Warnock Statement on Plans to Reduce Services at Fort Gordon’s Army Medical Center

According to reporting by WRDW, the Defense Health Agency confirmed its intent to transition Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon in Augusta to an ambulatory care center

The proposed plan would end inpatient care and turn the emergency room into an urgent care facility

Atlanta, GA – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on the proposal to reduce medical services at Fort Gordon’s Eisenhower Army Medical Center.

“I’m deeply troubled by the proposed cuts in services at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center. Fort Gordon military personnel and their families deserve comprehensive care options, not just urgent care.

“Augusta’s already-strained civilian health care system is not equipped to handle the influx of military personnel.

“I’m pushing Defense Health Agency Director Vice Adm. Darin K. Via and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to rethink this decision and reverse course. At minimum, the Defense Health Agency should delay this decision until there is a full plan in place to take care of our military heroes and their families.

“I’m continuing to stay in contact with impacted Augustans as I work to reverse or mitigate the consequences of this shortsighted decision.”

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Merkley, Wyden Introduce New Bill to Block Sale of Federal Public Lands

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they introduced the Public Lands Integrity Act, new legislation to ensure that America’s public lands cannot be sold as part of a fast-tracked process in a budget reconciliation bill.

During consideration of the Republicans’ “Big, Ugly Betrayal” budget reconciliation bill that passed in July 2025 on a party-line simple majority vote, Senate Republicans nearly passed a provision to sell one to three million acres of federal public lands to generate revenue all to fund Republicans’ tax cuts for billionaires. Merkley and Wyden worked to build strong bipartisan opposition alongside lawmakers, states, counties, and sportsmen’s groups across the West. The Senate ultimately abandoned the provision. Today, under current rules, any senator could propose expedited public land sales in a future budget reconciliation bill, and the Public Lands Integrity Act would eliminate that option.

“Oregonians and folks across America are united with a clear message—our public lands are not for sale,” said Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee. “These beloved natural treasures belong to all of us, contributing to the spirit and economies of communities all over the United States. As Republicans attempt to rip away public lands from public use, I will fight like hell to protect and preserve our public lands for generations to come.”

“Republicans have proved they will stop at nothing to sell off our country’s public lands to the highest bidder,” said Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. “This bill would help keep public lands in public hands by closing arcane loopholes that allow Republicans to carry out their fantasies of selling our beloved forests and lands off to billionaires.”

America’s public lands are owned by the public and managed to provide public benefits in perpetuity. This legislation would prevent the sale of federal public lands through expedited Senate procedures under the budget reconciliation process by amending the Congressional Budget Act’s (CBA) “Byrd Rule.”

The reconciliation process – established under the CBA – allows legislation affecting revenue and spending to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote. To prevent the inclusion of unrelated policy, Congress amended the CBA to include the “Byrd Rule,” which makes “extraneous” provisions subject to a point of order and a 3/5th majority vote. The Public Lands Integrity Act would define provisions resulting in the sale, transfer, or disposal of federal public lands as extraneous, making it significantly harder to permanently dispose of public lands that provide long-term benefits to the American people.

Specifically, the Public Lands Integrity Act would:

Designate any reconciliation provision resulting in the sale or disposal of federal public lands as “extraneous” under the “Byrd Rule”;

Allow any Senator to raise a “Byrd Rule” point of order against the sale of federal public lands in a reconciliation bill; and

Ensure that decisions about the future of federal public lands are debated through regular legislative order, rather than rushed through expedited and typically partisan budget procedures.

“From the iconic vistas at Crater Lake National Park to the fossil record preserved in the John Day Fossil Beds, Oregonians are proud of the national parks that protect our shared heritage. The wildlife, clean water, and ancient forests that define these places don’t stop at park boundaries–they depend on the public lands that surround and sustain them. Decisions about these shared landscapes must not be rushed through a fast-tracked process that cuts out community voices. These public lands belong to all of us, and we deserve transparent, accountable and publicly-grounded decision-making, and the Public Lands Integrity Act would ensure just that,” said Colin Deverell, Northwest Region Acting Regional Director, National Parks Conservation Association.

"The Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers thanks Senator Merkley for his leadership on the Public Lands Integrity Act. Oregon’s hunters and anglers know that public lands are more than just green, yellow and blue polygons on a map — they are the places that sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations and connect Oregon families to our state’s wild lands and waters not as passive observers, but as active participants. This bill helps ensure that decisions about the future of America’s public lands, OUR public lands, are made openly and deliberately, not rushed through in a fast-tracked budget reconciliation process,” said Ian Isaacson, Co-Chair, Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

“Friends of the Owyhee supports the Public Lands Integrity Act because public lands should not be sold, transferred, or disposed of through rushed budget procedures. These lands are working landscapes, wildlife habitat, grazing country, recreation areas, cultural landscapes, and part of the backbone of rural communities like ours in Malheur County,” said Tim Davis, Founder and Executive Director Friends of the Owyhee. “The future of America's public lands deserves daylight, public debate, and regular legislative order. This legislation helps ensure public land sell-off proposals cannot be buried inside fast-tracked budget bills without proper scrutiny. We strongly support this safeguard.”

“Oregon's high desert is home to some of the most iconic landscapes in the West, including the John Day River, Owyhee Canyonlands and Steens Mountain. Millions of acres spanning hundreds of miles provide unparallelled habitat for wildlife, stunning natural beauty and expansive recreational opportunities, fueling local economies and sustaining Indigenous communities who have lived in the area since time immemorial. We applaud Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for co-sponsoring the Public Lands Integrity Act to ensure that public lands remain in public ownership for the benefit of all Americans for generations to come,” said Ryan Houston, Executive Director, Oregon Natural Desert Association.

“Public lands are part of the heritage and economy of rural communities like Polk County. Decisions about permanently selling those lands deserve full public debate and transparency, not a rushed budget process. Once public lands are sold, they are very difficult to get back,” said Jeremey Gordon, Polk County Commissioner.

“In Central Oregon, our public lands are central to our identity. Public lands are beloved across America and across party lines and should never be sold off in pursuit of partisan objectives. As land use advocates, our organization strongly supports the Public Lands Integrity Act,” said Ben Gordon, Executive Director, Central Oregon LandWatch.

Public lands are a generational legacy for all Americans – an American birthright - and are part of our identity, culture, and rural economies. Once they are sold and in private hands, they're gone forever. Our public lands provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and abundant opportunities for recreation, fishing, hunting, and solitude for every American, and they are the ancestral homes of our indigenous people. Our system of public lands is the envy of countries across the globe - we owe it to ourselves and future generations to ensure these lands remain in public hands,” said Jana Johnson, Executive Director, Deschutes Trails Coalition.

“Public lands are the heart and soul of Oregon. They provide all of us, regardless of status or wealth, with the opportunity to escape the pressures of modern life and be awed by Mount Hood's majesty, thrilled by the Wild Rogue's roaring whitewater, and to find peace and beauty among towering old-growth forests and rugged desert canyons. The Public Lands Integrity Act is an important step forward in preserving America's natural treasures for everyone, forever,” said Steve Pedery, Conservation Director, Oregon Wild.

"I am grateful that Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are cosponsoring the Public Lands Integrity Act to protect America's public lands from short sales to fund budget ‘crises’ caused by the current or future administrations,” said Mary Faith Bell, Tillamook County Commissioner. “America's public lands, meant to be held in trust for the benefit of the people in perpetuity, are our collective treasures, and they should be fiercely protected for generations to come."

“Our public lands are exactly that: public, owned by all of us for the benefit of Oregonians, Tribes, and every species living in every ecosystem. These lands are not for private or partisan profit. We at Sierra Club thank and applaud Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for once again fighting to protect the lands that make Oregon the unique and wonderful place we call home,” said Damon Motz-Storey, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Oregon

“Selling off public lands to the highest bidder is a terrible idea, and we are pleased to see Senator Merkley co-sponsor the Public Lands Integrity Act, alongside Senator Wyden. Oregon's Senators have been champions for public land conservation and stewardship, and this bill would ensure that Congress makes decisions about public lands in regular order, and not through some expedited budget procedure,” said Michael Dotson, Director, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center.

“Public lands are the crown jewel of America and provide habitat for critically imperiled species, clean water for communities, and unparalleled recreation opportunities that drive local economies. Senators Wyden and Merkley’s Public Lands Integrity Act must be supported to ensure Congress can’t fast track the privatization of our commons to the land barons who seek to maximize profits over all else,” said Josh Laughlin, Executive Director, Cascadia Wildlands.

"A proposed provision in H.R. 1 (AKA the "One Big Beautiful Bill") left 22,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service lands within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, including beloved places like Dog Mountain and Eagle Creek, vulnerable to sale. Protecting our public lands is at the heart of what Friends does. The Public Lands Integrity Act is a much-needed solution to protect our federal lands from being sold off for political purposes,” said Gabe Sheoships, Executive Director, Friends of the Columbia Gorge.

“Our national parks and public lands reflect our shared history and values. Americans love our 433 national parks, from Gettysburg and the Statue of Liberty to Rocky Mountain and Crater Lake. And for more than a century, Congress has upheld a promise to protect them. We commend Senators Wyden, Merkley, Bennet, and Heinrich for standing up for that promise. America’s legacy isn’t for sale, and the Public Lands Integrity Act would help ensure these places are protected and preserved as they deserve to be,” said Tucker Johnson, Associate Director of Government Affairs for National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).

“America’s public lands provide enduring benefits for people and nature, supporting healthy communities, outdoor economies, and wildlife habitat. This proposal helps ensure these lands — held in trust for all Americans — aren’t sold off through rushed budget maneuvers,” said Tom Cors, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs, The Nature Conservancy.

The Public Lands Integrity Act was led by Colorado’s U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and also cosponsored by New Mexico’s U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich. The text of the bill is available by clicking HERE. A summary of the bill is available by clicking HERE. Letters of support for the legislation can be found by clicking HERE.

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Young, Colleagues Urge SCOTUS to Protect Women and Babies from Dangerous Abortion Drugs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined over 100 colleagues in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Louisiana’s lawsuit to protect women and their unborn children from dangerous mail-order chemical abortion drugs. The brief argues mifepristone’s in-person dispensing requirement must be reinstated.

“I’m proud to join with my Congressional colleagues in filing this amicus brief in the Supreme Court in support of protecting women and children from dangerous mail-order chemical abortion drugs,” said Senator Young.

The brief is supported by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rand Paul, M.D. (R-Ky.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala). U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) also joined the brief.

In October 2025, Louisiana and Rosalie Markezich, a victim of Democrats’ harmful decision to remove the in-person dispensing requirement for dangerous chemical abortion drugs, filed a lawsuit to overturn the illegal policy. Because of President Biden’s policy, Rosalie’s boyfriend was able to order chemical abortion pills online from an abortionist in California and coerced her to take the drug to kill her unborn child. The Republican lawmakers argue that the Biden Administration violated federal law by removing the in-person dispensing requirement, and that these protections should be reinstated.

Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit sided with Louisiana, issuing an order that put the in-person dispensing requirement back into place while the litigation continued. The amicus brief asks the Supreme Court to uphold the Fifth Circuit’s decision.

“We’re deeply grateful to pro-life champions Senator Bill Cassidy and Representative Chris Smith for leading this amicus brief in support of Louisiana and courageous survivor Rosalie Markezich against the FDA’s reckless mail-order abortion policy,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “The FDA’s decision to side with the abortion industry and allow dangerous abortion drugs to be shipped nationwide without an in-person doctor’s visit is unacceptable. This policy kills countless unborn children, enables coercion and abuse, and gravely endangers women and girls, while the FDA callously ignores the well-documented harms that states and survivors have warned about for years. We are thankful for the members of Congress fiercely supporting pro-life states like Louisiana and survivors who are seeking justice in court.”

“The abortion pill has killed over seven million preborn American children since it was approved by the FDA. Mifepristone is designed to end the life of a living child in the womb, and the consequences have been devastating for women as well,” said Lila Rose, Founder & President, Live Action. “There are horrifying cases of women being deceived, coerced, and drugged with abortion pills against their will. Catherine Pressly Herring’s husband secretly put abortion drugs into her drink in an attempt to kill their preborn baby and was sentenced to prison. America should never allow dangerous abortion drugs to be mailed into homes and abusive relationships. The Supreme Court must act quickly to affirm the fifth circuit ruling and end mail-order abortions.”

“National Right to Life stands with the State of Louisiana in defending women and girls from the dangers of mail-order abortion drugs and the Biden FDA’s unlawful removal of critical safety protections,” said Carol Tobias, President, National Right to Life. “Under the Biden administration, the FDA abandoned its responsibility to safeguard women’s health by eliminating the in-person dispensing requirement despite insufficient evidence that mail-order chemical abortions are safe. Women are now placed at greater risk of undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies, coercion, dangerous and potentially deadly complications, as well as delayed emergency care. National Right to Life joins Chairman Cassidy and members of Congress in support of Louisiana’s effort to restore accountability, uphold the rule of law, and protect women from the serious harms associated with chemical abortion drugs.”


Press Releases

Rep. Aguilar Highlights Efforts to Combat Mailbox Theft and Vandalism in the Inland Empire

Rep. Aguilar is working to pass legislation to better protect victims of mail theft and strengthen protections for mail carriers

REDLANDS, CA – Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) held a press conference in front of the Redlands Post Office to highlight his efforts to combat mailbox theft and vandalism, protect mail carriers and improve public safety in the Inland Empire.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Aguilar secured changes to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Financial Services and General Government funding (FSGG) bill, urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) to respond to mailbox theft and vandalism more quickly and strengthen protections for consumers. Passing through committee with bipartisan support, these changes urge USPS to notify victims of mail theft sooner so they can take immediate steps to protect their finances and personal information.

Additionally, as a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Protect Our Letter Carriers Act, Rep. Aguilar is working to strengthen protections for postal workers so they can do their jobs without fear of robbery or assault while delivering mail. You can watch the full video of the press conference here.

“Whether you live in an apartment building or a house, people in the Inland Empire deserve to receive their letters and packages safely and on time,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “I’ve heard from countless constituents, law enforcement and mail carriers about their frustrations with mail theft and the risks it poses to our community. That’s why I pushed for bipartisan changes in a recent funding bill to urge the Postal Service to respond faster to these problems and why I’m proud to support legislation to make it safer for mail carriers to do their jobs. I’ll keep fighting for these policies until they become law so everyone in our region can send, receive and deliver mail securely and without delay.”

“Residents can help prevent theft by retrieving mail daily and as soon as possible after delivery, since mail left unattended creates greater opportunities for theft,” said Chief Rachel Tolber, Redlands Police Department. “If you are traveling or away from home, consider placing a temporary mail hold through the United States Postal Service so your mail can be securely held until your return. And if you become the victim of mail theft, report it to your local police department as soon as possible. Timely reporting helps law enforcement identify patterns, connect related crimes, investigate and alert the community when necessary. Preventing mail theft requires a strong partnership between local police, the United States Postal Service, legislators, and the community. Awareness, prevention, and timely reporting remain some of the most effective tools we have to combat these crimes.”


Ansari, Suozzi Introduce Legislation to Provide Relief to Iranians Impacted by Trump Administration USCIS Pause

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), the first Iranian-American Democrat in Congress, along with Representative Tom Suozzi (NY-03) introduced the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act. This legislation would provide temporary immigration protections for certain eligible Iranians already in the United States who are at risk of losing legal status by granting Temporary Protected Status and work authorization while USCIS adjudications remain paused.

“No one who has followed U.S. immigration law should lose their legal status or livelihood because the Trump Administration refuses to process their case,” said Rep. Ansari. “Creating deliberate processing delays for lawfully present individuals who have complied with every requirement is unjust. I’m introducing my Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act to protect Iranian immigrants who are already here legally and are contributing to our communities and economy, and would face serious danger if forced to return while ongoing conflict and repression persist in Iran.”

“People who followed the law, passed background checks, and built lives contributing to our economy and communities should not lose their legal status because of bureaucratic delays and political turmoil beyond their control,” said Rep. Suozzi. “As the war continues and the Iranian regime intensifies its brutal repression of its own people, forcing lawfully present Iranian nationals back into the hands of the very regime they fled is both cruel and counterproductive. This narrowly tailored, temporary, and carefully vetted legislation protects individuals who played by the rules, strengthens our economy by retaining talented and highly skilled contributors, and prevents civilians from paying the price for administrative backlog.”

Key Provisions of the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act:

Provide Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to eligible Iranian nationals already present in the United States

Grant work authorization to prevent economic hardship and workforce disruption

Maintain lawful presence for individuals impacted by the USCIS adjudication pause while their immigration matters remain pending

Exclude individuals connected to the Islamic Republic and their family members

Ansari and Suozzi’s legislation is endorsed by PAAIA; Iranian American Legal Defense Fund; and Pars Equality Center.

“PAAIA is proud to support the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act, a narrow and pragmatic measure that protects Iranian nationals who are already legally present in the United States and have complied with our immigration laws. At a time when many cannot safely return to Iran due to ongoing conflict and repression, this bill provides temporary relief to vetted individuals with no criminal backgrounds who are contributing to the United States as students, scientists, engineers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and other skilled professionals. Importantly, the legislation includes strong safeguards to ensure that individuals connected to or benefiting from the Iranian regime are not eligible for relief,” said the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA).

“The adjudication pause has had devastating consequences to the Iranian American community and American society at large. Behind every case number caught in the adjudication pause is a person whose life has been placed in limbo — a student, a professional, a parent, a spouse, a neighbor — someone who came to this country, followed the rules, and built a future worth protecting. It also deprives America of talented researchers, scholars, and professionals who drive innovation and economic progress. That human reality is impossible to ignore: professionals, students, and families now risk losing their work authorization, their legal footing, and years of hard-earned progress, through no fault of their own. Congresswoman Ansari’s legislation offers a necessary lifeline to alleviate the human consequences of this shortsighted policy. We applaud her and other sponsors of the legislation,” said the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund.

“The USCIS adjudication pause has created devastating uncertainty for Iranian nationals who complied with every aspect of U.S. immigration law and now face the loss of lawful status, employment authorization, and stability through no fault of their own. The Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act provides a narrowly tailored, commonsense solution that protects individuals who followed the law and strengthens our economy by retaining highly skilled talent. Pars Equality Center proudly supports this important legislation,” said Paris Etemadi Scott, Legal Director at Pars Equality Center.

Text of legislation HERE.

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Rep. Austin Scott Leads House Letter Urging Action on Mexican Specialty Crop Imports Ahead of USMCA Review

Washington, D.C— Today, U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) led a bipartisan group of 79 members of the U.S. House of Representatives in sending a letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer to emphasize the importance of fair-trade measures for the U.S. specialty crop industry.

“America’s growers and producers are the best in the world. Current Mexican trade practices have flooded our markets with products that are held to a lower production standard than those produced here by American farmers. The USMCA review process gives us an opportunity to reaffirm and recommit our support for domestic agriculture and the American farmer by forcing Mexico to play by the same rules if they want to import to the United States,” said Rep. Scott.

The letter urges the Administration to address the urgent crisis as unfairly traded imports from Mexico continue to undercut U.S. growers and creates a significant competitive disadvantage for American producers. The letter calls for improved trade measures, as part of the 2026 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review process, that protect the long-term viability of America’s fruit, vegetable, and certain tree nut industries, and ensure continued access to domestically grown food.

In the letter, the Members write: "Without measures to restore competitive balance, specialty crop production will increasingly move to foreign countries. We urge you to evaluate trade actions that can safeguard U.S. growers from unfair pressures from Mexico. This work is essential to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the specialty crop sector and to ensuring Americans continue to have access to high-quality, domestically grown food—an issue fundamental to our national security.”

Read the full letter here.

The following state, regional, and national organizations have endorsed the letter:

American Farm Bureau Federation

Alabama Farmers Federation

California Table Grape Commission

Florida Blueberry Growers Association

Florida Farm Bureau Federation

Florida Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Florida Tomato Exchange

Georgia Agribusiness Council

Georgia Berry Exchange

Georgia Blueberry Commission

Georgia Farm Bureau

Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Georgia Pecan Growers Association

Georgia Watermelon Association

Michigan Asparagus

Michigan Vegetable Council

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation

National Onion Association

National Pecan Federation

North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission

Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association

South Carolina Small Fruit Association

Southeastern Pecan Growers Association

Texas Pecan Growers Association

Vidalia Onion Business Council

Washington Red Raspberry Commission


Bacon, Raskin and Dexter Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Pension Payments for NOAA Corps, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

“NOAA Corps and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers serve our nation in moments of crisis, from hurricane response and environmental disasters to disease outbreaks at home and overseas,” said Rep. Bacon. “These uniformed officers have answered the call in national emergencies and times of war, and they deserve a retirement structure that recognizes that service. I’m pleased to co-lead the bipartisan Pensions for Uniformed Services Retirees Act with Rep. Raskin to ensure all members of the uniformed services are treated fairly.”

“NOAA Corps officers and USPHS Commissioned Corps officers have made immeasurable sacrifices for the health and safety of our people over decades of public service,” said Rep. Raskin. “Our bipartisan legislation will mean these patriots will get the pensions they earned so they don’t go hungry or struggle to pay their rent or mortgage during a government shutdown.”

“The Commissioned Officers Association is pleased to endorse this important legislation, which would provide a stable and reliable financial foundation for retirement pay for members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps,” said CAPT. Jacqueline Rychnovsky, USN (Ret.), Executive Director of the Commissioned Officers Association of the United States Public Health Service. “Transitioning from annual discretionary appropriations to the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund — which currently supports retirement pay for the other six uniformed services — would help ensure that USPHS and NOAA Corps retirees are never again at risk of missing a paycheck during a government shutdown.”

“All who serve our nation in uniform have earned their benefits, to include consistent and reliable retirement payments," said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret.), President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America. "MOAA strongly supports this legislation, which takes an important step toward ensuring parity across all uniformed services by aligning retirement funding for the USPHS and NOAA commissioned officer retirees with the existing Military Retirement Fund.”

Established upon the outbreak of World War I, NOAA Corps Officers command ships and aircraft and support emergency response efforts, including hurricane response and oil spill mitigation. They lead a fleet of vessels and aircraft used for everything from deep ocean research to flying into hurricanes, and they can be brought into the armed services whenever the President requires their expertise.

The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was established in 1889 to root out smallpox and yellow fever and is now the largest public health program in the world. Driven by a passion for public service, the Commissioned Corps officers respond to public health crises and national emergencies such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and terrorist attacks, both at home and overseas.

The Pensions for Retired Uniformed Servicemembers Act is endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America and the Commissioned Officers Association.

Read the full legislation here.


Beyer, Bacon, Salinas Welcome Rep. Mike Kelly as New Mental Health Caucus Co-Chair

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-OR) today welcomed Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) as a new Co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus.

“As more Americans recognize the importance of addressing and supporting mental health, Congress must continue to address these critical issues as well. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues, Reps. Don Beyer, Don Bacon, and Andrea Salinas as Mental Health Caucus co-chair. Mental health isn’t a partisan issue,” said Rep. Kelly.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Congressman Mike Kelly as Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus. Mike has been a strong bipartisan partner on efforts to support youth mental health and expand investment in mental health research,” said Rep. Beyer. “His leadership will strengthen our work, and I look forward to continuing our partnership to advance meaningful legislation to build a stronger, more accessible system of care to tackle the mental health crisis.”

“We know our country faces a mental health crisis, and that means we must keep working together toward solutions,” said Rep. Bacon. “I’m pleased to welcome Rep. Kelly as a Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus as we continue advancing bipartisan efforts to improve care.”

“I am excited to welcome Congressman Mike Kelly as a fellow co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus. Congressman Kelly has worked across the aisle to ensure Americans can access the treatment they need,” said Rep. Salinas. “I look forward to working alongside him to strengthen bipartisan legislation to ensure every person can access high-quality, affordable mental healthcare.”

Kelly has worked on bipartisan efforts focused on youth mental health and mental health research. Together with Congressman Beyer, he co-leads the Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support Act, which would help schools establish student-led peer support programs to identify and respond to youth mental health challenges. Kelly also leads the Mental Health Research Accelerator Act to encourage public-private partnerships and expand investment in mental health and neurological research.

Beyer is a Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus’ Suicide Prevention Task Force and author of the bipartisan Barriers to Suicide Act, which would require the Department of Transportation to establish grants to help state and local governments fund nets and barriers that have been shown to reduce suicide on bridges and other high-risk infrastructure. Beyer also leads an annual appropriations letter on bipartisan suicide prevention programs, which supports funding for 988, and suicide prevention programs at the CDC and SAMHSA.

Bacon leads mental health initiatives focused on crisis response and veterans’ mental health, including the STOP Suicide Act to expand federal support for services for individuals in crisis and recovery. He also introduced the Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act, which would improve coordination of mental health programs for veterans and transitioning servicemembers.


Trump’s War Drives Painful Price Spikes

Inflation data released by the Trump Administration today via the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed prices surging, as inflation reached the highest levels in three years. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report found that prices rose at an annual rate of 3.8 percent in April. The increase was driven by skyrocketing fuel and gas prices amid President Trump’s unpopular war with Iran, but other items including groceries, electricity, and travel expenses also saw steep increases.

Rep. Don Beyer, Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, said:

“As the American people suffer the ill effects of higher prices inflicted on them through a foolish war they largely oppose, Republicans in Washington – who keep voting to continue that war – are preparing to spend a billion dollars in taxpayer money on a fancy golden ballroom for Donald Trump.

“This is not the leadership of American statesmen, it is the behavior of deliriously out-of-touch Ancien Régime aristocrats. And no one is more out of touch than Trump himself, who keeps insisting that the affordability crisis is a ‘hoax’ while he does all he can to make life less affordable for American families. Prices are rising at a catastrophic rate thanks to this disastrous war of choice, and Trump is alternating between bloviating to his lackeys about his ballroom and yelling at clouds in manic late night social media tantrums.

“The Constitution empowers Congress to make our country better and stronger, reflect the popular will, and rein in Executive Branch excesses. This Republican-led rubber stamp Congress is among the weakest in our history, and their surrender of power amid economic calamity and blatant presidential corruption is a national embarrassment that will be long remembered. The American people deserve better.”


SEEC Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force Slams Trump Administration Decision to Gut America’s Conservation Legacy

The Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force Reps. Doris Matsui (CA), Don Beyer (VA), and Maxine Dexter (OR) released a statement following the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) decision to formally strike down the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, or “Public Lands Rule”.

“The Department of the Interior struck down much-needed guidance for our nation’s largest land agency that laid out a balanced approach when it comes to managing 245 million acres of America’s public lands,” said the Task Force Co-Chairs. “This is a devastating attack on our public lands and the freedom for our children and future generations to explore the great outdoors. The Bureau of Land Management's Public Lands Rule reiterated the simple and straightforward concept that conservation should be equally valued alongside energy extraction and mining uses of our public lands. Yet, the Trump Administration continues to go against the wishes of the American people and tilt the scales in favor of corrupt polluters. SEEC’s Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force will continue to fight alongside the overwhelming American majority who support the responsible management and conservation of our nation’s special places.”


Congressman Blake Moore Introduces Bill to Protect Parents and Promote Childhood Independence

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Blake Moore introduced bipartisan legislation to promote childhood independence and protect parents who allow their children to play outside unsupervised, get off screens, and develop social skills.

Representatives Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC) are original co-leads of this legislation.

Today, more than ever before, children are spending time indoors, on screens, and alone rather than playing outside and socializing with other kids. This has caused increased anxiety, depression, and a lack of social skills. A culture shift in parenting has created a fear of investigation, separation, and even arrest if parents choose to allow their child to play and explore unsupervised, even though such activity is a key part of children growing into competent adults.

A study by the Institute for Family Studies found that American kids spend enormous amounts of time online with very few significant restrictions. Yet they have very strict limits on their activities in the real world. The study also found that the key factor in determining whether or not children have rich social lives with their friends is simply how much freedom parents allow them.

The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act underlines state efforts, including in Utah, to promote a freer, healthier childhood. It clarifies the definition of "neglect" to ensure parents aren't punished for allowing independent play—a critical component of childhood development. This legislation also requires a study by the Department of Health and Human Services on how states can best empower parents; pushes states to train child welfare staff; and ensures that grants to states for child abuse or neglect prevention can be used to educate child welfare staff on the importance of reasonable independence activities.

“Neighborhood games, park days, errands, and bike rides with friends defined my childhood. Now raising my own boys, it’s clear that parents are too often forgoing unstructured activities for youth in favor of indoor time on screens," Rep. Moore said. "We must restore the normalcy of outdoor exploration and protect parents who want to give their children more freedom to safely play unsupervised. While there are numerous pieces to this puzzle, we must ensure that parents aren’t acting out of fear of a child welfare report or investigation. Parents shouldn’t be judged for doing what is best for their kids; we need to make things easier on American parents, not increasingly harder. The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act ensures that reasonable unsupervised activities do not constitute child neglect and educates child welfare agencies about the salience of independent activity. It’s time we empower parents to help the next generation play outside, get off screens, and learn independence and responsibility—just like my childhood memories, the time to come home is when the neighborhood parents yell, ‘Come on home boys!’”

“In an increasingly digital world, our kids and teenagers spend less time exploring independent play and more time online,” Rep. McClellan said. "The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act will help chart a new path forward by encouraging children to participate in reasonable independent activities, promoting time outside with in-person socialization. At a pivotal time for children’s development, we must equip our next generation with the tools to thrive in adulthood.”

“The formative years of a child’s life are meant to help build skills and develop an intricate understanding of the world around them – those years are meant to be spent far from screens. Parents who seek to instill independence in their children, whether it be in routines or simple activities away from screens, deserve to do so freely and without outdated and incompatible child welfare standards threatening their parental rights. I’m proud to support the Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act that will bring back a healthy dose of common sense to child welfare in our nation,” Rep. Foxx said.

“'I’m not afraid of my kid getting kidnapped. I’m afraid of someone seeing my kid outside and calling Child Protective Services!' I hear that far too often from decent, loving parents. They’ve heard stories of parents investigated for letting their kids walk to the store, or go to the park. So they second-guess themselves even when they know their kids are ready to do some things on their own, including playing outside! Excess overprotection has been disastrous for kids’ mental health. As independence has gone down, anxiety has gone up. There’s a risk in trying to eliminate all risk. We’ve helped pass Reasonable Childhood Independence laws in 13 states, and this federal effort is an important step toward giving families the clarity and confidence they need. We’re grateful to Reps. Moore and McClellan for their leadership,” said Lenore Skenazy, President and Co-Founder, Let Grow.

“Reasonable childhood independence is important for kids to grow into self-reliant and problem-solving adults. Parents shouldn’t be punished or investigated for letting their kids play in the yard or walk to school. Eight years ago, Utah passed the country’s first law to explicitly protect families who give their children independence, and I’m glad to see Congress recognizing these state-level successes and supporting parental rights nationwide,” Utah State Senator Lincoln Fillmore said.

"Throughout the country, parents have at least one thing in common: We all want our children to be safe. However, age-appropriate independence, such as a pre-teen taking a walk around their neighborhood alone, has led to undo child welfare investigations throughout the nation. As state lawmakers, we must find a balance between protecting our kids and allowing them the independence they need to develop socially and emotionally. Here in Indiana, we passed House Enrolled Act 1035, which I co-authored, to ensure parents are shielded from unnecessary investigations simply for allowing their kids to be kids. As a mother, I know the importance of keeping a close eye on your children, but I have also seen the mental health and developmental impacts of a child not being able to connect with their peers outside of the classroom or not having age-appropriate responsibilities and freedoms. House Enrolled Act 1035, and similar legislation throughout the country, will have a meaningful impact on the lives of our children and our families, without threatening safety or the ability for authorities to step in when necessary to protect children in need,” Indiana State Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn said.

"Childhood in America is under threat, not least by legal and social norms that push parents to limit their children's autonomy and independence," said Lyman Stone, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies. "By explicitly protecting reasonable independent activities from being considered negligence, this bill helps protect parents trying to foster resilient children from excess intervention in the home."

“American children are in crisis – not because the world is more dangerous, but because we have systematically stripped them of the independence, free play, and real-world experience they need to grow into capable, resilient adults. What Rep. Moore and Rep. McClellan are doing at the federal level is the logical next step: ensuring that state child welfare plans include training and policies to prevent needless investigations, that CAPTA's definition of neglect cannot be weaponized against parents making reasonable, developmentally appropriate decisions, and that grant-funded child welfare programs actively support a culture of healthy independence rather than fear. This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that strengthens parental rights, reduces government overreach into family life, and puts children's developmental needs ahead of bureaucratic risk aversion. AFPI is proud to support it,”said Jennifer Bauwens, Director, America First Policy Institute.

“At the Child First Policy Center, we believe putting children first means empowering parents to raise resilient kids through real-world experiences, not just screens. We support the Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act. It’s time we trust families across the nation to raise capable, confident children,” said the Child First Policy Center based in Utah.

Background:

It is becoming increasingly clear that American youth are suffering from collapsing mental and physical health, in part because of screen time, and in part due to a lack of independence, responsibility, and free play. Children today experience 50% less unstructured outdoor play compared to the 1970s, as well as significant declines in in-person socialization. A 2023 study found that over the decades, as children’s independence declined, their anxiety and depression have increased.

In Illinois, a woman was cited for child neglect after allowing her 11, 9, and 5-year-old children to play in a park near their home.

In Maryland, a couple was found responsible for child neglect after allowing their 10 and 6-year-old children to play outside and walk home by themselves.

In South Carolina, a mom was arrested for allowing her 9-year-old to play at a park.

In Virginia, CPS investigated parents who allowed their children to play outside in their yard.

In Pennsylvania, a single mother was placed on the state’s child abuse registry for having a 13-year-old babysit her one-year-old.

In Georgia, a mother was arrested when her 10-year-old son took a walk.

There have been far too many arrests and registry placements with no actual abuse or harm for parents who are simply giving their children developmentally appropriate experiences to help them thrive. These cases are exacerbating an environment of increased parental fear and anxiety, and they are undermining efforts to help children get outside, socialize with other kids, and engage in physical activity. The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act is a step in the right direction toward healthier childhoods for the next generation.

Read the one-pager here.


Buchanan, Griffith Urge CMS to Protect ACOs While Cracking Down on Medicare Fraud

Write Letter to CMS Administrator Oz Praising CMS Initiatives, Calling for Stable Benchmarks

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Chair of the Health Subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee, led a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, asking him to continue strengthening Medicare program integrity while ensuring that accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other value-based care models are not unfairly harmed by fraudulent or inappropriate billing activity.

In their letter, the lawmakers praised CMS’s recent actions under the CRUSH initiative to address rapidly rising spending on products vulnerable to fraud, waste and abuse. They emphasized that ACOs have helped improve patient outcomes and reduce costs for taxpayers by promoting preventive care, chronic disease management and better care coordination.

“We appreciate CMS’s leadership and its ongoing commitment to protecting the Medicare program while advancing innovative models of care,” write Buchanan and Griffith. “We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure that program integrity efforts and accountable care initiatives work in tandem to strengthen Medicare for beneficiaries, providers and taxpayers alike.”

Buchanan and Griffith also expressed concern that unusual billing trends could distort Medicare benchmarking methodologies and create instability for providers participating in accountable care models. The lawmakers encouraged CMS to continue exploring targeted protections for ACOs impacted by high spending categories and to establish guardrails that limit the effect of inaccurate trend calculations on payment benchmarks. They argued that maintaining stable and predictable benchmarks is essential for physicians and providers who invest in care coordination and other services that improve outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries, while also supporting continued participation in innovative value-based care models.

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

Read the full letter here or below.

Dear Administrator Oz:

We write to commend the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its ongoing work to strengthen program integrity across the Medicare program. In particular, we appreciate the agency’s recent actions through the Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH) initiative and other efforts to address the rapid growth in spending on skin substitutes and other services that may be vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA). These efforts mark an important shift toward proactive fraud prevention.

As Chairmen of the Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means Health Subcommittees, we have worked for years to strengthen Medicare program integrity, protect Medicare beneficiaries and Medicare-participating health care providers, and support payment models that properly reward high-quality, efficient care.

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and other ACO and value-based models offered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI)—are helping keep Americans healthier while lowering costs for the Medicare program and taxpayers. By equipping clinicians with tools to emphasize prevention, better manage chronic conditions, and coordinate care across settings, ACOs have generated billions in savings for Medicare over the past decade. Clinicians participating in these models consistently outperform traditional fee-for-service providers on quality and cost metrics, while reinvesting shared savings into services that improve outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries.

Clinicians in ACOs are also frequently among the first to identify unusual billing patterns and sudden increases in spending across the Medicare program. We are encouraged by CMS’s recognition that certain products and services, including skin substitutes, have experienced rapid and potentially inappropriate spending growth that is negatively impacting clinicians in accountable care models. CMS’s recent announcement to remove expenditures for certain high-risk categories—such as catheters, dressings, and orthotics—will help protect clinicians from fraudulent spending that has occurred outside of their control.

Specifically, we appreciate the agency’s targeted approach within the ACO REACH model to remove a significant portion of skin substitute expenditures for performance year 2025 and the agency’s commitment to hold ACO REACH participants harmless from any associated downside risk. These actions reflect a thoughtful and responsive approach to emerging program integrity concerns and will help stabilize participation in advanced accountable care models as CMMI launches the new LEAD Model.

As CMS continues implementing these program integrity measures, we encourage ongoing consideration of how these policies intersect with accountable care benchmarks and financial methodologies. While we understand that Medicare’s truncation factor will help mitigate impacts of skin substitute expenditures for many MSSP ACOs, we are concerned that roughly 10 percent of ACOs may still experience significant impact from high spending on skin substitutes. Given that many of these ACOs treat complex and high-needs patient populations, we encourage CMS to continue exploring opportunities to support these ACOs in a targeted and programmatically consistent manner.

In addition, we note that broader spending trends influenced by unusual or inappropriate billing may continue to affect national growth factors used in accountable care model benchmarks. This includes the Accountable Care Prospective Trend (ACPT) in MSSP. We appreciate that, in the prior year, CMS reduced the weight of the ACPT in recognition of methodological concerns, and we thank the agency for acknowledging these issues and taking corrective action. As CMS evaluates lessons learned from recent program integrity actions, we encourage the agency to consider establishing prospective guardrails within ACPT to limit the impact of incorrect trend calculations. In particular, CMS should consider adopting guardrails similar to those outlined in the new LEAD Model that seeks to limit outlier cost growth and spending shocks to improve benchmark stability.

These considerations are particularly important for primary care providers and other clinicians who rely on stable benchmarks to sustain investments in care coordination, patient outreach, and other services that improve outcomes but are not traditionally reimbursed under fee-for-service Medicare. Maintaining a predictable and accurate benchmarking environment will help preserve these investments and support continued participation in accountable care models.

Lastly, we recognize the importance of timeliness and predictability in program integrity actions. As CMS continues to identify and respond to emerging FWA risks, minimizing the lag between the identification of concerning spending patterns and the implementation of corresponding policy adjustments will help reduce uncertainty for participating providers and support sustained engagement in accountable care models.

We appreciate CMS’s leadership and its ongoing commitment to protecting the Medicare program while advancing innovative models of care. We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure that program integrity efforts and accountable care initiatives work in tandem to strengthen Medicare for beneficiaries, providers, and taxpayers alike.

Thank you for your attention to these important issues.

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Budzinski and Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Permanent Year-Round E15

Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), joined by Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03), Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to urge their colleagues to support legislation allowing the year-round sale of fuel blended with 15% ethanol, commonly known as E15.

A vote is scheduled for Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives on H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, a bill co-led by Rep. Budzinski which would eliminate an outdated regulation restricting year-round sales of E15. If passed and signed into law, the measure would expand consumer fuel choices, strengthen domestic energy production, and provide greater certainty for fuel retailers and agricultural producers.

Rep. Budzinski is a leader among House Democrats in fighting for passage. In March 2024, Budzinski and Reps. Adrian Smith (NE-03), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), and Mark Pocan (WI-02) sent a letter to House Leadership requesting a legislative solution to allow the voluntary sale of E15 year-round nationwide. In December 2024, a provision codifying the year-round nationwide sale of E15 was included in the year-end Continuing Resolution, but was then stripped out at the behest of Elon Musk.

Budzinski remained engaged in discussions in 2025, which culminated in a bipartisan agreement to be included in the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations package. Ultimately, House Republican leadership decided to drop the policy from the funding bill and instead establish a Rural Energy Dominance Council, promising a vote no later than February 25. Budzinski led five of her Democratic colleagues in a letter to Speaker Johnson requesting that they be named to the Council as key bipartisan champions of the policy, but the Speaker declined and opted to move forward with a partisan task force. She also testified at an emergency hearing at the House Rules Committee, imploring leaders to bring the negotiated agreement up for a vote before the full House immediately.

In April, during the House’s consideration of the 2026 Farm Bill, Budzinski was a co-lead on an amendment to include the negotiated language into the Farm Bill. Speaker Johnson then separated the E15 effort from the Farm Bill, promising a full House vote on each policy. The Farm Bill passed, but he never called the E15 effort up for a vote.

To watch the full press conference with the members’ remarks, click HERE. Congresswoman Budzinski’s remarks as prepared for delivery are available below:

Good morning, everyone, and thank you all for being here today. First, I want to thank my Republican colleagues, Representatives Smith and Fischbach, for their leadership and partnership on this issue.

As well as my Democratic colleagues who can’t be here today, including Representatives Sharice Davids, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Eric Sorensen, Greg Landsman, and Ranking Member Angie Craig.

Thank you to the National Corn Growers Association for bringing all of us together around a cause that should unite every one of us – regardless of party or geography.

Because this is bigger than politics. This is about American farmers. It’s about American consumers. It’s about American energy.

And it’s about whether Congress is finally ready to provide the certainty our rural communities have been asking for – for far too long.

When I first came to Congress in 2023, I made a promise to the people I represent – especially farmers – that I would always look for opportunities to work across the aisle and find common ground.

I’ve worked hard to keep that promise. And nowhere has bipartisan cooperation made more sense than on E15.

E15 is one of those rare issues where everybody wins.

American farmers win because it creates strong and stable markets for homegrown corn. American consumers win because E15 helps lower prices at the pump. Our economy wins because E15 supports jobs and investment in rural America.

That’s why this issue is deeply personal to me. I represent one of the leading corn-producing regions in the United States. I’ve sat down with family farmers, ethanol producers, and small business owners across Central and Southern Illinois who all understand the same thing:

Year-round E15 works. It works for producers and it works for consumers.

Yet despite years of support, years of advocacy, and years of evidence proving its benefits, we are still relying on temporary waivers and short-term fixes to keep E15 available during the summer months.

Those waivers may get us through another season, but they do not provide certainty. Farmers cannot plan their future around temporary decisions.

Producers cannot invest with confidence when policy changes year to year. And consumers should not lose access to a cheaper fuel option simply because Washington refuses to finish the job.

We’ve been close before. In fact, it feels like every year we get right to the goal line – and every year politics, delay, or dysfunction gets in the way.

Well, today we are here to say: enough. Enough excuses. Enough kicking the can down the road.

The time for permanent, nationwide, year-round E15 is now.

The evidence is staggering. Earlier this year, USDA projected U.S. corn production for the 2025–2026 marketing year at a record-breaking 17 billion bushels.

At the very same time, USDA warned that supply is outpacing demand.

Our farmers are under growing economic pressure, and without stronger domestic markets, many producers are heading toward a crisis.

Farmers are facing rising costs, shrinking margins, and growing unpredictability – not because they are failing, but because the system is failing them.

And while our producers are struggling, American families are being squeezed. Especially at the gas pump.

Right now, the average price of gas nationwide is around $4.50 a gallon.

Families need relief. And year-round E15 is the solution.

That opportunity does not come around often. So we should seize it.

That is why today I am calling on my colleagues – Republicans and Democrats alike – to come together and finally pass permanent, year-round E15 nationwide.

Let’s deliver certainty for our growers. Let’s deliver lower costs for consumers. Let’s strengthen American energy independence.

And let’s show the American people that Congress is still capable of coming together to solve real problems.

Thank you.

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Casten, Lieu Urge DOJ to Prosecute Insider Trading on Prediction Market Platforms

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06) and Ted Lieu (CA-36) led 54 House Democrats in an effort to urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue suspected insider trading on prediction market platforms more aggressively.

“Trading on confidential, non-public information is illegal in traditional financial markets when it involves fraud, deception, or breach of duty. Failure to enforce these laws in the context of prediction markets risks creating a regulatory gap that rewards bad actors, incentivizes misconduct, and undermines confidence in the integrity of U.S. markets,” the lawmakers wrote. “...We therefore urge the DOJ to continue to take decisive action against individuals who exploit prediction markets using nonpublic information for personal gain, and to rigorously enforce corporate compliance by ensuring that platforms implement effective safeguards to detect and prevent illegal activity.”

Prediction markets have grown rapidly in scope and visibility, allowing users to wager on outcomes ranging from elections and sporting events to military actions, geopolitical developments, and major cultural events. As these markets become more prevalent, so too does the risk that individuals with access to confidential government, corporate, or event-related information may use that information for personal profit.

Recent events have underscored the need for stronger enforcement. There have been several high-profile incidents of suspected insider trading on prediction market platforms, including on both Polymarket and Kalshi. These incidents include suspiciously timed trades predicting U.S. military actions against Iran, the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, performances at major cultural events, the outcomes of congressional elections, and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

"The DOJ is poised to play an important role in addressing insider trading on prediction markets platforms, while U.S. financial regulators continue to divert their resources towards litigating against states and leave these abuses largely unaddressed," the lawmakers continued.

On April 23, 2026, the DOJ charged a U.S. servicemember with wire fraud for allegedly using classified information to make $400,000 from bets on Polymarket related to the U.S. military operation to remove Venezuela’s leader. This case highlights the significant national security, market integrity, and public trust risks posed when individuals allegedly exploit nonpublic information to trade on real-world events.

In addition to Reps. Casten and Lieu, the letter was signed by Reps. Gabe Amo, Yassamin Ansari, Joyce Beatty, Janelle Bynum, Greg Casar, Ed Case, Maxine Dexter, Bill Foster, Valerie Foushee, Laura Friedman, Jesús García, Sylvia Garcia, Dan Goldman, Adelita Grijalva, Josh Harder, Jim Himes, Steven Horsford, Jared Huffman, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, Hank Johnson, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Levin, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, Seth Magaziner, Sarah McBride, Betty McCollum, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Robert Menendez, Grace Meng, Seth Moulton, Kevin Mullin, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chris Pappas, Scott Peters, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Deborah Ross, Raul Ruiz, Andrea Salinas, Hillary Scholten, Brad Sherman, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Ritchie Torres, Juan Vargas, Bonnie Watson Coleman, George Whitesides, and Nikema Williams.

Text of the letter can be found below. A copy of the letter can be found here.

Dear Acting Attorney General Blanche:

We write to express serious concerns about potential insider trading on prediction market platforms. Federal anti-fraud and market manipulation laws apply to these platforms, just as they do to traditional financial markets. We urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to further prioritize criminal investigations and civil actions targeting abuses in prediction markets to protect U.S. financial markets, investors, and the public from fraudulent conduct.

Recent suspected violations implicate significant geopolitical, sporting, and cultural events and risk creating perverse incentives for persons with access to confidential or classified information. For example, one anonymous trader has made nearly $1 million from dozens of suspiciously timed and accurate bets on military actions the U.S. has taken against Iran. Another trader with the username “Magamyman” made more than $550,000 from placing bets that Iran’s Supreme Leader would be removed, just before his assassination. In addition, ahead of the Super Bowl LX halftime show, unusually large trades were placed on Polymarket and Kalshi predicting that Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin would perform before there was any public confirmation. One social media user estimated that these suspected insiders made up to $3 million across multiple platforms. Lastly, the Nobel Institute is investigating a bet placed by a newly-created account on Venezuelan opposition leader María Machado winning the Nobel Peace Prize hours before the announcement, resulting in a profit of more than $50,000.

Trading on confidential, non-public information is illegal in traditional financial markets when it involves fraud, deception, or breach of duty. Failure to enforce these laws in the context of prediction markets risks creating a regulatory gap that rewards bad actors, incentivizes misconduct, and undermines confidence in the integrity of U.S. markets.

The DOJ has pursued several insider trading cases, including in coordination with U.S. financial market regulators, and criminally prosecuted individuals under federal wire fraud statutes. These cases include charging a Coinbase employee for tipping off others with insider information in order to trade cryptocurrencies, prosecuting Biotech’s CEO for misleading investors and engaging in insider trading in connection with Covid-19 and HIV drugs, and bringing charges against individuals who participated in an alleged insider trading scheme involving cancer treatment companies. The DOJ is poised to play an important role in addressing insider trading on prediction markets platforms, while U.S. financial regulators continue to divert their resources towards litigating against states and leave these abuses largely unaddressed.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton has stated that just “because it’s a prediction market, [it] doesn’t insulate you from fraud.” We appreciate that the DOJ recently took action against a U.S. soldier for allegedly using classified information to make profitable prediction market bets related to the U.S. mission that captured Venezuela’s leader.

At the same time, reports that the DOJ dropped its criminal investigation into Polymarket in July 2025, regarding whether the platform had been illegally serving U.S. customers, raise concerns about consistency in enforcement. Polymarket had previously been banned from the U.S. for operating as an unregistered platform and paid a $1.4 million civil penalty under a 2022 settlement agreement. Taken together, these developments risk undermining confidence in the DOJ’s commitment to also holding companies accountable for breaking the law.

We understand that this Administration is increasingly focused on gains in the U.S. stock market. That performance depends on integrity and accountability. We therefore urge the DOJ to continue to take decisive action against individuals who exploit prediction markets using nonpublic information for personal gain, and to rigorously enforce corporate compliance by ensuring that platforms implement effective safeguards to detect and prevent illegal activity.

Sincerely,

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"Mr. President: We're backing your request to release Jimmy Lai"Smith thanks President Trump for continuing to raise cases of Jimmy Lai, Pastor Ezra Jin during upcoming summit in Beijing

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), recently joined EWTN News Nighty’s Veronica Dudo and LiveNOW From Fox’s Ryan Schmelz to highlight his recent letter to President Trump, which garnered the bipartisan support of more than 100 lawmakers, urging the President to call for the release of Hong Kong political prisoner Jimmy Lai during his upcoming meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Smith also raised the cases of other political prisoners who have been unjustly detained in China.

“There is solidarity—it’s bipartisan in the House and the Senate—backing the President’s request to release Jimmy Lai on humanitarian grounds,” said Smith during his Sunday interview with LiveNOW From Fox.

“The entire House and Senate stand in solidarity with the President in making that humanitarian parole request,” he continued.

Smith underscored the time-sensitivity of Lai’s release, as the 78-year-old founder and publisher of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily suffers from a myriad of health conditions and endures inhumane living conditions while in prison.

While speaking to the press, Smith—who has consistently advocated for Lai’s release since his arrest in 2020—appealed to President Trump to once again champion Lai’s case and call for his immediate release on humanitarian grounds.

Smith’s Friday night interview on EWTN News Nighty can be viewed here, and his Sunday morning interview on LiveNOW From Fox can be viewed here.

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The abortion pill is extremely dangerous to womenICYMI: Smith slams Biden FDA’s mail-order abortion drug policy, urges Supreme Court to reinstate in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, recently sat down with Ryan Schmelz of LiveNOW From Fox to expose the dangerous and underreported complications of the chemical abortion pill mifepristone and urge the Supreme Court to reverse the Biden Administration’s dangerous mail-order abortion drug policy.

“What was largely unknown is that [mifepristone] is very dangerous to women as well. The most recent study that was done found that one out of every eleven women has serious, serious adverse events that happen to them within about 45 days after taking the pill, including sepsis requiring hospitalization, as well as very severe hemorrhaging that could lead to death,” said Smith.

“Louisiana, Texas, Florida, all these wonderful state legislators and governors, who have protected the lives of their unborn children, are having those laws undermined and usurped by an abortion industry that couldn’t care less about either the baby or the mother,” Smith continued.

“The cover-up of the abortion pill, mifepristone, has to end, and it has to end now. And the data is right there to do so. At a minimum, the mail-order ‘big business’ has to end.”

Smith’s Sunday morning interview on LiveNOW From Fox can be viewed here.

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The Washington Times Op-Ed by Rep. Smith'Pass the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act'

By Rep. Chris Smith - Tuesday, May 12, 2026

China and human organ harvesting illustration by Linas Garsys / The Washington Times

OPINION:

As President Trump prepares to meet General Secretary Xi Jinping in China, Americans should remember that the Chinese Communist Party stands at the center of a pernicious global industry that treats the human body as inventory.

It generates as much as $1.7 billion a year, hidden behind shady networks of the corrupt and criminal and fueled by the oldest imbalance in medicine: Desperate patients need organs, and there are never enough lawful, voluntary donations to meet demand.

In that shortage, traffickers offer what ethical medicine cannot provide: organs on demand, fast matches, short waits and no hard questions about where that kidney, liver, heart or lung came from.

This market does not serve the powerless. It feeds on them.

The vulnerable supply the organs. The wealthy and well-connected buy the product. Brokers launder the paperwork. Complicit medical systems provide the operating rooms. Criminal syndicates find the donors. Corrupt officials look the other way — or, worse, participate.

When the state controls the hospitals, prisons, police and data, as in communist China, a human being can disappear into the system or get buried as a nameless statistic.

Anyone who doubts that lives can be sacrificed for profit and longevity has only to listen to the conversation caught on a hot mic in Beijing in September.

As Mr. Xi, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un walked together toward a reviewing stand, the world heard an unguarded exchange about organ transplants, biotechnology and possibility of living to 150.

It was not just macabre small talk among aging autocrats. It was a glimpse into a politics that treats human beings as interchangeable parts and power as something to be medically engineered to last forever.

Autocrats dream of permanence, but forced organ harvesting is not healing. It is murder masquerading as medicine. Nowhere is the evidence more alarming than in China.

For years, researchers, physicians, journalists, survivors and human rights advocates have warned of a transplant apparatus in China built on secrecy, speed and state control. Wait times are measured in days, and there are “on-demand” matches and a bureaucracy that blocks independent auditors.

The earliest, most persistent allegations centered on prisoners of conscience, especially Falun Gong practitioners, who were detained, dehumanized and allegedly turned into a captive organ pool. Beijing insists it has reformed and no longer relies on executed prisoners.

Yet without transparent registries, verifiable wait-time data and unfettered access to hospitals and detention facilities, there are no real assurances and no accountability.

The danger is especially acute today in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the U.S. has determined that the CCP is committing genocide against the Uyghur people. The machinery that bulldozes mosques, separates families and forces sterilizations cannot be trusted to respect the line between voluntary donation and coercion.

Disturbing reports have also alleged that Uyghur organs are being marketed to foreign transplant tourists, including patients seeking so-called “halal” organs.

China is the epicenter of concern, but the problem is global. Organ crimes flourish wherever coercion, poverty, corruption and demand intersect. Unless the international community demands sunlight, the practice will continue to flourish in the shadows.

That is why Congress must finish the job and pass the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act.

The House has already passed the bill twice with overwhelming bipartisan clarity. It is now in the Senate, where it has stagnated. I have held multiple hearings on this issue, the first in 1996.

Evidence of the CCP’s complicity in forced organ harvesting is clear and compelling. The Senate must end delays and send this bill to the president’s desk.

The legislation is not a press release. It is enforceable policy. It targets enablers of forced organ harvesting with sanctions. It requires public reporting so that governments, universities, hospitals, researchers, insurers and companies cannot hide behind plausible deniability.

If you profit from coerced transplants, directly or indirectly, then you risk your money, your access to the United States and your ability to travel here.

One law may not instantly change Beijing’s behavior, but it will change ours. It will help scrub American institutions of complicity and expose research relationships that should have been audited years ago.

It will raise the cost for brokers and prestige-seeking medical institutions that look at China’s gleaming transplant hospitals and ignore the prisons, detention centers and military-linked systems that still treat the imprisoned and persecuted as spare parts for profit.

The hot-mic moment mattered because it stripped away the mask. When strongmen muse about living forever, the temptation is not theoretical. They have the power to turn bodies into an exploited resource.

Free societies must draw a brighter line and demand transparency. No one wants a Xi Jinping or Vladimir Putin to live forever.

Passage of the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act will make it clear that the United States will not tolerate a global transplant marketplace built on coercion.

Tyrants will continue to seek immortality, but not with our expertise or money. Not with a dollar of American complicity.


EWTN News article on Smith's advocacy for Jimmy Lai'Jimmy Lai's daughter says she's "very hopeful" ahead of Trump's meeting with Chinese president'

By Tessa Gervasini

Published May 12, 2026 at 4:41 PM ET

Daughter of imprisoned Catholic activist Jimmy Lai said she is feeling “hopeful” ahead of President Donald Trumpʼs visit to China where he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“My father, his fight, the rights and values that he stands for, and the urgency of his case is one that speaks to a lot of people,” Claire Lai said in an interview with EWTN News. “And we’re just extremely grateful for the people who have taken his case to heart.”

Jimmy Lai, founder and publisher of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 9 over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations. He has already spent more than five years in detention, much of which was in solitary confinement.

Claire Lai, daughter of imprisoned Hong Kong activist and Catholic Jimmy Lai, speaks with EWTN News President Montse Alvarado on “EWTN News Nightly” on Dec. 8, 2025. | Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

Trump is traveling to Beijing this week to meet with Xi Jinping about numerous topics including trade, Taiwan, and emerging technology issues. He has also said he will raise the release of multiple prisoners including Lai, whose case he previously brought up to the Chinese president.

The U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote May 12 on a resolution that would condemn the People’s Republic of China for its prosecution and imprisonment of Lai and call for his immediate release. Catholic Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, sponsored the measure.

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) jails people to silence their faith, speech, and conscience — and to scare their families here in America and beyond,” Smith said. “The CCP’s unacceptable and unfair practice of politically motivated detention must end.”

The push by lawmakers “absolutely does give more hope,” Claire Lai said. She also noted a May 7 letter to Trump spearheaded by Smith and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, and signed by more than 100 lawmakers “from both sides of the political aisle urging President Trump to bring up my father in the upcoming summit,” she said.

“There were 68 senators, which is over two-thirds of all senators, which we are so incredibly grateful for,” she said. “Someone said once, ‘When’s the last time … two-thirds of senators agreed on anything?’ It’s such a privilege, and … we are just so extremely humbled that this is the one thing that they have agreed on.”

“President Trump and his administration have continuously mentioned my father, and they have continuously mentioned their commitment to freeing him,” Claire said. “At least speaking for myself, I am extremely confident that it will be this administration that does secure my father’s freedom.”

Need for a humanitarian release

Lawmakers are urging a humanitarian release as Jimmy Lai’s health continues to worsen. While Claire Lai said her family has “basically stopped” receiving reports on her father and his health, they do “hear things here and there.”

“He’s lost weight, he still has heart issues, he still has high blood pressure,” Claire Lai said. It is becoming increasingly urgent as it is “getting close to summer,” as the weather in Hong Kong will reach extremely hot temperatures and humid and wet conditions.

“I heard that it’s not too hot in Hong Kong yet, but every summer he gets heat rashes and they’re … painful red bumps,” she said. He also gets “frequent and pretty severe back pains and waist pains.”

His “infections that last for months are … just another sign of a compromised immune system,” she said. “He has nails starting to fall off. He has teeth that are rotting and just skin that is drying and just a lot, a lot, of things that are … just cascading health issues.”

“In terms of detailed reports — we just haven’t received those without really any reason since January. Not because we stopped asking; we’re still asking, but we haven’t received those,” she said.

The feast of Our Lady of Fátima offers hope ahead of summit

“It would mean so much to have our father back,” Claire Lai said. “I think that tomorrow is when President Trump arrives and it’s the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima.”

Our Lady of Fátima presented herself to three shepherd children “during the first World War,” Claire Lai explained. “So it was a sign of hope. It was a sign of hope during a time of turmoil.”

“It reminds us of the power of prayer for the conversion of souls and just … that the Blessed Mother appears to the weakest among us. And my father is physically very weak right now,” she said.

Claire Lai also noted an incident when her father fell in the shower while imprisoned, which “happened actually three days right before the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima.” She added: “And he prayed to the Blessed Mother and suddenly he was able to get up again.”

“The Blessed Mother is watching over my father and … she continues to guide us under her mantle,” she said. “This month is dedicated to the Blessed Mother and I’m just extremely grateful that in times of doubt, in times where I have thoughts or emotions that I know don’t come from God, I can turn to her.”

“My father’s trust in the provisions of divine providence has never wavered. So … it’s a reminder for mine not to either,” she said. “My father’s story isn’t really one of religious persecution per se, because he’s not in prison because of his faith, but his faith is a huge driving force of why he had the courage for the things that he did.”


Higgins Leads Effort to Initiate Investigation into Foreign Seafood Importers Engaging in Harmful Trade Practices

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Troy Carter (D-LA) penned a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer urging a Section 301 investigation into unfair practices affecting trade in seafood products. Read the full letter here.

Foreign seafood importers engaging in unfair trade practices, such as labor abuses and false labeling, have contributed to a significant decline in the domestic seafood industry. A Section 301 investigation offers an important tool for correcting trade imbalances and ensuring fair competition across the seafood sector.

The Members wrote, “Consistent with the Executive Order and your stated intent, we respectfully request that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) initiate a broad Section 301 investigation into unfair acts, policies, and practices affecting trade in seafood and seafood products… a Section 301 investigation encompassing a broad spectrum of unfair practices, including false labeling and species designations, the abuse of banned antibiotics and fungicides in aquaculture, export and production subsidies, environmental harm, structural excess capacity, labor abuses, and permissive standards with respect to gear usage, would allow the Administration to effectively leverage access to our market to improve conditions overseas and level the playing field for the American seafood industry within its own domestic market.”

“Because of the breadth and complexity of these challenges, we encourage the USTR to pursue a seafood-specific Section 301 investigation that examines all unfair acts, policies, and practices across the full seafood supply chain from countries including, but not limited to: Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam, ” The Members continued.

The letter is supported by several seafood industry associations, including the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, the Southern Shrimp Alliance, and the Catfish Farmers of America.

Richard Fontenot, President of Louisiana Farm Bureau, said, “Time and again I hear from Louisiana Farm Bureau members who have a simple request of their lawmakers: help us do business on a level playing field. Congressmen Carter and Congressman Higgins clearly have heard that plea and are raising their voices for us in a big way. We appreciate them calling on USTR to initiate a Section 301 investigation on seafood and we join them in this request to give our crawfish farmers, shrimpers, and other seafood producers a fighting chance.”


Emmer Announces 2026 Congressional Art Competition Winner

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Emmer announced Marta LaFond of Buffalo as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District.

“The Congressional Art Competition is a great way to celebrate the visual arts and to recognize the artistic abilities of high school students across the country. I want to congratulate Marta on winning this year’s Congressional Art Competition with her acrylic piece, As Kingfishers Catch Fire. We’re excited to see her work displayed in the U.S. Capitol and welcome her to Washington, D.C.,” Congressman Emmer said.

Marta is a junior at Holy Spirit Academy in Monticello, MN. Her acrylic piece, As Kingfishers Catch Fire, was selected as the winning submission from Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District.

The Congressional Art Competition is an annual competition for high school students across the United States. The winning pieces from each district will be hung by the Architect of the Capitol in the tunnel connecting the U.S. Capitol and the Cannon House Office Building for a year. The winner from each Congressional District receives the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with their Representative and see their artwork displayed in the Halls of Congress. You can read more about the competition here.


Problem Solvers Caucus Endorses Congresswoman Escobar’s Dignity Act

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement after the Problem Solvers Caucus endorsed her bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform legislation, the Dignity Act:

“Our immigration system has been broken for over 40 years. Families, businesses, and entire communities live with that sober reality every day. That’s why this endorsement from the Problem Solvers Caucus on my legislation, the Dignity Act, matters.

“Their support demonstrates the growing bipartisan recognition that the status quo is failing our country and that the Dignity Act is the only serious effort in Congress to fix it with humanity, accountability, and real solutions.

“I’m grateful for their endorsement as we continue moving immigration reform forward. The Dignity Act is a solution — for our economy, our national security and our future — and there is an urgent need for this reform right now.”

To learn more about the Dignity Act, click here.

The Problem Solvers Caucus is a group of Members of Congress — split between Republicans and Democrats — committed to advancing common-sense solutions to key issues facing our nation. Learn more about the caucus here.

What They’re Saying on the Dignity Act

Texas Tribune: U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar’s bipartisan immigration bill draws GOP support — and backlash


Congresswoman Escobar Shares Concerns with El Paso Public Service Board on Data Centers

Last week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent the members of the El Paso Water Public Service Board (PSB) a letter requesting the PSB adhere to several suggestions to protect and prioritize El Pasoans while ensuring transparency and accountability from data centers.

The letter can be found here, and the full text can be found below:

Dear Chair Morris and the esteemed members of the Public Service Board,

Thank you for serving our community and the leadership you have provided in challenging times. When the City of El Paso established the Public Service Board (PSB) in 1952, their decision to create a governing body independent of politics gave you and your predecessors the ability to focus squarely on the management and control of our community’s water and wastewater. That visionary decision has helped protect our most precious resource: water. I’m writing to ask that the PSB swiftly act to provide safeguards for our community as we see AI Data Centers proliferate in our region.

For decades, El Paso Water has led the way in innovation and aggressive conservation efforts and has rightfully put in place common-sense policies that El Pasoans have supported and honored. Since 1991, the majority of El Pasoans have followed the mandatory water restrictions set in place by El Paso Water and its Public Service Board. El Paso Water has hastened changes in behavior by running several different educational campaigns, like the Home Water Use Calculator, that help residents estimate their household water usage and identify opportunities to conserve water. El Pasoans have complied with these limitations, including replacing water-thirsty lawns with xeriscaping and watering outdoors on limited days of the week. We’ve celebrated our water reduction and – thanks to the innovation at EP Water – our community has been at the forefront of inland desalination and wastewater reuse.

Those of us who have water and wastewater connections are the fortunate ones. In El Paso County, there are still 1,878 individuals who live in colonias and cannot open their faucet for water, and without wastewater connections, must deal with septic tanks, many of which routinely fail. In the wealthiest country in the world, America still has residents who must truck in the water they use to cook, drink, shower and do laundry. I’m proud to work with El Paso Water to deliver as many resources as possible to help connect these citizens to water and wastewater, and I am grateful as well as to our partners at the County and our state delegation, who do everything possible to meet the water and wastewater needs of our shared constituents. Without EP Water’s dedication to these water and wastewater hookups, countless El Pasoans would not have had access to water. But we all still have much more work to do to close the gaps that remain.

An additional challenge we face is that El Paso is one of the fastest warming communities in the country, and as our summers get hotter, persistent drought conditions will continue to require EP Water to invest in innovative ways to diversify our water supply. Recent years in El Paso have ranked among the warmest on record, an unsettling trend and a danger we must recognize. While EP Water has been at the cutting edge of new technologies, alternative water supplies are increasingly costly, and residents are already feeling the strain on their pocketbooks.

Adding multiple large volume industrial water users, specifically multiple data centers, threatens to strain our already limited water supply. Given the sacrifices El Pasoans have been willing to make and the increases in utility bills over time, it’s no wonder El Pasoans are deeply alarmed. It’s crucial that the PSB and EP Water create safeguards that protect ratepayers and users from the unexpected and significant demands and water usage that come with data centers.

As a federal legislator, I’ve joined my colleagues in legislation that creates federal guardrails on data centers to protect our communities. However, we need a whole-of-government approach on this issue, especially given how quickly data centers are being constructed, and the limited information and consultation they are providing our residents.

As the PSB reviews EP Water’s plans to provide water for data centers in El Paso County, I respectfully suggest the PSB consider the following:

Contractually obligating all AI data centers to use the “closed loop” liquid cooling system for cooling that recycles water;

Clear metering that can be reported regularly to the PSB;

Transparency and reporting requirements that would ensure real-time reporting to the community and full public disclosure of usage:

Ensuring commercial users like AI Data Centers are contractually obligated to subsidize infrastructure improvements rather than shifting the cost to residential ratepayers;

Protections for the community during periods of drought, prioritizing residential and existing commercial users over AI Data Center users;

A separate rate structure for data centers, including system development fees, charging for peak capacity, and up-front capital contributions; and

Ensuring the investment that has been promised by Meta (and any other data center) is made and is appropriately deployed to sustainability.

Protecting El Pasoans is a shared obligation and a priority of mine as well, so please let me know if and how my team and I can be helpful in this effort.


Ezell, Rutherford Introduce Resolution Supporting Law Enforcement During National Police Week

Today, Congressmen Mike Ezell (MS-04) and John Rutherford (FL-05), both former sheriffs and career law enforcement officers, introduced a concurrent resolution expressing strong support for America’s law enforcement professionals during National Police Week.

The resolution honors the more than 840,000 law enforcement officers who serve communities across the country and recognizes the sacrifices made by officers and their families. It also calls for increased resources, stronger protections, and expanded mental health support for those who wear the badge.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a rise in threats against law enforcement and a strain on departments across the country. We must ensure our officers are equipped, trained, and supported so they can continue protecting the American people," Ezell said. "As a former sheriff, I understand the sacrifices that come with wearing the badge. Law enforcement officers across this country continue to step up and serve, even in increasingly challenging and dangerous environments. This resolution is about making sure they know we have their backs and are committed to supporting them.”

“As a lifelong law enforcement officer and former sheriff, I know firsthand the dangers our officers face every day they put on their badges, say goodbye to their families, and stand between our communities they’ve vowed to protect and those they aim to hurt them,” Rutherford said. “Sadly, anti-police rhetoric continues to grow nationwide, putting our officers in even more danger. This National Police Week, I stand strongly with our men and women in blue and thank them for their dedication to protecting and serving our communities. We must protect those who protect us.”

The resolution highlights the critical role law enforcement has played in recent reductions in violent crime, while also addressing the growing challenges officers face, including increased assaults, staffing shortages, and the mental toll of the job.

Key provisions of the resolution:

Honors fallen officers and their families, with more than 24,000 names memorialized nationwide

Calls for increased staffing, improved training, and modern equipment

Supports stronger penalties for crimes committed against law enforcement

Emphasizes the need for expanded mental health resources for officers

Urges all levels of government to fully support law enforcement professionals