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Moolenaar Announces Guest to State of the Union Address

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar Announces Guest to State of the Union Address

Today, Congressman John Moolenaar announced his guest to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address: Jeffrey Smith, MD, FACS, of Gratiot County. Doctor Smith is board certified by the American Board of Surgery, practicing since 1994. Doctor Smith is the president and founder of Great Lakes Surgical Associates and serves communities in Gratiot, Isabella, and Clare counties. 

“Doctor Smith serves rural Michigan residents every day and understands the challenges facing rural healthcare providers. Last year, President Trump signed into law the Rural Health Transformation Program through the One Big Beautiful Bill. This landmark program is aimed to improve health outcomes for rural residents, increase access to vital care, as well as attract and retain high-quality medical professionals like Doctor Smith to rural Michigan. I am grateful Doctor Smith has accepted my invitation to join me for President Trump’s State of the Union Address to hear firsthand the work we are doing to get our nation back on track,” said Moolenaar. 

“Michigan is fortunate to have Congressman Moolenaar working for us in Washington,” said Dr. Smith.  “Congressman Moolenaar is fighting in Congress to improve the lives and health of Michiganders. Policies he and President Trump support like the Rural Health Transformation Program will benefit my patients and improve access to life-saving care for rural residents seen at medical offices in places like Alma and Clare. It is an honor to join Congressman Moolenaar this week to hear from President Trump about his accomplishments in his first year in office and his America First agenda.” 

Doctor Smith is also the Chairman of the Board and founder of Footprints Missions, a non-profit organization which provides medical assistance for impoverished families and operates an orphanage in Sierra Leone.  

President Trump will give his State of the Union Address to Congress tomorrow night, February 24 in the House of Representatives beginning at 9:00 PM.

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Norton Introduces Bill to Make D.C. Eligible for Federal Forestry Funding for UDC

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 to amend the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act to make the District of Columbia eligible for federal forestry funds. The McIntire-Stennis Act provides U.S. states and territories with formula-based funds to support state-designated institutions’ cooperative forestry research programs. 

Norton said that the District is treated as a state under most federal programs and that the District’s omission from the legislation was likely an oversight. She said her bill would make D.C. eligible for funding that would particularly support research at the University of the District of Columbia’s (UDC) College of Agriculture, Urban Stability, and Environmental Science, a program that complements the city’s ongoing forestry efforts. UDC is the nation’s only urban land-grant university. Norton successfully got her provision to enable UDC to receive federal funding for forestry research under the McIntire-Stennis Act included in the Senate-passed 2013 Farm Bill.

“D.C., whose residents pay the highest federal taxes per capita in the nation, should be eligible for these critical federal forestry funds,” Norton said. “I have worked to ensure the District is treated as a state for purposes of most federal funding, and this legislation continues that effort. The University of the District of Columbia – the nation’s only urban land-grant university – would benefit tremendously from these resources.”

Norton’s introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

On the Introduction of the McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act

February 23, 2026    

Today, I introduce the McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act, which would make the District of Columbia eligible for funding under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act (Act) in the same manner as states.

The Act provides funding to states and certain territories for forestry research programs.  The funding assists states and territories in carrying out forestry research programs at state forestry schools and colleges and developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting forestry research.

D.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of states and therefore D.C. is almost always treated as a state under federal programs.  The Act defines “State” to include Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam, whose residents do not pay full federal taxes.  D.C.’s exclusion from the Act makes it ineligible for funding that would support research at D.C.’s public university, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).  The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences at UDC, the nation’s only urban land-grant university, offers programs that complement D.C.’s ongoing forestry efforts and serve individuals in D.C. and beyond.  Rectifying D.C.’s exclusion from the Act would ensure equal treatment for D.C. and provide UDC a fair share of resources.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Jayapal Announces Epstein Survivor Marijke Chartouni as State of the Union Guest

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

SEATTLE, WA — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) is today announcing she will be bringing Marijke Chartouni, an Epstein survivor and constituent, as her guest to the State of the Union. 

“Thirty years after the FBI first ignored reports of Epstein’s crimes, Pam Bondi’s Justice Department continues to fiddle rather than hold perpetrators to account — even as other countries act decisively,” said Chartouni. “I am attending the State of the Union tonight to remind the House, the Senate, and the Executive that survivors will not remain silent through this continued institutional failure. This injustice cannot be buried, and we will continue to make our voices heard, at every opportunity, until there is truth and accountability for every survivor of Epstein and his ring.”

“While I will not be attending this year’s State of the Union, I am glad to be hosting Marijke to ensure that survivors of Epstein’s horrific abuse are in the room,” said Jayapal. “Marijke, as well as the other survivors, has been so incredibly brave and resilient in their continued work to push for justice. This moment should serve as a reminder to elected officials at all levels of government that the fight for truth will not end until the perpetrators and enablers of these crimes are held accountable.”

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Nadler, DeLauro, McGovern, Morelle, and Raskin File Amicus Brief in Texas v. Bondi to Preserve Congress’ Authority to Set its Own Rules

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

Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, Joe Morelle (NY-25), Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, on Friday reaffirmed their support for Congress’ constitutional authority in Texas v. Bondi, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit prepares to rehear the case en banc.

In August 2025, a Fifth Circuit panel reversed a ruling by the Northern District of Texas that had blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) against the State of Texas. In January 2026, however, the Fifth Circuit granted rehearing en banc and vacated the panel’s opinion, placing the issue before the full court. The district court held that proxy voting procedures used by the House during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional.

“If upheld, this case would deal a devastating blow to Congress’s constitutional authority to determine its own rules and proceedings, authority that is fundamental to the separation of powers,” said Representative Nadler, the lead sponsor of the PWFA. “The Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to govern itself. Allowing the courts to override that authority would upend more than a century of legal precedent and weaken Congress as a co-equal branch of government. I am proud to join my colleagues in filing this amicus brief to defend Congress’s institutional prerogatives and protect the constitutional balance that safeguards our democracy.”

The Members previously filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the district court’s decision, which would undermine Congress’ authority to set its own rules. The Members explained that the House clearly had an established quorum when passing H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which included the PWFA, and that courts must respect the will of the majority in passing this legislation. Not allowing Congress to shape its own rules could potentially jeopardize national security in an emergency, while also undermining core separation-of-powers principles and disenfranchising millions of constituents.

Congress passed H. Res. 965 to authorize remote voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic to allow the continuity of government while protecting public health. Democrats and Republicans both voted by proxy under these rules. Under the Congressional Proceedings and the Rulemaking Clause of the Constitution, the House of Representatives is authorized to establish rules by which each will conduct its own business. Additionally, the Constitution’s Quorum Clause does not explicitly mention a physical presence in the Chamber to establish a quorum.

In the Amicus Brief, the Members write:

Allowing the court to now second-guess, or after-the-fact void, the House’s exercise of its rulemaking authority threatens to disenfranchise all congressional members, and in turn their constituents, who voted in accordance with then-existing House Rules in voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”). It would also curtail, if not eliminate entirely, Congress’s ability to set its own adaptive rules in times of national crisis or other emergency situations, which would hamper Congress’s ability to do business at all.

The full brief can be found here.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, Joe Morelle (NY-25), Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, reaffirmed their support for Congress’ constitutional authority in Texas v. Bondi, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit prepares to rehear the case en banc.

 

In August 2025, a Fifth Circuit panel reversed a ruling by the Northern District of Texas that had blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) against the State of Texas. In January 2026, however, the Fifth Circuit granted rehearing en banc and vacated the panel’s opinion, placing the issue before the full court. The district court held that proxy voting procedures used by the House during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional.

“If upheld, this case would deal a devastating blow to Congress’s constitutional authority to determine its own rules and proceedings, authority that is fundamental to the separation of powers,” said Representative Nadler, the lead sponsor of the PWFA. “The Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to govern itself. Allowing the courts to override that authority would upend more than a century of legal precedent and weaken Congress as a co-equal branch of government. I am proud to join my colleagues in filing this amicus brief to defend Congress’s institutional prerogatives and protect the constitutional balance that safeguards our democracy.”

The Members previously filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the district court’s decision, which would undermine Congress’ authority to set its own rules. The Members explained that the House clearly had an established quorum when passing H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which included the PWFA, and that courts must respect the will of the majority in passing this legislation. Not allowing Congress to shape its own rules could potentially jeopardize national security in an emergency, while also undermining core separation-of-powers principles and disenfranchising millions of constituents.

Congress passed H. Res. 965 to authorize remote voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic to allow the continuity of government while protecting public health. Democrats and Republicans both voted by proxy under these rules. Under the Congressional Proceedings and the Rulemaking Clause of the Constitution, the House of Representatives is authorized to establish rules by which each will conduct its own business. Additionally, the Constitution’s Quorum Clause does not explicitly mention a physical presence in the Chamber to establish a quorum.

In the Amicus Brief, the Members write:

Allowing the court to now second-guess, or after-the-fact void, the House’s exercise
of its rulemaking authority threatens to disenfranchise all congressional members,
and in turn their constituents, who voted in accordance with then-existing House
Rules in voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”).
It would also curtail, if not eliminate entirely, Congress’s ability to set its own
adaptive rules in times of national crisis or other emergency situations, which would
hamper Congress’s ability to do business at all.

The full brief can be found here.

### 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, Joe Morelle (NY-25), Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, reaffirmed their support for Congress’ constitutional authority in Texas v. Bondi, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit prepares to rehear the case en banc.

 

In August 2025, a Fifth Circuit panel reversed a ruling by the Northern District of Texas that had blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) against the State of Texas. In January 2026, however, the Fifth Circuit granted rehearing en banc and vacated the panel’s opinion, placing the issue before the full court. The district court held that proxy voting procedures used by the House during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional.

“If upheld, this case would deal a devastating blow to Congress’s constitutional authority to determine its own rules and proceedings, authority that is fundamental to the separation of powers,” said Representative Nadler, the lead sponsor of the PWFA. “The Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to govern itself. Allowing the courts to override that authority would upend more than a century of legal precedent and weaken Congress as a co-equal branch of government. I am proud to join my colleagues in filing this amicus brief to defend Congress’s institutional prerogatives and protect the constitutional balance that safeguards our democracy.”

The Members previously filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the district court’s decision, which would undermine Congress’ authority to set its own rules. The Members explained that the House clearly had an established quorum when passing H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which included the PWFA, and that courts must respect the will of the majority in passing this legislation. Not allowing Congress to shape its own rules could potentially jeopardize national security in an emergency, while also undermining core separation-of-powers principles and disenfranchising millions of constituents.

Congress passed H. Res. 965 to authorize remote voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic to allow the continuity of government while protecting public health. Democrats and Republicans both voted by proxy under these rules. Under the Congressional Proceedings and the Rulemaking Clause of the Constitution, the House of Representatives is authorized to establish rules by which each will conduct its own business. Additionally, the Constitution’s Quorum Clause does not explicitly mention a physical presence in the Chamber to establish a quorum.

In the Amicus Brief, the Members write:

Allowing the court to now second-guess, or after-the-fact void, the House’s exercise
of its rulemaking authority threatens to disenfranchise all congressional members,
and in turn their constituents, who voted in accordance with then-existing House
Rules in voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”).
It would also curtail, if not eliminate entirely, Congress’s ability to set its own
adaptive rules in times of national crisis or other emergency situations, which would
hamper Congress’s ability to do business at all.

The full brief can be found here.

### 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, Joe Morelle (NY-25), Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, reaffirmed their support for Congress’ constitutional authority in Texas v. Bondi, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit prepares to rehear the case en banc.

 

In August 2025, a Fifth Circuit panel reversed a ruling by the Northern District of Texas that had blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) against the State of Texas. In January 2026, however, the Fifth Circuit granted rehearing en banc and vacated the panel’s opinion, placing the issue before the full court. The district court held that proxy voting procedures used by the House during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional.

“If upheld, this case would deal a devastating blow to Congress’s constitutional authority to determine its own rules and proceedings, authority that is fundamental to the separation of powers,” said Representative Nadler, the lead sponsor of the PWFA. “The Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to govern itself. Allowing the courts to override that authority would upend more than a century of legal precedent and weaken Congress as a co-equal branch of government. I am proud to join my colleagues in filing this amicus brief to defend Congress’s institutional prerogatives and protect the constitutional balance that safeguards our democracy.”

The Members previously filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the district court’s decision, which would undermine Congress’ authority to set its own rules. The Members explained that the House clearly had an established quorum when passing H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which included the PWFA, and that courts must respect the will of the majority in passing this legislation. Not allowing Congress to shape its own rules could potentially jeopardize national security in an emergency, while also undermining core separation-of-powers principles and disenfranchising millions of constituents.

Congress passed H. Res. 965 to authorize remote voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic to allow the continuity of government while protecting public health. Democrats and Republicans both voted by proxy under these rules. Under the Congressional Proceedings and the Rulemaking Clause of the Constitution, the House of Representatives is authorized to establish rules by which each will conduct its own business. Additionally, the Constitution’s Quorum Clause does not explicitly mention a physical presence in the Chamber to establish a quorum.

In the Amicus Brief, the Members write:

Allowing the court to now second-guess, or after-the-fact void, the House’s exercise
of its rulemaking authority threatens to disenfranchise all congressional members,
and in turn their constituents, who voted in accordance with then-existing House
Rules in voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”).
It would also curtail, if not eliminate entirely, Congress’s ability to set its own
adaptive rules in times of national crisis or other emergency situations, which would
hamper Congress’s ability to do business at all.

The full brief can be found here.

### 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, Joe Morelle (NY-25), Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, reaffirmed their support for Congress’ constitutional authority in Texas v. Bondi, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit prepares to rehear the case en banc.

 

In August 2025, a Fifth Circuit panel reversed a ruling by the Northern District of Texas that had blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) against the State of Texas. In January 2026, however, the Fifth Circuit granted rehearing en banc and vacated the panel’s opinion, placing the issue before the full court. The district court held that proxy voting procedures used by the House during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional.

“If upheld, this case would deal a devastating blow to Congress’s constitutional authority to determine its own rules and proceedings, authority that is fundamental to the separation of powers,” said Representative Nadler, the lead sponsor of the PWFA. “The Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to govern itself. Allowing the courts to override that authority would upend more than a century of legal precedent and weaken Congress as a co-equal branch of government. I am proud to join my colleagues in filing this amicus brief to defend Congress’s institutional prerogatives and protect the constitutional balance that safeguards our democracy.”

The Members previously filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the district court’s decision, which would undermine Congress’ authority to set its own rules. The Members explained that the House clearly had an established quorum when passing H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which included the PWFA, and that courts must respect the will of the majority in passing this legislation. Not allowing Congress to shape its own rules could potentially jeopardize national security in an emergency, while also undermining core separation-of-powers principles and disenfranchising millions of constituents.

Congress passed H. Res. 965 to authorize remote voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic to allow the continuity of government while protecting public health. Democrats and Republicans both voted by proxy under these rules. Under the Congressional Proceedings and the Rulemaking Clause of the Constitution, the House of Representatives is authorized to establish rules by which each will conduct its own business. Additionally, the Constitution’s Quorum Clause does not explicitly mention a physical presence in the Chamber to establish a quorum.

In the Amicus Brief, the Members write:

Allowing the court to now second-guess, or after-the-fact void, the House’s exercise
of its rulemaking authority threatens to disenfranchise all congressional members,
and in turn their constituents, who voted in accordance with then-existing House
Rules in voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”).
It would also curtail, if not eliminate entirely, Congress’s ability to set its own
adaptive rules in times of national crisis or other emergency situations, which would
hamper Congress’s ability to do business at all.

The full brief can be found here.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar Announces Four Guests for State of the Union Address

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) will take Aliya Rahman, Mary Granlund, Mubashir Hussen, and Gerardo Orozco Guzman as her guests to the State of the Union Address. The stories of these four Minnesotans reflect how ICE’s reckless actions in Minnesota through “Operation Metro Surge” have devastated Minnesotans’ safety and economic security.

Aliya Rahman is a Bangladeshi-American software engineer, a resident of South Minneapolis, and a disabled person with autism and a traumatic brain injury. On January 13, Rahman was driving to a doctor’s appointment when her window was smashed in by DHS agents, she was forcibly removed from her vehicle, and she was violently detained by federal agents who had caused a traffic jam despite her repeated statements that she was disabled. She was taken to Whipple Detention Center where she witnessed inhumane cruelty against detainees from federal immigration agents. During her detention, Rahman experienced severe medical neglect and violence at the hands of ICE agents, requiring hospitalization for assault at Hennepin County Medical Center upon her release. Rahman is now calling for ICE to face legal accountability for their aggression against civilians.

Mary Granlund is the Chair of the Columbia Heights School Board. Since the detention of Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old student at Columbia Heights schools, Granlund, Superintendent Zena Stenvik, and a group of Columbia Heights principals, teachers, interpreters, social workers, and community members have stepped up to protect their community. They’re conducting daily patrols, working to connect detained children and families with legal assistance, and coordinating food deliveries for families too scared to leave their homes. Despite Tom Homan’s announcement in early February that the surge is coming to an end, communities have not seen a decrease in ICE activities. The school district estimates that nearly 25% of its 800 students are learning remotely as they are too afraid to attend classes in person. Granlund, educators, social workers, and community members are doing invaluable work to keep Columbia Heights’ students and families informed, fed, and protected.

Mubashir Hussen is a 20-year-old U.S. citizen and Minneapolis resident. On December 9, 2025, several masked federal immigration officers stopped Hussen while he was walking in Minneapolis’s Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. ICE agents refused to check his ID before detaining him, despite Hussen repeating “I’m a citizen” multiple times. The agents took Hussen to the Whipple Federal Building, where he was shackled and fingerprinted. Hussen was released after showing a photo of his passport card to an individual at the Whipple building.

On behalf of Mubashir Hussen and two other community members whose constitutional rights were violated by federal immigration officers, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing the Trump Administration to end ICE and CBP’s practice of suspicionless stops, warrantless arrests, and racial profiling of Minnesotans.

Gerardo Orozco Guzman is the son of Eustaquio Orozco Verdusco, a workers’ rights organizer who has been fighting wage theft and labor trafficking. Orozco Verdusco works with Minneapolis-based worker center Centro De Trabajadores Unidos En La Lucha, which has been organizing against ICE’s detention of construction workers from job sites. He is also a member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee. On January 9, 2026, federal immigration agents detained Orozco Verdusco in Coon Rapids under Trump’s “Operation Metro Surge,” flew him to Camp East Montana in El Paso, TX, and recently moved him to New Mexico, where he is currently detained at Cibola County Correctional Center.

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Congresswoman McCollum & Congresswoman Morrison to Host Colin Hortman and Alina Bachman Hortman at State of the Union Address

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Sunday, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D, MN-04) and Congresswoman Kelly Morrison (D, MN-03) announced their guests for the State of the Union Address. 

Congresswoman Kelly Morrison will be accompanied by Colin Hortman, the eldest child of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman, who were assassinated in a horrific act of politically motivated gun violence last June. Congresswoman McCollum will be accompanied by Colin Hortman’s wife, Alina Bachman Hortman.

In the months since the assassination of Melissa and Mark Hortman, Colin Hortman and his sister Sophie have honored their parents’ legacy by emphasizing the importance of political civility – especially among our elected leaders, calling for us to love our neighbors and treat one another with kindness and respect, and encouraging Minnesotans to do something, big or small, to make their community just a little better for someone else. 

“My parents, Mark and Melissa Hortman, were taken from us in an act of political violence, and that reality is something my family lives with every single day,” said Colin Hortman. “Both of my parents lived lives of service — to each other, to their communities, and above all, to our family. My parents taught me to show up for your community, stand up for your values, and always follow the golden rule — treat others the way you’d want to be treated. What has stunned me, especially in recent years, is how far our politics have drifted from that principle. 

​​“I am calling on our leaders — and all of us — to reject language that dehumanizes, to model disagreement without condemnation, and to remember that we are all human beings first,” continued Hortman. “My parents believed public service was about showing up for people and working across differences. As a family, we always watched the State of the Union, regardless of the political party of the President. I am proud to attend and honor my parents’ legacy.” 

Democratic members of Minnesota’s House Delegation – including Representatives McCollum, Omar, and Craig – will host a press conference on Tuesday, February 24 at 8:30 AM ET at the House Triangle to highlight the stories of their State of the Union guests. Additional details and a live stream link are forthcoming.

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Ranking Member Jayapal Demands Answers on the Expansion of Immigration Detention in WA

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

SEATTLE, WA — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, is demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding a Presolicitation Notice posted on an official government contracting site to create a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Seattle. 

“ICE’s Northwest Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, already has capacity for 1,600 detention beds and is one of the largest facilities in the country,” wrote the Members. “That facility has been plagued by ongoing concerns related to substandard conditions. Just last month, multiple members of the Washington delegation noted deteriorating conditions, specifically mounting concerns about access to legal counsel and medical care.”

The Northwest Processing Center has a brazen record of violating agency policy by shackling a pregnant woman, denying adequate medical care to detained persons, and blocking detained persons from accessing legal counsel. There has been no evidence that the surge of ICE funding has contributed in any way to addressing these consistent issues. 

In the United States, there are an unprecedented number of immigrants detained at for-profit facilities across the country, many of whom have reported inedible food and insufficient medical care. This is as 38 people have died in custody since Trump returned to office, and there have been unanswered questions about discrepancies between Congressional death notices and autopsies regarding cause of death. 

The full text of the letter can be read here.

The letter was also signed by Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Emily Randall (WA-06), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Adam Smith (WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10).

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Himes Statement on Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Bridgeport, CT—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) today released the following statement: “Last week, Congress voted to reclaim its authority on tariffs against Canada and today, the Supreme Court validated what we’ve known for almost a year…”

Source: United States House of Representatives – CONGRESSMAN JIM HIMES (4th District of Connecticut)

Himes Statement on Supreme Court Tariff Ruling | Press Releases | Congressman Jim Himes

“Last week, Congress voted to reclaim its authority on tariffs against Canada and today, the Supreme Court validated what we’ve known for almost a year — that the President’s sweeping tariffs were a gross abuse of the law. This ruling is an important reminder that the President does not possess absolute economic authority, and that the other two branches of government will continue to serve as checks on his power. While today’s decision took far too long, Americans will no longer have to shoulder the economic burden of Donald Trump’s petty grievances.  I also hope that this ruling will help to stabilize the United States economy and restore some trust among our international partners that our trade relationship does not rest solely on the whims of a volatile and vengeful leader.” 

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Himes Secures Millions in Federal Investment for Southwestern Connecticut Washington, DC – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that he secured over $12 million in federal funding for housing, community safety, public services, and critical infrastructure projects throughout Southwestern Connecticut.

Source: United States House of Representatives – CONGRESSMAN JIM HIMES (4th District of Connecticut)

Himes Secures Millions in Federal Investment for Southwestern Connecticut | Press Releases | Congressman Jim Himes

Washington, DC – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that he secured over $12 million in federal funding for housing, community safety, public services, and critical infrastructure projects throughout Southwestern Connecticut. Funding for these projects – selected by Congressman Himes for their benefit to the people of Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District – was delivered in the Fiscal Year 2026 government funding legislation that was signed into law on February 3, 2026.

“One of the best parts of my job is being able to deliver concrete results for my constituents,” said Rep. Himes. “That’s why I pushed so hard to ensure these local projects received the federal support they deserved. I’m elated to have secured this funding which will deliver more affordable housing, resilient infrastructure, educational opportunities, and public services for people throughout Southwestern Connecticut.

Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District will receive over $12.5 million for 13 community projects supported by Congressman Himes. These include:

$2,000,000 for Charter Oak Communities, Stamford Housing Authority tocomplete Phase 2 of the Charter Oak Park demolition and redevelopment project which will see 166 new units of larger, more energy-efficient housing constructed for low-income families;

$1,200,000 for the City of Stamford to install safety measures along Washington Boulevard, including ADA-compliant sidewalks, bicycle facilities, a raised crosswalk leading into Mill River Park, and pedestrian refugee islands;

$1,100,000 for Park City Communities to overhaul an existing structure into a four-unit multifamily residential property in Bridgeport’s East End neighborhood;

$1,092,000 for the City of Stamford to enhance extreme weather preparedness by replacing aging culverts and installing tidal controls on stormwater outflow pipes which will expand the city’s stormwater management capacity;

$1,092,000 for the Town of New Canaan to replace the 26-year-old ultraviolet disinfection system used at the town’s wastewater treatment facility;

$1,092,000 for the Town of Trumbull to finish Phase 2 of the Beardsley Pump Station and Force Main Replacement project by completing the design and replacement of 1,200 feet of force main between Trumbull and Bridgeport;

$1,031,000 for the City of Stamford to advance the construction of a new public safety complex to enhance emergency response capabilities;

$1,000,000 for the Town of Ridgefield to improve parking accessibility and pedestrian safety at the Venus Building Complex, a commercial and recreation center, by implementing ADA-compliant pedestrian infrastructure, rehabilitating parking and lighting, and installing a stormwater detention system;

$850,000 for the City of Bridgeport to design a new police headquarters that will serve as a hub for the Bridgeport Police Department’s public safety efforts;

$850,000 for the City of Norwalk to construct the Norwalk River Valley Trail Extension to Calf Pasture Beach and increase safe pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicle access to the waterfront;

$500,000 for Chatham Rock Island Inc. to restore the breakwater and shoreline of the Stamford Harbor Lighthouse using living shoreline solutions to improve water quality, restore historic oyster bed habitats, and prevent coastal flooding; 

$480,000 for Stamford Museum and Nature Center to launch its Planetarium and Astronomy Center which will host public educational programming, a Starball Projector and Laser System, 4k Planetarium shows, interactive exhibits, and observational tools;

$250,000 for the City of Stamford to restore the Glenbrook Community Center by rehabilitating the building, replacing drywall and flooring, and modernizing the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.

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Casten Will Not Attend 2026 State of the Union

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

February 22, 2026

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) announced that he will not attend the 2026 State of the Union and released the following statement:

“My respect for the office of the President of the United States cannot abide the disrespect that Donald Trump shows to that office every day. As such, while I will watch the State of the Union elsewhere, I will not attend in person, as I am not interested in being used as a prop for his theatrics.”

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