MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Washington, DC:  Congressman Bilirakis released the following statement after welcoming His All-Holiness Bartholomew Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch to Washington, DC. 

“It was an immense blessing and a singular honor to welcome His All-Holiness Bartholomew Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch.   His All Holiness is the revered spiritual leader of 300,000,000 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and is the 273^rd successor of the founder of the Eastern Orthodox Church, St. Andrew the Apostle. I am grateful that Speaker Mike Johnson hosted His All Holiness for a luncheon in the U.S. Capitol today which underscores the importance of The Ecumenical Patriarch’s relevance as a spiritual leader.  This visit was not only a moment of profound spiritual significance but also a powerful testament to the enduring bonds of faith, tradition, and unity that transcend borders. We were truly inspired by His All-Holiness’s wisdom, humility, and unwavering commitment to peace and interfaith dialogue. May his visit strengthen the ties that bind us and illuminate the path toward greater understanding and harmony across our communities,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis.  

Congressman Bilirakis also spoke earlier this week on the House Floor regarding His All-Holiness’s visit.  To listen to the remarks, click here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Bill Will Lower Cost Of Groceries By Taking On Donald Trump’s Chaotic Tariff Policy

WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens announced her ‘No Tariffs on Groceries Act,’ a new bill that would lower the cost of groceries by removing the ability of the president to unilaterally put tariffs on food and other agricultural products.
 

YOU CAN WATCH REP. STEVENS’ PRESS CALL ANNOUNCING THE BILL HERE
 

Stevens’ bill would directly take on Donald Trump’s reckless, shoot-by-the-hip tariff policy that has been raising prices on Michiganders for months. Just this month, Michiganders saw some of the worst inflation and highest food prices they’ve seen in years. Thanks to Donald Trump’s tariffs, costs have gone up on coffee (20.9%), beef (16.6%), eggs (10.9%), apples (9.6%), bacon (7.2%), bananas (6.6%), and oranges (5.2%).

“The one thing I hear over and over again from Michiganders is that Donald Trump’s tariffs are making everything more expensive – especially groceries. Michigan has had enough of Donald Trump’s price hikes, and I am taking on these erratic tariffs to bring relief to Michigan families,” said Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens.

This bill would:

You can read the full text of the No Tariffs on Groceries Act here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — Under President Biden, House Democrats warned that a government shutdown would have negative effects for seniors, veterans, and working families. This year under President Trump, their tune has completely changed as they continue to threaten government shutdowns.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in 2024: “It’s about the harm… Families will be hurt. Farmers will be hurt… If the government shuts down, holiday travel will be impacted. The ability of everyday Americans to visit their family, their friends, their loved ones will be impacted. Border security and border patrol agents will not be paid. TSA agents will not be paid. Small businesses will be hurt in every single community in this country.”

Rep. Katherine Clark in 2023: “So let’s take a moment to talk about the people who are truly at the center of this story… It’s the service members who will work without a paycheck. It’s the firefighters that will be furloughed. It’s the early educators who will have to leave their classroom. It’s the moms and parents who will be left scrambling for childcare.”

Rep. Pete Aguilar in 2023: “House Republicans are leading the country towards a reckless government shutdown that will take food off the table for mothers and children and force our servicemembers to work without pay.”

Rep. Ted Lieu in 2024: “A government shutdown will hurt everyday Americans.”

Rep. Joe Neguse in 2023: “The consequences of a government shutdown will be devastating — for our troops, law enforcement, working families, our economy and every American.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2019: “It is not normal to shut down the government when we don’t get what we want.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell in 2024: “We are headed toward a government shutdown, and Republicans know it will hurt people: small business loans delayed, VA offices closed, and federal workers forced to work without pay during the holidays.”

Rep. Ayanna Pressley in 2024: “This [government] shutdown, do you know who is going to feel the pain? You know who it hurts? You. everyday people and the most vulnerable — seniors, veterans, working families, hungry kids y’all.”

House Democrats Consistently Voted for Continuing Resolutions Under Biden

117th Congress (Jan 2021 – Jan 2023)

Date	Bill	CR Duration	House Vote	Dem “No”
Sep 30, 2021	H.R. 5305 — Extending Government Funding & Delivering Emergency Assistance Act	to Dec 3, 2021	254–175 (Roll 311)	0
Dec 2, 2021	H.R. 6119 — Further Extending Government Funding Act	to Feb 18, 2022	221–212 (Roll 399)	0
Feb 8, 2022	H.R. 6617 — Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act	to Mar 11, 2022	272–162 (Roll 39)	1
Sep 30, 2022	H.R. 6833 — Continuing Appropriations & Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023	to Dec 16, 2022	230–201 (Roll 476)	0
Dec 14, 2022	H.R. 1437 — Further Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2023	to Dec 23, 2022	224–201 (Roll 523)	0

117th Congress Total: 5 CRs — 4 CRs with 0 Democratic nays

118th Congress (Jan 2023 – Jan 2025)

Date	Bill	CR Duration	House Vote	Dem “No”
Sep 30, 2023	H.R. 5860 — Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024	to Nov 17, 2023	335–91 (Roll 513)	1
Nov 14, 2023	H.R. 6363 — Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 (Laddered CR)	to Jan 19 & Feb 2, 2024	336–95 (Roll 658)	2
Jan 18, 2024	H.R. 2872 — Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 (Extend Laddered CR)	New Deadlines Mar 1 & Mar 8, 2024	314–108 (Roll 15)	2
Feb 29, 2024	H.R. 7463 — Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024	to Mar 8 & Mar 22, 2024	320–99 (Roll 106)	2
Sep 25, 2024	H.R. 9747 — Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025	to Dec 20, 2024	341–82 (Roll 450)	0
Dec 20, 2024	H.R. 10545 — Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025	to Mar 14, 2025	366–34–1 (Roll 517)	0

119th Congress (Jan 2025 – Present)

Date	Bill	CR Duration	House Vote	Dem “Yea”
Mar 11, 2025	H.R. 1968 — Full-Year Continuing Appropriations & Extensions Act, 2025	to Sep 30, 2025	217–213 (Roll 70)	1

The Bottom Line:

House Democrats are suddenly ready to hold government funding hostage — risking benefits for seniors, veterans’ services, and paychecks for some working families — all to score cheap points against President Trump. Republicans are offering a clean, responsible bill to that would prevent Democrats from holding the government hostage to their partisan demands.

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

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Massachusetts’ U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren teamed up with U.S. Representatives Val Hoyle (OR-04), Pat Ryan (NY-18), and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) to introduce new legislation in response to billionaire health care corporations buying up independently owned clinics across the nation to pad their own pockets and leave patients out in the cold.

The Patients Over Profits Act prevents large insurance companies and their subsidiaries, such as UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiary Optum, from buying up clinics. Out-of-control consolidations in health care have jeopardized patients’ access to care nationwide—with UnitedHealth-owned Optum gobbling up dozens of clinics in Oregon, New York, and Washington.

“Your doctor’s office should be in the business of making sure you get the best possible care, not functioning as a profit center for billionaire health care corporations,” said Senator Merkley. “In Oregon and nationwide, greedy executives are using sick people to turn healthy profits—with one Oregon clinic reportedly losing dozens of physicians and subsequently kicking out thousands of patients after it was purchased by Optum. The Patients Over Profits Act reins in these out-of-control consolidations, which are great for corporate greed and a bad deal for patients.”

“Across the country, insurance companies are buying up doctors’ offices, driving up costs, and putting insurance company profits over patients. Our bill cracks down on greedy insurance companies’ attempts to control doctors and squeeze patients for every cent,” said Senator Warren.

“When you get sick, you should be able to receive the treatment and care that you need. For too long, Wall Street has made that harder by buying up local clinics and care facilities and then focusing on turning a profit instead of delivering care. The Patients Over Profits Act stops multi-billion-dollar companies from buying up every part of the system and tying our health care access to their profit margins and shareholder returns. The message we are sending in response is clear: Americans should be able to expect quality, affordable, and appropriate care when they need it and that should be the focus of our health care system,” said Rep. Hoyle.

“UnitedHealth has gobbled up our local healthcare practices, creating a monopoly that directly hurts everyone in our community. In their greedy pursuit of profits, they now own the insurance company, they own your doctor, they own the pharmacy and they own the software that processes all of your information – and they use it all to keep prices high and drive quality down. Enough – it’s time to break up UnitedHealth and put you back in control of your own healthcare,” said Congressman Ryan. “We need to bring back the local, independent doctors offices and pharmacies whose sole priority is caring for you and your family – not United’s quarterly earnings report. We need to bring down the price of your care, and make sure you’re not billed a dime more than you owe. We need to build a system where patients can quickly access quality care right here in the community, without facing endless roadblocks, and healthcare workers get the fair wages they deserve for their heroic work. Breaking up UnitedHealth’s insurance and physician businesses is the first step toward building something better, where every American is able to get the care they deserve at a price they can afford.”

“UnitedHealth and other major corporate health care giants clearly cannot be trusted to put the needs of patients over profits, as they show time and time again. As they consolidate the market around them, they are also creating a structure that denies people the ability to visit a physician of their choice. This is absolutely unacceptable, and it allows them to jack up already absurdly high health costs, deny necessary treatments if they’re too expensive, and keep wages low for doctors, nurses, and the staff that keep hospitals running. I’m proud to co-lead the Patients Over Profits Act to break up this corporate ownership and ensure that all people can access care when and where they need it,” said Rep. Jayapal.

According to the Center for Health & Democracy’s Sunlight Report on UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealth employs or contracts with over 90,000 doctors—roughly 10 percent of the U.S. physician workforce—and owns over 750 clinical subsidiaries nationwide. The report underscores how this consolidation has shifted UnitedHealth’s profits and obscured transparency, blurring the lines between insurer and provider and leaving patients to suffer.

The Patients Over Profits Act is supported by the American Economic Liberties Project, Center for Health and Democracy, Health Care for America Now, Just Care, Labor Campaign for Single Payer, MoveOn, Physicians for a National Health Program, Public Citizen, Social Security Works, and Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action.

“Large healthcare conglomerates that own insurers and doctors’ practices jack up prices and reduce the quality of care seniors receive,” said Emma Freer, Senior Policy Analyst for Healthcare at the American Economic Liberties Project. “We applaud Senator Merkley and Representative Hoyle for introducing the Patients Over Profit Act to ban this integration and take an important step towards breaking up Big Medicine.”

“Big Insurance is rapidly consolidating and creating monopolistic companies that control virtually every part of our health care system. It is a system now rigged to ensure their profits, not our care,” said Rachel Madley, PhD, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. “Our health care system should focus on care, not shareholder wealth. This is vital legislation that will protect patients and rein in Big Insurance.”

“Consolidation of actors in various parts of the healthcare system, including increasing vertical integration by insurers buying up provider groups, threatens to further increase corporate profits at the expense of patients. We need a rational approach to healthcare that would make patients’ wellbeing the focus instead of profit,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President of Public Citizen. “The Patients Over Profits Act would end key incentives for such abuses and crack down on the worst actors. These are important steps as we work to reform our broken health care system.”

In addition to Merkley, Warren, Hoyle, Ryan, and Jayapal, the Patients Over Profits Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14).

Full text of the Patients Over Profits Act can be found by clicking here.

A one-page summary of the Patients Over Profits Act can be found by clicking here.

Issues: Health Care, Science, Technology, & Antitrust

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

September 17, 2025

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) led all Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional delegation in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in support of EPA’s Endangerment Finding, which is foundational to EPA regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“We are writing to express our deep concern over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) proposal to eliminate the Endangerment Finding and what that will mean for the health and safety of our constituents in Illinois,” the lawmakers wrote. “While coastal hurricanes and western wildfires may draw more national attention, climate change is increasing the number and severity of extreme weather events in the Midwest as well. In 2024 alone, Illinois experienced twelve extreme weather events which caused $1 billion or more in damages in Illinois and neighboring states, with a toll of at least 129 lives.”

In its landmark 2007 decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court ruled that GHGs are air pollutants subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act. The Court further held that the Clean Air Act requires EPA to curb pollutants that it determines endanger public health and welfare by contributing to climate change.

In 2009, EPA conducted a thorough examination of the scientific evidence and found that GHGs endanger the public health and welfare of Americans, basing this finding on the overwhelming scientific consensus reached by decades of peer-reviewed research. The 2009 rule also included the determination that GHG emissions from motor vehicles “contribute” to the dangerous buildup of climate pollution in the atmosphere. The two findings – endangerment and contribution – provided the legal mandate for the EPA to issue GHG emission standards for vehicles in 2010 under the Clean Air Act.

In July 2025, Administrator Zeldin released the agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which would end EPA’s ability to regulate GHG emissions.

In addition to Rep. Casten, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and Representatives Nikki Budzinski, Danny Davis, Bill Foster, Jesús “Chuy” García, Jonathan Jackson, Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Brad Schneider, Eric Sorensen, and Lauren Underwood.

Text of the letter can be found below. A copy of the letter can be found here.

Dear Administrator Zeldin:

We are writing to express our deep concern over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) proposal to eliminate the Endangerment Finding and what that will mean for the health and safety of our constituents in Illinois.

The Endangerment Finding, promulgated in 2009 under the Clean Air Act, requires the US EPA to protect people from the pollution that causes climate change and its impacts. This administration’s denial of the overwhelming scientific consensus, reached through decades of peer-reviewed research, does not change the facts: pollution from fossil fuels is trapping more of the sun’s energy in the atmosphere, heating our planet, increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather disasters, and thereby endangering every American – especially the most vulnerable among us.

While coastal hurricanes and western wildfires may draw more national attention, climate change is increasing the number and severity of extreme weather events in the Midwest as well. In 2024 alone, Illinois experienced twelve extreme weather events which caused $1 billion or more in damages in Illinois and neighboring states, with a toll of at least 129 lives.

Climate change is increasing the number and severity of extreme heat events, with the Chicago area far exceeding the average number of 90-degree days this year. Extreme heat is the number-one weather-related killer, a fact we well know after the 1995 heat wave, which caused 500 deaths in Chicago alone and hundreds more across the Midwest. As we learned then, extreme heat disproportionately harms vulnerable individuals, including children, the elderly, low-income households, those with pre-existing medical conditions, outdoor workers, and communities of color.

Climate change is making Illinois wetter, contributing to extreme rainfall and dangerous flooding. This summer, in both July and August, Chicago and other parts of Illinois experienced flash flooding, which damaged infrastructure, including roads and houses.

Changing temperatures and weather patterns impact agriculture, which is so vital to Illinois’ economy. Heat, water stress, and extreme weather events are greatly damaging to crops; changing temperatures can have negative impacts on weed and pest distribution; and changing precipitation patterns and higher temperatures can have negative impacts on soil health.

Finally, climate change has negative impacts on Lake Michigan, among our most precious natural resources. Warmer temperatures, less ice cover, and extreme weather events are damaging the lake ecosystem, making algal blooms more likely, and worsening erosion, beach loss, and shoreline damage.

Rescinding the Endangerment Finding is part of the administration’s politically-driven scheme to undermine clean car and truck programs and roll back standards for global warming pollution from power plants, oil and gas operations, and more. It means giving polluters a free pass to pollute at the expense of families across the country. It means our constituents will face more climate chaos and, especially in communities already overburdened by pollution, greater health risks and higher medical costs. It even means that our constituents will pay more for energy, given the cheaper clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels that are currently available.

We urge you to maintain the Endangerment Finding and, in general, do your job of protecting the health and welfare of Illinoisans and Americans all across the country.

Sincerely,

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter introduces Georgia House Republican resolution condemning assassination of Charlie Kirk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) this week introduced a resolution condemning the assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, and reaffirming Congress’ commitment to protecting the rights of all Americans to assemble peacefully and express their political views. 

The resolution is cosponsored by Georgia Republicans Reps. Barry Loudermilk, Austin Scott, Rich McCormick, Rick Allen, and Andrew Clyde. 

“Let me be clear: I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the assassination and murder of American patriot Charlie Kirk. We must come together as a Congress to wholeheartedly denounce this senseless act of political violence. The left has normalized meeting free speech with brutality, and it is a direct threat to our democracy. Charlie Kirk embodied the ideals of free speech and public debate, and we honor him by continuing to be bold in our conservative and Christian beliefs, regardless of threats of retaliation from the other side,” said Rep. Carter. 

Read the full resolution here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

Congresswoman Dina Titus announced today that five of her foreign policy priorities have been included in the State Department Authorization bill recently released by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“These measures are important steps in expanding U.S. diplomatic capacity and the advancement of our global leadership role,” Congresswoman Titus said. “They strengthen our alliance with Cyprus; identify vital resources the State Department desperately needs; address the backlog of tourist visas and takes steps to chip away at it; create mechanisms that challenge conventional foreign policy thinking and spur on principled policymaking; and alleviate malnutrition through increased cooperation between the State Department and global non-profit and multilateral organizations.”

“A well-resourced State Department and capable U.S. diplomats around the world are key to ensuring the safety and security of Nevadans,” she said.

The following are Congresswoman Titus’s provisions included in the State Department reauthorization legislation:

Cyprus arms embargo reform

This would extend the waiver renewal period for the arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus from one year to five years. The annual renewal requirement restricts Cyprus’s ability to plan and procure U.S. defense articles effectively, compromises U.S.-Cypriot military interoperability, and impedes joint research on cybersecurity and maritime security.

This provision allows greater flexibility for Cypriots to do long-term security and military planning and allows Cyprus to more capably work with us to advance security in a turbulent region.

Unfunded priorities list

This would empower the State Department by requiring State to submit an annual unfunded priorities list (UPL) to Congress. This list would report on the unfunded programs, activities, and mission requirements within the U.S. Department of State.

Every year, the military services and intelligence community submit unfunded priorities lists to Congress as part of the annual budget process. The State Department should be able to participate as well.

The text from this provision is identical to Rep. Titus’s Fully Funding our National Security Priorities Act.

Reducing visa wait time

This will allow greater flexibility for the Consular Affairs Bureau at the State Department to use the money collected from passport and visa fees to address the massive backlog in processing tourist visas at various consular posts overseas.

The provision urges the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs to take such steps as appropriate for the goal of ensuring that 80% of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of receipt of their visa application. The exorbitant wait times for B1/B2 visitor visas at U.S. consular posts around the world harms Southern Nevada’s tourism economy. By reducing the backlog and processing visas more quickly, more people will be able to visit the hotels, casinos, restaurants, and shops in the Valley.

This provision comes from Rep. Titus’s Visa Improvement, Streamlined Investment, and Tourism Optimization Reform (VISITOR) Act.

Red team capability

This provision codifies a recommendation from the State Department’s After Action Review on Afghanistan. Specifically, this priority directs the Secretary of State to establish a red team capability to challenge underlying policy assumptions, especially those that impact contingency planning.

Authorization of global malnutrition efforts

Authorizes the Under Secretary for Strategic Assistance to provide assistance to monitor and treat malnutrition by Exercising strategic oversight of, and provide direction for, the nutrition response component of humanitarian programming; and Coordinating, overseeing and supporting collaborative activities, programming and initiatives with the interagency, multilateral organizations, and other partners, including Food for Peace, Feed the Future, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced three major pieces of legislation that strengthen national security, protect union jobs, and prepare communities for severe weather.

Here’s a look at what she delivered for Michigan families:

On Tuesday, Haley introduced the SHIELD Act (Strategic Homeland Information Education and Learning Defense Act), a bill to protect U.S. servicemembers from foreign disinformation and extremist ideologies. With Michigan home to thousands of servicemembers, the legislation ensures troops are safeguarded against online threats while strengthening national security.

On Wednesday, she introduced the TWISTER Act, which unanimously passed the House Science Space & Technology Committee as an amendment to the Weather Act Reauthorization. The TWISTER Act would modernize tornado research to improve severe weather forecasting and early warning systems. Michiganders know firsthand the damage tornadoes and violent storms can bring, from flooding in Metro Detroit to twisters across the state. This bill gives families and local officials the tools they need to prepare, respond, and recover when disaster strikes.

On Thursday, Haley introduced the Union Auto Workers Job Protection Act, reaffirming her commitment to Michigan’s proud auto workers and automotive future. The bill protects union jobs, strengthens domestic auto manufacturing, and ensures Michigan remains the heartbeat of the American auto industry.

“These three bills speak to the heart of what I fight for every day: protecting our troops from modern threats, defending our workers and their livelihoods, and keeping our communities safe,” said Rep. Stevens. “Michigan families sent me to Washington to deliver, and I’ll never stop fighting for them.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

After months of chaos and recklessness, Stevens stands up to Kennedy and his cuts making Michiganders less healthy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to HHS Secretary RFK Jr.’s continued slashing of critical medical research–from pediatric cancer research to cutting-edge vaccine research, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens released the following statement calling for Kennedy to resign: 

“Enough is enough. RFK Jr. is creating chaos and turning away from science at a time when Michiganders need real leadership and real answers.

“Michiganders are tired of politicians who chase attention and ignore real problems. I’ve seen enough chaos from this administration and from Secretary Kennedy. He’s making Michiganders unhealthy and unsafe. He needs to resign now. It’s time for leaders who fight for science, for health, and for the people, not those who undermine the progress our families and researchers work so hard to achieve.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Bill strengthens transparency, protects workers’ rights, and ensures fairness in federal vehicle manufacturing contracts

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced the Union Auto Workers Job Protection Act, landmark legislation designed to protect union jobs, strengthen labor standards, and ensure federal vehicle manufacturing contracts deliver on their promise to American workers.

This bill is in response to the Oshkosh Defense Contract in 2021 when the United States Postal Service (USPS) awarded Oshkosh Defense a multibillion-dollar contract to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) fleet. The contract was expected to benefit Oshkosh, Wisconsin’s skilled unionized workforce, who have a long history of building high-quality vehicles for the nation. 

Instead, Oshkosh Defense announced plans to build a new facility over 800 miles away at a non-union facility in South Carolina, cutting out the very workers who were best positioned to fulfill the contract.

“This is a textbook example of corporate bait-and-switch,” said Rep. Stevens. “American taxpayers and the Postal Service expected union-built vehicles, made by experienced workers in the midwest. Instead, the contract is being used to bypass skilled union labor and exploit loopholes in the contracting process. My bill fixes the existing contract and will make sure this never happens again.”

“The Union Auto Workers Job Protection Act matters because it stops corporations from pulling bait-and-switch deals—making promises to workers and communities, then running off to pay poverty wages somewhere else.”

“When Oshkosh Corp won the contract to build the USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, workers and families in Oshkosh, Wisconsin believed the jobs would stay in their union plant, where generations of UAW members have built safe, reliable vehicles. Instead, the company abandoned that promise, moving production to a non-union facility in South Carolina—betraying workers, the community, and taxpayers who expected union jobs and accountability.

“This bill is about putting the brakes on corporate greed and making sure that kind of betrayal doesn’t happen again. It’s about fairness, keeping jobs in our communities, and guaranteeing that workers have a real voice in the decisions that shape their lives.” said Brandon Campbell UAW Region 4 Director.

The bill ensures transparency, accountability, and respect for workers in federal vehicle manufacturing contracts by:

• Shining a light on contracts – Companies must say where vehicles will be built, what workers will be paid, how many are temporary, and whether there are any labor or safety violations.

• Protecting workers’ right to organize – Federal contractors must remain neutral if workers choose to unionize.

• Locking in plant locations – Contracts must clearly state where vehicles will be assembled and what work will happen at each plant.

• Stopping surprise relocations – Companies can’t move production without agency approval, immediate union notification, and full disclosure of pay and labor conditions at the new site.

• Fixing the USPS deal – Makes sure Oshkosh Defense doesn’t receive additional funding for the current Postal Service contract until it adopts a union neutrality agreement. .
   

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