MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) has introduced the Randy Susen Nursing Home Visitation Rights Act to ensure nursing home residents can never again be denied visits from their loved ones in times of crisis. Grothman worked on this legislation with Shirley Krause, Randy Susen’s wife.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing homes nationwide imposed strict visitation bans in the name of infection control. These policies left many residents cut off from their families, leading to decline and even death in isolation without the comfort of a loved one. Prolonged isolation often leads to steep declines in mental, emotional, and physical health for nursing home residents.

The bill is named in honor of Randy Susen, a resident of Wisconsin’s Sixth District, who passed away during the pandemic after being denied visits from his family. Randy’s health deteriorated rapidly when separated from the people he loved most.

“Tragedies like Randy Susen’s must never be repeated,” said Congressman Grothman. “Forced isolation robbed Randy, and other residents, of the very connections that give them strength and joy. Policies that were intended to protect instead caused devastating harm, leaving far too many patients to suffer without the presence of their families. This bill will ensure that no nursing home resident is ever forced to face that isolation again.”

“After my 64-year-old husband Randy suffered a massive subdermal hematoma and stroke, doctors told me to let him go, saying he would never recover or even know me as his wife. Yet our love carried him into a remarkable recovery,” said Shirley Krause, Randy Susen’s wife.  “In March 2020, COVID nursing home restrictions barred me from being with him—I could only see him through a window. His health declined from loneliness, and I was emotionally shattered by the separation. No patient or family should endure such inhumane pain.”

Background Information

The Randy Susen Nursing Home Visitation Rights Act would:

• Amend the Medicare and Medicaid provisions of the Social Security Act to require that every nursing home resident be allowed to designate no fewer than one “essential visitor.”
• Guarantee that this essential visitor cannot be denied access to the resident except by the resident themselves.
• Protect dignity, health, and accountability by ensuring that residents always have access to at least one trusted loved one, regardless of circumstances.

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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) proudly serves the people of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, Flood Introduce Bill to Support College Students’ Access to Mental Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Don Bacon (NE), joined by Mike Flood (NE) and Rep. Zach Nunn (IA), introduced the “College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act.”

“College can be stressful for many students as they experience being away from their family and friends for an extended period, and nearly 77 percent experience some kind of psychological distress,” said Congressman Bacon. “Allowing college campus mental health providers to continue the care of their college student through telehealth will fill a need for when students are home during breaks. I’m pleased to join Rep. Flood on this bill to extend this needed care to college students in their times of need.”

“It is no secret that mental health is one of the most urgent crises of our time, especially among young adults,” said Congressman Flood. “Many colleges and universities include mental health care in their health service offerings to students. Current regulations, however, can prevent the continuation of these services when students are off campus and out of state. This bill simply allows students to maintain consistent access to their trusted providers throughout the year. That’s why I’m pleased to introduce this bill during National Suicide Prevention Month. I thank my colleagues for joining me in this effort to help address the mental health crisis affecting our nation.”

“Mental health support is a critical lifeline for students, and that need does not stop when they head home for break or the holidays,” said Congressman Nunn. “Right now, crossing a state line can cut off access to trusted care providers. Our bill removes that barrier so students can stay connected to the care they rely on.”

“This bill is a crucial step toward building a more supportive and responsive mental health system that meets the needs of today’s college student population,” said American College Health Association (ACHA) CEO James Wilkinson. “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Flood and his colleagues for introducing this legislation to support the mental health and well-being of college students. The Congressman listened to the challenges our members shared and immediately began researching and drafting a solution. His commitment to ensuring students don’t lose access to their mental health services when they leave the state for school breaks or internships is a testament to his dedication to their success.”

The “College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act” allows colleges and universities to extend the mental health care that college students use while on campus. Specifically, the legislation allows mental health providers to continue their care and services via three means:

1. Allows mental health providers employed by Institutes of High Education to offer telehealth mental health care services to a student of the same institution- regardless of state lines.
2. Protecting the ability of states to continue participating in existing interstate healthcare compacts.
3. Expanding interstate telehealth care to incoming students who have registered for classes, as well as students who have attended courses within the last three months at the time of seeking care from a mental health provider from the Institutes of Higher Education.

A full copy of the legislation can be accessed by clicking here.

Support for the College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act 

The following groups support the legislation: American College Health Association, Association of College and University Housing Officers-International, and National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), and members of the California congressional delegation demanded answers from the Trump administration on its involvement in Sable Offshore Corporation’s attempts to restart offshore oil drilling using the same pipelines that caused the Refugio State Beach oil spill of 2015.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)’s Principal Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens, the lawmakers requested information on what actions BSEE has taken to help Sable restart the project and question whether BSEE ignored their environmental responsibilities. 

“It is unclear whether the Trump administration bought into the company’s inaccurate statements or whether BSEE’s July 25 statement references different information entirely. BSEE’s July 25 statement also calls into question whether the Bureau had received accurate information from the company when the Bureau decided to issue 10 approvals for well modification permits for Sable in July,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Ensuring safety and reducing the environmental impact of oil production in the OCS are BSEE responsibilities, and they require careful consideration. As America has experienced throughout its history—such as the Exxon Valdez, Deepwater Horizon, and California oil spills—the risk to the economy and the environment from oil spills is simply too great for hasty decisions that do not comprehensively take into account science or state and federal law,” the lawmakers concluded.

The lawmakers emphasized how in addition to a series of misleading statements asserting that oil production has resumed, Sable has blatantly disobeyed directives from California agencies that are required for offshore oil and pipeline operations in the state.

In addition to Carbajal, Schiff, and Padilla, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Laura Friedman (D-CA-30), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), and Derek Tran (D-CA-45).

Earlier this year, Carbajal and Schiff wrote to Governor Gavin Newsom raising concerns about the potential restart of offshore oil drilling operations along California’s Gaviota Coast by Sable Offshore Corp.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Burgum and Principal Deputy Director Stevens:

We write to inquire and express concern regarding the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) public statement and involvement in the Sable Offshore Corp.’s (Sable) Santa Ynez Unit (SYU) offshore oil project near the coast of Santa Barbara, California. Given BSEE’s recent public statement, we request information on the agency’s involvement with the Sable offshore project.

BSEE is the lead federal agency charged with improving safety and ensuring environmental protection related to the offshore energy industry on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Bureau is supposed to protect Americans from the threat of offshore oil spills, and Californians in the Santa Barbara region are unfortunately all too familiar with the damage oil spills can cause. On January 28, 1969, an oil well blowout leaked 4.2 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean for an entire year. This oil spill completely closed commercial fishing in the area from February to April and caused damage to recreational and personal property, resulting in extensive economic losses for the region.

Further, on May 19, 2015, the SYU (the same operation now owned by Sable) ruptured near Refugio State Beach, leaking 143,000 gallons of crude oil into storm drains and ultimately the ocean. Marine life, including fish, birds, and mammals, washed up on beaches coated in oil, and fisheries and beaches were forced to shut down. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan assessed $22 million in damages to marine habitats, wildlife, and human uses due to the oil spill. The SYU was shut down after the 2015 Refugio State Beach oil spill until recent efforts to resume production.

In February 2024, ExxonMobil sold the SYU to Sable, a Texas-based company that seeks to extract mineral resources from California’s coast. By late April 2025, Sable had accrued multiple lawsuits from environmental groups, three cease-and-desist orders from the California Coastal Commission (CCC), and a $18 million fine from CCC for operating without the appropriate entitlements. The CCC has argued that Sable violated the California Coastal Act for months by repairing and updating oil pipelines without permits. Because of its actions, Sable became subject to two court injunctions from the Santa Barbara County Superior Court ordering the company to stop repairs on the pipelines and to pause oil production.

In spite of all this, on May 19, 2025—the 10-year anniversary of the Refugio State Beach oil spill—Sable announced the restart of oil production. Yet, in a letter sent to Sable on May 23, 2025, the California State Lands Commission wrote that the company appeared to “mischaracterize” its activities: “Characterizing testing activities as a restart of operations is not only misleading but also highly inappropriate – particularly given that Sable has not obtained the necessary regulatory approvals to fully resume operations at SYU.” As a result of Sable‘s confusing public statement, the company is facing class action lawsuits alleging that it misled investors.

Then, in an apparent amplification of the company’s misleading statement, BSEE released a public statement on July 25, 2025, celebrating “the restart of production at SYU” and claiming that the U.S. Department of the Interior “successfully resumed production in just five months.” The statement also claimed that BSEE “continues to work with Sable to bring additional production online.” However, Sable has yet to receive all the appropriate permits from California state agencies that are required for offshore oil and pipeline operations in the state. Moreover, the company remains under multiple court injunctions that prevent the resumption of operations until certain conditions can be met.

Therefore, BSEE’s statements are confusing at best and deceptive at worst. It is unclear whether the Trump administration bought into the company’s inaccurate statements or whether BSEE’s July 25 statement references different information entirely. BSEE’s July 25 statement also calls into question whether the Bureau had received accurate information from the company when the Bureau decided to issue 10 approvals for well modification permits for Sable in July.

Considering BSEE’s stated involvement with Sable and Sable’s blatant attempts to circumvent state agency directives, we request answers to the following questions by September 29, 2025: 

1. What is BSEE’s role in efforts to restart the Sable project and what actions has BSEE taken to help Sable restart the project? Please provide a timeline of the communications between BSEE and Sable.
2. Please provide clarification on BSEE’s July 25, 2025, statement that Sable has resumed oil production. How is this possible if Sable does not have the permits to do so and was merely conducting testing activities? On the basis of what information did BSEE decide to issue the July 25, 2025 statement? 
3. Has BSEE made any determinations regarding whether Sable is in compliance with applicable state permits and related requirements? Why has BSEE failed to clearly communicate on these issues with California state agencies? 
4. Has BSEE or DOI encouraged Sable to disregard California state agency directives in any way? 
5. Why did BSEE provide 10 permit approvals (nine applications for permits to modify and one revised permit to modify) for Sable even though the company remains ensnarled in litigation and court injunctions? Is BSEE confident that the company provided accurate information to the agency when it submitted its well modification applications? 

Ensuring safety and reducing the environmental impact of oil production in the OCS are BSEE responsibilities, and they require careful consideration. As America has experienced throughout its history—such as the Exxon Valdez, Deepwater Horizon, and California oil spills—the risk to the economy and the environment from oil spills is simply too great for hasty decisions that do not comprehensively take into account science or state and federal law. Thank you and we look forward to your response.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) led 21 of his colleagues on a letter to President Donald Trump supporting his efforts to get rid of discriminatory Digital Services Taxes (DSTs), specifically focusing on the U.K.’s DST. These taxes sponge economic profit away from American innovators and workers, resulting in American dollars being shifted into foreign coffers. Since 2020, more than $3 billion has been collected by the U.K.’s Digital Services Tax.

The full letter can be found below.

Background:

June 2025 – Rep. Estes Reacts To Canada’s Removal Of DSTs

June 2025 – Rep. Estes Sends Letter to POTUS Urging Removal of Canada’s DST

March 2025 – Newsweek: Congressman: Trump Is Helping U.S. Retake Control of Its Own Tax Policy | Opinion

February 2025 – Rep. Estes Commends Administration on DST Investigation

June 2024 – Rep. Estes Condemns Canada’s Digital Services Tax

March 2023 – Reps. Estes, Kildee Introduce Resolution Condemning Foreign Digital Services Taxes (DSTs)

March 2023 – Rep. Estes Questions Biden Trade Ambassador Tai on DSTs

January 2020 – Rep. Estes Pens Letter to the Editor in Response to French Economic Minister on DSTs

July 2019 – Rep. Estes Applauds Investigation of French Digital Tax

April 2019 – Rep. Estes in Fox Business: US must challenge France’s shakedown of American tech companies

Dear President Trump,

We write to express our serious concerns regarding the United Kingdom’s discriminatory digital services tax (DST) and urge you to seek its removal as soon as possible. The UK’s DST collected $1 billion in 2024 alone, and an estimated $3.1 billion between 2021 and 2024, almost entirely from American companies. The UK itself has stated that 90% of the DST is paid by five companies, which the U.S. Trade Representative believes to all be American owned companies. This discriminatory action undermines American innovation and captures the U.S. tax base.

We applaud you for your attention and action combating discriminatory DSTs that target U.S. companies. We are deeply appreciative of your recent comments that digital taxes must end immediately and that “American Technology Companies, are neither the ‘piggy bank’ nor the ‘doormat’ of the World any longer.” You have demonstrated a focus on eliminating these unfair trading practices from our partners and you have delivered wins for American companies, most notably Canada’s commitment to withdraw its DST. Additionally, India also ended its DST and New Zealand withdrew its DST legislation in response to your resolve.

The UK’s insistence to maintain its DST contradicts its commitment to treat U.S. companies fairly, and if permitted to continue, will set a dangerous precedent for other countries, including those that continue to levy DSTs on U.S. companies or others, such as Poland and Slovakia, that are proposing new DSTs. It is therefore essential that the UK removes this tax promptly.

As you prepare for the upcoming U.S.-UK Leaders’ Summit, we urge you to prioritize securing a commitment that the UK will remove its DST. Should the UK fail to agree, we believe reopening the Section 301 investigation into the DST would be a necessary and appropriate action.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) delivered a letter to social media leaders demanding the immediate removal of posts and accounts that celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Christian, conservative leader whose work and legacy touched tens of millions of Americans.

“Please be advised that your platforms are rightfully expected to expeditiously remove all posts that have celebrated the political assassination of Charlie Kirk. Further, the authors of these posts are to be identified and banned from your platform, as well as any new pages they may create,” Congressman Higgins wrote.

“Gleeful celebration of the heinous murder of an American citizen, brazenly published within the public forums of social media, is not to be tolerated within the accepted and legal parameters of a free and humane society, and I have initiated a Congressional effort to force accountability,” Congressman Higgins continued. “If you shield these offenders, section 230 will not protect your platform from vigorous exposure.”

Read the full letter here.

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

WASHINGTON — Tonight, Speaker Johnson hosted a bipartisan vigil in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building for Members of Congress to honor the life of Charlie Kirk following his tragic assassination.

Watch Speaker Johnson’s remarks at the vigil here.

Speaker Johnson delivered the following remarks:

“We thank you all for being here. This has been a very difficult week in America. There’s a wide range of emotions that have been felt by the American people and frankly, by leaders in the nation’s capital: sadness, of course, unspeakable grief that people have felt.

Many of the people assembled here in Statuary Hall today were personal friends of Charlie Kirk, knew him well, watched his ministry and his organization develop over the years. Then the sadness for so many of us turned to anger. There’s been a mixture of emotions that included fear on behalf of a lot of people around the country.

“This was a heinous political violence, an assassination. Our friend, Charlie, did not pass away in a car accident. He was assassinated for standing for his political beliefs. And for so many of us, it has felt as if the ground has been shaken.

“It’s not just the people assembled here, of course, it involves students on the university campuses around America and the over 3,000 chapters of Turning Point that are on university, college campuses, and high school campuses around the country – and all of the people in the network and in the conservative movement and, and throughout the nation that have heard Charlie’s voice and felt a part of all that he was involved with. He was on a mixture of media and his voice was heard loudly and clearly.

“What we do know about Charlie is that he would not want us to be overcome by despair and would want us to carry the message forward to honor his memory and to expand the legacy he left behind.

“I’ve spoken as many of us have at a lot of memorial services over the last several days. Some in my home state. We had one here at the Kennedy Center last night, as you all know. But we felt it was appropriate for us to gather here in the nation’s capital in Statuary Hall to mark the passing of our friend to share in a moment of reflection and a prayer together, which we’ll have in a few moments after a few of the leaders speak here briefly.

“I’ve summarized in every public remark that I’ve given that I think the best way to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk is to live as he lived. I’ve encouraged young people to do two things: Advance his principles and adopt his approach.

“The principles that Charlie stood for were faith and freedom, family and virtue, patriotism and America, which he believed was the greatest nation in the history of the world. Those are good principles to advance, and you honor Charlie by doing so. You honor your country also to adopt his approach, because Charlie was a happy warrior, and he was not angry at anybody over those things that he was advancing.

“He never hated anyone. In fact, in Charlie’s own words, he was motivated by love. He believed in the words of scripture. He identified himself to be a Christ follower, and he tried to model that every single day in everything that he did.

“As I remarked a couple of times already this week, what I loved about Charlie the most is that even though he could win any debate, he never held it against anyone on the other side of the table. To the contrary, he was the very first person to reach out a hand of friendship or to put his arm around the shoulder of someone who was on the complete opposite side of the political spectrum, philosophy, or ideology. It was about the people. That’s what Charlie represented, and his legacy will go on. Scripture reminds us that we should not be overcome by evil, but we should overcome evil with good. That is the legacy of Charlie Kirk.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

September 15, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced today the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act. This bill extends the landmark 2024 law providing tax relief for individuals impacted by federally declared disasters. This will permit victims to claim disaster-related personal casualty losses without having to itemize deductions through 2026. Senator Rick Scott has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. 
“Allowing taxpayers to write off damages from natural disasters is a no-brainer. Millions of Floridians have already benefited from my Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act as they rebuild from the last several hurricane seasons. This law provides a much-needed lifeline to families as they navigate the most difficult of times,” said Rep. Steube. “I am grateful to partner with Senator Rick Scott to extend this critical part of the federal government’s emergency response.”
“It is great to have bipartisan support on our common-sense legislation to provide tax relief to victims of natural disasters – this effort sends an important message to families that their federal government is here to support them after disaster strikes,” said Senator Scott. “We have seen the absolute heartbreak families experience after any natural disaster – whether that’s hurricanes, wildfires, or massive flooding – as they’ve lost everything and are working hard to get back on their feet. Our bill extends this relief through the end of 2026 to ensure relief is available for any victims, and expands support for the victims of wildfires like the California fires in January that took innocent lives and caused massive damage that families are still working to recover from. This legislation is an important step to ensure that when disaster strikes, Washington stands with survivors, not against them.”
Rep. Steube’s bipartisan bill is co-led by Representatives Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).
“Families who lose their homes and livelihoods in a wildfire shouldn’t be hit with the possibility of a tax bill on their equity affecting the very payments meant to help them recover,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “This bill ensures disaster relief is treated fairly and victims aren’t left fighting with the IRS on top of other challenges they may face. I’m pleased to join Congressman Steube in leading it.”
“After disaster strikes, survivors face not only the loss of their loved ones, homes, and livelihoods, but they also face the uncertainty of how to begin again,” said Rep. Thompson. “In those moments, the last thing a survivor should fear is whether they qualify for tax relief. I am proud to work with my colleagues to expand on our disaster tax relief work and ensure survivors have the certainty and support they deserve.” 
“Families and communities recovering from natural disasters shouldn’t face the added burden of arbitrary deadlines that cut off their access to critical tax relief,” said Rep. Panetta.  “Our bipartisan bill extends those deadlines and ensures that wildfire relief payments and hurricane losses continue to qualify for fair tax treatment. By providing this certainty, we can give disaster-impacted Americans the time and tools they need to rebuild and move forward.”
The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act was first enacted after Representative Steube led a bipartisan coalition with Representatives LaMalfa, Thompson, and Panetta to achieve only the third successful public discharge petition in congressional history. The bill was signed into law on December 12, 2024, following passage by the U.S. Senate.
Read the full bill text here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Congressman David Valadao’s (CA-22) bill, the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act. This legislation would standardize software the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses to process benefit claims and streamline the process to ensure no veterans or survivors are left behind when seeking benefits they have earned.

Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) originally introduced this bill in the 118^th Congress.

“Our veterans put their lives on the line to defend our nation, and they shouldn’t have to fight another battle just to access the benefits they’ve earned,” said Congressman Valadao. “The VA’s current claims system is inefficient, creates backlogs, and burdens veterans and their families with unnecessary paperwork. House passage of my bill is an important step to expand automation tools, streamline the process, and ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to get it across the finish line.”

Congressman Valadao spoke on the House Floor during debate on his legislation. Watch his remarks here or read as prepared below:

Mr. Speaker,

I rise to urge support for my bill, the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Act.

Our veterans put their lives on the line to defend this country. When they come home, they shouldn’t have to fight another battle just to get the benefits they’ve earned.

Unfortunately, outdated systems at the VA are causing unnecessary delays that create real hardships for both veterans and their families.

To speed up disability claims, the VA has used automation tools like AI to draft letters and gather documents. But that same technology hasn’t been applied to other types of claims, such as pensions or survivors’ benefits. 

This has led to growing backlogs and, in some cases, missed benefits altogether.

My bill takes steps to fix this. It requires the VA to expand the use of automation tools, ensure documents are properly labeled in the system, and improve coordination between offices. 

It also directs the VA to use these tools for pensions and survivors’ benefits so families aren’t left behind.

By improving coordination across the VA and other federal agencies, we can also reduce overpayments and prevent families from being hit with unexpected debt notices.

This is a commonsense bill that will help ensure veterans and survivors receive the benefits they deserve in a timely and efficient manner, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support.

I also want to thank Chairman Bost and his staff at the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for their work on this important bill.

Thank you, and I yield back.

Background:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has several offices that handle different types of benefits claims. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) processes claims, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals reviews denied claims, and the Debt Management Center handles debts caused by VA overpayments. Throughout the claims and appeals process, VA employees gather evidence, send letters to veterans and survivors, and make decisions based on the evidence. To speed up disability claims, the VA has used AI tools to draft letters and gather key documents. However, these tools haven’t been extended to other claims like pensions or survivors’ benefits which leads to long delays—sometimes years—for those decisions. Claims processing is also slowed by mislabeled documents in VA’s electronic system which can cause delays or even missed evidence that could support a veteran’s claim.

Read the full bill here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

September Mobile Office Days for Congressman French Hill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

Congressmen Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) and Steven Horsford (NV-04) led Congressional Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee in a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Acting Commissioner, Scott Bessent, demanding the agency publicly affirm that the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Sec. 25C) remains available despite a Republican effort to end the program as part of their Big Ugly Tax Law.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit provides significant relief for Americans by offering up to $3,200 annually for qualifying energy-efficient home improvements – helping households lower utility bills and reduce overall living costs. Families using the credit not only saved an average of $882 on their taxes, but also lowered their energy bills by an average of about $130 in the first year according to analysis by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit was created on a bipartisan basis in 2005, and expanded by Congressional Democrats as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The lette reads, in part:
If our colleagues on the other side of the aisle truly intended to eliminate [the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit], they should have cited the law correctly – Congress writes laws, and sloppy drafting is no excuse for the Treasury department to substitute its policy preferences for the language of the law as enacted.
 

Reps. Gomez and Horsford released the following statement:

“I wrote the Home Energy Savings Act, which was signed into law through the IRA, because working families deserve to get real savings on their energy bills,” Rep. Gomez said. “Despite Republican efforts to repeal this tax credit, 25C is still the law of the land through 2032, and families should keep getting the savings they were promised. I led the fight to create this credit, and I’ll keep leading the fight to protect it.”

 “The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit has helped Americans make ends meet and modernize their energy consumption for two decades,” Rep. Horsford said. “In Nevada, these tax credits make clean energy solutions affordable for more people, help lower energy bills, protect my constituents from extreme heat in the summer, and foster good paying jobs in our community. Despite Republican claims, these credits remain in effect for seven more years,” Horsford continued. “As such, the IRS must update its website to provide accurate information about the program. As President Trump raises costs on everyday goods, the American people deserve to know that programs still exist to help lower energy costs.” 

Full text of the lawmakers’ letter is available here.