MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON – Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Peace & Security Taskforce Chair Rep. Ilhan Omar and 10 other CPC members—Representatives Greg Casar, Maxine Dexter, Jesús “Chuy” García, Jonathan L. Jackson, Jim McGovern, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Pocan, Delia C. Ramirez, Rashida Tlaib, and Nydia M. Velázquez—issued the following statement in response to the Trump State Department’s release of the 100-page report, Cuba: Capital of 21st-Century Communism:

“Trump appears hellbent on taking America back 70 years to the height of Cold War McCarthyism, when hawkish foreign policy was paired with unsubstantiated accusations of communist subversion and political repression against dissidents at home.

“Trump has repeatedly threatened to take over Cuba and has deployed U.S. military ships to seize fuel vessels attempting to arrive on the island. And yet, in an Orwellian move, this administration now claims it is Cuba carrying out the ‘assault’ against the United States, by turning ‘Americans into instruments of their own nation’s undoing.’

“We condemn this report’s attack on Americans’ constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. We denounce this administration’s irresponsible attacks against civil society organizations, activists, journalists, labor leaders, Members of Congress, elected officials, and private individuals based on their advocacy for peaceful foreign policy and social justice at home. 

“And we stand firmly against this report and other efforts by the Trump Administration to weaponize the federal government against dissent, which is a patriotic tradition. We commit to using our full oversight power as Members of Congress and elected officials to stop the persecution of Trump’s perceived political enemies. 

“Trump and Secretary Rubio are intensifying decades of economic war against the very people they say they want to help—all while attacking Americans who oppose the policy. The U.S. blockade deliberately deprives the entire island’s population of adequate food, fuel, and medicine. It is past time for Trump to obey the Constitution and end the dangerous, cruel and illegal naval blockade causing collective punishment against Cuba.” 

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

The Transportation for Reentry Act would provide one year of free public transit to help formerly incarcerated Americans reconnect with work, education, and essential services.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

Washington, DC – Today, Congressmen Bryan Steil (WI-01), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), and Tony Wied (WI-08), applauded the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’(CMS) proposed rule 91 FR 46562, ensuring Wisconsin receives fairness in the Medicaid reimbursement formula and delivering historic Medicaid funding to WI.

Wisconsin’s Republican delegation has been working directly with CMS and the Trump Administration to ensure that Wisconsin providers receive the same treatment in the Medicaid reimbursement system as providers in other states. Recent changes resulted in an additional $1 billion in federal healthcare funding for Wisconsin. This funding will help ensure high-quality care for patients in Wisconsin.

“For years, Wisconsin providers have been reimbursed at a lower rate than other states. Under the Working Families Tax Cuts, Wisconsin will now be treated fairly, protecting Medicaid for the people it was designed for – children, pregnant women, and disabled Americans,” said the Representatives. “Wisconsin’s Republican congressional delegation worked closely with the State Legislature and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to guarantee fair treatment, implement meaningful reforms, and deliver affordable, high-quality healthcare for families and seniors.”

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

Full Text of Letter (PDF)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and opened a new investigation into whether Big Tech companies are lobbying to avoid new AI rules using the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). In a new letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, the lawmakers raised concerns that Big Tech trade associations may be trying to use the USMCA to prevent the U.S., Mexico, and Canada from developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) standards and holding them accountable for hurting consumers.

“U.S. trade policy should focus on creating jobs, strengthening supply chains, and lowering costs for American families — not advancing the interests of Big Tech CEOs by letting their companies run amok,” wrote the lawmakers. 

Big Tech companies have long lobbied against regulations that protect consumers, promote competition, and safeguard data security and privacy. In recent years, the industry has spent $100 million lobbying against AI regulation, including in support of a 10-year moratorium on state-level AI regulation. They are now attempting to use trade deals to preempt even the federal government from effectively regulating AI.  

The USMCA already prohibits signatories — including the United States — from requiring companies to share source code outside of open investigations, making it harder to proactively regulate these companies. 

“This language is far broader than what is necessary to protect companies from intellectual property theft or infringement,” said the lawmakers. 

Now, according to an analysis by Public Citizen, Big Tech trade associations — representing companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook — are lobbying to keep harmful rules and further prevent the governments of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada from regulating the digital ecosystem, including AI. If Big Tech is successful, they could even circumvent state laws that limit exports of sensitive personal data or guarantee protections to allow AI models to be trained on copyrighted materials.  

“(T)his digital trade strategy would limit — or even potentially bar — federal and state governments’ ability to enact or enforce domestic policies to counter Big Tech’s influence and protect consumers from harm,” noted the lawmakers. 

The lawmakers warned that restrictions on regulating these companies are especially concerning as AI plays a larger role in Americans’ lives. In particular, they point to employers’ use of AI to replace workers and AI chatbots engaging in inappropriate conversations with minors and possibly leading youth in crisis to self-harm. 

“It is crucial that governments have the tools they need to effectively protect their citizens against these harms,” said the lawmakers.

The members urged Mr. Greer to ensure that any revised version of the USMCA eliminates “source code secrecy provisions that allow Big Tech companies to escape regulatory scrutiny.” 

“Congress and state legislatures must work to ensure the safe, responsible deployment of AI, and special AI source code secrecy protections make it virtually impossible for regulatory bodies at home and abroad to secure AI accountability from Big Tech,” concluded the lawmakers. 

The lawmakers asked Mr. Greer to explain whether and to what extent the Trump administration is allowing Big Tech companies to influence USMCA negotiations by August 5, 2026.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Dingell Introduces the Childhood Disability Benefit Fairness Act

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, Ranking Member of the Federal Lands Subcommittee, and New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján introduced the Local Input Act. This bicameral bill seeks to protect the right of local communities to provide input into proposed oil and gas lease sales on national public lands, and would restore the Department of the Interior’s discretion to incorporate public comments and defer nominated parcels that conflict with the public interest.

The bill’s introduction comes at a critical moment for the country, particularly for communities in the American West. Changes enacted by Congress in 2025 effectively stripped local communities, landowners, and state and local officials of a meaningful voice in leasing decisions on public lands by eliminating the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) authority to defer lease parcels even if legitimate conflicts are identified, including when proposed leases threaten water supplies, wildlife habitat, hunting and fishing, recreation, tourism, and cultural resources. The Department of the Interior is also currently proposing changes to the BLM’s oil and gas leasing rule that would further reduce public input in this process to a mere 10-day protest period.

“In Colorado, we’ve seen the value of giving local communities a seat at the table. From farmers and ranchers to conservationists, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and Tribal communities, the people who live, work, and recreate on these lands should have a meaningful say in how they’re managed. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Local Input Act. Together with Senator Luján, we’re working to put public lands back in public hands,” said Congressman Neguse.

“In New Mexico and across the country, our public lands belong to the people, and everyone deserves a meaningful voice in how they are managed,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I’m introducing the Local Input Act, commonsense legislation that ensures local communities are not sidelined when decisions affecting their water, lands, livelihoods, and way of life are made. I’m proud to partner with Representative Neguse on this bill and will continue fighting to ensure every voice is heard when it comes to managing our public lands.”

The Local Input Act is a common-sense, targeted fix that restores balance, accountability, and community input to the management of America’s public lands. It reestablishes the Bureau of Land Management’s authority to meaningfully consider public feedback and defer oil and gas lease parcels when legitimate conflicts are identified, reversing unintended consequences created by Congress. By ensuring that local communities, landowners, hunters, anglers, ranchers, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders once again have a meaningful voice in public lands decisions, the bill helps protect water supplies, wildlife habitat, tourism and recreation, private property rights, ranching and grazing operations, and other economic, ecological, and cultural values that are vital to Western communities. 

The bill is endorsed by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Conservation Colorado, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, Montana Wildlife Federation, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nevada Conservation League, Nevada Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Voices for Children, New Mexico Wild, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Nuestra Tierra, Public Land Solutions, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Save The Aurora Reservoir, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited, Western, Colorado Alliance, The Wilderness Society, Wilderness Workshop, Wild Montana.  

Statements of support can be found HERE. 

View the full bill text HERE.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07),Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Mike Thompson (CA-04) led a bipartisan group of 28 total members of the California Congressional Delegation in urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to stop AT&T’s effort to discontinue landline services and uphold its obligation to serve California communities.

“This continued attempt by AT&T to cease operations of critical networks in areas that are prone to wildfires, landslides, massive snowstorms, and earthquakes would leave approximately 200,000 California residential and business customers without alternative communications in the event of a cellular outage,” wrote the Members. “Relatedly, as has befallen AT&T in the recent past, these outages could last for days, weeks, and in some cases, months. We urge the Commission to deny AT&T’s various applications because the negative consequences for the public far outweigh any benefits, and the proposed replacement is wholly inadequate.”

AT&T has sought federal approval to discontinue legacy landline service affecting California residents and businesses, relinquish its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier status, and override California’s Carrier of Last Resort protections. Its proposed wireless replacement relies on electrical grids and cellular towers that may be damaged or unavailable during disasters.

“We recognize the importance of modernizing our networks and expanding fiber-optic infrastructure to underserved communities,” the Members continued. “However, these efforts must be carried out in a manner that protects public safety and preserves resilient access for vulnerable communities during emergencies and outages.”

The letter follows a bipartisan 2024 effort by members of the California delegation opposing AT&T’s previous attempt to abandon its Carrier of Last Resort obligations. The California Public Utilities Commission later denied that request after significant public opposition.

The lawmakers call on the FCC to protect California’s authority to set local utility and public safety standards and prevent customers from losing reliable access to emergency communications. At minimum, they request protections for communities prone to wildfires, extreme weather, and locations where indoor cellular coverage is unreliable.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following today’s vote series, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens released the following statement: 

“Let me be very clear: Members of Congress should be banned from owning individual stocks. The bill Republicans put forward today does not do that. I should know—I’ve been fighting for this for years, I don’t own individual stocks, and I wrote one of the toughest bills to ban stock trading in Congress and the White House. Public office should never be about personal profit, period.

“As I’ve said before, Donald Trump is turning the Oval Office into a stock trading floor. We should be putting a stop to that corruption, not exploiting it for political games. Instead, in a cynical effort, Republicans poisoned the bipartisan goal of banning congressional stock trading by attaching unrelated voter suppression legislation, forcing a false choice. No matter what, I will never vote to make it harder for Americans to exercise their fundamental right to vote. 

“If Republicans want to pass a real stock trading ban, bring my bill to the floor, or any other serious bipartisan proposal. I’ll vote yes.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) released the following statement after the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 8884, the Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act by a vote of 232-188:

“The Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act is about helping disabled Americans pursue opportunities without the fear of losing the benefits that help them live with dignity. This bill would allow the Social Security Administration to pursue scoped demonstration programs while ensuring voluntary participants’ overall income is not reduced, giving disabled Americans the chance to build the future they want,” said Rep. Scott. “I had the opportunity to take a constituent hunting several years ago who was a double amputee purple heart recipient. He shared with me the defeat as a husband and father wanting to work and take care of his family but being limited on what he can do without losing all benefits and hurting his family more.”

“The massive discrepancy between the 60 percent of Americans receiving Social Security Disability Insurance who say they want to work and the less than 1 percent who actually enter the workforce and successfully exit the program each year shows just how much the Social Security Administration’s complex rules and regulations are failing to deliver for Americans living with a disability,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08). “Representative Scott, in particular, has been a champion for so many Purple Heart veterans who could return to work if there were relief from the current restrictive work compensation rules. I commend him for restoring a pathway for millions of disabled individuals, including Purple Heart veterans. The Social Security Administration had this authority to test new pathways in the past, and it desperately needs it again, so we can slash the bureaucratic red tape and empower more individuals with disabilities to achieve the dignity of work. With passage of this bill, we can ensure government programs are lifting people up, not inadvertently holding them back.”

H.R. 8884 will reauthorize, through 2031, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) authority to carry out demonstration projects within the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The bill also imposes requirements related to beneficiary income, project funding, and SSA reporting.

Under the bill, SSA must ensure that an individual’s participation in a demonstration project does not reduce their total income. Further, the bill specifies that administrative expenses related to demonstration projects must be paid from funds appropriated for administration.

Read the full text of the legislation here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [7/23/26] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced the Daycare Not Detentions Act to redirect $70 billion of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to federal child care programs.

A year ago, Republicans passed H.R.1 and gave the Department of Homeland Security $170.7 billion for immigration enforcement. We have seen how that funding has been used to carry out mass deportations, terrorize communities, and incarcerate thousands of people, many with no criminal records, in detention centers. Earlier this year, instead of lowering costs or improving public safety or the lives of American families, Republicans gave an additional $70 billion of funding to ICE and CBP. 

The terror from immigration enforcement actions will have lasting effects on children for generations to come. At the same time, Congress has continued to underinvest in programs that serve our nation’s children. 

“It’s shameful that the Trump administration and their allies in Congress are spending billions of dollars on ICE and CBP to tear apart and terrorize families,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Communities will be much safer and stronger if we instead made a generational investment in children and redirect this funding to federal programs that provide care and education for our youngest learners. I will continue doing all I can to fight against funding for dangerous immigration enforcement and advocate for our nation’s children and a brighter future.”

The Daycare Not Detentions Act would provide needed funding to support access to the following early childhood programs:

• $25.5 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (nearly triple current funding);
• $20 billion for the Child Care Entitlement to States (double current funding);
• $24 billion for Head Start (double current funding); and
• $500 million for the Preschool Development Block Grant (nearly double current funding).

The text of the Daycare Not Detentions Act can be read here. 

The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Emily Randall (D-WA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

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