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Cole Welcomes DoD Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Olivia Porcaro 202-225-6165

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), along with Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41), welcomed Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee for an oversight hearing. After the hearing, Cole released the following statement: 

“We are living in a time of significant global uncertainty. The threats facing America are diverse and evolving and therefore demand a strong, agile, and effectively funded Department of Defense. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, it is a priority of mine to do this by not only ensuring that our troops are fully equipped, trained, and prepared to meet any challenge, but also addressing the modernization of our military capabilities in a time when the nature of war is constantly shifting with new technologies,” said Congressman Cole.

“It was a great pleasure to welcome Secretary Hegseth to the Subcommittee today, as I am committed to working with him to ensure a strong defense. At the very least, we owe it to our brave men and women in uniform,” said Congressman Cole.

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Quigley Statement on Trump’s Escalation of Violence in Los Angeles, ICE Raids in Chicago

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s decision to dramatically escalate the situation in Los Angeles by deploying 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to California:

“Donald Trump has deployed nearly 5,000 troops to Los Angeles in an alarming show of force.  If it were Vladimir Putin deploying troops into Moscow, Congress would rightfully call it out. It can happen here, and it is.

“This mobilization of troops is intended to stoke fear in immigrant communities and anyone who opposes the president’s agenda. Trump is deliberately trying to inflame tensions to provoke a response. In California, and here at home in Illinois, I support every protester who has chosen to peacefully assert their First Amendment rights and defend their immigrant neighbors. We cannot give Donald Trump the reaction he so clearly wants. We cannot give him an excuse to militarize our nation’s second-largest city further, or to spread his dictatorial mandate to others.”

On the recent immigration raids in Chicago, Quigley said:

“Americans elected Donald Trump to secure the border, not to arrest mothers, children, and law-abiding immigrants trying to comply with the courts. Showing up at courthouses and arresting individuals attending ICE-mandated check-ins only drives more people into the shadows and makes it less likely they will cooperate with law enforcement in the future. It’s bad for police, it’s bad for communities, and it’s bad for our nation. I will not stand idly by while Donald Trump and Stephen Miller’s hatred dictates American immigration policy.”

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Quigley Hammers HUD Secretary on Trump Cutting Housing by 50%

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) questioned the Trump administration’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner. During a budget hearing for the House Appropriations Committee, Quigley pressed Turner to explain how HUD’s resources can be cut by 50%, without increasing homelessness and driving up housing costs.

As a tenured member of the Appropriations Committee’s Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee, Quigley has spent over a decade advocating for housing funding for programs in Chicago and localities across the country. These programs reduce homelessness and housing insecurity by helping vulnerable individuals like seniors, children, and people with HIV/AIDS.

Under Trump’s proposed budget, half of all HUD funding would be cut, and more than a dozen programs would be eliminated. 

“Mr. Secretary, you have to understand: housing is everything. These people will die. There’s no way you can believe a 50% cut won’t put people on the street,” said Quigley during the hearing. “What’s the detailed plan to ensure those people won’t be put on the street?”

Secretary Turner responded that his HUD would be “more effective and more efficient.” However, when pressed by Quigley for details on how he would prevent homelessness, the Secretary provided none.

Secretary Turner noted that he is a man of faith, to which Quigley replied “faith can’t put a house over peoples’ heads.” 

Trump’s proposed budget would eliminate the Housing for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) and Continuum of Care programs, which provide housing to chronically homeless individuals. The budget also includes no funds for emergency vouchers, which provide housing to 2,000 families in Illinois fleeing domestic violence and human trafficking.  

To watch Quigley’s full cross-examination of Trump’s HUD Secretary, click here.

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Rep. Craig Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Members of Congress from Trading Stocks

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, as part of her continued efforts to fight corruption and reform Washington, U.S. Representative Angie Craig reintroduced her NO STOCK Resolution. Rep. Craig’s legislation would require every sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives to immediately sell their individual stocks and refrain from future stock ownership while in office. Rep. Craig first introduced this legislation in 2022. 

“Lawmakers should be focused on serving their constituents, not their own self-interests,” said Rep. Craig. “There’s no denying that just by nature of their jobs, Members of Congress have access to information that everyday Americans do not. That’s why I’m proud to be reintroducing this common-sense legislation to prevent Members of Congress from playing the stock market and profiting from their positions while they’re in office.” 

Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has led the charge to fight corruption and restore integrity to Washington, DC. 

This week, Rep. Craig joined her colleagues in introducing the End Corruption Now legislative agenda, which aims to confront political corruption and clean up government by introducing six bills that will put power back in the hands of the American people. These bills will prevent the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.

As part of the End Corruption Now agenda, Rep. Craig reintroduced her Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution to ban Members of the House from serving on corporate boards while also serving in office.

Earlier this Congress, she reintroduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act — a broader package of reforms that would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress, eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members and eliminate automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.

In January of 2024, Rep. Craig led a bipartisan coalition of 26 Members pushing Speaker Johnson and House leaders to bring a Congressional stock trading ban to a vote. Then, again in July of last year, ahead of the Senate markup of the legislation to ban Congressional stock trading, she led her colleagues in urging Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer and Congressional leaders to bring the bill to the House Floor for a vote.  

You can read Rep. Craig’s NO STOCK Resolution here.

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Reps. Craig, Levin Reintroduce Legislation to Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Hotel Rooms and Short-Term Rentals

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-02) and Mike Levin (CA-49) reintroduced legislation to require that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in every hotel and motel room and short-term rental across the country.

Rep. Craig originally introduced the Safe Stay Act in 2020 after hearing the story of Minnesotan Leslie Lienemann. While travelling for a hockey tournament, Leslie and her son were hospitalized with serious illnesses due to near-fatal carbon monoxide levels being left undetected in their hotel room.

“We have the tools to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and save lives – and we should be using them,” said Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02). “I first introduced this legislation to require carbon monoxide detectors be installed in every hotel and motel room after hearing tragic stories like the Lienemanns’. It’s time to get this common-sense bill signed into law before another American family has to suffer from the impacts of carbon monoxide poisoning.” 

“Every year, too many families fall victim to the silent killer of carbon monoxide,” said Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49). “That includes John Heathco, the son of my constituents, Chuck and Jill Heathco, who lost his life to a preventable carbon monoxide leak while on vacation. Their story is a powerful reminder that we have the tools to prevent these tragedies, but we must use them. We must turn this tragedy into legislation to prevent incidents like John’s from happening again.”

The Minnesota legislature passed similar legislation to require carbon monoxide in hotels, motels and lodges, which went into effect on August 1, 2024.

The bill is endorsed by the National Hockey League, Consumer Federation of America, the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association, the Jenkins Foundation, the Lienemann Family and the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation.  

“My son and I suffer life-long physical and emotional effects of carbon monoxide poisoning because there was no carbon monoxide alarm in our hotel room. Carbon monoxide is undetectable without a CO alarm. Even as our poisoning symptoms worsened, nothing warned us to escape the dangerous level of poison gas. Luckily, we went to the emergency room before our exposure became fatal. Other families lose their loved ones needlessly,” said Leslie Lienemann. “We urge Congress to take the only effective action to prevent CO injury and death by requiring hotels to install CO detectors. Thank you, Rep. Craig, for protecting families as they travel. No family should suffer death or injury from carbon monoxide for lack of a CO alarm.”    

“No other family should have to endure the pain we have experienced by losing Johnny,” said Jill Heathco, the mother of John Heathco. “He died from something that could have been prevented, and our family’s mission going forward is to do everything we can so no other traveler loses their life to carbon monoxide poisoning. This legislation is a critical step in that mission because it will require hotels to do the bare minimum to protect their guests and staff from this deadly gas by installing CO detectors. We appreciate that Representative Craig and Representative Levin have introduced this bill, and we urge all members of Congress to support it because it’s needed, it’s commonsense, and it will save lives.”  

You can read the full text of the Stay Safe Act here.

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Rep. Craig Joins Colleagues in Launching Anti-Corruption Campaign, Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Members of Congress from Serving on Corporate Boards

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, building on her years-long effort to reform Washington, U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined her colleagues in introducing the End Corruption Now legislative agenda. Through this anti-corruption campaign, Rep. Craig and her colleagues aim to confront political corruption and clean up government by introducing six bills that will put power back in the hands of the American people. These bills will prevent the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.

As part of the End Corruption Now agenda, Rep. Craig reintroduced her Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution to ban Members of the House from serving on corporate boards while also serving in office.

Joining Rep. Craig in launching the campaign are Reps. Joe Neguse (CO-02), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and Hillary Scholten (MI-02). 

“Elected officials are elected to serve their constituents, not their own self-interests,” said Rep. Craig (MN-02). “It’s past time we pass legislation to clean up Washington and ensure our tax dollars are being spent as they should – on improving the lives of everyday Americans. That’s why I’m proud to be partnering with my colleagues on this anti-corruption campaign to make common-sense reforms that will restore integrity, transparency and efficiency to our government.”

Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has led the charge to fight corruption and restore integrity to Washington, DC. 

In April, she reintroduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act — a broader package of reforms that would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress, eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members and end automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.

In January of 2024, Rep. Craig led a bipartisan coalition of 26 Members pushing Speaker Johnson and House leaders to bring a Congressional stock trading ban to a vote. Then, again in July of last year, ahead of the Senate markup of the legislation to ban Congressional stock trading, she led her colleagues in urging Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer and Congressional leaders to bring the bill to the House Floor for a vote.

You can view Rep. Craig’s remarks from todays’ press conference here.

You can read the full text of the Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution here.

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Rep. Craig Secures More than $1.8 Million for Head Start Programs in Scott, Dakota Counties

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced that she has secured $1,836,883 in federal grant funding for Scott, Carver and Dakota County’s Community Action Partnership (CAP) Agency to support Head Start programming.

“Minnesota’s Head Start programs set our kids up for success, and it’s imperative that they remain fully funded,” said Rep. Craig. “I’m proud to have secured this critical federal funding to support students and families in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District and ensure that generations of Minnesotans can achieve their full potential.”

Rep. Craig has been a fierce advocate of Minnesota’s Head Start programs, continuously speaking out about any potential cuts to Head Start programming.

This week, she sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding answers about the Administration’s decision to close five regional Head Start offices – including the regional office that serves Minnesota. 

Last week, she held a press conference at the CAP Agency in Rosemount, MN in response to reports that the Administration planned to reduce funding for Head Start in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) federal budget. And earlier last month, she sent a letter to President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy blasting the Administration’s proposal to eliminate critical Head Start programs that promote early childhood development and ease the burden of child care on working families.   

Last year, in Minnesota alone, over 12,000 students attended 33 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers.

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Pallone, Neal, Wyden Release Latest CBO Estimates Showing 16 Million People Will Become Uninsured from Republican Health Agenda

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

16 Million Will Become Uninsured Because of Republican Legislation, Including Refusal to Extend Health Care Tax Credits

House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a statement following a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) showing 16 million people will lose coverage from the Republican reconciliation plan, including their failure to extend premium tax credits that Americans use to buy affordable health insurance. 

“The Republican health agenda is all about making it harder to get health care,” the leaders said. “Every step of the way, this abomination of a bill creates barriers and mazes designed to demoralize and discourage Americans as they try to get affordable health care. The results of this cruel system are clear: millions will lose coverage, health care costs will go up for all Americans, and tens of thousands will die. 

“Everybody will be affected by the disastrous Republican bill. Despite Republican propaganda, Americans need to know that the bill’s thicket of red tape and increased out-of-pocket costs in Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will fall especially hard on working families, including those with children, caregivers, Americans with disabilities, and those with chronic illnesses. Republicans continue to repeat lies about the devastating harms of this bill, because without those lies the only conclusion that can be reached is that this bill is morally bankrupt. 

“Republicans must be held responsible for the consequences of not extending health care tax credits that middle class Americans use to buy health insurance on their own. Their bill extends hundreds of tax policies that expire at the end of the year. The omission of this policy will cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance and will raise premiums on 24 million Americans. The Republican failure to stop this premium spike is a policy choice, and it needs to be recognized as such. Between this choice and other harmful policies in their legislation, Republicans are effectively dismantling the Affordable Care Act. Americans do not want to go back to the days where health care was reserved for the healthy and the wealthy, where insurance companies had free rein to discriminate against sicker or older Americans.”

The letter from CBO can be found here.

CBO’s score of H.R. 1 can be found here.

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Pallone Pushes for Stronger Consumer Protections from Robocalls, Robotexts

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Warns that Republicans’ reconciliation bill, AI loopholes are undermining fight against scams

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, warned today that New Jersey residents remain vulnerable to scams perpetrated through robocalls and robotexts despite progress in passing tough federal protections against robocalls.

At an Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, Pallone called for stronger laws to combat the evolving tactics scammers now use, including artificial intelligence (AI) and spoofing. He also slammed Republican efforts to defund key consumer protection agencies that enforce robocall and robotext laws.

“New Jerseyans know all too well how relentless and dangerous these robocalls and robotexts have become,” Pallone said. “They target seniors, small businesses, and families across our state – trying to steal personal information and hard-earned money. I’ve led this fight in Congress for years, and it’s clear we need to do more in the face of AI.”

Pallone authored the landmark TRACED Act, signed into law in 2019, which strengthened the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to crack down on illegal robocalls. It also required phone carriers to implement call authentication technology and expanded enforcement tools.

But despite that progress, scammers are adapting fast. Americans received more than 52 billion robocalls in 2024—nearly 200 calls per adult—and robotext scams are rapidly increasing, targeting consumers with fraudulent links and fake messages.

“In New Jersey, seniors are particularly at risk from these scams – phony Medicare calls, texts claiming to be from grandchildren in distress, or fake law enforcement threats. It’s infuriating, and we have to stay ahead of the scammers,” Pallone said.

Pallone is pushing to update the TRACED Act to cover robotexts, impose additional penalties against robocalls and texts that use AI to trick consumers, and ensure consumers can access robocall-blocking technology at no extra cost. But he warned that Republican efforts to slash funding for the FCC and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) threaten to roll back enforcement – right as AI-powered scams surge.

He also criticized House Republicans for supporting a 10-year moratorium on state enforcement of state AI laws, which would block adoption of innovative efforts by New Jersey and other states to combat illegal robocalls and robotexts.

“We can’t allow Big Tech loopholes and budget cuts by Republicans and the Trump Administration to undermine the fight against scams. New Jerseyans deserve real protection and I’m going to keep leading this fight,” Pallone said.

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Pallone Leads New Bill to Block RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Agenda

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Legislation Would Take Politics Out of Medicine and Hold Reckless Leaders Accountable

Today, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA) introduced the Family Vaccine Protection Act to remove politics from the life-saving immunization schedule, hold Trump Administration officials accountable, and protect children and expectant mothers from vaccine-preventable diseases.

“Secretary Kennedy is governing by conspiracy theory and putting the health of our children at risk,” said Pallone. “After just a few months in office, he’s already broken the promise he made during his Senate confirmation hearing to not interfere with the lifesaving childhood vaccine schedule. He’s simultaneously presided over the largest measles outbreak in decades while actively undermining vaccination efforts for COVID-19, measles, polio, and the flu—especially for pregnant women and the tiniest infants, two of the highest risk populations. Enough is enough—it’s time to take politics out of medicine and ensure all families have access to affordable life-saving vaccines. Dr. Schrier and I are introducing this legislation to keep Secretary Kennedy’s conspiracy theories out of the doctor’s office and to protect moms and their kids.”

“Our current Secretary of Health and Human Services continues to undermine science and peddle conspiracy theories. This nation’s physicians and public health system have relied upon the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for 61 years to evaluate scientific evidence, ask questions, and ultimately make a determination about whether to recommend a vaccine and for whom. This bill ensures that physicians and other scientific experts are the ones who evaluate those studies and make those decisions, as has always been the case. Recent efforts to undermine the ACIP by pressuring physicians like Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos to parrot RFK, Jr. talking points have unfortunately made this bill necessary,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “I will continue to stand up for scientific integrity and fight RFK Jr. ‘s peddling of conspiracy theories.”

The Family Vaccine Protection Act comes on the heels of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ’s unilateral withdrawal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women. This reckless decision—circumventing science-based approval—begins a slippery slope toward a sicker America where Kennedy alone decides what’s best for American children.

For months, RFK, Jr. ’s HHS and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have ignored science-based recommendations by the independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In April, ACIP voted unanimously to expand its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine recommendation and to provide a meningococcal vaccine to healthy teens and college-aged kids—but Kennedy ignored these recommendations. These actions are setting a dangerous precedent and jeopardizing access through critical programs like the Vaccines for Children program.

Secretary Kennedy is actively backtracking on his own promise in November 2024 that he wouldn’t “take away anybody’s vaccines” and contradicting his own Food and Drug Administration’s framework. His brazen undermining of ACIP’s independence and persistent spreading of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories threatens decades of public health progress—and will put the lives of pregnant women and unvaccinated infants at risk. 

The Family Vaccine Protection Act protects access to affordable vaccines by: 

Codifying current practices of a rigorous, science-based system for recommending vaccines:

  • This bill sets a timeline for new vaccine consideration by ACIP and requires that both the CDC Director and HHS Secretary adopt such recommendations if supported by a preponderance of scientific evidence.

Strengthening the independence of the Advisory Committee:

  • This bill writes the role of ACIP into statute and specifies its structure, its membership selection processes, meeting frequency, and expertise requirements—protecting it from dissolution or undue interference by the HHS Secretary.

Keeping politics out of medicine by ensuring the Secretary cannot unilaterally make or withdraw vaccine recommendations contrary to the advice of scientific experts:

  • This bill requires the HHS Secretary to adopt the official vaccine decision as set by ACIP—and if the Secretary chooses to depart from an ACIP recommendation, it requires the Secretary to publish the basis for the agency action, including an explanation as to how the action is supported by the best available, peer-reviewed scientific evidence.

Establishing guardrails to ensure vaccines remain accessible to all:

  • This bill protects the role of ACIP in making immunization recommendations for the Vaccines for Children Program as well as for the purposes of cost-free coverage of vaccines by health insurance plans—ensuring continued widespread access to life-saving vaccines.

The Family Vaccine Protection Act has received the support of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Public Health Association, American College of Physicians, Infectious Disease Society of America, and Vaccinate Your Family.

Read the full bill text HERE and a section-by-section summary HERE.