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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement on last night’s shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum:

“I am heartbroken and outraged by the horrific violence that took place last night at the Capital Jewish Museum, which claimed the lives of two members of the Israeli embassy staff. As we continue to learn more, my deepest condolences are with the victims’ families, the survivors, and all those affected by this senseless tragedy. In this time of grief, I stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in Washington and across the country. No one should ever have to fear for their safety while gathering in a space of culture, memory, and reflection.

Antisemitism must be confronted with zero tolerance, and we must remain united in our commitment to ensuring that all communities are safe from violence and hate.”

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

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) announced the three outstanding students from the 8th District of Illinois nominated to the United States Service Academies. Each of the nominees has accepted their appointment and will begin their military education this summer as members of the Class of 2029.

The students receiving nominations are:

• Kobe Bailey, appointed to the United States Air Force Academy

• Lucas Jung, appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point

• Kody Tokunaga, appointed to the United States Naval Academy

“These remarkable young men represent the very best of our district and nation,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Their commitment to academic excellence, leadership, and public service has prepared them to succeed at the highest levels, and I’m confident they will meet the demands of military life with courage, integrity, and honor. I congratulate them and thank them for stepping forward to serve our nation in uniform.”

Each year, members of Congress nominate candidates for admission to the U.S. Service Academies, which provide a four-year, tuition-free education in exchange for a commitment to serve in the armed forces after graduation. For more information on how to apply for a service academy nomination, please visit https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) defended critical social safety net programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), during a hearing amid threats from Congressional Republicans to cut these programs in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. During a joint House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee hearing between the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs and the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, Congressman Krishnamoorthi, as ranking member, used his opening statement and question line to denounce Republican efforts to weaken social and IRA programs. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that almost nine million Americans could lose their Medicaid coverage if current legislative proposals advance, including hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans. Estimates also say that projected cuts will cause one in four Americans to lose their SNAP benefits, literally taking food away from people like Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s family when he was younger while his parents found good-quality jobs to realize the American Dream.

“For the past few months, House Republicans have been debating within their caucus how deeply they can slash critical services for working people in order to fund their tax plan for the wealthiest among us,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said during his opening statement. “These cuts aren’t about reducing waste, fraud, or abuse; they’re about making room for more tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of hard-working Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act has strengthened the health care system of our country while also expanding opportunity and boosting our economy in the process. That’s what government should be about. I won’t stand idly by while House Republicans dismantle the IRA, safety net programs, and other initiatives their donors dislike.”

During his opening statement, Congressman Krishnamoorthi shared a personal story on Medicaid from Julia, a 43-year-old constituent living with disabilities. Her job training program, funded through Medicaid, has allowed Julia to learn and succeed at her job. Julia’s mother, Joan, worries that if Medicaid is cut, Julia will have no one to look out for her as she grows older.

“From destroying the safety net to polluting our air and water, this Administration is jeopardizing every single community in America – red states and blue states, large cities and small towns, manufacturers and farmers – no one will be left unharmed,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said.

During his question line, Congressman Krishnamoorthi called attention to the risks posed to rural hospitals if Republicans go through with their proposed cuts. In Illinois, eight rural hospitals would be at risk of immediate closure if the proposed cuts of $625 billion to Medicaid go through, according to the Center for Health Care Quality and Payment Reform. The closure of these hospitals, usually the largest employers in the area, would be devastating for communities across the state who depend on them for access to health care.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi also called attention to the CBO’s estimate that the current Republican budget bill will add more than $4 trillion to the U.S. debt, while quoting President Donald Trump telling Republicans in the House to not “f**k around” with Medicaid during a closed-door meeting between the president and the Republican caucus on Tuesday morning.

“There are cuts of hundreds of billions of dollars in the reconciliation bill to Medicaid,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “The House GOP conference is violating, I think, what Donald Trump is trying to convey.”

The full opening statement is available here and the full question line is available here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

MATTESON, ILL. – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement recognizing five years after George Floyd was murdered by a police officer:

“Today, we remember George Floyd, whose life was cut short five years ago when he was unjustly suffocated and murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. I’m thinking of George’s family who will never hear him laugh again or receive another hug from him. We must follow through on the Floyd family’s demands to pass real, comprehensive reform to policing and prevent more families from experiencing the same pain.

“In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, the entire country’s eyes were opened to the Black American experience. Far too many Black families have mourned loved ones – before and after George’s murder – as systematic racism continues to cost people their lives. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act puts forth real solutions to police officer misconduct, including a ban on deadly chokeholds like the one that killed George Floyd. It’s been five years, and Black families still need real action from Congress.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

MATTESON, ILL. – U.S. Robin Kelly (IL-02), vice chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, released the following statement recognizing three years since 19 students and two teachers were shot and killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas:

“Three years ago today, my heart shattered as I heard the news that a shooting had stolen the lives of our students and teachers at Robb Elementary School. The 21 families who lost their loved ones, the 17 who were injured, the children forever traumatized, and the Uvalde community will never be the same. I’m thinking about all of them today as they grieve and remember the lives stolen.

“Our country’s conscious was shocked and shaken by another school shooting – but this time, Congress was able to act. I resolved to follow through on the Uvalde families’ demands for gun safety reform. A month later, I helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first federal gun safety law in nearly 30 years. Now, the Trump administration is determined to roll back these lifesaving policies, but I will not let us be dragged backwards. We owe it to our children to do better.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement on the passing of U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA-11):

“I am heartbroken to hear that my great colleague Congressman Gerry Connolly has passed. My condolences are with his entire family during this difficult time. Gerry was a dedicated public servant who relentlessly fought for his constituents, even as he battled cancer. I witnessed his leadership and integrity when we served on the Oversight committee and passed bipartisan legislation together. Gerry’s legacy will leave an outstanding and generational impact on our country.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement on the charges brought against U.S. Rep. LaMoncia McIver (NJ-10):

“The baseless charges brought against Congresswoman LaMonica McIver are politically motivated by the extreme Trump administration. Let’s set the facts straight: Rep. McIver was fulfilling her moral, legal, and Constitutional responsibility to visit the ICE detention center at Delaney Hall and find answers for her constituents. During what should have been a peaceful visit, ICE agents aggressively confronted and arrested Mayor Baraka. Congressmembers LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez were acting fully within their duties.

“I stand with Reps. McIver, Watson Coleman and Menendez. I will not let the President interfere with our Constitutional duty to serve as a check and balance, even as House Republicans cower and bend the knee to President Trump.”

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

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai‘i – First District) outlined Hawai‘i and Indo-Pacific defense priorities in testimony submitted to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee as it considers the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress’ annual legislation authorizing national defense efforts. 

Case, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations and of its Subcommittee on Defense, which is then responsible for funding Department of Defense and related programs authorized by the NDAA, stated that, in the broad context, the Indo-Pacific “is the frontline of our generation-pacing challenges led by the People’s Republic of China (PRC)” and that Hawai‘i “will remain central to our presence and strategy” in the region.

Case went on in his testimony to highlight five inter-related issues that collectively are critical to “maintaining a superior force posture in Hawai‘i, maintaining the support of the people of Hawai‘i for that posture, and projecting our military presence out of Hawai‘i into the broader Indo-Pacific.”

Case’s full testimony is here. His five issues are summarized as follows:

Defense of Hawai‘i

Case stated that while Hawai‘i serves as the headquarters of the Indo-Pacific Command and hosts a range of force-multiplying assets, “the Department of Defense itself has acknowledged that Hawai‘i lacks modern surveillance and response capacities for missile attacks.” He called that gap “unacceptable” and urged the Committee to prioritize and accelerate investment in a state-of-the-art missile defense system for Hawai‘i, as well as investing further in the Hawai‘i National Guard, which provides much of the operation of the system.

Environmental Protection of Hawai‘i

While Case shared his appreciation for the billions of dollars authorized and appropriated by Congress to remediate, defuel and close Red Hill, he highlighted remaining work to protect O‘ahu’s aquifers, as well as to identify and mitigate PFAS risks elsewhere. He also highlighted key natural resource protection programs such as the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (REPI) under which broad areas of defense and civilian areas near military have been dedicated to protective uses. 

Soft Power in the Pacific

Case testified in continued support of defense-administered “soft power” efforts throughout the Indo-Pacific that “foster goodwill, enhance influence and promote stability “in ways that go beyond combat capabilities and at a fraction of the cost.” He referred to programs and institutions like the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, the State Partnership Program under which our National Guards partner with foreign militaries, and the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) that focuses on military-civilian relationships in states like Hawai‘i and foreign countries.

Defense Contracting Reform and Innovation

To maintain the country’s competitive edge in the Indo-Pacific, Case urged the Committee to “embrace contracting innovation as a strategic imperative.”

Case continued: “We need to continue expanding the use of rapid prototyping pathways that allow us to move at the speed of relevance. By streamlining the acquisition regulations, we can more effectively compete with the PRC, which has invested billions in an effort to develop technology that leapfrogs past our slow-moving acquisition system.”

He cited as an example the work of the Defense Innovation Unit, headquartered in Mountain View, California and which he recently visited, as being instrumental “in bridging the gap between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon, tapping into the commercial sector’s agility to deliver cutting-edge solutions directly to the warfighter.”

Hawai‘i Defense Land Needs/Lease Renegotiations

Case also highlighted defense-related land needs in Hawai‘i, including ongoing efforts to renegotiate leases of some existing state lands. He said, “These lands, many of which are critical for training, readiness and regional posture, must remain available to support our national security objectives.

“At the same time, we must recognize the unique cultural, environmental and community considerations involved.

“That is why I firmly believe the outcome must reflect a win-win – one that upholds the strategic needs of the military over the next generation while honoring the values and priorities of the people of Hawai‘i.”

The House Armed Services Committee will be deliberating the FY 2026 NDAA over the next weeks, at the same time as Case’s Appropriations Defense Subcommittee is considering the FY 2026 budget for the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom McClintock Representing the 4th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the one Big Beautiful Bill Act reconciliation legislation.  Rep. McClintock (CA-05) voted in favor of the measure, and he delivered remarks this morning on the House floor.  Rep McClintock’s remarks (video link):

“A Big, Beautiful Future”
May 22, 2025

If this bill fails, an average family’s taxes will rise 22 percent next year — about $1,700 a year — the biggest tax increase in American history. 

But if it succeeds, working families will be able to keep more of their own earnings.  We’ll be able to complete the border wall and protect our communities from the violent cartels the Democrats allowed into our country.   We’ll relieve pressure on Medicaid by requiring able-bodied adults to look for work.  And we can free up America’s vast energy resources.

The most important economic indicator is how Americans answer this question next year: “Are you better off today than you were two years ago?”

By this time next year, Americans could be enjoying one of the most explosive periods of growth in our history and all that means: secure borders, safer communities, lower taxes, abundant energy, more and better jobs; a higher standard of living and a better quality of life  – a big, beautiful future for all Americans.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)