and Highland Park address real safety problems on streets people rely on every day,” said Pallone. “By improving signals, slowing traffic, and making sidewalks and crossings safer, this funding will help reduce crashes and protect pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists.”

 

In New Brunswick, Pallone secured $500,000 to upgrade safety at the intersection of Jersey Avenue and Van Dyke Avenue, one of the city’s most dangerous intersections. Improvements include new LED traffic signals, ADA-compliant sidewalks and curb ramps, enhanced pavement markings, and high-visibility signage. City data show more than 60 crashes between 2019 and 2023 at the intersection.

 

“We are thrilled to see this important investment in New Brunswick’s traffic and pedestrian safety move forward.” said New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill, “This funding will help transform one of our most heavily traveled intersections with safer walkways, modern signals, and improved accessibility for all residents and visitors. Thank you to our federal partners for recognizing the urgency of this project and helping us make our City’s streets safer for everyone.”

 

In Highland Park, Pallone secured $850,000 for pedestrian and roadway safety improvements along North 8th Avenue and Magnolia and Benner Streets, including traffic-calming measures, upgraded crosswalks, ADA-compliant sidewalks and curb ramps, and improved signage to address persistent speeding concerns.

 

“I’m delighted that, through Congressman Frank Pallone’s leadership, the Borough of Highland Park just secured federal funding to improve our pedestrian, bicycle, and automotive safety” said Elsie Foster, Mayor of Highland Park. “North 8th Ave, Magnolia St., and Benner Street are a few of the busiest roads in our town and they sorely need upgrades. This federal allocation, secured by Congressman Pallone, allows us to stretch local funds and markedly improve the capacity and safety of those roads. Our residents, and our visitors, young and old, will truly benefit from this vital support.”

 

Both projects were requested by Pallone through the Fiscal Year 2026 federal appropriations process, which allows members of the U.S. House to direct Community Project Funding toward locally identified transportation and public safety priorities.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. issued the following statement condemning recent deadly actions by federal immigration agents and opposing additional funding for Trump’s Department of Homeland Security:

 

“There was a time when Republicans in Congress believed in the Constitution and in a basic moral obligation to speak when something was plainly wrong. They must join Democrats in speaking out now.

 

In Minnesota, Americans were shot in the face and in the back in broad daylight. In New Jersey, people are being detained without cause. And the Republican party that once called itself the guardian of law and order says nothing.

 

Trump’s ICE and DHS are out of control. Their actions are reckless, arbitrary, and unworthy of a democratic nation. I mourn Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, two Americans whose lives were taken in the midst of this lawlessness. They deserved better from their government.

 

That is why I voted against the DHS spending package that would hand even more power and money to agencies that have shown they cannot be trusted with either. The Senate must do the same. If this continues, it will not just be lives we lose: it will be the country we thought we were.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

JEFFERSON, La.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Fox Business Network’s Mornings with Maria to discuss how the Trump Administration is making America safer, Tim Walz’s failed leadership, and Senate Democrats’ plan to shut down the government again. Additionally, Leader Scalise highlighted the benefits that hardworking Americans can expect from the Working Families Tax Cut this tax season.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview. 
Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:On the Trump Administration making America safer:“What we need to focus on, and President Trump laid it out really well, he’s offered a path for these cities to be more cooperative, to make things easier, to not have incidents and chaos. And again, you don’t have chaos in every other city, but Minneapolis. They need to turn down their violent rhetoric. They’re calling ICE, Customs, and Border Patrol, Gestapo. They’re calling them – they’re saying they’re there as occupying forces. That’s driving people to push them out by any means necessary.“Remember, it is a felony. It’s against the law for a citizen to go and impede law enforcement when they’re doing their job. They were there in Minnesota trying to get rid of a violent offender. This is important, Maria – ICE in the last year under President Trump has caught and arrested 416,000 criminals, violent criminals in communities, gotten them off the streets. That’s people that are not terrorizing our communities. And oh, by the way, no coincidence that America today is seeing a 125-year low in our murder rate. We have the lowest murder rate we’ve had since 1900.”On Governor Walz’s failed leadership:“He’s said worse things than that. He’s a national embarrassment, Maria. Oh, by the way, there is a major investigation going on: Chairman Comer and his committee just had a hearing a few weeks ago with whistleblowers with at least 10, maybe $20 billion of your tax money stolen by those groups in Minnesota that Tim Walz looked the other way because he knew that was going on. And so what is his answer to try to distract people? He just tells his citizens to go and harass ICE. And again, it’s against the law to do that. And now he’s putting his own citizens in harm’s way, and he’s putting ICE agents in harm’s way. Let’s remember, attacks against ICE agents are up 1,300% in part because you got some of these failed leaders that are encouraging their own citizens to go and think it’s free rein, and it’s not.”On Senate Democrats threatening another government shutdown:“Well, you can tell Chuck Schumer orchestrated the last one. It blew up in his face. He’s trying to orchestrate another government shutdown because they want to defund police, not just ICE. All law enforcement. ICE is law enforcement. But look, you can go see what happened in the last shutdown. Here we go again. That funding bill, we passed all 12 funding bills out of the House. So the bills that they have include the Department of Defense. Yes, it includes ICE. It also includes your TSA agents. So what Chuck Schumer wants to shut down is even the ability for you to go to an airport, get on a plane, and fly for a vacation or go see a family member. That’s what Chuck Schumer is trying to shut down. Not to mention that our military, our men and women in uniform, will have to be working without pay because of Chuck Schumer’s political games. He’s trying to appease his far-left base because he’s scared AOC is going to beat him in a Democrat primary. This is disgraceful.”On the Working Families Tax Cut’s benefits this tax season:“Well, it’s going to be a benefit to millions and millions of hardworking families. Maria, normally, tax season is not something you look forward to. For a lot of families this year, they’re going to be getting money back because of what we did to pass that One Big Beautiful Bill. The average working family, not the millionaires and the billionaires, but working families, will get about $1,000 or more back this tax season because of what we passed in that Working Families Tax Cut. So no tax on tips, no tax on overtime. We kept rates low. We gave seniors a tax break. So your average senior citizen is going to get about a $6,000 deduction that was not in place last year because of President Trump’s leadership. So all of that’s going to be something that’s going to put real money in the pockets of hardworking families as we work to repair the damage, mop up the mess of Joe Biden.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse issued the following statement after voting against the three-bill Fiscal Year 2026 minibus appropriations package to fund the departments of Defense, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, and other related agencies:

“Today, I voted no on a series of Republican-led funding bills, including a proposal to increase defense spending to $838.7 billion, a number that exceeds the amount requested in the President’s very own FY 2026 Budget Request by $8.4 billion.

“Over the past several months, we’ve seen President Trump and his administration issue reckless directives to deploy troops in American cities, conduct a series of unconstitutional strikes in the Caribbean, and dispatch unilateral orders for service-members to engage in combat operations in Venezuela. The President’s actions have been unlawful, and a clear affront to the House of Representatives’ powers under Article I of our Constitution.

“I refuse to rubber-stamp President Trump’s national security agenda, which is why I voted against the appropriations bill.”

“During this week alone, the President threatened retribution on any of our NATO allies who oppose his efforts to occupy Greenland. His open alienation of America’s closest allies has further isolated us from our global partners, and endangers the safety of the American people.

“Congress must put a stop to this administration’s reckless military adventurism, reclaim our authority, and reject these efforts before President Trump does irreversible damage to the United States’ standing in the world.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

NEW ORLEANS, La.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined CBS News’ Face the Nation to discuss yesterday’s tragedy, the chaos unique to Minnesota because of their failed leaders, and the Trump Administration removing dangerous illegal aliens from our streets. Leader Scalise also urged Democrat leaders to turn down the rhetoric and encouraged local and state officials to work with federal law enforcement.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:On the chaos unique to Minneapolis under failed Democrat leadership:“I don’t question the credibility of ICE. They’re doing an incredibly hard job. Look, we all just feel sorry about what happened in Minneapolis. This has happened over and over again. I’m not just talking about regarding ICE. They’ve got some failed local leadership. They let their city burn down years ago. They have chaos, it seems like all the time in places where other cities don’t. ICE is operating in a lot of cities, Margaret, and you don’t have these incidents in any other city but Minneapolis.”On ICE removing criminal illegal aliens:“Look, again, anytime something bad happens, we all lament that. I wish it didn’t happen. But the rhetoric does need to be toned down. But we also need to remember: why is ICE doing this in cities? They’re enforcing federal law, Margaret. The law says you can’t be here illegally, and if you’re committing violent crimes, the President made it clear, in fact, he was elected, President Trump was elected to get rid of criminals in our communities. 416,000 criminals have been arrested by ICE just in the last year. That has helped make our community safer.“…Well, if you asked people in a poll, do you want violent criminals that are here illegally in your community, yes or no? What do you think the answer is going to be? I will tell you, overwhelmingly, they will say, please get the violent criminals out. In fact, you’re seeing that on the ground in many cities where they are cooperating with ICE, where they don’t have sanctuary city policies, and where you don’t see, by the way, people going in the streets breaking the law to interfere with law enforcement, which is a felony.”On Democrat leaders’ heated rhetoric as protestors illegally interfere with law enforcement:“Interfering with law enforcement is a felony. It’s something that, unfortunately, we’re seeing in a lot of cities. You even had the police chief yesterday, Chief O’Hara, that you just had on, yesterday, said of the protests going on after the shooting, that they were unlawful. Yes. He actually said it was an unlawful assembly, what a lot of people are doing. They were throwing things at ICE agents, throwing projectiles that could harm ICE agents. Let’s tone this down. Leaders in Minnesota, by the way, have been ratcheting up the rhetoric. You saw the governor, Governor Walz said, ‘They’re Gestapo.’ He said, ‘They’re violently hurting people.’”On protecting election integrity nationwide: “I know we’re trying in Congress to deal with putting laws on the books that will make sure that we protect the integrity of the vote nationwide. States like Minnesota have had problems with voter integrity. We want a national standard, the SAVE Act, which makes sure illegals can’t vote, but also making sure you show picture ID. Those are things we’re pushing for, that’s across the board, federally.”On President Trump delivering on his promises to deport violent illegal immigrants and protect Americans:“Worst of the worst DHS. Go Google ‘Worst of the Worst DHS.’ State by state, they show you all the people that have been picked up in each state, your state. You can find out horrible people, murderers, rapists, that they picked up that would be on the streets today if President Trump wasn’t securing this country.“Go look at the website. It shows you who they picked up, 416,000 people with violent criminal records. These are people – and by the way, America today has the lowest murder rate that we’ve had since 1900, in part because of President Trump’s actions to get these violent people off our streets. 416,000 have been removed. Do you want them still out on our streets? I don’t think most people do.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement:

“For the second time this month, federal immigration agents took the life of a resident of Minneapolis. Stephen Miller branded Renee Good and Alex Pretti ‘terrorists’ and ‘assassins.’ He lied. They were no such thing. One was a poet and a mother of three, the other an ICU nurse for the VA. They were American citizens. They were human beings. I pray for their families. America grieves with them.
 
“Donald Trump’s deployment of heavily armed and dangerous troops, operating without guardrails and with what JD Vance called ‘absolute immunity,’ to American cities inevitably leads to these confrontations in which innocent civilians get hurt and killed. That is absolutely unacceptable, as well as completely unnecessary to these agencies’ work. I call on Trump to recall ICE, Border Patrol, and any other federal agents he has deployed to Minneapolis for his intimidation campaign immediately. Killing innocent people in the street does not strengthen our border or help detain violent criminals.
 
“Both local and federal law enforcement ought to investigate these killings. The investigators should not be the same as those who perpetrated the crime. The Minneapolis Police Department needs full access to any information concerning these confrontations, both lethal and non-lethal. 
 
“The American people deserve the truth. Crucially, those affected deserve justice. These events in Minneapolis remind us that when our Constitution comes under attack, so do We the People.”