MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, along with Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Westen Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and five other House Members sent a letter to new Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella supporting continued partnership between the United States and Colombia on a broad range of shared priorities.

“The United States and Colombia have worked in close partnership on a broad range of shared priorities, including security, counternarcotics cooperation, peace, trade and investment, education, migration, the promotion of labor and human rights, and the rights and inclusion of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities,” wrote Representatives McGovern and the other Members of Congress. “This partnership has transcended partisan divides, regardless of who leads our nations.”

Abelardo Gabriel De La Espriella was sworn in as President of Colombia on August 7, 2026, after narrowly winning the runoff election on June 21.

In the letter, the Members of Congress say, ”we stand ready to work with your administration to address these challenges and advance our shared interests,” and make the following points: 

• “Colombia’s complex and longstanding security challenges require … sustained collaboration with civil society, a stronger civilian state presence, and viable economic alternatives that allow communities to turn away from illicit activities;”

• “[S]ignificant inequalities in access to education, employment, and economic opportunity remain, particularly for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities and for those from rural and disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds” that must be addressed; and

• “The 2016 peace accord, which the U.S. Congress supported on a bipartisan basis, remains a cornerstone for addressing the structural challenges facing your nation. Its transitional justice system, lauded by experts worldwide, remains the most sophisticated model available for advancing truth, justice, and accountability for the many crimes committed by parties to the conflict.”

The five other members who signed the letter include Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Dina Titus (D-NV).

The full text of the letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

MIAMI, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations and Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, attends a street naming ceremony honoring his late brother, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart.

“Today is a meaningful day for me and my family as we gather on what would have been my brother Lincoln’s birthday to honor his life and legacy of service and his enduring connection to our community.

On behalf of our entire family, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who made this tribute possible. We are especially thankful to Senator Ileana Garcia and City of Miami Commissioner Ralph Rosado. We are moved that Lincoln’s name will forever be seen along one of the most historic roadways in our community, and are profoundly grateful for the affection and respect you have shown him and our family.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart devoted his life to public service. He served with conviction, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the people he represented. His legacy lives on in the people he served and the dignified causes he championed.

His greatest satisfaction came from being a voice for those who entrusted him with the honor of representing them, and for being a voice for the silenced and the oppressed. 

Thank you for continuing to honor Lincoln’s legacy in such an enduring way.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

Kelly: A state disaster proclamation is the first step to getting families the help they need.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Dorchester presser comes as Trump continues war with Iran and proposes $1.5 trillion military budget while exacerbating affordability crisis and attacks on immigrant communities

“It is much easier instead for this man to scapegoat immigrants, to vilify our neighbors, than to make good on his promises… It’s much easier to inflate the military budget to $1.5 trillion and throw our country deeper into an endless war with Iran than to create lasting peace.”

BOSTON – Yesterday, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) joined Massachusetts Peace Action and Dorchester community leaders for a press conference to call for a fundamental shift in our nation’s priorities—away from war, militarism, and repression and toward the urgent human needs of people, families, and communities.

The press conference comes as Trump’s war with Iran continues and the Trump Administration proposes an unprecedented expansion of military spending while families across Massachusetts struggle with the cost of housing, healthcare, groceries, and other necessities.

A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks is available below and the video is available here.

As Trump pushes the United States deeper into a Congressionally unauthorized, illegal war with Iran, his administration is proposing an unprecedented expansion of military spending while families across Massachusetts struggle with the cost of housing, food, health care, child care, and other basic necessities. The administration’s FY2027 budget proposes increasing total defense resources from roughly $1.05 trillion this year to $1.5 trillion next year—an increase of approximately $445 billion, or 42 percent, in a single year.

At the same time, immigrant families who have lived, worked, paid taxes, raised families and built communities in Massachusetts are facing an increasingly aggressive campaign of detention and deportation. The termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians has stripped people of their ability to legally live and work in the United States and put them at risk of deportation. Approximately 45,000 TPS holders live in Massachusetts, while more than 300,000 Haitian nationals nationwide have depended on TPS protections.

Moreover, the upcoming termination of TPS for El Salvador, means that thousands more  are now at risk of falling victim to a for-profit system of mass deportation.

Congresswoman Pressley has also been an outspoken critic of Trump’s war in Iran and repeatedly voted in favor of a War Powers resolution to stop Trump’s war in Iran and affirm the constitutional power of Congress to authorize a war. Congresswoman Pressley has also been a leading congressional advocate for all TPS holders and immigrant families. As Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus, she has fought efforts to terminate protections for Haitians and other TPS recipients and has pushed Congress to protect people who have established lives, families and careers in the United States. In April of 2026, the House passed a Pressley-led measure to redesignate TPS for Haiti. The companion bill awaits further action in the Senate.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) renewed his support for Dalilah’s Law, legislation that would strengthen Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirements and help prevent unqualified drivers from operating commercial vehicles on American roadways.

The renewed push comes ahead of the first anniversary of an August 18, 2025, crash on the Florida Turnpike that killed three people. The driver, an illegal immigrant who had received a CDL in California, made an unlawful U-turn despite clearly marked signs prohibiting the maneuver.

In February, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) finalized a rule to stop unqualified foreign drivers from obtaining licenses to drive commercial trucks and buses citing public safety threats. Previously, a nationwide audit by the U.S. DOT exposed Pennsylvania as one of six states with systemic non-compliance in issuing non-domiciled CDLs.

“From top to bottom, this is commonsense legislation that will secure our roads, protect American citizens, and enforce our immigration laws,” said Rep. Kelly. “If you’re in this country illegally, you shouldn’t be given the keys to the largest, most powerful vehicles on the road. Plain and simple.”

Dalilah’s Law is named in honor of Dalilah Coleman, who was five years old when she was struck by an 18-wheel tractor-trailer driven by an illegal immigrant. The crash left Dalilah with a traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, a broken femur, and other serious injuries.

In his State of the Union Address, President Donald Trump announced his support for Dalilah’s Law.

The legislation would strengthen CDL standards by:

• Require that states limit commercial driver’s licenses to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain temporary work visa holders as a condition of receiving Department of Transportation funding.
• Mandate English-only CDL testing to ensure that all commercial drivers possess the language skills necessary for safe operation on U.S. roads.
• Require states to revoke CDLs issued to undocumented immigrants or individuals without qualifying legal status, even if they previously had work authorization.
• Strengthen verification processes and recertification requirements to ensure ongoing compliance with eligibility and safety standards.

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved Dalilah’s Law in March. The legislation now awaits consideration by the full U.S. House of Representatives.

BACKGROUND

Earlier this year, Rep. Kelly backed legislation known as The Dalilah Law to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining CDLs and require commercial drivers to demonstrate the English proficiency and safety knowledge necessary to operate large commercial vehicles.

Dalilah’s Law builds upon efforts by President Donald Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to strengthen CDL enforcement and improve safety on America’s roadways. 

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Rep. Young Kim (CA-40) led 39 Members in a bipartisan letter urging the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the challenges associated with reuniting household pets with their owners following federally declared disasters and identify opportunities to improve reunification through better data, standards, and coordination. 

When disasters strike with little warning, families can face impossible decisions about how to evacuate safely with their pets. Many pet owners are forced to choose between leaving their pets behind or risking their own safety. These heartbreaking decisions affect not only individuals and their pets, but also emergency responders, state and local officials, and entire communities trying to evacuate in the chaos of a disaster. 

This is a nationwide issue, however, there is no consistent national baseline for collecting data on disaster-related animal intake, tracking, or reunification, and there has not been a comprehensive federal analysis of potential solutions. The bipartisan letter asks GAO to examine existing practices and identify gaps and opportunities to improve the systems used to track displaced pets and reunite them with their families.

“When the Eaton Fire tore through my district last January, too many families had too little time to evacuate and faced heartbreaking decisions about the pets they consider part of their family,” said Rep. Chu (CA-28). “In the aftermath, some families were separated from their pets for far too long, while others were never reunited. We owe it to disaster survivors to learn from these experiences. That is why Rep. Kim and I are leading this bipartisan effort to identify what is not working and strengthen our disaster response systems so families can evacuate safely without leaving a beloved pet behind.”

“No family should have to flee a disaster without the pets they love, but that’s the heartbreaking choice too many of our neighbors have had to make,” said Rep. Kim (CA-40). “Southern California knows the devastation of wildfires all too well, from the Airport Fire in 2024 that burned more than 23,000 acres across Orange and Riverside Counties and forced families to evacuate with little warning, leaving frightened pets stranded and local shelters scrambling to take them in. Our request to GAO will help identify what is working, show where the gaps are, and get more pets home. I am proud to co-lead this commonsense effort with Rep. Chu.”

“Disasters strike with little or no warning, and no family should be forced to make the impossible split-second decision between seeking shelter for themselves and staying behind with their beloved companion,” said Maggie Garrett, Vice President of Federal Affairs for the ASPCA. “When families are separated from their pets during a disaster, reunification is often a lengthy, difficult, and costly process, creating emotional distress and uncertainty for vulnerable animals, pet owners, and the shelters who care for displaced pets. By studying the gaps and challenges facing pet reunification in the aftermath of a disaster, we can improve the process and better assist communities to help reunite pets with their family.” 

The letter is co-signed by Representatives Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Donald Davis (NC-01), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Nick LaLota (NY-01), Michael Lawler (NY-17), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Christian Menefee (TX-18), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25).

The letter is endorsed by the ASPCA, Humane World for Animals, Humane World Action Fund, National Alliance of State Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs (NASAAEP), National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC), ASAR Training and Response, and Petco Love.

Read the full letter HERE and below. 
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The Honorable Orice Williams Brown
Acting Comptroller General of the United States
U.S. Government Accountability Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548

Dear Acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown:

We write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a study to examine and assess the enforcement of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006¹ the challenges associated with reuniting household pets with their owners following federally declared disasters, and to identify opportunities for improving outcomes through better data, standards, and coordination. 

During natural disasters, the separation of pets from their families is a persistent and consequential issue. Faced with minimal time and resources, pet owners are forced to choose between leaving their pets behind, risking their own safety, or limited sheltering options with their animals. These are life and death decisions that affect not only individuals and their pets, but also emergency responders, state and local officials, and entire communities trying to evacuate in the chaos of a disaster. 

During several recent natural disasters, we have seen the scope and impact of this problem nationwide. Following Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which decimated parts of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, animal shelters² and organizations³ supported large numbers of displaced pets and owners. In January 2025, when the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires⁴  displaced thousands of families across Los Angeles County, many residents had to evacuate without their pets, as frightened animals hid or could not be safely retrieved. During the July 2025 floods in Central Texas⁵, hundreds of missing pets were reported, and shelter staff worked to identify deceased animals in an effort to provide closure to families. Most recently, in October 2025, evacuees from remote Alaskan villages impacted by Typhoon Halong⁶ were forced to leave pets behind during emergency airlifts, prompting volunteer-led efforts⁷ to transport animals to Anchorage and reunite them with their owners. 

Practitioners working in disaster animal response consistently report several recurring challenges. Many pets lack proper identification, such as microchips or tags, complicating efforts to match animals with their owners. Communication barriers between shelters, rescuers, emergency management agencies, and the public often delay or prevent reunification. In addition, many jurisdictions lack standardized policies—such as extended hold times for disaster-displaced animals—resulting in animals being rehomed or transferred before owners have a reasonable opportunity to locate them. These gaps contribute to delayed reunifications, increased operational costs, and diminished public trust. Many of these issues could be avoided through consistent animal-inclusive disaster planning and preparedness activities. More broadly, there is no consistently implemented national baseline for disaster animal intake, tracking, and reunification data. Information is collected across jurisdictions and organizations in disparate formats with varying levels of completeness. This limits situational awareness, hinders coordination, and reduces accountability. Despite the frequency of these issues, there has not been a comprehensive analysis of their scope, causes, and potential solutions. Accordingly, we respectfully request that GAO examine the following key issues:

Existing Data Sets and Best Practices

Stakeholders have emphasized the need for improved data collection and analysis to better understand the root causes of pet-owner separation during disasters and the scale of this problem. We ask GAO to examine what data is currently collected by federal, state, local, and nonprofit entities for disaster animal intake, sheltering, and reunification, and how consistent these data are across jurisdictions and incidents. GAO should also assess the measurable impacts of standardized data collection on outcomes such as time-to-reunification, shelter length of stay, cost per animal-day, reunification rates, safety incidents, and public complaints.

Collaboration and Communications Between Stakeholders 

Although the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006⁸ requires state and local disaster plans to address the needs of individuals with pets and service animals, gaps in implementation remain. Animal response operations vary widely in their integration into emergency management frameworks, including coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and in the interoperability of systems used by government and nonprofit partners. Limited trained personnel, weak coordination amongst staff, and delayed deployments of trained staff or volunteers further hinder response during disaster scenarios. We ask GAO to assess these challenges, determine if effective disaster planning and preparedness activities have been implemented, and identify best practices to improve coordination, communication, and resource utilization.
 

Disaster Specific Evaluations

GAO’s review should prioritize lessons learned and after-action reports from recent disasters including Hurricane Helene in the Southeastern United States, flooding in Central Texas, the Eaton and Palisades fires in California, and Typhoon Halong in Alaska. Through targeted case studies examining state and local shelter data, emergency management plans, and stakeholder interviews, GAO should identify common challenges, effective practices, and recurring gaps across disaster responses.
 

Based on its research, we ask GAO to identify actions the federal government could take to improve reunification outcomes, as well as animal-inclusive disaster preparedness, including establishing minimum data and reporting standards, providing technical assistance, and incentivizing implementation through preparedness funding or pilot programs. We also ask for recommendations for addressing gaps between planning and practice to better understand the root causes for separation and ultimately reduce the risk of pets and families becoming separated. 
 

Improving animal-inclusive disaster planning and the reunification of pets and their owners following disasters is not only a matter of animal welfare, but also of public safety, emergency management effectiveness, and community resilience. Clearer standards, better data, and stronger coordination can reduce costs, improve outcomes, and ensure that families are not permanently separated from their pets in times of crisis.
 

We appreciate your attention to this request. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Rep. Judy Chu’s staff at 202-225-5464. We look forward to receiving your response. 

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1. Public Law No: 109-308
2. WPTV: Humane Society of Treasure Coast overwhelmed with displaced pets since hurricane
3. ASPCA: Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of Hurricane Helene 
4. LA Times: Burned and anxious pets fill Pasadena shelter after Eaton fire
5. NPR: After Texas flooding, volunteers help reunite pets with owners 
6. Alaska Public Media: Dog evacuations continue from Western Alaska villages hit hard by remnants of Typhoon Halong
7. Humane Word for Animals: Our Animal Rescue Team arrives in typhoon-stricken Alaska
8. Public Law No: 109-308

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) is calling on University of Michigan leadership to fully address the long-standing concerns of Ypsilanti Township residents at its upcoming town hall after it was announced that the University had selected the community as the site for the controversial Los Alamos National Laboratory data center.

“Ypsilanti Township residents have not been given sufficient opportunity to ask direct questions, challenge assumptions, or receive clear, honest answers from decisionmakers in real time. Given the scale and long-term implications of this project, the local community deserves far more than a one-way briefing that leaves questions unanswered and creates even more questions. The community deserves real engagement, transparency, and accountability,” said Congresswoman Dingell.

In a statement following the University’s site-selection announcement, Congresswoman Dingell reiterated that the way the University has communicated with the community is unacceptable. For years, Congresswoman Dingell has joined residents and local leaders in raising serious concerns about this project and the lack of transparency from the University. 

“Key concerns include water use, such as how much water the facility will require, where it would come from, and what safeguards are in place to protect long-term regional supply. They also include energy demand and infrastructure strain, particularly how the data center will impact the electrical grid, who would bear the costs, and how it aligns with renewable energy commitments,” Congresswoman Dingell continued.

In her latest letter to University leadership, the congresswoman called on them to use the upcoming town hall as a true public town hall on its proposed data center — one that goes beyond a controlled presentation or pre-scripted information session and instead allows for genuine, two-way community dialogue.

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and below:

Dear President Grasso:

This letter is regarding the University of Michigan’s announcement that it will hold a third public town hall on September 9, 2026, concerning the proposed data center in Ypsilanti Township.

The University must hold a true public town hall on its proposed data center — one that goes beyond a controlled presentation or pre-scripted information session and instead allows for genuine, two-way community dialogue. To date, the two events the University offered did not amount to a real town hall, and one was not even in the impacted community. Ypsilanti Township residents have not been given sufficient opportunity to ask direct questions, challenge assumptions, or receive clear, honest answers from decisionmakers in real time. Given the scale and long-term implications of this project, the local community deserves far more than a one-way briefing that leaves questions unanswered and creates even more questions. The community deserves real engagement, transparency, and accountability.

It is imperative that the University will use the September 9 event as an opportunity to meaningfully engage with the community and address the serious and unresolved questions surrounding this project.

Key concerns include water use, such as how much water the facility will require, where it would come from, and what safeguards are in place to protect long-term regional supply. They also include energy demand and infrastructure strain, particularly how the data center will impact the electrical grid, who would bear the costs, and how it aligns with renewable energy commitments. The Ypsilanti Township community is also concerned that this facility may be involved in the production of nuclear weapons and the study of defense capabilities. These are foundational public-interest issues that require open scrutiny, not limited disclosure. Equally important are the broader environmental impacts, including land use changes, emissions, heat generation, and potential effects on local ecosystems. The community deserves to understand not only the projected impacts, but also what mitigation strategies are being proposed, how effective they are expected to be, and what uncertainties remain.

There are also significant public safety and community impacts that must be addressed openly. These include construction-related disruption, long-term operational risks, traffic and infrastructure stress, and the cumulative effects on surrounding neighborhoods and public services. Questions also remain about how the project will affect local fire and law enforcement resources, given the University’s tax-exempt status and the potential demands this facility could place on local services. These concerns directly affect Ypsilanti Township and its residents’ quality of life, making public input essential rather than optional.

The town hall must be open to all members of the Ypsilanti Township community who wish to attend, without attendance restrictions, and provide residents a meaningful and real opportunity to raise their questions and receive answers. I have been calling on the University to hold a real town hall on this project and to meaningfully engage with the Ypsilanti Township community for years. The University cannot continue to disregard the community’s concerns and opposition simply because it disagrees with them, and the University needs to listen to why the community is opposed to this project.

I urge the University to treat the September 9, 2026, town hall as a true town hall and demonstrate through its actions a commitment to transparency, accountability, and meaningful community engagement. The University’s actions to date have contributed to the strong opposition of this project within the community, and my constituents deserve clear and substantive answers about how they will be impacted.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) requested details from the eight major U.S. airline companies as part of the Committee’s ongoing inquiry into corporate surveillance pricing practices.

“I am very concerned about companies potentially using Americans’ personal data to determine what prices they see and pay, and I am continuing an inquiry into just how widespread this practice is,” Pallone wrote. “Consumers deserve to know if businesses are using their personal information to manipulate the prices they pay or experiment with algorithms to set the prices they see.” 

In May, Pallone launched a Committee inquiry into surveillance pricing with an initial round of letters to 25 major corporations, including information on whether they’re using surveillance pricing based on consumers’ personal data to charge customers different prices for the same goods, particularly for online shopping. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines surveillance pricing as a form of personalized dynamic pricing where companies use a consumer’s online data—location, demographics, browsing history, shopping habits, or device type—to set individualized prices, often charging higher amounts based on an inferred willingness to pay.

“The airline industry specifically has faced several public allegations of surveillance pricing,” Pallone continued. “One study found that an airline boosted its own revenue by as much as six percent by leveraging AI pricing based on consumer information, an increase that comes at the expense of consumers. Lawsuits have been filed against airlines alleging the use of consumers’ information to set prices and in 2025, an airline came under scrutiny after appearing to announce that they were implementing artificial intelligence to assist with pricing.”

Ranking Member Pallone wrote to the following companies and requested answers by August 25, 2026:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

Full text of the letter is available HERE. 



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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Trump Denied New Jersey $84 Million in Disaster Aid Despite FEMA Officials Finding the State Qualified for Federal Assistance