MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Virginia Tech, based in Blacksburg, Virginia, multiple grants for research. The awards include:

• $395,248 for research of the causes of cancer and ways to prevent cancer related to episodic future thinking and smoking.
• $452,769 for allergy, immunology and transplantation research related to treatment for a mosquito-borne alphavirus capable of nervous system damage.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Virginia Tech is an innovative giant in its research and technological capabilities.

“These HHS grants for more than $800,000 help Virginia Tech complete projects related to cancer and alphavirus research.”

BACKGROUND

Last week, Congressman Griffith visited the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke, Virginia. The Institute is responsible for more than 40 faculty-led research teams. Congressman Griffith spoke with Institute leadership and met with different research leaders to learn more about their progress.

On August 8, Congressman Griffith announced a series of HHS grants to Virginia Tech for research.

In July, Congressman Griffith announced separate HHS grants to Virginia Tech for cancer research.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday morning, President Trump announced that he would deploy the D.C. National Guard and assign Attorney General Pam Bondi to oversee the federalized Washington Metropolitan Police Department. In response to this authoritarian crackdown, Congresswoman Betty McCollum issued the following statement:

“On January 6, 2021, President Trump dithered and delayed in calling out the National Guard when his violent supporters laid siege on the U.S. Capitol. During this dangerous vacuum of leadership, Washington, D.C. Mayor Bowser stepped in to direct the D.C. Metropolitan Police to provide critical back-up for the U.S. Capitol Police. Their actions saved lives and limited injuries as they restored order and rescued those trapped inside the Capitol. It is entirely fair to wonder what Trump would have done if he were in control of the Metropolitan Police Department then.  

“The fact that Trump has chosen this moment to federalize law enforcement in our Nation’s Capital, when violent crime is at a three-decade low, demonstrates this is a political game to him. But it’s far worse – it’s a dangerous escalation towards authoritarianism intended to distract from his incompetent mismanagement of tariffs, health care, and the economy during his first 200 days as President. Just like his useless deployment of the Marines and National Guard to Los Angeles earlier this year, this is also a colossal waste taxpayer resources.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi today issued the following statement after President Donald Trump threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago:

“President Trump’s threat to send the National Guard into Chicago is a reckless abuse of power—and a distraction from his mismanagement of the economy, the affordability crisis, and his attempts to bury the Epstein files. My Stop Trump’s Abuse of Power Act would ensure no president can deploy troops into our communities without the consent of the governor. The U.S. military defends our freedoms—it is not a political prop.”

The Stop Trump’s Abuse of Power Act, co-led by Congressman Krishnamoorthi with Representatives Haley Stevens (MI-11) and Salud Carbajal (CA-24), would amend the Insurrection Act to require that active-duty military forces can only be deployed within a U.S. state or territory at the request of that state or territory’s governor or chief executive, protecting the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and preventing the misuse of the armed forces for domestic political purposes.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) tonight held a successful town hall meeting where he addressed constituents’ questions about what’s happening to the social safety net under the Trump Administration and vowed to oppose the serious devastation and chaos it is causing. A crowd of more than 300 attended the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church event for the second in-person town hall Congressman Cohen has held this year.

Congressman Cohen was joined by Shana Watkins, the health advocacy program manager at the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC), and Danielle Branch, a health policy and advocacy associate at TJC, who addressed the harmful aspects of cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs in the One Big Ugly Bill that Trump signed on July 4. One participant asked about losing her elderly brother on Medicaid. Congressman Cohen also talked about the need to defend voting rights and voting integrity, the Elon Musk xAI supercomputer and clean air issues.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“I am always encouraged to see my constituents involved in our nation’s and our community’s public policy debates. Tonight, I believe I was successful in communicating how serious a threat this administration is to the interests of the 9^th Congressional District, particularly its most vulnerable low income and elderly residents. We also discussed important foreign policy issues, including the continued war in Gaza and the need to release hostages, as Trump makes unfulfilled promises and upends the world economy, taking positions that astound and confuse our longtime allies. I look forward to a continuation of this kind of dialogue and thank the Tennessee Justice Center and those who took the time to come out tonight to address our community’s major concerns.”

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MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) tonight held a successful town hall meeting where he addressed constituents’ questions about what’s happening to the social safety net under the Trump Administration and vowed to oppose the serious devastation and chaos it is causing. A crowd of more than 300 attended the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church event for the second in-person town hall Congressman Cohen has held this year.

Congressman Cohen was joined by Shana Watkins, the health advocacy program manager at the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC), and Danielle Branch, a health policy and advocacy associate at TJC, who addressed the harmful aspects of cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs in the One Big Ugly Bill that Trump signed on July 4. One participant asked about losing her elderly brother on Medicaid. Congressman Cohen also talked about the need to defend voting rights and voting integrity, the Elon Musk xAI supercomputer and clean air issues.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“I am always encouraged to see my constituents involved in our nation’s and our community’s public policy debates. Tonight, I believe I was successful in communicating how serious a threat this administration is to the interests of the 9^th Congressional District, particularly its most vulnerable low income and elderly residents. We also discussed important foreign policy issues, including the continued war in Gaza and the need to release hostages, as Trump makes unfulfilled promises and upends the world economy, taking positions that astound and confuse our longtime allies. I look forward to a continuation of this kind of dialogue and thank the Tennessee Justice Center and those who took the time to come out tonight to address our community’s major concerns.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) will receive a grant of $658,561 from the National Cancer Institute for research on improved treatment of breast cancer under the direction of Dr. Wei Li.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“This investment in treating this dreadful disease is going to save lives and ease suffering. I’m pleased to see the National Institutes of Health underwriting this critical work by our medical school and congratulate Dr. Li for securing this funding.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive four research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $2,613,871. The first, for $767,713, is from the National Cancer Institute for work on epigenomic control in neuroblastoma under the direction of Dr. Adam D. Durbin. The second, for $277,500, from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, is for research addressing pediatric patients with Sickle Cell Disease, under the direction of Dr. Andrew M. Heitzer.

A third grant, for $508,750, from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is for biochemistry work under the direction of Dr. Hai T. Dao of the Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics. A fourth, for $1,059,908, also from the National Cancer Institute, is for St. Jude’s Lifetime Cohort Study under the direction of Dr. Melissa M. Hudson, director of the Cancer Survivorship Division.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“I am always pleased to see the National Institutes of Health investing in the critical and life-saving work performed at St. Jude. Research on childhood cancers will save lives, while work mitigating the pain and trauma inflicted by Sickle Cell Disease will improve outcomes and lead to new discoveries. Keeping track of St. Jude’s outstanding record of success is a valuable resource. I commend St. Jude and Drs. Durbin, Heitzer, Dao and Hudson for undertaking this important research.”

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

Headline: Scott Statement on Trump Takeover of DC Police

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement: 

“President Trump’s plan to federalize Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard against Washingtonians has no legal or factual justification. President Trump claimed crime is out of control in Washington, in spite of the fact that earlier this year the Department of Justice confirmed that crime in the District of Columbia is at a 30-year low. Moreover, if the president was serious about reducing crime in Washington, he would not have sent a violent mob to the Capitol, he would not have pardoned more than 1,600 rioters, many of whom were convicted of assaulting police officers, and he would have deployed the National Guard when they were actually needed on January 6th.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Representatives Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Members of the House Agriculture Committee, sent a letter signed by 38 House Democrats to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins calling for the USDA to reverse the reckless elimination of the Regional Food Business Center (RFBC) program.

In January, the USDA froze funding for the RFBC program and on July 15, the department announced it was cancelling the program entirely.

In their letter, the lawmakers wrote, “Eliminating [the RFBC] program will reduce market opportunities for small farmers and food producers, weaken local food supply chains, and set back efforts to build a more resilient food system. We urge you to immediately reverse this decision and reinstate this valuable program.”

They continued by highlighting the impact RFBCs have already had on farmers and agriculture communities: “To date, the 12 established Centers have developed critical market and business development support to more than 5,000 farms and businesses nationwide. Leveraging robust partner networks, each Center effectively serves the unique agricultural needs of rural, metro, Tribal, and remote communities.”

A USDA report from October 2024 found that RFBCs led to 2,800 individuals receiving technical assistance, 1,500 new partnerships formed by recipients, and 287 businesses reporting increased revenue as a result of the program.

The lawmakers emphasized how freezing funds for the RFBC program has already had immediate and damaging consequences for these communities: “The loss of funding has disrupted vital partnerships and threatened local and regional supply chains, undermining the food and economic security of communities across the country. Eliminating the program entirely would not only erase the progress made but severely impede a future pathway forward and slow the continuation of this essential work to build resilient food systems in these communities.”

They also called attention to the USDA’s Family First agenda and how the RFBC program aligns with the agenda’s commitment to small family farms: “It was unexpected to see this program eliminated, especially after your department’s release of the Farmers First agenda, which underscores the critical role of small family farms and the barriers they face in accessing markets and infrastructure… Created by USDA in 2022, the RFBC program offers the solutions – including technical assistance, coordination, and capacity-building support – needed to help small, mid-sized, and family farmers overcome these very challenges and contribute to a more resilient and competitive food system for our country.”

The lawmakers concluded by saying, “At a time when farmers continue to experience uncertainty, industry consolidation, and extreme weather events, we must not reduce the opportunities that support their viability and resilience. We urge you to restore the RFBC program and continue working with small- and mid-sized farms to strengthen our nation’s food system and local economies.”

The letter calls for a response from the USDA by August 31, 2025 on the elimination of the RFBC program and how the department plans on supporting farmers, agriculture producers, and rural communities in its absence.

The full letter can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Representatives Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Lucy McBath (GA-06), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) sent a letter signed by 40 House Democrats to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) William Marshall regarding extreme heat protections for incarcerated people in federal prisons given record heat waves that have swept the country this summer.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We write to you with concern regarding the impact that record heat waves will have on staff and people who are incarcerated across the 122 Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) facilities and request information that may guide Congressional action to better assist efforts to improve the state of facilities.”

They expressed concern over how extreme heat may be impacting federal inmates, referencing significant rates of heat-related deaths in Texas state prisons, noting, “a 2022 study reports that approximately 13 percent of deaths in Texas prisons between 2001 and 2019 may be attributed to extreme heat days, with an average of 14 inmate deaths per year in facilities without air conditioning.”

The lawmakers also raised concern over the current state of BOP personnel and infrastructure, discussing how that may impact the Bureau’s ability to respond to extreme heat in federal prisons: “Several reports, including one conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, emphasize the ongoing crisis BOP facilities face due to severe staffing shortages and deteriorating infrastructure.  Aging infrastructure poses significant risks to facilities lacking proper air-conditioning systems, which are critically important in preventing serious health issues associated with extreme heat. Staffing shortages limit staff capacity to mitigate extreme heat issues, making those with medical and mental health conditions that are exacerbated by high temperatures more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses or deaths.”

The lawmakers concluded by saying, “In Congress, we hope to use the information and feedback you provide to work collaboratively in addressing these urgent issues and ensuring that people are living and working in humane and safe conditions.”

The letter calls for a response within 30 days.

The full letter can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

BROOKLYN, NY – Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement on the passing of Greg O’Connell:
 
“I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Greg O’Connell, a visionary and dear friend whose work helped reshape Red Hook into the vibrant community it is today. For decades, Greg saw value where others saw blight. He restored the Red Hook waterfront with care and purpose, preserving its character while creating space for small businesses, artists, and nonprofits to grow.
 
“Greg proved that redevelopment does not have to come at the cost of community. He showed that you can build something lasting while still being fair, inclusive, and deeply rooted in the neighborhood. Greg was a big man with a bigger heart, humble and genuinely kind. He loved Red Hook, and Red Hook is better place because of him.
 
“My thoughts are with his family and all who had the privilege to know and work alongside him.”
 

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