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

Bill Promotes Housing Justice by Removing Barries to Housing for People Formerly Incarcerated, Helps Disrupt Prison-to-Homelessness Pipeline

Bill Text | Bill Summary | Hearing Video

WASHINGTON – Today, during Fair Housing and Second Chance Month, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) reintroduced the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act of 2026, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing. The bill would advance housing justice and help disrupt the prison-to-homelessness pipeline by removing unjust barriers to housing and limit tenant screening criteria for criminal records in background checks.

The Housing FIRST Act is informed by Rep. Pressley’s People’s Justice Guarantee, her bold vision for transforming the American criminal legal system into one that centers the dignity and humanity of all people.

“Safe, affordable housing is fundamental human right, but for too long, discrimination against folks with criminal records has served as a barrier to housing access, economic stability, and public safety,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “Our bill seeks to change that by removing the systemic barriers that have worsened the prison-to-homelessness pipeline, exacerbated mass incarceration, and denied housing to people who need it most. As someone whose own family has been impacted by mass incarceration, I’m proud to reintroduce this bill and grateful to Congresswoman Tlaib and our colleagues for their ongoing partnership.”

“From Detroit to Boston, every human being deserves access to safe, affordable housing, including people who were formerly incarcerated,” said Congresswoman Tlaib. “We must prioritize restorative justice, lead with compassion, and recognize the human dignity of our neighbors as we work to end mass incarceration and housing discrimination. This legislation addresses barriers to stable housing returning citizens face every day as they begin to rebuild their lives in our communities.”

Congresswoman Pressley discussed the bill in a House Financial Services Committee hearing. Watch it here.

Systemic discrimination against people with criminal records in tenant screening is a persistent barrier to housing access, economic stability, and public safety, and contributes to the prison-to-homelessness pipeline. Landlords’ refusal to rent to individuals with a criminal record impacts more than 70 million people in the United States—nearly 1 in 3 adults—with Black and brown folks having the highest rates of housing denials due to disparate treatment by the criminal legal system. Additionally, people who are formerly incarcerated are almost 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public.

The Housing FIRST Act would address these systemic barriers by:

• Prohibiting a consumer reporting agency from furnishing a consumer report, for tenant screening purposes, that includes information related to an individual’s criminal background;
• Requiring consumer reporting agencies to disclose to the consumer, upon request, any person from whom the consumer reporting agency received information pertaining to a consumer’s file;
• Requiring a person who denies rental housing to or takes adverse action against a consumer to provide to the consumer the specific reasons for the denial or adverse action;
• Creating national standard for criminal record information excluded from consumer reports;
• Excluding records of convictions of crimes older than seven years from consumer reports for tenant screening purposes; and
• Codifying existing judicial interpretations that a consumer reporting agency must disclose the identities of people or vendors who gathered information on their behalf.

For bill text of the Housing FIRST Act, click here.

The Housing First Act is co-sponsored by Representatives Rashida Tlaib, James P. McGovern, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Lateefah Simon, Delia Ramírez, Jan Schakowsky, Hank Johnson, Maxwell Frost, Summer Lee, Nikema Williams, LaMonica McIver, Yvette Clarke, Troy Carter, Robin Kelly, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Ilhan Omar, Greg Casar, Jimmy Gomez, and Eleanor Holmes Norton.

The legislation is supported by: Justice 4 Housing, National Consumer Law Center, JustLeadershipUSA, Prison Policy Initiative, Center for Popular Democracy, National Housing Law Project, National Council for Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and Vera Institute.

“Justice for Housing, Inc supports the reintroduction of the Housing FIRST Act as a critical step toward addressing the structural barriers that limit housing access for justice-involved individuals. Research continues to show that incarceration significantly impacts credit, with Black households affected by incarceration experiencing dramatically lower credit scores—often by more than 200 points—further widening the racial wealth gap. Policies that center housing stability without over-reliance on credit history are essential to advancing equitable access to housing and long-term economic mobility.”

“A place to call home is a basic human need for all members of our community, including those with a conviction history. For too long, individuals seeking safe, affordable housing have been locked out by exclusions fueled by background checking. The Housing FIRST Act makes critically important changes to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and limits the way in which an individual’s past can be used to carve them out of housing access. These carve outs and exclusions affect both the impacted housing applicant, as well as their families, and are a direct contributor to the data showing that people reentering are ten times more likely to be homeless than other applicants. The Housing FIRST Act will also bring much needed clarity to how consumer reporting agencies handle the data requests for individuals who have received a clemency or had a record sealed, expunged, or vacated. Stable housing is the bedrock of successful reentry; passing this Act means we are choosing to invest in stronger families and safer neighborhoods rather than perpetual cycles of displacement. We urge Congress to act and to take the next step in turning the page from exclusion to true reintegration.” – JustLeadershipUSA

In April 2023, Rep. Pressley joined Justice 4 Housing, New England Culinary Arts Training, and housing advocates to tour their cutting-edge coworking space and discuss the organizations’ transformative work in support of Formerly Incarcerated People. Photos from the visit are available here.

As a Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance of the House Financial Services Committee (FSC), Rep. Pressley has consistently advocated for policies that affirm housing as a human right and center the dignity and humanity of all people, including individuals who are formerly incarcerated.

• In April 2026, Rep. Pressley introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, much needed legislation to provide support to those facing eviction.
• In March 2026, Rep. Pressley joined Financial Services Committee Democrats in a comment letter condemning HUD’s proposed mixed-status families rule, which would increase evictions, separate families, and increase homelessness across the country. 
• In December 2025, Rep. Pressley convened local advocates and community partners to sound the alarm on the housing crisis created by Donald Trump.
• In December 2025, Rep. Pressley underscored the need to support grandfamily and kinship households, which are vital to preventing homelessness and keeping families and communities whole.

• In November 2025, Rep. Pressley joined House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (CA-35) and 52 colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, calling on him to rescind a recent HUD decision to slash essential Continuum of Care (CoC) program funding. 
• In November 2025, Rep. Pressley introduced the Appraisal Modernization Act, legislation to promote equity and combat systemic bias in the home appraisal process that has disadvantaged many current and aspiring homeowners—especially homeowners of color.
• In May 2025, Rep, Pressley, along with Representatives Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), and Greg Casar (TX-35), reintroduced the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act, legislation to protect the power of tenants, including those with federal vouchers, to organize.
• In June 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Maxine Waters (CA-43) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), re-introduced the Tenant Empowerment Act, bold legislation to strengthen HUD tenant protections and provide renters with the tools necessary to improve the quality of their homes.
• In March 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Mayor Wu, visited Roxbury to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal funding she secured to provide emergency childcare support for families experiencing homelessness in the City of Boston.
• In March 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Senators Warren and Markey, applauded the final passage of $850,000 in federal community project funding for The Pryde, an affordable housing development for LGBTQ+ seniors in Hyde Park.
• In March 2024, Rep. Pressley urged Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates to boost home affordability and construction of affordable housing.
• In January 2024, Rep. Pressley, during a House Financial Services Committee Hearing, highlighted the growing housing crisis and how appraisal bias and discriminatory tenant screening practices exacerbate the racial wealth and homeownership gaps, especially for Black communities.
• In January 2024, Rep. Pressley celebrated the $2.4 million in federal funding she secured to support the community-led transformation of the Clarendon Hill housing community, an ethnically, linguistically and economically diverse neighborhood in Somerville.
• In December 2023, Rep. Pressley requested the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide data on housing needs for Medicaid beneficiaries and feedback on challenges the agency is having in covering housing support for people requiring home and community-based services (HCBS).
• In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), reintroduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, critical legislation to provide much-needed assistance to those facing eviction amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 
• In September 2021, Rep. Pressley joined Rep. Bush and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in introducing the Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 to enact an urgently needed nationwide eviction moratorium. 
• On July 2021, ahead of the expiration of the previous CDC eviction moratorium, Reps. Pressley, Bush, Gomez and their progressive colleagues sent a letter renewing their calls for President Biden and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to extend the federal eviction moratorium and prevent the historic and deadly wave of evictions that would occur if the government failed to do so. 
• On July 30, 2021, Rep. Pressley joined House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) in introducing the Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021, legislation to extend the eviction moratorium through the end of the year. 
• In June 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Reps. Gomez and Bush, led over 40 of their colleagues on a letter urging President Biden and CDC Director Walensky to extend and strengthen the moratorium for the duration of the public health crisis. 
• In June 2021, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), re-introduced the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, a bill to institute a nationwide cancellation of rents and home mortgage payments through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
• On May 18, 2021, Reps. Bush and Pressley sent a letter to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calling on the CDC to strengthen and extend the federal moratorium on evictions, ensuring families can remain safely in their homes for the duration of the COVID-19 global health emergency.
• On July 28, 2020, Rep. Pressley, Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Harris introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act to provide much-needed, layered assistance to those facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On July 24, 2020, in a Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed the unprecedented financial cliff facing millions of renters and homeowners, the economic consequences of millions losing their homes, including the ability to return to work, and why funding for legal representation is so critical.
• On May 11, 2020, Reps. Tlaib, and Joe Neguse (D-CO) urge House and Senate leadership to include $11.5 billion in funding for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) in the next relief package to aid the nation’s homeless population who are experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On April 10, 2020, Rep. Pressley urged Congressional leadership to prioritize recurring monthly cash payments to those most at-risk during the COVID-19 crisis. This funding would allow people to cover all their bills, including rent.
• On April 17, 2020, Reps. Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and colleagues introduce the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, a bill to institute a nationwide cancellation of rents and home mortgage payments through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

• On March 23, 2020, Reps. Pressley and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced the Public Health Emergency Shelter Act of 2020, legislation to provide critical funding to states and local governments responding to the needs of families and individuals experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis. This legislation was included and passed through the HEROES Act and H.R. 7301, the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020.
• On March 19, 2020, Rep. Pressley, along with progressive lawmakers and organizations, introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act to authorize more than $200 billion in federal spending over 10 years for crucial housing infrastructure and reduce homelessness.
• On March 18, 2020, Reps. Pressley, Katie Porter (D-CA) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) wrote to HUD calling for a moratorium on evicting renters during the coronavirus pandemic.
• In July 2019, Rep. Pressley announced legislation that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
• In November 2019, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Tlaib wrote to HUD blasting the agency for ignoring low-income tenants seeking to save their homes.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

Washington, D.C. – Representatives Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) introduced the St. Louis Postal Accountability and Reform (STL Up To PAR) Act, to direct the United States Postal Service (USPS) to submit a report to Congress on mail and package delivery service performance in the St. Louis region.

In 2025, two audits by the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General (OIG) documented longstanding operational challenges that have caused persistent mail delays for residents across the St. Louis region. The OIG provided a list of detailed recommendations to improve service, and Postmaster General Steiner has since engaged constructively with Congress on corrective actions. 

This legislation builds on that momentum by requiring USPS to document delivery performance benchmarked against national averages, workforce conditions including vacancy and turnover rates, the status of corrective actions on all OIG recommendations, and the management systems in place to prevent recurrence. 

“I constantly hear complaints from constituents and neighbors about the complete lack of accountability in the United States Postal Service (USPS) and their frequent inability to deliver mail and critical packages like medications on time,” said Rep. Wagner. “People rely on this service, and we expect the Postal Service to do their job and deliver the mail on time. I have brought in USPS leadership to hold them accountable for their service failures, but it’s clear more needs to be done. The St. Louis Postal Accountability and Reform Act will provide for clear service benchmarks so we can ensure they are fixing these problems on an appropriate timeline and with full transparency. This is a bipartisan issue, and I appreciated working across the aisle in the St. Louis region with Congressman Bell to make sure government works for you.”

“The mail delays in the St. Louis region have gone on for far too long,” said Rep. Bell. “I’ve heard from constituents who wait for weeks on prescription medications, benefit checks, and utility notices — mail that can’t be late. The St. Louis ‘Up To PAR’ Act will give us real accountability for whether USPS is delivering on its commitments.”

The St. Louis Up To PAR Act is designed not to penalize USPS, but to give both Congress and constituents a clear picture of where things stand and where work remains.

The bill is also co-sponsored by Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).
 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) and 47 Members of Congress sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding transparency on its alleged policy of detaining girls, including pregnant girls, at the Urban Strategies San Benito (USSB) ORR facility in Texas. In the letter, the members condemned the Trump Administration for violating established legal precedent requiring unaccompanied minors have access to all reproductive healthcare options and requested information regarding their care.

The Members requested transparency on HHS’s practice of housing pregnant girls in Texas, a state without access to abortions, writing, “We write to confirm your agency’s alleged practice of placing all pregnant unaccompanied children in the care of a single Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) shelter in San Benito, Texas. If so, this policy would contradict your agency’s Field Guidance #21, which requires ORR to place unaccompanied pregnant minors in states that provide access to the full range of reproductive healthcare options.”

The members continued, writing, “These children have survived extraordinary hardship to arrive in the United States. All are entitled to the full range of medical care, including reproductive health care, as required by ORR’s own regulations. Deliberately placing them in a medically inadequate facility in a state that bans abortion over the objections of the agency’s own health officials is a political decision, not based on the welfare of children.”

Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led the letter. Other members who signed the letter include: Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA), Sara Jacobs (D-TX), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Judy Chu (D-CA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), Adam Smith (D-WA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Darren Soto (D-FL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Deborah K. Ross (D-NC), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Greg Casar (D-TX), Summer L. Lee (D-PA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL), James R. Walkinshaw (D-VA).

The full letter is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), a former paratrooper and Army Ranger who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Armed Services Committee, introduced a new War Powers resolution to end President Donald Trump’s war of choice with Iran. 

Crow continues to push his colleagues to reclaim Congress’ authority over war and peace, even as Republicans refuse to rein in this conflict. The resolution was also introduced by Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA), a fellow veteran and member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“Congress must end President Trump’s illegal war of choice with Iran. His war has cost the lives of U.S. servicemembers, raised prices for Americans at home, damaged our alliances, and made us less safe,” said Congressman Crow. “The President is spending tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on Middle East conflicts as Americans back home can’t afford gas and are losing their health care. Congress must end this conflict now.”  

“As veterans, we know firsthand the cost of war,” said Congressman Seth Moulton. “We also know that military force is not always the answer. Brute force will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. We have already lost 13 Americans in this conflict, and we cannot continue to send our troops into harm’s way without a strategy. We are introducing this resolution because the American people deserve a say in how their military is used, and it is clear that this reckless war of choice must end.”

Crow has repeatedly condemned Trump’s illegal war of choice in Iran and supported numerous War Powers resolutions to end the war. As an Army Ranger who grew up in a working class family and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Crow saw firsthand the repercussions of forever wars on servicemembers and hardworking Americans. He has also demanded answers on civilian deaths related to the war, including a U.S. strike on an Iranian girls’ elementary school where at least 175 civilians, many of them children, were killed. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Alayah Phipps

May 1, 2026                                                    202-813-2793

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT’S STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF FARM BILL

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. 

“The Farm Bill is an opportunity to stand with farmers and families who are struggling under the weight of rising input costs, skyrocketing grocery prices, reckless tariffs, and the economic strain the ongoing war. Unfortunately, the bill passed by House Republicans chose instead to cement the largest cuts to SNAP in history — $187 billion stripped from food assistance in H.R. 1 — while offering nothing to reverse the devastation already underway. More than 40 million Americans will see their benefits reduced or eliminated: 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 1.2 million veterans, and 4 million people with disabilities.  Virgin Islanders who rely on SNAP – our children, elders, veterans and hard-working families will feel these cuts.  This is not a policy choice. It is a moral failure.  

“Rather than making food more affordable for working families, Republicans used the Farm Bill to override the will of voters by preempting state food production standards that were approved at the ballot box and upheld by the Supreme Court. And they gutted nearly $800 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program — one of the most essential tools farmers rely on to protect their land and manage rising costs. 

“This bill also fails rural communities. It fails beginning farmers and farmers of color, key groups necessary for the future of farming in the Virgin Islands. It provides no new or additional funding for rural small business programs, strips legal set-asides for beginning farmers in USDA lending, and weakens the 2501 Program — the only USDA program specifically focused on supporting farmers of color. At a time when farm bankruptcies have surged 46 percent and USDA projects farm income to continue falling, this bill turns its back on the very people it claims to serve. 

“For the U.S. Virgin Islands and the territories, I fought to deliver meaningful provisions to this bill. I am proud that included in the bill was my amendment which requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study identifying suitable locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam for the development of aquaculture small businesses, including assessments of water quality, coastal access, infrastructure needs, and applicable regulatory requirements. This support from the Department of Agriculture to the Virgin Islands aquaculture development will provide substantive support to the development of this industry.  Aquaculture represents a real opportunity for economic growth and food security in the territories, and I will continue to push for these investments. 

“But make no mistake — a Farm Bill that does not support to farmers of color (who have been disproportionately impacted by prior discriminatory policy) or programs which provide resources to new and emerging farmers does not deserve our support. Republicans have openly stated their intent to come back for even more SNAP cuts through future reconciliation packages. We cannot accept a bill that treats food assistance as an afterthought while families are paying $310 more for groceries than they were just a year ago, and fruit and vegetable prices have risen over five percent,” continued Congresswoman Plaskett. 

Congresswoman Plaskett added, “I urge my colleagues in the Senate to develop a better, bipartisan farm bill — one that provides real relief to farmers crushed by falling incomes and rising costs, restores food assistance protections for millions of vulnerable Americans, invests in our rural and territorial communities, and is worthy of the American people’s trust.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore welcomes Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling Charleston:

Congressman Riley M. Moore released the following statement:

“I offer my congratulations and welcome to Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala on his appointment as Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. West Virginia is a beautiful place full of some of the hardest working and most God-fearing people on earth. I look forward to working with our new Bishop in our shared responsibility to care for the people of West Virginia, protecting the unborn, defending the rights of workers, and, most importantly, proclaiming the Gospel. May God pour out His abundant blessing on you as you begin this new ministry.”

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

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee Angie Craig released the following statement on her vote against a farm bill amendment that would narrowly expand food options for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to include rotisserie chicken. 

“As someone whose own family needed SNAP at times growing up, I know firsthand how important it is that our food assistance programs meet the needs of working families in this country. It’s why I’ve fought tooth and nail this Congress as the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee to defend SNAP against Republicans’ historic cuts to the program and restore benefits to working Americans. 

“Yesterday, the House passed an amendment to the farm bill that narrowly expands SNAP-eligible foods to include rotisserie chicken and effectively bans all other hot foods. Along with other members of Democratic leadership, I voted against it to send a message that the amendment does not go far enough to expand SNAP-eligibility, and we will continue to push the Senate to include a further expansion in the final version of the bill.
“There is no question that SNAP recipients need access to more hot food options, but this amendment was pushed by big grocers and retailers and the chicken industry. We can do better.

“On behalf of SNAP recipients across the nation, I will be fighting for the inclusion of the Hot Foods Act in the final farm bill, which would expand SNAP-eligible foods to include a wide array of hot food options, like soups, hot sandwiches and rotisserie chicken. This legislation has over 100 bipartisan House and Senate cosponsors, is supported by anti-hunger groups across our country and is the true path forward to ensuring that every American has access to a filling meal.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today reintroduced the bipartisan Promoting the Unbiased Role of Employees in the Executive Act (PURE Executive Act) with Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02). 

The bipartisan bill imposes a five-year ban on senior executive branch employees from lobbying an agency where they had been employed. It also creates a lifetime ban on senior executive branch employees lobbying for foreign governments or companies tied to them.

“Senior government officials’ decisions should be about serving their country — not how to position themselves for the most profitable, influential job possible after they leave civil service,” Golden said. “Further restricting these leaders from immediate lobbying gigs will help ensure they keep their eyes on the actual prize: better outcomes for working families.”

“Washington insiders shouldn’t be able to leave their taxpayer-funded posts and use their status to immediately cash out and lobby their politician friends, and they should never be able to use sensitive U.S. intelligence to benefit a foreign adversary,” Hinson said. “This is exactly the kind of corruption Iowans sent me to Congress to root out – we have to drain the swamp and clean up Washington.”

Current rules for executive branch officials leaving federal service are limited, allowing individuals to quickly begin lobbying the agency they just left or even lobby on behalf of foreign companies or governments. While some short-term bans can apply to certain officials — one year for some and two years for the most senior leaders — that moratorium has not meaningfully slowed the revolving door between the executive branch and high-paying lobbying jobs. Meanwhile, exemptions still remain for lobbying for foreign interests.

The PURE Executive Act expands the lifetime foreign lobbying ban to include any foreign entity or corporations controlled by foreign governments, and implements a five-year ban from lobbying their former agency.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36) sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership demanding answers regarding the death of Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano, a 52-year old man who died in ICE custody on March 25, 2026.  

Mr. Ramos-Solano was arrested by ICE on February 23, 2026 and detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in Adelanto, California. ICE reports that Mr. Ramos-Solanos was found “unconscious and unresponsive in his bunk” and that security staff “immediately” contacted onsite medical staff and emergency services who initiated life-saving procedures. He was then transported to Victor Valley Global Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

However, other detainees recount conflicting history, saying that they attempted to notify staff about Mr. Ramos Solanos’ deteriorating condition, but despite these calls for help he was not attended to until he was unconscious. Detainees also allege that he passed away at Adelanto Center, not at the Victor Valley Global Medical Center. 

While ICE’s investigation into Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death is ongoing, the conditions faced by immigrants in Adelanto have a well-documented record of lacking sufficient medical care and are of critical concern. Reps. Chu and Lieu seek answers to understand whether systemic failures led to Mr. Ramos-Solanos’ death and the growing number of other deaths that have occurred under ICE custody.

“The trend of medical negligence and poor living conditions in Adelanto is deeply concerning. We need answers for the death of Mr. Ramos-Solano, and the others who have suffered and died in ICE custody,” said Rep. Chu.  “Mr. Ramos-Solano should still be alive today. It is unacceptable to hear from other detainees that Mr. Ramos-Solano did not receive basic medical care. We cannot let this be overlooked, and that is why we are calling for full transparency and accountability to ensure tragedies like this never happen again.”

“The circumstances surrounding Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano’s death are unacceptable. Deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody have risen under Trump. We continue to see preventable deaths driven by inadequate medical care and a lack of meaningful oversight in detention facilities. That is a systemic failure,” said Rep. Lieu. “The Department of Homeland Security has a duty to ensure the safety and basic dignity of every person in its custody. We demand accountability because lives depend on it.” 

The letter is signed by 31 Members: Reps. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Greg Casar (TX-35), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Jesús García (IL-04), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Dave Min (CA-47), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Darren Soto (FL-09), Mark Takano (CA-39), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Norma Torres (CA-35), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Maxine Waters (CA-43)

The full text of the letter is can be found here. 

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April 30, 2026

Todd M. Lyons
Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
500 12^th Street SW
Washington, DC 20024

The Honorable Markwayne Mullin
Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE  
Washington, DC 20528

Dear Secretary Mullin and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Lyons,

We write to express our grave concerns regarding the death of Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano, a 52-year-old man who died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on March 25, 2026. 

On February 23, 2026, ICE arrested Mr. Ramos-Solano and then detained him at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center (Adelanto) in Adelanto, California. According to ICE, on March 25, 2026, security staff found Mr. Ramos-Solano “unconscious and unresponsive in his bunk.” Security staff “immediately” called onsite medical staff and emergency services, which both initiated life-saving procedures. Emergency services then transported him to Victor Valley Global Medical Center in Victorville, California, where he was pronounced deceased.”[1] 

On the day of his death, other detainees reported that Mr. Ramos-Solano had been experiencing symptoms of overheating, and difficulty breathing. They stated that Mr. Ramos-Solano removed his shirt after feeling as though he was suffocating.[2] Detainees attempted to notify medical staff of Mr. Ramos-Solano’s deteriorating condition but staff did not respond until he was unconscious. Detainees additionally allege that he did not die at the Victor Valley Global Medical Center but that he had already passed away at Adelanto .

We recognize that an investigation into Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death is ongoing, and we expect ICE to comply fully with all statutory reporting requirements, including the publication of a Detainee Death Report within 90 days.[3] However, eyewitness accounts raise serious and urgent questions about the circumstances leading to his death.  

Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death is part of a broader pattern. Adelanto has a well-documented record of insufficient oversight and inadequate medical care. These failures have previously resulted in deaths that ICE itself has previously acknowledged were preventable. Federal and state regulators, nonprofit organizations, and media reports have repeatedly described the facility’s ongoing inability to meet even minimal standards of care. [4] Since President Trump began his second term in January 2025, at least four individuals have died while in custody at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, and another individual died just days after being transferred out of the facility.[5] Nationwide, at least 45 individuals have died in federal immigration custody during this period, a significant increase from previous years, including during President Trump’s first term.[6]

The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for upholding constitutionally mandated standards of care that exist to protect the wellbeing of individuals in federal immigration custody. We demand that you take immediate, concrete steps to identify whether systemic failures led to Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death and the growing number of deaths occurring under your leadership.

We request answers to the following questions involving Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death by May 8, 2026.

1. What was Mr. Ramos-Solano’s official cause of death?
2. On what date and time did facility security and medical staff first receive reports that Mr. Ramos-Solano was feeling ill or required medical attention? Were these reports made by Mr. Ramos-Solano or a third party? How many reports did the facility receive? What medical evaluations, tests, or treatments, if any, were conducted following these reports?
3. When did other detainees request medical help or assistance for Mr. Ramos-Solano? How many detainees raised concerns on behalf of Mr. Ramos-Solano?
4. What was Mr. Ramos-Solano’s condition prior to his transfer to Victor Valley Global Medical Center?
5. When was the family of Mr. Ramos-Solano contacted about his condition?
6. What prompted his transfer to the detention medical center, and which medical staff were involved in assessing him there?
7. What criteria did staff use to determine that his condition was potentially life-threatening and required emergency medical transfer?
8. What specific kinds of medical evaluation, monitoring, or treatment was Mr. Ramos-Solano given? What medications were prescribed to him? Please provide all records concerning Mr. Ramos-Solano’s detention, medical care, and death from Adelanto and Victor Valley Global Medical Center.
9. Please provide a status update on the Detainee Death Report involving Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death, including the expected timeline for publication of findings.
10. Did ICE Health Services CORPS (IHSC) complete a Preliminary Mortality Review within 14 days of Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death, as required by ICE Directive 11003.6 Notification, Review, and Reporting Requirements for Detainee Deaths? Please provide a status update on IHSC’s final Mortality Review, including expected timeline for completion.
11. Has ICE Office of Professional Responsibility External Reviews and Analysis Unit initiated a Detainee Death Review into the facts and circumstances surrounding the Mr. Ramos-Solano’s death?
12. How many complaints of inadequate medical care have been reported at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center since January 2025? What steps has ICE taken to address detainees’ reports of improper medical care?
13. Has ICE identified violations of medical care standards at Adelanto since January 2025? If so, what corrective measures have DHS and ICE implemented to address these violations at Adelanto?
14. How are your agencies addressing the sharp rise in federal immigration custody deaths since January 2025?

We look forward to your timely response to this urgent matter. 

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

“TPS holders earn work permits, pay taxes, and get zero government welfare. They pay into Medicare and Social Security and get nothing in return,” said Wasserman Schultz. “It does nobody any good to take good people out of the workforce, people who just came here to make a better life for their families.”