MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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

August 07, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON–Today, Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allocate sufficient federal funding in the FY27 Work Plan to repair and restore the south jetty in Venice, Florida. The jetty sustained catastrophic damage during the 2024 hurricane season and serves as one of the only access points to the Gulf of America for several miles in each direction, making its repair critical to navigation, public safety, and the regional economy. To read the full letter, click here. 
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

LAFAYETTE, LA – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) released the following statement after qualifying for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives in Louisiana’s Third Congressional District: 

“This week, I am honored to announce that I have officially qualified for reelection in Louisiana’s Third Congressional District. As a Member of the Board of Directors for the House Freedom Caucus, I have stood shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to advance the America First agenda, secure our border, and cut wasteful Washington spending, earning a 100% conservative voting record recognized by the Heritage Foundation, Club for Growth, and Americans for Prosperity.

Ascending each year in seniority on my committees and within the Republican Conference, I have earned a seat at the America First table, where policy decisions are made for our entire Nation. I have backed the men and women of the Thin Blue Line, fought for Louisiana interests, supported our military and my Veteran Brothers and Sisters, and secured billions of dollars for important Louisiana flood mitigation and disaster relief efforts. I will always fight for Constitutionalist and Conservative principles, and with the support of We the People, I will unwaveringly continue to deliver for Louisiana.”

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

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland

August 7, 2026                                                   202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

Safety Starts at the Top Act would require large aerospace manufacturers to add labor and safety experts to their boards of directors

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON —Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood’s legislation to rename the Plainfield Post Office in honor of Staff Sergeant Jose Dueñez Jr. passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with unanimous bipartisan support. The Senate version of the legislation is led by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). The House-passed bill will now be sent to the U.S. Senate Floor for a vote. 

Underwood secured support from every member of the Illinois congressional delegation – Representatives Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Sean Casten (IL-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Bill Foster (IL-11), Mike Bost (IL-12), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Mary Miller (IL-15), Darin LaHood (IL-16), and Eric Sorensen (IL-17) – to honor her constituent by officially designating the Post Office Building at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, IL as the “Staff Sergeant Jose Dueñez Jr. Post Office Building.”

Staff Sergeant Dueñez and three other U.S. soldiers were killed during an Army training exercise in Lithuania on March 31, 2025. His family described Dueñez as “someone who always wanted to protect people.” He was a beloved member of his community who enlisted right after high school and served his country for seven years.

“Staff Sergeant Jose Dueñez Jr. represents the best of our community. He was an extraordinary hero who served his country with strength and resilience,” Rep. Underwood said. “I’m honored to lead this legislation to permanently commemorate his sacrifice and service. The Plainfield Post Office will bear his name as reminder of his contributions not only to his country, but to his community and family as a father, husband, brother, and son.”

“Staff Sergeant Dueñez was deeply committed to his community and our country, and we salute his sacrifice,” said Senator Duckworth. “As we remember his legacy and service to our nation, I’m pleased to see that our legislation to rename the Plainfield Post Office in his honor has passed through the House and committee markup in the Senate, and am hopeful we can continue building on this momentum to get this bill across the finish line.”

Staff Sergeant Jose Dueñez Jr. was born on April 8, 1999, and was raised in Joliet along with his five sisters. Dueñez was promoted five times over the course of his service, ultimately reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant in November of 2020. He served in three overseas deployments—Poland in 2019, Germany in 2022, and Lithuania in 2025—and was recognized with two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, one Certificate of Achievement, two Army Good Conduct Medals, and a National Defense Service Medal.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe seeking answers about recent public reports that the People’s Republic of China is rearming Iran with shoulder-fired air defense missiles. Krishnamoorthi warns that the reported transfer could put American servicemembers at greater risk and appears to contradict Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping’s assurances to President Trump that China was not supplying weapons to Iran. 

In the letter, Krishnamoorthi writes:

“I write today as a senior member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to voice my great concern over recent public reports that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has sold shoulder-fired air-defense missiles to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Public reports from this week indicate that the PRC signed a deal to ship an initial batch of 300 to 400 man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran to replenish its degraded air defense systems, putting American servicemembers at risk. I have written to you before regarding the PRC’s military support for the Iranian regime, and this news only deepens my concern.”

The letter cites recent public reports that China agreed to transfer Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran through a Hong Kong-based company, potentially replenishing Iran’s degraded air defenses. Krishnamoorthi notes that MANPADS are capable of targeting aircraft, helicopters, and low-flying drones, increasing the threat to U.S. forces and security partners in the region. 

Krishnamoorthi continues:

“The Administration must end this needless and destructive war, which is harming the American economy and risking the lives of American servicemembers. The war has caused major damage to the U.S. global reputation and is encouraging our adversaries to cooperate in tandem against us. At the same time, it is essential that the State Department and White House make clear that it is unacceptable for Beijing to provide support that emboldens Iran’s repressive regime and enhances its military capabilities.”

Krishnamoorthi requested responses by August 16, 2026, including answers to the following questions:

1. To what extent is the PRC helping Iran rebuild its military capabilities, including through the provision of portable air defense systems, and is there evidence of other confirmed or discussed arms sales from the PRC to Iran? 
2. Has the Administration raised the recent public reports of the PRC’s provision of MANPADS to Iran with Chinese counterparts, and does it find Beijing’s denial of these public reports credible? 
3. What steps are being taken to protect our servicemembers and military assets from MANPADS and other similar systems in the Iran conflict? 
4. Has there been any indication or confirmation that the PRC is sharing intelligence information with the Iranians to better strike U.S. and/or allied forces in the region? 
5. What is the intelligence community’s assessment on whether the agreed MANPADS transfer process has been initiated or is on hold? 
6. What is the intelligence community’s ability to track arms moved overland via Pakistan and what is the determination on the extent Pakistani leadership knew of the deal and proposed transfer? 
7. Does the intelligence community believe it has adequate resources to monitor these kinds of threats going forward? 

The letter also requests a classified briefing, if necessary, by September 2, 2026, on the reported MANPADS agreement, PRC military and intelligence support for Iran, and CIA, State Department, and Department of Defense efforts to prevent similar threats to American servicemembers. 

Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s letter is available here.

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

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today applauded the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s unanimous approval of the bipartisan Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act, legislation he co-led in the House to tear down the paper ceiling by expanding opportunities for skilled workers and ensuring federal contracting decisions focus on demonstrated ability rather than unnecessary degree requirements. The bill previously passed the House unanimously and now advances to the full Senate.

“The Senate committee’s unanimous vote brings us another step closer to tearing down the paper ceiling that has kept too many talented Americans from competing for good-paying jobs,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. “By focusing on skills rather than unnecessary degree requirements, our bipartisan legislation will expand opportunity, strengthen the federal workforce, and help ensure taxpayers get the best value from federal contracts. I look forward to seeing it pass the full Senate and reach the President’s desk.”

The Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act requires federal agencies to justify any minimum education requirements included in federal contract solicitations, helping ensure contractors are evaluated based on their ability to perform the work rather than credentials that may not reflect real-world qualifications. By encouraging skills-based evaluation, the legislation will increase competition, reduce unnecessary barriers, and expand opportunities for qualified workers.

The legislation expands opportunities for workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) by helping tear down the paper ceiling that has prevented many qualified Americans from competing for federal contracting opportunities despite having the skills and experience to do the job. These workers have developed expertise through apprenticeships, military service, community college programs, workforce training, or on-the-job experience rather than a traditional four-year degree.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata accepted an invite from her House classmate, Chairman Brian Babbin, who leads the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, to take part in a series of discussions in a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to several nations over the weekend at the start of the House’s August work period. 

Amata’s visit expands on her service in the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), specifically in the Africa Subcommittee as well as the East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee, allowing her to work with another committee’s issues, and she expressed her several purposes in relation to American Samoa:

• In their first stop, Cabo Verde, Members of Congress were briefed at a weather balloon facility and observed a weather balloon launch. Congresswoman Amata conveyed interest in American Samoa being the site of similar research and studies, highlighting key geographic comparisons and suitability. The Republic of Cabo Verde (meaning Green Cape) is an archipelago of ten islands west of continental Africa with a large majority Christian population. Their islands are just inside the Tropic of Cancer in the Atlantic, much as American Samoa is just inside the Tropic of Capricorn in the Pacific, and the islands share similarities in their meridian positions on opposite sides of the world. 
• In Tanzania, also a coastal country which includes islands in the Indian Ocean at the far border of the Indo-Pacific region, while American Samoa is relatively near the center of the vast region, Congresswoman Amata and other Members of Congress met with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Wildlife Law Enforcement Attache Kathy Spengler, who is stationed at the U.S. Embassy through the Department of the Interior. They held productive discussions including the state of mineral exploration – which Amata opposes near American Samoa – and Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing in those waters, a shared concern in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. 
• Finally, starting the return trip with a rest and refueling in Lisbon, Portugal, a U.S. ally known for their own fishing industry focused on sardines, they met with the Portuguese Space Agency, which is actively implementing ambitious national strategic efforts. Amata highlighted American Samoa’s historic ties to the U.S. space program and numerous Apollo missions, and conveyed that, in cooperation with the U.S., American Samoa would make them welcome should a splashdown site on the earth’s opposite side ever be needed in their growing program and activities.
• On a personal level while briefly in Lisbon, Amata was delighted that the U.S. Embassy residence is named Casa Carlucci (the Carlucci House), a restored 1861 manor, in honor of her old friend and former employer, Frank Carlucci, who served there as U.S. Ambassador to Portugal, and later served as Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan, part of his career with four Presidents. Amata worked for him at the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity and the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

“I value these opportunities to emphasize American Samoa to colleagues and government officials, and build relationships while working with other committees, but my original reason for working with Africa Subcommittee issues is its jurisdiction over the most important religious freedom and human rights global efforts that Congress is involved in,” said Congresswoman Amata. “These efforts have a worldwide impact not at all limited to Africa, including oversight of American-supported international organizations that work in many nations from Africa to the Pacific. I wanted to continue working on these issues with respected Chairman Chris Smith, who has long been the foremost champion in Congress for religious freedom and human rights, and many of these efforts dovetail with issues in the Pacific. For instance, earlier this Congress, the House passed a foreign affairs bill I cosponsored, the bipartisan PARTNER Act, that enhances U.S. relations in both the Pacific Islands and Africa.” 

The House-passed PARTNER Act extends diplomatic privileges to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while also extending those privileges to the African Union’s Observer Mission to the United Nations. Amata is an original cosponsor co-leading the bill in a group of three Republicans and six Democrats. 

In another example of a global effort with Pacific ties to the HFAC Africa Subcommittee, Amata spoke on the House floor on September 23, 2024, while serving as Floor Manager for House passage of the reauthorization of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), S. 3764, a bipartisan effort which then passed by a vote of 365-20. (A four-minute video of her House floor speech is available HERE.)

See more pictures here

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Rep Ro Khanna (CA-17)

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced a Data Center Bill of Rights that would give Americans and local communities greater control over the construction and operation of AI data centers. The resolution calls for prohibiting data centers in residential areas and within 2,500 feet of homes, schools, childcare facilities, hospitals and nursing homes.

More than 4,400 data center facilities are listed across all 50 states. As the industry expands, communities are increasingly concerned about its effects on local water supplies, air quality and public health. Berkeley Lab projects that U.S. hyperscale data centers, whose growth is being driven largely by AI workloads, could directly consume as much as 33 billion gallons of water annually by 2028. Diesel generators and gas turbines can also emit pollutants linked to respiratory and cardiovascular harm, while cooling systems and other equipment can create persistent noise that may disrupt sleep.

“Families should not face higher electricity bills, depleted water supplies, or increased pollution from data centers in their communities. Americans deserve the right to know what is being proposed, to decide what gets built in their neighborhoods and to share in the economic benefits,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. 

The resolution affirms that every American and community affected by an artificial intelligence data center should have the right to:

• ban data centers in residential areas and within 2,500 feet of homes, schools, childcare facilities, hospitals or nursing homes;
• reject any proposed data center through a transparent community process 
• preserve the authority of counties and municipalities to prohibit or regulate data center development without being preempted or overruled by the State;
• adopt statewide pauses on new data centers until the state passes real protections that stop ratepayers from seeing higher electricity bills, prevent the draining of local water supplies, and give communities a genuine say over what gets built in their backyard;
• demand no increase in electricity rates or fees for households or small businesses; 
• require every data center to use clean and reliable energy while meeting strict limits on noise and air pollution 
•  receive, before project approval, an independent and publicly available impact report assessing the data center’s effects on electricity demand, utility bills, public health, noise and air pollution, price of consumer goods, rents, and housing availability, as well as a complete accounting of the number and types of jobs the project is expected to create and economic impact to the community over 10 years;
• require enforceable community benefit agreements that support affordable housing, neighborhood improvements, water and infrastructure upgrades, public computing resources, local venture capital, workforce training and permanent technology jobs;
• require data center operators to disclose projected water consumption to local water providers and obtain a written compatibility determination before approval and submit semiannual water usage reports for public review; and 
• require data center owners, operators, and developers to pay their fair share of State and local taxes and ensure that any tax exemption or public subsidy includes strong labor standards, full transparency, and clawback provisions when those conditions are not met.

Read the full text here.

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

Funds Will Support Construction of Brooke House Village Center, a Multi-Generational Community Space Serving Members of Olmsted Village and Mattapan

Photos (Dropbox)

MATTAPAN – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) visited Mattapan to celebrate the $500,000 in federal community project funding she delivered for the construction of 2Life Communities’ Brooke House Village Center—a multi-generational community space on the ground floor of the Brooke House senior living community. The Brooke House Village Center is where 2Life will deliver its suite of programs and services including resident coordination, fitness classes, life-long learning, arts and cultural programming, and front desk staffing to residents and community members from the Olmsted and greater Mattapan community.

Congresswoman Pressley hosted a roundtable discussion with 2Life Communities leadership and staff, as well as State Senator Liz Miranda, State Representative Russell Holmes, Boston City Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune, leaders from Shattuck Child Care Center, Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, and residents and community members. Photos from the event are available here.

“Families in the Massachusetts 7^th and across the country are grappling with a housing and affordability crisis, and we must use every tool available to invest in our people and deliver the resources they need to survive and thrive,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “While Trump and Republicans continue harming our elders and families, I’m so grateful to the team at 2Life for their partnership in affirming housing as a human right and I’m so proud to deliver this investment to help make the Brooke House a reality.”

“We’re deeply grateful to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for her steadfast partnership in making Brooke House a reality,” said 2Life Communities’ President Lizbeth Heyer. “This transformative community represents far more than affordable housing, it’s an investment in healthy aging, intergenerational connection, and the services that help older adults thrive with dignity. Projects like this are only possible when local, state, and federal leaders work together, and Congresswoman Pressley has been an unwavering champion every step of the way.”

“I’m grateful to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and to all of our seniors who are demanding and deserving of the opportunity to age in place. I don’t want to build a community without our seniors, I want to build a community where they are celebrated, valued, and loved right here at home,” said Senator Liz Miranda (D-Roxbury). Brooke House at Olmsted Village will provide safe, affordable housing and connect residents with services that help people thrive. I’m grateful to everyone who helped bring this vision closer to reality and excited for the day we see this project open its doors.”

“I want to thank Congresswoman Pressley, Lizbeth, and the design teams at the City of Boston and 2Life Communities for their tireless work to bring affordable senior housing to the Mattapan community,” said State Representative Russell Holmes. “Our community deserves this much needed investment into the neighborhood. I look forward to seeing the first phase of infrastructure work at the Olmsted Village site underway as we break ground throughout the summer of 2026. We anticipate the 127-apartment Brooke House build will begin in late summer and the construction of Lena New Boston’s 52-unit Russell House will begin this fall, bringing this long-awaited project into fruition.”

On track to open in early 2028, Brooke House will provide 127 affordable, service-enriched apartments for older adults. Apartments will be 100% affordable to households with incomes up to 60% of the area median income (AMI), with additional subsidies to support deeper levels of affordability. Apartments will meet the highest standards of universal design to allow residents to remain in their homes as their physical needs change. Located on the grounds of the former Boston State Hospital campus in Mattapan, the new building is a model of universal design, adaptability, resiliency, and sustainability.

The federal funding was passed as part of the FY2024 spending package signed into law by President Biden.

Rep. Pressley has secured approximately $50 million in federal community project funding for the Massachusetts 7^th since Fiscal Year 2022.

• In June 2026, Rep. Pressley convened community partners and local legislators in the City of Cambridge to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal community project funding she delivered for Cambridge Community Center, Inc.
• On May 6, 2026, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea to celebrate the $922,000 in federal community project funding she delivered for Roca, Inc’s “Managing Trauma in Corrections” program. The federal dollars secured by the Congresswoman, which passed under a previous spending bill signed by President Biden, helped create the new program at Roca, which supports young people cycling through incarceration and correctional officers addressing and mitigating trauma.
• On September 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley visited Chinatown to celebrate the $425,000 in community project funding she secured for the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.
• On March 27, 2025, Rep. Pressley visited East Boston to celebrate the $1 million in federal funding she delivered to expand the Digital Literacy (DigLit) Initiative in Boston, a critical program that helps workforce development programs address digital literacy gaps.
• On October 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph for the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Turner Free Mobile Library, a bookmobile carrying books, movies, Wi-Fi, and other resources for community members, made possible by the $524,000 she delivered in funding for the library and STEM programming.
• On October 10, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Just A Start, elected officials and community advocates and members for the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons, a 70,000-square-foot facility designed to address the evolving needs of the community.
• On June 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Boston Medical Center (BMC) to celebrate $370,000 in federal community project funding she secured to support BMC’s Violence Intervention Advocacy Program.
• On June 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea HealthCare Center to celebrate $1,150,000 in federal community project funding she secured to support Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) efforts to address the statewide shortage of bilingual, culturally diverse mental health providers for immigrant and limited English proficiency communities.
• On April 22, 2204, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) visited Nubian Square in Roxbury for a roundtable discussion to celebrate the $1,000,000 million in federal funding they secured for the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA).
• On March 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley 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 February 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea City Hall for a roundtable and press conference to celebrate the $750,000 in federal funding she secured for the City of Chelsea’s and City of Everett’s Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project.
• In January 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Somerville to celebrate 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 December 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Brighton to celebrate $400,000 she delivered for Amplify Latinx’s ALX Small Business Program.
• In November 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Roxbury Community College (RCC) to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured for Northeastern University’s Roxbury Associate’s to Master’s Workforce Accelerator (RA2MWA).
• In June 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea to celebrate $2,000,000 in federal community project funding she secured to improve the Broadway Corridor—home to an array of BIPOC-owned small businesses, vibrant public spaces, high frequency public transit routes, and dense residential housing.
• In April 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to celebrate $524,000 she secured for Randolph Public Schools to support a mobile library and STEM programming.
• In March 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Dorchester to celebrate $250,000 in new Community Project Funding she secured for Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s one-to-one mentoring and enrichment programs for girls.
• In February 2023, Rep. Pressley visited the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE) to celebrate the $643,003 in community project funding she secured for ACEDONE to support small businesses in predominately Black, brown and African immigrant communities.
• In October 2022, Rep. Pressley visited The Dimock Center in Roxbury to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured to support substance use treatment and programming at the health center. 
• In August 2022, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to deliver $275,000 in federal community project funding for culturally responsive resources and digital literacy tools for Randolph Public Schools.
• In June 2022, Rep. Pressley visited the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology to deliver $300,000 in direct federal funding for the development of a Clean Energy Building Automation Systems certificate and associate degree program.
• In May 2022, she visited Bunker Hill Community College to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal community project funding she secured to expand the City of Boston’s Tuition-Free Community College program.
• In April 2022, she visited Randolph to deliver $1,000,000 in federal community project funding for a new school-based community health center at Randolph High School. 
• In March 2022, she visited La Colaborativa in Chelsea to celebrate the $300,000 in federal community project funding that she delivered for La Colaborativa’s COVID Employment Recovery Program.

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