By The Numbers: What the SAVE America Act Would Mean for Georgia

Senator Reverend Warnock is sounding the alarm about Washington Republicans’ SAVE America Act, legislation that would disenfranchise millions of Georgians and remove their ability to vote in federal elections

The legislation would force voters to undergo burdensome verification requirements and present multiple types of identification, which would disenfranchise millions of legal voters across the country

Nearly 21.3 million Americans nationwide do not have the necessary documentation required by the SAVE America Act readily available

More than half of all Georgians — or 5.4 million people — lack a valid passport, and as many as 2.2 million women in Georgia may not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following data outlining the harms of Washington Republicans’ SAVE America Act.If signed into law, the Republican legislation could result in millions of Americans losing their ability to vote due to burdensome verification requirements. Under the SAVE America Act, voters would need to provide proof of citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — when registering to vote, including when updating their voter registration, and provide photo identification on Election Day or to vote by mail. Student identification cards would no longer be considered an acceptable form of identification under the proposed law.

“Let me be very clear: Americans should have to demonstrate that they are who they say they are when they cast a ballot, but Washington Republicans’ claims of widespread voter fraud are virtually non-existent,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Republicans are using this legislation as a pretext for voter suppression. They know their policies are deeply unpopular with the American people, but instead of working to change their policies, they’re working to change who can vote in the next election. I will do everything I can to make sure that this attempt to turn our democracy upside down fails in the Senate.”

Below is a breakdown of what the GOP Voter Suppression Bill would mean for Georgia:

The SAVE America Act would require all Georgia voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, potentially requiring voters to produce a birth certificate or marriage license; create more stringent photo ID requirements; and expose poll workers to new criminal penalties, even if they’re trying to help U.S. citizens vote.

The legislation would:

Require proof of citizenship before registering to vote (e.g., passport or birth certificate)

Require photo identification before voting in person or by mail

Require states to purge voters, potentially using unreliable data, and as late as on Election Day

Voters would need to provide in-person citizenship proof each time they register or update their voter registration — including when they move or update their address. Under the proposed law, voters could use a passport or birth certificate with a matching name as valid identifying documents. More than half of all Georgians — or 5.4 million people — lack a valid passport. As many as 2.2 million women in Georgia may not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name and would need to bring both their birth certificate and marriage license to register to vote under the proposed law.

Registering to vote for almost all voters would become more complex. In 2024, over 96% of voters in Georgia registered to vote through some method other than in-person voter registration at the elections office, e.g., DMV (69%), online (15%), and by mail (9%). Under this legislation, all these voters would have to present documentary proof of citizenship in-person and thus face new barriers to registration.

Voters who register to vote by mail or online would be forced to bring their identifying documents to their election official in person. This increased burden would have the largest impact on rural voters due to longer drive times required to present their proof of citizenship and register to vote in person.

Fast Facts

Only 21% of Americans, or 21 million eligible voters nationwide, with household incomes under $50,000 possess a passport, compared to 64% of those earning over $100,000 — meaning the burden would fall disproportionately on lower-income citizens.

About 760,000 voting-age Georgians who are U.S. citizens would have difficulty showing documentation proving their citizenship.

Voter fraud by false identity is exceptionally rare. A 2024 audit by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger found 20 instances of noncitizens registered out of 8.2 million properly registered citizens (0.00024%) in Georgia. Only 9 had ever voted, and the majority did so before 2012. This means that the SAVE America Act would burden or disenfranchise over 150,000 Georgians for every instance of non-citizen voting in the last decade.

10% of Georgians have a non-expired student ID from a public university. Georgia law currently permits student IDs to be used for voter identification. The SAVE America Act would remove student IDs from the list of eligible voter identification.

Georgia’s 18,500+ poll workers would be exposed to new criminal penalties if they register someone to vote without proof of citizenship — even if that person is a U.S. citizen.

###


After Weak Live Nation-Ticketmaster Antitrust Deal, Welch Joins Bicameral Bill to Ensure Antitrust Settlements Benefit Consumers Over Special Interests

Legislation is supported by antitrust enforcers from both sides of the aisle

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, today joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, in introducing the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act, bicameral legislation to strengthen review of antitrust settlements to ensure they protect consumers, workers, and small businesses.

“When there’s a bad merger deal, it’s consumers and small businesses who foot the bill—facing higher prices and fewer choices as a result,” said Senator Welch. “Any backdoor corporate settlement needs to face real scrutiny before it’s allowed to move forward. We need stronger antitrust laws that protect hardworking families.”

“When the government prosecutes antitrust violations, the goal should be to uphold the law, lower prices, and protect consumers and small businesses. In the recent settlement between the Department of Justice and Live Nation, it is clear the American people got the raw end of the deal. This bill—which has support from antitrust enforcers from both sides of the aisle—ensures that courts have the tools to independently review settlements and approve only those that benefit the American people,” said Senator Klobuchar.

“The Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act restores the idea that antitrust enforcement must serve the people—not conglomerates and special interests with Beltway lobbyists. When evaluating mergers and settlements, the Trump Administration has sidelined independent expertise and cut backroom deals that will hurt consumers, workers, and small businesses. This bill helps guarantee that antitrust settlements will advance the core mission of our laws: to promote healthy competition, lower prices, foster innovation and support American workers and our democracy. I’m proud to lead this legislation with Senator Klobuchar to renew integrity, transparency, and public trust and purpose in the enforcement of our antitrust laws,” said Rep. Raskin.

Recently, the Justice Department, over the objection of its own Antitrust Division, settled a merger in enterprise networking markets only a few days before trial. The settlement led to the firing of two antitrust officials. One of those officials, Roger Alford, warned that the Administration is engaged in a “pay-to-play approach to antitrust enforcement” and that “the Department of Justice is now overwhelmed with lobbyists with little antitrust expertise going above the Antitrust Division leadership seeking special favors.”

Notably, even President Trump’s own Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Gail Slater was ousted, reportedly in part, because of her resistance to inappropriate pressure by Justice Department leadership over antitrust matters, including the case against Live Nation-Ticketmaster, which was recently settled mid-trial without the knowledge of the lawyers trying the case in court. These controversies highlight the need to empower courts to ensure settlements are consistent with the antitrust laws’ purpose of lowering prices, increasing choice, and protecting workers.

The Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act would protect consumers, workers, and the integrity of antitrust enforcement by making the following reforms to the Tunney Act:

Apply Review to the Federal Trade Commission. Currently, the Tunney Act applies only to the Justice Department. This made sense when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was led by a truly bipartisan, independent Commission with removal protections. But with the firing of FTC commissioners, the time is ripe to extend Tunney Act review to the FTC;

Bolster disclosure requirements. The Act requires (1) the government to explain how the proposed settlement remedies antitrust issues; (2) the government to disclose previous settlement offers and the process for reviewing those offers; (3) the disclosure of side-deals not included in the four corners of a consent decree; and (4) the parties to disclose all communications related to the settlement.

Impose Hold-Separate Provisions. Currently, after a settlement courts may move forward with a merger by combining assets before courts finish reviewing a settlement. Once this occurs, courts are frequently reluctant to order parties to “unscramble an egg” even if a settlement is problematic because doing so is costly and disruptive. To remedy this without creating undue delays for businesses, the Act creates a hold-separate requirement for up to 90 days to allow the court to review public comments and government responses. A court may allow the hold-separate period to lapse or, upon showing the settlement may pose problems, extend the hold-separate order as necessary.

Strengthen Court Review. In addition to the public interest standard, the Act also requires courts to ensure the settlement terms (1) do not pose a material risk of allowing a merger or other business conduct to continue that threatens to violate the antitrust laws; and (2) are reasonably related to the antitrust concerns, preventing the government from using antitrust as leverage in others, unrelated matters. Courts are also required to base their decisions on reasoned analysis and evidence and need not defer to the government.

Empower State Attorneys General. The bill empowers state attorneys general by allowing them to intervene in Tunney Act hearings as a matter of right rather than spending their limited resources fighting to have a court even consider their perspective.

Voluntary Dismissals. Currently, there is no review process for voluntary dismissals. Where the federal government chooses to voluntarily dismiss a case (rather than settling), the Act creates a process by which state attorneys general can step into the shoes of the federal government and continue the case.

In addition to Senators Welch and Klobuchar, this legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin and Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

The bill is endorsed by Jonathan Kanter (former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust); Bill Baer (former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust); Roger Alford (Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust under President Trump); Tim Wu (Former White House as special assistant to the president for technology and competition policy); Randy Stutz (President of the American Antitrust Institute); Bill Kovacic (former Republican Chair of the FTC); Gene Kimmelman (former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust); John Newman (Former Deputy Director, Federal Trade Commission); Professor Darren Bush; Public Knowledge; Open Markets Institute; and the American Economic Liberties Project.

“These amendments make clear that courts have both the authority and the obligation to do more than rubber-stamp government settlements. Antitrust violations should not end in weak settlements that leave the public holding the bag,” said Jonathan Kanter, former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust.

“These proposals are welcome additions to strengthen judicial review of merger settlements and ensure voluntary dismissals are not used to circumvent review,” said Roger Alford, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust.

“The Tunney Act intended to ensure that antitrust enforcement was merits-based. Recent developments suggest that the sunlight it demanded could be easily evaded. It’s time for an update to protect the rule of law. This bill does just that,” said Bill Baer, former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust.

###


Welch, Blackburn, Urge ByteDance to Immediately Shut Down ‘Seedance 2.0’ AI Video Model Following Copyright Infringement

Senators: “Seedance 2.0 poses a direct threat to the American intellectual property system and, more broadly, to the constitutional rights and economic livelihoods of our creative community.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged ByteDance to immediately shut down ‘Seedance 2.0,’ the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) generation model, following the platform’s egregious infringement of copyrighted materials belonging to American and global innovators. In their letter to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo, the Senators highlighted how Seedance 2.0 is fueling theft of American creative work and called on the company to implement meaningful safeguards to prevent further U.S. copyright law infringements.

“Within the first 24 hours of Seedance 2.0—an advanced AI video generation model—going live on February 12th, social media users had already used the platform to generate a brawl between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt that never happened; they had rewritten the ending of Stranger Things; and they had staged a battle between Thanos and Superman on the surface of Mars,” wrote the Senators. “These were not obscure experiments—they were viral moments, racking up millions of views and celebrating, openly and enthusiastically, the theft of American creative work. One content creator shared a comparison of a clip from the film F1 and a near-exact copy generated by Seedance, claiming the AI model replicated the most expensive shot in the film for nine cents. Nine cents.”

The Senators continued: “Responsible global companies follow the law and respect core economic rights, including intellectual property and personal likeness protections. By releasing Seedance 2.0 without any effort to obtain licenses for training materials or prevent unlawful and infringing outputs, ByteDance has shown it is willing to violate U.S. federal law and steal the intellectual property of American creators for its own monetary gain. America’s copyright laws—and Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of our Constitution—grant creators broad, exclusive rights to determine how their works are used by others.”

“Seedance 2.0 poses a direct threat to the American intellectual property system and, more broadly, to the constitutional rights and economic livelihoods of our creative community. The reckless way that Seedance 2.0 was released without any regard for the rights of creators has been rightly denounced by multiple creative community stakeholders and experts and now—justifiably in our view—faces massive litigation risk due to the industrial-scale copyright infringement and deepfake abuses that have resulted,” wrote the Senators.

The Senators concluded: “We view your recent pledges to ‘strengthen current safeguards’ and prevent the mass infringement of American intellectual property as a delay tactic to continue to abuse the innovators and profit from their success. Your disregard for American intellectual property is part of a larger trend of artificial intelligence companies stealing protected work at the expense of the creative community. If ByteDance wishes to build sustainable economic ties with democratic, free market economies, it must immediately shut down Seedance 2.0 to cease the mass infringement and related harms it has perpetrated, and excise unlicensed intellectual property from its data holdings.”

Read and download the Senators’ full letter to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo.

Senators Welch and Blackburn have led bipartisan efforts to protect the arts and artists’ creativity in the Senate. In December, Senators Welch and Blackburn introduced the Visual Artists Copyright Reform Act (VACRA), bipartisan legislation to modernize copyright registration for visual artists and make it easier for high-volume visual artists to register and protect their works. Senators Welch and Blackburn also reintroduced their bipartisan Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act, legislation to help musicians, artists, writers, and others access the courts to protect their copyrighted works if, and when, they are used to train generative AI models.

###


Whitehouse Leads 21 Senate Democrats in Demanding Strengthened Environmental Provisions, Enforcement in USMCA Joint Review

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and a senior member of the Finance Committee, was joined by 20 Senate Democrats in sending a letter yesterday to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urging the Trump administration to strengthen and better enforce environmental standards during the upcoming Joint Review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Since USMCA’s enactment, outsourcing to Mexico has continued, U.S. manufacturing jobs have declined, and the trade deficit with both Mexico and Canada has gone up. The agreement was also a missed opportunity to battle climate change and reduce pollution while creating a fairer playing field for U.S. businesses and workers. The upcoming Joint Review is an opportunity for Congress and the Trump administration to improve the USMCA to better support job creation and economic growth, boost clean manufacturing in the United States, and take steps to tackle the climate crisis.

“As the Joint Review of the USMCA approaches, we urge you to significantly strengthen the environmental chapter and ensure its robust enforcement. We agree with you that ‘a rubberstamp of the Agreement is not in the national interest.’ The current environmental chapter enables environmental arbitrage, which puts U.S. businesses and workers at a disadvantage, encourages offshoring, and threatens our clean air and water. It has also never been adequately enforced. Strengthening the environmental chapter cannot be done by the Administration alone – it will require Congressional action – and we stand ready to work with you,” wrote the senators.

“USMCA’s inadequate environmental commitments and weak enforcement force U.S. businesses to compete on an unfair playing field. Their competitors in foreign countries are effectively subsidized by being able to pollute for free,” added the senators.

In addition to Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).

The senators urged the Trump administration to strengthen and enforce USMCA’s environmental chapter by:

Creating a rapid response environmental enforcement mechanism;

Strengthening commitment to combat plastic pollution;

Fully eliminating Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS);

Harmonizing emissions reporting to strengthen U.S. business advantages in international markets;

Closing loopholes and making environmental obligations fully binding; and

Strengthening commitments to comply with multilateral environmental agreements.

Sierra Club, AFL-CIO, UAW, Public Citizen, BlueGreen Alliance, and NRDC also endorsed the letter.

Full text of the letter is below and a PDF is available here.

March 17, 2026

Ambassador Jamieson Greer

United States Trade Representative

Executive Office of the President

600 17th Street NW

Washington, DC 20508

Dear Ambassador Greer:

As the Joint Review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) approaches, we urge you to significantly strengthen the environmental chapter and ensure its robust enforcement. We agree with you that “a rubberstamp of the Agreement is not in the national interest.”[1] The current environmental chapter enables environmental arbitrage, which puts U.S. businesses and workers at a disadvantage, encourages offshoring, and threatens our clean air and water. It has also never been adequately enforced. Strengthening the environmental chapter cannot be done by the Administration alone – it will require Congressional action – and we stand ready to work with you.

USMCA’s inadequate environmental commitments and weak enforcement force U.S. businesses to compete on an unfair playing field. Their competitors in foreign countries are effectively subsidized by being able to pollute for free. For example, a single steel company in Monterrey, Mexico reported releasing more toxic lead into the air than all companies combined in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.[2] That encourages environmental arbitrage, where companies offshore American jobs to take advantage of the lower standards.

You have stated that the “successful resolution” of the Joint Review will “depend on” improvements, including to “environmental law enforcement.” [3] One glaring example of the

the failure to enforce USMCA’s environmental commitments is not holding Mexico accountable for illegal fishing. It has been four years since the U.S. requested consultations with Mexico about illegal fishing and trafficking of the totoaba fish, which threatens the survival of critically endangered vaquita porpoises that are frequently trapped in totoaba fishing nets. Enforcement action has yet to be taken. Meanwhile, as few as six members of the vaquita species remain[4] and the Mexican fishing industry continues to reap illegal profits.

To fix the USMCA environmental chapter, we encourage a series of reforms:

Create a rapid response environmental enforcement mechanism. The USMCA made great strides towards enforcing labor commitments by creating a Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) for labor violations. There should be a similar mechanism for environmental violations. It should be facility-specific like the labor RRM but allow for escalation to company-wide enforcement for repeat violations to ensure gains throughout the economy. It must also be adequately funded and staffed, subject to penalties for failure to do so.

Strengthen commitment to combat plastic pollution. An estimated eight million metric tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year.[5] USMCA was the first trade agreement to include language addressing plastic pollution, but it has led to little action and should be strengthened and enforced. Additionally, language should be expanded to include inadequate waste management systems, and plastic pollution throughout the lifecycle of plastics, not only “marine litter.”

Fully eliminate Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). ISDS allows extra-judicial international tribunals to order governments to pay taxpayer funds to foreign corporations. The process gives foreign multinational companies special rights and treatment in legal disputes not available to domestic companies and citizens under domestic law. Former U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer likened it to the U.S. government providing “political risk insurance” for multinational corporations that want to invest abroad, encouraging outsourcing.[6] USMCA took the important step of eliminating ISDS between the U.S. and Canada and substantially limiting it between the U.S. and Mexico. However, certain U.S. oil and gas companies operating in Mexico are still able to exploit it and pressure the country against enforcing and elevating its environmental standards.

Harmonize emissions reporting to strengthen U.S. business advantages in international markets. Many countries, including members of the European Union and the United Kingdom have created Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs), which impose tariffs on high-carbon intensity products. Since U.S. companies produce fewer emissions than foreign competitors like those in China, harmonized carbon intensity reporting for steel, aluminum, and other products will boost our industrial competitiveness. A harmonized system for monitoring, verifying, and reporting by industrial facilities should include greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. This will demonstrate the U.S. comparative advantage globally and prevent other countries from applying unwarranted pollution tariffs to U.S. exports.

Make environmental obligations fully binding and close loopholes. Language in the environmental chapter like “shall strive to ensure” should be replaced by binding language like “shall ensure” – similar to other chapters – to ensure the Parties follow through on their commitments. In addition, requirements that environmental violations be “sustained and recurring” and “in a manner affecting trade or investment” should be stricken. This language allows corporations to delay and undermine enforcement.

Strengthen commitments to comply with multilateral environmental agreements. When our trading partners fail to comply with their multilateral environmental obligations, it puts U.S. businesses on an unfair playing field. NAFTA originally included a “grandfather clause” requiring Parties to comply with their obligations even when they conflict with other USMCA rules. Similar language is needed to prevent Parties from providing unfair subsidies in the form of lower standards than those U.S. companies must meet.

These reforms will be good for U.S. businesses, workers, consumers, and our environment. Many of these changes necessitate updating the text of the agreement and implementing legislation, which will require Congressional approval. We look forward to working with you to make that happen and expect robust consultation with Congress throughout the process.

[1]Office of the United States Trade Representative, “Opening Statement for House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees,” Jamieson Greer, December 2025, https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/2025/Ambassador%20Greer%20Reported%20to%20Congress%20on%20the%20Operation%20of%20the%20USMCA.pdf

[2] The Guardian, “Revealed: Mexico’s industrial boomtown is making goods for the US. Residents say they’re ‘breathing poison’,” Erin McCormick and Verónica García de León, December 2, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/monterrey-mexico-air-quality-industrial-pollution

[3] Id.

[4] The New York Times, “The Most Endangered Marine Mammal Still Exists. Here’s the Latest Count.,” Catrin Einhorn, June 11, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/11/climate/vaquita-porpoise-survey-mexico.html

[5] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “A Guide to Plastic in the Ocean,” https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/marinedebris/plastics-in-the-ocean.html


Chairman Wicker and Sen. Banks Commend Groundbreaking of New Munitions Campus in Indiana

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Senator Jim Banks, R-IN, issued the following statement regarding the new munitions campus in Indiana:

“We commend the groundbreaking of the new munitions campus in Bloomfield, Indiana, which will deliver expanded domestic production of high-performance energetics and solid rocket motors. This transformative public-private partnership represents a major step forward in rebuilding and modernizing America’s defense industrial base at a critical time for our national security. This munitions campus is exactly the kind of bold, forward-looking project required to restore American industrial strength and maintain our military edge for decades to come. The project also highlights the benefits of competition in our munitions industrial base and the leading role new companies must play in munitions production. The components set for production in Bloomfield are essential for key weapons systems and will enable President Trump to rebuild the military and keep our country safe.


Wicker’s Statement on the Passing of Judge Grady Jolly

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., released the following statement on the passing of Former U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge E. Grady Jolly. Circuit Judge Jolly was appointed to the federal bench in 1982 by former President Ronald Reagan.

"Circuit Judge Grady Jolly was an outstanding and respected jurist -- a credit to the federal bench and to his native state. He had a quick wit and an even quicker mind. He was dedicated to the Constitution and the rule of law. I have been privileged to know him and benefit from his counsel. Mississippi has lost a giant."


U.S. Senate Passes Resolution Honoring Lou Holtz

WASHINGTON – Last night, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) honoring the life of Coach Lou Holtz and his enduring legacy of faith, family, and the pursuit of excellence.

The resolution celebrates Coach Holtz’s legendary career as a college football head coach along with the traditions he instituted at the University of Notre Dame, including the ‘‘Play Like A Champion Today’’ sign and the removal of individual names from the back of jerseys to emphasize teamwork.

“Lou Holtz spent decades investing in college athletes and encouraging them to become the best versions of themselves on the field and in life. I’m grateful for the impact Coach Holtz made at Notre Dame, and we celebrate his life and legacy. Go Irish,” said Senator Young.

“Lou Holtz meant a lot to Indiana and to Notre Dame. He helped shape generations of players and his impact will be felt for a long time to come,” said Senator Banks.

Full text of the Senate resolution can be found here.

Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN-02) is expected to introduce a similar resolution in the House of Representatives.


Young, Warnock Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Medical Care for Americans with Diabetes

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act, legislation that would increase access to diabetic shoes for more Americans.

Some Americans with diabetes on either Medicaid or Medicare face access issues when trying to obtain a diabetic shoe. Left untreated, foot complications such as ulcers, neuropathy, and vascular disease can result in lower extremity amputations for patients. These amputations can be prevented with proper foot care. The Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act would make commonsense reforms to improve access for Americans. The legislation would help reduce preventative health complications, drive medical costs down for Americans, and improve the wellbeing of these patients.

“Our bill will make it easier for Americans living with diabetes to access proper medical care that is critical to avoiding more serious health complications,” said Senator Young. “Increasing access to care like this is important.”

“People with diabetes account for one in every four dollars spent in our health care system, making it one of our country’s most costly diseases,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This bipartisan legislation would make it easier for patients with diabetes to access therapeutic shoes and essential foot and ankle care, improving health outcomes and preventing costly complications.”


Smith Celebrates $100 Million Investment for Fort Laramie Tunnel Rehabilitation Project

Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03) issued the following statement in response to the Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) awarding $100 million to the Fort Laramie Tunnel Rehabilitation Project for repairs and enhancement of the groundwater irrigation canal in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming.

“This funding is welcomed news for Nebraska’s agricultural producers who farm the nearly 55,000 acres this canal supports. Since the tunnel’s collapse in 2019, I have worked to secure the resources needed to rebuild this critical irrigation project and get water flowing again. Irrigation is the lifeblood of western Nebraska agriculture, and this investment—made possible by the Working Families Tax Cuts I proudly supported—brings us one step closer to that goal. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to ensure that this funding is appropriately distributed so both Nebraska and Wyoming are able to reap its full benefits.”

BACKGROUND:

Last July, Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts which authorized and appropriated $1 billion to the Bureau of Reclamation to utilize for water conveyance and surface water storage enhancement projects across the United States.

Recently, the Trump administration announced the Fort Laramie Tunnel Rehabilitation Project would receive a $100 million investment through the Department of Interior.

This funding builds upon the $14,625,000 Smith secured for this project in the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill.


Smith on House Floor: Nebraskans are Resilient

Today, during a speech on the House floor, Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03) asked his colleagues to join him in praying for all Nebraskans as they battle the worst wildfire crisis in state history.

Image

Click the image above to watch a video of Smith’s remarks

Click here to download audio

Click here to download video


Press Releases

Statement from Rep. Pete Aguilar on César Chávez Abuse Revelations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) released the following statement:

“I’m absolutely horrified and disgusted by the revelations and evidence that César Chávez groomed, abused, and assaulted underage girls and women. The New York Times’ thorough, years-long investigation outlines a clear pattern of sexual misconduct Chavez perpetuated over years and must be condemned by everyone in the strongest possible terms.

“I stand with and applaud the survivors, including co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, Dolores Huerta, who have bravely come forward to share their painful experiences of abuse at the hands of Chávez.

“It’s important we remember that this movement is not made up of one man, but rather the workers it represents. I support the decision of the United Farm Workers to halt any participation in days of tribute later this month. I will instead be joining the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in recognizing and honoring the contributions of farmworkers and supporting the survivors.

“Our nation is stronger when we hold those in power accountable and this case is no exception.”


Allen Applauds Federal Court Ruling Overturning Biden-Era Fiduciary Rule

Yesterday, a federal court vacated the 2024 Biden Administration Department of Labor's (DOL) 'Retirement Security Rule,' also known as the 'Fiduciary Rule.' This disastrous rule redefined when a financial services provider would become subject to regulation as a fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which will eliminate options for working-class Americans, reduce their ability to retire, and limit their access to financial advice by imposing significant regulatory burdens and litigation risks.

Following the ruling, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12), Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee, issued the statement below:

"From the outset, when President Biden's DOL proposed their overreaching fiduciary rule, I have consistently sounded the alarm on its negative impacts. By muddying the waters with overregulation, the previous administration undoubtedly did more harm than good—garnering bipartisan, bicameral opposition. This federal court ruling is a win for retirees, savers, and working families seeking sound financial advice and a prosperous retirement. I look forward to working with President Trump's DOL on a commonsense proposal that works for all consumers and families."

BACKGROUND: In 2024, Congressman Allen and Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced H. J. Res 142, a Congressional Review Act (CRA) Joint Resolution of Disapproval to overturn the Biden Department of Labor’s (DOL) finalized fiduciary rule, which was later advanced by the Education and Workforce Committee. Under current ERISA laws, a fiduciary is a person who is already required to provide investment advice "solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries."


Ansari Supports Bicameral Bill to Ban Prediction Markets on Government Actions, War, and Events Ripe for Rigging

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) helped introduce the Banning Event Trading on Sensitive Operations and Federal Functions (BETS OFF) Act, bicameral legislation to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome. Because many of these “event contracts” are traded on offshore prediction markets, the bill also amends existing laws against illegal gambling to enforce these rules by shutting down payment systems to illegal online platforms and imposing criminal penalties for people in the U.S. who promote, manage, own, or supervise these businesses domestically.

“Prediction markets sell themselves as a place where everyone has an equal shot at winning big. The reality is they’re rigged against ordinary people and ripe for abuse – especially when betting on government actions,” said Rep. Ansari. “When the President and national security officials are making life and death decisions, the last thing they should be considering is whether they can personally profit. This bill puts an end to that corruption and disturbing national security risk.”

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (CT) and Representative Greg Casar (TX-35) are the lead sponsors of the legislation. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (CO) and Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-01) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).

Recent suspicious activity on these prediction markets has raised serious questions about whether Trump administration insiders are using government secrets to make significant personal profit by placing anonymous bets on these platforms. Hours before both the initial strikes on Iran and the extraction of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, several prediction market users placed huge bets predicting the strikes and cashed out for hundreds of thousands of dollars. These prediction markets offer powerful government officials a perverse incentive to pursue policies that are in their personal financial interest, cratering public trust and forcing Americans to suffer bad policies enacted for personal gain. New polling from Data for Progress reveals a majority of voters – including 61% of independents, and 57% of Republicans – support banning wagers on potential government actions, while some 80% of voters oppose betting markets on terrorism or political assassinations.

The opportunities for rigging prediction markets are not limited to government actions and upheaval: any event where insiders know or can control the outcome in advance is ripe for abuse. Notably, prediction market bets on this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show that resulted in huge payouts were likely driven by leaks and inside knowledge. If prediction market CEOs succeed in their radical goal to “financialize everything,” they will usher in a new dystopian reality, in which everything in our lives is commodified. The BETS OFF Act would put a stop to these immoral bets and create real consequences for bad actors profiting off of death and corruption.

The bill is endorsed by: VoteVets, American Economic Liberties Project, Win Without War, Americans for Financial Reform, Public Citizen, Groundwork Collaborative, and Center for International Policy Advocacy.

For a one-pager on the bill click HERE. For full bill text click HERE.


Arrington Supports Balanced Budget Amendment, Calls for Article V Convention to Restore Fiscal Sanity

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) delivered remarks on the House floor in support of H.J.Res.139, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government, warning of the nation’s worsening fiscal crisis and calling on Congress to take action to restore fiscal discipline through passage of the amendment or by advancing an Article V Convention of the States.

Click HERE to watch

Remarks as Delivered:

Ladies and gentlemen, let's pause for a brief moment of intellectual honesty. Both parties have failed. This institution has failed. We have failed our country. We have jeopardized our economy, our security, our leadership in the world, and worst of all, we have compromised on our children's future and the blessing of their inheritance of freedom and opportunity.

We have failed.

That's why we're talking about a constitutional amendment to impose fiscal responsibility on a body politic that has not done that, that has not mustered the political will to do that. We have a national debt per GDP that exceeds World War II levels of debt. We have an annual deficit that is larger than both the defense and non-defense discretionary budget. Fifty cents or greater on every dollar that we borrow of the $2 trillion going to service our interest payment. Half of what we borrow, a trillion dollars, is more than what we spend on defense.

Then there's this ominous forecast by CBO that even at $39 trillion today, where we're teetering on potential sovereign debt crisis, we will add $180 trillion to the national debt in the 30 years out. If that's not unacceptable to everybody, I don't know what is.

If we can't concede to the fact that this body politic does not have the political will to address it. To rein in the spending that's driving this unsustainable debt trajectory that will bankrupt our country and our children's future, then we must support this forcing mechanism. Force us to do what the American people have to do. Force us to do what state and local governments do.

Here's another, stunning and startling for some, but for all a sobering fact: we won't even get a simple majority vote today. So, what shall we do? Well, we should look to Article V of the Constitution, where the sovereign states and We the People can petition their government for another path to amend the Constitution.

Guess what? They've done that.

Well, in the late '70s and early '80s, they did that, and they had the requisite applications to have an Article V Convention of the States, to rein in us, the knuckleheads that refused to accept that it's not a Democrat or a Republican problem. It's an institutional problem that persists and will destroy the greatest nation in human history.

So, let's look to the states, and let's call that convention like we should have done in the '70s and '80s. Let's let them rein us in, restore fiscal sanity in their nation's capital, and reverse the curse that looms large over this country, and with that, I yield back.


Bacon, Carbajal Reintroduce Bill to Expand Benefits for Veteran Survivors of Sexual Assault

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) today reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand benefits for veterans who experienced sexual trauma during their service.

The Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act would change the effective date of a veteran’s claim to allow veterans who experience sexual trauma during their service to receive retroactive disability benefits, starting from the date after their discharge from service rather than the claim file date.

“One sexual assault in the military is one too many. Sexual assault in the military leaves behind a wake of trauma, anxiety, and depression,” said Rep. Bacon. “As Wing Commander at Ramstein, I established the best sexual assault prevention program in the Air Force because I recognize the importance of keeping our service members safe from this kind of violence. For those service members who do, tragically, experience sexual assault, we should ensure that they receive payment for treatments to help them recover. Changing the effective date from when veterans receive payments is the right thing to do.”

“Sexual assault in our military is a grave injustice, and it is long past time for the VA to expand benefits for those who carried this trauma back home,” said Rep. Carbajal. “The Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act was inspired by a Central Coast veteran who faced the same inexcusable hurdles that far too many survivors encounter when seeking help from the VA. I’m proud to join my friend and fellow veteran, Congressman Bacon, in introducing this bill to close the gaps in our system and finally deliver the justice our veterans deserve.”

Currently, most benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are calculated using the day the claim was filed.

But with survivors of military sexual traumas (including unwanted sexual contact or advances), there is a historical trend of stigma and underreporting, meaning veterans may wait years before filing a VA claim.

Congressman Carbajal and his team worked with one such case: a female veteran from the Central Coast of California who was granted benefits related to PTSD caused by a sexual trauma during her service but filed a claim more than 25 years after the injury, diminishing the total benefit that she qualified to receive.

The bill has earned the endorsement of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the largest and oldest war veterans service organization in the U.S.

The VA estimates that 1 in 3 female veterans and 1 in 50 male veterans experienced sexual trauma in some form during their service.

In certain cases, like exposure to Agent Orange or other toxic chemicals, the VA has granted retroactive benefits. But no such retroactivity exists for claims related to sexual trauma, despite the enduring effects these injuries can have on a veteran.

The full text of the Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act can be found here.

Congressman Bacon served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly 30 years, retiring as a Brigadier General in 2014.

Congressman Carbajal served eight years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, including active duty service during the Gulf War in 1992, where he was mobilized to Jacksonville, North Carolina.

The two lawmakers are part of the For Country Caucus, a non-partisan group of military veterans serving in Congress who are dedicated to working together in a nonpartisan way to create a more productive government.

###


Bacon Joins Over 100 members of Congress Calling for Renewed Investment in NASA science

Washington - Rep. Don Bacon joined 102 members of the U.S. House of Representatives in signing a bipartisan letter calling for $9 billion for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) in the fiscal year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

The letter, led by Congressional Planetary Science Caucus Co-Chairs Don Bacon (R-NE) and Judy Chu (D-CA), is another sign of the breadth of congressional support for NASA's science activities ahead of the impending release of the administration's fiscal year 2027 budget request.

"From the Apollo missions that first took us to the Moon to today's Artemis program that will return us there and push even farther, America's pioneering spirit has long defined our leadership in both manned and unmanned space exploration," said Caucus Co-Chair Don Bacon. "To sustain that leadership, I'm pleased to join 102 of my House colleagues in requesting $9 billion for NASA Science in the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. This investment will ensure NASA's groundbreaking missions continue, support the highly skilled workforce that makes them possible, and keep the United States at the forefront of scientific discovery and space exploration."

"Space exploration is vital to understanding the universe around us," said Caucus Co-Chair Judy Chu. "Investment in NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) programs drives scientific discovery, strengthens our country's world-class workforce — including in my district in Southern California — and secures American leadership in space for generations to come. I'm thrilled to lead my colleagues in requesting $9 billion in funding for NASA's SMD in Fiscal Year 2027."

The requested $9 billion would restore the buying power of NASA's Science Mission Directorate to approximately its 2020 level, enabling a rapid pursuit of breakthrough scientific exploration projects identified by the National Academies and the nation's scientific and innovation workforce.

Jennifer Vaughn, CEO of The Planetary Society, added:

"Congress proved with the FY 2026 budget that bipartisan support for space science is alive and well. This letter, signed by 103 Members of Congress and led by Congresswoman Chu and Congressman Bacon, shows that bipartisan congressional support is only growing stronger.

The Planetary Society thanks the Planetary Science Caucus Co-Chairs and their colleagues for reaffirming that the scientific exploration of space remains a defining American priority. This is a significant early signal in the FY 2027 budget process, and we remain committed to supporting Congress in its efforts to deliver the funding NASA needs to advance its pioneering program of Earth and space sciences."

Letter to Appropriators led by the Planetary Science Caucus Co-Chairs, with co-signers


Congressman Baird Introduces Legislation to Support Bioindustrial Technologies

Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) introduced the Bioindustrial Scale-Up for Supply Chains and Energy Resiliency Act of 2026 to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the U.S. Secretary of Energy to establish at least two bioindustrial scale-up facilities in the United States. These facilities would accelerate the scaling of emerging bioindustrial technologies, including coordinating with other relevant facilities and federal agencies. Congressman Baird was joined by Representatives Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Ro Khanna (CA-17) in introducing this legislation.

“As a farmer and scientist, I know how important biotechnology is to strengthening our world-class agriculture industry,” said Congressman Baird. “To ensure our country continues to lead the world in biotechnology, we must promote opportunities to develop new products and move them to market. I am pleased to introduce this important legislation to ensure the Department of Energy has the tools to accelerate the scaling of emerging bioindustrial technologies, strengthen U.S. biotechnology competitiveness, secure our supply chains, and unlock new opportunities for scientific breakthroughs and economic growth.”

“The U.S. is by far the leader in biotech innovation, but we lack the infrastructure to keep up with the demand despite having all the necessary elements to biomanufacture American innovations,” said National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology Chairman Senator Todd Young. “The Department of Energy has the expertise and facilities to meet the sector’s needs, particularly for innovations that will strengthen our defense and energy capabilities. I'm glad to support my colleagues in the House on this legislation that will expand biomanufacturing capacity and create jobs for Hoosiers and innovators all across America.”

“I am proud to cosponsor the Bioindustrial Scale-Up for Supply Chains and Energy Resiliency Act with Rep. Baird,” said Representative Stephanie Bice. “This legislation will help accelerate emerging bioindustrial technologies, including through coordination with relevant facilities such as the Department of Defense, to strengthen our supply chains and energy resiliency.”

“Southeastern Pennsylvania is home to world-class universities, researchers, and entrepreneurs driving the next generation of biotechnology innovation,” said Representative Chrissy Houlahan. “But too often, promising ideas never make it out of the lab because businesses lack the infrastructure needed to prove their technologies can work at commercial scale—while countries like China are rapidly investing in the facilities needed to commercialize these breakthroughs. I’m grateful to partner with Congressman Baird on this bipartisan effort to help ensure that the biotechnology solutions developed in communities like mine can be manufactured here in the United States, strengthening our supply chains, economy, and energy security.”

###


Barr Applauds President Trump and FHFA Director Bill Pulte for Ending Biden-era Regulations to Help Rural Homeowners

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) applauded President Donald Trump and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte for taking action to restore consumer choice in homeowners insurance policies—an important step that will provide better access and affordability for homeowners, particularly in rural communities.

The move addresses a Biden-era policy that required federally backed mortgages to carry full replacement cost value (RCV) insurance, effectively banning actual cash value (ACV) policies for roofs that many homeowners rely on to keep premiums affordable. Reform of ACV for roofs has been a priority of the Kentucky Farm Bureau.

“President Trump and Director Bill Pulte are delivering real relief for homeowners, especially in rural communities where families are already dealing with rising housing and insurance costs,” said Congressman Barr. “The Biden-era mandate forced homeowners into more expensive replacement cost policies instead of more affordable options that made sense. Restoring the ability to use actual cash value coverage for roofs will help keep insurance premiums manageable and protect access to homeownership.”

“Kentucky Farm Bureau applauds the Administration and FHFA Director Pulte for addressing this important issue that impacts Kentucky homeowners and future home buyers. We appreciate Congressman Barr’s tireless efforts to advocate for one of KFB’s key priorities. Allowing for the use of ACV on roofs in Kentucky will allow for more consumer choice in addressing their insurance needs,” the Kentucky Farm Bureau said in a statement.

Barr has been a leading advocate for fixing the policy. Last year, Barr sent a letter with House Financial Services Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Chairman Mike Flood to FHFA leadership raising concerns that the mandate would restrict consumer choice and impose unnecessary costs on homeowners.

“We write to express serious concerns about the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) prohibiting the acceptance of actual cash value (ACV) homeowners insurance policies for federally backed mortgages, something highlighted in guidance issued in February 2024,” Barr wrote last year in his letter to Director Pulte. “Mandating RCV policies not only restricts consumer choice but also imposes significant cost burdens on families already facing steep affordability challenges in the housing market.”

Barr also noted that insurance policies—including those with ACV components—are already regulated and approved by state insurance departments, ensuring homeowners have access to quality coverage options.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2026

Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov

Rep. Barragán’s Statement on Cesar Chavez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44) released the following statement:

“I am heartbroken, outraged, and sick to my stomach. Heartbroken for the young girls and women who suffered abuse and violations by a man who was lifted up as an icon. I’m outraged that someone could abuse their power and stature to take advantage of young girls and women. Bottom line is, I am sick to my stomach.

I applaud the brave women who have come forward to tell their story. Your story and courage are empowering for women and survivors everywhere. You deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I offer my support and help, in any way I can.

The farmworker movement is about fighting for better working conditions and immigrant justice. That movement was built by a collective effort of countless workers, organizers, and advocates committed to challenging exploitation and advancing dignity for all. Today, we are reminded of the need to continue that work and to hold people accountable, no matter their title or history. We cannot look away.”

###


Representatives Moore, Torres Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Floor Plan Financing Tax Deductions to Semi-Trailer Dealerships

WASHINGTON - Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Norma Torres (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to floor plan financing deductions for semi-trailer dealers.

Current law provides exclusions for dealerships with motor vehicles, recreational trailers, and campers to fully deduct interest paid on floor plan financing, but doesn't extend to semi-trailers. This leaves dealers in a non-parity position with automobile, truck, and recreational trailer dealers despite their shared reliance on floor plan financing.

The Semi-Trailer Tax Parity Act extends the floor plan interest financing deductibility provisions to truck trailers, semi-trailer chassis, and semi-trailer body dealership owners.

“Our federal tax code should be designed to support small businesses and encourage companies to reinvest in their own success. Semi-trailers are a critical component of nearly every sector of the economy and are essential for transporting a wide range of goods, including online orders and life-saving medicines, across the country. I’m proud to introduce the Semi-Trailer Tax Parity Act to allow semi-trailer dealers the same floor plan financing deduction that all other motor vehicle dealerships have access to," Rep. Moore said.

"Semi-trailers play a vital part in moving goods through the Inland Empire and to the rest of America," Rep. Torres said. "Yet semi-trailer dealerships are treated differently under the tax code versus other vehicle dealerships, which causes strained finances for business owners and fewer choices for customers. That is why I am co-leading this bill to ensure tax parity for semi-trailer dealers in my district and nationwide.”

“The National Trailer Dealers Association is grateful for the support of Representatives Moore and Torres in crafting this bipartisan legislation that is critical for floor plan tax parity for semi-trailer dealers,” said Gwendolyn Brown, President of the National Trailer Dealers Association.

“We appreciate Rep. Moore and Rep. Torres sponsoring this bill to bring parity to the deductibility of inventory interest for all motor vehicle dealers. Under the current tax structure, a semi-trailer dealer could lose money and still be required to pay taxes. The Semi-Trailer Tax Parity Act will thankfully resolve this issue for a vital part of the transportation industry,” said Paul Christenson, President of North American Trailer in Utah.

Background:

Under IRC Section 163(j), businesses can generally deduct business interest expenses from their federal taxes by up to 30% of their adjusted taxable income. Because floor plan financing has unique needs, Congress enacted exclusions for motor vehicles, recreational trailers, and campers, allowing dealerships to fully deduct interest paid on floor plan financing.

The Semi-Trailer Tax Parity Act includes truck trailers, semi-trailer chassis, and semi-trailer bodies in the definition of “motor vehicle” under the 163(j) section of the tax code.

Lack of inclusion has resulted in reduced capital for inventory, strained cash flows, reduced inventory levels, and the potential to owe federal taxes for semi-trailer dealerships in years when they have incurred a loss or have no taxable income. This common-sense legislation supports and ensures fairness for our locally owned dealerships.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2026

Congressman Josh Brecheen Introduces the Expedited Transparency Act

Washington, DC–Today, Congressman Brecheen introduced the Expedited Transparency Act to require faster reporting on where taxpayer dollars are being spent. This legislation amends the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act by requiring that all taxpayer disbursements be made public on USASpending.gov within three business days.

Co-leads of this legislation are Congressmen Jimmy Panetta and Chip Roy. Original cosponsors are Representatives Begich, Higgins, Cloud, Donalds, Harshbarger, and Self.

This legislation also has outside support from the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Americans for Tax Reform, State Financial Officer Foundation, and American Action Forum.

The Washington Stand wrote an exclusive on this legislation, which you can read here. Bill text can be read here.

"It is an honor to introduce the Expedited Transparency Act, which will update late-Senator Coburn’s Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act to require that all disbursements of federal taxpayer dollars be viewable on USASpending within three days. This means that whenever appropriated monies are spent, the agencies will be required to make this disbursement public within three days.

Currently, it takes weeks for these disbursements to be made public, furthering the divide between taxpayers and transparency. It is essential that we require rapid transparency, as the longer the delay between disbursement and reporting, the harder it is to demand accountability. Agencies will always seek ways to hide their spending, as evidenced by the major discrepancy in agency reporting: some report in a matter of weeks, some in six months, and some not at all. There must be transparency and accountability, not excuses and delays!

By introducing the Expedited Transparency Act, we are advancing the transparency initiative Dr. Coburn championed with the original measure. I want to thank John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, for allowing us to work on this initiative with him. John was the Communications Director for Dr. Coburn when this initiative was originally passed," said Congressman Josh Brecheen.

"Our founders wrote transparency into the Constitution before the Bill of Rights because it is a first principle and a building block of our other freedoms. Had the founders had access to today's technology, they would have insisted on real-time transparency. The Expedited Transparency Act is a much-needed improvement to USASpending, which was created by Senators Coburn and Obama in 2006. This bill will dramatically speed up the reporting process and help sunshine overcome secrecy. In a free society, you can't have accountability without visibility. Americans should be encouraged Representatives Brecheen and Panetta are fighting for this first principle across party lines. There are no Republican facts or Democrat facts. There are simply facts. Taxpayers have the right to know how the government is spending their money in as close to real-time as possible," said John Hart, CEO, Open the Books.

"Right now, the American people are forced to wait a month before they can see how their tax dollars are being disbursed, a delay that undermines accountability and leaves the public in the dark," said Congressman Jimmy Panetta. "The Expedited Transparency Act closes that gap by requiring federal award information to be posted within 3 days, ensuring citizens have real-time access to how their government spends their money. With this commonsense reform, we can take a meaningful step toward a more transparent and trustworthy federal government."

“Federal spending is out of control, pushing our nation further and further to the brink. One of the many tools we have to keep it in check is transparency. I am proud to lead with Representatives Brecheen and Panetta on this legislation so that taxpayers can finally get timely accounting of how their tax dollars are being spent," said Congressman Chip Roy.

Background: The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 created USASpending. This was a bipartisan initiative led by late-Senator Coburn and then-Senator Obama to create a portal that allowed taxpayers to view how their tax dollars were being spent.

This legislation echoes the objective set forth by our Founding Fathers that transparency must be a core principle of any republic. As Father of our Constitution, James Madison, once wrote, "[a] popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps, both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

As it currently stands, USASpending is not updated for weeks at a time, which delays constituent knowledge of how taxpayer dollars are being spent. The Expedited Transparency Act will allow for quicker reporting on how federal funds are spent, fulfilling the precedent set by President Madison.

Press Inquiries: kate.bryan@mail.house.gov

###


Health Chairman Buchanan Opening Statement: Hearing on Improving Kidney Health Through Better Prevention and Innovative Treatment

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at a Health Subcommittee hearing examining ways to improve kidney health through better prevention and innovative treatments.

As prepared for delivery.

“Good afternoon and thank you to the witnesses for being here to discuss an important issue: improving kidney health in America.

“Chronic Kidney Disease and End-Stage Renal Disease are devastating and expensive diseases.

“15 percent of American adults live with some form of CKD, and more than 800,000 patients live with ESRD.

“These patients are very sick, with more than 500,000 of them requiring multiple hours of dialysis per week.

“Overall, almost 60 percent of patients die within 5 years of starting dialysis.

“CKD and ESRD are also very expensive.

“Despite being only 1 percent of the Medicare population, patients with ESRD account for 7 percent of Medicare expenditures – over $50 billion annually.

“I was very surprised to learn that most cases of CKD and ESRD are caused by other common chronic diseases and can be prevented.

“In fact, diabetes and high blood pressure together account for 75 percent of new ESRD cases.

“We must work together to prevent chronic diseases for patients, or else taxpayers continue to pay the price.

“That means improving kidney health by supporting payment policies that increase innovation in treatments and care delivery.

“Additionally, new drugs and medical devices can help patients manage complications from ESRD, but Medicare payment policy must reward this innovation.

“We must modernize Medicare coverage to better prevent and treat kidney disease, as well as improve patient outcomes.

“I look forward to discussing this important topic and solutions with my colleagues today.”

In addition to being the Vice Chairman and most senior Republican on the powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, Buchanan is also the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, which has broad jurisdiction over traditional Medicare, the Medicare prescription drug benefit program and Medicare Advantage.

###


ICYMI: Buchanan Highlights Benefits of Working Families Tax Cuts in Tampa Bay Times Op-Ed

“By Lowering Taxes, Rewarding Work and Strengthening Our Economy, We Are Restoring Opportunity and Ensuring the American Dream Remains Within Reach for the Next Generation.”

Op-Ed Details Tax Relief for Families, Seniors and Small Businesses in Florida

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, penned an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times highlighting the benefits of Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts and how the historic tax relief is helping families, seniors and small businesses across Florida keep more of their hard-earned money.

In the op-ed, Buchanan explains how the largest tax cuts in American history are delivering real results for Floridians, simplifying the tax code, increasing take-home pay and helping families build long-term financial security while strengthening small businesses and local economies.

“Thanks to Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts, the largest tax cut in American history, millions of Floridians will owe less,” writes Buchanan in the op-ed. “Families, seniors and small businesses across our state will see lower tax bills and bigger refunds when they go to file their taxes. Families right here in Southwest Florida are already seeing the impact: the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that tax refunds for early filers are already up almost 11% this year, with even greater refunds on the horizon.”

Read the full op-ed here or below:

Restoring opportunity for Floridians, one tax return at a time

Vern Buchanan

As tax season begins, Floridians are filing their returns and asking the same question: How much will I owe this year?

Thanks to Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts, the largest tax cut in American history, millions of Floridians will owe less. Families, seniors and small businesses across our state will see lower tax bills and bigger refunds when they go to file their taxes. Families right here in Southwest Florida are already seeing the impact: the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that tax refunds for early filers are already up almost 11% this year, with even greater refunds on the horizon.

Here’s what that means for you: the Working Families Tax Cuts simplified the tax code by doubling the standard deduction used by nearly 90% of taxpayers and locking in lower individual tax rates for everyone. The tax cuts will raise wages in Florida by up to $6,800, and the typical Florida family will see up to $10,500 in higher take-home pay—a lifechanging amount of money for families across all income levels.

For parents concerned about their kids’ future, we created “Trump Accounts,” new savings vehicles for children that teach kids the power of saving, investing and financial responsibility. With maximum contributions, a child born in 2026 could see the account grow to more than $300,000 by age 18 and over $1 million by age 28. We also gave children born between 2025 and 2028 a $1,000 starter investment from the Treasury to begin building long-term financial stability. Parents can open a Trump Account by filing IRS Form 4547 with their tax return or by visiting trumpaccounts.gov.

We strengthened the Child Tax Credit and increased it to $2,200 per child beginning in 2025. We also made the Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit permanent and expanded it to all 50 states, ensuring more workers are covered. For working families concerned about the rising costs of raising children, the Working Families Tax Cuts provides real relief that empowers parents and reduces child poverty.

Seniors will see meaningful relief as well. Representing nearly 200,000 seniors in Florida’s 16th District, I regularly hear from seniors living on fixed incomes who are worried about rising costs. The Working Families Tax Cuts created a new $6,000 deduction for seniors, which means nearly 88% of seniors who receive Social Security will pay no federal taxes on their benefits. We’re putting real money back into the pockets of retirees who earned it.

We’re also standing up for America’s workers. By eliminating federal income taxes on tips and overtime pay, we’re ensuring that servers, nurses, law enforcement officers and hourly employees keep more of what they earn. When you file your return, you’ll see these new deductions calculated on IRS Schedule 1-A, the form designed to claim the new relief. You can calculate your own savings using our Tax-Free Tips & Overtime Calculator and see how much more you could take home.

We also strengthened America’s small businesses, the backbone of our local economies. The law made the small business deduction permanent and restored 100% immediate expensing, giving 3 million small businesses in Florida the certainty they need to grow, hire and invest. When small businesses thrive, wages rise and communities prosper.

As your congressman and the Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, I worked closely with my colleagues to include four of my own bills in the Working Families Tax Cuts to address issues of importance to Florida. I fought to eliminate federal income taxes on tips for Florida’s tens of thousands of hospitality and tourism workers. I also worked to restore the mortgage insurance premium deduction and fix unfair condominium accounting rules to provide tax relief for middle-class families struggling while housing prices skyrocket in Florida. Finally, I achieved permanency for key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to make permanent tax cuts for individuals and small businesses across our state.

As a living testament to the promise of the American Dream, this bill is the culmination of my life’s work. I grew up with five siblings in a blue-collar household where my parents worked factory jobs to provide for our family. After serving in the Air National Guard and working my way through college, I built a small business. I succeeded because America rewarded hard work and had a tax system that encouraged entrepreneurship.

I came to Congress to preserve that same opportunity for today’s families and entrepreneurs — and the Working Families Tax Cuts is delivering on that promise. By lowering taxes, rewarding work and strengthening our economy, we are restoring opportunity and ensuring the American Dream remains within reach for the next generation.

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) is the vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee and the chair of the Health Subcommittee. Prior to serving in Congress, Buchanan was in business for over 30 years and chaired both the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and Florida Chamber of Commerce.

###


Carter, Taylor celebrate House Passage of bill to deport aliens responsible for defrauding American taxpayers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today celebrated House passage of the Deporting Fraudsters Act, introduced by Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH), which he co-sponsors. This bill would render aliens, or non-U.S. nationals, inadmissible and deportable from the United States if they admit to, or are convicted of, defrauding the United States government.

This bill further makes aliens inadmissible and deportable from the U.S. if they unlawfully receive a federal, state, or local public benefit.

“Illegal alien fraudsters are draining taxpayer dollars and taking benefits from American citizens,” said Rep. Carter. “I proudly co-sponsored the Deporting Fraudsters Act because it’s common sense: if you steal from the United States and the most vulnerable in our society, you have no right to be here. I applaud the leadership of Rep. Taylor for working to protect American citizens against waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“It’s a no-brainer – if an illegal alien defrauds the United States or steals benefits from our nation’s most vulnerable, they should be permanently removed from our country,” said Rep. Taylor. “Americans work too hard to have their tax dollars and benefits stolen by illegal aliens who shouldn’t be here in the first place. My Deporting Fraudsters Act will bolster the Trump Administration’s efforts to do just that, and today I’m proud to see it take a major step toward becoming law.”

Read bill text here.


Carbajal, Bacon Reintroduce Bill to Expand Benefits for Veteran Survivors of Sexual Assault

Today, U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) are reintroducing bipartisan legislation to expand benefits for veterans who experienced sexual trauma during their service.

The Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act would change the effective date of a veteran’s claim to allow veterans who experience sexual trauma during their service to receive retroactive disability benefits, starting from the date after their discharge from service rather than the claim file date.

“Sexual assault in our military is a grave injustice, and it is long past time for the VA to expand benefits for those who carried this trauma back home,” said Rep. Carbajal. “The Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act was inspired by a Central Coast veteran who faced the same inexcusable hurdles that far too many survivors encounter when seeking help from the VA. I’m proud to join my friend and fellow veteran, Congressman Bacon, in introducing this bill to close the gaps in our system and finally deliver the justice our veterans deserve.”

“One sexual assault in the military is one too many. Sexual assault in the military leaves behind a wake of trauma, anxiety, and depression,” said Rep. Bacon. “As Wing Commander at Ramstein, I established the best sexual assault prevention program in the Air Force because I recognize the importance of keeping our service members safe from this kind of violence. For those service members who do, tragically, experience sexual assault, we should ensure that they receive payment for treatments to help them recover. Changing the effective date from when veterans receive payments is the right thing to do.”

Currently, most benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are calculated using the day the claim was filed.

But with survivors of military sexual traumas (including unwanted sexual contact or advances), there is a historical trend of stigma and underreporting, meaning veterans may wait years before filing a VA claim.

Congressman Carbajal and his team worked with one such case: a female veteran from the Central Coast of California who was granted benefits related to PTSD caused by a sexual trauma during her service but filed a claim more than 25 years after the injury, diminishing the total benefit that she qualified to receive.

The bill has earned the endorsement ofVeterans of Foreign Wars, the largest and oldest war veterans service organization in the U.S.

The VA estimates that 1 in 3 female veterans and 1 in 50 male veterans experienced sexual trauma in some form during their service.

In certain cases, like exposure to Agent Orange or other toxic chemicals, the VA has granted retroactive benefits. But no such retroactivity exists for claims related to sexual trauma, despite the enduring effects these injuries can have on a veteran.

The full text of the Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act can be found here.

Congressman Carbajal served eight years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, including active duty service during the Gulf War in 1992, where he was mobilized to Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Congressman Bacon served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly 30 years, retiring as a Brigadier General in 2014.

The two lawmakers are part of the For Country Caucus, a non-partisan group of military veterans serving in Congress who are dedicated to working together in a nonpartisan way to create a more productive government.


Carbajal Statement on César Chávez Revelations

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the following statement in response to the New York Times article detailing allegations of sexual assault against César Chávez.

“I’m deeply shocked and saddened to learn of these disturbing allegations. I stand firmly with the victims and their loved ones as investigations move forward. I believe we cannot celebrate a man, regardless of his accomplishments, if he harmed women and children in such evil ways. This March 31, I urge our community to unite around celebrating the contributions and essential work of farmworkers, rather than celebrating César Chávez. In addition, we must continue to move forward in our shared opposition to ICE’s violations of civil rights and demand an end to their brutal immigration enforcement.”


Case Comments On President Trump's Waiver Of Jones Act For Domestic Shipping Of Oil And Other Energy Products

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai‘i-First) made the following comments on President Trump’s order today of a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act for shipping between U.S. ports of oil, natural gas, fertilizer and other energy commodities:

“President Trump’s waiver of the Jones Act is a no-brainer response to rapid increases in gas and other fossil fuel products from severe disruptions in international energy markets resulting from the Iran war.

“That we even have to waive the Jones Act to try to hold down skyrocketing fuel and other energy costs is a blanket admission of the Jones Act’s crippling effects on our economy, especially Hawai‘i and the other non-continent parts of our country (island territories and Alaska) that are wholly dependent on shipping.”

The Jones Act, a century-old federal maritime law, mandates that all cargo shipped between U.S. ports can only be shipped on U.S.-flagged vessels. Meanwhile, the vast majority of international-flagged vessels doing worldwide shipping are excluded from doing so. Additionally, with the number of oceangoing Jones Act vessels now well less than 100 country-wide, scarce and declining domestic shipping faces no competition from international shipping, driving up shipping prices nationwide.

This effect is especially severe for places like Hawai‘i which depend exclusively on shipping for over 90% of our goods, and where Jones Act shipping companies have developed virtual monopolies over a captive market and charge some of the highest shipping rates in the world. These are all passed down to Hawai‘i businesses and families as one of the primary drivers of our unacceptable high cost of living. A 2020 study estimated the cost of the Jones Act (the difference between high costs from the Jones Act monopoly passed down, and costs if shipping between Hawai‘i and the continent was open to the competition of international shipping) at almost $650 per year for each Hawai‘i resident.

Hawai‘i remains heavily dependent on fossil fuel products – crude oil, refined fuel and natural gas for energy and transportation, fertilizer for agriculture, and others – all of which must be shipped into Hawai‘i. Yet because the Jones Act restricts shipments of energy commodities from the continent, in normal periods Hawai‘i ends up sourcing most of its essential resources from foreign markets, where shipping is far cheaper. The constraints are stark: of the nearly 7,500 oil tankers operating worldwide, just 54 are Jones Act-compliant and permitted to ship fossil fuel products from the continent to Hawai‘i. Among oceangoing dry bulk vessels ideally suited for transporting fertilizer, not a single one qualifies.

As a result, despite being part of the United States, which is a net fossil fuel exporter, Hawai‘i normally sources only a small share of its energy from the continent. In 2024, just 16% of the oil used for electricity generation came from the continent, all carried on higher-cost Jones Act vessels, while the overwhelming majority was imported from abroad at lower cost.

However, the Iran war has disrupted these normal operations in numerous ways that further affect Hawai‘i negatively. First, international oil distribution and supply has been disrupted and countries that are normally exporting product are holding their product home for domestic supplies, requiring Hawai’i to rely far more heavily on domestic fossil fuel products. Second, the domestic Jones Act tanker fleet is devoted elsewhere and largely not available to transport substantially increased fuel supplies from the continent to Hawai‘i.

The President’s 60-day waiver temporarily lifts the Jones Act restrictions for shipments of energy commodities from the continent to Hawai‘i, thus allowing international shipping to continue domestic supply shipping to Hawai‘i.

“President Trump’s Jones Act waiver is important to maintain fuel imports to Hawai’i at a time when we must rely far more on domestic supply while the capacity of domestic shipping has declined, and it certainly shines a high-beam spotlight on the crippling effects of the Jones Act on the cost of living for island and other non-continent parts of our country,” said Case.

“But make no mistake: That alone will not reduce prices; it will just mitigate further increases the longer these disruptions continue. It is the President’s war in Iran itself that is the overall driver of huge increases in gas, electricity, food and other costs to Hawai‘i families because of the disruption in both international energy supplies and worldwide shipping.”

In the current 119th Congress, Case again introduced legislation to reform the Jones Act and open up Hawai‘i - continent shipping to international competition. Case’s February 14, 2025, press release on introduction of his current measures is here: https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3520.

###


Casten, Levin, SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Introduce the Energy Bills Relief Act

Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2026) – Today, 120 House Democrats, led by House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Energy Bills Relief Act, a family- and consumer-focused approach to United States energy policy that ensures Americans have access to the most reliable and low-cost source of power available – renewable energy.

“Families across America are struggling with ever-increasing energy prices. In the last year, electricity rates have soared, increasing by as much as 13% under the Trump Administration. We can point to any number of things that have driven those increases, but at the center of it is that our current energy policy prioritizes the interests of energy producers over the interests of energy consumers,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “It’s time to change that. The Energy Bills Relief Act is a consumer-focused approach that prioritizes expanding access to low-cost, clean energy. It lowers costs, increases reliability, and helps provide a livable planet we can pass to our children and grandchildren.”

“The Energy Bills Relief Act is the consumer-first energy policy that American families have been demanding. It lowers energy bills by putting affordability over profits, deploys the most affordable and reliable energy we have ever had, modernizes our electric grid, and ensures that data centers and large energy users pay their fair share instead of passing those costs onto families and small businesses,” said Rep. Mike Levin. “American families were promised lower energy costs. Instead, this Administration canceled clean energy projects that would have helped to meet rising demand, repealed the tax credits that were actually keeping costs down, and left families holding the bill. The Energy Bills Relief Act changes that equation entirely and delivers the real, comprehensive relief that families across this country deserve.”

Text of the legislation can be found here.

A section-by-section can be found here.

A one-page summary can be found here. A three-page summary can be found here.

A list of cosponsors can be found here.

Statements of support from key issues advocacy organizations and industry leaders can be found here.

The Energy Bills Relief Act prioritizes consumers and ensures access to low-cost energy for our homes, businesses, and economy by:

Reinstating tax credits for home and system-wide energy improvements that were ended by President Trump and congressional Republicans

Incentivizing utility companies to save consumers’ money by rewarding them for making their systems more efficient, thereby lowering bills

Providing financial assistance to American families to make sure their power isn’t shut off

Cracking down on price gouging, so energy companies can’t take advantage of you to boost their profits

Ensuring that facilities like data centers are paying for their own costs because it’s not fair for their expenses to be pushed onto your household if one opens in your area

Giving a voice to the American people so they can benefit from energy projects in their community

Electricity rates are surging nationwide, and millions of households are struggling to pay their rising energy bills. The most effective way to lower utility costs for American households is to expand access to renewable energy — the most reliable and low-cost energy source.

We have the tools to power America with abundant, reliable, American-made clean energy. The missing link between those tools and expanded access to that low-cost and efficient energy is a consumer-first energy policy.

For too long, U.S. energy policy has boosted the profits of energy producers at the expense of energy consumers. The Energy Bills Relief Act shifts our focus to lowering costs and increasing reliability for American homes and businesses by deploying more renewable energy. It is firmly rooted in the American values of choice and competition. It prioritizes consumers and ensures access to low-cost energy for our homes, businesses, and economy.

The Energy Bills Relief Act is what American families need to see costs go down, reliability go up, and ensure our electric grid can meet rising demand.

Last September, Reps. Casten and Levin released a discussion draft of the legislation under the name of the Cheap Energy Act.

###


Castor Praises Introduction of the Energy Bills Relief Act by SEEC Leaders

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) and 122 House Democrats, led by House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs U.S. Reps. Sean Casten (IL-06) and Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Energy Bills Relief Act, a family- and consumer-focused approach to United States energy policy that ensures Americans have access to the most reliable and low-cost source of power available – renewable energy.

The SEEC Energy Bills Relief Act incorporates legislative priorities to lower energy costs for hardworking American families that U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has championed in Congress, including policies to connect more clean energy to the grid, deploy advanced technologies, and protect families and small businesses from rising power demand.

“Trump and Congressional Republicans are making electric bills unaffordable for our neighbors back home,” said Castor. “American families deserve better than a constant struggle with the high cost of living. Clean energy is the fastest, lowest-cost resource we can add to our electric grid to help lower bills. I’m thankful for Reps. Casten and Levin’s leadership, and I’m proud to support legislation that lowers costs and commits to clean energy innovation.”

Text of the legislation can be found here.

A section-by-section can be found here.

A one-page summary can be found here. A three-page summary can be found here.

Statements of support from key issues advocacy organizations and industry leaders can be found here.

The Energy Bills Relief Act prioritizes consumers and ensures access to low-cost energy for our homes, businesses, and economy by:

Reinstating tax credits for home and system-wide energy improvements that were ended by President Trump and Congressional Republicans

Incentivizing utility companies to save consumers’ money by rewarding them for making their systems more efficient, thereby lowering bills

Providing financial assistance to American families to make sure their power isn’t shut off

Cracking down on price gouging, so energy companies can’t take advantage of you to boost their profits

Ensuring that facilities like data centers are paying for their own costs because it’s not fair for their expenses to be pushed onto your household if one opens in your area

Giving a voice to the American people so they can benefit from energy projects in their community

Electricity rates are surging nationwide, and millions of households are struggling to pay their rising energy bills. The most effective way to lower utility costs for American households is to expand access to renewable energy — the most reliable and low-cost energy source.

We have the tools to power America with abundant, reliable, American-made clean energy. The missing link between those tools and expanded access to that low-cost and efficient energy is a consumer-first energy policy.

For too long, U.S. energy policy has boosted the profits of energy producers at the expense of energy consumers. The Energy Bills Relief Act shifts our focus to lowering costs and increasing reliability for American homes and businesses by deploying more renewable energy. It is firmly rooted in the American values of choice and competition. It prioritizes consumers and ensures access to low-cost energy for our homes, businesses, and economy.

The Energy Bills Relief Act is what American families need to see costs go down, reliability go up, and ensure our electric grid can meet rising demand.


APP article on Smith's district medal presentation'Lakewood vet gets Bronze Star, Purple Heart that took 58 years to arrive'

By Jerry Carino

Published March 18, 2026 at 5:15 AM ET

Leo Perlmutter was a corporal in the U.S. Marines, fighting in the bloody Tet Offensive in 1968, when a mortar round exploded near his head.

“I didn’t even know I had gotten hit,” he said.

A Navy corpsman — a medical specialist — noticed his forehead was bleeding.

“I said, ‘Eh, it’s just a pimple,” Perlmutter recalled. “He said, ‘That ain’t no pimple. You got some metal in your head.’”

Leo Perlmutter during his service in Vietnam. Provided By U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's Office

The corpsman removed the shrapnel, bandaged the wound up, and Perlmutter kept fighting. He didn’t think much else of it — there were many more dangerous moments during his three-year service in the war.

Recently the Lakewood resident was telling the story to a friend, that friend made a few calls, and on March 12 Perlmutter was presented with a Purple Heart medal — the standard honor for an American military members wounded in combat — by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-Monmouth, former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs.

During a ceremony in Smith’s Toms River office, the congressman also presented Perlmutter with a Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in combat. According to military records, the medals were shipped to Perlmutter some time ago, but for an unknown reason had never arrived.

“We are so very grateful for what you did,” Smith told Perlmutter during the ceremony. “The fact that you have received these medals is just further recognition of how much respect and honor we need to afford you for that sacrifice.”

The 78-year-old Perlmutter enlisted in the Marines in 1966. Serving in Vietnam brought near daily danger, he said. At one juncture, as he was on patrol in a place Marines referred to as Elephant Valley — a heavily contested stretch of jungle west of Da Nang — he encountered a big tripod with a North Vietnamese Army flag flying from it.

“I decided I wanted that flag,” he said. “The other guys (in his patrol) didn’t want to hear about it, so I told them to keep an eye out, I checked for booby traps and I climbed all the way to the top. As I was cutting the flag down, they started rocketing and mortaring Da Nang.

“Next thing I know I was on top of the thing and everything was illuminated,” he said. “There’s illumination all over the place and it’s like I’m in the middle of Times Square on New Year’s Eve.”

Lakewood resident Leo Perlmutter (center) holds his Bronze Star and Purple Heart after being presented with the medals by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (far left). Provided by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's Office

In other words, Perlmutter had become a clear target. He grabbed the flag, dropped down and got out of harm’s way, though there would be more peril ahead.

“That was the start of the Tet Offensive,” he said.


Congressman Cohen Defends Public Education for Migrant Children

Supports sensible 1982 U.S. Supreme Court precedent

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government hearing titled “Immigration Policy by Court Order: The Adverse Effects of Plyler v. Doe.” The U.S. Supreme Court in Plyler v. Doe ruled in 1982 that states cannot discriminate against undocumented immigrant children in K-12 public education.

Congressman Cohen began his questioning taking exception to one witness’ claim that undocumented immigrants engage in crime at higher rates than native-born American citizens, citing a U.S. Justice Department study. Congressman Cohen was also able to clarify through witness testimony that the vast majority of non-citizens in the United States are not “undocumented” but have legal status, including non-English-speakers with lawful permanent residency, and are eligible for free public education.

See Congressman Cohen’s exchange with the witnesses here.

Witnesses at today’s hearing were:

Matt O'Brien, Deputy Executive Director, Federation for Immigration Reform

Mandy Drogin, Senior Fellow, Government Reform & Oversight Coalition, Texas Public Policy Foundation

James Rogers, Senior Counselor, America First Legal Foundation

Thomas A. Saenz, President & General Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund

# # #


CORREA CONDEMNS CHAVEZ OVER ABUSE REPORTS

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representative Lou Correa (CA-46) released the following statement following The New York Times report that activist Cesar Chavez had sexually abused girls and women during his life:

“Whether it is the president of the United States, a British prince, or a leader of farm workers, all sexual predators must be held accountable. There must be zero tolerance for sexual predators, especially those who prey on young children.”

###