MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with 12 of their Illinois colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche calling on the Trump Administration to end its use of so-called “mega master” immigration hearings, mass proceedings in which as many as 185 noncitizens can be called to court on a single docket. The lawmakers warn that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is intentionally overcrowding dockets with little notice to immigrants in an effort to increase removal orders and advance the Trump Administration’s mass deportation campaign. 

The other signers of the letter were U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), and Robin Kelly (D-IL-02).

In the letter, the lawmakers write:

“Through these hearings, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is intentionally overcrowding dockets with little notice to immigrants in an effort to manufacture significant numbers of removal orders and advance the Administration’s mass deportation campaign. Reports suggest that DOJ is calling as many as 185 noncitizens to court on a single docket, an action designed to drive mass deportations through chaos and confusion.”

In May, DOJ’s EOIR instituted a policy requiring judges in non-detained immigration courts to conduct master calendar hearings for 100 individuals twice per week while also maintaining their previously scheduled dockets and individual merits hearings. Many of those appearing have never been inside a courtroom, are unrepresented, do not speak English or Spanish fluently, do not understand the requirements of immigration proceedings, and are seeking asylum. In Chicago, the median notice time given to immigrants to appear in court fell from 229 days in May to just 34 days in June.

The lawmakers continue:

“Courtrooms handling upwards of 150 respondents in a judge’s morning docket raise serious concerns about whether individuals are receiving a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Dozens of unrepresented respondents appear in a single hearing, in courtrooms designed to accommodate approximately 25 individuals. This limits meaningful opportunities for them to understand their rights, seek legal representation, or even obtain adequate translations while in the hearing.”

The lawmakers also warn about mega master hearings involving children, particularly unaccompanied children who may have already experienced trauma, abuse, and exploitation and have limited access to legal counsel. These proceedings can make it harder for unaccompanied children to understand what is happening, ask questions, identify errors, or communicate with attorneys, advocates, or caregivers.

In Illinois, the letter places the mega master hearings alongside other elements of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation campaign, including Operation Midway Blitz, the attempted deployment of the National Guard in Chicago, and repeated attempts to withhold federal funding based on policy disagreements. The lawmakers argue that mega master hearings at the Chicago Immigration Court are the latest example of policies prioritizing enforcement and deportation quotas over due process while creating fear, confusion, and uncertainty for Illinois communities.

The members requested responses by September 1, 2026, including answers to the following questions:

1. In light of policy changes regarding preliminary asylum interviews, what procedures is DOJ using to ensure that each asylum applicant receives a full and fair evaluation of the merits of their claim?
2. What factors account for the significant reduction in hearing notice periods between May and June 2026 in immigration courts?
3. What steps are being taken to ensure respondents in immigration court receive adequate notice of their proceedings?
4. What is the appropriate process for a respondent in immigration court to request additional time to obtain an attorney?
5. What measures is DOJ taking to ensure that unrepresented respondents are afforded adequate due process, including having sufficient notice to appear before an immigration court?
6. How is the DOJ ensuring that the current immigration court system has adequate personnel, meets courtroom capacity needs, and provides staff with the proper administrative resources to manage these increased caseloads and to ensure due process for every noncitizen respondent?
7. In response to a question for the record from Senator Padilla after your Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing, you stated that all master calendar hearings are conducted “fully in accordance with the applicable law….” Please specify what applicable laws were referred to in this response.
8. In your response to Senator Padilla, you also stated that when individuals appearing at mega master hearings have “specific questions or concerns, immigration judges will hear those cases individually as appropriate.” What are the protocols or policies in place to ensure respondents appearing at mega master hearings be heard? How should a respondent request that a case be heard “individually”?

The lawmakers conclude:

“We urge the Administration to discontinue practices that undermine due process, including the use of mega master hearings. Instead, the Administration should ensure that asylum seekers receive fair and meaningful hearings and uphold the integrity of our nation’s immigration system.”

The letter from the members is available here.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), led 88 colleagues in demanding President Donald Trump rescind his executive order that directs federal health agencies to overhaul longstanding childhood vaccine recommendations and encourages states to reconsider school immunization requirements. 

Trump’s anti-science executive order creates more chaos and confusion as millions of families across the country are preparing for the school year and are relying on science-based vaccine recommendations to protect their children and communities from preventable diseases. 

 

“At a moment when the United States is experiencing the highest surge in measles cases in thirty-five years and an increasing number of states are forced to declare public health emergencies – your administration is placing more children in harm’s way rather than protecting them. This Executive Order overrides decades of scientific evidence and sows fear, chaos, and confusion. The result will not be safer or healthier children; it will be a continued decline in vaccination rates, recurring disease outbreaks, higher healthcare costs, and school disruptions that cause learning loss. Vaccines are rigorously tested and monitored for safety, and save millions of lives each year – especially the lives of children,” wrote the lawmakers. 

 

Since being confirmed, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unleashed a methodical campaign to substitute decades of science with an anti-vaccine ideology. 

Specifically, Trump’s latest directive pushes to break up combination vaccines into single-disease doses, ignoring the medical community’s long-standing, evidence-backed agreement that combination vaccines are safe, effective, and specifically timed to protect children when they need it most. Forcing families to schedule multiple doctors’ appointments, with multiple co-pays adds unnecessary chaos, confusion, and financial strain. Compounding this issue are the deep Medicaid cuts under Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Big Act that have drastically cut access to care and increased cost burdens for low-income families. 

 

Notably, single-disease shots for routine childhood vaccines – like measles, mumps, and rubella – simply do not exist in the U.S. market. Demanding that parents and pediatricians switch to non-existent vaccines creates mass confusion, stalls routine care right as children head back to school, and forces drug manufacturers into a years-long regulatory pipeline. It is an unfeasible policy based on scientifically disproven theories that are being peddled by discredited individuals, and it sacrifices practical reality and children’s health for political grandstanding.  

 

“The health and safety of America’s children must not be sacrificed for political theater and ideology. American children and their families deserve robust evidence-based immunization recommendations that are rooted in science. The administration’s politicization of vaccines makes American families less safe, threatens to return the U.S. to an era before routine vaccination prevented millions of infections, and is already resulting in unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths, particularly among children,” continued the lawmakers. 

 

“Every day this Executive Order remains in effect, more children go without the vaccines that would protect them, additional outbreaks become more likely, and lives are put at risk. We urge you to rescind this Executive Order immediately and restore evidence-based decision-making to federal public health policy,” concluded the lawmakers. 

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

Members call out secret “hotwatch” real-time tracking, abuse of All Writs Act, and dragnet financial searches targeting innocent Americans

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05), U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) launch a new investigation into federal law enforcement’s widespread surveillance of Americans’ personal bank accounts and financial records.

In a letter to Acting Comptroller General Orice W. Brown, the bipartisan members of Congress highlighted severe gaps in judicial oversight, transparency, and statutory notice requirements. The lawmakers warned that without meaningful safeguards, federal agencies—including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)—are improperly exploiting legal gaps to spy on law-abiding citizens.

“Americans’ financial records can reveal deeply sensitive information including their religion; the political causes and non-profit organizations they support, including through membership; the doctors’ offices and clinics where they are treated; where they travel and with whom; and countless other private personal details,” the members wrote. “Despite the sensitivity of this data, Americans’ financial records receive few protections against government surveillance and existing legal authorities have at times been abused or stretched beyond their intended purpose.”

The lawmakers asked the GAO to evaluate four primary surveillance practices currently deployed by federal agencies:

• Failure to Notify Americans of Seized Records: Despite the Right to Financial Privacy Act requiring the government to notify individuals when their bank records are turned over to the government, the DOJ disclosed in November 2024 [LINK to letter] that it does not track compliance with these notice rules. The lawmakers are asking GAO to quantify how many Americans are left unaware that their records were turned over.
   
• Abuse of FBI National Security Letters (NSLs): The FBI routinely uses NSLs to obtain historical financial data without prior judicial approval. The bipartisan members asked GAO to audit whether the FBI is complying with 2016 reform guidelines that require individualized justifications and strict expiration rules for non-disclosure directives.
   
• Warrantless Real-Time “Hotwatch” Tracking: Agencies are forcing financial institutions to report new customer transactions in real time using the All Writs Act—a broad and ambiguous 1789 law —rather than seeking explicit statutory authority from Congress. Lawmakers requested an audit into the scale, frequency, and legal justifications behind these court-ordered “hotwatches.”
   
• FinCEN & FBI Dragnet Financial Searches: Agencies have allegedly directed banks to run broad, informal searches across customer databases via Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and Bank Secrecy Act mechanisms. These directives sweep up innocent Americans, circumvent PATRIOT Act safeguards, and permanently gag banks from telling customers their records were turned over.
   

The lawmakers requested that the GAO compile its findings into a formal report, complete with recommendations for legislative and executive reforms to restore judicial oversight and protect constitutional rights.

A copy of the full letter sent to the GAO is available here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

The bipartisan Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider Training Act, or AADAPT Act, cosponsored by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) passed the House last month.

The legislation strengthens and reauthorizes the Project ECHO program to help primary care providers better identify, diagnose, and manage Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias—particularly in rural and underserved communities.

“The AADAPT Act will help primary care providers diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementias and ensure they feel prepared to deliver the care patients need. I’m proud to stand with families and advocates in support of this legislation, which has now passed the House,” said Congressman Pappas. “We must continue to raise awareness, support individuals, families, and caregivers, and fight to advance research, treatment, and care.”

“New treatments and new diagnostic tools are transforming what is possible for people living with Alzheimer’s,” said Robert Egge, Alzheimer’s Association chief public policy officer and AIM president. “The AADAPT Act ensures that primary care providers across the country — especially in rural and underserved communities — have the resources they need to bring that progress to their patients. We thank the bipartisan champions of this legislation for helping make that possible.”

More than 7 million Americans—including 27,000 Granite Staters—are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and those numbers are expected to continue rising in the coming years. Because primary care providers are often the first health care professionals patients see when memory loss or cognitive decline begins, expanding access to specialized training can help improve early diagnosis and patient outcomes.

The AADAPT Act reauthorizes and strengthens the Project ECHO program, which connects primary care providers with specialists through virtual training, mentorship, and case-based learning. The program helps equip providers with the knowledge and confidence to identify potential cognitive impairment earlier, improve care coordination, and expand access to quality dementia care in communities that may lack specialty providers.

Full text of the bill can be found HERE. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined Reps. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Wesley Bell (MO-01), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) and 49 colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao expressing concern for the personnel and material readiness of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and requesting information on the ship’s deployment and future. 

“Like the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) before it, CVN-72’s extended deployment is accompanied by deeply troubling reports about sailors’ mental health and living conditions. These reports are not political conjecture; they come from sailors’ worried family members,” the lawmakers wrote. “Navy leadership took the appropriate step in meeting to address families’ concerns, but there remains more to be done to ensure that the families and the public have faith that these sailors are being taken care of and that the Department is appropriately managing the fleet and its readiness for Operation Epic Fury.”

Read the full letter here.

On Tuesday, the Navy Times reported on the mental health strain, exhaustion, and safety concerns of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), which has been deployed for over eight months supporting President Trump’s war with Iran, which included a span of 208 continuous days without porting, a carrier record.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) made the following statement after Governor Tim Walz issued a harmful blow to critical mineral mining in Northeast Minnesota.

“In the twilight of his failed Administration, it is disappointing, yet unsurprising to learn that Governor Walz has launched a spiteful and harmful attack against the hardworking people of the Iron Range. His radical, job killing executive order puts thousands of family-supporting union jobs at risk and ignores the will of those who actually live and work in Northern Minnesota. In addition, it jeopardizes the crucial school funding that benefits every district across the state. Next time a Democrat politician claims to support permitting reform, remember what they really mean: eliminating the process altogether, just as Governor Walz has now done. Years of rigorous review, environmental study, and massive private investment have been erased in seconds by a deeply unpopular Governor, who has once again shown that he places far-left ideology above Minnesotans’ jobs and economic future. 

“Simply put, the Governor’s executive order is an outright war on Northern Minnesota and our way of life. I encourage every member of the press to reach out to Senator Amy Klobuchar to see where she stands on this issue. The Iron Range, and every Minnesotan, is watching at this critical moment, and they deserve a clear answer.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland

August 18, 2026                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF ISIDORE “I.G.” GRILES, JR.

U.S. Virgin Islands — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) today released the following statement on the passing of Isidore “I.G.” Griles, Jr.:

“I was saddened to learn of the passing Mr. Griles. He was a son of Frederiksted who carried our town with him in everything he did. His life was one spent close to family, close to community, and close to the music that shaped him. Mr. Griles always had a pleasant word to share and smile to give. He carried our culture in his kindness and in the music he played alongside other culture-bearers. He would often visit my office in Frederiksted and share with my team snippets of Virgin Islands history from his black and white composition book. He will be deeply missed.

“On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, I extend my sincere condolences to his daughter, his entire family, and to the many friends and fellow musicians who are grieving him today. May they be held up by prayer and by the memories he leaves behind.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and Members of Maryland’s Congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD) and U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), released the following statement regarding the State of Maryland’s victory in its lawsuit to restore the FBI headquarters project to Greenbelt, Maryland: 

“For years, Team Maryland has fought to bring the men and women of the FBI a headquarters that meets their mission and their needs. After a years-long, competitive, and transparent process, Greenbelt, Maryland, was selected as the site for that new headquarters, based on its merits – including its ability to provide a secure space for the Bureau while ensuring the cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars. The Trump Administration had no grounds to ignore this selection, or redirect even one penny that Congress specifically appropriated for construction of the competitively selected site. We’re glad to see the Court acknowledge this fact, ruling that the Trump Administration’s actions are unlawful and void. This is an important step forward for the rule of law. This process began in 2009, and it’s past time it was concluded. Hopefully, the Trump Administration will agree with the conclusion that the Congress, the General Services Administration, and the District Court have all found, which is that Greenbelt is the proper home of the FBI. We will not stop fighting to fulfill our promise to the men and women of the Bureau to deliver a new, secure headquarters in Maryland so they can do their work without compromising their safety or our national security.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to distribute $271 million in Civil Nuclear Credit Program funds to help support Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s extended operations. This federal funding comes after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s determination that the plant can continue to operate safely.

The Civil Nuclear Credit Program was created and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Carbajal played a key role in crafting and passing the landmark legislation in partnership with the Biden Administration.

“This announcement marks another important milestone in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Diablo Canyon has long been a critical source of carbon‑free electricity, and this $271 million award will help ensure that Diablo Canyon remains a stable part of our power grid as California continues its transition toward renewable energy. Maintaining this facility is essential for meeting our climate goals, protecting grid reliability, and supporting good‑paying jobs on the Central Coast. I will continue working to ensure that local communities benefit from Diablo Canyon’s extended operations and that safety remains the top priority every step of the way.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

MIAMI, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations and Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, attends ribbon cutting ceremony of AAR’s new airframe MRO facility expansion.

“It is a privilege to join the community and AAR today to celebrate the expansion of this Airframe MRO facility at Miami International Airport. This new hangar represents a significant investment in Miami and strengthens our region’s position as a global leader in aviation, while helping ensure that South Florida remains at the forefront of this vital industry.

This expansion will create 200 full-time jobs for Miami-Dade residents and bring additional economic activity to our community. These are the kinds of investments that make a real difference for working families and help build a stronger local economy. With more than 1,300 AAR employees already based across Florida, this project also underscores the company’s continued commitment to our state and to the skilled workforce that makes Florida a great place to do business.

Aviation is a cornerstone of our economy, and Miami International Airport is an essential gateway connecting our community to the nation and the world. Investments like this one help strengthen that gateway and position South Florida for continued success in the years ahead.

I want to congratulate AAR on this important milestone and thank Miami International Airport, as well as our federal, state, and local partners, for their collaboration in making this project possible. Projects of this scale take partnership and commitment, and I am proud to see everyone come together to deliver results for our community.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this exciting milestone and thank you for continuing to invest in the people and future of our community.”

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