Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after signing a discharge petition that will force a vote in the House of Representatives to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits if the petition reaches 218 signatories:
“Health care should be affordable and accessible for all. 26,000 people I represent depend on these critical ACA tax credits to afford medical care. If Republicans in Congress allow them to expire at the end of the year, 80,000 people in Washington state will be forced to go without health care.
“More uninsured people means higher health care costs for everyone and sicker family members, friends and neighbors. Because my Republican colleagues are refusing to hold a vote, too many hardworking people are facing the reality of choosing between going to the doctor, paying rent and feeding their kids.
“I will keep working alongside House Democrats to extend the ACA tax credits and make health care accessible and affordable.”
Rep. Larsen also joined Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03) and 57 of their Democratic colleagues in urging Speaker Mike Johnson to immediately hold a vote to extend ACA tax credits and prevent health care costs from skyrocketing for hardworking families.
The full letter to Speaker Johnson is available here and below.
The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker U.S. House of Representatives H-232, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Speaker Johnson,
We write to you once again about the urgent matter of Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums and the enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs) set to expire at the end of this year. For the past 50-plus days, you had kept the House of Representatives out of session while millions of Americans worry over how they’ll be able to pay their health care bills in 2026. Up to 24 million ACA enrollees are facing gross premium increases averaging 26 percent and actual monthly cost increases around 114 percent; some constituents have shared with us anticipated premium increases as high as 3,000 percent.
Many of the Americans that will be hit by these exorbitant costs live in congressional districts represented by Republicans. And a majority of members of the House – Democrats and Republicans – have made clear that these expiring EPTCs need to be addressed immediately. Ignoring this issue will be catastrophic to millions and runs counter to President Trump’s promise to lower costs for Americans.
In voting to reopen the federal government, Majority Leader John Thune has guaranteed a vote on extending these ACA EPTCs in the Senate. We respectfully demand you hold this same vote here in the House as soon as possible.
Families across this country – on both sides of the political spectrum – are counting on us to do something to mitigate rising health care costs. Inaction here will decimate millions of Americans’ budgets and force impossible decisions between receiving necessary care and other basic needs.
Please respond to us immediately with a date on which you will hold a vote on extending the ACA EPTCs. We look forward to working together to ensure Americans are protected from these disastrous cost increases.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tax filers could expect an extra $1,000 bump to their tax refund next year, in what could be a record-breaking tax refund season, according to recent analyst projections.
In total, the Working Families Tax Cuts will give American taxpayers $191 billion in net new tax relief in 2026. This level of tax relief will go a long way in helping working families make ends meet.
“The Working Families Tax Cuts puts more money in the pockets of Pennsylvania workers and families. Now, these additional savings will soon become a reality,” said Rep. Mike Kelly, Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax. “Not only did the Working Families Tax Cuts prevent a tax increase, but it is also further investing in Pennsylvanians both for today and for years to come.”
“Millions of Americans will see the working families tax cuts put more money in their pockets when they file taxes this coming spring. In our tax relief bill, Republicans wasted no time and ensured that we cut taxes on income earned this year. Americans voted to have more money in their wallet, and that’s exactly what President Trump and Republicans delivered,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08). “Tax refunds are a big deal for a lot of American families. It covers home repairs, health care, or summer vacations; all of which became completely unaffordable under Joe Biden. Thanks to the working families tax cuts, more Americans will have greater financial security and ability to provide for their future.”
For the 2026 tax filing season, taxpayers are expected to take home an additional $91 billion in refunds and keep an additional $30 billion in their paychecks from reduced withholdings – according to a new study from Piper Sandler based on Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) data.
The Working Families Tax Cuts put more money back into the American people’s pockets families in multiple ways:
Makes the doubled standard deduction and lower tax rates from the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent.
Further increases the Standard Deduction by up to $1,500 per family in 2025.
No tax on tips
No tax on overtime
No tax on Social Security
Boosts the Child Tax Credit to $2,200 and indexes its value to inflation.
Expands access to child care and makes the paid leave tax credit permanent.
Expands 529 savings accounts to help families choose education that best fits their needs.
Expands health savings accounts so American families control their own health care.
Learn more about the Working Families Tax Cuts here.
Read more: Check out Rep. Kelly’s op-ed about the Working Families Tax Cuts in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review published in July.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) today strongly condemned the Trump Administration’s proposal to open areas off Florida’s Gulf Coast to offshore oil and gas drilling.
“President Trump is selling out Floridians to boost the profits of Big Oil donors. Floridians banned oil and gas drilling in state waters with almost 70% support for 2018. Drilling in federal waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast is far too risky after the economic and environmental damage from the BP Deepwater Horizon blowout and Hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton.
“Our oceans and coasts are too unique and too critical to our way of life to encourage offshore drilling. Florida is a special but fragile place, and our economy depends on clean water, clean beaches and an affordable way for families to recreate and unwind. Drilling puts our national security at risk by disrupting critical military training conducted off Florida’s coasts. That’s why the Biden Administration acted to permanently protect the Eastern Gulf of Mexico under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. But today, the Trump Administration is proposing to lease areas off Florida’s coast that have long been protected by Congress.
“Trump’s Interior Department knows drilling in the Eastern Gulf is illegal, but they plan to hold lease sales anyway. That is why Congress must pass my bipartisan Florida Coastal Protection Act to enshrine permanent coastal protections in law and protect Florida’s waters, our planet, our pocketbooks and our people from costly oil disasters.
“Fifteen years after the BP spill, people are still struggling and communities are still using recovery funds to rebuild. Big Oil doesn’t need more help; they already sit on thousands of unused leases and receive $14 billion in taxpayer subsidies each year.
“After shutting down the government for seven weeks, it’s telling that President Trump’s priority is pushing a pro-polluter agenda. While hardworking families face a crushing cost-of-living crisis, Republicans are doubling down to sell off America’s oceans to their polluter friends. It’s not needed, not wanted and it’s another example of callous disregard for hardworking Americans.”
In January, the Biden-Harris Administration used its authority to permanently protect the Eastern Gulf of Mexico—including military training ranges, coastal ecosystems and the tourism and fishing industries central to Florida’s economy.
Castor’s bipartisan Florida Coastal Protection Act would codify a permanent ban on oil and gas drilling off Florida’s coast, safeguarding the state from the environmental and economic threats of offshore drilling.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)
Bacon, Suozzi, Hurd, Gottheimer Introduce Bill to Avert Healthcare Affordability Crisis: The Bipartisan HOPE Act
Washington – Today, Congressmen Don Bacon (R-NE), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Jeff Hurd (R-CO) co-led the introduction of the Bipartisan Healthcare Optimization, Protection, and Extension (HOPE) Act. This bill would address the healthcare affordability crisis by extending the enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) for two years and adding new income caps and guardrails against fraud in the process.
“I’m glad we’re moving the debate forward on extending and reforming the Affordable Care Act subsidies. I’ve made clear to my colleagues on both sides that Congress needs a smart, bipartisan agreement that prevents our constituents’ health insurance premiums from skyrocketing. That’s why I worked with Reps. Tom Suozzi, Jeff Hurd, and Josh Gottheimer to introduce the HOPE Act, which would extend the enhanced premium tax credits for two years and apply new income caps and fraud protections. This may not be the final package Congress adopts, but it’s a responsible compromise that can help break the gridlock and protect families from higher costs,”said Congressman Bacon.
“The number one issue in our country is affordability. The rising price of health care is a pressing concern for Americans who want both parties to work together to deliver relief,” said Congressman Suozzi. “Time is running out for people of good faith to broker a solution. This bill is a commonsense compromise that prevents devastating premium spikes, in some cases, thousands of dollars a month. The Bipartisan HOPE Act also strengthens the premium tax credit with added safeguards against fraud and abuse, reflecting priorities shared on both sides of the aisle. Thank you to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who were willing to sit down, negotiate in good faith, and work toward a real, practical solution for the American people.”
Congressman Gottheimer said, “It’s time to come together, Democrats and Republicans, put aside the partisan BS, and deliver a real solution that will cut health insurance premiums. The Bipartisan HOPE Act will do just that — give hope to Jersey families struggling with the cost crisis on everything from health care to food to electric bills. Whether it’s this solution or another, failure is not an option.”
“Families across Colorado are already stretched thin by high health-care costs, and without action from Congress, premiums are set to rise sharply at the end of this year. I joined this bipartisan effort because doing nothing would leave too many families in rural communities facing unaffordable increases that they cannot absorb. The HOPE Act provides a temporary, responsible extension of the current premium tax credits so families do not see sudden cost spikes through no fault of their own. This bill also includes the strongest guardrails ever applied to the ACA Exchanges. We crack down on fraudulent brokers and misleading marketing practices, require documented consumer consent for plan changes, expand audit requirements, and remove ‘ghost beneficiaries’ by directing regular checks against the federal Death Master File. These reforms protect taxpayers, strengthen program integrity, and prevent vulnerable consumers from being taken advantage of. The HOPE Act is a practical, bipartisan solution that maintains affordability, enhances transparency, and improves accountability while Congress works toward long-term reforms that will make our health-care system more stable and more affordable. I will continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pursue responsible, commonsense solutions that put families first,”said Congressman Hurd.
The bill would extend the enhanced PTCs for enrollees earning less than $200,000 per year for a family of four. The bill would phase out the enhanced PTCs for enrollees earning between $200,000 and $300,000 for a family of four.
Moreover, the bill would create new guardrails to prevent “ghost beneficiaries,” crack down on fraud, and enhance delivery clarity. The bill cracks down on broker fraud by implementing several measures, including those presented in the Insurance Fraud Accountability Act, to codify CMS’s authority to remove bad actors from ACA marketplaces, penalize bad actors, implement new consumer protections, and more. It also directs ACA marketplaces to regularly confirm enrollee eligibility with the Death Master File and requires marketplaces to better notify recipients the value of PTCs they are receiving from the federal government.
Finally, recognizing that many would-be recipients may have been discouraged from purchasing health insurance by previously high premiums, the bill would extend open enrollment to May 15.
Rep. Bacon and his colleague spoke to reporters today on the HOPE Act. His remarks can be heard here. You can find a one-pager on the Bipartisan HOPE Act here. The bill text is available here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box, where he made clear that Democrats will continue fighting to fix the Republican healthcare crisis and committed to reaching a bipartisan agreement to extend the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits.
BECKY QUICK: Joining us right now is House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to talk a little bit more about this. And, sir, can you lay out, without any partisan bent, kind of where things stand right now, just so Americans understand what’s happening?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the Affordable Care Act tax credits are going to expire on December 31st. And if that happens, tens of millions of hardworking American taxpayers are going to experience dramatically increased premiums, copays and deductibles. In some cases, premiums for health insurance will increase by $1,000 or $2,000 per month. This is for working-class Americans, middle-class Americans and everyday Americans. Healthcare will be unaffordable, people will be unable to go see a doctor when they need one. And that’s unacceptable in this great country, the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Over in the Senate, it’s my understanding that Leader Thune has recommitted to a vote on an Affordable Care Act extension no later than the second week in December, so there are ongoing discussions that are taking place in the Senate. Meanwhile, unfortunately, in the House, my Republican colleagues have shown zero interest in doing anything related to the ticking time bomb of the Affordable Care Act tax credits expiring. House Democrats have launched a discharge petition to try to compel an up-or-down vote on a straight three-year extension so we can provide working-class Americans with the same level of certainty that my Republican colleagues provided their billionaire donors when passing the One Big Ugly Bill.
BECKY QUICK: Minority Leader Jeffries, let’s talk about that discharge petition. You need 218 votes in the House in order to pass that. You’ve got 214 Members in the Democratic Caucus, so you only need four House Republicans to have to sign on to it to get this passed. But the idea of saying that this is a three-year extension instead of a one or even two-year extension has any potential Republican saying ‘forget it, this is dead on arrival.’ That’s the opinion of Representative Don Bacon. He’s a Republican from Nebraska who has been working with the idea of potentially extending for two years. But three years, they say, is dead on arrival. So if this is something that you want to satiate, if you want to get done, you are going to need at least some Republicans to come over. Why not start with a one-year extension or potentially even a two-year expansion?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Leader Schumer offered a one-year extension in the context of trying to end the Trump-Republican shutdown and that was unceremonious—
BECKY QUICK: That’s different. I’m talking about what you have now. Let’s not go back to what’s done in the past and what has not been extended. If you want to get something that it has actually done you need to do something that will have bipartisanship. Let’s not go back—
LEADER JEFFRIES: You can ask me the question. You can ask me the question and I’ll provide the answer.
BECKY QUICK: Answer the question instead of going back.
LEADER JEFFRIES: No, no. I’m providing an answer in order to provide context. Republicans have repeatedly refused to take yes for an answer. It was a very reasonable multi-year extension that was offered. It was one-year straight extension, plus a multi-year process through a bipartisan commission to more permanently resolve the Affordable Care Act issue. So having that context is absolutely important, regardless of what you may think.
BECKY QUICK: It’s important context to make me realize that I don’t think you want to get a deal done. I think this is something where you’d like to see the rates go higher and allow the Republicans to hang themselves with that. Is that the answer? Is this politics?
LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely a ridiculous assertion, and really shame on—
BECKY QUICK: Three years is not going to get passed.
LEADER JEFFRIES: —shame on you for saying that because we’re fighting, it’s not a partisan issue for us. In fact, the states that are most impacted as it relates to an Affordable Care Act—
BECKY QUICK: That would be red states. Agree. Not contesting that.
LEADER JEFFRIES: —tax credit expiration are all Republican states. We’re talking about West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi, right, Tennessee. Over and over and over again. We can go through the list—
BECKY QUICK: That’s why you probably have some Republicans who would sign on if you guys could come up with something that actually looks like a bipartisan deal.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Listen, this is not a partisan fight for us, it’s a patriotic fight. We’re fighting for every constituent, even if Republicans aren’t necessarily fighting for their own constituents. We want to find a bipartisan path forward. And that is what we’ve repeatedly indicated we want to do. Like we want to sit down and have a reasonable discussion, find common ground to address this issue. Now, Republicans said in the House they were willing to deal with the Affordable Care Act tax credit issue after the government funding agreement was reached. Well, now the government shutdown is over and there’s still been no conversations with House Republican leaders despite—
BECKY QUICK: Mike Johnson never said that. The Leader never said that. You do have Republicans though who would agree with you on something if it was actually bipartisan in nature. That’s what I’m trying to get at.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Actually, Mike Johnson actually did say that there was always a plan to specifically deal with the expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. In fact, he said that repeatedly. So I’m not sure what you’re referencing, but that’s the bottom line.
BECKY QUICK: I think their plan is something that looks more like an [HSA], which I’m guessing you would say is dead on arrival, too, if you want to set up these healthcare plans that are funded instead of going through the ACA. I’m assuming you would say that’s dead on arrival too because there have been Republicans who put that forward. Am I wrong in thinking you would not go along with that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: What I’m saying is that what’s in front of us is the immediate expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Republicans have had all year to deal with this issue, and they’ve refused to do it. So they’re the ones who are not interested in finding a resolution to a healthcare crisis that they’ve created, including passing a bill that enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. And because of their policies, hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing throughout America, including in rural parts of the country.
BECKY QUICK: Which is why it would be nice to see a one-year extension so that none of these things happen immediately and give you all time to actually try and work on bipartisan situations, rather than a three-year extension that basically kicks it down until the next administration is here. I think both sides need to come together and find some way of getting around this that’s not necessarily saying, okay, we’re going to spend $350 billion to extend these tax credits without having any way of trying to get at the real problems of what is causing higher premiums, what is causing this inflationary healthcare environment to begin with.
LEADER JEFFRIES:Yeah, what’s interesting is that Republicans just spent trillions of dollars to provide their billionaire donors with massive tax breaks, and in that same bill, cut Medicaid by the largest amount in the history of the country, and also ripped $186 billion in nutritional assistance away from hungry children, seniors and veterans, the largest cut to SNAP in American history. But somehow we can’t find a dime to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits even for a year because House Republican leaders have rejected a one-year extension. Rejected. That’s their position. Not our position. That’s their position.
BECKY QUICK: So what I’m hearing, though, is that there is no middle ground. There is no bipartisanship. This is, at this point, us versus them, and we are not going to agree on anything. Am I?
LEADER JEFFRIES: No, that’s absolutely not the case. We’ve repeatedly said we will sit down anytime, anyplace, with any of our Republican colleagues. We’ll even go back to the White House to sit down with President Trump. We’ve repeatedly offered to do it, but they’ve refused. Donald Trump spent more time on the golf course during the longest government shutdown in American history than he did talking to Democrats on Capitol Hill who represent half the country. He has no interest in actually trying to find a bipartisan solution because the Republican approach, which is failing now—the American people know the country is moving in the wrong direction. The cost of living crisis is out of control, but the Republican approach since day one of this presidency has been my-way-or-the-highway.Everybody knows it. It’s one of the reasons why Republicans were rejected decisively, electorally, in the elections earlier this month. Yet, as Democrats, we continue to say we want to find a bipartisan path forward, but we need Republicans to operate in good faith in order for that to happen.
BECKY QUICK: Minority Leader, do you think that—what do you think, do you think you were successful in shutting down the government? Do you think you got what you wanted?
LEADER JEFFRIES: We didn’t shut the government down. Donald Trump and Republicans control the House, the Senate and the presidency. And in fact, the American people, prior to the shutdown, during the shutdown and after the shutdown know who was responsible for the government shutting down. And in fact, in the midst of it all, Republicans refused to even sit down and have a conversation about keeping healthcare affordable for everyday Americans. And so we’re going to move past it. We have an Affordable Care Act tax credit expiration deadline that we need to tackle. We have a whole set of spending agreements that we need to find common ground on in advance of those agreements expiring in terms of the continuing resolution by the end of January. We just need partnership on the other side of the aisle. You know, what we have right now is that the Republicans are in the midst of an ongoing civil war. I mean, Donald Trump is fighting with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Johnson and John Thune are fighting with each other, Cory Mills and Nancy Mace are fighting with each other. House Republicans are strongly disagreeing with Senate Republicans. The whole thing on the other side of the aisle is a mess. Meanwhile, as Democrats, we just want to fight for working-class Americans.
ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Minority Leader Jeffries, I’m curious. Later today, the Mayor-elect of New York Mamdani is going to be meeting with the President at the White House. Unclear whether we’ll see it all publicly or not. I’m curious, have you spoken to him about what this meeting is gonna be? How he should approach it? And if you have, or even haven’t, what you’re advising him?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, he and I had an opportunity to talk yesterday. I congratulated him on the announcement that Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch was going to remain at the helm of the NYPD. I think that’s a great thing for the city of New York, for every single community, and it reinforces the Mayor-elect’s commitment to public safety for all New Yorkers. I think at the meeting, as he’s publicly indicated, the two topics that will be discussed will be the affordability crisis that exists, you know, in the United States of America. The cost of living is way too high—that, in fact, is the case in New York City and across the country—and public safety and how to move forward. Andhopefully, President Trump is going to approach the meeting with a respect for the City that allowed his family and himself to achieve significant levels of success.
BECKY QUICK: Minority Leader Jeffries, thank you for your time today. We do hope to see something accomplished with this, so we’ll continue to watch. Thank you.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for a press conference where they called out the Trump administration for their failure to address the climate crisis with the seriousness and urgency that it deserves, while reiterating that Democrats are committed to defending the clean energy economy and fighting for lower costs.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Now, from the very beginning of this Congress, the very beginning of this presidency, there’s been an unwillingness by Donald Trump and House Republicans and Senate Republicans to deal with issues of importance to the American people, particularly as it relates to the cost-of-living crisis that we have in this country, and the various reasons why it continues to get worse in the United States of America. It’s shameful that the Trump administration and the United States government chose not to be involved and engaged at the most recent COP conference, essentially ceding leadership on this issue in the world to our rival China and the Chinese Communist Party while leaving America and Americans behind.
Now there’s a direct connection between the climate crisis, which continues to grow more urgent by the day, and the rise of extreme weather events that are not a partisan issue—because they hit blue states, purple states and red states all across America—a direct connection between the climate crisis and the rise of extreme weather events that threaten the health, the safety and the well-being of the American people, and a direct connection between the rise of extreme weather events and the homeowners insurance crisis that exists now in state after state after state. Homeownership has become unaffordable in far too many places, ripping away the possibility of homeownership for millions of Americans. And we know that homeownership has always been central to the great American dream.
And so, it’s incredibly important that we deal with the climate crisis because there is only one Earth. There is no planet B. We have no other option. We have to deal with protecting God’s green Earth, but we also have to deal with the climate crisis, because the absence of doing it causes life in America to just continue to become more unaffordable, particularly in this instance as it relates to both the home insurance prices and the rise in electricity costs and utility bills all across the country because of the administration’s assault on the progress that was made related to standing up a clean energy economy, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, Senator Whitehouse, Democrats in the House and the Senate and, of course, the Biden administration. Republicans have taken a sledgehammer to the clean energy economy, which hurts our ability to both deal with the climate crisis and hurts our ability to drive down costs for everyday Americans.
Remarks by Leader Jeffries at the press conference can be watched here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García issued the following statement after federal prosecutors dropped their case against Marimar Martinez, and Anthony Ruiz. Ms. Martinez, was repeatedly shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent in Brighton Park on October 4:
“I am pleased to see that the charges against Marimar Martinez and Anthony Ruiz have been dismissed. Federal agents involved in the violence unleashed by Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago have a track record of lying about their actions, and we must hold them accountable for the terror they are deploying in our communities.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
Lawmakers to Trump Administration: Taxpayers should not be “compelled to subsidize political speech.”
November 21, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), co-chairs of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, and James Clyburn (SC-06), Chair of the Democratic Faith Working Group, along with Senator Ron Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, led six of their colleagues in objecting to the Trump Administration’s attempts to exempt two specific organizations from the law. In a new letter to Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service Scott Bessent, the lawmakers urged the Trump Administration to withdraw a proposed settlement in National Religious Broadcasters Association v. Bessent which carves out exceptions to the foundational principle of separation of church and state.
For the past 70 years, a provision of the tax code known as the Johnson Amendment has insulated nonprofits, faith-based organizations and houses of worship from electoral politics. In order to qualify for 501(c)(3) status, nonprofits and houses of worship cannot engage in tax-exempt political speech. Despite widespread support for the Johnson Amendment among thousands of nonprofits and houses of worship, the Trump Administration reversed course on a lawsuit targeting the Johnson Amendment in an attempt to exempt two churches from complying with the law.
“Congress has considered and rejected multiple attempts to modify the Johnson Amendment,” the lawmakers wrote. “Members have long understood the moral imperative of shielding nonprofit service organizations, including houses of worship, from electoral politics while protecting taxpayers from being compelled to subsidize political speech. Your Proposed Consent Decree is nothing more than a transparent end-run around Congress, which has consistently rejected attempts to change this 70-year-old law.
“The Proposed Consent Decree seeks to exempt two specific organizations favored by the government out of the more than 1.5 million 501(c)(3) organizations in the United States from following the law,” the lawmakers continued. They noted that the reasoning in the proposed settlement “blows the door wide open for both secular nonprofits and all other religious organizations to petition the courts for their own free pass to engage in tax-exempt electoral speech. This settlement radically reinterprets the law and creates another opening for political actors to use charitable nonprofits to anonymously funnel unlimited money into elections.”
“The IRS should reject the false tension that the religious Right has tried to create between these two principles,” the lawmakers concluded. “The Religious Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses are equally essential, and they stand best when they stand together.”
The letter was also signed by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Emmanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and André Carson (IN-07).
The great Congressman John R. Lewis, an ordained Baptist Minister and hero of the Civil Rights Movement, issued a moral call to his colleagues on November 8, 2017:
“Fifteen years ago…Democrats and Republican came together to preserve the last remaining sanctuary that was free from partisan politics. In our heart of hearts, we understood that we had a moral responsibility to put the good of our nation before campaigns. My friends, we need that vision and unity again today.”
Congressman Lewis was defending the Johnson Amendment—a foundation stone in the nation’s wall of separation between church and state and a shield for tax-exempt organizations’ integrity—as the House Committee on Ways and Means considered an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to demolish it. In this same spirit, we are writing to express our serious concerns regarding the settlement that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has proposed in the matter of National Religious Broadcasters Association et al v. Bessent.
The Proposed Consent Decree asks the Court to exempt two religious organizations from obeying the law by reinterpreting the verbs “participate” and “intervene” and classifying communications from houses of worship to their congregations as compliant with the Johnson Amendment without any accompanying explanation for that classification. This reinterpretation is not permissible under the statute as enacted and sustained by Congress; presents serious constitutional concerns as a potential violation of the Equal Protection Clause; fails to disclose any fiscal effects of reinterpreting the law; and sidelines the principled and compelling opposition expressed by thousands of nonprofits, houses of worship and faith-based organizations that would be harmed by adopting this proposal.
Congress was in the process of modernizing the tax code in 1954 when then-Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson offered a provision clarifying reasonable boundaries between electoral politics and tax-exempt activities, including religious exercise. It was so noncontroversial at the time that Congress incorporated the Johnson Amendment without extended debate and Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law. Congress has considered and rejected multiple attempts to modify the Johnson Amendment because, as Congressman Lewis noted, Members have long understood the moral imperative of shielding nonprofit service organizations, including houses of worship, from electoral politics while protecting taxpayers from being compelled to subsidize political speech. Your Proposed Consent Decree is nothing more than a transparent end-run around Congress, which has consistently rejected attempts to change this 70-year-old law.
As explained in a letter sent to then-Commissioner Billy Long on July 18, 2025, the Proposed Consent Decree seeks to exempt two specific organizations favored by the government out of the more than 1.5 million 501(c)(3) organizations in the United States from following the law. In exempting two religious entities in terms limited to religious activities, the IRS is creating an Equal Protection Clause violation which could spread as organizations seize upon this Proposed Consent Decree to sue for their own exemptions. The settlement’s reasoning blows the door wide open for both secular nonprofits and all other religious organizations to petition the courts for their own free pass to engage in tax-exempt electoral speech. This settlement radically reinterprets the law and creates another opening for political actors to use charitable nonprofits to anonymously funnel unlimited money into elections.
The Proposed Consent Decree also fails to acknowledge the potential costs of implementing this ill-judged settlement. The Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation evaluated the Johnson Amendment repeal measure that Congressman Lewis opposed in 2017 and determined that such legislation would cost taxpayers $2.1 billion over 10 years. While the ultimate cost of the Proposed Consent Decree would ultimately depend on the extent of the exemptions granted, we are concerned that there will be very real costs to taxpayers if more nonprofits are able to engage in electoral activity. Under current law, political donations are subject to federal and state taxes. If this Proposed Consent Decree takes effect, contributions could be redirected from taxable sources to the churches covered by the settlement to become newly tax-deductible, with more to follow if and when other religious organizations and nonprofits seek the same allowance. The result would be reduced federal revenue. If you have prudently estimated the potential costs of this settlement and its aftermath, we urge you to publicize the results of your calculations.
We are also concerned that your Proposed Consent Decree would harm the many religious institutions and people of faith who oppose weakening the Johnson Amendment. During previous attempts to weaken the law, more than 4,600 faith leaders, 5,800 nonprofit organizations and 106 religious and denominational organizations expressed strong and principled opposition. Faith leaders across religious denominations united across their differences to affirm that “faith leaders are called to speak truth to power, and we cannot do so if we are merely cogs in partisan political machines.” If this decree weakening the Johnson Amendment shield goes into effect, houses of worship in which the clergy and congregation wish to remain apolitical could be pressured to engage in taxpayer-subsidized electoral politics by elected officials, candidates or donors. Such an outcome would be highly detrimental to religious freedom in America.
The First Amendment protects religious communities in two different ways—through the Establishment Clause, which prevents the government from imposing or endorsing one or more religions, and the Free Exercise Clause, which protects every person’s right to worship in whatever manner they choose. The IRS should reject the false tension that the religious Right has tried to create between these two principles. The Religious Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses are equally essential, and they stand best when they stand together. Neither has been violated by the Johnson Amendment as it has been interpreted since 1954, with equal applicability to all nonprofit organizations.
Congress has repeatedly chosen to maintain the Johnson Amendment in statute, and we reject the notion that the IRS can unilaterally reinterpret 70 years of this settled law. We urge you to withdraw your Proposed Consent Decree.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
Natural Resources Democrats Demand: End War on Clean Energy, Lower Costs, Protect Public Health, and Allow Strong Public Input to Advance SPEED Act
November 20, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member Huffman pushed back against Republicans’ so-called SPEED Act, a sweeping bill that would gut core provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and rig the rules to fast-track polluter projects and silence Americans. Democratic members offered a series of amendments to the legislation that would lower costs, improve public health, support community input, prevent polluter handouts, and stop Trump’s attacks on cheap, clean energy sources.
Ranking Member Huffman speaks during committee markup (November 20, 2025)
Excerpts and Highlights from Ranking Member Huffman’s Opening Remarks
“American families are struggling right now to make ends meet. Trump’s tariffs have raised prices on everything. Millions of Americans are about to lose affordable health care because Republicans don’t have a plan to fix the crisis that they set in motion. The last thing our constituents need right now is higher utility bills because President Trump wants to stop new transmission lines and shut down an entire sector of clean energy that can help us deliver cheap, affordable electricity.”
“While the House was out of session this fall, Democrats met with companies and organizations across the spectrum to discuss this legislation. [And] across these conversations, there was agreement that NEPA provides important benefits: benefits that force the federal government to take a hard look and carefully consider alternatives and impacts, benefits that provide transparency, benefits that provide community input and engagement. These are important pillars of NEPA that, unfortunately, are undermined in deeply disturbing ways by the legislation before us today.”
“[T]he SPEED Act [treats] environmental reviews as a nuisance rather than a tool to prevent costly, harmful mistakes. Weakening environmental review won’t fix permitting challenges. It certainly won’t help us build the clean energy future that we need. Gutting NEPA only invites more risk, more mistakes, more litigation, more damage to communities that already face too many environmental burdens.”
War on Clean Energy
“Wind and solar projects across this country are being shut down by this administration with the approval of Congressional Republicans. We can’t ignore that. It is an essential part of the context for any serious conversation in this space. Now, if President Trump and Secretary Burgum weren’t illegally blocking wind and solar projects right now, firing permitting staff, cutting funding for agencies – we’d be having a very different conversation about permitting legislation.”
“Donald Trump is not always right, as you have watched him be terribly wrong on the Epstein files, as you’ve watched him be terribly wrong on redistricting and this race to the bottom that he set in motion. He’s not always right. And so, I’m going to urge my colleagues across the aisle to summon your independence, summon a little bit of courage once again this week, and push back on this president when he is terribly wrong – and he is terribly wrong on clean energy right now.”
“This bill is so extreme that there’s simply nothing left in a meaningful way of NEPA if this were to become law. Now, Democrats are very interested in working constructively in problem solving. We would love to have a meaningful conversation, but it has to start with ending the war on clean energy, which this bill does not do in any significant way.”
“The promise of American leadership in the green economy is being squandered. In effect, as China dominates the industries and jobs of tomorrow, we’re locking ourselves into a fossil fuel stalemate when we should be taking advantage of the clean energy revolution. I will continue to say this: we can’t have a real conversation about permitting reform until these attacks stop.”
“Over the past few months, the Department of Energy has terminated $7.6 billion in clean energy awards. Reports show that nearly $23 billion more is on the chopping block right now. Projects that would lower energy costs, strengthen the grid, and provide thousands of jobs. These are straightforward, beneficial investments that serve only to benefit the average American, and there is no rational explanation for targeting them. The only people benefiting are Big Oil billionaires.”
Public Health and Community Input
“This bill would prevent agencies from examining harms that communities across the country are living with right now. So, consider the poster child here: Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, where predominantly black neighborhoods face some of the highest pollution related cancer risks in the nation. Those risks result from cumulative emissions from many facilities over decades, impacts that are well documented and directly tied to federal permitting decisions. And under this bill, agencies would be prohibited from considering those cumulative effects because they unfold over time and across multiple sources. That’s not streamlining. That’s telling federal agencies to look the other way in the face of an obviously foreseeable harm.”
“Agencies would be limited to analyzing only the alternatives that meet the applicant’s preferred outcomes, and reasonable alternatives that would reduce environmental harm, lower costs, avoid impacts to communities, or better serve the public’s interest, are excluded entirely by law. That is not reform. That is enabling biased analysis from the start. That is a thumb on the scale against the public.”
“This is an extreme and radical bill. [It’s] just chock full of these things that create an impossible gauntlet for people who are really hurt by bad projects and even illegal projects, from having any chance to challenge them. That is not an honest process. That is not a fine-tuning of NEPA. It’s a dramatic, radical change to a law that protects the public.”
“[The] problem is the way the bill goes way too far in constraining environmental reviews, in eliminating, in some cases, transparency and public input. And we don’t have to wonder what it looks like when you take away transparency, when you take away public input, when you make it impossible to stop a wrongheaded project that the federal government just decides to do, even if it’s illegal, even if it’s a crazy idea, when you make it impossible to scrutinize or stop that. We have a perfect example, and it is the East Wing of the White House right here. This is what happens when there’s no transparency, when there’s no scrutiny, when there’s no input, when there’s no way to stop a dumb idea from moving forward because you’ve done something like this to the NEPA process.”
Key Democratic Amendments
Huffman amendment #3 to prevent the bill from taking effect until clean energy grants such as offshore wind port grants that have been improperly rescinded by the Trump administration are reinstated and regulations are in place to prevent similar actions in the future.
Magaziner amendment #6 to clarify that renewable projects are recognized as legitimate multiple-use activities, planned responsibly, reviewed transparently, and coordinated with Tribes, states, fishermen, and local communities.
Ansari amendment #9 to amend the bill’s restrictions on the consideration of new science during much of the environmental review period. This amendment protects communities that would otherwise be put in harm’s way because an agency was forced to ignore new science about flooding, wildfire, pollution, or habitat collapse.
Rivas amendment #11 to ensure that NEPA’s public participation process is accessible and meets the needs of the community so people can have a voice in the decisions that affect their health, safety, and environment.
Rivas amendment #12 to add renewable energy to the list of national policies for the White House Council on Environmental Quality to foster and support.
Huffman amendment #13 to strike the provisions of the bill that dramatically narrows the definition of a “major Federal action” to exempt numerous projects from NEPA review and allow federal agencies to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on major infrastructure, energy, and environmental projects with no environmental review, no public input, and no accountability.
Grijalva amendment #14 to ensure that climate and environmental justice are included as national priorities pursued by the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Min amendment #17 to repeal the Department of the Interior’s memo forcing all wind and solar energy projects through a permitting process that requires personal approval from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum at every stage of the permitting process, needlessly adding red tape to stall clean, affordable energy development.
Randall amendment #20 to exempt tribes from the bill’s restrictions that prevent them from getting judicial review, protecting their ability to challenge agency decisions that affect their lands, waters, cultural resources, and treaty obligations.
Randall amendment #22 to ensures that offshore oil and gas lease sales mandated by President Trump’s Big Ugly Bill still go through NEPA review.
Brownley amendment #24 to preserve meaningful accountability and ensure agencies correct significant errors before projects move forward.
Huffman amendment #26 to strike the provision that would prohibit agencies from considering cumulative effects of projects and foreseeable harm like pollution-related cancer risks.
Huffman amendment #28 to amend the judicial review section of the bill to ensure that federal agencies follow the law, listen to communities, and carefully consider the environmental and public-health consequences of their decisions.
What the So-Called SPEED Act Would Do
The SPEED Act would dramatically limit what federal agencies are allowed to consider when evaluating the environmental and public health consequences of major proposed projects, including climate and environmental justice impacts.
Bans the use of new scientific research or updated data that becomes available after a project is proposed—forcing agencies to ignore improved wildfire maps, updated climate models, or newly available health risk assessments.
Greatly limits what projects and actions can be reviewed under NEPA.
Limits public input and legal recourse to make it virtually impossible for communities to raise legitimate concerns or challenge flawed environmental reviews in court.
Tilts the standard for legal challenges even further away from impacted communities towards polluters while greatly limiting the ability of courts to take corrective action or provide relief.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Angie Craig (D-MN)introduced theSenior Savings Protection Act,bipartisan legislation to reauthorize critical outreach and assistance programs under theMedicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA).The bill extends funding for five years at current levels and ensures that low-income Medicare beneficiaries continue to receive trusted, one-on-one guidance to help them understand and access the benefits they are entitled to. MIPPA grants fund community-based organizations that provide in-person counseling, education, eligibility screening, benefit explanation, application and enrollment assistance, and outreach to promote Medicare enrollment. These services are especially important for older adults who may struggle to navigate Medicare’s complex enrollment processes, particularly lower-income seniors, people with disabilities, rural residents and caregivers.
“For years, MIPPA programs have been a lifeline for low-income older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers-helping them save money, access essential medications, and get the care they deserve. Reauthorizing this funding is not just good policy; it is a commitment to protecting the dignity, health, and financial security of some of our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “The Senior Savings Protection Act ensures these vital services remain available and accessible, and I’m honored to help lead this effort on behalf of the communities who depend on them.”
“Every senior deserves clear, trusted information about their Medicare options,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “MIPPA programs are the only source of free, unbiased information to help seniors understand their benefits and make the right decisions for their health and financial security. My bill ensures older Americans can retain access to this assistance and fully benefit from cost-saving tools like the new out-of-pocket prescription drug spending cap included in the Inflation Reduction Act. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to protect and strengthen these vital programs.”
“Every senior deserves clear, unbiased guidance when navigating their Medicare benefits. The Senior Savings Protection Act would help older Americans access the trusted support they need to make informed decisions about their care and to get help lowering their costs,” said Congresswoman DelBene. “By reauthorizing these outreach programs, we’re helping seniors gain resources on how to lower costs, understand their Medicare options, avoid predatory misinformation, & fully access the benefits they’ve earned.”
“I join my colleagues in introducing the Senior Savings Protection Act to ensure low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities can easily access information on the programs that help make Medicare more affordable,” said Congresswoman Milliotakis. “More than 240,000 New Yorkers used these services last year, and this bill ensures these vital resources remain available for those who need them most.”
“Every senior should have the information and support they need to access their earned Medicare benefits, and that’s why it’s critical that existing outreach and enrollment resources are extended,” said Congresswoman Craig. “I’m proud to be introducing the Senior Savings Protection Act to improve health outcomes and ensure that our nation’s seniors can access the affordable care they are owed.”
The legislation is endorsed by the National Council on Aging and AARP.
“With millions of older Americans on fixed incomes struggling to afford food and rent, it’s more important than ever to enroll those who are eligible into the programs that help pay for Medicare premiums and copays,” said NCOA President & CEO, Ramsey Alwin. “Reauthorizing the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) for 5 years will provide stable funding to enable community-based organizations across the country to continue their critical work of finding and enrolling people into these benefits that help them stay healthy, in their communities, and out of hospitals. While much progress has been made, we know that almost 5.8 million older adults are eligible for but not enrolled in the Medicare Savings Programs alone.”
Since 2008, MIPPA grants have helped states, tribes, and community partners reach more than one million low-income Medicare beneficiaries with direct counseling and outreach. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) administers the grants through State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and Aging & Disability Resource Centers/No Wrong Door Systems (ADRC/NWD), as well as tribal organizations.
Funding Reauthorized Through FY 2030:
State Health Insurance Programs (SHIPs): $15 million
Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs): $15 million
Aging & Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs): $5 million
National Coordination & Outreach: $15 million
Congressman Bilirakis has long championed efforts to strengthen Medicare, support seniors, and ensure older Americans can age with dignity.