MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON—Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement after voting “no” on the final version of the GOP budget bill.

“This bill is one of the most cruel, immoral pieces of legislation that Congress has ever voted on. Not only did this bill get worse from the last time the House voted on it, it will be remembered as one of the most catastrophic bills passed in modern history.

“Because my Republican colleagues cowered to special interests and their billionaire donors, 17 million Americans will lose their health coverage. This passage could cause 50,000 Americans to die each year because Republicans shamefully voted to kick millions off Medicaid and failed to extend the premium tax credits in the Affordable Care Act. It will also increase healthcare costs and endanger access to care for all Americans. Rural hospitals will be forced to shut down. Nursing homes and community health centers will be gravely impacted.

“This bill is the biggest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in history. While working people will be devastated, billionaires will receive massive tax cuts. Not only are the tax cuts permanent for the ultra-wealthy, any benefit to low-income families is only temporary. It will deepen the wealth and income inequality gap.

“In poll after poll, the American people are clear in their disdain for this bill. From cuts to nutrition assistance to increasing the cost of college to higher utility bills – the American people are clear-eyed in opposing it. Donald Trump and Republicans know this, which is why they rammed this bill through. Every single American will remember who chose to side with billionaires instead of working people.

“This bill is morally bankrupt and an attack on working people. For those reasons, I voted NO.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON — Today, Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) unveiled the Syria Sanctions Relief Act, bipartisan legislation that would repeal existing sanctions programs for Syria.

The bill would also strike related statutory references, effectively ending the Congressionally-mandated sweeping sector-wide sanctions that humanitarian organizations, United Nations experts, and economists say have worsened Syria’s economic collapse and left millions unable to rebuild their lives. Since their enactment, these sanctions have blocked access to food, fuel, and medical supplies, with devastating consequences for the Syrian people. 

“Syria’s remarkable transition, and the end of the decades-long Assad dictatorship, presents new opportunities for engagement for the betterment of the Syrian people. This is the right time to lift sanctions,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar. “This is also a good time to reflect on a broader truth: sanctions should never be used as a blunt instrument to starve a population or collapse an entire economy. They do little to improve human rights or democratic outcomes and instead devastate civilian populations and fuel instability. If we are serious about supporting peace and regional stability, we must end the failed policy of economic warfare. This bill is about giving the post-Assad Syria a fighting chance.

“The new Syrian government has demonstrated a commitment to religious freedom, peace with our allies, and a strong alliance with the United States,” said Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. “By codifying the lifting of sanctions, we aim to empower Syria’s leadership to rebuild a stable, inclusive society that benefits its people and strengthens U.S. interests. I look forward to meeting the new president of Syria and his wife, and to fostering a continued, robust relationship with the Syrian government to advance mutual prosperity and security.”

The Syria Sanctions Relief Act would encourage diplomatic and economic engagement and offer Syrians a path toward rebuilding shattered communities. Recent executive actions, including the sanctions relief and Treasury waivers, only provide temporary relief and are subject to future revocation. Only Congress can enact permanent repeal, which is what this bill seeks to do. 

Full bill text can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), André Carson (IN-07), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12) released the following joint statement:

“The vile, anti-Muslim, and racist smears from our colleagues on both sides of the aisle attacking Zohran Mamdani cannot be met with silence. 

“These hateful, Islamophobic, and racist tropes have become so entrenched and normalized in our politics. We know these attacks all too well. At a time of increased violence against elected officials, we cannot allow the attacks on Zohran Mamdani to continue. They directly contribute to the ongoing dehumanization and violence against Muslim Americans. We unequivocally reject the normalization of anti-Muslim hate and fearmongering and call on elected leaders across our country to speak out.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig voted against the Republicans’ catastrophic budget bill that will add trillions to the national debt, take food and health care from hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans and betray the middle class – in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.

As ranking member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Rep. Craig testified before the House Rules Committee for five hours on Tuesday about the negative impacts of the bill on Minnesotans.

Following her “no” vote on the House floor, Rep. Craig released the following statement:

“Today, Republicans showed us once again that they are the party of billionaires and wealthy corporations – not everyday Americans. Instead of working to lower costs and reduce the national debt, which they promised to do, my Republican colleagues passed a budget bill that balloons the deficit and takes food and health care from hundreds of thousands of hard-working Minnesotans – all to line the pockets of the ultra-rich. 

“Taking basic needs away from Minnesota’s kids, seniors, veterans, single mothers and people with disabilities is not an option. So, while the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress chip away at Minnesotans’ access to critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP, I will keep working with state and local officials to ensure that every Minnesotan is able to get the care they need and put food on the table.”

The Republicans’ budget cuts nearly $200 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), threatening to impact critical food assistance from 42 million Americans, and cuts $930 billion from Medicaid, which could result in over 173,000 Minnesotans losing access to health care. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Republicans’ budget bill will increase the deficit by $3.5 trillion over 10 years – or $4 trillion including interest. Shifting the burden of SNAP costs onto states put Minnesota’s counties in the position to raise property taxes to make up for the millions of dollars of an unfunded mandate from the federal government. 

The bill passed the House with 218 Republican votes and not a single Democratic vote.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Adam Gray (D-CA) in urging the Administration to follow through on its promise to deliver high-speed internet to rural communities through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. 

In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the lawmakers expressed concerns about the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) recent guidance that could set back broadband deployment in rural areas.

“We remain committed to ensuring the BEAD Program delivers on its promise to strengthen the U.S. economy and connect rural Americans with the opportunities enabled by high-speed internet,” the Members wrote. “However, recent guidance from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) raises concerns that the program could be slowed just as states are gaining momentum.” 

“This program was intended to strengthen underserved areas by providing the highest-performance and most scalable networks, so they can compete in the modern economy,” the Members continued. “In many of our districts, higher deployment costs are a reality. A one-size-fits all model puts rural communities at a disadvantage.

The Members concluded, “We urge NTIA to preserve the program’s original intent while streamlining deployment efforts to avoid further disruptions.”

As a co-chair of the Congressional Rural Broadband Caucus, Rep. Craig has led the effort to connect Minnesota’s rural communities to high-speed internet. 

Last Congress, Rep. Craig led a group of Members in urging Speaker Johnson to take action to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provided 23 million American households – and over 244,000 Minnesota households – with access to affordable high-speed internet. She later introduced the Secure and Affordable Broadband Extension Act to increase funding for federal broadband accessibility programs like the ACP, which expired in June of 2024.

Last year, she secured a $1 million federal investment to improve internet access in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.

You can read the full text of the letter here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of her continued efforts to fight corruption and reform Washington, U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ) in introducing the No Shorting America Act to restore transparency to Congress and prevent lawmakers from using insider information to short-sell American companies. 

Their bipartisan bill would prohibit Members of Congress and their families from profiting off the downfall of American companies, require Members of Congress to report stock investments to the supervising ethics office and prevent conflicts of interest by allowing the Attorney General to impose a fine of up to $50,000 if a Member is found short-selling American companies.

“Too many Minnesotans don’t trust that their representatives are working for them, and that’s because for too long, Members of Congress have been able to use their positions for personal gain,” said Rep. Craig (MN-02). “Since I was elected to the House of Representatives, I’ve been working to clean up Washington and increase transparency in Congress. I’m proud to be introducing this bipartisan bill with Rep. Kean to hold Members of Congress accountable and ensure they aren’t using insider information to play the stock market.” 

Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has led the charge to fight corruption and restore integrity to Washington, DC. 

She recently reintroduced her NO STOCK Resolution, which would require Members of Congress to immediately sell their individual stocks and refrain from future stock ownership while in office.

Earlier this month, Rep. Craig joined her colleagues in introducing the End Corruption Now legislative agenda, which aims to confront political corruption and clean up government by introducing six bills that will put power back in the hands of the American people. These bills will prevent the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.

As part of the End Corruption Now agenda, Rep. Craig reintroduced her Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution to ban Members of the House from serving on corporate boards while serving in office.

Earlier this Congress, she reintroduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act — a broader package of reforms that would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress, eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members and eliminate automatic pay raises for Members of Congress. Rep. Craig first introduced the HUMBLE Act during her first term in Congress in 2019.

You can read Rep. Craig’s No Shorting America Act here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig took to the House floor to honor the late Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, who were killed in Minnesota earlier this month in a politically motivated attack. Rep. Craig remembered the Hortmans as a force for good, who were deeply involved in their community. She also acknowledged State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who nearly lost their lives in the attack. 

“Anyone who knew Melissa and Mark knew that together, they were a force for good,” Rep. Craig said. “Melissa was a dedicated public servant, and both she and her husband devoted their lives to improving the lives of Minnesotans.”

Rep. Craig also took the opportunity to condemn the inflammatory political rhetoric that played a role in the attack and encouraged Minnesotans to find common ground with one another. 

“It is still difficult to comprehend the violent attacks on the Hortmans and Hoffmans, but what I do know is that we got here in part because of the divisive rhetoric that we have allowed to seep into our politics and into our communities,” said Rep. Craig. “It will take our entire community coming together. We must hold ourselves and each other accountable. It’s the only way forward, and it’s how we honor the legacy of Melissa and Mark.”

You can watch Rep. Craig’s full remarks here.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to ensure our troops are wearing high quality, safe and reliable footwear as part of their uniforms. The Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act would expand current uniform regulations to ensure the combat boots worn by our servicemembers are entirely manufactured in America and made with U.S.-sourced materials thus strengthening our national security and creating good-paying jobs. 

U.S. Representative Jared Golden (D-ME-02), a Marine Corps. combat veteran and member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), is an original sponsor of companion legislation in the House.

“Our military depends on the availability, accessibility, safety and quality of the uniforms worn by our servicemembers,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan BOOTS Act will ensure that all combat boots and parts worn by the American military are made in the USA—both boosting our domestic economy and ensuring the safety of the boots supply chain. Thank you to my colleagues for putting our servicemembers first.”

“Requiring our servicemembers’ combat boots to be produced in the United States with American materials improves military readiness and strengthens our defense industrial base,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would help avoid supply disruptions in times of crisis, create more jobs and investment domestically, and better outfit our nation’s troops.”

“American warfighters should be supplied American gear, including footwear,” said Representative Golden. “Ensuring domestic suppliers are first in line to provide equipment to our service members is good for troops, good for the jobs, and good for domestic manufacturing. I’m proud to cosponsor the BOOTs Act to provide American-made footwear to the men and women who volunteer to defend America.”

The BOOTS Act would mandate that all optional combat boots worn by U.S. military servicemembers are Berry Amendment-compliant, or 100 percent made in the United States with U.S.-sourced materials. The current loophole has allowed for a major increase in low quality, foreign-made boots and has led to a significant decline in demand from American companies, which in turn reduces domestic manufacturing capabilities and undermines the domestic defense supply chain. In the event of a major conflict, the current clothing and textile supply chain would be too fragile to meet demand.

This legislation is endorsed by A&E, American Sole, Belleville Boot Co., Draper Knitting, Emtex Global, G-Form, Glacial Lakes Rubber and Plastics, Grassland Stamping, Hope Global Manufacturing, Mississippi TanTec, McRae Footwear, Meramec, Meridian, Milliken, New Balance Athletics, PolyLabs, Rubberlite, Signet Mills, SX Industries, Thorogood, Unifi, Vibram Corporation, W.L. Gore and Associates, Worthen Industries, YKK USA, American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), U.S. Footwear Manufacturers Association (USFMA) and Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC).

“The BOOTs Act closes a gap in the Berry Amendment by requiring all military footwear sold through Department of Defense exchanges to be domestically sourced. Currently, foreign-made boots undermine military readiness and disadvantage American manufacturers, weakening the U.S. supply chain. This commonsense change ensures uniform consistency, reduces confusion for servicemembers, and supports the domestic industrial base as manufacturers rebuild capacity,” said Bill McCann, Executive Director of the United States Footwear Manufactures Association.

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

So-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ hurts the working poor and undermines America’s future to pay for tax cuts for the rich

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04)

There are no words to express the deep and sincere grief that our nation has endured over the last week. Homes uprooted and washed away, property damaged beyond repair, and hearts broken by the grief of the loss of a child or loved one. In the aftermath of the natural disaster which occurred in the Texas Hill Country last week, countless families and communities have experienced a tremendous and unimaginable loss that will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark, and my prayers are most certainly with everyone involved.

In the shadow of loss and devastation, however, the American spirit remains steadfast. In every chapter of our nation’s darkest moments, there has never been a second of hesitation by our fellow countrymen to provide help. This week the nation has watched as neighbors in Texas have lent a helping hand to clean up homes and provide meals. Surrounding communities and states have dispatched their own volunteers to travel to impacted areas to fill in the gaps. And first responders have run straight toward danger, braving relentless and unforgiving waters to ensure every life can be accounted for and brought home. 

This week, our own Arkansas National Guard was dispatched, sending twenty-two of our finest guardsmen and women to provide aid in the flood recovery efforts in Texas. Even a week after the tragedy, many families are still holding on to hope that their lost loved ones will be found. Our Arkansas National Guard is proud to answer the call of duty and utilize every resource at their disposal to help bring some relief and hope to these families. In addition to search and rescue efforts, these guardsmen will be utilizing their Black Hawks to transport cargo and passengers. Additionally, they will provide medical assistance during search and rescue efforts by reserving one Black Hawk crew for that role specifically. 

It’s likely that there is hardly an Arkansan keeping up with the news out of Texas who hasn’t been reminded of the devastating loss our own community experienced fifteen years ago when surging floods swept through the Albert Pike campgrounds on the Little Missouri River. Twenty lives were lost in this tragedy – all folks looking to enjoy some time away in the outdoors, and all who are certainly remembered and missed every day. 

This week, there has undoubtedly been time to reflect on each life lost – the campers who never went home, the families eagerly anticipating a river trip to celebrate the Fourth of July, and the brave individuals who went into harm’s way to save the lives of others, in turn losing their own. There has also been time to reflect on the resiliency of the American spirit – the neighbors and friends who have dropped everything to volunteer their time and energy to searching and supporting those around them, and moments of sincere gratitude for the first responders who have risked their own safety to be a beacon of hope for the rescued and their families. 

As this week of solemn reflection ends, may we remember that in the darkness of devastation, we desperately need each other and rely on each other for hope. President Reagan once said, “The spirit of neighbor helping neighbor flows like a deep and mighty river through the history of our Nation. We are proud of our strong and uniquely American tradition of voluntarism. Compassion, vision, and a fundamental sense of decency are the hallmarks of our national character and are reflected in the charitable works of our citizens.” There is certainly no doubt that we have seen this character reflected in every helping hand, phone call, message of encouragement, or donation given by friends, neighbors, and strangers from across the country and around the world. While my heart breaks for everyone impacted by the devastating flooding, it is encouraged by the stories of heroism and hospitality that make me proud to be an Arkansan and an American.