The Washington Times article on the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act'House passes bill to keep federal aid flowing to pregnancy resource centers'

By Mallory Wilson

Published Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Ahead of the annual March for Life this week, House Republicans passed legislation that would ensure federal funding continues for pregnancy resource centers serving low-income women.

Just one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, joined Republicans to pass the bill in a 215-209 vote.

The legislation, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, would codify states’ ability to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds for pregnancy resource centers — funding that President Biden attempted to block.

Anti-abortion activists gather on Capitol Hill during the first March for Life since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision that created a legal right to an abortion in the United States, in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

“Pregnancy centers are the backbone of community-based support. The impact of their work is undeniable,” one of the bill’s authors, Rep. Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota, said during the floor debate.

In 2024, over 2,700 centers helped 3.8 million women, children and families, she said, and provided over $452 million in medical care, education and material goods.

“As Democrats continue to attack pregnancy care centers, I have asked them repeatedly if they have ever visited a center, ever bothered to go and see what they are talking about, because if they had, they would see the compassion, support and love that are present at these facilities,” Ms. Fischbach said.

Mr. Biden attempted to block the use of TANF funds for pregnancy centers in favor of expanding abortion access. The Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule in late 2023 to restrict the funds. After Congress moved to block it, HHS withdrew the full rule in early 2025.

“Tragically, President Biden — the Abortion President — weaponized the entire federal bureaucracy to aggressively promote abortion on-demand, including misrepresenting the noble work of pregnancy resource centers,” said Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, another lead sponsor of the bill. “We can’t allow that to happen.”

Rep. Danny Davis, Illinois Democrat, argued Wednesday that the money from TANF is intended for poor children and said the bill diverts money “to dangerous anti-abortion centers” and restricts “women’s reproductive choices.”

“If Republicans really wanted to help parents care for their children, they would work with Democrats to ensure that HHS follows the law and immediately release the childcare funds that HHS is illegally delaying from states across the country,” he said.

Similar legislation was passed in the House last year, but wasn’t taken up by the Senate.

At the time, the American Civil Liberties Union urged lawmakers to vote no on the legislation, saying the crisis pregnancy centers the bill helps are “fake abortion clinics that attract patients by advertising free health care services, emotional support, and medical information, then use that trust to manipulate patients and dissuade them from having an abortion.”


OSV interview with Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)'House pro-life co-chair says he is still seeking answers from FDA over mifepristone safety review'

By Kate Scanlon

Published January 21, 2026 at 1:54 PM

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus said he has continued to call on the Trump administration to promptly conduct a pledged safety review of mifepristone, a pill commonly, but not exclusively, used for early abortion.

Asked in a Jan. 15 interview with OSV News if he was confident that a safety review was underway, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a longtime Catholic lawmaker, said, “I don’t know for sure, but I have asked for it. I’ve had meetings about it.”

Smith pointed to a Nov. 20 letter co-signed by 175 Republican lawmakers, including House GOP leadership, asking Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Martin Makary to investigate the “deleterious and grossly underreported effects” of mifepristone on women, prohibit mail shipment of the drug, and immediately “reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement.”

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington March 10, 2021. Smith, a longtime Catholic lawmaker and the co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, said he has continued to call on the Trump administration to promptly conduct a pledged safety review of mifepristone, a pill commonly, but not exclusively, used for early abortion. (OSV News photo/Ken Cedeno, Pool via Reuters)

In September, the FDA, which operates under the Department of Health and Human Services, notified the drug manufacturer Evita Solutions that its generic version of mifepristone was approved, despite previous indications from FDA and Department of Health and Human Services officials that mifepristone would undergo a safety review. On its website, Evita Solutions calls mifepristone “an effective, safe way to terminate early pregnancy.”

The approval of the drug sparked outcry from pro-life advocates. In December, the White House rejected a call from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect pro-life candidates to public office, for Makary to be fired after allegations he was slow-walking a safety review of mifepristone in addition to the FDA’s approval of the new generic.

“That drug needs to be pulled yesterday for the sake of women’s health,” Smith told OSV News, arguing the drug presents risks for women separate from its effect on an unborn child.

Proponents of the use of mifepristone for abortion argue the drugs pose statistically little risk for women when used as directed in early pregnancy. But opponents of mifepristone say risks are more common and more dangerous than proponents of the drug say.

Boxes of mifepristone under the label Mifeprex are seen April 9, 2024, at Alamo Women’s Clinic in Carbondale, Ill. U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a longtime Catholic lawmaker and the co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, said he has continued to call on the Trump administration to promptly conduct a pledged safety review of mifepristone, a pill commonly, but not exclusively, used for early abortion. (OSV News photo/Evelyn Hockstein, via Reuters)

“When you have such a dangerous drug to women and women’s health, there has to be a hurry-up offense to get this off the market,” Smith said.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than half of the abortions performed in the U.S. are chemical or medical, rather than surgical.

In the interview, which took place shortly before the 53rd annual March for Life, where Smith is scheduled to speak, he said those participating in the event should advocate to the Trump administration and to their elected officials for that review to take place.

“Without a doubt, I think they can encourage them,” he said.

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Jan. 16 he recorded a video message for the event. Vice President JD Vance is expected to address the rally in person.

Earlier in January, Trump told House Republicans to be “flexible” in negotiations on health care subsidies with regard to the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits public funding of elective abortions and is a policy pro-life groups have long supported.

Smith said the Hyde Amendment “is a minimalist policy. It saves lives, lots of lives,” and for many years had bipartisan support.

The Hyde Amendment, which was named for the late Republican Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois, is not permanent law. It must be attached to individual appropriations bills in order to take effect. Supporters of the Hyde Amendment argue it prevents taxpayer-funded abortions and related conscience issues, while critics argue it reduces access to abortion.

Smith pointed to Hyde’s 1990 speech to freshmen members of Congress, in which he told them, “If you don’t know the principle, or the policy, for which you are willing to lose your office, then you are going to do damage here.”

“This institution needs more members willing to look beyond the biennial contest for power, more committed to public service as a vocation rather than merely a career,” Hyde said in that speech.

Asked what he planned to tell participants at the Jan. 23 rally, Smith pointed to the 2026 theme, “Life is a Gift.”


Marking Three Years Since the Monterey Park Mass Shooting, Rep. Chu Honors Victims by Introducing Gun Safety Legislation

On the anniversary of the Monterey Park shooting, Rep. Chu remembers those lost and reintroduces commonsense measures to prevent gun violence

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Three years ago today, the community of Monterey Park, California, was forever changed by a mass shooting at Star Dance Studio that claimed the lives of 11 beloved neighbors and left 9 others seriously injured. It was the deadliest mass shooting in Los Angeles County history and occurred on the eve of Lunar New Year, turning what should have been a joyful celebration into a devastating tragedy for a close-knit, predominantly Asian American community.

Today and every day, we remember:

Valentino Marcos Alvero

Hongying Jian

Yu-Lun Kao

LiLan Li

Ming Wei Ma

Mymy Nhan

Diana Man Ling Tom

Muoi Dai Ung

Chia Ling Yau

Wen-Tau Yu

Xiujuan Yu

Rep. Chu released the following statement:

“Not a day goes that I don’t grieve our eleven neighbors who we lost so senselessly in a mass shooting three years ago. To honor their lives, I believe we must transform our grief into action by working to end gun violence, so no other community has to endure the devastation of a mass shooting.

“Monterey Park is a predominantly Asian American community, where many residents have limited English proficiency and were not made aware of how to exercise gun safety tools available to them, like red flag laws and federal guidance on gun violence prevention. The shooting made it clear that our communities need Congress to address these gaps.

“That is why I am reintroducing two bills to help put an end to gun violence in America. The first, the Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act, would require outreach about red flag laws, gun violence prevention, and gun safety by federal government agencies to include robust in-language materials, outreach to Limited English Proficient (LEP) communities, and culturally competent education to community providers and law enforcement.

“The second, the Fair Legal Access Grants(FLAG) Act, would ensure that anyone filing a red flag petition – a legal request asking a court to grant an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) to temporarily remove firearms from someone who poses a danger to themselves or others – has access to resources like legal representation,” said Rep. Chu.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) will be reintroducing these bills in the Senate.

“Expanding and strengthening red flag laws across the country is a necessary step forward in making our communities safer. All too often, school administrators, law enforcement officers, and family members don’t have the time or support needed to navigate our court system and successfully file a red flag claim when they notice an individual with access to firearms exhibiting troubling or potentially dangerous behavior,” said Senator Gillibrand. “My FLAG Act and the Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act would empower community members with the tools and services needed to intervene and help remove firearms from individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or others. I am proud to work with Representative Chu to help make our communities safer and end firearm tragedies.”

The Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act has been endorsed by the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), Newtown Action Alliance, Giffords, Everytown for Gun Safety, and Brady: United Against Gun Violence. The FLAG act has been endorsed by Newtown Action Alliance, and Everytown for Gun Safety.

Rep. Chu continued, “While it has been deeply disheartening to watch President Trump dismantle the historic gun violence prevention progress that President Biden and Democrats fought tirelessly to achieve, I will not stop fighting to protect all of our communities from gun violence. Monterey Park deserves better, and our country must do more to protect our communities and prevent gun violence.

“So, as we honor the lives lost three years ago in Monterey Park, let us recommit to coming together to pass strong, comprehensive gun safety reforms and finally put an end to gun violence.”

The Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act would:

Provide for competent, community reviewed, translations of all public facing resources provided by DOJ and HHS related to gun violence prevention strategies;

Direct the Attorney General to ensure federal grant applications for funds related to the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection orders and other prevention efforts incorporate meaningful engagement with communities with high numbers of individuals with Limited English Proficiency; and

Direct the Attorney General and Secretary of HHS to develop and implement a national public awareness campaign for federally supported gun violence prevention strategies and firearm ownership safety with a focus on outreach and engagement with LEP communities.

The FLAG Act would provide $50 million in annual funding to states and local governments to provide access to legal counsel and other legal services. Eligible recipients include police departments, district attorney offices, community-based legal aid organizations, and more.


Congressman Cohen Signs Discharge Petition to Bring Ban on Stock Trading to the Floor

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today signed a discharge petition to bring the Restore Trust in Government Act to the House floor for a vote. The petition requires 218 signatures. The Restore Trust in Government Act would end the practice of Members of Congress, the President and the Vice President trading stocks.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“A majority of Democrats in Congress and the vast majority of the public think it is time to end the practice of members trading in individual stocks. The Restore Trust in Government Act introduced by Congressman Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island and which I have requested to cosponsor, would end the practice of Members of Congress, the President and the Vice President trading stocks, and is the right thing to do. A Republican-led effort to ban stock trading does not extend to members of the executive branch.”

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Costa, Westerman Introduce Groundbreaking Legislation to Support Fresno State and Regional Public Universities Nationwide

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Bruce Westerman (AR-04) have introduced the Boosting University Investments in Low-Income Districts (BUILD) Act, a bold bipartisan plan to channel billions in federal investment through regional public universities to transform struggling communities across America

"Regional Public Universities like Fresno State spur economic and community development in distressed communities along the Central Valley," said Representative Costa. "For far too long, these institutions have been left behind. As a Fresno State alumnus, I am proud to introduce this groundbreaking legislation to bolster our regional economy and create new opportunities for Valley families to thrive."

"Regional Public Universities across the Natural State are often the heartbeat of rural communities, acting as economic anchors that raise the standard of living and lead to stronger economies," said Congressman Bruce Westerman. "The BUILD Act provides funding opportunities that ensure our regional schools like Arkansas Tech University, Southern Arkansas University, and Henderson State University, are empowered to revitalize and support our more rural communities across the Natural State. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill that champions both education and rural communities in a bipartisan manner, and I look forward to continuing to support legislation that benefits rural America."

The BUILD Act recognizes that regional public universities (RPUs) are economic engines that often lack the federal support given to large research institutions. The bill would close that gap by creating a special designation for RPUs located in economically distressed communities, making them eligible for major new federal funding.

Designated universities could receive planning grants to design community-driven strategies, followed by implementation grants of $25–50 million over five years for projects such as:

Expanding Healthcare Access – Build clinics accessible to the public and train community members to become healthcare professionals.

Boosting Small Business Growth – Provide seed money to entrepreneurs and support local startups.

Modernizing Broadband – Invest in municipal broadband networks and digital infrastructure.

Revitalizing Communities – Renovate or construct housing, libraries, laboratories, museums, theaters, and cultural spaces.

Strengthening the Workforce – Launch apprenticeships, create industry partnerships, and expand job training opportunities.

This legislation would authorize up to $1.7 billion per year for five years and could benefit as many as 174 public four-year universities nationwide, including four California State University campuses: Fresno State, Cal State Los Angeles, San Diego State, and Cal Poly Pomona.

"Fresno State is pivotal to the economy and society of Central California, as we educate a majority of the region’s economic and social leaders. As Fresno State has been partnering with industry partners for over a century, the University is perfectly positioned to lead the region in fomenting economic growth through applied research. The BUILD Act would empower Fresno State to further infuse dynamic economic energy into the Valley, a region that produces 25% of our Nation’s food," said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D., President of California State University, Fresno.

"Regional public universities like Fresno State are underutilized as major economic drivers in their communities. With additional federal support, Fresno State, with its focus on applied research emphasizing local and regional needs, could play a decisive role in providing the type of small business incubation that could dramatically fuel job growth and economic development in our community," said Blake Zante, Executive Director of the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute.

The full text of the bill is available HERE.


Rep. Crank Vows to Support Pregnant and Parenting Mothers; Votes to Provide Assistance for Needy Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Jeff Crank (CO-05) voted in favor of H.R. 6945, Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act.

The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act will provide assistance to needy families to empower them to care for their children at home and further protect and encourage strong families so that children can be cared for in their own home or in the home of relative. H.R. 6945 amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) statute to prohibit discrimination against pregnancy centers and clarify that use of funds for pregnancy centers is allowable.

"Here in Colorado's Fifth Congressional District, we have pregnancy centers, like Life Network, who provide crucial services to expecting mothers and fathers," said Rep. Crank. "Pregnancy centers offer hope and opportunity, promoting life and giving necessary and lifesaving resources. Life Network has served almost 3,900 patients just in the last year, providing high quality pregnancy test, ultrasounds, early pregnancy care, and more for free to anyone who walks through their doors.

"This is just the impact in my district, and I know that the presence of similar pregnancy centers across the country is providing hope and support to thousands of parents each day. Funding for these mothers and fathers, many of whom are underserved, should never be politically taken away."

Background:


Rep. Crockett Introduces TRACK ICE Act to Demand Transparency on Immigration Enforcement Flights

“For far too long, the federal government has operated immigration flights without full transparency. These ghost flights are tearing families apart, leaving loved ones in the dark, and giving immigration agencies free rein to act without oversight, transparency, and justice. It is Congress’s job to ensure they aren't operating above the law,” said Congresswoman Crockett.

Robyn Barnard, senior director in the Refugee and Immigrant Rights team at Human Rights First, said "In this first year of the Trump administration, we have witnessed a detention and deportation machine operating at a scale we have never seen before and enabled by the opaque ICE enforcement flight network. Our ICE Flight Monitor project has tracked thousands of these flights transferring people far from their loved ones and counsel, even to countries that are not their own, and at times in violation of court orders. This government refuses to be transparent in its use of taxpayer dollars or its treatment of human beings. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Congresswoman Crockett in introducing the TRACK ICE Act to shine a light on a system that is not only cruel, but increasingly lawless, and to ensure there is accountability for the injustices it has caused."

The TRACK ICE Act is endorsed by Human Rights First, Detention Watch Network, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Vera Institute of Justice, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), Advocates for Human Rights, African Communities Together, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Witness at the Border, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, African Human Rights Coalition, Oasis Legal Services, Refugee Council USA, Climate Refugees, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), and Church World Service.

Click HERE to read the full text of the bill.

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Crow Receives an A+ Rating from End Citizens United for Work to Root Out Corruption in Politics

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) has received an A+ from anti-corruption, pro-democracy group End Citizens United for his legislative work to end the influence of big donors, corporations, and special interests in our politics.

End Citizens United announced the rating today, 16 years after the Supreme Court’s harmful Citizens United vs. FEC decision that undermined the United States’ campaign finance system. The ruling has corroded our politics, allowing the richest and most influential to curry even more favor with elites in Washington. Congressman Crow is a longtime sponsor of the Constitutional Amendment to overturn the decision and clean up campaign finance law.

“The Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision poisoned our politics, which is why I’m leading the fight to overturn it. Americans are sick and tired of a corrupt system that caters to special interests and dark money groups, while working folks struggle to get by. If we want to restore the American people’s faith in our democracy, we need to get the corrupt influence of money out of politics,” said Congressman Jason Crow.

“In a Republican-controlled Congress that prioritized billionaire tax breaks, corporate giveaways, and attacks on the freedom to vote, Congressman Crow used his voice and votes to draw a clear line. He opposed legislation that ripped health care away from millions, fought efforts to weaken voting rights, and voted against handing more power to predatory banks and corporate polluters. By rejecting corporate PAC money, Congressman Crow has shown his independence is real and he is accountable to constituents, not special interests. That combination of principled votes and refusal to be bought is exactly what an A+ anti-corruption record looks like,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller.

Throughout his time in Congress, Congressman Crow has stood up to special interests and has not taken a dime of corporate PAC money. He is leading the fight to root out corruption in our elections, including through his End Dark Money Act to crack down on dark money’s influence on U.S. elections and his bipartisan Shell Company Abuse Act to limit foreign interference in U.S. elections.

Crow is also an original cosponsor of the TRUST in Congress Act to ban members of Congress and their families from owning or trading stocks.


Davids Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winner

Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Kansas’ Third District: Drake Semchyshyn, a twelfth grader at Blue Valley West High School. Semchyshyn’s winning app, Catalyst, is designed to improve students’ academic experience within Canvas, a widely used learning management system.

“Kansas students are incredibly creative, and Drake’s app is a great example of how young people can use technology to solve real problems they see in their everyday lives,” said Davids. “The Congressional App Challenge is about encouraging innovation, building confidence, and opening doors to STEM careers — and Drake’s work shows exactly why investing in students and education matters.”

“Fueled by the frustrations of the current Canvas application, I decided to build a better application, Catalyst, that works alongside Canvas that is student-focused,” said Drake Semchyshyn, 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winner. “Building this app has truly been a journey, from interacting with students who experience the struggles to building a better experience for everyone. Initially, I was shocked and honored when winning the Congressional App Challenge in my district, and I hope that this is just the start of my journey in the software engineering field.”

Catalyst was created to address common challenges students face with online learning platforms, including confusing interfaces, inaccurate due dates, harsh visual settings, and limited reminder options. The app works alongside Canvas to give students more control over their coursework, allowing them to organize assignments in a to-do list format, customize color themes, set personalized notifications, and better manage deadlines — all with the goal of supporting academic success.


Dean, Klobuchar, and Salazar Demand DOJ Investigation into Grok’s Sexually Explicit AI-Generated Images

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) — three of the authors of the TAKE IT DOWN Act — wrote a letter to the Department of Justice to demand an investigation into the proliferation of non-consensual intimate images across social media platforms, namely X’s affiliated chatbot, Grok.

During a 24-hour analysis of images Grok posted to X from January 5 to January 6, the chatbot generated about 6,700 sexually explicit or suggestive images every hour. During that same 24-hour period, the other top five websites for such content averaged 79 AI undressing images per hour.

Last year, the lawmakers’ TAKE IT DOWN Act was signed into law — becoming the first federal legislation to address the rise in artificial intelligence (AI) and the subsequent and harmful increase in sexually explicit “deepfakes.”

“These images pose a serious threat to the victim's privacy and dignity. They also may violate the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which the President signed into law last year,” the lawmakers concluded.

Read the full text of the letter here.

Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.

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DeGette Introduces Bill to Protect NIH From Political Interference

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01), Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, introduced the Follow the Science Act to shield the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from political interference and protect the integrity of America's biomedical research.

The legislation comes exactly one year after the start of the second Trump administration, which has undermined American science by abruptly canceling research grants, installing political loyalists in scientific positions, and injecting partisan politics into peer review processes that have driven medical breakthroughs for decades. Led by a cabal of unelected ideologues including Russ Vought, RFK Jr., Jay Bhattacharya, and Elon Musk, the second Trump administration has presided over the greatest destruction of medical research in American history.

"Since the end of World War II, NIH has been the crown jewel of American biomedical research—discovering treatments, saving lives, and maintaining our global scientific leadership," said Congresswoman DeGette. "But this administration has shown it's willing to sacrifice science on the altar of politics. We cannot allow partisan interference to compromise the research that develops tomorrow's cancer treatments, Alzheimer's therapies, and lifesaving vaccines. The Follow the Science Act draws a bright line: science belongs to scientists, not politicians."

The Global Leader in Research Funding

Since its establishment in 1887, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s premier public funder of medical research, has been responsible for countless biomedical innovations. NIH-funded science underpins nearly every new drug approval, from cancer immunotherapies to COVID-19 vaccines to treatments for Type 1 diabetes.

Each year, NIH awards more than 60,000 grants supporting over 300,000 researchers across 2,500 institutions in every state. The economic impact is staggering: in fiscal year 2023 alone, NIH funding supported more than 410,000 jobs—including 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states—and fueled nearly $93 billion in economic activity. The return on investment is clear: every dollar appropriated to NIH generates more than two dollars in economic benefit.

The Problem: Politics Displacing Science

This centuries long success has relied on insulating scientific decisions from political pressure. For many years, NIH maintained just two political appointees: the NIH Director and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director. This structure ensured presidential administrations could set broad priorities while career scientists—experts in their fields—made day-to-day funding and research decisions based on merit and evidence.

Like much else under Donald Trump, that firewall has eroded. Today, a greatly expanded number of political appointees at NIH are injecting politics into scientific processes, adding red tape, and slowing America's engine of innovation. The result: transformative research is being delayed or canceled not because of scientific merit, but because of political calculations.

Trump's War on Science

In the year since taking office, the Trump administration has:

Terminated 1,389 awards and delayed sending funding to more than 1,000 additional projects as of April 2025. The agency awarded $1.6 billion less compared with the same period in 2024, a reduction of one-fifth.

By contrast, from 2015 to 2024, there have been fewer than 20 terminations a year, on average, at NIH.

In January 2025, less than 24 hours after coming to power, the administration suspended all external communications — such as health advisories and weekly scientific reports — across all HHS agencies, including NIH. This was followed by a hiring and travel freeze.

In March, the administration rescinded an NIH policy designed to maintain the use of science in decision making and protect scientific research from political interference.

In July, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought directed the NIH to withhold — illegally, according to the Government Accountability Office — an estimated $15 billion in grants for outside research projects.

This political interference doesn't just waste taxpayer dollars—it undermines trust in science, drives talented researchers overseas, and delays the discoveries that save American lives.

What the Follow the Science Act Would Do?

DeGette's legislation would restore the proper balance between political leadership and scientific expertise by:

Capping the number of NIH political appointees, ensuring presidential administrations can set direction without micromanaging scientific decisions.

Prohibiting political appointees from participating in NIH grant review processes, leaving scientific decisions to scientists.

Prohibiting NIH from terminating grants without documented scientific cause, preventing politically motivated cancellations.

The Benefits

Together, these reforms would:

Improve trust in science by ensuring politics do not interfere in federally funded research.

Protect taxpayer dollars by ensuring merit, not politics, drives funding decisions.

Accelerate medical breakthroughs by allowing career NIH scientists to focus on science and improving Americans’ health rather than navigating political interference.

Original Cosponsors: Reps. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Andre Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sean Casten (IL-06), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Josh Harder (CA-09), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Doris Matsui (CA-07), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).


DeGette to Vote Against Homeland Security Funding Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement before voting against the Department of Homeland Security funding bill:

“The Trump administration has weaponized ICE and Border Patrol, turning those agencies into masked, hostile police forces that are terrorizing the American people. ICE has become a rogue agency that has gone far beyond its original mandate. It should be immediately dismantled.

“I will not support funding for the Department of Homeland Security when ICE and Border Patrol agents are assaulting protestors, detaining and arresting people with impunity, inciting violence, and shooting and killing American citizens. Furthermore, Secretary Kristi Noem and her thugs have been acting in violation of court orders and in contempt of Congress, and she should be impeached.”


Veteran Congressmen Reintroduce 'Full Cost of War Act’ to Require Funding for Veterans Care Before Declaration of War

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen and veterans Chris Deluzio (PA-17, U.S. Navy veteran) and Ted Lieu (CA-36, U.S. Air Force veteran) reintroduced their bill, the Full Cost of War Act.

First introduced in the 118th Congress, this bill would require the inclusion of an authorization of funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a part of any authorization for use of military force or declaration of war. This means that from the start, the government will prioritize and calculate the cost of care, disability compensation, and other earned benefits for servicemembers involved in the war or military operation.

“Those who wear the uniform bear the cost of serving and fighting our wars, something a lot of chickenhawks beating the drum of war these days would do well to remember,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “The way I see it, America’s sacred duty to care for my fellow veterans when they come home is about paying the full cost of war. If our government cannot promise to fully fund the care for these veterans when they return, then politicians should not send them off to fight. In this moment especially, I’m proud to join with Congressman Ted Lieu to reintroduce the Full Cost of War Act to fund these critical veterans’ services ahead of any decision to send Americans into harm’s way."

“We can’t think of the expense of war, or use of military force, solely as the cost of the mission,” said Congressman Ted Lieu. “We must factor in the care and compensation of the brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives on these missions in service of our country. Ensuring that they are taken care of - during and after their tours of duty - is the least we can do to repay them for their service and sacrifice. I’m pleased to work with fellow veteran Congressman Deluzio on this important legislation to ensure we have the resources needed to take care of our service members."

A link to the full text of the bill is availablehere.

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Dexter Reveals Potential Ethics Violations of Top-Ranking Trump Official, Calls for Investigation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03), the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, called on the Department of Interior (DOI) to investigate Associate Deputy Secretary Karen Budd-Falen after revealing Budd-Falen failed to disclose that her agency approved a $3.5 million contract between her husband and a mine developer.

“Trump said he would drain the swamp, turns out—to little surprise—he’s done the opposite. His highest-ranking officials are using their power to enrich their own families, and the latest example is playing out on our public lands,” said Dexter. “The corruption is clear as day, and as the top Democrat on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I am acting to stop it.”

New evidence compiled by House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Dexter reveals Associate Deputy Secretary Karen Budd-Falen may have abused her power while at the Department of Interior to give her family a $3.5 million payout tied to their ranching assets. Budd-Falen's family ranch sold water rights to Nevada Lithium Corporation that were essential for the company’s mine to move forward. In November 2019, while serving as Deputy Solicitor with authority over Fish and Wildlife Service matters, she secretly met with company executives in her DOI office. Her family wouldn't see the potential $3.5 million payday unless the mine won federal approval, which was still pending at the time.

The Budd-Falen family received their payday from Nevada Lithium Corporation in November 2023, only after the mine received federal approvals. Despite filing multiple financial disclosures during this period, Budd-Falen reported income from her family ranch as "None (or less than $201)."

Given DOI has refused to answer congressional inquiries and instructed staff not to cooperate with oversight requests, Dexter and Huffman are formally demanding the DOI Inspector General investigate whether Budd-Falen violated federal ethics rules and criminal conflict-of-interest statutes. Read the entire text of the letter here.

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Donalds Joins House Oversight Committee: Votes To Hold The Clintons In Contempt Of Congress

WASHINGTON – Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) joined a Mark-Up hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and voted to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with duly issued subpoenas.

On July 23, 2025, Republicans and Democrats on the Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee unanimously approved by voice vote, a motion to issue subpoenas to ten individuals, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for testimony related to the horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Following the Subcommittee vote, on August 5, 2025, Chairman James Comer (R-KY) issued the subpoenas.

Former President Clinton’s deposition was initially requested on October 14, 2025, and then moved to December 17, 2025. President Clinton declined this date, citing the need to attend a funeral. The Committee said it would accommodate him if he would propose dates certain in January. He declined. The Committee issued a new subpoena with the deposition date set for January 13, 2026, and he failed to appear.

Former Secretary Clinton’s deposition was initially scheduled for October 9, 2025, and then moved to December 18, 2025. Secretary Clinton declined this date, citing the need to attend a funeral. The Committee said it would accommodate her if she would propose dates certain in January. She declined. The Committee issued a new subpoena with the date set for January 14, 2026, and she failed to appear.

The committee voted to advance the William J. Clinton contempt report, as amended out of committee by a vote of 34-8, and to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

The committee also voted to advance the Hillary R. Clinton contempt report, as amended out of committee by a vote of 28-15, and to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

Upon passage on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, criminal referrals will be made to the Department of Justice.

Watch the full committee vote here.

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Congressman Davis Announces the 2026 Congressional Art Competition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) announces that the 2026 Congressional Art Competition is now open to high school students residing in North Carolina’s First Congressional District. Sponsored annually by the Congressional Institute, the competition recognizes and celebrates the creativity and artistic achievement of high school students from across the nation.

“Eastern North Carolina is rich with creativity, imagination, and promise,” said Congressman Davis. “I am inspired by the powerful stories students tell through their artwork, and I am proud to highlight their voices and visions each year. When we invest in young people and their creativity, we strengthen our communities and help shape a brighter future.”

Online Submission Deadline: Friday, April 3, 2026, by 5:00 P.M.

Registration must be submitted by the deadline. Artwork may not exceed 26 inches by 26 inches, may be no more than 4 inches deep when framed, and must weigh 15 pounds or less.

Eligible two-dimensional artwork includes:

Paintings (oil, acrylic, watercolor)

Drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers)

Collages (two-dimensional only)

Prints (lithographs, silkscreen, block prints)

Mixed media (using two or more artistic mediums)

Computer-generated art

Photography

All entries must be original in concept, design, and execution and must comply with U.S. copyright laws. Artwork copied from photographs or images created by someone other than the student will not be accepted. Entries must be submitted in their original medium; scanned or reproduced works are ineligible.

The winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year, alongside artwork from congressional districts across the country. Two runners-up will have their pieces displayed in Congressman Davis’ district office.

For complete contest guidelines and additional information, please visit https://dondavis.house.gov/services/art-competition or call 252-999-7600 with any questions.


Emmer Highlights Minnesota Fraud, New Bill, and Housing Affordability During Financial Services Committee Hearing with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner

WASHINGTON - Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) discussed the ongoing Minnesota fraud fiasco, housing affordability, and Emmer’s Securing Facilities for Mental Health Services Act with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner during a House Financial Services Committee hearing.

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Click on the photo above or here to watch Emmer’s exchange with Secretary Turner

EMMER: Secretary Turner, it’s great to see you again. Housing affordability is one of the most pressing challenges facing Minnesota families. Across urban, suburban, and rural communities, families are being squeezed by rising home prices and a housing supply that simply has not kept pace with demand. Outdated and burdensome federal regulations, slow permitting processes, rigid zoning laws, and financing barriers are all factors that make it more difficult and expensive to meet America’s housing needs. President Trump has made affordability a central focus of his presidency, reversing the failed policies of the Biden Administration and cutting red tape that was only increasing costs and fueling runaway inflation. By updating outdated programs and removing regulatory roadblocks – rather than relying solely on direct federal spending – we will allow this country to meet its housing demands and make housing affordable again for hardworking Americans. Mr. Secretary, HUD has a responsibility not only to expand access to housing but also to ensure that taxpayer dollars are properly safeguarded. My home state of Minnesota has become a national example of the chaos that occurs when oversight collapses and incompetence surges in the governor’s mansion. Following the uncovering of a massive $9 billion welfare fraud scheme that went unaddressed under Governor Tim Walz’s watch, you, Mr. Secretary, proactively deployed HUD investigators to Minnesota to provide much-needed fiscal oversight. And on behalf of law-abiding taxpaying Minnesotans, I want to thank you for taking decisive action where our governor has failed. It’s been reported that HUD paid out nearly $85 million in fraudulent federal housing assistance payments to Minnesota during the last year of former President Biden’s presidency. Is that correct, Secretary Turner?

TURNER: Yes, sir, those were our findings.

EMMER: And it is my understanding that of this total, half a million dollars was paid out to dead Minnesota residents, while another quarter of a million dollars went to individuals whose Social Security numbers couldn’t be verified, is that correct?

TURNER: Yes, sir.

EMMER: And when we say that individuals whose Social Security numbers could not be verified, Mr. Secretary, what exactly do you mean?

TURNER: Well, you think about it - there may be numbers missing, there may be smudges on a number. Oftentimes, that means they are here illegally.

EMMER: So, likely they are illegal aliens that have taken advantage of the system?

TURNER: Right.

EMMER: In other words, as American families struggle to afford housing and keep up with everyday costs, the federal government was providing assistance to those here illegally, taking resources away from the citizens these programs are actually created to help. It’s abundantly clear to me that those who lined their pockets by defrauding the American people, along with those who did nothing to stop it, must be held accountable. How can HUD hold these individuals’ feet to the fire and potentially recoup these fraudulent payments?

TURNER: Yes sir, thank you. As we go through this analysis, continued analysis and investigation, we will use the full extent of the law to enforce the law and to bring the proper and appropriate punishment to those who have defrauded the American people.

EMMER: What additional authorities does HUD have to examine other areas where Governor Walz and Minnesota AG Keith Ellison have been negligent in their stewardship of the people of Minnesota?

TURNER: Yes sir, we will continue to investigate. We have actually boots on the ground now, as you know, in Minnesota. Minnesota has received about $150 million in housing assistance so we want to make sure that those funds are being used appropriately and we also have partnerships across the entire federal government, and in particular, agencies, that we can utilize to make sure people are being held accountable.

EMMER: This is the new fair housing investigation that you’re engaged in?

TURNER: Yes sir, we do have a task force to do so.

EMMER: I see that my time is about to expire, so I’d like to quickly highlight the Securing Facilities for Mental Health Services Act, which I partnered with Representative Torres to reintroduce last week. We have a mental health crisis in this country, all while having a shortage of care facilities. Under current law, inpatient psychiatric hospitals are prohibited from accessing mortgage assistance through HUD’s Section 242 program since they treat patients over an extended period of time. Our Securing Facilities for Mental Health Services Act reverses this prohibition, alleviating the inpatient bed shortage across the country and encouraging the expansion of psychiatric inpatient hospitals. Mr. Secretary, can I get your assurance that we will work together on this much-needed legislation, so we can ensure that Americans with mental health challenges are able to receive the treatment they deserve and need?

TURNER: Yes sir, happy to work with you.


The Average American Family Spent $1,600 More During the First Year of the Trump Administration than in 2024

This week marks one year since President Trump began his term, and the Joint Economic Committee has released a new report finding that families spent $1,625 more on average due to inflation during the first year of the Trump administration.

“Despite his promises to end inflation on Day One, Donald Trump and his policies have directly contributed to rising costs across the country,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “From his devastating tariffs on the American people to his refusal to extend health insurance tax credits and more, Trump’s sole preoccupation is enriching his billionaire donors and friends at our expense.”

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged that his administration would “end inflation,” and falsely claimed just recently that “inflation is stopped” and “prices are down.” However, this new Committee analysis shows that in 2025, the average household spent $1,625 more across the board – including over $320 more in housing costs and over $240 more on transportation costs. The Committee also calculated state-by-state data, finding that the average inflation cost per family in 2025 was at least $1,000 more in 47 states and Washington, D.C., with households in some states paying almost $2,400 more. In Texas, the overall average cost increase was over $1,200.

You can read the full report here.

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Rep. Estes Reintroduces Legislation Benefiting Nursing Homes In-House CNA Programs

WASHINGTON - Ron Estes (R-Kan.) and Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act. This bill allows nursing homes to continue operating their in-house CNA training program even if they incur fines above a certain amount, so long as the fines are issued for reasons unrelated to direct resident care.

“This common sense, bipartisan bill accounts for the current workforce challenges nursing homes face without compromising on a commitment to quality care for residents.” said Rep. Estes. “This bill ensures nursing homes continue to meet high standards without losing the staffing levels needed to provide high-quality care.”

Rep. Estes said, “The Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act prevents an in-house CNA education program from facing suspension due to non-care related clerical violations.” “That’s a commonsense solution to help keep CNA education programs operational and assist nursing homes across the country with staffing levels.”

"We should be doing everything we can to rebuild our workforce and make sure seniors get the consistent, high-quality care they deserve," said Rep. Harder. "This bill will help grow the pipeline of caregivers. I’m grateful to Congressman Estes for his leadership on this issue."

“We applaud Congressmen Estes and Harder for reintroducing the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act to help develop more certified nursing assistants. As America’s population ages and demand for long term care grows, we strongly support this legislation and its goals to expand training pipelines and workforce capacity so that we can continue delivering high-quality, person-centered care. Addressing a key legislative priority of our Caregivers for Tomorrow initiative, this commonsense legislation represents the type of practical, collaborative policy solutions needed to support our caregivers and the people they serve,” Michael Bassett, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for American Health Care Association said.

Background

Today, current surveys show about 94-96% of nursing facilities are still actively hiring or struggling to fill roles, and rural areas have reported having to limit admissions to their facilities close to 50% their full capacity due to these challenges. We are pleased that we were able to roll back the Biden administration’s nursing home staffing mandate which would have worsened workforce shortages across the country and required nursing homes nationwide already struggling to find staff to hire more than 100,000 additional nurses and nurse aides. One estimate suggested nearly 300,000 residents would lose access to care – more than one-fourth of all residents – as nursing homes slow admissions to comply with the mandate. Rep. Estes wrote about this rule and his CNA bill in a November 2023 op-ed in The Hill.

Under current law, Medicare prevents nursing homes from operating a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training program for two years if the facility is fined a certain amount. In making the decision to prohibit the training program, Medicare does not account for the seriousness of the underlying deficiency or activity the fine was related to. For example, a nursing home could be fined for a deficiency unrelated to direct resident care, like having expired crackers in a food pantry, yet would still be prohibited from operating a CNA training program for two years. While current law contains a waiver, it is seldom used and has proven inadequate. Rep. Estes' legislation addresses this issue.


Feenstra Joins Ways and Means Republicans in Urging IRS to Crack Down on Non-Profit Fraud and Abuse

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull), member of the House Ways and Means Committee, joined Chairman Jason Smith and all Republican members of the Committee in sending a letter to the Acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Scott Bessent and IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano to urge stronger oversight and accountability of the nation’s non-profit sector amidst the ongoing fraud scandal in Minnesota.

The Ways and Means Committee has referred 11 non-profits to the IRS through its investigations of fraud, terrorism ties, and foreign influences, which found that stolen funds may have been wired to regions of Somalia with links to Islamic terrorist group, Al-Shabaab. With 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations generating over $1.4 trillion annually, the Committee warns that urgent reform is needed to protect taxpayers and restore public trust.

“Like many Iowans, I have been disturbed by the recent headlines of rampant taxpayer fraud in Minnesota,” Rep. Feenstra. “These scandals expose serious failure in oversight during the Biden Administration that allowed taxpayer dollars meant to help our most vulnerable, be exploited and wired overseas to dangerous actors. That is simply unacceptable. I fully support Chairman Smith’s efforts to ensure that the IRS takes a hands-on approach to enforcing the law and holding bad actors accountable. I will continue working alongside President Trump and my Republican colleagues to protect taxpayer dollars and restore trust in our welfare system.”

The full letter can be found HERE.

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Congressman Fields Condemns President's Threatening Remarks at Davos

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Cleo Fields (D-LA-06) strongly condemns President Trump's address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, calling the President's rhetoric toward NATO allies and world powers unprecedented and harmful to American interests.

"We did not elect a leader with unchecked power who can threaten our closest allies because of their refusal to blindly comply,” said Congressman Fields. “When Danish military forces came to our aid after 9/11, forty-four soldiers bravely lost their lives. Is this how we choose to honor their sacrifice, by brandishing our own military forces against them to pressure compliance?”

During his address at the World Economic Forum, President Trump suggested that without the United States, allied nations would not survive—an assertion Rep. Fields called "a dangerous claim, not diplomacy." The President also referenced using "excessive strength and force" regarding Greenland, while criticizing NATO allies who have stood with America through decades of shared security challenges.

"Here is what the President refuses to acknowledge: the 1951 Defense Agreement with Denmark—updated as recently as 2004—already grants the United States extensive military access to Greenland," Rep. Fields continued. "We can build bases, operate facilities, and address any legitimate security concern through existing agreements. Danish officials have repeatedly expressed willingness to negotiate. So the question Americans should ask is: why the threats?”

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Rep. Figures Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winners

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide competition designed to encourage middle and high school students to highlight the importance of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education:

First Place: Kim Ha Anh Tran and Anton Yang who developed “Progress Tracker,” a web-based, Kanban-style task management application that allows users to drag and drop tasks between columns to visually track their workflow.

Second Place: Sean Mitteer, Owen Farmer, and Kamden Raiford who developed the “Flight Finder” app, which simplifies air travel planning by allowing users to choose an airline, view aircraft performance details, and calculate estimated flight time, distance, and cost between two locations using an interactive world map.

Third Place: Xaviyah Yates, Lillyanna Adams, Kentorian Walker, and Kyndal Williams who developed “Lend-A-Hand,” which allows users to join and organize volunteer events and connect socially with others who share the same passion for giving back.

“Congratulations to the winners of the 2nd District Congressional App Challenge, and thank you to all of the participants, educators, parents, and local partners who helped make this year’s App Challenge a success,” said Rep. Figures. “We know that a STEM education is more important today than ever before, and I am incredibly proud to give our students a platform to showcase all of their innovative ideas and creativity. I look forward to what these young developers accomplish next.”

The 2025 Congressional App Challenge was highly competitive and included submissions by 35 students from across the 2nd Congressional District. All submissions were scored and selected by a panel of four judges: Abe Harper, Founder and President of Harper Technologies, LLC; Ryan Johnson, Founder and CEO of Cxmmunity Media; Charisse D. Stokes, President of Tidal IT Solutions and Executive Director of TechMGM; and Andy Britton, Director of Public Affairs & Communications for Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

For more information on the Congressional App Challenge, or to stay informed on preregistration for the 2026 challenge, please visit https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/


Reps. Foushee, Nunn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Participation in AI Education, Research, and Workforce

WASHINGTON, DC (January 21, 2026) — Yesterday, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Co-Chair of the House Democratic Commission on AI, and Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03) introduced the Expanding AI Voices Act, bipartisan legislation to codify and expand the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s ExpandAI program. This legislation strengthens U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence by supporting education, training, research, and workforce development across a broader range of institutions and communities, including first-generation college students, Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and rural-serving colleges and universities.

“As Artificial Intelligence rapidly transforms our economy and society, Congress must ensure that working Americans and communities across the country can participate in, and benefit from the jobs and opportunity that AI creates,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “The Expanding AI Voices Act builds on bipartisan work I was proud to undertake alongside Congressman Nunn on the House AI Task Force by expanding access to AI education, research, and workforce pathways. This legislation will help unlock the tremendous STEM talent found at MSIs, HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and rural-serving institutions, including those in my home state of North Carolina—to foster a skilled workforce ready to take on the risks and benefits to society spurred by AI. I thank Congressman Nunn for joining me in introducing this bill, and I look forward to moving it through the House Science Committee and beyond.”

“Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how Iowans work, learn, and live,” said Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03). “To make sure this technology strengthens our workforce, AI policy must focus on opening doors—not replacing workers or concentrating opportunities at elite universities. This bipartisan bill expands access to AI training, research, and good-paying jobs so workers, students, and communities in Iowa and across the country can compete and succeed.”

Specifically, the Expanding AI Voices Act would:

Codify and expand the ExpandAI program at the NSF, which supports AI capacity-building projects for eligible institutions;

Broaden the scope of ExpandAI to strengthen and enhance partnerships between eligible entities and awardees within the National AI Research Institutes ecosystem, advancing AI education, research and development;

Direct the NSF to engage in outreach to expand the applicant pool and address common barriers that prevent eligible institutions from submitting an application.

The Expanding AI Voices Act is endorsed by Americans for Responsible Innovation, Association of Community College Trustees, Atlanta University Center Consortium, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Carnegie Mellon, Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions (CAHSI), dreambloc, Duke University, Federation of American Scientists, Global Black Economic Forum, Google, IBM, Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Morris College, National Hispanic Health Foundation, SeedAI, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), The American Mathematical Society, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Universities Space Research Association.


Rep. Frankel Calls for Impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

Today, Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) announced her support for a House resolution to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for grave abuses of power, including ICE’s systemic violations of due process rights for undocumented individuals, lawful residents, and even American citizens.

“At Secretary Noem’s direction, ICE has unleashed a campaign of cruelty that tramples the Constitution, ignores the rule of law, and strips people of their basic rights,” said Rep. Frankel. “Families are being torn apart and businesses disrupted. What ICE is doing on the streets of America is an abomination. We can and must have an orderly immigration system—but we will not accept one that treats the law, due process, and human dignity as optional.

For a democracy to survive, no one—not even a Cabinet secretary—is above the law,” Rep. Frankel added. “Secretary Noem’s actions demand accountability.”

The impeachment resolution charges Secretary Noem with high crimes and misdemeanors, including:

Systematically violating due process rights in the treatment of undocumented individuals and lawful residents;

Breaking the law by obstructing Members of Congress from conducting oversight of ICE facilities;

Unilaterally imposing a seven-day advance notice requirement for congressional visits to DHS facilities without legal authority;

Withholding congressionally appropriated FEMA funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program;

Abusing her position to circumvent federal contracting rules and steer taxpayer dollars to businesses connected to her associates.


RELEASE: Friedman Celebrates Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Unanimously Endorsing Her Bipartisan Safe & Affordable Transit Act

LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, January 21, 2026, U.S. Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30) celebrated the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor’s unanimous support for her Safe and Affordable Transit Act. The motion, submitted by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn, was approved by the Board at their meeting this month.

“I’m honored by the support of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for this critical bill, which will help ensure that Angelenos can get from Point A to Point B safely – all without putting a dent in their pocketbooks,” said Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30). “Our local leaders also understand that, as we prepare for the Olympics and other major events to take place in Los Angeles, we must be able to keep public transportation safe for everyone.”

The bipartisan Safe and Affordable Transit Act is co-led by Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY). It supports local transit agencies by creating a new federal grant program to hire additional police officers and build key safety infrastructure upgrades. The bill aims to reduce crime on public transit, lower costs for local agencies, and increase rider confidence.

Creates a competitive federal grant program to:

Hire additional officers for public transit stations and vehicles.

Fund physical upgrades that protect riders and operators — including surveillance, operator shields, and visibility improvements.

Stops the burden of these investments from falling on local taxpayers.

Is endorsed by the Amalgamated Transit Union and the Transit Workers Union.

Friedman emphasized that this bill is just one piece of a broader effort in Congress to make life more affordable and connected for working families. She is also:

Leading the bipartisan Cut Red Tape for Housing Act, which streamlines infill housing development by removing outdated federal barriers.

Leading the bipartisan Don’t Penalize Victims Act which ensures that donations like those from GoFundMe don’t make wildfire victims ineligible for FEMA benefits.

Supporting the Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act, which will create additional investments to help transit agencies restore service and improve on-time performance.

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Rep. Garamendi Joins Over 100 Democrats Demanding Secretary Kristi Noem’s Impeachment

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) has joined over 100 of his Democratic colleagues in cosponsoring Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s (IL-02) resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Congressman Garamendi joined Representative Kelly’s impeachment effort following ICE’s recent operations in Minnesota and days after ICE agent Jonathon Ross shot and killed Minnesota mother Rene Good.

“No one—not the President, not federal agents, and no government official—is above the law. Kristi Noem has lied to Congress, violated citizens’ constitutional rights, and abused taxpayer dollars by currying favor with her billionaire donor friends. While Noem’s corruption alone would have been sufficient grounds for impeachment, her leadership in turning CBP and ICE into rogue agencies that terrorize communities, undocumented and U.S. citizens alike, requires immediate and decisive action.

“I am proud to stand with Representative Robin Kelly and grateful for her leadership in bringing together one hundred House Democrats from California to New York, Minnesota to Texas, united by a single purpose: enforcing the law. I will continue working in Congress to bring accountability to the Trump administration.”

Since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, Congressman Garamendi has been a strong critic of ICE and its excessive use of force. He was among the first Members of Congress to oppose ICE’s use of the military to deport immigrants and has been at the forefront of efforts to protect Travis Air Force Base from being used as a detention center. Congressman Garamendi is also a co-sponsor of every major legislative effort to rein in ICE.

As of today, the following Members of Congress are cosponsors of Rep. Robin Kelly’s articles of impeachment against Secretary Noem:

Rep. Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-1), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-3), Rep. Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Rep. Wesley Bell (MO-1), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Rep. Brendan F. Boyle (PA-2), Rep. Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-6), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-9), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9), Rep. J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-2), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-7), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1), Rep. Christopher R. Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Rep. Maxine Dexter (OR-3), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-3), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Rep. Valerie P. Foushee (NC-4), Rep. Laura Friedman (CA-30), Rep. Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-4), Rep. Daniel S. Goldman (NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Al Green (TX-9), Rep. Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-7), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Rep. Val T. Hoyle (OR-4), Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-1), Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Rep. William R. Keating (MA-9), Rep. Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8), Rep. John B. Larson (CT-1), Rep. Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-3), Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (MA-8), Rep. Doris O. Matsui (CA-7), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Rep. April McClain Delaney (MD-6), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-3), Rep. James P. McGovern (MA-2), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Robert Menendez (NJ-8), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-7), Rep. Dave Min (CA-47), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-4), Rep. Kelly Morrison (MN-3), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-6), Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-7), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-2), Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-5), Rep. Emily Randall (WA-6), Rep. Luz M. Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-9), Rep. Brad Sherman (CA-32), Rep. Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Rep. Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-1), Rep. Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-4), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-1), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Jill N. Tokuda (HI-2), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-3), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-2), Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-7), Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-5).

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Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Demands HUD Secretary Address Housing and Labor Shortages in South Texas

Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C.—As Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) continues to hear from builders, realtors and insurance lenders in the Rio Grande Valley about the growing housing and labor shortages, today he demanded U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner work with the President to address harmful policies impacting South Texas’s migrant workforce. During a House Committee on Financial Services hearing, the Congressman specifically highlighted how undocumented migrants account for 40% of the construction workforce in Texas, and the removal of these workers would effectively terminate any real chance of solving the housing affordability crisis.

The United States is heavily reliant on an undocumented workforce. However, federal immigration agents – at the Administration’s direction – have increasingly targeted work sites for immigration sweeps. As a result, businesses in the Rio Grande Valley, particularly in key industries like construction, have suffered economically, and at times have even stalled affordable housing and other development projects.

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Congressman Gonzalez during a Jan. 21, 2026, Financial Services Committee hearing “Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration.”

Watch his remarks here.

Notable excerpts of Congressman Gonzalez’s questioning of Secretary Turner can be found below:

“I'd like to turn to my question, Mr. Secretary, to a more serious issue that we have at hand, and that's housing affordability in this country. And we have to be honest about that, because while we talk about immigrants, 30% of construction workers in this country are immigrants. And in Texas, about 40% of construction workers are immigrants. And in your city, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Houston, San Antonio, that number goes up to about 60%, depending on where you are.

“Just recently, I met with the South Texas Builders Association and had a very candid conversation about the labor shortage that we're suffering in Texas and across the country. Just last year, it was shown that we would have had 400,000 homes less built in this country if it had not been for immigrant labor.

“Right now, I have builders, I have realtors, I have lenders, I have title companies coming to me. These are folks who supported President Trump in his last election, who came to me and said what nobody else would say out loud – we need immigrants to build America – and we cannot do it without immigrant labor. We have a labor shortage in this country.”

--

“We really need to have a serious conversation on addressing the labor shortage for this country. These are Donald Trump supporters. These people voted for Trump. They thought he was going to help the country, and he's actually hurt them.

“Framing prices in my district have doubled this year alone because of the labor shortage. That's just the framing of it. You can keep on going—carpentry, bricklaying, roofing. Those are all labor, immigrant labor, forces that are handling most of that for the country, but especially in states—and the largest and most fastest growing states—like Texas, Florida, New York, California and many other places in this country.”


Comisionado Residente anuncia más de $10 millones en fondos federales para Head Start en Mayagüez

WASHINGTON, DC — El Comisionado Residente de Puerto Rico, Pablo José Hernández, anunció la concesión de una subvención federal de $10,016,600, otorgada por el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Estados Unidos, para apoyar el programa Head Start del Municipio de Mayagüez.

“Esta inversión es para las familias de Mayagüez y para nuestros niños. Head Start garantiza que nuestros niños tengan acceso temprano a educación de calidad, servicios de salud y apoyo integral. Estos fondos fortalecen a las familias, apoyan el desarrollo de nuestros niños y ayudan a construir un mejor futuro para nuestra ciudad," expresó el Comisionado Residente.

La subvención permitirá al Municipio de Mayagüez continuar y ampliar servicios esenciales del programa Head Start, incluyendo educación temprana, nutrición, evaluaciones de salud y apoyo a familias de bajos ingresos. Estos fondos benefician directamente a niños en edad preescolar y a sus familias, asegurando que comiencen su educación con las herramientas necesarias para tener éxito académico y social.

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Hoyer Remarks at Rules Committee Hearing in Support of an Amendment Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds to Invade a NATO Member State

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered remarks at a House Committee on Rules hearing in support of an amendment by Rep. Bill Keating (MA-09) to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, that would prohibit the use of federal funds to invade a NATO member country or territory. Below are a video and transcript of his remarks:

Click here to watch a video of his remarks.


Ranking Member Huffman Slams Backdoor Attempt to Open Boundary Waters to Toxic Mining

Washington, D.C. – Today, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) against H.J. Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act resolution that would overturn protections for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota and allow a Chilean mining company with ties to China to pursue a sulfide-ore copper mine near its headwaters.

Ranking Member Huffman speaks on House Floor. (January 21, 2026)

“Mr. Speaker, the Boundary Waters draw more visitors than any other wilderness in the country. Millions of Americans have paddled and fished, swum, found solace among its pristine lakes and forests. It supports a multibillion-dollar outdoor economy, thousands of jobs, and a way of life passed down for generations. Presidents reaching back to Teddy Roosevelt and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have long recognized its value and protected it as part of our American heritage.

“But the Boundary Waters have been under threat for years. Twin Metals, owned by Antofagasta, a Chilean mining company with close ties to China, has been lobbying to set up a mine outside the wilderness area, along the banks of waters that flow north directly into the wilderness. The type of mining Twin Metals has proposed has a 100 percent track record of toxic pollution. 100 percent. There has never been a mine of this kind that did not leach toxic pollution.

“And despite what the other side of the aisle might tell you, there's no guarantee that the precious minerals produced from this mine would stay in the U.S. and benefit the American economy or American national security. Antofagasta sends most of its minerals to China, where they're sold on the global market—likely the same fate for these minerals if this mine is allowed to happen.

“All of this is why, nearly three years ago, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland protected the land surrounding the Boundary Waters and its headwaters from mining for 20 years through a public land order, a standard tool backed by peer-reviewed science and extensive public engagement.

“The Congressional Review Act resolution on the floor today would overturn those protections, putting our beloved Boundary Waters at risk of toxic pollution from a foreign-owned mine.

“If this CRA succeeds, it won't only open the Boundary Waters to pollution. It would set a terrible and dangerous precedent for Congress to roll back protections for any of our treasured public lands with little oversight or notice, because Republicans have decided they'd rather pillage them for profit.

“Some places are worth protecting. This pristine, one-of-a-kind place is one of them.”

Background

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness draws more visitors than any other wilderness in the country. Its pristine lakes and forests support thousands of Minnesota jobs and a $13 billion outdoor recreation economy. In 2023, Secretary Haaland protected the Boundary Waters headwaters from new mining for 20 years through a Public Land Order, a standard tool Interior has used for decades to safeguard sensitive public lands. The decision was backed by peer-reviewed science on sulfide-ore copper mining, which has a 100 percent track record of polluting water and would cause certain, irreversible contamination in this watershed.

H.J. Res. 140 would overturn these protections, opening the door for Twin Metals, a foreign-owned mining project, to pollute waters flowing directly into the wilderness. The minerals extracted would be shipped abroad for processing and sale on the global market. Republicans are twisting the Congressional Review Act into a weapon to erase public land protections, asserting without precedent that Public Land Orders are rules covered by the CRA. Congress received notice of this order over three years ago. If Republicans succeed in reaching back to overturn a protection that was never considered a "rule," every protected public land in America could be on the chopping block.

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Jayapal, Morelle, and Magaziner Sign Discharge Petition to Pass Congressional Stock Ban

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), and Rep. Joe Morelle (NY-25) led their colleagues in signing the discharge petition for the Restore Trust in Government Act to begin the process of getting an actual congressional stock trading ban signed into law.

“Republicans in the House have put forward a so-called stock trading ban that won’t actually stop Members of Congress from trading individual stocks. That is not what the American people want. That is why I’m proud to be signing our discharge petition on the Restore Trust in Government Act to bring a bill to the floor that will finally root out corruption in Washington, DC and ban Members of Congress from trading stocks,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.

“We must eliminate the opportunity for corruption by passing a real ban on Members of Congress trading stocks, without loopholes, and we must also crack down on the out of control corruption in the White House,” said Congressman Seth Magaziner. “I want to thank Ranking Member Morelle for leading the discharge petition to bring my Restore Trust in Government bill to a vote, and thank Representative Jayapal and our Democratic Leadership for their principled support of real reform in Congress.”

“Members of Congress should not use their position for personal gain – neither should the President or the Vice President. The American people deserve better from their elected officials, yet President Trump and House Republicans are focused on enriching themselves and creating loopholes that will allow them to continue trading stock,” said Ranking Member Joe Morelle. “Let’s be clear, the Republicans’ weak stock trading bill still allows Members of Congress to continue to trade a substantial number of individual stocks. We must pass a stock ban, and I strongly urge my colleagues to join us in signing this discharge petition.”

For more information about the Restore Trust in Government Act click here.


Ranking Member Jayapal Introduces Amendment to DHS Spending Bill Requiring ICE to End Targeting of US Citizens

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, is submitting an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill to add language that would formally block Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from detaining or deporting U.S. citizens while conducting civil immigration enforcement.

“ICE has been terrorizing communities across this country, kidnapping and detaining immigrants and US citizens alike,” said Jayapal. “In the last few days, we have seen stark examples of this, including an elderly man being walked in the freezing cold without clothes on. At my field hearing in Minnesota, we heard from a woman who was detained and taken to a designated ‘US citizens’ cell in ICE detention. We also heard from a man who stated repeatedly that he was a US citizen as ICE arrested him and agents told him, ‘that don’t matter.’ All of this is illegal and outside the scope of ICE’s jurisdiction. We cannot pass the DHS funding bill without significant and meaningful guardrails to hold DHS accountable and stop their reckless and lawless actions. I hope to see this amendment seriously considered to protect Americans and further work done to overhaul this bill to rein in DHS.”

Reporting shows that ICE has detained hundreds of US citizens, as detention and death in detention have both skyrocketed to all-time highs.

ICE has no authority to arrest, detain, or deport U.S. citizens. Their own internal guidance states, “As a matter of law, ICE cannot assert its civil immigration enforcement authority to arrest and/or detain a U.S. citizen.” U.S. citizens also cannot be deported under U.S. law.


LEADER JEFFRIES ON MORNING JOE: “TRUMP PROMISED THAT COSTS WOULD GO DOWN ON DAY ONE. YEAR ONE HAS PASSED. COSTS HAVEN’T GONE DOWN, THEY’VE GONE UP”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s Morning Joe, where he made clear that, one year into Donald Trump’s term, House Democrats will continue to hold the Trump administration accountable for the corruption and extremism they are unleashing on American communities and their failure to fulfill the promise of lowering the high cost of living.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Let’s bring in right now, House Majority—Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. I’m sorry there was a little time lapse to next year, still Minority Leader for now but before we go to that, I want to say, first of all, Independent voters, a plurality, close to a majority, are now calling for the elimination of ICE. I don’t think a lot of mainstream Democrats on the Hill want to do that, but the polls are breaking that way. So, Minority Leader Jeffries, before we get to funding for DHS and their brutal tactics which, by the way, it sounded even like Donald Trump was suggesting that they made a mistake in the killing of Renee Good. I’m curious about the Epstein Transparency Act that you passed well over a month ago. The Department of Justice was required by law, in an almost unanimous House vote and Senate vote, required to release all the files. They’ve only released about 1% of those files, most of those heavily redacted. What can you do, what can Democrats do, to answer the pleas of even MAGA Republicans—

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: When are they coming?—

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Who want these files released and want the White House to stop hiding them?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good morning. The Department of Justice has completely and totally failed to comply with the law under that statute that was passed and of course signed by Donald Trump, almost unanimously enacted by both the House and the Senate. The DOJ was required to turn over the Epstein files by December 19th. A month has now passed, more than five million documents have failed to be released and the Department of Justice has not provided any reason that justifies their obstruction. The American people deserve the transparency and accountability connected to the release of the Epstein files. And, in my view, to the extent that Republicans are actually interested in making sure that that transparency occurs, then the Department of Justice needs to either come up to Capitol Hill and explain why they’ve failed to comply with the law or be held in contempt of Congress.

WILLIE GEIST: Leader Jeffries, as you know, Republicans, the Justice Department in particular, are saying there’s so many files, there’s millions of files, it’s going to take us a while. Are you buying that explanation and, if not, what do you suspect?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, from the very beginning of this whole sordid saga, Trump administration officials have claimed that they want to release these files, that they plan to release these files, they’re now compelled to release these files by a law that was passed in the Congress, and yet they continue to obstruct. And so, clearly, I think the American people can reasonably conclude they’re hiding something. Right? Who are they protecting is the question that we need to get a real answer to because the American people simply deserve the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

JONATHAN LEMIRE: Leader Jeffries, let’s switch gears now and talk about the upcoming government funding bill, whether the government will perhaps even shut down as that deadline approaches. A thorny issue is funding for the Department of Homeland Security, and in particular ICE, in the wake of that fatal shooting in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago. Talk to us about the divisions that you and your colleagues feel. What happens next?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, ICE is completely and totally out of control. Donald Trump promised with respect to immigration enforcement that the administration was going to target violent felons who are here in the country illegally. That’s something the American people support. The American people do not support the targeting, the arrest, the detention, the brutalization of American citizens, certainly do not find acceptable the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the targeting of law-abiding immigrant families and communities. And so, I think from our standpoint, and we’ll have a discussion in about an hour in our Caucus meeting about the path forward, but clearly there needs to be accountability mechanisms that is put into law so that ICE conducts itself like every other law enforcement agency in the United States of America. That’s not too much to ask. So some of the things that we believe are appropriate in this instance, are demanding be part of any final bill, are a warrant requirement. That’s common sense. ICE should not be able to storm houses of worship, hospitals and schools. That’s common sense. That relates to protocols that exist for every other law enforcement agency in the country. ICE should have a use-of-force standard. None currently exists. Of course, the notion that masked ICE agents are running around brutalizing American citizens, utilizing taxpayer dollars, completely and totally unacceptable. And so these are the types of things that we believe should be put into place to get ICE under control, consistent with the demands of the American people.

MIKE BARNICLE: Leader Jeffries, the Department of Justice is not the same Department of Justice that existed 12 or 14 months ago. Hundreds of prosecutors have left. The FBI has been stripped of a lot of skillful agents who left the Department of Justice. I realize you are in the minority, but what can be done to restore the integrity and the skill level of the Department of Justice?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that definitely is one of the projects that I think we’re going to need to work on. From our standpoint, we’ve got two pillars that we need to proceed with as we move forward. One, of course, is affordability and making sure that we are driving down the high cost of living, fixing our broken healthcare system. Donald Trump promised that costs would go down on day one. Year one has passed. Costs haven’t gone down. They’ve gone up. But in addition to the affordability agenda that we’ll aggressively push, we need accountability. And Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice, they’ve weaponized this institution against political enemies. Highly qualified individuals have left, and they’re proceeding with impunity. And so from my standpoint, there have to be consequences for some of the outrageous things that have been done. Congress needs to function like a separate and co-equal branch of government as opposed to what my Republican colleagues have done, which is a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. We’re going to continue to press the case, to elevate, to make the Department of Justice great again, but the reality is that work is not really going to happen in a meaningful fashion until Democrats take back control of the House of Representatives after the November midterm elections.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: All right. House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, thank you very much for your time this morning, sir. We appreciate it.

Interview can be watched here.

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LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON ANTISEMITIC GRAFFITI IN GRAVESEND PARK

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.


Kean, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Cut Off U.S. Support for Russian Energy Sector

(January 21, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) announced the introduction of the No Aid for Russian Energy Act, legislation that undercuts the Russian war machine by prohibiting U.S. involvement in Russia’s energy sector. Introduced by a bipartisan group of nine House members, the bill would ban U.S. companies and individuals—and their foreign subsidiaries—from providing petroleum equipment, software, or services to Russia.

“Energy revenue directly finances Russia’s war machine,” said Congressman Kean. “As Putin continues to wage his brutal war against Ukraine, the United States must not enable this aggression, either directly or indirectly. This legislation takes a critical step forward by ensuring that no American individual or company contributes to Russia’s capacity to sustain this illegal war.”

The bill was introduced by Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), along with Don Bacon (R-NE), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Mike Quigley (D-IL).

Congressman Kean serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Since joining Congress in 2023, he has been a steadfast advocate for the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom. In 2023, the Russian Foreign Ministry sanctioned Congressman Kean for his unwavering support of Ukraine.

Text for the No Aid for Russian Energy Act is available HERE.

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Kelly, Ways & Means Republicans Sound Alarm as Minnesota Scandal Unfolds, Call on IRS to Crackdown on Non-Profit Sector

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08), and Ways & Means Committee Republicans called on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to overhaul its oversight of the non-profit sector as the ongoing Somali fraud scandal in Minnesota, and the theft of potentially billions of taxpayer dollars, has underlined the need for serious reform following the Biden Administration’s failure to hold these organizations accountable.

The letter to Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessentand IRS CEO Frank Bisignano comes amid an ongoing Ways and Means Committee investigation into waste, fraud, abuse, and other illegal activity within the United States’ tax-exempt sector writ large that has resulted in the referral of 11 non-profit organizations to the IRS for revocation of tax-exempt status.

“While the Feeding Our Future case points to the need for oversight and accountability surrounding tax-exempt organizations funneling taxpayer dollars to non-exempt or even illegal purposes, it also demonstrates the urgency for the IRS to implement a new approach for the non-profit sector when it comes to updating its systems and communication with state agencies as well… it is imperative that the IRS transition from the laissez-faire approach implemented under the Biden Administration and utilize a more hands-on approach when overseeing and safeguarding taxpayer dollars,” said the Members.

The widespread theft of taxpayer dollars exemplified by the Feeding Our Future scandal in Minnesota, which has resulted in the prosecution of nearly 80 individuals by the Department of Justice (DOJ), is even more disturbing, Smith argues, given the IRS revoked Feeding Our Future’s tax-exempt status in February of 2020, yet the organization continued to advertise and potentially reap the benefits of tax-exempt status for months because the IRS failed to update its systems.

The letter continues, “Minnesota audit findings suggest that despite the IRS revoking Feeding Our Future’s tax-exempt status in February of 2020 after the organization failed to meet IRS reporting requirements for three consecutive years, Feeding Our Future continued to advertise itself as a tax-exempt organization and even received approval as a Summer Food Service Program sponsor by Minnesota’s Department of Education in June of 2020, possibly due to a delay by the IRS in updating its systems to reflect that Feeding Our Future was no longer tax-exempt.”

The letter also underscores how disturbing allegations of a terror-financing scheme in Minnesota are evidence of a potentially more widespread problem in the tax-exempt sector. Chairman Smith has previously called on the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of multiple non-profit organizations with ties to designated terrorist organizations.

The letter continues, “Reports also suggest that some of this money may have ended up in the hands of the notorious Al-Shabaab terrorist group, with one confidential source saying that ‘[t]he largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer’…Regrettably, this is not the first time the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means has had to express concern over tax-exempt organizations manipulating the Tax Code to promote anti-American and/or pro-terrorist ideals that do not further any tax-exempt purpose. For example, not only did the Committee write to the IRS requesting revocation of tax-exempt status for multiple non-profit organizations with ties to designated terrorist groups in October of this year, but the Committee is also actively investigating American non-profits operating as extensions of the Chinese Communist Party. These letters came after several requests to the Biden Administration to take action, all of which failed to come to fruition.”

You can read the full text of the letter here.