MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

LYNDEN, WA – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a $2,000,000 grant to the City of Lynden to complete planning for its project to relocate Pepin Creek, which runs in deep roadside ditches that overflow and flood the area during winter storms when large quantities of water flow across the U.S.-Canada border.

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), who supported Lynden’s grant application, applauded the grant announcement.

“Every day is infrastructure day in Lynden and Whatcom County!” said Larsen, the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “Thanks to the hard work of Mayor Korthuis and the Lynden City Council, Lynden has the funding it needs to move a step closer to rerouting Pepin Creek – a critical project that reduces the impacts of flooding and pollution on residents and businesses, improves road safety for all users, and protects salmon and other endangered fish.”

Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis celebrated the grant announcement and emphasized the importance of the funding to the city’s long-term plans.

“We were very excited to hear that the City of Lynden has been awarded a $2 million grant for the Pepin Flood, Agriculture, Safety, Salmon, and Transportation (FASST) project,” said Korthuis. “The City of Lynden will receive the funding from USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) through its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program. We especially want to thank Rep. Rick Larsen and our U.S. Senators for their effort in obtaining this funding. This design grant will allow the city to create a plan for the transportation corridor and infrastructure (water, sewer, and stormwater) for this important area of the city for future development. This area will provide a significant number of parcels for development once the infrastructure is completed; the Pepin subarea will provide most of the developable lots in the city over the next several years.”

DOT awarded the funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program, which enables communities of all sizes to carry out road, rail, transit and other surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $7.5 billion over five years for the existing RAISE program, formerly known as TIGER and BUILD grants – a 50 percent increase in funding. For more information on RAISE grants, click here.

Larsen Has Secured $103.9 Million in RAISE Grants for WA-02 Since 2022

Larsen has secured seven RAISE grants totaling $103,906,000 for local communities since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed. In addition to the $2 million grant for Lynden, Larsen has helped deliver:

• $25 Million for Lynnwood’s Poplar Way Bridge – In August 2022, DOT awarded the City of Lynnwood a $25 million RAISE grant to construct a new six-lane, multimodal bridge over I-5 in Lynnwood, between the intersections of 196th Street SW (State Route 524)/Poplar Way and 33rd Avenue W/Alderwood Mall Boulevard.
• $25 Million for Whatcom County’s Lummi Island Ferry – In August 2022, DOT awarded Whatcom County a $25 million RAISE grant to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with an electric-battery hybrid ferry and build related infrastructure.
• $9.5 Million for Blaine’s Bell Road Project – In June 2023, DOT awarded the City of Blaine a $9.5 million RAISE grant to improve safety and accessibility and reduce congestion at the Bell Road (State Route 548)-BNSF at-grade rail crossing. 
• $17.9 Million for Port of Bellingham’s Shipping Terminal Rail Connection Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Port of Bellingham a $17,931,000 RAISE grant to renovate a shipping terminal site, returning the site to a fully functioning multimodal terminal with more efficient loading and unloading of railcars on the terminal.
• $4.9 Million for the Tulalip Tribes’ Road Safety Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Tulalip Tribes a $4,975,000 RAISE grant to plan, design and construct improvements to the 4th Street and 88th Street NE crossings of Interstate 5.
• $19.5 Million for Skagit Transit’s Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility – In January 2025, DOT awarded Skagit Transit a $19,500,000 RAISE grant to continue renovating its MOA facility in Burlington.

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

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore is excited to announce that Bishop Robert Barron will be his guest for President Trump’s joint address to Congress this Tuesday evening. The bishop will also celebrate Mass with members of Congress on the Capitol grounds in advance of the speech.

Bishop Barron, who serves as the Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. His organization, which reaches tens of millions across the globe each year, uses various media platforms to “proclaim Christ in the culture.” He also chairs the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Through Word on Fire, Bishop Barron has helped countless souls discover, strengthen, or return to the Catholic Church by proclaiming the Gospel ‘through the culture.’ His use of contemporary media to reach people is innovative and highly effective. I am honored to host him as my guest for President Trump’s joint address to Congress, and am equally thrilled to have him celebrate the Mass for my colleagues and me prior to the speech.”

Bishop Robert Barron added:

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Representative Riley Moore for his kind invitation to celebrate Mass for Catholic members of Congress and to attend, as his guest, the State of the Union Address.  I look forward to this opportunity both as a Catholic bishop and as an avid student of American history.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore has just introduced new, groundbreaking legislation to halt the issuance of student visas to Chinese nationals. The Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act (Stop CCP VISAs Act) comes on the heels of several cases where Chinese students have been caught spying on the U.S. military or stealing advanced technology from American companies. Rep. Moore first raised concern about this issue in an op-ed in Newsweek in February.

Five House lawmakers joined Rep. Moore in co-sponsoring the legislation: Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX); Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA); Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX); Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN); and Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC). In addition, Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) is expected to introduce companion legislation in the Senate.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Every year we allow nearly 300,000 Chinese nationals to come to the U.S. on student visas. We’ve literally invited the CCP to spy on our military, steal our intellectual property, and threaten national security. Just last year, the FBI charged five Chinese nationals here on student visas after they were caught photographing joint US-Taiwan live fire military exercises. This cannot continue.

“Congress needs to end China’s exploitation of our student visa program. It’s time we turn off the spigot and immediately ban all student visas going to Chinese nationals.”

Here’s what others are saying:

“For decades, the failed post-Cold War consensus assumed China would democratize and liberalize if we welcomed them into our markets, media, and universities. Instead, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took advantage of Americans’ goodwill and subversively exported agents to our shores to spy, oppress dissidents and enemies of the state, and steal publicly funded research and intellectual property to the tune of billions of dollars,” said Senator Ashley Moody. “Now, by law, nationals of the PRC are forced to engage in intelligence gathering and espionage, and those who refuse face retaliation and persecution against themselves and family members. It is unfortunate that the CCP’s draconian national security law requires us to take such drastic measures, but the risk of allowing this to continue unabated is too great to ignore.”

“The Chinese Communist Party is fundamentally opposed to our American values, and yet we have handed out hundreds of thousands of student visas to Chinese nationals, many of whom are state-sponsored spies,” said Congressman Brandon Gill (R-Texas). “I fully back Congressman Riley Moore’s Stop CCP VISAs Act, and I am proud to be a cosponsor.”

“Allowing 300,000 Chinese nationals to infiltrate American academic institutions while the CCP attempts to undermine our national security is a threat and makes ZERO sense,” said Congressman Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania).

“It’s clear China is taking advantage of these visas to spy on our military, steal American research, and infiltrate our schools. Enough is enough,” said Congressman Addison McDowell (R-North Carolina). “The Stop CCP VISAs Act closes the loopholes on this national security threat and puts America first. I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill. Let’s get it done.”

There have been several documented cases from recent years that underscore the vital importance of this legislation: 

• In Michigan, 5 students were recently charged after being caught photographing U.S. and Taiwanese troops conducting live fire exercises.
• In Newport News, Virginia (where the U.S. Navy has a massive presence), a Chinese national was convicted after flying a drone with a camera over a naval shipyard. He was a student at the University of Minnesota.
• In Chicago, a Chinese national who first came to the U.S. on a student visa was convicted after being tasked by the CCP to recruit spies to steal advanced technology.

Fox News Digital first covered the bill’s introduction, read about it here.

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

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the following statement applauding President Trump’s new executive order to dismantle the Department of Education:

“I proudly ran on eliminating the federal Department of Education and block granting those dollars directly to the states, and I am proud to see that come to fruition.

“Educational outcomes have been disastrous since the Department’s creation under President Carter — and it’s time we fully returned the decision-making authority back to the states. I’m grateful to President Trump for keeping his campaign promise, and, in Congress, I can’t wait to work on legislation to make this action permanent.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the following statement in response to the Washington Post reporting that a Mexican drug cartel operated an extermination camp outside Guadalajara, Mexico:

“The news that the Jalisco New Generation cartel was running an extermination camp in Mexico is beyond horrific. These images and stories are barbaric, something we’d only previously associated with Nazi death camps like Auschwitz. It’s critical that Americans understand these atrocities are happening across our border.

“President Trump was right to designate the Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and I encourage him to take every action necessary to eliminate this direct threat to our homeland and our very way of life. It’s abundantly clear that we cannot sit idly by as these cartels continue to butcher people ruthlessly and kill our fellow Americans through the fentanyl poison they smuggle into our country.”

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

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Riley M. Moore introduced the Respecting Parents’ Childcare Choices Act. This pro-family legislation significantly increases annual authorized funding levels for the Child Care Development Block Grant, which states disburse via vouchers to working-class families to help finance childcare. The bill also empowers families to choose the childcare option that works best for them, which can include paying a parent directly if they stay home and by eliminating burdensome regulations tied to paying a relative for childcare. Finally, the bill eliminates marriage penalties and codifies existing policy protections for faith-based childcare providers.

Congressmen Clay Higgins of Louisiana and Brandon Gill of Texas joined Rep. Moore in co-sponsoring the bill. Identical legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Jim Banks of Indiana.

The legislation is endorsed by Heritage Action for America, American Principles Project, American Compass, Independent Women’s Forum, CatholicVote, Family Policy Alliance, Students for Life, Susan B. Anthony List, March for Life Action, the Bull Moose Project, and Family Research Council.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“For decades, conservatives have rallied around being pro-life, but far too often, the policy framework that came with it lacked strong, substantive ideas to reduce the burden on American families. Being pro-life means being pro-family, and with this legislation, we’re empowering families to choose what works best for them.

“This is just the first step I aim to take in ushering in a new era that makes raising a family great again.”

Here’s what others are saying:

“The Biden Administration’s burdensome overregulation increased the cost of childcare and withheld funding from the childcare arrangements many families prefer,” said Senator Jim Banks of Indiana. “Big government never works. The Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act puts families first and gives parents the freedom to choose what works best for them.”

“Parents know what is best for their children. When it comes to childcare, parents shouldn’t be penalized for wanting to choose a provider who aligns with their religious views, or for having a family member willing to step in to help out,” said Terry Schilling, President of American Principles Project. “Expanding the qualifying childcare providers to include these resources is a wonderful step in putting hardworking families first in America. APP is grateful to Senator Banks and Congressman Moore for taking the lead.”

“Parents across America need childcare that is accessible, affordable, and trustworthy,” said Janae Stracke, Vice President for Outreach and Advocacy at Heritage Action. “The Respecting Parents’ Childcare Choices Act is a monumental bill that empowers parents with the freedom and flexibility to raise their children how they see fit, without facing penalties that complicate childcare coordination. Heritage Action commends Rep. Moore for putting families first and addressing this important need.”

“Households need greater access to affordable, high-quality childcare options, and the Respecting Parents’ Childcare Choices Act would help to achieve this,” said Carrie Lukas, President of the Independent Women’s Forum. “Moreover, this bill recognizes that childcare is a very personal choice, and families have different preferences for care. Thank you, Senator Banks and Congressman Moore, for your leadership on this issue.”

“The majority of Americans want the federal government to assist working families,” said Oren Cass, Chief Economist for American Compass. “However, they also want assistance to respect their preferences, which vary widely but most often include the flexibility to have a parent or relative provide care at home. This important legislation would provide families the flexibility they need to make the best decisions for their childcare.”

“The first line in the care and education of children is always the parents. Moms and Dads know what is better for their sons and daughters more than bureaucrats,” said Joshua Mercer, Vice President of CatholicVote. “Sen. Banks and Rep. Moore deserve praise for putting the rights of parents above a liberal big government agenda.”

“The Bull Moose Project has consistently advocated for policies that empower rather than restrict American families, which is why we strongly support the Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act. The reforms proposed in this legislation are necessary to give flexibility for families with childcare and encourage family development, which is why the bill delivers a rare combination in Washington: a policy that’s both more effective and more respectful of family autonomy.”  – Aiden Buzzetti, President of the Bull Moose Project. “

“For far too long, government policies have pushed both parents into the workforce by failing to acknowledge or account for stay-at-home parents. Many moms, and some dads, would prefer the flexibility to stay home or work from home in order to care for their children. The Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act gives families that flexibility by removing penalties when parents choose to become caretakers and by allowing low-income families to use state block grants to compensate a parent or family member who provides in-home care. It also ensures that parents that marry will not immediately lose the support for which they would have otherwise been eligible, thereby encouraging family formation. Representative Riley Moore is to be commended for this outstanding bill in support of America’s families.”  – Quena Gozalez, Senior Director of Government Relations, Family Research Council

“To equip young families as they do the vital work of raising the people – the next generation — whom we will all depend on, Students for Life Action supports the Respecting Parents’ Childcare Choices Act. This measure helps empower families to make choices about who is best to care for their children, without forcing government daycare. The people most devoted to their children should have the freedom to decide who will best protect and love them, while parents are at work. Students for Life Action thanks Rep. Moore for his leadership on this bill.”  – Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America & Students for Life Action.

The Daily Wire first covered the bill’s introduction, read about it here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

March 25, 2025

ICYMI This Week: Rep. Meeks Defends Medicaid and Honors Political Legend

Reps. Meeks and Meng Hold Medicaid Action Day at Queens Hospital

My colleague, Representative Grace Meng (NY-06), and I held a Medicaid Day of Action on Tuesday at Queens Hospital. We met with the hospital’s CEO, toured the facility, and ended the event with a press conference to discuss the Republican budget plan and the Medicaid scam that will upend the lives of thousands of Queens residents. Specifically in NY-05, these cuts will impact more than 300,000 people. Democrats are fighting everyday against Trump’s reckless attacks on Medicaid and our most essential federal assistance programs. View event photos, here. Read more, here.

Reps. Meeks and Barrett Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Protecting Martin Luther King Jr., Day and Inauguration Day

My Republican colleague, Tom Barrett and I introduced the Proper Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day Act. The purpose of the bill is to amend US Code so that if MLK Day and Inauguration Day fall on the same date, MLK Day will be observed on the Tuesday following the third Monday in January. MLK Day honors the legacy of Dr. King and encourages a day of service and reflection on the ideals that guided his work during the civil rights movement. Read more on the bill, here.

Rep. Meeks Honors Constance Baker Motley’s New Stamp

I joined USPS to honor the late Constance Baker Motley at the unveiling ceremony of her postal stamp in Southeast Queens. Motley was the first African American woman appointed to the federal judiciary, elected to the New York State Senate, and first woman to serve as the Manhattan Borough President. I was proud to meet with my constituents to celebrate her remarkable legacy. View event photos, here. Read more, here.

Share Your Story: How Have You Been Impacted by President Trump’s Executive Orders?

I’d like to hear from my constituents about how the Trump administration’s actions have affected you and your loved ones. Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed mass layoffs across government agencies, executive orders impacting various issues, threats against immigrants, potential tariffs on neighboring countries, and much more.    My office is working with state and local officials to learn more about how these actions could affect our district and provide resources for people who have been affected.  Please complete the form here to explain how these actions are affecting you and the organizations, nonprofits and businesses you support.

Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on this issue and others!

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also concurrently serving as Acting Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Acting Archivist of the United States. The Ranking Members’ letter identifies serious concerns of conflicts of interest stemming from this “triple-hatted appointment,” exemplified by a recent directive to dispose of classified documents and personnel records at USAID in a potential violation of the Federal Records Act, which Mr. Rubio would concurrently enforce as Acting Archivist. 
 
“We write to determine whether the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) complied with federal law when it conducted a rushed disposal of classified and personnel records on March 11, 2025, and in any subsequent disposals. We are alarmed that the nature of your appointment to concurrently serve as the Secretary of State, Acting USAID Administrator, and Acting Archivist of the United States presents a fundamental conflict of interest that harms the political and functional independence of federal agencies and the integrity of their missions, with concerning implications for federal records management practices. We request documents and information related to any and all disposal directives related to USAID and additional documentation of your compliance with all federal laws governing the retention of records,” wrote the Ranking Members.  
 
On March 11, 2025, public reports detailed that a senior USAID official issued a memo to staff to conduct a document disposal of components in “classified safes and personnel documents” located in USAID’s headquarters. This event was reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. and the directive stated that employees must “[s]hred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break.”  If any such records were destroyed in violation of the Federal Records Act, which governs preservation and handling of federal records, USAID Acting Administrator Rubio would be required to report such violations to himself as Acting Archivist.
 
“This situation highlights the grossly inappropriate nature of your appointment as Acting Archivist of the United States while you concurrently serve as a Senate-confirmed Secretary of State and Acting USAID Administrator and deepens our concerns about the haphazard way in which the Trump Administration has recklessly dismantled USAID despite its establishment in law as an independent agency. As you know, the Archivist of the United States is chiefly responsible for overseeing federal government records management and preservation, including the planning, development, and administration of federal policies and procedures for such federal records. Your temporary appointment to NARA presents a fundamental conflict of interest that undermines Congress’s intent with the Federal Records Act and the integrity of NARA,” concluded the Ranking Members. 
 
The Federal Records Act is the primary statute governing record-keeping and disposition requirements for federal agencies and establishments. The Federal Records Act ensures official business of the federal government, including classified information, is appropriately preserved and accessible to the American public.  
 
If the directive to shred classified and personnel documents held in USAID offices constituted any change in the retention period for those files, the Federal Records Act would require agency officials to obtain approval from NARA and publish such changes to any records schedule in the federal register. The Committee is not aware of any such notice.
 
Ranking Members Meeks and Connolly requested documents and information relevant to this matter, and an internal investigation of all records disposal activities conducted on or after March 11, 2025, be completed no later than April 7, 2025. 
 
Click here to read the letter to Secretary Marco Rubio.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today called on Chairman Mast to hold a public committee hearing on the bombshell reporting of senior Trump administration officials communicating U.S. military operations in Yemen in a Signal messaging app group chat, in which they unknowingly included a journalist from the Atlantic:

“I am immediately calling on Chairman Mast to hold a hearing on what might be the most astonishing breach of our national security in recent history, where top leadership from DOD, State, Treasury, the CIA and even the VP himself used a commercial messaging app – Signal – to communicate U.S. war plans, all the while unaware that a journalist was included in the group chat.

“Republicans have regularly contrived security ‘scandals’ to attack their political opponents with years of nakedly partisan hearings and investigations. This administration proves yet again that hypocrisy and cynical politics aren’t the only defining characteristics of today’s GOP; rank incompetence is front and center.” 

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

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata has sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative, the Honorable Jamieson Greer, as well as submitted her message via the public comment portal, and Monday she attended the USTR hearing, in support  of her call for a local exemption from expected USTR shipping fees on Chinese ships, as American Samoa relies on certain vessels that serve the port of Pago Pago without reasonable possibility of alternative shipping services. The USTR is considering increased service fees to $1.5 million or $1,000 per net ton for Chinese-built vessels per entry, based on China’s targeting of Maritime Logistics, and Shipbuilding sectors for dominance. 

“I respectfully urge the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to reconsider its approach to countering Chinese dominance in the global shipbuilding industry by narrowing the scope of the proposed fees or reversing course until a more comprehensive strategy can be developed as it relates to American Samoa. The only U.S. territory south of the Equator, American Samoa is 7,000 miles from Washington, D.C. and over 4,000 miles from the California coast. We are unique in our geography and location and accordingly limited in our alternatives. Therefore, an exemption is necessary especially as we are outside the U.S. Customs Zone,” stated Congresswoman Amata in her letter addressing Ambassador Greer. 

“This action seeks to increase service fees to $1.5 million or $1,000 per net ton for Chinese-built vessels per entry. This change would be severely detrimental to American Samoa, as both vessels currently servicing our US-American Samoa trade route are Chinese-built. The proposed fee increase could cripple our supply chain and lead to a catastrophic economic impact.Most concerningly for American Samoa’s port, the proposed fees would incentivize ocean carriers to consolidate traffic to the nation’s largest ports, while cutting out small ports like ours from their routes and leave us stranded for service,” said Amata. “This would not only cause significant congestion at large ports but the collapse of business lines at small ports like ours would be devastating. The results would be terrible inflation, high unemployment, and a higher dependence on subsidies from the Federal government to our local economy so please help us with a hand-up and not a hand-out by granting an exemption or other appropriate work around.”

Amata made clear, “While I fully support the President and his goal of long-term revitalization of U.S. manufacturing and shipbuilding, the proposed language that applies to vessels constructed in the past- when U.S. options were not available in the remote area of American Samoa-would be a devastating shock to our local economy and threaten the livelihood to our tuna cannery workers and suppliers. We are a limited industry area with a single tuna cannery as our largest private sector job creator with over 25% of jobs related to it.  Over 80% of our economy, imports, and exports are also tied to our cannery.”

“Our ability to combat Chinese influence in the Pacific region is first predicated on maintaining a stable economy. Any interruptions caused by the proposed fees would damage and possibly kill our small business supply chain, undermining our ability to prioritize and grow local American businesses,” Amata continued. 

 “The Deeds of Cession refer to the treaties by which the Samoan chiefs ceded the islands of Tutuila and Manu’a to the United States, establishing American Samoa as a U.S. territory, with the Tutuila Deed of Cession signed on April 17, 1900, and the Manu’a Deed of Cession on July 16, 1904.  These Deeds are codified in 48 USC Chapter 13 as 48 USC § 1661, which accepts, ratifies, and confirms these cessions, including the requirement of economic development,” Amata concluded. “The United States has and should continue to recognize that the territories require a more nuanced approach when it comes to protecting American interests. I urge you to find an exemption for American Smaoa given its unique location and status as a protected territory wherein the United States is charged with aiding the development of the economy of American Samoa under the codified Deeds of Cession.”

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