MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

VATICAN CITY –Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced his audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, during the Jubilee of hope, as part of the 16^th Annual Meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network (ICLN). This is the first ICLN meeting led by Pope Leo.  

 

Congressman Gonzalez, along with a bipartisan Delegation of Catholic Members of Congress, discussed with Pope Leo the chosen theme of “The New World Order: Major Power Politics, Corporate Dominion and the Future of Human Flourishing,” emphasizing the importance of authentic human flourishing.

 

“As a devout Catholic, it is the highest honor to meet His Holiness Pope Leo – the first American Pope – and hear his message of compassion, unity, and service to others,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Pope Leo challenged us to build a world rooted in hope, conscience, and solidarity. He also urged us to shape the societies around us with the love of God and neighbor rather than selfish interests.

 

As a key member of the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, Congressman Gonzalez also met with senior leader from the Holy See and the United Nations World Food Program to discuss their partnerships with international financial institutions to support humanitarian operations in the Middle East.   

 

CONGRESISTA VICENTE GONZALEZ SE REÚNE CON SU SANTIDAD EL PAPA LEON XIV  

 

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO –Hoy, el Congresista Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) anunció su audiencia con Su Santidad el Papa León XIV en la Ciudad del Vaticano, durante el Jubileo de la esperanza, parte de la decimosexta Reunión Anual de la Red Internacional de Legisladores Católicos (ICLN). Esta es la primera reunión de ICLN dirigida por el Papa León.

 

El Congresista Gonzalez, junto con una delegación bipartidista de Miembros Católicos del Congreso, discutió con el Papa León el tema elegido “El Nuevo Orden Mundial: Política de las Grandes Potencias, Dominio Corporativo y el Futuro del Florecimiento Humano”, enfatizando la importancia del auténtico florecimiento humano.

 

“Como católico devoto, es el honor más alto conocer a Su Santidad el Papa León – el primer Papa de los Estados Unidos – y escuchar su mensaje de compasión, unidad y servicio a los demás. El Papa León nos desafió a construir un mundo arraigado en la esperanza, la conciencia y la solidaridad. También nos invitó a modelar las sociedades que nos rodean con el amor de Dios y al prójimo en lugar de intereses egoístas.”

 

Como miembro del Comité de Servicios Financieros de la Cámara de Representantes de EE.UU., el Congresista Gonzalez también se reunió con dirigentes de la Santa Sede y del Programa Mundial de Alimentos de las Naciones Unidas para discutir sus asociaciones con instituciones financieras internacionales para apoyar operaciones humanitarias en el Medio Oriente.

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, House GOP Military Veterans Share Heartfelt Testimonies on Abbey Gate Anniversary

Washington – Today, Representative Don Bacon (NE-2) and veteran members of the House Republican Conference mark the fourth anniversary of the deadly terrorist attack at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and left dozens more wounded. To honor these fallen heroes, the House Republican Conference released a tribute video featuring military veterans serving in Congress. In the powerful video, the veterans–many of whom served in Afghanistan–share heartfelt testimony about the personal impact of the Biden administration’s disastrous withdrawal as they reflect on the devastating, preventable chaos it caused. 

Representative Don Bacon (NE-02) served nearly thirty years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, culminating his military career at the rank of Brigadier General. He served 16 assignments with four deployments to the Middle East, including one to Iraq from 2007 to 2008 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. 

Watch Rep. Bacon’s testimony here, and written as delivered below: 

“I served nearly thirty years in the Air Force. I had multiple deployments in the Middle East. And one of the things that changed my life was 9 /11. We saw the Pentagon hit, the World Towers, and the fourth airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania. We deployed, and we kicked the Taliban out of government. We ended up killing Osama bin Laden. We ended up going in Iraq as well. 

“In Afghanistan we lost 2,459 Americans over the course of those two decades. But President Biden made a terrible decision four years ago to withdraw our forces the way he did. Our military recommended against his withdrawal plans and he overruled them. His withdrawal cost us two decades of investment in Afghanistan and it ended up costing 13 more lives when that bomber attacked our forces that were trying to save lives at the airport in Kabul. 

“Today I’m thinking of Daegan Page, one of the 13 Americans killed, who is from Omaha. I’ve gotten to meet his family. We love his family and our sympathies still go with them. But also the other 12 families that lost their sons and daughters or spouses. 

“President Biden made a terrible decision. He withdrew our air support from the Afghan forces, withdrew our mechanics from the Afghan airplanes and the Afghan soldiers without air power collapsed quickly. President Biden said it would take two years, at least for the government to fail. It took one month because of the reckless decision making that he did. 

“So today, yes, I’m angry. As angry I’ve ever been on anything that any president has done in my lifetime. But I also know that we had men and women serving in uniform, doing the best they could, following orders, serving their country, and we had some that paid the ultimate sacrifice. So today our hearts and minds, our prayers are with those 13 families today.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), and Dan Goldman (NY-10) introduced the Protecting Communities from Helicopter Noise Act. The bipartisan bill, one of several pieces of legislation introduced in response to rampant helicopter noise in the New Jersey-New York Metropolitan Area, directs the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) to study the impact of helicopters on the safety of the airspace and helicopter noise within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty and examine solutions to divert helicopters away from residential and recreational areas. It was first introduced by Nadler and Menendez in the 118th Congress. 

“The New York Metropolitan area experiences some of the most concentrated helicopter traffic anywhere, and the impact on our communities continues to grow,” said Representative Nadler. “In the past five years, the number of complaints about helicopter noise has increased by nearly 2,500 percent, making it one of the most frequently raised issues by my constituents. That’s why I am proud to join Congressman Menendez in introducing the bipartisan Protecting Communities from Helicopter Noise Act, which directs the FAA to study this problem and develop concrete solutions so families and neighborhoods can finally get the relief they need.” 

“It is impossible to ignore the detrimental effects that helicopter noise has on our community and the broader region,” said Representative Menendez. “I’ve heard from constituents in Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, and beyond whose quality of life is severely impacted by non-essential helicopters. The tragic crash of a tourism helicopter in the Hudson River just a few months ago makes it clear that this is a safety issue as well. It’s time for the FAA to act, and I’m grateful to my colleagues for helping to move this forward on a bipartisan basis.” 

“I join my colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation requiring the FAA to examine helicopter noise, safety, and health impacts within 20 miles of the Statue of Liberty,” said Representative Malliotakis. “This report will identify solutions to reduce constant noise as a result of the flight paths, deliver relief to our communities, and address resident’s quality-of-life concerns.” 

“The prevalence of noise pollution from helicopters over New York City is an unnecessary and wholly preventable burden on millions of residents,” said Representative Goldman. “New technologies like Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing Aircrafts (eVTOLs) are expected to be quieter than helicopters and other conventional aircraft and could meaningfully decrease noise pollution over densely populated urban areas. We have an obligation to understand how eVTOLs may help solve the problem of noise pollution, as well as how best to enforce regulations on helicopter flight paths above our city to enhance quality of life, safeguard public health, and restore community well-being.” 

For full bill text, click here.

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

Photos: Estes Makes District Visits

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

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

“Israel should implement a ceasefire in Gaza and massively increase the flow of humanitarian aid. They must also stop the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and take serious steps to reduce the violence there. I urge President Trump to directly appeal to Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government to take these steps. If Israel does not take these steps, I believe it is time for the United States government to stop the sale of some offensive weapons systems to Israel as leverage to pressure Israel into taking these actions.

“I support Israel and recognize both the threats they face and the reality that the actions of Hamas and their supporters have driven this conflict. But, right now, it is impossible to see how further military action in Gaza could degrade Hamas’ capabilities to any appreciable degree further than what has already occurred. Yes, the hostages must be returned. It is outrageous that Hamas took the hostages and has continued to hold them. But six months of war since the end of the last ceasefire has done nothing to bring the hostages home.

“I have been opposed to blocking weapons sales to Israel as leverage in the past, but the situation in the Middle East has changed dramatically in recent months. Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran have all been weakened to the point where they pose a substantially reduced threat to Israel. Assad, a crucial ally for all three, has been removed from power in Syria. These are very positive developments that might not have happened if the US had reduced its support to Israel prior to them occurring. But these developments also mean that Israel faces little if any risk to its security if the US blocks the sale of some weapons now. 

“The other risk of any action that attempts to pressure Israel into ending the war is that such action could simply embolden Hamas to keep fighting. I believe this has happened throughout the war as various international groups have consistently failed to hold Hamas accountable for starting the war and for their actions during it, instead placing all the blame on Israel and empowering Hamas to keep fighting and holding the hostages. I do not agree with that approach. But the war is now in a very different place. It appears near certain that Hamas will not simply walk away in response to military force from the IDF. It is time to pressure Hamas by working with alternative Palestinian leadership to rebuild Gaza and give the Palestinian people some hope for their future. I am not naïve that this approach is somehow guaranteed to work, but simply continuing the war has clearly failed to completely eliminate Hamas or gain the return of the hostages. It is time to try something else.

“And the situation in Gaza is at a crisis point. Clearly, the world should not blindly trust how Hamas reports that situation, but the scale of the humanitarian crisis cannot be denied. I also believe that if Israel does not end the war in Gaza, they run the risk of being ostracized globally in a way that is a far greater threat to the long-term security of Israel than anything their adversaries are now capable of doing.

“I do remain concerned that so many people advocating for the US to stop supporting Israel believe that Israel does not have the right to exist as a country. Opposing the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza to stop the war and end the suffering of the Palestinian people is very different from opposing the Israeli government out of a desire to wipe it off the map. Faced with that kind of existential threat, Israel will be far less likely to seek peace in the short term. 

“This broader concern, however, does not change the facts that exist now. Nothing more can be realistically accomplished by Israel continuing the war in Gaza, and the humanitarian crisis there must be addressed.”

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

Letter Comes as More Than 20,000 Children Have Been Treated for Acute Malnutrition in Gaza since April

“This moment of crisis demands moral clarity and decisive action.”

Text of the Letter (PDF)

BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), led 101 of their colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to use its full power and authority to demand that Israeli government immediately facilitate a massive surge in all humanitarian aid, and in particular infant formula, into Gaza to address the crisis of starvation. The letter follows Friday’s official declaration of famine in Gaza, with the United Nations warning that more than half a million people are on the brink of starvation.

In their letter, the lawmakers sounded the alarm over the catastrophic shortage of baby formula and the Israeli military’s severe restrictions on humanitarian aid distribution, which is starving people in Gaza. Infants in particular are especially vulnerable to death by starvation. The letter cites alarming figures, including the deaths of 18,500 children in Gaza since October 2023, more than 20,000 children treated for acute malnutrition since April 2025, and widespread famine conditions that have deprived mothers the basic nutrition required to sustain breastfeeding, rendering formula the only option for infant survival in many cases.

“We the undersigned stand united in our fundamental American moral values that we must do everything possible to ensure children are not starving and that infants are not denied critical food aid,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “This crisis is not one of funding or resources, but of access and political will. While we push for a long-lasting resolution and we are devastated that previous ceasefires were not upheld, we believe it is absolutely necessary to prioritize the safe delivery of the pallets of baby formula, specifically ready-to-feed formula, sitting at the border of Gaza to ensure that we do not lose another newborn or infant to starvation.”

The lawmakers also condemned the Israeli government’s restrictions on aid delivery, including a complete blockade earlier this year and its new system of aid delivery, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation system, which has resulted in a catastrophic decrease in food supplies and other humanitarian aid. According to the Israeli government’s own data, the GHF has delivered only a tiny fraction of the aid previously distributed under the U.N.-coordinated system, while average daily truck entries remain far below the 500–600 trucks the U.N. says are required to meet humanitarian needs.

“We therefore urge you to demand that the Israeli government immediately facilitate a massive surge of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, including but not limited to baby formula and medical equipment required to treat infant and child malnourishment.,” the lawmakers continued. “This moment of crisis demands moral clarity and decisive action.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

Joining Congresswomen Pressley and Pettersen in sending the letter are Representatives Adams, Alma; Ansari, Yassamin; Balint, Becca; Barragán, Nanette; Bera, Ami; Beyer, Donald; Bonamici, Suzanne; Brownley, Julia; Budzinski, Nikki; Carbajal, Salud; Carter, Troy; Casar, Greg; Casten, Sean; Castro, Joaquin; Chu, Judy; Clarke, Yvette; Cohen, Steve; Conaway, Herbert; Courtney, Joe; Crockett, Jasmine; Crow, Jason; Davids, Sharice; Davis, Danny; Dean, Madeleine; DeGette, Diana; DeLauro, Rosa; Deluzio, Christopher; DeSaulnier, Mark; Dexter, Maxine; Dingell, Debbie; Doggett, Lloyd; Escobar, Veronica; Evans, Dwight; Fields, Cleo; Foster, Bill; Foushee, Valerie; Frost, Maxwell; Garamendi, John; García, Jesús; Garcia, Sylvia; Hayes, Jahana; Himes, James; Hoyle, Val; Huffman, Jared; Jackson, Jonathan; Jacobs, Sara; Jayapal, Pramila; Johnson, Henry; Johnson, Julie; Kaptur, Marcy; Kelly, Robin; Khanna, Ro; Krishnamoorthi, Raja; Larson, John; Lee, Summer; Leger Fernandez, Teresa; Liccardo, Sam; Lynch, Stephen; Magaziner, Seth; Matsui, Doris; McBride, Sarah; McClellan, Jennifer; McCollum, Betty; McDonald Rivet, Kristen; McGovern, James; McIver, LaMonica; Mfume, Kweisi; Min, Dave; Nadler, Jerrold; Norton, Eleanor; Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria; Omar, Ilhan; Panetta, Jimmy; Pelosi, Nancy; Pettersen, Brittany; Pingree, Chellie; Pocan, Mark; Pressley, Ayanna; Quigley, Mike; Ramirez, Delia; Raskin, Jamie; Ross, Deborah; Salinas, Andrea; Scanlon, Mary Gay; Schakowsky, Janice; Scholten, Hillary; Sewell, Terri; Simon, Lateefah; Smith, Adam; Sorensen, Eric; Stansbury, Melanie; Subramanyam, Suhas; Takano, Mark; Thompson, Bennie; Thompson, Mike; Tlaib, Rashida; Tokuda, Jill; Tonko, Paul; Trahan, Lori; Tran, Derek; Vasquez, Gabe; Velázquez, Nydia; Watson Coleman, Bonnie

Relevant background regarding Rep Pressley’s work

Rep. Pressley has long advocated for safe and accessible baby formula. Rep Pressley has consistently called for peace and a ceasefire in Gaza to save the lives of civilians, hostages, Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans.

In May 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with and Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16)  and Grace Meng (NY-06), urged President Biden to use all applicable executive authorities to end the baby formula shortage. In May 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03), Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-05) and the Massachusetts delegation, sent a letter to Abbott Laboratories Chairman and CEO Robert Ford requesting urgent information on the company’s plans to replenish its Similac baby formula in Massachusetts.

Since the horrific October 7^th attack, Congresswoman Pressley has consistently and stridently called for a ceasefire to save lives, return all hostages, and surge humanitarian aid to Gaza. Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she called for urgent de-escalation in the region and renewed her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to prevent a broader regional war.  Rep. Pressley introduced a pair of amendments to increase funding to global humanitarian assistance and place a one-year moratorium on the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli military.

• Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and their colleagues on a resolution condemning Hamas’ brutal attack and hostage-taking, and demanding Hamas immediately release all hostages.
• Rep. Pressley joined Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and 50 colleagues on a letter condemning the terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel, calling for Israeli military operations to follow the rules of international humanitarian law, and continuing to work toward peace in the region.
• Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in announcing a resolution urging the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible. She later joined her colleagues and a multi-faith, multiracial coalition of faith leaders and organizers for a prayer and press conference to renew their calls for a ceasefire. Rep. Pressley also joined dozens of rabbis and Members of Congress for a press conference to renew calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
• Instead of attending Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress, Rep. Pressley spent the day centering people directly impacted by Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza
• Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she condemned antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate on college campuses.
• Rep. Pressley joined a coalition of nearly 100 interfaith clergy and faith leaders on a joint statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
• Rep. Pressley joined Reps. Grace Meng (D-NY), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and nearly 150 colleagues in urging the State Department to use all tools at its disposal help get Americans out of Israel and back home to the United States. She applauded the State Department for heeding her calls on October 12, 2023 and continues to press for the urgent evacuation of Americans in Gaza.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement following the safe evacuation of Massachusetts constituents Wafaa and Abood Okal and their one-year-old Yousef from Gaza.
• Rep. Pressley and Rep. Jamie Raskin led a group of 60 House lawmakers in urging the State Department to affirm the United States’ strong opposition to the forced and permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, and to support an increase in humanitarian aid to the region.
• Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mark Pocan (WI-2), Betty McCollum (MN-4) and 20 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden, asking him to support a bilateral ceasefire in Gaza to protect the one million children living there.
• Rep. Pressley joined a coalition of interfaith clergy and faith leaders for a vigil to mourn the tens of thousands of Palestinians, Israelis, and innocent civilians killed since October 7^th, and to renew calls for a ceasefire to save lives, return all hostages, and deliver humanitarian aid to the region.
• Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues at a press conference to condemn the Israeli government’s pending invasion of Rafah and continued her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
• Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in calling for full funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide urgent humanitarian relief to Gaza.
• Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Joaquín Castro, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakowsky and 33 House Democrats to President Biden urging him to prevent an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah.
• Rep. Pressley, amid heightened tensions in the region, delivered a floor speech in which she called for urgent de-escalation in the Middle East and renewed her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza to prevent a broader regional war.
• Rep. Pressley filed a pair of amendments to increase funding to global humanitarian assistance and place a one-year moratorium on the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli military. The amendments were not adopted in the final legislation. 
• Rep. Pressley voted against HR 8034 to send more offensive weapons and funding to the Israeli military, citing the Israeli military’s callous disregard for human life in Gaza and significant human rights violations.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the peaceful student protests taking place in Massachusetts and across the country.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Boston City Council for passing a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
• Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and 54 additional lawmakers in calling on the Biden Administration to use all tools possible to dissuade the Israeli government from moving forward with an offensive invasion into Rafah.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement in response to the escalating situation in the Middle East.
• Rep. Pressley joined impacted families, faith leaders, and advocates to observe the anniversary of the horrific October 7, 2023 attack and commemorate the 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas, the hostages killed and those still kidnapped, and the over 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed by the Israeli military over the past year.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the horrific October 7^th attack.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement urging the Senate to support Senator Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval that would block the sale of offensive arms to the Israeli government.
• Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the ceasefire-hostage deal reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bennie G Thompson (D-MS)

BOLTON, MS – Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02) announced a $4,593,322 grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support critical infrastructure improvements at Greenwood-Leflore Airport (GWO) in Carroll County, Mississippi.

The funding, awarded through the FY25 Airport Improvement Program (AIP), will be used to support a portion of the final phase of the airport’s runway rehabilitation project. This project will rehabilitate 6,501 feet of Runway 18/36, to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and minimizing foreign object debris. 

Funding is provided through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Department of Transportation.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries