MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– After the National Park Service announced today that it will restore and reinstall the bronze statue of Confederate General Albert Pike on federal land near Judiciary Square, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she will reintroduce her bill to permanently remove the statue and authorize the Secretary of the Interior to donate it to a museum or a similar entity. Although the statue was taken down by a crowd during a demonstration in June of 2020, Norton’s bill was later passed by the House Committee on Natural Resources.

“I’ve long believed Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts, not remain in parks and locations that imply honor,” Norton said. “The decision to honor Albert Pike by reinstalling the Pike statue is as odd and indefensible as it is morally objectionable. Pike served dishonorably. He took up arms against the United States, misappropriated funds, and was ultimately captured and imprisoned by his own troops. He resigned in disgrace after committing a war crime and dishonoring even his own Confederate military service. Even those who want Confederate statues to remain standing would have to justify awarding Pike any honor, considering his history.

“Given the NPS announcement that it will reinstall the statue, I plan to reintroduce my bill to remove the Pike statue and authorize the Secretary of the Interior to donate the statue to a museum or a similar entity. A statue honoring a racist and a traitor has no place on the streets of D.C.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

Full Text of Letter (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families, sent a letter, alongside Representatives Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Robin Kelly (IL-02), to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling for the reinstatement of Regional Administrators at the Administration for Community Living (ACL).  

“Millions of Americans rely on the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to stay healthy and thrive in their homes and communities, but the Trump Administration recently fired hundreds of employees at the ACL, including the ACL’s regional staff, who help make sure programs run smoothly at the state and local level. The ACL’s dedicated workforce plays a crucial role in ensuring that seniors and people with disabilities can access life-saving services like Meals on Wheels, transportation, and caregiving support. It is unacceptable that this Administration is willing to play with the lives of the American people,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “This is why I’m joining my colleagues in urging Secretary Kennedy to reinstate the ACL workforce and ensure that those in need receive services in a timely, affordable manner.” 

“Regional Administrators help seniors and Americans with disabilities live longer, healthier lives,” said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. “Millions of seniors and Americans with disabilities are already at risk of losing their healthcare coverage and nutrition assistance because of the President’s cruel budget bill, making these programs all the more essential.” 

“President Trump just gutted Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP — and now, the administration unjustifiably fired federal workers whose mission was to serve older Americans and people with disabilities. The Administration for Community Living is needed now more than ever,” said Congresswoman Robin Kelly. “As President Trump’s and Republicans’ attacks against our healthcare grow bolder, House Democrats and I are meeting them head on to protect our public health. Our seniors deserve to live with dignity with reliable, affordable care.” 

ACL was formed 13 years ago to support the needs of aging Americans and those with disabilities. This year, Secretary Kennedy announced the restructuring of HHS, including the total dismantlement of ACL. 

Through support systems, inclusive transportation, abuse prevention, resources for caregivers, and mental health tools, ACL helps older Americans and those with disabilities remain healthier longer and to live independently. 

Additional co-signers include: Rep. Donald Beyer (VA-08), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Ed Case (HI-01), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-07)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

Full Text of Resolution (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution, to honor Dr. Farmer’s staggering life and legacy and lay out his extraordinary vision for realizing global health equity. This resolution lays out a 21st century global health strategy that proposes spending $125 billion annually on global health aid, reforming aid to focus on building national health systems, and putting an end to the exploitation of impoverished countries to increase their domestic tax base and health spending. This resolution seeks to save over 100 million lives per decade by increasing the flow of money in the global economy. 

“Dr. Paul Farmer is responsible for transforming the lives of millions and millions of poor and marginalized people around the world, bringing them health care, dignity, and justice. A true visionary, Paul insisted that all people have a right to excellent health care, and he developed the systems to deliver it in places people had written off. Gleaming world class hospitals and locally trained doctors, nurses, and community workers now exist in places like Haiti and Rwanda. Paul was not only a world-renowned leader in global health, but also a precious friend and a tireless organizer, inspiring thousands of people to actively participate in his work. All of us owe him a debt that can only be paid by carrying on his mission and legacy,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “That is why I am introducing the Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution alongside my colleagues Senator Markey and Representatives Ruiz and Jayapal. This resolution lays out a 21st Century Global Health Strategy that enshrines Paul’s vision to achieve global universal health care and end unnecessary and preventable deaths. We are the richest country in the world at the richest time in the world. As the Trump Administration rips away lifesaving aid from millions of people, it is more important than ever for those of us who care about global health and justice to rededicate ourselves to building and fully funding a robust global health strategy. Paul called on us to understand global health inequity as an injustice—a result of centuries of violence and exploitation inflicted on the global poor. We can make the choice to end global health inequity, and with Paul’s vision guiding us, we will.” 

“Dr. Paul Farmer was a health care visionary and revolutionary who understood compassion and care went hand in hand. At a time when global health and well-being are strained, I am proud to introduce this resolution honoring Dr. Farmer and the transformational work he did to deliver health care to people and communities around the world. Health is the first wealth, and we must do everything in our power to ensure that people around the world are healthy, safe, and have access to the resources they need to live and thrive,” said Senator Edward Markey. 

“Dr. Paul Farmer was more than a global health leader, he was my mentor, professor, and dear friend,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “From my early years at Harvard Medical School to our work together in Boston, Chiapas, Guatemala, and post-earthquake Haiti, he showed me what it means to fight for underserved communities with unwavering dedication. I am honored to help reintroduce this resolution in his memory, as a testament to his extraordinary impact on humanity.” 

“Dr. Paul Farmer changed global health for the better with his work in impoverished countries, treating infectious diseases and providing high quality care to those who needed it most. He also fundamentally altered the way we think about international aid, and his organizing and movement building has led to millions of people worldwide living healthier and longer lives. As a lifelong organizer and someone who worked in global health for years before coming to Congress, I know the importance of this work and know how devastating Trump and Republicans’ cuts to USAID and other international aid programs are. This resolution outlines a vision for a world in which we tackle the injustice of global health inequities and treat health care as a true human right. It also recognizes that to achieve these goals, we need to democratize the global financial system, including cancelling predatory debt that has often crushed low- and middle-income countries. I’m proud to co-lead it with Representatives Schakowsky and Ruiz,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. 

The proposals in the resolution are as follows: 

• Increase global health aid to $125 billion per year
  • Close the essential universal health care financing gap for low-income countries
  • Allow the U.S. to meet the U.N. aid target of 0.7% GNI for the first time ever
• Reform global health aid
  • Focus on building national health systems and direct funding to local partners, not the development industry
  • Develop new medical technologies for diseases of poverty and ensure their availability as global public goods
• Make the global economy more fair, just, and democratic
  • Democratizing the IMF, World Bank, and World Trade Organization, so that poor countries have greater say over decisions that affect their economies and their ability to finance health systems
  • Global debt cancelation for all developing countries that need it
  • Ending harmful licit and illicit financial flows from poor countries—ending global tax havens and illegal practices like trade misinvoicing
  • Supporting global labor rights, such as a global minimum wage 

“In this moment of crisis, we need Paul’s vision for global health justice more than ever. Thankfully, that vision is captured in this resolution. It provides us with a much-needed roadmap for global cooperation based on solidarity and justice by getting to the root causes of unnecessary suffering and death, or what Paul called ‘structural violence’. This includes greatly improving development assistance for health, but also going well beyond aid to address ongoing extractive colonial arrangements, which preclude local investments in health systems,” said Sheila Davis, CEO of Partners in Health.    

As an infectious disease physician, Dr. Farmer earned accolades for treating patients in impoverished countries with high quality care, including those suffering from HIV and cancer. As a medical anthropologist, he was known for popularizing and deepening understandings of “structural violence,” the idea that social systems are designed to impoverish, sicken, and sideline select groups. As chief strategist of Partners in Health, he garnered plaudits for pioneering community-based treatment strategies, building teaching hospitals, and more. Dr. Farmer called on us to understand global health inequity as an injustice—an effect of centuries of violence and exploitation inflicted on the global poor. This resolution embodies that and will serve as a North Star that will guide the movement for global health equity for years to come. 

In addition to Reps. Schakowsky, Ruiz, and Jayapal, this resolution is cosponsored in the House of Representatives by Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52). 

In addition to Sen. Markey, this resolution is cosponsored in the Senate by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART ENERGY FACILITY WAS PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH THOMPSON’S GREEN ENERGY TAX CREDITS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Davis, CA – Thursday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and members of UAW Local 4811 held a listening session on campus at UC Davis to discuss the impacts federal funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies will have on critical health research conducted across the University of California (UC) system. 

“Slashing research investments is a race to the bottom,” said Thompson. “Our UC system is top notch, with some of the best researchers in the world. That’s why last year, UC received over $4 billion in federal research funding. Cutting this funding means researchers lose jobs, our economy suffers, and we save fewer lives. Our country has long been a leader in biomedical research, and we shouldn’t be taking our foot off the gas right now. If we do, we’ll lose talented researchers and we’ll lose our standing on the world stage.” 

“Academic workers at UC perform indispensable research in the public interest every day. At UC Davis, UAW 4811 members work on everything from cancer treatment to genetic disease to the future of the world’s food system. The Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to federal research funding would decimate years of progress in all these areas. We will do everything we can to stop those cuts, and we’re thankful that more and more of our elected representatives are joining workers in the fight to fully fund public research, said Dr. Ximena Anleu Gil, Postdoc, UC Davis Genome Center and Vice President, UAW Local 4811. 

“Defunding research at UC Davis and at universities nationwide has very real impacts – on the lives of individuals, their communities and the country,” said Mary Croughan, provost and executive vice chancellor at UC Davis. “Research is one part of the work that universities engage in that drives economic growth while significantly improving and enhancing the lives of Americans. Advances in health care, agriculture, energy and technology are happening because of federal investments in research at our colleges and universities across the country.”

BACKGROUND

Since January, the Trump Administration has slashed federal research funding, particularly NIH funding. NIH grants make up the majority of federal research funding to our UC system. To date, the Trump Administration has cut NIH funding by $4 billion by capping indirect costs at 15 percent, which is below the congressionally appropriated minimum. Research funding from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation has also been capped. 

These caps, if applied across all federally funded research, will cost UC Davis alone more than $114 million in grants, as indirect costs fund facilities, administrative support, and protection for human subjects in clinical trials. If these caps are made permanent, universities across the UC system will have to pause or cancel research across the board. Cancer research, Alzheimer’s research, and spina bifida research at UC Davis are among the research areas that could be impacted.

These funding cuts will reverberate through our local economy, as well. Every dollar of NIH research funding in our country creates $2.46 in economic activity. When that funding is lost, so is the economic benefit it creates. 

In his Presidential Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026, President Trump has also proposed a 40 percent cut to NIH funding. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that just a 10 percent cut to NIH funding would result in two fewer drugs coming to market every year. The impacts of an even larger 40 percent cut are yet to be assessed.  

Rep. Thompson signed a bipartisan appropriations letter in May alongside 165 other members requesting NIH funding be increased to $51.3 billion annually.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) is pushing the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 to provide a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for at least seven years.  Costa is an original co-sponsor of the bill. “The last time Congress updated the registry process, Ronald Reagan was president. That was nearly 40 years ago. I’ve worked across the aisle for years to deliver practical solutions, and this bill is one of them,” said Congressman Costa. “It’s time to modernize our immigration laws and provide long-overdue stability and fairness for immigrant families who have called this country home for decades.”BACKGROUNDThe Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 introduced by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), would modernize an outdated section of immigration law known as the Registry, codified in Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This provision gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the discretion to grant lawful permanent resident status (a green card) to individuals who have lived in the U.S. continuously since a certain date and meet all other eligibility requirements, including a clean criminal record.Originally enacted in 1929, the Registry has only been updated four times to reflect changing migration trends and national priorities. The last update was in 1986 under the Reagan Administration, setting the cutoff date to January 1, 1972. That means current law excludes millions of long-term residents, many of whom have lived in the U.S. for over 50 years.This bill would modernize the outdated Registry provision in two keyways:

Allow immigrants to apply for permanent residency if they have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years and meet other legal requirements, including passing background checks. 
Establish a rolling eligibility date, so the law remains responsive over time and does not require further congressional updates.

This long-overdue reform would provide a pathway to a green card for more than 8 million immigrants, including Dreamers, TPS holders, children of long-term visa holders, essential workers, and highly skilled professionals like H-1B visa holders who have been stuck in backlog limbo. According to estimates from FWD.us, if the individuals eligible under this bill eventually gained citizenship, they would contribute an estimated $121 billion to the U.S. economy annually, including $35 billion in tax revenue.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Representatives Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), Greg Casar and 22 of their Democratic colleagues today called on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reject a proposal that would strip certain benefits from eligible immigrants, warning that such a move puts everyone at risk.

“The immigrants who use these benefits are members of our communities – they are our neighbors and our friends,” the members wrote. “This unnecessary and cruel change in interpretation represents one more attack on immigrant communities that will harm all of us. Instead of focusing on fixing the problems it caused by stripping millions of Americans of their healthcare to finance tax cuts for the wealthy, this Administration is prioritizing its extreme immigration agenda over our collective well-being.

Many immigrant groups are ineligible for “federal public benefits” under thePersonal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.  However, for nearly 30 years, federal agencies have said that programs intended for the good of the community are not restricted and that everyone can access these vital services. This includes coverage for emergency medical conditions, disaster relief, testing and treatment of communicable diseases and immunizations that benefit everyone. 

The Trump administration has proposed reclassifying more than 13 programs as “federal public benefits,” therefore ensuring that they will no longer be available to many immigrants.

In addition to Sánchez, Ruiz and Casar, the letter was signed by Representatives Hank Johnson (D‑Ga.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D‑D.C.), Adriano Espaillat (D‑N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D‑Mich.), Paul Tonko (D‑N.Y.), Salud Carbajal (D‑Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D‑Minn.), Danny Davis (D‑Ill.), Nydia Velázquez (D‑N.Y.), Terri Sewell (D‑Ala.), John Garamendi (D‑Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D‑N.Y.), Janice Schakowsky (D‑Ill.), Teresa Leger Fernández (D‑N.M.), Juan Vargas (D‑Calif.), Suzan DelBene (D‑Wash.), Adam Smith (D‑Wash.), Shri Thanedar (D‑Mich.), Doris Matsui (D‑Calif.), Jerrold Nadler (D‑N.Y.) and Judy Chu (D‑Calif.).

The members submitted this comment letter on the proposed rule to Secretary Kennedy as part of the public comment period, which is open until August 13.

Full text of the letter is available here and follows:

August 1, 2025

The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 
Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
200 Independence Ave SW 
Washington, DC 20201 

Dear Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., 

We write to express our strong opposition to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) notice rescinding the longstanding interpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA).

PRWORA only allows for a narrow list of “qualified” immigrants to access what the law defines as “federal public benefits.” It also grants specific exemptions for the treatment of emergency medical conditions, disaster relief, testing and treatment of communicable disease symptoms, and immunizations, among others. Federal agencies have determined which programs under their jurisdiction are “federal public benefits” and which are either outside of the definition or are otherwise exempt from restriction. For nearly thirty years, federal agencies have explained that programs intended for the good of the community are not restricted – meaning that everyone may have access to these vital services. 

This new proposed change in guidance specifically classifies over thirteen new programs as “federal public benefits,” therefore ensuring that they will not be available to individuals with Temporary Protected Status, individuals with non-immigrant visas, DACA recipients, immigrants with valid work authorization documents, or undocumented immigrants. 

As the notice acknowledges, PRWORA states specifically that non-profit organizations are not required to verify or determine eligibility when providing these vital services. Yet government agencies that administer a non-exempt program may also be subject to this requirement. If social services staff are required to spend their time processing additional paperwork instead of serving their communities, this new interpretation would cause irrevocable harm for all individuals, regardless of their status. Many U.S. citizens, particularly survivors of crime or natural disasters, homeless individuals, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals may lack proof of their status. Imagine being required to bring a birth certificate to get care at a Community Health Center, or to provide a Social Security card to access mental health services. As this Administration adds burdensome work requirements and other barriers to services in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, this will increase red tape exponentially for service recipients and providers. 

In a dramatic departure from almost thirty years of policy, this guidance would deny services to otherwise eligible individuals who need them. Children who receive education through Head Start, students who utilize health workforce programs, individuals who rely on federally funded substance use treatment, and countless others will lose these benefits with little to no warning. The immigrants who use these benefits are members of our communities – they are our neighbors and our friends. This unnecessary and cruel change in interpretation represents one more attack on immigrant communities that will harm all of us. Instead of focusing on fixing the problems it caused by stripping millions of Americans of their healthcare to finance tax cuts for the wealthy, this Administration is prioritizing its extreme immigration agenda over our collective well-being. 

Sincerely,

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order raising tariffs to up 41 percent on goods imported to the United States from more than 67 countries: 

“President Trump’s chaotic trade saga continues with our trading partners now facing tariff rates up to 41 percent set to go into effect next week unless countries meet his erratic demands.

“This continues the pattern of extortion and corruption we’ve seen from this administration. The president threatens high tariffs unless countries give into his ultimatums – often on issues unrelated to trade, like punishing Canada for recognizing Palestine. Or ones that personally benefit him and the special interests in his administration, like when tariffs on Vietnam were lowered after they approved the Trump Organization’s resort project or lowering tariffs on Pakistani imports in exchange for an undisclosed oil company being allowed to drill in Pakistan.

“Meanwhile, it’s American workers and families who are left paying the price for this chaos as prices rise, the economy falters and job losses have reached their highest levels since the pandemic. It’s time to end this madness. Congress must reclaim our constitutional authority over trade and end President Trump’s ongoing abuse of tariffs.”

Background

Ranking Member Sánchez introduced the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act, a bill that would turn off most of President Trump’s tariffs and require congressional approval for any new tariffs imposed by the president. The bill has the support of all Ways and Means Democrats.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06), and Congressman Tom Kean, Jr., introduced the BIS IT Modernization Act, a new bipartisan bill to prevent commercially-made dual-use U.S. technologies from becoming available to foreign adversaries like Russia and the People’s Republic of China.

Currently exports of American technology are regulated by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Their bipartisan bill pushes much-needed government reforms to the department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), including long-overdue IT systems upgrades that will allow the federal government to utilize new tools to better track the flow of key dual-use technologies–used both commercially and in weapons systems– to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.

“Protecting the U.S. from foreign threats is not a partisan issue. Our bipartisan bill helps keep us safe by making it harder for critical U.S. technologies, like chips and advanced computer software, from falling into the hands of America’s adversaries,” said Congressman Crow.

“As America’s adversaries, like China and Russia, become more brazen and aggressive, it is more important than ever to strengthen our export controls and sanctions enforcement to protect our national security,” said Congressman Kean. “The bipartisan BIS IT Modernization Act is a critical step to ensure the Bureau of Industry and Security has the modern tools it needs to keep American technology out of the hands of those who seek to use it against us and our allies.”

Congressman Crow has worked in Congress to protect America’s national security and respond to the growing threat from foreign adversaries around the world. Crow helped pass the CHIPS and Science Act to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and alleviate supply chain issues, supported bipartisan legislation to close the foreign adversaries lobbying loophole, and introduced his bill to create the Office of Global Competition Analysis to track emerging technologies around the world.

Read the full text of the legislation here.

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