MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Today, House Appropriations Committee Republicans pushed ahead with their fiscal year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs funding bill that weakens our national security and puts the American people and public health preparedness at risk.

House Republicans are proposing a 22 percent cut to the bill’s overall funding level.

 
This bill:

• Threatens national security, abdicates United States world leadership and guts development and humanitarian programs by underfunding the operations and staffing of the State Department and completing the demise of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as other tools of America’s soft power and global leadership. 
• Cedes world leadership to China by abandoning our allies and eliminating funding for the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral and international financial institutions, including any funding for the UN Regular budget, the UN Development Program, UN Women, and UNICEF.
• Threatens women’s health globally by prohibiting the United States from contributing to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), substantially underfunding bilateral family planning, and reinstating the expanded Global Gag Rule on non-governmental organizations that receive U.S. assistance.
• Hampers the United States’ response to the climate crisis by eliminating support for communities’ ability to adapt to weather changes, sustainably manage their land and natural resources, and expand access to clean energy.

“The Republicans’ proposed FY26 Appropriations bill for National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs charts a dangerous course of recklessness and retreat—leaving a vacuum for adversaries like China to fill,” State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Ranking Member Lois Frankel (D-FL-22) said. “Slashing investments in diplomacy, development, and humanitarian aid is not just shortsighted—it’s a grave mistake. These cuts may look like savings on paper, but they come at a steep cost that every American family will feel. When global health systems collapse, people get sick. When markets dry up, paychecks shrink. When diplomacy fails, our loved ones are sent to war. I look forward to working toward a budget that meets the moment—one that strengthens our security, grows our economy, and reaffirms America’s leadership on the world stage.”

Congresswoman Lois Frankel’s full remarks are here.

“President Trump is aggressively pursuing an America-last agenda that will only see America become weaker, more isolated, and more ostracized. Snubbing our allies and turning our back on the world does not make us strong. It makes us weak. It makes us an unreliable ally and an untrustworthy partner,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Republicans are slashing humanitarian assistance by more than a third, and foreign assistance by over 20 percent – causing tragic and preventable death around the world and creating a power vacuum that China is eager to exploit. Their bill dismisses our international partners – U.N. agencies and NGOs that deliver lifesaving aid to the most vulnerable people around the globe. And their bill surrenders our efforts to combat the climate crisis – eliminating support for climate adaptability and clean energy, ignoring the nexus between climate, conflict, and migration, and jeopardizing the safety and security of our children, and our grandchildren. I will not stop fighting to protect America’s interests, and against the Trump Administration’s and Republicans’ dangerous dismantling of our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts across the world.”

Congresswoman DeLauro’s full remarks are here.

This funding bill was considered amidst the looming threat of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sending a proposal to, in effect, unilaterally and unlawfully cancel expiring appropriations (a misnomer OMB Director Vought erroneously calls a “pocket rescission,” which is just another term for unlawful impoundment). Instead of rising to the occasion to combat those threats, Republicans capitulated to the demands of Director Vought. They continued their go-it-alone approach to government funding instead of working with Democrats to enact bipartisan laws that serve American interests.

During today’s markup, Democrats also fought to:

• Restore humanitarian assistance after Republicans decimated efforts to address crises and save lives around the world.
• Produce a report on the impact President Trump’s cuts, mass firings, and chaotic foreign policy changes have had on the expansion of China’s global influence.
• Require adequate staffing to implement oversight of foreign assistance following the firing of thousands of employees at the U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development.
• Reverse Republican cuts and eliminate policies that threaten women’s health globally.

House Republicans rejected these efforts.

A summary of the bill is here. A fact sheet is here.

The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here.

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

Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) issued the following statement on Columbia University’s $200 million settlement with the Trump Administration: 

“I am deeply disappointed by reports of Columbia University’s outrageous and embarrassing $200 million capitulation to the Trump Administration’s repugnant extortion campaign.

Let’s be clear: no investigation was ever conducted by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights— the single body charged under federal law with investigating antisemitism on campus. Rather, unlike Harvard, my alma mater has allowed a once highly-respected institution to succumb to the Trump Administration’s coercive and exploitative tactics. Columbia has effectively waived the white flag of surrender in its battle at the heart of the Trump Administration’s war on higher education and academic freedom.

While Columbia needs to do a better job at protecting its students against antisemitism on campus, this disgraceful and humiliating action will not, in anyway, improve the situation on campus for Jewish students.

Columbia’s students, faculty, staff, and larger community deserve better than this cowardly decision.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Thomas Massie (4th District of Kentucky)

For Immediate Release

Contact:

John Kennedy, 202-225-3465 (Massie)
Gabrielle Mannino, 207-509-5904 (Pingree)

Washington, D.C.- Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announce the re-introduction of the PRIME (Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption) Act to make it easier for small farms and ranches to serve consumers. The PRIME Act (H.R. 4700) would give individual states freedom to permit intrastate distribution of custom-slaughtered meat such as beef, pork, or lamb to consumers, restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, and grocery stores. 

“Consumers want to know where their food comes from, what it contains, and how it’s processed. Yet federal inspection requirements make it difficult to purchase food from trusted, local farmers,” said Rep. Thomas Massie. “It is time to open our markets to give producers the freedom to succeed and consumers the freedom to choose.”

 “Consumers at the grocery store increasingly want quality, locally-grown food, but existing regulations and supply chain vulnerabilities don’t make it easy for them to access. In rural states like Maine, farmers often have to drive hundreds of miles just to get their livestock processed. We can and must do more to bolster our local food systems,” said Rep. Chellie Pingree. “The PRIME Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that strengthens infrastructure for local meat processing, supports family farms, and gives consumers easier access to locally raised food—along with greater transparency about where that food comes from.”

Current law exempts custom slaughter of animals from federal inspection regulations, but only if the meat is slaughtered for personal, household, guest, and employee use (21 U.S.C. § 623(a)). This means that in order to sell individual cuts of locally raised meats to consumers, farmers and ranchers must first send their animals to one of a limited number of USDA-inspected slaughterhouses. These USDA-inspected slaughterhouses are sometimes hundreds of miles away from farms and ranches, adding substantial transportation costs and increasing the chances of locally raised meat co-mingling with industrially produced meat. The PRIME Act would expand the current custom exemption and allow small farms, ranches, and slaughterhouses to thrive.

Original co-sponsors of the PRIME Act include: Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. John Carter (R-TX), Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT), Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL), Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT), Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL), Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN), Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI), and Rep. David Valadao (R-CA). 

Companion legislation, S.2409, has been introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY).

Massie raises cattle on his off-the-grid farm in northeast Kentucky. Pingree raises grass-fed beef and chickens on her island farm in North Haven, Maine.

The text of the PRIME Act is available at this link. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) reintroduced the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act, bipartisan legislation to make it easier for small farms and ranches to serve consumers. The PRIME Act (H.R. 4700) would give individual states freedom to permit intrastate distribution of custom-slaughtered meat such as beef, pork, or lamb to consumers, restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, and grocery stores. 

“Consumers at the grocery store increasingly want quality, locally-grown food, but existing regulations and supply chain vulnerabilities don’t make it easy for them to access. In rural states like Maine, farmers often have to drive hundreds of miles just to get their livestock processed. We can and must do more to bolster our local food systems,” said Pingree, a longtime farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee. “The PRIME Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that strengthens infrastructure for local meat processing, supports family farms, and gives consumers easier access to locally raised food—along with greater transparency about where that food comes from.”

“Consumers want to know where their food comes from, what it contains, and how it’s processed. Yet federal inspection requirements make it difficult to purchase food from trusted, local farmers,” said Massie. “It is time to open our markets to give producers the freedom to succeed and consumers the freedom to choose.”

Current law exempts custom slaughter of animals from federal inspection regulations, but only if the meat is slaughtered for personal, household, guest, and employee use (21 U.S.C. § 623(a)). This means that in order to sell individual cuts of locally raised meats to consumers, farmers and ranchers must first send their animals to one of a limited number of USDA-inspected slaughterhouses. These USDA-inspected slaughterhouses are sometimes hundreds of miles away from farms and ranches, adding substantial transportation costs and increasing the chances of locally raised meat co-mingling with industrially produced meat. The PRIME Act would expand the current custom exemption and allow small farms, ranches, and slaughterhouses to thrive.

Original co-sponsors of the PRIME Act include: Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.), Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.), Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas), Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.), Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wisc.), Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), and Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.). 

Companion legislation, S.2409, has been introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Massie raises cattle on his off-the-grid farm in northeast Kentucky. Pingree raises grass-fed beef and chickens on her island farm in North Haven, Maine.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

As drinking water contamination from toxic “forever chemicals,” also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), increasingly threatens communities in Maine and across the country, U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and David Rouzer (R-N.C.) have reintroduced the bipartisan Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act, or the Healthy H2O Act. The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), provides grants for water testing and treatment technology directly to individuals and nonprofits in rural communities. Systems that improve water quality—whether installed at the faucet or within a building—can provide immediate and ongoing protections from known and emerging water contaminants, including PFAS, lead, and nitrates. 

“The Healthy H2O Act will help make water testing and treatment technology more accessible here in Maine, and in rural communities across the country, especially for families on private wells who are too often left to navigate contamination risks on their own,” said Pingree. “As national protections face delays and uncertainty, local communities can’t afford to wait. This bipartisan bill gives them the tools to identify and address harmful chemicals like PFAS and lead at the tap—so they can be confident the water they’re drinking is safe.”

“The Healthy H2O Act helps rural residents in the Cape Fear Valley gain access to safe, clean drinking water—free from harmful contaminants like GenX, PFAS, and PFOS,” said Rouzer. “As city and county water systems continue upgrading to address these pollutants, this legislation ensures rural communities aren’t left behind by supporting testing and the installation of effective filtration systems to remove these ‘forever chemicals.’”

“All Wisconsin families, businesses, and communities should trust that the water coming out of their faucets is safe to drink, but across our state, rural communities are struggling to identify and treat chemicals like PFAs that endanger our health, especially for children,” said Senator Baldwin. “My bipartisan legislation ensures our small and rural communities aren’t left behind and makes sure they have what they need to find and get rid of dangerous chemicals and keep our families healthy.”

“Maintaining and upgrading water and wastewater systems is vital to ensuring the economic and environmental health of our communities,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will help reduce health-based contaminants like PFAS in drinking water, increase consumer confidence, and protect public health.”

The Healthy H2O Act would provide funding for point-of-use water treatment systems, such as under-sink filters, that can deliver immediate protections. Nearly 43 million U.S. households— primarily in rural areas—depend on private wells that are not regularly monitored under federal or state drinking water programs, leaving many communities vulnerable to contamination.

The Healthy H2O Act is supported by:

• Water Quality Association 
• American Supply Association 
• Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) 
• Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) 
• National Groundwater Association (NGWA) 
• High Performance Building Coalition 
• NSF International 
• Water Systems Council 
• Water Well Trust 
• The Groundwater Foundation 
• International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) 
• International Code Council (ICC) 
• DigDeep 
• California Ground Water Association 
• Eastern Water Quality Association (EWQA) 
• Florida Groundwater Association 
• Florida Water Quality Association (FWQA) 
• Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals 
• Iowa Water Quality Association 
• Kentucky Groundwater Association 
• Michigan Ground Water Association 
• Minnesota WQA (MWQA) 
• Minnesota Water Well Association 
• Montana Water Well Drillers Association 
• Nebraska On-Site Wastewater Association 
• Nebraska State Irrigation Association 
• Nebraska Water Leaders Academy 
• Nebraska Well Drillers Association 
• Ohio Water Quality Association (OWQA) 
• Ohio Water Well Association 
• Pacific Water Quality Association (PWQA) 
• Pennsylvania Groundwater Association 
• Texas Water Quality Association (TWQA) 
• Virginia Water Well Association 
• Water Council of Milwaukee 
• Water Quality Association of Wisconsin 
• Well Drillers Association of Wisconsin

“We applaud Representatives Pingree and Rouzer for introducing the Healthy H2O Act that will increase access to safer drinking water in rural communities,” said Pauli Undesser, Executive Director of the Water Quality Association. “This grant program will help Americans who are most vulnerable to contaminants in their water supply – children, the elderly, and households that rely on private wells. By increasing access to testing and water filtration products, we can support the health and safety of these communities.”

“Too often, rural communities across the country face barriers to accessing clean, safe drinking water,” said National Ground Water Association President Eric Macias. “The Healthy H2O Act is a real step forward, delivering resources to help families test and treat their water. This legislation reflects the kind of commonsense investment that can truly improve lives, and we commend Congresswoman Pingree for her leadership on this important issue.”

Pingree, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, has long championed PFAS clean-up and clean drinking water legislation. She proudly supported the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included a $55 billion investment to replace lead service lines, $10 billion to address PFAS chemicals, and investments in water infrastructure across America, including in Tribal Nations and underserved communities that need it most.

As Chair of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the EPA, in the 117th Congress and as Ranking Member in the 118th and 119th Congresses, Pingree has championed funding to clean up PFAS contamination. In the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding bill signed by President Biden, Pingree secured $8 million for the EPA to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to further research on PFAS contamination in agriculture, as well as $5 million to assist farmers whose land has been contaminated by PFAS.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. –Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is hailing full Committee passage of the Department of the Interior Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026, which funds American Samoa’s DOI Operations fund. This year’s House bill has a $900,000 increase for American Samoa for a new total of $29 million – that despite the bill’s overall trimming of the Office of Insular Affairs spending. 

Of American Samoa’s $29 million in the bill, $3 million is designated to American Samoa Community College at Amata’s request. Next steps for the bill include full House consideration followed by likely reconciliation efforts with a Senate bill. This major bill also supports all federal interior and insular grants and services for the year ahead.

“An increase for American Samoa in the House bill is a welcome addition, especially since our boost is despite the decrease to OIA overall,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “I appreciate the bipartisan support for our islands from the leadership on this bill, Chairman Tom Cole, Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson, and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree. I will work with key Senate negotiators to secure American Samoa’s funding.”

Appropriations in 2025 for American Samoa’s operations DOI account was $28.1 million, including the designation of $3 million of these funds to ASCC operations at Amata’s request for the past several years.

Following decades of level funding, this year’s bill would mark the seventh increase since 2018 to American Samoa’s operations fund for an accumulated boost of $6.3 million.

Those prior requests resulted in increased amounts of $250,000, $718,000, $400,000, $500,000, $2.5 million, and $1 million, all accumulated and preserved in this legislation. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata is calling attention to National Hire A Veteran Day, which is Friday, July 25^th, 2025, to show appreciation to Veterans and their ongoing and important role in their communities after their service. 

“Veterans serve an integral part in our community in American Samoa, and throughout the country. Millions of men and women have dedicated themselves to learning discipline, strength, and teamwork from their career in the Armed Forces. Veterans continue to uplift our communities with their abundance of technical skills, seasoned work ethic, and leadership. Thank you to the many companies and federal agencies that take part in National Hire a Veteran Day, especially those that express to our Veterans in American Samoa and nationwide how much they mean to us.”  

“The transition our Veterans face when leaving the Armed Forces is not an easy one. It is not only a change in careers but also a change in way of life. They deserve every opportunity to find their next professions, putting their hard-earned abilities and knowledge to work in their next field in support of their families and the next chapter of their success. Thank you to each of our Veterans.”

Resources:

VA is a resource for Veterans’ career services, starting with an Employment Toolkit: https://www.va.gov/vetsinworkplace/veteranresources.asp.

Additionally, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) works with employers who hire and retain service members and Veterans with disabilities, to increase the employment of Veterans, and enable Veterans with disabilities to reach their full potential. Visit https://www.va.gov/vre.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is mourning the passing of the Honorable Arnold Indalecio Palacios, Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and honoring his life and respected legacy of leadership. 

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of a good friend in Governor Palacios. He is a longtime family friend, and he was a friend to American Samoa over the years. I’ve known him since his youth, and he was a close friend to my brothers. I send my heartfelt condolences to the people of the Northern Marianas, and to his dear family in this time of grief, who will be in my prayers. We think especially of First Lady Wella Palacios, their children, and entire family. Condolences also to my brother Milton Coleman, brother-in-law to the Governor’s father, and my niece, Marie, who worked closely with him as a Chief of Staff within his government.

“He was a dedicated public servant, and his memory will be honored in CNMI and across the Pacific. Governor Palacios was a sincere leader, who desired the best for CNMI and the territories, and he led with purpose, compassion, and dignity as a statesman. He will hold an important place in CNMI’s history. Remarkably, he led at various times all the major roles, serving as Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate. He worked for good fiscal decisions, promoting responsible caretaking of the islands, upholding values, and preserving the culture for the future. He set an excellent example for future leaders in the region. 

“I thank God for his exceptional life and his friendship over the years. He was a man of faith and belief in God, and we can take comfort in that. He will be deeply missed. God bless his family and the people of the Northern Marianas.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting several bills she cosponsored that were passed Tuesday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) as part of a slate of a dozen bills, including Pacific issues and combating human trafficking.

Congresswoman Amata is an original cosponsor of H.R. 4490, as introduced by Congressman Joquin Castro (D-TX). Notably in the Pacific region, this bill ensures important diplomatic rights and recognitions for the nations in the Pacific Islands Forum. Along with Congresswoman Amata, this key bipartisan bill is also cosponsored by Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) and Rep. Ed Case (D-HI). The bill’s full title is To amend the International Organizations Immunities Act to extend diplomatic privileges and immunities to certain additional international and regional organizations.

Congresswoman Amata is a cosponsor of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025, H.R. 1144. This bipartisan bill is led by Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ), who has served in Congress for 45 years and is widely recognized as Congress’s foremost human rights champion in his longtime legislative focus. The bill reauthorizes and updates the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, also led by Rep. Smith, which strengthened federal prosecutions and victim protections from either forced labor or sexual trafficking, created the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, and boosted international cooperative efforts to combat trafficking.

Amata also cosponsored the US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act, H.R. 3429, introduced by Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA). Along with Congresswoman Amata, this bipartisan bill has the support of various Pacific coast colleagues including Rep. Case (D-HI), Rep. Young (R-CA), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Rep. James Moylan (R-Guam), Rep. Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-CNMI), and several other senior Members. This bill creates a regular inter-parliamentary dialogue to facilitate closer cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea on shared interests and values.

Finally, she is cosponsoring H.R. 4233, the ARMOR Act, under the full title the AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act. Led by Rep. Young Kim, this bill updates and expedites provisions on defense trade and cooperation among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (known as AUKUS).

“These are bills that work together to strengthen our Pacific region and promote cooperation among key allies and partners for mutual stability, security and prosperity,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “I’m especially pleased to cosponsor Chairman Smith’s ongoing work to combat trafficking, and I want to thank him for his dedication to this great moral cause. Thank you also to all my Pacific region colleagues supporting efforts that affect us in the Pacific.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) today introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act, which would establish a new program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support loggers who have lost income due to natural disasters.

Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) are original cosponsors of the legislation, while Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) is the lead cosponsor in the House. 

Current law excludes loggers from the kinds of disaster relief and assistance available to other industries, including fishermen and farmers, when natural disasters strike. Under the Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act, a disaster declaration from the president or governor would unlock federal assistance eligibility for logging businesses with at least a 10 percent loss in revenue or volume compared to the prior year. Covered damage would include high winds, fire, flooding, insect infestation and drought. 

“You can’t write the story of Maine without loggers. Our forest products industry has provided for generations of Mainers and continues to be the economic bedrock of many rural communities. There must be a safety net to ensure one particularly bad season cannot uproot logging families and communities” Golden said. “I’m proud of our loggers, and I’m proud of the rock-solid coalition we’re building to support them. ”

“Maine’s forest products industry has long supported good‑paying jobs and helped grow local economies across our state. Loggers are at the heart of that industry, but devastating storms in recent years have severely impacted the ability of logging businesses to operate at full capacity,” Senator Collins said. “This bipartisan bill would provide targeted financial assistance to help loggers recover from federally declared disasters, so that they can continue their important work, sustain rural communities, and contribute to our state’s economy.”

“In Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District, our forest products industry has created good paying jobs and driven our local economies,” Stauber said. “Unfortunately, this crucial industry is currently facing a wide variety of threats, from wildfires and drought to insect infestation. Minnesota’s loggers have supported our communities for generations, and it is now our turn to support them. That’s why I am proud to introduce legislation with my friend, Congressman Jared Golden, to establish a new program through the USDA that will provide financial assistance to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have seen their bottom line impacted by natural disasters. I look forward to seeing this legislation help ensure Minnesota’s forest products industry remains strong and resilient.”

In December 2023, Maine’s logging industry lost $2.6 million after just one particularly severe storm — with a survey released by the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast later finding that more than 90 percent of the industry’s businesses suffered damage to equipment or logistics. In total, Maine’s economy lost $5.5 million due to the loss in logging revenue and productivity that winter.

“Generations of loggers have spent their lifetimes powering our state’s economy while providing for their families, which is why it is so important to protect and sustain this historic industry,”  Senator King said. “As natural disasters across Maine increase, the bipartisan Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act will help establish a new program within the USDA to support loggers who need assistance to overcome damage and lost income. The logging industry has supported rural Maine families and communities for hundreds of years, and it’s imperative that investments in our foresting community evolve for today’s challenges as we protect it for a sturdy future.” 

“As Maine experiences more extreme weather events and natural disasters, it’s imperative that we protect our state’s loggers from potentially devastating financial impacts—just as we’ve long done for our fishermen and farmers,” Pingree, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said.“We’ve already seen the harmful impacts climate change has created for our forest products industry, from delayed harvests to damaged equipment and infrastructure. This common-sense, bipartisan legislation will provide real relief to the families and communities that rely on Maine’s forests for their livelihoods and wellbeing.”

Logging industry leaders praised the bipartisan legislation: 

• Dana Doran, executive director of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast: “For too long, logging and forest trucking contractors in the Northeast have been left out of federal relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters, despite suffering losses as severe as those in other industries like fishing and farming that have received aid. The extreme weather our region has experienced in recent years has idled harvest operations for long periods, destroyed logging and timber hauling infrastructure, and driven up costs at a time when the logging industry is already grappling with unprecedented challenges and can least afford it. We are grateful to Congressmen Golden and the rest of Maine’s delegation for their leadership in this effort to secure fair treatment for these hard-working small family businesses, and we encourage swift passage of the Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act to provide the aid the industry deserves.”
• Chuck Ames, president of SDR Logging, Sebec, ME: “I talk to loggers every day and most are struggling, but all they ask for is a level playing field with other industries. I believe this legislation is a step in the right direction toward treating loggers the same as farmers and fishermen. We are all harvesting natural resources, and are all impacted by natural disasters. I appreciate the efforts of Congressman Golden and the rest of Maine’s congressional delegation to recognize that and pass this bill on our behalf.”
• Marc Greaney, president of Western Maine Timberlands, Fryeburg, ME: “I have been logging for decades in Western Maine, and in recent years have seen severe weather limit my company’s ability to harvest and truck wood for longer periods of time than ever before. When we can’t cut and move wood we don’t get paid, and this is happening at the same time that operating costs are continuing to rise, so I am grateful to Congressman Golden and the other members of Maine’s congressional delegation for attempting to provide disaster relief to loggers in the same way it has been provided to other industries in the past.”
• Scott Dane, executive director of the American Loggers Council: “The timber industry invests in public and private stumpage (timber) years in advance. A multiyear timber portfolio is necessary to adjust for market and weather conditions. This is an essential element for a logger’s business plan. When unforeseen natural disasters such as drought, wildfire, winds, and invasive species infestations occur, the timber is lost. There are limited options, if any, to replace that timber with new tracts in a timely manner. These losses are extremely disruptive to a logger’s harvest plan and create a significant revenue loss. Congressman Golden’s Loggers Assistance and Relief Act is necessary to support the timber industry, similar to assistance programs for other natural resource and agricultural sectors. The American Loggers Council appreciates the Maine Congressional Delegation, and other sponsors, for this Bill and the security it will provide to logging and trucking businesses” 

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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