MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, are submitting formal opposition to a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rule that would add further bureaucratic hurdles to visa processing for students, exchange visitors, and media personnel. 

“DHS’s proposal to constrain the timeframe of admission for students, exchange visitors, and members of the media to a fixed period of time is the latest in a series of unwarranted policy changes that have undermined our role as a leader in international education, and harmed universities, businesses, and U.S. students that depend on foreign student enrollment,” wrote the Members. “We cannot condone the erosion of our platforms of learning, culture, and expression—particularly when there is no basis to do so.”

For decades, DHS’s procedure for temporary admission of foreign students, exchange visitors, and media representatives has been done as “duration of status” – allowing individuals to be admitted, after vetting, for a period of time that complies with the terms and conditions of their temporary visas. For instance, a visa for a foreign student would fit the duration of the school dates at their university, ensuring that students can finish their degrees. DHS is proposing a rule to change these visas to be on an arbitrary timeline.

This change would create confusion and strain on visitors to this country, deterring the best and brightest from choosing to study at American universities and diminishing our ability to compete on the international stage. It would also impose significant burdens on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency that already has a backlog of 11.3 million cases. 

The full text of the letter can be read here.

The letter was also signed by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Summer Lee (PA-12), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).

Issues: Immigration

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) today announced that he has formally requested the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to withhold his congressional pay for the duration of the ongoing government shutdown.

“Government shutdowns are costly, disruptive, and ultimately unproductive,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “It is unacceptable for Members of Congress to receive a paycheck while dedicated federal workers – including members of our Armed Services- go without. That’s why I’ve instructed the CAO to withhold my salary for the full length of the shutdown.  I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to stop playing partisan politics and pass the clean Continuing Resolution we sent them. We must immediately reopen the government and return to fulfilling our responsibilities to the American people.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

Estes Withholds Pay During Democrat-Induced Shutdown

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner about the 90th anniversary of Social Security, implementing the Social Security Fairness Act, and how to improve this vital program. 

Read the op-ed here or below.

Fixing Social Security: From Fairness Act to Faster Benefits

The United States observed the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act in August. This monumental piece of legislation has provided a supplemental income to retirees in America for decades. Millions of Americans have paid into the system their entire working lives and received the benefits they earned. As Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee on the House Ways and Means Committee, I’m committed to protecting and strengthening one of America’s most vital programs for future generations. President Donald Trump shares my commitment.

I know how Social Security has provided a lifeline of economic security to millions of hardworking retirees, disabled workers, and their families – folks in Kansas and across the nation. President Trump does too. He shared his commitment to America to continue “defending Social Security” and “taking care of our own workers, families, seniors and citizens first.” 

Last year, Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act which fixes a loophole that prevented police officers, firefighters and teachers from receiving their full Social Security benefits. Earlier this year, the Trump Administration began paying Social Security beneficiaries the retroactive payments they were owed ahead of schedule, after Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and I urged the administration to implement the Social Security Fairness Act.

Furthermore, the Trump administration is making sure the Social Security Administration (SSA) is working efficiently to provide the people with the benefits they deserve. Implementing the Social Security Fairness Act was a great start.

Since then, SSA customer service assistance has increased handling calls, lowered the phone call wait time, decreased field office wait times, all while increasing scheduled appointments compared to last year under the Biden administration. There is still much work to do – as my office in Wichita continues to assist Kansans with Social Security cases – but this is moving in a positive direction.

We need to do all we can to administer Social Security benefits in the most efficient manner possible, because the program is quickly going insolvent. There are not enough workers paying into the system to support retirees.

In June, the Social Security Board of Trustees released its 2025 report, which confirmed the concern of insolvency that I’ve been worried about for years. Republicans and Democrats in Congress need to work together in a bipartisan manner to address these issues together for the benefit of everyone. 

In September, I had the chance to meet with SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano in my district in Kansas. We toured the Social Security field office in Wichita and discussed the need for customer service improvements. We agreed there are ways for Congress and the SSA to work together to enhance services and protect benefits for Kansans and all Americans. 

My colleagues and I must work together to keep the benefits efficiently and correctly disbursed and the Social Security program functional. As Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee, I promise to keep fighting for Americans – like the ones in my district in Kansas – who rely on Social Security benefits today and in the future.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) released the following statement after Donald Trump and Washington Republicans sent the federal government into a total shutdown:

“Washington Republicans have once again shown they’re willing to turn their backs on the American people in order to blindly follow Donald Trump’s demands. Instead of working with Democrats to lower costs, protect health care, and support working people, Washington Republicans bent the knee to Donald Trump, shutting down the government in the process.

“New Jersey families and the American people deserve far better. Washington Republicans must come to the table immediately to find a bipartisan consensus on a plan that reopens the government, keeps costs from rising even higher, and extends critical healthcare tax credits that working families rely on.” 
 

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

Carbajal Statement on Republican-led Government Shutdown

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

Congressman Valadao Releases Statement on Government Shutdown

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

Latta Has Pay Withheld During Government Shutdown

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, made several speaking engagements in September to discuss his priorities for the Health Subcommittee. 

The Healthcare Leadership Council held their September membership meeting on Capitol Hill. Many members learned of Chairman Griffith’s goals to reform federal health agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the 119^th Congress, Chairman Griffith has introduced multiple federal health agency reform measures, including: the NIH Reform Act, the Risky Research Review Act and the Royalty Transparency Act.

The US Oncology Network convened in Washington, D.C., for their annual fly-in. Chairman Griffith visited their breakfast event and spoke with several members. The Network thanked Chairman Griffith for advancing H.R. 2484, the Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act, a bill that will help increase patient access to prescription drugs. Blue Ridge Cancer Care, which provides care in Virginia’s Ninth District, was represented at the Network event.

Chairman Griffith also delivered remarks at the Ripon Society. On top of discussions surrounding the Health Subcommittee, he spoke to the group in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

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Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott Statement on GOP Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the federal government entered a shutdown: 

“Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Congressional Democrats are in Washington ready to negotiate to keep the government open, while protecting the health care of the American people. House Republicans, regrettably, cancelled votes for this week and last week, and sent their members home.

“Congressional Republicans have supported a seven-week continuing resolution in order to negotiate. However, they have been aware of the September 30^th funding deadline since March, yet have refused to engage in any negotiations thus far – not in the last seven days or in the last two days. So, it is difficult to see how this is anything other than another simple delay. And President Trump, instead of working to find a solution, posted a racist, AI-generated video yesterday mocking Democratic leaders, and threatened to fire massive numbers of federal workers. He failed to say how these firings would be different from what his administration has been doing for months; nor did he say he would not fire additional employees if the government stayed open. 

“Democrats want to negotiate a spending deal that protects the health care of Americans who are now at risk due to President Trump’s Big Ugly Law. These impacts are real. Rural health facilities are already closing, including several in Virginia. And millions of Americans will see increased health care costs because of the relentless Republican attacks on the Affordable Care Act. If Republicans are serious about governing, keeping the government open and helping working families, they should return to Washington immediately and engage in serious bipartisan negotiations.”

Congressman Scott’s Washington and Newport News offices will remain open during the shutdown and his staff will be available to assist constituents. 

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