MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives James P. McGovern (MA-02), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Jahana Hayes (CT-05) led a delegation of House members in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) voicing strong opposition to the Administration’s new reorganization plan that will hurt New England farmers and families

The publicly released plan, a 5-page memo with scant details, was crafted without consultation with Congress and without input from key stakeholders like farmers and hungry families. The Administration has provided no details on how this “plan” will improve effectiveness, enhance services, or save the American people money. And while USDA recently started a comment period, the members are skeptical that the Department intends to take the comments seriously, given that Secretary Rollins has said the plan is “95 percent baked.”

Key stakeholders in the northeast—including 15 Members of Congress from the region who signed this letter—are rightly concerned about the closure of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Northeast Regional Office (NERO), which moves the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) entirely out of New England.

The authors of the letter wrote, “USDA NERO staff have developed expertise in how state agencies in the northeast operate and have maintained close working relationships with key staff at those agencies. This expertise is especially critical at this moment as states grapple with how to implement the recently enacted changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including the new cost-share and time limits.”

The letter concludes with the members requesting answers from USDA about the plan by August 29, 2025, and urges the Department to revoke the plan immediately.

Members of the New England delegation who signed this letter are: James P. McGovern (MA-02); Chellie Pingree (ME-01); Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03); Jahana Hayes (CT-05); John B. Larson (CT-01); Chris Pappas (NH-01); Maggie Goodlander (NH-02); Ayanna Pressley (MA-07); Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08); Seth Moulton (MA-06); Joe Courtney (CT-02); Richard E. Neal (MA-01); Seth Magaziner (RI-02); Becca Balint (VT-AL); Lori Trahan (MA-03). 

###

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

Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) and Dan Goldman (NY-10) introduced a resolution condemning the July 28th Midtown Manhattan mass shooting that took the lives of four individuals and the shooter. The resolution commemorates the individuals killed and reiterates the dire need for Congress to ban assault weapons, enact universal background checks, and implement red flag laws. The gunman exploited weak gun laws in Nevada to purchase a military-style semi-automatic weapon before transporting it to New York City, where such weapons are illegal to buy or possess. 

“New York City lost four precious lives when a gunman opened fire at 345 Park Ave in Midtown Manhattan last month, right in my district,” said Representative Jerrold Nadler. “I represent Midtown the heart of corporate America, from the National Football League to the Blackstone Group, and its thousands of hard-working New Yorkers, who should be able to go to work without fear. With this resolution we honor innocent lives taken too soon, including a brave police officer, and acknowledge our duty to address the epidemic of gun violence. I implore my colleagues to carry out our responsibility and do everything we can to put an end to these preventable tragedies by supporting federal legislation that requires universal background checks, bans weapons of war, and prohibits gun ownership for those who are an extreme risk.”

“On July 28, a gunman illegally used a military-grade semi-automatic rifle to kill four innocent New Yorkers in one of the deadliest shootings in our city’s history,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “While the gun was illegal to possess in New York, it was legal in Nevada where the gunman, who suffered from mental health problems, obtained it. Without uniform federal legislation, our nation’s dangerous patchwork of state gun safety laws means that Americans are only as safe as the weakest state law, not the strongest. This senseless and tragic mass shooting is an urgent call to action for Republicans in Congress, who must come to the table to enact broadly popular gun safety legislation to protect our communities, including an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, raising the purchase age to 21, and nationwide red flag laws that would have prevented this devastating shooting and so many others.” 

In late July, a gunman with a documented history of mental illness opened fire inside a Midtown Manhattan office building and murdered four individuals, including an NYPD officer, before taking his own life. The killer had driven from Nevada to New York with a military-grade, M4-style semiautomatic Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle, which is illegal to possess under New York’s assault weapons ban, but was legally purchased in Nevada, a state with significantly weaker gun regulations. 

An estimated 78% of firearms used in crimes in New York City originate from out of state, exposing a dangerous loophole in our national gun laws. The fragmented patchwork of state-level gun safety laws allows firearms to flow easily from states with weaker laws into those with stronger protections, such as New York.  
 
The vast majority of public opinion data shows that Americans strongly support commonsense gun safety measures and favor reducing gun violence nationwide. Polling done by Fox News in 2023 indicated that 81% of Americans support requiring mental health checks for all gun purchasers, while 61% support banning assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons. 

Read the resolution here.

###

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

Headline: Carter, Tonko Introduce Resolution Supporting Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) today introduced a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. 

National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day on August 21st aims to address the opioid crisis by raising awareness and remembering its victims. Synthetic opioids, including illicit fentanyl and fentanyl related substances, are devastating communities and families. In 2024, the fentanyl poisoning rate was among the highest in the United States’ history, representing the leading cause of death among adults aged 18 to 45. Last year, these illicit drugs claimed upwards of 82,100 lives.

“When it comes to fentanyl, just one pill can kill. In the last four years, fentanyl became the number one killer of Americans aged 15 to 45, and many do not know they’ve taken a lethal dose of fentanyl until it is too late. This poisoning epidemic cannot continue. As a pharmacist serving in Congress, I feel the call to raise awareness about the dangers of this illicit drug, which is exactly what this resolution does,” said Rep. Carter. 

“Far too many communities, neighborhoods, and families know the pain and devastation of losing someone to fentanyl overdose,” said Rep. Tonko. “We are seeking to recognize Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day to forever enshrine those lost to this crisis and to serve as a reminder of the difficult but urgent work we must continue to do to address the disease of addiction and offer those struggling with hope and a path to recovery.”

Rep. Carter recently successfully advocated for the installation of opioid reversal kits in House Office Buildings, using the U.S. Capitol as a standard-bearer for access to naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal agent, that is safe, effective, and saves lives. 

Read full bill text here.

###

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

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Congressman Vicente Gonzalez was joined by members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Retirees Chapter 12, Brownsville Educators Stand Together American Federation of Teachers (BEST AFT) Local 3877, Texas State Employees Union – Communication Workers of America (TSEU – CWA) Local 6186, and the Rio Grande Valley Labor Council to rally against the “Big, Ugly Bill” that was signed into law last month by President Donald J. Trump. The Republican budget is set to strip healthcare from almost 17 million Americans, including more than 1.6 million Texans and over 100,000 South Texans; adds almost $4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade; and forces over 42 million Americans to go hungry, including over 65,000 households in South Texas.  

“Medicare and Social Security are not handouts. Our seniors paid into these programs throughout their working lives. This ‘Big, Ugly Bill is nothing but a cold attempt to rob hundreds of thousands of South Texans of their hard-earned dollars to benefit the ultra-wealthy,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Thank you to our AFSCME and local union members for standing shoulder to shoulder with me as we speak out against this betrayal.”    

President of the AFSCME Retirees Chapter 12, Luther Elmore, who was also in attendance, stated, “President Trump’s Beautiful Tax Bill, now law, makes an ugly move to take away healthcare from 300,000 Texans and trigger $500 billion in cuts to Medicare. This is not about the liberal vs conservative, right vs left, Republican vs Democrat, this is about the very top vs the rest of us”.  

You can view the full press conference HERE.

### 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement after U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host recently appointed by President Trump to serve as the top federal prosecutor for Washington D.C., announced that she would not enforce gun laws which make carrying rifles or shotguns in the nation’s capital a felony:

“What better evidence could you ask for that Trump doesn’t care about preventing crime in D.C. than an outright refusal to enforce gun laws? This is exactly the behavior we should expect from a president who put criminals back on the street after January 6^th, including some who carried firearms there illegally.” said Beyer. “Trump and Jeanine Pirro are making it clear that the point of their unwanted and unjustified occupation of the nation’s capital has nothing whatsoever to do with public safety or crime prevention. Worse, they are putting Washingtonians at risk by signaling that carrying dangerous, illegal weapons here will be accepted by a government that pardons criminal activity carried out in Trump’s name. This is disgusting and unacceptable.”

Rep. Beyer represents a Northern Virginia district in the U.S. House that sits across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. He has been a vocal opponent of the Trump Administration’s occupation and police takeover in the nation’s capital, and announced yesterday that he and D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton will soon reintroduce their legislation to require all federal officers to wear body cameras.

Beyer was instrumental in the enactment of 2020 legislation that now requires all federal officers and members of the armed forces, including the National Guard, to visibly display identifying information for each individual as well as their agency or unit when responding to a civil disturbance or constitutionally protected protest action. Beyer is a cosponsor of bills with Rep. Dan Goldman and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, respectively, to ban ICE from wearing face masks during arrests and to require ICE to wear visible and distinct uniforms at all times of action.

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

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas), along with his Kansas delegation colleagues U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), and U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (R-KS-01), Derek Schmidt (R-KS-02), and Sharice Davids (D-KS-03), requested President Donald J. Trump issue a major disaster declaration due to severe storms from June 3 to June 7, 2025. The storms affected the Kansas 4th Congressional District counties of Barber, Butler, Cowley, Greenwood, Harper, Kingman and Sumner.

The full letter can be found below.

Dear Mr. President:

We write today in support of Governor Laura Kelly’s request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Kansas following the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred from June 3 through June 7, 2025. The aftermath of these natural disasters has left lasting impacts on the communities affected beyond when the storms have taken place. Federal support must be provided to assist our state in emergency response and restoration efforts.

According to the National Weather Service, the state of Kansas experienced near record values of atmospheric moisture through a very deep layer which is more typical of a tropical environment as opposed to Kansas. This resulted in dangerous flash flooding across the state, with many counties experiencing the heaviest rainfall between 5-12 inches occurred.

This resulted in considerable damage to farms, homes, public infrastructure, and utilities. Furthermore, there were reports of multiple water rescues of flooded vehicles and trapped people across the affected counties.

Severe weather impacts resulted in electrical outages in rural areas, disrupting multiple 911-dispatch facilities. Many emergency calls were rerouted and caused emergency responders to respond to some areas in impassable travel conditions with downed electric poles and lines.

While the physical damages were devastating to the affected communities, Kansans have experienced financial burdens for responding to the disasters. Following a survey of the damage to the impacted counties including Barber, Butler, Chase, Cowley, Coffey, Franklin, Greenwood, Harper, Hodgeman, Kingman, Lyon, Morris, Osage, Stanton, Sumner and Wallace it is estimated Kansas will qualify for over $7.5 million in public assistance funding.

We, the Kansas Delegation, again express our wholehearted support for the Governor’s request. We look forward to federal support being made available expeditiously to adequately equip state and local governments with the resources necessary to respond to the devastation caused by these severe storms.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Field Office Director Orestes Cruz, demanding entry into ICE facilities at the John E. Moss Federal Building.

“As the United States Congresswoman for California’s Seventh District, I am demanding that all areas being used by the Immigration Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) at the John Moss Federal Building, 650 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814 be made available for my inspection in compliance with federal law,” wrote Congresswoman Matsui. 

Multiple Sacramento community organizations and leaders have reported that community members are being held overnight by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in the basement of the Moss Building. 

Based on these reports, the conditions at this facility are not compliant with the 2025 National Detention Standards. These standards are clear. Holding rooms must be well-ventilated and well-lit while also having sufficient capacity. In addition, all holding rooms must be equipped with handwashing stations and potable water, toilets with sufficient privacy, and a shift supervisor within earshot. Any violation of these standards is unlawful. 

ICE has been conducting operations in the Sacramento region and across the country with little to no regard for the rule of law. Families are being torn apart, and detainees are being treated inhumanely while also being denied legal services and due process enshrined in our Constitution. 

“I have always believed that America is a nation of immigrants. Here in Sacramento, the very fabric of our community is built on stories, traditions and challenges brought together from every corner of the world,” Matsui concluded. “I remain resolute in my commitment to fight for EVERY Sacramentan, no matter their immigration status.”

Full text of the letter can be found HERE. 

# # #

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

Griffith Celebrates $15,014,525 Round of DOT Grants to Develop Airports in Ninth District

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

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, reintroduced the Pipeline Accountability Act, comprehensive legislation to update pipeline safety standards, enhance public engagement in pipeline safety, improve responsiveness to pipeline disasters, and address environmental and climate harms. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) are cosponsors of the legislation.

Devastating accidents such as the 2018 gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts and the 2020 carbon dioxide pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi highlight the urgent need for more stringent safety measures and greater transparency and accountability.

“Families in the Merrimack Valley know all too well the devastation that a pipeline disaster can cause. No community should be left in the dark when leaks or explosions happen, and no family should have to fear for their safety because of outdated standards,” said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. “The Pipeline Accountability Act will give communities a real voice in the process, strengthen safety rules, and help prevent tragedies before they occur.”

“As residents of the Merrimack Valley painfully know, communities near pipelines pay the price for leaks, breaks, and failures – compromising their own health and safety as pipeline safety regulations and enforcement fail to keep up,” said Senator Markey. “Our Pipeline Accountability Act would improve public safety by closing loopholes companies use to operate old, unsafe pipelines and by ensuring communities know if disasters occur and have the tools to prevent them. Our homes and our environment will be safer with strong standards, transparent rulemaking, and the power to hold violators accountable.”

“Fossil fuel pipelines pose numerous risks to our public health and environment – and our nation’s safety standards are long overdue for an update to crack down on shady practices that polluters use to circumvent regulation,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud to reintroduce this bill with Senator Markey to help strengthen pipeline safety and accountability guidelines, improve community engagement and better protect our climate as well as the American people from the risks that come along with transporting dangerous fossil fuels through pipelines.”
 
“For too long, the system has been rigged in favor of fossil fuels,” said Senator Wyden. “As our country races to meet skyrocketing energy demand, this legislation will help ensure proper safety and environmental standards for fossil fuels that go hand-in-hand with Oregon’s work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in a clean energy future.”

Specifically, the Pipeline Accountability Act would:

Enhance safety and environmental standards. The bill reiterates and mandates that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) consider climate impacts, the lifespan of fossil fuel infrastructure, and plans for transitioning to non-emitting alternatives when setting pipeline standards.

Streamline rulemaking. By eliminating duplicative cost-benefit analysis requirements, the bill allows PHMSA to act more swiftly and effectively in protecting public health and safety.

Increase public participation and transparency. The bill strengthens the role of public stakeholders in technical safety standards committees and ensures they are independent. Additionally, by establishing an Office of Public Engagement within PHMSA, funded at $12 million a year, this bill enhances the agency’s ability to educate and involve communities in pipeline safety discussions.

Require safety upgrades and regulations. The bill requires the application of updated safety standards to existing pipelines, prohibits significant releases of gas or hazardous liquids, and requires that pipelines can be rapidly isolated in the event of catastrophic failures. This bill also directs the development of robust safety regulations for CO2 pipelines, which present unique hazards, calls for an independent study on the safety of blending hydrogen into natural gas systems, and requires improvements to underground natural gas storage regulations.

Provide funding for pipeline modernization and non-emitting alternatives. By modifying adding new funding to the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program, the bill ensures continued investment in pipeline safety and modernization, with 20 percent of funds allocated to non-emitting alternatives and workforce training.

Require public disclosure and incident reporting. The bill mandates comprehensive disclosure of pipeline safety data to the public and lowers the thresholds for reporting incidents, ensuring greater transparency and accountability.

Improve accountability measures. By removing limits on civil penalties for a related series of violations and allowing private citizens to take legal action against PHMSA for failing to enforce safety standards, the bill closes existing regulatory gaps and enhances accountability.

The Pipeline Accountability Act is endorsed by the Pipeline Safety Trust, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Appalachian Voices, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Food and Water Watch, HEET, Mothers Out Front, Conservation Law Foundation, Oil Change International, Hold the Line Campaign, 350.org, 350Hawaii, and Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill which would make D.C. eligible for funding under the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (Program) established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Senate Republicans, who created the program, made only the 50 states eligible, likely depriving the District of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding. Although the Program’s title references rural health, the law permits use of funding from the Program for health care services, providers and technology outside of rural areas.

“D.C. deserves to receive the same benefits from federal government programs as the states receive. Not only do D.C. residents pay federal taxes, they pay more federal taxes per capita than any state.” Norton said. “D.C. is treated as a state for most federal programs, and there is no nonpartisan argument to treat D.C. differently for the purposes of this Program.”

Norton’s introductory statement follows. 

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

On the Introduction of the Equal Treatment of the District of Columbia Under the Rural Health Transformation Program Act of 2025

August 19, 2025

Today, I introduce the Equal Treatment of the District of Columbia Under the Rural Health Transformation Program Act of 2025, which would make the District of Columbia eligible for funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program (Program). The $50 billion Program was established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1).  While the Program’s title refers to rural health, H.R. 1 permits the Program’s funds to be used for health care services, providers and technology outside rural areas.

Senate Republicans, who created the Program, made only the 50 states eligible for funding, likely depriving D.C. of hundreds of millions of dollars.  D.C. is treated as a state for most federal programs because D.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of states, and there is no reason D.C. should not be eligible for the Program’s funds.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

###