MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) hosted a special ceremony at his district office to present a long-overdue Purple Heart to U.S. Army veteran Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Joseph Leuze, recognizing wounds he sustained during the Vietnam War. At the brief reception, Congressman Krishnamoorthi formally awarded the Purple Heart to Sgt. Leuze, whose military service spanned 35 years and included combat deployments in Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Afghanistan. The award, promised decades ago but delayed due to bureaucratic backlog, was finally presented in front of family, staff, and members of the press.

“Sergeant Leuze’s decades of distinguished service across three conflicts are a testament to his courage, sacrifice, and devotion to duty,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. “It was an honor to present this long-deserved recognition and personally thank him for his extraordinary service to our country.”

Sergeant Leuze, 73, is a Bronze Star recipient and retired combat medic. In addition to his combat roles, he dedicated much of his military career teaching lifesaving medical care.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) reintroduced the Small Business Payment for Performance Act, which will require fair treatment of small construction contractors by federal agencies during the procurement process. 

Of this legislation, Congressman Stauber stated, “Small businesses on Main Street America are the economic engine of our economy, and it’s important that the federal government supports their ability to succeed when fulfilling government contracts. I’m proud to reintroduce the Small Business Payment for Performance Act, which will hold the federal government accountable for any changes to contracts awarded to small businesses. This important legislation will protect small businesses from unexpected financial burdens, incentivizing more small businesses to compete for federal contracts that will drive economic growth in their respective communities.”

A variety of stakeholder groups endorsed the Small Business Payment for Performance Act, some of which provided statements of support. 

“The American Subcontractors Association applauds Rep. Stauber in advancing this important legislation, which will effectuate change order reform for all construction contractors by ensuring they receive timely payments for their completed work.” – American Subcontractors Association

“Contracting with the Federal government comes with a lot of uncertainty and change orders further drive-up risk and costs that the construction company is often forced to absorb. The Small Business Payment for Performance Act will help ensure small business construction contractors do not shoulder the financial burden of unilateral agency changes to a contract.” – Associated General Contractors of America

“Every SMACNA contractor in Minnesota and across the nation bidding and building federal projects greatly appreciates Rep. Pete Stauber for sponsoring the Small Business Payment for Performance Act. At a time of rising project material costs and frequent change orders, we view Rep. Stauber’s bill as our highest priority. Without passage of the Small Business Payment for Performance legislation, the payment problems for contractors can only grow worse and the economic health of contractors small, medium and large will suffer greater harm.” – Stan Kolbe, Executive Director of Government and Political Affairs, Sheet Metal and Air ConditioningContractors National Association

“The National Association of Surety Bond Producers commends Representative Pete Stauber for the introduction of the Small Business Payment for Performance Act of 2025. This critical legislation lessens the considerable financing burden placed on small construction businesses when federal project owners make unilateral changes to construction contracts. By requiring federal project owners to make interim partial payments on owner-directed change orders, small construction businesses receive necessary and timely cash flow for performance. As the construction industry continues to face uncertain and variable market conditions, including supply disruptions and increasing materials prices, all construction businesses, but particularly small construction businesses, need federal payment practices that are not unfairly burdensome. Passage of this legislation will ensure that small construction businesses performing on federal contracts have confidence that equitable payment practices exist for owner-directed change orders. Thank you to Rep. Stauber for recognizing this significant issue and introducing this important procurement reform.” – National Association of Surety Bond Producers

BACKGROUND: 

Changes to a contract, commonly known as “change orders,” inevitably occur on construction projects. The government may issue change orders without the contractor’s consent and often fails to abide by change order rules, like formalizing change orders in writing.

Specifically, this legislation will do the following: 

• Allow small businesses to request an equitable adjustment to the contracting officer if the contracting officer places a change order without the agreement of the small business.
• Require the federal government to pay at least 50% of the cost from the change order upon receipt of the equitable adjustment.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)  and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) introduced a resolution in recognition of World Drowning Prevention Day. The resolution highlights the urgent global crisis of drowning, which claims over 236,000 lives every year, and calls for concrete action to save lives through evidence-based prevention strategies. 

“Drowning takes hundreds of thousands of lives annually, with devastating consequences for families and communities around the world,” said Rep. Omar. “It is also one of the most preventable public health tragedies we face. With the right tools, training, and resources, we can and must stop these needless deaths.”

Drowning remains the number one cause of unintentional death for children under five years old, but if we all unite to increase the water safety around our kids and our communities, we can change that heartbreaking reality and save countless lives,” said Wasserman Schultz. “This resolution to support the goals and ideals of World Drowning Prevention Day, helps lift up and focus those efforts, and pushes the United States to take a lead in proven drowning prevention interventions.”

Drowning is the third-leading cause of unintentional injury death globally and ranks among the top 10 causes of death for children and young people aged 1 to 24 in every region. In high-income nations like the United States, drowning rates remain disproportionately high among certain age groups and racial and ethnic minority communities, a reflection of systemic inequalities in access to water safety, swimming education, and emergency response. Climate change is escalating the threat, as more communities are impacted by floods, where drowning is the leading cause of death. 

Rep. Omar’s resolution builds on the United Nations General Assembly’s 2021 action declaring July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day, and joins over 100 countries in recognizing the need for stronger global commitments to water safety.

You can read the full resolution here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON – Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) reintroduced the End Polluter Welfare Act, legislation to eliminate President Trump’s enormous new handouts to the fossil fuel industry contained in the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” along with existing polluter welfare for the fossil fuel industry. First introduced by Sanders in 2012, the bill eliminates more than $190 billion in tax loopholes and federal subsidies for the fossil fuel industry over the next 10 years. That total includes approximately $20 billion in new subsidies for coal, oil drilling, methane emissions, pipelines and other false climate solutions. The bill would also prevent the Trump administration from handing out hundreds of millions of acres of public lands and waters for drilling. 

In addition to Sanders and Omar, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with 20 members of the House of Representatives, have cosponsored the bill. More than 170 organizations have endorsed the legislation.  

“Donald Trump has sold out the young people of America and future generations,” said Sanders . “Big Oil spent $450 million to elected Donald Trump and Republicans during the last election cycle. In return, the president has directed the full regulatory, legal and financial weight of the federal government toward helping his fossil fuel executive friends get rich at the expense of a healthy and habitable planet for our kids and grandkids. The fossil fuel industry, with the support of Trump, is more concerned about their short-term profits than the wellbeing of the planet. No more polluter welfare for an industry that is making billions every year destroying the planet.” 

“We are done letting fossil fuel executives write the rules while our communities pay the price,” said Omar . “For decades, Big Oil has raked in billions in taxpayer handouts while destabilizing our climate. The End Polluter Welfare Act will finally hold polluters accountable and eliminate these harmful subsidies once and for all. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation with Senator Sanders because our planet can’t wait, and neither can we.”

“For too many years, Big Oil has fleeced Americans, furthering the climate crisis while collecting large subsidies,” said Rep. Khanna. “I’m honored to join my colleagues in leading the End Polluter Welfare Act of 2025 that will cut tax loopholes, federal subsidies, and royalties for the fossil fuel industry.” 

“American taxpayers pay Big Oil billions of dollars a year in subsidies, all while they rip off consumers, endanger our public health, and pollute our environment,” said Rep. Barragán. “It’s time the American taxpayers stop funding the harmful activities of Big Oil. The End Polluter Welfare Act will pull the plug on polluter handouts – and put the American people over polluters.”

 Just four private fossil fuel corporations — ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron and Shell — have accounted for about 10% of global fossil fuel emissions since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Over the past three decades, these four companies have made more than $2 trillion in profit off the backs of people all around the world have borne the brunt of climate disasters. Last year alone, these companies made $84 billion in profit, and their CEOs made more than $95 million.

As if these obscene profits weren’t enough, the Republican reconciliation bill passed earlier this month by a single vote in the Senate includes enormous new subsidies to the fossil fuel industry:

• More than $1.48 billion in tax cuts for metallurgical coal;

• More than $14 billion in tax cuts for carbon capture and enhanced oil recovery;

• Up to $3 billion in tax cuts for owners of power plants and pipelines that transport carbon and dirty hydrogen;

• Up to $447 million in tax cuts that help oil and gas drillers avoid the 15 percent corporate minimum tax;

• $1.5 billion in tax cuts for fossil fuel producers who emit methane, a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide;

• A “pay-to-play” scheme that will allow polluters to buy environmental reviews; and

• Opening up hundreds of millions of acres of our public lands and waters for drilling 

Instead of handing out new taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil, Congress must take on the greed of the tremendously profitable fossil fuel industry by passing the End Polluter Welfare Act, which would: 

• Eliminate all giveaways, tax preferences and loopholes to the fossil fuel industry;

• Prohibit taxpayer-funded fossil fuel research and development;

• Update below-market royalty rates for oil and gas production on federal lands;

• Recoup royalties from offshore drilling in public waters;

• Ensure competitive bidding and leasing practices for coal developments on federal lands; and

• End support for international oil, gas and coal projects to help the international community move away from dirty fossil fuels to clean sources of power. 

Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently asked: “If an energy source needs subsidies to stay afloat, how truly reliable, or affordable is it?” The secretary is right: The American people can no longer afford to rely on the most subsidized form of energy in American history. Failure to address the climate crisis by taking on the fossil fuel industry puts the planet and future generations at risk.  

Read the bill text here.

Read a summary here.

Read the section-by-section here.

Read a letter of support from endorsing organizations here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON, DC — Representatives Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) and Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) introduced the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act, legislation that would ban prescription drug advertising in all forms.

“Prescription drug ads are a symptom of a deeper illness in our healthcare system, one where corporate marketing has more influence than public health. Big Pharma has built a system where they spend billions in marketing costs, which is raising the costs of drugs,” said Representative Omar. “These ads exploit fear and make our healthcare system even more profit-driven. Banning them is a necessary step toward putting people before profit and restoring trust in medical care that centers patients, not corporations.”

“Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars on ads that drive up the cost of their already expensive prescription drugs,” Representative Nadler said. “The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act will lower pharmaceutical drug prices for Americans by putting a stop to these wasteful ads that are banned in all but one other country in the world. It will also protect our most vulnerable by ensuring they get the best information about medical treatments from their doctors and providers, not from misleading prescription drug advertisements.” 
 
“I have spent my career delivering life-saving care to people in moments of crisis as well as those with chronic conditions,” said Representative Dexter. “Big Pharma spending billions on direct-to-consumer ads makes needed medications more expensive and erodes trust in the healthcare system. It is unethical and must be stopped. This legislation is an important step toward ensuring medical decisions are made between patients and their doctors, not by Big Pharma’s marketing machine.” 

The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would ban drug manufacturers from using direct-to-consumer advertising to promote their products. Direct-to-consumer is defined as any promotional communication targeting consumers, including through television, radio, print media, digital platforms, and social media, for the purposes of marketing a prescription drug. Prescription drug ads increase drug costs and mislead patients.  
 
Last year, the top 10 drug companies made more than $100 billion in profits while the pharmaceutical industry spentover $10 billion on television ads. Prescription drug ads now account for more than 30 percent of commercial time on evening news programs on major television networks. In the first half of this year, Big Pharma spent over $1 billion on direct-to-consumer advertisements for just ten drugs. Additionally, in 2020 more money was spent on ads for prescription drugs with a lower added clinical benefit than those with a higher added benefit. 
 
Banning prescription drug ads is a commonsense reform. The United States is one of just two countries in the world that still allow direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising. The American Medical Association endorsed a ban a decade ago. The ban is endorsed by numerous health-related organizations, including Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, MedShadow, National Center for Health Research, TMJ Association, USA Patient Network, Washington Alliance for Patient Safety, and WoodyMatters.
 
The text of the legislation can be found here.

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

This week the House of Representatives approved H.R. 4275, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 399 to 12. This legislation strengthens, supports, and authorizes funding through 2029 for the United States Coast Guard and its critical missions to safeguard our nation’s borders, facilitate maritime commerce, ensure maritime safety, and more.

New Hampshire priorities secured by Pappas in the legislation include an allocation of $18.5 billion for procurement, funding that will be vital for Coast Guard repairs and upgrades, including at the Portsmouth Harbor Station. Pappas has been working alongside the Commander of the Portsmouth Harbor Station and the USCG Acting Commandant, Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, to prioritize these critical repairs. Pappas also worked to ensure the legislation directs the Coast Guard to make publicly available information on the interdiction of illicit drugs at sea, in order to track the quantity of drugs being interdicted in U.S. waters and determine what future steps need to be taken to strengthen interdiction efforts. 

“The Coast Guard is a key pillar of our national defense and plays a critical role in ensuring maritime safety and security. I’m glad this reauthorization package includes critical resources I advocated for to support the Coast Guard as it carries out its mission, repair and modernize the Coast Guard’s infrastructure and safety systems, and enhance nationwide drug interdiction efforts,” said Congressman Pappas, member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. “This bill delivers for New Hampshire and our Coast Guard, and I urge the Senate to quickly bring it up for a vote so we can reauthorize this critical branch of our armed forces.”

Background:

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 authorizes appropriations for the Service through FY 2029. These authorizations will support Coast Guard operations and the continued recapitalization of its historically underfunded cutter fleet, aviation assets, shoreside facilities, and IT capabilities. The bill modernizes the Coast Guard’s acquisition process, increases transparency and accountability in the Service’s recapitalization efforts, and opens a pathway to the adoption of next-generation autonomous technologies. 

The bill also creates greater parity with the other armed services, including the establishment of a Secretary of the Coast Guard and stronger protections for members of the Coast Guard from sexual assault and harassment, based on legislation the T&I Committee introduced last Congress following the Service’s Operation Fouled Anchor. 

Furthermore, the legislation strengthens U.S.-Build requirements and improves accountability to better ensure a healthy, robust U.S. shipbuilding industry, while also making changes to maritime safety laws, amending requirements for merchant mariner credentials to facilitate an increase in the pool of qualified U.S. merchant mariners, increasing vessel safety, and improving regulatory processes.

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

Trump’s proposed cut, which Pappas fought to overturn, would have slashed more than one-third of the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program’s entire budget from FY2025.

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

Today during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee markup, a bipartisan bill led by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) advanced out of the Committee with unanimous, bipartisan support. The Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act would cut red tape for veteran truckers by allowing VA to streamline the approval of certain apprenticeship programs to partner with VA.

“It’s unacceptable that veterans are losing employment opportunities due to unnecessary and redundant bureaucratic hurdles,” said Congressman Pappas. “Today the Veterans’ Affairs Committee advanced my bipartisan legislation with unanimous support to streamline the approval process for interstate trucking companies’ apprenticeship programs to partner with VA, easing the pathway for veterans to become truck drivers and supporting the trucking industry. I urge House leadership to swiftly bring this bill to the floor for a vote to get this done for our veterans.”

Background:

Currently, interstate trucking companies must get approval from every state they operate in for veterans to use their VA education benefits for apprenticeship programs at that company. VA has reported that some trucking companies are opting out of offering apprenticeships to veterans due to the bureaucratic hurdles of having to gain approval from over 20 different State Approving Agencies (SAAs). This legislation would help address this problem by allowing interstate commercial carriers to get one approval for all of their apprenticeship programs from VA, simplifying the administration of these programs for motor carriers and allowing them to accommodate more veterans as truck drivers.

Pappas introduced this legislation with Congressman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) in April.

This bipartisan legislation is endorsed by the American Trucking Association and Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

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

As Republicans continue their assault on health care, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) helped reintroduce the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act today, legislation to guarantee women access to abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance. The lawmakers’ bill follows the enactment of Trump and Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill, which will gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthood health centers, and push essential reproductive care further out of reach for millions of people. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) is also an original cosponsor of this legislation.

“While extreme politicians and judges continue trying to turn back the clock on women’s rights, we must continue to push back and fight to guarantee all women access to the essential health services they need. I remain committed to doing all I can to restore and defend the right to safe and legal abortion and access to reproductive health care for all Americans,” said Congressman Pappas. “That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues today to introduce legislation to guarantee all women access to the health care they need when they need it, regardless of how they get their health insurance or where they get their care.”

Specifically, the EACH Act ends the discriminatory Hyde Amendment and lifts abortion coverage restrictions for those who receive care through Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans. The bill helps ensure everyone can get the reproductive health care they need, regardless of income, insurance, or zip code.

The EACH Act is endorsed by the following organizations: National Women’s Law Center, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL), Guttmacher Institute, Center for Reproductive Rights, Physicians for Reproductive Health, National Abortion Federation, National Partnership for Women & Families, American Civil Liberties Union, Catholics for Choice, and more.

Background:

Pappas helped reintroduce two pieces of legislation vital to protecting access to reproductive care earlier this year: the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would enshrine into law vital protections previously guaranteed by Roe v. Wade and secure the right to reproductive care for everyone across America, and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, which would reaffirm the right to travel for abortion care, including traveling across state lines. He has helped pass these bills through the House in prior Congresses.

Pappas also helped introduce the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act earlier this year, legislation that would safeguard and increase funding for Title X—the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing comprehensive family planning and preventive health services. He has continually advocated for resources to support New Hampshire family planning services and health providers in the face of both state and federal efforts to cut or freeze Title X funding and defund these providers.

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

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, joined Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21), and Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), in introducing the Military Learning for Credit Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that aims to help more veterans translate their military training and experience into college credits. Senator Chris Coons (DE) and Senator Joni Ernst (IA) lead the Senate companion legislation. Specifically, this bill expands the Veterans Education Benefits program, which offsets the cost of prior learning tests that affect placement in degree programs. This change will help cover a wider range of certifications to allow more veterans to prove their skillset and prevent duplicative coursework, saving the government money and veterans and military families time.  

“When veterans want to use their educational benefits after service, their prior professional experiences and military training should be recognized as they move on to their next opportunity,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan legislation would allow veterans to use their VA educational benefits for nationally-recognized career tests that certify the skills and knowledge they acquired from their service, freeing up benefits for college credits and allowing them to make the most out of the benefits they’ve earned. I’ll continue working to increase opportunities for veterans and ensure their benefits work for them.”

“My dad always said he got his education from the United States Navy. Our veterans go through intensive training during their service to our country, and they should be able to benefit from that experience if they apply to college,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “I am proud to introduce the Military Learning for Credit Act, commonsense legislation to fix an existing gap and deliver for our veterans.” 

“Too many student veterans are forced to pay out of pocket to translate prior learning such as military training and experience into college credit, creating a financial hurdle that delays graduation and slows their transition into the civilian workforce,” said Tammy Barlet, Vice President of Government Affairs for Student Veterans of America. “The Military Learning for Credit Act would direct VA to use veterans’ educational assistance to cover those examination and assessment fees, cutting education costs, shortening time to degree and helping veterans bring proven skills to high‑demand jobs faster. SVA applauds Representative Goodlander and Representative Stefanik for their leadership in advancing this important legislation to ensure more student veterans are recognized and credited for their military experience in the classroom towards their employment.” 

Under current law, veterans are able to use a portion of their benefits to cover the costs associated with prior learning assessments, or higher education placement tests. However, not all tests that demonstrate prior learning are covered, such as the National Career Readiness Certificate and portfolio assessments. The Military Learning for Credit Act will correct this inequity and could save the federal government money by shortening the time to degree for student veterans who are able to pass and earn credits. Most importantly, granting college credit for prior military training can be an important lever for increasing veteran graduation rates. The Council for Adult and Experiential  Learning (CAEL) has found that credential completion was 22 percentage points higher for students with credit for prior learning. 

This legislation is endorsed by Veterans Education Success, Student Veterans of America, Today’s Students Coalition, and Southern New Hampshire University. 

The bill text is available here.