MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

 WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman emeritus and current vice chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, announced the House passage of a provision reimbursing border states — primarily Texas — with $12 billion for costs incurred to secure the border under the Biden administration. McCaul has championed the provision and advocated for its passage for months, working hand-in-hand with House GOP leadership and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.).  

“It’s the federal government’s job to secure the homeland, yet the Biden/Harris administration abdicated its duty and abandoned our states on the frontlines of the border crisis. As Texans know, our state bore the brunt of that abject failure, both societally and financially,” said Vice Chairman McCaul. “Four years of chaos and suffering later, Congress is doing the right thing: paying Texas back. I’m extremely proud to have helped secure this provision, which sends a strong message to our border states that America has not forgotten the sacrifices they made. With these funds, Congress says ‘thank you’ — both to Texas’ leadership, who stood up Operation Lone Star to fill in the gap, and to Texas’ taxpayers, who should never have been on the hook for President Biden’s dereliction of duty.”

“Thanks to Rep. McCaul, states that stepped up to protect Americans in the face of Biden’s border catastrophe will be reimbursed for doing the work the Biden Administration refused to do,” said Speaker Mike Johnson. “Had those patriotic governors not taken action and used the resources of their state, the devastation from Biden’s wide-open border would have been significantly worse. Our nation is safer because of these states, and it’s only right for the federal government to share in the costs states incurred while protecting America.”

“Texas thanks the U.S. House and the Texas Congressional Delegation for including $12 billion in the reconciliation package that will help Texas in its response to the unprecedented illegal immigration in Texas,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “This is a national issue that Texas was proud to address, and we are grateful for the allocation that reduces the financial burden that Texas incurred.” 

“Lurking behind the staggering number of illegal encounters of the last four years is the immeasurable toll a wide-open border has exacted on communities across the country,” said Chairman Mark Green. “Every state became a border state under the Biden-Harris administration’s open-borders policies, but in many ways, the communities along the Southwest border have been hit the hardest and have incurred tremendous law enforcement costs. In the absence of help from the Biden-Harris administration, states were forced to take extraordinary measures to mitigate the crisis and protect their communities by building barrier systems and increasing law enforcement activity. I applaud the inclusion of this funding and the House’s passage of the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ to put Americans first and keep our sovereign borders secure for years to come.”

Background:

The provision, which was added to House Republican’s reconciliation package through a manager’s amendment, sets aside $12 billion in grants for states’ “costs associated with actions taken after January 21, 2021, to assist the federal border security missions.”

Most of these funds are expected to reimburse Texas, as no state did more to secure the border over the past four years. Operation Lone Star spent $11.1 billion on border security, including $5.87 billion on personnel costs associated with border security and $4.75 billion on border wall barriers.

Click here for full text of the provision on page 15.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the committee’s hearing, titled “FY26 State Department Posture: Protecting American Interests.” McCaul and Rubio discussed how the committee’s work to reauthorize the State Department can help the Trump administration advance its foreign policy objectives, including restoring U.S. foreign aid to its core mission.

Click to watch

Full exchange below:

Chair Emeritus McCaul: Let me express my deep sympathy to the family of Gerry Connolly. He was a dear friend of mine. I will miss him dearly and the Irish twinkle in his eye.

Mr. Secretary, thanks for being here today. Under the last four years — under President Biden — the world is on fire now. From the debacle, the evacuation, poorly executed from Afghanistan, which then led, I believe, to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — the largest land invasion since World War II in Europe — to the Middle East on fire now, to October 7th. I commend you for trying to seek peace in these hotspots, including the Indo-Pacific, which probably presents the greatest threat.

I would be clear-eyed with Mr. Putin. I personally don’t think he’s negotiating in good faith. The Ayatollah cannot be trusted. In fact, it was recently reported that they got their proxy, Hamas, to invade Israel on October 7th to derail the normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Let me go to the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. It was initially created to counter the rise of the Soviet Union. Today, I believe it should be used to counter the influence of Communist China around the globe, and that’s a core mission I know you support, as do I. When I was chairman of this committee, I put holds on the programs the current chairman is talking about — that being the drag shows in Ecuador to grants to advance atheism in Nepal. These are not in the interest of the United States or our national security interests. 

So, I think we need to return these agencies and programs to their core mission. I believe that you’re trying to do that by bringing them under your supervision at the State Department. It’s not a new idea. Madeline Albright tried to do that many years ago. And I do think under your supervision, that we’ll have transparency and accountability with the foreign assistance programs. 

We are engaged in a reauthorization of the State Department. Sir, can you tell me how this would assist you, with respect to reorganization of these important agencies under your department?

Secretary Rubio: Well, I think the key to reorganization — and by the way, we never did it in all the years that I was in the Senate either. It never happened. It needs to happen. We want it to happen. As you know, in our reorganization, we didn’t touch any of the statutory offices because we can’t. But there’s two advantages to it, or three advantages. 

The first is it becomes permanent. We can create an organizational structure that becomes enduring, especially if it’s one that we believe in. Second, I think that it will help us with the input and ideas. Look, we provided the initial preliminary indication to Congress.

We’ve been taking input — including from many on the minority — and some of those are going to be reflected when we put out our final approach that we want to take. But ultimately, we would love to work with the committee to find ways to improve on the streamlining.

By the way, we’re also taking input from inside our building. Some of the ideas in our reorg — many of the ideas from our reorg — came from inside the State Department from career officials, including some that are still providing input for us on sort of how to structure it.

But I think the advantage of doing it statutorily is that it becomes enduring and permanent and provides certainty in the days to come. Otherwise, you know, it can change over time and continue to bloat and expand to levels that it got to. It was an unreadable org chart. The org chart that I showed you — the initial org chart that I inherited — was just the top line. Within each one of those boxes, there were multiple boxes — some of them duplicative, redundant, and in many cases, no one could even tell us what they were doing, because it’s easy to grow. It’s much harder to reorganize and to streamline activity, and that’s what we want to do.

Chair Emeritus McCaul: Well, it’s a very noble effort. With my one minute remaining, I authorized the Remain in Mexico program in this committee. I commend the administration; within a matter of months, [they] have restored order to the border, taking chaos and turned it into a safe border.

I mean, the crossings have gone down 95%. There’s no longer catch and release. And I do think the executive order on Remain in Mexico is very important. I know you share that responsibility with the Department of Homeland Security — a committee I chaired as well. What is the latest on your negotiations with Mexico to bring that important program back?

Secretary Rubio: Well, as you’re aware, I’m sure that we’ve had a number of what I recall, both irritants, but also areas of cooperation with the Mexican government. It’s been actually pretty positive. They have been very responsive on our security concerns. They’ve increased their security cooperation with us in ways that have been very productive.

In fact, at some point here over the next few weeks, I intend to travel potentially to Mexico along with a couple other cabinet members to sort of finalize some of these areas of cooperation. This may be one we talk about, but we’ve been primarily focused with Mexico on two things.

One is on trade — which is not my department — but obviously, our trade representative, Mr. Greer, and also Commerce Secretary Lutnick has been engaging with them. And then the other is on security cooperation. We have a mutual interest in Mexico. In essence, the cartels that operate within Mexico and threaten the state are armed from weapons that are bought in the United States and shipped there.

We want to help stop that flow. The reverse is [that] those cartels threaten the state. There are parts of Mexico that are governed by cartels where there is — in fact, I think I heard last night — two more people were murdered in Mexico City associated with the mayor of Mexico City. The political violence there is real.

They have a vested interest and a desire to go after these cartels, and we want to help equip them and provide them information. They’ve also been increasingly cooperative — more than ever before — in bringing back and extraditing people wanted in this country for crimes who are in their custody.

 So, I think we’ve got good areas of cooperation. We still have some more work to do on migration, but they’ve been cooperative. 

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) announced the 2025 Congressional App Challenge — an annual competition that encourages students to learn coding by creating their own app. The challenge is open to middle and high school students in Texas’ 10th Congressional District through October 30th, 2025. 

“In our modern world, no skill is more important than technological literacy,” said Rep. McCaul. “Education and student interest in STEM are essential for empowering the next generation to continue our nation’s legacy as a technological leader on the world stage. I am proud to provide an opportunity for our youth to explore their interests in coding and look forward to seeing all the creativity Texas–10’s students will bring to the table this year.”

Background:  

Students may code on any platform, on any topic, in any coding language, in teams of up to four. Each app is graded on creativity, concept, and design. The winning app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and on House.gov, and winning students will be invited to a reception in Washington, D.C.

To learn more, please visit https://mccaul.house.gov/serving-you/app-challenge.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — attended the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV along with a bipartisanCongressional delegation.

“As a Catholic, chairman emeritus of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and a proud American, I was deeply honored to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV — the first American pope — alongside leaders from around the world,” said Chair Emeritus McCaul. “Faith should be a great unifier — a force for peace, as Pope Leo powerfully reminded us today. On this historic morning, I join people of faith around the world in praying that his pontificate, guided by the Holy Spirit, may bring about a more peaceful, just, and compassionate world.”

McCaul attends Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass

McCaul’s photos from the Vatican

McCaul lays a flower on Pope Francis’ tomb

The Members of the Congressional Delegation are:

1. The Honorable French Hill
2. The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
3. The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
4. The Honorable Michael McCaul
5. The Honorable Joe Courtney
6. The Honorable Mike Kelly
7. The Honorable Ann Wagner
8. The Honorable Nanette Barragan
9. The Honorable Madeleine Dean
10. The Honorable Stephanie Bice
11. The Honorable Michelle Fischbach
12. The Honorable Andrew Garbarino
13. The Honorable Mariannette Miller-Meeks
14. The Honorable Jeff Hurd

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

U.S. President Donald J. Trump recently signed into law H.J. Res. 61, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing.”

This Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution overturns the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Rubber Tire Manufacturing National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) rule. Finalized November 29, 2024, at the conclusion of the Biden Administration, EPA could not even quantify whether public health would be protected and unreasonably requires rubber tire manufacturers to install regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs), which will cost American manufacturers millions and potentially lead to layoffs.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), who was the chief House sponsor of the CRA resolution, released the following statement:

“I am pleased President Trump signed my Congressional Review Act resolution into law!

“Americans are now officially protected from a last-minute Biden-Harris rule that would have needlessly harmed the tire manufacturing industry and raised prices for American consumers.”

BACKGROUND

Rep. Griffith introduced H.J. Res. 61 in the last week of February. Rep. Griffith introduced the CRA alongside U.S. Senators Tim Scott and Roger Wicker.

On March 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 61. Rep. Griffith spoke on the House floor defending the CRA.

Following House passage, Rep. Griffith celebrated House passage with several House GOP leaders.

On May 6, the U.S. Senate passed the measure.

On March 12, the Trump EPA announced reconsideration of air rules regulating American energy, manufacturing and chemical sectors.

The Biden EPA rule would negatively impact the Goodyear facility in Danville, Virginia. 

Rep. Griffith recently defended several CRAs on the House floor seeking to overturn Biden EPA measures that facilitated unfair electric vehicle mandates and imposed stricter car emissions standards on the American people.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

On Wednesday, Congressmen Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02) introduced the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025, legislation to support federal law enforcement in combating wildlife trafficking and ensure the proper placement and care of confiscated live animals.

From 2015 to 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) handled 834 live wildlife interdiction cases, involving nearly 49,000 individual animals—an average of nearly 30 per day. Many of these animals require immediate medical care, secure quarantine, and long-term placement, often beyond the capacity of U.S. ports of entry.

The USFWS and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) launched a limited pilot Wildlife Confiscations Network in Southern California in 2023. While the pilot has helped coordinate placement in more than 135 cases and provided care for over 4,100 animals, its scope remains geographically narrow and operationally constrained. The Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 would build on this initial framework and expand the program nationwide—ensuring law enforcement agencies across the country can access a coordinated, professional network of care for confiscated wildlife.

“The Wildlife Confiscations Network has already placed over 4,100 confiscated animals into quality facilities,” said Quigley. “I am proud to introduce legislation that expands this law enforcement network nationwide, ensuring that law enforcement officers are not unduly placed in harms way, and animals receive the care they need.”

“Our border agents and federal inspectors work tirelessly to stop illegal wildlife trafficking, but they lack the resources and infrastructure to properly care for seized animals,” said Garbarino. “This bill will strengthen the federal response, relieve logistical burdens on law enforcement, and ensure that trafficked animals are treated humanely and professionally.”

Specifically, the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 would:

• Establish a Wildlife Confiscations Network within the Department of the Interior, in partnership with a professional zoological accrediting association;
• Create a voluntary, nationwide program to coordinate the placement and care of confiscated wildlife seized at U.S. borders and ports of entry;
• Designate a single point of contact to assist federal law enforcement in placement coordination;
• Maintain a database of qualified facilities—including zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, rescues, and rehabilitation centers—that can provide immediate and long-term care;
• Create a review committee to evaluate applications from facilities seeking to join the Network;
• Authorize $5 million annually from FY2026 to FY2030 to implement and operate the Network.

The bill is endorsed by 58 leading organizations across the conservation and zoological community, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Wildlife Conservation Society, National Aquarium, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, and Biologists Without Borders. Other supporters include Akron Zoological Park, Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, Birmingham Zoo, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, California Academy of Sciences, Center for Great Apes, Charles Paddock Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Dallas Zoo, Dazzle Africa, Delaware Zoological Society, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, Detroit Zoological Society, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Great Plains Zoo, Houston Zoo, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park, Lemur Conservation Foundation, Lincoln Park Zoo, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Lockwood Animal Rescue Center, Louisville Zoo, Museum of Life and Science, Nashville Zoo, Niabi Zoo, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Oakland Zoo, Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo, The Phoenix Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Racine Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Francisco Zoological Society, Santa Barbara Zoo, SEE Turtles, Sequoia Park Zoo, Tennessee Aquarium, Turtle Conservancy, Wild Tomorrow Fund, Inc., Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Defense, Wildlife Jewels, Woodland Park Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and Zoo Knoxville.

“We are grateful to Congressmen Garbarino and Quigley for sponsoring the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “This bill will allow an already proven program to go national, permitting law enforcement officers at the border to focus on catching criminals and curbing wildlife trafficking, while our expert Wildlife Confiscation Network partners provide emergency medical treatment, critical rehabilitation, and new homes focused on the wellbeing of these confiscated, and often traumatized, animals. When law enforcement and animal experts collaborate, we can put the criminals behind bars, help rehabilitate the animal victims of wildlife trafficking that are ripped from their homes, and reduce the impact on wild populations of threatened and endangered species. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums looks forward to working with Congress to pass this important bill.”

The full text of the bill can be found here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Harris, M.D, released the followig statment on his present vote. 

Statement:

“I voted to move the bill along in the process for the President. There is still a lot of work to be done in deficit reduction and ending waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program.”

For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Harris, M.D., announced Madison Gorski of Kent Island High School as the winner of the First Congressional District of Maryland’s 2025 Congressional Art Competition. Entitled “He so loved the world” Madison’s work will be displayed in the halls of Congress for one year, and she will be honored at the annual award winner’s ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Statement From Congressman Harris:

“Congratulations to Madison on winning the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. I selected Madison’s artwork for its creativity, technical skill,  intrinsic beauty, and expression. This piece of art is also a reminder of the love, humanity, and sacrifice Jesus gave to the world. Thank you to all the talented high school students across my district who submitted artwork for the competition.”

For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

Headline: Congressman Veasey Condemns Murder of Two Israeli Embassy Employees

Washington, D.C.— Congressman Marc Veasey released the following statement following the murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky on May 21: 

“The cold-blooded murder of Israeli embassy staffers Sarah Milgrim, American citizen, and Yaron Lischinsky is an act of terrorism—plain and simple. These young Israeli embassy workers were targeted outside the Capital Jewish Museum— in a hateful, antisemitic attack, and my prayers are with their families, their colleagues, and the entire Israeli and Jewish communities.”

Congressman Veasey is a member of the Democratic Israel Working Group and a strong proponent of legislation supporting Jewish communities, Jewish Americans, and the State of Israel.