Posts

Posted on

Huffman Statement on Court Ruling to Stop Trump Admin’s Greenlight for Illegal Colosseum Mine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

August 11, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after a federal court ordered an immediate halt to new mining operations at the Colosseum Mine inside Mojave National Preserve.

“The District Court just said what the Trump administration won’t: the mining industry is not above the law. Our public lands belong to all of us, and no mining company gets to bulldoze a place we promised to protect for future generations.

“I warned Secretary Burgum last year that this approval broke federal law. Interior ignored that, and now they’re seeing the consequences. This mine threatens one of America’s most incredible desert landscapes, imperils bighorn sheep habitat, and would cut families off from our public lands.

“This ruling pauses one illegal mine, but the Trump administration is still doling out deals in its mining free-for-all. Across the country, this administration is opening our public lands’ gates to foreign mining companies so they can strip out our minerals and ship them overseas without paying a cent back to the taxpayers who own them.

“The court did its job. Now Congress must do ours. The Mining Law of 1872 was written in a time of prospectors and pickaxes, but today’s corporate mining giants have evolved their game to exploit that law for their profit at the expense of our lands, waters, and special places. Democrats will keep fighting to reform this law once and for all, so mining in America is done safely, responsibly, and for the benefit of the American people, not Trump’s billionaire buddies.”

###

Posted on

Huffman, Garcia Demand Documents from Vulcan Elements After White House Pushed Through $620 Million Loan to Company Tied to Donald Trump Jr.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

Huffman, Garcia Demand Documents from Vulcan Elements After White House Pushed Through $620 Million Loan to Company Tied to Donald Trump Jr.

August 10, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, House NaturalResources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) sent a letterto Vulcan Elements CEO John Maslin demanding overdue documents after ProPublica reporting revealed that the company’s $620 million Department of Defense loan resulted from direct White House intervention, contradicting assurances Maslin gave Committee staff and reporters that his company received no political favoritism.

“We write regarding serious concerns about corruption in government contracting, from which your company may have benefited,” the Ranking Members wrote. “According to ProPublica, the $620 million loan your company, Vulcan Elements, received from the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) was the result of direct White House intervention. This is the opposite of what you told us—and reporters—happened.”

The loan, the largest in the Office of Strategic Capital’s history, came three months after 1789 Capital, the venture capital firm where Donald Trump Jr. serves as a partner, took an equity stake in Vulcan Elements. According to ProPublica, the deal was initiated by Peter Navarro, a senior White House adviser and close personal friend of Trump Jr., and Pentagon staff were directed to complete the deal in a matter of weeks at an “unusually rapid pace.”

“The ProPublica reporting indicates that Mr. Navarro’s intervention on behalf of a company in which the President’s son held a financial stake was not coincidental to the award process; it was the extent of the award process,” the Ranking Members wrote. “The American people deserve a full accounting of this apparent political favor, which was funded by their taxpayer dollars.”

The Ranking Members laid out a four-month timeline. In July 2025, Maslin met with 1789 Capital, where Donald Trump Jr. was a subject of discussion. In August, the firm bought an ownership stake in Vulcan Elements, then a 30-employee startup. Within about a month, the White House directed the Pentagon to treat a loan to Vulcan Elements as a top priority, and staff were told to expedite the loan. By November, the company had won the largest loan in the Office of Strategic Capital’s history at the time, plus a $50 million equity stake from the Department of Commerce.

“Within the span of four months, your company went from a small startup with 30 employees to the top investment priority of the White House,” they wrote.

The letter also raises questions about ReElement Technologies, Vulcan Elements’ intended supply chain partner, which withdrew from an $80 million conditional loan process in July 2026 after Pentagon due diligence reviews raised serious doubts about the company’s ability to scale, only to receive a new $25 million federal investment three days later.

“Questions about the viability of your partner company, ReElement Technologies, have since emerged, illustrating why political favoritism in the federal government’s award processes is not only corrupt; it is also bad for business: it undermines competition in the market and burdens taxpayers with the costs of avoidable business failures,” the Ranking Members wrote.

During an April 16, 2026, meeting with NaturalResources Committee Democratic staff, Maslin assured staff, as he had assured reporters, that Vulcan Elements received no political favoritism in connection with its federal awards. ProPublica’s reporting contradicts that assurance. A Pentagon official confirmed that the Vulcan Elements deal was the only one initiated by a top aide to the president, with one person directly involved saying,

“The call came from the White House: We have to get this done.” That aide was Peter Navarro, who calls Donald Trump Jr. “brother” and whom Trump Jr. called “my boy” on a public broadcast one week before the Pentagon announced the loan.

At that same meeting, Maslin committed to producing four sets of documents, including the company’s “anti-corruption policy.” None have been shared with the Committee. Today’s letter restates those four requests and adds thirteen more, including all communications between Vulcan Elements and 1789 Capital, Peter Navarro, the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Commerce since January 20, 2025. 

Read the full letter to Vulcan Elements CEO John Maslin here.

Background

Ranking Members Huffman, Garcia, and Heinrich opened a formal congressional inquiry on February 2, 2026, into the Trump administration’s decision to commit billions of dollars in public funds to minerals companies in exchange for equity stakes, after waiving critical requirements for transparency and accountability. Multiple beneficiaries of those equity deals have documented connections to top administration officials, including Vulcan Elements and its supply chain partner ReElement Technologies.
In March 2026, Natural Resources Committee Democrats forced a vote on a subpoena motion that would have compelled Donald Trump Jr. to testify under oath about whether he profited from his father’s presidency. Committee Republicans voted it down, blocking transparency around the use of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.

###

Posted on

Oregon Lawmakers: NOAA Must Keep Its Fleet in Newport

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led Oregon Congressional Delegation members—including Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—to urge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and General Services Administration (GSA) to renew the NOAA Marine Operations Center – Pacific (MOC-P)’s fleet lease in Newport, Oregon.

“Newport is the ideal location for MOC-P. Situated on Yaquina Bay, Newport provides direct and quick access to the Pacific Ocean. Newport’s location provides low operational costs for the MOC-P compared to more inland ports and ensures that the fleet sits in the middle of the West Coast – providing efficient access to Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. It is also home to Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, which has facilitated a collaborative partnership between the agency and university,” wrote the Oregon lawmakers to NOAA and GSA. “Further, Newport is committed to investment in the infrastructure needed to support MOC-P and its workers to ensure the community remains an affordable and accessible place for NOAA employees.”

Since NOAA selected Newport to house MOC-P in 2011, the operations center has provided critical administrative, maintenance, engineering, and logistical support for the agency, supporting training and ship operations too. The lawmakers also highlighted the Port of Newport’s potential to house additional ships and the Port’s role as a hub of maritime activity, both key factors for the continued success of the MOC-P and bolstering NOAA’s maritime capacity along the West Coast.

They emphasized, “Rather than continuing to survey additional waterfront sites along the West Coast that meet the extensive requirements for rebasing this fleet, we encourage you to further capitalize on the initial investment and keep MOC-P in Newport. Keeping the fleet in Newport will be the most efficient, lowest cost option for maintaining NOAA’s fleet directly on the Pacific Coast.”

Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here.

Posted on

Congressman Gonzalez Announces Over $3.7 Million to Improve Transportation Across South Texas

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced $3,728,016 in state and federal funding for transportation agencies in the Coastal Bend and Rio Grande Valley. This funding, which is being delivered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), will be used to support a variety of public transportation projects in South Texas, including improving transit in rural areas and enhancing accessibility for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

“Your ability to live, work, and travel with ease shouldn’t be determined by your ZIP code,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “These new investments will strengthen transit operations for South Texans of all ages and ensure that everyone, regardless of neighborhood, can efficiently go to work or school, visit a doctor, run errands, and connect with family and friends. As prices at the pump continue to spike from extreme cost-raising policies out of Washington, I am working to bring relief and resources to our communities that will move us forward.”

Funds for transit agencies servicing the Coastal Bend:

  • Coastal Bend Center for Independent Living: $228,455
  • Coastal Bend Council of Governments: $40,000
  • Kleberg County Human Services: $286,000
  • Rural Economic Assistance League, Inc.: $2,662,911

Total: $3,217,366

Funds for transit agencies servicing the Rio Grande Valley:

  • City of South Padre Island: $289,000
  • Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council: $40,000
  • The Valley Association for Independent Living, Inc.: $181,650

Total: $510,650

Posted on

Huffman, Dexter Open Investigation into Insider Trading at Energy Fuels After Trump Guts Bears Ears

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

Energy Fuels CEO bought 74,000 shares days before the monument was cut by 90 percent, the largest insider purchase in company history

August 10, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) opened an investigation into potential insider trading at Energy Fuels Inc., after the company’s CEO and Chairman of the Board bought company stock days before President Trump announced he was shrinking Bears Ears National Monument by more than 90 percent.

On July 7, 2026, CEO Ross Bhappu purchased 74,000 shares, the largest insider purchase of stock in the company’s history, increasing his ownership by 41 percent. Chairman Bruce Hansen purchased 4,000 shares the next day. On July 13, Trump opened nearly 3 million acres of federal land to mining, including uranium-rich areas of the San Juan Basin that had previously been protected.

“The timing of these stock purchases indicate that nonpublic information was potentially available to both you and Mr. Hansen,” the lawmakers wrote to Bhappu.

The lawmakers argue Energy Fuels’ relationships with the administration put its executives in position to learn of the decision early and potentially profit from it. The company hired outside lobbyists that included a former Trump Interior official, identified strong government support as a selling point to investors in its expansion plans, and cited ongoing discussions with government sources as a way to close its financing gap.

The lawmakers write that this “demonstrates close coordination and communication with the Trump administration, which may have enabled you to receive privileged information about when the Bears Ears announcement would occur.”

The new boundaries opened uranium and vanadium districts the company had been eyeing for years. In a 2017 letter to the Trump administration, Energy Fuels wrote that the monument “could affect existing and future mill operations” and pointed to “many other known uranium and vanadium deposits located within the [original boundaries] that could provide valuable energy and mineral resources in the future.”

The reduction opened districts including White Canyon and Elk Ridge, areas holding multiple ore deposits west of Blanding, Utah. Ore mined there would be trucked to White Mesa, the only conventional uranium mill operating in the country.

Two Utah laws took effect in May that fast-track permits and fund critical mineral processing where the company’s mill already operates. On June 18, Energy Fuels secured a $725 million loan from the Defense Department’s Office of Strategic Capital, the largest that office had issued at the time. Two weeks after the monument shrank, the company broke ground on a mill expansion.

“After the recent passage of favorable state laws and securing funding from DOD, the final leg in Energy Fuels’ quest to gain strategic position in domestic uranium extraction and processing was to attack protections for the land and the sovereign Tribal Nations that steward it,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter argues the company standing to profit from the monument reduction has spent decades harming the community next door. White Mesa sits a mile from the former boundary and the lawmakers describe a facility that “has become a radioactive dumping ground, taking in waste from Superfund sites, the Manhattan Project, and even foreign countries, all while storing more than 700 million pounds of toxic material in outdated, single-liner pits that threaten nearby tribal communities and groundwater.”

“Energy Fuels cannot credibly claim to be a responsible operator while the nation’s last uranium mill functions like an unregulated, bargain-bin waste dump on the doorstep of an Indigenous community,” the lawmakers wrote. “Instead of respecting the Tribes for whom Bears Ears is sacred, you appear to be enriching yourself from their devastation.”

Huffman and Dexter are demanding communications between Energy Fuels and Interior, Agriculture, and Defense officials, both executives’ calendars, the company’s lobbying contract with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, and internal revenue projections tied to redrawing the boundaries.

Read the full letter to Energy Fuels CEO Ross Bhappu here.

###

Posted on

Read More (Rep. Steube Introduces Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act to Force Congress to Cut Spending Before Raising the Debt Limit)

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

August 11, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON–U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced the Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act, legislation requiring any increase or suspension of the debt limit to be matched by equal or greater spending reductions over the current year and the following 10 years. The bill and is led by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in the Senate and is endorsed by the National Taxpayers Union. “Congress cannot keep raising the credit limit on the American people without cutting up the credit card. Every time we raise the debt limit without cutting spending, we hand our children and grandchildren the bill for our own recklessness,” said Rep. Greg Steube. “This bill puts a simple rule in place. If Congress wants to raise the credit limit, Congress must cut spending by the same amount. That is basic fiscal responsibility, and it is long past time we practiced it.” “Democrats have used their reckless tax and spend process to add more money to our nation’s debt,” said Sen. Barrasso. “Governing responsibly begins with budgeting responsibly. This legislation will help stop the Democrats’ out-of-control spending spree and put us back onto the path of financial stability.”“For too long, Washington’s budgeting practices have followed the same tired script: borrow more now, promise fiscal discipline later, and leave taxpayers with a larger tab. The Dollar-For-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act is a much-needed, commonsense reform that will allow debt limit increases only when coupled with equivalent spending reductions. NTU applauds Rep. Steube for his leadership in promoting fiscal responsibility in Congress.” —Alexander Ciccone, Policy and Government Affairs ManagerThe Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act requires any debt limit increase or suspension to be matched by equal or greater spending cuts over the current year and the following 10 years. It creates a point of order in the House and Senate against considering any debt limit legislation that does not include matching spending reductions. The bill requires that a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost estimate be publicly available for at least 24 hours before a vote on covered debt-limit legislation. This legislation requires the Secretary of the Treasury to notify the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee when the United States is nearing the debt limit and when extraordinary measures may be necessary. It also prohibits budget gimmicks, including counting net interest savings toward required cuts or shifting costs outside the 10-year window. The full text of the Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act is available here. 
###

Posted on

Krishnamoorthi Blasts Trump Executive Order Advancing Debunked Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theories and Endangering Children

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for children and space out their administration across separate medical visits:

“Donald Trump’s executive order puts debunked vaccine conspiracy theories ahead of children’s lives. Decades of research and an overwhelming scientific consensus show that vaccines work and have saved millions of lives, and that there is no credible link between vaccines and autism. The worst measles outbreak in decades is a warning of what happens when vaccination rates fall, and Trump’s order risks bringing back even more preventable diseases. America’s children deserve vaccine recommendations based on science and the judgment of the medical community, not discredited conspiracy theories promoted by Donald Trump and RFK Jr.”

Posted on

Wyden, Davidson, Jayapal and Biggs Call for GAO Investigation into Warrantless Federal Surveillance of Americans’ Bank Records

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

Members call out secret “hotwatch” real-time tracking, abuse of All Writs Act, and dragnet financial searches targeting innocent Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) launch a new investigation into federal law enforcement’s widespread surveillance of Americans’ personal bank accounts and financial records.

In a letter to Acting Comptroller General Orice W. Brown, the bipartisan members of Congress highlighted severe gaps in judicial oversight, transparency, and statutory notice requirements. The lawmakers warned that without meaningful safeguards, federal agencies—including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)—are improperly exploiting legal gaps to spy on law-abiding citizens.

“Americans’ financial records can reveal deeply sensitive information including their religion; the political causes and non-profit organizations they support, including through membership; the doctors’ offices and clinics where they are treated; where they travel and with whom; and countless other private personal details,” the members wrote.“Despite the sensitivity of this data, Americans’ financial records receive few protections against government surveillance and existing legal authorities have at times been abused or stretched beyond their intended purpose.”

The lawmakers asked the GAO to evaluate four primary surveillance practices currently deployed by federal agencies:

  • Failure to Notify Americans of Seized Records: Despite the Right to Financial Privacy Act requiring the government to notify individuals when their bank records are turned over to the government, the DOJ disclosed in November 2024 that it does not track compliance with these notice rules. The lawmakers are asking GAO to quantify how many Americans are left unaware that their records were turned over.
  • Abuse of FBI National Security Letters (NSLs): The FBI routinely uses NSLs to obtain historical financial data without prior judicial approval. The bipartisan members asked GAO to audit whether the FBI is complying with 2016 reform guidelines that require individualized justifications and strict expiration rules for non-disclosure directives.
  • Warrantless Real-Time “Hotwatch” Tracking: Agencies are forcing financial institutions to report new customer transactions in real time using the All Writs Act—a broad and ambiguous 1789 law —rather than seeking explicit statutory authority from Congress. Lawmakers requested an audit into the scale, frequency, and legal justifications behind these court-ordered “hotwatches.”
  • FinCEN & FBI Dragnet Financial Searches: Agencies have allegedly directed banks to run broad, informal searches across customer databases via Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and Bank Secrecy Act mechanisms. These directives sweep up innocent Americans, circumvent PATRIOT Act safeguards, and permanently gag banks from telling customers their records were turned over.

The lawmakers requested that the GAO compile its findings into a formal report, complete with recommendations for legislative and executive reforms to restore judicial oversight and protect constitutional rights.

A copy of the full letter sent to the GAO is available here.

A web version of this release is here.

Issues: ,

Posted on

SCHNEIDER, BILIRAKIS LEAD BIPARTISAN EFFORT URGING SECRETARY RUBIO TO PRIORITIZE THE GREAT SEA INTERCONNECTOR TO STRENGTHEN COORDINATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) led a bipartisan group of colleagues urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. International Development Corporation CEO Ben Black to prioritize the Great Sea Interconnector to strengthen coordination and partnerships in the Eastern Mediterranean. 
 

“The Eastern Mediterranean will play a vitally important role as a gateway to IMEC, and the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) is a key strategic infrastructure project central to the development of the corridor,” the members wrote.
 

“The United States has a clear interest in ensuring that this transformation strengthens our partners, diversifies energy routes, deepens regional integration and advances a transparent alternative to infrastructure dominated by strategic competitors,” the members continued. “By linking the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, the GSI project will connect key U.S. partners across a strategically vital corridor.”
 

“The United States has a longstanding interest in promoting stability, security and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the members concluded. “We urge you to prioritize this project and request a classified briefing to discuss geopolitical challenges to its completion.”
 

The letter was also signed by Reps. Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Craig Goldman (TX-12), and Haley Stevens (MI-11).
 

View the full text of the letter here and below.
 

Dear Secretary Rubio and Mr. Black:  

The successful development and growth of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will be critical to the future stability and prosperity of this important region, while significantly advancing the United States’ national interests and security. The Eastern Mediterranean will play a vitally important role as a gateway to IMEC, and the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) is a key strategic infrastructure project central to the development of the corridor. 
 

As strong supporters of America’s partnerships with Greece, Cyprus and Israel, we urge the Department of State and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to prioritize the Great Sea Interconnector. 
 

The Eastern Mediterranean is emerging as a central hub for energy and infrastructure connecting Europe, the Middle East and India. The United States has a clear interest in ensuring that this transformation strengthens our partners, diversifies energy routes, deepens regional integration and advances a transparent alternative to infrastructure dominated by strategic competitors. By linking the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, the GSI project will connect key U.S. partners across a strategically vital corridor. It will help end Cyprus’s isolation from the European electricity transmission system, strengthen Israel’s security of supply and create a new platform for clean, reliable and bidirectional power flows between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. 
 

The GSI project also advances the objectives of the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, bipartisan legislation that recognizes the Eastern Mediterranean as a critical link between India, the Middle East and Europe. That legislation calls for elevating the region in U.S. foreign policy, supporting cross-border infrastructure and energy interconnectors and strengthening strategic coordination with Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and other regional partners. 
 

The United States has a longstanding interest in promoting stability, security and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean. We urge you to prioritize this project and request a classified briefing to discuss geopolitical challenges to its completion.
 

Thank you for your consideration.

Posted on

Frankel Responds to Trump’s Dangerous Childhood Vaccine Order

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order overhauling the childhood vaccine schedule and pushing dangerous misinformation about lifesaving vaccines:

“Donald Trump’s new executive order changing the childhood vaccine schedule against the advice of pediatric experts is dangerous and makes no sense,” said Rep. Frankel. “Vaccines have saved millions of children from diseases that once killed, paralyzed, and disabled them. These changes could mean more sick children, more trips to the doctor, and higher health care costs for families. Our grandchildren should not be guinea pigs for political ideology or conspiracy theories. As a grandmother, I am furious. Our kids deserve medical decisions based on science, not politics.”