Rep. Panetta and Colleagues Lay Out National Security Approach to Restore America’s Strength, Security, and Status

Monterey, CA — Just ahead of the 60-day mark in the war with Iran, U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and the rest of the New Democrat Coalition National Security Working Group urged President Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to make an “immediate course correction” on the Administration’s national security approach.

“As Members of the New Democrat Coalition National Security Working Group, we write in opposition to the Administration’s approach to national security and to urge an immediate course correction. At a moment of profound global instability, the U.S. needs a strategy that advances our national interests,” wrote Rep. Panetta and the lawmakers. “Instead, the Administration’s current approach–marked by a reckless and open-ended conflict in Iran, chaos within the Department of Defense, and the alienation of our allies–has already resulted in the loss of U.S. servicemembers and continues to place Americans and our global and domestic security at risk.”

“Over the past year, this Administration has treated national security as a partisan political matter, rather than a shared national responsibility, and has failed to provide Congress with timely and transparent information on key national security decisions,” continued the lawmakers. “The result of these actions is a national security posture that is neither principled nor sustainable. There is no doubt that our defense is strongest when it is supported by a bipartisan coalition and grounded in our country’s democratic values.”

The letter argues that the Administration’s chaotic and reckless approach has endangered both domestic and global security by waging open-ended conflicts without legal justification or clear objectives, alienating our closest allies, emboldening our greatest adversaries, and severely damaging our military readiness.

In contrast to the chaos of the Trump Administration’s current posture, the National Security Working Group Members lay out a new direction for American national security that would instead center the path forward around four commonsense priorities:

Reversing the damage caused by the alienation of our allies and strengthening the tools that allow the U.S. to counter adversarial influence.

Realigning defense planning to focus on the People’s Republic of China, the most serious strategic threat we face today.

Reaffirming the military's apolitical nature and ensuring resources are used to support servicemembers.

Requiring the Administration to work in good faith with Congress and commit to respecting and restoring institutional checks and balances, especially in matters of war.

In addition to Rep. Panetta, the signees include all other Members of the New Dem National Security Working Group, including:

Chair Gil Cisneros (CA-31)

Defense Task Force Chair Ed Case (HI-01)

Diplomacy Task Force Chair Eugene Vindman (VA-07)

Veterans Task Force Chair Herb Conaway (NJ-03)

Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10)

Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03)

Rep. Ami Bera (CA-06)

Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04)

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02)

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

As Members of the New Democrat Coalition National Security Working Group, we write in opposition to the Administration’s approach to national security and to urge an immediate course correction. At a moment of profound global instability, the U.S. needs a strategy that advances our national interests. Instead, the Administration’s current approach–marked by a reckless and open-ended conflict in Iran, chaos within the Department of Defense, and the alienation of our allies–has already resulted in the loss of U.S. servicemembers and continues to place Americans and our global and domestic security at risk.

Over the past year, this Administration has treated national security as a partisan political matter, rather than a shared national responsibility, and has failed to provide Congress with timely and transparent information on key national security decisions. The result of these actions is a national security posture that is neither principled nor sustainable. There is no doubt that our defense is strongest when it is supported by a bipartisan coalition and grounded in our country’s democratic values.

Members of the New Democrat Coalition National Security Working Group believe that there is a better path forward. We urge the Administration to halt the current course and adopt a strategy centered around the following priorities:

1. Reverse the damage caused by the alienation of our allies and strengthen the tools that allow the U.S. to counter adversarial influence.

On the campaign trail, President Trump repeatedly promised an “America First” approach, but the actions of this Administration are best described as an “America Alone” strategy. The Administration’s reckless tariff policy has strained relationships with some of our key allies and sent a chilling message that the U.S. is an unreliable economic and strategic partner, which has already pushed several of our allies to align more closely with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). At the end of January 2026, a delegation of Canadian and European leaders traveled to China seeking to deepen their economic ties, which marked the first time a British official visited China since 2018 and Canada’s first visit to the country in over a decade. This is not American strength; it is self-inflicted erosion of U.S. leadership that weakens our leverage and makes it harder to compete with our adversaries.

If we are to face today’s global challenges effectively, we must do so in collaboration with our partners, including NATO, European allies, and Indo-Pacific partners through frameworks like Five Eyes, the Quad, and AUKUS. We must be unequivocal in rejecting any alignment with Russia’s war of aggression, ensuring that Ukraine has the support it needs to win the ongoing war with Russia. Otherwise, we risk emboldening an aggressive authoritarian regime and setting a dangerous precedent for dictators around the world to follow. In addition, the U.S. must reinvest in American soft power by restoring programs at the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Agency for Global Media that help build strong public health systems and support resilient democracies worldwide. This reinvestment will ensure we are better able to curb authoritarian and adversarial influence and prevent conflicts and humanitarian disasters before they even begin.

2. Realign defense planning to reflect today’s most serious strategic threat: the People’s Republic of China.

This Administration’s escalation of the Iran conflict is fiscally irresponsible. The Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates that the first 32 days of the Iran conflict cost $27-28 billion. In the meantime, Americans continue to suffer the consequences, with gas prices reaching over $4/gallon and unlikely to drop for months. The conflict with Iran has also highlighted the fragility of our defense supply chains and the need to address munitions shortages, which have been further depleted by various campaigns the Administration has carried out, including in Venezuela and Iran. This is a failure of strategy and a costly pattern of engaging in conflicts without a plan, placing American lives and taxpayer resources at risk.

U.S. defense planning should prioritize deterring and strategically competing with the PRC. In order to meet this challenge, we need to invest in strengthening the defense industrial base through modernization and innovation efforts, enhancing domestic production capacity, replenishing critical weapons and munitions inventory, and streamlining the acquisition process that’s often too slow and rigid for today’s security environment. In addition, we must encourage small businesses to build, test, and scale new products and technologies by removing barriers to participation and expanding access to land for testing purposes.

3. Reaffirm the military’s apolitical nature and ensure resources are used to support servicemembers.

The Administration’s increasing politicization of the military creates serious dangers for servicemembers. The apolitical nature of the military ensures that its loyalty rests solely with the Constitution, not any party or individual. However, the Administration continues to undermine this nonpartisan institution by firing top generals, using uniformed servicemembers as a backdrop for partisan messaging, and deploying national guard members into U.S. cities for political theater. Speaking at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico in September 2025, President Trump suggested he intends to use U.S. cities as “training grounds for our military” to target “the enemy from within.” Using armed forces to advance partisan messaging and domestic political narratives is corrosive to civil-military norms and exposes servicemembers to unnecessary harm.

The Administration must take concrete steps to reaffirm the professionalism and apolitical nature of the U.S. military. This includes ensuring servicemembers are never given unlawful orders that could place them in ethical or legal jeopardy and preventing the use of the military against U.S. citizens for political purposes. Just as important is the need to ensure that we are investing our resources to help U.S. servicemembers and their families have the quality of life that they deserve instead of wasting valuable resources on meaningless changes in Department names. The Administration must take steps to address the lack of affordable housing for servicemembers, increase access to childcare, provide support for military spouses, and invest in mental health and primary prevention initiatives. In addition, we need to seriously invest in resources to help servicemembers leaving uniformed service find meaningful civilian employment and skill-matching opportunities.

4. The Administration must work in good faith with Congress and commit to respecting and restoring institutional checks and balances, especially in matters of war.

After declaring "Operation Midnight Hammer” a success and affirming that Iran’s nuclear program “was obliterated” in June, Americans awoke on February 28, 2026 to the news that our nation is at war with Iran. Polls show that 63% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s war of choice, a clear reflection of how disconnected this escalation is from the main issues facing Americans today. The Administration has failed to provide a clear objective or end state for this operation. If the goal is deterrence, Iran continues to strike U.S. bases in the region, risking a broader regional war. If the goal is regime change, which the National Defense Strategy explicitly states was not a priority of this Administration, history has already taught us a lesson. The U.S. pursued this goal in Iraq at extraordinary costs: thousands of American lives, billions of dollars, regional instability, and a power vacuum that empowered both adversaries and extremist groups. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake.

The war has also cost us the lives of at least thirteen servicemembers, and the Administration failed to evacuate U.S. embassies before launching the strikes, putting Americans in the region at high risk. When President Trump was asked about the lives lost in the early days of the conflict, he stated, “There will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is.” American lives are not expendable, and entering another conflict in the Middle East risks enabling another generation of instability and extremism.

The Constitution gives Congress the sole authority to declare war, allowing Congress to prevent open-ended conflicts and ensure that any use of force remains lawful and tied to a clear objective. The alternative would be a great disservice to our national security.

Our national security is strongest when it’s both principled and lawful and reflects our values and interests. The Trump Administration’s current approach fails on all counts. At a time when we are facing multiple threats on the global stage, we cannot afford to adopt a strategy that undermines our democracy, alienates our allies, and risks entangling our nation in conflicts without a clear end goal that advances the interests of all Americans. We call on the Administration to halt its current approach to national security, adopt this alternative framework, and return to a bipartisan commitment to our national security.

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Pappas Backs Bills to Improve and Strengthen Child Care

Continuing his work to address New Hampshire families’ child care needs, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) is backing several pieces of legislation to improve access to child care and strengthen services.

Affordable, accessible child care is essential to children’s development and learning, and parents’ ability to go to work. In New Hampshire, the average cost of child care is now $14,870 per year, and the cost of child care for two children exceeds both median rent and in-state university tuition. Nearly half of Granite Staters live in a child care desert, and it’s estimated that New Hampshire businesses lose $56 million annually due to the lack of available licensed child care slots.

In February, Pappas helped introduce the bipartisan After Hours Child Care Act, which would improve access to affordable child care for parents working nontraditional hours. Last week he introduced the Rural Child Care Access Act, legislation to help child care providers serving small and rural areas upgrade existing facilities or construct new ones and strengthen services by creating a new grant program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. He is also announcing his support for:

the Child Care for Working Families Act, which would ensure families can afford the child care they need, expand access to more high-quality options, stabilize the child care sector, and help ensure child care workers taking care of our nation’s kids are paid livable wages. It would also dramatically expand access to pre-K and support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increase wages for Head Start workers.

the Child Care Infrastructure Act, which would construct new or renovate existing child care facilities to increase child care capacity and ensure safe early learning facilities for children.

the Helping Ensure Reliable Opportunities (HERO) for Child Care Act, which would improve access to reliable, high-quality childcare for military families by increasing hiring flexibility at Child Development Centers (CDC).

theProviding Child Care for Police Officers Act, which would help local police departments establish and expand child care options for their officers and address the nationwide police staffing shortages by making it easier for parents to enter and stay in the field.

“Child care must be a national priority to support families and our economic future, and we need a comprehensive, all-of-the-above approach to address it. I’m backing legislation to help families afford child care, support providers and staff, strengthen early education, and improve access for military families, law enforcement officers, and parents who work nontraditional hours,” said Congressman Pappas. “I will continue working to ensure we have strong child care services that support providers and staff and enable kids to learn and parents to have peace of mind.”

Background:

The Child Care for Working Families Act would expand and enhance the Child Care and Development Block Grants (CCDBG) through the creation of three key programs: the Birth Through Five Child Care and Early Learning Entitlement Program, the Building an Affordable System for Early Education (BASE) Grants, and the Universal Preschool Program.

The Child Care Infrastructure Act would establish a grant program at HHS to award grants to states for the purpose of constructing new or renovating existing child care facilities to help build child care capacity and ensure safe early learning facilities for children. The bill also requires a needs assessment of the condition of child care facilities throughout the U.S. financial institutions or other organizations that have demonstrated experience in developing or financing early care and learning facilities.

The Helping Ensure Reliable Opportunities (HERO) for Child Care Act would improve Child Development Centers (CDC) on military bases by establishing a Department of Defense-wide Childcare Readiness Data System that tracks capacity, staffing levels, vacancies, turnover, compensation ranges, and waitlists by installation and region. The bill would modernize hiring and staffing processes for CDC and authorize partnerships with national service volunteers trained in education services.

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act would establish a pilot program under the Administration for Children and Families to supply grants to law enforcement agencies to provide child care benefits to their officers. This bill would authorize $24 million in funding for each of the next five fiscal years for law enforcement agencies to construct or operate new centers for police departments’ exclusive use, offer scholarships to subsidize the cost of care, and provide assistance for care for children with disabilities. It would set aside 20% of the total grant funding for police departments employing fewer than 200 officers and require HHS to report to Congress on the operating status of grant recipients, employee retention and recruitment data, if needs have been met, and any unmet child care needs of other first responder sectors.

Pappas continues to advocate for investments in child care to be made in New Hampshire, including $1 million in federal dollars he secured through the Congressional appropriations process to make enhancements to the Child Study and Development Center at UNH, help create an Early Child Institute for Excellence, and improve child care and education in New Hampshire. He has heldroundtable conversations with child care workers and New Hampshire families about the urgent need to address rising costs for families by making child care more affordable.


Congressman Pfluger Announces Town Hall in Robert Lee

ROBERT LEE, TX—U.S. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) is excited to announce a community town hall in Robert Lee. The event is open to the public and all members of the media.

WHAT: Robert Lee Town Hall Meeting

WHO: U.S. Rep. August Pfluger

WHEN: Monday, May 4, 2026, from 10:00— 11:00 am CT

WHERE: Coke County Courthouse, District Courtroom, 2nd Floor

13 E. 7th Street, Robert Lee, TX 76945


Rep. Pfluger Announces San Saba Senior as the 2026 Congressional Art Competition Winner

SAN SABA, TX— Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) announced Ms. Judy Aguado Mendoza as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition in Texas's 11th Congressional District. Ms. Mendoza is a Senior at San Saba High School. This year's theme was'Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary,' and the winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol building for the next year.

"I was completely blown away by the talent and creativity of so many art submissions from students across TX-11 again. This year's theme was especially inspiring as the students used their creativity to celebrate America's 250th anniversary and express their love of country. While it was extremely difficult to select a winner from all the incredible entries, the committee ultimately chose Ms. Judy Aguado Mendoza's piece, "Torch of Independence", in a blind selection process. Its impressive artistic composition, beautiful depiction of an American icon, and bold coloring made her piece stand out. Congratulations, Judy! Your artistic skill is highly impressive, and I know you will do great things to make San Saba proud in your future endeavors," said Rep. Pfluger.


Rep. Pfluger, Administrator Zeldin Discuss Commonsense EPA Reforms to Protect Health, Power Growth, and Restore Accountability

Read Rep. Pfluger's exchange with EPA Administrator Zeldin below:

Rep. Pfluger: Director, thank you for being here. Thank you for your service in riding the ship. My colleagues across the aisle claim that this EPA deregulatory actions are killing Americans. Couldn't be more false. The truth is actually the opposite, and what kills Americans is unaffordable energy in an unreliable electric grid, and that's exactly what the previous administration's EPA was delivering. The Biden EPA imposed trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and based on widely-inflated benefit calculations, assigning speculative dollar values to statistical lives while ignoring the real-world consequences of making energy unaffordable. 25 million American households have reported going without food or medicine to pay their energy bills. That is the human cost of regulatory excess. This EPA is doing what the agency is supposed to: rigorous, honest cost-benefit analysis, not rubber-stamping regulations that strangle reliable energy production while claiming to save lives on a spreadsheet. Affordable, reliable energy is the foundation of American health and safety, and Administrator Zeldin, your reforms are protecting Americans not by speculating about benefits, but by delivering them. And I'll get to Loper Bright. It's shameful that some of our colleagues have no idea what Loper Bright actually is and what it does. Thank you for the words that you had yesterday at a hearing here on Capitol Hill, and Loper Bright happened because of left-wing EPA overreach. That's exactly why we are here. And I'd like to ask you, how do you respond to the claim that faithfully reading the Clean Air Act as written somehow harms public health, and what actual authorities did Congress provide that this administration is now properly executing to benefit health?

Administrator Zeldin: Thank you for asking. For a long time, that Chevron Doctrine was in place. This got challenged. For those who aren't familiar with the Chevron Doctrine, basically, agency heads were looking at federal statute and would get creative. The statute wouldn't say that an agency head can't do something. So they'd say, Well, I guess that means that we can. We saw that used inside of the 2009 Endangerment Finding. If you read the Endangerment Finding throughout it, you'll see that discretion is being used just because it doesn't say we can't. Well, I guess that means we can. Well, the Supreme Court weighed in on Loper Bright and said, You can't do that anymore, that you have to follow the best reading of statute, the Major Questions Doctrine, which was also put forth by the Supreme Court in recent years in their cases, also says that an agency can impose trillions of dollars of regulation on their own. That's something that should have a debate and a vote in Congress. And what does that all mean when a member might be upset that we repeal the 2009 Endangerment Finding? Well, if you want an agency like the EPA to impose trillions of dollars of regulations and regulate the heck out of greenhouse gas emissions, it's really simple. Introduce a bill, debate it, get it passed, change the law, and we'll follow the law. The commitment that I made when I was nominated, the commitment that I reiterate here today, is that I will follow the best reading of the law, period.

Rep. Pfluger: Thank you for that. And I'll ask, can you provide an update regarding what actions the EPA is considering on the reconsideration of Quad Ob and c, which cost hundreds of billions of dollars in excess, and is another example of left-wing overreach?

Administrator Zeldin: Absolutely, this has been a multiple-phased process. We delayed a compliance deadline to allow us to fix the flaws with the OOOOb and OOOOc regulations. We just announced the second phase of the reconsideration. We're about to announce a third phase as soon as this week. We'll be putting out updated guidance to make sure that those who look at OOOOb, OOOOc, and have to comply with OOOOb understand exactly what that rule means and how the agency interprets it. This is a really important topic for a lot of our country, a lot of our economy. We want more reliable base load power. We want to unleash energy dominance. And OOOOb and OOOOc is a vehicle that was used to cause a lot of harm to much of this country, including a lot of Texas.

Rep. Pfluger: And it ignores the facts that between 2011 and 2020, methane emission intensity has dropped 70% just in the Permian Basin, while production of oil and gas has increased 320%. So it ignores those facts. I appreciate the work you've done, Administrator, to revisit and improve certain aspects of the AMAC implementation, and I've heard constructive feedback from stakeholders in Texas on those efforts. And at the same time, some have raised concerns about the HFC Management Rule, particularly in compliance challenges that it creates for refrigeration in grocery stores and other places. Can you give us whether the agent, can you give us an idea whether the agency is considering near-term reconsideration or adjustments of the HFC Management Rule? I'm sorry, I only have 10 seconds left.

Administrator Zeldin: So, on April 17, EPA sent over a proposal to the OMB. We are continuing to work on fixing the Technology Transition Rule. The impacts will be fixed by addressing this, the negative impacts of the Technology Transition Rule on grocery stores, on the semiconducting industry, on residents, and on residents across our country. We are going to fix it to the maximum extent allowed under the law.


For Immediate Release Contact: Alayah Phipps

May 1, 2026 202-813-2793

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT’S STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF FARM BILL

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.

"The Farm Bill is an opportunity to stand with farmers and families who are struggling under the weight of rising input costs, skyrocketing grocery prices, reckless tariffs, and the economic strain the ongoing war. Unfortunately, the bill passed by House Republicans chose instead to cement the largest cuts to SNAP in history — $187 billion stripped from food assistance in H.R. 1 — while offering nothing to reverse the devastation already underway. More than 40 million Americans will see their benefits reduced or eliminated: 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 1.2 million veterans, and 4 million people with disabilities. Virgin Islanders who rely on SNAP – our children, elders, veterans and hard-working families will feel these cuts. This is not a policy choice. It is a moral failure.

"Rather than making food more affordable for working families, Republicans used the Farm Bill to override the will of voters by preempting state food production standards that were approved at the ballot box and upheld by the Supreme Court. And they gutted nearly $800 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program — one of the most essential tools farmers rely on to protect their land and manage rising costs.

"This bill also fails rural communities. It fails beginning farmers and farmers of color, key groups necessary for the future of farming in the Virgin Islands. It provides no new or additional funding for rural small business programs, strips legal set-asides for beginning farmers in USDA lending, and weakens the 2501 Program — the only USDA program specifically focused on supporting farmers of color. At a time when farm bankruptcies have surged 46 percent and USDA projects farm income to continue falling, this bill turns its back on the very people it claims to serve.

"For the U.S. Virgin Islands and the territories, I fought to deliver meaningful provisions to this bill. I am proud that included in the bill was my amendment which requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study identifying suitable locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam for the development of aquaculture small businesses, including assessments of water quality, coastal access, infrastructure needs, and applicable regulatory requirements. This support from the Department of Agriculture to the Virgin Islands aquaculture development will provide substantive support to the development of this industry. Aquaculture represents a real opportunity for economic growth and food security in the territories, and I will continue to push for these investments.

"But make no mistake — a Farm Bill that does not support to farmers of color (who have been disproportionately impacted by prior discriminatory policy) or programs which provide resources to new and emerging farmers does not deserve our support. Republicans have openly stated their intent to come back for even more SNAP cuts through future reconciliation packages. We cannot accept a bill that treats food assistance as an afterthought while families are paying $310 more for groceries than they were just a year ago, and fruit and vegetable prices have risen over five percent,” continued Congresswoman Plaskett.

Congresswoman Plaskett added, "I urge my colleagues in the Senate to develop a better, bipartisan farm bill — one that provides real relief to farmers crushed by falling incomes and rising costs, restores food assistance protections for millions of vulnerable Americans, invests in our rural and territorial communities, and is worthy of the American people's trust.”

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ICYMI: Pressley Touts SPARK Act, Urges More Financial Investment in Small, Minority-Owned Businesses

Transcript: Pressley Touts SPARK Act, Urges More Financial Investment in Small, Minority-Owned Businesses

House Financial Services Committee

April 28, 2026

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ll state the obvious to everyone, apparently, but the Trump Administration. We’re in an affordability crisis, and while minority-owned small businesses in Massachusetts generated two and a half billion dollars in revenue in 2023, many of these small businesses, our minority owned small businesses remain underserved by our financial system. I’m talking about their ability to access equitably loans, credit and other supports from our financial system.

In fact, I know many experienced a disparate impact from the pandemic and never recovered. I represent the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, and more recently, we have seen a number of our minority owned small businesses close to or forced to shutter their doors, having never recovered from the pandemic. A legacy business, Final Touch Boutique in Roxbury, is one of those such businesses.

Mr. Baer, during the pandemic, do you know how small, minority owned businesses were impacted compared to other businesses? Can you speak to that?

MR. BAER: I mean, Congresswoman, I don’t have statistics on that. I presume, I think, as you suggested, that they did worse, probably because they had less capital built up and were less resilient and were smaller, and that was a tough thing to be, even with, you know, PPP aid and things like that.

REP. PRESSLEY: Fair enough. Well, in fact, one Federal Reserve research paper found that Black owned businesses went out of business at twice the rate of white owned businesses, and saw cash decline at nine times the level.

Mr. Baer, when bank capital requirements are lowered, like under Trump’s Basel III proposals, do you have data on how much of that extra money actually goes back into communities for local small business loans?

MR. BAER: Well, I mean, it’s difficult to predict, as the rules are not final, so we would have to wait a year or two and see what the results are. So I can’t give you any kind of accurate estimate on how much that would increase, any type of lending, whether that’s mortgage or securities intermediation or loans to small minority businesses.

REP. PRESSLEY: Well, some of what I’ve found is that larger banks are not necessarily reinvesting these dollars into underserved communities or lending more if they don’t have to. So in fact, much of the research, what it bears out is that increasing bank capital requirements can actually increase bank lending and resilience, and in 2023 we saw what the SVB bank collapse almost did to small businesses in districts like mine, the in MA-7th and around the country. So we need banks that lend more but also protect people’s money.

Ms. Valladares, would rolling back bank capital requirements through these proposals help or hurt small, minority owned businesses?

MS. VALLADARES: I think unfortunately, the data and the history would show that it’s very much likely to hurt them. If you see what happened during the financial crisis, about 50% of Hispanic Americans lost jobs and suffered. About 25% African Americans suffered, and about 10% of the white population suffered.

Not only are there issues with discrimination, but as one of my fellow panelists described, yeah, there’s issues with their access to capital, with their experience in taking out loans, all of the you know, these are, these are complex issues. So there’s a lot of things, but and especially under this administration, I personally see no signs that they would be focused on helping underserved communities. None whatsoever.

REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you, you know. And in fact, these businesses are vital to the ecosystem of our communities, social and economic anchors, and they provide mobility as well, they provide jobs and services that meet local needs and help keep our city strong in times of economic downturn.

That’s why I introduced the SPARK Act, along with Senator Markey and others, to ensure that small businesses are invested in and supported through grants and business loans. If Republicans were really serious about improving Main Street and economic growth, they will protect people’s money and pass bills that invest dollars directly into the community.

That is actually a policy choice we can make right now and improve the lives of the American people. And I just want to say to my constituents, while some may have forgotten how the 2008 global financial crisis impacted you, or how the COVID-19 pandemic and SVB bank collapse impacted you, or even how the history of slavery and racial discrimination have continued to impact you, I want you to know that your Congresswoman has not forgotten you and will not stop fighting to make sure we repair past harm and prevent future harm to our businesses, communities, and families.

I yield back.


Pressley, Tlaib Reintroduce Bill to Boost Housing Access for Folks with Criminal Records

Bill Promotes Housing Justice by Removing Barries to Housing for People Formerly Incarcerated, Helps Disrupt Prison-to-Homelessness Pipeline

Bill Text | Bill Summary | Hearing Video

WASHINGTON – Today, during Fair Housing and Second Chance Month, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) reintroduced the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act of 2026, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing. The bill would advance housing justice and help disrupt the prison-to-homelessness pipeline by removing unjust barriers to housing and limit tenant screening criteria for criminal records in background checks.

The Housing FIRST Act is informed by Rep. Pressley’s People’s Justice Guarantee, her bold vision for transforming the American criminal legal system into one that centers the dignity and humanity of all people.

“Safe, affordable housing is fundamental human right, but for too long, discrimination against folks with criminal records has served as a barrier to housing access, economic stability, and public safety,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “Our bill seeks to change that by removing the systemic barriers that have worsened the prison-to-homelessness pipeline, exacerbated mass incarceration, and denied housing to people who need it most. As someone whose own family has been impacted by mass incarceration, I’m proud to reintroduce this bill and grateful to Congresswoman Tlaib and our colleagues for their ongoing partnership.”

“From Detroit to Boston, every human being deserves access to safe, affordable housing, including people who were formerly incarcerated,” said Congresswoman Tlaib. “We must prioritize restorative justice, lead with compassion, and recognize the human dignity of our neighbors as we work to end mass incarceration and housing discrimination. This legislation addresses barriers to stable housing returning citizens face every day as they begin to rebuild their lives in our communities.”

Congresswoman Pressley discussed the bill in a House Financial Services Committee hearing. Watch it here.

Systemic discrimination against people with criminal records in tenant screening is a persistent barrier to housing access, economic stability, and public safety, and contributes to the prison-to-homelessness pipeline. Landlords’ refusal to rent to individuals with a criminal record impacts more than 70 million people in the United States—nearly 1 in 3 adults—with Black and brown folks having the highest rates of housing denials due to disparate treatment by the criminal legal system. Additionally, people who are formerly incarcerated are almost 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public.

The Housing FIRST Act would address these systemic barriers by:

Prohibiting a consumer reporting agency from furnishing a consumer report, for tenant screening purposes, that includes information related to an individual’s criminal background;

Requiring consumer reporting agencies to disclose to the consumer, upon request, any person from whom the consumer reporting agency received information pertaining to a consumer’s file;

Requiring a person who denies rental housing to or takes adverse action against a consumer to provide to the consumer the specific reasons for the denial or adverse action;

Creating national standard for criminal record information excluded from consumer reports;

Excluding records of convictions of crimes older than seven years from consumer reports for tenant screening purposes; and

Codifying existing judicial interpretations that a consumer reporting agency must disclose the identities of people or vendors who gathered information on their behalf.

For bill text of the Housing FIRST Act, click here.

The Housing First Act is co-sponsored by Representatives Rashida Tlaib, James P. McGovern, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Lateefah Simon, Delia Ramírez, Jan Schakowsky, Hank Johnson, Maxwell Frost, Summer Lee, Nikema Williams, LaMonica McIver, Yvette Clarke, Troy Carter, Robin Kelly, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Ilhan Omar, Greg Casar, Jimmy Gomez, and Eleanor Holmes Norton.

The legislation is supported by: Justice 4 Housing, National Consumer Law Center, JustLeadershipUSA, Prison Policy Initiative, Center for Popular Democracy, National Housing Law Project, National Council for Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and Vera Institute.

“Justice for Housing, Inc supports the reintroduction of the Housing FIRST Act as a critical step toward addressing the structural barriers that limit housing access for justice-involved individuals. Research continues to show that incarceration significantly impacts credit, with Black households affected by incarceration experiencing dramatically lower credit scores—often by more than 200 points—further widening the racial wealth gap. Policies that center housing stability without over-reliance on credit history are essential to advancing equitable access to housing and long-term economic mobility.”

“A place to call home is a basic human need for all members of our community, including those with a conviction history. For too long, individuals seeking safe, affordable housing have been locked out by exclusions fueled by background checking. The Housing FIRST Act makes critically important changes to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and limits the way in which an individual’s past can be used to carve them out of housing access. These carve outs and exclusions affect both the impacted housing applicant, as well as their families, and are a direct contributor to the data showing that people reentering are ten times more likely to be homeless than other applicants. The Housing FIRST Act will also bring much needed clarity to how consumer reporting agencies handle the data requests for individuals who have received a clemency or had a record sealed, expunged, or vacated. Stable housing is the bedrock of successful reentry; passing this Act means we are choosing to invest in stronger families and safer neighborhoods rather than perpetual cycles of displacement. We urge Congress to act and to take the next step in turning the page from exclusion to true reintegration.” – JustLeadershipUSA

In April 2023, Rep. Pressley joined Justice 4 Housing, New England Culinary Arts Training, and housing advocates to tour their cutting-edge coworking space and discuss the organizations’ transformative work in support of Formerly Incarcerated People. Photos from the visit are available here.

As a Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance of the House Financial Services Committee (FSC), Rep. Pressley has consistently advocated for policies that affirm housing as a human right and center the dignity and humanity of all people, including individuals who are formerly incarcerated.

In April 2026, Rep. Pressley introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, much needed legislation to provide support to those facing eviction.

In March 2026, Rep. Pressley joined Financial Services Committee Democrats in a comment letter condemning HUD’s proposed mixed-status families rule, which would increase evictions, separate families, and increase homelessness across the country.

In December 2025, Rep. Pressley convened local advocates and community partners to sound the alarm on the housing crisis created by Donald Trump.

In December 2025, Rep. Pressley underscored the need to support grandfamily and kinship households, which are vital to preventing homelessness and keeping families and communities whole.

In November 2025, Rep. Pressley joined House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (CA-35) and 52 colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, calling on him to rescind a recent HUD decision to slash essential Continuum of Care (CoC) program funding.

In November 2025, Rep. Pressley introduced the Appraisal Modernization Act, legislation to promote equity and combat systemic bias in the home appraisal process that has disadvantaged many current and aspiring homeowners—especially homeowners of color.

In May 2025, Rep, Pressley, along with Representatives Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), and Greg Casar (TX-35), reintroduced the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act, legislation to protect the power of tenants, including those with federal vouchers, to organize.

In June 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Maxine Waters (CA-43) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), re-introduced the Tenant Empowerment Act, bold legislation to strengthen HUD tenant protections and provide renters with the tools necessary to improve the quality of their homes.

In March 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Mayor Wu, visited Roxbury to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal funding she secured to provide emergency childcare support for families experiencing homelessness in the City of Boston.

In March 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Senators Warren and Markey, applauded the final passage of $850,000 in federal community project funding for The Pryde, an affordable housing development for LGBTQ+ seniors in Hyde Park.

In March 2024, Rep. Pressley urged Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates to boost home affordability and construction of affordable housing.

In January 2024, Rep. Pressley, during a House Financial Services Committee Hearing, highlighted the growing housing crisis and how appraisal bias and discriminatory tenant screening practices exacerbate the racial wealth and homeownership gaps, especially for Black communities.

In January 2024, Rep. Pressley celebrated the $2.4 million in federal funding she secured to support the community-led transformation of the Clarendon Hill housing community, an ethnically, linguistically and economically diverse neighborhood in Somerville.

In December 2023, Rep. Pressley requested the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide data on housing needs for Medicaid beneficiaries and feedback on challenges the agency is having in covering housing support for people requiring home and community-based services (HCBS).

In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), reintroduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, critical legislation to provide much-needed assistance to those facing eviction amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In September 2021, Rep. Pressley joined Rep. Bush and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in introducing the Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 to enact an urgently needed nationwide eviction moratorium.

On July 2021, ahead of the expiration of the previous CDC eviction moratorium, Reps. Pressley, Bush, Gomez and their progressive colleagues sent a letter renewing their calls for President Biden and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to extend the federal eviction moratorium and prevent the historic and deadly wave of evictions that would occur if the government failed to do so.

On July 30, 2021, Rep. Pressley joined House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) in introducing the Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021, legislation to extend the eviction moratorium through the end of the year.

In June 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Reps. Gomez and Bush, led over 40 of their colleagues on a letter urging President Biden and CDC Director Walensky to extend and strengthen the moratorium for the duration of the public health crisis.

In June 2021, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), re-introduced the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, a bill to institute a nationwide cancellation of rents and home mortgage payments through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

On May 18, 2021, Reps. Bush and Pressley sent a letter to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calling on the CDC to strengthen and extend the federal moratorium on evictions, ensuring families can remain safely in their homes for the duration of the COVID-19 global health emergency.

On July 28, 2020, Rep. Pressley, Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Harris introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act to provide much-needed, layered assistance to those facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 24, 2020, in a Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed the unprecedented financial cliff facing millions of renters and homeowners, the economic consequences of millions losing their homes, including the ability to return to work, and why funding for legal representation is so critical.

On May 11, 2020, Reps. Tlaib, and Joe Neguse (D-CO) urge House and Senate leadership to include $11.5 billion in funding for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) in the next relief package to aid the nation’s homeless population who are experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 10, 2020, Rep. Pressley urged Congressional leadership to prioritize recurring monthly cash payments to those most at-risk during the COVID-19 crisis. This funding would allow people to cover all their bills, including rent.

On April 17, 2020, Reps. Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and colleagues introduce the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, a bill to institute a nationwide cancellation of rents and home mortgage payments through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

On March 23, 2020, Reps. Pressley and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced the Public Health Emergency Shelter Act of 2020, legislation to provide critical funding to states and local governments responding to the needs of families and individuals experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis. This legislation was included and passed through the HEROES Act and H.R. 7301, the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020.

On March 19, 2020, Rep. Pressley, along with progressive lawmakers and organizations, introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act to authorize more than $200 billion in federal spending over 10 years for crucial housing infrastructure and reduce homelessness.

On March 18, 2020, Reps. Pressley, Katie Porter (D-CA) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) wrote to HUD calling for a moratorium on evicting renters during the coronavirus pandemic.

In July 2019, Rep. Pressley announced legislation that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology.

In November 2019, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Tlaib wrote to HUD blasting the agency for ignoring low-income tenants seeking to save their homes.

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RILEY VOTES YES ON FARM BILL, DELIVERING MAJOR WINS FOR UPSTATE FARMERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES

Upstate Farms and groups praise Riley’s vote to support local agriculture

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Josh Riley today Thursday in favor of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act on the House Floor, helping pass critical legislation that delivers major victories for Upstate New York’s farmers, rural families, and local economies.

“Our farmers are the heart and soul of Upstate New York. They work harder than anybody on earth, and all they ask for is a fair shot. Today, we delivered,” said Rep. Josh Riley. “This Farm Bill strengthens family farms, protects American farmland, lowers costs, supports dairy, invests in rural communities, and gives our farmers more certainty in uncertain times. It’s not perfect, and there’s more work ahead, but this is a major step forward for Upstate New York and rural America.”

Representing 4,547 farms across nearly one million acres, Riley helped secure numerous provisions in the bill aimed directly at supporting family-owned farms, improving safety, protecting domestic agriculture, expanding local markets, and investing in the future of rural communities.

RILEY-SECURED WINS IN THE FARM BILL INCLUDE:

Protecting Farmland: Strengthened oversight and transparency on foreign purchases of U.S. farmland.

Saving Farmers’ Lives: Reauthorized a USDA rebate program for tractor rollover protection systems (ROPS).

Supporting Dairy: Expanded dairy nutrition programs, including a Riley amendment to include yogurt, and improved dairy market transparency.

Aiding Specialty & Organic Producers: Expanded crop insurance, enhanced disaster relief, and strengthened organic integrity protections.

Strengthening Local Food Systems: Expanded programs connecting local farmers directly to schools, food banks, and community markets.

Investing in Rural Communities: Increased rural broadband investments, expanded support for beginning and veteran farmers, and strengthened rural health and cooperative development programs.

WHAT FARM LEADERS ARE SAYING:

Ashley Sardo (Oeser), Manager of National Affairs, New York Farm Bureau: “Today, the House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that will help provide stability for New York farmers. Many New York Farm Bureau priorities are included in the bill, such as improved dairy risk management tools; greater access to crop insurance for specialty crops; enhancement of disaster programs, particularly for specialty crop producers; increased support for new, young, beginning, and veteran farmers transitioning to farming; strengthened rural broadband provisions; and reauthorization of forestry programs that support wood products.

“We appreciate all those who supported this bill, particularly our New York representatives who voted yes. That includes Rep. Josh Riley (D, NY-19), who joined New York Republican Representatives Nick LaLota (R, NY-1), Nick Langworthy (R, NY-23), Mike Lawler (R, NY-17), Nicole Malliotakis (R, NY-11), Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21), and Claudia Tenney (R, NY-24) to help pass the bill. But our work is not done until the Farm Bill passes both houses. We urge the Senate to pass the Farm Bill as soon as possible.”

Eric Ooms, A. Ooms & Sons Dairy:

“Josh has shown his commitment to farm families like mine by voting for the Farm Bill. In a time where it would be easy to just point out what’s missing, he’s clearly trying to accomplish positive things for our rural communities. While not getting everything we would want, the certainty for farms and our partners in research definitely feel this is a step in the right direction.”

Todd M. Erling, Executive Director, Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corp:

“The passage of the Farm Bill is one important factor moving toward creating some stability for our farmers and regional food system partners who are under such pressure at this time, facing economic uncertainty, labor challenges, rising fuel and input costs, and potential weather-related crop losses already this season.”

John Kelder, Kelder’s Farm, Kerhonkson

“We greatly appreciate Congressman Riley’s support on this Farm Bill. Passage of this Farm Bill is critical for farmers across New York. There are many provisions within this legislation that would bolster farms of all sizes, including greater dairy risk management tools, expanding eligibility for specialty crops as it relates to disaster programs, creating support for new, young, beginning and veteran farmers, and expanding access to crop insurance for specialty crops. Congressman Riley continues to be a champion for programs in Farm Bill that are important to farmers, such as creating a Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program for SNAP recipients and establishing the National ROPS Rebate Program within the USDA. We cannot thank Congressman Riley enough for his work on this Farm Bill. We look forward to the Senate passing this legislation.”

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Congresswoman Scanlon Introduces Legislation to Help Americans Fight Back Against Corporate Price Fixing

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) this week introduced the Competitive Prices Act, legislation that would make it easier to hold companies accountable for illegally raising prices, restricting wages, or creating artificial shortages of goods and services. The bill works to remedy the impact of misguided court decisions over the past 20 years, which have undermined the ability of both federal enforcement agencies and private parties to sue corporations for violating antitrust laws.

Rep. Scanlon has been a staunch advocate for legislative reform to address predatory business practices that boost corporate profits at the expense of consumers. Proving illegal collusion between corporations historically required evidence that two or more firms had explicitly agreed to coordinate price changes. However, with more industries becoming dominated by just a few firms, companies are able to coordinate price increases to match those of their competitors without the presence of an explicit agreement.

“Americans already struggle to afford groceries, rent, and home appliances. While the President’s disastrous economic policies are partially to blame, corporate greed and price fixing are also central to the growing cost of living crisis Americans face,” said Rep. Scanlon. “Limited competition allows big business to informally conspire to raise prices on consumers. Congress must use its power to correct caselaw that has prevented effective antitrust enforcement that would stop this illegal behavior. The Competitive Prices Act would increase accountability for companies that manipulate markets to soak consumers.”

"When the entire marketplace is rigged to allow competitors to charge the same inflated price, that's not competition. That's coordination," said Lee Hepner, Senior Legal Counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project. "What the law used to condemn as illegal price fixing has been supplanted by covert data exchanges and shared pricing algorithms that conceal rather than expose the root cause of higher prices and artificial shortages. The Competitive Prices Act re-establishes guardrails to prevent a culture of casual collusion. Americans shouldn't need a smoking-gun email to prove they're being ripped off."

"This is about whether families have a fair shot, either in the marketplace itself or in court," Hepner continued. "When companies can coordinate to raise the price of putting food on your table or keeping a roof over your head, and the law says there's nothing anyone can do about it, something is broken. This bill starts to fix it."

"All too often, complaints alleging price fixing are dismissed prematurely. Decades of harmful caselaw has allowed anticompetitive behavior to go unchecked, raising prices for consumers and stifling entrepreneurship in consolidated markets,” said Deborah Elman, President of the Committee to Support the Antitrust Laws. “We applaud Representative Scanlon for introducing the Competitive Prices Act, which will further empower public and private enforcers to bring cases against illegal price fixing and make markets fairer for consumers and small businesses."

As pricing algorithms continue to proliferate at grocery stores, e-commerce websites, and among landlords, the Competitive Prices Act takes an important step to undo the harmful precedent of BellAtlantic Corp. v. Twombly, removing legal barriers that block meritorious lawsuits by DOJ, FTC, and American consumers affected by artificially high prices.

Find the full bill text here.

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Rep. Sewell Statement on Announcement of Special Session of Alabama Legislature

Birmingham, AL — U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement regarding Governor Kay Ivey's announcement of a special session of the Alabama Legislature to dilute the voting power of African American voters:

"Alabama Republicans are wasting no time eliminating representation for African Americans in our state. Despite Black voters making up nearly one-third of Alabama’s electorate, Republican state leaders are desperate to revert us back to a map that silences our voices, dilutes our power, and denies us a fair seat at the table.

"This corrupt move runs counter to everything John Lewis and civil rights leaders marched, fought, and bled for. It threatens to roll back centuries of hard-fought progress and demonstrates exactly why the protections of the Voting Rights Act were needed in the first place.

"The court order barring Alabama from redrawing its map still stands, and our litigating partners are ready to vigorously defend it. We will not take this sitting down. Our communities are prepared to organize, mobilize, and demand the fair representation that we as Alabama voters deserve.

"Bring it on."

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Ranking Member Stanton Launches Investigation After Reported Diversion of FEMA Resources to Support Immigration Enforcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Ranking Member of the Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee that oversees FEMA in Congress, announced a formal investigation into reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directed Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel and resources to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a critical hurricane season, potentially violating federal law enacted after Hurricane Katrina.

In August 2025, FEMA whistleblowers reported that roughly 100 human resources employees were reassigned to support ICE recruitment efforts to meet its goal of hiring 10,000 new agents. The move came just weeks after the July 4 flash floods in Texas that killed 120 people, and while FEMA was already operating with reduced staffing due to widespread departures related to hiring freezes, canceled contracts, and incentivized departures.

Whistleblowers reported that employees were threatened with termination if they refused reassignment. They also reported that additional federal employees, including from the Department of Defense, were solicited for ICE assignments routed through FEMA.

Following FEMA's failures during Hurricane Katrina, Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA), establishing critical safeguards to ensure FEMA can operate independently within DHS and remain focused on its core mission to support Americans during times of crisis. PKEMRA explicitly prohibits the DHS Secretary from taking any resources that reduce the emergency management agency's authorities, responsibilities, or functions.

In a series of letters, Stanton is demanding answers from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, FEMA Acting Administrator Karen Evans, and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons by May 8, 2026. Additionally, in a letter directed to the DHS Inspector General, Stanton requests that the agency open an immediate investigation and requests the Government Accountability Office (GAO) assist in transmitting data on the impact of the reassignments to Congress.

“I am concerned that DHS’s reported use of FEMA personnel to support immigration enforcement activities may violate these statutory protections and compromise FEMA’s ability to fulfill its mission,” Ranking Member Stanton states in the letter directed to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

Stanton's letter also requests detailed information on questions, including:

Who within DHS issued the order directing FEMA to provide personnel for immigration enforcement missions?

What methodology did DHS use to determine that FEMA’s Human Resources personnel should be assigned to assist ICE in meeting its goal of recruiting 10,000 new agents?

Exactly what immigration enforcement missions are FEMA personnel currently supporting?

Has any funding been transferred or reprogrammed from FEMA to ICE to support immigration enforcement activities?

Letter sent to DHS HERE.

Letter sent to ICE HERE.

Letter sent to FEMA HERE.

Letter sent to DHS Inspector General HERE.

Letter sent to Government Accountability Office HERE.


Rep. Stevens Tours Webasto Plymouth Plant; Highlights High-Skilled Jobs and Michigan Innovation

Plymouth, MI — Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens toured the Webasto Plymouth Plant, meeting with workers and highlighting her ongoing push to strengthen Michigan’s domestic supply chains. During the visit, she emphasized the importance of investing in local innovation and high-tech workforce training to keep Michigan at the forefront of automotive and precision manufacturing.

Webasto is a global leader in the production of automotive roofs, batteries, and heating and cooling systems, helping to build the next generation of cars right here in Michigan.

“Michigan workers are building the next generation of vehicles right here at home,” said Rep. Stevens. “By investing in advanced manufacturing and our skilled workforce, we’re making sure the future of automotive innovation is designed, tested, and built in Michigan.”

“We appreciate Congresswoman Stevens taking the time to tour our manufacturing facility today,” said Brad Ring, CEO of the Americas region for Webasto. “We valued the opportunity to highlight our Webasto Plymouth team’s manufacturing capabilities and contributions to innovation in the region.”

Since first taking office, Congresswoman Stevens has visited hundreds of manufacturers across the state, and her tour of Webasto showcases Michigan’s role at the center of global automotive and clean energy innovation. She serves as the top Democrat on the Research and Technology Subcommittee of the Science, Space, & Technology Committee.


Strickland Introduces Childcare Access Bill

Bill Expands Access to Childcare for Parenting Students

Washington, D.C. – This week, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) introduced the Childcare Access for all Recognized Education for Parenting Students Act (CARE for Parenting Students Act). The bill will expand access to federal childcare assistance for parenting students, regardless of the type of education or workforce training they are pursuing.

“Parents participating in job training programs or apprenticeships deserve access to federal childcare assistance,” said Strickland. “Clarifying and expanding the range of education programs that qualify means more families will have access to childcare while they strengthen their job skills and expertise.”

“Parents who are training to be a nurse, working on a college degree, or earning a commercial driving license need to know their kids are in safe, nurturing childcare. Rep. Strickland’s bill sets eligible student parents up to further their careers while helping children in Washington thrive through access to safe, quality childcare,” said Rob Colombini, CEO of Child Care Aware of Washington

“Becoming a parent shouldn’t stop you from pursuing an education,” said Whitney Pesek, Senior Director of Federal Child Care Policy at the National Women’s Law Center. “Representative Strickland’s legislation would provide additional funding and ensure equitable access to CCDBG subsidies for student parents to help them afford childcare and pursue their education and training. We urge Congress to pass this commonsense legislation that strengthens support for student parents and bolsters women’s economic security.”

The legislation ensures equitable access to Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) subsidies. The law requires those receiving CCDBG subsidies to be employed, enrolled in an educational program, or participating in job training. The lack of a clear definition of educational programs has created inconsistency across states of who is eligible in receiving this federal assistance.

The bill provides an additional $850 million in annual authorization for CCDBG, and clarifies that eligible parental activities can include:

Enrollment in a State labor agency-registered apprenticeship

Enrollment in a Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship

Enrolment in a State health agency-approved CNA program

Enrollment in a program accredited by an agency recognized by the Department of Education

Enrollment in a program accredited by an institution of higher education

The bill is endorsed by the National Women’s Law Center, the National Partnership for Women & Families, and Child Care Aware of Washington.

Read the full bill text here

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.

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Rep. Sykes: President Trump Has Now Exceeded 60-Day Limit for Iran War Without Congressional Approval

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Trump has now surpassed the 60-day deadline under the War Powers Act after initiating an unnecessary war with Iran without authorization from Congress. This raises urgent constitutional and accountability concerns. Legal experts and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have pointed to the milestone as a key threshold requiring congressional action or an end to unauthorized military operations.

U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) said Congress cannot allow any president to ignore the law and continue an open-ended war without the consent of the American people through their elected representatives.

“The conflict has already resulted in the deaths of 14 American servicemembers, hundreds more injured, and there’s no clear exit strategy,” said Rep. Sykes. “Families back home are paying more every day. We can’t keep writing a blank check for this conflict while costs skyrocket and accountability disappears.”

Rep. Sykes called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to immediately bring forward legislation implementing the War Powers Resolution, restore congressional oversight, and reaffirm that decisions of war and peace belong to the people’s representatives.

Rep. Sykes will continue pushing for accountability, supporting servicemembers and their families, and ensuring Congress meets its constitutional responsibilities.


Congressman Van Drew: $400 Million Coast Guard Contract Officially Awarded, Project Moves into Design-Build Phase

Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew announced that the United States Coast Guard has officially awarded the $400 million contract to design and construct the new barracks and training facilities at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. The contract moves the project into the design-build phase, bringing it one step closer to construction and giving a clearer picture of what these modernized facilities will look like once complete.

"This is the single largest federal investment in the history of South Jersey, and we are finally seeing it come to life," said Congressman Van Drew. "The contract is awarded, the design is moving forward, and this is where it starts to become real. Almost every enlisted member of the Coast Guard begins their service in Cape May, and these young men and women deserve modern, reliable facilities from day one. That is exactly what this project is going to deliver."


Vindman Introduces Bill to Keep Working Families from Footing the Bill for Billionaire’s Private Jets

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Eugene Vindman (Va.-07), Kristen McDonald Rivet (Mich.-08), and Greg Landsman (Ohio-01) introduced legislation to put taxpayers first by closing an unfair loophole that shifts the cost of private jets onto working families.

The Stop Subsidizing Private Jets Act would close tax loopholes that allow ultra-wealthy private jet owners and corporations to write off the cost of luxury aircraft and related expenses, while preserving targeted protections for small businesses, farmers, charter and rental operators, and emergency responders who rely on aviation for legitimate purposes.

“Working families shouldn’t be footing the bill so billionaires can write off private jets,” said Vindman. “Right now, the tax code allows those buying private jets worth tens of millions of dollars to receive enormous write-offs, while middle-class families do not get deductions for basics like gas or groceries. That is wrong. My bill is a commonsense fix that ends these unfair giveaways while protecting farmers, small businesses, and emergency responders who depend on aviation for real business and community needs.”

“It’s ridiculous and unfair that the ultra-wealthy get million-dollar tax breaks for their private jets while working families are seeing their health care and food assistance cut,” said McDonald Rivet. “We need to get rid of this insane loophole, because if you can afford a private jet, you can afford to pay your fair share in taxes.”

“The fact that our tax dollars are still funding tax breaks for someone’s private jet is insane,” said Landsman. “We have to fix the tax code so the super-wealthy stop getting special treatment, and our small businesses and farmers can actually get ahead.”

Under current tax law, ultra-wealthy jet owners and corporations can write off the full cost of private jets, some valued at more than $100 million, along with related expenses like fuel, pilots, décor, and in-flight services. In the first year of bonus depreciation alone, a $100 million jet can generate a tax benefit of roughly $21 million.

While the tax code already limits deductions for luxury vehicles, private jets remain fully subsidized.

The Stop Subsidizing Private Jets Act would:

End full-cost write-offs for private jets and related luxury expenses; and

Preserve targeted exemptions for farmers, small businesses, aircraft charter and rental companies, and emergency responders who use aviation for legitimate business and essential services.

The legislation is designed to make the tax code fairer by eliminating subsidies for luxury air travel while protecting those who genuinely rely on aviation to serve their communities, run their businesses, and respond to emergencies.

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National Capital Region Democrats’ Statement on Relocation of USDA’s Food Assistance Employees

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives James Walkinshaw (VA-11), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Don Beyer (VA-08), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a reorganization that would move most employees who work in food assistance and nutrition programs out of the National Capital Region (NCR):

“With only 30 days notice, the Trump Administration decided to attack federal employees, their families, and make it harder to administer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food assistance programs. To be clear: this is a mass layoff and illegal reorganization under the guise of a relocation.

This administration is also intentionally forcing hardworking and experienced USDA employees to choose between losing their careers in the midst of mass federal layoffs or moving their entire family across the country during the school year and uprooting their lives at a time of rising inflation.

In one swift move, the Administration is undercutting food assistance, food safety, and farmers. This will make every single American less healthy and less safe. It will also increase food and healthcare costs on every single American.

We saw this exact move before in 2019 with other USDA offices, and it was a disaster. It resulted in serious brain drain, reduced morale, and draconian cuts to programs that the American people rely on.

It's clear this is also another targeted and cynical Republican attack on SNAP from millions of Americans. Make no mistake – this is not about government efficiency, it is not about optimizing services for the American people, and it is not about maximizing the use of taxpayer dollars. It is the latest in a long series of attempts by this administration to break the spirits of federal public servants and disrupt the delivery of crucial services to the American people.

In short, this move will be a disaster. We will do everything we can to fight it and eventually reverse it.”

On April 30, 2026, USDA announced the relocations of SNAP to Indianapolis, the Child Nutrition Programs to Dallas, the Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs to Kansas City, research programs to Raleigh, Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations to Denver, and retailer operations and compliance will spread across offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York City.

These changes are part of a larger USDA reorganization plan announced in July 2025 that would move most of the Department’s NCR staff to five regional hubs. In the announcement, USDA stated that they expected to move 2,300 USDA jobs out of the NCR. Other affected agencies include the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service.

During the first Trump administration, the USDA relocated both the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) from Washington, DC to Kansas City, MO. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of these relocations found that they had significant impacts on both agencies’ staffing and productivity, including:

The loss of over a third of each agency’s permanent full-time staff following the announcement of the relocation in 2018.

A significant loss of experience, with staff with more than two years of experience declining from 83% of both agencies’ combined workforces in 2018 to 27% in 2021.

Declines in productivity, with ERS issuing fewer key reports and NIFA taking over a month longer to process and fund competitive grants in 2019.

GAO also found that USDA did not follow many leading practices for agency relocations, including a failure to consult with its employees at any point during the process and the exclusion of several key variables, including employee attrition, in its economic analysis to support the relocations. Both agencies made positive improvements in these areas under the Biden administration, but the damage had already been done and many experienced, dedicated federal workers were essentially removed from their jobs.

In March 2025, the members introduced the Cost of Relocations Act, led by Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), to fight back against President Trump’s relentless effort to relocate federal agencies and decimate their workforces. The legislation would require a cost-benefit analysis to be submitted to Congress in order to ensure that any attempt to move federal agencies is appropriately analyzed to guarantee it is in the best interest of the taxpayer and the agency’s mission.

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Wasserman Schultz Stands With TPS Recipients, Advocates to Call on Supreme Court to Defend TPS

Plantation, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), joined Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and immigration advocates to call on the U.S. Supreme Court to defend TPS after the court heard arguments in Miot v. Trump, a consolidated case challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of TPS for Haiti and Syria. This case also has significant implications for 1.3 million TPS holders of several nationalities across the country.

Watch the full press conference here.

“TPS holders earn work permits, pay taxes, and get zero government welfare. They pay into Medicare and Social Security and get nothing in return,” said Wasserman Schultz. “It does nobody any good to take good people out of the workforce, people who just came here to make a better life for their families.”

“These are families who are contributing to our workforce, caring for our elderly, supporting our local economies, and raising the next generation of Americans,” said Denise Brown, CEO of LifeNet4Families. “The question before us is simple: Do we continue to leave these families in limbo, or do we recognize their humanity, their contributions, and their right to stability?”

“Venezuelans have been living under the consequences of a decision from the Trump Administration that was abrupt, political, and disconnected from reality,” said Adelys Ferro, Venezuelan American Caucus Executive Director. “A decision that ignored a humanitarian crisis that has lasted over a decade. A decision that ignored the fact that Venezuela remains under a dictatorship where repression, corruption, persecution, and fear are still very much in place.”

“This Administration professes to uphold the rule of law. Few people symbolize respect for the rule of law more than TPS beneficiaries. Those who have been on TPS since 2010, it’s akin to being on probation for fifteen years and never violating it,” said Frandley Julien, an immigration attorney. “So those people, when you think of them, are law-abiding citizens. We cannot let the Administration commit such injustice against hard-working, law-abiding citizens.”

“Everything that I’ve known – all of my family, all of my relations – are in the United States,” said Nora Massenat, a Haitian TPS recipient. “I don’t want to end up uprooting all of the relationships and all of the things that I’ve built in the United States – that I’ve come to know and to love – to move to a country that is unsafe and uncertain, where I don’t have my family there.”

Wasserman Schultz led more than 180 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of the plaintiffs in this case. The brief urges the Court to preserve TPS protections, emphasizing the bipartisan support for TPS and the immense public interest served by TPS holders in Florida and across the United States. The brief also highlights how the TPS statute was intended to provide a safe haven for those who are fleeing violence abroad. The full amicus brief can be found here.

Wasserman Schultz is a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 and has led several previous amicus briefs in support of Venezuelan and Haitian TPS recipients. She has also signed discharge petitions to force a vote on restoring TPS for Venezuelans and for Haitians, the latter of which, led by Rep. Pressley, secured the requisite 218 signatures and passed the House of Representatives.


Wittman Convenes Defense Leaders to Accelerate Military Capability and Strengthen Industrial Base

Williamsburg, VA – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) convened senior defense leaders and industry executives alongside Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, Michael Duffey, for a roundtable discussion focused on Virginia’s role in America’s defense, strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base, and accelerating the delivery of critical capabilities to the warfighter.

The discussion brought together leaders from across the defense ecosystem, including shipbuilding, advanced weapons systems, autonomy, and defense services, to address key challenges facing the nation’s military readiness.

Participants highlighted several urgent priorities, including:

Expanding production capacity to meet growing demand

Accelerating acquisition timelines to keep pace with evolving threats

Improving the transition of emerging technologies into operational use

Strengthening workforce and supply chain resilience

“What we heard today was clear: America has the innovation and industrial strength to lead, but our processes and bureaucracy continue to hamper progress,” said Rep. Wittman. “Ensuring our warfighters have the capabilities they need requires a stronger, more responsive industrial base and a procurement system that can keep pace with evolving threats. The greatest risk is not a lack of capability — it is the pace at which we deliver it. I will continue working with the Department of War and our industry partners to remove barriers and deliver results.”

Under Secretary Duffey emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Department of War and industry partners to improve acquisition outcomes and ensure timely delivery of capabilities.

The discussion underscored broad alignment among participants that speed, scale, and innovation must be prioritized to maintain U.S. military advantage in an increasingly complex global environment.

Congressman Wittman will continue to work with Department of War leadership and industry stakeholders to advance policies that strengthen the defense industrial base, improve the efficiency of the acquisition process, and leverage the contributions of Virginia to our nation’s defense. In fiscal year 2024 alone, defense spending accounted for 10% of Virginia’s GDP, the second highest of any state in the nation.

Participating Organizations Included:


From the Front: May 1, 2026

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From the Front: May 1, 2026
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Baldwin, Sullivan Urge Trump Admin to Implement Law They Wrote to Increase Support for Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) urged the Trump Administration to quickly implement their Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, bipartisan legislation that was signed into law in 2025 to support County Veterans Service Officers (CVSO). CVSOs are the community-based employees who work directly with veterans to inform them of eligibility for Veterans Affairs (VA) programs and services, file pension and compensation claims, and help them enroll in job, housing, disability, and education benefits. On Thursday, Senator Baldwin also questioned VA Secretary Doug Collins during a Senate hearing, securing commitments on funding for this program and VA’s timeline for implementation.

“The clear intent of the law is to empower local agencies with the funding and training necessary to meet rising demand, as well as increase the number of CVSOs to meet the needs of our veterans and ensure they have access to all of their earned benefits,” wrote Baldwin and Sullivan in a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins. “At the same time, $2 million has been made available for Fiscal Year 2026. It is imperative that the Department of Veterans Affairs move this process forward quickly and make funding available as soon as possible.”

Out of the estimated 19 million veterans in the United States, only a small fraction are aware of and utilize the care and benefits they have earned from the VA. CVSOs are local county employees who are nationally accredited by the VA and are often the first to inform veterans about their eligibility for VA programs and services. They also help enroll veterans into the Veterans Health Administration and provide assistance on a range of benefits, including service-connected disability compensation, VA home loans, education benefits, and job placement assistance.

Baldwin and Sullivan’s?Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act?authorized $10 million each for Fiscal Year 2026 and Fiscal Year 2027 to expand and support CVSOs or similar local entities. The VA will award competitive grants to states in order to improve outreach to veterans and enhance the ability of states to develop and submit claims on behalf of veterans, and increase the number of county and tribal service officers serving in the state by hiring new officers.

By increasing the number of CVSOs, states will be better able to leverage their local and federal resources to serve our veterans.

“Timely action will not only honor our commitment to those who wore the uniform but also help advance the broader goals of improving access and ensuring that every veteran, regardless of ZIP code, can get the care and benefits they deserve,” wrote Baldwin and Sullivan.

A full version of this letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Collins,

We write to urge the Department of Veterans Affairs to act without delay to fully implement the County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) grant program, carried out through the Dole State and Tribal Outreach Grant Program as authorized by the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act and Section 302 of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.

CVSOs are often the first point of contact for veterans and their families seeking assistance with accessing benefits, health care, and other critical services. They play an essential role in ensuring that no veteran is left behind simply because they live in an underserved county or rural community.

Congress passed our bipartisan Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act as part of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (P.L. 118-210) to provide targeted resources to states and tribes to strengthen this network of CVSOs and address shortcomings that too often prevent veterans from securing the support they have earned through their service. The clear intent of the law is to empower local agencies with the funding and training necessary to meet rising demand, as well as increase the number of CVSOs to meet the needs of our veterans and ensure they have access to all of their earned benefits.

At the same time, $2 million has been made available for Fiscal Year 2026. It is imperative that the Department of Veterans Affairs move this process forward quickly and make funding available as soon as possible.

Timely action will not only honor our commitment to those who wore the uniform but also help advance the broader goals of improving access and ensuring that every veteran, regardless of ZIP code, can get the care and benefits they deserve.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to working together to fulfill our shared responsibility to those who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation.

Sincerely,

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Bennet, Grassley, Colleagues Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Rural Hospital Program

Rural Community Hospital Demonstration provides lifeline to rural communities

Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reauthorization Act to extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) program for another five years. RCHD provides a lifeline to rural hospitals by allowing them to test innovative hospital payment models under Medicare that boost financial sustainability to maintain and improve health care access in rural communities.

Currently, there are four Colorado hospitals participating in RCHD: Delta Health, Valley View Medical Center, Montrose Regional Health, and San Luis Valley Health.

“Rural hospitals are the lifeline of rural communities. They keep families healthy, support local economies, and make it possible for people to live and work in rural Colorado,” said Bennet. “At a time when many rural hospitals are already under significant financial strain, extending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program is critical to maintaining access to care. If Congress fails to extend this program, hospitals not only lose a vital source of funding, but rural Coloradans could face longer drives, delayed care, and fewer options close to home. I’ve heard directly from rural hospitals across Colorado about what’s at stake, and I’ll keep fighting to protect health care access for every Coloradan.”

“The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program gives rural hospitals a better shot at keeping their doors open to provide care for the community. With a proven track record of more than two decades, this program gives eligible hospitals financial stability to keep healthcare close to home for Iowans. While there’s more to be done, our Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reauthorization Act is a key step to provide continued support for rural health care in America,” Grassley said.

The RCHD is specifically designed to boost the viability of rural hospitals. RCHD has helped more than 50 rural hospitals keep their doors open for acute inpatient care close to home.

The most recent performance data found that new RCHD hospitals significantly improved their Medicare margins and had higher capital investments, resulting in stronger financial conditions and helping with staff retention. Participating hospitals are mostly paid using a reasonable cost-based methodology instead of the inpatient prospective payment system. Today, all 30 spots are being used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

“We appreciate Senator Bennet’s leadership in supporting policies that recognize the challenges facing rural hospitals. The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program provides a practical, proven approach to sustaining access to care by aligning Medicare payment with the real costs of providing services in rural communities. This program is about keeping care local, to ensure Colorado residents can receive timely, high-quality care, close to home,” said Jeff Tieman, Colorado Hospital Association’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

“Montrose Regional Health is proud to support Senator Bennet’s leadership in advancing a five-year extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program. This program is critical to sustaining access to high-quality care in rural communities like ours. It provides the stability and flexibility needed to navigate the unique financial and operational challenges we face, while continuing to invest in services that keep care close to home. We appreciate Senator Bennet’s ongoing commitment to strengthening rural healthcare across Colorado,” said Jeff Mengenhausen, Montrose Regional Health’s Chief Executive Officer

“As a rural health system serving the San Luis Valley, we are already seeing the benefits of participating in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program,” said Konnie Martin, San Luis Valley Health’s Chief Executive Officer. “This program is helping us strengthen our financial footing and bring in the resources we need to preserve critical services for our community. As the only provider of Level III trauma and obstetric care within a 120-mile radius, our ability to remain open and fully operational is essential. The care we provide is not only vital to the health of our region, but also to its economic stability as the largest employer in the San Luis Valley. Senator Bennet’s legislation to extend this program will help ensure rural hospitals like ours can continue to serve our communities for years to come.”

“Rural hospitals like Delta Health operate on incredibly thin margins while serving vulnerable patient populations across Delta County,” said Nick Colleran, Delta Health’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. “The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program has been a lifeline for our rural hospital, providing the stable, predictable reimbursement we need to keep our doors open and continue delivering essential services, such as oncology care, to our community. At a time when we are facing mounting financial challenges such as our 2025 Medicare loss on charges of $45,161,765.00, as well the loss of critical resources and increasing administrative burdens, this program offers real, immediate support – not theoretical funding. Senator Bennet’s legislation to extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program is exactly the kind of commonsense solution rural providers need. It will help ensure that hospitals like Delta Health can continue to care for patients in the Western Slope for the next 100 years.”

“Valley View has participated in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program since 2017. The program has provided crucial support that allows Medicare patients to receive high quality care close to home. Continued participation in the program is essential to preserving critical services, maintaining staffing stability, and ensuring that rural Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive high quality care in their own communities. Without this support, access to vital inpatient, specialty, and outreach services would be at risk for the residents who rely on us most,” said Brian Murphy, Valley View Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Many rural hospitals face financial uncertainty from low patient volumes, sicker patient populations, a challenging payer mix, geographic isolation, and shifts in care delivery. The Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act allows hospitals to continue providing essential care in their communities by supporting the financial stability of participating rural hospitals. Hospitals with 50 beds or less are some of the most vulnerable to closure and the RCH demo offers an important model to maintain access in rural communities around the country. The AHA thanks Senator Grassley and Senator Bennet for their strong leadership to support America’s rural hospitals,” said Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, American Hospital Association’s Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Political Affairs.

“The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is grateful to see the introduction of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) Reauthorization Act, led by Senator Grassley and Senator Bennet. This bill would provide a 5-year extension of the RCHD Program, which offers much-needed support for small rural hospitals through enhanced Medicare reimbursement. The RCHD Program has demonstrated improvement in Medicare inpatient margins for participating rural hospitals and has been crucial in helping rural hospital leaders maintain rural hospital viability,” said Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association.

Bennet remains committed to ensuring that Coloradans in rural areas have access to the best health care available. In March, Bennet joined U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to introduce the Rural Hospital Revitalization Act, which would provide zero-interest loans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Community Facilities Program to qualifying hospitals for new construction or renovation of existing hospital facilities. In February, Bennet celebrated the passage of six of his health care bills: the Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act, REAL Health Providers Act, Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, Give Kids a Chance Act, PREEMIE Act Reauthorization, and Prescription Drug Supply Chain Pricing Transparency Act.

In November 2025, Bennet joined Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in designating November 20, 2025, as National Rural Health Day. In July 2025, Bennet and Barrasso introduced the Accelerating the Development of Advanced Psychology Trainees Act, bipartisan legislation to increase access and coverage to behavioral, psychological, and mental health services in rural areas. In April 2025, Bennet and Representative Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) held a roundtable discussion with rural health providers on the Western Slope to discuss challenges to providing high-quality care in Colorado’s rural communities.

Bennet has also been a longtime champion for the RCHD program, having led the most recent reauthorization. In May 2020, Bennet joined U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) to introduce legislation to extend the RCHD Program for an additional five years, ensuring these essential hospitals do not face further budget instability during such challenging times.

In addition to Grassley and Bennet, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), as well as Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Angus King (I-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) cosponsored this legislation.

The text of the bill is available HERE.

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