Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Pocan (2nd District of Wisconsin)
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Gabe Amo (RI-01) led a letter with 49 of their colleagues to Secretary of State Marco Rubio opposing his decision to withhold nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food aid and instead incinerate those supplies once they expire.
“As you know, these rations were designed to nourish vulnerable children in conflict-affected regions such as Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the Members wrote. “This action is not only morally indefensible, but also wasteful, strategically shortsighted, and completely counter to the entirety of your work while in the Senate.”
“We understand that instead of delivering this emergency assistance to malnourished children as originally intended, the State Department will destroy the biscuits at an additional cost to the taxpayer of $130,000,” the Members continued. “According to reporting in the Atlantic, USAID employees and inventory data say this food could have fed 1.5 million children for a week. Given the alarming rates of food insecurity and famine in regions like Gaza and Sudan, the decision to burn lifesaving aid produced by American farmers and paid for by American tax dollars amounts to a tragic abdication of our global humanitarian responsibilities and hurts our own global interests.”
“The United States has long led the world in humanitarian assistance, not only as a matter of compassion but also as a cornerstone of global stability and diplomacy,” the Members concluded. “Destroying aid that could save lives undermines that legacy and damages our standing in the international community. We urge you to immediately prioritize the distribution of all remaining and viable food assistance stockpiles. American leadership demands nothing less.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) joined her Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues, including Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Congresswoman Deborah Ross (D-NC), and Congresswoman Norma Torres (D-CA), in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Government Accountability Office, and the Warden of Richwood Correctional Center to conduct an immediate investigation into the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s mistreatment of women in their custody. The Members raised serious concerns about ICE and CBP’s disturbing patterns of abuse, mistreatment, and medical neglect of women, including pregnant and postpartum women. Reports detail cases of women being violently detained, denied medical care, and subjected to inhumane treatment while in detention.
Specifically, the Members highlighted the troubling cases of Iris Dayana Monterroso-Lemus and Cary López Alvarado. Monterroso-Lemus, a pregnant detainee, suffered a stillbirth after ICE repeatedly denied her requests for medical care. Doctors later concluded her baby’s death was a result of the lack of prenatal care, which she had repeatedly sought.
López Alvarado, a U.S. citizen who was nine months pregnant at the time, was violently shoved by an ICE agent after identifying herself as pregnant while trying to protect her husband. She was hospitalized with sharp pains after her release and received no documentation about the incident.
“Disregard for women’s health and safety is not just a one-time instance, the abuse and neglect are part of a larger, systemic failure to treat women with dignity, compassion, and basic medical care,” the members explained in the letter.
The Democratic Women’s Caucus is demanding transparency, accountability, and immediate action from the administration. The Members are calling for a full investigation into Monterroso-Lemus’ pregnancy loss and broader patterns of mistreatment of women in ICE and CBP custody, particularly pregnant and postpartum individuals.
“Over and over again, women are being mistreated by ICE, CBP, and contractors from detainment to detention. These horrifying stories are the result of systemic neglect, cruelty, and policy failures that we must confront head-on. We demand answers, accountability, and action. Your administration cannot claim to ‘protect women’ when your agents are on video ripping babies out of women’s arms and pushing them to the ground aggressively.”
The letter was also signed by Representatives Alma Adams, Yassamin Ansari, Suzanne Bonamici, Shontel Brown, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Diana DeGette, Maxine Dexter, Sarah Elfreth, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Laura Friedman, Sylvia Garcia, Pramila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Doris Matsui, April McClain Delaney, Betty McCollum, Gwen Moore, Kelly Morrison, Eleanor Norton, Ilhan Omar, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Delia Ramirez, Luz Rivas, Andrea Salinas, Janice Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Norma Torres, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.
The Honorable Kristi Noem Secretary Department of Homeland Security 2707 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE Washington, DC 20528-0525
The Honorable Gene Dodaro U.S. Comptroller General Government Accountability Office 441 G St., NW Washington, DC 20548
The Honorable Joseph V. Cuffari Inspector General Department of Homeland Security 245 Murray Lane SW Washington, DC 20528-0305
Ms. Lisa Bowen Warden Richwood Correctional Center 180 Pine Bayou Circle Monroe, LA 71202
Dear Secretary Noem, Inspector General Cuffari, Comptroller General Dodaro, and Mr. Deville:
As members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, we write with grave and urgent concern about the treatment of women in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Too many disturbing stories have emerged from women’s interactions with ICE agents over the last few months–even elected officials have encountered aggressive, unprovoked, and unacceptable treatment. In addition to this aggression, we are deeply concerned about women’s access to health care, especially maternal health care, in ICE detention. The reported assaults, medical neglect, and overall mistreatment of women by ICE agents and contractors demands immediate and thorough oversight and accountability, and this abuse must stop immediately. We request an immediate and in-depth investigation into the violations against women while in ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody.
These accounts of abuse are horrifying but not new. In September 2020, during Trump’s first term, a complaint was filed at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC) regarding the unethical treatment of detainees at ICDC – medical neglect and a concerningly high rate of women undergoing gynecological procedures without proper informed consent. It was also reported that ICDC staff downplayed the health concerns from detainees. These reports were confirmed in an investigation in 2022. It is beyond our comprehension that women were unknowingly sterilized without their consent while in government custody. Although the facility was shut down, this was not an isolated case; rather, this is a consistent pattern perpetrated by this administration.
We also know that this is an intentional action by the administration and not an unintended consequence to mass detention. In May, CBP quietly repealed protections for pregnant and postpartum women in custody, removing requirements for appropriate medical care, lactation accommodations, and basic supplies like diapers and baby formula. Your disregard for women’s health and safety is not just a one time instance, the abuse and neglect are part of a larger, systemic failure to treat women with dignity, compassion, and basic medical care.
In May 2025, Iris Dayana Monterroso-Lemus, a pregnant woman, was arrested in Lenoir City, Tennessee and taken into ICE custody. Throughout her detainment, Monterroso-Lemus repeatedly requested medical care but was denied. Monterroso-Lemus reported experiencing pain and no fetal movement for three days, yet she was ignored. She told reporters on a phone call, “They didn’t give me medical attention — nowhere. Not in Louisiana, not in Alabama. I was in Alabama too, sleeping on the floor.” After multiple transfers and too many pleas, she was finally admitted to a hospital on April 29th, where she delivered a stillborn baby. The doctors noted that her loss was a result of not receiving prenatal care – the care she asked for repeatedly.
In the same facility that Monterroso-Lemus was overlooked and neglected during her pregnancy pains, multiple reports surfaced that highlighted Richwood’s horrific conditions. In 2020, the National Immigrant Justice Center alongside several other organizations released a report that found numerous reports of delayed care and medical neglect at the Richwood Correctional Center. For example, the medical staff interviewed admitted that treatment for a broken arm could take a week. In 2023, the Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation and found that the detention center violated and compromised the health, safety, and rights of detainees. Richwood Correctional Center was found not to have a reliable system for detainees to file grievances and denied detainees the right to file medical grievances. How can women like Iris Dayana Monterroso-Lemus seek justice and reconciliation if the facility refuses to permit a system of accountability?
In addition to the treatment of women in detention, we are deeply worried about the aggression ICE agents have shown when arresting people, particularly women. Earlier this month Cary López Alvarado, a nine-months pregnant U.S. citizen was detained by agents in Harthorne while trying to protect her undocumented husband and co-worker on private property. Agents accused her of obstructing an arrest, despite her repeatedly stating she was pregnant and unable to resist. During the confrontation, she was shoved by an officer, falling to the ground. Following her release from ICE detention, López Alvarado was hospitalized for sharp pains and monitored due to concerns of her and her baby’s well being, as her due date was only a week away. She was told agents would contact her regarding the obstruction allegations, but received no documentation or citation related to the incident.
Over and over again, women are being mistreated by ICE, CBP, and contractors from detainment to detention. These horrifying stories are the result of systemic neglect, cruelty, and policy failures that we must confront head-on. We demand answers, accountability, and action. Your administration cannot claim to ‘protect women’ when your agents are on video ripping babies out of women’s arms and pushing them to the ground aggressively. We request a response to the following questions within 60 days of receipt:
What concrete and immediate steps will this administration take to protect the rights, health, and lives of women in detention?
How will you ensure transparency, accountability, and oversight across bodies responsible for their care?
How will you uphold women and their babies’ basic human dignity and ensure their health needs are met without delay or discrimination?
We demand a full, transparent investigation into the pregnancy loss of Iris Dayana MonterrosoLemus’s and the broader mistreatment of pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and CBP custody. We request a report that outlines the incident, accountability, and corrective actions.
The Democratic Women’s Caucus will not stay silent while women, many of them mothers, many of them fleeing violence and hardship, are mistreated and neglected in government custody. Again, we request a prompt and thorough investigation into the treatment of women within ICE and CBP custody.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) joined Congressman Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) in announcing the introduction of the No Secret Police Act, legislation that would prohibit law enforcement officers and agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from concealing their identities during immigration enforcement operations.
The bill would require DHS agents, including those working for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to clearly display their name, agency, and official insignia when detaining or arresting individuals. It would also ban the use of homemade or non-tactical masks that obscure an officer’s face.
“Trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is the foundation of public safety. When federal agents conceal their identities behind masks and anonymity, it fractures that trust and calls into question the very legitimacy of their authority,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “These tactics have no place in a democracy. No one should live in fear of being taken from their home or community by individuals who refuse to identify themselves, nor should anyone ever have to question who is detaining them, or whether those individuals are acting under lawful authority. This bill is not just about transparency – it’s about making clear that no agent of the federal government operates above the law or beyond public accountability.”
“As a former federal prosecutor for ten years, I have worked alongside ICE and DHS agents to get violent criminals off our streets – and none of them ever wore masks,” said Congressman Dan Goldman. “Across the country, plain-clothed federal agents in homemade face coverings are lying in wait outside immigration courts to snatch law-abiding, non-violent immigrants going through our legal system the right way. This isn’t about protecting law enforcement, it’s about terrorizing immigrant communities. The United States is not a dictatorship, and I’m proud to introduce this commonsense legislation ensuring that our federal government’s laws are enforced by identifiable human beings, not anonymous, secret agents of the state.”
“If you uphold the peace of a democratic society, you should not be anonymous. DHS and ICE agents wearing masks and hiding identification echoes the tactics of secret police authoritarian regimes – and deviates from the practices of local law enforcement, which contributes to confusion in communities. Many immigrants come to America seeking opportunities, hope, and freedom to escape draconian practices, and under no circumstance should they, or anyone, fear being disappeared by masked and armed individuals in unmarked vehicles. If you are upholding the law, you should not be anonymous. Our bill aims to safeguard from tyranny while upholding the values of our nation,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
The No Secret Police Act would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require law enforcement officers and agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to clearly display identification and insignia when detaining or arresting individuals. Specifically, the bill would:
Prohibit DHS officers from wearing face coverings or any item that conceals their face during detentions or arrests
Require officers to identify the specific component of DHS they work for (e.g., ICE, CBP)
Mandate that official insignia or uniforms be clearly visible to others
The bill also directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and in coordination with relevant departmental components, to conduct research and development to enhance the visibility of law enforcement officers’ official insignia or uniforms. This includes developing technologies that ensure these identifiers remain clearly visible during detentions or arrests, particularly under varying conditions such as different locations, times of day, and weather circumstances.
Authored by Rep. Dan Goldman, the No Secret Police Act is also co-sponsored by Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), André Carson (D-IN), John Garamendi (D-CA), Timothy M. Kennedy (D-NY), Shontel M. Brown (D-OH), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Dave Min (D-CA), Derek Tran (D-CA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Luz M. Rivas (D-CA), Summer L. Lee (D-PA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), George Latimer (D-NY), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Donald S. Beyer (D-VA), Hillary J. Scholten (D-MI), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), John B. Larson (D-CT), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), and Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)
Representatives Lois Frankel, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Program, Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Grace Meng, Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus International Women’s Rights Task Force, issued a statement on their introduction of legislation to ensure U.S. taxpayer-purchased foreign aid commodities reach their intended beneficiaries rather than go to waste or be destroyed.
According to recent reports, the Trump administration plans to destroy more than $9 million worth of family planning supplies and incinerate 500 metric tons of emergency food assistance that expired after officials refused for months to authorize delivery. The food alone could have fed approximately 1.5 million children for a week, or 27,000 people for an entire month. The contraceptives, depending on the method mix, represent millions of doses and other essentials—enough to support the reproductive health needs of hundreds of thousands of women and families. These commodities—meant for some of the world’s most vulnerable people—were purchased with taxpayer dollars but left to rot or burn.
“The Trump administration is incinerating critical U.S.-purchased commodities—like contraceptives and emergency food—denying women health care, keeping meals from starving families, and literally sending millions of taxpayer dollars up in smoke,” said the Members. “This cruel and senseless destruction is a textbook example of the very waste, fraud, and abuse the administration claims to oppose.
Our legislation prohibits the destruction of food and medical supplies purchased with taxpayer funds unless every effort has been made to ensure those supplies can be used as intended. That’s common sense—and the humane thing to do—for American taxpayers and for vulnerable communities around the world.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State Department, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Ranking Member Brian Schatz introduced the bill in the Senate last week.
The full text of the legislation is available here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded Turman Forest Products, Inc., based in Bedford County, Virginia, a $300,000 grant. The funding supports upgrades to a mill debarker. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:
“Wood innovations grants help local timber businesses meet demands for sustainably sourcing wood to make products.
“This USDA grant for $300,000 helps Turman Forest Products provide quality wood products and support rural manufacturing jobs.”
According to its website, Turman Forest Products specializes in the manufacturing of green Appalachian hardwood lumber.
The Wood Innovations Grant program invests in proposals that expand traditional wood utilization projects, promote using wood as a construction material in commercial, institutional and multifamily buildings, and expand wood energy markets.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) and Congresswoman Elvira Salazar (FL-27) introduced a new and improved version of the DIGNITY Act – the DIGNITY Act of 2025: a bold, historic, and commonsense immigration reform bill.
They were joined by a group of 20 members including Reps. Veronica Escobar (TX-16),Mike Lawler (NY-17), David Valadao (CA-22), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Marlin Stutzman (IN-03), Don Bacon (NE-02), Young Kim (CA-40), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Susie Lee (NV-03), Adam Gray (CA-13), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Mike Levin (CA-49), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Laura Gillen (NY-04), and Jake Auchincloss (MA-04).
“This bill fortifies border protections, ends all catch and release and solves illegal immigration once and for all. It also provides smart reforms to our asylum and broken immigration system, and provides the American workforce with stability,” said Rep. Bacon. “Those who entered America illegally in the past but otherwise working and a being good neighbor will pay a fine and not be eligible for citizenship. This allows them to continue working and contribute to our economy and workforce.”
“The Dignity Act of 2025 is a revolutionary bill that offers the solution to our immigration crisis: secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and provide an earned opportunity for long-term immigrants to stay here and work,” said Congresswoman Salazar. “No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.”
“I have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of our broken immigration system, and as a member of Congress, I take seriously my obligation to propose a solution. Realistic, common-sense compromise is achievable, and is especially important given the urgency of this moment. I consider the Dignity Act of 2025 a critical first step to overhauling this broken system,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “Immigrants – especially those who have been in the United States for decades – make up a critical component of our communities and also of the American workforce and economy. The vast majority of immigrants are hard-working, law-abiding residents; and, most Americans recognize that it is in our country’s best interest to find bipartisan reforms. We can enact legislation that incorporates both humanity and security, and the Dignity Act of 2025 offers a balanced approach that restores dignity to people who have tried to navigate a broken system for far too long. The reintroduction of this legislation includes changes that reflect the challenges in today’s political environment. I’m proud of my bipartisan work with Representative Salazar, who has been a strong partner on this issue since December 2022. It is our hope that Congress seizes the opportunity to take an important step forward on this issue.”
The Dignity Act delivers a long-overdue solution: it secures the border, restores law and order, revitalizes the American Workforce, and allows certain long-term undocumented immigrants to earn legal status, without amnesty or a path to citizenship. The bill restores order while offering a tough but fair opportunity for those who have contributed to the country.
Unlike past efforts, the DIGNITY Act is fully funded through restitution payments and application fees made by immigrants, requiring NO taxpayer dollars.
“In conversations across NY-17, I’ve heard a lot of frustration, both from employers struggling to fill jobs and families looking to reunite with their loved ones,” said Congressman Lawler. “We must do this by fixing our broken legal immigration system, securing our borders, and creating a fair, earned process for those who are already here and contributing. The Dignity Act honors America’s legacy of being a nation of immigrants and that’s why I’m proud to support it.”
“It’s past time for Congress to move reasonable immigration reform that restores law and order, ends illegal immigration, and provides a solution to undocumented immigrants—who meet certain requirements—the chance to live and work here legally,” said Congressman Valadao. “Immigration reform has long been one of my top priorities, and I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to secure our border, fix our immigration system, and strengthen our economy.”
“As the grandson of Mexican immigrants and a former cop and soldier, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of a secure border and a fair immigration system,” said Congressman Evans. “I’m proud to help introduce Congresswoman Salazar’s bipartisan DIGNITY Act, which prioritizes border security while delivering a practical solution for immigrants who want to work hard, follow our laws, and be productive members of society. Our legislation accomplishes what Latino business owners and community members have been asking for: give immigrants positively contributing to our community an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.”
Key provisions of the Dignity Act include:
Border Security: Fully funds modern border infrastructure and enforcement.
Mandatory E-Verify: Prevents illegal hiring and protects American jobs.
Asylum Reform: Ends catch-and-release, and ensures timely and credible outcomes.
Dreamer Protections: Grants legal status and a path to permanent residency.
The Dignity Program: A 7-year earned legal status program allowing undocumented immigrants to live and work legally, with renewable status based on good conduct and restitution.
Workforce Development: Expands training, apprenticeships, and education for American workers.
Legal Immigration Reform: Updates visa categories to align with 21st-century economic needs.
With growing bipartisan support and endorsements from immigration groups, faith leaders, businesses, the agricultural sector, educators, and community leaders, the Dignity Act presents the strongest and most viable opportunity in years to achieve meaningful, lasting immigration reform.
The legislation acknowledges a key truth: most undocumented individuals are not seeking citizenship at all costs, but rather the dignity of living and working legally, contributing to society, paying taxes, being safe from deportation, and traveling to see family during the holidays.
At the same time, the Dignity Act makes clear that this will be the final fix, because real border security and enforcement must be in place to prevent future crises.
WHY NOW?
The immigration crisis is no longer confined to border towns. From the recent riots in Los Angeles to overwhelmed communities across the country, the consequences of a broken system are unfolding in plain sight. Millions live in the shadows, our economy suffers from labor shortages, and the border remains a flashpoint of national concern.
For too long, Congress has failed to act, leaving communities, law enforcement, and immigrants caught in a system that doesn’t work.
The Dignity Act delivers a real solution: secure the border and provide undocumented immigrants who meet strict conditions with an earned opportunity to live and work legally, with dignity and accountability.
It balances compassion with law and order.
This is a defining moment to act. The American people want security, dignity, and a system that works. The Dignity Act makes that possible.
BACKGROUND:
For generations, the United States has been a beacon of hope for those fleeing violence, seeking opportunity, and building a better life. But our broken immigration system has left too many in the shadows and too many Americans without answers.
The Dignity Act reaffirms that while we are a nation of laws, we are also a nation of second chances. By restoring order and creating a clear, enforceable process, this legislation renews the American legacy of hope and opportunity.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)
Bacon Announces Priorities Included in Defense Appropriations Bill
Secures over $2.3B for Nebraska Defense Research and Air Force Investments
Washington – Today, Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) announced the successful inclusion of over $2.3 billion in critical Nebraska priorities in the Defense Appropriations bill passed by the House of Representatives with a bipartisan majority.
“Nebraska has long been recognized as an engine of innovation in the agriculture, medical, financial services, construction, transportation, and technology sectors. Additionally, over the last several years, Nebraska has earned a reputation as one of America’s leading centers of defense and national security research,” said Rep. Bacon. “With today’s House vote we’re a step further in cementing Nebraska’s growing leadership in national security.”
Rep. Bacon’s Nebraska priorities incorporated in the Defense Appropriations bill passed today include:
$1.8 billion for development of the new E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft to be based at Offutt AFB
$474 million for 2 additional EA-37B Compass Call aircraft for the 55th Wing
$26 million to equip the new Nuclear Command, Control and Communications REACH facility in Bellevue
$5 million for the Air Force Infectious Disease Aerial Transport training program at UNMC Omaha
$4.5 million for the University of Nebraska’s National Strategic Research Institute in Omaha
$5 million to upgrade RC-135 aircraft based at Offutt AFB
$4.8 million for commercial weather data to improve forecasting for the 557th Weather Wing
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)
Carbajal Slams Republicans’ Passage of President Trump’s Cuts to Public Broadcasting & Other Essential Programs
Washington, July 18, 2025
U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the House passage of President Trump’s request to cancel $9 billion in congressionally appropriated funding. The canceled funding includes $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — which oversees public media networks like NPR, PBS, and their member stations — and about $7 billion in foreign aid.
“Just weeks after ramming through a reckless budget that slashes food assistance and health care for millions of Americans, while also ballooning our national debt — all to give billionaires big tax breaks — Republicans are back at it with another disastrous bill,” said Rep. Carbajal. “This package guts public media, threatening the local radio stations that keep Central Coast families informed, especially during wildfire season. And it doesn’t stop there. The bill’s extreme cuts to foreign aid will cause needless suffering around the world and weaken our country’s national security. As Republicans turn their backs on these public institutions, I will work with my Democratic colleagues to defend the critical programs working families rely on.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
July 18, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressional Freethought Caucus Co-Chairs Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) led their colleagues in a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Billy Long expressing concerns regarding the Trump administration’s recent court filing that undermines the constitutional separation of church and state.
The filing signals that Trump can allow churches to endorse or oppose political candidates from the pulpit – blatantly violating the 70-year-old Johnson Amendment while still maintaining their tax-exempt status. The motion is a strikingly inaccurate reinterpretation of current U.S. laws that help reconcile and harmonize our nation’s core principles of free speech, free exercise of religion, and the separation between church and state.
In their letter to Commissioner Long, the lawmakers demand that the IRS immediately reconsider its motion and remedy its failure to enforce the Johnson Amendment in accordance with longstanding legal interpretations and statutory requirements.
“As members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, we urge you to reconsider the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) decision to propose the deeply flawed proposed settlement in the matter of National Religious Broadcasters Association et al v. Long. We strongly disagree with the stunningly inaccurate reinterpretation of the Johnson Amendment adopted in this proposed settlement,” the lawmakers wrote. “Congress passed the Johnson Amendment 70 years ago to reconcile and harmonize our nation’s core principles of free speech, free exercise of religion and the separation between church and state. This proposed settlement now threatens to upend and unravel that careful and delicate balance.”
The lawmakers continued, “When writing the tax code in 1954 to establishguardrails around organizational tax exemption, Congress included the Johnson Amendment without any extended discussion or debate. It was noncontroversial and widely supported precisely because it established reasonable boundaries between partisan politics and tax-exempt religious exercise. Under the Johnson Amendment, houses of worship are protected from government interference by securing tax exemptions while taxpayers are protected from being compelled to subsidize religious institutions’ political speech.”
“It is therefore deeply troubling that the IRS, in supporting the flawed arguments made by the plaintiffs in this case, accepts the false opposition that the religious Right has tried to create between the First Amendment’s Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses,” the lawmakers added.
In addition to Reps. Huffman and Raskin, the letter was signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Greg Casar, Sean Casten, Lizzie Fletcher, Laura Friedman, Robert Garcia, Pramila Jayapal, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mark Pocan, Delia C. Ramirez, Emily Randall, Andrea Salinas, Rashida Tlaib, and Nydia Velázquez.
The Congressional Freethought Caucus is an interfaith group of Members dedicated to advocating for religious freedom, church-state separation, and public policies based on science and reason.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today reported that the unemployment rate in Virginia rose again in June, to 3.5 percent. The BLS report notes that “Virginia had the only rate increase” in the month of June. This was the sixth consecutive increase in Virginia’s unemployment rate, the first time the Commonwealth’s unemployment has continuously risen over half a year since the Great Recession job losses of 2008-2009.
Virginia’s rising unemployment rate comes amid the Trump Administration’s purges of thousands of federal workers and contractors across the Commonwealth, many of which are not captured in this data because they will not take effect until subsequent months. CNBC just downgraded Virginia in its annual “Top State for Business” rankings to the lowest point in nearly a decade, specifically citing “federal job cuts.” Recent mass firings by the Trump Administration are likely to substantially increase these cuts even further in coming months.
The rising unemployment rate in Virginia may also be an early indicator of broader damage to the Commonwealth’s economy which Virginia-based forecasters warn could be severe. Yet despite these warnings and increasingly threatening strains on local governments, Governor Youngkin and Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears have so far continued to support the Trump Administration’s mass layoffs and broader cuts to the federal government’s footprint in Virginia.
Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves as the top House Democrat on the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, said:
“With six monthly unemployment increases in a row and the only June increase in America, this can no longer be waived away: Virginia’s unemployment rate is clearly rising in a sustained way, and it is a certainty that this increase is being driven by the Trump Administration’s policies. Trump’s mass firings and cuts are draining Virginia’s economy, while also hurting the services Virginians depend on, and many of those cuts are not even showing up in the data yet. I fear it will only get worse as the number of workers purged rises and the economic damage spreads further to other sectors of our economy.
“Governor Youngkin took office in 2022 at a time of historic job growth in Virginia, with an unemployment rate of 2.7 percent the day he was sworn in. Youngkin and Sears are presiding over a worrying increase in Virginia unemployment, but rather than stand up and fight for Virginians, they are cheering it on for purely political reasons. It’s hard to imagine a worse indictment of their leadership, and Virginians deserve better.”
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) is the Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, and serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over major economic levers include tax policy, trade, and Social Security. He previously served as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor from 1990-1998.