MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

WASHINGTON — This morning, Speaker Johnson joined Shannon Bream on Fox News’ Fox News Sunday and Major Garrett on CBS News’ Face the Nation to discuss Charlie Kirk’s impact on America, as well as the responsibility of all leaders to turn down the temperature of political rhetoric in America. Speaker Johnson also addressed Republican efforts to responsibly keep the government funded and operating.

Watch Speaker Johnson on Fox News and CBS.

On Charlie Kirk’s impact:

It was a difficult week for the country, certainly it was felt on Capitol Hill. There is a mixture of anger and sadness and fear, frankly, on the part of a lot of people. It cast a large shadow across the country and in the nation’s capital. But what I do know Major is that my good friend Charlie would not want any of us to be consumed by despair. He would want us to go forward boldly. That was his message and to do it in love. And I think that, I hope, is the message that continues in the days ahead.

And I think this is a real moment for America, affirmatively. And I think one of the ways to do that Major is to adopt the manner of Charlie Kirk, because while he loved vigorous debate and he believed in the free marketplace of ideas and advancing truth boldly, he also was motivated by love for his fellow man, because he’d never hated the person on the other side of the table. And I think everyone would do well to be reminded of that model.

On the rise of political violence and the need to turn down the temperature:

I’ve spoken to a lot of members on both sides of the aisle, and there’s this recognition that people have got to stop framing simple policy disagreements in terms of existential threats to our democracy. All these phrases you hear all the time; you can’t call the other side fascists and enemies of the state and not understand that there are some deranged people in our society who will take that as cues to act and do crazy and dangerous things. And that’s what we’ve seen in increasing frequency.

Members of Congress and all public officials have an obligation to speak clearly to this and calm the waters. We can have vigorous disputes. I mean, Charlie Kirk was an expert at that. He loved debate, but Charlie also advanced another really important idea, and that is that he loved the people on the other side of that table. He was never motivated by hate. He was motivated by truth and love. And that’s what we have to do. That’s who we are as Americans, that follows the best of our Judeo-Christian traditions and heritage and our civil society. And we have got to get back to that.

On government funding: 

Democrats currently are playing games with government funding; they’re trying to bring in extraneous issues. We’ve been working towards getting the government funding appropriations bills done in the House. Our Appropriations Committee worked, by the way, in bipartisan fashion, to get all 12 appropriations bills through the committee. We’ve gotten three of them passed off the House floor and now we’ve voted just last week to go into a conference committee with the Senate to begin grinding this out. That’s how the process is supposed to work.

So, if there’s anyone, any Democrats who are trying to suggest that they want to shut the government down, we’re going to do everything possible to prevent that from happening. It does not behoove the country. And we may need a short gap funding measure, a CR for a short period of time, to allow the negotiations to continue. But it will be clean in its scope. And I surely hope the Democrats will not try to make this a big partisan fight.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the House of Representatives. The legislation included several key national defense priorities for South Jersey that Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) fought for.  

Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA Priorities Secured by Rep. Norcross:

• Over $618 million for CH-47 helicopters, which will be manufactured by South Jersey workers. 

• Over $2.5 billion for the KC-46 refueler aircraft, which flies out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst.  

• $5 million to Rowan University for research, development, and engineering to enable rapid entry and sustainment in the Arctic and other cold regions being conducted. 

• Required an Army study to on the consequences of ammunition research and development away from Picatinny Arsenal in Wharton, New Jersey.  

• Protected collective bargaining rights for Department of Defense Employees.  

• Protected Buy American principles, American jobs and manufacturing by making sure defense programs continue using U.S.-made parts and materials, keeping our industrial base strong 

• Protected the E-7 Wedgetail program from cancellation, ensuring $800 million in continued investment in this critical airborne warning and control capability. 

• $9.9 million investment to enhance Army command and control for unmanned systems and their defense which will be developed by South Jersey workers.  

• $10 million for research and development of man-portable doppler radars for Army Network Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (C3I) Technology. 

• $50 million to support U.S.-Israel anti-tunneling cooperation. 

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

 WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined fellow members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) and Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), as well as Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and representatives from the Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association (WNBPA) to push for fair pay for female athletes. On a press call, the Members urged the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to bargain in good faith with the WNBPA to reach a fair collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the October 31 deadline.

The press call follows a letter from Rep. Craig, fellow House Democrats and members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus to the WNBA urging the league to reach a fair CBA that considers players’ requests before the upcoming deadline. In the letter, the Members put pressure on the league to continue negotiations, which have stalled, and address the needs of players – particularly when it comes to fair compensation and revenue sharing.

“It takes the same amount of grit, dedication and skill for women to excel in their sport than it does men,” said Rep. Craig in her remarks. “So why doesn’t their pay reflect that? I’m sick and tired of hearing excuses from leadership – in men and women’s sports alike – about why they can’t pay women athletes fairly.”  

“WNBA athletes are making waves on and off the court,” she continued. “And not only that – they’re making money for the WNBA. It’s time to pay them what they are owed.”

Rep. Craig has been a staunch advocate for fair pay for female athletes. In July, Rep. Craig took to the House Floor to challenge WNBA leadership and call for pay raises for female athletes.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig released the following statement on her vote against the Republican-led National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“For over six decades, the passage of the NDAA has been a bipartisan effort to protect our national security, support our veterans and servicemembers and ensure that the United States has the resources it needs to stay ahead.

“Unsurprisingly, House Republicans – who seem hell-bent on torpedoing any bipartisan negotiations this Congress – added last-minute provisions to the bill that target LGBTQ+ veterans and servicemembers.

“By introducing amendments that limit access to critical health care for servicemembers, veterans and their families; rubber stamp President Trump’s attacks on collective bargaining rights and allow arbitrary terminations of dedicated civil servants, they have made it impossible for me to support this bill.

“These provisions don’t make our country – or the people who put their lives on the line to defend it – safer. Instead, they put servicemembers, veterans and their loved ones at risk. I refuse to turn my back on those who work every day protect our freedoms.”

The NDAA passed the House with 214 Republican votes.

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

Rep. Craig announced her bill today on MSNBC’s Morning Joe

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-08), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, issued the following statement regarding today’s passage of the rule for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026:

“While I am proud of the work we’ve done, I cannot in good conscience support this year’s NDAA,” said Rep. Garamendi. “I am disappointed that my Republican colleagues have chosen the partisan path to empower President Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. I am alarmed at the bill’s erosion of fiscal discipline and constitutional boundaries. Programs like the nuclear Sentinel program have ballooned out of control, while taxpayer dollars are being spent to retrofit a luxury jet for President Trump. My concerns range from these programs being a waste of taxpayer dollars to blatant corruption.”

“I am also deeply concerned about the misuse of our military for immigration and law enforcement. President Trump has ordered deportation flights using C-17s and C-130s at ten times the cost of standard DHS flights. Not only is this wrong, it’s fiscally indefensible. These aircraft were built for combat, not domestic law enforcement.”  

“And this is not an isolated incident. President Trump has also misused our military by deploying 7,600 troops, including from some of our most combat-ready forces like the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) or 10th Mountain Division, to the southern border. These are some of our most prepared forces, and draining their readiness for political theater is reckless, dangerous, and leaves America less prepared for real emergencies.”  

“Taken together, these actions reveal a disturbing pattern. From Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, President Trump has turned our military into a political weapon. And now, this bill hands him even more money to use the military for his own personal goals, marching our country towards a police state.”

“While I supported this bill in committee, working in a bipartisan way to address these and many other issues, the final version has been poisoned by Republican colleagues more interested in scoring political points than protecting our nation. Our defense policy should reflect accountability, readiness, and stewardship—not vanity projects, fiscal recklessness, or political grandstanding. For these reasons and more, I cannot in good conscience support this bill as amended.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

WASHINGTON, DC — This week, Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08), along with Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Rep. Greg Landsman (OH-01), demanded that the Trump Administration immediately reverse course on actions that jeopardize safety, environmental health, and labor protections for energy workers and the communities where they live.  

The full text can be found HERE.

“America cannot be energy independent without the workers who power it, yet Donald Trump is proving he’d rather side with corporations than the working class. Energy workers risk their lives every day, and their communities depend on strong protections for their health and safety,” said Congressman Garamendi. “Instead of strengthening these safeguards, Trump is tearing them down, putting workers, their families, and entire communities in danger. In my district alone, multiple refinery fires have already threatened lives, and his rollbacks make future disasters even more likely. Trump likes to call himself a friend of the working class, but if he truly cares, he should reverse course and stand with the energy workers who keep America running.”

“President Trump’s reckless agenda of defunding and deregulating federal agencies tasked with keeping Americans safe on the job is another reason his Administration is the most anti-worker administration since the Gilded Age. I am proud to join this effort with Congressman Garamendi to call on the President to reverse these policies that threaten the health and safety of workers and their communities across the country,” said Congressman DeSaulnier.

“These jobs are tough and often dangerous. Workers deserve strong protections so they can do their jobs safely, come home to their families, and know they’re shielded from sickness and injury. We’re fighting to make sure workers and their communities have the safeguards they need.” said Congressman Landsman.

“Thousands of USW members proudly serve their communities, helping our nation meet its energy needs,” said USW International President David McCall. “These vital workers, like all workers, deserve to remain safe on the job. Yet, the Trump administration’s continuing assault on the agencies tasked with upholding workers’ rights and maintaining workplace health and safety demonstrates a profound disrespect for energy workers and their security. We commend Rep. Garamendi for his efforts to shine a light on this crucial issue as we fight to keep energy workers safe and healthy.”

“American energy workers are powering our homes, fueling our economy, and bolstering our country’s energy independence,” said Jason Walsh, BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director. “But with the inherent dangers of this work—to both workers and communities—we have a responsibility to put strong, enforceable protections in place so that every worker can go home safe at the end of the day. The right to organize and bargain cannot be optional—unions save lives and they are essential to securing the standards this critical industry deserves.”

“Workplace protections have never been sufficient to protect coal miners from harm. Today, thousands of miners still suffer from black lung disease, a debilitating and deadly disease caused by overexposure to coal and rock dust during their careers,” said the Appalachian Citizens Law Center. “And yet, rather than address this occupational epidemic, the Trump Administration has been gutting the institutions that enforce health and safety measures in coal mines, develop new technology and processes to make coal mines safer, and help take care of miners once they are sick. Miners and their families deserve better. We’re grateful for members of Congress, like Representatives Garamendi, DeSaulnier, and Landsman, who are demanding explanations for these shameful actions.”

“The science is clear that workplace protections for energy workers are crucial to limit their exposure to harmful and dangerous conditions and could even be lifesaving,” said Chitra Kumar, former EPA EJ official and Climate and Energy Managing Director, Union of Concerned Scientists. “Just as low-income and communities of color are disproportionately exposed to toxic chemical facilities and polluting coal, oil and gas operations, workers in these industries also face serious health risks on the job. This administration’s disregard for workers who have served the country’s energy needs is on full display with the sweeping cuts to agency budgets and worker protection programs.”

Energy jobs—from oil and gas to coal and chemical refining—are often hazardous, and workers deserve strong safeguards. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has repeatedly taken steps that weaken these protections, including:  

• Slashing funding and operations at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, including ending black lung diagnostic services for coal miners.
• Attempting to dissolve the Chemical Safety Board, which investigates major industrial accidents.  
• Curtailing OSHA’s authority to enforce workplace protections in high-risk industries.  
• Issuing Clean Air Act waivers to refineries and coal plants on “national security” grounds, bypassing health standards, defunding EPA environmental justice programs, and cutting agency staff.  
• Undermining the National Labor Relations Board, leaving it largely unable to operate.  

The letter is endorsed by the United Steelworkers Union, the BlueGreen Alliance, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Appalachian Citizens Law Center.  

This letter was also signed by Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Frank Mrvan (IN-01), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Diana DeGette (CO-1), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Darren Soto (FL-09), Sam Liccardo (CA-16).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15)

Washington, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the appointment of Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-14) as Ranking Member of the newly established Judiciary Select Subcommittee on January 6. 

The original January 6 Select Committee was created to conduct oversight into the causes and consequences of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and to recommend measures that will protect Congress and American democracy from future threats. This subcommittee was created to re-write history in the service of a twice-impeached president. 

“I’m thankful to Leader Jeffries, and to my colleagues, Representatives Crockett and Moskowitz, for their eagerness to serve alongside me. Since the Civil War, the three most consequential days in American history have been Pearl Harbor, 9/11, and January 6. These days are so seared into our memories because we saw them with our own eyes,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14).

“But Donald Trump is on a war path to rewrite that history. He has pardoned the insurrectionists, vilified the cops who defended us, attacked those who investigated him, and even forced the Smithsonian to whitewash the record.

“My father was a cop, my brothers are cops, and I was a prosecutor, but you don’t need a law enforcement background to know that in America, we don’t choose criminals over cops. 

“Trump is trying to do with January 6 what conspiracy theorists did with 9/11, deny the truth of what happened and create more division in our country. We didn’t buy those lies then, and we won’t buy them now, because we saw it with our own eyes. That much is simple. 

“As Ranking Member, my mission is clear: to honor the heroes of January 6 by protecting the truth, defending the rule of law, and ensuring this never happens again. This is not about partisanship, it’s about patriotism.”

Joining Congressman Swalwell on the January 6 subcommittee are Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, who will serve as an ex officio member, and Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Jared Moskowitz. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed H.R. 5089, the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025, during a full committee markup. This critical legislation, led by Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren and former SST Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, builds on the success of the committee’s Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017. It aims to further enhance the capabilities of the U.S. weather enterprise by modernizing essential research programs, advancing innovative forecasting and prediction methods, and improving emergency preparedness for communities nationwide.

“I’m glad that we came together to pass the Weather Act Reauthorization through Committee today,” Ranking Member Lofgren said. “This bipartisan bill will ensure NOAA has the tools, capabilities, and workforce to sustain and advance its lifesaving work. I thank both Chairman Babin and Mr. Lucas for their partnership in this effort over the past several years. Now, for our constituents in every corner of the nation, we must keep up this momentum and get this bill through the House, the Senate, and enacted into law.”

“The devastating flooding that struck Texas this summer highlights the urgent and often unpredictable nature of severe weather, reminding us that a single storm can alter lives in an instant,” Chairman Brian Babin said. “Accurate and timely weather forecasts are essential for effective preparation and response, ensuring that we are well-equipped to handle whatever nature brings. The Weather Act Reauthorization will significantly enhance our nation’s weather forecasting capabilities and improve the prediction of high-impact weather events. Additionally, it will bolster emergency preparedness by improving how weather and flood alerts are communicated, providing crucial information from warnings to updates. Many thanks to Rep. Lucas and Ranking Member Lofgren for their leadership in advancing H.R. 5089 and ensuring the United States is positioned to lead the world in weather forecasting. This is sensible legislation that I am proud to support, and I look forward to sending it to President Trump for signature.”

“From my time as the Science Committee Chairman to my time spent on the farm, I’ve seen firsthand that accurate and reliable weather forecasting is crucial for the day-to-day lives of Americans nationwide,” Rep. Lucas said. “The fact is, whether you work in Agriculture or on Main Street, weather conditions have an acute effect on all of us. That is why reauthorizing the Weather Act is so important. Not only will this legislation ensure the American weather enterprise remains a global leader in forecasting and innovation, but it also serves as a lifesaving tool to improve the accuracy and timeliness of weather predictions. Protecting American citizens and industries stands at the heart of President Trump’s America First agenda, so I look forward to seeing this bill reach his desk to be signed into law.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)