MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representatives Rick Larsen (D, WA-02) and Sara Jacobs (D, CA-51), along with U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reintroduced their Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025. This comprehensive legislation would expand the fertility treatments and family-building services that are covered under servicemembers’ and veterans’ health care to include—among other things—in vitro fertilization (IVF) and adoption assistance, for servicemembers and veterans who are unable to conceive without assistance, and the option for individuals to freeze their eggs or sperm ahead of deployment to a combat zone.

While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) currently offer some forms of fertility treatment and counseling, these offerings are extraordinarily limited and difficult for veterans to access, even when they are technically eligible—and far too often, these benefits fail to meet the needs of servicemembers and veterans. Veterans and servicemembers experience higher rates of infertility than civilians, and encounter restrictive laws and policies and DoD and VA before they can access IVF services.

“America’s women and men in uniform should have access to high-quality, affordable options to grow their families,” said Representative Rick Larsen. “Congress should take the long-overdue step of permanently overturning outdated limitations on IVF and other fertility treatments for veterans and service members. No one should be forced to choose between serving their country and starting their family.”

The Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 would expand VA and DoD’s current fertility treatment and counseling offerings in a major way and empower servicemembers and veterans to start or grow their families when the time is right for them. This legislation would:

• Allow servicemembers to cryopreserve (freeze) their gametes (eggs or sperm) before deployment to a combat zone or hazardous duty assignment and after an injury or illness—an important proactive fertility service that is not currently covered under DoD health care.
• Permanently authorize and significantly expand fertility treatment and counseling options, including assisted reproductive technology like IVF, to more veterans and servicemembers and ensure that veterans’ and servicemembers’ spouses, partners, and gestational surrogates are appropriately included in eligibility rules.
• Right now, only individuals who are married to opposite-sex partners that can provide gametes for IVF are eligible for IVF services under DoD or VA health care—this excludes all unmarried veterans and servicemembers whose partners are infertile, the same sex, or unable to provide gametes. This legislation would allow veterans and servicemembers to use gestational surrogates for covered IVF services for the very first time. Additionally, the legislation would remove onerous burdens of proof that currently make it very difficult for many veterans to access IVF services even when they do meet the requirements.
• Expand adoption assistance at VA, providing more family-building options for veterans with infertility.
• Provide support for servicemembers and veterans to navigate their fertility options, find a provider that meets their needs, and ensure continuity of care after a permanent change of station or relocation.
• Require VA and DoD to facilitate research on the long-term reproductive health needs of veterans.

The Veteran Families Health Services Act is supported by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

A one-pager about the bill can be found here, and the full text of the bill can be found here. More information about the bill is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), sent a letter demanding that the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz increase vital staffing resources to address the depleted conditions at the Enchantments – a treasured natural landmark for residents of the Eighth District and all across Washington State.

As a result of the Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Wenatchee River Ranger District, which staffs the Enchantments, is down to just one employee from 11.  The staffing shortage has caused basic services for the wilderness area to be severely diminished, leading to overflowing toilets that threaten a local water source and inadequate land management.

“The Enchantments are a beloved part of the Eighth District, cherished by my constituents and visitors from around the world,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “Now, because of the Trump Administration’s erratic, senseless staffing cuts, the conditions at the Enchantments have become dreadful and even unsafe – unkept public lands and overflowing toilets have diminished the experience of visiting the Enchantments and put public health at risk. I know how important this is for my constituents, and I’m proud to lead this letter calling on the Trump Administration to take action and improve conditions at the Enchantments immediately.”

Congresswoman Schrier was joined in introducing this letter by Washington delegation colleague Congressman Adam Smith. 

A copy of the letter is below.

Dear Secretary Rollins and Chief Schultz:

We write to notify you of concerns that have been brought to our attention regarding staffing issues at the Enchantments within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, managed by the Wenatchee River Ranger District in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The Enchantments are situated in the mountains overlooking the town of Leavenworth, which draws visitors from around the world.  

According to contacts outside of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the district now staffs the Enchantments with just one employee, down from 11. As a result, basic services for the wilderness area have been severely diminished, which has resulted in overflowing toilets, risking runoff directly over an ecologically sensitive river that flows through town. There also remains a lack of capacity to enforce the area’s permitting system or public use fire restrictions, also known as a burn ban. Reduced staffing also impacts the effectiveness of search and rescue efforts as first contact is often made by USFS employees closest to a caller in distress. 

It is hard to overstate just how important the Enchantments are to our constituents across Washington state and the nation. The Enchantments earned its name from a topographer in the early 20th century who described finding “5 or 6 most beautiful small lakes grouped in a wonderful glacial valley all ringed with alpine larch.” Since then, the pristine alpine region of central Washington has fielded millions of visits from hikers and backpackers who want to experience one of the most recognized and sought-after hiking destinations in the United States, contributing to the nearly $100 million spent annually in communities around the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Backpackers will enter their names in a lottery year after year, hoping to win an overnight permit among the thousands of requests annually. 

Before this year’s reduction in staffing, USFS already had trouble keeping pace with the sheer volume of visitors to the area. Though the number of backpackers is limited by the USFS lottery system, day hikers are not and day visits have spiked 164% between 2013 and 2023. The influx has strained search and rescue resources, damaged the fragile ecosystem, and worsened issues with waste management. 

Now, with just one employee responsible for thousands of acres of wilderness, land management by USFS is completely impossible and is burdening the local community to fill in the gaps. During a time of significant drought and wildfire risk, burn bans cannot be enforced or even adequately communicated, showcased by a recent account that we have heard of hikers having to stop others from lighting fireworks on the Fourth of July. Routine permit checks for either overnight backpacking or parking are no longer in practice. Human waste has overfilled many of the 31 backcountry toilets found throughout the area. In the Core and Colchuck zones, the fragile and rocky alpine environment simply don’t have the soil type to contain or break down human waste in typical backcountry “catholes.” This means that thousands of pounds of waste need to be flown out by helicopter. The USFS has no capacity with only one employee to carry this out and must rely on volunteers, as the job requires two to three. These unglamorous but necessary operations require planning, coordination, and institutional knowledge. If the lack of waste maintenance is left unaddressed, we risk improper disposal by hikers, posing a threat to the water supply, human health, and ecological health of nearby lakes and the drainage system of Icicle Creek. The Enchantments’ rocky soil means that any waste on the surface or shallowly buried will run off with rains and snowmelt right into the nearby watershed. This could compromise water quality for animals, hikers, and nearby rural communities. 

Conditions at the Enchantments have already deteriorated, and there are still more than three months of the hiking and backpacking season. Volunteers and local communities are doing what they can to fill the gaps, but this is not sustainable or appropriate for basic operations on one of our most treasured public lands. Additional staffing is desperately needed to maintain basic operations at the Wenatchee River Ranger District.

It is our understanding that Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has access to grant funding competitively awarded by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office to hire seasonal employees specifically at the Enchantments, but that the hiring freeze and other federal administrative policies are preventing the Wenatchee River Ranger District from accessing these state dollars. These state funds are available right now, for this season, to alleviate the federal staffing issues that have occurred this year. We urge you to take necessary action to free up this state funding, earned competitively by the Wenatchee River Ranger District, in order to address severe staffing shortages in the Enchantments. 

We respectfully request your immediate attention and action to safeguard the public health and economy of Washington state’s rural communities and support some of our nation’s most beautiful wilderness. Moving forward, we would like to work with you to ensure that in future years, this much-loved and visited recreation marvel has sufficient federal resources to meet the demands of peak season and continue to drive the outdoor economy in this rural area of our state. Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) joined physicians and researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) to discuss how DOGE and proposed federal budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and critical medical research have already and will further jeopardize patient access to clinical trials, cutting-edge medical research, future generations of U.S. scientists and clinical care providers, and overall access to innovative cancer therapies in Washington state.

“The treatment provided and research conducted by Fred Hutch have been lifesaving for patients in the Eighth District and all across our nation. However, the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to medical research and key agencies like the NIH directly threaten Fred Hutch’s work – and the work of similar centers throughout the country, endangering the well-being of countless individuals,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “At a time when Republicans in Congress have already ripped healthcare away from 15 million Americans, additional slashing of funding for medical research will further compromise our health. As a doctor, I know how critical institutions like Fred Hutch are, and that’s why I’ll continue to stand up for my constituents and for science, and against these reckless cuts.”

“Discovery science often takes us in directions we can’t predict—but that’s exactly where breakthroughs are born. Only with sustained federal investment in research can we continue to see progress in cancer treatment,” said Dr. Peter Nelson, vice president of precision oncology at Fred Hutch where he holds the Stuart and Molly Sloan Precision Oncology Institute Endowed Chair. “We owe it to future generations and the patients undergoing treatment right now to not let that momentum slip away.” 

Congresswoman Schrier with Dr. Peter Nelson, Vice President of Precision Oncology at Fred Hutch (photo courtesy of Robert Hood, Fred Hutch)

Federal funding comprises more than $400 million – or 70% – of Fred Hutch’s research funding and is fundamental to its mission of preventing, treating, and curing cancer and infectious diseases. Budget cuts will have a dire impact on the institution’s work today and into the future, cede this ground to China, and kneecap an agency that is currently the envy of the world – our crown jewel.

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement:

The jobs report released this morning confirms once again that Donald Trump is crashing our economy in real time and driving us toward a recession. Unemployment is up, job creation is at historic lows and despite promising to lower costs on day one, Donald Trump has done nothing to lower inflation. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Trump administration initially reported that 125,000 and 147,000 jobs were created in May and June, respectively. However, it is now clear that job creation numbered an exorbitantly low 19,000 and 14,000 jobs during those two months. 

This administration has no accomplishments to take credit for, so they work to deceive the American people instead. That involves following Donald Trump’s order to fire anyone who stands in the way of their lies, including the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, a lifelong civil servant confirmed in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote.

House Democrats know that you deserve better and will not stand by as Donald Trump and Republicans devastate our economy and continue to hurt the American people.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

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

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada, with the Ways and Means Committee to hold a field hearing at YESCO about the One Big, Beautiful Bill. Estes heard from Americans who shared their work experience and insight on how the One Big, Beautiful Bill would benefit them, their families, and their businesses. He spoke about the tax relief and pro-growth policies included in the historic legislation. Read his remarks below and watch here.

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

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) spoke at a Ways & Means Committee field hearing held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. He talked about the growth small businesses across the country will experience as a result of the One Big, Beautiful Bill. Read his remarks below and watch here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (D-HI-01) and U.S. Congressman James Moylan (R-Guam) today announced they have introduced a measure in the U.S. House of Representatives to address loopholes in a 1920 law that incentivize U.S. domestic trade ships to be built and repaired in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

That law, the Jones Act, is widely recognized as creating domestic shipping monopolies that artificially inflate the cost of critical imported goods to Hawai‘i, Guam and other non-contiguous parts of the United States.

“Under long-standing loopholes in maritime law, Jones Act shippers can and do outsource major vessel parts fabrications and modifications to foreign shipyards, primarily those in the PRC,” said Case. 

“These modifications are not minor, and often include full engine replacements, liquefied natural gas conversions and other critical overhauls. Through further loopholes, these modifications largely avoid the 50% import duty imposed on foreign ship repair.”

Case said the Jones Act is usually defended on domestic industrial base and national security grounds. “However, under long-standing loopholes in maritime law, the Act has led to an accelerating decline in domestic shipping, with less than 100 Jones Act vessels now in service, many of them committed to specialized uses,” said Case. “The results have included extreme monopolistic conditions and exorbitant shipping prices, especially for those parts of our country with no real transportation alternatives.”

“But equally so, this poses a significant and immediate national security concern, especially if this same work, which cannot be done economically or practically under any circumstances in the U.S., at least without cripplingly higher shipping costs hitting the whole country and not just our non-Continent locations, can be done in shipyards located in allied or partner countries, such as Japan and South Korea – nations with world-class maritime industries and deep national security alignment with the United States.”

“This bipartisan bill is about modernizing outdated maritime laws that have unfairly burdened Americans in places like Guam and Hawai‘i for decades,” said Moylan. “By closing loopholes that benefit the People’s Republic of China and instead partnering with trusted allies like Japan and South Korea, we can grow our shipbuilding capacity, support good-paying jobs, and deliver real relief for families and businesses. I’m proud to join Congressman Case in advancing a smarter, stronger maritime strategy that puts all Americans—and our national security—first.”

Case and Moylan say their proposed Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act would address four concerns:

·        the domestic build and repair requirement is largely honored in the breach by Jones Act shippers who profess agreement with the Jones Act, take its monopolistic benefits, but outsource the build and repair wherever possible for profit motive;

·        the United States clearly should not be reliant on adversaries such as the PRC to build and repair our coastal trade vessels;

·        even if the law is revised to eliminate all such loopholes, the domestic industrial base could not sustain domestic shipping needs, and;

·        the United States and its territories have strong partners and allies in countries such as Japan and Korea with world-class shipping capabilities who can assist them with their needs at more affordable shipping prices and markedly reduced national security concerns.

Case and Moylan say their proposed legislation seeks to realign Jones Act requirements and incentives in a way that serves all of national security, coastal trade capacity and lower shipping (and thus consumer) prices. It does so by:

·        Exempting U.S. companies from the 50% tax on major vessel modifications if the work is performed in shipyards located in allied nations, such as Japan and South Korea, rather than adversarial nations like the PRC.

·        Allowing ships purchased from allied countries to qualify for the coastal trade by granting them a Jones Act exemption, ensuring more flexible access to quality vessels without incentivizing PRC shipyards.

·        Providing a path for companies from allied nations to operate foreign-built, foreign-crewed vessels in coastwise trade, under appropriate regulatory conditions, in recognition of the global nature of modern shipping.

Their Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act comes on the heels of three other measures they introduced earlier this year that proposed amendments to the Jones Act:

• the Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act, which exempts all noncontiguous U.S. locations, including Hawai‘i and Guam, from the Jones Act (text of the measure is here);
• the Noncontiguous Shipping Reasonable Rate Act, which benchmarks the definition of a “reasonable rate” which domestic shippers can charge as no more than ten percent above international shipping rates for comparable routes (text of the measure is here; and
• the Noncontiguous Shipping Competition Act (text of measure is  here), which rescinds the Jones Act wherever monopolies or duopolies in noncontiguous Jones Act shipping develop.

Text of the Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act is here

Text of Case’s Congressional Record remarks on introduction is here

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced $66,032,669 in grant funding for San Bernardino County’s Head Start Programs to ensure children in the Inland Empire have access to quality early childhood education programs.
“As a former Head Start teacher’s aide, I’ve seen the life-changing impact early childhood education can have on a child’s future,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “This grant funding will help ensure that more kids in the Inland Empire have access to high-quality early learning opportunities, setting them up for success in school and beyond. I’m proud to help deliver this funding for San Bernardino County’s families and remain committed to expanding opportunity for every child in our community.”
“We’re incredibly grateful to receive this $66 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This funding is a big win for the children and families of San Bernardino County. It recognizes the important work our Head Start programs are doing to help young children build a strong foundation for school and life, while also supporting parents every step of the way. With this grant funding, we’ll continue working hard to make sure every child in our community has the chance to thrive through quality early education,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe.
The funding comes as part of a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families’ Office of Head Start. The grant will support San Bernardino County’s Head Start Center-Based and Home-Based programs that provide children between the ages of three to five and their families with comprehensive services to meet their educational, social, health, nutritional and emotional needs.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday evening, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) hosted a telephone town hall with Dr. Anish Mahajan, Chief Deputy Director at LA County Department of Public Health; Dr. Mitesh Popat, CEO of Venice Family Clinic; and Dr. Andrea Turner, CEO of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Congressman Lieu and his guests discussed concerns from LA County constituents about the Republican health care cuts in the Big Ugly Bill, H.R. 1. Congressman Lieu voted no on this bill.  

Congressman Lieu’s telephone town hall took place on House Democrats’ Medicaid and Medicare Matters Day of Action to oppose Republican health care cuts. 

Listen to the full telephone town hall here

“Approximately 14,000 residents are going to lose their health insurance in California’s 36^th Congressional District under this big, ugly law,” said Rep. Lieu. “California, statewide, will see a $150 billion cut, at least, in federal funding from Medi-Cal, which is what we call Medicaid in California, and over 2 million Californians will lose health insurance. And so, this is a very dramatic law that’s going to affect many people in California.” 

“We work on making sure the food is safe, we protect the water and soil, we prevent outbreaks and respond to outbreaks of bird flu and other diseases, we do work around sexual and reproductive health. We’re essentially working for you, 24/7, for the 10 million residents of LA County,” said Dr. Mahajan. “But what the Republican Congress has done with their ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ has put a lot of this at risk. About 50% of LA County’s public health budget depends on federal grants and federal resources.”

“The net effect of all of this seems to be that the federal government is waging a war on poor people and people of color,” said Dr. Popat. “I can conclude no less based on these myriad of actions that have been taken. And to me, as a son of immigrants, it’s unconscionable, it’s un-American, it’s not what makes this country great.”

“The impact of the Medicaid cuts in the recently approved Big Bill is beyond comprehension,” said Dr. Turner. “As a safety net hospital, we care for people who are often underserved, but that does not mean they are not working. Many are parents whose jobs don’t provide affordable health insurance, families doing their part in our communities who rely on us for care. These are hardworking people, the backbone of our country.”

The Republican-passed Big Ugly Bill will have devastating consequences for Southern California. Health insurance premiums will increase, especially for those on the Affordable Care Act, and Southern California hospitals will face millions in increased costs.

Congressman Lieu will continue to fight back against these harmful cuts. 

For more opportunities to hear directly from the Congressman, subscribe to our newsletter here.

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