Rep. McBride Celebrates 2026 Congressional Art Competition Winners

WILMINGTON, Del. — Today, U.S. Representative Sarah McBride (D-Del.) celebrated Delaware's winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition, an annual nationwide competition sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives that recognizes outstanding student artwork from every congressional district.

“Delaware’s students are using art to express who they are and connect with the world around them,” said Rep. McBride. “I’m so grateful to everyone who submitted their work — your creativity speaks to the incredible talent across our state.”

This year’s first-place winner is Daniel Qi from Archmere Academy, whose piece, The Soloist, is on display in the U.S. Capitol for one year alongside winning artwork from congressional districts across the country. Second place was awarded to Onna Parrish from Appoquinimink High School for Forever My Sun, and third place to Cereniti Johnson from The Tatnall School for Feel the Beat. Both pieces will be displayed in Rep. McBride’s Wilmington office for the next year.

A panel of five local artists and creatives reviewed more than 60 submissions to Rep. McBride’s office and selected the winning pieces. In total, 20 Delaware students were named finalists. This spring, Rep. McBride hosted a reception in Wilmington to celebrate the finalists' work — ranging from acrylic paintings to photography — and recognize the top three winners.

Photos of the winning art are available here.

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McGovern Leading 80 Members of Congress Urging DHS to Extend Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador

WASHINGTON—80 Members of Congress, led by Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, sent a letter yesterday afternoon urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to extend the Temporary Protected Status designation for El Salvador, which is currently set to expire on September 9, 2026.

“Not only do the conditions that initially warranted TPS designation for El Salvador in 2001 persist, but serious new humanitarian, economic, and human rights crises compound El Salvador’s inability to handle the return of its nationals,” write the lawmakers in their letter. “The over 200,000 Salvadoran TPS holders currently living in the United States have built deep roots in this country over more than 25 years. Terminating their status would cause immeasurable harm to them, to their U.S.-citizen children and families, and to the American communities and economy they support.”

Salvadoran TPS holders make substantial contributions to the American economy. Nine out of ten Salvadoran TPS holders participate in the U.S. workforce, contributing $5.4 billion to the economy and paying $1.5 billion in federal, state, and local taxes annually. They work in industries facing chronic labor shortages, including construction, transportation, manufacturing, food service, and building and grounds maintenance. Many have lived here lawfully for more than 25 years, building businesses, working in critical industries, paying taxes, and raising families. More than 150,000 children, all U.S. citizens, have a Salvadoran TPS-holder parent in the American workforce. Despite decades of lawful residence and deep ties to the United States, many TPS holders have no available pathway to permanent status under current immigration law. Approximately 20% of Salvadoran TPS holders arrived in the United States at age 16 or younger. Forcing them to leave would mean removal to a country where they have few ties and would be at risk of violence.

The new letter also details the grave human rights conditions Salvadoran TPS holders could face if deported. Human rights organizations in El Salvador have documented mass arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, mass trials, the detention of more than 3,000 children, and more than 500 deaths in custody since 2022. Independent reports have also found that migrants deported to El Salvador are commonly incarcerated upon arrival without judicial review or due process. Under federal law, TPS must be extended when conditions prevent a designated country from adequately handling the return of its nationals.

“Ongoing state-sponsored human rights violations, a state of exception with no end in sight, economic fragility, collapsed public services, and documented patterns of detaining and disappearing deportees all confirm that El Salvador cannot handle the return of its nationals at this time,” write the lawmakers.

The statutory standard for TPS stipulates that TPS must be extended if the designated country is unable to adequately handle the return of its nationals.

“El Salvador clearly meets that standard today,” conclude the lawmakers.

The letter is endorsed by the National TPS Alliance, American Business Immigration Coalition, Allianza Americas, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), CASA, CARCEN-LA, FWD.us, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

The full text of the letter is available here.

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MENG AND MEEKS CALL FOR CON EDISON TO COMPENSATE QUEENS RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY POWER OUTAGES DURING THE HEATWAVE

QUEENS, NY – U.S. Reps Grace Meng (D-Queens) and Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) today called on the head of Con Edison to compensate Queens residents who lost power last week during the heatwave that hit New York City.

In a letter to Chief Executive Officer Timothy Cawley, the lawmakers urged the utility to consider issuing bill credits to those affected by prolonged outages and power shutoffs.

“Our impacted constituents deserve to be reimbursed for the hardships they endured from the outages and shutoffs that occurred through no fault of their own,” said Meng and Meeks. “We understand the extreme heat and heavy demand for power caused equipment issues. But those who suffered with no power during the heatwave have already been struggling with high electricity rates and other skyrocketing costs as families work to make ends meet. We hope Con Edison will do the right thing and quickly provide needed bill credits to people in our districts.”

A copy of the letter can be viewed here, and the text of the correspondence is below.

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Timothy Cawley

Chief Executive Officer

Consolidated Edison, Inc.

4 Irving Place

New York, New York 10003

Dear Mr. Cawley,

As Congressional Representatives of Queens, we write to express our deep concerns about the power shutdown and outages across our districts on July 3, 2026, during the ongoing heatwave in New York City. We respectfully request that Con Edison consider issuing bill credits to households and residents who experienced outages due to technical failures and extreme heat this past weekend. Our constituents deserve compensation for the hardship and difficulties they experienced during the power outage caused by events beyond their control.

On Friday, July 3, 2026, Con Edison, which receives federal funding, temporarily shut off power for nearly 10,000 residential and commercial customers in the district due to unspecified equipment problems caused by the heat. Con Edison issued the shutdown after scattered outages already occurred across parts of New York City. During the shutdown, thousands of our constituents were forced to go without power while trapped under a “heat dome.” For hours, residents went without air conditioning or refrigeration, putting many at risk of spoiled food or medication, and in danger of heat exhaustion.

We understand the extreme heat and heavy demand for power caused equipment issues, and we appreciate the Con Edison crews who worked tirelessly to assess the damage and make quick repairs. We commend Con Edison’s efficient efforts to restore power and to set up a mobile information center and dry ice distribution in South Ozone Park. This was an adequate first step to addressing the immediate needs of residents, and the next step is to quickly fulfill claims filed for items damaged due to the loss of power, and to consider issuing bill credits for those who experienced the outage.

This power outage and heatwave come amid already high increases in utility bills. Our constituents should not bear the burden of this failure when they are already struggling with the rising cost of living. Thank you for your time and consideration of these serious concerns, and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,


Meuser Leads Effort to Support American Child Care Centers, Reduce Fraud

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Dan Meuser’s (PA-09) released the following statement after becoming the lead Republican sponsor of H.R. 9553, the Child Care Small Business Insight and Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that would increase the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) role in supporting and overseeing for-profit child care small businesses nationwide.

The Child Care Small Business Insight and Improvement Act would require the SBA to designate a dedicated staffer to oversee and support America’s child care small businesses, and to conduct a study of child care centers, the challenges they face, and to provide recommendations for needed changes. The bill would also direct the SBA to further monitor fraud of federal support flowing to child care small businesses.

An estimated 11.2 million children in the United States are served by child care centers each year, enabling more than 14 million working parents to participate in the workforce. Nearly all firms in the child care industry are small businesses, according to the SBA.

Earlier this year, investigative reporters uncovered rampant misuse of federal support at child care centers, particularly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, including the infamous “Learing Center.” This legislation would help identify and eliminate fraud at these organizations, save taxpayer dollars, and ensure that federal assistance goes only to legitimate child care centers.

According to a June report published by the House Oversight and Investigations Committee, Minnesota state officials identified a pattern of fraudulent billing within the state’s Child Care Assistance Program as early as 2019. This report alleges that $71.6 million in potential fraud occurred in this program.

“Access to child care is vital for families across Pennsylvania and the entire country,” said Congressman Meuser. “This legislation would direct the SBA to increase support to small business child care centers, allowing more families to take advantage of affordable and high-quality child care. Crucially, the bill would also help federal officials identify and eliminate fraud at child care centers to ensure that federal assistance is supporting American families, not scam artists.”

“Child care is essential infrastructure for our economy — and when families cannot find or afford it, businesses lose workers and our nation loses an estimated $172 billion each year in earnings and productivity,” said Robert S. Carl, Jr., President and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. “This is why 81 local chambers across Pennsylvania have been urging policy makers to address the child care teacher shortage and the broken business model that leaves providers struggling, teachers underpaid, and families without reliable care. I thank Congressman Meuser for his leadership in seeking these solutions.”

The Child Care Small Business Insight and Improvement Act has been referred to the House Committee on Small Business for further consideration.


ICYMI: Moran Warns Foreign Adversaries Are Exploiting U.S. Tax Code to Harvest American Data

Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) joined Jason Hsu, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, to discuss the importance of securing American data. The discussion centered on Rep. Moran’s Deterring Adversarial Access to Americans’ Data Act,key legislation preventing federal tax incentives from supporting foreign adversary-controlled technologies — a gap that currently allows companies doing business with Chinese-controlled platforms to claim billions in U.S. tax benefits.

“Every day that adversarial nations can freely harvest Americans’ personal data, they gain ground in a competition that will define our economic and national security for decades to come,” said Rep. Moran. “We have to make sure our laws keep pace with the threat, and that starts with cutting off the pipelines that let foreign adversaries exploit our own data against us.”

The legislation closes a gap in current law by extending Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions to major business tax incentives. FEOC restrictions currently apply to certain energy incentives but do not extend to major business tax provisions. The bill would require companies to sever ties with foreign adversary-controlled technology in order to remain eligible for benefits such as bonus depreciation, research and development expenses, research tax credits, and interest deductibility.

Rep. Moran on the importance of securing our own data:

“Knowledge of the enemy is the number one thing that helps you achieve success on the battlefield. Whether or not it’s the economic battlefield, the military battlefield, or the diplomatic battlefield. If you know what the enemy is thinking and saying and doing, you can actually win, even if your force is less.”

Rep. Moran on balancing national security and American business development:

“This bill was laid out to smoke out the realities of what’s going on, on the ground… The self-evaluation that needs to happen in this moment. [Companies] have to realize there is going to be a long-term economic consequence to a long-term relationship.”

“What our bill tries to do is be flexible… We try to lay it out in such a way that it can be malleable as technology grows. We’re not trying to stifle innovation. This is not at all a regulatory bill… I’m a guy that believes you got to have tons of liberty and tons of innovation.”

“Here in the United States, we are the most innovative people there are. We’ve got to let innovation reign, but we also have to put guardrails in place for national security, public safety purposes.”

Rep. Moran on addressing China's threat to America:

“In 2017, [China] passed a law that said… any company or individual that’s involved out there in the world, you’re beholden to us and you’ve gotta provide us information that we want. And, there’s no geographic boundary to that.”

“[China’s] law in 2015 says we’re going to broadly define what national security means. And so national security can basically just now be anything the Chinese government wants it to mean when it regards your duty, as individuals or corporations, to provide [China] with information we think is relevant to national security.”

“[Companies] should think about it in terms of you’ve got a known espionage agent trying to get in the door. They want to get in the door. Don’t let them in the door. They’re going to really try and find their way in the door. Don’t just open the door for them and don’t just let them in and give them access to all kinds of stuff.”

“Just remember they see us as adversaries. Their intentions are not good intentions.”

Watch the full conversation here.

Read the full bill text here.

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Congressman Griffith’s Weekly E-Newsletter 7.10.26

A core pillar of the economy for Virginia’s Ninth District is agriculture.

Whether they raise corn or cattle, cut timber or Christmas trees, agricultural producers all play a vital role in rural America’s success.

Thanks to our agricultural communities, we can deliver fresh produce, supply grocery stores, feed American families, spur small business economic activity, support local communities and so much more.

Given these meaningful contributions, I explore opportunities in Congress to support America’s agricultural sector.

Often that means voting for better federal policy.

In April, I voted for a bill that helps strengthen the farming industry in Virginia’s Ninth District.

H.R. 7567 – the Farm, Food, and National Security Act provides funding resources for farmers.

The farm bill helps institutions like Virginia Tech with federal funding through various research grant opportunities.

The farm bill creates a pilot program for badly needed additional custom slaughter establishments. Small meat-processing facilities may be able to sell their meat inside the Commonwealth of Virginia as long as their product has a label that says the product is not inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Further, the farm bill promotes 21st century technologies to help farmers modernize their operations to make them more efficient.

I believe there are some very positive provisions that will help Virginia farmers. That is why the bill has support from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Virginia Agribusiness Councill and the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, among others.

After Republicans helped pass this critical legislation for rural America, it awaits action in the Senate. I will continue to encourage Congressional action on policies that benefit our American farmers.

Not only do I support Congressional action, but I also work with the Trump Administration to help deliver better outcomes for Virginia’s farmers.

Such was the case this year as the Commonwealth has faced harmful weather events.

In response to frost and freeze events during the spring that impacted many farms, Virginia requested a Secretarial Disaster Designation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

I helped lead efforts in Virginia’s congressional delegation to urge USDA Secretary Rollins to approve Virginia’s request.

In June, Secretary Rollins granted our request! Many Virginia farmers who suffered crop losses from the spring can now access emergency loan assistance.

Further, severe drought this summer has caused additional challenges.

Governor Spanberger has urged Virginians to conserve water as Virginia faces its driest period since 1941.

Secretary Rollins approved parts of Virginia to be eligible for federal drought relief, with Tazewell County receiving a primary natural disaster area designation. Bland, Buchanan, Russell and Smyth Counties may also request federal drought assistance.

As growing season challenges and record temperatures threaten to destabilize farming operations, I will continue my advocacy at the federal level for farming community access to federal disaster resources.

Our farmers need access to more than just resources. They need access to opportunity.

That is why President Trump continues to work on trade deals that create opportunities for the American farming industry to market its products globally.

Trump’s trade actions have improved American beef producers’ access to markets in Southeast Asia.

All the while, we continue to monitor the situation with South American beef.

Due to the deteriorating relationship with China caused by many factors, trade negotiations have been tougher.

In those negotiations, I have joined lawmakers in writing to President Trump to protect American tobacco.

One complication is likely that the Chinese Communist Party controls the expansive Chinese tobacco industry.

For many years, China was among the U.S. trade partners that annually purchased as much as 80 million pounds of American tobacco.

However, China made clear it would not buy America’s superior quality flue-cured tobacco from the 2025 crop. This announcement spelled unease and trouble for Virginia’s tobacco producers.

Accordingly, I am supportive of President Trump’s efforts to ensure fair treatment of American farmers and expanded market access for our farming products.

Some have not fared as well with the tariffs, and Congress is working to ameliorate those issues. Affecting our region is the export of timber products.

Whether it is crops, livestock, timber or other items, America’s agricultural sector creates the best quality products in the world. Accordingly, it is only right for them to get a fair shake.

I will continue working in Congress to promote policy outcomes that make farming operations in the U.S. more sustainable, less costly and more successful.

If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at https://morgangriffith.house.gov/. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives.

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Moulton Cosponsors Voter Choice Act to Modernize Elections, Increase Voter Participation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) joined Congresswoman Kelly Morrison (MN-03) as a cosponsor of the Voter Choice Act, legislation to modernize American elections, lower local government election costs, and increase voter turnout across the country.

Moulton joins the Voter Choice Act alongside Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Angie Craig (MN-02), and Don Beyer (VA-08).

The Voter Choice Act supports state and local governments that choose to transition to Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) by creating a $40 million federal grant program to help cover the costs of software upgrades, new voting equipment, and comprehensive voter education campaigns.

"If we want a democracy that is truly accountable to the people, we need to modernize our voting systems, increase choice, and reduce the toxic polarization that is frequently causing chaos in Washington," said Congressman Seth Moulton. "Ranked Choice Voting is a proven tool that gives voters more power at the ballot box and ensures elected officials are winning with broad, majority support. The federal government should be incentivizing local communities that want to modernize their elections, and that’s exactly what this bill does."

Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the voters' next choices until a majority winner emerges.

The legislation has been endorsed by over 30 voting rights advocacy and non-profit organizations, including FairVote Action, Voter Choice Massachusetts, the Black Voters Matter Fund, and the National Organization for Women.

Read the full bill here.

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Norton Announces She’ll Introduce a Bill to Prohibit New Fencing at the White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After reports that the Trump Administration plans to erect new fences at the ends of Pennsylvania Avenue NW outside the White House, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced she will introduce a bill to prohibit new fencing from being installed at the White House, including Lafayette Square, the Eisenhower and Treasury Buildings, and the Ellipse.

“The openness of areas around the White House and our democracy is our strength, not a security weakness that needs to be fenced off,” Norton said. “More fencing around the President’s Park would send the wrong message to the nation and the world by continuing to transform our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens.

“Security is not only about reducing risk. It’s also about safeguarding the freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Public property should be open to the public. We should not leave citizens peering at their democracy from behind fences.”

Norton has long advocated for using the least restrictive means necessary for securing public property, introducing a bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Capitol, a separate bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Supreme Court, and a third bill to prohibit permanent fencing specifically around Lafayette Square. She also introduced a bill to authorize a 21-member commission, with the president designating nine members and the House and Senate leadership each designating six members, to investigate and offer recommendations on the balance between public access to and security in federal buildings and other federal property.


WATCH: Nunn, Federal Highway Administrator McMaster Announce $2 Million Investment to Rehabilitate P33 Corridor in Ringgold County

“Out here in Ringgold County, a corridor like P33 is how farmers get their products to market, small businesses stay connected, and first responders reach Iowans when every minute matters,” said Rep. Nunn. “This $2 million investment rebuilds one of the county’s busiest rural roads with new pavement, wider shoulders, and rumble strips that help keep drivers safe. It’s an investment that will strengthen southern Iowa’s economy and serve local families for decades to come.”

“Under the leadership of President Trump and with the advocacy of Congressman Nunn, vital federal dollars are being delivered exactly where they are needed most—our rural Iowa communities,” said Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster. “This project stands as an example of the Trump Administration’s commitment to helping local leaders move dirt and upgrade the vital highways that support America’s economy, while keeping families safely connected.”

B-roll from the visit is available here and photos are available here.

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Olszewski's Bipartisan Vacant Housing Bill to Become Law

(Washington, DC) – Bipartisan legislation led by first-term Maryland Congressman Johnny Olszewski to help convert vacant and blighted properties into attainable housing will become his first to be enacted into law.

The Revitalizing Empty Structures Into Desirable Environments (RESIDE) Act was included in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, legislation broadly supported by lawmakers from both parties to increase the nation's housing supply, revitalize vacant properties, and help lower housing costs for working families. President Donald Trump is expected to allow the legislation to become law without his signature today.

“I'm proud that my first bill to become public law will lower costs and create opportunity for families,” said Congressman Olszewski. “Rather than allow abandoned buildings to sit empty, we can turn them into homes families can actually afford. This bipartisan achievement demonstrates that, when Congress focuses on solving real problems, we can also deliver real results.”

Vacant properties in cities like Baltimore — which currently has about 11,000 vacant homes — trigger a cascading cycle of decline. They depress neighborhood property values, cost millions in lost tax revenue and maintenance, and serve as magnets for crime, squatters, and arson.

The RESIDE Act authorizes a competitive pilot program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help communities transform vacant and blighted structures into affordable homes. The legislation was co-led by Representatives Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Maria Salazar (FL-27), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

The legislation builds on Congressman Olszewski’s work as Baltimore County Executive, when his Administration championed the county’s first-ever vacant structures law and established a fine for vacant and abandoned properties. Under his leadership, the county inventoried abandoned properties for the first time and made them eligible for dedicated funding to build new attainable housing.


Rep. Onder Introduces Legislation to Transfer CCAMPIS Administration to HHS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 10, 2026

Contact: Brooke Morgan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Representative Bob Onder (R-MO) introduced legislation to transfer the day-to-day administrative responsibilities of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program from the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education to the Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Less Bureaucracy, Better Child Care for Student Parents Act, is one of ten bills included in a broader legislative package to codify recent interagency agreements between the Department of Education and various federal agencies. Collectively, the package is designed to reduce bureaucratic barriers, eliminate duplicative processes, and improve the delivery of certain services and resources.

"Every student deserves access to a quality education, and decisions that affect school funding can have a significant impact on the educational experience. Right now, too much funding allocated to the Department of Education is diverted to administrative costs instead of directly supporting students’ education. As a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, I am proud to be on the front lines of helping advance President Trump’s goal of depowering the Department of Education and returning education decisions to state and local governments. My colleagues and I are advancing this legislative package to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and ensure American families receive the resources they need," said Congressman Bob Onder.

Chairman Walberg said: "For decades, Washington has measured success by how much government grows instead of how well students do. The legislative package reflects a simple principle: education policy should be focused on helping students succeed—not preserving a federal bureaucracy for its own sake. Rather than allowing unnecessary layers of Washington bureaucracy to stand between families and the services they rely on, the bills would transfer key statutory authorities to agencies better equipped to carry them out while maintaining continuity for students.”

Background Information

The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program provides grants to colleges and universities to help low-income student parents access affordable, campus-based child care while pursuing postsecondary education.

In 2026, the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) entered into an interagency agreement to transfer the administration of CCAMPIS from the ED to HHS. HHS already oversees some of the federal government’s largest child care programs, including Head Start.

Because child care programs are currently being administered across multiple federal agencies, states and institutions must navigate duplicative administrative processes and reporting requirements. Transferring CCAMPIS administration to HHS will help reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, improve coordination among federal child care programs, and ensure resources are more effectively directed toward supporting low-income student parents and their families.

Rep. Onder's legislation builds on this broader effort by permanently transferring administration of the CCAMPIS program to HHS. By placing the program within the federal agency primarily responsible for child care programs, the legislation would reduce duplicative administrative functions, improve efficiency and accountability, and help ensure that more federal resources are directed toward supporting low-income student parents and their families.

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Owens Introduces the Less Bureaucracy, Better Tribal Education Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) introduced the Less Bureaucracy, Better Tribal Education Act (H.R. 9604), legislation that permanently moves federal Native education and workforce training programs out of the Department of Education and into the Department of the Interior, the agency that already carries the federal trust responsibility to Tribal communities. The bill is part of the House Education and Workforce Committee’s “Less Bureaucracy, Better Education” legislative package to right-size the Department of Education and put students ahead of bureaucracy.

“President Trump was elected with a mandate to restore common sense and accountability to a bloated federal bureaucracy and cut out the waste, fraud, and abuse found across government. In 1980, when the Department of Education was founded, it came with a promise of improved education and outcomes. 46 years later, and $3 trillion of taxpayer funds later, we can see that didn’t happen. With my bill and the others included in the “Less Bureaucracy, Better Education” package, we’re putting the focus back on students, families, and results and cutting unnecessary layers of Washington bureaucracy that have failed them. The era of decline is over.

Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04).

“For decades, Washington has measured success by how much government grows instead of how well students do. The legislative package reflects a simple principle: education policy should be focused on helping students succeed—not preserving a federal bureaucracy for its own sake. Rather than allowing unnecessary layers of Washington bureaucracy stand between families and the services they rely on, the bills would transfer key statutory authorities to agencies better equipped to carry them out while maintaining continuity for students and stakeholders.”

Chairman Tim Walberg (MI-05)

BACKGROUND

On September 30, 2025, the Department of Education and the Department of the Interior entered into an Interagency Agreement to share administration of Native education and workforce training programs. The Less Bureaucracy, Better Tribal Education Act builds on that agreement by permanently transferring these programs to the Department of the Interior and officially ending the Department of Education’s administration of them.

Before any program transfers, the bill requires the Department of Education to consult with Indian Tribes and publish a written response, ensuring Tribal voices are heard. Following that consultation, the bill moves Native education programs currently spread across the Department of Education back to the Department of Interior, which already holds the federal government’s trust responsibility to Tribal Nations and works with these communities every day.

The bill also protects continuity for students and families. Existing grants, contracts, and proceedings continue uninterrupted, transferred funds may be used only for their original purpose, and the Office of Management and Budget must certify that the Act creates no net increase in federal employees.

Following the consultation with the Tribes, the programs housed in the Department of Education that serve Native Americans within the Offices of Elementary and Secondary Education, Postsecondary Education, Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and Career, Technical, and Adult Education are transferred to the Department of the Interior.

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Pallone Demands Immediate Action After New York Times Investigation Confirms Horrid Conditions at New Jersey’s Delaney Hall ICE Facility

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today demanded immediate action from Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after a New York Times investigation documented unsafe food handling, sanitation failures, and other troubling conditions inside the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark.

“As Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, you have the authority and responsibility to address the serious deficiencies at Delaney Hall. If Delaney Hall cannot be operated in compliance with federal law and the Constitution, GEO Group should not continue to profit from taxpayer dollars and Delaney Hall should be closed. I expect you to take immediate action and your prompt response, no later than Friday, July 17. I and my fellow Members of Congress remain prepared to exercise our oversight authority to ensure that detainees are treated humanely and federal law is faithfully executed,” Pallone wrote.

Today’s New York Times investigation – based on federal inspection reports, New Jersey health inspection records, court filings, and other public documents – reinforces months of warnings from Members of Congress, including Pallone, about conditions inside the detention center run by GEO Group.

In his letter, Pallone demanded immediate corrective action and a response from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin before next Friday, July 17.

His full letter can be found here and below:

The Honorable Markwayne Mullin

Secretary

Department of Homeland Security

2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20528

Sec. Mullin:

I write with outrage at recent reporting from the New York Times[1] confirming what detainees, families, immigration advocates, and Members of Congress and concerned citizens have been saying for over a year - the situation at Delaney Hall is inhumane and untenable.

Since last year, I have made numerous visits to Delaney Hall and seen these poor conditions myself. Detainees have repeatedly told me and other Members of Congress about the cruel conditions, inedible food, and a lack of access to medical care. I joined my colleagues in multiple letters to you detailing these serious concerns and urging you to hold the facility’s contractor, GEO Group, accountable[2].

We urged your Department to take steps to immediately close Delaney Hall and make corrective actions before these conditions deteriorated further, instead, you repeatedly say conditions are adequate.[3]. Rather than holding GEO Group accountable for their misuse of federal dollars, you’ve elevated David Venturella, a former GEO Group executive, to be the Acting Director of ICE[4]. Your department has also made it more difficult for members of Congress to conduct oversight at federal immigration facilities.

The concerns raised by detainees, advocates, families, and Members of Congress have now been reinforced by independent reporting and public records. The question is no longer whether these problems exist, but what immediate actions you will take to correct them and hold those responsible accountable. Accordingly, I urge that you immediately:

Conduct a comprehensive review of conditions at Delaney Hall and publicly release a corrective action plan.

Require GEO Group to immediately remedy all identified deficiencies or begin the process of terminating its operation of the facility if it cannot operate humanely.

Restore meaningful congressional oversight by rescinding policies that impede Members of Congress from conducting unannounced inspections of immigration detention facilities.

Ensure detainees have timely access to adequate medical care, legal counsel, family visitation, and other protections guaranteed under law.

Suspend any retaliatory actions against detainees who report unsafe conditions or exercise protected rights.

As Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, you have the authority and responsibility to address the serious deficiencies at Delaney Hall. If Delaney Hall cannot be operated in compliance with federal law and the Constitution, GEO Group should not continue to profit from taxpayer dollars and Delaney Hall should be closed. I expect your prompt response no later than Friday, July 17th. I and my fellow Members of Congress remain prepared to exercise our oversight authority to ensure that detainees are treated humanely and federal law is faithfully executed.

Sincerely,

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/nyregion/delaney-hall-ice-conditions-unsanitary.html

[2] https://menendez.house.gov/media/press-releases/menendez-leads-nj-democratic-members-in-demanding-answers-and-accountability-for-inhumane-conditions-and-systemic-medical-neglect-at-delaney-hall

[3] https://newjerseyglobe.com/immigration/markwayne-mullin-says-n-j-pols-seeking-fundraising-clicks-denies-hunger-strike-at-delaney-hall/

[4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/05/13/dhs-picks-detention-industry-veteran-david-venturella-lead-ice/

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Rep. Panetta Joins Sen. Schiff, Rep. Lofgren,  California Lawmakers to Urge OMB to Rescind  Politicized Rule on Federal Grants

Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), and 41 other members of the California Congressional delegation in demanding that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rescind its proposed regulation for federal financial assistance. The lawmakers emphasized the crucial need for federal funding for scientific research to remain independent given California’s leadership as the innovation capital of the world and a top recipient of federal research funding.

“The rule is unprecedented, expansive, and applies across the federal government to every agency that reviews grants and other financial assistance proposals. It would allow political appointees to control all aspects of the grant review process, setting the stage for politically motivated decision-making that places the whims of the President over the well-being of the American people,” wrote the lawmakers.

The California lawmakers highlighted how the Administration’s proposed regulation would weaken U.S. scientific research across all fields and impact California stakeholders, undermining OMB’s essential role in coordinating the advancement of federal grants in a nonpartisan manner. California leads the nation in scientific advancements across sectors, including biomedical engineering and quantum computing, and is deeply committed to investing in cutting-edge research in engineering, science, and medicine.

“The proposed rule would weaken the scientific foundations of experimental research, slowing the development of new treatments, strategies for environmental protection, technologies to expand our knowledge of space, and solutions to some of our most pressing questions,” continued the lawmakers.

Specifically, the lawmakers pointed to several areas of research that would be significantly impacted by OMB’s proposed rule:

National Competitiveness and the STEM Talent Pipeline: In light of the Administration unlawfully suspending millions in funds for U.S.-based scientific research, the proposed rule would threaten our status as a world leader in science by harming the STEM talent pipeline, create additional barriers for international students and domestic businesses that contribute to our economic viability, and weaken the nation’s ability to compete with China and other countries.

Biomedical and Scientific Research and Development: The proposed rule would politicize agencies’ longstanding science-based review process and prevent major research development of life-saving therapies, medicine, and preventive interventions for millions of Americans, as well as threaten clinical research efforts for future medical breakthroughs.

Higher Education: California’s universities rely on grants to fund schools and resources, which would all be on the line under the politically motivated restrictions in the proposed rule, jeopardizing the long-term future of our academic research institutions.

State and Local Governments: From disrupting public services to putting vital community projects on hold, the proposed rule would abandon vulnerable populations.

“The effects of this rulemaking could reverberate for generations. With such funding uncertainty and unpredictability, California and the rest of the country will backslide behind other nations in the areas of health, innovation, research, and scientific development. As such, we strongly urge you to rescind your proposed rule,” concluded the lawmakers.

In addition to Panetta, Schiff, and Lofgren, the letter was signed by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and U.S. Representatives Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Lou Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-21), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Robert Garcia (CA-42), John Garamendi (CA-08), Adam Gray (CA-13), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Josh Harder (CA-09), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Scott Peters (CA-50), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Norma Torres (CA-35), Derek Tran (CA-45), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Maxine Waters (CA-43), and George Whitesides (CA-27).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Vought:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) serves the critical role of ensuring that federal agencies administer funding to advance federal policy goals in an objective and fair manner. We write as members of Congress with the distinct honor of representing California – the innovation capital of the world and a top recipient of federal research funding. Our state leads the country in scientific advancements across sectors – from biomedical engineering and quantum computing, to fusion energy and more – because of robust federal funding. This investment is critical to early-stage scientific discovery across fields that the commercial marketplace cannot yet support due to the long timelines and inherent uncertainties of basic research. Nevertheless, these foundational research activities ultimately serve as the essential pipeline for future commercial innovation, spinning off into market-ready technologies and new domestic industries that drive economic growth and directly improve the lives of all Californians, and by proxy all Americans.

OMB’s federal grantmaking procedures were established to provide agencies with guidance on grant management and as such, this guidance has historically emphasized the importance of performance metrics, transparency, and unbiased review. We are gravely concerned by the extent to which OMB’s proposed “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” would drastically alter federal grantmaking procedures and undermine the transparency and unbiased review which is central to the success of the federal grant process. The rule is unprecedented, expansive, and applies across the federal government to every agency that reviews grants and other financial assistance proposals. It would allow political appointees to control all aspects of the grant review process, setting the stage for politically motivated decision-making that places the whims of the President over the well-being of the American people.

Merit-based, independent scientific review is the foundation of the United States’ and California’s leadership in science. For over 75 years, federal agencies including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Department of Energy have used merit-based review as a competitive process to award grants to California’s leading institutions in scientific, engineering, and medical research based on quality and impact. This review process has driven discoveries and critical progress in medicine, national security, technology, and economic competitiveness. At a time when U.S. companies are already publicly expressing uncertainty about accepting federal funding from this administration, citing fears of “conditions” the administration may place on their research, it is critical that federal funding of scientific research remain independent.

Therefore, we strongly urge OMB to rescind its proposed regulation and preserve the rigor and objectivity of its grantmaking processes so that federal grantmaking can remain free of partisanship and political agendas. This should include an emphasis on peer review of grants over the political and partisan bias of any administration, the establishment of transparent evaluation criteria, and other robust safeguards to protect the independent judgment of career civil servants. OMB’s proposed revisions to the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance undercut each of these critical guardrails necessary to protect the advancement of U.S. scientific research across all fields.

The proposed rule would weaken the scientific foundations of experimental research, slowing the development of new treatments, strategies for environmental protection, technologies to expand our knowledge of space, and solutions to some of our most pressing questions. The following implications for several areas of scientific research are particularly significant:

1. National Competitiveness and the STEM Talent Pipeline

Viability of Research

This proposed rule adds to the ever-growing uncertainty that scientists and researchers in California broadly face over federal funding. This administration has already unlawfully frozen millions of dollars in NSF funding, impounded NASA resources, and slashed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clean energy grants. These investments are critical to finding the next cures, protecting our access to clean air, and furthering our understanding of the universe. And yet, the administration’s actions will hinder our state’s best and brightest minds while denying funding to entire scientific fields the administration does not believe to be in service of their ideological and political priorities.

Harms to the STEM Talent Pipeline

These barriers, coupled with growing financial uncertainty, have forced American researchers, including those in California, to reevaluate the viability of continuing their studies in the United States. Countries like China are offering millions of dollars in research funding to our nation’s leading planetary scientists, engineers, and PhD candidates, hoping to capitalize on our nation’s unparalleled STEM talent pool. The continued slashing of NSF, NASA, and EPA funding will further damage our pipeline of future researchers and scientists, threatening our status as a world leader in STEM, and ultimately the nation’s ability to develop and innovate in the United States.

Additional Barriers on International Students and Domestic Businesses

The proposed regulation outlines new requirements for award eligibility, including mandatory participation in the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program, which would create significant administrative barriers, not just for higher education institutions, but for farmers, small businesses, and construction industries. For higher education institutions, this would hinder progress for international students and researchers providing critical contributions to American and California-led scientific progress. For farmers and small businesses, mandating E-Verify would significantly harm their ability to fill roles and conduct their day-to-day work. Furthermore, E-Verify comes with extensive administrative burdens and inaccurate information about employees. Punishing farmers, small businesses, and construction companies for a system known to be flawed in its accuracy will negatively impact these institutions’ and companies’ economic viability and their contributions to the American economy.

Competition from China

The proposed rule is a form of national self-destruction. Funding reductions will seriously weaken the United States’ ability to compete with other countries, especially as China is already laying out ambitious plans to become a leader in science – particularly in space science – by 2050. China has already invested in missions to explore Neptune and return samples from Mars, and yet OMB’s proposed rule gives non-experts the power to direct NASA’s future. We cannot compete with China on the world stage if we do not channel our resources into credible and technically sound scientific endeavors. Further, we cannot grant such a significant responsibility as grantmaking authority to political appointees with no technical expertise. Doing so would erode the efficacy, integrity, and respect of these programs and cede power and influence to our competitors abroad.

2. Biomedical and Scientific Research and Development

Politicization of Scientific Peer Review

OMB’s proposed rule would upend U.S. biomedical and scientific research agencies’ long-standing, apolitical, and science-based review process. Peer-review systems employed by NIH, NSF, and other research agencies have long been the top benchmark for identifying the most promising scientific opportunities. Replacing scientific judgment with political review risks directing resources away from the most meritorious research. California’s universities and medical centers conduct research that benefits patients nationwide, and any reduction in merit-based funding decisions could delay the development of life-saving therapies, diagnostics, and preventive interventions for millions of Americans.

OMB should carefully consider whether codifying these restrictions serves the long-term public interest. The result would not simply be administrative inefficiency; it would mean slower progress against cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, infectious diseases, and other conditions affecting millions of Americans. Federal research policy should be guided by scientific evidence, scientific experts, and public health needs, not structured in a manner that unnecessarily limits future administrations' ability to support scientific innovation and respond to emerging health, public safety, and other challenges.

Erosion of Research Infrastructure and Scientific Collaboration

Provisions favoring institutions with lower indirect cost rates, combined with restrictions on publication and conference costs under the proposed rule, threaten the infrastructure that makes scientific research possible and arbitrarily penalizes research that requires higher overhead costs. For example, research universities and academic medical centers maintain laboratories, clinical trial networks, biosafety systems, data security protections, and patient oversight programs that are essential to safe and effective research.

This research ecosystem serves as a national resource, attracting talent and fostering collaboration across states. Limiting the ability of researchers to share findings and collaborate would slow the translation of discoveries into treatments that improve public health nationwide. NIH-supported research has made America the global leader in biomedical innovation. Weakening the stability, predictability, and scientific integrity of federal research funding across U.S. research agencies threatens that leadership and risks slowing the pace of discoveries that improve and save lives.

Threats to Future Medical Breakthroughs

The proposed rule would permit scientific agencies to terminate research grants based on expansive ‘national interest’ determinations. Biomedical research often requires years of continuous support to recruit patients, conduct clinical trials, collect data, and validate results. California’s institutions lead large clinical research efforts, including studies involving cancer immunotherapies, neurodegenerative diseases, rare diseases, and emerging infectious threats. If compliant grants can be terminated unexpectedly, patients may lose access to promising therapies, research findings may be delayed, and taxpayers may lose the value of prior federal investments.

Ultimately, the greatest impact of this rule would be borne by patients. Every delay in biomedical research means longer waits for earlier diagnoses, more effective therapies, preventive interventions, potential cures, and avoidable deaths. Americans confronting cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, mental illness, rare disorders, and other serious conditions depend on continued scientific progress.

3. Higher Education

Limitations on Resources

Universities and institutions across California rely on grant-funded indirect cost recoveries to share their discoveries and advance the leading edge of science. OMB’s proposal would render publication costs, including open access fees for journal and periodical access, unallowable “unless such costs are expressly required by statute or approved in advance by the Federal agency on a case-by-case basis.” This change would be uniquely harmful to California-led innovation, as University of California (UC) researchers conduct 8.3 percent of all U.S. academic research. The dissemination of knowledge and academic collaboration is the foundation of these breakthroughs across critical sectors, including biotechnology, computing, semiconductors, telecommunications, and agriculture.

Politically Motivated Restrictions on Research Topics

OMB’s proposed regulations would prohibit the use of federal awards to support or promote theories of disparate-impact liability based on protected characteristics like race, sex, or age. These rules unnecessarily weaponize reasonable diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and undermine the free speech rights of federal grantees. They allow political appointees to dictate the topics researchers are permitted to investigate, hampering intellectual freedom and vastly narrowing the scope of higher education research. Instead of supporting research that amplifies underrepresented voices, the administration is empowering political appointees to cancel grants with any mention of race or gender. Outside of the higher education system, these dangerous provisions would also restrict federal funding to crucial environmental justice work to address pollution and toxic chemical impacts on disadvantaged communities, fenceline communities adjacent to industrial facilities, and communities of color.

The destructive and chaotic consequences of this approach have already been made clear under this administration, as seen by actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to abruptly terminate hundreds of millions of dollars in active research funding using overbroad, automated keyword searches for subjective terms. A federal judge recently ruled that cuts carried out by DOGE violated the Constitution and created a broad “chilling effect” on research. Codifying these harmful practices into government-wide OMB regulations would do a disservice to diverse communities as well as to our institutions of higher learning.

Long-Term Uncertainty

Federal funding is the largest and most important source of support for UC research, and the UC system is awarded more NIH and NSF funding than any other institution in the country. In FY 2024, UCs received $7.719 billion in total research awards, $5 billion of which were federal awards. The proposed restructuring of federal grant administration will undoubtedly threaten ongoing, cutting-edge research and successful grant programs across the state and the country. OMB’s proposed rule widens the administration’s ability to terminate grants that have already been obligated and are in progress. If enacted, these proposed changes would allow political appointees to interrupt, suspend, or permanently terminate active research projects on the cusp of major discoveries if they determine the award is “no longer in the Federal interest.” Under these proposed changes, an already-approved grantee could see an agency terminate the grant months later, leaving multi-stage projects unfinished with little or no explanation and jeopardizing their scientific research. Already this is impacting the future of American science.

4. State and Local Governments

Disruption of Public Services

OMB’s proposed rule poses a severe threat to the fiscal stability of counties and local governments across California and the country, which budget carefully and deliberately for year-long programs that rely on federal awards to deliver critical social services. Expanding the discretionary authority of political appointees to suspend or terminate active grants mid-cycle based on shifting administrative priorities introduces unprecedented unpredictability into local governance who have varied and limited capacity to shoulder new costs. Under this proposal, local communities may experience abruptly halted federal funding, leaving vital local infrastructure projects unfinished and abandoning vulnerable populations who rely on these services.

New Compliance Burdens

Local governments frequently operate as pass-through entities responsible for administering and distributing federal funds to community subrecipients. This vital role would become significantly more punitive under this regulation, as OMB’s proposal introduces sweeping oversight, monitoring, and documentation requirements that would severely strain thin local administrative resources. Most troubling, the proposed rule stretches compliance risks to unprecedented levels by tying overall grant eligibility to local enforcement of federal executive orders, potentially endangering funding over events held on county property. Forcing resource-constrained local authorities to act as federal compliance monitors for the administration or face catastrophic funding terminations creates an unworkable landscape that will ultimately reduce the reach of federal assistance.

The effects of this rulemaking could reverberate for generations. With such funding uncertainty and unpredictability, California and the rest of the country will backslide behind other nations in the areas of health, innovation, research, and scientific development. As such, we strongly urge you to rescind your proposed rule.

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Salazar, Giménez, Díaz-Balart, and Smith Urge Rubio and Bessent to Sanction Cuban Regime's Forced Labor Medical Apparatus

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28) and Christopher H. Smith (NJ-04) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent urging the Administration to impose sanctions on the Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos (CSMC), the Cuban regime's state-run entity that oversees its overseas medical missions and serves as a major source of revenue for the dictatorship.

In the letter, the lawmakers argue that CSMC oversees Cuba's overseas medical missions, exploiting Cuban medical professionals while generating revenue that helps finance the regime's repressive apparatus. They urge the Departments of State and the Treasury to use all available authorities to sanction the entity and increase financial pressure on the Cuban dictatorship.

"Today's Cuba is a failed state that survives by exploiting its own people," said Congresswoman Salazar. "The dictatorship no longer creates prosperity. It exports forced labor. Cuban doctors are stripped of their wages, denied their freedom, and forced to bankroll the very system that oppresses them. This is one of the world's largest state-sponsored forced labor schemes, and it is long past time to sanction those responsible."

“The Cuban regime has built a system of modern day slavery, exploiting its doctors and healthcare workers to enrich the dictatorship while stripping them of their freedom and separating them from their families. The Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos is a key instrument of that exploitation. The United States must hold those responsible for this forced labor scheme accountable by sanctioning this entity and continuing to deny the Cuban regime the resources it uses to repress the Cuban people," said Rep. Giménez.

“The brutal, communist Cuban dictatorship continues to exploit and take advantage of Cuban medical professionals through the so-called Comercializadora de Servicios Medicos Cubanos. As the prime author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (PL 106-386) and the pending Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 (HR 1144)—the latter of which Rep. Salazar is an original co-sponsor—any organization or entity that is complicit in forced labor and/or human trafficking should be sanctioned by the United States government, and we are calling upon Secretary Rubio to take this critical step towards further destabilizing the Cuban regime,” said Rep. Smith.

Key Highlights from the Letter

A Tool of Repression and Financing: The lawmakers argue that CSMC exploits Cuban healthcare professionals through the regime's overseas medical missions while generating revenue that helps sustain the dictatorship and its repressive apparatus.

A Major Source of Revenue for the Regime: As Cuba's traditional industries have declined, the letter argues that revenues generated through overseas medical missions have become one of the regime's principal sources of income, helping finance its operations and maintain political control.

A Call for Maximum Financial Pressure: The lawmakers urge the Departments of State and the Treasury to sanction CSMC under applicable U.S. law and evaluate additional financial measures against governments and individuals that facilitate the regime's forced labor program.

The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Cuban people and advancing policies that hold the communist regime accountable for its systematic human rights abuses and exploitation of its own citizens.


Congresswoman Simon Secures Federal Funding for LED Lighting Upgrades in Nine BART Stations Across the East Bay

BERKELEY, CA – Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) recently secured $850,000 in Community Project Funding (CPF) for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). This funding will be used to install LED lighting in nine BART Stations throughout the district including: Coliseum, Downtown Berkeley, Fruitvale, Lake Merritt, MacArthur, Rockridge, San Leandro, North Berkeley and West Oakland. These lighting upgrades will not only improve rider experience and strengthen public safety at stations - they will also increase energy efficiency and light quality.

Today, the Congresswoman announced the funding with BART General Manager Robert “Bob” Powers and members of the BART Board of Directors at the Downtown Berkeley BART station. She also toured a number of the stations slated for lighting upgrades to discuss the planned work and upcoming lighting improvements.

This Community Project Funding (CPF) is a part of the $11.2 million dollars that Congresswoman Simon secured for 15 projects across the East Bay in Fiscal Year 2026. Each fiscal year, members of Congress can submit Community Project Funding requests for consideration with the House Committee on Appropriations.You can read about the 15 projects that Congresswoman Simon secured funding for in her first year here.

“As someone who was born congenitally blind and has been dependent on public transit my entire life – I know that accessible, reliable public transportation is non-negotiable,” said Congresswoman Simon. “During my time on the BART Board, I fought to make our public transit systems safer and improve the rider experience. Now in Congress, I am fighting hard to expand on that work and deliver for us. Every neighborhood deserves to have safe, bright stations, and I look forward to seeing the impact these lighting upgrades will have on both safety and energy efficiency across the East Bay.”

“The recent improvements at the Downtown Berkeley Station are examples of how we are relentlessly putting the needs of our riders first. Upgraded lighting makes our stations safer and more welcoming,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “We are so grateful for the efforts of Congressmember Simon who has been an incredible advocate in the nation’s capital for Bay Area transit.”

“BART completed a major lighting upgrade last spring here at Downtown Berkeley Station, replacing more than 2,200 aging fluorescent bulbs with brighter, more energy-efficient LED lighting,” said BART District 3 Director Barnali Ghosh, whose district includes Downtown Berkeley Station. “The new lighting makes our stations more welcoming, increases safety, and saves us money on energy and maintenance costs. Once completed this program will reduce energy use from station lighting by half.”

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Ranking Member Stanton Details Trump’s FEMA Failings in New Report

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ) released a 34-page investigative report examining how the Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership are misusing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resources for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations instead of ensuring FEMA’s readiness to respond to disasters.

"This report is damning. After the Trump administration hollowed out a third of FEMA's workforce, it put disaster professionals to work as the 'operational backbone' of its cruel mass deportation agenda, likely in violation of federal law," Ranking Member Stanton said. "FEMA exists for one reason: to be there for Americans on the worst day of their lives. We're in the middle of a dangerous and destructive hurricane and wildfire season. The stakes couldn't be higher. Every FEMA employee detailed to ICE and CBP should be recalled immediately, and Congress must put real penalties in the law so no future administration can raid this life-saving agency again."

“While communities across the country are struggling to prepare for more severe and frequent natural disasters, the Trump administration is using FEMA employees and funding for its large-scale, brutal immigration enforcement operations,” Ranking Member Larsen said. “As detailed in the report, the Trump administration is leaving disaster-stricken communities out to dry in the name of separating immigrant families. I want to thank Ranking Member Stanton for his hard work on this report and on disaster response issues broadly this Congress.”

Summary:

The report contains 14 key findings from the investigation—including that DHS leadership relied on FEMA to serve as the backbone of large-scale immigration enforcement and detention operations and that FEMA’s delayed response to the Texas flooding resulted in demonstrable harm to disaster survivors.

It also includes eight recommendations based on the report’s findings, from resuming FEMA hiring and training programs to recalling employees detailed to ICE and CBP and directing those agencies to reimburse FEMA for all costs incurred by immigration enforcement operations.

To read the full report, all key findings and all subsequent recommendations, click here


Rep. Haley Stevens Tours Celanese Michigan Technology Center; Highlights Sustainable Manufacturing Innovation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens toured Celanese’s newly expanded Michigan Technology Center, meeting with employees and company leaders to discuss how sustainable manufacturing is driving the next generation of technological innovation.

Celanese, a global chemical and specialty materials company, is a major producer that powers Michigan manufacturing. The company operates more than 50 manufacturing facilities across 27 countries, with a strong focus on sustainable product development and responsible materials management.

“Michigan manufacturers have always led through innovation, and Celanese is showing what that leadership looks like,” said Rep. Stevens. “Their Michigan workforce is advancing technologies that strengthen our manufacturing base while making it more sustainable, keeping Michigan at the forefront of global innovation.”

Since taking office, Congresswoman Stevens has visited hundreds of manufacturers across Michigan, working directly with employers and workers to strengthen the state’s industrial base. She continues to champion Michigan manufacturing through legislation and her work on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE FOR MEDIA RELEASE BELOW:

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Suozzi Seeks Extension on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-03) sent two letters to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, urging the administration to extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador and underscoring the stakes for TPS holders if the agency allows the program to expire. TPS for El Salvador, which has been in place for over 25 years, will expire on September 9, 2026. The Secretary must announce his decision whether to terminate or extend the designation by July 11, 2026.

“For almost three decades, TPS holders from El Salvador have built lives, families, and communities in the United States. Salvadoran TPS holders contribute over five billion dollars to the economy each year and nearly 90 percent of Salvadoran TPS holders participate in the labor force. They also support hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizen children. Expiration of TPS would throw families into chaos, jeopardize American children’s futures, rip apart communities, and damage the economy. It would be unjust and inhumane,” said Rep Suozzi.

“This is a particularly personal issue for me as I know many Salvadoran TPS families going back to the days when I was Mayor of Glen Cove from 1994-2001,” Rep. Suozzi continued. “I have seen people who were new immigrants back in the 1990s become homeowners, business owners, and raise children who went to school with my children. This would be a devastating blow to many that I represent.”

Secretary Mullin responded on July 2, 2026, to Rep. Suozzi’s initial letter from June 22, 2026, with an explanation of alternative pathways TPS beneficiaries can pursue to stay in the United States. In a follow up letter on July 3, 2026, Congressman Suozzi reiterated why those pathways the Secretary suggested are not viable for most Salvadoran TPS holders and warned that terminating the designation could tear apart families and deport people who have been in this country legally for a generation. With no path to permanent legal status for most of them, termination would be catastrophic.

Rep. Suozzi, in his July 3rd letter, proposed a “parole in place” policy and an extended two-year transition period to mitigate the harm to Salvadoran TPS holders and their families in the event that the administration does not extend El Salvador’s TPS designation. As he emphasized in his letter, it is critically important that the administration extends the TPS designation for El Salvador and works with Congress to establish a more permanent, humane solution.

“The bottom line is if there was a route to legal status for most Salvadoran TPS holders, they would have taken it already, said Rep. Suozzi. “TPS holders are embedded in the fabric of our communities on Long Island, in Queens, and across the country. Letting the TPS designation run out and risking ripping them away from their families is inhumane and un-American. We need a just and comprehensive solution to this deeply personal issue that is based on common sense and basic humanity, and that solution cannot involve removing TPS holders, who have been essential to our communities for nearly three decades, from the country with only 60 days’ notice.”

Read Congressman Suozzi’s initial letter here.

Read Secretary Mullin’s response here.

Read Congressman Suozzi’s follow up letter here and below.

Dear Secretary Mullin:

Thank you for your timely response to my letter urging you to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador. Unfortunately, we will need an additional solution if we are to treat families and individuals who have been here decades in a humane and just manner consistent with our American values.

You identify a number of potential pathways for TPS holders to remain lawfully in the U.S. in the event TPS for El Salvador were terminated. However, the vast majority of Salvadoran TPS holders will be unable to qualify for those protections because:

If TPS expires and TPS holders are forced to leave the country, those who initially entered the U.S. without documentation prior to 2001 (most TPS holders) will be barred from returning or seeking permanent status for 10 years. Therefore, the pathways you describe will not be available to most TPS holders even if they are otherwise eligible.

The pathways you describe are limited and most TPS holders are not eligible.

Salvadoran TPS holders are well aware that their legal status in the United States is tenuous. For the past 25 years, they have faced the threat of losing their status every 18 months. If there were an available path to permanent residence – or even another non-immigrant status – TPS holders would take it. But there is not. That is why 70% of TPS holders from Honduras, who lived in the United States lawfully for just as long as Salvadoran TPS holders, were unable to become lawful permanent residents before their TPS was terminated last year.

For most Salvadoran TPS holders, termination of TPS will result in the immediate loss of lawful status and separation from their U.S. citizen children and other family members, as well as detention and deportation. Therefore, if you choose to terminate TPS for El Salvador, I urge you to provide a smooth transition for TPS holders by adopting a “parole in place” policy and an orderly transition period of two years.

1. If TPS expires and TPS holders are forced to leave the country, those who entered the U.S. without inspection or documentation will be barred from returning to the U.S. for up to 10 years. Therefore, none of the pathways you describe will be available.

Any non-citizen who leaves the United States after living here without documentation for more than 180 days – no matter how long ago – triggers either a three-year or ten-year bar. Many TPS holders initially entered the U.S. without inspection or documentation prior to the establishment of TPS status in 2001. Therefore, if TPS expires, TPS holders will be forced to leave the country immediately, triggering a 10-year ban on re-entering the country or applying for permanent status. As a result, the options you describe will be out of reach for the majority of TPS holders

Additionally, the few who may be eligible for pathways to lawful status, including those who have already applied, would have to successfully secure their new status prior to the expiration of TPS in almost two months. Given typical processing times, this is highly improbable.

2. The pathways you describe are limited and most TPS holders are not eligible.

A. Family-based visas

In order to qualify for a family-based immigrant visa, a TPS holder must 1) have been lawfully admitted to the U.S. and 2) have a qualifying relative. A family-based visa is not a viable path for many Salvadoran TPS holders because:

i) many entered the U.S. without inspection or documentation prior to the establishment of TPS status in 2001. Therefore, they were not lawfully admitted when they arrived. As you know, non-citizens who have not been admitted or paroled are not eligible to secure permanent status in the United States, even if a family-based or employment-based immigrant visa is available. Furthermore, even if a TPS holder is eligible for an immigrant visa but for their lack of lawful admission, leaving the U.S. to then return via lawful admission is not an option given the bans on returning described above.

ii) many do not have a relative eligible to sponsor them. Immigrant visas may be available through immediate U.S. citizen relatives, including a spouse, a U.S. citizen parent if the TPS holder is under the age of 21, or a U.S. citizen child over the age of 21. Because minor U.S. citizens may not sponsor their parents, TPS holders whose only U.S. citizen or lawful permanent relative is their minor U.S. citizen child have no immigrant visa available. Many of those who have held TPS since childhood find themselves in this situation.

iii) recent changes to DHS policy have created new barriers to adjustment even for those who have been admitted and have an immigrant visa available. TPS holders who have diligently followed the law for decades face considerable uncertainty and fear regarding how DHS may decide their applications.

B. Employment-based visas

Many Salvadoran TPS holders perform work that – while essential to the economy – is classified as “unskilled.” There is a very limited number of employment-based immigrant visas available for unskilled workers, and a years-long wait time even where visas are available. Therefore, this is not a viable option for many Salvadoran TPS holders. Further, a TPS holder who loses their TPS status – for example, due to the expiration of their TPS – is not eligible to adjust their status to obtain an employment-based immigrant visa.

C. Asylum

Salvadorans are unlikely to qualify for asylum. A successful asylum application requires the applicant to show a well-founded fear of persecution on account of one of five distinct grounds: race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Salvadoran TPS holders who left El Salvador because, for example, their children had become malnourished because grocery stores in their area no longer sold basic goods likely cannot establish persecution on a protected ground. Even those who fled extortion and violence by criminal entities typically cannot establish eligibility for asylum because they cannot show that the harm is on account of a protected ground.

D. Other non-immigrant statuses

While some TPS holders who meet the specific eligibility requirements may qualify for the non-immigrant statuses you identify, it is not possible for a non-citizen without immigration status to adjust to a non-immigrant status. Therefore, if TPS holders lose their TPS, they will not be able to adjust to a different non-immigrant status.

E. Deferred action

You identify deferred action as an option, but state that it is available only in “extraordinary circumstances.” Examples of extraordinary circumstances include medical emergencies or human trafficking victims. This form of relief, by definition, will not be available to the vast majority of Salvadoran TPS holders.

3. If TPS is terminated, the administration should take steps to ensure a smooth transition and mitigate the resulting harm to TPS holders and their families.

Even for the minority of Salvadoran TPS holders who qualify for a pathway to another immigrant or non-immigrant status, processing delays at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) mean that adjustment would take a significant amount of time—often years or more. But, over the past year and a half, DHS has provided TPS holders with only 60 days’ notice of the loss of TPS—far too little time to pursue even a viable path to alternative status.

If TPS for El Salvador is terminated, the administration could ensure TPS holders who do have another pathway available have sufficient time to adjust and mitigate the resulting impacts to TPS holders’ families by:

Adopting a “parole in place” policy for TPS holders akin to its military parole in place policy. This would ensure that TPS holders who have immigrant visas available to them are able to adjust their status without requiring them to leave the U.S., which, in many cases, would trigger new, additional barriers to adjustment. Specifically, TPS holders who were undocumented prior to receiving status would be barred from securing a visa and returning to the U.S. for up to 10 years after leaving the country.

Adopting an orderly transition period of two years to provide TPS holders with sufficient time to prepare for the loss of protections they have built their lives around for nearly three decades. The TPS statute gives DHS discretion to create an orderly transition period. There is no limit on the period pursuant to statute. In 2019, the Trump administration granted an extended 18-month period for the termination of TPS for El Salvador. Given Salvadoran TPS holders’ decades-long tenure in the U.S., a longer transition period of two years would give them necessary time to find new medical care, employment, and housing outside the country; ensure U.S. citizen children or other dependent family members can safely and seamlessly transition to alternate accommodations, schools, and communities; and more.

4. Conclusion

The Department of Homeland Security can and should extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvadorans who have lived continuously in the United States for almost three decades, all the while contributing to the economy, bolstering the labor force in key industries, and supporting U.S.-based families that often include U.S. citizen children or other relatives. Despite this, the majority of Salvadoran TPS holders have no clear path to permanent status, and the termination of TPS for El Salvador would be immediately devastating to hundreds of thousands of people. However, if the administration does decide to terminate TPS for El Salvador, the right, just, and humane thing to do would be to ensure a smooth transition for TPS holders by offering both a “parole in place” policy and an extended two-year transition period.

As you know, I am committed to finding a bipartisan path forward that permanently secures the border consistent with the President’s Executive Orders, while also reforming the asylum system which has been abused. Most important, I am prepared to work with you and the administration to provide legal status for those millions of immigrants who have been present here in the United States prior to January 20th of 2017 and, other than not having proper documentation, have committed no violations of U.S. law. Such a bipartisan solution would address the situation of Salvadoran TPS holders and millions of other immigrants who have been contributing to the United States’ economy and culture for more than 10 years (often much longer). Let’s work together to find a just, humane and practical solution to both the immediate situation of Salvadoran TPS holders and the painful issue of our immigration system at large.

Please reach out to me or my staff with any questions. I look forward to your response.

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