MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

This week, Congresswoman Kim Schrier joined community leaders and staff at Food Lifeline–an organization that supplies Washington food banks–to discuss how the recent passage of Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill is endangering access to food by dramatically cutting nutrition assistance programs. 

“The unconscionable cuts to food assistance programs in the Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill mean that more children will go to bed hungry,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “When people can’t use SNAP benefits to shop at local grocery stores and support the economy, they turn to food banks. All of this is happening at a time when DOGE is cutting essential programs, including those that supply local food banks with fresh produce from farms across Washington, and as economic strain is already making it harder for people to donate to food banks. It is morally bankrupt and just plain wrong that Republicans are leaving my constituents hungrier, sicker, and poorer to give massive tax breaks to billionaires.

“Earlier this year, the newly elected Congress cut billions from school meal programs and food pantries. Now, their recently passed budget reconciliation bill includes the largest cup to SNAP in history, resulting in the loss of up to 9 billion meals each year nationwide”, says Food Lifeline’s Interim CEO, Megan Blado Cooper. “We believe that access to culturally relevant, nourishing food is a basic human right, and partisan politics should be off the table.”

To view photos from the Congresswoman’s visit, click here.

The Republican-led budget bill cuts SNAP by 20 percent while forcing states to cover a greater share of SNAP’s costs, which could lead to dozens of states, such as Washington, being forced to eliminate SNAP entirely. Hundreds of thousands of households in Washington State, half with children, depend on SNAP assistance to access vital nutrition. The Trump Administration is cutting support for food assistance and Apple Health to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) released the following joint statement with Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) on the passage of their amendment to the House Interior Committee’s Fiscal Year 2026 Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This amendment directs the EPA to provide information on the resources it has available to assist states and counties with a high prevalence of violations of drinking water regulations, such as Wyoming and McDowell Counties in southern West Virginia. 

“Clean drinking water is a necessity, but tragically, some communities in West Virginia struggle to access this basic need. Our amendment that passed the House Appropriations Committee today will help us identify and deliver real solutions to this water crisis in the Southern Coalfields. No parent should ever have to wonder how they’re going to ensure their kids have water to drink or bathe in. We are committed to doing everything in our power to help these communities dealing with this terrible situation.”

Background

• On July 22, the House Appropriations Committee advanced the Fiscal Year 2026 Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act through Committee. The bill will now be considered on the House floor.
• The Act included language to direct the EPA to provide information on the resources it has available to assist states and counties with a high prevalence of violations of drinking water regulations, specifically counties such as Wyoming County and McDowell County in southern West Virginia.
• This amendment builds upon Congresswoman Miller’s work to bring clean drinking water to Wyoming and McDowell Counties.
• In Fiscal Year 2026, Congresswoman Miller requested $750,000 to remove a Combined Sewer Overflow in Welch, WV, allowing for compliance with the Clean Water Act and improving the quality of life for 868 residential and commercial customers in McDowell County.
• In Fiscal Year 2025, Congresswoman Miller requested $750,000 to remove a Combined Sewer Overflow in Welch, WV.
• In Fiscal Year 2024, Congresswoman Miller secured $750,000 for the town of Pineville’s Brenton/Baileysville Waterline Extension Project that will provide water service to approximately 254 customers in Wyoming County.
• In Fiscal Year 2024, Congresswoman Miller secured $1,750,000 for the construction of a new sewer system in Davy, WV that will cut pollution going into the Tug Fork River and eliminate health hazards for the community in McDowell County.
• In Fiscal Year 2023, Congresswoman Miller secured $450,000 for the Wyoming County Commission to provide efficient, reliable, and safe public water to approximately 215 residents and businesses through the Hanover Waterline Extension Project.
• In Fiscal Year 2022, Congresswoman Miller secured $495,840 for the DigDeep Right to Water Project in Welch, WV that will provide sanitary septic and sewage service to 35 households and also provide clean water for the community in McDowell County, WV.
• Information for all Community Project Funding and Member Designated Funding requests can be found here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, Reps. Carol Miller (R-WV), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and Jim Costa (D-CA) introduced H.R. 4470, The Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act. This bipartisan legislation modernizes and streamlines the organ donation process by requiring hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid to send automated electronic notifications to their designated Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO) when a patient dies or meets criteria for imminent death. It also requires remote electronic access to a patient’s health records to be granted to the OPO at that time—ensuring faster and more informed decision-making in critical moments.

“Over 35 million Americans are living with Chronic Kidney Disease. In my home state of West Virginia, nearly 4,000 individuals are experiencing kidney failure and are reliant on frequent dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Kidney Caucus, I have introduced and supported legislation that addresses the needs of these individuals and helps them receive life-saving medical care. The Removing Burdens from Organ Donation Act will bring much needed reform to the organ donation process by simplifying the existing procedures and saving valuable time when viable organs become available. By removing bureaucratic red tape, we can save more lives and secure more organ transplants for patients in need,” said Rep. Carol Miller. 

“Organ transplant lists grow every day and families are waiting longer for the call that can give their loved ones the gift of life. This bill would cut through unnecessary red tape that slows down the organ donation process. By streamlining and automating how hospitals notify Organ Procurement Organizations, we can save valuable time and more lives,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene. 
 
“Organ donation saves lives, but too often, outdated processes, and unnecessary red tape stands in the way. By cutting bureaucratic delays and modernizing the referral process, this legislation will ensure that more donor organs reach the patients who desperately need them. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort that brings commonsense, life-saving reforms to a system that many families depend on,” said Rep. Van Duyne.
 
“The Removing Burdens from Organ Donation Act is a vital step towards strengthening our nation’s organ transplant system by advancing communications between hospitals and Organ Procurement Organizations. This legislation bypasses burdens to streamline efficient organ donor referrals through technology to reduce delays and assist timely coordination. It’s a practical and commonsense solution to ensure more lives are saved,” said Rep. Jim Costa.
 
Experts and leaders in the transplant community praised the bill for its potential to improve patient outcomes and make the organ donation process more efficient:
 
“This legislation will strengthen the existing deceased organ donor referral process by leveraging technology to streamline the way hospitals and organ procurement organizations communicate with one another. Studies have found that automated deceased donor referral software tools increase the number of organ donors – a significant impact since one organ donor can save up to eight lives. Thank you, U.S. Reps. Van Duyne, DelBene, Miller, and Costa for your leadership in advocating for patients. UNOS looks forward to continuing to work with you to help more patients get the lifesaving transplant they need,” said Maureen McBride, Ph.D., CEO of UNOS.

“Without a doubt, the Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act will save lives. The organ procurement organization that received the very first automated electronic donor referral. “Securely integrating systems between hospitals and organ procurement organizations through automated electronic donor referrals and remote access protocols will streamline operations, reduce costs, and increase patient safety. We are incredibly grateful for Rep. Van Duyne and the work she has done to remove burdens from the organ donation process,” said Brad Adams, President & CEO of Southwest Transplant Alliance.
 
“The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations applauds Representatives Van Duyne, DelBene, Miller, and Costa for introducing legislation that streamlines hospital organ donor referrals and improves organ procurement organizations’ access to vital patient information. By reducing delays and supporting timely coordination with donor families, this bill will help ensure more lives are saved through organ donation,” said a spokesperson for the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations. 

“On behalf of the American Society of Transplantation (AST), representing a majority of the nation’s medical professionals engaged in the field of solid organ transplantation, we applaud the continuous leadership and steadfast resolve of Representatives DelBene, Costa, Miller, and Van Duyne to strengthen the nation’s organ transplant system. The AST endorses the ‘Removing Burdens from Organ Donation Act’ as a commonsense approach to bring great efficiencies to the system and our patients,” said Dr. Jon Kobashigawa, M.D. President, American Society of Transplantation (AST).

“LifeGift, the health services agency that coordinates organ and tissue donation in Houston, Fort Worth, Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas, supports the Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act sponsored by Representatives Van Duyne, DelBene, Miller, and Costa as a hugely important performance improvement intervention to make potential donor referrals from hospital to organ procurement organization faster and more efficient. LifeGift has received 19,463 potential referrals so far in 2025 and received 35,952 referrals in 2024; all of which were made by phone between hospital staff and LifeGift. Moving these referral calls to an electronic notification allows critical care staff to focus on patient care and gives the organ donation team precious time to begin their lifesaving work,” said Kevin Myer, President & CEO of LifeGift.
 
“With more than 90,000 Americans on the kidney transplant waitlist, it is imperative that our organ transplant system function as efficiently as possible to help as many of them receive a kidney as quickly as possible. The Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act would help both hardworking donor hospital teams and organ procurement organization teams—who together make kidneys available for transplant—benefit from readily-available technology to speed the lifesaving work they lead every day across the country. I commend Reps. Van Duyne, DelBene, Miller, and Costa for their leadership in support of kidney transplant candidates awaiting a lifesaving organ and the multidisciplinary teams who make that hope a reality,” said the American Society of Nephrology President Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, MD, PhD, FASN.
 
“On behalf of every kidney patient managing organ failure and their families, the American Association of Kidney Patients extends our most sincere appreciation to Representative Van Duyne and her Congressional colleagues, Representatives Susan DelBene, Carol Miller, and Jim Costa, for their serious and substantive bipartisan efforts to address America’s organ shortage through the Removing Barriers to Organ Donation Act. Representative Van Duyne has been a remarkably insightful and empathetic advocate for kidney patients and we are honored to fully support the policy efforts she and her colleagues have undertaken to prioritize transplantation over status quo, high mortality dialysis and its associated legacy of dependence and disability,” said Mr. Edward V. Hickey, IIII, a chronic kidney disease patient and the President of the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), America’s largest kidney patient organization. 
 
“This bipartisan bill takes a commonsense, life-saving step forward by streamlining communication between hospitals and organ procurement organizations. It will help ensure fewer transplant opportunities are missed and that more families facing kidney failure can hold onto hope for a second chance. We’re grateful to Congress for working to remove burdens that cost lives,” said Susan Bushnell, President and CEO of the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation.
 
“Better information means better care. The Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act ensures timely, secure access to vital records so the entire care team can act quickly and decisively. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense step toward more efficient, life-saving kidney donation and offers hope to people living with kidney failure,” said Margaret French, Managing Director of Legislative Affairs, Alliance for Home Dialysis.
 
The Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act is supported by a broad coalition of stakeholders across the transplant and kidney care communities, including:

• DaVita
• Fresenius Medical Care
• United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
• Southwest Transplant Alliance
• Donor Network West (San Francisco, CA)
• Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency
• Mid-America Transplant (St. Louis, MO)
• OurLegacy (Orlando, FL)
• Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO)
• LifeGift (serving North, Southeast, and West Texas)
• American Society of Nephrology
• American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)
• American Society of Transplantation (AST)
• American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)
• National Kidney Foundation
• Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation
• Alliance for Home Dialysis

 
These organizations recognize the bill’s importance in improving efficiency, communication, and access in the organ donation and transplantation process.
 
Click HERE for bill text. 

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

Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 3095, a bill co-led by Congressman Steil, which updates and modernizes ZIP codes to reflect current municipal boundaries and address USPS mail delays. 

Communities in Wisconsin and across the country currently face challenges due to outdated ZIP codes.  These challenges include misdirected mail, delays in emergency service response times, higher insurance rates, confusion with local taxes and tax rebates, confusion over polling places, and incorrect jury summons. H.R. 3095 addresses these unnecessary complications by directing USPS to create ZIP codes that align with current municipal boundaries. Following the bill’s passage, Congressman Steil released the following statement:

“ZIP code boundaries that don’t match community boundaries cause needless headaches and frustration for families throughout Wisconsin; something I have heard from residents and community leaders in places like Mount Pleasant, Somers, Caledonia, Franklin, and Rochester,” said Steil. “This bill directs the USPS to modernize these ZIP codes to fix the many problems they cause, such as delayed emergency response times, higher insurance rates, tax confusion, and misdirected mail. I am grateful to see this bill pass the House.” 

“For years, the Village of Mount Pleasant has had issues with incorrect USPS ZIP code boundaries affecting our residents. I’d like to thank Congressman Steil for his work moving this issue forward in the House and advocating for our community,” saidMount Pleasant Village President David DeGroot.

“I want to thank Congressman Steil and the House for standing up for Wisconsin families. The House’s work will help correct this longstanding issue and deliver real benefits to families in Caledonia,” said Caledonia Village President Tom Weatherston. 

CLICK HERE to read the full bill.

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

(July 17, 2025) Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) voted to pass the GENIUS Act. The GENIUS Act will create a framework for the issuance and regulation of payment stablecoins in the United States. The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature. Following passage, Congressman Steil issued the following statement:

“The golden age of digital assets is here, and the GENIUS Act, along with the CLARITY Act, will help the U.S. win the Web3 race,” said Steil. “This legislation protects consumers, cements the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency, and promotes the next generation of Web3 businesses here in the United States. The President has called for digital assets legislation to reach his desk by August, and the House is delivering. By securing U.S. leadership in blockchain technology, we ensure that our economy will continue to dominate the financial services sector for years to come.

Background:

• Today, the House voted to pass the GENIUS act by a vote of 308-122 and the CLARITY Act by a vote of 294-134.
• A link to Congressman Steil’s floor speech on the bill is available here.
• This GENIUS Act previously passed the Senate by a vote of 68-30 and now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.
• The GENIUS Act is the result of months of collaboration between the House and Senate on stablecoin legislation.
• In February, Steil and Financial Services Chairman French Hill introduced a discussion draft establishing a framework for the issuance and operation of dollar-denominated payment stablecoins in the United States, and in March introduced the STABLE Act.
• The STABLE Act, the House companion to GENIUS,  was cosponsored by Representatives Hill, Torres, Emmer, Huizenga, Meuser, Kim, Downing, Moore, Gottheimer, Haridopolos, Liccardo, Timmons, Lawler, Nunn, Rose, Stutzman.
• On April 2, 2025, Steil’s STABLE Act, passed through the House Financial Services Committee markup hearing by a vote of 32-17.
• In April, the Washington Times published The Golden Age of Stablecoins, an Op-Ed written by Congressman Steil addressing the importance for clear rules and regulations of stablecoins.
• President Trump reiterated support for stablecoin, market structure, and anti-CBDC legislation to pass through Congress and come to his desk before the August recess. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced that the Highway 54 Shared Four-Lane Project has received a nearly $25 million BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) Grant. 

The $24.892 million grant will widen an approximately 14-mile segment of US Route 54 from a two-lane roadway to a shared four-lane configuration (alternating passing lane) between Farber and Curryville, MO. The project also includes improvements at the intersection of US Route 54 and MO 154 and utility relocations.

“Securing this BUILD Grant is a huge step forward on a project that has been in the works for many years,” Graves said. “These improvements on Highway 54 will ensure that folks traveling this corridor are more easily and safely able to get to their destination. Congratulations to A Better 54 Coalition, Audrain and Pike Counties, the Mark Twain Council of Governments and all the folks who have worked tirelessly for many years to see this project come to fruition. I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Duffy for awarding this funding and working with me to make major infrastructure improvements in rural North Missouri.” 

Graves previously secured a $10 million TIGER Grant in 2015 to help replace the Champ Clark Bridge on Highway 54 between Louisiana, MO, and Pike County, IL. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

WASHINGTON — Reps. Lloyd Smucker and Vern Buchanan, Chair of the Health Subcommittee on Ways and Means, announced that he introduced the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act alongside Dwight Evans (D-Pa.). Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. This bipartisan legislation would enable hospitals to extend successful “Hospital at Home” programs for an additional five years. 

In November 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver to provide hospitals with increased flexibility to care for certain patients from the comfort and convenience of their homes, rather than in a hospital setting. According to the American Hospital Association, this model has been proven to “reduce costs, improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience.” 

“Innovative care models, like delivering acute care through Hospital at Home, provide patients high-quality care at lower costs. Extending this commonsense policy is a clear win for both patients and taxpayers. Hospital systems across my district have successfully used Hospital at Home to care for patients safely and effectively. Congress should come together again to extend these provisions and give more patients the flexibility to receive acute care and recover comfortably in their own homes,” said Rep. Smucker. 

“Our nation is getting sicker and sicker, but programs like ‘Hospital at Home’ allow us to treat patients more efficiently while delivering high-quality care at a lower cost,” said Buchanan. “Home health services are especially crucial for the nearly 200,000 seniors in my district. The Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act would ensure that more than 200 hospitals across 34 states, including 23 in Florida, can continue participating in this program and provide quality care to those in need. We must ensure this life-changing model remains available for years to come.” 

A recent report from CMS shows that allowing patients to be treated in a more familiar environment and routine accelerates recovery time, lowers the mortality rate and reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections and falls. This legislation would extend the current hospital-at-home waiver program through 2030, allowing hospitals to continue participating and providing quality care to patients. 

The legislation also requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS to conduct a comprehensive study comparing home-based care and inpatient care across several key criteria, including care quality, rates of infection, hospital readmission and levels of satisfaction among patients and their caregivers. Based on the findings of this evaluation, CMS would then be directed to issue formal health and safety regulations to govern the program moving forward. 

“The American healthcare system must evolve to meet the needs of the patients in the 21st century,” said Senator Scott. “Hospital-at-home care provides better outcomes for patients while reducing costs. This legislation ensures that successful programs like this can continue to serve families across South Carolina and the nation.” 

“This legislation is about protecting access to quality health care, lowering costs for patients, and improving the health and well-being of our family and neighbors,” said Senator Warnock. “I will always work to lower costs and increase health care access for Georgians, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan effort.” 

“The Hospital at Home program has been working for patients of Redeemer Health in the Philadelphia area, and for patients of other health systems across the country. I’m happy to partner with my Ways and Means Committee colleague to continue, improve and expand this program that helps a lot of people,” said Rep. Evans. 

The legislation is supported by the American Hospital Association. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) led a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune urging the Senate to preserve the entire $9.4 billion in spending cuts contained in the House rescission package. The Senate has a chance to prove its commitment to President Trump’s America First mandate by passing the long-overdue cuts targeting wasteful bloat. Provisions in the House rescission package include:

• $1.07 billion in cuts to National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS);
• $900 million in cuts to Global Health Programs promoting abortion pills, LGBTQ+ activism, and DEI dogma abroad;
• $125 million in cuts to the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), a vehicle for funneling billions into Green New Deal-style projects in foreign nations.

“At $37+ trillion in debt, our nation is careening toward a financial cliff,” said Congressman Biggs. 

“$9.4 billion is a small drop in the bucket of wasteful spending that must be reined in, but cutting taxpayer dollars to mouthpieces for the Left and radical, woke programs abroad is a commonsense start. If Congress refuses to support modest cuts like those included in the House’s rescission package, fiscal doom is inevitable.

“I urge the Senate to stand firm and reject the D.C. status quo. Preserve the cuts passed by the House.”

Cosigners of the letter include: Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC), Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD).

Fox News covered the letter here.

The letter may be read here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) led 40 of their colleagues in a letter to the Trump Administration demanding the immediate release of federal funding for a vital senior jobs training and community service program. The current delay has left thousands of low-income older Americans without pay and deprived communities of needed services.

In their letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, the Members urged the immediate release of funding for national grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). Through SCSEP, low-income seniors receive jobs training, earn a paycheck, and in return provide essential services to their communities. In Program Year (PY) 2022, over 42,000 seniors provided over 20.4 million hours of community service.

The letter emphasizes that SCSEP grantees rely on the DOL’s timely release of the Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL), which provides annual allotments for grantees. Although the PY2025 TEGL for state and territorial grantees was published on July 1, 2025—the start of the Program Year—the DOL has still not published a TEGL for national grantees and has not provided a timeline for its publication.

This delay has impacted national grantees operating in California, Washington, Indiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, among others.

“We have already begun to see the devastating impacts of this delay,” wrote the Members. “For example, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and SCSEP national grantee, based in Washington, which serves limited-English proficient older adults from various ethnic groups, has already furloughed 800 low-income seniors due to this funding uncertainty.” 

“Because there is no clear timeline for when furloughs will end, this uncertainty is causing deep distress among program participants, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck and rely on the income they earn through SCSEP to make ends meet. The funding delay is also harming entire communities, as nonprofits and other local businesses are losing the critical support of SCSEP-supported trainees and volunteers due to furloughs,” the Members continued.

The letter concludes by urging DOL and OMB to expend PY25 SCSEP funds to national grantees immediately and make them retroactive to July 1, 2025. 

This letter is endorsed by: the National Asian Pacific American Center for Aging, Easterseals, Goodwill Industries International, National Caucus & Center on Black Aging (NCBA), Life Skills of America, Inc., The WorkPlace, Easterseals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain Inc., Diverse Elders Coalition, National Urban League, National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), National Council on Aging (NCOA), Institute for Indian Development, Inc., and the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF).

Click here to access the full letter.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

WATCH: Rep. Chu’s remarks on pushing for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, following yet another extreme heat wave in California, U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), joined by co-leads Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), stood alongside union leaders, including Yaisy Villalobos of the United Farm Workers (UFW), Dorothy Bryant of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Roy Houseman of the United Steelworkers (USW) to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish an enforceable federal workplace heat protection standard.

To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with common sense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill would also direct employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 in California after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53. 

Ever since the United Farm Workers first shared Asunción Valdivia’s story with her, Rep. Judy Chu has been a tireless advocate to protect workers from dangerous heat exposure. She helped pass into law a state heat standard for outdoor workers when she was in the California state legislature. And she will continue to introduce this federal legislation each session of Congress until workers finally have a federal law protecting them from heat-related illness, injury, or death while on the job.

“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

“Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

“From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”  

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round. From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, AFSCME, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, National Employment Law Project, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Auto Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, National Resources Defense Council, Service Employees International Union, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

“Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

“Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

“For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

“Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

“It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.” 

“Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

“Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

This bill is originally cosponsored by 90 House Members, including Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03)*, Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12)*, Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

 A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

Full text of the bill is available here.