MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) reintroduced the Affordable Housing Equity Act, legislation that would strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) by providing a targeted basis boost for housing developments that serve extremely low-income (ELI) households.

“Too many families are being priced out of their communities and left without stable housing,” said DelBene. “The Affordable Housing Equity Act strengthens one of our most effective affordable housing production tools, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, to better serve the families most in need. This legislation ensures that these households aren’t left behind in the fight for more affordable housing.” 

“We’re in a housing crisis, and the families hit hardest are the ones with the fewest options,” Gomez. “This bill delivers targeted help to the lowest-income renters by supercharging the most effective affordable housing tool we have. It’s a smart, urgent step to tackle housing affordability and build equity from the ground up.”

The Affordable Housing Equity Act increases the eligible basis by up to 50% for residential units designated for households earning no more than 30% of area median income (AMI) or 100% of the federal poverty line, whichever is greater. Housing developments must set aside at least 20% of units for ELI renters and be designated by the housing credit agency as needing the boost for financial feasibility.

LIHTC is the federal government’s primary tool to incentivize the construction and rehabilitation of rental units that families can afford. While existing law allows for a 30% boost in certain areas, those provisions don’t consistently support developments serving extremely low-income renters. The bill closes that gap by creating a national standard tailored to ELI households. The bill applies to new housing credit allocations made after the date of enactment and to tax-exempt bond-financed projects issued after December 31, 2025.

A copy of the bill can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15), and Ron Estes (KS-04) reintroduced the bipartisan Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, legislation that would fix an arbitrary Medicare policy that excludes certain patients from skilled nursing care coverage, resulting in exorbitant and unexpected out-of-pocket costs. 

Currently, a patient must have an “inpatient” hospital stay of at least three days for Medicare to cover skilled nursing care. Hospitals are increasingly holding patients under “observation status,” an outpatient designation. Under this outdated rule, patients who receive hospital care under this status do not qualify for skilled nursing care, even if their hospital stay lasts longer than three days and even if their care team prescribes it. These patients are either forced to return home without the treatment they have been prescribed or are unexpectedly billed astronomical amounts after their stays in a skilled nursing facility (SNF). These patients can easily accrue tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills, and recent research suggests that this policy most impacts those who can least afford it.

“With health care already a significant expense for seniors, the last thing they need is an expensive and unexpected medical bill. When a Medicare patient is in the hospital for three days, that should meet the three-day requirement. Plain and simple,” said DelBene. “Differentiating between ‘inpatient’ and ‘observation’ is what frustrates people about the health care system. This legislation would make clear that three days means three days, allowing seniors to access rehabilitation services they need to get better and not incur a massive unexpected medical bill.”

“People deserve better. Whether a patient is in the hospital for three days as an inpatient, or for three days under ‘observation status’—three days is three days. Quibbling over semantics shouldn’t keep people from accessing the care their doctors have prescribed or trap them beneath a mountain of unexpected medical debt. Our bill offers a simple, commonsense fix to Medicare’s arbitrary ‘observation status’ loophole that will help ensure seniors aren’t getting billed thousands of extra dollars in medical bills due to illogical federal policy,” said Courtney.  

“When facing health challenges, seniors and their families shouldn’t be burdened by unexpected medical expenses,” said Thompson. “Medicare beneficiaries deserve the reassurance and confidence that their care will be fully covered and they won’t have any out-of-pocket costs.” 

“Kansas seniors on Medicare deserve access to the full range of treatment and care they need, unimpeded by outdated policies that result in costly bills,” said Estes. “This common sense legislation updates Medicare’s policy on skilled nursing care to make it more efficient and lead to better outcomes for patients.” 

During COVID-19, the three-day requirement was waived, allowing patients to receive SNF care regardless of their hospital status. Now, the policy is being reimposed on beneficiaries, causing confusion, unexpected bills, and delays in care. 

The Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act would ensure Medicare covers doctor-recommended, post-acute care by counting the time spent under “observation status” towards the requisite three-day hospital stay for coverage of skilled nursing care. 

“This bipartisan bill will help fix an outdated policy that continues to leave millions of Medicare beneficiaries surprised by thousands of dollars in medical bills and hanging with uncertainty regarding their access to the Medicare coverage they deserve,” said Clif Porter, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living. “The members of Congress that reintroduced this important legislation are advocates for our nation’s seniors and individuals who need skilled nursing care. We applaud their efforts and support.”

Endorsing Organizations: AARP; ADVION (formerly National Association for the Support of Long Term Care); Aging Life Care Association®; Alliance for Retired Americans; AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine; American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM); American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN); American Case Management Association (ACMA); American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP); American College of Physician Advisors (ACPA); American Geriatrics Society (AGS); American Health Care Association (AHCA); American Medical Association; American Physical Therapy Association (APTA); Association of Jewish Aging Services (AJAS); Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA); Center for Medicare Advocacy; The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing; The Jewish Federations of North America; Justice in Aging; LeadingAge; Lutheran Services in America; Medicare Rights Center; National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc.(NAELA); National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP); National Association for State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP); National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL); National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare; The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; National Council on Aging (NCOA); NJHSA – the Network of Jewish Human; Service Agencies; Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM); Special Needs Alliance; USAging. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, during Save Our Hospitals Week of Action, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined healthcare providers at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn for a press conference to oppose the GOP Tax Scam’s devastating cuts to Medicaid. 

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, thank you, Dr. Scott, for your leadership, and it’s an honor and a privilege to be here at the Brookdale Medical Center, One Brooklyn Health System, to be back home in Brooklyn and to join together with stakeholders and leaders all across the healthcare ecosystem, to speak in one voice and to oppose the GOP Tax Scam and the devastating cuts to Medicaid that are being proposed. Medicaid is a lifeline to so many people in this community, in this city and all across the country. And the proposed cuts to Medicare—the largest cuts being proposed to Medicaid in American history—are unacceptable, unconscionable and un-American. And together, we’re going to do everything we can to stop them.

Now, in the United States of America, it’s got to be the case that healthcare is not simply a privilege available to the privileged few. Healthcare is a right. But for healthcare to be a right that is accessible to everyone, regardless of the type of community that you reside in, then the programs that exist like Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and, of course, Medicare as well, must be sustained. In fact, what we know is that instead of trying to cut Medicaid and end this program as we know it, we need to enhance the Medicaid reimbursement rates for hospitals like Brookdale.

I’m so thankful for the service that all of you provide, for the work that you do in this community. We know that this is a community, and the neighborhoods of Central Brooklyn have people that suffer disproportionately high rates of high blood pressure, or diabetes, or heart disease and don’t always have the access to the primary care that is necessary. And if you were to cut Medicaid, things aren’t gonna get better, they’re gonna get worse. Children will be hurt, everyday Americans will be hurt, people who rely on Medicaid with disabilities will be hurt. Many older Americans will be hurt.

So throughout the country, we are having Save Our Hospitals Days of Action during this entire week. And I have several wonderful hospitals all across the district that I represent. But I wanted to make sure that on this day, I was here at Brookdale. To thank you all. To thank you all for what you do and to say that we’re gonna be in this fight together and we’re gonna stay in this flight until we win this fight no matter what it takes. In the House, in the Senate, throughout the country this One Big Ugly Bill that they are trying to jam down the throats of the American people represents the largest cut to healthcare in American history on top of the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, all being done to provide tax breaks to Republican billionaire donors.

And so we’re gonna push back aggressively against it in the Congress and throughout communities all across the country. The more the American people learn about this, the more they oppose it. But we just have to make sure that in every single corner of this country, including in the neighborhoods like Brownsville and East New York and Bedford-Stuyvesant that I’m privileged to represent, that the American people have the information so we can show up and speak up and stand up for what is right, which includes making sure that we save Brookdale, give Brookdale the resources that it needs so it can be the best hospital for this amazing community. God bless you and thank you for all that you do.

Full press conference can be watched here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington, D.C. — Today, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined 151 House Democrats in filing an amicus brief challenging the Trump Administration’s illegal and devastating cuts to life-saving medical research grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The brief defends Congress’s Article I authority to appropriate federal funds and speaks up for every American who relies on crucial life-saving biomedical and public health research conducted at universities, medical schools, research hospitals, and other scientific institutions across the country. 

House Democrats’ amicus brief was filed in the consolidated cases Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. NIH, Association of American Medical Colleges v. NIH, and Association of American Universities v. Department of Health and Human Services, all currently before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. These cases challenge the Trump Administration’s unlawful and unconstitutional efforts to reduce indirect cost reimbursements for projects funded by the NIH.

In early February, the Trump Administration arbitrarily slashed the NIH reimbursement rate for indirect research costs. Without fair reimbursement for indirect costs, more than 300,000 scientists and researchers at 2,500 institutions that receive NIH funding will face devastating impacts, and Americans could be left without access to lifesaving and life-extending treatments. The ramifications would also ripple through global collaboration and the development of our future scientific leadership and workforce, limiting our ability to enhance health and reduce illness and disability in the future.

The full brief is available HERE.

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

Bill Would Form Commission to Develop Reparations Proposals for African American Descendants of Enslaved People

Legislation Now Has Support of Over 100 National and Grassroots Organizations

H.R. 40 Press Conference | H.R. 40 Bill Text | H.R. 40 Briefing Photos | H.R. 40 Briefing One-Pager

WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of the Juneteenth holiday and a national celebration of Black joy and emancipation, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) affirmed the strength of the reparations movement and announced growing support for H.R.40, legislation that she is championing to address the harmful legacy of slavery and establish a federal commission to develop reparations proposals for African American descendants of enslaved people. The legislation now has the support of more than 100 national and grassroots organizations and 85 members of Congress.

In February, during Black History Month, Rep. Pressley and Senator Cory Booker reintroduced H.R. 40, serving as a powerful counterweight to the unprecedented onslaught against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the Trump Administration and a call to action to address the systemic oppression of Black people. Last week, Rep. Pressley hosted a briefing on H.R. 40 to provide congressional staffers and their offices an expanded look into the bill, its 36-year legislative journey – led by Congressman John Conyers and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee – and its vital role in the reparative justice movement.

“The state of our reparations movement is strong and in this moment of heightened anti-Blackness in America, we are more resolved than ever,” said Congresswoman Pressley, lead House sponsor of H.R. 40. “H.R. 40 is racial justice, economic justice, and a moral imperative, and it is deeply necessary to confront America’s damning history of systemic racism head-on. I’m proud of the growing, broad, and intersectional support behind our bill and I am grateful to our grassroots organizations for their partnership in pushing to get this critical legislation over the finish line.”

Support for reparations has grown nationwide, with state and local officials taking action, including in Massachusetts, Illinois, Tennessee, North Carolina and Oklahoma. H.R. 40 now has endorsements from over 100 national and grassroots organizations.

“We are delighted that Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has picked up the torch from Cong. Sheila Jackson Lee and Cong. John Conyers, Jr. to continue the historic push to achieve long overdue reparations for African Americans.” – National African American Reparations Commission

“At this pivotal moment in the United States’ existence and identity, we proudly stand with Rep. Ayanna Pressley in the reintroduction of H.R. 40, which if enacted will provide concrete ways to implement reparations,” said Dreisen Heath, Why We Can’t Wait Reparations Coalition. “Providing reparations is a routine practice by the federal government from providing remedy in perpetuity to Holocaust survivors to providing free healthcare to 9/11 victims and veterans exposed to toxic waste waters. By embracing what H.R. 40 legislation will produce, we are not only educating the public on the truth but also energizing a strong movement towards reflection and accountability. While states and cities advance their own reparative efforts, the federal government can no longer neglect and obscure its responsibility to do right by Black Americans, and by extension the rest of the country.

“The National Urban League, for over a century, has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of systemic racism on countless lives. We have championed social and economic justice for Black Americans, striving to overcome the enduring legacy of slavery. For too long, we have avoided a full and honest reckoning with this history. A federal commission to study the vestiges of slavery, from the harrowing experiences of enslaved people to the ongoing struggles of their descendants, is not just overdue, it is essential. This examination is not about dwelling on the past but about better understanding the present. By understanding how the lingering effects of slavery continue to shape our society and policies, we can finally create a level playing field and unlock the full potential of our nation,” said the National Urban League. “The National Urban League fully supports H.R. 40, a bill establishing a commission to study and develop reparations proposals for Black Americans, as it represents a crucial step towards reconciliation and redress. We urge Congress to swiftly pass this vital legislation. The time for inaction is over. The time for justice is now.”

“Eradicating poverty requires understanding its root causes and the economic injustices that plague Black communities today can be directly traced to the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow laws,” said Margaret Huang, President and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “This commission would be an important step toward grappling with how our country failed to support so many Americans after slavery and segregation ended. We need to take an honest look at the ugly history of racial discrimination that has denied so many Black and Brown families, particularly in the Deep South, economic opportunities to sustain their families.”

“This legislation is not symbolic, it’s structural,” said Ebonie Riley, Senior Vice President of Policy & Strategic Partnerships at the National Action Network. “In a moment where the very language of equity is under assault, this bill confronts the unfinished business of this nation: the deliberate extraction of wealth, labor, and life from Black Americans. Under the leadership of Rev. Al Sharpton, NAN has consistently called for federal action that reflects the scale of harm inflicted. Reparations are a matter of economic policy, legal obligation, and historical accountability.”

“The NAACP has supported the creation and passage of HR. 40/S.40 from its introduction by Congressman John Conyers (MI) through its reintroduction by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX) and Senator Cory Booker (NJ) continue to support the passage of this crucial legislation in the 119th Congress,” – NAACP

“The United Methodist Book of Resolutions and the General Board of Church and Society strongly support HR 40 being reintroduced at a time when truth is under attack,” – United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society

“Black people have been the backbone to the growth and wealth of this nation and of the global economy, and justly, should be recipients of its fruits. Black people can’t achieve equity without the United States acknowledging the historical past and materially addressing past and present harms. Reparatory justice is a must,” –Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice

“The Council on American-Islamic Relations strongly supports the reintroduction of H.R. 40, recognizing it as a vital measure to confront America’s legacy of slavery and systemic racism head-on. We stand in solidarity with Congresswoman Pressley, Senator Booker, and their colleagues in calling for truth, accountability, and meaningful reparative actions that honor and protect the dignity of Black American communities,” – Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

“As a church, we understand that the truth shall set us free. We have committed to and embarked on undertaking the work of truth-telling and reconciliation ourselves. H.R. 40/S. 40 would offer the opportunity for our country to begin a process to understand our own history and would present a path forward for repairing historical harms done to African Americans,” – The Episcopal Church

“It has been nearly 40 years since Japanese Americans received redress for being incarcerated unjustly during WWII. Many of us in the Japanese American community recognize that our own experience of institutionalized racism at the hands of our government is part of a pattern that began with chattel slavery since our country’s inception as a British colony. Although slavery ended formally with the Civil War, its legacy persisted through Jim Crow policies well into the 20th century. Mere words of regret and apology for our history of slavery and Jim Crow do nothing to repay the unfulfilled promise of 40 acres and a mule.” – Japanese American Citizens League

“We’re making historic progress advancing reparative justice in local communities nationwide.  We stand together in support of HR40, the most promising and just opportunity to repair the harm of the institution of slavery and its uninterrupted legacies to date. The outcomes of the HR40 Commission can result in a comprehensive and tangible portfolio of remedies that transform this nation,” – First Repair

The full list of endorsing organizations include: AjabuSpeaks, All Souls Movement, Alliance of Baptists, American Humanist Association, Amnesty International USA, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Black Music Action Coalition, Black Veterans Project, Blackroots Alliance, BLIS Collective, California Black Power Network, Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR), Colombia Acuerdo de Paz NGO, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), DC Justice Lab, DC Reparations Coalition, Democrats Abroad Reparations Task Force, Disciples Center for Public Witness (Disciples of Christ), Empowerment Temple, Reparation Education Project, Episcopal City Mission, FirstRepair, Freedom Road Consulting, LLC, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Get Free, Human Rights Watch, Humanity2020 Group LLC, Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti, Japanese American Citizens League, Johnson & Klein Law, Justice for the 110, KC Reparations Coalition, Loc Community Association, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Anti Racism Center (LARC), Make It Plain, Marijuana Justice, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Media 2070, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Movement for Black Lives, NAACP, National Action Network Education Team, National African American Reparations Commission , National Black Justice Collective, National Council of Churches, National Council of Jewish Women, National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, National Urban League, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New Yorkers 4 Reparations, Northampton Reparations Study Commission, Not In Our Town, Princeton, NP/NCRR – Nikkei Progressives & Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, Pax Christi USA, RebuildingTheCommun7ty, Reparation Generation, Reparations Finance Lab, Reparations Interfaith Coalition of Massachusetts, Reparations United, Reparations4Slavery, San Francisco Bay Area Black & Jewish Unity Coalition, Sanctuary of Hope, SCOPE LA, Showing Up for Racial Justice, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team, South Bend Reparations Working Group (SBRWG), State of Loc Nation Global Public Benefit Corp, Terence Crutcher Foundation, The Episcopal Church, The Southern Poverty Law Center, The United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, Tsuru for Solidarity, Tulsa African Ancestral Society, Union for Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, United By Equity, United Church of Christ, USTRHT, Virago Strategies, Why We Can’t Wait Reparations Coalition, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Young LLC.

Co-sponsors of H.R. 40 include: Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-06], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [D-NY-14], Rep. Jasmine Crockett [D-TX-30], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4], Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. “Hank” [D-GA-4], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. McGovern, Jim [D-MA-02], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. David Scott [D-GA-13], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]

The full text of the bill is available here.

Throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Pressley has championed policies to address the harmful legacy of slavery and support the true liberation of Black America, including Baby Bonds, a People’s Justice Guarantee, student debt cancellation, addressing the Black maternal morbidity crisis, supporting Black-owned microbusinesses, promoting anti-racist public health policy, and more.

In April 2025, Rep. Pressley met with Northeastern University’s Center for Law, Equity, and Race to discuss efforts and further action in a shared push for reparative justice.

Congresswoman Pressley is the lead sponsor of the People’s Justice Guarantee (PJG) – her comprehensive, decarceration-focused resolution that outlines a framework for a fair, equitable and just legal system. 

Last year, Rep. Pressley and House Oversight Ranking Member Jamies Raskin introduced the Federal Government Equity Improvement Act and the Equity in Agency Planning Act to codify racial equity across federal agencies and improve government services for underserved communities.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“I just saw inhumane, overcrowded conditions inside Krome Detention Center in Miami, where detainees recently died. Yet ICE refuses to release data on who is being held and why,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “Nearly half the people in Krome have no criminal record. Now, Trump wants to cram hundreds of thousands of lawful TPS and humanitarian parole recipients into these facilities while DHS shuts out essential watchdogs that defend civil rights and due process everyone deserves. I’m proud to help lead this legislation to restore transparency and humanity to Trump’s lawless policies that tear apart families and terrorize our communities.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02), Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) led 30 House Democrats in demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on its handling of the personal data of Americans who applied for or received food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“For months, this Administration has been on an unprecedented quest to collect and consolidate as much personal data from the American people as possible,” the lawmakers wrote. “Initiated by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and bolstered by executive actions, including Executive Order 14243 on ‘Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos,’ the administration has combined the sensitive information of millions of individuals, creating major cybersecurity risks, endangering Americans’ privacy, and repeatedly violating the letter and spirit of longstanding laws, like the Privacy Act of 1974.”
Last month, USDA notified states that they would be required to turn over sensitive data about millions of Americans as part of its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort to collect and consolidate as much personal data as possible. The SNAP data requested by the administration includes Americans’ Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, employment and citizenship statuses, incomes, health information, history of substance abuse treatment, paternity, and history of child support payments. In its request, USDA wrote that the data would be used to “ensure program integrity” and is the “only way” to detect improper payments, despite the rollout of privacy-preserving initiatives like its National Accuracy Clearinghouse.
In the lawmakers’ letter, they warn about the serious risks the Department’s demand poses for data breaches, hacking, and eroding trust in SNAP.
“If Americans begin to lose trust in state SNAP agencies and EBT processors as good-faith stewards of their personal data, it will become increasingly difficult–and costly–to effectively administer SNAP. Americans may even forgo participation in SNAP entirely. These are unacceptable and, frankly, entirely avoidable outcomes,” the lawmakers concluded.
A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.
Additional co-signers include Representatives Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Judy Chu (CA-28), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO–01), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Julie Johnson (TX-32), George Latimer (NY-16), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), and Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07).
This request follows efforts Trahan has led regarding DOGE’s alleged mishandling of Americans’ sensitive data housed in the Treasury Department’s payment system and separately at the National Labor Relations Board. In March, Trahan announced that she will be introducing legislation to rewrite the Privacy Act for the first time since its passage in 1974.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Today, Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree led a bipartisan group of her colleagues in calling on the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to preserve critical navigational buoys along the Northeast coast. In a letter to Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, Acting Commandant of the Coast Guard, the lawmakers warned that removing the buoys could jeopardize maritime safety and urged USCG to ensure modern navigation technology works alongside—not in place of—traditional visual markers like buoys.

“The northeastern coast has many hazards to avoid, and tides, currents, and difficult weather conditions can make navigation challenging even for experienced mariners. In situations such as these, it is imperative to ensure all safety measures are available, both technological and visual,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Visual navigation markers are essential to maritime economies and the communities we represent,” Pingree and her colleagues continued. “As fishermen, passenger vessels, and recreational boaters alike use these buoys as a reliable safety measure to maneuver through inclement weather and sporadic access to technology on the water. A local captain of a passenger vessel likened the effort to removing traffic signs from the highways since many drivers now have access to GPS systems. Buoys provide a critical layer of safety while navigating complicated coastline, especially when technology may fail in rural areas. Buoy constellations and technology should work together to create safe and resilient navigational service to mariners, rather than creating a system that overly relies on just one.

Cosigners include Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), John Larson (D-Conn.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.).

The letter is available here and copied below. 

+++

Dear Acting Commandant Lunday,

We write today to provide comment to the U.S Coast Guard regarding the First District Coastal Buoy Modernization Initiative Proposal.

We support the adoption of technologies such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC), and Electronic Chartering Systems (ECS) to enhance maritime navigation and improve efficiency. At the same time, we believe these systems should complement—not replace—the physical buoy infrastructure that remains essential for safety, redundancy, and accessibility across the Northeast. We have deep concerns over buoy discontinuation efforts and urge you to consider the value of visual navigation markers. Safety must be the top priority when maintaining Federal Aids to Navigation (ATON) and supporting mariners. The northeastern coast has many hazards to avoid, and tides, currents, and difficult weather conditions can make navigation challenging even for experienced mariners. In situations such as these, it is imperative to ensure all safety measures are available, both technological and visual.

Visual navigation markers are essential to maritime economies and the communities we represent.  As fishermen, passenger vessels, and recreational boaters alike use these buoys as a reliable safety measure to maneuver through inclement weather and sporadic access to technology on the water. A local captain of a passenger vessel likened the effort to removing traffic signs from the highways since many drivers now have access to GPS systems. Buoys provide a critical layer of safety while navigating complicated coastline, especially when technology may fail in rural areas. Buoy constellations and technology should work together to create safe and resilient navigational service to mariners, rather than creating a system that overly relies on just one.

We are grateful to the Coast Guard for your commitment to ensuring the safety of all those who depend on and enjoy our waters and strongly encourage you to recognize the importance of preserving buoy constellations in navigationally complicated areas. We appreciate your engagement with stakeholders who are affected by this proposal, and request that you extend the period for public comment by one month in order to receive the best possible feedback from the maritime community. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our offices if we can provide any further information.

Sincerely,

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

ICYMI: Rep. Gomez Hosts Tele Town Hall with Over 4,500 Constituents to Discuss Trump’s Lawless Attacks on Hardworking Immigrants and Working Families

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

WASHINGTON — This morning, after meeting with brave and patriotic Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Chicago, Speaker Johnson joined Bill Hemmer on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom to discuss how House Republicans are delivering much needed relief and reinforcements to ICE through the One Big Beautiful Bill. 

Watch the full interview here

On Speaker Johnson’s visit to ICE offices in Chicago:

We came here to make sure that these brave men and women that serve in ICE, who are protecting our communities and upholding federal law, I want to make sure that they know that Republicans have their back. The President, Kristi Noem at Homeland Security, all the leadership, Tom Homan, we are all in this together. And we want them to know that even though assaults on ICE officers have risen by 413% just in this recent period. Democrats are leading that. Republicans are on the opposite side. We are for the rule of law and for law enforcement, and we are doing everything we can to support them.

On the One Big Beautiful Bill’s impact on immigration and deportations:

I can tell you that every Republican in Congress, in the House and Senate, are completely supportive of this idea that we’ve got to give more resources. This was the number one issue in the election in 2024 in the fall. Largely, President Trump was elected, got the record number, 77 million popular votes, because people believed in his ability and his determination to solve this problem, this illegal immigration crisis that we’ve had. And so they need the resources now to do it.

Tom Homan said, as recently as yesterday, he was in the media saying that yesterday, 95 people were detained who came across the border. That’s the lowest number crossing the border in history ever recorded. And every single one of them are being held and will be sent home. But you need the resources to continue that. Tom Homan said, we have to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill so that they have all those funds that you just listed. Included in that, by the way, is $10,000 bonus for the people on the front lines here. They need it.

On ICE needing additional resources from Congress:

They’ve got a very difficult job here in this deep blue territory with a mayor who is on the wrong side of the law. They’re doing everything they can, it’s a patriotic duty. They’re understaffed; they’re overwhelmed with the workload. They’re trying to go after the dangerous, criminal, illegal aliens that are in the country harming American citizens. The mayor of Chicago thinks that is an ill-conceived mission. What is he talking about? It’s madness. They have to do the job and they need to do it better. 

We’re working on the, the One Big Beautiful Bill to allow them the resources that are desperately needed. I mean, they are doing the job. The border is secured. We are locked down. We’re not allowing illegals into the country anymore. But the enforcement and removal of the dangerous people who got here, is an essential task for our ICE agents and officers to take care of. They need more personnel. They need more facilities. We’re here to see it.

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