Rep. Peters’ Statement on Administrator Zeldin’s Visit to Mexico

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, DC –  Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) released the following statement regarding Administrator Zeldin’s visit to Mexico City:

“Today, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin held a news conference to announce that the United States and Mexico have signed a new memorandum of understanding that further commits Mexico to completing the projects agreed to in the Minute 328 Treaty. I very much appreciate the consistent, persistent focus that the EPA and the International Boundary and Water Commission continue to give the cross-border sewage crisis that plagues South San Diego County and our coast. In particular, I thank both agencies for their ongoing work with the design and engineering consulting team to find ways to shorten the timeline for progress. I’ll continue to work with anyone and everyone who wants to help us fix this mess.”

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Carter Installs Overdose Reversal Kits in House Office Buildings

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter Installs Overdose Reversal Kits in House Office Buildings

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) successfully advocated for the installation of overdose reversal kits near automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in House office buildings, shining a light on the need to make naloxone, an over-the-counter opioid reversal treatment, as accessible as a defibrillator. 

Overdoses are the number one cause of death for adults aged 18-45. House Office Buildings are leading by example to normalize the presence of this safe and effective treatment and encouraging members of the public to learn how to properly administer it. 

“This is a huge win for public safety,” said Rep. Carter. “By making opioid reversal kits as common as defibrillators and fire extinguishers, we will arm citizens with critical tools to combat the opioid epidemic. I am proud that the U.S. Capitol is leading the way. We can and must ensure that schools and other public and private buildings across the nation have similar access to this life-saving treatment.” 

Currently, boxes have been installed near building entrances for Rayburn, Longworth, Cannon, Ford, and O’Neill. The Sergeant at Arms will soon fill the boxes with opioid reversal kits, which will be available in case of an emergency. 

The boxes are located at:

  • Longworth House Office Building: Basement, NW corner near tunnel to Rayburn House Office Building 
  • Cannon House Office Building: First Floor, NW corner, across from NJ avenue entrance 
  • Rayburn House Office Building: First Floor, East side, across from the horseshoe S Capitol St. entrance
  • Ford House Office Building: First Floor, North side, near C St. entrance
  • O’Neill House Office Building: First floor North side, near C St. entrance

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David Scott Demands SEC Accountability and Transparency for Massive Georgia Ponzi Scheme Operation

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Scott (GA-13)

Read Letter PDF

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins demanding answers over the agency’s failure to detect the sprawling $140 million Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Georgia-based lender First Liberty Building and Loan. The letter calls for greater transparency and accountability following the SEC’s federal seizure of First Liberty.

In his letter, Congressman David Scott sharply criticizes the SEC for its years-long inability to detect or stop the fraud, which impacted hundreds of investors in Georgia and over a thousand investors nationwide. Despite numerous red flags, such as fabricated loan pools, implausible investment returns, and aggressive social media marketing, the SEC waited until July 10, 2025, to act, by which point nearly 90% of First Liberty’s loan portfolio had already defaulted. The congressman calls the SEC’s oversight breakdown “a catastrophic collapse of federal supervision.”

“This is not just a regulatory lapse, it is a total failure of oversight that enabled a $140 million Ponzi scheme to thrive in broad daylight,” said Congressman David Scott. “The worst hit investors are not millionaires or billionaires, they are retirees, faith leaders, and veterans who were failed by the SEC and Georgia state regulators. Many have lost their life savings, retirement security, and the very opportunity to financially support their families. The fact that this level of fraud went undetected for so long is completely unacceptable. The people of Georgia, especially those whose future was shattered by this scheme deserve accountability—not silence.”

Congressman David Scott’s letter aims at uncovering the full extent of the SEC’s oversight failures and identifying a path forward for victims to be made whole. The letter also questions why the SEC and state regulators—including the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance—failed to coordinate efforts, despite reportedly receiving multiple red flags and investor complaints. It demands a full accounting of:

  • When and how the SEC first became aware of First Liberty’s operation and whether SEC examiners reviewed the firm’s activities prior to July 2025
  • Why the firm was allowed to continue issuing unregistered offerings without disclosure or allowed to operate without registering as a broker dealer
  • What structural failures exist in the SEC’s regional supervisory and whistleblower processes that led to this apparent regulatory breakdown
  • What specific steps are being taken to pursue asset recovery, including offshore accounts or properties purchased with stolen investor funds

Additionally, Congressman Scott is requesting the SEC commit to a full and timely public report outlining how this massive Ponzi scheme operation was able to go on without detection. He has called for congressional hearings and a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into whether loopholes in Regulation D and resource shortfalls at the SEC are enabling widespread abuse in private financial markets.

Congressman Scott remains committed to ensuring every victim receives justice and that the inexcusable regulatory failures which allowed this fraud to occur are addressed swiftly and thoroughly.

Read full letter HERE.

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House GOP Passes 50 Trump Executive Orders

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — Six months into the Trump Administration, Republicans in the 119th Congress are delivering on President Trump’s America First agenda. With the historic passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and many more separate pieces of legislation, House Republicans have already voted to codify 50 of President Trump’s executive actions. 

“The American people gave President Trump a clear mandate to enact his America First agenda – and House Republicans are answering that call. To date, we’ve voted to codify 50 of the President’s Executive Orders into law, from reining in waste, fraud, and abuse, to cutting bureaucratic red tape that has strangled America’s innovators, job creators, and entrepreneurs,” said Speaker Johnson. “The last four years under President Joe Biden made painfully clear how quickly progress can be undone unless Congress steps in. That’s why House Republicans are working around the clock to codify President Trump’s executive actions and enshrine his historic agenda into law.”

Executive Actions Passed by the House in the 119th Congress listed below and can be found here:

1.      Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections

2.      Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government

3.      Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation

4.      Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court

5.      Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production

6.      Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness

7.      Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens

8.      Small Business Administration Overhaul of the Reckless Biden-era Lending Program

9.      Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders

10.  Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful

11.  Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies: Advancing United States Interests When Funding Nongovernmental Organizations

12.  Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements

13.  Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending

14.  Withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization

15.  Withdrawing the U.S. from and Ending Funding to Certain U.N. Organizations and Reviewing U.S. Support to All International Organizations

16.  Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign Aid

17.  Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship

18.  Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing

19.  Securing Our Borders

20.  Protecting Children from Surgical Mutilation

21.  Expanding Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Full Capacity

22.  Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization

23.  Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance

24.  Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the U.S.

25.  Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry

26.  Unleashing American Energy

27.  Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential

28.  Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday with the Garden of Heroes

29.  Declaring a National Energy Emergency

30.  Enforcing the Hyde Amendment

31.  Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production

32.  Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats

33.  The Iron Dome for America

34.  Clarifying The Military’s Role in Protecting the Territorial Integrity of the United States

35.  Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation

36.  Unleashing American Drone Dominance

37.  Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative

38.  Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities

39.  Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education

40.  Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy

41.  Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission

42.  Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China as Applied to Low-Value Imports

43.  The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global Tax Deal (Global Tax Deal)

44.  Protecting America’s Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

45.  Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos

46.  Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology

47.  Honoring Jocelyn Nungaray

48.  Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media

49.  Restoring America’s Fighting Force

50.  Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity

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Rep. Mike Levin Introduces Bill to Combat Microfiber Pollution

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

July 24, 2025

Bicameral Legislation Would Prevent Microfibers from Our Clothes Entering Our Waters & Bodies

Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Fighting Fibers Act, which would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) to require the installation of a microfiber filtration system on new washing machines to address microfiber pollution and health impacts from clothing. A companion bill in the Senate was introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

Scientists estimate millions of tons of microfibers from clothing enter our water systems and oceans every year, making textiles the largest known source of microplastic pollution. Synthetic microfibers, found in clothing containing polyester, shed while being washed due to the friction and turbulence in the washing machine. Once in our waters, microfibers absorb and release toxins that harm wildlife and ultimately contaminate the food that we eat.

The Fighting Fibers Act would require washing machines sold in the U.S. to include a filter that would prevent microfibers in clothing from shedding into wastewater and eventually contaminating rivers, lakes, and oceans.

“Microfibers pose a serious threat to our waterways, oceans, and food supply and can ultimately end up in our bodies leading to serious health complications. Preventing them from entering our ecosystems is important to health and safety,” said Rep. Levin. “This bill provides a simple, targeted solution that offsets the environmental and health impacts of microfibers by stopping them in laundry cycles before they can enter our waters and bodies. I thank Sen. Merkley for his partnership on this bill, and I look forward to advancing it through the legislative process.”

“When it comes to plastics, most of us have been taught the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The sinister reality is the three Bs: buried, burned, and borne out to sea, as dangerous chemicals poison our soil, air, and water,” said Sen. Merkley. “Microplastic pollution harms human health and our environment, and the Fighting Fibers Act is a simple fix to help consumers address the pollution from their clothes that is driving our global plastics crisis.”

“Microfibers are the most common type of microplastic pollution in our ocean and environment and have made their way everywhere from our drinking water to our blood streams. The scale and urgency of this crisis demand immediate action, and adding microfiber filters to washing machines is a common-sense and cost-effective solution available today to address this crisis. We applaud Senator Merkley and Representative Levin for championing the Fighting Fibers Act of 2025 to protect our ocean and our communities from dangerous microplastics,” said Dr. Anja Brandon, Director, Plastics Policy, Ocean Conservancy.

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Case Opposes Foreign Affairs Funding Measure That Weakens National Security By Slashing Critical Foreign Assistance Efforts

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

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted in Committee against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Security, Department of State and Related Programs Appropriations bill that would our nation’s foreign affairs programs and agencies by 22%  

This measure funds (or should fund) U.S. foreign policy efforts, including the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. contributions to the United Nations and its agencies and more.  

The bill historically provides for international diplomatic presence and outreach as well as foreign assistance in public health, basic education, educational and cultural exchanges, climate change and more. The bill’s proposed FY 2026 discretionary funding level is $46.2 billion. This is a decrease of $13 billion (22 percent) from the FY 2025 enacted level.  

“While this measure did fund many critical Hawai‘i and Indo-Pacific priorities I requested, I had to vote against it because on balance it weakens our global leadership when the world most needs our continued full engagement,” said Case.

Case spoke in Committee in opposition to the measure, saying it would “split our alliances, partnerships and friendships and cast our country as an unreliable partner”, allowing the People’s Republic of China to fill voids left by U.S. disengagement. His remarks are here.

The bill continues the Trump administration’s gutting of U.S. foreign assistance across a broad array of efforts, including: 

·         Codifying the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

·         Cutting international humanitarian aid by 42% in activities previously funded under International Disaster Assistance and Migration and Refugee Affairs.  

·         Cutting U.S. bilateral economic assistance by 21% in activities previously funded under Development Assistance, Economic Support Fund and other accounts.  

·         Creating a $1.7 billion transactional slush fund for the Trump administration called the “America First Opportunity Fund” with no effective congressional oversight.  

However, Case did welcome support in the bill for various of his requests related to Hawai‘i and the Indo-Pacific, especially $16.7 million for the East-West Center in Honolulu.

“As we continue to focus on the growing influence of the PRC in the Indo-Pacific, our national security interests must also include diplomatic engagement and assistance to promote peace and diplomacy in the region,” said Case. “Continued funding for our East-West Center and other world-leading institutions in Hawai‘i supports our country’s standing in an area widely seen as the most dynamic and critical on earth.” 

“For all seven of my years on Appropriations, I have ranked full funding for the Center at the top of my annual requests to my committee because I believe not only in the Center’s invaluable work but in what it represents for Hawaii’s central role in the Asia-Pacific and in the broader benefits that bring high-quality … jobs to our overall economy,” he said.

“Though we still have a long way to go this appropriations year, I’m grateful that my House colleagues have again favorably considered my request, especially when the President’s budget proposed zero funding for the Center.” 

Other bill provisions requested by Case include:

·         $1.8 billion for the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which promotes peace, prosperity and democracy in the region. 

·         $175 million for the Pacific Islands region, the same as FY 2025 enacted levels.  

·         $3 million for the Advancing Port Enhancement and Customs Security program in the Pacific Islands.  

·         Funding for Pacific Islands exchange programs, with a focus on partnering with universities in Pacific locations.  

·         Funding for small grants programs to assist local communities across the Pacific Islands.  

·         Funding for a Flexible Microfinance Facility for the Pacific Islands, launched by the Development Finance Corporation with the Department of State. 

·         Report language supporting funding for free and open media in the Pacific.  

·         Funding for trade capacity-building activities in the Pacific Islands. 

·         Report language supporting the Peace Corps’ expansion in the Pacific. 

·         Funding for a demand-driven initiative to diversify trade opportunities in the Pacific Islands.  

·         Language requiring a report on ways to strengthen U.S. trade and investment with the Pacific Islands.  

·         Funding for unexploded ordinance removal in the Pacific Islands, including Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.  

·         Language requiring a strategy for faith-based engagement for assistance in the Pacific Islands.  

The bill further includes funding for several foreign policy programs supported by Case, although some at unacceptably low levels. Among them are: 

·         $411 million for the Peace Corps, a decrease of $20 million from FY 2025. 

·         $411 million for peacekeeping operations, the same as FY 2025. 

·         $562.3 million to support international peacekeeping activities, a decrease of $838 million. 

·         $701 million for educational and cultural exchange programs, which include the Fulbright programs, a decrease of more than $40 million. 

·         $310 million for contributions to international organizations, a decrease of $1.2 billion. 

·         $1.5 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a decrease of $200 million. 

·         $915 million for maternal and child health programs. 

A summary of the bill is available here.  

This is the ninth of twelve separate bills developed and approved by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1st of this year. The bill now moves on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.

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Pressley Slams DHS Stealing Immigrants’ DNA and Giving it to FBI Criminal Database

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Pressley Also Condemns GOP Inhumane Treatment of Immigrant Children

“This administration is turning childhood trauma into a permanent record. Republicans on this committee claim to be focused on protecting children, yet ignore actual threats to their safety.”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – In a House Oversight Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee hearing, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) condemned Trump’s DHS policy to steal the DNA of immigrants – including children as young as four years old – and handing it over to an FBI criminal database to surveil them like suspects in waiting.

In her remarks, Rep. Pressley made clear that the stealing of children’s genetic information is a direct violation of their civil rights and civil liberties and slammed Trump and Republicans for traumatizing children while claiming to protect them.

A full transcript of her remarks as delivered is available below, and the full video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Slams DHS Stealing Immigrants’ DNA and Giving it to FBI Criminal Database

House of Representatives

July 23, 2025

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you. First, let me begin by saying this: Republicans, you sound absolutely absurd. Stop calling children “aliens.” This intentional – I mean, the cruelty is the point – this intentional, dehumanizing, and persistent persecution through your rhetoric is shameful. 

You are literally attacking children. I cannot take seriously anyone who’s using othering language to bully babies and toddlers. 

Republicans don’t want us to see the humanity of immigrants. That’s why they like saying “aliens” and even put it in the title of the hearing. And that inhumane approach is consistent with the actions of the Department of Homeland Security. 

Dr. Cuffari, have you heard about the DHS policy of collecting the DNA of children and storing it into the FBI criminal database? Yes or no?

DR. CUFFARI: I believe there is not a policy to do children.

REP. PRESSLEY: There absolutely is. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this report from July 2025, titled ‘Rating the Genome: How the United States Government is Abusing its Immigration Powers to Amass DNA for Future Policing.’

CHAIR HIGGINS: Without objection.

REP. PRESSLEY: This policy began under Donald Trump. In his first term, he authorized DHS to begin mass DNA data collection from immigrants – including children – and hand that data over to an FBI database designed to track violent offenders. 

Now that he’s back, Trump is taking this policy to new extremes, adding more than a quarter million people to the database in just four months. A quarter million people, okay, in four months. 

This committee recently held a hearing on genetic data, and there was bipartisan agreement that DNA is highly sensitive and its misuse is a violation of people’s rights, because children as young as four years old could not possibly consent to DNA collection.

So I want to know what your office is doing about it, Dr. Cuffari- 

DR. CUFFARI: We actually wrote a report –

REP. PRESSLEY: One moment, let me ask the question.

DR. CUFFARI: Certainly.

REP. PRESSLEY: Is it the responsibility of your office to investigate abuses of civil rights and civil liberties? Yes or no?

DR. CUFFARI: Yes.

REP. PRESSLEY: Has your office ever investigated concerns about DHS agents stealing genetic information from children and uploading it to the FBI criminal database?

DR. CUFFARI: Not to my knowledge, during my tenure.

REP. PRESSLEY: Well, for an Inspector General worthy of the title, it should be a priority investigation. Do you agree?

DR. CUFFARI: I agree that we did a report –

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you.

DR. CUFFARI: Thank you.

REP. PRESSLEY: You agree? 

DR. CUFFARI: I agree –

REP. PRESSLEY: There should be a priority investigation?

DR. CUFFARI: – On the matter you’re discussing.

REP. PRESSLEY: For the record, I want to be clear. Do you agree this should be a priority investigation by your office to look into agents stealing genetic information from children and uploading it to the FBI criminal database – yes or no? Yes or no?

DR. CUFFARI: We have done the report –

REP. PRESSLEY: Let me just this –

DR. CUFFARI: We have done the report you’re mentioning –

REP. PRESSLEY: Let me just say this – your office, according to Title Five of the US Code, Chapter Four, Section 417 – this is the responsibility you are charged with, to investigate abuses of civil rights and civil liberties. 

Children as young as four years old have not consented to the collection of their DNA. That is a violation of their civil rights and civil liberties. 

So this is not a trick question. Do you believe, given the charge and jurisdiction of your office, that this should be a priority investigation, as their rights have been violated?

DR. CUFFARI: Unless the adult consented on the child –

REP. PRESSLEY: Yes or no? Yes or no, Dr. Cuffari?

DR. CUFFARI: We just got done writing a report.

REP. PRESSLEY: On what?

DR. CUFFARI: On the DNA collection within the Department of Homeland Security.

REP. PRESSLEY: I thought you said you weren’t even aware that it was a policy. I’m very confused.

DR. CUFFARI: There’s not a policy.

REP. PRESSLEY: Dr. Cuffari, I’m not going to, you know, play these games here – because we’re talking about children, so I don’t want to circle the drain. 

But this should be a priority investigation, because we have children whose civil rights have been violated with the collection of their DNA. 

This administration is turning childhood trauma into a permanent record. 

Republicans on this committee, you claim to be focused on protecting children, yet you’re ignoring actual threats to their safety. 

You traumatize children with the threat of disappearing their parents. You traumatize children by disappearing their parents. You traumatize children by conducting their DNA without their consent and criminalizing them. You traumatize children by denying them food when they’re hungry. You traumatize children by denying them essential health care, which is their human right. 

You traumatize them so much that they’re afraid to show up to school, afraid to show up to church, afraid to go to doctor’s appointments. 

Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this July 2025 article from the Boston Globe, titled, ‘I Want Daddy: As ICE Detains Parents and Children –

CHAIR HIGGINS: Without objection and the gentlelady’s time has expired. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Stop using children as pawns. This is the real child abuse.

Thank you, I yield.

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WATCH: Congressman Castro Testifies at Texas Capitol to Stand Against Governor Abbott’s Gerrymandering Efforts

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

July 24, 2025

AUSTIN, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) testified before the Texas House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting to stand up to Governor Greg Abbott and President Trump for subverting the will of all Texans and disenfranchising the voting power of minority voters.

Congressman Castro Delivers 2 Minute Testimony

Congressman Castro’s testimony below:

Thank you, Chairman and Members of the Committee.

I am proud to represent my hometown of San Antonio, Texas, the 20th Congressional District.

I was a freshman in 2003, when as Democrats, we left the state for Ardmore, Oklahoma, to stop mid-decade redistricting more than 20 years ago.

It was wrong then, and it’s wrong now.

And you all are being used. You’re being used by the White House and by Donald Trump. You’re being used because he doesn’t want Democrats to control the majority of the Congress so that there’ll be no investigations.

There has been no discussion in Congress about the floods that occurred in Kerr County and the loss of so many lives. There has been no discussion on the Epstein files, no discussions on the Iran leaks and all those messages by the Secretary of Defense and others.

There literally is no accountability right now in Congress and the people that are going to pay for this are the folks in Black and Brown communities in our cities. They’re going to have their districts cracked and packed and un-Blacked because of this effort.

That’s what’s at stake here, whether you all are going to work for the people of Texas, as we used to do, or try to do, or whether you’re going to take your commandments from Donald Trump and the White House.

I hope that you all will choose to do the business of the people of Texas as this body has a history of being independent from the federal government, not a stooge for it.

I yield back.

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Representative Nadler Delivers Remarks at Rally in Support of Brooklyn Container Port

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Today, Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) delivered the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, at a community rally in Red Hook in support of the Brooklyn container port: 

“Thank you for inviting me here today. As many of you know, I have advocated for the Port of New York and New Jersey for more than forty years. For many of those years, I represented the Red Hook waterfront in Congress and fought for this vital facility, the community, and the jobs that depend on the port.

Red Hook is the only remaining container port facility on the eastern side of the Hudson River, making it immensely important for our city, state, and region. We gather today to address a critical decision facing our community regarding the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Red Hook’s working waterfront.

Red Hook has served as an active working waterfront for 150 years. While the port may be smaller than terminals in New Jersey and Staten Island, its location in the heart of America’s largest consumer market provides unique value. Red Hook connects our region to vital supply chains, bringing fresh produce from Latin America and the Caribbean directly to grocery stores throughout the city and Long Island.

The recent Baltimore bridge collapse reminded us how vulnerable our supply chains can be. We need redundancy and resilient alternatives. The Blue Highway barge service operating since 1991 employs skilled long-shore workers representing generations of maritime expertise. This infrastructure deserves our investment and protection.

Unfortunately, the city in acquiring the facility made a bad deal with the Port Authority and inherited a facility with significant challenges from decades of underinvestment. But now that the city owns Brooklyn Marine Terminal, it must repair the facility without any conditions. The current proposal from EDC is deeply flawed. To save the port, they propose developing thousands of market-rate housing units to finance improvements. I believe there is a better path forward, because their plan would have the opposite effect—shrinking and killing the very port they claim to want to save.

I fully recognize the city’s housing crisis requires urgent attention. However, adding 8,000 housing units to an area with narrow streets, aging infrastructure, and limited transit raises serious concerns about community impact and quality of life.
I propose a more thoughtful approach. First, preserve the Red Hook Port with no reduction in its footprint. Second, the city should invest in port stabilization and improvements as a public infrastructure priority, similar to investments in ferry lines, roads, and bridges. New York State should contribute as well, since the terminal serves the broader region including Long Island and the Hudson Valley.

Finally, housing decisions should be addressed through the established ULURP process, designed for complex land use decisions requiring maximum community input. This same process recently delivered the City of Yes housing plan through proper democratic engagement.

The fact that EDC keeps postponing the Task Force vote shows they lack support for their deeply flawed plan. It is profoundly undemocratic for EDC to delay the vote simply because they know their plan will be rejected. I urge the Task Force to approve necessary port improvements immediately while deferring housing decisions for later consideration through the ULURP process. This approach respects both the community’s voice and the democratic processes that ensure good governance.

The future of Red Hook deserves careful deliberation, not rushed decisions. We can protect our working waterfront while addressing housing needs through proper planning and community engagement.”

Congresswoman Torres FY26 Community Projects $21 Million to California’s 35th Congressional District

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

July 24, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (CA-35) announced the inclusion of 15 Community Project Funding requests in the House Appropriations Committee funding bills for Fiscal Year 2026. The bills including these projects have all been considered at the subcommittee level, and most have passed through the full Appropriations Committee and now advance to the House floor for consideration.  If fully funded, these locally driven proposals would bring more than $21,772,000 in federal resources directly to communities across California’s 35th Congressional District.

“As a senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I am proud to advocate for strategic federal investments that reflect the real needs of our region—from clean water and safer streets to affordable housing and economic development,” said Congresswoman Torres. “Every one of these projects was developed in close partnership with our local governments, schools, and nonprofits. They will improve public safety, support small businesses, enhance critical infrastructure, and uplift the people of the Inland Empire.”

Project Include: 

Autism Society Inland Empire’s Law Enforcement Training Initiative – $1,031,000

Provides training and resources for law enforcement to foster safer interactions with community members with a condition or disability that may impact communication or require additional accommodations or awareness during an interaction in several cities in the 35th District.

Chino Basin Advanced Water Purification Demonstration Facility – $1,092,000

First-of-its-kind water purification facility to increase water quality and long-term resilience.

Chino Benson Emergency Power Generator Project – $1,092,000

Backup power to ensure continued water delivery in Chino during outages.

Chino Valley Innovation Center – $2,000,000

Establishes a local entrepreneurship hub to support business growth and job creation.

City of Montclair Fire Department Tractor Tiller Truck – $850,000

Funds a high-maneuverability fire truck to enhance emergency response.

City of Upland Campus Avenue Storm Drain Improvement – $1,092,000

Upgrades storm drain system to prevent flooding and protect homes, schools, and businesses.

Cypress Grove Supportive Housing – $2,000,000

Supports the construction of permanent housing to address local homelessness in Fontana.

Eastvale Library and Innovation Center – $3,100,000

Expands access to information, education, and community programming.

Los Serranos Flood Protection Project – $1,092,000

Installs storm drain system to mitigate flood risk in Chino Hills.

Merrill Center Crisis Stabilization Unit Rehabilitation – $1,100,000

Rehabilitates critical behavioral health facilities to support those in crisis in Ontario.

Monte Vista Water District Pipeline Replacement Project –$1,092,000

Replaces aging pipeline infrastructure in Montclair to prevent leaks and improve water flow.

Ontario-Montclair School District’s Safer Schools Initiative – $1,031,000

Improves school safety infrastructure in collaboration with local law enforcement.

Ontario Section 219 Recycled Water Expansion Project – $3,200,000

Constructs 13 miles of new infrastructure to deliver recycled water to public landscapes.

The Hub on Holt: Space for Entrepreneurship, Creation, and Innovation – $1,000,000

Revitalizes a blighted corridor to support small businesses and community engagement in Ontario.

Vista Verde II Affordable Housing Development – $1,000,000

Adds affordable housing and promotes economic growth through construction jobs in Ontario.

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