MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), the daughter of a former farmworker and a leader in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), reintroduced the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act. This legislation would provide compensation for farmworkers who lose out on wages due to extreme weather, public health emergencies, and other disasters beyond their control. The bill was first introduced in the 118th Congress.

“When extreme weather occurs, farmworkers across our country continue to feed the nation. And yet, these essential workers and their families face great uncertainty when unexpected disasters harm their communities and livelihood. For example, hundreds of farmworkers in my congressional district faced displacement and lost wages after severe flooding devastated the Pajaro community in early 2023. We owe them – and all farmworkers – more. The Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act ensures America’s indispensable farmworkers can receive disaster relief funding they need and have earned,” said Rep. Lofgren.

“Extreme weather and natural disasters are only getting worse with climate change. Unfortunately, many of the hardworking individuals who grow and harvest our food do not receive direct financial support when they are forced to miss work and lose wages as a result of these disasters,” said Rep. Salinas. “My legislation would finally correct this injustice by providing federal disaster relief for farmworkers. This change is well-deserved and long-overdue, and I will continue to advocate for the brave men and women who help feed America.”

“California’s farm workers often work under extreme conditions to help put food on the table for hundreds of millions of Americans,” said Sen. Padilla. “But increasingly frequent natural disasters, including historic flooding in Pajaro, have devastated California’s agricultural communities. We must protect the heart of our nation’s food supply by providing critical emergency assistance to these essential workers.”

“Agriculture is the backbone of Colorado’s economy and central to our Western way of life, but as climate-fueled disasters become increasingly common, our state’s farm workers are paying the price,” said Sen. Bennet. “Our bill will help ensure the people that grow America’s fruits, vegetables, and other crops get the assistance they need in the wake of emergencies like drought, wildfires, and other natural disasters.”

Oregon is home to over 100,000 farmworkers, many of whom live and work in the Willamette Valley and power the state’s $42 billion agriculture economy. Yet despite their importance to our food systems, the average farmworker family in Oregon earns less than $25,000 per year. Ninety-six percent reported living in overcrowded housing and about thirty percent are living below the poverty line. When farmworkers cannot work due to extreme weather or other unexpected disasters, they can lose wages and even their jobs—pushing them deeper into housing and food insecurity.

The Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act would address this problem by providing direct relief funding for farmworkers. Specifically, this bill would:

• Make grants available to eligible farmworker organizations to provide emergency relief to farm workers affected by a disaster.
• Ensure USDA develops and executes a promotional plan prior to and throughout the distribution of the relief grants to increase awareness of the assistance available.
• Require USDA to work with eligible farmworker organizations.
• Provide definitions for a covered disaster, eligible farmworker organization, and migrant or seasonal farmworker.
• Amend Section 2281 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to allow for emergency assistance for farmworkers.

In addition to Reps. Lofgren and Salinas, the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act is cosponsored by Reps. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Judy Chu (CA-28), Jim Costa (CA-21), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Juan Vargas (CA-52).

The legislation is endorsed by the following organizations, in alphabetical order: A Better Balance, Alianza Americas, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), Borderlands Resource Initiative, California Human Development, Campesinos Sin Fronteras, Care in Action, CASA of Oregon, Center for Employment Training, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), Central Valley Opportunity Center, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc (CDM), Child Labor Coalition, CHILDREN AT RISK, CIERTO, Civic Empowerment Coalition, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Columbia Legal Services, CRLA Foundation, Davidson County Local Food Network, El Futuro es Nuestro, Farm Worker Ministry Northwest, Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project-FLAP, Farmworker Housing Development Corporation (FHDC), Farmworker Justice, Food Empowerment Project, GALEO Impact Fund, Hand in Hand/Mano en Mano, Hispanic Affairs Project, Hispanic Federation, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE), Latino Outdoors, League of Conservation Voters, Make the Road CT, Make the Road NJ, Make the Road NV, Make the Road NY, Make the Road PA, Make the Road States, Michiganders for a Just Farming System, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of Social Workers – Florida and Virgin Islands Chapter, National Consumers League, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Employment Law Project, National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, NC FIELD, Inc., NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, North Carolina Council of Churches, North Carolina Farmworker Advocacy Network, North Carolina Justice Center, Nourish Up, Opportunity Arizona, Oregon Human Development Corporation, Organización en California de Lideres Campesinas, Inc, PCUN, Oregon’s Farmworker Union, Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network (PAN), Popular Democracy, Presente.org, Progress Michigan, Proteus Inc., Puente de la Costa Sur, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Slow Food USA, Student Action with Farmworkers, Sur Legal Collaborative, TODEC Legal Center, Toxic Free North Carolina, UFW Foundation, Unidos Yamhill County, United Farm Workers, Voces Unidas de las Montañas.

“Farm workers are always on the front lines of fires, floods, and storms — yet are too often excluded from federal disaster relief programs,” said Teresa Romero, President of United Farm Workers (UFW). “If the federal government can provide emergency support to farm owners who lose crops in natural disaster, then the federal government can emergency provide support to farm workers who lose work in that same disaster. The Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act will ensure that farm workers who put food on all our tables can continue to put food on their family’s table when disaster strikes.”

“Every year we see an alarming number of natural disasters that drastically and disproportionately impact the farm worker community. As climate change gets worse, these types of disasters will only worsen and farm workers are the ones who are affected the most by these calamities. Just last year, we saw heavy California rains flooding Ventura County farm areas and Hurricane Helen devastating Georgia’s farm worker communities, leading to organizations like ours stepping up to do what we can. But that is not enough. We must have a federal response to these kinds of disasters. From wildfires to tornadoes to hurricanes, farm workers have little to no safety net to help them recover from unexpected disasters,” said Erica Lomeli Corcoran, Chief Executive Officer at UFW Foundation. “This is exactly why the UFW Foundation is supporting the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act. It would provide resources and aid to those who truly need it and would ensure that those responsible for our nation’s food supplies are not overlooked, as they have been in the past. Farm workers have been largely ignored and neglected by the law, shut out from basic protections provided to all workers. It is time that Congress acts and ensures that our nation’s farm workers are given the support they need to overcome times of emergencies and to provide equity to all workers.” 

“Farmworkers are frontline workers, which means they are the hardest hit by the impacts of extreme weather conditions across the country. Many farmworkers feel that they are risking their health with extreme heat and colder days, but losing even one day of work is not an option for their families’ economic situation. Outdoor protections are important, yet there are days that are becoming too extreme to even be outside. Our vision is to be a resilient workforce for the agricultural industry. Disaster relief means we can start investing in addressing the issues that workers are facing today by building resilience for climate change in the future, without sacrificing the economic well-being of farmworkers,” said Reyna Lopez, Executive Director of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noreste (PCUN).

To read the full text of the legislation, click here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, during the House Energy & Commerce Full Committee Markup of Budget Reconciliation Text, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) spoke against cuts to Medicaid, including KidCare and nursing home care. In Florida’s Ninth Congressional District, over 158,000 constituents rely on Medicaid programs, totaling 19% of the district’s population. Below are Rep. Soto’s remarks as prepared for delivery.

“It’s Ebenezer Scrooge Day at the Capitol today. Taking healthcare from the poor to fund tax cuts for the rich. 

“I’m sure Scrooge would think this is a very fine plan. A very fine plan, indeed. Of course, he’s a billionaire hedge fund manager and he’s thrilled about paying even less in taxes.

“We have a few perspectives to guide us. 

“First, it’s my favorite: The Ghost of Congress Past. The 115th Congress, y’all may remember that. Where former GOP Congressman Jacob Marley, a frontliner, reminds you how he lost his seat, as well as 20 other Republicans, because you went after Obamacare, KidCare, and Medicaid. 20 seats lost and the majority. 

“Then, of course, there’s the Ghost of Congress Present. The Cratchit family, of course, is on Medicaid. They have a disabled child, Tiny Tim. There’s Ebenezer’s beloved Fanny—she’s on the ACA. 63 years old. And then Fred Scrooge. He thinks he’s fine because he gets his healthcare through the employer.

“But we know what’s gonna happen in the future. You passed this terrible bill and you cut $715 billion from the program. You can’t just cut that and not have people lose health insurance.

“We know for a fact 13.7 million Americans will lose health insurance, including the Cratchit family. Of course, Tiny Tim dies in this scenario. Fanny finds out her Obamacare increases by $10,000. And of course, Fred Scrooge is shocked that his employer-based healthcare went up by 25% because people are flooding the emergency room because they’re sick and they’re uninsured.

“Of course, this is not some fairytale. In real life, back in my district, in Florida’s Ninth, these are the kids from McCoy Elementary. Half the kids in my district are on Medicaid, they’re on KidCare. It’s a wildly popular program. You can’t cut $715 billion from Medicaid, and then not have this affect our kids.

“And then I got to go to Providence Assisted Living. A nursing home in my district. I met George. He’s a veteran, he’s partially in a wheelchair. 25% of the seniors in this assisted living facility get their coverage through Medicaid.

“Don’t be a Scrooge!

“Don’t vote for this terrible bill that’s gonna cut Medicaid, cut KidCare, cut nursing home care all to fund tax cuts for the rich and powerful.”

For a video of Rep. Soto delivering his opening remarks, please click here.

The Energy & Commerce Committee markup is currently live and can be watched here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)

La Ley de TPS para Venezuela del 2025 protegería a más de medio millón de ciudadanos venezolanos que actualmente tienen estatus protegido

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)

The Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 would protect over half a million Venezuelan nationals who currently hold protected status

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) joined Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender and industry leaders at a roundtable to discuss the modernization of payments to and from America’s bank account, consistent with President Trump’s March 25^th Executive Order. During the meeting, Steil and Faulkender highlighted the federal government’s efforts to shift from paper checks to electronic payments by the end of this year, the benefits of digital payment options like traditional electronic fund transfers and stablecoins, and future advancements in delivering U.S. payments. 

Steil focused his remarks on how these reforms will benefit families in his district and the work Congress is doing to support financial modernization efforts, including advancing legislation on payment stablecoins. Other attendees highlighted the flaws within the current, antiquated system, including billions of dollars in fraudulent or improper payments, the advantages of digital transfers, and how private sector expertise can help drive reforms that benefit the American people.

“The federal government spends more than $650 million each year on outdated payment systems that lead to higher costs, delayed payments, and an increased vulnerability to fraud,” said Steil. “For hard working families or seniors who rely on a Social Security check or tax refund, a lost or stolen payment can mean the difference between paying rent and utilities on time or facing costly penalties. For the U.S. government these fraudulent payments represent $247 billion in avoidable losses.  President Trump and the Department of Treasury’s reforms to these outdated systems can help prevent fraud and provide meaningful support for American families.”

“Treasury continues to explore opportunities for public-private partnerships so we can deliver faster, more secure, and more modern payment experiences for the American people, while cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary government spending. I commend Congressman Steil and the Financial Services Committee for their ongoing work to help root out waste, fraud, and abuse as we strive to enact President Trump’s agenda to protect hardworking Americans,” said Faulkender.

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Stop Trump’s Chaos. Stand Up for Science!

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to a heartbreaking report from Atlanta’s 11Alive News, which revealed that Georgia’s extreme abortion law has denied a brain-dead woman’s family the right to remove her from life support because she was pregnant at the time of her tragic brain death.

Rep. Judy Chu, author of the Women’s Health Protection Act, issued the following statement: 

“This is a tragedy. A brain-dead woman is being forced to stay on life support against her family’s wishes, because of Georgia’s extreme abortion ban. Let’s be clear: this is not a gray area. Georgia’s extreme abortion law has robbed Adriana Smith and her family of choice in the last moments of her life. This is what Republican abortion laws look like in practice: total disregard for women’s lives, and even their deaths. It’s beyond disgraceful.

“In the quest to control women’s bodies, anti-abortion extremists have saddled us with laws that reduce women to nothing more than a womb. Adriana Smith is not an incubator. Adriana is a person. She is a mother, a nurse, and a daughter. She deserves dignity and the right to rest in peace.

“We do not have to stand for this in America. My bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, would restore the right to abortion care nationwide and stop states from enforcing cruel, medically unnecessary restrictions, like the one in Georgia that has trapped Adriana. We only need four Republicans in the House to join with us to pass this vital legislation to restore bodily autonomy to every person in this country, regardless of their state or zip code.”

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, President Trump announced his intention to impose tariffs on foreign films, a proposal which could have devastating impacts on the American film industry as well as all American service exports. Earlier this week, film and television unions and studios joined together with the Trump administration’s “Special Ambassadors” to Hollywood in sending a letter to President Trump urging support for expanded tax incentives for U.S. film and TV production. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), a long-time proponent of federal incentives including the Section 181 federal tax deduction for domestic film and television production, released the following statement: 

“President Trump identified a serious and growing problem: that film and television production has been moving out of the United States and to the more than 80 countries that offer tax incentives for productions. This trend has hurt not just my district in Southern California, but communities across the country that have hosted film shoots, studios, prop manufacturers, and the thousands of good-paying jobs that go into making a movie or TV show a reality. Unfortunately, the President’s proposal to impose tariffs on foreign films is ill-conceived and would do more harm than good. 

“Instead, we need to invest in domestic incentives that will make America more attractive for film productions so that we can bring these jobs back to the United States and maintain our economic and cultural leadership in entertainment. That means extending and expanding Section 181, the only federal tax incentive specifically for domestic film and television production. Section 181 is set to expire at the end of this year, and as a Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am working in a bipartisan manner to extend and improve this deduction. We must also think bigger and create new credits and incentives that will put us on equal or better footing with the countries that have been able to attract productions that would otherwise have happened here in the United States. 

“I urge the President to back away from his dangerous threat of film tariffs and instead work with me and my colleagues in Congress on incentives that will restore this great American industry.” 

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After a 17.5-hour markup, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced House Republicans’ tax bill in a 26-19 party-line vote. In response, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), issued the following statement:

“Republicans’ tax scam puts billionaires first and working families last. It rips health insurance away from 13.7 million people—the equivalent of every person in Los Angeles and Orange Counties combined. This bill guts coverage under the Affordable Care Act and forces the largest cut to Medicaid in our nation’s history, and it terminates SNAP food assistance for families who need it the most. All to fund trillions of dollars in tax giveaways to the wealthiest people and corporations in our country.”

During the markup, Rep. Chu offered two amendments to protect Americans from these harmful cuts:

• The “No Tax Cuts for Mega-Millionaires” Amendment would have blocked those making over $10 million a year from receiving new tax breaks under the bill.
• The “Strike ACA Sabotage” Amendment would have removed harmful provisions that increase health insurance premiums, that make it harder for people to enroll in health coverage, and kick people off of their Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage.

“These were simple, common-sense proposals to protect working Americans from the worst parts of this bill,” said Rep. Chu. “But every single Republican on the Committee voted no. They’re marching in lockstep with Donald Trump and Elon Musk while everyday Americans are left paying the price.”

“Millions will be left without the food assistance they need to survive. People across the country will lose the tax credits that make health coverage affordable or be locked out of coverage altogether. Hospitals will be pushed to the brink of closure, emergency room visits will skyrocket, and seniors will be kicked out of their nursing homes. All so Republicans can give more money to their billionaire friends. But Democrats won’t stop fighting to protect the American people and hold Republicans and the Trump administration accountable.”

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

(Washington, D.C.)— On Thursday, May 15, 2025, I announced on the floor of the House of Representatives that I have filed H.Res.415, to impeach Donald John Trump, President of the United States. The resolution states that the President has devolved American democracy into authoritarianism, with himself as the authoritarian. I address President Trump’s failure to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution by flouting constitutional law as well as the orders of federal courts, including the Supreme Court. A copy of my letter provides further explanation for why I am filing articles of impeachment against President Donald John Trump and is accessible here. Additionally, a copy of the articles of impeachment can be accessed by clicking here.

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s full speech online here. The floor speech highlighted is also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).