MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) along with Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Steve Cohen (D-TN), released the following statement after they introduced the ENFORCE Act, legislation to combat Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) generated by or modified with Artificial Intelligence (AI):

Congresswoman Ann Wagner said: “Child Sexual Abuse Material is an evil that must be purged from our nation.  The rise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made these horrific crimes easier to commit, and it’s time we made sure prosecutors have the necessary tools to fight back against the predators who are exploiting innocent victims.  My ENFORCE Act will ensure AI-generated CSAM is prosecuted and penalized with the same weight as other federal sex crimes. The world is constantly changing with AI, and predators and child abusers are adapting to these new technologies. It is imperative that our laws are properly updated to meet the moment so victims are protected and abusers are held accountable.”

Congressman Jeff Van Drew said: “The rise of AI-generated child exploitation is sickening, and it is happening even faster than most people realize. We have a responsibility to make sure our laws keep up with this technology so that predators can be held fully accountable. This bill gives law enforcement the tools they need to properly go after these crimes and protect our kids. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing this important bill.”

Congressman Steve Cohen said: “The prevalence of computer-generated, AI-enhanced child pornography is astounding and must be combatted effectively. The ENFORCE Act will give prosecutors the tools they need to address this offensive material and to hold those who produce, possess and distribute these heinous materials responsible.”

Supporting Organizations 

RAVEN

“The ENFORCE Act ensures that offenders who produce obscene content involving minors, whether through deepfakes or generative AI, are finally held accountable in the same way as those prosecuted under existing child sexual abuse material laws. Our laws must reflect the reality that digital abuse causes real harm. This bill gives prosecutors the tools they need, to include mandatory sex offender registration, to respond effectively and pursue these crimes with the seriousness they demand.” — Jennifer Dunton, Director of Legislative Affairs, RAVEN

National Children’s Alliance

“Kids are sexually abused and exploited online 10 times every second, and AI image generators are expanding the scope of the problem at an alarming rate. This much needed bill updates federal law to ensure that AI generated and AI modified images are treated and prosecuted as CSAM. This change is critical because AI generated CSAM is not a victimless crime, often using images that victimize real children. We thank Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) for her continued leadership in fighting to protect kids online, and thank her and Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) for introducing the ENFORCE Act,  and urge all Members of the House to cosponsor this bill and for its swift passage.” – Teresa Huizar, CEO of National Children’s Alliance, the nation’s largest network of care centers for child victims of abuse.

Child Rescue Coalition

“The ENFORCE Act is a critical step forward in protecting children from the growing threat of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. By empowering prosecutors with stronger laws, victim protection, sentencing structure, and sex offender registration requirements, the legislation fills dangerous gaps in our current system on this issue. As a former federal prosecutor, I am acutely aware that these changes would have certainly helped our investigations into GAI – a problem that increasingly affects us all. Child Rescue Coalition – an organization that is dedicated to helping law enforcement worldwide in identifying predators rescuing victims through cutting-edge technology—recognizes that the ENFORCE Act amplifies those efforts on a national scale. We urge Congress to pass the ENFORCE Act without delay to give our children the protection they urgently deserve.” – Greg Schiller, CEO of Child Rescue Coalition.

National District Attorneys Association

“The ENFORCE Act helps prosecutors combat the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) and deep fake Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) by closing critical statutory loopholes such as requiring GAI CSAM crimes to receive the same sentencing as other CSAM offenses and removing the statute of limitation on these crimes. With these tools prosecutors across the country can better pursue child abuse offenders and protect our most vulnerable.” – Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

New Report Warns: OBBA Will Raise Costs and Eliminate Protections for Michigan Families 
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After a new report released this week by the Center for American Progress found that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) would raise costs dramatically for Michigan families and strip away critical protections that working people rely on, Congresswoman Haley Stevens is calling out the bill

From higher health insurance premiums and grocery bills, to increased housing and energy costs, the report details how Michigan households would be among the hardest hit nationwide. 

In response to the report’s findings, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens issued the following statement: 

“This report is deeply concerning and underscores what so many working families across Michigan are already feeling every day: costs keep going up and up, and Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill will only make things worse.

“I will continue to fight to lower costs, create jobs, protect the benefits Michiganders earned over lifetimes of hard work, bolster our manufacturing sector, and put Michigan families first — and stand up to policies that leave hardworking Michiganders to pick up the tab.”

The report outlines the following projected impacts: 

CAP: The Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act Will Drive Up Costs in Michigan

More expensive health insurance 

• “For example, a 55-year-old earning nearly $63,000 per year in Michigan will see their annual premium costs increase by at least $3,070 on average.”

Cuts to food assistance and higher grocery costs 

• “This puts 123,000 people in Michigan at immediate risk of losing some of their SNAP benefits, including parents with children ages 14 and older, older workers, veterans, those experiencing homelessness, and youth aging out of foster care”

• “This elevates hunger and raises costs of groceries for millions of people at a time when food prices are rising due to Trump’s tariffs, which will strain families’ budgets. The costs of grocery items including bananas and coffee have already risen by more than 5 percent since the start of the year.”

Job losses and budget shortfalls

• “2,226 grocery stores and other SNAP retailers in Michigan will face increased risk of financial instability due to decreased business from SNAP recipients.”

• “Medicaid and SNAP cuts will cause the loss of an estimated 41,500 jobs in Michigan in 2029.”

•  “Michigan’s state and local governments will also lose an estimated $319 million in tax revenue, squeezing public budgets for vital services such as education and social services.”

Energy and fuel costs

• “This national electricity rate hike will increase electricity costs in Michigan by an average of $60 per year starting in 2026.”

• “Michigan households will spend an average of $80 more on gasoline annually by 2030.”

Housing and mortgage impacts

• “For future Michigan homebuyers, the OBBBA will increase interest on a mortgage for the median single-family home by an average of $360 annually, or approximately $10,790 over a typical 30-year loan in 2030.”

Increased costs for small-business loans 

• “Small-business loan borrowers in Michigan can expect an increase in costs for a fixed-rate loan by an average of $830 annually in 2030, equivalent to approximately $12,470 over the length of an average fixed-rate loan.”

To read the full CAP report visit: https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/OBBBAfamilies-MI.pdf 

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

SEATTLE, WA. – Yesterday, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) visited the Sound Generations’ Meals on Wheels program and hosted a Veterans Town Hall in South King County.

At Sound Generations, he met with program staff to discuss the need to preserve funding for these critical programs that provide nutritious meals to seniors.

Meals on Wheels is a food delivery program run by Sound Generations that ensures more than 2,100 homebound older adults aged 60+ have access to nutritious meals in King County. Drivers deliver 475,934 meals a year while offering a social connection and providing access to other services that can assist them as they age at home.
 

“For many older adults, Meals on Wheels is not just a lifeline, it’s their only connection to nutritious food and community support,” said Rep. Smith. “We must increase federal support for senior nutrition programs, not cut it.”

The visit to Meals on Wheels highlighted the urgent need to invest in food nutrition programs, especially as the recently passed Big Ugly Bill could impact food assistance for 42 million Americans.

Later that evening, Smith hosted a Veterans Town Hall in Auburn, where local service members and veterans spoke about challenges accessing health care, the national debt and potential firings of VA employees.
 

“We’ve seen reckless, unnecessary cuts to the Seattle VA over the past few months, but I remain committed to helping our veterans access their benefits and essential care,” said Rep. Smith. “I will continue fighting to expand access to mental health services, reduce the VA backlog, and improve housing support for veterans in our district.”

Earlier this year, my office received news that the Seattle VA had laid off dozens of probationary employees and accounts had been frozen due to demands from the Trump administration. They’ve fired employees who are providing crucial services and medical research to veterans, which is not making our government any more efficient or helping our veterans receive care. The Trump Administration has shared plans to fire tens of thousands of VA staffers, many of them veterans themselves. This is just one of the many threats from the President and DOGE on the federal workforce, especially considering that 25% of federal employees are veterans.  

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) This week, marking the 60^th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act and as part of a legislative package to protect the voting rights of all Americans, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and Nikema Williams (D-GA), along with Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Kevin Mullin (D-CA), introduced legislation to protect the voting rights of unhoused individuals. The Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections (VOTE) Act provides legal protections and minimum standards for accessibility to voting for unhoused Americans, in addition to providing resources for efforts to expand access to the ballot for unhoused people. 

“In the United States of America, every citizen has a right to make their voice heard in our democracy—and there must be no exceptions for those who are temporarily unhoused,” said Congressman Cleaver. “As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, I’m proud to join with Congresswoman Williams in introducing the Unhoused VOTE Act to ensure that every American, including those who are struggling with housing instability, are able to cast a vote in our elections.”

“As we mark the 60^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we are unfortunately facing the same struggle for voting rights. The tactics of voter suppression may look different, but the intent remains the same,” said Congresswoman Williams. “Congressman John Lewis taught us that every generation has an obligation to move our country one step forward. My legislative package takes a major step to ensuring everyone can practice their fundamental right to vote. In the face of Jim Crow 2.0 and intentionally racist gerrymandering, we urgently need comprehensive national standards to protect voting rights for everyone—no matter your ZIP Code, no matter your bank account.”

Specifically, the Unhoused VOTE Act would protect voting rights for unhoused Americans by:

1. Formally establishing in law that no state may deny an individual the right to vote because they do not have a traditional home – an idea that was first put forth by Congressman John Lewis through the Voting Rights of Homeless Citizens Act.
2. Setting federal standards and formal protections for voting rights of unhouse people, such as:
   1. Ensuring voting dropboxes are deployed in accessible locations;
   2. Requiring shelters be eligible to be used as a place of residence when registering to vote;
   3. Ensuring that people can use an unsheltered street location in order to vote;
   4. Requiring that an ID issued by a criminal justice entity is eligible for use as voter ID;
   5. Requiring outreach and resources be made available online and to relevant stakeholders; and more
3. Conducting a study on the voting rights of unhoused Americans to determine the extent to which unhoused people are able or unable to register to vote in elections; and
4. Providing grant funding to expand access to voting for unhoused individuals.

The Unhoused VOTE Act is co-sponsored by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Shontel Brown (D-OH), André Carson (D-IN), Sean Casten (D-IL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Christopher Deluzio (D-PA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Shomari Figures (D-AL), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), Al Green (D-TX), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Larson (D-CT), Summer Lee (D-PA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).

The Unhoused VOTE Act is endorsed by Southern Poverty Law Center, The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, National Housing Law Project, League of Women Voters, ACLU, End Citizens United, Demos, Democracy Defenders Action, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Voto Latino, Public Citizen, National Council of Jewish Women, Faith in Public Life Action, NextGen America, National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), GALEO Impact Fund, Coalition for the People’s Agenda, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, RepresentUs, MoveOn, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Interfaith Alliance, Spread the Vote, People Power United, The Workers Circle, Climate Hawks Vote, Center for Common Ground, Return My Vote, Georgia Equality, CAIR-Georgia, Indivisible Georgia Coalition, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, The Sikh Coalition, Field Team 6, Union for Reform Judaism, and Avondale ACTion.

Official text of the Unhoused VOTE Act is available here.

 

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) led a letter with nearly 50 House Democrats calling on Education Secretary Linda McMahon to immediately reverse the Department of Education’s decision to resume charging interest for nearly 8 million borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, beginning August 1. The abrupt policy change threatens to saddle working families with over $27 billion in unnecessary interest charges in just 12 months. 

“The Trump Administration’s calloused decision to resume interest charges for nearly 8 million borrowers trapped in the crosshairs of baseless and partisan lawsuits, and attempting to hide behind court injunctions to do so, is a deliberate abdication of your responsibility to protect students and borrowers,” the Members wrote. “We call on you to immediately reverse this policy so that millions of borrowers are not forced to pay billions of dollars in unjust and unnecessary interest charges.”

In the letter, the lawmakers emphasize that no court has deemed the SAVE plan illegal, nor required the Department to resume charging interest. Despite this, the Trump Administration is moving forward with the change, falsely claiming legal obligation and attempting to deflect accountability. 

The letter highlights that borrowers placed into forbearance, due to ongoing right-wing legal challenges to SAVE, were promised protection from financial harm. Resuming interest accrual would result in average annual interest charges of $3,500 per borrower, or roughly $300 per month. The lawmakers also raised concerns about the Department’s failure to process more than 1.5 million pending income-driven repayment applications, with recent reports that it will flatly deny 460,000. These operational failures have left borrowers with no viable repayment alternatives while interest begins to accrue. 

“Instead of fulfilling their promises to lower everyday costs for the American people, President Trump and Secretary McMahon are choosing to push millions of borrowers even further into debt by  saddling them with more than $27 billion in unnecessary interest charges– all while attempting to hide behind unrelated court cases to get it done” said SBPC Policy Director Aissa Canchola Banez. “Raising student loan costs by resuming interest charges is a cruel and calloused policy choice that will make it even harder for millions of working families to make ends meet. We applaud Representative Omar and Representative Casar for leading nearly 50 of their House colleagues to stand up for millions of working families with student debt and demand that Secretary McMahon reverses course.

The letter was signed by Reps. Alma Adams, Nanette Barragán, Don Beyer, Brendan Boyle, Troy Carter, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Lou Correa, Joe Courtney, Mark DeSaulnier, Sarah Elfreth, Veronica Escobar, Dwight Evans, Cleo Fields, John Garamendi, Chuy García, Sylvia Garcia, Glenn Ivey, Jonathan Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, Bill Keating, Summer Lee, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, LaMonica McIver, Gwen Moore, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Luz Rivas, Jan Schakowsky, Lateefah Simon, Darren Soto, Mark Takano, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, Lori Trahan, Nydia Velázquez, Maxine Waters, and Frederica Wilson.

The full letter is available here. 

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

Congresswoman Betty McCollum to Host Listening Session on Minnesota Impacts of Law Defunding Public Media and International Aid