MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) yesterday spoke during a press conference on Trump’s upcoming tariff announcement, held by Democrats on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee after House Republicans abruptly cancelled votes for the week and fled town.

The press conference featured U.S. Representatives Linda Sanchez, Don Beyer, Suzan DelBene, and Jimmy Panetta; Sanchez is the Ranking Member of the Trade Subcommittee, and Beyer, DelBene, and Panetta introduced legislation to block Trump’s destructive tariff rampage, which is wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy.

Video of Beyer’s remarks is available here, and his remarks follow below.

The last time we tried this tariff policy, we got ten years of the Great Depression.

This is really stupid public policy.

And it’s no surprise that the Republicans are leaving this afternoon. I wouldn’t want to be here for “Liberation Day.”

[Trump is] going to be “liberating” the American people from their savings. “Liberation Day,” these 25% tariffs, are going to be the largest tax increase in American history.

Peter Navarro the other day estimated at $600 billion.

It’d be one thing if the $3,900 in extra costs that every American family is going to pay would do something useful, but it’s going to try to fund the [Trump tax cuts] for the richest Americans.

We’ve heard all these different reasons for the tariffs. Most of them are contradictory, but I’m not going to address any of them because they’re all in bad faith. None of them are what this is really about.

Trump likes tariffs because he’s a bully. He likes him because he’s authoritarian, because they make him feel important, because he doesn’t realize that it actually costs real people real money.

Make no mistake – these tariffs are going to wreck our economy.

Already we’re seeing manufacturing numbers are down. Inflation expectations are up. Consumer confidence is plunging.

Stock markets are down almost 8% since he took office. And we just had the worst quarter in the last three years, after a very strong fourth quarter.

This is a guy who couldn’t care less about us. He says “I don’t care if prices go up.”

He clearly does not care, because they’re going to go up a lot.

I was a car dealer for 46 years. This is going to wreak havoc in the international auto place that we have, where cars and parts come from all over assembled here. They’re shipped from here to all over.

And this – I think Ronald Reagan may have said it best, not the first to say it, but: “no one wins a trade war.”

This is dumb policy.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta, Suzan DelBene, Don Beyer, Brad Schneider, and Terri Sewell introduced the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, which would modernize outdated trade authorities and ensure that Congress, not the Administration, has the final say when it comes to imposing broad tariffs.  This legislation was introduced ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned widespread tariffs on U.S. trading partners.

“The balance of payments authority has been mischaracterized and misused to justify broad, indiscriminate tariffs that bypass Congressional oversight,” said Rep. Panetta.  “The Reclaim Trade Powers Act would close that loophole and help establish a trade policy that reflects modern economic realities rather than outdated statutes.  This legislation would protect our economy from unnecessary and harmful tariffs, ensure major trade decisions are not made solely by executive branch, and restore Congressional authority over trade.”

“Outdated laws are providing President Trump with the opening to argue that he can unilaterally impose huge tax increases on American consumers without congressional approval,” said Rep. DelBene.  “This legislation is one of several that would reaffirm Congress’ constitutional role in trade policy and ensure the president alone cannot impose broad-based tariffs, which are taxes, on our trading partners,” said DelBene.  

“No one should be under any illusion that the Trump administration would require an actual balance in payments crisis to levy these across the board tariffs,” said Rep. Beyer.  “Pretextual and dishonest justifications are this president’s stock-in-trade, which makes this executive authority simply too dangerous to leave on the books.”

“It’s long past time that Congress assert its constitutional responsibilities and put a check on President Trump’s reckless, arbitrary, and punitive approach to trade policy, which is only hurting our consumers, companies, and economy,” said Rep. Schneider.  “We must close outdated loopholes—like Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, among others—that Trump is using to impose sweeping tariffs while punishing our small businesses, retirement accounts, and economy.”

“In a few short months, President Trump has abused multiple trade authorities as he initiates trade wars with our allies,” said Rep. Sewell.  “Congress must act to draw back trade authorities from this administration in order to protect American consumers, farmers, and manufacturers from President Trump’s reckless trade agenda.  I am proud to join my colleagues in this effort to strengthen our checks against this administration.”

The Reclaim Trade Powers Act would strike Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which currently allows the President to impose sweeping 15% tariffs on all imports in the event of a so-called balance of payments crisis.  This provision, originally intended to address a scenario in which a nation’s currency is backed by a commodity or foreign currency, is no longer applicable since the United States is no longer on the gold standard.

In recent years, the Trump Administration misused the term “balance of payments issue” to justify imposing tariffs based on trade imbalances, rather than genuine economic crises.  This misuse underscores the need for Congress to reassert its Constitutional role in trade policy.

By repealing Section 122, the Reclaim Trade Powers Act would:

• Modernize U.S. tariff authorities to reflect current economic conditions;
• Reclaim Congressional authority over trade powers;
• Restrict the Administration from unilaterally imposing broad, across-the-board tariffs without Congressional approval.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) introduced H.R. 2385, the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence Act of 2025, or the CREATE AI Act, legislation that would establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) to remove barriers to the essential tools and infrastructure that power artificial intelligence research and development. 

Currently, only a handful of large technology companies possess the computing resources, massive datasets, and advanced infrastructure required to perform cutting-edge research in AI. The CREATE AI Act seeks to level the playing field by making those critical tools available to students, researchers, non-profits, small businesses, and academic institutions across the country. The NAIRR would serve as a shared national resource, providing cloud computing, curated datasets, AI testbeds, and educational tools to a broad community of users, ensuring that the future of AI is shaped not just by corporations, but also by entrepreneurs and academia.  

“Artificial intelligence is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, but currently the tools needed to develop it are out of reach for most Americans,” said Rep. Jay Obernolte. “The CREATE AI Act will democratize access to cutting-edge AI resources by establishing a shared national infrastructure for research and experimentation. By empowering students, universities, startups, and small businesses to participate in the future of AI, we can drive innovation, strengthen our workforce, and ensure that American leadership in this critical field is broad-based and secure.” 

“By establishing the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), we would provide an excellent resource for researchers, educators, small businesses, and even students like me to learn how to use artificial intelligence. This access to high-quality data, compute resources, and support would drive the innovation necessary to strengthen our global competitiveness in trustworthy AI development and in turn help accelerate solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “I am thrilled to co-lead this bipartisan, bicameral, and pro-innovation legislation, and look forward to seeing the increased access to high-tech tools and resources that the CREATE AI Act will provide.” 

The bill establishes a formal governance structure for the NAIRR, including a Steering Subcommittee under the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and a Program Management Office within the National Science Foundation. This structure will oversee operations, manage federal and private resource contributions, select an independent operating entity through a transparent bidding process, and ensure adherence to strict standards of privacy, ethics, scientific integrity, and national security. 

The NAIRR will offer researchers secure, tiered access to computational resources, structured Application Programming Interfaces or APIs for working with large AI models, access to interoperable datasets, and educational resources designed to broaden participation in STEM and AI research. In addition to technical infrastructure, the NAIRR will prioritize access for projects that address durable and secure AI development—key issues in ensuring artificial intelligence is aligned with American values and interests. 

Importantly, the NAIRR will be built using donated resources from both federal agencies and the private sector, ensuring that its impact is achieved without requiring a massive new federal expenditure. Cloud computing power, datasets, storage capabilities, AI models, and educational tools will all be contributed by participating partners, leveraging existing infrastructure to maximize access and minimize cost. This collaborative model empowers government, academia, and industry to work together to expand opportunity and accelerate innovation in a fiscally responsible way. 

The CREATE AI Act has earned early praise from many leading voices in the tech and research community: 

• “The tech sector wants the United States to be the world leader in AI research and deployment,” said ITI President and CEO Jason Oxman. “The CREATE AI Act will help U.S. AI leadership by codifying the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) and providing AI researchers, small business owners, and students with cutting-edge research tools for AI development. We thank Congressman Jay Obernolte and Congressman Don Beyer for their leadership on this bipartisan, bicameral legislation and urge the U.S. Congress to advance the bill quickly.” 

• “Enabling AI research and development helps to keep the United States as the destination for AI innovation and adoption. The CREATE AI Act would facilitate AI R&D by establishing the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), a foundational resource to enable AI research and development across the economy. This legislation would also broaden access to AI research resources to make sure that small businesses, technology startups, and universities and community colleges across the country are equipped with the tools to facilitate further innovation. We commend Reps. Obernolte and Beyer for their work to advance this legislation during the 119th Congress.” – The Business Software Alliance 

• “Researchers and students drive American technology forward, but too often they don’t have the resources for AI innovation,” said ARI President Brad Carson. “The CREATE AI Act would build a national research infrastructure, giving broader access to the compute, data, and tools essential for this work. If the U.S. wants to lead globally on AI, we need to make sure our whole talent pool can participate in AI innovation.”

• “The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) applauds the introduction of the CREATE AI Act of 2025 to formally authorize the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR). Designed to “spur innovation and advance the development of artificial intelligence to stimulate cutting-edge research and propel the strategic development of artificial intelligence capabilities,” the NAIRR will expand access to vital infrastructure—including compute power, datasets, and analytical frameworks. There is an urgency for Congress to act now to establish the NAIRR. China and the European Union have already launched efforts similar to NAIRR to catch up with the United States. Absent a government-led program like NAIRR, the U.S. risks falling behind in the AI competition. The NAIRR provides a recipe to ensure that America remains the global leader in AI – one that builds on America’s unmatched private sector innovation. It is a recipe that is critical to long-term innovation, security, and economic growth.”

• “If we want to be the global leader in AI, the United States must increase the availability of necessary infrastructure and tools across the country. The National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) – initialized in the first Trump Administration – is designed to do just that. After a successful pilot, it’s time for Congress to make it permanent, ” said Austin Carson, Founder and CEO of SeedAI. “If resourced properly, the NAIRR can lower barriers for small businesses and academia while serving as a trusted, secure platform for critical AI research. We thank Congressman Jay Obernolte and Congressman Don Beyer for driving this most important bipartisan issue.” 

The full text of the CREATE AI Act of 2025 can be found here.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement after the reported mass firings of workers at the United States Institute of Peace, the reported illegal “appointment” of a 28-year-old Elon Musk lackey to replace its president, and the reported “transfer” of its headquarters to the General Services Administration (GSA): 

“The United States Institute of Peace is a private, independent, nonprofit organization, not an Executive Branch agency. Trump and Musk have no more authority to bypass the legal procedures Congress enacted to establish its headquarters and governance structure than they have to seize the assets of the American Red Cross or replace the leadership of the U.S. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops with Elon Musk’s young stooges.

“Congress established the Institute of Peace with support of Ronald Reagan to study and advance the use of diplomacy to prevent armed conflict. The American people have a vested interest in that goal, for both national security and financial reasons in addition to the moral ones. Donald Trump’s attacks on diplomacy and soft power, his antagonization of key American allies, and his authoritarian tactics make our country and the world less safe.  I will continue to advocate for the U.S. Institute of Peace and for the conscientious, committed people who work there.”

Beyer served as a U.S. Ambassador during the Obama Administration. He has been an outspoken defender of the United States Institute of Peace, and critic of illegal attempts by the Trump Administration and “DOGE” to dismantle it.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) led over 30 lawmakers in writing to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, demanding information about the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk and similar incidents across the country.

“The Administration should not summarily detain and deport legal residents of this country merely for expressing their political views. Absent compelling evidence justifying her detention and the revocation of her status, we call for Ozturk’s release and the restoration of her visa,” wrote the lawmakers. 

A total of 34 lawmakers signed the letter. In addition to Sens. Warren and Markey and Rep. Pressley, the following members joined in signing: Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), along with Representatives Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Don Beyer (D-Va.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii).

On March 25, 2025, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested on her way to a Ramadan dinner event by masked, plainclothes officers. Surveillance video shows officers loading Ozturk into an SUV and departing in three unmarked vehicles. Bystanders observed that the incident “looked like a kidnapping.”

For almost 24 hours, Ozturk’s location was unknown and her lawyer could not locate her. On the afternoon of March 26, more than twelve hours after a district court judge ordered the federal government not to remove Ozturk from Massachusetts without at least 48 hours’ notice, ICE’s locator system was updated to show that she was being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center.

This arrest appears to be one of the latest examples in a string of ICE arrests of university students with valid green cards and visas, seemingly on the basis of their political views. Ozturk was one of four authors of a 2024 op-ed in the Tufts student paper, which called for the university to “engage with and actualize” Israel- and Palestine-related resolutions passed by the university’s Student Senate.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the Administration will deny visas to those who “participate in that sort of activity,” referring to protest movements on campuses. Following Ozturk’s arrest, Tufts was informed that her “visa ha(d) been terminated” — similar to other recent cases in which ICE agents have declared, without a judicial or administrative hearing, that they were “terminating” or “revoking” students’ green cards and visas.

The lawmakers asked the Departments of Homeland Security and State, along with ICE, to provide explanations for Ozturk’s arrest and visa revocation; her transportation to Louisiana despite a court order; officials’ use of unmarked vehicles, face coverings, and plain clothing; the federal government’s policies for terminating a student’s visa without a request from a university; and more. 

Text of Letter (PDF) .

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

Headline: Scott, Connolly Statement on Trump Destroying Union Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, and Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), the Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement on President Trump’s union busting Executive Order:

“This executive order is another example of the Trump-Musk Administration’s war on working people. These two billionaires busted unions in their day jobs and now they’re bringing these same attacks to our government in the biggest presidential attack on unions in history. Since the enactment of the National Labor Relations Actnearly 90 years ago, workers have been empowered to come together and form unions to win higher pay, better safety standards, and claim a voice in their workplaces as they protect workers from abuse and misuse by unscrupulous employers.

“President Trump’s brazen attempt to strip the majority of federal employees of their union rights robs these workers of their hard-fought protections. This will only give Elon Musk more power to dismantle the people’s government with as little resistance from dedicated civil servants as possible—further weakening the federal government’s ability to serve the American people.  The United States government was built to be by the people for the people – not by billionaires for other billionaires.”

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

Headline: Scott Statement on Trump’s Recession Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on countries across the world:

“President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs are reckless and will raise costs on Americans without making the long overdue investments in American manufacturing capacity that would create jobs. This carelessness is a new chapter in his trade wars, that have no rules and no alliances and will just create more chaos and instability.

“President Trump was elected based on his promise to immediately lower costs for families, but economic experts have said cost will go up as a direct result of these tariffs. Economic experts have also warned us how President Trump’s tariffs and other economic policies risk throwing the economy into a recession. Instead of working with Democrats to protect workers and invest in America, Trump and Republicans are slowing our economic growth and accelerating inflation.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced new legislation to force Elon Musk — who has a well-documented history of drug use — and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees to pass a drug test, and participate in random drug testing in order to retain their Special Government Employee status with the United States government. 

“Donald Trump has given billionaire Elon Musk the keys to our government, and with it, access to highly sensitive information — from Treasury and Social Security data to even our most guarded military plans. Those with access to sensitive information must be thoroughly vetted, clear-eyed, and exercise good judgment. Elon Musk and his DOGE employees should be held to the same standard as other executive branch employees, whether that’s for conflicts of interest or passing a drug test to maintain employment or a security clearance.

“In the wake of Trump’s top national security officials sharing classified information on an unsecured Signal group chat — putting our service members’ lives at risk — it’s more important than ever to protect the American people from the Trump Administration’s reckless incompetence and blatant disregard for national security,” said Rep. Sherrill.

Typically, government officials with access to highly sensitive information are required to pass a drug test and are subject to intermittent random testing as a condition of their employment. This ensures that officials who have access to our government’s most sensitive information are following the law and cannot be blackmailed for their illegal drug use. Sherrill’s bill would require Elon Musk and other Special Government Employees like him to consistently pass these same drug tests in order to maintain access to sensitive information.

Rep. Sherrill continues to lead the fight to protect New Jerseyans against Donald Trump and Elon Musk. She has called on eight Inspectors General to conduct investigations into Musk’s conflicts of interest and self-dealing at federal agencies, supported legislation to restrict his access to sensitive Social Security information at the Treasury Department, and stood with federal employees fired by Musk and DOGE.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

The president promised to drastically lower prices on day one; he’s done the opposite and hit families with a new round of tariff taxes.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

Contact: Alexis.Torres@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Danny K. Davis (D-IL), ranking member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax, and Randy Feenstra (R-IA) introduced the bipartisan Tax-Free Pell Grants Act to remove a financial and logistical barrier impairing students from securing higher education opportunities. Specifically, the legislation expands the usage of Pell Grants on a tax-free basis, improves coordination with the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), and ensures students do not lose out on any AOTC benefits. An incredibly timely solution as ongoing cuts to postsecondary institutions and research labs across the country result in lost revenue and financial gaps in operating costs, potentially leading to increases in tuition and fees for students and their families.

“Everyone deserves a chance at success, and we should be simplifying our tax code to unlock more support for students interested in going to college but who may need a little financial help to get there,” said Rep. Doggett. “This legislation would also expand eligible expenses under the existing tax credit to include computers and childcare, which for many is essential to achieving their dreams and growing our economy.”

“Education is fundamental to our democracy,” said Rep. Davis. “I am proud to join Representatives Doggett, Kelly, and Feenstra in leading this bill that helps low-income students get the most from the American Opportunity Tax Credit. In my District, relatively few taxpayers use the AOTC because many attend community colleges and can’t claim their childcare and computer costs. Ensuring that students can fully benefit from the AOTC credit without worry about being taxed on the Pell grant helps educate our citizenry and strengthen them economically.” 

“Pell Grants are an important way for more lower-income Americans to get an education and work toward a successful career,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax. “More than 216,000 Pennsylvania students benefitted from Pell Grants last year. I’m again proud to join Congressman Doggett on this bipartisan legislation that will expand what these grants can be used for – including child care and computers — so many more Americans, particularly single mothers, have the ability to access higher education to achieve long-term financial stability for themselves and their families.”

“I have long supported Pell Grants because they offer academic opportunities to our students and ensure that Iowans who might otherwise skip higher education because of the cost can pursue advanced studies. These grants are an important investment in the next generation of leaders, farmers, innovators, and entrepreneurs who will support our communities and power our economy forward,” said Rep. Feenstra. “However, current law still requires some students to pay taxes on their Pell Grants, reducing the financial support that these grants are intended to provide. That’s why I’m glad to help introduce legislation to make Pell Grants completely tax-free so that our kids can focus on their studies without worrying about the cost.”

While Pell Grant awards used to pay for tuition and fees are already treated as tax-free income, any portion of a Pell Grant used for other education-related items like living expenses is taxed. Currently, using Pell Grants to cover tuition reduces potential AOTC eligibility and creates complications for students in maximizing their educational benefits. As a result, many students simply forgo the AOTC, leaving an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars unclaimed each year. By increasing compatibility with the AOTC, we can ensure that Pell Grants are not treated as taxable income, even if they are used for non-tuition education expenses.

Since enacted in 2009, the AOTC has helped millions pay for college, and more than a decade ago, Rep. Doggett authored provisions to ensure the tax credit allows a tax cut of up to $10,000 on education expenses, such as tuition, textbooks and fees. The AOTC covers up to $2,500 in annual college tuition, fees, and other education-related expenses — 40% of the credit, up to $1,000, is refundable. With more than 3 million undergraduate students in the United States being parents—nearly one in five college students—access to affordable childcare can be the difference between completing a degree program or not. The Tax-Free Pell Grants Act meets this need by adding childcare and computer costs as qualifying expenses for the AOTC.

Endorsing organizations: American Association of Community Colleges, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Council on Education, Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

The bill text is available here.