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Rep. Panetta’s Statement on the Vote to Fund DHS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) released the following statement on the House passage of a bill to fund Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA):

“Today, the House of Representatives finally voted to fund TSA, Coast Guard, CISA, and FEMA.  Although I’m pleased that Congress passed this legislation to fund those critical agencies under DHS, I’m deeply disappointed that it took so long for Speaker Mike Johnson to bring this bill to the House floor for a vote.  This bipartisan bill passed the Senate unanimously and was sent to the House over a month ago.  Yet, Speaker Johnson refused to allow Congress to vote on the bill to fund those agencies and properly pay those workers as a way to get more funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) without implementing any meaningful reforms to those troubled agencies.

“The purely partisan One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was signed into law last summer injected over $75 billion into ICE and $65 billion into CBP.  Since that time, and based on this Administration’s overreaching mass deportation policy driven by Stephen Miller, we’ve seen thousands of untrained ICE and CBP agents sent into communities across our country acting lawlessly, irresponsibly, and with impunity, creating chaos and even causing deaths to American citizens.  I and many of my Congressional colleagues refused to provide any more funding through the annual appropriations process to either of those troubled agencies until there were meaningful and commonsensical reforms to ICE and CBP with their training, operating, and law enforcement protocols and procedures.  However, instead of reaching across the aisle to work with us on a compromise for such reforms, Speaker Johnson and the Majority refused to deal with Democrats and held out for another purely partisan Republican reconciliation bill that will provide billions more in funding for ICE and CBP without any reforms being implemented.  

“Instead of reaching across the aisle to find a solution, Speaker Johnson continues to go at it alone and give into this President’s every demand. Now that TSA, Coast Guard, CISA, and FEMA are finally funded after an inexcusably long delay, it’s well past time for the Speaker and his majority party to come to the table and get serious about reforming ICE and CBP.  That way, the 119th Congress can finally stand up to this Administration and its dangerous mass deportation policies and live up to our constitutional obligations to protect the American people.”

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Congressman Al Green Joins Rev. Dr. Max Miller Jr., Local Faith and Community Leaders to Host Press Conference on Alarming Supreme Court Voting Rights Decision in Louisiana v. Callais

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Houston, TX) —On Friday, May 1, 2026, Congressman Al Green will join Rev. Dr. Max Miller Jr., local faith and community leaders, to host a press conference regarding the Supreme Court’s alarming decision in Louisiana v. Callais and its implications for voting rights, fair representation, and representative democracy. The ruling disenfranchises marginalized communities by weakening protections intended to ensure equitable access to political representation and voting power. 

Rev. Dr. Max Miller Jr. stated, “The Civil Rights Movement was rooted in the church, where faith and justice walked hand in hand. Too many prayed, marched, and sacrificed for the right to vote for us to accept decisions that weaken fair representation. People of faith must continue to stand together to protect the dignity of every voice and every vote.”

Congressman Al Green stated, “We are witnessing the erosion of protections that helped ensure fair representation. The Supreme Court’s ruling affects all Americans who believe voting carries value. This alarming decision threatens to dismantle generations of hard-fought progress born out of the Civil Rights Movement. We must protest and protect the fundamental right to vote and ensure every voice is fairly represented in our democracy.” 

Click here to watch the YouTube Live Stream of the event at 10:30 AM CT.

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U.S. House Passes Homeland Security Funding Bill Ending Shutdown For All Department Of Homeland Security Agencies Except ICE and CBP

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, responsible for all federal discretionary funding, announced that the U.S. House passed legislation earlier passed by the U.S. Senate to fund all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 except immigration enforcement in two agencies, bringing an end to a shutdown affecting thousands of federal workers. The President has signed the bill into law. 

“Today’s action will fund DHS and end the painful and unnecessary shutdown, other than for the contentious immigration enforcement agencies,” said Case. “This will continue important government services, restart paychecks for hard working government employees at our airports and elsewhere, ensure continued FEMA disaster response following the Kona Lows, fully restore Coast Guard operations nationwide and allow other critical homeland security work to restart.” 

Case is a member of his Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which was responsible for drafting the legislation and negotiating a compromise with the Senate.  

The measure follows the approach advocated for by Congressman Case since the shutdown began. He was an original cosponsor of H.R. 7481, a compromise DHS funding bill to fund most agencies in DHS except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure that others are not unfairly punished while Congress focuses its attention on ICE and CBP reforms. 

Case said, “I will continue to work with likeminded Members of Congress to advocate for ICE and CBP reforms. We need to enforce our immigration laws, but we cannot do so by surrendering our values.” 

The final bill appropriates $48 billion to the covered DHS agencies and includes various provisions to provide more oversight on the Trump administration’s immigration-related policies and actions. It supports most of DHS including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, the U.S. Secret Service and more.

It does not provide funding for ICE or CBP’s Border Patrol; those employees are currently being paid from last year’s reconciliation law. 

The measure included Case’s request for $1 million in Community Project Funding (CPF) to install a new information system in the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency’s (HIEMA) Emergency Operations Center.  It will serve as a centralized platform for real-time information sharing, situational awareness and multi-agency coordination, and help ensure the safety and well-being of communities across the State of Hawai‘i. 

“This new IT system will share information in real time so that emergency responders can make informed decisions and take necessary actions to save lives and protect property in the event of a disaster,” said Case.  

The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member and must be subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/services/funding-disclosures.htm.  

The bill also responds to concerns raised about the Trump administration’s immigration efforts by: 

·         Directing DHS to develop and implement a standard uniform policy to ensure that federal law enforcement personnel are clearly identifiable as such, 

·         Strengthening oversight of ICE and reconciliation funds through a $37 million increase (20 percent) to the DHS Office of Inspector General, and 

·         Including funding for both the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman, two offices the Trump Administration shuttered last year. 

Case also secured a number of other key programs and provisions for Hawai‘i and the Indo-Pacific, including: 

·         $337 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants, which support state and local emergency management agencies like HIEMA.

·         $342 million for FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which is a major source of funding for county fire departments.

·         $342 million for FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program.

·         $116 million to support the Coast Guard’s expanding mission in the Indo-Pacific.

·         $15 million for the Coast Guard’s Honolulu Homeport Project, which funds expansion of operations and cutter maintenance activities at Base Honolulu.

·         $96 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, a $5 million increase over FY 2025, which funds University of Hawaii’s National Disaster Preparedness Training Center.  

·         $48 million for FEMA’s Next Generation Warning System.  

·         Language requiring a report on the opportunity for the Coast Guard to acquire additional pier and related space at Base Honolulu.  

·         Language requiring a report on unmet requirements for the infrastructure at the Coast Guard’s Air Station Barbers Point.  

·         Language encouraging TSA to address potential degradation of security scanning equipment at open-air airports.

 The measure also includes the following priorities requested by Case

·         $13.9 billion for the Coast Guard overall.

·         $65 million for the National Computer Forensic Institute, through which 397 state and local law enforcement officers from agencies in Hawai‘i have received a host of forensic training courses.   

·         Report language supporting the growth of CISA support in the Pacific Islands.  

·         Language requiring a report on Coast Guard engagement and needs in the Indo-Pacific.

·         Language requiring a briefing on the Coast Guard’s role in combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, which is a major issue in the Indo-Pacific.

·         $584 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative under FEMA.

·         $494 million for the State Homeland Security Grant Program, which provides funding to protect against terrorism and other threats.

·         $124 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

·         $95 million for FEMA’s Port Security Grant Program.

·         $46 million for the TSA Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program.  

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Huffman, Jayapal Support Plaintiffs Aiming to Depoliticize National Parks Access

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

April 30, 2026

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) filed an amicus brief in the case of Center for Biological Diversity v. Burgum, supporting the plaintiffs. The case challenges the Department of the Interior’s unprecedented decision to feature a portrait of President Trump on America the Beautiful national park passes.

“Donald Trump has a sad, desperate need to see his own face everywhere he looks. The America the Beautiful pass gets a family to their first geyser, a Gold Star family to the trail their son loved most, a road tripper to a quiet morning at the rim of the canyon. These are American places, cared for and paid for by the American people. Turning that pass into a glamour shot of Trump tells every one of those Americans their parks now come stamped with his ego. They don’t. We’re going to court to keep the America the Beautiful pass exactly that, America’s,” said Huffman.

“Trump is acting like an authoritarian, putting his face on buildings across Washington, DC, on our money, and even on American the Beautiful passes — replacing Glacier National Park,” said Jayapal. “This is flagrant self-promotion and an unacceptable politicization of our National Parks. This move also violates law passed by Congress, yet another in a long list of oversteps by the Trump’s Executive Branch of their constitutional authority.”

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 established the America the Beautiful Pass, an annual access pass to National Parks, aiming to make public lands more accessible. Per that legislation, the passes feature the winners of an annual photo competition run by the National Park Foundation. The 2026 winner featured a photo of Glacier National Park, which will now be replaced by a picture of President Trump. Center for Biological Diversity v. Burgum aims to block the Department of the Interior from following through with this move.

The full text of the brief can be read here

The brief was also signed by André Carson (IN-07), Ed Case (HI-01), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Dave Min (CA-47), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Dina Titus (NV-01), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

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Republican Farm Bill Is A Toxic Handout for Polluters, A Sellout of Our Communities

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

April 30, 2026

Washington, D.C. — Today, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) released the following statement following passage of House Republicans’ Farm Bill (H.R. 7567):

“With grocery bills skyrocketing, House Republicans are taking food off the tables of seniors, veterans, kids, and working parents to pay for handouts to polluters and the corporate donors who keep their political careers afloat. They spent the last week in open disarray, twisting arms and cutting backroom deals to drag a deeply unpopular corporate giveaway across the finish line — and it’s working families who will pay the price.

“Beyond the special interest subsidies and giveaways, this bill blocks communities, scientists, tribes, and small businesses from having input on major projects. Huge swaths of this bill were obviously written by industry lobbyists and rubber-stamped by a Republican majority that decided a long time ago that science is inconvenient and the public is a nuisance.

“I have fought this bill every step of the way and am standing with the families it starves, the rural communities it sells out, the firefighters it puts in harm’s way, the tribes and other stakeholders it excludes, and the millions of Americans who understand that our public lands and our food assistance programs belong to all of us, not just the ultra-wealthy and well-connected.”

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Rep. Calvert Introduces the Fireworks for Freedom Act

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42)

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) introduced the Fireworks for Freedom Act, H.R. 8593, legislation that will ensure every community across America can celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary with firework displays if they so choose. The bill is being introduced in response to radical state environmental agencies, like the California Coastal Commission, which recently denied a permit for a fireworks display in Long Beach, California, scheduled for July 4th. The bill would waive certain state and federal environmental laws and regulations that have been used to deny permits for fireworks displays while preserving local authority. The bill has received the support of the National Fireworks Association and American Pyrotechnics Association.

“Americans celebrate Independence Day by eating hot dogs, apple pie, and watching fireworks – and I’m not going to let left-wing lunatics stop that,” said Rep. Calvert. “As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, we should be planning bigger and better fireworks shows, not canceling them. The 4th of July is a day to celebrate our liberties and freedom. Once again, those liberties are under attack in California. I can’t think of a better way to renew our commitment to freedom than by having Congress pass the Fireworks for Freedom Act to ensure Americans can enjoy America 250 with a bang!”

“The National Fireworks Association (NFA), representing more than 800 small businesses, supports Congressman Ken Calvert’s Fireworks for Freedom Act,” said National Fireworks Association President Stacy Schneitter Blake. “Fireworks have been part of our nation’s celebrations since 1777, and as America approaches its 250th anniversary, this bill helps ensure communities can safely take part in that tradition. It responsibly removes unnecessary barriers to hosting displays while preserving federal safety standards and local control. We appreciate Congressman Calvert’s leadership in supporting a safe and meaningful America250 celebration.” 

“Fireworks have been part of America’s Independence celebrations since 1777, and the Fireworks for Freedom Act will help ensure communities nationwide can fully take part in the 250th anniversary. By easing certain federal and state restrictions while preserving safety and local control, this bill strikes the right balance,” said Julie L. Heckman, Executive Director of the American Pyrotechnics Association.

 

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Warner, Kaine, and Scott Applaud $16 Million in Funding for Portsmouth Agricultural Export Facility

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Warner, Kaine, and Scott Applaud $16 Million in Funding for Portsmouth Agricultural Export Facility

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (VA -03), today celebrated more than $16 million in Department of Transportation funding for the Portsmouth Port and Industrial Commission’s agricultural export facility to add storage silos, advanced conveyance systems, and improved rail access. 

“The Portsmouth agricultural export facility is vital to both regional and international supply chains, providing critical storage and handling capacity to export whole grain and feed from U.S. farms overseas,” said the lawmakers. “This funding will allow the facility to expand operations, meet growing export demand, provide cost effective access to global markets, and further cement the global competitiveness of Virginia agriculture and American farmers.”

This funding was awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, a competitive discretionary grant program administered by the Maritime Administration. This project is a collaboration between the Portsmouth Port and Industrial Commission and The DeLong Co., Inc. Last year, Sen. Warner wrote a letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy in support of the Portsmouth Port and Industrial Commission’s grant application.

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Reps. Chu, Meng, Vargas, and Sen. Padilla Introduce Language Access Board Act

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), introduced the Language Access Board Act of 2026 with Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of CAPAC, and Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52). This bill would establish an independent board of community leaders and federal agency officials to research, develop, implement, and enforce language access standards across the federal government. Senator Padilla will be leading the Senate companion. 

In 2025, President Trump declared English the official language of the United States by signing Executive Order (EO) 14224, revoking a 25-year-old mandate, renewed under Republican and Democratic administrations, that required federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide critical language access services to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). The Trump Administration’s Department of Justice also issued guidance minimizing multilingual services and redirecting resources towards English-language education and assimilation. 

This decision is already making it harder for the 25.7 million individuals with LEP in the United States to access basic services. In 2025, HUD announced its going “English-only”, the IRS began considering rollbacks to multilingual taxpayer services, the SBA removed non-English webpages from its website, and LEP.gov was removed. 

The Language Access Board Act of 2026 will help ensure that all Americans have access to the services and resources their tax dollars pay for, without barriers based on English proficiency. The bill would:

  • Establish an independent Board of community experts and federal agency officials to enforce language access guidance and regulations across federal agencies and departments.
  • Require the Board to establish, maintain, and provide technical assistance and training on language access standards for public-facing resources and materials for federally conducted programs.
  • Ensure individual complaints related to federal agencies’ or departments’ failure to adhere to language access requirements are processed and investigated.
  • Conduct a study on existing language access laws and best practices that help individuals with limited English proficiency access federal resources and programs.

“Being able to access federal services, regardless of the language you speak, is a civil right,” said Rep. Judy Chu, Chair Emerita of CAPAC. “Millions of Americans, especially in our immigrant communities, depend on translation support to apply for a loan, enroll in Medicare, or even access disaster relief resources. Trump’s English-only policies are a direct attack on immigrant families and an attempt to shut people out of the very services their tax dollars fund. I am proud to lead the Language Access Board Act to fight back against these hateful policies, ensure impacted communities have a seat at the table, and guarantee that language access protections are enforced.”

“Every American should be able to access federal services and programs in a language they can understand. Yet President Trump is determined to make life harder for millions of immigrants by declaring English as the official language of the United States and rolling back multilingual resources,” said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of CAPAC. “CAPAC will not stand for this. The Language Access Board Act of 2026 will help combat these discriminatory policies and protect translation services for individuals with limited English proficiency, including millions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.”

“For decades, federal language access services have helped millions of people file taxes, get emergency alerts, apply for loans, and access health care. Trump’s decision to designate English as our country’s official language and attempt to scrap these critical services is absolutely wrong,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “No one should be locked out of federal programs because of the language they speak. This legislation is critical to keeping in place the services our communities rely on, without barriers based on English proficiency.”

“This Administration’s effort to illegally and unilaterally declare English the national language of the United States is fundamentally un-American and will disenfranchise tens of millions of hardworking citizens and immigrants with limited English proficiency,” said Senator Padilla. “Access to critical government programs and services must never be dependent on your ability to speak a language. The Language Access Board Act would ensure language accessibility standards across federal agencies and federally administered programs to serve all Americans.”

Asian Americans have among the highest language access needs of any racial group, with 32 percent having LEP. Twelve percent of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders also have significant language access needs, and nearly 40 percent of Spanish-language speakers report speaking English “less than very well,” according to the most recent U.S. Census. 

This bill builds upon Congressmember Chu’s longstanding commitment to ensuring language accessibility, beginning with her work as a City Councilmember fighting against an ugly “English-only” movement in her hometown of Monterey Park. In 2025, Rep. Chu led more than 50 House Democrats in multiple oversight letters to the Administration opposing the implementation of EO 14224. Earlier this month, Reps. Chu, Meng, Espaillat, and Sen. Padilla introduced a resolution recognizing April as “National Language Access Month”, to bring attention to the millions of individuals in the U.S. with LEP and the importance of language access services.

The bill is also cosponsored by Reps. Dan Goldman, Frederica Wilson, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ted Lieu, Rashida Tlaib, Al Green, Darren Soto, Tim Kennedy, and Lou Correa.

The Language Access Board Act of 2026 is endorsed by the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA); National Immigration Law Center (NILC); UnidosUS; National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA); National CAPACD; Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO); Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC; OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates; NAKASEC TX; Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC); Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation; Colorado Interpreters and Translators; Jeenius,inc; Many Languages One Voice; South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA); AREAA; Hmong National Development, Inc; Hmong American Partnership; Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC); Chinatown Service Center; Pacific Asian Counseling Services; National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA); Ethnic Communities Opioid Response Network – Missouri (ECORN-MO); Learning Lab for Resiliency; Coalition for Sign Language Equity in Technology (CoSET S.A.F.E AI); Deaf Equality; Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum; Californians Together; Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning; MasterWord Services, Inc.; Japanese American Citizens League; Association of Language Companies; Kathleen Diamond & Co; ChineseinUS; The Sikh Coalition; American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education (AAITE); Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters; and Simplify Language.

“AANHPI communities often face substantial obstacles to obtaining meaningful language access. Our community is diverse, spanning across 50 ethnicities with more than 100 languages and dialects, and language access services should reflect that. When language access services fall short, individuals and families are unable to obtain vital services. Ensuring culturally appropriate resources in people’s primary languages is necessary for meaningful participation in key programs. We applaud Representative Chu’s introduction of the Language Access Board Act to establish an independent board that will lean on the experience and expertise of community leaders to inform and determine critical language access guidance and regulations.” said Jo Ann Paanio, Policy Director, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA).

Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA said, “The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is grateful for the leadership of Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Grace Meng, Rep. Juan Vargas, and the sponsors of the Language Access Board Act of 2026.  This bill, along with the Language Access for All Act of 2026, are important steps to ensuring that every federal agency meet the needs of individuals with limited English proficiency.  Language access is particularly important for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community, where most are immigrants. Nearly 32% of the community is limited English proficient and speaks over 100 different languages. NAPABA has long championed linguistic access for AANHPI communities in the legal system. We look forward to working with the bill’s sponsors and stakeholders to ensure that every individual can access critical, federally funded services.”

Click here to see the full bill text. 

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Statement from Congressman Danny K. Davis on U.S. Supreme Court Decision Undermining Voting Rights

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2026

Statement from Congressman Danny K. Davis on U.S. Supreme Court Decision Undermining Voting Rights

Washington, DC — Congressman Danny K. Davis issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision impacting voter protections and congressional redistricting:

“The Supreme Court’s decision issued today is a serious blow to the principle that every American—regardless of race, background, or zip code—deserves equal protection under the law when it comes to voting rights.

This ruling threatens to further erode critical safeguards that protect voters, particularly Black communities and other minority groups, and opens the door to unfair congressional redistricting that dilutes the voices of the many in favor of the few.

At a time when our nation should be strengthening access to the ballot, this decision moves us backward. It deepens divisions, undermines confidence in our democratic institutions, and risks making hard-won civil rights protections meaningless.

I stand in strong disagreement with this ruling and join the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union, and civil rights advocates across the country in calling for immediate action. Congress must act to restore and strengthen voting rights protections and ensure that every voice is heard and every vote counts.

Our democracy depends on it.”

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Congressman Valadao Votes to Support Central Valley Producers by Passing the 2026 Farm Bill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

  WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement upon passage of the bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, also known as the Farm Bill, out of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“As the sole dairy farmer in Congress and a new member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I was proud to vote in favor of the Farm Bill,” said Congressman Valadao. “This bipartisan bill delivers real wins for the Central Valley, including addressing rising production costs and expanding technical assistance for dairy producers, while also improving crop insurance and disaster assistance for our specialty crop growers. It also invests in rural infrastructure and wildfire prevention to better protect our communities and natural resources. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get this bill across the finish line to provide the certainty our farmers, ranchers, and producers are counting on.”

Key wins for the Central Valley include:

  • Directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to examine rising dairy production costs and identify ways to better incorporate those costs into price coverage and insurance formulas, ensuring support reflects current economic realities for dairy producers.
  • Increasing Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII) funding for California to ensure the state receives equitable resources compared to other regions. This funding supports technical assistance, marketing, and business development for dairy farmers.
  • Expanding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Dairy Nutrition Incentives to include yogurt and a broader selection of cheese, improving access to nutritious dairy options for families.
  • Expanding eligibility for specialty crops under the Tree Assistance Program (TAP), helping growers replant and rehabilitate trees impacted by natural disasters. 
  • Prioritizing efforts to combat Citrus Greening by strengthening coordination and research at USDA and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). 
  • Expanding crop insurance access for specialty crop growers by directing USDA’s Risk Management Agency to work more closely with producers to improve coverage options. 
  • Reauthorizing USDA Rural Development water infrastructure programs that support clean drinking water, wastewater systems, solid waste disposal, and stormwater management in rural communities. 
  • Directing the U.S. Forest Service to partner with large landowners on wildfire prevention efforts to better protect communities and natural resources.

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